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.

MC Coolidge snags second place in Florida Press Awards

A while back I reported that I’d won a Florida Press Award for a humor column (Ben & Jerry Take a Hike) I’d written back in my Pelican Press/Reality Chick days. Well, I just found out what place I took (there are four places — 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and honorable mention.

I have to give a major THANKS to the editors at the Pelican Press — I wouldn’t have this award if it weren’t for Rachel Brown Hackney and Anne Johnson taking the time to submit this work from my 2008 column-writing days for them.

MC on Florida This Week tonight

Hey, just got back from Tampa’s WEDU, filming a Florida This Week show. It will air tonight at 8:30 on PBS Channel 3 and again on Sunday at 12:30, same station.

I have a love/hate relationship with appearing on that show. … (more…)

MC Coolidge — Best Blogger … I could get used to the sound of that!

But in the meantime, I’ll have to settle for Best Blogger “Finalist” … and I’ll have to settle for seeing it … not hearing it. Look what Sarasota Magazine just SUPER sweetly delivered to me today! And, yup, it’s going up proudly on my office wall. (Now, if only I could glow as radiantly as the woman on the cover!)

Tonight … on Florida This Week (Channel 3 WEDU Tampa)

I’m NOT going to be on Florida This Week tonight … sorry! But I will probably be on again in June sometime.

Still, tonight’s show is bound to be fascinating (yes, even without moi!), so curl up in front of your favorite big screen with a glass of vino and tune in. I’m sure they’ll be discussing the ramifications of Governor Crist’s decision to run for Senate and the wicked wide domino effect of open seats that will probably come into play as a result. Should make for an interesting show.

Facing reality? MC Coolidge lands a print gig!

Just when my fingernails were slipping from that freelance-free-for-all precipice, the Creative Loafing newspaper swooped in and offered me a paying gig. It’s just once a month, so basically, it will keep my cats alive … while I’m still diving dumpsters. (more…)

Sarasota Magazine The Best of 2009 Readers’ Poll — MC voted finalist in Blogging category!

Yikes! Yippee! and Yowza!

Sarasota Magazine puts on an annual Best Of issue … and guess what?! Yours truly was voted a finalist in the blogging category in the Best of 2009 issue that just came out this week!

I just found out yesterday and honestly, am kind of stunned and more than a little honored. (more…)

MC Coolidge Wins Florida Press Association award! Yippee!

Most of my life, I’ve been known for being WAY too serious. I’ve been notorious among ex-boyfriends and ex-husbands (of which there is only one) for never getting the punchline of jokes. I always said things like, “Huh? I don’t get that.” To which they would usually shake their heads and say,”Lighten up!!” If I had $18 for everytime I’ve been told to lighten up, I’m sure I’d have about $18,000 right about now.

So, it’s IRONICALLY BEAUTIFUL that I just found out this morning that not only have I won a Florida Press Association award for column-writing … but I won the award for a HUMOR column of all things!!

The only downside is that the humor column really wasn’t supposed to be funny at all — it’s a tragic look at the seedy underbelly (and I mean that literally) of my fight with the flab!

The column that won is called Ben and Jerry Take a Hike! So you can imagine what it’s about. But if you want to read it — you can get a peek into my physically psyched-out psyche by double-clicking on this link: Ben & Jerry Take a Hike and win MC a Big Award! (Hey, that makes the Michelin-esque aspects of my physique almost worth it! — notice I said ALMOST!)

Look out! Michelin-woman coming through!

I’m super happy about winning — I’ve wanted to nab one of those FPA awards since I launched the Reality Chick column back in early 2006. And, I’m grateful as well … to the editors at the Pelican Press, Rachel Brown Hackney and Anne Johnson, who are the ones responsible for entering me into the FPA contest in the first place. And speaking of the Pelican Press — I heard the paper won something like seven or eight OTHER awards from the Florida Press Association. So kudos all ’round to the editors and writers at that paper.

The FPA gives awards at four levels, I think. First, Second, Third, and Honorable Mention. I won’t know until July, I think, what actual PLACE the column won, but heck, it’s already been announced on their site, and I’m happy with any place whatsoever!

Now, um, where the HECK did I put my sneakers?!

MC on WSLR tonight — call in or pledge to support your local community radio!

So, yes, WSLR, Sarasota’s community radio station is conducting fund raising! I’ll be a guest on the Louisiana Gumbo Show at 7:45 tonight — Sunday, April 5th. Just for about a half-hour, I think, unless we’re deluged with callers and pledgers, then they might ask me to stay through 9 p.m. I’ll be chatting about WSLR and the importance of grassroots radio — now, absolutely now more than ever, when newspaper pages are shrinking and television is reporting on Madonna’s adoption efforts as if that is real news. (more…)