I haven't forgotten about this blog!

Life is crazy right now.
Work is off the hook!
Plus, I volunteer for the Arizona International Film Festival.
It starts in a couple of days! YIKES!!!
April 16 - 26!
I am twittering about the fest.
Yes, one more thing to do.
I am AZFilmFest on twitter.
I will try and post photos of the fest here too.

More info on fest- www.filmfestivalarizona.com

If you see me at the fest, please say HI!

Sundance starts today!

[All the photos on my blog are taken by me unless noted.

The top photo was taken by a nice stranger in Park City, Utah]

The Sundance Film Festival starts today (1/15) in Park City, Utah!

Growing up and watching Siskel and Ebert talk

about the Sundance Film Festival,

I never thought that I would be able to go to Sundance.

It seemed so far away from Indiana.

I started working with the Arizona International Film Festival

(AIFF) in 2002.

"Are you going to Sundance with us?" they asked.

"What?? anyone can go to Sundance?"

"Yes, if you have the money."

I couldn't believe that I was going to Sundance!

Everyone working with the Arizona International Film Festival (AIFF)

asked me what I wanted to see at Sundance.

Well, for me that was a no brainer,

Roger Ebert!

They all laughed.

"He doesn't eat, go to restaurants or parties. He just sees films.

That is all he does and you will not see him."

Although I was little broken hearted, I was still excited about going to Sundance.

Finally, I got to Park City!

It was incredible.

Not as cold, town a little smaller and air a little thinner

than I thought it would be.

Getting up at the crack of dawn to get in the wait list line

for the 8:30am film was no problem for me!

I was too excited to sleep!

Watching films all day, including the midnight show

takes more energy than you can imagine.

On the first day, we went back to the condo and talked

about the films we saw until 4am.

While great, it was hard to get up at 7am to start the process over!
But hey, I was only there for 3 and half days and I can sleep when

I get home!

Finally, on my last day I was hanging outside of the

Egyptian Theater wondering if there was ANYTHING I needed

at the top of the hill before I went down again.

After a couple of trips up and down that hill,

you really think before you go down.

There is nothing worse than having to go back up after you got to

the bottom of the hill.

So, I am hanging out and I see a crowd around the Egyptian.

Standard deal, a lot of the media shoot in front of the Egyptian.

I wandered over to see which filmmaker or celebrity was getting interviewed.

To my surprise, it was a crowd of people around Roger Ebert!

People were getting their photos taken with ROGER EBERT!

He was trying to get to his next screening.

I grabbed my camera out of my bag.

"Please Mr. Ebert, may I have a picture too?'

"I really have to get to my screening."

I grabbed the person closest to me and told him to take our picture.

The guy didn't how to work my camera but I saw that the shutter opened and closed.

That would have to be good enough.

And IT WAS!

No one believed me that I actually saw him, until. . . .

I showed them this photo.

I have been back to Sundance in 2005 and 2007

but the 2003 will always be my favorite because I met

Roger Ebert!

To my Arizona International Film Festival friends

that are going this year (without me!) -

may you have TOO MUCH FUN!

And if anyone see any of my AIFF friends, say HI!.

They may have something to give you!

Last Winter BINGO TONIGHT!

Tonight (12/18) is the LAST Winter BINGO at Kappy's!

Last week, the Don Wee Now Team cleaned up!

They took an incredible 4 of 6 games!

This is simply unheard of!

Will their reign of terror continue tonight?

Another weird thing from last week's BINGO

is that we had someone win after only 4 numbers

were called!

HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!?!

We tripled checked and yes, they won with only 4 numbers called!
I think we will see that happen again as soon as someone gets

the exact price on TPIR Showcase Showdown again!

Tonight's BINGO is going to be off the hook!

First, the best steel drum band in the land,

Apocalypso is going play at 7pm.

It is FREE and they will have their new CD,

MicroBurst, for sale.

This is a perfect stocking stuffer!

Then BINGO starts at 8pm.

BASS beer is the sponsor tonight.

YAH!

The first card is still FREE

but we are asking people to donate 2 cans

of food (or $1.00) to The Community

Food Bank for the second card.

So, who will be the team to beat tonight?

Will it be Team McLovin'?

Team Tecate?

The Band?

The Wailing Wenches?

The only way to find out is to come on out to

Kappy's

2190 N. Wilmot-Tucson

Peter Falk may have Alzheimer's Disease

According to reports today, Peter Falk's daughter, Catherine,

filed legal papers in Los Angeles claiming her father

"requires full-time custodial care for his health and safety."

It seems that he is suffering from Alzheimer's disease and

dementia and she is afraid that he could be easily deceived.

It makes me sad to hear this news.

When I was little, I wanted to be Columbo more than anything.

I would watch the show and act like him.

I BEGGED for a coat just like Columbo's, so I could be more like him.

When I FINALLY got the coat, I still was not happy.

This trench coat was not the same. It wasn't wrinkled like Columbo's,

in fact it was very crisp. My mother, probably at her wit's end,

rolled the coat into a ball, put it under a couch cushion and told me to sit

on the cushion for 10 minutes.

It worked! My coat now looked just like Columbo's!

I bet my mom was overjoyed that the new coat that she just bought me

looked like it was run over by a truck!

I happily grabbed my coat and magnifying glass (who knows why since

Columbo didn't have one) and went out into the neighborhood in

search of crimes. Alas, my boring neighborhood never had a crime

to solve but that never stopped me!

When my friends and I went to New York City in 2006,

Kristin HAD to go to Live with Regis and Kelly.

I went with her while Kathy went to the Today Show

and Nancy slept in. We didn't have tickets and were the last ones

allowed in from the wait list. I would have been sad for Kristin

if we didn't get in but I would have been okay.

Then, they announced the guests.

One of the guests

on Live with Regis and Kelly was

PETER FALK!!

I couldn't believe my luck!

We were in the last row but I didn't care!

Here are some photos from that most excellent day.

The first is from where Regis grabbed Peter's book off the table and dumped

a cup on the floor. I have never seen so many people deal with one broken cup.

The second is from where he was leaving the stage.

The last one was when his limo was leaving. He signed autographs for a while.

Of course, I had nothing for him to sign but that was okay.

I met one of my childhood heroes that day.

My heart goes out to Peter Falk and his family.

BINGO TONIGHT!

More Winter BINGO at Kappy's tonight (12/11)

Come join the fun!

Kappy's Bar and Sandwich Place

2190 N. Wilmot Rd.

8pm to 10pm

Widmer Hefeweizen is the sponsor tonight.

First card FREE!

For the second card, we are asking people to bring

2 cans of food to donate to

The Tucson Community Food Bank.

NEXT WEEK-

Bass Beer is the sponsor

AND!!!!!!!!!!

Apocalypso is playing at 7pm.

They are the best steel drum band around.

So, next week, come early and enjoy the concert.

Tom Walbank Performance & Full Moon Lightnin' Film

This Thursday, Dec. 11., the AMAZING Tom Walbank is performing at

The Screening Room (127 East Congress-Tucson) at 7:30pm.

He has won so many Blues and Performance Awards,

that I simply don't have the space to list them all!

Check out his myspace for all the goodness

http://www.myspace.com/tomwalbank

He is one of my favorite performers and he will rock the house.

The photo above is from the 2006 Arizona International Film Festival.

He performed at The Rialto as part of our Filmstock Concert.

He was one of the highlights of the festival.

This photo was taken when he was just hanging out before the show.

Then stay and watch

FULL MOON LIGHTNIN"

It is about New York City bluesman, Floyd Lee

and his personal journey back home to Mississippi.

This film was part of the Tucson Film and Music Festival

and is being brought back as an encore show.

The Southern Arizona Blues Heritage Foundation (SABHF)

is the sponsor of this terrific

concert and film.

ONLY $7 for BOTH!

YES, SEVEN DOLLARS!

and only $5 if you are a member of SABHF.

My Photo is in Fitness Plus Magazine!

My photo is in this month's Tucson's Fitness Plus Magazine!

There is something about seeing my photography in a magazine

that makes me giddy!

It is like Christmas, I am waiting, waiting, waiting

and then the issue is here!!!

So, grab your TUCSON Fitness Plus magazine

at your local sporting goods store, health club.

Can't find one?

Click here and then go to the TUCSON issue (Dec 2008)

and my photo is on page 7!

http://www.fitplusmag.com/

It has a great article about my friend Julia and her pilates studio -

The Pilates Connection

http://pilatesconnection.biz/

She is TERRIFIC and her studio is GREAT!

Check out the article and her studio-you won't regret it!

FYI-That pose is a lot harder than it looks,

especially when your photographer

is telling you what to do ;)