I found the pickle

Friday, Dec, 28 2012

Well I hope you all had a nice Christmas celebration and are well into recovery mode by now. 'PhilCast Classic Clips' will be played today as I use up a vacation day to recover from what can only be described as a 48-hour eating frenzy.

And who am I kidding? It's going to take a lot longer than a day to come back from all the food I enjoyed.

Here are a couple of photos to share from my Christmas celebration...

We started out with a bit of a French flair with a special treat for Christmas Eve lunch.

Yes, this was lunch.

In my defense, Mrs. Biggest Name and I SPLIT this dandy from one of our favorite local places in Tosa, Simma's, where the wait in line for this and the evening's cheesecake dessert was 17 minutes.

Yes, I time such things.

Next up, after watching the Pope's Christmas mass at St. Peter's live on TV my sister and the kids came over.

Here is a shot of the 'new kid' I talked about on the show last week, Tanner, who came along with Callie.

I thought it was a nice touch that Tanner wore a shirt that blended right in with our sofa as it turns out.

That's Callie the UW-Oshkosh student in the middle sitting next to her dad Jim.

And that's her mom (one of my two sisters if you haven't figured that out yet) Cherie digging into a gift I actually wanted to keep for ourselves...a six-speed heated throw.

Next up....

That's Hollywood Joey and fiance' Michelle as Joe shows off some awesome new shoes he got from Uncle Phil and Aunt Sandy.

Watch for the ABC show he works on called "Wipeout" to begin its new season in May.

He's adjusting to life in California just fine, although he says it's not Christmas until you have real snow on the ground.

By the way, there will be a wedding to report on come October.

I hope I'll be invited.

Ahh, there I am with one of my many nice gifts this year, the "Big Bobber Cooler".

Yes, it's a bobber.

It's a cooler.

It floats.

I can't wait to use it at PhilCast West this summer.

That's Sandy by the tree.

It appears she is prepared to have some sort of drink or two.

We spent Christmas Day with her family, where the traditional meal of pasta, sausages, meatballs, garlic bread and Italian salad hit the spot.

For the second year in a row I was the one to find the pickle in the Christmas tree. I took home a sweet mini summer sausage as my prize for the effort.

And of course, Gabby. Can't forget Gabby.

Talk to you Thursday when Rich Ratay stops by for a brief Pack Yak preview of the upcoming final weekend of the NFL's regular season. And then Lips LaBelle visits with Hollywood news and gossip.

posted by: Phil Cianciola 14 month(s) ago

Another benchmark in this thing called life marches on

Friday, Dec, 21 2012

Well, assuming the world does NOT end later today, this Friday show will be the final PhilCast before Christmas. On Christmas Eve Monday WHBY will be playing Christmas music, which will continue through Christmas Day. Both Reggie and I have off the day after Christmas, so we'll be back at it on Thursday, Dec. 27th with a Pack Yak among other things.

I want to wish all of the PhilCast Family a very Merry Christmas! Slow down. Spend time with the people that really matter in your lives.

Mrs. Biggest Name and I will be hosting my small family on Christmas Eve. You've heard at least one of my sister's kids on the show, Joey the UW-Oshkosh grad who has moved out to L.A. where he is working as a production assistant for the ABC TV series "Wipeout". Joey's connection to the media means we share something in common and I look forward to hearing his stories about living and working in Hollywood now.

But you have not heard Joey's sister Callie.

She too is working hard toward graduating from UW-Oshkosh, but I don't hear from her much. Graduating from college soon?

Heck it seems like just yesterday we were posing with her at her high school graduation!

College? Really?

I was informed this week by my sister about a new development in Callie's life...that she would be bringing, gasp, a BOY to our family Christmas Eve celebration.

A boy?

When did this happen?

Some times I imagine what I would have been like as a dad. I don't think that boy would want to find out! Time marches on and there's nothing you can do to slow it down. A boy? My little Callie?

You know what would be really funny (but I'd totally get 'Philled' by Mrs. Biggest)? I could see the gang arriving on Christmas Eve, young Tanner all wide-eyed at meeting family members for the first time. Then I would just start doing that Saturday Night Live skit with the kissing family members! Totally freak the kid out right?!

MERRY, MERRY EVERYONE.

posted by: Phil Cianciola 14 month(s) ago

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

Thursday, Dec, 20 2012

Don't miss the start of the show today....

I spent way too much time editing together a special snow day open to kick things off.

We'll have Storm Team 5 on first thing...and then off to our PhilCast reporters out in the stuff. Oh heck yeah, we've got some fun planned in the snow!

posted by: Phil Cianciola 14 month(s) ago

Dogs are special

Wednesday, Dec, 19 2012

Dogs are special.
Dogs have been a part of my life since the very start, and that goes back a long time!
Want proof?

There you go.
Take a look.

That's a family Christmas card from way back when and yes, that's me...I THINK 1958 or '59...I lose track because, well, I'm getting old!

And that would be my first dog, Sparky.

Since then I have always managed to have a dog in my life.

Dogs are amazing, and they can do amazing things for people. Consider the comfort some dogs brought to people in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting last week.

There is a local group called 'Compassionate Canines' that works with therapy dogs in various situations, bringing a calm and happiness to those who need it most. A dog can do that time and time again. We will talk to the president and founder of the group today on the PhilCast right after the 3:30 news.

And after the 4:30 news I want you to pay attention to a new development in the story of the Thompson Community Center of Appleton. They need our help more than ever now. Executive Director Tony Gonzales will join me to explain. Meantime, please, please, please take the time to purchase our best-of DVD called "Third Time's a Charm" because all the proceeds go to the TCC in this effort.

CLICK HERE for the order page.
Also available for a limited time at area Piggly Wiggly stores, The Red Ox, Bulk Priced Foods, WHBY and the Thompson Community Center.

Thanks so much.

posted by: Phil Cianciola 14 month(s) ago

Just one man

Tuesday, Dec, 18 2012

It's just one story.
It's just one man.

But in the wake of the Sandy Hook High School shootings it is, I feel, a story worth telling because of what it represents about everything that is RIGHT in America today.

I'll open the PhilCast with the story today.
Talk to you then.