Happy Memorial Day

While it's great that we all get the day off of work, please, please, PLEASE don't forget what today is about. It's not really about barbecues and hanging out at the pool. It's about our military members and their families, past and current, who have sacrificed so much for us to be able to barbecue and lounge by the pool.

So while you are celebrating, please thank a solider and their family. Because that's what today is really all about.

Oops!

I deal with this kind of stuff every day. Everyone, and I mean everyone, expects that because you are in PR and communications you will never, ever, ever, EVER make a mistake. And my response is always, "that's an expectation that I cannot meet, so you are automatically setting me up to fail." It's true. We're all human. We make mistakes. No matter how many times I look at a brochure, news release, email, catalog, etc., along with three or four people in my office, it sometimes happens. Plain and simple. We're all human.

And it happened at the University of Texas.



I'm not gonna lie. It's embarrassing when it happens. But it just goes to show that it happens. And all you can do is apologize, fix the problem, and move on. After all, it's really not the end of the world. I promise.

And so it begins...

The official start of the 2012 hurricane season is still weeks away, but the Atlantic has its first named storm - Alberto - off the coast of the Carolinas. While it doesn't appear to pose a threat to the U.S., it's still a reminder that those of us who live along the coast need to start preparing.

I went to a pre-hurricane season meeting earlier this week, and the folks from NOAA are predicting not as many named storms as we had last year, which is good, but Texas needs to take heed. Because of the weather pattern and the warm Gulf of Mexico (remember that mild winter we had? yea, not so good for hurricane season) there is the potential for rapidly developing storms in the Gulf. That means we may only get 48 hours notice, rather than 96 or more. Remember Humberto a few years ago?

So, get your water supply ready (I will be picking up several cases tomorrow at the grocery store), get those batteries handy, and have a plan in place. Having been through Ike, and through a couple other tropical storms, it's serious, so please be ready!

In case you're wondering, here are the 2012 hurricane names.

Alberto
Beryl
Chris
Debby
Ernesto
Florence
Gordon
Helene
Isaac
Joyce
Kirk
Leslie
Michael
Nadine
Oscar
Patty
Rafael
Sandy
Tony
Valerie
William

Happy hurricane season, y'all!

What an EGG-cellent weekend!

I don't know about you, but I had a really great weekend! It was rather EGG-cellent, if I do say so myself. Get it? Egg-cellent... as in it was Easter weekend, and Easter is all about the eggs. Ha! I crack myself up sometimes.

So Friday I was off work (yay!), and the weather was beautiful. It was beautiful all weekend, as a matter of fact, which made it all that much better. Jay helped a friend with the bilge pump on his boat, and he in turn treated us to lunch at Bakkus in Kemah. O.M.G. If you've never eaten there, YOU MUST! I've been there before, but it's been awhile, and Friday reminded me of why we should go more often. It was amazing. They have this fire feta cheese appetizer that is to.die.for. We sat outside (did I mention that the weather was beautiful all weekend?), and had a really great time. Thanks, Dave!!

Saturday we got up early and went to the Farmer's Market. One of our new friends on the island owns a flower business, so I ordered some stargazer lilies from her for Easter. Can I just say GORGEOUS!! Wow. They are amazing. And they smell SO GOOD! We had breakfast at our favorite weekend breakfast place, Skipper's, and spent the rest of the day riding around in the golf cart doing a little campaigning (yes, I'm running for City Council in Clear Lake Shores).

Easter Sunday we got up early and went to sunrise service at the park across the street. Yes, you heard correctly... Jay and I went to sunrise service. We've lived on this island for nearly seven years now, and never gone, so we figured it was about time. And we're glad we did. It was gorgeous to watch the sun come up over the channel and to be with our neighbors. After that,we headed to La Brisa for breakfast with Dave and Adelia, and then it was time to get ready for the deviled EGG-stravaganza. The Civic Club was hosting a crawfish boil and fish fry for Easter Sunday, and it kicked off with a deviled egg contest. There were prizes for best tasting and presentation. I was FLOORED! The amount of creative talent on this island is amazing! I took so many pictures that I didn't want to post them in a big long post, so I made a slideshow and posted it below. Check it out. Wow, wow, WOW! Needless to say, I did not win. But that's OK. Grandma's deviled egg recipe is still the best to me! The rest of the afternoon was so nice. About 200 people showed up to the party, and we had a great time, complete with a horseshoe contest that was one by the mayor's wife. No, it was not rigged... she's just that good! With all of the crap that has been going on recently in our little slice of paradise, it was nice that neighbors came together to be neighbors, and put the BS aside. One more reason I LOVE living in Clear Lake Shores, Texas!



Have a great week!

Happy Pi Day!

In honor of 3/14 (that's Pi Day for all of you that don't know), here's a pretty clever video. Enjoy!