Four Favorite Things I Love Right Now! Part 13

It's that time again -- a new list of my Four Favs!

NOTE:  I know it's Tuesday, but it's Wednesday somewhere -- plus my hair looks so good that I want it to last longer, thus the loss of Tuesday.

NOTE for the NOTE:  I do realize that this logic makes no sense.  Sometimes I amuse myself alone.  Back off.

NOTE for the NOTE for the NOTE:  And since you were so rude to think about my non-logic, make a donation to Community Partners of Dallas right now at www.CommunityPartnersDallas.org.  I forgive you.

In case you've missed my other Favorites posts, you can view the most recent one here:  http://blog.paigemcdaniel.org/2013/09/four-favorite-things-i-love-right-now.html

Now, on to what you came for -- the list...

1. My brand new Neiman Marcus Calendar for 2014 -- I've been using these since my friend Lynn McBee took me to a TACA dinner in 2006 and it was the party favor.  The paper is so nice and damn-it, I am not going to leave paper, people.  I'm old.  You can buy them online with NM too, but then it doesn't have the Neiman Marcus lining.  The lining is only available in the store.  But you can get it monogrammed if you order online, so make your choice.  I like the lining because I'm old and like to be fancy.
2. Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus -- I cannot get enough of this song.  It is on super-high rotation in my car (just like Katy Perry's Firework was when it came out).  Maybe I'm not so old?
3. The novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is coming out as a film later this month, but I encourage you to read the novel first.  It is amazing.  I promise you that tears will shoot out of your eyes.  What?  That isn't what you want out of a novel?  You're wrong.
4. Cynthia's Yum Potatoes -- I haven't had these in awhile, but damn, they're good.  My friend Cynthia O'Kelly gave me the recipe and it's so easy that everyone needs to have this in your arsenal.  Make them tonight!

• 4 or 6 small potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
• 1/4 cup butter
• grated parmesan cheese
• garlic powder

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter and pour into a 9x13 pyrex and spread evenly across the bottom (I usually just put the butter in the pyrex and put it in the oven while it's preheating.). Generously sprinkle parmesan cheese and lightly sprinkle other seasonings all over the butter. Place potato halves face down on the butter and seasonings. Place in preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Cool for at least a FULL 5 minutes before removing from the pan, otherwise the parmesan crust won't stick to the potato. Optional:  Serve with a side of sour cream for dipping (I don't do this -- love them just the way they are).

What are your four favs?

Last Night...

I didn't get to sleep at all.

NOTE:  If you recognize The Fifth Dimension reference, give yourself 100 points.

I only slept about 3 hours last night.

You'd think I'd be crashing by now -- it's 4 pm -- but actually, I feel pretty good.  Sometimes we think that we just can't make it without something because that's what we're used to:

• Sleep
• Coffee
• Sweets
• Television

Oh, you know -- just anything.  The over-dramatic -- gosh, I'm so tired, or I need my coffee blather.

But I usually find that I can make it. 

We keep going because we have to keep going.  Gosh, all I really need is some exciting work to do, some ideas to toss around, get those creative juices flowing, etc.

We can do a lot more than we require of ourselves.

I spent last night at Community Partners of Dallas Heart Program.  The Heart Program provides group treatment for child victims of sexual abuse and their non-offending family members.  Last night was the Halloween Party and everyone had a great time.  Every Tuesday night these kids -- some as young as 3 and 4 years old -- talk about their abuse with peers and they heal.

They keep going because they have to keep going.  God bless them.

What I know about "The Girl in the Closet"

It happened on June 11, 2001.  Our community (and the nation) was rocked by the story of Lauren Kavanaugh -- the girl in the closet. 

I didn't work for Community Partners of Dallas then, so like most of you I watched Lauren's story on the television and read about it in The Dallas Morning News and just shook my head in horror. 

How could people be so sick? 

If you've ever held a baby in your arms...

If you've ever had a child run and hug you...

If you've ever had a child look at you like you were the most important person in the world...

How could someone do this to a child -- any living creature?  I wouldn't leave a snake to live in it's own filth and slowly starve to death -- and I really don't like snakes.

If you don't know Lauren's story, The Dallas Morning News is publishing a series about her every day this week and is running it on the front page -- above the fold -- check it out here:  http://res.dallasnews.com/interactives/2013_October/lauren/

But before you read it, prepare yourself.

You'll have questions, just like I do.  Why did the judge return Lauren to a mother who had given her away? Why didn't CPS officials keep better tabs on this family?  Why didn't a family member, a neighbor, anyone, talk?  Why, why, why?

When I started working at CPD in March of 2002, Lauren's story was still discussed and I heard that she hoarded food, but that was about it.  CPD still received a toy periodically from the public mailed to the CPS office and addressed to "The Girl in the Closet".  We passed them along to her caseworker. 

But, time goes by and the horror fades. 

New children took Lauren's place:  the little girl who's mother super glued her hands to the wall, the 10 year old boy named Johnathan who was starved to death in 2012, and more.

I want to thank Scott Farwell and The Dallas Morning News for this series.  Because of CPS confidentiality laws, even I don't usually get to hear about what happens to a child after the abuse has stopped. 

But I do know one thing for certain -- there are more Laurens out there.

My Favorite TV Commercials Now!

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that I love TV.

My grandmother lived with my family most of my life and she loved TV.  Dandoo (I named her and my niece Lina -- my 2 claims to fame.) and I watched together and I even had my own TV in my bedroom when I was 11 -- she gave it to me.

NOTE:  Now, I know you parents are all thinking that was horrible.  Bite me.

So, I have many fond memories of TV and I will admit that it is my crutch -- pretty much when I'm at home, alone, and awake -- my TV is on.

NOTE:  Now, I do read books and work from home sometimes, so the TV is not on then.  At least most of the time it's not...

The thing that has changed semi-recently is the DVR.  Kids, in the olden days, we had to watch commercials -- or least you had to leave the commercials on.

NOTE:  Mute buttons were not invented way back then -- in fact we even had to get up and walk over to the TV to change the channel and since there were only about 4 stations, you looked at a thing called the TV Guide and decided what you were going to watch each hour and tuned in.  Truly, I don't know what men did without remotes to channel surf.  Lit a new cigarette and/or poured another scotch, I guess.

But now, I don't watch commercials much since I DVR my favorite shows and watch them later so I can fast-forward through the ads.  I know that all of us do this now.  Like me, I'm sure that even if your favorite show is on right then while you've parked your butt in the La-Z-Boy, you might watch something you have saved in the box, then watch your preferred show later so you can skip the commericals.

NOTE:  The girls here at CPD know that I really love a show when I tell them that "I watched that show live."  This means commitment, people.

So now, I pretty much only see commericals during The Today Show.  So, take this favorites list with that in mind:

1.  The AT&T Commercials with the guy in a suit sitting around the little kid table asking the kids about how fast something is, etc.  The whole series is pretty cute, but I think I burst the bubble of my co-worker Corinne when I told her that I know it is scripted.  One of the little boys mouths the words of one of the girls when she speaks. 

I am, at heart, a critic.  Sorry, but that bubble had to be burst.  Still like the series though.  Here's the link for the "Infinity" one.  Watch the boy's mouth when the little girl says "infinity times infinity" -- sorry, but you needed to know the truth.  The "Dizzy" one is probably my favorite, though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZh105_r2Qk

2.  As for more cerebral (Can that word even be used when we're talking about commercials?) ads, I like the Prudential one with the bald guy saying "We asked people to tell us about the oldest person they've known" and they have a huge chart with dots all in the later years of age like the 80's to 100's.  The point is that we're living longer, so we need to plan for retirement.  It hasn't made me add anything more to my Roth IRA, but I still think it's pretty good. 

This is a longer version:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3qj88J7-jA

3.  But my favorite of all is from Carters.  It's narrated by a little girl voice (And yes, I know it's an adult who sounds like a little girl -- critic, remember?) and starts with "I was born on a cold September Sunday" and goes through the life of the child.  The thing I love most is near the end -- something like "Because the moment I became yours, you became mine."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gza-yfENn_4

I just love that line and I had never thought about it before.  I think as parents, we think that our kids are ours -- almost like property.  Sometimes I think this is partially why child abuse happens -- the whole attitude of "that's MY kid and I can do anything I want with them/to them".

But this line in this commercial flipped it -- and I love it.  That line makes me cry every time.

That kid is yours, but YOU are also his. 

Remember that.  It's sacred.

What I Learned from Gravity

I was lucky enough to see a preview of the film Gravity a couple of weeks ago through the USA Film Festival.  My brother went with me.

NOTE:  I invited my niece to join me but when she cancelled my brother was conveniently the first one to text me his availability.  The McDaniel siblings like free stuff, people.

Now normally the USA Film Festival does advance screenings of more limited release films -- not blockbusters starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, so this was an unusual film for them and I hopped right in to get a reservation for 2 seats front and center.  The Film Festival had warned us to leave our cell phones and any other recording devices at home and John and I obliged.

Because I'm a donor to the Film Festival, we get reserved seats and don't have to wait in the long line -- LOVE that.  When John and I arrived at the AMC NorthPark they checked my purse and wanded both of us looking for recording devices and/or firearms. 

NOTE:  We passed. 

The press members finally arrive and the film is about to begin, but before they start (usually at screenings there are no previews) a big guy in a suit walks out and gets the audience's attention.  He explains that no recording devices may be brought out during the film and that he and his team will be watching with night-vision goggles throughout the screening.  When he says this, some people giggle, but the man quickly looked them straight in the eye and very seriously said "Hey -- this is not a laughing matter.  My job is to protect this film and I am very serious.  We are protecting this film."

Wow.  I have not stopped thinking about this statement.  I am protecting this film.  It is my job to protect this film.

I wish that all parents felt this way.  Good ones know that protecting children is their job -- in fact, it is the job of every single one of us.  We are all required by law to report child abuse and neglect in Texas.

NOTE:  To report in Texas call 1-800-252-5400.  If you are not in Texas, the Texas hot line can give you information for your state or neck of the woods (a little Al Roker for you).

If only we took child protection as seriously as film protection.

P.S.  Gravity is great -- see it.  And of course it had lots of birth/mother imagery.  You can take the girl out of the office, but you can't ever take the office out of this girl...

Where Has All The Customer Service Gone?

I am a shopper.

I have a shopper's car (small SUV).

I buy a Partners Card from The Family Place every year without fail.

But most of all, I love Amazon.

I love Amazon, but I hate what it is doing to customer service.  Now, Amazon actually does a pretty good job when needed -- IF you can find out how to let them know your package wasn't delivered, they'll send you another one, no questions asked.  They don't care if it's UPS's fault or if it was stolen, or whatever the reason, they'll send you another.

This is volume business at it's finest -- just send another one and eat the cost to keep the customer happy.

And it works -- I am happy and pretty much order everything I can from them.  Not sure if I'll use their grocery service when it comes out, but I might.  I love them that much.

NOTE:  I do love Matt & Al and my TV more, but Amazon is right up there.

But here's the rub -- there is no customer service anymore.  The Internet has trained us to not expect much.  It is difficult to even find a phone number to call nowadays.  You have to search and search to find it.  I just searched for a local charity's phone number this morning on their website and finally gave up after about 5 minutes of searching.  Their site wouldn't even let me email their CEO directly or provide me with her email.

NOTE:  This is NOT how we do business at Community Partners of Dallas.  We truly believe that a big part of our success is personal service.  You can call me right now at 214-624-7557 and anyone else here.

But back to my point -- customer service is dead.  So that is why when a company does something extraordinary now, it really means something to me.

My first example is an experience I had with Shutterfly last Christmas -- and I am still thinking about it 10 months later, so that tells you just how extraordinary it is.  I order my holiday cards from them online every year and they do a great job.  This year the return address labels I ordered to match my cards didn't arrive.  I thought, UGH -- I'm sure I won't be able to find a phone number to call or a way to report this easily -- and fired up the desk top (which gets little use now with my I-Phone and I-Pad in the den at all times) and started looking for a way to report the missing package.

Well, what to my wondering eyes did appear but a phone number for Customer Service!  I called and the guy I spoke to was super nice and said they would expedite new labels to me at no charge.  So nice.  But what really made it an amazing experience is that the guy I spoke to SENT ME A HAND WRITTEN THANK YOU NOTE apologizing for the error.

Can you believe that?

The error wasn't even theirs -- the labels came the next day and I called them, but they said to just enjoy the duplicates. 

I have more examples of surprising service -- coming soon! 

Hope you have a great week of super customer service!

Will Lucy Make Ricky Lose His Temper Before Her Hat Is Delivered?

I woke up too early the other morning and turned on the TV.  It was in the middle of an I Love Lucy episode, so I just started watching.

I love I Love Lucy.  When I was young I watched it everyday after school (Holla for Slam Bang Theater!) and I have seen every episode about a million times.  So, when it came on the other morning, I knew just what had happened in the episode.

We join Lucy and Ethel at the hat store.  Lucy has found a precious turquoise hat with little pearls on it.  Ethel warns Lucy to put it back and walk away, and she tries, but that hat is just too much for her.  She tells the hat store woman (who plays many parts at differing times on the show -- you'd know her if you saw her) to charge and send it tomorrow.  Lucy now has 24 hours to make Ricky lose his temper.

NOTE:  The back story you missed (but I'm sure you remember) is that Ricky and Lucy bet that he could hold his temper longer than she could refrain from buying a hat.  Don't you have this bet with your husband all the time?

Next we find Lucy in bed waiting up for Ricky to come home from the club.  Oh, it was a hard night for Ricky and he had to run the numbers with the band until 3 or 4 am, so he is dog tired.  Ricky hops in his twin bed and goes right to sleep.  Lucy then goes into action:  turns up the radio, files her nails, eats crackers, spills the crackers all in Ricky's bed, cracks pecans, even nails his slippers to the floor.  She finishes off with Ethel arriving with the dribble glass that she fills with tomato juice and dribbles all down his white tux jacket (he was supposed to take publicity shots that morning, thus the white ensemble).  Ricky holds his temper.

It is not until he gets a call from some agent trying to book a ventriloquist (Does anyone miss ventriloquists?  Really?) and is able to hold his temper and gets the guy at a rock bottom price that Ricky realizes that Lucy helped him and he calls off the bet and tells her she can buy any hat she wants.  After a quick faked call to the store to supposedly "order" the turquoise hat with the pearls, Lucy hangs up the phone and the doorbell rings with the hat delivery.  Ha, Ha!

If only it was this easy to teach someone how to hold their temper.

The kids we help every day at Community Partners of Dallas live lives of terror waiting for the next shoe to drop.  For dad to have a bad day at work and start yelling and drinking and worse.  For mom to scream "I hate you and I wish you'd never been born" because her boyfriend decides to go out with his buddies because boyfriend is sick of being around kids for 2 hours.

A turquoise hat is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.  A child is.

Let's be Ricky and count to 10 before we react today.  Ricky did it in Spanish, but I'll let you choose your language.  Spanish would be fun, though.