rickyleepotts …an opinionated realist

I am hanging out today with a talent you have probably heard of one way or the other.  If you have not, then take my word for it, go listen to his music.  He is also a treat live so if you can see him perform even better.  Bringing a fun, energetic, and incredibly talented set of instruments behind him, he is one of the Midwest’s best talents.  Always able to light up a stage, get you out of your seat and dance, and take a shot of Jager with you when the show is over, he is on his way to where he belongs; the top.  It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to Rich Hardesty.

I have seen you both full band and solo.  Which do you prefer?

I enjoy both shows equally.   It’s nice to play solo and tell stories about the songs and how they came to be. One of my biggest influences was Jim Croce and he did a lot of story telling.  The acoustic show has been my full time job  for 15 years, enabling me to have the freedom to put the band together. The synergy of playing with the band in the present moment is such a gift.  I have also been blessed to make some very great friendships from my band mates and have the utmost respect for their talent and what they bring to the stage.

Do you play full band or solo more often?

75% solo  The demand for the band is high for both shows.  The band can be a bit pricey also but it gives the fans something to look forward to.

When did you guys all meet?

All at different times within the past 10 years.  In studios,  venues and via musician friends.  Bloomington, Indiana was definately the catalyst that indirectly brought us all together.

What is your first memory of playing a guitar?

At my aunt’s house.  I knew how to play the piano by ear at age 7 so I knew what a chord sounded like.  I took my aunt’s guitar and tuned it so when you strummed all the strings at once it sounded like a G chord. Then all I had to do is put my finger across the chord like a Kapo.  I learned a bunch of John Denver songs that way. Then I learned the proper way and have been playing by ear ever since.

Where do you get inspiration when you sit down to write a song?

From lifes experiences and from living in the present moment of life.  Jamaica has been very inspirational to me when it comes to writing but I also remember in 7th grade writing a song for a commercial we had to come up with and I wanted to be creative and stand out in the class.  I recently started writing a song in Australia and finished here in Indiana. The sky is the limit to my writing and I also enjoy writing jingles for companies.  Ultimately it is a gift from God and I want to keep practicing and focusing on my talent that I feel so blessed to have. I have hopped planes at the last minute just to arrive in a new and different place for inspiration.

PC or Mac?

MacBookPro.   Everything about it!  Notebook G4 was my old one that I currently use to record. It’s fun to sit down at my PC and be reminded how much I love my Mac.

You play a ton of shows.  Are you ever afraid of over saturating yourself in the local market?

I spread them out all over and think I do a pretty good  job of not saturating.  There are so many small towns within an hour to 4 hours of driving where people are starved for singer/songwriter tunes.  I usually send out my posters a couple weeks in advance to create the demand.

What is the biggest crowd you have ever played for?

Negril, Jamaica during spring break.

The smallest?

A fly on the wall in my studio.

What is the last movie you saw?

Taking Woodstock.

Did you like it?

Yes but I had to duck out towards the end to make my sound check.

If you could meet anyone alive or dead who would it be and why?

Jerry Garcia or Bob Marley; they have kept me keeping on!

Who are some of your biggest inspirations?

Jim Croce,  James Taylor,  Sinatra, a Prof Smith from IU who taught me the law of diminishing returns and to take road less traveled,  My mom and dad who have been fighting and surviving Cancer and MS and the most higher.

What would you be doing if it were not music?

I swam since I was 6 years old to senior year in high school.  I had a couple state records.  When I went to college I wanted to have fun with my guitar.  I love brand marketing and it goes hand and hand with my music now.  If I stopped performing today I would still be involved in Marketing.  Although my college degree is marketing I believe you can do whatever you want in life.  We are all blessed with something.

Do you have a job or is music it?

Music is my life and music is my wife. (Laughs)   It’s been my full time job for over 15 years.

If you could play with any band in the industry right now who would it be?

Slightly Stoopid.

Let’s say you are about to open at Verizon Wireless Music Center.  Who would be your opener?

Kelley Isenhower.

Pepsi or Coke?

Pepsi.  I used to guzzle it down.  The Pepsi in Jamaica must have sugar cane in it and it is the best in the world.

Let’s get some pizza.  What toppings?

Veggie; all veggies especially hot peppers.

Has anyone ever told you that you look exactly like Dane Cook?

I get that often and also that I bust out envelope pushing comments that others only think.

What was it like touring with Slightly Stoopid and Pepper?

It was great to travel around with two of my favorite bands and get to know some of them.  They didn’t seem to have great big egos.  Ironically three years later one of my songs is going to be on the new Jagermeister 2010 sampler with Slightly Stoopid and Pepper.

Miles (one of the lead singers of SS) had us over to his house on the last day of the tour in San Diego and cooked us breakfast. When I lived in California I spent a lot of time in San Diego.  I wish I could have linked up with Slightly Stoopid then but blessed that it happened.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Writing songs about the people and places that inspire me. I believe everyday is a gift and I take it day by day to soak up the present moment.

What do you want to be remembered for when it’s all said and done?

An entrepreneur who created his own reality writing songs and creating a musical soundtrack to life while making a difference in the world.

If you could play only one cover song for the rest of your career what song would it be?

Eyes of The World; it is never played the same way and has an amazing message.

I always let the artist get the last word.  Go.

I love feedback from the people who allow me to keep doing what I love.  It’s a two way street and I want to continue this dream job. Thank you to all the people and places that have inspired me on this journey of life.  Blessed love and positivity!

A couple of years ago the mega computer company Apple released what has since proven to be the single best invention of our time.  I know that a lot of you out there, especially those of you who do not have an iPhone, will disagree.  I understand that you are simply jealous of the fact that you do not have one and we do.  We, the largest smart phone user group, have been tapping away on our touch screens for quite some time.  They have since released two new versions of the iPhone since it’s inception back in the summer of 2007.

Some of the things that make the iPhone so cool, outside of the fact that it doubles as your iPod, is the onslaught of applications that you can download.  Whether you need to buy movie tickets for a hot date you have tonight or to grab a last minute table for dinner, there is an app for that.  Maybe you want to get turn-by-turn directions from your current location to the mall.  Or maybe you just want to sit back and watch some television that you missed last night.  All of this, and more, have applications that allow that.

There have been some phones that have come out on the market that have tried to compete but most have fallen short.  Today I wanted to sit down with you and discuss the two bit competitors to the iPhone.  Note that these other two smart phones are still lacking in users and quite frankly would never turn my eye no matter the features that they offer.  But the next time your buddy says, “Yeah, well, my phone is just as cool as the iPhone,” you can show him or her this blog post to prove them wrong.

I am going to look at not only the iPhone with you here today but also the Palm Pre that is offered by Sprint and the MotorolaDroid that is offered by Verizon.  These phones are all specific to their carriers, which has made some users shy away from the iPhone.  Most people think AT&T is overpriced and offers limited coverage.  So instead of switching, folks end up with these other two alternatives.  I will debunk the things that make these phones stand out and show you why you should make the switch to the iPhone.

Let’s begin with storage space.  The iPhone, and note there are two models of the current 3GS phone, has a total of 16 gigabytes of storage space.  The Pre has only 8, while the Droid has the same as the iPhone coming in at 16 gigs.  The thing that you should note here is that when storing your music on your phone, for people like me who treat their iPhone as his or her iPod, you can quickly run out of space.

Another big topic is battery life.  The iPhone comes in at 5-hour talk time with 300 hours of standby time.  This is when the 3G is activated.  The Pre ties the iPhone with the exact same battery life and the Droid wins on talk time but lacks on the standby time by over 30 hours.

When it comes to standard features, like camera and wifi functionality, all three come in with these as default options.  Also all three offer GPS to get you from point A to point B.  The iPhone and Droid even have voice command but the Pre does not offer this feature in its latest model.

Speaking of applications above, they bring a whole new market to mobile phones.  There are almost 100,000 applications to choose from in the iTunes store.  However, you currently can only download 258 in the Palm Pre App Catalog.  The Android Market is trying to get there by offering just over 10,000 applications but they still fall way short of the iPhone.  Sure, the Droid and the Pre are open source allowing you to program games and applications with a lot more ease than the iPhone, but something must be working right over at Apple if they have this many applications in only two years on the market.

The iPhone does fall short in one area however.  On the Pre and the Droid you have the ability to multi task.  Why is this important?  Well, let’s say you are listening to Pandora Radio and you get a text message.  You can leave the Pandora application open, check and reply to that text message, and never have a lapse in music.  Or let’s say you are trying to figure something out with a buddy and you need to use Wikipedia to get your answer.  You can put the text message, or phone call, on hold, open up the Wiki app, and find your answer.  The iPhone (which I am used to it by this point) does not allow you the ability to run multiple applications at the same time.

Price point is also another big issue with these phones.  For an unlimited usage plan for the iPhone, be prepared to drop $149.99 a month.  This is before any taxes and fees that you might encounter along the way.  The Pre, however, comes in at a flat rate of $99.99 for everything.  They also offer a package that allows you to call mobile-to-mobile, and not only in the same network, for free.  The Droid comes in at the same price as the iPhone.  By looking at that over the course of a year, by going with the Palm Pre you could potentially save around $1,000 or more.  That might make a lot of difference to some people.

I did not cover all of the features of all of these phones, as I do not want to bore you.  But I did break down the big players when it comes to deciding what you want to use as your cellular provider first and foremost, an also as the smart phone that you want to use.  The long and short of it boils down to the iPhone.  I have had an iPhone since the day it came out, bought the 3GS the weekend it came out, and will never go back.  The only way that Apple can be beat is by releasing another version of their already proven iPhone.  I might not know what is next for cellular technology but I cam not wait to find out.

Halloween has always been known as the holiday to pig out on candy corn and to dress up as scary as you can to freak out your friends and neighbors.  Growing up I would always get excited about this holiday for many reasons.  The first was the candy that I would be able to partake in that night and the following weeks.  This was motivation, of course, to get the most that I could when knocking on doors.  I dressed up like a variety of characters throughout the years.  The fun never wore off either, as each year I got a little bit older and could eat just a little bit more candy.  We lived in a neighborhood that was perfect for this as there were homes everywhere and porch lights on in nearly every driveway.

But when I got to college it became an excuse to still dress up but to not ask for candy but rather drinks at various parties and night clubs.  The costumes became more elaborate and cost a lot more than I remember my folks paying when I was younger.  However, nothing beats a Halloween night out on the town with your friends.

Recently I have not been as interested in this holiday for a number of reasons but this year is different.  The main reason that I do not care for this holiday is that I lost someone very close to me a few years back on Halloween night.  That is a story for another blog post but the holiday has since given me no reason to celebrate.  And while I am not over what happened on that night a few years back I have moved on to a point in my life that I can go out and have a good time rather than sit at home and sulk all evening about things I can not control.

So for all of you adults out there that are thinking about what to do for Halloween this year, why not think west and head for the bright lights of the city that never sleeps – Las Vegas.  (I know, they say that New York is the city that never sleeps.  But once you have spent a weekend in Las Vegas you will soon beg to differ.)  I wanted to break down some of the cool things you can do in Las Vegas this year.  Not all of these happen on Halloween night, as this is a holiday that deserves a week to celebrate, but if you are going to be in Sam’s Town you will not be bored.

Thursday, October 29^th, 2009

Tonight all of you metal rock fans have something to get your attention.  The band Puscifer is playing at the Pearl.  If you’re a Tool fan or a fan of Maynard James Keenan, you have to check out Keenan’s fresh new group Puscifer.  The Pearl is located inside the Palms where you can find places like Rain and the Playboy Lounge. Puscifer is a multifaceted, multimedia, multi-artist and multi-personality project that has a rotating cast of players.

After the concert, head over to the Night of the Creeps: Edward 40 Hands at McFadden’s.  This is loosely based on the incredible film Edward Scissorhands. McFadden’s at the Rio will host Night of the Creeps: Edward 40 Hands.  Part of this party includes having two forty-ounce beers strapped to your paws.  The first partygoer to finish the beers, to the last drop, will win a cash prize.

Friday, October 30^th, 2009

A personal favorite spot of mine, Tao Nightclub, will be hosting their 3rd annual Taolloween.  Tao Nightclub is inside The Venetian and provides a scenic view very hard to recreate. This event will also double as a release party for the Saw VI film, which hit theaters on October 23^rd. Dress your best to participate in the $5,000 costume contest while you dance to the sounds of DJ Reach.  Yes that is right, a 5k-costume party.  Talk about a reason to dress up this holiday!

If you want to bring back some old school rap memories then you need to not miss this show.  Vanilla Ice will be performing at Studio 54.  Vanilla Ice will be celebrating his 42^nd birthday at Studio 54 and what better way to do it than spend it in Las Vegas. Guess you can scrap the Vanilla Ice costume idea, or better yet, give it a try and see if you can get the VIP treatment by accident!  You never know who will be walking around the club pulling up the best dressed.

Another personal favorite of mine, make sure not to miss the parties going on at Jet.  This year on Halloween eve you can see the Mad Hatter’s Revenge. Jet Nightclub will host the Mad Hatter’s Revenge featuring $10,000 in prizes for the best costumes. So if the five grand that was offered earlier was not enough to suit your fancy make sure not to miss this chance.  Break out your best Cheshire Cat smile and take a trip down the rabbit hole.  This comes in good time for the release of Tim Burton’s recent take on the classic film Alice in Wonderland.

Saturday, October 31^st, 2009

I think my list of favorites is a little long but this is a party that I would bend over backwards to be in attendance for.  This Halloween night, make sure you are at the Night of Killer Costumes at the Ghostbar.  The Ghostbar is another one of the clubs that you can find at the Palms.  (This is maybe one of my favorite casinos in all of Las Vegas.) The top three ghostly goblins and ghouls will be awarded cash and prizes reaching numbers over $8,000.  Also, if the cash prizes were not enough, ladies always receive free admission.

The show did not impress me, but the story line in HBO’s vampire success True Blood has taken the world by storm.  Actually, the entire concept of vampires has taken the world by storm.  But this Halloween, all things aside, it is time to celebrate some vampires.  The entire True Blood cast will be hosting Yelloween at Lavo. The party will be hosted by True Blood stars, some who are even from Las Vegas, and will provide you with a night full of star gazing.

I might have said some of these clubs are on my list of favorites, but my single favorite bar in Las Vegas is Pure.  This year at Pure you can be treated to an event hosted by Nicky Hilton.  The stellar fashion designer and socialite will host Halloween night at Pure Nightclub at Caesars Palace. She’ll be putting her eye for fashion to good use as a judge in the costume contest with $10,000 in prizes. Pure is actually the place that the Pussycat Dolls started their career as dancers but now is being handed over to the gods of fashion for this Halloween night.

This is just a short list of some recommendations for your holiday enjoyment.  These are some of the best places to party in Las Vegas and I suggest you trying to hit them all if you can.  Vegas is one of my favorite cities in the world and while I will not be there this Halloween, I still manage to know where all the hot spots are.  So take my advice and book a plane ticket for this weekend, it is not too late.  Pack your screwiest costume and try to earn some Benjamins.  And don’t forget, what happens in Vegas stays on Facebook.

It is very possible that I hate football more than I hate basketball, but again, I pay attention to the headlines in case someone asks me if I have heard about the latest new story.  So when I first saw the footage of Mark Sanchez, the quarterback for the New York Jets, eating a hot dog I was instantly intrigued.  What in the world could be so news worthy to show a football player eating a hot dog?  It was not only worthy of hitting the Yahoo! Sports headlines but also running continuously during both ESPN and on Rome is Burning.  So why is this a big deal to the NFL?

You can see in the video that not only is he eating the hotdog, he even has a mustard packet in his other hand.  He was not just having a snack he was enjoying it as much as he could.  But you will also notice that he is trying to hide it, taking quick bites and throwing the wiener behind his legs in hopes no one would catch him.  Well, Mark, you got caught.

When asked about it, Mark said that he had been sick the entire week before and had been unable to eat.  With practice and meetings and everything else that leads to a game on Sunday afternoon I can see why he would not have time to eat.  But what better time than during the middle of a game?  A game in which they were absolutely dominating the Oakland Raiders, mind you.  Mark was not chastised, however, when he was caught during the game.  His hands were not even slapped when the media got involved with the event.  Regardless of how many times he was not yelled at, he apologized time and time again and did so immediately.

After all of the apologies were said and done and he was finished with his meal, he said that the reason he apologized in the first place was due to the message he was afraid that it would send to the Raiders.  He actually was quoted in saying he did not want to say, “Hey, beating the Raiders is so easy that I can do it while scarfing down some delicious wieners.”  This would in turn have an effect on his image but also the New York Jets for allowing their players to eat on the sidelines.

You will remember that the NFL recently has banned players from sending text messages or from sending tweets the day of the game.  They have also banned it for twenty-four hours before and twenty-four hours after the game.  They are claiming this is due to the fact players could potentially send messages that could give away plays or let the other team learn something that would in hence make them vulnerable come game day.  This goes hand in hand with the SEC decision to ban texting and tweeting by not only the players but also the fans.

So did Sanchez have to apologize?  Probably not, but I imagine it makes him feel better that he did.  Should the coach of the Jets perhaps have been a little more observant that there were players sitting on the sideline snacking, regardless of the score of the game?  Probably so.  The coach of the Jets, Rex Ryan, has actually been known, since taking the head coach position, to trash talk pretty much anyone so if Mark does get any gruff about this it will probably come from him.  I just can not seem to figure out what the big deal is whether he was eating or not.  Who cares?  And is it really that big of a deal that this be covered by every sports news channel out there?  Get over it, the guy was hungry.  Speaking of hot dogs I might just go have one of those right now.  And I am not going to hide it either.

When you first look at these guys, and gal, you can tell right away that they are a band.  It might be the hair or their style of dress but you just know. But when they start playing you will be blown away with talent.  From the striking guitar chords to the polished lyrics and professional image you have the full package with these guys.  They bring a dash of Warped Tour to the stage but tone it down with their polished vocals.  Their lyrics have a deeper meaning than what is on the surface, and their talent flows from track to track.  It makes me want to live int he life of someone who can write lyrics like this to see his or her inspiration for a new song.  Sit with me today, as I am glad to introduce you to UNO.

Maybe it’s just me, but there are four of you.  Where did you come up with that name?

The band name was actually picked up by our original guitar player, if I’m not mistaken it was a pick from the dictionary. (Laughs)

Is there a ringleader in the band?

Not really everybody does there share of things. Very equal relationship.

Who writes all the lyrics?

Kyle does the majority of the writing and composing.

Where do you guys practice?

We practice in Kyle’s basement as of right now. It has great acoustics and it’s free.

Do you all have jobs outside of music?

Yes we do. Jobs make the money as music is a hobby right now. Kyle is a manager at Abercrombie and Fitch, I (Chris) am a Senior Tech Manager and Termite Speacialist with a Pest Control Company, Amanda serves at Outback and Nick works at Sam’s Club.

Do you have any thoughts on a nation wide tour this year?

A nationwide tour would be a dream come true, but for the time being its not in the cards. We are working on getting through out the Midwest.

How do I get you to Indianapolis?

With a booked show and some killer accommodations. (Laughs)

Do you play game UNO?

Actually Facebook now has a online UNO game that I’m currently playing.

Are you boys nice to Amanda?

Very nice to Amanda; I carry all her stuff, mainly because they put it all in my car and they don’t want to carry it.

Do you have a favorite venue?

Beaumont Club in Westport is always good, and Main Street Cafe is pretty sweet; very low key with great sound and good people.

What are your feelings on the passing of Michael Jackson?

Its definitly a bummer for the first day, but now its just long drawn out and I’m a little tired of hearing about it. He was an inovator and a great artist but he made some bad choices in life that will follow him forever.

When did you decide to give the music business a run for its money?

Haven’t quite given them the run yet but we are more than willing to give them a hell of a race.

Let’s say that someone offered you a $500,000 record deal but it was country music and it was someone else’s lyrics.  Do you do it?

Well, yes and no. Yes cause I really like country music and I know that nobody writes there own music anymore. No because im pretty sure that they would never allow me to have any creative control over music ever. But I think playing country would be fun; state fairs have awesome funnel cakes and corndogs.

What is the biggest crowd that you have ever played for?

We have played to many crowds hard to say the amount, but we played a small venue show with about 300 give or take.

The smallest?

2 no explantion necessary. (Laughs)

What would you be doing if you were not performing?

Well probably doing my pest conrtol job but if I was on the record companies payroll, I would be enjoying life while i can.

Where do you get inspiration for a new track?

It usually things that has happened to Kyle. (lead singer)

Do you have any pre-show rituals?

We used to do a little huddle before shows for good luck, and we usually do a final run through practice to make sure we are all on the same page.

What are your thoughts on MySpace?

It’s great; a great way for artists to project there music but there is alot of spammers on there now and its not as pure as it used to be. But overall awesome.

Are you on Twitter?

Yes we are; @unorockskc and I’m @unobasskid; but I never have any awesome thoughts. I should work on that.

Can I follow you?

Hell yea you can.

If you ere stuck on an elevator with three people who would you choose?

Probably Eric Clapton cause he could just play the guitar and pass some time.  Mark Hoppus from Blink 182 cause he is hilarious, and anybody from Incubus because they kickass.

Describe your genre in one word.

Dancerific.

What is the single best concert you have ever been to?

311 at City Market in downtown Kansas City.  It was pooring rain, Papa Roach cancelled which didn’t bother me to much and Unwritten Law had to cancel which I wanted to see.  But 311 came out and played for over 2 hours in the rain  It was an awesome show!

What are you drinking on stage?

Usually water, thirst quencing goodness.

Where can I get some UNO merchandise?

Send us an email on MySpace, Facebook and or Twitter and we can get some stuff to ya.

Where do you see yourselves in five years?

I hopefully see my self travelling the states or better yet the world playing for sold out crowds.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

Great stage show and that they are great to all the fans, best all around band on and off stage.

I always let the artist get the last word.  Go.

Rocktastical, good last word…(Laughs)

Paranormal is a general term that describes unusual experiences that lack a scientific explanation or phenomena alleged to be outside of science’s current ability to explain or measure.  Paranormal Activity, the newest release from Hollywood filmmaker Oren Peli, is a movie that lacks interest and that leaves you begging for more.  This film, before I even get started talking about it, is quite possibly one of the single worst movies that I have ever seen.  When I am on my death bed and I am told I only have a few moments left to live this studio should have to show up and give me 99 minutes of my life back for sitting through this awful film.

The director of this film, Oren Peli, has never made a movie before.  Trust me when I say that it shows in this film. Katie Featherston, who plays the lead female role in this excuse for a horror flick has only been in one movie prior.  She starred in a movie called Mutation that was released in 2006 but never made it to the big screen.  Micah Sloat, who plays the male leading role here, is making his big screen debut with this film.  Whoever thought that a movie with a debut director and only having a total of a handful of films from the rest of the eight person cast (yeah, there are only a total of eight characters in this film) would be worth watching is sadly mistaken.

Never mind that this film made over sixty million dollars in the box office in its opening week.  It is the Halloween season and people are always looking for a scary movie to run chills up his or her spine when the sun goes down.  It was genius on the people who decided to release this movie when they did as it was perfect timing.  I must admit, from the preview this film looked interesting.  I wanted to see it long before it came to the movie theater.  However, when it finally arrived, and thanks to the likes of Twitter, I was thrown into the world of social testimonials.

I began researching the film and later learned that it was in fact not a real couple.  The movie is based on the premise of a lady, named Katie, who has been suffering from paranormal activity.  Since she was a little girl, eight years old to be exact, she has been hearing ghosts whisper to her and has heard things go bump in the night, so to speak.  She later moves in with her boyfriend, into a really nice house I might add, and he discovers her eerie past.

The movie begins with absolutely no back story what so ever.  You have no idea who he or she is or why he is filming everything that is going on.  While the reasoning behind the camera is later made obvious, you still never know what would cause a paranormal occurrence like this on this woman.  I am not a believer in these things in real life, only in the movies, but the film goes on as if they both, her and her boyfriend, are aware of what is happening and are trying to solve it by catching it on camera.

The movie is only an hour and a half long but throughout the entire film, every handful of minutes or so, you see the camera take its resting place on top of the tripod and the couple goes to sleep.  Throughout the film every night you hear more or see weirder things happening.  It starts with someone walking up the steps.  Then the camera goes into the next day.  Then you begin hearing voices.  Then some more loud foot steps.  Then it even gets to the point where Katie gets out of bed and stands, staring at her man, for hours into the night.  The next day, of course, she remembers nothing of the previous night’s occurrences and it is thought to be just another paranormal activity.  (I can see where they got the name for the film.  Very original.)

Eventually Micah gets the thought to throw down some baby powder to see if these footsteps they are hearing are causing actual footprints.  Wouldn’t you know it, they do find a series of footprints.  One leading into the bedroom, but never returning, and another leading to a guest bedroom down the hall.  The only cool part about the guest bedroom down the hall is that this “thing” one night grabs Katie and drags her down the hall into this room.  Micah, of course being the good boyfriend that he is, goes after her and saves her at the last minute.

Eventually, and this is the only part of the movie that I would consider creepy, is when there comes a loud knocking at the door.  The banging continues and eventually all chaos breaks loose.  Micah runs down the stairs to find out what is going on, and to stop the spirits if he can, as Katie runs down after him.  After a few loud screams Katie comes back upstairs with a knife in her hand and blood on her wife beater.  She sits, begins to rock, and continues sitting, and rocking, for hours on end.  Eventually the phone rings to no answer as Katie is still rocking, knife in hand.  Eventually a friend shows up, notices the dead body downstairs, and runs to get the police.  A few moments later the cops show up, run upstairs, and begin to yell at Katie, who is still rocking, to drop the knife?  She gets up, wakes from her rocking state of paranoia, and is quickly shot and killed on the spot by the two police officers who had their guns drawn.  The movie is then over.

This movie could have been a half an hour and done just as much for me.  When I was not watching their bedroom in night vision I was listening to her complain about her boyfriend trying to help or a psychiatrist who was unable to help.  There was even a scene with a Ouija board.  It caught on fire, which was kind of cool, but that did not make up for the stop motion camera shots that faked the board actually moving on its own.

This film was made on a very small budget.  Sure, they managed to rake in some incredible dollars in the first few weeks, but that does not make up for the fact of how terrible this film was.  Today on National Public Radio I was listening to them discuss the sequel that is already being talked about.  A sequel?  How in the hell can you make a sequel of a movie where the two people involved are dead?  And I sure don’t want to watch another couple do a repeat of the same thing I watched these two B movie actors do.

If you have seen it, please leave your comment either good or bad. I want to hear your thoughts on this film.  If you have not seen it, I apologize if I ruined anything by telling you the two main characters died.  But, I might have saved you from wasting $10 on seeing it this weekend.  I give this film a 1 out of 5 on the Netflix scale. (I rate all my movies on Netflix.)  I would give it a zero but 1 is the lowest number available.  If they decide to make a second one I will not see it.  I actually hate myself a little bit more now for seeing this one.  The studio produced a stellar trailer that hooked me but I hope that this blog post can keep you away from the ticket booth.  Paranormal Activity was an absolute box office bomb.

It seems that the more I write about basketball the less I seem to care about the sport.  I have never been a huge basketball fan, even when I played it growing up.  I have had a few select players that I have followed over the years like Shaquille O’Neal, Shawn Kemp, and Kobe Bryant, but I never get past what the front page of Yahoo! Sports has to tell me.  I am not even sure that I can tell you what team Shaq is playing for these days.  But over the last few months there have been stories coming up revolving around basketball that I just have felt responsible to give my feedback on.  That is the case we have here today.

Michael Jordan is arguably the single best basketball player to ever play the game.  Sure, guys like Kobe and LeBron James will give him a run for his money before their careers are over, but as it currently stands Jordan is one of the best that has ever hit the hardwood.  He played at North Carolina (after being cut his freshman year) and went on to lead the Chicago Bulls to a handful of championship rings before he retired.  He came back, played a few more years, and eventually gave it up to get into other business ventures inside the NBA.  He is actually a partner in the ownership of the Charlotte Bobcats and is also a chief adviser on basketball operations.  This means he has a direct influence over things like draft decisions and the team’s coaching staff.

Michael is also a father.  His son, Marcus Jordan, is a player himself.  He plays for the University of Central Florida.  He is a freshman this year, having just started his career as a college basketball player, and is their starting shooting guard.  He comes in at six foot three inches (that is three inches shorter than his dad) and will be graduating in the year 2013 assuming he does not decide to go pro before he gets a diploma.  Marcus is only starting his career and is already creating headlines in the news.

The University of Central Florida has a contract with the major sporting goods manufacturer Adidas.  Under this contract the teams at UCF wear all Adidas apparel and must show the Adidas logo any chance they get on their shirts, shorts, and shoes.  Marcus knew this going in and was completely fine with these rules.  He was until now.

Now that the season has started he has raised some eye brows on the shoes that he is being forced to wear.  The contract says that he must wear Adidas tennis shoes.  That becomes a problem, as Marcus wants to wear his dad’s logo on his feet.  This becomes an issue as Michael Jordan has a contract with Nike who is one of Adidas’s largest competitors.  He has been told no numerous times but has raised a valid point that I am curious to see how the university will handle.

Marcus is upset, as he wants to wear these shoes to support his father and the career that he had in both college and the NBA.  Marcus claims that family pride is the reason why he wants to wear these specific sneakers.  But the university is telling him no.  That was until Marcus brought up a valid point about a University of Central Florida football player who was allowed to wear different shoes based on the way that Adidas shoes fit his foot.  Marcus claims that this football player was complaining of sore feet while wearing the Adidas shoes, and although the university has this outstanding contract, he was allowed to change shoes into more comfortable cleats.

The school and Marcus have not yet come to an agreement, but it seems that a decision is in the works. Adidas is speaking up about this but they are doing so very carefully.  They have claimed that they are in negotiations with the university and a major contributing factor to their decision on whether to stay with the UCF will be based on “agreed deliverables for both parties”.

The university has to be careful here as they could potentially lose the contract if they allow Marcus to wear Nike shoes.  On the surface this might seem like a battle between Nike and Adidas but it really just is a matter of breaching the contract.  If it were up to me, as the UCF I would not allow Marcus to wear his father’s shoes while on the court.  Adidas will not stand for it, and very well may pull their contract if he does.  I would hope Marcus, having known the team wears only Adidas apparel, would understand and not turn this into something more than it truly is.  I would think his father would have enough say in his life to make the right decision for him if Marcus tries to wander.  I feel that he is too young, and too fresh into the start of his career to already be causing problems.  Let’s hope he sees the light at the end of the tunnel and laces up some Adidas sneakers come game day.

This past Saturday was my girlfriend’s birthday.  She was turning thirty, and as the age-old saying goes, “You only turn thirty once.”  She had a weekend full of fun planned that included lunch with her mom and brother, a night out with over twenty of her closest friends at the newly opened and ever popular Dave & Buster’s in Castleton, and a day at Kings Island with some die hard roller coaster fans.

Saturday started just fine as her and I traveled to Lebanon, Indiana, to have some chili and German chocolate cake.  I am not a huge fan of chili, but with the addition of cheese and crackers I managed to make my way through three bowls.  I do not like coconut either but I forced myself to enjoy a few pieces of the cake as well.  We sang happy birthday and said goodbye, as it was time to get excited about the night out at D&B.

A month or two prior to her birthday Sheryl had called the Dave & Buster’s here in Indianapolis to learn more about how they handle parties.  She stated that she would have anywhere between fifteen and twenty people at her party and wanted to secure the seating arrangements as it was a Saturday night that we were planning on celebrating.  They made mention to their event planning committee and sent her along her way.

When speaking with the event planning committee she was told that the only way to secure seating would be to book a party room.  With the party room the participants would get access to guaranteed seating as well as a buffet that was catered by the D&B crew.  The price was only $20 per person.  This does not sound like a bad idea on the surface, but there was a catch.  There is always a catch.  To be able to secure these seats and this buffet she would have to not only pay half of the money upfront but she would only be allowed to pay the night of the party with one check.  Imagine twenty people all having to spend $20 each and trying to figure out who owes who.  Not to mention the fact that almost everyone at the party would be paying with a credit card.

They then proceeded to tell her that if she was to call the day of they would be able to do call ahead seating and guarantee that we had a place to sit that night.  So the day of the party Sheryl picked up the phone around four that afternoon giving them plenty of time to get ready for our group, and was told they do not do call ahead seating on the weekend and she would have to come in to get the seats.  This was when it started to get a little out of hand.

The hostess on the other line did tell her that she could call back closer to the time of arrival and they would be able to make something happen for us.  This is where I stepped in.  I picked up the phone around six and called to reserve the table.  I was then told by whomever answered the phone that they do not handle call ahead seating on the weekends and we would have to just show up and see if we could get a table.   So this is the now the third time we have been told something completely different and still not happy with the way it was handled.  It actually was getting worse every time someone picked up the phone.

I ask to speak to a manager as I was getting a little irritated at the conflicting stories that were being told to both my girlfriend and myself.  After about five minutes of being on hold someone finally comes to the phone.  After another ten minutes or so of arguing I am told that there is nothing they can do as there are now multiple parties in front of us for a seat.  If we called at four and there was no call ahead seating how are these tables in front of us now?

I get angry, tell the manager my side of the story, and he then brings up this event planning committee.  I am sick and tired of hearing about the event planning and proceed to tell him my thoughts on that side of the things.  He states that the reason they do the half up front policy is that it guarantees people show up the night of the event and it also helps them prepare the food.  This I can understand.  I then ask why they chose to force people to pay with a single check.  He said, and I quote, “It makes it easier on us, the server, when we have everything on one check.”

This is where I lost it.  I proceeded to ask him why it was about making the server and the restaurant happy rather than the customer.  He said, and again I quote, “We just want to be able to get you in and out so you can be on your way.”  I do not come to Dave & Buster’s to get in and out.  They close too early the way it is but I come to Dave & Buster’s to have a few drinks and play video games.  So this proves that Dave & Buster’s cares more about their employees and their own profits than the people that are paying their paychecks and filling seats.

So we get to the restaurant around 6:30 and proceed to put our names on the list to get a table. She hands me a pager and says it will be an hour to an hour and a half wait.  This is fine, folks would not be arriving for a while anyway, and it would give us enough time to get a drink in the bar before everyone arrived.  We assume that in a perfect world people would begin arriving and our table would be ready.  Of course that is not how it played out whatsoever.  After about an hour and a half and still nothing from the pager I headed back to the hostess stand to ask when we could expect a table.

Outside of the fact that our table was still not ready, the hostess was extremely rude. She not only tells me that the wait will be another hour and a half to two hours (after we have already waited nearly two hours to begin with) but she tells me there is another party that had just arrived that got the next big top table.  Again, they tell me multiple times they do not do call ahead seating yet a table shows up and walks right to their table.  Please, someone explain that to me.

So I go back to the bar for about an hour and get to the point that I am fed up with the whole waiting game.  I am hungry, people are getting antsy, and I am ready to sit down somewhere.  So, I head back to the hostess stand and find not one but two hostesses standing there.  When I get to the podium, I notice that there are multiple tables, all in the same section mind you, empty.  I tell the lady we are welcome to be split up and that all we want to do is eat our dinner.  She states that it has been noted and I head back to the bar for the third time.

It is now after ten o’clock and we are still not seated.  So, in my last effort to get a table, I walk up to the hostess stand yet again and all of a sudden we have a table and my buzzer begins to vibrate. We sit down, get some menus, and order our dinner.  The best part about the whole night was our server.  He was funny, kept my Arnold Palmer full all night, and was entertaining to the birthday girl.  (The only thing that he did do that I was not happy about was asking the birthday girl if she wanted a dessert to help her celebrate.  That dessert, without my permission, managed to find its way onto my tab – this after the server had stated she would not have to pay for it.  I did not complain but if a server is going to charge you for something he or she needs to know that it is OK to charge someone for it.)

After this we all went to play games and lose ourselves in the magic that D&B has to offer.  About an hour into our fun the server from the bar, who we had started a tab with, began to basically stalk us around the game room.  She eventually just came up and asked if we could pay for our drinks from earlier.  I am sorry, but if you are trying to leave, transfer your tab to the closing server.  Do not, I repeat do not, follow me around and track me down to pay a tab for two damn drinks.  That is one of the rudest things that someone can do.  I was fuming at this point and just ready to leave.

I paid the tab, collected our tickets, and we left.  It was early, but I had put up with enough garbage for one evening that I just wanted out of that building.  When walking out one of the ten managers that was there that night held the door open for us, but did not say goodbye.  Again, if you are going to waste company dollars and stand there with the door open for your guests at least speak to me when I leave.  Speaking of managers, not a single one of these mangers came up to me during the evening to ask if we were having a good time.  I guess had we booked with the event planning committee they would have cared a little more.

The thing that makes me mad, and that I demand some sort of reaction from the Dave & Buster’s corporate office, is that there was absolutely no consistency in the communication that we had over the months leading to this event.  I understand that it is a Saturday night.  I understand that they are busy.  I even understand that seating twenty people on any given night is a chore in itself.  But that is absolutely no excuse whatsoever to treat your guests like that.   I hope that in this you see more than what is on the surface.  I want you to see how every little thing added up to me writing this blog post.  I have since emailed Dave & Buster’s corporate on Facebook, heard back, and have had two representatives contact me to fix my issue, both asking for my phone number.  I have given it to both reps and expect a phone call in the next forty-eight hours.

I am not upset over the quality of food as it was great.  I am not upset over the prices, as they are extremely reasonable.  I am not even upset over the service for the most part.  I am upset that from the minute we began planning our event we were treated as if we were worthless, as if we had no priority over the next guy in line, and as if we meant nothing to the company or the name Dave & Buster’s.

There is a line that you must draw when it comes to how you treat an employee.  You have seen how Fox & Hound took an issue and corrected it.  I will now leave it to Dave & Buster’s to use their creativity and their managerial skills to take care of this issue.  Did it ruin Sheryl’s birthday?  Absolutely not.  But did it put a sour taste in my mouth and potentially lose twenty Dave & Buster’s customers?  Of course it did. Until you see the follow up to this issue, whether it is positive or negative, I would suggest you do not attend an event at Dave & Buster’s.  I might only be one voice but with the power of social media I can reach millions.  So, Dave & Buster’s, the ball is now in your court and I will leave it up to you to make the next move.

The first time I saw this woman she was on tour with Curtis Peoples and Keaton Simons.  I had never heard of her, and it took me weeks to get her name right in my mind.  Her music, though, stayed there from the first chord.  Her stage presence is incredible as she dances around and moves from left to right, and up and down.  Her voice is that of the best in the business and her lyrics match that of anyone on the radio.  Her album has been on repeat in my car for weeks.  I am excited to be able to sit down with her today.  Ladies and gents, it is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to Arden Kaywin.

Is that your real name?

Yes, Arden Kaywin is my real name.

Is there an easy way to remember your name?  I keep mispronouncing it.

Just think of  it as the word garden minus the “g”.

I absolutely love your album cover.  First off, are those shoes comfortable?

They weren’t that bad. I have to be honest though, they’re not my shoes (I wish they were!). My stylist Josh Goldfarb brought them to the shoot for me. He has a fantastic eye for things like that. I didn’t have to walk very far in them, just stand there for photos, and they were comfortable enough.

Where did you get all of those wooden dolls?

The dolls were from Ikea believe it or not. At first we thought we’d paint them different colors, but once we saw them all in person it we decided to keep them their original wood color.

Who came up with that album cover concept?

My amazingly creative photographer Adam Hendershot came up with the idea with me.

What was it like touring with Keaton and Curtis?

I love those boys. We were in very close quarters together after 19 shows in 19 cities, and I don’t have a single bad thing to say about them. They’re such amazing musicians an friends. We had a lot of fun. We barely slept and all we ate was Subway, but it didn’t matter because once we got on stage each night we were in our element. I would tour with them again in a heartbeat. Oh, and their fans are rabid bakers.  There were more homemade cookies, brownies, etc. brought to our shows then I can even describe. That was a nice little perk.

Who would win in a pillow fight between those two guys?

They’d probably just end up spooning and talking about their feelings.

What is the biggest crowd that you have ever played for?

I played for about 2,000 at The Avalon a few years back. That was a trip.

The smallest?

I once played for three people at the Karma Coffee House when I was first starting out and had a regular Monday night gig there.

Is this your first full-length album?

No. My first album came our about three years ago and it’s called “Quarter Life Crisis”. You can still buy it on iTunes, Amazon, and my website. I still play from it when I tour.

Who designed your MySpace page?

My friends over at Subset M designed it. I wanted it to tie into the look of my album more, so they were great at making that happen. I have to say though, I am hardly on MySpace anymore. There was a time when I was on there twenty times a day, and now I’ll sometimes go weeks without checking. I think that boat has sailed.

Tell me about all of your band mates. The one person I always play with is my guitar player Ziv. He and I also co-write a lot of songs together so he is much more then just a band mate to me. Then I have a handful of fabulous musicians who all sub in and out for drums & bass. On this tour, I was working with Phil Cimino (drums) and Dan Crawford (bass) and they were so amazing that if I never played with anyone else again I would be happy. They are SO talented. This combo of Ziv, Phil and Dan was magic.

What are you drinking on stage?

Water. Occasionally I’ll have a beer, but I’m not a big drinker, so most of the time it’s just water.

What is your favorite song on the album?

That’s like asking a mother to name her favorite child. I can’t really answer that but to say that all the songs have a distinct place in my heart because I created all of them. I know that sounds cheesy but it’s true.

Do you write all your own lyrics?

Yes. Always. There are times I co-write and I love collaborating on both lyrics and music. But I’m always involved whether it’s me alone, or me with a collaborator.

Do you enjoy it when you have the chance to co-write with someone?

Yes,  I love collaborating. I think that combining your talents with someone else invariably expands your creative horizons in a way you could have never done your own, and the product is that much better for it.

What are your overall thoughts on MySpace then since you think the ship has sailed?

Over it. As we say in Hollywood, MySpace has “jumped the shark”. It has been ruined by spammers and marketers. I still put up music and keep it fairly current with touring and latest news info, but it is no longer a good way to connect to new fans. People on there are too wary of all the spamming and marketing going on and they have stopped visiting as regularly. I’m no different.

Are you on Twitter?

Yes, I found Twitter to be a great asset on tour. When I’m not touring I don’t use it as much but I do update from time to time when I’m doing cool stuff or want to reach out to my friends and fans.

Can I follow you?

Yes, www.twitter.com/ardenkaywin

Where did you come up with the name for the album?

Well, “The Elephant In The Room” is an existing saying (maybe you’ve heard it). It refers to a big thing that everybody knows but nobody talks about. I realized that most of the songs on the album dealt with that issue in some way, whether it was on a personal level or a societal level.

What has been the reception of the album since it’s release?

I’ve never received more press or better press then I have for this album. It’s been really wonderful so far. The fans seem to have connected to the songs and it was really nice to talk to people while I was on tour this summer about ones were their favorites and why.

Who are some of your biggest influences?

Growing up Dave Matthews, Tori Amos, Indigo Girls, U2, Alanis Morrissette, Bjork and Sarah McLachlan were always in rotation in my car. They were all huge influences. More recent influences include Death Cab For Cutie, Frou Frou, Interpol, Beck, and other indie rock artists.

Are you using a PC or a Mac?

I’m a Mac girl.

What was it like being interviewed by Seventeen Magazine?

When I walked into their building in mid-town Manhattan and my 17 year old self had a hard time not getting excited. I used to read Seventeen religiously when I was in high school, so it was a bit like going to mecca. I was met by one of the senior editors along with their entertainment editor and a fashion and beauty editor. The interview was more focused on what kind of jeans I was wearing, what beauty items I carry in my purse and who my celebrity crush is then on my music. I supposed I should have expected that (knowing Seventeen as well as I do), but I can’t say that I wasn’t a little surprised. It was still fun though. I brough my guitar player and we did a little song for them that they videoed for their website. It was cool.

Do you play any sports?

Not really. I took tennis as a kid but was never that good with the whole hand-eye-coordination. I do a lot of yoga these days.

Is red your natural hair color?

Not really. I have light brown hair that turns reddish in the sun.

How cool is it that you have written songs that have appeared on MTV, ABC, NBC, and the WB.  (I love the WB by the way!)

It’s been great. I even got to do the theme song for a show on Discovery called “Deliver Me”. It’s about babies being born. Every once in a while one of my friends or fans will write me to say they heard one of my songs on TV and I still get a kick out of it.

If you were told you only have seven days left to live how would you spend it?

I’d spend it with my loved ones out in nature somewhere with incredibly amazing food.

Where are you originally from?

I grew up in Miami, Florida.

Describe your genre in one word.

Indie-Pop

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Hopefully married, maybe with children, still doing music and playing shows, songwriting for myself and other projects; just enjoying my life and sharing my talent.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

I want to be remembered for the ways in which I was of service to others, either through my music or my other endeavors.

I always let the artist get the last word.  Go.

My basic philosophy is that every moment in life is a choice. If you are not happy, you can always make another choice. It can be as big as changing your career, or as little as changing the song you’re listening to on your iPod.

When was the last time you cried?  I do not mean when puddles of water fill up in the corner of your eyelids but when you actually let it out and balled your way into a pillow or a handful of tissues.  If you are a woman then your answer probably lies in the recent past.  But if you are a guy you will say weeks, months, and even years since you last cried.  Well, a series of German ophthalmologists might disagree with you on that.  According to a recent study of both men and women big boys actually do cry, and a lot more than you might believe.  According to this study guys cry on average seventeen times a year.  If you think about it that is a pretty low number, but that is more than once a month that you are breaking down and letting it all out.  But what is making these guys cry?

On the list of things that guys cry about were the obvious.  Death is a major part of growing up.  You took it for granted when you were younger but as your grandparents, parents, and even your friends get older their clocks run out all the time.  Just this year alone I have had three people close to me visit their maker.  Not including friends who have lost loved ones.  It is a part of life but one that we have a hard time accepting.  So guys, even at a funeral that is inevitable, are crying.

Fluffy has died and Buster has run away from home.  Guys are tearing up when animals run away or pass away, just as humans do.  My girlfriend, for example, might go into a mental breakdown if her dog were to pass away.  Animals, especially for single people who live alone, become family members.  They are there when you get home; you are forced to take care of them, walk them, and can even have conversations with.  They are cute, cuddly, and always there.  But the day that they are no longer there even men are crying.  A dog is a man’s best friend after all.

Whether you want to admit guys you are releasing some emotion during movies.  I will admit that I have cried in a movie or twenty.  I have cried on television shows.  I cry nearly every damn episode of Grey’s Anatomy for that matter.  There have even been come commercials that get me ready to lose some tears.  In Grey’s, for example, I become so vested in these characters, their lives, and the struggles and pain he or she goes through that when something happens I get upset.  I balled my eyes out when George kicked the bucket.  If you watch the show you know what I mean.  Even movies like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Seven Pounds, and a slew of others I have been known to shed.

To top this list of things that make us guys cry was weddings.  The older I get the more of these I go to as well.  Just this year I have been to three and I know that next year, and the year after that will bring more than this year.  The older my friends get the more they feel that they need to get married.  Then comes the kids, which happens usually after the marriage, and their lives take a turn for what most think the better.  But when a guy is sitting there watching a man and a woman state their vows to each other there is a much higher rate of tears than anything listed above.

But are all tears the same?  Absolutely not.  You can have tears of sorrow, tears of disappointment, tears of stress filled days, and even tears of joy.  Think about Tiger Woods when he won his first Masters tournament back in 1997.  He was only a kid back then but he had worked so hard to win this tournament and managed to pull it off with his parents sitting on the 18^th green waiting to congratulate him on his week’s worth of well struck golf shots.  When he grabbed his father, his guiding light in golf and life until that point, they both, grown men, lost it and cried in front of everyone.  These are tears of joy.

That same man that Tiger hugged and shed tears of joy with would pass away a few years later.  When Tiger heard news of his father’s death, although none of this is public, I can almost guarantee that he cried.  He cried tears of sorrow.  His dad was sick and it was expected that he might not have long left, and there I am sure was a period of acceptance, but when a parent dies you cannot help but lose a piece of you inside when you hear that news.

I am not sure if Tiger cries while watching TV or movies, but this just goes to show that it is OK for grown men to cry.  Does it embarrass most men, sure, but does it at the same time show that you have a soft side, a side that shows care and compassion, absolutely.  There is nothing wrong with crying guys.  It is OK to let it out every once and a while.  According to this study you are going to ry seventeen times this year, so you might as well make it known.  Some girls might even like that.  So the next time you lose a friend or family member, a dog runs away, or you see Meredith Grey performing surgery, remember that I am probably crying right along with you.  Let it out guys, I am a shoulder if you need one.