List 64: Lucky to be 40, leaps of faith, Photo Stream, the end of The Office, incompetent Congress

I love this card. You can buy it for me at the Green Grass Press store on Etsy: http://etsy.me/uOQq4O

Huh. It’s already May 18. Who knew two months could fly by so fast? That seems to happen to me more and more as I get older. Speaking of which, today is the final day of my 30’s. You read correctly: tomorrow I will be the big 4-0. I was bemoaning the fact that I’ve reached this point without doing so many things I’d hoped to do, and whining about getting older. But I realized today that (a) everyone turns 40 (if they’re lucky) so it’s not just me, and (b) I’m really just getting started. I have a LOT to accomplish in the next 40 years, though, so I need to be on my game!

I’ll give you the Reader’s Digest version of the busy two months since I last posted. If you don’t really care about what I’ve been up to, just skip right on down to the lists. I won’t even know. 

I have been hard at work for the past two months creating a new non-profit organization that will provide economic development and community development services for rural communities in Central-East Texas. The organization is in its toddler stages at this point, but my goal is to have it up and running by the end of June. It’s going to be a good thing for this region, I think, so I’ll keep you all posted as I get things off the ground. 

In non-business, we’ve had a really busy and fun couple of months. Here are a few of the highlights:

My dad, Race Car Driver for a Day

At the end of March we went to California to see my Dad race around the Fontana race track at 128 miles per hour. My mom got him the Andretti Racing Experience for Christmas a few years ago, and my sisters and I all went out to see him race. We all wore matching t-shirts and cheered him on for the big day. It was a lot of fun. 

In April we went to San Antonio for the dual purpose of celebrating my father-in-law’s birthday and attending a house concert by Michael Logozar, Kendra Springer, and Philip Wesley at Michael and Kendra’s house. It was a great weekend, and I’m so glad we got to go and spend some time with Jamey’s family. I especially enjoyed hanging out with my step-daughter Carly, who is a great shopping and drinking companion 🙂

We, like the rest of the country, experienced the horrific week of April 15 that included the Boston bombings, the West plant explosion, and the delivery of two letters to lawmakers containing ricin.  It was a crazy, crazy week, and a fascinating study in social media and broadcast news. I wrote a blog post about the week’s events, commenting on the concept of breaking news.

Last weekend we  went to New Orleans for the 9th Annual ZMR Music Awards. I don’t think I’ll ever pass up a trip to New Orleans for any reason, but this one was especially fun. Because he is the host of the very popular Audiosyncracy, Jamey is a judge for the awards, and it was really fun to meet some of the musicians he plays on his show every week and to hang out with them. And of course New Orleans was an experience in and of itself, as always.

Jamey and JJ (Jamey is on the right)

Also this past week, Houston Texans Defensive End JJ Watt made a young cancer patient’s day in Splendora, and ESC Region 6 (where Jamey is the Director of Technology) got a really nice plug for a program they should be very proud to call theirs. Check out the video link when you get a minute, and next time you watch JJ in action, know that he’s the Real Deal. 

So that catches you up on life in the country in Huntsville. I hope all of you are enjoying your Spring, and that you have grand plans for a wonderful summer. I’ll try to post more, and in the meantime I hope you’ll enjoy this week’s lists. Next time you hear from me I’ll be officially old and undoubtedly very wise, so enjoy my youthful exuberance while you can! 

top 20

Me, when I was young and adorable (some 39-odd years ago)

1. Being lucky enough to turn 40. Not everyone gets that chance.
2. starting a new venture, and having the support of my husband, family and friends as I do it
3. JJ Watt
4. social media
5. Sam Houston State University’s Center for Rural Studies
6. Citronella plants. I just got one, so I don’t know for sure that they work, but I think it’s great they exist. Damn mosquitos.
7. The Great Gatsby (the film and the book). I adore the book and I was pleasantly surprised by the film.
8. Dropbox
9. timely contract work
10. leaps of faith, which can often be liberating
11. seeing my super cute nieces and nephews in California (and my sisters and parents too)
12. welcoming my sister Jackie to Texas in August–I’m so excited she’ll be in Austin!
13. New Orleans
14. having fresh herbs at my disposal
15. reconnecting with good friends
16. encouragement
17. meeting new people
18. forgiveness
19. government employees who keep calm and carry on despite  the general incompetence of Congress
20. Photo Stream

bottom 10

Photo by Chris Haston/NBC
(originally published on nytimes.com: http://nyti.ms/135K3dw)

1. the end of The Office
2. leaps of faith, which can sometimes be scary
3. the effect of humidity on my hair
4. crafty squirrels
5. the startup disk on my computer that is perpetually “almost full”
6. Feeling depressed about getting older. Seriously, there’s nothing to be done about it. And yet, I mope.
7. wildfires
8. terrorists
9. tornados
10. incompetent Congress

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