When news junkies have spent three days watching a guy hanging out on top of a construction crane blocks from your studios, we do not want to see a Breaking News crawl when he finally comes down. We want to see him come down live, dammit! We don't want to watch a rerun of Aaron Brown. He was boring the first time around!
Of course, I am the only person in America sitting at home, drinking rum and watching this guy hanging out on his little white crane on Peachtree. So you probably shouldn't listen to me anyway.
Grudging love (but just for Anderson Cooper, who I always adore),
Dana
5.28.2005
5.25.2005
You'll never walk...aw hell...
Well, maybe 2005 is just going to be a good year the teams I follow. Or maybe if the Titans are hurting, all of my out-of-town teams decide to overachieve or something. But I'm so happy for Liverpool, who pulled out a thrilling win over AC Milan today. If anyone saw this coming at the half, they would have to be lying. But they did it, and their long-suffering fans deserve this. Congrats.
5.24.2005
When Celebrities Should Really Just Shut Up
Apparently Tom Cruise doesn't have enough to do promoting his new movie, trying to get MI:3 off the ground, and making a fool out of himself with his new girlfriend on Oprah. He's now trying to telling fellow actors what they're doing wrong with their brain chemistry.
See, Cruise is a Scientologist, a sect that is apparently not too fond of psychiatry as a field. And Brooke Shields, whom he acted with in Endless Love almost 25 years ago, recently released a book detailing her battle with postpartum depression. In it, she mentioned being prescribed Paxil, taking it for awhile, going off of it when she felt better, then going way off the deep end and ending up going back on the meds. Very riveting story, and very much not abnormal for anyone who's ever been through clinical depression themselves. But apparently Tom Cruise doesn't think so, and he saw fit to say so to Access:Hollywood's Billy Bush:
"These drugs are dangerous. I have actually helped people come off," Cruise maintains to Bush. "When you talk about postpartum, you can take people today, women, and what you do is you use vitamins. There is a hormonal thing that is going on, scientifically, you can prove that. But when you talk about emotional, chemical imbalances in people, there is no science behind that. You can use vitamins to help a woman through those things."
Okay, Tom, I'd really like to know if you've ever really spent a day truly depressed in your life. Or at least in the way Brooke described in her book, parts of which I've read. When she was having severe mood swings and having delusional thoughts of throwing her baby against a wall, she should have been taking vitamins?
See, it is true that there are chemicals involved here, and that certain vitamins and mineral supplements can help you control your levels of these chemicals. One of those, 5-HTP, is good at keeping an even level of serotonin in your bloodstream. These supplements are excellent, and a lot of people should be taking them who aren't. But when you enter a major depressive state, your body needs help producing serotinin beyond what it can naturally produce. And there are often other factors involved beyond just the chemicals, like learning how to deal with the emotions that are causing the problems in the first place.
But since Tom Cruise is such a star and seems so perfect and believable, some woman somewhere who's having a horrible time will hear what he says and think that he's right. They won't get the help they need and will turn to a bottle off multivitamins instead of turning to a crisis hotline. Just like people everyday are told by their pastors that they'll feel better if they turn away from sin and pray harder. Or some college professor tells a student that they're just not living up to their potential and need to quit being lazy and get to class or else. Or their buddies tell their friend to just have another beer and don't worry about it. It's amazing how people are so willing to accept a chronic illness of the body like arthritis or lupus, but refuse to believe that you can have an illness of your mind that's treatable but also deadly. And because of that, people go into a state of denial.
I've been around a lot of depressive people, and there are two things that you get very good at doing. One is maintaining a veneer of perfection. Even if you are a complete mess otherwise, the outside world only sees a polished version. The second thing is that you become a cocoon. You isolate yourself from the world, and only tell those few around you trust how you really feel. You're not looking for all the answers because the answers look out of reach, but you really need a glimpse of understanding, or just a hug. But instead you might end up getting a metaphorical slap in the face or a turned back. When the people you turn to tell you to "snap out of it" and give you their quick cures, or end up rejecting you altogether, that's the worst thing in the world, because it only pushes you further into the spiral.
If Tom Cruise really does feel true concern for Brooke Shields' well-being, the place to express that isn't on a tabloid TV program. That's not a place that's she's going to watch, say, "Wow, he's right! Get me his number!" and change her path. He should have tried to talk to her personally and privately. But moreover, even if he wanted to expressconcern about her physical and mental health, he should respect her ability to make her own decisions about them. Because even if it's not his own personal way, she's now happy and she's alive, along with her baby. And in the end, isn't that what matters?
See, Cruise is a Scientologist, a sect that is apparently not too fond of psychiatry as a field. And Brooke Shields, whom he acted with in Endless Love almost 25 years ago, recently released a book detailing her battle with postpartum depression. In it, she mentioned being prescribed Paxil, taking it for awhile, going off of it when she felt better, then going way off the deep end and ending up going back on the meds. Very riveting story, and very much not abnormal for anyone who's ever been through clinical depression themselves. But apparently Tom Cruise doesn't think so, and he saw fit to say so to Access:Hollywood's Billy Bush:
"These drugs are dangerous. I have actually helped people come off," Cruise maintains to Bush. "When you talk about postpartum, you can take people today, women, and what you do is you use vitamins. There is a hormonal thing that is going on, scientifically, you can prove that. But when you talk about emotional, chemical imbalances in people, there is no science behind that. You can use vitamins to help a woman through those things."
Okay, Tom, I'd really like to know if you've ever really spent a day truly depressed in your life. Or at least in the way Brooke described in her book, parts of which I've read. When she was having severe mood swings and having delusional thoughts of throwing her baby against a wall, she should have been taking vitamins?
See, it is true that there are chemicals involved here, and that certain vitamins and mineral supplements can help you control your levels of these chemicals. One of those, 5-HTP, is good at keeping an even level of serotonin in your bloodstream. These supplements are excellent, and a lot of people should be taking them who aren't. But when you enter a major depressive state, your body needs help producing serotinin beyond what it can naturally produce. And there are often other factors involved beyond just the chemicals, like learning how to deal with the emotions that are causing the problems in the first place.
But since Tom Cruise is such a star and seems so perfect and believable, some woman somewhere who's having a horrible time will hear what he says and think that he's right. They won't get the help they need and will turn to a bottle off multivitamins instead of turning to a crisis hotline. Just like people everyday are told by their pastors that they'll feel better if they turn away from sin and pray harder. Or some college professor tells a student that they're just not living up to their potential and need to quit being lazy and get to class or else. Or their buddies tell their friend to just have another beer and don't worry about it. It's amazing how people are so willing to accept a chronic illness of the body like arthritis or lupus, but refuse to believe that you can have an illness of your mind that's treatable but also deadly. And because of that, people go into a state of denial.
I've been around a lot of depressive people, and there are two things that you get very good at doing. One is maintaining a veneer of perfection. Even if you are a complete mess otherwise, the outside world only sees a polished version. The second thing is that you become a cocoon. You isolate yourself from the world, and only tell those few around you trust how you really feel. You're not looking for all the answers because the answers look out of reach, but you really need a glimpse of understanding, or just a hug. But instead you might end up getting a metaphorical slap in the face or a turned back. When the people you turn to tell you to "snap out of it" and give you their quick cures, or end up rejecting you altogether, that's the worst thing in the world, because it only pushes you further into the spiral.
If Tom Cruise really does feel true concern for Brooke Shields' well-being, the place to express that isn't on a tabloid TV program. That's not a place that's she's going to watch, say, "Wow, he's right! Get me his number!" and change her path. He should have tried to talk to her personally and privately. But moreover, even if he wanted to expressconcern about her physical and mental health, he should respect her ability to make her own decisions about them. Because even if it's not his own personal way, she's now happy and she's alive, along with her baby. And in the end, isn't that what matters?
If I had a magic wand, this would definitely happen...
"9 to 5 II" (or however you'd title it...since they'd probably be retirees, maybe "11-8"?) : When I was 5ish, that song was my very favorite thing in the world. My mom was a Home-Ec teacher, and I'd wander the halls of her school singing it over and over to poor defenseless students. Then my clueless parents let me watch the movie when it came out on TV, which I guess was okay, since most of it went over my head anyway (I just thought that the women really, really enjoyed cigarettes, and I didn't really get the sexual harassment stuff.) It was a really cool movie, and pretty revolutionary for its time, I think, since the women actually took charge and took names. Now that it's been 20 years or so and that glass ceiling's supposedly been busted and we've got this new era of political correctness in place, this could be a good place to see if things really have changed for the better, or if we're just shoving things into the closet.
This would definitely not happen...
Live Aid II: Bono and Sir Bob Geldorf had supposedly squelched this rumor yesterday, saying that the situation in Africa is too grave for one concert to make a difference, and that it would minimize the situation. I agree. What is needed for African relief is a worldwide concerted effort along the lines of the tsunami relief effort, not just one concert. However, my primary, selfish reason that I don't want LAII is because it would most likely suck compared to the first. Anyone remember who was on last Christmas' "Don't They Know It's Christmas?" Neither do I. (Except for Bono, who I would gladly listen to singing "Do Re Mi" all afternoon long.) And why does it have to be the same thing? Live Aid was in the 80s. The 90s was Lollapollooza and all its imitators. Is this all that the 2000s going to be - rehashes? We've already had a Woodstock that turned into a riot. Let's not take a chance on ruining another great memory and actually figure out how to do something original for a change.
(Note to self: Buy DVD of original LA.)
"9 to 5 II" (or however you'd title it...since they'd probably be retirees, maybe "11-8"?) : When I was 5ish, that song was my very favorite thing in the world. My mom was a Home-Ec teacher, and I'd wander the halls of her school singing it over and over to poor defenseless students. Then my clueless parents let me watch the movie when it came out on TV, which I guess was okay, since most of it went over my head anyway (I just thought that the women really, really enjoyed cigarettes, and I didn't really get the sexual harassment stuff.) It was a really cool movie, and pretty revolutionary for its time, I think, since the women actually took charge and took names. Now that it's been 20 years or so and that glass ceiling's supposedly been busted and we've got this new era of political correctness in place, this could be a good place to see if things really have changed for the better, or if we're just shoving things into the closet.
This would definitely not happen...
Live Aid II: Bono and Sir Bob Geldorf had supposedly squelched this rumor yesterday, saying that the situation in Africa is too grave for one concert to make a difference, and that it would minimize the situation. I agree. What is needed for African relief is a worldwide concerted effort along the lines of the tsunami relief effort, not just one concert. However, my primary, selfish reason that I don't want LAII is because it would most likely suck compared to the first. Anyone remember who was on last Christmas' "Don't They Know It's Christmas?" Neither do I. (Except for Bono, who I would gladly listen to singing "Do Re Mi" all afternoon long.) And why does it have to be the same thing? Live Aid was in the 80s. The 90s was Lollapollooza and all its imitators. Is this all that the 2000s going to be - rehashes? We've already had a Woodstock that turned into a riot. Let's not take a chance on ruining another great memory and actually figure out how to do something original for a change.
(Note to self: Buy DVD of original LA.)
5.23.2005
Continuing the Titans Lineup at the CJC...
Titans wide receiver Tyrone Calico cited on May 12th for public indecency after being caught rockin' and rollin' with an 18-year-old in the back of an SUV....
...And across Middle Tennessee, guys at sports bars and outta earshot of their wives are slapping each other's backs and praising Calico's prowess to the gods.
...And across Middle Tennessee, guys at sports bars and outta earshot of their wives are slapping each other's backs and praising Calico's prowess to the gods.
5.19.2005
Stuff
Not particularly posty, but here are a few things...
- The new Diet Coke with Splenda is very, very sweet. Not sure if that's its real taste or the effect of my migraine drugs, which screw up some carbonated beverages. But hey, I can drink it. And it's better than Diet Rite.
- Green Wing premieres tonight on BBC America. I hear it's funnier than Scrubs. I'll have to see it to believe it, but with Fran from Black Books, Susan from Coupling and some guy from Notting Hill, it can't be bad.
- For some reason I could care less about Star Wars. I'm not burnt out on the hype, nor am I being anti-geek. I'm just not getting it. Maybe I need professional geek help. (And shock and horrors, it's already leaked on the intran3ts! Who didn't see that coming?)
- The BBC is axing a scene from the new Doctor Who series because it was just a little "too horrible" for their tastes. Having seen some of their crime dramas, it must have been pretty damn graphic. Considering the current climate in American TV, it makes me wonder if certain X-Files episodes would fly today. I already know that the beginning of the movie (a federal office building blowing up re: OKC) would've been kiboshed after 9/11. But what would the FCC think about "Leonard Betts" showing right after the Super Bowl today? (For non XPhiles, this was the ep where a guy regenerates his head after it's cut off 2-3 times in the ep, and it's rather ugly. This was my first ep, I think.) Or "Home"? (I typed out a description of this ep, but it's so nasty that you can go read it for yourself if you wish.) Or "Sanguinuriam"? (Ditto.) It's an interesting thought.
- The most useful Google Maps hack I've seen in a bit (at least for Chicagoans) - it maps out locations where crimes have been committed. Wonder if such a thing would be easily doable in Nashville?
- There was a story the other night about a lone buffalo wandering the roads of Lincoln County, TN. Think he'd come live with me? I've always wanted a pet buffalo for some reason. *whistles "Home on the Range*
- The new Diet Coke with Splenda is very, very sweet. Not sure if that's its real taste or the effect of my migraine drugs, which screw up some carbonated beverages. But hey, I can drink it. And it's better than Diet Rite.
- Green Wing premieres tonight on BBC America. I hear it's funnier than Scrubs. I'll have to see it to believe it, but with Fran from Black Books, Susan from Coupling and some guy from Notting Hill, it can't be bad.
- For some reason I could care less about Star Wars. I'm not burnt out on the hype, nor am I being anti-geek. I'm just not getting it. Maybe I need professional geek help. (And shock and horrors, it's already leaked on the intran3ts! Who didn't see that coming?)
- The BBC is axing a scene from the new Doctor Who series because it was just a little "too horrible" for their tastes. Having seen some of their crime dramas, it must have been pretty damn graphic. Considering the current climate in American TV, it makes me wonder if certain X-Files episodes would fly today. I already know that the beginning of the movie (a federal office building blowing up re: OKC) would've been kiboshed after 9/11. But what would the FCC think about "Leonard Betts" showing right after the Super Bowl today? (For non XPhiles, this was the ep where a guy regenerates his head after it's cut off 2-3 times in the ep, and it's rather ugly. This was my first ep, I think.) Or "Home"? (I typed out a description of this ep, but it's so nasty that you can go read it for yourself if you wish.) Or "Sanguinuriam"? (Ditto.) It's an interesting thought.
- The most useful Google Maps hack I've seen in a bit (at least for Chicagoans) - it maps out locations where crimes have been committed. Wonder if such a thing would be easily doable in Nashville?
- There was a story the other night about a lone buffalo wandering the roads of Lincoln County, TN. Think he'd come live with me? I've always wanted a pet buffalo for some reason. *whistles "Home on the Range*
5.13.2005
Bye Oldies, Howdy Jack (and Howdy Oldies Again)
I think I'm probably the only person in Music City who's glad to see Oldies 96.3 go. Or is at least willing to say it publically.
I have fond memories of the morning that Jack FM came into my life. I was still in Carbondale, and a friend emailed me the link to the original Jack station in Toronto. Back in those days, I didn't have a cable modem, and I was on a reaaaaalllly slow 28.8 dial-up modem. It's a good thing no one needed to get in touch with me that weekend, because I was streaming that station (and the other two Canadian Jacks - Calgary and Vancouver) all weekend long. I'd never heard anything like it.
In the two years since, the Jack FM phenomenon has moved into the U.S., with a lot of success and some mixed reaction. link link link
My take? I love it. I'm pretty much genre-less, although to say that Jack isn't a genre is a fallacy. For the Nashvillians who remember Thunder 94, it's pretty similar without as much of an alt-kick to it. It also reminds me a lot of pre-country switch KDF. There's a little bit of country rock thrown in, but it's minimal. So far the Nashville version hasn't sounded quite as cool as DaveFM in ATL, which is heavy on REM, or the Canadian/Rogers Group versions, which give a lot of love to cool Canadian artists. But I'm hoping that as the station has a few weeks to ease into its new format, it'll find its own place and do what Dave has done and promote Nashville's artists. Jack stations in other towns may not have on-air talent, but they make up for it by having awesome shows.
And that brings up another subject - the loss of the oldies station and poor, poor Coyote McCloud. As someone said earlier today, he's known as one of the three great on-air talents of this market. It's sad to see him go, and I hope he lands on his feet at another station. But it is, unfortunately, an indication of the way that radio is going today. This really is "iPod radio". Will Nashville take to a station with all music and attitude? Time will tell. But I'm looking forward to spending a few nights with Jack myself.
(Oh, and a note to any Nashville Jack station personnel who might stumble across this blog entry - your email address isn't working that's linked on your site. It's kinda hard to comment.)
EDIT: What a difference an hour makes. As soon as I posted this, Star 97 became Oldies 97 and Coyote McCloud had a job again. I guess it's true that the only true constant is change. Maybe everyone can be happy after all.
I have fond memories of the morning that Jack FM came into my life. I was still in Carbondale, and a friend emailed me the link to the original Jack station in Toronto. Back in those days, I didn't have a cable modem, and I was on a reaaaaalllly slow 28.8 dial-up modem. It's a good thing no one needed to get in touch with me that weekend, because I was streaming that station (and the other two Canadian Jacks - Calgary and Vancouver) all weekend long. I'd never heard anything like it.
In the two years since, the Jack FM phenomenon has moved into the U.S., with a lot of success and some mixed reaction. link link link
My take? I love it. I'm pretty much genre-less, although to say that Jack isn't a genre is a fallacy. For the Nashvillians who remember Thunder 94, it's pretty similar without as much of an alt-kick to it. It also reminds me a lot of pre-country switch KDF. There's a little bit of country rock thrown in, but it's minimal. So far the Nashville version hasn't sounded quite as cool as DaveFM in ATL, which is heavy on REM, or the Canadian/Rogers Group versions, which give a lot of love to cool Canadian artists. But I'm hoping that as the station has a few weeks to ease into its new format, it'll find its own place and do what Dave has done and promote Nashville's artists. Jack stations in other towns may not have on-air talent, but they make up for it by having awesome shows.
And that brings up another subject - the loss of the oldies station and poor, poor Coyote McCloud. As someone said earlier today, he's known as one of the three great on-air talents of this market. It's sad to see him go, and I hope he lands on his feet at another station. But it is, unfortunately, an indication of the way that radio is going today. This really is "iPod radio". Will Nashville take to a station with all music and attitude? Time will tell. But I'm looking forward to spending a few nights with Jack myself.
(Oh, and a note to any Nashville Jack station personnel who might stumble across this blog entry - your email address isn't working that's linked on your site. It's kinda hard to comment.)
EDIT: What a difference an hour makes. As soon as I posted this, Star 97 became Oldies 97 and Coyote McCloud had a job again. I guess it's true that the only true constant is change. Maybe everyone can be happy after all.
5.12.2005
Blogger crack, I tell ya
My friend Joe first turned me onto The Huffington Post, which was bad enough. As Joe describes it in his blog, it's as if Salon and Slate got high and did a three-way with Drudge, and the kid turns out to vote Democrat and lives off a multi-million dollar trust fund. Joe is pretty conservative and I'm a bit more liberal on some issues, but I have to agree that the bloggers are addictive. Reading blog entries from such varied celebs as Quincy Jones, Bill Maher and Ellen DeGeneres are weird enough. But even more interesting are the perspectives on subjects I care about, all in one place instead of slingshot across the internet. Like Cable Neuhaus standing up for Aaron Brown (who I do like and who I don't think that CNN should ditch, although I don't think he should have a 9 pm time slot. And Joshua Zeitz's interesting piece about a "racialist" magazine with an editor who has allegedly gotten a lot of praise from some prominent right-wingers. As well as David Sirota's post about media reactions to a previous comment about network coverage of Iraq. It's interesting to see how fluid this all is, and how the bloggers seem to respond to it.
However, even funnier yet may be a new parody site that's now sprung up - Huffington's Toast. Part of it is the Al Franken, "Woe is me, Bush is in power and he's eeeevil" parody (note: I adore Franken.) But for anyone who was at BlogNashville, you'll get a kick outta the Glenn Reynolds/Dave Winer parody, even if no one else does.
However, even funnier yet may be a new parody site that's now sprung up - Huffington's Toast. Part of it is the Al Franken, "Woe is me, Bush is in power and he's eeeevil" parody (note: I adore Franken.) But for anyone who was at BlogNashville, you'll get a kick outta the Glenn Reynolds/Dave Winer parody, even if no one else does.
5.09.2005
My BlogNashville Thoughts
Yes, I'm probably the very last participant of BlogNashville to actually not blog about the thing. There are a few reasons. One was that I immediately got sick afterward. Another was that I was kind of "blogged out" and needed a day off. But mostly I wanted a day of perspective to get all my thoughts in order about the whole thing. And what I've decided is not to do a long blow-by-blow post about the whole thing, nor a listing of all the amazing people I met. I would inevitably leave something or someone out, and the events are pretty much covered in a zillion posts that will be chronicled for posterity elsewhere. But here's what I got out of it.
- Blogs have much more of a worldwide impact than I had really ever thought about. Sure, I was as captivated by Salem Pax as everyone else during the Iraqi invasion, but I never thought about acting as a proxy for a Chinese blogger so that they could speak freely about what's going on there. Or bloggers making their voices heard from Africa and Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East. Rebecca Mackinnon from Global Voices really opened my eyes, and hopefully will open many more. I think it's very important for kids to get involved and know what's going on without being turned off by the death and destruction on TV news, and some of the examples she gave in her presentation (like the Burka girls, who are hilarious!) are proof that there might be hope to bring the MTV generation into this.
- If I weren't already in love with podcasting, I am now. I went to the podcasting session that was hosted by Brendan Greeley of the Public Radio Exchange, which I have a feeling may turn into my new favorite site, and was also attended by Dave Winer, who I actually found to be really cool (apparently, I'm almost only person at BlogNashville to not get totally turned off by him, judging by the blog postings I've read, but I didn't attend the session he hosted.) Later in the evening I attended the podcasting Food For Thought, which was sadly underattended - just me, Brendan, J.D. Lasica was a late arrival, and Mr. Roboto and his date made a welcome appearance. Which is a shame, because the conversation was incredible. And I'm very excited by what's being done with podcasting, audioblogging (which is really more of what PRX is) and videocasting. If the law can just catch up with the technology, I think it will possibly turn the internet into the new creative renaissance that it has had the potential of being. Oh, and if you're a digital filmmaker or a audioblogger and aren't using Ourmedia for your storage, you're missing out.
- An Iranian blogger and I taught John Jay Hooker how to start his own blog. That might have been one of the most surreal moments of my life. Hooker will go down in history as one of the most famous rabblerousers in American politics, and I was honored to meet him again (I met him once before, as a little girl.)
- A very interesting discussion on "committing journalism" with Staci Kramer from PaidContent.org. In some ways it was very much like the very first day of News Writing 201 at Chapel Hill, except viewed from the slightly-warped (and maybe not in a bad way) blogger POV. Also had one of the best speeches ever from the aforementioned John Jay Hooker, and I thought it was interesting to see everyone blogging his remarks as he spoke, just like old-time reporters would do with their teletype machines in the movies. In a way, that's the ultimate act of committing journalism.
- And for a few BN notes, I had the first disappointing meal that I've ever had at one of my formerly favorite Nashville restaurants, Tabouli's. I hope they haven't permanently lost their touch with Mediterranean food. Patrick's on Music Row has excellent Cajun and Abita's, y'all! And I have to commend Mr. Roboto and Hammock Publishing for throwing an excellent opening-night party. I met a zillion cool people who I could never completely name here. Hope everyone made it home safely!
- Blogs have much more of a worldwide impact than I had really ever thought about. Sure, I was as captivated by Salem Pax as everyone else during the Iraqi invasion, but I never thought about acting as a proxy for a Chinese blogger so that they could speak freely about what's going on there. Or bloggers making their voices heard from Africa and Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East. Rebecca Mackinnon from Global Voices really opened my eyes, and hopefully will open many more. I think it's very important for kids to get involved and know what's going on without being turned off by the death and destruction on TV news, and some of the examples she gave in her presentation (like the Burka girls, who are hilarious!) are proof that there might be hope to bring the MTV generation into this.
- If I weren't already in love with podcasting, I am now. I went to the podcasting session that was hosted by Brendan Greeley of the Public Radio Exchange, which I have a feeling may turn into my new favorite site, and was also attended by Dave Winer, who I actually found to be really cool (apparently, I'm almost only person at BlogNashville to not get totally turned off by him, judging by the blog postings I've read, but I didn't attend the session he hosted.) Later in the evening I attended the podcasting Food For Thought, which was sadly underattended - just me, Brendan, J.D. Lasica was a late arrival, and Mr. Roboto and his date made a welcome appearance. Which is a shame, because the conversation was incredible. And I'm very excited by what's being done with podcasting, audioblogging (which is really more of what PRX is) and videocasting. If the law can just catch up with the technology, I think it will possibly turn the internet into the new creative renaissance that it has had the potential of being. Oh, and if you're a digital filmmaker or a audioblogger and aren't using Ourmedia for your storage, you're missing out.
- An Iranian blogger and I taught John Jay Hooker how to start his own blog. That might have been one of the most surreal moments of my life. Hooker will go down in history as one of the most famous rabblerousers in American politics, and I was honored to meet him again (I met him once before, as a little girl.)
- A very interesting discussion on "committing journalism" with Staci Kramer from PaidContent.org. In some ways it was very much like the very first day of News Writing 201 at Chapel Hill, except viewed from the slightly-warped (and maybe not in a bad way) blogger POV. Also had one of the best speeches ever from the aforementioned John Jay Hooker, and I thought it was interesting to see everyone blogging his remarks as he spoke, just like old-time reporters would do with their teletype machines in the movies. In a way, that's the ultimate act of committing journalism.
- And for a few BN notes, I had the first disappointing meal that I've ever had at one of my formerly favorite Nashville restaurants, Tabouli's. I hope they haven't permanently lost their touch with Mediterranean food. Patrick's on Music Row has excellent Cajun and Abita's, y'all! And I have to commend Mr. Roboto and Hammock Publishing for throwing an excellent opening-night party. I met a zillion cool people who I could never completely name here. Hope everyone made it home safely!
5.07.2005
More BlogNashville Reading
If I'm late to the morning sessions this morning, note the time stamp and the following links.
BlogNashville brings new breed of writer to Music City
Iranian blogger travels to Nashville to share his story
Hope y'all enjoy. Now I'm going home and going to bed.
BlogNashville brings new breed of writer to Music City
Iranian blogger travels to Nashville to share his story
Hope y'all enjoy. Now I'm going home and going to bed.
5.06.2005
BlogNashville
Off to start what will hopefully be a lovely weekend at BlogNashville, as soon as I figure out where the afternoon roundtable is (note: Belmont University's a big place, guys - specifics are nice) and what in the heck to get for lunch beforehand. Hope to see a lot of you locals there. I'm the tall redhead who will probably be stumbling around on these heels that I haven't quite gotten used to yet. Everyone else have a lovely day.
5.05.2005
Scooter Envy
My sister's planning to buy a Vespa soon, and I'm very jealous (incidentally, I bet you didn't know that there's a Vespa dealer in Nashville now! Check out www.vespausa.com.) But this might actually be even cooler.
Runs on a hydrogen fuel cell. Neato. Details here. Mama want.
Runs on a hydrogen fuel cell. Neato. Details here. Mama want.
5.04.2005
Howdy! (Again)
Wow, I'm amazed. In the couple of days since I landed in the Rocky Top Brigade, I've gotten a ton of comments and emails from members. Thanks for the welcome, guys! I know that my blurb in the Brigade and my blurb on here say very little about me, and my lack-of-postiness has said even less. So here's a Cliff-Notes version of me:
- I live in Donelson and work for one of the local TV stations. No, I'm not going to say which one. It doesn't matter. I have nothing to do with what they put on the air, and I don't want to be pointed at as an example of that "liberal media elite". I think that would be pretty unfair, considering I'm not writing the stories or appearing on-air.
- I'm a sports nut. I'm a girl. The two things aren't such a weird combination. My great loves are football and "footy" (soccer for us unfortunate U.S. folks.) And while I'm at it - Go Reds! Beat Milan! And shut up Mourinho!
- I spend way too much time watching TV. My choices are pretty varied and change from month to month. Right now I'm really into The L Word (Yes, you can be straight and still love it. Once straight men figure out that it's on and that the women are half-naked in it, it'll be the #1 cable show in the U.S., I swear. And straight women can watch and be grateful that they only have to deal with men's weirdness and not female drama.) I also watch pretty much anything on BBC America. If I could just get a direct feed of BBC and ITV, I would be a happy camper. And I'm a CNN junkie, although if they don't quit being the Salacious News Network that they're in danger of becoming of late, I'm not going to be able to stomach it anymore. Runaway Bride was NOT breaking news, folks.
- I'm an aspiring foodie. Would try my luck at cooking more of it myself, but I'm a single woman on a small budget. So I stick to looking for local ethnic haunts. I'm always looking for people to hang out with me and nosh on sushi or Indian or Cajun. Maybe I'll resurrect my Sunday Dinner Review...
- Oh, and I develop weird interests in random online things and gadgets. My current obsession is podcasting. I'm mentally writing a long post about it, but I'm so busy with my RL job that I rarely have time to post these days. But there's some really interesting stuff out there. Just don't listen to the Dawn & Drew Show and decide that's the future of podcasting. If that's the future, I want out now. It makes my ears bleed. I have no idea why "the media" is hyping that crap so much.
- As far as my personal life, I've been divorced for over four years now. Me and the ex are still friends, and he's in San Fran. My family is in Dunn, TN (a cookie if you know where that is.) I have the smartest 3 1/2 year-old niece on the face of this earth, and one lovely sister. I reside with three cats (no "crazy cat lady" jokes, please.) I am single and taking applications (although, now that I look at that sentence, that sounds bad. Read Camryn Manheim's book to see what I mean by that.) And now I am tired of talking about myself. If anyone actually wants to know anything else about me, I guess I could always do that "5 Questions Meme" that's popular in blogs everywhere. But just feel free to ask.
- I live in Donelson and work for one of the local TV stations. No, I'm not going to say which one. It doesn't matter. I have nothing to do with what they put on the air, and I don't want to be pointed at as an example of that "liberal media elite". I think that would be pretty unfair, considering I'm not writing the stories or appearing on-air.
- I'm a sports nut. I'm a girl. The two things aren't such a weird combination. My great loves are football and "footy" (soccer for us unfortunate U.S. folks.) And while I'm at it - Go Reds! Beat Milan! And shut up Mourinho!
- I spend way too much time watching TV. My choices are pretty varied and change from month to month. Right now I'm really into The L Word (Yes, you can be straight and still love it. Once straight men figure out that it's on and that the women are half-naked in it, it'll be the #1 cable show in the U.S., I swear. And straight women can watch and be grateful that they only have to deal with men's weirdness and not female drama.) I also watch pretty much anything on BBC America. If I could just get a direct feed of BBC and ITV, I would be a happy camper. And I'm a CNN junkie, although if they don't quit being the Salacious News Network that they're in danger of becoming of late, I'm not going to be able to stomach it anymore. Runaway Bride was NOT breaking news, folks.
- I'm an aspiring foodie. Would try my luck at cooking more of it myself, but I'm a single woman on a small budget. So I stick to looking for local ethnic haunts. I'm always looking for people to hang out with me and nosh on sushi or Indian or Cajun. Maybe I'll resurrect my Sunday Dinner Review...
- Oh, and I develop weird interests in random online things and gadgets. My current obsession is podcasting. I'm mentally writing a long post about it, but I'm so busy with my RL job that I rarely have time to post these days. But there's some really interesting stuff out there. Just don't listen to the Dawn & Drew Show and decide that's the future of podcasting. If that's the future, I want out now. It makes my ears bleed. I have no idea why "the media" is hyping that crap so much.
- As far as my personal life, I've been divorced for over four years now. Me and the ex are still friends, and he's in San Fran. My family is in Dunn, TN (a cookie if you know where that is.) I have the smartest 3 1/2 year-old niece on the face of this earth, and one lovely sister. I reside with three cats (no "crazy cat lady" jokes, please.) I am single and taking applications (although, now that I look at that sentence, that sounds bad. Read Camryn Manheim's book to see what I mean by that.) And now I am tired of talking about myself. If anyone actually wants to know anything else about me, I guess I could always do that "5 Questions Meme" that's popular in blogs everywhere. But just feel free to ask.
4.25.2005
Nice work if you can get it, and you can get it if you try
A Vols football player made a little bit of noise today for doing something other than getting arrested (sorry, low blow.) Offensive tackle Michael Munoz announced that after not being drafted over the weekend, he's quitting football and not going to try to be signed as a free agent. From the reaction of most of the sports press, you would've thought he was throwing away a winning lottery ticket.
Not me. I applaud his decision.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not attacking professional football as a career. If you've got the skills, what's a better way to sock at least a couple hundred-thou a year in the bank? You get at least a couple of months off a year, you get to travel a lot, meet lots of celebrities and hot babes, and all the free food you can eat. But when you get down to it, is that really a life? In a way, it's like extended college, but better financed and with a lot scarier downside.
Munoz said today that he never found his identity playing football. To me, that's an amazingly mature statement to make at age early-20ish. Most guys I know of that age find their identity at the bottom of a beer keg or in other activities that cannot be described in this family-friendly blog. Then it becomes your career. Some of us get stuck one one of the first two categories, by choice or otherwise. But this guy already has it figured out. He wants to finish college, maybe get his MBA, marry his fiancee', who's graduating nursing school, and have a family. He's choosing life over a football career. And instead of doing "whatever it takes" to pursue a dream that might be fleeting, he's building a foundation for something real.
By some weird coincidence, tonight I happened to have the final episode of "Coach" TiVoed (if you haven't figured it out yet, I have a thing for cheesy sitcoms.) In the episode, Hayden Fox has to decide whether to accept a $17 million, 10-year contract with his current NFL team or a deal with two other hot teams. In the end, he ditches football altogether to move back to Minnesota to live in his lakeside cabin with his wife and his newly-adopted son. Which is about the stupidest ending of all endings in the world if you've ever watched the whole show, because Coach Fox was about as likely to just abruptly quit football as Coach Fisher would be (God forbid!) But somehow, watching that episode with Coach and his baby Tim sitting next to the lake as he decided that he now knew what the real priorities in his life were, I actually got it. And while real life is rarely like a sitcom, I hope that Michael Munoz at least gets his version of a fairytale ending. Heck, I hope all of us looking for our identities do.
Not me. I applaud his decision.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not attacking professional football as a career. If you've got the skills, what's a better way to sock at least a couple hundred-thou a year in the bank? You get at least a couple of months off a year, you get to travel a lot, meet lots of celebrities and hot babes, and all the free food you can eat. But when you get down to it, is that really a life? In a way, it's like extended college, but better financed and with a lot scarier downside.
Munoz said today that he never found his identity playing football. To me, that's an amazingly mature statement to make at age early-20ish. Most guys I know of that age find their identity at the bottom of a beer keg or in other activities that cannot be described in this family-friendly blog. Then it becomes your career. Some of us get stuck one one of the first two categories, by choice or otherwise. But this guy already has it figured out. He wants to finish college, maybe get his MBA, marry his fiancee', who's graduating nursing school, and have a family. He's choosing life over a football career. And instead of doing "whatever it takes" to pursue a dream that might be fleeting, he's building a foundation for something real.
By some weird coincidence, tonight I happened to have the final episode of "Coach" TiVoed (if you haven't figured it out yet, I have a thing for cheesy sitcoms.) In the episode, Hayden Fox has to decide whether to accept a $17 million, 10-year contract with his current NFL team or a deal with two other hot teams. In the end, he ditches football altogether to move back to Minnesota to live in his lakeside cabin with his wife and his newly-adopted son. Which is about the stupidest ending of all endings in the world if you've ever watched the whole show, because Coach Fox was about as likely to just abruptly quit football as Coach Fisher would be (God forbid!) But somehow, watching that episode with Coach and his baby Tim sitting next to the lake as he decided that he now knew what the real priorities in his life were, I actually got it. And while real life is rarely like a sitcom, I hope that Michael Munoz at least gets his version of a fairytale ending. Heck, I hope all of us looking for our identities do.
4.19.2005
On a sad anniversary, a moment of remembrance
In August of 2001, I was driving from California to Tennessee when I spent the night in Oklahoma City. Before I left the city, I drove downtown to visit the memorial for the Alfred C. Murrah Building, which had exploded 6 1/2 years previously. It was amazing how moving the memorial was for me, and I will be forever thankful that I took a couple of hours out of my trip to stop by. Especially considering that in less than six weeks, I was watching the remains of the Twin Towers smoldering on my TV screen and thinking of the quiet scene I had visited just a short time before, where I remembered for a lifetime that terror comes in many shapes and colors and is not necessarily a foreign affair.
Obviously, very little remains of the Murrah Building (sorry, but my pictures aren't scanned, and with the papal madness today, I couldn't scan them at work. Great pictures are available at the official site here.) If you saw the coverage of the memorial service today, you probably saw the 168 chairs, and the arches that have the time of the beginning and the end of the bomb blast on them. And of course there's the Survivor's Tree - the tree outside the building that somehow made it through when everything else fell down. But some of the most poignant things there weren't obvious. One was a little chapel just a block over from the memorial. Another was Symbols of Hope - a project where schoolkids from cities throughout the country painted china tiles that were sent to Oklahoma City and put on display. There was also a chain-link fence that was left from the ones that had been erected around the bombing site where people still leave notes and flowers. But the thing that was the most amazing is on the wall of a building next door to the Murrah Building. A sign said that it was spraypainted on there the day after the bombing by a search team the day after the bombing. It's something that I think of all the time.
Obviously, very little remains of the Murrah Building (sorry, but my pictures aren't scanned, and with the papal madness today, I couldn't scan them at work. Great pictures are available at the official site here.) If you saw the coverage of the memorial service today, you probably saw the 168 chairs, and the arches that have the time of the beginning and the end of the bomb blast on them. And of course there's the Survivor's Tree - the tree outside the building that somehow made it through when everything else fell down. But some of the most poignant things there weren't obvious. One was a little chapel just a block over from the memorial. Another was Symbols of Hope - a project where schoolkids from cities throughout the country painted china tiles that were sent to Oklahoma City and put on display. There was also a chain-link fence that was left from the ones that had been erected around the bombing site where people still leave notes and flowers. But the thing that was the most amazing is on the wall of a building next door to the Murrah Building. A sign said that it was spraypainted on there the day after the bombing by a search team the day after the bombing. It's something that I think of all the time.
Team 5
4-19-95
We search for the truth
We seek justice.
The courts require it.
The victims cry for it.
And GOD demands it!
Never forget, but do learn to forgive. And God bless you all.
4-19-95
We search for the truth
We seek justice.
The courts require it.
The victims cry for it.
And GOD demands it!
Never forget, but do learn to forgive. And God bless you all.
4.05.2005
These Five Things I Know Are True
- It's especially nice that today the sky was a perfect shade of Carolina Blue. :)
Okay, okay, I'll get it all out of my system soon, I promise. But I figure that I get a few days leeway for a national championship, right? Especially since I don't know a single soul in this town who is also a Tar Heel alum who can share the glory.
On another note, there's a great big misconception that I need to clear up for the sports media of this country right now, so that they can shut up about this already - Matt Doherty was not going to win a national championship at Carolina. Never. I don't care if Sean May was healthy, I don't care if he had been given another year to coach, I don't care if he found a freaking genie at one of those Franklin Street thrift shops and it gave him three wishes. He might have managed to recruit some of the best talent that ever hit the hardwood of the Dean Dome, but they hated his everloving guts once they got there. As did pretty much everyone else in that town. He fired a lot of folks, thumbed his nose at the Rams Club, and above all else, he pissed off Coach Smith. What was hell was he thinking?!? It would have never worked. And those "spoiled brats" that the press whined about two years ago became a team with heart under Roy. There's a lot more to coaching than recruiting. If there wasn't, Coach of the Year should go to an assistant coach somewhere, because they usually do the real legwork on that end. That was Roy's team, and if Doherty is so talented and wonderful and has been screwed out of a job because of this, I have one simple solution. Someone give him a coaching position and three years. Then let's see where he is in the tournament and we'll talk.
Now that I have that off my chest....
- I have discovered that as soon as your team wins it all, and you're so excited that you can't sleep and you get about 3 hours total, and you're wearing your lucky blue rugby shirt that you love but that looks horrible in pictures, and your hair is a mess and you don't have makeup, you are certain to end up in a news story. No, I'm not going to say which one. But if I needed some incentive to get back on a diet, I found it. Incidentally, that same shirt was my incentive for last year's diet, which probably means that I should throw it out.
I'm definitely not a vain person. Anyone who's seen me on a regular basis knows that. I don't have enough fashion fundage to be vain. And it's very hard for me to find the motivation to stick to a strict diet, because I'm a big believer in having what you want, when you want it, if you can have it without bothering anyone else with it. For example, if I'm at home alone on a Saturday night, I might want Keith Urban with a little jazz, a bottle of champagne and some strawberries (and not much else) but that ain't happening. However, I can have a pizza and my TiVo. So dammit, why should I do without on everything? Somehow, sitting at home on a Saturday night, watching TiVo and eating a salad just doesn't work.
And on to a much better subject...
- One of my all-time favorite shows has managed to do something that rarely happens on TV. They've reinvented themselves and actually made the show more interesting. This is the BBC America version of What Not to Wear (not the Americanized TLC version - it's truly unwatchable) where two British fashionistas named Trinny and Susannah take an unfashionable girl, throw out the worst of her old wardrobe, give her 2000 pounds for new clothes and then teach her how to shop for things that make her look gorgeous. And it actually works! At the same time, they teach all of us fashion-deficent women stuff that we probably need to know (i.e. never wear sleeveless shirts, and show off your best parts in a tasteful way, like cleavage and ankles.) But after about four seasons and a zillion makeovers of dowdy British women, I thought that the only way that the show would be interesting again would be if they came to America and made me over (hint, hint.) But this year they've taken a new slant - each week has a theme, and they pick two women out of a group of 100+ that fit the theme in some way for the makeover. The first week it was mothers who dress their children better than they dress themselves, and one of the women they helped was a young mother of triplet toddler boys. This week's theme were unfashionable mothers of fashionable teens. Doing two makeovers at a time gives a little bit of contrast and breaks the monotony, and they even delved more into their real lives as part of the whole process. All in all, it's a nice change of pace, and it's good to see that two old hands in the fix 'er up biz can learn new tricks to keep things going. And I'm going to keep pitching my Blue Collar TV version, which involves $250 and a trip to Wal-Mart.
And I can't think of a good way to transition this one...
- I haven't been to a real movie theater in a very, very long time. Too long. Movie theaters are good for the soul. But suddenly it's beginning to look like a very busy spring for me. I really, really love the look of Fever Pitch. I mean, c'mon, it's a love story about sports fans! I also think that it's going to inspire a long-overdue post about the myth that men think that girls who are into sports are hot, but that's for another post. There's also a new Batman movie coming out that actually gives me hope that the franchise can be saved after Schumacher, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which has the potential for being the first film that compells me to see it five times in a theater since, um, The X-Files movie (shuddup.) And, oh yeah, the final Star Wars film. I have mixed feelings on that one, for a variety of reasons.
And finally...
- Somehow I have managed to win an award! Not sure how this happened, but I am now listed as one of the Best Blogs in Tennessee. Thanks Lynnette and Jim! Now I have to post more often, right?
Okay, okay, I'll get it all out of my system soon, I promise. But I figure that I get a few days leeway for a national championship, right? Especially since I don't know a single soul in this town who is also a Tar Heel alum who can share the glory.
On another note, there's a great big misconception that I need to clear up for the sports media of this country right now, so that they can shut up about this already - Matt Doherty was not going to win a national championship at Carolina. Never. I don't care if Sean May was healthy, I don't care if he had been given another year to coach, I don't care if he found a freaking genie at one of those Franklin Street thrift shops and it gave him three wishes. He might have managed to recruit some of the best talent that ever hit the hardwood of the Dean Dome, but they hated his everloving guts once they got there. As did pretty much everyone else in that town. He fired a lot of folks, thumbed his nose at the Rams Club, and above all else, he pissed off Coach Smith. What was hell was he thinking?!? It would have never worked. And those "spoiled brats" that the press whined about two years ago became a team with heart under Roy. There's a lot more to coaching than recruiting. If there wasn't, Coach of the Year should go to an assistant coach somewhere, because they usually do the real legwork on that end. That was Roy's team, and if Doherty is so talented and wonderful and has been screwed out of a job because of this, I have one simple solution. Someone give him a coaching position and three years. Then let's see where he is in the tournament and we'll talk.
Now that I have that off my chest....
- I have discovered that as soon as your team wins it all, and you're so excited that you can't sleep and you get about 3 hours total, and you're wearing your lucky blue rugby shirt that you love but that looks horrible in pictures, and your hair is a mess and you don't have makeup, you are certain to end up in a news story. No, I'm not going to say which one. But if I needed some incentive to get back on a diet, I found it. Incidentally, that same shirt was my incentive for last year's diet, which probably means that I should throw it out.
I'm definitely not a vain person. Anyone who's seen me on a regular basis knows that. I don't have enough fashion fundage to be vain. And it's very hard for me to find the motivation to stick to a strict diet, because I'm a big believer in having what you want, when you want it, if you can have it without bothering anyone else with it. For example, if I'm at home alone on a Saturday night, I might want Keith Urban with a little jazz, a bottle of champagne and some strawberries (and not much else) but that ain't happening. However, I can have a pizza and my TiVo. So dammit, why should I do without on everything? Somehow, sitting at home on a Saturday night, watching TiVo and eating a salad just doesn't work.
And on to a much better subject...
- One of my all-time favorite shows has managed to do something that rarely happens on TV. They've reinvented themselves and actually made the show more interesting. This is the BBC America version of What Not to Wear (not the Americanized TLC version - it's truly unwatchable) where two British fashionistas named Trinny and Susannah take an unfashionable girl, throw out the worst of her old wardrobe, give her 2000 pounds for new clothes and then teach her how to shop for things that make her look gorgeous. And it actually works! At the same time, they teach all of us fashion-deficent women stuff that we probably need to know (i.e. never wear sleeveless shirts, and show off your best parts in a tasteful way, like cleavage and ankles.) But after about four seasons and a zillion makeovers of dowdy British women, I thought that the only way that the show would be interesting again would be if they came to America and made me over (hint, hint.) But this year they've taken a new slant - each week has a theme, and they pick two women out of a group of 100+ that fit the theme in some way for the makeover. The first week it was mothers who dress their children better than they dress themselves, and one of the women they helped was a young mother of triplet toddler boys. This week's theme were unfashionable mothers of fashionable teens. Doing two makeovers at a time gives a little bit of contrast and breaks the monotony, and they even delved more into their real lives as part of the whole process. All in all, it's a nice change of pace, and it's good to see that two old hands in the fix 'er up biz can learn new tricks to keep things going. And I'm going to keep pitching my Blue Collar TV version, which involves $250 and a trip to Wal-Mart.
And I can't think of a good way to transition this one...
- I haven't been to a real movie theater in a very, very long time. Too long. Movie theaters are good for the soul. But suddenly it's beginning to look like a very busy spring for me. I really, really love the look of Fever Pitch. I mean, c'mon, it's a love story about sports fans! I also think that it's going to inspire a long-overdue post about the myth that men think that girls who are into sports are hot, but that's for another post. There's also a new Batman movie coming out that actually gives me hope that the franchise can be saved after Schumacher, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which has the potential for being the first film that compells me to see it five times in a theater since, um, The X-Files movie (shuddup.) And, oh yeah, the final Star Wars film. I have mixed feelings on that one, for a variety of reasons.
And finally...
- Somehow I have managed to win an award! Not sure how this happened, but I am now listed as one of the Best Blogs in Tennessee. Thanks Lynnette and Jim! Now I have to post more often, right?
Wow
They actually did it. They won it all. North Carolina Tar Heels, 2005 National Champions.
For some reason, I don't quite believe it yet. Even though I saw that weird-looking trophy in Roy's hands. I'm still in shock. I think I will be for a long time.
Who would have thought two years ago, when we were 8-20 and didn't even have a tournament berth, that we would win it all two years later? When Roy took the job, I predicted to my friend Pax that we'd be back in the Final Four in two years. But I was never arrogant enough to think we'd win.
But here we are. And it's a great place to be.
And contrary to rumor, I am not here tonight. Although it is a testament to how much I love my job that I'm not driving eastward right now. I feel like I should be at the Groundhog on Franklin Street, 500 sheets to the wind. I wonder if there are any trees left on campus?
For some reason, I don't quite believe it yet. Even though I saw that weird-looking trophy in Roy's hands. I'm still in shock. I think I will be for a long time.
Who would have thought two years ago, when we were 8-20 and didn't even have a tournament berth, that we would win it all two years later? When Roy took the job, I predicted to my friend Pax that we'd be back in the Final Four in two years. But I was never arrogant enough to think we'd win.
But here we are. And it's a great place to be.
And contrary to rumor, I am not here tonight. Although it is a testament to how much I love my job that I'm not driving eastward right now. I feel like I should be at the Groundhog on Franklin Street, 500 sheets to the wind. I wonder if there are any trees left on campus?
3.29.2005
A great excuse to eat out today
Dining Out for Life has been a national event in many cities for years to raise money for AIDS/HIV outreach organizations. Today's the day for Nashville's restaurants to donate part of their proceeds to Nashville CARES. Here's a list of participating restaurants. So if you needed a good reason to fork over the bucks for a big night out at the Sunset Grill, here's your chance!
3.28.2005
Just a thought for the Metro Nashville Police
Obviously, I'm not a cop, so I could be talking out of my you-know-what on this. But since the West End Attacker seems to be doing the same thing time after time (looking for homes where purses are in plain view through a window, breaking in a window or door, snatching the purse and fleeing) why don't the police set up a sting operation? Find some concerned homeowner in one of the targeted areas who's willing to cooperate, set up a purse in a conspicuous place, and have some cops hide in a closet or outbuilding in wait for him to strike? It might take awhile (or it might take more than one house) but he'd probably eventually take the bait. Sure, it might not work, but so far the "let's wait in the neighborhood with the police 'copter and squad cars at the ready" hasn't done the trick, has it?
3.27.2005
*clears throat*
Tar Heels on Hand,
To steal the Thunder from the Sky:
Then take our stand,
As every man does right
By blue and white
We'll give the Tar Heels a Hand
And cheer them on to do or die.
YEA, all of us are for U-N-C
And you can betcha we're proud to be the
Tar Heels on Hand.
Boy, I wish I were on Franklin Street right now. I wonder if there are any trees left...
To steal the Thunder from the Sky:
Then take our stand,
As every man does right
By blue and white
We'll give the Tar Heels a Hand
And cheer them on to do or die.
YEA, all of us are for U-N-C
And you can betcha we're proud to be the
Tar Heels on Hand.
Boy, I wish I were on Franklin Street right now. I wonder if there are any trees left...
3.08.2005
Well screw you too, ESPN
ESPN has ticked me off for the last time. It's bad enough that their radio commentators have become completely obnoxious and unlistenable, but they're getting rid of the two best parts of my day - Kit Hoover and Thea Andrews on Cold Pizza! Don't know if you've ever seen this morning show, but it's a hidden gem on ESPN2. Now it's going to be turned into more blowhard commentary with Skip Bayliss and Woody Paige, who together are the most biggest waste of space on air. Today they even added a scoreboard. Oh please. Are we supposed to tick off how many viewers they're losing per second?
Now my friend Joe Greenlight has come up with the idea to boycott ESPN, and I'm all for it. After all, what exactly are we losing? Except for Pardon the Interruption (which I admit I will really miss) and that unwatchable Around the Horn show before it, there's 10 reruns of SportsCenter a day, a few episodes of that horrible poker drama series, Dream Job (which is almost painfully entertaining) and some after-hours outdoor programming. These guys have yet to acknowledge that there are sports in the world that exist on networks that they don't hold the exclusive rights to, like NASCAR and soccer. Oh, excuse me, Colin Cowherd said on ESPN Radio today that the only places in the world that care about soccer have Sally Struthers shilling for money or worship a queen. So I'm not supposed to care. My mistake.
Now my friend Joe Greenlight has come up with the idea to boycott ESPN, and I'm all for it. After all, what exactly are we losing? Except for Pardon the Interruption (which I admit I will really miss) and that unwatchable Around the Horn show before it, there's 10 reruns of SportsCenter a day, a few episodes of that horrible poker drama series, Dream Job (which is almost painfully entertaining) and some after-hours outdoor programming. These guys have yet to acknowledge that there are sports in the world that exist on networks that they don't hold the exclusive rights to, like NASCAR and soccer. Oh, excuse me, Colin Cowherd said on ESPN Radio today that the only places in the world that care about soccer have Sally Struthers shilling for money or worship a queen. So I'm not supposed to care. My mistake.
3.06.2005
An Open Letter
To whomever tried to remove my bumper stickers in the Donelson Y parking lot this afternoon:
I guess you thought you were being clever. After all, you probably disagreed with the sentiment that "My Kids Can't Afford For Me To Vote Republican." (incidentally, I have no living children, but the bumper sticker was on behalf of my future kids...not that you would know this.) And since the election is over, you probably thought you would be helpful and remove my Kerry-Edwards sticker for me, right? Well, forgive me if I don't thank you.
I'm not sure if you care very much about the concept of free speech, but it's something I care very deeply in. And it not only applies to what you write in the newspaper or say on television, but what you put on your car. Personally, there's a lot of bumper stickers that I see in this town that I really don't like. I've seen some pro-war, anti-Arab sentiment that's chapped my craw, so to speak. And I really, really loved those "Don't Be A Girlie-Man - Vote Republican" stickers soooo much the last few weeks of October. But I would never think about touching your car. Because it's your right to put things on there as you see fit, just like it's my right to curse under my breath when I see it. Because I actually believe in the First Amendment for all.
But I do appreciate your help in one way. Since one of my stickers was torn in half thanks to you, I now have to put up a replacement. And you are definitely not going to like it. A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine pointed me toward this site with Religious Left merchandise. And I'll be sure to pick out the most obnoxiously liberal item on the site, just for you.
Love,
The Girl With the Brown Minivan
I guess you thought you were being clever. After all, you probably disagreed with the sentiment that "My Kids Can't Afford For Me To Vote Republican." (incidentally, I have no living children, but the bumper sticker was on behalf of my future kids...not that you would know this.) And since the election is over, you probably thought you would be helpful and remove my Kerry-Edwards sticker for me, right? Well, forgive me if I don't thank you.
I'm not sure if you care very much about the concept of free speech, but it's something I care very deeply in. And it not only applies to what you write in the newspaper or say on television, but what you put on your car. Personally, there's a lot of bumper stickers that I see in this town that I really don't like. I've seen some pro-war, anti-Arab sentiment that's chapped my craw, so to speak. And I really, really loved those "Don't Be A Girlie-Man - Vote Republican" stickers soooo much the last few weeks of October. But I would never think about touching your car. Because it's your right to put things on there as you see fit, just like it's my right to curse under my breath when I see it. Because I actually believe in the First Amendment for all.
But I do appreciate your help in one way. Since one of my stickers was torn in half thanks to you, I now have to put up a replacement. And you are definitely not going to like it. A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine pointed me toward this site with Religious Left merchandise. And I'll be sure to pick out the most obnoxiously liberal item on the site, just for you.
Love,
The Girl With the Brown Minivan
3.02.2005
More This 'n That
- D-Mase got his cash money and he's going to Baltimore. Not a bad move for him. The Ravens had an excellent defense last year but needed some good hands up the field, which Mason should provide. However, Mason told a local sports-talk show this evening that he came very close to going to New England but decided to go for the cash. Interesting choice for the guy who was one yard from a Super Bowl ring five years ago. True, the Pats of next season will be minus some key players and two seasoned assistant coaches, but I daresay they're closer to a repeat than the Ravens are to making a return appearance to the big show.
- Dear Randy Moss, No, everyone doesn't love the Raiders; no, you won't be going to the Super Bowl; and you'd better be loving all this love you're getting from Al Davis, because the breakup's going to be ugly. Now put your pants back on and grow up.
- I am possibly the most naive, hopeless romantic on earth. Or maybe I just fell for the hype. I thought those crazy kids would make it. For her to file the papers in her sixth month of pregnancy, he must've really screwed up. And yeah, I'm jumping to conclusions, but past offenses are allowed in court.
- Several of us in the newsroom are devoted American Idol fans (well, I was, but I'm losing interest since the auditions are over and I don't have anything left to mock.) I decided to give Nashville Star a try, since it's local and the potential for wacky costumes is high. What a disappointment. With the exception of one guy who's doing a fairly good Buddy Holly act, they all look alike and sound alike and dress like they're onstage in LA, not Nashville. It really makes me wonder - would Johnny Cash have a chance starting out these days? Or Patsy Cline? Or anyone who doesn't have a perky smile and a trendy haircut and a prepackaged biography?
- Cool link: This copycat site gives you recipes to some of your favorite restaurant foods. And not just stuff like KFC chicken and McDonald's muffins (um, I might be missing something, but I've never had one of those I wanted to make at home.) They have a recipe for an Orange Julius! If you've had one but don't live where there's a Orange Julius stand, you probably know why I'm so pleased. But me, I'm more happy about the recipe to make Olive Garden's salad dressing. That stuff's addictive.
- Speaking of food, check out this very cool Flash site that teaches you how to make "fast food" with a French chef that resembles Ron Popeil. Not sure how the food is, but I want the house.
- Nice to see that some musicians are putting their names out there in favor of P2P file-sharing, at least for non-copywrited works. Not surprised to see that it's artists like Steve Winwood and Heart, who undoubtably have seen their highest-gross years in record sales come and go. But they're making the point that I've been screaming for years - P2P opens up new kinds of music to people that they wouldn't normally have any access to, and once you get into it, you start spending money on it. I'm thankful to Napster for opening my eyes and ears up to all sorts of electronic music, especially European trance that isn't exactly on the shelves down at Ye Olde Wal-Mart. Good times. All obtained legally, of course.
- There should be more, but somehow it's hard to blog on a day after events like this.
- Dear Randy Moss, No, everyone doesn't love the Raiders; no, you won't be going to the Super Bowl; and you'd better be loving all this love you're getting from Al Davis, because the breakup's going to be ugly. Now put your pants back on and grow up.
- I am possibly the most naive, hopeless romantic on earth. Or maybe I just fell for the hype. I thought those crazy kids would make it. For her to file the papers in her sixth month of pregnancy, he must've really screwed up. And yeah, I'm jumping to conclusions, but past offenses are allowed in court.
- Several of us in the newsroom are devoted American Idol fans (well, I was, but I'm losing interest since the auditions are over and I don't have anything left to mock.) I decided to give Nashville Star a try, since it's local and the potential for wacky costumes is high. What a disappointment. With the exception of one guy who's doing a fairly good Buddy Holly act, they all look alike and sound alike and dress like they're onstage in LA, not Nashville. It really makes me wonder - would Johnny Cash have a chance starting out these days? Or Patsy Cline? Or anyone who doesn't have a perky smile and a trendy haircut and a prepackaged biography?
- Cool link: This copycat site gives you recipes to some of your favorite restaurant foods. And not just stuff like KFC chicken and McDonald's muffins (um, I might be missing something, but I've never had one of those I wanted to make at home.) They have a recipe for an Orange Julius! If you've had one but don't live where there's a Orange Julius stand, you probably know why I'm so pleased. But me, I'm more happy about the recipe to make Olive Garden's salad dressing. That stuff's addictive.
- Speaking of food, check out this very cool Flash site that teaches you how to make "fast food" with a French chef that resembles Ron Popeil. Not sure how the food is, but I want the house.
- Nice to see that some musicians are putting their names out there in favor of P2P file-sharing, at least for non-copywrited works. Not surprised to see that it's artists like Steve Winwood and Heart, who undoubtably have seen their highest-gross years in record sales come and go. But they're making the point that I've been screaming for years - P2P opens up new kinds of music to people that they wouldn't normally have any access to, and once you get into it, you start spending money on it. I'm thankful to Napster for opening my eyes and ears up to all sorts of electronic music, especially European trance that isn't exactly on the shelves down at Ye Olde Wal-Mart. Good times. All obtained legally, of course.
- There should be more, but somehow it's hard to blog on a day after events like this.
2.27.2005
Just a little Oscar snarking
I didn't see the entire telecast (frankly, I lost interest somewhere around the time that Beyonce' started singing in French.) And I decided that the Oscars were pretty much a crock around the time Amelie got shafted two years ago. Yeah, I know, silly grudge to hold. But a couple of things...
-Chris Rock didn't do a bad job. I have a feeling most of the reviewers will say he was boring as hell, but I think that's just in comparison to his other work. I mean, if you gave Eddie Murphy or Dave Chappelle the hosting duties but told them that they couldn't cuss, couldn't be sexual and had to have all their jokes reviewed by the network heads beforehand, they'd look bland too. And I'm not singling them all out as black men, but as comedians who make comedic statements with the "no, you didn't" effect. Rock's style hasn't been quite as strong as theirs, but he's made a career by saying the things that no one else had the guts to say about race relations. That didn't necessarily mesh well with the Oscars, who try to leave the controversy to the MTV Music Awards.
- That said, I did like Rock's visit to the Magic Johnson Theatres to talk to "the people". I think it was probably a shock to some of those in the audience that most of Middle Amercia would rather see The Chronicles of Riddick a thousand times than see Million Dollar Baby once.
- Speaking of which. Hilary Swank's dress, frankly, sucked. When you win an Oscar basically for killing yourself in a gym for six months, don't you want the world to see the body you got as a result?
- Didn't see most of the red carpet, but from what I saw, Virginia Madsen had the best dress of the night, with Salma Hayak winning a special award for Best Use of Superior Cleavage. That said, has their been a rule implemented at the Oscars that all the actresses have to wear a sleeveless. tight-to-the-knees dress with a poufy train? Seriously, folks, I know that Nicole Kidman looked lovely in those for the past few years, but you're beginning to make me miss Cher. At least I give Hilary some props for being unique.
- If Renee Zellwegger gets any skinnier, I'm going to start sending her In 'n Out Burger gift certificates.
- I think the tribute to Carson was possibly the best segment of the evening. A classy way to say goodbye to a classy man.
- Speaking of classy (or not so much), I did like Halle Berry's dress and her very proper Oscar presentation. However, I liked her Razzie acceptance speech even more.
- Boy, I would not want to be anywhere in the vicinity of Martin Scorsese right about now.
-Chris Rock didn't do a bad job. I have a feeling most of the reviewers will say he was boring as hell, but I think that's just in comparison to his other work. I mean, if you gave Eddie Murphy or Dave Chappelle the hosting duties but told them that they couldn't cuss, couldn't be sexual and had to have all their jokes reviewed by the network heads beforehand, they'd look bland too. And I'm not singling them all out as black men, but as comedians who make comedic statements with the "no, you didn't" effect. Rock's style hasn't been quite as strong as theirs, but he's made a career by saying the things that no one else had the guts to say about race relations. That didn't necessarily mesh well with the Oscars, who try to leave the controversy to the MTV Music Awards.
- That said, I did like Rock's visit to the Magic Johnson Theatres to talk to "the people". I think it was probably a shock to some of those in the audience that most of Middle Amercia would rather see The Chronicles of Riddick a thousand times than see Million Dollar Baby once.
- Speaking of which. Hilary Swank's dress, frankly, sucked. When you win an Oscar basically for killing yourself in a gym for six months, don't you want the world to see the body you got as a result?
- Didn't see most of the red carpet, but from what I saw, Virginia Madsen had the best dress of the night, with Salma Hayak winning a special award for Best Use of Superior Cleavage. That said, has their been a rule implemented at the Oscars that all the actresses have to wear a sleeveless. tight-to-the-knees dress with a poufy train? Seriously, folks, I know that Nicole Kidman looked lovely in those for the past few years, but you're beginning to make me miss Cher. At least I give Hilary some props for being unique.
- If Renee Zellwegger gets any skinnier, I'm going to start sending her In 'n Out Burger gift certificates.
- I think the tribute to Carson was possibly the best segment of the evening. A classy way to say goodbye to a classy man.
- Speaking of classy (or not so much), I did like Halle Berry's dress and her very proper Oscar presentation. However, I liked her Razzie acceptance speech even more.
- Boy, I would not want to be anywhere in the vicinity of Martin Scorsese right about now.
My Sunday Dinner Pick - Sitar
There are a few foods that I think that I could probably live off of exclusively for the rest of my life (or at least a few years) without ever tiring of them. One is good pizza (note the word "good", which means straight from a pizza oven, pan crust, fresh ingredients. I've only found a couple of pizzarias who come close to qualifying.) Another is my Granny's chicken and dressing with my aunt's twice-baked potatoes. Yet another is sushi, in particular Philadelphia rolls (okay, I know the real sushi snobs are screaming at this, but something about the combination of cream cheese and crab makes me very, very happy) and miso soup. But above all of this is chicken tikka masala. Absolutely adore the stuff. If it weren't a bitch and a half to make from scratch, I'd probably be cooking it at home at least every 2-3 days.
But alas, I am not the least bit Indian, have no Indian friends to teach me how to cook the dish as well they can, and unfortunately I don't live in London, where curry shops are like fast food (so I hear.) So I have to go to the local Indian restaurants to get my fix. And while they are excellent, they're a bit pricy for my po' budget. So I'm limited to getting the best chicken tikka masala I've found in Nashville (Taste of India on Church) every few weeks as a treat. But in the meantime, there is one good alternative that I find myself using quite a bit. That's the Sitar lunch buffet.
Sitar's food is excellent - maybe not quite as flavorful as some of the other Indian shops in town, and their rice, frankly, is often disappointing. But other than that, it's consistant and dependable, which is not something that you can say about many of the buffet places in town. And it has a good variety of choices - as with most Indian places, they have tons of vegetarian options. Their naan (flatbread) suffers under the heat lamps, but if you catch it out fresh, you'll be tempted to eat it instead of anything else. And they always offer two dessert choices which I can't do without - kheer (a custard they make with pistachios and almonds added) and a rice pudding.
Sitar has a very nice dining area and a great wait staff, but it tends to be very, very crowded at lunch. Most of the time that I go to the buffet, I get it to go and feast through the afternoon at work. But in the evening, the ambience is very nice - all candlelight and cool Indian music playing. Also, my sister, brother-in-law and I recently found out that it's not a bad place to take a very energetic 3-year-old for an early weekend dinner. Not only were the wait staff very patient with my niece, but they made excellent suggestions on foods that she would like to eat.
All in all, Sitar is an excellent lunch value for a good $7 meal ($8 for take-out) and a solid choice whenever. And until someone opens a curry shop on Nolensville Road (hey, every other nationality is there) I've got a cheap fix for my masala cravings.
But alas, I am not the least bit Indian, have no Indian friends to teach me how to cook the dish as well they can, and unfortunately I don't live in London, where curry shops are like fast food (so I hear.) So I have to go to the local Indian restaurants to get my fix. And while they are excellent, they're a bit pricy for my po' budget. So I'm limited to getting the best chicken tikka masala I've found in Nashville (Taste of India on Church) every few weeks as a treat. But in the meantime, there is one good alternative that I find myself using quite a bit. That's the Sitar lunch buffet.
Sitar's food is excellent - maybe not quite as flavorful as some of the other Indian shops in town, and their rice, frankly, is often disappointing. But other than that, it's consistant and dependable, which is not something that you can say about many of the buffet places in town. And it has a good variety of choices - as with most Indian places, they have tons of vegetarian options. Their naan (flatbread) suffers under the heat lamps, but if you catch it out fresh, you'll be tempted to eat it instead of anything else. And they always offer two dessert choices which I can't do without - kheer (a custard they make with pistachios and almonds added) and a rice pudding.
Sitar has a very nice dining area and a great wait staff, but it tends to be very, very crowded at lunch. Most of the time that I go to the buffet, I get it to go and feast through the afternoon at work. But in the evening, the ambience is very nice - all candlelight and cool Indian music playing. Also, my sister, brother-in-law and I recently found out that it's not a bad place to take a very energetic 3-year-old for an early weekend dinner. Not only were the wait staff very patient with my niece, but they made excellent suggestions on foods that she would like to eat.
All in all, Sitar is an excellent lunch value for a good $7 meal ($8 for take-out) and a solid choice whenever. And until someone opens a curry shop on Nolensville Road (hey, every other nationality is there) I've got a cheap fix for my masala cravings.
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