Flipped through channels last night and came across American Inventors. I believe it's produced by the American Idol folks, but not positive. You could just feel the investment that each inventor had put into their product. Each invention was unique in its own right and had to make it through a panel of 4 judges (needed 3 out of 4 votes to move to the next round).

(Don't mind me for a minute while I rant).....
Let's just say that the one judge Doug is a big stupid-meany-head! Doug is cruel for no apparent reason - c'mon, let's talk about having the appropriate approach buddy! From American Idol, it's normal to hate Simon Cowell, but although he may lack tact, at least Cowell has respect! Doug will not gain any respect by the viewers by the way that he treats the inventors! Throughout the show, Doug claimed to be an expert on just about every topic and had a thought and an idea for everything!

(Okay, I'm back, but I can't guarantee I won't go off again about "D")....
It was refreshing to see such creativity and drive from so many. These people have poured their soul into this one idea that they feel is revolutionary and marketable. Whether it is or isn't, is not the point...

Here's to those embracing and living your dreams.

Zoom-A-Long!

I absolutely love the workdays that just zoom right by! I swear just an hour ago it was 7:30 a.m. and I was coming to work; but in fact, that was almost 9 hours ago! Woo-hoo, almost time to hit the road, make my "me-time" drive home, make some dinner and relax. Tonight is Mitch and Becky time - no meetings and no phone calls - hooray! It's monitoring time in our office, so files randomly get chosen, and of course the new girl's (ME!) files got pulled! I suppose we'll now really be able to tell what kind of a job I'm doing! The weather is too nice to be in a bad mood! I want to take all the grumpy customers and shake them and yell "what are you complaining about - YOU got to be outside while I've been stuck in here all day!" - but I don't, I won't, I can't.

Here's to the clouds - thanks for breaking and bringing us the glorious sunshine, even if it's short-lived, it's worth every second.

It's All Good!

Spent Friday at Mom & Dad's taking care of Mom while she recovers from surgery. Mom is feeling better each day and continues to improve. Thanks for everyone's thoughts and prayers. Spent the rest of the weekend going going going! Saturday we met up with friends in Indy and had great company and great food - what a combination! Sunday I went shopping all day and hardly bought a thing - it was nice catching up with friends. Today I'm back to work and waiting for this enormous snow storm they're predicting. It's too early to hope for a work closing announcement for tomorrow. I don't think it's ever happened in the history of this company, but a woman's gotta have dreams!

Here's to those who live in California - take me with you!

Moving out of B-town news!

So the weaved bowl I created in my pottery class shouldn't have come out of the kiln! It was so much better with the thought and the vision of such a masterpiece! Unfortunately it did, and I was forced to see a silly looking bowl that I had worked on for so long and had not envisioned turning out like a cartoon shaped bowl with a really bad glaze. Laughing is allowed, for if you can not laugh at yourself (and your creations) what else do you have, really?! So instead of giving the bowl to my mother-in-law for her birthday, it is now a decoration in our home. Practice makes perfect (I've got a lot of practicing to do!)

I received excellent news last night from Mangi that she will be packing her bags in Boston and moving to the windy city in a year (and three months) to fulfill her destiny of pursuing improv. This is really great news - Mangi's coming home (insert bigs bursts of screams and jumping up and down here). Not only did I learn that, but everyone will be happy to know that I finally learned the difference between zucchinis and cucumbers! Thanks Mangi! Of course, this knowledge would have been appreciated two days ago when I made my zucchini (ah hem, rather, cucumber) bread - but now I know, which will surely help me in my time of zucchini making bread desire next time.
I'm at work this morning sipping on my 44oz. of Diet Coke (okay, who are we kidding - I'm gulping it down simply hoping it wakes me up!) and dreading heading out the door to the bitter cold. Meeting with a few customers today and then it's off to home where I can put my first homemade lasagna (which I whipped up last night thanks to Elizabeth's recipe) to the test. Geez, I'm such a domestic goddess!

Here's to embracing journeys and those close to us "getting it".

Timezone Mishap

Thanks so much for all of you keeping me on my toes! I accidentally had the wrong timezone setting saved, so for those of you who thought I was completely crazy and writing at 5:00a.m., have no fear, I haven't completely lost my mind! The timezone has now been reset in my settings, and we shant have this confusion again.

Also, keep my Mom in your thoughts - she hasn't been feeling well lately and has to get her gall bladder removed sometime soon.

Photography, Family and Gourds - What else could a person ask for!

Spent a really great weekend with my parents! We took short road trips to take some photography, I painted a kazoo that my Dad made out of a gourd and we spent what was left of the weekend watching movies. Had a really great time and I can't wait to paint some more gourds that I stole from Dad's garden! Mitch returned from Wisconsin early this morning, so it will be nice to hang out this week. Need some inspiration for my pottery class tonight - I'm anxious to see how my fired pieces turned out.

Photo of the Week

Artwork done by my Dad

It's Almost Friday!

I woke up this morning wishing it were Friday, but unfortunately Katie Couric said it was only Thursday! I'm crammed today with getting all my end of the week reports done since I have an all-day meeting out of town tomorrow.

Mitch is gone to OPE for the weekend, where he is helping interview Ball State Hall Director candidates. Heading to my parents tomorrow which will be a nice relaxing weekend. Dad & I are going to be gourded out all weekend - painting and creating gourds - what a festive time! For those of you who were completely unaware, there is an Indiana Gourd Society - I KNOW, you were probably completely in the dark too, but I am here to help you out! I've added the link to their website - although navigating through it is somewhat tiresome, there's some pretty nice photos of what people think of to create with a simple gourd!