Book Review - DREAM MORE by Dolly Parton

I picked up Dolly Parton's new book, Dream More: Celebrating the Dreamer in You the day it came out.  As soon as I got home with it, I got into my most soft, comfy clothes, slipped on some colorful, fuzzy socks and curled up in my bed with too many pillows to count and my three favorite stuffed animals.  Then I opened up the book to begin reading.  I didn't quit reading until I reached the back cover.  Yes, I stayed up and read it cover to cover.  It's not a terribly long book, but I just couldn't put it down.

Dolly has a bit of a unique philosophy on life, dreams, God and happiness.  In this book, she puts it all out there as her philosophy relates to dreams we have in life.  It's a great stocking stuffer and a truly inspirational read.  I highly recommend you pick it up.

The whole book is basically a deeper exploration into the hopes Dolly expressed in her 2009 commencement speech to the graduates of the University of Tennessee.  One thing I love from the speech is at the very beginning she says, "I usually try not to give advice. Information, yes.  Advice, no.  What has worked for me may not work for you."  I love this quote because I am exactly the same way.  I will give you all the information I can and I'm happy to share my experiences with anyone who'll listen.  But to give advice... no so much.

Here are a few of my other favorite quotes from the book and speech:

 "I would certainly rather wear out than rust out.  I hope that I drop dead right onstage one of these days, doing exactly what I want to do.  It might shake the audience up a little bit, but I hope everybody knows that's exactly what I want."

"Happiness is your commitment  appreciating all that is good in life, big and small."

"Learning is really all about experience, how you look at everything you do and draw lessons from what you have done.  If you learn from that and you don't make the same mistakes twice, then not only are you smart, you have what we call "horse sense."

"I make a point to appreciate all the little things in my life.  I go out and smell the air after a good, hard rain.  I reread passages from my favorite books.  I hold the little treasures that somebody special gave me.  These small actions help remind me that there are so many great, glorious pieces of good in the world."

"All my life I have walked a fine line.  I'm too bad to be good and too good to be bad.  I also walk a fine line between being gaudy and sexy.  My spirituality and my sensuality seem to be intertwined.  But I'm too cartoonish to ever be a threat to wives or girlfriends."  

Seriously y'all!  Pick it up.  It's a great "feel good" kind of book.

Grampa's Great Escape

On Monday my phone rang and I saw it was the nursing home where my grampa lives.  Of course I immediately had a feeling of concern wash over me, wondering if he was ill or injured or goodness knows what.  To my surprise, the nurse on the other end of the line informed me that grampa told them he was moving back home that day!  She asked me if I knew anything about that or if I could approve it.

For those of you who aren't aware, grampa has been struggling with his health for probably close to two years now.  He is 78 years old and there have been multiple times he has been rushed to the hospital and the doctors have told us he isn't going to make it.  His organs have shut down and are beyond repair (or so we've been told).  He goes between home, nursing homes and hospitals every few months.  His heart has only been able to pump at about 20% for well over a year now.  We've been told time and time again that people with less than 40% often struggle to even carry on a conversation.  Grampa has managed to run the backhoe, lean down into a well house, make his bed, dress and ready himself each day and even walk around WalMart.  Our family as well as the medical staff who have worked with him are fascinated by his strength.

The last time he went into the hospital, the ER doctor pretty much assured us he would not make it through the next few days.  It was basically medically impossible for him to be alive in the condition he was in.  When his regular doctor came in the next morning, I asked him to be direct with me and tell me if we should even attempt to plan where he will go when he gets out of the hospital or if it is likely he will never leave that hospital.  His response was, "If it was anyone else, I would have my doubts.  But (your grampa) has shocked us time and time again and keeps on going."

That was three months ago.  And now, he has built his strength and independence back up to a point where he feels that he could move back home with grama.  It's incredible!

Everything got approved and I went down yesterday morning to pick up grama and take her into town to get everything grampa would need to come home.  Then we went over to the nursing home to get grampa.  It was a precious sight when I opened the door to his room.  All of his belongings were neatly packed in trash bags and laid out on his bed.  He was sitting in his chair just waiting.  He didn't know exactly when we would arrive, but he was ready.  No telling how long he'd been ready.  He was in his recliner, but his feet weren't propped up.  He had his shoes on.  The TV was off.  He was just waiting for this joyous moment he'd looked forward to and worked so hard to get to.  This was his dream come true.

The staff at the nursing home have been such a blessing to grampa and our entire family.  It's always a warm welcome when I go in.  Many of the nurses know me by name, as does the administrator.  They have gone above and beyond time and time again to meet grampa's needs and even do things that are a little extra special for him.  One of the nurses brought a cart down to his room and helped me load his things. The administrator called out to me from several feet away behind a desk with a big smile and a wave.  It was an incredibly joyous time.

As grampa took his small, slow steps with his cane helping him along, he had lots of interactions between his room and the exit.  He talked to, hugged, waved goodbye and thanked everyone in sight.  The nurses, aides, residents and staff.  Looking back on it now, it feels like a movie scene.  That glorious moment when all you've worked so hard for becomes reality.  And there is love and gratitude all around for the folks who've helped you get to where you are.

We all went out to lunch and then headed home.  The whole time, he was talking about all these ideas he had.  Things he wanted to do, things he wanted to buy, how he planned to achieve those things.  I'm in absolute awe of this man who defies all odds and simply never stops dreaming.

Dream More

Dolly Parton is someone I admire in a BIG way.  In fact, she is the only person on my bucket list that I want to meet.  (Garth Brooks used to be on that list, but I got to meet him earlier this year)  In fact, I dream about meeting Dolly fairly often.  Usually in my dreams we are just having coffee or hanging out somewhere and chatting.

I love how open she is and her adorable sense of humor.  You never hear anything mean or judgmental from her.  She really is what she is.  She is unique in a great many ways and that's what makes her wonderful.

This morning I saw a tweet from the Grand Ole Opry that she released a new book today entitled, Dream More.  A more perfect book could not have been released in my opinion.  This is going straight to the top of my reading list.  The second I can get my hands on it, you'll surely be hearing about it!

What Will Today Hold?

I have another blog that I write in just for myself, but I pulled this post from a couple of months ago out of it and wanted to share it with you tonight.  Enjoy!


As I am writing this, it is still early in the day, but I wanted to open up a new post.  There's really nothing to report yet, but a question just popped into my head... "What will today hold?"

Kind of an interesting thought really.  Thinking about my blog and what there will be to say about today I realize I have a lot of power.  I have been given a whole day.  How will I use this day?  What will I do?  What decisions will I make?  What people will I see?  Will something remarkable happen?  These are all decisions I can begin making right now!  It's about more than just what plans I have on my calendar.  It's about every little moment.

At this moment, the things I know today holds are going to the grocery store and making chili for a friend tonight.  He's let me use his truck multiple times for my project and even picked up a special order at Menards for me, so he requested that I make chili and mac & cheese as a way to return the favor.

Later in the Afternoon...
Something wonderful did happen today.  I wore my US Navy sweatshirt to work today.  The yellow one that my cousin got for me that I love so much.  On my lunch break I was in WalMart and an old man approached me and asked if I was in the Navy. I told him, "No, but I've got a cousin who is." He then proceeded to tell me he was a retired Marine Corps Colonel. We talked a short time and I told him about my grampa who was a Sergeant in the Marines and my father who was in the Navy as well. By the time we were done talking, I had to quickly walk away because I was so proud of my family and their service and so thankful for all who serve that I was in tears.  He left me with a, "Semper Fi".  I'm still tearing up thinking about it now.  I was absolutely overflowing with love and thankfulness.  

One simple decision I made today lead to this blessed moment.  I chose to dress way down and wear a Navy hoodie.  I was thinking about my cousin when I put it on and was so proud to wear it today.  All because of that one little decision I met this man and my world was brightened.   

It Just Doesn't Bother Me

I was once dating a guy who would get so irritated with me for not putting things away, especially the trash cans on trash day.  See, I put the cans out at the end of the driveway in the morning, then when I get home from work in the evening, I sometimes drive right past the empty cans, pull in the garage and never bring them in.  In fact, there are times when they’ll sit out there until the next trash day and I will refill them right there at the end of the driveway.  It would drive this guy so crazy that he would bring them in when he came to visit.  Apparently, at some point he stopped bringing them in (which I never noticed).

One day he came over and told me he’d had a revelation.  He said he would always get so mad because he thought I was just lazy.  (Let me pause here to tell you he never expressed these frustrations to me until this day)  He thought I wanted him to do it for me.  Then, after he stopped doing it and me never noticing that it wasn't done, he realized it wasn’t laziness at all.  It was simply that it didn’t bother me.   How right he was!

I’m that way with a lot of things.  Things that would bother other people to no end just don’t faze me.  In fact, I wouldn’t even be aware of them if no one ever pointed it out.  

I was reminded of this last night when my grama got out of mom and dad's car and spilled potato chips on my driveway.  Grama and mom were all in a frenzy trying to pick them up and telling me to get a broom and apologizing.  I was baffled by this.  I told them to just leave it alone and come inside.  The neighbors have cats and dogs that run around who would likely have it cleaned up by morning.  It was remarkably difficult to get them to leave it.  

You'd be amazed at how many things just don't bother me.

A Peaceful Thanksgiving

Anything involving any part of my family is tends to be an adventure.    Wednesday night (the night before Thanksgiving) I went over to my aunt and uncle’s house to hang out, relax and spend some time with some great family members I don't get to hang out with often enough.  There were a number of places I was invited to spend the holiday at, but theirs was the house I really wanted to be in. 

Over there, it is more than acceptable to be in sweat pants with no makeup on.  It’s ok to grab something from the fridge.  To sample whatever is on the stove.  To chillax and do your own thing.  Basically, you’re free to be you.  There’s a lot of love, compassion and humor in that house.  I couldn't dream of any better place to insert myself for a couple of days.

Wednesday night, two of my female cousins, my aunt and I all settled into the living room for a Duck Dynasty and Couple’s Therapy marathon.  We laughed and laughed and had a great girls’ night.  One cousin and I stayed up a while after everyone else and chatted late into the night.  That was the most precious time I've ever spent with her.  It’s amazing how fast we all grow up and change.  I got to know her as an adult and discovered she is an even more amazing, intelligent and beautiful person than I could have imagined. 

Thanksgiving Day rolled around and I awoke on the couch, so happy to be where I was.  Having been single and living alone for so long, it is wonderful to be inserted into a big family environment every once in a while.  Somewhere there are people and things going on all around me and I'm just one little part of it.  At my house, things are quiet.  The only movement is my own.  There’s nothing to observe.  I rather like it that way on a regular basis.  It’s peaceful to not have to worry or think about anyone or anything other than my little world.  But it absolutely fills me with joy to be amongst loved ones like I was the last couple of days.

My cousin and I flipped Duck Dynasty back on as we peeled potatoes on the couch.  Then I proceeded to nap off and on.  Another cousin held something in front of my face at one point in the morning.  I grabbed hold of a red tube-like device and looked at it for a moment.  Then I looked up at him and asked, “is this a blowgun?”  Indeed it was!  The darts for this thing were ridiculously sharp and looked like very thick needles.  Probably 4-5” in length.  Next thing I knew, I heard “PFFT” followed by the sound of a dart hitting wood.  And another one followed.  Let me tell you, for as fast as those things fly and as deep as they sink into hard wood, I would NOT want to be shot with one.  It was in that moment that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, I was right where I wanted to be.  I know.  Crazy.

Not long after, I began hearing a clicking sound from another room.  I immediately thought, “that sounds like a stun gun.”  A few seconds later, I find out I was right!  One cousin walks out of the room teasing another one with this thing.  And I completely lost it.  Laughing hysterically. 

Amongst the flying blowgun darts, amazing smells from the kitchen, vacuum cleaner running to prepare the house before the meal, people talking to each other from one room to another, I felt completely at peace.  I lay back down on the couch and must’ve fallen back asleep.  The next thing I knew, someone was patting me on the shoulder and I opened my eyes to see my grama leaning over me to say hello.  And I knew it must be nearly time to eat. 

We had an enormous and beyond delicious meal.  I can’t even tell you all the things we passed around.  I can, however, tell you I ate way too much.  It was wonderful. The one cousin who was missing from the holiday is in the Navy and she’s currently in Djibouti (Africa).  We did get to have her with us via Facetime for a short bit which was a great highlight of the day.  We showed her the table with all the food and heard about the meal she’d had as well. 

I took another nap after the meal and later headed up to my other grandma’s house where my mom and dad were.  We spent the evening discussing “Fifty Shades of Grey” and making comparisons between Christian Grey and the men we knew.  Then we debated the extent of Khloe Kardashian's lack of intelligence for a while.  Good times! 

There you have it!  Duck Dynasty, a blowgun, girl time, grandparents, Facetime, and Fifty Shades of Grey.  A perfect Thanksgiving!

He Believes In Me

Grampa

I went down to the lake late in the day and visited with Grampa and Grama.  Grampa was in an exceptionally cheery mood today.  He "had his talkers on" as Grama would say.  It seems every time I visit he has seen something or someone really out of the ordinary and tells me, he thinks I could or should do the same thing.  Today's story was about a man on a horse that was "pulled over" by a police officer outside of the restaurant they were eating at earlier in the week.  Apparently this guy was travelling to Missouri on horseback.  He was clean and friendly and had a sleeping bag with him.  That was just the way he was travelling.  When Grampa finished telling me about it, he said, "I told your grandma, if Ashley had a horse she'd be doing that too."  He went on to tell me how I could make it work and find places to sleep.

I realized something after listening to yet another crazy story of something he believes I could or would do.  He is the reason I am the way I am.  He is the reason I dream so big and dare to be adventurous   The first time I remember him flat out telling me to do something crazy was in 2004.  After an extremely harsh breakup with the man I was engaged to at the time, Grampa told me I should go get on my motorcycle and just take a trip by myself.  Just get away for a while.

I didn't end up taking the motorcycle, but I did get in the car and just start driving.  I remember trying to decide if I should head north, south, east or west.  Anyone who knows me wouldn't be surprised to find out that I decided to head south.  About 4 hours into my trip my cell phone rang. It was my mom wanting to know if I wanted to get some lunch.  I told her I couldn't because I was in Terre Haute, Indiana (I lived in the northwest suburbs of Chicago at the time).  She flipped out (of course) and I told her she should talk to Grampa and ask him what I was up to.  :-)

I was on the road for around 5 or 6 days.  I went all sorts of places in 6 different states, including Graceland in Memphis, TN.  It was the first time in my life I'd really done something all on my own.  I remember the day I was supposed to get married.  Instead, I was sitting out on the steps of the run down motel I was staying at in Memphis and smoking a cigarette (yes, I used to be a smoker) and I met two middle aged women and had a great conversation with them that really helped change my perspective.  I don't really remember what they told me, but I remember them and how powerful the experience was of meeting them.

Side note:  My love for Elvis movies was born in that hotel.  Channel 3 had Elvis movies 24 hours a day.  I discovered it very late at night and "Frankie and Johnny" had just started.  I was exhausted, but couldn't turn it off.  I stayed up almost all night watching one movie after another.  

Also on that trip, I remember getting caught very near to a tornado.  I met a family in a restaurant parking lot where I pulled over.  It was the only thing for many miles.  I'm not sure how far it would have been to a town.  The restaurant was in a modular building, so it would provide no safe haven from the storm.  The family was in a pickup truck and was pulling a trailer with a bunch of quads on it.  There were three younger boys riding in the trailer between the quads because there was no room in the cab of the truck.  They were getting pelted with the hail, rain and wind.  I've never again seen a sky like I did that day.  I have some great pictures of it somewhere.  Anyway, I got out of my car and went up to the parents to offer their boys shelter in my car.  I think they thought I was crazy, but they let them get in.  We knew, of course, if the tornado dropped near us we'd have to make a run for the ditch, but at least the boys got out of the storm.  Those boys were soaked, but so thankful to come in out of the storm.  I had beach towels in the car too so they got to dry off a bit.

That whole trip was like a mission to conquer the world for me.  To find my inner strength.  To prove to myself that I could survive just fine on my own.  Grampa believed I could do it.  That was all I needed to believe it too.  This all took place before Grampa and I were as extremely close as we are now.  That was where it all began.

There is a great quote by Zig Ziglar that really hits home for me:

"A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could." 

Grampa was that "someone" for me.  And now I believe I can accomplish anything I can dream up... because I know he would believe I can.

Spontaneity

I remember having a conversation with my high school boyfriend many years ago about spontaneity.  I said something about how I loved to be spontaneous and he quickly brought me to reality.  I was a planner.  Everything I did was on a minute to minute plan as far in advance as possible.  That always stuck with me.  I knew in the moment it was true and really didn't want it to be.  So when he dumped me, I did the most spontaneous thing I'd ever done.  I got in the car and started driving with no idea where I was going or how long I'd be gone.  Five states and six days later, I had found a love for Elvis Presley and an apartment in a different state.  A week after that, I moved from Illinois to Indiana.  How's that for spontaneous!?

Yesterday, an industry friend of mine and I ran into each other at a networking event.  In the first five minutes of talking, she found a way to tell me she had found super cheap flights to Puerto Rico over the Thanksgiving holiday next week, but didn't have anyone to go with and casually (probably jokingly) asked if I wanted to go.  I considered it for a few seconds, asked a couple of questions and told her to shoot me an email with a few details and to not count me out.

This morning, we emailed back and forth a bit and by noon, I was 100% in!  We haven't confirmed any plans or a location to stay, but if it works out and all comes together, I'm sure it will be incredible!  Not to mention an opportunity to cross three items off my bucket list!

Fingers crossed!

**Follow up note - The trip didn't come together.  It was a heck of a cool idea though!

A Little Bit Loco

This is my buddy, Elton.

I'm really a pretty unique woman.  I got to thinking about that a few weeks ago after my boss asked me to do this little trick where I suck the cherry off the top of my milkshake through the plastic dome lid.  Long story.  Anyway, I obliged and pulled my little trick and he said, "Ashley, you are a weird one, but that's what we like about you!"

I'd have to agree.  I am very much... well... me!  It's not the first time I've been accused of being a little weird, unique, different, etc.  I'm really rather happy about that fact.  The little things that make me who I am are things that make me happy.  I think we all have lots of those little quirks, but many people chose not to show them to the world.  In my case, I put them out there with pride.  In the way I talk, act, the things I do, what I post to social media... and the list goes on.

Highlights of the craziness that is Ashley:

• I take off my shoes when I'm a passenger in the car.  And I forget to put them on until the car is parked and it's time to get out.  I'm always the last one out of the car.
• I crank up the music in my house and put on mini concerts when no one is around.  I'll use any object that's handy as a pretend microphone.
• I've got as dirty & sexual a mind as any man!
• I cry out of love or happiness very easily.
• I sleep with stuffed animals.  One of them even travels with me.  They all have names.  
• I get emotionally attached to inanimate things and sometimes pretend I can hurt their feelings or make them happy.  I know it's silly, but it's true.
• I think old people are the cutest things.  Especially the little old men.  I want to pack them up and take them home when I see them out and about.
• I let my house get to be such a mess I can barely walk through certain rooms and it really doesn't phase me.  Then one day I'll get the itch to clean it up and I will work my butt off to get it spic and span again.
• I'll talk to just about anyone.  Wrong numbers, random people in public, anyone who's willing to talk to me basically.  I've had some great, in-depth conversations with total strangers on countless occasions.  Put me in a busy campground on a nice summer day and I will walk from trailer to trailer just meeting everyone!
• I take the furniture out of my living room at Christmas time to make room for 13 Christmas trees that make up a forest.
• I wiggle my butt when I get excited.  Kind of like a dog wags its tail.

Just call me crazy!

Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing (Christmas Style)

I LOVE decorating my house for Christmas.  Always have.  I can remember the Christmas tree we had when I was growing up.  It was an old school one that had a big pole with color coded holes around it at different heights.  The branches were separate and had a wire the bent down at a 90 degree angle which was painted in colors to match the holes on the upright pole.  You would spend an hour sorting all the branches and trying to discern the blue paint from the green paint on the ends of the branches.  Each color was a different size of branch so you could eventually figure out which were which.  I loved sorting the branches all the way around the dining room, kitchen, living room, hallway... where ever there was some floor space.  Then, with all the love and happiness in the world, I would put the largest branches on first, working from the bottom of the tree all the way up.  

Once they were on, it was time to fluff everything up.  With my arms and fingers getting poked and scratched by the artificial pine needles, I'd sing along to a Christmas cassette or CD (usually Garth Brooks, over and over again).  I'd bend each wire branch into the perfect position.  It would take at least one full day, if not the whole weekend for me to decorate mom and dad's house.  Most things had their place.  Mom had a layout for the Christmas decor, so I went along with it.  It was more about making the house beautiful and magical looking than being creative. It was the warm, fuzzy feeling I got from the season.

About five years ago, I started inheriting more and more Christmas decor from a number of sources (grandparents, parents, etc.).  I had a very large house and was married at that time.  Most everyone was getting to a point where they didn't want to do as much decorating anymore and I was the obvious first choice to call to off load anything they didn't want.  :-)

One day, my Grandma Leavelle asked if I had a theme or a color or anything that I wanted to focus on.  I really hadn't considered that.  I was just collecting whatever I could and finding places to put it all.  I started to search my mind and my heart for what it was that I loved the most and wanted to make the theme of my decor.  I thought about snowmen, silver, blue, angels, Santa Claus, Snow, White, Disney... all kinds of things.  And finally, it hit me.  I remembered how much I loved putting up the tree.  Spending time making it perfect.  Adding lights, garland and ornaments.  And most of all, I loved laying underneath it and looking up at the lights twinkling through the branches.  At mom and dad's house, there was a heat vent in the floor along the back side of the Christmas tree.  I'd lay down under the tree and put a blanket over myself and the vent and have the most warm and cozy place in the house.

That was it!  Trees.  I loved Christmas trees.  When we bought the big house, I got a second Christmas tree to put in a place that just seemed to be the perfect place for a little tree.  The next year, I started to have dreams that many would consider to be crazy.  I dreamed of a "forest" of Christmas trees inside my house!  It would have a little white picket fence and a snow covered ground.  Each tree would have a theme.  There would be snowmen and it would be gorgeous!  

I started measuring and planning and collecting Christmas trees from family members who didn't want to put theirs up anymore.  I bought a couple more when I found them on sale too.  I drilled out some 2x4's to make a base to stand the "fence" up in.  I even grabbed two tree shaped trellises that I had grown clematis on in the summer and wrapped them in lights and green garland to create two more trees.  We moved the furniture to make room for this grand display and I started setting up.

The first year there were seven trees and two snowmen in the forest.  It was stunning.  People thought I was crazy.  I never cared.  It became my favorite place to be.  I'd sit in that room almost every minute I was home.  I'd never turn on the house lights.  The twinkle and glow from the tree lights gave off more than enough light and was the most gorgeous glow.  It filled me with joy, love and peace to be there.

The first year

The next year or two years later (I can't remember which year is which), I would move to a new (much smaller) house after my divorce.  The lack of space wasn't about to take away my forest or dampen my spirit.  I figured out that if I moved the furniture out of the living room and made the forest a little more condensed, I could still fit all the trees in.  With a little re-working, the forest was back!

The first year in the new house

I added birdies decorating the trees that year

This year, I thought it was time to take it to a whole new level.  A level that would make many really worry about my sanity and gain me the title of "Christmas Enthusiast."  At the beginning of October I began working on a secret project.  I posted several things to social media, but would never tell anyone what it was or post anything to give it away.  I worked for over a month on it in every free moment I had.  It was a project all my own.  I took no assistance or advice from anyone.  I was on a mission to conquer the world in a way.  

There were some bumps in the road along the way including electrocution, bumps on head, stubbed toes, cuts, scrapes and a black eye.  It was all part of the experience.  I loved every minute of it.  Even the painful ones.  Go ahead and call me crazy.  You won't be the first or the last.  

In the end, I got it completed and installed and it is amazing.  It's a log cabin facade with a front porch that sits in my living room, among the Christmas trees. 

You Asked For It

Charlie's Bunion in the Smoky Mountains.  A short side hike off the Appalachian Trail.

One day, while listening to my grampa talk about his life and share some of his incredible wisdom with me, he began to speak about dreams.  It was a lesson that will stick with me for the rest of my life.  In short, he told me stories of many of the great things that happened in his life and all the accomplishments he'd had.  Each one related back to a dream.  He would get an idea, an inspiration, a little thought that would become a driving force toward a new adventure.  Something he calls a dream.  I find myself relating to the spirit of a dreamer each and every day.  I have dreams.  Some are big, some small, most a little crazy, and some of them I'm living out right now, but all share one common thread - I have a relentless drive to embark on the adventures to make those dreams come true.

Let's take a step back and look at why you're reading this now...

It's not uncommon for someone to tell me they are amused by my posts to social media.  More than a few people have told me they usually scroll through their news feeds without reading too much, but if they see I've posted they will always stop and read what I have to say.  Others have said they wish there was a reality TV show of my life or at least a blog to elaborate on the events they find amusing.

Today, at the completion of a networking event, I was chatting with a friend who reiterated what many others have said for a long time... I should have a blog.  So in order to indulge the interest of my friends and followers the "Adventures of a Relentless Dreamer" blog has been born.

I don't know if my life is really that interesting or if I'm just more willing to be open about the craziness that exists on a day to day basis, but I'm glad you've decided to join  me on this journey.  I don't make any promises about how interesting or inspirational it will be,  but I hope you will find some amusement in it.