Blog-a-thon Hangover!

Announcements at the end.

I suddenly jolted awake from a deep sleep this morning and was immediately relieved to remember that Dorothy and Tramp were not real.  Phew, just a very well done scary story co-authored by a very able and creative group of bloggers. 

Thank you to all 23 of you who helped make yesterday's blog-a-thon work.  It was a great success... on a couple of levels.  Not only were the story's twists and turns suspenseful, but it was fun, and will have raised upwards of $345.00. 

Special thanks to Susan, the excellent writer who got our story off to a perfect start.  Anybody who has ever aspired write KNOWS that putting the first words to paper is the hardest most nerve wracking part.  She handled it like a pro.  Thanks also to Treye - our closer - who took our individual thoughts and masterfully pulled them together for a strong finish.  And yet... in doing so, he left the door open for a Blog-a-thon sequel!  Well done, Treye! 

And, while some of us were busy authoring a scary story, Peggy was busy authoring this morning's blog post... without even knowing it.

Peggy posed such a fun and refreshing string of questions yesterday morning, that I can't resist reprinting them.  Yesterday was a lot of work, so this feels like the perfect deep breath.  Take a shot at answering Peggy's string of questions and let's see what creative ideas we can generate!

"Where is some juicy Hollywood gossip, who's going to the Superbowl... has everybody been naughty or not so nice?  What can we be thankful for!  2009 is just around the corner!!  Have you seen all the cookie pictures on the women's magazines at the check out?  Who's found anything is in a $1 bin??"

Here's my crack at it...

Juicy Hollywood gossip... yikes, not my thing, but I'll take a shot at it.  Today is Maria Shriver's birthday (I wonder who she's eating lunch with); Going to the Super Bowl will be Dallas and Green Bay (again, not my area of expertise); Nice!; I'm thankful for my health, my family and friends, watching my boys grow up, and having the chance to do what I love; My mother in law just delivered a Family Circle Magazine to my house and it has all kinds of cookies on the cover.  I most excited to try the Coconut Snowballs; love the tins and containers in the Target $1 bin.  I've already picked up a few to package some kind of holiday treat for deserving people. 

Announcements:

• Patchwork Denim: Remember to send me the front page of your local paper, along with some kind of proof - anything - that you voted.  The combination of both earns you an "election" patch for your Patchwork Denim.  Don't know what I'm talking about?  Check out the post from 8/7, titled Patchwork. 
  
• Blog-a-thon Update:  Writers, thanks again for your time yesterday.  Ideally I will be able to send Tera the total sum of money raised for the Helping Hand family, one week from tomorrow (11/14).  Please mail whatever money you raised through sponsorships to Claudia K. Beeny at 4012 Harvestwood Court, Grapevine, TX 76051.
  

Signing off until tomorrow...

Psst... It's Me...

HemmingRAY

Here to get this Blog-a-thon started.

I'm a bulb of few words, but Claudia is making me post reminders before getting our Blog-a-thon started.

• If you are not participating in the Blog-a-thon, please feel free to read along, but refrain from making posts in the comment section.  We are trying to keep the developing story uninterrupted.
  
• If you're a loud mouth like me, and can't keep quiet... scroll down to the post Claudia made earlier today and add a comment in her section.
  
• Claudia also listed Blog-a-thon time slots that have not been claimed.  Feel free to scroll down, check them out, and claim one!  We are operating on CST!
  
• Writers, please be timely.  If you post late (or early) it will throw off the developing story.
  
• Whether you were able to secure $1.00/minute or a nickel per minute, please send your donation to Claudia K. Beeny at 4012 Harvestwood Court, Grapevine, Texas, 76051.
• Also, don't forget to search for the hidden HLAs!

Having said all of that, let's get this show on the road...  

Are you ready?

I, HemmingRAY, will kick us off... in the comment section... 

Blog-a-thon TODAY!

I am filled with hope and pride this morning.

Good morning, everyone.

Last night was a historic event in our nation's history and I feel privileged to have been a part of it.  Regardless of whether your candidate won, we must all acknowledge how lucky we are to live in a country where we have a voice and can choose our leaders.

I would also like to note a point that's been made a few times on t.v.  Red and blue, when combined, makes purple.  Purple... the same color as our friend, Ray's, boots.  I like the coincidence of this and hope it serves as a symbol of Highlowaha's ability to be in community - regardless of political affiliation.  Let our interest in creativity serve as the thing that binds us together.

As for the Blog-a-thon to start later this morning.  Below are some important points to know.

• Start Time: The Blog-a-thon begins at 10:00 a.m. CST and will be under the cover a new post.  I will put it up at exactly 10:00 CST.
  
• Writing Relay: Blog-a-thoners will participate in a Writing Relay.  This means we will co-author a progressive scary story.  Person #1 starts.  Person #2 builds on the work of person #1.  Person #3 builds on the work of person #2, and on and on.
• Comment Section: If you are not participating in the Blog-a-thon, please DO NOT post in the comment section of the post!  We are trying to keep the story running, without interruption. 
• 15-minute Blocks of Time: Blog-a-thoners are each signed up for a 15-minute block of time.  They do not need to write for the entire time, they must simply be on the blog for 15 minutes (I suggest using some of the time to read what the person before you has written).
• BE TIMELY: Blog-a-thoner, PLEASE be timely!  If you post late, you will throw off the schedule!
• Have FUN!  Remember to have fun with this.  Our Helping Hand family is a worthy cause, in addition to this being a fun exercise in creativity!
• JUMP IN: Didn't sign up, but want to participate (or, want to claim an additional time)?  Jump right in.  Below is a list of times that nobody is currently signed up.  It's helpful if you tell me (make a post here or email me at cbeeny@lslog.com), so I can assure that two people aren't simultaneously writing at the same time. 

Time slots still available:

11:00

11:15

11:30

11:45

12:00

12:15

12:45

1:00

1:15

1:30

2:15

2:30

2:45

3:00

3:15

3:45

4:00

4:15

5:45

6:00

6:15

6:45

8:30

8:45

Thank you, everyone, for helping to make this possible.  Signing off until later this morning...

Polls Closed: Mixed Election Results

The polls - my polls - closed late last night and the results are mixed.

I visited Matthew's class at Children's Courtyard yesterday because I wanted to see who four year olds - with all of their simplicity and candor - would vote into the office of President of United States of America.  I pulled up a chair in front of the class and started off by enthusiastically asking, "Does anyone know what tomorrow is?"  Eager to please, they shouted back, "Halloween!," "Christmas," "Santa Claus is coming!," "December."

I quickly redirect their enthusiasm by stating, "It's Election Day!"  I brought the book, Duck for President," so I could warm the class up and get them in the mood to vote.  For those of you who haven't had cause to read the book, it's a great little story about a duck who, tired of his lot in life - decides to overthrow his boss, the farmer.  Realizing that running a farm is very hard work, he runs for governor, then President of the United States.  Each time he runs for office, he wins by a small margin and always because a few extra ballots are found in unsuspecting places like the seat of someones pants or the bottom of a plate of pancakes. 

The book was a hit and now the class was ready to vote.  Matthew helped me hand out a ballot and crayon to each child.  The class was instructed to make an "x" in the box next to the picture of man they thought should be elected President of the United States.  I was encouraged to find that almost every four year old knew who the candidates were (though my son continues to refer to Obama as "Rock-o-bama-cain").  Papers folded, they casted their votes by placing them in a box. 

Excited to know who our next president would be, I ran home to tally the votes.  Election results...  5 ballots eliminated due to hanging chads (voted for both candidates), 3 votes for McCain, and the winner of the 2008 elections...  Barack Obama with a grand total of 18 votes.

Then I had another idea.  Baskin Robbins is currently featuring two flavors, in honor of the presidential election.  Republicans boast the flavor, "Straight Talk" - described as caramel ribbon, chocolate pieces, candy red states  & crunchy mixed nuts swirled into white chocolate ice cream.  Democrats on the other hand stake claim to "Swirl of Change," featuring peanut nougat ice cream whirled with chunks of chocolate covered peanut brittle & caramel ribbon.

What would happen if we could settle our differences using ice cream?  That's right.  A nation-wide ice cream taste test.  The winning flavor clinching the office for his candidate.  To me a stroke of genius.  Vote with your taste buds!  No partisanship, no party lines - just good old fashioned, "My flavor is better than your flavor."

Armed with a quart of each flavor and a whole lot of pink taster spoons, I set my voting booth up outside of Starbucks determined to see who the next President of the United States would be - when left up to our taste buds.  In all, three people abstained from voting (a higher percentage than I would have liked).  In the end... the republicans had a decisive victory.  "Straight Talk" earned 31 votes and "Swirl of Change" left the democrats with only 22 votes.

So which is it?  Which is the more reliable when determining our next President of the United States...  Ms. Latrice's class of four year olds or Baskin Robbins featured flavors?  We shall see!

One more thing.  Whether you're feeling disenfranchised after today's election or depressed, like me, that it's all over, tomorrow brings an opportunity for YOU!  Let your voice be heard by participating in Highlowaha's Blog-a-thon.  A quick reminder that the Blog-a-thon is being hosted to raise money for the Helping Hand family we adopted this holiday season.  How can you get in on it?

• Click on Blog-a-thon (top right hand side of my blog) to see all the times still available. 
  
• Pick an open time that works for you.
  
• Show up on Wednesday ready to participate.
• Participants will be involved in a Scary Story Relay.  The story will begin at 10:00 a.m. , by our first Blog-a-thon participant.  Person #2 will add on to that which was written by person #1.  And on it will go until 10:00 p.m.  
  
• Try to find someone to sponsor you at $1.00/minute.  Ideally we will collect $15.00 per participant (but will settle for a nickel a minute if we have to).  Money will be sent to Claudia K. Beeny at 4012 Harvestwood Court, Grapevine, Texas, 76051.
• Still have questions?  Email me at cbeeny@lslog.com

Gotta go hit the voting booth.  Signing off until tomorrow...

P.S.  Don't forget to earn a Election Patch for your Patchwork Denim by sending me proof of your vote, along with the front page of your local newspaper from Wednesday morning (11/5).

Now, go vote.

Do Over

A few years ago a good friend of mine called to vent about the a less-than-perfect attempt her husband made at celebrating her birthday.  No forethought, no dinner plans, no nothing.  In fact - if my memory serves me correctly, her husband even scheduled a minor medical treatment for that weekend (but not so minor that he wouldn't be laid up for a couple of days).  We agreed her best course of action was not to come completely unhinged, but instead to simply inform him he was being granted a "do-over."  The "do-over" is recognition that what's done is done and that sometimes things don't go as planned.  Rather than dwelling on past imperfections, a do-over focuses on the opportunity to make things right in the future.

Today I want a do-over.  Actually I need two do-overs.

First, I need a do-over of Saturday night's Random Acts of Kindness Party.  By most accounts the party was a success.  Everyone expected was able to attend.  The table was chock FULL of treats, the food was good, friendships were being forged, and, by my estimation, 34 random acts of kindness were boxed up and made ready for delivery.  But, I have notta one picture to share with you!  UGH!  I took my memory card out of my camera on Saturday morning to post the picture of Matthew in his Batman costume and, in all the confusion, I forgot to put it back in my camera.  Not one picture of all the fun treats, vibrant colors, impressive packaging, and smiling faces.  I am so frustrated!

So... you'll have to take my word for it, unless Heather, Cheryl, Erica, or any of the other participants who are visiting today, wants to chime in.

That is my first do-over.  Now the second.  

The Blog-a-thon that never happened.  If you tuned in last week, you might already know the Blog-a-thon Do-over is planned for Wednesday, November 5.  You might also have heard we are shortening the length of the Blog-a-thon, so that it will only last twelve hours - as opposed to the originally planned twenty-for hours.  The Do-Over Blog-a-thon will run from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m... CENTRAL STANDARD TIME!

Of course the down side to the re-vamped schedule is that, rather than raising close to $1,500.00, we will -at best - raise $720.00 for the Helping Hand family we adopted this holiday season.  For more about the service project, please click on Helping Hands listed in the top right hand corner of our blog (under #218's Hot Spots). 

The real beauty of this do-over is that in addition to my getting a second chance, so do all of YOU!!!  If you were unable to sign up for the original Blog-a-thon, hopefully the new schedule will work for you (and your friends).  Highlowaha is seeking 48 people - each to sign up for one 15-minute block of time.  During that 15-minute period of time, blog-a-thon participants will help compose a scary story.  It does not mean participants must write for the full 15 minutes, it just means that at some point during your designated 15-minute period of time, you must contribute something to the story. 

A reminder of how the Blog-a-thon will serve as a fundraiser.  Ideally, each of the 48 participants will acquire a minimum of one sponsorship for $1.00 per minute.  Again, if each participant was successful we could raise $720.00 for the family.  If $1.00 per minute is too much, we will take whatever your sponsor considers doable.  Checks should be sent to me, so I can reconcile the money and send Tera one money order for the total amount.  My mailing address is 4012 Harvestwood Court, Grapevine, Texas 76051.  

Announcements:

• Blog-a-thon: Sign up for your 15-minute time slot by posting a comment under today's comment section.  I will add to the master calendar which you can view by clicking on Blog-a-thon (located in the top right, under 218 Hot Spots).  When you make a post with your ideal time, please remember we are scheduling people based on CENTRAL STANDARD TIME.  Please calculate the time difference when you post your requested time.
• Pumpkin Patch:  Remember to send CSPgrad a picture of your carved pumpkin by Wednesday, October 29 at 5:00 p.m.  On Friday we will host a Pumpkin Carving Contest.  All participants will receive a pumpkin patch for your Patchwork denim.  See the post titled, Patchwork 8/7, for more details.  The winner of the Pumpkin Carving Contest will receive a fun Halloween accessory to give you a jump on next year.
  
• Making Good: Between bobbing for apples and a couple other contests, I feel like I need to assure I am making good on all my promises.  Check this out and tell me if I've left you out.  I think everyone who is waiting to receive something from me has, EXCEPT... Brian you are waiting for your apple of quotes.  Cassie you are waiting for your cookies. Heather I still need to conduct an act of kindness in your name.  Amy your random act was performed last week when I left a painted pot of baked goods for a fellow "swim mom."  Nicole, one of my Random Act of Kindness packages from Saturday night will be sent in honor of YOU!
• Countdown to the Super Bowl:  The secret ingredient for this week's showdown is the peanut.  Good luck to Treye and Melanie who will duking it out... along with Green Bay and the Chicago Bears.  
  

Now let's hope this Monday gets off to a good start, so I don't need yet another do-over.

Signing off until tomorrow...

Bunny Bunny, Boo, and Bailouts, Oh My!

Bunny, Bunny!

Phew, so glad to get that out of the way.  Confused?  See yesterday's post.  

Happy October 1st.  I love October!  Leaves turning vibrant colors, crisp air, sweaters, pumpkins, and my Annual Random Acts of Kindness Party  What more could you ask for?  We are going to have a great month together, gearing up for and celebrating Halloween.

It was just about a year ago that we sold our house and were preparing to make our move from Louisville to Dallas.  We lived in our Old Kentucky home for four years.  The irony, for someone who loves community as much as I do, is that we really only connected with one set of neighbors.  Then, literally weeks before we moved a new family moved in to the neighborhood.  They were great.  Four kids - all around the same age as my boys - fun, social, and generally nice to be around.

They introduced me to the world of "BOO"ing.  Forty two years of life, homes in nine different states, a Halloween Junkie, and I had never heard about the Halloween tradition of "BOO"ing your neighbor.  Once my eyes were opened to the idea, I called everyone I knew.  I called my friends, my sister in-law, my niece, everyone and anyone I thought might get into the act of "BOO"ing.  I single handedly booed my co-workers, other neighbors, and teachers and kids at Matthew's preschool.  I was, for all intent and purposes, a "BOO"ing Ambassador.

So, for the few remaining soles in the world who still might not know what "BOO"ing is - today is dedicated to YOU!  I will share the idea and then we'll "spread the spirit" by "BOO"ing other websites or Blogs.  Think of the fun of it!

BOO!

The air is cool, the season fall

Soon Halloween will come to all.

Ghosts and goblins,spooks, galore,

Tricky witches at your door.

The spooks are after things you do, 

In fact a spook brought this to you!!!

The excitement comes when friends like you

Will copy it & make it two

We'll all have smiles upon our faces,

No one will know who "BOO"ed whose places!!!

Just two short days to work your spell, 

Keep it secret, hide it well.

Please join the fun, the season's here.

Just spread these "BOO's" & Halloween cheer.

Join www.highlowaha.com 

in catching the Halloween spirit and "Booing" two more blogs.  Simply cut and paste this into the comment section of two of your favorite blog sites.

The fun doesn't stop there.  Make a post in our comment section at www.highlowaha.com letting us know you saw this and your name will go in a 

Trick or Treat drawing, to be held on Friday, October 31.

O.k., so my idea is to have each of you cut and paste the orange text and then post it in the comment section of two other blogs.  Let's see how far we can make this spread between now and October 31!  Don't be shy.  How about posting our "BOO" in high-profile blogs such as Oprah's, Ellen Degeneres's, Anderson Cooper 360, Larry King, Joann Fabric's blog.  Think outside the box!

If you've never heard of "BOO"ing and you are interested in doing it for your neighborhood or co-workers, let me know and I will forward you other helpful "instructions."

Still on the topic of Halloween...  Half the fun of holidays is the build up - the anticipation of what is to come.  For Halloween it's the excitement of deciding on a costume, hearing what costumes your friends have decided on, enjoying the decorations in your neighborhood, finding pleasure in simple things like carving a pumpkin or creating a ghost.  Life's simple pleasures... they are out in full force during the Halloween season.

Each day this month, I will share a simple daily activity that my boys and I will engage in to build their excitement and to make sure life's simple pleasures don't escape them.  Emphasis on the word, "SIMPLE."  Sure, there are more elaborate things we could do (the internet is FULL of them), but that isn't realistic for our hectic life style.  Instead we're going to keep it simple.  Feel free to follow along with your family, friends, (or residents).  And, if you're doing something similar, how about sharing the ideas you have?

Today's activity...  Of course... BOO a neighbor!  Per my sister in-law's recommendation, I assigned this to October 1, in an effort to maximize the number of families who get "BOO"ed by Halloween Day.

Now Bailouts.  Not the stock market.  Not the credit market.  This bail out is a Highlowaha bailout.  Midnight yesterday marked the end of the 77 day period, in which we were supposed to accumulate 9,153 views of our site.  We missed the mark by 508 readers.  I was trying to imagine... what's the opposite of Dividend Cookies?  When we exceeded our goal by 1,765 views, I baked chocolate cookies using exactly 1,765 mini chocolate chips.  So, if you miss the goal, what happens?  

I consulted with my MBA husband.  He suggested lowering pay or firing people.  I had to remind him, though he feels like this is my full time job and that so many of you work like paid staff for highlowaha, there is no pay and there is no staff.

Cut backs.  That's what I decided on.  We should still celebrate the 8,645 views we've had over last 77 days, since that's nothing to sneeze at.  BUT, times are tough.  Fewer readers... fewer donations.  Fewer donations... fewer giveaways.  Fewer giveaways... fewer readers.  You see where I'm going with this.  Yes, today we'll celebrate, but we'll have to do it in a no-frills way.  No perks.  Cut backs.  Chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips.  That's what one of our lucky readers will win.   To the Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) box I go...

And the winner is...  

KATIE KOLKMEIER

Announcements:

• RAK Box:  Get your name in the RAK box and be the recipient of a Random Act of Kindness.  Send me a postcard with your mailing address.  Postcards should be sent to Claudia K. Beeny, 4012 Harvestwood Court, Grapevine, TX, 76051.  You've got to be in it to win it.
  
• Have a Pet?  Don't forget to send a picture to kkolkmeier@gmail.com by tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. (EST).  You won't want your pet left out of the fun!
  
• Blog-a-thon:  We have 14 of the 96 slots filled.  82 more to go.  Who do you know?  How can we get them signed up? 

Bunny Bunny and Blog-a-thon

So much to cover, so little time!  I'll be quick and we'll have the usual announcements at the end.

Today we will start with Rabbit Rabbit, Bunny, Bunny.  For months I have committed to sharing this idea and for months I wake up and suddenly it's the second day of the month.  Too late.  Not this month.  This month, come #!@* or high water, I will remember to share this fun little monthly tradition.

I have no idea the origin of Rabbit Rabbit, Bunny Bunny... what, if any, symbolism there is to this activity, or even how it came to be.  All I know is that my sister and I engaged in this ritual on the last night of each month.  Call it mindless fun.  The idea is simple.  On the last day of a month, make the last words you speak before going to sleep be "Rabbit, Rabbit."  Then, when you wake up the next morning on the first day of the next month, make the first words out of your mouth be "Bunny, Bunny."  It is supposed to bring you a month's worth of good luck. 

Of course, as is the case with siblings, fun revolved around trying to make the other person talk after having said "Rabbit, Rabbit."  All kinds of tactics were applied... making funny faces, hanging upside down from the top bunk and pulling hair... you can imagine.   In the morning, however, we were on the same side.  We put our creative resources together to develop a fool proof method for remembering to say "Bunny, Bunny," before saying anything else.  We wrote notes and hung them on our bunk; Wrote the words "Bunny Bunny" in all capital letters on our chalk board, and employed our mother to wake us up holding cue cards.  Neither one of us was willing to risk finding out whether the myth was true.

So, tonight give it a whirl.  Say "Rabbit Rabbit" before you and your kids go to sleep and then greet Wednesday morning with an emphatic. "Bunny Bunny."  Parents... an added bonus is that for this one night out of the month, "Good night" might actually mean good night, after tucking your kids into their beds.

Next topic...  BLOG-A-THON.  This is big.  This is really big.  I'm sure to Jerry Lewis this is a pittance... nothing even worth mentioning, but to us here at highlowaha, this Highlowaha Blog-a-thon is a BIG deal.  It's a big deal for a lot of reasons.

• First, it's sole purpose is to raise money for the Helping Hand family we adopted for the holidays.  There are five kids in the family and in to make their holiday's magical, we will need to fundraise with a purpose!
  
• Second... this is an exercise in creativity!  Our blog readers are setting out to write a scary story...together!  I cannot wait to see what how the collective creativity of our group works together to create something of note.  Employing or creativity for the good of community.  That is what we're all about.
  
• Third... we are thinking big.  To live the spirit of #218, we have to believe we can do something extraordinary.  Anybody can beat the bushes trying to raise money.  And anybody can sit down and attempt to write a story.  But to write a story, while having 24 consecutive hours of participation, with the sole purpose of helping a family in need,... now that is something.  That is the spirit of #218. 
  

But this will not happen with a lot of effort on our part and a lot of coordination on my part.  Today, 25 days before the event, we begin joining efforts and coordinating blog-a-thon details.  Continue to check the link on the top right hand side of my blog labeled, Blog-a-thon for ongoing information and details (it's not there yet, but keep your eyes open).

The most important task for us to begin tackling today is registration of blog-a-thon participants.  Participants in the Highlowaha Blog-a-thon should know we are operating on Central Standard Time (CST).  

• Blog-a-thon Goal: The goal is to have 96 - NINETY SIX - people register for a 15 minute block of time, beginning on Friday, October 24 at midnight (CST) and ending at 11:59 p.m. (CST) that same day.  Thank you, reader SUSAN for volunteering to get our story going at 12:00 a.m. on Friday morning!  That fifteen minute slot is taken.  Only 95 more to go.
  
• Raising Funds: We will raise money because each writer will secure at least one person to sponsor their fifteen minutes on the blog, at the rate of $1.00 per minute.  Of course, you can secure more than on person to sponsor your time on the blog.  That would be icing on the cake.  If, however, everyone got the minimum sponsorship then we will have raised 96 x $15.00 = $1,440.
  
• Fifteen Minutes of Fame: When a person commits to taking a 15 minute block, he/she must be on www.highlowaha.com for the full 15 minutes.  He or she, however, DOES NOT have to be writing the entire time.  Participants could, for instance, read the previous posts for 1o minutes and then write for five minutes, in the end totaling 15 minutes.
• Recruitment: To make this work, we will need to employ friends and family who might also be willing.  Lurkers, we really need you to come out of lurker status, if only for a day.  On an average day we have 50-60 people who each check in 2 or 3 times a day.  For this one day, I will trade the repeat visits of loyal readers for 96 people who visit (and post) one time for 15 minutes.
• International Friends and Readers: Who do we know oversees?  Some of the blocks of time will be hard to manage if we don't solicit the help of some of our international readers and friends.  I have a friend in England.  Rest assured, I will be calling her to take a time slot.  Who do you know and will use please invite them to participate?
• Sign up: To get the time sheet going, claim your time slot by simply posting your preference in the comment section.

Announcements:

• Picture of Your Pet: IMPORTANT!  If you have a pet, please email a picture of your pet to CSPgrad at kkolkmeier@gmail.com, by Wednesday at 5:00!  Don't miss out on the fun! 
  
• Highlowaha Creativity Basket: Sue asked me to inform the everyone that Highlowaha's Creativity basket was a hit.  It raised over $104.00 and helped toward the larger achievement of raising an estimated grand total of $10,000.  
  
• Check into Helping Hand Link:  All this talk about the Blog-a-thon reminds me...  Please check out the link to the right labeled, Helping Hand, to learn more about our holiday initiative and to learn more about the family receiving our thoughtful gestures.  Ages and sizes of the five children are listed, along with a short list of things they would like from Santa.
  
• Good Neighbor Day:  Different people went to different lengths on this day.  Me... my attempts were feeble... smiley face balloons attached to bottles of coke.  The notes read, "Have a Coke and a Smile.  Thanks for being my neighbor."  CSPgrad on the other hand... she is a maniac.  CSPgrad baked batches of cookies for the residents in her building at James Madison University.  The kicker... her oven is small, allowing her to only bake THREE cookies at a time!  Now that's impressive!
• Paint Your Town Red:  I painted my town red with coke bottles for Good Neighbor Day in an effort to generate more donations for Heather's friend, Julie.  Remember, we are collecting Coke Reward Points and sending them to our "Regional Directors," so they can gather points by region.  Maybe Heather will be kind enough to post regions and current tally's some time today in the comment section.  Regional Directors... feel free to chime in with an encouraging or motivational word of your own
  

Signing off until tomorrow... Rabbit, Rabbit.