Saturday, December 31, 2005

Happy New Year!!!

RandomReality, its staff and management, wish you a Happy New Year!!!

Here are my wishes for 2006:

* Peace on earth (of course)

* My personal wish, which many of you know about

* Happiness and health to all my friends and family

* Katie Holmes comes to her senses

* Katie Holmes and Brooke Shields become best friends

* Britney Spears comes to her senses

* Britney Spears stops going into gas station bathrooms in her bare feet

* Brad Pitt starts wearing a vial of Angelina Jolie's blood around his neck as a symbol of his love for her

* Bono never stops campaigning for Africa and social justice because U2 fans do NOT find it dull

* Low fat cheese tastes better

* C2 cola overtakes Coke Zero in wild popularity so that I do not have to go on reconnaissance missions to find C2

* I meet George Clooney (of course)

* My students pick up and read an actual newspaper once in a while

And add your own below...

 

 

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

RandomReality on Vacation

Happy holidays, faithful readers. It is time for RandomReality to take a holiday break. Entries will resume in early January.

Sunday, December 18, 2005

SHRIEK! Bono named "Person of the Year" by Time Magazine!!

Oh yeah and Bill and Melinda Gates, too. Hee!

In the cover photo, Bono is wearing the same glasses he had on when I met him (for 3 seconds) at the World Affairs Council reception.

Friday, December 16, 2005

What is that click? Am I being taped?

Oh and by the way, your e-mails and phone calls may be monitored - without your knowledge and without warrants- by the U.S. government. Apparently we now live in China WITHOUT ANY RIGHTS AT ALL.

Have a nice day.

Leo from "The West Wing" died!

This is very sad news! John Spencer, the actor who plays Leo on "The West Wing" died of a heart attack. I have not been watching the show much lately but when I do, I always enjoyed Spencer's character and acting.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

"Syriana" and Golden Globes

Went to see the movie "Syriana" the other night, which stars my Fantasy Boyfriend, George Clooney. Enjoyed it, although I really have no idea what it is about.

Oil is bad, the U.S. government can be dirty and it hurts to be tortured. That is pretty much what I picked up from the movie. Still, I enjoyed it, in a confused way.

--

In happy, exciting, fabulous news - Clooney's movie "Good Night and Good Luck" picked up FOUR Golden Globe nominations today!!!!!!!! This includes Best Drama, Best Screenplay and Best Director. You know where I will be on Jan. 16!!!!! Parked in front of the TV! Clooney also picked up a Best Supporting Actor nomination for "Syriana," which shows that even though no one knows what is going on in the movie, we can all figure out that Clooney is a good actor in it.

Wednesday, December 7, 2005

Nieman Narrative Conference

Hi guys. The conference in Boston last weekend was really interesting. I took a lot of notes but have been too busy to blog them. To tide you over, click here.

Thursday, December 1, 2005

Don't forget Rick Springfield will be back on GH!

My eighth-grade Fantasy Boyfriend, Rick Springfield, will be back on "General Hospital" tomorrow for four shows! He will do brain surgery! However, his character, Dr. Noah Drake, is also a drunk! So that will be tricky. Remember to watch!

Here is some background from AOL News:

Mr. Springfield, who lives in Los Angeles, was receptive to the offer. "I got a call from my agent one day, saying, 'Would you be interested in recreating your role for four days on 'General Hospital?' " he said. "I'm busy enough that I don't need to go back to work there, but I enjoy acting, and it certainly would work within what I want to do with music."

He began shooting his episodes at the beginning of November. The plot: Dr. Drake, who left Port Charles to become a neurosurgeon in Atlanta, is urgently needed at General Hospital to operate on a patient with severe brain damage. Unfortunately, Dr. Drake is less sober than he once was. "Things haven't gone well for Noah," Mr. Springfield said with a laugh.

The four days have turned into a longer storyline. "I think we all need to see how it pans out," Mr. Springfield said. "No one's going, 'Where do I sign?' or 'We're done.' "

And how does it feel to be back? "It's freaky," he said.

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Tom Wolfe

I am going to a writer's conference in Boston this weekend and Tom Wolfe will be the keynote speaker. Anyone got any suggestions as to what I should ask him? Anyone dare me to spill juice on his white suit?

Monday, November 28, 2005

Why is this commercial jingle in my head?

When it says Libby's, Libby's, Libby's

On the label, label, label

You will like it, like it, like it

On the table, table, table....

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Movies I Am Excited to See

These movies are on my "must-see" list for the next few weeks:

* Syriana

* Rent

* Pride and Prejudice

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

A great series of stories by my friend Antigone

My friend Antigone Barton, quirky individualist and reporter extraordinaire, won 2nd place in the NABJ contest for a series of articles on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Palm Beach County, Fl.

Read the series here.

U2 concert in NYC last night (Nov. 22)

Took Amtrak to NYC last night to catch yet another U2 concert. After meeting Bono last month, I felt like I had to see the group perform one more time. So I bid for a ticket on Ebay, which was luckily sold by a nice U2 fan. However, the seat turned out to be pretty crappy. Oh well.

On the train ride up, I sat next to a college student who hunched in his seat and talked on his cell phone the whole way. He would like an XBox 360 for Christmas, as well as a digital camera. During the conversation, he tried to persuade the person on the other end that "what's two pages between friends?" Hmmm.

My friend Lisa met me at Neptune, a tasty Polish restaurant on 12th Street. We had pierogies and stuffed cabbage. Yum. Even better, I did not throw up, which is how I spent most of Sunday (from a stomach bug, alas, not from too much fun). Two waitresses took our order. I am not sure if both were new or our order (MANY pierogies) was too complicated.

Around 9 p.m., Lisa drove me to Madison Square Garden to see U2. SHRIEK!!!!! But it was gray and rainy and kind of icky and I felt kind of icky. Sigh. Found my seat, which was in the LAST row of the HIGHEST section, BEHIND the stage. Oh well. This way, I could look at Bono's butt. Although I found myself staring more at Adam's butt. You know, I don't stare enough at Adam and I should.

At first I was seated next to a giggly gay foreign man, who seemed to be hitting on his companion. The concert started. My view was partially blocked by the wall to my left, the ledge above me and the very tall people in front of me. Sigh. Then the pot smoking started. Hello. That went out in high school. Well, not MY high school, which was all girls, conservative and Catholic, but you know what I meant. So there I was, in a confined space, smelling bad pot. (I am not a pot aficionado, but this stuff didn't smell too good.)

Watched the concert. Look at Bono and Adam's butts. Got to see how Bono really can NOT dance and how he hops a lot. The group still had a lot of energy, considering they have been on tour for months. They played "I Will Follow," one of their earliest hits, which they don't perform too much.

Bono sang the song dedicated to his father, Bob, who died not too long ago. Every day for 10 years, Bono's father would greet him by saying: "Why don't you take off those stupid, fucking sunglasses?" So Bono did, in his dad's honor, while he sang "Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your Own."

He brought a little blond boy on stage during "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and chased Edge all the way around the oval on another couple songs. I hoped he wouldn't slip and hurl himself into the audience. Bono is not the most graceful of men.

Neither were the drunk, loud, rude girls who decided to switch seats and stand next to me. (The giggly gay man had disappeared. I know not where). "Bonooooo!!!!" they slurred, as they bumped into me and swayed. I couldn't take it anymore, cursed them off, jumped over the rail and found another seat. Next to some cute guys. And in fact, it was a BETTER seat.

The best part of the show, for me, was Bono singing "With or Without You" while hugging and dancing with a young woman from the crowd. Sigh. Someday that will be me. But remember, I love him but not in a CREEPY way.

George Clooney's new movie is out - "Syriana"

My Fantasy Boyfriend, George Clooney, is starring in ANOTHER new movie. This is the one where he hurt his neck doing a stunt and injured his spinal cord, causing him to have blinding headaches!

He was at a premiere party in NYC the other night. Sadly, I was not there. But this article in the New York Times gives a lovely description, including how middle-aged women offer to leave their husbands for George and how sometimes he feels like a monkey.

Meanwhile, Kenny from New York, a friend of a friend, went to the Four Seasons hotel bar on Nov. 17. George was there! He stood about five feet away from Kenny. Of course, I demanded details of Kenny. Apparently, George was wearing a black shirt and sport coat (similar to what he wore on "Letterman" last night). He "stands out in a room," I am told. More importantly, if Kenny were gay, he said "I'd do him."

Thursday, November 17, 2005

More questions about "Lost"

Okay, after watching last night's episode, I ponder even MORE questions:

* Why do The Others only take "good people" and how do they determine that?

* Why don't The Others wear shoes?

* Who had the glass eye in the Dharma bunker?

* Does Ana-Lucia ever smile?

* Why did Goodwin say the kidnapped survivors are "in a better place?"

Follow the little rolling balls

This is strangely addicting. It could make me mental.

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Maryanna Senek-Brandt

This entry is dedicated to Maryanna Senek-Brandt, otherwise known as Mara. We went to the same high school and college and she sang in the Villanova Women's Glee Club with me. Mara died on Thursday of cancer at the age of 39. I didn't know she was sick.

Mara was two years older than me and we kept in touch only sporadically over the years. She was one of those friends whom I always thought I would get in touch with when I had more time.

She was quirky and an individual. I admired that about her, when so many people at our high school and at Villanova just wanted to conform. She loved to write and even put me into one of her novels that she wrote in high school.

Mara had a son that she loved. She was an attorney, who worked for the state government because it was a steady job, but it was never who she really was.

--

Here is her obituary:

Maryanna E. Senek-Brandt, 39 of Shirley Lane, Boiling Springs, died Thursday, November 10, 2005 at the Harrisburg Hospital.

Born on December 13, 1965 in Philadelphia, PA, she was the daughter of the late Walter and Helen Pisieczko Senek.

She was a 1983 graduate of St. Basil Academy; 1987 graduate of Villanova University and 1990 graduate of Dickinson School of Law. She retired as deputy chief council of PA State Employee Retirement System. She was a member of the St. Patrick Catholic Church, Carlisle and also a member of the PA Bar Assoc; Villanova Glee Club. She loved writing short stories and was an avid reader. She also enjoyed singing and playing the piano.

Surviving are her husband of 15 years, Gary E. Brandt, Boiling Springs; son, Jake N. Brandt, Boiling Springs; step mother, Ann Senek, Jenkintown, PA; step brother Ronald Strykowski, Mt. Laurel, NJ; step sister, Elaine Shannon, Ardsley, PA; uncle and aunt, Joe and Ann Senek, Philadelphia, PA.

A Memorial Mass of Christian burial will be held 1:00 p.m. Tuesday November 15, 2005 in the St. Patrick Catholic Church, Marsh Drive, Carlisle with the Rev. William J. Waltersheid as celebrant. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. There will be no viewing or visitation.

Hoffman-Roth Funeral Home, 219 North Hanover St., Carlisle is in charge of the funeral arrangements.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 3211 North Front St., Suite 100, Harrisburg, PA 17110.

Wednesday, November 9, 2005

I am a winner! Who knew there was a lottery in the Netherlands! Oh I am sooooo lucky!!! HAHAHAHAHA!

GOOD NEWS FOR YOU !!! 
CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE WON !!! 
 
FROM THE PROMOTIONS MANAGER, 
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PAYMENT DEPARTMENT. 
RESOURCE CREDIT TRUST. 
 
DAYZER LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL. 
 
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today 9th of November 2005 of your selection as one of the 35 winners of the promotional, DAYZER LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL NETHERLANDS held recently as part of our YEAR BONANZA.You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of Euros 850,000.00 (Eight Hundred And Fifty Thousand Euros ) in cash credited to file REF NO.GML/2551256003/11. 
 
We the Dayzer Lottery International Netherlands is by this program, Launching our model computer balloting lottery draws, developed and designed to satisfy the cravings of the ever-growing number of participants in our various lottery programs. With funds accrued exclusively from previous draws, payouts to all winners are guaranteed and will be transferred in record time. 
 
After randomly selecting 15,000 participants from an initial database of 300,000 emails all participants were selected through a computer ballot system from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Canada, Europe, USA and South America as part our International Promotions Program, which was conducted in view of launching ourselves into the Sweepstakes Industry Worldwide and zoning all participants by their respective continents from across the globe, we produced an extensive list from which you have emerged as one of the winners of the Grand Draw prize. 
 
To ensure a smooth collection of your winnings, the transfer of your prize is to be handled by our claim processing officer. You are to contact the claim processing officer assigned to you, by phone and email respectively within two weeks of receiving this notice. Please find full contact details below: 
 
MR. THOMAS GILBERT 
CLAIMS PROCESSING OFFICER 
TEL: 0031 613 240 961 
EMAIL: dayzersresult005@netscape.net 
 
Find all relevant winning lottery information below: 
Ref No: GML/2551256003/11 
Batch No:14/0017/IPD 
serial No: GMLA2-003 
Ticket No: 12099 
Lucky No: 425448/7785. 
 
Also send your Name, Address and Country of Residence when replying your claims officer. Remember, you must contact your claim officer not later than two weeks of receiving this notification. After this date, all funds will be returned as unclaimed. 
 
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to Quote your reference and batch numbers in every one of your 
correspondences with your agent. Furthermore you are seriously advised to keep all winning lottery information and numbers from the public in 
line with our company security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by unscrupulous individuals. 
 
Congratulations once again from all members of staffs and thank you for being part of our Promotions program. 
 
Yours Sincerely, 
 
MRS. HELEN VAN LAN. 
INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY CO-ORDINATOR, 
DAYZER INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY. 
 
.......................................................................................................................................... 
 
The Dayzers Lottery Promos Awards is proudly sponsored by the Dayzers lottery Netherlands, Microsoft Corporation, the Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell computers, Mckintosh and a conglomeration of other international IT companies. 
 

Judith Miller retires from the NY Times

You all know that I totally supported her cause over the summer - her opposition to the federal government compelling her to testify about her source, for an article she never even wrote. I wrote her in prison and everything.

But I also must say that I think it is time for her to be going from the New York Times.

Anderson Cooper eats the same food for dinner every night

According to this article, he eats pesto pasta every night. It used to be a veggie burger, but he switched. He eats granola bars too and can apparently fall asleep anywhere, in any circumstance. I wish I had that gift.

Tuesday, November 8, 2005

Friday, November 4, 2005

London paper says Clooney involved in alley spat

This just in from faithful reader, Joe D. of Alaska. It is a link to a story from a London newspaper about how my Fantasy Boyfriend, George Clooney, was penned in by the paparazzi and felt that the security at a London nightclub may have been, um, inadequate. I think George was provoked!!!!!!

7:46 p.m.

Aha! George Clooney is emphatically DENYING that this story took place!!!

Thursday, November 3, 2005

Anderson Cooper gets new job at CNN

This article in the New York Times says that "America is Embracing Anderson Cooper." Um, I might like to, um, embrace Anderson Cooper.

I do feel bad for Aaron Brown, though. He is quite talented and has done a great job anchoring all the crises of the past few years.

Wednesday, November 2, 2005

This reporter interviewed George Clooney!

SHRIEK! So jealous! Of course she did a nice job and he is as wonderfully articulate as ever. Sigh.

Tuesday, November 1, 2005

Bono in Time magazine

Excellent column by Bono in this week's Time magazine about the need for aid to Africa.

Photo by Mike Hutchings/Reuters

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Me. Bono and Backpack Lady

PART 1
      On a chilly fall night on Oct. 21, my world, that of Bono and a fan whom we shall refer to as Backpack Lady, all collided on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania.
            In order to avoid burying the lead, I will state up front: Bono stood right in front of me. Close enough so that I could look at his adorable stubble on that pronounced chin. “I love you, but not in a creepy way,” I said.  He put his right hand on my shoulder and squeezed as he chuckled. So we had our moment. Yippee! I waited 23 years for that! It was worth it.
            But back to the beginning.
            Bono was the guest speaker at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia on Oct. 21 to discuss his non-profit, DATA, which is devoted to ending global poverty and the spread of AIDS, especially in Africa. He was also awarded with the International Statesman Award.
            In the early1990s, I worked at WAC as a program assistant and Claudia was one of my bosses. On Friday, she got to accompany Bono throughout the evening. Even better, she got to introduce him.
            “I’ve been following U2 for a long time, but I never thought I’d be opening for Bono,” Claudia quipped to the crowd.
            The speech was at the impressive Irvine Auditorium on the campus of the Penn,  where Bono was awarded a doctorate in law in 2004 during Commencement.
            “Lawlessness, is more like it,” Bono said. His favorite part of the 2004 visit to Penn’s campus was draping a statue of Ben Franklin in leather.
            “I though the Fly shades looked really good,” he joked.
            There were about 1,200 people at the Irvine Auditorium, including 100 Penn students who won their tickets in a lottery. Tickets ranged from $75 to $495. While I did not attend the expensive dinner, let’s just say I dropped a chunk of change on this event But it is okay, since the money was going to DATA, which stands for Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa.
            I sat in the 15th row on the right hand side, with Bono at the podium on the right. My friend Phyllis, a fellow fan, sat in the balcony and we could wave back and forth. But not during Bono’s speech. Some things are sacred.
            When Bono came out on stage, my first thought was: “Hey, he IS short.” And then I thought, “Hey! He is HOT.”
            Bono was wearing black jeans, those clunky, four-inch thick leather shoes that are his favorites, a black jacket that looked designer, black shirt, rose-tinted shades and a silk mustard-colored tie that looked like he had tied it himself. It was rather askew. I don’t think he wears ties all that often and clearly his wife was not there to fix it for him.
            He actually seemed a bit nervous at first, even with the standing ovation he received from the crowd.
            “It’s not supposed to be a rock and roll show,” he told the crowd as he urged them to sit down.”
            He apologized for being nervous.
            “I’m not used to speaking to crowds of less than 20,000,” he said.
            Bono joked that the speech would be “Bono unplugged, or worse, unstringed, or unhinged.”
            “I’m hallucinating. Bruce Springsteen on stage again,” he said, making reference to the Boss’ appearance at the U2 concert on Oct. 17 at the Wachovia Center.
            Bono shuffled a sheaf of papers and searched for some water on the podium. My heart stopped. When I worked at WAC, it was my job to put water on the podium. I know someone had put it there, but for a brief moment, I felt responsible and wanted to rush up with my bottle of water. But he found it. Whew.
            Eighteen months ago, DATA launched the One Campaign to fight against “stupid poverty.”
            Soon more than five million Americans will be members of Te One Campaign, “which makes us bigger than the NRA,” Bono said to applause.
            “We don’t carry guns but we do mean business,” he said.
            He referenced Live Aid in 1985 and Live 8 in 2005, both in Philadelphia. On July 2 of this year, we watched musicians like Jay-Z, Will Smith and Kanye West dance and sing on television. But what they were really doing, Bono said, was “pushing, cajoling, intimidating elected leaders.”
            The purpose of Live 8 was to raise awareness of the July G-8 summit, held at a swanky golf course in Scotland. World leaders like George W. Bush, Tony Blair and Jacques Chirac met to discuss world trade. They were, Bono said. “the guys with the bling.”
            But he chided the leaders for the choice of location for the summit.
            “To discuss the world’s poor, let’s meet in a golf course in Scotland. Brilliant.”
            Bono, who was quite soft-spoken during his remarks, praised the leaders for agreeing to write off a large portion of the debt of some of the world’s poorer nations. People who are HIV positive in many poor countries are now getting anti-retroviral drugs to combat the disease, he said. But it will take much more effort to help all the people in need.
            He praised two divergent groups: ACT-Up and Sen. Rick Santorum. The two could not be farther apart in politics, viewpoint and approach. But if those two can work together, he said, so can we.
            Bono told the crowd – a portion of which were business people – that the notion of a rock star “prattling on about politics” may seem off.
            But songs have always been a protest medium, he said. Especially the blues, which he called a direct complaint line to God. Many musicians mean well, but are guilty of “youthful indiscretions,” Bono told the crowd to much laughter.
            Growing up in Dublin in the 1970s, Bono listened to the Clash and other punk groups. To him, the music was “an alarm” and it woke him up. The music, he said, sounded like revolution.
(CONTINUED BELOW)

Me, Bono and Backpack Lady

(PART 2)
In 1984, he took part in Band-Aid, the African relief effort started by fellow Irish musician, Bob Geldof. The Live Aid concerts of 1985 followed and Bono’s life was forever changed.
            In the summer of 1985, Bono and his wife quietly took a trip to Ethiopia to visit the poor. The children gave him a nickname, “the girl with the beard,” because of his sparkly earrings.
            "Ethiopia didn’t just blow my mind,” he said. “It opened my mind.”
            On one of his last days there, a father tried to give his infant son to Bono. He asked him to take the baby to Ireland and raise him. If he stayed in Ethiopia,  the father knew his son would die. Bono had to say no. It is a feeling he can’t ever forget. And in that moment, he became a rock star with a cause.
            Today, children in Africa die of malaria, the AIDS epidemic is sweeping the country with more than six million people dying every day.
            “This is not a cause,” he said. “This is an emergency.”
            History will judge us, he told the crowd, by how we treat Africa. No where else in the world would such poverty and illness be allowed to exist. If we don’t value the lives if Africans, he said, why should they value ours?
            “This is not about charity,” he said. “It is about justice.”
            Providing aid to Africa is not only the moral thing to do, he said, it is the smart thing to do. Poverty breeds despair. Despair breeds violence. Violence leads to terrorism.
            More than 40 percent of Africans are Muslim. A better world, is a safer world, he said. The United States is not the most popular country in the world right now, he said. But we can change that by becoming a leader in African relief.
            Bono loves the States he told the crowd. He has read the Constitution. He has been to Independence Hall. But power brings responsibility.
            In 1780, Benjamin Franklin went to Ireland for three months, he said.
            “He went to Scotland too, but who cares,” Bono said to laughter.
            Franklin was distressed at how the English oppressed the Irish. So instead of the government of Ireland inspiring the United States, it was the other way around. The Irish and Americans are very alike in their compassion and ability to give.
            Despite the tsunami, terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina, we must give more – to Africa. Every generation has its struggle, he said. This is ours.
            “We are being watched. By history and by God.”
            His speech made me want to get involved, spread the word and be accountable. I am glad I went. I am glad WAC asked him to be a speaker. So cool.
            After Bono was presented with the award, several hundred people in the crowd walked a few blocks to the University Museum for a cocktail reception. I was wearing black beaded shoes, a black dress with a floral print, eye shadow, curled hair and a whole lot of Beautiful perfume. I was ready.
            Inside the museum, I got a beer (in an elegant wine glass) and sought out the hors d’oeuvres. Crab and briein phyllo dough. Yum!!! I had a few of those. Near me stood a woman, in her late 40s or 50s, with a backpack and clutching a sheaf of papers.
            The waiter tried to offer her a crab snack.
            “I am not here to eat!” she snapped at him.
            Unable to control my curiosity and because I am a nosy journalist, I had to ask: “So why are you here?”
            “To give Bono these papers” she said, clutching white paper in a blue binder.
            “What is it? A subpoena?” I asked.
            “No,” she said, looking at me as if I were crazy. Uh huh. “Someone has to be in charge. His management company knows about this!”
            O-kayyyyyyy, I thought and moved away. I later found out that this particular fan has a Bono altar, to which she prays, and thinks that Bono’s managers are evil and she must get him away from them. I have no idea what the papers said but I don’t believe she ever gave them to him. I also don’t know what the heck was in that backpack.
            More hors d’oeuvres, but this time weird eggplant on lettuce leaves. Bleh.
            I talked with Marie, a recent graduate of Temple University, who works as a cancer researcher and wants to be a doctor. We  both wanted to get more beverages but were afraid to move in case Bono came out and we missed him.
            About fifteen minutes later, the waiter came out with chicken-on-a-stick! Yes! I scarfed up some and was busy gnawing away when I noticed that Bono had come out all the way on my left. Shoot! There were a lot of people between me and him.
            The guards made a human barricade and forced us all behind their arms. I took my chicken with me and stood right behind the guard. I think his arm was on my chest, but not on purpose.
            I realized that Bono, led by Claudia and flanked by his bodyguard, was working his way down the line. And I was in the front! For once in my life, I was in the right spot!!!
            He got closer. And closer. Grown men and women all around me started going a little nuts. There was shoving! Hey people, this is not a mosh pit!
            Claudia was saying sternly, “No autographs! No autographs!” But some people still shoved paper at Bono and he still signed some.
            He got closer. Wow. It was weird to see someone I have watched so many times since 1983, but this time he was RIGHT NEAR ME.
            His stubble looked adorable. His chin is pronounced. His hair is thick and lovely. I wish I could see his eyes through his shades. I LOVE HIM!!!!!
            He got very close. The couple behind me shoved a photo at him and shouted something about their wedding or his wedding and the “Unforgettable Fire” album. I have no idea. He snatched the picture and looked at it.
            “You can keep it,” they said. Uh, okay.
            He is in front of me. RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. Time stood still. I looked at him. He was grabbing hands and pieces of paper. I must say something. I must seize the moment. This is what came out of my mouth:
            “I love you, but not in a creepy way,” I said.
            He looked back at me, put his right hand on my right shoulder and squeezed it while he held it there for a moment. He chuckled as he walked on. I HAD MADE BONO LAUGH!!!!!!!!!!!! On my right, a couple shoved a copy of the “War” album at Bono for his signature. “No autographs!” Claudia scolded.
            Off to my right, I saw Backpack Woman with her glasses glinting in the light. Luckily, she looked a little bit further in the back. Bono walked on and then into the fancy dinner. And that was it.
            Sigh. I will never wash my shoulder again. But I will work to end poverty and AIDS in Africa. And so should youJ


There was a lot of press there to cover the event including NBC-10 and The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Rick Springfield coming back to "General Hospital!"

Oh my, oh my! Dr. Noah Drake, a.k.a. '80s heart-throb Rick Springfield, is returning to Port Charles on Dec. 2 to begin four appearances on "General Hospital."

How I loved him in the early 1980s. Anne, Karen, Patty and I would rush home from school to watch "General Hospital." Those were the good days - of Luke and Laura and Rick and Monica (and Alan).

 

Monday, October 17, 2005

U2 in Philadelphia. Oct. 16

 In the middle of last night's concert, somewhere around "One" or maybe "With or Without You," I realized that I was completely and totally happen. You can't ask for more than that from a U2 concert. Thanks again to Jenny for getting me the ticket:)

  To begin with, BONO IS HOT! I know that I always knew that, but Whoa Nelly! I realized it during "With or Without You," which was one of the many, many encores. Bono brought a young woman up onstage and held her close the whole song. She clung to him while he had one arm around her and the other arm on his mike. At the end, he knelt down and kissed her hand. Oh my.....
 
  They did THREE encores. In fact, I thought the show was over and then they CAME BACK. They played "Yahweh," and led into "40." Sob. It was so perfect. You know, it is fitting that Larry is the last U2 member left on stage at the very end, because he created the band.

  Bono dedicated "Stuck in a Moment" to Michael Hutchence and said he always thinks about Michael this time of the year.


"I don't know what Michael would have thought of the reality TV show," Bono said. "He might have liked it."

  The concert began with "City of Blinding Lights" with Bono giving shout-outs to Philadelphia. He mentioned how the city sponsored two Live Aid/8 concerts and how the city's DJs were among the first to play U2 on the radio. When the band first played Philadelphia, it was to a crowd of 50. The next show was for 500. Then 5,000 and then 50,000.

  U2 played "Electric Co." and "The Ocean" from their first album. I must say, I had absolutely no memory of "The Ocean." But it was nice to hear.

  During one of the songs (maybe "Love and Peace") Bono brought a little boy named Owen on stage. The boy held Bono's hand and walked him around the ellipse.


  "Thank you for walking me home, Owen," Bono told him at the end of the song.

  Bono took off his sunglasses for the song about his Dad. God, Bono looks hot when he is sincere. He put on a cowboy hat for a new song, "Fast Cars." There was a guy in a cowboy hat a few rows in front of me who was waving his own hat around. Perhaps he thought Bono could see him.

  Incidentally, sitting next to me were a dad and his sullen-looking early teens son. The son sulked through the whole show. The dad kept looking at him like, "HELLLLO. This is a U2 concert! It IS cool." But of course the teen did NOT think it was cool, precisely because his dad did. Sigh.

Monday, October 10, 2005

"Good Night and Good Luck" by George Clooney

I can't wait to see this movie, by my Fantasy Boyfriend, George Clooney. It is all about Edward R. Murrow's news broadcast about Sen. Joe McCarthy. Here is the official website. It is playing in NYC right now and will come to Philadelphia on Oct. 14.

Wednesday, October 5, 2005

A sure sign of the apocalypse

Katie Holmes is pregnant with Tom Cruise's baby.

Discussion topics: Did they actually have sex in order to get pregnant? What if she gets post-partum depression? Does this mean it is not a publicity stunt and that their love is true, real and tangible?

Nah, probably not. But I hope the poor girl doesn't get PPD because all she will get is a fistful of vitamins and a treadmill.

My head may explode from the excitement!

George Clooney will be on the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on Thursday night. Followed by U2 on "Late Show with Conan O'Brien!!!!"

HAPPY! SHRIEK! CAN NOT BREATHE! NOW CAN BREATHE! SHRIEK!

Sunday, October 2, 2005

A lovely interview with my pretend boyfriend, George Clooney

Here is an excerpt from the article in The Washington Post:

"In person, Clooney, who is 44, is a surprisingly unextraordinary presence. He's handsome, certainly, with that nicely graying head of hair and a smile so devilish that you almost expect a glint of sunlight to bounce off his teeth. There's an attractive energy about him, too; he talks and moves about quickly. But movie cameras and magazine covers do funny things to people. In Clooney's case, they bulk him up and make him seem taller and sturdier than he is in person. His head, slightly large for his frame, settles into proportion on camera. In person, he's thinner than you'd expect, almost delicately boned (he gained 35 pounds for a recent part, but dropped all of it by "working out and not eating")."

I like all of that except for the weird comment about his large head. What?

Saturday, October 1, 2005

"In Her Shoes"

I saw a sneak preview of the new movie "In Her Shoes," starring Cameron Diaz,  Toni Collette and the wonderful Shirley Maclaine. It is the story of two sister from Philadelphia and their grandmother in South Florida. Go see it! I urge you. The actress playing the elderly and snarky Mrs. Lefkowitz deserves an Oscar.

You all know that I am a big fan of Jennifer Weiner's novels. Weiner is a former Philadelphia Inquirer author who switched to creative writing with her first novel, "Good In Bed."

"In Her Shoes" is her second novel and the first to be made into a movie. Yes, it is a chick flick but guys will like it, too. Plus, Cameron Diaz spends part of the movie either in her underpants or a bikini. So that is a plus for the guys.

Bring tissues. I cried through a bunch of the movie. But in a good way. It is not like anyone dies.Even Mrs. Lefkowitz, who looks pretty darn old.

The movie was shot in Philadelphia and the city looks great. Another section of the movie was shot in a retirement community in South Florida and from my years of living down there, it is spot on.

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Monday, September 19, 2005

George Clooney on "Letterman"

My beloved, George Clooney, will be on with David Letterman on Wednesday, Sept. 21 on CBS at 11:30 p.m. So don't call me during that time!!!!!!!

Tuesday, September 6, 2005

George Clooney donates $1 million to Katrina relief

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-05-2005/0004100227&EDATE=

Little House on the Prairie

TV Land has been running marathons of "Little House on the Prairie" at night. I have been watching and find that watching the doings of Ma, Pa and Half-Pint to be especially soothing in this mixed-up world and a great antidote for Apocalypse TV.

Sunday, September 4, 2005

Read this column.

One of the best I've read from reporters on the scene in New Orleans.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/12558216.htm

Saturday, September 3, 2005

Reporters vs. politicians: Getting at the truth

I am watching "Nightline" right now and am SO ANGRY at the bungled rescue efforts in New Orleans. Yea, I know there is massive damage to highways and transportation. But if we could airdrop water to the tsunami areas, why did it take us so damn long to do it in New Orleans. Old people and babies are dying. This is wrong. This is not supposed to happen in America.

On the other hand, I am SO PROUD of many of the reporters covering the story. They are talking to the people WHO MATTER - the people waiting to be rescued - and reporters are becoming rightlfully indignant at the appalling conditions. Even better, the reporters are hammering hard at the politicians. Who is in charge, the reporters ask? Why is help taking so long? When will these people be evacuated? How did things get this bad? All good questions.

I didn't even mind when Geraldo Rivera held up a baby and weeped. If his outrage and weeping gets some help to those folks in the Convention Center, then all the better. We have all this freakin' 24/7 coverage. Let's use it.

Click on the link below for a good example of tough journalism in which CNN analyzed what politicians were saying vs. what was REALLY happening at the scene. An excerpt follows:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/katrina.response/index.html

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- Diverging views of a crumbling New Orleans emerged Thursday, with statements by some federal officials in contradiction with grittier, more desperate views from the streets. By late Friday response to those stranded in the city was more visible.

But the conflicting views on Thursday came within hours, sometimes minutes of each of each other, as reflected in CNN's transcripts. The speakers include Michael Brown, chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, evacuee Raymond Cooper, CNN correspondents and others. Here's what they had to say:

Conditions in the Convention Center

  • FEMA chief Brown: We learned about that (Thursday), so I have directed that we have all available resources to get that convention center to make sure that they have the food and water and medical care that they need. (See video of Brown explaining how news reports alerted FEMA to convention center chaos. -- 2:11)

  • Mayor Nagin: The convention center is unsanitary and unsafe, and we are running out of supplies for the 15,000 to 20,000 people. (Hear Nagin's angry demand for soldiers. 1:04)

  • CNN Producer Kim Segal: It was chaos. There was nobody there, nobody in charge. And there was nobody giving even water. The children, you should see them, they're all just in tears. There are sick people. We saw... people who are dying in front of you.

  • Evacuee Raymond Cooper: Sir, you've got about 3,000 people here in this -- in the Convention Center right now. They're hungry. Don't have any food. We were told two-and-a-half days ago to make our way to the Superdome or the Convention Center by our mayor. And which when we got here, was no one to tell us what to do, no one to direct us, no authority figure.
  • Thursday, September 1, 2005

    Let's blame the French

    I feel so helpless, awful and angry about the tragedy in New Orleans. But who do we blame? Mother Nature?

    No. The French! We can blame the French!

    First of all, it is fun to blame the French. Secondly, it was a stupid French guy who decided to build New Orleans in a below sea-level bowl, surrounded by water.

    So you see, it is the fault of the French.

    Amen to this NY Times editorial

    http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/01/opinion/01thu1.html

    Here are some excerpts:

    "George W. Bush gave one of the worst speeches of his life yesterday, especially given the level of national distress and the need for words of consolation and wisdom. In what seems to be a ritual in this administration, the president appeared a day later than he was needed. He then read an address of a quality more appropriate for an Arbor Day celebration: a long laundry list of pounds of ice, generators and blankets delivered to the stricken Gulf Coast. He advised the public that anybody who wanted to help should send cash, grinned, and promised that everything would work out in the end."

    (And here comes the kicker)

    "It would be some comfort to think that, as Mr. Bush cheerily announced, America "will be a stronger place" for enduring this crisis. Complacency will no longer suffice, especially if experts are right in warning that global warming may increase the intensity of future hurricanes. But since this administration won't acknowledge that global warming exists, the chances of leadership seem minimal."

    Read this blog

    http://martinirepublic.com/

     

    Thursday, August 25, 2005

    George Clooney in pain!

    I can not stand the thought of George in pain! This is not right! In the new issue of Men's Vogue, he talks about his spinal injury last year.

    http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,17235,00.html

    Just in time for Hurricane Katrina!

    Oh joy. I am in Florida just in time for ANOTHER hurricane. I got here last night for a quick trip. Last year, I went through Hurricane Charley, in which the rain was so fierce it was raining UP. Now we are about to get Hurricane Katrina, but it looks like Orlando will miss the brunt of it.

    Not so my poor water-logged friends in South Florida. If you want to keep up to speed, check out my friend Bob's Blog on the Palm Beach Post:

    http://www.palmbeachpost.com/storm/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/storm2005/

    This is how I know I am getting old

    Last night I actually said out loud: "Damn! I can't find my fiber tablets!"

    Thursday, August 18, 2005

    Must buy copy of new Men's Vogue!!

    George Clooney is on the cover! SHRIEK!

    http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/18/fashion/thursdaystyles/18VOGUE.html

    Two drunk Belgians get into George Clooney's estate!

    This happened at his estate in Lake Como, Italy!!! Apparently, all the drunk Belgians had to say into the intercom was "Ciao! It's George."

    http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/celebrity/54442004.htm

    Tuesday, August 16, 2005

    Pictures from my trip to Ireland

    Here are pix from my recent trip to Ireland. Enjoy!

    Thursday, August 11, 2005

    Must raise $1000 to see Rick Springfield!!!

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/10/AR2005081002030.html

    Rick Springfield's Girls, Live and (Very) In Person

    By Melissa Rayworth

    Associated Press
    Thursday, August 11, 2005; Page C03

    NEW YORK -- They had traveled 1,400 miles and waited two decades for this night -- three beautiful women from Long Island, wearing little black dresses to a concert by the pop star they'd drooled over when Reagan was president and hair was feathered. The Heidelberger sisters, together again, had flown all the way to North Dakota -- to see Rick Springfield.

    As they strode down the aisle of the concert hall in the Pavilion Knights Casino, this trio of blondes straight out of a Robert Palmer video, the unthinkable happened: The Grammy winner himself was calling to them, beckoning them onto the stage.

    Star Wars as a One-Man Show

    My sister could probably do a one-woman version of this. She is a total "Star Wars" fan.

    http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyID=2005-08-10T170020Z_01_N10499416_RTRIDST_0_USREPORT-ARTS-STARWARS-DC.XML

    Sunday, August 7, 2005

    Dublin #2 (An e-mail I wrote yesterday)

    Am back in the Temple Bar area, near the River Liffey. (By the way, Bar is used here to mean walkway, not well, bar, although there are many around.) Today Mom and I saw the National Gallery of art where they had a portrait of Bono!!! Gleep!

    Oh yeah and a lot of other people's portraits too. Boy, that Rubens guy sure made people in his pictures mighty huge. In his painting of the Angel Gabriel and Mary at the Annunciation, the angel is so freakin' HUGE that I am surprised Mary did not run and shriek and hide in the stable.

    We did more walking. Mom went back to the hotel again and I am here. It is about 9 p.m. at night but still very light out which I LOVE. We are walking a lot and today we climbed steps and then had to run for the bus which darn near killed Mom's knees.

    Speaking of knees, Mom wanted to sit on a bench and not the steps at Trinity College yesterday while we ate lunch because of her knees. So she is on the bench and I am on the steps. There was some demented little girl with two ponytails tied in green ribbon who kept feeding the pigeons while humming this odd little tune. Like "La LA la LALA la. La."

    Mind you, I was trying to EAT while the pigeons were munching on the crumbs she threw and then the pigeons (rats with wings) start looking at ME like "Hey! Want to share your popcorn?" and I am thinking, "Hey! Weird Little Girl! Knock off the humming and feed those damn birds somewhere else!!!!"

    Anyhoo, you know that Duck Tour they have in Philadelphia where you tour around on an amphibious vessel on the street then go in the water? They have one here too, but it is a Viking Boat. Yes. Mom is quite anxious to go on. Really. So tomorrow we will be in a car/boat yelling "Yar!!" as we pretend to be Vikings. And then we go on the water for 20 minutes. Am trying to get Mom to buy a Viking hat with horns. So far, the Viking tour has excited her most in Dublin.

    We also went to a famous old jail today where lots of people got shot by firing squad (always a happy tour) and where they filmed "In the Name of the Father" with my OTHER boyfriend, Daniel Day Lewis. Nearly had a coniption inside the jail when I recognized it from some of the scenes of DDL walking up the stairs.

    For lunch we had ham and cheese and coleslaw on white bread. Yum! I am also eating chocolate Aero bars by the case.

    Tummy is hungry for dinner. Must go eat more Thai noodles at Nude, the healthy restaurant run by Bono'sbrother Norman.

    Dublin (Wrote this on Thursday)

    Am in an Internet cafe in Temple Bar right at the River Liffey. You know what? That river smells. Worse than the Delaware. Yet still charming.  

     We are having a weird time with jet lag. I was awake from 2 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. this morning then I fell back asleep. Just in time for......weird smelling sausages at the breakfast buffet!!! No, didn't eat them this morning. Had Rice Crispies instead. I do like that they serve tomatoes with breakfast.  

    Our hotel is okay but in a kind of industrial area with nothing much else around. I like the Temple Bar area a lot with all the shops and cafes.

    I went into Brown Thomas, the fancy department store on Grafton Street and bought the kind of Lancome makeup I wear - Teint Idole!!! They have phased it out in the U.S. but they have it here!! Wanted to buy 11 bottles of it but it was too expensive.  

    Today we went to Trinity College and the Book of Kells. The book is very ornate but I couldn't read a darn word of it. Plus there were a lot of pushy Germans crowding around the display case who would not move. Upstairs was the long room with all kinds of ancient books. It looked like Dad's house. But with a better bathroom. No, no. Just kidding.  

    We saw a movie about the history of Dublin. Interesting. It seems every time the Irish turned around, the Vikings were invading and pillaging. How annoying.  

     Mom and I had good salmon last night and I just had some tasty tea at an Italian cafe. Jenny, you were right about the packaged sandwiches. Yum!   Mom has gone back to the hotel and I am going to look at the U2 collectible store near the Ha'Penny Bridge and then to the Clarence Hotel, which Bono and Edge own. Will try not to look like a tourist. Will refrain from weeping and/or screaming. U2 plays on the radio all the time here. Yippee. And I also heard the Cure.  

     Everyone in Dublin is on their cell phone all the time. Just like NYC. So is the traffic and even though we are crossing at the light, people keep trying to run us over.

      Must go in search  of all things U2 now. Oh it rained all day yesterday and was wet, awful and miserable. So damp. No wonder all those Irish people got consumption and cough.  

    Monday, August 1, 2005

    Taking a break

    RandomReality is on holiday and will resume blogging somewhere around August 10. Maybe later. Who knows. Peace and harmony to you all. But not like the town of Harmony in the soap opera "Passions" where a tsunami is supposed to hit, even though it is New York State.

    Slainte.

    Just finished this book

    Hi guys. Just finished reading "Dry" by Augusten Burroughs. He is the same author who wrote "Running With Scissors," about his bizarre and horrid childhood after his mother gave him away to his loony psychiatrist. "RWS" was a good book but freaked me out a bit.

    "Dry" was amazing. It is not much of a surprise that Burroughs turned out to be an alcoholic after spending his childhood with a psychiatrist, a pedophile and a pile of pill-popping pseudo-siblings."Dry" chronicles his life as a gay, alcoholic advertising executive in New York City. There is a sense of dark humor to his writings reminiscent of David Sedaris.

    "Dry" is about Burroughs stay in rehab and his struggle to stay sober and to keep his advertising job. The chapters about pitching a campaign for a German beer company are just brilliant.

    Random Reality give this book 4 stars out of 5 :)

    Friday, July 22, 2005

    I finished "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince"

    Read 150 pages last night to finish the book. I cried through most of it. Made reading quite difficult, what with all the tears in my eyes and the constant wiping of my face. I had an idea the book might end this way but it was still a jolt. Anyone who wishes to write me and discuss HP is welcome.

    Had to watch the new "Surreal Life" to recover. Bronson Pinchot is rather creepy!

    Wednesday, July 20, 2005

    "Marky Mark" Wahlberg is in Philadelphia!

    Filming a movie!

    Must. Stalk. Him.

    Karen, you know I amgoing to make you come with me and find Marky Mark! Love him!

    http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/columnists/michael_klein/12164756.htm

    (This is from Michael Klein's column in the Inquirer)

    "The first of what surely will be many Mark Wahlberg sightings, since he's here filming the movie Invincible: He treated father Donald and brother Donnie to dinner Saturday at Morimoto."

    Tuesday, July 19, 2005

    Sex tape of Colin Farrell

    He is trying to stop its release. Please, no, Colin! Your female fans would like to watch it!

    However, the tape is apparently only 15 minutes long. I expected a bit, well, MORE of Mr. Farrell, what with his lothario reputation and all.

    http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/19/people.farrell.ap/index.html

    Friday, July 15, 2005

    Reno

    Am in Reno. Got here today. This is perhaps one of the tackiest places I  have been to and that is saying a lot. If you were to cross Atlantic City with South of the Border - in the mountains - that would be Reno. On the plus side, everthing is darn cheap The hotel we are staying at gave us loads of coupons. $9.99 for the Italian buffet! And $2 off admission to the comedy club. Imagine being a stand up comic in Reno.Oy.

    Monday, July 11, 2005

    KQ to the West Coast

    Farewell faithful readers. I am off to the West Coast for one week.

    Part of my trip will take me near the Donner Pass at the California/Nevada border where a group of pioneers got snowed in one winter and wound up eating some of the pioneers who froze to death. There is a state park there. I hope there is a snack bar because that would be funny!!!!!!!

    http://www.americansouthwest.net/california/donner_memorial/state_park.html

    How interesting....

    ...that the White House won't comment on this!

    http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/07/11/cia.leaks.ap/index.html

    Saturday, July 9, 2005

    Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

    Only a few more days till J.K. Rowling's sixth book about Harry Potter is released! SHRIEK! The book goes on sale at 12:01 a.m. on July 16. I will be in line with a bunch of 12-year-olds and I am proud to admit that. I was a late fan to the series but am now completely sucked in.

    Meanwhile, the U.S. publisher of the book is keeping crates of the copies locked up tight and chained like Houdini.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/10/wpotter10.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/07/10/ixworld.html

     

    Thursday, July 7, 2005

    London

    Nothing funny today. Just thoughts and prayers for everyone in London, especially my friend Maureen and her family. Am thinking of you.

    They are all okay. Whew.

    http://marathonmum.blogspot.com/

    Wednesday, July 6, 2005

    Angelina Jolie adopts an Ethiopian baby...

    Many of you know I wish to adopt. Perhaps I should consider traveling to Ethiopia to get me a baby. (Make your own Ethiopian jokes here, all of which will take you straight to hell!)

    http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/06/people.jolie.ap/

    ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) -- Angelina Jolie, who has been romantically linked with her "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" co-star Brad Pitt, is adopting an orphaned Ethiopian baby girl.

    Jolie visited the Horn of Africa nation last week to file her adoption request, accompanied by Pitt and her 3-year-old son, Maddox, whom she adopted in Cambodia, an official said Wednesday.

    "The paperwork has gone through. Miss Angelina's request was accepted last week," Hadosh Halefom, head of the country's state-run adoption agency, told The Associated Press.

    The child "is less than a year old," Hadosh said, refusing to elaborate. The actress filed her request through a private adoption agency.

    "If people's paperwork is in order, it can take only two days to finalize everything," Hadosh said.

    In a posting on People magazine's Web site, www.people.com, Jolie is quoted as saying the child's name is Zahara Marley Jolie and that she and Maddox are "very happy to have a new addition to our family."

    Tuesday, July 5, 2005

    Ahhhh! George Clooney

    A lovely, lovely story about George Clooney and how principled he is. Here is the link and an excerpt:

    http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/07/05/film.clooney.reut/index.html

    LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- Wouldn't it be great if more movie stars were like George Clooney?

    He's the modern model: He's too cool to demand a $20 million salary to prove his self-worth; he writes, directs and produces; and he expends his movie star capital to push for the things he believes in.

    "I'm a hybrid," Clooney said recently, after he accepted the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival's first Spirit of Independence Award. "I succeed in both worlds. I hope that selling out on 'Ocean's Eleven' is not such a bad deal. The trade-off is, I get to go make something uncommercial that will probably lose money."

    Clooney is confident enough to go toe to toe with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly or to protect a movie extra from an abusive director or to coax not only fellow "flaming liberals" to join his campaign against hunger in Africa but also Pat Robertson as well. (On ABC's "Nightline," Clooney got the televangelist to admit that in certain extreme situations, condom use is a good thing.)

    And when a completion bond company backed out of Clooney's second directing effort, the $8 million black-and-white drama "Goodnight, and Good Luck," starring David Strathairn as newsman Edward R. Murrow, Clooney offered to put up his house, worth $7 million, to insure the movie himself.

    This is not your average star.

    Saturday, July 2, 2005

    Pretzels, poverty and poo: My experience at Live 8

    Five hours since Live 8 ended and I still have a pounding headache, probably from standing in the heat all day. As I write this, I have an ice wrap around my head. And I am wearing my Mickey Mouse nightshirt for those who need a visual of RandomReality.

    All in all, a really good effort on the part of Bob Geldof, Bono and the other organizers of Live 8 and the One campaign. (www.one.org) They really raised awareness about poverty and AIDS in Africa and the G8 summit.I mean, come on. How many people in Philadelphia even knew what the G8 summit was before this concert?

    A whole lot of OTHER people raised awareness too - some good, some odd. In the span of a 10-minute walk, I saw people handing out fliers and leaflets for: Scientology, the Communist party, Lyndon LaRouche,Falun Gong, pro-life and conservation. (Of the environment. I think.)

    Best parts of the concert: Linkin Park and Jay Z. He is my dawg. I say that even though I am quite un-hip. I didn't use to like Linkin Park because I thought they were whiny white boys, but they truly rocked.

    Boring act: country singer Toby Keith.

    Sorry I missed: Sarah McLachlin. Sniff! Had started walking out by then.

    Most frightening enthusiastic crowd reaction: to Bon Jovi. The crowd loved them some New Jersey rockers.

    Thought they had broken up: Def Leppard. Nope. They were there. With their one-armed drummer (incidentally, the Def Leppard story is the best VH1 "Behind the Music" EVER.) Def Leppard is responsible for the most-awesome rock lyric:  "Looking like a tramp/Like a video vamp/Demolition woman/Can I be your man."

    Got a ride down to the concert from Dad, a.k.a. Poppa Q. Was not sure I would make it there in one piece because Dad can not STAND when a car wants to pass him. He speeds up, in some sort of testosterone-reaction way, even if he is approaching a red light. He dropped me off at the outskirts of the no-drive zone and I started walking. Wore my straw hat and pink shirt and carried a back pack.

    First thing I noticed were all the helicopters whirring overhead. Some of my former students were at the concert and I tried to find them. No luck. I also spent most of the concert trying to reach Phyllis and her friends, who were near the oval. Again, no luck. Phyllis was close to the stage and it was just too darned crowded to weave my way through. Believe me, I tried. Sorry I missed you Phyllis! Text messaged with my students, including Christina who has an unnatural obsession with Will Smith, a.k.a. The Fresh Prince.

    There was actually a lot of space to move around at the beginning of the Ben Franklin Parkway. Lots of people walking, but I didn't feel squished. Lots of vendors selling soft pretzels, a Philly staple. Water sold for $3 a bottle. But by the late afternoon, the price dropped to $1 a bottle. Too bad I had already drank four bottles by then.

    It was HOT. Not awful, icky-sticky hot. There was a breeze. But in the sun - HOT. Hence the water. Even my straw hat was sweating.

    I survived the port-o-potties at Live 8. I didn't see those shirts this afternoon, but they should have created them! Using the port-o-potties made me extremely glad that I do not live in poverty-stricken Africa or Bangkok or even attend summer camp. Horrid vats of poo.

    Heard part of the Black Eyes Peas. The sound was actually quite good all along the Parkway. Don Cheadle (of "Hotel Rwanda" - have you seen that movie? You should!) introduced Bon Jovi. The crowd. Went. Crazy. Hoo boo.

    I sat on the curb to take notes. People almost trampled me in their enthusiasm.

    Kanye West sang. The crowd bopped. I ate a cheesesteak with tasty onions. Bottle of water #2.

    A fire truck is spraying a huge stream of water. I walk under it. Little kids are running and dancing in the water and splashing in the puddles. It is quite cute. The camera man from Channel 6 thinks so too and starts filming.

    All colors and kinds of people at the concert. Cool. However, an alarming number of people were wearing ill-fitting tank tops. Sigh.

    Destiny's Child perform. Lots of women sing along.

    Natalie Portman introduces an act. "Natalie Portman? Who is that?" says the man next to me. Hello. She is only Queen Amidala. Padme. Wife to Anakin and mother of Luke and Leia!!!!!

    Coldplay from London. Madonna from London. I thought she was too busy writing children's books to sing. She performs "Like A Prayer." That was the "scandalous" video where the religious statue cries and she shows her bra straps.

    Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff! Yea!!!! The crowd goes nuts. They love him. I love him. Wish I could go out dancing with him.

    Toby Keith sings. Crowd not interested. I sit on the grass. Am hot and tired. I nap on the grass, then I obsessabout possible grass stains on my khaki shorts.

    Linkin Park and Jay Z!!!!!!!!! I stand near a fence and peer at the video screen. I have a pretty good view, except for the branch that is cropping off the top part of their heads. So I can see the lead singer of Linkin Park only when he comes downstage.

    About 4:30 p.m., I decide to start making my way back. I wanted to stay, but could not deal with having to use the port-o-potty again. Instead, I used the icky bathroom in the gallery. Not much better, but it was air conditioned. Took SEPTA home and it was fine, but I remembered why I went to college and got a job and a car so that I no longer had to take SEPTA.

    THE END

    If you want to read another blog of the concert, check out Dan Rubin's "Blinq" blog in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

    http://blogs.philly.com/blinq/2005/07/it_works.html#more

    Brooke Shields says her piece to Tom Cruise

    Go Brooke Shields! She wrote an Op-Ed piece in the New York Times.

    Here is the link and an excerpt:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/01/opinion/01shields.html?oref=login

    July 1, 2005 War of Words By BROOKE SHIELDS

    London

    I WAS hoping it wouldn't come to this, but after Tom Cruise's interview with Matt Lauer on the NBC show "Today" last week, I feel compelled to speak not just for myself but also for the hundreds of thousands of women who have suffered from postpartum depression. While Mr. Cruise says that Mr. Lauer and I do not "understand the history of psychiatry," I'm going to take a wild guess and say that Mr. Cruise has never suffered from postpartum depression.

    Postpartum depression is caused by the hormonal shifts that occur after childbirth. During pregnancy, a woman's level of estrogen and progesterone greatly increases; then, in the first 24 hours after childbirth, the amount of these hormones rapidly drops to normal, nonpregnant levels. This change in hormone levels can lead to reactions that range from restlessness and irritability to feelings of sadness and hopelessness.

    KQ at Live 8

    Hi there. I am back from Live 8. Had a lot of fun but am sweaty, hot and tired.

    I took lots of notes though and will post my blog later tonight or tomorrow :)

    Tuesday, June 28, 2005

    A picture of Luci at my birthday party

    Posting this just for fun. Remember that Luci is a very serious lawyer. Hee!

    More acts added to Live 8

    But (sniff!) P. Diddy has dropped off the bill. What is the reason to attend now, if P.Diddy won't be there!!!!!!!

    (I kid).

    http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/magazine/daily/12000395.htm

    Meanwhile, country superstar Toby Keith, aging head-bangers Def Leppard, R&B singer Alicia Keys, hip-hop/poppers Black Eyed Peas, classical balladeer Josh Groban, and Christian rockers Jars of Clay were added to the lineup. Already booked are Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Destiny's Child, Jay-Z, Kaiser Chiefs, Keith Urban, Linkin Park, Maroon 5, Rob Thomas, Sarah McLachlan and Stevie Wonder.

    Will Smith will host. Celebrity presenters, also announced yesterday, will include Salma Hayek, Natalie Portman, Chris Tucker, Jennifer Connelly, Jimmy Smits and Kami, an HIV-positive Muppet.

    Monday, June 27, 2005

    "Little House on the Prairie" Reunion

    I LOVED that show. When I was 10, I wrote a fan letter to Melissa Gilbert (Laura) and she WROTE ME BACK. Well, I got an autographed picture back. But whatever.

    Did you know that author Laura Ingalls Wilder was born in February 1867 - exactly 100 years before me? I think that is cool, since I am a writer, too.

    http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=886557

    Cast of 'Little House on the Prarie' Will Reunite for a Western Film Festival

    The Associated Press

    Jun. 27, 2005 - The cast of "Little House on the Prarie" will reunite this weekend in Tombstone, a town known for its old West roots.

    Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls Wilder, is scheduled to reunite with Dean Butler (Almanzo Wilder) and Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson) during the Tombstone Western Film Festival that runs Friday through July 4.

    George Clooney gets honored!

    For his support of independent film. See? He is such an honorable guy!

    Here is the link and an excerpt of the article.

    http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=883316

    Hollywood Honors George Clooney's Role in the World of Independent Cinema

    The Associated Press

    Jun. 26, 2005 - Hollywood celebrated George Clooney with a career retrospective, shifting the spotlight from his swaggering superstar persona to his longtime support of emerging filmmakers and art-house cinema.

    Among those cheering him at the Los Angeles Film Festival Saturday night were "Ocean's Eleven" costar Don Cheadle, Oscar nominees Virginia Madsen and Shohreh Aghdashloo, and Emmy winner Allison Janney.

    Clooney said that literally lying low following recent back surgery has kept him out of the tabloids. But he popped up again earlier this week, with news that he and English model Lisa Snowdon had ended their on-again off-again relationship.

    Clooney arrived at Saturday's event with actor Sam Rockwell.

    "I've got to tell you something," Clooney joked to AP Television News. "He's one of the worst dates I've ever had."

    Rain, rain, go away

    It is raining like CRAZY outside my window at work. I thought it was supposed to be hot and humid today. But it is pouring BUCKETS. Did I miss the memo on this? Luckily, I had an umbrella in my car but am dressed in sandals and shorts and my feet are quite wet.

    Tom and Oprah and lightning bolts

    This is from Cnn.com

    Separately, a short Internet spoof on the "Oprah" interview, titled "Tom Cruise Kills Oprah," shows the actor jumping out of his seat to clasp hands with Winfrey, shooting simulated bolts of electric current into her body as he laughs madly.

    http://tcruiseko.ytmnd.com

     

    Sunday, June 26, 2005

    Saint Basil Academy Class of 1985 Reunion

    It appears that it has been 20 years since I graduated from Saint Basil Academy, otherwise known as SBA. How did this happen?

    I am apparently helping to organize the reunion. How did that happen?

    But it will be fun. If anyone from my class found my website by Googling me or SBA, please contact me :)

    Friday, June 24, 2005

    Tom Cruise is the Scary Flaming Eye from "Lord of the Rings"

    This is an excerpt from a brilliant 2002 article in Salon (www.salon.com) by Cintra Wilson about the scariness of Tom Cruise at the 2002 Oscars. Oh, how relevant this article is today, especially after Tom's weird on-air spat with Matt Lauer.

    Remember people, Tom KNOWS about psychiatry. And Matt Lauer? Does. Not. So there.

    From the article:

    "I must warn the world about Tom Cruise. I feel he is an utterly terrifying Superior Life Form, with the power to melt heads and braid spines. His eyes are as hard, shiny and brutally penetrating as diamond drill-bits. The new braces on his teeth suggest that he is erasing all that remained of his tiny imperfections, and he is now metamorphosing into Ultra Super Perfection Man 3000. I fear his intense, mind-beating politeness, his titanium imperviousness to human weakness, his barking power-laugh.

    "Movies make a little bit of magic touch our lives," he commanded us to acknowledge, with steely resolve and Mach-5 mega-humorlessness.

    People in the audience started laughing, until they realized that Tom was Not Being Funny At All. He was chosen to frankly address the post-Sept. 11 whither-the-Oscars conundrum head-on.

    "Should we celebrate the magic the movies bring? Now?" Tom asked, his eyes boring into the eyes of the TV multitudes and implanting rays of total domination.

    "Dare I say it?"

    He flashed a smirk with his robotically flawless teeth.

    "More than EVER," he hissed, laying on his most Extreme Scientological Unction.

    He had been commanded by the Elders to Obi-Wan-Kenobi-ize the audience into rebelieving in the importance of the obscenely superfluous Oscars. Tom Cruise is becoming the Scary Flaming Eye from "The Lord of the Rings," and I fear that nobody can stop him.

    George Clooney, Bono and Bob Geldof

    They will ALL be on Nightline tonight, Friday June 24 on ABC, to talk about the One Campaign. I am practically apoplectic with excitement. Oh, Pat Roberston was be on the show too.

    And Bono will be on "Meet the Press" on Sunday morning!!!!

    http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=49405

    I just realized...

    ...that I am wearing my underwear inside out. Yes.

    In other happier news, I just got blood drawn and did NOT pass out. Yea!

    Thursday, June 23, 2005

    My favorite entry from this week's Arcata Eye Police Blotter

    http://www.arcataeye.com/062105police.shtml

  • 7:49 p.m. When a BB impacted a trailer on Oasis Street, police quickly found a neighbor busily "assassinating slugs" on his porch. The mulleted mollusk murderer agreed to cease demising the slimies.
  • The definition of "stupidity"

    http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/states/new_jersey/11962759.htm

    Posted on Thu, Jun. 23, 2005

    The Philadelphia Inquirer

    Boy, 16, treated for burns after firecracker accident

    A Cumberland County teenager who suffered serious burns when he accidentally dropped a lit firecracker into a bag filled with fireworks remained hospitalized yesterday at a Delaware County burn center.

    The 16-year-old, who was not identified because of his age, sustained third-degree burns to his arms and legs and was being treated at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland.

    The boy was tossing lit firecrackers out the window of a car driven by an older teen Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. About 4:20 p.m. on Barretts Run Road in Hopewell, Cumberland County, the boy dropped a lit firecracker into a bag of fireworks between his legs and ignited the contents, said Trooper Jeanne Hengemuhle, a state police spokeswoman. The driver suffered a minor burn in the explosion.

    Buena Borough police were trying to determine whether the fireworks had been stolen from an area dealer, Hengemuhle said.- Sam Wood

     

    George Clooney is single again

    George and his girlfriend, Lisa Snowden, have broken up. Again. Sigh. It is so HARD for George to find love. Perhaps I shall try and comfort him in this difficult time....

    http://www.inthenews.co.uk/celebrity/film/george-clooney/clooney-and-snowdon-split-$16000527.htm

    http://www.mirror.co.uk/archive/archive/tm_objectid=15651463&method=full&siteid=94762-name_page.html

    22 June 2005

    EXCLUSIVE: LISA AND GEORGE AGREE TO SPLIT

    By Jessica Callan

    LISA Snowdon and George Clooney have split after deciding their relationship has run its course.

    The couple broke up a fortnight ago after discussing it on the phone.

    The Essex-born model and TV presenter is visiting friends in Los Angeles and Clooney is on holiday at his villa in Lake Como, Italy.

    A Hollywood source said: "It's always difficult to maintain a long distance relationship. They have remained great friends and there is no animosity between them.  "Lisa last saw George in LA at the beginning of May. They spoke on the phone regularly but they began to realise that the relationship had nowhere to go."

    Lisa, 33, ruled out a move to LA. She said: "I would miss Britain too much."

    Live 8 will be televised by MTV. Yea!

    And George Clooney might be in town!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHRIEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/living/food/11961111.htm

    Getting Live 8 out to the world


    INQUIRER TV COLUMNIST

    Television-wise, Live 8 is going global.

    MTV, VH1 and mtvU, MTV's college network, will simultaneously carry Live 8 on July 2 to a potential worldwide audience of more than a billion people, the cable networks announced yesterday.

    The noon-to-8 p.m. telecast will be seen live from Philadelphia and London, with segments from Cornwall, England; Paris; Rome; Berlin; Johannesburg, South Africa; Tokyo; and Toronto.

    Tom Cruise gets all kinds of snippy...

    ...when a reporter DARES to ask him about Scientology and their pesky belief about aliens.

      Here is the link and an excerpt:

    http://thetrack.bostonherald.com/moreTrack/view.bg?articleid=91185

    Scientology query nearly starts War over the Words
    By Stephen Schaefer
    Thursday, June 23, 2005 - Updated: 10:28 AM EST

    NEW YORK - A Boston Phoenix scribe ticked off ``War of the Worlds'' star Tom Cruise at a press conference here yesterday to promote next Wednesday's premiere of the $135-million sci-fi remake.
         ``What paper are you from?'' snapped Cruise when reporter Gary Sussman asked how he squared the movie's alien-invasion plot with his Scientologist beliefs.
         Told that the question came from a Phoenix writer, Cruise looked at director Steven Spielberg, who assured him quietly, ``That's a good paper.'' 
    Good thing Gary has friends in high places!

    Wednesday, June 22, 2005

    David Sedaris will be on "Letterman" tonight!

    Yeah! David Sedaris will be on Dave tonight! Everybody watch!

    http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/

    I am sunburned

    Hello readers. RandomReality has returned from a sojourn to the Jersey shore where we were rested by ocean breezes and sated by chocolate chip pancakes. Oh and got sunburned.

    I/we went to the beach to sit and read for 40 minutes yesterday. There was a good breeze and it wasn't too hot so I/we did not put on sunscreen. I was only there for 40 minutes! Now I am bright red on my shoulders and arms. However, the red is broken up by stripes of white where my sleeveless top was. So now I look like a barber pole. Lovely. Have been coating myself in aloe.

    While we were away, RandomReality read much about the engagement of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, aka "TomKat." It has only been seven weeks, people? What is the rush?

    Katie, run away. Far away. I know he is Tom Cruise, but have you heard how he sounds when he laughs lately? It is FAR too hearty. And according to both People magazine and the New York Post, a Scientology "assistant" is now following Katie wherever she goes. Uh oh.

    Wednesday, June 15, 2005

    AOL finally made it easier to load pix on this site!

    This is a picture of the Philly gals and I at my '70s-themed birthday party, held at the great Pen and Pencil Club for reporters in Philadelphia.

    From left: Barb, Patty, me, Karen and Lisa.

    50 Cent is out; Jacko might be in??

    Oh Lord. Say it isn't so. There is talk - let us hope just rumors - that Michael Jackson could turn up at Live 8 in Philadelphia on July 2. No, no, no.

    50 Cent is definitely out. I mourn. Not really. But he scares me and I don't want to get beat up.

    But Wacko Jacko? No. I know he was acquitted, but that doesn't mean he should be given a performance platform at a charity event!

    http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/11895438.htm

    Tuesday, June 14, 2005

    Jackson verdict

    Bring on the 12-year-old boys, wine in soda cans and porn! I am gonna have me a party. Cause apparently, inviting a bunch of pre-pubescents to my bedroom for sleepovers while we sip Jesus Juice and ogle porn in A-OK in this country. Great.

    Oh wait. I am not a celebrity. And I am not worshipped as a deity by some. And I am poor.

    Never mind.

    My serious point is that the teen accuser and the ones who came before him seem to have gotten lost in all this. Somethin' just ain't right at Neverland Ranch.

    Saturday, June 11, 2005

    Don't just Google it! Gizoogle it!

    Want your Internet searches translated into Snoop Dog speak? Then Gizoogle it!

    http://www.gizoogle.com/

    I looked up "George Clooney" (of course) and this is what the search returned:

    Clooneyfizzle - George Clooney
    The place ta start n rizzle if look'n fo` George Clooney pics, bizzy news,gossip,emailfriends,mizzle books n videos... updated monthly (unoffizzles ...
    www.clooneyfiles.com/

    Hee!

    I learned about Gizoogle from Daniel Rubin of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who  mentioned Gizoogle on his cool blog:

    http://blogs.philly.com/blinq/

    Plans progressing for Live8 in Philadelphia

    I am determined to attend this show, since I missed Live Aid in 1985. Who is coming with me? We will be sweaty and crowded. Come on! It will be fun! My sister's friend Phyllis has offered her apartment and workplace as air-conditioned places to pee.

    Philadelphia is preparing for the crazy July 4 weekend that also includes a pre-scheduled Elton John concert. I am definitely going to have to drive into Northeast Philadelphia and park at my Dad's in order to even get into the city.

    http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/front/11868404.htm

    Limits for Live 8




    Inquirer Staff Writer

    In anticipation of the massive crowd expected to be drawn by the Live 8 concert, city police have decided to close a broad swath of central Philadelphia to traffic.

    Officials have tentatively staked out a no-car zone for the concert, bounded by Market Street, Fairmount Avenue, 15th Street and 23d Street, according to a memo sent Thursday by Capt. Dennis Cullen, commander of the Ninth Police District.

    Although residents with identification will be permitted to enter the no-car zone, and deliveries to businesses and homes will be allowed, Cullen said, other drivers looking to travel through the area on July 2 will be taking the long way around.

    Police this week began advising neighborhood groups of the traffic restrictions, which are intended to keep streets open for emergency vehicles.

    (Read the whole article by clicking on the link above.)

    Thursday, June 9, 2005

    No verdict today in Jackson trial

    The jury went home early today so there is no verdict. Here is my prediction: There will be a verdict on Friday because jurors will not want to have to come back next week.

    June 11, 2005:

    Okay, I was wrong. I will admit it.

    http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/06/10/jackson.trial/index.html

    Tuesday, June 7, 2005

    Michael Jackson verdict watch

    I simply LOVE the Verdict Clock on Court TV for the Michael Jackson jury deliberations. Here is my prediction: He will be found guilty of two of the 28 charges, maybe the ones involving serving alcohol to a minor.

    Here is a funny, tidbit-filled blog from Court TV. Apparently, Debbie Rowe likes steak.

    http://www.courttv.com/trials/jackson/juryblog.html