Tell me why I should. I gotta say, I am interested after seeing this trailer:
Oh, hi, Will here. Big musical fan confessing to not seeing "Mamma Mia." It debuted on the West End in 1999 during the semester I was studying in London. I saw countless shows that spring (was studying theater, btw), but I neglected to see the big new show "Mamma Mia" because I didn't care to see a musical based around previously recorded pop songs.
A couple of weeks ago, Heather asked us Beehivers what we were obsessed with. At the time, I had nothing. But tonight I stumbled upon "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog," a three-part Internet series (13 minutes apiece) starring Doogie as an evildoer who blogs -- and sings.
My favorite part is it's a musical. But it's also very funny -- much in the same way the puppet Dracula musical bit in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" was very funny.
The bad news: it's only up for free till midnight Sunday. So go, watch it, do it. Do it now.
We know there were midnight, and 3 a.m., and 6 a.m. showings of the latest "Batman" movie. I had to, you know, be functional today, so I didn't attend. If you did, we'd love to hear from you.
In the meantime, you can check out Bee film critic Rick Bentley's print review here.
Or just sit back, and watch his one-minute (technically clocking in at 1:33) version:
With apologies to James Carville (The Bee apologized to Ben Franklin, but The Beehive is a little more current, y'know?), no one is having a good time right now.
As part of the online coverage, I went out last Thursday (on the hottest day of the year) to ask people how they're coping with these tough times. Here's the video:
This was the line at 10 a.m. (we were told it hadn't moved much in the two hours that the store had been open):
Here are more videos from some people in line (at the mall, as well as at an AT&T location on Blackstone), footage from inside the store and a gentleman who was turned away after seeking technical assistance with his current iPhone, which he was trying to upgrade:
This is an update to yesterday's post questioning our city's enthusiasm for something cool and cheap.
According to intrepid Bee online designer and Mac freak Jason Melgoza, the line started at the Apple store and didn't end until just past Gottschalks. This was at 7:30 a.m. He and his friend left after seeing the wait, just as ABC30 was walking through the main entrance.
My wife and I rolled up at midnight, and there was no one to be seen. She wanted an iPhone, but our alarm didn't wake us at 5 a.m. as we had hoped. (Read: as she had hoped.)
Then again, there isn't much a plan in place for any line that may form outside the mall where the the local Apple store is (READ UPDATE BELOW).
If you're planning on buying a new iPhone tomorrow, here's what you'll need, according to Apple's Web site: your credit card, Social Security number, photo ID, and your current wireless account number and password or PIN (if you’re new to AT&T).
Oh, and a sense of adventure mixed with an appreciation for uncertainty. At least if you're going to Fashion Fair mall in Fresno. After a few calls around today, here's what I learned:
-- The Apple store is opening at 8 a.m.
-- The mall's doors are scheduled to open at 7 a.m. (but it could open as soon as mall cleaning is finished, and it's "safe").
-- Employees of the Apple store will have coffee for those in line between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m.
-- Your mandatory in-store iPhone activation should take about 20-30 minutes.
But I'm waiting to hear back from mall security about the following questions:
I started this too late to get feedback from my fellow 'Hivers, but I'm going to play the game of what they should be doing this weekend to celebrate the birth of our country.
MIKE: Speaking of theater, this dude needs to check out 2nd Space Theatre's production of "Rough Crossing." So he can tell me how it is. Plus, it might be an appropriate metaphor for his move into his new house this weekend.
Let's run down my Saturday night. And mind you, I'm just one dude.
4 p.m.: My wife, our friend Barbara and I had dinner at Sequoia Brewing on Olive Avenue. We had wanted to finally get around to trying Santa Fe Basque on Maroa, but I didn't know that most restaurants don't start serving dinner till 5. We wanted to eat earlier because ...
6 p.m.: ... we had to meet up with my co-worker Don, his wife and their 9-year-old, to get good seats for the roller derby match at the Convention Center downtown. (Side note: The local team was competing at Valdez Hall, which is located right next to Saroyan Theatre, where the Miss California pageant was taking place. Two groups of young women competing for different prizes next door to each other. At what point in their lives did their paths diverge from each other?) I gotta say, I don't know how Betty Rocker keeps her balance when skating (literally) through the tiniest of spaces to lap the other team's jammer as many times as she did. As a member of the media and a spectator who's been to about a half-dozen bouts, I gotta say that the whole team is really starting to gel -- as evident by the latest 50-plus-point whopping of the opposing squad.
Yesterday, I had one of the best days of my life. And, while I know it has nothing to with "on the web," I wanted to share it with you all anyway.
The plan was simple: watch four movies in the theater in one day. The place: River Park shopping complex. The day: my birthday*.
The criteria for choosing the film schedule was as follows:
1) Each film has to be one I haven't seen.
2) Each film has to be one I want to see.
3) They can't be all back-to-back (need enough time to eat a lunch and a dinner).
The first obstacle was easy. Of the 13 different movies playing, I had seen only two: "Indiana Jones 4" and "Incredible Hulk."
The second was a little tougher: It's summer (when a lot of crap is released); would I be able to find four movies I'd wanna see? I decided against "Narnia," "What Happens in Vegas," "The Strangers" and "The Love Guru." I was open to seeing "The Happening" and/or "Kung Fu Panda," but my wife wasn't. And to be fair, they weren't at the top of my list, but if I'm going to ask another human being to endure eight hours in a movie theater over a 13-hour period, I should consider their tastes, too.
So we agreed on "Iron Man" and "Sex and the City" as the top two. I thought the new "Batman" opened last weekend because MySpace had been promoting it on its sign-in page, but apparently we're another month away. That left "You Don't Mess With the Zohan" and "Get Smart."
Now I know what you're thinking:
This dude totally movie-hopped all day and paid for only one movie.
Well, I'll have you know that I have been an upstanding cinema patron ever since I got busted for buying a child's ticket at the machine for a late-night showing of "The Last Samurai" at this very multiplex a few years ago. I was shamed when the ticket taker looked down at the stub, looked up at me, shook his head and pointed to the manager's desk, where I paid the three-dollar-and-change difference. I'm 29 years old; I can't keep acting like a child. Besides, now that I'm blogging about my day, I can totally write off all my purchases yesterday on next year's taxes. With age comes maturity ... and wisdom. (Those discount tickets at Costco didn't hurt, either).
Beehive on the scene: Dorktown's 3-year anniversary party
Just about every Fresno blogger worth his or her cliche (salt?) was in attendance Tuesday night at Dorktown's celebration of drunkeness and profanity at The Starline. Check out the photos, yo:
DORKTOWN'S PODCASTERS BELLS AND MIKE LIVIN' THE DREAM
You read about Bliss, the remodeled, renamed and "redefined" version of On the Rocks, in my column last Friday. Now comes this peek inside the new Bliss, courtesy of The Beehive's Will Albritton and his video camera.
Below, I'll offer up more info on the club's opening and the much-discussed issue of cover charges ...
Beehiver Will Albritton and I were on hand Saturday to watch Fresno's annual pride parade down Olive Avenue in the Tower District. Although this year's parade had to compete with L.A.'s pride parade and festival, which switched weekends with relatively short notice, the turnout still seemed substantial. Often these events are portrayed in the media as garish and decadent: lots of bare skin, outrageous outfits and bright colors. (When photographers return to a newsroom, it's natural for their editors, like magpies, to gravitate toward shiny objects.) Were there any scantily clad parade participants or outlandish costumes at Saturday's festivities? Sure. But there were also entries from churches (a lot, actually), community groups, Moms/Dads/kids and even a batallion of marching barristas from Starbucks.
A reminder: In conjunction with pride weekend, Fresno's Reel Pride gay and lesbian film festival has two special screenings scheduled Sunday at the Tower Theatre.
On the jump: Check out lots more photos from Will and Donald.
Blogger Olympics: Sounds like it'd be nerdy, and it totally is
With gold medals, silver beads and "Hello My Name is ... Third Place" stickers up for grabs, bloggers from around the Fresno Internets assembled last weekend for the inaugural Blogger Olympics. Held at various locations around town, this Olympiad was a chance for eight local bloggers to try to best each other in mini golf, skee ball, arcade basketball, air hockey and Wii bowling.
Editor's note: This is the last in a series of five entries -- one for each question. These could quite possibly be the five longest Beehive entries ever. Sorry. Also, there's some profanity.
QUESTION FIVE: What is the future for Eric and the Fresno forums? What should we expect out of you in the next couple of years?
Hmmmm.
well, that sounds like a final question, (not as open ended as the others... thank you so much for saving me from my own devices, here, Will... ;)
In truth:
My involvement with a lot of things has taken a major turn away from a lot of online writing.
Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of five entries -- one for each question. These could quite possibly be the five longest Beehive entries ever. Sorry. Also, there's some profanity.
QUESTION FOUR: When people react negatively, what keeps you writing?
Uh, God,
Masochism.....
I'm German, we have a thing for leather and whips and... oh wait, this thing is on, isn't it.....
(Okay... just kidding, had to throw some levity, if brevity was not an option...)
For some reason my typeface has changed too... (great, great..)
The negative...
Hmm.
Well, it depends on the setting.
Seriously?,
I don't write in some settings because it's just worthless (Christian Chat Rooms for example...)
Editor's note: This is the third in a series of five entries -- one for each question. These could quite possibly be the five longest Beehive entries ever. Sorry. Also, there's some profanity.
QUESTION THREE: Do you go back and edit your writings?
Hmmm, that's kind of a toughie to explain.
Something like a poem, I often will work on, get down, and come back at different times and really take apart and reassemble and stuff (lots of reworking.)
--Some poems just come out of the box, perfect.
Regarding the stuff that I've posted on line,
Um, everything is written in one sitting, (usually,)
(The stuff on MindHub, FresnoFamous, Blogger,) (etc.)
Yes, ---the things that are written, I'd say 99.9 of the time are Right as it tumbles out, and onto the keys, sort of writing.
Editor's note: This is the second in a series of five entries -- one for each question. These could quite possibly be the five longest Beehive entries ever. Sorry. Also, there's some profanity.
QUESTION TWO: I've also seen you go by Eric da Typer. It seems to be part of your identity. Why do you type?
That I type at all, is sort of an paradox and play on words.
That moniker comes from when I initially was learning to type, back at my old highschool,
I totally sucked at it.
Not, highschool,,, typing.
It was class on steno, shorthand, and typing, it was required.
We had these monster old 'Royal' manual machines...
It gave me a very very heavy touch on the keyboard, (I've been asked to leave writing labs back in college, because the typing was so loud... I am not kidding.)
Typing
To me, typing is simply writing.
I still haven't seen "Mamma Mia"
A look inside Bliss, Fresno's newest nightclub
The Pride Parade: lots of photos
