Late Night Ramblings

It's been a while since I sat down and aimlessly rambled for a while, so tonight's your unlucky night.

First off, I'm totally tickled by the things I'm learning about everyone in the Six Random Things About Me post. Love it -- keep 'em coming!

On the other hand... I'm getting fed up with bio writers in this town. I've decided what I need to do is start pre-interviewing artists before we interview them. We cut a show today that had two things that I took from the bio that were completely wrong. Maybe I should just require the artists to read their own bios before we do a show. That way when I lead you towards telling a story, you know it. And we get our facts right.

The worst ever though, I will never forget, was Clay Walker's bio for his last album. It said Clay had written two songs on the CD, and named which two they were. I wrote an entire episode of shortcuts with phrases like "12 songs on the CD, including 2 Clay wrote" and questions about where he found certain songs. Turned out he'd written like 6 of them, and Jon had to re-write the show on the fly. (I've since learned to make sure I get complete songwriter credits before I write a show.)

Next topic: Text messages -- love 'em or hate 'em? I personally hate them most of the time. Granted... they can be useful when you're trying to find someone at a concert, or if you need to get a message to someone that you know can't take a phone call. But I think they're best as one way conversations. The whole concept of typing on a telephone is lost on me, I absolutely hate doing it. It's ok, you can say it -- Probably because I am too long winded to even try to reply in 8 words or less. And the cost is ridiculous. I don't use it enough to justify the $20 it would be for unlimited texting, so it costs me 15 cents a message (which means 30 cents if I have to text my husband! GRR!) and you don't have any sort of refusal. Before you know it, you have $8 in data charges, some of which weren't even remotely useful. Which is precisely what brought on this rant... Delaynie received several "emergency alert system" test text messages from Greenville College, which I'm pretty sure she didn't sign up for. Gah.

I've never used "Gah" before - out loud or on the computer. But my favorite blogger (ok, probably the only blog I read with any sort of regularity other than my own) uses it regularly, and it seemed to fit the occasion.

I'd tell you who my favorite blogger was, but that might lead me to tell stories about how I knew her husband back when he was dating a co-worker of ours but still married to the previous wife. Those stories aren't pretty. And since her hubby is a local media personality I'd better save those stories. His new wife -- whom, for the record, I've never met -- is a very entertaining writer though, and I love her blog.

How's THAT for rambling?

Next topic - how much I love Southwest Airlines. Even after the flight delay from HELL, which was not at all the airlines' fault... it was the evil forces that made me fly into an airport in Timbuktu. With about 3 clicks I rebooked our flights for my son's graduation today - same flight, cheaper. Love 'em!

I'll be boarding a few Southwest planes next month as I hop around Florida... details on that later. First though, I have to get through Hell Week 1.0, which long time readers recall is my affectionate phrase for Country Radio Seminar. A few of the things on the calendar:

Private Show with Mrs. Brooks
Seminar with Mr. Brooks
Guitar Pull with Taylor Swift, Jack Ingram, Jewel, etc. etc. etc.
The famous Sony Boat Show
Dinner with John Michael Montgomery
Randy Travis Private Show

And a few other competing events that I probably don't have a prayer of actually making it to. And oh yeah... those educational type seminar things during the day. OH - and the New Faces Show. And the ACM Jam with Brad Paisley! I need to get a CRS agenda.

Fun cities that showed up in my blog stats today: Paw Paw, MI; Kokomo, IN; Cut Off, LA; and Broken Arrow, OK. Who are you in Broken Arrow ? -- I see you here regularly. Would love to meet you. Someone in Cockeysville, MD found me after Googling "Amy Paige." I also had my first ever (to my knowledge) visit from Latvia. Someone looking for Washington DC Landmarks.

On the subject of Google Searches, many of them come from people who google Producer J - who apparently is a rap producer. Can't you just imagine their disgust when they get here and read stories about Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood? Today's (other) Google searches that got people here include:

What time zone am I in? (which got them here)
Jimmy Buffett Concert Tour
Carrie Underwood Love Life 2008
Loriane Crook
Kix Brooks Singing Backup

XM is looking for a few good interns -- including 2 for our shiny new Nashville offices. Apply to be my intern here. I didn't write that stuff that's up there, but the number one requirement to intern with me is that you can't germ the stars. I guess that didn't sound official enough, so they re-wrote my requirements. There is also a position for a Bluegrass intern in Nashville, and all kinds of interns in D.C. and NY. I don't even want to know what Opie & Anthony make their interns do...

Ok, I've rambled long enough. I really should be cleaning my house... I'm having a Pampered Chef party Friday night... which is really an excuse for a Mom's Night Out. Which hopefully will prepare me for the week ahead!