Good Morning, Sunshine!

No, not quite. 

 How about good morning snow, and gray, and bare trees and no flowers and WINDCHILL! 

Okay people, I know I praise the Lord Alleluia when it comes to Minnesota, but this is ridiculous, insane, downright wrong, and I want my money back and all the nice things I have said about this place.  I am breaking up with Minnesota and there better be a serious apology along with some sort of spectacular compensation for this torturous suffering we are all being subjected to.  I wouldn't be surprised if after a few more days of this shit the damn state sees a mass exodus to anywhere USA that might be a few degrees warmer that bans down vests and allows flip-flops out of the closet.  Iowa perhaps.  South Dakota is lookin' pretty swell.  Both can brag that they have hit 70 degrees in the year 2011, but Minnesota?  What does she have to say for herself??!!  The pool is supposed to open in a matter of weeks and we had snowflakes this morning on the way to school.  When my baby was born four years ago this week it was sunny, glorious, green, and hot.  Yeah, hot. 

Steaming.

I am not demanding steamy days, but a touch of warm air and a tiny glimpse of that thing known as the sun would seriously rock my world right about now.  I am ready to shovel the pine needles out of my window boxes and replace them with pretty blooms.  I am excited to head back to Bachman's after nine months to fill in my garden that is too spooked to sprout.  I know we are hardy stock up here in these parts, but seriously, I can't take it anymore.  They say that a long, snowy winter typically gives way to a cooler spring and summer due to all the excess moisture in the ground.  With all the snow we got this winter I am feeling like we might not hit 65 degrees until August, and we all know that just won't do.  Mr C has lost his mojo with the BBQ and G&T's just don't taste the same when your teeth are chattering against the ice cubes.  My heat is still on and I am planning spring break for next year.

Pathetic.  Pathetic.

P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C.

The Chick Magnet

This "Little Fella",  (as he calls himself) would like to make you smile on this cold, windy, rainy, "Spring" day.

The Voice

My friend, singer and songwriter Tim Mahoney has been a regular star on the Minnesota music scene for at least the past fifteen years, but I think he got his real start when he played my high school graduation party in my backyard. Yeah, yeah, that was a long time ago, but it looks like after paying his dues, and paying his dues some more, my talented and determined friend might finally get his big break.

Minnesota hometown favorite, Tim Mahoney

The Voice (I swear I am not getting any kickbacks from NBC) which airs Tuesday, April 26th on NBC will feature Tim as one of it's front runners.  The show has Christina Aguillera, Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton blindly listening to contestants and choosing them solely by their voice.  Compelling concept, but I must argue that a star singer needs to have the full package in order to succeed.  Good looks help (which makes for a good argument when it comes to Ke$ha's success.  yikes!), stage presence is a must, and of course, the obvious is the power of the pipes, ya gotta have the pipes or you are going nowhere.  Fast. 
 I believe the combo factor is the key to success and I think Tim has what it takes.  He is not only an energetic, fantastic singer with a powerful, earthy voice, but
Tim is a seriously talented guitar and piano player.  Mix it all together with hip fashion sense, boyish good lucks, and media savvy,  (not to mention, the ah, "confidence" shall we say, that it takes to succeed in the music industry), and Tim is the perfect package. 

I am going to ignore the teaser comment from Adam Levine to Tim that has been airing for the last week, "umm, things are going to get awkward for a minute- I thought you were a chick."  Not sure if any of you have ever seen Maroon 5 perform live, but let's just say Mr. Levine has a certain prancy/dancy style goin' on up on the stage that makes me think he should not be judging Tim's masculinity.   



Watch Tim Tuesday night on NBC at 8pm

Minnesota will be rooting for our hometown boy on Tuesday night. 
 "C'mon!" 

Ask Tim what that means...I haven't a clue.

The End of an Era

Today winery legend and California Chardonnay icon, Jess Jackson, passed on due to complications from cancer.  The powerful presence and brilliant mind behind the Kendall Jackson empire will be remembered for so many contributions not only to the wine business, but the worlds of law, philanthropy, and horse racing, to name just a few. 

Toast his long and meaningful life with a glass of Kendall Jackson, Edmeades, Stonestreet, Cambria, or one of the numerous labels in his family owned wine holding company.

Mr. Jackson will not be forgotten.

image courtesy of Kendall Jackson

Grandpa Zeke

Parenthood airs Tuesdays on NBC at 9pm

Everybody has one. That relative, you know the one- maybe a crazy uncle, a flamboyant brother, an overbearing mother. Well, I have Grandpa Zeke from Parenthood.  My Dad looks like, talks like, IS Zeke Braverman. Hell, he even calls himself Grandpa Zeke! But this is not a crazy, flamboyant, overbearing character situation- as colorful as Zeke may be, the comparison is a good one.   Zeke is quirky, old fashioned, slightly grumpy, narrow minded, outspoken, yet extremely lovable.

If you don't watch NBC's sleeper comedy/drama series, Parenthood, you're missing out. I love it not only for the fabulous cast (Craig T. Nelson! Lauren Graham! Peter Krauss! John Corbett! Mae Whitman! Bonnie Bedelia! Dax Shepherd! etc., etc., etc.), but for the Bay Area setting, the fact that it has the ability to make me laugh and cry in a single episode, and that it has actually made me and Mr. C pause the show and say, "what would we do in a situation like that?"

 Last night was one of those episodes...

Lauren Graham's character is pretty much a single mom to Amber, played by Mae Whitman (remember the heartbreaking little girl in the mid 90's movie "When a Man Loves a Woman"...it's her! All grown up!), a high school senior who recently received the big nasty rejection letter from UC Berkeley. In her disappointment, Amber kinda goes off the deep end getting stoned and screwing around with the shaggy valet at her aunt's law firm,  generally just giving off that "fuck you" vibe every time she rolls her bloodshot eyes under her heavy black glasses. Follow me?  Well, long story short, Amber goes for a joyride with this sleazy, suspicious valet and well, you guessed it, ends up in the hospital after he crashes the car leaving her with a messed up face and some cracked ribs. Yet even after all the drama, Amber is still despondent, acting like she could give a shit about her future.

This is the point where we hit PAUSE on the TV at home.

You see, watching Parenthood together is a typical Tuesday night at our house. Mr. C and I have actually argued about some of the topics on this show so heatedly that one of us has had to leave the room (me), allowing the mood to simmer so that we can continue watching the show the following night with a new perspective. Crazy, I know. But I digress- during last night's episode when Amber is still pissing and moaning about her non-existent future, I turn to Mr. C in a near panic.

"What in the world would we do if that happens to one of our boys!!!???"

Answer- Grandpa Zeke.

This dude never fails to bring it all back around. If you haven't seen the episode, I won't spoil it for you but let's just say Grandpa Z brought Amber to tears and cracked through her tough girl Goth exterior and snapped her back to the cool, brilliant kid she is. But to know Zeke is to love Zeke. His lessons can be a bit unorthodox, a little dated. Let's just say, a little "Zeke-ish". At this stage in his life he seems to learn just as much from his kids and grand kids as they do from him. His advice can be harsh, but caring; insensitive at times, but well intentioned; caustic, yet meaningful. 

 We love the fictional Zeke, but we love our real life Grandpa Z more, and we are counting on you. 

 Counting on you for some profound words when you know who tries to hijack Mr. C's car with a six pack of beer, five friends, and no drivers license. We will need you to be at the big game when the boys don't win and their hearts and egos are deflated. We will need you when our parenting skills fail us and the boys don't want our guidance or advice.  You will need to be the voice of reason, the soft place to fall, the Zeke that took Amber to see the destroyed car that could have destroyed her life.

Everyone should be so lucky to have their own Grandpa Zeke. 

Craig T. Nelson as Grandpa Zeke on NBC's Parenthood