"Sean's Space" in a new place

If you've clicked this Web address and haven't seen any new content in almost two months, there's a reason...

For reasons out of my control, I (and my fellow Poughkeepsie Journal bloggers) have had to move over to a new publishing application. With the switch, the individuality of the "Sean's Space" design and ease of use on my end have unfortunately been limited.

It's still the same "Sean's Space" content you've come to know and (hopefully) love, just at a new Web address and without most of the secondary fun (i.e.: title banner, widgets, videos, polls, etc.) of the old blog. I hope you'll head over here anyway.

Yanks take up a Beautiful cause

The defending World Series champs will bring a little HOPE to an Orange County group after tomorrow's game.
As part of the New York Yankees' HOPE Week, the Yanks' players, coaches and staff will play baseball with kids from Beautiful People, a Warwick-based group that works with children with physical and developmental challenges.

Last year, the Bronx Bombers similarly helped make dreams come true for campers from Camp Sundown, located in nearby Craryville.

The Force was with Mickey & Co.

This shot, taken this past weekend, might be the most amazing photograph ever snapped! For this one picture captures in one spot two of my biggest loves in life: "Star Wars" and Walt Disney World. (If the backdrop inside Disney's Hollywood Studios looks familiar, click here and you'll see why.)

Yes, that is George Lucas, creator of the "Star Wars" saga, and R2-D2 posing alongside the Disney gang, draped out in "Star Wars" garb. Over the weekend, Jedi fans and Sith supporters alike converged on Orlando for "Star Wars" Celebration V, an annual convention for everything Lucas-like. From exhibits, autograph signings and entertainment, among other attractions, the annual Celebration gatherings offer geeks fans like me everything they could ask for. Think of it like "Star Wars" Weekends under one roof. Though I've always steered clear of comic-book conventions (although I do enjoy the occasional baseball card show), I would love — l-o-v-e — it if New York ever hosted a similar Celebration.

Anyway ... Lucas made his way to the aforementioned (and nearby) Disney's Hollywood Studios for a few photographs, including the above shot which has now overtaken this shot of Lucas as my favorite of all-time.

"Judge Judy" rules, case closed!

This is a shameless plug, I admit, but please indulge me for a few seconds...
Just in case you missed this past Sunday's "Our Turn" column, I highly recommend it. Sure, I wrote it, but more importantly, it's about one of my favorite celebrities: Judge Judy, seen here.

Afternoons from 4 to 5 p.m., her honor is appointment television at my house, as I often DVR her show and watch it later at night after work.

More than just another court show, "Judge Judy" is about common sense ... or more precisely, people who don't have it! Between some of the nonsensical cases that are brought before her to the way some litigants act in front of the judge, many times I finish watching the show thinking, Is this where we're headed? Are there really people like that out there?! Not only that, while Judge Judy might be harsh at times, she's always right! If you're an idiot in front of her 10 million daily viewers, she's going to let you know it. In four words: I love Judge Judy.

So, go ahead, check out my column but more importantly, watch her show!

It was a Steve Carrell weekend!

Having already proclaimed my affinity for "The Office," I spent a recent weekend giving one of the show's stars some of my money. Within a 48-hour span two weeks ago, I took in a pair of Steve Carrell's summer films, spanning the best and not-so-best he's got to offer.

The first was "Despicable Me," which had some good moments but kind of left me asking, Why did they make this movie? There was nothing really special about it, though the three little girls — Margo, Edith and Agnes — were totally adorable ... yes, even as CGI characters. Still, the story was sort of lacking and there was really nothing so special that, in my opinion, would have made studio heads say, "We need to make this movie!" Additionally, Steve Carrell's character could have been voiced just as well by any number of actors; there was nothing particularly good (or bad, to be fair) about his performance. I'd give the movie a solid C grade.

But what a difference just 24 hours can make!

The following night, we took in the opening night of "Dinner for Schmucks," which is easily Steve Carrell's best work since "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" back in 2005. I don't even know where to begin: Perhaps that we laughed from the opening credits all the way to the end credits! From rodent taxidermy to supposed mind control, this movie has everything. I was expecting the actual dinner, which is touted in the title, to take up the majority of the screen time, but it's actually a small portion of the movie at the end, but it's totally worth the wait. By far, this was the funniest movie I've seen all year — partially because I actually know someone eerily similar to Steve Carrell's Barry Speck character — and easily earns an A+ in my book.

Of course, these flicks just make me want the new season of "The Office," Steve Carrell's last on the show, to get here sooner!

Two "30 Rock"s down, two to go...

It happened at 1:19 this morning, but I finished watching the second season of "30 Rock."

It took just over a month since I after I finished watching the first season of the NBC hit show for me to complete Season 2. And let me tell you: The show gets better and better. In fact, it makes me regret not watching these earlier episodes the first time they were on the air. In my defense, though, you might remember when "30 Rock" debuted on NBC, a show with a similar premise, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," debuted on CBS. I remember trying to watch the latter once or twice when it came out, but it was just a horrible show. Hence, painting with a broad stroke, I lumped "30 Rock" along with the CBS flop and simply dismissed it. Big mistake! Now, I'm paying for that gaffe, as I try to catch up on the first four seasons I've missed before the fifth season starts on Sept. 23rd.

Here's the problem: It's taken me roughly a month each to get through the first two seasons. I'll have to double up my efforts, likely watching two or even three episodes per viewing to catch up before Season 5 begins.

Once more, wish me luck...

And now a word from our sponsor...

This is now my new favorite TV commercial of all-time:

Long a fan of Geico's TV ads, I sang the praises of their cavemen back in 2007 as one of my very first posts here on "Sean's Space." This lil' piggy, though, makes me literally laugh out loud every time I see him!

Maybe it's a nod to my love of animals, that Geico piggy commercial replaces my old favorite TV commercial of all-time, seen here:

Seriously, as if this lil' "pooper" wasn't cute enough, just listen to what he's saying about his dog food — and look at how proud he looks! — and try to tell me this isn't one of the best ads ever.