36 down....488 to go on my Quest to have 524 new experiences in 2010

As it happens item number 36 is Real Estate related.  I signed up for a monthly series of classes called Hays BOOT Camp.  Not an exercise class, (though I really could use that right now), but a technology class.  In this case BOOT stands for Businesses Optimizing Online Technology.

A group called Marketing Latinos.com started the workshop in an effort to get small businesses in Hays County (in Texas) together to start talking about we should be using Twitter, Facebook and other social media.  It will be a weekly informal sessions allowing us to get together, talk about what we are doing, how we're doing it, whats working, what's not. 

The fact that I got out at night to go to the workshop is a testament to my Quest of going beyond my initial "NO" response as I don't like to go out at night.  But I found the session helpful, the people nice and I'm looking forward to learning more and getting to know the people better in future sessions. 

I'll let you know down the road when I start using the social networking how it's going .  For now it's another notch in my belt of 524 new experiences coming my way this year.

35 down...489 to go on my Quest to have 524 new experiences in 2010

This one is ultra simple but I am finding VERY effective way of detaching and  de-stressing during the day after a tough call, or tough day overall.  I'm turning on Christmas Music! 

I had mentioned in one of my earlier 'new things to do' that I was going to keep my Christmas Tree up...not sure for how long, haven't decided yet, but I'm taking it down when "I" feel like it not because everyone says it's time.  Anyway at the time I explained how much I love Christmas.  The whole season just puts me in a good mood.  So when I put away the wreaths, mistletoe, Santas and stockings (I figured keeping them out was a big much) I put away all of the Christmas cds except three.  I kept out:

George Strait: Nothing like Christmas with a twang...it's fun to crank it up in the car and put on a country accept when you're singing Joy to the World.  And I mean crank it up and belt it out.  Really puts you in a good mood. 

Bing Crosby.  I bought a cd of Bings that was made from a live taping he did of a Christmas Kraft's sponsored program.  The cool thing about that one is that he talks between songs and you realize how long ago it was done.  He introduces The Christmas Song...you know it starts with Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...jack frost nipping at your nose...(pardon my voice I have a bit of laryngitis)  As he introduces a song he explains that two teenage songsmiths, wrote a musical Christmas card he enjoyed and wanted to share.  One of the teenage songsmiths is Mel Torme!!!  Now that was a long time ago.  When he introduces another song, Bing explains that the song "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" was recently written because a large group of singers, actors, agents etc, left New York (which was the only place for theater back then) and headed to California to be involved in the movies.  And while they loved their new home, the ocean, the blue sky and weather, they missed the White Christmases they grew up with back home in the Northeast.  So this cd reminds me that when I was little and my dad and I listened to Bing and Nat King Cole, the traditional Christmas songs I know today, were just written and starting to becme the traditional Christmas songs they are today.  Listening to the classics being song by Bing, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Mario Lanzo etc always reminds me of my dad and takes me there literally within a few bars of hearing their voices.

The last cd I kept out was a new one that my second daughter made for me this year of all upbeat Christmas classics song by contemporary artists, Mariah Carey, Raskel Flats, Faith Hill, Taylor Swift, Jordan Sparks, Christina Aguillare etc etc.  Again I crank it up and sing LOUD in the car.  Bouncing my head and going for it. 

So I'm finding my mood can really change almost instantly when I put on the Christmas Cd.  I can almost feel my blood pressure drop and years drop away.  It can take me from an unpleasant call feeling kind of blue, irritated, sad, angry or depressed state, to a really nice upbeat place quickly and with no DRUGS!

So try it...studies prove music can really change your mood and have a positive physical affect on your body, so what better music to do it quickly than listening AND SINGING to an upbeat Christmas Song.  You look stupid but hey...that's part of the fun. Just imagine the looks you'll get when you do it with the windows rolled down... Who says you can't listen to Christmas music all year long????

 34 down....490 to go on my Quest to have 524 new experiences in 2010.

Item 34 on my list is not technically a "first time ever" kind of item. It falls more under the heading of "first time in decades" kind of thing.  One that would have remained undone had it not been for my quest to shake things up a bit.

Had I followed my usual routine, I would have picked up the Sunday paper, gone through it and pulled out the Car sales section, employment section, advertisements, circulars, coupons and comics and put them on a pile to go directly to recycle bin. Then gone on to read the rest of the paper.  (Well, that is until the last couple of weeks where I decided to start cutting coupons in which case that particular section is now kept seperate so I can go through them later.)

This morning however I had second thoughts about the pile.  I was separating the paper as usual and just a nano second (that's really fast) after I tossed the Sunday comics onto the floor next to me I stopped and looked down at them.  I had not read the comics in years...really decades.  I had not even considered reading them in decades.  Yet I remember as a kid we (I had six brothers and sisters) would fight over who got to read the comics first.  Yep, same group who would gather around the ONE tv we had (black and white in those days) to watch Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color...(we did eventually get a color tv which was huge).  Those Sunday nights were special, we'd all be sitting on the few chairs (if you left and had to run to the bathroom you'd have yell "my seat is saved", if you didn't whoever was on the floor would jump and get the seat yelling victoriously "you didn't say it was saved".)  Oh for the simple days.

Well anyway back to the comics.  So after my moment of nostalgia remembering Davey Crockett, Shaggy Dog and all the other Disney movies, I decided to read the comics. 

Boy have they changed.  I don't think comics are for kids any more.  At least i think they used to be for kids when I read them as a kid.  Maybe I'm remembering the world simpler than it really was????   Geez some of the cartoons went over my head.  Many if not most appear to be more of a statement of society, or current issues/culture. The Argyle Sweater's statement about Health Care Reform, Candorville's discussion on 'doo doo in the soda at Burger Queen', to Ziggy getting called a "dummy" by the high tech tv remote control, (which is similar to my car navigator that pretty much says, "turn around you idiot you missed the turn", to Edge City talking about the mistake of hitting reply to all by mistake...which I have seen happen (thank God not to me) and the results were NOT pretty.  You gotta feel sorry for the guy who did it.  

But anyway my read was both a journey down memory lane, a quick reality check that time's they are a changin, as well as a quick update on what's happening around world.  What happened to Blonde and Dagwood?  Did they have social messages and I just missed them?  And how in the heck is Prince Valiant still hanging in there?

The Beginning of the Quest:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1410421/i-m-going-to-bloom-where-i-m-planted-in-2010-

Last list update:  February 6

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1477769/note-this-is-not-a-bucket-list-this-is-my-get-off-your-butt-list-

It was suggested by an Active Rain member that periodically I list what I have done towards my New Years resolution of having 524 new experiences in 2010.  He thought this way he and others if willing, could give me suggestions of things I can add to the list. 

For those not familiar with my predicament, here goes.  During the week between Christmas and New Years one of my daughters (I have four) and I were talking about New Years Resolutions.  We both felt our lives weren't what we wanted them to be or perhaps better said, they weren't what we felt they could be.  (To be honest, I wasn't as sympathetic to her situation.  Hey she's only 28.  She's got plenty of time to get her life rolling, I on the other hand, in my 50s, knew I had better get my butt moving or my life was never going to change.) So with the dawning of a New Year, a New Decade even, it seemed the perfect time to have a new beginning.  (I love that about Mondays, first of the month, and New Years...perfect time to begin new things, but to be able to start fresh in a whole new decade seemed...well destined.) 

With this new dawn approaching I made up my mind that I wanted a New Years resolution that would guaranteechange.  One that would help, if I stuck with it, get my life out of it's predictable, albeit comfortable, rut.  So I came up with the idea that I would do 365 new things in 2010, equivalent of one new thing a day. But before the ink was dry on that idea, I got perhaps over-excited (not a pretty sight for a 50+ year old woman I might add), about the idea.  Somewhere between the time we thought of the idea and New Years Eve, I saw the movie Julie/Julia and well...365 turned into 524 new things to be done.  (Julie cooked her way through Julia Child's cookbook, all 524 recipes.  I figured if she could cook 524 things in the year I could do 524 new things right?...well it made sense at the time.  Turned out not to be my brightest moment.) But the Quest was born, 2010 Rang in and I was committed.

So I made it through January.  A little behind in my quest if you were planning on spreading it evenly through the year that is ... okay I'm getting a whole lot behind.  But doesn't everything start out a bit slow???  Like a ball rolling down hill, things will pick up steam as I get in the real swing of things.  Right?

One month in I will admit I am going to need help, 1) with new ideas (that don't require a lot of money or a great deal of time ideally as I am still running the business, raising the kids and the real estate market is in somewhat of a slump if you haven't heard)... and 2) Perhaps some partners in crime.  That's just an idea, if there are any folks reading this that happen to be in the Austin area and want to try anything new feel free to call.  I have someone that is willing to go ziplining with me and I have someone else that is toying with the idea of going skydiving with me....now that one is a real stretch but if she gets up the nerve maybe i will too.  Anything/anyone that will push me to get out there and make it happen. 

Here is the list so far. ... oh yeah...this is NOT a bucket list of any sort...nor am I proclaiming that I am going to invent, discover or create something wonderful, not planning to change or save the world in any way (Though that would be a great goal in my life down the road.)  This is simply my attempt to create enough new experiences that will enable me, over the period of one year change the direction of my life.  It's my, "Get off my butt and out of my rut list" if you will. 

When asked to share the list that I've done so far, I hesistated a bit.  (Though as a requirment of this whole quest was to blog about what I was doing and how I was feeling, I realize that you could have looked it up by looking at past blogs so hesitating was rather pointless.) The reason for hesitation is that you'll see the list is so far is pretty pitiful.  Yep...it's kind of embarrassing at this point as many/most of the items on the list are not of an earth shattering, life changing or especially interesting nature.  (Only goes to show you how narrow my life was to get on the list.)  However I am hoping like the engine in the book The Little Engine That Could, I'll start off the year slow and just keep saying, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can and eventually I'll start building up confidence and start trying bigger and more exciting things.  And then (music swelling in the background) by year end 2010 I'll look back in awe and amazement at what I did to change my life. 

But as my goal is just to break out of my rut, anything that I do outside the norm is a step in the right direction.  So here goes...here's the items I've done to qualify so far as new experiences.  (I am allowing a few really old experiences to appear on the list if indeed I felt that doing them again was a push in the right direction...or the experience was just darn fun, good, wonderful, a new way of experiencing it....etc etc.)

 So any suggestions or encouragement is welcomed!!!

If you are reading this blog you may or may not know that I ended 2009 with the single determination that in 2010 I would make changes in my life.  I wanted to expand my world which had become almost too comfortably small.  (I say comfortably small as I was finding that my world was getting narrower and narrower, other than the kids and real estate I literally had no life to speak of...and I was okay with that which really bothered me as I am too young to be housebound.) So anyway I came up with the following New Year's resolution: I would begin a Quest to have  524 new experiences in 2010. 

Why 524?  Good question.  It was not a well thought out decision (I'm finding it harder than I thought to find the time/money to have 524 new experiences), rather 524 items was chosen on a whim and a matter of sheer timing.  I had just completed the book and movie "Julie/Julia" and I figured if Julie Powell could cook 524 recipes in a year, surely I could have 524 new experiences....so 524 it was. 

As I began my Quest an Active Rain member suggested that I blog every day for a month.  (Not crazy enough to commit to a full year of daily blogging but I could surely do if for a month.)  So my blog today is to reflect on how my 2010 is shaping up in light of my Quest.  

As silly as the whole thing sounded/sounds, I'm finding having the quest is pushing me a bit.  I could just drop it as typically happens with my resolutions, but by blogging about it, 'putting it out there' I'm kind of feeling I have to keep at it or come across as a real looney tune/flake.  So far anyway, I am more likely to accept invitations to go out, I've met some women who are going to get together monthly for example, and I had a good time. I'm not just allowing myself to 'float' down the river of life this yea and just end up where I end up perhaps wishing, as I did at the end of 2009, that I was in a different place.  This year I'm taking a more active approach to my life, planning the course more, yet still allowing things to unfold a bit.

So stay tuned.  I haven't even come up with 524 experiences yet so feel free to make some suggestions.  They would be greatly appreciated.  I'm hoping by the end of 2010 I'll be able to look back on the year and feel proud of the growth I made in all aspects of my life. I'm also hoping as the year progresses I'll find the courage to do a few things that really blow off the lid of my comfort zone, but I'm sure the majority will not be of huge proportions...maybe of interest only to me.  

33 down....491 to go on my Quest to have 524 new experiences in 2010

Just got back from seeing the Avatar moving in 3D in the IMAX theatre.  If you're going to see the movie now that's the way to see it.  You gotta give it up to James Camaron.  The technology used to bring that movie to the screen is a whole 'nother level of movie making. 

I think it's a movie I like more as I get away from it, could have done without all of the fighting scenes but he definitely made it with a point of view.  So all in all I'm glad I went to see it.  Now I know what all the fuss is about. 

ADDED NOTE: Last night leaving the theater there were several people walking out saying that they were seeing AVATAR for the 5th and 6th time.  At that point I didn't think I'd want to see it again.  I was glad I saw it mind you, but didn't feel compelled to see it again.  However, I found last night I thought a lot about the movie, the story line, the technology etc.  and the more I thought about it the more I found that I might want to see it again.  I think I'll pick up more the second time.  So I wanted to add this note that I did like it enough to want to see it again, it kind of sticks with you, the message perhaps is resonating with me.  I also want to look up and see more about how it was created as it is a whole different type of experience.  One I thought would be distracting going from 'one world' to another.  But it wasn't at all.  So anyway just an update.   

32 down....492 to go on my Quest to have 524 new experiences in 2010

My item 32 may not be a stretch for most of you but I'm a bit desperate in my quest to have 524 new experiences in 2010.  So here it is.  I just noticed I hit a milestone with Active Rain and have 25000 points.  So I'm counting that as new experience number 32.  Which actually considering January has 31 days and today is February 3rd, I'm 35 days into the New Year...so with 32 new experiences under my built I'm close to a pace for 365 new experiences this year.  (Which was my original plan (and my daughter's recommendation) until I read Julie/Julia and decided I'd follow her lead and go for 524 new things.  Over ambitious as always. 

Oh well, just need to pick up the pace a bit.

31 down.... 493 to go on my Quest to do 524 new things in 2010 (yep I'm running behind)

Item 31 is... I got my butt out there and voted in a local special election.  Sad to admit but I have never done that before.  I voted in all of the Presidential elections (even when I lived in Venezuela and had to vote absentee).  But never voted in a local special election.  Come to think of it this one meant more than the Presidential elections over the last many years as my votes didn't really count. 

Why you might ask?  Well my husband (ex now) and I canceled each other out every single election during the years we were together.  That's 28 years married plus a few miscelleneous years before and after.  That accounts for 7 presidential elections....  We used to joke about not bothering to vote as we knew that we would cancel each other out  but we never passed on it.  We went ahead and voted anyway. 

Now the voting experience this time did not go as smoothly as I would have liked.  I went in, (only voter there) and the two women took my name signed me in etc.  They gave me a little slip of paper and pointed to the booths.  I walked over with a great deal of confidence.  And immediately realized I forgot how to use the machine.  You'd think I'd remember it as presidential elections weren't that long ago but I didn't.  I pressed the screen and nothing happened, then I noticed the rather large sign that said "NOT A TOUCH SCREEN".  Whoops.  So I proceeded to read the directions and pressed "ENGLISH".  Then a screen came up asking for my 4 digit ID. 

Crap, so that's why I was given the little piece of paper.  Don't know why I thought it was a receipt.  Why would they have been giving me a receipt, a receipt for what?  Hello!!! So there I was at the booth fumbling around for the paper with my id number.  I looked over at the two women who had nothing better to do but look at me and I mumbled something that probably didn't make any sense.  I kept thinking I know the paper is here somewhere.  How could I have lost the little piece of paper in a matter of six feet.  I began pulling everything out of my pockets, then picked up my purse and started emptying its' pockets before finally finding the little sucker.  The entire time wishing those women didn't have my name in front of them.

But once I had the code I was fine.  I did my civic duty, received my "I VOTED" sticker and left the city hall pride not quite intact...

28,29 and 30 down in my Quest to have 524 new experiences in 2010

I have learned recently that all new experiences are not necessarily pleasant ones.  However all will be learning experiences.  My experience yesterday was embarrassing, somewhat humiliating and all together humbling.  But I did learn a thing or two.

A few 'new' experiences ago I mentioned I clipped coupons for the first time.  My mom never clipped coupons, she didn't do the 'green stamps' books either, though I remember I tried that once, you know you got little green or yellow stamps and you licked them and put them in a book and then you had a catalogue and you could trade your books in for the item.  I wonder when they discontinued those....well anyway....

Yesterday afternoon after a productive day with clients, taking an executed contract to the title company for a buyer, working out a repair amendment for a seller, completing a walk through on a new construction for another client etc.  I was feeling quite proud of myself ... I was productive and  "in control" of my businss and my life...or so I thought.  (Boy how quickly the mighty fall.)  I was ready to take all of the coupons I clipped and go save myself a bunch of money. 

I pulled out my coupons, which i had put in envelopes, dairy products, pet products, refrigerator goods etc (I thought I was so organized) and got the cart and made my way through the aisles getting only items on my coupons.  One of the first warning sides should have been that on my coupons it said "with card".  I figured I needed some kind of card so I asked a worker.  She said to go to the pharmacy and get the card.  Okay, no problem.  I went to the pharmacy said I wanted one of the cards the coupons refer to, she took my information and then asked me for $20.  Oh...I had to pay for this card. Well I knew I was going to save so much money I figured it was worth it.  I calmly took out my credit card and handed it over and she gave me the temporary card assuring me that I could use it today.

I continued my shopping and I tell you my heart was beating fast.  I had to tell myself of course this was legal, everyone does it all of the time.  I had printed coupons off the internet (like I was told in the articles) and I hoped I wouldn't be embarrassed by the cashier telling me that these were fake or for some reason they didn't take the ones you printed yourself.  (I suddenly remembered the article saying you had to have a certain printer quality...did I have the right type printer? This couponing was kind of stressful.) 

Well here goes, after a LONG time shopping I was ready to check out.  I waited until there was no on at the checkout aisle, in part as a courtesy to others behind me...and in part because I didn't want to be embarrassed if my coupons didn't work. 

As I was putting the items on the register my heart was pounding, I was kind of excited and I asked the cashier if people used coupons a lot and she assured me she has a lot of regulars that do.  I explained (for what reason I do not know as I'm sure she didn't care) that this was my first time with coupons.  (Is there such a thing as a first time coupon virgin????).

Well then as I was looking forward to the total to see how much I saved (keeping in mind on the tv show she bought over $100 of groceries for 25 cents)...my grand total was...drum roll please......................  $317!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By this time there was someone behind me in line and after I picked up my jaw from the floor I apologized and asked the cashier if she could show me the discounts.  I pointed out that it had been a mistake as all of these vitamins were buy one, get one free and all of these.....before I could continue she pointed out that many of the vitamins I picked out were the wrong brand.  "But I have the coupon and the card." (I felt like pointing out that I just paid $20 for "this card" the coupons were referring to" thank God I wasn't nasty)...she looked at the coupon and said "That's a CVS coupon, we don't have the card".  Now they tell me.  Here I was referring to 'a card' and pointing to it on the coupon in my hand to three different people, none of which mentioned (as I'm sure they didn't register it either they didn't do it to be mean or anyting...) that it wasn't a Walgreen coupon. 

I am now feeling sick to my stomach.  I had totally screwed this up.  Now my first reaction was to just say.."Okay, sorry about that." take my cart and run out of the store as quickly as I could.  But $317!!!! The whole point of this was to save money not spend more.  So I began apologizing to everyone and asked if I could return some of the products.  I had to be 20 shades of red and wishing I never heard the word coupon before.

Long story short, the manager had to come up, void out the ticket and then she personally walked me back to the vitamin aisle (which admittedly was the most expensive items) and started pointing the products marked "BUY ONE GET ONE FREE".  Sure enough they were very clearly marked.  I was so busy readin my coupons for the brand that it never occurred to me to look at the signs on the flipping shelves.   I felt she was being a bit patronizing but at this point my pride was in shambles and all I could do was keep rambling about how this was my first time with coupons, I'm sooo sorry, can't believe I screwed this up  ...you get the picture.  She left and I began going through my basket and started switching the vitamins out. 

By the time I finished with vitamin switch out I was defeated.  I knew I had an entire basket of products that were on sale at CVS not here but I didn't care any more.  I just wanted to go home.  So i went back to the checkout.  As I came forward the manager stepped forward and directed me to the cosmetic aisle to check out (as if they couldn't trust me in the regular aisle again), she sent a young woman over and she started ringing me up again....  I went into that store feeling 6 ft tall (as I'm only 5'2" that was a stretch) and I stood at the counter for the second time feeling about 2" tall.

But finally it was over.  My bill came down alot, and I did save over $125, but I used that up in buying multiples of products that I didn't need.  Such as 2 bottles of hellman (at CVS they were going to be 2 for price of one and I had a coupon), while here I simply bought 2 bottles of mayonaise (that I only use at Christmas what was I thinking...well i was thinking I could keep it in my pantry...as it was such a good deal...only now it wasn't and I still bought it..only with three bottles of Ragu (yes it was 3 for x amount plus a couplon)...I did however buy White Castles hamburgers with a coupon!!!  Coming from the Midwest I love the little sliders. 

So what were my new experiences?

28) I saved over $125 by using coupons!  (good thing)

29) I had the guts to actually ask a cashier to void my entire shopping basket of products they rang up and then rering it after my exchanges.  (bad thing...but they were nice.  They thought I was an idiot perhaps, but they didn't say it.) 

30) I learned that Walgreens does not accept CVS coupons.  (DUH)...but they do accept the coupons you print from online.  I will expand this and assume that most stores will not accept competitors coupons.  Trust me this will NOT happen again. 

What did I do when I got home... I had my daughter put away the groceries and I ate the White Castles...

I think I will try again with the coupons one more time...but I need to lick my wounds a bit first.

27 down....497 to go in my Quest to have 524 new experiences in 2010

This one is a big one for me, up there with the connection I felt when I breastfed my daughters (TMI).  I have four daughters, 28, 26, 18 and 16, so anyone that has every raised a teenage girl will understand this entry and celebrate with me. 

With my first daughter I was SURE I wouldn't experience what other parents talked about, when their sweet little girl changes personalities almost over night, doesn't want to talk and share anymore etc.  So when it happened I was truly blindsided.  I honestly thought we would be different.  That we had a connection strong enough that this wouldn't happen to us.  Wrong.  Maybe it was harder for me then because not only was I shocked, but I was so disapponted.  So when my second daughter came into the mid to late teens and she too changed I was a bit more prepared.  I didn't like it, I had hoped it wouldn't happen, but a part of me had been preparing for that day.  Then my third daughter went through the door to what I call the Dark Side and I took a deep breath. (Now this one went through some really ugly times.  Not that she did bad things, really none of them did, it was more of a personality stage.  An 'ugliness' in spirit that I would see.  In her case unfortunately I was going through the divorce at this very time so it made the whole situation worse for both of us.  I even wondered at times if it was her personality rather than a "stage" she'd outgrow.  But as time passed she pulled through and mercifully it was just a stage as I truly like her now.) 

This leaves my last...my baby.  While in many ways the youngest was the sweetest of the four growing up.  She was definitely the most sensitive.  Maybe that's why I knew it would be tough when she changed, as I was pretty sure (not positive) but pretty darn sure would happen.  The funny thing is, well not really funny, but this one was the hardest for their dad.  For the divorce didn't seem to faze her like it did the others as she was younger and just happy to be with him, so when her personality started changing he took it more personally as she wanted to be in her own space and time.  I tried to remind him that the others had done the exact thing, but it was the first one he really felt. 

Well back to my 'moment' last night.  My youngest I am glad to say, is the only one still on the Dark Side.  This just means that I'm not always sure which child I am dealing with on any given day.  Don't get me wrong, she's a good kid and I love her dearly, but I do have to bite my tongue sometimes as I honestly think she can't control her moods during certain times fo the month.  But I know that this too will pass and she, like her three sisters before her, will eventually think I'm wonderful again and she will finally come to the realization that I know a whole lot more than she ever gave me credit for. 

Again back to our shared moments.  Last night my daughter and I both watched the Grammys and they Rocked!  I even thought about texting my oldest to see if she was watching them, but as I was taping it I figured if she didn't I'd have her watch them in replay.  In this special night it was like young and old blended in a wonderful tapestry of color, texture and music.  The producers brought the young and old in the music field together in a magical musical event.  Taylor Swift sang together with Stevie Nicks, Lady Gaga with Elton John, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Usher with Celine Dion and Smokey Robinson.  Through it all music transcended the years. It appeared that the young respected the older talents and vice versa...the way life should be across all disciplines. 

My daughter and I both loved the show and appreciated it in different ways.  While I think she enjoyed the straight on performances of the artists, I could appreciate something more.  I loved both Pink and Beyonces showmanship and I admired and am in awe of the song writing talent of the young Taylor Swift, But the show also brought back a lot of memories for me.  As I saw some of my old favorites and listened to their voices, I could remember where I was when I first listened to them.  Stevie Nicks, Bon Jovie, Lionel Ritchie, Smokey Robinson, Roberta Flack, Elton John and all of the others were a part of my growing up.  We didn't have quite the multitude of activities kids have today and music was a major part of my life.  I could remember events tied to the music that was playing.  The beauty of it all is their music is still valid and stood the test of time. 

After the show ended and my daughter and I said our goodnights and headed to bed, my daughter oblivious to the fact that her mom's heart was a flutter with joy, I knew my baby was still my baby and that she too would be coming out on the other side soon.  And for that I thank the Grammy's.  It was indeed a special night.