Bang My Head

I went out tonight and when I got home I realized that I missed the first installment of VH1's 100 Most Metal Moments. Jeepers! I was kind of upset...for a minute. Then I realized, "Hey! This is VH1! It'll be on 8 million more times before the end of the summer!"

I'll sleep easier knowing that.

BTW, after seeing this ad for a sports club, I am going to totally start working out.

New Music Monday

I saw the new Von Bondies video for "C'mon, C'mon" this afternoon. MTV2 is rocking lately, they've laid off the all-hip-hop-all-the-time format.

You may recall this is the band whose lead singer got his ass kicked by Jack White back in December. The weird thing is, if I remember correctly, White produced their album, so who knows what that beef was about. Anyway, drama aside, I'm digging them.

In other news, Dashboard Confessional has a song on the Spiderman 2 Soundtrack. Their video is starting to hit heavy rotation on TRL. That's cool I guess, take the money and run...

And on a Memphis note, don't forget The Stax Museum of American Soul Music will host the rare photo exhibit, "The BEATLES: Backstage and Behind the Scenes," from June 12th through September 12th.

Carry On.

I Hate Spam!

When I set up my own domain for this blog, I set up a new email address for myself. I have been using Yahoo for the past 5 years or so and I don't plan on closing that account because I still get a lot of legitimate email. But, as most of you know, after you have had an email account for any length of time, the number of spam emails starts to outnumber your real emails by far. I tend to get 5 to 10 legitimate personal emails a day, some are from friends, some are from lists that I signed up for, and some are alerts. I get close to 200 spam emails a day. 200! That's ridiculous.

So, when I set up my new personal account attached to this domain, I made a conscience decision to not input it into any places where I might end up getting spammed. It doesn't matter! I am already getting 10 to 20 spams a day! And they are all one of two things: penis enlargement and presription drugs.

It makes me feel just like this guy.

ROTFLMAO

I came across a fabulous website today. It's called Fluids for Christ and touts the need for Christians to donate more fluids, because:

There is an unmet need in God's community for Christian fluid donations. Blood transfusions from UnChristian donors may have very serious side-effects for even the most devout Christians: backsliding, doubt, and eventual godlessness. (There is debate in the scientific community about this phenomenon, but it can generally be considered to be true.)

And what exactly happens to someone who recieves a transfusion from a non-believer? Here's a "testimony from a Christian Kentuckian named Roy."

I got me some blood put in after I cut three fingers off with a putty knife. The nurses tell me that the blood didn't have no AIDS, but they didn't tell me it come from some unbeliever. Man sure must've been a sinner, because as soon as they got me out of the hospital I was cussing. Drinking. Fighting. Prowling around like an itchy cat.

You can't make this stuff up.

Friday Night

I participated in Girl's Night Out on Friday. It was a nice change considering that I mostly hang out wth guys. My friend Kristen Posey invited me. There were some other ladies that I have met through Mpact Memphis, but this was really my first opportunity to hang out with them socially.

It started out with about 12 of us at Cafe Ole in Cooper Young. The margeritas were flowing, but I stuck to my old stand-by: vodka tonic. When we finished dinner, we lost about half of our group as we headed downtown to Pat OBrien's.

I didn't realize that it would be so packed, but I guess with Spring Fling and the FedEx / St. Jude golf tournament in town this weekend, there seemed to be a lot of tourists. Pat O's has never really been my scene anyway, way too many guys in Khaki pants, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, at the end of the night we ended up down at Raiford's. The last time I went there was at least 5 years ago, and I swore that I would never return, but it wasn't so bad. Even the police get down at Raiford's.

MEME

List five phrases that will guarantee you will get twice the number of normal page hits tomorrow:

1. Christina Aguilera Gay
2. Iraqi Prison Scandal
3. Fantasia Sex Tape
4. David Hasslehoff Raps
5. Courtney Love Overdose

Existentialist Bullshit

I don't understand people. That's ok, most people probably don't understand me. Relationships are tricky and hard. It's a wonder we bother at all. I guess that explains old men that sit alone at the end of the bar, happy to not speak to anyone. They just want to drink their drink in peace and not be bothered. Oh, and let's not forget the crazy crack ladies on the street corner. How did they end up that way? Well, they probably tried in a previous life to have relationships with people and then just realized it's much too complicated, so why bother? Give me a tall drink in a short glass and my pipe, that's enough to get me through the night.

What Women Really Mean

FINE
This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

FIVE MINUTES
If she is getting dressed, this is half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given 5 more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

NOTHING
This is the calm before the storm. This means "something," and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with 'Nothing' usually end in "Fine."

GO AHEAD
This is a dare, not permission. Don't do it.

LOUD SIGH
This is not actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A "Loud Sigh" means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you over "Nothing"

THAT'S OKAY
This is one of the most dangerous statements that a woman can make to a man. "That's Okay" means that she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

THANKS
A woman is thanking you. Do not question it or faint. Just say you're welcome.

Radio Blog

I added 30 new songs to my radio blog, it's all stuff that I'm listening to right now. It was pointed out to me by Mark that I like what is known as Fashion Rock. I'm not sure exactly what that means or if it's good or bad. But, I'll take it...

Anyway, now if I can only figure out how to make a javascript command to make my radio.blog an automatic pop-up...any suggestions?

New York Bans Used Panties

My faithful readers may remember back in February when I wrote about an undercover story I worked on about the re-selling of used panties at some of Memphis' premier department stores. Well, my friend Nathan forwarded me an interesting article about how council members in NYC want to outlaw the selling of previously worn undergarments after watching a similar story on a news channel there. See, and you thought the news doesn't help people...

Favorite Sign

Abu Ghraib: The Untold Story

I haven't talked much about the Iraqi Prison Scandal, but when a secret tape breaks the entire investigation wide open, I gotta chime in. Listen with caution. They're watching you...

The Soprano's: Memphis Style

So, if you were in Memphis today, you probably called me at the assignment desk to tell me about a raid you were witnessing going on at a Dollar Mania Store you were passing. It seems there was a major FBI bust today. I think they hit about 8 stores around the city. It was kind of funny how people knew what was going down. That's what television will do for ya. They also raided the "boss's" big-ass house out near poplar pike and hack's cross. It seems "the family" was involved in a little conspiracy, interstate shipment of stolen property, theft from interstate shipments, money laundering, fraudulent use of social security numbers and drug charges. Sounds a little like a mob show on Sunday nights that we all know and love. So, is this the series finale?

Be Still My Bleeding Heart

My favorite silverback is moving to the Lousiville Zoo! How far is that from Memphis? I used to spend hours at the Bronx Zoo in the Congo taking photos of the gorillas. They would come up to the windows and show me their babies. I have tons of pics. Sounds like it's time for another gallery. Anyway, I know some people have these politically correct ideas about zoos and how they're so horrible, but I really love them. They're a real springboard for education too. Who's gonna care about saving these animals and their habitats if you've never had a chance to look into their eyes?

Tuesday is Choose Day

either leave your answers or a link to your webpage with your responses.

Would you rather:
1. your best friend overhear you telling somebody else a deep secret about them OR your child overhear you venting your frustrations about your significant other?

That's a toughy, I don't have a child but I guess that would be worse, but barely...

2. learn an obscure language only spoken by 15 other people on the planet OR be able to guess somebody's exact birthdate, just by looking at them?

Guess someone's birthdate - that's a great party trick and come on...

3. have eyebrows that grow in VERY bushy, daily, no matter how you try to prune them OR make a sound like a tuba whenever you blow your nose?

You could always just blow your nose in private...

4. have a job that makes $200,000 a year, but you only get to see your family once a week for 3 hours OR make just enough to survive from check-to-check, but be able to see your family whenever you want?

Is this my pretend family or my real family?

Dinner @ 8

I went to dinner with Patrik tonight at Melange. We sampled the new tapas menu and had a great bottle of wine. We had an engaging conversation about life, love and the pursuit of happiness. Oh, and confronting your fears. I have a lot of questions in my life right now about what's going to happen next, but the best thing that I can do is to stand up to the challenges, admit my mistakes and try to move forward. I'm obviously not perfect, I haven't made all the right decisions, but I want to be better and that's a goal worth living for right?

Buffy as a Philosophy

I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I was a late bloomer though when it comes to the Buffyverse. I didn't get into the show until the 5th season, about three years ago. I had heard from so many people that it was a really good show that was funny and smartly written, and it dealt with deep philosophical issues. I was like, "Yeah, right, whatever."

But my friend Amy bought me the first season DVD. So, I popped the first disc in and before I went to bed I would watch an episode or two as I drifted off to sleep. When I was finished watching all 12 episodes I was convinced of one thing. The show sucked! It was terribly written and the acting was atrocious. They were all trying way too hard and it was super cheesy.

When my friend Amy asked me how I liked the show, I told her the truth. She said, "I knew you would say that, but now you're prepared for the good stuff, rent the second season and then we'll talk."

So, I did. I rented the first disc of the second season from Netflix and I have been hooked ever since. Somewhere between the first and second season, they figured it out. It's a very multi-faceted show. The musical episode in Season 6 is my favorite. I even got into Angel, which of course, had it's show finale last week.

Anyway, the reason why I bring this all up now is because according to the Tennessean this Friday in Nashville a total of 190 academic papers from around the globe will be presented at The Slayage Conference on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I wanna go.

Well, you know, I have a choice. I can spend my life waiting for Xander to go out with every other girl in the world until he notices me. Or I can just get on with my life.

Well, I didn't choose yet.
--Willow and Buffy

No Video at 10

I read this great article today in the Memphis Flyer. Here's the first paragraph:

If you want to get through to the American public, don’t put it in words–put it in pictures. And if you really want the average American to perk up and pay attention, make the pictures about sex. From Janet Jackson’s nipple to Iraqi prisoners’ penises, nothing does it for us like sex, you betcha.

It basically says that all of these terrible things that are going on in the world are pretty much ignored until people see the pictures. Man, that is so true.

So, in repsonse, via the UN website, here are 10 stories the world needs to know more about. Sorry Charlie, there is no streaming video.

Amusing Myself To Death

I played with this guy all night. Man, do I need a date.

New Meme

List five phrases that will guarantee you will get twice the number of normal page hits tomorrow:

1. Britney Spears Naked
2. Clay Aiken Gay
3. Nick Berg Beheaded
4. George W. Bush is stupid
5. Monkey Sex Video

The Dope Show

If you have been missing VH1's new animated series, VH1's Ill-ustrated, like I have been, you are mssing out on some funny shit. Well, at least the 2 minutes I saw with Andy Dick and Marilyn Manson was funny. Actually, there was only one joke that was really funny. Oh, never mind...it sucked.

Travishamockery

I'm no big fan of beer, but the new Miller Beer Commercials are hilarious. The new campaign consists of a guy debating a horse (I assume the clydesdale is an allusion to Budweiser). My favorite part of new one is when the moderator tells the speaker, "No making up words." To which he replies: BURGLEFLICKLE!

Oh, and don't miss their Beerstitution.

And while we're on the subject, have you seen the new DiGiourno Pizza commercial with the singing roommate? If that's not a straight up rip-off of Jack Black and Tenacious D, I don't know what is.

Good Love Never Dies, But It May Get You Killed

I am so upset. I can't believe that Christopher let Silvio kill Adriana. If they can't make it, who really can? This seals the deal, I'm giving up on love. It's not worth it. Everyone just gets screwed over in the end. I mean I knew it was coming with Drea de Matteo's leap to Joey in the fall. Although, I can't believe she's leaving New York! I used to run into her all the time in the East Village when I worked at a clothing store on 10th. She had these two huge great danes that she would always walk. At the turn of the millennium, she and her boyfriend opened a hip urban clothing boutique catering, as de Matteo explained, to "rich kids who want to look poor." Its name, Filth Mart, often led to confusion. One day de Matteo fielded a call from a customer in search of a twin-headed dildo.

Kurt Vonnegut for President

Kurt Vonnegut recently wrote an article on the state of America entitled Cold Turkey that I highly recommend you check out. He has been my favorite author since Justin Shepard introduced me to him when I was 18. My favorite book is The Sirens of Titan, and supposedly it is currently in pre-production for the big screen. The rights to the film were once owned by Jerry Garcia, it was his pet project, but he never got around to producing it because he was scared he was gonna fuck it up. Now, Robert Weide, director of Curb Your Enthusiasm, is at the helm. With his background and sense of humor, I can't imagine anyone more capable of pulling off a great film.

Lettuce Ketchup

I went out with Mellisa last night and some of her peeps. We had drinks and caught up on what's been going on in each other's lives. She's a super cool person, so I am glad that although she has to deal with a lot she is taking it all in stride. I really hope that we get to hang out more.

We listened to a pretty cool bar band, Transit. They played a nice mix of covers and the singer wasn't too bad on the eyes. I'm always a sucker for a musician. Anyway, Brad Seessel's doppleganger is the bassist. I almost went up to him to say hello before I realized that it wasn't him. Brad has told me before that he has a twin in Memphis somewhere, and he always gets mistaken for him, but I think they have yet to end up in the same place at the same time.

After we caught up at the bar, Mellisa and her friends went down to Senses to party down, while I decided to keep things kind of low-key and go to Aristi's to listen to Mark and Jason spin. The music was great and the bar had a really cool atmosphere. People were digging it, lots of ladies dancing, the female to male ratio was definitely looking good for the guys. Oh, and it was really fun to catch up with Jason, that kid has soul.

The Cosby Files

This article about Bill Cosby's remarks Monday night at a Constitution Hall bash commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision has started a dialogue that's probably long overdue. I spent quite a bit of time yesterday trying to put together enough info to do a package for the news, but I couldn't find a transcript and Howard University would not release any footage of the address (even though they said that every major media outlet had called them for it).

What I did come across was a great number of people that agreed with Cosby, from message boards to blogs to editorials, he was mostly supported by his comments about how blacks who do not appreciate the value of learning the correct usage of the english language are always going to suffer for it. (Of course, I'm paraphrasing here, don't be a hater)

It was probably good that we didn't end up doing anything on it, because according to a press release that was put out today, the excerpts that were reported in The Washington Post did not give a full account of the nature of what Cosby was trying to say. Personally, I think that the message is the same, it's just that the quoted segments of the speech that were reported were probably blanketed under a much softer pitch and when you take them out of context they come across as more harsh than they were meant.

Art For Party Sake

Well, I made it down to Artrageous last night. I almost didn't go after Brad called and told me he wouldn't be done painting sets for The New Adventures of Hansel & Gretel until around 10. But after making a few inquiries, the lovely Nora called and invited me to attend with her and some people from the firm she works for.

The party was fun, I met some new folks, saw some old friends. Jon Sparks was there surveying the scene, I expect he will post something, he had his camera, as did I (Gallery will be up in a few days). There were some other notable Memphians there, including Mayor Wharton. I've run into the Mayor at least 4 times this week, and although he is always very pleasant and takes the time to chat for a moment or just say hello, I don't think he knows my name.

Stevan, Christine and Susie looked rocking, they hula hooped and handed out "meds." I have some great pics of them. Steve Earle played, and I guess he was ok, I just wasn't in mood to listen to any of his political rantings. I had been up since 6 AM, so by 11PM I was just looking for a seat and a waitress. My group finally ended up over at Ernestine & Hazel's for a soul burger. After that, I planned on going home but stopped by Sidestreet for a nightcap with Jeremy and Truett. Oh, the stories they told...

Celebrity Secret Blogger

There's new word on the identity of the guy writing Rance's Blog, which I'm sure to most of you is old news, but if not, here's the scoop: the deal with Rance's blog is that he won't say who he is, but he claims to be someone famous in Hollywood, and he can't reveal his identity because then he couldn't tell you any of the juicy stuff about Hollywood that he's telling you without getting into a lot of trouble. He's supposedly some A-List male actor type. I had read back in April that all clues pointed to it being written by Owen Wilson, but according to Defamer, new clues point to it being Ben Affleck.

I don't know about you, but I don't buy it. I've never gotten the feeling that Ben was as prolific as Rance. But, I could be wrong, it's happened before. Anyway, it's the internet mystery of the year and it's kind of fun trying to figure out who it really is, although, I bet we're all way off track. Sass thinks she knows, and maybe she does. Stay tuned...

All The News You Didn't Need To Know

Have you seen this Ipod Spoof? As long as we can laugh about it...

Did you check out these celebrities before they were airbrused to perfection? I hate to be a hater, but...

Did you know there's another film in the works about Ian Curtis of Joy Division fame? I thought they covered everything we needed to know in 24 Hour Party People...

Have you heard that David Hasslehoff of Baywatch and Knight Rider fame is planning a musical comeback as a rapper? Really, you can't make this stuff up...

Well, now you're updated so...

Carry On.

Madonna Gets Shocked For Once

The internet is starting to Buzz with rumors of what Madonna has planned for her Re-Invention Tour. Lucky me, I have tickets to the Atlanta show in July. Here's what some so-called insider is saying about the show:

"And I can reveal Madonna pushes the boundaries to new limits — even by her outrageous standards."

Fans at the shows will see:

Her being 'frazzled' in an electric chair.

One source reveals: 'This show will make people’s hair stand on end. Madonna has pulled out all the stops to make it her most controversial yet. The electric chair scene is breathtaking.

Madonna trying to shock people? Who knew.

Keep the Pulitzer, I Want Ice Cream

It's really hot outside. And it's just May. I had forgotten how hot it gets down in the dirty south. Anyway, I have been pitching a story at work for the past couple of days about how since dairy prices are going up it's starting to effect other businesses, like Ice Cream Parlors. Yes, you guessed right, I am in charge of hard news. Anyway, I was surfing tonight looking for more instances of the dairy scandal and came across a post about a new Ice Cream Parlor in NYC. It's called Mary's Dairy and their specialty is two scoops of ice cream on a Krispy Kreme Donut. Talk about crack on a plate! Too bad I'm having jello for dinner tonight...

Waiting for the Weekend

I went out with Mark last night. We went to the Blue Monkey for some drinks and politics. He writes The Memphis Scene blog for the Commercial Appeal. You should check it out if you wanna know what's going on in this city.

As for me, I have a pretty full weekend planned. Tomorrow night I will be headed downtown to check out the Memphis City Arts Council's Artrageous Event. Some people from my Punk Rock Pilates class will be hula hooping their way through the crowd and there will be a bunch of other stuff going on.

I also heard today that quite a few bands will be playing down on South Main somewhere starting around 4Pm Saturday. I don't know exactly why or where, but if I can figure it out then I will probably go. Later that night, Mark will be DJ'ing with Jason "DJ Witness" Sims down at Ariste's from 10 until 3. It's at 126 Monroe between 2nd and Main, if you're looking for a cool place to hang. Say hi if you see me!

Tribute to Truett

New Feature

If you want to check out the pics from Jeremy's Birthday Bash, there is now a link to the gallery on the left hand side under recent entries. Enjoy!

(Big Ups to Patrik for helping me get this up and running! He's my favorite!)

Conspiracy Theories

So far I haven't mentioned anything about the execution of Nick Berg, I like to keep things kind of light and fluffy on the ole blog. I deal with people getting murdered, raped and kidnapped all day. However, I just keep coming across all of these conspiracy theories about the death of Berg. I don't know what to believe, usually they don't surface this quickly, right?

Tuesday Is Choose Day

Would you rather:
1. while visiting new york city, fall from the 4th floor of a building OR get hit by a bicycle messenger?

   Hit by a bicycle messenger, been there, done that...

2. kiss somebody with severe chapped lips OR eat lunch next to somebody picking a scab on their arm?

Eat lunch next to somebody picking a scab on their arm, with my back turned to them...

3. live next door to a registered sex offender OR a recently released murderer?

I guess the sex offender, it's been a while for me...

4. always talk like your nose is stuffed up OR talk with a lisp?

Stuffy nose, it's kind of sexy right?

The French Give Michael Moore A Hand Job

According to The Dudge Report:

MOORE BRINGS DOWN HOUSE: LONGEST STANDING OVATION 'IN HISTORY OF CANNES' FOR BUSH BASH FILM:

20 mins standing ovation for FAHRENHEIT 9-11, yelling, screaming, cheering... 'This is the longest standing ovation in the history of the festival! Unbelievable!' declared Cannes stalwart Thierry Fremaux. Moore, raising fist, unable to speak over crowd, vows to fight... Controversial scene in film shows wounded American GI in Iraq talking about how Democrats must win election... Movie shows video of U.S. soldiers laughing as they place hoods over Iraqi detainees, with one of them grabbing a prisoner's genitals through a blanket...

Blogging for Nerds

Did you know that Google now has it's very own blog? So far, it sucks.

BTW, Blogger launched it's all new and improved blogging software recently and so far I've read good things, so if you have been thinking about starting your own blog, there's no excuse - you can be up and running in about 5 minutes.

Minding Mandy

What's up with Mandy Moore? She just got signed to Sire Records, home to The Von Bondies, Hot Hot Heat and The Distillers AND she is starring in the new movie Saved!, a dark comedy about a christian girl who gets pregnant by her gay boyfriend, which was produced by Michael Stipe. After her last album of sugary covers I hoped that she would go gently into the night and fade away, but now I am wondering what this girl is up to and if there's more to her than meets the eye. Hey, I'm open minded.

It's My Body And I'll Cry If I Want To

I went to Punk Rock Pilates tonight at First Congregational Church on Cooper. I met Christine Gladney Friday night at Beauty Shop and learned that she just moved back to Memphis from NYC too. See...I am not the only crazy one. Anyway, I am soooo out of shape, but it felt good - after it was over. Classes are Monday and Thursday nights and only 5 bucks. I'm sure tomorrow will be when the real hurting begins.

In other news, the first American gay couple was married today in Massachusetts. So, good for them! Of course, if it doesn't work out, they can always talk to this guy. Somebody's always thinking ahead.

For The Horror Fans

For all of you who loved The Exorcist in 30 Seconds Performed by Bunnies, here's The Shining in 30 Seconds Performed by Bunnies.

Deep Thoughts

I'm digging the new trend of rappers actually using their real names rather than some silly hip-hop moniker. UPGRADE! (See Kayne West and Lloyd Banks)

Has anyone else seen the new Starbucks commercial with Jimi Jamison of Survivor fame? It's pretty funny! UPGRADE! (If anyone has a link to it online, send it to me)

The Beastie Boys new video for "Check It Out" was quite a disappointment. The song seems so recycled and the boys are really starting to look too old to be playing the same b-boy roles they were kicking 20 years ago. And I really hate to dis them because I have such a soft spot in my heart for them. DOWNGRADE!

Disney is refusing to distribute Michael Moore's Miramax produced Fahrenheit 911. Supposedly the film is a straight up attack on Bush and how his policies suck and Eisner fears the wrath of Jeb and losing multiple tax breaks in FL where the great Disney Empire is based. DOWNGRADE!

Take that and rewind it back.

Pleasant Surprise Sunday

So, I was watching MTV this afternoon and I have to say, I was quite surprised at the programming. First of all, it was all videos... I thought on the weekends they only did Real World Marathons. Usually you only see videos at 3 AM, but what was even a bigger surprise was the videos that they were playing: Modest Mouse, Codheed and Cambria, Bumblebeez 81, and Franz Ferdinand? Did they hire a new programming director? Either way, what a pleasant surprise! I only had to channel surf once when the new D12 video came on. Not bad!

Weekend Wrap Up

I am currently working on getting a gallery put together for the pictures from Jeremy's birthday party, so those should be up in the next couple of days. There are so many great ones that I wanted to make a separate page for them.

In other news, I ended up painting the town with SteVan Friday night and having the best night out I have had in a while. As I said, we started out at Beauty Shop and then made our way to Cielo. I sat on the piano bench with Diane Price as she asked me questions about my life and then sang the appropriate song to coincide with the story. It was fabulous. We closed that place down and then went to Felicia Suzanne's to meet up with another friend. I chatted with the cute bartender, Basil, only to find out that he's a musician. I tried not to drool on the bar.

We closed down FS and went to Automiatic Slim's where we thought our friend Charles was Dj'ing. We got there and found out that they had a CD of Charles spinning, not the real deal, so we proceeded to have a drink and debate the downfalls of Wal-Mart and the City Council and teachers being underpaid. Then they kicked us out of Slim's and we headed to Melange. I sat at the bar and had a heart to heart with David Nestler about old times and misconceptions. Then we got kicked out again. By this point there was only one place left in the area to go, so we went over to the Two Way Inn. We had one last drink and looked around at the other patrons and realized that we really didn't belong there and it was time to go home. It was a great night and we had a fabulous time.

Saturday night I went to The Blue Monkey with Shin and Clay and then met Anna Marie down at Blues City Cafe to watch The Dempsey's. They put on such a good show. I got to hang out a little bit with Brad between sets. It's funny because we talked about how we always hear each other's name through Anna Marie, but we have never really had a conversation other than "hi's" and "bye's." It was an interesting night of being hit on by drunks and wanna-be pimps.

Have You Heard The Word?

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin welcomed their first child into the world yesterday. It's a girl! And guess what they named her? Apple Martin! Seriously!

Anyway, the good news is that she's only one letter away from her porn name.

A Call For Help

Does anyone else feel like Courtney is just not gonna be with us for much longer? Does anyone else see the warning signs? I guess it's kind of her destiny to go down in flames, but it's still kind of painful to watch. If the pictures of tortured Iraqi prisoners and smiling American soldiers weren't grusome enough?? Now this!

I wish Ms Love the best, but I don't have high hopes.

What's My Focus?

So, no real point to this entry, just thought I should make one.

I went bowling last night. It was fun. We decided that if you got a strike or a spare you had to do a little dance. Some of the guys I went with weren't too into it, so everytime they got a strike or a spare Laurie and I would scream, "Do the dance! Do the dance!"

Well, it was funny to us.

I am happy to say that I plan to mix it up this weekend and visit some new places. I am about to go meet a friend at Beauty Shop tonight and do the Cooper - Young thang. I have passes to the BBQ deal ( also known as the superbowl of swine) downtown that some hottie from FM 100 gave me, but if it rains again tomorrow I don't think that I will go.

I finally got "the Doug" to come out this week, but by the time he made it out after work it was pretty late and we didn't have a lot of time to hang. Maybe we'll hook up again this weekend.

I have plans to go see the hypnotist thats gonna be at the Peabody tomorrow. I got a free pass from work. She is supposed to help me get skinny, stop smoking and lose all the stress in my life. If it works, I'll let you know.

Just Don't Call Them Oriental

via NewYorkish:

After all the fuss over obesity and the recent documentary, "Supersize Me," McDonald's new ad campaign "I Am Asian" just doesn't seem like the best idea.

It seems McDonald's is trying to lure more Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders to their fat factories with an online campaign called I Am Asian! – a term, incidentally, that McDonald's has actually copyrighted which means the term "I Am Asian!" is now the property of a bunch of white guys in the Midwest. And not only is the name of the site plain ridiculous, it includes some of the silliest copy you'll ever see:

We're Asian and Pacific Islander Americans "living on the rim," where our diverse cultures and the everyday American lifestyle become one. We're hanging on to our great traditions while we move to the beat of the times. We honor our heritage – but we love being Americans. From high fashion to high tech, from Asian Pacific American hip hop to haute cuisine, we're weaving the threads of our culture into the fabric of everyday American life. Whether we're sipping green tea or enjoying a Big Mac® sandwich, we're helping make the magic mix called America become even richer. And McDonald's is right there with us, everyday!

Aside from the disconcerting rim reference in the context of oily fast food, imagine for a moment if McDonald's launched an "I Am Black!" or "I'm Puerto Rican!" campaign and included references to stereotypical black and Puerto Rican foods: we're guessing the site would have been pulled within minutes. The company really shouldn't have been so worried about finding a CEO a couple of weeks ago – it's the marketing department they need to replace.

My So-Called Life

If I wrote down the twists and turns my life has taken over the past month, you wouldn't believe me. I don't believe me. It's comical at this point. It's been like an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, so painful and embaressing at times its funny. But the clock keeps ticking and there's no going back. So, one foot in front of the other, keep marching, the beat changes but it only takes a stumble or two to pick it up again. I would write a book about the entire experience of being back in Memphis, but someone beat me to it.

One thing I really need to do is go somewhere different. I'm in a rut. I love Sidestreet and I love the people that work there, but I need a breather, until Friday at least. Tonight, I am going to dinner with Brad and Nathan and I'm thinking Japanese. I don't love sushi, but I do love a good Bento Box. Hmmm, or maybe Indian. I love Indian food. I have yet to find a really great Indian place though. Amber Palace on 2nd is ok, but not anything like Salamm Bombay, my fave in NYC. Any suggestions?

Decisions, Decisions

Would you rather:
1. one day at a job you like, have your boss catch you masturbating OR sending out resumes to other employers?

Uh, be seen sending out resumes - And I guess I will be soon enough!

2. be seen on a date with a beautiful woman that was actually a man OR be seen on a date with a really ugly skank that smelled bad (courtesy of genuine)

I guess this question is for if I was a guy? I would prefer a beautiful woman that was actually a man because a), I'm shallow, and b), I could always just claim ignorance.

3. be on a totally nude beach all day long (with no chance of escape) without any kind of sunscreen or shade OR use the nastiest construction-site port-o-potty (out of severe need) that is lacking toilet paper? (courtesy of shaunacat)

Well, I guess I would rather use the port-o-potty because it would be over quick and I could always go take a shower.

4. be the first one to know the world is ending OR be the last one to know the world is ending? (courtesy of ilgondo)

The last, definitely the last...

Quote of the Day

Home is the place where,
When you have to go there,
They have to take you in.

-Robert Frost

Beale Street Music Festival

So, did you go to the Beale Street Music Festival? I did. What a debacle that turned into. The line-up just wasn't that great and it rained most of Saturday and Sunday. I was working during most of it, which was kind of cool and kind of sucked. It was cool because I didn't have to use the port-a-potties. It sucked because I couldn't kick back, have a beer and really enjoy the show. Friday was kind of fun even though I was working the whole time. I interviewed Josie from Saliva and George Clinton, and got to watch the fantastic Joss Stone from backstage. It was hard rushing around all night trying to get interviews and do a live shot and carry our equipment through a crowd of 40,000 people, but it was fun. Sorta.

I spent the weekend at Jeremy's house since he lives on Mud Island and it just made it easier to get down to Tom Lee Park everyday. When we finally rolled out of bed on Saturday we knew that things were gonna be tough. It was raining but we really wanted to interview the Indigo girls. We had to make an executive decision and decide not to have Gabe meet us down at the site with a camera. We knew if it started pouring, and it did, that it would suck to be lugging all that equipment around. We ended up being very glad that we made that decision.

We stood in the pouring rain and watched the Indigo Girls set. It was great. Even if I did look ridiculous with black mascara all over my face. We saw some folks from Channel Three that we knew, and I missed about half the set talking, but I still got pretty close to the stage for a few songs. We went backstage and spoke to them after their set, but they were soaking wet and were in no mood to deal with us, so luckily we didn't have to push the subject. If we had dragged the camera down there with us, you better believe I wouldn't have left there without the interview.

Sunday night was probably the worst night, just because we were all so over it. We had an interview with Live set up, but they got to the venue late and we were told we had to wait until after they played to get our interview. At first I wasn't very much bothered, I wanted to see their set anyway. I used to be a huge Live fan during high school, Mental Jewelry was one of my favorite albums. But of course, they went on stage an hour late and it started pouring as soon as they began playing. They ended up cutting their set by half an hour. By that time it was fine by me. I was ready to get the interview done and go home and crash, even though it would mean missing Foo Fighters.

Anyway, after our interview we did stick around for a bit, just to get a glimpse of Foo Fighters backstage. We stuck around for their first song and then we bolted.

BTW, I can't remember which night it was now, but either Friday or Saturday we ended up going out after the shows and drinking at Sidestreet. When they kicked us out of there we ended up at some dude's 67th birthday party at J.Wag's. The classic moment of the night was when I went to the bathroom after another "female" and walked in to the toilet seat being up.

It Was My Party

I finally got the pictures from my party at Sidestreet. Since we go there so much they opened the Red Bar for me on a Tuesday and we had the run of the bar. It was actually such a nice night that evening we spent a lot of time on the patio. Then I started feeling bad that we were making Edd come all the way outside to wait on us all night and so I tried to move everyone inside.

Anyway, my friend Patrik took the pictures and since he didn't know a lot of my other friends, they all have me in them. But that's cool, the party was for me afterall. I think that he only sent the ones that we looked halfway sober in, which was very nice of him.
I made the mistake of drinking too much too early and then having to try and mix and mingle like everything was cool. I hate it when that happens. You're trying you're best to have a conversation without sounding like a total idiot, but as you hear each word fall from your mouth you're thinking, "what the hell am I talking about?"

I think everyone had a pretty good time. The music wasn't that great. That's what I remember as being the one downfall. Sidestreet has satellite radio instead of a CD changer so I couldn't bring in my own tunes.

So, in case you're wondering, yes, I've been tanning. For those of you who have known me for a while, I realize that it's probably pretty surprising. I've been white as a ghost since birth and always was very anti-laying-in-an-oven-and-baking-yourself-like-a-potato. However, I have come to a crossroad in my "older" age and one path is that of vanity and one path is that of growing old gracefully, and I have decided to take the path of vanity. All this really means is that I started to see the blue veins in my legs and decided that wasn't cute, so I started to go to the tanning bed to get some sun on my legs, but mostly it's my face that keeps getting darker and darker.

Anyway, my party was great and I am really glad that I got to share such a momentous occasion with so many people that I care so much about. I had at least seven people there that I have known for more than ten years. That's a pretty hard feat for a lot of people to accomplish - keeping friends and cherishing them.

So, I'm thirty. It's still hard for me to believe. I guess, although I am happy with the way my life is going right now, it's nothing like I expected. If I try to look at that in a positive light, then that's awesome cause life is full of surprises and who knows what lies ahead?

Road Trip

Cure Announce Festival Tour With Interpol, Rapture, Mogwai

Time to get out the hairspray and black eyeliner again. Less than a week after headlining the Coachella festival in the Southern California desert, goth pioneers the Cure have unveiled plans for a full U.S. tour this summer.

The Curiosa Festival 2004 will feature the Cure headlining a bill that also includes three bands plainly influenced by Robert Smith and company: Interpol, the Rapture and Mogwai.

A second stage will also be part of the traveling road show, with Muse, Thursday, Cursive, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Cooper Temple Clause and Head Automatica rotating as performers.

The Cure formed in 1976, and only iconoclastic singer/songwriter Smith remains from the group's initial lineup. Simon Gallup, who joined the group in 1979, is the only other longstanding member in the current lineup. The group plans to release a new eponymous album on June 29, the band's first LP since 2000's Bloodflowers. The first single from the album bears the cheery title "The End of the World."

The tour kicks off July 24 in the unlikely tropical setting of West Palm Beach, Florida, and ends August 27 in Los Angeles. Additional dates are still being added.

From MTV.com:

Cure Announce Festival Tour With Interpol, Rapture, Mogwai
05.07.2004 3:12 PM EDT

Time to get out the hairspray and black eyeliner again. Less than a week after headlining the Coachella festival in the Southern California desert, goth pioneers the Cure have unveiled plans for a full U.S. tour this summer.

The Curiosa Festival 2004 will feature the Cure headlining a bill that also includes three bands plainly influenced by Robert Smith and company: Interpol, the Rapture and Mogwai.

A second stage will also be part of the traveling road show, with Muse, Thursday, Cursive, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Cooper Temple Clause and Head Automatica rotating as performers.

The Cure formed in 1976, and only iconoclastic singer/songwriter Smith remains from the group's initial lineup. Simon Gallup, who joined the group in 1979, is the only other longstanding member in the current lineup. The group plans to release a new eponymous album on June 29, the band's first LP since 2000's Bloodflowers. The first single from the album bears the cheery title "The End of the World."

The tour kicks off July 24 in the unlikely tropical setting of West Palm Beach, Florida, and ends August 27 in Los Angeles. Additional dates are still being added.

Dates for the Curiosa Festival 2004, according to a band spokesperson:
7/24 - West Palm Beach, FL
7/25 - Tampa, FL
7/28 - Nashville, TN
7/29 - Atlanta, GA
7/31 - New York, NY
8/1 - Camden, NJ
8/3 - Cincinnati, OH
8/4 - Cleveland, OH
8/7 - Boston, MA
8/11 - Detroit, MI
8/12 - Chicago, IL
8/14 - Dallas, TX
8/15 - Houston, TX
8/17 - Denver, CO
8/18 - Salt Lake City, UT
8/27 - Los Angeles, CA

R.I.P. Friends

Out of respect for the ending of Friends, Ryan Adam's website has been closed until further notice. I am not quite sure what that's supposed to mean, but I guess either way, I'm going to bed now.

Words of Wisdom

I love Fiona Apple. There are not words to express how much I love her. Her songs are beautiful and articulate, and deep and mesmerizing. To me. Maybe not to you. So, no need to comment about how you disagree.

She wrote an article that I wanted to share that really hit home for me. It's about being in the moment and thinking that things are going down one way and then having a chance to revisit the moment and realizing that things didn't quite happen how you thought they had. Then you (i.e. me) realize it was indeed YOU that was the asshole and not the other way around. Last week, I was the asshole.

Anyway, some people hate Fiona because she has made a fool of herself in concert, on television and in print many times. But me, I empathize. I also am just a human being that screws up a lot without realizing it until after the fact. I pissed some people off over the past couple of weeks and now I am trying to atone for my sins. I think that I have apologized to everyone that is owed one. If you think I passed you up, please feel free to let me know.

BTW, her new album is being shelved right now cause it doesn't have a hit. Rumor has it that it will be titled Extraordinary Machine if it ever gets released.

Anyway, here's the article:

"Meet the Press"
by Fiona Apple

"I'm in the middle of a situation that has yet to be resolved. Since I haven't put out a record for three or four years and I've not been a regular at movie premiers, I haven't done any press. Now that I'm just about done with an album, though, I've got a lot of conversations ahead of me with people I don't know, who don't know me and whose job does not require them to be sympathetic. Simply put, I am anxious and wary.

A few months ago, the University of Southern California called and asked to interview me for this talkshow. "Great", I thought. After all, college kids are eager, they do their homework, and noone's gunna get mad or make fun of me if I say or do something the Pop God finds unsavory. What a perfect way to reintroduce my self to the world of publicity.

My manager, Steve, and I drove out to USC studio, and I was ushered into a conference room by a lovely woman named Elizabeth. They asked me if there was anything I did or didn't want to talk about. I said ask me whatever you want, and if I don't answer I'll at least tell you why, so it will be interesting."

"Great", they said. "Are you ready?" And off we went. My host was Mitchell, a very tall stranger, 20 years old. I'm 26 now, and I've never been to college, so whenever I meet college kids, I see them as being older than me. (Same thing with highschool Seniors) When I found out that Mitchell was six years younger than me, the giggles attacked me, and amused as I was by the whole situation, I tried respectfully, to be serious. I tried to hard. (Again!)

After one segment, it was evident in the faces and gestures of Mitchell and the crew that it was not going well. I thought everything was fine. Yes some of Mitchell's questions were annoying, and he interupted me some, which I am not into. But it's a college show, so I thought that anything would be ok, except for maybe restraint, or perfect presentation.

After it was over, I went to my favorite club Largo, and I saw all my friends and said how funny the whole experience was- just like Jay Leno. I'm so cool they're not, on and on and on. I even suggested we put it in the VCR, just for a laugh. Goodness gracious, I'm so glad that I didn't, because the next day I watched the first five minutes alone, and-heavens to Murgatroyd - I was the asshole! Smirking, rolling my eyes like a snot-nosed kid- the poor guy wasn't interupting me, he was just trying to resuscitate the air I killed with my hesitant, sarcastic face- making nonsense.

Here's the thing: I really didn't know I was doing it. And I cried out in shame when I saw myself, because I thought, "Is this why people get so annoyed with me?" But more, I felt frustrated, because I know this means I just can't be a songwriter- I have to be an actress,too. (That or I have to get a Jack Nicolson-in-Batman-type facelift.)

I offered to redo the interview and the USC producers were only to happy to oblige. They offered me an option of two different hosts to take the place of Mitchell, because they surmised I had a problem with him. I'm going to do the thing again, but only with Mitchell. I don't know how it's gonna go, but if I get a second chance so should he, right?

As for the moral of this story, for me it is this: Be you Mitchell, be you Jay Leno, be you the public, the record company or my own mother, I shall never again delegate the job of being eager and of doing my homework to anyone but myself, and I shall never forget that conversation deserves the same reverence and commitment as the singing of a song. And I shall never discard the notion that, try as I might to avoid it, the asshole may be in fact be me.

Always a day late and a dollar short

Would you rather:

1. While camping, have to cut your arm off with a pocket knife because it got stuck under a boulder and you were trapped for three days OR suck snake venom out of a snake bite in richard simmons' ass?

Suck Richard Simmon's ass, I like my arms and my clothes would hang funny with only one

2. Have both your feet amputated at the ankles OR be in a 10 round, bare-fisted, cage match with mike tyson?

Feet amputated, just don't mess with the face

3.Perform oral sex for 2 minutes on paris hilton OR anna nicole smith?

Anna Nicole, baby! I bet she tastes like chicken!

4. Be in a big-budget, action flick with paul reubens (pee wee herman) OR a low-budget, artsy film with jesse ventura?

Low budget and artsy, didn't he used to dress up in drag anyway?

Shameless Plug

So, my friend from High School, Missi Pyle, has been nominated for an MTV Movie Award. She was nominated for best fight along with Queen Latifah in Bringing Down the House. She sent out the link, so if you have a moment, please help her out and put in a vote for her.

To vote, click on Best Fight, and then the picture of Queen Latifah...

Vote Here!

Clean Up Duty

I am in the middle of taking care of a few projects that I have been putting off for years. I am transferring the songs I like from about 50 CMJ discs that have been collecting dust for the last 5 years. I am going back and finding a lot of cool songs that I forgot about. I am also organizing my Audible account, so that I can burn some audiobooks and listen to them on the long drive to work. Plus there's a stack of books starting to pile up on my floor from not making enough time to read them. My friend sent me this for my birthday, I started it last night and somehow it seems fitting for the state of mind I am in right now.

So, my point is, not much blogging - but I did add two new cool links:

Defamer

and

Gizmodo

Still Not In The Mood

Well, I said I would be back today, but it just isn't happening.

In the meantime, I'm pulling out the old wallet to grab a pair of these.

Busy, Busy, Busy

I know, I know - I've been slacking. But there just isn't enough time in the day, ya know? I had a weird week last week, but I am transitioning and ready to get back to normal. Anyway, I'm going out tonight with a friend, but tomorrow, I swear, I will be back in full swing. I have lots of stuff to post about - pics from my b-day, my trip to NYC and Pics and thoughts on the Beale Street Music Fest.

In the meantime, here's an interesting article about "Kitchen Fresh Chicken."

MMMMMMMMMMM, MMMMMMMMMMMM, GOOD!