You Have 30 Seconds...

I am not even sure who is looking at this anymore, but I am going to do a couple of posts to see if I can get some fun feedback.

I am part of a small business association. In our meetings each week we get to give a 30 second "commercial" about our businesses. It is a fun way to share about what we do and the kind of clients that we are looking for.

I thought it would be fun to see what other people think of me and my work. So, here is the challenge. Please respond with a 30 sec "commercial" about me, my work, my business. You can be creative and honest. I am going to throw in an extra incentive too - if I use your "commerical" in one of my meetings I will send you a fun photo fine art gift as a thanx!

I will look forward to reading all of your fun responses!

SLC MINI VACATION DAY 4

Sunday morning I woke to a casual time of just getting myself ready - that never happens. Mom had made a yummy breakfast (hot breakfast on a sunday morning?) and then we watched conference some more. Everyone (siblings/spouses) came over for AM session and dinner in between. It was fun to get to spend more time together and mom's baked Ziti is always fabulous. She is such an amazing cook and makes even simple things taste way better than I can ever make them!
During afternoon session my sis-in-law and I worked on a joint project. We are starting a business together we are going to call PHOTO CREATIONS. She makes darling hand-made scrap cards and I am supplying all the photos. We will also offer photo calendars, postcards, themed photo card sets, prints and esp client custom card sets. We are really excited about this new venture together as it will really showcase both of our talents and we will be able to share them with others. These picts are a little rough around the edges, but I thought I would share just a small sampling of what we will be offering. We are hoping to have the official blog up and running very soon with all the fun details.

After the afternoon session T&H helped me load up all my stuff to take me to the airport. We said all the good-byes and checked again to see if I could get my boarding pass printed - funny thing we never could.

When I got dropped off we tried for the Sky Cap that checks your luggage for you. I thought I was 2nd in a very short line, I quickly found out that I was not even in the very long line that stretched the whole other direction.

I went ahead and lugged everything into the airport and through check in myself. Dad had helped me fix up a duct tape handle to the extra box I had and I hauled that and my over-stuffed suitcase through the very long line to check in. When I got there, it still wouldnt let me print my boarding pass - weird. The airline gal said they issue the last 15 seat passengers at the gate. I asked her if that meant I wouldnt get a seat - she said no, they are just issued at the gate instead to be sure they dont overbook - ha! little did she know.

I dropped off luggage and proceeded through security with little struggle other than the VERY long lines of people and stuff. I had to pack and re-pack my laptop and camera bags so much this trip - so crazy!

When I got down to the flight gate I had gotten more than my share of exercise - southwest is the very LAST gate at the end of the airport. Again I waited in a very long line. I was now getting a bit anxious as I looked at the hundreds of people around me and watching the clock knowing it was getting close to boarding time and I STILL did not have a boarding pass.

By the time it was my turn, I got there only to be informed that the flight HAD been overbooked and would I be willing to fly to CA and then on to PDX? Uh, no, I'd really like the direct flight I paid for. The attendant walked away for a total of 20 SECONDS and when he came back I asked what the delay would be in going to CA first - only for him to tell me "never mind, that flight has just been overbooked too! WHAT? It really was pure chaos. He asked me to step aside and that I would be called back up to make further arrangements. I felt bad for the long line of people still behind me knowing they would be given the same treatment.

About 5 minutes later they came over the intercom to state that the confusion and extra people standing around was due to the overbooking and that the next available flight would be 830AM the NEXT morning. WHAT? I jumped on that quickly and was able to get a boarding pass and reimbursement voucher issued right then and there. All of this chaos had taken over 45 minutes from start to finish. I hurried and called mom and tried to explain to her what happened (WHAT? was her and everyone else's response too each time I had to repeat the story) and could someone please come back to the airport and come and get me. Mom sent Neil to the rescue, and I made my way back through the throngs of people (with my back & shoulders now pinched and hurting) carrying my laptop and camera bags slung over me to try to get back to the pick up location before Neil got there. With all the people and craziness I actually only waited a few minutes before Neil arrived. We chatted as we headed back to the house, both of us laughing and shaking our heads at the craziness of it all.

Both m&d, & N&B were gracious enough to welcome me back into their space and share some more yummy food (and Brit shared PJ's since everything I had brought went on to PDX without me). I also got the rare opportunity to sit and visit with all of Preston's Bentley aunts and uncles since they were there at the house for dinner/sibling pow wow. It was fun to hear them share things about their families and to be able to help share things about my family/Baxter side.

The rest of the evening was spent re-telling my story to all the siblings that we saw again or talked to and looking at flight plans for summer scheduling. Thanx dad for being so patient and for being such a big help with that!

I also did get a chance to talk with Preston & the kids - which was the first time we got to talk at all because of crazy schedules on both sides. It was good to hear all the kids and the fun things they had been doing while I was in SLC. It made me miss them even more though, knowing I should have been home with them. I was so thankful to know they were doing good and were safe, and so was I. It helped tons to think on that when I finally went to sleep.