Life in the Sprung

12 August 2008

2008-08-12T16:24:00.002-04:00

Just found out that one of my former interns is now starring in a DC-based reality series on Lifetime. Hoo boy!

12 August 2008

2008-08-12T13:31:00.007-04:00

Highlights of our recent trip to the Jersey shore:

1) Spending lots of time with my amazing spousal equivalent. (It was also great seeing my mother-in-law equivalent and her gentleman friend.)

2) Laziness. Big time. Like, sleeping late nearly every day...and not feeling the least bit guilty.

3) Excessive Wii playing. I'm now a "pro" in tennis, golf, and bowling, thankyouverymuch.

4) Water ice at Junior's on the Bay.

5) A long morning bike ride on the boardwalk in Ventnor/Atlantic City. Just glorious.(That was the one morning I actually woke up early--at least on purpose!)

VENTOR BOARDWALK

6) Breakfasts at Down Beach Deli. (Which we affectionately call D.B.D.)

7) Reading on the beach. Swimming in the ocean. Soaking up the rays. (Of course, I was wearing SPF 55!)

8) Walks through downtown Stone Harbor and eating Kohr Brothers custard. (LOVE the chocolate and peanut butter twist!)

STONE HARBOR

9) Crossing the bridge into Margate and getting that first whiff of sea/marsh air.

10) Drinking Coronas on the front porch of the shore house with my girl's high school skating friends. (I caught the tail end of girl's weekend!)

25 July 2008

2008-07-28T16:00:00.003-04:00

I think we need a new transcription service. Here's a "rushed" transcript from last weekend's Beltway Boys.

KONDRACKE: The rest of the world is not paying attention, Fred, but it was 10 years ago this very day that television history was made. "The Beltway Boys" were launched upon the scene. And we could not have made it without our wonderful producer, Michelle Rumbalard (ph), who was with us for the entire way.

Oh well.

28 July 2008

2008-07-28T15:47:00.005-04:00

So, the girl and I are officially members of Facebook.

It's kind of crazy how addictive it is...already!

By the way, be my friend please.

21 July 2008

2008-07-21T14:33:00.009-04:00

I said goodbye to my friend and former colleague Tony Snow last week. A write-up of the funeral is here. Tony and I weren't particularly close, but we worked together for years, we shared a lot of laughs(we had the same goofy sense of humor), we both loved music, and he always sought me out for hugs. Even when he was at the White House and would stop by the office, he'd make a beeline to me (even if it was during a live show!). He'd joke that I "was the best hugger in the business." He reminded me a lot of my brother, which made me feel extra close to him.

Funerals are strange to begin with, but it was a especially weird to be at a service with some 2,000 people...including the President, who was sitting 15 feet away from me. The service was long and emotional and I half expected Bush to get up and leave at some point, sneaking away in a crowd of Secret Service agents. Every now and then I'd crane my neck to see if he was still there. He was. It was strange to be steps away from a huge picture of Tony with his joyful smile beaming back at me...right next to an urn containing his ashes. It was heartbreaking to see the wife and three kids Tony left behind. I lost my dad, but I was an adult. I still grieve for him and I could burst out crying at any moment thinking about it--but to be 7 or 8 and losing a parent must be devastating.

But I left the church feeling we'd given Tony a good send-off. That gave me comfort. And I took away some lessons on life that Tony gave all of us--through the eulogies of his brother and close friends. His message: Live Boldly. Cherish your family. Be a good friend. And have fun.

There were many emotional moments during the service, but I was particularly moved by a song sung by a choir that Tony's daughter performs in. It's called "Sing Me To Heaven." Tony was a master at words. And there were many words spoken during the funeral that made it clear how devastating a loss this is for everyone who knew him. But it was this song that broke me up the most.

Here are the words:

In my heart's sequestered chambers lie truths stripped of poets' gloss
Words alone are vain and vacant, and my heart is mute
In response to aching silence, memory summons half-heard voices
And my soul finds primal eloquence, and wraps me in song

If you would comfort me, sing me a lullaby
If you would win my heart, sing me a love song
If you would mourn me and bring me to God,
sing me a requiem, sing me to Heaven

Touch in me all love and passion, pain and pleasure
Touch in me grief and comfort, love and passion, pain and pleasure
Sing me a lullaby, a love song, a requiem
Love me, comfort me, bring me to God

Sing me a love song, sing me to Heaven

NOTE: this picture of Tony captures him perfectly--he loved music and playing with his band "Beats Workin'." Tony said he'd rather the band be called "Nine Inch Nosehairs" since the bandmembers were all over 50. It still makes me laugh thinking about it.

16 July 2008

2008-07-16T15:19:00.004-04:00

After 9 beautiful years, I have severed my relationship with my beloved Mustang. Sold it the other night to a nice man in my neighborhood (who apparently is going through a mid-life crisis.) I have a great new car that I love (it's a sporty sedan that gets MUCH better gas milage!) but still, I'm a little wistful of the days and nights when I would zip around down with the top down and the radio blasting.

Good bye, old friend.

16 July 2008

2008-07-16T15:05:00.004-04:00

So, the lead singer of the Barenaked Ladies was arrested on drug charges while in my hometown of Syracuse...actually in Fayetteville, an eastern suburb which is a stone's throw from where I grew up in E. Syracuse. The story is HERE. There in the 'Cuse to perform an impromptu concert at Syracuse University for VH1.

Kind of strange.

11 July 2008

2008-07-11T12:23:00.002-04:00

In case you didn't know, I have a very rare medical condition that I like to call "musical tourette's." Whenever I hear a song or even a lyric (even when it's just spoken), I latch onto it and immediately start singing the song outloud.

Well, for two days now I've been singing Crowded House's "Something So Strong." What's REALLY strange is I haven't heard the song or heard any of the lyrics at any point during the past two days. It just popped into my head.

Very strange.

30 June 2008

2008-06-30T13:03:00.003-04:00

The usual postings on our neighborhood listserv usually have to do with notices about upcoming meetings, folks looking for recommendations on painters, plumbers, etc.

Then there was THIS one from the other day:

"Seen today in Sligo Creek Park, near Dale and Hartford, location
shooting for the 2009 film "the Manson Girls!"

For those interested in the legacy of the legendary Manson Family, the
announcement of the film 'The Manson Girls', may peak your interest.

Billed as the true story of Charles Manson as seen through the eyes of
Brenda, Sadie and Squeaky; girls from ostensibly normal families who
grew to become some of his most loyal followers.

Evidently, Park Hills and Sligo Creek Park is a lot like California..."

Yipes. This was going on right down the street from me.

As a former long-time resident of Capitol Hill --my first apartment was within sight of the actual Capitol building--I'm used to people shooting movies close to where I live. (Scenes from "Wag the Dog" and "Mercury Rising" were actually shot within steps from the walk-up where I used to live.)

But a movie about followers of Charles Manson...that's a little creepy.

16 June 2008

2008-06-16T10:06:00.004-04:00

One of my neighbors has published some photos on Flickr of a tree that fell across Dale Drive a couple of weeks ago in a wicked storm that blew through our area. It not only disrupted traffic on a busy street--it disrupted power to our neighborhood for about 2 and a half days.

I didn't mind not having lights and TV...it was actually a nice change of pace to light candles and open the windows and just...talk. What really got to me was the heat. The upstairs of our 30s era Cape Cod is normally hotter than other parts of the house anyway..but it was downright unbearable with temps in the 90s during the day and the 80s at night. The girl was fine up there, but I got too hot so I took to our livingroom couch. It's right next to a window and it cooled off pretty well, but by 5:30 in the morning, seemingly every bird in America was outside that window squaking their little hearts out. Needless to say, I was a little cranky those couple of days.

Thank goodness for our neighborhood listserv. Neighbors kept in touch throughput the day with updates on what was happening--or more like it, NOT happening--when it came to the County removing the tree. Folks called County council people, the Dept of Public Works, and other various governmental agencies to apply a little pressure.

We were ready to go to a hotel the third night, but when we came home from work we met at "the tree" to see if there was any movement. Alas, the County sent a truck and it was being mulched and chopped up before our eyes. I was still a bit skeptical they could get the power back on after that (the girl seemed to think it would be on almost immediately after the tree was removed)... so we decided to grab a bite to eat and see what happens after that. At the end of our meal, the girl decided to call home and see if we could get our answering machine to pick up. Well, it did...and we enjoyed a blissful evening in our AC and computer and television....

16 June 2008

2008-06-16T10:01:00.002-04:00

Happy Wedding Day, Phyllis and Del.

Lesbian couple of 55 years ready to say 'I do' By LISA LEFF, Associated Press Writer
8 minutes ago

Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin fell in love at a time when lesbians risked being arrested, fired from their jobs and sent to electroshock treatment.

On Monday afternoon, more than a half-century after they became a couple, Lyon and Martin plan to become the first same-sex couples to legally exchange marriage vows in San Francisco and among the first in the state.

"It was something you wanted to know, 'Is it really going to happen?' And now it's happened, and maybe it can continue to happen," Lyon said.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom plans to officiate at the private ceremony in his City Hall office before 50 invited guests. He picked Martin, 87, and Lyon, 84, for the front of the line in recognition of their long relationship and their status as pioneers of the gay rights movement.

Along with six other women, they founded a San Francisco social club for lesbians in 1955 called the Daughters of Bilitis. Under their leadership, it evolved into the nation's first lesbian advocacy organization. They have the FBI files to prove it.

Their ceremony Monday will, in fact, be a marriage do-over.

In February 2004, San Francisco's new mayor decided to challenge California's marriage laws by issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. His advisers and gay rights activists knew right away which couple would put the most compelling human face on the issue: Martin and Lyon.

Back then, the couple planned to celebrate their 51st anniversary as live-in lovers on Valentine's Day. Because of their work with the Daughters, they also were icons in the gay community.

"Four years ago, when they agreed to be married, it was in equal parts to support the mayor and to support the idea that lesbians and gay people formed committed relationships and should have those relationships respected," says Kate Kendell, a close friend and executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

Lyon and Martin vividly recall the excitement of being secretly swept into the clerk's office, saying "I do" in front of a tiny group of city staff members and friends, and then being rushed out of the building. There were no corsages, no bottles of champagne. Afterward they went to lunch, just the two of them, at a restaurant run as a job training program for participants in a substance abuse program.

"Of course, nobody down there knew, so we were left to be by ourselves like we wanted to be," said Martin, the less gregarious of the two. "Then we came home."

"And watched TV," added Lyon.

The privacy was short-lived. Their wedding portrait, showing the couple cradling each other in pastel-colored pantsuits with their foreheads tenderly touching, drew worldwide attention.

Same-sex marriage would become legal in Massachusetts in another three months, but San Francisco's calculated act of civil disobedience drove the debate.

In the month that followed, more than 4,000 other couples followed Martin and Lyon down the aisle before a judge acting on petitions brought by gay marriage opponents halted the city's spree.

The state Supreme Court ultimately voided the unions, but the women were among the two dozen couples who served as plaintiffs in the lawsuits that led the same court last month to overturn California's ban on gay marriage.

They were having their morning coffee when Lyon heard the news on the radio. She rushed across the house to embrace Martin. Not long after, Newsom called to offer congratulations and to ask if they would be willing to be at the forefront yet again.

"Sure," was the answer they gave.

The couple, who live in the same San Francisco house they bought in 1956, do not get out much now. Martin needs a wheelchair to get around. Although they plan to briefly greet well-wishers at City Hall after the ceremony, they are having a private reception for friends and family.

"It's so endearing because they do seem excited and a little bit nervous," Kendell said. "It's like the classic feelings anyone has as their wedding day approaches."

Because a few other clerk's offices agreed to stay open until the court's decision becomes final at 5 p.m. PDT, other couples planning late afternoon weddings may already have tied the knot before the mayor pronounces Lyon and Martin "spouses for life."

They don't mind. They know they already are.

"We get along well," Lyon said. "And we love each other."

"I love you, too," Martin said.

27 May 2008

2008-05-27T12:30:00.006-04:00

We are officially Wii owners. We'd been eyeing it for ahile (I was hesitant because I was afraid I'd be so into it that I'd never leave the house!)--but when we heard that the Wii FIT was about to be released, we were all over it.

We're just starting out with Wii SPORTS right now...TOTALLY fun. I'm great at tennis...okay at baseball and boxing...and need work with golf and bowling (the girl beat me handily twice last night!). I'm actually a little sore today---a condition called Wii elbow!

It is a fun way to "work out" (I'm putting that phrase in quotes b/c I'm still a bit dubious)...and nothing beats going outside and getting some fresh air in your lungs...but I must say, it is a blast.

Meanwhile...I love that Barack Obama has a Mii character!

10 April 2008

2008-04-10T17:16:00.003-04:00

It's April 10th and the note on the top of a main web page for Oneida Lake exclaims:
"Looks like ice fishing is done for the season!! On to spring and summer fun!"

Favorite moments and pics from our fabulous trip to New Orleans coming SOON!

27 May 2008

2008-04-08T13:53:00.010-04:00

Pictures to come (I will set up a Flickr account one of these days!), but I feel guilty for not posting the highlights of our trip (back in late March!) to New Orleans. So, here they are!

1) Seeing our great friends Todd & Andrea and their new son, James.

2) Going to a Crawfish Festival in Chalmette, Louisiana in St. Bernard Parish (which is located on the other side of the 9th Ward. It was just devastated after Katrina. Check out pics HERE.) Amazing crawdaddies and other cajun fare--including the best red beans and rice I've ever tasted. Such a non-touristy event, which I totally loved/appreciated, it was nice to see the community coming back.

3) Our friend Todd (among other things, including a university professor) is a food critic, so we had the inside info on amazing eats. The highlight for me: dinner at Upperline in uptown. We had an amazing meal with our friends there a couple of years ago, and this one was just as amazing. I'm STILL thinking about the fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade sauce. Holy Christmas. Also had a fabulous meal at Herbsaint on St. Charles.

4) I'm not much of a sweet tooth, but I must admit I did enjoy forays to Sucre for amazing gelato, the Creole Creamery (where I had a special homemade ice cream called "Black and Gold Crunch" which apparently they only usually have during the football season, but had it when were there b/c the Food Network had done a recent taping there) and Angelo Brocato's for cannoli. There was a water line on the door from Katrina's flood waters--it was as high as my belly button.

5) Also had the best oyster po' boy I've ever tasted at Parkway Bakery & Tavern in Bayou St. John. Our friend Todd and the girl had roast beef po'boys which is apparently its speciality. Very cool, local place that took a hit during Katrina, but is now back.

6) Long walks in the French Quarter and beignets and cafe lattes at Cafe Du Monde.

27 March 2008

2008-03-27T17:36:00.002-04:00

And then there's this: a 67 pound catfish caught in the Potomac River on Easter morning.

Click to read the fish tale HERE.

27 March 2008

2008-03-27T14:47:00.005-04:00

It's going to be a trying weekend for Washingtonians.

First, there are the famous Cherry Blossoms. They are expected to peak this weekend --just in time for theNational Cherry Blossom Festival. Bumper to bumper traffic, tourists darting in between cars, tour buses clogging all the roads, masses of humanity hovering around the Tidal Basin snapping pictures of the pink flowering trees...(By the way, Metro is ready...or so they say.)

Oh, then there's the National Marathon, too. That's Saturday. Road closures, traffic tie ups galore.

And if all that wasn't enough, this weekend the Washington Nationals' new stadium officially opens with an exhibition game Saturday and the regular season opener on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves. It will be the first test of all the planning that has gone into getting baseball fans by car, bus and train to a place they've never been.

Let's just say I'm VERY glad I will be NEW ORLEANS!

25 March 2008

2008-03-25T13:27:00.002-04:00

While the guys at the office talk about the NCAA tournament and their "brackets"--I'm choosing to remain silent about my viewing habits the past couple of evenings:

Dancing with the Stars. Which we watch because of Kristi Yamaguchi's participation in it this season.

And the ice dancing portion of the World Figure Skating championship.

No street cred.

18 March 2008

2008-03-18T13:05:00.005-04:00

There are a ton of demonstrators staging outside our office building today--they are getting ready to protest at Union Station and the Capitol to mark the 5th anniversary of the Iraq war. (There will be protests all over the city today and tomorrow.)

We just got an email from building management about possible disruptions in the courtyard immediately outside the front door. Among the activities we were told to expect: "water boarding demonstrations, people walking around with “death” masks (March of the Dead), anda bed on wheels that will be pushed around the city (Bed of Lies)."

So much for my getting out for some fresh air at lunch time.

17 March 2008

2008-03-17T16:27:00.006-04:00

Among our many errands this weekend, the girl and I did manage to squeeze in a shop at Wegmans--my hometown grocery store chain that's slowly but surely moving into the mid-Atlantic. This one is in Sterling, Virginia, near Dulles Airport. (We were visiting family in the area--don't worry, we're aren't THAT crazy!)

I was hoping for nostalgia. What I got was a megastore in a fast-growing exurb, an overflowing parking lot (though I did manage to find a pretty sweet spot close to the front-door, thank you, parking karma!), and aisles and aisles of anything and everything you can think of. Fresh foods, prepared foods, food stalls where you can take your food and take to an actual food court. Flowers, seasonal items, WINE! (hate that you can't buy wine in grocery stores in Maryland)--including a wine tasting bar!--even books!

We do have a Wegman's at home that has all that stuff and probably MORE--the 123,000 square feet behmoth in DeWitt that garnered THIS write-up in the New York Times when it opened.

I still like the Wegman's that's a five-minute car ride from my mom's--the one that has everything you need and is easy to find--PLUS the occasional awkward encounter with a former schoolmate that you haven't see in 20 years.

I did get SOME piece of home during my Wegman's visit yesterday in Virginia--I keyed in my mom's phone number when the clerk asked for my Wegman's Shopper Card.

11 March 2008

2008-03-11T13:26:00.006-04:00

Well, another one bites the dust. Yet another high-profile politician is caught in a sex scandal--this time, it's NY Governor Eliot Spitzer who's in a heap of trouble for cavorting with a high-priced call girl. Among the inevitable questions that arise: what the f@%*k was he thinking? did he actually think he would get away with it? what exactly do you get for $4300 a "session"? But the one that sticks out in my mind is: why transport this call girl from New York City to one of DC's most prominent and famous hotels, the Mayflower? Suite 871, to be exact. Why not some sleepy B&B in Vermont? What about a Quality Inn in Hoboken? What about ANYWHERE but a hotel in the middle of downtown Washington, just 4 block from the White House? Now THAT'S hubris, in my book.

Meanwhile, the Washington Times wrote up this interesting little piece about all the historic (and merely interesting) events that have taken place there, including suite 776 where President Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote the famous line "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."

But sorry, Mayflower Hotel--you're STILL no Watergate.

9 March 2008

2008-03-09T18:59:00.003-04:00

Is anyone else as wigged out about this jingle as I am?

Click here to listen:

I first heard it on the car radio. I was humming along until I actually heard the words and then immediately got creeped out.

I mean, I know it's a public service and all, but still--a little strange, in my humble opinion.

19 February 2008

2008-02-19T16:35:00.002-05:00

courtesy: chicago tribune

So, for those of you familiar with my deep--bording on strange?--facination with Cuba, today's news that Fidel Castro is stepping down is HUGE. Nearly 50 years of tyrannical communist rule--over.

I'm hoping this means I can vacation in Havana sooner rather than later. I'm more optimistic today than I was yesterday--but I'm not exactly holding my breath.

19 February 2008

2008-02-19T15:40:00.003-05:00

I ran into a buddy of mine who is a producer for the French television network TF1.

She told me how much fun she's having working for the French--spontaneous wine and champagne parties for no particular reason at all, baguettes and pate at editorial meetings, and oh yes--the family friendly flexibility and 50-thousand paid holidays.

Ah, the French!

14 February 2008

2008-02-14T22:48:00.005-05:00

Had a romantic Valentine's dinner tonight. Just me, my lovely spousal equivalent...oh yes, and our beloved cat Eleanor.

14 February 2008

2008-02-14T15:55:00.002-05:00

So Starbucks is planning to close 7,100 of their stores on February 26th for three hours in order to "re-educate" their baristas. (Thank God, this will happen in the early evening hours--NOT the morning!) Says a spokesman: "They will be trained in creating the perfect shot, steaming the milk and all the pieces that come together in a drink. ...It's really about ensuring that the customer experience that we provide is the best that it can be."

I have no proof, but I think my lovely spousal equivalent may be behind this new push. She's quite the stickler when it comes to making sure her tall, skim, caramel macchiatto with extra foam is made just right--and has no problem telling the baristas, their boss, and their bosses boss if it's not. (Just ask the good folks at the U Street store!)

Me? I usually just ask for the drip coffee of the day.

13 February 2008

2008-02-13T16:05:00.003-05:00

Obama working the crowd at Eastern Market yesterday morning...my old stomping grounds on Capitol Hill. He swept the Potomac Primaries yesterday. It was the first time I've ever cast a vote in an election that I felt actually had an impact.

10 February 2008

2008-02-10T13:45:00.001-05:00

Saw Barry Manilow in concert last night. I have one word to describe it: fabulous.
My older brother Scott was a huge Manilow fan back in the day (I probably know every word to the Barry Manilow Live album), so I grew to love him by osmosis. But as I've gotten older, I've grown to love Barry in my own right. The concert was at times kitschy, overly sentimental, and utterly over-the-top, but I loved every minute of it. (I admit, I felt like I was part of the legions of teary-eyed, swooning 60-year-old women when he played "Could it Be Magic"--one my all time faves.) And to see the Verizon Center alight with people clutching their green Manilow glow sticks, swaying to "I Write the Songs," was indeed a magical moment. At 65 (and the beneficiary of some amazing plastic surgery), Barry sounded and moved like he did back in his heyday. He was energetic and every bit the showman I thought he'd be. The audience was filled with mostly women--the AARP crowd, folks like me who brought along their best girl friends, and, predictably, gay men.

29 January 2008

2008-01-29T15:59:00.001-05:00

On the heels of my last post, I have yet another story involving a strange (but well meaning?) viewer--and a pretty blonde correspondent.

This reporter just emailed me to tell me that while she was sitting in one of our satellite trucks in Tampa, Florida (she's covering the primary today), a man got into the truck via the passenger door and thrust 3 (as she puts it) "rat-like" animals in her face. He says they were an animal called a "sugar glider." The man said he just saw her on televison and wanted to bring these animals to her to see if she wanted to pet them.

Fabulous.

23 January 2008

2008-01-23T13:13:00.000-05:00

So I came to work this morning, and one of our (attractive, female) correspondents showed me a gift she got from a viewer. That, in of itself, is not a strange thing. Reporters (and even producers) from time to time get small tokens, cards, notes from viewers. And of course there's the rambling, hand-written, bordering on psychotic, letters from viewers. (Illegal immigration, abortion, and gay marriage brings out the crazy in people.) Anyway--the gift was this creepy doll (similar to the picture.) It was sent in a hat box with various changes of clothes, a "jaunty" hat, and a rocking chair. And it smelled like stale cigarette smoke.

Then the whole doll thing made me think how crazy it is that Marie Osmond has a doll collection that she occasionally peddles on QVC.

Strange indeed.

14 January 2008

2008-01-14T16:23:00.001-05:00

I love my crock pot.

There, I said it.

You'll have to excuse my irrational exuberance (as Alan Greenspan would say), but I made my very first pot roast yesterday.

You see, I never really listened to my mom when she told me how to make it (or any other dish) when I was growing up. (It's okay, she knows I barely paid attention when she tried to show me how to cook something--we laugh about it to this day.)

I've tried to make various dishes, and sometimes I hit--but mostly I miss.

But yesterday...oh, yesterday. That was the day I bought a pot roast, put it in that wonderful crock pot, covered it in beef broth, wine, veggies, and various herbs and spices and let it cook for 6 hours.

And the girl--the girl with the VERY finicky taste buds--LOVED it. Quite a culinary feat indeed!

1 January 2008

2008-01-01T14:13:00.000-05:00

Happy 2008!

I'm not big into resolutions. I have some goals, things I'd like to refine and do better. Among them: keep up with the blogging.

I didn't think anyone besides my partner and my mother actually read this thing, but enough of you have said they've missed my posts, so I promise to do better.

Meanwhile--I'm here at work on this New Year's Day. It's the longest day ever. Very slow--despite the Iowa caucuses being two days away. My only consolation: I'm not in Iowa.

2007-09-11T22:27:00.000-04:00

11 September 07

2007-09-11T22:19:00.000-04:00

After yet another emotional anniversary, laughter is essential. The girl and I figured out how to do this in iphoto, which only added fuel to the flame of why she believes we need another mac with even more advanced iphoto features.....

5 September 2007

2007-09-05T16:34:00.000-04:00

It's official. The girl is officially hooked on Google calendar.

It's my own fault. I'm always talking about how important it is to communicate our schedules and all that. You know, knowing about plans with friends, plans we have together, work obligations, house stuff, her skating stuff, etc.

She's genuinely excited about the calendar...how we merge each other's schedules, how everything is color-coded, etc.

I must admit. It IS pretty cool.

3 September 2007

2007-09-03T15:20:00.000-04:00

Labor Day Blues. Yes, I'm one of the unlucky schlubs working on this Labor Day, 2007. "News doesn't take a holiday", they tell me. Boo. What makes it worse--the girl is off today. Double boo.

Random thoughts, Woe-Is-Me edition:

1) Bought Ellie a new "big girl" cat bed/blanket yesterday. See, we found her OLD cat bed (that she had when she was a kitten) when we cleaned out our basement the other day. Well, suffice it say Ellie is a big girl now (emphasis on the word BIG) and doesn't quite FIT her old bed. As we looked through all the options at PetSmart--many of the beds were still too small. We even considered--for a moment--a DOG bed for Ellie, since she needs the room. We agreed that was too horrifying a prospect. Luckily we found a cat BLANKET that she likes, that gives her ample space.

Vintage Joni

2) The girl is going through a 60s phase, musically. (If I had a dime for every time I've heard "Chelsea Morning" on the iPod in the car...) Did you know the Clintons named their daugther after that song? Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, any artist/song that capture the 60s seems to be catching her attention these days. It's actually kind of fun.

Union College

3) My niece Jordan is off to college. Union College--her dad's alma mater. Getting ready to send her a care package this weekend. Boy, I feel old. In fact--the Washington Post did a story yesterday about this year's freshmen moving into good ol' Thurston Hall at GW. Then I felt REALLY old when I recalled that it was 20 years ago when I moved in--and started my college career.

4) Went to the Redskins game last weekend. Skybox seats--thanks to my friend Rachel.
Thank God we were inside because lightning/severe weather delayed the game--and then it was called off altogether after the half. We then had to run across the parking lot in the pouring rain and occasional nearby lightning strike with the rest of the patrons, to get to our shuttle bus to go to the parking lots. I STILL had a blast.

5) I know I could NEVER get away with joining a fantasy football league--but I do join my office SURVIVAL football pool with some of my office mates. Beyond the Redskins, I really don't have any knowledge about how the other teams are shaping up. (Though I have been following the Saints some...)

7 August 2007

2007-08-07T16:55:00.000-04:00

Just ran into DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier in the Starbuck's right around the corner from the office.

I know there are other female chiefs of major metropolitan police departments(Detroit, Atlanta come to mind), but still it's a big deal.

The Washington Post did a neat profile of Chief Lanier when Mayor Adrian Fenty first took office. Check it out HERE.

7 August 2007

2007-08-07T14:09:00.000-04:00

My "baby" niece Jordan was in town visiting this weekend. Of course, I've put "baby" in quotes, because she's a striking young woman of nearly 6 feet tall who's just weeks away from going to college. I never thought I'd ever turn into one of those people who'd go on an on about time's passage "I remember when you were just a baby, blah, blah, blah..." I always hated it when older relatives said that to me, so I try to refrain around Jordan, but the whole thing is mind-boggling. I mean, I remember when I was the "baby" of the family, I remember graduating high school and the mixture of excitement and nervousness before heading to college. I don't feel like the aunt of a college-bound niece. I don't feel like someone who just had a 20 year high school reunion. I mean, I'm certainly aware of the passage of time--I just don't feel old. Which is a good thing. I feel wiser, I have a lot of good "life" experience under my belt, I know who I am, etc. I talked to my mom about it last night a little bit. She doesn't feel old either. Nor does my 91 year-old grandmother. What a blessing--and an inspiration.

Anyway, we had a great weekend together. Although it was a million degrees and humid, it was fun showing her around my city and spending time with her. I gave her some advice on how to navigate the sometimes rocky shoals of being a college co-ed --from academics and dorm life, to the party scene. (I gave her good advice on the pitfalls of drinking/frat parties--but I had to refer her to her other aunts for advice on boys.)

14 July 2007

2007-07-14T14:18:00.001-04:00

Has it really been that long since I've posted! Hard to believe it's been a month!

Went up to Syracuse for my mom's birthday (she'll get mad if I say which one, but it was a biggie! :) Spent some time with the family and took a fabulous boat ride on the lake with everyone. My niece and nephew tagged along in their Waverunner. I'm always amazed how relaxing it is to be back at our lakehouse. Some things have changed over the years (more year-round places, some "modern" technology has creeped into the house --microwaves, TV with a remote), but for the most part--it's the same as its always been. It's very simple and very comforting.

Jordan & Matthew

For a present I took mom up to Maine for a few days. We stayed in Portland the first night. We had dinner at this great place called Becky's--which is right on Commercial Street on the wharf. The great thing about it is it's far away from the touristy part of Commercial Street. (I love finding places that actual locals go to.) We got awesome lobster rolls and cold beer--and, believe it or not, I even ran into my cousin, who's a local!

The next day we took a ferry to Peaks Island, where my dad was born. I'd been there a couple of times, but my mom had never been there. It's an island in Casco Bay--about a 20 minute ride from Portland. We happened to find someone who gives tours and for an hour and a half we sped around the island on a golf cart, seeing the sights and hearing all the neat stories about "island life." We even found the hospital (really, a house) where my dad was born. It was gorgeous day and an amazing experience.

Entering Peaks Island from the ferry

Peaks Island with Casco Bay & Portland, Maine in background

We stayed in Biddeford, Maine--about 15 minutes south of Portland, where my dad grew up until college. My grandparents came from Canada to find work there back in the day, and has a major French-Canadian heritage. In fact, my dad's cousin--with whom I've gotten closer to since my dad died--still lives there and speaks fluent French! In addition to introducing us to a fabulous seafood spot (any place with picnic tables and paper towels for napkins is AWESOME in my book!), Cousin Mike took us to some of the places my dad used to hang out at as a kid. One was called Biddeford Pool--a beautiful inlet right off the ocean, and Fortune's Rocks Beach. I can remember my dad talking about how much he missed the smell of the sea. I took an extra deep breaths of it and thought of him.

Biddeford Pool

We also went to Cape Elizabeth to see the breathtaking Portland Headlight--and even saw the Nubble Lighthouse on Cape Neddick in York. Mom and I found a neat little ice cream stand within the shadow of the lighthouse where we enjoyed some Maine wild blueberry pie.

Portland Headlight

Nubble Lighthouse, Cape Neddick, York, Maine

It was raining, but we also took a drive through Old Orchard Beach. My dad used to hang out there as a kid--and believe it or not, my mom's family used to vacation there when she was a kid! It's a classic beach town--amusement park, ice cream shops, rental houses/cabins. My grandfather later went into a nursing home there after my grandmother died.

We also drove through Kennebunkport and saw Walker's Point (The president was NOT there!) and Ogunquit (which, among other things, is a artsy gay enclave.)

13 June 2007

2007-06-13T12:24:00.000-04:00

Our little hamlet made the big city newspaper!

Check out this story about Silver Spring's rebirth in today's New York Times!

12 June 2007

2007-06-12T13:08:00.000-04:00

I know, I know. It's been a long time since I last posted. Highlights since I last wrote, in no particular order:

1) My cousin Mike's visit. He's actually my 2nd cousin. But he's the only living member on my father's side of the family and my only connection to my dad's birthplace, Biddeford, Maine (where the older residents still speak French!). He's totally built like my dad and totally sounds like him, too. He even has curly hair (my dad had blonde, curly hair back in the day. That's where I got mine from.) Highlights of that visit: a Maine lobsterfest (he drove them down in a cooler all the way from Maine), a Memorial Day weekend BBQ at my aunt's in southwest DC, and dinner at Hank's Oyster Bar on 17th Street (lesbian owned!)

2) Pride. We skipped the parade, but hit the street festival. I look forward to it every year--it's very affirming to see the diversity and beauty of my community. Lots of corporate sponsors as well as the usual bevy of community groups. One of the booths offered tarot card readings...and something called "crotch blessings." I was asked if I wanted mine blessed as we walked by. I smiled and mumbled something under my breath. How does one respond to such an offer? Also ran into my very first girlfriend, Stef. It was awkward, but it was nice to see her. (What's pride without running into an ex?)

3) (Work) Week from Hell. Was the lead producer on six (count'em!) television shows last week. Very long days and lots of stress. But the girl (as usual) was a huge comfort and source of support for me. She knew how stressed I was--two nights in a row I came home to candlelight and dinner on the table.

4) Relaxtion at Home. Recovered from my work week from hell--with a very relaxing weekend at home. We did our usual weekend errands/chores/running around--but there was also lots of sitting around, napping, cooking, and watching TV, which was just heavenly. I guess we both needed a break. (Though much to our chagrin we found that Discovery Health Channel --our neighbor in Silver Spring--has a dwarf show of their own, called "Meet The Fooses". We watched a little bit. But there's nothing like the Roloff's show "Little People, Big World" over at The Learning Channel. I'm almost embarrassed at how much I like that show. (The girl totally makes fun of me about it, too.)

21 May 2007

2007-05-21T20:09:00.000-04:00

Enjoying a much needed day off today to catch up on things after spending this weekend on the road. We drove up to Syracuse (actually a little south of there) for a family wedding Saturday and Sunday. It was a quick, tiring, but wonderful weekend.

Some highlights/observations:

1) You know it's love when you spend every waking (and sleeping!) moment with the same person--including 13 hours in a car--and not get sick of that person. And we hadn't even showered on the drives up and back.

2) I love Barbra Streisand. The girl loves Barbra Streisand. But after multiple listenings of her new live in concert CD (2 discs, mind you) even WE are sick of her. AND what's the deal Il Divo? (According to Wikipedia, they are basically a glorified Italian boy band.) I mean, I don't mind them singing some random song with her. Fine. But when they start singing "Evergreen" in Italian, I have to draw the line.

3) It was quite fun staying in Skaneateles, NY--a quaint little lakeside village on one of the Finger Lakes (near where the wedding was.) I'd been there a couple of times to visit, but it really was a kick to wander around with the girl and spend the night at a cool B&B there. We'd love to go back some day and explore all the wineries around there and the other Finger Lakes.

4) Cousin's wedding. It was at a little Chapel overlooking Oswasco Lake. We were a little late (bad directions on my part), but I don't think we missed much. (It was fun peeking through the window and trying to sneak in without laughing.) The reception was at the Springside Inn, where my brother and sister-in-law had theirs. We had a round of drinks beforehand with the family (Gram had her requisit Manhattan--straight up) at the Inn's bar. It was really nice being all together for a happy occasion.

5) On the way back to DC--stops at a Friendly's for a couple of peanut butter & fudge sundaes (in kid sizes.) I also picked up some Canadian beer (Molsen's) along the way.

14 May 2007

2007-05-14T13:31:00.000-04:00

So I've decided to make a new "rule" for my weekends. I put the word rule in quotation marks because I'm sure that "rule" will be broken at some point if there's some sort of bribery involved--or if the girl makes her puppy dog eyes. The "rule:" no more 4+hour shopping excursions on BOTH weekend days.

This past weekend couldn't really be helped, since we are out of town this coming weekend and we really did need to accomplish a lot of tasks. But being cooped in Tyson's Corner Center on a beautiful, sunny spring day when I could be a) riding my bike, b)sitting on the couch reading the New York Times, c) doing yard work, d) watching Food Channel reruns, or d) pretty much doing ANYTHING else ...is pretty difficult for me. I was good for awhile (I even helped pick out jewelry for the girl), but then I just hit the wall. (I didn't have a full-blown tantrum like you see with toddlers who all of a sudden just drop to the floor and start screaming. But I thought about it.)

We did enjoy a great night with friends Saturday night (BBQ, margaritas, and movie)--until a severe electrial storm moved through and knocked out our power. Believe it or not--it was kind of nice. After our guests left, we opened up the windows (the storm cooled things off considerably), lit some candles, made some drinks, and played cards. We had a BALL. (Of course neither of us could remember how to play even one card game --even Crazy 8s--so thank God for my blackberry. I looked up on the internet how to play Spit.) The lights came on a couple of hours later, but I must admit the quiet and simplicity of those two hours--with no computers, TVs, etc--was quite pleasurable.

On another note...the girl and I "adopted" a soldier serving in Iraq. We got the idea on a recent trip to Colorado Kitchen where the owner/chef adopted a soldier through a group called Soldiers Angels. They basically put you in touch with soldier serving in the war and you can send him/her notes, packages, etc, anything to support them and lift their spirits. The idea is not to become pen pals per se (they caution you not to expect any kind of return note), but to show your support/gratitude for what these soldiers are doing--NO MATTER how you feel about the war. The people over there (many on their 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th deployment) who are in harm's way--thousands of miles away from their loved ones while this awful political debate rages here in the U.S.-- must be unspeakably difficult. Words from a complete stranger seem so inadequate, but we're going to take a crack at it.

6 May 2006

2007-05-06T20:49:00.000-04:00

Bought a new bike recently. I haven't had a bike since I was a kid, so it's been a alot of fun. Check it out:

A lot's changed since I had a bike when I was kid. First of all, the whole helmet thing. I never wore a helmet when I was a kid (maybe that explains some things!), so it's been an interesting experience shopping for one that doesn't make me look like a complete dork. The second thing that's a new experience for me--all the gears. I have gears for the front AND the back tires. No idea how they work, which is very unfortunate because my neighborhood is QUITE hilly. I'm fooling around with it, so I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually. I'm also amazed that there are actual shock aborbers on my tires--and even on my seat--which makes me laugh because the most rigorous riding I'm going to do is a spin down to Whole Foods or a ride on the paved trail along Sligo Creek.

The girl picked up her bike today after getting it all tuned up and ready to go. We're planning on taking them to the beach when we visit her mom at the Jersey shore.

Meanwhile--we're getting new steps for the front of the house. They were the orginial concrete, which is about 80 years old and they were starting to show their age. Here's the BEFORE picture.

The azaleas are all in bloom throughout our neighborhood--here's a look at some of ours in front of the house.

EASTERN MARKET UPDATE: The Capitol Hill community is really coming together to help the vendors and merchants at Eastern Market after last week's devastating fire. Check out www.rebuildeasternmarket.net website. for more information.

30 April 2007

2007-04-30T15:27:00.000-04:00

Courtesy: Washington Post

Woke up this morning to the sad news that a fire gutted about half of Eastern Market. The Washington Post has the story HERE. DCist also has amazing coverage and pictures. It is really heart-breaking. And to think--I was just there yesterday--on a clear, blue, sunny day, shoulder-to-shoulder with gaggles of Washingtonians and tourists-- strolling about the flea market, checking out the artists' wares, looking at the fresh produce, even stopping by my favorite cheese place inside Eastern Market to pick up some havarti with dill. While waiting in line, I remember looking around and thinking how happy I was to be there and how much I missed the place. I vowed to make visiting Eastern Market a more regular habit. Now, I don't know when I or anybody else will be able to return.

28 April 2007

2007-04-28T19:25:00.000-04:00

The girl is out of town this weekend, so I'm spending the next couple of days catching up with friends and finishing up some projects around the house. Among the items on my list: cleaning out the trunk of my car. It's clearly a task I haven't completed in years. Here are just some of the items I found. Seriously.

1) Tiara
2) Magic wand (with a star on the end and everything.)
3) Various mix cassette tapes made by my college boyfriend
4) Frisbee
5) Hawaiian lei (with fabric flowers)
6) Softball glove (I AM a lesbian afterall.)

Just so you know, I did find things that actually might be useful to a car owner, such as motor oil, various maps, anti-freeze, jumper cables, bungee cords, and flares.

11 April 2007

2007-04-11T15:59:00.000-04:00

Our White House correspondent just called into the bureau. Not to tell us about some nugget of news we needed to get into the show or some big event we need to plan for. He called because a 10" FISH fell out of the sky and nearly hit him when he was doing a live shot. Seriously. We think a bird must have plucked the unlucky fish from the nearby Potomac River and just dropped it as it flew by. We checked the tape and we didn't see the fish actually falling--but we do have video of the aftermath of the fish (still breathing) on the White House lawn. Apparently our reporter or the crew didn't perform mouth-to-gill recussitation.

9 April 2007

2007-04-09T20:19:00.000-04:00

Ahoy Landlubbers! Okay, okay, it's been a week since we returned from our cruise, but our vacation was SO good that it's so hard still to let it go!

Some pics are here. If you want to see more, just shoot me an email.

It was our very first cruise--and we will DEFINITELY be doing it again. My favorite memories, in no particular order:

* Walking the gangplank onto that magnificent ship. I'd seen cruise ships from a distance before, but I really didn't appreciate just how big one is until I was right next to it. Let me tell you, these things are mammoth. 12 stories high, about 3 football fields long. It is quite breath-taking.

The Westerdam.

* Laying on our bed in our stateroom, feeling the gentle rocking of the waves lulling us to sleep.

* Whipping the curtains open on our verandah to see the wide open sea or some beautiful port of call. (Particularly the morning we arrived in St. Thomas.)

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. The view from our verandah.

* Lazy days at sea, laying in a beach chair on the top deck, breathing in the clean sea air.

* Being in Key West again. Cuban coffee at my favorite deli. A visit to the Hemingway House. Window shopping along Duval Street and sipping spicy Bloody Mary's at La Ti Da.

* Our tour guide Manny who drove us around downtown San Juan, Puerto Rico and to the Barcardi factory--he even got us into the capitol building for a quick tour.

* Evening strolls hand-in-hand with the girl on the Promenade Deck and looking out at the ocean.

* Meeting new friends. Especially the crew from Canada. I know we'll be seeing them again on future vacations or here in DC.

* Jet skiing in a secluded lagoon on Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas.

* Walking on the beach with the girl in Magen's Bay in St. Thomas. One of the top 10 beaches in the entire world.

Magen's Bay.

* Swimming in the clearest, bluest water I'd ever seen in both St. Thomas and the Bahamas.

* Amazing concerts by Melissa Etheridge and Suede.

* Elegant 4-course dinners with friends or alone with my sweetheart (who would always sweet talk one of the attendants to give her MORE dinner mints.)

* The fun towel animals made by our steward and the chocolates on our bed each night with a note saying "The Captain and crew wish you a restful night sleep as we look forward to new horizons."

23 March 2007

2007-03-24T12:38:00.000-04:00

I'm OFFICIALLY on vacation. It is a very strange sensation after a VERY busy and stressful 2 weeks since my transition at work. I was somewhat still in "producer-mode" last night--tying up loose ends at work, working up a note for our housesitter, and getting our flight and cruise/passport documents together. But I'm 90% packed, the shopping is done, the house is together, and I feel I can finally take a breath. Can't wait till we're finally WHEELS UP, baby!

17 March 2007

2007-03-17T15:46:00.000-04:00

Random Thoughts (St. Patrick's Day edition)

Wow--lots to catch up on. Here are the highlights:

* I've got a new job. Well, sort of. It's at my same employer-but I'm taking on a new show (while keeping the old one.) I'm in the midst of the transition, and I feel good about it. The best part: I'm TOTALLY off weekends now! (Praise Jesus!)

* Gram update: she's out of the rehabilitation facility and is now back with my mom at their Florida house. She's using her walker and getting along pretty well. She's just so happy (and so are WE!) to be out of a medical facility and back into familiar surroundings. Both an occupational and physical therapist are coming in to see her a couple of times of week to make sure she stays on track. But as she is fond of saying, there is still PLENTY of kick in the old girl. Thanks for the good wishes and prayers.

* In the midst of my job transition--the girl and I made a quick trip to New York to see a taping of "The View." (Her mom gave us long-standing tickets.) We took the train back and forth, which worked out well. With the exception of the inexplicably long wait to actually get into the studio-the experience was quite fun. The show airs NEXT Friday, March 23, for those of you inclined to tune in. It was fun to see how a non-news show is put together and see how many cameras they use, see their shots, see how the sets are moved, see how much prompter they have, etc. (I wish I could have gotten into the control room.) It was fun to see "the girls" in person and I even got to ask Rosie O'Donnell a question (she takes them during the commercial breaks.) She's much prettier (and thinner) in person, believe it or not. She's quite personable, as you can imagine, but I find her "preachiness" a little much. Actress Joely Fisher (and her breasts-she was obviously showing them off after some "enhancement") was the guest host and country singer Tim McGraw performed. I was sorry to miss Barbara Walters, but we each got a $100 gift certificate to Hanes and the book "You on a Diet" (that I already had, but will definitely "re-gift.") The only bad part was at the end of the taping there was ANOTHER lengthy process--this time getting OUT of the studio. We were in a major rush to get out to catch the train back to DC and so with some cajoling of the audience coordinator, we snuck out. (Actually, the girl cajoled--I was mumbling something about unlawful imprisonment.)

* Getting ready for our big cruise, which is NEXT WEEKEND already. We're tying up loose ends and getting some last minute items together. I'm very excited to have some time off with the girl after a busy skating season and with my very busy transition here at work. Of course I can't wait for the lazy days at sea and the exotic ports of call--butI'm REALLY looking forward to being being virtually UNREACHABLE. (A new experience for me after being tied to my blackberry.)

6 March 2007

2007-03-06T15:31:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts:

* Where's global warming when you need it? It's March and the windchill this morning was below zero. I was about to walk to the metro this morning and got about a half block from the house when I turned around and got in my car. Will go to the gym in a little while to make sure I get my exercise in...

* Met my dear friend Tony for dinner last night at Raku. The conversation and the food were awesome. Got down there a little early and headed over to Kramer Books to see if I could find a book for the cruise. I picked up the book Dupont Circle, which seems to fit the bill of what I was looking for--something light.

* Had a long overdue conversation with my best friend from high school, Julie. She's a stay-at-home mom with three kids living in Kansas--yet we still talk so easily--like we did when we were teenagers. There's something SO comforting in that.

* As most of you know, I'm NOT a big shopper--but we've been doing a fair amount in advance of our big cruise. I even went to the mall yesterday--ON MY OWN--on my day off. I had to buy a new pair of khakis--which I did in about 15 minutes (including the time spent actually trying them on.) Even more impressive: the girl and I venturing to Tyson's Corner. On a Sunday.

* Gram might be released from rehab this weekend--a little ahead of schedule. Thank goodness my aunt will there to help my mom with that transition

2 March 2007

2007-03-02T10:01:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts:

* To quote a colleague of mine--it's like a SPRING SURPRISE today! Temps in the 60s, clear blue sky. Of course it's going to get colder over the weekend, but it's a nice hint of what's to come. (I even noticed the banners on the lightposts today promoting the upcoming Cherry Blossom Festival!) Check out the earth cam HERE. It is a marked departure from last Sunday when I sat on the tarmac in a US Airways plane watching the snow and sleet fall for FOUR hours waiting to take-off for Palm Beach. Good times.

* It was a nice visit to Florida to see "the girls." I was glad to be there to support my mom while my gram is recuperating from her hip surgery. Both are hanging in there, but it's tough. Thank goodness Aunt K will be there next week to keep their spirits up. Keep the prayers comin'.

Boynton Beach, FL

* When we weren't hanging out with Gram at her rehab facility--mom and I did manage to get in a few swims at the pool and enjoy a nice lunch at a neat place called Old Calypso on the intercoastal waterway in Delray Beach.

* Saw Bush was in NOLA yesterday for a tour of the city. He said recovery efforts there have been "too slow." You don't f&*^%$in' say.

21 February 2006

2007-02-21T17:00:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts:

* Gram is out of surgery and recovering. The procedure was thankfully not as invasive as we first thought. Recovery time should be shorter, too. Keep the prayers coming though.

* Saw this little item on TMZ's website...apparently the minor league hockey team in Syracuse--the Syracuse Crunch--has offered Britney Spears an all-expense paid trip to the Salt City to see the team play and "escape the trials and tribulations of celebrity life." If she does, the team is offering a free ticket to any woman that comes to the War Memorial Box Office with a shaved head! I'll hold my breath for THAT one!

2007-02-20T14:50:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts:

* My gram is in the hospital in Florida. Thank God I'll be down there in a few days to see what's going on and help support everyone. Say a prayer.

* According to local news, this morning--for the first time in 36 days--the temperature was above freezing. It's supposed to hit 50 or so. Our sidewalks and steps are clear (thanks to my neighbor John who I suppose took pity on us. I bought him a box of Italian cookies from our neighborhood bakery and wrote him a nice thank you note), but I'm hoping the warmer temps will thaw the ice on our driveway.

* The girl and I are toying with the idea of joining a gay ice skating social group. Should be pretty entertaining.

* I hear Mardi Gras is going swimmingly this year--the crowds are back, they're spending their money, and the Krewes and their floats are as sassy and creative as ever. There's a good write-up HERE about all the festivities. I toyed with going this year, but it's just too busy with other travel. I DID buy a King Cake the other day--which was fabulous. But for New Orleanians--Mardi Gras is a most welcome respite. Here's what B.Rox had to say today: "For the last 364 days, life here may have sucked for most of us, but on this one day (at least) there’s no place I’d rather be than New Orleans. We got up early, we had a good breakfast, we’re rocking out, we’re getting into costume, we’re hitting the streets. Happy Mardi Gras." My buddy Frolic is getting into the spirit, too.

* Learned a little while ago that the girl and I will be traveling to NYC to watch Rosie and the girls on "The View" in a few weeks. Fun!

17 February 2006

2007-02-17T12:29:00.000-05:00

* Took me about 15 minutes--and the help of a neighbor--to get my car out of my driveway this morning. It is still totally caked in ice--even 4 days after the storm. I can't even make headway on my front steps or sidewalk, the ice is so thick.
Even our backyard is covered in snow with a thick layer of ice on it--the girl and I skidded around on it last night when we came home from dinner. Fortunately melting is on the way--the temps are due to hit the 40s in the coming days.

* Got our cruise documents the other day--with information on our on-shore "excursions." It's totally helping me deal with all this WINTER STUFF.
I'm extremely excited to explore the the Caribbean and our exotic ports-of-call (Puerto Rico, St. Thomas/St. John's, the Bahamas) but I'm really happy to visit one of my favorite places ever: Key West. (That's our first stop from Fort Lauderdale before we head into the Caribbean.) We only have about 6 hours there, but I already have my "mental list" of places I want to hit. Tops on the list: Blue Heaven for breakfast (including Bloody Mary's)--it's literally hand-painted picnic tables surrounded by a canopy of palm and banyan trees on a dusty lot that used to be home to cockfights and boxing matches. Ernest Hemingway used to referee the Friday night fights, and is said to have thrown a punch or two. And the food is amazing.
Other stops: cafe con leche (Cuban coffee) at this neat deli across the street from the Green Parrot bar, books at Flaming Maggie's (Key West's amazing gay bookstore), shopping at Besame Mucho, Cuba, Cuba, and bargain-hunting at Fast Buck Freddie's. The girl wants to check out the Hemingway House and the famous six-toed cats. I'm absolutely in love with the architecture, history and tropical feel of this place. (I'm a bit obsessed with Hemingway.) OH, and speaking of the Hemingway House cats they actually have a live Cat Cam!

Hemingway House

Hopefully we'll have time for a drink or two at La Te Da--this cool outdoor piano bar on the "gay" end of Duval street. The girl and I spent an afternoon there during Key West Gay pride a few years ago and had a BALL. Too bad we'll have to miss the Sunday night drag queen show at the 801.

15 February 2007

2007-02-15T17:28:00.000-05:00

Saw this picture on Syracuse.com. Snowmobiles--replacing the usual line of motorcycles--outside the Dinosaur BBQ in downtown Syracuse. There's about 3 feet of snow in the Salt City--with more on the way. Not as much as the folks up north in Oswego, though--they have about 7-8 feet. Makes me feel a little bit better about my struggle with the 2 inches of packed ice on my front walk.

The Dinosaur is one of the few establishments that actually started in Syracuse and then opened a second restaurant downstate in New York City. In addition to amazing BBQ (for a city north of the Mason-Dixon line), it's an awesome blues joint. (My brother's band has played there several times.) Even Bill Clinton stops by whenever he's in town with Hillary--and he KNOWS bbq. On a visit back in 2000 he said this: "I come from a place where barbeque is not food; it is a way of life. It is a philosophy of human nature. I have rarely had any as good as this." Pretty high praise, coming from him.

Here's the Dinosaur--in NON snowy times.

14 February 2007

2007-02-14T16:48:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts: Valentine's Day Edition

* The girl and I are spending a quiet Valentine's Day at home. We usually boycott all the trappings of this Hallmark-inspired holiday anyway--but the bad weather just solidified our plans to celebrate quietly in our warm, cozy homestead. I did succumb to guilt/peer pressure and got her flowers that were delivered to her at her work. It helps that the florist I like to use is right across the street from her clinic--no delivery charges!

* Snow and ice are covering most of DC and the surrounding suburbs today. There's about 3-4" of slush everywhere--the roads are passable, but will ice up as soon as the sun goes down. The side streets are a mess, too. I'm SO glad we didn't lose power--I heard on the radio that there was a big ice storm in '99 that knocked out power in Montgomery County for a week. I bought two bundles of wood, just in case.

* We're totally hooked on this new TLC show, "Little People, Big World" about two dwarf parents and their family (The Roloff's). (I've learned "midget" is politically incorrect.) I'm not sure what the allure is--but it's a very charming show. I mean, once the curiosity factor is over, you realize their lives are normal--even mundane. But it's STILL interesting and fun to watch. (Special bonus: click on the link above for the show and you can play GAMES about the Roloff family!)

* We discovered a new, favorite pizza place. We still love our Manny & Olga's for takeout, of course...but we love Ledo's for dining in. It is an LEGENDARY in DC (it's always advertised during the Redskins games) and now we know why.

9 February 2006

2007-02-09T18:34:00.000-05:00

The crazy snowfall hitting upstate New York is making national headlines. Some areas have up to six FEET of snow (one area: 123 inches), if you can believe it. The biggest amounts are about 45 minutes north from my hometown of Syracuse--though the Salt City has certainly gotten its fair share. The only good part of the whole story is the rest of the nation (and New York City folks) are being educated that "upstate New York" isn't just the area between Manhattan and Poughkeepsie.

On the Syracuse.com website there are amazing pictures about the snowfall in the area. Including one of people ice fishing on my believed Oneida Lake.

I'm so used to seeing my lake like THIS--which I MUCH prefer. Only four and a half months away. Sigh.

6 February 2007

2007-02-06T13:38:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts:

* Totally wasn't into this year's Super Bowl--but caught the halftime show. I think Prince's show was the best I've ever seen. Apparently I'm not alone. If you missed it, the good folks at You Tube have it HERE. The rain--the music--the Florida A&M Marching band--it all gave me the goosebumps. The man is a genius.

* According to the local weathercasters, today was the coldest morning we've had in 11 years. I'm ashamed to say I've become a wimp when it comes to the cold. I vividly remember growing up in Syracuse, waiting for the school bus and trying to keep warm. Back in those days, though, Mom bundled me up in a snowmobile suit (standard issue, in upstate New York) and I was toasty as can be. Today, I think my blood's gotten thinner...and my Kenneth Cole coat and trendy scarf just don't quite do the trick.

* Very strange. I'm watching CNBC here at my desk (I'm mulling ideas for a new business show) and they're doing a segment on an interactive web search designed by Microsoft called Ms. Dewey featuring a brand new character on "The L Word" named Papi (who is extremely annoying.) It is VERY cool and the actress (Janina Gavankar) is certainly easy on the eyes--but the site is not that informative. It's a fun distraction, though. (P.S. Janina's official website is HERE. She's included a telephone number where you can leave her a message with your opinion of "Papi." Yipes.)

* Road-tripped to Leesburg, Virginia yesterday to the outlet stores there. I was trying to find a new rug for our livingroom. It's an open air mall with a ton of stores. It was a Monday--about 15 degrees with a wicked wind-- so I was about one of ten people there, which was nice. I wish the girl was with me to enjoy it though. (The outlets are her nirvana.) Also made a stop at a new grocery store called Bloom. It was very cool--especially it's good (but disorganized) wine section--but every grocery store pales in comparison to Wegman's (which started in upstate New York.) There are some stores in bumf*#k Virginia--but none in Maryland yet.

30 January 2007

2007-01-30T15:20:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts:

* The girl at THIS VERY MINUTE (3:20pm eastern) is in a photo shoot with MAGIC JOHNSON in Houston, TX. How crazy is that? I can't wait to hear all about it! I also can't wait for her to come home. I've become such a wimp...just one night without her gets me all "out of sorts."

* We MAY have found a solution to Ellie's "inappropriate elimination" issues: Cat Attract litter. Some of that and the self-cleaning "Littermaid" pan and so far, so good! I think the "happy pills" don't hurt either. Mind you, it's only been a couple of days, but I'm very optimistic.

* Read this morning that my alma mater, George Washington University, is the most expensive college in the country. This according to Forbes magazine. Forbes also reports that tuition has risen a staggering 58% (!) over the past 7 years. I feel totally justified in not giving GW any money since I graduated.

* The girl and I were running around a lot this weekend, so we didn't catch much of the National Figure Skating Championships, so I didn't hear until today that Johnny Weir (who came in 3rd) skated to "Child of Nazareth" by Maxime Rodriguez, telling the story of Jesus through skating. Hi. You Tube has the video HERE. He's so over the top, I love it!

* Speaking of Johnny Weir, out skating commentator Mark Lund took a shot at Weir for not coming out of the closet publicly. Blogcritic has video of Lund's comments this past weekend HERE and a FAR more eloquent response to Lund than I could ever come up with. My two cents: What an asshole. (This topic came up during the Olympics...HERE's my post on it from last February.)

* I love National Journal's Hotline. They had this little post this morning, which made me laugh out loud:

At an afternoon send-off, Pres. Bush thanked (outgoing WH counsel) Harriet Miers and called her "the comforter" (AP).

26 January 2007

2007-01-26T17:26:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite webpages these days is Kenneth Hill's Gay & Lesbian page on AOL called "Worth Repeating." "Gay people say the darnedest things!" it exlaims at the top. Fabulous.

Anyway--I just checked it out and he has a link to the top fashion bloggers critiquing Madonna's on-stage attire through the years. It's a MUST SEE and read (and no, not just for my gay boyfriends.)

26 January 2007

2007-01-26T11:36:00.000-05:00

The ONLY joy of being in the media during Hurricane Katrina is that I've made some friends. One of them is a guy named Morgan Stewart who works for Entergy--the big utility company down there.

He sends me emails every now and then and today's took the cake. It's an article written by one of his friends about what it was like to be a Saints fan at this past weekend's NFC championship game at Chicago.

The photo says it all.

I planned to root for Chicago against the Colts in the Super Bowl. (Chicago is one of my favorite cities...of course I rooted for the Saints to go all the way.) But I have to say--I hope Peyton (a NOLA native) and the boys WHOOOP the Bears' asses.

Here's the story:

Chicago Bears: Awful Winners

By Mike Bayham

DANTE’S INFERNO (CHICAGO)- The stands at Soldier Field Sunday afternoon would have been a paradise for Karl Marx as there was no evidence of class to be found anywhere in the stadium.

Going into the NFC championship game, I planned on being the subject of many, many barbs. And some of them were amusing, like one fan’s cry for some more “fumba-laya” in response to the Saints’ inability to hold on to the ball in the first half.

But it wasn’t long before things got “battery in the snowball” ugly, a reference to Bears fans’ treatment of Saints fans in the 1991 wild-card playoff.

Take for example one fan sporting a bear mask on his head and a placard strapped to his shoulders that read: “Bears finishing what Katrina started”.

Wanting to capture that scene so the folks back home can have an idea of what the traveling Black and Gold faithful had to endure, I turned my Saints cap around while sporting a grin and asked to take his picture. He giddily obliged though his smile disappeared when I repositioned my hat so the fleur-de-lis faced him after his public obnoxiousness was digitally cataloged.

That picture is posted at myspace (www.myspace.com/mbayham) and I encourage you to send it around. If we’re lucky (and he’s not) it might very well end up in the hands of his employer.

Things got even uglier upon finding my eBay acquired seat when a drunkard in front kept staring at me, hurling profanities and throwing his hands only inches from my face.

It’s been 16 years since I last threw a punch at anyone in self-defense and retaliation on my part would have meant a beat down by him, his cohorts and others wearing blue and orange clothing that don’t need much of an excuse to attack a visiting team’s fans.

So I summoned the strength of those other saints and just endured it, knowing that the first time he made contact I was going to start swinging away regardless of the consequences. Needless to say when Reggie Bush made his spectacular score, the cold war taking place in section 324, rows 15 and 16 began to teeter on going hot.

Shortly thereafter, the hothead asked if I got flooded out from Hurricane Katrina. Having been asked this question dozens of times on previous trips outside of New Orleans, I instinctively replied my house went under 11 feet of water but I had evacuated beforehand, to which this clown shot back, “too bad you didn’t drown.”

I along with many other Saints fans hit the exits at the start of the fourth quarter figuring that the beating on the field was enough without being assaulted in the stands. But the hostile hospitality did not end with the game.

As I trudged across the tundra towards the elevated train station I witnessed a Bears fan throwing his beer at a New Orleans television reporter. A day later while riding an escalator from the train area I was being cursed at by someone sporting a Bears cap going down in the opposite direction.

If this is how Bears fans handle victory, then I don’t doubt that myself and others who “dared” cheer for their team would have had left some blood on the Chicago snow.

Chicago is one of America’s great cities in architecture, food, music, theater and industry. It’s also an outstanding museum city, only nosed out by Washington, DC as the best in this area. However, there’s no excuse for people visiting the city for a sporting event to be sneered at or have the collective misfortune of their home area mocked.

The Bears fans have proven themselves to be the most repugnant sports fans this side of England’s soccer hooligans. ATL Dirty Birds and Philly’s arrogant Eagles fans have nothing on these animals.

I’ve visited Chicago four times now and would be happy to never set foot nor spend another red cent in it ever again.

What galls me the most is how the Chicago Bears and the media have been whining about Reggie Bush’s taunt.

Let’s see here: a professional athlete does a flip in the endzone after executing a spectacular play versus an unruly mob making fun of the catastrophe that killed over a thousand people and made homeless in excess of a quarter of a million.

I’ll be sure to light a candle for Brian Urlacher the next time I go to church.

Let’s hope that New Orleans-native Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts can settle the score for us in the big game in two weeks since the Chicago Bears don’t need another Super Bowl trophy as much as their fans need to get some class.

25 January 2007

2007-01-25T17:20:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts:

* It's been a tough week for the girl...and the cat. The girl has been battling a serious stomach/intestinal bacterial infection for nearly a week now. She's been through hell and back, but I think she's finally starting to turn the corner. It's been an adventure.

* As for the cat...our wonderful vet (who thankfully makes home visits) gave her an exam earlier this week and said her "inappropriate elimination" issues were behavioral. (We knew that, but wanted to rule out any medical issues.) The doc prescribed her valium (an EXTREMELY small amount) and so far, so good. She's going where she's supposed to go, it's not a struggle to get her to actually SWALLOW the pill, and she generally seems a lot more content. I read online that until the cat is used to her "happy pills" her balance and coordination might be a little off. It's a point that I only remembered after the girl threw Ellie's crunchy toy down the stairs for her to run after last night--and Ellie "missed" the last three stairs. (Don't worry--she was fine.)

* As many of my readers know (Hi Mom!) I've been doing some looking around on the web for solutions to Ellie's "issues" and found some pretty strange websites. Well, I found another one: THIS website about cat spraying that inexplicably includes music to Andrew Lloyd Webber's "All I Ask Of You" from Phantom of the Opera. Yes, you too, can listen to this hauntingly beautiful song while reading about how you can prevent your cat from urinating all over your furniture.

* Meanwhile, can't BELIEVE Bush didn't once mention Hurricane Katrina or rebuilding New Orleans in his State of the Union speech. What a crock. And the folks in NOLA aren't taking it too kindly.

* Also--how about Dick Cheney going off on Wolf Blitzer about (GASP!) his gay daughter! What an ass. Here's the transcript.

BLITZER: You know, we’re out of time, but a couple of issues I want to raise with you: your daughter, Mary. She's pregnant. All of us are happy she’s going to have a baby. You’re going to have another grandchild. Some of the -- some critics are suggesting -- for example, a statement from someone representing Focus on the Family, "Mary Cheney's pregnancy raises the question of what's best for children. Just because it's possible to conceive a child outside of the relationship of a married mother and father doesn't mean that it's best for the child." Do you want to respond to that? 4
CHENEY: No

BLITZER: She's, obviously, a good daughter --

CHENEY: I'm delighted I'm about to have a sixth grandchild, Wolf.

And obviously I think the world of both my daughters and all of my grandchildren. And I think, frankly, you're out of line with that question.

BLITZER: I think all of us appreciate --

CHENEY: I think you're out of line.

BLITZER: We like your daughters. Believe me, I'm very sympathetic to Liz and to Mary. I like them both. That was a question that’s come up, and it’s a responsible, fair question.

CHENEY: I just fundamentally disagree with you.

BLITZER: I want to congratulate you on having another grandchild.

18 January 2007

2007-01-18T16:18:00.000-05:00

Longtime Pulitzer prize winning columunist and humorist Art Buchwald died today here in Washington. I'n not ashamed to say the news truly made me sad. I didn't know him personally, but he seemed like a truly wonderful person.

I really didn't start reading his columns until last year when he wrote about confronting death. See, Buchwald refused dialysis treatments for his failing kidneys and was expected to die within weeks of moving to a hospice last February. But he did so well--they released him. He lived to return home to write about life and death and even write a book about his experiences called "Too Soon to Say Goodbye."

As David Von Drehle of the Washington Post wrote today: "For most people, dying is a milestone. For Buchwald, it was fresh material." You should read Von Drehle's tribute to Buchwald--what an interesting life.

Editor & Publisher released Buchwald's final column today--only to be released upon his death. It's quite moving--and inspiring. Check it out HERE.

I don't know what drew me to this man: His sense of humor. His varied life experiences. His braveness. His love of family, friends...food. His absolute insistence that he live and die on his own terms. Maybe it's deeper than that. Maybe it's because my first real experience with death was with the loss of my father. Maybe it's because my grandmother--whom I'm very close to-- is 90 and has failing kidneys. Who knows. But I think I'll read Mr. Buchwald's book--and hope he and my dad get to know each other up in heaven.

17 January 2006

2007-01-17T15:15:00.000-05:00

A STAR is born! The girl is being tapped by Abbot Laboratories to appear in a NATIONAL print advertising campaign...with MAGIC JOHNSON. I give Abbot a lot of credit for wanting real medical people for the ad--not just models.
The girl is as pretty as a model, of course--but the fact that she is a bona fide medical professional--is quite a feather in their cap.

My role in all this? Help bring the girl up to speed about just how cool Magic Johnson is. She knows him from an appearance on Oprah and knows, of course, that he's HIV positive and is a huge advocate but she's not up on the whole NBA Hall of Fame thing. Hope I can get an autograph!

10 January 2006

2007-01-10T17:44:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts:

* Whatever warm weather we've been having is definitely OVER. I went to get some lunch a little while ago and it was blustery and COLD...like it was JANUARY or something! (Meanwhile they are getting LOTS of snow in Syracuse, I hear.)

* Gearing up for Bush's speech tonight on "a new way forward" in Iraq. The White House just released some excerpts to the news media. After a quick read it doesn't look like anything "new" to me--or anyone else in Washington. I was only a baby when Vietnam started to unravel--but the mood here in DC (and around the country) must be the same. The problem is--in this age of terrorism--the stakes are MUCH higher.

* The news out of New Orleans is depressing. The violence is getting completely out of control. Reading B.Rox and Frolic is absolutely heart-breaking. There will be a march on city hall tomorrow.

* On a much LIGHTER note--the girl is in the throes of choreographing several skating routines for her students--which means lots of "teen" and "tween" music in our house. Forget Hillary Duff. Apparently Hanna Montana is the new Disney "IT" girl. I'm sadly VERY familitar with her song "Pumping up the Party." The girl played it non-stop in our house for about an hour and half last night. (I was even humming it at work today.) I'm not complaining--it's just extremely entertaining to me. Oh, and here's a fun fact: she's the daughter of Billy Ray "Achey Breakey" Cyrus.

* Had to send our living room rug out to be professionally cleaned after our cat had another "accident." She is known to have some "separation anxiety" -- so when I saw in the Los Angeles Times today that vets are prescribing Prozac for pets, I did some reading. I also looked at OTHER remedies--including cat MASSAGE. There's even a website with VIDEOS on how to do it. Troubling. Especially the picture at the top of the website of the cats massaging EACH OTHER.

5 January 2007

2007-01-05T13:01:00.000-05:00

COURTESY AP
There MAY be something to this whole global warming thing. (I'm sure the folks in Denver may disagree...) Not only was it a green Christmas in Syracuse and the weather just beautiful up there...it's been VERY warm here. Temps are supposed to be over 70 degrees tomorrow. Even the CHERRY BLOSSOMS are starting to come out. I'm glad to read that their premature blooming won't affect them come spring. (There's a story HERE, if you're interested.)

5 January 2007

2007-01-05T11:52:00.000-05:00

The girl made me cupcakes to bring in to work for my birthday. Everyone is enjoying them--including the host of one of my shows who told T herself when I had her on speakerphone.

Noticed THIS post from AOL's Gay & Lesbian editor who writes about what unmarried (gay!) people call their significant other. My mom asked me this question when I was home recently. I prefer "partner" --but increasingly call T my "wife" too. My mom, much to her credit, refers to T as her daughter-in-law.

ANYWAY--reading through the article I noticed the editor is a local boy--he mentioned talking to his friends at the Duplex Diner.

4 January 2007

2007-01-04T16:04:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to Me!

My day started at 4:00am in East Syracuse, New York (I caught a 6:20am flight back to DC) and went right to work since I have a show tomorrow and it's the first day of the new Congress. It was VERY early...but my mom made me breakfast (she's the BEST!), I had a nice chat with my cab driver..and I watched the sunrise from 26,000 miles up.

I'm not a huge fan of Nancy Pelosi's but I must say it did give me goosebumps when she said "To our daughters and granddaughters....the marble ceiling has been broken." I guess I have a soft spot for sassy Italian women.

But then Pelosi invited her grandchildren and others up to the rostrum to "touch her gavel" at which time we all snapped back into our 5th grade mentality and started laughing.

Spending a quiet birthday night at home with the girl catching up, eating home-made pizza, and watching "Ugly Betty." Sounds PERFECT to me.

30 December 2006

2006-12-30T20:22:00.000-05:00

What a day. It started at 7:00am when I watched (in horror) video of Saddam Hussein getting lynched while eating my granola. (Let's just say I lost my appetite.) And ended with my helping to produce coverage of Gerald Ford's state funeral here in Washington. It was a very stirring ceremony filled with all the pomp and circumstance you'd expect from such a grand affair. It was a gorgeous, crisp late December night and the pictures from my beautiful city were stunning. But at the end of the day--we lost a president, children lost their father, and a wife lost her husband. A very strange and sad day.

30 December 2006

2006-12-30T10:53:00.000-05:00

A picture of me and some gay boyfriends made it into Metro Weekly. We were having a pre-holiday cocktail at the Duplex Diner (which is owned by a college classmate.) Due to copyright issues, I can't upload it here, but if you go to THIS link and scroll down to, you'll be able to find it. Picture #7.

29 December 2006

2006-12-29T13:55:00.000-05:00

Ok, I know it's tasteless and totally politically incorrect. But You Tube has video of the hilarious Saturday Night Live sketch where Dana Carvey is impersonating Tom Brokaw reading canned "obits" of various presidents--including Gerald Ford. A link to the video is HERE.

It's funny not only because of the complete silliness of it, but also because of the producer's interaction with the "talent." Unfortunately, the parody is not far from reality in many cases...

28 December 2006

2006-12-27T04:42:00.000-05:00

It's 4:42am and here I am at work. I came in when I heard the news that Gerald Ford died and I figured the DC bureau needed a hand. (I was up anyway watching the coverage and furiously "blackberry-ing" people in the office.) We are, of course, a 24 hour news operation--but the staff is, shall we say, skeletal, this week between Christmas and New Years. It was busy when I first got in--lots of phone calls, dealing with reporters, and producers in NY...but now it's pretty quiet. It's been quite interesting meeting the "night people." The 20-year-old here with me on the desk just got up and announced she's heating up her dinner. At 4:42am.

24 December 2006

2006-12-24T11:01:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone! Here are some pics of our holiday decorations at the house.
I must say we did a great job.

We're running around today getting all the ingredients for our Christas dinner tomorrow with the girl's mom and her "gentleman friend." ("Boyfriend" sounds so silly when we're talking about people that are 60+). Just came back from picking up a turkey at Whole Foods--it was before 10am and it was already a zoo. The girl is doing other errands at Trader Joe's and Target--but I've elected to stay home and clean up (and avoid the chaos!)

We're having dinner tonight at Mrs. K's--conveniently located at the end of our block!

To all my family and friends--have a very, very blessed Christmas.

23 December 2006

2006-12-23T14:37:00.001-05:00

We had our annual "Yankee Swap" at work today. We put all the gifts in a pile, we each pick numbers, and then select gifts in that order. And depending on high or low your number is--you can swap your gift for another one. I had a high number (7 out of 9) so I pretty much had the pick of the litter. My selecton was a gift from my colleague, Megan: A bottle of Cabernet and --for no reason at all--a framed picture of herself. (Believe me, that was the best gift of the bunch at the time.) Except for maybe THIS one: a Fart Machine. WITH a remote control. It's now in the hands of our HOST and he's going to TOWN. It is so juvenile--and we all can't stop laughing. As for me, I'm taking the wine home--and keeping the framed picture of my colleague on my desk. Right by the framed picture of my partner. We figure it'll be good for hours of entertainment as co-workers stop by and ask questions.

22 December 2006

2006-12-22T15:42:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts:

* Today is the girl's birthday! I woke up early to hang a Hello Kitty birthday banner and put out a present and card before she got up. We're having folks over for dinner tonight to celebrate. It's a big one for her: the big 3-0. (Yes, I'm "robbing the cradle" as it were.)

* I'm here at my desk at work, listening to our coverage of the D.A. in the Duke rape case--dropping all the rape charges against those 3 students. (Other charges, such as kidnapping and sexual assault charges, remain.) Let's just say the discussion about those remaining charges --esp sexual assault--is getting EXTREMELY graphic. It's even silencing this normally bawdy (and usually politically incorrect) group of TV producers. This New York Times piece gives you an idea of where the discussion is going. Merry Christmas.

* Every now and then I browse job listings on the mediabistro site...and today I came across a job opening at TROUT Magazine. It's based across the river in Arlington, VA. A magazine--not just about fish in general--but about one SPECIFIC fish: trout. Good times.

* There are many Christmas-themed e-cards floating around---many of them quite tastelsss. But THIS one takes the cake. It features Santa Claus pole dancing.

20 December 2006

2006-12-20T17:51:00.000-05:00

Tonight's my company Christmas party...it's at a nearby hotel, so at least we don't have to travel far. I haven't had THAT many parties this year--thank goodness. It's not that I'm Bah Humbah-ing the whole holiday thing. I'm totally in the Christmas spirit. Our house is festively decorated, I made cookies, I've been to Christmas concerts, I've written and received countless cards, I've seen holiday lights displays, I've ordered the Christmas turkey, and we're looking forward to entertaining friends and family in the coming days.

I guess I'm just embracing my inner "homebody." Especially this time of year. I used to love hitting the holiday party circuit--the more soirees the better! And even throughout the year--all the happy hours, the book signings, the birthday parties, the bar hops, etc. These days--I'm so happy to come home, put on the jammies, and cuddle up with my girl and my cat in my warm, comfy, happy home.

We'll venture out here and there--we do love our friends and do enjoy going out, of course--but we always love coming home.

15 December 2006

2006-12-15T16:51:00.000-05:00

Everyone's in the holiday spirit here at work...which means everyone's EXTRA silly:

* Yesterday our State Department correspondent did a bit, live on camera, during one of our daytime shows where he danced and sang with two make-up artists in our greenroom.

* Someone did an overhead page asking if anyone had any nail polish remover--while the Attorney General was in the bureau.

* The random celebrity birthday on my Capricorn calendar today: Miami Vice's Don Johnson. Thank goodness a colleague remembered that Johnson had a song in 1986 called "Heartbeat." We just saw the You Tube video. It is hilarious. We want to make it a drinking game: 1 drink for every time Johnson is seen wearing a tank top. 2 drinks for every shot of a band member with 80s "Flock of Seagulls-eque" hairstyle. 3 drinks for everytime there's a inexplicable fiery explosion with helicopters flying by. 4 drinks for a shot of some random woman looking off in the distance, etc.

15 December 2006

2006-12-15T11:04:00.000-05:00

If you waited to buy your PORNAMENTS, you're too late. They're all sold out. Someone emailed me a story about these little buggers, and I had to check it out for myself. Yes, if you were looking to put ornaments of Santa, elves, or any reindeer in (ahem) "compromising positions" on your Christmas tree--you'll have to wait until next year. These ornaments are causing quite a stir in many communities--some folks are even threatening legal action to get them out of stores where little kids can see them. Seems like a pretty good idea to me.

14 December 2006

2006-12-14T08:58:00.000-05:00

Random Thoughts:

1) CRAZY heavy fog this morning--so much so that the U.S. Capitol building is totally obstructed from view. It was very strange not to see the familiar and famous dome as I was driving in this morning.

2) One of my mother-in-law's friends in Philadelphia had her LIFE-SIZED baby jesus stolen from the nativity scene that was in her front yard. And it's all over the local news in Philly. Check out the story and PICTURES HERE.

3) My colleagues here at work had so much fun at our skating party last week that they want to go again! I love how one of our on-air correspondents is into it, too. I skated much better this year than last. Even the girl thought so.

4) You HAVE to check out this silly You Tube video of a dancing cat. It makes me laugh out loud EVERY time.

5) Our fake Christmas trees looks REALLY good. And so does our mantle--thanks to
the girl. She worked her magic with (real) garland and lights. I'll post pics soon. We also got REALLY stinky candles that smell like evergreens for that "real tree" smell. The imagination is a powerful tool.

6) Have you ever driven behind a truck with one of the signs on the back that reads: "How's My Driving?, Call 1-800, blah, blah, blah")? Well, the girl was cut off TWICE by a truck yesterday while driving home from the rink and called the number to complain. She was gratified because the people seemed genuinely concerned about the dangerous driving. The best part: it was a SALVATION ARMY truck. Good times.

7 December 2006

2006-12-07T13:55:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again...when I get roped into organizing my office's Secret Santa. I've been in charge for the past 5 years (and I've complained every single one of those years), so people expect it now of me. I THOUGHT about just blowing it off--but a bunch of people are already asking me about it and goading me into being in charge. I don't mean to be a Scrooge about it--but it's a MAJOR pain in the ass. Bah humbug!

On a happier note--I have my long johns and flask ready to go for tonight's skating party!

6 December 2006

2006-12-06T14:33:00.000-05:00

It's a long story--but I and another co-worker re-enacted this picture for the more junior members of the staff who aren't familiar with l'affaire Donna Rice/Gary Hart that derailed Hart's presidential bid back in 1988. As far as I know, no one's called Human Resources.

P.S. Donna Rice (now Donna Rice Hughes) is doing great advocacy on behalf of kids at an organization called "Enough is Enough."

5 December 2007

2006-12-05T17:45:00.000-05:00

Thursday night's our "annual" skating party. (I put "annual" in quotes because it's only the second time we've done this --but we plan to continue. Does that count as annual?)

Anyway--I'm getting ready, tracking down my scarf and gloves and digging out the most important thing I need to REALLY skate: my flask and some top notch brandy.

2 December 2006

2006-12-02T13:36:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts...HOLIDAY edition:

* LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the Boston Pops Holiday concert the other night. It was almost 70 degrees out, but it definitely put me in the holiday spirit. You can read the Washington Post's review of it HERE. (I pretty much agreed with it word-for-word.) We got a quick pre-concert nosh at the Corcoran Gallery of Art's cafe which is a mere block away from Constitution Hall. The gallery is open until 8PM on Thursday nights, so it was an inspired choice. (And one that I cannot take credit for--good idea, McDaniel!) The food was surprisingly good, too.

* On my weekend show we're doing a segment called BAH HUMBUG where we try to "right" Christmas "wrongs." Today's segment involved a church in Lakeland, Florida who had about $3000 worth of Christmas trees stolen from their church parking lot. (Read a story about it HERE.) The proceeds were supposed to go not only to the church, but also to about half a dozen area charities (Boys & Girls clubs, Habitat for Humanity, homeless shelters, etc.) We had one of the church's volunteers on the show today to tell us the story and then we put up a fullscreen with information on how our viewers can send donations. I feel really proud and hope it helps.

* It's a holiday first for me: an artificial Christmas tree. I admit I WAS a bit dubious, but I am pleasantly surprised. I miss the smell, of course (we have a spray, but it's NOT the same) but it IS safer and cleaner. We had friends over last night for some cocoa and it was very festive with the tree all lit up, a roaring fire, and holiday music. We have yet to actually decorate the tree, but we're gettin' there. I will post a picture when we're done!

30 November 2006

2006-11-30T17:35:00.000-05:00

You've heard the expression "gone to the dogs"--well, this next item goes to the CATS.

First, a little background. When a VIP (the president, VP, Sec of Defense or Sec of State goes on a big overseas trip, the networks all get together and set up a "pool" to cover the event(s). Each network takes turns doing these pools and everyone shares in the product. For Secretary Rice's trip to Amman, Jordan--NBC was the pool. Part of the duties for whoever is doing the pool is to write pool "notes" about what happened, what time it happened, and any interesting "color" to the events. Today's installment is from NBC anchor Brian Williams. He's describing a series of interviews Rice gave to some of the networks outside the Dead Sea Marriott:

"Fox went before us in the interview order, and their correspondent tried awfully hard to continue the interview with a straight face... after the conversation was interrupted... by a cat. The pool/beach-front deck at the Dead Sea Marriott is a sea of cats. At one table, we counted four felines, each of them seated in a different chair. These cats are of a tough and saucy breed. They have visible swagger. It's close to a strut, actually. One of them made off with the sandwich that had been the intended lunch of the CBS cameraman. The cats, as far as I could tell, run the place. When our cameraman tried to apprehend the cat that had been running around the interview, the cat objected loudly and clawed at him. Finally, after another cat interruption, a member of the security detail that surrounds the Secretary picked up the cat and tossed it off the patio, as several of us looked on, certain that this was a first in the annals of Secretary of State interviews. We're pretty sure the offending cat landed on its feet and is resting comfortably tonight."

Thanks to my friends at mediabistro.

29 November 2006

2006-11-29T16:28:00.000-05:00

* Had lunch with the girl at our favorite place Busboys & Poets the other day and in walked Washington's mayor-elect Adrian Fenty. He's good looking, charismatic and -- 35 years old. I find it a TAD unsettling that a mayor of a major American city is younger than me.

22 November 2006

2006-11-22T16:24:00.000-05:00

Ok, on Martha Stewart's TV show today they did a segment featuring costumes for babies that make them look like FOOD! Turkeys, salad, apple pie...even lobsters. They were on an actual table, too. Disturbing.

18 November 2006

2006-11-18T11:44:00.000-05:00

More random thoughts (aren't you LUCKY!)

* I couldn't attend in person because of work, but today is Silver Spring's annual Thanksgiving parade. I caught much of the festivities on Newschannel 8, though. It's totally fun--marching bands, floats, civic groups, and of course...SANTA! It was very "hometown."

* Just tried putting a quarter in the vending machine here at work and it kept getting rejected. After about 3 tries I finally looked at the coin--it's a coin from the CANARY ISLANDS (which I learned is off the coast of Africa.) I think I got it from a gas station near my house after buying a bottle of water. Very strange. I wasn't entirely sure where the Canary Islands even are, so I checked it out. If you're curious, a map is HERE. Being from Syracuse I've heard of Canadian coins getting into the currency flow--but Canary Islands? Here's a pic. Seems like a nice place.

* My good friend and favorite blogger FROLIC is back. He also turned us on to another New Orleans blogger that the girl and I both enjoy reading: B. ROX. He, too, is back from a hiatus from writing. Check'em both out if you get a minute.

17 November 2006

2006-11-17T09:25:00.000-05:00

Random Thoughts:

* The girl and I had a wonderful night last night: homemade pizza, great wine, and cuddling on the coach watching our new favorite show: Ugly Betty. If you haven't seen it yet--you need to check it out. The casting and the writing is superb. And it's TOTALLY gay.

* Total meltdown on the "Today" Show this morning: Meredith tossed to commercial--and then at the end of the commercial the picture went black--Meredith then inexplicably appeared on the screen looking completely mortified and speechless for about 40 seconds (you could even hear the stage manager talking off mic) and then out-of-nowhere the :25 after the hour local newsbreak began. It was bad. But heartening for me as a TV producer that the "big guys" can look foolish every now and then. (Oh, I've had my on-air moments!)

* The guys here at work alerted me to a cool website: Urban Dictionary.com. Check it out if you have time to kill.

16 November 2006

2006-11-16T17:31:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts:

* Gotta love the Democrats. They haven't even officially taken over Congress and they ALREADY look like horse's asses. 60% of the Democratic caucus ignored Nancy Pelosi this morning and voted for Steny Hoyer as Majority Leader. In an awkward press conference after the bruising vote, Pelosi said: "Let the healing begin!" Good luck with that, Nance.

* Just saw a clip on You Tube of my old host Chris Matthews telling Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) she's a "hot woman." To her face. My current hosts certainly have their moments--but they'd NEVER say something like THAT. My friends at FishbowlDC have the clip HERE.

* Drove to work today and while flipping through the radio stations I found an all-Christmas music station. Already. It's November 16th. I thought they usually didn't start until the day after Thanksgiving. I was actually excited though--I sang along to Nat King Cole's "A Christmas Song." But then I couldn't bear it when the Muppets'Version of the "12 Days of Christmas" came on. I like the Muppets--just their singing my very least favorite Christmas song in the middle of November was a little more than I could take at 8:15 in the morning.

* Speaking of Christmas music--going to see the Boston Pops' Holiday concert with some friends at Constitution Hall in a few weeks. I'm such a geek, but I am REALLY excited.

15 November 2006

2006-11-15T10:15:00.000-05:00

It's one of the many benefits of working in television: having a TV
at your desk. 99% of the time we're actually watching the news
and various feeds coming into the bureau. But sometimes--we're watching,
um, OTHER stuff.

Well, this morning someone came across a NON-news program that's gotten us
quite entertained. Tyra Banks' show about picking the perfect bra and panty. And the entire audience is in their bras and panties. And Tyra is full-on handling other peoples' "girls" and talking about "booties." It's like a train
wreck--yet we can't look away.

Went to the show's website, just for fun, and there's a section called Tyra's Journal. It's hilarious.

9 November 2006

2006-11-09T15:43:00.000-05:00

So I just sent an email to the "politics" group here at work--nothing earth- shattering. Just an innocuous and rather boring note about Senate leadership races. Well just minutes after I sent the email one of our anchors --while doing a talk-back with our chief political correspondent--read my email right from his blackberry: "Well, I just got an email from Michele Remillard who says..." and proceeded to read my email to the entire viewing audience. It was quite funny. I think we're all a little punchy still from lack of sleep Tuesday night.

And then when things couldn't get even MORE bizarre, I just saw this on our internal computer system:

"1600 Secretary Rice makes an announcement regarding figure skating champion Michelle Kwan's appointment as State Department American Public Diplomacy Envoy.
The State Department, Treasury Room."

Fabulous.

8 November 2006

2006-11-08T15:20:00.000-05:00

Happy Post Election Day. Got home at 2:45am after a long, but fun, night. Nothing like spending nine hours with 12 of your closest friends in a cramped control room. I was with some really talented and fun people so the time really flew by, believe it or not. We were totally hunkered down though--people only left for (very) short bathroom breaks, we had food/snacks brought in--one girl even brought her pajama pants to change into.

I think our product looked pretty good on the air--no major technical or editorial breakdowns, which is amazing considering we had 2 control rooms going (NY and DC) and probably WAY too many "cooks" in the preverbial kitchen. The bosses seemed happy, too. We'll have ratings any minute now.

As an American and a TV producer, I think divided government is a good thing. I think a new Defense Secretary is a good thing. I think there's a narrow window of opportunity to really get things done before the craziness of the 2008 campaign begins. Democrats get their chance now to GOVERN--not just sit in the back row and shoot spitballs. President Bush has a chance to delay his "lame duck-ness" a few months and really reach out to Democrats (his press conference today is encouraging). Congressional Republicans have an opportunity to look forward--not just wallow in their depression at losing the House (and probably the Senate.) I hope all parties seize the day.

Now--before I get too serious--the lighter side of election night. A BIG thank you to WONKETTE.:

From Wonkette: "There are so, so many things to love about this picture. Well, three things: Rick Santorum conceding, a little girl crying, and an awkward pre-teen flipping off the nation. We declare this the official screenshot of the 2006 midterm congressional elections." (MR notes: Ok, just how kids does Santorum have!? And what's with the creepy doll his daughter's holding?)

* The midterm election DRINKING GAME--courtesy of Wonkette.

* The daughter of the new senator from Tennessee--Republican Bob Corker--caught in
in a "compromising" position. Check it out HERE.

6 November 2006

2006-11-06T16:07:00.000-05:00

Our long, national nightmare is ALMOST over! Election Day is TOMORROW. It's very exciting and dramatic and all that--but it'll be nice to have a conclusion to all this madness. And then, of course, the PRESIDENTIAL election officially begins on Wednesday. Good times.

Produced my show out of our New York headquarters Saturday on our fancy schmancy election set. It was a bit nerve-wracking because my hosts were on a strange set, I was in a strange control room, we had a totally different crew, etc--but the show looked great, no one got hurt, and we're all still friends. (That's my standard for a successful broadcast.)

Caught up with very dear friends in NYC later on in the evening--we had dinner at a little place in the theatre district (Angus McIndoe) and drank WAY too much pinot noir. My friend and I then stumbled down Broadway to my hotel on Times Square (so she could get a cab and so I could collapse)--but not before bumping into a man dressed as Spider Man along the way. Fabulous.

3 November 2006

2006-11-03T17:57:00.000-05:00

Forget Christmas time or 4th of July...THIS is the time of year I love the most: Election Season! And although I'm pulling my hair out juggling my shows and election night coverage--it's a blast. What's funny is that for my friends in TV and in politics, the refrain's the same: "I'll talk to you--AFTER THE ELECTION." Or "We'll get together--AFTER THE ELECTION." It's totally socially acceptable to blow off even your closest friends for weeks at a time--because of the election. I get tired just thinking about what my life is going to be like the next four days (just found out I'm on the air until 2am Tuesday night)--but at least there's light at the end of the tunnel --AND I'm not an accountant.

31 October 2006

2006-10-31T21:06:00.000-05:00

Halloween was a welcome respite from election planning and rehearsals. Our neighbors brought their little girl (dressed as a kitty) over in the beginning of the evening for a quick visit, which was really nice. (We quickly discovered just how kid UN-friendly our house is. I guess we better enjoy it now!) After a slow start, we wound up with a pretty good crowd of trick-or-treaters toward mid-evening. It's a matter of great pride for the girl and I when the kids go wild over our candy selection (Pixie sticks, bottlecaps, sweet tarts, laffy taffy, and ring pops.) We want to be the "cool" house, of course, but it's also a matter of practicality: any chocolate in this house is VERY vulnerable to pre-Halloween "snacking."

28 October 2006

2006-10-28T10:34:00.000-04:00

From the "Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm Department"--the fun fact inside the cap of my Snapple bottle: "Beavers were once the size of bears."

One dollar goes to the person who uses this as a pick-up line at a bar.

25 October 2006

2006-10-25T15:39:00.000-04:00

I admit it. I had visions of legally saying "I Do" with the girl on the beach at Margate or Stone Harbor in NJ. But the New Jersey Supreme Court decided today to let the State Legislature decide on gay marriage.

There was real hope that the relatively liberal state would join Massachusetts and allow us to legally wed there--and with NO residency requirements. And although I'm disappointed--I think letting the legislature (aka the PEOPLE) decide is the right thing to do. Remember the backlash in Massachusetts when gay marriage was decreed by "judicial fiat?" Gay marriage bans sprung up--and won--in several states the very next election. People think it's unfair and undemocratic. Imagine the backlash with it happening in a tight midterm election (the GOP is already trying to whip up the base on this decision.) The good news is the NJ Supreme Court is giving the legislature 180 days to figure out a way to give gay couples the same rights as straight couples--and I hope (and assume) they'll do the right thing.

I thought this excerpt from the decision really cuts to the heart of the issue:

"The issue is not about the transformation of the traditional definition of marriage, but about the unequal dispensation of benefits and privileges to one of two similarly situated classes of people."

Amen!

24 October 2006

2006-10-24T13:20:00.000-04:00

Had a great weekend in Charlottesville at the girl's best friend's wedding. The ceremony was at a beautiful vineyard just outside the town at sunset. The bride (and MY bride, for that matter) were drop dead gorgeous. The groom, handsome. The vows were surprisingly "avante garde." No mention of obeying and "man and wife" stuff. The officiant (a woman, whose name was "Frankee Love"--seriously) made a point of saying several times that it was a joining of "two people." There also lots of talk about--not only their love for each other--but also the fact that they are "best friends." It was quite heartwarming. The reception was inside the vineyard--the food and wine were great, as was the company. Lots of drinking and dancing and being silly. (The girl and I even took a turn on the dance floor in a "slow dance" when the DJ asked for all married couples to take the floor.) The best part was I knew a lot of the girl's friends--but now I feel got much closer to them. (I can send pics of the wedding if anyone's interested. Just let me know.)

The drive home was beautiful, too--we took part of the Skyline Drive through the Shenandoah Mountains. It was peak foliage this past weekend, so the views were spectacular. It's beautiful country--but the traffic in Northern Virginia was absolutely horrific--even on a Sunday afternoon.

24 October 2006

2006-10-24T13:09:00.000-04:00

Fighting a cold. Lost my metro card. I'm out of the office football pool. It's cold and blustery outside.

BUT--I have a smile on my face because tonight is the annual "high heel" race. It's that annual ritual when hundreds of DC's most fabulous drag queens "race" (more like "saunter and sashay") down 17th Street to the delight of passersby. Gays, straights, politicians, TV stations, all line up both sides of the street for the annual parade.

My boyfriends are getting ready at a salon on 17th Street where we're all gathering in a few hours to cheer them on. Pictures will be posted tomrorow.

17 October 2006

2006-10-17T17:05:00.000-04:00

Noticed THIS article in the Washington Post today: Workers in DC metro area have the second-longest commutes in the country.

"The Washington region is second only to New York for the percentage of workers with "extreme commutes," which the study defined as 90 minutes or more each way."

Yet another reason I love living in the Sprung. Our commutes are roughly 20-25 minutes on a normal day. I consider myself very lucky. (Though when I lived on Capitol Hill my commute was about 10 minutes--on foot.)