Recently in Jennifer Vogelsong Category

Sunday evening, I met friends at the Appalachian Brewing Company in Harrisburg to see a live performance of Winter Radio Theater. The show was fun. The great singing and clever lines had me smiling the whole way through.

The atmosphere, however, left much to be desired.

The show was held in the second floor gallery room, and I don't know if they were having problems with the heat in there or if it's always that cold, but nearly everyone in the crowd of more than a dozen (by the way, I'm surprised they didn't have a bigger audience -- has word not gotten out how good they are?) was bundled in winter coats, hats, gloves and still shivering.

I was so cold that I considered leaving early, but I stuck it out. At times, the music from the band performing for a live party in the next room covered some of the lines.

They'll perform the show again this Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at ABC, 50 N. Cameron St. Admission is $5, plus donation of one non-perishable food item. If I were you, I'd bring an extra scarf, too.

Just in case.

If so, you might want to spend the first Sunday in December in Philly.

Here's why.

In case you haven't heard, Dover native Jeff Koons has a solo exhibit of his art in the Palace of Versailles.

To celebrate, we're asking you to create your own Koons-inspired art and upload it, complete with title, to our online gallery.

The piece above, created in the YDR newsroom as an example of the caliber of work we're looking for, is titled "Recycling Bin with Paper Balling Out atop Trash Can with Lobster, Monofilament Line and Red Exercise Ball."

We're thinking what with labor and materials and creative processes and brainstorming and such, it ought to be a bargain at $2.5 million. Any takers?

Of course, we know you can do better.

This afternoon, I interviewed Terry Fator, ventriloquist, comedian, singer, celebrity impersonator and 2007 winner of "America's Got Talent."

I'll admit, I didn't know who Fator was before yesterday. (I rarely turn on my TV.) But now, I'll bet I know a lot more about him than you do.

For instance, did you know that:

*He's been a huge David Letterman fan since college.
*He worked as a janitor in his family's business.
*He loves signing autographs.
*He was once the lead singer of a country-western band.

He's coming to Lancaster for a live performance at the American Music Theatre on July 8. Check out the July 3 FlipSide for my story and more fun stuff from the interview.

I'm sure you've noticed that stores are already displaying cutsey cards and sappy stuffed animals in preparation for Valentine's Day.

We here at the York Daily Record are preparing in a different way -- by asking our readers to share advice on break-ups and memories of their first dates (good, funny, bad or downright ugly).

Here's what we're looking for:
What nobody tells you about: Break-ups
It’s a rare and lucky soul who has never experienced breaking up with someone you love. Whether a falling out with a high-school sweetheart or an ugly divorce after years together, it’s never easy. Often, words of wisdom from those who have been through it offer the best consolation and advice.
Tell us, in 100 words or less, what you wish someone had told you about break-ups. Send your response to jvogelsong@ydr.com with the subject line “Break-ups.” Include your name, age, the municipality where you live, your current marital status and a daytime phone number.

And...
Who doesn’t remember their first date? The nervousness, excitement and awkwardness. Wanting to make a good impression and wondering if he or she would call again?
Whether it took place last year or decades ago, it’s one of those moments you never forget. Maybe you met at an old-fashioned soda parlor. Maybe it was at the mall. Maybe you set it up by passing notes in class, or by text message.
Funny or touching, dream or disaster, we’d like to hear about it.
If you have a memory from your first date that you’d like to share for our monthly Remember... series, call 771-2007. Say and spell your name, age, the municipality where you live, your phone number and then share your memory. Deadline is Saturday.
We’ll select one caller to videotape. We’ll post the audio files online and publish several of the responses in the paper.

Then, keep your eyes on the Living section of the paper as V-day approaches to see what fellow readers had to see on these two subjects.

Have you ever noticed how local grocery chains have a habit of displaying a few shopping carts, filled to the brim in their entry ways, each labeled with a price for the whole load at their store and at their competitors?

If you're at Weis, the Weis cart will always be the lowest price one. If you're at Giant, Giant's cart will be the better deal. Same for Wegman's. Or wherever.

The other day, I wondered how that could be accurate. I quickly realized that each store's display likely contains different items.

Do the supermarkets really think we're not smart enough to notice this? Do they think we don't shop around? Especially here in York County...

My vet tells me it's OK. It won't hurt her.

But I'm not so sure.

A couple of months ago, I picked up a $6 laser pointer after someone mentioned it makes a great toy for cats and dogs.

The very first time I shined the little red dot on the floor, Kharma was hooked.

I've only played it with her two or three times because I fear it somehow messes with her mind.

I mean, I'll sit down at my computer desk to do something on my laptop and she's right there at my feet, crying and darting her kitty eyes from floor to wall, waiting for the dot to appear.

She remembers.

She also knows that I keep the thing next to the laptop and reaches up to try to get it herself when I refuse to take it out and play (see photo).

It drives her crazy, but she loves it.

I think she's spent more time thinking about how to get me to play it with her than she has spent chasing the dot.

I'm convinced. Catnip has nothing on the little red dot.

As someone who grew up watching the play-by-play ice skating dramas of Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding, I couldn't help but enjoy the new film "Blades of Glory."

Will Ferrell and the guy from "Napoleon Dynamite" are rival male skaters who become a reluctant couple so they can compete in the pairs division. It's goofy. It's exaggerated. It's probably nowhere near the reality of professional ice skating (or is it?). Still, it's an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours on a weekend evening.

I wonder what local ice skaters think of the film? I know that professional skaters, like those who study ballet, are very serious about what they do. Do they also have a sense of humor?

Wednesday, I discovered Google.

Well, not really. I mean, I use it every day at work. But we had a presentation here in the office about RSS feeds and learned how you can get them on your Yahoo or Google home page or Web browser (and other ways that I now forget).

My Web broswer is too out-of-date for RSS, so I created a Google account.

And so the door opened into a wonderful world of organizational paradise at my fingertips...

One of the things I hate most in life is when products are sold encased in a specially molded sheath of plastic that is virtually indestructible and practically guaranteed to leave anyone who messes with it scratched, swearing, bleeding and frustrated beyond imagination.

This time, I lucked out. Only three of four. (Managed to avoid the bleeding part by using scissors and a pen)