Tag Archives: Friends

Inaugural Ball

Events, Memories, People, Photographs, , ,

In 1997 my friend and colleague, Joan, whose mother went to college in Illinois and who knew I was from Illinois, wondered if I’d be interested in going to an unofficial Inaugural Ball which was being hosted by some Illinois organization. I said yes, and asked my mom and aunt if they’d like to go too. They did and flew out from Illinois a few days before the event.

There were seven of us all together — Joan and her mom, our friend Carolyn and her daughter Sarah and my mom, my aunt Ginny and me. The actual ball was not exactly wonderful — boring actually — but getting ready for it was a lot of fun. And afterward we could say that we’d been to an Inaugural Ball.

A lot has happened in the twelve years since that ball — both with our country and in the personal lives of the seven women who attended. In fact a variety of books (war, romance, medical, to name a few genres) could be written about all the events that transpired since 1997.

This year I didn’t have a posse of friends with whom to attend a ball. If someone had suggested it, perhaps I might have done so, but it didn’t happen so Dean and I decided to hold our own Inaugural Ball.

Dean invited a few friends from work, some neighbors and friends we’ve made through our children and I invited a couple of people I knew through the Internet (the ones Dean refers to as my imaginary friends).

Our invitation was based on one I found online.

We chose a Chicago style menu of Italian Beef, Chicago style Hot Dogs, Jello salad, & potato salad with mustard. We also had Old Style beer on hand (plus some from Wisconsin).

Dean gathered dance music for the “ballroom”. (but no one danced — it seems the music stopped after a while and we forgot to start it up again)

The party was a lot of fun — it was great having folks from various parts of our lives in the same place at the same time (sort of like Facebook). I wish I could have talked to more people in depth, but I was pretty busy bringing out the different courses.

I think I got to talk to everyone, at least for a few minutes. Dean and I decided, however, to not have two parties* so close to each other again. Maybe one in the winter and one in the spring or autumn.

Despite his busy schedule, President-elect Obama stopped by for some Chicago food and posed with the guests.

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*we host a Christmas / Holiday party for folks from Dean’s office each December.

3 degrees from Neil Gaiman

People, Reading, , ,

So on Christmas Day my brother’s housemate, Josh, mentioned that he knew Charles Vess. (I think I’d said something about Neil Gaiman — perhaps I suggested that my niece might like his books?). It seems that Josh grew up in Lynchburg, VA and his father and Charles Vess were friends. Josh remembers going to Vess’ house as a kid.

Of course Vess illustrated Gaiman’s Stardust.

So — Dona Patrick knows Josh Holland who knows Charles Vess who knows Neil Gaiman. That’s three degrees right? (come to think of it, I met Josh’s father once but that doesn’t up my degrees to Neil Gaiman.)

But being 2 degrees from Charles Vess is pretty cool as well.

Doug — always a star in my eyes

People, Television, , , , , , ,

Remember Doug? My friend and hairstylist? Did I mention in that earlier post that Doug is also a singer-songwriter? Nope? Well, my mistake. Doug’s a darn good singer-songwriter.

Country Doug

He’s also a great sport and recently began to enter contests. Not counting hair-related contests, he has entered at least three contests in the past couple of years, all involving music. The first was a challenge to write a new tune for the Choc Full o’ Nuts jingle. He wrote a few and made it to the finals with at least one of them. (I’ll check other computers to see if I have a copy).

Not long after that, Doug entered an American Idol contest to come up with an original song for that show. He wrote and sang Dream Come True for that contest.

Most recently Doug entered to become a contestant on Nashville Star — country & western’s answer to American Idol. His email about his experience had the whole family in stitches. Doug seemed to have had a lot of fun at the audition:

“Friday March 14, Westin Grand Hotel in DC, near GWU. Open call. I arrive at 11:30 am and enter a line 2 blocks long. I have long, straightened hair, and a redneck bandanna. In a sea of cowboy hats and boots, I am the only bandanna-guy…

…I decided that if I was fortunate enough to make the call-back,I would slip quietly through the door, not calling attention to myself. Or so I thought. When you were in the next group of five waiting to audition, they had you sit down in a little row of seats, with bright lights and cameras on you (all day extensive footage was being filmed). I had a metal tuning fork, and would tap my head with it, then hold it to my ear to get my note….

…I was the last of the three, and heard the cheers as the other two made their entrances. Now it was my turn, and the staff wanted a BIG entrance. “Ready? OK, IT’S YOUR TIME! GO! GO!!!” So I leapt through the door, and with no idea what to do, found myself pumping my arms in the air, and shouting “SHAZAAM!!” at the top of my lungs…. and you could have heard a pin drop. No one other than the camera man was expecting a third person through the door!!! So my entrance caused people to turn my way, and the camera was put in my face with me laughing like crazy and feeling like a huge idiot. The interviewer said, “Tell us about that tuning fork. You must really want to sing on key”. And with no hesitation, I blurted out, “No, that’s not for singing, I just like to smack myself in the head sometimes. It keeps me in line”.”

Well, Doug didn’t make the cut, but he did make the Nashville Star TV commercial and part of his audition is on YouTube (see below). He’s also in the sideshow on the Nashville Star website. He’s the one in the black bandanna, just to the right of the Nashville Star logo. Click the image to enlarge it. Or click here to see the image with Doug highlighted.