MC on WSLR Radio … Fundraising for Community Radio

Hey, if anyone out there enjoys WSLR 96.5 LPFM radio — now’s your chance to help keep great community radio on the air! At the same time, your donation will net you a nice “premium” (aka thank you for donating gift).

On Sunday, I’m going to join WSLR Louisiana Gumbo Show host John Osgood on air to try to help raise funds for the station. I support WSLR because they give so much great information about everything from local to global politics and social issues and they also offer some pretty great music selections. (more…)

You’ve got to WATCH this video about First Watch restaurants

Disclaimer — I’ve never eaten at a First Watch restaurant in my life. AND, I’ve traditionally hated youtube just on general principle alone.

But I’ve seen a couple of things lately that make youtube less spooky to me. And one of those things is this very simple but inspiring video by local writer Amy Knapp of The gg Monologues.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uapsWe2nJE (more…)

MC Named Best Local Columnist by CL Readers — Third Year in a Row!

Jiminy Cricket! MC Reality readers — both print and on this blog — I can’t thank you all enough for voting for me in the Creative Loafing Best of the Suncoast 2009 contest. You pulled it off — et voilà — I’m now the Best Columnist on the Suncoast three years running (you guys voted me in, in 2007 and 2008)!!!

MC Coolidge Best Local Columnist!

Pets at Work — BIZ 941’s shout out to pets who help their owners get through a long work day!

Check out my famous cat on BIZ 941’s website.

Submit a pic of your own Sarasota area pet to BIZ 941 at the contact address listed at the above link … and your pet, too, can be as famous as Coco Chanel!

Keeping the faith … for others who might be losing theirs

Last night, Friday night. I finished work around 9 p.m., and drove to Publix to grab a sandwich and some coffee for the morning. I picked out my few groceries — cat food, coffee, a sandwich, and got in line to pay.

The man in front of me was all smiles, but the slightly nervous kind. He was simply, but neatly, dressed in flip flops, shorts and a tee shirt. The cashier rang his single item up. He swiped his card. It was denied. (more…)

Cloudy days for Sarasota’s sunshine

Well, I did it … I appeared again on the WEDU/PBS (Channel 3) political television program Florida This Week. Whew! I’m serious — it’s a major deal for me each time. I’ve only been on three times so far and of course, I’m trying to improve in both style and substance … but the girl has a long way to go.

Anyway, I griped about Sarasota government operating in the dark — as I’m wont to do. I think I say “the sun just isn’t shining in Sarasota government,” and um, I might say a little something about the local gov being “dysfunctional” at best. Um, yes, I know … I flunked “how to win friends and influence people” …

Try to ignore how I flubbed my answer on “the keys” — oh, good grief, I stumble around that answer like a fish out of water — key water that is.

Anyway, if you want to catch the show — just click here: MC on Florida This Week October 9. Look for the program that says October 10 (they got the date wrong there) and just hit play. You can fast forward to about 25:00 if you want to just hear me yakking about Sarasota.

Any comments, quips, queries, questions — post a blog comment here.

Roller Derby babes … hot … but not bothered by misconception

If you haven’t seen Drew Barrymore’s new film, Whip It — check it out at a cinema near you … or read my article about the Darlins’ — southwest Florida’s roller derby babes.
—————————————————-

Dream sequence: Whizzing past you in a blur of female testosterone – a bevy of hard-bodied babes, wearing mouth guards and helmets, some tatted up and tough, some in fishnets and form-fitting boy shorts, and tiny tanks or tees knotted high, showing bare midriffs and belly button metal. (more…)

Cougar myths … debunked!

This column appeared in print in Creative Loafing newspaper 10/7/09.

The topic of cougarsome cuties chasing cuddly cradle-dwellers is about as tasty an intellectual morsel as dining at the Olive Garden is a gastronomic one. Whether or not women d’un certain âge have sex with younger men is a topic as culturally passé as older men using little blue pills to make it through the night. It’s done; it happens. Why all this talk today about something so yesterday?

MC tries (tries being the operative word) to strike a cou-girrrrrl-icious pose.

Autumn sunset chez MC

Tonight, I took a break from a massive website project I’m working on and walked Boomerang. I was barely out the door, when I had to scoop him up and run back inside for my camera to capture this outstanding, beyond-beautiful and lovely autumn sky. As I snapped a few shots, something moving in the field below the view of my camera caught my eye. I stopped playing photog and peered into the dusky field and saw a hawk tearing something limb from limb. Again, I scooped Boomer up, ran inside, this time for my night-vision binoculars (seriously!) and ran back out to view him. I could see him clearly with the binocs — he (or she) was stunning. Much more massive than the Cooper’s Hawk I’ve seen here from time to time. A real barrel-type body. He was standing on the ground, and every minute or so would reach down to the earth and rip something with his beak and then I guess either chewed or swallowed. The whole time, he was watchful. Turning his head, this way and that. I’m sure he saw me, but I guess I was no threat. But then Boomer, who, to his credit had sat peacefully at my feet while I was captivated by the hawk, suddenly dashed up after a lizard or something in the grass. At that, the hawk lifted up in a flash and flew across the field. I got to watch him until he was out of sight. Honestly, I was grateful he had a good dinner; I tried not to think about what creature he was devouring — the law of the jungle, I guess. Or should I say, the law of my Walden.

September segue

All those years of living in New England have fixed my internal calendar to interpret September in only one way: the romance of fall.

I was born in the spring, but I’m a fall baby at heart. It’s the time of year I feel the best; a time of optimism and fresh starts. A time of anticipation for myriad seasonal festivities. A time for first kisses and getting a little crazy.

I’m so ready. Ready to stoke up a fire (I wish), cue up some Dinah Washington (schwa-ing!) and curl up on the couch with a book I should have read in college (okay, that’s not that crazy).

I’m ready to break out a sweater dress, throw on some sexy boots, and sidle up to a neighborhood bar for a little hot toddy and witty repartee (oh, geez, that’s what I want the most!).

But here in Sarasota, it’s still 90 degrees outside and we’ve still got almost two and a half months left to hurricane season, so how does one get in that September swing? Without the typical harbingers of fall – the changing colors of the leaves, the crisp air – how do Sarasotans make that switch in mood from full-on summer to please-come-on fall?

Um, as usual — my response to all times of change is to think of romance — dating – specifically first dates – I’m serious — a great, new first date is the best way to get in the fall mood.

If you can find a decent bar in this town that doesn’t have a ridiculously malapropos television turned on, a bar where the food is kickin and the martinis are icy cold … I can’t imagine a better way to kick off autumn that by cozying up to a bar or in a booth under the low lights; reveling in a first-date glow. With the crowds of season still a few weeks away, there must be plenty of places where September wining and dining would carry some major mojo.

Or, if you’re like me, after feasting all summer on the natural world’s works of arts – mesmerizing sunsets, for example, — you may find yourself longing for the sumptuousness of man-made art again. The Ringling Museum of Art, small and simple, is the perfect sorbet between seasons. Besides, a walkabout through the museum’s gorgeous interiors and courtyard will cleanse your palate of summer and ready you for the excesses of the so-called arts season.

I believe Ringling is having a special exhibition of Buddhist art through November; I’ll have to check it out to get my autumn on.