Olympic Update - Men's Hockey Final

This afternoon we saw possibly one of the greatest hockey games of our time. I have never seen a level of play this caliber before. Both teams gave it their all and left their hearts on the ice.

It all started with a goal in the first period by Canada. They may have gotten the first goal, but now the question was "how would Team USA respond?"

The answer seemed to be "not very well" when Canada scored again in the second. It appeared that Team USA would be defeated. They had something to say on the matter though. They scored once in the second to bring the score to 2-1. And that wouldn't be the last we heard from them.

Third period. Less than a minute to go. Empty net left by Miller for the extra man. That was when Zack Parise would get his chance to score, tying the game up at 2-2 in the final seconds. It would seem this game wasn't over yet.

The game ended there and went to OT. Crosby would score about five minutes in, winning the game for Canada. Miller (USA's goalie) looked incredibly dejected after the loss, but he should be proud of himself and how well he played throughout the entire tournament. He was named MVP, which I believe he greatly deserves. He made some spectacular saves and really proved to be an extraordinary player.

If we had to lose to someone I'm glad it was Canada and the level of play was as good as we saw. In my mind, neither team really lost, as they showed us what extraordinary players they all are.

At the end of the day the gold medal went to Canada, silver to Team USA, and bronze to Finland (who beat Slovakia by a score of 5-3 yesterday). The overall medal count for Team USA was 9 gold, 15 silver, 13 bronze, for a total of 37 medals. Germany was in second with 30 and Canada was in third with 26 (14 of which were gold). The medals aren't what's really important though. What matters most are the stories that we got to share, and the memories that will stay with us. Whether it's Apolo Ohno's record-breaking performance or the Canadian who skated in memory of her mother who recently passed away or Hannah Kearney's gold medal in Skiing (which admittedly still makes me cry every time I see the replay), these memories will hold more weight than all the medals in the world. These are the moments that make these games truly special.

Memphis Sings the Music of My Soul

I already wrote a review of Memphis when it was in previews, so instead consider this a spotlight on one of it's cast members: Bryan Fenkart.

Bryan is part of the ensemble and understudy to the lead (usually played by Chad Kimball). Last night, Bryan played the lead part for both performances. I was in attendance at the evening show. Everyone in the cast did a fantastic job, no question about it. Montego Glover has a stunning wardrobe and an evening more stunning voice to match. Chad Kimball plays the part of Huey with an energy that grabs you from minute one. And Bryan? He's usually in the ensemble, most likely only noticed by those who are looking for him. That is, until he gets the chance to be a star. Then everyone notices.

It's always different when you know the performer. You want to be objective, but recognize that is almost impossible. So when everyone else in the theater is talking, it tells you that you were right about this one. He really is something special. Bryan did a splendid job taking on the lead last night, pushing the bar higher than ever before. His performance was fantastical. Afterwards, people waited by the stage door for pictures and autographs as if he was a star. Which he was, at least for that night. And I predict his star will keep rising a bit higher yet.

Olympic Update - Men's Hockey Semifinal + Short Track

Today's Olympic action brought us both men's hockey semifinals and the final races in short track for both the men and women.

In short track, Apolo Ohno skated in both the men's 500m and the 5,000m relay. He was disqualified from the 500m for touching another skater, which caused him to go down. Ohno didn't let this setback stop him from scoring a bronze medal win in the relay, however. Canada received both gold and bronze for the 500m and another gold for the relay. On the women's side, the 1,000m saw a silver medal go to American Katherine Reutter. Gold went to Meng Wang of China.

In the first semifinal, Team USA defeated Finland by an impressive score of 6-1. All six of our goals were scored in the first period in the span of 11 minutes, two of which were less than a minute apart from each other. The second semifinal was between Canada and Slovakia. Canada dominated throughout the game, scoring 3 goals in the first two periods and shutting Slovakia out. That was until the third period, when Slovakia started to make a comeback. They scored two goals, making it seem as if they might win in the final minutes. Canada was able to hold them off though, and won the game by a score of 3-2. The gold medal game will be Team USA vs. Canada. The bronze medal will be between Finland and Slovakia. May the best teams win.

The medal count as of now is 8 gold, 13 silver, and 13 bronze, for a total of 34 medals for Team USA. Germany is in second with 27 total while Canada is in third with 21.

More to come tomorrow.

Olympic Update - Women's Hockey Final + Figure Skating (Women's Free Skate)

Tonight's Olympic action brings us the women's hockey final and the women's figure skating free skate.

In women's hockey, the bronze medal game was between Finland and Sweden. Finland took that game by a score of 3-2. The gold medal game was between Canada and Team USA. This was possibly the closest game either team has had all tournament. In the end Canada proved the better team, winning by a score of 2-0.

In figure skating, Canada received a bronze medal with an elegant performance by Joannie Rochette. I spoke before about the support of the crowd after the loss of her mother. This support continued tonight, and, I think, contributed to her win. This will be one of those moments she will never forget. I'm sure it was bittersweet for her, but hopefully she can find some sunshine through the rain. The other medals went to Mao Asada of Japan (silver) and Yu-Na Kim of South Korea (gold). This was not only the first gold medal for South Korea in this event, but the first medal the country has ever received for figure skating.

That's all for tonight, folks. More to come tomorrow.

Johnny Weir Speaks Out

Johnny Weir has responded after comments made questioning his gender and the example he sets for future skaters.

I thought his response showed a lot of class for a number of reasons. First of all, even though he was obviously offended by the comments made, he did not ask for an apology for himself. Rather, he wanted one for others who may have been hurt by these remarks. He also spoke of his belief in free speech, which, in my opinion, is what we call "taking the high road". After all, it is hard to say that someone who speaks ill of us has every right to do so. I am proud of his reaction and think, contrary to belief by some, he has proven himself an excellent role model for future skaters. Bravo!

I end this with one final quote, which Weir shared during the press conference. "Out of ugly I think the most important thing to do in life is to make something beautiful." If the world could follow this same philosophy, oh what a beautiful place that would be.

Neil Patrick Harris and Joss Whedon Both Get Glee-ful

Back in October there were rumblings of Joss Whedon directing an episode of Glee. Now we are also hearing that Neil Patrick Harris is going to be starring in an upcoming episode of the hit show. As many of you know, Neil was the star of Joss Whedon's internet hit "Dr Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog". What are the chances that the episode Whedon is to direct will star his former Doctor Horrible? It would definitely be a huge ratings boost for the show (not that they need it). As of yet this is just speculation on all our parts, but it would be fantastic if it turned out to be true. I guess we'll just have to stay TUNED to find out more.

Olympic Update - Men's Hockey Quarterfinal

The Men's Hockey Quarterfinal has just finished, and boy was it a good one. Both teams remained scoreless through the first two periods. Team USA scored a goal at the end of the second, but it didn't actually cross the goal line until after the horn sounded to mark the end of the period. The third period saw a power play goal by Zach Parise, bringing the score to 1-0. The score would remain that until an empty net goal at the end of the period, also by Parise. Final score: 2-0. I good day for Team USA. We will play either Finland or Czech Republic in the Semifinal.

More Olympic action to come tonight.

All Points West's Future In Question

We have been hearing the rumblings of partial line-ups for a number of summer festivals recently, but one such festival remains conspicuous in their absence: All Points West. The NY Times (among other music news sources) have reported that the outlook for the festival remains in question. It was noted that most festivals rely on a big name headliner, and the fact that APW has not announced such an act as of yet means it is very likely the event will not take place this year. APW has not had an easy time since it's conception two years ago. In 2008 there were complaints about the ferry service between NJ and Manhattan, and last year they were plagued with heavy rain. I myself was deterred from making an appearance last year because of the torrential rain that hit the area. It would seem that APW has a rain cloud hanging over it that it can't seem to shake.

Olympic Update - Figure Skating (Women's Short Program)

The highlight for tonight's Olympic action was the women's short program for figure skating. Especially worth note are two skaters who performed towards the end of the night. The first is a Canadian skater, Joannie Rochette. Even though she found out her mother died on Sunday, she still showed up for practice and performed her short program tonight. The crowd was inspirational, cheering her on every step of the way. I found myself routing for her over the American skaters even. She finished third tonight, giving her a good chance at a medal.

The other spotlight for tonight shines on the 17-year-old American skater, Rachael Flatt. As I watched her perform her short program I couldn't help but think "17 and full of spunk". Her program was both sassy and fun, proving she is someone the other skaters should watch out for. She finished fifth tonight, making her far from out of the race for a medal.

The top three skaters at the end of the night were Yu-Na Kim of South Korea, Mao Asada of Japan, and Rochette.

The total medal count at this point is 7 gold, 9 silver, and 10 bronze for a total of 26 medals for Team USA.

More to come tomorrow.

Player nominations announced for World Cup

The nominations for the World Cup have been announced as well as when and where each match is scheduled. Team USA is set to play Serbia March 5-7. The players for USA are John Isner, Sam Querrey, Mike Bryan, Bob Bryan. The captain of the team is Patrick McEnroe. The Serbian team includes Novak Djokovic, Viktor Troicki, Janko Tipsarevic, Nenad Zimonjic. The captain of their team is Bogdan Obradovic. The matches will be held at Belgrade Arena in Serbia. More information will be posted here as it is made available.

Olympic Update - Women's Hockey + Figure Skating

Tonight's Olympic action brought us the women's hockey semifinal and the free skate for ice dancing.

In women's hockey, Team USA beat Sweden in their semifinal by a score of 9-1. The other semifinal, Canada vs. Finland, had Canada win by a score of 5-0. USA and Canada will meet in the final on Thursday.

In ice dancing, the final component (the free skate) was performed by all teams. The gold medal went to Virtue and Moir of Canada. The silver went to Davis and White of USA. The bronze went to Domnina and Shabalin of Russia. Another American team, Belbin and Agosto, just missed the podium at fourth place.

The total medal count at the end of the day was as follows: 7 gold, 8 silver, and 10 bronze, for a total of 25 medals for Team USA.

More to come tomorrow.

Olympic Update - Speed Skating (women's 1500m) + Hockey + Figure Skating

Tonight's Olympic action brought us women's speed skating and the original dance for ice dancing. In the women's 1500m for speed skating, gold went to Ireen Wust of the Netherlands, silver to Kristina Groves of Canada, and bronze to Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic.

The standings for ice dancing at the end of the night are as follows: in first place is Virtue and Moir of Canada, in second place is Davis and White of USA, and in third place is Domnina and Shabalin of Russia. Another American pair, Belbin and Agosto came in fourth. The medals will be decided with the free dance tomorrow.

The big story for tonight, however, was the American hockey team's upset over Canada. Both teams played exceptionally well, but at the end of the night Team USA came out on top by a final score of 5-3. An impressive victory that guaranteed them a medal in this tournament.

The total medal count as of now is as follows: 7 gold, 7 silver, and 10 bronze, for a total of 24 medals for Team USA.

More to come tomorrow.

Olympic Update - Speed Skating

Tonight's Olympic action brought us races in speed skating for both the men and women. The men's 1500m saw Shani Davis win a silver medal for Team USA. Gold went to Mark Tuitert of the Netherlands and bronze went to Havard Bokko of Norway.

The men's 1,000m short track race gave Apolo Ohno his record-breaking 7th Olympic medal, surpassing Bonnie Blair's record of 6 medals total. Ohno received a bronze medal in this event. Gold and silver both went to members from the South Korean team.

In the women's 1500m short track race, Yang Zhou of China won gold while silver and bronze both went to members of the South Korean team. Looks like South Korea has a lot to celebrate after tonight.

The final medal count for Team USA at the end of the day was as follows: 6 gold, 7 silver, and 10 bronze, for a total of 23 medals so far. More to come tomorrow.

Fooling April set to drive down Abbey Road

Fooling April, a band based in Philadelphia, are planning on doing a tribute to the Beatles by performing Abbey Road. The event will take place none other than on APril 1st - April Fool's Day. This performance is no joke though. The band plans to do this up right. The event will be held at World Cafe Live (3025 WALNUT ST. PHILA, PA). A portion of the proceeds will go towards Musicians on Call. So come out and hear some great tunes while supporting a good cause.

Saturn Shines on Moonlight

The Academy of Science Fiction and Horror Films' 35th Annual Saturn Awards have shined some light on a few of my favorites in the genre. The happiest little surprise for me was giving "Moonlight" Best Series on DVD. This show only lasted a year, but what we got of it was pretty darn good, if you ask me. I own the DVD set in question and can agree with the award choice. It is a great collection to spend a weekend with. Congrats to Moonlight on this win.

Olympic Update - Alpine Skiing + Ice Dancing

Tonight's Olympic action brought us the Men's Super G and the compulsory portion of ice dancing. In the Men's Super G, Team USA brought home two medals. Bode Miller won a silver medal and Andrew Weibrecht won the bronze. The gold went to Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway.

The top three at the end of the first part of ice dancing were Domnina and Shabalin of Russia, Virtue and Moir of Canada, and Davis and White of America. Another American pair, Belbin and Agosto, came close at fourth place. There is still the original dance and free skate to go before the medals are awarded.

The final medal count was as follows: 6 gold, 6 silver, and 8 bronze, for a total of 20 medals for Team USA. Great Britain got its first gold medal today for the women's skeleton competition. It is their only medal in these Olympics thus far.

More to come tomorrow.

Alex Band - Tonight

Alex Band (from The Calling) has been doing his solo thing for a bit now. Here is a look at his new video:

Comment here or visit his website (or both).

Olympic Update - Figure Skating (Men's Free Skate)

The highlight for tonight in Olympic news includes three more medals for Team USA. The first two went to Hannah Teter and Kelly Clark, who got Silver and Bronze respectively for Women's Halfpipe. The gold went to Torah Bright of Australia. Also tonight was the men's free skate, where Evan Lysacek, the reining world champion, took gold. The world champ traditionally does win gold at the Olympics, and this was no exception. Silver went to Yevgeny Plushenko of Russia and bronze went to Daisuke Takahashi of Japan. The only thing I was unhappy about with the free skate results was that Johnny Weir was placed 6th, even though I thought he had an outstanding program and deserved at least a bronze medal. I believe, and NBC commentators agreed, that he was underscored. At the end of the day the total medal count was 17: 5 gold, 5 silver, and 7 bronze. The next highest after the U.S. is Germany with 11. More to come tomorrow.

EvelynEvelyn Controversy

There has been a lot of backlash in regards to Amanda Palmer's new project: Evelyn Evelyn. Personally I think people take offense by her way too easily, but Amanda seems to like the discussion that has spawned from it (which is something I have always really respected her for). She has written a response to all the commentary on the whole "Evelyn" thing, but I especially like this part here:

as far as people hurling the criticism that i am “hiding behind my art”….(this one has come up several times)

here’s what i consider hiding: producing inoffensive, corporate-penned, vanilla-bean love-story family-friendly made-for-mainstream-radio music that won’t offend a single person. and won’t make anybody laugh, won’t make anybody think, won’t make anybody wonder, won’t make anybody talk, and won’t change anybody’s life.

THAT, my friends, is hiding behind art.

My response, "Right on, girl!" People nowadays seem afraid to take chances. Some of that is a survival thing, which is fine. I get it, everyone's gotta eat, right? Some of it is being afraid to offend anyone or be controversial though, and that, in my opinion, is a shame. I'm not saying you should be controversial for the sake of it, but for the love of God (or whatever deity you believe in) please please please get involved in the conversation. I don't care what it is, just get passionate about something. Create some art, not because it will please everyone, but because it pleases you. And if it offends some people that's ok. Maybe that means it was worth it. Because it got people thinking. And thinking is good. We should do it more often. Who knows, the world might be a better place for it.

This is getting way off course so I'm just gonna end it by saying that whether you love her or hate her, Amanda got you thinking. More than that, she got you talking. That makes her a good thing, in my book. Keep doing what you do, and love the haters. (It's what Amanda would want).

Olympic Update - Snowboarding (Halfpipe)

Today was a good day for the USA Olympic Team in Vancouver. Lindsay Vonn won gold for Alpine Skiing while Julia Mancuso took silver. In speed skating, Shani Davis took gold for the men's 1,000M while Chad Hedrick took bronze. The short track relay semifinals were also today, with Korea, USA, France, China, and Canada making it to the finals. And finally, snowboarding men's halfpipe was today, with Shaun White taking gold (his second, having also won gold in Torino) and Scotty Lago taking bronze. Overall, a good day for Team USA. The final medal count at the end of the day was 14: 5 gold, 3 silver, 6 bronze, putting us back in first place for total medals. Germany is a close second with 10 total. More to come tomorrow.

Steven Tyler Not Leaving Aerosmith

Remember Steven Tyler saying he is Aerosmith? Well apparently the band agrees. It has been announced that not only will Tyler not be leaving the band, but he will be joining them for two headlining gigs at the Sweden Rock Festival and UK Download Festival. This is good news for fans who were scared they may be seeing an end to a Tyler-fronted band. It's good to see that the issue was resolved quickly and with seemingly not too much mess. It would have been a shame to see the band end with a dispute between its members. Hopefully Tyler will continue with the band past these two events.

Olympic Update - Figure Skating (Men's Short Program)

Tonight's Olympic action brought us the men's short program for figure skating. Overall the performances were much better than the pairs from the previous night, in my opinion. There were a few falls by some of the skaters, but mostly it was consistently good skating all the way. My top moments came from two of the Americans. The first was Johnny Weir, who didn't score very well but showed a lot of spunk and won over my heart as he danced and strutted across the ice. The second was Jeremy Abbott skating to "A Day In The Life" by the Beatles. He also didn't score that well but put on a good show all the same. The top three skaters at the end of the short program were Plushenko of Russia, Lysacek of America, and Takahashi of Japan. We will have to wait to see who gets the gold. The final medal count for Team USA at the end of the day was 8: 2 gold, 2 silver, and 4 bronze, putting us in second place for the total medal count. Germany has the most medals now with 9: 3 gold, 4 silver, and 2 bronze. More to come tomorrow.

Green Day + Soundgarden to headline Lollapalooza

The full line-up isn't official yet, but we are starting to get news of some artists who will be at this year's Lollapalooza. Headliners include Green Day and the newly reformed Soundgarden. This will be the band's first performance since their split 12 years ago.

Excited about their reunion and/or this year's festivals? I know this news had me planning my trip to Chicago.

Olympic Update - Figure Skating (Pairs) + Snowboarding

Today's Olympic action included another gold medal for Team USA and some intense snowboarding action. Two Americans made it to the finals in Snowboard Cross: Seth Wescott and Nate Holland. Wescott was able to overtake the other three competitors for Team USA's second Olympic gold medal. Also tonight was the end of the figure skating pairs competition. The top two pairs in this event were both from China, and both had an impressive display to offer. There was also supposed to be speed skating tonight but it was delayed due to unsafe conditions with the ice. At the end of the day the total medal count for Team USA was 8, including 2 gold medals, 2 silver, and 4 bronze. More Olympic action continues tomorrow with figure skating singles short program and the speed skating race that was delayed from tonight.

Olympic Update - Freestyle Skiing

The 2010 Winter Olympics began yesterday in Vancouver. The USA team had a good start with four medals, including the first which went to Hannah Kearny in the Women's Moguls. See her impressive run in this video provided by NBC. The men's team got bronze in the same event. The gold went to Canadian Alexandre Bilodeau, giving Canada it's first gold medal at home.

Other notable events from this weekend's Olympic action include the surprise wipeout by the Korean team members during the short track race, giving Apollo Ohno a chance for the silver medal in the event. And in women's hockey the women's team annihilated China today with a final score of 12-1. The USA currently has 6 medals total, putting them in first place with many more chances ahead in the next two weeks to increase that lead.

Things to do if you don't celebrate Valentine's Day

For a lot of reasons that make me seem more bitter than I really am, I don't celebrate Valentine's Day. Just because you don't have a Valentine this year doesn't mean you have to sit in a dark room and mope though. Here are some possible things to do this Valentine's Day that don't involve crying into your popcorn during that cheesy romance flick.

1) Anti Valentine's Day party - Get some friends together, throw on some great dance beats, and party it up with the people who matter most. Any excuse to have a party is good in my book, and I have definitely had them with less reason. Theme should involve any color but red (maybe make it rainbow colored so you don't discriminate). For food options it really depends on the crowd. Personally I am liking the idea of pizza and buffalo wings. Maybe some chips and dip as well. Just whatever you and your friends will enjoy the most. Make it a celebration of life!

2) Go to a concert - There are plenty of shows you could go to on any given day, and I am sure Valentine's Day is no exception to this. Grab a mate and go rock out to some good tunes.

3) Another music option is go clubbing with a friend. Or hit the bar scene with them. Or both. Maybe you will get lucky and find your Valentine for next year...

4) If you don't feel like going out or making huge plans then staying in is an option too. Plan a movie night with your friends or roommate. With the Oscars coming up you could use the time to get acquainted with the nominees for this year. Personally, I will be watching District 9, since I missed it when it was in theaters.

5) If you would rather be alone then that is fine too. Or maybe you just can't find anyone else to hang with. Whatever the reason, there is still plenty you could do. Curl up with a good book and catch up on some reading. Or if you're more of a gamer then there are plenty of games you could occupy your time with today. Whatever your interest, there is plenty to keep you from hiding under the covers today. So go out there and enjoy your day!

Ah the Power of Twitter

I'm sure I've mentioned my love for Twitter before (possibly not on this blog though) but for those who may have missed it I'll catch you up...

I love Twitter.

A lot.

I love how it helps spread news and makes connections that wouldn't have been possible without it.

I love when my favorite band or musical artist posts behind the scenes photos or information for secret shows in my area. (I actually scored two guest list spots to one such show Jukebox the Ghost had recently in NYC).

So yeah, I love Twitter.

Why mention this now though? I mean, Twitter has been prominent in the media for awhile.

The answer to this involves a story from my day. A friend and I had been planning to see our other friend Bryan Fenkart play at D-Lounge in NYC. It was going to be a late show so we weren't planning on meeting up until around 10pm. Late this afternoon I checked my Twitter feed to see this message from @Steinway7

Won't be performing at the D-Lounge tonight. I'm sick. Sorry everyone!

While I was sorry to hear Bryan wasn't feeling well and would have to cancel the show, I also couldn't help but be impressed, yet again, with the information highway that is Twitter. True, I probably would have heard the news from my friend eventually, but not everyone would have been as lucky. I doubt Bryan had the ability or inclination to contact all his friends and fans individually to let them know about this cancellation. Twitter gave him the perfect outlet to get the word out in a quick and efficient manner.

And that is just one more reason why I love Twitter.

Steven Tyler is Aerosmith

With Steven Tyler in rehab, there has been talk of Aerosmith replacing him as lead singer so that they can continue with their plans of a tour and new album. There are a number of reasons why this is a bad idea, but number one on my list is that Tyler is Aerosmith. It would be like replacing Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones or Brian Johnson from AC/DC. It is the unique qualities the lead singer has to offer that make the band as famous as they are. I doubt fans would appreciate the band trying to replace the singer after 40 years. The band says they want to celebrate their 40th anniversary and that is part of the reason for the change. I understand this is a time sensitive issue, but replacing the person who made you famous to celebrate an anniversary makes no sense. Tyler has threatened legal action if they continue with this. Hopefully it doesn't come to that, or this band will be celebrating their break-up instead of what really matters most: the music they have contributed (and hopefully will continue to contribute) to the world.

Kings of Leon and Green Day Highlight This Year's Grammys

In a world where Top 40 radio seems to be somewhat less relevant than it was before (at least in my opinion) the Grammy Awards provided me with one or two pleasant surprises. The biggest and best of these was Kings of Leon taking Record of the Year over Beyonce, Black-Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift. This was an extremely competitive category this year, with Kings of Leon looking like they would be the odd man out. It honestly renewed some of my faith in the music industry to see Kings of Leon win this award. This isn't to say the other nominees weren't deserving. I simply mean that the music industry seems to have turned it's back on rock music for the most part in recent years. Since this is primarily what I listen to, it has been hard to find anything on the radio that interests me. Speaking of rock music, Kings of Leon also took Best Rock Performance by a duo or group and Best Rock Song. They were nominated for Song of the Year but lost to "Single Ladies" by Beyonce. Green Day was another well-representied rock group this year, as they were nominated for three awards. Two of these were lost to Kings of Leon, but they did manage to take Rock Album of the Year, which I believe was very much deserved. 21st Century Breakdown was possibly one of the Best Albums of the Year, not just in rock but overall. Green Day was also one of the featured performers for this year's Grammys, appearing with the cast of American Idiot to perform "21 Guns". Other notable performances were given by Bon Jovi performing three of his hits, including one that was voted on by the fans. Out of three choices "Livin on a Prayer" won the most votes and was played as the end of his mini set. Overall the awards were too long (3.5 hours is a little much) but there were a few good moments that made it somewhat worthwhile.