Blair and I went out for dinner last night (Mexican--don't tell my running group!) and brainstormed ideas for my radio show. After some hilarious ideas ("Church Chat with Dena Harris') we came up with this:

How Did You End Up Here? This is a community focused AM radio station, so my idea is to just pull people from around the community who didn't grow up here and quiz them on how they ended up in Rockingham County. Then go on to talk to them about their lives - what they do for a living, for fun, family, type car, hobbies, last book read, etc. A voyeruristic peek into people's lives. The joke being, of course, why on earth would you want to end up in Rockingham County? I joked I should call the show, "How Did You End Up Here... And Why Won't You Leave?"

If you've ever seen Inside the Actor's Studio, you know host James Lipton has a set series of questions he asks guests at the end of their time together. I could do something like that here. 10 fast questions about favorite restaurant, favorite shop, favorite celebrity, biggest pet peeve, etc.

That's the thought. Our next door neighbors are from Ohio and run a B&B. They'd be good guests. A coffee shop in Reidsville is run by a couple from California. My yoga instructor was born in Japan, raised in Hawaii, and now lives here. Why? How did they land in this part of the country and this part of the state?

What do you think?

I used to host my own radio show on 1420 WMYN, Madison/Mayodan - 1490 WLOE, Eden/Reidsville . My show was called "People with Passion" (I know, I know... I cringe just hearing it) and I interviewed people from around Rockingham County who were doing unusual things, or had jobs/hobbies they were passionate about. I stopped doing the show because it got to be too much work--finding someone to interview, convincing them that yes, it would be fun to be on the radio, coming up with questions to ask them and filler in case they froze and didn't talk enough, etc. My writing schedule was filling up and for the payoff, I didn't feel like the timing was right for the show.

This morning I received a call from the station manager...

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Updated on Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 09:24AM by Dena Harris

I haven't posted one of my famous annoying standard to-do lists in some time, and I worry your lives are lacking for it. Therefore, today's post is a look inside the cluttered "to do" mind of your world-famous (kinda sorta) cat author friend:

• RSVP to an April 26th Foster Friends of NC luncheon.
• Call the running store and see if I can switch my half-marathon race to the 5k on the 26th in order to attend above luncheon.
• Figure out who's home I can shower at in GSO on the 26th after the race so I can go to the luncheon.
• Write first draft of an article for www.Dogtwist.com.
• Call the event coordinator for the 2008 National Women's Music Festival. The event features women in the arts and

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Here's a humorous insight from an outside perspective on why Facebook and I may not be the best match. It's written by my friend Melody who, God help me, offers an amazingly accurate portrayal of my personality.

The title: It's Against the Rules To Poke Dena. Make A Note of It.

At the start of 2008, I vowed to devote myself to bettering my writing. To take a "writer's journey" and explore new genres and interests while simultaneously striving to improve on the basics such as grammar, use of simile and metaphor, attention to detail, etc.

I dropped much of my paid work and cleared my schedule. But I've noticed life has a way of creeping in. And what starts out as a month with no committment other than to write suddenly becomes filled with meetings, speeches, workshops, lunches, assignments, and other obligations.

This month, for example, I agreed to:

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