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Why I Should Be a New/Social Media Product Marketing Director

This awesome job opportunity just came right in front of my eyes! It's with this really cool company named Ringleader Digital- they made the first RLD server (Spark Leader) back in 2007. It's a 3rd party mobile ad server that tons of companies are using!

Why am I telling you this? Because to be the New/Social Media Product Marketing Director would fit the bill SO well! The person needs to be pretty computer savvy (like me) and be on the bandwagon for facebook (Bryan Campione), twitter (bcampione), youtube (bryancampione) and blogs (Camp Campi), etc.

The person also must be able to identify trends in media outlets (people, look at places like digg, hulu and stumbleupon. they've been around for awhile, I've been using them, and now they're getting huge!).

They need to be savvy with events and promotions like I had been doing with Cisco Systems, very sociable and outgoing (that's a no brainer here!), but most importantly, be business and marketing savvy. I'm using the word savvy a lot only because that's what I am. I'm savvy when it comes to all this stuff. It's always a blast playing on social and social media networks seeing the trends in progress and how to jump on a new one before it's even popular. I love it!

So, if anybody from Ringleader is reading this, get in contact with me. Let's set up a meeting, or go out for coffee, or have a Skype video chat. I'm all for applying to be your new director, and would really love the chance to show you why I'm the right guy for the job!

PS- here's my LinkedIn Account! http://www.linkedin.com/pub/4/894/396

5 Days!

Fort Lauderdale, here I come! Updates will hopefully be video blogs! Christerssons, Hunters, Campiones and a surprise guest (dunno who yet) are congregating - Cannot WAIT!

Go "Frick" Yourself

Picture from www.frick.org

What a week this has been so far! Mom, Dad and Scott came into town for a fun weekend on Friday! After a day or walking around, Saturday we went with some relatives to Billy Elliot - loved it just as much again! Sunday we had a family party and Dad and Scott left Monday after some plane delays at JFK (go figure).

Monday Mom, Soo and I rocked out shopping at Columbus Circle and Whole Foods - I'm stocked for a week or two - yay!

Today, we went not only shopping in Soho before Mom left for home, but also to the Frick Collection- a museum on the Upper East Side. It is a WONDERFUL place to go check out some cool art pieces. It was owned by Henry Clay Frick - a man known for working with the coke and steel business in the early 1900's. His residence, now this museum, is unbelievable - indoor and outdoor gardens and fountains, and extraordinary rooms filled with really cool paintings, sculptures and whatnot. A definite highlight is going into the library and seeing the collection of leather bound books he owned - I'm not an art or history nerd, and it was still awe-inspiring. Another cool note is that it is right on Central Park- so cool views of the trees, park and vegetation are there too.

Definitely go when it is warm outside. There are tons of flowering trees and plants that will look even better as spring comes nearer. Also, listen to the free audio guide - it tells neat facts about the collection and the mansion itself. Don't watch the movie- it's a snoozer and worse than the film reels we used to watch in elementary school.

Last note- BURGERS at SOHO PARK!!! Eat there, drink there, love it there - nothing is better than awesome food in a really cool part of town!

Flip Mino Camcorder

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I LOVE THIS! I'm really considering getting it - what are you thoughts? Like the art on it? I think the buildings remind me of NYC, and it's pretty neat!

From the Slums to the Oscars to Phenomenon

When I saw this movie the first time, I was speechless. So moving. The story was written fantastically. The actors, cinematography, soundtrack, etc. were also phenomenal. It is a movie that relishes on the search for hope, love and optimism is a world of volatile uncertainty. It is the new fairytale.

Congratulations on it winning SEVEN Oscars tonite! All the winners were well deserved, and the show, I thought, for the most part, was quite good and not stale as in other years. But, it was truly a Slumdog evening.

Choo Choo, Next Stop My Thighs...

http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/

If you have not seen this website, CHECK IT OUT. While the food looks gross, it also, for some reason has a percentage of "appetizing-ness."

Why do I write about it in this blog? it reminds me of several things. Yes, America is fat. Yes America has problems with weight control and consumption. No, I do not think it will end soon, especially with a recession and Mc Donald's being a cheaper alternative to dining.
My friend Josh just got back from Europe and we were talking about the fact that you go there, eat a meal, and you are "pleasantly full" but not overstuffed as in an American meal. Why is it we eat 1 pound hamburgers when we are supposed to have 4-6 oz of meat per meal or day? Why the extra-large french fries when they are nothing but starch, fat and salt? Do we need the 4th-scoop and a 3rd-topping mega sundaes from Ben an Jerry's? NO.

Portion control and consumption are becoming ever-alarming in today's society; more so than in the past. We are seeing more and more younger children struggling with problems seen in the past with adults (high bp, obesity, diabetes setoff from dietary consumption, etc.). The question arises what to do?

I am no genius; I think hard and truly express whatever it is that I say. When it comes to this type of question, I will make people mad with my answer, but I am all for a healthier America, and a satisfied world. I think that:

1. All schools should promote ONLY healthy eating. No burgers, unless wheat buns or veggie/turkey ( baked), frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, etc. Though it may cost the schools a bit more, it is preserving the future of these children brought into a world of grease and health issues.

2. All foods not recommended in the pyramid or by nutritionists should have a higher taxation, while somehow (dunno how, but feel this way) decreasing the value of fresh produce, meats and grains.

3. Mandatory breaks in jobs for walking/excercising/even napping (for mental health). It hurts the percentage of actual hours worked minimally. Most people slack off for a certain amount of hours/day, and if they had the option of walking, etc. I bet they would take it.

I have a lot of other ideas, and forgive me if I am rambling (it's 5am and I'm having trouble sleeping), but I feel these are good ventures for not only America (mainly), but for first and secondary countries to try and implement for a healthier population.

So eat the meatloaf with mac n cheese in the middle, or the cheeseburger in a doughnut. Just remember that it shouldn't be a thing of normalcy in the diet. And if you do eat one of the things on the list, at least walk so the food coma isn't like Glenn Quagmire giving you a "ruffied-colada"......

Fun and Sun

This is where I'm going - hells-yes! Ft. Lauderdale has never looked so good!

Forgive the old video, this resort still rocks though!

How Well Read

Apparently the BBC reckons most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.
Instructions:

1) Look at the list and put an 'x' after those you have read.
2) Add a '+' to the ones you LOVE.
3) Star (*) those you plan on reading.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien X
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling X++++++
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee X+
6 The Bible X
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell +
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens X
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott X
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller X
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare /(read some, not into them)
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien X
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger X
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell X
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald X
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams *
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky X
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck X
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll X
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame X+
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis X
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis X
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini *
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne X
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell X+
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown *
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving X++ ;-)
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding X+
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel *
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens X
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley X++++++ (one of my FAV books)
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck X++
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens X
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett X
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath *
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker X
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White X +++
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom *
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery X
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare X
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl X++
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

The Run Down:
Read: 30
Loved: 10
Plan on Reading: 5

Not too shabby ;-)

Happy Valentine's Day

Enjoy the candy, flowers, dinners, sexy time, or however you're gonna spend the day!

Plane Crash in Buffalo!

Please keep the victims and their loved ones in your thoughts and hearts. A Continental Plane from Newark to Buffalo (same flight I used to take when with Cisco) crashed this evening and it's just a horrible horrible thing to happen to an already hurting city.

What a horrible thing. Absolutely horrible.

Whoops...

"To Be, Or Not To Be......A Promoter"

Several weeks ago, I decided to venture into club promoting for a "try-and-see" experience. I knew the initial details: 1. Get people to come. 2. Make sure more guys than girls show up. 3. Get more and more people for the following week.
Easy. I thought.
My first promoting venture happened this past Saturday at Hiro Ballroom. The group I was working for had a table there, with some free drinks and a "meeting" spot. I thought it was going to be great- Jen and Rosey from Chicago were coming, and a huge group of friends from NYC.

We get there and it is a "high-level" club- only people that know people, or are in promoting usually get in without spending an exorbitant amount alone on entry. Luckily, Jen, Rosey, Viv, Elvin and I got in at 11:15. The rest of the group? Not allowed access (strike 1).
The group table was flocked with needy girls, all waiting for a free drink and trying to be the promoters best friends. My group didnt even get close enough to say hello. (Strike 2)
The prices for drinks were a bit astronomical. (Strike 3) We ended up buying a bottle, and were splitting it between the 5 of us.
The other promoters, as well were not the type of people I enjoy spending time with (Strike 4). They were into it like it was the game of all games, and they were hot shit. I went in with the notion of have fun, meet people, and relax. Being a Promoter is NOT relaxing.
All these strikes would make someone flighty and run away with their hands in the air, and their mind behind them. But, the positives were I got a check from practically showing up and saying I was there. I also got to see Jen and the group and we had a great time together. The best part though was the cirque du soleil-style aerial act in the middle of the dance floor and everybody going nuts.
So, to be or not to be a promoter? I honestly do not know if it is "my thing". I may try it out again for the fringe benefits. But aside from that, I'd rather just go out and enjoy myself, rather than being a face in an empire of liquor bottles, skanky girls, and drunk moneybags....

Hillarious!

Sometimes Political Cartoons Are Funny

Being a HUGE Spongebob fan, I thought it was only appropriate to share this poly cartoon with you all. Bear in mind, I could care less about the Blagojevich scandal, but got a kick out of this:


(By Chris Britt)

Gotta love it...

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

The BIG 6-0 and not looking a day over 35 :-)

Here's a new Video Blog for you all to enjoy!

25 Thing About Me

Rules: Once you've read this, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. Then, post it wherever you'd like!!!!


1. I cannot stand bananas. They are the epitome of all things bad and make me sick- blahhhh. But I do like plantains.

2. I have a teddy bear named stitches- my first ever. He has always been in my bedroom no matter where I've been (minus vacations) and still is to this day in NYC.

3. I am petrified of jellyfish. When I was 12 yo, I was swimming in Sweden's Nordic Sea. My crocodile raft I was on began to float out of the bay towards the sea. I couldn't get off because I was surrounded by over 1,000 jellyfish who were attracted to the raft. A man in scuba gear had to rescue me. Intense....

4. I worked at Walt Disney's Animal Kingdom as a Safari Driver at Kilimanjaro Safaris. Besides working there, I've been there over 20 times on vacation with family, and have also been to Disneyland and Disneyland Paris.

5. I was at a bar last Saturday and Kirsten Dunst was sitting next to me - she's so small!

6. I've been to over 60 Broadway theater shows in only a 3-year time span. $$$$

7. My dream is to settle down and have 3-4 kids. Family is super important to me.

8. My brother and I broke our family room couch by jumping over the balcony onto it. We were "smart" back then....

9. Roller coaster junkie at your service! Been on over 100. I wanted to build them when I was young, but then I took Geometry. I changed course of action immediately...

10. I love cartoons and watch them everyday. Phineas and Ferb, Spongebob, FO Parents, Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends, Family Guy and more! My childhood favs were the wuzzles, muppet babies, gummi bears, and the whole disney block( rescue rangers, ducktails, talespin, etc)

11. When my first tooth was loose, I was afraid to pull it out. My brother, instead, punched it out. Payback is still inevitable, Scott......

12. I have been to 13 foreign countries (and counting):Mexico, Bahamas, Aruba, Canada, France, Britain, Switzerland, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Monaco, and Belgium.

13. My best friend Ben and his wife Carrie got me an inflatable doll as my high school graduation gift. She was my date to their wedding when I was his best man.

14. I LOVE Guinnes- I can drink a million pints of it and be happy.

15. At 23, I auditioned for the Hairspray National Tour and was told I was too tall- go figure...

16. Flight of The Navigator, The Goonies, ET, and the Indy Jones Series changed my life when I was young - seriously, amazing.

17. I used to be able to burp my name- not anymore- wish I could still....

18. I'm an avid skiier for the past 22 years. Nothing like gliding down the slopes.

19. I want a dog soooo bad. I've wanted one for years.

20. Pre last week, i hadn't cried since I was 14. I saw Billy Elliot and sobbed dring a few scenes (reminded me so much of my childhood)

21. Black, White- Gay, Straight- Male, Female = Equality for All.

22. I hate to live with "Coulda-shoula-woulda's" - I take lots of challenges and adventures, and whatever I don't get to do, I don't like to pine over it. Try it in another way, or do something different. Life is shorter than you think.....

23. Cooking is an art form. I love being in the kitchen preparing savory or sweet dishes. One day, I'd like to open my own restaurant or night lounge with food service (and wicked dj's).

24. I'm addicted to "Jon and Kate Plus Eight", "Brothers and Sisters", "24", "Intervention", and beginning to like "Gossip GIrl" thanks in part to Harold. :-)

25. Live life like it is meant to be lived. Dance and sing to your own tune. He happy that you have the chance to live to an old and wonderful age. I'm not hiding anymore. I'm finally being me.

Why You Should Check Your Kids Homework

(Here's the reply the teacher received the following day)

Dear Mrs. Jones,
I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer. I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.

From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Smith

5-Year Mouse Anniversary

January 19th marked my 5-year anniversary from starting my Disney College Program Internship. I had just turned 21 and was out to acknowledge and rule the world. Ah, the naivety of my younger self....

I spent 6 months in sunny Orlando, Fla. having some of the best and worst times of my late adolescence life; here's a reflection.

I worked at Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney's Animal Kingdom. It was the "must-see" attraction at the park, and boy was it intense. We (the cast members/safari team) drove large, Ford E450 trucks over a 2.1 miles course without a track. We would travel thru rivers, jungles, forests, savannah's and a large waterfall viewing over 50 types of African wildlife. Encounters with lions, cheetahs , zebras, elephants, flamingos, rhinos, and other African animals were a daily occurrence. Each safari covered over 200 acres of land - that's close to 3 times the size of the Magic Kingdom for example. While it was loads of fun, it was quite hard having to man the trucks, deal with standing guests and being awake of the animals running in front of me.

Yes, it was great, but the downside was I was just a number- a plebe if you will. With over 200 people alone at the attraction, it was hard to really have a relationship with the 8 managers I had. Also, several whom are now long gone were known for picking favorites, or getting in the way of the "disney magic". Also, working 40 hours a week on a $6.70/hr wage did not exactly cover the costs of living in America's tourist mecca. One of the biggest was the feeling of being hired slave labor. With over 55,00 workers alone at WDW, 5,500+ were college interns. It was hard to have any job where your actual skills and knowledge could be used and worked upon (minus communications)

But I got over those things - why gripe about the bad stuff when so many great things came out of my time there? I made awesome friends - Kim, Mandy, Gordo, Dave, Tim, Laurie, Scott, Mere and Nicole just to name a few. There was always something to do- any day we were off, we were at the beach, or playing in the parks. Many trips to Pleasure Island for dancing and drinking were enjoyed. Jellyrolls, a dueling piano bar was a hotspot on cast nights. Hearing Scott rock out "Rainbow Connection" ala Kermit was a highlight. Hanging out with OAR and the VIP area at House of Blues was kick-ass. Old Town yards of beer on a hot night quenched our throats. Trips to Universal Studios, or Cici's All-you-can-eat pizza were highlights. Visiting all the college kids at Daytona was a trip! Taking "sick days" to sit by the pool and vent were awesome. Sneaking behind the parks and in the tunnels were memories forevermore. "Black Tuesday", for any of you KSR alum may have been the best day at the park! VIP and Celeb safaris were always cool. So many great things happened when I was there.

My friend the other day asked me if I would ever work there again- that is quite hard to answer because I just do not know. Though I loved being there, I had a hell of a time where I worked. When I went back upon UD graduation, all I could get after an interview (and a full degree) was a bellhop position at an economy resort. Prices living in the area are, as well, astronomical for the salary the workers are paid.
But the good things are I'd be able to go to the parks all the time- something I cherished while there. I rode Tower of Terror 78 times for crying out loud (never made it to the 100 mark we were trying for, sigh). I'd be close to the beach, nightlife and people my own age. I'd be in Florida where it's warm and sunny almost the entire year.

The pros and cons of returning are just a source of question whenever I think about going back. If I was 5 years younger and could do the College Program again, I would - serious changes have been made since my program that have made it better for the interns. But for now, I think I'll stay in NYC where I am loving every minute of being here. Besides, it's more fun going to Disney and being a guest- you get that "Disney Magic" way more wearing a tourist outfit, than a polyester hot house and a mickey mouse name tag.

Do not take this as an insult for workers there- I, myself, just did not feel that it was my true calling. If I could be an Immagineer or work in the Guest Service area, I'd be back right away I have an affinity for anyone that has been there, and worked for the mouse - they really know what hard work is and I applaud them.

So, I come to the end of this rant. Maybe it has interested you, maybe not. But if you take one thing from this, remember that Walt Disney World truly is a fantastic place. I still love it just as much as I did before working there. But having grown, and reflected on the past 5 years, I am thrilled with the experience and the experiences since that I've been able to enjoy.

Sunday Funday

I won't lie - I woke up with a hangover today. Once again, I had a fantastic Saturday night with Elvin, Brian and the guys! Karaoke, car bombs, and to top it all off, some Le Souk action. For those of you that do not know this place, it is a restaurant that turns into a lounge at night. With a middle eastern theme, along with an intricate design, this place is SO fun on a weekend evening. The scent of the apple hookahs swirling through the air, the laughter and conversation among friends old and new, bartenders that concoct wicked spirits and the guest dj's spinning on the different floors entice all the human senses.

Such wonderful things these are that I have described - but is there a downside? Yes, but it is not privy only to Le Souk. Prices in NYC can be astronomical; I understand that they have the capabilities of high prices because: A- people will spend the money for a posh night on the town - B- people with overspend their capable amount to make themselves feel better (retail therapy) - C- it's NYC plain and simple.

So where am I going with this message? Basically, I'm just saying that I love nights out like this, and realize that they have to be on occasion or for something special. I am lucky that I have and have had the chance to see this side of NYC - it's exciting and enthralling. I definitely look forward to enjoying many more nights like this with my friends boogieing to the beat and having an all-out awesome night.

Cheers!

Hey You Guys!!!

The Electric Company is Back! I remember watching the reruns as a child and loving the show - this new version is total geared towards todays kids, and I think it's brilliant! Much of the Broadway community, especially the awards-winning In The Heights are writing, directing and choreographing sections. Great celebs are geared to be in it too. What a treat- I think I may watch it again!

I got the job!

You are looking at one of the two new web sales account managers for nytheatrereviews.com !!!

Friggun sweet!

The 80's Rock My Socks

I was on Youtube.com the other day watching some random video, when under the related videos popped up SpaceCamp. This movie was my LIFE when I was young - I never owned it, but consider(ed) it one of the best "indie" favorites of its' time.

This has led me to thinking about different movies from the 80's that almost have a cult following. I'm not talking a following like "Sixteen Candles" or the Big boys (E.T., Indy Jones). I have compiled a list of 15 MUST See Movies (no order) from the 1980's. Some are kids movies, and some are probably ones you have forgotten, but when you see the name of my quick summary, you'll have a flashback and get all excited like I was creating this. So, here we go!

1.SpaceCamp-1986
Just like the title says, a group of kids are at space camp. They are accidentally sent to space and have to return the ship home.
Joaquin Phoenix, Tate Donovan, Kelly Preston and Lea Thompson are just some of the cast to this awesome flick!

2. Russkies-1987
A group of boys find a Russian spy washed to shore and befriend him while trying to save his life.
Phoenix is in this too, along with the blonde kid from Christmas Story

3. Little Monsters-1989
Fred Savage and Howie Mandel star in this kid-classic film about the monster world and stopping evil from destroying good!

4. Flight of the Navigator-1986
Believe it or not, Sarah Jesssica Parker makes a cameo in this early 80's flick about a boy who befriends a spaceship named Max and travels into the future and back. I was infatuated with this movie and the Beach Boy's soundtrack!

5. The Boy Who Could Fly-1986
This is a tear-jerker people about Milly and her neighbor Eric- a recluse whose parents were killed in an airplane crash. He dreams of flying and eventually does. Jason Priestly has a mini role in this Hallmark classic!

6. Not Quite Human-1987
This was a mad for t.v. movie that tons of people remember! It stars Alan Thicke and Jay Underwood (Boy Who Could Fly fame) as a scientist and his robot son. Trouble ensues, but goodness comes out at the end!

7. The Worst Witch-1986
Mildred Hubble is the 'worst' student at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches. Accidents and mishaps ensue to an ending of happiness. It was a Halloween obsession! This was an HBO film starring Tim Curry and Fairuza Balk.

8. Dark Crystal-1982
This movie rocks! They're actually working on a sequel right now! Jim Henson and his team created this film way different than any Muppet film. It's dark, gritty, and sometimes an almost scary tale about Jen and Kira, gelflings regaining freedom from a troublesome reigning group, the Skeksies. Awesome 80's-ness!

9. Peanut Butter Solution1985
A Canadian movie about a boy who loses al his hair from a "fright". He stirs up a magical peanut butter formula that brings his hair back and a lot of trouble! This was a classic when I was young!

10. Empire of the Sun-1987
A Stephen Spielberg movie that focuses around the Pearl Harbor incident, but in Shanghai. A young Christian Bale is separated from his family and put into a camp. It's a sad and gritty film, but there is always happiness. :-) John Malkovich also makes an early appearance in this too!

11. The Chipmunk Adventure-1987
My favorite cartoon movie at one point in my life. Alvin, Simon and Theodore, along with the 3 girl chipmunks board hot air balloons on a race around the world! Great songs are throughout - such a heart warming film!!

12. Summer Rental-1985
My favorite 80's John Candy film! He takes his family to the beach for the summer, and all things good and bad happen to him and the family! A YOUNG Joey Lawrence, Rip Torn and John Larroquette also star in this hilarious film!

13. Cheetah-1989
This a total low budget Disney film that my brother and I loved growing up. A family rescues a cheetah cub, and raises it. Problems occur with the "bad people" and the race to save its' life is an adventure!!!

14. The Wizard-1989
Another Fred Savage movie! This movie is a total Camp-fest people, but boy do I love it! Tons of famous people are in this film where a young disturbed boy is a "wizard" at video games. Love it! Ps - did you know this is where Super Mario Bros. 3 premiered - neat, huh?

15. Real Genius-1985
This is the normal 80's go to college and try to have fun, while dealing with evil prof's, dean's, and frat's. Only, this school, "Pacific Tech", is for the real geniuses. Val Kilmer stars, along with a group of familiar looking 80's actors.



Hope you had fun looking at this blog my friends! It was definitely fun making up this list! I know there are TONS more movies out there that I should add..... or how about you comment on these or add new ones below?.......

The "New" Chicken

I was looking through my old book of randomness the other day , and ran into a poem I wrote when I was in 5th grade. It was cute and kind of funny, so here it is:

Eulogy for a Frog
by: Bryan Campione
There once was a frog named Tad;
who lived on a lilypad.
He was caught by an old man,
and stir-fried with Spam;
Poor Tad never hopped again.

But in the belly of the man,
who ate Tad and all of that Spam,
stayed Tad's ghost,
the old man moped;
who could only ribbit 'til HE croaked!



Mmmm, frog legs that repeat; just the mere thought of that is enough to make one go vegetarian!!!

Yes We Can!

What a historic day! Congratulations Obama's and Biden's! I'm looking forward to the diverseness of the political agenda now! Here's to the next EIGHT years!!!

Food for thought and the tummy!

Today was Harold's last day before he goes on tour, and I cooked a great dinner for a few of us! Apple strussel, roasted potatoes, green beans and the ever so popular turkey meatloaf!

Lots of friends and family have asked for my recipe, so I've decided to write it on here for you to all enjoy!!

Bryan's Turkey Meatloaf

2lbs ground turkey meat
2 eggs
2 tbs. bread crumbs
2 tbs. Montreal Seasoning
1.5 tbs. Italian Seasoning
1 cup cottage cheese (Sounds gross, but keeps the meatloaves nice and moist!)
3 tbs. grated parmesan cheese
1 medium onion chopped
1 bag baby spinach
2 cloves minced garlic
1 bottle chili sauce (Not thai chili sauce, try Heinz Chili sauce located next to the ketchup)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350*

Saute onion in a pan over medium-high heat. Do not brown. Add salt and pepper while cooking (salt helps draw out onions moisture).
Add spinach and wilt. Add garlic. Set aside.

Combine meat, eggs, bread crumbs, seasonings, cheeses in a bowl. Add onion mixture. Form individual meatloaves on a prepared slotted roasting pan, or in a 9x13.

Bake 25 minutes. Spoon chili sauce on each loaf and cook for 15-20 mins longer.


Trust me, this is a GREAT recipe. It's simple, fast, and super tasty!!
Bon Appetit!!

Electricity

I was thinking about this show once again today and how moved I was from it. If you do not know the back story to Billy Elliot, it is about a 12-year old boy that starts in boxing classes and switches to ballet. After family feuding and economic hardships, he continues and garners a spot at a prestigious dance academy in London. Watch the movie peeps, it's great.

Onwards though, I saw the show this week with David Alvarez, he is SERIOUSLY a look-alike of how I was at his age. I was bawling during the show because it really reflected a lot on my growing up a dancer, and the hardships I felt from friends, family etc. I did prevail and danced several more years before pursuing musical theater. The cast, the sets and the overall uplifting sentiment of the show were outstanding. Elton John's score is great, not the best in the world but works perfectly with the entire show; besides, everything else trumps any negatives! Kudos to the cast, the crew, etc. The Tony awards are YOURS this year! :-)

Here are 2 clips for you to take a peek at:



Take a peek, and let me know what you think? I know I'll be blogging about this show again!

Planes, Trains and Crazinesss...

Picture from the Associated Press

How would you like to be flying as we speak? If you were, I bet many of you would be restless and worrisome after yesterdays events on the Hudson River. Trust me when I say I am a horrible flyer - I white-knuckle the arm wrest and pray I'll survive. When I was young, I'd bring along a cross in my carry-on bag because I was so afraid of a crash resulting in death.

But are we to blame for these feelings? It is only human nature, the fear of death, that is. It doesn't matter the fear as result of flying, driving, biking, etc. Death can be scary. Take a look at this article:

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKTRE50E8TN20090115

There have been several crashes where no one has "hit the dust" since the horrific Kentucky accident of 2006. Everyone, though has survived. Hmmm, why?

The answer, people, is difficult to answer- airline officials have their opinions, religious aficionados theirs, etc. I consider it a historical factor- the years we progress, the better our track record is. So, decree it on avionics, religions, sciences, etc. - all I know is, I'm happy somebody knows how to verify and ACTUALLY perform an emergency landing nowadays.......

Video Blog 2

Aw, Hell No!

Perez Hilton Has this in this blog:




This is sad news.

The famous Times Square Virgin Megastore in NYC is shutting down!

The store is was the highest selling music store in the U.S. with annual sales of $55 million.

But, back in August 2007, Virgin Entertainment Group was sold to two real estate companies, which had people questioning the future of the music stores.

The Times Square store will be closing this April and will leave the Virgin chain with just five stores. One of them will be the Manhattan Union Square store, which only has an estimated $40 million in annual sales volume.

The future of that store is also questionable as the new owners will be deciding what to do with the rest of the locations over the next few months.

iTunes must be thrilled!

[Image via AP Images.]



-------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is the end of me!!!!!!!!!! Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

My New "Want" Toy

http://www.theflip.com/index.shtml

Pure Digital Introduces Flip MinoHD™ – The World’s Smallest HD Camcorder
3 oz. camcorder puts the power to shoot and share stunning HD video in your pocket
November 12, 2008 — San Francisco, CA

The maker of Flip Video™ – the best-selling family of affordable and simple-to-use digital camcorders – today introduced its latest breakthrough product: the Flip MinoHD. The world’s smallest high definition camcorder at just over three oz., this remarkably slim camcorder makes capturing and sharing HD video easy and affordable. The stylish Flip MinoHD from Pure Digital Technologies, priced at $229.99 (MSRP), records up to 60 minutes of HD video and features Flip Video’s new FlipShare software, also announced today. This advanced on-board software platform allows consumers to plug the camcorder’s signature flip-out USB arm into any computer for easy drag-and-drop video organizing, editing and sharing on YouTube, MySpace, AOL Video or via email.

This latest innovation from Pure Digital Technologies builds on the success of its wildly popular Flip Video camcorder line. Since its launch last year, Flip Video has sold over 1.5 million camcorders and currently has the number one best-selling camcorder in the U.S., according to the latest rankings from leading market research firm The NPD Group.

“Consumers have embraced Flip Video because it delivers on the promise of making video simple, affordable, and fun,” said Jonathan Kaplan, Pure Digital’s chairperson and CEO. “Flip MinoHD, along with our new FlipShare software, now make it easy for anyone to capture and share their stories in stunning HD quality.”

With its introduction, MinoHD also becomes the first and only “designable” HD camcorder. Using Flip Video’s next-generation personalization platform, launched last month on TheFlip.com, consumers can choose from thousands of professional designs or custom-design their own Flip Mino or MinoHD at no extra cost. Additionally, consumers have the option to share their designs on TheFlip.com to earn commissions for themselves or non-profit causes.

Flip MinoHD Features:
Weight: 3.3 oz.
Resolution: HD 720p
4 GB of internal memory to record up to 60 minutes of HD video
1.5 inch anti-glare LCD display
Internal, lithium ion battery recharges when USB arm is connected to computer
One-touch recording with 2x digital zoom
Touch-sensitive buttons for recording, playback, fast forward, rewind, pause and delete
FlipShare software:
On-board application installs directly when connected to any PC or Mac
Drag-and-drop interface for easy browsing, playback, organizing and video archiving
Integrated online video publishing to YouTube, MySpace, and AOL Video
Free, unlimited private emailing of videos and video greeting cards
Custom movie editing, with the option to use your own music and add titles/credits
Capture still photos from any standard or high definition video
Order DVDs online and have them shipped anywhere in the world
TV connection for instant viewing (cable included)
Tripod Mount



What do you think? Pretty cool in my opinion! Thinking about getting one...

She's gonna be big!

Kelly King is awesome! Going to hear her tomorrow night - if anyone in NYC is interested, she's playing at The Bitter End this week too for only $10!

Interview!

I got the BIG interview on Wednesday! Keep the digits crossed, peeps!

This is What It Has Come Down To

HILLARIOUS!

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

What is this sketch really showing it's viewers aside from the laughs and jokes of SNL? Definitely it is allowing a wider public knowledge on the perils of the Broadway community. Last Sunday, 9 shows closed. Today, 5 more. Is this the end of Broadway? Are people not going to spend their now-saved money on tickets?

Probably not. History has shown us that more than once, many shows closed at one time on the Great White Way. Besides, what has closed ran it's course, and they closed on a better note than if they had muddled through Americas recession.

Don't let these closings sadden you, B-Way fans - there are great shows opening this season!
http://www.playbill.com/celebritybuzz/article/80060.html

"On The Road Again..."

Traveling to NYC today - I'll let you know how it goes!  Gotham, here I come!

Well Howdy There, Camp Campi Campers!

Hello to the world!  This is my first-ever blog!  I am so excited to begin this and start sharing with you my life through words, pictures and video!

But where to start?  How 'bout at the beginning.....

"On a cold winter's eve,......"

F- that!  You will all be bored out of your minds if I give you the full run down of me and who I am.  Instead here's a shortened version:

My name is Bryan.  I come from Buffalo, NY.  I graduated from the University of Dayton and got my degree in French (oui oui) with a double minor in Spanish and Communications.  Though I love my languages and speak them well, I have 2 main passions in my life I am really focused on currently:

2. Cooking - I am an avid chef extraordinaire!  Ask me to cook anything, and I will do it.  Just yesterday, I made a homemade loaf of sourdough bread, along with an eggplant timbale, an Italian fritatta and homemade sticky buns   (Hello calorie train, choo choo, next stop my thighs...)

1. THEATER

This is where I may get longwinded, but hear me out if you will.  (You might want to grab a box of Oreos, or make some popcorn for this one)

Since 5, I have been dancing.  I danced in Buffalo at different academies and even competed garnering trophies and medals.  For some reason, I stopped dancing and began to focus more on the theater side of the arts spectrum.  Having been in Oliver and Pete's Dragon, I thought I'd give more and more a try.  Luckily, I had found my calling!  By age 14, I was a living-breathing theater nerd.  I had just seen Starlight Express on London's West End and couldn't stop singing the songs.  I would secretly go to the basement, put on my rollerblades, and belt out "There's Still Me" pretending to be Rusty.  Any show that came to Buffalo the next few years I had a ticket to.  If we were on vacation, I'd beg to see what was being played there.

My true theater calling came when I was playing the "Leading Player" in Pippin.  It was my senior year of high school and I was having the time of my life having a lead part in one of the most interesting shows Stephen Schwartz had done before the critically acclaimed Wicked took stage.  Not only did this show have a fun libretto, but there was hidden darkness and black comedy - the first show I had done where I became aware of this and really tried to take it to the next level.  One night of the performance, a little girl afterwards asked for my autograph.  HOLD THE PHONE SALLY!  Did someone really want to remember little, young Bryan Campione, aside from being this drama-dork?!  It was an awakening - a moment that hit me square in the middle of my heart, mind and body in one-tenth of a second.

I remember smiling, and signing my horrific signature on the front of the second-hand playbill bursting from the insides with a true feeling of pride joy and accomplishment.  To hear from someone I had never met before, that they truly enjoyed my acting was something I still cherish.  All things aside, she was a little girl and it was a high school musical, but every actor and actress knows what I'm talking about when I say there is a definitive moment in a young persons life when they know that their true calling is - whether to the arts, the sciences, education, etc.  This moment forever changed my feelings towards what I intended to do at a later point in my life.

College at Dayton was a ball, yet, theater was not a key point for certain reasons - A)- it was the first time I was on my own and decided to rock out like a German rocks his lederhosen at Oktoberfest - B) - the theater department, aside from the musical aspects, lacked major emphasis on the good from the bad - C)- I thought I wanted to do something different.

If I had only realized my "purpose" (thanks Avenue Q) who knows...I could be on Broadway already!  But that is not the point.  My life has taken a path amongst its own and I am SO very grateful for all I have seen, done and accomplished.  I interned at Walt Disney World, studied in France, Europe and Quebec, made some of me BEST friends in the world, and grew into an adult I am honored to be.

Come to May 2007.  Following a year off of school/work to pursue "Side projects" as I like to call them, I began to work for Cisco Systems.  I travelled from California to Nashville, Maine to Virginia creating marketing plays for the company and demonstrating and showing customers the power of their technology.  It was a great gig, but it was not my destiny.  What was, however, was New York City.  I was there almost every weekend for over a year - going to concerts, hanging out with friends, reveling in the joys of the Big Apple, but most importantly, BROADWAY.

I had only seen my first actual Broadway show in 2006 (The Times, They Are-A-Changin') when in the city auditioning for Hairspray - I was too tall, let's move on people...

To date, I have seen 68 Broadway performances ranging from the latest shows- Shrek, to classics like The Phantom and Chicago . When in NYC with Cisco, all the feelings I had had growing up flooded me with a resonating force unlike anything I had experienced.  I knew, once agin, but this time as an adult, that Broadway was it for me.  Now just finding where in the mix I would fit in.

I A) had not danced in forever B) had not acted in forever C) had not sang in forever.  Now, most would say, "You're washed up, Bryan.  Don't consider doing this, or you'll look like a fool."  I am happy to announce I take much pride in looking like a fool during certain moments on a daily basis, but this is NOT how I am going to take my passions and turn them into my life ambitions.

October 1, I moved to NYC into the BEST APARTMENT EVER!  Harold (my brother from another mother and current actor), and Tracy (model, actress, BFF) are my wonderful and loving roomies.  It is so great living with people who love and cherish theater like I do.  To sit down and talk hours os theater news and "show talk" is great - I have not had this in the past, so it is an awakening of sorts.  What's also great is, for the past 3 months, I have seen how hard it is to be an actor in NYC channeled thru no only those 2, but also the many other friends I have on Broadway, off Broadway and just making it to survive.

This has put me in not a dilemma, but another awakening.  With the ABC's from above and what I have learned, I love theater to the ends of the world; BUT I do not need to be on the stage to be part of the community.  I have backgrounds in marketing, communications, linguistics, theater, dance, acting, singing, sales, foreign travel, and SO much more!  So, why not take the backstage theater lovers side of Broadway!

I am currently interviewing at different Broadway-related positions around the Manhattan scape and it is SOOO exciting.  I get to be a part of what i so love, yet, I'm not taking the easy or hard way - I'm taking this path that I like to call my own.  Though it has twists and turns, and I'm sure more on the way, it is the BEST thing I have ever done for myself.  I have begun to dance for fun again at Broadway Dance Center, and I get my singing fix when I go to Second-On-Second karaoke with my cronies and friends.  I act when I put on a happy face when I'm stuck next to an annoying, snoring passenger on the subway and sign autographs when writing  checks for my landlords.  I am living my dream and my destiny.  It is mine and I like it.  Only God knows what the future holds for me, and if I can grab onto one of these great jobs I am trying to line-up for myself.

And what about this blog?  I told you it would be long this time around, but have no fear, the rest I PROMISE will be shorter.  I needed to allow myself a real introduction to this little thing called "blogger.com" that everyone but myself has had until now.  So I ask you to please comment and keep looking to see what I write and post on here.  It is going to be an interesting ride so make sure to hold on.

And on the last note, this is "Camp Campi" - the place where friends come to have a good time.  Aside from no cabins, swimming lake, or campfire, it will be just as fun - I promise.  So buck up little camper, things will look better as time goes on! 

Peace, love and jellybeans, I'm out.