...And Now, Off to Cozumel

In three hours and fifteen minutes, I will hear my alarm go off. This will tell me it is time to get up and leave to go to the airport to head for Cozumel. This time I am escorting an incentive group.

The guys that work for this company are really some of the nicest I've met. It's really an honor to go with them and help recognize them for their hard work each year.

More Later!

Crying Over Street Signs

I remember the first time I went back to Denison after my mom died 3 years ago. It wasn't long after the funeral. After all, my Daddy still lived there. It may have been a week or so after the funeral.

As I drove on the street that connects the highway to their home I noticed that all of the street signs had been changed. The city had updated them. The street names were all the same, the signs were just newer. A subtle change of little consequence.

I bawled.

I cried and cried and cried.

I didn't immediately understand why I was so upset about street signs. I finally figured out that I didn't want the world to march on after Momma died. New street signs were a symbol of how time was marching on. I wanted to stay put in the days surrounding the end of her life because it felt like if I did I could at least hang on to a small part of her. I sure didn't (and don't) want to let go.

Time marching on meant time marching on without Momma. To paraphrase a recent line from an episode of Grey's Anatomy, "I don't know how to exist in a world where my Mom doesn't."

I thought about those street signs this morning as I read about classes resuming at Virginia Tech. I thought about 33 families for whom classes won't ever resume.

I know that the survivors need to march on. My heart this morning, however, is with those who would do anything to make it stop.

Texas Week!

I had no idea what a big deal Texas Music is. I have spent the last two Sunday nights at Love and War in Texas with hundreds of other people listening to live Texas Music. Last Sunday we heard Eleven Hundred Springs. I'm having trouble recalling the name of who we heard tonight (it's late and I'm tired).

I'm amazed at the number of people who come out in Plano on a Sunday night to hear live music (and pay a small cover charge to do so!).

Funjet Vacations has put together Texas Week in Puerto Vallarta from June 18-29. We are helping to promote it. If you're a fan of Texas Music you really ought to consider coming!

Vegas, Baby!

I am at TMU 2007. This is the 4th or 5th year I've attended. I really struggled with if I should come out here or not. Even last night I was having a serious discussion with Philip about if I should actually get on the plane this morning. April is our highest booking month of the year and it is really asking something of me to miss almost an entire work week to come to a conference. Couldn't they have it on the weekend, but no. TMU is always held Tuesday-Thursday in April.

I have high hopes for the conference, that I will come away with new information, new ideas or a new perspective. Is there anything new to learn? I'm not sure, but I'll be sure to let you know.

I'm at Rio Suites. I will say that the room is quite large. Thumbs pretty much up on the hotel, except for the possible exception of the location (set back a little from the strip - I'll figure out how much of an issue that is on tomorrow morning's run).

Funny story...there is another convention here. International Lingerie Show is here. TMU participants have to walk completely through the very adult signage and merchandise to get to our area. The other convention has ballrooms and ballrooms of trade show space. There are also hoards of scantily clad models milling through the crowds. I must say I've never seen anything like it.

Well, I'm very tired so I'm going to watch House MD and go to sleep.

Viva Las Vegas!

I Don't Rant Much But.....

I do have a couple of rants tonight....

1) If you give me outpatient discharge instructions and those instructions say to call you if the patient runs fever over a certain threshold and if the patient DOES run that level of fever and I call you.....don't act like I've asked you for a kidney.

2) Yes, we are having severe weather tonight. Could you possibly get bystanders to appear on camera that a) have all their teeth and b) use at least close to proper grammar?

More Later

Calling All Golfers!

I just learned about a really cool opportunity. I have just learned that the golf course at the Iberostar Paraiso complex in the Riviera Maya will be hosting the PGA tour next month. The PGA tour will be there from May 14 - May 20. All guests staying at the Iberostar that week will have free entry into the event as spectators. Furthurmore, on Wednesday, May 16, 2007, guests wishing to participate in the Pro-Am will be able to sign up to do so. Guests can also volunteer for the event.

Legacy Travel is able to secure these arrangements for you.

How cool is that?

More Later.

Camping: nature's way of promoting the motel industry. - Dave Barry

If you were in North Texas this Easter weekend, you're aware of how cold it was. Much of the area even saw snow! Even so, seven families in our LifeGroup braved the chill and set up camp at Daingerfield State Park in East Texas.

If I were to show you a list of events from this weekend it would look like a horrible time:

• The weather was QUITE chilly. It was in the low 30s at night.
  
• My back went into spasm the first day as a result of having loaded the full ice chests into my van.
  
• My daughter took a spill on her Heelys the first day and earned a rather impressive road rash.
  
• My son poked a flaming stick into a friends eye.
  
• My daughter ate so much junk that she threw up the 2nd night.
  
• The zipper of the door on my beloved tent broke (Yes, during the 30 degree night).
  

The fact is, though, that the picture above says more about the trip than any list could. The young blond boy is my son. The young man holding him is a dear friend. His family and ours have been part of each others lives for many years. The big boys on the trip were so sweet to my son. They are so good to him, even though he's so much younger. Camping is a time that they get to all be together and play outside, burn things and get dirty.
This is my daughter and another young lady in the lifegroup. She was sweet enough to spend both nights in the brand new tent my daughter bought for this trip. The picture was taken in a BBQ restaurant in Daingerfield where we ate on Saturday night. We decided it was just too cold to get away from the fire and cook and do dishes. So, we all piled in the cars and headed to town. Where we stopped was one of those hole in the wall places where you know the BBQ is going to be great.


I'm not really sure if we were a blessing or a curse to the fine people running the restaurant. I do know that there were more of us than there were chairs. Our young people were polite and respectful. They were a joy to watch. I guess that's what I love about going camping. It's an opportunity for us to be together for a good chunk of time, get away from the normal distractions of life at home (like heat :-) and get to know each other better.

This weekend will certainly go down in LifeGroup lore.

More Later.

(Pictures courtesy of my friend and long time camping companion, Vanessa.)

Camping Preparations Have Begun

As we do every Easter, our LifeGroup will go camping this weekend. The kids and I look forward very much to our camping trips.

Last night I pulled all of the camping stuff out of the garage closet and placed it into the living room. We also planned our food for the weekend. I allow food during camping trips that I don't allow at home such as Cookie Crisp cereal and Cheetos.

The weather forecast is calling for a 30% chance of showers on Saturday. Our LifeGroup has quite the track record of rain during our camping trips. The last couple have been sunny, so perhaps we're due for a few raindrops.

We've been known to do things like go bowling or go to movies during rainstorms to get dry. Flexibility is key.

More Later.

My New Toy

This Plantronics CS55 Office Headset is my newest toy. I just got it set up and working today. Gone are the unsightly cords that have been draped from my phone to myself for years.

YAY!

More Later.