United Way Day of Caring

Tomorrow is the Day of Caring here in Norman where businesses donate their staff's time to go to work at non-profit organizations. I've done this now seven years. Some years have been easy and we've been done by noon. I don't like those years. One year I packaged boxes of donations for Hurricane Katrina at the Salvation Army and got very proficient at shrinkwrapping pallets. This year we are winterizing Health for Friends which is a local organization that provides free and reduced health care to people without insurance. We've had rain now for a week and there is a chance for it tomorrow so this could become a very muddy event.

Birthday time

You know you are getting older when your birthday doesn't mean anything to you. When you are a kid, you count down days because it usually meant something great was going to happen. You got to be a teenager, you got to vote, you got to drink. Now they are just another day. For my birthday this year I get to spend all day at a retreat for a federal organization that we work with. Normally I do take it off but not this year. So I'll spend it listening to speeches, brainstorming about how to solve their workforce problems and get a free lunch. I guess that didn't change.

Results from Wine Tasting

I hosted my first wine tasting Monday evening at the house. I was nervous since I had never done anything like this before. But I shouldn't have because it was fantastic. Everyone enjoyed it and had a great time. There were lots of interesting conversations going on and we all enjoyed the wine. The cheese and crackers were eaten and we finished five bottles of wine. I hope to have another one this fall but it may have to wait until 2010 depending on schedules. Or maybe someone else will host one themselves.

Bedazzling vs. Stoning

I have learned a valuable lesson. Bedazzling is not the same as stoning. In fact, the word bedazzle should not be said anywhere near dance moms. I made this mistake yesterday and will never make it again. We stone rhinestones onto uniforms and costumes. Bedazzling does not use good crystals.

So let that be a lesson to all of you out there wishing to take up a craft.

Back to School

School starts next Thursday. The good thing about high school is there isn't a set list of things to buy supply-wise. The bad thing is when you get to each class they say what you need and a lot of the time you need it the next day. So the first night is hectic. You also have to make sure you have the right clothes. Luckily we really don't have to buy too many things this year since Whitney has to wear a uniform about once a week. And it is still so hot it makes no sense to buy jeans yet. But the day of getting her schedule we did spend a ton of money on Norman Tiger shirts and an entry rug for our house. The shirts weren't all for Whitney as I needed one since I'll be going to the games and need to support our team. But then there was the locker fee and a parking decal. I know that high school is just the tip of the iceberg for two years from now when we get hit with college costs. So I'll pay my money and shut up.

Planning a Wine Tasting

I'm finally going to do it and host my own wine tasting. But there are so many different options for tastings, I'm not sure what to do. It becomes very confusing. So I posted a poll on facebook hoping that it would answer my problem. Unfortunately it only made it worse. So I think I'm going back to my original ideas of either a certain region with a variety of wines or a certain wine maker and all of the wines they make. Either way it should make an entertaining evening.

My new job

I feel it is time to announce my new profession. I am going to be a professional clapper. I really feel that this is a growth industry.

For those of you who do not know what a professional clapper is, basically I will be hired to sit in any kind of venue where applause is needed and encouraged. My job will be to get the applause going in the appropriate places. You want someone to start the clapping at a wedding, I'm the person. How about a dance recital where people are unsure of when a piece is done. Bam, I'll get it started at the right time. Maybe a concert where someone isn't quite up to performing. I'll get the audience clapping to give encouragement.

Some of you may think, really, what kind of job is this. It actually takes a lot of hard work. You have to learn how to clap properly so you dont' wear out your hands. And you have to clap loud enough to get others to join in.

If you ask nicely, I may give you a demonstration of the proper clapping technique. But then again, I may not because maybe you'll think about doing this exciting new job and take work away from me.