For The Ol’ Opera House…

When it comes to movie houses, there is only one that I consider an important historical site. I grew up in the small town of McConnelsville, OH. Like most small towns, McConnelsville doesn’t have a giant multiplex that shows 25 movies with IMAX screens and 3D. What it DOES have is an opera house that has been around since 1892. And a film projector that has been installed since the 1930′s. Aaaannnnd apparently it might also have a ghost or two but THAT is a story for a different day…

The Opera House has always been dear to my heart. Growing up in such a small town, I spent many days running around that town square and, when I wasn’t hanging out at the video arcade on the corner, I was drinking Mr. Pibb & eating popcorn for a quarter at the old Opera House. Who can imagine how many movies I saw there. One of the movies that sticks in my head was a “holiday” film that was screened after the Christmas parade called “Santa Clause Conquers The Martians.” Originally released in 1964, this ridiculous film was about as weird as it sounds but for whatever reason, I remember seeing it in that old theater. I also saw “ET,” “Star Wars,” and hundreds of other movies including a little movie called “Tarzan, The Ape Man” that starred Bo Derek in 1981 and had considerably more nudity in it than my Mom thought I should be seeing at my age (13).

Hmmm…wonder what’s in there?

Anyway…ahem…so…where was I? Oh yeah…the Opera House. Okay…so flash forward to 2013. Apparently Hollywood is shutting down the film industry. No, no…they’re not NOT making movies anymore. They are literally not using film anymore. The days of actually using 35MM film is almost over and old movie houses across the country are being forced to update or else they won’t be able to show movies anymore (well…except for old films like “Santa Clause Conquers The Martians”…which IS a classic). So here’s where YOU come in. I’m looking for a little effort to keep this awesome movie house open for this community which deserves to have it keep its doors open.

It’s not a toaster…it’s a projector!

If you are a fan of history and have a place in your heart for the past, I am asking that you take a moment and donate for the cause of this amazing establishment. Trust me when I tell you it’s worthy of a few of your dollars. It’s a testament to our times that places like this are closing their doors at an alarming rate. It’s important that the history of our country is preserved in more ways than just museums and mausoleums. A place like the Twin City Opera House stands as an open door to our past. It showcases what we were and how far we’ve come. Granted, if I had MY way, it would show old 35MM films for the rest of time but, in some cases, the future dictates what we have to do and moving forward in this case isn’t the worst thing that could happen. This is a great opportunity to benefit a caring community and help keep a showcase of its past open to the public.

Here is the link. Please donate and if you are ever in southeast Ohio, you should stop by and visit the ol’ Opera House. It’s worth the trip. And then swing over to the Blue Bell Restaurant. They used to have great ice cream. Of course, that was 30 years ago but hey…some things never change!

The theater lobby

McConnelsville, Ohio

Many, many, many years ago, I lived in a very small town called McConnelsville. It’s a piece of Americana, this town. A couple of stop signs, still has the old hardware store, time runs a little slower there. And it is towns such as these that make our country the great place that it is. Not a lot of action takes place in McConnelsville. Occasionally some motorcycles blare through the square, motors revving, and that is about as crazy as it gets.

I remember back when I was about my son’s age, my dad would take me in to work with him and I would have run of the town. My parents owned a restaurant on the square (The Blue Bell) and dad had to be at work 5:30am. No one wakes before 7am in this little burg (unless you live on a farm), so I could ride my bike all over the place without fear of traffic or pedestrians. It’s little memories like these that came rushing back this past weekend when most of my family (Amber had to work, Ruth is too busy in Florida catching sharks) made the trek to visit the McConnelsville 4th of July Festival.

The Court House

A few things have changed in this small town, with one being the time that the festival actually takes place. Instead of being an all day affair, it is now whittled down to only a few hours in the evening, so we missed playing Bingo and “Spin The Wheel” for candy. But we managed to eat at the ol’ Blue Bell (still running after all these years) and visiting the home where we used to live (my parents built a home out on Airport Road back in the 70′s).

Both my parents agree…it ain’t as good as when THEY owned the Blue Bell…

It was fun seeing the hometown again. The Armory is closed where I used to spend hours of my days playing basketball and the Opera House  theater is under renovations (but we snuck in anyway to take pictures) but the feel of the town is still the same. Life is simpler there and the memories of it are etched into my brain for as long as I live.

The Armory. Basketball court upstairs. Unlocked door in the back. (But don’t tell anyone…)

The Opera House STILL doesn’t have air conditioning! So awesome…

So we snuck in. Nobody seemed to care. The lobby is  still the same! What a beautiful place!

McConnelsville, OH is a nice place to visit and get yourself a meal at the Blue Bell. Tell ‘em Alan sent ya. They might look at you like you’re insane, but that’s ok. In a town as small as McConnelsville, I’m sure you won’t be the first to get a sideways glance! LOL

One of my former babysitters. Apparently I haven’t changed much. I dunno if that is a good thing…?

My Road To The Final Four

March Madness is my favorite sporting event. All my life I’ve loved college basketball and I never thought that someday I would get to be a part of it, but there I was…living the dream and working on an all new way to cover event television…in 3D!

It all started in mid-March when I was shipped off to Milwaukee, WI for the 1st & 2nd Round. We had Ohio State & Xavier there, so that was exciting for me. I’ve been an Ohio State fan forever and I cover a lot of Xavier basketball throughout the season, so to see both programs in Milwaukee was a treat. And my Ohio Bobcats, who made the tournament by winning the MAC, managed to whip up on Big East goliath Georgetown and moved on to the 2nd Round, only to get beat by Tennessee. Oh well…

In the Graphics production truck

Courtside at the Bradley Center

From Milwaukee to St Louis for the Midwest Regional. I like St. Louis and there was plenty to do. Ohio State went up against the team that beat my Bobcats and once again Tennessee knocked off one of my favorite teams to move on to play Michigan State for a chance at the Final Four. They lost. Michigan State goes on to Indianapolis…and so did I.

The sunrise from my hotel window

The Buckeyes practice

I visited the Arch…

…and drank coffee. I’m crazy like that.

Courtside in St. Louis

Indianapolis is a very underrated city and it is taylor-made for events like The Final Four. Everything you need is right downtown and with hometown favorite, Butler, playing Cinderella, the fever was in full swing. The city was hoppin and references to “Hoosiers” were as commonplace as Big Ten coaches sightings (I counted at least 4…and Dennis Miller).

Our 3D tv crew courtside.

The great thing about this event wasn’t just that I LOVE college basketball, but also because I got to work the first 3D NCAA National Championship…and oh what a great game it was. It was a back & forth affair as a David vs Goliath raged for 2 halves and the Devils came up on the lucky side of the score, barely beating Butler by 2 points as a halfcourt 3-point heave ALMOST dropped for the Bulldogs, and then a city (and a nation) fell deflated. It truly was an amazing game and I was so lucky to be there. It will always be one of my fondest memories…especially the time when I got to shoot around on the court for a few minutes. Every player dreams of taking a shot or two on that championship court and I got to do it (even if it was 23 years too late).

In My Lifetime…Ohio University

The College Days

When I graduated from high school, I quite literally had no idea what I was gonna do with my life. After a short stint working at my parents’ restaurant (peelin’ potatoes & washing dishes ain’t my thing) and at a gas station, I eventually got a job working at the local television station in Zanesville. And then for college I ended up attending the Ohio University branch in Zanesville for 2 years and then on to Athens, OH where the main college campus resides. It was those 4 years (especially the 2 in Zanesville) where I became my own person and learned where my life was heading.

When I enrolled at OUZ, I quickly became friends with some of the most important people in my life, many who have played a huge role in who I am now. I have kept in contact with quite a few of them and they are still extremely important to me. The short list would be JT, Newman, John, Alicia, Tricia, Karen & my high school friend, Linda. The long list would include quite a few people who I have not seen since college & some who have found me online and rekindled our friendship (like Kim, who got me into this little blogging venture). There have been a cast of hundreds who have shaped me into who I am today and those 4 years at Ohio U. were vital in helping a young teenager morph into an independent man. My instructors at Ohio recognized my abilities and then allowed me to utilize my creativity and interests and I was given many opportunities that got me rolling into life. I spent more time in radio & television studios than I would like to admit…and every day there was something new to learn. There are so many stories to be told and so many people I could thank, but to try to do so would be pointless. The people who are involved know who they are and they know the stories. I loved my time with them and my time spent at Ohio University, both the Zanesville branch and the main campus. Seriously…they were the best 4 years of my life and I don’t know where I would be without them.

So here’s to Ohio U…the best college in the world (especially for Halloween). And if you are ever in southeastern Ohio, you should swing by and take a quick walk down Court Street. And have a drink or two…or three. And make a stop at the Burrito Buggy. And do it in the fall because there is no better place on earth than on the College Green at Ohio University in October. Recently I got a chance to do just that…

The College Green (Cutler Hall)

Good eats…especially at 2am!

Cleveland

Yeah…I know. It’s commonly known as “The Mistake On The Lake”. Everybody knows that sometime ago, the lake caught on fire. Everybody knows at one time there used to be an area known as “The Flats” that was full of drunken debauchery. And everybody knows that Drew Carrey lives in Parma (outside of Cleveland). Other than that…what have you got? Well…quite a lot actually. The truth of the matter is is that Cleveland DOES actually rock…in many ways!

The most obvious is The Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame. Built back in 1995, this is the crowning achievement of Cleveland. What could have been another supersized Hard Rock Café is really a very cool museum chock full of musical goodness! When I went through, they had an exhibit of Pink Floyd memorabilia that included giant balloons from “The Wall” tour! But at any given time, you never know what you might see next. From Madonna to The Clash, all kinds of memorabilia line the walkways of this very impressive monument to music…and not just rock n roll. Blues, pop, alternative, jazz. You name it, there are multiple reasons to go check it out.

Wait a minute…now it’s Progressive Field???

Secondly, Cleveland boasts 3 professional sports teams, including the Cavaliers who sport the premier player in the NBA in LeBron James. The Indians are consistently decent (even if they DID change the name of their stadium from Jacob’s Field to Progressive Field. Sellouts…). The only problem are the Browns. Consistently crappy, this city has backed their team since they returned in 1999 to a brand new stadium. But since their return, the best they have done was last year when they almost made the playoffs with a 10-6 record (the Bengals knocked them out of the playoffs last year in the last game of the season. Too bad for the Brownies! HA!).

Cleveland Browns Stadium. Soon to be named “Aflac Stadium”?

As for restaurants and such, Cleveland offers quite a few good places to eat. From Italian to steak, you can walk throughout the city and find good eats. My personal favorite place is The Chophouse where I always get the beef tips and mashed garlic potatoes! But they also have their share of sandwich shops for lunch and Starbucks scattered all around.

The Chophouse is good eatin’!

I’m not gonna tell you to take your family vacation to Cleveland, because that ain’t what Cleveland is all about. However, if you should find yourself there for business or just a quick trip to get out of your town, then I’m here to report that Cleveland isn’t a mistake by the lake anymore. It has grown up quite nicely actually and can hold its own when it comes to comparisons to other U.S. cities.

Maybe Cleveland should stick to statues…

Like this.

And this.

Feelin’ phallic…

A Tisket, A Tasket…

So I flipped open my mom’s laptop this morning and her default home page tab is set to MSN. I began scanning the headlines and I see there is a slideshow of the world’s wildest architecture. Hmmm…interesting. Guess I’ll check it out!

So they list the Sydney Opera House in Australia, the Country Music Hall Of Fame in Nashville, the Guggenheim Museum in Spain, the Ideal Palace of Ferdinand Cheval in France, the Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis. All very interesting, very beautiful architectural sites without a doubt. Then as I continued through the slideshow, I came upon the most odd, most ridiculous, most…woven building of all of them…

The Longaberger Office Building in Newark, OH?

 Just so you know, Newark is located not too far away from Zanesville. I have seen the building and it is quite…interesting. But I find it hard to imagine that on the entire planet Earth, spanning every country, of all of the architecture in the world, of all the museums and churches and bridges, that the Longaberger Offices in Newark, OH is one of the “greatest” on our planet.

Here’s the deal…Longaberger makes baskets. Lots of baskets. Big baskets, small baskets, baskets to put in your kitchen, baskets to put in your living room. You name it, Longaberger has made a basket for it. So…when the decision was made to build an office building for Longaberger Baskets back in 1997, what do you think they decided to build? How about…a GIANT BASKET!

So now, Longaberger is listed as one of the “premiere” pieces of arcitecture in the world! Amazing! And it’s right here in central Ohio. Oh what fun! Let’s pile all of the kids in the car and shoot on down to Newark and check out the giant basket building! And while I’m at it, I’ll keep heading east…’cause apparently in York County, Pennsylvania they have a giant shoe museum…and I have GOT to find out what THAT smells like!

Reminiscing (Top Gun)

On the way home from work tonight, “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins popped up on shuffle on my IPod. It’s funny how music can make me remember things that I thought I had forgotten. In particular, this song, which I have kept on my IPod not because I want to listen to it, but because of the memories that it invokes.

I’m not gonna lie here…I’ve had a few drinks, and I’m in the mood to reminisce. If there are a few mispellings, I apologize. Every now and then I hear a song or see a movie or a picture that takes me back. Tonight was one of those nights.

According to IMDB, Top Gun came out my junior year of high school (1986). I remember it being a huge hit. I probably saw it 3 or 4 times at our local theater. In Zanesville, OH, there wasn’t much else to do on a Friday night but drive down the strip, crank up the music, go see a movie or hang at the mall. Me and my best friend would hit Taco Bell (which I also had tonight…just because…), cruise down Maple, listen to the Top Gun soundtrack and then see who else was out that night.

Tom Cruise was the star, but I used to think that the Iceman was so freaking cool. He was a total badass. I don’t remember much else about it. Goose died. They sang “You Lost That Loving Feeling” at a bar. A scene where they played volleyball. I don’t think I’ve thought of that movie in probably 20 years. I’ve never had the urge to see it again. I don’t even think I’ve ever seen it on TNT or any of those other networks that show 80′s movies over and over again. Either way, I know I haven’t watched it in its entirety since. But for some reason, tonight I’m wanting to see it again.

Doesn’t matter what stupid stunt Tom Cruise pulls. I personally don’t know what all the commotion was about when he jumped on Oprah’s couch. I don’t know anything about his religion, and I don’t know anything about him and his new wife or girlfriend, Katie Holmes. I don’t really care about Tom Cruise and his personal life. What I do care about is this song by Kenny Loggins and how cool it was to be cruising downtown with the windows down and the music cranked in my 1967 Volkswagon Bug on a Friday night in my hometown, hanging with my best friend and enjoying life. It’s something I think about from time to time and I just think it was a really fun time.

Anyway, it made me think about how lucky I’ve been in almost all aspects of my life. How I got this from “Danger Zone”, I have no idea. But those were magical times…much like the life I have now. Consider this my form of drunk dialing…but I’ve enjoyed getting to where I am today. It has been an amazing. And to all of my friends who I haven’t seen, especially Chuck, who was my best friend back in those days, I’ve had a good time, dude. Hope yours is going as well as you had dreamed!

And now…time for sleep. I’m sure I’ll be wondering about this in the morning! LOL