How Zumba Kicked My Butt

Ever have that awkward feeling of what was I thinking when I decided to do this? Well I had the pleasure of feeling that way this morning.

About a month ago, the Licking County Aging Program put on a very nice holiday luncheon and the entire staff at the chamber attended. One of the topics covered that day was an exercise program called ZUMBA that was being offered at Zerger Hall. There was a short preview of the class and I thought, hmm. . .sounds like my type of exercise; nothing too hard and if women in the Aging Program can do this, so can I. The instructor handed out free passes to attend a class.

So today, Jennifer and I decided to try out Zumba for ourselves. As we walked in, with our hair and make-up done, we noticed that most of the women in the class didn't look like us. They had their hair pulled back, with very little or no make-up on. This was clue number one. And when the instructor said you probably won't be wearing any make-up at the end of class, I just smiled and thought, sure - whatever. Then she asked me if I brought any water and I said no, I didn't think about it. She looked at me and said "You will need to get some water" and directed me to the sink. At this point, I started to feel a little uncomfortable. Jennifer was a little more prepared and offered to share her water with me.

As we were waiting for the class to begin, the "regulars" started setting out fans throughout the room. Jennifer and I laughed because we were actually cold and couldn't imagine why all these fans would be needed. We soon learned why - 15 minutes into the workout, we were hoping they would open the windows and doors!

All I can say is that I was ill prepared for this class. I came without the two essentials - water and a towel to wipe the sweat off after just 15 minutes. I can't remember when I have looked at a clock as much as I did today. At the beginning of the class, the instructor went over some "basic steps" that would be needed for the class. After watching her do the Cha cha, Salsa, Rumba and Mambo, I knew I was in deep trouble.

All I can say is that I am going to hurt tomorrow. My legs and my butt are still in burn mode. I am now convinced that I am out of shape. This was a great class and it was a lot of fun. It was not what I expected - but I will be back.

Making Lists

When I was doing my last-minute grocery shopping the other night, I noticed that I wasn't alone in this endeavor. Many people were out shopping for their Thanksgiving meal ingredients as well. And for some reason, it seemed that there were a lot more men doing the shopping this year. I noticed that many of them had detailed lists, and they were very focused on making the list maker happy.

It reminded me of a time when I was running for Mayor in 2003. I was in a joint endorsement interview with a local paper and a radio station. They drilled me on many things about city government. But the one question that was thrown at me that I will never forget was: "When you go to the grocery store, do you take a list?" It caught me totally off guard and so I thought for a moment and answered honestly. I told them that when I did the weekly shopping, yes, I did take a list with me, but when I needed to stop in during the week for a few items, a list wasn't needed. That seemed to make them happy, as they gave me a smile. Later, after I lost the election, one man who was in the interview said that I answered that question perfectly. He went on to say that making lists shows good organizational skills; but being able to adapt without one for small tasks is also a very valuable asset to acquire.

There is no question that I get more done at home and at work when I make lists. It helps me get re-focused when I have been distracted with something or by someone. I found a good article on this subject here. It was written to help make 2008 the best year ever - guess I will use it for 2009 instead.

To Grandmother's House We Go - Thanksgiving - Part II

It's Wednesday afternoon and I still haven't made it to the grocery store to get the ingredients for the six items I have to make for our Thanksgiving meal (turkey is not one of them). We always go to the Hottinger's for Thanksgiving, and then sometimes head to my parents in the early evening to eat yet AGAIN.

Thanksgiving Day is the only day of the year when my entire family - three daughters and my husband - are in the kitchen cooking with me. Each of them know their duties and are happy to contribute. I love having them beside me, cooking and listening to Christmas music and filling the house with wonderful aromas of pumpkin, sweet potatoes and sage. Our family is in charge of making "Grandma Georgia's Dressing". She was my husband's grandmother. What I love about it is that although she is no longer with us, we use her hand-written recipe, which somehow makes it seem like she is just around the corner, making sure we use a "heaping tablespoon of sage" in the dressing.

And I love having all of the Hottinger family in one house. It is a crazy place, I assure you. My husband has two sisters and between them and us, there are 11 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. And of course we can't forget all the spouses and boy/girl friends. As I said, it is complete chaos, but one that I love to be a part of. Not everyone will be there this year, and I will miss each of them.

Thanksgiving always makes me miss my beloved grandma. She is the one who is responsible for my love of cooking. She always had a job for me in the kitchen and boy could she cook. One year though, she made my grandfather his very own dressing with oysters. But the problem was that she covered the dish with saran wrap prior to baking and was in a hurry and stuck it in the oven. Needless to say, he couldn't eat it.

When I lived and worked in Columbus, I would go over there for lunch and dinner a few times a week (after my grandfather died) and we would have the best conversations and of course good food. And whenever I would spend the night with her, in the morning I could count on teddy bear pancakes (even in my 20's) or her delicious waffles. I loved her very much.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and create some great memories with your friends and family.

Thanksgiving - Part 1

Today I had the pleasure of listening to my youngest daughter sing some Thanksgiving songs at her school. Here was my favorite:

Thank you mommy, for tucking me in bed.
Thank you daddy, for stories that you read.
Thank you teddy bear. . . for always being there.
This is Thank You Day.

Thank you circus, for every funny clown.
Thank you Santa, for always coming around.
Thank you candy shops. . . for making lollipops.
This is Thank You Day.

When I lay me down to sleep,
every night I know.
Grandma and grandpa love me so.
I want to thank them so.

Thank you winter, for every snowy day.
Thank you summer, for all the time we play.
Thank you family. . . for always loving me.
This is Thank You, this is Thank You Day.

Thank You Miss Horwell and the first grade students at Miller Elementary.

The Town Hall Report - Now What?

The Town Hall Meetings are over. 1,200 books have been distributed. The question is :

Now What?

The first step was to compile all of the comments made at the three meetings that pertained to our strengths and opportunities. That has been completed and can be viewed here.

Our next step was to sort through all this information and pull out the "strong areas of interest", in each of the six topics (Place, Capital, Infrastructure, Talent, Education and Downtown Newark - which was added due to the discussions).

We are now in one of the most critical areas of this project - recruiting the community to help in the areas that interest them. If you attended at least one of the Town Hall Meetings, you will soon be receiving a survey with all this information included. If you did not participate and would still like to be involved, please let me know and we will send you the information.

You can also join the Community Capitalism LinkedIn networking group at http://www.lc3network.com/

Stay tuned. There will be more to come.

National Grumble Day

As the Thanksgiving holiday draws near, we often start thinking about things and people we are thankful for. There are many reasons why I adore Thanksgiving: family, food and fun are just some of my reasons, which I will blog about in detail this week. But this morning a question and suggestion were thrown out at church from David Faust, President of Cincinnati Christian University who gave the message.

He asked us to ponder why we act so thankful only one day of the year, instead of 365 days. He said that if that is our way of thinking, then we should have National Grumble Day, where we get to complain and moan and grumble for one day, then switch back to being thankful the other 364 days. Interesting concept. Just think how nice it would be not to hear ourselves and the people around us complaining but only one day a year.

I'm all for it. Bet the greeting card companies will be too.

Details Matter

I am the chair-elect for the Licking County United Way campaign. Thursday and Friday of this past week were the Celebrity/Guest Bartender events at The Natoma and The Grill on 21st Street, where all tips and a portion of sales went to the United Way. I signed up for Friday night at The Grill. My job was to basically take orders at the bar because we weren't allowed to make drinks (which made me happy since I wouldn't have any idea how to make even one) and we weren't allowed to make any financial transactions. About halfway through the evening, I was asked to take a break from the bartending job to sell 50/50 tickets. I wasn't particularly excited about doing that, but I did volunteer to help that evening, so I said I would.

I was selling one ticket for $1 or six tickets for $5. I went around the room and hit every table, making a few sales here and there. Then I socialized a bit, since there were no new customers in the room for quite a while. I finally decided to branch out and go into another part of the bar/restaurant.

My first sale in that room was only one ticket for $1. Why? - Because the person didn't want to go through the hassle of having to write his name and number on six different tickets. This gave me an opportunity to change the way I was selling the tickets. In my next attempt, I told the person that if they bought the six tickets for $5 and wrote their name and number on only one of the tickets, I would be happy to finish writing their information on the other five. You would not believe the difference that small detail made. People were in shock. They couldn't believe I would offer that little piece of good customer service to them. I sold tickets left and right. I finally had to take a break and go sit at a table for about 20 minutes to fill out all those tickets I had sold. It was a great lesson for me.

So my Friday evening turned out to be one of the best ones I have had in a long time, filled with much fun and a lesson on why details do matter.

In Your Own Backyard

In summarizing the information from the Town Hall meetings on Community Capitalism, it became so clear that Licking County is rich with assets located in our own backyard. Need a reason to enjoy life in Licking County? How about 40:

1. Midwestern/small town feel


2. Community support for one another


3. Close to Columbus/centrally located


4. Quality Hospital that has been recognized as a Top 100 in the nation


5. Downtown Newark Square


6. Licking County Courthouse


7. Licking River running through the downtown


8. Newark Public Library


9. The Dawes Arboretum


10. Indian Mounds


11. The Works


12. Bike Trails throughout the county


13. Unique towns like Granville and Buckeye Lake


14. Lost cost of living


15. Postcard city


16. Numerous golf courses


17. Home to the Longaberger Corporate Headquarters


18. Our many parks


19. Strong community service organizations (Rotary, Lions, etc.)


20. Good athletic opportunities (Babe Ruth, North Newark, etc.)


21. Y.M.C.A.


22. Flint Ridge State Memorial


23. Blackhand Gorge


24. Rotary Playground


25. Hartford Fair


26. Lou & Gib Reese Ice Arena


27. Lake Hudson


28. Cranberry Bog


29. Bike Path Bridges


30. Ye Old Mill


31. National Trails Raceway


32. Davis Shai House


33. Buckingham House


34. Bryn Du Mansion


35. Veterans Park


36. Cherry Valley Lodge and Water Resort


37. Granville Inn


38. Buxton Inn


39. Heath Water Park


40. Licking County's rich history

Chess Update

After two games, I thought I would share my husband's remarks with you:

"I've been rooked"

"I don't like this game"

"I hate queens"

"What kind of king only gets to move one square at a time anyway?"

"I'm not playing anymore if you are going to tattle on your blog"

Enough said. You can guess for yourself what the score is.

Michigan Week

Kudos to the Newark Rotary Club! They welcomed The Ohio State University Marching Band to Newark today at our weekly meeting.

Enjoy and GO BUCKS!

Football and the Gettysburg Address

I was given a book this weekend: The Winners Manual by Jim Tressel. Of course I had to start it before finishing the others in my stack.

I was sold on it before I even got to the first chapter. In the Prologue it told about the Winners Manual which is given to each Ohio State football player and coach when they enter a new year at OSU. Here's an excerpt:

"Today, the Winners Manual that we give our players and coaches begins with a tribute to our country and includes the Pledge of Allegiance and a section on the importance of the American Flag. We even print the text of the Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln."

How refreshing; this is how they start their first day of training camp.

And the very first thing listed at the top of Chapter 1 is:

If you do the things you need to do

When you need to do them,

Someday you can do the things you want to do

When you want to do them!

I can see that there will be many lessons I can learn from Coach Tressel. Thanks to Heartbeats of Licking County for this wonderful gift!

Chess Anyone?

About a week ago my husband said he wanted us to have a "hobby" - something we could do together. So we began to throw out suggestions to each other, but nothing seemed to work. I said "Let's take a cooking class together". He said he would prefer me to cook and he would eat. He said "Let's start working out together". I said "that is not my idea of a hobby". As you can see, we were getting nowhere.

A few days later, we settled on two things (not really hobbies if you ask me). His request was to make our way through America's 100 Greatest Movies - ranked by the American Film Institute. This will take some time. I hate to admit this, but I have only watched four of the top ten. Number two on the list is Casablanca. It is in the DVD player waiting on me to start it up. So after tonight, I can check that one off.

The other "hobby" was my suggestion of learning to play chess. First you must understand that we are both very competitive people. Neither one of us have ever played. So the other night I stopped by the toy store. I wish you could have seen the expression on my children's faces when I told them the reason we were there was to pick up something for their dad and me. They were in shock.

So far, I know how to set the board up; identify the thirty-two pieces and know that the player with the white pieces always starts first. (At this pace, this too, is going to take some time) The first two lines in the rules are:

"The game of Chess is one of the oldest, most fascinating, and most popular of all games. There is no element of chance and players find new and interesting moves with each game."

As I was thinking about this, I thought about the correlation between chess and operating a business. I found an interesting post on that very subject here.

I'll keep you updated on the number of wins and losses - if we ever understand how to play.

Community Capitalism - Town Hall Meeting 1

On November 11, the first of three Town Hall Meetings was held to discuss the book Community Capitalism. The meeting focused on our strengths and opportunities in six different areas. There is a summary for your review here.

Discussions in the first meeting centered around three areas:

1. Marketing - There were many comments made about the need to market what we have (our assets) to the people who live and work here.
2. Talent - The attendees recognized the need to keep both our skilled workforce and the future workforce in Licking County.
3. Education - A big part of the discussion centered around the three higher education institutions we have in Licking County: Denison University; Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) and The Ohio State University - Newark Campus. These are strong assets that are being overlooked by our residents.

The next two Town Hall meetings are scheduled for November 17 at 4:00 p.m. and November 18 at 7:00 p.m. at C-TEC. For more information or to register, call the Chamber at 740.345.9757.

It will be interesting to see what comes out of the next two meetings.

Warm and Happy

I have to admit something. Last week when a friend of mine told me that he is now listening to Christmas music, I thought it was a bit too early. He said it made him feel like "one of Santa's elf's" when he works in his work shop - read about it here. Well tonight I came across that radio station and my middle daughter's eyes were sparkling as we both belted out Have A Holly, Jolly Christmas together. She said it made her feel "warm and happy inside." I must admit, it did me too.

Thanks Patrick.

Success by Seuss

Once again, I am excited to share with you a post from a guest blogger. Enjoy.

Success by Seuss
By Mark Labutis, MSM

As a child, I thoroughly enjoyed Dr. Seuss books. His unique mixtures of poetry, alliteration and imagination have sparked the creativity and imaginations of youngsters for generations. In fact, many adults still enjoy reading Seuss books, and, like me, often find new meaning behind the rhyming, chiming words on the page.

One evening, I was reading “If I Ran the Zoo” to our son. The book focuses on a young boy’s dreams of what kind of animals he would have at his zoo. Upon my more mature reading, I noticed that tucked away in the middle of the book was a bit of career advice. While Seuss probably didn’t intend for this to be used in such a way, its simple yet poignant message merits review:

And that’s what I’ll do,
Said young Gerald McGrew.
If you want to catch beasts you don’t see everyday,
You have to go places quite out-of-the way.
You have to go places no others can get to.
You have to get cold and you have to get wet, too.

So, what significance do Seuss and Gerald McGrew hold for you?

You are chasing something better.
Gerald McGrew was chasing exotic and imaginative beasts for his extraordinary zoo. You are chasing dreams and goals for you and your family—a better job, a pay raise, greater quality of life.

You are traveling to places on your journey that others will not.
Young Gerald noted that to catch the beasts he sought, he would have to go unexpected places. Everyone’s journey to obtaining their goals can vary greatly. One person may have to work their way up the corporate ladder to achieve their goal. Another person may have built a vast network for professional and personal connections that can help them along in their journey. Whatever your situation, you have chosen to embark on a journey that not everyone is able or willing to take.

You will do whatever it takes to reach your goals.
Gerald McGrew endured extremes to find what he was searching for. While you won’t have to get cold and wet, you will face the challenge of balancing the everyday demands of life: work, family, school, extracurricular activities, and more. These can quickly become unbalanced, but you are willing to make the adjustments necessary to keep priorities in check and complete tasks responsibly.

You are committed.
Gerald wanted an out-of-the-ordinary zoo that would contain beasts like no others ever seen before. He showed his dedication to this goal by exclaiming, “That’s what I’ll do!” Above all, he was committed. Like Gerald, you are showing your commitment to your development and your goals by creating time in your busy schedule to complete your degree.

Take a lesson from young Gerald McGrew—don’t be afraid to dream wildly and pursue the opportunity to live out those dreams. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish!

Mark Labutis, MSM is the Newark Site Senior Recruiter for Mount Vernon Nazarene University - Adult and Graduate Studies. He can be reached at mark.labutis@gmail.com; or on Linked In or by phone at 740.398.8986.

Question of the Day

Thanks Rindy.

An Alaskan Perspective

I normally don't use this blog as a way to promote any political party or candidate. During this heated election, I was pretty much silent except for promoting Chamber events or advocating why it is important to support pro-business issues. But I was catching up on some reading today and came across a copy of a speech Governor Sarah Palin gave to Hillsdale College friends and supporters during the College's "North to Alaska" cruise posted in the September 2008 issue of Imprimis.

With the election over, I think it is pretty safe to write this, but some may disagree. I am only going to post a small portion of her speech. I found it interesting and I hope some in Washington will take a serious look at this perspective:

"Alaskans find it incredibly frustrating that others - many of whom have never even set foot in our state, much less lived here - dictate how and when we can best use our own resources. Whether over the barren tundra or in our majestic mountains, we have a strong history of responsible development. To date, Alaska has sent more than 15 billion barrels of oil, safely and efficiently, to the lower 48. One look at the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System illustrates that development and wildlife can and do coexist.

I've heard it said by some politicians that Alaska doesn't have enough oil to make a difference. I can tell you honestly that we DO have enough. And while consultants and experts debate the current energy crisis, Alaska is already preparing for its next role - providing American consumers with a safe and secure domestic source of crude oil and natural gas. In fact, if energy imports were curtailed completely, Alaska could provide our nation with seven years of crude oil independence and an eight-year supply of natural gas. These are numbers that reflect known and recoverable oil and gas deposits.

To repeat, Prudhoe Bay has produced 15 billion barrels of crude oil, and there's more where that came from in ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge), which is home to more than ten billion barrels of oil and nine trillion cubic feet of natural gas. I know this is a controversial issue. But most Americans do not realize that of the 20 million acres that make up ANWR, we are asking for the right to access just 2,000 of them - a mere 1/10,000th of the total area. Opening up just that sliver of ANWR - which would create a footprint smaller than the total area of Los Angeles International Airport - could produce enough oil (an estimated one million barrels per day) to ease America's fuel crisis and greatly reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

Controversial - yes. But should it be off the table for consideration - no.

Social Networking/Marketing

For the past couple of months I have been on the hunt to learn more about social networking/marketing and how it can help our members. As I was reading a post last night called Why Should Anyone Read Your Blog?, I stumbled across a new site on social media business strategy and more. I am impressed. I can tell I will be spending a lot of time there.

I also love good music. It can really change the mood I am in. As I was reading the November postings from this new site, there was one that promoted good music from Chris Blake. I didn't even know there was music on MySpace - shows why I need to become more educated on this social networking/marketing stuff. Anyway, I now own the Wave album (thanks to iTunes) and can't wait to listen to it today.

This is why social networking/marketing/blogging, etc. is so exciting to me. I set out to learn why no one reads this blog and ended up finding another great site and have a new album. What could be better than that??

UPDATE: GREAT MUSIC. ENJOY:

Ouch

Now I do feel OLD.

Taking Ownership

Tonight I received an email from State Representative Kevin Green from Michigan who I met about six years ago at Rutgers University. We were participants of a study of young people in politics (I'm sure I wouldn't be accepted into that program today since according to many people at my birthday party I am now OLD). Over the years, we have followed each others career paths and he still sends me updates from time to time.

I will save my comments until after you read his email below:

Dear friends and supporters,

I have always shared the highs and lows of my life with you. From my days serving on the Wyoming City Council, to my swimming the Mackinaw Straits to help children, to the tragic loss of our baby daughter Skylar and the recent joy of the birth of our son Elliot. I am eternally grateful for your support and your confidence in me as I faced these challenges and triumphs. It is because of your unwavering support of me in the past, that I again humbly ask for your thoughts and prayers. I want you to hear it first from me that I was recently charged with Operating While Intoxicated in Saginaw County. Last week after a long day of driving statewide to help several candidates on the campaign trail, I stopped for dinner after helping the last candidate that evening. During dinner, I had a few drinks and made the mistake of getting behind the wheel to go back to my hotel. As I began driving to the hotel, I started feeling the effects of the drinks and realized I needed to stop driving. I pulled off the roadway and into a parking lot to rest. A short time later, I was approached by a sheriff's deputy who later determined that I should not have been driving. I have and I will cooperate fully with authorities. I am taking the necessary steps to ensure that this is a one time incident and will not happen again. I respect the law and will work to resolve the legal case in a fair and expedient fashion. There is simply no excuse for my decision to drink and drive and I take full responsibility for my actions. We all make mistakes, but how we handle them is what defines us. I promise you I will learn from this incident and become a better person as a result. I hope that my openness will help others learn from my experience and provide an example that we all are capable of making a poor decision. As I head into this personally and spiritually challenging time, I want you to know I truly regret my decision and apologize to the people I let down by my actions. I ask you, my friends, for your forgiveness and your prayers. The following is the public apology and statement I made regarding the situation:

"I appreciate the public's concern. To the public, my Lansing colleagues, the people of my district, and my family, I am very sorry for this situation. "I hold myself to a high standard of conduct and realize I am solely responsible for my decisions. Since this is a legal matter, I will be working with my attorney to resolve any legal issues fairly and quickly. "I promise to take all steps necessary to make sure this does not occur again. As always, I will do everything I can to focus on my job as a state Representative, a husband and a father. I will not let this matter distract me from my responsibilities."
Sincerely,

Kevin J. Green

There are two lines that are worth another read: "We all make mistakes, but how we handle them is what defines us" and ". . . realize I am solely responsible for my decisions." Although I am disappointed to hear the news about Representative Green, I do applaud his attitude of taking ownership for his mistake. He did make a promise to his family, friends and constituents that it would not happen again. We'll see what the future holds for him. But if he is still the same Kevin Green that I met at Rutgers, he will keep that promise.

Happy Birthday Cheri!

Your staff has hacked into your blog to wish you the happiest birthday ever! You are the best boss and simply a wonderful person. We hope you enjoy your birthday, and don't worry about the number, you look SO much younger! 40 IS the new 30!

Happy Birthday - Jennifer, Lois, Mandy and Vicky

Politics Is A Contact Sport

Another Election Day has come and gone. And just like in sports, there are winners and there are losers. Running for political office takes courage. It doesn't matter what the office is you are seeking - local, state or federal, having your name appear on the ballot takes guts.

Bringing Home a "W"

To the ones who ended up on the winning side, congratulations. Some of you have battle scars which show just how rough politics can be. Take a few days to rest. Spend some time with your family. Thank your volunteers and supporters. And please don't forget to pick up your yard signs. But when all the hype has settled down and January 1 rolls around, the hard work begins. We, your constituents, expect you to look out for us. That doesn't mean that we will agree with you 100% of the time. But you now have an obligation to serve the people to the best of your ability, which will require dedication, sacrifice and humility.

For those of you who did not bring home the "W" tonight, life will go on. The sun will rise in the morning, as it does every day. You also need to take a few days to rest and spend time with your family and supporters. But I will warn you from experience - taking down yard signs after losing an election is brutal. Try not to beat yourself up too much. One of the hardest things for me was having to face my supporters. I felt that I let them down. Don't go down that path. If you did your best and worked hard, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Sometimes things are just not meant to be. I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason. Sometimes you can't see that until months or even years later, but at some point you will look back at this election and understand.

Team Players

Politics is a team sport in some cases. It is pretty easy when you're on a team to see who is a contributing member and who is not. I know of candidates this year who were so focused on winning the World Series that they forgot about a little thing called the Playoffs! In my opinion, it is due to two things: selfishness and laziness. There is a problem when the volunteers are outworking the candidate.

With all that said, I go back to my original statement that it takes courage to run for public office. Many people sit in the stands and second guess the coaches, yell at the players and think they could do a better job. But would those same people be willing to open themselves up to public scrutiny by running for office? Nine times out of ten the answer is no.

I Made A Difference - Did You?

Yes, I am one of the people who waited until today to vote. I like voting on Election Day - I am a traditionalist - and have no plans on doing otherwise in the future. I can also be strong-willed and stubborn (funny, these same terms were used by my daughter's 5th grade teacher at parent-teacher conferences last night). Over the past 30 days I have been warned by many not to wait until Election Day to vote because of the long lines I will face. I wasn't buying it. I wanted to test the waters for myself. Here is my report:

45 minutes

Okay, so I was somewhat wrong. The longest I have ever waited to vote has been 10 min. But given all the hype about the hours and hours people have had to wait, 45 minutes isn't bad. And it was at 8:00 this morning, so I am guessing that mid-morning will be even better. So I am now proudly wearing my "I Made A Difference - So Can You - Vote" sticker.

ABC's

I worked outside for most of the day on Saturday. I couldn't bring myself to go inside on that picture perfect day. For whatever reason, my thoughts drifted to my electrical engineering classes I took in college. One of my favorites was Drafting. It came naturally to me. To this day, I can usually spot an Engineer by his or her handwriting. We were taught a specific way to "draft" the ABC's. I came across this clip tonight here and thought it was interesting.

Enjoy -