Noteworthy

You might have heard.  Something special is in the air.  Highlowaha is 27 days away from celebrating our One Year Anniversary  - and in a big way!  Though the celebration will peak on Wednesday night, February 18 at 8:00 p.m.  CST, we have festivities planned for the week leading up to our anniversary and for the week following our celebration.

Anniversary fun begins February 2-7 when we spend the week wrapping up unfinished highlowaha business, so we can start  the new year with a clean slate.  February 9-14 will be RED HOT!  We'll use the week to prepare for February 18th's big gala, as well as the much anticipated Valentine's Day.  Five o'clock a.m. on Thursday, February 19 brings BIG, BIG changes to Highlowaha - an announcement you won't want to miss.  The fun won't stop abruptly on Thursday, February 19, as we have one final week of fun planned for February 23-27.  Mark your calendars now.  You won't want to miss a single day.

As noted yesterday, The People's Choice Awards, scheduled for Wednesday, February 18 at 8:00 p.m. CST can't get underway until each of you (veteran readers and newbies, posters and lurkers) does your part.  Yesterday I introduced three of the nine categories for which awards will be presented at our celebration.  Today I will present another three and tomorrow we will wrap up the week with the final three award categories.

Yesterday Julie asked some good clarifying questions about the nomination process, so let me provide additional details.  (1) You may wait until all nine categories are shared before submitting nominations.  (2) There is no limit to the number of awards for which a person may be nominated.  (3) Nominations must be submitted to me, via email, by Monday, January 26, at midnight (your time).  (4) Please place the words, "People's Choice Awards" in the subject line of your email.

Yesterday's award categories were: (1) Sliced Bread Award, (2) Raising the Bar Award, and the (3) Good Neighbor Award.  Check out yesterday's post for descriptions of each award.  Today's award categories are as follows...

Energizer Bunny Award

This People's Choice Award goes to the adventurous reader who is up for anything and actively participates in daily activities.

Spirit of #218 Award

This spirit of Highlowaha means making time for interactions and experiences, in spite of the busy, fast-paced lives in which we live.  This People's Choice Award goes to the person whose life seems to most encapsulate Highlowaha's Spirit of #218.

Home Run Award

This People's Choice Award goes to the reader who whacked an idea so hard, he or she knocked it out of the park.

Today's Creative Idea.  Since we are busy recognizing notable people, I thought I would share a "notable" gift idea.  I gave myself this great gift for Christmas.  For $35.00 I hired Peggy Robinson, long time reader and card maker extraordinaire, to make me a greeting card each month for the year.  Monthly, Peggy will hand make me a card and then mail it, along with an envelope, to my address.  Once received, I make a date with myself at Starbucks and spend 30 minutes in solitude thinking about and writing to the recipient of that month's card.  Yesterday I sent January's card, reaffirming what a great idea this was.  

Let's review.  I get guaranteed snail mail at least once a month for an entire year.  I get a handmade card, that if purchased in a store would be $5.00 - easy (!), for the very reasonable price of $2.00.  A quiet date at Starbucks at least once a month (alright, who am I kidding?).  And, as if not already good enough, next year at this time I will have committed a minimum of twelve random acts of kindness.  Pretty good for $35.00.

Final Note.  Anonymous, thank you for helping to keep me on track.  The winner of this months Highlowaha t-shirt(s) are...

Heather and Cassie P. 

(If I am correct, it so happens that neither already has a shirt!)

Signing off until tomorrow...