Leaving on a jet plane...

Greetings readers!

Today is going to be a long day (well, long morning anyways), I'm leaving at 2pm for the airport because - I'm going to Disney World! Seriously! I am! Oakmont is going down to participate in the Magic Music Days program, and since they need staff members to go, I naturally volunteered. I'm excited to go, and relax in some sun and heat. I'm ready to get away from work for a few days, dealing with the stuff here, the craziness of Harry Potter, the Marathon headaches. And of course, seeing Mickey Mouse is always kind of cool too.

Keen readers will notice I mentioned the Marathon above. I'm of course talking about the 2010 Boston Marathon, of which the Museum has 15 charity numbers and, hold onto your butts readers, I'll be running. Yes, you read that right, I'm running the 2010 Boston Marathon. 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Copley Square. With the encouragement and support from family, friends, and co-workers, I've decided to take on the biggest challenge of my life so far. I've run 2 half marathons successfully, and I think those are the building blocks for Boston. I know that a half marathon is completely different than a whole, but I feel that I have the strong base, and Coach Rick has put together an incredible training program that will prepare our entire team to run and successfully finish Boston. Here's where you come in--since I'm running for a chairty, I have a fundraising goal.

In the first year the Museum of Science has charity numbers, all of our funds raised will go towards Traveling Programs, a unique part of Museum outreach. For over 15 Years, Traveling Programs has helped bring science programs to more than 81,000 students annually in schools, community centers, and libraries. These programs provide a special learning opportunity for schools that simply do not have the resources, financial or otherwise, for a field trip to the Museum. Our team fundraising goal for 2010 is $80,000. Monies raised will go towards purchasing a new van and designing new programs to take to schools across New England. It's a lofty goal no doubt, but I'm sure that we can acheive it.

In addition to reading about my progress here on ...this is home..., you can also donate to to the team and help me reach my individual goal of $7,000 by visiting the 2010 Museum of Science team website and clicking on my name to sponsor me. All sponsors will get a shout out here on the blog, as well as a hand written thank you note - hooray! Thanks to my first few donors, my boss Pam, Uncle Paul and Sloanfish!

Also be on the look out for fundraisers during the Winter in the 'burg, Boston and mayhaps Amherst. I'd also like to welcome all the new readers to ...this is home... who are here to track my progress. Mark your calendars, April 19, 2010. Be there.

It sucks to be Tiger Woods these days - it always amazes me when celebs get into trouble like this...do they really think that no one is going to find out? Dennis and Callahan (who I normally disagree with on almost everything) posed an interesting question on the radio this morning, it was something like if you could have an affair that may or may not be discovered for a billion dollars, would you do it? I don't think I would.

Awards season shifts into high gear today - the NBR (that's National Board of Review for those of you not in the know) announces their picks sometime today. They name a Best Picture and then a top 10. Here's how I think it will shake out:

Best Picture
The Hurt Locker

Top 10
(500) Days of Summer
An Education
Inglorious Basterds
Invictus
The Lovely Bones
The Messenger
Nine
Precious
A Single Man
Up in the Air

I think a real wild-card could be The Hangover, they normally nominate a box-office success, and it has a real shot here, I also suspect that it will pop up again in a couple weeks during the Golden Globe noms. Other potentials for their list; Avatar, The Blind Side, District 9, It's Complicated, A Single Man, and Where the Wild Things Are. I'll post their choices later this afternoon.

And finally, the Nine website has the entire soundtrack online. Check out #3, Penelope Cruz sining "A Call from the Vatican"...I almost wet myself. I think I might actually have to go to the movies on Christmas to see this. I don't think I can wait.

My upcoming screening schedule constists of: December 9 - Brothers, December 11 - Up in the Air, December 17 - midnight showing of Avatar and December 25 - Nine and Sherlock Holmes. I need to fit Invictus, The Lovely Bones and maybe It's Complicated (although I hated Nancy Meyers previous effort, Something's Gotta Give) somewhere in there too. And 2 foreign films, Broken Embraces and The White Ribbon will open in Boston sometime in January.

See you all when I get back next week!