Good luck, good friend

A very good friend of mine shot his last story tonight, at least for his current employer.

He is leaving his current job to hopefully work for another fine organization.

We've had some great times together. He's my bud.

We've also 'butted' heads on occasion, but always made up and ironed everything out!

I guess that is true friendship.

No matter how many times you have little disagreements, feuds, or differences of opinion, you always wind up the best of friends in the end!

Good luck, Tom G! I know you'll knock their socks off!

It's definitely not good bye, but ta ta for now! Toodle oooo! See you in fitteen! Blah blah blah....

Your pal, the 'older' pal,
Danielle

What if?

It's just amazing where time goes. I have so much to share from the last 3 weeks and have had next to no time to even jot down any thoughts.

Not for my readers, necessarily, because frankly, I know there are not many. But for myself to sort my thoughts out and just put images down for posterity for whence my memory goes!

I'm hoping to gradually get around to the highlights over the last 3 to 4 weeks! There are some doozies!

However, today was a very sobering day.

I spoke to someone, a very very dear friend, whom I have not spoken to in weeks. They had been a bit under the weather and were taking care of themselves.

I guess I did not realize how much I missed them until our chat!


However, being the 'what if girl,' I started thinking.

'What if' something did happen to me?

I am not married with a husband. Heck, I don't even have a boyfriend.

I have not been fortunate enough to have children.

Mom, though doing very well, probably could not handle this bundle.

I do have a sister, nieces and a nephew, aunts & uncles and cousins galore....but they all have their own lives.

I could not afford and could not survive on disability with no paycheck coming in...

If something happened to me, I would be S-O-L!


I believe that God does not give us anything we can not handle.


And I'd like to think that God would provide...


But being the finite individuals we are (not all knowing like God), the thought is quite sobering and frightening.


It's awful feeling totally alone and helpless.

A weekend to remember!

I hate to keep going back to the whole sports theme, but I must! We are in the midst of exciting Olympic action which can not be ignored!

Addicted...

Do you know that the Olympics come on very early....go much of the day on three stations...non-stop on the web.....come back on at Prime Time and then come back on after the late news until about 5am. Magnificent!


I think the stat that 40 million tuned in to see if Michael Phelps could win his 8th gold medal is quite chilling! Speechless. I know I will dedicate an entire entry to Phelps and his Mom. There was a 'goose-pimple' interview at the top of Prime Time Sunday night with Michael and his Mother that deserves some more props!


This was also a local weekend to remember.


Yet another jam-packed weekend with hardly a chance to sit down and recuperate! I guess that's the way of the world, the way my life goes day in and day out!

It started as quite a nerve-wracking weekend as I felt a cold coming on Thursday but could not get sick in the midst of one of my busiest singing weekends. I was singing a wedding Saturday. I could not let the happy couple down by bringing my 'b game.' Then we hosted the 40th anniversary celebration of the Apostles of Jesus at my church. These priests serve as chaplains at Charity Hospital, St Augustine Manor, Holy Family Cancer Home, and Lakewood Hospital. They also assist parishes, including ours, when needed! OLP, in honor of their momentous anniversary, held a day long celebration including quite a festive 11am Mass (with special main celebrant Bishop Pevec in attendance)...where I sang the entire Mass but also solo'd 'Ave Maria' in Latin and Swahili. I could NOT be sick for this event.

And by the grace of God, Mary, Jesus, Joseph, and the Holy Spirit, it went off without a hitch! Thank you, Mary! WOW! What an accomplishment as a singer!


Factor in the Hall of Fame weekend at Progressive Field. Exciting Cleveland Indians Games including Cliff Lee getting another win, and Jeremy Sowers with a great performance.....Saturday was turn back the clock to 1948 where they wore throwback uniforms and announced like they did back on 1948. They also had the scoreboard system and organ music from back on 1948.

The cherry on top was the Feast of the Assumption on Murray Hill --the authentic Italian food, atmosphere, the tradition of lighting candles for special intentions, and just enjoying a remarkable and imporant part of my heritage!

Exhaustion settles in after a completely satisfying weekend.......as I gear up for another week of Olympic Memories from Beijing!

Sports bliss

I've been a sports fan forever but I'm not quite sure where or how I attained my interest in this particular fascination! I am sure glad I did!

For me, sports encompasses a very fulfilling past time, enjoyment, and relaxation in the midst of my crazy days & nights.

For all of you sports fans out there, this is a HEAVENLY time!

The 2008 Beijing Olympics around the clock. Sure fire recipe for sleep deprivation!

Tonight alone, we have Volleyball--women and men--pumped up teams to say the least, Michael Phelps, and Gymnastics....each night gets better and better and better!

But wait, there's more!

We also have the Cleveland Indians vs the Baltimore Orioles!

But wait, there's even more!

We have a FOX Football Game of the week between Carolina and Philadelphia, which is in a weather delay, but should get going again...


Factor in Cleveland Browns Training Camp and pre-season football and it's just a crazy, wacky world out there!

Pinch me!

Serendipity has a baby sister!

Congratulations to my cousin Roseann and her husband Jamie on the birth of their little girl!

She's here! She's here! (Just in time for the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics!!!)...

Caroline Fallon arrived August 7, 2008!

Caroline weighed 9 pounds and was 21 inches long! WOW!

I'm told Mommy, Daddy and baby are all doing just fine!

Can't wait to see the little bundle of joy in person, Roseann!!!!

Love you all!

There's no place like home!

I pride myself in being a world traveler.

I LOVE to travel and see this great country, this world in which we live.

When it involves a new ballpark, baseball stadium, sporting or music event, palm trees, sandy beach, the tropics and a cocktail--even better!

Somehow, everywhere I go makes me realize how lucky I am to be a Cleveland girl.

Mom and I were blessed to hit the big apple last week while I was officially on vacation. We have many sidebar stories --most of them great, a few of them atrocious! Many of them I will share over the coming days and weeks. I've been to New York before. I even sang on Park Avenue in the ritzy part. I enjoy seeing new places, experiencing new restaurants and happenings. Expanding my horizons!!!!!

This trip, I realized that Cleveland is the city for me --at least over New York. And I realized that my way of traveling is different from others. We were with someone else who was not as organized as myself. Hopefully, that won't happen again!

I enjoyed the skyline, Yankee Stadium, and just being 'on vacation.' The folks were even very nice to us, probably because everyone is nice to Mom.

My experience made me appreciate our weather (30 out of 31 days of sun in July), Lake Erie, Cleveland sunsets, lesser traffic jams, fewer 'wandering people,' cleaner streets, lower prices, less stress, all the high class restaurants inhabiting C-Town.......

But that is what makes this country great. We can travel, see new places, make memories, learn new things, and re-visit the places we absolutely adore!

NEW Yankee Stadium --here we come!!!!!!!!!!