Santa Train

This week marks the 68th anniversary of the Santa Train.  Of course there are many Santa events throughout the month of November that claim to mark the beginning of the holiday season, but this one is a little different.  The Santa Train is a special holiday tradition - a partnership between CSX, Food City, the Kingsport Tennessee Area Chamber of Commerce and Kids Wish Network all coming together to ensure that thousands of families in the rural towns along the Santa Train route have a very Merry Christmas.  The event is the largest Santa Parade covering 110-miles of track through several towns of the Appalachia where volunteers hand out gifts, candy and toys to children in Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee.

The Santa Train made its inaugural run in 1943 and makes fourteen scheduled stops along the route - from Shelby to Elkhorn City in Kentucky; Clinchco to St. Paul in Virginia; and Waycross to Kingsport in Tennessee. This year, the train is made up of nine historic Pullman cars, each with its own exciting history and legendary tales of their own, now used for special events such as this one.  Stories about the train are varied but most believe that when it made its first journey as the Santa Special, it was only one train car with a meager load of gifts and quite possibly the only toys received by the children of these towns during World War II.  This year, the train will haul over 15 tons of toys, gifts and candy and over 50 volunteers who will go out into the crowds at each stop with color coded sacks geared to a child of a certain age group and gender and ensure that everyone gets a gift.


I am so excited and honored to be a part of this ongoing tradition.  From the initial loading of the train this past week to the actual event with my daughter this coming Saturday - I am thrilled to take part in this historical tradition that serves communities touched by our rails.  Just another example of how a small gesture can turn into something special.  

Go Green

This week is Green Week.  Everywhere you look these days, we are being told to "Go Green."  It's really not as difficult as you would think and the benefits to our planet are big.  Think about it like this - the more we reuse, recycle and repurpose, the more we will be able to renew our resources and our planet for future generations.  Even if you don't have kids, this is a good thing.   

Here's a few simple things you can do to "Go Green":

1. Get a reusable water bottle.  Plastic bottles, even though they are recyclable, are still wasteful.  Get a cool water bottle, fill and refill it over and over again.
2. Bring your own bags.  When you go to the grocery store or pharmacy, bring your bags!  They are inexpensive, hold more than either paper or plastic and are good for the environment.  Keep them in your car - they store flat so there's no excuse.
3. Change your light bulbs to energy efficient bulbs.  They've come a long way and really do use less energy. 
4. Unplug your electronics when not in use.  Put your TV, DVD player and cable/satellite box on a power strip and turn it off when you aren't using them.  You'd be surprised how much energy you save.
5. Try planning all of your errands and do them on the same day.  You'll save a little gas and send less emissions into the atmosphere.
6. Use your dishwasher.  Believe it or not, washing dishes by hand uses and wastes more water than running your dishwasher.  Save your hands while you save the planet.
7. Turn off lights when you leave a room.  No one likes a dark house, but lighting up your house like a Christmas tree is ridiculous.  You only need lights in the room you are actually using.  Get into the habit: leave the room - turn off the light.
8. Recycle, recycle, recycle.  Check your county website for the dos and don'ts of recycling in your area.  Most counties are accepting more and more for recycling.  Request separate bins if you have the space to store them to make it easier for your household and the recycling centers.

Remember, it's our planet and we need to take care of it!  Future generations will thank you.  Happy Earth Day!

St. Patrick's Day

Like many of you, I associate March with the coming of spring, warmer weather ahead and of course St. Patrick's Day.  Being an "Irishman" by birth (my maternal grandfather's family came from the land of rolling hills and leprechauns) and then by marriage, it seems only fitting that I celebrate the luck of the Irish. 

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and of course we celebrate by donning anything and everything green.  It is a religious day in Ireland and here in the states it's a day to celebrate your heritage (everyone seems to be a little Irish on St. Paddy's Day) and of course to drink!  Most Irishmen go for the beer, but I prefer a lovely Irish Coffee or a Bailey's Irish Martini.

When San Francisco restaurateur Jack Koeppler introduced the classic Irish Coffee to America in 1952, it was described as "coffee strong as a friendly hand, cream rich as an Irish brogue, sugar as sweet as the tongue of a rogue and Irish whiskey as smooth as the wit of the land."  If you prefer something a little more Irish and cool, try the Bailey's Irish Martini, an "all-Irish liquor" in a simple, smooth concoction.

Irish Coffee - Recipe courtesy of Tony Abou-Ganim, www.themodernmixologist.com
This recipe has two variations from the original ingredients: it's topped with cinnamon for extra kick and it uses refined instead of brown sugar.

Ingredients:
1-1/2 oz. Irish Whiskey
2 sugar cubes
Freshly-brewed coffee, dark roast
Homemade whipped cream
Ground cinnamon, optional

Preparation:
Brew a pot of your favorite dark roast coffee. Whip up heavy cream until firm, but not stiff. Do not sweeten. Heat your Irish Coffee glasses by filling them with hot water. (Always serve hot drinks in a preheated glass.)
In the heated glass, dissolve 2 sugar cubes in the fresh brewed coffee. Add Irish Whiskey. Top with a dollop of freshly-whipped cream, and for an extra kick sprinkle cinnamon on top.

• Try substituting your favorite spirits and liqueurs for the Irish Whiskey.
• Always serve with a napkin for dabbing whipped cream moustache.
• Don't serve with straws as the trick is to sip the hot coffee through the chilled whipped cream. 

Bailey's Martini
This three-ingredient recipe comes straight from the files of the Baileys Irish company and puts a martini twist on the classic Irish Coffee.  It's both spirited and simple with a shot of strong, cold coffee for an extra kick.


Ingredients:
3 1/2 oz. Baileys Irish cream
3/4 oz. Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey
Shot of strong, cold coffee
Chocolate sprinkles

Preparation:
Drop some ice cubes into a shaker and pour over Baileys. Add Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey, then a shot of strong cold coffee. Shake vigorously and serve in a martini glass. Garnish with chocolate sprinkles.

However you celebrate on March 17th and whatever you decide to raise in your glass, remember this Irish toast:

May neighbors respect you, trouble neglect you, the angels protect you, and heaven accept you!


"Beannachtam na Feile Padraig!"
 Happy St. Patrick's Day!

quote and photos courtesy of Fine Living: Food & Drink (www.fineliving.com)

H1N1 and a Two and a Three

H1N1 and a Two and a Three  

I found this post on Daily Candy - NYC Edition this morning quite amusing - especially since I had all of the symptoms of the dreaded oinky flu just last week but thankfully, did not actually have the darn thing! The post's subtitle is A Vaccination Playlist but will these songs make you seriously think about getting the vaccine? Weigh the pros and cons before you make your decision.  Either way, you've got to admit, it's a clever way to make you think about it.  Stay well!

The temperature’s changing (and then changing back and changing again). Perfect conditions for your new invisible enemy, Mr. Swine Flu. Here are a few little ditties to give you the emotional fortitude to withstand his piggy strengths. And to encourage you to go get that shot.

“Fever,” by La Lupe
(Everybody’s got that fever.)

“103,” by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
(Yes. A fever of a hundred and three.)

“On a Train,” by Francis and the Lights
(Who knows what’s down in that subway?)

“Crazy in Love,” by Antony & the Johnsons
(We heard it will make you go crazy. Not necessarily crazy in love.)

“Nitetime Rainbows,” by A Sunny Day in Glasgow
(And we heard it will make you hallucinate. There are no rainbows at night, silly!)

“Who Are You,” by The Who
(The WHO — um, the World Health Organization — has chimed in on the subject.)

“Mom,” by Earth, Wind & Fire
(And you know what your mother thinks.)

“The Afterlife,” by Yacht
(Save it for later.)

story courtesy of DailyCandy.com NYC Edition

Today

Today is not a legal holiday.  It is not a day of remembrance like Memorial Day or Veteran's Day.  We do not have parades or picnics or hang flags.  There are no fireworks or cookouts.  It is a very normal day. 
But today is an important day.  Today shaped much of who we are and what we are as a nation, as a country, as a people.  Eight years after that fateful morning, much has changed and yet, much has stayed the same.  Or country has been shaped by these monumental events and we must move forward but we must never forget what is behind. 
We learn about history so that we are not doomed to repeat it.  We talk about the past so we can learn from it.  No matter who you are, where you live or what your circumstance, today is an important day.  Quiet as it might be, take a moment to remember.

09/11/01

A Helping Handheld

We all know that October is breast cancer awareness month - the pink ribbons have become the perfect symbol and reminder.  But how many of us know that September is ovarian cancer awareness month?  Today's Candy from DailyCandy Everywhere edition is reminding us about the importance of ovarian cancer and encouraging us to support the cause.  Electrolux has teamed up with Kelly Ripa for Electrolux and Kelly Ripa’s Text-a-Thon for a Cause.  Making just a $5 donation toward ovarian cancer research by texting the word KELLY to 85944.*  Have no fear - if you are "textually challenged" you can log on to kelly-confidential.com and show your support in just a few clicks.  Each day you log on, whether you donate or not), you’ll be entered for a chance to win a luxury Electrolux front load washer and dryer in Turquoise Sky, the color inspired by the ribbon of ovarian cancer awareness.  So let's all spread the word and start texting to support ovarian cancer research. You'll be glad you did.

article courtesy of Daily Candy - A Helping Handheld
additional information at Ovarian Cancer Research Fund - www.ocrf.org

Up Next...Diane Sawyer

Diane Sawyer will finally get her due.  It's true - the uber talented, extremely intelligent, well spoken Diane Sawyer will become host of "ABC's World News" when Charles Gibson steps down at the end of December.  Come January, Diane Sawyer will finally take the anchor chair.  Like many of her colleagues at ABC, Ms. Sawyer has been an icon of news reporting for nearly three decades.  She is a pillar of coolness, objectivity and class.  From her early days at "60 Minutes" to her current run on "Good Morning America", Ms. Sawyer has always been a top-notch reporter.  Her reporting chops, professionalism, longevity and on-air authority make her an ideal anchor for "ABC's World News".  She will be a welcome challenger for Brian Williams at NBC and Katie Couric at CBS.  And of course the media is already touching on that - the infamous Diane vs. Katie feud and of course, because she is a woman, there is already talk of whether or not she will cut her hair as Katie did to give her more credibility.  (I wonder if any of the male anchors ever worried about their hair?)  Brush these tabloidesque rumors aside - they are ridiculous.  But they do remind me of a wonderful scene in the movie Something's Gotta Give where the Jack Nicholson character reveals that he was engaged to Diane Sawyer and how he cannot for the life of him understand how she could have landed a job behind a desk.  "Such a waste of a great pair of legs," he says to which the Diane Keaton character replies in a somewhat flabbergasted tone, "she's Diane Sawyer for God's sake!"  I think that says it all.  Welcome to the helm Ms. Sawyer.

sources: The Huffington Post - Rachel Sklar What to Expect For - and From - Diane Sawyer ; The Daily Beast - Rebecca Dana The ABC's of Diane's Deal 
photo courtesy of ABC

BYOE - Bring Your Own Entertainment

I read with some amusement the Yahoo! Tech article about how in-flight entertainment systems might possibly become a thing of the past. I can’t even remember the last time I paid one iota of attention to anything that was offered on the in-flight menu, entertainment or otherwise! In this day and age when travel has become more of a hassle than a luxury, I don’t think many of us expect much in terms of an on-board experience. On the contrary, I am always well prepared with a good book, a fully charged IPod, a crossword puzzle and pen, and for the longer flights, a laptop with downloaded movies. And my fellow travelers? They seem engaged in the same activities – books or newspapers, IPod, laptops. So I’m not sure why we’re lamenting the loss of the outdated movie on a tiny screen or the limited loop of songs on the barely audible in-flight radio. The airlines are broke so why not let passengers BYOE? Maybe, just maybe, they’ll save some money.

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Warren Buffet

Billionaire Warren Buffet is going to use his investing powers for good. According to a story in The Los Angeles Times, Buffet is going to collaborate with some industry big wigs to bring investing and finance to kids through an Internet cartoon series. Enter the Wall Street Superhero. I wonder if the cartoon character will be a combination of both Superman and Clark Kent? Either way, you know he will absolutely need glasses! Seriously, I read this article with great interest as I find it to be an ingenious way for kids to learn some fundamentals not only about investing but really, about finance. Our society has become so accustomed to coming of age and receiving credit card offers in the mail without solicitation, it’s no wonder we are in an economic crisis. I wonder how many of us really knew at 17 or 18 the consequences of our spending by plastic. Now of course, the ramifications have become clear. Obviously we have learned the hard way that money, investing and finance is a lesson to be learned by all and truthfully, it should be a required course in school. We learn to read and write – should we not learn to manage our money and secure our financial futures? I applaud Warren Buffet and several other well-known experts lending their knowledge to a forum for our children. After all, what’s the best way to make our kids more fiscally responsible? Have a cartoon superhero teach them how cool it is.

Supreme Significance

It’s about time. The nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court of the United States is long overdue. The first female Supreme Court Justice was appointed in 1981, a milestone for all women in America. However, the fact that it took nearly 30 years to nominate a female minority is unbelievable. If appointed, she would only be the third female Justice in the history of the Supreme Court. Again – unbelievable. And again, I say it’s about time.

Judge Sotomayor has a notable record and has ruled on high profile issues covering everything from baseball to politics, from print media to television. Many lawyers appearing before her court describe her as plain spoken, intelligent, demanding, and sometimes somewhat unforgiving. She is known for her “just the facts” approach to judicial decision making which some may argue does not leave much room for gray areas. Others would say that this black and white method of justice is far better than one dispensed as a reflection of one’s own prejudice. Either way, she has an impressive track record and is more than qualified to sit on the bench accompanied by some of the law’s most brilliant minds.

Her importance however lies more in her background than her impressive circum vitae. Her “extraordinary journey”, as President Obama called it, to this nomination is just that - extraordinary. Sonia Sotomayor is the embodiment of the American Dream and it is that fact alone that will make her decisions on the Court unique and quite possibly stand apart from her colleagues. She will bring to the table a life experience that no other Justice has and it is this point of view that would make her appointment compliment and better represent America as a whole. No doubt, Sonia Sotomayor is a significant nominee but her confirmation would be monumentally historical, not only for women and minorities, but mainly, for this Supreme Court body.

The New Rule

Huffingtonpost blogger and HBO host Bill Maher blogged a New Rule: Not Everything in America Has to Make a Profit. This seems so simple it’s almost too easy. Bill Maher couldn’t be more eloquent or more on the nose. Why does everything have to be for profit’s sake? My first real job was working as a fundraiser for a not-for-profit children's center in Los Angeles. We worked with the surrounding community to raise funds for foster care and therapeutic care for children under-served by the system. The point was not to make millions but to better serve these children who had basically been left behind. What ever happened to that concept? The idea that people should come before profit? This is the heart of Bill Maher’s argument.

Affordable health care is a no brainer not a profit margin. Every American should have it and the government should want to provide it. Countless studies have shown that if people can afford to get preventative care, it is cost effective in the long run. Healthier people equal healthier, more prosperous economy. Why is this such a difficult concept? The bureaucrats on Capital Hill have unbelievable coverage and it is nearly paid for by the average citizen. Interesting that some of the wealthiest people in America have the best health care and they do not pay for it. There seems to be some disparity in the system. Our government needs to find a way to come back to the notion of all men are created equal and that includes affordable health care for all. Business as usual has got to stop in this arena as well as others. Our country and its governing body has to look back at the lessons learned from history and reevaluate our next step. It’s not about big business – look where that’s gotten us. We need to stop the overindulgence and start taking care of our own.