Happy Easter

A girl can never have too many bags! I am a bag lady, have been for years. Closet full of them! But I have not bought a toiletries bag clearly since the 80's! Hence the need for a stylish new one for all the travel plans this year! Went to Target depressed or something yesterday. Target looked like Walmart, a tornado had gone through the Easter section! I spent too much and frivolously bought just about every travel convenience bag they had. I don't even leave for NS until end of June..and probably don't need all the bags for LA trip on Memorial Day. Overzealous to go apparently! But the new toiletries bag has such great compartments. Oh dear god, my blog has turned into Jennifer Good. Stop me if I start talking about shoes!

Not much new to mention. I still want to blog my old SXSW experience but not in mood to do that right now.

Photos of the new computer case..pretty cool eh? Too bad it sits in a cabinet for no one to see. My pops in law built is all for me! Holds 100% more items than my old filled up computer. Flat screen too-woah! I have separate drives for music, photos etc.. So spoiled I am!

When I am in computer room, Della loves to sleep in the closet for some reason.

No letter on the C & J show, maybe next week. Or maybe I am psycho for writing letters! Jay said he loved the Hudson Brothers this week...I wonder if they have those on DVD!? Fun and great music! Just like the Sha Na Na show- man I loved that and Chico!

Be a Pepper too!

Most of my mod maid life I did not drink carbonated soda because it made me hiccup too painfully. Then circa 1993 I dated this guy who got Taco Bell everyday (and he was Hispanic, because TB is real Mexican food right?) Anyway, I didn't like anything at TB but always ended up sipping his Dr. Pepper. He was an asshole and I ended up addicted to DP because of him. (That sentence is supposed to make you laugh) In Michigan, they make a POP called Faygo. I grew up on Faygo, mainly redpop. Although like anything it was a treat if my mom bought me redpop. After I moved to AZ, Nova would smuggle redpops on the plane for me when she would visit. This all leads to the fact that I think Dr. Pepper stole Faygo's recipe for something Faygo calls Rock N Rye. This new Berries n Cream tastes exactly like rock n rye. I am going to buy a rock n rye (they sell um at AJ's fine foods here) and do a taste test! As for DP, I am now a true Cherry Vanilla lover. Makes plain old DP pale in comparison. And don't even get me started about Mr. Pibb!

All this gibberish is to help calm me from one of the worst weeks of work, definitely worst since I went full time. (And worst non-Blaze related crap)
First off, it was way too jam packed. I am bad about piling too many things in a row. (Like 8 interviews for Blaze Directors in a row today) I had some tense moments, I stayed late most nights to catch up on work and I even broke into tears at the potluck today (embarrassing, I am a crier but I have held myself pretty well in the Cronk school) By the end of the day, I almost felt like the week was breaking. Apologies were made, awesome people stood up for me and the interviews went really well. Reward was YC's for dinner tonight! YUM!

Dan is at the Dunes for holiday weekend. My bargain is another trip to California Memorial Weekend. This time I am going to see...Jon Auer and Glen Phillips!!!! PPF told me about Glen playing there today! Very exciting, I need some perks (how funny Jason Collett is on radio as I type) The whole saving for Nova Scotia hasn't gone well yet but I need to do some ebaying now that I have this new computer! I am not too worried because I get paid for the extra summer cash from the HS camp stuff but now Nova is not going so it will be pricier to split two ways instead. I still have some hotel bookings to change now plus Missy and I are now thinking we may explore more of NS. I am sure we can nail down some adjusted plans when we get together for Easter.

My friend TNT talked me into signing up for a Live Journal now. I doubt I will use it as I prefer this blogger format. One needs to be signed up for LJ to view others I guess. I may just do all the dorky surveys on there for fun. My students crack up every time they heard I have a MySpace. Yesterday Ash and Justin went into fits when they heard I have an LJ too...is this a indicator they are laughing at me for "living like a kid?" I draw the line at facebook LOL!
(Iceberg just went from All used up to The Gate (the new Sam Roberts))

This week I receive something in the mail I never thought I would own. As mentioned in a prior blog I found the first Haywire tracks on a Q104 comp. Now a few weeks later I received a search find on ebay for Eight Second's EP Ottava Rima. I didn't believe it was truly it..Opened the add and almost fell over...Literally looking for that for abotu 20 years. Of course I put some outrageously high bid on it..of course no one else even bid or even looked at it! LOL. I am going to treat myself to it tomorrow! UNBELIEVABLE! I still have a few 80's cancon treasures to find but in the past month I managed to cross of two HUGE always looked fors. (Both from ebay searches I just kept renewing)

Wouldn't be a blog without a Bay Window update. I was trekking along on editing this week until the shitty days started happening (Pure is on now, killer night on Iceberg!) I found if I am pissy mood, I don't want to edit. Fair enough...So I have gone three days without but undoubtly will get some done this weekend. Again, nothing but pleased with how it is going. The last chapters are going to be tough, just as tough to edit as they were to write I suspect but I don't think I will go into some month long sabbatical from the last edits. Funny, the last time Dan went to dunes I was starting to edit now I am almost finished. (well..now Rush is on, it should have been the song after Sloan LOL!)

And this time I will anticipate it and it won't happen but I wrote a letter to the old C & J radio show again detailing the Jason Collett and Jon Brion shows I went to in LA. Tune into Sirius 94, usually they read letters in the first hour...embarassing but I am too addicted, I can't stop writing now...GOD I need a life! (Or my race car FUCKING fixed!)

So tired, tired of waiting for you...

I want to blog as I have done some much in the last week in a half but alas, it is near midnight and I am ready to collapse. (My radio show addiction on Sunday nights is KILLING me! Even with the time change)
Speaking of..I was staring at PPF's computer at 2am last Sat when the time changed and her computer went 2:00am then 3:00am immediately. It was trippy to see it! And depressing. I am glad we do not lose hours in AZ! Crazy girls up at 2am on her computer after seeing Jason Collett. We were SMBing it to find out about the Sloaners show that happened the same night for the Junosfest in Halifax. (Damn why didn't I plan my trip for March like I originally wanted!) Anyway, I had a great time in LA LA land, one of my least favorite places. I may hate Cali but it is fun when you have an agenda that includes ice cream, pizza, pretzels and videos of Canadian band boys trying to act. Holy.... Hence the picture of the coffee table after two days of viewing. AND I think I am going back for a Jon Auer solo show.
JA was part of last week too as was Robin making it my old crush week apparently. I got a email on My space from JA!!! He was asking for the Blaze addy and suggesting I come to LA to see him...He made reference to our putt putt outing..sigh! (Let's see, that was Nov 1990, 16 yrs ago...) Robin was on guest DJ week at The Blaze last week (photo to come) He was sweet as pie, naturally. He was showing me pix of his son on his lappy. I handled myself ok..got a little tongue tied. Something kinda struck me about a reference I make in Bay Window that was definitely something he did. It threw me as I realized how much of Bay Window revolves around my experiences at Blossom club shows .It just hit me while we were talking about this guy who used to film all their shows. Memories make me smile most of time! Jim Adkins of JEW was in the station for guest DJ week also. Pix below. I don't know him but he is a very nice fella, the Blaze girls were swooning! I did a guest DJ shift too on Friday. It was a blast.
Here is my playlist:
Cmon, Cmon (Let get it started) - Sloan
I'll bring the sun - Jason Collett
The night is soft - The Church
Please - The Bolshoi
I don't know why I love you - House of Love
What Now - Something Happens
Cartoon- Soul Asylum
The Ledge - The Replacements
Chamber of hellos- Wire Train
Girls Talk - Dave Edmunds
Bastian Cooper - Cinderpop
Beating heart baby - Head Automatica
One day in your life - MIR
Outerspace- the Katies
Games of Magic - Jon Auer
Spite and Malice - The Posies
Obsurity knocks- Trash Can sinatras
King is half undressed - Jellyfish
Back of a car - Gin Blossoms
Burger Christ - Dead Hot Workshop
Dirty Ballerina - Sugar High
Sugar High - Coyote Shivers
You and me song - The Wannadies
Cope - Giglo Aunts
Sugartune - Sloan
Deep Six - MGB
Blue - The Jayhawks

Much more soon, must sleep! I am on Chapters 54-55 of editing..almost done! sorta sad again. But need to start a new one!

AND FINALLY: See the pix of the guy above! I swear he was at Burbank airport and on my return plane. (the plane did go on to NYC which is where he lives) I kept looking at him..why oh why would I not ask him if he was Frickin David Usher!

My past week in some photos for now

A few of my favorite..people...

As we begin hiring new Blaze directors for next year, here's some photos of the great group who rocked the 05/06 Blaze world! Students who run college radio stations are the best!

Roger Clyne for President?

I drove by a car today that had a bumper sticker that said Roger Clyne for President. Those crazy Peacemaker fans, I am surprised it didn't say Roger Clyne is god or at least start him in local government first! LOL.

Next week is guest DJ week at The Blaze. Robin is bringing his partner in the new side project (see photo) The stuff I have heard online sounds fantastic! The guy is Steve French who Robin met ages ago from the band Star Club. I seemed to recall August Red opening for them here at The Roxy. That was the night everyone thought I took out an add for redboy in the back of the New Times. (I certainly did NOT!) Anyway, this year is going to be crazy for great new CDS, this Long Shadows, a new Blossoms, a new Matt, Jon Auer's solo, and a new one from those other guys...um NOME?

I am heading to LA tomorrow! So excited to get a short vacation. A chance to get out of town and see some music! PPF and I plan plenty of wine and chocolate for our viewing fest! Hopefully I will have plenty of tales to tell when I return. Maybe I will make it to Ameoba to!

Everything is cool biz around the homestead. Dan and I have been having a ton of fun lately. I finally got him to the doctor about his allergies too-Dan to the doctor-amazing! Next amzing feat will be him putting that new motor in that red car...

Artic Monkeys are the new Carter the unstoppable sex machine.

Bay Window is going fantastic. I have edited through Chapter 48. There are 71 chapters but I eliminated one and combined two others so...I guess that means I am more than half way through the edits (Although some of the last chapters seem longer. Maybe?) Again I can just say I didn't think I would enjoy editing but I really have. (Content editing, not english type stuff-bleck!) I suspect based on my sessions with the writing coach, I could still use more weeding out.

Trip to NS plans are moving along. We ran into a snag with one of the hotels. We found one on the internet that has 3 beds and two bathrooms-I have never seen a hotel room that large for the price we got quoted! Waiting to hear if Nova approves of it. Missy and I are now trying to come up with clever ways to make more dough. I plan to teach her ebay so she can put some of my junk up.

The Blaze has a ton of Hot Tamales! So today's catch phrase- try using it-is "Hot Tamales!"

Just between you and me...

Observations on a Friday:

I just drove by a smart car while I was driving the golf cart. It was smaller that the golf cart. If you got hit in one of those, you would die..period.. that is smart?? I will stick to my gas guzzling big ole truck thank you!

Tony and I were meeting to dine at the new Long Wongs in Tempe..but you see...it is NOT Long Wongs as the once great venue for bands to play. It is a chain Long Wongs with T-shirts that say, Long Wong's is back. Far from it, not the same owners, small menu and no music. Tony was so turned off by the fact that they are trying to pawn it off as the original, we left. I call that dedication to an establishment.

Yesterday was proof I should NOT work on Bay Window at work. I needed to return a call to a girl named Millie. It rang for a while and I get distracted as to who I was calling. When she answered, I asked for MIMI! She giggled because she said her nieces call her Mimi but you know I said it because I was looking at my computer screen! LOL! THEN, my appointment comes, the gal looks at all my photos of our dogs and says she has a lab named Murph...I near choke.

I am busting through editing now, at about chapter 29 now. Enjoying it immensely, keeping me from doing chores as usual ;) I can add or delete one sentence that can manipulate it the way I need it to go. I read a chapter this week that I don’t think I have seen since I wrote it, like last June! I had forgotten what I wrote!

I had to attend this "Future of local Television" this week that kept me at work until like 9:30pm. I certainly listened but also wrote three "treatments" for new novel options. Jim and Andy was one of them, the girl racer one which didn't seem to have an obvious conflict to it and a third idea which seems the most intriguing. It combines an old short story I wrote back in college and a newer idea I had talking to my pal E-Ruh! We'll see, I told Missy, I think I will start on number two after we return from Nova Scotia. I hope to be done with my content edits of Bay Window by the time we go. Then upon return, add anything I was struck by while visiting. Then I think it will be time to begin again. It will pretty much be one year from the time I started Bay Window. PPF has volunteered to grammar, format and spell edit (oh, but she knows I owe and will pay her back big time! I know her weekness!) Then I figure out IF I pursue it?? I am still inclined to wait until I am done with number 2.

Up until Christmas time, I had never heard of fan fiction. Now I learn there are stories about Qui Gon and Obi Wan in love.... or Jon and Ken...or Matt Good and Raine from OLP... I keep forgetting to tell Dan, he is going to laugh his ass off.

One more week until I go to LA! Yeah! Concerts and loads of video watching. Can't wait to actually have something to do for a weekend. Was supposed to race this weekend but alas that team I race for cancelled a opportunity to race in nice weather. What a shock! I swear, Team Speedworld looks better every year! I'm off to edit, I mean get work done! :)

39 things that happened on my 39th birthday

Somewhat in order of occurence...

1. My SMB buddy MIR started a b-day thread for me at midnight EST, lots of photos of my fave rock musicians ensued. Made me glow, thanks guys!
2. Woke up to Jasper having his worst seizure yet, full body. Dan eased him out of it.
3. Unlike last year at work, there were no signs on my office door or flowers in my office. I did have nice emails and ecards.
4. Just like last year, I had to do Freshman Orientation, needy kids this time too.
5. I got b-day text messages from KBM, M, and Wake!
6. The academic advising crew took me to Ruby Tuesday for lunch.
7. I was late for my own lunch due to needy kids at orientation
8. Matt and I bitched about Sirius while waiting for Orientation kids
9. First song I listened to on ipod in morning- "The Good in Everyone"
10. My co-worker who was out for surgery came back for my lunch. Great to see her!
11. Had RT salad bar, second to Marie Calender in Salad bars IMO.
12. Drove golf cart-love that thing!
13. Co-workers sang to me at RT.
14. My pal, PPF called, told her she didn't have to sing
15. Tony left message, he was supposed to go to 4 Peaks at 6am, based on VM, he may have!!
16. Had mini-work crisis, had to go see Dean, all worked out fine.
17. Had call from idiot incoming frosh mom, "My Johnny this.." "MY Johnny that.."
18. Spent last hour at work final editing Bay Window Chpter 3-5.
19. Took out on of my very favorite lines becuase it was all knowing and nothing else follows that point of view. Still sad to remove it
20. Dan finally called, he had fell asleep and panicked to run to grocery store to get cake and flowers about 10 min before I got home.
21. Had to go straight to dinner at Fogo E Brasa, a Brazilian Steak place
22. Collins clan didn't seem to like Fogo like Dan and I do.
23. Bill was $375! Yikes, I will never hear end of that!
24. It was YUM, meats were tasty and rare plus They had shrimp!
25. Dan got me dozen roses, pack of gum,and a snoopy card. He already got me a new race jacket at the CSK's 2 wks ago.
26. J & S have new foster child at dinner, they maybe able to adopt him, maybe soon we will have 3 nephews.
27. Hunter ran straight past his mom to give me a hug first at dinner.
28. MY ipod played a nice selection of Harlequin, GT, Sloan, GB's and Posies for my day.
29. Watched dvd of Collins clan trip to dunes last week, proof that Dan was jumping my quad.
30. Blew out number 39 candles on my Chocolate cake (Crowded House) Made same wish I always do..someday it will come true!
31. Opened gifts, money from Mom & Dad Collins for NS trip.
32. Gifts From Missy, Travis and Hunter- Lil fridge for my office plus Dessert perfume and powder (Missy knows so well what I look at in stores!)
33. Gifts from Jody, Sue and Matthew - Posie flower jewelery, purple and black shirts that I opened up to find Sloan decal ON! LMC stunned! PLUS Maple Music gift certificate!
34. Showed Missy and Sue my SMB b-day thread
35. Hunter served me my birthday cake and ice cream.
36. Went to restroom, came out to M & S pulling me into kids bedroom
37. World War 5 erupted between Collins boys and their parents. I left, Dan didn't come home until midnight.
38. Opened gifts from Nina at home, cried how much I miss my family, called PPF to keep me occupied and not as depressed as I was getting. (Thanks ;))
39. Della and Jasper got in fight over bone, Dan got bit by Della. Went to bed. The End.

Election Day - Arcadia

Observations Day:

Spring break around these parts making it very quiet-love it! I have orientations three days this week but fortunately they now end by noon. Last year we were lucky if we got back to office by 6pm. Ash and Wasef leave for SXSW today! Oh the memories there! I will have to blog that this week. They are so lucky; nearly every newer Canadian band is playing this year plus Sam Robert and Jon Auer! I told them if The Blaze was sending them, it was advisor orders that they must see at least one Canadian band. I know Wasef will, we'll see if Ash does-JK!

I booked our hotel in New Glasgow, NS yesterday. I have my eye on a lodge style place for our night in Cape Breton. I need to check with Missy, she and Hunter went to Sea World. I should have all reservations done by this weekend. Once that is done, I just need to save like crazy!

While Dan went dune riding this past weekend, I spend hours editing. I did do a few household chores as I always get sort of guilty if I don't do something else. It was so weird how I avoided editing at first because NOW I love it. I am so happy finding the little things that needed tweaking. I still need a grammar master to be sure. I am enjoying content cleaning, not comma usage! Oddly I still think I like the very first chapter the least. I need to find just one or two little sparks to make me satisfied with it. I struggle with introductions to characters I notice, like um...the main ones..

On Friday I got something I won on ebay that is rather unbelievable. I won a radio station compilation from Q104 (where Elise get's her first job of course) It has TWO Haywire songs on it I have NEVER heard before. 20 years later (ugh that sounds so horrible) 1986, my favorite year of Canadian music! I always remember being at the mall in London,ONT at Sam the record man searching for a list of bands that included Eye Eye, Glass Tiger and Haywire. Then my boyfriend at the time surprised me by showing up at that mall, while I was in that store. He had just gotten to London from Iowa. (We were there for a drag boat race. I'll have to think hard to remember how he figured out I was at the mall)

Tempe is the dumbest town known to man. They now have construction on Apache and University. Last week it took me an hour to get to work! I have rethought my approach. I have to get up earlier now, damn them and I actually take the freeway to work! This is for like the next two years. I have never, ever wanted to be one of those people who sit in traffic everyday. I have avoided it for all of my working years until now. GRRRRR

Oh yeah, I am turning 39 this week. I haven't really thought too much about my birthday. I am not upset about age or anything. Like I said last year, it was my mom who make sure to make my birthday special every year so it just becomes a day where I miss her, not like I don't suffer from that every day anyway. Dan tries, I know he does. Anyway, I'd like to go out to dinner but it will be tough this year with it being on a Friday. I need to think of a place that no one would think of to go to on St. Patrick's day (like Chinese or something) LMC, successful at 39 years of avoiding green beer ;)

I was thinking that I have been listening to XM 52 every day since Wake discovered they were playing all Canadian music. Everyday! I can not believe the amount o new bands I have discovered thanks to that and C & J's show. Oh and I am STILL having problems with my Sirius receiver. It rained Saturday (first time since Oct 18, like 145 days or something) anyway; the satellite wouldn't work, because it rained??? If it were not for C & J's show, I would tell Sirius where they can stick their satellite radio.

Dan suggested he and I go to Washington DC to see all the museums. I have to go to a convention in Nov at Syracuse. We started talking about it as he asked me if I wanted him to go with me. I told him he would be bored in NY but maybe we could go somewhere after. Then he suggested we meet in DC. (Soul City-Partland Bros is on) I think this would be a great idea for us to finally have a vacation. Don't think I didn't try for Toronto though LOL! No, I hope we do it, it would be a great vacation. (Me, vacationing in a US city nowhere near the Canadian border-unbelievable! :))

"Music is my aeroplane"

Yesterday, with a tiny tear in my eye, I clicked accept on the reservations for a flight to Halifax, Nova Scotia via Continental airlines. 10 days, 9 nights to a destination that will be the farthest I will have ever traveled from home. Melissa is super excited; we spent last Sat plotting out where we will be each night so we can book hotels. Nova herself, who I met 20 years ago, calling herself Nova Scotia on the air is already booked on a flight and will join us for the last 4 days. This weekend I will finish booking the hotels as Missy and I will be hanging the first half of the trip in New Glasgow with my pal Jay who is helping us plan some day tripping to PEI and Cape Breton. I couldn't help but marvel at what a journey this novel has led me on in some many ways. On the Tuesday of the trip, we have deemed it "Bay Window" day, we are going to hit many of the locations I placed my characters in. (Except Peggy's Cove which we will save for when Nina gets there)

The iceberg DJ just said he went to see Jeff Martin of Tea Party at the Mod Club in TO last week and that Loverboy played after him. He said they did new material and said "they still have it, goods new stuff." When they were on the "Hit me baby one more time" show last summer, Reno seemed to be having a tough time singing.

Until the trip, not only do I need to keep saving dough (I haven't bought a CD in a few months!) I have been so swamped at work, ebb and flow...many times in this blog I joked about not having much work to do; now I am getting killed with three big projects all at once while still maintaining things like the radio station, the CV kids activities and teaching. The big three stomach churners are orientation; the summer broadcast high school deal (that is officially mine now, last year I was assisting) and finding 40 freshman to live in Cronkite Village next year in a month. They changed the deadline from May 1 to April 1 so I am pulling my hair out to find the right 40 incoming frosh in a short time. I have been getting a mailer ready for the last two days and personally calling leads all over the place to lure them in.. After school gets out, I have 40 kids and the summer deal is over, I will be able to breathe! And then I will leave for NS (think I will need it??)

Editing is going a little better with Bay Window. I have been kinda sick this week, missed work Tuesday and just laying low trying to kick it out of me. It has been a good chance to read and do a casual edit. I am enjoying it now and not afraid to pull poor sentences and stuff that was frivolous. I plan to rewrite a couple early scenes this weekend as Dan is heading to the Dunes. I will certainly do some chores but my main plan for the weekend is to edit (oh and those 8 hours I spend listening to those guys on the radio.

Dan wants me to go watch a show called I love Toys on VH1 so I am going to go check it out.
Jason Collett is on the radio! Maybe I will be seeing him in a few weeks. I love this song- "I'll bring the sun" (last CD I bought come to think of it!)

I have no idea how to get rid of the double post prior! Now the same DJ is talking about his My Space page. I will have to check it out later, I have been collecting bands on "jasper's" My Space. It is kinda fun, I thought Jon was crazy when he told me to set one up last year-that Jon he is always a head of the curve! I still think Jasper is the only dog on my space with his own email address! ;) You can write Jasper or Wicket, Jasper (at) millercollinsracing.com or Wicket (at) Della doesn't have her own yet -LOL! We're talking about a dog that ate a razor this week and we had to rush her to emergency to have her x-rayed for it in her belly. She was fine, no razor...dumb Bassett hound...;)

YHZ, here we come!

Darn old work has been keeping me from blogging-hee but this week I am grateful for work as I finally found out the fate of CV. All is well and CV will continue-Yeah! I have a ton more work to do before April to get it filled. Anyway, work is good plus dumb old orientations started again this week, I am scheduled for all of them except when the high school institutes are and when I go to Nova Scotia.

Speaking of said trip, Plans are really taking shape and within a day or two..I will have plane tickets! I certainly have been focusing my energies on research and plans. I always said I should have been a travel agent (although they are useless now thanks to the internet) Looks like we are flying with a layover in Newark and leaving a day sooner so as to not lose a day in travel there. Nina has her flight and hotel booked already. I need to make a few different reservations in the different towns we will be in before she arrives. It is becoming more a reality, which is making me sooo excited!

Letter number four on the C & J show last night, I am such a DORK! I just like to write and they just read um...I say they don't need to read them on the air. I always wrote letters to Ken Posie too, just fun..oh well, I need to lay off...but it was fun. Jay Sloan has so much of the same music taste as myself, I enjoy commenting on it. Today he was talking about how he can't get into a band if the singer isn't good/sweet sounding, which anyone who knows me has been true forever!

I have been doing some reading of Bay Window since some of it I haven't read in a few months. Not much editing still, Missy says I am overanalyzing it and worrying about it too much. I think it is not very fun. Although, I think I am going to take my very favorite scene and rewrite entire thing for fun and to clean it up. Some rewrites need to wait until I can make some NS impressions.

Not much more than work and passing out early lately. Oh, I did become an SMB legend last week which is yet another piece of evidence that I have lost all my social skills and entered dorkdom. Nah, I love it, I always had friends all over the country, this is another chance to meet other music people which has always been fun, I wonder about my old Posies pals but I fear getting started on their message board.. I thought I had fun observations for this blog but forgot them all now. Will work on that, after I nap ;)!

Darn old work has been keeping me from blogging-hee but this week I am grateful for work as I finally found out the fate of CV. All is well and CV will continue-Yeah! I have a ton more work to do before April to get it filled. Anyway, work is good plus dumb old orientations started again this week, I am scheduled for all of them except when the high school institutes are and when I go to Nova Scotia.

Speaking of said trip, Plans are really taking shape and within a day or two..I will have plane tickets! I certainly have been focusing my energies on research and plans. I always said I should have been a travel agent (although they are useless now thanks to the internet) Looks like we are flying with a layover in Newark and leaving a day sooner so as to not lose a day in travel there. Nina has her flight and hotel booked already. I need to make a few different reservations in the different towns we will be in before she arrives. It is becoming more a reality, which is making me sooo excited!

Letter number four on the C & J show last night, I am such a DORK! I just like to write and they just read um...I say they don't need to read them on the air. I always wrote letters to Ken Posie too, just fun..oh well, I need to lay off...but it was fun. Jay Sloan has so much of the same music taste as myself, I enjoy commenting on it. Today he was talking about how he can't get into a band if the singer isn't good/sweet sounding, which anyone who knows me has been true forever!

I have been doing some reading of Bay Window since some of it I haven't read in a few months. Not much editing still, Missy says I am overanalyzing it and worrying about it too much. I think it is not very fun. Although, I think I am going to take my very favorite scene and rewrite entire thing for fun and to clean it up. Some rewrites need to wait until I can make some NS impressions.

Not much more than work and passing out early lately. Oh, I did become an SMB legend last week which is yet another piece of evidence that I have lost all my social skills and entered dorkdom. Nah, I love it, I always had friends all over the country, this is another chance to meet other music people which has always been fun, I wonder about my old Posies pals but I fear getting started on their message board.. I thought I had fun observations for this blog but forgot them all now. Will work on that, after I nap ;)!

Careless Memories

First off today, you may note above magazine inclusions I have published here, wanna hear the wildest part to both of these. Until this week, I swear I have never seen either of these before. I have a pretty good memory (debatable this week also) but both these name in prints did not look the least bit familiar. Let's explain how these came up. After last week's C & J show, I started thinking I was at 1992 SXSW so I looked up my concert list and it said I went to a "Canadian band showcase" while there. Oh no...It did not say what bands and I start thinking, I could NOT have been at a Sloan show and not remember it , could I? I decide to find the program for that SXSW. I have my SXSW, CMJ, NMS etc programs together, but guess which one isn't there... So I am driven and obsessed as usual. I go to the race room and dig under the bed. (bin full of my Drive through playlists!) Under the bed bins full of old school reports, playlists from various radio gigs, etc.. Then the second bin was full of old magazines, even that old mag "Song hits" that just had lyrics to popular songs. I found a treasure trove of Canadian magazine as one can imagine. Hence where I found this letter above. That was from 1995. My bugged eyed obsession that night colminated with me scanning Sloan pictures until 1 in the morning. Do I worry myself- YES. But why can't I remember who I saw at this showcase at all? I know I went with an ex-jerk that year which may be why..I am wishing for rewind so bad in my memory files.

Friday we went to a lunch at work, came out of it to leave and the golf cart was gone...mini panic for about an hour as to whether it got stolen. I would die if that had been true. Fortunately, security dorks moved it instead of leaving a note or ticket that I was parked in the wrong place. Yikes! A Cronk school secretary (who I think would kind of look like Elise would) found it for me because I had to give ten bizillion tours that afternoon.

Yesterday we went to Firebird for CSKs. I was fine until the Super Stockers started coming to the lanes, just the sight of the lanes and the sound of an open header Chevy motor got me very upset. It may have helped. Dan seems more determined to do it soon but we'll see...will my motor get placed in the car before Chinese Democracy is released? Dan bought me my b-day gift early, a new, much too $$ new race jacket. I needed it as my old one is stiff (I think it wasn't supposed to go to the dry cleaner as many times as I sent it with mom) I better still be racing for the money spent on new jacket (and I didn't get red!!) It was great to see my pals, I haven't seen Ryan or Lonnie since Oct! I also got to see Mark Oswald, my old favorite NHRA driver, he is crewing for a new driver. That made me happy!

Missy is going with me to NS! We spent Friday night finding hotel and researching airfares. We booked hotel, we already have rental car. We now just need hotel in New Glasgow and enough money to purchase plane tix. We found a decent flight on Continental that has lay over in Newark. The only other good option is Air Canada through Toronto but lay over is longer and it says terminal change, not sure if that means another wait in customs, etc.. Much as I would love to got to TO airport, guessing the Continental one will make more sense for us. I know it seems vain sounding but she is excited to see the places I wrote about and help me do the rest of my research. I need all the help I can get! Plus, bless her heart; she said she has never been on a trip where it has no family visiting involved. I am pleased to be the one to take her, even though technically I am family.

And speaking of the old novel, I also started editing this week-finally! By the end of the week, I realized I prefer skipping around on this task as opposed to going chapter by chapter...I need to go where the mood strikes me, not force things in areas I have not thought out yet. So I am more excited to do it now, plus I enjoy reviewing the research. All a fantastic experience, just as usual, things get in the way like trying to plan a garage sale, house cleaning..damn domestics ;)

I had two Cronkite Village dreams, a good indicator that my worries appear in my dreams.. I am worried, no decisions yet...more gray hair appears on my head.

C & J are playing a band called the mountain goats, that wins for worst band name of the week. And so goes the life of this red headed nutty gal in AZ....

MOEV rhymes with Stove

Sunday morning, TF race #2 day and here I sit in the office listening to Chris and Jay. Rough weekend to say the least. Oddly at peace with not racing this morning. Maybe due to the Cinderpop on the radio, the cool breeze coming in the window or just my lack of sleep. Not to over dramatize but I do wonder when and if I will race again. Next weekend is the Nationals here in Phx, I am sure I will go Friday afternoon at least. Going to a national event has never been the same without mom. We'll see what kind of mood I am in next weekend. Will probably go Fri and Sat.


I have been pulling out all sorts of goodies to garage sale. Next weekend I will probably price the stuff while watching the race on TV Sunday night. Someday I will actually run Super Street and actually be racing it-right? Maybe I am suffering more than I let on.

Jay Sloan just mentioned Phil Seymour and Dwight Twilley on the show while talking about Cinderpop- Oh my!! Sigh, Jay knows his power pop! I think I followed that Cinderpop has a former member of Moev. Now that is cool, "Head Down" is still one of my favorite Canadian songs!

Ran into Scotty and Robin last week. They agreed to do The Blaze guest DJ week which is cool because I thought Robin had basically moved to NY but turns out he says he won't really be moving for a couple years yet. He was telling Missy and I about the recording of the new record and that Al Cafaro didn't like the mixes so they are going to have a different mixing team take it on. He said it may just end up being Jesse. He seemed bewildered why they didn't like the mixes at the label because John Hampton did they and John has done all their stuff. He said they had a great vibe recording the record. What a music year this potentially is, a new Blossoms record after 10 years, Jon Auer will finally put out a real solo record and then a new Sloan record?!?! I also talked to Scotty about finishing up some of my questions for my research. He says he will come by The Blaze so we can.

Dan watched the Sloan DVD with me yesterday (He put it on to get me to hang out with him LOL) He has never seen what they look like before I can not even repeat what he said to me after watching 500 Up.

I am very excited I am going to LA in April- I so need little mini vacations to get me through life. Work has had it's share of moments as of late so I welcome diversions and welcome a chance to get me out of the house lately. My hermit status has been returning lately. I want to be out this year, travel, see bands, experience more! I am going to see Jason Collett and Jon Brion which should be amazing. Andrew tells me David Usher is playing in LA but it is a Tuesday night, I can't with CV class on Wednesday. I need all my wits about me for class day with the villagers. I had to yell "Shut Up" in class this past week- that is ridiculous. I have to yell shut up to college students to get them to listen. Hence I need travel this year! Moving along with my NS plans also, I have the vacation days officailly off now, planning to purchase plane ticket soon. It looks like Missy is going too, she is excited to travel somewhere without having any obligations. She said she has never travelled anywhere just to see it. I am glad to be the one to take her, there is always that part of me who wanted to be a travel guide.

I have continued to get all my research for Bay Window in one place. It seems like it will be the best way for me to find what I need as I edit. I have yet to edit, I fear this maybe because I don't like change. I am worried I will lose the orginal which I will always value. So I am divising ways to edit without losing the original version. That maybe my hold up, I think about the changes I want to make everyday but feel like I need a huge shove to get to it. I am close, I think.. Hopefully once I start I will emerse myself in it the same way the original writing took me over. It is so silly because I have a ton of discs with the original on it and Missy has the entire thing in hard copy. My mind confuses me sometimes. One builds up crazy odd defenses.

Oh, Robin said they still don't know if they got the INXS tour or not. INXS is like a teeneybop band now because of JD which is just too weird. I guess it would be good for the Blossoms to be in front of big crowds. I am sure the my age women still go see INXS too, they should like the Blossoms theoretically also. Although in my life I went from hardcore INXS to the Blossoms, I am not so sure it is a good match. He did say they may do some stuff with Blues Traveller too which kinda makes more sense but less visible for them. This photo on this blog is one I found on ebay and I have NEVER seen it before.

OK now I am Pissed, my satellite just went out, it did last night also...I am so calling Sirius this week. I have a stupid antenna on my roof and it is still doing this. My XM antenna it sitting on top of the boombox with never a problem. Grr!

One more thing- In Get Out magazine this week, my pals over there have lists of power pop bands of the decades listed next to an article about Nada Surf and Supergrass coming to town this week. Under the 90's, the last two nicely typeset together were The Posies and Sloan- I felt a nod from the Get Out gang!
I must disagree with Jellyfish being in the 80's however, and the 80's were lacking some big boys!

In your letter - REO Speedwagon

I think I will just send out invitations to my dork mitzvah now. Chris and Jay Sloan read my letter again on their radio show. For those of you who are not keeping count, that is now number 3. I am nearly a regular on the show now. This time I told them to not read it on the air as my Sloan friends were starting to get jealous...sure fire way..so they read it...and it was my dorkiest one yet. See the photo above, I sent it to them to show off my Archies collection because I heard Jay mention something about The Archies. I am now officially embarassed and being inducted into the dork hall of fame. I just like writing people letters, is that so wrong? It has been fun to have something to look forward to listen to on the weekends. I think I now need to take Chris a GI Joe from Dan's bro who builds them. And BLESS that guy who lives with me and my obsessions- Dan got on the roof at 10pm Saturday night because the wind had knocked my Sirius antenna off. I still don't understand how Albert and Tony's Sirius has no problems yet Dan had to now attatch the antenna to the roof to get mine to work.

I think I am going to get my passport tomorrow at the post office as they told me you need one know if you fly into Canada. Fun, I will finally have a passport! The Nova Scotia trip will come up rather quickly, I want everything ready. I spent time searching for more items to garage sale this weekend. I am being good and getting rid of things, I know if I haven't seen or touched the stuff in the 6 years we have lived in the house..it is time to go. I found a box of fireworks I never knew even existed in our house! Dan's from way before we got married. My mom was a master in making use of every space available! Missy always laughs when I say I found things in my house I didn't know existed. That show Clean Sweep is my worst nightmare.

I have three songs from this band Mobile now and I am in love! Need to remember when I do year end list in 2006.

That cruise Dan and I were considering going on is happening soon. I have only one comment, I was right about who may be on that cruise and BOY am I glad we did not book that vacation. I will hold out for Alaska someday! I think I will get Dan to Seattle soon, he brings it up often enough..maybe I can actually get him on a vacation out of this state! (that doesn't have anything to do with: Drag racing, quad riding, family obligations or a band playing) Wait, we could have a band playing couldn't we???

I did a few hours worth of research and prep work for Bay Window this weekend. I have not edited yet but getting ready to. If I want to use a word, and or reference, I need them all in one spot. It is too hard to go, oh what was that flower shop, let me go read that book or find that email. I need all of my research in one place. I think this method will work for me. I bought so many books I would see somethign to use or I have notes from Andrea about places, notes from Lisa, etc.. I need that stuff all together! It is fun researching something you are really interested in! Plus I am learning for where to go and visit while I am there!

Squirrel Chasers and Morning Mayors

So it is true, Plat's singer Mark Holmes has a radio show on the Edge in Toronto. What a hoot! It is like a dance club style radio show. He sounded distracted (read drunk) and back announced like 10 songs back. He did play something that sounded like him(them?) It was a great tune. Which reminds me, on New Years eve I learned that Gord Deppe has a new band/music out also. Can't remember their name but they played on Canadian TV on NYE. Quite amusing all the way around. Now if Bill Wood were still singing...

I was thinking of Plat and was reminded of WQBR one day. This tall good looking Duran Duran style guy came in the station and he is wearing a Platinum Blonde t-shirt. I think I nabbed Nova and KBM and we squealed all the way to the Huron Hideaway. Not long after Jerry arrived at 'QBR, we went on hayride somewhere in Ann Arbor. I certainly have no recollection of how I lured him but somehow ended up making out with him in the back of C-squared's car on the way back to EMU. KBM was sitting in the front seat, sort of unaware of what was taking place and started asking me my views on the Genesis song on the radio "Turn it on again” It has been a long running joke since then. But alas, Jerry was a Frosh and we were upperclassman.. One day, in our probably two-week relationship, Nova, KBM, Jerry and I were walking to the Hideaway. Jerry started chasing a squirrel or two that were minding their own business. I would guess it was KBM who dubbed him squirrel chaser. I was too embarrassed of my youthful, 12 year old acting frosh beau to continue. Years later, Nova told me she heard him on 89X as a jock. Even a few more years later, we were in Michigan for my dad's funeral and there was Squirrel chaser, hosting some fast paced sports show on TV after the news, like on UPN or something. I was most amused that not only was Squirrel Chaser now on TV but that he aged worse that I had (DOH!)

Tony called me last night, apologized for calling me at home on a Friday night but had to tell me some monumental news. I thought it was about The Blaze, just 'cause he's all business since he has been station manager but it was not! He was telling me that the Filibertos right by the station had gone out. He said he rode by on the bus earlier and saw something on the window and had to go back to see it for sure. It said Long Wong's. I hope it's true and I hope Robin goes back to doing acoustic nights because I am aching to go out but nothing is too interesting around here right now to me. That is great news for our lunching too, I told Tony we had to go there everyday until he graduates! It seems like Tony is the last of my old Blaze crew, not that I don't love the new ones, just the last of that group. Oh that reminds me, Albert got a gig on The Edge, I am glad for him since the horrible crumble of demise that is The Zone now "Free FM.” Stupid “Free FM” even accidentally plays IDs from LA station-such bad talk shows.

Which brings me to Dave Pratt guest speaking to the Village kids this week. What a past blast that was. He got the CV kids asking me what happened those 6 months I spent on the air with him. wink! We had a fine conversation reminiscing about the KUPD days. Plus I was teasing him about that awful building he works in now (where the Zone was) All the crime! So afterwards, via my thank you email, he asked me to write a little something for his book he has coming out. The last chapter is everyone he ever worked with saying a few words, memories of his show. How cool! I am trying to think of the right memory to share. I remember he had mom on the air for something, can't recall what. He was saying as he was writing his book, he wished he had kept a journal. I said I did, he was surprised when I said I used to write down all the bizarre calls I got when I did nights on the Q. Then I told him I wrote a novel about being a "girl on the airwaves” He was kind of stunned, I was just saying it matter of factly. So we told each other we both wanted autographed copies of our first pressings ;) It was kind of fun listening to him speak to the CV kids because most of them had no clue who he was, having just moved to AZ. He charmed their pants off; they are talking up a storm about it on their discussion board.
Looks like TF race number 2 isn't happening for me either, bad place for me right now. I also haven't begun to edit yet, not sure why. I think I needed a break but that doesn't mean I am not eager to dig in. I have all sorts of tiny things to add and some items I am sure I want to cut. That seems to be it around here. Hunter's b-day is tomorrow, 7 already! I love that kid so much! Aunt Leah signing out~!

Compliment? - The Posies

How to make your day better at anytime or you just need a compliment?

Happy Birthday - Concrete Blonde

Today is my Danny's b-day. Poor darling woke up with such a bad sinus headache his dad told him not to come to work. I used a cake pan I got for Christmas that allows for you to put a filling inside it. Dan suggested pudding for my first try, but it allows for ice cream filling also! Last year on his b-day, we had our Blaze meeting with the President of ASU, I was so worried then! As Tony said yesterday, "see Leah, nothing ever happened!" I sure hope Dan's headache is gone. I have to work late but his mom is making him Tostadas so he is happy.

Oh that tiny domestic side of me appeared for the last two days. Gone again I believe, except I am gathering goodies to sell in the garage sale Missy and I are having. I need to part with some of my JUNK to get myself to Nova Scotia. The hotels are not yielding any cheaper results yet. I am also trying to figure out things to sell to get Missy to Nova Scotia also. I was thinking of selling all my old t-shirts on ebay but I am not sure I want to take on the task of selling on ebay right now.

I have been pondering a lot of things as of lately, nothing I can really go into but disturbing nonetheless. I just need to get at editing "Bay Window" to escape reality. If I had a running RACE CAR maybe I wouldn't be so distracted as of late. I feel like I am over the top obsessed as of late and very annoyed with somethings happening around me.

The village continues to create drama around here, all sorts of behind the scences crap this week. Still no decision on how many for next year. One got kicked out of the dorm last week, it is always something. We hired a new Production director at The Blaze last week. He is the kid who got me the Sloan autographed shirt at Coachella. He and I enjoy talking music quite often. I am just glad we figured out that issue quickly at the station. Paid for our Promo director to go to SXSW yesterday. Jon Auer is playing it along with a load of hot Canadian indie bands and The Plimsouls-weird! I should do a memories from SXSW blog sometime. I hope she has as amazing a time as we did when we went years ago!

Some random music thoughts:
The self titled Loverboy record is a full on NEW WAVE record except maybe two tracks (Turn me loose being one of them) I have not heard that record in years and the tracks come on and I have to remind myself it is Loverboy because those tracks are FAR different than the band that went on to "Working for the weekend"

I can not wrap myself around The Arcade Fire or Stars. I hear them so much on my XM Canadian channel. More ones I love include Cinderpop, Quinzy and Sleeper Set Sail. Oh and I like In Flight Safety. I have a list so long for buying records! City and Colour has been my favorite of all the new artists I have discovered from Satellite radio. Dan says it is my Dashboard style band, I agree!

I have been listening to The Edge in Toronto, they have good and bad points but overall I hae enjoyed it. They have had excellent guests most every afternoon. Still an issue with the amount of commercials compared to all the other Canadian stations I listen to. I still listen to BOB in the morning but the stuff I wade through to get to the occasional GT or HMS is grating on my nerves lately. (I DO NOT need to hear "Paradise by the dashboard light" everyday OR ever again if I have a choice!) I keep forgetting to try a new station in Edmonton that Chester told me about.

There is some rumor about Sloan playing in Vancouver in April, seems tempting unless there are a bunch of bands on it as it is some type of festival. Andrew said he had heard of the fest and that Matt has played it before but didn't know much more about it. Dan said I could go if I wanted but I hate festivals if the band is not the headliner, I want a full set if I am going to travel.

Pratt is speaking to my class today, should be interesting. Now that will be a trip down memory lane too. Hopefully I can get home at a decent time for Danny's b-day. That's about the excitement right now...pretty slim I know!

They may have lost but look at treasure of articles for me!

Like this one too:
UNDERCOVER MAN: Terry Pfeufer, wandering through the Marriott hotel wearing a Steve Largent jersey, looked like any other Seahawks fan -- but he wasn't.

He lives in Pittsburgh, born and raised, exposed to pro football during the Steelers' glory years of the 1970s.

As Pfeufer, 38, explains it, he was more interested in adopting the expansion Seahawks than climbing on the Pittsburgh bandwagon. He liked Jim Zorn and Largent, preferred the Seahawks' colors.

"My father is a big Steelers fan, a big fan of Franco Harris," Pfeufer said. "I'm happy to inform him that Franco retired from the Seahawks."

Each year, he makes a pilgrimage once or twice to Seattle to watch a game. He buys souvenirs off eBay. He owns a signed Zorn jersey, photos of Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander and former players Shawn Springs and Chad Brown, and lithographs of several Seahawks players. He has Direct TV to watch all of Seattle's games.

At his suburban Coraopolis home, he usually raises a Seahawks flag on Sunday during the season. He didn't do it this week. He's planning on putting the place up for sale, and doesn't want it damaged.

Pfeufer is in Detroit enjoying the Super Bowl festivities with a friend, but hasn't landed a ticket, and doesn't expect to.

He naturally gets ribbed in Pittsburgh about his Seahawks affiliation. He's heard a lot of insults lately.

"It's almost like being back in college, when you hear somebody say something about your girlfriend or a buddy you don't particularly care about," he said.

"It gets sensitive when you're a Seahawks fan."

Oh and I LOVE this one:



And their
kids go to college together!

Spirit of '76!

Hosted by Mark Holmes?!

I need to go home after a LONG two days! I am listening to The Edge in Toronto and they were talking about some club night at the Mod Club. The DJ said- Hosted by Mr. Mark Holmes. Could it be? Yesterday they had a member of Chalk Circle on to talk about the 20th Century Masters released. I am jaw drop that my old faves get mention on a station that plays too much Coldplay. It gets better for me! I look up Plat on google to find a nice photo for this blog. I look at this Plat site and the guy has a photo of his ticket to a show. Plat and Eye Eye Sept 18, 1986 in...HALIFAX! Yes! My research for the novel falls in my lap sometimes! (Elise mentions the only concert she has ever been to is Platinum Blonde) YES! Must go home..will try to blog again soon! Now, who wants to go to Toronto with me to see Mark Holmes host a club night? Maybe Bill Wood owns the club? and Andy Ryan will drop in for drinks?