Need for Speed, You Need God's Grace

Hey, Mr. Postman!

Mail is becoming slower and slower these days. With the exception of bills and mass-mailers, the post office is becoming close to obsolete in the residential segment. With workers being laid off and hours/days being cut, it isn't a surprise when they announce stamp price hikes every year it seems. I saw this on a site and can't remember where, but it is a neat concept of integrating Google maps and the snail mail. How awesome for the postman or postwoman? Get lost, look at the envelope for directions. I wonder if they would accept it now if I rigged my own version? May try it if I ever get to my 20th page of my To Do List.

Let.us

If lettuce was packaged more like these chips, then I would be more inclined to eating it. It's all in the packaging, folks!

Countdown Red Light. Yes, Please!

Why did it take someone so long to think of this? It is a stoplight that lets you know how much longer the light has until it turns green by the red light countdown around the actual stoplight. Brilliant! I much rather have these than those pesky ole red light cameras. I think I would be more incline to show patience if I knew it "knew" I was there waiting... to GO!

Joy. Day by Day.

Seconds are turning into minutes, minutes are turning into days... our days are flying by at warp speed it seems. I'm working around the clock to put the finishing touches on the web site. We can't wait until our launch. However, I was very fortunate to take a much needed break and have a faith renewal weekend in Louisville, KY along with roughly 14,000 other women. My mother, sister and I ventured up to Kentucky for The Women of Joy Conference back on the 16th thru 18th. It was a weekend filled with motivational and spirit-filled speakers.

Friday night kicked off with former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin. Regardless of your political affiliation, her story was touching and showed how we are able to have faith even during times of great stress with even greater humility. She is on her Tea Party run, so her talk tend to trail into rally-mode a few times which did get applause. Overall, she was inspiring through sharing her journey with us. She could have gone blind though, when she walked out onto the stage with all the flashes going off. Security was very tight that night. So tight we couldn't bring in our umbrellas from the downpour that we just walked through. They told us that you could either a) take it back to your car (which means walking back through the soaking rain without it) OR b) leave it by the front door and hope for the best at the end of the night. Glad to report we got both of our umbrellas back after conference was over that night and Sarah Palin was unharmed by any potential golf umbrella impalements.

Saturday morning, began with Becky Tirabassi and her energetic take on changing your life one day at a time. She has a powerful testimony of redemption and her sense of humor was peppered in at just right spots. It was truly inspiring and motivational. I have started her journal regiment and can already see where prayers are being answered. She is a power ball of energy and wisdom. If you ever have the chance to hear her speak, please do - you will not be disappointed. She prayed with many of women after her talk including my mom. She makes you want to be a better edition of yourself. No wonder she is a certified Life Coach, and here I thought those were just a made-up Hollywood trend.

Saturday continued on with Anita Renfroe and her songs, videos, and quick wit. She was a great break in the day. She gave levity to every women in the audience. Sometimes at women's conferences the speakers tend to speak to only one segment of their audience because they speak from their experiences. So, I tend to not reap what they are sowing in the older crowd. It doesn't help to have that Britney Spears tune playing in my head... "not a girl, not yet a woman." Yeah, I know it's cheesy, but I know I am a woman. Yet, I haven't been able to cross off a few of those life-changing events on my list... raising a family, owning a house or even a pet, going through menopause... there were a lot of those jokes. I can relate on the hormones level and the differences between my husband and I sometimes, but after that... all I can say is Go Fish! She was humorous though and had a great message through her jokes, even if I wasn't ready for some of them.

Then, Saturday night came and all the women were a howlin'. If you think for a moment that a Christian women's conference can't turn into a Poison concert back in the 80's, then think again. Just bring Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith out on stage. There were the criers, there were the whoo-girls, there were the dancin' in the aisle ladies, and my favorite of all - the pulling out the lighters women. There were all kinds and all praising Jesus in one fashion or another, but everyone really enjoyed the vessels He chose to lead the worshipping that night.

I have to admit I haven't kept SCC or MWS on my iPod playlists in the recent years, but I was moved by their new songs and when they both talked with the crowd about their struggles and journey with God. Particularly SCC's journey after his adopted daughter died in that tragic incident. There wasn't a dry eye in that room, but what brought tears to my eyes was the agape love spilling out of him while he told of her and how they will soon be rejoined in Heaven. If you haven't heard his song "Cinderella," please listen to it.

Sunday morning was started with Charles Billingsley leading the worship as he had done in the previous days, but he was able to talk this morning about the heart of worship from a different and amusing viewpoint as a worship leader. It was a wonderful way to start that session. The final speaker was Liz Curtis Higgs. Let me say, she is "all that and a bag of chips", well that's what I would say if I was old my '92 self.

She walked out on stage and I immediately felt my eyes beginning to roll. I didn't know anything about her and judged her on her appearance. I know that is wrong, but I thought to myself - "Yep, here comes the sledgehammer! The one they save for Sunday and she appears to be older so, this is going to be so un-relateable." I have never been so happy to been proven wrong. She was excellent! She had another powerful testimony that she wove in while entertaining us with her very quick wit and vernacular. She sees the world in a different way - my kinda of gal. I had no back story on her, so I didn't know she was an acclaimed author and speaker. I'm very glad I didn't because I was able to receive her message in a whole different way. She is a true Bible teacher, but the kind that gets you to think and laugh while you are doing it.

Just her take on the Bible alone is refreshing. She has written about the Bad Girls of the Bible. I'm half way through it. Yes, Kassie I'm reading again - if you see this. Her laughter was infectious and her kindred spirit was just what I needed on that Sunday. The biggest lesson of the weekend for me - and isn't it always - learning again to put my faith in God and remembering that He loves me dearly and wants nothing, but the best for me. Though, I may think I know the way - He holds the map! I have to listen to His will and He will show me the way. It was an amazing conference and can't wait until next year's.

She said Yes!

Colby asked and she said Yes! Tara and Colby are heading to the chapel next June. We are so happy that Tara will be joining our crazy little family. She has already been welcomed in, but now she can get the rights to the last name. Colby proposed Saturday April 24th around noon on a bench in Riverside Park (Memphis, TN). He made a book with photos and mementos of their time together thus far, starting with the day they met up to two weekends before the proposal. It had everything in there down to their date night movie stubs. It will be a treasured time capsule for them to reminisce for years to come.

Then, the few pages had a photo with his hands and then on another black page with the rose image and the words "Will you marry me?" in white cursive font. (pictures by his very awesome big sister... me!) The very last page was a black and white shot (image to the left) of the "proposal" bench with another rose image  with the ring and the date written in the sky. It was touch and go there due to the storms, if he could pull of the proposal. But God intervened and allowed a break in the weather so he could take her out there for some "kite flying." Little did she know!

The book was called the "Twelfth Rose" personifying that Colby is a cheap guy. No, but it did look that way at first. Actually, he told Tara early on in their dating days that he hasn't bought a girl a dozen roses and he wouldn't for her either. Instead, he would give her one rose at a time and when he gives his 12th rose it will be to the girl he marries... hence the name of the book. She was totally surprised and has enjoyed every minute of her proposal. We are very happy to see them already busy planning the big day. It's fun hearing your brother talk "girl." For those with brothers, you know what I'm talking about and it isn't often that you hear it. Congrats again to Colby and Tara! Future Mr. and Mrs. Clements!

Font it out.

Flowchart by Julian Hansen

Conceptual Perceptual

I love designing print ads and would love to do a building wall advertisement some day. I have put together quite a few ads in my day, so I can appreciate a good campaign when I see it. Normally, I surf magazines and the web for new layouts or new fonts, but these are some really cool conceptual ads.

Dandy Candy

Over the weekend, my mom and I went to Memphis. We went to the Spring Market. On our way we passed about 20 Corvettes with all Texas license plates. It was neat to see, but really hard to pass on the I-40. We spent hours at the market and had a wonderful time together. We left the market and traveled to Saddle Creek to my candy store (to others it is known as the Apple Store). We went, we drooled, and mom succumbed to the awesomeness and switched from PC to MAC. She won't regret and neither will you. Of course, I played with the iPad. It is even more impressive in person. No, I won't be buying this version. I will probably get the 2nd or 3rd version, but it was neat to play with even if for a fleeting moment in time. I put my stamp on it too before I left.

Apple Twins

Spring, Sprang, Sprung

Spring is here and it's got me beat. Sure, I love the sunshine, the flowers, the flip flops, and all it brings. However, I have been stuck in doors mostly doing lots of computer work for our upcoming launch and (it's a big AND) I have been sick for almost 2 weeks. I can't shake it. I have been popping every kind of quil you can have. I was generous with my cold/cough/keep-me-up-all-night/pain-in-the-butt virus, I shared it with my family over Easter weekend. Not sure if they appreciated my Spring gift, but it was comforting to know I wasn't the only one suffering. I wish it had some advantage to me like Phoebe on Friends. Remember, she sang better when she had a cold. "Smelly Cat, Smelly Cat" "My Stinky Shoes..."

Even being sick, I did manage to do some scouting for our upcoming home shows and leisurely stroll a few spots in Jackson and Pinson. Kris and I went antique shopping. I found this Marshall amplifier. I love its style and font design. It would look great on a book shelf holding up some Vinyl Records in billiard or a man cave. After seeing it all I could do for the rest of the day was quote Spinal Tap, "These go to eleven!" Kris tried on a Bomber jacket and quoted Top Gun to me, so we were even. He won't let me post the picture of him in it on here, but he did look Maverick-y to me. We also spotted some old theater chairs. I didn't like that someone redid the seats, but they were cool to see and only for $125 for the set. I didn't go home empty-handed, of course. I scored a vinyl recording of Beatles for Sale. So, I'm ready to rock out whenever I can get a new record needle. 

Then, my mom and brother joined me for my salvage/junk yard run. We are looking for a few industrial items for displays. Mind you, I could look at scraps all day long and daydream. So, we went out to south Jackson and looked around. We didn't score anything, but I saw this railroad trestle I liked. You may see an old railroad log in the middle of a junk yard, but I see a potential family room mantle or headboard or kid's bench or garden divider or... I could go on.

We then stopped at a few more antique shops and then Four Seasons Nursery for some moss. I loved the design aesthetic of their hanging ferns, but I couldn't stay in there too long with all of the strong aromas.  I love the look of cut flowers, but I'm not sure I have the patience to learn how to plant and tend to them. Next, we were heading back into town and noticed the Flea Market was going on... and of course we had to stop. I hadn't been in years and it brought back a few memories of funnel cake and knock-off jewelry, but overall I wasn't impressed with what it has become or maybe my memories were inflated a bit with grandeur. Colby bought a neat army glass jug, so I guess it was worth the trip. The most interesting item there was a box of crackers that looked like it had been kicked all over the parking lot and had better days, for only .50! What a bargain! Come on folks, don't sell used groceries at a flea market. Maybe I should have bought their homemade elixir to rid me of this awful virus. Spring has sprung and won so far!

JELL-O: No Dessert for You!

I found this article amusing and it isn't an April Fool's Joke. Disclaimer: No relation to my family. We don't spell our name without a "S" or do things this petty and stupid. Enjoy and watch what you eat!

NY Couple Facing Charges Over Jell-O Box Tampering

EAST NORTHPORT, N.Y. (AP) ― A husband and wife are facing charges of tampering in connection with packages of Jell-O pudding mix that were filled with sand.

Alexander Clement, 68, and Christine Clement, 64, were arrested Sunday, Suffolk County police said. The East Northport residents face multiple counts of petit larceny and tampering with a consumer product and would be arraigned later, police said.

Christine Clement bought the boxes from four Long Island stores, removed the contents and refilled them with a mix of salt and sand before returning them for refunds, police said. There was no indication of any intent to harm anyone, only to get the pudding mix without having to pay for it, they said. The packages weren't immediately recognized as having been tampered with and were placed back on the shelves for resale. Customers took them home and discovered the altered contents.

The stores notified police on Wednesday and Thursday. Three of the markets are in Brookhaven, Smithtown and Huntington, all in Suffolk County, and the fourth is in Woodbury, in Nassau County. Authorities said they reviewed surveillance videos and followed up on leads to make the arrests.