JennyeseMy language on life

It would be Lucious Newsom. I just learned today while reading the paper that he has passed away. Nicknamed, The Lord’s Beggar for the Poor, this is an incredible loss to our city. For those that did not know Lucious, all you need to do is meet any homeless person, hungry person that may live in Indianapolis and you can see the love and the dedication to help anyone who needed. For many of my years in the nonprofit world and even before my time he has spent countless days, hours, years serving our city’s poor. He was always smiling, he was always just a joy to be around. I spent a few times volunteering for him and his group back in High School and in College. He meant business… you get there on time, you get the food ready, you serve the community, and you put a smile on your face. I hope that others are able to continue on his legacy in Indianapolis. We need more saintly people to sacrifice their life to give to others that need your time more. I was blessed to have met him, work alongside him those few times, and our city was blessed to have him.

Keep his candle burning in the city - be a part of something - give back to your community and neighbors - be the one that makes a huge difference in someone’s life today.

Be the change you wish to see in the world… - ghandi

Based off of my last blog you wouldn’t guess I am a girls girl. Going to the tanning salon, getting her hair done, talking about the latest gossip, NOT ME. I mean, give me a small portion of any of that, and I am there. But do it like the “Hills” girls do it and you might have to revive me from girl overload. BUT, tonight, I have to say, I love getting a mani and pedi.

My friend Beth and Heather joined me to get mani’s and pedi’s at Tantra. They had a $50 deal for all of it which normally cost $70 or more! (OMG I just realized I LEFT NOTHING AS A TIP! I totally have to go back to give them a tip!!) If you haven’t been to Tantra in Greenwood - I totally recommend it. They offer you wine! OLIVERS to be exact… what could be better.

Anyway, I totally loved being a girl tonight. We had so much fun. Massaging chair, awesome convo and fun girls doing my toes and fingers. There were totally set up to do three of us (nails) at a time and they made it fun! Lindsey is so much fun! I recommend her the most. She did my hair a month or so ago and did an awesome job!

So, I just wanted to state that I had an enjoyable time with my friends and I am so grateful for good friends. I couldn’t ask for better friends. I am truly blessed. (No, the wine is not talking, I really mean this from the bottom of my heart!)

Without them we wouldn’t have the real thing. (Quote adopted and adapted for this blog from the movie Best In Show).

Since I can remember, I have gone to the Mt. Comfort Air Show with my Dad and Mom. My dad has always loved planes. He made one out of foam when he was younger and it was always hanging up in the garage. I love that plane, but it fell to pieces and after my dad passed my mom said it was time for the plane to go to. The Mt. Comfort Air Show holds a special place in my heart because I was truly daddy’s girl. I was the only child and so I had to sometimes be that child my dad wanted, a boy (for me a tom-boy since I am a girl!). So, everything my dad liked, I liked. Everything he did, I did. Mt. Comfort Air Show, Portland Tractor show, Saturday morning trips to the hardware store even though it was 6 a.m. and I would rather sleep in.

Mt. Comfort Air Show was something we looked forward to every year. Seeing the Blue Angels flying above, seeing the Harrier’s hover in amazement, seeing the planes make heart shapes with their trails was all just awesome to a little girl that saw her dad’s eyes twinkle when he saw them.

My dad was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2002 two months before the air show. He was on chemo and did not feel good so he said that he was not going to go. This was heartbreaking. Something my dad loved he could not enjoy. Because of what I knew about the show was that before the show started, the planes would be flying over downtown to make it to the airport. That year, we (Noah and I) surprised my dad by taking him to the top of an IUPUI parking garage where we watched all the planes literally fly over our heads….it was the best day we had since he was diagnosed. He passed away before the next show, but it made his day to see the planes that last time.

Since then, the show still holds a place in my heart. Noah and I have gone as often as we can since then and I plan on sharing my dad’s love and my love of planes with my future children.

I can’t wait to sit there in the lawn with Noah, watching the planes, knowing my dad is there with me watching from heaven.

If you haven’t gone to the show, I strongly recommend going. Great food, great show, great pictures can be taken as well! It is a great family event, not too expensive, and what better thing to do on a beautiful summer day!

Thank God for model airplanes, without them we wouldn’t have airplanes to have an air show!

Also, thanks to bnpositive, Noah and I are getting tickets to go this year! Great post about the air show. I am just like you. It was an all around great experience!

As I am driving out of my addition, I realized the sun was hitting my grime on my windshield and it was blinding me. Reaction - - I turn on my wipers and clean the windshield only to be blinded by that. In the end, my windshield was STILL dirty so I decided since it is not going to rain for 5 days straight that I would get my $5 Mikes car wash before 9 a.m. So, I get in line, have my $5 ready and the guy says, that will be $6.

$6?

What happened to the $5 express before 9 a.m., I ask.

Got to keep up with gas prices, he states.

So, between the fact that it was early and not wanting to cause a scene, I decide not to tell him actually how I felt about what he just said. So, instead, you all are graced with my words here.

Are you kidding me? Gas? That is what you are blaming it on? I almost told him not to tell others that cause it makes him sound ignorant. Really, how does the gas price affect their business so much that the “Deal” of $5 a wash for the few people that actually do it in the morning, has to be raised a $1? Soap being shipped in? That is my only thoughts as to what it could be. Water …well my water bill at home did not go up. Electricity to heat the water? Well my electricity bill at home has not gone up. So, pray tell me, what is the true reason? You see an opportunity to raise a price and blame it on the gas? You realized the $5 thing was killing your bottom line profits?

Either way, in the end, they have lost a customer. I would rather get a coupon for $10 for the Sparkling Image Carwash and pay that and get my car cleaned outside 100% better, AND get the inside of my car cleaned to the T.

How many others are thinking what I am thinking? Let me know if this irritates you as much as it irritates me. Stop blaming everything on gas. Look at the price, it is dropping again!

So, Mike’s, how does that effect your bottom line profits?

BlogIndiana. Need I say more?

Well just in case you have no idea what I am talking about, it is only the best conference to hit Indiana in years! BlogIndiana was a brain child of Noah’s since 2004. One day he realized that there were a ton of Indiana people blogging and he wanted to know who they were. So, the inception of BlogIndiana began. It started out as a site where local Indiana bloggers could follow each other, a site where Indianaians could come together and talk with one another, kind of like a network. Over time, it got ignored, place on the proverbial back burner as other ideas do. One day, Noah was talking about how great it would be to have a conference talking about blogging, with local blogger speakers, and local blogger attendees. Before I knew it, Noah and our friend Shawn Plew had started planning for BlogIndiana 2008.

For those that did attend, it was so wonderful to meet you and to see how exciting blogging can be. As I told a few at the conference, I do not like to write. I am not bad at it (I always got A’s on my papers in school though). I just have ADHD I guess cause I have so many ideas that I can’t get them all written down quick enough to hold my attention. I have so many ideas, so many things I want to say, I keep wanting to interrupt myself… thus what I have done here… so back to what I was saying…

I am totally going to start blogging more. Not just cause my husband created and had a blog conference BUT because it seems fun! It is a great way to stay connected to those I just met, a great way to let others know about me and what I think… and I will never pass up on an opportunity to tell people what I think or feel… Ms. Opinionated here (friends - now is a great time to stop nodding your head and saying… OH YEAH!). So, because I met such great people, I want to stay connected, so I am going to blog. I hope people will read and stay connected!

So, for those that did not attend, you missed a GREAT event. I don’t think there was a moment that I wasn’t talking with someone, networking, talking about blogging or about the sponsors, Marketpath or Compendium, or smiling. I hope those that missed the event go next year. I only see great things in the Jennyese looking glass. If you want to know bloggers, be blogged about, or want to write a blog, this is the place to be.

BLOGINDIANA 2008 = SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS!!!

As often as I go to Starbucks I shouldn’t be so upset. Also, as frustrated as I am about how many there are, I shouldn’t be so upset. But, I am. The two that I go to the most, South 31 and Fall Creek and College, are slated to close. They are always busy. I don’t understand why they are closing. The one at Fall Creek and College was built to bring about economic stimulation in a low-income neighborhood. It is a promise not kept. If they close this, it is a start to bringing down the neighborhood. What else is going to come in the spot they built? Nothing else fits. So what is to become of the vacant building at that corner? More weeds? More vacant buildings? Same with others in low-income neighborhoods. When will this end? Honestly it is sad that I am saying this about a Starbucks, but they are what helps a neighborhood grow, so if they close, what else can be expected? If I were you and you live or work near that Starbucks, I would try and patronize that store so we might stop the closing.

Scrappy

Originally uploaded by noahwesley

This is actually what I see in my head when I think of Scrappy. Tounge hangin out, looking up at me, wagging his tail and just generally happy with life, mostly cause he has just gotten done rolliing around in the grass.
He is such a great dog! Thanks In-laws for giving us such a great gift.