Many Hands (The one where I use the word "Then" a lot)

I woke up at 9:55am yesterday. I knew it would be a long day and I wanted to get as much rest as I could. I had stopped packing at about 2 am--so it was a good 8 hours.

I felt ready to go. At 11am-Joe showed up ready to go.

We walked over a couple of boxes--and the parade began.

My new place is a walk away. No stairs--just down the path and across the small street.

Next, Ken showed. Instead of grabbing a box--he grabbed a couch.

So for the next hour, Ken and Joe just moved one thing after another.

Then Lyn came over and began carrying boxes too. But after a bit, she stopped carrying boxes and started organizing my clothes closet. She and Joe carried over my clothes and put them up in the new closet.

Then my dad showed up with water and popsicles for everyone.

And he started moving box and after box.

And Ken carried couches and cabinets and even my full cedar chest.

After a bit, I ordered pizza for everyone. We ate--and then got back to work. By the time the official move was supposed to start, everything was almost done.

That's when Arlen showed up. He helped carry over the last shelf and then I discovered a closet I'd forgotten about. He singlehandedly brought over everything from that closet.

Then Steve showed up and he and my dad brought over everything from the outside closet and loaded things in my dad's truck to take to storage.

Then Nancy came in put my shoes away and hung up my clothes. Then she organized my book shelf.

Then Emily and Brandon came over and helped me with my laundry and unpacked my kitchen.

The Shari came by with a housewarming flower. 

Then Bob came over with his drill and mounted my TV on the wall.

Then Dan came over and put books on the shelves.

Then Emily and Brandon made my bed with freshly laundered sheets.

I am so grateful for the friends who came by and gave of their time to help take the load off. I am overwhelmed with the thought of doing it all alone. I just don't have the ability. That kind of vulnerability is really frightening. I just remember standing in the empty, unpainted apartment Tuesday night and feeling this weight of all that I had to get done. And now, it's almost done!

I am in awe of my many blessings.

Change

Yesterday, I couldn't wait to leave work to go and paint my new apartment.

I counted the hours.

But then when it came time, I was so scared.

I stood there in front of the wall.

I turned on my music and let it play on random.

Every song that came on gave me the courage to pick up the brush and start painting.

"Change" by Churchill
"Changing" by  The Airborne Toxic Event

--both had NOTHING to do with me painting a new apartment.

But they were upbeat songs with the word "Change" repeated over and over again.

And I loved it.

The rain began to fall loudly outside, and Bernadette Peters song, "It's Raining in My Heart" played in the background. Then the Andrew Sisters sang "Rum and Coca Cola".  I did not drink any rum or Coca Cola. 

I spent three hours painting and perfecting--imagining the ways I would be better in this apartment.

I feel like this move is giving me an opportunity to embrace a clean slate. I am going to create a colorful sanctuary.

Tonight I'm going to paint one wall in the bedroom and purchase curtains!

Today I'm grateful for paint and a fresh beginning. 

Carousel and Theatre in Utah

I grew up doing community theatre. Then I went and got edumicated in it and began to get all perfessional... (excuse my inability to talk seriously about my qualifications...)

To me, community theatre is all about the joy of theatre.

In Utah--community theatre doesn't always translate as amateur. And professional theatre doesn't always translate into quality. Hale Centre Theatre in West Valley City pulls in a lot of money, but they maintain that they do community theatre in order to continue their mission of providing super family friendly entertainment. (They get special permission to edit works in order to uphold that aspect of their mission.)

Here are a few differences I've noticed between professional and community theatre:

Professional-
1. Paid actors
2. Paid crew
3. Higher standard of work. We expect that this group will have qualified themselves in previous endeavors and patrons will pay extra for the experience of seeing educated, experienced professionals at work.

Community-
1. Volunteer actors
2. Volunteer crew
3. A negotiated expectation of quality. The expectation is that this theatre will provide an opportunity for amateurs to come together and do their very best, but the priority is providing an opportunity for members of the community to come together and share in creating theatre--regardless of qualification. 

Many companies in Utah find themselves borrowing from both in order to thrive.

Utah's most famous artistic group is the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It is a world renowned choir--made up of volunteers. 

Across the Wasatch Front, you can find theatres everywhere. Some refer to themselves as professional, others refer to themselves as community.  Regardless of how you see your own work--you're still competing with everyone for the paying audience on the weekend. So you better put on a good show.

Since January, I've worked on four plays and 1 film. I've worked with three different theatre companies.

So over the past 8 months of late nights and long weekends--while destroying my social life--what have I learned?

That no matter how you refer to your art--professional or community--the spirit of community theatre is necessary for the success of any artistic endeavor. Theatre simply cannot survive without the generous volunteers who do theatre for love. Those who take it for granted, do so at their own peril. And yes, I just used the word PERIL.

Because it seems that everyone in Utah grows up doing theatre--there are a lot of incredibly skilled amateurs--who volunteer hours of their time simply because they love it. And the professional companies do their best to compensate --but there will never be enough money to pay everyone what they're worth. And so those who choose to continue in the theatre, do it for love.

I am a professional who counts myself incredibly fortunate to work with talented and capable volunteers on a regular basis. I watched throughout the process of Carousel as volunteer actors and crew gave their blood, sweat, and tears to ensure that the play came together. They built sets and costumes. They cleaned. They drove miles for rehearsals. And their hardwork paid off.  We felt a genuine affection for one another on the stage that affected our telling of the story.

On a personal note,  I learned a few important lessons. 1. Despite my need to follow the spirit of community theatre and volunteer to help with everything--I need to simply focus on my job. If I can simply focus on doing my one job well--then I can relax and enjoy the process.  2. I remembered a quote from my piano teacher. Practice makes perfect if the practice IS perfect.  3. You love the ones you serve.  It seemed the people happiest of all at the end of the whole process, were the folks giving the most.

Today, I'm grateful for the beautiful friends I made performing in Carousel. It was a privilege.

And now, here are a bunch of candid shots I took during the last weekend of our performances. 

 Last company meeting.

 Serena laughing with her friend as we prepare for a company photo.

 

Natalie spreading her wings. 

Ilizibith smiling.

Brandon, Luke, Ian, Miquelle, David, Cat, and Allison all posing very strangly. 

Joel and Sam posing in heaven for some shots for other people. 

 Peter posing in the back alley. He looks like he could star in Newsies. 

Me cuddling up to Mimi. 

 Mimi and Amber doing duck lips in the dressing room. 

Michelle doing Rachel's hair while Maddy looks on. 

Sam smiling

 Nathan and Scott with Maddy's perfect face poking up between them. 

For closing night, I handed out tootsie pops. This picture is just wrong. 

And yet, it feels soooo right. 

Nope.

Still feels wrong.

Elsa and Amber

 Ilizibith smiling in the alley

 David Pederson looking mysterious in the alley. 

Ian scaring me above the alley. Of course, I had to take a picture before he got down. 

 Crazy people.

More crazy people.

Wait--same people--different kind of crazy. I just like how Elsa tilts her head in this picture. 

Legally Blonde: The Musical

I can't review for Midvale Main Street Theatre. I work there too much to give any sort of unbiased opinion. And I notice things that are right and wrong about productions that other people won't really notice. So this is not a review.

When it comes to their latest production--Legally Blonde: The Musical -- this is the first show at the theatre I haven't worked on in some way or another in a very long time.

I have missed the theatre a lot during my hiatus.

It was wonderful to just come in as a patron to watch the show.

I really like Midvale Main Street Theatre. I like watching shows there. You get good food in the lobby. Everyone is really nice and friendly. And then you can sit down and enjoy a great show!

The stage is small. Really small. And there is no fly space. So, the most AMAZING thing about the production from the get go--is Sean McLaughlin's set. He manages to make one set into a college sorority, the halls of Harvard, a courtroom, and a hair salon. It looks expensive and expansive. It is incredible. This feat was completed with Jen Hairr's lighting design. Brilliant!

The staging was perfection. They had a moving marble staircase that raised the actors up on a variety of levels and created these heavenly pictures of actors up on the balcony, classrooms rising up, sorority girls running to parties--it just created a picture of beautiful ordered chaos.

The voices were incredible. Because my usual job is music, I tend to hear a lot. There were a couple of moments that I wish I heard more harmony or that I felt one part needed vamping. But--since that's what I'm hired to listen for--I tend to notice it more than most. I also heard a little chatter on the mics backstage. But, running sound in that place is no easy feat--so you find yourself with a mic or two left hot. Because it is such a small stage, hiring a live band is difficult because there's no where to put them. They solve this by hiring the luminous Ben Mayfield to record tracks for the theatre. He did NOT disappoint. The orchestrations were incredible! Every instrument was layered perfectly! He is worth his weight in gold! Back to the sound--running 16 mics and all the tracks involved in a musical--it is some heavy duty stress. My advice to the actors back stage is to shut yer little yappers. (said with all the love in the world--because those yappers create a holy sound of clear as a bell belting when they're on stage!!) [insert much deserved kudos to music director Jason Campbell!]

Must gush more about the voices... This musical is not easy. It's like the writers wanted to create a musical that required the most difficult vocal acrobatic work. You can't just sing this music. I found myself saying, "DAYUMMM!" outloud. At the show. It was right after Tia Galanis hit this amazing note! And I know I'm biased because I love her so much--but Leah Jacobs voice is golden butter to my ears. She turns sound into velvet.  Michael Howell never disappoints. He is absolutely a powerhouse singer and actor.

I must gush about Amelia Rose Moore as Elle. She was wonderful. She was spunky, energetic, and beautiful. She had confidence and vulnerability. You truly empathized with her journey. I'm not a skinny little blonde cheerleader type--but she was my sister! I was cheering for her! Russell Watters as Warner was smarmy. I really didn't like him--as a character.

I have to give props to Bryce Kamryn for rapping unabashedly. Rapping? What?? This musical is so funny. He did a fantastic job.

I really could gush about so many elements. But rather than list every detail that I loved--go and see the show. There were moments I was gasping with laughter. Tommy Fitzgerald--I'm looking right at you. Kristina Rene Stone was hilarious as Enid the militant lesbian. I have to just throw that in. And holy cow! I was so blown away by the jumproping and dancing that it didn't even dawn on me until the end of the number--Megan Lyon is BELTING and JUMPING ROPE at the same time!!

Speaking of... Aaron Ford's choreography was incredible. Really, a phenomenal directorial debut for Aleksndr Arteaga. And a production fitting with the quality productions I've come to expect from Tammy Ross's theatre.

As a last thought... the ensemble was incredible. Most of them played several parts. I recognize many faces from shows I've worked on--and I am continually blown away by their talent--Ashlee Brereton, Cassidy Ross, Charity Jones--I'm looking at you. But there were also a lot of new faces. I loved the talent and energy they brought to the stage. These actors went from college students to harvard law students, to courtroom peeps, to hair salon customers within moments. I can't imagine how exhausting it would be! Without a good ensemble--you don't have a show. And this is a GREAT ensemble.

Go see it. It runs this weekend and next. It is worth every penny.

Midvale Main Street Theatre
7711 South Main Street (700 West)

801-566-0596

You can order tickets online here: http://www.midvaletheatre.com/

Show time is 7pm!

Editor's Edity Edit: I must say a word about costumes. Jan Harris!! Good crikey woman. You outdid yourself.

35 and Feeling Fine.

Yesterday, I was carrying my laundry on my back from the laundry hut across the road to my apartment with this beautiful pink bag. As I walked in my beautiful dress with my beautiful cotton flowery shoes over the little wooden bridge, I felt like a dog.

Not ugly like a dog. But rather like the kind of cared for little cockapoo we had when I was growing up. The kind that if I believed in reincarnation I'd wish to come back as in another life.

I am so blessed. So cared for. I have such a beautiful life.

I have dear friends who support me and care for me.

My parents--all of them--care for me and love me for who I am.

So I floated across the little wooden bridge with my clothes on my back and a smile on my face passed the little duckies to my little apartment. 

Today, I turned on some music as I got in the shower. I listened to a sad song from college and let the water just soak my face and hair and wash all my cares away. The music melted me. I sang along with Tracy Chapman's "The Promise" and let my body move with the music as I lathered my hair and limbs. Then The Jackson 5's song "I Want You Back" came on and I just started dancing in the shower.

I felt gloriously sexy. My beautiful body just moved effortlessly with the music as the water applauded my fabulous dance moves and my killer curves. I felt so magnificent and womanly.

35 is a good year folks.

Today I am grateful to be me.

Tomorrow

Today we sang "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" in church.

The words, "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love... Here's my heart, O, take and seal it. Seal it for thy courts above."



The speakers were a husband and wife who have served together in the church throughout the world.

Sister Cannon shared these two points.

1) Look for the revealed light that comes from choosing good.

2) Render unto everyone according to their due.  Look for opportunities to acknowledge the good that people do and to give them credit for their good deeds.


There are blessings in the works.

I can feel them bubbling beneath the surface.

I usually need to control things. I need to see how things will play out. I want to understand the beginning from the end.

Right now I don't know what is going to happen. But there are premonitions of things coming down the pike. Experiences, relationships, environment.

In the meantime, I will enjoy the lessons taught today. I will give my heart to God. I will choose to do good and honor wisdom gained. I will look for opportunities to heap praise where it is due.

Today I am grateful for the process of becoming and the joy of discovering what is to come.

Miracles

Today is a funny assortment of little miracles that lead me to one big miracle.

To explain why today was a miracle might lessen it.

But today was one of those days that reminds me why I am who I am.

Unexplainable phenomena. Stories from one part of my life colliding with another part of my life.

All so simple, but the timing could only be divine because no one but God knew how much I needed the things that unfolded so perfectly today.

I'm ready for tomorrow, whatever it may bring.

A Long Post About Being a Woman

This morning on X96, they had an X poll about what annoys you most about your spouse.

One guy complained that his wife leaves a pile of dirt in the corner of the kitchen after she sweeps. She only sweeps it into the garbage every couple of days.

The host asked if he had told her it annoyed him. He replied, "All the time!"

And I yelled at the radio, "In the two seconds it takes you to tell her to pick it up--grab a dustpan you LOSER!!"

Next guy gets up and complains that his wife always washes her clothes and the kids clothes before she washes his clothes.

SO WASH YOUR OWN CLOTHES LOSER!

Lately, I've been watching Mad Men on netflix. It's an interesting show about life in the 1960s in New York City--or rather--life today in Utah.

No one writes about women's issues like a gay man. Good grief. Who told Matthew Weiner all of these secret struggles women go through?? I've never felt so utterly understood!

I'm joking today, but most of the time these things really bother me.

It bothers me when a stranger comes into the office and calls me Honey. Maybe it shouldn't, but there's this part of me that wonders at his intentions. He's not hitting on me, but he's making himself familiar in a way I didn't agree with. Again, nothing technically wrong with it, but there's something about when some guys do it that makes me feel like I'm somehow giving up some of my power as a person--not just as a woman--but as a person--when a stranger calls me honey. At the same time, presumed intimacy can be a real treat--reminding us that we're in a small world and that even strangers care about one another. But there are times where it doesn't feel good. And I can't pinpoint why.

Now for the story I want to share publicly, but in a private way, so as to not embarrass the real people I'm talking about. I was with a group and one of the leaders began to cry because she's worked hard and crying is her stress release. I get it--it's mine too. I once wept during half of a shift at Denny's because the stress of working graveyards and going to school full-time broke me down. I told everyone in the restaurant I had horrible allergies. But I digress... She began to cry. The other leader stood up and apologized for her with an amused smile on his face.

He might as well have said, "Sorry guys--she's totally PMSing..."

I was livid.

I feel very fortunate. My boss is a fantastic man. His wife owns and runs the Midvale Main Street Theatre and he knows how to treat a woman with respect for what she brings to the company as a person and not as a woman. It's been such a pleasure to work for this company.

The entire series of Mad Men talks about the complexities of being a woman. They have all the different archetypes--and each of the archetypes possesses elements of the other. The madonna, the whore, the witch, the vixen, the virgin... all of the women in the show have proven themselves equal to the task of each archetype.

Being a woman is something entirely different from being a person. I don't know if I'm saying that right. I go to work and I'm me. I'm a person who manages a storage facility. But then there's this part of me who is also a woman. I'm not always a woman when I'm working. I'm just a person--a manager. But then there is this side of me that is very much a woman. And I can't turn that part of me off. I can't make myself less pretty when I'm around predatory eyes. I can't make myself stop crying because it's an inappropriate time to be overwhelmed with emotion. Luckily, most of my person qualities mix rather nicely with my woman qualities. (In stating this, I'm probably offending hordes of you... I know--men cry too. And being a woman isn't being weaker. I just mean, there are moments where I am fully aware that I have boobs and lots of hormones.)

This isn't a man hating post. Like I said, I adore my boss. And after the condescending episode, one of the other guys came up to me and complained about what happened and decided to do something nice for this woman who had put in so much time and effort. He showed compassion and zeal.

There are men on Mad Men who are surprisingly respectful. And there are men who are incomprehensibly horrible. And it's not often the guys you expect.

If you don't have time to watch the entire series, my favorite episode about women is called "The Other Woman" from Season 5. In this episode, three women are treated like prostitutes in subtle and not so subtle ways. You watch each woman process the treatment in very different ways.  

One woman uses it to her financial advantage,

another woman walks away from the mistreatment to find better opportunities,

 and the other woman dejectedly surrenders to her lot.

So what do I do in those situations? All of the above and none of the above. What's the right answer? You can't change the world. You're going to be treated like an object to be bought and sold at some point in your life. Especially as a single woman. I don't know the answer.

But I think the key lies in seeing myself for who I am.

The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches me that I am a daughter of God.  I am a human being sent to earth to gain wisdom through my experiences, joys, sorrows, and even mistakes. I am blessedly human, and I am a woman. I wouldn't have it any other way.

My relationship with the world is only a reflection of my relationship with myself. As I respectfully honor myself, the world will follow suit. This is the only thing I can truly control. Sometimes I think that we mistakenly think the world should teach us how to view ourselves. This is a mistake. We teach the world how we ought to be viewed.

Instead of putting on an outfit and turning to a friend and asking, "What do you think?" Put on that outfit, and turn to that friend and say, "This is what you think."

We're so concerned about fitting into a mold. We cram ourselves into these petty guidelines set for us by the world. We can break the mold and there's nothing the world can do about it.

Today I am grateful to be a woman.

Blessings and Babies

Today I got to see baby Evangeline Lily blessed by her daddy. Such a beautiful blessing. She's a lucky little lady. Such good parents.

Today I'm grateful for beautiful Utah skies, healthy babies, the country, and time on a Sunday to visit loved ones.

Solitude

I'm sitting in the quiet empty lobby on opening night. The theatre is crowded, backstage is crowded, but I've found a peaceful place to just sit for a moment.

I'm a Bitch

(This post contains language unsuitable for anyone who doesn't like the word bitch.)

(Sorry. When you read it, pretend like I wrote b$#tch instead.)

When I was 16, I played Mrs. McGlone in The Unsinkable Molly Brown at the Stage Stop Theatre. Michael Bahr directed me. I was the mean lady who didn't like Molly Brown. After the show, the theatregoers would shake our hands as they left. One night, a little old lady came up to me and said, "You're a bitch!"

And thus, my career began.

I've played them all--and if I haven't--I look forward to playing that role soon enough.

From Goneril and Lady Macbeth, to Nurse Rached and Mrs.Lovett.

I have a type.

And that type--is a bitch.

Tonight, I'll be playing Mrs. Mullin.

She's a really nice lady.

Really.

Oh who am I kidding...

Today I'm grateful that tonight is opening night!!

Tech Week is over bitches!!

Now for the part I love--performing! We have performances tonight and tomorrow at 7:30pm and Monday night at 7:30pm.

The show is at the Murray Theatre on State Street. You can get your tickets online at utahrep.org

I promise I'm a nice person.

Really!

The Boxer

Once upon a time, I was at a rehearsal for a show.

At this rehearsal, I expected to find my cast mates hard at work building the stage.

Instead, I discovered that the show Carousel was headed in a whole different direction.

It's going to be incredible.

Carousel--the story of a young fighter--looking for inspiration as he starts his journey to the top of the light weight boxing division.

Finally--a play about boxing!

This is his charming sidekick--Floyd.

This is supportive younger sister Ruth. She hasn't told him that if he doesn't win the fight--they'll lose their family farm!

This is Lady Goldskirt and her assistant--Miss Bluepants. Lady Goldskirt holds the loan on the farm. She will stop at NOTHING to win their family farm!

This is the other figher--Yellow Thunder and his coach Super Stripe. Or Bob. Sometimes we just call him Bob.

The whole town will come out to see the event!

But there's a twist! Before the fight begins--a horde of ninja angels swoop in and hold the town hostage for their entire supply of green beans!!

You'll have to come out and see how the play ends.

Will Yellow Thunder defeat our hero? Will the Ninja Angels take everyone's green beans?

Check out this article on Carousel in the Deseret News.

Today I'm grateful for my camera phone, a boxing ring, and the cast of Carousel.

Allergies

To quote John Cusack in High Fidelity....

Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?"

 

I'm feeling my own brand of exhausted/miserable right now.

And so I haven't made time to express gratitude or enjoy spiritual things.

And because of that, I'm exhausted and miserable.

And so I haven't made time to express gratitude or enjoy spiritual things.

Of course it could just be allergies.

Today I'm grateful for a day of relative peace. I only had to go into work and resolve a couple conflicts. I enjoyed singing at choir practice, but ducked out early because I just didn't want to be around people anymore.  Even when I'm around people I love, I am so tired.

I'm a true introvert. I need alone time. So I went to a matinee and saw Pacific Rim. It was exciting, inexpensive, cool, and I was able to just shut off my mind for a bit of Hollywood fun. It was exhilarating.

Now I'm home.

I've had a few miracles happen this week. And I have a lot to be grateful for.

I got offered am opportunity to write for an e-commerce business--so I'll be making some much needed extra cash.

I'm gonna throw this last story into the end of this random post.

I have severe sleep apnea. It's bad. I used to wake up all the time in the middle of the night. With my cpap machine, I sleep through the night.

I got fired within a week of the insurance company paying for my cpap machine. So even though I had it for 6 months and had a doctor's notice that I had severe sleep apnea--I lost my insurance right before they would cover it. I LOATHE insurance companies. I LOATHE the healthcare system in this country. I LOVE doctors and nurses--but I feel confident that they hate insurance companies as much as I do.

Because of this, I haven't replaced any part of my machine for 2 years. So the sillicone seal on my mask ripped. So I sleep while holding the mask tightly to my face.  I'm sure a few of you reading are thinking, "How can you sleep while holding a mask against your face?" The alternative is worse.

I went into a health store on Thursday. He told me that they couldn't sell me a mask without a prescription from a doctor.

Cue anxiety attack.
Cue instant tears.
Cue feeling of impending death.

I really tried to keep it together.

The man helping me excused himself and I buried myself in a game of Candycrush and tried to keep it together.

A few minutes later he returned with a pretty mask.

He told me it was a sample mask that he had disinfected.

He gave it to me.

He wasn't allowed to ask for money because of the paper work required and because I lacked a prescription.

So he gave it to me.

I cried a lot that day.

I generally keep a positive outlook on things. I'd rather be positive, grateful, and it is my experience that things get better.

But my reality came very close to crashing in on itself this week. And then it was rescued by powers beyond my control.

This makes me feel both incredibly humble and incredibly vulnerable.

And grateful.

Always grateful.

I have no business being miserable right now. I think I'm recovering from the moments when I saw my life collapsing on itself. I'm also really tired. Holding plastic to your face for a week will do that to a woman.

Or maybe it's just allergies. 

The People of Storage

Everyday, I meet new people coming to Salt Lake City for a variety of reasons.

These gentleman are here to play for the University of Utah Football team this fall.

 Michael Blackwood, Wide Receiver-Tanqueray Towns, and Receiver Geoff Norwood
Mike Sorensen at the Deseret News wrote a glowing article about Geoff Norwood last year. They're here for Football Camp!

When they came in they were tired and down. They had just lost a teammate, and another teammate is currently in critical condition. I asked how they thought they were going to do this year. They all gave me a weak smile and said that they had to have a winning season to honor their teammates.

Throw them some love when you go to the game! They are very nice guys.  

* * *

I was helping to get a nice family a storage unit, processing the paperwork, talking codes and phone numbers--and I look over and see these two little Dora lookalikes playing blocks with my packing tape! It was so cute! Who needs toys when you've got these super stackable rolly rolls of tape?

* * *

And finally, there's a HUGE Outdoor Living convention in Salt Lake City this week--so I've had people renting the cargo van as a rental car because all the cars are sold out!

It's such a joy to meet the people who see Utah as a hot destination!

And I get to live here!

(I bank just down the road from the Salt Palace--so I get to see all the pretty flags and pictures when conventions come to town.)

Today I'm grateful for my job that gives me the joy of rubbing shoulders with amazing people.