2008- Quite a year.

I just got back into town from a celebration unlike any other.

To reflect back for a moment though, this year has been packed with similar festivities. So far in the year 2008 I have helped loved ones celebrate around 7 25th birthdays, including my own, a 25th anniversary, 2 60th birthdays, a 75th and finally 2 80th birthdays.

I have just returned for upstate New York, where I traveled with my mother and brother for the first time in over 10 years to stay w/ my Aunt, her 5 kids and significant others- all to surprise our Pop with and 80 years of living party! The last 5 days have been a whirlwind of family, catchphrase, pumpkins, pasta, bowling and beer.

My Pop is one of 11 kids, whew!  This made for a unique party- over 60 family members, many of whom I had never even met before. The party was a smashing success and I can’t believe we pulled it off as a complete surprise!

Of course, being away made me also miss my other family- my Florida Theatre family....

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Today is October 17, 2008.

From today, there are 75 days left until 2009. Ziggy Marley was born on October 17. Tennessee Ford died on October 17. This date is the International Day of the Eradication of Poverty. On this day in 1979, Mother Theresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and in 2007, the Dalai Lama received the United States Congressional Gold Medal.

Today might not be New Years or Thanksgiving or one of the more noted dates on our calendar, but history still has something to show for October 17. And so do I...

It is a simple question, what is your hobby or what do you do for fun? Many people answer with painting, dancing, singing, reading, etc. and for the longest time I never really was sure what mine is.

I realize it is being a part of the American Advertising Federation of Jacksonville.  I know, doesn’t sound too “fun” or even much like a hobby- but for me it is something I enjoy.

For three years I have been a part of this organization and I couldn’t be luckier for the experiences and opportunities it has given me. My whole life I have been involved with clubs and groups and always like to have a leadership role or be in charge of something.  With AAF Jax I have been in charge of socials, program luncheons, attended numerous conferences and awards ceremonies and now currently planning the city’s annual advertising awards, The ADDYS.

I have loved the last 3 years, obviously since I keep coming back for more, but this year in particular is going to be a great one.  With the ADDY co-chair position...

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I live a privileged life.

I say that for many reasons, but one being that my job allows me to experience a lot of really great music—some that I haven’t ever heard of before and some that could very well replace a limb as it is that much a part of who I am. Someone once said music is love in search of a word. I don’t remember who said that, but the meaning is not lost without attribution. Sometimes music expresses what other communication cannot…or should not for that matter.

So let me take a step back. Ask me what concert in all of the history I would want to travel back in time for, hopefully in a snazzy Willy Wonka-like elevator? I would have to say the 1975 Bob Marley and the Wailers concert at the Lyceum Ballroom in London from which the greatest live version of No Woman No Cry was recorded. If you have ever heard that version (and if you have not, shame on you), you will understand what I’m talking about. I have always dreamed of what that would have been like, to be in the same room of what...

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With our 25th Anniversary of the restoration right around the corner, we are pleased to announce another restoration we have almost completed!

As many of you have noticed our website has gone through quite an extreme makeover, one it needed! The main reason behind the change was so that we, the staff have the ability to update the site daily. In this business things are constantly changing and now the site can change with us.

One of the best parts of the new site is the interactive blog! What a concept!!! We received many complaints before about our novel of a blog and how you couldn’t leave or make a comment. Well now you can so start letting us know what you think.  As you can tell, Katie and I are pretty random about what we choose to blog about. But thanks to everyone who reads it!

Something else we felt very important to include in the site is the information about our annual Art After Dark. In the past we had a completely separate site for this, but now it is so easy to find! Look under...

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Ahoy, me hearty!

This year's Talk Like a Pirate Day be on this here day, the 19th o' September. I decided to scribble me blog about what a fine holiday this day be. With all the international swash bucklin' and arrr-ing going on, we fine people at th' Florida Theatre feel we need to do some representin'. Cap'n Hart started the day off with a great, enthusiastic "Arrrr!" just to make sure we was all remembrin' what this day be. Th' staff resounded with a solid "Aye, aye, Cap'n. Aye, aye." Now that e'ryone be on the same page, we could get goin' with th' day.

First off, me hearty Kendall and meself did some workin' on our new site on the Web of ye internets this mornin'. The old site be restin' in peace in Davy Jones' locker, down there at the bottom of the seas. Ne'er to be seen again! Do yerself a favor and go check it out. It be prividin' lots of impressive, enlightenin' facts and such about th' theatre and what be goin' on we vessel here. Arrr, mateys!

The Cap'n and a few of us crew handsomely...

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There has been a question that has curiously popped up in my life in more ways than one quite recently. It really came to my attention after reading the question posed by a character in a book I’ve been reading, just a week or so after it was posed to me by a friend, who we could consider quite a character as well. Do I dazzle you? Hmm…interesting. A forward question, yes. Fundamentally, to dazzle is to hinder one from thinking clearly, to be so brilliantly overwhelming for one to act without normal, logical behavior. Wow. That’s quite a power to have over another human being. The character in my book is found to be dazzling by his counterpart, obsessively so. I like to say that I’ll admit to being dazzled by a few persons, places and things in my life. When I was 10, my room was plastered with Jonathan Taylor Thomas posters. I don’t know if that constitutes dazzling, maybe just obsession. I had a bag once that was bedazzled. But I don’t think that counts either. Japan was dazzling. There were many...

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With help from Fay, I have rediscovered reading. For the last two weeks I have been submerged in stories about wizards and vampires- two entities I normally steer clear of. After visiting my roommate’s elementary classroom, I decided to give Harry Potter a chance. I have never seen a movie or read one of J.K. Rowling’s famous novels, so my knowledge of Mr. Potter was merely that he was a literary phenomenon. I never understood what all the hype was about and how so many different types of people, ages, girls and guys, etc could be so obsessed with wizards! Well after reading about Harry’s first year at Hogwarts, I get it. I think the best way to describe how you can get sucked into these books is by the quote: " Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are." Mason Cooley So far I have read Year 1 and 2 as well as seen the movies, which just like the books- are captivating. I’m about to finish Year 3, and then it’s movie time before moving on…. Now, not only have I hooked...

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 Due to the recent stormy weather, Jacksonville has turned into “Overreactionville,” a new nickname for the River City that I just recently read on one particular social network...