Best of 2010 - 25-21

25. Yeasayer – Odd Blood
Experimental music done with soul, these guys craft some of the strangest, yet affective, melodies around. Normally, when you describe music as “experimental” or “risky” it’s synonymous with “imprenatrable” and that isn’t any fun. Yeasayer can move your heart and mind. It's the sound of creativity let loose. It'll be interesting to see if these guys can maintain or if they lose sight eventually.
Nugget: “Madder Red”


24. UB40 – Labour of Love IV
After over 30 years of churning out nearly the same pseudo-reggae vibe over and over again, UB40 remain one of those welcome constants in life. They never change, they always sound good, and it always feels right. Sometimes, change is overrated. Plus, they don’t sound any different with new lead singer Duncan Campbell (brother of former lead singer Ali). Do they ever sound any different? Nope. And that's goooood.
Nugget: “Bring It On Home To Me”

23. Manic Street Preachers – Postcards From A Young Man
These guys bring a level of melodic ferocity that’s unique compared to the younger practitioners of power-pop that are out there. It’s more lived-in. Earned. Considering what they’ve been through and how long they’ve been at it, they deserve respect as the elderstatesmen that they are. Politics + Pop + Power Chords = Perfection. Why are the Brits so much better at this than we are?
Nugget: "Some Kind of Nothingness"

22. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Nobody makes entire albums like Kanye. Love him or hate him, the man IS the genius he claims to be. Fantasy has topped most music critic’s Best of 2010 list, but I don’t love it as much as Late Registration. For all the creativity (and it’s massive), there are fewer hooks and singles. Still, Kanye’s music is more like wild slabs of colorful paint on a canvass than any other artist out there. Those itching to crucify him will have to keep waiting.
Nugget: "POWER"

21. Court Yard Hounds – ST
Having never listened to or paid much attention to the Dixie Chicks, I don’t know how closely related the two bands are, since CYH are basically 2/3s of them. If the Chicks’ output is as beautifully sunny as the Hounds, then I’ve been missing out. Every track sounds like singer-songwriter folk rock of the 70s that was written and recorded in the gorgeous hills of Laurel Canyon. You know that pap Sheryl Crow keeps trying to sell you? Buy a better version here.
Nugget: "Ain’t No Son"

Sundance: Day 3

"The Son of No One" was another complete waste of time and yet it was the one with all the stars! You got Al Pacino, Ray Liotta, Channing Tatum, Katie Holmes, Tracey Morgan, and yet it's total garbage. I should have known this because it was directed by the guy that did "A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints" another Sundance hit that I saw and hated passionately. This guy's style is lots of brooding and insular tension with a completely overwrought score. Lots of scenes of actors looking glum and intense. Hate that.

And, it had my biggest pet peeve in movies, that thing where if the main character just talked about the problem or told his secret, there would be no point to the movie. Like "I'm going to get close to this person for an article I'm writing on love and then not tell them until I do fall in love with them and they hate me because I kept it from them and they feel our relationship is a fraud and based on inorganic motivation". Whatever. I hate that so much. In this case, Channing Tatum grows up in the projects and accidentally kills a couple of druggies, but Al Pacino lets him get away with it because he was partners with his dad and that's what cop friends do for each other. So, he grows up and decides at the age of 30 to be what? A COP! Of course! But, someone knows his secret and begins leaking it to the paper and the police and it ruins Channing's life and marriage because, of course he's never told his wife, Katie Holmes, any of this. Anyway, the ending is just as stupid as the whole rest of the movie and no one acts or behaves in a way that makes any sense at all. This movie comes out later this year, so maybe you'll see for yourselves. Score: 1

By this point, I'm getting pretty frustrated. Too many disappointing movies in a row is a drag, especially in one 24 hour span. I need some good news and I need it now before I go postal on one of these lame ass directors. And, just like that, it came!

The movie I had wanted to see more than any other was a documentary on A Tribe Called Quest by actor Michael Rapaport called “Beats, Rhymes, and Life”, but all shows were completely sold out. We had a few hours to kill and a lot of movies we’d like to see all starting at around the same time, which meant going all in on the one we stood the best chance of getting into and wait in line. If we didn’t get in we had two hours to waste until the next round (and it meant not getting into anything else we may have wanted). We decided to go with Tribe and take our chances and the bet paid off. We were the last group allowed in and got to meet Michael and shake his hand, our first star sighting. He was very nice and appreciative, humble and funny.

The movie was your basic Behind the Music episode, which is fine for me since I’m a sucker for that. I love that band and I loved getting to know them better. Taken all together, however, it made for the highlight of the trip and epitomized exactly what you want from a Sundance experience. Seeing stars who are cool and nice, seeing a movie you’re dying to see that is a hot ticket, and taking a bit of a risk to make it all happen. Perfect. As a cherry on top, before we left the screening, I spotted TJ Miller, who is an up and coming actor/comedian from films like “She’s Out Of My League” and “Gulliver’s Travels”. He walked by and I grabbed his shoulder and said “you’re hilarious”. He introduced himself by saying “Hi, I’m TJ” to which I replied “I know” and then thanked me very emphatically and then said hi to Farrah. Again, just what it’s all about. Score: 8

From here it was back to Flippin’ Burgers for some amazing chili cheese fries (Farrah couldn’t get enough) and a little down time with the Tippets before closing out the night with two more shows.

First up was a British film we had very low expectations for called “Perfect Sense”. The description didn’t sound like our thing, but it had Ewan McGregor and Eva Green and sometimes, after a while, you just want to see something with people you recognize. Good thing we did. It was an extremely unique spin on a disaster/virus movie where people all over the world suddenly get very depressed, then lose their senses one by one. Ewan is a chef and Eva is a doctor who meet when it's just starting and come together as the virus slowly takes hold and it all makes for one of the most human, sexy, inventive and captivating movie experiences I’ve had in a while. A lot of that is due to my low expectations and general disinterest in this kind of subject matter. But, it showed me that you can’t underestimate the visceral power of beautiful actors and a unique idea. It’s gold. If/when this comes out be sure to track it down. A hidden gem. Score: 8.5.

A quick note about seeing stars. In the crowds of people that show up for these movies, you’d swear half of them are small character actors. It’s like looking through dense fog at people you may or may not have gone to junior high with. Every now and then you see a face and think “in a different context that may have been that one person from that one show”.

Our last tickets of the festival were for whatever film won the best documentary prize. Last year it ended up being “Restrepo” which was just nominated for an Oscar. There were many in the running that we really wanted to see, especially one about the guy behind Elmo. We were bummed when the winner was announced to be “How To Die In Oregon” about people who take advantage of the physician-assisted suicide that is allowed in the state, one of the ones we were not jonesing for. However, it ended up being extremely heartfelt and involving. One of the primary participants is a sweet lady named Cody Curtis, a 50 something year old mother of two who has stomach cancer. We follow her for about a year as she prepares to die, says goodbye to friends, gives her belongings away, and even lives longer than she was initially told she would which causes some consternation over whether to go through with the suicide or when. You come away feeling very blessed that you got to get to know this amazing woman during her last days on earth and feel of her love and spirit.

I have issues with documentaries that don’t adequately or fairly show the opposing view of whatever the topic is. Interestingly, the director of “Oregon” didn’t even bother to tell both sides of the issue. It’s pretty fluffy overall and would probably be a big hit on Lifetime at some point. But, I didn’t care. I was pretty overwhelmed by it all (not to mention I completely agree that people should be allowed to have these suicides if they want to). I’m glad I saw it. Score: 8

So, that’s it. Another successful trip to Sundance. We plan to make this an annual event, as long as family or friends are able to watch the kids, which we’re so grateful for and couldn’t do it without. It’s truly an experience any film lover should take part of at some point in their lives. And, now that we’ve turned on the Tippets, we’re hoping we can add a friend or two each year. Makes it that much sweeter.

Sundance: Day 2

Friday and Saturday ended up being 14 hour marathons of movie indulgence with several highs and lows along the way.


We kicked off Friday morning with Joe and Leslie at an early morning showing of "A Family Portrait in Black and White" which is the story of a Ukrainian woman named Olga that raises orphans, especially colored and mulatto children that society has completely rejected. The first half practically builds a case for Olga to receive sainthood with the life and love she provides to these unloved and unwanted children (27 of them in all in a house with no toilet or hot water).



However, as the story continues along, you see moments where Olga is actually sort of suffocating these children and thwarting their progress. She won't allow most of them to attend schools that are away and would help them get a good education. The kids all have foster families they visit in the summer, many of whom would like to adopt them, but she won't allow it until the kids are 18, even though these families could provide a much better home for them. So, it's all a big dichotomy - what she offers is certainly better than what an orphanage would provide, but she stubbornly stunts their growth in the process. In her words "birds may fly away, but a bird only has one nest".


The film was fascinating and heartfelt, if slightly formless. Many scenes could have been cut easily. Also, all the filming took place during the summers, which is fine except that it would have been interesting to see how everyone endures a Russian winter in a house with no hot water. Still, well worth seeing. Score: 8


Next up was the movie I was most looking forward to of the whole festival- "Black Power Mixtape". It's a Swedish documentary on the Black Power movement covering the years 1967 - 1975. This is a topic I've found fascinating for years and have always watched anything I could get my hands on. Well, this was a slight disappointment.



First of all, I should have been tipped off more that the film is Swedish. Not that it matters too much, after all Swedes can tell the Black Panther story too, but it felt more like some footage that had been laying around and turning it into a film gave it a reason to exist. It's basically a composite of news reports filed by Swedish journalists reporting back on the American equal rights situation. That's fine, it just amounted to an ultimately serviceable, but not crucial, telling of the Black America story. A unique trick they used that I wasn't a big fan of, was having modern day commentators like Angela Davis, Talib Kweli, and Melvin Van Peeples talk over parts as if it was a DVD commentary. Nice idea, but I'd probably rather see these people's faces as they told the story. Maybe that's nitpicking. Overall, it was fine, but not essential. Score: 5.5


From here we went to another drama called "Benevidas Born". It's the story of a high school female power lifter in a largely Hispanic Texas town who is trying to find a way out, not just out of town, but out of her culture and the life she knows.



A film about a female power lifter sounded fascinating to me and it was, despite the very amateurish acting and film making, for the first 30 minutes or so when that was the focus. All of a sudden the film begins taking turns and the lead begins down a path of self-destruction that seems so foreign to the premise and character we were investing in. She goes from pursuing her goal to taking steroids, quitting the sport, starting a fire and going to jail, transporting illegal aliens, and pushing her boyfriend and family away. It just didn't ring true. It was like the filmmakers wanted to throw in any obstacle a poor Hispanic family would come up against and throw them all at this girl. I didn't buy it. Score: 4


We saw this with Joe and Leslie too and afterwards we went to Flippin' Burgers for some dinner and to meet up with Jon and Natalia Anderson, our good friends from our ward that moved to Park City last year so Jon could go to work for Skull Candy. It was so good to catch up with them again. It doesn't hurt that Jon has a cool job and brought some schwag for us, including some sweet headphones at a discount, some cds, stickers, and hats. Love those guys.


The last movie of the day was another I had high hopes for called "Knuckle". It's an Irish documentary about some interrelated Traveler families (think Gypsies) that have been in a heated battled since a fight broke out at a wedding in '92 and someone died. Since then, every few months a member of one clan will challenge someone from another clan to a bare knuckle fight for a purse of money. The winner basically claims bragging rights, but since these fights just keep going and going and younger generations have begun to adopt them, there isn't an end in sight. In fact, they've become a tradition and part of their new heritage.


All very cool, right? You'd think. As cool as the fight scenes were, there was almost no sense of narrative. The director had been following them for 12 years, but never really tells a story. It just goes from one fight to another. The Q&A afterwards was way more informative than the film itself. For instance, he starts out by saying "I assumed when I made this that everyone would know what Travelers are, but I'm learning no one does. So, let me explain..." No kidding! It didn't occur to him to explain that? Another example - two guys fight and the younger, fitter guy breaks the rules and bites the other guy several times so the fight is called. They do a rematch nine years later and in the Q&A, the director explains that the one guy had been embarrassed for the biting and been living in regret ever since. Don't you think that's exactly what an audience would like to know so they can add some context to these fights? Overall, a real missed opportunity. The fights are cool to watch, but there's nothing else there. Score: 4


We finally get home Friday night around midnight and have to be up by 6:30 Saturday morning to get to our first movie, "The Son of No One". I mention this because it's what these trips are really like. A few hours of sleep and then a movie marathon, eating when/if there's time, and then back to bed for a bit to do it all over again the next day. Can't be beat!

Also, notice I've yet to mention any star sightings. That's because there haven't been any. Kinda disappointing.

Sundance: Day 1

Sundance 2011 kicked off in the worst possible way - with one of the most skin-crawlingly bad movies I've ever seen. "I Melt With You" stars Rob Lowe, Thomas Jane and Jeremy Piven as three of four best friends that reunite every year to relive the glory days of college. It turns into a week of complete debauchery - drugs, sex, etc - as they escape the inert disappointment of their normal everyday lives. On this particular trip, it comes out that 25 years ago they had made a blood vow that if they ever lost the plot on what life was really about, they would all commit suicide. So, one by one, each one offs himself as a means to escape the ruin their lives had become. A promising cast, a perfect soundtrack of 80s post-punk classics, and a potentially relatable premise of middle-age ennui doesn't do a bit of good from stopping me to, literally (and I can't stress that enough), hate every single second of it. It's over-long. It's over-acted. It's over-dramatic. It's ugly and vile and loud. I don't remember the last time I had this sickening a reaction to a film. You know it's bad when the only person affiliated with the film who's available for the Q&A afterwards is a girl who was the 6th lead. Score: 0

To make matters worse, we attended this film with our good friends, Joe and Leslie Tippetts. Now, we didn't drag them to this or talk them into it, but listening to obscene sex convos with your good church friends sitting in the next seats makes the whole thing even more painful. It nearly soured me on even being here and I began to wonder if the positive energy of the past was lost, like the innocence of the men in the movie we'd just seen. Luckily, everything went back to normal soon.

From there we went to a documentary about 9/11 called "Rebirth". Not exactly an original premise, and certainly a well that's been drawn from aplenty, "Rebirth" stands out because it follows the lives of five people who were deeply affected in some way by the events (either a loved one died or they were severely injured) from 2002 thru 2009. You get to watch the way these people cope/grieve/progress with what remains of their lives. They all go through huge ups and downs and each has a process that's unique to them - some find a sense of humour and some barely clear a path for forgiveness. Everyone started over on 9/12 and these five describe a moving travelogue that will probably have you in tears from start to finish. Score: 9

Lastly, the prevailing mood of the day switched, gratefully, to something light and funny with the documentary "Shut Up, Little Man". Two guys from the Midwest move to San Francisco after college and live next door to a couple of old, insane alcoholics, Pete a homosexual and Ray a redneck homophobe, that engage in hilarious screaming matches when the liquor takes over, which is pretty much every night. The two young guys, Eddie and Mitchell, begin taping these outbursts and giving copies to their friends, which kicks off an old-school underground viral sensation of bootlegging among fans of something called Audio-Veritae, which is, basically, found sounds. I've never heard of these guys or was aware of the many comic books, plays, songs, websites, or cds that Pete and Ray inspired. Neither did they, as a matter of fact. So, the movie goes from telling their story, to the legalities, rights, artistry, and legitimacy of using other people's normal lives as art.

The movie is a lot of fun and brings on the nostalgia of a much more innocent time. What's mildly frustrating is how little is truly known about Pete and Ray. They're both dead with no living relatives and both basically drank their lives away. A better understanding of them and more from the fans and people who were influenced by them would have rounded out the picture. Still, it's fun and worth a watch, so long as you find old drunks calling each other co******er over and over funny. Score: 7

We debated whether to try and get into a 4th film, but we hadn't eaten all day, or slept much last night, so we decided to end it today and go big tomorrow.

You Are What You Read

I received some very good news recently. News I had been looking forward to for a year. I was informed that my free subscription to Business Week had run out. That’s a huge monkey off my back.

When I first started my job, a job I’ve grown to hate very much, a big wig with the company said the best source for information on our business is Business Week and said he reads it religiously. Right then, Farrah secured us a free one-year subscription and I committed to reading every issue, cover to cover.

Well, the year is over (and so is my job) and while there has been some growth (like Billy Madison, “I can understand nine words in that [magazine] now”), more accurate is the fact that every issue has been a slog to get through with most of the info flying over my head. After a few months, I shelved the “cover-to-cover” goal, but did continue to read any article that interested me, seemed to pertain to my job, or that I thought I could comprehend, which amounted to a good 3/4s of it.

What became clear to me was not only what I was reading, but why. For instance, anything dealing with entertainment or branding of products I know and use was a no-brainer. As most people do, I read and liked the stuff I already had some base knowledge of. I followed articles on tech companies like Google or Apple, but more from an outsider’s perspective which makes sense. Though my job is in software, I’ve never fully grasped it, felt like a part of the culture, or been interested in it, outside of a passing understanding.

Think about that. While my dedication to my job is high, my capacity to really “get it” and grow within it is limited, just like my capacity to retain and understand the articles pertaining to this industry. I also found that I would read the articles that didn’t interest me that much if they were short, but skip them if they were too long, which probably says a lot about my own stamina and energy level.

Just as telling were the articles I would skip. Anything regarding banking was out. I’d need a Biz Week for Dummies if I was going to figure all of that stuff out. Other than the high level understanding that the banking industry is in trouble and the prime reason for the current recession, ask me to explain it to someone and I couldn’t. I could maybe regurgitate something I heard on the news, but would I truly understand it in my bones? Sadly, no. I’m just not built that way, as evidenced by my reading habits.

Funny enough, I would also skip most articles pertaining to business in India. Why? Because I just have a perception, though I’ve never been there, that the place is dirty and unappealing. I tend to avoid movies filmed in those locations for the same reason. So, my perception of a culture that doesn’t interest me influences my capacity to even learn about that country or enjoy it. Ironically, I did eventually perk up to articles pertaining to the bankruptcy of Dubai, but that was AFTER seeing it on the "Amazing Race".

This speaks to not only what we learn and why, but how. Package Dubai in a show I like to watch and I’ll pay attention. Make a movie about it with people in robes and the smell of dirt and sweat steaming off the screen and I just turn away. If something interests you, you’ll get it. If it doesn’t, it won’t unless it comes in the right packaging.

Packaging is a big issue, I’ve learned. I’ve started reading Fast Company, another business related magazine. The difference is that FC is bright and colorful with large fonts and eye-grabbing graphics (I’m a big believer in Color Theory). If BW is the Wall Street Journal, FC is USA Today. FC also skews younger with more articles on technology, entrepreneurs, and celebrities. BW rarely has any of that. BW leans more Wall Street and FC leans more Silicon Valley.

In contemplating the “you are what you read” idea, I’ve realized how true it is and how it extends to anything and everything we ingest. For instance, I believe the last 3 or 4 books I’ve read had something to do with either music or movies. I am often recommended sales-related books and often shrug it off because it feels too much like homework. The same can be said for religious books. I’m not a scriptorian, never have been. It just doesn’t interest me. As a result, I don’t spend a lot of time reading scriptures or church themed books pertaining to religion, again too much like homework. But, how many Christians do we know that could read nothing but the Bible on a daily basis forever and be perfectly happy with it? Based on my argument, that person would have more interest in Christianity than I would and it’s probably true. The proof is in the behavior. I’ll go to church every week (or work every day), but don’t expect me to spend my precious free-time on it. As my reading habits go, so go my behaviors.

So, think about what you read and what that says about you. If you don’t read much, that’s a big message. If you only read gossip magazines, that is too. If you like to read, but are picky about what you read (like me), then there’s another one. My point is, we don’t do much unless we’re urgently motivated by internal or external forces. What and when we choose to read and why is the prime evidence of that. And, our abilities to learn are often tied to more than the subject matter.

Best Docs of the Decade

10. New York Doll

A film very close to my heart as it combines two of the dominant pieces of my genetic make-up – music and Mormonism. It’s the story of Arthur Kane, former bass player for the revolutionary punk band the New York Dolls, and how he went from cross-dressing rock icon, to broke drug addict, to Mormon temple worker. It’s a story you probably thought never would or could exist, and yet here it is. It’s proof that the message of the gospel has the potential to touch just about anyone that’s open and ready. That’s miraculous to skeptics like me that begin to question whether it’s possible.

9. Capturing The Friedmans

It’s the story of possible child molestation taking place by an educated man (and his son?) at his home in an uppercrust suburban neighborhood. I say possible because the film takes the risky angle of not completely answering the question of guilt versus innocence. Did they do it? The film doesn’t tell you, you’ll have to work it out for yourself. The puzzle is wonderfully challenging. The fact this family has no qualms airing all their dirty laundry in front of the camera doesn’t hurt. Side note: the project began as a feature on NYC’s most popular party clown. While getting to know him, this story comes spilling out. Crazy.

8. For The Bible Tells Me So

What if the modern interpretation of how the Bible views homosexuality is wrong? What if there are other ways to look at the subject from a religious perspective? Not to mention, the science behind homosexuality (as opposed to the predominant religious view that it’s a choice). Are we ready to face that? This is a crucial argument for looking at tradition another way. Change your way of thinking and you may find some truth lying in areas you wouldn’t have guessed. Given the heightened urgency Christian churches are placing on this issue (especially my own), it’s worth everyone’s time to see the issue from another perspective.

7. The Ramones – End of the Century

The best music doc of the decade covers the story of, arguably, the first and most important punk band in history. The film removes the rose colored glasses and laudatory tones of normal rock docs to showcase the internal tensions and drama that plagued the Ramones since the beginning and, ultimately, stalled their careers. Each member, Joey, Johnny, Marky and Dee Dee get equal time with each one’s story being told in full. Sometimes, those stories bump into each other or one corrupts another. So goes the life of a band over time. The fact that 3 of the four members are gone now and all within a short span of time, makes it all extra poignant.

6. Outrage

Every few months, some ultra-conservative politician seems to get caught in the act of homosexual activity. And chances are good that guy has a voting record that has fought to keep basic human rights away from gays and lesbians. So, the camera gets turned on them. What congressmen and senators are in the closet? How have they voted? The film makes the statement that if these closeted government employees are going to fight so hard to keep homosexuals as second class citizens in order to further their political careers, then they deserve to be outted and labeled as the hypocrites they are. It sounds sensationalistic, but it’s just good investigative journalism.

5. The King of Kong

The great American narrative played out over a game of Donkey Kong. Steve is a guy with an average life and a lot of regrets. He figures he can alter his station if he can score the world record in Donkey Kong. Standing in his way is the arrogant Bill, who has held the record for years and will stop at nothing to maintain it. Good vs. Evil battle it out at the arcade. It’s an age-old premise fought on a new battlefield. Will fairness prevail? Find out for yourself.

4. Bigger Stronger Faster

An inside look on the effects of steroids in sports, both good and bad, and how they have not only changed the games, but contributed to the American need to always be the best. Again, greed plays a big part (the biggest, actually) and corruption from the top down mounts unabated. For instance, anyone remember Pres. George W. Bush’s address where he said it was imperative to get steroids out of baseball for the sake of children and fair play? Ironic that just a couple years before he was the owner and president of the Texas Rangers, a team with 4 known ‘roid users. He conveniently ignored the issue then, we assume, because it benefited him. It’s all a big scam. Everything. Everywhere. Prepare to lose your faith in just about everything.

3. Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room

Maybe the most culturally and politically important film of the last 10 years. It pulls back the curtains on the inside scandal that brought Enron to the ground and shines a bright, unflattering light on those that made it happen. You realize while watching it that corporate America and, by extension, the financial system, are run by a bunch of greedy nerds with Napolean complexes. They can’t knock another team down by nailing a 3-pointer, but they can do it with a balance sheet. It’s all a big boys club where the rules, what little there are, are bent or ignored. It’s my opinion that these criminals deserve the death penalty. Taking someone’s livelihood is almost the same as taking someone’s life. The saddest part, the corruption continues to this day and probably always will.

2. Murderball

This is the fascinating story of a bunch of paraplegics that play full contact rugby in their souped up wheelchairs. These guys are nuts, tougher than you and me with half the appendages. The film covers all the bases. How did they get that way? How do they feel about it? How do they have sex? How do they live? What motivates them? What are their prospects? And they don’t entertain sympathy. Don’t feel sorry for them and don’t get in their way.

1. Spellbound

It’s as gripping and full of tension as any tied sporting event with one second left on the clock. Becoming invested in these childrens lives and then seeing them have to perform under pressure is one of the most emotionally taxing experiences you’ll have at any movie. The kids are bright, smart, awkward, nerdy, driven, funny, everything a child should be. And they have this skill that makes them special, maybe gives them some place in this world and some self-esteem that they work very hard at. And it all comes down to that moment with so much on the line. You’ll be yelling the next letter at your TV screen and cheering when they get it right.