This Spuds No Dud

Potato sacks are out and glitz and glam is in.  I hope you're taking note, because Highlowaha's People's Choice Awards Show is only three weeks away.  We have lots to do to prepare for our party and picking out just the right outfit should rank among the most important.  I know what you're thinking... Dress up for a Virtual Award Show to be watched on my computer in the privacy of my own living room?  Is she crazy?

No, I am not crazy, but I am serious.  Dressing up in anticipation of walking the red carpet is part of fully embracing and celebrating everything for which Highlowaha stands.  We live the Spirit of #218 - meaning we can find cause for celebration in even the simplest of things.  So, yes, there is a dress code for the People's Choice award and potato sacks are out.  Dust off your fanciest dress and most glamorous jewelry in anticipation of this important One Year Anniversary.

The only thing more important than securing the perfect outfit is submitting your nominations for the nine award categories.  For your convenience, the categories and criteria are listed at the end of today's post.  

Back to potato sacks.  While a potato sack would be wholly inappropriate for the likes of our celebration, potato sacks were 100% appropriate for the party I attended one week ago today.  This party tradition is compliments of my new and special friend, Misty.

Imagine my surprise when Misty excitedly stopped me in the hallway or our children's day care in early December to invite me to her annual... POTATO SOUP PARTY!  What?  Potato Soup Party?  Now I know parties, but never - I mean never - in my life have I have heard of, nor been invited to, a potato soup party.  I was intrigued.

Here's the idea.  Years ago, Misty and a handful of her friends decided to forgo gifts at Christmas time and, instead, to give one another the gift of time.  No presents, just an intimate gathering of girlfriends with a long and cherished shared history.  Part of their history dates back years to when one of the women (Misty) worked at Grady's, a local restaurant with award winning potato soup.  By hook, and probably a little crook, the women got hold of the coveted recipe and pronounced it the official meal of the evening.

Fifteen years later, these women continue to meet for their annual Potato Soup Party.  Over time, each has been granted permission to welcome a guest or two into the mix.  This year I was lucky enough to be among the chosen few.  The warm potato soup is great and worth every carb and calorie consumed.  But, the real warmth comes from an evening spent with smart, fun, supportive women, all of whom seemed to genuinely understand how rare and fleeting moments like these can be as we get older and life gets busier and more complicated. 

We played a game, but actually the game only served as the excuse to get down to the business of sharing life's ups and downs and our most recent trials and tribulations.  An hour into the evening and we were telling stories like we'd know each other for years.  That's the magic of women and, in large part, the secret ingredient that makes the Annual Potato Soup party so special.

The other highlight of the evening to me was listening to the women share funny stories from years past.  There was the year the soup, which normally cooks the better part of the day, hadn't even been started when the guests arrived.  Then there was the year the wine flowed and one of the original five party goers got sick; the year a regular missed the party because she was literally in the hospital delivering a baby; and then the first year the party transitioned to an all night slumber party.  

They spent a portion of the evening retracing who hosted which party and where they were living at the time.  It was fun to listen to, because it was a simple reminder that though life changes, addresses change, family size changes, some things don't change.  Friendship doesn't change and all it takes is to keep something so priceless in tact is a simple bowl of potato soup.  I love for it's simplicity.

I would be remiss if I didn't brag about one more thing - Misty's invitations.  Take a look.  The invitations were handwritten on a cut out potato, placed in a burlap bag, and tied with raffia.  Perfect.  I know.  She's a pro.  One of us.

So while we will celebrate Misty and her potato sack, we will not confuse it, in way shape or form, as appropriate for our upcoming party.  Get busy picking out your outfits.  That's where I'm headed.

Recap of Nine People's Choice Award Categories:

Sliced Bread Award
This People's Choice Award will go to the Highlowaha reader who shared an idea you consider the "best thing since sliced bread."  It's an idea you have either utilized or passed on to others.  Please tell the idea he/she shared.

Raising the Bar Award
This People's Choice Award will go to the reader who shared an idea that has, in some way, enhanced the Highlowaha community.  Please share the name of the person and/or the idea he/she introduced.

Good Neighbor Award
This People's Choice Award goes to the reader whose overall participation and contributions to Highlowaha have strengthened our blog's community.

Energizer Bunny Award
This People's Choice Award goes to the adventurous reader who actively participates in daily activities.

Spirit of #218
The spirit of Highlowaha means making time for interactions and experiences, in spite of the busy, fast-paced lives 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.  

The Newbie Award
This People's Choice Award goes to a Highlowaha reader who has only been with us since October 2008, or later but whose participation we couldn't live without.

The Veteran Award
This People's Choice Award goes to a Highlowaha reader whose been with us since at least May 2008 and whose participation we couldn't live without.

Oz Award
This People's Choice Award goes to the Highlowaha reader you would most like to bring out from behind the curtain to meet.

Signing off until tomorrow...  

Virtually Groundbreaking: The Countdown

What a go of it we've had!  First the summer Olympics; followed by the primaries; then presidential campaigning; the melt down of the economy; presidential elections; and yesterday the 56th Presidential Inauguration.  Phew! Our country has been busy.

Just when you thought you we were done and you could go back to your quiet corner of the world, Claudia announces Highlowaha's next big event.  We are 28 short days away from Highlowaha's One Year Anniversary and it is time to get our festivities underway.  We can't pull off an event of this size and scope without a lot of preparation and involvement from all of you!

Here's an overview.  Next week we welcome new readers as we spend the week at our Virtual Baby Shower.  The week after (February 2-7) we will finish some of Highlowaha's unfinished business, in an effort to kick the new year off right.  February 9-14 is Red Carpet Week.  While normally I support going green, this week we'll go red.  We will share ideas of fun ways you can prepare for the big event on Wednesday, February 18 at 8:00 p.m. CST.  Did you get that?  Wednesday, February 18 at 8:00 p.m. CST.  Mark your calendars.  Oh, and in addition to Red Carpet Week, we'll throw in a creative idea or two to get you ready for Valentine's Day.  

Then comes the the week of February 16-21.  This is a week you won't want to miss!  It is when we will celebrate all our community has accomplished over the past year.  There will be lots of reminiscing, but also some looking ahead.  The main event for week will be Wednesday, February 18.  We are hoping each of you will carve out an hour of your evening, so you can join in our festivities - not to mention celebrate your accomplishments with one another.  

The fun won't stop abruptly on Wednesday, February 18.  In fact, on Thursday, February 19 an important and groundbreaking announcement will be made about the future of Highlowaha.  You won't want to miss it!

Having said all of that, in preparation of our One Year Anniversary festivities, we have some business to conduct.  Wednesday, February 18, at 8:00 p.m. CST we will use our blog to broadcast the...

Highlowaha People's Choice Awards

The People's Choice Awards will allow Highlowaha readers to recognize one another for contributions made to our lively blog.  The event will be the perfect combination of both community and creativity.  Community because you will be honoring one another's efforts and creativity  because we, of course, have to figure out how to make it all happen virtually.

So with no further ado, let us get the nomination process underway.  You will nominate someone by sending me an email at cbeeny@lslog.com and indicating who you think is most deserving (please put People's Choice Award in the subject).  Please include a line or two about why.  There are nine total awards.  Do not post in the blog's comment section or the nominees will not be surprised!  

We will feature three awards each day for the next three days.

Sliced Bread Award

This People's Choice Award will go to the Highlowaha reader who shared an idea you consider the "best thing since sliced bread."  It is an idea you have either utilized or passed on to others.  Please tell the idea he/she shared.

Raising the Bar Award

This People's Choice Award will go to the reader who shared an idea that has, in some way, enhanced the Highlowaha community.  Please share the name of the person and/or the idea submitted.

Good Neighbor Award

This People's Choice Award goes to the reader whose overall participation and contributions to Highlowa have strengthened our blog's community.

Lurkers!  I hope you feel like you can participate in the festivities by casting your vote and by tuning in on Wednesday, February 18 at 8:00 CST.  We know there are a good number of you out there and we are interested in what you have to say!

Finally... a creative idea for the day.  Yesterday was my oldest son's birthday.  He turned 16.  Those of you with teenagers know, they really only want money, so he can buy... in his case a car (Yes, buy.  No free rides in the Beeny household!).  Rather than just give Ricky cash - kind of impersonal and nothing creative about it - we decided to give him "Cold Hard Cash."  

Picture it.  I filled a meatloaf pan with water, laid the bill on top, and froze it.  Once frozen, I added more water on top and froze it again.  In the end, it was a block of ice with a bill on the inside.  Cold Hard Cash.  Love it.

Cheryl, jump in with the creative adaptation you shared with me.

Signing off until tomorrow...