Morning Excitement

Many of you know me well enough to know about my passion for good journalism.. now I realize "good" is a subjective word, but there is in fact, GOOD and BAD journalism, and I love absorbing and analyzing media. It's mezmerizing to me- and quite possibly because I spent four years studying journalism at Syracuse University's Newhouse School of Public Communications (if you're at all interested in media I think you should check it out- as many would say it's the best communications school in the country).

Anyway, all beside the point. My favorite journalistic outlets are (and you can judge me and my tastes on these choices if you'd like...) NPR, BBCnews and ABC World News Tonight. When I'm looking for softer news to wake-up to, as I am almost every morning, it's Good Morning America all the way. And actually if I could pin-point the beginning of my obsession with the media it would be at the exposure (thanks Mom) to the LIVE taping of a GMA broadcast in their then-brand new Times Square studios as a young teenager. And today, I made my return.

Down in NYC for work, yesterday we "heard" through Twitter that Usher would be performing at the GMA Spring Concert series. With no plans today except to head out of the city this afternoon (I'm currently writing from the JFK airport) we got up early and headed down to the studios, only to find a dark studio and no audience. BUT THEN.. we saw a sign that the concert and audience were across the street today at the Nokia theater and that there was plenty of space left for us. And let me tell you, what a great morning... despite torrential downpour rains, we had made it. And the concert experience was awesome.. but mostly for the interaction with Robin Roberts, George Stephanopolous and the GMA crew.

A few photos from the morning are below. Hope you had a fun Tuesday too.

George and the GMA Staff ready for his toss to Usher...

Robin and Usher.

Robin announcing the concert.

High School Musical

While at home this weekend... I'm from a sweet little town in Western NY called Fredonia, we went to see the school's musical. My cousin and Aunt and Uncle were all involved as were numerous of my old teachers and younger brothers and sisters of old friends.

The school put on "Little Shop of Horrors" and while the students did a great job, the ever-growing killer plant really stole the show. Designed and created in most part by my very talented Aunt, we got a behind the scenes tour at the shows conclusion and learned all about the making of the plants.

Plant number 2-- this is the second of the four, and my Aunt Sandy and Cousin Lauren. Lauren is a part of the stage crew and is in charge of the curtains for the show. She's so fierce and fantastic at her job that she wears war paint...

This is the fourth of four... and Lauren and I inside.

Dad also got a behind the scenes look into the makings of the big plant:

All three of us fit inside.

Overall, a very fun night of reminiscing...

March Madness Part 2

Conveniently Syracuse- as a number 1 seed- had round 1 and 2 placement nearby, and Dad and I had tickets.. so we made a treck to Buffalo. Us and 18,000 other fans, and we had a blast. We stayed with Grandma and Grandpa, and made sure Grandpa was watching the game in orange as well.


Grandpa, me and dad...

Dad and I at the first game... our seats were incredible!
The second game of the weekend was just plainly awesome... and thankfully the one I had my camera for.
SU brought lots of spirit and enthusiasm...

And Otto was there!

If you're following along, next week we're heading to Salt Lake City for the sweet 16. Let's go orange!

March Madness part 1

The last few weeks have been spent with lots of working, lots of homework, and lots of basketball. If you haven't yet been able to tell, I'm a big Cuse fan... a BIG Cuse fan. And this basketball season, It's been really fun to be a fan.

A few days after our big winter snow storm, ESPN's College Game Day was here for the big Vilanova game... and the campus was buzzing.



The morning of the Game, ESPN held their noon broadcast live in the Dome and a few thousand students and University community members came out... with lots of spirit and enthusiasm.

That night the Dome welcomed the largest crowd in College basketball history with almost 35,000 people.

Dan and Zannah practicing for their big ESPN debut...

The night was awesome... it felt like the whole country was cheering for Syracuse. And we won! The weekend was packed with visiting friends, lots of game day preparations and tons of excitement. Following the game too, for the first time in about 20 years, Syracuse was ranked #1 in the polls. It's a good time to be an orange fan.

Adendum

Recently I wrote about visiting Atlanta... and I forgot to mention what I found to be one of the coolest parts. I had heard about it, kind of wanted to see it, but had run out of time.

As I was driving out to the airport though, I stopped for some gas, and just stumbled upon it... a neighborhood called the "sweet auburn" area, where you can find the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial... and a lot of really amazing southern history. Now I only had a few minutes to explore, but I left glad I had visited and wishing I would have made this visit a priority. While there's not much to see and do, and it's a little off the mainstream Atlanta path... it's a moving experience, and the emotion solicited no matter who you are and what your background is an experience not to miss.

Enjoy on your next visit.

Syracuse Snowday

Last Thurday's World News Tonight cast on ABC reported on the big northeast snowstorm. To emphasize and drive home the point, Diane Sawyer said "Even Syracuse University Closed today..." Which is almost true... we had a few hours off in the afternoon, and spent those three hours (we closed school at 2pm) shoveling out. Just wanted to show you what all the fuss was about...from my front yard.

The morning after (friday 7am). Shovel in hand, I opened my garage door and prepared to work...

My front yard... about 27 inches of snow.


Glimpse of hope... we're almost done.

And then more snow came...