Be Inspired

My Favorite Canadians

I am finally posting my photo albums from the last few months. When I went to Toledo in January, I drove up to Windsor Canada in a Blizzard. I sent an email to My Favorite Canadian while boarding the plane and he just happened to be taking the train from Toronto to Windsor (close to Detroit) that evening. What are the odds?!! Be sure to check out the pictures from the link above. I made snow angels which I haven't had a chance to do in a while considering that I live in Texas. I also added a picture of My Favorite Canadian and his Super Cool girlfriend dressed up as Zombies for Charity. I don't think that looking like the undead would work here but apparently it is all the rage in Toronto (perhaps that is why I like it there so much). They look so creepy!

Zombie-licious

Every year they do a Zombie walk around Halloween in Toronto. You just have to watch the videos to understand. I think it is great. Maybe next year I will make a special trip to participate with my favorite Canadian, Kris.

If you happen to live in Toronto here is the information. They just had one in San Francisco and I think there is one in Vancouver. I am going to see if I can coordinate one with the Social Mayors of Dallas. I am the Princess of McKinney Avenue after all ;-)

If your friends asked you to jump out of a plane...?

My friend and I have our birthdays coming up in August. She will be turning 21 and I will be, well, nevermind how young I will be ;-) She really wants  us to go skydiving. At first, my reaction was "NO WAY, JOSE!" I am not really afraid of heights or free falling so what the heck. I went paragliding in the Swiss Alps in 93 and thought it was simply the most rewarding experience of my life. The birds-eye view of the terrain was extraordinary. The arial view of Dallas might be lacking but it certainly does sound like fun. I believe you go tandem your first time anyways so I will be with a pro. I probably won't tell my mom until after I go, though. No sense worrying the parental units.

A Street Cow Named Desisre

This blogging thing is loads of fun when you have time for it but if  you are simply  looking for  the "guaranteed quickest daily waste of time on the web" you have to open yourself up to the quirky frivolity and enjoy the bovine humor provided by our newest arrival Street Cow. I would be lying if I said it was all in good taste but I love wicked humor and the cartoons are a nice touch.

I am particularly fond of the Street Cow Sightings on some of our favorite shows such as David Letterman and I Love Lucy. I am hoping to learn that Street Cow has made her way (everybody knows spotted cows are milkin' cows and therefore female)  into the limelight of some of my social events like the upcoming St. Patty's Day Parade. She might also have a valuable political opinion on our ports being owned by the UAE. Cows are fickle though. Producing quality milk must be taxing on the bovine anatomy and thusly, the social aspects of their life as well. But this cow seems to have living in the public eye - Nailed.

I will be sure to post a link on the right so you can track Street Cow Musings and Sightings in the future.

New photo albums

I have posted 2 new photo albums. Look for Club 48 Holiday Gala and the 2nd Annual Toledo Alumni Game Watching Party.  It only looks like I lead a glamorous life ;-)

Chicago

I travel to Chicago frequently and my time there always seems to have this essence of Serendipity. Great things just seem to happen without effort like the time I went to the Cubs game with friends that were in town from Dallas for the Flag Football Tournament.  I have posted a few photo albums. One is labeled "Chicago" and has pictures from a sublime dinner my friend Tracy and I had at The Metropolitan Room in the Sears Tower. We were the lone diners that evening and were treated wonderfully by the staff. We ordered Lobster Bisque, Steak Dianne, and they offered us a sampling of every dessert on the menu, gratis. My favorite was the pumpkin creme brulee which was absolutely heavenly but Tracy favored the bananas foster. The pianist  enjoyed playing "The Yellow Rose of Texas" as a form of heckling the two of us as she is a transplant from Dallas as well.  It was so funny when he played a dramatic song just as our meals, cooked tableside were being served and the staff served our dishes in unison with great flair.  I have to say that this was a most memorable dinner.

The following night I was invited to sit with one of my Corporate Partners in floor seats at the Bulls game. His goal was to invite some of his clients but they cancelled at the last minute and I was able to invite my colleague and his wife.  As he had owned the seats for many years, everyone knew him and we were able to watch the warm-ups and chat with a lot of people within the Bulls Organization. In the pictures you will see me dancing with the Mascot, Benny the Bull.

Life is Good!

"Just chill down"

On my most recent business excursion I overheard two well-dressed gentlemen from France (in my opinion) discussing a volutile associate and the one said, "He just needs to chill down."  I think that he meant to use the American phrase "Chill Out" but it was so cute it was worth mentioning.

Bulletin on other travelling oddities: I sat next to the most fidgety man in the universe and I DARE Guinness Book of World Records to say otherwise.

-He tried to keep his luggage in my seat and at my feet even though I was clearly sitting there. Let me be clear that I promptly returned everything to the original owner.

-He practiced boxing moves from his seat. Many, Many, MANY TIMES.

-He clapped in rhythm to a song that no one else could hear.

-He sighed and heaved, yet each exhale was accompanied with a festering snort that made me glad I had eaten much earlier.

-He laid the greater part of his arm over my arm-rest, ribs, and into my seating area flipping restlessly through the in-flight magazines which happened to interfere with my reading the pages of my ever- so-small novel within the confines of my assigned middle seat.

-The most heineous transgression was when he chose to take out his clippers and groomed his fingernails right there. I guess it had been a while as they were shooting everywhere.  The filing wasn't subtle either. Both are "fingernail on the chalkboard" sounds that I detest. Deep, yoga-style, relaxing breaths were needed to keep me from coming un-glued.

My only hope at that point was to focus on the man snoring helplessly to my right curled up against the window.  I never thought I would be happy for such a thing but I guess it just goes to show that everything is relative.

-I have found in most cases that if a stranger disgusts me it is because he/she is still a stranger and I should take the time to get to know this person better if possible. I am leaving judgment and perception behind to find out the facts. As I interacted with the "world's most offensive in-flight individual ever" my feelings changed.

I think I want to marry him...JUST KIDDING!!!

What I am trying to admit to is that the world doesn't revolve around me and what I think people should be like on a plane or in a house or with a mouse. They just are. Sure, I was completely disgusted but as I got to know "annoying guy" I realized that he is probably  "annoying fidgety guy" to everyone that knows him. He wasn't exactly placed on this earth to make me miserable for 2.5 hours. Yet, he was a genuine individual. Who am I to judge?

Sometimes, I just need to "Chill Down."

Halloween

Well, I finally posted my Halloween photos. They aren't as good as last year's but you wouldn't know because I haven't posted the pictures from 2004. I went to the Fantasy Ball in Las Vegas and while I have pondered posting them, I just don't think it would be prudent.

Halloween and St. Patrick's day are the most enjoyable celebrations in my opinion because there aren't any obligations involved. Everything is a matter of sheer enjoyment. Even though I had to get up early for 4 Saturdays to build a St. Paddy's Float and work after dark on the theme, it just seemed like a lot less pressure when the end result is dancing around with a leprechaun in my green wig and throwing beads and 'lucky dust' (glitter) on the parade crowd.

Halloween 2003 I won the local costume contest with my Goddess attire, 2004 I was in Vegas, and this year I went as a PB Bunny.  It wasn't as creative as my previous endeavors but it was fun until all of the UGH! factor started hitting on me and to make matters worse, I was asked on numerous occasions to refill cocktails or take empty glasses. The requests were innocent and in no way malicious but I suppose people might be subconsiously pre-dispositioned to think that Rabbits are wait-staff considering that is how it all began.

Hugh has always been one of my idols. I always fancied myself as bunny material  but I didn't have the 'ears' to pursue it. Now that I have a small taste of what that really means, I am not so sure.  At the end of the night, I longed for my respectable profession of sales... I mean... trusted security solution advisor. 

Texas Beats OU

This is Texas-OU weekend and my street is filled with college kids just leaving the sports bars that line my street. I slept in for the first time in many weeks only to be awoken to loud cheers and the chant "OU SUCKS!" after a touchdown by Texas. Now that the game is over there is a lot of horn-honking, cheering (and probably some fighting too). Texas won 45-12 after a 5 year losing streak. I always enjoy this weekend because the community becomes even more alive.  I went to the first Texas game of the season over Labor Day  and stayed at the historic and beautiful Driskoll Hotel. in downtown Austin and enjoyed the festivities on 6th Street.

Last weekend I went to an OU game and while we were there we heard a very loud sound resembling thunder. The rumor spread in the stands that it was a propane tank, likely from the hundreds of tailgaters grilling and drinking around the stadium but it was actually a suicide bomber. He was inside the campus but not extremely close to the stadium. The next morning the entire main mall was blocked off with police tape. Apparently the search for additional explosives went on through the night as the bomber had at least 2 explosive devices on and near his person.  It was very surreal and yet too entirely real. At this point, I haven't heard much more about the ongoing investigation and I am not certain about the motives of the perpetrator. Maybe some fraternity rush activity sent him over the edge or perhaps it was a terrorist act. I just don't know.

Either way, I have posted some pictures in my photo album but I refrained from taking any of the yellow tape...just too weird.

It is interesting looking back

Some old friends have reconnected with me via this blog or Alumni affiliations. MUCH Thanks to all of you for leaving a note or sending an email. It is refreshing to hear from you! All reminiscing, however, was overshadowed by some pictures that I  received from the man that coined our group's campy little pseudo-explitive, "Oh, Cheese & Fries!" (If you say it really fast, it sounds like something else).

The Early Years documents just a few of my fashion faux paus and hair debacles.  I was a huge fan of Tea Leoni's character in the short-lived sitcom The Naked Truth and was determined to be a short-haired red-head although it was entirely unsuitable for me but you will just have to see for yourself.