Posts from — May 2008

Hello people!

Welcome to the new and improved newsletter section of 123Greetings’ website. If you haven’t seen it, please check it out here. You can even see it as a 123Greetings beta site because we’re going to be rolling out a new design for the entire site soon!

You know, I really have to give a shout out to our tech guys and designers here. They’ve done a great job, don’t you think? Leave your comments below and let us know what you think!

Hope you’re having a great Memorial Day Weekend! Here are my top favorite Memorial Day ecards that you can take a look, or even send to your friends. Tell your beau you missed him, or pay a tribute. I loved the fact that you can convey so many messages with these ecards.

Send this Ecard!	Send this Ecard!
Send this Ecard!	Send this Ecard!
Send this Ecard!	Send this Ecard!
Send this Ecard!	Send this Ecard!
Send this Ecard!	Send this Ecard!

This Memorial Day is particularly significant for me. It’s been a while since I’ve heard much about the war in Iraq, let alone Afghanistan, but I’ve never been as up close and personal as I have been in the past couple of months. If you don’t know about my involvement with the wounded veterans you can read about it here.

Knowing Fred, who is an ex-Army guy, and meeting Laura helped me to understand and grasp the human side of this war. When you hear about the cost of this war, the figures are phenomenal. Sometimes, we forget that there’s a human cost for this war, too.

I was really glad when Fred told me about the Veterans Educational Assistance Act a couple of weeks ago. I think the GIs deserve way better benefits than what they’re getting now. I was surprised to learn that for every dollar invested in a WWII veteran, seven dollars were generated. With the economy in a recession the way it is, this seems like the best return on investment for our tax dollars right now…

So when you’re out at a barbeque or on your Memorial Day weekend trip, don’t forget the folks in the military who make it possible. Remember them and talk to your kids and family about them. And remember to enjoy the long weekend!

Did you get the newsletter I sent this week? I talked about people who inspired me recently. Inspiration is something people seek all the time. I look for it so much you could probably call me an “inspiration junkie”. As a writer, I feel the need to be inspired all the time. It goes hand in hand with being enthusiastic about something.

And guess what? I’m not the only one out there! Newsletters devoted to inspiration are the most widely read. When I’m stuck with my writing, I start thinking about people who inspire me–especially my mom and dad. Stay tuned for my next newsletter to find out more about them!

Before I go, I’d like to share with you my five top favorite inspirational quotes:

• The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. Martin Luther King Jr.
• Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. Douglas Adams
• If you would create something, you must be something. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
• First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do. Epictetus
• The purpose of life is a life of purpose. Robert Byrne

I love quotes and daily doses of wisdom. They’re great pick-me-uppers. So, what inspires you and why? Or even who inspires you in your life? Give a holla back and leave your comments below!

Folks, I’m back in New York! My flight back was not as eventful as the trip to So Cal. I’m glad I flew back in time to watch the finale of The Office. It’s one of my favorite shows! I love the fact that it keeps me laughing. Sometimes Donna and I talk about who’s which character in our office just for the fun of it.

I got all your wishes from Facebook and MySpace and told my mom a very Happy Mother’s Day. She was so excited she said, “This is like getting fan mail!” Now she knows what I feel like when I get stuff from you guys.

Seriously though, I am still overwhelmed by your support for this blog and on all the social networks (check out the right hand side panel if you still want to add me as a friend!) I’m going through your friend requests as soon as I can. I’m even thinking of starting a group like “123Greetings Readers” or something along those lines–whatcha think? Would you like to meet other readers across the world?

There’s a couple of updates happening at 123Greetings, especially in our newsletter section. I can’t wait to show you guys the beta version of our spankin’ new design! Steve’s been working on the bugs and all behind the scenes issues. This blog is not going to be updated on a scheduled basis so why not subscribe to the RSS feed. It’s quick and easy and it will notify whenever I write a new post. That way you’d know as soon as any post goes live from me! Have a great day, folks!

Hey folks, just claiming my blog on Technorati!
Technorati Profile

This morning, we arrived around 7 am in Pasadena. We took a cab from the bus terminal. My parents must have heard the commotion I was making as I struggled to get my backpack and stuff out of the trunk. When my mom opened the door and saw me, she shrieked and rushed out to give me a hug. Mom was really glad and in tears when she saw me first thing in the morning. It was a big surprise for her. Megan took her stuff and walked across the street to her folks’ place. I’m sure they were glad to see her, too.

I told my mom, “Happy Mother’s Day”. Then I had to tell her the whole story about our trip, the big surprise we had planned, and about this blog. I gave her the necklace. She loved it… she said, “Just you showing up was the perfect Mother’s Day gift for me.” She gave me a journal that she had written when I was born. It was sort of a long letter to me, chronicling her thoughts during the first month or so after I was born. She had always intended to give it to me later, perhaps when she thought I was “a man” or when I had my first born or something, but she thought it was time. I’ve been reading it in bits and pieces because I wanted to spend as much time as I can with my folks. And you know what I just read? I read that she had wanted to be a writer too. I spoke to her about it and this is what mom had to say, “Ya know Bob, I’m glad you became a writer. In a sense, you’re living my dream and I’m very proud of that fact.” My mom is totally awesome. She’s read all my new blog posts too and she loves them… It gives you a warm feeling all over, knowing someone’s always got your back like that.

Oh I almost forgot, Rick and Kaitlin finally made it to my folks’ place. They haven’t killed each other yet! So far they’ve been behaving like adults and dealing with the situation. I’ll have to coax Rick into making him talk about what happened… Well stay tuned, it’s going to be like “Mission Impossible” for me to get him to talk to me about it–no, not his relationship with Kaitlin, but the death of his car. I think he’s in mourning.

And for all the moms out there, may you have a great Mother’s Day. And for the kids who are reading this, spend some time with your mom, tell her how much you love her and how much they mean to you. In the end, that’s the best Mother’s Day gift there is.

I’ll leave you with this Zen quote for the day, something my mom suggested to me. It comes from Hodding Carter, Jr., a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, “There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: One is roots. The other is wings.” I think Dad was more responsible for roots, but Mom definitely helped with the wings… or was it just the Red Bull? Just kidding, ma.

Happy Mother’s Day. Now I have to go spend some quality time with my mom!

Ciao!
Bob

Editor, 123Greetings

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P.S. Thank you all for following our trip. See you back soon in New York City!

Okay folks, another quick post… I’m really tired. We got to Los Angeles, but the next bus to Pasadena won’t depart until the morning! We didn’t want to call up Dad and ruin the surprise for Mom, so we’re just going to take the next bus out. I hope Rick and Kaitlin are okay and not arguing all the way through. Rick has this attachment to all of his cars, and this is one that he cannot fix himself. I mean, he had diesel in his gas engine car!

You’re going to have to tune in tomorrow to find out what’s going to happen to us. Right now, Megan and I were just talking about what she’s going to be doing with her life, and about Rick and Kaitlin and what’s going to happen. Losing this car–which is the most likely scenario–is a big deal for Rick. I don’t even know if Kaitlin and Rick are going to break up over this incident. I’d hate to be the catalyst. I feel like I’m the one who caused all this because it was my idea to do this road trip, but ya know what? If their love and bond was really strong, I think their relationship could survive… I hope it does. I’m sure other people have had much worse things happen in their relationships and still made it through. It’s only a car, after all, but then, we’re talking about Rick. I’m biting my nails here, people!

I don’t want to sign off here today though, without a Zen quote, it’s another one from Louis L’Amour, “Nobody got anywhere in the world by simply being content”. In a way it’s a good thing that Kaitlin pushed us out our comfort zone. I mean, I didn’t realize how much I wanted to be there for my mom on Mother’s Day if she hadn’t put that diesel in the car. When I realized there was a possibility of us not making it, I really became determined and found another way to make it happen. Actually it was Megan who found the bus station, but Rick said he’d never set foot in one of those. The decision to split up into two groups was tougher than I’d expected. Rick and Kaitlin will follow us as soon as they figure out what to do about the car, and personally, I’m glad not to be there for the inevitable conversation between those two crazy kids.

But as Rick would say, “Take care ya’ll.” Hope your Mother’s Day goes well. I’m really looking forward to mine! I plan on having another post for you tomorrow, and hopefully, I will be able to tell you how Mom handles the surprise! See ya tomorrow!

Peace,
Bob

Editor, 123Greetings

FREE GREETINGS FOR THE PLANET

P.S. 123Greetings has belated Mother’s Day ecards too… I really hope I don’t need one!

Hey folks, this is going to be a quick post for now. I’m sitting at the bus terminal in Barstow trying to catch the next bus into Los Angeles. You would not believe what happened to me! What happened to us! Basically it started off a very nice morning. We let Kaitlin drive because she’s been really nice, and everyone makes mistakes right? I mean, it could’ve been me driving in a different direction.

We left Flagstaff and headed for Barstow. It was a really pleasant drive. I like the scrubby pines that are so unique to this region. At the pit stop in Barstow Kaitlin filled the tank while Rick went to the toilet. Megan and I were on the necessities duty–getting jerky, soda, and chips. When we got back, we moved out of the gas station.

About a mile or so later, the car died. It was really scary at first because we were in the fast lane and all of a sudden the car started farting. I mean, cars don’t fart! But it started making that sound and just stopped moving. If you have your car die, don’t do it on the fast lane, I can tell ya that much! Kaitlin put on the hazard lights right away. Rick was so furious, he went all red. “Ohhh, no, Kaitlin. What did you fill the car up with??!” Rick yelled. “What?” Kaitlin looked really confused.

Rick looked at Kaitlin in the eye, his eyes were bloodshot red, “Kaitlin darlin’, you filled the car up with diesel!” Rick said, clenching his teeth. Then Kaitlin realized what she had done and said, “Oh, that’s why the nozzle didn’t seem to fit!” Megan and I in the back seat wanted to die. We looked at each other and rolled up our eyes.

We pushed the car to the side of the road, off the soft shoulder. Kaitlin called AAA, so we could be towed back. Megan and I waited for them to pick us up. Kaitlin was almost in tears after she realized what she had done. Rick became really quiet after that. Rick decided to stay with the car. Megan and I headed towards the bus station.

And it just so happened that we had just missed the bus. The next one is at 11 pm and we won’t get into Los Angeles until after 1 am!!! So we’re basically stuck here. I don’t know what Rick and Kaitlin are planning to do… I’ll keep you updated on whether we reach home on time for Mother’s Day or not. Wish us luck!

Peace,
Bob

Editor, 123Greetings

FREE GREETINGS FOR THE PLANET

P.S. I can’t wait for Mother’s Day! Have you sent your own mom an ecard yet?

This morning we all agreed that Kaitlin should not be driving for a while. In fact, I drove and Megan was shotgun–we left the two love birds in the back seat. I really loved the stretch of highway between Amarillo and New Mexico–we stopped at the Cadillac Ranch for a while before we continued our journey. The traffic was pretty good too, so it was a nice cruise.

I love the colors of New Mexico–the rich red earth tones, the vast expanse of space. I like seeing that every now and then after being stuck in the concrete jungle. Don’t get me wrong, I love New York, but sometimes you just need a break, ya know? This road trip was a really great idea. We stopped at Gallup, New Mexico for lunch. All this time, that famous jazz song, “Route 66” was running in my head. There’s a number of versions out but I like the Natalie Cole version the best.

Rick wanted to eat at the El Rancho Restaurant, so we headed there. It also happened to be a hotel that famous people like John Wayne stayed. Since we were in Oklahoma, Rick acted like he was the guide on a wild wild west tour. Megan mused, “Rick knows more wild west trivia than anyone I know,” she said smiling, “I think he knows even more about the west than he knows about cars.” I had to laugh. Rick has been acting like a kid for the past day or so. And he hasn’t shown much interest in driving–which is very, very unusual!

We went shopping at a couple of local stores including the Indian Market. I found the perfect Mother’s Day gift for my mom. It’s a turquoise Squash Blossom necklace. My mom likes big chunks of jewelry, so it was just perfect. It was a bit heavy on my wallet but hey, it’s worth it. Now she has something to show off when she goes to those suburban Christmas and New Year parties this year!

It was really interesting to talk to the people who run the stores there. Megan asked them how they’re affected by the economy–they said that things have been tighter than usual but most of the money that comes into Gallup is from Europe. We were surprised. The gentleman who was manning the cashier said, “Ya, people fly all the way from places like Switzerland to buy Indian art and jewelry.” Hey, I don’t blame them. Indian art has the most colorful designs. Megan said she likes the symbolism behind every object. Even small pieces of jewelry represent creatures that roam around the earth, “that connection is very important,” Megan contemplated. She seemed like she had moved on and was now searching for new things to do.

Megan wanted to drive the rest of the journey from Gallup up hill into the mountains. We headed towards Flagstaff, AZ after our shopping excursion. I loved how the scenery started changing slowly. “Remember when we used to go for long drives in our senior year,” Megan recalled, “I used to live for those drives. I figured I wouldn’t be seeing you guys after that year, so we might as well spend as much time as possible.” I smiled, thinking about our high school days–we were such rascals, then. “Ya, but unfortunately you’re stuck with me, Megan,” I told her. It’s really amazing how we’re still in touch after all these years. She glanced back at me and smiled. “Hey, I’m just a fan stalking you,” she joked.

I’m pretty sure Megan is hatching some sort of a plan in her head. “Ya know, I wouldnt’ mind going to some sushi joint or a Mexican place once we get to California. I’m tired of having steak all the time,” she continued, half talking to herself while driving. So I said, “Ya, I miss Mom’s cooking–I can’t wait to get home!”

The sun began to set right after we left Winslow, AZ. It was beautiful. I can see why the “riding off into the sunset” theme is such a popular notion in American literature and movies. It’s such a great way to end something. And Flagstaff, AZ seemed to be the perfect town to end the day. We went into a restaurant and saw a couple who looked really in love.

They were acting very merry and giggling away. They looked like they’d had a couple of drinks before we got there. We were seated next to their table. Half way through our meal, they broke out into a fight and the woman started yelling, “Oh ya? I dare you. I dare you to leave me!” The guy dropped a couple of bills, got up and really left. It was surprising to watch for us because one, it wasn’t Kaitlin and Rick who were fighting, and two, they looked really happy when we walked in!

We were all caught up by the drama, so I guess we were all staring at the woman left behind. She started sobbing, and I think she noticed us. She showed us the back of her left hand and said, “We just got married…” and started crying. We all turned and concentrated on our meal and waited for her to leave. As soon as she left, Rick said, “Man, never get married when you’re drunk.” We all started laughing out loud. “Rick, of all the people on this table, you’re the only one who would get married while drunk!” said Megan. We started laughing again. Rick’s such a stud.

I have to turn in now, folks. Thank you for coming on this journey with me. We have our last stretch of road to go tomorrow, hopefully nothing will happen and we’ll arrive at my folks’ place on time for Mother’s Day. Somehow Louis L’Amour seem to have the perfect Zen quotes these days, he said, “Victory is won not in miles but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later, win a little more.” Just a few more miles to cover and we’ll be home free, literally!

Peace,
Bob

Editor, 123Greetings

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P.S. Mother’s Day ecards are so 2008. Send them to all the moms you know!