Fight Night Part 3

Are you sick of this Fight Night stuff?  No?  Good.  This is the last post about it if you are.  The whole reason for this entire event is to raise money for Parkinson's disease.  Muhammad Ali has this disease and with the help of friends, started this fundraiser a few years ago.  He joined the table about halfway through the show.

 That would be my coffee. He is actually doing well.  He doesn't speak but he did smile a few times.  And it seemed like he wasn't shaking as much as he was last year. One of the main coordinators of the event is David Foster.  They call him the "Hit Man". Probably because he got Whitney Houston to sing "I will Always Love You." And Celine Dion "My Heart Will Go On."  Heard of them? Haha! He also discovered Michael Buble and Josh Groban.  Anyway, he's pretty talented to say the least.  And funny too.  When the audience was being really rude and talking while someone was trying to speak...he hopped on the stage and grabbed the mike and said,"SHHHHHHH!!!!!"  I sat by his wife.  I can sum her up in one word....Perfection.  Google her.  David and Yolanda Foster. 

 Then came this guy.  Sinbad.  Quite possibly the funniest man on earth.  And everything was impromptu.  He asked the audience for questions.  About anything.  He said, "I'm here to help!" I wish his act would have been longer.

 Lionel Richie was the final act.  Sorry for the bad picture.  There was a moment when he was so close to me I thought I felt his sweat drip.  Ew.  He was good.  I'm not a huge fan but he sounds exactly like he did when I was a kid. 

 Afterward all the celebrity's came on the stage one last time. Here is the main singer of Rascall Flatts receiving admiration from Rita Wilson. 

 And here he is showing his admiration to her husband Tom.  Tom looks a little....taken aback.

 Since it was Mr Ali's birthday, the Cake Boss made him a cake.  Of course. 

 The Cake Boss wasn't there but his brother-in-law was.  At least I think that's who it is.

 Confetti time!

So that was that.  It was quite the experience.  Alot of fun packed into one night.  It felt kind of like a dream really.  I kept thinking...these people are actually real!  Funny.  I was grateful for the up close and personal seat but I hated sitting at that table.  It just wasn't me you know?  I'm the girl who doesn't know what fork to use with what and who accidentally took a drink out of Yolanda's water glass because I forgot which one was mine.  They were so close together!!  And when they kept panning the head table with the cameras and showing us on the big screen, I wanted to dive under the table.  Thought about it a couple of times actually. I am not a celebrity.  Not even close.  I can't even pretend for a second that I am.  I mean, do you know of anyone even remotely famous who would turn to the person sitting next to them during dessert and notice they hadn't touched theirs and say "You going to eat that?"  I didn't think so.  (:

Fight Night Part 2

After dinner the entertainment started.  First one up was Jackie Evancho.  She is 11 years old and sounds like a adult opera singer.  Amazing voice.  Sorry for the crummy picture.

 Next was Rascall Flatts.  They opened with "Banjo" and then sang "Changed" off their new album.  I don't remember the third song but the fourth was "Life is a Highway."

 Miley Cyrus was next.  When I first saw her on the line-up I thought...Oh brother.  What kind of show is this going to be?  She comes walking right by me with her Hunger Games boyfriend Liam what's his name and I'm all...just another spoiled kid.  However...when they introduced her they said she was the celebrity who has granted the most Make-A-Wish foundation wishes.  Wow.  In fact she had spent the entire day at the Children's Hospital.  So I liked her a little better.  She get's up on stage with just a guy and his guitar and honestly...she was very very good.  I was impressed.

 Did you know that Tom Hanks wife, Rita Wilson can sing?  Well she can.  She is really good. And you know her husband Tom Hanks?  He's adorable.  Seriously.  He is everything that you think he would be.  Funny and nice and in love with his wife.  They giggled and laughed and he even video taped her performance.  This picture reminds me how close I was to the stage.  I didn't zoom.  The back up singer is Anita Whitaker. She was amazing too.

 So there is Tom and Rita. Next to Rita is Reba McEntire and her husband.  Standing behind them is that guy from Malcom in the Middle.  Frankie Munz.  Or is it Freddie Munz? 

 In between the acts there was some mingling time and this gal here loves my boss.  It's Melissa Peterman.  She was on the show "Reba".  Apparently we are BFF.  She's just a really nice person and super funny. 

There's more.  I'll try to post Part 3 in a couple days. 

Random

by Ang

*Meet the newest member of our family.  We bought her off the showroom floor at Honda:

Her name is Lola.

She was a showcar.

With yellow flowers in her hair.....

I'll stop there, now that you have Barry Manilow stuck in your head.

We love it (her)!  My favorite feature is that she detects my iPhone through bluetooth and she'll play music from my iPod over the speakers automatically.  Love it!

*I am missing my niece a lot.  A LOT.  So today I bought her a little present:

I think she'll like it.  I haven't seen it, but I hear it's a cute movie.  Can you believe she is going to be 3 this month?!?:

*I have my final this week.  It's due on Tuesday.  After Tuesday, I am DONE until the fall!

*I am scared of my new camera.  Well, scared is probably not the right word to use.  More like intimidated.  I've been using it, but I'm being a big chicken and only using it on the automatic setting.  Today though, I stumbled upon this quote, which I found on Ali Edwards blog:

"To be a photographer one must PHOTOGRAPH.  No amount of book learning, no checklist of seminars attended can substitute for the simple act of making pictures.  Experience is the best teacher of all.  And for that, there is no guarantee that one will become an artist.  Only the journey matters." - Harry Callahan.

The quote is right.  I just need to pick up my camera and start playing.  Get some experience.  And quit being a chicken!

That's all for now folks.  Have a great weekend!

Celebrity Fight Night Part 1

By Amy

Hi everyone.  I know it's been forever.  And I have no excuse other then life.  So I won't bore you with the details.  How about we talk about something fun?  A few weeks ago I traveled to Arizona with my boss.  Every year they attend a fundraiser for  Parkinson's disease.  It's called Muhammad Ali's Fight Night.  Friday night is the Founder's dinner.  Basically it's a dinner for the biggest donors.  This is me and my friend who takes care of my bosses house in Arizona. 

 I loved my dress!  My boss bought it for me.  This is my place at the table. 

 I forgot to crop this picture but that is Tom Hanks swinging his arms in the air.  His wife, Rita Wilson was there to sing.  He was filming in Boston and came to support her.  I tell you what...he is everything you would think him to be.  Nice and funny.  He recorded his wife singing on his camera.  They giggled and snuggled and were really fun to watch.

 This here is Martina McBride.  She belted out "This Ones For the Girls" and "Lean on Me". 

 The night was really fun!  Saturday was the big show.  It was formal so I had to get a dress and act like I wasn't a housekeeper.  I get all dolled up and then my boss informs me that she wasn't feeling good and that I had to sit in her place.  At the head table.  Inches from the stage.  This was before I knew that.  I was still smiling.

 After I found that out.  I was horrified. I mean, that is where the celebrity's sit!  I am a housekeeper!  EEEEKS!!!  I was told to just smile and clap.  I could handle that.

 Here is the head table.  It was enormous.

 Here is the stage from my seat.  If I stretched my legs out I could touch it.

 Here is who I sat across.  The picture is really crummy because I was trying to hide my phone and not look like a dork.

In case you can't tell that is Billy Crystal. He was actually very quiet.  And very attentive to his wife who is sitting right next to him.  I will blog about the actual show next time....