SEE ME ON WWTBAM

So that I don't bombard your inbox with annoying emails, I wanted to let all of you that read this blog know that my "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" episodes are going to be airing during the week beginning November 12. (Next week they are airing special episodes that I know I'm not a part of.) Since Monday, November 12 is a holiday, I'm not sure if they will be airing an episode that day, but here is the heads-up that you don't need to be watching this week. Unless you want to be on the lookout for Adrian and his parents in the audience. You can see them on this past Monday's episode (if you still have it) when the guy from Brooklyn asks the audience for help.

MORNING SOUNDS

Trying to talk a man out of buying a new video game is like trying to talk a woman out of buying a new pair of shoes - it simply doesn't work. So it was with Christmas morning enthusiasm that Adrian jumped out of bed this morning and within seconds I was visited in the bedroom with the sounds of "EA Sports...It's in the game." Oh yes, Madden 08 has finally come to our house; a little late, but still here. Let's hope baby Jack gives his dad a few more days to work on his defense before he makes his appearance.

MYSTERY SOLVED

On Monday, while running errands at Columbus Circle, we ran into Borders after lunch so I could get some new books. (My doctor had just scheduled me for the 3-hour glucose test which checks for the late onset of gestational diabetes and knowing I was going to have to sit in her office for 3 hours, I wanted some interesting reading material.) In the checkout line, I noticed everyone around me was buying the same book; something called "Click." I was mentioning how weird this was to Adrian as we left the store only to see the giant poster stating there had been a discussion about the book that day, with a panel featuring Colin Farrell. We wandered back into the store to see if we could see him, and there he was in the back signing copies of the book. They wouldn't let us get too close, unless you wanted your book signed, but we still saw him from afar (and no, it doesn't count as a C/S since we made a point to go find him). The strange thing is that I was just looking on Amazon right now to see what the book is about and basically it's a teen novel where each chapter is written by a different, famous author. No mention of Colin Farrell anywhere. Why he was on the discussion panel beats me - it seems he was the moderator, but again...Colin Farrell? Okay...after some more researching, I figured it out. I guess the proceeds of the book go to Amnesty International and Mr. Farrell also contributes to that organization. Still a stretch, if you ask me.

BIG GUYS

Maybe we should have taken it as a sign that on the walk to our ultrasound appointment to get Jack's current weight, we passed Pat Croce, who Adrian pointed out was the former president of the Philadelphia 76ers, and who is also about 6'6". (I would have passed the guy and his group without a second glance, but Adrian recognized him instantly and made a point to pull up information on him on his iPhone while we waited in the waiting room.) Like I said, maybe it was a sign to let us know that our little guy, who still supposedly has two and a half weeks left to cook, is already 8 pounds!

GETTING THEIR WORKOUT ON

Every time we've seen a celebrity thus far, it has been a random and serendipitous occasion. We didn't seek anyone out - we were always just in the right place at the right time. Today, while walking down Columbus Avenue near Lincoln Square, we noticed for the first time while living in New York, a horde of paparazzi - which easily gives it away that a celebrity is nearby. They were outside the Reebok Sports Club/NY and there were also plenty of bystanders with camera phones at the ready. We were just going to pass by like it was nothing before the curiosity got the better of Adrian, who turned back to ask who everyone was waiting for. The gentleman he spoke to said the paparazzi weren't talking, but the rumor was that Alex Rodriguez was inside. Since it's a gym and we had no idea how long it would be before he came out, we went on our merry way. Plus, it was A-Rod...it's not like it was Brad Pitt.

Update: Perhaps, it wasn't A-Rod after all. I just came across this photo showing Madonna leaving the Sports Club this morning. That definitely explains all the cameras.

CS/19

The last time I posted an obscure celebrity sighting, I caught some flak, so I've decided to turn two recent sightings into one posting since neither of them are uber-celebrities. About a week ago, while in the checkout line at the Whole Foods in Columbus Circle, Adrian noticed Cynthia Nixon in the express line next to us. He nudged me and said, "Hey, isn't that lady from 'Sex and the City'?" He didn't know her real name, but I've made him watch enough episodes that he still recognized her. Then today, while walking home from getting some dinner, I noticed a guy standing at the outside tables of a restaurant near our house. I didn't know his name, but knew he was from one of the "Law and Order" series (Adrian kept saying it was Jerry Orbach, even though he knows that Jerry isn't alive anymore). Well, after some searching, I found out it was Richard Belzer and the only reason we both recognized him was because he looked exactly like that picture - basically, exactly the way you picture him from tv.

NIGHT AT BAM

Last night, we went, with Adrian's parents, to a performance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music that was hosted by relatives of the Liang family. It was a specialized dance troupe from Taiwan and we should have known a few days ago when we were told that it was a 70-minute performance with no music that it wasn't going to be our cup of tea. However, I suggested we go anyways because we got to dress up and who knows how often we'll be able to do things like this once the baby comes. Well, it was exactly as expected. Twenty or so Asian dancers dressed in black modern-danced around the stage and made occasional grunts or slaps for the only sound effects of the show - unless you count the car alarm that went off twice or the many coughs from the audience. It was, to be blunt, extremely boring. Adrian fell asleep (like that wasn't expected) and I sat there thinking about our plans for the week, who I needed to email, what I was going to eat when we got home... The oddest part of the night came when the show was done and the group came out for their accolades. They literally bowed something like fifty times - they would bow, go offstage, then return and do it all over again in a different formation. Weird. There was a reception following and I was in heaven when I saw tables filled with Asian finger foods. I think Adrian and I cleared out a whole section just on our own. When we got home, I made sure that I filled Adrian in on what he'd missed while he was asleep as I modern-danced my way into the living room and plopped in front of the tv, which is really one of the only types of entertainment we need.

BABY BLOCK

I'll be honest - lately, every time I sit down to write a blog, the only things I have to talk about are baby-related, and I just picture the guys who read this being so put off by this type of thing that I simply don't write anything at all. But I've decided that my insecurities need to stop. When one of them is almost 36 weeks pregnant and their life is about to change as drastically as mine is, then they can comment on my baby blogs. Until then, I will write what I want - baby topic or not.

So last night, Adrian and I went to a breastfeeding class. It was through a private organization rather than the hospital, but it still wasn't that great. The first thing we had a problem with is that they had us sit on the ground on top of exercise mats, with the option of pillows for back support. It was a three-hour class with no break! And we were stuck on the floor trying to get comfortable the whole time. The instructor was also a bit lame, cracking dumb jokes (that some people actually laughed at) that ate up precious minutes when we could have been home watching the Patriots. The only time we saw actual breasts was in a video and I think Adrian was asleep by that point. I did learn a few things, like never again schedule a class on a Monday night - oh, and how our lives are about to drastically change (did I mention that already?). As I sit here now rubbing my belly, I say bring it on.