I was thinking back to when I used to date.

You know, dating? That event where one individual asks another individual to go out in hopes of learning a bit more about them, sharing a laugh or two ... and of course, there is the potential of some ... um, er ... heavy breathing at the end of the date.

I always hated the uncomfortable aspect of dating that basically boiled down to "so, what do you wanna do?"

Arrrrrgh! If you are going to ask someone out ... plan it! Think it through, dammit. Get creative.

Nothing is more disconcerting and yes, disappointing ... than to be asked out, and then the asker asks the askee ... "so, what do you wanna do?"

In last night's episode of "Sex and The City" ... Jack (Carrie's newest infatuation) asked Carrie out via answering machine and boy, did he give good message!

He suggested a particular movie, offered the show times ... and then said he would like to take her to dinner after the movie and since he chose the film, Carrie could choose the restaurant.

Not bad, not bad at all. Planned. Organized. And no guessing for either party as to what you should wear!

I once dated a guy who gave great date:

One day he would call and say, "How about an afternoon at the horse races? I'll console you when you lose!" ... or "Would you like to go to the Scottsdale Jazz Festival tonight? It is outdoors and on the lawn ... it could be hot. Wanna come and sweat to some great music with me?"

We did a bevy of interesting things: horse races, concerts (jazz to heavy metal to opera), swap marts, sharing dawn at the botanical garden, flew to Vegas to see a show ...

... gallery openings, picnics in the pines, casinos to "people watch", took a flying lesson together, shopping for truck tires (?), drove all night just to go to Sea World in San Diego to see a baby whale, rented a HUGE pontoon boat on Saquaro Lake for just the two of us so we could dance on the water ...

... and so many restaurants ... you name it, we tried it. Sorta ate our way through metro Phoenix.

Yeah, Jim gave great date ... but it seems that somewhere along the way, he forgot to file his taxes. For a dozen+ years.

I stopped seeing Jim. Dating in the penitentiary was just not my cup o' tea.

So, if you are dating ... thinking about dating ... or just wondering about some creative things to do ...

Be creative.

File your taxes!

Sometimes I can be so lame.

If you sent email my way in the last 24 hours ... um, please resend it.

I guess I took the words email filter very seriously and apparently dumped some non-spam email.

The high in Phoenix today was 113º. Perhaps the heat ... my brain ... you do the math.

Oh my.

I have found a diary. A journal. Writings by someone I have admired for lo, so many years.

I am such a fan of this man. I've seen him perform. He is an artist and a magician ... his music transcends time and space.

He is coming back to Phoenix in September! If I have to PAY someone to go stand in line for tickets, dammit ... I will!

Ottmar Liebert.

Just typing his name is music to me. Yes, I am such a fan.

Oh my.

On June 19th and 20th, I wrote entries regarding the raging wildfire in southern Arizona.

The fire, named the Aspen Fire, is still burning in the Santa Catalina Mountains (just north of Tucson) but it appears that those incredible "hot shots" and fire fighters are getting the upper hand on the fire. According to this morning's local newspaper, they have 35% containment ... the high winds are far less than they were ... and the fire has burned just over 30,000 acres.

They are expecting a system of storms to move through the Tucson area ... and now, flooding will become a concern for the mountain.

Sad. Really sad.

Yes, there is extreme loss in property damage ... there is also the reminder of the catastrophic loss to the forest.

The folks who lost their homes and businesses are all vowing to rebuild ... and by God, I have no doubt that Summerhaven will one day be the lovely, quaint village that offered cool breezes in the summer's heat ... warm cocoa after snowball fights and skiing ... and some of the best (i.e. decadent) pie you could ever devour.

But the forests ... they will take centuries to once again be the beautiful vistas of ponderosa pine, aspen and manzanita. The wildlife ... let's just hope most sought refuge away from the fire's path.

Fire is an odd and quirky thing. I cannot help but remember one of the characters in the movie "Backdraft" saying that fire is "alive ... it has a mind and life of its own".

The article shows how a building of metal will buckle and melt under the 2500 degree heat of the wildfire and yet, just yards away ... a completely wooden cabin stands unscathed by fire's wrath.

An interesting, although heartbreaking, situation is that of a home that survived the wildfire but had the roof caved when a 500-gallon propane tank blew up across the street and "catapulted" onto the home's roof 600 feet away.

As I said before ... it is going to be a long, hot ... dry ... dangerous summer.

Recognize that logo?

It is just one incarnation of a symbol of fun, sun, beach music, and swanky autos.

The Chevy Corvette is 50 years old.

And boy howdy, the Corvette enthusiasts are celebrating!

I am so envious, I could just spit.

Corvette owners from around the U.S. are traveling via Corvette Caravan en masse this week to Bowling Green, KY to end up at the Corvette Museum for a week's worth of partying and celebrating "America's Sports Car".

On June 27th, these 10,000+ Corvettes will travel 70 miles south to Nashville for a 2-day celebration sponsored by Chevrolet.

Naw, I am not a gear head ... far from it ... (despite this post and the posts about OrangeCountyChoppers.com)

I am just a woman in her 40s who grew up in the West where the weather was perfect for convertible 'Vettes, trips to the beach ... and surf music prevailed.

Jan & Dean, The Beach Boys, The Ventures ... they all wrote and sang songs about this sweet, sporty auto.

I remember being a kid and learning that Jan Berry (of Jan & Dean) had crashed his red Corvette StingRay and would probably not survive.

Jan did survive.

As does the sexy, fun-loving "attitude" that surrounds the Chevy Corvette. Think of Prince's 1983 hit "Little Red Corvette" ... sexy, hot and with a beat you can dance to!

I actually owned a Corvette ... once. A boyfriend (who was blessed by being the only child of very wealthy family) gave me a spankin' brand new white 1986 'Vette. It had the removable glass "T" tops. Schweeet.

I gave it back.

Later, I dated a guy with a bright yellow 1989 'Vette. He wore Ralph Lauren's "Polo". Wait, let me rephrase that ... everything he touched 'wore' "Polo". He kept a bottle of it in his Corvette's glove box and the car reeked! At the end of a date, I reeked! *shudder*

Ah, but I digress ...

... if you are interested in the history and lore of the Corvette, I assure you that the web is chocked full o' sites dedicated to all things 'Vette.

Better yet ... if you are in the area, head over to Bowling Green.

It should be fun.

And Corvette? Happy 50th Anniversary!

I have received no less than four emails from people asking me how to contact the Teutels or Orange County Choppers.

You remember them: the guys from "American Chopper" that I wrote about on 6/15.

Um, huh?

Damn, the show must be more popular than I originally had thought!

So, first things first: If you want to see the bikes they create or contact OCC, their website is OrangeCountyChoppers.com

From that site, you can email the boys of OCC ... fax 'em ... send a carrier pigeon.

If you are a biker fan, a fan of OCC/"American Chopper", or just curious and looking, the Discovery Channel website has a plethora of options including bios, photos and a message board.

Also, if you want a real taste of the OCC guys ... The Discovery Channel is doing an "American Chopper" marathon (6 shows in a row) tonight (Monday) at 10:pm ET/PT.

Since Discovery beeps out all the cussin' and swearin' ... the show could be considered "kid friendly". But be warned, anger management and dysfunctional family are relative words in describing this show.

"... destroying as many as 250 homes in and around Summerhaven. It was one of the single most destructive days in Arizona history."

By way of an update to my post below ... sadly ...

Arizona and the fine folks who own property in Summerhaven and the surrounding areas on Mt. Lemmon ...

... they have lost much. So very much.

My sincerest of thanks to Ms. Judy Epstein, a resident of Summerhaven and the photographer of the remarkable images found at MtLemmonPhotos.com for taking the time to grant me permission to use her image (below) and for her follow-up email today correcting a previously posted error.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

I have a huge lump in my throat.

One year ago this week I wrote about the horrible wildfires that were burning in the Mogollon Rim area of Arizona. Hundreds of homes were destroyed and nearly a half million acres of the most incredible forest lands were burned.

Today there is "breaking news" on all of our local teevee stations: it is happening again.

This time the most serious fire, which they are calling the Aspen Fire, is in the breathtakingly beautiful Mount Lemmon, which is in the Santa Catalina Mountain range just north of Tucson.

The breaking news? They have to evacuate all of the firefighters due to high winds and the severe danger. No air support either ... too dangerous.

Summerhaven (quaint resort village and in winter, a ski area) is in the fire's path. There are 700 homes and numerous businesses threatened.

In addition, we currently have 8 or 9 wildfires burning around Arizona.

It is going to be a long, hot ... sad ... heartbreaking ... summer.

I am sure you all are getting sick of my overt support of Clay Aiken, the "runner-up" on this past season's American Idol.

I cannot help myself. I think the kid has talent. Oodles of it.

Apparently the music buying public agrees with me because ...

... well, Clay is not playing second fiddle anymore!

He debuted at Number One on the charts, selling 393,000 copies.

This makes me very happy. Yep, very happy indeedy!

Hey, are you watching "American Chopper" on the Discovery Channel?

If not, you should be.

Now, before you go off and think I have lost my conservative Jann marbles ... let me tell you ...

I am addicted.

It is about the crazy, creative and over-the-top always yelling family ... The Teutels.

Paul Sr. is the patriarch of Orange County Choppers (Rock Tavern, New York)... and he is gruff, muscle tough, and takes anger to a whole new level.

Then there is Paul Jr. ... Junior ... or Paulie ... and he is the reason I cannot watch this show enough:

He is a creative genius. He bends metal to machinery ... and the results are the most intricate, stunningly beautiful ... hot and heart stopping choppers you could ever imagine.

Paul created a masterpiece he called "The Black Widow" and I thought it could not be topped.

However, the ingenuity and masterful craftsmanship that the entire team (and associates) put into the New York Firefighter 343 bike ... oh gawd, I just get chills.

No, I am not a biker fan. I am a fan of art.

And as bizarre as the dynamic between father and son (and rest of the Orange County Choppers clan) may be ... the art ... sweet Leonardo, these folks are artists!

If you are not watching "American Chopper" ... you should be.

Dad, I miss you. I love you. Happy Father's Day.

Today is FLAG DAY.

Display it.

Proudly.

My Clay Aiken "Bridge Over Troubled Water/This Is The Night" release arrived Thursday.

I expected the "Bridge Over Troubled Water" to be the powerful version I heard "live" on the American Idol stage.

Actually, I do not like the way recording genius, Clive Davis, did the production on "Bridge".

The orchestrations and choir seem to overshadow Clay's remarkable voice.

Oh, its good. Very good. Just not what I remembered.

"This Is The Night" is wonderful. Abdul & Jackson remarked that they hoped it would not be one of Clay's first releases ... hmmm, I am no music aficionado, but I like it. Very much.

And the best part ... the CD is doing very well on various charts. Yay!

Oh ... and I also bought Kelly Clarkson's "Thankful" CD. What a surprise there! While it is very commercial, it is not at all what I expected. Very mature for a first release and really exhibits Kelly's terrific voice.

Well, I am not big on awards and such.

However, it pleases me to see that the Webbies have recognized a few sites that truly are fresh and innovative.

And speaking of awards ... apparently there is a "race" for recording sales between American Idol's Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard.

Clay gave a remarkable performance with "Bridge Over Trouble Water" and the recording will be released on the same day as Ruben's "Flying Without Wings".

The site has a LIVE POLL RESULTS survey thing-a-ma-bob and Clay was way, way ahead with 73% of the "voters" indicating that they would buy Clay's release in comparison to Ruben's 27%.

Alrighty then.

Okay, for those of you who are playing along with the home virgin of "As Jann's World Turns Into General Hospital" ... let's recap:

Way back ... way back ... about four, perhaps five marriages ago for Erica Kane ... I stuck my hand into the vortex of a spinning ceiling fan and not only broke a few bones, but had stitches to repair the surface damage. No stunt woman was used.

A couple of seasons and many "sweeps weeks" later, I am in a scene that included tornado type winds turning backyard umbrellas into high speed javelins. The script called for me to run out the door, fly down the steps ... and stop one of the Cinzano spears from impaling an extra. However, the set designer did not account for rain and flora being cast upon the steps, allowing me to slip hard ... very hard ... and crash down upon my right foot.

The Director got a great performance out of me that day ... as I accomplished the stunt whilst limping profoundly. The portrayal of the wounded heroine was stellar. And later, a close-up was shot of my very swollen, purple hamhock of a broken foot and the makeup department had very little to do. Nature and physiology took care of the special effects.

The next few weeks ... on the set known as my life ... were difficult due to the necessity of crutches and later, a cane. (Note: Cane with a "C" not Kane with a "K" ... she has her own plethora of problems!)

I followed the script of my life comfortably. Since I am a mature woman and no longer the young and the restless ... life began to settle without complications. Ah, good ratings.

However, along comes a spider and did more than "sit down beside her". The script called for some sort of toxic arachnid (it is hypothesized to be a Widow of the Black persuasion) to sink its fangs into my soft flesh. Okay. But did the ratings indicate that the targeted flesh had to be my derriere?!

Life had to use a wide angle camera lens to immortalize THAT stunt, eh? *grin*

Of course, no classic heroine would go a season without suffering from a deadly disease, right? A snip or two here and there in the Marcus Welby Surgical Arena of Life and the malignant melanomas I was sporting are sent post haste to the lab seeking clear margins. A few radiations later, more drama in my search for tomorrow... and I am on my way.

Okay, where is the stunt woman when you need one?

The Scriptwriter thought it would be appropriate for my character to travel to increase ratings and where better to go but to the bright and guiding light of the land with no clocks, Las Vegas. Since I portray a business woman, it is often necessary for me to tote brief cases, computer cases ... and cases of wild hysteria. *wink*

Working without a net, I threw myself into contortionist positions. Working without a net, I tore my rotator cuff (left shoulder). I assure you, there is nothing bold and beautiful about a hard headed woman who thinks she can lift, tote and clean jerk like an Olympian.

In January '02, the Scriptwriter decided that my character needed high drama: I threw a pulmonary embolism (the same thing that killed NBC's David Bloom in Iraq) which nearly ended the show. However, the Big Scriptwriter chose not to kill me off ... just yet.

It made for very high ratings. Families called in from around the USA to say goodbye. Clergy offering comfort. Alexis Carrington had nothing on me in the dynasty of healthcare drama.

The recuperative process was long and tedious. Many days of dark shadows and secret storms led me to the edge of night. Not being able to do for myself, to be independent ... well, it led me to a depression found only in another world.

My character was given a bit of a reprieve and allowed to catch her breath (literally and figuratively speaking).

Just as the Great Scriptwriter seemed be be granting me more than one life to live, tragedy again was written into the scenario.

This time, the big hospital scene included paralysis, pain and a bleak future. Yes, the Scriptwriter exercised His editorial license and I was destined to spend months recuperating from a very serious injury to my back ... bound to a bed and paralyzed by pain.

It was at this point I decided to renegotiate my contract. I mean, after all, there was just so much one actress, in the stage play of life, can take!

Well, like sand through the hour glass I began to count off the days of our lives. Days that seemed to go on and on for generations. There were good days when my mind took me to laying comfortably on a sunset beach and there were bad days with my muscles tightening up painfully with knots landing in my back, buttocks, hip and thigh.

Life led me on a journey of twin peaks where falcons crest and later, to low valleys ... seeking hope. Any hope. Ryan's hope?

I had good care. My family and friends were patient and loving. I have no biological progeny but all my god-children came to visit.

I am far from fully recovered but alas, I am once again home and living my life in a solo performance. I am grateful. I am humbled.

I am terrified.

Yes, my life is indeed great fodder for the storylines of soap operas past and present. But it is my life.

And I truly hope the chapters to come are written with less drama, less fear ... and far less pain.

Um, how about a sitcom?

Yes, it is June 1st and yes, once again I recognize Stand for Children Day.

          

This year's theme is "Change for Children" and the Stand.org is focusing on gathering petition signatures urging Congress to prioritize early childhood education programs.

Hey, it'll only take you just a few minutes to go, read, learn and perhaps ... join.

Because ... well, if you do not Stand For Children ... who will?

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