Aging (not so) Gracefully

Have you seen this video?

If you haven't, please take a few minutes to watch it. It's worth it. :)

Like a lot of woman (at least, as the Dove video implies), I tend to focus on my flaws. I don't consider myself a vain person. Watching me pull my eyebrows up with my fingertips and scowl at my reflection, my husband disagrees. Let's face it, if you are a woman in your 40s (or 50s, or 60s...), its hard not to cringe a little when you look in the mirror. It doesn't help when you are shopping at TJ Maxx on a Monday and the cashier asks if you are over 55 (when you are 42!). I told her that I was not and I was going to go play in traffic. OK, maybe I am a little vain after all.

I feel like I have some control over the way my body looks. I know that I have to work out at least 5-6 days a week, and although I don't really deprive myself of anything, I know I can't eat absolutely EVERYTHING I want. My body is not perfect by any means, but it's not bad for a 42-year-old woman. I've (literally) worked my butt off for that. But though a workout can tone muscle and improve the overall shape of the rest of my body, working out does nothing to tone the face. Once your face starts aging, unless you plan to resort to fillers or surgery, fuggedaboutit. 

25 years younger (and 20 lbs heavier)

When I was growing up, I LOVED laying in the sun. I would spend hours either swimming, laying on a pool float, or just laying in a lounge chair covered with tanning oil (or sometimes baby oil). The darker my tan, the better [I thought] I looked. I even won the "Best Tan" contest at Sandals Antigua on our honeymoon. (That may have had something to do with the fact that I had a good base tan from the Florida sun, whereas the fair women from the great white North had essentially fried their skin, subjecting themselves to the native hawking aloe spears on the beach saying "You burn...I earn!") When I was a teenager, my father  (who has had more than his share of skin cancer removed) would say to my greased-up self, "Someday, you'll be all wrinkled and you'll be sorry you did this to yourself." Dare I admit, Father knows best? He was oh-so RIGHT!

I have a cousin who is actually 6 months older than me, who spent far less time in the sun growing up than I did. Even at 43, she has the most gorgeous peaches-and-cream complexion you could wish for. My complexion is far from enviable. My skin has definitely lost elasticity and is becoming thinner with each passing year. I have new dark spots popping up every day (I never had freckles growing up). Wrinkles? I've got plenty and you know something? That is one area where being thin is definitely NOT an asset. If I thought that gaining 20 pounds would plump my face up and make me look like my Senior yearbook photo, I'd start bulking up immediately. But I know darn well those 20 pounds would not land anywhere near my face (or my bird chest, which could use a little meat). Nope, all 20  would distribute themselves between my belly, butt and thighs.

Oh to be 22 again! :)

So, what's an aging woman to do? Well, there are plenty of anti-aging products out there that "guarantee" that wrinkles will be less visible, dark spots will diminish, skin will be firmer and have a more even tone, etc. etc. etc. Olay, Neutrogena, Burt's Bees, L'Oreal - none of them have made me look any younger (or any different) than I did before I used them. I even tried some Kiehl's products (courtesy of my niece who was studying to be an esthetician - I can't afford to drop beaucoup bucks on such luxuries). Although the Kiehl's avocado eye cream was amazing - it didn't take years off, nor did it erase my crow's feet or undereye bags from stressful sleepless nights. So, creams, lotions, and serums are out. 

Fillers (like Restylane or BOTOX), although tempting, certainly have their drawbacks. For starters, the price! I know that I don't have a few hundred dollars to shell out make my wrinkles (and any expression of emotion on my face) disappear for a few months. Let's face it...they're gonna come back. About 10 years ago, I had Bell's Palsy. For nearly six weeks, I lost all control and expression in one side of my face. It was freaky. I don't really care to go through that again. If I can't afford fillers, obviously surgery is out too. Facial plastic surgery can go very well, or it can go horribly, horribly wrong. I don't really want to look like a dog with her head sticking out a window going 90 mph or have a permanent look of surprise on my face either.

Big mistakes like letting someone take a close-up photo. ;)

I've become quite proficient using Adobe Photoshop in the past few years, but I've always avoided using it to "doctor" photos of myself. Yes, I did make myself a mermaid, but that was just adding a fish tale and a shell top to an existing photo. I've also Photoshopped a good face shot of myself onto a bad one when everyone else looked great in the family photo. But, I always hesitated to use Photoshop to see what I might look like without my wrinkles. That is, until now...

It really makes you wonder how much of what we see in magazines is real, doesn't it? I would be lying if I said that I love my "before" picture. I kind of wish that I did look a little more like the "illusion." But, that's not me. I'm not going to stop smiling just because doing so makes my crow's feet more pronounced. I (like many, many other women) just need to learn to focus less on my flaws and more on the blessings that God has given me. A genuine smile that comes from the heart looks great on everyone!

With Love and Aloha ~ Nancy

P.S. I just finished shopping at TJ Maxx (on a Monday - i.e. Senior Discount Day again). This time, the cashier said, "You are nowhere near 55!" That's what I'm talking about! ;D Must be the new haircut (thanks, Kelly!). ;)

Things I Learned in San Antonio

Paseo del Rio

I visited San Antonio, Texas for the first time last week (once again representing my company at a conference, seeing as an actual vacation is still out of reach). In spite of the fact that it was a weekend conference and I've now been working for 10 days straight, as always, I tried to make the most of the time I had in the city. I even got to see my niece and grand-niece who drove over on Saturday and spent the night at the hotel with me. :) I didn't encounter any stalkers at IRA this year (thank goodness), but I did learn a few things. Among them: 

San Antonio is much prettier than I ever imagined. ~ I must admit, I didn't have high expectations for San Antonio. I somehow pictured a dry, dusty old-west type of a city. Kind of like the Ghost Town on the Brady Bunch. Although there is plenty of history in San Antonio, it was far more beautiful that I thought it would be. 

A river can run through just about anything. ~ The first thing that amazed me about San Antonio was the San Antonio River that flows (literally) through the city. The river is extremely narrow - probably half the width of our canal - and shallow too. The shady, tree lined Paseo del Rio (or River Walk) features shops, restaurants and hotels. There are pretty bridges every couple of blocks that allow access to the other side. It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen. There were also ducks everywhere. Not the ugly Muscovy ducks we have in Florida, but pretty Mallards. It was the first weekend of Fiesta when we visited, so the River Walk was packed Saturday night. Sunday morning though, it was desolate and peaceful again, as the partiers were sleeping off the tequila. 

Mariachis are kind of scary. ~ I have never been particularly drawn to mariachis, but when I first saw them singing to tables of patrons at some of the restaurants on the River Walk, I thought it was kind of cool and very San Antonioish - especially considering the fact that it was Fiesta weekend. I did observe that one requirement of being a mariachi appeared to be wearing pants that were at least two sizes too small. Just because they're stretchy doesn't make it ok. 

As I learned at Rita's on the River, where a group of three mariachi's were serenading (?) the diners two tables over from us, they are very loud. And they take requests. And they just keep performing. (It was like they were never going to stop.) After about 15 minutes, they moved on to the table next to us. Not only could we not hold a conversation, we got up close and personal with those tight pantalones. No mas! We prayed that they would not decide to perform for our table (we even tried to convince my grand-niece to start crying if they came over to us). We didn't have to worry. It appears that they only sing to patrons who are Latino. Maybe someone can explain that to me. No matter. I was happy to see them move on.

The Alamo is very small. ~ I had been warned about this. It is true. The legendary Alamo is tiny. It is also located right across the street from the Hyatt and right down the block from Fuddrucker's. Kind of takes away some of the historical charm. I didn't have an opportunity to go inside because it was closed by the time I visited, but there isn't a whole lot to it. 

Trees grow very big where there are no hurricanes. ~ Although I wasn't able to actually enter the gardens at the Alamo, I was able to see them (and, of course take pictures of them) through the gates. There was the most incredible old tree that had the longest branches I had ever seen. The cypress trees along the river were also huge and beautiful.

People you'd never expect are authors of children's books. ~ I was standing at our booth when I saw a man and woman walk by. The man looked very familiar to me, but I didn't immediately recognize where I knew him from. A few seconds after he passed by, I realized it was Mike from American Pickers. I wondered why on Earth he was at the International Reading Association conference. Turns out, he wrote a children's book (thanks, Cynthia, for finding that out for me!). Small world. :) My inner Wang is so disappointed I didn't get a picture.

Looking up the face of the Emily Morgan Hotel

San Antonio's architecture is amazing. ~ The city has some of the most ornate old buildings I've ever seen. Spooky as it is, I have to admit that the Emily Morgan Hotel had the most impressive architecture. The "grotesques" depicting medical ailments (as the hotel was originally the Medical Arts Building) were creepy, but the other sculptural details of the building were breathtaking. Many other historic buildings in San Antonio had equally interesting architecture.

Tower Life Building
lit for Fiesta

San Antonio is a busy railroad hub. ~ I realize that San Antonio is pretty centrally located in Texas, which would make it a convenient spot for a transportation hub, but I never realized how many trains pass through the city in the wee hours of the morning. A Saturday morning, no less. Blowing their horns. The first morning I was there, I counted no less than FIVE trains passing by between 3 and 6 a.m. It sounded like they were running right next to the hotel, but after daybreak, I realized that the tracks were actually pretty far away. FYI...if you stay in downtown San Antonio, bring earplugs!

Dairy Queen's menu heads south of the border in Texas. ~ We stopped at Dairy Queen for Blizzards one night and I was tickled to see that the DQ menu had been Texified (or Mexified). Not only can you get the usual frozen treats, burgers, hot dogs and chicken tenders, you order jalapenos on your burger and you can also get tacos and something called "Jalitos". ;) Ole

People in San Antonio are very friendly. ~ Everyone I encountered in San Antonio, from the staff at the Hilton, to the waiters in the restaurants to the cashiers at the shops, everyone was so welcoming and kind. The senoras y senoritas especially were really looking out for me. The female guard at the convention center stopped me on my way in, thinking I had missed a couple buttons on my oxford shirt (she must have thought I had partied too hard at Fiesta) She didn't realize that I was wearing a shirt underneath it. It was sweet of her, though, to make sure that I wasn't exposing myself to all of the reading teachers. The cashier at the Five and Dime gently scolded me for buying a bag of cashews and a Coke Zero for lunch, telling me that what I was buying was not a meal and that I needed to take better care of myself. LOL! ;) I promised her that I would eat a good dinner (and I did). There are a lot of good people in San Antonio.

Tower of the Americas
at sunrise

I still have a lot more to see... ~ There were a number of really cool places in San Antonio that I didn't have an opportunity to see in the short time I visited the city. I may be going back at the end of June (it might be a little hot) for another conference. If so (and I can find time to do so), I hope to visit a few more places, like La Villita Historic Arts Village and HemisFair Park. I would LOVE to watch the sunset from the top of the Tower of the Americas (although it was pretty darn nice from the hallway of the 22nd floor of the Hilton). :) As with just about every other city I've visited for work, I hope to take my family there someday. Traveling is just not the same without them!

Con Amor y Aloha ~ Nancy

Inspired (Inspired by Pat Monahan)

This morning, as I checked out Facebook (as I always do first thing in the a.m.), something on the Ticker caught my eye. Seems that Pat Monahan (the lead singer of Train, a band whose latest CD "California 37" I am currently obsessed with) has a blog. His latest blog post was called "Inspired" and it was all about the things that inspire him (and the things that "bore the shit outta [him]"). If you care to read it, go to patblogahan.com. I have to say I agree with a lot of what he said. His blog post inspired me to blog about what inspires me. So, here goes...

THINGS THAT INSPIRE ME

• The Sunrise - Nothing makes me feel closer to God than watching the sky change colors as the sun comes up every morning. He paints a different masterpiece every day of my life. With nothing but the beauty of dawn and the sound of the breeze (and sometimes ocean waves if it's blowing hard enough out of the east), sunrise is my time to reflect. 

• Perpetually Positive People - Who doesn't love someone who is (genuinely) positive and upbeat? I specify genuinely because I know quite a few people who appear to be positive and you know darn well as soon as you walk away, they are bad-mouthing you. Those people don't inspire me. The honest-to-goodness, always-looking-on-the-bright-side people do. I recently learned of the passing of a former co-worker of mine who was the number one most perpetually positive person I've ever known. This woman ALWAYS had a kind word and a smile on her face - even as she battled breast cancer and was going through chemotherapy. I never saw her down - tired, maybe - but always smiling. I know that she is an angel now. ^i^ She was a true inspiration, as are the other people like her that I've met in my life. 

• The Beach - Shelling is my ultimate therapy. For me, this is the most relaxing activity on earth. Walking along the shoreline (or snorkeling in the ocean just beyond the shore), catching a glimpse of that perfect shell and catching it right before the waves wash it away. Heaven on Earth. I also love to just watch the waves. Each one rises and breaks a little differently, kind of like the sunrise. There is no place I'd rather be than the beach. Maybe I should try going to the beach at sunrise. Talk about inspiration.

• My Family - Each member of my family is an inspiration. My husband inspires me to not sell myself short (he's always telling me that) and to try and not let things get to me (which is so much easier said than done). He has mastered the ability to "let things go." He rarely lets anything bother him. That is inspiring. My daughter has the most amazing self-confidence I've ever seen in anybody. Mind you, there is a BIG difference between arrogance (which is one of those things that irritates the (%&@ out of me) and confidence. She's got confidence. She believes in herself, works hard, and is never afraid to chase her dreams. I'm so thankful for that. That is inspiring. My son inspires me with his passion for skateboarding. He is so determined to learn and master tricks - he practices all the time (and loves it). He is also a genuinely considerate kid (rare for a 14-year-old boy), and has a great sense of humor to boot. That is inspiring. Even my dogs inspire me by showing me unconditional love. No matter what kind of day I am having (or anyone else in my family for that matter), we can always count on two smiling faces and wagging tails when we come home. They are always happy to see us. That is inspiring.

• Random Acts of Kindness - I just love seeing people do things for others out of the goodness of their hearts. Without being asked. Sometimes secretly. Without expecting anything in return. Just because it's a nice thing to do.

• Photography - I have written about my love for photography before. There is something about capturing the beauty of a sunrise, a breaking wave, or just a moment in time that is amazing to me. I truly believe that you can never take too many pictures. I'm sure that some people would disagree with me.

• ANYTHING that Makes Me Smile - From friends and family who can ALWAYS make me smile and laugh, in spite of my mood, to movies, TV shows and music - anything that brings me pure joy inspires me. I have friends who I can go long periods of time without seeing or speaking to, but one phone call, one email, one Facebook comment can leave me grinning from ear to ear and laughing. They are the BEST! I find certain TV shows hysterical. Mike & Molly is one that always makes me crack up. Sometimes, I even snort when I'm watching it. When it comes to music, naturally Duran Duran always brings back happy memories and makes me smile. Train's (sometimes silly) lyrics are what has really drawn me to listen the band. They always make me smile when I'm singing along, off-key, in the car. Some of my favorites:
• "She was caught in a mudslide, eaten by a lion, got run over by a crappy purple Scion." ~ 50 Ways to Say Goodbye
• "Just a shy guy lookin' for a 2-ply Hefty bag to hold my i-i-i-i-i love." ~ Drive By
• "Not Etta James, Bob Marley or the dude that had Pop Rocks and soda at the same time." ~ You Can Finally Meet My Mom
• "Can't swim so I took a boat to an island so remote, only Johnny Depp has ever been to it before." ~ Mermaid

OK, the last one (ANYTHING that makes me smile) really just encompasses everything else now, doesn't it? ;) My life is truly full of inspiration. I won't get into the things that bore (or bug) the s**t out of me, because if you read my blog, you already know what those things are anyway. We'll keep this one totally positive. I'm actually glad that Pat Monaghan ended his post with, "What inspires you?" I ask you to ponder this yourself. It really will make you realize how blessed you truly are.

With Love and Aloha ~ Nancy

PompaNO Beach High School For You!

Obviously NOT (and yes, I know that whoever created this sticker could've used an editor!).

As I sit here writing this, I'm feeling kind of numb. That's actually a good thing because the numbness dulls the heartache. Sometimes I wonder if I could sue Broward County Public Schools for rape, considering the number of times I've been screwed by them over the years. I never professed to be the greatest person in the world, but I don't think that I (or my kids) deserve the hand we've been dealt when it comes to being denied the chance of becoming "Golden Tornadoes." Some of you might be thinking, "She's just a sore loser. Big deal, so her kids didn't get into PBHS. Deal with it." But what you may not understand is, for me, it's personal.

My mom's Pompano High Senior picture.

Let's go (way) back to 1929. My grandmother, Clara Richardson (Lee) was part of the second graduating class at the newly established Pompano Beach High School. Back then, they were known as the "Beanpickers," as Pompano Beach was a farming community back then. Fast forward to the 50s and 60s. My mother graduated from Pompano Beach High School as a Beanpicker in 1954. She was the class valedictorian. :) As you can see from the commencement program, there were only 33 students in her entire senior class. Lucky for them, nobody claimed PBHS was "underenrolled" at that time. Her brother and sisters graduated from there too. By the time her youngest sister, my Aunt Henny, graduated PBHS had changed from the Beanpickers to the Golden Tornadoes. 

Rob's senior picture - PBHS c/o '82

My parents lived in New Jersey when my brother and sister were growing up, and both of them graduated from high school up north. My family moved back to Pompano Beach in 1977, when I was six years old. I attended Cresthaven Elementary, Pompano Beach Middle School (as did both of my children), and I was excited to be a third-generation PBHS graduate. My husband, Rob graduated from Pompano Beach High in 1982 - seven years before we met.

I attended 9th Grade at Pompano Beach High School, along with my cousin and many close friends (whom I have reconnected with, thanks to Facebook). I loved every minute of my Freshman year. I joined clubs, attended football games and other events. I was a good student, but I had fun too. It was everything I expected...kind of like a John Hughes movie. Little did I know that my high school experience was about to change dramatically...

Memories from Freshman year

According to the Pompano Beach High School web site, "Due to the westward shift in population, which occurred in Broward County in the 1980's, Pompano Beach High School was closed in 1985 amid much political controversy and community protest." Political controversy and community protest indeed. I attended those School Board meetings, along with hundreds of other PBHS students and their parents, BEGGING the board to reconsider. We all loved Pompano High. Many of the students (like myself) were second- and third-generation Tornadoes. The meetings dragged on well after midnight, as each person, in turn stood before the "powers that be" and plead their case. When it came time for the vote, the majority of the board members (ALL of whom lived in the western part of the county and would not be affected by their decision) voted in favor of closing the school. They couldn't have cared less about the students or the community. Ironically, one of the very board members who voted to close Pompano Beach High School is now the county Property Appraiser. Yep, the biggest check I write every year of my adult life goes to pay one of the women responsible for destroying a part of my adolescence. Tell me that doesn't suck. (Sorry, mom.)

So where did this leave the students? Well, they were divided among the three closest high schools. I was fortunate that my cousin and my very best friend were also zoned for the same school as I was, but high school was never the same. Although the school was excellent academically (it was an engineering magnet school) and I did get a good education, graduating third in my class, the social dynamics were vastly different than Pompano Beach High School had been. I never attended a single sporting event at the school, which was located in the middle of a rough neighborhood. The first week I had my car, a kid in the neighborhood threw a rock at it and busted the tail light. One of my friends was stopped by the police driving to school for a club event on a Saturday morning and questioned what she was doing in that neighborhood on a Saturday. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of friends who chose to go to that school and loved it as much as I had loved Pompano High, but it never felt like my high school and, honestly, I always felt that I was cheated out of that part of my life. 

No blue and gold tassel for me. :(

Twelve years after they closed Pompano Beach High School (although the building remained open, hosting community education programs during that time), in 1997 the school reopened as Broward County's first all-magnet high school. By this point, I had a baby of my own and had hope that she would go to Pompano High, as her great-grandmother, her grandmother, her mother (though for only one year) and her father (who graduated in 1982) had. 

As the years went by, another baby came into our family and we ended up moving from Lighthouse Point to Pompano Beach (actually, to the the same neighborhood where I had grown up). Fortunately (or so I thought), both of my children were excellent students, earning top grades and test scores. Although I knew that Pompano Beach High School was a magnet school, I believed that surely my kids would get in! They were hard-working, well-behaved kids who lived right in the city!

When it came time to apply for PBHS for Alana, I enclosed a letter with her application, detailing her family's history with the school and what a privilege it would be to continue that tradition. Two of her teachers also wrote letters of recommendation on her behalf. I thought for sure Alana would be a Tornado. In March of 2010, Alana's friends started receiving acceptance letters to PBHS, but no letter came for Alana. Surely there had to be a mistake. I'll never forget the Saturday afternoon the mailman brought the letter stating that Alana hadn't been accepted and was number four hundred (something) on the waiting list. All but three of her friends had gotten in, many of whom had lower GPAs and test scores, some of whom didn't even live in the city or who didn't attend public school in Broward County. Suddenly I felt like the blue and gold "Go Tornadoes" foam #1 hand that had been stored in my childhood closet all these years had put its index finger down and raised "tall man". I was stunned, disappointed, heartbroken, angry, bitter, frustrated - SO many emotions - none of them positive.

Rob's and my PBHS yearbooks

I contacted the magnet coordinator at PBHS and was told that the selection process was a strict lottery and there was nothing that could be done. Alana could reapply in December for the second semester, if she wished. I tried having friends who worked for the school system pull some strings for me. It didn't help. My mother even ran into our local school board member and asked him to help. It didn't make a bit of difference. 

So, Alana ended up continuing the Communications/Broadcast Arts magnet program (from Pompano Beach Middle School) at Deerfield Beach High School. You know what? She LOVED it and never wanted to switch to Pompano. A few of her friends who had gotten into PBHS ended up switching schools (some to Deerfield!). Alana is now a Junior at DBHS,  maintains a 4+ GPA is co-editor of the school newspaper and will be Editor-in-Chief next year. She is thriving, in spite of the curve ball she had been thrown.

This December, it was Chase's turn to apply. He really wanted to go to Pompano Beach High School. For convenience alone, it would have been awesome, but of course, I had other reasons for wanting him to go. Once again, I submitted his application once the magnet window opened. I even sent updated FCAT scores in December, as suggested by his magnet coordinator. A couple of weeks ago, Chase's friends started posting on social media about receiving their acceptance letters. Nothing arrived for Chase for several days. Can you say deja vu? I thought, "This cannot possibly be happening AGAIN!" But, it happened again. Chase did not "win the lottery." (He's too nice to say it, but I know that he secretly wishes he hadn't been born to Mrs. Friday the 13th.) There is no waiting list now. If spots open up, they hold another lottery. Delightful. 

The letter. :(

So, I contacted Mr. Romance (yes, that's really his name), the CBA Magnet Coordinator at DBHS to find out how I register Chase. Being Spring Break, I didn't expect a response this week, but I received one within an hour. After Spring Break, I called the CBA office and they could not have been friendlier or more accommodating  DBHS is happy to have my kids, and for that, I am very grateful. I decided to email Ms. Young ^ and request that Chase remain in the wait pool once he is registered at DBHS. I also explained to her about my family's history at PBHS and how it would mean so much to have Chase attend the school. In the letter, I also let her know how great the CBA Staff at DBHS had been. :) Do you think I received a response? Go ahead...guess! Did you guess, "No!"? Congratulations! You win the lottery!

When Chase returned to school this week, he learned that a lot of his friends are swimming in the wait pool with him. None of the three PBMS students who live on our street were accepted. One of them has a mother who graduated from PBHS and had a sister who would have been a Senior they year they closed it. She is also a teacher at Pompano Beach Elementary, which is right next door to the high school. I'm sure she's not too happy right now either. :( Most of Chase's friends who didn't get into Pompano are planning to continue the CBA Magnet at Deerfield, so at least he'll be in good company.

I think that what frustrates me the most is the fact that the whole process sends a glaring message about "leveling the playing field". Just because you work your butt off and are a good person who does the right thing doesn't give you any advantage over someone who works half as hard and just doesn't care. Hmmm...remind you of anything else? I truly believe that the school board should give first priority for Pompano Beach High School to good students who live in the city, THEN go to a lottery system for everyone else. As my father pointed out, the school board complains that they have no money because of all of the bussing. Well, DUH! How about letting kids attend the school closest to their homes? Nobody ever said that you had to be intelligent to work for the government, though.

I'll admit, there is still a part of me that is hoping for a miracle (I'm such a glutton for punishment), but I know that wherever my kids end up, they'll do fine. I believe that, like Alana, Chase will continue to do his very best, whether he is a Buck OR a Tornado! 

With Love and Aloha ~ Nancy

March Madness

Feelin' crabby

They say that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb...[I do believe that is also the first line of Judy Blume's "Then Again...Maybe I Won't" - the second is "That's a lot of bull." ;)]. March 2013 has certainly felt like a lion (or, at least, I have felt like roaring angrily most of this month). I've been tired, grumpy and on edge for the past few weeks. I'm not sure just what is going on, but it hasn't been fun (for me or anyone else around me!)

A good night's sleep eluded me for most of March. Let's face it, a good night's sleep is paramount to a good mood. At least for me it is. I've never been the type of person who could sleep until noon (I think 9 might be the latest I've EVER slept), but I need at least a good 7-8 hours of sleep every night. This just didn't seem to happen much in March.

For one thing, my night sweats were out of control this month. I'm talking waking up DRIPPING in sweat, which certainly affected my sleep cycle, which in turn affected my mood, and so on and so on. It didn't help that Cali picked this month to start taking flying leaps onto my bed randomly in the middle of the night. It seemed like everybody was getting on my nerves (again, could be lack of sleep, hormones/PMS, or a combination thereof). I've just been channeling the little girl in the AT&T commercial - growling like a werewolf who wishes he could go back to a human. I spent most of March longing to feel human again!

A blessed end to PMS certainly helped, but there was more up the lion's sleeve for me. My son, Chase was scheduled to go on the Florida Tour - a three-day field trip that included stops at Bethune Cookman College, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, and Islands of Adventure. The Florida Tour is pretty much the Grand Poohbah of middle school field trips and he was really looking forward to it. Two nights before trip, Chase came to me and said that he wasn't feeling great. I felt his head and he wasn't warm, so I assumed he was just exhausted from skating all weekend. Besides, my family (thank goodness) is rarely sick. Well, turns out (with impeccable timing), Chase had caught a bug. Around 2 a.m., a very upset, very feverish Chase arrived at my bedside. I kept him home from school the next day and prayed that it was just a 24-hour bug (as did many of my Facebook friends - thank you for that, by the way), and he'd be good to go by 5:30 the next morning.

Did I mention I lost quite a few shoes this month too?

My alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. Chase came in my room and told me he was feeling much better. Normally, this would have thrilled me, but his glassy eyes told a very different story. So did the thermometer, which climbed to 102.2. I had the unpleasant task of telling Chase he wasn't going on the Florida Tour. He did not take it well. So, instead of Daytona, a very upset (and feverish) Chase went to the doctor that morning. 

Turns out that along with the fever, he also had a red throat and swollen glands. Leave it to Dr. Cheatham, though, to brighten our spirits. He looked at Chase and said, "Come on buddy, you couldn't go on a trip like this - you're sick! I know it stinks, but look at your life. You have a mom that got bitten by an octopus. Who DOES that?" By the time we left the doctor with a prescription for a Z-pack, we were both cracking up. Chase spent the day resting and I told him that if the fever stayed away, he could go on the trip.

The next morning, I set my alarm for 4 a.m. (Did I mention that I didn't get much sleep this month?) I went to wake Chase and hesitantly touched his forehead, which, for the first time in a couple of days, did not feel like a baked potato! I woke him up and asked if he felt well enough to join the tour. He said, "Yes!" We were on the road by 5 and at the Holiday Inn Express by 8:15, in plenty of time for Chase to join the group to head to Gainesville. :)

Alana at Disney

It seemed silly to drive the six hours to and from Orlando just to drop Chase off at a hotel, so I figured I'd (finally) make good on my promise to take Alana to see the new Fantasyland and ride the new Little Mermaid ride at Magic Kingdom (which was her 16th birthday wish). It turned out to be an awesome day, filled with much-needed quality time with my girl. 

So everything worked out. All seemed well. Things were calming down. My stress level was declining. The lion that was March seemed to be growing tame. And then, he started growling again. The day after Chase got back from his trip, he came to me looking upset. I asked him what was wrong and he replied, "I knew I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. I didn't get into Pompano High." My heart sunk. :( The whole PBHS saga warrants it's on blog post, so I won't go into detail here, but I was force to leave the school after my freshman year, Alana didn't get in, and now it seemed Chase wouldn't get in either. I asked to see the letter and he told me he didn't get one. His friends were posting that they got their letters in the mail and he didn't get one. I explained to him that he would get a letter either way. (Truth be told - the fact that he didn't get one when his friends did was NOT a good sign though - this wasn't my first PBHS-Lottery rodeo). It's now three days later and nary a letter in sight. 

An acceptance letter to PBHS would certainly be a welcome relief. Regardless of what happens, though, I know there is a reason for it...a lesson to be learned. I also know that March WILL go out like a lamb, because the last day of this month we celebrate "The" Lamb - the one who sacrificed everything for our eternal salvation. That really makes the rest of the "March madness" seem insignificant. I may get stressed and anxious and grumpy sometimes. There are a lot of things in life that I don't understand. But, when it comes right down to it, at the end of the day (and the end of the month...), above all else, I am thankful for the many blessings in my life. Bring on April...

With Love and Aloha ~ Nancy

Customer Support (or Lack Thereof)

If you are a human being who has interacted with a company, you have experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly of customer service. Until recently, customer support was one of my (many) primary job responsibilities. Honestly though, when working for a company that serves others, customer support is (and should always be) an important job responsibility. Some companies truly seem to care about their customers and will go above and beyond to ensure their happiness and satisfaction, while others seem to exist solely to frustrate you. This blog post will give a few examples of each, based upon my personal experience in the last year or so. We'll start with a few companies who've got it right! :)

THE GOOD

1-800-PET-MEDS

As many of you already know, we had a really bad tick problem several weeks back (which, I am cautiously optimistic to report, has finally been resolved...for now anyway). My dogs were both on K-9 Advantix at the time. I had just ordered another 3-6 month supply ($$) for each dog, plus heartworm meds. When I realized that K-9 Advantix wasn't working, I decided to switch to Revolution, which controls fleas, ticks AND heartworms. I contacted 1-800-PET-MEDS to see if I could at least return the packages that hadn't been opened. Not only did they offer to reimburse me for (and take back) the unopened packages (and even the opened ones) of K-9 Advantix, but they also offered to reimburse me for the unused heartworm meds. They told me that I could donate the boxes that had been opened to Golden Rescue South Florida, after I told them I had worked with them in the past. THAT was awesome.  Plus, they emailed me every few days to check on my dogs. That's what customer support is all about! A++

MUTTS AND JEFF DOG TRAINING
I first met dog trainer Jeff Nelson when we were fostering a Golden mix who absolutely did not get along with Makani. He snapped and growled at Makani all the time. Golden Rescue put me in touch with Jeff, who had just moved down from New York. I drove our foster dog to Jeff's house in Delray and left him with Jeff and his HUGE Rottweiler (feeling very guilty, as this was our first failed foster experience). That foster dog got adopted within days after spending time with Jeff.

A couple months later, Golden Rescue hooked me up with Jeff again when our new foster dog, Simona, needed a little training to learn to stop gnawing on people. This time, he came to our house. Within 10-15 minutes, Jeff had taught us the simplest, most effective, positive techniques for eliminating negative behaviors in dogs. I was completely in awe of him.

When we got Cali, I emailed him just to ask him if his techniques worked with puppies. He emailed me back, asking that I call him because he had too much information to give me in an email. I called him and he spent 20-30 minutes going over puppy training techniques with me, AND told me to contact him any time I had any questions. 

Jeff is awesome. He knows dogs and he loves them. If you ever need a dog trainer, I highly recommend that you contact Jeff Nelson. A++

OMNI HOTELS & RESORTS

I don't really consider myself a hotel snob (I don't have to stay in luxury hotels on every trip), but cleanliness, comfort and good customer service are very important to me. Whenever I plan a vacation, I research the heck out of hotels - not only looking for the best rates, but reading TripAdvisor and Expedia reviews, checking to see when the hotels were built or renovated, etc. When I started traveling for business, I decided to sign up for the loyalty programs with Hilton and Marriott. Our company's National Sales Manager, Bob, has been traveling for business for a long time, so he is very high up in both Hilton's and Marriott's rewards programs (like the Gold or Platinum Level). Since it takes many stays to rise through the rewards programs rankings, I am permanently stuck at the Dirt Level. Every time we traveled, Bob would get a room on like the 25th Floor (sometimes a room that required a special elevator), while I'd be stuck on the 6th Floor. We'd always joke about it as I got on the elevator to take me to my room on the lowly floor. That is, until I discovered the Omni Hotels & Rewards Select Guest Program.

When we attended ISTE in San Diego last summer, we booked rooms at the Omni, which was right across the street from the convention center. A few weeks before our trip, I signed up for the Select Guest Program, which is AMAZING. Not only are Omni hotels gorgeous and clean, but if you are a member of their Select Guest Program, you get perks from...not your 10th or 20th stay...but from your very FIRST stay. Benefits include complimentary laundry pressing service and shoe shine (which I've never taken advantage of), but also  free internet (which costs about $20 per day for), and (my favorite perk) morning beverage service. You just tell them what beverages you'd like and what time you'd like them delivered. It was great to have a fresh pot of coffee and a glass of orange juice delivered to my room every morning. LOVE IT!

Plus, Omni is great about fulfilling customer requests (like room time/location, etc.).  I'll probably never rise above Tin level at Hilton and Marriott, but Omni makes me feel special. Given the choice, I would stay at an Omni Hotel any time! A+

6PM.COM
If you are looking for great shoes like Vans skate shoes or Reef sandals, (or accessories, or clothing...) at fantastic prices, check out 6pm.com. Even better than the prices (and the free shipping!) is their customer service. I ordered a pair of Vans for my son. He wore them for a few days, but said they just didn't feel right. In inspecting them, we discovered that the toe area of one of the shoes had been stitched incorrectly and were pinching his toes. Since he had already worn the shoes, I figured I was S.O.L., but I thought I'd contact 6pm.com anyway. 

Not only did 6pm.com offer to take the shoes back and either exchange them for another pair or issue a full refund, they also sent me a postage paid shipping label to return the defective pair of shoes! :) A+!

Honorable Mention:

PUBLIX ON EAST ATLANTIC BOULEVARD IN POMPANO BEACH
After the dreadful experiences I've had at the Beacon Light Publix (cashiers mumbling (if they speak to you at all), eternally slow service at the deli counter, some of the ugliest cakes I've ever seen at the bakery, and package help (and I use that term very loosely) that either don't even offer to help you out with your groceries or who are overly friendly, expecting you to give them a hug (creeeeeeepy), I have go give an Honorable Mention to the newly renovated Publix in eastern Pompano Beach on Atlantic Boulevard. There have been shopping trips when no less than five employees have greeted me with a SMILE, offering to help me find what I'm looking for. Honestly, all of the employees, from the deli to the produce department to the stock clerks to the cashiers are friendly and pleasant. They really do make "shopping a pleasure". A

Now for...

THE BAD (AND THE UGLY)

HTC/Radio Shack
Ugh. :( Last June, I bought myself a new phone - an HTC EVO 3D 4G from Radio Shack online. I had problems with the phone practically from the time it arrived. It would randomly shut down and reboot itself, sometimes multiple times, sometimes in the middle of the night. Normally, I would just return it, but since I bought it online, Radio Shack could not take the phone back (or exchange it) at the store (which would mean I'd have to be without a phone for several days, maybe weeks). Then, I contacted my carrier, Virgin Mobile, who told me that I could  return the phone to a Virgin Mobile retailer and exchange it (if they carried the phone). It turned out that no Virgin Mobile stores in my area stocked that phone. So, I called the manufacturer of the phone, HTC. They seemed convinced that it was a battery issue, so they offered to send me a new battery (IF I charged $45 to my credit card, which would be reimbursed once they received my old battery). Mind you, this was after paying $300 for a brand new phone that didn't work properly. But, my other alternative was going without a phone, so I ordered the battery. New battery came. Didn't solve the problem. So, I called HTC again and asked if they would replace my phone. I was told they would not replace my phone, but if I wanted to send the phone to their repair center, they would fix it for me and return it in a few weeks. A FEW WEEKS?! Seriously? 

Needless to say, I still have a defective phone. Not only does it still shut down randomly (yesterday alone it shut down at least than seven times and rebooted twice in the middle of the night), I have TWICE completely (and mysteriously) lost my factory-installed contacts and phone dialer apps. When I called HTC, I was instructed to do a factory reset (which wipes everything out), since, if I sent it back to HTC, "that's all they would do anyway." I will never buy an HTC phone again. EVER. D

DELTA

I'm sure you've heard it - Doesn't Even Leave The Airport. OK...with this one, I'll admit, it is not entirely fair to generalize. First of all, there is no airline that I can honestly say I've had a fantastic experience with. Southwest is about the best of the bunch, as you get your first bag free, the planes tend to be newer, the flight crews tend to be friendly and they have those awesome swizzle sticks shaped like little hearts! (Come on, who doesn't love hearts?). But my latest experience with Delta has left a scar for sure. You can read all about, if you wish, it in my last blog post, by clicking here.

To give you a brief synopsis, my "On-Time" flight was 40 minutes late leaving the airport. While in flight, Delta.com informed us that we were going to miss our connection in Atlanta, so we should make alternate plans (which lead to my meltdown). Our alternative ended up being spending the night in ATL and flying out the next afternoon (IF we missed our flight). We landed 10 minutes before our connecting flight was scheduled to leave. After running "The Amazing Race" through the airport, we made our connection, but our luggage did not. After being told our bags would be delivered that night, they did not. When my bag was delivered, it was not my bag - it was Bob's.  

I tried calling Delta to complain, but couldn't get through because of "longer than normal wait times due to Winter Storm Nemo." I tried finding a customer service email address or a place to submit feedback on their website. Guess what...it doesn't exist. I wonder why? In searching the internet for customer satisfaction ratings, looks like Delta earned a 63%. Clearly, I am not the only person who feels this way about Delta. Several websites and Facebook pages have been set up by other disgruntled customers. A couple of examples include: Deltareallysucks.com and the IHateDeltaAirlines Facebook page. Given the choice, I'll stick with Southwest, thank you. I agree with the general consensus - D-

COMCAST

Image from memegenerator.net

Ugh (again). I LOATHE Comcast. We signed up for Xfinity cable/phone/internet service about five years ago when a guy came to our door and gave a great sales pitch - $99 a month for all three. It was $99 a month for a LITTLE while, but, over the course of five years, the price climbed to nearly $200 a month (for pretty much basic cable, phone and internet). Our package included no premium channels and although the internet was fast WHEN IT WAS WORKING, it went down almost daily and I would have to reboot my router to get reconnected. I called numerous times, only to be told that "they were not showing any trouble in my area, and I just needed to reboot the router." After years of this, my husband tried to call Comcast and explain our frustration, not only about the dropped internet signal, but also our rapidly rising monthly bill. They told him there was nothing they could do. So, he did some research and decided to switch to AT&T/DirecTV. 

Once we had everything set up for AT&T/DirecTV (after paying a $200 installation fee for the new modem), my husband called Comcast to cancel and THEN they asked why we didn't contact them earlier, that they could have helped get our monthly fees lowered. WHAT?!!! Grrrr. Am I any happier with AT&T/DirecTV? Not so much. I now totally get the whole Slowsky's turtle AT&T commercial. But, we are now stuck. Comcast...FAIL!

PROACTIV

This company officially gets my "Worst of the Worst" award. I don't care how bad your skin is...please take my advice and do NOT order Proactiv. Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Julianne Hough only use it because A. Money is no object for them and B. They have agents handling their affairs. If you are just an average person, stay away from this company! I ordered Proactiv for my teenage daughter to help clear up her acne. I went online and ordered the three-step program for $29.99, which didn't seem TOO bad. First of all, it took FOREVER for the products to arrive. Shortly after they did, I received a notice that my next shipment was on it's way. Excuse me...WHAT?! Seems that when you purchase Proactiv, it automatically puts you on a monthly plan. (Shame on me for not reading the fine print!)

So, I tried to cancel. This was not (or at least not what I thought) I signed up for. So, again, I went online. First, I tried to chat with somebody (no, I really don't like to pick up the phone). I started the chat, but no representatives were available. So, I tried to send them a message. You can't just email them, you have to complete a form. I typed them a lengthy email, but before I could send it, I had to type in the "captcha"...you know, the wiggly, barely legible alpha-numeric code that some sites require you to type to prove you are not a robot (as if a robot has acne????). The first five captchas I typed failed. So, I decided to click the speaker icon to hear it read aloud. HA! Have you ever done this? It sounded like a dying cat. It was completely unintelligible. After about 10 tries (and failures), I was really pissed off. So, I picked up the phone and called Proactiv.

After waiting on hold and being transferred to a couple of different people, I was finally able to speak to someone about cancelling my account. She offered to put me on the every-three-month or every-six-month plan and I told her NO! I wanted my account cancelled.

It is now three months later, and we are STILL being billed by Proactiv. There's no doubt that the stress this company causes leads to more breakouts. And, by the way, you can buy a generic alternative three-step program at Target for $14.99 - half the price with none of the commitment! Proactiv - FAIL.

If you've had exceptionally good (or bad) customer service from a company, I invite you to comment below! I'd love to hear about your experiences. Thanks for reading!

With Love and Aloha ~ Nancy

Meltdown at 37,000 Feet

Allow me to begin this blog post by saying that, although the experience I'm about to convey was extremely stressful for me, I am thankful that I did make it home safely. Exhausted, aggravated and sore, but safe. Gotta give Delta props for that. Given the choice though, I would not fly Delta again. Here's why...

Smiling upon arrival in Austin.

Earlier this month, Bob and I traveled to Austin, Texas for TCEA. The trip didn't begin quite so great. Not only was I selected to be body scanned, I also had the privilege of being patted down by one of TSA's finest, had my palms swabbed for explosive residue AND had my backpack searched upon boarding. Now, the image to the right was taken that morning. Do I look even remotely suspicious? I'm 5'2" and was carrying a Hurley backpack for goodness sake! I appreciate TSA keeping me safe, but I felt a little violated. Yeesh!

Both flights TO Austin were smooth and pleasant. No delays...no problems. As I've mentioned before, I love traveling for work, but it is completely exhausting. By the end of the week, I was SO ready to just get back home to my family. Now, when I initially noticed that we had a 35-minute window to connect in Atlanta that we were REALLY pushing our luck, but I knew that flights usually arrived quite a bit earlier than scheduled, so I wasn't overly concerned. Our flight was scheduled to leave Austin at 4:45 p.m. When I checked the flight status on Delta.com around noon, it indicated a 20 minute delay. Uh-oh! :/ But, the next time I checked, it stated that the flight was on time. OK, I thought, we're in business. 

Once again, I was body scanned at the airport (lucky me), but no pat-down this go-round. At 4:00, our plane was at the the gate, so I was not worried at all. BUT...it took the crew 45 minutes to get the passengers off of the plane. ??? We didn't start boarding until almost 5:00 and our flight ended up leaving around 5:25. The hope of making our connection was fading fast, but the pilot said that our flight time was one hour and 38 minutes, so maybe...just maybe we'd make it. The New York-based flight crew on that flight was horrible. I'm not sure I saw any of them smile. The crew member who did the safety demonstration (no back-of-the-seat TVs on this ancient plane that was probably older than me) barely spoke English. I wouldn't have known what to do in an emergency if my life depended on it. (I prayed that my life wouldn't depend on it!) Then, they completely skipped our row when the served drinks (and at that point, I could've REALLY used a $7 one!). 

My anxiety only escalated when Bob logged on to Delta.com through the in-flight internet. When he entered his information, the system told him that we were screwed. OK, it didn't actually say, "You're screwed", but it did indicate that a delay in our travel schedule would result in our missing our next flight and recommended that we look for an alternative flight. There were two later flights that evening from ATL to FLL. The first was full. The second (arriving at 1 a.m.) had three seats left. Bob asked if I wanted him to book seats for us on that flight. I asked if it meant that we'd have to give up our seats on the flight we may (or may not) catch and he said "yes". Ugh! I didn't want to give up hope. I still wanted to try and catch our flight. I wanted to get home! I asked him what would happen if we missed our flight and didn't get on either later flight and he told me that the next available flight to FLL out of ATL was at 11 a.m. the next day! At which point, my emotional dam burst. I just sat in my seat and cried (and prayed A LOT). Thank the Lord Bob has a wife and three daughters and can handle tears! 

Good choice of  footwear, but suspicious looking backpack

So, our next flight was scheduled to leave at 8:20 from Gate B2. Our plane landed shortly after 8:00. My heart was racing. Then, we sat on the runway for several minutes in traffic!  By this point, my adrenaline is flooding my system and I know that if I don't burn it, I was going to have a panic attack for sure. Finally, at 8:10, we were at the gate - Gate T-14. Now, keep in mind, ATL is the busiest and largest airports in the world. Naturally, our next flight couldn't be in the same concourse, or even the NEXT concourse over...that would be too convenient. Bob had to get our equipment out of the overhead bins, so he told me to just make a run for it (what a guy!). As soon as the door opened, I did just that.

With my 25-lb backpack, I ran as fast as my legs would carry me. Let me tell you something, I may work out 5-6 days a week, but I am NOT a runner. Fortunately, for some inexplicable reason, I had chosen to wear my Reeboks on the flight. (Normally, I wear slip-on shoes) and my adrenaline was surging. I was trying to run (without passing out) and pay attention to just where the heck I was going. I followed the signs to the tram that would take me to Concourse B. I almost got on the tram going in the opposite direction, but fortunately, God placed an angel in my path who told me I needed to get on the other tram. I made it to Concourse B around 8:15. Then, I looked up at the sign to see where I was - B18!? Seriously?! I have to get to B2?! By now, I'm already tired, but I ran as fast and hard as I could with my backpack (which I seriously considered ditching). Around B10, my lungs were burning, so I slowed down to a walk to catch my breath. Then, I heard someone yell, "Nancy! Why are you WALKING?! COME ON! I've got my computer bag, the projector, and the banner - I can't carry you too!" as Bob (the marathon runner, who is 10 years older than me and just put me to shame), sprinted past me. "I'm coming!" I yelled, "Please tell them to wait for me!"

As we approached the gate, the Delta rep was just beginning to assign seats to people on stand-by. As Bob and I (and three or four other crazed people from our earlier flight) approached the gate, out of breath, she had to tell the people on stand-by that they couldn't get on the plane (that must have stunk!). But, WE MADE IT!

We got settled into our seats about two minutes before the door was closed and locked.  We were seated in an exit row and the flight attendant had to ask if we were capable of assisting passengers in the event of an emergency. I told her that I was so happy to have made the flight, I felt I could handle anything. She replied, "That's what I like to hear! A happy passenger!" and she SMILED. Imagine that - a pleasant flight crew! In spite of the fact that I could swear I tasted blood bubbling up from my lungs, I was confident that everything was going to be okay. Once we were in the air, Bob informed me that the last time he checked later flights before our last plane landed (still not sure we were going to make our connection), every flight was booked until the next afternoon! 

We made it back to Fort Lauderdale a half-hour ahead of schedule! As soon as we got to the baggage carousel, we were paged to report to the Baggage Claim office. Although we had made our flight - our luggage did not. Honestly, at that point, I didn't care. I was just so happy to be home. The Delta representative informed us that our bags were on the next flight, arriving about an hour later and that they would be delivered that night. I was tired, but figured I wanted to get my bag, so I agreed to keep my cell phone on to answer the driver's call for directions (which I was told I was required to answer). I waited until about 12:30 before I finally crashed, figuring my phone would wake me up. It never did, because the driver never called...until 8:45 the next morning. Now, if they had just told me that my bag wouldn't be delivered until the next morning, I would have been fine with that, but they told me that I had to wait for the driver's call the night before. Grrr...

Cali guarding Bob's suitcase until
the driver returned

Naturally, I wasn't home when the driver called the next morning. Delta had given him the wrong address (surprise), transposing two of the numbers of my house number. As I was driving back home, I received an email confirming that my bag had been delivered. I was relieved and ready to unpack and get started on my laundry. Only when I arrived home, it wasn't MY laundry waiting for me - it was Bob's (yes, I had Laundrie's laundry)! They had left the WRONG BAG! Apparently, the Delta Skycap in Austin had mixed up our bags at curbside check-in. By the time I called the driver (thank the Lord he had called my cell phone so I had his number), he was halfway to Palm Beach! He had to turn around and return my bag to me, then turn back around and deliver Bob's bag to him! I'm pretty sure he was as unhappy as I was at that point. When my bag arrived, my luggage ID tag was missing. I'm still not sure whether it was lost at the airport, on one of the flights, or if the delivery driver ripped it off because he felt like a dumbass for leaving me the wrong bag. 

In any event, I was home and so was my bag. I tried to call Delta to complain, but thanks to Winter Storm Nemo (I know, right?) there were "longer than normal hold times." I had been held up by Delta long enough. I was ready to get on with my life. 

Looking at Delta's slogans over they years, I'm not surprised they changed from their 1994 slogan "You'll love the way we fly." Wanna know something funny? Their latest slogan is (wait for it...) "Keep climbing." The unwritten message in that is "You're gonna need to be in great shape for your sprint to catch your connection!"

With Love and Aloha (but not so much for Delta) ~ Nancy