JUST A STORY INSPIRED BY "theselittlemoments" . . .

I read "Molly" today. I'm glad google reader popped her blog into my bloggers you might like window. You can visit her here. I don't know her IRL. She seems pretty awesome -- has an insatiable appetite for shoes and a big hairy beast of a dog. Shoes and Dogs. I like her writing. Nuff said.

I loved her blog today. She mentioned Starbuck's and kindness in the same blog entitled "Acts of Kindness."

Recently, while in Minot, ND, I really *wanted* Starbucks. I placed my order at the drive through and caterpillared my way to the window. I received my venti vanilla latte and was told to have a nice day. ???

Me: "I owe you $4.30 for the latte though?" (I know what my vanilla latte costs!)

Window Guy: (smiles) "No you don't -- the person in front of you paid for your coffee."

Me: (confused) "Why? I'm from out of town and don't know anyone here. I don't even know who was in front of me because, I'll admit it, I wasn't paying any attention."

WG: (smiles really big, almost giggles) "A little while ago, one of our customers paid for the person behind him and asked us to see if we could keep it going. He called it 'Pay It Backward Day today.' It's been going on for a couple of hours now."

I smiled. I laughed. I thought this was somewhat silly. It made me feel warm and fuzzy inside too, almost like a kid who's up to mischief (good mischief). This feeling increased when I looked in my rearview to see that, sure enough, there was a car behind me. In it was an elderly lady, in an older model Buick that had seen some better days, someone's grandmother for sure, hugged up onto the steering wheel with both hands gripping it fiercely at the top, complete with a flowery scarf tied around her "do" and horn-rimmed glasses on a chain.

I turned to the still smiling young man at the window.

Me: (grinning from ear to ear) "Well, let's just keep that happening! I would love to buy her beverage for her, how much?"

I paid and drove away. I had to circle the building to get to the street so I got to see him explaining to her that I bought her coffee for her. A grande mocha cappuccino. She was the last car in line. There were no others. For some reason I felt even better, knowing she was last in line, that I got to see the end. I felt GREAT . . . and . . . something . . . something else . . . renewed . . . yes . . . that's it. RENEWED. I smiled all day and told everyone I could about it. It was silly, it was goofy, and, yea, it was a little weird BUT IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!

It was an awesome experience and I intend to do it here at my local Starbucks in Houston. For the silliness, for the goofiness and even for the weirdness but mostly for the FUN OF IT!!!!

Feels good, fun does.

JUST A FABULOUS CELEBRATION . . .

Felice Festa della Donna a voi!!!



I received a chat on FB this morning from one of Meagan's friends in Italy who I met during my trip last year (yes, blogs and pics forthcoming one day *sigh*). Deejay is Italian and his chat was sent to wish me "Buon 8 marzo a voi" which translates to "Good 8 March to you." So very sweet that he remembered meeting me but "Good 8 March to you?"

Pardon my "duh-ness." Um. Yea. I had to go to my trusty-dusty Wikipedia.

It is International Women's Day today or, in Italy, The Festival of Women! This day is celebrated throughout the world . . . though not in the U.S. I find this interesting considering that several historical U.S. events projected this festival from a medieval tradition to a contemporary observance. Guess we have Valentine's Day, which is really commemorating a massacre -- what? And Mother's Day. I'm a mom. It's a tough job. We deserve to be honored for it. However, in the U.S., it seems, that is certainly enough woman celebrating. Is it time for kick-off yet?

There are relatively few sites (go figure) I found regarding this event. Modern festivals are held across many European countries and it is recognized worldwide as a day. The ancient festivals were dedicated to women and the new season/year -- spring -- and occurred around the end of February, beginning of March. The celebration's modern theme found its place on March 8 due to several historical events, primarily the New York textile factory fire of 1911 that killed 146 garment workers (most of whom were female Italian and Jewish immigrants). These women were locked in their building (with fabrics and GAS lamps) each day by management to assure their labors were completed. This event, resulting in the deaths of so many, prompted the formation of the first female union in the United States and was a catalyst in organized work place safety reform. The "Festival of Women" morphed into "International Women's Day" during this era.

Just another factoid: The Mimosa flower figures prominently in this celebration from it's ancient roots (HA! A pun!). It is the flower most often given to women on this day by the men in their lives. I think an Americanized version would certainly include the Mimosa!

Read more about the "Festival of Women" and "International Women's Day" here, here and here.

Soooooo . . .

. . . next year I will invite my fabulous and beautiful bosom (HA! Another pun!) buddies over for a celebration on March 8 to honor ourselves as women, complete with Mimosa's and Mimosa's!


Screw Valentine's Day!!!

JUST GOT HOME . . .

. . . after two, 12 plus hours, days drive through five states of snow! FIVE STATES!!! No black top to be seen for over six hundred miles across I-94, then down I-29 and the Kansas Turnpike.

My thoughts?

"Yo. Dudes. The road is still there under all that white. Seriously. It's there. NOW. MOVE. YOUR. COLLECTIVE. ASSES. I want to get home before summer."

Their thoughts? (as I imagine them to be)

"Texas plates. Um. Yea."

It's really, really good to be home. H-Town baaayyyy-bbbbeeee!!!

=)