INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (11637,1,'2012-11-19 21:12:18','2012-11-20 04:12:18','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11594\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"645\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11594\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11594\"><img class=\" wp-image-11594 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040005-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"645\" height=\"484\" /></a> Downward Facing Dog or Downward Facing Human?[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI thought that everyone had already heard of doga.  I really did.  That\'s the kind of dog-centered universe that I live in.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut over the past couple of weeks, I received a lot of blank stares when I mentioned doga.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo . . . . In the event that you live outside of New York, Los Angeles or LA Wannabe (The Greater Phoenix/Scottsdale Metropolitan Area) and/or are a stranger to doga, I now introduce you to this doggone crazy concept:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Dog + Yoga = Doga</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAre you into this or are you laughing?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\ni.e., Are you saying, \"Awwww....I want to take Scruffy to doga!\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nor\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"What kind of kooky people take their dogs to yoga?  Oops, I meant \'doga\'?\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'ll tell you what kind of kooky people!  Click <strong><a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a>  </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShocking, I know.  People are freaks!  And their little dogs, too!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI never thought I\'d return to doga.  (Ok, so you really do need to click <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong> </a>if you didn\'t up above because a) my last statement won\'t make any sense AND b) there are World\'s Most Precious Pooch photos that can\'t be missed.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPreviously, I thought doga was something you tried once for a laugh.  <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/04/22/day-205-yappy-hour/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Or another time for a 365 day blog project.</strong></a>  :-D\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut that was until my friend Sarah started teaching doga.  And the cost of admission benefitted <a href=\"http://faithsrescue.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Faith\'s Animal Rescue.  </strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings.</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch and I schlepped on down to doga.  Dogis (dog + yogi = dogi) were meant to dress in costume in celebration of Halloween, but WMMP decided that she is a non-conformist.  A harvest bandana would have to suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.near112.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11595 alignnone\" title=\"47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso1-199x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: <a href=\"http://stillnmotionpicturecompany.shutterfly.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> Still \'n Motion Picture Company</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI must say -- and I\'m NOT just saying this because she\'s my friend! -- IF you just so happen to live in my fair city AND you have a precious pooch AND you are open to a late afternoon of warm fuzzies and smiles, then you should really check out Sarah\'s doga class.  It\'s.  the.  sweetest.  thing.  EVER!!!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSarah\'s Doga Class = approximately 45 minutes of play for the pups + socializing with fellow dog enthusiasts for the humans + wine &amp; beer for the humans + healthy organic treats for the pups + 5 minutes of gentle doga (because the pups have the attention spans of toddlers)  + bonding for the humans and the pups + $$ for animal rescue organizations + WARM FUZZIES GALORE\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n= Priceless\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWant to be updated on all things doga?  Join Sarah\'s Doga Facebook page <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pages/DogaAz/212744732111441\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong></a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11605\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11605\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11605\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11605 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040002-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Anonymous Zenned Out Dogi[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd now for  . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the Day! </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI take that back.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the YEAR!</strong>  </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'re not going to believe what happened in doga.  I\'m still pinching myself two weeks later.  (Yes, The Queen of Procrastination strikes yet again!)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I sat patiently on our yoga/doga mat waiting for class to begin.  The woman next to us kindly commented on Bella\'s cuteness.  When you\'re World\'s Most Precious Pooch, this happens quite a bit.  Thankfully, the attention has yet to go to her head.  Bella has vowed to never forget her humble beginnings as a street urchin.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  She\'s adorable.  What\'s her name?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  I thought that was her!  I love your blog!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong><em>(silence) (unable to speak from the shock)  </em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>There comes a time in every blogger\'s life when she wonders who reads her blog besides her mother and her father.  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOf course, I know that sometimes my sister reads the blog, too.  And my loyal friend from high school.  And a lovely reader from Pennsylvania who is an Internet friend of my mother\'s.  And an artsy dude who just married my lovably wacky friend.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut is there anyone else?  Could someone completely unrelated to me or my family read my blog???  And then recognize me out in public???  Though my <em>dog</em>, no less?????\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  (somewhat recovered from the shock)  Thank you so much.   How do you know Sarah?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman aka My New Favorite Person:</strong>  Who?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Sarah?  The doga instructor?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t know Sarah.  I found out about doga through a flyer at the gym.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong>Oh!  So how do you know about my blog?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t remem. . . . Oh, wait a minute!  I saw Bella\'s picture on facebook!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhoa.  She found my blog through <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/06/day-220-my-dog-hijacked-my-computer/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>my little social media hound!</strong> </a> Could this get any better?!?!?!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnywho, My New Favorite Person aka Paulina and I are now real life and facebook friends and plan to meet for lunch soon with the dogs.  I can\'t wait to chat about life and her skincare secrets.  It doesn\'t seem possible, but Paulina somehow has 2 college-aged children!  Look at her!  Wowza!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11600\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11600\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11600\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11600 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040001-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Paulina and her canine cutie pie, Oliver aka Doga\'s Best Costume Winner[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpeaking of lunch with the pooches . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy fair city happens to boast a large number of dog-friendly patios in an area of town known as The Biltmore.  It\'s practically European over there with dogs running amuck EVERYWHERE!  In the stores!  At the restaurants!  At <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/17/day-231-dogs-allowed-at-the-apple-store/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>the Apple Store!</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSarah and I took Bella and her angelic Cavalier King Charles rescue pooch (who had just been freed from a puppy mill that very week!) to dinner.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11604\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11604\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11604\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11604 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040006-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Squash Pie for dessert at True Food. True Confession: This photo was totally staged for the blog. Bella is not allowed on my lap at the table. :-D[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat a hectic day for World\'s Most Precious Pooch!  Yappy Hour.  Doga.  Doggie Dining.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt\'s a ruff life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBa dum bum.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n*****\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella wasn\'t allowed to eat squash pie, but she did make a piggy out of herself at doga.   <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Puppy Belly Deli</strong> </a>was there offering up their organic homemade treats that are made from USDA-certified ingredients.  That\'s right.  Even <em>you</em> could eat these treats if you were so inclined!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11622\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11622\" title=\"cropped-PBD-Logo-Header\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/cropped-PBD-Logo-Header-300x86.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"86\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nToo bad Puppy Belly Deli wasn\'t around when I was in first grade and decided to try a purple Scooby Doo Milk Bone dog biscuit.  I was curious and <em>just had</em> <em>to know</em> what it tasted like.  It wasn\'t as bad as cat food (although I\'ve never actually nibbled on cat vittles), but it wasn\'t good either.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch\'s new fav treats are made out of whole wheat flour, beets, kale, carrots and filtered water.  I haven\'t taste tested them (yet), but Bella gives them two enthusiastic paws up!  Waaaaaayyyyy up!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And now another \"<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings\" </em>moment brought to you by Puppy Belly Deli:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong> </strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>ALL profit is donated to animal rescue.  100%!!!  I could cry right now.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nActually, I really am misty-eyed right now.  This is a beautiful thing.  There really are angels who walk amongst us.  Please check out Puppy Belly Deli <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11615\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11615\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11615\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11615 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040003-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Sarah and Ruby who was freed from a puppy mill that week![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI will let Sarah share Ruby\'s story in the comments section below. JUST SAY NO to puppy mills!  That means ALL pet store puppies, some \"backyard breeders\", and some breeders advertising on the Internet!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRESCUES ROCK!  Bella is one of the greatest treasures in my life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you are going to buy a purebred puppy, then please make sure that you investigate and purchase from a reputable breeder through the <a href=\"http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>American Kennel Club.</strong> </a> Way back when, <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/11/09/day-43babymakestwo/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>that\'s how I found my beloved, Woofie.</strong></a>  RIP.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis has been a Public Service Announcement from Late Bloomer and Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>What do you think?  Are you and Fido going to doga anytime soon?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #45:  Woof.  Namaste.  ','','inherit','open','open','','11587-revision-41','','','2012-11-19 21:12:18','2012-11-20 04:12:18','',11587,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/19/11587-revision-41/',0,'revision','',0),(11638,1,'2012-11-19 21:12:29','2012-11-20 04:12:29','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11594\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"645\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11594\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11594\"><img class=\" wp-image-11594 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040005-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"645\" height=\"484\" /></a> Downward Facing Dog or Downward Facing Human?[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI thought that everyone had already heard of doga.  I really did.  That\'s the kind of dog-centered universe that I live in.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut over the past couple of weeks, I received a lot of blank stares when I mentioned doga.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo . . . . In the event that you live outside of New York, Los Angeles or LA Wannabe (The Greater Phoenix/Scottsdale Metropolitan Area) and/or are a stranger to doga, I now introduce you to this doggone crazy concept:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Dog + Yoga = Doga</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAre you into this or are you laughing?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\ni.e., Are you saying, \"Awwww....I want to take Scruffy to doga!\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nor\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"What kind of kooky people take their dogs to yoga?  Oops, I meant \'doga\'?\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'ll tell you what kind of kooky people!  Click <strong><a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a>  </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShocking, I know.  People are freaks!  And their little dogs, too!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI never thought I\'d return to doga.  (Ok, so you really do need to click <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong> </a>if you didn\'t up above because a) my last statement won\'t make any sense AND b) there are World\'s Most Precious Pooch photos that can\'t be missed.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPreviously, I thought doga was something you tried once for a laugh.  <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/04/22/day-205-yappy-hour/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Or another time for a 365 day blog project.</strong></a>  :-D\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut that was until my friend Sarah started teaching doga.  And the cost of admission benefitted <a href=\"http://faithsrescue.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Faith\'s Animal Rescue.  </strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings.</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch and I schlepped on down to doga.  Dogis (dog + yogi = dogi) were meant to dress in costume in celebration of Halloween, but WMMP decided that she is a non-conformist.  A harvest bandana would have to suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.near112.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11595 alignnone\" title=\"47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso1-199x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: <a href=\"http://stillnmotionpicturecompany.shutterfly.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> Still \'n Motion Picture Company</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI must say -- and I\'m NOT just saying this because she\'s my friend! -- IF you just so happen to live in my fair city AND you have a precious pooch AND you are open to a late afternoon of warm fuzzies and smiles, then you should really check out Sarah\'s doga class.  It\'s.  the.  sweetest.  thing.  EVER!!!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSarah\'s Doga Class = approximately 45 minutes of play for the pups + socializing with fellow dog enthusiasts for the humans + wine &amp; beer for the humans + healthy organic treats for the pups + 5 minutes of gentle doga (because the pups have the attention spans of toddlers)  + bonding for the humans and the pups + $$ for animal rescue organizations + WARM FUZZIES GALORE\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n= Priceless\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWant to be updated on all things doga?  Join Sarah\'s Doga Facebook page <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pages/DogaAz/212744732111441\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong></a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11605\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11605\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11605\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11605 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040002-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Anonymous Zenned Out Dogi[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd now for  . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the Day! </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI take that back.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the YEAR!</strong>  </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'re not going to believe what happened in doga.  I\'m still pinching myself two weeks later.  (Yes, The Queen of Procrastination strikes yet again!)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I sat patiently on our yoga/doga mat waiting for class to begin.  The woman next to us kindly commented on Bella\'s cuteness.  When you\'re World\'s Most Precious Pooch, this happens quite a bit.  Thankfully, the attention has yet to go to her head.  Bella has vowed to never forget her humble beginnings as a street urchin.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  She\'s adorable.  What\'s her name?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  I thought that was her!  I love your blog!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong><em>(silence) (unable to speak from the shock)  </em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>There comes a time in every blogger\'s life when she wonders who reads her blog besides her mother and her father.  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOf course, I know that sometimes my sister reads the blog, too.  And my loyal friend from high school.  And a lovely reader from Pennsylvania who is an Internet friend of my mother\'s.  And an artsy dude who just married my lovably wacky friend.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut is there anyone else?  Could someone completely unrelated to me or my family read my blog???  And then recognize me out in public???  Though my <em>dog</em>, no less?????\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  (somewhat recovered from the shock)  Thank you so much.   How do you know Sarah?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman aka My New Favorite Person:</strong>  Who?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Sarah?  The doga instructor?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t know Sarah.  I found out about doga through a flyer at the gym.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong>Oh!  So how do you know about my blog?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t remem. . . . Oh, wait a minute!  I saw Bella\'s picture on facebook!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhoa.  She found my blog through <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/06/day-220-my-dog-hijacked-my-computer/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>my little social media hound!</strong> </a> Could this get any better?!?!?!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnywho, My New Favorite Person aka Paulina and I are now real life and facebook friends and plan to meet for lunch soon with the dogs.  I can\'t wait to chat about life and her skincare secrets.  It doesn\'t seem possible, but Paulina somehow has 2 college-aged children!  Look at her!  Wowza!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11600\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11600\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11600\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11600 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040001-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Paulina and her canine cutie pie, Oliver aka Doga\'s Best Costume Winner[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpeaking of lunch with the pooches . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy fair city happens to boast a large number of dog-friendly patios in an area of town known as The Biltmore.  It\'s practically European over there with dogs running amuck EVERYWHERE!  In the stores!  At the restaurants!  At <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/17/day-231-dogs-allowed-at-the-apple-store/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>the Apple Store!</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSarah and I took Bella and her angelic Cavalier King Charles rescue pooch (who had just been freed from a puppy mill that very week!) to dinner.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11604\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11604\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11604\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11604 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040006-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Squash Pie for dessert at True Food. True Confession: This photo was totally staged for the blog. Bella is not allowed on my lap at the table. :-D[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat a hectic day for World\'s Most Precious Pooch!  Yappy Hour.  Doga.  Doggie Dining.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt\'s a ruff life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBa dum bum.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n*****\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella wasn\'t allowed to eat squash pie, but she did make a piggy out of herself at doga.   <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Puppy Belly Deli</strong> </a>was there offering up their organic homemade treats that are made from USDA-certified ingredients.  That\'s right.  Even <em>you</em> could eat these treats if you were so inclined!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11622\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11622\" title=\"cropped-PBD-Logo-Header\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/cropped-PBD-Logo-Header-300x86.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"86\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nToo bad Puppy Belly Deli wasn\'t around when I was in first grade and decided to try a purple Scooby Doo Milk Bone dog biscuit.  I was curious and <em>just had</em> <em>to know</em> what it tasted like.  It wasn\'t as bad as cat food (although I\'ve never actually nibbled on cat vittles), but it wasn\'t good either.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch\'s new fav treats are made out of whole wheat flour, beets, kale, carrots and filtered water.  I haven\'t taste tested them (yet), but Bella gives them two enthusiastic paws up!  Waaaaaayyyyy up!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And now another \"<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings\" </em>moment brought to you by Puppy Belly Deli:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong> </strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>ALL profit is donated to animal rescue.  100%!!!  I could cry right now.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nActually, I really am misty-eyed right now.  This is a beautiful thing.  There really are angels who walk amongst us.  Please check out Puppy Belly Deli <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11615\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11615\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11615\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11615 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040003-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Sarah and Ruby who was freed from a puppy mill that week![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI will let Sarah share Ruby\'s story in the comments section below. JUST SAY NO to puppy mills!  That means ALL pet store puppies, some \"backyard breeders\", and some breeders advertising on the Internet!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRESCUES ROCK!  Bella is one of the greatest treasures in my life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you are going to buy a purebred puppy, then please make sure that you investigate and purchase from a reputable breeder through the <a href=\"http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>American Kennel Club.</strong> </a> Way back when, <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/11/09/day-43babymakestwo/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>that\'s how I found my beloved, Woofie.</strong></a>  RIP.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis has been a Public Service Announcement from Late Bloomer and Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>What do you think?  Are you and Fido going to doga anytime soon?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #45:  Woof.  Namaste.  ','','inherit','open','open','','11587-revision-42','','','2012-11-19 21:12:29','2012-11-20 04:12:29','',11587,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/19/11587-revision-42/',0,'revision','',0),(11639,1,'2012-11-19 21:20:25','2012-11-20 04:20:25','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11594\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"645\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11594\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11594\"><img class=\" wp-image-11594 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040005-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"645\" height=\"484\" /></a> Downward Facing Dog or Downward Facing Human?[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI thought that everyone had already heard of doga.  I really did.  That\'s the kind of dog-centered universe that I live in.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut over the past couple of weeks, I received a lot of blank stares when I mentioned doga.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo . . . . In the event that you live outside of New York, Los Angeles or LA Wannabe (The Greater Phoenix/Scottsdale Metropolitan Area) and/or are a stranger to doga, I now introduce you to this doggone crazy concept:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Dog + Yoga = Doga</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAre you into this or are you laughing?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\ni.e., Are you saying, \"Awwww....I want to take Scruffy to doga!\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nor\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"What kind of kooky people take their dogs to yoga?  Oops, I meant \'doga\'?\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'ll tell you what kind of kooky people!  Click <strong><a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a>  </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShocking, I know.  People are freaks!  And their little dogs, too!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI never thought I\'d return to doga.  (Ok, so you really do need to click <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong> </a>if you didn\'t up above because a) my last statement won\'t make any sense AND b) there are World\'s Most Precious Pooch photos that can\'t be missed.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPreviously, I thought doga was something you tried once for a laugh.  <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/04/22/day-205-yappy-hour/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Or another time for a 365 day blog project.</strong></a>  :-D\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut that was until my friend Sarah started teaching doga.  And the cost of admission benefitted <a href=\"http://faithsrescue.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Faith\'s Animal Rescue.  </strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings.</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch and I schlepped on down to doga.  Dogis (dog + yogi = dogi) were meant to dress in costume in celebration of Halloween, but WMMP decided that she is a non-conformist.  A harvest bandana would have to suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.near112.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11595 alignnone\" title=\"47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso1-199x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: <a href=\"http://stillnmotionpicturecompany.shutterfly.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> Still \'n Motion Picture Company</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI must say -- and I\'m NOT just saying this because she\'s my friend! -- IF you just so happen to live in my fair city AND you have a precious pooch AND you are open to a late afternoon of warm fuzzies and smiles, then you should really check out Sarah\'s doga class.  It\'s.  the.  sweetest.  thing.  EVER!!!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSarah\'s Doga Class = approximately 45 minutes of play for the pups + socializing with fellow dog enthusiasts for the humans + wine &amp; beer for the humans + healthy organic treats for the pups + 5 minutes of gentle doga (because the pups have the attention spans of toddlers)  + bonding for the humans and the pups + $$ for animal rescue organizations + WARM FUZZIES GALORE\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n= Priceless\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWant to be updated on all things doga?  Join Sarah\'s Doga Facebook page <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pages/DogaAz/212744732111441\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong></a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11605\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11605\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11605\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11605 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040002-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Anonymous Zenned Out Dogi[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd now for  . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the Day! </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI take that back.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the YEAR!</strong>  </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'re not going to believe what happened in doga.  I\'m still pinching myself two weeks later.  (Yes, The Queen of Procrastination strikes yet again!)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I sat patiently on our yoga/doga mat waiting for class to begin.  The woman next to us kindly commented on Bella\'s cuteness.  When you\'re World\'s Most Precious Pooch, this happens quite a bit.  Thankfully, the attention has yet to go to her head.  Bella has vowed to never forget her humble beginnings as a street urchin.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  She\'s adorable.  What\'s her name?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  I thought that was her!  I love your blog!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong><em>(silence) (unable to speak from the shock)  </em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>There comes a time in every blogger\'s life when she wonders who reads her blog besides her mother and her father.  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOf course, I know that sometimes my sister reads the blog, too.  And my loyal friend from high school.  And a lovely reader from Pennsylvania who is an Internet friend of my mother\'s.  And an artsy dude who just married my lovably wacky friend.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut is there anyone else?  Could someone completely unrelated to me or my family read my blog???  And then recognize me out in public???  Though my <em>dog</em>, no less?????\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  (somewhat recovered from the shock)  Thank you so much.   How do you know Sarah?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman aka My New Favorite Person:</strong>  Who?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Sarah?  The doga instructor?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t know Sarah.  I found out about doga through a flyer at the gym.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong>Oh!  So how do you know about my blog?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t remem. . . . Oh, wait a minute!  I saw Bella\'s picture on facebook!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhoa.  She found my blog through <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/06/day-220-my-dog-hijacked-my-computer/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>my little social media hound!</strong> </a> Could this get any better?!?!?!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnywho, My New Favorite Person aka Paulina and I are now real life and facebook friends and plan to meet for lunch soon with the dogs.  I can\'t wait to chat about life and her skincare secrets.  It doesn\'t seem possible, but Paulina somehow has 2 college-aged children!  Look at her!  Wowza!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11600\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11600\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11600\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11600 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040001-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Paulina and her canine cutie pie, Oliver aka Doga\'s Best Costume Winner[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpeaking of lunch with the pooches . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy fair city happens to boast a large number of dog-friendly patios in an area of town known as The Biltmore.  It\'s practically European over there with dogs running amuck EVERYWHERE!  In the stores!  At the restaurants!  At <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/17/day-231-dogs-allowed-at-the-apple-store/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>the Apple Store!</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I joined Sarah and her angelic Cavalier King Charles rescue pooch (who had just been freed from a puppy mill that very week!) to dinner.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11604\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11604\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11604\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11604 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040006-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Squash Pie for dessert at True Food. True Confession: This photo was totally staged for the blog. Bella is not allowed on my lap at the table. :-D[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat a hectic day for World\'s Most Precious Pooch!  Yappy Hour.  Doga.  Doggie Dining.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt\'s a ruff life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBa dum bum.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n*****\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella wasn\'t allowed to eat squash pie, but she did make a piggy out of herself at doga.   <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Puppy Belly Deli</strong> </a>was there offering up their organic homemade treats that are made from USDA-certified ingredients.  That\'s right.  Even <em>you</em> could eat these treats if you were so inclined!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11622\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11622\" title=\"cropped-PBD-Logo-Header\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/cropped-PBD-Logo-Header-300x86.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"86\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nToo bad Puppy Belly Deli wasn\'t around when I was in first grade and decided to try a purple Scooby Doo Milk Bone dog biscuit.  I was curious and <em>just had</em> <em>to know</em> what it tasted like.  It wasn\'t as bad as cat food (although I\'ve never actually nibbled on cat vittles), but it wasn\'t good either.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch\'s new fav treats are made out of whole wheat flour, beets, kale, carrots and filtered water.  I haven\'t taste tested them (yet), but Bella gives them two enthusiastic paws up!  Waaaaaayyyyy up!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And now another \"<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings\" </em>moment brought to you by Puppy Belly Deli:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong> </strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>ALL profit is donated to animal rescue.  100%!!!  I could cry right now.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nActually, I really am misty-eyed right now.  This is a beautiful thing.  There really are angels who walk amongst us.  Please check out Puppy Belly Deli <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11615\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11615\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11615\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11615 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040003-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Sarah and Ruby who was freed from a puppy mill that week![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI will let Sarah share Ruby\'s story in the comments section below. JUST SAY NO to puppy mills!  That means ALL pet store puppies, some \"backyard breeders\", and some breeders advertising on the Internet!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRESCUES ROCK!  Bella is one of the greatest treasures in my life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you are going to buy a purebred puppy, then please make sure that you investigate and purchase from a reputable breeder through the <a href=\"http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>American Kennel Club.</strong> </a> Way back when, <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/11/09/day-43babymakestwo/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>that\'s how I found my beloved, Woofie.</strong></a>  RIP.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis has been a Public Service Announcement from Late Bloomer and Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>What do you think?  Are you and Fido going to doga anytime soon?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #45:  Woof.  Namaste.  ','','inherit','open','open','','11587-revision-43','','','2012-11-19 21:20:25','2012-11-20 04:20:25','',11587,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/19/11587-revision-43/',0,'revision','',0),(11640,1,'2012-11-19 21:20:46','2012-11-20 04:20:46','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11594\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"645\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11594\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11594\"><img class=\" wp-image-11594 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040005-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"645\" height=\"484\" /></a> Downward Facing Dog or Downward Facing Human?[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI thought that everyone had already heard of doga.  I really did.  That\'s the kind of dog-centered universe that I live in.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut over the past couple of weeks, I received a lot of blank stares when I mentioned doga.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo . . . . In the event that you live outside of New York, Los Angeles or LA Wannabe (The Greater Phoenix/Scottsdale Metropolitan Area) and/or are a stranger to doga, I now introduce you to this doggone crazy concept:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Dog + Yoga = Doga</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAre you into this or are you laughing?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\ni.e., Are you saying, \"Awwww....I want to take Scruffy to doga!\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nor\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"What kind of kooky people take their dogs to yoga?  Oops, I meant \'doga\'?\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'ll tell you what kind of kooky people!  Click <strong><a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a>  </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShocking, I know.  People are freaks!  And their little dogs, too!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI never thought I\'d return to doga.  (Ok, so you really do need to click <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong> </a>if you didn\'t up above because a) my last statement won\'t make any sense AND b) there are World\'s Most Precious Pooch photos that can\'t be missed.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPreviously, I thought doga was something you tried once for a laugh.  <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/04/22/day-205-yappy-hour/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Or another time for a 365 day blog project.</strong></a>  :-D\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut that was until my friend Sarah started teaching doga.  And the cost of admission benefitted <a href=\"http://faithsrescue.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Faith\'s Animal Rescue.  </strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings.</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch and I schlepped on down to doga.  Dogis (dog + yogi = dogi) were meant to dress in costume in celebration of Halloween, but WMMP decided that she is a non-conformist.  A harvest bandana would have to suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.near112.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11595 alignnone\" title=\"47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso1-199x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: <a href=\"http://stillnmotionpicturecompany.shutterfly.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> Still \'n Motion Picture Company</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI must say -- and I\'m NOT just saying this because she\'s my friend! -- IF you just so happen to live in my fair city AND you have a precious pooch AND you are open to a late afternoon of warm fuzzies and smiles, then you should really check out Sarah\'s doga class.  It\'s.  the.  sweetest.  thing.  EVER!!!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSarah\'s Doga Class = approximately 45 minutes of play for the pups + socializing with fellow dog enthusiasts for the humans + wine &amp; beer for the humans + healthy organic treats for the pups + 5 minutes of gentle doga (because the pups have the attention spans of toddlers)  + bonding for the humans and the pups + $$ for animal rescue organizations + WARM FUZZIES GALORE\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n= Priceless\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWant to be updated on all things doga?  Join Sarah\'s Doga Facebook page <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pages/DogaAz/212744732111441\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong></a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11605\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11605\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11605\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11605 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040002-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Anonymous Zenned Out Dogi[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd now for  . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the Day! </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI take that back.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the YEAR!</strong>  </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'re not going to believe what happened in doga.  I\'m still pinching myself two weeks later.  (Yes, The Queen of Procrastination strikes yet again!)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I sat patiently on our yoga/doga mat waiting for class to begin.  The woman next to us kindly commented on Bella\'s cuteness.  When you\'re World\'s Most Precious Pooch, this happens quite a bit.  Thankfully, the attention has yet to go to her head.  Bella has vowed to never forget her humble beginnings as a street urchin.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  She\'s adorable.  What\'s her name?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  I thought that was her!  I love your blog!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong><em>(silence) (unable to speak from the shock)  </em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>There comes a time in every blogger\'s life when she wonders who reads her blog besides her mother and her father.  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOf course, I know that sometimes my sister reads the blog, too.  And my loyal friend from high school.  And a lovely reader from Pennsylvania who is an Internet friend of my mother\'s.  And an artsy dude who just married my lovably wacky friend.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut is there anyone else?  Could someone completely unrelated to me or my family read my blog???  And then recognize me out in public???  Though my <em>dog</em>, no less?????\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  (somewhat recovered from the shock)  Thank you so much.   How do you know Sarah?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman aka My New Favorite Person:</strong>  Who?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Sarah?  The doga instructor?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t know Sarah.  I found out about doga through a flyer at the gym.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong>Oh!  So how do you know about my blog?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t remem. . . . Oh, wait a minute!  I saw Bella\'s picture on facebook!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhoa.  She found my blog through <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/06/day-220-my-dog-hijacked-my-computer/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>my little social media hound!</strong> </a> Could this get any better?!?!?!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnywho, My New Favorite Person aka Paulina and I are now real life and facebook friends and plan to meet for lunch soon with the dogs.  I can\'t wait to chat about life and her skincare secrets.  It doesn\'t seem possible, but Paulina somehow has 2 college-aged children!  Look at her!  Wowza!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11600\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11600\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11600\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11600 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040001-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Paulina and her canine cutie pie, Oliver aka Doga\'s Best Costume Winner[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpeaking of lunch with the pooches . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy fair city happens to boast a large number of dog-friendly patios in an area of town known as The Biltmore.  It\'s practically European over there with dogs running amuck EVERYWHERE!  In the stores!  At the restaurants!  At <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/17/day-231-dogs-allowed-at-the-apple-store/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>the Apple Store!</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I joined Sarah and her angelic Cavalier King Charles rescue pooch (who had just been freed from a puppy mill that very week!) for dinner at The Biltmore.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11604\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11604\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11604\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11604 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040006-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Squash Pie for dessert at True Food. True Confession: This photo was totally staged for the blog. Bella is not allowed on my lap at the table. :-D[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat a hectic day for World\'s Most Precious Pooch!  Yappy Hour.  Doga.  Doggie Dining.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt\'s a ruff life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBa dum bum.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n*****\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella wasn\'t allowed to eat squash pie, but she did make a piggy out of herself at doga.   <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Puppy Belly Deli</strong> </a>was there offering up their organic homemade treats that are made from USDA-certified ingredients.  That\'s right.  Even <em>you</em> could eat these treats if you were so inclined!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11622\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11622\" title=\"cropped-PBD-Logo-Header\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/cropped-PBD-Logo-Header-300x86.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"86\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nToo bad Puppy Belly Deli wasn\'t around when I was in first grade and decided to try a purple Scooby Doo Milk Bone dog biscuit.  I was curious and <em>just had</em> <em>to know</em> what it tasted like.  It wasn\'t as bad as cat food (although I\'ve never actually nibbled on cat vittles), but it wasn\'t good either.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch\'s new fav treats are made out of whole wheat flour, beets, kale, carrots and filtered water.  I haven\'t taste tested them (yet), but Bella gives them two enthusiastic paws up!  Waaaaaayyyyy up!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And now another \"<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings\" </em>moment brought to you by Puppy Belly Deli:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong> </strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>ALL profit is donated to animal rescue.  100%!!!  I could cry right now.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nActually, I really am misty-eyed right now.  This is a beautiful thing.  There really are angels who walk amongst us.  Please check out Puppy Belly Deli <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11615\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11615\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11615\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11615 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040003-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Sarah and Ruby who was freed from a puppy mill that week![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI will let Sarah share Ruby\'s story in the comments section below. JUST SAY NO to puppy mills!  That means ALL pet store puppies, some \"backyard breeders\", and some breeders advertising on the Internet!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRESCUES ROCK!  Bella is one of the greatest treasures in my life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you are going to buy a purebred puppy, then please make sure that you investigate and purchase from a reputable breeder through the <a href=\"http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>American Kennel Club.</strong> </a> Way back when, <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/11/09/day-43babymakestwo/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>that\'s how I found my beloved, Woofie.</strong></a>  RIP.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis has been a Public Service Announcement from Late Bloomer and Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>What do you think?  Are you and Fido going to doga anytime soon?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #45:  Woof.  Namaste.  ','','inherit','open','open','','11587-revision-44','','','2012-11-19 21:20:46','2012-11-20 04:20:46','',11587,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/19/11587-revision-44/',0,'revision','',0),(11641,1,'2012-11-19 21:20:52','2012-11-20 04:20:52','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11594\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"645\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11594\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11594\"><img class=\" wp-image-11594 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040005-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"645\" height=\"484\" /></a> Downward Facing Dog or Downward Facing Human?[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI thought that everyone had already heard of doga.  I really did.  That\'s the kind of dog-centered universe that I live in.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut over the past couple of weeks, I received a lot of blank stares when I mentioned doga.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo . . . . In the event that you live outside of New York, Los Angeles or LA Wannabe (The Greater Phoenix/Scottsdale Metropolitan Area) and/or are a stranger to doga, I now introduce you to this doggone crazy concept:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Dog + Yoga = Doga</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAre you into this or are you laughing?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\ni.e., Are you saying, \"Awwww....I want to take Scruffy to doga!\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nor\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"What kind of kooky people take their dogs to yoga?  Oops, I meant \'doga\'?\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'ll tell you what kind of kooky people!  Click <strong><a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a>  </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShocking, I know.  People are freaks!  And their little dogs, too!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI never thought I\'d return to doga.  (Ok, so you really do need to click <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong> </a>if you didn\'t up above because a) my last statement won\'t make any sense AND b) there are World\'s Most Precious Pooch photos that can\'t be missed.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPreviously, I thought doga was something you tried once for a laugh.  <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/04/22/day-205-yappy-hour/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Or another time for a 365 day blog project.</strong></a>  :-D\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut that was until my friend Sarah started teaching doga.  And the cost of admission benefitted <a href=\"http://faithsrescue.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Faith\'s Animal Rescue.  </strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings.</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch and I schlepped on down to doga.  Dogis (dog + yogi = dogi) were meant to dress in costume in celebration of Halloween, but WMMP decided that she is a non-conformist.  A harvest bandana would have to suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.near112.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11595 alignnone\" title=\"47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso1-199x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: <a href=\"http://stillnmotionpicturecompany.shutterfly.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> Still \'n Motion Picture Company</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI must say -- and I\'m NOT just saying this because she\'s my friend! -- IF you just so happen to live in my fair city AND you have a precious pooch AND you are open to a late afternoon of warm fuzzies and smiles, then you should really check out Sarah\'s doga class.  It\'s.  the.  sweetest.  thing.  EVER!!!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSarah\'s Doga Class = approximately 45 minutes of play for the pups + socializing with fellow dog enthusiasts for the humans + wine &amp; beer for the humans + healthy organic treats for the pups + 5 minutes of gentle doga (because the pups have the attention spans of toddlers)  + bonding for the humans and the pups + $$ for animal rescue organizations + WARM FUZZIES GALORE\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n= Priceless\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWant to be updated on all things doga?  Join Sarah\'s Doga Facebook page <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pages/DogaAz/212744732111441\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong></a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11605\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11605\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11605\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11605 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040002-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Anonymous Zenned Out Dogi[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd now for  . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the Day! </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI take that back.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the YEAR!</strong>  </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'re not going to believe what happened in doga.  I\'m still pinching myself two weeks later.  (Yes, The Queen of Procrastination strikes yet again!)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I sat patiently on our yoga/doga mat waiting for class to begin.  The woman next to us kindly commented on Bella\'s cuteness.  When you\'re World\'s Most Precious Pooch, this happens quite a bit.  Thankfully, the attention has yet to go to her head.  Bella has vowed to never forget her humble beginnings as a street urchin.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  She\'s adorable.  What\'s her name?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  I thought that was her!  I love your blog!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong><em>(silence) (unable to speak from the shock)  </em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>There comes a time in every blogger\'s life when she wonders who reads her blog besides her mother and her father.  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOf course, I know that sometimes my sister reads the blog, too.  And my loyal friend from high school.  And a lovely reader from Pennsylvania who is an Internet friend of my mother\'s.  And an artsy dude who just married my lovably wacky friend.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut is there anyone else?  Could someone completely unrelated to me or my family read my blog???  And then recognize me out in public???  Though my <em>dog</em>, no less?????\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  (somewhat recovered from the shock)  Thank you so much.   How do you know Sarah?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman aka My New Favorite Person:</strong>  Who?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Sarah?  The doga instructor?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t know Sarah.  I found out about doga through a flyer at the gym.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong>Oh!  So how do you know about my blog?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t remem. . . . Oh, wait a minute!  I saw Bella\'s picture on facebook!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhoa.  She found my blog through <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/06/day-220-my-dog-hijacked-my-computer/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>my little social media hound!</strong> </a> Could this get any better?!?!?!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnywho, My New Favorite Person aka Paulina and I are now real life and facebook friends and plan to meet for lunch soon with the dogs.  I can\'t wait to chat about life and her skincare secrets.  It doesn\'t seem possible, but Paulina somehow has 2 college-aged children!  Look at her!  Wowza!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11600\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11600\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11600\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11600 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040001-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Paulina and her canine cutie pie, Oliver aka Doga\'s Best Costume Winner[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpeaking of lunch with the pooches . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy fair city happens to boast a large number of dog-friendly patios in an area of town known as The Biltmore.  It\'s practically European over there with dogs running amuck EVERYWHERE!  In the stores!  At the restaurants!  At <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/17/day-231-dogs-allowed-at-the-apple-store/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>the Apple Store!</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I joined Sarah and her angelic Cavalier King Charles rescue pooch (who had just been freed from a puppy mill that very week!) for dinner at The Biltmore.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11604\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11604\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11604\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11604 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040006-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Squash Pie for dessert at True Food. True Confession: This photo was totally staged for the blog. Bella is not allowed on my lap at the table. :-D[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat a hectic day for World\'s Most Precious Pooch!  Yappy Hour.  Doga.  Doggie Dining.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt\'s a ruff life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBa dum bum.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n*****\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella wasn\'t allowed to eat squash pie, but she did make a piggy out of herself at doga.   <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Puppy Belly Deli</strong> </a>was there offering up their organic homemade treats that are made from USDA-certified ingredients.  That\'s right.  Even <em>you</em> could eat these treats if you were so inclined!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11622\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11622\" title=\"cropped-PBD-Logo-Header\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/cropped-PBD-Logo-Header-300x86.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"86\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nToo bad Puppy Belly Deli wasn\'t around when I was in first grade and decided to try a purple Scooby Doo Milk Bone dog biscuit.  I was curious and <em>just had</em> <em>to know</em> what it tasted like.  It wasn\'t as bad as cat food (although I\'ve never actually nibbled on cat vittles), but it wasn\'t good either.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch\'s new fav treats are made out of whole wheat flour, beets, kale, carrots and filtered water.  I haven\'t taste tested them (yet), but Bella gives them two enthusiastic paws up!  Waaaaaayyyyy up!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And now another \"<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings\" </em>moment brought to you by Puppy Belly Deli:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong> </strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>ALL profit is donated to animal rescue.  100%!!!  I could cry right now.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nActually, I really am misty-eyed right now.  This is a beautiful thing.  There really are angels who walk amongst us.  Please check out Puppy Belly Deli <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11615\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11615\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11615\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11615 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040003-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Sarah and Ruby who was freed from a puppy mill that week![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI will let Sarah share Ruby\'s story in the comments section below. JUST SAY NO to puppy mills!  That means ALL pet store puppies, some \"backyard breeders\", and some breeders advertising on the Internet!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRESCUES ROCK!  Bella is one of the greatest treasures in my life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you are going to buy a purebred puppy, then please make sure that you investigate and purchase from a reputable breeder through the <a href=\"http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>American Kennel Club.</strong> </a> Way back when, <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/11/09/day-43babymakestwo/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>that\'s how I found my beloved, Woofie.</strong></a>  RIP.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis has been a Public Service Announcement from Late Bloomer and Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>What do you think?  Are you and Fido going to doga anytime soon?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #45:  Woof.  Namaste.  ','','inherit','open','open','','11587-revision-45','','','2012-11-19 21:20:52','2012-11-20 04:20:52','',11587,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/19/11587-revision-45/',0,'revision','',0),(11642,1,'2012-11-19 21:20:59','2012-11-20 04:20:59','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11594\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"645\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11594\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11594\"><img class=\" wp-image-11594 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040005-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"645\" height=\"484\" /></a> Downward Facing Dog or Downward Facing Human?[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI thought that everyone had already heard of doga.  I really did.  That\'s the kind of dog-centered universe that I live in.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut over the past couple of weeks, I received a lot of blank stares when I mentioned doga.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo . . . . In the event that you live outside of New York, Los Angeles or LA Wannabe (The Greater Phoenix/Scottsdale Metropolitan Area) and/or are a stranger to doga, I now introduce you to this doggone crazy concept:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Dog + Yoga = Doga</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAre you into this or are you laughing?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\ni.e., Are you saying, \"Awwww....I want to take Scruffy to doga!\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nor\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"What kind of kooky people take their dogs to yoga?  Oops, I meant \'doga\'?\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'ll tell you what kind of kooky people!  Click <strong><a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a>  </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShocking, I know.  People are freaks!  And their little dogs, too!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI never thought I\'d return to doga.  (Ok, so you really do need to click <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong> </a>if you didn\'t up above because a) my last statement won\'t make any sense AND b) there are World\'s Most Precious Pooch photos that can\'t be missed.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPreviously, I thought doga was something you tried once for a laugh.  <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/04/22/day-205-yappy-hour/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Or another time for a 365 day blog project.</strong></a>  :-D\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut that was until my friend Sarah started teaching doga.  And the cost of admission benefitted <a href=\"http://faithsrescue.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Faith\'s Animal Rescue.  </strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings.</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch and I schlepped on down to doga.  Dogis (dog + yogi = dogi) were meant to dress in costume in celebration of Halloween, but WMMP decided that she is a non-conformist.  A harvest bandana would have to suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.near112.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11595 alignnone\" title=\"47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso1-199x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: <a href=\"http://stillnmotionpicturecompany.shutterfly.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> Still \'n Motion Picture Company</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI must say -- and I\'m NOT just saying this because she\'s my friend! -- IF you just so happen to live in my fair city AND you have a precious pooch AND you are open to a late afternoon of warm fuzzies and smiles, then you should really check out Sarah\'s doga class.  It\'s.  the.  sweetest.  thing.  EVER!!!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSarah\'s Doga Class = approximately 45 minutes of play for the pups + socializing with fellow dog enthusiasts for the humans + wine &amp; beer for the humans + healthy organic treats for the pups + 5 minutes of gentle doga (because the pups have the attention spans of toddlers)  + bonding for the humans and the pups + $$ for animal rescue organizations + WARM FUZZIES GALORE\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n= Priceless\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWant to be updated on all things doga?  Join Sarah\'s Doga Facebook page <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pages/DogaAz/212744732111441\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong></a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11605\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11605\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11605\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11605 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040002-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Anonymous Zenned Out Dogi[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd now for  . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the Day! </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI take that back.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the YEAR!</strong>  </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'re not going to believe what happened in doga.  I\'m still pinching myself two weeks later.  (Yes, The Queen of Procrastination strikes yet again!)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I sat patiently on our yoga/doga mat waiting for class to begin.  The woman next to us kindly commented on Bella\'s cuteness.  When you\'re World\'s Most Precious Pooch, this happens quite a bit.  Thankfully, the attention has yet to go to her head.  Bella has vowed to never forget her humble beginnings as a street urchin.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  She\'s adorable.  What\'s her name?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  I thought that was her!  I love your blog!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong><em>(silence) (unable to speak from the shock)  </em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>There comes a time in every blogger\'s life when she wonders who reads her blog besides her mother and her father.  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOf course, I know that sometimes my sister reads the blog, too.  And my loyal friend from high school.  And a lovely reader from Pennsylvania who is an Internet friend of my mother\'s.  And an artsy dude who just married my lovably wacky friend.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut is there anyone else?  Could someone completely unrelated to me or my family read my blog???  And then recognize me out in public???  Though my <em>dog</em>, no less?????\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  (somewhat recovered from the shock)  Thank you so much.   How do you know Sarah?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman aka My New Favorite Person:</strong>  Who?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Sarah?  The doga instructor?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t know Sarah.  I found out about doga through a flyer at the gym.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong>Oh!  So how do you know about my blog?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t remem. . . . Oh, wait a minute!  I saw Bella\'s picture on facebook!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhoa.  She found my blog through <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/06/day-220-my-dog-hijacked-my-computer/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>my little social media hound!</strong> </a> Could this get any better?!?!?!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnywho, My New Favorite Person aka Paulina and I are now real life and facebook friends and plan to meet for lunch soon with the dogs.  I can\'t wait to chat about life and her skincare secrets.  It doesn\'t seem possible, but Paulina somehow has 2 college-aged children!  Look at her!  Wowza!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11600\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11600\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11600\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11600 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040001-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Paulina and her canine cutie pie, Oliver aka Doga\'s Best Costume Winner[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpeaking of lunch with the pooches . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy fair city happens to boast a large number of dog-friendly patios in an area of town known as The Biltmore.  It\'s practically European over there with dogs running amuck EVERYWHERE!  In the stores!  At the restaurants!  At <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/17/day-231-dogs-allowed-at-the-apple-store/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>the Apple Store!</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I joined Sarah and her angelic Cavalier King Charles rescue pooch (who had just been freed from a puppy mill that very week!) for dinner at The Biltmore.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11604\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11604\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11604\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11604 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040006-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Squash Pie for dessert at True Food. True Confession: This photo was totally staged for the blog. Bella is not allowed on my lap at the table. :-D[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat a hectic day for World\'s Most Precious Pooch!  Yappy Hour.  Doga.  Doggie Dining.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt\'s a ruff life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBa dum bum.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n*****\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella wasn\'t allowed to eat squash pie, but she did make a piggy out of herself at doga.   <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Puppy Belly Deli</strong> </a>was there offering up their organic homemade treats that are made from USDA-certified ingredients.  That\'s right.  Even <em>you</em> could eat these treats if you were so inclined!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11622\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11622\" title=\"cropped-PBD-Logo-Header\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/cropped-PBD-Logo-Header-300x86.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"86\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nToo bad Puppy Belly Deli wasn\'t around when I was in first grade and decided to try a purple Scooby Doo Milk Bone dog biscuit.  I was curious and <em>just had</em> <em>to know</em> what it tasted like.  It wasn\'t as bad as cat food (although I\'ve never actually nibbled on cat vittles), but it wasn\'t good either.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch\'s new fav treats are made out of whole wheat flour, beets, kale, carrots and filtered water.  I haven\'t taste tested them (yet), but Bella gives them two enthusiastic paws up!  Waaaaaayyyyy up!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And now another \"<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings\" </em>moment brought to you by Puppy Belly Deli:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong> </strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>ALL profit is donated to animal rescue.  100%!!!  I could cry right now.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nActually, I really am misty-eyed right now.  This is a beautiful thing.  There really are angels who walk amongst us.  Please check out Puppy Belly Deli <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11615\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11615\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11615\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11615 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040003-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Sarah and Ruby who was freed from a puppy mill that week![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI will let Sarah share Ruby\'s story in the comments section below. JUST SAY NO to puppy mills!  That means ALL pet store puppies, some \"backyard breeders\", and some breeders advertising on the Internet!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRESCUES ROCK!  Bella is one of the greatest treasures in my life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you are going to buy a purebred puppy, then please make sure that you investigate and purchase from a reputable breeder through the <a href=\"http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>American Kennel Club.</strong> </a> Way back when, <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/11/09/day-43babymakestwo/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>that\'s how I found my beloved, Woofie.</strong></a>  RIP.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis has been a Public Service Announcement from Late Bloomer and Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>What do you think?  Are you and Fido going to doga anytime soon?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #45:  Woof.  Namaste.  ','','inherit','open','open','','11587-revision-46','','','2012-11-19 21:20:59','2012-11-20 04:20:59','',11587,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/19/11587-revision-46/',0,'revision','',0),(11643,1,'2012-11-19 21:24:00','2012-11-20 04:24:00','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11594\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"645\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11594\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11594\"><img class=\" wp-image-11594 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040005-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"645\" height=\"484\" /></a> Downward Facing Dog or Downward Facing Human?[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI thought that everyone had already heard of doga.  I really did.  That\'s the kind of dog-centered universe that I live in.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut over the past couple of weeks, I received a lot of blank stares when I mentioned doga.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo . . . . In the event that you live outside of New York, Los Angeles or LA Wannabe (The Greater Phoenix/Scottsdale Metropolitan Area) and/or are a stranger to doga, I now introduce you to this doggone crazy concept:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Dog + Yoga = Doga</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAre you into this or are you laughing?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\ni.e., Are you saying, \"Awwww....I want to take Scruffy to doga!\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nor\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"What kind of kooky people take their dogs to yoga?  Oops, I meant \'doga\'?\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'ll tell you what kind of kooky people!  Click <strong><a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a>  </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShocking, I know.  People are freaks!  And their little dogs, too!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI never thought I\'d return to doga.  (Ok, so you really do need to click <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong> </a>if you didn\'t up above because a) my last statement won\'t make any sense AND b) there are World\'s Most Precious Pooch photos that can\'t be missed.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPreviously, I thought doga was something you tried once for a laugh.  <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/04/22/day-205-yappy-hour/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Or another time for a 365 day blog project.</strong></a>  :-D\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut that was until my friend Sarah started teaching doga.  And the cost of admission benefitted <a href=\"http://faithsrescue.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Faith\'s Animal Rescue.  </strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings.</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch and I schlepped on down to doga.  Dogis (dog + yogi = dogi) were meant to dress in costume in celebration of Halloween, but WMMP decided that she is a non-conformist.  A harvest bandana would have to suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.near112.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11595 alignnone\" title=\"47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso1-199x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: <a href=\"http://stillnmotionpicturecompany.shutterfly.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> Still \'n Motion Picture Company</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI must say -- and I\'m NOT just saying this because she\'s my friend! -- IF you just so happen to live in my fair city AND you have a precious pooch AND you are open to a late afternoon of warm fuzzies and smiles, then you should really check out Sarah\'s doga class.  It\'s.  the.  sweetest.  thing.  EVER!!!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSarah\'s Doga Class = approximately 45 minutes of play for the pups + socializing with fellow dog enthusiasts for the humans + wine &amp; beer for the humans + healthy organic treats for the pups + 5 minutes of gentle doga (because the pups have the attention spans of toddlers)  + bonding for the humans and the pups + $$ for animal rescue organizations + WARM FUZZIES GALORE\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n= Priceless\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWant to be updated on all things doga?  Join Sarah\'s Doga Facebook page <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pages/DogaAz/212744732111441\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong></a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11605\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11605\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11605\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11605 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040002-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Anonymous Zenned Out Dogi[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd now for  . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the Day! </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI take that back.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the YEAR!</strong>  </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'re not going to believe what happened in doga.  I\'m still pinching myself two weeks later.  (Yes, The Queen of Procrastination strikes yet again!)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I sat patiently on our yoga/doga mat waiting for class to begin.  The woman next to us kindly commented on Bella\'s cuteness.  When you\'re World\'s Most Precious Pooch, this happens quite a bit.  Thankfully, the attention has yet to go to her head.  Bella has vowed to never forget her humble beginnings as a street urchin.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  She\'s adorable.  What\'s her name?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  I thought that was her!  I love your blog!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong><em>(silence) (unable to speak from the shock)  </em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>There comes a time in every blogger\'s life when she wonders who reads her blog besides her mother and her father.  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOf course, I know that sometimes my sister reads the blog, too.  And my loyal friend from high school.  And a lovely reader from Pennsylvania who is an Internet friend of my mother\'s.  And an artsy dude who just married my lovably wacky friend.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut is there anyone else?  Could someone completely unrelated to me or my family read my blog???  And then recognize me out in public???  Though my <em>dog</em>, no less?????\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  (somewhat recovered from the shock)  Thank you so much.   How do you know Sarah?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman aka My New Favorite Person:</strong>  Who?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Sarah?  The doga instructor?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t know Sarah.  I found out about doga through a flyer at the gym.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong>Oh!  So how do you know about my blog?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t remem. . . . Oh, wait a minute!  I saw Bella\'s picture on facebook!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhoa.  She found my blog through <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/06/day-220-my-dog-hijacked-my-computer/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>my little social media hound!</strong> </a> Could this get any better?!?!?!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnywho, My New Favorite Person aka Paulina and I are now real life and facebook friends and plan to meet for lunch soon with the dogs.  I can\'t wait to chat about life and her skincare secrets.  It doesn\'t seem possible, but Paulina somehow has 2 college-aged children!  Look at her!  Wowza!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11600\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11600\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11600\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11600 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040001-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Paulina and her canine cutie pie, Oliver aka Doga\'s Best Costume Winner[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpeaking of lunch with the pooches . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy fair city happens to boast a large number of dog-friendly patios in an area of town known as The Biltmore.  It\'s practically European over there with dogs running amuck EVERYWHERE!  In the stores!  At the restaurants!  At <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/17/day-231-dogs-allowed-at-the-apple-store/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>the Apple Store!</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I joined Sarah and her angelic Cavalier King Charles rescue pooch (who had just been freed from a puppy mill that very week!) for dinner at The Biltmore.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11604\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11604\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11604\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11604 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040006-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Squash Pie for dessert at True Food. True Confession: This photo was totally staged for the blog. Bella is not allowed on my lap at the table. :-D[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat a hectic day for World\'s Most Precious Pooch!  Yappy Hour.  Doga.  Doggie Dining.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt\'s a ruff life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBa dum bum.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella wasn\'t allowed to eat squash pie, but she did make a piggy out of herself at doga.   <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Puppy Belly Deli</strong> </a>was there offering up their organic homemade treats that are made from USDA-certified ingredients.  That\'s right.  Even <em>you</em> could eat these treats if you were so inclined!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11622\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11622\" title=\"cropped-PBD-Logo-Header\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/cropped-PBD-Logo-Header-300x86.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"86\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nToo bad Puppy Belly Deli wasn\'t around when I was in first grade and decided to try a purple Scooby Doo Milk Bone dog biscuit.  I was curious and <em>just had</em> <em>to know</em> what it tasted like.  It wasn\'t as bad as cat food (although I\'ve never actually nibbled on cat vittles), but it wasn\'t good either.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch\'s new fav treats are made out of whole wheat flour, beets, kale, carrots and filtered water.  I haven\'t taste tested them (yet), but Bella gives them two enthusiastic paws up!  Waaaaaayyyyy up!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And now another \"<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings\" </em>moment brought to you by Puppy Belly Deli:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong> </strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>ALL profit is donated to animal rescue.  100%!!!  I could cry right now.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nActually, I really am misty-eyed right now.  This is a beautiful thing.  There really are angels who walk amongst us.  Please check out Puppy Belly Deli <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11615\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11615\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11615\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11615 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040003-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Sarah and Ruby who was freed from a puppy mill that week![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpeaking of angels . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI will let Sarah share Ruby\'s story in the comments section below. JUST SAY NO to puppy mills!  That means ALL pet store puppies, some \"backyard breeders\", and some breeders advertising on the Internet!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRESCUES ROCK!  Bella is one of the greatest treasures in my life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you are going to buy a purebred puppy, then please make sure that you investigate and purchase from a reputable breeder through the <a href=\"http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>American Kennel Club.</strong> </a> Way back when, <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/11/09/day-43babymakestwo/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>that\'s how I found my beloved, Woofie.</strong></a>  RIP.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis has been a Public Service Announcement from Late Bloomer and Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>What do you think?  Are you and Fido going to doga anytime soon?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #45:  Woof.  Namaste.  ','','inherit','open','open','','11587-revision-47','','','2012-11-19 21:24:00','2012-11-20 04:24:00','',11587,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/19/11587-revision-47/',0,'revision','',0),(11645,1,'2012-11-21 07:02:54','2012-11-21 14:02:54','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11594\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"645\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11594\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11594\"><img class=\" wp-image-11594 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040005-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"645\" height=\"484\" /></a> Downward Facing Dog or Downward Facing Human?[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI thought that everyone had already heard of doga.  I really did.  That\'s the kind of dog-centered universe that I live in.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut over the past couple of weeks, I received a lot of blank stares when I mentioned doga.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo . . . . In the event that you live outside of New York, Los Angeles or LA Wannabe (The Greater Phoenix/Scottsdale Metropolitan Area) and/or are a stranger to doga, I now introduce you to this doggone crazy concept:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Dog + Yoga = Doga</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAre you into this or are you laughing?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\ni.e., Are you saying, \"Awwww....I want to take Scruffy to doga!\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nor\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"What kind of kooky people take their dogs to yoga?  Oops, I meant \'doga\'?\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'ll tell you what kind of kooky people!  Click <strong><a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a>  </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShocking, I know.  People are freaks!  And their little dogs, too!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI never thought I\'d return to doga.  (Ok, so you really do need to click <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/03/03/day-156-doga-yappy-hour-canine-nirvana/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong> </a>if you didn\'t up above because a) my last statement won\'t make any sense AND b) there are World\'s Most Precious Pooch photos that can\'t be missed.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPreviously, I thought doga was something you tried once for a laugh.  <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/04/22/day-205-yappy-hour/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Or another time for a 365 day blog project.</strong></a>  :-D\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut that was until my friend Sarah started teaching doga.  And the cost of admission benefitted <a href=\"http://faithsrescue.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Faith\'s Animal Rescue.  </strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings.</em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch and I schlepped on down to doga.  Dogis (dog + yogi = dogi) were meant to dress in costume in celebration of Halloween, but WMMP decided that she is a non-conformist.  A harvest bandana would have to suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.near112.com\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11595 alignnone\" title=\"47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/47a2cf24b3127cce985498bef0a700000035102AZNGrFu0bso1-199x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"199\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: <a href=\"http://stillnmotionpicturecompany.shutterfly.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> Still \'n Motion Picture Company</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI must say -- and I\'m NOT just saying this because she\'s my friend! -- IF you just so happen to live in my fair city AND you have a precious pooch AND you are open to a late afternoon of warm fuzzies and smiles, then you should really check out Sarah\'s doga class.  It\'s.  the.  sweetest.  thing.  EVER!!!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSarah\'s Doga Class = approximately 45 minutes of play for the pups + socializing with fellow dog enthusiasts for the humans + wine &amp; beer for the humans + healthy organic treats for the pups + 5 minutes of gentle doga (because the pups have the attention spans of toddlers)  + bonding for the humans and the pups + $$ for animal rescue organizations + WARM FUZZIES GALORE\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n= Priceless\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWant to be updated on all things doga?  Join Sarah\'s Doga Facebook page <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pages/DogaAz/212744732111441\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong></a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11605\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11605\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11605\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11605 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040002-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Anonymous Zenned Out Dogi[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd now for  . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the Day! </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI take that back.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>The Shockaroo of the YEAR!</strong>  </span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'re not going to believe what happened in doga.  I\'m still pinching myself two weeks later.  (Yes, The Queen of Procrastination strikes yet again!)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I sat patiently on our yoga/doga mat waiting for class to begin.  The woman next to us kindly commented on Bella\'s cuteness.  When you\'re World\'s Most Precious Pooch, this happens quite a bit.  Thankfully, the attention has yet to go to her head.  Bella has vowed to never forget her humble beginnings as a street urchin.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  She\'s adorable.  What\'s her name?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman:</strong>  I thought that was her!  I love your blog!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong><em>(silence) (unable to speak from the shock)  </em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>There comes a time in every blogger\'s life when she wonders who reads her blog besides her mother and her father.  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOf course, I know that sometimes my sister reads the blog, too.  And my loyal friend from high school.  And a lovely reader from Pennsylvania who is an Internet friend of my mother\'s.  And an artsy dude who just married my lovably wacky friend.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut is there anyone else?  Could someone completely unrelated to me or my family read my blog???  And then recognize me out in public???  Through my <em>dog</em>, no less?????\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  (somewhat recovered from the shock)  Thank you so much.   How do you know Sarah?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Woman aka My New Favorite Person:</strong>  Who?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:</strong>  Sarah?  The doga instructor?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t know Sarah.  I found out about doga through a flyer at the gym.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Me:  </strong>Oh!  So how do you know about my blog?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>My New Favorite Person:</strong>  I don\'t remem. . . . Oh, wait a minute!  I saw Bella\'s picture on facebook!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhoa.  She found my blog through <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/06/day-220-my-dog-hijacked-my-computer/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>my little social media hound!</strong> </a> Could this get any better?!?!?!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnywho, My New Favorite Person aka Paulina and I are now real life and facebook friends and plan to meet for lunch soon with the dogs.  I can\'t wait to chat about life and her skincare secrets.  It doesn\'t seem possible, but Paulina somehow has 2 college-aged children!  Look at her!  Wowza!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11600\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11600\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11600\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11600 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040001-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Paulina and her canine cutie pie, Oliver aka Doga\'s Best Costume Winner[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpeaking of lunch with the pooches . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy fair city happens to boast a large number of dog-friendly patios in an area of town known as The Biltmore.  It\'s practically European over there with dogs running amuck EVERYWHERE!  In the stores!  At the restaurants!  At <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/05/17/day-231-dogs-allowed-at-the-apple-store/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>the Apple Store!</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella and I joined Sarah and her angelic Cavalier King Charles rescue pooch (who had just been freed from a puppy mill that very week!) for dinner at The Biltmore.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11604\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11604\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11604\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11604 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040006-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Squash Pie for dessert at True Food. True Confession: This photo was totally staged for the blog. Bella is not allowed on my lap at the table. :-D[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat a hectic day for World\'s Most Precious Pooch!  Yappy Hour.  Doga.  Doggie Dining.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt\'s a ruff life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBa dum bum.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBella wasn\'t allowed to eat squash pie, but she did make a piggy out of herself at doga.   <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Puppy Belly Deli</strong> </a>was there offering up their organic homemade treats that are made from USDA-certified ingredients.  That\'s right.  Even <em>you</em> could eat these treats if you were so inclined!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11622\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11622\" title=\"cropped-PBD-Logo-Header\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/cropped-PBD-Logo-Header-300x86.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"86\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nToo bad Puppy Belly Deli wasn\'t around when I was in first grade and decided to try a purple Scooby Doo Milk Bone dog biscuit.  I was curious and <em>just had</em> <em>to know</em> what it tasted like.  It wasn\'t as bad as cat food (although I\'ve never actually nibbled on cat vittles), but it wasn\'t good either.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorld\'s Most Precious Pooch\'s new fav treats are made out of whole wheat flour, beets, kale, carrots and filtered water.  I haven\'t taste tested them (yet), but Bella gives them two enthusiastic paws up!  Waaaaaayyyyy up!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And now another \"<em>Tug, tug, tug went the heartstrings\" </em>moment brought to you by Puppy Belly Deli:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong> </strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>ALL profit is donated to animal rescue.  100%!!!  I could cry right now.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nActually, I really am misty-eyed right now.  This is a beautiful thing.  There really are angels who walk amongst us.  Please check out Puppy Belly Deli <a href=\"http://www.puppybellydeli.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11615\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11615\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11615\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11615 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB040003-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Sarah and Ruby who was freed from a puppy mill that week![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpeaking of angels . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI will let Sarah share Ruby\'s story in the comments section below. JUST SAY NO to puppy mills!  That means ALL pet store puppies, some \"backyard breeders\", and some breeders advertising on the Internet!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRESCUES ROCK!  Bella is one of the greatest treasures in my life.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you are going to buy a purebred puppy, then please make sure that you investigate and purchase from a reputable breeder through the <a href=\"http://www.akc.org/breederinfo/breeder_search.cfm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>American Kennel Club.</strong> </a> Way back when, <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/11/09/day-43babymakestwo/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>that\'s how I found my beloved, Woofie.</strong></a>  RIP.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis has been a Public Service Announcement from Late Bloomer and Bella.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>What do you think?  Are you and Fido going to doga anytime soon?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #45:  Woof.  Namaste.  ','','inherit','open','open','','11587-revision-49','','','2012-11-21 07:02:54','2012-11-21 14:02:54','',11587,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/21/11587-revision-49/',0,'revision','',0),(11842,1,'2012-12-27 19:56:59','2012-12-28 02:56:59','[caption id=\"attachment_11845\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/27/playdate-50-gifts-for-strangers/329113_10152366596920644_1935195090_o/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11845\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11845\" title=\"Phoenix Improv AZ Gifts for Strangers \" alt=\"329113_10152366596920644_1935195090_o\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/329113_10152366596920644_1935195090_o-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Our skeleton flash mob crew. Because Phoenicians are afraid of that rare wet stuff that falls out of the sky.[/caption]\r\n\r\nDoes anyone else experience the post-Christmas blues?  After a month of buildup, the holiday cheer is over in a day.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: large; color: #333333;\"><strong>Humbug.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI decided to continue with the festivities for yet another few days with today\'s Christmasy post. Yay!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPlaydate #50 was My First Flash Mob Ever.  I can\'t believe it\'s taken me this long to join one considering my penchant for all things goofy AND a suggestion from a blog reader circa 2010. Sometimes I wonder if I disappear into a time vacuum.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnywho, the waiting paid off because My First Flash Mob Ever was a flash mob with heart.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOur assignment:  To meet at a light rail station in downtown Phoenix and distribute 10 gifts to complete strangers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: large;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Ho,</span> <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">ho,</span> <span style=\"color: #008000;\">ho!  </span></strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"But . . . . but . . . . isn\'t that sort of <em>expensive</em>, Michelle?\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNot if you hit the Target $1 section!  I had never waltzed down those $1 aisles before, and it was a jolly good time.  Look at the loot I found for 10 buckaroos plus tax!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11849\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/27/playdate-50-gifts-for-strangers/olympus-digital-camera-804/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11849\"><img class=\" wp-image-11849 \" alt=\"Hail to the Target Dollar Aisle! \" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PC140029-1024x768.jpg\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a> Hail to the Target Dollar Aisle![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPictured from bottom left and going clockwise into a spiral:  Wine bottle tags, whoopee cushion (because what boy or boy at heart doesn\'t want a whoopee cushion?), snowman glow wand, eye mask, gingerbread house gel clings, sparkly sugar plum body lotion, electronics duster, Kahlua coffee, old-fashioned ribbon candies, and beer coasters.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNext came the fun of wrapping all of these goodies.  Which actually isn\'t all that fun for me.  I\'m one of those people whose wrapping job looks like the work of either a 4 year-old or a drunken elf.  For this reason, I wisely resorted to bag stuffing.  I put on some Christmas music and stuffed away!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11850\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/27/playdate-50-gifts-for-strangers/olympus-digital-camera-805/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11850\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11850\" alt=\"I am not a wrapper.  I am a bagger.\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PC150035-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> I am not a wrapper. I am a bagger.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe real hoot for me involved labeling the tags.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11851\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/27/playdate-50-gifts-for-strangers/olympus-digital-camera-806/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11851\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11851\" alt=\"For the Eye Mask\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PC150040-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> For the Eye Mask[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI wound up giving away the eye mask to a mother of two. I assumed the woman needed extra sleep. Bless her heart.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11852\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/27/playdate-50-gifts-for-strangers/olympus-digital-camera-807/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11852\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11852\" alt=\"For the Snowman Glow Wand\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PC150042-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> For the Snowman Glow Wand[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI made a conscious effort to be politically correct on the tags in respect to our Hanukkah and Kwanzaa peeps.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAfter all this flash mob preparation, the morning of the big day arrived with . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: large; color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Wet stuff.  Out of the sky.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis infrequent wet stuff makes Phoenicians freak out and hide inside their dry abodes.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: large; color: #333333;\">Humbug. </span> </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/22/playdate-49-wish-lanterns/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>But I didn\'t let Mother Nature rain on the previous evening\'s Wish Lantern Parade</strong>,</a> and I certainly wasn\'t going to let it keep me from a rain or shine flash mob either!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLuckily, Dawn was my playdate friend du jour, and since the woman hails from North Dakota where there is real winter WEATHER, she was game for the rain as well.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: large;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Ho,</span> <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">ho,</span><span style=\"color: #008000;\"> ho!</span>  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAs both Fate and Mother Nature would have it that afternoon, the skies cleared and the angels sang upon our skeleton crew flash mob spreading holiday cheer to complete strangers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nO.k.  So I\'m joking about the angels singing part.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut the skies really did clear and the sun came out for our entire 30 minutes of flash mobbing.  Only to rain again once we are all snug inside Starbucks sipping cocoas and lattes.  (Note that for whatever bizarre reason, all indie coffeehouses in the area were closed on a Saturday afternoon.  <a href=\"http://www.cartelcoffeelab.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Cartel dudes, what up with that?</strong></a>)\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/j3PnoHrAvQA\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>(sung to the tune of \"Jingle Bells\")</em>  Oh, what fun it was to play in a flashing mob that day!  Hey!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWell, not literally a <em>flashing</em> mob.  You know what I mean.  A girl\'s gotta edit what a girl\'s gotta edit to make the piggyback jingle work.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe<em> flashing</em> mob takes place on January 13th.  You can read all about it<a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/events/286537474797392/?utm_source=Improv+Participants&amp;utm_campaign=42af96b4cc-ESHB_Announcement10_26_2012&amp;utm_medium=email\" target=\"_blank\"> <strong>here</strong>.</a>  Who\'s in?  :-D\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n********************\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHave you ever participated in a flash mob?  Please share your experience in the comments section below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOr . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHave you ever yearned to join a flash mob?  Google \"flash mob\" and \"<em>your city\'s name</em>\" and see what comes up!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n********************\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTo learn more about Improv AZ shenanigans, take a lookie-loo over <a href=\"http://improvaz.com/2012/12/gifts-for-strangers-handed-out-some-holiday-cheer/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTo read more about the origins of Gifts for Strangers (a tradition that comes to us via The Great White North), visit <strong><a href=\"http://giftsforstrangers.org/\" target=\"_blank\">here.</a></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #50:  Gifts for Strangers','','publish','open','open','','playdate-50-gifts-for-strangers','','http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/22/playdate-49-wish-lanterns/\nhttp://improvaz.com/2012/12/gifts-for-strangers-handed-out-some-holiday-cheer/','2012-12-27 20:02:46','2012-12-28 03:02:46','',0,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?p=11842',0,'post','',14),(11647,1,'2012-03-29 08:11:18','2012-03-29 15:11:18','<a href=\"http://wemetonaplane.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignleft  wp-image-10180\" title=\"homeLogo\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/homeLogo.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"355\" height=\"202\" /></a>If you have an <em>ounce</em> of hopeful romanticism in your DNA, then please pass this on via facebook, twitter, email, pinterest or whatever social media outlet floats your boat.  Because it\'s Spring!  And love is in the air!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThink of this as a virtual message in a cyber-bottle.  The old-fashioned message in a bottle seems ridiculously impossible, but people have tried it for centuries.  <a href=\"http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/36541\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>It\'s even worked!</strong>  </a>(And I\'m not referring to a <strong><a href=\"http://www.nicholassparks.com/books/message-in-a-bottle\" target=\"_blank\">Nicholas Sparks novel</a></strong>.  Although....<em>sigh.</em>...Does that man know the heart of a woman or what?!)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Since it\'s Spring, and since love is in the air, my virtual message is aimed towards a Handsome Stranger whom I briefly met on a flight from London to Geneva.  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWe didn\'t exchange names or personal contact info, just a few words and many glances.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWho knows if he\'s Mr. Right, Mr. Wrong or Mr. Unavailable?  What I do know is that he\'s Mr. Intriguing, and I am not a hope<em>less</em> romantic but a hope<em>ful</em> romantic which means . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI believe anything is possible.  With a little help from my friends.  (Cue Ringo.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And kooky, hair-brained quests with your friends on the Interwebs are fun and often life-changing.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRemember <strong><a href=\"http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Mr. Red Paperclip Guy</a></strong>?  If he could harness the power of Internet peeps to barter his way from a paperclip to a house, then why can\'t I ask you lovely ladies and 3 token gents to help me find a gorgeous bloke in the UK?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWill you please ripple the cyber-waters and move my virtual message in a bottle along?  I\'ve made it easy for you:  See the facebook, twitter, pinterest and email icons at the bottom of this post?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPsst!  Please pass this on!  Let\'s see if this message finds its way to Mr. Gorgeous Bloke.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThank you!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #008000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Oh!  How could I forget?  You\'re probably wondering, \"What does he look like???\"</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: medium;\">Answer:  Tall, dark and handsome.</span></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #008000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Seriously, 6 foot 2-ish, full head of dark hair, and piercing blue eyes.  (See?  I wasn\'t exaggerating.)  Age?  I would guess early 40s.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOn the day of January 28th, 2012 at London Heathrow Airport, he was wearing a cream cable knit turtleneck sweater, jeans, and Sorels.  (For my fellow desert dwellers who don\'t know what Sorels are, think fashionable snow boots worn by a man who knows how to dress.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere\'s what I posted the other night on<strong><a href=\"http://wemetonaplane.com/?s=london+geneva&amp;submit=\" target=\"_blank\"> WeMetOnaPlane.com</a> </strong>-- a website dedicated to reuniting star-crossed passengers:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://wemetonaplane.com/?s=london+geneva&amp;submit=\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-10181\" title=\"Screen shot 2012-03-19 at 7.41.44 PM\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Screen-shot-2012-03-19-at-7.41.44-PM-1024x402.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"717\" height=\"281\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can also click the image above to take you directly to the site where you can fb, tweet, and comment your little hearts out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>If you\'d like to know the<em> rest</em> of the story -- i.e, the juicy bits -- keep reading.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU for humouring me!  May Spring fill your world with love and excitement!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt all started back in January.  I was flying into Geneva, Switzerland from Phoenix, Arizona with a tight 60 minute layover at London Heathrow.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAlways up for a challenge, I booked this too-good-to-be-true flight with fingers crossed.  If I could cut my travel time by 4-6 hours, then bring it!  Worse case scenario:  Blimey!  I miss my connection, drink pots of PG Tips to stay awake after my red-eye, and shop at Harrod\'s.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFast forward to January 28, 2012.  British Airways was a tad tardy due to inclement weather.  Updated layover time:  50 minutes.  At one of the busiest airports in the world.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBloody hell!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>I am not a runner.  I am <em>fit</em>, but a runner I am not.  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Except on January 28, 2012 when I ran like an Olympic sprinter through Heathrow.  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFantasies of PG Tips and Harrod\'s might sound appealing when you are well-rested, but when you\'ve barely squeaked in 4 hours of Zzzzz\'s on a 10.5 hour flight (and I was lucky to get that in coach), all you can think about is a comfortable mattress.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThanks to the kindness of French and German strangers who graciously allowed me to cut in front of them at security, I made it to my gate with only minutes to spare.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I was a hot, harried mess.  Not hot as in \"I looked good\" (unfortunately), but hot as in \"I was sweating from Olympian feats performed during a severely sleep-deprived state\".\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Somehow, I caught Mr. Gorgeous Bloke\'s eye.  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPerhaps he was sleep-deprived as well?  Although he appeared to be a local, and this was already mid-day.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOr perhaps it was because I was breathing heavy?  (From running, but maybe he didn\'t know that.)  Those American women are such tarts!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI collected my disheveled self together and waited to board.  I tried not to notice that Mr. Gorgeous Bloke kept looking my way.  After all, <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/01/27/photo-du-jour-begins-on-sunday/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>I was in transit to see my Romeo.</strong> </a> I don\'t flirt with other men when I\'m with someone.  I\'m not <em>that girl</em>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLittle did I know that a mere 48 hours later, the smoke would clear, the mirrors would crack, and Shakespeare would roll in his grave.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLittle did I know that a mere 48 hours later, my heart would be sliced to bits.  Because broken mirrors wield sharp edges.  <strong><a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/02/17/playdate-5-a-week-in-the-french-alps/\" target=\"_blank\">Sniff, sniff.</a></strong>  (Cue hauntingly heartbreaking violin music.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Bloody, <em>bloody</em> hell!  I should have snogged Mr. Gorgeous Bloke while I had the chance.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong><a href=\"http://www.heathrowairport.com/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/love-is-in-the-air-at-heathrow\" target=\"_blank\">This kind of thing happens every 49 seconds at London Heathrow.</a></strong>  Haven\'t you seen <strong><em><a href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0314331/\" target=\"_blank\">Love Actually</a></em></strong>?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAs fate would have it, Mr. Gorgeous Bloke boarded the plane directly in front of me.  You know how long that takes.  10 minutes of looky-looing later (I tried not to notice -- Really I did!)  it was time to hoist my luggage into the overhead bin.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMr. Gorgeous Bloke chivalrously offered to lift my flowery purple carry on for me.  He stood there and smiled.  If I remember correctly, he donned a Colgate smile which . . . . Always.  Does.  Me.  In.\r\n\r\nBut honestly, I was delirious from lack of sleep, so I\'m not completely sure about his chompers.  Good teeth or not-so-good teeth, it doesn\'t matter.  He was hot.  Hot as in \"he looked really good\", not as in \"sweaty mess\" although I\'m sure he . . . . never mind.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFocus, Michelle.  Focus!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>He stood there and smiled.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI think he expected for me to sit next to him.  I awkwardly mentioned that my seat was two rows behind.  His expression wilted.  I noticed.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFast forward to baggage claim at Geneva Airport . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI collected my luggage and stepped out into the greeting area.  I gazed into a sea of Europeans whilst trying to spot my Romeo.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Me:</strong>  </span><em>(inner monologue)  </em>Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou?</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Ex Formerly Known as Romeo:</strong></span> <em> (shouting out loud)  </em>What, are you blind?!</span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\">(Cue eerie music of foreshadowing.)</span></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe Ex Formerly Known as Romeo then laughed as he approached me.  Because an insulting greeting for the woman who just crossed the ocean to be with you is hysterically funny.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNot.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMr. Gorgeous Bloke passed by just as The Ex Formerly Known as Romeo snogged me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBloody hell.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut no need to feel sorry for me, my friends.  I\'m the kind of woman who turns lemons into lemon chiffon cake!  I recently signed up for April\'s <a href=\"http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Script Frenzy</strong> </a>where I will turn my Fairytale Gone Bad story into a screenplay in 30 days flat.  Think <strong><em><a href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328589/\" target=\"_blank\">Under the Tuscan Sun</a></em></strong> meets <strong><em><a href=\"http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0337741/\" target=\"_blank\">Something\'s Gotta Give</a></em>.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\">Let The Ex Formerly Known as Romeo eat lemon chiffon cake!</span></strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd you already know what the sequel is about, right?  Do I need to completely make up the Hollywood Happy Ending, or can you help me to base it on True Events?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Psst!  Please pass this on!</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThank you!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #008000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>P.S.  If you happen to be Mr. Gorgeous Bloke, why hello there, handsome stranger.  <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/talk-to-me/\" target=\"_blank\">Would you care to chat this time around? </a></strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nP.P.S.  My name is Michelle.  What\'s yours?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nP.P.P.S.  If you are brave enough to write, then I promise not to blog about you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDo you know of any real life message in a bottle stories (virtual or old-fashioned)?  Have you ever Met On A Plane, went your separate ways, and later wondered \"What if\"?  Please share your stories  in the comments section below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Psst.  Pass it on.  Because Love is in the Air!','','inherit','open','open','','10029-revision-147','','','2012-03-29 08:11:18','2012-03-29 15:11:18','',10029,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/03/29/10029-revision-147/',0,'revision','',0),(11648,1,'2012-10-02 09:47:43','2012-10-02 16:47:43','[caption id=\"attachment_11280\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/02/playdate-36-friday-night-lights/olympus-digital-camera-774/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11280\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11280  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P9070039-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Just a couple of chicks reliving their glory days![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI am not a fan of football.  Yawn.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHowever, I am a fan of mingling with friends, eating occasional stadium junk food, and jiving to marching bands.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo when Christy Jo invited me to the big local rivalry high school football game, I accepted.  It had been 25 years since I had been to a Friday night football game.  Sounded like old-fashioned fun!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nChristy Jo picked me up at 6:30 on Friday night with her freshly injured Junior Varsity teenager and 8 year-old in tow.  We all wore white in support of Desert Vista High School.  Go team!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOn the way to the game, Christy Jo informed me that over 10,000 people were expected to attend. She hoped that gang fights didn\'t break out like at last year\'s game.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><strong>Whatchyoutalkinbout, Christy Jo???  Gang fights?!?!?!  At the high school football game???  We live in Suburbia!!!</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI thought she was kidding.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShe wasn\'t kidding.  You can read all about it <a href=\"http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/20120905ahwatukee-bowl-security-plan.html\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong> </a>  Last year\'s game had to be called off in the 3rd quarter due to the violence.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI wondered if Christy Jo would let me and the 8 year-old split.  We still had time to catch the next showing of <em>Brave</em> at the mall.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut Christy Jo is one of those suck-it-up-buttercup types.  As we entered the stadium, I kept my mouth shut and my wits about me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><strong>I made a mental note that I should consider taking Kung Fu as a playdate/preparation for next year\'s game.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNow, I went to high school in Texas.  I think we would all agree that Texas and high school football are synonymous, correct?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd I used to go to <em>all</em> of the Friday night football games!  I even dated a star football player my senior year!  We were so different from one another.  It was very Romeo and Juliet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut I have NEVER witnessed anything like the insanity of The Ahwatukee Bowl.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/02/playdate-36-friday-night-lights/screen-shot-2012-09-30-at-6-04-20-pm/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11281\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11281\" title=\"Screen shot 2012-09-30 at 6.04.20 PM\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Screen-shot-2012-09-30-at-6.04.20-PM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"528\" height=\"200\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: large;\"><strong>Late Bloomer\'s Tukee Bowl Recap</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>10.  Throngs of people.</strong>  Forget the gang warfare!  I couldn\'t stop thinking that we were about to be the next stadium stampede to make global news.  The rest of the world would be thoroughly confused.  Were these stupid Americans playing fútbol/soccer or football/football?  And what the heck is an Ahwatukee?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>9.  Stadium junk food of the night:</strong>  <strong>Giant pretzel dipped in nasty nacho cheese.</strong>  I ate half, regretted it, and gave the other half to an ecstatic 8 year-old already pumped up on Jamba Juice and hot dogs.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>8.  From my vantage point, the majority of the crowd was over the age of 40.</strong>  I was either in a sea of mid-life crises or an ocean of hyper-supportive parents.  Teens steered clear in their own section.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>7.  Boom Boom Crash!</strong>  The thunderous claps didn\'t come from the marching band.  We had been experiencing a rare wet-stuff-falling-out-of-the-sky week in the desert, and a light drizzle sprinkled the crowd.  A crowd clad in white t-shirts, I remind you.  Thankfully, we were spared a downpour and subsequently Ahwatukee\'s Largest White T-Shirt Contest.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>6.  The rain was short-lived, and there we sat shoulder to shoulder in a swamp of humidity.</strong>  People started to sweat, and someone smelled like vinegar.  Had my sister been there, she would have dry heaved fo sho.  It was disgusting.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe thick, vinegary atmosphere instantaneously attracted a plague of bugs.  Obviously, these bugs were in no way, shape or form related to flies because as your mother always told you, you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11286\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/02/playdate-36-friday-night-lights/olympus-digital-camera-775/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11286\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11286\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P9070037-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Those black dots are bugs, people!!![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>5.  How about those cheerleaders?</strong>  For most of the evening, the ones from our team stood with their flashy pom poms on their hips and looked bored.  But across the field, the Mountain Point cheerleaders performed like the U.S. Women\'s Gymnastics Team!  Look for them in Rio in 2016.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>4.  Halftime!  Yay!  </strong>I always love a good show.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>3.  When halftime was over, I was talked out, stuffed, and tired.</strong>  So was the 8 year-old who started to get cranky and begged for a back scratch until she finally zonked.  I, too, pleaded for a back scratch and a lap to sleep in, but all I got was a suck-it-up-buttercup look.  I desperately hoped for a fight and a 3rd quarter release, but no such luck this year.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11287\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/02/playdate-36-friday-night-lights/olympus-digital-camera-776/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11287\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11287\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P9070040-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Lucky kid.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>2.  I apologize, but I can\'t tell you a thing about the game because I don\'t watch football.  </strong>I chat incessantly, stuff my face, and attempt to stay awake by dancing to the marching band.  I tried to explain this to you earlier.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11294\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/02/playdate-36-friday-night-lights/olympus-digital-camera-777/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11294\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11294\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/P9070042-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Mountain Point wins! Their fans in black rushed the field. Don\'t ask me what the score was.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>1.  <strong>Streaker!</strong>  </strong></span>I blinked, and I missed it.  Except for the very tail end.  Ba dump bump.  I am beside myself that I failed to capture this streaking fool on video to show you today.  A YouTube search turned up fruitless.  Except for this happy memory from the only football game that I have ever enjoyed watching.  (Click <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmguLIpU6C0&amp;playnext=1&amp;list=PL9BA9575EC8DC6D1C&amp;feature=results_main\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong></a> to watch for yourselves!)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhen was the last time you attended a Friday night high school football game?  Do tell.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #36:  Friday Night Lights','','inherit','open','open','','11271-revision-66','','','2012-10-02 09:47:43','2012-10-02 16:47:43','',11271,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/02/11271-revision-66/',0,'revision','',0),(11649,1,'2012-11-26 19:38:49','2012-11-27 02:38:49','[caption id=\"attachment_11280\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/02/playdate-36-friday-night-lights/olympus-digital-camera-774/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11280\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11280  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P9070039-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Just a couple of chicks reliving their glory days![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI am not a fan of football.  Yawn.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHowever, I am a fan of mingling with friends, eating occasional stadium junk food, and jiving to marching bands.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo when Christy Jo invited me to the big local rivalry high school football game, I accepted.  It had been 25 years since I had been to a Friday night football game.  Sounded like old-fashioned fun!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nChristy Jo picked me up at 6:30 on Friday night with her freshly injured Junior Varsity teenager and 8 year-old in tow.  We all wore white in support of Desert Vista High School.  Go team!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOn the way to the game, Christy Jo informed me that over 10,000 people were expected to attend. She hoped that gang fights didn\'t break out like at last year\'s game.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><strong>Whatchyoutalkinbout, Christy Jo???  Gang fights?!?!?!  At the high school football game???  We live in Suburbia!!!</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI thought she was kidding.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShe wasn\'t kidding.  You can read all about it <a href=\"http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/20120905ahwatukee-bowl-security-plan.html\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong> </a>  Last year\'s game had to be called off in the 3rd quarter due to the violence.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI wondered if Christy Jo would let me and the 8 year-old split.  We still had time to catch the next showing of <em>Brave</em> at the mall.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut Christy Jo is one of those suck-it-up-buttercup types.  As we entered the stadium, I kept my mouth shut and my wits about me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><strong>I made a mental note that I should consider taking Kung Fu as a playdate/preparation for next year\'s game.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNow, I went to high school in Texas.  I think we would all agree that Texas and high school football are synonymous, correct?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd I used to go to <em>all</em> of the Friday night football games!  I even dated a star football player my senior year!  We were so different from one another.  It was very Romeo and Juliet.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut I have NEVER witnessed anything like the insanity of The Ahwatukee Bowl.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/02/playdate-36-friday-night-lights/screen-shot-2012-09-30-at-6-04-20-pm/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11281\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11281\" title=\"Screen shot 2012-09-30 at 6.04.20 PM\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Screen-shot-2012-09-30-at-6.04.20-PM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"528\" height=\"200\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: large;\"><strong>Late Bloomer\'s Tukee Bowl Recap</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>10.  Throngs of people.</strong>  Forget the gang warfare!  I couldn\'t stop thinking that we were about to be the next stadium stampede to make global news.  The rest of the world would be thoroughly confused.  Were these stupid Americans playing fútbol/soccer or football/football?  And what the heck is an Ahwatukee?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>9.  Stadium junk food of the night:</strong>  <strong>Giant pretzel dipped in nasty nacho cheese.</strong>  I ate half, regretted it, and gave the other half to an ecstatic 8 year-old already pumped up on Jamba Juice and hot dogs.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>8.  From my vantage point, the majority of the crowd was over the age of 40.</strong>  I was either in a sea of mid-life crises or an ocean of hyper-supportive parents.  Teens steered clear in their own section.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>7.  Boom Boom Crash!</strong>  The thunderous claps didn\'t come from the marching band.  We had been experiencing a rare wet-stuff-falling-out-of-the-sky week in the desert, and a light drizzle sprinkled the crowd.  A crowd clad in white t-shirts, I remind you.  Thankfully, we were spared a downpour and subsequently Ahwatukee\'s Largest White T-Shirt Contest.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>6.  The rain was short-lived, and there we sat shoulder to shoulder in a swamp of humidity.</strong>  People started to sweat, and someone smelled like vinegar.  Had my sister been there, she would have dry heaved fo sho.  It was disgusting.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe thick, vinegary atmosphere instantaneously attracted a plague of bugs.  Obviously, these bugs were in no way, shape or form related to flies because as your mother always told you, you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11286\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/02/playdate-36-friday-night-lights/olympus-digital-camera-775/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11286\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11286\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P9070037-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Those black dots are bugs, people!!![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>5.  How about those cheerleaders?</strong>  For most of the evening, the ones from our team stood with their flashy pom poms on their hips and looked bored.  But across the field, the Mountain Point cheerleaders performed like the U.S. Women\'s Gymnastics Team!  Look for them in Rio in 2016.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>4.  Halftime!  Yay!  </strong>I always love a good show.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>3.  When halftime was over, I was talked out, stuffed, and tired.</strong>  So was the 8 year-old who started to get cranky and begged for a back scratch until she finally zonked.  I, too, pleaded for a back scratch and a lap to sleep in, but all I got was a suck-it-up-buttercup look.  I desperately hoped for a fight and a 3rd quarter release, but no such luck this year.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11287\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/02/playdate-36-friday-night-lights/olympus-digital-camera-776/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11287\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11287\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P9070040-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Lucky kid.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>2.  I apologize, but I can\'t tell you a thing about the game because I don\'t watch football.  </strong>I chat incessantly, stuff my face, and attempt to stay awake by dancing to the marching band.  I tried to explain this to you earlier.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11294\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/02/playdate-36-friday-night-lights/olympus-digital-camera-777/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11294\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11294\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/P9070042-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a> Mountain Point wins! Their fans in black rushed the field. Don\'t ask me what the score was.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #ff0000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>1.  <strong>Streaker!</strong>  </strong></span>I blinked, and I missed it.  Except for the very tail end.  Ba dump bump.  I am beside myself that I failed to capture this streaking fool on video to show you today.  A YouTube search turned up fruitless.  Except for this happy memory from the only football game that I have ever enjoyed watching.  (Click <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmguLIpU6C0&amp;playnext=1&amp;list=PL9BA9575EC8DC6D1C&amp;feature=results_main\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here</strong></a> to watch for yourselves!)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhen was the last time you attended a Friday night high school football game?  Do tell.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #36:  Friday Night Lights','','inherit','open','open','','11271-revision-67','','','2012-11-26 19:38:49','2012-11-27 02:38:49','',11271,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/26/11271-revision-67/',0,'revision','',0),(11650,1,'2012-09-25 22:43:31','2012-09-26 05:43:31','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11191\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11191\"><img class=\"wp-image-11191 alignleft\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690005\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690005-1024x1018.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"344\" height=\"342\" /></a> song says, \"I left my heart in San Francisco\".  For me, I would change the lyrics to \"I left my heart in Southampton\".\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy formative years were spent on Long Island, New York.  In the town of Mineola, to be exact.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhich you\'ve probably never heard of unless you\'re from Long Island.  Think \"small town filled with Portuguese people\".  Kind of like the town in Mystic Pizza.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nExcept Mystic is in Connecticut.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd Julia Roberts is not Portuguese.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPortuguese families ARE very tight (just like Julia Roberts\' fictional family in Mystic Pizza), and my grandparents lived minutes away from us in Mineola. I saw them practically every day until the age of 8.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy grandfather <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/10/11/to-be-continued/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>aka Papa</strong></a> was a Portuguese immigrant who came to this country with nothing but his pride and an ironclast work ethic.  He founded a construction company and slowly secured his small portion of the American Dream.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHe secured a plot of land in Southampton, New York overlooking Little Peconic Bay and built two houses with his own two hands.  Literally.  He loved to tell the story of how it cost him $14,000 to build the house that was our family\'s beloved beach house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAll of my birth through 8 year-old summers were spent out at The Beach House.  (Technically, I was also there when I was incubating in my mother\'s womb.)  So many attributes of The Michelle of Today can be traced back to those magical summers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor instance, the guitar pictured top left next to Baby Michelle is the very same guitar that I picked up at age 8.  I taught myself how to play it with the John Denver Songbook.  In fact, I NEVER STOPPED playing it that summer and nearly set my mother over the edge.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11195\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11195\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11195\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690006\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690006-643x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere is Kindergarten Michelle indulging in her newfound love of boats with her dad.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI begged either my father and/or Papa to take me on boat rides daily.  At first there was the dingie.  Then there was the cute little sailboat that my father christened \"Mishy Lou\".  Later there was Papa\'s motorboat.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLastly, Uncle Johnny\'s Hobie Cat.  Which he nearly capsized one suddenly stormy afternoon with my sister and I on board.  My mother required Valium by the time we returned to the house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11196\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11196\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11196\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690007\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690007-1007x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"423\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere is Toddler Michelle showing her early athletic prowess and affinity for sport.  Not!  I assure you that the mini soccer match with Nana lasted a whopping two minutes before I ran screaming for my dollies.  Or to my Papa for a boat ride.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11181\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11181\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11181\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690001\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690001-1024x815.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"342\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd here is 2nd grade Michelle swimming in The Pond with Pepino the Chihuahua.  (Google translate \"pepino\" from Portuguese to English and report back to me your bewilderment in the comments section.  That way I\'ll know you\'re paying attention and humoring me by reading this entire blog post.  :-D )\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYep.  I was the definition of \"water baby\".  Rumor has it that I swam solo across the inlet at the ripe old age of 6.  It\'s a wonder my mother didn\'t develop a Valium addiction.  She\'s one of those Extreme Nervous Nelly types.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(For the record, my mother has never ingested a single Valium.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(That I am aware of.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(I took a Valium once pre-Lasik -- doctor\'s orders -- and it was pretty groovy.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt\'s equally a wonder that with my natural talents at such a wee age, I didn\'t become the next Diana Nyad or Taylor Swift.  Not sure what The Parental Unit was thinking.  Or not thinking.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11185\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"430\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11185\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11185\"><img class=\" wp-image-11185   \" title=\"Scanned Image 122690002\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690002-1024x824.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"346\" /></a> 2nd grade Michelle transfixed by her neighbor\'s guitar playing and dreaming that one day she\'ll be the next Taylor Swift. Yes, I realize that Taylor Swift was not even a twinkle at this point, but I like to experiment with anachronism from time to time. Makes me feel very Shakespearean.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMoving right along . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI think you get the picture.  (Pun intended.)  Southampton is my happy place.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou know when \"experts\" advise you to think of a serene and peaceful scene when under stress?  To not only picture yourself there but <em>feel</em> yourself there?  And then all of the stress will immediately exit your body on your next exhale?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThat happy place for me is <em>always</em> The Beach House in Southampton.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat happened to The Beach House, you\'re wondering?  Don\'t worry.  We\'ll get there.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFirst we need to rewind back to Michelle at the tender age of 8.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy father -- <a href=\"http://snowdropfoundation.org/?page_id=102\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>who is the kindest and most selfless guy on the planet</strong> </a>-- (<strong>I\'m not kidding, <a href=\"http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/Donate/PersonalPage.cfm?MID=9047&amp;CRID=35&amp;CID=397\" target=\"_blank\">you can read even more about his gigantic heart here</a></strong>) -- career changed from mechanical engineer to petroleum engineer during the oil boom.  You know what that meant, right?  The family moved to where the oil overflowedeth.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nGiddyup.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDad assured me that I would love Texas.  After all, our new house was located on Lancelot Drive, and there was no one in the world I loved more at that time than <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsSnNk0CSh0\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Lancelot</strong>.</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(35 years later I still have a thing for <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39PuFOTjtk8\" target=\"_blank\">dark-haired men with accents.</a>  </strong>It\'s truly a miracle that I haven\'t run off with one  Yet.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI hated Texas.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(For the record, I love my father dearly.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe saving grace was that we returned to The Beach House each summer.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo many of my favorite things of today trace back to The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ mimosas.  Not the cocktail, but the trees.  Because The Most Beautiful Tree in the History of My Life shaded the front yard of The Beach House.  My sister and I would collect the blossoms and crown Nana \"Mimosa Queen\".\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11147\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11147\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11147\" title=\"Scanned Image 122630002\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122630002-1024x350.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"280\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis was the same summer that I made the unfortunate discovery of an evil potion called Sun In.  Can you detect the orange tint in my hair captured in a Kodak memory for all eternity?  Moving right along again . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ blue hydrangeas.  Because they lined the front patio of The Beach House.  On that patio we ate breakfast, lunch, dinner, put on theatrical productions, staged pretend weddings (dressed in Nana\'s wedding gown), and watched the blazing sun set over the Little Peconic.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11182\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11182\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11182\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690003\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690003-1024x697.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"418\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nToday, I have a fake blue hydrangea in my kitchen.  That\'s the best that I can do in Arizona.  Except for when they sell real blue hydrangeas at Trader Joe\'s and people stare at me because I start jumping up and down in the aisle.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ sand dunes.  Because of the giant sand dune named Holmes Hill on Little Peconic Bay.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd because my all-time-fav photo of my father was taken on Holmes Hill.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11187\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11187\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11187\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690004\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690004-686x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"288\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFrom The Beach House, you would walk three houses down the street and access a practically private beach with a panoramic view of the bay and Holmes Hill.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI would often walk that beach by myself before dinner so that I could be alone with my thoughts and dream about....oh, I don\'t know...Lancelot probably.  (The knight, not the street.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne night at dusk, I looked into the water and saw a slithery glowing object.  It stopped me in my sand tracks.  An electric eel!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ran back to the house and breathlessly shared my discovery with my family.  No one believed me.  To this day, no one believes me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what I saw.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMoving right along (for the last time, I promise) . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #0000ff;\"><strong>The story of The Beach House has somewhat of a sad ending, my friends.  I\'m not going to drag it out because I may get too emotional.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLike all other good New Yorkers, Nana and Papa decided to retire in Florida.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI never understood this.  I will never understand this.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf ANYONE can explain to me why New Yorkers are so enamored of Florida, please educate me in the comments section below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor the record, I adore and revere my Portuguese grandparents beyond belief.  But let me assure you, dear readers, that visiting a house on a gator-infested canal in Florida after growing up in The Beach House is highly anticlimactic.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLuckily, my uncle swooped in and saved the day by buying The Beach House.  He kept it for a good ten years or so.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Until the red tide swept in and you couldn\'t swim in The Pond without contracting a nasty rash.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAs if rashes aren\'t obnoxious enough, the secret of The Hamptons boomed across Manhattan in the 80s. Suddenly, there was traffic that rivaled LA and swarms of yuppy snobs with a sense of entitlement. Our quiet and idyllic Beach House existed only in our storybook memories.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn order to save his sanity (and shave an hour off his commute), Uncle Johnny sold The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n* moment of silence *\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nReal estate whiz that he is, UJ unearthed a treasure in a more down-to-earth and old-Southampton-of-yore-like location in Hampton Bays.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThese days, I try to return to my roots every other summer.  My uncle\'s pad is pretty killer.  I ♥ it, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut The Beach House will always hold the most special place in my heart.  A summer visit would not be complete without a pilgrimage to The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #34, Nana, Auntie I, Aunt Bonnie and I journeyed there.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe Beach House looks much different today than it did all those years ago.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11151\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210074-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"361\" height=\"271\" /><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11156\" style=\"border-style: initial; border-color: initial; cursor: default; border-width: 0px;\" title=\"Shampton2\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Shampton2-1005x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"259\" height=\"265\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd even though Nana couldn\'t wait for me in the front yard (as in the photo above right) because of pesky trespassing laws, she was able to watch me three doors down at the practically private beach.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11153\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11153\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11153\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210077-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"323\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhile I took a photo of Holmes Hill.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11150\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11150\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11150\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210086-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"401\" height=\"301\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd wondered what happened to the mountainous formation of rocks that I used to climb onto.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11152\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11152\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11152\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210076-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"301\" height=\"401\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd collected angel\'s toenails sea shells (as Nana has always called them).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11154\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11154\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11154\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210079-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"401\" height=\"301\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd secretly wished that I can someday return to The Beach House, swoop in with a windfall, and reclaim it for future memories.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n*********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhere does your heart reside?  Please share in the comments section below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #34:  The Beach House is Where the Heart Is','','inherit','open','open','','11138-revision-61','','','2012-09-25 22:43:31','2012-09-26 05:43:31','',11138,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/25/11138-revision-61/',0,'revision','',0),(11652,1,'2012-11-26 19:40:13','2012-11-27 02:40:13','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690005/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11191\"><img class=\"wp-image-11191 alignleft\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690005\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690005-1024x1018.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"344\" height=\"342\" /></a> song says, \"I left my heart in San Francisco\".  For me, I would change the lyrics to \"I left my heart in Southampton\".\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy formative years were spent on Long Island, New York.  In the town of Mineola, to be exact.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhich you\'ve probably never heard of unless you\'re from Long Island.  Think \"small town filled with Portuguese people\".  Kind of like the town in Mystic Pizza.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nExcept Mystic is in Connecticut.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd Julia Roberts is not Portuguese.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPortuguese families ARE very tight (just like Julia Roberts\' fictional family in Mystic Pizza), and my grandparents lived minutes away from us in Mineola. I saw them practically every day until the age of 8.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy grandfather <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/10/11/to-be-continued/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>aka Papa</strong></a> was a Portuguese immigrant who came to this country with nothing but his pride and an ironclast work ethic.  He founded a construction company and slowly secured his small portion of the American Dream.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHe secured a plot of land in Southampton, New York overlooking Little Peconic Bay and built two houses with his own two hands.  Literally.  He loved to tell the story of how it cost him $14,000 to build the house that was our family\'s beloved beach house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAll of my birth through 8 year-old summers were spent out at The Beach House.  (Technically, I was also there when I was incubating in my mother\'s womb.)  So many attributes of The Michelle of Today can be traced back to those magical summers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor instance, the guitar pictured top left next to Baby Michelle is the very same guitar that I picked up at age 8.  I taught myself how to play it with the John Denver Songbook.  In fact, I NEVER STOPPED playing it that summer and nearly set my mother over the edge.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690006/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11195\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11195\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690006\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690006-643x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere is Kindergarten Michelle indulging in her newfound love of boats with her dad.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI begged either my father and/or Papa to take me on boat rides daily.  At first there was the dingie.  Then there was the cute little sailboat that my father christened \"Mishy Lou\".  Later there was Papa\'s motorboat.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLastly, Uncle Johnny\'s Hobie Cat.  Which he nearly capsized one suddenly stormy afternoon with my sister and I on board.  My mother required Valium by the time we returned to the house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690007/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11196\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11196\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690007\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690007-1007x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"423\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere is Toddler Michelle showing her early athletic prowess and affinity for sport.  Not!  I assure you that the mini soccer match with Nana lasted a whopping two minutes before I ran screaming for my dollies.  Or to my Papa for a boat ride.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690001/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11181\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11181\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690001\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690001-1024x815.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"342\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd here is 2nd grade Michelle swimming in The Pond with Pepino the Chihuahua.  (Google translate \"pepino\" from Portuguese to English and report back to me your bewilderment in the comments section.  That way I\'ll know you\'re paying attention and humoring me by reading this entire blog post.  :-D )\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYep.  I was the definition of \"water baby\".  Rumor has it that I swam solo across the inlet at the ripe old age of 6.  It\'s a wonder my mother didn\'t develop a Valium addiction.  She\'s one of those Extreme Nervous Nelly types.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(For the record, my mother has never ingested a single Valium.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(That I am aware of.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(I took a Valium once pre-Lasik -- doctor\'s orders -- and it was pretty groovy.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt\'s equally a wonder that with my natural talents at such a wee age, I didn\'t become the next Diana Nyad or Taylor Swift.  Not sure what The Parental Unit was thinking.  Or not thinking.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11185\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"430\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690002/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11185\"><img class=\" wp-image-11185   \" title=\"Scanned Image 122690002\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690002-1024x824.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"346\" /></a> 2nd grade Michelle transfixed by her neighbor\'s guitar playing and dreaming that one day she\'ll be the next Taylor Swift. Yes, I realize that Taylor Swift was not even a twinkle at this point, but I like to experiment with anachronism from time to time. Makes me feel very Shakespearean.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMoving right along . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI think you get the picture.  (Pun intended.)  Southampton is my happy place.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou know when \"experts\" advise you to think of a serene and peaceful scene when under stress?  To not only picture yourself there but <em>feel</em> yourself there?  And then all of the stress will immediately exit your body on your next exhale?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThat happy place for me is <em>always</em> The Beach House in Southampton.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat happened to The Beach House, you\'re wondering?  Don\'t worry.  We\'ll get there.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFirst we need to rewind back to Michelle at the tender age of 8.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy father -- <a href=\"http://snowdropfoundation.org/?page_id=102\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>who is the kindest and most selfless guy on the planet</strong> </a>-- (<strong>I\'m not kidding, <a href=\"http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/Donate/PersonalPage.cfm?MID=9047&amp;CRID=35&amp;CID=397\" target=\"_blank\">you can read even more about his gigantic heart here</a></strong>) -- career changed from mechanical engineer to petroleum engineer during the oil boom.  You know what that meant, right?  The family moved to where the oil overflowedeth.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nGiddyup.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDad assured me that I would love Texas.  After all, our new house was located on Lancelot Drive, and there was no one in the world I loved more at that time than <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsSnNk0CSh0\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Lancelot</strong>.</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(35 years later I still have a thing for <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39PuFOTjtk8\" target=\"_blank\">dark-haired men with accents.</a>  </strong>It\'s truly a miracle that I haven\'t run off with one  Yet.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI hated Texas.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(For the record, I love my father dearly.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe saving grace was that we returned to The Beach House each summer.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo many of my favorite things of today trace back to The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ mimosas.  Not the cocktail, but the trees.  Because The Most Beautiful Tree in the History of My Life shaded the front yard of The Beach House.  My sister and I would collect the blossoms and crown Nana \"Mimosa Queen\".\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122630002/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11147\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11147\" title=\"Scanned Image 122630002\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122630002-1024x350.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"280\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis was the same summer that I made the unfortunate discovery of an evil potion called Sun In.  Can you detect the orange tint in my hair captured in a Kodak memory for all eternity?  Moving right along again . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ blue hydrangeas.  Because they lined the front patio of The Beach House.  On that patio we ate breakfast, lunch, dinner, put on theatrical productions, staged pretend weddings (dressed in Nana\'s wedding gown), and watched the blazing sun set over the Little Peconic.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690003/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11182\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11182\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690003\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690003-1024x697.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"418\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nToday, I have a fake blue hydrangea in my kitchen.  That\'s the best that I can do in Arizona.  Except for when they sell real blue hydrangeas at Trader Joe\'s and people stare at me because I start jumping up and down in the aisle.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ sand dunes.  Because of the giant sand dune named Holmes Hill on Little Peconic Bay.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd because my all-time-fav photo of my father was taken on Holmes Hill.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690004/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11187\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11187\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690004\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690004-686x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"288\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFrom The Beach House, you would walk three houses down the street and access a practically private beach with a panoramic view of the bay and Holmes Hill.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI would often walk that beach by myself before dinner so that I could be alone with my thoughts and dream about....oh, I don\'t know...Lancelot probably.  (The knight, not the street.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne night at dusk, I looked into the water and saw a slithery glowing object.  It stopped me in my sand tracks.  An electric eel!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ran back to the house and breathlessly shared my discovery with my family.  No one believed me.  To this day, no one believes me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what I saw.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMoving right along (for the last time, I promise) . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #0000ff;\"><strong>The story of The Beach House has somewhat of a sad ending, my friends.  I\'m not going to drag it out because I may get too emotional.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLike all other good New Yorkers, Nana and Papa decided to retire in Florida.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI never understood this.  I will never understand this.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf ANYONE can explain to me why New Yorkers are so enamored of Florida, please educate me in the comments section below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor the record, I adore and revere my Portuguese grandparents beyond belief.  But let me assure you, dear readers, that visiting a house on a gator-infested canal in Florida after growing up in The Beach House is highly anticlimactic.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLuckily, my uncle swooped in and saved the day by buying The Beach House.  He kept it for a good ten years or so.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Until the red tide swept in and you couldn\'t swim in The Pond without contracting a nasty rash.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAs if rashes aren\'t obnoxious enough, the secret of The Hamptons boomed across Manhattan in the 80s. Suddenly, there was traffic that rivaled LA and swarms of yuppy snobs with a sense of entitlement. Our quiet and idyllic Beach House existed only in our storybook memories.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn order to save his sanity (and shave an hour off his commute), Uncle Johnny sold The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n* moment of silence *\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nReal estate whiz that he is, UJ unearthed a treasure in a more down-to-earth and old-Southampton-of-yore-like location in Hampton Bays.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThese days, I try to return to my roots every other summer.  My uncle\'s pad is pretty killer.  I ♥ it, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut The Beach House will always hold the most special place in my heart.  A summer visit would not be complete without a pilgrimage to The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #34, Nana, Auntie I, Aunt Bonnie and I journeyed there.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe Beach House looks much different today than it did all those years ago.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11151\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210074-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"361\" height=\"271\" /><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11156\" style=\"border-style: initial; border-color: initial; cursor: default; border-width: 0px;\" title=\"Shampton2\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Shampton2-1005x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"259\" height=\"265\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd even though Nana couldn\'t wait for me in the front yard (as in the photo above right) because of pesky trespassing laws, she was able to watch me three doors down at the practically private beach.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-762/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11153\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11153\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210077-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"323\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhile I took a photo of Holmes Hill.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-759/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11150\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11150\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210086-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"401\" height=\"301\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd wondered what happened to the mountainous formation of rocks that I used to climb onto.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-761/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11152\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11152\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210076-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"301\" height=\"401\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd collected angel\'s toenails sea shells (as Nana has always called them).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-763/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11154\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11154\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210079-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"401\" height=\"301\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd secretly wished that I can someday return to The Beach House, swoop in with a windfall, and reclaim it for future memories.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n*********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhere does your heart reside?  Please share in the comments section below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #34:  The Beach House is Where the Heart Is','','inherit','open','open','','11138-revision-63','','','2012-11-26 19:40:13','2012-11-27 02:40:13','',11138,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/26/11138-revision-63/',0,'revision','',0),(11653,1,'2012-11-26 21:11:45','2012-11-27 04:11:45','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690005/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11191\"><img class=\"wp-image-11191 alignleft\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690005\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690005-1024x1018.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"344\" height=\"342\" /></a> song says, \"I left my heart in San Francisco\".  For me, I would change the lyrics to \"I left my heart in Southampton\".\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy formative years were spent on Long Island, New York.  In the town of Mineola, to be exact.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhich you\'ve probably never heard of unless you\'re from Long Island.  Think \"small town filled with Portuguese people\".  Kind of like the town in Mystic Pizza.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nExcept Mystic is in Connecticut.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd Julia Roberts is not Portuguese.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPortuguese families ARE very tight (just like Julia Roberts\' fictional family in Mystic Pizza), and my grandparents lived minutes away from us in Mineola. I saw them practically every day until the age of 8.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy grandfather <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/10/11/to-be-continued/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>aka Papa</strong></a> was a Portuguese immigrant who came to this country with nothing but his pride and an ironclast work ethic.  He founded a construction company and slowly secured his small portion of the American Dream.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHe secured a plot of land in Southampton, New York overlooking Little Peconic Bay and built two houses with his own two hands.  Literally.  He loved to tell the story of how it cost him $14,000 to build the house that was our family\'s beloved beach house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAll of my birth through 8 year-old summers were spent out at The Beach House.  (Technically, I was also there when I was incubating in my mother\'s womb.)  So many attributes of The Michelle of Today can be traced back to those magical summers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor instance, the guitar pictured top left next to Baby Michelle is the very same guitar that I picked up at age 8.  I taught myself how to play it with the John Denver Songbook.  In fact, I NEVER STOPPED playing it that summer and nearly set my mother over the edge.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690006/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11195\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11195\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690006\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690006-643x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere is Kindergarten Michelle indulging in her newfound love of boats with her dad.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI begged either my father and/or Papa to take me on boat rides daily.  At first there was the dingie.  Then there was the cute little sailboat that my father christened \"Mishy Lou\".  Later there was Papa\'s motorboat.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLastly, Uncle Johnny\'s Hobie Cat.  Which he nearly capsized one suddenly stormy afternoon with my sister and I on board.  My mother required Valium by the time we returned to the house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690007/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11196\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11196\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690007\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690007-1007x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"423\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere is Toddler Michelle showing her early athletic prowess and affinity for sport.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNot!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI assure you that the mini soccer match with Nana lasted a whopping two minutes before I ran screaming for my dollies.  Or to my Papa for a boat ride.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690001/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11181\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11181\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690001\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690001-1024x815.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"342\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd here is 2nd grade Michelle swimming in The Pond with Pepino the Chihuahua.  (Google translate \"pepino\" from Portuguese to English and report back to me your bewilderment in the comments section.  That way I\'ll know you\'re paying attention and humoring me by reading this entire blog post.  :-D )\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYep.  I was the definition of \"water baby\".  Rumor has it that I swam solo across the inlet at the ripe old age of 6.  It\'s a wonder my mother didn\'t develop a Valium addiction.  She\'s one of those Extreme Nervous Nelly types.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(For the record, my mother has never ingested a single Valium.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(That I am aware of.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(I took a Valium once pre-Lasik -- doctor\'s orders -- and it was pretty groovy.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt\'s equally a wonder that with my natural talents at such a wee age, I didn\'t become the next Diana Nyad or Taylor Swift.  Not sure what The Parental Unit was thinking.  Or not thinking.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11185\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"430\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690002/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11185\"><img class=\" wp-image-11185   \" title=\"Scanned Image 122690002\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690002-1024x824.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"346\" /></a> 2nd grade Michelle transfixed by her neighbor\'s guitar playing and dreaming that one day she\'ll be the next Taylor Swift. Yes, I realize that Taylor Swift was not even a twinkle at this point, but I like to experiment with anachronism from time to time. Makes me feel very Shakespearean.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMoving right along . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI think you get the picture.  (Pun intended.)  Southampton is my happy place.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou know when \"experts\" advise you to think of a serene and peaceful scene when under stress?  To not only picture yourself there but <em>feel</em> yourself there?  And then all of the stress will immediately exit your body on your next exhale?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThat happy place for me is <em>always</em> The Beach House in Southampton.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat happened to The Beach House, you\'re wondering?  Don\'t worry.  We\'ll get there.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFirst we need to rewind back to Michelle at the tender age of 8.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy father -- <a href=\"http://snowdropfoundation.org/?page_id=102\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>who is the kindest and most selfless guy on the planet</strong> </a>-- (<strong>I\'m not kidding, <a href=\"http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/Donate/PersonalPage.cfm?MID=9047&amp;CRID=35&amp;CID=397\" target=\"_blank\">you can read even more about his gigantic heart here</a></strong>) -- career morphed from mechanical engineer to petroleum engineer during the oil boom.  You know what that meant, right?  The family moved to where the oil overflowedeth.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nGiddyup.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDad assured me that I would love Texas.  After all, our new house was located on Lancelot Drive, and there was no one in the world I loved more at that time than <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsSnNk0CSh0\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Lancelot</strong>.</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(35 years later I still have a thing for <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39PuFOTjtk8\" target=\"_blank\">dark-haired men with accents.</a>  </strong>It\'s truly a miracle that I haven\'t run off with one  Yet.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI hated Texas.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(For the record, I love my father dearly.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe saving grace was that we returned to The Beach House each summer.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo many of my favorite things of today trace back to The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ mimosas.  Not the cocktail, but the trees.  Because The Most Beautiful Tree in the History of My Life shaded the front yard of The Beach House.  My sister and I would collect the blossoms and crown Nana \"Mimosa Queen\".\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122630002/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11147\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11147\" title=\"Scanned Image 122630002\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122630002-1024x350.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"280\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis was the same summer that I made the unfortunate discovery of an evil potion called Sun In.  Can you detect the orange tint in my hair captured in a Kodak memory for all eternity?  Moving right along again . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ blue hydrangeas.  Because they lined the front patio of The Beach House.  On that patio we ate breakfast, lunch, dinner, put on theatrical productions, staged pretend weddings (dressed in Nana\'s wedding gown), and watched the blazing sun set over the Little Peconic.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690003/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11182\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11182\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690003\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690003-1024x697.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"418\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nToday, I have a fake blue hydrangea in my kitchen.  That\'s the best that I can do in Arizona.  Except for when they sell real blue hydrangeas at Trader Joe\'s and people stare at me because I start jumping up and down in the aisle.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ sand dunes.  Because of the giant sand dune named Holmes Hill on Little Peconic Bay.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd because my all-time-fav photo of my father was taken on Holmes Hill.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690004/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11187\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11187\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690004\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690004-686x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"288\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFrom The Beach House, you would walk three houses down the street and access a practically private beach with a panoramic view of the bay and Holmes Hill.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI would often walk that beach by myself before dinner so that I could be alone with my thoughts and dream about....oh, I don\'t know...Lancelot probably.  (The knight, not the street.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne night at dusk, I looked into the water and saw a slithery glowing object.  It stopped me in my sand tracks.  An electric eel!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ran back to the house and breathlessly shared my discovery with my family.  No one believed me.  To this day, no one believes me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what I saw.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMoving right along (for the last time, I promise) . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #0000ff;\"><strong>The story of The Beach House has somewhat of a sad ending, my friends.  I\'m not going to drag it out because I may get too emotional.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLike all other good New Yorkers, Nana and Papa decided to retire in Florida.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI never understood this.  I will never understand this.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf ANYONE can explain to me why New Yorkers are so enamored of Florida, please educate me in the comments section below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor the record, I adore and revere my Portuguese grandparents beyond belief.  But let me assure you, dear readers, that visiting a house on a gator-infested canal in Florida after growing up in The Beach House is highly anticlimactic.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLuckily, my uncle swooped in and saved the day by buying The Beach House.  He kept it for a good ten years or so.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Until the red tide swept in and you couldn\'t swim in The Pond without contracting a nasty rash.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAs if rashes aren\'t obnoxious enough, the secret of The Hamptons boomed across Manhattan in the 80s. Suddenly, there was traffic that rivaled LA and swarms of yuppy snobs with a sense of entitlement. Our quiet and idyllic Beach House existed only in our storybook memories.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn order to save his sanity (and shave an hour off his commute), Uncle Johnny sold The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n* moment of silence *\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nReal estate whiz that he is, UJ unearthed a treasure in a more down-to-earth and old-Southampton-of-yore-like location in Hampton Bays.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThese days, I try to return to my roots every other summer.  My uncle\'s pad is pretty killer.  I ♥ it, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut The Beach House will always hold the most special place in my heart.  A summer visit would not be complete without a pilgrimage to The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #34, Nana, Auntie I, Aunt Bonnie and I journeyed there.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe Beach House looks much different today than it did all those years ago.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11151\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210074-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"361\" height=\"271\" /><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11156\" style=\"border-style: initial; border-color: initial; cursor: default; border-width: 0px;\" title=\"Shampton2\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Shampton2-1005x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"259\" height=\"265\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd even though Nana couldn\'t wait for me in the front yard (as in the photo above right) because of pesky trespassing laws, she was able to watch me three doors down at the practically private beach.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-762/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11153\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11153\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210077-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"323\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhile I took a photo of Holmes Hill.\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-759/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11150\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11150\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210086-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"401\" height=\"301\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd wondered what happened to the mountainous formation of rocks that I used to climb onto.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-761/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11152\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11152\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210076-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"301\" height=\"401\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd collected angel\'s toenails sea shells (as Nana has always called them).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-763/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11154\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11154\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210079-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"401\" height=\"301\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd secretly wished that I can someday return to The Beach House, swoop in with a windfall, and reclaim it for future memories.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n*********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhere does your heart reside?  Please share in the comments section below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #34:  The Beach House is Where the Heart Is','','inherit','open','open','','11138-revision-64','','','2012-11-26 21:11:45','2012-11-27 04:11:45','',11138,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/26/11138-revision-64/',0,'revision','',0),(11654,1,'2012-11-26 21:16:00','2012-11-27 04:16:00','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690005/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11191\"><img class=\"wp-image-11191 alignleft\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690005\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690005-1024x1018.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"344\" height=\"342\" /></a> song says, \"I left my heart in San Francisco\".  For me, I would change the lyrics to \"I left my heart in Southampton\".\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy formative years were spent on Long Island, New York.  In the town of Mineola, to be exact.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhich you\'ve probably never heard of unless you\'re from Long Island.  Think \"small town filled with Portuguese people\".  Kind of like the town in Mystic Pizza.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nExcept Mystic is in Connecticut.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd Julia Roberts is not Portuguese.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPortuguese families ARE very tight (just like Julia Roberts\' fictional family in Mystic Pizza), and my grandparents lived minutes away from us in Mineola. I saw them practically every day until the age of 8.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy grandfather <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/10/11/to-be-continued/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>aka Papa</strong></a> was a Portuguese immigrant who came to this country with nothing but his pride and an ironclast work ethic.  He founded a construction company and slowly secured his small portion of the American Dream.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHe secured a plot of land in Southampton, New York overlooking Little Peconic Bay and built two houses with his own two hands.  Literally.  He loved to tell the story of how it cost him $14,000 to build the house that was our family\'s beloved beach house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAll of my birth through 8 year-old summers were spent out at The Beach House.  (Technically, I was also there when I was incubating in my mother\'s womb.)  So many attributes of The Michelle of Today can be traced back to those magical summers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor instance, the guitar pictured top left next to Baby Michelle is the very same guitar that I picked up at age 8.  I taught myself how to play it with the John Denver Songbook.  In fact, I NEVER STOPPED playing it that summer and nearly set my mother over the edge.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690006/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11195\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11195\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690006\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690006-643x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere is Kindergarten Michelle indulging in her newfound love of boats with her dad.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI begged either my father and/or Papa to take me on boat rides daily.  At first there was the dingie.  Then there was the cute little sailboat that my father christened \"Mishy Lou\".  Later there was Papa\'s motorboat.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLastly, Uncle Johnny\'s Hobie Cat.  Which he nearly capsized one suddenly stormy afternoon with my sister and I on board.  My mother required Valium by the time we returned to the house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690007/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11196\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11196\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690007\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690007-1007x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"423\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere is Toddler Michelle showing her early athletic prowess and affinity for sport.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNot!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI assure you that the mini soccer match with Nana lasted a whopping two minutes before I ran screaming for my dollies.  Or to my Papa for a boat ride.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690001/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11181\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11181\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690001\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690001-1024x815.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"342\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd here is 2nd grade Michelle swimming in The Pond with Pepino the Chihuahua.  (Google translate \"pepino\" from Portuguese to English and report back to me your bewilderment in the comments section.  That way I\'ll know you\'re paying attention and humoring me by reading this entire blog post.  :-D )\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYep.  I was the definition of \"water baby\".  Rumor has it that I swam solo across the inlet at the ripe old age of 6.  It\'s a wonder my mother didn\'t develop a Valium addiction.  She\'s one of those Extreme Nervous Nelly types.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(For the record, my mother has never ingested a single Valium.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(That I am aware of.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(I took a Valium once pre-Lasik -- doctor\'s orders -- and it was pretty groovy.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt\'s equally a wonder that with my natural talents at such a wee age, I didn\'t become the next Diana Nyad or Taylor Swift.  Not sure what The Parental Unit was thinking.  Or not thinking.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11185\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"430\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690002/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11185\"><img class=\" wp-image-11185   \" title=\"Scanned Image 122690002\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690002-1024x824.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"346\" /></a> 2nd grade Michelle transfixed by her neighbor\'s guitar playing and dreaming that one day she\'ll be the next Taylor Swift. Yes, I realize that Taylor Swift was not even a twinkle at this point, but I like to experiment with anachronism from time to time. Makes me feel very Shakespearean.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMoving right along . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI think you get the picture.  (Pun intended.)  Southampton is my happy place.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou know when \"experts\" advise you to think of a serene and peaceful scene when under stress?  To not only picture yourself there but <em>feel</em> yourself there?  And then all of the stress will immediately exit your body on your next exhale?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThat happy place for me is <em>always</em> The Beach House in Southampton.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat happened to The Beach House, you\'re wondering?  Don\'t worry.  We\'ll get there.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFirst we need to rewind back to Michelle at the tender age of 8.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy father -- <a href=\"http://snowdropfoundation.org/?page_id=102\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>who is the kindest and most selfless guy on the planet</strong> </a>-- (<strong>I\'m not kidding, <a href=\"http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/Donate/PersonalPage.cfm?MID=9047&amp;CRID=35&amp;CID=397\" target=\"_blank\">you can read even more about his gigantic heart here</a></strong>) -- career morphed from mechanical engineer to petroleum engineer during the oil boom.  You know what that meant, right?  The family moved to where the oil overflowedeth.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nGiddyup.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDad assured me that I would love Texas.  After all, our new house was located on Lancelot Drive, and there was no one in the world I loved more at that time than <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsSnNk0CSh0\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Lancelot</strong>.</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(35 years later I still have a thing for <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39PuFOTjtk8\" target=\"_blank\">dark-haired men with accents.</a>  </strong>It\'s truly a miracle that I haven\'t run off with one  Yet.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI hated Texas.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(For the record, I love my father dearly.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe saving grace was that we returned to The Beach House each summer.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo many of my favorite things of today trace back to The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ mimosas.  Not the cocktail, but the trees.  Because The Most Beautiful Tree in the History of My Life shaded the front yard of The Beach House.  My sister and I would collect the blossoms and crown Nana \"Mimosa Queen\".\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122630002/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11147\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11147\" title=\"Scanned Image 122630002\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122630002-1024x350.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"280\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis was the same summer that I made the unfortunate discovery of an evil potion called Sun In.  Can you detect the orange tint in my hair captured in a Kodak memory for all eternity?  Moving right along again . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ blue hydrangeas.  Because they lined the front patio of The Beach House.  On that patio we ate breakfast, lunch, dinner, put on theatrical productions, staged pretend weddings (dressed in Nana\'s wedding gown), and watched the blazing sun set over the Little Peconic.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690003/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11182\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11182\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690003\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690003-1024x697.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"418\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nToday, I have a fake blue hydrangea in my kitchen.  That\'s the best that I can do in Arizona.  Except for when they sell real blue hydrangeas at <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Trader Joe\'s</strong> </a>and people stare at me because I start jumping up and down in the aisle.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ sand dunes.  Because of the giant sand dune named Holmes Hill on Little Peconic Bay.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd because my all-time-fav photo of my father was taken on Holmes Hill.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690004/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11187\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11187\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690004\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690004-686x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"288\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFrom The Beach House, you would walk three houses down the street and access a practically private beach with a panoramic view of the bay and Holmes Hill.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI would often walk that beach by myself before dinner so that I could be alone with my thoughts and dream about....oh, I don\'t know...Lancelot probably.  (The knight, not the street.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne night at dusk, I looked into the water and saw a slithery glowing object.  It stopped me in my sand tracks.  An electric eel!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ran back to the house and breathlessly shared my discovery with my family.  No one believed me.  To this day, no one believes me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what I saw.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMoving right along (for the last time, I promise) . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #0000ff;\"><strong>The story of The Beach House has somewhat of a sad ending, my friends.  I\'m not going to drag it out because I may get too emotional.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLike all other good New Yorkers, Nana and Papa decided to retire in Florida.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI never understood this.  I will never understand this.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf ANYONE can explain to me why New Yorkers are so enamored of Florida, please educate me in the comments section below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor the record, I adore and revere my Portuguese grandparents beyond belief.  But let me assure you, dear readers, that visiting a house on a gator-infested canal in Florida after growing up in The Beach House is highly anticlimactic.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLuckily, my uncle swooped in and saved the day by buying The Beach House.  He kept it for a good ten years or so.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Until the red tide swept in and you couldn\'t swim in The Pond without contracting a nasty rash.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAs if rashes aren\'t obnoxious enough, the secret of The Hamptons boomed across Manhattan in the 80s. Suddenly, there was traffic that rivaled LA and swarms of yuppy snobs with a sense of entitlement. Our quiet and idyllic Beach House existed only in our storybook memories.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn order to save his sanity (and shave an hour off his commute), Uncle Johnny sold The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n* moment of silence *\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nReal estate whiz that he is, UJ unearthed a treasure in a more down-to-earth and old-Southampton-of-yore-like location in Hampton Bays.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThese days, I try to return to my roots every other summer.  My uncle\'s pad is pretty killer.  I ♥ it, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut The Beach House will always hold the most special place in my heart.  A summer visit would not be complete without a pilgrimage to The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #34, Nana, Auntie I, Aunt Bonnie and I journeyed there.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe Beach House looks much different today than it did all those years ago.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11151\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210074-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"361\" height=\"271\" /><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11156\" style=\"border-style: initial; border-color: initial; cursor: default; border-width: 0px;\" title=\"Shampton2\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Shampton2-1005x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"259\" height=\"265\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd even though Nana couldn\'t wait for me in the front yard (as in the photo above right) because of pesky trespassing laws, she was able to watch me three doors down at the practically private beach.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-762/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11153\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11153\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210077-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"323\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhile I took a photo of Holmes Hill.\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-759/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11150\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11150\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210086-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"401\" height=\"301\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd wondered what happened to the mountainous formation of rocks that I used to climb onto.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-761/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11152\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11152\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210076-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"301\" height=\"401\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd collected angel\'s toenails sea shells (as Nana has always called them).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-763/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11154\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11154\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210079-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"401\" height=\"301\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd secretly wished that I can someday return to The Beach House, swoop in with a windfall, and reclaim it for future memories.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n*********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhere does your heart reside?  Please share in the comments section below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #34:  The Beach House is Where the Heart Is','','inherit','open','open','','11138-revision-65','','','2012-11-26 21:16:00','2012-11-27 04:16:00','',11138,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/26/11138-revision-65/',0,'revision','',0),(11655,1,'2012-11-26 21:18:33','2012-11-27 04:18:33','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690005/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11191\"><img class=\"wp-image-11191 alignleft\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690005\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690005-1024x1018.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"344\" height=\"342\" /></a> song says, \"I left my heart in San Francisco\".  For me, I would change the lyrics to \"I left my heart in Southampton\".\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy formative years were spent on Long Island, New York.  In the town of Mineola, to be exact.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhich you\'ve probably never heard of unless you\'re from Long Island.  Think \"small town filled with Portuguese people\".  Kind of like the town in Mystic Pizza.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nExcept Mystic is in Connecticut.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd Julia Roberts is not Portuguese.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPortuguese families ARE very tight (just like Julia Roberts\' fictional family in Mystic Pizza), and my grandparents lived minutes away from us in Mineola. I saw them practically every day until the age of 8.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy grandfather <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2010/10/11/to-be-continued/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>aka Papa</strong></a> was a Portuguese immigrant who came to this country with nothing but his pride and an ironclast work ethic.  He founded a construction company and slowly secured his small portion of the American Dream.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHe secured a plot of land in Southampton, New York overlooking Little Peconic Bay and built two houses with his own two hands.  Literally.  He loved to tell the story of how it cost him $14,000 to build the house that was our family\'s beloved beach house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAll of my birth through 8 year-old summers were spent out at The Beach House.  (Technically, I was also there when I was incubating in my mother\'s womb.)  So many attributes of The Michelle of Today can be traced back to those magical summers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor instance, the guitar pictured top left next to Baby Michelle is the very same guitar that I picked up at age 8.  I taught myself how to play it with the John Denver Songbook.  In fact, I NEVER STOPPED playing it that summer and nearly set my mother over the edge.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690006/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11195\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11195\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690006\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690006-643x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"270\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere is Kindergarten Michelle indulging in her newfound love of boats with her dad.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI begged either my father and/or Papa to take me on boat rides daily.  At first there was the dingie.  Then there was the cute little sailboat that my father christened \"Mishy Lou\".  Later there was Papa\'s motorboat.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLastly, Uncle Johnny\'s Hobie Cat.  Which he nearly capsized one suddenly stormy afternoon with my sister and I on board.  My mother required Valium by the time we returned to the house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690007/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11196\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11196\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690007\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690007-1007x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"423\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere is Toddler Michelle showing her early athletic prowess and affinity for sport.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNot!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI assure you that the mini soccer match with Nana lasted a whopping two minutes before I ran screaming for my dollies.  Or to my Papa for a boat ride.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690001/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11181\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11181\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690001\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690001-1024x815.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"342\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd here is 2nd grade Michelle swimming in The Pond with Pepino the Chihuahua.  (Google translate \"pepino\" from Portuguese to English and report back to me your bewilderment in the comments section.  That way I\'ll know you\'re paying attention and humoring me by reading this entire blog post.  :-D )\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYep.  I was the definition of \"water baby\".  Rumor has it that I swam solo across the inlet at the ripe old age of 6.  It\'s a wonder my mother didn\'t develop a Valium addiction.  She\'s one of those Extreme Nervous Nelly types.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(For the record, my mother has never ingested a single Valium.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(That I am aware of.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(I took a Valium once pre-Lasik -- doctor\'s orders -- and it was pretty groovy.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIt\'s equally a wonder that with my natural talents at such a wee age, I didn\'t become the next Diana Nyad or Taylor Swift.  Not sure what The Parental Unit was thinking.  Or not thinking.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11185\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"430\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690002/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11185\"><img class=\" wp-image-11185   \" title=\"Scanned Image 122690002\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690002-1024x824.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"346\" /></a> 2nd grade Michelle transfixed by her neighbor\'s guitar playing and dreaming that one day she\'ll be the next Taylor Swift. Yes, I realize that Taylor Swift was not even a twinkle at this point, but I like to experiment with anachronism from time to time. Makes me feel very Shakespearean.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMoving right along . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI think you get the picture.  (Pun intended.)  Southampton is my happy place.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou know when \"experts\" advise you to think of a serene and peaceful scene when under stress?  To not only picture yourself there but <em>feel</em> yourself there?  And then all of the stress will immediately exit your body on your next exhale?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThat happy place for me is <em>always</em> The Beach House in Southampton.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhat happened to The Beach House, you\'re wondering?  Don\'t worry.  We\'ll get there.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFirst we need to rewind back to Michelle at the tender age of 8.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy father -- <a href=\"http://snowdropfoundation.org/?page_id=102\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>who is the kindest and most selfless guy on the planet</strong> </a>-- (<strong>I\'m not kidding, <a href=\"http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/Donate/PersonalPage.cfm?MID=9047&amp;CRID=35&amp;CID=397\" target=\"_blank\">you can read even more about his gigantic heart here</a></strong>) -- career morphed from mechanical engineer to petroleum engineer during the oil boom.  You know what that meant, right?  The family moved to where the oil overflowedeth.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nGiddyup.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDad assured me that I would love Texas.  After all, our new house was located on Lancelot Drive, and there was no one in the world I loved more at that time than <a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsSnNk0CSh0\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Lancelot</strong>.</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(35 years later I still have a thing for <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39PuFOTjtk8\" target=\"_blank\">dark-haired men with accents.</a>  </strong>It\'s truly a miracle that I haven\'t run off with one  Yet.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI hated Texas.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(For the record, I love my father dearly.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe saving grace was that we returned to The Beach House each summer.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo many of my favorite things of today trace back to The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ mimosas.  Not the cocktail, but the trees.  Because The Most Beautiful Tree in the History of My Life shaded the front yard of The Beach House.  My sister and I would collect the blossoms and crown Nana \"Mimosa Queen\".\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122630002/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11147\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11147\" title=\"Scanned Image 122630002\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122630002-1024x350.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"819\" height=\"280\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThis was the same summer that I made the unfortunate discovery of an evil potion called Sun In.  Can you detect the orange tint in my hair captured in a Kodak memory for all eternity?  Moving right along again . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ blue hydrangeas.  Because they lined the front patio of The Beach House.  On that patio we ate breakfast, lunch, dinner, put on theatrical productions, staged pretend weddings (dressed in Nana\'s wedding gown), and watched the blazing sun set over the Little Peconic.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690003/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11182\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11182\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690003\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690003-1024x697.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"418\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nToday, I have a fake blue hydrangea in my kitchen.  That\'s the best that I can do in Arizona.  Except for when they sell real blue hydrangeas at <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Trader Joe\'s</strong> </a>and people stare at me because I start jumping up and down in the aisle.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ♥ sand dunes.  Because of the giant sand dune named Holmes Hill on Little Peconic Bay.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd because my all-time-fav photo of my father was taken on Holmes Hill.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/scanned-image-122690004/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11187\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11187\" title=\"Scanned Image 122690004\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Scanned-Image-122690004-686x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"288\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFrom The Beach House, you would walk three houses down the street and access a practically private beach with a panoramic view of the bay and Holmes Hill.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI would often walk that beach by myself before dinner so that I could be alone with my thoughts and dream about....oh, I don\'t know...Lancelot probably.  (The knight, not the street.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne night at dusk, I looked into the water and saw a slithery glowing object.  It stopped me in my sand tracks.  An electric eel!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI ran back to the house and breathlessly shared my discovery with my family.  No one believed me.  To this day, no one believes me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what I saw.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMoving right along (for the last time, I promise) . . . .\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #0000ff;\"><strong>The story of The Beach House has somewhat of a sad ending, my friends.  I\'m not going to drag it out because I may get too emotional.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLike all other good New Yorkers, Nana and Papa decided to retire in Florida.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI never understood this.  I will never understand this.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf ANYONE can explain to me why New Yorkers are so enamored of Florida, please educate me in the comments section below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor the record, I adore and revere my Portuguese grandparents beyond belief.  But let me assure you, dear readers, that visiting a house on a gator-infested canal in Florida after growing up in The Beach House is highly anticlimactic.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLuckily, my uncle swooped in and saved the day by buying The Beach House.  He kept it for a good ten years or so.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Until the red tide swept in and you couldn\'t swim in The Pond without contracting a nasty rash.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAs if rashes aren\'t obnoxious enough, the secret of The Hamptons boomed across Manhattan in the 80s. Suddenly, there was traffic that rivaled LA and swarms of yuppy snobs with a sense of entitlement. Our quiet and idyllic Beach House existed only in our storybook memories.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn order to save his sanity (and shave an hour off his commute), Uncle Johnny sold The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n* moment of silence *\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nReal estate whiz that he is, UJ unearthed a treasure in a more down-to-earth and old-Southampton-of-yore-like location in Hampton Bays.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThese days, I try to return to my roots every other summer.  My uncle\'s pad is pretty killer.  I ♥ it, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut The Beach House will always hold the most special place in my heart.  A summer visit would not be complete without a pilgrimage to The Beach House.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #34, Nana, Auntie I, Aunt Bonnie and I journeyed there.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe Beach House looks much different today than it did all those years ago.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11151\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210074-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"361\" height=\"271\" /><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11156\" style=\"border-style: initial; border-color: initial; cursor: default; border-width: 0px;\" title=\"Shampton2\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Shampton2-1005x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"259\" height=\"265\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd even though Nana couldn\'t wait for me in the front yard (as in the photo above right) because of pesky trespassing laws, she was able to watch me three doors down at the practically private beach.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-762/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11153\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11153\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210077-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"323\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhile I took a photo of Holmes Hill.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-759/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11150\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11150\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210086-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"401\" height=\"301\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd wondered what happened to the mountainous formation of rocks that I used to climb onto.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-761/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11152\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11152\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210076-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"301\" height=\"401\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd collected angel\'s toenails sea shells (as Nana has always called them).\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/09/26/playdate-34-the-beach-house-is-where-the-heart-is/olympus-digital-camera-763/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11154\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11154\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/P8210079-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"401\" height=\"301\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd secretly wished that I can someday return to The Beach House, swoop in with a windfall, and reclaim it for future memories.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n*********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhere does your heart reside?  Please share in the comments section below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #34:  The Beach House is Where the Heart Is','','inherit','open','open','','11138-revision-66','','','2012-11-26 21:18:33','2012-11-27 04:18:33','',11138,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/26/11138-revision-66/',0,'revision','',0),(11656,1,'2012-03-21 00:19:31','2012-03-21 07:19:31','<img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-6807\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230044-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" />For a few years now, I\'ve been intrigued by the thought of scaling a wall at a Rock Gym.  Since this 365 project involves me Carpe Diem-ing, I thought, \"Why not now?\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWell, you know what they say?  \"It\'s all fun and games until someone gets hurt!\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAt the<strong><a href=\"http://www.phoenixrockgym.com/\" target=\"_blank\"> Phoenix Rock Gym</a></strong>, they say, \"It\'s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.  Or dies.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd they\'re not kidding!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAs you may have figured out through this blog, I\'m sort of a positive thinker, and honestly, it never crossed my mind that I could get hurt or DIE at the indoor rock gym until I signed this waiver.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230024.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-6805\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230024-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd then saw this sign from across the crowded gym.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230042.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-6806\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230042-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nUmmmm...I signed up for a blogilicious activity. Not death!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHOLY DEATH WISH, BATMAN!!!!!  WHAT DID I JUST GET MYSELF INTO????\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou know the drill.  Once you\'re there, you better suck it up, Buttercup.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere I am at the Rock Gym with Sarah aka Pilates Teacher Extraordinaire aka Ms. Fitness America who has previously scaled Real Rocks!  What I am I going to do?  Shamefully exit the gym like a little wussy girl???  It\'s time to walk the talk, Late Bloomer!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6816\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"225\" caption=\"Breathe...\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230025.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6816\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230025-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAfter watching a safety video, a perky young thang strapped Sarah and me up in harnesses while peppering us with questions about the video.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI blurted, \"I am a kinesthetic learner, so I\'m going to need some serious individualized instruction here.  I learn by doing.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPerky Young Thang must be an Education major because she knew <em>exactly</em> what I was talking about.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhew!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShe reassured me that Lynn would show Sarah and me the ropes.  Literally and figuratively.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhew again!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLynn (a boy Lynn, not a girl Lynn) was extraordinarily patient with two chatty women who needed to document this rock wall adventure for blogilistic purposes.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230026.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-6817\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230026-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230028.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-6818\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230028-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #800080;\">Foreshadowing (insert eerie music of your choice here):</span></strong>  The rope does not go pictured left, it goes pictured right.  Pay attention, girls!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLynn, The Master of Calm, instructed us to first climb halfway up the wall.  The second time, we\'d go for the gusto to the top.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI volunteered Sarah to go first.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDon\'t judge me!  She\'d done this before, and I needed to watch her to learn!  The whole I Do, We Do, You Do, Gradual Release of Responsibility thing!  Perky Young Thang who\'s more than likely an Education major knew <em>exactly</em> what I was talkin\' about!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSarah aka Pilates Teacher Extraordinaire aka Ms. Fitness America crawled up that wall like it was nobody\'s business.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI was PUMPED to follow in her footsteps!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #800080;\"><strong>Oops!  Just kidding!  I mean, I was PANICKED while following in her footsteps.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI shouted down, \"Am I halfway there?\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMaster of Calm begged to differ. \"Nope.  You\'ve got a little ways to go.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nCrap.  Crap.  Crap.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI inched up a few more steps and announced, \"I\'m finished!!!\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMaster of Calm said (calmly), \"O.k.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSarah hoisted me down.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #800080;\"><strong>I fessed up immediately.  I looked Master of Calm straight in the eye.  \"I was scared sh*^less!!!!\"</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMaster of Calm offered, \"That\'s o.k.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSarah chimed in with something of a cheerleader-ish, \"You can do it!\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI tried again.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn the name of Late Bloomers everywhere!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn the name of Living Curiously!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn the name of What-the-Hell-Will-I-Write-About-If-I-Don\'t-Haul-My-Cookies-to-the-Top-of-That-Freakin\'-Wall?!?!?!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6819\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"When you are a Rock Wall Climbing Blogger, you have no choice but to plaster your cookies on the Internet for all God&#39;s children to see. Does this wall make my butt look big?\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230030.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6819 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230030-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI did it!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn the name of Late Bloomers!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn the name of Living Curiously!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn the name of Entertaining Writing Material!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd just when Sarah and I thought that the writing material had been exhausted...\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6822\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"225\" caption=\"Whoa.\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230035.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6822\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/P7230035-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhile I was walking over to our stuff to grab a sip of water, Sarah disappeared.  I found her around the corner of the gym checking out the various \"walls\".\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"Let\'s try the walls over here!\" Sarah beamed.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI agreed.  \"It\'s far less scary over here!\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBefore we knew it, Mr. Muscles 1 and Mr. Muscles 2 came over unsolicited to offer their services.  (Master of Calm had sent us on our merry way after the first climb.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6837\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"223\" caption=\"Mr. Muscles 1 &amp; 2 are not aliens in real life. That&#39;s a side effect of Sarah&#39;s iPhone. You mean to tell me that Crackberries take better photos?!?!\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Unnamed.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6837\" title=\"Unnamed\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Unnamed-223x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"223\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEven with extra tutoring, Sarah and I nearly made a fatal mistake.  (Don\'t worry, Mom.  It would\'ve been Sarah that would have died.  I would have lived with the guilt for the remainder of my life, but I would have walked away without a scratch.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMr. Muscles 1 &amp; Mr. Muscles 2 took a break from chatting us up to climb.  Sarah wanted to go next, and while we geared up, she gushed on about her date the night before with a man who was previously fodder on this blog.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYep.  You heard it first right here, Ladies and 3 Token Gents.  The first Diary of a Late Bloomer Love Connection!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnywho...\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThen...from the mist (I\'m not kidding!  That gym is h-u-m-i-d!)...a Rock Gym Guardian Angel appeared.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #800080;\"><strong>He thundered, \"DID YOU DOUBLE CHECK YOUR PARTNER?\"</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"Oh, yes!  Look!\"  Sarah and I bobbed our heads up and down.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nRock Gym Guardian Angel grabbed Sarah\'s billet thingie that looked like \"pictured left\" above, and BOOM!  Sarah and I realized that she would have gone CRASH!  BOOM!  SPLAT!  had it not been for our Rock Gym Guardian Angel.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLuckily, and I do mean <em>luck</em>ily, Sarah lived to see another day, another date, and another kiss.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhew!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_6838\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"223\" caption=\"Apple, seriously. You should be ashamed.\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Unnamed1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-6838\" title=\"Unnamed\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Unnamed1-223x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"223\" height=\"300\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI conquered my fear and lived to write another blog post.  I realized through Sarah\'s near death experience that I need kissing badly.  I want be kissed often, and by somebody who knows how.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n*****\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHave you ever climbed a Rock Gym Wall?  A Real Rock?  Would you rather scale a freakin\' wall or have someone kiss you like there\'s no tomorrow?  Please share in the comments section below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Day 300:  Climb Every Mountain.  (Or Every Rock Gym Wall If It\'s 112 Degrees Outside.)','','inherit','open','open','','6799-revision-43','','','2012-03-21 00:19:31','2012-03-21 07:19:31','',6799,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/03/21/6799-revision-43/',0,'revision','',0),(11657,1,'2012-11-28 00:11:50','2012-11-28 07:11:50','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about the efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\r\n</em></strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a poignant video featuring formerly malnourished children who now thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams for their future.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s feeding 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI can almost guarantee that as you depart, you will make a mental note to never ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','publish','open','open','','playdate-46-feed-my-starving-children','','','2012-11-27 22:01:08','2012-11-28 05:01:08','',0,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?p=11657',0,'post','',7),(11658,1,'2012-11-27 19:58:11','2012-11-28 02:58:11','Last week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nrice soy veggies chicken\n\n&nbsp;\n\nscientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health\n\n&nbsp:\n\n<iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision','','','2012-11-27 19:58:11','2012-11-28 02:58:11','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(11661,1,'2012-11-27 19:59:11','2012-11-28 02:59:11','Last week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nrice soy veggies chicken\n\n&nbsp;\n\nscientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health\n\n&amp;nbsp:\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-4','','','2012-11-27 19:59:11','2012-11-28 02:59:11','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(11659,1,'2012-11-27 19:58:13','2012-11-28 02:58:13','Last week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nrice soy veggies chicken\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nscientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health\r\n\r\n&nbsp:\r\n\r\n<iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-2','','','2012-11-27 19:58:13','2012-11-28 02:58:13','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(11660,1,'2012-11-27 19:58:21','2012-11-28 02:58:21','Last week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nrice soy veggies chicken\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nscientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health\r\n\r\n&amp;nbsp:\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-3','','','2012-11-27 19:58:21','2012-11-28 02:58:21','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(11662,1,'2012-11-27 20:00:15','2012-11-28 03:00:15','Last week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nrice soy veggies chicken\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nscientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-5','','','2012-11-27 20:00:15','2012-11-28 03:00:15','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(11663,1,'2012-11-27 20:48:40','2012-11-28 03:48:40','','OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA','Hair nets.  They\'re all the rage this season. ','inherit','open','open','','olympus-digital-camera-785','','','2012-11-27 20:48:40','2012-11-28 03:48:40','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(11664,1,'2012-11-27 20:55:31','2012-11-28 03:55:31','','OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA','','inherit','open','open','','olympus-digital-camera-786','','','2012-11-27 20:55:31','2012-11-28 03:55:31','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(11665,1,'2012-11-27 20:59:58','2012-11-28 03:59:58','Surprisingly tasty! ','OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA','','inherit','open','open','','olympus-digital-camera-787','','','2012-11-27 20:59:58','2012-11-28 03:59:58','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(11666,1,'2012-11-27 20:15:08','2012-11-28 03:15:08','Last week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn fact, FMSC even hosts Friday night packing parties!  See?  I wasn\'t exaggerating about the fun factor.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can plaster my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nrice soy veggies chicken\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nscientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-6','','','2012-11-27 20:15:08','2012-11-28 03:15:08','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(11667,1,'2012-11-27 21:01:46','2012-11-28 04:01:46','<strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn fact, FMSC even hosts Friday night packing parties!  See?  I wasn\'t exaggerating about the fun factor.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"717\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"717\" height=\"538\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle with your teammates by noting that this is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a> You will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"717\" height=\"538\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nscientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-7','','','2012-11-27 21:01:46','2012-11-28 04:01:46','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(11668,1,'2012-11-27 21:01:51','2012-11-28 04:01:51','<strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn fact, FMSC even hosts Friday night packing parties!  See?  I wasn\'t exaggerating about the fun factor.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"717\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"717\" height=\"538\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle with your teammates by noting that this is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a> You will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"717\" height=\"538\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nscientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-8','','','2012-11-27 21:01:51','2012-11-28 04:01:51','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(11669,1,'2012-11-27 21:02:22','2012-11-28 04:02:22','<strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn fact, FMSC even hosts Friday night packing parties!  See?  I wasn\'t exaggerating about the fun factor.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle with your teammates by noting that this is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a> You will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"717\" height=\"538\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nscientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-9','','','2012-11-27 21:02:22','2012-11-28 04:02:22','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(11670,1,'2012-11-27 21:02:29','2012-11-28 04:02:29','<strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn fact, FMSC even hosts Friday night packing parties!  See?  I wasn\'t exaggerating about the fun factor.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle with your teammates by noting that this is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a> You will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"717\" height=\"538\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nscientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-10','','','2012-11-27 21:02:29','2012-11-28 04:02:29','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(11671,1,'2012-11-27 21:03:57','2012-11-28 04:03:57','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #800000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn fact, FMSC even hosts Friday night packing parties!  See?  I wasn\'t exaggerating about the fun factor.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle with your teammates by noting that this is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a> You will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nscientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-11','','','2012-11-27 21:03:57','2012-11-28 04:03:57','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(11672,1,'2012-11-27 21:04:04','2012-11-28 04:04:04','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #800000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn fact, FMSC even hosts Friday night packing parties!  See?  I wasn\'t exaggerating about the fun factor.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle with your teammates by noting that this is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a> You will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nscientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-12','','','2012-11-27 21:04:04','2012-11-28 04:04:04','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(11673,1,'2012-11-27 21:04:06','2012-11-28 04:04:06','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #800000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn fact, FMSC even hosts Friday night packing parties!  See?  I wasn\'t exaggerating about the fun factor.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle with your teammates by noting that this is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a> You will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nscientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-13','','','2012-11-27 21:04:06','2012-11-28 04:04:06','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(11674,1,'2012-11-27 21:06:55','2012-11-28 04:06:55','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #800000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.  If you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLE!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIn fact, FMSC even hosts Friday night packing parties!  See?  I wasn\'t exaggerating about the fun factor.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnd you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle with your teammates by noting that this is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a> You will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-14','','','2012-11-27 21:06:55','2012-11-28 04:06:55','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(11675,1,'2012-11-27 21:14:11','2012-11-28 04:14:11','&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #800000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLY EFFICIENT!</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li>You will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>You will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li>The perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>You\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>And you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle with your teammates by noting that this is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a> You will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>If you need to sit, there is a job for you.</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>If you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>Your efforts will pay off.  Big time.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will leave having made a difference.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-15','','','2012-11-27 21:14:11','2012-11-28 04:14:11','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(11677,1,'2012-11-27 21:15:11','2012-11-28 04:15:11','&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #800000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLY EFFICIENT!</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li>You will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>You will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li>The perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>You\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>And you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle with your teammates by noting that this is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a> You will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>If you need to sit, there is a job for you.</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>If you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>Your efforts will pay off.  Big time.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li>You will leave having made a difference.</li>\n	<li></li>\n	<li>You can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-17','','','2012-11-27 21:15:11','2012-11-28 04:15:11','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-17/',0,'revision','',0),(11676,1,'2012-11-27 21:14:56','2012-11-28 04:14:56','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #800000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLY EFFICIENT!</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>You will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n	<li>You will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>The perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n	<li>You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n	<li>You\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n	<li>And you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle with your teammates by noting that this is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a> You will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n	<li>If you need to sit, there is a job for you.</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n	<li>If you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n	<li>Your efforts will pay off.  Big time.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>You will leave having made a difference.</li>\r\n	<li></li>\r\n	<li>You can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-16','','','2012-11-27 21:14:56','2012-11-28 04:14:56','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-16/',0,'revision','',0),(11678,1,'2012-11-27 21:20:08','2012-11-28 04:20:08','&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://www.traderjoes.com/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLY EFFICIENT!</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\n\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\n\nYou and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.\n\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\n\nAnd you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\n\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\n\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\n\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\n\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will leave having made a difference.\n\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-18','','','2012-11-27 21:20:08','2012-11-28 04:20:08','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-18/',0,'revision','',0),(11679,1,'2012-11-27 21:21:33','2012-11-28 04:21:33','&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLY EFFICIENT!</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\n\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\n\nYou and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.\n\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\n\nAnd you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\n\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\n\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\n\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\n\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will leave having made a difference.\n\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-19','','','2012-11-27 21:21:33','2012-11-28 04:21:33','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-19/',0,'revision','',0),(11680,1,'2012-11-27 21:22:33','2012-11-28 04:22:33','&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLY EFFICIENT!</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\n\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\n\nYou and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.\n\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\n\nAnd you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\n\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\n\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\n\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\n\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will leave having made a difference.\n\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-20','','','2012-11-27 21:22:33','2012-11-28 04:22:33','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-20/',0,'revision','',0),(11683,1,'2012-11-27 21:30:06','2012-11-28 04:30:06','&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\n</em></strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will leave having made a difference.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-23','','','2012-11-27 21:30:06','2012-11-28 04:30:06','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-23/',0,'revision','',0),(11681,1,'2012-11-27 21:24:34','2012-11-28 04:24:34','&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>THAT</em> UNBELIEVABLY EFFICIENT!</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAnd you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will leave having made a difference.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-21','','','2012-11-27 21:24:34','2012-11-28 04:24:34','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-21/',0,'revision','',0),(11682,1,'2012-11-27 21:26:08','2012-11-28 04:26:08','&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\n</em></strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during the pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over how on earth you\'ll possible remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAnd you\'re off!  Your team will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will leave having made a difference.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-22','','','2012-11-27 21:26:08','2012-11-28 04:26:08','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-22/',0,'revision','',0),(11684,1,'2012-11-27 21:30:12','2012-11-28 04:30:12','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\r\n</em></strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-24','','','2012-11-27 21:30:12','2012-11-28 04:30:12','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-24/',0,'revision','',0),(11685,1,'2012-11-27 21:32:56','2012-11-28 04:32:56','&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\n</em></strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will leave having made a difference.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-25','','','2012-11-27 21:32:56','2012-11-28 04:32:56','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-25/',0,'revision','',0),(11686,1,'2012-11-27 21:34:12','2012-11-28 04:34:12','&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\n</em></strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou will leave having made a difference.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-26','','','2012-11-27 21:34:12','2012-11-28 04:34:12','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-26/',0,'revision','',0),(11687,1,'2012-11-27 21:34:48','2012-11-28 04:34:48','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\r\n</em></strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-27','','','2012-11-27 21:34:48','2012-11-28 04:34:48','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-27/',0,'revision','',0),(11688,1,'2012-11-27 21:35:06','2012-11-28 04:35:06','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\r\n</em></strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-28','','','2012-11-27 21:35:06','2012-11-28 04:35:06','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-28/',0,'revision','',0),(11689,1,'2012-11-27 21:35:26','2012-11-28 04:35:26','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about their efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\r\n</em></strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-29','','','2012-11-27 21:35:26','2012-11-28 04:35:26','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-29/',0,'revision','',0),(11690,1,'2012-11-27 21:36:34','2012-11-28 04:36:34','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about the efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\r\n</em></strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI can almost guarantee that as you leave you will make a mental note to never, ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-30','','','2012-11-27 21:36:34','2012-11-28 04:36:34','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-30/',0,'revision','',0),(11691,1,'2012-11-27 21:40:09','2012-11-28 04:40:09','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about the efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\r\n</em></strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI can almost guarantee that as you depart, you will make a mental note to never ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-31','','','2012-11-27 21:40:09','2012-11-28 04:40:09','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-31/',0,'revision','',0),(11692,1,'2012-11-27 21:40:57','2012-11-28 04:40:57','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about the efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\r\n</em></strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a moving video on how once malnourished children have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI can almost guarantee that as you depart, you will make a mental note to never ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-32','','','2012-11-27 21:40:57','2012-11-28 04:40:57','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-32/',0,'revision','',0),(11694,1,'2012-11-27 21:43:12','2012-11-28 04:43:12','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about the efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\r\n</em></strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a poignant video featuring formerly malnourished children who now thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams for their future.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI can almost guarantee that as you depart, you will make a mental note to never ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-34','','','2012-11-27 21:43:12','2012-11-28 04:43:12','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-34/',0,'revision','',0),(11693,1,'2012-11-27 21:42:22','2012-11-28 04:42:22','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about the efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\r\n</em></strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a poignant video featuring formerly malnourished children who have been given a chance to thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams with you.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI can almost guarantee that as you depart, you will make a mental note to never ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-33','','','2012-11-27 21:42:22','2012-11-28 04:42:22','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-33/',0,'revision','',0),(11695,1,'2012-11-27 21:48:45','2012-11-28 04:48:45','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Want to see me sport a hair net?  Then keep reading.  I will always embarrass myself for a good cause. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLast week, I highlighted an angel that walks amongst us in the post for Playdate #45.  <a href=\"http://puppybellydeli.com/?page_id=195\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Shelly of Puppy Belly Deli donates 100% of her profits to animal rescue. </strong> </a>She feeds starving animals.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFor Playdate #46, I worked with a team of angels who feed starving children around the world.  You can learn more about the efforts of Feed My Starving Children at <a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>http://www.fmsc.org/.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMy colleagues from Noble Publishing Superpower and I signed up to volunteer together.  FMSC is probably the most organized volunteer event that I have ever attended.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>In fact, if you Google \"Efficient\", Feed My Starving Children comes up 1st in the page rankings.  Yes, they are <em>that efficient!\r\n</em></strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAND . . . . They make your 2 hours of volunteer time FUN!  Jokes, cheers, and great music are all part of the experience.  It\'s practically a volunteer party!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI know what you\'re thinking.  Where do I sign up, Michelle?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m so glad you asked.  Go<a href=\"http://www.fmsc.org/page.aspx?pid=465\" target=\"_blank\"><strong> here. </strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Here\'s what you can expect when you arrive at the event:</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will watch a poignant video featuring formerly malnourished children who now thrive due to the efforts of good people like you.  The children share their hopes and dreams for their future.  Note to selves:  Take Kleenex!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will then wash your hands and don a stylish hair net for sanitary purposes.  Women, chill.  If I can broadcast my hair-netted mug over the Interwebs, then you can rock yours amongst a sequestered group of volunteers.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11663\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11663\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11663\"><img class=\" wp-image-11663  \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140004-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Hair nets. They\'re all the rage this season.[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe perky FMSC employees will take you through the drill of packing the food in an engaging and upbeat fashion.  It\'s a bit pep rally-esque.  Don\'t stand there like a wallflower.  Shout out loud and proud right along with them!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou\'ll note a loooooonnnnnnggggg list of steps relayed to the team during this pseudo-pep rally.  Don\'t worry.  The person next to you is (hopefully) paying better attention while your mind wanders and wonders over <em>how on earth</em> you will <em>possibly</em> remember all these steps that are coming at you in a fast and furious fashion.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>And you\'re off!  You and your team will put together MobilePacks which are scientifically designed to restore children from malnutrition to health.  MobilePacks consist of rice, soy, veggies, and chicken.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEach team member will station themselves at a particular task.  You might choose to begin with the chicken and veggies.  After about an hour, you\'ll feel a repetitive strain injury coming on.  You\'ll develop a greater sense of compassion for factory workers.  You can also nostalgically chuckle along with your teammates by noting that this whole assembly line thing is very <a href=\"http://www.skooldays.com/categories/primetime/pt1060.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><strong><em>Laverne &amp; Shirley.</em></strong> </a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will not complain about your fatigue as your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of a starving child.  You will simply switch places with a team member.  You can do this several times throughout the process.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to sit, there is a job for you.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you need to move around, there is a job for you, too.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYour efforts will pay off.  Big time.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11664\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11664\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11664\"><img class=\" wp-image-11664 \" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140006-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> That\'s feeding 33 kids for a year!!! (Not 33 meals. 33 KIDS x 365 DAYS!!!)[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou will leave having made a difference.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYou can even sample a MobilePack meal on the way out!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11665\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"574\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11665\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11665\"><img class=\" wp-image-11665\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/PB140007-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"574\" height=\"430\" /></a> Surprisingly tasty![/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI can almost guarantee that as you depart, you will make a mental note to never ever use the phrase \"I\'m starving\" again.  You now realize that \"I\'m hungry\" will suffice.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you\'d like to see the FMSC experience in action, then please take a few moments to watch the video below.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"http://www.youtube.com/embed/nZV7SAkkM-E\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\"></iframe>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #46:  Feed My Starving Children','','inherit','open','open','','11657-revision-35','','','2012-11-27 21:48:45','2012-11-28 04:48:45','',11657,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/11/27/11657-revision-35/',0,'revision','',0),(11696,1,'2012-12-05 01:11:17','2012-12-05 08:11:17','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11704\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11704\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11704\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11704\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> Is this a dream venue or what?![/caption]\r\n\r\nA few weeks ago I announced a very special reunion.  If you missed it, you can read about it <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/24/playdate-42-m-m-are-back/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI am pleased to announce that M &amp; M have officially kicked off their World Tour.  First stop:  Tempe, Arizona.  Next stop: Somewhere else in the world.  Australia perhaps?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nA heartfelt thank you to Walt Richardson for his support and encouragement.  He is the Open Mic Night Host with the Most. AND . . . . He is arguably the grooviest dude in AZ.  Please check out <a href=\"http://walterrichardsonii.wix.com/walter-richardson-music\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Walt\'s music.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\'Twas the night before Thanksgiving\r\n\r\nAnd all through Tempe\r\n\r\nNot a creature was stirring\r\n\r\nExcept those who sing.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'ll stop now with my attempt at a poem and spare you the cornball humor that I inherited from my father.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nHere\'s the run-down on The Big Night:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFortuitous line-up!  M &amp; M secured the #11 spot!  You may (or may not) recall that 11 is my lucky number. <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/10/11/day-356-my-very-first-concussion-italian-style/\" target=\"_blank\"> <strong>In fact, my helmet (numbered 11 on the front!) saved my life in Italia.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBelieve it or not?  (Cue <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iR-QjtpZQ0\" target=\"_blank\">Ripley\'s theme music</a> </strong>for dramatic effect.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11705\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11705\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11705\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpeaking of groovy dudes, whoa.  These guys were unbelievable.  I\'m wondering if the guy on the right is a Grammy winner, and he showed up only to escape turkey duties back at the house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"Winter, spring, summer of fall\r\n\r\nAll you got to do is call\r\n\r\nAnd I\'ll be there\r\n\r\nOh, yes I will\r\n\r\nYou\'ve got a friend.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n(The Carole King version.  Naturally.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11701\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYes, yes, yes.  We should have recorded this with an iPhone or similar techie gadget so that you could actually <em>hear</em> us, but we didn\'t.  Next time!  I promise.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you live in my fair city and would like to perform at THE best open mic night in town, then please check out the info at the Tempe Center for the Arts <a href=\"http://www.tempe.gov/index.aspx?page=725\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>website.  </strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Oh.  I almost forgot.  One last thing.  I wasn\'t always this brave.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLet me let you in on a dirty little secret from my past.  I used to have stage fright.  Not your average and ordinary garden variety stage fright, but the debilitating kind.  Meaning that I would break out into a cold sweat, feel like I was going to pass out, and completely and utterly blow an audition or a performance.  Kind of a nuisance for a Musical Theatre major, wouldn\'t you say?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\">I call that period of my life The Babs and Carly Years.  </span> </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m not exactly sure how Barbra Streisand and Carly Simon overcame their incapacitation, but I know how I emerged from mine.  It was through the gentle encouragement of my friend pictured above.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShe was there\r\n\r\nOh, yes she was\r\n\r\nI\'ve got a friend.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #008000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Questions to ponder and answer in the comments section below.  Pick one or all!  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n1.  Care to express gratitude for a friend who has brightened up even your darkest night?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n2.  Have you experienced stage fright or a similar terrifying fear?  Did you conquer it?  How?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n3.  Where should Melanie and I go next on our World Tour?  :-)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','publish','open','open','','playdate-47-m-m-reunion-tour-kickoff','','','2012-12-04 21:14:15','2012-12-05 04:14:15','',0,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?p=11696',0,'post','',4),(11697,1,'2012-12-02 17:36:03','2012-12-03 00:36:03','','Auto Draft','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision','','','2012-12-02 17:36:03','2012-12-03 00:36:03','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/02/11696-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(11704,1,'2012-12-02 17:49:36','2012-12-03 00:49:36','','OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA','','inherit','open','open','','olympus-digital-camera-788','','','2012-12-02 17:49:36','2012-12-03 00:49:36','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(11705,1,'2012-12-02 17:50:43','2012-12-03 00:50:43','','OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA','','inherit','open','open','','olympus-digital-camera-789','','','2012-12-02 17:50:43','2012-12-03 00:50:43','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(11700,1,'2012-12-02 17:45:06','2012-12-03 00:45:06','','OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA','','inherit','open','open','','olympus-digital-camera-790','','','2012-12-02 17:45:06','2012-12-03 00:45:06','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(11701,1,'2012-12-02 17:46:39','2012-12-03 00:46:39','','OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA','','inherit','open','open','','olympus-digital-camera-791','','','2012-12-02 17:46:39','2012-12-03 00:46:39','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(11702,1,'2012-12-02 17:43:10','2012-12-03 00:43:10','&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11698\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11698\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11698\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-2','','','2012-12-02 17:43:10','2012-12-03 00:43:10','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/02/11696-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(11706,1,'2012-12-02 17:51:25','2012-12-03 00:51:25','&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11705\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11705\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11705\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-11701\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" /></a>','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-4','','','2012-12-02 17:51:25','2012-12-03 00:51:25','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/02/11696-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(11703,1,'2012-12-02 17:47:11','2012-12-03 00:47:11','&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11698\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11698\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11698\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11699\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11699\"><img src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11699\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-11701\" /></a>','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-3','','','2012-12-02 17:47:11','2012-12-03 00:47:11','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/02/11696-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(11707,1,'2012-12-02 17:53:25','2012-12-03 00:53:25','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11704\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11704\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11704\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11705\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11705\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11705\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11701\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-5','','','2012-12-02 17:53:25','2012-12-03 00:53:25','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/02/11696-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(11708,1,'2012-12-02 17:56:41','2012-12-03 00:56:41','','OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA','','inherit','open','open','','olympus-digital-camera-792','','','2012-12-02 17:56:41','2012-12-03 00:56:41','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210029.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(11709,1,'2012-12-02 17:53:40','2012-12-03 00:53:40','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11704\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11704\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11704\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11705\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11705\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11705\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11701\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-6','','','2012-12-02 17:53:40','2012-12-03 00:53:40','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/02/11696-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(11711,1,'2012-12-04 20:12:43','2012-12-05 03:12:43','&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11704\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11704\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11704\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11704\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> Is this a dream venue or what?![/caption]\n\nA few weeks ago I announced a very special reunion.  If you missed it, you can read about it <strong>here.</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI am pleased to announce that M &amp; M have officially kicked off their World Tour.  First stop:  Tempe, Arizona.  Next stop:  Somewhere else in the world.  Australia perhaps?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nA heartfelt thank you to Walt Richardson for his support and encouragement.  He is the Open Mic Night Host with the Most.  AND . . . . He is arguably the grooviest dude in AZ.  Please check out <strong>Walt\'s music.</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\'Twas the night before Thanksgiving\n\nAnd all through Tempe\n\nNot a creature was stirring\n\nExcept those who sing.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'ll stop now and spare you the cornball humor that I inherited from my father.  Here\'s the run-down on The Big Night:\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFortuitous line-up!  M &amp; M secured the #11 spot!  You may (or may not) recall that 11 is my lucky number.  <strong>In fact, 11 is the number that saved my life.</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nBelieve it or not?  (Cue <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iR-QjtpZQ0\" target=\"_blank\">Ripley\'s theme music</a> </strong>for dramatic effect.)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11705\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11705\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11705\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSpeaking of groovy dudes, whoa.  These guys were unbelievable.  I\'m wondering if the guy on the right is a Grammy winner, and he showed up only to escape turkey duties back at the house.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"Winter, spring, summer of fall\n\nAll you got to do is call\n\nAnd I\'ll be there\n\nOh, yes I will\n\nYou\'ve got a friend.\"\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11701\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you live in my fair city and would like to perform at THE best open mic night in town, then please check out the info at the Tempe Center for the Arts <strong>website.  </strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n**********\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOh.  One last thing.  I wasn\'t always this brave.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11708\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11708\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11708\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210029-226x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"300\" /></a>','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-7','','','2012-12-04 20:12:43','2012-12-05 03:12:43','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/04/11696-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(11712,1,'2012-12-04 20:47:45','2012-12-05 03:47:45','&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11704\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11704\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11704\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11704\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> Is this a dream venue or what?![/caption]\n\nA few weeks ago I announced a very special reunion.  If you missed it, you can read about it <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/24/playdate-42-m-m-are-back/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI am pleased to announce that M &amp; M have officially kicked off their World Tour.  First stop:  Tempe, Arizona.  Next stop:  Somewhere else in the world.  Australia perhaps?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nA heartfelt thank you to Walt Richardson for his support and encouragement.  He is the Open Mic Night Host with the Most.  AND . . . . He is arguably the grooviest dude in AZ.  Please check out <a href=\"http://walterrichardsonii.wix.com/walter-richardson-music\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Walt\'s music.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\'Twas the night before Thanksgiving\n\nAnd all through Tempe\n\nNot a creature was stirring\n\nExcept those who sing.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'ll stop now and spare you the cornball humor that I inherited from my father.  Here\'s the run-down on The Big Night:\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFortuitous line-up!  M &amp; M secured the #11 spot!  You may (or may not) recall that 11 is my lucky number.  <strong>In fact, my helmet numbered 11 saved my noggin in Italia.</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nBelieve it or not?  (Cue <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iR-QjtpZQ0\" target=\"_blank\">Ripley\'s theme music</a> </strong>for dramatic effect.)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11705\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11705\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11705\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSpeaking of groovy dudes, whoa.  These guys were unbelievable.  I\'m wondering if the guy on the right is a Grammy winner, and he showed up only to escape turkey duties back at the house.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"Winter, spring, summer of fall\n\nAll you got to do is call\n\nAnd I\'ll be there\n\nOh, yes I will\n\nYou\'ve got a friend.\"\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11701\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYes, yes, yes.  We should have recorded this with an iPhone or similar techie gadget so that you could actually <em>hear</em> us, but we didn\'t.  Next time!  I promise.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you live in my fair city and would like to perform at THE best open mic night in town, then please check out the info at the Tempe Center for the Arts <a href=\"http://www.tempe.gov/index.aspx?page=725\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>website.  </strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n**********\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOh.  I almost forgot.  One last thing.  I wasn\'t always this brave.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLet me let you in on a dirty little secret from my past.  I used to have stage fright.  Not your average and ordinary garden variety stage fright, but the debilitating kind.  Meaning that I would break out into a cold sweat, feel like I was going to pass out, and completely and utterly blow an audition or a performance.  Kind of a nuisance for a Musical Theatre major, wouldn\'t you say?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI call that period of my life The Babs and Carly Years.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m not exactly sure how Barbra Streisand and Carly Simon overcame their incapacitation, but I know how I emerged from mine.  It was through the gentle encouragement of my friend pictured above.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nShe was there\n\nOh, yes she was\n\nI\'ve got a friend.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n**********\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Questions to ponder and answer in the comments section below.  Pick one or all!  </strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n1.  Care to express gratitude for a friend who has brightened up even your darkest night?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n2.  Have you experienced stage fright or similar terrifying fear?  Did you conquer it?  How?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n3.  Where should Melanie and I go next on our World Tour?  :-)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11708\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11708\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11708\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210029-226x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"300\" /></a>','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-8','','','2012-12-04 20:47:45','2012-12-05 03:47:45','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/04/11696-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(11714,1,'2012-12-04 20:48:45','2012-12-05 03:48:45','&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11704\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11704\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11704\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11704\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> Is this a dream venue or what?![/caption]\n\nA few weeks ago I announced a very special reunion.  If you missed it, you can read about it <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/24/playdate-42-m-m-are-back/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI am pleased to announce that M &amp; M have officially kicked off their World Tour.  First stop:  Tempe, Arizona.  Next stop:  Somewhere else in the world.  Australia perhaps?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nA heartfelt thank you to Walt Richardson for his support and encouragement.  He is the Open Mic Night Host with the Most.  AND . . . . He is arguably the grooviest dude in AZ.  Please check out <a href=\"http://walterrichardsonii.wix.com/walter-richardson-music\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Walt\'s music.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\'Twas the night before Thanksgiving\n\nAnd all through Tempe\n\nNot a creature was stirring\n\nExcept those who sing.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'ll stop now and spare you the cornball humor that I inherited from my father.  Here\'s the run-down on The Big Night:\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFortuitous line-up!  M &amp; M secured the #11 spot!  You may (or may not) recall that 11 is my lucky number.  <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/10/02/day-353-its-just-like-getting-back-on-a-bike-riiiggghhhht/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>In fact, my helmet numbered 11 saved my life in Italia.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nBelieve it or not?  (Cue <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iR-QjtpZQ0\" target=\"_blank\">Ripley\'s theme music</a> </strong>for dramatic effect.)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11705\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11705\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11705\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSpeaking of groovy dudes, whoa.  These guys were unbelievable.  I\'m wondering if the guy on the right is a Grammy winner, and he showed up only to escape turkey duties back at the house.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"Winter, spring, summer of fall\n\nAll you got to do is call\n\nAnd I\'ll be there\n\nOh, yes I will\n\nYou\'ve got a friend.\"\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11701\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYes, yes, yes.  We should have recorded this with an iPhone or similar techie gadget so that you could actually <em>hear</em> us, but we didn\'t.  Next time!  I promise.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you live in my fair city and would like to perform at THE best open mic night in town, then please check out the info at the Tempe Center for the Arts <a href=\"http://www.tempe.gov/index.aspx?page=725\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>website.  </strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n**********\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOh.  I almost forgot.  One last thing.  I wasn\'t always this brave.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLet me let you in on a dirty little secret from my past.  I used to have stage fright.  Not your average and ordinary garden variety stage fright, but the debilitating kind.  Meaning that I would break out into a cold sweat, feel like I was going to pass out, and completely and utterly blow an audition or a performance.  Kind of a nuisance for a Musical Theatre major, wouldn\'t you say?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI call that period of my life The Babs and Carly Years.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m not exactly sure how Barbra Streisand and Carly Simon overcame their incapacitation, but I know how I emerged from mine.  It was through the gentle encouragement of my friend pictured above.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nShe was there\n\nOh, yes she was\n\nI\'ve got a friend.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n**********\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Questions to ponder and answer in the comments section below.  Pick one or all!  </strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n1.  Care to express gratitude for a friend who has brightened up even your darkest night?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n2.  Have you experienced stage fright or similar terrifying fear?  Did you conquer it?  How?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n3.  Where should Melanie and I go next on our World Tour?  :-)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11708\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11708\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11708\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210029-226x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"300\" /></a>','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-10','','','2012-12-04 20:48:45','2012-12-05 03:48:45','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/04/11696-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(11713,1,'2012-12-04 20:48:29','2012-12-05 03:48:29','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11704\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11704\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11704\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11704\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> Is this a dream venue or what?![/caption]\r\n\r\nA few weeks ago I announced a very special reunion.  If you missed it, you can read about it <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/24/playdate-42-m-m-are-back/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI am pleased to announce that M &amp; M have officially kicked off their World Tour.  First stop:  Tempe, Arizona.  Next stop:  Somewhere else in the world.  Australia perhaps?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nA heartfelt thank you to Walt Richardson for his support and encouragement.  He is the Open Mic Night Host with the Most.  AND . . . . He is arguably the grooviest dude in AZ.  Please check out <a href=\"http://walterrichardsonii.wix.com/walter-richardson-music\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Walt\'s music.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\'Twas the night before Thanksgiving\r\n\r\nAnd all through Tempe\r\n\r\nNot a creature was stirring\r\n\r\nExcept those who sing.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'ll stop now and spare you the cornball humor that I inherited from my father.  Here\'s the run-down on The Big Night:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFortuitous line-up!  M &amp; M secured the #11 spot!  You may (or may not) recall that 11 is my lucky number.  <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/10/02/day-353-its-just-like-getting-back-on-a-bike-riiiggghhhht/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>In fact, my helmet numbered 11 saved my life in Italia.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBelieve it or not?  (Cue <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iR-QjtpZQ0\" target=\"_blank\">Ripley\'s theme music</a> </strong>for dramatic effect.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11705\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11705\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11705\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpeaking of groovy dudes, whoa.  These guys were unbelievable.  I\'m wondering if the guy on the right is a Grammy winner, and he showed up only to escape turkey duties back at the house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"Winter, spring, summer of fall\r\n\r\nAll you got to do is call\r\n\r\nAnd I\'ll be there\r\n\r\nOh, yes I will\r\n\r\nYou\'ve got a friend.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11701\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYes, yes, yes.  We should have recorded this with an iPhone or similar techie gadget so that you could actually <em>hear</em> us, but we didn\'t.  Next time!  I promise.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you live in my fair city and would like to perform at THE best open mic night in town, then please check out the info at the Tempe Center for the Arts <a href=\"http://www.tempe.gov/index.aspx?page=725\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>website.  </strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOh.  I almost forgot.  One last thing.  I wasn\'t always this brave.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLet me let you in on a dirty little secret from my past.  I used to have stage fright.  Not your average and ordinary garden variety stage fright, but the debilitating kind.  Meaning that I would break out into a cold sweat, feel like I was going to pass out, and completely and utterly blow an audition or a performance.  Kind of a nuisance for a Musical Theatre major, wouldn\'t you say?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI call that period of my life The Babs and Carly Years.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m not exactly sure how Barbra Streisand and Carly Simon overcame their incapacitation, but I know how I emerged from mine.  It was through the gentle encouragement of my friend pictured above.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShe was there\r\n\r\nOh, yes she was\r\n\r\nI\'ve got a friend.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Questions to ponder and answer in the comments section below.  Pick one or all!  </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n1.  Care to express gratitude for a friend who has brightened up even your darkest night?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n2.  Have you experienced stage fright or similar terrifying fear?  Did you conquer it?  How?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n3.  Where should Melanie and I go next on our World Tour?  :-)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11708\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11708\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11708\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210029-226x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"300\" /></a>','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-9','','','2012-12-04 20:48:29','2012-12-05 03:48:29','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/04/11696-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(11719,1,'2012-12-04 20:57:36','2012-12-05 03:57:36','&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11704\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11704\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11704\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11704\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> Is this a dream venue or what?![/caption]\n\nA few weeks ago I announced a very special reunion.  If you missed it, you can read about it <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/24/playdate-42-m-m-are-back/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI am pleased to announce that M &amp; M have officially kicked off their World Tour.  First stop:  Tempe, Arizona.  Next stop:  Somewhere else in the world.  Australia perhaps?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nA heartfelt thank you to Walt Richardson for his support and encouragement.  He is the Open Mic Night Host with the Most.  AND . . . . He is arguably the grooviest dude in AZ.  Please check out <a href=\"http://walterrichardsonii.wix.com/walter-richardson-music\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Walt\'s music.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\'Twas the night before Thanksgiving\n\nAnd all through Tempe\n\nNot a creature was stirring\n\nExcept those who sing.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'ll stop now with my attempt at a poem and spare you the cornball humor that I inherited from my father.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nHere\'s the run-down on The Big Night:\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFortuitous line-up!  M &amp; M secured the #11 spot!  You may (or may not) recall that 11 is my lucky number. <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/10/11/day-356-my-very-first-concussion-italian-style/\" target=\"_blank\"> <strong>In fact, my helmet numbered 11 saved my life in Italia.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nBelieve it or not?  (Cue <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iR-QjtpZQ0\" target=\"_blank\">Ripley\'s theme music</a> </strong>for dramatic effect.)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11705\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11705\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11705\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSpeaking of groovy dudes, whoa.  These guys were unbelievable.  I\'m wondering if the guy on the right is a Grammy winner, and he showed up only to escape turkey duties back at the house.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"Winter, spring, summer of fall\n\nAll you got to do is call\n\nAnd I\'ll be there\n\nOh, yes I will\n\nYou\'ve got a friend.\"\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11701\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYes, yes, yes.  We should have recorded this with an iPhone or similar techie gadget so that you could actually <em>hear</em> us, but we didn\'t.  Next time!  I promise.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you live in my fair city and would like to perform at THE best open mic night in town, then please check out the info at the Tempe Center for the Arts <a href=\"http://www.tempe.gov/index.aspx?page=725\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>website.  </strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n**********\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Oh.  I almost forgot.  One last thing.  I wasn\'t always this brave.</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLet me let you in on a dirty little secret from my past.  I used to have stage fright.  Not your average and ordinary garden variety stage fright, but the debilitating kind.  Meaning that I would break out into a cold sweat, feel like I was going to pass out, and completely and utterly blow an audition or a performance.  Kind of a nuisance for a Musical Theatre major, wouldn\'t you say?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\">I call that period of my life The Babs and Carly Years.  </span> </strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m not exactly sure how Barbra Streisand and Carly Simon overcame their incapacitation, but I know how I emerged from mine.  It was through the gentle encouragement of my friend pictured above.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nShe was there\n\nOh, yes she was\n\nI\'ve got a friend.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n**********\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"color: #008000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Questions to ponder and answer in the comments section below.  Pick one or all!  </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n1.  Care to express gratitude for a friend who has brightened up even your darkest night?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n2.  Have you experienced stage fright or similar terrifying fear?  Did you conquer it?  How?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n3.  Where should Melanie and I go next on our World Tour?  :-)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-15','','','2012-12-04 20:57:36','2012-12-05 03:57:36','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/04/11696-revision-15/',0,'revision','',0),(11715,1,'2012-12-04 20:54:01','2012-12-05 03:54:01','&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11704\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11704\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11704\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11704\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> Is this a dream venue or what?![/caption]\n\nA few weeks ago I announced a very special reunion.  If you missed it, you can read about it <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/24/playdate-42-m-m-are-back/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI am pleased to announce that M &amp; M have officially kicked off their World Tour.  First stop:  Tempe, Arizona.  Next stop:  Somewhere else in the world.  Australia perhaps?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nA heartfelt thank you to Walt Richardson for his support and encouragement.  He is the Open Mic Night Host with the Most.  AND . . . . He is arguably the grooviest dude in AZ.  Please check out <a href=\"http://walterrichardsonii.wix.com/walter-richardson-music\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Walt\'s music.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\'Twas the night before Thanksgiving\n\nAnd all through Tempe\n\nNot a creature was stirring\n\nExcept those who sing.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'ll stop now with my poem and spare you the cornball humor that I inherited from my father.  Here\'s the run-down on The Big Night:\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFortuitous line-up!  M &amp; M secured the #11 spot!  You may (or may not) recall that 11 is my lucky number.  <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/10/02/day-353-its-just-like-getting-back-on-a-bike-riiiggghhhht/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>In fact, my helmet numbered 11 saved my life in Italia.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nBelieve it or not?  (Cue <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iR-QjtpZQ0\" target=\"_blank\">Ripley\'s theme music</a> </strong>for dramatic effect.)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11705\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11705\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11705\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSpeaking of groovy dudes, whoa.  These guys were unbelievable.  I\'m wondering if the guy on the right is a Grammy winner, and he showed up only to escape turkey duties back at the house.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"Winter, spring, summer of fall\n\nAll you got to do is call\n\nAnd I\'ll be there\n\nOh, yes I will\n\nYou\'ve got a friend.\"\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11701\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYes, yes, yes.  We should have recorded this with an iPhone or similar techie gadget so that you could actually <em>hear</em> us, but we didn\'t.  Next time!  I promise.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you live in my fair city and would like to perform at THE best open mic night in town, then please check out the info at the Tempe Center for the Arts <a href=\"http://www.tempe.gov/index.aspx?page=725\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>website.  </strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n**********\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Oh.  I almost forgot.  One last thing.  I wasn\'t always this brave.</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLet me let you in on a dirty little secret from my past.  I used to have stage fright.  Not your average and ordinary garden variety stage fright, but the debilitating kind.  Meaning that I would break out into a cold sweat, feel like I was going to pass out, and completely and utterly blow an audition or a performance.  Kind of a nuisance for a Musical Theatre major, wouldn\'t you say?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\">I call that period of my life The Babs and Carly Years.  </span> </strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m not exactly sure how Barbra Streisand and Carly Simon overcame their incapacitation, but I know how I emerged from mine.  It was through the gentle encouragement of my friend pictured above.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nShe was there\n\nOh, yes she was\n\nI\'ve got a friend.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n**********\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"color: #008000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Questions to ponder and answer in the comments section below.  Pick one or all!  </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n1.  Care to express gratitude for a friend who has brightened up even your darkest night?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n2.  Have you experienced stage fright or similar terrifying fear?  Did you conquer it?  How?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n3.  Where should Melanie and I go next on our World Tour?  :-)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11708\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11708\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11708\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210029-226x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"300\" /></a>','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-11','','','2012-12-04 20:54:01','2012-12-05 03:54:01','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/04/11696-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(11717,1,'2012-12-04 20:55:02','2012-12-05 03:55:02','&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11704\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11704\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11704\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11704\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> Is this a dream venue or what?![/caption]\n\nA few weeks ago I announced a very special reunion.  If you missed it, you can read about it <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/24/playdate-42-m-m-are-back/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI am pleased to announce that M &amp; M have officially kicked off their World Tour.  First stop:  Tempe, Arizona.  Next stop:  Somewhere else in the world.  Australia perhaps?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nA heartfelt thank you to Walt Richardson for his support and encouragement.  He is the Open Mic Night Host with the Most.  AND . . . . He is arguably the grooviest dude in AZ.  Please check out <a href=\"http://walterrichardsonii.wix.com/walter-richardson-music\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Walt\'s music.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\'Twas the night before Thanksgiving\n\nAnd all through Tempe\n\nNot a creature was stirring\n\nExcept those who sing.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'ll stop now with my attempt at a poem and spare you the cornball humor that I inherited from my father.  Here\'s the run-down on The Big Night:\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFortuitous line-up!  M &amp; M secured the #11 spot!  You may (or may not) recall that 11 is my lucky number. <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/10/11/day-356-my-very-first-concussion-italian-style/\" target=\"_blank\"> <strong>In fact, my helmet numbered 11 saved my life in Italia.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nBelieve it or not?  (Cue <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iR-QjtpZQ0\" target=\"_blank\">Ripley\'s theme music</a> </strong>for dramatic effect.)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11705\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11705\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11705\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSpeaking of groovy dudes, whoa.  These guys were unbelievable.  I\'m wondering if the guy on the right is a Grammy winner, and he showed up only to escape turkey duties back at the house.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"Winter, spring, summer of fall\n\nAll you got to do is call\n\nAnd I\'ll be there\n\nOh, yes I will\n\nYou\'ve got a friend.\"\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11701\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYes, yes, yes.  We should have recorded this with an iPhone or similar techie gadget so that you could actually <em>hear</em> us, but we didn\'t.  Next time!  I promise.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you live in my fair city and would like to perform at THE best open mic night in town, then please check out the info at the Tempe Center for the Arts <a href=\"http://www.tempe.gov/index.aspx?page=725\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>website.  </strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n**********\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Oh.  I almost forgot.  One last thing.  I wasn\'t always this brave.</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLet me let you in on a dirty little secret from my past.  I used to have stage fright.  Not your average and ordinary garden variety stage fright, but the debilitating kind.  Meaning that I would break out into a cold sweat, feel like I was going to pass out, and completely and utterly blow an audition or a performance.  Kind of a nuisance for a Musical Theatre major, wouldn\'t you say?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\">I call that period of my life The Babs and Carly Years.  </span> </strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m not exactly sure how Barbra Streisand and Carly Simon overcame their incapacitation, but I know how I emerged from mine.  It was through the gentle encouragement of my friend pictured above.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nShe was there\n\nOh, yes she was\n\nI\'ve got a friend.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n**********\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"color: #008000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Questions to ponder and answer in the comments section below.  Pick one or all!  </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n1.  Care to express gratitude for a friend who has brightened up even your darkest night?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n2.  Have you experienced stage fright or similar terrifying fear?  Did you conquer it?  How?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n3.  Where should Melanie and I go next on our World Tour?  :-)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11708\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11708\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11708\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210029-226x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"300\" /></a>','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-13','','','2012-12-04 20:55:02','2012-12-05 03:55:02','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/04/11696-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(11716,1,'2012-12-04 20:54:47','2012-12-05 03:54:47','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11704\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11704\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11704\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11704\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> Is this a dream venue or what?![/caption]\r\n\r\nA few weeks ago I announced a very special reunion.  If you missed it, you can read about it <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/24/playdate-42-m-m-are-back/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI am pleased to announce that M &amp; M have officially kicked off their World Tour.  First stop:  Tempe, Arizona.  Next stop:  Somewhere else in the world.  Australia perhaps?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nA heartfelt thank you to Walt Richardson for his support and encouragement.  He is the Open Mic Night Host with the Most.  AND . . . . He is arguably the grooviest dude in AZ.  Please check out <a href=\"http://walterrichardsonii.wix.com/walter-richardson-music\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Walt\'s music.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\'Twas the night before Thanksgiving\r\n\r\nAnd all through Tempe\r\n\r\nNot a creature was stirring\r\n\r\nExcept those who sing.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'ll stop now with my attempt at a poem and spare you the cornball humor that I inherited from my father.  Here\'s the run-down on The Big Night:\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nFortuitous line-up!  M &amp; M secured the #11 spot!  You may (or may not) recall that 11 is my lucky number. <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/10/11/day-356-my-very-first-concussion-italian-style/\" target=\"_blank\"> <strong>In fact, my helmet numbered 11 saved my life in Italia.</strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBelieve it or not?  (Cue <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iR-QjtpZQ0\" target=\"_blank\">Ripley\'s theme music</a> </strong>for dramatic effect.)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11705\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11705\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11705\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSpeaking of groovy dudes, whoa.  These guys were unbelievable.  I\'m wondering if the guy on the right is a Grammy winner, and he showed up only to escape turkey duties back at the house.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"Winter, spring, summer of fall\r\n\r\nAll you got to do is call\r\n\r\nAnd I\'ll be there\r\n\r\nOh, yes I will\r\n\r\nYou\'ve got a friend.\"\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11701\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nYes, yes, yes.  We should have recorded this with an iPhone or similar techie gadget so that you could actually <em>hear</em> us, but we didn\'t.  Next time!  I promise.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nIf you live in my fair city and would like to perform at THE best open mic night in town, then please check out the info at the Tempe Center for the Arts <a href=\"http://www.tempe.gov/index.aspx?page=725\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>website.  </strong></a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Oh.  I almost forgot.  One last thing.  I wasn\'t always this brave.</strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLet me let you in on a dirty little secret from my past.  I used to have stage fright.  Not your average and ordinary garden variety stage fright, but the debilitating kind.  Meaning that I would break out into a cold sweat, feel like I was going to pass out, and completely and utterly blow an audition or a performance.  Kind of a nuisance for a Musical Theatre major, wouldn\'t you say?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\">I call that period of my life The Babs and Carly Years.  </span> </strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nI\'m not exactly sure how Barbra Streisand and Carly Simon overcame their incapacitation, but I know how I emerged from mine.  It was through the gentle encouragement of my friend pictured above.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nShe was there\r\n\r\nOh, yes she was\r\n\r\nI\'ve got a friend.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n**********\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #008000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Questions to ponder and answer in the comments section below.  Pick one or all!  </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n1.  Care to express gratitude for a friend who has brightened up even your darkest night?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n2.  Have you experienced stage fright or similar terrifying fear?  Did you conquer it?  How?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n3.  Where should Melanie and I go next on our World Tour?  :-)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11708\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11708\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11708\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210029-226x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"300\" /></a>','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-12','','','2012-12-04 20:54:47','2012-12-05 03:54:47','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/04/11696-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(11718,1,'2012-12-04 20:56:36','2012-12-05 03:56:36','&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_11704\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"225\"]<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11704\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11704\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-11704\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210008-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a> Is this a dream venue or what?![/caption]\n\nA few weeks ago I announced a very special reunion.  If you missed it, you can read about it <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/10/24/playdate-42-m-m-are-back/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>here.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI am pleased to announce that M &amp; M have officially kicked off their World Tour.  First stop:  Tempe, Arizona.  Next stop:  Somewhere else in the world.  Australia perhaps?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nA heartfelt thank you to Walt Richardson for his support and encouragement.  He is the Open Mic Night Host with the Most.  AND . . . . He is arguably the grooviest dude in AZ.  Please check out <a href=\"http://walterrichardsonii.wix.com/walter-richardson-music\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Walt\'s music.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\'Twas the night before Thanksgiving\n\nAnd all through Tempe\n\nNot a creature was stirring\n\nExcept those who sing.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'ll stop now with my attempt at a poem and spare you the cornball humor that I inherited from my father.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nHere\'s the run-down on The Big Night:\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFortuitous line-up!  M &amp; M secured the #11 spot!  You may (or may not) recall that 11 is my lucky number. <a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2011/10/11/day-356-my-very-first-concussion-italian-style/\" target=\"_blank\"> <strong>In fact, my helmet numbered 11 saved my life in Italia.</strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nBelieve it or not?  (Cue <strong><a href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iR-QjtpZQ0\" target=\"_blank\">Ripley\'s theme music</a> </strong>for dramatic effect.)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11705\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11705\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11705\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210016-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSpeaking of groovy dudes, whoa.  These guys were unbelievable.  I\'m wondering if the guy on the right is a Grammy winner, and he showed up only to escape turkey duties back at the house.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11700\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11700\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-11700\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210018-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n\"Winter, spring, summer of fall\n\nAll you got to do is call\n\nAnd I\'ll be there\n\nOh, yes I will\n\nYou\'ve got a friend.\"\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11701\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11701\"><img class=\"alignnone  wp-image-11701\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210021-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nYes, yes, yes.  We should have recorded this with an iPhone or similar techie gadget so that you could actually <em>hear</em> us, but we didn\'t.  Next time!  I promise.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIf you live in my fair city and would like to perform at THE best open mic night in town, then please check out the info at the Tempe Center for the Arts <a href=\"http://www.tempe.gov/index.aspx?page=725\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>website.  </strong></a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n**********\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\"><strong>Oh.  I almost forgot.  One last thing.  I wasn\'t always this brave.</strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLet me let you in on a dirty little secret from my past.  I used to have stage fright.  Not your average and ordinary garden variety stage fright, but the debilitating kind.  Meaning that I would break out into a cold sweat, feel like I was going to pass out, and completely and utterly blow an audition or a performance.  Kind of a nuisance for a Musical Theatre major, wouldn\'t you say?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #008000;\">I call that period of my life The Babs and Carly Years.  </span> </strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI\'m not exactly sure how Barbra Streisand and Carly Simon overcame their incapacitation, but I know how I emerged from mine.  It was through the gentle encouragement of my friend pictured above.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nShe was there\n\nOh, yes she was\n\nI\'ve got a friend.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n**********\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"color: #008000; font-size: medium;\"><strong>Questions to ponder and answer in the comments section below.  Pick one or all!  </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n1.  Care to express gratitude for a friend who has brightened up even your darkest night?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n2.  Have you experienced stage fright or similar terrifying fear?  Did you conquer it?  How?\n\n&nbsp;\n\n3.  Where should Melanie and I go next on our World Tour?  :-)\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<a href=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=11708\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-11708\"><img class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-11708\" title=\"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA\" src=\"http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PB210029-226x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"226\" height=\"300\" /></a>','Playdate #47:  M & M Reunion Tour Kickoff','','inherit','open','open','','11696-revision-14','','','2012-12-04 20:56:36','2012-12-05 03:56:36','',11696,'http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/2012/12/04/11696-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),