Twisted and Warped

Over the holiday, I managed to snag the computer away from Hannah for a few minutes and I found some really cool weaving sites from around the world. One of the sites listed other sites she'd found and it got me looking around. What fun...two hours later, I still had nothing done. Check 'em out if you have the time (or the inclination). I love the blog name, Twisted and Warped, and the clasped weft weaving from the girl in Australia boggles my mind. She has yarn on the ground and somehow does tapestry from the top. Got to try that sometime (or maybe not!)

weavingspirit.blogspot.com
ammit.exblog.jp
callybooker.wordpress.com
mylittlekitchen.blogspot.com
narablog.com
curiousweaver.id.au
megweaves.blogspot.com
twistedandwarped.wordpress.com
saralamb.blogspot.com
leighsfiberjournal.blogspot.com

Happy New Year

OK, I am a goof. I took a whole bunch of great photos at the New Years Eve run on Belle Isle and then at Rick and Lori's for the actual midnight events....and of course, I left my camera in Milford. Hopefully, I'll connect with Lori soon so I can get it back.

What a great start to the New Year. Jackson, Hannah and I joined 1,000 other people (including our friends Lisa, Patrice, Thomas and Taylor) on Belle Isle for the four miles of festivities. Hannah only tackled the one mile run this year but it was a good healthy start to the New Year. It also made it so I could eat and drink a little at the party later without feeling too guilty.

Our New Year's Eve party tradition continued in 2008. We've been with the same group of friends somewhere in Michigan every NYE since 1980. The kids are getting older now (Kurtis is in college) but everyone still hangs. All of the teens had an amazing snowball fight/football game at 1:30 a.m. (we got 14 inches of snow in Milford overnight). Karin and Paul had sick kids and Sheri and Joe wimped out for another party but we had a great time with about 10 adults and eight teens. Karl organized ping pong and Foosball tournaments that kept the night moving. Can you believe that our NLU theme song by Meatloaf "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights" played on the radio just as Lori and I started our game against one another?? Talk about karma.

I'm glad to see the New Year begin. Always seems like a good way to assess how lucky I am to have such a cool family and great friends.

Cheers!

Holiday Roundup

We've had a great time celebrating here and there this holiday season. Here's a few snaps. My Mom got Tim a biker chick calendar. I think this ranks as the most appropriate gift of the season thus far. On to New Years at Rick and Lori's on Monday.

McCain??

Must have too much time on my hands this restful holiday. I just took this Fox 2 online quiz that asks for your opinions on the key issues and then matches you with the candidate that is most closely aligned with your views. Mine came up McCain, Clinton and then Obama. Hmmmm. I have to give this some more thought.

Merry Christmas Eve!!

We're getting ready for the Christmas trifecta. We'll go with the Robars to Mass at St. Mary's in Milford today (the church we got married in...heavy sigh!) and then go to St. Charles tonight for midnight Mass. Tomorrow is 10:00 Mass with my folks at Queen of Peace in West Bloomfield. My Dad lectors every year. It'll be great to see everyone and man, will we be blessed!!! We do Christmas with Dan's brothers and sisters on Saturday the 29th in Chelsea at Carolyn and David's house.

We helped decorate St. Charles yesterday. It sure is funny to watch 20 people all try to decorate the church. Of course, none of the lights worked and there were no hooks and several ornaments crashed but somehow it all got done. Father David is smart....his soup and chilli is the reward for all.

Still got some wrapping to do............

Ho Ho Ho Dog

Java is definitely in the holiday spirit. She got an early Christmas present. A bed!

The Big Dance

Hannah and her pals Stephanie (L) and Wesley (center) went to the big War Dance Formal Friday night at the GP War Memorial. Seemed so strange to see Hannah in heels and a dress. They had a great time even though (I think) they didn't dance with any boys.

We went to see Melani and the Mosaic Singers/Youtheatre in "Woodward Wonderland" at the DIA last night. So glad we went. Amazing singing and hilarious skits. They did a parody on Chilly Willy in the Thanksgiving Day Parade, a funny takeoff on Church Christmas pageants and a very sentimental look at the old Hudson's. The kids even did a rendition of the old Motown Christmas shows with the Temptations, Jackson Five and Aretha Franklin. Really put you in the holiday spirit.

We got eight inches of snow last night. There were only 44 people in church today. Dan and Jackson are out driving now so Jackson can get some practice cruising in the snow. He'll probably get his license in February so the more time behind the wheel, the better.

I went over to CCS yesterday. I'm 75% done with a great overshot piece with gorgeous silk yarns. I'm anxious to see it done. The class has ended for the year but I'd like to finish this piece up. It is very peaceful weaving alone over at CCS. I do miss the hub bub of the crazy students. They crack me up with their self-induced stress and constant chatter.

At home, I am weaving a Creole pattern on a scarf. I think it is going to be a present for my new next door neighbor if I finish it before Christmas.

Off to Chicago tomorrow for yet another Crain Christmas party.

Things I Am Thankful For

1. Ro
2. Two fabulous, independent, smart, curious, artistic kids
3. Healthy, loving parents on both sides
4. My Saturday weaving buddies
5. Living in the D
6. Avalon Bakery
7. People who believe in me...sometimes more than I do
8. An amazing church that not only survives, but thrives
9. A great joke
10. Diet Coke

Marathon Mania

What a fabulous day! The marathon team of Moms on the Run (Again) completed the 26.2 mile race in 4:19, right in the middle of the pack of all the female relay teams. (There were five of us. Suzanne didn't make it for the picture.) After the race, we walked slowly back to my street for the annual Burns Block Party at Pat's house. Mile 22 of the marathon goes right down our street so we always gather to cheer on the runners, especially those late in the game souls who are really hurting. Holy crap....can Pat cook! Her husband said she used 162 eggs in all the cakes and quiches she made for the Marathon crowd. We celebrated with a few mimosas and were damn proud of ourselves. There was even an eight-piece jazz band on our lawn. The weather was perfect and the friends were great. If you're really nice to me, I'll show you my medal!

Sports Stars

I love Fall. All the sports activities collide. In the last week:

HANNAH was named MVP of the St. Clare volleyball team on Sunday and is now in the midst of basketball tryouts. Their practices are from 8:30-10 p.m. at night. Ugh!

JACKSON had his last soccer game for Cass Tech yesterday. He hasn't played soccer in years but the coach recruited him as goalie and I think he had a fabulous time meeting some new kids and reacquainting him with the sport. He starts baseball conditioning next week.

RO is Up North with Rick attacking the mighty salmon for the last time this year.

and

I am in the Free Press Marathon today! Don't get too excited. I'm on a relay team of five women, Moms on the Run (Again), and will run one leg. This is the third year I've done it and it is always a blast. I'm doing the fourth leg, Belle Isle. In previous years, I've done the Tunnel route (6 miles) and the city route (4.5 miles). This year is just three miles. I'm a turtle so I hope my mile time doesn't disappoint the rest of the team...but hey, it is all about fun. I just saw my neighbor, Lynne, pull out of her driveway. She's doing the first leg (over the bridge). I'm up in about three hours.

The race goes through Indian Village so my neighbors Pat and Dan always have a fun party on their porch. We have an eight-piece band playing on our lawn to entertain the runners. Should be an interesting day, sports fans!

It is 10:03

and I am supposed to be at Mass at 11. I'm sitting here sweating away (just got done with a great Belle Isle run) waiting for Hannah to get out of the shower. Ro wants me to meet him at the St. Jean boat dock and bring him back to the launch where he stores his boat. All before church. Not sure if we're going to make it but hey, it is Sunday. If it is meant to be, it will happen.

OK, Hannah just turned off the shower. Better make this quick. My first full week at Crain went pretty good. I do think I will miss some things about life on my own but all in all, I made the right choice.

Next week is the Free Press Marathon. Our team, Moms on the Run Again, will be ready.

Cheers!

Last Weekend

Our fabulous neighbors, Sean and Amber, got married on their front porch last weekend with 200 of their closest friends. We had tents crossing the driveway, caterers cooking in the alley and a DJ in the garage. Somehow it all worked. The weather was amazingly perfect. You knew it was a real party when our deck (that housed the all-important bar) caved in with about 40 people on it! I guess it is time to replace it with Dan's dream stone patio.

Jackson went to Regina's homecoming on Sunday with Melani. They looked so grown up. With all the wedding craziness we didn't do too much on Friday night for Jackson's 16th birthday. I don't think he minded. We took their photos on Sean and Amber's front porch since it was still decked out with flowers.

Freedom

OK, I weaved yesterday. I'm going to go for a run in a few minutes. I think I finally have my life back.

Over the last month, I've opened an ice cream store, handled a marketing campaign launch for Ford, traveled to Miami for a press event, helped the kids get ready for the new school year, dealt with a myriad of bridge issues, threw a two-day Crain executive meeting and placed 900 people in 55 houses for the Crain House Party. Oh, and did I mention that I decided to shut my company and take a real job. I also debated between three job options during the last month and finally took the leap and decided to rejoin Crain as director of corporate communications.

It has been a wild August/September. I've been up late, waking up early and essentially going nuts. Talk about stress.

Here's to the changes Fall brings! I even got the computer running again yesterday. That's a sure sign that things are going to work out great.

Boycott Marriott!

OK, I've worked in hotels. I know sometimes they're oversold. I know all the right things to say. Then why was I walked?

I am writing from an uncomfortable bench in Philadelphia Airport at 2:25 a.m. (The airport terminal doesn't open again until 4:30 a.m.) In my quest to squeeze way too much into my world, I left my Ford event in Miami at 8, got on a 10 p.m. flight to Philadelphia with a connector to Detroit at 6:15 a.m. (My Bridge clients have an important meeting with a local paper on Wednesday at 11:30 so I have to get home!)

The plan was to get into Philly at 11:30 and get a few hours of shuteye in the Airport Marriott before the morning flight. I had a confirmed reservation at a way too high price guaranteed with a credit card. I get to the desk and this little tart says I've been moved to the Downtown property and the shuttle will be right here to come take me. UGH! I was only going to be there for four or five hours. I didn't want to go downtown. I used my best Ritz Carlton tactics but she wouldn't budge. I showed her my Rewards card. I revealed my receipt from the Marriott I stayed in in Miami last night. I flashed my printed confirmation. I told her about the meetings I plan. Nothing worked. The kicker was that people around me in line were getting rooms. She told me they were "pre-checked in." Such BS.

I'm running on about three hours of sleep from yesterday. (I got into Miami at 2 a.m. last night.) So before I started to cry (I was close), I asked for the courtesy of a key to the fitness center so I could at least take a shower. I got the phone number for complaints and she gave me some dumb ass $100 gift certificate. Just wait....Marriott is going to give me more than that before I'm done.

Thanks for letting me rant and rave and wish me luck tomorrow working all day on no sleep. (Coincidentally, I have a 2 p.m. meeting tomorrow at the Westin at the Detroit Airport for a meeting I'm planning for Crain. I wish it was a Marriott so I could cancel it!!)

Happy Labor Day

Our home computer has been in the shop since August 4. The old HP is supposed to be back sometime this weekend with a new hard drive (it had to take a trip to Cleveland, the hard drive capital of the world, to get its new guts). So for the last three weeks, the whole family has used my work laptop at night to check email so blogging has been back burner.

Ro and Jackson are Up North (again!) salmon fishing with the Emme male clan. They were there last weekend too. Man, are they loving that boat.

I think Robar PR is going on the shelf. Since we were told China was out of the picture, I've come to the realization that I like having a one person firm but I am way, way maxed out on billable hours that I can do myself. I can't take a vacation or even meet a friend for lunch. So to grow the firm, I would have to hire a staff. I really don't want to be responsible for staff and all the responsibility that entails. So, I think it is time to go back to the agency life. I am very fortunate to have offers from both Mullen and Team Detroit so I'm debating this weekend. Both are very different. It's probably a good thing Ro is out of town cuz I'm kind of distracted.

Speaking of distracted, I blew through a pink light this morning on Jefferson right in front of three police cars that were there for the Belle Isle Grand Prix. After I cussed, I let out a "Lord, help me" and it worked. The cop pulled up next to me, asked me to roll down my window and told me "show some respect for the city and its residents" and left. God is good.

Cheers!

Drip, drip

I like rainy days.

Cow Tipping

I spent last weekend organizing the Grand Opening for an ice cream store in Royal Oak. What craziness...magicians, clowns, balloons, prizes, 30 foot inflatable cows, milk mustache photos, cow milking machines, six kids (including Hannah and Jackson) dressed as cows and carnival games. You name it...we did it. I even put my Mom to work on Saturday. The corporate office gave away free ice cream cones for three hours on Sunday. I had the hard job of telling people in line that it ended at 4:00. Man, you'd think that we were giving away gold.

I started at Crain on Monday. So now I'm at the Bridge all morning, Crain all afternoon and squeezing in my other clients when I can (mostly at night). I've got some good interviews set up for Crain so I'm hoping I'll be done there by the end of September. Interesting wrinkle in my world......I had a chat with the head of PR at Mullen in Boston. She offered me a Senior VP job to come back and run Detroit PR. It would be some GM advanced tech work and then some new business. I can essentially name my price. I'm thinking.....

Jackson finished his driver's ed class on Thursday. Now as soon as we can get him over to the Secretary of State office, he'll have his permit. He'll drive with us for 30 hours and then take a second class. He is really excited.

This is a big week for celebrations. Ro and I celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary on Wednesday, my birthday is Saturday and my Dad turns 70 on the 29th. Now if I could only find the perfect gifts.....or the time to shop for them!

Inspiration

Hannah and I went to the Detroit Urban Craft Fair at the Majestic Theater yesterday. At first, Hannah let out a "I'm thirteen and I wouldn't be caught dead at a craft fair" groan. I convinced her this would be different and I was so right. Imagine all of one city's liberal artists with funky haircuts and mod clothing in one room at the same time. (For example, the volunteers wore capes and the room had a bar set up!) No wooden cutout crap here. Everything was original with an edge. I acquired a new purse and some homespun yarn for weaving. She bought a bracelet and a doo-hickey for her hair. We also found a perfect sock monkey baby outfit for a shower we're going to next week. Big fun. Rather than doing client work that needed doing last night, I finally got back to my loom and did some weaving. Felt great!

Dilemma

Working from project to project has been my MO since I went out on my own two years ago. So far, it has been a pretty good strategy.

I've been working really hard on the Ambassador Bridge Enhancement Project for Ogilvy since April. I know our role is only a temporary one....once they get their permits they probably won't need a PR/ad agency any longer. At best, we thought it would last until the end of the year. It's been a big challenge....everyone hates the owner, lots of government intrigue, way too many lawyers, a client who has never done PR, etc. I've gotten them some pretty good coverage over the past few months. I'm at the Bridge every morning (their request).

Here's the problem...I got a call from Crain's last week. Bridget (who I hired 10 years ago) is leaving for another job. Keith asked if I could help out for the next month or so until they hire a new corporate communications director. I explained that I am at the Bridge in the AM and they said they'd be fine if I just worked 20 hours a week in the afternoons. I like the people at Crain's a lot and I'd like to help them out.

So, if I am at the Bridge in the AM and at Crain's in the PM, I'll be taking care of my other clients (mostly Ford and JWT) during the night shift and I will never be in the office. The last time I filled in at Crain's (at CDB), it took them three months to find a new person.

We have a big meeting with the Bridge on Wednesday. Maybe they'll fire us and it'll solve all my problems!

Computer-Less

We had a great time in Toronto. It was the annual "girl trip" and it was just what I needed. Good R&R and lots of fun with my Mom and Hannah. We took the train, saw a play featuring the music of Queen, witnessed 20 foot girl/guys in pink feathers on stilts, shopped a lot, went antiquing. got my toes painted a pretty pink (Hannah went for the teen green on her nails), stayed in a very hip hotel, ate great food and just relaxed. Perfect.

Hannah and I returned from Toronto yesterday to a bunch of goofy text on the computer. Should have known not to leave the guys alone with the technology. Usually, I can run the PC recovery program and fix her up....but not this time. I think it is a job for the Geek Squad. Hope they can get it recovered.

If you get a chance, check out my brother's blog, Molson Bike Tour (link is on the right). He jumped out of a plane over the weekend. So unbelievable!