Seize the day

By Compiled by SHARON KENNEDY WYNNE

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 14, 2000

Things to do

Deborah Parsons, author of I Live Next Door to My Neighbor, will be at Barnes & Noble at 7 p.m. today in Clearwater. The book is a collection of Parsons' stories she picked up as a school bus driver for 20 years. The title was from a kindergartener who wanted to let her know where he lived, truly believing those directions would get him home.

Quintron, a one-man blues band, and Ms. Pussycat, a funky marionette show, take the stage at 9 tonight at New World Brewery, 1313 E Eighth Ave., Ybor City. Tickets are $5, call (813) 248-4969. Also appearing are Funkruze, Milton Chapman and others.

The Rainbow Readers book discussion group meets at 7:30 tonight at the Peninsular Branch Library, 3909 Neptune St. in Tampa. This gay and lesbian book discussion group explores gay and lesbian poetry. Selections include Gay and Lesbian Poetry in our Time, West of Yesterday, East of Summer, Collected Poems of Cavafy. Call (813) 221-1423.

Things to view

The West Wing repeats are over and now it's time for the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles. Those wanting a full version of the event generally will need to stick with PBS or the cable news channels. 8 p.m.

Nickelodean continues to defy the conventional wisdom that girls can't be lead characters in an animated series. Meet Dora the Explorer. Dora is 7. She lives inside a computer and speaks both Spanish and English, and her animal friends are bilingual, too. 11 a.m.

- Compiled by Times staff writer Sharon Kennedy Wynne.