100th Post of June!

That leaves March. Yes, March. 31 days in March. St. Patrick's Day's in March. March Madness. One of my goals for this blog was to reach 100 posts in each month, regardless of year. I have completed 11 of the 12. Number 12, March, won't be completed for a while, but we can bask in the glory of likely victory. Checklist:

January [x]
February [x]
March [ ]
April [x]
May [x]
June [x]
July [x]
August [x]
September [x]
October [xx]
November [x]
December [x]

Savannah Guthrie Moving On In

After the entire Ann Curry debacle between Curry, NBC, and Today, a new co-anchor has been announced to join Lauer and Roker. Her name is Savannah Guthrie. The only thing I know about her is that she once took over the Today Twitter account for a day. It seems to me that the master plan was to get her in all along...hmmm....NBC conspiracy.

Here Comes the Boom

Kevin James is starring in a new movie called 'Here Comes the Boom'. He's changed a lot, hasn't he? Could be coolish!

The Only Good Thing Carmelo Has Done Since Leaving Denver

Things have gone downhill in Carmelo Anthony's playing mystique since leaving to New York to play for the Knicks. But, plot twist: he did something awesome. A wax sculpture was created of Carmelo and he posed with it and many saw the image. He dressed just as the wax sculpture and stayed perfectly still in its place. People would come up to him, they thought he was a statue, and you can guess what happened:

Chevy Chase or Dan Harmon?

It's not a decision you'll have to make. Harmon is out as showrunner already. Chase announced that he'll be back for the fourth season, along with the rest of the cast. Personally, I'd want to have.............both of them! Why not? The show wouldn't be right without either of them. It'll be a bumpy ride for Community, I hope it can hang on and Dan Harmon does something! Something for a paycheck!

Think Like A Man. The Sequel.

I saw Think Like A Man back in April with two of my friends and it was an alright movie. B, B+ range. I was surprised to hear they were making a sequel! It could be good, but I just thought it had a definitive ending. Could be good. As long as Kevin Hart is back, I'll consider it. I'll even consider it if the guy from Common Law and the one from Men at Work is there. They're all quality people.

One More ESPY Category

I thought there was something missing! The Best Play Award! One of my favorites. This year, the ESPYs will have a bracket! 16 plays will go against one another until the big night comes on July 11th. All the way, until the end, I will be voting for Jerome Simpson's flip touchdown. How can you not?! Vote at the ESPY website.

Red Sox Defeat Toronto!

On June 26th, the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays 5-1, with some late inning heroics from Dustin Pedroia and Jared Saltalamacchia. Daisuke Matsuzaka gave up a run in the first, but was lights out from then on. Why am I singling this game out? Well, I went to it of course! Some family members were awesome enough to give me three tickets to the game for my birthday! It was quite awesome.

On a similar Red Sox note, I was wondering about whatever happened to JD Drew. I texted into WEEI and said "Did JD Drew fall off the face of the Earth?" John D. Ryder responded with "Haha, no, he's just enjoying retirement." Let's not think about JD's disappointing 2011 season and let's remember the good times. Oh yeah! His grand slam in the ALCS back in '07! Remember his 2008 All-Star Game MVP Award? And that home run he hit to finish the comeback against Tampa Bay in the 2008 ALCS, good times.

6/28 Entertainment by David

R.I.P Doris Singleton

Doris Singelton, better known as Carolyn Appleby, has died at the age of 92. She was one of the few remaining members of the cast of I Love Lucy. As we know, Bob Jellison, William Frawley, Vivian Vance, Desi Arnaz, and Lucille Ball have all passed away. Keith Thibodeaux, Little Ricky, is still alive, but today Carolyn has gone. She didn't appear in a too many episodes, but some funny ones.

I Want To Go To There

Why is it that the majority of awesome things and locales are foreign? This is all the way in China! However, it's still probably the coolest water park in the world, I'd love to go there! Maybe it's the indoor factor?

MST3K Multiplied

This video cut gives you one joke from every episode of MST3K. I like it. Probably better in context, no? Enjoy the video:

ESPYs Voting Open!

Yes! The long-awaited day has finally come! We can now vote for the ESPYs!!! I voted!! The ESPYs are July 11th. They're by far my favorite awards show. Here's the nominees and (as usual) my picks are in bold.

Best Male Athlete: Novak Djokovic, LeBron James, Aaron Rodgers, Justin Verlander

Best Female Athlete: Brittney Griner, Maria Sharapova, Lindsey Vonn, Abby Wambach

Best Championship Performance: David Freese, LeBron James, Eli Manning, Tony Stewart, Jonathan Quick

Best Breakthrough Athlete: Anthony Davis, Robert Griffin III, Rob Gronkowski, Jeremy Lin, Alex Morgan

Best Record-Breaking Performance: Drew Brees Passes Dan Marino, Coach K passes Bobby Knight, Mariano Rivera passes Trevor Hoffman, Lexi Thompson

Best Upset: Iowa State over Oklahoma State, Los Angeles Kings over Everyone, Lehigh over Duke, Norfolk State over Missouri

Best Game: Missouri at Kansas, 49ers v. Saints, Rangers-Cardinals Game 6

Best Moment: Derek Jeter's 3000th Hit, Tim Tebow in Playoffs, Bubba Watson Wins Masters, MLB 2011's Last Night

Best Team: Alabama Football, Baylor Women's Basketball, Kentucky Men's Basketball, LA Kings, Miami Heat, New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals

Best Comeback: Sidney Crosby, Johan Santana, Maria Sharapova, Matthew Stafford

Best Coach/Manager: John Calipari, Tom Coughlin, Kim Mulkey, Patrick Murphy, Erik Spoelstra, Darryl Sutter

Best NFL Player: Drew Brees, Rob Gronkowski, Calvin Johnson, Aaron Rodgers, Terrell Suggs

Best MLB Player: Ryan Braun, Josh Hamilton, Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander

Best NHL Player: Claude Giroux, Henrik Lundqvist, Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Quick

Best Driver: Dario Franchitti, Tony Stewart, Sebastian Vettel, Del Worsham

Best NBA Player: Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Kevin Love, Tony Parker, Rajon Rondo

Best WNBA Player: Seimone Augustus, Tamika Catchings, Tina Charles, Angel McCoughtry, Diana Taurasi

Best Fighter: Jon "Bones" Jones, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Anderson Silva, Andre Ward

Best Male Golfer: Luke Donald, Bill Haas, Rory McIlroy, Webb Simpson, Bubba Watson

Best Female Golfer: Cristie Kerr, Yani Tseng, So Yeon Ryu

Best Male Tennis Player: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal

Best Female Tennis Player: Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova, Maria Sharapova, Samantha Stosur

Best Male College Athlete: Jack Connolly, Anthony Davis, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, Mike Zunino (Gator)

Best Female College Athlete: Brittney Griner, Alex Jupiter, Caitilin Leverenz, Teresa Noyola, Jackie Traina

Best Male Action Sports Athlete: Travis Rice, Kelly Slater, Ryan Villopoto, Shaun White

Best Female Action Sports Athlete: Jamie Anderson, Kelly Clark, Carissa Moore, Kaya Turski

Best Jockey: Javier Castallano, Ramon Dominguez, Mario Gutierrez, John Velazquez

Best Male Athlete with a Disability: Baxter Humby, Ray Martin, Kyle Maynard, Oz Sanchez, Tyler Walker

Best Female Athlete with a Disability: Jessica Long, Chelsea McClammer, Tatyana McFadden, Alana Nichols, Melissa Stockwell

Best Bowler: Jason Belmonte, Mike Fagan, Sean Rash

Best MLS Player: David Beckham, Brad Davis, Dwyane de Rosario, Chris Wondolowski

Best Track and Field Athlete: Walter Dix, Carmelita Jeter, Jason Richardson, Christian Taylor

Best International Athlete: Novak Djokovic, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Rinaldo, Yani Tseng

Note: In an ESPN chat session with 2012 ESPYs Host, Rob Riggle, he answered TWO of my questions! One asking about Seth Meyers and the other, The Hangover.

'Be Our Guest' Menu

If you want less sporadic Fantasyland expansion updates, I'd suggest to go to the Disney Blog. This blog, has updates, but they're more spread out, though. Recently announced, though, is that you can make reservations for the new 'Be Our Guest' restaurant starting in August, even though it opens in December. And also announced, the menu!

"Some food items at lunch include:

- tuna Niçoise salad
- Croque Monsieur sandwich with carved ham, Gruyere cheese, béchamel and pommes frites (French fries)
- carved turkey on a warm baguette with Dijon mayonnaise
- grilled steak sandwich with garlic butter spread, both with pommes frites
- braised pork
- loaded vegetable quiche
- quinoa, shallot and chive salad

Menu items at dinner include:

- charcuterie plate with cured meats and sausages
- mussels steamed in white wine
- French onion or potato leek soup
- salad with champagne vinaigrette
- thyme-scented pork rack chop with au gratin pasta
- rotisserie rock hen with roasted fingerling potatoes
- pan-seared salmon in leek fondue
- grilled strip steak with pommes frites
- sautéed shrimp and scallops with veggies in puff pastry with creamy lobster sauce
- oven-baked ratatouille
- cupcakes: strawberry cream cheese or triple chocolate
- chocolate cream puff
- passion fruit cream puff

Kids meals at lunch include:

- carved turkey sandwich
- roasted pulled pork
- Mickey meatloaf
- seared mahi mahi
-whole-grain macaroni topped with marinara and mozzarella

Kids meals at dinner include:

- grilled steak
- grilled fish of the day
- whole-grain macaroni
- grilled chicken breast

What do you think of the menu items?"

--Disney Parks Blog

Could be very coolish!

Oreo Cookies. To. The. Next. Level.

I could eat these. Oh yeah I could. Oreos are awesome. Oreo Ice Cream is awesome. How about you put Oreo ice cream inside the Oreo to create a mega-Oreo. Oh, thou shalt not fail me now Wal-Mart. Why does it have to be Limited Edition, why not just happy? These are gonna taste incredible.

Calling DJ Earworm

This is an alright mashup, but I feel like DJ Earworm could take the same songs and do something even better with it. Not awful, though, give it a listen:

Community Montage

Ah yes, the long-awaited Community Montage. This not your average montage, though. This is the homage and send-off for Dan Harmon. It compiles every unique episode that was his brainchild. It's touching. I like it.

Poor NBA 2K13 Cover

NBA 2K13 has been on a cold streak in the past couple of years. Two years in a row of Kobe Bryant and then two years in a row of Michael Jordan? Weak. Now this one. They've put 3 of them together, but they're spread out and not in Beast Mode positions. If it was going to be a quality cover, it definitely did not need Rose and it could have had only Blake Griffin dunking, that'd be good. What's your opinion? Weigh in.

The Fake 'My Power Is Beyond Your Understanding'

It's a pseudo-blog! I've turned this awesome, powerful blog into something very big with lots of goals, things to look forward to, posts and sheer awesomeness. But is someone copying my every blog move? The other day, I searched Wiff-ALS and clicked on every link that showed up on the first Google page. Yes, there were some from my blog, some from locals, and some from others. But one that I clicked on, I thought it was just another blog, but it was something different. The words definitely seemed familiar and then when I looked on the posts on the sidebar they were all some of my previous posts! What the hell? My posts and pictures are copied and pasted -- exactly as I did it. But everything else is in Indonesian or some type of foreign language. They've got covers, collages, even some DFTBA stuff, and some challenges. What. The. Hell. The blog is called "bobby valentine." They copied and pasted every single one of my posts from December 20th, 2011 to April 16th, 2012. What the hell is this? Am I popular in some foreign country (Indonesia?) or is this just some bum-hole who isn't creative enough for his own material. Seriously. I ask again. What the hell is this?

Disney World Easter Egg

Just a quick little tidbit, I thought I'd note this.

"if you write a letter to a character at disney (walt disney world communications p.o. box 10040 lake buena vista, fl 32830-0040), they will send you an autographed photo back!"

The Mickey and Minnie Tumblr pointed that out. Pretty cool! I'm debating it...probably will.

Sports by David. 6/25/12

100 Best Active MLB Players of 2012

Ah yes, it's time for my annual summertime list of the 100 Best Players in the MLB. I'll admit. There may be some bias in here (Robinson Cano omission. Another clear one, down the line), but for the most part it's downright accurate. Enjoy:



Honorable Mention: Pablo Sandoval - Giants - 3B

100. Trevor Cahill - Diamondbacks - P
99. Matt Holliday - Cardinals - CF
98. Carlos Lee - Astros - RF
97. Corey Hart - Brewers - LF
96. Will Middlebrooks - Red Sox - 3B
95. Evan Longoria - Rays - 3B
94. Brett Gardner - Yankees - LF
93. Chase Utley - Phillies - 2B
92. Ryan Howard - Phillies - 1B
91. Josh Johnson - Marlins - P
90. Cliff Lee - Phillies - P
89. Justin Morneau - Twins - 1B
88. Joe Mauer - Twins - C
87. Dan Haren - Angels - P
86. Josh Reddick - Athletics - RF
85. Yu Darvish - Rangers - P
84. Johnny Cueto - Reds - P
83. Giancarlo Stanton - Marlins - CF
82. Carlos Gonzalez - Rockies - RF
81. Ben Revere - Twins - CF
80. Shin Soo-Choo - Indians - LF
79. Kevin Youkilis - White Sox - 3B
78. Heath Bell - Marlins - CL
77. Cody Ross - Red Sox - LF
76. Nick Markakis - Orioles - RF
75. Alfredo Aceves - Red Sox - CL
74. Jordan Zimmerman - Nationals - P
73. Zack Greinke - Brewers - P
72. Derek Jeter - Yankees - SS
71. Chad Billingsley - Dodgers - P
70. Elvis Andrus - Rangers - SS
69. Cameron Maybin - Padres - CF
68. Mark Teixiera - Yankees - 1B
67. Tommy Hanson - Braves - P
66. Jared Saltalamacchia - Red Sox - C
65. Ian Kennedy - Diamondbacks - P
64. Adam Wainwright - Cardinals - P
63. Jimmy Rollins - Phillies - SS
62. Adam Jones - Orioles - CF
61. Hanley Ramirez - Marlins - SS
60. Jason Heyward - Braves - RF
59. Nelson Cruz - Rangers - RF
58. Felix Hernandez - Mariners - P
57. Shaun Marcum - Brewers - P
56. Starlin Castro - Cubs - SS
55. Mike Trout - Angels - LF
54. Hunter Pence - Phillies - LF
53. Yadier Molina - Cardinals - C
52. Shane Victorino - Phillies - CF
51. Ichiro Suzuki - Mariners - RF
50. Chipper Jones - Braves - 3B
49. Brian McCann - Braves - C
48. CJ Wilson - Angels - P
47. Joel Hanrahan - Pirates - CL
46. Gio Gonzalez - Nationals - P
45. Roy Halladay - Phillies - P
44. Adam Dunn - White Sox - DH
43. Jose Reyes - Marlins - SS
42. Ryan Zimmerman - Nationals - 3B
41. David Price - Rays - P
40. Matt Wieters - Orioles - C
39. Tim Lincecum - Giants - P
38. Jay Bruce - Reds - RF
37. Adrian Beltre - Rangers - 3B
36. Jonathan Papelbon - Phillies - CL
35. Bryan LaHair - Cubs - 1B
34. Carlos Ruiz - Phillies - C
33. Jered Weaver - Angels - P
32. Adrian Gonzalez - Red Sox - 1B
31. CC Sabathia - Yankees - P
30. Cole Hamels - Phillies - P
29. Melky Cabrera - Giants - CF
28. Joey Votto - Reds - 1B
27. Brandon Phillips - Reds - 2B
26. Edwin Encarnarcion - Blue Jays - RF
25. Matt Cain - Giants - P
24. Justin Upton - Diamondbacks - LF
23. Paul Konerko - White Sox - 1B
22. Albert Pujols - Angels - 1B
21. Troy Tulowitzki - Rockies - SS
20. Craig Kimbrel - Braves - CL
19. Jose Bautista - Blue Jays - RF
18. David Ortiz - Red Sox - DH
17. Buster Posey - Giants - C
16. Michael Young - Rangers - DH
15. R.A. Dickey - Mets - P
14. Bryce Harper - Nationals - RF
13. Andre Ethier - Dodgers - LF
12. Miguel Cabrera - Tigers - 3B
11. Curtis Granderson - Yankees - CF
10. Andrew McCutchen - Pirates - RF
9. David Wright - Mets - 3B
8. Clayton Kershaw - Dodgers - P
7. Prince Fielder - Tigers - 1B
6. Ryan Braun - Brewers - LF
5. Stephen Strasburg - Nationals - P
4. Josh Hamilton - Rangers - CF
3. Justin Verlander - Tigers - P
2. Matt Kemp - Dodgers - RF
1. Dustin Pedroia - Red Sox - 2B

Curse of Headstrong 13 Trailer

It's been quite the ride for Sir Rum Matey, Captain Pink Blob, and the Curse of Headstrong series. A total of 12 films were made from May 2nd, 2007 to July 31st, 2007. No film was made or released since 7/31/07. In January of 2011, a 13th and final installment was announced to have been in production, with even a poster being released. In April of 2011, with the film's release date of May 2nd fast approaching, production was shelved, and it seemed that it may not come to fruition. However, in March of 2012, production kicked back up, and now a trailer has been released! It features clips from all of the previous films mashed together.



Now that you know about the trailer, here is the official preview synopsis:

5 years ago, a tale of Captain Pink Blob, Sir Rum Matey, Davy Jones, Blackfur and the rest began. When we last saw them, it seemed that all was lost and all was dead. Now, the epic conclusion to a thrilling series that is five years in the making has returned. The beloved series, five years out of the public eye, returns in a flourish. Set sail for the conclusion, number 13, of the fantastic Curse of Headstrong series on August 1st, 2012.


More will come on the film later, including a final synopsis, and maybe even a new release date!

Yoooooooooooouuuuuk

One last time. Yooooooooouuuuk. Kevin Youkilis has been with the Boston Red Sox since May of 2004. Since then, he has won two World Series titles, he's been an All-Star thrice, he's won a Gold Glove, the Hank Aaron Award, he had a record 238 games without an error, and during his tenure in Boston he recorded 133 home runs, and yes, he was hit by 86 total pitches. Today, the Red Sox traded Kevin Youkilis to the Chicago White Sox for pitcher Zach Stewart, and utility man, Brent Lillibridge. I'm gonna miss Youk, he's been here a while, and has remained cool in my mind. Good luck in Chicago and Thank Youuuuuuuu(K).

Oh yeah, and his batting stance.

Wiff-ALS Gets The Job Done

Remember way back when, I posted about the Guinness World Record 30 hour wiffleball game for ALS? Well, it took place this past weekend. My team, consisting of three friends and my cousin, played at 1:00 PM on Saturday. It was a great game. In the end, we tied, 6 to 6. This Sunday, they did it! The record was set. Everyone was great, and it was lots of fun! Sporadic rain made for a fun experience. They also raised over $5000 for Lou Gehrig's Disease!

Every Annie Gasp

A Community fan made a video-cut of every gasp that Annie has ever gasped on Community. My favorite is the one where Britta, Troy, and Abed mock Annie's gasps. Good cut. Must have taken a while:

Security Camers Capture Some Good

This is an awesome video. Something Life is Good would show (see my Twitter where the company retweeted me). The song is a perfect selection, the world play is great, and the acts are simply amazing! Such a great video!

Obama Sings Call Me Maybe

In the age of where everybody is singing Call Me Maybe, why not the President? Enjoy Barack Obama singing the catchy tune, I know I did!

Where the Hell is Matt? 2012!

The first video I ever ever ever watched on Youtube was Where the Hell is Matt? 2008. So this is big. The 2008 one was so awesome, so cool, so inspirational. This one is inspirational, also. I like the 2008 one more, but this 2012 one is sheer awesomeness. Matt Harding is the man! This is great, it makes me so happy. Enjoy:

Jason Ritter > Ray Romano

Don't get me wrong, Romano's pretty cool, but Ritter is even more amazing. On Parenthood this season, Ray Romano will rival Jason Ritter for the character of 'Sarah'. Go Ritter!

Ann Curry: Out The Door

Well, at least Matt Lauer and Al Roker are sticking around! Ann Curry will be exiting the Today show. Farewell, Curry. An inconvenient headline appeared right below Curry when the news was released the day earlier. Here today, gone tomorrow.

Entertainment by David, Week of 6/21

Mickey Mouse on Mercury

Disney has become quite the corporation. They are now putting their signature Mickey head on a different planet! Wow! I guess Venus is next! Mega points for the somewhat Hidden Mickey!

Slug Gauntlet

This is awesome. Horrible for the slugs, but what can you do? Here is, the GAUNTLET:

Robinson v. Offerman Part 3

I didn't even know about this yesterday, but I guess a third one was released of the Cubs-White Sox rivalry between Craig Robinson and Nick Offerman for New Era. These are hilarious commercials.

Song Pop Is The New Draw Something

It's so addicting! It's like a Name That Tune type deal. You can play it on Facebook! They have so many categories and I am beyond addicted! My parents told me about it and it is awesome.

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY TEASER TRAILER!!!!!!!

Oh my god! This looks amazing! And the animation, my how it's developed! I've always loved Monsters Inc, there's gonna be another! I'll stop talking, can't wait for the movie, enjoy:!

Six Seasons And A Critics Choice Award!

Well, they didn't sweep, but Community did take home the most coveted award of the night! Best Comedy! Hey, hey! Joel McHale accepted on behalf of Community and the first person he thanked was Dan Harmon. Six seasons. Six of 'em. All of the awards. A movie too. Everything goes Community! So well deserved. Six seasons and a movie!

Great Season, Gators

They came so very close to taking the lead, tying, winning, all of it, but just came up too short. It was a fantastic season. They got all the way to the College World Series, but they were just bested. Just like in football and basketball, they just fell short. But, hey, a great run! Go Gators!

Awesome Finale To Snow White's Scary Adventures

I don't want to mess with it, so here is the quoted article:

"I remember vividly the day, a couple of years ago, that the Fantasyland Expansion was announced at D23. Ben and I were in the park when the news broke, in fact we were standing in the alternate/wheelchair entrance for Snow White's Scary Adventures. I had known the announcement was coming, it was a very poorly kept secret, but the real question was what exactly the expansion would entail. I was so relieved when the detailed announcement did not include any changes to SWSA - I figured that if Disney was spending that much money in Fantasyland and not touching Ben's ride, then she would be safe for at least a decade. I remember having a conversation with the area manager for Fantasyland that afternoon, talking about the big plans and what a relief it was that SWSA was safe. You can imagine my family's distress when, several months later, the expansion plans were radically modified. The space that was going to contain a big Princess meet & greet was scrapped and replaced with the Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride, and SWSA was going to be gutted and turned into a smaller scale Princess meet & greet instead. There were other changes, but that was the only one I cared about. We didn't have a closing date (and wouldn't have one for over a year), but we knew that the end was coming. Ben was losing his favorite place on Earth, the place for which our family had moved cross-country from Seattle to Orlando back in '03.

It was not until just two months ago that we finally learned that the final day of operation would be on Thursday, May 31st, 2012. We began preparing Ben as best we could for the closure, without any idea if he understood at all. We didn't how the end would go, the only certain thing was that we needed to be there for the last night of operation to give Ben the opportunity to say goodbye. We actually discussed it with his doctor / autism specialist, and she agreed that the best thing for him would be to make a kind of ceremony out of it to help him to process the event. And so we made our plans for this past Thursday night; I would get Ben from school and bring him to the park, his mom would meet us there as soon as she was done with work, and we would stay until the bitter end. Knowing how emotionally and physically draining it would be, we let his teachers know that he would not be in school on Friday. I arranged my schedule to keep him home on Friday so that he could decompress. For better or worse, it was the beginning of the end.

Ben and I arrived at the park at about 5pm on Thursday. He was in a very good mood, excited about being at the Magic Kingdom on a weekday evening. He spent a little bit of time walking through the big gift shop on Main Street, cut through Casey's Corner across towards Adventureland, and then took the bridge over to the Christmas shop in Liberty Square. He currently has a bit of a crush on Tinkerbell, and they have an entire wall of Tink ornaments there. After several minutes of looking he finally decided on a new ornament. Once it was safely wrapped and boxed, he looked at me and said, "Daddy... I want... Snow White... please!"

In nine years of constant visits, I have never seen a line for SWSA like the one we encountered that night. Under normal circumstances you might occasionally see the alternate entrance backed up to the swinging door. At 5:30pm on Thursday the line for the handicap entrance was backed up out the door and all the way back around to where the regular line starts. The main line was full all the way out to the stroller parking, and it seemed like everyone was taking pictures and talking about wanting to get in one last ride before it went away forever. We got in line, and before long we were in the mine cart for Ben's 3,452nd ride on SWSA. Earlier in the year we had thought maybe Ben would reach 3,500 rides before it closed, but I had long since concluded that just wasn't going to happen. I figured we would let Ben ride as many times as he wanted that night, and would finish up somewhere in the 60's or 70's.

During the fourth ride of the evening there was one pretty memorable incident. The mine cart ahead of us had a woman riding in it who had transferred from a wheelchair. She had a great deal of trouble getting into the cart, and I knew that she would have some difficulty getting back out. As it turns out, when her cart reached the unloading zone at the end of the ride she was quite literally stuck. Ben and I were one stop back, sitting in the Happily Ever After section, and I could see exactly what was going on. I felt so awful for that poor woman, she was completely stuck and her companions were struggling to help get her free. After about a minute the entire ride was stopped and the house lights came up. For several minutes the cast members were assisting the stuck rider, and I have no doubt that she felt like hundreds of eyes were staring at her and her struggles. I can only imagine her distress. Meanwhile, as the minutes rolled on I began to worry that Ben would get stressed out by the delay. As it turns out, I had nothing to fear. You see, Ben has a camera that he has been carrying with him for a few years now. He loves taking photos, and has tried to take pictures on his ride but of course they never turn out. In particular he has tried and tried to get a picture of the Prince waking Snow White with Love's First Kiss. Sitting there in the back row of the mine cart, I saw Ben's eyes light up when he realized that the lights were on, the cart wasn't moving, and he had his camera. He very carefully turned around and held out the camera, taking exquisite care to line up the perfect shot. He snapped two or three pictures, and was extremely satisfied with the results on the camera's screen. Shortly after that the cart in front of us was finally cleared. As near as I can tell, the woman was uninjured and was able to carry on with her companions enjoying the park. I truly hope that experience did not ruin her visit. In any case, this was my first inkling that this was truly going to be an exceptional night. What should have been a crisis point that would tip Ben into a full-on meltdown instead became the happiest of accidents for him. Everything was breaking his way, and he was smiling ear to ear with that infectious grin of his.

As we exited the mine cart from that ride, we saw that Ben's mom had arrived. Benjamin greeted her with a smile, and then took her hand and led her back into line for the next ride. I left the two of them to catch up and have some Mama time while I went to get a couple bottles of red Powerade for Ben and a cold drink for myself. As Ben and his mom continued doing laps on the ride (slowly, that line just wasn't letting up), I could see cast members gathering nearby. Stacey, the CM who had taken ownership of creating a special moment for Ben, arrived on the scene and let us know that at 7pm she had a surprise for Ben if we didn't mind joining her then. At 7:01pm Ben went on his 3,458th ride with his mother beside him and with me in the seat right behind. Three minutes later we exited the ride to find Stacey waiting for us with a big smile on her face, inviting us to come for a short walk with her. Ben was about to have a truly Magical Moment.

Earlier in the week, a few days before the final night of Snow White's Scary Adventures, I had a telephone conversation with Disney cast member Stacey Patrone. We were discussing what might be possible for creating a Magical Moment for Benjamin on the last evening, and coordinating times and such. She couldn't give me any specifics, but we did arrange that whatever happened would be at 7pm. I was very careful to stress to her that my family did not expect Disney to do anything for Ben, and that we were extremely grateful for anything that they did do. My one concern had to do with expectations - I was a little worried that whatever they did, Ben might not seem like he was enjoying it. If you don't know Ben it can be kind of hard to read him, and he can also get overwhelmed if too many people are focused on him. I warned her not to necessarily expect anything like a Kodak moment, but reassured her that whatever she put together I was sure that Ben would enjoy in his own way.

So there we were on Thursday night, just after 7pm and being led by Stacey and a couple other cast members to stand over in front of The Friar's Nook. Ben was in a happy mood, but kind of pulling us back over towards SWSA. He was having the time of his life, and wanted to get right back to it. After a few short minutes of waiting, a door opened and out came Snow White herself to come talk to Ben. All of a sudden, Ben got a huge smile on his face and started laughing hysterically. He was positively transfixed. That Kodak moment that I warned Stacey not to expect? Oh yeah, it was there in spades.

Snow White continued to talk to him as Ben very shyly took her hand, and then laughed some more. It was an almost drunken laugh, the laugh you hear from a baby when you play peek-a-boo for too long and they drift into that delirious-happy state. As Snow White talked to him about the ride, and about all of the dwarfs, Ben seemed to be absolutely glowing with joy. A crowd began to gather behind him, and I had to take off my glasses and dry my eyes. I can assure you that I am the manliest of men, and I am positive it was just allergies or perhaps a speck of dust that got in my eye. Whatever it was, it seemed to be spreading to everyone nearby. Not a dry eye in the house.

This went on for several minutes and Snow White never let up, never broke character even for a moment. She knew how many times Ben had been on her ride, she knew what his favorite moments in the ride were, and most of all she knew how to keep him engaged and joyously happy. Eventually she invited Ben to go on the ride with her, and he gleefully agreed. Stacey led the parade with Ben and Snow White, Ben's mom, several other cast members (including two photographers), and myself. The crowd parted in front of us, and we were guided straight to the front of the line. The entire time, Snow White kept up with her unending improvised monologue and Ben kept up with his boisterous laughter.

Soon we were in the mine cart, and one of the photographers joined us to continue snapping pictures of the encounter. Snow White would point out details of the ride, and Ben would alternately turn away from her and then spin back around and take her hand. The poor boy was fully twitterpated.

The ride ended, but the visit wasn't over yet. Stacey led us through the exit gate as the crowd cheered for Ben. I didn't know it at the time, but Keven Yee from MiceAge.comwas standing there taking photos and he caught what turned out to be my favorite shot of the night. You can see Ben still electric with joy, holding Snow White's hand as the crowd looks on.

We were led back over to The Friar's Nook, and Snow White continued to visit with Ben for several more minutes. Stacey presented Ben with a CD full of photos from inside the ride, taken earlier that morning by one of the Disney photographers so that he would have some high quality pictures to remember the ride by. Altogether Snow White spent about fifteen minutes with Ben. The entire time he was enchanted by her presence, but even he knew it couldn't last forever. Finally Snow White bid Ben farewell, apologizing that she simply cold not leave Dopey alone in the cottage for very long and she had to get back to him. With one last kiss she whirled away and disappeared once again as Ben looked on.

After Snow White was gone, Ben immediately turned to his mom. "Mama... I want... more Snow White... PLEASE!"

Now, I haven't been on the ride quite as many times as Ben but I've probably been there for at least 3/4 of them. Most of them were pretty much the same, but I must say that ride number 3,459 was pretty exceptional. I thought to myself, wow - it just doesn't matter what else happened that night because it just couldn't get any better. And then it got better."

-Shmoo Lok

What a great and fantastic story.

Sports by David. Week of 6/18.

Battle of the Ballparks

Vote for Fenway Park in the Battle of the Ballparks! They're the two seed in the Sweet Sixteen and they're up against Busch Stadium. Go Fenway Go Fenway Go!

Craig Robinson and Nick Offerman Are The New Alec Baldwin and John Krasinski

Remember last year's New Era Yankees-Red Sox rivalry commercials with Krasinski and Baldwin? New Era's back with more commercials, but with different NBC comedians. Craig Robinson, Darryl on The Office, and Nick Offerman, Ron Swanson. They're humorous ads, depicting the Cubs-White Sox rivalry! And they're not in black and white:

Happy Father's Day!

Especially to my father! Hope it was a good day for all!

It's Like Listening To A Hug

That's what one Youtube user said about the song 'Greendale Is Where I Belong'. It appears in the nice, heartwarming moments of Community and I loved it, and found it. It's such a great song. It's simple. Listen to it. It's like listening to a hug.



This is the extended version. It's basically just the song put together twice, but still just as quality.



Like listening to a hug, huh?

Chargers Re-Sign LaDainian Tomlinson

Plot twist! It's only for a day! San Diego re-signed LT for just the one so that way he could retire as a part of the team he played for for so long in his 11-year career. He had his career year in 2006 in San Diego where he set many records. Happy Retirement Tomlinson! I think retiring as a Charger is a nice touch.

My 2012 Summer To-Do List

This will be quite the good summer, if I can complete these tasks:

• Visit Maine, of course
• Drive-In with Harry (Men in Black 3, preferably)
• Hillcrest with the Kyles, maybe Joe?
• Clubbing (Crystal Caves) with Alex and Jules
• Walmart with Harry, Adam, and Alex
• Blackstone Valley with Alex
• Six Flags with the Usual Suspects
• Canobie (times two)
• Red Sox Game (6/26)
• Wiffleball Tournament
• See a Movie with Alex and Ryan
• Alex's Mega Sleepover Idea
• Movie and Board Game Marathons
• Watch the ESPYS

Who knows? Maybe more will be added!

Recapping Washington DC

I told you it was coming. Let's begin with no further ado, other than saying it was one of the Top 10 Trips of my life.

Monday: Woke up at 5:30 and arrived at the school for an 8 1/2 hour bus ride. We watched Happy Gilmore, The Benchwarmers, The Goonies, The Longest Yard, etc. We stopped at the same New Jersey rest stop as the one in Florida and then one in Delaware. When we finally arrived in DC, we went to Country Buffet and then the supermarket for groceries. Many regrets there. We returned to the hotel, and hung around before going to bed.

Tuesday: Bright and early waking up to my Community alarm. The group traveled to Arlington National Cemetery for four hours where we saw our Class Officers lay a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. After, we ate at the Ronald Reagan Center and quickly made our way to the Capitol Building. We got a tour of the building and then viewed the Library of Congress and the exterior of the Supreme Court. Through the rain that night, we went to the Udvar-Hazy Center to view Dark Shadows in IMAX. That was awkward, but enjoyable. We got back to the hotel. Beat.

Wednesday: That morning we made the long trip to Mount Vernon which was stuffy to say the least. One again, the Ronald Reagan Center for lunch where I dominated in Duck Duck Goose. After lunch, we went to the National Zoo which was loads of fun and freedom. After, we went to the Jefferson Memorial and saw that. The Iwo Jima, Netherlands, and Air Force Memorials followed. What views there were. We ate at the Pentagon City Mall for dinner. Then, at night, we saw the breathtaking Lincoln Memorial and then trekked to the Korean War Memorial and the World War II Memorial. It was quite the packed day.

Thursday: This day I felt very sick. I was weak, tired, had a sore throat, headache, stomachache, nausea, dizziness, and many other symptoms. However, I powered through as we walked from the Washington Monument to the White House to Ford's Theatre to the National Art Gallery to the Air and Space Museum, then the Museum of American History, the Natural History Museum, and then the Pentagon City Mall once again. Back at the hotel, there was supposed to be a karaoke contest, but it was postponed indefinitely. It still has not happened. We had an exorcism to rid Satan from my body and went to bed.

Friday: Bright and early once again. Before we made the long ride home, we saw the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial once again, and then back home. On the bus ride home, we stopped in Maryland and New Jersey and watched movies like Anger Management, Big Daddy, etc.

It was quite the awesome trip. I'd do it all again (even the illness part) if I could. I posted photos on my Facebook page!

Not Quite

I tried to jump over a stack of inflatable pool items which included a splash bomb, three chairs, an alligator, a basketball hoop, a basketball, and four tubes. I did not make it.

Gators. Hoyas. Aircraft Carrier.

Last year, North Carolina and Michigan State played each other in a game of basketball on a Navy-Marine Corps aircraft carrier. This year, the tradition will continue with the FLORIDA GATORS playing the Georgetown Hoyas. That's going to be awesome!

Kickball Top Play

In an Adult Kickball League, Ricky made this awesome flip to get home, avoiding being hit TWICE!



Calling Sportscenter!

Draw Something Game Shoooooooow!!!

It's what we've all been waiting for. Really, how awesome will this be? You can already picture. Two on two match. One person draws. The other guesses. Back and forth until victory! And with Ryan Seacrest at the helm, what could possibly go wrong? CBS. 2013. Be there.

Disneyland Time-Lapse

Over 30,000 photos combined to create a Disneyland Resort time-lapse. It makes 'It's A Small World' look like a thrill ride, the steamboat look like a speedboat, and a day at Disney look like 4 minutes at 50,000 miles per hour. It's pretty cool.

Entertainment by Davids. Week of 6/14.

David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow Reunite

On Kudrow's Showtime series, 'Web Therapy', Schwim was invited to have a guest spot. It's good to see that the cast is still friends. Should I replace each David and Lisa mention with Ross and Phoebe? Nahh...I wonder about Perry and LeBlanc...

Mrs. Doubtfire Recut

Mrs. Doubtfire is a gentle flick starring Robin Williams. It's a nice film. If someone thought that this was the real trailer. They would not think so. Unleash the horror perspective:

8th Grade Call Me Maybe

Here is yet another Call Me Maybe dance on a bus. I'm posting this one because it's people from my grade! On the bus trip to DC, Bus #3 did this Call Me Maybe dance. I was on Bus 1. Enjoy:

My 8th Grade Closing Ceremony

This reminds me. I still have to recap my Washington DC trip. Anyway, my 8th Grade had our Closing Ceremony yesterday before we leave for high school in a couple of months. It was pretty cool. It was only a half day. I will share with you my speech from the ceremony and the slideshow.

Wreck-It Ralph Trailer

A lot more details have been revealed about Wreck-It Ralph. The setting? An arcade. The main gathering place? An outlet. Characters? Fix-It Felix, Wreck-It Ralph, Bowser, Clyde, Q-Bert, and many many more. Some film stills were released and now a trailer. The more I learn about this new film, the better it seems. It seems like Disney got the rights to a lot of classic video game characters. Watch the trailer:

Zachary Levi. Fourth To Do Something.

Since Chuck ended, Casey (Adam Baldwin) has been in an episode of Castle, Lester (Vik Sahay) has signed a movie deal, and Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) has joined the cast of Dexter. Zachary Levi? Well he's finally got something. A role in Thor 2. The awesome man who played the awesome Chuck will likely play a villainous being in the new Thor. Could be coolish.

The Gators Are In The College Baseball World Series!

Wow! They beat Ohio State in a bowl, made it to the Elite Eight, won the championship in Track and now the College World Series! Good year for Gators and it's only half over! Florida beat NC State 9-8 to punch their ticket to Omaha. It's their third year in a row in Omaha. They will play South Carolina on Saturday, June 16th. Go Gators!

Sports by David. Week of 6/11.

Sportsmanship. It Happens.

At a 3200 meter race in Ohio, a fallen runner was helped across the finish line by a competitor. That's nice. It's good to see that kinda thing happening.



It makes me remember this. Which was also great:



And while we're on the sports topic. This play:

Disney California Adventure Goes Back

Disney California Adventure has never been regarded as the best Disney theme park, but it doesn't completely suck. They're getting rid of some un-Disney-like things and they put in the new Cars Land/Radiator Springs. I think there's definitely some improvement there. Especially when they added the 1920s Hollywood to the entrance. It's what Walt saw what Hollywood was like when he first arrived. Think of it as Main Street USA, but with 1920s Hollywood. Now this opening logo is nice. It's retro and it goes back to the classic Disney era, when Walt still ran the show. I like it.

The Gang's All There

Adam Sandler, Morgan Freeman, Patton Oswalt, George Takei. You name 'em they're there. For Paramount's 100th Anniversary, they assembled 116 of their biggest stars and put 'em all in one picture. It's quite the group photo with more celebrities than I thought! The picture is here, but go to here to find out who they all are!

Community at the Critics Choice Awards

SIX AWARDS AND A MOVIE! Well, actually there's six nominations for four different awards. You know how it is, though. I wonder if Community could do it. The awesome comedy was nominated six times for four awards at the Critics Choice Awards. I bet they could sweep. Community has a great chance. As good a chance as any. Here are the categories they're up for:

Best Comedy Series: Community
Best Actor in a Comedy Series: Joel McHale
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Jim Rash and Danny Pudi
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Gillian Jacobs and Alison Brie

End of an Era

Last night, the awful sucky Heat somehow beat the Celtics and likely ended a great period in Celtics history. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen will likely be split up. Even Rajon Rondo could too! It was a great season and I liked this team a lot more than other Celtics teams since 2008. Hey, they got to 17. Big Three Forever.

Squirrel!

They could have used Dug here. A Monorail at Walt Disney World was halted due to a squirrel that refused to leave the Monorail's path.



The Monorail was stopped for 45 minutes. Imagine how un-Disney like that would have been if it ran over the squirrel?

If You Looked Up Dictionary Visualization In The Dictionary, This Dictionary Image Would Be Next To It

Ben West and Felix Heyes have created a visual dictionary using pictures from Google Images. It's pretty cool. Probably the most complex picture book ever. Pretty complex title from myself, also.

Muppets Blooper Reel

Titled 'The Greatest Muppet Blooper Reel Ever' this has many laughs. I think the Emmett Otter one is funnier, but this is still pretty awesome.

My Grad Dance Ensemble

On Friday, the 8th Grade Student Council held the annual Grad Dance. People traditionally dress up nice for it. I thought mine was awesome. Blue bow tie. Orange ruffles. Orange vest. White shirt. Blue pants. I liked it. My friends said I looked like a pirate.

R.I.P Eduard Khil

A lot of people are dying lately. This one is sad. Back in August of 2011, on the eve before we went to Six Flags, I was trying to find out what my dogs would sound like if they were singers. My dog, Max, would sound like Barry White. While trying to find TJ's, I typed in Russian singer, because TJ is Russian. He's a viszla. I had never heard of this Trololol guy before, never seen the video, never heard the song. I listened to it and it was quite humorous. It quickly went on my iPod and went on to be my Student Council campaign song. He was 77.  R.I.P Khil.

R.I.P Kathryn Joosten

Like her character on Desperate Housewives, Mrs. McCluskey, Kathryn Joosten has passed away from lung cancer at the age of 72. That's sad, but at least she made it through the end of 'Housewives.' I think she deserves some kind of Emmy for that episode. She was cool. R.I.P Joosten.

Tim Thomas Takes A Break

Whatta bum. That's alright, the Bruins still have Tukka Rask. Tim Thomas, one year removed from his Stanley Cup victory and Top Goalie award, will be two years removed if he plays again. Thomas said that he is going to sit out the 2012-13 season. Granted, he's older, but he doesn't seem to have the same heart as he did in 2011. Ah well, we'll always have the '11 Playoffs.

40 Pound Cat

Suitably, the cat's name is Garfield. Garfield is the cartoon cat known for loving food and being lazy. This is the real life Garfield, not voiced by Bill Murray. How does it walk?

This Week's Entertainment by David

Harvard Baseball Team

I may have already posted this, but I don't think I have. Back in early May, the Harvard baseball team danced to 'Call Me Maybe,' it's pretty awesome.

Obama's Excuse

Tyler Sullivan did not attend his school one day because the President was at his father's work. This absence note, signed by Obama, is quite mint. This is awesome.

It's In Your Hands Now, Alan Horn

For some reason, it won't let me upload of picture of Horn, so use your imagination. Alan Horn has sparked magical franchises such as Harry Potter, the Lord of the Rings, and the new Batman trilogy. Maybe he can spark some more magic back into Disney. Let's hope, he knows what he's doing. His first orders from CEO Bob Iger, 'make good movies'

John Carter Was Released Awfully Quickly

John Carter was released in theaters on March 7th and it's already on DVD! That was lickety-split! March 7th to June 6th! That's less than three months! 91 days, less than 100. Seems to short. Ah, well, it bombed anyway.

Green Lantern Is Gay

DC earlier said that they would out one of their characters. I was thinking Aquaman, my dad thought Aqualad. It turned out to be the original Green Lantern. Hey, they're shaking things up right!?

New Pixar Stamps

When the other Pixar stamps were released I was surprised that both Monsters Inc and Finding Nemo were not featured. Worry no more! A second edition has been released featuring both those films, Toy Story 2, A Bug's Life, and the Incredibles!