Paradise

Dale and I are sitting on the beach watching the sun set. It is glorious and so peaceful.

Catcher in the Rye

On the flight to Hawaii, I re-read J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye. When I went to our bookcase to select a book for the plane, it seemed like the perfect choice and a way to honor the recent passing of J.D. Salinger. Catcher in the Rye remains one of my favorite books and over the years, I have probably read it at least 15 times.


I love how books take on such different meaning when I re-read them at different stages in my life. For example, last year I re-read the Diary of Anne Frank. I had not read it since junior high school and the perspective and meaning was so much more intense as an adult. Since we were visiting Amsterdam last summer, I felt it was a good idea to re-read the book. I think as a child reading the book I did not truly appreciate the loss of freedom and the life Anne and her family were forced to lead for being Jewish. I understood the story but as a child, the Halacost seemed like a different lifetime. I think as an adult, I could finally understand the true horror. I think because I finally had my own life, it gave me a better point of reference of the suffering and sacrifice. When Dale and I visited the Anne Frank Musuem and toured the actual annex, it was incredibly moving for me.

Catcher in the Rye also proves to offer different perspectives over the years although probably not as drastic or profound as that of the Diary of Anne Frank. When I first read Catcher in the Rye in high school, I think I was more caught up in the frank language and shock of a sixteen year old leaving boarding school and wandering New York City than anything else the story had to offer. Now when I read the story, I recognize the angst in Holden Caulfield. I look at him as someone who is just starting his path in the world but his path does not fit into the standards of society. I think as teens we all feel that way and J.D. Salinger captured it perfectly. As teens, we all feel we know so much more than we actually do and feel like outsiders. I know I did. However, I was nowhere as cool or brave as Holden. I was never brave enough to not follow the path. I look back now and wonder what my life would be like today if I spent less time on the path and explored. If I was brave enough when I got fed up, I may have seen the world when I was young and before life was full of responsibility and obligations. I love my life but I think we all wonder what if. Reading Catcher in the Rye now as an adult makes me think a lot of the what if. Something I never gathered from the story as a teen myself.

Reading this story 65 years after first being published it is shocking how timeless it feels. You could remove a few details, out-dated phrases and I believe most would think it was a modern tale. I guess it helps that teen angst is timeless and experienced generation after generation.

If you have never read Catcher in the Rye, don't miss out. It is a great read. Until next time, my thanks to J.D. Salinger for bringing the world Holden Caulfield.

It is hard when the passenger next to you is chatty

That is what I got today on the flight from Denver to Phoenix - a talker. The guy seated next to me kept going on and on like he knew me. The weirdest part was he was next to me in the airport parking lot, next to me at security, next to me on the train to the terminal and then showed up in seat 9B right next me on the flight. It all seems too coincidental.

Before the plane took off he kept talking to me about the snack options on the flight, even though I had my headphones on. Some people just can't take a hint. Apparently, his name is Dale. He is a Colorado native and is headed with his boyfriend to Hawaii. Blah, blah, blah.

He seemed harmless enough and quieted down eventually to listen to his iPod. I snapped a photo of him.





I spoke too soon about him quieting down though. About 10 minutes after I took his photo, he started tapping his finger on his seat tray and pointing out what he found to be interesting items in the Sky Mall magazine. The man was obviously crazy. He even offered me a sip of his cranberry-apple juice. Ewwww! Gross. As you can guess I was horrified. I snapped a photo of myself in case I was being stalked and needed evidence for a future court case.





Thank goodness it was a short flight. With my luck I will be stuck next to the same guy on the connecting flight to Hawaii.

I am convinced I have a metal plate...

...somewhere in my body because I could go through airport security naked and still set off the sensor.

Today was no different and I set of the sensor here in Denver on our way to Phoenix. I had absolutely nothing in my pockets, no watch, no ring, no belt, no shoes and I still set it off. This honestly happens 75% of the time I fly. The funny part is when they wand me down and nothing ever beeps, so they keep doing it trying to figure out what set off the main sensor. I inevitably get asked 5 times if I have a pace maker or anything metal inside me, which I am fairly certain is a no, unless my parents forgot to tell me. Oh well, I get felt up by a lot of nice men from TSA. Today's guy was sort of a dork, but he got to 2nd base, so I guess we are now dating otherwise I look like a slut. Remember when airports were fun?

Yes, in less than 48 hours I will be headed to Hawaii

I am soooooo excited!

Paul Lynde is stalking me from the grave

Do you remember Paul Lynde, the openly, funny comedian and gay from shows like Hollywood Squares and Bewitched (Uncle Arthur)? I have seen him 4 times this week, so I think it must be a sign that he is stalking me from the grave.

On TV this weekend, while flipping through the channels, I saw him on a special about Hollywood Squares and on a classic episode of Bewitched. Last night, I was flipping through the channels and saw him on an episode of the Munsters. Then, I was surfing the net and the video below comes up on StumbledUpon.

I took it as a sign that Paul Lynde needs to be heard, so I figured I would post.  Also included are some of the best Paul Lynde quotes from Hollywood Squares.  Enjoy!

Paul Lynde Zinger
Uploaded by Scootersville. - Click for more funny videos.

 

Q. Paul, what is a good reason for pounding meat?
A. Paul Lynde: Loneliness!

Q. Do female frogs croak?
A. Paul Lynde: If you hold their little heads under water long enough.

Q. Paul, why do Hell’s Angels wear leather?
A. Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily.

Q. It is considered in bad taste to discuss two subjects at nudist camps. One is politics, what is the other?
A. Paul Lynde: Tape measures.

Q. When you pat a dog on its head he will wag his tail. What will a goose do?
A. Paul Lynde: Make him bark?

Q. If you were pregnant for two years, what would you give birth to?
A. Paul Lynde: Whatever it is, it would never be afraid of the dark.

Q. It is the most abused and neglected part of your body, what is it?
A. Paul Lynde: Mine may be abused, but it certainly isn’t neglected.

Q. Who stays pregnant for a longer period of time, your wife or your elephant?
A. Paul Lynde: Who told you about my elephant?

Q. According to Ann Landers, what are two things you should never do in bed?
A. Paul Lynde: Point and laugh.

Q. You’re the world’s most popular fruit. What are you?
A. Paul Lynde: Humble.

Q. How many men on a hockey team?
A. Paul Lynde: About half.

13 Completely Useless Facts!

Adolf Hitler was a vegetarian, and had only ONE testicle.

Honey is the only food that does not spoil. Honey found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs has been tasted by archaeologists and found edible.

Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a "Friday the 13th."

Coca-Cola would be green if coloring weren’t added to it.

More people are killed each year from bees than from snakes.

The average lead pencil will draw a line 35 miles long or write approximately 50,000 English words.

More people are allergic to cow's milk than any other food.

You're born with 300 bones, but by the time you become an adult, you only have 206.

Some worms will eat themselves if they can't find any food!

Dolphins sleep with one eye open!

It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

Owls are the only birds who can see the blue.

A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue!

I really need your help in supporting two amazing friends.

I have two friends, Brent Dilworth and Nell Stetson Herman, who are participating in events this summer to raise money for cancer research and the patient care programs.  Brent and Nell are both amazing individuals, who are not only giving their time and working hard to raise money, but are participating in their events in honor of Dale’s recent fight with cancer. How amazing is that?

I cannot say it enough, but Dale and I are so blessed Dale to have friends, like Brent and Nell, in our lives. Words cannot accurately express how honored Dale and I feel for both Brent and Nell to care so much about Dale to honor him in such an incredible way. Our thanks to you both for all your love.

So how can you help?  If you could please go online to the fundraising pages of my friends and donate anything, even $5, it would make a huge difference for them in reaching their goals.  Dale and I would be so appreciative.  If you have known anyone impacted by cancer or if you have been inspired by Dale’s fight against cancer, this is your chance to honor and help.

Brent is doing a 100-mile bike ride around Lake Tahoe this summer for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, known as Team in Training. He is working to raise $4200 for this – all of which will go directly to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. His race is in honor of his Dad, who passed from cancer in 2009, his mother-in-law, who is currently battling cancer and Dale.  If you’re interested in learning more or possibly donating to Brent’s bike ride, you can visit his Web page at:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/rm/ambbr10/BDilworth

Nell is also doing a bike ride, known as The Ride for Roswell, which supports cancer research and patient care programs at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in NY.  Nell is riding in the memory of Jon Brown and in honor of Bridget Hallock and Dale. The fact is that one in two men and one in three women in America are at risk of being diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, so it is important that everyone come together to help support these types of events. If you’re interested in learning more or possibly donating to Nell’s bike ride, you can visit his Web page at:

http://giving.roswellpark.org/Page.aspx?pid=614&erid=1349301&frsid=15107

Again, my thanks for taking the time to reach this. Dale and I have already donated to Brent’s ride ourselves and will be donating to Nell’s ride once we get back from Hawaii. Dale and I really appreciate your kindness and support.

I love these photos, but I am a dork

How can you not love Star Wars action figures taking on a giant chipmunk? That is damn funny. I wish I still had my action figures from my childhood and well, a chipmunk.

View Full Album

I took a personality test on Facebook and guess what?

I do have a personality. Phew, I was worried it would say none.  Just kidding. Below are the results and my personality type. I think it is actually fairly accurate. I never thought of it this way, but Guardian seems fitting.  What do you think? Is this me?

You are: The Guardian

In general, ISTJs are systematic, painstaking, thorough, and hardworking. They get the job done and complete it on schedule. They are serious and sincere in whatever they do. They work well within a structure, follow the hierarchy, and are particularly strong and careful in keeping track of facts and details. They are cautious, generally seeking to maintain the status quo. They are at their best getting things to the right place at the right time. They honor their commitments.

You are: An Introvert

You scored 18% in the direction of Introversion, which means you are an Introvert. Introverts are more reserved, quiet, and contemplative than most. While they enjoy socializing, they also can become absorbed in private thought and enjoy time alone.

You are: A Sensor

You scored 73% in the direction of Sensing, which means you are clearly a Sensor. People who are clearly Sensors are down to earth and sensible. They trust facts and experience over ideas and imagination, and have a knack for noticing and remembering details. They focus on the present and living life as it is, holding tradition in high regard.

You are: A Thinker

You scored 29% in the direction of Thinking, which means you are a Thinker. Thinkers recognize the value of feelings but are more comfortable with logic and reason. They tend to be straightforward with others and are not easily offended. They often notice where there is room for improvement in a person or situation.

You are: A Judger

You scored 85% in the direction of Judging, which means you are clearly a Judger. People who are clearly Judgers love to make decisions. Organized and thorough in their work, they make and stick to plans. One of life's small pleasures for them is checking off items on their to-do lists. Every thing in their lives has its place, and they are diligent about putting it there.

If you are on Facebook, check out the personality test.

Sad day for Dale

This morning Dale went to our local Safeway to go grocery shopping. In the doorway, huddled in between the grocery carts, he found a small dog that was shivering and scared. The dog had no collar but overall seemed clean and cared for, with the exception of an obvious infection in both eyes. The dog's paws and fur were clean, so Dale found it unlikely the dog walked in from the slushy, wet parking lot.

Dale took the dog to the Customer Service Desk and they knew nothing about her, but did do a page over the intercom to see if anyone lost a dog. Unfortunately, nobody came forward to claim the dog.

Dale took the dog to our Veterinary Clinic, Indian Tree Animal Hospital, who kindly examined the dog and checked for a microchip. Unfortunately, no microchip and the dog's blood pressure and temperature were critically low. Also the dog's eyes were very bad from the untreated infections. Dale said the clinic was amazing and hooked the dog to fluids and placed her with warming blankets to try to stabilize her. They said they would monitor her for the rest of the day. Dale went back to Safeway in the hopes of locating an owner, but had no success.

By afternoon, the clinic called and the dog's health continued to deteriorate and with agreement from Animal Control, the clinic decided the best course of action was to put the dog down to prevent her from further suffering. From talking to Dale on the phone I could tell this broke his heart, but he also knew it was probably the right thing as you could tell she was in pain.

The clinic did determine the dog was about 15-16 years old and a Pekingese. Animal Control called Dale and thanked him for getting the dog to the Vet. Dale mentioned to Animal Control that the entrance to Safeway has security cameras, so their video tapes may show how the dog got there. Surprisingly, Animal Control called Dale late in the afternoon to tell him they did watch the tapes at Safeway and about 30 minutes before Dale came into the grocery store, they could see a woman in her late 60s or early 70s drop off and abandon the dog. Sad. Unfortunately, the bank in the same parking lot closed several months ago, otherwise they may have been able to see a car and license plate on the bank's external video cameras.

It is sad the dog had to be put down, but I am thankful the dog did not suffer in the cold, hidden all day and instead passed on surrounded by people who cared, rather than alone. I am very proud of Dale for doing the right and compassionate thing. Animal Control told Dale 10 people came in the store between the time the dog was abandoned and Dale finding her. He said you could tell several saw the dog and looked down.

It is unfortunate someone abandoned their pet, but it was fortunate Dale was there and is the man he is. Sadly, I have to assume the pet owner knew their dog was sick and with the fear of expensive medical costs made a poor decision. A very sad situation, but I am proud of Dale for his compassion. Of course, I really would expect nothing less from Dale as he is one of the most caring people I have ever met. Also, thanks to the wonderful staff at Indian Tree Animal Hospital.

Rest in peace Snowflake (yes, Dale named her). I hope you are no longer in pain and in a better place.

I am excited for the Moore Exhibit at the Denver Botanic Gardens

On March 8th, the Denver Botanic Gardens will open their new exhibit, which is twenty massive sculptures by British sculptor, Henry Moore (1898-1986). I am not a huge “art person” although I do appreciate the beauty in art, but I have been looking forward to this exhibit for months.  I think my excitement centers around how different this exhibit truly is:
1. Moore’s work is all about the relationship between humanity and the natural world and his sculptures are unique, beautiful and interesting. They are not traditional sculptures to me.
2. The sculptures are located outside throughout the Gardens, so the placement of these sculptures in nature only intensifies their beauty. It was as if these sculptures were made for the Denver Botanic Gardens. The placement of each seems so perfect. I have been to the Gardens recently for a few minutes and already seen six of the sculptures. They are amazing.
3. The sculptures are massive, which I love because you can see them from so many different perspectives throughout the Gardens – up close, far away, etc. I think it makes the sculptures even that more interesting.

View Full Album

This upcoming Thursday, Dale and I will be attending an special preview of the exhibit, so we are really excited to get to hear about the vision of the sculptures from the curator of the exhibit and get a sneak peak before it opens next month. I will let you know how the exhibit is, once I get to see it all in person.
I included some photos taken during and after the recent snowstorm by the Denver Botanic Gardens’ official photographer, Scott Dressel-Martin. He is amazing and the photos are stunning.

Don’t be jealous, but in just one week Dale and I will be…

...running our toes through the Hawaiian sand. Yipeee! This is us back in 2006 and I plan do the same thing again.

Another idea for the Tiger Woods press conference

How about they open the press conference by announcing Tiger is the next star of ABC's The Bachelor? The camera then pans to Tiger holding a rose surrounded by 20 blonde waitresses (apparently his type) in evening gowns. It could be ratings gold for ABC and show that Tiger is about finding that new Mrs. Right Now.

It is all over the news about Tiger Woods first press conference tomorrow

I think it would be hysterical if Tiger took the stage in a nice suit and right as the conference was about to start the curtain behind him opened to reveal rappers Salt-n-Pepa. Suddenly the music kicks in and Tiger raps to the song Let's Talk About Sex with Salt-n-Pepa doing backup.




Let's be honest, that is what this scandal is really all about - sex and Tiger being horny. So why not just own it. I think it would be very funny and I would have a new found respect for Tiger.

"Let's Talk About Sex"

(Punch it, Hurb
Yo, I don't think we should talk about this
Come on, why not?
People might misunderstand what we're tryin' to say, you know?
No, but that's a part of life)

Come on

[CHORUS]

Let's talk about sex, baby
Let's talk about you and me
Let's talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex
Let's talk about sex

Let's talk about sex for now to the people at home or in the crowd
It keeps coming up anyhow
Don't decoy, avoid, or make void the topic
Cuz that ain't gonna stop it
Now we talk about sex on the radio and video shows
Many will know anything goes
Let's tell it how it is, and how it could be
How it was, and of course, how it should be
Those who think it's dirty have a choice
Pick up the needle, press pause, or turn the radio off
Will that stop us, Pep? I doubt it
All right then, come on, Spin

[CHORUS]

Hot to trot, make any man's eyes pop
She use what she got to get whatever she don't got
Fellas drool like fools, but then again they're only human
The chick was a hit because her body was boomin'
Gold, pearls, rubies, crazy diamonds
Nothin' she ever wore was ever common
Her dates heads of state, men of taste
Lawyers, doctors, no one was too great for her to get with
Or even mess with, the Prez she says was next on her list
And believe me, you, it's as good as true
There ain't a man alive that she couldn't get next to
She had it all in the bag so she should have been glad
But she was mad and sad and feelin' bad
Thinkin' about the things that she never had
No love, just sex, followed next with a check and a note
That last night was dope

Let's talk about sex, baby (sing it)
Let's talk about you and me (sing it, sing it)
Let's talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be
Let's talk about sex (come on)
Let's talk about sex (do it)
Let's talk about sex (uh-huh)
Let's talk about sex

Ladies, all the ladies, louder now, help me out
Come on, all the ladies - let's talk about sex, all right
[repeat]

(Yo, Pep, I don't think they're gonna play this on the radio
And why not? Everybody has sex
I mean, everybody should be makin' love
Come on, how many guys you know make love?)

[CHORUS]

We have been cheated by the Girl Scouts & demand justice!

Yes, you read that right…those cute little girls in the green uniforms and cookies screwed Dale and I over. It is shocking, I know, especially since they are all about leadership, social conscience, self-worth and potential. Apparently they left “cookie thievery” off their mantra.

Over the past few months, Dale and I have ordered numerous boxes of cookies from random neighborhood Girl Scouts. Every time one of them came to the door, we gave into her smiling face and ordered at least one box. However, we have received NO cookies from these little girls. I also ordered cookies from a co-worker, which we did receive (thanks Ryan and Jillian), so I know the cookies are in and should have been distributed by now.

Our neighborhood Girl Scouts are bad little girls and I want my cookies now. They have stolen our cookies. There I said it and I stand by my statement – the Girl Scouts are little thieves. I cannot help but picture these little girls sitting around their Troop meetings snacking on our cookies. I bet they have their Troop Leaders drive them by our house to point and laugh. I want justice. I want revenge.

If you have any advice on how to get my cookies, please let me know. Oh, in case your advice is go to each kid’s house, that will not work as all Girl Scouts look the same to me. I cannot remember who we ordered from. I know saying that sounds bad, but all kids with cookie order forms look the same to me. Truth be told, I hear cookies and my mind wonders to thoughts of delicious Thin Mints, so I barely notice the little girl emptying my wallet. So again, any advice is welcome as we need our Thin Mints and Do-si-dos immediately or I may have to call the police.

I saw this picture online and it made me chuckle. Check it out.

It is the little things that make me happy

Several months ago, Dale and I hired a cleaning person to come every two weeks. Her name is Hilda and she is usually accompanied by her daughter or neices. They are all incredibly kind and do an amazing job. They came today so our house is all spic and span.

I never thought I would be someone who would have a cleaning person, but I love, love, love it. I am a neat freak, so having the house constantly clean is a real treat, plus it is the little touches that Hilda and Team provide that I adore as make me happy...




...such as folding all the toilet paper rolls into little triangle points. I love that. It is like living in a hotel.

If anyone is looking for an amazing cleaning person, let me know. I am happy to pass her information along. I cannot recommend her enough.

In honor of President’s Day, a quote from Bill Clinton:

“If you live long enough, you'll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you'll be a better person. It's how you handle adversity, not how it affects you. The main thing is never quit, never quit, never quit.”

I read this quote and immediately wondered if this is why he stays married to Hillary.

In honor of President’s Day, a quote from Theodore Roosevelt:

“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”

I love this quote, as it is a great reminder that if you never try, you will never succeed.

Today, Dale and I took in the movie When in Rome

Since I had today off (well, I only worked for about 4 hours this morning, sothat is a day off for me), Dale and I decided to take in a movie. Since I picked the movie Valentine's Day last, it was Dale's turn and he went for the romantic comedy, When it Rome. 

It was a cute movie, not great, but it was a nice relaxing way to spend the afternoon. I would not recommend anyone rush out to see the movie today, but it is cute enough to catch on DVD or watch on cable one day.  I personally love Kristen Bell of Veronica Bell fame and Josh Duhamel is very easy on the eyes, so that made it enjoyable. The basic premise of the movie is Beth, played by Kristen Bell is an ambitious New Yorker who is completely unlucky in love. However, while in Rome for her younger sister's wedding, she impulsively steals some coins from a reputed fountain of love, and is then aggressively pursued by a band of suitors, one of which includes Nick, played by Josh Duhamel.  The movie had its' share of corniness, in particular the entire supporting cast and the plot was fairly predictable, but I guess that is what you sort of expect going in.

The highlight of the day was not the movie, but spending time with Dale...so mission accomplished, right?

In honor of President’s Day, a quote from Thomas Jefferson:

“Delay is preferable to error.”

This actually came up at work last week. I have to respect someone who does not want to rush because he or she wants to do a great job and give a quality product. I think we sometimes lose sight of this virtue.

In honor of President’s Day, a quote from George Washington:

“It is far better to be alone, than to be in bad company.”
I could not agree more. I personally would rather be home alone, than spend time with people I do not respect or like.

In honor of President’s Day, a quote from Barack Obama:

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

This is very true. I think in many ways, so many of us are waiting for change. If we want change, then we need to get involved in the process.

In honor of President’s Day, a quote from Abraham Lincoln:

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." 

It is funny, but this quote seems so true to me. I think what will ultimately destroy America, will be Americans.

Enjoy President’s Day with these 17 Presidential facts

1. President George Washington's teeth where rumored to have been made of wood. They were in fact made of elephant and walrus tusks.

2. Standing six feet and four inches, President Abraham Lincoln was the tallest President in history.
He also used his well known black top hat to carry letters and notes on his head.

3. President John Tyler had fifteen children. His youngest child was born after he turned seventy.

4. President John Quincy Adams liked to go skinny-dipping in the Potomac River.

5. President James Buchanan was the only President throughout history to assume the post unmarried.

6. President Grover Cleveland was drafted in the Civil War but paid a substitute $150 to take his place so he could stay behind to care for his mother and sisters. Unlike President Bill Clinton who would dodge the military draft nearly a century later, Cleveland wasn’t widely criticized for this move: the Conscription Act of 1863 expressly permitted such a substitution.

7. Grover Cleveland was the only president to openly admit that he had fathered an illegitimate child. When the allegations came out during his presidential campaign, he instructed his staff to tell the truth about the child. In reality, it was never determined whether Cleveland was the child’s real father; he paid child support because he was the only single man among the mother’s suitors.

8. President Calvin Coolidge was reported to be a very interesting character. When not having his head massaged with Vaseline during breakfasts in bed or riding his own mechanical bull, he was ringing the White House doorbell and then running off to hide.

9. President Andrew Johnson was illiterate until the age of seventeen and had never attended school. Later in life, he was nearly lynched in Virginia and was forced to vacate his home in Tennessee when he opposed the South’s secession from the Union.

10. President Ulysses S. Grant got pulled over for speeding in a horse and buggy.

11. President James Garfield was ambidextrous, and could write Greek and Latin at the same time.

12. Until President Barack Obama (whose election has made history), all American presidents have claimed ancestry limited to one or more of just seven nationalities: Dutch, English, German, Irish, Scottish, Swiss, and Welsh.

13. President Warren Harding gambled away a set of White House china. He was known for his gambling addiction.

14. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in one way or the other, was related to eleven former Presidents.

15. George W. Bush walked down the aisle only three months after he met his wife Laura.

16. Three presidents have died to the sound of fireworks on Independence Day.

17. There were four presidents who were not actual presidents of the United States: Sam Houston, Mirabeau Lamar, and Anson Jones were all presidents of the Republic of Texas. Jefferson Davis was President of the Confederate States of America.

Today was a very nice Valentine’s Day

My thanks to Dale for making today wonderful and for all his love. He once again spoiled me today with a new DVD of Glee, Vol. 1 - Road to Sectionals, cookies and a delicious steak & lobster dinner. We decided to treat ourselves to a day home watching romantic comedies for Valentine's Day. It was glorious.

Happy Valentine’s Day to Dale, my love

Dale,

Thank you for being my everything. I love and adore you. You are my love today and every day to come. Happy Valentine’s Day!

                                                   Love,

                                                      Tom

 

In honor of February 14th, check out this Valentine’s Day trivia

1. 110 million roses, the majority red, will be sold and delivered within a three-day time period up to Valentine’s Day.

2. 15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.

3. 73% of people who buy flowers for Valentine's Day are men, while only 27 percent are women.

4. About 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are exchanged each year. That's the largest seasonal card-sending occasion of the year, next to Christmas.

5. More than 50 percent of cards are sold the week of the holiday, with the largest and most elaborate Valentine cards sold 48 hours before February 14.



6. 70 percent of those celebrating the holiday give a card, followed by a telephone call (49 percent), gift (48 percent), special dinner (37 percent), candy (33 percent) restaurant meal (30 percent), and flowers (19 percent).

7. Teachers will receive the most Valentine's Day cards, followed by children, mothers, wives, and then, sweethearts.

8. Hallmark has over 1330 different cards specifically for Valentine's Day.

9. Conversation Hearts: In 1866, candy manufacturer NECCO made the first "Conversation Hearts" — then called "Motto Hearts." According to NECCO, eight billion of these little candies are sold between January 1 and February 14.

10. More than 35 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold for Valentine's Day.

11. The Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare's lovers Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet every Valentine's Day.

12. Consumers will spend an average of $77.43 on Valentine's Day gifts this year.

13. E-commerce retailers expect to rack up about $650 million in sales of food, candy, flowers, and other Valentine's Day gifts. Of that amount about $350 million will be for gifts and flowers and another $45 million will be spent on food (including chocolate) and wine.

14. About 3% of pet owners will give Valentine's Day gifts to their pets.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Tom & Dale

View Full Album

I know this is very gay, but I don’t care

I am excited for Sex in the City 2. They played the new trailer when we were seeing the movie Valentine’s Day and it just made me smile. Sex in the City is my gay secret addiction. There I said it, now I feel so much better.  So where will Dale and I be on May 28th – in a movie theater full of women and enjoying every minute of it.

Colorado Garden & Home Show

Some people like flowers. Other people like chocolates. But for Dale, there is one thing that always brings a smile – home and gardening shows, so as a Valentine’s Day treat, I took Dale to the Colorado Convention Center for the Colorado Garden & Home Show.  Dale loves checking out all the home improvement, landscaping and gardening booths and of course we get to run into several vendors we have used in the past. Dale being his charming self, they of course remember him and there is lots of chatting, which is always nice. 

We usually go to this show every year and we always enjoy it. The thing I love best about the show is all the glorious displays of flowers and ponds. It makes me realize Spring is just around the corner and soon I will once again be in our own backyard with Dale enjoying the outdoors.

After the show, we headed for a late lunch at Johnny Rockets (yummy) and then came home. We were both exhausted from all the walking at the show, so it is nap time folks. A nice end to a wonderful day with Dale. Here are the snapshots I took of the flowers today. I figured this may help everyone Think Spring!

View Full Album

I know it is not the ideal time, but sometimes a break-up is just inevitable…

…and I am sorry to say that I am calling it quits with 1-800-GO-FLOWERS.  They have hurt and disappointed me for the last time. Back in mid-January, I ordered Dale flowers for Valentine’s Day to be delivered yesterday, February 12th. Yes, you read that right – mid-January. I am what you call a planner. However, my planning yielded nothing but frustration and disappointment. To me, a photo is worth 1,000 words.

This is what I ordered from their website a month ago (pretty, huh?):

 

This is what Dale received yesterday (lame, huh?):

Are you freaking kidding me? Most of the flowers are not open and look like they will never open. It was supposed to be 20 stems containing 100 roses. I have 20 stems, but there are only 56 roses. Hugely, disappointing! My picture does not show it, but they are very small and actually look like something a kid would give his Mom after picking them out of the backyard.

Dale of course being the wonderful man he is says they are beautiful and he loves them. He is so sweet, but I know that is just him trying to make me feel better. However, I think it is time I stop using 1-800-GO-FLOWERS and pick out my own flowers for Dale as shopping online has proved once again to be a total rip off.

I already emailed the people at 1-800-GO-FLOWERS and got an automated response telling me this is a very busy time of year (duh!) and they are focused on delivering flowers (ugly ones apparently), so it may takes days or weeks to get back to me (nice, shitty flowers and shitty customer service). Now, I doubt the people who do customer service are out there delivering the flowers, since they use local florists, so why can’t they answer my email? More disappointment. So I guess there is just one thing left to do.

Dear 1-800-GO-FLOWERS,

It is time we saw other people. You have once again disappointed me and shown me that you cannot be trusted. It’s over.

Your once loyal customer,

Tom

 

Is it just me? Is my disappointment justified? Would you be embarrassed to see the flowers that were delivered? I just want to make Velantine’s Day magical for Dale and those flowers were far from magical.

Last night, Dale and I went to see the movie Valentine’s Day…

…and we really enjoyed it. I know critics will pan this movie as it is not very intelligent, unique or clever, however Dale and I loved it because it was cute, romantic and fun. It is exactly what Valentine’s Day is all about – being cute, romantic and fun and it was exactly what Dale and I wanted in a movie last night. The movie is by Garry Marshall, so I think we went in expecting the romance and charm of Pretty Woman and that is exactly what you got. I even found Taylor Swift charming in the movie, so to me Garry Marshall is the most amazing director in Hollywood.

I recommend this movie for anyone who likes to see the hope of love, likes to smile and enjoys a fun, light good-hearted escape for a few hours. The movie interweaves many storylines that seem unconnected, but eventually connect all set around Valentine’s Day in Los Angeles. The movie follows an all-star cast that deals with the joy and pain of love on the most romantic day of the year. Some of the actors weave into multiple story lines and get more screen time, while others are only on the screen for less than 10 minutes…but overall the stories worked and some made the audience in our theater all laugh out loud and in a few cases all clap together. Everyone seemed to leave the movie smiling and happy, so that is a good sign. By the way, if you think Bradley Cooper is hot, see this movie because he is even hotter!

What can I say except, it was a fun date movie, I was with the man I love and it was a few days from Valentine’s Day, so how could I not enjoy my evening. If you see it or already saw it, let me know what you think.

My funny valentine or in this case, so funny valentines.

They say you should drink shakes high in protein, but…

…is probably not what they mean.

Isn't Dale the sweetest guy?

Yesterday, Dale made 5 dozen pink pressed heart cookies with cherries in the center. This morning Dale is headed to deliver these cookies to the nurses and staff at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center for Valentine's Day. Isn't that the sweetest thing?

Here is a picture of all the cookies wrapped up for the clinic. I included one of the extra cookies so you could see how great they turned out. And yes, Dale rocks not only at baking but also at packaging.




Also, if you are wondering Dale did make some for me for Valentine's Day too and they are delicious.

It has been a rough few weeks folks…

…and I have not been my usual blogging and Facebooking self (sorry). It has been crazy at work and have been working a ton of hours just to keep my head above water. Even with all the extra hours, I just feel constantly behind. For me there is one thing that causes a ton of stress and it is being behind at work. I hate when I owe more items to others than they owe to me.

So my goal is to either #1 get caught up or #2 learn to not care. Now, I find it unlikely I will be able to not care, so I guess I need to figure a way to get caught up. This coming weekend is a 3-day weekend, so I am hoping if I can knock out about 6-8 hours of work between the three days, I can start next week in a much better place. Besides, I am two weeks from vacation, so I just need to push myself and then I have seven days in the sun and sand in Hawaii with Dale. So hopefully, I will be back to my fun Facebooky self real soon.

Finally love is explained

Whenever I take my bath…

Does this look like…

This is pretty funny. Well, at least it was funny to me.

I found this interesting – 10 deadliest jobs in the U.S.

The surprise for me was Trash/Refuse Collectors. It makes sense since they are on the road so much, but still not one I expected at all. I sort of expected to see Road Construction Workers in the top 10.

Source: EarnMyDegree.com

Two for flinching

Tokyo Joe’s – great food, but sticky floors

Today, Dale and I went to lunch at Tokyo Joe’s at 120th Avenue in Westminster. Dale had a buy one, get one free coupon that was burning a hole in his pocket. Well let’s be honest, Dale will take any and every opportunity to go to Tokyo Joe’s whether he has a coupon or not. I like Tokyo Joe’s, but Dale loves Tokyo Joe’s.  He is what you may called addicted.

Our visit today was a little disappointing though. As always the food was delicious and the staff was friendly, however there were some issues with the restaurant:

• There was no place to sit since every table had dirty, leftover dishes on it
• The clean table we finally found was sticky
• The floors were also sticky
• The place smelled like beer
• The soda machine has spilled soda all around
• The place was completely understaffed
• It took 5 minutes to get someone on the staff to give us a to-go container for our leftovers

Overall, it was not the best lunch experience. I think this was completely the result of not having enough employees during the lunch rush. That was obvious since the guy taking orders at the register would stop and leave people waiting to order to bring food to the tables and even bust other tables.

Sorry Joe’s, but today you were not at your best.  Your mantra is “Great food, great service and great atmosphere” but today you only delivered two out of three.

Knowing that in 22 days, I will be getting leid…

…keeps me going right now. Hawaii here we come! I am thrilled for 7 days in the sun and sand with Dale.

View Full Album

Sorry I haven’t blogged very much this week, but…

…this week has really kicked my ass. I have a few things I want to blog about, but I am really lacking the energy. Hopefully, I will get back into the blogging more this week. Anything you want me to blog about?

Love These Little Faces

Tonight, I helped out my friend Julie and “prettied” up her blog. Check it out at http://lovetheselittlefaces.blogspot.com. I think it turned out pretty good.  I hope so likes it.  What do you think? 

The rest of our lives together

Last night, I came home to beautiful flowers and a wonderful, heartfelt card from Dale thanking me for all my love and support these past six months. It was so kind and sweet, not to mention the perfect end to an incredibly long day.

The funny part for me is from the day Dale was diagnosed, I never thought of it as "Dale is going to beat this." In my head it was always, "We will beat this." Everytime I updated on Dale's progress, I struggled typing "he" instead of "we" because to me this was our fight, not just Dale's fight.

Now don't get me wrong, I know Dale handled 99% of the fight, but I am still proud of my 1%. I was there every day. I was at every doctor visit, scan, biopsy, needle prick and procedure. I was happy to be there every step of the way.

And my true thanks and gift - Dale in remission and getting stronger each and every day, not to mention the rest of our lives together.

I think we all get so caught up in life, that often we do not take the time...

...to thank those people who make a difference in our lives. Tonight, I was quickly catching up on Facebook before jumping back onto some work I needed to finish and I realized there were two people on Facebook, who have truly gone above and beyond supporting me (and Dale) these past six months, that I told myself I really needed to properly thank them one of these days. I then thought to myself that one day will never come unless I told myself to stop, take a minute and do it now. So here goes.

View Full Album

In 2008, I reconnected on Facebook with two college friends, Nell Stetson Herman (right) and Bridget Hallock (left). Like a lot of relationships in college, we lost touch after gradation and everyone went their separate ways. I have so many wonderful memories of these women from my college days.

This post and my thanks are not about our college years, but instead how these wonderful women helped Dale and I these past six months. Nell and Bridget have been a tremendous moral support to me all through Dale's treatments and fight against cancer. From the first day I told people about Dale’s cancer, they were there will an email and supporting words. There support has continued day after day for the past six months. The interesting part is their support and love came via emails, blog comments and Facebook posts as they live over 1,500 miles away in New York. They reached out to me countless times to keep me motivated and remind me that Dale would beat the cancer.

They even reached out to Dale directly via email and offered their support to him, even through they had never met him. Bridget, a cancer survivor herself, offered so many tips and bits of wisdom from her own fight that proved invaluable to Dale and I. Nell was always there to cheer Dale on and and even sent us and the staff at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center apples from her family farm. Nell is participating in a bike ride in June 2010 that raises money for cancer research and is dedicating her participation in the event to Dale and Bridget. Bridget and Nell gave of themselves and were there for us in such an honest, sincere and caring way. They were amazing.

Nell and Bridget, my sincere thanks to you for being my friend, for being there when I needed you most and for loving Dale. You are both incredible people and I am so blessed to call you both my friends and have you in my life. You have helped in so many ways over the past 6 months and I love you both dearly. You made the last six months so much more bearable and often it was in ways you did not realize…whether it be a Facebook status that made me laugh or a quick comment to hang in there. Thank you! You are a blessing.

P.S. - Sorry, I had to pick the two photos from Facebook that I found to be the funniest. I could not resist.