Day 10: a picture of the person you do the most messed up things with

Day 9: a picture of the person who has gotten you through the most

Day 8: a picture that makes you laugh

I wore these shoes all day before I noticed that they were different.

Day 7: a picture of your most treasured item

I love my suitcase. With it comes adventures, memories and new friends.

Day 6: a picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day

Lily Bollinger:

"I drink it when I'm happy and when I'm sad.

Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone.

When I have company I consider it obligatory.

I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and I drink it when I am.

Otherwise I never touch it, unless I'm thirsty."

Day 5: a picture of your favorite memory

  

We thought it would be fun to pretend to be Jim Bernau, President of Willamette Valley Vineyards. It was!

Day 4: a picture of a habit you wish you didn’t have

And now I am going to go post this blog to my Facebook.

Day 3: a picture of the cast from your favorite show.

This show is inspirational in so many ways. It is amazing what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it.

Day 2: a picture of you and the person you have been close with for awhile

My perfect match

Day 1: a picture of yourself with fifteen facts

1. I was born on the 4th of July. Some say I am quite the fire cracker!
2. I love cowboy boots.
3. I once flew from Tasmania to Chicago, stayed a day and then flew from Chicago back to Tasmania.
4. I have lived in five states: Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, California, Illinois and Oregon.
5. My favorite food is peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
6. I aspire to one day do a documentary on something still to be determined.
7. One of my favorite things to do is to go on brewery tours.
8. My favorite wine is Sauvignon Blanc.
9. My favorite color is yellow.
10. I have an 18 pound cat named Javier.
11. I don't ever think I will own a house because there are too many places in the world I want to live.
12. My first job was loading clay pigeons in a trap house while listening to Casey Kasem's Top 40.
13. I got to meet my favorite NHL hockey player, Jonathan Cheechoo while working at Bargetto Winery in California.
14. One of the best times of my life was planting Sauvignon Blanc with the Willamette Valley Vineyards crew.
15. I am one of a kind and wouldn't want it any other way.

30 day challenge

30 day challenge. No it is not some crazy crash diet. It is a time to learn things about your friends and about yourself. Thanks Nikki for posting this on your Facebook page. Go ahead. Even if you don't post it to your Facebook page or your Blog, just stop and take a few minutes out of your day to think about you.

Day 01 - A picture of yourself with fifteen facts.

Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been close with for awhile.

Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show.

Day 04 - A picture of a habit you wish you didn’t have....

Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory.

Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day.

Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item.

Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh.

Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.

Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most messed up things with.

Day 11 - A picture of something you hate.

Day 12 - A picture of something you love.

Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist.

Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.

Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die.

Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you.

Day 17 - A picture of someone that has made a huge impact on your life recently.

Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity.

Day 19 - A picture of you when you were little.

Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel.

Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget.

Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at.

Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book.

Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change.

Day 25 - A picture of your day.

Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you.

Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member.

Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of.

Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile.

Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss.



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Things Wednesday 1/26/11

Today I am thankful for...

1. Google
2. Being able to run again
3. Dark chocolate
4. Learning new things
5. E-cards
6. A clean XTERRA
7. Bird netting
8. Being me

Things Wednesday

Today I am thankful for...



Brent's 30th birthday weekend filled with great food, wine, beer and friends. Here we are Sunday at King Estate's Crab Fest. Cheers to a wonderful man. I am thankful he has joined me in the 30's club.



Ceasing opportunities that allow me to spend time with my family and leaving no room for regrets.

My niece and nephews. They sure grow up fast!



My new job. Working from home has its advantages: can wear slippers, lunch time workouts at the gym, and not having to commute 2+ hours to per day isn't too bad either. Not to mention I love what I am doing and I am learning a lot.

R Little Vineyard Adventure Video

Things Wednesday

Today I am thankful for...

1. Being able to start the car while standing inside a warm house.
2. Spending some quality, stress free time with my family.
3. Grapes.
4. Opportunities.
5. The Internet and the flexibility it has created with my job.
6. Laughter.

Things Wednesday (a little late)

I was out enjoying life last night and didn't get around to posting so here I go. I am thankful for...

1. Friendships that are able to pick up right where we left off no matter how much time has passed by since we last saw each other.
2. Wisconsin Happy Hour! $1 burgers and cheap beer.
3. Bumping into old friends at the grocery store.
4. Four wheel drive.
5. Family dinners around the kitchen table.
6. Dad not knowing what an IPA beer is but takes the time to phone from the grocery store beer section for a little help.
7. Enjoying the IPA with my dad.
8. Getting to see my brother this weekend.

Dear Delta,

Dear Delta,

It wasn't that I missed my flight (well just a little bit), it was that you just didn't listen to me when I did. I am a customer. I paid money for this flight. I paid extra to fly from MSP to LSE. When I missed my flight, I ran to the next gate to ask if you could page someone to get me on the plane. The gate attendant just pointed to the phones and told me to get in line. I saw the plane drive away. When I spoke to someone on the phone, she said the only flight I could get on was the next morning. No help with a hotel and no help with a car due to bad weather. Bad weather? It is Winter in the Midwest. That is not an excuse. No snow, no ice.

Next I went to baggage to get my luggage. I mean I didn't make the flight so there was no way my luggage did. No bag. I stood in line and the people at the counter told me it would be a two hour wait for someone to find my bag and bring it out. So I took a shuttle to my hotel, which I paid for, and waited. Then I took the shuttle back to get my bag. I gave them three hours (an extra hour just in case). I looked around and no bag. I stood in line and they said it would be four hours. Picture me getting bright red angry! They said to come back. I said I already had. So I went to go get a beer but everything was closed. So I went back and got my overnight kit from them.

Inside the Skyteam overnight kit is an XL t-shirt, a toothbrush, toothpaste, brush, razor and shaving gel and deodorant. What the kit should have is dark chocolate, a couple bottles of beer, wine or liquor, socks, some Advil, playing cards, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and a voucher for free luggage on your next flight.

So I had the shuttle driver drop me off at the hotel next door which has a bar. I had a beer and got some to go beers and cheesecake. I am used to delayed flights, emergency landings, missing flights, but what I am not used to nor do I put up with is bad customer service. Today there are too many options to choose from to be just normal. All I wanted was for someone to listen to me and make me feel like they were helping me out. The first person to do that today was the shuttle driver and the bartender.

A few years ago I had a similar experience with Delta and had not flown with them since. Looks like I am a United customer for life. Even if I have to drive a few extra hours I know it will be worth it in the end.

Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you - not because they are nice, but because you are.

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people - your family, friends, and coworkers, and even strangers you meet along the way. --Barbara Bush

Things Wednesday via video

Wisconsin Grape Growers Association NBC15 Interview 9-4-2009

Things Wednesday

Today I am thankful for...

1. Bubbles and not the little kid kind.
2. The gym for giving me energy and confidence to live a happy, healthy life.
3. Wisconsin.
4. Text messages at 5:00 AM from caring friends.
5. Trader Joe's for making cooking easy.
6. Red Red nail polish from Wet n Wild. So festive.