Estoy Nueces

This is the first entry of my third year of this diary. Tuesday was the full two year anniversary. Amazing. I thought about changing the name, starting fresh, beginning with news goals and fresh ideas but then, just like in my life, I said, nah. I know there are links to this, some have bookmarked it, so why mess with a good thing. I'd hate for my four faithful readers to not easily find me.

The Country Music Association awards were last night. That made for a night of no sleep for me. My morning team asked me to tape the announcements of the winners and their acceptance speeches so they could use little clips on the air. It required a great production but it worked out well in the end. I videotaped the show as I would have anyway because Mark missed the last half, but I also taped the audio on CD as it played. Plus, I taped just the announcements and speeches on the minidisc player. After a big three hour night of sleep I went to work and edited it into the computer. I put in the speeches and also the Dixie Chicks singing Travelin' Soldier, a wonderful Bruce Robison song, and Alan Jackson singing his September 11 inspired song, Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning). The morning team was very pleased with what they got out of me and I was happy with the result too.

Only thing I was unhappy with was the total caffeine and ephedrine buzz I was running on. I wound up work early and came home and crashed for most of the day. I think I'll still be able to sleep tonight. I know I won't really catch up until the weekend.

I thought the CMAs this year were not as good as in years past. It may have been because I was working and not just enjoying watching them. There were no outrageously bad performances, like LeAnn Rimes at the ACMs, but there were plenty of just bad performances. Garth's audio was bad and George Jones can't sing like he used to, poor Willie looked scared out of his wits for some strange reason, Jamie O'Neill had "JoDee Messina-itis" Mark said and had on a hideous outfit that took me back to Tony Orlando and Dawn's Variety Hour. None of the winners disappointed me. I was glad Sara Evans didn't take home the seven she was nominated for. She only got one and it was for the video. I don't think she is of the caliber of the other female vocalists. I was glad that Lee Ann Womack got female. Toby Keith was good enough for male. Tim McGraw deserved entertainer of the year this time. Lonestar got the group. Brooks and Dunn (Kix Brooks, the Andrew Ridgely of country music---Mark said that years ago and I will never see them without thinking of that) got duo, ho-hum, stupid category. Murder on Music Row got single (or was it song?) and that thrilled me. Must have been song since the writers got the award. Single was Man of Constant Sorrow, which was terrific, especially since country radio didn't play it. Except ****, I can proudly say **** plays it. [2004 note.... googling myself to see how easy it is to find my diary and those call letters make it too damn easy!]

I'm dozing off so I don't think I can continue with the diatribe tonight... Is diatribe even the right word? See I'm zzzzzzzzzzz