Category: Family

Posted in Family

Managing Mondays-When one call can change a game plan

Posted on by shesipscoffee

This past weekend, I did the usual on Saturday morning. I put together a meal plan and did some make ahead meals for the week. I wanted to make the week easy as possible because I have lots of twists and turns that may be happening in work and life. In the effort to control what I can and reduce stress I cooked. Have I ever shared that being in my kitchen is a joy to me? Cooking relaxes me. More often than not, I cook from memory and my menus often reflect my mood. The temperatures have been cooler and stresses bring on the desire for comfort foods. I made a few of those things (all gluten free of course):

  • Baked Macaroni and Cheese
  • Tator Tot Casserole
  • Jambalaya
  • Chili

Today, at the end of a crazy Monday, I am glad I did. I only had time to dish up a serving at moments when I was so hungry I couldn’t focus, pop the dish in the microwave, devour and get back in the game. Ever have a day like That? Yeah. Me too.

And as I ended my long day, I took a look at my weekly plan and this little gem was staring at me.

Yep! My turn to fulfill my civic duty. Maybe. That is the part that adds stress. I will not know until Wednesday evening when I make the call to find out if I will be selected for jury duty.

So, how does one plan for the unknown? It is the unexpected to always expect. Right? And if I do have to go, what do they tell you to plan for? Well, they have a list. And I found some of this amusing. In my mind a lot of it is logical. The website is quite specific. Perhaps folks just do not know. Like the, “caution: contents may be hot” warning label on a coffee lid. People don’t always think. Nor do they read ahead. I guess I do though.

The website gave the following guidelines:

  • Business Casual: no shorts, tank tops, torn jeans (Really? People have tried this?)
  • It may be chilly in some areas of the courthouse, so they suggest wearing layers like sweaters and light jackets
  • Bring a book or something to do because there may be a lot of down time waiting (this one made me pause. Something to do is vague and I wonder if people crochet and knit or do crosswords too. Would anyone bring nothing at all?)

I haven’t had to do this in quite a while and the tips on the site were great for the most part. That clothing bit had me laughing out loud. I wonder if people get sent home for failing to adhere to the guidelines. And Does it count against them As if they failed to appear? Does anyone know?

I have a plan…or a list. I can’t stand starting the week without something thought through for this potential plot twist.

When I call and if I find out I am going in the next day, I have a list of things I have to do for work and home. I have to put into effect how my daughter will get to and from school as well as contingency plans if I am selected to be on a long-term jury. And as for work, I have another list on who gets to do what while I am out for one day. And there is another brainstorm list if I get lucky for a longer jury sit in what I need to do quickly to set expectations and provide delegation of work.

Oh the joys of jury duty!

Now that I have my tentative planning adjustments set for the “just in case” my mind has started to imagine what case I might be asked to help decide. Isn’t that fun?

Or will I call Wednesday evening to find out my list making and planning wasn’t needed after all?

It is good to practice plan than panic. Right? Or am I just planning crazed? You tell me. I feel better prepared no matter what.

Have you served on a jury? What can I look forward to?

Posted in Family

Vacation-The Rock Boat Recap

Posted on by shesipscoffee

As I am sipping coffee I recognize that I still need to tell you all about the World’s Best Floating Music Festival, The Rock Boat.

Remember when I was worried about what to pack? I made list after list planning for themes, the days before in New Orleans, and fluctuating weather. I was nearly obsessed because I didn’t want to bring “cranky” along on that trip.

Why the Worry?

For the past 18 years, I have budgeted and reserved this special time for me. What started as an opportunity to have a fan girl weekend with my favorite band, Sister Hazel, in 2001 has evolved into this amazing annual week long escape from life, work, and motherhood. It is a full immersion into music where my connection to the regular world gets suspended. I found the perfect recipe with my favorite vacation ingredients: cruising, great music, fun people, and going off the grid.

Where Music Fans Become Family

In this immersive world I have made friends who feel like family. Many of these people I see only during our noat vacation because they live all over the world. And our Family Reunions are Epic! This kinship has allowed me opportunities to visit cities where some my adopted family lives. I have been a guest in Charleston and Austin and have open invitations to a world full of places when time time is right. How amazing is that?

Here I am with some of my Rock Boat Family.

Where Music Is Joy-My Happy Place

In this immersive world I am in my happy place. I see artists I love in a setting like no other: On a cruise. Every year, the hosts, Sister Hazel and the event planning team at Sixthman, work hard to bring us the perfect mix of fan favorites and new artists. And their formula works. I come away every year with a list of new music to add to all of my playlists. I do not fall in love with every artist on the boat. I doubt I ever will. And truthfully if I did I would probably complain that the scheduling conflicts kept me from seeing everyone at least once.

This year, I found so much joy in music while seeing Sister Hazel remembering that they brought me along on this incredible journey year after year. I am that girl that cries when she is happy. And I did.

I was giddy to find that Tony Lucca and JD Eicher returned as Stowaways. And I loved some down time where my friends and I got to chat with Tony. We talked about parenting and why it is more challenging than ever with social media and our ever evolving culture. We talked about our families and life. What you learn whwn you get these moments is that musicians are not so different than we are. They just have different gifts. Nothing beats my vacation because I get incredible moments like this: unplanned, unexpected, and immensely special.

Anyone who knows me, knows I adore Will Hoge. The Rock Boat brought him into my life in the early 2000s and I have loved his music ever since. The best known fact about Will Hoge on TRB is that he NEVER repeats a song. With three full sets, not repeating a song means you get to hear a mix of old and new. This fan girl LOVES this. I see him every time he is in Phoenix. Will on tour is amazing. But Will on the boat is SPECIAL. And…

This year was very special. Will brought his wife on stage to sing a song with him. Seeing him excited for this filled my heart with happy joy. When I see my favorite artists have their own glee moments on vacation adds joy for me in volumes.

There were so many great returning artists like Cowboy Mouth, Barenaked Ladies and NeedtoBreathe. You may know them. If you don’t check them out. You may love them as much as my TRB Family does. See them when they come to your neck of the woods.

What New Music Did I Find?

We were joined by many new artists. I felt instant love for many like The Rocketboys.

And some that seemed to be favorites for many I just didn’t feel a personal connection with like Low Cut Connie.

It doesn’t matter if I loved them because as you can see, their shows drew a crowd. It made my heart happy to see everyone living it up. And for me, I just wandered to the next venue to listen to something different.

The schedule can be maddening if you are trying to see it all. I biewed the schedule like a menu in a buffet. If I didn’t find one show deliciously delightful, there was something somewhere else that I would love more.

I have to confess that I was less than stellar at taking photos. If I am really enjoying myself I am not taking pictures. And often I am standing in a place that makes many photos look bad. I will not apologize for not having more photos. You can search YouTube for videos because my TRB Family loves to share. I encourage you to do that. The fewer pictures I have means the more fun I had. Don’t you agree?

Is it like a regular cruise?

It is in the sense that we are setting a course for adventure and every year our itinerary includes stops in ports. We have great dining options included in the price with some specialty dining options for a fee. There is a buffet nearly 24 hours a day for folks like me where eating is a secondary focus. I eat for the energy on this vacation so the buffet is a stop mid action to refuel. On other cruises, my foodie comes out. But on The Rock Boat, I only marginally care about food. Sometimes eating conflicts with music and fun. I will opt for the later choices nine times out of ten.

With an unlimited drink package, I did my best to get my money’s worth each day. Now, I don’t want to alarm anyone. I drink to enjoy not to pass out and forget. This year I drank so many mudslides I think they became a meal replacement. I just wasn’t hungry with all of that ice cream. And I laugh remembering the day that I drank so many I realized my only meal was breakfast. Thanks, Steve, one of my cabinmates who gave me my first and many that day. It seemed he always came back from the bar with two and lovingly shared.

Progreso, Mexico was one of our stops. I explored with friends. I really enjoyed walking past the duty free and seeing some of the every day life in the port. Progresso is a fishing town. Smaller boats like these were found along the coast.

And that margarita in Progreso was probably one of the best I have ever had. They squeezed the limes at the bar as they made the drink. No mix. Not too sweet. Not too sour. Perfect!

Like any cruise you can shop duty free on board. You can schedule pampering time in the spa and salon. You can lounge in the sun. You can find quiet places to read or chat. However, you will likely find that more difficult because my TRB Family loves to be loud and party. And I love that!

What did I miss?

Who knows!?!? I am sure I missed a lot. Everyone in the family walks away with their own stories and memories. I know I didn’t play bingo this year. I know I slept in and didn’t get off the ship in Cozumel. What I missed is seeing Sarah Potenza. I think I shouldn’t have. I saw her on a cover set with other artists and loved her. I didn’t get a chance to see her performing her originals. Her image and her bluesy voice caught me. Luckily, she is coming back in 2019.

No regrets. I can’t do everything. But whatever I did was filled with joy. I have friends who take pictures of me. Thankfully, my friend Chris took this one. I share it, not to show off my layers to keep warm. Not to show my attempt to fly. Simply this is a moment where I am singing and dancing like no one is watching. I am letting out my inner child and immersed fully into the moment.

Photo Credit: Christopher D. White, 2018

Some of my highlights

My Rock Boat family likes to party so often some will host cabin parties. Invitations come by way of swag with cabin numbers, date, and time written on them. Here I am at the Duck Fart party. How many people do you think we squeezed into less than 400 square feet? That is a real show of love when you squeeze in for a photo opportunity in a small space. It probably didn’t hurt that we all had at least a shot or two….

Sixthman makes sure we bring home memories. From photos to swag. My foam finger hasn’t found a home yet. In fact, I keep playing with it now and then when I am listening to music at home. The blanket is on my favorite chair in my bedroom ready to provide warmth when I am reading and sipping coffee.

Theme nights? Yes. Every night has a theme and we love our themes. We sailed from New Orleans in the midst of Carnival season and we had local favorite, Cowboy Mouth on board. Mardi Gras had to be one this year.

And we partied late into the early hours of the next morning…here we are in Silent Disco. Ever been to one? What fun! I especially love when The Rocketboys and The Georgia Flood were mixing the songs. I have to believe the artists had fun too. This night members of Sister Hazel and their wives and friends were there too. You never know who you will be dancing with.

Let me sum it up

This is probably my favorite week of the year. I have stories and memories that couldn’t happen anywhere else.

Here is a link to the lineup at this year’s festival. I hope you will check out their music. Music brings people together. One thing I can admit, my TRB Family comes from all walks of life. We all have different beliefs. We likely all differ in politics. What we all have in common is love. Love for music. Love for each other. I wish this one week spilled out all around us every week of ever year. I personally carry memories that pop into my mind that lighten a mood and bring smiles to my days. For that I am grateful.

And because of that I cannot wait until February 1, 2019. I get to do it again. Yay!

Have you ever been on a chartered cruise? Ever been to a music festival? Tell me about it.

Posted in Family

Being Out on a School Night

Posted on by shesipscoffee

I really need my coffee this morning.

Why on earth was this 40-something single mom out so late? I was making memories with my daughter.

One of my Christmas gifts for her was a promise to take her to see Crown the Empire. And months ago I knew this was a School Night. Still this morning it wasn’t easy to get up and move…for her, myself or her best friend who went with us and spent the night.

Call me crazy. I am not insane though. It was a fun night. Way more fun for the teens than me. This was their music and they were fan girls the whole night. And not just about Crown the Empire. The other bands on the bill included Asking Alexandria and Black Veil Brides. Ever heard of them? Well, not this mom!

I love music and any of my friends know I listen to so many genres and styles of music and many of my favorites are obscure or little known artists.

I love finding new music. And even more, I love gifting my children with music and memories…especially when we do them together.

So, being out so late you might wonder if I was a stick in the mud mom frowning all night or some crazy mom from the movie, Mom’s Night Out. Well, I hope neither.

On the way to the venue I shared what they might expect.

I checked to see if they wanted to be in or near “the pit” and were prepared to feel pain. I got all the mom warnings out of the way and set basic ground rules. What a great plan. It helped us just ease in and enjoy the night.

We didn’t have any pit mishaps because they didn’t go close. That made me happy because I got to enjoy the bands and find joy in the joy my daughter was having.

I kept them hydrated and me caffeinated.

CTE was great. Maybe not my first choice in music but I loved their performance, their interaction with the crowd, and lyrically, I actually was sucked in. Who knew I could like Emo?!?!

Asking Alexandria was MY favorite in the lineup. I will be updating my YouTube channel with videos later in the week so you can see what I saw and loved.

And notice…we were nowhere near the pit. Ha ha.

What do we do when waiting for the headliner to go on? Why cut up a bit of course. I do love that girl of mine and her bestie just makes me smile too. I found out she really has only been to one concert before. So what a great for me to give her this experience and be part of this memory of hers in the making.

Black Veil Brides although my least favorite seemed to be a huge favorite in this crowd. I can’t wait to listen to more. I may be missing something still. It seems like their older stuff sounds different than the newer and bands have these evolutions. U2 and Madonna did this to me. So perhaps, BVB has something worth diving deeper into. I felt like I should be hearing them on TV or movie soundtracks. Especially ones that target the younger Emo listening audience…ahem, millenials?

Either way, I loved being out late on a School Night and can’t wait to find another excuse to do it. Especially if I am with my girl.

Did I look like a stick in the mud? I really had a great time discovering new music and making memories.

Watch for my video channel updates post editing.

Any new music suggestions?

Posted in Family, Vision

Strong Women

Posted on by shesipscoffee

I have mentioned my maternal grandmother, Claire, in previous posts. She is my inspiration as well as my spiritual and life mentor. Even though she is no longer present here on Earth, she continues on in all aspects of my life. It is because of her that Strength and Dignity are my 2018 words clearly described in my Vision board on each area of my life.

I come from a family of strong women. Strong in faith. Strong in spirit. Strong in heart. My grandmother’s sister, Nelly was another great inspiration. These two sisters had amazing stories and left with us great legacies and traditions.

Photo Credit Monique Gosin, 2009.

My Grande Tante Nelly passed away recently in Belgium. And with her passing my cousin shared the above photo along with others from a wonderful time in 2009 when the sisters were reunited in Missouri. My children were much younger and we made the road trip from Phoenix to spend time with the sisters while they were together. I loved that time. I loved the mixture of French and English in the conversations. I loved being able to understand them and practicing my mental muscle in keeping up while taking part in the conversations. I took French in high school and somehow have been able to retain enough to keep up most of the time.

The best part of spending time with them was hearing them share memories of their childhood, their formative years, their friends, and family. These stories were sprinkled with humor and nostalgia but the common thread that resonated was their ever constant strength and dignity in how they lived and loved.

I miss them both dearly. They taught me my love for coffee and wine. They loved me and my children fiercely. They prayed for us expectantly. They taught me to do the same.

Posted in Family, Holidays, Reflection

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Posted on by shesipscoffee

I am sipping coffee and contemplating why I always have loved Valentine’s Day. I find it to be one that can evoke many feelings based on your personal season in life.

Many of us as children exchanged cards and candy with classmates. We all had those teachers that creatively guided us through many art projects made from the shape of a heart.

My mother (I miss her on holidays) never missed an opportunity on any holiday, even St. Patrick’s Day and 4th of July, to give gifts. When I woke up on these “little” holidays, I would make a beeline to the kitchen to see what might be waiting. There was always a card. Like many Valentine gifts, there was likely a heart shaped box with a few chocolates and a little something else with the theme of hearts: barrettes, bracelet, earrings, or a shirt. It was never anything fancy yet I loves it. I loved incorporating a gift I could wear into my outfits that day. My mom was my favorite Valentine every year. Even in later years with boyfriends, best friends, and crushes, her gifts were the highlight. I wonder if I ever told her that?

As a Single Mom, I continue this tradition with my family. I didn’t plan ahead this year, so after being out of town for two weeks, I made sure last Sunday that my errands included picking up something for my children. Yes, my son is 22, his girlfriend is 21, and my daughter is 13. Like my mother, my children are never too old to gift. And like my mother, anyone in my home is part of the tradition. As a parent, we are our children’s first and continuous Valentine. Don’t you think?

So, they have Skittles and Russell Stover chocolates waiting for them.

And like my mom, I made sure I wasn’t left out.

I have these candy hearts to play with and nibble on throughout the day. I love these and conversation hearts. Perhaps this was the origin of my love for words. Thanks to my first and continuous Valentine: Mom.

Do you have Valentine’s Day traditions? Anything special planned for today? Whatever you do, I hope it is special and in the years down the road provides happy memories. Life isn’t about things. It is definitely about shared memories. As you can see I don’t remember the “things” in detail but the memories, they are quite vivid.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

P.S. It is also Ash Wednesday. Are you doing anything special this Lenten Season?

Posted in Reflection, travel, vacation

Happy Mardi Gras! History, My First Krewe Parade

Posted on by shesipscoffee

Growing up with a French speaking Grandmother, I always knew that Mardi Gras was French for Fat Tuesday. I also knew that it was the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season. Being raised Catholic Grandma made sure that I remembered to eat a big “fat” dinner that Tuesday every year because Wednesday meant a day of fasting and giving up something for Lent.

Over the years, I saw images and scenes depicting Mardi Gras festivals in places around the world. Even in school we were briefed on its history.

Mardi Gras is a season every year that really starts as Carnival and climaxes on Fat Tuesday. In places like New Orleans it has a very long history and more meaning than just the crazy costumes, beads, revelry, drunkenness, flashing and parades.

Knowing I was going to be in New Orleans during Carnival my planning included web research to brush up on the facts and found this Mardi Gras history lesson to be pretty concise and informative. I got lost in web land and remembered reading a book a few years ago, Downfall of a Good Girl. This sweet romance really piqued my interest in this annual event. Every time I see an NCIS: New Orleans episode around the week of Mardi Gras my yearnings persist.

2018 is my year. The Tri-Centennial Year of the city of New Orleans. Me. And my friends. In the Big Easy for Carnival.

Comparing my itinerary with the official Mardi Gras 2018 calendar brought out giddy girl excitement. Why? Well, the moon and stars aligned for me because the first parade of the season in the French Quarter hosted by Krewe du Vieux was the Saturday I was going to be in town. Yahoo!

Fast Forward to my trip. We went.

We stood in the crowds.

We met new people.

We had a great time experiencing a satirical and quite traditional Krewe Parade.

Satirical? Really? Oh my! Yes! This was not a parade for the narrow-minded. Nor was it a parade I would take minor children to. (This is certainly a parental choice. I did see a few children there and I am certainly not judging.) This year’s theme, in my mind was a sufficient warning.

The Krewe’s satire was bawdy and suggestive all while poking fun, or not so fun, at the Local Water and Sewer Commission. Some Krewes in New Orleans now steer away from some of these traditional satirical themes. Many use modern ways of pulling the floats. Krewe du Vieux (wikipedia.com) still holds to tradition with horses and mules.

History of Krewe du Vieux

Krewe du Vieux is quite known for bringing along the best Brass Bands in New Orleans.

better parade images than mine (nola.com) warning…some of these images are graphic and may be deemed inappropriate.

I loved the entire experience and pretty sure my friends did too. The throws ran the gamut from pieces of candy and mini frisbees all the way to these raucous fans.

I captured a few videos I have uploaded to my YouTube channel, She Sips Coffee. Feel free to stop over and take a peek. You will find them here.

Knowing what I now know about Krewe history in New Orleans and seeing a parade, I have a whole new respect for the hard work done by these organizations. Not just during the Carnival season, because the work gets done year-round. Many work to raise awareness and many drive philanthropic agendas. They plan themes and floats probably almost as soon as they tear down the last one. As millions of people swarm the Bayou to party, I wonder how many know the history and honorable work of many of these men and women in these organizations? The annual parades and balls boost the local economy each year and lots of crazy stuff happens. I wanted to learn another side, or the why behind a theme. I watched for the message the Krewes were sending to the local politicians. Colorful images with creative puns and bawdy humor were prevalent from float to float tying to the theme and proving the hard work of the smaller Krewes that collectively form Krewe du Vieux. It wasn’t about the best Brass bands marching in between although they set the pace and gave us a party rhythm. We danced. We laughed. We were shocked. We were awed.

I wish I could have seen more parades and taken part in a Krewe Ball or two. Guess I just have to plan another visit to The Big Easy and soak more of it in.

The day after the parade, I saw this on a corner in the French Quarter. (It wasn’t raining.)

I immediately thought about why they chose their theme. Ten years after Katrina and essentially with NOLA being 300 years old, I believe there is work to be done to ensure a sound place to live. And don’t you want to believe New Orleans citizens want to offer a great city for you and me to visit? I appreciated the satire even more. Seems the opinion of the Krewe is that it is time for change.

Have you been to Mardi Gras or Carnival in New Orleans or other cities? Share your stories and memories in the comments below. Please!

Posted in Family, food, lists, travel, vacation

New Orleans…Day Two…Eating on the Bayou

Posted on by shesipscoffee

The French Quarter is a world in itself. It is colorful and musical and wonderfully unlike anything in my desert oasis home of Phoenix. Waking up in the Big Easy in The Prince Conti Hotel, mere steps from Bourbon Street was surprisingly relaxing. I could have stayed at a newer hotel but I wanted a place that had history and was locally owned. This hotel, although older, has a charm that appeals to my writing soul. If I didn’t have a day of adventure planned, I could easily relax here and let words flow. If you are going to visit this wonderful city, stay in a place like Prince Conti and feel part of the history. This was my second time in this city and my second time at this hotel. The decor always takes my mind to corsets, ball gowns, pegnoirs, and beignets. The stuff in all the historical romances I have loved to read for decades. The staff is friendly, thoughtful and helpful with directions and suggestions on what to do.

My bestie and I enjoyed the late morning and early afternoon. We wandered Bourbon Street stopping in to listen to live music here and there taking advantage of great bar service along the way.

I loved every minute she and I spent. I had a thing about this place because of the fire and water fountain. I had to take a picture.

I had to eat too. And finding gluten free in the French Quarter is not so easy.

My true mission the second day in the city was finding my way to The French Market. And by late afternoon I was hungry. When I asked the best walking path to the market, Prince Conti staff were quick to point me in the right direction and suggested I try crab cakes at Meals From The Heart. Little did they know. I already had that place on my list from my research. I was also in search of The Crepe Cart . I dragged a couple of friends with me.

What a treat! My friends and I walked just over a mile toward the river past Jackson Square.

Until we found the place for crepes.

The folks at the cart matched the personality of the deliciousness they crafted. I couldn’t decide between savory or sweet so I asked for a suggestion and I went with it: Goat Cheese, Nutella, Bacon, and Ref Pepper Flakes on a gluten free crepe….amazing combination of flavors. This was totally off menu. You don’t have to be as daring as me. But you really should visit the market for this great stop.

And crab cakes? I did save room for one.

Melt in your mouth moist and perfectly flaky crab cakes. This is literally the best crab cake I have ever had. Their secret to gluten free is no secret. They simply do not put in bread crumbs as a filler. Pure crab and spices. And gluten free. The owner was friendly. He shared stories of how his mother as the master chef makes it her mission to devise vegan and gluten free foods with authentic Creole and Cajun recipes. I didn’t have enough tummy space but I really wanted to try their gumbo too. There was nothing fancy about eating at these places but they were definitely hidden gems in the French Market. I know that each and every opportunity I get to return to New Orleans a day of tummy pleasing grazing will be planned in the heart of The French Market.

And I will wash it down with a nice cup of New Orleans Coffee at Cafe du Monde nearby.

If only someone somewhere in The Big Easy would master a gluten free beignet! My foodie heart would be complete.

Now that I am home all I can think about is beignets and I keep looking at internet recipes and thinking about making them at home. If I do, I am inviting all my friends over to help me eat them and tell me how close they might be to the real thing. What if I mastered them, moved to New Orleans, and opened The Beignet Basket in The French Market myself?

Posted in lists, Planning, Reflection, travel, vacation

New Orleans-Day 1 Reflections

Posted on by shesipscoffee

Are you ready to travel along with me and hear about my 2-week adventure? You helped me pack and plan. Now I am ready to explore.

I didn’t even sleep a wink like I suspected. I don’t know about you, even at 47 years old I still anticipate the trip and stay awake the night before my vacation. I tend to watch movies and triple check the packing list because the last things to pack are important: hygiene, health, and beauty items.

So with no sleep I headed to the airport with my bestie Trish. And on each flight our giddy inner-selves emerged. And we met fellow Rock Boaters along the way and made sure everyone in social media circles knew we were coming.

We skipped fruit juice with breakfast and opted for the adult version in-flight. Why not? And even better, they were free.

Southwest last minute repairs had us departing late and worried about our connections. Juggling passenger flight changes while we waited so lots of people, including my bestie, ended up on different flight which coincidentally was my connecting flight. We met up with our other friends in NOLA baggage claim and headed to the hotel together.

The first day was packed full of fun. We stopped in at Famous Door and listened to music.

We waited with anticipation for our first parade.

I will write a separate post about the parade. I promise. That experience was amazing.

We ended up visiting bars on Bourbon. We loved Ticklers the most. We spent about 8 hours there with the dueling piano guys. And ran into friend after friend who would be joining us on the cruise. Sing alongs and drinks and merriment make for a great day. We made our way to famous Pat O’Brien’s because you have to have a Hurricane from that place. You just have to! And ran into more friends. Such fun.

I found out the next morning I did a few shots and we are a late night breakfast close to the hotel. Ummm. I would say day One was amazing fun. Wouldn’t you?

Have you imbibed in New Orleans on Bourbon Street? What was your experience like?

More tomorrow…I am sipping coffee now.

Posted in lists, packing, Planning, travel, vacation

Seriously…What to pack?

Posted on by shesipscoffee

Saturday and Sunday I started packing, I organized myself and got down to brass tacks. I am sipping coffee and reviewing my lists. Because, well, do any of you live in New Orleans? Southern Florida, Cozumel?

I think I may need to adjust my plan. I see lots of rain and plain old chilliness on some days in the next two weeks.

I did the laundry, got the suitcase out of the closet and checked the weather forecasts. Then I put only definite items in the case and set it aside. Because I decided today was the day to look at the forecast one more time and make final adjustments.

Is packing such a process for you? I am still trying to avoid cranky. Cold and wet cranky is like a wet blanket. I think I need a couple of sweatshirts and sweaters in the mix. And a beanie and gloves to layer with my jackets.

I saw this post from a friend on social media saying that the day we sail out of NO LA will be chilly. To this Phoenician that high in the mid-50s will feel icy. I might look like I am heading to Alaska as we sail away but I assure you I am hoping that our captain puts the pedal to the metal. (What is the ship speed equivalent? Anyone know? Full Speed Ahead? Or is my Trekkie-ness showing with that one?)

Anyway. I never really worried about forgetting any thing because my lists have been ready and I will follow them. The dilemma is making adjustments. A reader suggested some capsule bloggers who are masters at packing and wardrobe optimisation. I may watch a few tonight. If anything resonates for me to recommend I will share before I set sail and let you know how it worked. For now, I have some coffee to sip.

Any last minute tips? Any suggestions to add to my “while in NOLA” list?

Posted in Family, lists

Blockbuster is so not Netflix-Not To Me

Posted on by shesipscoffee

While standing at a register buying a cup of coffee in a local Circle K a couple of weeks ago, my cashier said to a nearby employee, “It isn’t like going to Blockbuster anymore.”

How long has it been since I had even heard any reference to that storefront? Yep, you guessed it. I eavesdropped. Even better, I jumped right into the conversation and realized I missed that place. Or the experience of the place. This past weekend when my family and I were browsing all things streaming through our Amazon Firestick, we couldn’t seem to pick anything to agree on. Frankly, I got annoyed by the browsing along with the respectively bored faces . We kept saying no. Browsing by topics we vetoed one after another. Nothing seemed new. At first I thought it was my desire to grab the remote and manage the search process. We through one title after another when everything seemed like the same old same old. Then Blockbuster came to mind again. I asked my son who is 22 years old if he remembered going to Blockbuster. He recalled a vague memory and it made me a bit sad. Especially when I realized my daughter, a mere teenager definitely seemed clueless. Game Stop is probably the closest comparison and she loves that place.

Blockbuster, and the experience it offered, seems so lost on the next generations tuned into the more common addiction to satellite tv, cable, On Demand, binge watching the seemingly limitless streaming services.

Think I am Crazy?

Maybe. I miss going to Blockbuster. I miss walking the aisles of New Releases and other movie sections looking to see something I might have missed seeing or an old favorite to see again. I miss the conversations my friends and family and I would have about movies we loved or hated. We reminisced about who we experienced movies with, some of the crazy covers, the actors, the soundtracks all while we picked cases up and held them in our hands. Date nights were fun because you learned each other’s likes and dislikes. And sometimes you talked to strangers who offered recommendations or chimed in on conversations. How about times when you would browse alone and pick something and meet your co-conspirator in another aisle with a suggestion or two in hand? Wasn’t that fun, like a scavenger hunt?

I loved picking out 2 or 3 movies, debating to a point where some were mutual selections and others were compromises. It was energetic, frustrating, fun, disappointing, and great quality time together.

I loved the chance to pick up used DVDs on the cheap to add to my personal collection. I miss the overpriced snacks, drinks, toys and collectibles that were perfectly placed like a concession stand as you waited in line to buy or rent the movies. Oh and the games too!

Why did we let this part of “date night, family night, friend night…whatever night” fade to black like the end of so many great movies we wished would keep on going?

Netflix? Yeah. We picked something to watch together. But I don’t think we all wanted to watch it. Some of us fell asleep. There was no build up for what was next. We never spend 30 minutes browsing titles saving and queuing two or three movies and devising a game plan on what to watch first. We aren’t dividing and conquering in the virtual aisles either. We did search for snacks in the house. But the selection wasn’t as great. They were free.

Streaming Better Options

Sipping the last of this cup, I miss the Blockbuster experience and for the life of me, I just cannot think of a plan to bring that to life with the unlimited streaming options I have available with those around me. Is it because we aren’t engaged physically? Is the search and browse method limiting? I remember walking through Blockbuster many Fridays in a row and feeling like there was nothing to get. I also remember going in expecting to get our hands on a New Release only to find all the copies were claimed. I kept going back though. Redbox and Netflix became the newer things. Redbox can simulate the debates and the sale tion is much smaller at the kiosks. But still full of experience gaps.

Is it the process? Vould it be the lack of options in Streaming? Is it how we are blindly looking at only what we can see? I really think Netflix suggestions were better ten years ago.

Does anyone have a method that takes us through the process that ties it back to the relationship and the experience? Are we just lazy and expect our technology to know what we want when we don’t know ourselves?

Do you miss it? What else do you miss? Do you have streaming struggles too? Why?