#328 She Works Hard For The Money

I stopped at Meijer on my way home from my parent’s Wednesday night and got in one of the self checkout lanes with no item limit.  The woman in front of me needed assistance so I switched to another lane.  The woman in that lane was paying with cash.  She had a stack of some 5’s and mostly one’s and proceeded to insert each bill one at-a-time into the slot.  She made sure the corners were not bent and had to put them in facing the correct way.  Sigh.  I appreciate people paying with cash and it’s her right to do that and take five minutes to pay for her items, but holy cow.  I started reading the magazine covers and found out Drew Barrymore had a baby in September.  Huh! 

When it was my turn to check out, I needed assistance with a rain check.  The guy that came over to help me was my height (albeit around 19) and after he helped me he asked how tall I was.  I told him and he smiled and said he was also 6'6" and then said, "Cool!"  Yes, it is cool. 

#327 I Can See Clearly Now

I had dinner at my parent’s house Wednesday night.  My mom woke up from a nap when I arrived so she was a little groggy at first.  Partway through dinner I noticed she wasn’t wearing her glasses but didn’t say anything.  We sat and chatted after the meal and I was about to ask about her glasses when she said that her eyesight had been really good the past couple of days (she has macular degeneration) but that everything was blurry.  I laughed and mentioned that she wasn’t wearing her glasses.  Dad got them for her and she said, “Oh!  That’s much better!”  She did laugh about it but was also a little embarrassed that she didn’t notice she wasn’t wearing them.  It happens to the best of us! 

#326 Loving Louisville

Last weekend I attended the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship in Louisville, Kentucky. I have driven by Louisville probably 100 times and have always thought it looked like a nice place to visit. I was right!

Here are just some of the daily highlights from my trip:

Thursday

• Walking down 4th Street listening to Christmas music on large speakers on every street corner. I walked and sang out loud and enjoyed the sights. Which included…
• Seeing Karch Kiraly walk past me. He is a commentator for ESPN and worked the NCAA matches. I met him at a beach tournament in my 20s and he’s still got it.
• Seeing all the other tall men and women walking around. I was amazed at how many tall women I saw around town. That were my age and probably have daughters playing volleyball now. I even had an usher at the Yum! Center ask me if my daughter was playing in the tournament.
• Watching great volleyball matches that night – the semifinals pairing Michigan vs. Texas and Penn St. vs. Oregon. Although the Big 10 did not fare well…

Friday

• Touring Churchill Downs on a beautiful, sunny day.
• Having a funny elevator meeting with a cute guy: I was headed to Churchill Downs and a tall, cute guy got on the hotel elevator while I was on my way downstairs. We chatted about the previous day’s matches and the doors opened so I followed him out. I took about four steps and realized it was not the floor I wanted. I laughed and said, “This isn’t my floor!” and got back on the elevator. Whoops!
• Meeting Phil and Michelle at Yafa Café (a Mediterranean restaurant on 4th Street) for a late lunch. There’s nothing like enjoying a great meal al fresco with great friends (and on a beautiful, sunny day). They also enjoyed some hookah. I did not partake.
• Meeting Phil and Michelle’s friends (Terry and Kelly, David and Sarah) and having another great meal at El Mundo.

Saturday

• Seeing Diana: A Celebration at the Frazier History Museum. Very cool! I was mostly struck by seeing her childhood memorabilia. She had things that I had growing up – a diary, ceramic animals, scrapbooks. Looking at all of those things and reading about her early life really humanized her (although she always came across as very down to earth anyway) and made me conscious of the fact that deep down we’re all pretty much the same despite her fame and fortune.
• Driving to the Zappos/6PM outlet!! Michelle called me after I was done with the Diana exhibit and said they were driving to the outlet in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. At first I said no (I certainly don’t need any more shoes). A minute later I called her back and they picked me up across from the statue of David. (Yowza!) I walked out with four pairs of shoes for $90. Everything was an additional 70 percent off!! My shoes ranged from $6 to $38 (and that pair was originally $158).
• Dinner at Troll Pub Under The Bridge. There is a very cool pub on Washington Street across from the Yum! Center. Local, great food (I had the shepherd’s pie) and you can’t beat the location. Michelle and Phil’s Indy friends Alicia and Matt joined us for dinner and the championship match.
• Seeing the women’s volleyball championship match. It was a quick one (Texas won in three straight sets) but was still fun. The sweepers were a sight to see and I got to see Karch again. And Kerri Walsh-Jennings was there too. I missed her autograph session (busy eating at the Troll) but got to see her at a halftime presentation. Another tall woman out there at 6’3”!

Overall I loved Louisville and plan to go back soon! 

#325 Manic Monday

This morning I had a chiropractor appointment at 8 a.m. so I got up extra early (5:30 a.m.) to go to the gym beforehand. As I unpacked my work clothes, I realized I had forgotten to pack my bra and underwear. Sigh.  I do have an extra pair of undies in my bag now (yes, this has happened before) but I didn’t have an extra bra. A couple of older women suggested I wear my sports bra to work. Not an option. Not only would that just look bad, but everyone would wonder where my boobs went. I look like a teenage boy when I wear a sports bra.


I drove back home (seven miles east), showered, and then drove back toward downtown to my chiropractor, who is on the west side of downtown. Why the west side? It’s easy for me to pop in at lunch or go right before work (or so I thought). I did manage to get there early like I wanted and was first to sign in. (Yes!! One small victory this morning.) 

Freshly cracked and energized, my day was back on the upswing until I walked from the parking garage to the office and noticed that some people were wearing jeans. Hmmmm. I got upstairs and everyone was wearing jeans in my group. What the…????  I took a vacation day last Friday and therefore missed the email about wearing jeans all this week. For free (we usually have $5 jeans days that go toward a charity). Fabulous.

For the record, I now have extra underwear and a bra in my gym bag.

#324 Billie Jean

Yesterday I attended The Power of Women’s Philanthropy, an event put on by Women’s Fund of Central Indiana held at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. Women’s Fund invests in the lives of women and girls, and teaches philanthropy to children from birth to age 18 through various programs.


The featured speaker was Billie Jean King. Being an avid tennis fan, I jumped at the chance to go to this event when I found out my work had some open seats.

She gave a good talk and below are things that stuck with me.

• At age five she told her mother she was going to do something great with her life.
• She quit playing softball and at age 12 she bought her first tennis racquet for $8.29.
• She was playing in a tournament as a young girl and noticed that everything was white. Her shoes, her tennis outfit; even the balls were white. She looked around and asked herself, "Where is everybody else?"  She decided right then that tennis would be her platform to promote equal rights for girls and boys.
• She gets annoyed when people come up to her and thank her for what she’s done for women’s tennis. She said no one would ever think of going up to John McEnroe and thanking him for what he’s done for men’s tennis. People would just thank him for what he’s done for tennis. Her goal was to make things better for everyone, not just women.
• Basketball was her first love.

At the end of her talk she hit signed tennis balls into the crowd with a racquet while “Philadelphia Freedom” played on the sound system. (Elton John wrote that song for her when she was playing on the Philadelphia Freedoms tennis team.)  I caught one!  (Are you surprised, with my long arms?)  I also helped a co-worker get one. 

It was a very nice event and I went away feeling a little more inspired to do more in my community to make it a better place for everyone, girls and boys alike. 

#323 World's Tallest Woman Dies

The world's tallest woman died yesterday in China.  She was 7 feet, 7 inches tall.  It is reported she suffered from gigantism, with a tumor on her pituitary gland disrupting her levels of growth hormone. 

My blog tends to focus on the humorous aspects of life, but there is a serious and not-so-fun side to excessive height.  It is sad to hear that people have these serious issues and that their height has had a negative impact on their lives.  I pray that anyone else with this medical condition can get help so they can live as normal as life as possible.  And let's remind ourselves when we see someone who has some type of physical issue to not make a spectacle of them.  Make a point to treat them like you would like to be treated. 

#322 American Boy

Last night Heidi and I went to see Chris Isaak.  I have one of his CDs (Always Got Tonight) but have never seen him live.  He was in town for 92.3's Rock to Read.  A friend sent me an online promotion for $15 tickets.  Can't beat that! 

The opening act was Kat Edmonson.  She was great with a very distinctive voice.  A good pairing with Chris, as he is very distinctive as well. 

I expected a good show and that's what we got.  He's a great performer and very funny as well (as I knew from watching a few episodes of The Chris Isaak Show).  He did not disappoint! 

We sat in the balcony Row P, pretty much center. There are no bad seats at the Murat, but my picture taking was hindered by the spotlight, which tended to wash him out. Two of my approximately 10 pictures turned out really well, and as luck would have it, one of them included a giant blowup pin-up girl. You're welcome, guys.

P.S. - After posting yesterday I realized I forgot to tell a funny story about the concert.  As I stood waiting for Heidi to arrive, I noticed quite a few women wearing crazy high heels.  Like the heels without heels.  And really interesting outfits.  And most of them were black.  I thought, "Wow, I didn't realize Chris Isaak had such a black following!"  I then realized that everyone was walking through the Egyptian Room entrance and they were not there for Chris Isaak but for a Studio 54 hair show.  Hahahaha!  I even saw a friend from work, who is black, and as I waved to her (I was on the phone with my brother) I thought, "Dominique likes Chris Isaak?"  Heidi and I talked to Dominique today and next year we want to go with her to the hair show. 

#321 Small Business Saturday

Last Saturday I headed to Irvington to do some Small Business Saturday shopping.  One of the stores I hit was Black Sheep.  I usually spend time looking at lots of different things - some are new, some I've seen before, but all are interesting. As I paid for my items, the owner said, "I love that you appreciate all the things on the top shelves."  That I do!  But that got me to thinking that maybe I'm missing some things on the bottom shelves...

Other great stores are Homespun and Annie's Apparel Resale.  Check them out! 

#320 Sophie and Naomi

Ellen has Sophia Grace and Rosie (see Post No. 282). I have Sophie and Naomi. Last Saturday I stopped at the Aunt Millie bread outlet. They changed their hours and I can no longer go after work so I have to go on the weekends. As I picked out my bread I was immediately greeted by a little girl holding up a box of Christmas cakes. “Look!” she said. “Mmmmmm.” I replied, somewhat ignoring her. I then got in line and there she was again. With her sister. Who started talking to me and by the time we got to the counter I had learned that her name was Naomi and little sister was Sophie. Naomi asked how old I thought she was (I guessed 10 and was off by three months. She turns 10 in February). I did guess Sophie correctly at age 7. (Not bad for a childless person!)  Naomi plays soccer and scored five goals in one game so her coach told her to let other players score. She also plays kickball at recess. During one game she got up to kick and all the boys yelled to move in. She proceeded to kick the ball over all of their heads. The next time she was up they didn’t move back. Way to go Naomi! She commented that I was very tall and asked me how I got to be so tall. Then she asked me if I played basketball, and when I told her I used to, she asked me why I didn’t play any longer. I started to say, “I’m too old” but I didn’t want her to think that just because you get old you stop playing, so I told her I wasn’t in school anymore so I didn’t have a team to play for. And that I now play tennis. She was a very nice and respectful young lady. Another customer kind of ran her cart into Sophie and Naomi was quick to apologize for Sophie getting in her way (which she really wasn’t). Naomi’s parents seemed amused at our conversation. They were probably happy to have a break from her talking to them.


When I walked in the store I was bummed that I’d have to stand in line on a Saturday. When I walked out of the store, I had a smile on my face after having a nice conversation with a pretty cool 10 year-old. If we could all be more child-like, life would be a lot more enjoyable.

#319 Line 'Em Up

Last Friday night I attended the 12th Man Leukemia Jam, a benefit for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and to show support for Colt’s coach Chuck Pagano, who was diagnosed with leukemia several weeks ago. I have participated in two bicycling events with LLS’s Team In Training Program, so when I heard about this event I was interested. Make a donation and get to meet interim Colts coach Bruce Arians, quarterback Andrew Luck and wide receiver Reggie Wayne. And have food and drinks from Dunaway’s Palazzo Ossigeno. A win-win, right? Almost.

The event was from 6-10 p.m., with autographs scheduled from 7-9 p.m. I drove by the restaurant around 5:50 p.m. and people were already in line down the street. My friends and I got in line at 6:15 p.m. At that time I estimate there were over 100 people in line. Outside. In November. Luckily, the temperature was fairly moderate in the upper 40s. The line moved along ok until around 6:45 p.m., when we stood still for probably half an hour and were maybe 20 feet from the door. During this time a few people in front and behind us gave up and called cabs. We finally made it inside around 7:30.

After checking in, we immediately got in the autograph line. I did want food (the Donger needs food!) but our main concern at this point was autographs. My friends all brought items so I offered to help them get more things signed. Did I mention I had to go to the bathroom? Our line snaked through the bar area and back toward the stair landing, up the stairs, and all through the second floor. I felt like I was at King’s Island. The only thing missing was a sign telling me how long of a wait I had from a certain point. (One guy did tell us it would take about 45 minutes once we got into a bigger room upstairs).

We finally made it to the autograph table at 8:45 p.m. Whew! Along the way we read signs that autographs were not guaranteed so we never were overly confident. I stepped up to face Reggie and he looked at me with his head cocked to one side. I said, “You look puzzled.” He smiled and asked, “How tall are you?” I’d never seen him up close, but he is adorable! They were all very nice, and Julie and I both leaned in separately to get pictures with Andrew and Reggie. We waited a short time for our friends to get through the line and then headed to the food.

Ahh, the food. The food was great – a carving station, bruschetta & dip station, seafood station and slider station. Vegetables & dip, fruit, antipasto & cheese. We even heard there were crab claws but never saw them. We stuffed ourselves for the last hour of the event. We even made it to the roof for s’mores, hot cider and hot cocoa with amaretto. Yum!

This event did not turn out how any of us expected. I think it’s great that Dunaway’s held it at their restaurant. The owner’s brother died of leukemia in the 1950s. Back then, and even as recent as 20 years ago, there was much more limited treatment. I know how important fundraising has been to facilitate the creation of new treatments to save lives. However, as a person who works in the event-planning business, I have a few observations about this particular event (that I will also share with Dunaway’s).

• If you have 500 people RSVP for your event, I would suggest you have space for 500 people in your establishment. I realize they wanted to raise as much money as possible, but having people who paid a lot of money stand outside in line for over an hour is not a good practice. What if it was 30 degrees outside? What if it was raining? As I said earlier, I saw several people leave and I heard more than one person remark that they had paid via credit card and planned to stop charges. This could reflect badly on the LLS and Dunaway’s, but I am mostly worried about the LLS. My plan was that if I did not get in or get an autograph, I would cancel my charge and make a donation directly to the LLS.

• Once you have people inside, it would be nice to have the food and beverages along the line so you can eat as you go. The food was at the far ends of the rooms and with all of the items we had in our hands it was difficult to maneuver around all the people. And our main priority was autographs. Well, my friends’ main priority was autographs…I’m always about the food. :-)

Despite our frustrations during the night, we did have a good time. I’m one to hang in there (see Post No. 283) until things are really dire. We kept our sense of humor and it was definitely good people-watching. And I’ve learned that if you keep a relatively good attitude about things, more times than not, things end up working out ok.

#318 The Tall Girl!

Last night I attended a customer-appreciation party at Matthews Bicycles. As I browsed the store, a man stopped me and said he’d seen me before around town and that he always thought, “There’s the tall girl.” Yes! I am the tall girl again!!

#317 The Tall Woman

I was in the locker area at the gym this morning when a woman I’d seen regularly this week walked into the room from the shower and said, “It’s the tall woman!”  She then introduced herself and said something like, “I just always refer to you as the tall woman.  Now I know your name!”  She’s very nice and I was not offended by her comment.  The only thing that bugged me a little is that she referred to me as a tall woman.  I still refer to myself as a girl, even at age 44. 

#316 I Vote, I Count (I Knock Myself Out)

This past Tuesday I arrived at my voting location at 6 a.m.  There were about 20 people in front of me outside the building.  Since they combined precincts a year or so ago, the lines have been longer and the room is not very large so the line extends outside.  The line moved fairly fast and as I was about halfway to the door I noticed there was a canopy over it.  Once I actually got to the door and started to step in, I hit my forehead lightly on the front of the canopy.  Sigh.  I used my usual self-defense mechanism (humor) to make light of my embarrassment.  I turned to the woman next to me, an older woman topping out at maybe 5 feet, and said, “Watch your head.”  She gave a great belly laugh.  Mission accomplished.  Probably the only laugh of the morning at that polling station.   

#315 Faith, Football and Winning the Big One

I went to a Southeastern Conference school so I am well aware of the competitiveness of SEC football.  I read an article today about Georgia's football coach Mark Richt and thought it was too good not to share.  How wonderful to see a coach that is not afraid to speak about his faith.  It was also nice to hear his story about Bobby Bowden at the beginning of the article. 

Bowden's speech about "winning the big one" is true for many aspects of life.  The vast majority of society things success is only about winning, being famous, having lots of money, a big house and a fancy car.  Take a look at the headlines and you will see examples of people who seem to have it all, yet they are not truly happy and don't feel any different.  They may even feel more empty. 

Fame and fortune can bring security to a point, but what is the point if at the end of your life, Christ wasn't a part of it?  He is the only security you will ever need. 

#314 Five Finger Discount...Sans Fingers

Last Thursday I walked to the mall on my lunch hour.  I made one detour on the way back to the office and stopped at T.J. Maxx.  I browsed the purses, shoes and some coats.  While looking at shoes, I knelt down to see the lowest shelf, then stood up and continued to walk around the store.  A short time later, a woman approached me and said, "Excuse me, but you have a bra hanging from the back of your coat." 

The rack of bras on plastic hangers was right next to the shoes, so when I knelt down and stood back up, one of the bra hangers hooked onto the belt on the back of my coat.  I didn't feel it at all!  It was a big, black, strapless push-up bra.  Not even my size. 

When I got back to work I told my boss that I was almost arrested for shoplifting at lunch.  I can't imagine what I would have done had I walked out of the store and heard the alarm go off!

#313 Brian Cramp

My blog title is not a typo.  Let me give some background information:  my college basketball coach used to yell at us when we'd make a mistake in practice and would say, "Whatya got, a brain cramp?"  From then on I would jokingly say I had a brain cramp whenever I'd do something stupid. 

Fast forward to earlier this year when I attended the KISS concert.  (See Post No. 307)  Heidi, Nicole and I were hanging out in the VIP room and I noticed a very tall guy who looked familiar.  I knew he played basketball but couldn't put my finger on where.  After a while I settled on Brian Cardinal, a 6'8" center who played at Purdue from 1995 to 1997. 

I tried to Google him on my phone to see a picture, but didn't get very good service.  Later in the evening I heard another guy in the room yell, "Hey Brian!" so I felt that was the confirmation I needed to go talk to him.  He was married, but thought it would be cool to rub elbows with a Purdue person.  And he was with some other tall guys.  I approached him, introduced myself, and told him my brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew all went to Purdue.  He was with some friends so they talked to me a  bit, and then I went back to Heidi and Nicole. 

After I got home I had a nagging feeling to try to look up his photo again.  This time it worked and...that doesn't look like the Brian I saw.  The wheels in my brain started whirring and it hit me.  That wasn't Brian Cardinal.  That was Brian Evans.  Who played at Indiana.  Holy crap!  Even though I was alone in the comfort of my own home, I was mortified.  I'm a basketball player for Pete's sake!  I should know my basketball players!

I told this story to Heidi the next day, but swore I would never tell this story to anyone else.  But it's too funny not to share!  My brother and sister-in-law will especially love this.  I will probably never hear the end of it.  Oh well. I did have a huge Brian cramp!! 

#312 Happy Halloween

I just realized I hadn't posted pictures from Halloween since 2009.  What's up with that?  For the past few years I've had to come up with two costumes.  One for a party held outside (well, inside an garage), and one for work.  I need to dress for warmth for the outside party and sometimes the work costume will work, but is not always ready.  I also need to step it up for work because we have a contest.  I have won one of the titles each year in the past and feel a mounting pressure each year to continue my streak.  People also expect big things from me and I don't want to disappoint them.   

This year's party costume was put together in less than a week.  Heidi decided to be Daphne after checking out costumes for red heads.  Krista (Scooby Doo) and Julie (Fred) jumped on board, as did I (Shaggy).  Velma was kidnapped by the ghost.  Zoiks!

 My work costume took a little more time to put together, although I did get my idea over the summer when I saw a street performer on Mass. Ave. during a First Friday Fringe event.

Special thanks to: 

• The Mass. Ave. lady for giving me the idea. 
• Michelle for giving me the dummy head. 
• Patty (Michelle's deceased neighbor) for my swimming cap.
• Lynne for finding the swimming cap in Patty's yard sale (best .25 ever spent).
• Sears for having a super sale so I could buy two identical tankinis for $10 each. 
• Work for letting us dress up! 

I hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween! 

#311 Below the Rim

There have been many articles this week regarding University of Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma’s comments on lowering the rim for women’s basketball. He says some players can’t shoot and miss layups, therefore slowing down the game and making it less interesting for fans. He suggests lowering the rim by about seven inches.

How about teaching players the fundamentals on how to shoot and make a layup? (And free throws while I'm on the subject of shooting.)  I feel like some coaches/players have gotten away from teaching/learning the basics and just want to go out and play and showboat. There is nothing wrong with sometimes just going out to play, but to be a complete player you must learn the fundamentals. Dribbling, passing, shooting. Even though I’m 6’6” and am close to the rim, it’s still an “art” and you have to use the box on the backboard. (Yes, that is what the box is for.)  And even as a center, I learned to dribble with my head up and learned how to pass to where my teammate is going, not to where they were. Simple fundamentals.


I hear many fans say they like the women’s game better because it’s played below the rim and is more about teamwork and fundamentals. If the rim is lowered, some players wouldn’t even bother with layups anymore and would resort to dunking, which doesn’t take that much skill and usually isn’t that exciting. (You’re tall. You jump and put a ball in the basket. How hard is that?)

Stick to the fundamentals and leave the rim where it is. 

#310 Big Ride

This happened last year, but I just came across this story about Shawn Bradley's bike being stolen.  And I thought I had a hard time finding a bike! 

#309 Speaking of Fashion...

Since I'm on the subject of fashion and wanting to dress in a more interesting way, the most interestingly-dressed person I know is my cousin, Susan Riedweg.  She is a clothing/handbag designer and is incredibly talented.  She is always wearing something cool and marches to the beat of her own drum.  I especially love that she re-uses and re-purposes things (not just clothing/material). 

On her website she mentions being inspired by her great aunt, among others.  Aunt Frieda worked at Ayres department store and at one time worked in the fur department.  She saved the mink paws after they were discarded and eventually saved enough to make her own full length mink coat.  The epitome of re-use and re-purpose!  I have some old pictures of her back in the day and she was very stylish in her own right. 

#308 The Sartorialist

This morning at the gym I happened to read Indianapolis Monthly magazine's September 2012 issue.  I came across an article about a guy who has a fashion blog - The Sartorialist.  I looked at his name.  I looked at his picture.  Back to the name.  Holy cow - this guy was in my high school class!  Very cool!  I totally remember him.  He did dress well and I remember him wearing a sweaters around his shoulders.  He mentioned in the article he used to work at Chess King in high school.  Ahhhh, Chess King.  Too funny. 

I admit I had to look up "sartorialist" in the dictionary and this is what I found:  sar-to-rial.  adj.  1  of tailors or their work  2  of clothing or dress, esp. men's. 

I am by no means a fashionista, but I feel that I've improved style-wise each year.  I would like to wear more interesting things.  Alas, they don't always come in sizes to fit uber tall gals. 

#307 KISS Is On My List

Two weeks ago I went to my first KISS concert. I was about 20 years too late. Better late than never! I loved it! After the KISS Expo debacle (see Post No. 283), Heidi and I made out much better and got to meet the band before the show. Luckily that meant we missed most of Motley Crue. I do like a couple of their songs, and I am bummed I missed seeing Tommy Lee play drums upside down, but as a live performance, they are pretty nasty. They even have water cannons (which we missed) and to top it off, throw five gallon buckets of water on the front rows (which we did not miss). Classy.

KISS, on the other hand, is awesome! They put on a fabulous show. Flying, fake blood capsules, rising sections of the stage. Who doesn’t love watching men in their 40s and 60s wearing black spandex and makeup?

Paul is definitely my favorite. He still rocks at 60. Heck, they ALL rock at whatever age they are.

I went to my first KISS concert at age 43. I hope it’s not my last. To misspell The Cure, “KISS me, KISS me, KISS me!”

  

#306 Two Sets of 3s

This past Tuesday, September 11, I was driving to play tennis.  Throughout the day I had taken time to say little prayers for all who had been affected by the tragedy 11 years ago.  During the drive, Alan Jackson's song, "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" came on so I took more time to reflect. 

At one point I thought about the "struggle" I've had with my new parking garage at work and how there is no good way to get out of downtown anymore.  I dread leaving work and am ashamed that I get a little (ok, it's a lot) road raged about having to park there. 

I remembered a John Wooden seminar I attended at work not too long ago that talked about the "Two Sets of 3s" which are:

Never lie
Never cheat
Never steal

Don't whine
Don't complain
Don't make excuses

It is the last three that I focused on during my drive to tennis.  There are thousands of people that were directly affected by a horrible tragedy and they lost someone they loved.  I am accomplishing nothing by getting upset over traffic.  Well, except to make myself miserable for 45 minutes.  I'm blessed to have a car.  If I had to ride the bus it would take me over an hour to get home.  I need to do as John Wooden did and stop complaining. 

Yesterday I took a deep breath as I left the parking garage.  I started listening to one of my Cake CDs for comfort (appropriately it's the Comfort Eagle CD).  I did get a little ticked (baby steps) but I handled it way better than I have on other days and I may have even discovered a little better route home. It's a work in progress.   

#305 Flood

No, I’m not talking about hurricane Isaac and all the havoc he’s wreaked in the south.  Today I am wearing flood jeans.  On purpose.  This, coming from a girl who several years ago refused to wear cropped pants because I thought people would think I couldn’t find pants long enough.  Not only do I now wear tons of cropped pants, I even wear floods.  I initially bought too-short skinny jeans to wear with riding boots, then decided they looked cute in the summer with flats or flip flops.  The jeans I am wearing today have a flare at the bottom and hit right above my ankle bone.  Part of me thinks, “I must look ridiculous in these.”  But they are cute jeans and I think they just looked cropped.  So there!  And if we get all the rain we're supposed to this weekend, the bottom of my jeans would stay nice and dry. 

#304 Dress You Up

Monday after work I went to my favorite store (Annie's) and found three pairs of shoes (two were Clark's!), a cute hippy trippy top, a James Taylor One Man Band t-shirt from his 2006 tour (which I attended) and a pair of sweatpants that don't sag in the butt (yes, they are floods, but they are very cute regardless). 

Today I am wearing said hippy trippy top.  It's got black, grey, a nice green, all kind of in a nice pattern.  Gathered just below the bust and on me it hangs mid-thigh.  I wore black cigarette capris with it, as leggings aren't pants).  One of my co-workers, who is 5'5", commented that if she wore this top it would be a dress.  One women's top is another woman's dress!    

#303 Really!?!

Yesterday I stopped at Walgreen's after work.  As I unlocked my car to go home, I heard someone whistle.  I didn't look up but thought just maybe someone was whistling at me.  A girl can dream, right?  I then opened the car door and knew that they were whistling at me because I heard, "Hey!  Big Bird!  Big Bird!"  Really!?!  Do I really look 7' tall with yellow feathers?  My nose is not big!  Really!"!  I cursed them in my head and silently got into the car.  Their light turned green and I looked up to see a car full of tattooed guys driving off in a junky car.  Only after I'd driven away did the perfect response hit me.  "Big Bird?  Here's a big bird for you!" and I could have flipped them the bird.  But that would have been really tacky and not very lady like.  If only I'd had a large cup full of soda I could've thrown at them.  :-) 

#302 Cleaning House

Or more accurately, cleaning office.  We had a clean-up day last Friday, as we are moving some office spaces and people around at work.  It's amazing how many 3-ring binders people get rid of when they are asked to purge things from their offices.  We keep the binders that are in good shape and give the rest to Teacher's Treasures.  I helped Paula organize the work room and was able to put all the extra binders on top of the cabinets.  At one point Paula said it would have taken her all afternoon to put all the binders up there because she would have had to use the step stool.  Up.  Down.  Up.  Down.  And I just stood there and could reach up to the top.  I'm glad I could help! 

On a side note, when we took the older binders to the basement, I found some other treasures and walked away with a Beach Boys album (Endless Summer) and a pair of jeans.  My guess is that someone was fired and left stuff in the office.  I saw a pair of jeans sticking out and they were my size.  Levis dark wash.  They are "floods" on me, but are still cute and comfortable.  I wore them Saturday night. 

#301 Mirror Man

I found out today that the Mirror Man of Gambier, Ohio died this week.  I first met the Mirror Man (Chuck Harris) about 10 years ago on the Amish Land & Lakes bicycle ride.  Chuck made small mirrors that mount to your helmet or eyeglasses so you can see behind you while riding your bike.  Until I got the mirror I would have to turn my head and look behind me, which made me almost ride off the road.  It's one of the best bike purchases I ever made and I never ride without it. 

A couple years ago I decided I wanted a custom mirror made, so I mailed him a color logo and he mailed the mirror back to me safely packed in a 16 oz. plastic coke bottle.  I partly just wanted a custom mirror but another reason was that he was getting up there in years and I wanted a back-up.  Now I'm very glad I got my back up. 

I usually saw him each year at the Hilly Hundred.  Last year he helped me adjust my second mirror.  He was always so friendly and helpful.  And green before it was cool - he used all recyclable materials.  He used plastic soda bottles for the backing of the mirrors and wheel spokes to mount the mirror to the helmet/glasses.  To see his own bicycle was a sight to behold. 

The Adventure Cycling website has more information about him.  At the end of that article is a link to another article and also his Facebook memorial page. 

Thank you, Chuck, for your contributions to cycling and for making it a little safer out there for us.  I will miss seeing you out on the road! 

#300 Grapes and Cake

Wow!  I've reached 300 posts on my blog!  And on this momentous occasion I have a thrilling post about grapes and cake.  haha 

Today I was supposed to have a group lunch so I did not bring my lunch to work.  I usually bring it every day.  At approximately 9 a.m. this morning, the lunch was cancelled.  Great.  Now I am without a proper lunch.  I have spent too much money on dinners lately so refuse to spend any more money on lunch than I have to.  I did bring grapes for a snack, along with leftover cake from a birthday gathering, so that is my lunch today.  Cheers!

#299 Really!?!

Today is the first installment of, “Really!?! with Linda.” (I did steal this idea from Saturday Night Live). Last night was my first trip home from a new parking garage. Traffic was a nightmare on my chosen path. It pains me to admit, but I did something that is one of my greatest pet peeves – I blocked an intersection. (Yes, Julie, I did it.) I have no excuse, but for the record, it was a new traffic pattern for me and I did misjudge the available space in front of me. As I sat there realizing I was one of those people I heard and felt a crash against the driver’s side of my car. I saw a brief flash of something ice-like. It was raining so my first thought was a huge piece of hail. As I looked around, then down to the street, I saw a large fast-food type soda cup lying next to my car. Really!?! You’re so upset that you’re going to throw objects at my car? Really!?! I admit that I usually honk at people who do this and I would have been fine with someone honking at me, but throwing a cup full of soda at my car? Really!?! By the time I realized what had happened, the light turned green. All I could think to do was to roll down my window and point furiously at the cars facing me that I had blocked. 

Since it was raining, my window was up. If my window had been down and any liquid had landed on me or the inside of my car, I probably would have gotten out of my car (yes, after putting it in park) and stood there until someone told me who threw it. Then I would have written down their license number. That’s assault! Really!!


Realistically, my above plan is probably not the best idea. You never know what someone else is going to do and they might also have had a gun next to their 32 oz. soda. Caffeine, road rage and guns don’t mix. But I just don’t understand people! Really!?!

#298 Remembering the King

Today marks the 35th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death at age 42. I remember the day he died – I was in a car headed to my grandparent’s house and heard it on the radio. I knew who Elvis was but didn’t know much about him or his music. I was eight.

My friend Kelli lived the next street over and was a little more educated about Elvis. Her mom loved him. She had lots of records in their basement and she had been to several concerts, including (I think) his last one at Market Square Arena. She was devastated when he died.

This past April, Julie and I decided to stop in Memphis on the drive home from New Orleans. Neither of us had been to Graceland. We spent a couple hours touring the house, grounds, car museum and planes.

Being there made me want to know more about Elvis, so when I got home I started reading two books by Peter Guralnick, “Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley” and “Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley.” Both books are very good, but I’ll warn you – they are big and the print is small. The second book gets a bit repetitive, but that’s how Elvis lived. Movie. Record songs. Concert. Another movie. Record more songs. Another concert. I think I started reading in May and finally finished in July. Granted – I only read about half an hour at night and on my lunch hour. I’ll repeat – the books are very good and I felt like I got a pretty good look into Elvis’ life.

I came away from reading these books feeling both happiness and sadness for Elvis and his family. What an extraordinary person with incredible talent and compassion. But there was a sad undercurrent to his life. He didn’t trust many people. He lived in somewhat of a bubble with his entourage. He felt like he needed to buy people things to let them know he cared about them and to keep them as friends. He grew to be a man but deep down he was still very much a boy. He never got over the loss of his mother. I do feel that he truly loved the Lord and that was his one saving grace.

Whether you love him or don’t give a flip, you can’t deny that he is one of the greatest entertainers ever. Part of me wishes I could have seen him shake his hips just once in concert.

#297 Hammer Time!

Last night Julie, Heidi and I saw MC Hammer at the fair.  Was a fun time.  We stood off to the side near the front, so I felt a little inhibited with my dancing.  Two years ago we saw him, also at the fair, and stood way in the back.  I got my groove on during that show, trying to imitate him and his dancers. 

One of my favorite songs of his is Pray.  The movements are really fun to watch on his stage show, but it's the words that I like the most.  You definitely do have to pray just to make it today! 

Hammer is 50 but can still move. 

#296 Tall People Day

Today is Tall People Day!  Apparently if you're a man who is at least 6'2" or a woman who is at least 5'9", today is YOUR day!  I mentioned this to a friend at work and she asked when short people day was.  Everyone knows that short people day is EVERY day.  ha

#295 The Convenient Stores of Speedway

I usually get comments or stares when I'm in the grocery store or at a gas station.  Last week I stopped at Speedway to get gas and this was the transcript:

Man on the other side of the pump:  "You're tall!"
Me:  Wanting to say, "No $#&^ Sherlock!" but actually said, "Yes."
Man:  "How tall are you?"
Me:  "6'6" "
Man:  "Wow!  You're as tall as John Wayne!"
Me:  I nodded and got back in the car as my gas finished pumping. 

For the record, Mr. Wayne was only 6'4".

#294 Fun with Moustaches

Megan and I went out Friday night for tacos (Roscoe's Tacos) and ice cream.  We then hit Urban Outfitters and found these awesome stache glasses.  

#293 Thankful for...covered parking!

I park in a garage at home and at work.  I met Julie for lunch today and after an hour sitting outside in 100 degree heat, my car was cookin'.  The air really started working once I pulled back into the parking garage.  I let out an audible, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh" as I walked in the front office door. 

#292 - July 4...MTV Cribs Style

I spent July 4 in style this year.  Michelle's friend invited us over to her dad's house at Geist Reservoir.  I rode my bike in the morning and met them all over there.  After I parked I assumed the stone house in front of me was the house.  When I glanced to my right I wondered, "Whose house is THAT?"  Very modern, three-car garage, nice cars, etc.  Turns out, THAT was house I was headed to.   It's right on the reservoir and also has a nice pool/patio area.  I won't go into great detail, but it was a very cool house and I really did feel like I was on MTV Cribs.  It was so nice to be in a pool during this heat wave and we even played pool H-O-R-S-E (I didn't win but I did do a reverse dunk).  After the sun went down we took a pontoon boat toward the bridge to see the fireworks.  At one point we could even see the downtown fireworks. 

I had a great day and enjoyed spending time with current and new friends.  And although I had a blast living in another world with a big house and a pool for a day, it was nice to go home to my little bungalow.  Even though it's small, it's mine, and I'm thankful for it. 

And I'm thankful to live in the USA!  Happy Independence Day! 

#291 Fore-get It!

This week I participated in two golf outings in three days.  I am not a golfer.  Monday I went to a golf outing in Michigan for work.  My foursome included a co-worker, a work colleague and a college golf coach.  I rode with the golf coach and broke the news to him that I didn't golf.  Everyone was super nice and patient with me, and I was pleasantly surprised that I actually hit the ball fairly decent.  I had some whifs here and there, but had some great shots off the tee and some good puts.  It was a beautiful day and a beautiful course.  The foursome was fun too.  Overall a really great day. 

Fast forward to Wednesday, where I golfed in Kokomo for a fundraiser.  This time I was paired with the wife of the course pro (who plays about twice a week), and a mother/daughter (the mom lives in the golf course community and golfs every day; the daughter played college golf).  Again, I told them I didn't golf, but that I just played Monday and did pretty well.  (Why did I do that???!!)  I proceeded to stink up the course.  I sucked.  It was horrible.  If I would have played this way Monday I would have chalked it up to not being a golfer.  But after one good day I (mistakenly) thought I would have another good day.  Apparently this is not how golf works.  I still had a great day and had fun.  The best shot of the day?  At one point we were off to the side about 40 yards from the green.  Everyone agreed we had enough room to hit.  I hit the ball and instead of it going straight, the ball shot out to the side, ricocheted off a bench about 20 feet away and then hit a tree behind us (among other things).  The pro’s wife said, “I’ve never seen anyone do that before.”    

Needless to say, I won't be golfing again any time soon.

#290 Love/Hate

I recently posted about my first tennis league win, so will now describe my first league loss.  And what a loss it was.  I was previously undefeated at 3-0.  Then came Ann.  I was told after the match that she is an experienced player.  All I know is that she was consistent and hit some awesome lobs.  I was consistent too - in hitting the ball long.  And wide.  The match felt closer than what the numbers reflect (0-6, 1-6).  We got to deuce a lot.  I lost some games while at 30-40.  I'd like to think maybe I could have beat her if I'd not made so many mistakes.  I would at least have made it a closer match. 

Afterward, as I was going to apologize for not giving her a better match, she told me that she enjoyed playing against me.  She didn't want to say anything during the match to give me any encouragement, but she said my ground strokes and serves were really good and at times she was barely getting the ball back.  (I did ace her twice with my serves!)  That made me feel a tiny bit better.  Not much though.  I hate getting smoked!   

#289 Dear John

My boss’ last day was today.  John and I have worked together for 11 years.  He and his family are moving to Michigan – well, his wife has been there since late last year so he and the kids are now moving to Michigan.  I have been in major denial until this past Tuesday when another staff member left and I started crying, not so much for him (although I will miss him too) but for the realization that, yes, John really is leaving in two days.  I know we will keep in touch, but it will take a while for me to not feel sad when I turn around to talk to him and realize once again he’s not there anymore.  He is a very special person and is a man of integrity who puts a high value on faith and family.  I have been blessed to know him and work with him all these years.  This is a great opportunity for him and his family and I am very happy for them, but at the same time I will miss his presence every day. 

#288 Hell on Heels

Heeled boots, that is.  Last Friday Lori, Megan and I went to the Miranda Lambert concert at the Klipsch Music Center (formerly Verizon Wireless, formerly Deer Creek).  A friend of a friend was kind enough to help us out with tickets and we got to go backstage for a meet and greet before the show.  They took the pictures and we were instructed to keep our phones/cameras put away.  Miranda could sign one item per person. 

The openers were Jarrod Niemann and Chris Young.  Miranda is a spitfire and puts on a great show.  Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley came out during the Miranda portion and they did some Pistol Annie songs.  We sat about eight rows back and  had a great time! 

Toward the end of the show the man behind me tapped me on the shoulder and asked how tall I was.  He was 6'3" and said that people usually have to move to see around him at a concert, but he's never had to move to see around anyone else.  We had a nice exchange about our height and had a good laugh. 

Before Miranda came on I ran to the bathroom to make a quick pit stop and stood in the shorter port-a potty line (around eight people vs. the longer 50 people bathroom line).  I was almost to the front when two girls walked up, one visibly drunk.  She was asking people if she could cut in line.  I thought the girl in front of me was going to let her cut and I said out loud, "I mind, but that's just me."  She ended up not letting her cut and who knows if anyone else behind me did.  The more sober girl knew someone behind me and said, "It's not her fault...she was over-served."  Excuse me??!  I spoke out loud again and said, "Well, she drank it so I think it is her fault."  I do not feel sorry for someone who drinks too much and then can't wait to use the toilet.  You should have thought of that before you got so drunk you could barely walk.  During and after the show I saw several people getting sick.  The girl in front of us.  A girl a few rows behind us.  People on the concourse getting sick in the plants.  I kept looking down while walking out to avoid stepping in anything. 

One last thing - we bought Legacy Parking passes - TOTALLY worth it.  We were out in five minutes. 

#287 Game, Set, Match

Last week I played my very first tennis league match.  I have been playing once a week for about a year.  This summer I took a leap and joined a 3.0 league.  Our team plays two singles and three doubles matches each week.  Best of three sets.  Last week I played singles. 

I had a bad start and found myself down 0-3.  I even served first so she broke me twice.  Crap!!  After settling down I made my triumphant comeback and won the first set 6-4.  ("Ok, I can do this.")  The second set went much better and I won 6-3 (should have been 6-2).  My opponent was good - quick, hit to my backhand a lot and she did have one great lob that hit the back line when I went to the net.  I hope to minimize my errors this week and concentrate on not double-faulting as much also.  For my height, I would like to have a better serve overall and am working on that also. 

The team went 3-2 for the night.  Last week we swept but I was unable to play. 

 

#286 Adventures In Haircutting

Last week Megan and I went to a beauty school for haircuts.  The person who usually cuts our hair cannot cut it until around September and we were in dire need of trims.  We both had different people and sat a couple chairs apart.  I soon realized it would take longer than usual and kept reminding myself they are learning.  My cut took about an hour and it turned out really nice.  The students have help available and someone does come by to check out the cut when they are done.  I would go again.  Megan's cut took about the same time, but she got hers styled, which took another hour.  Paul met us there and he was obviously done a lot sooner.  He waited so we could eat afterward.  Poor guy waited for two hours total!  After 1/2 an hour of Megan's styling, I walked back there and said, "Megan!  This isn't prom!"  Her hair did look nice but next time, NO styling.  The best part?  We each paid $8 for a cut (and style).  I highly recommend it!

#285 My Clarks

In Post No. 180 I made a comparison between shoes and men.  I will elaborate a bit more here. 

I have many shoes and one thing I've learned is that the flashiest, most fashionable shoes are not the best shoes in the long run.  Like I said in the earlier post, I chose the flashy shoes and I ended up regretting it. 

Similar to these shoes, the flashiest, most stylish and charming men are not always the best in the long run.  Yes, they're fun and exciting for a while, but then you realize they're not the best fit.  You wish you had someone more comfortable and dependable.  Someone who was a better fit. 

Due to the uncomfortableness of some of my recent shoe purchases, I decided that from now on, I would only buy shoes from Clarks of England.  I already have several and have never regretted buying any of them.  I was at an outlet mall last week and came across a pair of silver flats.  Not the most stylish shoes, but still nice looking and definitely comfortable.  And they were on clearance.  I bought them. 

Now I just need to find a man that fits just as well.  Maybe his name will also be Clark!

#284 World Next Door

My friend Jen is heading to South Africa for a summer internship to write for an online magazine called World Next Door.  She will be travelling with a team of four other writers, learning alongside South Africans working to alleviate the suffering AIDS has inflicted on the region, while also writing about some of the incredible stores of courage and hope they hear along the way.  If you want to follow their journeys this summer, you can add the above link to your favorites and visit when you get curious or you can subscribe (top right corner of the web page) for updates when new stories are posted.  It will take a couple weeks after their June 6 departure for stories to start appearing, but after about mid-June new stories should be going up almost every day.

I am so proud of Jen for going on this adventure!  She quit her job to do this and has no idea what she will do when the internship is over, but she is a woman of faith and knows that God will continue to show her the path He wants her to take. 

Please pray that Jen and her group have a safe and productive trip!   

#283 Never Been KISSed

Last Saturday my friend Heidi and I attended a KISS Expo at a local hotel.  I am a music fan in general but have to admit that I'm not necessarily a KISS "fan."  I like their songs (the four or so that I've heard on the radio) but don't have any of their CDs. Two KISS members were at the expo - Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer.  Heidi had met Eric before and I have a friend who knows Tommy.  It sounded fun and would be great people-watching. 

We got there around 1:30 p.m..  At 5 Eric and Tommy took a break for Q&A.  They went back to the autograph area around 6 and by 6:30 we decided to call it a day.  We were a little more than halfway to the autograph area.  All I will say about the organization of the event is that there was none. 

Even though it was a long and technically unfruitful day, we did have fun and the people watching did not disappoint.  Tommy walked by the autograph line a couple times for bathroom breaks and he was very nice, shaking people's hands and taking a picture here or there.  I also heard from people who had made it to the autograph table that Eric and Tommy spent a lot of time with each fan.  I do appreciate that they take time to interact with the fans.  But that means a long-ass time in line.  :-)  

I got one picture of some kids in front of us in line.  I felt bad for the dad - he was obviously a real fan and even had a KISS book and other items to sign.  They ended up leaving around 5 p.m. 

All is not lost.  I plan to borrow Heidi's KISS CDs and I might even go to their concert with Motley Crue in September.  And who knows, I might even join the KISS Army...

#282 Sophia Grace and Rosie

I've been home sick several days this week.  My TV routine has included the Today Show, Dr. Oz, local news, sleeping through a soap, Ellen, House Hunters, more Dr. Oz and more local news.  How sad is that?  I also caught "The Way We Were" Tuesday night.  ("You're girl is lovely, Hubbell.")

Thursday Ellen had return guests Sophia Grace and Rosie.  I had seen previews for them all week and had never heard of them.  After watching the show and also reading more/watching them online, I LOVE them.  I want to be Sophia Grace for Halloween!  If only we all could be so enthusiastic about life and dance (and sing) like nobody's watching.  Life would be "soooooooo good!" 

#281 The Summitt

Tennessee coach Pat Summitt stepped down from her head coaching position last week. She was diagnosed last year with early onset dementia. As a player in the Southeastern Conference, I played my share of games against Tennessee. They were always a team that I loved to "hate" (I use that word loosely - I don't really hate anyone) because they were consistently good.

Coach Summitt was a true pioneer and a legendary coach. She has done so much for women's basketball. She will continue on as Coach Emeritus at Tennessee and will be there to mentor the players that come through the program. However, it won't be the same without her steely gaze on the sidelines.

Thank you, coach, for all you have done for us.

#280 Today I learned...

...that you can get a bowling ball with a scent! A female friend of mine bowls and a male friend of hers came up to her recently and said, "Smell my ball!" It had a black cherry scent. Who knew?

#279 Don't Be A Dick

While driving home from work the other day, a car passed me with a bumper sticker that read, "Don't Be A Dick." It was a PT Cruiser and the man driving looked like a typical middle aged man, so not necessarily something you'd expect to see from that car or driver. Funny nonetheless. There are many other politically correct ways to say the same thing, but this does the trick. If only everyone would follow this rule...

#278 Say Anything...

I came across this webpage while wasting time on the Internet. "Say Anything..." is one of my favorite movies, and John Cusack is one of my favorite actors. (I will forgive him for "1408." "Hot Tub Time Machine" is unforgivable.)

My other favorite movies of his are:

Sixteen Candles
The Sure Thing
Better Off Dead
Grosse Pointe Blank
High Fidelity
America's Sweethearts
Serendipity
Must Love Dogs

I do love him in the romantic comedy! He is the perfect blend of sweet/nerdy/boyishly handsome. Even at 45.

#277 Shoe Heaven

I recently purchased an over-the-door shoe organizer from the Container Store. It is AMAZING! It holds 30 pairs of shoes and attaches to the top and bottom (and doorknob) of a standard closet door. I previously had a 6-pair shoe hanger from my mom that hung on the closet rod. This thing is sooo much better for many reasons. It "installs" in 2 seconds and is even fits my big shoes. It's currently on sale so you'd better hurry!

#276 Way to go Bubba!

Yesterday afternoon/evening I watched the Masters. I don't watch much golf at all, but do enjoy watching the Masters. The trees, the fake bird calls, it's a tradition unlike any other, right? This year Bubba Watson won in a shoot out. Very exciting! As the end neared I looked him up on my phone. Born in Florida, went to the University of Georgia. Married a former Georgia women's basketball player. He's 6'3" and she's 6'4". Very nice Bubba! Later I found out he's a Christian. More points. And interestingly, he's never taken golf lessons nor has he ever seen his golf swing on video. A fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants golfer. Love it! And to top it off he and his wife just adopted a baby boy. What a wonderful Easter day for Bubba and his family!

#275 Easter Apparel

One woman at church wore a pretty Easter "bonnet." Next year I want to find a cute hat to wear and pretend I'm at a royal wedding.

One younger woman at my church wore a "dress" that was very inappropriate. She was older high school/early college age. Her "dress" consisted of a skin tight black skirt that barely covered her behind. And high heeled black pumps. Really??!! Are we going to the club after church? When she sat down I'm sure Jesus and the pastor could see her "hoo ha." I realize Jesus created her "hoo ha" but he doesn't need to see it again in His house. The worst of it was, she walked in with her parents. And her father is an elder. Classy!!

#274 Happy Easter!

I had a lovely Easter yesterday with my family. Aaron and Megan came home and Megan brought Fun Anna. My contribution to the meal was deviled eggs. A couple weeks ago I saw a recipe for healthier deviled eggs - half the yolks are replaced with silken tofu. I decided to give it a try. While at Kroger I stared at the tofu in the healthy food section until a Kroger employee asked if I needed help. I saw the regular tofu but could not find anything that said silken. She showed me where it was and I was on my way. The filling actually tasted pretty good - until I put it in the actual hardened egg halves. Then it tasted pretty bland. Oh well. Was a good try. After we ate I asked Aaron if he'd ever eaten tofu. He said no. So I said, "Yes you have!" We all had a good laugh, especially Anna, who eats tofu all the time.

#273 Another Squeeze

Last week I had a routine mammogram (see previous post). They called me Monday and asked me to come in again. Apparently I have dense tissue and they wanted to look more closely on one side. I went back yesterday afternoon for two more pictures and an ultrasound. A few years ago they asked me to come back, so I wasn't overly concerned, but in the back of my mind I was praying that it wasn't something bad. It wasn't. The doctor finally came in to do the ultrasound and explained everything to me. He apologized for the wait (which really wasn't that long) and said that a woman had just had a positive diagnosis and they had to do a biopsy.

On the way home I felt relieved that I am fine, but kept thinking about the woman who is not, and said a prayer for her. There but for the grace of God go I.

Then I drove by a man mowing his lawn without a shirt on. His breasts were bigger than mine and I immediately thought that they would have had an easier time giving him a mammogram! :-)

#272 Wham, Bam, Mammogram

This morning I had a mammogram. I've had them for years - my mom had breast cancer so I started in my 30s. Anyway, it's always kinda funny when I go in there. Usually you stand, but they take one look at me and bring in a rolling stool for me to sit on because I'm too tall for the machine. Everything looked ok, so will go back in a year. Good times!

#271 Sweet Marissa

I found out yesterday that Marissa (my last post about her was #260) passed away over the weekend. She had gone home after her last surgery and seemed to be progressing well. Apparently she had a seizure Saturday and died instantly.

For those of you who prayed for her, thank you. Please continue to pray for her family and friends. It's hard to believe that's it been just over a year since her diagnosis. She has been through so much. Her family and friends have been through so much also. It's heartbreaking that she is gone less than a month after her 25th birthday. Here is a young woman that went from the joy of graduating from college to the reality of fighting for her life. And she did it with such a positive, beautiful spirit. We can all learn a lot from her. Now her beautiful spirit will shine down on us from heaven. I'm sure she's already led the heavenly hosts in a big "War Eagle." :-)