Sarasota’s No Stones Zone

Todd Ruger reports in today’s Sarasota Herald Tribune that “city leaders have not yet decided how to get to the bottom of the mishandled investigation of an officer seen kicking a handcuffed man on video.”

What, precisely, is there to get to the bottom of when it comes to Abbott? There’s nothing to get to the bottom of. Abbott’s admitted his wrongdoing. Am I missing something?

Hello? Here’s MC’s advice on getting to the bottom of things when it comes to Abbott:

Fire the Police Chief who greenlighted the attempted bribe, (more…)

The perfect relationship

Last year, a really nice man I had met at a holiday party invited me out for a drink. I met him, we chatted; we parted after an hour. He called me the next week to invite me for dinner and I had a choice: tell one of those oxymoronic “white lies” or tell him the truth. (more…)

Last night … Socrates and Sex steamed up the Sarasota News & Books!

Here are my notes from last night’s talk at Sarasota News & Books … I also spoke extemporaneously a bit about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan … but the text below is the gist of what was discussed. (more…)

Socrates, sex, and the SRQ

Tonight, at 7:00 pm, I’ll be at Sarasota News & Books — one-half of a two-author presentation. The woman going on before me is Theresa Rose, who, if I were a betting woman, I’d say she’s going to be talking about sex!

And that’s a good thing. ‘Cause immediately following her, I’m going to bore the pants off of anyone who still has theirs on after her probably smokin’ reading — by talking about, of all things, Socrates. Yup. That’s right.

Let me grab my Socratic thinking cap!

We’ll both talk for about 10-15 minutes, followed by a wide open Q&A session with the audience — no question too stupid, too smart, or too sexy for this duo.

We’ll both be signing copies of our books, as well, for anyone smart enough to buy them! 😉

So, c’mon down to Sarasota News & Books tonight and let me light a fire in the nether regions of your mind … I’ll leave Rose to the rest.

Meet me at McCurdy’s! free, frisky, female fun! (guys can come too!)

Tonight, at long last, I’m going to witness the ALLEGEDLY über-funny local actress/comedienne/hipster — Sarasota’s own Christine Alexander!

I say “allegedly” because a) I’m a closet fan of comedian Kathy Griffin’s alleged comedy approach and b) because I’ve never actually seen Alexander perform and of course, can’t say for fact that she’s funnier than a cat running circles after its own tail (believe me, that gives me belly laughs) — but something tells me I’ll be laughing.

Anyway, I’m FINALLY going to see Alexander perform tonight — it’s CHEAP! Just $6!!

C’mon down and join me. I’ll be with a friend — a date, in fact, who’s being kind enough to indulge my comedy jones tonight — but the more, the merrier!

The show starts at 730 pm and it’s described as “a rare opportunity to catch Christine alone on stage without loud music and a shiny pole,” … um, whew, glad she’s not stealing my act!

I think other aspiring comics might be joining her, not sure …. I’m expecting big things, though, because ALLEGEDLY, Alexander has graduated from McCurdy’s Humor Institute! Yowza!

Call McCurdy’s for tickets and information at 941.925.3869 or check it out online: McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 3333 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota, 941-925-3869.

Got a Question for MC?

This Thursday, July 23, I’ll be speaking, reading, and taking questions (and of course, signing copies of my book Sideways in Sarasota) from the audience during a book event at Sarasota News & Books. The shindig begins at 7 pm — I, along with another Creative Loafing contributing columnist — Theresa Rose — will be introduced by Cooper Levey-Baker, editor of CL.

Even if you already have my book … feel free to come and listen to me spout off on a new topic I’m ranting about this week — never previously written about (by me) and so esoteric it just might bore your pants off. It’s also your chance to ask, live and in person, all those questions you’re burning to ask but to shy to ask over this blog (as if).

And, if showing up in person to ask a question is just too, too hard, feel free to submit a question here and I will answer your question on this blog. Just be aware, your question will appear here in a separate “answer” blog, not in the responses section of this blog post — but I won’t identify the person asking a question — not even the aka name.

I’ll take questions between now and noon on Thursday, July 23 — answers will be posted on the 24th — that is, if anyone even asks any ….

MC Coolidge On the Radio … Wednesday July 22

Hey folks, I’ll be on the radio in a couple of days … Wednesday, July 22 between at 6 p.m. The show is called the Creative Loafing Half-Hour Variety Hour, hosted by CL editor Cooper Levey-Baker, writer-at-large Tim Sukits, and I think food critic Brian Ries also joins in.

I’ll be on the show because, as many of you know, I contribute a monthly freelance column for Creative Loafing. So, the editor has invited me, along with another freelance contributing columnist, to be on the show and talk about, well, whatever crosses out minds, I guess.

The show airs Wednesday, July 22 at 6 pm on radio WSRQ 1220 am. It’s not a live show, so you can’t call in and pepper me with questions … but I am doing a live (free) gig this Thursday at Sarasota News & Books, where I’ll be reading some of my more recent work, and a few snippets from my book, Sideways in Sarasota, and then opening the floor to questions from the audience. That starts around 7 pm — there’s another writer who will be speaking before me, Theresa Rose, author of Opening the Kimono, and I’ll probably begin talking around 715/720. If you miss the radio show and want to listen in at any other time — just listen to the podcast by clicking here — MC on Creative Loafing’s Half-Hour Variety Hour.

Sovereignty, self, and suicide

Sir Edward Downes, 85, one of Britain’s most distinguished orchestra conductors, and his wife, Joan, 74, who was ill and dying, assumed sovereignty over their own mortal beings as their ultimate right when they chose recently to end their lives together via assisted suicide. But they had to leave their UK homeland, where such suicide is not legal, to find that sovereignty in a Switzerland clinic.

Albert Camus wrote, “There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide.” (more…)

Every girl’s crazy for a Sharp-Shinned Hawk

This morning, I fed my backyard birds, as I usually do. The cardinals, bluejays, a couple of tufted titmice, some house wrens (at least that’s what I think they are). Came back inside — and went back to work. A while later, must have been about 645, I heard a ruckus and ran to the window. (more…)

Sarasota sky shots

The view from MC’s Walden. (more…)