Today I had a CT of my kidneys

Thanks to a re-run of the same UTI for over 6 weeks and the cool opportunity to try out all the major antibiotics of the past decade I was able to take what I'm hoping is a short stroll down Urology Lane.

Anybody ever have a camera up the bladder while it's being filled with water? Wow, that was really unfun and humiliating. Nothing like funny banter with a man while he's looking up your wee-wee.

Today was interesting, too. It wasn't a bit as painful or embarrassing as the camera episode, but I did have an interesting thing happen.

They gave me a lot of tasty LA tap water to down, which was a lot better than the barium swillers on my left in the "waiting room," (not really "a room" at all, it was a hallway with chairs.)

In any event the nurse said they'd put an IV in my arm so they could inject dye into my system in order to film my kidneys and bladder, etc. They said it might make me feel "kind of warm or flushed."

Okay, so that sounded fine to me, no, great, to me, since it was freezing there in the USC hallway and I had had nothing to eat since the night before.

Anyhow so it finally gets to be my turn in the CT room where they lie you down on a table that slides gently inside a whirring tin-can tube, with "PHILLIPS" boldly printed on the top.

Outside "the can" you can watch a computer screen with all these cool images of your guts photographed in "slices" in lots of quick screen shots so you get to watch your innerds in a sort-of animation form.

When the CT nurse lady said they would inject the dye I started to feel a tiny warm rush over my head and in my chest...then I, to my utter, astonishment, said loudly:

"Wow! This makes my vagina really hot!"

And, boy, did it. Not, unfortunately, in "that kind" of way. No such luck. More like a very hot water bottle crammed into my crotch kind of way.

The CT picture taker said women found the "hot down there" reaction common, but not for men. Her feeling was that they feel it there, too, but are too embarrassed to spill the, uh, beans.

I guess I'm more vocal about these things than the average 50+ truck driver guys currently sitting, waiting their turn in the hallway.

Watching the inside of me on a computer screen was cool. It was beautiful, actually.

It was a combination of a rorschach test and ocean-in-a-bottle. A lava lamp view of my interior.

I just wanted the screen to put a big circle around the bits that they thought would look "off" to them. You know have a huge pink circle pop up that said "DANGER: LOOK CLOSELY AT THIS, IT'S NOT QUITE RIGHT HERE. FIX ASAP."

But, no, they just take the pictures and then tell you to go.


I bought myself a pair of shoes later this morning to cheer myself up.

I finally saw Elton John in concert!

Last night I went to my first and only Elton John concert.

Check THIS out: My ticket!



That's my ticket, my friends! That's my ticket to Elton John...Last night. Finally, after all these years. Wow.


That's my teen-age idol out there!


I mean -- his play list was almost too much to take it in. You have to understand, he was my idol, but I had never once made it to an Elton John Concert.



Here he is striking a pose.


Let me backtrack; If you knew me growing up, (say, anytime between 1970 and 1982) you would know what a huge, major, big deal going to an Elton John concert for the first time really would be.



What can I say? I was an only child living in a somewhat rural part of New England with what can only be described as astonishingly un-hip parents. This meant nobody took me to a rock concert or even drove me into the next town to buy anyone's latest album, either. I was on my own...However, I learned to be very resourceful that way. I was a dedicated fan who became very creative about getting my "elton" fixes.


So in light all this, imagine my shock two weeks ago when I learned that my husband had two tickets to review the Elton John concert at the Honda Center. I was stunned.

Then I started asking myself questions like:

"Is this my "make a wish" moment?"

"What if seeing him really sucks. What will that say about all those wasted years?"

"What if I get all weepy in front of my husband and he just makes fun of me?"

I have to admit I had some other thoughts which exposes what a not very nice person I can be. I thought;

"Why do YOU get to review Elton John?! What makes you so qualified to review him? Huh? All my life people like you get to review people like Elton John, and people like me only get to read about it! That's so not fair, because clearly I loved him much more than you ever did.

Which, naturally, is not a nice or rational or grown up reaction, but there you are. I'm being honest.

So, you can see that I was having very mixed feelings about going to this one and only concert.

Almost the second the lights dimmed; There was the familiar whistle-y wind sound that I recognized immediately: I called out triumphantly! "FUNERAL FOR FRIEND!" My husband and our friends stared at me with a startled confused look on their face. I think they thought I was channeling something, the sound was so faint at that time. The lights not quite on yet... and I said louder, "The concert! It's starting and the first song will be Funeral For a Friend."

I felt vindicated.

And I was right. It was his first song of the night. It was going to be perfect. It was. He didn't stop pounding out the hits for over two hours. Just song after song. Perfect.

Naturally, I wish I'd seen him in the early days back when he was, well, far from sober and let's just say, on fire.

It must have been amazing to see him on a smaller stage; lit by one or two simple spots and ricocheting off the walls. Who wouldn't have wanted to be there for that. But, you can't go home, right? Be here now.

I think what I would have to say struck me the most out there on the stage was his sense of humility. It was not what I'd call an "open book" performance. He was reserved; professional. Polite. Not quite like the old days, but that's okay. Almost. And that doesn't mean it was worse, not at all...He was just different, than I imagine it was earlier on. Duh. Right?







For the record; I didn't cry (I teared up a little at the beginning.). I did scream like a kid, and I did sing along with all the words...but my husband didn't laugh at me...too much

Tim Robbins Keynote speech to NAB Convention in Las Vegas

Standing up to the big boys:

I love it when someone has the guts to stand up to the big boys.

But, in particular, it takes real guts to be an actor who lectures the NAB. Which is why everyone should listen to what Tim Robbins was recorded doing the other day at the NAB convention. The message he sent wasn't just directed at media production, but media consumers, as well.

And that would be, us.

It's all so dark and cynical out there. Did I mention sensational? I am no prude. Trust me. But, geez. It's getting bad out there.

Naturally, this has been disturbing to me as a parent. How do I stay honest about our leaders and not kill my children's hope for the future? Knowing there are those who feel as I do about this issue is encouraging to me.

Mr. Robbins should be thanked for having the courage to challenge those in in charge of our "collective dreams." We need to keep reminding them that they are in a position to change society, not just make money off of us.

We all should demand we are offered something substantive instead of the usual TV/Media junk so our country still has some shreds of moral character to hang on to especially during these troubled times. Since when did "doing the right thing" ever get so boring and uninteresting?

I guess, Elvis (no, not that one.) summed it up best What's so funny about peace, love and understanding? Sorry, but I dare "the big boys" in broadcasting to create programing that's shoved down our throats both rich, and challenging and ethical. I dare them.

So, what will happen next? Will broadcasters continue to contribute to the moral obesity of our nation's character, or will they actually branch into programing that makes us think? Or, even, feel. Is there anyway to market a new media successfully? And if not, can we change the market? Wouldn't that be a smart thing to do?


In any event, public displays of standing up to the "big boys" (be they corporate, academic, familial or any other gang-like establishment) isn't just what is required in these times; It also makes for very interesting media content.

Go, Tim.

New Diane Arbus exhibit at The Getty

I mean, at the Getty

Family trip to the Getty

I loved this exhibit. It was like visiting the palace of Louis XIV as imagined by the creators of Blues Clues.

Raised by a black and white Zenith

Growing up we had a black and white Zenith TV Set. My parents took me with them to by it at G. Fox & Co., a huge store outside of New Orleans built on top of a huge swamp in Metarie, La. It was the year the Beatles song "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" was a hit.

I also got a bag of stale popcorn, that day, as well. It tasted heavenly and came in a long white bag sporting a clown's face soaked with tiny oil spots. Usually we passed that popcorn booth in the entrance but never got any. That day I got my popcorn which was a tip off that things were about to change in my life, big time.

In any event, I loved that TV.

It wasn't much. It only got a total of about 5 grainy channels which aired old re-runs till the evening news came on, but I loved my Zenith. I don't care what other parents say, I could never, despite how much I love Tim Robbins for yelling at the Big Boys about shoddy TV programming, but I could never deny my kids their favorite TV shows. After all, I know how much my shows meant to me.

Look, every day I looked forward to my post-school TV line up. "The Lucille Ball Show," "Perry Mason," "Mr. Magoo" and a really low budget cable "science show" for kids. ("Ranger Rick?")

Oh, and "Lassie." ("Featuring June Lockheart") Lassie broke my heart every single week. Timmy was the luckiest kid in the world to have a dog like that.

I wanted it all. His dog; his flannel lined dungarees; his father's cool pick-up truck and a mom who knew how to do it all: Except work a phone. Apparently she used a phone that appears to be a dixie-cup wired to a a wooden box in the kitchen. Good thing they never needed 911.

In any event, this (watching lots of black and white TV) is what I did instead of homework; I watched TV reruns which, if you know me, you'll understand pretty much explains a lot.

There were some shows I absolutely detested for no good reason other than being absolutely so banal they were just plain disturbing.

("Gilligan's Island" would have to be top of that list. Followed by maybe "The Brady Bunch.")

And I think I need to attribute my early love of "Film Noir" to having watched so many old Perry Mason shows. They always had some gorgeous, yet entirely B-list actresses wearing fabulous vintage clothes shot in moody old-hollywood settings. The bad guy almost always lost, and Perry always was right, again. Against all odds. I loved that. There were lots of scenes with banana trees in silhouette and mid century furniture. Thus begineth my love of over the top morality theater and buying 40's dresses at Goodwill.

But, I would have to say that one of my most favorite shows of all time, well, okay, late sixties/early seventies - was without a doubt "The Mod Squad."



I don't get it. A whole generation watched The Mod Squad, but now sits around wondering what to do about Bush and Iraq?

What would Julie, Pete and Linc think? I loved all three of them, except that scary "Captain" guy who looked both mean and "straight" (aka: boring) which was a deadly combination in the Sixties.

I secretly wished the fabulous 3 would kidnap me from perils of elementary school and hold me hostage in basement a University taken over by angry war protesters. I could be the "Jr. Mod" one. "Mod kid." As if. Pass the Bugles, please.




True Story:

One day, in the eighties, I was walking down Amsterdam Avenue and glanced up just in time to catch a very familiar face just passing out of view.

I gasped and called out: "Oh, my God! -- Linc!"

There was a bit of an awkward silence and, astonishingly, there he was with his trademark deadpan stare.

At that moment, all normal words suddenly evaporated inside my skull.

Brilliantly, I carried on.

"Oh, I...Hi. I'm, uhm...not Julie...Yeah. Uhm. ha."

Then we both turned and kept walking.

What I wouldn't have paid right then to change that to "Hey, aren't-you-Clarence-Williams-III?"

OMG! My kid met Miley Cyrus at the 2008 Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards!

My daughter, J. got to go to the 2008 Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards last week, and met not only the one and only Miss Cyrus, but also a bucket load of other tweeny idols.

All her mom and sister got were these "lousy" jpegs!

My husband said he could only take along one of us and would only be able to take photos in between his interviews and that we'd all have to live with these limitations.

I love how J. has this "oh. my. god...I-can't-believe-this-is-really-me-here-with-them" look on her face the whole time.

And then, when Miley Cyrus, the one person she was most excited to meet...was there, she went blank. She just looked up "all I saw were sequins and sparkles on a skirt and then I looked up from that and saw it was Miley Cyrus was in front of me! I totally forgot what I was going to ask her."

Here's J. (from the back) in awe of Miley Cyrus.


I told her that was this was a completely honest, therefore, great reaction and reminded her that she should rehearse her questions next time.

BTW the question she'd planned to ask Miley, but spaced out on, was this:http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

"What was your favorite song you sing off of your new album?"

BTW: Apparently Miley Cyrus really is as friendly and gracious off screen as on. Juliet said she was very sweet when she met her.

Okay, so here are some totally adorable (I think, but I'm her mom.) photos of J. at The Nickelodeon 2008 Kids Choice Awards on the Orange Carpet meeting some very cool celebs.

J."striking a pose" on the Orange Carpet!



I asked her who was standing behind her in this one.

She said "Mom. That's Chris Brown."
I said I was still in the dark.
She said "Chris Brown is like the major heart-throb of every girl, but me."
Oh. Okay





I believe she is standing in front of Rihanna here, which she seems very pleased about.

I asked her this was and she said "Mom, she sings that Umbrella Song you like! But, she kind of dresses very racy. I think she was kicked out of a wedding once."
(I almost added "Who did? Me or that girl?")



J. and The Naked Brothers.
Oh, yeah. I think she is pretty pleased about this.


Below is a link to my husband's, (aka "the real writer).
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/kids-orange-stars-2008366-miley-carpet

And you have to check out more of J.'s observations in Pete's OCR blog at the link below.


BTW: My real question to her just after the show was this:

"So, of all the movie star boys who were there today, who did you think was really the cutest?

Her answer: "None. They all had pimples."

Hmmm. I will be sure to remind her of this in a few years.

http://pedrowatcher.freedomblogging.com/2008/03/30/a-kids-view-of-the-nickelodeon-kids-choice-awards/