***Crosspost from my Employee Blog (also on Vox). Please comment there. ***

Ok, I have to admit, I stole the title for this post from NPR, but it fit so perfectly with the news of the day I had to use it!! 

John Mellendcamp LIFE, DEATH, LOVE, AND FREEDOM

Infor has announced the Headline Act for Inforum 2008:  American Rock Artist and Farm Aid Co Founder - John Cougar Mellencamp will be performing at our conference at the Venetian Hotel on Wednesday October 15th.    John has just released a new album July 15th entitled LIFE, DEATH, LOVE, AND FREEDOM, is a perfect addition to a conference that is as empowering and enterprising as he is. He will be coming to us fresh from his September 20th performance at the 23rd Annual Farm Aid concert being held at the Comcast Center in Mansfield Massachusetts. 

John co-founded Farm Aid with Country Music Icon Willie Nelson in 1985 with a focused mission to help raise money for America's farmers and increase awareness of the importance of locally grown foods and have since raised over $30M.  In today's economy, where rising fuel prices has also increased the prices of the food we eat, many analysts point out that the wave of future is in farming. Consumers can consciously spend their dollars supporting their local agricultural economy and That sustains the families of the consumers and of the families of our farmers on whom we depend. 

Speaking of farmers, at Inforum 2008 you can find out how the folks at the Dairy Farmers of America are driving their business by migrating to Infor ERP Adage 5 and Role-based Home Pages. 

You can find out more at http://www.inforum2008.com/

In the meantime, let's hear that Little Diddy about Jack and Diane :-)

BTW: An old high school buddy of mine, Joe Hernandez-Kolski, will be one of the opening acts for John Mellencamp's performance tonight , July 22nd at the Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island in Chicago. Joe is a spoken word artist and he recently wrote a piece about John Mellencamp's influence on his work and he now has the honor to perform with him!!  How cool is that?!?!  If you were lucky enough to score tickets, look out for my guy Joe!  If not, here's a sneak peek at what he will be performing.  

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Happy Birthday to Cree Summer Francks bka  Cree Summer. 

My boys know Cree Summer  for her voicework in such gems as Elmyra from Pinky and The Brain , Numbah 5 from Code Name Kids Next Door and Cleo from Clifford the Big Red Dog.  Us Older Folks all fell in love with her when she got her start in voicework as Penny from Inspector Gadget and finally got to see her pretty face as Freddie in the TV Sitcom A Different World.

Well, she never ceases to amaze me.  I found this music video a few weeks ago and cannot get this song out of my head!!

Here is Cree Summer in her music video "Savior Self" produced for the Elevate Films Fest.  

I LOVE IT!!

Enjoy!

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It's a little chilly for the beginning of July here in Detroit, about 54 degrees.  But it's an absolutely beautiful morning!  My window is open and there is a lovely breeze coming thru, the sun is shinning and the birds are singing.  I'm loving this!  I think this is probably the first morning I haven't had to get up and do any kind of work in over a month!  There's a Twilight Zone marathon on SciFi (which is my most favorite marathon of all time!!) and my intentions are to watch all my favorite episodes.

I appreciate the mood I am in today because I remember last year this time, feeling nothing but depressed and alone.  The 4th of July was one of my husbands and my favorite holidays.  And last 4th was the first one since I left.  I felt truly alone last year.  We used to go to the parade in the city we were living in and bbq.  Well he would bbq I would make margaritas and lay on the couch watching the marathon all day!  LOL!!!  I'm going to spend this day loving my life and trying NOT to work!  :)  Enjoy!!!

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THAT would Be My Dream Job! I Just realized that Today. I Love to Sing and I Love to tell stories and I Love to perform! When I tell the boys the classic stories (Cinderella, Little Red Robin Hood) I always end up incorporating a song from Sonheim's Into The Woods. (Yes, I am a dorky parent) They Love It! And I do Too!!!

I think it would be a Blast!

hmmm.....wonder how'd I get started.......???

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i don't have a choice. my days of feeling responsible for everyone and everything that they do is over. they have to be. i don't want to get to the point where i look at everyone as being out to take advantage of me. i hate that i am one of the most trusting people, and society and situations are causing me to be untrue to myself. i hate that for years i thought of someone as more than just a girlfriend but closer than any blood sister i have. i hate that the whole time she knew my love for her was so real that it would be so easy for her to take advantage of me. i hate that she actually used it to her advantage. what i hate even more; after knowing her true intentions, i cannot bring myself to hate her. i don't know how to come to terms with the fact that i still love her as much as i love any of my sisters . i still consider her children my nieces and nephews and she has been such a constant in my life for so long, i'm unsure how to change that over night. my mind tells me that i'm better off with her out of my life. everyday my heart wonders if her and the children are okay.

what i love about this situation: now i know. i know that some people are in my life for a reason. some people are in my life for a season. i guess now it's time for me to prepare for the next season. i love that my heart hasn't hardened because of her actions. i so love that even though it hurts like hell, i still wake up every morning. i love that i am still able to communicate with my nieces and nephews. i love that i'm not running around speaking ill of her to everyone that she knows. i love that this is definately a life experience that is going to make me stronger; and somewhere down the road in my life, having gone through this situation is going to keep my eyes open and prevent it from happening again. i love that i can maintain my faith and believe that this, all of this, the hurt, the feeling of betrayal, and the wondering if i somehow caused it, too shall pass.

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i got up this morning feeling alone and depressed. when i turned over i saw that my baby girl (she's seven but my baby) had gotten into bed with me in the middle of the night (not unlike every other night). i was trying to get out of bed to go into the bathroom so i could be alone (i don't want her to pickup on the way i'm feeling) just when i thought i had gotten out scott free she turned over and looked at me and said 'mommy i love you so much and i think you are the best mommy in the world and i'm glad when i woke up i saw you before i saw anybody else'. i can't think of any thing that would make me continue to feel alone and depressed after that.

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Loathe - delays in communication, trying to make a dollar out of fifteen cents, unhealthy relationships, egg salad sandwiches, nosy neighbors, gray hairs (already), disrepectful behavior, humidity

Love - falling in love with myself more every day, bbq's, grilled salmon, being sexy, the Italian Chaffeur I met at the airport (kiss kiss), that when one door closes another one opens, all the men in my life helping me raise my boys, patron tequila

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Protest Oil Dependency and Showcase Your Gorgeous Self Love

World Naked Bike Ride

WNBR-C is a fun and conspicuous event celebrating the end of the oil era, and promoting positive body image. This event is global with dozens of cities participating world-wide, and Chicago routinely setting U.S. turnout records.   This is a bare-as-you-dare event, with outfits ranging from body paint to fanciful costumes to beach-wear. Chicago's past rides rallied hundreds of cyclists and numerous skaters covering over a dozen miles of high visibility city tourism and recreation areas. The ride's atmosphere is extremely joyful and transcendently fun.

Bicycles constitute the best solution to reducing America's petroleum addiction and improving public fitness.

Potential riders in Chicago must join the Yahoo group http://ChicagoNakedRide.com for location announcement or call the hotline on ride day: 773-578-6289. 

NonRiders can watch at the recommended VIEWING point, Halsted near Belmont some time after 10:15pm-ish and can text JOIN CGONAKEDRIDE to 8762 for announcements and en-route chatter to riders, fans, press, and stragglers.

For more information including where to find this event in your city visit  World Naked Bike Ride

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Today, Jeremiah graduated from kindergarten. Hallelujah!

We celebrated by going to a traditional English Tea at The Drake Hotel. I thought they might not enjoy it but even though it is a formal tea service, it wasn't stuffy at all. Live harp music plays while high tea is served with finger sandwiches, scones, and French pastries. Champagne, mimosas and bellini's are also available (and yummy) and they served peanut butter & jelly sandwiches to the boys.

The Harpist and Super Personable Maitre D' both came over to our table to talk with the boys and the boys were on their very best, most polite behavior; asking each other if they cared for more sugar or sandwiches, using their napkins and softly applauding after each harpist selection. It was a wonderful experience for all of us.

If you are in or plan to visit Chicago, Tea Time at the Drake should definitely be on your itinerary.

The Drake's Traditional English Tea Service is available daily from 1:00pm - 5:00pm and costs $29.00 for adults and $15.00 for children.

For more information go to visit http://www.thedrakehotel.com/

Here are a few pics from mere moments ago...

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Garrett Popcorn

I remember when I was young, Mom would bring home yummy Garrett's Popcorn on payday. It was such a treat! Fresh warm cheese popcorn mixed with sweet caramelcrisp (a.k.a The Mix) is pure indulgence.

The Garrett's on Michigan Ave can have lines down the block, the one on State Street is always packed to the walls. Lucky for me, there's a Garrett's inside my office building (Citicorp at 500 W. Madison) and the lines are only long there during the evening rush when folks are grabbing a bag of The Mix before hopping on the Metra commuter trains....hopefully bringing that deliciousness home to their own eager little kids.

Today, the boys came downtown and before they left, we made a quick stop at Garrett's and enjoyed a few cheesy handfuls in the warm sunshine.

Find out more about this Great Chicago Foodie Tradition at http://www.garrettpopcorn.com/

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