So, I produce and co-star a little show called The Dick Monologues. We have four shows this month—three more than usual. Two are in Dallas this weekend at the Water Tower Theatre as part of the Out of the Loop Festival. Two are here in town—one at the Victory Grill on March 21st and the other at Hyde Park Theatre on March 30th. Please tell your Dallas friends to come to the show up there. And if you want to attend an Austin show, please email me at spike@spikeg.com for info. This week, I present a piece I wrote that sometimes appears in the show. Big Dick on Buddha Mountain To meditate with the enlightened Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, is akin to playing guitar with Pete Townsend, making cookies with Martha Stewart, or tying your shoes with Mister Rogers. And so, despite my tight budget, when I heard that Thay, as he is known, was leading a retreat in California, I did what any overzealous aspiring Buddhist would do: I mailed off a hot check to procure my place at the monastery. ...

Photo by StuSeeger on flickr#13 Texas (9-2) vs. Texas A&M (6-5) Time: 2:30 pm, Friday, Nov. 23 Location: College Station, Texas; Kyle Field TV: ABC Radio: KVET (98.1 FM, 1300 AM) Maybe it is true that good things come to those who wait. After back-to-back losses to open conference play, the Texas Longhorns have waited -- through nail-biting finishes and devastating injuries -- and now stand on the verge of what is most definitely a......

Here are our favorites posts for Columbus Day week: We like haiku, and honoria in ciberspazio has written one about painting. It's Shanntastic! attended the Texas Conference for Women. She heard Martha Stewart "talk about her new kitchen and what color of shells she enjoys." Good times. Speaking of color, Translucence reminds us to think pink this month. GlennM from Lone Star Democracy Builders Association enjoyed doing voter registration at Fiesta. Emma's mommy at......

*The views expressed in Bun in the Oven are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole.* -The Editors Two questions: What's more Austin than working in high tech...and getting laid off? What's the easiest way to strike panic and fear deep into the heart of a woman-with-child? Okay, so make that three: What do you suppose happens when you tell a pregnant lady that her husband's company is closing......

One of Austin's best homegrown success stories, Public Strategies Inc., has been purchased by the second-largest media and advertising company in the world. WPP Group, PLC of London purchased the consulting firm for a reported $90 million. WPP had apparently been eyeing Public Strategies for years. "I've been trying to buy Public Strategies for years," said Howard Paster, WPP executive vice president for public relations and public affairs. "It is a different public affairs firm.......

Martha Stewart's been a busy (and fabulous) bee in the year and a half since being released from Alderson Federal Prison. In these past few months she's: announced a lucrative partnership with Kodak, opened the first in a series of Martha Stewart-designed model townhomes, was crowned "Godmother of Princess Cruises," launched a new line of merch at Macy's ("i LOVE THE NEW CLOTHES LINE" says Maryland fan Dayneisha), published a book, and agreed to take......

[The following is an editorial column by contributor Alison Coffey and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors] It's not like I have thousands of dollars to make my home my castle, complete with beige furnishings from Room & Board and original artwork and decorative bowls filled with green apples. Even a total home by Target is kind of a struggle. So I don't know why I torture myself......

[The following is an editorial column by contributor Alison Coffey and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors] If you're like me, you spent the better part of the holidays away from the television, especially if you were at someone else's house and they happen to watch a lot of football. I don't watch football. Or basketball. Or anything with a lot of throwing and catching of balls. I......

Austin's beloved Soup Peddler needs your help, readers. Recipes are now being collected for this year's Soupie Cookbook which helps benefit local charities like Mobile Loaves and Fishes. You have to act fast, though, as the deadline is this Friday, November 11. The Soup Peddler's website has all the info. You need to submit your family recipe as well as a special story about that recipe. It feels lame to quote Martha Stewart, but......

Aren't tubers fun? The versatile sweet potato happens to be one of our all-time favorite foods and while we missed the big sweet potato festival in Golden, Texas this year, we aren't giving up on eating lots of sweet potatos this autumn as part of our seasonal eating plan. So what exactly is a sweet potato and how does it differ from a yam?, you just might be asking. Sweet potatoes are simply pink......

We are most definitely fans of the regular ole Apprentice featuring Donald "combover, what combover?" Trump, but this new one has us even more excited to tune into the cutthroat world of business. Perhaps it is all the pastels (from Martha's offices to the lady's suitwear) and the soothing grays of the "conference" room. Perhaps it is because the tasks are more about creativity and presentation rather than selling burgers or cars. It must......