Terrific Tuesday

Back in the saddle today after five glorious days in P.R.... post-deadline, Ayhan and I had a divine dinner, courtesy of publicist extraordinaire Patti Conte, whom I have known as long as I've been at Billboard. She is repping Sertab and Demir, who are huge hit artists in Turkey, and are now releasing their debut disc in the States. Ayhan and I met Sertab in Ankara, Turkey, in 2002, when she performed at an outdoor concert at his alma mater Ted College. It's a small world, after all.From left, Amanda, meese, Sertab, Ayhan, Demir, Redwood Entertainment prez Janet Castiel and Patti.

Onward to Central Bar for a going away party for another handful of laid-off staffers at Billboard—last day today—where I found out that the axe has fallen yet again for more employees since my cut Feb. 25. Geez, the bloodletting just doesn't end.

Next, uptown to meet with Mary, my senior high school prom date, who's in town with her daughter Katherine, now 17, whom I last saw when she was, uh, 1. We literally spent 15 minutes together at Penn Station before they boarded a train headed for Long Island. Quick and dirty, but precious.Prom 1980! Strange that Mary and I seem to have the same hair-do, though somehow she pulls off southern belle while I conjure nerd boy.