A Catch-All, Catch-Up Post

Oops! It's been too long since I've added something here!

New Look for my Blog
Check me out! I've recently been having some fun with Photoshop Elements and have discovered some amazing sources for vintage public domain images and backgrounds. 

My favorite of these sites is this one:

This led me to challenge myself and totally redesign my blog. This design really reflects me and my tastes far better than the basic template design did. I've always loved vintage things and my addiction to the BBC/PBS series, "Downton Abbey," has served to drive me further in that direction.

Let me know what you think!

Super Bowl XLVI
Don't know if you noticed it, but the Super Bowl was played in my hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana this year! It was quite a big deal!

There was much consternation when Indianapolis was first announced as the host for the 2012 Super Bowl. (It's COLD in Indy in February!) The city had originally bid for 2011, but lost out to Dallas due to their newer, bigger, better stadium; supposed better weather; and, probably, because of the influence of the Cowboys' owner.  The second bid worked out though and the city started planning for Super Bowl 46 3 years ago.

I applied right away to be involved somehow on the planning committee, but they had almost 900 applicants for less than 150 positions. I made it to the second round and was interviewed, but didn't get a planning committee role. I was designated as a "special ambassador" and directed to wait until volunteer sign-up began to apply for the special position I'd like.

I ended up as a greeter, manning a welcome desk at two different private aircraft arrival hangars at Indianapolis International Airport.  I had four six-hour shifts over the week. It was a great gig!  The primary rules were things like no photos, no autographs, and don't bother the celebs. I met several retired NFL players from my youth, some celebrities (of both the snooty and very nice varieties), some CEOs of large corporations who were pretty down-to-earth, and some inexplicably rich people who can afford to charter a jet and bring their whole family to the Super Bowl.

Indianapolis is a great city. Those of us who live here know that. We host large events all of the time. The Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 are the two largest single day sporting events in the world. We regularly host NCAA Final Fours. Our downtown is perfect for conventions because everything is within walking distance.  Visitors often comment on how clean our downtown is and how safe they feel.

It seems that the rest of the country didn't understand this though. I'm happy to say, now they do!

“Every NFL official and media person agreed Indy should become a regular part of Super-Bowl rotation. Super job, Indy.” - ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter.

"I am so proud of the city of Indianapolis. So many people have told me this is the best Super Bowl they have ever attended!" - Former Indianapolis Colts coach and NBC commentator Tony Dungy on NBC’s pregame show.

"I love the fact that the people would come out and support us from all over. They showed that Indianapolis is a great place to have a Super Bowl, and I think there's a great chance they get another one." - Former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, via Indianapolis Star.

Jeff Darlington of NFL.com writes, "I'm convinced all Indy citizens were required to attain a 4-year degree in "How to be Nice" before being allowed into the city. Refreshing."

Jason La Canfora writes, "Biggest winner this week - above and beyond Eli and the Giants - has to be Indy. There will be another Super Bowl here. Tremendous hosts"

Judy Battista of the New York Times wrote, "Heading home...take a bow, Indy. You were spectacular hosts. Hope the game is back here soon."

Of course, the fact that we are having the craziest winter EVER (only two dustings of snow, highs in the 50s and 60s in February), didn't hurt anything!

We looked at this as a "once in a lifetime opportunity" at the time, so we visited the NFL Experience and the Super Bowl Village (twice). Sounds like maybe the city might bid to try to do it all again in a few years. In the meantime, I'll look back at the experience as a great one!



Lucas Oil Stadium the night before the big game



These huge, lit decals on the JW Marriott could be seen
from airplanes as they came in for their landing in Indy

Celebrating the NFL the way only Indy could, an Indy car
decorated for each NFL team, plus a special Super Bowl version-
Giants and Patriots in the front row.

Another Creative Outlet
See that little ticker down below this post? My Photoshop fun has also led me to a little enterprise that's just beginning.  There's not a lot there yet, but feel free to check out my store on Zazzle.com (linked below). I'm going to exclusively be focusing on stationery, cards, and literary-themed items (I think).  We'll see where it goes. Like I said, I'm just getting started!

Finally, in other Quirky News
Our dog, Greta (@Queen_Greta), is now on Twitter, she has more followers than me (@Dodie123), AND she has a wonderful, long-distance doggie boyfriend in Oregon (shout out to Rocky the Malamute/German Shepherd mix)!

Yes, my husband thinks I've lost it.

The Royal Wedding - Why I will be getting up at 3:00 a.m. on Friday.

I was a sophomore in college when the beautiful young Lady Diana seemingly tamed the playboy who was Prince Charles.  She was one month older than me and I immediately felt a kinship with her. I was studying to be a teacher at the time. She was a teacher (sort of - as much as a Lady without a full education could be) herself. Charles was smitten. She was beautiful. It was a fairy tale to everyone of course, but, for some unexplainable reason, it all felt particularly important and relevant to me.

I was home for a short break that June in 1981.  It was the time between the quarter's end (we had quarters at Ball State, not semesters) and summer school's beginning. Although my parents gave me a lot of grief and didn't understand my obsession, I set my alarm for 3:00 a.m. and got up to watch the wedding live.  It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen and, seeing them kiss and wave to the crowd from that balcony, I was sure they would live happily ever after.

I also remember well that day in 1982 when a beaming Diana held their precious newborn baby Prince William, showing the new heir to the throne to the world.  Next came red-headed Prince Harry.  The "heir and a spare" had been delivered.  Everything seemed perfect.

But then we all know what happened. It is a cautionary tale for sure. It wasn't perfect after all. Seems that Charles should have stood up to the Queen and held out to be able to marry the woman he loved instead of doing his duty and marrying the beautiful, suitable bride whose grace, even in her suffering, would eventually make her an icon.

Diana made some mistakes along the way as well, but she grew stronger and even more beautiful. Although the marriage dissolved in a barrage of ugliness, somehow she seemed to rise above it. Pulled by the strange connection that I continued to feel to her, I followed it all. Every bit of it. She was always there.

Then, she wasn't.

In a strange twist of fate, she died on my birthday in 1997. 

Maybe there was something to the connection after all.

Once again, I got up at 3:00 a.m., this time to pay homage to the woman with whom I felt I'd shared so much. I cried as her brother, her ex-husband, her ex-father-in-law, and her sons somberly followed behind her casket. That image of the flowers with Prince Harry's card addressed to "Mummy" that lay upon her casket is forever burned in my mind.

I admit that I've read all of the books, the unauthorized biographies, the behind-the-scenes accounts, the biography that was actually an autobiography because she was feeding the author the stories herself.

I'm not sure why. I don't know what it is.  But, for some reason, her life and death will always be with me.

So...call it what you will. Accuse me of being crazy. Tease me about it. To me, the connection is real. And this Friday, April 29, 2011, I will be taking a vacation day. I will set the alarm to 3:00 a.m. and I will watch the full, uninterrupted coverage of Diana's eldest son's marriage on BBC America.

It's not even a choice for me.  I feel like it's the least I can do.

From the outside looking in, it seems your son has chosen wisely and cautiously. I sincerely hope that they live the fairy tale that you could not. Rest in Peace, Diana.

Japan

It is so tempting to try my best to think and write about something cheerful, but I just can't do it this week. It doesn't feel right.

Have you ever noticed that, just when you’re starting to feel sorry for yourself about one thing or another, it seems that something horrible happens in the world that has you thanking your lucky stars for how good you really have it?

Everything I’ve read or seen seems to indicate that there is no society more prepared than Japan for facing an earthquake or tsunami. They have frequent safety drills, great architecture, huge sea walls and calm, orderly plans. However, how on earth can any society be prepared to deal with a 9.0 earthquake, followed by a tsunami, followed by hundreds of significant aftershocks, and finally, resulting in the threat of meltdown in multiple nuclear power plants?

As I write this, the official death toll is nearly 7,000, over 10,000 people are still missing, and nearly 400,000 people have been displaced – either because of the destruction or because of evacuations near the damaged nuclear plants.

We’ve all seen the horrendous videos of the violent shuddering of the earth that went on for almost a full minute. We’ve seen entire towns and airports swept away by rushing waves of black water. There have been pictures of huge ships sitting on top of buildings, an entire house floating intact out in the middle of the ocean, and those horrific before and after satellite pictures that show the enormity of the devastation. In these days of instant communication, where everything is broadcast immediately, no matter how graphic or horrific, we've become a little numb. A little immune to catastrophe. However, I can't imagine being immune to the enormity of this situation.

Like most of you, I also can't imagine the horror some of these people who've lost everything and everyone must be facing. So much of the recent news coverage has shifted to the nuclear crisis related to all of this, but there are likely nearly 20,000 people dead and many of whose bodies will never be found. There are hundreds of thousands of people who now have no homes and no belongings. Some of those people who do have homes can't go back to them because of what's happening at those nuclear plants.

These proud people, who just seventy years ago were our enemies, are our friends. While I personally don't agree with everything their government allows to happen (I think their whaling practices under the guise of research are unforgivable), they are our allies and I'm proud of how quickly our military and volunteer search and rescue and emergency teams arrived to help. But what can we do? Those of us sitting in our comfortable houses with our family and belongings intact?

Beyond the obvious answer of donating to legitimate aid organizations like the Red Cross, I don't have an answer. I wish I did. I wish there was more. But I wonder how many of us have actually taken the time to make that donation? The company I work for has a company-matching program for donations like these. That's worth exploring. Does your company have something similar?  I know I that felt better knowing that our small contribution was doubled by the generosity of my employer.

Like so many other recent tragedies, and maybe even more so, this is going to be a long-term recovery. Will we remember our Japanese friends six months from now? A year from now?

I hope so.

In the meantime, please consider donating to the American Red Cross or other reputable organization and don't forget to check with your employer to see if they'll match your donation.  I know that it's a common recommendation, so just consider this blog to be another reminder.

Thanks for reading.