Melanie's First Vaco Blog

Okay..so I know that I haven't blogged since "Buckhead and Bubba" in the morning went on vacation December 23rd. Buck and Bubba always joke that I'm the one that keeps up with the blogging. I am apologizing if you have been to our site and haven't seen any blogs lately! Hey..the holidays are here and gone (don't they go fast) and I'm still enjoying vacation and family time with my hubby and little girl. I can't believe how fast Christmas comes and goes. It is sad actually. Now, we await the arrival of 2009. I sure hope that 2009 brings each and every one of you health, happiness and a great year of joy. I type this as my daughter sleeps and my hubby watches TV. I'm drinking some wine and enjoying some "quiet" time in our computer room catching up on emails. Tomorrow I hope to buy some new clothes with some nice money and gift cards from the holidays. Isn't that always fun? I miss Buckhead and Bubba. Even though we've seen a bit of each other and chat via email/text etc.., I still feel like a part of my "family" is missing in all the fun day to day activities I've been doing. I don't miss them enough to go back to work just yet! Ha! We all are back January 5th. I could blog for hours on Santa coming to my home, funny holiday stories, 3 year old child meltdowns, house projects, the weight loss I'm trying to achieve, my three pets shedding so badly, my new years resolutions......the list goes on. I won't bore you about ME. I wish you well and I'm going to try this new blog system we have out more often now! I leave you with this silly picture of my husband and daughter!

Mildred Cooter Christmas

As promised here is your exclusive Pre download for “Mildred Cooter Christmas”  Click here to listen to all of our Crazy Grandma friends calls! Feel free to share your favorites with your friends. (parental warning)    Listen Monday and Tuesday for Steeler recaps and listen to BuckHead and Melanie try and get Bubba in the Holiday spirit! (Baaaaaa Humbug!) (is that how you spell that?) It has been an incredible year bringing back B94!  Next week lets finish the year off together with a bang! 

Bonus video time.  Just received this video from one of our friends:

Get your Stocking Stuffed!

Nintendo Wii, Skagen Watches, Guitar Hero Rock Band set and MORE!   That's what is up for grabs and could be under your tree with the B94 Stocking Stuffer tomorrow morning!  All you need to have is the secret word.  Because your a blog subscriber I will show you where the secret word is located - (click here). When we tell you to call in at (412)333-9494 give us that word and just pick your stocking!  There is a ton of Stockings left this week and some of them are big and bulky so I'm guessing I know what is in some of them.  A huge thank you goes to The Mall at Robinson for helping us Stuff the Stockings!

"Children's Free Care Fund"

  Holidays are all about food, family, friends, cheer, gifts and more gifts.   But, something that Buckhead and Bubba are involved with this year is AWESOME for our community and children.  Click Here to get involved!  You can help out disadvantaged children at Children's Hospital this year...you can then walk away feeling awesome about yourself.

  In fact..Buckhead did his first stop to help out yesterday on McKnight road at Panera Bread.  Schools were able to drop off their donations and talk a little to Buck about how their schools raised money.   You can listen ALL week to Kobe in the afternoon from 3-7pm to hear playbacks of all the great giving that is taking place right now.  Bubba will be at the movie theatre lobby at South Side works on Wednesday 12/17 and Melanie will end things Thursday back at the Mall At Robinson near Starbucks Thursday 12/18.  We all start around noon and hang out to hear your great stories and donation giving.

  Come stop in and say hello!  We'd love to hear your gracious stories and maybe you'll even get on the radio!  We are happy and proud to have such amazing B94 listeners who know the TRUE meaning of the holidays!

Thank you all!

Where is “Beaker Spears” Part II

First and foremost, Congrats to Carrie for finding “Beaker Spears” the intern across from Phipps Conservatory in Oakland!  Sincerest apologies for those of you that had to see what “Beaker Spears” looked like today!  For the brave that missed it please click here  and scroll down to watch the video if you dare!  Looks like it was so humiliating for “Beaker Spears” (and by humiliating we mean Beaker likes dressing up like Britney way too much!) We are making him do it again tomorrow!  Same time, new location.  First person to tell us where “Beaker Spears” the intern is located live on air, wins their very own Britney Spears tickets.  Of course since you, the Elite Blog Subscribers, are so smart, you will get a hint tonight for a head start.  Here is your clue on where “Beaker Spears” the intern will be tomorrow:

“Sure…take a picture with me”

     Hope this sparks ideas for tomorrows search of “Beaker Spears” the intern.  Remember, you can always get pre-sale info by clicking here.  Tomorrow on the show we will have a ton of fun!    The beautiful, multi-talented Kristen Chenoweth will be on.  You may know Kristen Chenoweth from Broadway’s “Wicked” (Glinda), TV’s “Chasing Daisy’s,” or most recently, the Movie “Four Christmases”!  Below, you can find the Trailer for her movie Four Christmases in HD:

Plus, comedian Gary Owen from the IMPROV will be in, as well as a new poem dedicated calmly from “Head of Security” Dominic, to the Dallas Cowboys for the big Steeler game coming up this weekend!  Good luck as usual, and join us tomorrow for some fun!

 

www.b94.com

Where is “Beaker” Spears the Intern?

      More Britney Spears tickets tomorrow morning.  Tomorrow is a bonus for me!  Not only do we give out our Brit tickets, but we also get to dress Beaker the intern in Drag. (YIKES!)  Not just any drag either, Beaker the Intern becomes Beaker Spears the Intern!  To get your Brit tix all you have to do his find him…or her?  Beaker Spears will be out on the town tomorrow morning starting at 6am.  We give clues all morning long as to wear he/she may be.  First person to guess correctly gets those Britney Spears tickets.  Obviously being a part of our blog gives you inside tips and information.  So, here is the first clue for tomorrow morning as to where Beaker Spears the Intern could be:

- It is Fun to Watch a Movie here but only during a time of year.

     The clues will keep coming tomorrow until somebody wins those Brit tix.  Just in case you lost our number here it is (412)333-9494.  For those of you as sick and twisted as us, of course we will have video and pictures online of the “Beaker Spears Transformation”.   As always, if you would like pre-sale information or to purchase your tickets please click here.  Good luck tomorrow!  Below you will find the Official New “Circus” Music Video Teaser-

New "Circus" Music Video Teaser

BuckHead, Bubba, and Melanie

Britney Spears Tickets Tomorrow!

  Thank you to all of you that signed up to receive our Blog Updates!  From now on you will be the first to get the scoop in Pittsburgh.  As you may already know Britney Spears will be performing March 27th, along with the Pussycat Dolls at the Mellon Arena.  B94 is your one stop Brit Tickets shop.  All week long keep it on B94 to win.  Here is the secret info you have been waiting for - Tomorrow morning (Tuesday 12/02/08) Britney Spears tickets will be given away at 7:20am.  I would make sure that our number (412)333-9494 is in your speed dial.  Also tomorrow we will announce another way for you to get a hold of Brit’s Tix.  Once again you will receive secret info by being a subscriber to this blog. To purchase tickets or view pre-sell information please click here. Did you catch Britney’s sexy performance this morning on GMA?  Below you will find the highlights that you missed:

Britney Spears Part 1

Britney Spears Part 2

Britney Spears Part 3

Talk to you tomorrow Morning and GOODLUCK!

BuckHead, Bubba & Melanie

BIG NEWS Tomorrow AM!

Dont miss a second tomorrow morning on B94!  You’ll See! 6-10am (93.7) B94

This is for Melanie (Read Mels Blog Under this One)

How To Reduce Holiday Shopping Stress

By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com

While most of us really enjoy the holiday season, it can bring significant amounts of stress. Let’s face it: between the holiday parties, the baking, the holiday cards (complete with pictures and newsy letters) and finding the perfect gifts for everyone, we place pretty heavy demands on ourselves. This year, you can make it a point to enjoy the holidays more by simplifying some of the work, while maintaining what makes the holidays special: the love.

Here's How:

1. Know Your Budget
   Much of the stress of the holiday season comes from feeling pressured to buy bigger and better gifts for those we love, even if this puts us in debt! While we may feel compelled to show how much we love people by showing how much we can spend, our loved ones would probably feel terrible if they knew we put ourselves in debt on their behalf. This year, determine what you can comfortably spend, make a budget, and stick with it. ‘Thoughtful’ doesn’t have to mean ‘expensive’.
2. Make A List
   List all the people you’d like to buy gifts for, and divide your budget among them in whatever way makes sense to you. Then, next to their names, list what you’d like to get each person. You can use this as a checklist, so you’ll know who you’ve bought gifts for and who still needs a gift, and you’ll be less likely to spend too much on impulse buys, or accidentally buying more than one gift for the same person.
3. Be Efficient
   Try to go to only a few stores. You can look down your list of items and see how many things you can find at the same store, and try to get all of your shopping done at one mall. If you can consolidate all of your shopping into one or two trips, that’s even better. While it’s fun to take long, leisurely days shopping and getting what strikes your fancy, this can add stress to holiday shopping, when you have so many purchases to make in such a limited amount of time. It’s simpler to enjoy the shopping while you’re doing it, get it out of the way, and enjoy doing other things once you’re done.
4. The Earlier, The Better
   People sometimes postpone holiday shopping until the last minute. Don’t. If you shop earlier, you’ll have a better selection of gift ideas to choose from, you won’t get stuck in the last-minute rush at the malls and the post office, and you’ll be able to enjoy being done with your holiday responsibilities so you can just enjoy the season. Earlier is also better when you’re talking about what time of day to shop; shopping in the morning, if at all possible, tends to be a good way to avoid crowds, find displays in better order, and enjoy a less stressed atmosphere.
5. Consider Shopping Online
   While there are some things many people aren’t comfortable buying online, there are many terrific holiday gifts to be found at your computer. Online shopping is a fast, simple, and efficient way to get the bulk of your shopping done at once. In addition to saving you the fights over parking spaces and the long waits in lines, in many cases you can have your gifts wrapped and delivered directly to your recipients, saving yourself the trouble of wrapping and the visit to the post office!

Tips:

1. Buy duplicates. If you find a great gift at a great price, consider getting one for several people on your list, if it fits their tastes. This is a great way to save time and money.
2. Include gift receipts. Ask for gift receipts at the register, and include them with your gifts when you wrap them. That way, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that if what you got doesn’t work for your recipient, they can easily exchange it.
3. Get gift cards. If you really need things to be simple, gift cards and certificates are a great option. You can find gift cards for everything from movies to dinners to massages now, and they’re quick to buy and easy to send. They still offer sweet sentiments to your loved ones, buy make the shopping much simpler for you.
4. Let the post office be your friend. Rather than lugging all of your gifts to the post office and standing in the long lines, you can now get them to come to you! Visit theUSPS website to find out how easy it is to get a postal carrier to come to your door, pick up your packages, and deliver them for you.

Shop, Shop, Shop (Melanie)

Okay..the pressure is ON. 24 days until Christmas. 24 days left to shop. For most of us..not that many. I have 2 family Christmas parties on Dec. 12th and 13th..so, that leaves 11 and 12 days left!

UGH!

Now..I can't complain. I enjoy giving more than receiving..I do, but you have to admit it is HARD. I have 27 people left to buy for. Now granted..all those gifts aren't 100's of dollars worth of ideas..some are gifts of 10 dollars or under, but STILL!

I'm such a perfectionist when it comes to finding that perfect gift for someone and as I get older (and the receivers do too) it becomes harder.

I guess I am complaining huh?

But..feel me ladies..how many of your men shop for the family gifts? It is usually our jobs. It really becomes a JOB this time of year.

I try to start in October, so I can enjoy the holidays with my hubby and daughter and not be riddled with the fact I have to buy gifts each and every weekend.

We all seem to forget the real reason of Christmas and it becomes a "retail frenzy."

As I type this..I'm stressing over the fact of what those 27 people would LOVE.

I just know that I will enjoy all the family, friends, food and laughter that comes with it. So, I'll stop complaining now!

Happy Holidays!!