Live and Let Di

I'm Haley...Fly Me!

Do you remember the National Airlines ad campaign, "Fly Me?" If not, you are probably too young to even be interested in my blog and since National Airlines was acquired by Pan Am in 1981, you are probably too young to even remember National Airlines.

Anyway, the premise was that National painted women's names on the noses of their planes and ran ads that went something like this, "I'm [insert sexy woman's name]. Fly Me!" There was a whole sexism fall-out from the ad campaign, but that's not relevant to my story.

Well, my 15-year old daughter Haley is a seasoned traveler. Because of all of our moves, she has always had friends in different states and from the time she had to travel as an "unaccompanied minor" until now when we can pretty much drop her off at the curb, she has been quite blase about the whole flying alone thing. We ask her about how many bags she is taking, if she put her liquids in a ziploc bag, etc. and she rolls her eyes and says, "I've done this before!"

This past weekend her friend Casey in Florida invited her to go to Disney World with her and her family to celebrate her 13th birthday. Her family was quite happy to do this since, if Casey had opted to have a Bat Mitzvah, it probably would have cost 50 times as much. So my beloved Stacy booked Haley's flights and off she went.

On the way home Sunday night, she called me, a little teary-eyed, to tell me that her flight had landed in Atlanta, but it was 7:45 and her next flight was at 8:05 and she was afraid she wouldn't make it. I told her to call me and let me know what happens.

In the meantime, my friend Marcy assured me that if she got stuck overnight, her brother Marty and his friend Sue would go get her, take care of her and make sure she got on the flight the next morning. I felt good that we had a contingency plan.

Haley called back, a little more teary this time, and said that her flight had closed the doors and was taking off. I said, "OK, walk down the hall until you see the first gate agent. Keep the tears going if you can and tell him/her what has happened." I stayed on the phone just in case she needed me to talk to someone. I listened as she talked to the gate agent. Then she got back on the phone with me and said, "I've got it all taken care of."

Next thing you know, she is on a 9:00 p.m. flight and SITTING IN FIRST CLASS!!! And by the time we got to the Raleigh-Durham airport, she was casually waiting at the door with her bags in hand. And not a tear in her eye.

I'm Haley.

Fly me! First class, please!

At Haley's age, I had never even flown on a plane, let alone negotiated a huge airport and dealt with missing a flight. I am so proud of her. I'm kind of proud of me too, for having the contingency plan in place. And I'm proud of my friends for helping me come up with the plan. And special thanks to Marty and Sue who may or may not even know they were involved!

Di

That Championship Season

Advisory: 
Unabashed Mom-bragging Ahead 

My son's baseball team won the championship for the season last night. It was the fourth come-from-behind-victory of the season. They went into the bottom of the 6th inning (they play 7 innings) behind by 5 runs! They went into the bottom of the 7th inning behind by 2 runs. And, in an exhilarating finish, scored 3 runs to win. It was a perfect season...they finished 12-0.

Watching the team run out to home plate to greet the player who scored the winning run rivaled watching any major league team clinch a series. The rewards...better than a $40,000 World Series ring...
 

And if you think some of those little league baseball games are tortuously long, let me remind you of how fast the time goes:
 
Turn around and he's 5 with his batting glove on.
Turn around and he's 8, kissing his trophy as he's seen dozens of major league players do on TV.

Turn around and he's 9, celebrating a run scored.

Turn around and he's 11, giving a high five to his teammate.

Turn around again...and he's 12. His team has won the championship. And Mom hasn't taken a picture all season! Oh, the shame. But, oh, the pride! And oh, the feeling of seeing your child doing something he loves!
Di

Early Voting Rocks

Don't know about any of the other states, but NC is doing an Early Voting program that is great. Instead of standing in line at my precinct on Election Day, I popped into the mall, strolled through Belks and cast my vote today. In and out in about 20 minutes.

So do it now or do it on November 4th. Do it at the mall or do it at your local precinct. Vote for Obama or vote for McCain. But do it...and then be prepared to back up your vote with involvement and support after the election regardless of who is elected.

Divisiveness is NOT going to get our country out of our current state. When it comes right down to it, citizens are!

Di

Sweet Baby James

I have been SO busy that blogging has fallen by the wayside. Thank you to all the people who have e-mailed with concern to make sure I'm all right!

Last night, my daughter Haley and I participated in what I consider a historical event. I have never been to a political rally and neither has she. But we decided to go to the free James Taylor concert for Obama at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

They did not allow banners into the show, otherwise ours would have been THE BEST:

The show was at 7 but the doors opened at 5, so we got there just a little after 5. We were early enough that we were about 7 rows away from the stage. The crowd was, for the most part, quiet and polite. A lady behind me was knitting. College girls were flirting. College boys were hiding subs under their jackets since food was not allowed. The only disruption was a 2-year old (yes, a 2-year old at a concert where she would have to wait two hours to see something she really doesn't care about when she wants to be home eating Cheerios one-by-one while Mom fixes dinner) who was kicking up a fuss...some of the kicks landing in our backs. But THAT, and her brother and friend who were with them, is a whole different blog.

How close were we?

Yes...that close. And no zoom lens. It was the quietest concert I have ever been to. The last time I saw JT was 29 years ago at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center where we had lawn seats and it was a drunk and disorderly crowd. This crowd listened respectfully as James Taylor talked about his roots in Chapel Hill and his love of the Tar Heel State and how incredible it is that this year WE ARE A BATTLEGROUND STATE!

He started with a sweet acoustic version of America the Beautiful.We listened quietly as he crooned our favorites, like Something in the Way She Moves and Sweet Baby James (which I used to sing to my son as a lullabye). In between songs he shared self-depracating stories about his long career, how he worked with Carole King and worked up his own version of You've Got A Friend to play at a gig they were playing together...not realizing he would be playing it EVERY NIGHT FOR THE REST OF HIS CAREER. (During this song, I called Amy  (my BF, in case you didn't know) and let her listen to a song that is clearly written about OUR long, dedicated friendship.)

He spoke quietly and understatedly about Barack Obama and his own commitment to the campaign. The concert spoke to me of reason over rambunctiousness (as opposed to Hank Williams Jr.'s similar concerts). The people in the crowd, maybe even the kicking 2-year old, represented the people I want to be with supporting Obama. Supportive, respectful, believers in the candidate more than the rhetoric.

He even had the crowd sing a hushed "Go Obama Go" as a sweet harmony to his guitar picking and singing.

Enough politics...29 years later, James Taylor still sounds as sweet and his music continues to inspire with its quiet meaning.

Di

Smiling Faces

These are some smiling faces from the global markets who have been working for hours while we were hitting the snooze button:

I hope to see these kinds of faces on Wall Street today!

Di

Sausage for the Pseudo-Vegetarians

I didn't know if there was a word for the people who eschew red meat, but will eat most poultry and fish, so I made one up...Pseudo-Vegetarians. My friend Amy is a Pseudo-Vegetarian, so sometimes when I'm ready to e-mail her a GREAT recipe, I suddenly remember...she won't love it because it's got red meat in it.

My neighborhood friends have been tutoring me on how to shop the grocery store sales. I'm getting it...kinda. Like I saw that mahi mahi was on sale for $5.99 per pound, my family likes it and that's a pretty good deal, so I was off to the fish counter at Harris Teeter. Then I noticed that the scallops looked AMAZING. So I'm chatting with the fish guy and he says, "Oh yeah, those just came in this morning. They've never been frozen." Next thing you know I've got a half pound of scallops (approximately 9) for close to $10. So, sometimes I don't get it.

While I was standing there, I noticed some weirdly flavored sausage. I mean like blueberry and cherry. Yuck...I just don't like to combine fruit with meat. Then I noticed this:

It's Aidells fully cooked Portobello Mushroom smoked CHICKEN and TURKEY Sausage. The fish guy, who I think is personally responsible for the huge profits in the seafood area, saw my looking at it and said, "Now THAT is just about the best stuff ever!"

I just had one with an omelette for dinner (alone on a Saturday night) and he was right. Yum!!!!

Di

Why we vote the way we do...

Maybe we could get Barack to make her the Secretary of Hilarity or something.

Di

Thursday Thirteen (Vol. 89)

Thirteen things you hear at a little league baseball game and what they really mean

My son has been playing baseball since he was 5 years old. He loves the game as a player and as a spectator. You can only imagine how many games I have been to, how often I've unfolded my folding chair (bleachers suck!), and how much I've loved being part of the sport about which my son is so passionate. At a typical game, here are some things you hear:

1. Good eye - that usually means that the umpire called a ball when it should have been a strike and the kid didn't swing at it.
   
   
2. Bring 'em around - that means that there are some kids on base, in scoring position, and all you want the kid to do is put a ball in play. Doesn't matter if he gets out, just get the kids on base heading home.
   
3. Good contact - means that the kid put the bat to the ball. It either went foul or otherwise did not result in a hit, but you want to boost the kid's ego and let him know he can hit it.
   
   
4. C'mon Buddy, you're a hitter - this means that you have no idea what this kid's name is, but you want to encourage him from your position as first base coach.
   
5. Straighten it out - dude, you are hitting the ball, but it is going far out of the park to either side or behind the plate. Take the next one and put it in the outfield!
   
6. Watch his right foot - I didn't learn this until the other night, but if you are on first base, thinking about stealing second, you keep an eye on the pitcher's right foot. If it moves, that means he's trying to pick you off, not pitching to the guy at bat.
   
7. Balls in - you've been throwing the ball around the field in fielding practice, but the game is about to begin, so let's get all those balls back to the umpire.
   
   
8. Just run, I'll watch the ball - this is one of my favorites. If the first base coach tells you to run, you run like hell to second base. Let the coach worry about whether they can get you out or not, in which case he will yell, "Slide!" or "Stand up."
   
9. Way to hang in there - the count is 0 and 2 and you keep fouling pitches off instead of getting struck out.
   
10. Just worry about the batter - yes, we know that you've got two men in scoring position, but there are two outs and all we need to do is get this guy at first base!
    
11.  More, more, more - you've got an opportunity to steal, so take a bigger lead.
    
12.  Shake it off - you just did something stupid or caused an out or missed a play, but you have to get that off your mind and focus on what's going on now.
    
13.  That's what I'm talking about - the team just rose to the occasion and got guys out or scored runs when faced with a tough situation.

It's a good thing I grew up on softball fields. My Dad played until he was in his 40s. So I know the game, I know the lingo and I can even keep a pretty good score book. And just for the record, my son's team is 7-0 right now!!! Go A's!

Di

I have enough friends, thank you!

Last night was the town hall meeting debate between:

And his worthy opponent: 

Now, I think everyone has heard about the Biden/Palin drinking game. Every time Sarah Palin says "maverick" or winks, you have to take a drink.

Just a few minutes into last night's debate, my friend Pilar said..."OK, every time McCain says, 'my friends,' everyone has to drink."

First of all, I'll bet there are scores of hungover Democrats this morning. And second of all, I value my friends. I hold them near and dear to my heart and would do anything for them. But you, John McCain, are not my friend. There can be such a thing as too many friends...and adding you to my list would definitely cross that line.

Di

Where's Waldo?

It's kind of a blessing and kind of a curse. The countertops in the new house are "busy" enough that they don't show crumbs and dirt. But sometimes they hide stuff that you need?

See if you can locate the Starbucks card I gave to my daughter and her friend. I was all accusing them of keeping it for two days until something caught my eye. It could have been there for years!

Di