Tuesday, December 29, 2009

To LOVE & To LEAVE

Since this blog is primarily for my remembrance and there's like 2 1/2 people who read this. I thought it it might be cathartic for me to list all of things I Love and all the things I'm Happy to be Leaving from GMS.

Love to Leave:

~Getting on an Airplane.
~4am wake up calls
~Hearing the words Red Bags, Invest or FS ever again.
~Setting up an event, in a tent, outside, in the Freezing cold.
~Any kind of GMS or WV email.
~Getting cut from a show.
~Going through Security.
~Any layover. Of any kind.
~The hour before the Invest Break when I wish it were over.
~Last minute phone calls/requests.
~Cancelled/delayed flights.
~Middle seats.
~Going somewhere cold.
~My feet at the end of the day.
~Hearing Tamara's voice.
~Getting yelled at.
~Getting attitude from the Media.
~Load-in Breakfast. Normally terrible.
~Radio farts and 5 year old jokes.
~The beginning of the day when I have to put my ear piece in.
~Mostly early GMS, the agonizing wait from when we are done til we can leave.
~Getting my things stolen in Hawaii.
~Leaving my bible in an airport, camera on a plane and countless things in my hotel room.
~Lobby call the day after the show.
~Never counting or numbering forms again.
~The idea of Hospitality Suite and Phil Town Questions.
~Talking with irate attendees.

Don't know if I will make it without:

~Post Show Dancing.
~Papa Aaronnd's
~Tamara's Sushi (I hope she's not reading this.)
~Clean Fresh Bath Tubs (this should be #1)
~Family Style Dinners with a large crew of GMS.
~Snorkeling in Hawaii.
~Seeing Colin Powell in the hall.
~Giving Laura Bush a booty bump.
~Running in different cities.
~Having my bed made for me.
~Getting to see places like Peoria or Moline, IL.
~Watching TV in a Hotel room.
~Pete's TB/end of day hat.
~Rick Nash's laugh.
~Working with my brothers.
~Rooming with SKY, TK, or HC.
~Eating at some of the most incredible places w the most incredible people.
~A sunrise on an airplane.
~The kindness of my co-workers.
~Dustin telling a story or joke (most.)
~Going to Canada.
~Eating Steak/Affording Steak.
~A free flight to NYC or anywhere.
~Kicking A** at my job.
~Dorian crashing a car into a hotel.
~Bi-plane ride in Alaska.
~The look of terror when our crew descends on a restaurant.
~Learning something new.
~Getting a Hand Shake from Rudy.
~Starbucks runs in the middle of a show.
~Getting an immediate paycheck.
~Working with the Great Hannah Newlin.
~Really Good Catering.
~Free food from the Green Rooms.
~Biggest moment in GMS history: Chatting with Bill Cosby, shaking his hand, him calling me by my name, and cracking jokes on me. Best day. Dr. Huxtable in the House.
~And Mostly seeing many many dear, kind, funny and special people every month.

The Good has mostly outweighed the Bad. I am forever grateful for GMS, but am so glad to be moving on.

Friday, December 18, 2009

FL does VA

This is Jana's first time in a Real Winter situation.
I hope she makes it out alive.

For Jana:

May you find the man of your dreams some day.
And, By God, I hope he owns a Peacock.

Two for One





BK BDay Dinner

Dinner with the best of Brian's Friends. Dickie, Sean Dey, Laiza, Sean Rogers, Me, Roommate Lee Jung and Jana. These are my favorite moments. Love & Laughter was abundant. I have to say I made a Kick Awesome Chicken and Black Bean Quesadilla with Sonny's Corn Salsa, Rice and Sour Cream sauce. After full stomaches, we had a most Ugly Face contest. Jana won with the Quadruple Chin. Laiza lost with her totally un-ugly face.

::We Love You Brian::




Monday, December 14, 2009

Brian Kenney Gets Older.

Today.
Happy Birthday Brian.
A Faithful Friend and All around Good Guy.
Hope 22 is one of the best years ever.
muchLOVE.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

I quit.

It's True. I have resigned from Get Motivated Seminars. It would be so much fun to say I screamed and yelled and stormed out, but it was quite boring. I have been quite blessed to have all the opportunity and experience this company has provided. Although quite a challenge at times to work for. It's funny that I am leaving at a time when it is running as smoothly as it has ever been.

I am sad to leave behind the "family" I have grown to love over the last 4 1/2 years. They are some of my favoritest friends. I can vividly remember my first show in Grand Rapids, MI in June of 2005. After load-in the whole group went out to dinner and it was such a culture shock for me. There was a long table set for about 30 people and you could order whatever you wanted. And all these people seemed to really like each other. The rest is history.

Very Bitter/Sweet in the end, but I feel more confident than anything that I have made the right choice. I wasn't learning or growing and no longer had a desire to do so. I used to enjoy being on the road and doing shows, but now I just dread them. That is nowhere that I want to be.

SO here's to moving on. Live the Life you LOVE. Cheers.

Swell.

The Fourth and Last Swap and Shop of the Year went really Superb. Probably the most people to bring clothes. It was awesome to over heard people saying, "This is great. I think we have the same taste in clothes. I get to take home clothes that I Like!" We had an excessive amount of clothes left over that will go to Dress for SUCCESS for Women that need work appropriate clothes.

A Dear photographer that came did a write up about it and took great pictures.

Look it up here:
http://desireedesigns.wordpress.com/2009/12/12/swap-and-shop/

Oohhh lala.

Yes. It may be my catch phrase of the moment, but I really mean it here.

What a Babe.

Spent a Week in Northern Virginia with my Best Friend from High School: Christi Noel. She spoiled me with my favorite foods and home-cooked meals EVERY NIGHT. Just blowing my mind. It was so different to be in the day in the life of a mother of two kids. She is a terrific mom and was so encouraging to see a beautiful healthy family environment.

Photo Booth

Being Aunt Dana for a week was glorious. I was quite a hero by introducing Jonah and Ava to Photo Booth. Over the week we took hundreds of pictures.




Ava Madison

Is my New Best Friend. And her brother Jonah. So I guess I have two best friends.


VA in the Winter

So very Beautiful. It snowed for a whole day making my heart happy.
With homes that have things like Barns. Different world.
Buildings that have lasted generations.
Log Cabins. Historic: Maybe. Awesome: Completely.
I was here.

Roquemore Thanksgiving

Grandmother Marnie's for a catered Thanksgiving Lunch in Lakeland.
Might be the last year with her.




Then Home for with the Whole Family and John's Fiance for a Second Thanksgiving Dinner.
I have much to be Thankful for.


Friday, December 4, 2009

GMS: 2009

All the Shows I did.
Totally RAD:
Huntsville, AL
Honolulu, HI
Sacramento, CA
Jackson, MS
Lubbock, TX
Sacramento, CA
Stockton
Columbia, SC
Portland, ME
Sarasota, FL
Greensboro, NC
Anchorage, AK
Philadelphia, PA
Oklahoma City, OK
Lansing, MI
Moline, IL
Albany, NY
Pittsburgh, PA
Buffalo, NY
Regina, Canada
Hartford, IL
Des Moines
Wilkes-Barre
Louisville
Cincinnati
Denver
Springfield, MO
Harrisburg, PA
Ft. Worth, TX
Charlotte, NC
Jacksonville, FL
Orlando, FL
San Antonio,TX

Swim for Life

I have been getting back into swimming lately. Perhaps one of my favorite ways to spend my minutes here on this earth. This looks like a rad place to be: Australia. I wish I could be there without the plane ride.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Meeting Me Today

So I'm looking for a job. I quit GMS (more on that later). And it has been eerily smooth. I have had a company contact me already and today I am going in to meet with them. But I have this immense peace about God being my provider. I am open to hear about this new job, but part of me doesn't even want to jump into work again. It has been nice having a bit of time off from GMS this month, but even then it has seemed like a steady stream of things to do. I hope to actually have some down time to rest.

I have mostly felt of ok about trusting God for what the next steps are, but over the last day or so have had a few moments of second guessing myself....and of just not wanting to have a job at all. God gave me some verses this morning that could not have been described right where I am. So beautiful.

Show me the Path where I should go, O Lord; point out the right road for me to walk. ps. 25: 4
Lead me; teach me; for you are the God who gives me salvation. I have no hope except in you. ps. 25:5
Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the BEST. ps. 25: 12

She wants to be like me.

ha.


Dana goes to the Farm

This is the first time I have been riding in quite some time. My soon to be old roommate is a horse Trainer. She is extremely knowledged in all things Dressage. She took me out to one of her farms and let me ride.

This was my horse Jolie. Who is the slowest being on the face of the planet.
Cleaning out the hooves. Can you believe I am doing this!?
Look at that posture. It is not as easy as it looks.
So fun.
Slow I mean so slow. Megan was walking much faster than Jolie was going. Except here when Megan got out the whip.

Fashion for the Swine Flu

And for everyday going to the grocery store, taking kids to the park, etc.

That Philip. He's so Hot right now.

This is actually a sketch of a very talented jewelry designer. Philip Crangi. HE is pretty legit.

I have Beautiful Friends

Natalia:
Josh:
Whit:
Photos by: Matt Addington

Pete & Jeanette get Married!

Two of the most fabulous people I know decided to love each other for LIFE! They had a most lovely ceremony (or so I heard) over looking the water in St. Petersburg FL. One little misstep in the directions got us Uber lost and completely missed the ceremony, which I guess was short and sweet, but glad to celebrate the couple at the reception. Which was incredibly beautiful as the sun was setting. So many friends old and new gathered together was incredible and always a good reminder of how blessed I am. Dancing by Parker. Stellar.





I LOVE you two.