Just The Tip of the IceBerg ...

An Incredible Year!

2011-09-11T14:50:00.000-05:00

Last August (8.9.2010 to be exact) I posted my "Bucket List" as such

Bucket List (as of today)

We'll it's been an incredible year! I was able to be part of 2 Space Shuttle launches (and even was a guest in Mission Control!); attend a U2 concert in Chicago this summer (well worth the wait - an incredible band to listen to LIVE); visit Portland and Alaska - Alaska was absolutely amazing!

So now that I've crossed off a few things you might think that my list has shrunk - well I believe that once you cross one thing off you add another -- or in my case, these experiences prompt my desire to experience more!

I had someone tell me that I'm "too young" to have a bucket list. I think this person is missing the point - we never know when our last day will be and we should live each day knowing that. Life is worth living. Bucket List items are those things we hope to experience in living life. It doesn't mean waiting until we're retired or until we've (heaven forbid) told we have limited time left here.

A revised "Bucket List" is in the works (which, honestly, is constantly in review) and I'll post that sometime soon.

Now go out and live your Bucket List!

Rockin' the '80s

2011-04-21T16:03:00.007-05:00

Tuesday night was the Des Moines Civic Center’s Opening Night of Rock of Ages ~ playing April 19-24, 2011. I asked my friend Rob who typically isn’t found attending the theatre to go with me as I knew this would be a show that he would like. I was so right – he really enjoyed it!

Rock of Ages is a nostalgia, over-sexed rock musical based in Los Angeles during the ‘80s hair metal era. Big hair. Bad clothes. Girls in hooker-style costumes. Ushers handing out lighter-shaped flashlights to wave during power ballads. Lots of shtick and an absurb plot yet remember, not much about the 80s can be taken too seriously!

Constantine Maroulis from American Idol fame plays the lead with the lovely and very talented Elica MacKenzie playing opposite. Together they sound amazing! The Stage Band was fun to watch and did a great job at keeping the music true to the era.

Go see Rock of Ages. It’s definitely “Nothin’ but a Good Time”.

ACT ONE
“Cum on Feel the Noize” (Slade, 1973, covered by Quiet Riot in 1983)
“Just Like Living in Paradise” (David Lee Roth, 1988)
“Nothin' but a Good Time” (Poison, 1988)
“Sister Christian” (Night Ranger, 1984)
“We Built This City” (Starship, 1985)
“Too Much Time on My Hands” (Styx, 1981)
“I Wanna Rock” (Twisted Sister, 1984)
“We're Not Gonna Take It” (Twisted Sister, 1984)
“More than Words” (Extreme, 1991)
“To Be With You” (Mr. Big, 1991)
“Waiting for a Girl Like You” (Foreigner, 1981)
“Wanted Dead or Alive” (Bon Jovi, 1987)
“I Want to Know What Love Is” (Foreigner, 1984)
“Harden My Heart” (Quarterflash, 1981)
“Shadows of the Night” (Benatar, 1982)
“Here I Go Again” (Whitesnake, 1982)

ACT TWO
“The Final Countdown” (Europe, 1986)
“Any Way You Want It” (Journey, 1980)
“Paradise City” (Guns N' Roses, 1988)
“High Enough” (Damn Yankees, 1990)
“I Hate Myself for Loving You” (Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, 1988)
“Heat of the Moment” (Asia, 1982)
“Hit Me With Your Best Shot” (Pat Benatar, 1980)
“Can't Fight This Feeling” (REO Speedwagon, 1984)
“Every Rose Has its Thorn” (Poison, 1988)
“Oh Sherrie” (Steve Perry, 1984)
“Keep On Loving You” (REO Speedwagon, 1980)
“The Search Is Over” (Survivor, 1985)
“Renegade” (Styx, 1978)
“Don't Stop Believin' (Journey, 1981)

Where Were You When???

2010-09-13T16:35:00.010-05:00

I think every generation, every person, has their “Where were you when…?” moment – a time when something significant in history happened and you will always recall where you were at the moment you heard of it. Not knowing statistics on the matter and if it’s “normal” but for me there are several that come to mind:

*Elvis Presley’s death – Aug 16, 1977
*John Lennon’s assassination – Dec 8, 1980
*President Ronald Reagan assassination attempt – March 30, 1981
*Kurt Cobain’s suicide death – April 8, 1994
*Princess Diana’s deadly car crash – Aug 31, 1997
*Attack on America – Sept 11, 2001

But the one that I will discuss in this post is the day the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on January 28, 1986.

The Teacher in Space Project (TISP) was a NASA program announced by then President Ronald Reagan in 1984 designed to inspire students, honor teachers, and spur interest in mathematics, science, and space exploration.

In 1985, Christa McAuliffe was selected from more than 11,000 applicants to participate in the NASA Teacher in Space Project (capacity as a kind of Spaceflight participant), and she was scheduled to become the first teacher in space, with Barbara Morgan as her backup.

Our town (Framingham – a suburb of Boston) took a great interest in the whole program as Christa was a former resident, and one of our much loved English teachers, Charles Sposato, was third in line (of what I recall) from being selected. He went through some of the training and became really good friends with Christa.

Our high school floor plan was a very unique design – basically a square figure eight, with long hallways and only one story high. I was a junior and remember sitting in science class. The science hallway was like the rest of the hallways, a long corridor but the biology and physics labs were lined with glass panels that looked into the hallways (one class could see into the other class).

We were all so excited! After a few previous delays we were finally going to watch the launch. Every TV in the building was tuned to NASA TV to watch this historic event. I remember joining in on the cheering when the launch happened but the cheering quickly turned to silence and confusion as something didn’t appear “right”. There was a plume of white smoke that erupted and dispersed – sideways – and we all sat or stood there wondering what the heck had happened. There was no explosion. No explanation for what was happening. You could hear a pin drop.

Just 73 seconds into the flight the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart. Seven passengers perished and a world stood in shock.

There’s not much else I remember about that day except looking out the science class windows and seeing Mr. Sposato, head down, with his jacket and pageboy hat on, walking down the science corridor on his way out of the building to most likely handle the heaviness of what had just happened on his own or with his family.

(When I asked a friend to confirm some of this account he told me how he had set up the TV and recording equipment in Mr Sposato’s sophomore class and watched as Mr Sposato broke into tears as he watched the events unfold.)

My thoughts turned to Mr. Sposato and how he had to have felt. As a community we were excited for Christa but disappointed that OUR beloved teacher Mr. Sposato did not making the final cut. How do you comprehend that because of not making that cut, that on this day, he essentially escaped death?

That evening President Reagan, already scheduled to give his annual State of The Union Address, used the time instead to address the nation on the Challenger disaster. Three days later he traveled to Johnson Space Center and spoke at a memorial service honoring the astronauts.

“Sometimes, when we reach for the stars, we fall short. But we must pick ourselves up again and press on despite the pain.”

The disaster resulted in a 32-month hiatus in the shuttle program. At 11:37 a.m. on September 29, 1988, Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off with a crew of five and dubbed as the “Return to Flight” mission, and a chance to restore national pride in the American space program. Barbara Morgan, the backup astronaut for McAuliffe who trained with her in the Teacher in Space program and was at Kennedy Space Center watching her launch on January 28, 1986, flew on STS-118 as a Mission Specialist in August 2007.

As a graduating class the next year, we paid tribute to Our Heroes with a page in our yearbook. Mr. Sposato wrote a touching piece. It was a day in history we all will remember and forever be touched by.

It is for this reason I have attending a space shuttle launch on my “Bucket Lis t”. We must continue to reach for the stars!

As many of you know, I have been chosen with 150 other lucky participants to tour the Kennedy Space Center and attend the upcoming shuttle launch of STS-133, the next planned mission of the Space Shuttle Program! The mission, currently scheduled for launch no earlier than 1 November 2010, will be to the International Space Station. The mission will be the 39th and final flight of Discovery and the 133rd and penultimate flight of the Space Shuttle program, which began on 12 April 1981.

More information on the opportunity can be found here: http://www.nasa.gov/connect/tweetup/tweetup_10-31-2010.html

Look for a future blog update on my experience!

Bucket List (as of today)

2010-08-09T23:00:00.002-05:00

My Bucket List – an ever changing list but most of these have been around for a while:

· Attend a game at every Major League baseball field

· See U2 in concert (I finally have tix for June 2011!)

· Visit every state in the US (states left on list)

o Alaska

o Oregon

· Travel the world – Visit every continent (continents left on list)

o South America

o Asia

o Antarctica

· Specific places I’d like to visit

o Bora Bora

o Lake Tahoe

o Alaska

o & many others, of course!

· Write a book

· Serve a mission abroad

· Attend a space shuttle launch

· Run a 10k

· Learn different dances

o Salsa

o Ballroom

European Adventure Awaits!

2010-06-20T18:03:00.007-05:00

2010 Summer European Choral Concert Tour

USA, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Italy, & Czech Republic

After hearing me talk about this trip for the last two years – it’s finally here!! My daughter and I leave on Friday (June 25th, 2010) for our trip to Europe!
As many of you know, both of my children are incredible singers! This trip is the same one that my son took two years ago – hosted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Emily will be performing with other students from across the Midwest at amazing places – Reims Cathedral (Paris), Notre Dame (Paris), Strasbourg Cathedral (Strasbourg France), Lucerne’s Jesuitkirche (Switzerland), St Mark’s (Venice), St Michael’s Church (Munich), & Franziskanerkirche, Rothenburg ob der Tauber (Frankfurt).

For an overview of the last two trips (son went in 2008) visit here: http://bit.ly/91QDuG

I plan to blog and update Facebook with pictures throughout the trip – we are SO excited!

Oh, and if you'd like to see GPS footage of where we'll be/been - one of the adults on the trip has a cool little deal that'll be posted here: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0OAl5qQnPlcq2nHZF0OABqHbbH5sKH3l2

One more drop in the ol' bucket

2010-06-07T18:25:00.020-05:00

Bucket List. I have one. Do you?

Well one of the items on my bucket list is to run a marathon. I'm not naive to think I can just go out and run one, especially since I haven't ran or competed since high school. Baby steps, right?

So I set my first goal to run the 5K leg of Des Moines annual race called the Dam to Dam http://damtodam.com/.

The Dam to Dam evolved out of a 10 miler--The Riverfront Run-- presented by the YMCA in the late 1970s. The first year set the stage to run from the newly created Saylorville Dam to the Center Street Dam in Des Moines. While the race hasn't finished on the Center Street Dam, the image remains of a race from Dam to Dam. The race was started by road racers of the 1970s and it continues this tradition. The race has maintained a classic distance of 20 km; the challenge of running a 10 km times two.

Since I am not a runner I asked my 18 year old son to do the race with me, thinking that we'd both be in the same boat and would keep each other company as we straggled behind all the actual runners. Unfortunately both of us have asthma (which is very much maintained) and neither of us likes to run nor do much of it. I looked at it being something we could share together and have fun doing.

We signed up for the race about three weeks beforehand. Both of us had good intentions to train/run every day but with my busy schedule and his summer college classes, girlfriend etc we never actually ran together and were very hit or miss as to whether or not we actually got out at all.

During our "training" I kept track of each run using an iPhone application called RunKeeper http://runkeeper.com/- it keeps track via GPS of your route and pace so you can gauge your progress. I remember coming back from a run and being SO frustrated that my timing was horrible and wondered if I would ever improve. It was so much easier for me to run on a treadmill but running outside really sucked. I literally was in tears - a huge thanks go out to the friends I called upon (Pete, Neil, Justin & James) in helping me through the breakdown and encourage me to keep at it. I think my best time was somewhat shy of an 12 minute/mile pace.

On the morning of the race (Saturday, June 5, 2010) it rained buckets! Neither of us ran in the rain during "training" but were somewhat excited to do so - thinking it would be better to be wet than dying in the heat of the sun. The 20K runners had to deal with the rain (since they started much earlier than we did) but by the time our race had started it was absolutely perfect weather for running.

A couple years ago I cheered on a friend who ran the 20k so I was aware of the atmosphere but actually being part of it was a whole other thing! We hung out with other runners, took advantage of the free food and drinks, and soaked in the excitement of the day.

At race time, runners line up according to their expected pace - 7 minute mile - 8 minute mile - 9 minute mile - 10 minute mile - turtle pace/mile - haha just kidding but honestly that's where we decided to start, pretty much toward the end of the line (with 2650 other people) so we wouldn't get in the way of other runners. Adrenaline rushed in as the gun fired for the start and we were so ready to get it on!

Off we were! A few minutes into the run I had terrible shin splints and needed to stretch the pain out walking - Daniel was in great form - so I told him to go ahead and I would catch up and he quickly went out of sight. I then saw a bunch of kids around 9 or 10 zoom past me and I was like "oh no you didn't" and got back to running. I lined up with a lady who had a good pace going who seemed to keep increasing her speed as we went along which kept me moving and determined to do well. My intention was to find Daniel and keep up with him but somehow we didn't connect until after the race.

On the halfway mark I grabbed a drink for the first time and literally thought I was going to barf. If there weren't people watching I think I would've. Soon after that I saw the final stretch and tons of people lined up on each side cheering folks on. So what do I do? I get a cramp from the water and had to walk it out for a minute or so - guys running past me with energy like they had just started the race and I was so embarassed to be walking the final stretch. Fight through it!! And I did - I picked up my feet and booked it to the finish line! I was so glad the race was over!

After I crossed the line I heard announced "And Leslie Berg just came in" - which I thought was pretty cool. I tried to look at the race clock as I finished but truly I was just happy to not be the last one in. At the end of the race Jolesch Photography http://jolesch.com/ took pictures of the runners. I looked for Daniel and somehow he ended up behind me.

Gun times were posted right away and our results were:

29th place; 4th place in my division - W40 24:33 time 7:54 pace

456th place; 11th in his division - M17 32:30 time 9.45 pace

Daniel and I couldn't believe that I actually passed and didn't see him - it was surreal - like I was in "the zone" people talk about. Believe me, I was estatic that I did so well but my competitive nature makes me frustrated with myself that I wimped out and walked a couple times thinking I was THAT close to placing.

We hung around and talked with some friends and then spent some time at the Downtown Farmers Market (a first for Daniel) before heading home.

Today the official chip times were posted (final results) http://damtodam.com/results/2010/5k_w_chip_times.htm:

10th place; 1st place in my division W40 22:22 chip time 24:33 gun time 7:12 pace

456th place; 11th place in his division M17 30:19 chip time 32:30 gun time 9:45 pace

Not too shabby!!

Not sure when my next race will be but after doing so well I'm excited to actually train for it this time ;)

So this 5K - just another drop in the Bucket.

Advice?

2010-05-26T00:30:00.012-05:00

I love how my friends come to me for relationship advice – um, did you all forget that I’m SINGLE?? LOL

I think the reason they come to me is because I can look at their situations and give them the honest truth about what I see is going on – that I’m not going to tell them what they want to hear, but what they NEED to hear, and that it's coming from a place of non-judgement and love. Not saying that I’m always right (more often I am than not) but it’s kinda cool that I can often help. Tonight a friend had a “misunderstanding” with his on-again off-again girlfriend and after our chat he said that he was glad I am “a safe place to land”.

A pretty cool compliment if you ask me.

The Dalai Lama visits the South Pacific??

2010-05-19T00:14:00.000-05:00

Okay, not really but let me explain the correlation.

Yesterday was a historic day for Iowa – His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet graced us with a visit and shared some wise words with many who were fortunate to see him at the University of Northern Iowa. The message he shared focused on the importance of education, the pursuit of knowledge and the role of educators in developing socially responsible citizens. The panel that he sat on included other distinguished community leaders striving to get this same message out there.

After a long and early day (4 hour round trip drive to UNI) I had tickets to see South Pacific at the Des Moines Civic Center. I was familiar with the title and a couple of the songs but not the story, which is based on James Michener’s first book, “Tales of the South Pacific.” The musical has won 10 Tony Awards since its Broadway premiere in 1949. The story focuses on two couples who come together on an island during a tumultuous time during World War II and how ingrained bigotry threatens their relationships.

While I cringed at the outbreak of “Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” (never been a fan of this song, even when my daughter’s showchoir group included it in their shows last year), my favorite song of the production had to be “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught”:

You've got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You've got to be taught
From year to year,
It's got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught.

You've got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade,
You've got to be carefully taught.

You've got to be taught before it's too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You've got to be carefully taught!

What touched me the most about this song was the timing, especially after spending the morning listening to His Holiness talk about how children are taught, not born with, intolerance and hate. “Careful the things you say, children will listen. Careful the things you do, children will see and learn.” (I will write more about this subject in an upcoming post)

Eventually the characters of the story “get it”, so maybe, just maybe, the Dalai Lama's message at the very least did make it to those characters in South Pacific - but more importantly to the hearts of those who took in this production last night.

I found this video on youtube of the Heartland Men's Chorus singing the song above - enjoy!

Fairytale Romance!

2010-05-10T21:56:00.003-05:00

Sometimes I wonder if the chic-flicks are doing damage to realistic expectations of relationships and love. How many of us dream of that fairytale romance where “he” (or she) shows up in our life and sweeps us off our feet and we live happily ever after? I know I keep hoping that someday I find that guy that makes me want to commit to only him but doubt it’ll ever happen as depicted in movies.

Does the reality of romance come with age and experience? Having been married and in serious relationships I can tell you that for me none of those relationships happened with a “love at first sight” deal. I’ve never been the type of girl who falls head over heels in love in a short period of time. Okay, I take that back, I did when I was in junior high (looking back at old journals supports this – one day it was Eddie and the next week it was Mark – and on and on and on. Quite embarrassing to admit if this happened as an adult but somewhat expected as a teen.)

Having been single for over a year and a half now I wonder if I’m looking at all of this dating stuff the wrong way. I tend to dismiss interested guys who I’m initially not attracted to physically. I’ve tried the “get to know him and see if that attraction will develop” but for me it just doesn’t work that way. I believe that chemistry needs to be there on all accounts, especially physically, in order for the relationship to, well, just BE. I rule out many who don’t fit the physical attributes I’m attracted to (for example, and yes, I know this is not fair to many of you out there, but lack of hair on your head just isn’t a look I favor.) Don’t we all have our share of physicalities that we are attracted to? Just as I know some men are drawn to brunettes over blondes ~ how rough and boring it would be if we all fit into the same mold! I find that I "fall" when I've been able to grow a friendship that also has that initial spark.

I remember when I was younger putting together a list of qualities that I wanted my future husband to posses. The logic behind that list was to keep me focused on my future and date only guys that fit into that plan – you know, if you date losers then you end up marrying a loser. Great concept but in time the bullet points on that list shifted and I found myself looking for something different after I divorced. Many of the items on the initial list are still relevant but being more in tune with what my needs and wants are today the list has been somewhat altered.

But is sticking to the “list” keeping me from finding someone? I’m sure in some ways it is but I also know that there are some things I won’t compromise on and I’m not going to “settle” as some people do. Yes I would prefer for him to be (much) taller, for example, but I’m not going to rule out someone great if he’s only a little taller.

So what’s the point of all of this babble? Haha I’m not quite sure – obviously I haven’t really figured out this whole dating thing. Dating seems to be a form of gambling – at some point all the effort has to pay off! Right??

Ending note: Tonight as I was working on finishing this post, a VH1 show called “Undateable” aired – the show was about “gaffes guys make that repel women” – I found the show kinda funny because I would agree with most of it! Wonder what “gaffes” women make that make them “undateable” as well!?

2010-02-25T00:32:00.004-06:00

Family. Secrets. Dysfunction.

While most won’t experience near as many tramas, we can all relate in one way or another to the family of the play August: Osage County.

Set in the year 2007 in a large country home in northern Oklahoma (Osage County, a real place near the Kansas border), the story follows the lives of the Weston family who gather together one August day after Beverly the patriarch goes missing.

The opening act introduces us to Beverly, a poet and former professor, who delivers a lyrical dirge while interviewing Johnna to be their housekeeper. We learn in this discourse about the state of his marriage to Violet that he is an alcoholic and she is addicted to painkillers and other drugs: “My wife takes pills, and I drink. That’s the bargain we’ve struck.” This memorable line later casts a shadow on the final scene, reminding us that history repeats itself.

By the second act we are introduced to the couple’s three adult daughters, their husbands or boyfriends and some extended family. This act goes by quickly – filled with conversation around the dinner table as Violet lashes out at everyone seated – exploiting their secrets and broaching touchy subjects. This is not a feel-good play – but it continually keeps you hooked by offering shocks, surprises and humor with results that are as harrowing as they are hilarious. For me, the dinner scene can best be summed up with “how many flavors of dysfunction can you taste in this (dinner)?” * (this quote is credited to Tamra from The Housewives of Orange County)

There are many confrontations and confessions – involving everything from parent-child grievances, pedophilia and child abuse to incest and adultery. Although heavy at times there is comic relief to ease the discomfort that without a doubt everyone in the audience feels at one time or another. A play that focuses on the dysfunctional dynamics of family, you feel thankful that it’s not YOUR messed-up family you are watching!

Even though the play runs over three hours, with breaks in between each act, you feel like you’re watching several episodes of your favorite series. Definitely recommend this play but caution that you may find yourself processing your own family dynamics.

Disney's The Lion King

2010-01-07T02:54:00.006-06:00

When Disney's The Lion King came to the stage back in 1997 I wasn't standing in line to see it. I really enjoyed the 1994 animated movie version and thought that was enough for me. I was critical - thinking it would be difficult to recreate the magic of the film. Since the show is now playing here in Des Moines (Jan 6-24) I decided to see if it lives up to all the raves and Tony awards it's received over the years. When I asked my son who is home on break from college if he'd like to go with me he too was pretty skeptical but we decided to make it a mom/son "date" night and ended up going on Opening Night.

The opening sequence Circle of Life with Rafiki, played by Phindile Mkhize (a native of South Africa) seduces you into the menagerie of a musical. Creatively the animals journey to Pride Rock through the audience, which immediately enthralls your attention and gives you an up-close look at the costumes - using masks and headdresses to represent the animals you are clearly aware humans are controlling the costumes but this doesn't detract from it at all.

There are large elephants and rhinos, antelopes and birds, giraffes (actors on stilts), hyenas where the rear legs belong to the actors who control the mechanical front legs and head, and even a man holding a bird puppet above his head (believe me, it all works!) Beautiful choreography cleverly blends the movements of the animals into the dancing.

The story is of a young lion prince named Simba whose birth pushes his evil uncle (Scar) back to second in line to the throne. Scar plots to kill both Simba and his father, King Mufasa, and proclaim himself as king. Simba survives but is led to believe by Scar that his father died because of him and so Simba decides to flee the kingdom. Simba is then befriended by Pumbaa, a warthog, and Timon, a meerkat, who look after him, and provide brilliant comedy. When Simba has fully grown he is faced with the decision of whether to return to his kingdom which his evil uncle has almost destroyed.

The storyline follows closely the movie's plot with most of the dialogue remaining the same. There are a couple new scenes and a few new songs. Personally not sure if these were notable additions to the storyline as they seem to lack some of the luster the "original" songs carry. (I do concede however that this was Opening Night and a few technical issues with the microphones needed to be worked out). Although I was disappointed with Can You Feel The Love Tonight (both vocally and with the addition of some interpretive dance that wasn't necessary), the rhythmic African beats and melodies really draw the audience in and lends the production its character.

Although the show runs a full hour longer than the story it was based on it's worth going to see - if not for the sheer spectacle of the staging. As soon as the action started we were captivated - Disney magic was it ever! The costumes, the puppetry and the set design of the production are outstanding. We thoroughly enjoyed the actor playing Rafiki (a fun character with an absolutely beautiful and powerful voice) and Brent Harris who brilliantly portrayed the evil Scar. Take advantage of seeing another Broadway Award-Winning Musical while you can - Don't miss your chance to see it!

Cirque Dreams Illumination Dec 1-6, 2009

2009-12-01T23:57:00.005-06:00

I wasn’t sure what to expect at tonight’s Cirque Dreams Illumination performance at the Des Moines Civic Center. I have seen several of the “Cirque” shows throughout the years and while those have been pretty extravagant displays I couldn’t imagine that this show was going to be on the same scale – I mean, the size of the Civic Center’s stage alone is nothing compared to the stages I’ve seen in Vegas.

The show opens up with a black light presentation where objects interact with the cast, followed by a wirewalker, much like a tightrope walker except the wire is slack and he does some amazing acrobatics that definitely impress. Sure seems more difficult than balancing on a tight rope, right?

The two hour show is filled with contortionists, equilibrists (who balance either on inanimate objects such as chairs or metal cylinders or balance on other performers as well), trapeze artists & showcases incredible feats of strength and balance. Some of the performances leave you wondering how they even dreamed up some of that stuff – did they spend a lot of time alone as children?

The two highlights of the show for me were first the act named “An Urban Beat” – featuring Robert Muraine of So You Think You Can Dance fame (a show that I just started getting into) doing a sort of hip-hop contortionist routine and then the comic relief act provided by one of the “clowns” & four members of the audience who were directed in a “silent movie” about love and betrayal – made even more amusing by the fact that the audience members weren’t actors!

Although I wasn’t a fan of the vocalist who’s role was to be the narrator (I felt she distracted from the show – and can’t remember ever having one in past Cirque performances), overall it was definitely a unique experience. What sets this show apart from other “Cirque” performances is that the focus is on the actual performers and not necessarily the extravagant set.

I've been tagged!

2009-11-18T18:46:00.005-06:00

About a year ago my good friend Jim said if I wanted a good laugh I should check out a blog written by his sister - since that day I have followed The Brunner Circus (http://brunnercircus.blogspot.com/) almost religiously. I just LOVE the way Lisa shares a glimpse of life with her three little angels. I feel like I know these little girls even though I've never met them!

Recently in Lisa's blog she "tagged" me... so here are my answers to the 4 questions posted - enjoy!

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?

Let's see - ten years ago I turned 30 and my divorce had been final (finally) for over a year. I lived downtown at Civic Center Court apartments where my two little ones loved playing in the courtyard and swimming in the pool. This was the year I also started my career in the dental field - by working part-time for the Des Moines Health Center in the Healthy Smiles school program while going back to school for dental assisting (& later hygiene). I absolutely LOVED this job - educating school age children and doing free dental work for underprivileged kids in the metro area.

2. What are 5 things on your "to-do list"?

Well, is this a list of 5 things I need to do today, this week, this month, this year, this life? I think I'll keep it general ;)

One - to travel more OUTSIDE the USA.
As most of you know I do a ton of traveling around the country. In fact I think I've visited most of the states. So now my goal is to see more of the world and I'm making strides in this area - with a trip to Australia in December and a summer trip (2010) with my daughter to Europe - we're going to Italy, England, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany & Czech Republic. Whew - a good start, right?? :) PLENTY more to see

Two - downsize.
A few summers ago I temporarily moved to Boston to help grow the territory there - so I put all of my belongings in storage. When I moved back I moved into a home about a third of the size that I previously had, which means two-thirds of my "stuff" is still in storage. Most of it I haven't missed which tells me most of it isn't "needed". On top of cleaning out the storage unit I really would like to downsize my "stuff". Don't we all have more than we really "need"?

Three - get healthier.
A huge topic here that I'll sum up with focusing on eating and living healthier. Currently working on recovering from the car accident in September - this will be a great start!

Four - creative outlet.
When I was younger my family thought for sure that I would do something in the arts - I had a talent for drawing, a pretty good voice, danced (ballet, tap and jazz). Couple problems though, I was terribly shy and very much a perfectionist. Well I've outgrown the shyness but a really bad vocal performance years ago when my children were younger still lingers and keeps me from performing publicly. Now with the drawing, being a perfectionist always makes me wonder if my art is "perfect" - I always see flaws etc. But after living in such a creative community as Des Moines is I've come to learn that there are many different tastes and styles and someone out there might just see my art as "perfect". (hey, one can dream, right?!) Actually, I'm not thinking of selling my work but just work on my craft.

Five - to be in a great relationship with a great guy
Hey, a girl can dream ;)

3. What are snacks you enjoy?

Popcorn, chocolate cake with white frosting, Lays potato chips with french onion dip, Drake's Yankee Doodle cupcakes, red seedless grapes, watermelon, raw green beans, edemame

4. What are 5 things you would do if you ever became a billionaire?

Pay off debt, make sure my children and their children are financially taken care of for the rest of their lives, travel the world, donate money to several charities, volunteer more!

So now my turn to tag three people - @downtowndale, @alexson & @sperk15 -- look forward to your blog posts!

"moving target"

2009-07-06T15:24:00.014-05:00

Now that I am up and running, literally, with my new position, I am constantly on the go. Last week I was in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin within the span of 4 days. Love it! How do I do it some ask - not sure - just feel really blessed to have such a great opportunity before me and blessed to have the energy I do!

Being out of work is hard on the mind and body. I say body because mine sure didn't get much activity during that time. I heard one time the saying "If you want something done ask someone who is busy to do it" - this cannot be further from the truth. Something about being on that roll that keeps you motivated to DO. Not having a job with the responsibilities puts you in a rut - at least it did me. I think I watched more TV/movies in that time than I had in my lifespan before! So unfortunately during that time my body paid the price (yes, I'm a girl and I'm complaining about the weight I put on).

One of the good things I feel that came from not being busy was the ability for me to get to know more of the great people here in the Des Moines area. Most of my employers have been companies out of state and so I've done a lot of traveling in the last 7-8 years. Always being on the road though has it's drawbacks - not getting to really know people here, not taking advantage of the opportunities in the city where you live etc. Thankfully, I was able to do this while unemployed.

Don't get me wrong, I've had friends here. Really good friends. But while I was unemployed I came to know a ton of really interesting, inspiring, fun people here and I'm so glad to be a part of this community. I'm thankful that they've let me into their lives and share great times with me. I love being on the road but it's nice that when I am home and my kids are busy doing other things that I have more people I can call to hang out with. So thank you dear friends =)

Oh, and the "moving target" title, well, a doctor that I went on a date with claimed I am a "moving target" - he didn't like the fact that I travel for work and if we had continued to date it would be an obstacle he didn't want to overcome. He only had room for someone ELSE being flexible. It makes me laugh. Some day there will be a guy who can handle that sort of obstacle - sure beats some issues they could be dealing with!

The One Flaw In Women

2009-06-01T13:30:00.017-05:00

The One Flaw In Women

By the time the Lord made woman,
He was into his sixth day of working overtime.
An angel appeared and said,
'Why are you spending so much time on this one?'
And the Lord answered, 'Have you seen my spec sheet on her?
She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have over 200
movable parts, all replaceable and able to run on Diet Coke and
leftovers, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart and she will do everything with only two hands.'

The angel was astounded at the requirements.
'Only two hands!? No way!
And that's just on the standard model?
That's too much work for one day.
Wait until tomorrow to finish.'

'But I won't, ' the Lord protested.
'I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart.
She already heals herself when she is sick
and can work 18 hour days.'

The angel moved closer and touched the woman.
'But you have made her so soft, Lord.'
'She is soft,' the Lord agreed, 'but I have also made her tough.
You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish.'

'Will she be able to think?', asked the angel.
The Lord replied, 'Not only will she be able to think,
she will be able to reason and negotiate.'

The angel then noticed something, and reaching out,
touched the woman's cheek.
'Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model.
I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one.'

'That's not a leak,' the Lord corrected, 'that's a tear!'
'What's the tear for?' the angel asked.

The Lord said, 'The tear is her way of expressing her joy,
her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love,
her loneliness, her grief and her pride.'
The angel was impressed.
'You are a genius, Lord.
You thought of everything!
Woman is truly amazing.'

Yes she is! Women have strengths that amaze men.
They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in.
They stand up to injustice.
They don't take 'no' for an answer when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about a birth or wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong
when they think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.
They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideals.
They give moral support to their family and friends.
Women have vital things to say and everything to give

HOWEVER,

IF THERE IS ONE TINY FLAW IN WOMEN,

IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

A Lost Family Tradition

2009-05-24T21:58:00.007-05:00

During my formative years my family had a lot of traditions that we would honor every year. A silly one like making creampuffs before watching The Wizard of Oz as a family every time it came on TV eventually went by the wayside as we grew up (simply because the creampuffs weren't all that tasty and because the movie was now available via VHS tapes to be watched at anytime). I tried to continue this tradition with my own family but unfortunately couldn't convince my children that the creampuffs WE made were awesome!

One tradition that I miss very much would happen on Memorial Day. Evidently there are several extended family members who either served or died (specifically during WWI) while serving our country . Every Memorial Day, which in recollection often would be a rainy day, we would get up early in the morning, drive to the family cemetery that is filled with old gravestone and markers, reunite with extended family members (some of whom we kids thought were the "weirdos" of the family and only saw during this time), listen to a speaker recap the bravery or years of service those before us offered, all before the tear-jerking 21 gun salute and taps in the distance were performed. We'd then sit through a parade before heading back to a family member's home for a gathering/cookout.

I moved away from home after high school after which time my parents soon divorced. I have not been back home for a Memorial Day celebration since I left. My children have never attended a Memorial Day celebration with me (I will say that they most likely have celebrated the holiday differently with their dad's side of the family since their grandfather is a retired Lieutenant Colonel).

In my experience Memorial Day seems to have become a celebration of the beginning of summer and an extra day off work. I'm sure there are many who celebrate the day as it should be and I admire that. As I said, I miss the tradition of how my family celebrated it.

So today I honor those men and women who serve our country. The freedoms that we enjoy came at the cost of American lives and I thank them and their families for those sacrifices. A sincere thank you especially to my dad (Marines) and my brother (Army) for their service as well.

Even the kitchen sink!

2009-04-16T21:58:00.008-05:00

A HUGE thank you to Kevin McCarthy, Sales Promotion Coordinator at ABC5 (WOI-TV) for the free tickets last night to see STOMP at Stephens Auditorium at Iowa State University. Because of Kevin’s generosity three friends and I were able to take in the show, after a quick dinner stop at the Pita Pit, and had a great time!

Created in Brighton, UK, STOMP has been performed around the world since 1991. With an eccentric cast of eight that didn’t utter one word the entire time, they incorporate a combination of facial expressions and body movements along with props to produce an amazing and humorous show. Constantly moving and using things one would find around their home they communicate the universal language of rhythm and sound. The items they use: brooms, Zippo lighters, garbage can lids, plastic bags, boxes of matches, rubber tubes, newspapers, water, even the kitchen sink! – all become “musical instruments” in an unconventional sense.

The first time I saw STOMP was in 1994 in Chicago. I remembered enjoying the unique combination of percussion and movement yet didn’t recall being as entertained as I was last night. Over the years they have changed their show somewhat but the additional use of humor definitely enhanced the experience for me this time. All four of us laughed throughout the show. And the interaction the cast had with the audience kept everyone drawn in. A truly enjoyable performance.

The only disappointing thing for me was the continuous use of the same beat (most of the compositions were in 4/4 time) which is the most relatable, but as someone who’s familiar with music and has two children who compose, I would’ve liked to have heard some more melodic or raw noise.

When my son, who has had an ear and talent for music from an early age, first saw STOMP, he came home and started using everything he could find to produce new sounds. To this day I still have to ask him to stop tapping on things! I’m sure there were many kids who went home last night who will share that same experience with their parents for many days to come!

"Too Beautiful For Words"

2009-04-08T22:58:00.003-05:00

Sometimes a show will surprise you and The Color Purple is just that show. I admit, I have never read the novel or saw the movie but the musical at the Civic Center of Des Moines Tuesday night was worth the wait. Absolutely AMAZING!

If you’re not familiar with the story, Alice Walker’s 1982 novel The Color Purple takes place in rural Georgia – a story that spans about 30 years in the lives of two black sisters during the 1930s. Celie, the poor and uneducated of the two, who at 14 is raped and impregnated twice by her stepfather. After her children are taken away to "be with God," she is forced to marry the widower Albert who has four children, and is physically and mentally abusive toward her and everyone around him. The younger and evidently educated sister Nettie, after unsuccessfully being seduced by Albert, retreats to the home of a pastor, and promises to write to Celie. As time passes, no such letters appear and Celie assumes that Nettie is dead.

Celie finds the path to redemption in two key female role models: Sophia, a heafty independent woman who refuses to be taken advantage of by her husband or any man, and Shug, a sassy, independent singer whom Albert has always loved but was forbidden by his father to marry. It is Shug who first offers Celie love, friendship, and a radically new way of looking at life. (There is also a lesbian element in the story that gets swept aside outside of a couple timid kisses and some platitudinous lyrics.)

Finally, Celie leaves Albert to follow her own desires and discover her own talents and abilities. The story ends in celebration with Celie being reunited with her sister and Albert getting a shot at redemption.

Kenita Miller who plays Celie has an astounding voice – her range is absolutely amazing and several times I had goose bumps! And yes, a few times I got chocked up as well. (My date jokingly offered me tissues to stave off the tears!)

There’s a trio of gossipy church ladies in spectacular hats that serve as a Greek chorus who provide a trio of scene-stealing performances. From their facial expressions to their acting, they are hilarious and highly entertaining.

I could not get enough of the gorgeous and exquisite score – an interwoven mix of gospel, pop and African music that give the score authenticity.

It was certainly a pleasure to observe and enjoy a musical that uses emotions and music to fill your heart with song and love. No need for special effects or gadgets, the great cast and beautiful score is what The Color Purple has and that alone will amaze your eyes and heart. You may even say that it’s one of those shows that are “Too Beautiful for Words.”

Grocery Store Guilt Trip

2009-03-22T19:47:00.003-05:00

Today I was in line at the grocery store (one of my most dreaded chores ever) putting my selections on the belt to be scanned and I hear "paper or plastic?"

I don't know. Choose paper and there goes the rainforest. Choose plastic, and landfills grow taller and sea critters choke to death on the littered remnants.

Paper or plastic?

The correct answer, of course, is "neither." The correct answer is "Oh, I've got a cloth bag, thanks." The correct answer is "I'm doing my part."

But do I own a cloth bag? No. No I don't. I have been meaning to get a cloth bag. I have. Really. I mean, why not?

Well, there are a couple reasons why I haven't purchased one: I will most likely forget to bring it, and be in the same situation I am in now and feel guilted into purchasing another bag. Another reason I haven't purchased a cloth bag is because the cloth bag that you chose says something about you, so you want to choose the right one.

Apparently, cloth bags have become a fashion statement. They sell, I'm told, for $15 and up - designer environmentalism.

I look over at other counters and there is a lady with a cloth bag. Then another. But even in this center of environmental awareness, my thoughtlessness has company. Does that make me feel any better? Nah, mass procrastination somehow doesn't help.

"Do you sell any cloth bags?" I say to the cashier.

She points to a stack and says "They're $1.99 each."

I think about the number of shopping bags I often come home with after a grocery store run and decide to purchase six.

A small step, yes.

GIRLS ONLY!

2009-03-22T19:11:00.004-05:00

I haven't seen a production at The Temple for Performing Arts in years and was quickly reminded of how the venue plays well for certain performances. GIRLS ONLY now playing there through May 10th is the perfect venue for this show. With a two woman cast and interactive audience participation, this is a must see for all females.

The opening scene - looking back at old diaries and the entries of their lives as teenage girls, was a great start - how many of us could so relate!? I kept a diary throughout my teenage years - some that had that secret lock and key to keep prying eyes out (did it really?) You can't help but laugh at the entries about the cute boys we had crushes on, the silly things we experienced as teenage girls - complaints of our unfair parents or arguments with our siblings. Fond memories of days we all shared even if we didn't know each other.

The play felt like an adult slumber party with a mix of sketch comedy, improvisation, audience participation, and hilarious songs and videos. It is not about male bashing, but rather a celebration of all things girlie. It reminds you that underneath, women all have very funny and very charming feminine similarities.

Really do take your girlfriends, mothers and daughters to see this - a great time for all!

Ticket information here: http://www.civiccenter.org/events/girls_only_178.php

You Can't Stop the Beat!

2009-03-21T15:49:00.006-05:00

HAIRSPRAY playing this weekend only at The Civic Center, is a musical based on a 1988 John Waters film that tells the story of a rather plump young girl with big hair named Tracy who is growing up in 1960s Baltimore, when racial segregation was the norm but integration was gaining momentum. Tracy loves to dance and her biggest dream is to be on a dance show that features pretty thin girls and cute boys.

Going into it I kept an open mind as I often expect "remakes" to not be as good as the originals, you know, like a book is almost ALWAYS better than the movie. This performance was for me, the "remake" as I have seen the recently filmed musical with John Travolta, Christopher Walken and Michelle Pfeiffer in the leading roles.

The show was great!

So many fun characters like Link Larkin, the teenage heartthrob of every teenage girl; Amber Von Tussle, the popular pretty girl who doesn't like anyone who is not exactly like her; and Penny Pingleton, Tracy's skinny dorky HILARIOUS best friend. But let's not forget Tracy's parents, Edna and Wilbur who literally stole the show with the funniest scene last night by losing it with laughter and trying to hold it together to finish their song.

The show was packed full of energy and humor. With dynamic voices, beautiful choreography, bright colorful costumes and set design, you almost forget you're being entertained with a message of tolerance and somewhat of a cinderella story.

I definitely recommend catching this show while we're fortunate enough to have it here in Des Moines. On that note, I wantto thank the staff at The Civic Center for all they do to bring great shows to our town! Keep up the great work!!

Omigod! How could you not adore this musical??

2009-02-25T14:53:00.001-06:00

With an opening piece called “Omigod You Guys” you know you’re in for a fun and hilarious show!

Tuesday night my daughter and I attended the Civic Center of Des Moines’ opening night of Legally Blonde: The Musical – a film-to-stage adaption of the 2001 comedy that starred Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, a UCLA Delta Nu sorority girl who follows her true love to Harvard Law in an effort to win him back and prove she’s the right one for him. A deep story line, no, but you go into this knowing it’s going to be a sugary, over-the-top production and one to enjoy.

Filled with lots of funny one-liners, including modern day references, that kept going and going we found ourselves laughing the whole way through. The dance routines were adorable (I found my daughter who is in show choir mimicking some of the dance moves in her seat a few times). There was even an amazing choreographed jump rope number was pretty impressive.

The strong ensemble cast was able to shine with impressive and minimal stage work, catchy music and clever use of cheerleading motifs, after all is it a peppy, energy drink filled performance!

The whole cast commits so much to the production that you can't help but be swept up in the enthusiasm for the two and a half hour run time that seemed much, much shorter.

Unless you’re truly a fuddy dud, there is something for everyone here. Don’t miss out and get your tickets here http://www.civiccenter.org/ -- see it before it moves to another town.

Miracle or Coincidence?

2009-01-17T15:30:00.003-06:00

There has been lot of media coverage about Thursday's US Airways Flight #1549 being forced to land in the icy Hudson River with all 155 people on board being safely rescued. The stories coming out from this whole experience are absolutely amazing!

Headlines have touted this as the "Miracle on the Hudson" but calling it such has caused some debate.

Over the last couple days I have read several blogs and articles expressing disdain that this whole ordeal has been called a miracle - citing that the pilot and crew did exactly what they were trained to do...that the safety of the passengers was a product of good training and good engineering...and the pilot is a hero.

Is the pilot a hero? ABSOLUTELY. Was this a miracle? ABSOLUTELY. Is it one or the other? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg said: “Hemingway defined heroism once as grace under pressure and I think it’s fair to say that Captain Sullenberger certainly displayed that yesterday.”

Often what one considers a miracle another considers coincidence. There are many things that came together at the right moment that can not be dismissed as mere coincidence.

The pilot is an ex-fighter pilot who is also a consultant in aircraft and airline safety, as well as a glider pilot in his private life. The fact that he is an expert pilot with gliding skills was most likely key, as was having a great co-pilot, Jeff Skiles (a 23-year US Airways veteran) and a fast-acting flight attendant crew. All of these people and their training saved lives.

Not to forget, three commuter ferries that were nearby and assisted in the immediate rescue efforts - saving people from frigid conditions which otherwise would've claimed survivors of the landing.

It’s been said that faith precedes the miracle – for some of the survivors this miracle has strengthened their faith.

One of the first passengers interviewed, Jeff Kolodjay, was on the flight with his father Bob. When Bob was finally interviewed he said: "before this I didn't believe in God too much but (I) do now."

Another survivor is quoted as saying “God’s will and Sully’s skill”.

Something a fellow twitter member said made sense to me: @ronninger said: “Everything had to go wrong to sink the Titanic and everything had to go right to land a plane in water. Still thinking about that miracle.”

Do I believe in miracles? Yes, I do. I believe that miracles are usually worked through the actions of people. And in the case of Flight #1549, many people helped and many things came together that cannot be dismissed as coincidence.

"What Would You Do?"

2009-01-12T19:07:00.002-06:00

ABCs Primetime Limited Series “WHAT WOULD YOU DO?” premiered last Tuesday. The first segment was aired in 2004 and it examines how people react when a situation cries out for action - will they step in, back away or just walk on by?

The series captures people's reactions to provocative situations. Whether they're compelled to act or mind their own business, John Quionones reports on their split-second and often surprising decision-making process.

From light-hearted situations like missing out on a supermarket prize to potentially life-threatening scenarios where people are faced with how to handle a baby left alone in a hot car, the series will look at what people actually do in the face of everyday dilemmas that test their character and values.

The Columbia Journalism Review said: “What Would You Do?” is “the flip side of reality TV…rather than show how people act in manufactured situations when they know they are being watched, they show us how people act when they don’t.” This episode had two segments:

* LATINO DAY LABORERS: “What Would You Do?” explored how people reacted when they witnessed blatant racial discrimination. In this scenario, Latino men and women attempted to place an order in broken English at a deli in downtown Linden, NJ. But their requests were met by extreme prejudice from the cashier. Hidden cameras captured how customers responded to the scenario.

One black man angrily advised the laborers to get out of the deli (he admits later to being mad at immigrants for taking away jobs)
One of the actors portraying a laborer cried later at the way he was treated

* AMERICAN TOURISTS: For the first time, “What Would You Do?” traveled overseas to find out how American tourists, oblivious to French culture, would be received in Paris. The Americans in this situation are loud, annoying and don’t know the difference between haute couture and oat bran. John Quionones found out what the French will do with these ‘obnoxious Americans.’

A German tourist was mortified that the American tourists were wearing t-shirts with 'Bush 08' on them and commented that "this is nearly as if I had a t-shirt: 'I like Hitler.' You know?"

One Parisian's opinion of Americans: "they are the center of the world but they are idiots"

One lady gets in the female American tourist's face and says "behave yourselves; you're travelling, you're abroad, you're a guest in this country. behave yourself" and moments later she comes back and says "well f**k you. Go back. Go Home. Go Home. You've ruined it." She turns out to be an American tourist.

Compared to the French, the Americans were much nicer. The most obnoxious tourist: THE FRENCH: "If you're not happy here go back to America".

Some of the upcoming topics include:

* NOT CHARGED ENOUGH ON YOUR BILL: If you ordered an expensive bottle of wine at dinner and when the check comes the waiter has forgotten to add it to your bill. What would you do?

* DATE RAPE DRUG: How will people handle witnessing a stranger slip a suspicious powder into his unsuspecting date’s drink? What if the female is dressed provocatively?

“What Would You Do?” has won awards from the Chicago International Television Festival, and the Avon Foundation’s 2006 Voice of Change Award for exposing “injustice and wrongdoing against women and bringing the message of domestic violence to the mainstream.” The foundation called the program “an important work of journalism that illustrates the unwillingness of many people to become involved or speak out against domestic violence.”

This show, albeit concocted, is a social experiment that tackles domestic violence, racism, attacks on the homeless, date rape, hazing - and as a note, not all of the segments are serious.

"It's the kind of insightful television that makes you think; a powerful reminder that you're not in this world alone. You have to look out for your fellow human beings."

ABC has nine more episodes planned.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar...or is it?

2009-01-05T18:50:00.002-06:00

Yesterday after learning that a friend of mine, who broke up with her boyfriend not even a week ago, is going on a date with a new guy this week, I tweeted "not sure why it still amazes me that some can move from one relationship to another in such a short period of time ". The response I got from fellow tweeters was pretty amazing.

Here are some of the tweets I received (with my replies in blue):

as a man, its the easiest way to avoid pain of breakups. seek solace in the affirmation of a woman.

in the long run does it really ease the pain? dependent behavior is not healthy. but hey, what do i know

Many people have no idea how to be single. how many people do you know that havent been single for 6 months total lifelong

If you didn't really have that much invested in the relationship to begin with, what's the harm? Y cry over spilt milk?

very true! then there's folks like me who don't rush into the next one and next thing you know it's been a year!

oh i know the feeling

vested is all relative

PLENTY of us have been single for 6 months or more over the course of our lives! Celebate? No. Single? Sure.

lol, also very true
agree with @abc ... Also, sometimes those "new relationships" are meant only as distractions and palette cleansers.

dating" is one thing..."relationship" is another. i'm talking about relationships - definitely more serious than distractions

Well, I meant that they're meant as that and then accidentally become more. We're all different; To each his own.

could be quite the debate but you're right in that we're all different and what works for one doesn't always work for the other
Now, if I were a professional feelings-type person, I'd explore why the delay between relationships. :-)

re:delay-feel i owe it to myself & the next relationship to be emotionally ready for it. self reflection and knowing what i want
i only last the time it takes a girl to agree to date me between relationships

I rushed into my last two, but with friends I would have ended up with eventually anyway. Married the last one ;)
could be quite the debate but you're right in that we're all different and what works for one doesn't always work for the other
as sigmund freud said once, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar"
"isn't that what you would expect from someone who always had a cigar in his mouth to say?"
i think its one of them thar doubl meaning phrases. Like a double antena...double nintendo?

love that this stirred so much debate! always interest in human social behavior/social science
I can see that. Are you a long-term relationship person or do yours tend toward the 6 mo - 1 yr.> mark?
since i've been divorced over 10 yrs (after a 10 yr marriage) i would average more toward the 6mo-1yr mark, yes.

someday im gonna write a book about everything i know about women. 120 blank pages
sometimes i feel like i could say the same about men!

Although we didn't always agree, it was fun to debate relationship views with other tweeps.

Obviously I think it's too early for this friend to start dating. To be fair, who's to say that my time frame for working through things is the same time frame for her, but few could say that a week is enough time after a serious relationship.

One tweep asked me "why the delay between relationships?" - Good question!

The idea that people carry emotional baggage from prior relationships into new ones is a reality. Most people do it - I know I have. I want to minimize the amount of emotional baggage I bring into a new relationship.

If the relationship was important shouldn't there should be emotions that need to be sorted out? It's okay to feel bad - it's honest. Deal with the emotions of that loss before moving on.

"Seek solace in the affirmation of (another)" - in my opinion, WRONG! But so many of us do this. Starting to date when you haven't yet dealt with the just-ended relationship is replacing the loss. It carries with it the likelihood of sabotaging the new relationship.

Although I know the saying "time heals all wounds" is a fallacy - with action it may scab them over. Suggestions that time is the primary component that indicates when you can start dating again is crazy.

This is a subject many, many books have been written about and I can't claim to have any expertise in the area. I just know that for me I need time to heal before moving into a new relationship. Did I plan to be single for the last year? Absolutely not. I've been on dates. But I have made peace with my past relationship and know what I want from my next one and what I have to offer. I just believe my friend owes it herself to be emotionally ready for that next guy - who knows, he just may be the love of her life.

Relationships. Complicated to say the least.

Stalker Dude on New Year's Eve

2009-01-02T13:35:00.011-06:00

There always seems to be a lot of hype that comes with New Year's Eve - parties are planned, new outfits are shopped for, expectations are set. This year, I had no plans for the night until a good friend of mine said she needed to get out after breaking up with her boyfriend. We talked about a "girls only" night where the focus would be on having fun and not in trying to meet guys. In talking with our other single friends who seemed to currently be anti-men, that was our goal for the night - a Girl's Night of fun.

Yea, I'm sure you've already figured out how successful this turned out! Not long after we sat down a stalker guy that K knows showed up and made himself at home at our table. He tried to manipulate the conversation, profess his love for her since 5th grade and had the social skills of a pet rock. Normally I can tolerate most personalities but after a couple hours of this guy I had had enough. I sent out "save me" looks to people sitting around us - even the band guys kept saying things to us from the stage in trying to help - yes, it was that bad. After being asked by this guy 3 times if I had kids (guess he forgot about the pictures on my phone he asked to see of them), and how I deal with my divorce (I've been divorced for over 10 years now - what's there to deal with??) I finally asked if he was okay. When he replied that he was, I said, "no, seriously, are you okay? You're not acting right" When he walked away I thought we had finally gotten rid of him.

After he left, one of the guys at a nearby table that neither of us knew (we'll call him J) came over and starting talking with us. Their group had been watching us throughout the night and funny little exchanges went back and forth. When stalker guy came back to our table after about 20 minutes I had lost any desire to be nice and took the invitation from the aforementioned table to come and join them; leaving my friend with stalker guy and J.

I enjoyed the conversation with this new group - mostly younger couples - glancing over every now and then to see how my friend K was doing. Finally K & J joined me, minus stalker guy, and said they had finally gotten rid of him. When asked how they were able to accomplish this, J said he introduced himself to stalker guy and asked how he knew my friend to which he replied "none of your business" followed by "how do you know K?" J's answer of "well, she and I have been dating on-and-off for some time now" did not go over well with stalker guy. But it wasn't until K intentionally grabbed J's butt in front of stalker guy did he get the hint and storm off mad. Believe me, this was quite a show for the people sitting around us. I however was just glad to have the drama done with.

We ended up spending the rest of the night with this new group of people (sorry to my other friends that we didn't make it out to see you). K and J did their flirting thing back and forth and I socialized with a bunch of new people. Band guy announced to the entire place that I was going to be his midnight kiss and one of the guys at the table that I sat next to said HE was going to be my midnight kiss - all of which made me very uncomfortable - certainly not what I had expected at all. So being my sly little self, I headed to the ladies room about 5 minutes before midnight to avoid the whole situation. On the way, I ran into a friend that I hadn't seen for a long time and we started talking - seems he was there having a "guy's night". Next thing I know he leans over and kisses me - yep, it's midnight. Lucky me.

I finally get away from that scene and head back to the table only to learn that I've disappointed two more guys by disappearing. Believe me, I know they weren't that disappointed in reality but am still thinking to myself "wow, what's the big deal with this midnight kiss!?" I do my best to diffuse any ill feelings and we enjoy the next couple hours just hanging out. I end up driving myself home and K decides to hang out with J and they end up talking the rest of the night.

Overall, the night was a lot of fun. Not hard for me to enjoy myself no matter what the venue but honestly I was somewhat disappointed. I was really looking forward to just hanging out with girlfriends. The other girlfriends that we were supposed to meet up with that night also had their own men drama as well. Maybe it was unrealistic to think that the "biggest night" of the year would be men or drama free - after all, we are women ;)

Auld Lang Syne

2009-01-01T22:17:00.014-06:00

At the stroke of midnight in almost every English speaking country the song "Auld Lang Syne" (written by Robert Burns in 1741) is sung to welcome in the New Year. Although we "sing" this song, few of us actually know all of the words (do you?) I know I've heard and sang my share of mumbled renditions. Did you know that the title literally means "old long ago" or simply "the good old days"?

I had to research what the lyrics of the song actually are:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet For auld lang syne
We twa hae run aboot the braes And pou'd the gowans fine;
We've wander'd mony a weary foot Sin' auld lang syne
We two hae paidled i' the burn, Frae mornin' sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd Sin' auld lang syne
And here's a hand, my trusty friend, And gie's a hand o' thine;
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o' kindness yet For auld lang syne

From reading the above, it's pretty understandable why so many of us don't know the words!

Now in singing this song at the stroke of midnight, we're wishing the year past a farewell and welcoming in the New. With the dawn of a new year, many of us take the time for self reflection and ways to improve upon imperfections; but as this song reminds us, we should also remember the past year fondly.

How many of us make a list of resolutions to start working on January 1st? Some of these resolutions make repeat appearances on our lists year after year - after all, not one of us is perfect. We go full force for a while on these goals and when we've fallen short on them we feel worse about ourselves than when we started.

A Franklin-Covey survey done in 2007 found that 35% of the respondents broke their resolutions by the end of January and only 23% didn't ever break them - * http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS132935+18-Dec-2007+BW20071218
I guess it's kind of nice to know that I'm part of these statistics =P - because yes, I am guilty of not following through with resolutions I have set to accomplish starting on the first day of a new year.

Going back to the song, a key part I think a lot of us are missing out on is the "good old days" of what we experienced and learned from the previous year. We wouldn't be who we are or where we are without our past. Learning from our experiences only makes us stronger.

So for this year, I decided that instead of making New Year's resolutions, I'm going to think positively about the year to come and what I can achieve. I am constantly evaluating (and reevaluating) my daily, weekly and monthly goals as a business professional and for myself personally. I believe that this is the best way for me to move forward in this challenging thing we call life. By thinking positively, the experiences of the "good old days" can be viewed as opportunities to learn and grow from and not as failures. To me it sounds like a win-win situation!

When is the last time you rewarded yourself for failing? Probably never! Instead of mentally punishing yourself for not succeeding, buy yourself an ice cream cone and say, "I'm one step closer to success!" Stop letting failure have the negative hold it has on your thoughts and emotions. Think positively about the year to come and what YOU can achieve.

Please share your thoughts!

Guest Blogger Leslie Berg for Brian Allen KSFY - ABC

2008-11-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

Guest Blogger Leslie Berg

((Brian's Note: Leslie Berg is a medical sales executive in Des Moines, Iowa. She has two kids and, a good heart and a great sense of humor. I asked her to join my "guest blogger" family and she agreed.))

With a career in sales I attend a lot of social activities - to either network or make a presence for my company. The main benefit to me is meeting new people and stepping outside my circle of colleagues and professionals and learning something new.

About a month ago at a local chamber event I met Nathan T Wright, founder of Lava Row. As typical of most conversations, the inevitable question of "what do you do?" came up and I could tell that he was actually surprised that I had heard of social media - admitting fully that my knowledge of social media was limited to MySpace and Facebook. Nathan shared with me that there is much more to social media and suggested that I check out a site called "Twitter.Com". That night I logged on.

I like to think that I'm in the know with most of the digital world - I mean, I sell high tech digital products for medical and dental teams, I am hooked to my BlackBerry 24/7 - I text like a fiend and am on those two previously mentioned sites connected with friends and family all over the globe. I am on email constantly and read a lot of onsite/web information. But this Twitter thing was different.

For those of you not famiiar with Twitter, it's a microblogging servcie where each entry can only be 140 characters long and starts with one question: "What are you doing?". Isn't this one of the first questions we often ask our family and friends? Even if the answer is just mowing the lawn or watching a movie, it's interesting to us. It makes us feel connected and a part of each other's lives. Of course we have email and blogs and phone to keep us connected but most of out day-to-day lives are hidden from people who care. You wouldn't want to send an email to a friend telling them you're having the best meal ever or that your toy Yorkie escaped from the car while you were pumping gas and you had to chase her all over the gas station lot and you're not sure who looked sillier, you or the dog? Real life happens between blogs posts and emails and now there's a way to share - Twitter.

I know, I know...sounds silly....and some of the times it is...but it's also a public forum for fans, reviews and raves and it's not just for web-savvy kids but adults and professionals, college students, companies, restaurants, news organizations- you name it! Twitter allows you to share short bite sized updates about your life and follow the updates of people that matter to you via the web. Interesting articles, websites, pictures, links are all shared in short postings- giving us a glance of what interests our friends. Twitter pages look a little like blogs with very short posts. Each page is personal and has updates from friends (you choose who you want to follow). I especially like the little pictures that are posted next to each of the posts, giving me a glimpse of the person who posted0 those who know me know I LOVE pictures!

When Brian asked me to write a guest blog for him this weekend I was shocked- ME? Write a blog? I had never written one before. What do I write about? Something political? Something funny? So I asked some friends what they thought I should write about and they reminded me that being on Twitter every day is like writing a mini blog.

This week I attend my first Tweetup - a gathering of local Twitter users. It was fun to meet some of the people I Tweet with on a daily basis and interact with them outside 140 characters at a time. Mark made me laugh hysterically when he pointed at me and said "you're the one with the dog at the gas station", and having Dallas relay his converation with Nathan about the stature of their profile pics saved me from sticking my foot in my mouth (which does happen quite often). I had a great time connecting with people I normally would not have come across in my professional or social life. So whether you are interested in meeting new people socially or just connecting with folks all over the globe who share common interests with you, there's something for everyone with Twiter. If you happen to pass on by, look me up @leslieberg - I am officially addicted!

((Brian's Note: Leslie is right. She is about as addicted as i am to new digital media. It really is something else! Feel free to leave a comment below or send an email by clicking here.))