I'm sure we've all felt this way at one point or another...
Any minute now my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
And I'll stand on the bow
And feel the waves come crashing
Come crashing down, down, down on me
And you said,"Be still, my love
Open up your heart
Let the light shine in"
Don't you understand?
I already have a plan
I'm waiting for my real life to begin
When I awoke today suddenly nothing happened
But in my dreams I slew the dragon
And down this beaten path
And up this cobbled lane
I'm walking in my own footsteps once again
And you say,"Just be here now
Forget about the past
Your mask is wearing thin"
Let me throw one more dice
I know that I can win
I'm waiting for my real life to begin
Any minute now my ship is coming in
I'll keep checking the horizon
And I'll check my machine
There's sure to be that call
It's gonna happen soon, soon, oh so very soon
It's just that times are lean
And you say,"Be still, my love
Open up your heart
Let the light shine in"
Don't you understand?
I already have a plan
I'm waiting for my real life to begin
On a clear day
I can see, see for a long way
On a clear day
I can see, see a very long way
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Damon to the Tigers?
All of you baseball fans have no doubt been following the seemingly never-ending saga of where OF Johnny Damon's free agency would finally land him. Well, tonight, it's looking like that location will be Motown. Just read that the Tigs have offered either a 1 -yr. 7 mil or 2-yr. 14 mil offer; finding mixed reports on the terms and conditions. Either way, Detroit gets itself a lead-off man and some star power, and, for myself, I get a baseball fan's dream come true: my favorite player putting on the hometown uniform! I've been a huge Damon fan since he broke into the league with the Royals back in '95, where he spent 6 seasons developing into one of the games top lead-off men. I followed him in Oakland for the 2001 season, then wept tears of joy when he was baptised into Red Sox Nation where he spent four solid years and helped Beantown "remove the curse"! Sure, I was a little bitter when he departed in 2006 to join the Evil Empire in the Bronx, but I still enjoyed seeing him continue his success. Now, 4 years later, he could be becoming a Detroit Tiger. The baseball Gods sure move in mysterious ways...
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Words of Wisdon
The other day, I was looking through some old poems and other writings from my past, and I came across a list of quotes that either I or my sister came up with as teenagers. For example, the one that started it all, "The shadows of the future are washed up on the shores of today." We used to duel each other with these profound statements, especially during long road trips; like the last time the whole family drove to Florida to visit my "Nana". Reading these quotes today, I think "wow", we were a couple of pretty creative cookies, my sis and I. Maybe you'll agree...
"Heroes are those who we want to be, but never had the courage to become."
"The distance that separates two people is often the space that brings them closer together."
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but love is in the heart. And it’s the heart that keeps us alive."
"He who has sight is often blinder than he who does not."
"Tis’ a strange world in which we live –why do we believe so much our history yet doubt so much our future?"
"The poor know who they are, while the rich know who they should be."
"The higher a person rises in status, the lower his perception of reality becomes."
"Live within life’s limits, but never limit your life."
"Every man’s going somewhere. All he needs is something to get him there."
"My position in life does not guarantee me happiness…but, happiness does guarantee me a position in life."
"Heroes are those who we want to be, but never had the courage to become."
"The distance that separates two people is often the space that brings them closer together."
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but love is in the heart. And it’s the heart that keeps us alive."
"He who has sight is often blinder than he who does not."
"Tis’ a strange world in which we live –why do we believe so much our history yet doubt so much our future?"
"The poor know who they are, while the rich know who they should be."
"The higher a person rises in status, the lower his perception of reality becomes."
"Live within life’s limits, but never limit your life."
"Every man’s going somewhere. All he needs is something to get him there."
"My position in life does not guarantee me happiness…but, happiness does guarantee me a position in life."
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Left Turns and Lane Changes
Since when did turning left and changing lanes in front of another car become a right instead of a privilege? I can't believe the number of incidents I've seen in which drivers take these actions without any consideration for the other car(s) involved. It's amazing we don't have more head-on collisions as a result of this debauchery!
Career Choices
Top 5 jobs I'd love to have, but likely never will:
1. Professional Baseball Player
2. The guy who selects music for film and TV show scenes
3. Author
4. ESPN Anchor
5. Sports Agent
1. Professional Baseball Player
2. The guy who selects music for film and TV show scenes
3. Author
4. ESPN Anchor
5. Sports Agent
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Success not INXS
Last evening, I was one of those lucky enough (and I serve that up heavy on the sarcasm) to catch Rock Star: INXS on CBS. Yes, the remaining band members have reunited in a quest to find a new lead singer from the lairs of underground clubs, coffee shops, and, apparently, high-schools and colleges, by the looks of some of the contestants. However, it should be noted that the band insists it is not trying to replace it's former frontman, (the now deceased) Michael Hutchence. Whew, that's comforting to know, because, quite honestly, that would never be possible with this motley crew the band is hell-bent on interviewing.
Am I the only one that finds this entire attempt at television entertainment to be inconsequential from every possible standpoint? Let's be honest here, INXS, as an 80/90s band didn't exactly rule those eras outright. I, for one, even question them deserving a top 5 nod on a best bands list for that time? Somehow, Rock Star: The Cure or Rock Star: U2 seems to carry a lot more weight among today's music fans. But much more obvious, at least to me, is the fact that Michael Hutchence basically was INXS. Can anyone out there really name another band member? And, uh, where's the band been since his death in 1997? Now, almost 8 full years later, the guys just suddenly decided that they're ready to hit the studio again…renewed, refreshed and with a new voice leading the way.
Regardless, the show itself borders not only on ridculous, but even comical. At one point, rocker Dave Navarro, who has managed to somehow earn a supporting role, informs the aspiring contestants that it really is a dream to play in front of a crowd of 100,000 screaming fans. Ok, does anyone really think that today's INXS is nailing down venues of that magnitude? And, I'm pretty sure a new face in the band isn't going to contribute much in that capacity unless old Mikey is somehow resurrected from the great beyond.
Anyway you slice it, it sounds like the I-gang's running out of money fast and this is a simply a scheme to grab a few more bucks, as well as a few hours of primetime spotlight. I frequently hear people criticizing old bands for selling out by lending their music to TV ads or promotional jingles. Well, congratulations, INXS fans, your boys just set a new record in that category.
Am I the only one that finds this entire attempt at television entertainment to be inconsequential from every possible standpoint? Let's be honest here, INXS, as an 80/90s band didn't exactly rule those eras outright. I, for one, even question them deserving a top 5 nod on a best bands list for that time? Somehow, Rock Star: The Cure or Rock Star: U2 seems to carry a lot more weight among today's music fans. But much more obvious, at least to me, is the fact that Michael Hutchence basically was INXS. Can anyone out there really name another band member? And, uh, where's the band been since his death in 1997? Now, almost 8 full years later, the guys just suddenly decided that they're ready to hit the studio again…renewed, refreshed and with a new voice leading the way.
Regardless, the show itself borders not only on ridculous, but even comical. At one point, rocker Dave Navarro, who has managed to somehow earn a supporting role, informs the aspiring contestants that it really is a dream to play in front of a crowd of 100,000 screaming fans. Ok, does anyone really think that today's INXS is nailing down venues of that magnitude? And, I'm pretty sure a new face in the band isn't going to contribute much in that capacity unless old Mikey is somehow resurrected from the great beyond.
Anyway you slice it, it sounds like the I-gang's running out of money fast and this is a simply a scheme to grab a few more bucks, as well as a few hours of primetime spotlight. I frequently hear people criticizing old bands for selling out by lending their music to TV ads or promotional jingles. Well, congratulations, INXS fans, your boys just set a new record in that category.
Monday, June 27, 2005
Crazy in love or just plain crazy?
Never mind the War of the Worlds premiere this Wednesday, there's a different alien grabbing headlines these days: Tom Cruise. By using that term, I'm not making references to the movie star's Scientology faith, but rather his bizarre behavior in the few months that have passed since his relationship with actress, Katie Holmes first became public. I've always been a Tom Cruise fan. His characters have always inspired me, made me laugh and given me the desire to carry the same bold confidence in myself that they display on the big screen. But even the most devoted of Tom Cruise fans has to be a little frightened by his present actions, comments and overall persona. Let's be honest, whoever this guy is walking around representing Tom Cruise is a far cry from the Jerry Maguire we all know and love. So is it really his love for Katie? Is it all a performance meant to drum up publicity for the release of his latest blockbuster? Or, has the guy really gone off the deep end amidst a mid-life crisis? Perhaps the answers to these questions lie inside the events themselves that have brought us to the point of wondering "what's wrong with dear, old Tom". Let's take a look at the timeline…
Late April:
Rumors emerge that the talented Mr. Cruise is dating Joey from Dawson's Creek (let's be honest, that's how most people know her, now isn't it?). Soon, these rumors are squashed with the cold hard truth that, yes the two are in fact a couple. "A couple of what?" is the first reaction many of us experience. After all, last we heard Tom and Penelope Cruz were an item, while Katie was passing time with beau (now former beau), Chris Klein. Besides, Tom's considerably older than she, but love knows no age so we slowly accept the reality of it all. Pretty soon, their mugs appear everywhere, except the outside of a 7-Eleven Slurpee cup. The two are frequently locked together at the lips, as they make no secret about, almost promote, the way they "allegedly" feel about each other. I use the word allegedly, because most of America still finds the entire situation unbelievable. Soon the "publicity stunt" rumors begin to circulate. Skeptics begin inferring that the two are hooking up merely to promote their upcoming Summer blockbusters, which, of course, leads to the first of Tom's many unusual antics.
May 23
Apparently, hearing enough nonsense that he's not truly in live, Tom embarks on a mission to set the record straight by appearing on the Oprah show and participating in a nonsensical, almost idiotic to some, display of his affection for the fair Miss Holmes. Cruise fans breathe a sigh of relief in one regard in that his arm pumps and jerky leg kicks do in fact resemble the old Jerry Maguire we are so used to. Unfortunately, it wouldn't last long, as Tom receives tremendous ridicule by the media for his performance. But, on the bright side, many people now believe that he and Katie are really in love. Well, at least his fellow scientologists.
May 26
Tom decides to implement a ploy to take some of the attention away from his love life by attacking Brooke Shields. He scolds Brooke for using Paxil to fight her depression after giving birth to her daughter. Sure, Tom. Being a man, I'm sure you understand the postpartum experience better than most of us, including women. However, not sure this is the right way to go about promoting your new movie. The comments escalate into an all-out war of words between the two. But, I guess it could be worse. At least he said that Brooke "is an incredibly talented woman". Of course, he also implied that her career was over right after that. Yikes!
Shortly thereafter, Katie Holmes announces that she is converting to Scientology. A Catholic girl dropping her faith to convert to the beliefs of the man she loves. And Tom's calling Brooke Shields weak? Go figure. But Cruise tells the media "the thing you've got to know about Katie is that she's an incredibly bright and self-determined woman. She makes her own decisions." With this, more rumors arise that Tom allegedly insisted that Katie turn down a role in the upcoming "Factory Girls" because she would have played a drug-addicted woman, and he apparently is a practicing anti-drug advocate. Still believe Katie makes her own decisions? Right.
June 17
The couple's relationship takes huge strides as the two become engaged atop the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Both claim they have never been happier, and the duo celebrates with a romantic dinner for four – Tom, Katie and the parents of his former lover, Penelope Cruz. Now, I'm no Hitch, but don't you think dinner with the old flame's folks is an odd way to welcome the beginning of one's life together. Witnesses say that Katie is rather quiet during the entire meal. Really? You know, that seems strange, because if I were to dine with the parents of my wife's ex, I'm sure I would be a regular chatterbox.
June 19
Just when you think it's safe to turn on CNN again, he strikes yet once more. During a War of the Worlds premiere, Tom is the victim of a local television show prank, getting squirted in the face by a water-shooting microphone. At first he laughs at the incident, but then almost Jekyll-and-Hyde like, he concludes with a lecture for the prankster, publicly labeling the guy a "jerk". Can you just imagine Tom's reaction if he was to ever get Punk'd? Are you listening, Ashton?
June 20
As if it couldn't get any stranger, sources report that Cruise treated actress, Scarlett Johansson, to a tour of the Church of Scientology. Seems everything was peachy until Tom put her on the spot with a surprise dinner invite amongst all of the church's elders. Scarlett finds the entire situation a little too awkward and politely declines, then exits. Well, "exits" is probably an understatement. My guess is she ran like hell once she hit the front door. Apparently, Cruise thought he was playing David Koresh in his next major film and wanted to get a jump on becoming the role.
June 22
Cruise publicly discusses the water-in-the-face incident by stating "There are bullies, people who like to make people feel less and feel bad. Those people need to be confronted. I have never felt something like that is funny." So now, in addition to being a movie star, producer, anti-depressant expert and Scientology rep, Tom is a super hero. Well, I for one can sleep much easier knowing that he will be there to defend me should I be squirted in the face by a gag mic.
June 24
Cruise adds Psychiatrist to his resume as he debates Today show host, Matt Lauer, on the effects of drugs and the human psyche. Lauer claims he knows individuals who were helped by Ritalin, at which point Cruise responds with "Matt, Matt, you don't even -- you're glib. You don't even know what Ritalin is. If you start talking about chemical imbalance, you have to evaluate and read the research papers on how they came up with these theories, Matt, OK. That's what I've done." Wow, this guy just does it all, doesn't he.
That brings us to the here and now, anxiously awaiting Mr. Cruise's next move. To be honest, I, personally, have found the entire journey with Tom to be fascinating. I routinely scan the news headlines each morning hoping that the time bomb we call Cruise has gone off again. But you see, that's just it. As weird as his behavior may be, Tom Cruise is keeping himself at the forefront of the minds of every potential movie ticket buyer out there. Is he doing it on purpose? I don't know. Heck, he probably doesn't even know. But, if it's media he wants, it is working. It may not all be good, but he is still grabbing headlines and, in the end, that will bring people into the theater to see his movie.
Me? Well, I may check it out. I will admit I am a little intrigued. Man vs Alien in one final battle on Earth. You just have to ask yourself…after all of the antics we've witnessed over the past two months…which side of the war is Tom really on?
Late April:
Rumors emerge that the talented Mr. Cruise is dating Joey from Dawson's Creek (let's be honest, that's how most people know her, now isn't it?). Soon, these rumors are squashed with the cold hard truth that, yes the two are in fact a couple. "A couple of what?" is the first reaction many of us experience. After all, last we heard Tom and Penelope Cruz were an item, while Katie was passing time with beau (now former beau), Chris Klein. Besides, Tom's considerably older than she, but love knows no age so we slowly accept the reality of it all. Pretty soon, their mugs appear everywhere, except the outside of a 7-Eleven Slurpee cup. The two are frequently locked together at the lips, as they make no secret about, almost promote, the way they "allegedly" feel about each other. I use the word allegedly, because most of America still finds the entire situation unbelievable. Soon the "publicity stunt" rumors begin to circulate. Skeptics begin inferring that the two are hooking up merely to promote their upcoming Summer blockbusters, which, of course, leads to the first of Tom's many unusual antics.
May 23
Apparently, hearing enough nonsense that he's not truly in live, Tom embarks on a mission to set the record straight by appearing on the Oprah show and participating in a nonsensical, almost idiotic to some, display of his affection for the fair Miss Holmes. Cruise fans breathe a sigh of relief in one regard in that his arm pumps and jerky leg kicks do in fact resemble the old Jerry Maguire we are so used to. Unfortunately, it wouldn't last long, as Tom receives tremendous ridicule by the media for his performance. But, on the bright side, many people now believe that he and Katie are really in love. Well, at least his fellow scientologists.
May 26
Tom decides to implement a ploy to take some of the attention away from his love life by attacking Brooke Shields. He scolds Brooke for using Paxil to fight her depression after giving birth to her daughter. Sure, Tom. Being a man, I'm sure you understand the postpartum experience better than most of us, including women. However, not sure this is the right way to go about promoting your new movie. The comments escalate into an all-out war of words between the two. But, I guess it could be worse. At least he said that Brooke "is an incredibly talented woman". Of course, he also implied that her career was over right after that. Yikes!
Shortly thereafter, Katie Holmes announces that she is converting to Scientology. A Catholic girl dropping her faith to convert to the beliefs of the man she loves. And Tom's calling Brooke Shields weak? Go figure. But Cruise tells the media "the thing you've got to know about Katie is that she's an incredibly bright and self-determined woman. She makes her own decisions." With this, more rumors arise that Tom allegedly insisted that Katie turn down a role in the upcoming "Factory Girls" because she would have played a drug-addicted woman, and he apparently is a practicing anti-drug advocate. Still believe Katie makes her own decisions? Right.
June 17
The couple's relationship takes huge strides as the two become engaged atop the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Both claim they have never been happier, and the duo celebrates with a romantic dinner for four – Tom, Katie and the parents of his former lover, Penelope Cruz. Now, I'm no Hitch, but don't you think dinner with the old flame's folks is an odd way to welcome the beginning of one's life together. Witnesses say that Katie is rather quiet during the entire meal. Really? You know, that seems strange, because if I were to dine with the parents of my wife's ex, I'm sure I would be a regular chatterbox.
June 19
Just when you think it's safe to turn on CNN again, he strikes yet once more. During a War of the Worlds premiere, Tom is the victim of a local television show prank, getting squirted in the face by a water-shooting microphone. At first he laughs at the incident, but then almost Jekyll-and-Hyde like, he concludes with a lecture for the prankster, publicly labeling the guy a "jerk". Can you just imagine Tom's reaction if he was to ever get Punk'd? Are you listening, Ashton?
June 20
As if it couldn't get any stranger, sources report that Cruise treated actress, Scarlett Johansson, to a tour of the Church of Scientology. Seems everything was peachy until Tom put her on the spot with a surprise dinner invite amongst all of the church's elders. Scarlett finds the entire situation a little too awkward and politely declines, then exits. Well, "exits" is probably an understatement. My guess is she ran like hell once she hit the front door. Apparently, Cruise thought he was playing David Koresh in his next major film and wanted to get a jump on becoming the role.
June 22
Cruise publicly discusses the water-in-the-face incident by stating "There are bullies, people who like to make people feel less and feel bad. Those people need to be confronted. I have never felt something like that is funny." So now, in addition to being a movie star, producer, anti-depressant expert and Scientology rep, Tom is a super hero. Well, I for one can sleep much easier knowing that he will be there to defend me should I be squirted in the face by a gag mic.
June 24
Cruise adds Psychiatrist to his resume as he debates Today show host, Matt Lauer, on the effects of drugs and the human psyche. Lauer claims he knows individuals who were helped by Ritalin, at which point Cruise responds with "Matt, Matt, you don't even -- you're glib. You don't even know what Ritalin is. If you start talking about chemical imbalance, you have to evaluate and read the research papers on how they came up with these theories, Matt, OK. That's what I've done." Wow, this guy just does it all, doesn't he.
That brings us to the here and now, anxiously awaiting Mr. Cruise's next move. To be honest, I, personally, have found the entire journey with Tom to be fascinating. I routinely scan the news headlines each morning hoping that the time bomb we call Cruise has gone off again. But you see, that's just it. As weird as his behavior may be, Tom Cruise is keeping himself at the forefront of the minds of every potential movie ticket buyer out there. Is he doing it on purpose? I don't know. Heck, he probably doesn't even know. But, if it's media he wants, it is working. It may not all be good, but he is still grabbing headlines and, in the end, that will bring people into the theater to see his movie.
Me? Well, I may check it out. I will admit I am a little intrigued. Man vs Alien in one final battle on Earth. You just have to ask yourself…after all of the antics we've witnessed over the past two months…which side of the war is Tom really on?
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Character goes a long way
The passing of Lane Smith earlier this week probably went unnoticed by most movie fans, unless of course the obituary you read included a picture of the gifted actor. Smith fell under the category "character actor" - those celebrities who seem to appear in every movie you come across, yet despite the instant recognition of their faces, you just can't seem to recall their names. Over the course of motion picture history, we've watched them come and go, remembered only by those characters whom they brought to life on the silver screen. For the serious movie buff, there's even a website honoring their contributions to Hollywood.
For me, Lane Smith will always be etched into my memory as one of two personas - the lawyer opposing Joe Pesci's Vincent Gambini in the comedy My Cousin Vinny or the small-town father who's life is turned upside down by Pauly Shore's Crawl in Son-In-Law. Still, news of his death got me thinking about some of the other character actors, particularly in today's modern movie era, that deserve to be mentioned for continuing to lend their faces to the big screen knowing damn well that only the most serious of movie fans will have an inkling of their identity. Thus, I present my personal list of favorite character actors (in no particular order):
JT Walsh
The man who epitomizes the character actor. His motion picture career spans 16 years (1982-1998) in which he appeared in 66 films; most notably Pleasantville, Breakdown, Slingblade, Blue Chips, Needful Things, and A Few Good Men. Walsh died February 27, 1998 of heart failure.
David Patrick Kelley
"Warriors, come out and play-e-yay". Such was the haunting chant repeated by Kelley in the 1979 film The Warriors, his motion picture debut. Since then he's made a career out of playing twisted souls, heartless criminals and psychopaths in such films as K-Pax, Last Man Standing, The Crow, Commando, Dreamscape, and, most recently, this year's remake of The Longest Yard. However, he will always be Luther in 48 Hrs., unexpectedly flipping over an opened car door much to the chagrin of Eddie Murphy ("What's happenin', Luther?").
Paul Dooley
Though he never found himself in a blockbuster motion picture, Dooley turned up in over 75 films, in addition to numerous television guest appearances. He's probably most remembered for his portrayal of the father who cared but found it difficult to express that he cared; most notably as Jim Baker in Sixteen Candles and Raymond Toller in Breaking Away.
Jeffery Jones
Jones is a versatile actor with the ability to play pretty much any type of character. You probably know him best as Principal Edward Rooney in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, however, Jones has landed roles in a multitude of popular films, including The Devil's Advocate (in a very creepy jogging scene), Houseguest, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, The Hunt for Red October, and Beetlejuice.
James Rebhorn
With 76 films and a number of TV appearances to his credit, Rebhorn's is a face that you may recognize from such pictures as Basic Instinct, Regarding Henry, The Game, Guarding Tess, Independence Day, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Cold Mountain, and, ironically enough, My Cousin Vinny, with Lane Smith. Personally, I'll remember him best as Dr. Larry Banks in Meet the Parents.
Honorable Mention:
Wallace Shawn
Ronny Cox
John Kapelos
Ed Lauter
Bruce McGill
For me, Lane Smith will always be etched into my memory as one of two personas - the lawyer opposing Joe Pesci's Vincent Gambini in the comedy My Cousin Vinny or the small-town father who's life is turned upside down by Pauly Shore's Crawl in Son-In-Law. Still, news of his death got me thinking about some of the other character actors, particularly in today's modern movie era, that deserve to be mentioned for continuing to lend their faces to the big screen knowing damn well that only the most serious of movie fans will have an inkling of their identity. Thus, I present my personal list of favorite character actors (in no particular order):
JT Walsh
The man who epitomizes the character actor. His motion picture career spans 16 years (1982-1998) in which he appeared in 66 films; most notably Pleasantville, Breakdown, Slingblade, Blue Chips, Needful Things, and A Few Good Men. Walsh died February 27, 1998 of heart failure.
David Patrick Kelley
"Warriors, come out and play-e-yay". Such was the haunting chant repeated by Kelley in the 1979 film The Warriors, his motion picture debut. Since then he's made a career out of playing twisted souls, heartless criminals and psychopaths in such films as K-Pax, Last Man Standing, The Crow, Commando, Dreamscape, and, most recently, this year's remake of The Longest Yard. However, he will always be Luther in 48 Hrs., unexpectedly flipping over an opened car door much to the chagrin of Eddie Murphy ("What's happenin', Luther?").
Paul Dooley
Though he never found himself in a blockbuster motion picture, Dooley turned up in over 75 films, in addition to numerous television guest appearances. He's probably most remembered for his portrayal of the father who cared but found it difficult to express that he cared; most notably as Jim Baker in Sixteen Candles and Raymond Toller in Breaking Away.
Jeffery Jones
Jones is a versatile actor with the ability to play pretty much any type of character. You probably know him best as Principal Edward Rooney in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, however, Jones has landed roles in a multitude of popular films, including The Devil's Advocate (in a very creepy jogging scene), Houseguest, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, The Hunt for Red October, and Beetlejuice.
James Rebhorn
With 76 films and a number of TV appearances to his credit, Rebhorn's is a face that you may recognize from such pictures as Basic Instinct, Regarding Henry, The Game, Guarding Tess, Independence Day, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Cold Mountain, and, ironically enough, My Cousin Vinny, with Lane Smith. Personally, I'll remember him best as Dr. Larry Banks in Meet the Parents.
Honorable Mention:
Wallace Shawn
Ronny Cox
John Kapelos
Ed Lauter
Bruce McGill
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Today's service is a disservice to us all
Customer service is everywhere these days…news headlines, company missions, corporate boardrooms, sales philosophies, store signs and policies, and, my favorite, infomericals. Unfortunately, the one place I am seeing less and less of customer service is at the point of sale. Oddly, one would think that might be the greatest area of focus. However, from mini marts to department stores to specialty shops, the growing trend of employees who could care less what the customer wants or needs is growing rapidly. I used to think it was just because most businesses opted for part-time teen-age associates in order to alleviate high payrolls and to avoid incurring the cost of benefits. But, I'm not so sure anymore, as I've seen my share of poor service experiences involving adults of all ages, races and creed.
So what's the problem here, America? It doesn't appear to be an impossible problem to rectify. It's common courtesy in a workplace format. And, if we can't figure out that simple equation by ourselves, there must be at least a thousand experts out there who can help us see the light. At least it would appear that way given how often I see a new perspective on the topic turn up in the local bookstore. In fact, during one recent visit to Borders, I made a point to peruse the Business section where I came across such titles as Indispensable: How To Become The Company That Your Customers Can't Live Without, Super Service: Seven Keys to Delivering Great Customer Service...Even When You Don't Feel Like It!...Even When They Don't Deserve It!, Coaching Knock Your Socks Off Service, and Hug Your Customers: The Proven Way to Personalize Sales and Achieve Astounding Results (although that last one would be a little awkward should a store employee elect to apply it on me). Unfortunately, the people writing these books, as well as the managers reading them, forgot to pass the knowledge on to their sales staff. If they did, I wouldn't have some 17-yr.-old kid roll his eyes at me because I've apparently inconvenienced him by asking which aisle the Cocoa Puffs are in, therefore taking him away from his daily ritual of doing nothing.
So are we just lazy? Has our culture become so automated that the mere idea of assisting someone else seems ridiculous despite the fact that one may be getting paid to do just that? I have no idea. What I do know is, we, as customers, are just as much to blame because we take it. Nine times out of ten I bet a person who gets bad service from a store either shrugs it off and moves on with his life OR states "I will never go back there again". The latter of which is usually forgotten the next time he is in dire need of diapers for the little one, and, despite his previous encounter, the local Kmart is not only close but the least expensive in terms of price (and, no, for the record, I do not have anything against Kmart and its service…or lack of). Maybe we need to push the envelope on poor service and report these incidents. Perhaps call the employee out face-to-face or via a tete-a -tete with his manager (in which we, of course, adamantly express our displeasure with the service provided). At least you can return home knowing that you exhausted all means in your power to set the situation right. And, if that isn't consolation enough, I guess take comfort in the fact that you won't have as much pride swallowing to do when the time comes for you to return to the store for those diapers.
So what's the problem here, America? It doesn't appear to be an impossible problem to rectify. It's common courtesy in a workplace format. And, if we can't figure out that simple equation by ourselves, there must be at least a thousand experts out there who can help us see the light. At least it would appear that way given how often I see a new perspective on the topic turn up in the local bookstore. In fact, during one recent visit to Borders, I made a point to peruse the Business section where I came across such titles as Indispensable: How To Become The Company That Your Customers Can't Live Without, Super Service: Seven Keys to Delivering Great Customer Service...Even When You Don't Feel Like It!...Even When They Don't Deserve It!, Coaching Knock Your Socks Off Service, and Hug Your Customers: The Proven Way to Personalize Sales and Achieve Astounding Results (although that last one would be a little awkward should a store employee elect to apply it on me). Unfortunately, the people writing these books, as well as the managers reading them, forgot to pass the knowledge on to their sales staff. If they did, I wouldn't have some 17-yr.-old kid roll his eyes at me because I've apparently inconvenienced him by asking which aisle the Cocoa Puffs are in, therefore taking him away from his daily ritual of doing nothing.
So are we just lazy? Has our culture become so automated that the mere idea of assisting someone else seems ridiculous despite the fact that one may be getting paid to do just that? I have no idea. What I do know is, we, as customers, are just as much to blame because we take it. Nine times out of ten I bet a person who gets bad service from a store either shrugs it off and moves on with his life OR states "I will never go back there again". The latter of which is usually forgotten the next time he is in dire need of diapers for the little one, and, despite his previous encounter, the local Kmart is not only close but the least expensive in terms of price (and, no, for the record, I do not have anything against Kmart and its service…or lack of). Maybe we need to push the envelope on poor service and report these incidents. Perhaps call the employee out face-to-face or via a tete-a -tete with his manager (in which we, of course, adamantly express our displeasure with the service provided). At least you can return home knowing that you exhausted all means in your power to set the situation right. And, if that isn't consolation enough, I guess take comfort in the fact that you won't have as much pride swallowing to do when the time comes for you to return to the store for those diapers.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Some stars occupy too much sky
It appears our favorite motion picture personalities believe their monopoly of the big screen, and the millions in profits they reap from the industry, just isn't enough to support the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Nope, now they're strategically plotting to corner the video game industry, as well. An article posted in Yahoo! News this morning explains how the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) just struck a deal with the video game industry that will increase actor/actress profit by 36% when said “movie star” lends his or her voice to a game. But wait there's more. Just when you're thinking that such demands represent the epitome of greed, we find out that the “stars” in question actually wanted profit-sharing or “residual payments” from the game industry, but were denied this request and, therefore it seems, took what they could get. One passage in the article states “The unions, which said they struck the deal with reluctance, vowed to continue their bid to win payments for actors for each game sold.” Well, sure, let's be certain they can tap into whatever money bucket spills their way just for uttering a few lines here and there. Guess that extra stash is for the sore throat doctor bills that our celebrities are bound to incur during the voice-over process.
So on top of A-Rod receiving $252 million over 10 years (you do the math for his annual salary), T.O. demanding a new, more lucrative, contract on top of his current $49 million one, Tom Cruise getting $25 million+ per picture (even despite his recent performance on Oprah), we now have this. What's next? Scott Peterson raking in a cool $100 million for selling his story to a publishing company? I'm sure it's already in the works in some board room across the country. Given the crude reality of these ridiculous antics, I gotta believe the end of the world is upon us. Honestly. I mean, aren't some of these things biblical signs for Armageddon? I'm ready to grow a beard, go unbathed for a couple of months, grab a sign and walk the streets muttering “the end is near”. Anyone care to join me?
So on top of A-Rod receiving $252 million over 10 years (you do the math for his annual salary), T.O. demanding a new, more lucrative, contract on top of his current $49 million one, Tom Cruise getting $25 million+ per picture (even despite his recent performance on Oprah), we now have this. What's next? Scott Peterson raking in a cool $100 million for selling his story to a publishing company? I'm sure it's already in the works in some board room across the country. Given the crude reality of these ridiculous antics, I gotta believe the end of the world is upon us. Honestly. I mean, aren't some of these things biblical signs for Armageddon? I'm ready to grow a beard, go unbathed for a couple of months, grab a sign and walk the streets muttering “the end is near”. Anyone care to join me?
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