So here I sit in Starbucks on 78th & Lexington in NYC reading & writing all morning on a Monday. My boys #2 & 3 are in Scitech Camp until 3pm. So I am waiting on the time to pass. What a difference two decades make. Who knew the things I did while homeless would be yuppie chic one day. The big difference is today, I have money to buy 'whatever I want,' I have a few homes to go back to, and my bags are now Louis Vuitton. Dreams definitely do come true.
The boys' classroom for the week is Central Park and various places around the city that will teach them about the science of nature. Son #1 is back on his classes at NYFA and loving New York in the summertime. Before we got here for our visit he emailed me a photo of himself, "wrecking shop at Double Dutch." His ability to get the crowd amped got him noticed, and he made yet another business contact via business card. My good mommy plan is to buy him a business card holder to keep his contacts in order.
Well my summer is wrapping up with the submission of my first screenplay for my screenwriting class on Wednesday. The final assignment is to complete the first Act, a tag line, and a step by step outline of the entire movie that I am writing. How awesome! I decided to update this blog while taking a break from writing dialogue (that rhymes).
Here's what you missed: in May I sent out 10 copies of Wendy Williams' new book, Ask Wendy, as Mother's Day gifts. I hope someday someone will buy lots of copies of my book and give them as gifts. I am so close. Wendy's book was great, by the way. No one gives advice as well as Wendy. Btw, we got to see her last night after her evening performance in the broadway musical, Chicago. She was great as usual. I got to tell her that I bought two wigs from her new wig line with Especially Yours.
Anyway, I am going backwards, better in the blog than in life.
On Saturday, my family and I had the distinct pleasure of once again seeing Beyonce' aka Mrs. Carter perform in her hubby's hometown. She was great as usual. Does excellence ever get old? I sure hope not. I will be buying Beyonce' concert tickets for the rest of my life. She makes me glad I am a black girl, a feeling I only get from Beyonce', Michelle Obama, Wendy Williams, and of course Ms. Oprah Winfrey. Btw, Gayle King and her daughter were at the concert rocking out like they were glad to be Black Girls that rock as well.
Oooh that reminds me of a story; my sweet Caucasian hubby finally wore the t-shirt I bought for him out in public and the reactions he got were almost unbelievable. The t-shirt said, Black Girls Rock! Seeing as his wife and daughter make the statement true, I thought how apropos. But wow did it rub some people in a certain kind of way to see a Caucasian man wearing a shirt that says Black Girls Rock! He experienced more black folks having a negative reaction than whites.
Well it was a precursor to the conversations of the summer. A Cheerios commercial sparked controversy when it portrayed a biracial couple. Followed shortly thereafter by the Paula Deen disaster. May I go on record as saying I still love Paula Deen. I too unfortunately, in the past, have used the horrible n-word, but then per Avenue Q., the musical, I believe "Everybody's a Little Bit Racist." It is not something to get up in arms about, instead let's keep having intelligent conversations about race and bias in America. Start with the September issue of Essence magazine with Kelly Rowland on the cover. There is a great article inside that sheds light on unconscious bias.
With all that said, I join the boycott of Florida. I will not spend any of my money there until they change their, "stand your ground laws." I have three black boys that I pray to God for the strength to see them safely into adulthood and beyond without racism negatively affecting them permanently. The conversation that every black boy must hear to prepare him to save his own life when faced by a scared Caucasian with a gun, is a rites of passage activity, unfortunately. Trayvon Martin and Emmett Till will forever be honored by any success my three black boys have in this life.
Back to blogging, on Friday in New York we got to see the very incredible musical, Kinky Boots. A great story about the plight of a different kind of black boy that is equally important. Watch the movie if you can't make it to Broadway. It made me want to buy some new high heel shoes. When I learn to post videos and photos you can see first hand how Joe does retail therapy. (I need an assistant!)
Prior to coming to NYC, I wrapped my summer term at Harvard Summer School. Like I mentioned earlier on Wednesday I submit my final assignment via email. I love technology. I had to withdraw from my government class due to the fact that it conflicted with my plans to see Beyonce' this weekend, but alas I learned a lot about our government and politics in general.
And finally the report from the mountain top. Yes, I, Joe Williams-Nelson did manage, without injury to my body or my ego, to climb Mt. Shasta in California. It was definitely as hard as the marathon but not as inspirational as the marathon. I climbed to 11,100 feet before having to come back down in the dark of night. The staff at the Breast Cancer Fund is amazing to say the least. However, I will never do that shit again. Next on my list is a triathlon in Chicago by the time I turn 50. This gives me 9 years to learn to swim, but my 8 year old tells me I am a fast learner. He is teaching me more and more whenever we have access to a pool. Thank God for the Ritz Carlton in Boston. It was a lifesaver when the 13 year old decided not to come back to the summer apartment for the weekend. He was in Gamers' Academy at Harvard, and the baby boy was stuck with the parents for two weeks without his big brother.
Well, I have definitely gone passed my break time. "Back to Business" for this writer.
I will wrap with this little tidbit about progress. In this very crowded Starbucks, I have shared my small table with at least four people who happen to be beautiful Caucasians. One man set up his computer and worked right across from me; another man ate his lunch then left; now a lady who has finished her meal sits across from me reading. Even when other tables opened up they remained. God is Amazing! I pray you are loving life as much as me these days.
Stay blessed. Until next time . . .
Take care of you.
Monday, August 5, 2013
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Traveling and Training
Let's see, since getting back from Vegas, I went to Chicago for a doctor's appointment, Atlanta for the Final Four games, and am going to Punta Cana next week with my hubby. All is great on the home front with adult kid #1 helping out a lot with kids #'s 3 & 4.
The boys are doing their lessons every day and they love, love, love their music lessons. God blessed us with finding a Heroclix league for them to attend every week. They absolutely love this. They learn more about the game and always come home with a new Heroclix action figure. The game of Heroclix is like chess and Stratego combined with comic book characters. I am so proud that my boys are fanboys/nerds.
I am behind on blogging. . . maybe. I have been posting my opinion on a lot of message boards. It is great fun. I never get into any debates but I always get likes on my comments. You can find my big mouth and opinionated self, commenting on Huffington Post blogs, OWN TV message boards, Bravo TV message boards and blogs, and of course I occasionally make comments to let Ms. Wendy Williams know she is doing a great job. I am either MamaJoe7272 or MogulMom7272. Having an Internet presence is important for selling books.
Today I will be joining my friend's new service she created to support self-published author and illustrators. Society for Independent Authors & Illustrators. Speaking of best friends, I am more than pleased to announce that the hubby and I have been chosen to be godparents for Justice David Washington.
I am training real hard for my mountain climb in June. Mt. Shasta, I am almost ready for you. I am carrying a 30 lb. pack on the treadmill and on Sunday I completed a 5k in 45 minutes. I found 100 steps to add to my elevation training in Cahokia, IL. Remember the Breast Cancer Fund is my charity for the climb. Donations, info about the climb, and the work of the Breast Cancer Fund can be found on their website.
Until next time...stay fly.
The boys are doing their lessons every day and they love, love, love their music lessons. God blessed us with finding a Heroclix league for them to attend every week. They absolutely love this. They learn more about the game and always come home with a new Heroclix action figure. The game of Heroclix is like chess and Stratego combined with comic book characters. I am so proud that my boys are fanboys/nerds.
I am behind on blogging. . . maybe. I have been posting my opinion on a lot of message boards. It is great fun. I never get into any debates but I always get likes on my comments. You can find my big mouth and opinionated self, commenting on Huffington Post blogs, OWN TV message boards, Bravo TV message boards and blogs, and of course I occasionally make comments to let Ms. Wendy Williams know she is doing a great job. I am either MamaJoe7272 or MogulMom7272. Having an Internet presence is important for selling books.
Today I will be joining my friend's new service she created to support self-published author and illustrators. Society for Independent Authors & Illustrators. Speaking of best friends, I am more than pleased to announce that the hubby and I have been chosen to be godparents for Justice David Washington.
I am training real hard for my mountain climb in June. Mt. Shasta, I am almost ready for you. I am carrying a 30 lb. pack on the treadmill and on Sunday I completed a 5k in 45 minutes. I found 100 steps to add to my elevation training in Cahokia, IL. Remember the Breast Cancer Fund is my charity for the climb. Donations, info about the climb, and the work of the Breast Cancer Fund can be found on their website.
Until next time...stay fly.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Vegas . . . right where I left it.
I got home from Vegas yesterday and am happy. Vegas is like Disney World for adults. I went to the Maroon 5 concert. The opening acts were Owl City and Neon Trees. The lead singer of Neon Trees was the best performer of the night. He gave great energy, he danced, and put his heart into every song. I am now a new fan. I liked a few of their songs that I heard on the radio but now I am his fan. Tyler Glenn rocks. I wish him much success. He was like a cross between Mick Jagger and Atom Ant.
Now on to the main event of the night. Maroon 5 was very good. Adam Levine is definitely a talent. He sang effortlessly and seemed to have fun. He did not seem to connect to the audience much. I could have avoided the seat hoggers; Kim K. wannabes; vomiting, stumbling drunks; and the groupies by watching the concert on an HBO special. However, Adam Levine was a sight to behold in person at least once. He made the concert more personable towards the end when he got the audience to sing "She Will Be Loved" in rippled sync with, "Won't go Home." It was great. He left us with the advice to, "enjoy the days when your f***ing neck doesn't hurt" as his way of saying he is older and more appreciative of life.
The person trying to connect with the audience was guitarist James Valentine aka Jimmy V. He gave great hair and had a few guitar solos. He impressed me considering, I never paid much attention to any other members of Maroon 5 save for the one black guy, and that was just to notice that there was a black guy in the band. I wish them luck as they navigate their future endeavors amidst the newly heightened brand that is Adam Levine.
On another note, Vegas was great but there were moments when it was not. My advice to a few of the people who make Vegas was it is and isn't is that you still have a chance to keep our relationship in tact. Make some positive changes while you still can, and we can avoid a breakup. Practically every town has a casino close by so why still go to Vegas? Well the good parts begin with the trendiness of it all. It's Vegas baby and no other place on earth is going to stimulate like Vegas. Anticipation is everything.
I had my first Guiness in honor of St. Patrick's Day and it was quite tasty to this non-beer drinker. We ate at Ri Ras Irish Pub in the Mandaly Bay and it was better than superb. Shepherd's Pie will be my last meal. We went to a small tourist trap of a bar called Minus 5 as in degrees. The concept was great but I would never make a second visit. That is essentially the draw of Vegas, balancing things you want to go back and do again and again with the one time experiences. For instance I will never waste my time using the concierge at the Mandalay Bay again. For that matter, I will never stay there again. As convenient as it is to attend a concert close to your hotel room, I found it was not worth it after all. I couldn't play the table games I wanted to, and the one's I did try had dealers who were so cynical and jaded that I preferred the cold comfort of a good slot machine. There was an electronic craps games that drew a crowd right outside the Eye Candy lounge and that was big fun. The people we played with were a riot and good music was close by.
Speaking of Eye Candy lounge it was a saving grace. Big ups to the deejay, servers, security, and bartenders for holding it down. It was my best club experience in Vegas to date. I got married in Vegas so going back for mini vacations is always sentimental. I won't complain about the taxi drivers or any lines because over the years I have come to appreciate these as part of the attraction of Vegas, great for people watching and getting the local lowdown from taxi drivers.
The best thing after Eye Candy lounge at Mandalay Bay was the poolside atmosphere and the cabana service. It was the highlight of my trip and that is saying a lot considering I was there to see Adam Levine. So to all the servers working hard in Vegas, you are definitely appreciated by this Chicago chick who has been visiting your city for 20 years now. You could never be replaced by a computer and that is great. When I celebrate my tenth visit to Vegas hopefully this blog will be more popular and I can give proper shout outs to you people who make the visits memorable. Maybe we will head there when my baby girl turns 21.
Btw, Coco was a no show for the Peep Show and it was still a great and fun attraction. I saw it with Mel B. and Kelly Monoco and now with all the less than famous folks and it was equally great. Maybe Peep Show can save some money and leave the celebrities out of it.
Until next time,
Take care of you.
Now on to the main event of the night. Maroon 5 was very good. Adam Levine is definitely a talent. He sang effortlessly and seemed to have fun. He did not seem to connect to the audience much. I could have avoided the seat hoggers; Kim K. wannabes; vomiting, stumbling drunks; and the groupies by watching the concert on an HBO special. However, Adam Levine was a sight to behold in person at least once. He made the concert more personable towards the end when he got the audience to sing "She Will Be Loved" in rippled sync with, "Won't go Home." It was great. He left us with the advice to, "enjoy the days when your f***ing neck doesn't hurt" as his way of saying he is older and more appreciative of life.
The person trying to connect with the audience was guitarist James Valentine aka Jimmy V. He gave great hair and had a few guitar solos. He impressed me considering, I never paid much attention to any other members of Maroon 5 save for the one black guy, and that was just to notice that there was a black guy in the band. I wish them luck as they navigate their future endeavors amidst the newly heightened brand that is Adam Levine.
On another note, Vegas was great but there were moments when it was not. My advice to a few of the people who make Vegas was it is and isn't is that you still have a chance to keep our relationship in tact. Make some positive changes while you still can, and we can avoid a breakup. Practically every town has a casino close by so why still go to Vegas? Well the good parts begin with the trendiness of it all. It's Vegas baby and no other place on earth is going to stimulate like Vegas. Anticipation is everything.
I had my first Guiness in honor of St. Patrick's Day and it was quite tasty to this non-beer drinker. We ate at Ri Ras Irish Pub in the Mandaly Bay and it was better than superb. Shepherd's Pie will be my last meal. We went to a small tourist trap of a bar called Minus 5 as in degrees. The concept was great but I would never make a second visit. That is essentially the draw of Vegas, balancing things you want to go back and do again and again with the one time experiences. For instance I will never waste my time using the concierge at the Mandalay Bay again. For that matter, I will never stay there again. As convenient as it is to attend a concert close to your hotel room, I found it was not worth it after all. I couldn't play the table games I wanted to, and the one's I did try had dealers who were so cynical and jaded that I preferred the cold comfort of a good slot machine. There was an electronic craps games that drew a crowd right outside the Eye Candy lounge and that was big fun. The people we played with were a riot and good music was close by.
Speaking of Eye Candy lounge it was a saving grace. Big ups to the deejay, servers, security, and bartenders for holding it down. It was my best club experience in Vegas to date. I got married in Vegas so going back for mini vacations is always sentimental. I won't complain about the taxi drivers or any lines because over the years I have come to appreciate these as part of the attraction of Vegas, great for people watching and getting the local lowdown from taxi drivers.
The best thing after Eye Candy lounge at Mandalay Bay was the poolside atmosphere and the cabana service. It was the highlight of my trip and that is saying a lot considering I was there to see Adam Levine. So to all the servers working hard in Vegas, you are definitely appreciated by this Chicago chick who has been visiting your city for 20 years now. You could never be replaced by a computer and that is great. When I celebrate my tenth visit to Vegas hopefully this blog will be more popular and I can give proper shout outs to you people who make the visits memorable. Maybe we will head there when my baby girl turns 21.
Btw, Coco was a no show for the Peep Show and it was still a great and fun attraction. I saw it with Mel B. and Kelly Monoco and now with all the less than famous folks and it was equally great. Maybe Peep Show can save some money and leave the celebrities out of it.
Until next time,
Take care of you.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Purposeful Neglect
Greetings readers,
I know I have not posted regularly. It is due to my busy schedule. I am trying to send my manuscript to print and even that has been pushed to the back burner. Here is what you missed in one girl's life of trying to do and have it all in God's time.
Christmas was spent at home after a quick turnaround trip to Chicago. My sister had Christmas Eve dinner and introduced her boyfriend to the family.
We got back home by 6 am and opened gifts after unpacking, showering, and eating breakfast.
I got my awesome Bose TV from my sweetie. I can hardly wait to watch the Oscars on it.
I bought the hubby a Microsoft Surface. He is glad to join the world of tablet users.
I got my daughter horse riding lessons which is the first step towards horse ownership.
My teenage son got a Jetson scooter to ride around NYC on.
The pre-teen son got a telescope and the 7 year old got a microscope.
Those were all the main gifts. However, my daughter cried when her little brother got her a fish to keep her company in her apartment. My twelve year old cried when Santa brought him the new Assassin's Creed game. It was great fun. Everyone got what they needed and wanted.
We rang in the New Year in Boston, MA. My classes at Harvard began on January 3rd. So we road tripped to the east coast. We dropped my son off at his dorm and then stayed in the Residence Inn for three weeks while I attended class on campus. I got two "A-" grades by the way.
After Boston we decided to stop in Canada to see the Niagara Falls which were cool and frozen. We got back to Missouri in time to miss the snow storms. I rested at what my husband calls my focus house instead of a vacation house in West Plains. I get to delegate housework to the husband and focus on myself and my needs more.
The boys played with the cats, dogs, and chickens and I treated myself to twice weekly massages. I enrolled in Spring classes but withdrew to prioritize this manuscript once and for all.
Easier said than done considering I am climbing a mountain in June for the Breast Cancer Fund. The first week of February, I flew out to San Francisco for a whole day of training. We covered fundraising, the environmental causes of breast cancer; we listened to survivors of the disease who intend to climb, and former climbers who were returning to continue to support the cause they believe in. If anyone is out there reading this fabulous blog feel free to donate to the The Breast Cancer Fund in support of my climb. Look for me on their website. I do not have a link just now because I am too lazy to make it a priority task.
On another note, I stayed in the St. Regis hotel and it was perfect considering the long day at the Breast Cancer Fund office followed by a 3 hour urban hike through San Francisco streets, park steps, and hills. I wore the wrong shoes, and my shins were screaming by the time I was back in my hotel room watching Suze Orman.
So I am training everyday for this 14,000 feet climb up Mt. Shasta, taking care of my kids and home, and still tightening up my manuscript. The Holy Spirit is definitely holding me up.
Please forgive my neglect of this blog. Mogul Moms must prioritize their tasks daily to keep on top of things that cannot go by the wayside. My attempts at hiring my daughter as my personal assistant went wrong so I put on my big girl panties and worked it all out.
I signed up for personal shopping from Whole Foods. I hired a babysitting service so I can train without lugging the kids around; the sitters I chose are all experienced tutors as well. I tackled 7 loads of laundry in two days. Filled the pantry, freezer, and refrigerator with good healthy food and snacks so we can ride out this ice storm that is heading our way. My son got his second Gardisil vaccination on time. We spent President's Day at the Teacher's Lounge buying new posters for our classroom, which included all 44 presidents.
So I am finally prepared to go back to my regular routine and schedule. I find that for every month I am away I will most likely be a week behind or rather it will take me a week to get back in sync.
My next trip is to Vegas in March for the Maroon 5 concert with my friend who really needs a girlfriend's getaway. I need the trip as well. She is my massage therapist and oftentimes she is more therapist than masseuse. She has been a supportive ear while I transition to standing in my truth with the haters in my life.
So until that next event I leave you with this quote.
I know I have not posted regularly. It is due to my busy schedule. I am trying to send my manuscript to print and even that has been pushed to the back burner. Here is what you missed in one girl's life of trying to do and have it all in God's time.
Christmas was spent at home after a quick turnaround trip to Chicago. My sister had Christmas Eve dinner and introduced her boyfriend to the family.
We got back home by 6 am and opened gifts after unpacking, showering, and eating breakfast.
I got my awesome Bose TV from my sweetie. I can hardly wait to watch the Oscars on it.
I bought the hubby a Microsoft Surface. He is glad to join the world of tablet users.
I got my daughter horse riding lessons which is the first step towards horse ownership.
My teenage son got a Jetson scooter to ride around NYC on.
The pre-teen son got a telescope and the 7 year old got a microscope.
Those were all the main gifts. However, my daughter cried when her little brother got her a fish to keep her company in her apartment. My twelve year old cried when Santa brought him the new Assassin's Creed game. It was great fun. Everyone got what they needed and wanted.
We rang in the New Year in Boston, MA. My classes at Harvard began on January 3rd. So we road tripped to the east coast. We dropped my son off at his dorm and then stayed in the Residence Inn for three weeks while I attended class on campus. I got two "A-" grades by the way.
After Boston we decided to stop in Canada to see the Niagara Falls which were cool and frozen. We got back to Missouri in time to miss the snow storms. I rested at what my husband calls my focus house instead of a vacation house in West Plains. I get to delegate housework to the husband and focus on myself and my needs more.
The boys played with the cats, dogs, and chickens and I treated myself to twice weekly massages. I enrolled in Spring classes but withdrew to prioritize this manuscript once and for all.
Easier said than done considering I am climbing a mountain in June for the Breast Cancer Fund. The first week of February, I flew out to San Francisco for a whole day of training. We covered fundraising, the environmental causes of breast cancer; we listened to survivors of the disease who intend to climb, and former climbers who were returning to continue to support the cause they believe in. If anyone is out there reading this fabulous blog feel free to donate to the The Breast Cancer Fund in support of my climb. Look for me on their website. I do not have a link just now because I am too lazy to make it a priority task.
On another note, I stayed in the St. Regis hotel and it was perfect considering the long day at the Breast Cancer Fund office followed by a 3 hour urban hike through San Francisco streets, park steps, and hills. I wore the wrong shoes, and my shins were screaming by the time I was back in my hotel room watching Suze Orman.
So I am training everyday for this 14,000 feet climb up Mt. Shasta, taking care of my kids and home, and still tightening up my manuscript. The Holy Spirit is definitely holding me up.
Please forgive my neglect of this blog. Mogul Moms must prioritize their tasks daily to keep on top of things that cannot go by the wayside. My attempts at hiring my daughter as my personal assistant went wrong so I put on my big girl panties and worked it all out.
I signed up for personal shopping from Whole Foods. I hired a babysitting service so I can train without lugging the kids around; the sitters I chose are all experienced tutors as well. I tackled 7 loads of laundry in two days. Filled the pantry, freezer, and refrigerator with good healthy food and snacks so we can ride out this ice storm that is heading our way. My son got his second Gardisil vaccination on time. We spent President's Day at the Teacher's Lounge buying new posters for our classroom, which included all 44 presidents.
So I am finally prepared to go back to my regular routine and schedule. I find that for every month I am away I will most likely be a week behind or rather it will take me a week to get back in sync.
My next trip is to Vegas in March for the Maroon 5 concert with my friend who really needs a girlfriend's getaway. I need the trip as well. She is my massage therapist and oftentimes she is more therapist than masseuse. She has been a supportive ear while I transition to standing in my truth with the haters in my life.
So until that next event I leave you with this quote.
Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they’re yours.Richard Bach
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Bravo! Bravo.
Our clubhouse experience began with the nicest gatekeeper ever. The security guard in the building that houses the Bravo clubhouse was named Mike, and he was the nicest guy.
The next nicest person in the world was Anthony, a production assistant, who tended bar for the very small studio audience, there were about 20 of us. Anthony was so friendly and personable. He did a fabulous job of corralling us all into the studio and prompting us to clap when applause was required. He also gave us great swag as a parting gift.
We just happened to start a conversation with this guy who turned out to be the on air bartender for the night, a model promoting underwear, which he wore on air. His name was Austin, and he told us he was also an ex marine who did a tour in Iraq. He was a great person to talk to, and he showed us a picture of his beautiful daughter. Good luck to him in his career and with his family.
The moment of truth came, and the live show began on time. The guests were the ladies of Jersey Shore who were all beautiful, genuine, and great sports for Andy's game which tested their vocabulary skills. It was great laughs. While in the clubhouse, they still offered and served us drinks. It was cool.
The show wrapped and then they filmed the web show. We got a full hour of the festivities wrapping up with the ladies doing a shot ski with Andy. Good luck Jersey Shore ladies you have definitely left your mark on American TV.
We were asked to stay behind while everyone else exited with their giveaway so Andy could say hi and take pictures with us. It was great. He remembered us from the auction and gave us more swag to take home. Andy Cohen and his staff are what's all good about reality TV. They were all so gracious and down to earth i.e. 'real.'
Andy even signed a copy of his book, Most Talkative, for me personally. Thank you Andy Cohen for being the host with the most. You represent St. Louis well.
The next nicest person in the world was Anthony, a production assistant, who tended bar for the very small studio audience, there were about 20 of us. Anthony was so friendly and personable. He did a fabulous job of corralling us all into the studio and prompting us to clap when applause was required. He also gave us great swag as a parting gift.
We just happened to start a conversation with this guy who turned out to be the on air bartender for the night, a model promoting underwear, which he wore on air. His name was Austin, and he told us he was also an ex marine who did a tour in Iraq. He was a great person to talk to, and he showed us a picture of his beautiful daughter. Good luck to him in his career and with his family.
The moment of truth came, and the live show began on time. The guests were the ladies of Jersey Shore who were all beautiful, genuine, and great sports for Andy's game which tested their vocabulary skills. It was great laughs. While in the clubhouse, they still offered and served us drinks. It was cool.
The show wrapped and then they filmed the web show. We got a full hour of the festivities wrapping up with the ladies doing a shot ski with Andy. Good luck Jersey Shore ladies you have definitely left your mark on American TV.
We were asked to stay behind while everyone else exited with their giveaway so Andy could say hi and take pictures with us. It was great. He remembered us from the auction and gave us more swag to take home. Andy Cohen and his staff are what's all good about reality TV. They were all so gracious and down to earth i.e. 'real.'
Andy even signed a copy of his book, Most Talkative, for me personally. Thank you Andy Cohen for being the host with the most. You represent St. Louis well.
NYC on a Wednesday 11/28
A whole year ago my husband and I failed miserably at an attempt to cash in on our best charity auction item to date. We won the bid to visit Andy Cohen at the Bravo clubhouse for a taping of his talk show Watch What Happens live!
Well I say failed because my son fell ill and I raced home to take care of him, missing our scheduled time to see the show. But the charity and the very gracious Bravo team extended the privilege. So here we are a year later in NYC.
So the hubby and I just landed at Laguardia airport. We had two hopes as we checked in at St. Louis airport. My husband's wish, "please let there be an option for an upgrade." My wish, "please let there be good magazines on the shelves."
There was no upgrade available so I suggested to my husband that we buy the one day pass to the Admiral's Club, we did. Going through security proved to be a slow and necessarily arduous process. We smiled and complied to the end; but I thought I wouldn't have time to shop for mags; and my husband thought he wouldn't get the chance to try the Admiral's Club. We prevailed.
I was fortunate enough to get an Ebony with Ms. Bravo herself on the cover, NeNe Leakes. I also got two St. Louis specific mags, great research for a hopeful socialite. My husband got his free Bloody Mary, and I was even able to join him when I checked at our gate and saw that boarding hadn't begun.
Our fabulous flight to NYC ended with my husband suggesting we go to the Admiral's Club again instead of rushing out of the airport. It is 3p on a Wednesday, my son won't be done at school until 7, and we don't head to the Bravo clubhouse until 10p so why rush.
The Admiral's Club is awesome but the one at Laguardia is better than awesome. Can you say marble steps people and a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline. Life is truly better than good for this girl from the west side of Chicago. Let's hope it gets better once we see Watch What Happens live with the Jersey Shore ladies as the guest.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Attitude of Gratitude
Thanksgiving could not have been better if I tried. I had my hubby and my four kids all safe, healthy, and together ready to celebrate a holiday at home. We have usually packed up the car, the dogs, and all the personal stuff four kids require and gone to a relatives house with us staying in two hotel rooms.
As this year wraps up I just wanted to stay home. Earlier this year, my daughter's apartment was robbed of only her Mac, my 17 year old is away from home attending New York Film Academy and he braved Hurricane Sandy unscathed. What I have learned from these two events is that prayer certainly works. My son's housing complex remained intact and untouched by the devastation around him. The unsavory neighbors in my daughter's building have been evicted. Prayer works people.
The hubby and I were set to visit NYC the week after Thanksgiving so I did not insist that my son come home for the holidays since it was a first for us anyway. On the night before Thanksgiving I was expecting my daughter after work. She arrived about 11 pm and I was prepared to kiss her hello and leave her to sleep in her old room. But following behind her to give me a kiss hello as well was my son. My husband surprised me by flying him home for the holiday. I usually hate surprises but I am beginning to rethink that position.
Putting my arms around my son and kissing his face was more than enough to be thankful for. Christmas at the Williams-Nelson home had come early. We stayed up all night talking and laughing. The heartbreak one feels when sending your kids off into the wide world is forgotten completely with the joy that comes from them coming home or better still wanting to come home.
I am thankful that the roots and wings I gave them are still firmly in tact. I am more than thankful when they talk amongst themselves and I hear kind words about me. Needless to say, I made everyone's favorite side dishes and 3 pies to go along with our cornish hens.
We ate dinner at about 7 o'clock and played board games all night. We laughed until we cried, fell out on the floor, and some of us peed our pants.
I am rounding out the year with an Attitude of Gratitude for the people in my life who matter the most, the comforts that make taking care of my family still a joy, and the health and safety of us all.
God is very real and prayer works wonders for my bratty disposition.
Take care of you,
Mogul Mom
As this year wraps up I just wanted to stay home. Earlier this year, my daughter's apartment was robbed of only her Mac, my 17 year old is away from home attending New York Film Academy and he braved Hurricane Sandy unscathed. What I have learned from these two events is that prayer certainly works. My son's housing complex remained intact and untouched by the devastation around him. The unsavory neighbors in my daughter's building have been evicted. Prayer works people.
The hubby and I were set to visit NYC the week after Thanksgiving so I did not insist that my son come home for the holidays since it was a first for us anyway. On the night before Thanksgiving I was expecting my daughter after work. She arrived about 11 pm and I was prepared to kiss her hello and leave her to sleep in her old room. But following behind her to give me a kiss hello as well was my son. My husband surprised me by flying him home for the holiday. I usually hate surprises but I am beginning to rethink that position.
Putting my arms around my son and kissing his face was more than enough to be thankful for. Christmas at the Williams-Nelson home had come early. We stayed up all night talking and laughing. The heartbreak one feels when sending your kids off into the wide world is forgotten completely with the joy that comes from them coming home or better still wanting to come home.
I am thankful that the roots and wings I gave them are still firmly in tact. I am more than thankful when they talk amongst themselves and I hear kind words about me. Needless to say, I made everyone's favorite side dishes and 3 pies to go along with our cornish hens.
We ate dinner at about 7 o'clock and played board games all night. We laughed until we cried, fell out on the floor, and some of us peed our pants.
I am rounding out the year with an Attitude of Gratitude for the people in my life who matter the most, the comforts that make taking care of my family still a joy, and the health and safety of us all.
God is very real and prayer works wonders for my bratty disposition.
Take care of you,
Mogul Mom
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