Ten Years Later...It's Time to Reflect...

A lot can happen in ten years, and as many of you know it has for me recently. But that's not the point for this entry (if you want to know more, just ask me about that separately). But rather the purpose of this entry is to reflect back on what happened ten years ago, September 11th, and how it has impacted and affected me.

As I listened to the wonderfully written memorial, "Where were you when the world stopped turning?" by Alan Jackson, it made me ponder that very same question. I remember very vividly that fateful Tuesday, September 11th, 2001. I had just started my freshman year of college mere weeks before. That morning I had gotten up and was sitting on the couch in the den talking to my Mom about my class schedule for that day (I had all afternoon classes). My Dad comes rushing in the door exclaiming that he could not believe we didn't have the TV turned on. Mom & I kind of looked at each other like "why would we have the TV turned on?" He procees to grab the remote and turn on the TV amidst telling us that the World Trade Center had been hit by airplanes, they thought something had happened in DC and the nation was in chaos.

I was utterly confused and dazed. As the picture on the screen came in to focus, there was a split screen -- on the right, smoke billowed from some, at that time, unknown building in Washington, D.C., and there on the left stood the World Trade Centers both with gaping holes and smoke pouring from them. My heart momentarily stopped beating & shock set it. Initially, I thought that this just HAD to be a trailer from an upcoming movie. I thought "this couldn't be happening to America, could it?"

The news was in an uproar. Planes were being grounded. Planes were missing. Planes were NOT responding to tower communications. There was something heading toward the US Capitol. Fighter jets were being scrambled. Everything was going on lockdown. I sat there motionless thinking this just has to be a dream.

Mere moments later as I'm watching the split screen on the TV and wondering just how many people were in those buildings, were any alive, were they getting out ... so many questions were cycling thru my head and as I tried to process it all, the world stopped ... the South Tower of the World Trade Center began to buckle & collapse.

Silence .....................

I didn't know what to do. I couldn't cry. I couldn't speak. I couldn't breathe. Those poor people. Who in the world did this? Who would want to harm America? What had we done to cause someone to hate us like this? More questions poured into my head. The world stopped moving ... I sat in stunned silence. I could not fathom that such a tall giant of a structure was now gone. I remember sitting there looking at the North Tower all by itself; it's twin tower now gone and all those within it. I remember analyzing the hole in the North Tower and remember saying "the North Tower isn't going to fall...it just can't fall, it was hit too high up...please, don't fall". In some ways, you felt sorry for the building standing by itself. By that time, I knew that building had been hit first, so I prayed that most everyone had been able to escape. I just stood firm that the North Tower would stand strong. And then, the world stopped again ....

Silence ....................

I still couldn't cry; still couldn't breathe; still couldn't think clearly. What had just happened? Was this some horrible nightmare? Did I miss the fact that maybe we had a demolition crew who was blowing these buildings down on purpose? No, that couldn't be true ....

I finally forced myself into reality and realized that I had to get dressed and go to class. I didn't want to go to class. I wanted to stay and watch TV. I wanted to know what was still on the loose out there. Driving to campus, I turned off the music, that I am so typically known for playing, but rather searched to find the news being simulcasted over the radio. I remember driving in FEAR to class. I remember looking thru my glass roof in my Firebird looking for planes; I remember passing airports now grounded. But what I remember most was parking my car on a college campus and when exiting the car, it was an eerie silence. There was no laughter, no cutting up, no silly college kids doing goofy stuff. Everyone was gathered near a TV set or anything they could find. No one was smiling. It was the eeriest feeling I had ever felt. There was no point for class that day. You couldn't concentrate. Our nation, AMERICA, was under attack and for what purpose?

In the weeks that past, life on campus changed in many ways ... the laughter & goofiness eventually returned. But there was another presence, a disapperance. Many kids disappeared from class. Most were called back into the military, including one of my professors; some voluntarily enlisted. Others left school because they had lost loved ones. You became more aware of your surroundings. I was more aware of who sat beside me in class. I watched EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. You had this innate sense of a "hightened threat level" not just for America, but for your own personal well-being. Would life EVER return to normal?

As the weeks progressed, I was still having trouble sleeping. I kept picturing the images on TV of the planes hitting the towers, people jumping from windows, just the sheer horror of the entire sequence of events. It scarred each of us in different ways.

So, some of you are thinking, well okay, that's your account on 9/11/01, big deal it's the same as mine or similar as my neighbors. How did it really affect you? Did you lose someone you knew, etc.? Well to answer that, no, although we were scared my uncle had been on one of the planes (thankfully he was not!)

But here's how it has haunted me ....

I had stood at the base of those towers and craned my neck to look toward the heavens to find where they stopped. I had been on the 110th floor of the South Tower. No, it wasn't years prior that I had done this. I was on the 110th floor of the South Tower mere months before September 11th.

March of 2001, our high school senior class took the yearly trip to New York City. The first few days of the trip were dreary, cold and snowy. I was already sick with bronchitis and just didn't feel up to par. We ventured over to the Statue of Liberty and I remember gazing at those two large buildings that made up the skyline of lower Manhattan. The day came where we were going to tour those buildings. What's ironic ... the day we went to the World Trade Center was the FIRST day that the sun actually came out and shone all day. I remember waiting in the large lobby in lines, as if waiting for a ride at Disneyworld, to board the express elevators that travel at 55mph to take you to the Top of the World.

What an amazing view ... you could see New Jersey to the south & west; all of New York City & the Empire State Building to the north; the rest of the burroughs of Manhattan and Long Island to the east. The Statue of Liberty looked like a tiny little figure. The buildings, buses and cars looked like a miniature lego village. Many people, who've seen my pictures, asked if I took a helicopter tour of the city. Nope, that's the view from the Top of the World in the South Tower. I remember pressing my nose up to the glass and peering down some 110 floors to the ground. I pressed a penny in a penny press machine (I still have that today). I remember visiting the gift shop and other little shops up there.

So my horror on 9/11 was when I turned on the TV and sat there watching it all unfold. I recalled that mere months ago I stood on the top floor of those buildings. The first tower that fell was the one that I had been in. What would I have done had I been up on the 110th floor? Could I have gotten out? Would I have run down the stairs? Would I have gone to the roof? Would I have grabbed an umbrella and tried to be like Mary Poppins and jump? Would I have lived or died?

Why didn't the terrorists attack in March of 2001?

Very morbid questions, yes, I know. But those are the questions that have gone thru my head for the last ten years. Am I grateful that I am alive and the terrorists didn't attack when I was there? You bet.

I'm grateful every day to be alive. Throughout the past ten years, I've lived in fear. I've never really mourned or cried over 9/11. I've got my guard up and am ready to protect myself and those that I love from crazed people who hate Americans. This year, I told myself I was going to avoid TV. I didn't want to see those images again. I didn't want to have the nightmares and be haunted. But I couldn't turn away. I had to watch. I had to mourn. And I did ... I didn't watch much, but when the Brooklyn Children's Choir sang the National Anthem while the United States flag that was torn and tattered was unfurled, I cried. I cried for those that died -- those civilians that didn't know what hit them, those civilians that couldn't escape the horror; I cried for those brave HEROES -- our police, rescue & fireman who risked their lives to save others. Those are our true heroes for 9/11. I cried thankfully to God that I was safe and so was my family.

September 11th is a day that none of us will soon forget. It will live on forever in our lives. May we not soon forget what happened to our country that day & those that died saving our lives. But to some extent, we must move on. We must not be haunted by those images. We must stand firm as one country united and press forward to respect those that are gone.

Life is a rollercoaster ...

As many of you know, I can be a thrill seeker & I love riding rollercoasters - the faster, the scarier = the better!

Over this past weekend, I have come to the conclusion that more and more each day, life is a rollercoaster, but it's a rollercoaster that I do not like. Each day in our life we are going to face battles, we're going to face our ups & downs. It's very hard to comprehend and move forward, but we must try.

I've been going thru many battles over the past year -- physical/health conditions, professional battles, spiritual battles, personal & emotional battles. Each battle has its own set of circumstances that only myself can understand. Each battle I have to face differently as no two battles are just alike. At times, I've pondered giving up, running away from all my problems. But what's that going to accomplish? You'll only take your battles with you. You can't ever truly escape from them. There's no point to give up on something you believe in. You have to dig deep, pull from way down deep within your soul and FIGHT for what you believe in, no matter the cost, no matter the pain. If it's something you truly want & truly believe in, you HAVE to fight for it to the bitter end.

This past weekend, I was low, very, very low. I didn't want to eat, I couldn't sleep, I was a wide range of emotions, but mainly I was just sad, hurt, and very, very confused. I mustered enough strength to help my Mom literally rip a dead limb off the tree (I became known as Hurricane Meredith for my sheer brute strength). But even with that fun (yes, I do consider acting like a monkey & destroying dead limbs, fun), I couldn't be pacified, I couldn't be truly happy because deep within I was hurting. Even today, I'm still carrying the pain, the hurt, the bewilderment, the utmost confusion. Will it ever be cleared? I don't know, but I hope and pray so. It doesn't take much to help me understand -- communication, to me, is vital. Communication doesn't necessarily mean talking -- it can be talking, sure, but it can also include just spending time together, even in silence, working on projects, hugs, words of affirmation & appreciation. All we need in life is clarity & to feel loved, cared for & appreciated.

Yesterday during church, it was so appropriate that our sermon was on facing the storms in our lives. I'll admit I cried for most of the service, as that's all I've been doing for the whole weekend. But the sermon really touched me. I'd been praying, even before the sermon, for God's strength to get me thru my struggles, to provide answers. The sermon yesterday just touched me even more. I have to rely on God to get me thru this, I have to rely on Him to touch other people's hearts & open their eyes. He is the only one that can truly heal our wounds. I just laid it all out for Him to take care of and I can just only hope it works because after a period of time, there's only so much you can take. To make matters even more interesting, I had already been assigned to play the piano during the evening service. I don't get as nervous as I used to as a kid, but last night, I was nervous beyond belief. Here I am trying to recover from some ongoing trauma, I can't go hardly 10 minutes without crying & I have to get in front of the entire church and play the piano. Praise the Lord, God helped me thru. Even with a piano that is greatly out of tune, I still managed to survive and get thru my song, "Here Am I, Lord" -- that's my prayer. I am here, I am broken, I am humbled, I am close to being at my lowest. God is here, God will always be here and God will help me!

So even though I personally get a thrill out of riding rollercoasters, the rollercoasters of life are too much of a stress. They're not as fun, but with God's help we can overcome all rollercoasters. Just reach out to those around you. You never know when someone may need your help, and if you're holding back on things, talk to those around you, it may be what they need to get thru the day.

90 Days and counting ....

The past three or four days it has been unbelievably HOT here in Wake County. Now I'm not one to complain about hot weather because I HATE, HATE, HATE cold weather. I'm known to ride around town, even when it's 90 degrees, with my windows down and the roof open on the car. But this week the heat has been oppressive (but yes, I've STILL ridden without the AC on!). Today, all that has changed. I went outside to leave for work and noticed it was nice and cool. At lunch, I took a drive to Cook-Out and between the smell of the grill at Cook-Out, temperatures in the 80s but the breeze making it feel like 70s, it hit me that this day reminded me of something, this day had a "feel" to it -- This day, July 14th, 2011, had the feeling of a NC State Fair Day!!

Do you ever have those feelings when you can just feel the weather and say this feels like a "beach day" or a "snowy day"? Well, as you all know, Lil Miss Fair Queen herself knew today instantly felt like a "Fair day". It's hard to describe that feeling and the smell. But when I sense it, I know it!

I got back to work and was doing some research. Come to find out the Fair starts exactly three months from today (October 13th! -- and that's one month to the date before my birthday!). It's so hard to believe it's already time to discuss the Fair. Will I try the Krispy Kreme burger again this year? Will my Fair entries (that I'm already working on) win any sort of ribbons this year? Who will be performing (that's to be announced tomorrow!)? What new rides will we have and will I ride them? And most importantly how many days will I go this year?

Oh so many questions, so little time to decide. But in the mean time, you go outside and enjoy this "Fair day" or "whatever" day it is where ever you are. I'm so excited for the Fair and can't wait to share that joy with my friends & family! Gotta get busy, now, must fill out my entry forms!!

A Night with the Stars

A couple months ago, Tiffany & I saw that the James A. Naismith Awards for Sportsmanship were going to be awarded to ACC Coaches Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, and Kay Yow. The ceremony was to take place at the Progress Energy Center in Raleigh (that's Raleigh Memorial Auditorium for us true-blood Wake Countians!). Initially, it was an invite only event for coaches, players, and honored guests, but I was determined to be in attendance! I contacted my friend, Nora Lynn Finch at the ACC and with her & her office's help, we were able to get tickets. (Later, by the way, it was eventually opened up to the public.) Last night was the big event & to say the least, we were star-struck in so many ways!

Going into this event, we knew to anticipate some "bigwigs" to be in attendance -- particularly coaches & former players, but to say the least, we also got several surprises! Prior to the awards ceremony, there was a reception with a wide variety of foods & a silent auction -- a time to mix, mingle & observe whose presence we were around. Upon entrance into the grand lobby, we immediately spotted so many of our beloved NC State Women's Basketball "family" members, including former Assistant Coach Stephanie Glance & Kay Yow's youngest sister, Susan.

We made our way towards the silent auction area where it seemed many had gathered. Each school (that would be UNC, Duke & NC State, for those of you who forgot who was being honored) had donated several items for auction, their cheerleaders & mascots were even there. We couldn't resist having our picture made with Mr. & Mrs. Wuf (who by the way LOVED my shoes, ha!) And well, yes, I was even nice and gave a polite little wave to Rameses.

While walking around the silent auction area, we saw several other people we recognized including, Debbie Antonelli, Debbie Yow, Tommy Burleson, Sylvia Hatchell, David Thompson and of course, Nora Lynn Finch just to name a few. One person that I saw, and was very excited to see, was Duke Women's Basketball Coach Joanne P. McCallie (known as Coach "P"). I eventually made my way over to speak to her and even had my photo taken with her. She is such a kind person and really has brought the Duke Women's team a long way (here's hoping for another ACC Championship!)

Prior to speaking with Coach P, Tiffany & I went back to the NC State table to speak with our friend Felicia Mangum, who works in the NC State Women's Basketball office, and is such a kind & caring person. While speaking with Felicia, I heard this voice that sounded somewhat familiar heading in our general direction, so naturally I glance around to see what all the commotion is about. (At this point, I must apologize to Felicia because I literally cannot remember one thing she said from this moment onward ...) Upon first glance to my left, I see someone probably within 10 feet of me that I immediately recognized & I think at that point, not only did I hit Tiffany to get her attention but I let out an audible gasp. It was none other than Governor Bev Perdue waltzing around with one of her staffers. She ended up passing in between myself and Felicia and just mingling about as if she's any other person (her staffer, by the way, ended up running slam into me and apologized -- which led to a great segway moments later!).

Tiffany & I end up walking back around to see the items again, all the while, I'm just jibbering non-stop about Governor Perdue and how she was within inches of me. (Side note: for those of you that aren't Perdue fans, please do NOT assault me for my next comments. Governor Perdue has earned quite a few "brownie" points with me by sending me a Christmas present, literally on Christmas Eve. You might be Bev haters, but get over it! She ended up signing an inaugural program & personalized a message to me & sent back to me -- so that gained her some favorable points) Anyways, I had always wanted to meet Governor Perdue & have my picture made with her. But obviously, it is VERY, VERY hard to get that close with the most powerful person in the state. Well, this event was non-political & I felt it was the opportune time for me to intervene. I ended up going back to the staffer (the one that bumped into me), tapped him on the shoulder and asked if there was any way possible to get our picture made with the Governor. His response "ABSOLUTELY!" Needless to say, I think I drifted above Cloud Nine at that point and was probably hovering somewhere in the mesosphere.

We patiently moved to the side while the Governor was speaking to some other people. The staffer got her attention and brought her to us. She warmly greeted both Tiffany & myself, and I was immediately captured by her exquisitely blue eyes (they are gorgeous!) I also noticed that her accent isn't nearly as heavy & thick as it typically sounds & I realized the camera makes her appear much older. Governor Perdue had on a very cute black dress with white flowers along the sleeves; she actually looked very pretty. When she came over to stand between Tiffany & myself, she wrapped her arms around us and commented "yay, I have fans!" I complimented her on her dress and she replied by saying "I just wanted to be like a girl tonight" (because she usually always has to wear pant or skirt suits and never the cutesy dresses). She looked at both Tiffany & myself and at our outfits and while standing between us and commented "look, we all match & coordinate and I'm the Mom in the middle!" (How cute was that?) By this time, I had moved on up into the thermosphere!

After the staffer took our picture, we thanked him & Governor Perdue for their time. As she started to walk away, she turned & came back to me standing directly in front of me and holding my eye contact (which was a slight bit intimidating), she told me she "liked that" and pointed to my hairpiece. Then off-hand she was like "you know there is a name for that? What's it called? What did Kate (Princess Kate) call that thing?" I couldn't think of it to save my life, but praise the Lord for Tiffany for blurting out "I think it was a fascinator". Sure enough it was and the Governor was like "yes, that's right, a fascinator. I like your fascinator." And she goes to walk off and turns back and adds, "and you look fascinating!" Needless to say, at that moment, I had soared slam out of the exosphere. Wow, I was blown away by how down to earth she was & how cute she can be. It's not very often you get to talk to the Governor about fashion & she give you a compliment or two! (No comment from you Bev haters -- I don't want to hear it, just be happy for me!)

Anyways, wait a minute, where were we at? Oh yes, an awards ceremony. Just like last night, I was so pumped with adrenalin at that moment, I momentarily forgot where I was and who I was there to see - my hero & friend, Nora Lynn Finch!! (Well, yeah I was also there to see the awards ceremony, too!)

The ceremony itself was very special. A video tribute was played for each coach, someone spoke on memories of each coach, former players & coaches lined the stage, and then the individual or a representative accepted the award for the coaches. Sportscaster Bob Holiday emceed the event & did a very good job. Bobby Cremmins, former Head Coach at Georgia Tech, delivered the keynote address. He was absolutely hilarious. He loved picking on Coach K and told quite a few humorous stories about himself, Coach K and Jimmy V. Ian Naismith was there to speak on behalf of the Naismith family and present the awards to all the recipients. Nora Lynn Finch delivered a very, very moving speech on her friend, Coach Kay Yow. She eloquently intertwined humor, sports, passion and spirituality into a very touching speech, which was probably my most favorite of the evening (and not because it was Nora Lynn). Debbie Yow accepted the award in Coach Yow's memory. Dean Smith appeared on stage with the help of Coach Roy Williams. Charles Scott shared memories of Coach Smith and Coach Williams accepted the award on his behalf. Steve Wojciechowski delivered the memorybook of Coach K, and Coach K graciously accepted his award and spoke on memories of all three coaches. And ACC Commissioner John Swofford closed the ceremony.



The ceremony was very touching. Each coach was memorialized for their achievements but also for their sportsmanship. What a neat experience to be in the presence of so many awesome coaches. North Carolina truly is the state to be when it comes to basketball. Yet even with all the jubliation & fanfare, the evening was not yet complete -- I had not had my chance to see Nora Lynn. Now granted, I did see her from a distance in the lobby prior to the ceremony, but the Governor distracted me from getting to talk to her. So after the ceremony ended, we made our way down to the front of the auditorium. Nora Lynn was on stage greeting people but saw us and stated how glad she was we were able to make it & such. Of course, as typical of the two of us, we had to have our picture made! Nora Lynn in her glittering, Broadway style outfit (I particularly liked it!) and myself in my fascinator!


The evening with the stars was now officially complete!

Smoke

What a day in North Carolina.
I leave the house headed to work & it is a fairly pleasant day, but suddenly, the air is filled with a horrible aura of burning smoke. The sky is hazy and to look out the window you would think it's snowing -- but a snow of smoke rather than cool snow. All this is coming from the wildfires down east. It's amazing to me how something so many miles away can create such havoc and wreak such smells this far away.

But it's also amazing to me how many things in my life are associated with the word "smoke" -- just hold on one second & hear me out.

Do you ever find a "pattern" in your life? I don't mean numbers or signs/symbols you see over & over (though I do have that myself). But by a pattern, I mean do you have things in your life that are the exact same but mean something totally different? For instance, maybe you have friends/family in your lives who have the same exact first name ... I have a cousin named Jennifer, several friends named Jennifer; I have a co-worker named Christy & a cousin named Christy; two friends named Phyllis. (I mean really?!?!, I didn't know THAT many people existed that had the same names.) In addition to names, maybe you have patterns of favorites you like -- colors, foods, numbers, etc.

But in some way, shape or form, we have patterns in our lives or keywords that exist in our day-to-day lives. And while they may be the exact same word, they mean something totally different. Neither Christy is the same, nor Jennifer, nor Phyllis. They are all different and sometimes to differentiate between them you must assign them nicknames (ie: 'Rissy -- don't even ask!) or there is something different about them that makes their name (although the same as others), different to you.

But anyways, rabbit trail aside, this all goes back to where the word "smoke" comes back into my life. Today "smoke" is associated with the horrid scent inside and outside my office (God bless my poor car and the scent it must smell like). But what other things are associated with the word "smoke"?

First, there are the Great "Smoky" Mountains, where I love to vacation. Do you know why they are called "Smoky" Mountains? Well, it's because the clouds will often get trapped along the various elevations and it creates a false sense of making you think the mountains are actually "smoking".


Second,who can forget "Smokey" the awesome & cutest mascot in college sports from the University of Tennessee. Since Knoxville is so close to the Great Smoky Mountains, they adopted "Smokey" as their mascot. Tennessee has both a "real" Smokey (a blue tick hound) and several "stuffed" Smokey's. Either way, he's still cute!

Third but certainly not the least ......the best definition of "Smoke" that exists --- Mr. "Smoke", his royal hotness himself, my boyfriend (who doesn't know it, yet...) TONY STEWART! So many people have asked me why I like Tony Stewart. Honestly, I don't know why. I think it's that I like the fact he's honest -- he isn't afraid to speak his mind or what he stands for. He's not going to beat around the bush; he's going to talk straight-forward, tell it like it is. The sad part, it gets him in trouble. But at least he's not going to cower in the corner and shy away from it. He's a great driver, who drives the wheels off his cars. He's got a slight bad-boy mentality, but in the past few years, as he's grown older & become a car owner/driver, he has matured. Sure he's not bad looking either :) I just love me some Tony Stewart!!


So see isn't it so amazing how one simple word "smoke" can have so many different meanings? I guess that's just life and how our minds work.

SURPRISE!!!!!

Who doesn't love a good surprise?
I am sure, at some point in our lives, everyone loves to be surprised by something or someone. If you don't, then please explain why!

I've always been somewhat intrigued by surprises. As a kid, I used to crawl under the Christmas tree and shake the presents or feel their shapes and try to figure out what my gift was. I guess in some way maybe that takes away from the surprise, especially if you can figure out what it is. But if you can't determine what the present is, then you're all the more excited to find out what it is.

I'm also one who you can rarely pull a surprise over. It's hard to have a surprise party or something for me and I, either, not already know about it or else not be able to figure something is up (I must have a good sixth sense or something!) The office once threw me a surprise birthday party -- well, I knew we were having a birthday party (as we always do that), but I didn't anticipate when I walked into the conference room that two of my friends would be there, too. So I was royally surprised at that moment!

It's also fun to give surprise parties, too. I remember when my Mom was turning 50, that my aunts & cousins and I were having to scheme to figure out how to plan this shindig without Mom finding out. That was hard because Mom knows EVERYTHING, and she has a large family (FIVE brothers!!!). So trying to get in touch with all of them, giving them instructions, etc. without her knowing it was all going on was difficult. But in the end, even though she protested & didn't want to eat at the place where the family was gathered (that was about to be a big mess!), I think we truly surprised her. That was a fun night!!

But it's not always about parties and gifts, it could be just a simple phone call, card, e-mail or something simple. I had a great surprise recently from a friend of mine. She called me during the day (a day in which had not been going so good at work). Initially, I was confused as to why she was calling me and then I figured it was to chat (which was fine by me!), but then she asked if she could take me to lunch!! Talk about a surprise ... on a day when I needed an escape, I not only get a surprise lunch but I get to see my friend! That was an awesome surprise.

Little spur of the moment things are what brings lasting memories. Plotting and planning elaborate parties or whatever is fun, but to me, I like the small things -- I like getting cards, I like getting e-mails, I like getting unexpected phone calls, I like getting visits from friends. Those small things will leave a lasting impression and you never know when that person may be needing some cheering up! So a big thanks to my friend for her kindness and her perfect timing (as always!), what a neat treat, what a surprise & what a good/fun lunch!!

What to say, what to say ...

I haven't written in awhile, but I just don't really know what to say nor do I have anything really creative to say like I did in my "Complimentary Sampling" post a few weeks back. So I'll resort to rambling, ha!

Lately, I'm beginning to see why so many people compare life to a rollercoaster. Now, I am one who LOVES rollercoasters and all the thrills that coincide with them. But the rollercoaster of life, ehhh, not so much. Some days you're left clueless and questioning your purpose in many aspects of life; other days you may feel you've accomplished a great deed and the world is back on track. That constant up and down can get burdensome and even take a toll on you.

I'll admit I've had a TON on my mind lately - work related, friends/family related, health conditions & Heaven forbid these blessed kittens at our house! We get ourselves wrapped up in so many things that we can't sort thru everything to ascertain what should be prioritized. But in the end, it should be our faith that keeps us strong and holds us together. God will see us thru any storm or trial we may be facing.

My rollercoaster is all over the place right now. In some areas, it is returning to what I hope to be a normal (or maybe when you're at the highest peak!); in other areas, it's starting that descent downhill (a descent that on a true rollercoaster is where ALL the fun should be!); and well I'm sure there is a part that's probably a bit "loopy" too.

But even though the wild rollercoaster ride of my life will continue to cycle thru, just as everyone else's does, too, we must keep our focus, not get too burdened and just keep going. Keep the faith and God will see you thru all your circumstances

"It ain't fittin'... it ain't fittin'. It jes' ain't fittin'... It ain't fittin'."

I came to the realization this weekend that I am too much like Scarlett O'Hara, well in some ways, and that could be a scary thing, ha!

Saturday night, I didn't have a lot going on, so I decided "when all else fails, watch Gone With The Wind", and I did just that (although, I didn't finish it until yesterday afternoon!)

Gone With The Wind has always been one of my favorite movies. I did finally read the book, once, and at some point need to do that again. This time, I decided to focus more on Scarlett herself and watch the movie in a different view.

I noticed how she was loyal to her family & her friends. She was protective over the things she loved most (ie: Tara and well, even Ashley). She loved money. She loved fashion & always wanted to stand out. She was fiercely independent and a very strong-willed individual. She shouldered the burden for too many things. And she also had a tenacious sense of jealousy that would only hit her surrounding specific things.

Am I like Scarlett in all those aspects? I certainly hope not. But I do see myself in her in a variety of ways. I like to think that I am loyal to my friends & family; I like to think I am protective (sometimes I can be overly protective). I'm not in love with money, but sure it's nice. I do like my fashion, but I don't always have to stand out (though many would say I am today with my huge pink flower in my hair!). I have a very independent and strong-willed personality; and do often shoulder the burden for too many things. And yes, I will admit I do get jealous at times. Everyone gets jealous over something ... no one can say they've never gotten jealous over something, that's just ridiculous. We may not stay jealous but you have gotten jealous.

Scarlett's jealousy was brought on completely by the relationship of Ashley & Melanie. I must admit there is the one main disagreement I have with Scarlett. Why in the sam hill was she so engrossed with Ashley Wilkes when she had Rhett Butler? Hello, Scarlett!, wake up & smell the roses!! Who had the looks, the charm, the passion for living, the money -- who had it all? It certainly wasn't poor little Ashley Wilkes. It was Rhett Butler.

Scarlett, my dear, you made a stupid mistake.

Sadly in Scarlett's case, it took her until the very end to realize that what she had desperately wanted her whole entire life was never going to happen. Even when she had the opportune time for it to happen (ie: Melanie's passing opening the door for her & Ashley), she finally realized that she would only be second-rate to Ashley. She FINALLY realized that it was Rhett who would always love her and would always place her first in his life. Yet she chased after a dream that would never be fulfilled.

Even today, we are often caught up chasing stars and dreams that we'll never catch or fulfill. Don't be like Scarlett and wait until the last minute to realize that you'll never have a chance. I'm not saying don't chase your dreams or reach for your full potential, but don't let that consume you. Maybe what you need or what you want is right in front of you. Don't turn your back on those around you because they could be the key to your life.

Even though Scarlett had her faults, I still admire her. She was a figher, she was courageous, she was so many things that many should strive to be. She was beautiful (even though the book itself does not describe Scarlett as a beautiful creature) -- but it's not all about beauty. It's what's on the inside & if your heart isn't clean and shining, then it doesn't matter what you look like on the outside.

So dream big and chase the rainbows but be prepared at some point to realize that you may not find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. We have to wake up and look at what is right in front of us & discern whether that is what is meant for us.


And as Scarlett herself would say ...

"I won't think about that today ... I'll think about that tomorrow. After all, tomorrow is another day"

He is always there ...

Times are really tough right now for many people and for so many different reasons. It's hard to face the situation in front of you, but you can. Don't get up, don't be intimidated by your circumstances. But most importantly, let God be the one to lead you. Trust completely in Him and everything will work out.

Listen to this song by the wonderful Janet Paschal. Take the words to heart and know that everything will work out.

Just some shots ...

Don't really feel like writing much -- too much on my mind to sort thru right now. Read the last post, which has re-appeared after blogspot had some issues late last week. But until next time, just enjoy some pictures.


Photo taken in Mystic, Connecticut


Photo taken on Bald Head Island, North Carolina

Photo taken at Babcock State Park in West Virginia


Photo taken in the Amish Country near Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Photo taken of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Photo taken of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Photo taken at Green Hope High School in North Carolina

Photo taken in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Photo taken at the North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh, North Carolina

A Complimentary Sampling....

Don't you just love it when you go into a restaurant or even better, a delicatessen and they are offering samples of some type of goodies? You often hear "would you like to try a sample?" We see fudge, bread and beverage samples or one of my ultimate favorites, chocolate covered potato chip samples and our salivary glands go into overdrive. Walk into Jimmy Johns and after seeing their sign "free smells" and it causes our sensory abilities to go haywire.

Everywhere in life we are tempted with "free complimentary" products to sample. Each of these "complimentary" items only whets our appetite in the hopes of causing us to go deeper and buy a pound of fudge, a loaf of bread or a bottle of whatever. (And for the record, no, I didn't buy the bag of chocolate covered potato chips from that little store in Daytona, Florida!) At times, we get so wrapped up in these "complimentary" items, that we will spend tons of money buying the whole thing. Is there anything wrong with that? No, Lord knows I've done it before.

But what about those "real" complimentary samples? Why can't we, as humans, ever offer a complimentary sampling of COMPLIMENTS to our family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, relatives, etc?

So many times in today's world, we'll fuss with our closest friends or our parents or co-workers. We say hurtful things or have hurtful things said about us. Those comments stick with us, and you walk away thinking "wouldn't it be nice to have heard something NICE said about me for once?" And wouldn't that be nice? What if everyone could at least say one thing positive and nice about a person. Sure have an argument or disagreement with someone, but leave them with a compliment or something positive. Don't just walk away from the problem. The Bible says not to let the sun go down on our wrath. Too many times in today's world that is happening and that causes all sorts of problems for people - emotionally and physically.

I challenge everyone to offer a "COMPLIMENT-ARY" sampling to someone. When you do that, guess what? You'll probably get something nice said about you. People will gain an appreciation for you and then they might "buy in to you" (so to speak). Whet someone's appetite on occasion by saying something nice to them rather than something spiteful. Life is not fun when you have to live in pain -- whether physical pain or emotional pain. Say something nice to someone. Surprise them. Show them you love them. Some simple little thing you say, even if it's "I like your shoes" -- something so small can change a person's day, week, month or even life!

You never know how much you can affect someone by your words or actions. As one of my favorite quotes "To the world, you may seem like one person, but to one person, you may seem like the world."

Reach out, give some complimentary samplings & help make everyone better off, including yourselves.

Being on the summit doesn't change you ...

Life is full of ups & downs. Don't you just wish that sometimes we could be like Mary Poppins and snap our fingers and everything would fly into place? That would be lovely!! But as we all know, unfortunately, things don't work that way -- at all! Usually if someone snaps their fingers at us, we're probably more than likely in trouble!

Life throws tons of curveballs at us. We can either sit back and get hit with the curveball, or we can get out our bats and hit that curveball as far as we can and try to overcome all our obstacles. I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. We question everything that happens to us, but in the end, we need to realize that whatever the situation we're going thru, God has allowed this to come upon us. He is molding us into what He wants us to be like. He will teach us a lesson and help make us a stronger person if we allow Him to guide us throughout the journey.

Friday, I was able to attend the Chick-fil-A Leadercast. It was an event held in Atlanta but simulcasted all over the USA and several other countries. Chick-fil-A brought together a lot of well known speakers who each challenged us into being voices of change or being a better leader. I was really impacted by several of the speakers and challenged by several.

One of the neatest ones I remember was by Alison Levine, who was filling in for Robin Roberts whom I really wanted to see. Alison talked about her journey of climbing Mount Everest and coming within a few hundred yards of reaching the summit before having to return to base camp. She said she would never climb again because she didn't want to fail. But in the end, she did climb Mount Everest again and even with the bad weather looming, she still faced the challenge and reached the summit. But she made a great point:

"Being on the summit doesn't change you or who you are, rather it's what you learn all along the journey"

That was such a powerful statement. So many times we set goals and want to reach our highest potential and reach that ultimate summit, but what happens when you reach that summit and you're on the top? You've made it -- great job, but where do you go from there? Many times no where. So you have to reflect back on all the things you learned on that journey to make it to the top or to reach your goal.

So even in our darkest days when we feel that the our friends or even the world has turned their backs on us, we have to realize that the dark clouds are only temporary. There is always going to a mole hill, a foothill or a mountain that we have to climb. We have to be a risk taker and try to climb those hills and not be held back by any thoughts of failure. God is in control; He will help us along our journey.

Get yourself a journal and write about everything you do -- even if it's just note taking. Write about your daily experiences or just little things that happen to you. Write notes for a friend in a journal and give it to them as a present. Any little things will help us on our long and winding road. Just go at it full force!

Cross the bridge or mountain one step at a time ... you never know what may be awaiting you on the other side! Enjoy the journey!!

Calm before the storm ...

So Saturday the 16th turned out to be a wild day in North Carolina with the horrific tornadoes that came tearing thru my portion of the state. Fortunately, my house and property were not damaged, except for some tree limbs and small debris. A mile or so from my house however, many of my friends had a lot of destruction at their homes. It was all too close for comfort.

The craziest part for me was that I was on the way back home from Wilmington with my friend, Beth. We were listening on the radio as they called out streets in Wake County - street names where some of my adopted family and close friends live. I started to panic. Even when you're an hour or so away from home and all the news is breaking on the radio, it makes you feel you're in a different state. We got back to Beth's house and nothing was going on, and we were probably five miles or so away from all the devastation. It was surreal. But thankfully, even though lots of my friends suffered damage to their properties, it all can be replaced, and thankfully they were not harmed.

As a calm before the storm, so to speak, Beth and I took a mini road trip to Wilmington. Before a yummy lunch at P.T.'s Grille, we went to the Airlie Gardens. I really enjoyed the visit at Airlie as it was much bigger than I anticipated. There are a lot of walking trails - some paved and some not (you almost better "x" your spot so you don't get lost, ha!) But with the beautiful azaleas and other spring flowers in bloom, it really made the garden all the more colorful and exquisite.

The historic Airlie Oak is the centerpiece for the unique garden. It is one of North Carolina's largest oak trees of this type. Another of my favorite spots was in the sculpture garden, which features a "chapel" that is made completely out of different types of glass bottles. What a beautiful sight that must be at night with the lights turned on.

There are quite a lot of areas to visit in the immense garden complex. A word to the adventurers, the tour guide map that you receive at the office is very pretty BUT the garden itself can be very confusing. If you get off the paved trail, the map isn't going to help you -- well it doesn't quite help you on the paved trail either at times, ha! But still make a visit to Airlie in beautiful Wilmington, North Carolina.

For my cousin...

In today's world at times it saddens me to see how many famous people have little to no respect for their admirers. On some level, I can understand how they get aggravated by people constantly hounding them for autographs, pictures, etc. But come on, movie stars ought to be able to take five minutes to talk to someone who spends countless dollars buying tickets to see their movies or even buying the DVDs. To some extent that even extends down to the "local" level. You may encounter a news person, a coach from a college team or someone else, who we see often, in a grocery store or shopping mall. I know I'd hate to bother them and ask for a picture or something, but would it really hurt them to do so? I guess it depends...but in all actuality, they could at least nod their head, smile and acknowledge you. I've seen so many people treated so ugly by "celebrities" (local and nationally), I often ponder what I would do if I were in their place.

Thankfully, there are quite a lot of good celebrities out there. Some that will go out of their way to speak to you and do things for you. I've met a few of them during my time here in North Carolina and have been pleased. But on Friday, I met quite a few who just blew me out of the water.

But first, here's a little backstory...

My cousin Jeremy is two months older than me. My Mom and his Dad are brother and sister. So we've always grown up together as playmates or just hanging out at family gatherings. I think as we've grown older, we've grown closer together. One difference between us (aside from the obvious boy/girl), and one difference that has never phased me but maybe has others, is that Jeremy was born with spina bifida and as a result he is paralyzed. But what's so amazing and so inspiring to me about Jeremy is that whatever he sets his mind to do, he will accomplish. He's been in the hospital numerous times and never once have I heard him complain. He is such a positive person who cares so much for many people, especially his love for our military which puts me to shame. He will go out of his way to speak to people and doesn't let his handicap get in his way.

Growing up, in some ways, I always felt kind of bad for him (he may hate me for posting this entry later, ha!). My family was always going on trips here and there, but I never really heard whether he got to go on many. I've been so fortunate lately to be able to do quite a lot of things with him. From going to the Mudcats games, to the State Fair and concerts to a real big adventure this past Friday to ABC 11 to meet Frances Scott.


Frances Scott anchors the 5:00 and 5:30 news on ABC 11, and by my count and many others, she is one of our good local celebrities. Jeremy & Frances have a friendship that started over Facebook, and they had chatted off and on for several years but neither had ever met. I thank Frances so much for taking time out of her busy schedule to talk with my cousin and be a friend to him. I can tell how excited he gets talking to Frances and getting messages from her. So in the long run, Frances invited him up to the studio, and Jeremy asked me if I'd be willing to take him. HECK YEAH!

What many don't know about me is that growing up as a child, I ALWAYS wanted to be a news anchor. Donna Gregory (from WRAL) used to be one of my heroes. She always remembered me each time I went to see her at the Fair. I had many friends in the industry and that was what my mind was set on. As a teen, I was a co-anchor on a Christian show called Teen Scene that aired out of a local station in Apex and that was fun. But what happened after that, I have no idea. So when Jeremy asked if I'd go with him to the studio to see Frances, it was almost like a dream come true for me!

I was nervous because we had to go to Durham, and many of your true North Carolinians would understand why some don't like going to Durham, ha! But all-in-all, it was a great experience. Frances is such an amazing person; she's so beautiful and just has such a caring spirit. She was so enthusiatic about giving us a tour of the facilities and introduced us to so many other wonderful people at ABC 11. All the other anchors/reporters and staff we met, were all so nice and willing to help take care of my cousin and myself.

So in the end, you never know what small things might do for others. As that infamous quote is "to the world, you may be one person; but to one person, you may be the world." We never know what influence we have on the world or on others. So try to be who you are, take time to smell the roses and acknowledge those around you. In the end, you'll be a better person.

(PS: A big thank you to Frances Scott for introducting us to Tisha Powell, Mike Mendez, Chris Hohmann, Fred Shropshire and so many others at ABC 11. Thank you for taking time out of your schedule to spend a few hours with us & for giving us a ride back to the car! You're the best!!)

Once in a lifetime...

So once in a lifetime, you have to try something different, right?

Well I'm one of those who usually doesn't shy away from trying something. As my 5th grade teacher once said, "try it, you might like it."

Last weekend (April 3rd), my friend, Julie, and I took an adventure and it turned out to be one of those "once in a lifetime" experiences. We went to a REAL NASCAR race. Now granted I had been to a NASCAR event before but it wasn't a true race for points event. So off we trekked early Sunday morning to Martinsville, Virginia!

The drive up was very scenic and not a hard drive at all from Raleigh (a little over two hours!). Once we crossed the state-line, you could tell who was going to the race based on the design of the car, their clothes, etc. The closer we got to Ridgeway, VA, where the track is located (anyone else think it's funny that the NASCAR tracks are RARELY in the city that the track is named after? hmmm) ... the traffic worsened. We elected to park as close as we could so we could walk back and forth from the car to the track & we did just that!

My first experience was finding the bathroom ... welllllll, this is where my adventure began. We couldn't go in the track and come back out without getting hand-stamped. So Julie convinced me to use a Port-a-John. I have NEVER in my life used one of those nasty places, but in dire situations, you've gotta do what you gotta do. I convinced myself that if I could use the "facilities" on a moving train or on a moving bus, I should be able to use this. Well, I did but I was terrified the whole time someone was gonna tip me over. Adventure # 1 complete (well make that several because I later visited one again!)

The entire NASCAR experience is an adventure of itself. The people are just a different breed altogether. But overall, they are good people. We enjoyed all the sights and sounds. I was excited to spend some money at the drivers' trailers buying from my favorites Tony Stewart & Denny Hamlin. The climb to our seats was a huge challenge as we were seated high in the sky. But it was fun and we had a birds-eye view of the entire track.


Martinsville proved to be a challenging race with several lead changes. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a terrific run and should've won the race, but I won't go on that rant now. Denny Hamlin did a good job but got way off-cycle on his pit-stops and fell back. And my poor Tony Stewart ... well let's not even go there but his pit crew did an amazing job replacing the rear-end gear and getting him back on the track so he didn't receive a DNF. But the best part, thank God, Jimmie Johnson did NOT win. Had he won that race, it would have been a very, very long ride home!

After the race, we mulled around the track for a bit before going back to our car. We sat in the car for awhile and eventually moved down the hill into the shade. Around the same time, the actual car haulers began their exit "train" from the track. What a unique experience to sit and watch all the haulers go past, tooting their horns, waving and throwing out things to the fans.

Soon after the "train" ended, we got in line and headed out of the speedway. Along our route home, somehow, Jeff Gordon's hauler managed to come us beside us and we followed it a little ways before we both went our separate ways -- him towards Charlotte, us towards Greensboro headed to Burlington to eat and finally back to good 'ole Wake County.

All in all, NASCAR is definitely a once in a lifetime experience that all should take. Even if you're not a NASCAR fan, it is something worthwhile. I think I'm a fan of the short-tracks more than the superspeedways though -- mainly because you can see the WHOLE track and know where every body is!

I hope to make it out to some more races in the near future, and maybe, just maybe, one of my boys will win and Jimmie Johnson won't!

Oh to be ...

Isn't is always my luck that the days we start having, what seem like, torrential downpours, and when the weather is cool outside, rather than being able to stay at home in bed and asleep, I'm stuck at the office! Oh well, such is life, I suppose!

I always find it interesting that rainy days are depressing...well, sometimes. Sometimes, we need to enjoy the rain and praise God for it because we obviously need it. But other times, rainy days just help add to our gloominess that may have already settled in from other things.

I am reminded of a quote that I saw re-tweeted on Twitter the other day by Georgia Tech Women's Basketball Coach MaChelle Joseph. It states, "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." What an awesome quote that is ... thanks, MaChelle for posting!!

Now granted, you won't see me running outside to dance in the rain today (since it's pretty cold here in North Carolina), but while we do weather personal storms, almost on a daily basis, we don't need to let those storms consume us. We get hit, we fall down. We need to learn to bounce back, get back up & not let it destroy us.

With God anything is possible! He allows us to go thru the storms to teach us a lesson. We may not understand why we are going thru some things, nor may we ever get the explanation for them. But we have to trust that God is in control and He is allowing us to go thru this to make us a better person, teach us a lesson, make us stronger and most importantly, bring us closer to Him.

So enjoy the rain, sleep a little and maybe this summer, get out and dance a little :)

45 Lessons of Life

So one of my co-workers forwarded me an e-mail this morning that was entitled the 4 Lessons of Life. These were lessons/statements written by an 90 year old lady from Ohio. Most of them are very applicable in our daily lives and can be very beneficial. I thought I'd repost them here and maybe you can gain some insight from them, as well.

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio.

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Sensational Springtime...

Hallelujah, winter is finally gone!!

I absolutely detest cold weather and all that comes along with it (well except for Christmas & basketball!) - but snow, ice, all that mess, it needs to stay away from me and North Carolina. I'm so grateful that spring has arrived and the temperatures can begin their climb.

Spring is the season where we can let our senses go wild! We SEE all the beautiful sights of nature; we SMELL the fragrances of the flowers blooming or even the freshly cut grass; we HEAR the sounds of the birds returning to their homes after their winter retreat; we FEEL the warmth of the air and the sunshine in all its glory; and well, I'm not sure what we TASTE, but I include good 'ole ice cream back into spring as it's too cold to eat it in the wintertime!

Spring brings the time change, which I am not a fan of losing an hour of sleep, but I am quite fine with gaining an extra hour of daylight for when I get home from work, I can now walk, play basketball or do something outside.

I am so thankful for this beautiful planet that God has created. What an awesome God we serve.

So take time this first week of Spring amd let your senses go wild and experience all that spring has for us.

Here are a few "springy" pictures that I've captured over the past few years:


**This is the view from the side of my house looking down thru our back yard**

An Adventure 28 years in the making...

So as many of you know I am a HUGE sports fan! I'll watch most any sport, but definitely do have my favorites & non-favorites.

Growing up in North Carolina, you have to enjoy basketball. Sure I do, but maybe am not as crazy about it as other sports. But I do enjoy going to Women's Basketball games. I've been to quite a few this season already -- okay so I've seen 9 of the 12 ACC teams already play, that should count for something, right?

But Women's Basketball is one of my favorites. I guess if you ask me for fan loyalty which team is my favorite, that's a tough choice because I like so many. My ultimate favorite are the Tennessee Volunteers, coached by legendary Pat Summitt. But in the ACC, wow, that's a tough call, but I guess I'll say NC State (though I do like Duke, too, and Maryland, and Florida State ... ugghhh!!)

NC State is my favorite primarily for two people - Kay Yow & Nora Lynn Finch. They started, developed and led that program for over 30 years. Coach Yow was such an inspiration to many. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to meet her. I used to sit at home and watch her games on TV and dream of playing for her one day. I'd listen to her & Nora Lynn's radio show and watch Nora Lynn do commentating of the games after she moved to Associate Athletic Director. Those were the good 'ole days.

Nora Lynn left NC State in 2008 to move to the ACC, where she is now an Associate Commissioner, but she ALWAYS comes back home to State!! And sadly, we lost Coach Yow two years ago. I did attend her funeral and experienced an amazing service. What a powerful testimony she delivered. She truly impacted thousands around the world.

Ironically with my love for Women's Basketball and in particular the ACC, I've never been to the ACC Tournament. I was able to attend the NCAA Super Regional (Sweet Sixteen) in Raleigh a few years ago, where I met, guess who, Nora Lynn Finch! I've kept in touch with her throughout the past two years, and thanks in part to her help, 28 years later, I am going to attend my first ACC Tournament!!

Needless to say, I am overly excited. I may be more excited about the fact that Nora Lynn & I have been communicating via e-mail lately than actually going to the tournament. But either way, I'm so excited. We are going to ALL ELEVEN tournament games, as well as several luncheons that are held during the tournament. This has been a dream of mine for years and who ever would have thought that one of my role models & someone I've admired since I was a child would play a tremendous role in helping me to get there. Thanks, Nora Lynn, you're the best!!

So be sure to watch the Women's ACC Tournament this week March 3 thru March 6. I'll be pulling for all of the teams but one -- you ought to be able to figure that out!!

Heading to Greensboro to the Tournament & to see Nora Lynn!!!!

Red Day

So as many of you know, I'm not a big fan of Valentine's Day. I don't know why but I've just never been a huge fan of it. I'm sure there are a lot of reasons behind it, but I personally think too much money is spent and emphasis is placed on all the wrong things.

Am I bashing the day? No.
Is there anything wrong with buying flowers, candy, gifts? No.

I guess I just feel like Valentine's Day is a day where you should be able to express to your family and friends how much you love them and care about them. You can do that with a card, an e-mail, a phone call or any simple method. If you're method of saying "I love you, I care about you, thanks for being my friend" is sending gifts, well that's fine. Go for it! (I won't lie and say that I might not, on occasion, buy something for someone at Valentine's.)

I just get burned up by people who just want to do all the lovey-dovey stuff. And maybe that comes from being single and I just haven't learned to appreciate that yet. If you want to do that, awesome, but please do it privately. If you want to share a nice dinner out with your mate, go right ahead. But please refrain from all the juicy romance at the dinner table; just save dessert for when you get home or somewhere private, thank you!

So when I look at Valentine's, sure I'll wear my heart earrings and necklace proudly (thanks to my Mom & Dad for giving them to me), but I just treat it as any other day. You should be able to tell your family & friends any day of the year how much they mean to you; it shouldn't take one day only to make you realize that. (If it does, you obviously have a problem). So on this Valentine's Day 2011, call, text, e-mail or whatever to your family & friends, let them know you're thinking of them and hoping they're having a great day. Later on in the year, surprise them and peridocially send them a card (sometimes snail mail means a lot more than a text!), write them a nice little note, even if it's as short as "Hi, You're awesome & I'm thinking about you. LOVE!!!, Meredith" ~ you can express your love very simply, sometimes all it takes is in a signature!

So enjoy the day -- whatever you may do. But if you're out in a restaurant and I see you "getting it on", I'm going to start making gagging noises (just kidding!) Happy Valentine's Day to all my family & friends -- guess what, I LOVE YOU!!