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Monday, November 11, 2013

Where's JR Ewing?

On the road to Dallas…. Not much has happened in the last month of my life, or with family, or in the world. That must explain no new blog for five weeks, right? Hardly. Yes, my Dodgers didn’t advance to World Series, but second fave team did and win it all. Boston Strong!-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As we drive to Dallas to see my niece Tamie, and for Colleen to run her first half-marathon, I get to sit in back seat with my leg up because of a silly little stress fracture. But this is nothing when you consider today is Veteran’s Day as we are now listening to CNN radio as our President speaks at Arlington. Take a few moments and give thanks to the women and men who have put their lives on the line for us – from Lexington to Europe to the Pacific Islands to Desert Storm to Korea to 9.11 reactions. I remember how proud my dad would talk about his days in WWII, down in the Pacific Islands. Although he said it was mostly drinking and talking with buddies. My dad? Really? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Other morning news today from CNN that hits hard are the 10,000 deaths in Philippines because of this powerful typhoon…more US gun shootings reaction from the LAX shooting to other stupid gun deaths like a youngster killing another schoolmate….and Lord help us all, Sarah Palin is back in the “news” with her new book to promote; she is scary….I can’t even begin to understand this NFL racial bullying, or how/why this crap still goes on today.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Okay, some fun stuff: Have I raved enough about the recent Sherly Crow CD “Feels Like Home?” My personal mission is to ensure all my friends and family own that CD so now Luci, dad waters and my mom have something to Crow about….new CD’s from my birthday (late gifts still accepted) include new discs – yes, old-school, I love liner notes – from Katy Perry (don’t you hate her wife?), Bruno Mars and Paul McCartney which on early listens all sound infectious… And I might be late, but how superbly spot-on is the "Same Love" song by Mackelmore&Ryan Lewis? Wow. The lyrics are so true and real....Went old-school and downloaded Linda Ronstadt Greatest Hits; damn, she can belt out a song... Lastly, one of my best cards ever was my first “grandfather” birthday card from Chris and Brandi, due March 30.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Movies viewed recently? We have been lame aka ridiculously busy but "Enough Said" with Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and James Gandolfini was a wonderful adult relationship movie, proving Julia can fill the big screen as well as any small screen series......the new Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral) film “About Time,” and that was a nice, fun romantic comedy about time travel. Anything with Bill Nighy is going to have terrific moments…..on the other end of the spectrum is “!2 Days a Slave.” Obviously going into this film, one knew it would be heavy because of the important, yet horrible history of slavery. Superb acting all the way around, but very brutal and painful to watch. As Lisa said, you feel disgusted when leaving the cinema.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- On the book front (and back), Dan Brown’s “Inferno” was a can’t-put-this-down novel….and thanks to Colleen and friend Julie recommendation, “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg is a powerful book that everyone should read, and learn from daily. I must have 50 pages dog-eared to reference….and more birthday gift books to read, “Divergent” by Veronica Roth and “I am Malala" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And lastly, sadly, God bless my sister Phyllis who passed away on Nov 2. She was a riot and a force of nature. Remember to live, love, laugh and dance every day.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Around the small world....and go Dodgers!

On a train bound for Gattwick…. Well that’s not how the Kenny Rogers song goes, but for the 32nd time, heading to Cannes for the int’l tv festival. This time we brought some big muscle with Luci. Which means doubling the meetings so we plan to kick some serious ass with about 150 meetings over five days between the three of us. 3 Idiots, the title, not certain buyers, as well as One Good Turn has already received terrific response in our pre-MIPCOM trips to Seoul, California, Turkey, Ukraine, Lebanon, Toronto, Paris and UK. And that would be the world roulette trip we have played in last few weeks as I went to South Korea to see Kelli, meet Rob, attend 3 Idiots production, then the typical flight to Iowa from South Korea. In Dyersville, Iowa at the Field of Dreams it was seeing friends Jacque, Keith, Dan, Joe, Denise and many others. Oh, and there these other guys there: Wade Boggs, Jim Palmer, Doc Gooden, Jim Rice, Ozzie Smith, Frank Thomas, reggie jerkson, Paul Molitor. Fun once-in-a-lifetime event that Colleen worked it out for me. California was family and US business. Okay, LA business which requires many showers daily. Then onto Toronto but first a stop in Maine for quick visit with the Maine-ica Barter family. Uncle Forest is the energizer bunny, defying age, health and doctors. As he said “I’m still here.” In Toronto, the land of Canada-nice, re-connections with our friends Julie Bristow who is taking on three of our formats, including Letters to the President. NEWS FLASH: The Los Angeles Dodgers just won game 1 of the playoffs against the Atlanta Braves! Kershaw 12 strikeouts; Gonzalez two-run home run. Oui! Oui! London for less than one day as Colleen zipped to Paris for two days of meetings, but managed to take an afternoon of Parisian fun. Thanks to our wonderful friend Virginia, she makes Paris inexpensive. And there is not many things more fun than beginning a meeting with clients, stating “three idiots…..” Wait for a few beats as they stare at each other, then tell them it’s a format. Back to London sun, yes, the sun was out Wed and Thurs. More meetings including Sony, Shine, Fremantle and a very fun, productive, inspiring meeting at Rocket Sports Management (owned by a Elton John fellow) with Luke and this insightful, world-adventurer Dave Cornthwaite who exudes so much genuine cool positivity; check out his website: http://www.davecornthwaite.com. We are going to create an awe-inspiring format that everyone can relate to. Stay tuned.. As for entertainment tips, watch the Dodgers playoffs of course. I still have the recent Sheryl Crow and Rod Stewart albums on constant play and re-play. Okay, off to Cannes for one week, then get to meet Patti and Doug in Venice, which will be our first trip to Venice. That’s amore…. Go forth and smile and love….

Thursday, September 12, 2013

The land of Sam and Dave with 6th inning stretch to the Field of Dreams, with another Small World #1 debut

Some good days here in Seoul, man.... with Kelli, Rob, the "3 Idiots" production team - we made our Korean television debut - and news that our "Chef at Your Door" debuting at #1 in Poland. Kelli took me to my first Korean baseball game. They don't do a seventh-inning stretch. They do a sixth-inning stretch, literally. Both teams come out on the field to limber up in the middle of the sixth! Moreover, the opposing teams chat each other up. Lasorda would be killing players who did that. Nothing is more lively than the fans. Forget the dreaded, stupid "wave"crap; these people have dance and singing routines for each player.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Speaking of baseball, you all are following the magical Dodgers? Magic's team is playing out of this planet with magic number of 6 as I write this. And how fun is it to walk the streets of Seoul wearing a Dodger jersey (thank you Kim and Kyle) and get happy shout-outs and high-fives?!?!? Yay baby.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archie Bunker would have fun with this: Chef at Your Door debuted in prime-time access in Poland on TVP1 last Saturday. Meathead wins! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ On Tuesday, I officially signed contract for Small World to distribute "3 Idiots," a live, prime-time, comedy, interactive, multi-platform #1 show from CJ E&M who have to be some of the kindest, smartest people I know. Thanks for the hospitality Alex and Jin and Min and everyone.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The same day, I had a "small world" encounter at Starbucks. A Korean man comes in, asks to sit in the chair in front of me. One hour later, we begin talking. He studied at CalArts in Valencia 15 years ago! We begin talking about Sunrise Deli and Stevenson Ranch, even Java 'n Jazz. Good karma.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Now in Seoul airport on the way to Iowa which likely makes me the only person in the lobby on this route. Should be good fun to see my Dyersville family of Jacque, Keith, Joe, Denise and everyone. Oh and these other fellows: Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Jim Rice, Wade Boggs, Jim Palmer, Yaz, Paul Molitor, hip-cheater reggie jackson, Doc Gooden, on and on. Then on to be with Colleen, Daniel and Casey and family in Valencia.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lastly, please get the new Sheryl Crow CD "Feels Like Home." Now. Oh and Robin Thicke "Blurred Lines" has some tasty tracks like "The Good Life."------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Peace and progress, tim

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

One word: Dodgers!

Greetings from London...after five weeks in the States, back "home" in London. Colleen made sure I made my annual pilgrimage to The Field of Dreams in Dyersville,Iowa. Good to see friends like Jacque and Keith Rahe, Betty and to meet new owner Denise and her son. And of course, perfect worlds collided when two guys from Starbucks marketing showed up to pay homage to the Field, along with their truck loaded with Starbucks goodies. Some of you might have seen the pic on our Facebook page, but Colleen was the happiest with the Starbucks delivery. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Then it was home to be with Daniel and Casey and run all over California visiting family to such glamourous locales like Hemet, Fresno, Sacramento, El Cajon. But so wonderful for Patti, Colleen and I to reconnect with my sisters Nina and Phyllis along with niece Suzen. Keep on battling Phyllis; we love and dig you. Plus we shared an ionic foot bath together. Ever had one? The gook that comes out of your feet is out of this world! Moreover, you leave feeling 500% better, clearer, sharper. (okay, all of you write your own punch line...me? clearer? sharper?) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lastly, Dodgers. Seriously! As dear Red would say, they are off the charts. To go from last place to first in two months, with second best record in baseball. They are 40-8 in this stretch. The best record in this amount of games in Major League Baseball since 1900. Plus they are so much fun to watch...Adrian, Puig, Hanley, Jerry hiring a magician to teach Uribe his own hidden-ball trick. Amen to the great Dodger in the sky!

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Random notes driving 160 km per hour on the Autobahn...

After seven weeks in London with a stop in Portland, Maine, we head back to California on Saturday. But first, a stop at my favorite place in the world, the Field of Dreams in Iowa. We will meet the new owners Denise and Mike Stillman, probably not the other new owners though: Matthew Perry and Wade Boggs....... Other than the London action-jackson, the new Luci-Tim-Colleen Small World kick-ass team has had stops (aka meetings) in Brussels, Amsterdam, Budapest, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Athens, Paris, Vezelay (thank you Virginia and Bertrand) the driving to Cologne and Munich. You know what I have finally realized after all these flights? If someone needs a "how to use a seatbelt" demonstration at this point in their lives, they need serious help....... May not be politically correct but our friend Yoko of Nippon TV can back me up, Asian drivers should NOT be driving on the German Autobahn (highway). Very scary image of this woman putzing along at 90 km per hour nearly being turned into asphalt sauerkraut.....Only Kelli could teach a class in South Korea to her students citing Louis Armstrong and Mary Poppins; very proud!....... Speaking of our young adult offspring, Daniel's wife Casey now has her Green Card (13 months later after applying) and it really is a green card......We get to be guests in their home for next few weeks. There and Lake Arrowhead. yay baby! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some of you might have seen the facebook post of our visit with our German friend Klaus and his family this past week in Cologne (the same night of the stolen backpack with all my stuff in it drama) which was fantastic. It was my groovy in-laws Dan and Marion who recommended me to their friend AB Kassir to produce a documentary about legendary Sudanese singer Mohammed Wardi twenty years ago. That is how I ended up in Cairo meeting the jovial Klaus at the Hilton in an Italian restaurant being serenaded by a Lebanese balladeer singing Partidge Family and Dean Martin songs, along with my colleague Larry Martin, who, yep you guessed it, is Dean Martin's grandson. That is what makes this such a small, wonderful world. So it was terrific to see the Littig family again........ Bummer that hours later, we had my backpack stolen (laptop, passport, personal mementos like my dad's watch, sales material) and spent night at police stations with The Night Patrol. But there was goodness throughout. Katharina at the Hilton was exceptionally helpful and the police were kind. Hours later, a kind person found the backpack in a trashcan at the central train station and reported it to police. The laptop was gone, but all the personal stuff was still in there. Perhaps the criminal made One Good Turn and left it all in there... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lastly, my phenomenal wife Colleen and I celebrated 32 years of marriage and I feel so blessed she loves and keeps me. She even renewed my contract for one more year! To top it off, we even assembled a table and chairs from Ikea together and survived this without injury or frustration...... Live the life you love. And love the life you live. Thanks Rod Stewart for those words. And Go Dodgers! Two weeks ago in last place. Today, one game out of first place in NL West. Hanley and Puig! And go Luci as you run in your first half marathon this weekend.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Some firsts in Great Britan

As we get the new office organized, as well as the new flat, a few firsts. One, I have now showered, shaved and prettied up in a kitchen sink. Our bathroom overhaul allowed me this fun opportunity for two days.....And my first Car Boot Sale shopping! And most of you know how much I love shopping, ha-ha. So imagine three football fields in two different locations stocked with stuff - okay mostly crap. Then, what can be more fun than buying a used microwave for three quid and getting to carry out around for next two hours? Isn't my wife adorable for giving this to me? And you guessed it. We returned home, plugged it in and szszszszszzss sizzle sounds. It no works. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And Sunday, it was baseball time again! Returning to my British Baseball League mates, The Old Timers Club. What a blast and such a good group of people, lead by the fabulous Jean Crook. I need to get the rust off the swing and heal the hit-by-pitch bruise in first at-bat. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lastly, I am now a fan of General Mills and Cheerios.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

There is good news out there....

In the past week of all sorts of crap happening like a tornado destroying lives in Oklahoma, eerily nearly on same path a tornado ran in 1999 to the debacles of the IRS, drone plane killings, Boston Marathon horror, more confusing and ignored deaths in Syria, Beckham retiring (okay that one doesn’t jive in this mix)… but there is some good news in the world! ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Thank you Matt Kemp for displaying a random act(s) of kindness in San Francisco….you made someone’s life much better. www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZUXTUrj4WM. You are an All-Star and MVP forever….and perhaps the Dodgers to win a few games please. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Way to go Jason Collins! Yet still mind-boggling bizarre that in 2013, this is headline news. I refuse to use the tripe, cliché phrases of he is “in the conversation” or “part of the narrative.” Oh sh-t, I just did. Damn it! At least I didn’t write “at the end of the day….” Damn it. Did it again. Must think outside of the box… ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ And thank you Angelina Jolie for your courage and raising awareness. I don’t understand the flak thrown back at her. She is the one who suffered through a double mastectomy. Yes, she has the money to get that test (she should not be crucified) but hopefully spiked women to do whatever they can from diet to lifestyle to other tests. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ We appreciate the Irish artists who recorded “Tiny Dancer” to benefit a sick child. Last week the foundation wrote a check for nearly $150,000 to help her family’s medical expenses. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ And damn, that Rod Stewart finally recorded new and original – original yes – music and it is one of the best records ever. Get it: “Time.” Just debuted at #1 in UK. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Lastly, we love Luci! She began this week in London and already she has elevated our business. She is Luci in the sky with formats! ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Off to Maine to on Saturday with my mother (are sedatives allowed on flights?) to Maine for her to visit her ailing brother Forest, then to London for June and most of July. On a parallel line, Colleen drove her mother to Utah to see her brother, and to visit miraculous angel cousin Kyiee who has come out of her coma.