I am sitting in the breakfast room of an Indianapolis hotel after about 4 hours of sleep. I brought my son and a friend of his here to (at least my son's) first concert. It was a music festival that lasted 8 hours. My sister was able to get my son two VIP tickets for this festival and thankfully for my sanity was able to also get me a VIP parking pass so although there was 60 thousand people we got in and out of the parking mess within 15 minutes. This was an amazing experience for my son - who had been counting down the days for over 2 months and called it the highlight of his summer! He actually met 4 of the band members and had his picture taken with 3. He also came head to head with other peopes personality when a musician he idolized acted like an "arrogant SOB" according to my son. For those who have children it is one of those moments in life where you realize it doesn't matter what it cost or that this isn't a good time of year financially - it was all worth it just to see the look on his face!
As I was driving them back through the VIP parking - we saw all the trucks and tour busses and roadies and other associated with the band! My son even yelled - there is (who knows the name) , he is with (whatever the band name is ) :) It brought back earlier summer memories and new memories I am about to make ! It, once again, reminded me of how important my music has been in my life and the people I have met and the people I am about to me through our common music bond. I don't want to ramble on and on about my feelings - it was his day and it was a great day! I will say two things that are significant: the first one is that my sister is the real her here - when the opportunity for the tickets was presented to her - she remember how much my son wanted to attend this festival! I can't say thanks enough - for everything you bring to my life. You are truly my best friend, through thick and thin! I am and always will be your biggest fan! The other interesting momemt was after the concert, back at the hotel - when I said to my son... Now you know how I feel about the Moody Blues ..........he said yeah, now I get it." :)

Okay, its 5pm and I must get in my comfy zone. My niece just called and asked me if I was going to be home tonight... when I said yes, she informed me that she would be texting a little later. She is much to busy right now!! :) - oh to have the logic of an 11 year old again. I must remember NOT to misspell any words. When I do it just creates more typing/texting for me because she sends me one back with a big bold "?" - yep, you got it, the ole' question mark. Don't get me wrong, I love texting with her, the bond between us is very special and I always have to tell my sister to make sure that she doesn't see these posts. She would take it wrong, think I was making fun of her, and I would be devasted over it... but they are funny!
I took a walk down by our river today after work. My city now has a river walk that starts on the north side of town... goes through the woods, neighborhoods, the heart of downtown, and down around our Indiana University campus. Our campus has student housing on one side of the river and the full campus on the other. Students walk across a foot bridge to get to classes, to the chow hall or one of the cafes and to the athletic/exercise area. It has grown up so much in the last 10 years. When I first went there in 1990 it was 3 old buildings.... now it has a beautiful library, a Student Activity Center, a gorgeous campus lawn and a few more classroom buildings, and to mention again, student housing. The squirrels are so tame, they don't even scurry away as you walk by. There is a beautiful water fountain in the middle of the lawn. There are seats around it and during the semester you will see students out there talking and working and just relaxing. It has really grown into such a lovely place... When I went back to graduate school there a few years ago, I was at a point in my life where I felt stuck and my wheels were spinning. The experience allowed me to regain my passion, focus my thoughts and dreams, and develop new friendships. Now, I have a job I am truly passionate about, and I have friends - both students and professors that I are still friends and whom I hold as very dear people in my life. I guess that is why I love our IU campus and why it is so endearing to me. Lately, I feel like I have entered another period in my life like that: making new friends, re-experience things I used to love to do and just feeling like I am emotionally, spiritually and intellectually growing again. It is a good feeling and as a life long learner - I welcome it!

Life has a funny way of answering questions that one has... I was approached by another school last week about a job. This job would be in administration, and a great step up on the ole' career ladder, it would also be dealing with a completely different student population then I currently have. Oh, and the money is a bit more! I have struggled with "what to do" - do I go for it, do I stay where I'm at (which is certainly no second fiddle by any means!), the extra money would be nice.... yeah more money is always nice, right. :) But an hour ago, the answer to my question almost slapped me in the face. I walked into Wal-mart with my son and while I was walking in, a young girl came up to me who was walking out. She said "Mrs. Myers, I'm so glad to see you!" - she gave me a HUGE hug and told me that she is signed up for community college in the fall and is working - and that life is good. As she left, my son and I proceeded to get the things we came into the store for and headed to the car. At that moment that I turned on the car, I looked at him and said "I know my answer about the job thingy" - he said "she was one of your locked-up students, right"(he knows his Momma!) - I just said, you know I can't tell you that information. He said - I know you, your not leaving, I said "YOUR RIGHT." You see my life has never been driven by material wealth, power or things and I have had all those things and they didn't make me one bit happier than I am today. There has to be more to life than things is the way I have always seen it...even when I was young, but most certainly as I have grown older. I have never wanted the easy job - I never wanted the easy students... and I am not the only one who feels that way. I work with and have worked with an incredible group of men and women who are sincerely dedicated to working with the children that are left behind, the ones the world writes off. In our summer school program, we have 6 student teachers from Notre Dame with us. These are young college graduates who will be working in inner city schools all over the country this coming academic year! There are 3 girls and 4 guys... They are incredible! The passion and sense of mission they bring to the job will help to change lives. All of these professionals, the young and the old know that they will probably never be millionaries or celebrities, but as my father has always told me "A life of service, is a life well lived." - Yeah, what you do does matter in this life. I think I'll keep my job for now and just keep on truckin through. :) As is quoted in that great song: "whatever you do, do it with love"-MB

I ate lunch in a new little Indian curry place that just opened in South Bend. It reminded me of one I ate at 3 times in London... I just can't remember the name of it. I love a good curry and don't eat it as often as I would like to. I have been thinking lately of how important and interesting it is to look at familiar places through the eyes of others. It is funny when you are familiar with someplace how you take it for granted, almost as if you become so used to it you don't even see it anymore. Two instances have reminded me of this lately. They both revolve around the Moody Blues concert. The first one was when my new friends and I ran into John Lodge (of the Moody Blues) down by the river walk. He commented on how beautiful he thought the river was where the two water falls come together.-I was like "really". :) The second one was on Gordy Marshall's ongoing blog where he talks about being in South Bend and the Chocolate Cafe (and yes, I am still kicking myself for not recognizing that he was standing next to me ordering green tea and a bagel that morning!! ) :) Today - it happened again as the restaurant owners talked about how they love it here, how pretty it is, and that Notre Dame is "dynamite" - I think that was the word. It is so important to sometimes stop and look around and see our familiar sites as though we are a stranger. Maybe, by doing this, we can re-capture some of the wonder that is our own backyard.

I am trying to write at least every other day, but find it hard when I can't remember exactly how to sign in!!!! Obviously, I got it! :) It is about 730am and I am sitting on my second floor balcony drinking coffee, eating strawberries and listening and watching the world wake up. I told myself that is how I am waking up every morning this summer. Part of my daily routine this summer has been exchanging texts with my 10 year old niece who lives about 150 miles away. The problem with this is that you can NEVER stop. If I don't answer her right away-and I mean she gives me about 30 seconds before she sends me another one. This one is louder and by the time 3 minutes has passed her texts are all in CAPS - I believe she thinks that the phone is screaming at me by that time. Anyway, this is our pass time for about an hour every evening... she is about the funniest kid I have ever known. She told me last night that she doesn't have time to feed my "virtual fish" (on this computer game we share together) because she is far to busy this summer. I asked her what she has been busy doing and she lists one or two things and then tells me --- "well, actually haven't done either of them yet, but I will". Her mother, my sister tells me that she hasn't really done anything all summer - including changing her clothes until she is forced to. I am told that the other day she was spraying an air freshener and when asked why, she said "because it stinks in here" - my sister told her to put it away and that she doesn't smell anything.. a few minutes later my niece sat down, sniffed her shirt and declared sheepishly "oh, I think its me that stinks!".
On another note, my tomato plants each have about 20 - 30 little cherry tomatoes on them, still green but coming along. My herbs are growing like crazy.... YEH, I CAN GROW MY OWN FOOD! Alright, maybe that is a bit ambitious but there is something that about it that is just good for the soul. Well, its off to do my morning walk/run - part of my committment to lose these 15 pounds! -keep on pushing!! :)

Awesome Week

Okay, so I do admit that this is my first dive into the water of blogging. I decided to use this as a creative outlet and an outlet for my feelings and emotions on whatever. I don't really expect people to be to excited about a day in my life.... I mean I'm not an athlete, a super chef, a scientist, or a rock star........but it is a way for me to express myself and be totally narcissistic. LOL This is more my reaction to my world! I believe that happiness in life comes from what we do with what we have - not what we actually have. So, this past week was amazing for me. My rock star heroes (The Moody Blues) were starting their summer tour in my little city. Now, I have been to many concerts but this was different. First, let me make this clear: I AM NOT a stalker, a crazy, or a luni - most of my life is spent working about 50 hours a week at a profession I love and taking care of my family and my home. But, this week, aahh this week was like being a girl again.
I heard the band and crew were arriving about 3 days early. In my town, there is basically one place where they would stay and only a few cafes/restaurants where they would eat. In a big city this would not be possible! So, Wednesday morning started out with me going to a local popular cafe where I knew they would go and "hanging out" a bit. I stood in line to order coffee and a bagel and the guy next to me is ordering from someone else and I thought to myself--yep, he is with the band! I figured he was crew (told I wasn't a stalker) I mean British accent and all. I did not realize until earlier today, through reading his ongoing blog of the tour that he is a major band member!! I can't believe I didn't realize it. Later in the day, I got a call from a few women who arrived into town. We are (were) acquainted through a Moody Blues chat line. I hopped in my car to go meet them. They were AWESOME. We talked and laughed as if we had know each other forever. The next day, day of the concert - I re met up with them and two other women, and they were awesome!! Instant connections. We spent a good part of the day together, even walking along the river walk and accidently meeting up and conversing with John Lodge We all talked about the river, the world cup, etc. I thought to myself, this is just another life lesson about looking for answers and they are in your own backyard. Okay, I admit - that is a little deep but I told you this would be about my thoughts and feelings, right? :) The concert was great, I got to meet more people and eat more food. After I got home that night, it was hard to sleep - the whole last 36 hours rambled through my mind as I tried to sleep. Experiences like this usually fuel my senses in some small way and help me move to the next step in my life. I guess that is why I decided to blog and "get connected" online. Back to work tomorrow, oh by the way - I have decided for sure to lose that 15 pounds that I have been trying to lose for 3 years!! That goal starts right now, as soon as I hit the "publish" button... wish me luck :)