Writing Books

* (Cough, cough. I'm not really getting the moral support comments I was hoping for with this one. ;) )
The one area of writing I haven't tackled yet is fiction. I've written feature stories and reported news and even penned a column, but never have I written a book (or gotten one published.) It's something I've always wanted to do, and I have worked on many books for forever, without finishing any of them. I'm putting this "out there" to give myself some impetus to focus on it and move toward accomplishing it.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I find it funny that today we can't eat meat, but we can drink all the green beer we want!!! (I don't drink beer so it doesn't present me with such a conundrum - but still.)

If I do anything tonight, I'll wear my "Everyone Loves an Irish Girl" shirt, and, hopefully, the Luck O' the Irish will come along with me! : )

Cast of "Dallas, the Movie"

Here's my impressions of the cast of likely characters for the upcoming "Dallas" movie.

John Travolta as J.R. (Maybe I see it.)
Jennifer Lopez as Sue Ellen. (Say, what?)
Luke Wilson as Bobby (I get this one - I really get this one. He is sooo cute! Plus, he's one of our Texas boys and a big fan of the ATX - that's "Austin, Texas" for all you reading this in other countries.)
Catherine Zeta Jones as Pamela Ewing (Nice!)
Shirley MacLaine as Miss Ellie. (This one's all right, too.)

I guess what I'm really not getting is J-Lo as Sue Ellen. That just doesn't work for me at all. Sue Ellen had more ... is it dignity, class, sophistication? ... something. That sounds a little harsher than I mean it, but the match isn't there for me. Sue Ellen had something that J-Lo I don't think could portray.

Remarkably, the city of Dallas is being made to work very hard to get the film shot there - you'd think it would be a given. They are having people wear "Shoot J.R. in Dallas" t-shirts. Love it!

Press Tour in Matagorda

This is pretty cool news ... I am going on a press tour to Matagorda County in April.
My itinerary includes kayaking down the Colorado River; time on Matagorda Beach; tracing La Salle'’s journey and the discovery of his sunken ship "La Belle;" and hopping in an aircraft to survey some of Texas' last undeveloped coastline.
I've been to Matagorda many times for family reunions, and I'm really looking forward to this trip! My favorite part (ok - other than 1.) laying on the beach, 2.) listening to the waves at night from my condo balcony, and 3.) walking all the way out on the pier at night) is going crabbing. If you've never been crabbing, it involves chicken necks (yes, chicken necks,) string, and a great deal of concentration. It's really funny to me that I like it because I truly am "girly" when it comes to dirty, smelly things. This is one time I really enjoy just getting right in there, though!
Interesting note: Matagorda means, essentially, "Kill the fat woman." Who on Earth thinks up these names? Perhaps I'll find out.

Austin Under 40 Awards

* Here's another (remarkably similar to the others) pic that was sent to me ... The only real addition is the crowd ... and then, there's that Big, Blue Finalist ribbon! (Photo courtesy Paula Kothmann, "Downtown Planet" Arts Columnist.)

The Austin Under 40 Awards were great!
Finalist is as far as I made it - this year - and I met so many amazing people from the experience! I had a fantastic time at the Gala (and the afterparty) where I was able to meet many of the other finalists and winners and, quite frankly, the movers and shakers of Austin and even Texas.
All of the finalists are truly amazing contributors to our Austin community and beyond, and it was such a privilege to be in their company. A special thanks to the Young Men's Business League and the Young Women's Alliance for organizing the event and for improving the lives of so many individuals.

On a personal note, as I begin to round out my first 30 years, I feel like this has been the checking point that I've been seeking since turning 29. It has allowed me a tangible way to measure my career and my community service impact, and while neither are as "big" as I want them to be yet, it is nice to have a public validation of my efforts thus far and a public awareness that I believe will help compel me to move even further forward.

All in all, it has been an experience for which I am very grateful, and certainly it has reminded me how important it is for each one of us to improve what we can in the world. None of us has the ability to fix everything, but each one of us has the ability to improve what is around us, and I am glad there are so many people willing to do what they can for the betterment of others because, from that, we all benefit.

Today is the Day!

Well, it finally is here. Tonight is the night for the Austin Under 40 Awards Gala!
I am so excited that my friend Erin is flying in from San Diego for this occasion - it is going to be a blast! I still don't know what I'm going to wear, but I think it's safe to say I've cornered the "little black dress" market.
The only thing is I am starting to get a little bit nervous because it seems there are a few people who think I have a chance at winning something tonight, and I don't want to let them down. But - I stand by my statement that I am really proud just to be a finalist because I AM really proud just to be a finalist.
The AU40 people said we all need to come up with a 30-second acceptance speech just in case, but I'm just going in looking forward to meeting lots of great people and having a nice time. Anything else is just syrup on the ice cream. (OK - bad example. Those go hand-in-hand in my world.) : )

Ashes and Dinosaurs

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday so I got my ashes and, of course, didn't eat any meat. Everybody was at church so I bailed after the ashes - but, I atoned for it by walking around in public, specifically the gym and Whole Foods, with my ashes on, and I figure that was a pretty good swap.
But, speaking of meat-eating creatures ... Have you ever realized what idiots we're going to be when we grow up? I ask because it seems like everything we learned in school has since been proven false. Our kids totally are going to look at us innumerable times and go, "Duh!" Here's what prompted this thought: Dinosaurs were a big part of learning in school. From preschool up, we drew them, we colored them, we learned what they ate and how big they were, we saw their skeletons in museums. (We even watched "The Land of the Lost." Remember that show? They were always running away from all the dinosaurs.)
Anyway, one of the basic tenets of our Dino Ed was that the Tyrannosaurus Rex was the granddaddy of all carnivorous dinosaurs. So when we'd play, all the boys wanted to be the T Rex, right? And, the girls liked playing the peace-loving, herbivorous Brontosaurus, right? Well, the whole big, bad T Rex thing can be thrown right out the window because now they have found TWO other carnivorous dinosaurs bigger than the T Rex - the Giganotosaurus and the Spinosaurus - and they were some mighty scary-looking creatures. The T Rex, then, probably was the little kid who gets picked on at the playground. My, my, how things change.
Consider this our lesson for today. Next time we really need to know the biggest carnivorous dinosaur that ever existed, we can say, "Actually, it's not the Tyrannosaurus Rex. The Giganotosaurus is bigger, and the Spinosaurus is the biggest." And, then some kid will look up at us and say, "Duh!" ; )

Mardi Gras Party

Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulet!



My roommate Jennifer threw a Mardi Gras party at her boyfriend's house, and it was great fun!

She and John provided genuine Cajun food, including out-of-this-world gumbo, jambalaya (made by a Hurricane Katrina evacuee, of which, there were many present) a King Cake straight from New Orleans, and fried pickles (which, strangely enough, are good!)

I, of course, arrived in a mask so all of the "new" people never got a chance to see what I look like.

Tee hee.

Mayor's Breakfast and Men in Kilts

Friday morning at the crack of dawn (well, 7:30 a.m.) we had the Mayor's Breakfast for the Austin Under 40 Awards. (I hear I was seen in the crowd on the noon news.) It was good to meet a few of the other people in my category and the people arranging the Awards. The gala this Friday already has sold out, and I'm really looking forward to it!



Later that day, my mom came in town. My mom, Ellen, and I went to "The Black Watch and the Band of the Welsh Guards" at the Frank Erwin Center. The Black Watch is a battalion in the modern British Army, and the Band of the Welsh Guards is known for their "Changing The Guard" ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

My mom went ga-ga after all the military guys and had me take pictures with a bunch of them. The one by himself is Andy - notice his quartet of medals there. The show was cool - they played music (including bagpipes) and did some jig dancing - and of course, were wearing kilts and big furry black hats!

Afterwards, we went over to the Driskill 1886 Cafe and had a fantastic time there, too! Unfortunately, we didn't run in to any of the resident ghosts - maybe next time.

Combat Pay

I can't and won't elaborate, but ...
I swear I should get combat pay for some of these stories I get caught in the middle of.
Here I am, preferring the nice and happy feature stories, or at least the informative stories to which I feel personally attached, and I keep having to do these controversial, high-profile stories that just get everybody all riled up and ready to pounce.
I sit there in the middle, feeling compelled to mediate the situation somehow, but, of course, I can't do that so I just try to be as fair as I can to both (or more) sides, which is nearly impossible considering what I usually am given to work with.
I think I just may go in to hiding one of these days.

Bachelorette Party in Cabo

So my best friend is getting married ... and I'm her maid of honor. She has decided that she would like, instead of just a night on the town, to have her bachelorette party somewhere in Los Cabos, Mexico over the July 4 weekend. As the maid of honor, I'm in charge of organizing it, but I've never been there before so it has been kind of hard doing the whole online research thing. (Surprising, too, because I can fly to Europe for what it costs to fly there!) The trip should be lots of fun, though!
Interestingly, it seems to match my horoscope. Remember this?
Third quarter - If you go to a faraway place, you'll probably meet someone to whom you'll feel irresistibly attracted. However, it's almost certain that you'll only live a short, frivolous romance -- but a romance that will enchant you and leave you with an ineffable memory.

Second Only to Kinky

Thanks to the Armadillo Podcast for mentioning my finalist status in the Austin Under 40 Awards. The Podcast is a great place to learn all about what makes Austin so cool!

And, what do you mean you STILL haven't heard my interview?

Meet Candidly Caroline and the Oak Hill Gazette

* Last night's get-together was a lot of fun! I got to hang out with a lot of people I usually only see in a business capacity so that was nice. It went so well that we may do it again!

The Oak Hill Gazette is hosting a "Meet the Gazette" get-together Friday at 6 p.m at the Y Bar. If you've ever wanted to meet Candidly Caroline, here is your chance! There is plenty of time afterwards to head on over to your other Friday night activities so swing on by and say, "Hi!"

* * As an added bonus ... I will give a KISS to anyone who comes to meet me! * *

(P.S. I hear Queen of Sky will join us, too. She, by the way, has just released the fabulous cover to her new book!)

House District 47 Candidate Forum

Last year, there was quite a turnout for this event, and I expect it will be even larger this year.

Texas House District 47 candidates will face off in a Candidate Forum hosted by the Oak Hill Association of Neighborhoods and the Hill Country Alliance this Thursday, February 16 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Southwest Hills Community Church, just West of the Y on Highway 71.
Scheduled to participate are Eric Beverly, Valinda Bolton, Alex Castano, Terry Dill, Jason Earle, Royce LeMoine, Rich Phillips, Dick Reynolds and Bill Welch.
The first hour of the Forum is "Meet and Greet;" the last two hours are question-and-answer format, with written questions allowed from the audience. The Forum is open to the public and free.

Happy Valentine's Day!

In Honor of the Day of Love ...
Here is a present from me to you!
Happy Valentine's Day!!

And, my Dad sent me this ...
Chocolate Body Scrub
4 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 tablespoons freshly ground coffee
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Massage vigorously on to legs and then let sit for 10-15 minutes. Rinse well and follow with your favorite lotion.

Austin Under 40 Finalist

More News ... I made finalist for the Austin Under 40 Awards! Surprise!!! : )

The Awards Gala will be held Friday, March 3 at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, where they will be announcing the winner of the "Austinite of the Year" Award. Tickets can be purchased here.

The Awards, hosted by the Young Men's Business League and the Young Women's Alliance, honor Austinites under 40 who have made "substantial contributions" in their professional fields and in community service, with equal weight being given to both. Past winners include Michael Dell, Lance Armstrong, and Mayor Will Wynn, with whom the finalists will be having breakfast at City Hall later in the month.

Again, I am very honored to be a part of this group!

Happy 30th Birthday to my Dear Friend, Erin!

Here's to my dear friend Erin, who just turned 30!!
Happy, Happy Birthday!! And, kudos to her, too, for being named to the Ethics Board for her Bar Association - I know it is only the beginning of good things to come her way!

For the better part of half my life, Erin's birthday has marked the point when I begin to think about my own birthday. Starting tomorrow, I am sure this time-honored tradition will begin once again, this time as I ponder the short stretch in front of me that leads to my own marking of the 30-year milestone. But, today, is not yet tomorrow ... ;)

American Idol in Austin

American Idol finally has made it to Austin. We may be the “Live Music Capital of the World,” but are our collective voices worth noting? Are we going to look just as bad as so many other cities, or will our musical talent shine through all the wannabes and fifteen-minutes-of-famers?
That is what I was wondering going in to the broadcast, and I have to say I was rather disappointed. I mean, there were some good singers, and there were some bad singers, but the show itself wasn’t particularly interesting. I guess I thought we would stand out somehow, and I’m not sure we did that. Of course, selective cutting could be to blame, in which case we’ll find out eventually. Nonetheless, there were several things I found good, bad, just plain strange, or worthy of note for some other reason.
First of all, what was up with all the zombies “gate crashing” Idol, as Ryan Seacrest put it? If there was some sort of symbolism to be found, it didn’t catch me. I have to assume it was some kind of obscure inside joke.
I felt bad for a couple of people - one was Paula, the girl who had braces. She didn’t sing well, of course, but there wasn’t any need for Simon to make fun of her braces, especially when he could see that she idolized Paula Abdul and that this was probably a really big deal for her. Harp on the singing? Yes. The braces? I thought that was a little rough.
Then, I also felt bad for 17-year-old Tessie from Arlington, who insisted “Simon is going to love me. He is going to love me from the second I walk in.” After she sang, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” Simon was more cordial than usual, saying, “I’m going to be really nice and suggest an entirely different career.” Okay, that’s enough. She leaves.
But, then, he compares her figure to stuffing a sack of potatoes. That was plain wrong.
I also felt bad in a different way for Allison, whose plane blew a door seal on the way to Austin. She said they had to move to the front of the plane and wear oxygen masks and that she had her cell phone open, wondering who she would call if they went down - her mom or her dad. She said going through an experience like that “changes things.” I’ll say.
Unfortunately, the first time around at auditions she was so nervous that Simon said, “I had a cat once whose tail got caught in the door, and it sounded like that.” She got him back, though, in a very good way, when he suggested that she take a few minutes and then come back for another shot - this time imagining Randy in his swimming trunks. She quipped that the reason she had been so nervous is because she already was imagining Simon in his swimming trunks! Too bad she won’t be continuing on the show.
Never again will I write a sentence like this, but … The embalmer from Longview was cute and had a nice voice.
Also, Ricky from Texas A&M-Commerce, the music major, represented with “I Can’t Make You Love Me If You Don’t.” With a “Hello, Austin!” from Randy and a “The nicest sounding voice I’ve heard in the auditions so far” from Simon, he’s looking good!
R.J., the “ladies man,” I’m sure scored lots of points when he said of his flirtations waiting tables: “I like the women when I get them 30 and up, they’re drinking some wine - that’s money for you.” Uh huh.
The funniest part of the whole show was Kevin, the Randy look-alike from Longview. It really was remarkable - really! Then, there was the “fit model,” Ashley, who could sing with her mouth closed. And Cierra from Pflugerville, who seemed like a really nice girl and was very pretty. It’s probably not good, though, when Simon compares your Christmas carols to a “soundtrack to The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Silent Night, but take off the night.” Ouch. Until then … Caroline.

Lil' Sis in Town

My little sister has been in town this weekend. We've been pretty much hanging out - walking, talking, making B-Day brownies for our dad, watching the original Mr. & Mrs. Smith (quite funny and totally different from the Pitt and Jolie flick) and an awesome Grey's Anatomy. (I can't believe they are making us wait an entire week to see the ending!!! Get this - Meredith's hand is inside a man who is nearly dead - holding a bomb - and if she moves, the whole wing of the hospital will blow.)
Since my sister is the self-proclaimed fashion guru of the family, I let her clean out my closet. In the end, I had an extra 23 shirt hangers and 8 skirt hangers - I must be improving!
Otherwise, it was very relaxing. I wish I had another day before getting back to work!

Infringement on Aggie 12th Man Trademark

** I checked the Seattle newspaper this morning to see what they were saying about this whole thing. Apparently, they think the A&M Athletic Department must be in need of money and so they are encouraging their fans to mail in 12 cent donations. At first, I was offended, but then I laughed. Hey - we'll accept 60 cents for a free Coke.
You'll also find we are winning the poll below quite handily. Not that it will matter in court, where we should win anyway, but why not take it for kicks?
* I just found out that my sister-in-law works for the lawyer representing A&M in this case.
You may or may not have heard that the Seattle Seahawks are infringing on Texas A&M University's trademarked expression of the "Twelfth Man." A&M is close to pursuing legal action against them for the blatant violation.
A&M's "12th Man" tradition started in 1922 when student E. King Gill was called from the stands to suit up for the injury-plagued Aggie football team. Gill never played, but the Aggies won the game. The tradition evolved, and now all Aggie fans stand for entire games, symbolizing their willingness to join the team if called upon. When the Aggies join arms and sway in unison to the school song, they cause Kyle Field literally to shake.
Just for fun, us Aggies are sharing our opinion on a Seattle poll so they can be very clear where tens of thousands of us stand - right next to our teammates.