Feedback

Last year at this time I was dating this guy named Joseph for about 2 months. He seemed cool and we were having a great time. Then one night out of the blue he called me in the middle of the night really drunk. He was ranting about something and I told him to call me tomorrow...that I couldn't understand what he was saying...said goodbye...and hung up. Well. He called back about 20 times....both home and cell. I turned off the ringers after the first 5 calls. He left a series of nutcase voicemails. I never called him again.

Cut to yesterday. On the radio station's website, we have a button for FEEDBACK. These emails go to pretty much the whole staff...including our CEO, CFO and COO. Sweet. Joseph sends the following email.

Feedback:
Please have Enily call us, we might have a way to promote our company along witho yours in a very low cost and non-obvious situation. We would like to talk to her first, she made the pitch that stuck with us. thanks, JCB

Made a pitch that stuck with us. Blah. And notice that this GED hopeful didn't include his PHONE number in the email for me to call him back. AND he spelled my name wrong. People kept coming by and asking me what the hell that email was all about. I tell 'em "I dunno." It didn't occur to me WHO it was until I hit REPLY on his email...and his email address popped up in the TO: field. Sweet. Then once I told my boss that I know who this guy is...and explained the situation...and that I won't be replying to him...we all got a good laugh. Coo Coo Coo. I sure do know how to pick 'em. LOL!

Sofa City Sweetheart

My sister came in town yesterday from Laramie to do some wedding stuff. I took off with her about 1:30 pm from work to hit the town. We visited a party decorations store, a flower shop, Butler Rents and then went to the dress store so she could get her wedding dress measured for alterations. She bought her dress off the rack...and it fits like a glove. The only thing the seamstress has to do is hem it. She looked gorgeous. After we finished running around...we went to our parent's house for dinner. We sat around and talked about our day and what we saw. It was fun. Then Natalie looks at me with this oddly confused face...and wanted to know what happens at a Bridal Shower. HUH? I had no idea...but she has never been to one. AND ME...I have been to what seems like hundreds.

I tell her that typically a Bridal Shower is like this:

• It's a Brunch usually with baby quiches, hash browns, fruit, bloody marys and mimosas (but that she didn't have to do it that way).

• She gets a ton of great gifts.

• Everyone will want her to tell them about Danny and how they got engaged and will want to look at her ring about 20 times.

• They will want to hear about the wedding plans.

• That you make a bouquet out of the ribbons on the gifts for her to carry down the isle at the rehearsal.

• That ladies (for the record....I won't) will squeal with delight when she breaks a ribbon opening gifts due to the wife's tale that every broken ribbon represents the number of babies she will have.

• The ladies play Bridal Shower games....and then I make a comment that I would rather put something HOT and SHARP in my eye than play Bridal Shower games. Her eyes got big...and she said, "Oh yea, I don't want games at my shower, they're dumb."

My mom's face was crushed. I realized that I needed to fix this. Just because I am sick of playing Wedding Trivia or making toilet paper wedding gowns...or some other horrible game... doesn't mean that Natalie shouldn't do that. I felt really bad when I got home. So bad actually that I couldn't sleep. I finally dragged my tired ass out to the couch to sleep at 4 am...hoping that a change of environment would trick my mind into forgetting my insensitive statement...and I would fall asleep. It didn't work.

I called my mom first thing this morning and told her that I felt bad for saying that...and I don't want Natalie to miss out on part of her Bridal Shower experience because I poo poo'ed it. I called my sister a few hours later (so she could sleep in) and told her voicemail that it is her and Danny's wedding....and that I felt bad for telling her that Bridal Shower games suck so bad. She should have games. If she wanted to. She should have all of the traditional stuff....IF SHE WANTS THAT. And I told her how utterly gorgeous she looked in her wedding dress.

Don't spoon me!

I went to a thing for work called Ascertainments. Basically every TV and radio company sends 2 reps to hear different Community Leaders speak about their concerns and ways the media can help them raise money for their non-profit and what-not. The media is listening to the public for a change. Anyway. There was this one women who is highly educated and quite the society chick. She is on the Board of Directors for too many organizations to list. She was there to talk about Dental health and the challenge of the un/under insured public. She started talking about this disease called Caries Disease. She said it was a Strep mutation. Ehw. This Caries Disease is a virus and causes horrible tooth decay and Periodontal Disease later in life. The most disgusting part is how this disease is transmitted. She said that it's transmitted from the child's mother or caregiver (if they have have Caries Disease) by eating off of the kids plate or licking the kid's spoon and putting it back in the kid's mouth. EWH! She said that it is super common too. Yuck. Most kids are infected between the ages of 3 months and 24 months. I looked on line to find some research supporting her claim. I wasn't having much luck (or patience). So I CALLED the lady who spoke yesterday.... (yes, I did)...and asked her for some research and more information that I could read. She gave me a ton of names of Dentists and people at the Center for Public Health to call. I didn't call them....I know she is telling the truth. After I hung up.... part of me wanted to call her back and tell her that I don't have Caries Disease or Periodontal Disease...I am just curious....I don't have even ONE cavity. But I figured she would think that I am certifiably crazzzzzzy. If there is one lesson to learn here.... don't lick your kid's spoon. Even if the baby food is ubber delish. Ha.

Weekend

I had a good weekend.

Friday night, I went to a "reconciliation party" for my cousin Chris and his ex-wife Caroline. They got a divorce last year...but have decided to get back together....thus the "reconciliation party". That was what they called it.... not me. Anyway. They have a 3 year old daughter....so I am happy that they are trying to work things out. There was an odd minute where they both thought it was funny to tell the whole party what they did with their wedding rings after they broke up. Chris apparently threw his in the Platte river. And Caroline took the diamond out and sold it. They were both laughing hysterically at their stories....and I caught myself starring at them with my brow furrowed. Humpf. Surprisingly the party was fun. I was the only single girl in a house full of single cops...so that was fun. I felt like the belle of the ball.

Saturday, I ran a bunch of errands and dropped a small fortune at Bed, Bath and Beyond. I shouldn't go in there with extra cash in my pocket. Saturday night, Briana and I went to Rio for dinner and then out dancing at Club Rise. It was her birthday so we did what she wanted.... because I HATE going to clubs. But actually it was a good time and it felt good to dance.

I went on a date with Jim (new guy) today. He is a great guy. I am a smitten kitten. We went to an English Pub and watched basketball. Good times. I could see my self dating him. We'll see huh?

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

Last week, I got an out-of-the-blue phone call from a guy who I used to work with years ago. He said he wanted to go grab a drink. We scheduled drinks for last night. I was thinking that he was gonna offer me a job (that I wouldn't take) so I went anyway to hear him out. I get there...and right away I realize...he thinks this is a date. He's in his early 50's, kinda attractive...but not really....but very very very rich. Yes, he's a millionaire. He is an investment banker. He starts telling me about his new house in Aspen....his loft in LoDo. I gag. He asks me if I had heard that he's separated. He tells me that he is dying to have more kids (he has a college aged daughter and a son who is 16...one from each of his previous marriages). He tells me that he is looking for a woman to pamper. He starts throwing out dollar amounts on his recent business deals (yes, in the millions). I gag. He tells me how pretty I am. He tells me that even when he was married he was attracted to me. I gag. I notice that our Mayor is at the table next to us... he gets up and interrupts the Mayor's dinner to shake his hand because as he claims they are "friends". I gag. I slip a little white lie into the conversation and I tell him that I am seeing someone. He keeps ordering more bottles of wine. I finally...after about 2 1/2 hours of weirdness tell him that I need to go home. He then throws on the table about 3 other options of things for us to do next. As politely as possible explain that I really want to go home. I guess if I wanted to be wife #3 to a millionaire...I may have been able to close that deal. I guess I don't want to be a millionaire THAT bad.

Wrong Lyrics Part Deux

I am notorious for singing the wrong words to songs.... sad.

Here's one that I just figured out that I have been singing wrong for years. The song "Ebony and Ivory." I thought the line was "Side by side on my piano, heave-ho, oh lord, why can't weeeee?" OK.... as you are laughing your ass off at the heave-ho part....the real words are...."Side by side on my piano, KEYBOARD, oh lord, why can't weeee?" I am cracking up and shaking my head right now. Ha.

Shallow Talent Pool

I normally won't talk about work...but I am gonna blog about the "radio industry" as a whole...not my stations.

I am so sick of hearing about radio stations who keep putting on non-radio people to host big radio shows. And when their ratings suck...they don't know why. When Howard Stern left terrestrial radio to go to Sirius Satellite Radio...he left a huge hole for the geniuses at CBS Radio to fill. So who did they put on-the-air to cover several of his markets? David Lee Roth. Wha? Just because his songs were once played on the radio with regularity...doesn't mean he can be a good jock. I am telling you...it is NOT easy. So many people think "hell I can do that." Ahem....I would bet a pay check that 99.9% of you can't just walk up to a mic and do a GOOD show. It takes talent AND practice. You wanna know who the other person CBS put on to "replace" Stern? Rover. Never heard of him? Right. The sad thing is he was a NIGHT jock on The Peak right here in Colorado about 4 years ago. For those of you who don't know.... a NIGHT jock is the worst shift...and usually only make about $10 an hour. Hoorah for Rover right? Wrong. Both David Lee Roth and Rover are stinking up the airwaves...just as much as we thought they would. And...Howard Stern.... is laughing all the way to the bank. CBS Radio has filed one of the most frivolous radio law suits I have ever heard of against Howard Stern. I could go off about that....later....another post. Anyway....back to the shallow radio talent pool.

Danny Bonaduce (yes the dork from The Partridge Family) got another - yes another - huge radio gig. I can't believe it. He stunk up the airwaves for years with another bad Colorado jock.... Jamie White on the syndicated "KISS" stations out of L.A. What's his new gig? Mr. Bonaduce was announced as the replacement for Adam Carolla on the show "Love Line." WHA? DANNY BONADUCE will be giving people ADVICE on their lives and love lives? Phhhlease. His show should be called "Do What I Say, Not What I Do" not "Love Line." Plus not to mention Danny's voice is worse than fingernails on a chalkboard. His voice makes me want to push pencils in my ears. Ha.

So, why has our radio talent pool gotten so shallow that we can't find good radio talent to put on the air? Well well well. We are a victim of our own plan. Radio companies have gotten so cheap that instead of paying some schmuck $10 an hour to work a weekend shift or an over-night shift...they either syndicate some idiot from another market or have their full-time day jocks "voice track" night and weekend shows. Plus, there is a whole new string of radio formats all over the nation that are designed to run without jocks. Not having to pay ANY jocks? It's virtual crack for the cheap radio companies.... cutting those salaries will save 100's of thousands of dollar PER station. So...that means that there are even fewer gigs for jocks to learn and get better to someday be talented enough to work at our big market stations.

People have asked me for years if terrestrial radio will survive with all of the new competition from satellite radio and iPods. My answer has always been, "radio will react to the competition the same way that network television reacted did when cable tv came around. Network television got better. They starting pumping money into marketing, research and better shows. They started hiring big time stars and talent to star on their shows. Network TV got BETTER to compete...and so will we." Well...if terrestrial radio keeps cutting off their own legs.... to save a buck...we won't have a chance to GET better....and we will lose.

Thank God I am a good waitress.

Dog Sitting

I am dog sitting at my parent's house. This is the house that I grew up in....well...from 6 grade up. I went in and stood in my old room...which doesn't look like my room anymore because the SECOND I sent to college Natalie moved in and had new carpet and paint done.

They have 2 Grandfather clocks that are set to chime every 15 minutes with a single BONG....and the real treat is at the top of the hour....one BONG for every hour. One clock goes...then seconds later....the second clock goes.

I didn't sleep very well last night. Plus I got up in the middle of the night and looked outside and it was snowing...so I am thinking that this storm that has been predicted as up to a foot of snow...was making an early appearance...and I didn't leave enough food out for my cat....which made me worry...and wonder if I should get up right then and drive home to get her more food.

Making a meal there is like cooking in the grocery store. They have every spice, every possible meal combination, everything. It took me 45 minutes to decided what side dish I would have last night. Ha.

The dogs are on a very tight schedule so around 9 pm they both started looking at me like...it's time for bed....come on. The Jack Russell Terrier even brought his "baby" out of his bed and laid it on my lap...To tell me it was sleepy time. Ha.

Right now...I am at my house for an hour or so to feed my kitty and play with her for a while. She is sitting next to me. Ahhhh. I wonder if this storm will be as big as they think. I looks like it's gonna snow.

Oh yea....so the tabloids are starting to pick up on the Britney baby story...that she may be pregnant again. I posted that on March 8th. Ashley's friend who is an agent in Hollywood told her....and he hasn't been wrong yet. Gawd...I hope he's wrong on this one.

This will be a long one....

This 1/2 Irish girl's St. Patrick's Day was just another day...nuttin' too special. I missed my favorite holiday meal at my parent's house.... Corned Beef and Cabbage... because I was sick last weekend and didn't want to give my cold to my grandparents or parents (who left today for a 10-day Caribbean cruise). Yesterday we had the beer and pizza party at work I put together to meet my new staff members...but after that...I went home. My co-workers all went to some Irish pub...but the thought of being around a ton of really drunk people just wasn't sounding fun to me. Plus, if I was to go out and have more than a couple beers...I would want to take a cab home...and it's nearly impossible to get a cab on any of the amateur night holidays.

Cut to about 6 hours later. I am sitting on the couch watching "Just Like Heaven" drinking a glass of wine. My very drunk brother calls and begs me to come pick him up. He's been at some Irish bar called "Patricks" in Aurora for hours and can't get a cab to come home. I tell him that I have had a couple glasses of wine...and I can't risk going out and getting BOTH of us killed. I beg and beg him to just sit there and wait for the cab...to not get frustrated and drive. I start to really worry and get a sick feeling in my stomach. I know Bob...and his level of patience is worse than mine. About an hour later (after pacing my living room being mad at myself for having that 3rd glass of wine) I call my brother. He is in a cab with friends and will sleep at one of their house's tonight. Whew.

So back to the movie "Just Like Heaven" starring Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo. Cute movie. I have to admit....many parts of the movie felt autobiographical....like they were talking about MY life. Parts of it upset me. Parts of me made me laugh. Parts of it made me cry. Pretty much my recipe for a good movie.

So back to my parent's 10-day cruise. They left this morning. I am house sitting this weekend. A girl from my mom's work will be there all week. And my brother will take next weekend into the beginning of next week. This is my parent's anniversary cruise...and they so deserve it. They have planned all sorts of excursions. They will go horseback riding. Deep sea fishing. One-day boat tour. Which I said to my dad...."you two signed up for a booze-cruise?" He kinda acted shocked..."well they will have booze on the boat." And I laughed, "You guys will be on a booze-cruise...fun!" Good for them....I hope they have a wonderful time.

I am still in first place in the NCAA Basketball pool. Hee hee. I guess 1st place gets around $100. Sweet.

Me and my Dad's softball season starts up in 2 weeks. We will have practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 pm - 7 pm. And games on Fridays. We have a team of 15 little 7 or 8 year old girls. Cherill's niece is on our team. My dad requested her...and we got her. YAY! Should be interesting....or a free advertisement for birth control. Ha.

I have been dieting trying to drop a few pounds for Natalie's wedding. If I am gonna be the single sister who is 9 years older than the bride....I want to look hot. I have added another day of cardo to my workout schedule. So I on Monday: I do Spinning at lunch and Yoga Sculpt (yoga with weights) after work. Wednesdays: I do Power Yoga. Thursdays: I do another Spinning class. I have been eating more veggies. Less cheese and bread. And cutting out most alcohol. Forget that I mentioned the 3 glasses of wine from last night. Ha. Anyway...I have not lost one pound. Not one. I have noticed a change in my muscles...and I look better...but not one pound. I think I am gonna hire a personal trainer.

Natalie's wedding. Here's the latest. She picked out her wedding gown in 40 minutes. She bought one off the rack for $400...down from $1,500. She knew what she wanted in her head....found it...it fit except for the length...she bought it. She picked her wedding site...Hudson Gardens. She picked her reception site...my grandparent's clubhouse. And booked and paid for both in 2 hours. She is a woman with a vision. She makes decisions...and I don't see a hint of worry in her eyes. Now. On to what she wants to have at the reception. My parents gave her a chunk of change and told her it was her money to do with as she chooses. She has been refusing to have food at the reception. Her ceremony is at 4 pm...she has to have something there to eat in my opinion. I am not saying Steak and Lobster....just something. A heavy appetizer buffet might work. I have been pricing out food for her just to give her an idea. My dad has been the silent partner in this business agreement this whole time. Last Saturday....he snapped. He called me...and the conversation went something like this.

Dad: "Hi Em, I have been thinking about Natalie's wedding. I think she needs to feed these people."

Me: "I agree Dad, but Natalie doesn't feel that she needs to feed people. She has told me she doesn't want to spend more than $1,000 for food, cake and booze. Now you and I both know she's nuts...but this is what she wants."

Dad: "Well, I have an idea. Since the wedding is in June, what about a luau/Hawaiian theme for the reception? We could have Frank's BBQ cater it. I spoke to Frank (my dad is a regular) and Frank said that he would cater it for $14.95 per person." (Insert here...my dad listing out every menu item. It's a ton of food.)

Me: "Dad, that sounds like a great idea....as long as I don't see a pig with an apple in it's mouth on a stick over a fire pit or cheesy Hawaiian decorations...you have my approval. But Dad...with Natalie's 100 guests, before drinks, tip and tax...that is $1,500....you know she doesn't want to spend that."

Dad: (Now he is starting to lose his patience) "I know she doesn't. She doesn't get it. She planned a late afternoon wedding....we have to give these people a meal. (Patience lost) I WON'T LOOK CHEAP. I REFUSE TO LOOK CHEAP....LIKE I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO GIVE MY DAUGHTER A PROPER WEDDING. (I am trying to cut-in and tell him that no one will think he's cheap) I WILL JUST PAY FOR THE FUCKING RECEPTION. I WILL JUST HAVE HER GIVE ME $1,000 BACK OF MY MONEY...AND I WILL PAY THE REST. I REFUSE TO LOOK CHEAP."

Me: "Dad, sounds great. This will make the decorations easier. I really want to be a part of the decorations to make sure it's classy....not cheesy. There will be no paper pineapples or palm trees. And Dad, promise me that there won't be a pig on a stick over a fire pit...and you have my blessing."

Dad: "Fine, I am gonna call your sister now."

Me: "So Dad, do you think that Natalie knew all along that if she refused to feed people...that you would...and that you would pay for it?"

Dad: "Yea." He laughs.

Natalie agreed to my Dad's idea.

Pretty Good Day

I am having a pretty good day...as far as work days go.

Today is the first day of NCAA March Madness College Basketball Finals and I entered the office pool to pick the winners of each game. Only about 15 people entered...so the money pot isn't that big...but still. I am in first place after 4 games...and picked a huge upset (Wisconsin-Milwaukee over Oklahoma) that has allowed me to strut around the office and gloat. FUN! I don't know jack-shit about college basketball...in fact many of my picks were based on a tried and true system that back in the day...Becca was famous for using when picking teams in our company football pools. Becca would win all of the time...and it was really entertaining. Her system? It's simple really....she would pick the team from the city that she would prefer to go shopping in. Chicago over Pittsburgh or New York over Ohio every day of the week. It's easy. The fact that I am wining really really pisses off the guys in the office. Victory! I don't think I will tell them I am using Becca's genius system. Hahaha!

I got a free copy of the new Dave Matthews Band double CD and DVD of "Weekend on the Rocks". I was at the Sept. 12th show at Red Rocks. I sometimes hear the crowd...and think...that could be me cheering. Can't wait to watch the DVD. Wee!

I am having a good hair day.

I am cranking out tons of work.... most of the projects have been annoying ones that I have been just kind of pushing around on my desk for another day.

I had a meeting with some guy who told me that his mom is Gabby Gourmet...anyway totally off the subject.... he was presenting his eMarketing product to me and tried to talk to me in the "oh-cute girl-must-not-really-know-shit-about-marketing" way...and I showed HIM. I started asking him questions that he didn't think I would ask and caught him off guard. He said, "he would have to check." HA! How about using the "Cute-girl-AND-smart-knows-her-shit" tone from now on mister? Hee hee.

Tonight is my favorite night of TV.

Tomorrow.... I organized an Office Party to introduce the new members of my team to the whole staff. I have 19 employees who work on my team. I will order pizza...and my boss asked me to bring beer. Free beer and pizza...my favorite. :) AND....it's St. Patrick's Day. YAY! I won't be going out on the town though....it's amateur's night.

May I take your order?

Ok... a friend of mine ran across this blog written by a man who went to a steakhouse/restaurant in China with his wife. The menu....well...the menu was "loosely" translated into English. Click HERE.

My order would be as follows: "Hi, I would like to start off with an order of Cowboy Leg. For my meal I would like the Big Bowl Flavor Vegetables Pig Living Bowel with the Rurality Salad. To drink, I would like the Egg Honey Wixt Juioe. And for dessert, the Double Boiled Forest Frog." Gawd.... not only is it Double Boiled FROG....it's Double Boiled FOREST Frog. Ewhhh.

My first band interview

Today, about an hour ago, I did a phone interview (my first band interview) with Vince Clarke of Erasure. Some of Erasure's radio hits are "Oh L'amour" "Chains of Love" and "Drama". He was also the founder of YAZ and Depeche Mode. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Erasure, YAZ and Depeche Mode...so the thought of getting to chat with him on the phone was exhilarating. I did all sorts of prep work and research on him and his career. I didn't sleep a wink last night. So you're thinking.... well...how did it go? The interview went really well...he was charming...a sport when I asked him to record some liners promoting their concert.... it was great. Here's the kicker...I shook like a leaf the whole time. That's not like me. I mean...SHOOK. I listened back to the interview...and you couldn't hear it in my voice at all.... but STILL. Thank God it wasn't a face to face interview! HA! My favorite line of questions were... when I asked him about his view on American Idol and if that show was producing hit makers or hype. He said that it's not a true test of an artist unless they are performing their own work. Doing covers just shows that they can sing someone else song. I asked him if the producers of American Idol called him and asked him for permission to use one of his songs...would he let them. He said yes, that it's an honor to have someone cover your work.

Overall it was fun. I learned a lot. I am running more questions that I could have asked him over and over in my head. At least I did it. Weee!

Uncle Buck

I was talking on the phone to my aunt Diana last night and she told me that our Uncle Buck had past away. Uncle Buck was my Grandpa A's sister Doris' husband. We didn't see that side of the family much, except for some weddings and funerals....and once in a great while...a big family reunion. I remember that Uncle Buck was a gentle soul with a big toothy grin. One of his grandchildren (what does that make her relation to me.... 2nd cousin?) anyway is a girl named Lori Polland. If you grew up here...you probably remember the story of the beautiful blonde little 3 year old girl who was kidnapped and put by her kidnapper in the porta-potty in the mountains. She and her brother were playing in their front yard, a man offered her candy, she walked up to the car and he grabbed her. Little Lori was knee-deep in the muck for nearly 4 days. She was found alive and ok. I remember that when she was found she asked the man if he had the KOOLAID she had been asking for. Heartbreaking. My parents never let us forget that story and we spoke about strangers and the dangers of people we don't know probably every day. I found this story on her on the internet.

Years later, I was at work, and I get a random call at the radio station. A girl's voice says, "Hi, I am Lori Polland and I am a camp counselor at a summer camp for kids who have been through a traumatic event," I interrupt her and tell her that we are distantly related and she really wanted to come by the radio station and meet me. She was calling to get donations for her campers...so I put together a box of station goodies and looked forward to meeting her. She is a gorgeous girl and sweet as pie. We haven't been in touch since...but hearing that Uncle Buck had died made me remember a little girl who had a very bad thing happen to her...who choose to make a difference in other's lives...and she is quite an inspiration.

She's Pregnant Y'all

OH GAWD! I just heard that Britney Spears is pregnant AGAIN. AGAIN! It's been said before...but I need to say it again....you can take the girl out of the trailer park...but you can't take the trailer park out of the girl.

5th place

I got 5th place in the pool.....and won a $75 gift certificate to my favorite restaurant. YAY!

Oscar Winners vs. my picks

Here are the winners vs. my picks:
Best Picture - "Brokeback Mountain"... Winner: Crash
Best Leading Actor - Philip Seymour Hoffman "Capote"... Winner!!!!
Best Supporting Actor - Paul Giamatti "Cinderella Man" Winner: George Clooney
Best Leading Actress - Reese Witherspoon... "Walk the Line"...Winner!!!!
Best Supporting Actress - Rachel Weisz "The Constant Gardener"...Winner!!!!
Best Animated Feature - "Wallace & Gromit"...Winner!!!!
Best Art Direction - "Memoirs of a Geisha"...Winner!!!!
Best Cinematography - "Brokeback Mountain"...Winner: Memoirs of a Geisha
Best Costume Design - "Memoirs of a Geisha"....Winner!!!!
Best Director - Ang Lee "Brokeback Mountain"....Winner!!!!
Best Documentary Feature - "March of the Penguins"....Winner!!!!
Best Documentary Short Subject - "God Sleeps in Rwanda"...Winner: A Note Of Triumph
Best Film Editing - "Crash" ....Winner!!!!
Best Foreign Film - "Paradise Now" Palestine...Winner: Tsotsi
Best Make-Up - "The Chronicles of Narnia"....Winner!!!!
Best Original Score - "Brokeback Mountain"....Winner!!!!
Best Original Song - "Travelin' Thru" from "Transamerica" by Dolly Parton....Winner: It's Hard Out Here For a Pimp
Best Animated Short Film - "One Man Band"...Winner: The Moon & The Son
Best Live Action Short Film - "Our Time Is Up"....Winner: Six Shooter
Best Sound Editing - "King Kong"...Winner!!!!
Best Sound Mixing - Walk the Line"...Winner: King Kong
Best Visual Effects - "War of the Worlds"...Winner: King Kong
Best Adapted Screenplay - "Brokeback Mountain"...Winner!!!!
Best Original Screenplay - "Crash"...Winner!!!!
I got 14 right.... I got 13 right last year and got 3 place in my big contest... fingers crossed.

My Oscar Picks 2006

Here are my Oscar picks for 2006. Can't wait for Sunday!

Best Picture - "Brokeback Mountain"

Best Leading Actor - Philip Seymour Hoffman "Capote"

Best Supporting Actor - Paul Giamatti "Cinderella Man"

Best Leading Actress - Reese Witherspoon "Walk the Line"

Best Supporting Actress - Rachel Weisz "The Constant Gardener"

Best Animated Feature - "Wallace & Gromit"

Best Art Direction - "Memoirs of a Geisha"

Best Cinematography - "Brokeback Mountain"

Best Costume Design - "Memoirs of a Geisha"

Best Director - Ang Lee "Brokeback Mountain"

Best Documentary Feature - "March of the Penguins"

Best Documentary Short Subject - "God Sleeps in Rwanda"

Best Film Editing - "Crash"

Best Foreign Film - "Paradise Now" Palestine

Best Make-Up - "The Chronicles of Narnia"

Best Original Score - "Brokeback Mountain"

Best Original Song - "Travelin' Thru" from "Transamerica" by Dolly Parton

Best Animated Short Film - "One Man Band"

Best Live Action Short Film - "Our Time Is Up"

Best Sound Editing - "King Kong"

Best Sound Mixing - Walk the Line"

Best Visual Effects - "War of the Worlds"

Best Adapted Screenplay - "Brokeback Mountain"

Best Original Screenplay - "Crash"

..... agree with me....don't agree with me.... steal my picks for your own.... I will post results....

Ruckus

There is always a ruckus by my office. Especially when it's warm outside like today.

If it's not the guy dressed as Abe Lincoln hollering about our government.

Or the cute old guy who plays Big Band songs on his clarinet and stomping his foot... all the while selling blow-pop suckers for 25 cents each.

Or the robot guy.... oh man...the human robot guy...this guy wears a silver outfit from head to toe and even paints his face silver...and walks like a robot... up and down the street. Oh and did I mention he's a mime? I tried to talk to him once. No words...but he did a poor mime routine. I always picture him having some executive high-powered job...and he does this as his secret double life. Ha.

Or the guy with is 3 kids handing out religious pamphlets and preaching while the kids wave signs that read "Jesus Saves"....DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.

Or the group of protesters who picket in front of a different building everyday....it's the same 15 people.... they are hired picketers I guess. And one of 'em has a bull-horn and shouts "What do we want?" and the picketers shout "Justice". And then the bull-horn guy says, "When do we want it?" and the picketers shout, "Now!" Over and over again.

Or it's the 500 ankle-bitters outside the Old Spaghetti Factory who have just carb-loaded and sugar-loaded for the past hour and are just thrilled to be out of school....so they shout every word.

Or it's the mall-rats on the mall begging for your change or your lunch left-overs.

Or the shoe-shine guy shouting at people telling them that their shoes need a good shine. One time he told me that I needed a shoe shine...I was wearing canvas tennis shoes. Humpf.

Or the girl who doesn't seem to notice or care that she is shouting on her cell phone on a crowded Shuttle Bus.

Or the guy who shouts nonsense while waving a sign that reads "Abortion causes Breast Cancer".

Or the skateboarders who use buildings and skateparks...and don't even notice the people walking by.

Gotta LOVE working downtown....never a dull moment.