The ask.

The Boys of Summer - Second Base, sequel to the award-winning first documentary, began principal photography on March 13, 2014. We need your help. Please visit our kickstarter page and share it with your friends and family.

 
The ask. This is the time in a fundraiser when many, including myself at times, turn the channel, click the off button or scurry off to do some laundry. It’s uncomfortable asking for money and it’s uncomfortable being asked. You’ve been warned.

And so I’m asking – boldly, brazenly and openly for your financial support of the documentary sequel to Boys of Summer. The original film proved our intent and worth. In the last ten years the story has grown in many ways, as my dad explains briefly in this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwAzpE4Qq9g).

We are less than two weeks away from the end of our campaign. We achieved the first leg of the trip during Spring Training in Phoenix earlier this month. My dad has been granted free treatment at an interesting and progressive health center in Las Vegas called Superior Health Solutions. He’s also been accepted to have a biopsy of his skin cells grown and developed by the New York Stem Cell Foundation. Both agencies have given me open access to document the process as part of the new film.

I’ve kept our costs as low as I can, accounting for flights, lodging, ground transportation and food in our travels to the six baseball parks that have been built since 2004 and a return to the Field of Dreams. This film is an important case study that demonstrates how one man has dealt with his disease, his life and his family against the backdrop of America's past time. He is an inspiration. Watching him you will laugh, think and cry; what more could you ask for?

Please donate and share this link (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/robertcochrane/boys-of-summer-second-base-reboot) with others so they might do the same.

Thank you,


Robert Cochrane
Director, Producer “Boys of Summer”

Spring Training - Cactus '14 (part four)

The Boys of Summer - Second Base, sequel to the award-winning first documentary, began principal photography on March 13, 2014. We need your help. Please visit our kickstarter page and share it with your friends and family.

Our final play for spring training involved a few things: first off, the closing night at the Nine Conference. The baseball/academic conference, which is run by Trey Strecker of Ball State University, is a great grouping of mostly university professors who get together annually during spring training to share their latest and greatest in how baseball impacts society. I was honored to speak on the documentary film panel Thursday night and sorry that I didn’t participate in anymore events until this one on the closing night. It was, however, very enjoyable.

George Gmelch, Professor of Anthropological Studies at the University of San Francisco, discussed his career as a minor league prospect with the Detroit Tigers in the 1960’s and contrasted what the game looked like then to how it looks now. I was fortunate enough to sit down with him for a few moments on Sunday morning. I will post a few clips from that interview soon.  

The takeaway from the weekend was one of empowerment, a feeling one only gets when he goes on the road. Add a family to that mix and it becomes all the more potent. I was very proud of my two and four year old for handling themselves as well as they did and embracing the adventure. This trip set a new mark for us as a family – with this, we will be able to reach out and explore new areas and landmarks via cars. Ten years ago, my father and I did just that when we travelled to all 30 MLB parks for the original Boys of Summer. Road work is tiring stuff – and incredibly powerful. Seeing places, meeting people, having your entire world view shifted…incredibly powerful indeed.

One of the greatest parts about this trip was the vehicle – not just our literal little family minivan trickster, which held up admirably, but the metaphorical vehicle that is baseball. Baseball brought us down to Phoenix. A quest for renewal. A desire to see winter put to bed and the Boys of Summer reawakened. A chance for hope to rise again, in the face of long, seemingly impossible odds. To see grass grow. To listen to the crack of the bat. To hear leather pop as the ball smacks into the lower pocket of the web. Nachos, hot dogs, pretzels, get ‘em while they’re hot and make sure to thank Grandpa with a hug and a kiss.

We don’t have a single donation for our kickstarter campaign, which is the bare minimum money that’s supposed to get us to the six parks we need to see this summer to complete the structural elements of the sequel documentary. In Field of Dreams, it was said if you build it, they will come. I do believe we have built it, now we must let more people know it is here so they may come. I appreciate your help in that regard.

Thank you and play ball!

Please visit our kickstarter page and share it with your friends and family.

Spring Training - Cactus '14 (part three)

The Boys of Summer - Second Base, sequel to the award-winning first documentary, began principal photography on March 13, 2014. We need your help. Please visit our kickstarter page and share it with your friends and family.

 The cream pie was sweet, sweet redemption. I hatched the thought for doing just this earlier in the week, but had no idea if Josh Reddick would go for it or not. It turned out as well (click for video) as – perhaps better than – I could have hoped.

I also forgot to mention that I got a foul ball for Giuseppe while we were waiting for Josh. This was a big deal, in particular, because at the last two minor league games here in Las Vegas, I failed to get a ball for Giuseppe when it looked like we had a shot. This led him to believe (in his hysterical three-four year old mind) that he would “never, ever get a baseball!”

We didn’t even worry about going to Surprise for the game – the experience of the foul ball, the pie in the face and our memorable conversation in the park all by ourselves (click for video) were plenty for the day. We went back, enjoyed the pool, then had a nice family night out.

Day Three started off much better than Day Two. Our scheduled interview with DBacks AJ Pollock took place exactly as we hoped. Many thanks to DBacks PR chief Casey Wilcox for setting us up. AJ couldn’t have been nicer and his story about his relationship to Parkinson’s is worth hearing (link to video will be added soon – check back!).

Today was the day to finally see a game. Happily, it was the Oakland A’s and this time at the park close to our hotel. Mom wasn’t feeling well and Annamaria needed a break from the kids, so it was just me, Dad, Giuseppe and Francesca. We got there just as the game was starting, which was fine. We were there to enjoy the experience than watch a game traditionally. Let’s be honest, having a two and four year-old has you doing exactly nothing traditionally.

I was able to drop dad off close to the park so he didn’t have to walk so far. We got into the park and immediately saw our seats were filled by another fan. That’s always a bit annoying. Rather than make a thing out of it, Dad and Giuseppe took the row just one down from what should have been ours, then Francesca and I went for snacks. By the time we hunted down Francesca’s pretzel, Giuseppe was looking for me. Thankfully he hadn’t dragged Grandpa too far. By some great blessing, there are picnic tables in deep right field just above the bleachers. We sat at one to eat – avoiding cramming together on the bleachers. It was perfect. The kids got pretzels, nachos and even cotton candy thanks to a very generous Grandpa. I got to keep one eye on the game and the other on our tribe. I also shot some fun pictures and video.

Not only that, but Brandon Moss and Josh Reddick went back to back with home runs in the bottom of the first. Reddick’s shot was 450 if it was a foot – an absolute bomb pulled down the right field line and bouncing far into the practice field next door.

We made it to the third inning in an extremely slow game before Giuseppe and Francesca had enough. On the way out, we did find one last surprise for Giuseppe – which can be seen here (link to video will be added soon – check back!).

Please visit our kickstarter page and share it with your friends and family.

Spring Training - Cactus '14 (part two)

The Boys of Summer - Second Base, sequel to the award-winning first documentary, began principal photography on March 13, 2014. We need your help. Please visit our kickstarter page and share it with your friends and family.

 
Day two of Spring Training started early. Dad and I made the short drive to Phoenix Municipal Stadium, the A's home for one last Spring Training (they move to the Cubs old digs, Hohokam, next year). We were the first ones in the parking lot. This was yet another reminder of National Lampoon's Vacation (empty Wally World...). Learning nothing from Clark, we parked up front. Even from the rock star parking, it was a bit of a hike to the park across a foot bridge. I became very aware of my dad's struggle to walk. He uses walking sticks, which make his effort a bit easier, but it's still labored. You'll never hear him complain - which worries me. I have to keep my eye on him and try to anticipate when he's had enough.

The A's PR office was closed. A lone clubhouse staff member spotted us snooping around and said the guys arrival time actually got pushed back by about two hours. Normally, this might bother me. But with my dad, an empty ball park and a camera, I'll roll the dice. We walked in and looked around. Phoenix Muni is not known as one of the better spring training venues - in fact, it's known as one of the worst. But sitting in it when it was empty made it absolutely beautiful to us. I interviewed dad for the first time in our new adventure and it was like ten years ago was yesterday. He does very well in front of the camera. He's incredibly generous with his feelings, thoughtful with his answers and quick with a joke at an unexpected moment. He was also very patient as I went through about ten minutes of teching the audio I couldn't get to produce a signal. I love my dad.

Another father and son, this one about 40 and eight years old, respectively, poked their heads in the park. We immediately struck up a conversation. I asked if I could interview them and they said yes. Then there was a rabid A's fan from Fresno. Then a mom and son who told us that the day's game wasn't even being played at Phoenix Muni, but rather in the aptly named city of Surprise some 35 miles northwest. Between the closed clubhouse, the tech issues and this news, something told me I was really screwing things up. I was a bit nervous I was on a fool's errand with this entire journey.

It was finally 9:30 - time to check out the clubhouse. That story, and the resulting video with my son are covered best in this link.

Spring Training - Cactus '14 (part one)

The Boys of Summer - Second Base, sequel to the award-winning first documentary, began principal photography on March 13, 2014. We need your help. Please visit our kickstarter page and share it with your friends and family.

 Simply making the trip to Phoenix was a big deal. For anyone who's ever been on a family road trip, particularly from the parental side, or if you've seen National Lampoon's Vacation, you know what I mean. We loaded up our metallic green Town & Country minivan to the hilt, strapped in the kids (no Aunt Edna), and headed south. I got us there, but thankfully the rest of the car was sleeping or they would have to endure and, worse, probably would have questioned my unintentional scenic route that added roughly an hour to a journey that didn't need it. For the record, my wife only suggested we should ask for directions once. I, of course, said no.

It's the small things that make family road trips so great. When we arrived at our first night shanty - and that's being polite - we convinced the kids to go back to sleep so they could have waffles tomorrow morning at the "Continental Breakfast"! The name sounded just regal enough to put them back to sleep with a smile. The next morning, my four year old, Giuseppe whispered me awake with the repeated word: "Waffle? Waffle?"

We did. The joy he got out of sitting in the lobby and picking out his own yogurt, pouring an orange juice out of a machine ("so cool!") and having a perfectly round, hot golden waffle put him firmly in hog heaven.

We moved on to our next hotel, where the Nine Baseball Conference would be held. The hotel was a significant upgrade. The pool immediately had the kids jumping out of their shorts. Grandma and Grandpa's flight arrived and we went to lunch. That night, I was part of a three-person documentary film panel about baseball. It was an excellent discussion.

That night, I had a hard time sleeping. I was very nervous about the next day. I had a press credential to be in the clubhouse of my beloved Oakland A's. I had a plan to talk to certain players who I thought might have an inherent relationship to Boys of Summer. Would they talk to me? What was the proper etiquette for the clubhouse? What if I struck out in my attempts? Would this be a wasted effort? How was my dad feeling? Would my wife be okay with the kids?

Worry, worry, worry. So it goes in the mind of a father, son, and independent filmmaker in a high stakes poker game.

Boys of Summer Book - Entry #156

You can see the complete film "Boys of Summer" for free by clicking here. 

100% proceeds go to the Michael J Fox Foundation. 

Interview Dr. Shill
Dr. Shill

RC:
Why did you decide to come here to the Muhammad Ali Parkinson’s Research Center?

DS:
A couple of reasons, one is I’m from here, so there’s some family loyalty there. And the other, major reason, is that I was interested in managing Parkinson’s and I thought they did a really quality job here.

RC:
What got you interested in Parkinson’s?

DS:
I think it was the aspects of movement disorders in general, that you could really lay your hands on it. You can see a tremor, you can feel rigidity in a limb, you can really get a sense of how the movement disorder affects the person just by looking at them, just by talking and interacting with them. That was really appealing to me to really get my hands around it and understand it.

RC:
So it’s a more tangible disease than some others?

DS:
Right. I think the physical manifestations of Parkinson’s are often very easy for people to see and I think that was appealing to me in helping me understand it better.

RC:
What are some of the common symptoms of Parkinson’s?

DS:
One of the first things people associate is shaky hands or a tremor. 75% of people with Parkinson’s Disease will have some degree of tremor. And that’s one of the first manifestations in quite a few folks. Some of the other symptoms associated with Parkinson’s are problems related to slowness of movement, small, cramped handwriting, a softening of the voice, maybe dragging a leg when you walk or shuffling your feet -- those types of symptoms.

RC:
Are there any symptoms that maybe people are less aware of that are also in the Parkinson’s camp, so to speak?

DS:
I think one thing that’s part of Parkinson’s that some people don’t understand is some of the cognitive issues; there’s a slowness of thinking, so sometimes it’s hard to get words out. People will have the impression that someone has a lessened IQ because of that and obviously that isn’t true. There’s an impression that maybe the person isn’t “all there” but really it’s just a slowness of thinking that is causing the physical symptoms or really what you see. Pain is a symptom of Parkinson’s in about 30% of people and I don’t think people appreciate that. Some of the stiffness in the arms and legs can lead to some discomfort.

RC:
I’ve heard some Parkinsonians talk about the problem that they are perceived as being drunk because of some of the loss of motor skill and such.

DS:
Right. I’ve certainly had some of my patients who were driving and were pulled over, maybe they’re swerving just a little bit. We actually give people cards that say “I am not intoxicated, I have Parkinson’s Disease.” And they carry that in their wallets.

RC:
That’s great -- can’t let too many people know about that, might be a scapegoat. How does the nervous system function normally -- in a person who’s not afflicted by any sort of brain disorder?

DS:
I’m not exactly sure what you’re getting at, but I’ll try to answer it. When you start to move, there’s a signal that goes from the brain to the muscles. Normally that happens very rapidly -- within 10 or 20 milliseconds. With Parkinson’s Disease, that impulse is slowed. You think about doing something but by the time it’s reached the muscles it’s slowed down. There’s a slowness in initiation of the movement and a slowness in completing it. That’s particularly true for very coordinated movements. Things like handwriting, speech, walking, things that require a coordinated muscle activity, those are the things that are preferentially affected by Parkinson’s Disease.

Boys of Summer Book - Entry #152

You can see the complete film "Boys of Summer" for free by clicking here. 

100% proceeds go to the Michael J Fox Foundation. 

Below are a few of the reviews from the film festival by viewers. There are many more posted at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0770724/reviews.

April 3, 2006

Robert, 

I saw your documentary in Phoenix and it blew me away. Like you, my best connection with my Father (and Brother) came through baseball. My Dad started playing catch with me and taking me to baseball games when I was 8 yrs. old. And, he died when I was 11 and my brother was 5. I passed along a love of baseball to my brother which we share to this day. I'm 56 and my little brother is 50. Thank you for another thing baseball we can share! 

Best Wishes, 

Hank

Reviews from imdb.com:

A Father and Son Odyssey to Baseball Parks, raising awareness of Parkinson Disease. 

March 31, 2006

Author: boyerpk from Phoenix, AZ 

This film touched my heart and brought back memories of sharing good times with my parents. As a film patron, I look forward to the general release of this film, as the story is entertaining as well as educational. The wide release would not only raise knowledge about Parkinson Disease but would raise funds for Parkinson research. The every day trials were fun to watch, the sense of humor of both men was priceless. There is much to be learned from these fellows and the way they handled disappointment and triumphs. The public embraced them and that was heartwarming. It is America at its finest -baseball- as our national pastime. And being able to share it with someone you love is priceless. My wish for all would be for everyone to experience one day with a parent and enjoy the day. This film celebrates the America in all of us.

*********

Baseball, Apple Pie, Fathers & Sons 

April 1, 2006

Author: jzatarski from Phoenix, Arizona 

Boys of Summer, a Father & his Son - Who wouldn't want the opportunity to tour all of the Major League baseball parks? Yes, as baseball fans it sounds like the ultimate road trip. But what if the reason for going is not the reason you expect.

Some of us have been to many of the big league stadiums. We may have gone to our favorite park as youngsters with our Dads, we may have gone to the ball game while on an out-of-town business trip - or better yet on vacation.

Yet the road trip this son and his father took was unique. Unique in the way they met the challenge of the father's medical condition and the son's quest to make the trip financially feasible. The cause they were on as they skipped across the USA and into Canada one ideal summer.

While watching the Boys of Summer, I thought back to the time my father was alive and wish that something like this would have been possible for us to do. But like the song, the time is never there when you need it so that the commitment that was made was an impossible dream.

You will really find yourself involved in this journey of a son and his father. Even my non-sports wife found the opportunity to share their adventure - a dream in the making. You wondered if they would ever be able to make all the professional ball parks and not run out of money.

But those key observations made along the way - the interviews with the fans and the new friends made along the way - will make seeing this movie a perfect opportunity for all of us to share in the wonderful game, the families that enjoy it, and a father & son who know that the road traveled together is the best world to be in.

Boys of Summer Book - Entry #151

You can see the complete film "Boys of Summer" for free by clicking here. 

100% proceeds go to the Michael J Fox Foundation. 

Mar. 26, 2006 - Dan

Phoenix, AZ

Sometimes you are just to close to the process to see the whole picture. Chris LaMont, the executive director of the Phoenix Film Festival set the tone. He is a bundle of energy and enthusiasm.

The first sign was when we checked into the hotel provided by the Phoenix Film Festival, the Valley Ho in Scottsdale. On our Boys of Summer(BOS) tour we got used to camping, private homes and inexpensive motels. The Valley Ho was an extra special surprise.

The second sign was the Boys of Summer selection as the closing film of the festival. I didn't realize that that was such a special honor.

The third sign was the enthusiasm of our supporters Mike O'Leary, Linda Cooper and Rhaye Mosley.

The fourth sign was the response form the students at the physical therapy class at Arizona State University. We were invited to tell our story and the students seemed surprisingly interested.

The fifth sign was the coverage by the local TV stations which was the result of the efforts of our PR person, Erica Sico. All of the reporters seemed genuinely interested and were very through in their approach.

The sixth sign was that half the seats were sold the day before our screening. The theater holds 585 people.

The seventh sign was the news that over 400 tickets were sold ninety minutes before our screening time.

The eighth sign was that over 500 tickets were finally sold for the screening. After a very humbling introduction the screening began and before too long there were some heart stopping technical problems. The excellent technical staff was able to correct the problem.

As our story unfolded on the giant screen the audience response was the ninth sign. I was finally getting it. I should have known.

The tenth and final sign was the outpouring of appreciation from so many people for what the BOS meant to each of them. For many it was the trip itself. For some it was the relationship between Bob and myself. For some it was the individual Parkinsonians' stories and struggles. Many asked how Paulette was doing. Some loved the humor.

The film is a great one. I should have known.

 

Boys of Summer Book - Entry #150

You can see the complete film "Boys of Summer" for free by clicking here. 

100% proceeds go to the Michael J Fox Foundation. 

Mar. 30, 2006 - Bob

The screening at Phoenix Film Festival (cont'd)

The movie rolled, the audience was with us. Thunderous applause at the end. Dad took the first part of the Q&A. I got up to join him a few minutes in. The questions we're great. One man stood up without a question just to say he wasn't all that thrilled to come to the movie -- just something to do -- but he was incredibly moved and thanked us for making it.

Inspirational. Loving. Powerful. Moving. Important. THANK YOU.

Over and over again we heard these things and more. Better than I could have imagined.

We head over to the after party across the parking lot. It was like a wedding reception. We couldn't even get a drink or food for about 90 minutes as so many people approached us. How wonderful. So touching. Personal stories. Tears. Laughter. Questions. Thanks. People inspired to go volunteer with their local PD agencies because of the screening. People demanding we come back and do another screening -- if not a run.

The Harkins group (who owns the theater) will get a glowing report of the 500 (that's the final count) people who came out to see "Boys of Summer" and how much they enjoyed it.

We finally settle in and have a sip of beer and a bite of food in between conversation. A ton of love and listening.

So many thanks to be passed out, and I will do so as I can remember.

Briefly:
The Phoenix Film Festival
Mike O'Leary and Linda
Rhayelin
Erica
The Valley Ho Hotel
All the news stations that gave us coverage
The local APDA

So many more. I'm tired -- didn't sleep much last night and we have the long drive home today. But that's okay. As dad says, "Ain't no mountain for a couple of climbers.”

 

Boys of Summer Book - Entry #149

You can see the complete film "Boys of Summer" for free by clicking here. 

100% proceeds go to the Michael J Fox Foundation. 

Mar. 30, 2006 - Bob

The screening at Phoenix Film Festival (cont'd)

Back at the hotel, it's still early afternoon and we have some time to kick back. I read a bit, but can't really sleep. I'm feeling dead in the water an hour or so before I want to get going so I hit the gym. That was the ticket. Got the blood pumping, now I'm rolling. 

We head off to the screening. Dad drives and misses our turn. Whoops! No big deal as we're leaving (intentionally) quite early, but I'm a bit nervous about the reported awful traffic in Phoenix -- which we've hit a bit of here and there this week. Turns out to not really be a factor and we get to the theater around 6 PM -- T-Minus 90 minutes to show time. 

A Phoenix Film Festival tells us where the line is to get in for the screening of tonight's movie -- unless we're the filmmakers, of course. We smile -- we got dibbs. No line for us!

I go to grab a copy of the film on DVD for them as they don't have it yet -- odd? I don't know. Whatever. I have a few copies. I also owe them a music CD I've asked to be played in the leadup to the film. Suddenly it doesn't seem so important -- all my grand ideas about the pre-show just don't seem so important. But I go to Circuit City anyway and conduct a frantic search of the CD department before settling on Jock Itch Jams (or something) with a few good songs and a few not so good ones. It's $5.99. It'll do. So it goes.

Back to theater. We go in for the picture/sound check. It looks and sounds great. I notice a few people filtering in. I hustle outside and see the line. It's good -- not great but good. Okay. Maybe we're talking about 150 people or so. It's not what I'd been told, but that's still a pretty good number. I look around after the last person goes in and notice...what's that? Another line! 

"Is that for us?" I ask.

The festival staff member smiles and nods. 

"Cool," I say and head outside to film this mob -- easily another 150, probably more! Wow -- this is getting pretty good. I'm told we're actually at over 400 tickets sold. Oh baby. 

I get a call from Annamaria and she tells me that we have a line around the corner waiting to see the film at the Parkway. We’re killing them in two cities at once! This is too much.

Dad and I go inside and things are settling in. I'm trying to reconcile the crowd in my mind - it's tough. I never imagined a screening this large in a venue like this for our little film. For all the dreams I've had, this is a bit overwhelming. 

The festival staff introduces our film. I shoot from various angles, running around the theater to work the nervous energy as much as anything. Then the lights go down. We're on. I sit on one of the steps and watch as the Bro n 'Stine logo comes up. I start to cry. This really is too much.

The movie works from the get-go. The crowd is into it. There's laughter, palpable recognition and sweetness in the air. We've got them. I'm so excited, I can--

film glitch 

What do I mean by that? Ever had a DVD freeze up on you? It's start to pixelate and act..."funny?" It's not so funny at a film festival premiere with several hundred people. I run to find someone to get a voice up to the projection team to try another DVD -- try anything. Stop this one, at least! It goes on for about five minutes before we get to the position where we at least have the pixelated version shut down. I grab a mic and go into showman mode. I don't know what I was talking about -- I just know I was talking and getting laughs. We sung "Take me out to the ball game". After a few minutes the projectionists were ready to try it again. 

It came up...for about a minute. Same place, same problems. Damn.

I grab the mic again. Now it's part two of my variety show. A poor-taste Sonny & Cher joke I pull out of my arse grabs a healthy laugh/"ooooh" from the audience. They're still with me. Whew!

Another five minutes roll by. We're ready to go again. Let's do it. Let's roll. So we do...and it works...and it works...oh, boy...it actually works!

And so it goes. 

Boys of Summer Book - Entry #148

You can see the complete film "Boys of Summer" for free by clicking here. 

100% proceeds go to the Michael J Fox Foundation. 

Mar. 29, 2006 - BOB

Scottsdale, AZ

T-Minus 27 hours...and counting. I'm seeing that theater in my dreams. It's a huge space. I have huge hopes and huge fears.

We had a great interview on local Ch. 3 this afternoon. It'll run tonight at 8:00 PM. We also have an interview tomorrow morning at 6:30 (cock-a-doodle-whoooooooooo that's early). 

We also had a great time at Arizona State University with Mike O'Leary and his girlfriend, Linda (both Parkinsonians). We spoke to a group of students studying to be physical therapists. Dad and I got to share our story along with Linda and Mike. They asked a lot of great questions and showed a lot of interest in coming to the screening tomorrow -- we'll see...

Had an awesome lunch today, too, at the Streets of New York Brewery. Annamaria's good friend, Kristy is the GM there and it was great to see her. 

We actually have a little downtime right now and we're laying low before taking in a movie at 7:00. Ahhhhh, downtime...:)

Mar. 30, 2006 -- screening day

We get up at 5 AM and I didn't sleep well -- too much on the head. Among other things, I had misplaced a $100 battery for my video camera -- maybe at ASU yesterday? -- and I was just feeling a kind of buzzing irritation. 

Why 5 AM? We have a live TV spot in downtown Phoenix to plug the screening. That's cool. We drive down there and just as we're a block a way, Erica (our AWESOME PR Rep) calls and says there's been breaking news and we're being bumped back an hour. 

Oh...

So we find a parking lot, grab some pillows and a blanket, recline the seats and catch a few minutes of shuteye...or at least relaxation. Erica finds us and we go hang out at a McDonalds 'til the shoot. As one who is not "lovin' it" I didn't eat anything, but enjoyed using the bathroom in between a couple of homeless men -- bless their hearts. 

The interview went very well. Live interviews are a bit more pressure-packed than the taped deals as the interviewer encourages you to be brief and actually make sense. Thankfully we know the subject matter well. 

We go back to the hotel and get back into bed. Ahhhh...

Erica calls at about 9:00 and asks if we would mind doing another interview at noon. Would we mind? Are you kidding me? This is the stuff we dream of! We beg for coverage. Noon in our hotel lobby we're at it again. This time it's to be an edited piece so it's all gravy. 

I hope we can get copies of these pieces. 

We take a walk to get lunch in old town Scottsdale -- quite a charming place. It's nice to walk, too, as we've been driving a bit. We eat on the patio at the Salty Senorita -- delicious -- then have the famous (well-earned notoriety, too) "Pizzookie" at Oregano's next door.