From the Inside Out

It’s no secret. I’m not a fan of beards. Apparently, I’m not alone. According to a survey conducted by Lynx, an aftershave manufacturer, nine out of ten women prefer a clean-shaven man.

Ananova reports, “Seven out of 10 women dismissed moustaches as “out of date”, two thirds condemned trendy goatees as ’sloppy’, and a massive 86% said they found beards unattractive.” Moreover, an overwhelming 95% of women complained that stubble made a romantic kiss an unpleasant experience and a turn-off.

What’s ironic is that two-thirds of men believe the opposite is true. The men who responded to the survey felt that facial hair made them more masculine and attractive.

Fortunately, it seems that men are listening to women because only about 8% have beards.

Gary has always been clean shaven, but for the next 3 weeks, he’s growing out his beard to play the role of a pirate in our summer drama production. It looks great for a pirate, but in real life, I’m not loving it.

Okay, I’ll be honest. I hate it. It’s not necessarily the way it looks that turns me off, it’s the way it feels. I agree with the other 95% of women out there, kissing a man with a beard is a scratchy, unpleasant experience.

I’m willing to make the sacrifice (albeit reluctantly) for the sake of the play, but I’m keeping the razor nearby.

Three weeks and counting until he shaves again.

After an action-packed holiday weekend, I’m looking forward to this weekend. Amazingly enough, we don’t have any extra-curricular activities on the calendar. For the past month, our weekends have been completely filled with pre-scheduled events and activities — not that I’m complaining. I like being busy. However, it’s nice to have some free time once in a while.

There’s still a lot of work to be done on Pirates of Patmos. I spent most of the evening working on promotional listings. It’s amazing how many online calendars and community event websites there are. I hit most of them and submitted our promotional information. In addition, I pitched the event to the Plano TV network (keep your fingers crossed — it would be cool if they wanted to cover the event in one of their broadcasts).

Next week, I’ll be hitting a the local press contacts with the official press release. Since we have two performances this time, I’m working harder on the promotional efforts. We want a good crowd to show up on both nights.

Derrick created an amazing promo postcard. We’ll be passing it out on Sunday.

So, be sure to tell your family and friends. It’s June 20 and 21 at 7:30.

See you there!

I’m feeling uninspired tonight, so it’s time for another Top 5 list. With the summer movie season quickly approaching and a new “blockbuster” sermon series starting at church this month, I’ve decided to share my Top 5 “must-see” movies of 2008. Since Indiana Jones and Iron Man have already been released, those movies won’t make this list.

5. Get Smart. A film adaptation of the spy parody tv show from the 60s, Get Smart stars Steve Carrell, Anne Hathaway, and the Rock. It promises to be a fun, lighthearded comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

4. The Dark Knight. Christian Bale reprises his role as batman, and Heath Ledger is the Joker. That’s enough for me.

3. Hancock. I’m a big fan of Will Smith, and the premise of a reluctant, hard-living superhero who has fallen out of favor with the public is a fresh concept amidst the serious comic book hero movies of late.

2. The Happening. I’ll watch anything from M. Night Shyamalan because I love his work, but I’m really excited about this movie. It looks great — intense and unnerving — exactly what you expect from a Shyamalan film.

1. XF2: I Want to Believe. I know this movie may not have widespread appeal, but for those who were X-Files fans (like me), it’s highly anticipated. After watching the first X-Files movie, I became a fan of the television show. It’s not your typical “sci-fi”. Even if you weren’t a fan of the television series, check out the movie. You’ll probably like it.

Gary’s in Vegas for a couple of days on a business trip, and it’s forcing me to reflect on my experiences in the city that never sleeps. In the beginning, I was fond of Vegas. It’s an exciting city with mega hotels, great restaurants, first-class shows and shopping. There’s so much to see and do. It’s easy to understand the attraction.

The problem is that while I was working in PR, I traveled to Vegas frequently — way too frequently. In fact, it felt like I was out there every other month for a few years. The old saying that “familiarity breeds contempt” holds true. I got so sick of Vegas that I still dread going there today.

However, for those of you who haven’t been there so many times that you’ve lost count, there are some fun things to see and do. With that in mind, here are my top 5 things to do in Vegas:

1. Cirque du Soliel. It doesn’t matter which show you watch, they are all fabulous and well worth the high price tag. The only one you may want to steer away from is the adult show (Zumanity) at the New York, New York resort and casino.
2. Blue Man Group. I was not a fan of the Blue Man Group until I got free tickets to their show in Vegas. After that, my opinion changed. It was one of the most entertaining shows I’ve seen in Vegas. I took Gary the last time we were there together, and I will probably go back in the future.
3. The Bellagio. The Bellagio is a fabulous resort and casino. If you want to watch the fountain show, you can cross the street and eat dinner outside at the Paris hotel while you’re having dinner. It doesn’t sound that appealing, but trust me, it’s a cool show. You can also get a great view of the show from inside the Bellagio. The Fontana lounge has a balcony overlooking the “lake”. They usually have decent bands playing in the lounge also. It’s a good place to hang out with friends. I like the casino at the Bellagio too. It’s more classy than many of the resorts on the strip.
4. Caesars Palace. What’s a trip to Vegas without a romp through Caesar’s Palace? They have some of the best shops (the Roman Forum) and restaurants (Spago). The pool area is amazing also. If you happen to stay at Vegas, it’s fun to check out the older rooms. Unlike the new towers, these rooms give you the feel of the Vegas of old. They have round beds with mirrors above. There’s also a round spa tub in the middle of the room so you can watch tv while you’re relaxing in the tub (not that I’ve ever done that).
5. New York, New York Roller Coaster. Okay, I’m not a huge fan of roller coasters, so I haven’t gone to the Stratosphere. If you really love amusement rides, go there instead. If you just want to have a fun little ride, then go to the New York.

There are so many things to do in Vegas that it’s tough to narrow it down to only five areas. I have a long list of other recommendations I could make, but then it wouldn’t be a “Top 5″ blog. So, if you want more suggestions, send me a note.

I’d be happy to provide hotel, dinner and other entertainment recommendations if you’re planning a trip in the future.

Check out PHOTOS for the latest “behind the scenes” pictures from Pirates of Patmos.