Okay, after some vocal exercises and a few extra cans of diet Mountain Dew, I got my voice under control. Spent the rest of the day doing the final polish on my Stranger column, working on some other writing, and then going to the gym. I have recently added cardio back to my routine after taking some time off from it, and man, my thighs are aching already...

After the gym I met my brother, who'd taped an episode of a reality TV show for me. I don't have cable, so our reception, even for regular broadcast, sucks. And that's fine with me, because, frankly, I think TV sucks too. We never turn it on. The only way I know what TV shows are currently hot is by reading about them in magazines and such.

So why would I want a tape of reality TV show? Because I'm currently in communication with some producers about being on one. God help me.

They contacted me, you see. They'd found me somehow; I don't know, the column, the website, something. "We want a dominatrix," they said. And they mentioned money. So I talked to them.

Based on what I've seen/read, and having watched the tape of one episode, this particular show seems like one I could appear on without sacrificing my basic human dignity and without seeming to represent my particular culture as being a bunch of psychotic idiots. I'm not going to tell you which one it is at this point, except that it is NOT American Idol. But no way would I ever eat insects, or be dangled off cliffs, or be drowned in noxious waste, or any of the other bizarre and gross things that I read about people doing on some reality TV shows.

So, they'll get back to me. Or else they won't. I mean, when I'm on the phone with them they act like they loooooooove me. But I sorta figure that's how people talk in Hollywood, right? So I'm not exactly putting major stock in it.

Actually the weirdest part of this is that if I did it, I'd be gone for around five weeks. Kinda strange to think about closing up shop and kissing my sweetie good-bye for that long, although I would think they'd let him come and visit...? It's just such a completely foreign concept, all of it.

And a very long shot, I imagine. So I'm not getting invested in the idea. But I think it's one of those reminders from the universe: don't get too-too comfortable in your little groove. You have to step out of it sometimes to stay fresh and keep a balanced perspective.