My guest room is open again. We've had more people come stay with us in the 5 months we've lived here than we had the previous 5 years at our old house. And I love it!
So over the past few days, Ashley, my very first intern, came to town, job hunting. She put out a TON of resumes while she was here, had 3 interviews, and has one very good possibility. So we shall see how it works out. I think she may be back next week.
What I really SHOULD have had her do while she was here though, was guest blog. Because our running joke while she was here was teasing my almost-eleven-year-old about how very cute we thought Chuck Wicks was, and how crazy she was for not seeing it. Clearly I need to work on her taste in men. Dark hair, dark eyes, cowboy boots, and a little bit of scruff... Chuck falls squarely into my Troy Gentry mold of men.
Chuck, if you're not familiar, sings the song "Stealing Cinderella," which was inspired by his real-life girlfriend, who worked as Cinderella at Disney World. However, if Ashley HAD blogged for me, I'm sure she'd have left out the part about how Prince Charming was shamelessly flirting with her. I can testify to that because I was right there in the room as it was happening. Although Chuck didn't seem to notice my existence after I introduced him to Ashley.
In case you were wondering, Chuck
(why didn't they give him a stage name?) is every bit the hottie in person as he appears on the pages of
Country Weekly. He sounds good live too -- check him out on the Brad Paisley tour, which kicks off tonight in Denver. He literally left our studio to go to the airport to fly out there.
Our studio time backed up to Rascal Flatts being in studio, and the guys all seemed to know Chuck - probably because they share producers. It was kind of nice to see these mega stars taking the time to talk to the new kid - and his musicians. He probably left there, called Cinderella and told her all about it. Probably didn't mention Ashley.
Come to think of it, the Flatts boys didn't seem to notice I was in the room either. That's me... Mrs. Invisible.
Which brings us to Mrs. Flatts. My life has completely changed since Christmas, when I received the gift of TiVo. I'm forcing myself to watch tv now - backseat producing the whole way, of course.
CMT Insider - which I hadn't seen in... MONTHS... has these weird disjointed segments where suddenly someone besides Katie Cook is hosting. Now Katie doesn't seem to ever "toss" to these guys, so I'm thinking she might not even know that they're there. However, they are. A guy, and a girl, and the girl happens to be a Mrs. Flatts -- Allison DeMarcus.
Mrs. DeM was very good on camera, and even filled in for Katie on one episode. And I firmly believe she should be judged on her merits... not by who her husband is. HOWEVER... this week (when she filled in for Katie) there were a couple of RF stories that she did, including one where she referenced talking to Joe Don's wife about the baby ("Tiffany told me... "). It just seemed a little odd that she didn't fess up to her connection to the trio.
I have also decided that Storme Warren has the best job on the planet. Every time I see him on TV he's somewhere exotic. Ok, exotic might not be the best word for it. Most of it's exotic -- cruise ships, Caribbean islands, Colorado mountains. But then, he went to Iraq. Not exactly exotic. I've long since thought Storme was the coolest person on TV... he might just be the coolest person in America. I'm so excited to hear about his trip.
Since the work day is over, I now count it as EIGHT more days until I move out of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Not that I'm counting. I keep expecting that I'm going to get a little sad about it. I've worked in that building for over 6 1/2 years - longer than the majority of their staff! Tomorrow I'm planning to spend the day packing.
Well, most of the day. I HAD planned to spend the day packing until JoAnn reminded me that tomorrow was Crook & Chase taping day. Which means I can't wear the sweats I was planning to wear into the studio. Or if I do, I need to bring a change of clothes. I'm really excited that they're back on TV again, but I really wish it was on a station that more than 10 people get in their homes. RFD? Really? I'm hoping this is a "launching" pad to bigger and better things. I don't really know Charlie other than to say Hello, but I love Lorianne. Last time I saw her was that the Keith Urban post-show party.
Sitting here just now, it occurred to me that I've never met Lorianne's husband. I need to pass along a "thank you" through her to him for all those years of Statler Brothers TV shows - and other great country music programming that Jim Owens has given us through the years. When I moved to Nashville wanting to be Jon Small, (who I saw in the parking lot of Cummins Station yesterday and was too shy to say hello) the game plan was that I would work for Jim Owens. Funny how clueless I was.
And that brings me to my final rambling for the night (told ya that you wouldn't be able to shut me up!) A 7 season streak has come to an end. Up to this point, my only exposure to American Idol (other than working with Carrie Underwood & Kellie Pickler) has been watching a few minutes of the auditions they did in Nashville a couple years back, and watching the last 10 minutes of the show that Carrie won. (That would be a funny column to go back and dig up!)
The other day, the 'tween in my house says to me on the way to school "Do you think we should watch American Idol this year?"
Me: No.
You see, Delaynie doesn't get to watch TV on a school night. She's not missing anything, because everything she watches airs on the Disney channel, which repeats things ad nauseum all weekend long. Between that and Animal Planet, she's good. As it is I'm forcing myself to make the time to sit down and watch TV shows that I like... I sure don't want to add something I could care less about to the mix, just because every other human being in America is doing it.
Ha!
So Tuesday night, while Ashley, the unemployed reality show junkie is here... we turn it on. Before long... Miss D. has parked herself in front of the TV. (Not for long, mind you!) It's like a train wreck you can't stop watching. It was very interesting to me from the perspective of figuring out how on earth they put that show together. However, it was an hour and a half of my life I can't ever get back.
And the first thing Delaynie said to me tonight when I picked her up was "no homework tonight, can we watch American Idol after choir practice?"
Me: No
Ha Again!
Professional Model Not Included
Introducing Billy Gilman to Brenda Lee at the time he was breaking her records as the "youngest ever to....." Running out of microphones when we had The Oak Ridge Boys and The Bellamy Brothers in studio. Together. The repeat visitors each year at Fan Fair. The HOF's Executive Director drinking a beer with Willie Nelson in our studio. Kitty Wells signing my ID badge. Sending postcards to friends & family because they showed our booth. Having Loretta Lynn repeat liners after me, because I'd typed them too small for her to see. Willie two stepping with one of our DJ's, wearing my husband's cowboy hat. Trick Pony running through the gift shop trying to find Janie Fricke. Getting the phone call that Buck Owens was going to come by after all. Big & Rich being too hung over to perform. Tanya Tucker and her TV cameras. Ray Price. Kenny Rogers. Jessi Colter. Randy Owen. 
Walking into THIS beautiful building, and being 'jest so proud to be here.'
The day includes Red Carpet Arrivals at our house, and a time for the family chauffer to pick their child up at the theater. 
What I **really** need for my wall is a Hatch Show Print from Charlie's Opry Induction, as seen in the photo below. I bet they sell those at the Opry Gift Shop.
In case you were wondering, Chuck (why didn't they give him a stage name?) is every bit the hottie in person as he appears on the pages of Country Weekly. He sounds good live too -- check him out on the Brad Paisley tour, which kicks off tonight in Denver. He literally left our studio to go to the airport to fly out there.
