On the way back to work, we somehow got on the subject of a store selling drinks made from tiger urine.  That morphed into drinks made from Tiger Woods’ urine.  Don’t ask me how we got there.

“What flavor did you get?”

“I got gonorrhea.  Yum.”

My 3-year-old then asked, “What?”

Knowing he had no idea of what we were talking about, I replied ,”Gonorrhea.”

“Oh, I get it,” he said and started to laugh.

So, Sunday we had the bright idea to let Bubba watch some NASCAR on TV.  (Yes, his nick name is even Bubba.  I don’t know how that happened, but if that doesn’t scream future race car driver…)   We figured he would like to see how fast the cars were going and hear the roar of all the engines.  We turned it over just as the race was about to start.

As soon as the green flag was waved, Bubba was transfixed.  He stood in front of the screen and stared.  Then he would jump up and down and yell, “Go! Go! Go!”  Every time it cut to commercials, he would say, “I want to watch the cars.  Turn the cars back on.”  He watched the first 25-30 minutes without losing interest.  Quite a feat for a 3-year-old.  Even after that first stint, he was in and out of the room, playing with cars and watching the race.

When all was said and done, I ended up watching my first NASCAR race from beginning to end.  The only other race I had ever watched even a part of was the Daytona 500 in 2001.  I was flipping channels and stopped on the race just in time to see the crash that killed Dale Earnhardt.

None of our other kids have ever been so interested in anything at that age as Bubba is to cars.  It is fun to watch.

One of the interesting things about performing at Hale Centre Theatre is meeting the audience after the show.  I have done 18 shows at HCT over the past 16 years.  The theatre has had a long standing tradition that the cast greets the audience after the evening shows (usually not after a matinee because of quick turnover time to the next show, if you’re wondering) and during the past 16 years I have heard all sorts of comments.

During Fiddler, I have been asked several times if I am a local.  Like maybe HCT brought me in special or something.  I don’t know if that is what they mean but I choose to take it as a compliment.  When I played Tevye in high school, the school received several phone calls with people complaining that the school should not have brought in college student to play the part.  It should have gone to a high school student.  I was a junior.  Those calls actually got the principal to pay attention to the theater program rather than football, if only for 5 minutes.

One night, a frail old woman came up to me to tell me how much she enjoyed the show.  She was 90 years old.  She said while it was hard for her to get out and go places anymore, I was worth her trip to the theatre that night.  I felt honored.

Several have commented how this is the best show they have seen at HTC.  Some have told me that I am best Tevye they have ever seen, that this venue is too small for me and I should be on Broadway.  Again, honored.  Some have simply taken my hand, unable to speak and eyes filled with tears.  It is humbling to be part of something that effects people in that way.  I don’t know what to say to these wonderful comments other than thank you.

I say thanks a lot after each performance.  Thanks to the audience, thanks to my fellow actors, thanks to the crew, thanks to God for blessing me with this opportunity.

Even thanks to the people who pat my belly or touch my beard.  Being Tevye has been like being a pregnant woman.  People always feel like they can touch a pregnant woman’s stomach.  Folks after the show are the same.  Some touch my stomach, asking it it is real.  Unfortunately, it is.  Others touch my beard.  Unfortunately, that is real also.  It is getting rather bushy and I can’t wait to shave it off.

But the beard and all the rest is worth it.  Receiving all the great comments is fun.  Who doesn’t like their ego stroked?  But this experience is more than that.  Tevye is an incredible character to play.  Fiddler on the Roof is a great musical with a wonderful story and message.  To be connected to it is amazing.  As much as the audience has enjoyed it, I have enjoyed it more.  Before I walk on stage each night I smile to myself and remember the words of my director.

Love every minute of it.

I am.

There is a lot of course, when I stop to think about it.  I am thankful for my wonderful wife.  I am thankful for four beautiful, funny kids.  I am thankful for my parents, for my siblings and the love and joy that always fills my heart when I get to spend time with them.  I am thankful for a job I enjoy and for the friend that led me to it.  I am thankful for my recently completed degree.  I am thankful for the many opportunities that I have had to spend time on stage.  I was able to be in four productions this year (one of which opens on Saturday), and I was also able to perform with an improv troupe that I highly respect throughout the year.

I hope Thanksgiving was as good to you this year as it was to me.  I hope you all can find something to be thankful for.  Now if next year I can add being grateful that the Cubs won the World Series, then that would be the best.  Just sending that out to the universe.  Let’s see what happens.

First.  Ah, the NBA is back, baby.  I love the NBA and I love the Utah Jazz.  So what will this season bring?  More disappointing road losses from the Jazz, as exhibited on their road opener in Denver.  Granted, Denver should be tough this year, but the 4th quarter collapse by the Jazz just brought back all the memories of Utah’s poor road performances from last year.

The return of the NBA also means the return the dillhole in Cleveland and his stupid powder throwing antics.  I hate that the first highlight of the NBA season on Sports Center was King LeDouche throwing that crap in the air.  Is this professional wrestling?  No.  Of course, it is heartwarming to watch the Cavs start their season with 2 losses.  Let’s see more of that, Bron Bron.

Second.  Was driving down the street a couple of days ago and there is a woman pushing her kid down the street, not in a stroller, but in a stolen shopping cart.  I guess you’re a redneck if…

Third.  Being in two shows at once is hard.  Fun?  Sure.  Extra money?  Needed.  But I miss my family.

While reporting a story, the anchor says, “Let’s see what the folks on Twitter are saying about this story.”

Really?  Are you freaking kidding me?  How, by any stretch of the imagination, is this news?  If CNN is just going to spout off crap they find written by some anonymous yahoo on Twitter, then why the heck am I watching CNN.  I can just read Twitter commercial free.

As one daughter put it, “I mean, who puts onions in macaroni and cheese?”

“I do,” my wife said.

“Oh, you made this?”  My daughter’s mental wheels started to turn, but she was caught with no where to go, no turning back.

“What,” I asked.  ”Did you think it just fell out of the sky?”

“I thought maybe she bought it from someone.”

I guess I will be enjoying the leftovers all by myself.

When I heard the news that John Hughes died earlier today of a heart attack while walking through Manhattan, I was sad.  I was surprised at how sad I was.  His movies hold a special place in my heart and childhood.  Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – The Breakfast Club – Planes, Trains and Automobiles – Uncle Buck – Sixteen Candles – Pretty in Pink – Some Kind of Wonderful – She’s Having a Baby.  I enjoy them all.  They were huge while growing up and I still quote them to this day.

So long, John Hughes.  And speaking of quotes:

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Ferris: I’m not European. I don’t plan on being European. So who gives a crap if they’re socialists? They could be fascist anarchists, it still doesn’t change the fact that I don’t own a car.

Ferris: I asked for a car, I got a computer. How’s that for being born under a bad sign?

Ferris: Not that I condone fascism, or any -ism for that matter. -Ism’s in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself. I quote John Lennon, “I don’t believe in Beatles, I just believe in me.” Good point there. After all, he was the walrus. I could be the walrus. I’d still have to bum rides off people.

Sixteen Candles

Samantha: Donger’s here for five hours, and he’s got somebody. I live here my whole life, and I’m like a disease.

Samantha: I can’t believe my grandmother actually felt me up.

The Geek: Can I borrow your underpants for 10 minutes?

Pretty In Pink

Duckie: His name is Blane? Oh! That’s a major appliance, that’s not a name!

Andie: Well, not nothing. I mean, I kissed him…
Iona: Anywhere interesting?

The Breakfast Club

Andrew: We’re all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that’s all.

John Bender: So it’s sorta social, demented and sad, but social.

John Bender: I just wanna know how one becomes a janitor because Andrew here is very interested in pursuing a career in the custodial arts.

Planes, Trains, And Automobiles

Del: We’d have more luck playing pickup sticks with our butt-cheeks than we will getting a flight out of here before daybreak.

Neal: He says we’re going the wrong way.
Del: Oh, he’s drunk. How would he know where we’re going?

Owen: Her first baby came out sideways, she didn’t scream or nothin’.

Del: I’ve never seen a guy get picked up by his testicles before. Lucky thing for you that cop passed by when he did. Otherwise, you’d be lifting up your schnutz to tie you shoes.

Uncle Buck

Miles: Where’s your wife?
Buck: Don’t have one.
Miles: How come?
Buck: It’s a long story.
Miles: You have kids?
Buck: No I don’t.
Miles: How come?
Buck: It’s an even longer story.

Buck: Take this quarter, go downtown, and have a rat gnaw that thing off your face! Good day to you, madam.

Coming home from school, making a chocolate milk and then settling down to watch Voltron and He-Man.  I would quickly flick the spoon back and forth just under the surface creating bubbles.  Then I would just eat the bubbles and prolong my chocolate milk experience.

Saturday morning cartoons.  You can get cartoons anytime now which cheapens the whole Saturday morning cartoon experience.  When you can roll out of the rack and see cartoons any time of the day, then there is no fun in getting up early on a Saturday to catch Scooby’s All Star Laff-A-Lympics over a bowl of plain Cheerios.  Yeah, we couldn’t have sugar cereal unless, you know, we were on vacation at Grandpa’s house and he was the one buying the cereal.  It was at Grandpa’s house in Tennessee that my love affair with Froot Loops began.

Staying up-to-date with all the new movies by actually seeing them in the theater and not on DVD a year after everyone else is done talking about them.

Our Atari 2600.  Pitfall, Adventure, Combat, Breakout, Missle Command, Defender… and I could never ever beat Raiders of the Lost Ark.

This young woman didn’t spend her day at the aquatic center flirting with life guards, laying out or laughing with friends.  Instead she spent the day helping a young, handicapped girl who I assumed was her sister.  The young girl was obviously nervous with certain aspects of the different pools, but the beautiful young woman showed infinite love and patience has she helped her with hugs and smiles.  It was obvious the young sister had a great time.

Everything the beauty did that day was for her sister and that far and away made her more beautiful than all of her obvious physical assets combined.