If Yer Gonna Be Dumb, Ya Gotta Be Tough!

A Year of Firsts...

2009-07-27T00:31:00.000-06:00

It's been quite a while since my last post. Several months actually. There were many occasions that I had something to say but not enough energy, courage or focus to sit and type. I was on a roll there for a while and then life happened.

On Sunday, May 4th, 2008, my life changed forever. Sounds a bit dramatic doesn't it?! Well... it kind of is. That's the day my father took his last, peaceful breath. He was surrounded by people who loved him and passed very comfortably in his sleep that Sunday around 9pm. A few short days later, we arranged a beautiful burial at sea and a Celebration of Life Memorial. It was a week or two full of stories, tears, laughter, discoveries, and reunions. We got back in touch with my Dad's side of the family (that for some reason) with which we'd lost touch. My Dad's sister, my Aunt, along with my three cousins and their beautiful kids. It was a nice send off for my Dad.

Through this past year plus, my Mom and I have been on a bit of a roller coaster. For me, my lows got pretty low and as you may know, lead to medication help. In the past several months, something clicked and I feel back to normal... or at least my "new normal". I no longer felt the need for my anxiety/depression medication, so I weened myself (safely) off of them and I feel good about that. I still miss my dad, his humor and wisdom! The difference now is that I can think of him with a smile on my face.

So, I'm back! Back to blogging. The future is a mystery... and I do love an adventure! So, here we go... together, one letter at a time!

Until next thought...

Spring Blizzard in Denver

2009-03-26T13:17:00.002-06:00

March Blizzard in Denver

2009-03-26T13:15:00.000-06:00

I can barely see across the street right now... May post more pictures soon!

January 20, 2009 - Inauguration Day

2009-01-20T12:42:00.004-07:00

A day full of excitement and hope...

Holiday Hustle & Bustle

2008-12-10T13:32:00.004-07:00

It's been a few weeks since I've touched base with everyone. My apologies!

I have always admired the people that can "DO IT ALL!" I used to think I fit into that category and now... I'm not so sure!

Those that can have three kids to shuttle to all their after school activities, volunteer at the kid's schools, help coach little league soccer practice, take the dogs for a walk twice a day, help throw their church holiday party, keep up with household needs, do the grocery shopping and all the other errands needed, decorate for the holidays and plan for all the family to come into to town, AND have a full time job, etc, etc, etc!!

This is one of the busiest months I've had in a long time! Month and a half actually. I think everyone knows I sing with the Last Note Singers (LNS) and I've been back to work, with Quest4Events, (Q4E) for about a month and a half now.

Since Thanksgiving week... things have not stopped.

My Mom visited from FL over Thanksgiving! We LOVED having her! We went to visit my grandfather about 45 minutes south of Denver, which was nice. When my mom was here, I was a little torn between needing to get my work done and wanting to just sit and visit. It was a great visit! It'll be even more fun when she MOVES to Denver!!
With Q4E, everything is new! Planning holiday trade show, database stuff, enormous spreadsheets, setting event connection meetings, etc. My boss is a very nice woman... cares about everybody. She's a bit scattered but she tries hard. I'm trying to help her as much as I can.
With LNS, we've had weekly rehearsals and are now in the middle of our 13 concert series this holiday season all around the Denver Metro area. I also offered to put together "map packets" for all 35 singers. These packets includes about 15 pages filled with maps, addresses and directions, be there times, which costume to wear, etc. 15 x 35... you do the math. Not hard, just time consuming. (Although I learned a few things that will make doing it next season much easier)
We have 3 family birthdays and half a dozen friend birthdays. We also have an anniversary to celebrate over our Christmas vacation.
One sparkling jewelry party I hosted at my house.
Four Christmas Parties including the Christmas Cookie Exchange Party held at my house.
One Lovely Wedding that I helped put together for a good friend of mine.
Christmas & Birthday shopping, wrapping, and sending to Nashville. (Fingers crossed I can get to post office tomorrow!)

Just a small glimpse into our hectic Holiday Season. Please, please don't think I'm complaining... AT ALL! All the items listed above are fun and all items I signed myself up for. Everyone of them!

All I can say is "Hats Off" to all those so organized that really can "DO IT ALL!!" If you're giving lessons... please keep me in mind. I'll work on staying in better touch! I'll just add it to the list!

Barack Obama Elected 44th President

2008-11-06T11:58:00.010-07:00

"My friends, we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly."
- Senator John McCain
Whether you voted blue or red, Liberal or Conservative, Democrat or Republican... on January 20, 2009, Barack Obama will be our country's new leader! With 52% of the popular vote and 364 electoral votes, his victory is irrefutable.

I don't think it's any secret I've supported Obama from the very beginning and watching history unfold this week with such an overwhelming declaration leaves me inspired and uplifted! Like many others, I've been impressed with Obama's character, his ideals and his vision for the country. If you missed any part of Obama's inspirational victory speech or you want to hear and read it again, take a look.

Regardless whether you agree that Barack Obama is the best choice for our country or whether you voted for the opposition, one thing is for certain... History was made this election! November 4, 2008 will go down in history as the day America elected our very first President of Color. As our new First Family makes their way to the white house, we can all be proud of how far this country has come. A good friend wrote an interesting post that I thought I'd share. The blog includes the Civil Rights Movement timeline which truly shows the distance we've come.

In the words of President Elect Barack Obama... "If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where anything is possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, on this election, in this defining moment, change is coming to America."

Happy Election Day!

2008-11-04T12:01:00.004-07:00

In the 11th hour....

2008-11-01T12:35:00.007-06:00

With the election just a few days away... I've decided I can't sit idly by any longer. So... I've decided to volunteer for the Obama campaign. I've wanted to for quite a while now, but wasn't sure if I really wanted to get "involved". Better late than never I guess!

So, I don't know exactly what I'll be doing yet, but I'm game! It should be fun! Anyone want to join me? Obama/Biden all the way!

Happy Halloween!!!

2008-10-31T14:26:00.017-06:00

Tis the season for pumpkins and colored leaves, costumes and candy, tricks and treats.

Unfortunately, we don't get many tick-or-treaters at our house, so we're going over to visit with some friends, Barb & Vicki, to "man the house" while they walk their kids around the neighborhood. We've spent Halloween with them for several years now, carving pumpkins and playing with the kids. It's a lot of fun!

Halloween was one of my dad's favorite holidays. As a kid I remember him decorating the garage with ghosts (soccer balls, volleyballs, kick balls, etc covered with white sheets and tied to wire coat hangers), black lights, and scary Halloween music. Kids would have to come through the scary garage to get their treats. He'd always encourage the parents to come in with their kids and he'd be ready with an overhead light in case the kids were too scared. He used to get a real kick out of the whole thing. I enjoy those memories!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Halloween! Be safe with all the ghosts and goblins out there... and in case you need a few pumpkin carving ideas, here are a few of ours, and my mom-in-law's, from years past.

One Week From Today....

2008-10-28T09:08:00.003-06:00

It's fantastic to realize we're only one week from electing a new president. Few other elections have there been candidates with such clear cut opposite views on how to get the country back on track. Many states are offering early voting through the end of this week and reports state that one third of the country is taking advantage of this opportunity and the push for mail in ballots is reaching record numbers. It's very exciting!

Most folks know who they're voting for and have been rooting on their preferred candidate with unwavering enthusiasm. I am one of them. And once each contender chose his running mate... the person that will take over if something happens to him... I knew for sure that I had made the right choice.

If you are still on the fence, there are several websites that help clarify and give details on both sides. As well, there are sites that quiz you to see which candidate you agree with more. One week from today... we'll choose a new President. I, for one, am very excited!

Barack Obama in Denver

2008-10-26T22:03:00.004-06:00

Today was a great day in Denver!
Presidential Nominee Barack Obama was in the city for a large rally at Civic Center Park. Well over 100,000 supporters showed up to cheer on the next President hopeful.

Motivating the crowd to cast their votes early was the focus of this assembly. With Obama leading in the poles of this battleground state of Colorado, Barack is closer to getting our 9 electoral votes and this country is one step closer getting back on track.

Here are a couple pictures of the event.
There are only 9 days to go!

Only 10 Days To Go...

2008-10-25T15:10:00.003-06:00

Eleven Days and Counting....

2008-10-24T13:53:00.004-06:00

Great American Beer Festival 2008

2008-10-11T10:05:00.004-06:00

Happy GABF Day!! This is something we look forward to every year!

Today is the day we get to enjoy the lagers, ales, wheats, ambers, and more of approximately 500 breweries serving one-ounce tastings of the different beers each brewery has to present. Some have a mere two beers for tasting while others have ten. Because we're members of the American Brewers Association, we get to go to the "members only" session today. It's going to be a good day at the Great American Beer Festival!! If you enjoy tasting a variety of beer, I'd highly recommend coming with us next year! We'll let you know about our favorites!

To quote our friends at Dry Dock Brewery...
Four Ingredients... Infinite Possibilities!

Government Bail Out

2008-10-03T17:59:00.007-06:00

I received this email from a friend of mine and I thought I'd pass it on! It's an email written by "Jerry"... I don't know who "Jerry" is, but I like his thinking...

I'm against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.
Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend.

To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bona fide U.S. Citizens 18+. Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up.

So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billion that equals $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend.

Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let's assume a tax rate of 30%. Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam. But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000.00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?
Pay off your mortgage - housing crisis solved.
Repay college loans - what a great boost to new grads
Put away money for college - it'll be there
Save in a bank - create money to loan to entrepreneurs.
Buy a new car - create jobs
Invest in the market - capital drives growth
Pay for your parent's medical insurance - health care improves Enable
Deadbeat Dads to come clean - or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we're going to re-distribute wealth let's really do it...instead of trickling out a puny $1000.00 economic incentive that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President. (Although that's something!)
If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!
As for AIG liquidate it!. Sell off its parts.
Let American General go back to being American General.
Sell off the real estate.
Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.

Sure it's a crazy idea that can 'never work.'

But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!

How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion We Deserve It Dividend more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC. And remember, this plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.

Ahhh...I feel so much better getting that off my chest.

Kindest personal regards,
Jerry

Abandon Ship!!

2008-09-27T20:12:00.004-06:00

The Titanic has hit the iceberg and she is sinking fast!

There was a tiny gleam of hope for about 2-3 hours last week and then poof!! All gone! The owner truly has no clue how to run a restaurant.

The head chef quit as well as two other main "people" that have been at the restaurant forever. Now the guy running the kitchen has little experience and keeps horrible records, not to mention, he's not that great of a chef.
Still no manager to run operations.
The "head server" is now writing the server/bartender schedules and doing the liquor orders. He let me know that we were out of a few different liquors and that we wouldn't be getting them in anytime soon because the liquor supplier hasn't been paid.
Oh... did I mention that there are only 35 wine glasses in a restaurant that can seat 300+ guests and another 200+ in our venue. 35!! I had a group of 75-100 call about a wine and appetizers party... yeah right! "He" says "we'll rent more if we need them". IDIOT!!

So, now.... I have "resigned" too. There's no point to sticking it out. Truly, "He" has no bleeping clue how to run a restaurant. Say la vie!!

Off to bigger and better...

I have an interview for week at a local country club to be their event planner. I'm excited and curious about this position. Hopefully it'll be something fabulous that "fits" with me and visa versa. I also have two other possible opportunities to investigate this week. So, wish me luck!!

I'll keep you posted!

Kitchen Nightmares in Denver

2008-09-05T12:38:00.010-06:00

Gordon Ramsey, Help!!

About a month and a half ago, I landed a job at a local restaurant as the Director of Marketing and Events... are you impressed? I was sold the vision, the potential, and the endless possibilities of this new exciting opportunity. Well... plluugh to that! Couldn't be further from reality.

The owner of this restaurant, we'll call him "He", was originally the silent partner, but due to the asinine behavior of the active partner, "Y", "He" took over. The reputation of this restaurant is in the toilet because of "Y". On the flip side, "He" is an incredibly successful businessman that owns several software companies around the world with connections any self made millionaire would envy. The catch is.... he has very little knowledge about how to run a restaurant.

He fired the manager that hired me... the man that HE hired to turn this disaster of a restaurant around; hence the Kitchen Nightmares reference. Then, the ONLY other manager quit due to all the chaos!! His last day was Saturday. So, we have nobody to run the restaurant at this moment. The head chef, sous chef, and cooks are all out interviewing for jobs elsewhere. I know that the head chef and sous chef both have an offer on the table... so we'll see.

It has taken me 6 weeks to nail down a banquet menu for this place simply because it's taken that long to sit down with the head chef. Don't even get me started on the restaurant's website! Ugh! As I've been out "marketing" the new vision of this place (aka lying my ass off), potential clients often ask if I can send them a menu, or a banquet menu with our policies, or if they can get our banquet menu from our website... the answer to all of the above is NO!

Oh! Did I mention the comment from our head chef last week that Sysco Foods has " cut us off" because we haven't paid our bill? Oh yeah... that was good for a belly chuckle.

Oh! And we only have 3 servers. Funny right! I mean, are you kidding me?

So... with that very brief insight into my new job... you can only imagine how confident I am booking events for 50 - 100 guests for this restaurant. We'll see how it goes. In anticipation of the day I show up to work to find a "business closed" sign on the door, I am, of course, open to any other opportunities that may come my way.

Though the direction, stability, and future of this restaurant are completely unknown... One thing is for sure! It provides me continuous humor and sometimes the absurdity of the whole thing has me laughing so hard I have to wipe my eyes.

By the way... last week, the fleeing manager assured me that Mr. Owner will give us some notice that he's shutting the restaurant down. However, in the case that I do go to work and discover that "Business Closed" sign, I'm keeping good records of the events I'm booking so I can call them on my way to happy hour to let them know that... "So sorry to tell you that your event has been canceled because the restaurant has shut down."

I'm not even sure Gordon Ramsey can fix this mess!!

Keep you posted...

A Long Time Coming...

2008-08-12T13:58:00.013-06:00

Well... it's been a while since my last post. Nearly a month. A lot can change in a month...

For some reason I feel compelled to fill you in about one of the biggest changes... how I'm feeling. Some of you know, others may not... I've had a pretty tough time dealing with my father's death. It was the last straw in what has probably been the hardest year and a half of my life.

Here's a brief recap: Quit a job I enjoyed due to my toxic, nightmare of a boss. Learned of my Mom's cancer, her major surgery & recovery, chemotherapy and more recovery. Cared for both parents in FL and spending as much time with my dad as I can in between caring for my mom. Sold a house, rented a house and bought a house all in four months. The back & forth between FL & Denver. Not to mention the financial stress put on my hubby while I was out of work. Finally, my Father's death. I can handle a lot and stress is normally something I can manage pretty well... but dammit! That's a lot!

So... in the process, I gained some weight, cried a lot, stuffed my emotions down and ultimately found myself depressed and caring about hardly anything. Nothing felt important enough to warrant my attention. Some days, it was all I could do to get out of bed and go through the motions. Every time I turned around, something would set me off and the tears would start flowing uncontrollably. I'm an emotional person by nature (I get that from my mom) but the person I had turned into couldn't be further from who I really am.

So, with the encouragement of a good friend, I went to see my doctor. She did some blood work, talked with me about how I was feeling, and suggested I temporarily try an anti-anxiety/anti-depression medication. Sceptically, reluctantly, and judgmentally, I said OK. I say it that way because I kept "should-ing" on myself. I should be able to bring myself out of this low on my own. I should be able to snap out of this funk I'm in. If I exercise more or eat differently, then I should feel better. If I can get to the grief counselor and talk it out, then I should eventually run out of tears, right?! (By the way, I made three appointments with a grief counselor and canceled them all.) I think there's stigma attached to admitting I need help and further, realizing that the help I need comes in the form of a depression/anxiety medication. Well, the cat's out of the bag. Today, I think it takes courage to admit all that.

I've been on the meds for almost four weeks now... and WOW! What a difference! I'm starting to feel like myself again. Positive. Energetic. Optimistic. Excited. I'm still sad about my Father's passing and I miss him very much and yes... I still cry sometimes. The difference is that now, I don't burst into uncontrolled sobbing every time I think of him. I'm more excited to get out of bed and participate in life. I care about things again. I find myself laughing again and feeling happy. I feel somewhat liberated from my sadness. I can smile now when I think of my Dad and remember all the life lessons he taught me, as well as the many funny life stories he lived. I still plan to meet with the grief counselor and this time I'll actually go and be able to hear the knowledge and advice expressed by the therapist. Things are looking up!

Like I said... a lot has changed this past month. All of it good! I'm feeling much better. Eric got a great new job. I've lost a few pounds and I even landed a new job. (More on that next post.) Right now... I'm off to get a full body massage! Oh yeah baby!

That's the latest on this end. Until next post...

An Evening With The Nadas

2008-07-27T17:12:00.008-06:00

It starts with two friends all prettied up, a drive into the mountains to a local favorite bar, an entertaining band to dance and sing-along to and wha-la! You got yourself a fun night out on the town.

My friend Mara and I went to see The Nadas in concert at the Little Bear Saloon in Evergreen. It was a lot of fun! We've seen The Nadas several times through the years and the Little Bear is one of the band's favorite venues. Aren't we lucky! And... they'll be in Denver at the Gothic Theater in October. Yeah!

We met this fantastic couple that shared their front row seats with us. Dennis and Estell are their names. They're in their lively 60's and out really living life. They danced right along side of us for most of the night. They're an inspiration so I thought I'd include their picture too. With any luck, we'll run into them next time.

When I lived in Orlando, I went out and listened to live music all the time. I was in the know of all the locals bands. I think I forgot how much I love live music. I think it's time to visit more front row seats in different venues around Denver. Wanna come with me?

A Silly View of Election 2008

2008-07-21T12:03:00.005-06:00

Everyone has an opinion about our country's upcoming election. Conservatives and Liberals alike are rooting for their favorite... the one and only each optimistically believes will be answer to all of our American prayers. We seem to loose our sense of humor; taking the jabs spewed from party A against our faultless party B very seriously and personally.

There is, however, one comical team that has an equal opportunity political satire about our campaigning politicians that elephants and donkeys can both enjoy!! Take a look at Jib Jab's newest video.

Young @ Heart

2008-07-08T15:13:00.008-06:00

I'd like to share a movie with you that I think you'd all thoroughly enjoy! Eric and I went to see it yesterday and it is fantastic!! It's hilarious and sad, moving and inspirational. I'd love to see it again! I think most of you know I'm apart of an a'capella group here in Denver. The Last Note Singers. If you didn't know... you do now! It's a lot of fun and this new singing family are a wonderful group of people. The description of the film and a few websites about the documentary are below. I'd highly recommend you search for a theater near you and rush out to go see it!

Here's the description:
Young@Heart is a New England senior citizens chorus that has delighted audiences worldwide with their covers of songs by everyone from The Clash to Coldplay, James Brown to The Rolling Stones. Based in Northampton, Massachusetts, the group is made up of two dozen spirited seniors who specialize in reinterpreting rock, punk and R & B classics from a unique perspective. Their lineup includes former schoolteachers, executives, doctors and food service workers, and the chorus is guided by their longtime director Bob Climan. With less than two months to go until a one night only concert in their hometown, the performers struggle with the new lyrics and unfamiliar melodies of several new songs. During their thrice weekly rehearsals, they gradually take possession of music ranging from R&B classics like Allen Toussaint’s Yes We Can, Can to Coldpay’s emotionally powerful ballad "Fix You" upending assumptions about old age, love, sex and death.

Young@Heart Reviews & Videos The Trailer

Happy Birthday Grandpa Bennett!!

2008-07-06T18:32:00.001-06:00

Debonair, family focused, lady loving, card shark, sweet tooth Grandpa Bennett is 89 years young today and still going strong!! We wish we were there to celebrate with you... Hope you have a wonderful day! We love you!!

Nine Years Ago Today...

2008-07-01T10:43:00.003-06:00

…I moved to Colorado.

In a parade of two cars packed to capacity, one gas guzzling truck towing two horses (which we stopped for every couple hours to give them a rest), one enormous U-Haul containing the lives of three strangers (and driven by a girl who really shouldn’t have), four young 20-something individuals (two of which I barely knew), two fun-loving yet rowdy dogs, and nine grumbling, ticked off cats... we drove 2000 miles in three days ending our tour of the country at a storage unit in Aurora, CO. It was quite the adventure!

You never know what life will toss your way and sometimes you take a chance on faith. The hope of what could be or what might be… My life in Denver grew into something very different from the original vision I had… and I’m grateful for every minute of the journey.

I Love Birthdays!

2008-06-30T12:02:00.005-06:00

I’m one of those people that LOVES their birthday! I think birthdays are more than a one day celebration too. It’s more like a week or so… and the whole month if you can pull it off! I’ve never understood the “Oh, I don’t want to do anything for my birthday” statements from friends and family. “It’s my birthday… Let’s party baby!!” My dad used to say… “It’s better than the alternative.”

As a kid, my parents always did a good job of making it my special day. As a summer baby, you get skipped over for the school classroom celebration with cupcakes and birthday cards because school is out for the summer. On the flip side, it’s summer! So pool parties and beach parties galore!

One of my most memorable birthdays was my surprise 13^th birthday party. It was a doozie. We still lived south of Miami, in Homestead, FL and my long time friend Kathleen and I had ‘gone shopping’, which was to get me out of the house, of course. After my mom dropped us off, we snuck over to a boy’s house where he and his friend were waiting for us. Long story short, when my mom came to pick us up from all our “shopping” and took us home… were there was a police car in our driveway… (I’ll get back to that part) I walked in the front door and had the daylights scared out of me by all my friends yelling “SURPRISE!” It was fantastic! That party lasted all night long and every kid in our neighborhood from 10 – 18 was there! Sadly, we moved up to Central FL the following day which, as a new teenager, I was not happy about. What’s even sadder and one of the main reasons we moved out of South FL, was we had been robbed an hour before my birthday party began. Hence the police car!

This birthday, I turned 35. Ouch! I’m a bit stunned that 35 years of my life have zipped by. People that are 35… GULP, are grown-ups. Ugh! My friends, Mara & Kat, organized a Happy Birthday Happy Hour for me a few days before my birthday at the Funky Buddha, one of my Denver favorites. Thanks girls! We had our very own private patio and plenty of cosmos. Lots of friends came to celebrate and it was a lot of fun!

Then on my birthday, my fabulous hubby, Eric took me dinner and a show. We went to Bastien's Restaurant which was pretty good. They brings out these strange, long two foot breadsticks to the table for snacking. I would describe it as an old diner taken over by a fine dining chef. They have a fantastic Limoncello martini. SO good! I'd highly recommend stopping by to get one! Then we went to see Wanda Sykes at the Comedy Works. She's hilarious!! She even had Eric laughing and that's hard to do. We had a lot of fun. Thanks everyone for a great birthday! Until next year...

This Blogging Thing...

2008-06-30T11:29:00.002-06:00

So, I’ve figured out that taking the time to blog regularly is more difficult than I thought. My thinking was that I’m not all that busy, how hard can it be? Turns out, I actually have been busy. I’ll try to catch everyone up on what’s been going on this coming week. So, today you get a 2 for 1 special. Here we go…

RSVP Process

2008-06-20T10:58:00.004-06:00

Step 1: Read invitation.
Step 2: Decide if you'd like to go to event.
Step 3: If answer to step 2 is yes, go to step 4.
If answer to step 2 is no, go straight to step 5.
Step 4: Check calendar for availability.
Step 5: RSVP with appropriate answer.

WHY is this such a difficult process? Honestly, I don't get it! Is it because people want to wait until the last minute... just in case something better comes along? What is that?! People don't even respond to wedding invitations anymore. I mean, come on. There's a lot of work that goes into planning a party and a head count is important.

I realize it's just an invitation to a party and we're all busy with life, but it leads me to believe that the common courtesies in our world, the ones that our parents drilled into us as children, are slipping away. Frankly, that's disappointing.

Happy Birthday Tanya!!

2008-06-16T09:46:00.007-06:00

My "twin sister" Tanya's birthday is today! She's 35 and fabulous! (Wait - Isn't that Carrie Bradshaw's line?) We've been friends for years... 22 years if I'm doing my math right. Whoa! How'd that happen?!

So, Happy Birthday Tanya!! To quote my friend Mark Reinhardt... I hope you have something terribly exciting, possibly even dangerous and/or illegal in 37 states, planned to celebrate!

Happy Father's Day

2008-06-14T22:05:00.017-06:00

To all the father's out there... Happy Father's Day! I hope your day is full of smiles and happiness!

Father's Day has always been a very special day for my dad and I. My birthday often fell on or near Father's Day. I was literally my dad's Father's Day gift when I was born on the Saturday of Father's Day weekend. At the beginning of this year, my dad and I talked about me going home to FL for Father's Day and my birthday because we thought they'd both fall on Sunday. (We hadn't taken the time to realize that it was leap year and my birthday would fall on Monday instead.) My dad was 35 when I was born... This is my 35th birthday... So, with my father's recent passing, as you might imagine... this is a bit of a somber day for me. I miss him!

My dad was a loving, honest, wise from life experiences, funny man. He had a fantastic sense of humor. One of my favorite 'Davis funnies' was the "Sport, can you hold this for me?" game he'd play on my mom. (Sport was his nickname for my mom) We'd all be in the living room, my mom would be standing next to my dad, and ever so cleverly, he'd ask her "Sport, can you hold this for me?" and hand her some random object that was within reach... the salt shaker, his tea glass, the TV Guide, his flash light, etc. This would continue until her arms were at capacity or until she caught on. Whichever happened first. Then he'd get tickled at himself for pulling it off and just laugh and laugh, and I'd laugh, and my Mom would start laughing. It's probably one of those "you had to be there" moments, but man... it makes me laugh remembering it now.

So, Happy Father's Day Dad!! I'm sure you're out catching "the big one" in the Atlantic somewhere. Put a pickle on the hook... that ought to do it.

On a much lighter note, I also want to say Happy Father's Day to my father-in-law, Rick. He too has a great sense of humor. My hubby has his dad's sense of humor so I get my chuckles from them regularly. I believe my father-in-law is the kind of father all new dad's aspire to be... loving, funny, supportive, affectionate, a man of wisdom that we look up to, and on and on. (Don't want to embarrass the man.) I don't even think he tries to be... I think he just is that dad. I'm actually a very lucky woman to have such loving and down-to-earth parents-in-law. (I'll be expecting my check in the mail this week... ha ha)

So, Happy Father's Day to all! I hope it's a fun day for you!

To Blog or Not to Blog...

2008-06-14T17:16:00.002-06:00

...that has been the question. I have decide "to blog"! I have a few friends that blog and it's a nice way to keep up with the goings on in their lives on a regular basis. I like the idea of being able to stay connected with our family and friends. So, I'm gonna give it a whirl.

This blog will also act as a journal that I can look back on and remember all of life's stories that occur. I may have an occasional opinionated moment that might get under your skin, but hey, I love a good, healthy debate. Feel free to leave me your comments, thoughts, observations, etc. All are welcome here!

Until next time...