Friday, July 26, 2013

Powerball and Pay It Forward

....it is $192 million you know!  Did you ever wonder what you would do if you won the PowerBall or some other crazy amount of money in a game of chance???  Jason and I talk about this every time the jackpot gets high...it's the only time we play...when the odds are totally out of your favor for winning because every hillbilly and their mother is playing.  Jason will promptly quit his job and move to a deserted island while I continue to work...on my terms of course.  I will promptly join him when I am in need of a break from continuing to save the world and paying it forward.  He says I can fly down in the jet we own.   Oh, if life were only so easy!  Perhaps I could blog every 40 hours until my 40th birthday if I had more time and wasn't working.  For now, I will cram the beginning of what seems like the last 40 weeks into a update post as I feel like I need to get caught up.  I'm still blazing the way to 40....




For what it's worth, a Wednesday birthday is kinda sucky...you can't party like it's the weekend and no one really knows how to put together a Wednesday birthday celebration.  However, I had the most fabulous 37th birthday!!  Had dinner with the hubster and ended the night just perfectly....I made him sing Happy Birthday to me so that I could blow out the birthday candles!
                   
                                                  This is Happy with the Birthday cupcake!



I totally have to pick up where I left off with my 40X40 birthday "pay it forward."  As you  may recall, one of the 40X40 birthday activities is to pay if forward with $40 on my birthday.  Must harder than I planned.  You will never believe this ridiculous story. Nothing happened on my birthday to inspire the give, despite my best efforts.  So, it's towards the end of my birthday week and I still haven't quite captured the moment to pay it forward. Enter my brother Mark and sister-in-law Stephanie and a request to go to our local ice cream shop, Carmen & David's.  Now, Carmen & David's is a local ice creamery that makes homemade ice cream that is to die for.  My personal favorite is Peanut Butter Oreo followed by the Fluffernutter ice cream sundae which tastes exactly as it sounds.  So we get there and the line is out the door as usual and they close to closing time.  While standing in line, I decide that it is the perfect time for my pay it forward.  There's a few folks behind us, totally cute little old couple, a cute younger couple, and one or two families.  Perfect.  Let's make it happen.   Screeching halt!!!!!!!  Ding Dong Teenager Alert.  Sweet Lord, what is happening to this world?  Let me introduce you to my conversation as I approach the cash register with my ice cream....

Me: 
Hi!  I would like to pay for my ice cream and $40 worth of ice cream for the people behind me.  Can you help me do this as part of my own "pay it forward" good deed?

Ditsy Register Girl:
Um, what does pay it forward mean?  I don't understand what you want to do.

Me:  I have $40 here (insert form of payment) and would like you to apply it to the cost of the ice cream for the rest of the people behind me.  Pay it forward...it means I do something nice for someone, like pay for their ice cream, and then they get inspired to do something similar for other people.

Ditsy Register Girl:
Um, I've never heard of that.  I'm pretty sure we can't let you pay for someone else. What would I tell them?

**insert annoyance on my end as this is beginning to be the most frustrating conversation about paying for other people's ice cream and the line is backing up and defeating the purpose of doing something nice for someone else**

Me:  Can you just write all of the ice cream prices down and keep track of everyone until the end of the line now that you've closed the door and then I will pay the tab at the end?  (because at this point I will pay more than $40 just to make this happen!)

Ditsy Register Girl has now called over Ditsy Register Girl 2 for assistance....OF WHICH SHE PROVIDES NONE!!!!   So, I told her to just ring up mine and then also paid for Mark & Stephanie. Epic fail on the pay it forward at Carmen & David's.  The three of us proceeded to enjoy our ice cream and quietly contemplate what just occurred because none of us could believe it. 


Did I ever get to pay it forward????  I did.  It was so much less dramatic and exactly as it was supposed to be.  I'm sure the family of three was blessed!  Sorry you don't get the details...a girl should never give and tell!  Can't wait for next year!


Monday, May 6, 2013

Keeping up with the blog is not one of my better skills...it's an update!


I'll tell you what, keeping up with a blog is not easy.  Seriously, I am publicly taking back all of the not so nice comments I may have thought to myself regarding people who quit their "real jobs" to blog and then make good money at it.  Whatever.  It is what it is and I love what I do, so I won't be quitting my job for this blog....because really, what would I write about after I turn 40?? Turning 50- no thanks!  However, some really cool stuff has been happening in the 40x40 world and it's so much more fun to share.


I really have so much to catch you up on.  P!nk, The Color Run 5k, the Race Against Racism 5k, Celebration events, and an update on the bucket list.  The critics are all telling me that I am losing the followers by not having regular updates; I am just categorizing it as the scarcity mentality...keep you feigning for more!  Here's your fix............

I am not normally a birthday boaster; however, it's linked to the 40x40 as the main anchor event, so it's obligatory that I remind you that it's May 8th....yup, just 2 days away!   So, it's one of those years that isn't really conducive for feeling like your birthday is a special, super fabulous occasion.  No magical number and that's right people, my birthday is on a Wednesday this year.  The weekend before is just too early to celebrate, the weekend after it's lost it's luster, and really, as a grown up professional in the midst of everyone else's "end of the school year meltdown mode"  (those are just the adults!) I just can't afford to be firing on less than all cylinders Thursday morning.  The 40x40 birthday pay it forward event will be bringing the joy this year!

As you may recall, the 40x40 event for my birthday is a pay it forward in the amount of $40 sometime during the day.  I haven't decided yet what I am going to do....plan or spur of the moment?  One place or several?  Any suggestions for me?  I am not a stranger to pay it forward; I often just do it as the mood strikes me....normally my spidey social work sense is on...also known as divine discernment.  What do you think?  You only have more more day before I deploy the mission- comment here or on Facebook.

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Celebrate with Me....Daughtry and Drinks


Once the snow went from menacing to melted on the roads, we were good to go.  A whirlwind Saturday awaited me beginning with cousin Kyle and Kari's baby shower, a 40X40 meet up at O'Call's, the Daughtry show, and a late night round out 40X40 return at O'Calls.   Yes, it was that busy and that much fun!

Here's a re-cap via pictures...


We left off the last post with this beautiful Saturday morning after snow



First, I was off to the Wegmans Neighborhood Bar and Grill for Kyle and Kari's "Baby Quinn Quinn" Shower
 

Awww....aren't they so cute???  They're going to make the best, coolest parents!


                                                        Next it was off to the first O'Call's Celebratory meet up. 











Then to Balcony Center at the Main Street Armory for my 9th Daughtry show....good no matter how many times I see him live!
By far, one of the greatest highlights happened as the night came to an end back at O'Call's! 

Time with two of my favorite women!!
Mom and Jodie celebrating "Happy" style.  So glad they could join me for the journey:)

....and to round out the weekend we had a couple of February birthdays to celebrate

The birthday girls donning the 40X40 Birthday Hat (all the cool kids are doing it)!


Me and my Momma


Next stop is the big reveal on some of the items you all selected to be part of the 40X40.  Plus, it's a big month coming up; the very first Bucket List activity is on it's way.  Keep on reading to find out what's next!




Yes, it's long overdue....February Celebratory Events!!

This is harder than I thought.  Now I know why good bloggers quit their jobs and make a living from this- it really requires you to be in a space and place that allows for you to get it all out in a way that makes a good read for everyone.  I just don't have time....err ok.... maybe I just have not made the time.  But, alas, the 40X40 has gone on and I have lots I need to update you on.  First, we've got to take it all the way back to February's Celebratory Event.  This was a great weeked long celebration that involved lots of wine, snow, great friends, great music, and time with family!

For those of you that have known me for any amount of time, you know that I have done the drive from PA to Rochester probably at least 200 times since I first started living in Pennsylvania almost 20 years ago.  My best time has been around 4 hours and 15 minutes (which I did on the night my niece was born) and came with a speeding ticket; only 1 of 2 I have ever received in all of these drives.  But, the 40X40 drive was different....the snowstorm of the century was coming and I needed to beat it so that I could get there in time to take said niece Olivia to her doctors appointment for my sister Amanda.  I hauled ass and made it in 4 hours without a drop of snow until the Hylan Drive exit just south of the City.  And then this is what I saw....
and it got progressively worse....with accidents everywhere

and for those who wonder what a real snow day looks like on the roads....


I did eventually get to the house to pick up Olivia, get her across town to the doctor and back...eventually arriving all the way back across town to "Shamrock Farm" for an evening of hanging out with Tommy a nd Katie...chicken pot pie, and multiple bottles of wine!


Katie and I sure can put that wine journal to work!!!  BTW...both of these are excellent selections if you are ever looking for a good white:)

But the real reason for the weekend had finally arrived.....It's Daughtry Concert Day, Baby Shower Day and the 40X40 February Celebratory Event at O'Calls!

But first, this was the beautiful aftermath of the snowstorm


Saturday, February 16, 2013

It's 40 Days In....get me those ideas in the next 40 hours!

Today marks the 40th day into the 40X40 challenge.  I am allowing 40 more hours for folks to submit their ideas for my additional adventures!  I am most looking forward to the ideas that others are suggesting...I can really hardly contain myself about it!!  To clear up some questions I have been receiving, let me go over a few parameters.  You only need to submit ideas for challenging adventures; they do not need to incorporate the number 40 unless you choose it that way.  They can be simple ideas such as trying snowboarding for the first time to something as elaborate as trying zip lining or participating in a half marathon.  None of those ideas have been taken by the way; so if one strikes your fancy as a suggestion, by all means, submit the idea. Additionally, the ideas can incorporate other people or they can just incorporate me.  Don't forget, I'll be drawing 20 ideas to add to my list of 20 (which you'll begin to hear more about as time goes on).  

So, as an official 40X40 milestone event day, you might be wondering how I chose to celebrate or signify the day.  With two of my favorite girls of course!  My sister Amanda (aka Punky) and my niece Olivia (aka Liv) are down in PA visiting this weekend.  We did what most girls do best...shopped, ate yummy food, and laughed together.  My sister is a super awesome mom!  I am not even quite sure how she does it, but she is the best mom to my niece and I know that I could never do what she is doing with as much grace as she does it! 



This is an obvious statement as Jason and I both allowed Liv to hang out in Bella's dog crate today!

The evening has ended with the munchkin in bed, my sister out having a good time with great friends, and me writing the blog and enjoying two of life's other finer things...
In case you're wondering, the Riesling is a perfect match for just about anything!  Tonight, it's paired with a Red Hot Velvet cupcake from Lancaster Cupcake.  This is truly the most delicious cupcake I have ever eaten -most of you know that is a pretty big statement. Just imagine your childhood favorite red hot candies wrapped up in a super moist and delicious cupcake.  Yes, it's as good as it sounds and it's from a fellow Messiah Alum's local business!

Alright, hurry up and email me your 40X40 adventure challenge ideas at queenpam143@gmail.com or post a comment here on the blog or to Facebook.....however you do it, just get it done!!  I know there are some really great ideas out there. 
40 hours...ready...set...go!

-That's 6pm Monday for the math slackers-

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

So Much Suspense and a Celebratory Event Announcement!!

Oh my word!  I love all of the flutter around what my big reveal is regarding the bucket list item.  And, I have gotten some great suggestions for the 20 things to add to my list.  Have you added yours yet???? Don't miss out; if it's something really cool and I pick it, I might invite you along:) 

Alright, let's get down to business.  I am having the second Celebratory Event THIS WEEKEND IN ROCHESTER!!!  There is so much to celebrate....it's my cousin's birthday- yay Kyle!  It's his wife Kari's baby shower, I'll be celebrating my mom's upcoming birthday AND Chris Daughtry is going to be in concert!  What the heck else would be more appropriate than a 40X40 Celebratory Event?? 

Here's the deal:

Saturday at O'Callaghan's I will host the first event at 5:15pm with a second event around 11pm (after the concert) back at O'Calls.  I am looking for all my Roc friends that have been so supportive already with the journey to join me for one of the events.  Hey, if we haven't seen each other in awhile, stop out- it's a great reason for an impromptu mini reunion.  Don't forget the important details...I buy the first $40 worth of whatever...in this case, probably drinks.  For this special occasion, I will do this for both time events.  I do need to reveal an important caveat to the 5:15 event.... There is a slight chance that a second item on my bucket list could become a reality.  If this is the case, I will post an announcement on Facebook and the blog to cancel the 5:15 event as soon as I know....and then we'll party at 11ish and I'll tell you all about it!!! If you don't see a post stating it's cancelled, we're on as planned.

Recently I was having a conversation with a friend of mine about the 40X40.  She said, "I don't know how I feel about this whole secretive side of you."  She was referencing my excitement about securing a bucket list item but not telling her what it was until I "revealed it on the blog."  My response went something like this (minus quotations because it will be too much work and stupid)...so, one of the reasons I am doing this adventure and using the blog is because I am a fairly private person.  I work in an environment that is subject to public opinion and in the public eye, I work hard and play hard...but don't always include as many of my close folks as I should...and I don't always take a lot of personal risks.  Sooo, it's not that I am being secretive, I am actually just being more public about what's happening and telling you that I am not telling you about it (making it seem like a secret).  Does that make any sense???  In the end, you'll know more (probably more than you wanted) and I will have shared more.  It's really just my way of still having control over the situation...that's a conversation for another day...and no, Jason, you may not claim "give up control" as one of the items for my list!

Oh, you're still reading because you want to know the first bucket list reveal??  Ok, here it is.  If you are a really close friend to me (family or otherwise), you are one of the few that know I am a closet Pink! fan.  I guess when you have a blog and state you like something, you aren't really in the closet about it anymore.  Nonetheless, I am a huge Pink! fan and I have always, ALWAYS, always wanted to see her in concert.  I don't know why, but I connect with her music on some level regardless of how ridiculous that seems and am sure that seeing her live is a great experience and one that has been on my bucket list for awhile.  Guess What???

I'M GOING TO SEE PINK! LIVE IN CONCERT!!!!

AND I CAN'T WAIT....
AND YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO JUDGE...

It's my bucket and we're throwing Jason in it and heading to my favorite state of North Carolina to see Pink! in Charlotte over St Patty's Day weekend!  What's better than seats that are so good you describe the cost as "you can't put a price tag on the experience" and a venue that's close to one of my closest friends and great family??  Nothing right now- it's a "Happy" moment and he'll be joining us!

Sunday, February 3, 2013

40X40 Kickoff Event Highlights and the Journey Continues...


The 40X40 kickoff was a huge success!  It was so great to have many friends and family join me as I start this journey.  My boss even made an appearance...no pictures of that though:) and we were all able to celebrate my good friend Shanon's birthday! She'll probably hate that I put the picture of her in the silly birthday hat I got her on this blog, but she was the reason we were celebrating afterall!

It was so great to take 40 minutes to celebrate each other and everyone went home with the 40X40 mascot "Happy."  I'm sure Happy will gain some other nicknames along the way, but for this night, he was simply "Happy!"  I am truly blessed and thankful for everyone who supported me for the Kickoff Celebratory event...whether in person, by text, or calling me from all across the country...truly blessed and Happy!

My BFF Michele and some pretty cool work friends!



Shanon smiling in her ridiculous birthday hat, shining on as the most special optimist I have in my world!


So, milestone one is down and we are supersonically approaching the next milestone on February 16th.  Remember, the one you all are supposed to be helping with???  Come on people, this is hard enough for me to keep track of everything and I desperately need your help!  February 16th will mark the 40th day into the Journey and is when I would like to have the list of my future adventures pulled together.  Here's a reminder of what you're supposed to be doing to help me with this milestone......

I will be taking your suggestions for what the other 20 parts of my journey will be.  What is the one thing you would incorporate if you were doing this journey?  What's the one thing you would like to see me do as part of this journey?  I can't wait to see all of the cool suggestions.  I will be taking suggestions for the next 40 days (until February 16th) and will throw them into a hat and randomly select 20 to add to the journey. Only comments posted on the blog or the Facebook post of this blog entry will count as official suggestions.

Alright, you've got your assignment, don't let me down!  Plus, check back tomorrow for info on February's Celebratory Event...it's on the move to Rochester and happening before the 24/7 is up! And as an added bonus, I will be revealing my first bucket list item right here on this blog tomorrow (which most people are going to find completely ridiculous..but hey, it's my bucket, not yours!).


Sunday, January 6, 2013

The big daddy post.....set aside time to read!

Well, the blog has turned out to be a great hit with everybody after just one entry!  Looking back to that hot day in August when I first dreamed up this idea for the 40 by 40, I had no intention of blogging about it or any idea that so many people would be so interested in the 40 by 40 journey itself.  None at all.

Some of you may know that Jason and I started a blog when we first got married called "Honeymooners on the Run" where we chronicled our journey in preparing to compete in our first triathlon.  Yeah, that lasted all of about five minutes and maybe two posts!  This was partly because the triathlon got cancelled due to flooding and partly because it just didn't happen...a married couple that contains one Masters Degree and one ADD diagnosis just get in way of things sometimes.  No excuses, just moving on .......

I am so blessed to have so many people who are intrigued and supportive of the 40 by 40 journey and I am going to do my best to keep up with this blog so that everyone can join in, be along for the ride, or just sit at home and shake your head or laugh at me.  Either way, buckle up, because I am about to begin the big reveal!

We'll be just about 40 hours away from my kickoff day by the time this gets posted on the blog!  Are you ready????

Essentially, there will ultimately be 40 "parts" to the journey that revolve around people, events, time, and money.

The first 10 are linked to milestones on the journey and have no specifics attached yet except the kickoff on the 8th (more details below).
  1. Start by Tuesday, January 8th (40 months before my 40th birthday) with a celebratory 40 minute kickoff event
  2. 40 weeks (August 2, 2015)
  3. 40th day into plan (February 16, 2013)
  4. 40th week into plan (October 15, 2013)
  5. 40 days til b-day (April 29, 2016)
  6. 40 hours til b-day (sometime May 6, 2016)
  7. 40 minutes til b-day (May 8, 2016)
  8. 40 seconds til b-day (May 8, 2016)
  9. 40 by 40 secret mystery event
  10. "40 is fabulous" culminating birthday charity event to celebrate turning 40 on May 8, 2016
The second 10 are the framework I am committing to for my journey over the next 40 months: 
  1. Do 40 things I have never done (but wanted to do)...I am most excited about this!
  2. 40 minutes of exercise everyday (no matter what); with a total of only 40 days off per year before I am 40 (about 1 day off per week)
  3. Incorporate 40 different people into some meaningful part (at some point) of the journey
  4. Save $40/week ($6,880)
  5. At least 40 miles of official 5k races by 40 (avg 3 per year)
  6. Host 40 "celebration" events with a minimum of 40 hours notice (some may have more notice); I will cover the first $40 of expenses for those who attend- no matter what the activity (could cover one person or everyone depending on the activity).  Each celebratory event will last at least 40 minutes.
  7. 40 notes, calls, or other indications of meaningful relationship recognition per month (could be words, actions, items, etc.)
  8. At least 40 weeks of in person church attendance per year
  9. Birthday Pay it forward/random act of kindness in the amount of $40 on my 2013, 2014, and 2015 birthdays to someone else (could be cash, paying for a meal, someone's groceries, gas, etc.).
  10. Allow 20 people to select the final 20 activities for my 40 by 40 journey ( 20 people+20 activities=40...duh!). Details to follow on how YOU can submit ideas!
Stay with me, believe me, I understand this is a lot to take in.  Here are the two things that are most important right now for how you connect to the journey:
  • First, Tuesday is the day....I am knocking off number 1, the kickoff event and number 6, celebration events by inviting you to the Tap Room in Lancaster at 9:00pm on Tuesday, January 8th.  Consider this your 40 hour notice.  Why so late and why over a beer you may ask??   Well, I am going to have to work this all around life...the good, the bad, the obligatory 7pm work meeting, and the birthday celebration of my good friend Shanon!!!  Plus, it's only 40 minutes of celebration so you don't have to commit to an all nighter!  If you live far away, I am sorry that this one may not work for you or I am happy to say that we have two spare rooms if you want to come celebrate and then crash at our house.  Otherwise, I guarantee there will be more events for you to join in on.  For those of you who live close, you really have no excuse to not come join me....it's the kickoff event and I will be paying for the first $40 of drinks so be there on time so you're tab isn't the $41st dollar:)
  • Second, I will be taking your suggestions for what the other 20 parts of my journey will be.  What is the one thing you would incorporate if you were doing this journey?  What's the one thing you would like to see me do as part of this journey?  I can't wait to see all of the cool suggestions.  I will be taking suggestions for the next 40 days (until February 18th) and will throw them into a hat and randomly select 20 to add to the journey.  Only comments posted on the blog or the Facebook post of this blog entry will count as official suggestions.  
The rest is only details for now.  I will be explaining each item in more depth over the next week.  I hope you are as excited as I am to begin this 40 by 40 journey!