Date:	2005-05-11 20:31
Subject:	A Change for the Better
Security:	Public
Mood:	giddy
Music:	The Clash--This Is Radio Clash

I know it's been forever since I've updated, but a lot of changes are happening in my life. Big changes. Good changes.

I got a new job in a new city. That's right, I'm hitting the road and getting out of Dodge.

My new job is tailor-made for me. I'll be doing marketing, public relations, and special events. And the place I'm moving to is a great town full of beautiful architecture and fun things to do. I've found a cute little apartment that is waaaaay nicer than the hole-in-the-wall I'm living in now.

It's amazing how much a person's life can change in a matter of weeks. I've got a better job, that pays better money, that allows me to get a better apartment in a better city. Good things can happen to those who wait.

Date:	2005-02-28 20:22
Subject:	Happy To Be Back
Security:	Public
Mood:	happy
Music:	BeBe Winans--Love and Freedom

Yes. It's been a while. I've been on a long hiatus due to serious computer problems that I am legally bound not to discuss. I'm not kidding. I am contractually obligated to keep my big mouth shut.

So much has happened since the last time we visited. Where to start? I know. I got engaged! It was a beautiful proposal on New Year's Eve. I won't go into the private details. I will just say that it involved white rose petals, champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, and a bed. Mmmmm.

The wedding is scheduled for this New Year's Eve at the same hotel where the proposal took place. Isn't that romantic?

For the next ten months, I will bore you senseless with every, minute detail of my wedding plans. Sit tight. It's going to be a long, bumpy ride.

Date:	2004-11-20 00:54
Subject:	Food Find
Security:	Public
Mood:	restless
Music:	Tony!Toni!Tone--Feels Good

I've come to the conclusion that I am the worst live-journaler ever. I just can't get into the habit of updating my journal on a regular basis. The problem is that I don't want to post unless I have something worthwhile to share.

My motivation today is one of my primary motivators: food. Time for another one of my food finds.

Everyone loves a good hamburger. It's an American classic. Then why is it so hard to find one? It's because most people don't know the proper way to cook a thick, juicy, flavorful hamburger. Here a some tips and a recipe for making the perfect burger.

COOKING TIPS

∑ When using ground beef to make hamburger patties you want to select the right meat. Lean ground beef like ground sirloin will tend to make dry burgers.

∑ The juiciest hamburgers are made with ground beef that is about 80 to 85 percent meat and 15 to 20 percent fat. This is about the ratio that you find in chuck — the best all-around cut for a perfect, juicy hamburger.

∑ The patty should be about 3/4 inch thick.

∑ Don’t overwork the meat when forming the patty. It will become tough.

∑ Be sure NOT to press the patty with the flat side of a spatula as it grills, even though you may be tempted to do so. Pressing squeezes out the flavorful juices.

∑ Only flip the burger once during cooking.

THE PERFECT HAMBURGER RECIPE

3 pounds ground chuck
3 tablespoons steak sauce (recommended: Crosse & Blackwell)
6 extra-large egg yolks
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
12 hamburger buns


1. Carefully mix the meats, steak sauce, egg yolks, salt, and pepper with the tines of a fork, but do not mash it.

2. Lightly form 12 hamburgers and lightly press into a patty shape.

3. Make an indentation and put a thin slice of butter inside each hamburger, making sure the butter is entirely encased in the meat.

4. Heat a grill, broiler, or sauté pan and cook the hamburgers for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until completely cooked throughout, with no pink in the middle.

5. Remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil.

6. Allow the hamburgers to rest for 5 minutes and serve immediately on buns.

Date:	2004-11-14 17:01
Subject:	Guilty Pleasure Friday
Security:	Public
Mood:	satisfied
Music:	Electric Light Orchestra--All Over the World

This past Friday was a real-life Guilty Pleasure Friday for me.

I started by taking a vacation day from work so that I could spend a whole day with my boyfriend. That should have been treat enough, but I didn't stop there.

My boyfriend and I traveled to Cincinnati, one of my favorite cities. It has so much flavor and character. Because it's only a 90-minute drive from Richmond, we travel there quite frequently. We've noticed quite a change in the city following the race riots that occurred a few years ago. It is clear that the community is trying hard to change its image. All of the stores and restaurants that we visit go out of their way to be attentive to us and provide us with good service. They obviously want to demonstrate that they are friendly to black patrons. Actually, I'm the only one that people are nice to, since my boyfriend is pigmentally challenged (that means he's a white dude).

Our first stope at Cincinnati was Graeter's. You've heard me go on and on about Graeter's in a previous Guilty Pleasure post. I just can't get enough of this place! Once again I bought tons of baked goods. I still can't believe how inexpensive their baked goods are. Look at everything I bought for $50.00:

* 2 dozen brownies;
* 4 loaves of cinnamon-raisin sticky bread;
* 3 dozen cookies;
* 8 blueberry muffins;
* 8 cheese crowns (see: September 4, 2004, 13:45 for description); and
* 1 half-pound bag of candy.

I don't know how Graeter's can be making any money selling their food so cheaply. Maybe they have have a huge mark-up on their ice cream.

Next, my boyfriend and I headed downtown for lunch. We were torn between the Palace Restaurant at the Cincinnatian Hotel (http://www.cincinnatianhotel.com/dining-restaurants.htm) and Palomino (http://www.palomino.com/). We decided on the more rustic fare at Palamino. I ordered the wood-fire grilled, lemon sage chicken. It was accompanied by parmesan mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables. My boyfriend ordered the steak frites. For dessert, we split an order of tiramisu. I love Palomino's tiramisu because they make theirs with chocolate sponge cake instead of the traditional lady fingers. It is THE BEST tiramisu I've ever tasted.

Then, it was off to Fountain Tower Mall to shop. I touched a chinchilla coat (I've never felt anything so soft in my life), tried on an insanely expensive diamond ring at Tiffany's, and bought the new Britney Spears Greatest Hits DVD.

I returned home to flog myself for being so self-indulgent all day.

Man, they're not even trying to hide this !@##$%$& anymore. They (you know who I'm talking about) are so emboldened and out of control that they are doing this racist, crazy, fascist !@#$%&* right out in the open. For the love of god, please click on the link below.

http://philanthropy.com/free/update/2004/10/2004102901.htm

Date:	2004-11-01 23:39
Subject:	Election Day
Security:	Public
Mood:	determined
Music:	David Bowie--Fashion

So today is election day. It is, perhaps, the most important election in any of our lifetimes. If you haven't already done so, please go to the polls today and vote. I don't care who you vote for (actually, I do, but I won't get into that here) just get out and vote.

I pray to whatever god who will hear me, that by this time tomorrow, we will know who our new president is. I don't think I can take another protracted battle like we had last time. If it isn't close, or if it is clear that no funny business went on, just concede. Save us all the pain and confusion.

Date:	2004-10-18 16:14
Subject:	Sorry I've Been MIA
Security:	Public
Mood:	accomplished
Music:	Britney Spears--My Prerogative

Even though no one probably reads my journal on a regular basis, I still feel the need to apologize for the lack of posts in the last few weeks. Things have been so hectic for me recently. I've had at least one major event to attend every weekend for the last four weeks, I have several new projects for work, and I've been busy working on my own pet project.

Some of you already know about my pet project, but most of you don't. I am preparing an audition tape for a contest Oprah Winfrey is having to find a roving reporter for her show. Hosting a talk show has been a dream of mine since I was a little girl watching the Merv Griffin and Mike Douglas shows with my grandmother. When I read that Oprah was holding this contest, I just knew I had to go for it.

I've been hesistant to tell a lot of people about submitting a tape to the Oprah Winfrey show because I suspected that most people would think that I was silly and riduculous for daring to dream so big. I can tell from the reactions I've received from people, that my suspicions were correct.

I have to admit that creating the audition tape has been a bigger challenge than I ever expected. My boyfriend had to go to special training to learn how to use the video equipment, coordinating the logistics of each shoot has been complicated, it has been hard to fit the tapings into my already hectic schedule, and I've had to practically threaten physical violence to get family and friends to appear on tape with me. It's all been worth it though. I'm proud to say that I've met every challenge head on and managed not to get discouraged.

I won't lie. I hope that I win the contest. Who wouldn't want to have their life-long dream fulfilled? Heck, I even think that I deserve to win the contest. But if I don't win, I'll still feel a sense of accomplishment because I took a risk and reached for my dream. I solace in knowing that I won't have to spend the rest of my life wondering "what if". Not many people in this world can say that. In that regard, I'm already a winner.

Now for your reading pleasure, my Emmy commentary. My review begins with the E! Channel's red carpet coverage with host, Star Jones.

E! Live from the Red Carpet


5:48 p.m. Patricia Heaton’s dress is gorgeous. A perfectly fitted, classic design, made modern with the creative use of color. Patricia looks perfect from head to toe. She has the perfect hair, the perfect jewels, the perfect bag, and the perfect shoes to complement her dress. That woman must have a fabulous fashion team.

5:50 p.m. Omarosa from the Apprentice and Star Jones face off in the Battle of the Black Divas. It could get ugly, folks.

Omarosa’s dress is a fabulous coral number that compliments her skin tone beautifully. Interesting fact: the dress was designed by Wyclef Jean’s wife.

Omarosa and Star complete the interview unscathed.

5:52 p.m. Star announces that she is going to change outfits because no self-respecting diva can be seen in the same clothes for two hours. Take that, Joan Rivers!

5:56 p.m. Some bald guy in a hideous sparkly jacket is now doing a red carpet interview. Please hurry up that quick change, Star!

5:58 p.m. I’m not sure what I think about Star’s new dress. She’s wearing some kind of huge, gray fur puffs on her arms. I hope that isn’t real fur. That would be terrible. Despite the fact that my mom wears her full-length mink to the grocery store, I am not down with real fur. Actually, maybe it's BECAUSE my mom wears her full-length mink to the grocery store.

Laura Linney bucks convention and wears a cocktail-length dress. It will be interesting to hear what the fashion police say about that on Monday morning.

6:02 p.m. Marlo Thomas’s brother looks just like their dad!

6:04 p.m. William H. Macy announces that he is wearing a Brooks Brothers tux. My brother, who literally dresses from head to toe in Brooks Brothers, will love that.

6:13 p.m. I finally figured it out! Star is wearing a fur shrug. She has to be burning up in that thing, because Dennis Franz’s bald head is sweating profusely.

6:22 p.m. Randy Jackson’s wife is gorgeous! Absolutely stunning! She looks like she may be Latina.

6:25 p.m. The color of Bonnie Hunt’s dress is amazing. It’s a beautiful periwinkle blue. This is the best I’ve ever seen her look. She should ditch her usual black frocks and wear color more often.

6:32 p.m. Debra Messing has lost a lot of her pregnancy weight. I think she should stay at this size. She looks good with a little more meat on her bones.

6:36 p.m. Kim Catrall’s dress is a pretty pink. It’s perfectly fitted, but I don’t like the puffy balls and fringe at the bottom. I also wish she would have worn her hair up. She still looks stunning, though.

6:37 p.m. Is Chris Noth’s girlfriend black? She may not be black, but she’s something. She definitely ain’t white. You go, Mr. Big. You know I love the interracial.

6:54 p.m. Sara Jessica Parker looks stunning as usual. Does she ever make a fashion mistake? Love that she gives a shout out to New York City. She knows which side her bread is buttered on.

6:59 p.m. I just saw right through Jennifer Aniston’s dress! A perfect ending to the red carpet show.

I have to admit it, but Star Jones did a good job tonight. Star was nice to all of the talent without seeming disingenuous. And she was certainly better prepared than Joan Rivers. It’s also always nice to see another chocolate drop on TV. Represent!


On with the Show: The Actual Awards Ceremony


7:01 p.m. The only good thing about the “mockumentary” opening segment is Will Ferrell. He is hilarious in everything he does.

7:04 p.m. Even host, Gary Shandling, has to admit the opening segment bombed.

7:08 p.m. The camera cuts to Al Pacino in the audience. He cleans up nice.

7:09 p.m. Why did they cut to Sean Hayes when Gary Shandling made a joke about gay marriage? Are they inferring that Hayes is gay? Just because he plays a gay guy on TV doesn't mean that he's gay in real life.

7:12 p.m. Sarah Jessica Parker and Chris Noth present the first award of the night, Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. David Hyde Pierce from Frasier wins his fourth Emmy. All I have to say is Jeffrey Tambor was robbed!

7:15 p.m. On to the next award. ABC is keeping the party moving. Michael Imperioli from The Sopranos wins for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

7:16 p.m. Sixteen minutes into the show when we get the kiss-off music alerting the award winner to get the hell off the stage for the first time. ABC is no joke! They aren’t %#$*&-ing around this year. They are determined to keep this show under five and a half hours.

7:24 p.m. Cynthia Nixon wins for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Sex in the City.

7:32 p.m. Arrested Development wins for Writing for a Comedy Series. That’s a good sign that it could take the prize for Comedy Series.

7:39 p.m. Drea de Matteo of the Sopranos wins for Supporting Actress on a Drama Series cause she got whacked on the show.

7:43 p.m. In the second major upset of the night, HBO’s Deadwood beats out The Sopranos for Directing for a Drama Series.

7:54 p.m. Jeffrey Wright wins for Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie for Angels in America. I love him so much. He is one of the most talented actors out there right now and also one of the nicest and most gracious.

I can’t believe that the band tried to play him off during his moving comments about how AIDS is ravaging the African-American community and the people of sub-Saharan Africa. I’m furious!

7:58 p.m. I can barely type right now because I’m going crazy with shock. They played J.C. Chasez’s “Something Special” during the nominations for Directing for a Variety or Music Program. I can’t begin to tell you how excited and happy I am right now. We J.C. fans have been so frustrated about the lack of attention his solo album has received. It’s so awesome to hear his music on network television. I’m so excited that I didn’t even catch who won the stupid award. Whatever.

8:04 p.m. The Daily Show crew saves the show with a hilarious parody of the Swift Boat political ads. The Daily Show proves, once again, why they are the smartest, funniest show on television.

8:08 p.m. Elaine Stritch won for something. She is a crack up. She claims she tried not to drink tonight, but me thinks she may have tipped back a few.

8:13 p.m. The Daily Show wins for Writing for Music, Variety, or Comedy Show. Did I not just say that they are the smartest and funniest show on TV?

8:24 p.m. The Sopranos wins for Writing on a Drama Series. I’d put money on them winning for Drama Series.

8:36 p.m. My boyfriend, Barry, surprises me by showing up at my door. I have on no make up and my hair is a mess. He’s gonna get it. On second thought, he’s not getting any.

8:50 p.m. The show’s producers have an Average Joe and an Average Jane announce the nominees for Outstanding for Reality Competition Program. Those lucky bastards. They are almost as shocked to be there as I was to hear J.C.’s song get played. Oh yeah, and the Amazing Race wins.

9:05 p.m. Al Pacino, as expected, wins for Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries for Angels in America.

9:14 p.m. In a huge upset, Allison Janney wins for Actress in a Drama Series for the West Wing. She calls up all of the other nominees to join her on stage.

9:24 p.m. Sarah Jessica Parker wins for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She is adorable. By the way, what the heck is John Cryer wearing? A brown suit, John? Brown?

9:29 p.m. Kelsy Grammer wins for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Frasier. I can’t believe that John Ritter didn’t get the sentimental vote. I’m saddened for Mr. Ritter’s family. However, it was gracious for Grammer to acknowledge them during his acceptance speech.

9:39 p.m. In another huge upset, Jame Spader of The Practice beats out James Gandolfini for Lead Actor in a Drama Series. I love James Spader. This makes up for him never getting that Oscar for Pretty in Pink. Hey, I wonder if he and John Cryer had a little Pretty in Pink reunion back stage.

9:42 p.m. It’s no surprise that Meryl Streep wins for Actress in a Miniseries for her role in Angels in America. Did Streep mean it when she said that Emma Thompson will hold a grudge that she lost to Streep?

Interesting Side Note: All of the women nominated in this category have been nominated for, or have won an Oscar.

9:51 p.m. Angels in America wins for Miniseries. That’s a shocker--or not. Mike Nichols’ speech is about the AIDS crisis is touching. I’m glad the band didn’t play over Nichols like they did Jeffrey Wright.

9:53 p.m. There is a god. Arrested Development wins for Comedy Series (see: 7:32 p.m.). This completes the unbelievable comeback year for Jason Bateman. He’s really bounced back from Teen Wolf 2. Couldn’t have happened to a better guy.

9:59 p.m. Glenn Close presents the nominees for Drama Series. Her dress is beautiful.

10:00 p.m. The Sopranos wins for Drama Series (see: 8:24 p.m.).

10:01 p.m. And we’re out. The show ends only one minute over its scheduled time.

All in all, the show wasn’t terrible. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t terrible. Gary Shandling did a
okay job as host, most of the comedy bits fell flat, and the Elaine Stritch jokes were
stretched pretty thin.

Luckily, there were some surprises that kept the show interesting. Probably the biggest being James Spader’s win for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series.

The best part of the night? Hands down has to be Barbara Walters feeling up Star Jones on the red carpet.

Until next year, Emmy.

Date:	2004-09-19 20:23
Subject:	Britney Weds
Security:	Public
Mood:	shocked
Music:	Whatever is playing on the Emmy awards right now

I've been so busy with my Emmy coverage that I totally missed the news that Britney Spears married Kevin Federline last night. The wedding allegedly took place a the home of the tailor who made Federline's tux.

Supposedly, the wedding was a total surprise to the 30 family and friends who attended. They were told they would be attending an "engagement party." First Las Vegas, and now this. Looks like Britney once again stole her mother's chance to plan a beautiful, dream wedding for her oldest daughter. No pressure, Jamie Lynn.

Date:	2004-09-19 18:41
Subject:	Yay! I Got My Computer Back
Security:	Public
Mood:	jubilant
Music:	JoJo--Leave (Get Out)

I am so thrilled that my iBook is fixed. I felt completely lost without it. I couldn't check any of my favorite websites, couldn't download any new music, and couldn't update my live journal.

I am also ecstatic because I paid off my car on Friday. That's an extra $331.42 in my pocket every month. What's a girl to do with all of that cold, hard cash? First, I'm going to splurge on a new iPod because mine is DOA. Then I'm going to pay off some of my bills and try to save some money for a trip to Chicago over Christmas. Of course, I'll also put money away for a rainy day. Whatever.

I'll be spending the rest of the night watching the Emmy Awards so that I can post my play-by-play commentary here tomorrow. The things I do for you people.

Time for another food find. This time it's a recipe for simple Parmesan Mustard Chicken Wings. This is great dish to make if you're having people over to watch football on a Sunday afternoon.

PARMESAN MUSTARD CHICKEN WINGS

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon ground cumin
20 chicken wings, wing tips cut off and discarded and the wings halved at the joint

In a shallow dish whisk together the butter, the mustard, and the cayenne. In another shallow dish combine well the bread crumbs, the Parmesan, the cumin, and salt and black pepper to taste. Dip the chicken wings, a few at a time, in the butter mixture, letting the excess drip off, coat them with the crumb mixture, and arrange them without touching in a greased shallow baking pan. Bake the chicken wings in the lower third of a preheated 425°F. oven for 30 minutes. (If extra-crisp chicken wings are desired, turn the wings after 20 minutes.)

Serves 6.

Gourmet
January 1990

Date:	2004-09-07 16:53
Subject:	My Computer Is Dead
Security:	Public
Mood:	frustrated
Music:	None--My iPod quit on me too!

My computer decided to conk out on me over the weekend, so I won't be posting my VMA review anytime soon--if at all. By the time my computer gets fixed, the review may no longer be timely or relevant.

Also, since I'm without a computer, I may not be able to do anymore updates this week. Sorry, Charlie.

Date:	2004-09-06 20:53
Subject:	Put the Labor Back in Labor Day
Security:	Public
Mood:	determined
Music:	None

On this Labor Day, when:

∑ 10 million Americans are out of work;
∑ the African-American unemployment rate in the U.S. is 10.4 percent—almost double the national rate;
∑ 1.3 million more adults and children are now living in poverty than in 2002; and
∑ 45 million Americans lack health insurance;

We must remember that Labor Day is about much more than getting a day off to enjoy a back-yard barbecue with friends. Labor Day is the one day that honors the contributions of working men and women to America’s social and economic life.

To understand the importance of Labor Day, it is crucial to understand why we started celebrating it in the first place. So, here’s a quick history lesson for you.

Labor Day began on Sept. 5, 1882, when about 20,000 working people marched in New York City to demand an eight-hour workday and other labor law reforms. After the first Labor Day in New York City, celebrations began to spread to other states as workers fought to win workplace rights and better working conditions and wages at a time when they had little power.

In 1893, New York City workers took an unpaid day off and marched around Union Square in support of a national Labor Day. The following year, 12,000 federal troops were called into Pullman, Ill., to break up a huge strike against the Pullman railway company and two workers were shot and killed by U.S. deputy marshals.

In what most historians call an election year attempt to appease workers, President Grover Cleveland signed legislation making the first Monday in September Labor Day and a federal holiday. Cleveland lost the election.

If it weren’t for the efforts of the courageous men and women who started the U.S. labor movement so many years ago, we wouldn’t have Labor Day or many of the employment benefits that we enjoy today. Paid vacation and time off to care for new babies. The 40-hour workweek. Job health and safety standards. An end to child labor. All of these are the result the worker’s movement that began over 100 years ago.
(Source: AFLCIO.com)


To learn more about the history of the U.S. worker’s movement, visit the AFL-CIO online photo exhibit on U.S. labor history at
http://www.aflcio.org/aboutaflcio/history/history/100years.cfm

Read about the impact workplace stress is having on our nation’s workers and on the economy at http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/05/health/05stress.html?th

Date:	2004-09-05 02:16
Subject:	Food Find
Security:	Public
Mood:	thankful
Music:	Sly & the Family Stone--I Want To Take You Higher

Because I'm an avid foodie, I'll be regularly sharing my food finds on my journal. It may be a recipe for one of my favorite dishes, a new restaurant I've discovered, or my favorite item from a particular restaurant.

Today, it's a recipe for a delicious Shrimp Salad. This dish will make a great addition to any Labor Day backyard barbecue. Enjoy!

Shrimp Salad

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 lemon cut into quarters
4 pounds large shrimp in the shell (16 to 20 shrimp per pound)
2 cups good mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1 cup minced red onion (1 onion)
3 cups minced celery (6 stalks)

1. Bring 5 quarts of water, 3 tablespoons salt, and the lemon to a boil in a large saucepan.

2. Add half the shrimp and reduce the heat to medium. Cook uncovered for only 3 minutes or until the shrimp are barely cooked through.

3. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cold water.

4. Bring the water back to a boil and repeat with the remaining shrimp.

5. Let cool; then peel, and devein the shrimp.

6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, wine or vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and dill.

7. Combine with the peeled shrimp.

8. Add the red onion and celery and check the seasonings.

9. Serve or cover and refrigerate for a few hours.

Date:	2004-09-04 19:50
Subject:	Autumn Oaks
Security:	Public
Mood:	nervous
Music:	Loretta Lynn--Have Mercy

The Autumn Oaks Coon Hunters Club is in town this weekend. Every Labor Day weekend, they come to Richmond with their blood hounds and beagles to do some good, old-fashioned coon huntin'. Something about 500 white guys with dogs hunting "coons" makes me nervous.

I caved in and decided to go ahead and post another installment of Guilty Pleasure Friday. Better late than never.

1. Watching Food Network’s four-hour programming block, In the Kitchen, every Saturday morning: I love the Barefoot Contessa and From Martha’s Kitchen. I also enjoy Paula’s Home Cooking and 30 Minute Meals.

2. Going bowling last night with my boyfriend’s little nieces and nephews: I had so much fun watching them experience bowling for the first time. It was hilarious watching them struggle to carry the bowling ball (which was only slightly smaller than them)to the edge of the lane, and then give the ball the old, two-handed granny-roll towards the pins. I’ve never seen a bowling ball roll so slow!

The kids had a blast. The major sugar high they had from all the candy I gave them may have contributed to their excitement for the game.

3. Graeter’s Ice Cream: Only the best ice cream IN THE WORLD! I can’t make a trip to Columbus or Cincinnati without making a stop at Graeters.

And it ain’t Graeter’s if it doesn’t have chips. Ooooh, the chips. More like huge chunks of chocolate heaven. My favorite flavors are mint chip, mocha chip, and double chocolate chip.

You don’t have to live in or near Ohio to enjoy this delicious frozen treat. Graeter’s will ship anywhere in the continental Unites States.

And Graeter’s doesn’t just make great ice cream. I recently discovered their delicious fresh-baked goods. My favorite is the sinful Cheese Crown. It’s a buttery clover roll, with cheese danish and strudel filling, then slathered with a sweet glaze. They are so rich that I can only eat half of one.

Unfortunately, the bakery items are only sold at their Cincinnati locations. No online shopping available. But, if you’re ever in Cincinnati, make sure to make a special stop at Graeter’s. It’s worth the trip. Their baked confections are yummy and dirt-cheap! I bought a whole coffee cake, an order of brownies, a half-dozen cheese crowns, and two dozen cookies for less than $15.00. Don't worry. I didn't buy all that stuff for me. It was for my parents, my boyfriend's parents, and our best friends that we were visiting while in Cincinnati. I swear!

To find out more about Graeter’s Ice Cream or to place an order, visit their website at http://www.graeters.com

Date:	2004-09-04 12:34
Subject:	Sorry About My Conspicuous Absence
Security:	Public
Mood:	drained
Music:	Jagged Edge--Where The Party At

Sorry about the lack of new posts. My boyfriend had a death in the family this week, so my attention was, understandably, not focused on updating my journal.

That means no Guilty Pleasure Friday this week. I'm sorry. I know that all of you were waiting on the edge of your seats for the next installment. :)

Even though I'm not sharing any guilty pleasures this week, I promise to have my review of last Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards up by the end of this long, holiday weekend. So make sure you check back on Monday.

Date:	2004-08-24 19:49
Subject:	I've Got the Yuckies
Security:	Public
Mood:	blah
Music:	Janet Jackson--Doesn't Really Matter

I'm feeling down because I had to stay home sick today with an upset stomach. For those of you who don't know, I was diagnosed with IBS eight years ago. That means I get an upset stomach whenever I am stressed--which means I have an upset stomach all of the time. It has been very disruptive to my personal and professional lives.

No drug or diet that I have been prescribed has made a difference. That is why I'm beginning to think that I have an allergy to gluten. I guess a lot of people who have food allergies are misdiagnosed with IBS. I'm calling tomorrow to get an appointment with an allergist. I'm tired of being sickly all of the time.

On a lighter note, how "cool" is it that L.L. Cool J still has a viable career in hip-hop after almost two decades in the game? His new single, Headsprung, is racing up the charts and he's releasing his eleventh--that's right--eleventh album. Are there any other hip-hop artists who are on their eleventh album? Not that I know of. He's outlasted most of the other rappers who came out the same time he did. When's the last time you've heard anything from Big Daddy Kane, Kool Mo Dee, or even Public Enemy? And L.L. has a successful movie career. You go, L.L.! Keep doing your thang.

Date:	2004-08-20 02:41
Subject:	Guilty Pleasure Friday
Security:	Public
Mood:	exhausted
Music:	Blacked Eyed Peas--Let's Get Retarded

Okay. It's actually Saturday. So sue me.

1. Reduced Fat Pringles: Once you pop you can't stop.

2. US Weekly Magazine: I know that it is full of fluff pieces on reality show "celebrities" and the diet secrets of the stars, but I still feel a little empty inside if I miss an issue.

3. Rickey Smiley's Prank Phone Call CD: Actually, I don't feel at all guilty about cracking up when Smiley pranks his unsuspecting victims. Hey, I never claimed to be an angel.

NOTE: To learn more about comedian, Rickey Smiley, or to purchase one of his prank call CDs, visit his website at http://www.rickeysmiley.com/

Date:	2004-08-16 21:21
Subject:	Why I'm Rethinking That Career in the Music Industry
Security:	Public
Mood:	cynical
Music:	The Cult--Fire Woman

I read a great article today that I'd like to share with everyone. It offers great insight on why Clear Channel is a media devil that is stolen the soul of the music industry. It's a long article, but well worth the read. Enjoy!

Source: Rolling Stone
http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story?id=6432174&pageid=rs.Home&pageregion=single1

Inside Clear Channel

How the company's domination has made the airwaves blander and tickets pricier

Scan the radio dial in Detroit, and you'll likely land on a station that's owned by Clear Channel Communications. Seven of the city's most popular stations belong to the company, including WJLB 97.9 (an R&B station that once pushed Parliament-Funkadelic to national prominence), a Top Forty station, a classic-rock station and two adult-contemporary options. Clear Channel also owns two AM talk stations in Detroit, which broadcast Pistons games and conservative talk-show host Glenn Beck, who MC'd the "Rallies for America" that drummed up support for attacking Iraq.

Clear Channel also has a near lock on Detroit's concert business. The company owns two massive amphitheaters, a pair of 1,000- to 1,400-person clubs and a 2,800-seat theater, and it books the Palace of Auburn Hills, a 15,000-seat arena. During the week of July 26th, the company controlled Motor City concerts by the Dead, Hilary Duff, Midtown, Hanson, Huey Lewis and the News, Prince and D12.

It's not just Detroit, either. Clear Channel controls roughly 1,200 radio stations and about seventy percent of all live events that are promoted in the United States. The company also is reportedly considering the launch or purchase of a record label.

In less than a decade, Clear Channel has become a music company on steroids -- and a company that's increasingly under fire. Critics contend that Clear Channel uses its size to crush the competition while force-feeding audiences the same playlists no matter where they live. Bands, managers and music-industry executives argue that Clear Channel has ruined the concert business. Several tours, including Lollapalooza, have been canceled this summer due to lack of interest, and though Clear Channel slashed ticket prices last month in response to slow sales, many blame the company for driving audiences away with years of rising prices and fees. But some contend the blame must be shared by artists, who have the final word on prices.

Critics say the company also has a political agenda, given Clear Channel executives' close ties to George W. Bush and the company's willingness to drop Howard Stern at a time when many media companies are fighting for free speech. "If you don't realize that they've sent a chill throughout the creative community, you're living on another planet," says Howie Klein, the former head of Reprise Records. "Clear Channel pretty much can dictate what they want."

Clear Channel communications resides in a green-glassed sprawling office complex in San Antonio. Company founder Lowry Mays is an ex-Air Force officer and a Texas Republican whom George W. Bush appointed to a state technology council when he was governor. Mays is often described as disciplined and insular.

Mays launched his career in radio by accident, when a friend repaid a debt in 1972 by giving him San Antonio's KEEZ-FM. Mays treated the station like any other business -- he concerned himself with growth, not content. It worked. With increasing success at KEEZ, Mays bought another station, WOAI-AM, a profitable all-talk station in San Antonio with a powerful "clear channel" signal. And each time the Federal Communications Commission loosened ownership rules -- in 1992 and 1996 -- Mays went shopping. The most significant growth came after President Bill Clinton signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The legislation virtually eliminated the national limit on station ownership. And no company was better prepared for a shopping spree than Clear Channel.

The usually cautious Mays was joined by his two hotshot sons: Mark, who began work at the company in 1989 after graduating from Columbia Business School, and Randall -- a Harvard MBA -- who became a Clear Channel executive in 1992. More important, Lowry Mays had close connections to Wall Street and no trouble raising money for purchases; Clear Channel's stock became the fifth-best performer of the 1990s. With each uptick in price, "they became more aggressive," says a competitor from the time and a close friend of the Mayses.

Forty-nine stations joined Clear Channel in 1996, seventy more in 1997. It bought Jacor -- owner of the Rush Limbaugh Show -- in 1999. Then in 2000, the company paid $24 billion for AMFM's radio holdings; $4.4 billion for SFX, the nation's largest live-entertainment company; and $776 million for Ackerley Group, a major billboard company.

The end result? A behemoth that, at the end of 2003, controlled 1,182 radio stations, 788,000 billboards and 103 venues in the U.S., not to mention an event-promotion business that sold more tickets in the first half of 2003 than its closest forty-nine competitors combined. There is no bigger company in the music business, and none with such close ties to conservative politics. Along with Mays, Tom Hicks, the former head of AMFM and a Clear Channel board member, was an investor in the 1989 Texas Rangers deal that made George W. Bush a very rich man.

No other company in recent history has had so much power over what the world hears -- and so few top executives with a background in music. Several of the Mayses' friends and business associates say that popular culture has never come up in conversation; radio-division CEO John Hogan is a career ad salesman who says that he prefers talk to rock, rap or country stations. Brian Becker, the live-entertainment CEO, cut his teeth on motor sports and theater. One former Clear Channel executive told Rolling Stone that at annual corporate meetings, sales awards are given out for more than an hour -- and programming prizes take up only ten minutes. "You're controlling all this media, and what you're saying is, 'We don't care about what's on the air,'" he says. "All they care about is moving product."

As Dixie Chicks manager Simon Renshaw puts it, "They don't care about music. They care about ad rates."

Lowry Mays, who refused to be interviewed for this article, told Fortune in 2003, "We're not in the business of providing news and information. We're not in the business of providing well-researched music. We're simply in the business of selling our customers products."

Traditionally, top-forty stations pick songs through a mix of DJ choice and research. Clear Channel is a master of the latter. "We're probably spending north of $70 million a year to talk with our listeners," says Hogan, "to find out what they like, what they want, what they don't want."

Clear Channel places roughly 26 million calls a year to listeners who are chosen at random and asked to offer opinions on several songs at a time. Local stations generate their own weekly reports on the popularity of songs being played. When Tom Poleman, program director for New York's powerful Z100, came to the station in 1996, it wasn't possible to see why 1,200 stations were spinning certain songs; now, he says, he regularly scrutinizes call-out research from other Clear Channel Top Forty stations before choosing which songs to add. "It all tends to consolidate the opinions of what's working and what's not," says one major-label CEO. Marty Diamond, head of Little Big Man, a booking agency that represents Coldplay and Avril Lavigne, says that he can always tell when there's been a Clear Channel conference call because "my phone starts ringing and everyone asks about the same band."

Playlists bear this out. Clear Channel's Top Forty stations share more of the same songs today than they did ten years ago, and they play the biggest hits far more often. Z100's top five songs in February 1994 received fifty to sixty spins per week; ten years later, its "powers" run seventy-five to ninety times a week.

Some artists and managers also complain that Clear Channel stations use their control of the airwaves to pressure acts into playing radio-promo concerts. A manager of a Top Forty group says that his client's songs were pulled from a large-market station after the band refused to play a free promotional concert in 2000. Even without a direct threat, the possibility of angering Clear Channel keeps artists in check. Steve Miller, who has been touring for decades on the strength of radio hits such as "Jet Airliner," says that in 2000, he wanted to play amphitheaters with Bonnie Raitt. Clear Channel balked at Raitt's price tag. "Previously, we would have gone to another promoter and booked this great package, but since they now owned all the promotion companies, we couldn't do that," Miller says. So, fearing how his decision would affect radio play, Miller scrambled to find a cheaper opener: Gov't Mule. "Had we done the show we wanted, there is no doubt we would have sold 3,000 to 5,000 more tickets per venue," Miller says. "They completely stopped my ability to compete in the marketplace. I went from personally dealing with 140 stations and seventeen different concert promoters in over sixty cities to having only one company to negotiate with for more than ninety percent of my concerts."

Until the 1990s, the concert business was focused primarily on ticket sales. Promoters would sometimes sell the space on the back of tickets to a local liquor store or a car dealership, but because most venues were locally owned, the profit potential was limited.

This started to change when Bob Sillerman, a New York dealmaker who spent the Eighties and early Nineties in the radio business, created a national concert network called SFX Entertainment. Tying together sixteen amphitheaters and 120 venues by the end of 1999, SFX had the ability to offer national brands a new way to advertise. Only a few companies -- Anheuser-Busch, for one -- signed on initially, but after Clear Channel bought SFX in 2000, the ad saturation expanded. Analysts say that this was partly because national advertisers saw the value of marketing to a captive, mostly young audience; it's also because "Clear Channel established a much more organized approach," says Gary Bongiovanni, editor in chief of Pollstar, a concert-industry trade magazine. Today, Bongiovanni says, Clear Channel can sell a full-blown media campaign, complete with billboards, radio and TV ads, and announcements of sponsorship at concerts.

So in 2001, Powerade became the "official fuel" of Clear Channel's motorcycle races, giving its brand access to radio and print ads for the events, plus large live crowds. This spring, Clear Channel promoted the Verizon First Ladies Tour 2004 with Beyonce, Missy Elliott and Alicia Keys, who got second billing to Verizon. And when summer music fans go to, say, the Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge, near Washington, D.C., they'll be bombarded with ad-drenched video screens and billboards that ring the lawn. Even staffers' T-shirts and secondary stages are used to display ads for food and booze, such as Jose Cuervo margaritas.

The experience of going to a concert has gotten more expensive, too. In 1999, the average concert ticket cost $36.56; four years later, the price skyrocketed to $50.35, an increase of thirty-eight percent. And that's only part of the total. Clear Channel's extra fees have outpaced even ticket prices. When Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard testified in Congress against Ticketmaster in 1994, the battle centered on a $3.50 service charge. Today, Clear Channel regularly charges more than twice that. For the May 27th Cypress Hill show at Detroit's 1,400-seat Clutch Cargo club, tickets cost $30, but there's also a $7.20 "convenience charge" and a 75-cent facility fee.

The pinch at amphitheaters hurts even more. A top seat for Linkin Park's Projekt Revolution Tour stop on July 28th at the Mansfield, Massachusetts, Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts cost $53 -- plus an $8.90 convenience charge and a $4.10 processing fee. In addition, you had the option to pay $30 for a premium parking pass.

Artists don't get off much easier. Many band managers complain that the company pads its audience with giveaways, season tickets and luxury boxes that guarantee a large crowd of eyeballs and concession buyers. Because most of these extra tickets are giveaways, the artists lose out on their cut of sales. "Corporations have been sold all the good seats," says Steve Miller, recalling a 1999 Nashville concert with an attendance of 18,166 and only 2,311 in ticket sales. "[They] are removed from the ticket manifests and not shared with me."

Clear Channel's Becker says that increasing fees are a reflection of growing artist demands and an attempt to account for the company's investment in amphitheaters. He refused to discuss Miller's specific case but says the company often has no choice but to increase attendance with giveaways. "Seventy-five percent of artists do not sell enough tickets to cover the guarantee that we have paid them," he says.

Artists deserve part of the blame: Sting, the Eagles and the Rolling Stones have all spearheaded moves to charge fans more than $100 per ticket. And for the most established artists, Clear Channel's growth has led to longer concert runs and a larger share of the profits.

But bands did not demand amphitheater expansion, nor do they set parking fees or beer prices. The fact is, Clear Channel's go-go Nineties growth is now pressuring the company to find new revenue streams. Financial reports from recent years show that concerts bring in about thirty percent of the company's revenues but only about six percent of Clear Channel's profits. At this rate, excluding the value of its property, it will take more than thirty-three years for the company to earn back the $4.4 billion it paid for SFX. Extra revenue streams, such as parking and advertising, are an attempt to reset the balance in Clear Channel's favor because, says Bongiovanni, "they're never going to recoup their investment with ticket sales alone."

The music industry may not be helping, either. Artists, even those who work with Clear Channel, often harbor resentments against the company. Tom Morello and Steve Earle toured last fall to protest media consolidation and Clear Channel's impact on radio and concerts. Dave Matthews, who has said that he plays non-Clear Channel venues whenever possible, performed a show at D.C.'s Nissan Pavilion this summer and one at its competitor, Merriweather Post Pavilion.

Clear Channel admits to being surprised by such vitriol. "I didn't realize how arrogant and coldhearted and difficult we were perceived to be," Becker says. But don't expect the company to stand for it. Clear Channel's finances dictate a need for earnings, no matter where they come from. And unlike Bill Graham, David Geffen, Clive Davis and other music-industry moguls, the Mays family lacks a natural or historical devotion to music.

Becker, for one, is most excited when talking about ClearChannel's Phantom of the Opera tour or a recent Las Vegas 100th anniversary event that brought in several new advertisers. When we met, he was also hot on two new ideas: One was a "revival" tour of old groups that have broken up. The other? A glitzy event in which bands play in the background while models strut up and down a catwalk to display underwear.

DAMIEN CAVE
(Posted Aug 13, 2004)