Jay Cooney’s Charity Wedding Event

NOT Jay & Shay
(Image courtesy of Freedigitalphotos.net)

The tagline for this blog reads, “Working to make the world a better place, one blog post at a time”, which, of course, sets the tone for many of my posts.  Thus, when I find examples of others who use their talents and assets to help others, I get all giddy inside and want to scream from the rooftops: “Hey, everyone, look!  We’re all in this together and here is someone else working to make life better for others!”  I found such an example today in my email inbox when Jay Cooney, social media strategist for Omni Hotels, informed his followers that he and his fiancé, Shay, have decided to turn their Cancun wedding into a charity event in an effort to raise money for St. Baldrick’s Foundation, an independent organization that has awarded over $100 million in research grants for pediatric cancer research since 2005.

Almost all of us know someone affected by pediatric cancer: a family member, friend, neighbor, a child’s classmate, or perhaps a fellow church member.  Pediatric cancer robs its victims of their childhood, often placing parents under great financial stress as their children undergo necessary medical treatments in an effort to regain their health.  While great strides have been made in pediatric cancer research, ongoing efforts are needed to continue to help improve the lives of children battling cancer and, hopefully, eradicate this disease forever. 

You know, I never even considered the possibility of taking a personal event such as a wedding and using it as an opportunity to raise awareness for someone or something else.  I think this is one of the most selfless things I have read about in a very long time.  Here is a couple wanting to utilize their social network and professional connections to help make a difference in others’ lives.  Instead of saying, “Hey, look at us, we’re getting married at this fabulous resort – aren’t we so cool?” these two are taking the focus off themselves and telling us – friends and strangers alike – “Hey, it’s not all about us, it’s about other people, too, and together we can all make a difference!”  And that, people, is something I applaud.  Very loudly. 

Jay and Shay are seeking donations from readers as well as partnerships with companies who would like to participate in giveaways in exchange for raising more awareness about St. Baldrick’s.  You see, they want this charity wedding event to be a win-win situation.  Companies get great advertising, participants have an opportunity to win fun stuff, and kids get the opportunity to get healthy.  It just doesn’t get any better than that, friends.

Please visit Jay’s website to learn more about this exciting event.  Enter the contests, consider a sponsorship, or donate to Jay’s St. Baldrick’s fundraiser event.  Remember, we’re all in this together, people….

Music Mondays: Kickin' It Old School

I’m gonna be honest here: This blogging gig is a pretty neat thing.  It provides me with a platform to share things I find important, interesting, or just plain fun.  It also has led me to meet other interesting and talented writers.

One such writer is my blogging friend, Jess Witkins.  Jess writes the blog, “Jess Witkins’Happiness Project”, where she writes about all things that make her happy.  Like wine tastings and books.  Or music and bands.  Or movies and soundtracks.  Which brings me to today’s “Music Monday” post.

Jess and I communicate over at her blog, over here sometimes, and often on Twitter (follow her at @jesswitkins, by the way – she's great fun!)  Not long ago Jess and I started our own personal obsession fan club for the movie “Pitch Perfect” (which, if you didn’t watch after my post about it, shame on you. Go rent it and watch it now. Well, after you finish reading this post. Then you may carry on.)  A couple months ago I tweeted her this picture:

This is that cool song Becca performs for her Bellas tryout (just in case you didn't know)

Naturally, this tweet sparked an ongoing conversation regarding the Pitch Perfect soundtrack, which culminated in Jess’s latest tweet to me, “Good news! A ‘showtunes’ station on Pandora plays songs from the Pitch Perfect soundtrack! Yippee!”

Yippee is right! Now, knowing that Jess is quite a movie and pop culture buff, I responded that such a station should also play songs from the Grease, Footloose, and Saturday Night Fever soundtracks.  Imagine my surprise when Jess informed me that while she is familiar with Grease, she is unfamiliar with the other two movies.  What??  It was at that moment that I realized how many years have passed since those iconic movies graced the Big Screen and it is my duty, in the interest of all things pop-culture and musical, to introduce others to the music and stories that helped define my middle school and high school years (although, admittedly, Saturday Night Fever’s story kinda sucks and I actually didn’t see the movie until I was much older, it is nonetheless impossible to remember 6^th grade without humming a few bars from “Disco Inferno”).

So, in the interest of cultural preservation, I share with you two popular songs from both movies.  And, if they help you recall some wonderful adolescent memory, feel free to thank me for share it in the comments section below!

Foodie Fridays: Homemade Fish Tacos

Always a crowd-pleaser

Every family needs a go-to meal. You know, that one meal that makes everyone smile when they know it’s on the evening’s menu. Thankfully, my family enjoys a wide variety of cuisines, and putting together a crowd-pleasing dinner seldom presents a challenge. However, there is one meal that elicits a universal response of, “excellent!”, when mentioned: fish tacos.

My dear friend, Charlotte (it’s my blog so I get to give shout-outs whenever I choose), makes amazing fish tacos and last summer, while vacationing in Gulf Shores together, I convinced her to teach me her great culinary “secret”. Turns out, they are easier to prepare than I thought and have now become a family staple. Since I’ve received several requests for the recipe, I thought I’d share it here with all of you. Keep in mind that I seldom measure ingredients, so the following measurements are estimates – feel free to tweak as needed.

Bon appétit!

Fish Tacos (serves 6)

 6-7 Tilapia filets
2-3 Tablespoons Heavenly Olive Oils Persian Lime olive oil
2-3 Tablespoons Heavenly Olive Oils Coconut vinegar
1 Cup prepared Fish Fry seasoning
1-2 Tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
Fresh lime juice
Corn tortillas
Avocado sauce (recipe included)
Black bean and corn salsa (recipe included)
Cheese, sour cream, and/or salsa for garnish

If using frozen fish filets, thaw in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Marinate filets in olive oil and vinegar in large Dutch oven for 20-30 minutes. After filets have marinated, turn burner to medium-low setting and cook, covered, until fish begins to flake apart – about 10-15 minutes (be sure and cover fish while cooking to trap liquids and keep fish moist). Meanwhile, combine Fish Fry and Old Bay. When fish flakes apart, stir in seasoning mix until fish is well-coated. Turn off heat and squeeze fresh lime juice over fish. Serve in warmed corn tortillas with avocado sauce, black bean and corn salsa, and other garnishes to taste.

Yum!

Avocado Sauce

1 Avocado
1/4-1/2 Cup sour cream
Juice from one lime
1-2 Teaspoons Adobo seasoning

Peel and chop avocado. Place avocado, sour cream, lime juice, and Adobo seasoning in blender (I use my Magic Bullet) and blend until smooth. Scoop out into bowl and use as garnish for tacos.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

1 Can black beans
1 Can sweet corn
¼ Cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, crushed
Adobo seasoning
Juice from one lime

Drain and rinse beans and corn and put in a medium bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Do you have picky eaters in your house? If so, what is one meal you serve that makes everyone happy? Do you have a go-to meal for your family? Have you ever made fish tacos?

The Good Stuff: May 5 thru May 11, 2013

I'm a little late posting this because, well, yesterday was Mother's Day.  So, I hope all of you moms had a lovely day and all of you kids made sure you reminded your mom how much she means to you.

Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries

By now many of you have read, or at least heard about, the recent backlash regarding remarks made by Abercrombie & Fitch CEO, Mike Jeffries, in a 2006 interview with the online magazine, Salon.com. In the interview, Jeffries attributes part of his company's success to the decision to market clothing only to thin, cool, popular kids.  Personally, I have experienced my own battle with this company regarding its lack of customer service skills and have not bought – or walked into – an A&F store in over five years.  I know it’s not much, but it is my personal boycott, and I have always felt eventually karma will dictate that this company will suffer from its unwillingness to treat paying customers appreciatively.  Hahaha, turns out I was right.  People all over the country are now up in arms about this man and his ridiculous statements regarding how the brand chooses to merchandise its clothing.  And, yes, they have the right to do whatever they want.  But, let’s get real here, Abercrombie & Fitch does not sell things we NEED.  They sell things we WANT – and so do a lot of other retail outlets.  Customers also have the right to spend their money wherever they want and, thankfully, more and more people are choosing to spend their money with companies that exhibit a positive corporate conscience.  Unfortunately, I imagine our complaining about A&F’s openly discriminatory and inflammatory remarks won’t change their successful corporate image, but maybe, just maybe, enough customers – and investors because, let’s face it, money talks and A&F is part of the publicly traded Limited Brand – will refuse to place their money with such an openly irresponsible and discriminatory company.  Based on what I’ve read and seen about A&F, it’s been a long time coming, anyway.

Now, on to this week’s good stuff!

Here in Joplin a fourth grade student was one of three students nationally recognized in this year’s Scholastic Read 180 All StarAwards.  Karen Alvaredo moved to the U.S. two years ago and spoke no English.  Now she attends West Central Elementary in Joplin and reads at a grade level above her peers.  I think that’s a pretty awesome achievement for such a young kid!

I don’t know if any of you read this piece in Huffington Post about Joshua Williams, who graduates this year from Bethune-Cookman University in Florida and was homeless for his first three years of college.  Williams is also the first Bethune-Cookman student at the university to start his own scholarship.  Of all the stories I read this week, I think this is my favorite and the most inspirational.

Also in Joplin, Mr. Obert, a social studies teacher at South Middle School, was named Missouri's Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year, which qualifies him to represent Missouri in the National Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year competition.  Congratulations on a well-deserved recognition, Mr. Obert, and good luck in the national competition!

Finally, my friends over at The God Article shared this beautiful video endorsing random acts of kindness.  I love it – and not just because they used Matisyahu’s song, “One Day” (although, it didn’t hurt….)

Stuff My Mom Taught Me

My mom is a no-nonsense kind of person who speaks the truth, always providing an honest answer when you ask for her advice and opinion.  I know that if I need a level-headed, objective viewpoint on an issue, my mom is the one to go to.  Additionally, if my mom tells me I’m good at something, I know it must be true because she doesn’t want to see my brother or me wasting our time pursuing something for which we possess little to no aptitude when we could be utilizing our talents elsewhere in a more productive manner.  She has always been my biggest cheerleader – and I know that her support is always sincere.  She is not overly sentimental, but she did write a beautiful, heart-felt essay last year for my “In Celebration of Mothers” series.  While the subject of her praise was none other than her daughter (that would be me!), it is only fair to point out that all the traits my mom recognized in me are the same mothering characteristics that she possesses and I came to take for granted – and then later appreciate.  My mom is adventurous, kind, loving, accepting, curious, intelligent, well-spoken, and fun.  In short, she is all the things I have always wanted to be as an adult.

 

Because of her strength, honesty, and integrity, I learned from an early age to heed her advice.  Here are just a few of the gems she taught me, things that I have passed on to my own kids and I hope you, too, will find useful in your own parenting journey.

• “Treat others the way you want them to treat you.”  (I know, duh, right? But, seriously, how many of us remind our kids about the Golden Rule these days?  My mom drilled it into our heads while we were growing up and I’m glad she did.)
• “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” (Hello, all you Facebookers who like to post nasty political commentary.  I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt that you don’t know any better because Terry Thornton wasn’t your mom.  But now you know, so stop it.)
• “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”  (These words guide my actions almost daily. Except when debating on whether or not to make a Starbucks run.  Whenever you can go to Starbucks, you should.  Sorry, Mom.)
• “Show up for work early and ready to do your job.  I don’t care how bad you feel.  There are at least ten other people out there who need your job more than you do, be thankful someone gave you such a wonderful opportunity.”  (She told me this when I took my first job as a cashier at the local Winn-Dixie.  My work ethic still reflects this advice today.)
• “Nothing is more important than your education.”
• “Money can’t buy you happiness – but it does make it easier to pay the bills.  Get an education so you can get a good job.”
• “Your brother is just trying to aggravate you.  Ignore him, he’ll outgrow it.”  (OK, she may have been a little too lenient on this one.  He always knew he could get away with driving me crazy.  Just ask him.)
• “Always remember to save for a rainy day.  You never know what life will throw at you.”
• “Do it right the first time.  It will save you so much energy in the long run.”  (Especially when you are the one assigned to hand wash the dishes every night.  Trust me, getting caught putting a dirty dish in the cabinet and then told to wash every dish, pot, and pan in the kitchen all over again is a very lengthy and tedious job.  Yes, I speak from experience here.)
• “Do yourself a favor and always tell the truth.  A lie is just too hard to keep going.”

And, lastly, my personal favorite, “Pick that up.  We do not have a maid in this house.”

Thank you, Mom, for teaching me how to be a responsible, compassionate, caring, thoughtful, and grateful human being.  Truly, all my good qualities came from you.  (Of course, on Father’s Day I’ll find some to attribute to Dad, just to be fair.)

Happy Mother’s Day!

Foodie Fridays: Quinoa With Creamy Vodka Sauce

I love cooking.  I know, I know, sometimes it’s more a chore than an opportunity for artistic expression, but from time to time I do get to experiment in the kitchen and create something healthy, gourmet, and delicious.  Last week I experienced such a moment.

Found this in the pantry....

The rainy, cold weather kept us from venturing out to either the grocery store or a restaurant for dinner one evening so I decided to make something from ingredients I found in my fridge and cabinets.  Sounds easy, peasy, right?  You betcha….

I looked around and found a box of quinoa macaroni, some canned tomatoes, a couple cloves of fresh garlic, milk, and artichoke hearts (yes, actually, I do always have jars of artichoke hearts on hand.  I buy them at Sam’s and they add an extra-special touch to anything from dips to pizzas to, of course, pasta dishes).

Everyone should have one of these in the fridge.
And an extra one in the pantry.

You know what sounded good to me that night?  Pasta with creamy vodka sauce.  Unfortunately I didn’t have any jars of pasta sauce on hand so I did what most home cooks these days do:  I searched the Internet for recipe ideas.  And I found this yummy, easy-to-follow recipe from The Pioneer Woman.  Except of course I had to improvise a bit because, as I mentioned before, I could only use the ingredients I had on hand.  And it was absolutely delicious.  We’re talking no-leftovers-amazing here, people.  Instead of canned tomato puree, I tossed a can of diced tomatoes into the Magic Bullet and pureed away.  Also, no heavy cream in the fridge so, yes, I used whole milk (but, please, don’t tell The Pioneer Woman.  I don’t want her to ban me from her site for future stalking recipe searches. I just added some extra butter at the end and, voila!  Delicious!)  I also didn't have any vodka, but I found one of those little airplane bottles hiding out in the liquor cabinet (no, I have no idea why it was there or how it got there but, hey, whatever....)  So, go ahead, give it a try.  The quinoa, as I’ve mentioned before, is a satisfying, gluten-free, vegetarian-friendly substitute for traditional pasta.  Lastly, I added some dried basil to the sauce while it simmered.  Awesome!

Surprise!

For point of reference, on the left is a Magic Bullet cup.
On the right is the stowaway vodka bottle....

Try it for yourself one night - and then let me know how you liked it!

Cooper Vocelka

Today we say goodbye to a truly inspiring young man, Cooper Vocelka.  Our local paper, The Joplin Globe, printed two beautiful tributes to Cooper, here and here.  Cooper taught us the importance of utilizing our time here on earth to step outside our own egos and use our talents, no matter how big or small, to help others.  I believe Cooper's desire to make a positive impact on others' lives, in spite of his own illness, will be his legacy.

One of Cooper's passions was advocating for support for brain cancer research, particularly through the CERN Foundation.  Back in March I wrote a piece about Cooper's fund raiser, a chili cook-off for cancer research.  If you are so moved, please consider making a contribution to the CERN Foundation in Cooper's memory.  Thank you.

Chili Cook-Off for Cancer Research

"Not long ago I received a Facebook invite to attend a chili cook-off in Joplin. Since I love chili and never met a cook-off I didn’t like, I visited the event’s page to learn more about the details surrounding the upcoming culinary competition. This particular fundraiser hopes to raise awareness (and money, every fundraiser hopes to raise money) for the CERN (Collaborative Ependymoma Research Network) Foundation, whose mission is to “develop new treatments for ependymoma (a rare type of brain cancer), thereby improving the outcomes and care of patients, ultimately leading to a cure.” But what really caught my eye about this particular fundraiser was the fact that it is being hosted by high school students and not, as I initially thought, by a church or other adult-led organization...." To continue reading this article, please go here.