The next project...

I've embarked on what will probably be a year-long project. I am seriously decluttering my home of all unnecessary junk and paper compiled over 17 years and a few moves. Why I took some of this stuff with me to all these places, I'll never know. But, for reasons not yet revealed, I have decided it finally must be done now.

Even though I am taking the advice of folks and compartmentalizing it to focus on one area at a time, it is still a bit overwhelming. A lot of the paper part of this is going to end up being shredded. So that means lots of noise, lots of mess, lots of trash. I hope I don't get tossed out in the process.

It also means letting go of stuff I've had for over 20 years. I guess I've been sort of a "you never know when you might need it" person. I need to try to avoid rationalizing over why I should hang on to stuff I never use anymore. And I need to not procrastinate and focus on the goal.

This should be an interesting journey.

Congrats to the Soul Patrol

Yes, me too...I was addicted to "American Idol" this season. Happy to say, my guy won--Taylor Hicks was my pick from the get-go. I think it was the gray hair and soulful voice, and just what the judges said--he was different and knew who he was as an artist. And there are not many people I would trust singing a Michael McDonald song! I also thought Chris Daughtry and Elliot Yamin were great. Katharine is a beautiful girl who will do well on Broadway. But we had a beautiful girl with a great voice win last year. This year I was up for something different, and we got it. I felt from the beginning that Kellie Pickler was a star. Maybe not for her singing so much, but she reminded me personally of a young Loretta Lynn, with the same sort of humble honesty. I do think she has a future on TV.

The finale show was great. Why oh why did they not have a Bacharach night in the competition...they all did well in that medley (particularly Elliott), and of course a great song is a great song, anytime anywhere. I must say Prince was quite a surprise. I loved the Brokenote Cowboys and the Clay moment was priceless.

Another plus for me this season was the blog called "The Woes and Prose of An American Idol Junkie", written by someone known only as Jennifer. I respected her writing talent, her astute observations and ways of scoping out exclusive info.

I'll be waiting for next year.

Gaither Homecoming - Minneapolis

A few notes from last night's Gaither Homecoming concert at the Target Center (non-Gaither.com version with personal asides edited):

I worked Gordon Mote's table so I missed the beginning and the end of the show. Otherwise, I thought there were subtle changes but not a drastic difference in the shows we've had at the Target Center. Ivan Parker was the only "regular" missing from our lineup. The cues for those of us who work tables are the same: two songs into the GVB set and "Because He Lives", it's back to work.

I do like the new visuals they had at the concert--added a nice effect to many songs.I didn't get to meet new GVB tenor Wes Hampton, but he did shake my hand as he came offstage at one point.

Gordon's table moved a lot of product, but I was disappointed to not have a chance to say hi to him. Because the Gaither Vocal Band played last before intermission, he would not have time to come up and be at the table before he'd have to return again. But, he sure fills the piano role well, as I knew he would. The crowd loved him.

Rory, the sound guy doing comic relief, was funny. Thing with him is he doesn't have to say much--his expressions say it all.

The Anthony Burger tribute was sadly difficult, but nicely done.

I was surprised at the number of folks around me who didn't know the "Eastern Sky" routine and that you stand at the "oh Halleluia" parts. We do air the videos here, after all. Also didn't see folks who had Gaither.com laminates or couldn't tell if they were Gaither. com members. I do want to thank Michelle (cornerstone) and JanRae who stopped by to say hi--it was lovely to meet you both, and just one of my friends, Marti, got in a quick hug. Those who did not stop by, you know who you are.

I was in front row, but it wasn't the best seat. It was in between cables and speakers. The Target Center sent me to the wrong section (they had two labeled the same, I think), so the seat I thought I had was much better, unfortunately. My pictures were some of the worst ever, none suitable for sharing.

Conclusions and other observations:
- My new glasses are lousy for night driving. Once again, I got lost on the way home. My one advantage of having lived in Minneapolis once is I can at least find my way to a key point eventually and go from there.
- My camera needs to be retired.
- Target Center needs to not label the floor sections to confuse people
-Those two young fellows in Signature Sound, Doug and Ryan, changed into t-shirts after the show and worked their table blending in as if they were one of us volunteers. I was impressed.
-Once again, close but no cigar--no dancing with Jessy Dixon. Maybe one day.

Maybe I've Arrived..

This must be some sort of milestone. I found out this evening from CDBaby.com that my audiobook, "Treasures In the Tip Jar: the Art of Awesome Fan Support" is now available at ITunes. Some time ago I signed up for digital distribution of it through CDBaby. I thought what the heck, why not. So now, I've made it to ITunes (a service I use a lot--see my other blog, "Wendy V's Music Downloads"). How about that. Don't you love technology?

I can't find it when I do a search of the store, but trust me and try this link and it will come up:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=115529060

I Can't Believe I Walked the WHOLE THING!!

The Twin Cities MS Walk, where I walked "miles for Mark" in honor of Mark Lowry, was a huge success, especially for me. The weather couldn't have been better. I raised a total of $500, way above my initial goal. And, I am 50 years old and I walked the entire 9 miles.

Yesterday I made a training walk to Fort Snelling. I didn't know I lived in walking distance to Fort Snelling. But there's a walking path that runs parallel to Hwy. 5. Walk up the steps and there you are. In all the time I've lived in the area I've never been there. I learned that was a distance of about three miles each way and I did that in an hour pretty comfortably. That made me think that maybe I could pull off the entire course.

The walk began at the State Capitol in St. Paul, followed down Summit Avenue, then crossed into Minneapolis at Mississppi River Blvd, and went from there to the finish point at Minnehaha Park. It was pretty easy up until the last mile when my feet starting feeling it. Not the heels, usually my trouble spot...those were well taped up. My foot pads started hurting between miles 8 and 9 but no way was I quitting with one mile to go. I survived and have a nice blister on each part of that foot to show for it.

One thing I couldn't have done this without was my I-Tunes cell phone. I had three hours' worth of tunes loaded in. The music just glided me through the 9 miles. I started the first hour with a bunch of Mark's songs. How appropriate that the first one was "Be the Miracle", setting the theme for why we were walking. At mile 7 I bounced along with Gordon Mote's version of "Old Gospel Ship".

The most surreal part of this all came at the finish line. The song playing on my ITunes phone as I got there was Montgomery Gentry's "Something To Be Proud Of". I swear I didn't plan it that way. Don't you know as I crossed the finish line, on came the part of the song where Eddie Montgomery says "You did it, man!" You better believe I shouted that line along with him.

I want to truly thank everyone who pledged and supported me. Especially you, Mark. This was a great and empowering experience on many levels.

If it weren't for the blisters, I would have walked home. What the heck. Maybe next time.

See pictures along the route here: http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=10118809&uid=439773

One Year Ago

Thursday marks the first anniversary of my dad's passing. I am told by many it will be a hard day for me. Truthfully, it will be more mixed. Yes, it was hard to lose my #1 encourager. But you had to be there. You had to see the condition he was in, what the illness had done to him. You had to feel the helplessness that we felt to want for him something much, much better than this earth could give him anymore.

But now, he's done with all that. Done with all the pain and suffering. Done with the body that stopped working, the mind that failed him. Now he's reunited with his parents, our two dogs, and probably shooting the breeze with his buddies and many others who have gone before. Who wouldn't want that for him?

Sure, I miss him. I hate it that I can't pick up the phone and tell him what's going on with me...even though I'm sure he knows. But the thing is, I believe that this ain't it. I am convinced that the four of us--my dad, my mom, my sister and I--will all be together again one day on the other side.

In case you missed it, here is the memorial to my dad: http://www.wendyv.com/THV.htm