My Soul to Keep

This past weekend we buried my uncle. And I found myself getting into that thoughtful mode that occurs when someone close to me has passed on.

The fact is, death make me pensive.
Not sad.
Not morose.
Pensive.

Certainly, there was much to consider. My uncle was well loved by those who knew him. Those who cracked his crusty exterior found him a bit gooey inside -- and anyone who took the time, found him to possess an exceedingly big heart. In addition to being a worthwhile human being, he served his country well in the armed forces. And he had a great faith that saw him through the tragic journey we call life.

We respected his wishes and buried him as he saw fit.
We celebrated a life well-lived, and we cried for the loss of it.
And then, I got to thinking about my own mortality. And what I might want when my time comes... and I pass along into the ether. And I began to wonder if my vision is anything like what people might expect.

Most people who know me realize that I'm a hopeless food geek, so I'm fairly sure everyone would expect me to dream up some stuffy food-filled affair. But the truth is, when I imagine my farewell, I don't imagine anything stuffy.

I want people to eat thoughtless things at my funeral. And I want them to enjoy them -- without care for cholesterol or calories or trans-fats. Let all of that be set aside in favor of celebration.

I want hot dogs wrapped in crescent roll dough.
And mini cheesecakes made in muffin tins.
And peanut butter right from the jar -- eaten with abandon from teaspoons.
I want chai flavored chocolate.

I want giggling.
I know that you can't keep loved ones from crying (if, indeed, they did love) -- but I want mischievous laughter for all the times we spent creating. And scheming. And frolicking in our silly underpants.

You need not have a viewing. Or a burial.
My cremains can be scattered in some lovely place. Like in the tulip gardens that surrounded that football field in Mt. Vernon, Iowa... remember the one? We picked tulips there at midnight and filled our dorms with their lipstick red.

And the memories?
I want people to remember the whimsy. To pick up that box of collected shells and think about the oceans I dared dip my toes into. To read the dusty books from my library and dream the dreams I once wrote about. The ones I lived. The ones I didn't.

I want everyone to return home with a smirk -- and dare to be more than they imagined possible. To dance. To sing. To write. To remember.

To Live.

I know...

You want to hear all about the new job. Well...it's going really well. More on that in a bit. I just stumbled across something amazing and I thought I should share. This is srsly cool.

You can find the collection here.

I'll be back in a little bit to tell you all about what I have been up to in the past couple of months.

Delhi to Dublin

Amazing international fusion going on here.

I'm thinking we need to start an email campaign to get these guys to Milwaukee.
Irish fest, anyone??



Delhi to Dublin Web Site

How to Succeed at Networking Without Really Trying

There are a variety things in this world of which I am not fond. One of the big ones is networking.

Interestingly enough, Peef's new job is ALL ABOUT networking and elbow rubbing. It's about knowing the right people and meeting more of the right people. It's about connections and communities and getting the right people together at the right time.

Peef is energized by the prospect of meeting new people every day. He looks forward to socializing and schmoozing and being an all around fun guy. On the other hand, just thinking about it makes ME very, very tired.

I'm the sort of person who has a few very close friends, and a great number of acquaintances. I tend to be a very loyal person, and I'm pretty dedicated when it comes to cultivating friendships. I pour a lot of energy into maintaining my friends, keeping contact with them, and creating quality experiences where we can interact, and grow, and change together. I have a much harder time when it comes to more shallow relationships.

On an intellectual level, I know that networking doesn't HAVE to be a stressful experience. Networking, at its best, is about developing relationships. It's about connecting and listening, and helping out. It's about exchanging value. And I'm GOOD at those things. So, why is networking so stressful for me?

I should be able to relax and enjoy the process of meeting new people, right? Yeah well, I can't relax.

I don't know these people. They don't know me. It's highly unlikely they're GOING to know me after a half-hour, or even 2 hours of quality contact. And, ultimately, I need to don the eternal smile and be interminably “nice” if my networking is going to be even remotely effective. The process is exhausting!

All of that said, it looks like my new life is going to include some networking events. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I'm definitely in need of some tips and tricks to keep the process from wearing me down.

Any great advice to share?

The Big Hurrah! And Something to Read

First -- the BIG NEWS. Peef is employed!! (And just look at him -- who could resist?) He got a job and started this week. He's been too busy to post the news, but I thought it was too awesome NOT to share. That said, I'm going to let HIM post the details as he sees fit.

On another note, I glimpsed something fun today while I was poking around the Internets. It's a great article about Milwaukee that appeared in Air Tran's in-flight magazine, GO. Fun trivia and great information about all the cool stuff that's going on in Milwaukee.

Very recently, someone commented to me that only two kinds of people dislike Milwaukee -- those who have lived here all of their lives and those who have never been here. And it's really true. Familiarity breeds contempt, as they say -- and people who've never left the city won't appreciate what they miss when they leave. On the other hand, people who've never been to Milwaukee can't imagine that we're something more than a rusty old industrial town that smells like cheese.

Of course, some of us know better.
Milwaukee is really one of the better kept secrets of the Midwest.

Read it here: On the Town -- Milwaukee

Honestly -- it's validating for those of us who live here and LOVE our city. It might also be inspiration for those of you who haven't visited, but really should.

Open Letters

Inspired by Jess over at Floor 22: The Annex.

Here's some open letters that summarize my life/our life lately.

• Dear Pocketbook: You are more full than you think. After all, life is more than the green we keep. Love, Lo
• Dear Elmo: Thanks for being a constant reminder of how important independence is. And cleanliness. With Gratitude, Lo
• Dear Spring: It's time. Honestly, Lo
• Dear Colleagues: Thanks for all of your support. I wouldn't have expected it, but it's been incredible. Couldn't have gotten through it without you. Seriously, Lo
• Dear leftover corned beef (which finally ended up in the freezer): It's not because we don't love you. Our life has just taken a lot of unexpected turns when it comes to dinner. We'll revisit you soon. I promise. With sincerity, Lo
• Dear Prospective Cohort Members: I promise you you won't regret it. Truly, Lo
• Dear Those People: Please don't make us wait any longer. Desperately, Lo
• Dear Universe: We're ready for the Good Stuff. Honest. Sincerely, Lo

Unbelievable how much can be expressed in such a small amount of space. Got some of your own to share?

Meet My Hero: Alice Waters

It's about time someone spoke up in the mainstream about the importance of eating real food. And leave it to my hero, Alice Waters, to do the talking.

Watch CBS Videos Online

It's funny. So much of the "real food" movement seems intuitive to me. It's getting back to our roots. Remembering what our grandparents and great-grandparents ate. Understanding that those things were far superior (nutritionally, environmentally) to the prepared foods we're all too accustomed to eating in this day and age. We're certainly NOT perfect. But, I like the fact that we're trying to get back to basics. And I really do think it makes a difference.

It does make me sad to recognize that so many people feel that eating real food is both time-consuming and expensive. In my experience, it doesn't have to be either of those things. In fact, letting go of the packaged, processed, fake foods is pretty liberating.

My opinion: it's one of the best things we can do for ourselves and our world.

What do you think?