The birthday rampdown...

Well, it's not so much a "birthday rampdown" because I never really felt a "spike", "surge", or "rampup". Of course, I may have just missed it altogether. None-the-less, it's been a big week, and for that matter, it's been a big month. Let's go back to just after I left Clear Channel. That Thursday was two days after the first game of the season at the Nationals new stadium. I have a few pictures



The box is THE owners suite (the Learners) and it's really decked out. The leather looks like baseball gloves with the stiching and everything. Nice touches. The whole ballpark is nice and it was great to see it still "unfinished" and see some of how they constructed things.




Big thanks to John Myers and all that he's done to help me along... always great hanging out with John. And of course, Shaun doing his dirty back room dealings in and around the city.

Can't wait for this weekend's fun.

So, it's that time of year again. Well, a day of debauchery is ahead of me as I begin my day. Having spent the night at a wonderful bed & breakfast. Yeah, definitely a house I could live in. Check it out for yourself : http://www.gramercymansion.com/

We stayed in the Tudor Room. Wonderful accommodations. Don't try to bring down the drapes on the bed. Very beautiful, but not to be touched. Lesson learned. Great pocket doors everywhere and you really can't beat springtime in the great state of Maryland. Well, it's off to Faidley's for oyster eating. It is ApRil. Some more picture taking, maybe find my uncle & aunt, then to dinner with my father.

Off we go then. Wow, being without a cell phone then having one that never rings is GREAT. I don't think I've talked on the cell for almost 2 weeks!!

Ahh Spring time....

New growth in Old Town. Is it ever great to be in Old Town Alexandria ... well, ever. I'd say "this time of year, but heck, I can't say for the past 2 years I've ever regretted moving here. And now, I'm truly a resident in that I can WALK to work. And what is this "new work" ? Ahhh.. the new loyalty.. it resides here :

So end my career in radio :

I've been told many years that "you're not officially in radio until you've been fired". Well, as shocking as it seems, and after just about 14 years, me, "THE DINGER", has NEVER been in radio. It was a good run. I've had a TON of fun and met a load of people. All the way from the President of the United States down to the morning show hosts for the station I started at the many years ago. Oh the stories. There's a book in the works. Actually two. I have some fiction I've been meaning to get to as well as fiction of I life I led as "boss jock" at DC-101, through the purchase of WWDC-AM/WWDC-FM by Chancellor , then the name turned to AM/FM and once more to the final "Clear Channel". Boy, wasn't that the most fun I ever had. (read: sarcasm) So I anticipate this blog to be a bit about the past, a large amount about the present and we'll reflect a little on the future. I hope to be focusing most of my energy on this and that going on in Old Town. Offering my view of what I see to and from work. What I see when I go out.

Who ARE these anoying people?!

EXTRA! EXTRA!! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

So, there are these people out pushing "newspapers" at the metro. They're middle school/high school age kids. They're obviously employed by the newspaper. No surprise there. They're obviously encouraged by the paper to PUSH these papers. But here's their line when you come near them ... most of the time it's all of them (most of the time grouped in 2's, 3's and 4's...) so it sounds like "heywoujaheywouldpaperlikeatencentpaperonlytencents?" I'm all for people getting jobs. I'm all for young people having jobs. But WHERE have we progressed to.. or more correctly said, "Where have we recessed to?" I YEARN for the days when you had the paperboys on the streets who actually lured you into buying their papers. You know, you've seen them in movies and cartoons. "EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!! Muggers mugged! Crooks caught! CEO's Clobbered." They had alliteration, imagination and they actually said things that one MIGHT want to listen to. Right now, we have kids with nothing more than diariah of the mouth trying to get allthewordsoutintheleastamountoftimepossible. Enunciate. PLEASE. There are enough people in the world that I can't understand. Surprise, you might get me to spend ten cents on your paper if a) I understand what you're saying and b) find it interesting and aluring. I have no problems reading an unintersting paper, even for 10 cents. I take a FREE "Express" each morning from my VERY friendly newsguy "Fred". Fred and I haven't talked politics, religion or thermonuclear physics, but, Fred each morning wishes me well on my day and on Friday a good weekend. I often meander off topic and ask how his weekend was or if it'll be raining by lunch. Granted, we're caught up in this word of Xeroxed chain stores where people want the "familiar" and to be able to find the same product on the sheves of the Rockville Target as the shelves of the Target in Fairbanks Alaska. Granted, that's a great convienence. But here's the thing, we're rolling this out to EVERYTHING. At some point people want and yearn for personality and creativity. That's what makes us human. Our "different"-ness. On the other side of things, how about you identify yourself other than just a colored piece of paper on a string around your neck. Pretty unprofessional. You're not a "neighborhood newspaper". We're the number 7 media market in America. How about some effort here. Maybe a bib? Maybe a nice t-shirt or even (gasp!) a polo with a nice pair of slacks. It's pretty lame to have the bleeched top jeans and untucked t-shirts layered, etc. You've got to take your job seriously if you want me to take you seriously. I used to put my paper in the recycling bin at the exit from the Metro. Now I have to carry it with me to warn off the buzzing and "heydoyouwantapaperonlytencents". I'll carry the Express to prove to them that I read the paper but wish to not be bothered with their annoying buzzing. Is it bad that I pray for rain so these people leave me alone? I feel as though it would be a waste of my time, effort and would dampen my spirit if I would stop and tell them my opinions. Someday.