Here's the new work-related weblog:
www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/hilaryfunk

The Montgomery Advertiser has a new website, and I've been moved. Try to find me here, but they're still working out some bugs.
All else fails, start with the Advertiser's homepage.

TheCall Alabama will go on April 5, but the location has changed from Cramton Bowl to the Montgomery Convention Center.

Pastor Lester Spencer, of St. James United Methodist Church, called Thursday to tell me about this. I had never heard of TheCall, but it's a big deal. Understatement. The first gathering took place in D.C. over Labor Day in 2000. 400,000 people were there. Read about that.

From TheCall's values statement:

TheCall is not an event. TheCall is a movement emphasizing prayer, worship and fasting for Spiritual breakthrough. It is a nameless and faceless movement joining the generations. Therefore, it will not be marketed as a convention of celebrities. The primary participants are young people. The musicians on stage are to be worshippers, not entertainers. The board of directors will not receive financial compensation, speakers and leaders come at their own expense.

People should prayerfully consider fasting on the day that TheCall gathering is in their city, region or nation; no food will be provided. TheCall is a grassroots movement. It is a cross-cultural and cross-denominational gathering. TheCall espouses these definitive values: worship, unity, prayer, fasting, follow-up, transformation, repentance, reconciliation, impartation, equipping, revival and a holy revolution.

They will not announce musical guests or featured speakers for the 12-hour event, which makes media types like newspaper editors a little edgy. But if the aim is to exactly not be a media event, then this is the way to go about things. I think it's interesting. In this age of media everything -- and note TheCall has a website rivaling any in its advanced applications and downloadable banners, etc. -- you have to draw a hard line when putting on an event like this. At least pre-press is a breeze.

So I don't know what kind of coverage this will get, but that's not the point. Everything starts around 8:30 a.m. April 5, at the Capitol. Everyone will march to the Convention Center and things carry on through 10 p.m.

Registration for the event is free, but necessary. Register here.

For local information, contact Fresh Anointing House of Worship by click, or call them at 613-3363.

East Montgomery Montessori School, 6801 Vaughn Road, will have its International Food Festival from 6-8 p.m. Saturday. There will be a silent auction, raffle and en­tertainment. Admission is $10. 272-5097.

Food from Syria, India, Denmark and Israel -- just to name a few countries -- will be featured along with country-specific booths. Guests pay the fee, get a plate, and circulate the room getting a taste of anything they'd like from each booth. At 7 p.m., a belly dancer demonstration is planned. There is also a silent auction running through the evening.

I'll be covering this for the Advertiser, and spoke with office administrator Frances Bell yesterday about this annual event. The school has about 60 students per year, and the majority are from families attached to the War College Maxwell AFB. Every year, the international mix of students lends itself to the food festival, which is the school's most important fund raiser.

I haven't covered much nightlife in east Montgomery. I haven't ever gone to a karaoke bar, either. Wednesday night, I'm going to Gators, and I will watch karaoke. I'll be the one with the notebook and photographer. Don't be shy.

I talked with Gators owner, Vince, and he said they started karaoke last year on a suggestion from a customer. Apparently there are some regulars who set the vocal bar pretty high. Then, there are those who have a few drinks and are pressured by their friends into giving it a go. Enough people participate that karaoke remains on the weekly schedule of events at Gators, which usually is thought of as a live music venue.

Karaoke starts around 9:30.

If you haven't seen "Star Wars according to a three year old" yet, please give it a go.
Cutest video, ever: