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Cape Coral Fun July 23-26th, 2010

// July 27th, 2010 // Add A Comment » // Joe's Blog

Sometimes, being able to spend time with family doing nothing is the best medicine for the soul. This was the idea for our trip this time to Cape Coral, FL to relax, don’t plan anything and just see where the trip took us. From the fun swimming in my in-laws brand new in-ground pool to Moonlit walks on Fort Myers Beach, the trip was calming, rejuvenating and most of all relaxing. Thanks to Danny & Mary for always being such wonderful hosts and great family. This video is dedicated to you both, and the love that Alexandra and I both share.

Sunset over Cape Coral, Florida

Swimming fun with Alexandra in the new pool

Me and Alexandra at her Grandfather’s house during sunset

Our family feast at Famous Dave’s BBQ in Fort Myers

An angel in real life…

Blue Man Group Insiders First Video footage from NCL Epic

// July 20th, 2010 // Add A Comment » // Joe's Blog

Ten years ago when I started out on this path to follow the show, actors and performers, never did I dream my ambitions would land me the role of Insider. Attending countless tour stops of The Complex Tour, MegaStar Tours 2.0 and 2.1, I’ve accumulated a wealth of knowledge about the show, mechanics, behind the scenes and more importantly, I’ve kept the mystique surrounding the Blue Man and the world he lives within intact. There really is nothing like Blue Man Group, and truth is, there never will be.

My involvement with Blue Man Group has completely changed my life in such an incredible way. Two years ago, at a Fan Meet gathering from the online community, an event that I planned and hosted at Universal Studios Sharp Aquos Theater, I met my future wife. Alexandra Irick came into my life sharing the same passion that I had for Blue Man Group, and together we became increasingly involved with the company. Little did we know, our love for the show and company would be put to proper use this year with the announcement of an exciting new era in the Blue Man World, The Insiders.

ABOUT THE INSIDERS
Our exciting new Blue Man Group Insiders will bring you first-hand news, buzz, and information from the front lines of the Blue Man experience. They’ll be traveling backstage at shows and events, roving through audiences to find the “Ultimate Blue Man Fan,” and providing audience members with a bunch of cool surprises along the way.

The Insiders are no strangers to Blue Man Group. Joe Burke, previously the head of the long running fan-site Blue Man Library and web entrepreneur along with Alex Irick, Blue Man fan since 2007, will be hitting the road to bring you behind-the-scenes action and access to exclusive content. It’s fresh, fantastic and an exciting new way to engage yourself in the realm of all things Blue Man Group!

Joe Burke was hosted by Norwegian Cruise Lines on board Norwegian Epic for a short two-night preview cruise. Follow @rotcav on Twitter for live reports, photos and videos and check here on Blue Man Group Insiders official Facebook for more details and answers to your questions for all things blue. For more photos from the NCL Epic, visit my flickr page.

Final thoughts of NCL’s Epic

// July 13th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Joe's Blog

Joe and I recently had the honor of attending the inaugural sailing of Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest, largest, and most innovative ship. Thanks in part to Blue Man Productions I was honored to be able to attend a sailing during this inaugural sailing. I was thoroughly impressed and I do have to say that the Epic definitely lived up to its name.

After the Norwegian Epic has made her debut early in July, she will continue to sail out of the Port of Miami alternating between Western and Eastern cruise routes. The Western Caribbean stops include beautiful ports of call in Mexico and Honduras. In the Eastern Caribbean, guests will be able to indulge in the beauty of St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and The Bahamas. The Epic’s second season in May-October 2011 will take her transatlantic to sail out of Barcelona Spain and will feature seven day cruises with stops in Florence/Pisa, Napes Italy, and Palma, Majorca Spain.

Upon arrival to the Port of Miami, we were able to check in quickly and hop on board within no time. I like the fact that we were able to carry our own luggage to our rooms ourselves. I find this much more convenient than some other cruise lines as I previously have attended. Usually the larger bags have to be checked and delivered to your room. (Now keep in mind that this was the inaugural sailing and check in may be different during a normal scheduled cruise.) The first thing I noticed after arriving onboard was the beauty of this ship. Everything is so rich, colorful, and elegant looking. From the up-lighting, to the colors, to an amazing chandelier in the middle of the promenade (which you couldn’t help but to stop and look at each and every time you pass by) everything will trigger your senses in multiple aspects.

A view of Miami, FL cityscape from the 12th deck of the NCL Epic

I was thoroughly impressed once we arrived to our room. We were lucky enough to be able to get a balcony suite with an amazing view of the ocean. The balcony rooms have a bit of a curve around the walls to make it look larger than it really is. The TV is a plasma flat-screen; there is a sitting area, vanity area, and plenty of room for your luggage. The walk in shower actually opens up into the main room area, but curtains are provided for privacy. Other room options are inside rooms, deluxe balconies, spa balconies, and of course deluxe owner’s suites. The Epic also caters to the single traveler, which really impresses me. There are studio suites designed for solo travelers with their own private room, bed, and bathroom area. The singles are given access to a living room area to hang out with other solo travelers. I like the idea of this as I’ve always been an independent person. If I were single I would definitely take advantage of the studio suites.

The pool and outdoor area on the Epic was impressive as it features their first ever aqua park at sea featuring 3 waterslides. Imagine a full on water park while sailing in the middle of the ocean. The Epic plunge is one of the more popular slides as it represents a large bowl through a 200 foot long tube. The purple waterslide will propel you right through the rock climbing wall, and the green slide is 3 stories high and has plenty of twists and turns. There are a total of 2 main pools, 5 hot tubes, and a children’s play area. If rock climbing is something that interests you, you can choose to either rappel down the wall, or climb 33 feet up the wall. The Epic also caters to the health conscious and athletes with fitness centers, basketball court, volleyball court, and even an ice skating rink. Ice skating in your bathing suit? Now that’s Epic!

The Epic features entertaining show such as Blue Man Group, Cirque Dreams, Legends in Concert, The Second City Comedy Troupe, and Nickelodeon at Sea. There is also plenty of nightlife, casinos, bars, and dance clubs along with 4 onboard bowling alleys. They also feature something very unique called Spice H2O. During the day it is used as a pool area, but at night the water is covered with a dance floor. Lights, music, and drinks take over this area with tiered seating and lounge chairs facing the dance floor. There is also a first ever on Norwegian Cruise Line, an Ice Bar. Everything is made of ice including sculptures and chairs. Worried about getting too cold? Have no fear as warm fur coats are provided before entering the bar. Another popular nighttime hang out is Club Bliss which features more of an adult oriented theme and a sensual atmosphere. I like how upon entering Club Bliss there is mist coming from the ceiling with projection imaging. There are DJ’s, dance cages and floors, a bowling alley, an erotic seating area including a bed; oh my!

Club Bliss on the NCL Epic

Don’t worry about going hungry on the Epic! There are over 20 dining options featuring a culinary experience from around the world. There is also a more casual dining area, The Garden Café, which is more popular at breakfast and lunch featuring a huge buffet with sandwiches, pizza, burgers, hot dogs, Asian foods, Indian foods, soup, salad, and so much more! If you want to experience a more cultural culinary experience I recommend making reservations before sailing on your cruise. The more popular restaurants, to name a few, Cagneys Steakhouse, Le Bistro, Moderno Churrascaria, and La Cucina, tend to book up very quickly and it’s nearly impossible to get in without a reservation. Some of the less crowded restaurants in the evening are the Manhattan Room and Taste, which have a traditional dining room feel on a cruise ship.

Joe and I have attended this cruise on behalf of Blue Man Group and this was our main focus so I will give a brief summary and some advice based on my experience. First off, good news for Blue Man fans; the shows are free! Second, I recommend making reservations for the Blue Man shows. Yes, you need reservations just like you need to buy tickets at one of the main venues. I did notice that the second show was completely booked for the last evening on our cruise. There are no assigned seats and its first come first serve. The front row does tend to be popular and if you want a front/center seat I recommend arriving at least one hour prior to your show. I was highly impressed as I walked into the 681 seat theatre as it looks very similar to the land venues, but still has a cruise ship feel to it. Joe and I got to explore the backstage area while onboard. It was a little cramped but all in all, it felt like a normal Blue Man area with all the paint, props, PVC’s, and drums. Joe and I got to see two out of the four shows on our cruise. The show is eighty minutes long featuring the most popular acts shown on land venues with a couple of new surprises. They even featured their popular feast girl skit and fan favorites such as Drumbone, PCV IV, Time to Start, and the wildly sensational paper finale at the end. On a typical cruise, Blue Man Group will perform eight shows during a seven night cruise.

Me and Joe with the blue men actors at the NCL Press Conference July 9th, 2010

During our first adventure with the Blue Man Insiders, we got a little down time with the guys. We had a blast being able to do an elevator interview, (which you have to see to believe) joined the guys for a couple of fun activities on the ship, and attend a press conference. My main question for the guys was; what are the challenges of performing on a boat verses a land venue? The guys answer was simply that main challenge of doing this show on a boat is the movement of the ship during the middle of the show. This was the answer I was looking for and I knew this could affect the show in some way. They said that sometimes the movement of the boat can cause things like the TV head skit to become a bit unstable and can offer challenges for the chair walking skit.

All in all, I was very much impressed with our cruise. I’ve never had the chance to sail with NCL and will definitely be cruising with them in the future. Everything from the dining choices, to the entertainment, to the nightlife, the ship lived up to it’s name and has proven itself truly innovative. My advice to you is to make sure you are ready for fun in the sun, have your reservations made, and come with an open mind and you’ll be sure to have an epic time on the new Norwegian Epic!

Alex Irick was hosted by Norwegian Cruise Lines on board Norwegian Epic for a short two-night preview cruise. Follow @TheBlueGirlAlex on Twitter, and for live reports, photos and videos and check here on Blue Man Group Insiders official Facebook for more details and answers to your questions for all things blue.

Your Questions Answered About NCL’s new EPIC

// July 12th, 2010 // 1 Comment (Add Comment) » // Joe's Blog

Video provided by Matt Roseboom courtesy of Cruise News Weekly

Alexandra and I just got off the 153,000 ton Norwegian Epic and noted a lot of personal points of interests for Blue Man Group fans and show goers. If you have never cruised before, and like many Blue Man Group followers, this could be true, the ship could be a little intimidating in it’s sheer size and bedazzlement, but truth be knowing, it’s worth the time, money and once in a lifetime experience to sail on this mighty behemoth. We realize some Blue Man Group fans may have some general questions before getting on the ship, so we’re here to help you answer the majority of those.

What is the best way to navigate the ship and know where I’m going?
When arriving on board, you are given a mini pocket guide that you can easily slip into your pocket or carry item while browsing the ship. The guide is broke into categories based on where you want go. Example if you’re looking into dining options, just look under dining and it will list all restaurants, their location and deck number. The same is true for entertainment, whether you’re seeing Second City, Cirque Dreams, Blue Man Group, Legends in Concert or other shows, those categories are listed as well under Entertainment. Getting from point A to B is easy, and elevators located on multiple locations throughout the ship make deck hopping and maneuvering simple and fun.

Does it cost extra to see Blue Man Group on The Epic?
That’s the beauty of this ship, nothing costs extra! But if you’re looking to see a particular show, IE: Blue Man Group, than I would recommend making reservations on the ship 45 days in advance. The ship allows a certain amount of people to book their shows in advance and then they cut it off. So say you’re 15 days from your cruise date, and you attempt to make Blue Man Group seat reservations, chances are you won’t get them, and you’ll be placed into the stand-by category, which isn’t bad either. Once you arrive on the ship, it’s best to go straight to the box office, located on Deck 6 and make your reservations as stand-by. Chances are, you’ll have no issues getting in to see the show, and shouldn’t encounter any issues with reserving your stand-by seat(s). The same can be done for other entertainment shows, dining options and other areas that require a reserve list in advance. The quicker you reserve, the better off you are, and it costs nothing extra.

What can I expect when I get to the theater the night of my show? Is there show similarities to existing venues nationwide?
Upon arrival at The Epic Theater, you’ll notice a very 40-50′s style, that pays homage to the old school days of theater and vintage productions. Laced with lights, dancing girls and retro images and decor, the theater is about the size of the Briar Street Theater in Chicago, seating just over 600 guests, with balcony and lounge style viewing available as well. You will also notice some distinct familiarities if you’ve seen Blue Man Group prior to getting on the ship. For example the entrance music “Dulcimer” plays like all venue shows, and the LED boards light up about 10 minutes to show time with the usual wording like from USA theatrical productions. Once the show starts, one will notice core elements adapted from the Rewired/Orlando productions have made their transition onto The Epic’s stage. The showtime runs about 80 minutes or less, and there is a brief and short meet and greet to your right balcony as you exit the theater. An announcement will be made after the show is over about where to meet and have your picture taken with the Blue Man Group. Also, merchandise exclusive only to NCL The Epic is available just outside the theater at the box office area, so check out the new gear.

How is the Internet availability on the ship?
Pretty much like every other cruise, hit and miss. As you sit down to open your laptop, you go to your browser, create a username/password and enter your date of birth and stateroom #. You then select from a variety of data plans with the highest/longest plans per minute resulting in the better values overall. Keep in mind, this is a satellite connection and not broadband, so signal and speed is not the best, and the ship is always moving which makes from some connection lag and downtime. If you’re wanting to simply check your email, then I highly suggest late night or early mornings when traffic is minimal and signal is best. Also, to avoid those data-roaming charges on International waters, I recommend turning on the Airplane Mode on all handheld PDA’s and cells, or turning off the 3G-Cellular functions. Otherwise, if left on, you could charged a hefty penalty by your cell phone carrier for International rates and texts, especially iPhone users. On a personal note, if you’re on a 5-7 day cruise, the last thing you would want is Internet, but that’s my personal opinion. Enjoy the islands, nightlife, dining and entertainment, and worry about your emails, Internet and Facebook when you get back on land.

I’m traveling single, and am going to enjoy the nightlife, entertainment and cruising experience. Are there options for me since I’m traveling solo?
There are! THE NCL Epic offers a new room called the studios. It’s a small room, kind of the size of college dorm, but targeted to the young, single crowd. So, unless you’re wanting to pay more for a bigger room with a bigger bed for two or family of 3 or more, the single option is the way to go.

The NCL Epic is a ship among ships. It’s premiere nightlife, dining options, on deck water slides, pools and buffets make this a ship of dreams a reality to the modern day cruise enthusiast. No stone has been been unturned in this plan for the ultimate cruise vessel, and with options a bounty, there’s not reason anyone can’t enjoy the luxuries of life at a great affordable price. The Epic has raised the bar in the cruising world, and has not only proved to life up to it’s name, but you’ll leave the ship saying to yourself, “That was an EPIC cruise!”

Joe Burke was hosted by Norwegian Cruise Lines on board Norwegian Epic for a short two-night preview cruise. Follow @rotcav on Twitter for live reports, photos and videos and check here on Blue Man Group Insiders official Facebook for more details and answers to your questions for all things blue. For more photos from the NCL Epic, visit my flickr page.

An Epic Moment in Miami Florida

// July 7th, 2010 // Add A Comment » // Joe's Blog

Tomorrow is the beginning of a new journey in mine and Alex’s life. Tomorrow marks our first official travel assignment as Blue Man Group Insiders, documenting their new shows, entertainment venues and touring productions nation wide. Tomorrow we leave Orlando, FL at 8pm Eastern, and should hopefully arrive in Miami by 11:30-Midnight. If you’re one of the few lucky press associates to be on board this exclusive inaugural cruise, you can catch me and my lovely fiancé roaming around the Blue Man Group side of the ship, filming guests, talking to audience members and asking your thoughts on the new production.

Look for full videos and photos up on the official Blue Man Group Insiders Facebook next week. If you haven’t clicked the like button on the page, please do so and stay up to date with me Alex as we begin our many travels together between now and Summer 2011 for Blue Man Group. It’s going to be an amazing ride, and we’re inviting you to hop along with us for the fun and excitement.

Here are some fun facts about the newest Norwegian cruise ship EPIC.
* Gross Tonnage: 153,000
* Length: 1,068 feet / Beam: 133 feet
* Passengers (double occupancy): 4,228 guests / 1,690 crew
* Maiden Voyage: June 21, 2010
* 7-NT East & West Caribbean Cruises from Miami, FL – Sails July 2010 through April 2011
* 7-NT Mediterranean Cruises from Barcelona – Sails May through October 2011
* 20 Dining Options
* 20 Bars & Lounges
* The Aqua Park / Main Pool
* 1 Kid’s Pool / 6 Hot Tubs
* Exclusive Villas Complex
* Spa Suites & Spa Staterooms
* Studios & The Living Room
* Family Accommodations
* All Oceanview staterooms have Balconies
* 2 Bowling Alleys
* Climbing & Rappelling Walls
* Epic Casino
* 4 Adult-Only Clubs
* Mandara Spa & Beauty Salon
* Pulse Fitness Center
* Entertainment featuring Blue Man Group & the Second City Comedy Club

Follow my Tweets and check-ins @rotcav
All content and media for the Norwegian EPIC and future travels will be posted on our official Facebook: Blue Man Group Insiders.
To track the live coverage of this event on Twitter: #NCLepic or #EpicMiami.

Look for us, who knows, you could be picked to be an exciting part of the show!

Meeting Actor Ray Park

// June 12th, 2010 // Add A Comment » // Joe's Blog

So, it’s always been one of those post-teen goals to meet the man behind the mask, in this case Darth Maul from Star Wars : Episode I – The Phantom Menace. I’ve never officially attended a sci-fi convention like Dragoncon or Comicon. So getting to meet some of my favorite celebs who have portrayed some of the best roles in modern day pop culture isn’t exactly the easiest task to accomplish. I know that Disney’s Star Wars Weekends would be my one chance to meet Ray Park for the first time, and congratulate him on a great season of NBC’s Heroes, and his previous roles as Snake Eyes in GI-Joe and Star Wars. All three franchises are etched into society as cult pop culture mainstays. Here’s how my experience that day unraveled, from start to finish.

Having a hunch that this undertaking might be large scale, and difficult to pull off, I knew I had to get up before dawn that morning if I wanted to guarantee my chance at a fastpass ticket to meet Ray Park. Having read previous encounters at Star Wars weekends online, and how the whole process works, on top of that this being the last weekend for Star Wars Weekends, I had to have both persistence and a lot of patience. You have to imagine, hundreds of people will be in line ahead of me to get their ticket, I had to play my cards just right. The whole Disney undertaking is like this: 1) To meet and get autographs with celebrity actors, you have to be in a special line cue before the park opens up clearly marked outside the main entrance before you walk up through the security bag check. 2) At 8:45am, Disney cast members would hand out the fastpass tickets to each person in line with proof of admission, annual pass-holders or Disney Resort cards. 3) If you missed your chance at getting a fastpass before you get up to the cast member handing out the tickets, you “could” be given a stand-by card that didn’t guarantee you could meet the celebrity actors, but if time allotted, you may have a chance if the actors wanted to sign more autographs. So, Alex was set to get up at 5:20am, and leave by 6:20am for work on the morning 11th of June, and I left her a note on her laptop the night before “Please wake me up before you leave.” She knew what I was doing, and why I was going, and like a true trooper had no gripes and was fully supportive of my chance to meet my favorite action star. So, she woke me up at 6:15 on the morning of June 11th, and I kissed her good bye and walked her to the door as she left for work and quickly jumped in the shower and was out the door by 6:45.

Upon arrival at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, I noticed there was cars already in the parking lot, and these cars was not in the cast member lot, it was public parking. Fearful that my chances were suddenly going downhill, I quickly parked and hustled over to the main entrance where I saw from a distance a massive line already formed. Quickly finding the right line for Ray Park, I sat there talking to those around me for the next 2 hours until 8:45am came. It was brutal, the sun the was hot, and the bath I just took didn’t even put a dent in what I was already feeling like that morning. Hot, sweating and needing something cold to drink, I was patient and stuck it out. There had to be at least 150-200 people in line ahead of me when I got in line.

Talking to others around me, we were all fearful that there was so many in line, we would just get stand-by passes and not the actual guaranteed fastpass. I was nervous, irritable and very frustrated, but I stayed and waited it out. 8:45am came, and the cast members walked the entire length of the line cue’s saying “Have your bags out for security and line up single fine one behind the other.” You could only imagine what was going through my head at this point: “Should I leave?” “Am I wasting my time?” “Is this really worth it?” “Gosh my back is sweaty.” Yeah, that’s just a few examples of what I was thinking. The line began moving forward, and I saw the area where the cast members where hand delivering the fastpasses to all those in line. I heard one guard say to other as I passed by, “A large group of kids where here last night at 9pm and camped out to get tickets for Ray Park.” Well that just made my situation a lot more stressful and less inviting. But the line kept inching up, one by one, the passes were being handed out. Would I get one? Would it be a stand-by? Will they run out? The line was getting closer and closer to the cast member when I was just 5 people away from getting my ticket in hand. I looked at my peers around me and we all high-fived each other as we all got the actual fastpass to see Ray Park. My time was between 2:35-2:50pm in the afternoon. This was perfect! I got to roam the park, snap pictures, watch the Star Wars celebrity motorcade and interact with some of Star Wars’ greatest characters like Chewbacca and R2-D2.

This was a site for sore eyes, I was in the park and I look up at Star Wars storm troopers were cracking jokes at the people below entering the park. I felt a sense of happiness and joy, kind of like the giddy feeling you get as a child when your mom buys you that toy you’ve been wanting because you were a good boy! Here are some snaps I took while roaming Hollywood Studios during Star Wars Weekends.

This is the Gamorrean Guard just outside of Toy Story Mania.

Queen Amidala of Naboo greeting guests and taking pictures.

R2-D2 randomly roaming the park leaving Queen Amidala and heading to territory unknown.

Star Wars legend and icon Peter Mayhew signing autographs during the 9:45am session. He played Chewbacca in Star Wars series.

Cannot do Star Wars Weekends without “The Force” from Jedi Mickey Mouse!

June 11th Star Wars Weekends starting off with a literal bang of pyrotechnics and fireworks taken outside of the Star Tours ride & attraction.

Me and Chewie hanging out with his little Ewok friend until it was time to meet Ray Park.

It was now 2:20pm, and time to head over to get in line cue for my personal encounter with one of today’s most exciting martial arts masters and actors. The line was favorably small, and I got there in the nick of time as I beat the main rush of other fastpass holders to come get in the line. There were only like 12 ahead of me. Not bad at all! A million things probably went through my head as I got one person closer to shaking hands and talking to him. What do you say to someone you really admire in life? And how do you not come off as a psychopathic fan that isn’t gawky and crazed? I was none of these, I just like watching the dude on TV and in film. He’s spectacular to watch with his stunts and martial arts. It was finally my turn…

At first I got a little fumbled for words when I asked him to sign my action figure of Darth Maul, so I paused and took a breath and then starting talking about my favorite TV show, Heroes. I told him I missed the show, and missed seeing him as Edgar from the series. The conversation grew and I naturally felt a little at ease. For the first time, Ray wasn’t plastered on the silver screen, but standing right in front of me and we’re both were having intelligent conversation about something that wasn’t even Star Wars, NICE! I think he liked that even more, and was so polite to answer questions and listen to what I had to say. He wasn’t the typical Hollywood glitzy glamor type either, and was perceived as being very humble and down to Earth. I was pleasantly surprised that Ray was such a nice guy, and I was hoping that he wasn’t the typical ego type.

So here it is, my moment of fame and the highlight of an amazing day at Disney World.

Ray Park’s personal autograph to me, “FEEL THE FORCE.” Nice!

I left Hollywood Studios after the meet and greet, and I felt a sense of accomplishment and individualism. My life in some strange way that day had come full circle, and here’s the reason why. He signed an action figure of a movie franchise that I love and admire. That action figure was purchased in 1998 at my former local Wal-Mart in Whitesburg Kentucky, during one of the most trying periods of my life as I found out many things unfortunate in my life. The Star Wars franchise kind of gave me “A New Hope” and a chance to cloud my mind away from the troubles of my life. I wrapped my life around collecting a lot of artifacts of Darth Maul, like busts, figures, models, coin banks and posters. I loved the character, even though he was cut short in the first film, he was still cool looking, and a breath of something fresh in the sci-fi world. Little did I know, that the character I liked so much, would be meeting me face to face 12 years later. Funny how your life comes full circle sometimes, and things that you feel are way out of reach in one period of your life, are now magically within reach during another part of your life. Whether it be fate, karma or ultimately God leading my paths to hope, love and happiness, the full circle effect is something that follows us all throughout our lives. If you believe, have hope and keep the faith, good things will happen, trust me on this one. I moved from Kentucky two years ago, and had I not made the move, I would have never lived 5 miles from Disney, met Ray Park or even had the chance to meet and marry my lovely gal Alexandra. Something tells me, I chose the right door in life, and that makes me feel confident on the future ahead. Thanks Ray for being a small part of this crazy circle in my life.