Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

Lorna Bracewell’s On This Earth, a benefit for Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County, will be Friday night at 7pm at the Faith Covenant Church at 62nd Ave. and 1st St. N in St. Pete.

Lorna, founder of the benefit series, will perform and host the show that includes The Florida Orchestra’s flutist Lewis Sligh on and cellist Sasha von Dassow. Lyndie Laramore, a soprano from Boston rounds out the group.

The On this Earth series hopes to enlighten and empower audiences to make a difference on this earth in their communities.

Tickets are $15 and proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity.

How have you gotten involved in your community today, this week or this month?

Also happening this weekend on that other side of the bridge is the Gulfport Women’s Festival on Saturday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on the beach by the Gulfport Recreation Center. Go Fish writer and star Guinevere Turner will be at the Friends of the Festival booth from 1-2 p.m.

But if you don’t want to cross the water to meet Guin, she’ll be at One Love in Ybor Friday night, 1910 E. 7th Ave. and on Saturday at the Chanelside IMAX for a screening of film shorts selected by new TIGLFF Program Director Roberta Munroe.

And don’t forget to end the evening at the Cuban Club with CL’s Sensory Overload. Lots of art, music, eating, and drinking to ensue. And I hear some of their delightful writers will be in attendance and available for autographs/proposals of marriage.

One year ago, Tampa’s own Roxanne Escobales came back from the U.K. after 7 years abroad. A former Creative Loaf-er in her 20’s, Roxanne went on to work for big media sources during her time in London. Upon her return to Tampa, she quickly joined the WMNF family as a volunteer reporter (becoming News Volunteer of the Year last year), and when beloved staff reporter Andrew Stelzer left the station last summer, Roxanne was hired on.

Friday was her last newscast on WMNF. Tomorrow she’ll board a plane to head back to England to do international news and spend time with her friends and family on the other side of the ocean.

During her short stay, she covered at least one story per day on events that directly affects each of us here in Tampa Bay, notably the Centro Ybor building, various city council meetings and November’s election. Roxanne and I shared many cigarette breaks (even though I don’t smoke) on ‘MNF’s back patio where she advised me on writing, dream chasing and not being afraid of Eric Snider.

Roxanne, a Tampa Bay native, did good for us and now heads off to do more - on a larger scale - as a citizen of the world.

In other news, on my radio show this Monday morning, my guest host was WMNF’s Assistant News & Public Affairs Director Mitch Perry.

Check out Mitch’s indie rock playlist and go to the archives to listen to us chat about news outside of the mainstream media. On March 26th, CL’s Wade Tatangelo will guest host and the first Monday of April will be the Sporadic Ska Show.

Today is International Women’s Day! Because we live in America, you probably haven’t heard of it… but community radio WMNF will be celebrating it all day with female deejays and female-oriented programming throughout the day. See the schedule online, and as always, you can stream online or check it out in the archives.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY Celebrated on WMNF

24 hours of Programming by Women Beginning at 4 a.m.

Thursday, March 8

4-6 am PreDawn Alternatives Brigid Ochshorn
6-9 am The Morning Show Nancy Creedon w/ Dawn Morgan. Lisa Marzilli - News.
9-10 am Florida Folk Show Kelly Green w/ Arlene and Mary. Guest: Valerie C. Wisecracker
10-11 am A Day in the Life of … Dawn Morgan
11am-noon From a Woman’s Point of View Mary Glenney and Arlene Engelhardt
noon-1 pm Democracy Now Amy Goodman
1-2 pm Poetry Is… Lizz Straight
2-4 pm Blues/R&B Linda Lu Reisinger and Carrie Core
4-6 pm Sonic Detour Nell Abram
6-7 pm Evening News Roxanne Escobales and Beth Wolfe, anchors with women from the News Team
7-8 pm Music of the Isles Jeannie Holton
8-9 pm Sound Safari Pam Wiener with Joyce Rumfola
9-11 pm Dark Horizons Theresa Frederick
11 pm-1 am Ultrasounds Eluv
1 am-4 am Free Form The Diva: Nicole Propp

It’s Dr. Seuss’ birthday and also the 50th birthday of the Cat in the Hat. Yet, we still have plenty of schools full of kids who can’t read good.

“The top 25% readers have parents who read to them at least 3 times a week,” Heart of America’s Bill Halamandaris said last night on the WMNF Evening News.

The poorest of children rarely get attention at home much less individualized attention at school. These young people are our future - leaders, criminals, et al. And it’s not that one little story can change the path of a young life. But maybe 3 little stories a week can.

The NEA uses Dr. Seuss’ birthday to celebrate literacy and get folks to volunteer in the schools to read with children. But Halamandaris said that reading with kids “needs to continue all year long.”

And we do have a handful of dedicated volunteers thanks to AmeriCorps, (some times called the domestic Peace Corps). The community service project was started by Clinton over a decade ago, with a variety of programs that work within communities to put volunteers where they’re most needed - such as schools. Despite severe funding cuts since Clinton left office, AmeriCorps still hobbles along.

In Tampa, AmeriCorps literacy tutors work with the nonprofit Hillsborough Reads, who trains and guides them through their year of tutoring some of Tampa’s lowest-level readers. The AmeriCorps volunteers also have to do various other community service projects, from pruning local parks to being buddies with disabled Vets.

The current volunteers: Sara, Latrece, Gloria, Carol, Tonya, Katherine, Illia, Calley, Carole

A couple of weeks ago I had to pleasure of meeting and working with the latest group of AmeriCorps volunteers at WMNF, where we produced Horton Hears A Who. The story will air on 88.5 WMNF Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and again on Monday at 10:30 p.m. You can also listen to the online archive here.

As a former AmeriCorps member myself, I got to see first hand how one more person in the classroom can make a kids’ day - as well as the teachers’.

My old group recently got to get together for the first time since we parted company last summer.

Rosalinda, Latrece, Annette, Dawn and Amber

Not only do we each have a copy of the Seuss story we did, Hooray for Diffendoofer Day, as a souvenir of our WMNF session, but because I was equally obessed at the time with both MNF and AmeriCorps, I gave the group something to cement us into our experience for a long time to come.

I remember the first time I ever went red. I was 16 and obsessed with My-So Called Life, and up to that point, copying Claire Danes’ hair color was one of the first real life decisions I was able to make for myself. Even though I didn’t see the color whenever I closed my eyes, I could feel it inside - it burned through me. I was suddenly a little bolder with everything I did.

I think of this when I ‘m quick to judge people, especially other women, who want to get boob jobs and face lifts. We live in a country where despite the insane costs of health care, lots of people are putting lots of money into expensive, dangerous elective surgery just to make themselves feel more like themselves.

So what’s the difference between plain Jane becoming a bottle blonde and Steve Stanton becoming a woman? His mentality will certainly change - he’s freeing himself from a life time of living a lie. He’s becoming the person he always knew he was. He’s courageous because he knew he’d be judged. The worst he could imagine happening probably is.

An entire city “lost confidence” in him because he made one of the hardest decisions anyone has ever been faced with - his decision to allow his anatomy to match who he is inside.

I’ve been working for Creative Loafing for a couple of months now and am just beginning to feel like I’m settling in. It helps that I’m no longer the new kid in Editorial - Wade Tatangelo recently filled the leather captain’s chair that Scott Harrell’s ass used to occupy.

It also helps that my desk is next to Wayne Garcia’s. If I had my college years to do over again, I’d gladly hand Garcia the 23G’s I owe Sallie Mae and follow him around for 2 years. He’s full of knowledge and shares it with whoever cares to listen…or eavesdrop. Whichever.

I’m just part-time, most of my hours going to the exciting task of entering music listings into a database. But being there puts me in the right place at opportune times (and I’m not really complaining because doing the music listings is another way to support the local scene). Shortly after I started, I pitched my first story idea and it will come to fruition (not fruitation. Thanks Wayne!) in this week’s issue.

Last week I worked with Wade at the Less Than Jake show, taking pictures as he wrote his review. I struggled with the camera I had used just once before and was ready to leave the sold out show early, but Wade found me on my way out and convinced me to stick around with his buddies and have a drink at the Emerald.

In the world of WMNF, I was one of several substitute programmers to get a regular time spot in the great program change of ‘07. Some other notable changes include the ax of the 11th hour and Metal Cacophony, True Talk’s expansion to weekly instead of every other week and the (possible) addition of Tavis Smiley…some inside strife has kept Smiley and Mabili Ajani’s Critical Times off the ‘MNF airwaves. The new program guide should be out shortly as these issues are resolved.

My show is the Monday edition of the Pre-Dawn Alternative, from 4 –6 a.m., It’s all-ska on the first Monday of every month, with co-hosts Josh Sullivan, Andy Mort (both of St. Pete’s Can’t Do It), and Matt Turner. For the rest of the month, a different musician guest hosts each week. They design the play list for the show and we chat about everything from the local scene to the CD currently playing in their car.

Another one of my CL co-workers, Joran Slane (Auditorium’s frontman), was the most recent guest host. You can hear the archive of the show here until 2.16.07, when Infinite Skillz will guest host.

It’s possible, that because of my Army-brat-background-fueled-need-to-move-every-2 years, that I become extremely attached to certain acquaintances because I know our time is limited and I want to live it up. Or it could be my sensitivity & love for (most of) human kind which allows me to bond with some folks easily, even if only on the surface. I can be in extreme like with someone without knowing too much about them and often don’t have the pressing need to know more.

It’s a fast paced world and I’m a busy woman. And there are far too many interesting people out there to meet and befriend, so I’m just fine with having no-muss acquaintances.

It just so happens that most of them happen to be musicians, writers, or of the artistic sort. In other words, I’m a big f*ckin’ groupie.

Saturday night I trekked out to Abbey Road in St. Pete to see a couple of such bands/musicians I love dearly and unconditionally: Nessie, Rebekah Pulley and the Reluctant Prophets, and the Human Condition.

It amazes me when quality shows don’t draw huge crowds. But the small turnout makes for an easy night with no worries and music that is better than most. And especially time for bonding with acquaintances I adore for no good reason.

Like Scott Harrell.

I’ve been reading him since I got off the plane here a year and a half ago. I met him for the first time last summer at an MNF event. Last month, part of my sign on bonus at the Loaf was getting to be his co-worker. For about 3 and a half weeks. He’s since moved on his merry new way.

I know nothing about the man that he hasn’t written about himself. Still, I was ecstatic to see him at Abbey Road.

“I miss you,” I said.

“You don’t know me,” He said smiling.

I looked at him puzzled. “So?”

Some people don’t get it.

Sure, one of my top 10 things to do in this life is to be understood, loved, and valued for who I am.  And I am lucky enough to have such a person in my life who invests the time it takes to discover all of these things about me.

But my idols are all human, largely local, with messy desks and bad habits that don’t concern me. I’m not desperate to be a part of their lives, only eager to let them know that they have been a part of mine.

If you were a volunteer with WMNF, you’d receive lovely periodic emails, like the one below, from (our young and) venerable volunteer coordinator Carrie Core. And if you’re not an ‘MNF volunteer, peruse it anyway and perhaps you’ll find something that fits your life and summons up your hidden altruistic community-media driven desires.

My Good People,
We are looking for the following volunteers:

• Minithon Volunteers - We still need you to sign up for a shift for the upcoming fundraiser beginning  9am Monday, January 29th going through 10am Thursday, February 1st. Training is Saturday, January 20th at 11am and Wednesday, January 24th at 7pm.
• MLK Parade Participants - Come join in the fun on Monday, Jan. 15 with WMNF board, staff and volunteers at the annual  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade. Wear your WMNF t-shirt and help us hand out peace necklaces (instead of beads!) as well as bumper stickers and CD’s. Steve “The Hitman” Williams will also be there playing Dr. King’s speeches as well as protest songs, songs of peace and of course James Brown. Our Unit number is 72. Lineup begins at Highland Avenue and Palm Avenue.  Please be there by 11AM.
• Board Operator - Tavis Smiley Show - Sundays 6-8 a.m. -

This person will operate the air studio board during playback of the Tavis Smiley program. The show is pre-recorded, but with many opportunities for local IDs, forward and cross-promotion, station announcements and PSAs so it will involve speaking on air. This person will be answering listener emails and phone calls off air.

The board operator would need to be trained in the air studio and complete all required programmer paperwork. You’ll need to commit to being at the station every week on time, and have reliable transportation.

Previous experience is a plus, but isn’t required. Anyone who isn’t already a current on-air programmer will need to be trained in the studio before January 26, and will also need to attend one of Bill Brown’s delay classes - either Friday 1/12 at 7 p.m., or Saturday 1/20 at 10:30 a.m.

Volunteer News Training

WMNF’s News Team will select 10-12 people to be part of the Winter 2007 News Training Classes, beginning in February. 

WMNF is asking for a 6 month commitment, 1 day a week, for those who want to be a part of our news team. If interested, please go to the home page of our website http://www.wmnf.org/ for a copy of the application and return it to WMNF by January 22nd.

If you have any questions about any of the above positions, please contact me by responding to this email or by phone.

Peace,
Carrie Core
WMNF-FM
Volunteer & Community Outreach Coordinator
1210 E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd
Tampa, FL 33603
813 865-8261