Smoove's World: Flip mode

I'd never stopped to think what it's like to be on the other side of the microphone when I'm interviewing people. I always try to ask questions that involve an answer, not just a yes or no. I try to make it a conversation between two people, not an interrogation.
But I recently got put under the spotlight, and it was a very illuminating experience.
So last Friday I got sent out on assigment to cover the opening of a new gym — iQuest Fitness — because some members of the B.C. Lions were there. While strolling around the facility, I see this bald dude walking up, a big cheese-eating grin plastered all over his face.
He acts like he knows me, and me, being the MINOR CELEBRITY that I am, shake the hand he extends.
"Hey, Jake!"
At this moment, I know something's up... The only people who call me that are the ones who knew me before I started writing. Obviously going from the blank look on my face, he says "it's Dave Clarke. From White Rock."
I flash back a decade or so, trying to place a Dave Clarke. The only one I knew had hair. Lots of hair.
I look at his face, and lo and behold - it's him. The same guy I used to ball with at White Rock Christian on Saturday nights, helping mentor some of the younger kids.
We must have bull-shitted for the better part of an hour. He catches me up on some of our old running mates (Kyle Wilson is now making six figures playing internet poker... He plays six games AT THE SAME TIME - no shit.)
It turns out Dave is now a VP with iQuest - a nice-looking gym, by the way - and gives me the tour. One of his cohorts asks me to be in a promotional video, to which I heartily agree, since Dave kind of nudged me to.
Anyways, with the lights on my face, the microphone strapped to my chest, and the camera rolling, I proceed to do the same things I always lambaste my subjects for doing. "Ummm, errr, yah, iQuest is a great idea, aaah, I think it's really, ahhh, good." Stumbling, a bumbling and rumbling through the interview was humbling, but in my defence, the guy did ask some pretty stupid questions. "What's your connection to the sports community?" I'm a freaking sports reporter, what do you think? sheesh.
But it was a different experience, for sure... One I forgot about until today, since Saturday was ...

ANDJEFA and JEN'S WEDDING
(photos by Miceail "Where'd He Go" Coghlan)

The wedding was held at Summerhill Winery, and though the clouds threatened to unleash god's wrath, the rain held off. Storm clouds at a wedding? I hope it wasn't a portent of the future...

The newly-wedded couple released two doves to symbolize their love... 10 more, representing their friends and family, also flew the coop. No guests were shitted on in the making of this marriage.

In keeping with the animal theme, Xander, the couple's boxer, was the ring-bearer. And in keeping with the classy theme, he was outfitted in a tuxedo - complete with a side-tilted pimp hat. Ahem.

The boys in their best gangster-groomsmen pose. Cough, cough. Ahem.

THE RECEPTION

Me and the Coghlan Crew - Miceail, who MC'd, Cluny, "Blazing Doc Coghlan" and Sarah, aka, "Oh Lawd, what have I done?"

The Coghlan sisters get WILIN'. Cluny, thanks for the coffees. Sarah, thanks for leaving the vanilla body rub. I think I'm going to have to burn my sheets.

Anj's sister, Kande, and her very inebriated boyfriend, Allan, get down on the left. At right, Leanne tries her best to get T jealous by dancing with Nick. And in the back, if you look carefully (click on the pic to enlarge), you can see my roomate Steph get her mack on. Think of it like this: 10 vodka sodas: $20. One summer wedding dress: $120. Blackmail material like this? Priceless.