The Fashion Hits Just Keep On Comin'

As I was boarding my very early flight this morning in Atlanta, I was struck by what I saw. At first, I thought I was seeing things. I was a bit bleary-eyed from the redeye flight from LAX, but I rubbed my eyes and sure enough, there it was. The man from the American Gothic painting was on my flight. Imagine my surprise when the overall-wearing, sportcoat clad farmer walked onto my plane!!!

Yep, except he wasn't carrying a pitchfork and he was wearing a really bad ball cap. I felt I had a brush with celebrity.

Air Travel Has Definitely Lost Its Cachet

Remember back when people actually cared what they looked like? Back when is was not acceptable to wear pajamas or house slippers in public? Well, apparently those days are long gone. Today I traveled to Los Angeles from the Memphis International Airport. Now, I'm not picking on my fair city, it jsut happened to be where I was.

And frankly, girl in line in security, I don't care to see your navel or your stomach, no matter how flat or tan it is. And Mr. Sloppy, you shouldn't wear house slippers on a plane. With tube socks, no less. And oh, by the way, 14 year old girl who looks like you are 25, I don't care to see any writing across your behind. I don't care how much you "LOVE PINK" or how "JUICY" it is. (And don't even get me started on how I feel these types of sweat pants lead the sexualization of young women in our society!) And to you, Missy, pajamas aren't cute on anyone -- especially at the airport -- unless you are 5 years of age or below. Then it is only acceptable under certain circumstances.

And these rules don't just apply to the airport. It seems no matter where I am, Kroger, Target, Walgreens, or a t-ball game, I see people in inappropriate clothing. I have always abided by the rule "just because they make it in your size doesn't mean you should wear it." That philosophy goes with so many things.

So, no, size 24 lady, you shouldn't be wearing a halter top. No, man with a size 54 waist, you shouldn't be wearing a muscle under armour shirt that is too short and shows your belly. Now, I'm not saying there should be a dress code and I'm not making fun of overweight people, but seriously?!?!?!? If any of your body parts are hanging out, then it doesn't fit. Period.

And that goes for little skinny folks, too. Hey you, yeah you, over there, the very tanned (with a tanning bed) skinny 18 year old with the low rise jeans. I don't care to see your butterfly tramp stamp. I think you have the freedom to have one if you want, but why should I subjected to see your ill-fated attempt at being cool? Or was it just that you had too much PGA punch at that graduation party?

And seriously, young man. Pull up your pants. You shouldn't have to walk around holding them up and I frankly don't care to see your boxer shorts. I don't care what brand they are.

That is all.

Thanks for the concern, but I'm not dead

I know it has been a while since I blogged, but things have kinda been happening at a pace I can barely process. Here's a laundry list:

• New House: The Ray Family has moved to Germantown into a bigger house. We like to call it our "forever house." Mainly, because it is perfect for us, but also because we hate moving so badly. I.  Despise.  It. Yall come see us. Bring your momma 'n 'nem.  
• Family and Kids: the preschool politician keeps us busy with his social engagements and is playing socer and baseball. School's about to be out and as usual, we have him trapesing all over the city on the campaign trail. Little Zane will be ONE May 17th. WHAT?!!??!?! That just can't be right.
• Work: work has been insane lately. Insane is not bad, insane is just crazy busy. I'ven been traveling quite a bit, have been giving several great projects that are requiring a good bit of my time, press and PR efforts are picking up. (woot woot! let's hear it for HGI!!!!)
• March Madness: yes, you know I was completely obsessed with the NCAA tournament as usual. I'm likely the only mom that schedules her children's activities and napping habits around the tournamen in March.
• Floodwatch 2011: its a global story-- the Mississippi River at record highs flooding downtown and other parts of West Tennessee. They say my home county of Lauderdale is 52% under water. Folks in Shelby County are at shelters. It's very sad.
• Grizzlies Watch 2011: everybody on the bandwagon (including me!) You know I love college basketball but the NBA, not so much. But we do love us some Grizzlies. The team, led by perhaps the most under-rated coach in the NBA, Lionel Hollins, is doing the unthinkable as a #8 seed and making a run in the playoffs. I haven't seen the city come together and get behind something since the Tigers in 2008. But I LOVE IT! It makes me proud to be a Memphian. A Memphian by choice!

And in true Dawn Ray of Sunshine fashion, I have to talk about Tiger Woods just a bit. Poor baby, Tiger Woods. He's hurt. He's at his lowest ranking  in years... maybe ever. Does anyone really care? I don't.

Brett Favre: well, he did it again. He retired. Again. Thank Goodness! Let's see how long it lasts. On a positive note for Brett, he at least is doing some good in the South and aiding in the clean up of the Alabama tornadoes. Of course, he's probably doing it for PR reasons, says the PR girls, but still. It's a good deed nonetheless, and I thank him for it.

I hope you have enjoyed my return to blogging. I have so many things to say and I need to make time to say them. (most of you who know me know I am very rarely at a loss for words.) It just seems to be lately that I am short on time.

Plan B

Last week I was at a very enjoyable dinner (one of the most enjoyable dinner with coworkers in recent memory) during a work trip and the subject of a Plan B came up. Now, I'm not talking about your contingency plan for if your work goes through layoffs and transformation, or even your plan B if something doesn't go the way you expected with a work project. Hell, I'm not even talking about what Plan B would be if you ordered the chicken special for dinner and they didn't have it anymore.

I'm talking about what your Plan B is if your current life situation doesn't work out. Please allow me to elaborate...

I'm at this dinner with some very good and very funny company. I'm not exactly sure how it came up, but someone at the dinner professed they had found their Plan B if their marriage didn't work out. (Please note I am using incorrect grammar instead of the proper pronouns-- he/she, his/her etc.) This dinner companion said they had their Plan B all picked out in form of a same sex life partner. It was funny, because this person is not gay and is in a heterosexual marriage.

That spurred the conversation of someone else (another of my co workers) talking about Plan B and I am sorry to say that I wasn't anyone's Plan B. I was, in a word, devastated. Here I am, thinking I am charming and funny, and none of my coworkers has picked me as their same sex life partner Plan B.

Now, it may sound trivial, but I was a tad hurt. I think I'm the total package: okay-looking, funny, witty, smart. Apparently not enough for my co workers to consider me their Plan B. Of course, I am a heterosexual woman, with a fantastic husband and two beautiful children. I don't really think I need a Plan B. But it would be nice to know I was someone's Plan B. I'm just sayin'...

Random Posts from Dawn

So sorry it's been a while since I posted. Seems life has been nutty lately with travel, baby, JK politician, a beach trip for the family, work, boxing up house stuff and the list goes on...

1. work travel: I've been back to work about 6 weeks and have gone on 3 trips. All were enjoyable, but did keep me away from the charming Zane, my JK politician and my very supportive and loving husband. I did get to go to a Mets game while in NYC and we were treated like total rock stars (guess purchasing in-stadium advertising will get you far in life.) Had yummy burger and shake there, along with fantastic seats behind home plate. Okay, so the Mets stunk it up this year, but it was so fun to check another stadium off my list.

2. Zane: that charming baby is stealing my heart more and more every day. He cackles out lous and has an infatuation with Daddy. He looks at Tripp like he is the funniest thing in the world. He began to eat rice cereal and fruit and the first time we gave it to him, he threw it up. And I mean THREW. IT. UP. Don't worry, I got it on video.

3. JK Politician: Tripp just keeps on campaigning for US President in 2044. He loves his teachers (Ms. Abercrombie and Ms. Guess) and seems to love JK at CMDS.

4. Beach trip: I had to travel to Orange Beach, AL for a work trip, so the boys, Tom and Mama Sue drove down to meet me for a mini vacation. The Gulf Coast is open for business and is absolutely beautiful! The weather was nice-- still warm but not so freakin' HOT -- and we stayed in a beautiful condo with a lazy river, pool and slide. The pool was freaking cold. The lazy river was cold, but the pool was FREEZING. We still had a fantastic time! :)

5. Work: boy, work has been absolutely insane. My boss left for a big fancy job in DC at the Hilton HQ (in July) and we've been without a boss for a bit. It has afforded me the opportunity to do some cool things and be a part of some great meetings in his absence, but we are CRAZY BUSY! We also have a new interim boss that we are still learning. As you know, everyone works differently and likes things a certain  way, and we are adapting to it.

6. More work travel: getting ready to go to Orlando for 5 days, then to VA for 4 days. Then some international travel is likely.

7. House stuff: we've talked about it for years, now we are going to do it. We began boxing some stuff up to put our house on the market. It will likely take a long time to sell, but perhaps I will bury a statue in the front yard or whatever it is folks do to see their house quickly.

I'm sure there is more to post, but I can't think of it all right now.

What if...

What if we all acted like Brett Favre? What if every year we waffled with a decision to retire? What if we decided to miss the prep meetings and hours of work, only to show up for the big meeting and take all the glory?

I'll tell you what... people would get pissed. Really pissed. And no work would get done. And no one would want to work with you because you didn't want to put in the time for the team. Really, that's all Favre is doing. I personally think he feels he is too good to go to preseason camp and sweat his ass off in practice. I think he feels he's been playing in the NFL for 20 years and doesn't have to do all of that anymore. Well, #4, in my opinion, you are dead wrong.

Brett, you are a talented player, one of the best quarterbacks the game has evern seen. You will certainly be a Hall of Famer, when you ever decide to retire and become eligible. But let me tell you, Grandpa, you keep making PR mistakes that are costing you your fans. Sure, Minnesota fans love you.... you almost took them to the Super Bowl. But need I remind you that you alienated an entire state, yes state, because everyone in Wisconsin is a Packer fan, the remainder of the Packer Nation, as well as New York Jets fans? How does that feel?

You could have handled your departure from the Packers much better.  Just retire with decency and move along living it up in Hattiesburg. But no, you had to go play for the Jets. Then retire. Again.

Then, you betrayed all of Packer Nation by becoming a part of their rivals, the Vikings. You had one of your best years ever and almost took them to the Super Bowl. The last we saw of you, you were really hurting physically and mentally. And the questions began... will he retire? Will he stay a Viking? Will he go somewhere else? Will he enjoy being a new grandfather? The Favre Watch began.

And in your typical fashion, you decided to waffle and come back one last time. It took some of your teammates coming down to Hattiesburg (gees, what is it with that town of late? Tiger goes there to sex rehab then the media circus of Favre. It must be a happening place) to get you to come back. Now, you say you were hurt and had surgery on your ankle. I believe you. I'm sure it hurt. But I also believe your ego and pride were more hurt than your ankle. I'm thinking you couldn't believe you didn't beat New Orleans, of all teams, to go to the Super Bowl. Even after your record breaking year. Then all hell froze over when the Saints actually won the Super Bowl. The great QB couldn't go back after that. Everyone would remember that game. So you waffled, as you have been prone to do these last few years, and even caused ESPN to create the Favre ticker, much to my chagrin. Your ego made you sit out the summer and wonder if you were coming back. Are you really that much of a baby? Do you really need the attention? Did you really need some of your teammates to come down to Hattiesburg to ask you to rejoin the team?

You finally gave the world your answer yesterday and surprise!!!! You are coming back to the NFL. Again. You missed the preseason practices and camps. Way to be a team player.

Now, I really don't care either way. I'm neither a Favre lover or hater. I certainly didn't have anything against him and won't deny that he is a spectacular football player. But come on, Brett, your ego is getting to be as big as LeBron's and Tiger's. And that's not good company to keep.

Another Memphis Son Lost

I, like many Memphians and Tiger fans, prayed he would turn up. Prayed that he decided to take some time off to think. Prayed that maybe he was on a beach somewhere figuring out his newly single life. Prayed that he maybe took off to Israel to try out for a basketball team there and surprise his family with the news that he made it. Now we are praying for his family and six children who no longer have a father.

It is such a sad, tragic end to a very promising career for a true Memphian and Memphis Tiger. Lorenzen Wright was a star at Booker T. Washington High School. He was a star at the University of Memphis and a star at the Memphis Grizzlies. He was loved by Tiger fans. He was loved by Memphians. He was loved by the African-American community. He was loved by the Caucasian community.  Now he is gone. And we all grieve...together.

Lorenzen beat the odds. His father was paralyzed when he was shot breaking up a fight at a community center. He coached Lorenzen from a wheelchair making him a star at BTW. He played at the U of M, endearing himself to Tiger fans as a hometown kid who had made it. He was drafted into the NBA in 1996, eventually returning home to Memphis to play for the Grizzlies. He had made it. He had beat the odds. He didn't face the reality that so many young African-American men face not only in Memphis, but in America today. He wasn't shot. He didn't succumb to the violence that often plagues young African-American men. He didn't fall prey to drugs (that we know of.) He was living his dream in the NBA.

We all grieved with him when his 11-month-old baby girl died. We hoped he could feel the prayers and the arms of the city reaching around his family to comfort him. When we learned he was missing, we began to pray for him and his family again. Reaching our arms out to him and his family to keep them safe.

He had fallen on some hard times. He wasn't playing in the NBA anymore. He was newly single. He was away from his kids. He was apparently having financial troubles. He needed our prayers and support, but we didn't know about it until it was too late.

Today, as Tiger fans and as Memphians, we grieve the loss of Lorenzen Wright. We pray for his parents, his six children and his family. But let's also pray for other young basketball stars -- and other young men, of all races -- so they won't meet the same fate as Lorenzen Wright. Let's also pray they will figure out who did this to Memphis' son and that they be brought to justice.