Sugar...

I've heard some people say they have a sweet tooth.
They don't know the meaning of the phrase.
If I had MY way, Pepsi would flow like Moses' water from the rock in the desert. Washington growers would harvest candied apples. Peeps would come not only on Easter, but on EVERY Sunday morning. Movie theaters in my world would have little shelves in front of each seat with the entire concession collection on tap (and a little freezer for the Haagen-Daz and Junior Mints). Bars and clubs would add taps for soft-serve, hot fudge and caramel. The food groups would break down thus: chocolate (subcategories: with or without nuts, with or without peanut butter), nougat, marshmallow, caramel, ice cream, licorice, soda, little candies with fruit flavors, straight sugar (Bottle Caps, Pixie Sticks, etc.), and liquid gold (Pepsi).
I know, Pepsi is a soda.
But to me, it's a way of life.

P.S. - about 80 new photos up on my Flickr site. Enjoy!

"A hit! A very palpable hit!"

First of all, a happy 29th birthday to my little brother Dave. Many more, dude!
So, Marissa and her family took me to the Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City this weekend. What a great time. Good company, good food and GREAT theater. Brian Vaughn's Hamlet is one of the best I've ever seen. The curtain call in Room Service WAS the best I've ever seen. I found myself telling myself, "Ah, so THAT'S what it's supposed to look like." Fred Adams and Co. deserve every accolade they receive.
I want to be Brian Vaughn.

Tiger vs. Phil... um... er... J/K!

So, TNT bought the rights to early-round coverage of this year's PGA Championship, golf's fourth major tournament. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are paired together for the first two days of the four-day event. The ideal pairing. A marketer's and advertiser's dream. The top two in the world. Huge fan bases. Endorsement megastars. An intense and often icy rivalry. The biggest draw in golf, arguably in sports. TNT will cover the entire afternoon.
Only, Tiger vs. Phil tees off at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Now, I know I only work at ABC 4 TV in Salt Lake City, and we're only the 35th largest TV market in the nation, so perhaps I'm speaking out of turn here, but WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING, TNT?! Which TNT executive's grandmother needed to see her reruns of ER instead of the best major tournament pairing of all time (and one that may never be repeated, ever)? Golf on TV has enough marketing and survival issues without this travesty of exclusion.
So come on, Ted Turner. Pony up the extra several million that the PGA is undoubtedly asking for to buy the first few hours of the round. Earn my loyalty as a viewer. Make millions of TiVo owners happy. Do the right thing.
And Phil, to ensure a competitive round... please leave that damn driver in the bag.

Weekend fun

Spent this past Sunday playing with the kiddos and introducing my girlfriend Marissa to the family. We've been dating for a few months and it was high time to meet the kinfolk. I was so glad we all got to hang out and spend some quality time. My brother Dave, sister Jaime & her husband Nick were also there, along with their little doggie Gage, so they all got to know Marissa a bit better, too. One of the things I love about her is that she gets along so well with anyone and everyone she meets. She's so sweet. Anyway, I think we all had a lot of fun together. We had a great dinner and played in the backyard with the trips, trying to teach them baseball. What a hoot. Wish I'd had my camera.
I sometimes wonder if, in my rush to put every little thing they do on film (or memory card), I miss being a dad. I turn into this photo-megalo-manic shooter guy who's watching light, colors and angles instead of noticing that Colin already has a strong throwing arm, or that Ben just swished that basket, or that Abby just smacked that ball into the upper deck. I'm trying to learn to savor those things "in the moment," as well as on camera. Dueling Dads in my head.
Or it could just be that imaginary friend that I never acknowledge.

'Til we meet again

For Sally Hale Rice

Thank you Sally, for sharing your love of theatre with me. The "bug" couldn't help but bite with you around! Thank you for your wry and gentle humor, that contagious laugh, your timeless class, your serene dignity, and especially for your living testament to God's love for all of his children (even actors). Your life is an example for the ages; I'm sure your sweet mother and father have already told you how proud they are of the way you've continued the wonderful legacy of your extraordinary family. I'll miss you 'til we all meet again.

Sally Hale Rice

Sally Hale Rice
10/1/42 ~ 7/25/06
"An interesting journey, this knowing you will die soon. I was born October 1, 1942 in Murray, Utah to James Nathan Hale and Ruth Hudson Hale and raised in the golden era days of the Glendale West Ward, Glendale, CA. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of acting with my mother and father on their Glendale Centre Theatre stage. After graduating high school, I went to BYU where I received a degree in education and was then privileged to teach school. My former husband, Robert Lee Swenson, and I had four children. I leave behind with such poignancy my fine children: Cody Swenson (Anne), Will Swenson (Amy), Leea Sorensen (Shawn) and Bobby Swenson. I also leave my eight dear grandchildren: Christian, Brenner, Fiona, Rose, Bridger, Sawyer, Sage and Taj. And I so reluctantly part for a time with my beautiful husband of six years, Clint Rice. Much of my life has been filled with the joy of theater - from actress, to janitor, to prop master, to director, to producer. In 1985 I helped found the Hale Centre Theatre in West Valley City, UT with my incredible parents and my so very capable partners, Mark and Sally Dietlein. One of my greatest delights has been to hear the laughter of our thousands of wonderful patrons. I thank them. I will greatly miss my accomplished siblings: Sandra Dietlein (Allan), Phillip Nathan Hale (Barbara), Sherry Brian (Pat), Tanya Radebaugh (Lee), and James Cody Hale (Linda) and my stepchildren: DeeAnn Hilkhuijsen (Dennis), Terri K. Hughes (Ian) and Tyler Rice. Goodbye to my 'salt of the earth' Taylorsville friends whom I lived among for 20 years and fond goodbyes to my theatre fold. The funeral will be held Saturday, 11:30 a.m. at my new ward, full of caring people, the Mount Olympus 4th Ward, 4176 South Adonis Dr. (3930 East). A viewing will be held Friday, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at McDougal Funeral Home, 4330 South Redwood Road and Saturday at the church, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Interment will follow in the Taylorsville Cemetery. If my theatre folks sing, it should be worth coming. In lieu of flowers go see a play at any Hale Centre Theatre. Laugh and cry and understand how valuable theatre is. I love you all . . . till we meet again." Published in the Salt Lake Tribune from 7/26/2006 - 7/27/2006.

Destiny Norton

Police found her body last night.

This is just horrible.

Thoughts and prayers to their family.

Perspective...

I spent the weekend teaching the kids to swim, wondering what I'd gotten myself into, taking three four-and-a-half-year-olds to the pool at once. I think I grew eyes INSIDE the eyes in the back of my head. At the end of the day, they could paddle and kick a little, learned that their special suits would let them float around, that water noodles are magic, and that you shouldn't run along the deck of the pool if you value your unskinned knees and unbruised hips. Got home exhausted. Spent a laid-back Sunday with them and the folks & family. Woke up this morning lamenting how out-of-shape I am, wondering again, was it worth it to chase the kids around the pool, with me in constant fear for their lives...
Then I got to work today and saw an amber alert about a missing five-year-old girl.
I had a spectacular weekend.
Destiny, you're in my prayers.

Viva Italia!

Props to my Mediterranean brothers in Italy on their World Cup win. Zidane of France (once played professionally for Real Madrid in my adopted home country) marred his otherwise fantastic pro career by head-butting an opponent near the end of the match. Idiotic. They missed him in penalty-kick time, too, the guy's a master with the PKs.
Man, in spite of me not caring so much about soccer, it sure comes up a lot.

The London Bombings: One Year Later

9/11 in America. 3/11 in Spain. 7/7 in Britain.

And today, another terror plot was apparently foiled in NY.

Signs of the times...

Thoughts and prayers to my British brothers and their families -- our allies against complete and total evil.