Free For All Friday: Tents, Tiaras, Timely and Thoughtful Tips, and Taste...of USA

As you can tell by the title - which is nothing less than a novel - there is A LOT of Free-For-All-ing to do today.  I don't want to waste any time before letting the devoted and creative readership of highlowaha get busy doing what you do best... sharing your collective creativity.

If you're new to highlowaha or just new to our Friday ritual, today is the day we brainstorm solutions to topics raised by you the readers.  Put on your creative caps and get ready to contribute.  Or let us know a topic for which you would like highlowaha's input and I will make a note to cover it next week. 

 

Here we go.  Let me set the stage...

TENTS:  Andrea is hosting her son's sixth birthday party in two weeks.  The party will have a CARNIVAL theme.  She strikes me as organized, so I wasn't surprised to learn that Andrea already has a number of games selected for the children to play.  What we are brainstorming today are things such as: decorations, food options, treat bags, prizes, and novelty items she might have on hand... basically anything that helps create the ultimate carnival ambiance.

TIARAS: Maureen, our loyal reader from New Yawk is already in the midst of making plans for her daughter's Sweet Sixteen extravaganza... in FEBRUARY!  I might live in Texas where everything is supposed to be bigger, but I feel comfortable in saying...we miss the boat on birthday parties.  Apparently in portions of the country Sweet Sixteens are quite a formal ordeal with male and female friends serving on the "court" and participating in some ceremonial activity.  This is Maureen's first time going through the whole Sweet Sixteen Court Ceremony, so if there is anyone out there with a clue about what this is supposed to entail, do share.  I'm guessing many of us will get a kick out of reading it (mostly because it sounds a little like wedding planning) and Maureen can certainly use your help.

TIMELY AND THOUGHTFUL TIPS: We've had whisperings throughout the week of people sharing a favorite acts of kindness they have performed (paying for the person behind you, etc...), but how about formally opening today's lines to share all the examples we can think of.  There are still two full days left to the week.  With some of your random act ideas, we can still do a lot of "damage" before week's end.  Here's another one of my favorite things to do...  I love to spend ten dollars on $1.00 lottery tickets at the gas station and randomly distribute them to people, while wishing them good fortune.

TASTE OF USA:  We made it through the first week of Taste of USA, thanks to the able work of Cheryl our Cruise Director and Katie our Bean Counter.  So, here's what happens today... the first REAL day of competition.  Residents of Alabama, New Mexico, Texas, D.C., Massachusetts, and Hawaii should:

• Click on the Taste of USA icon in the top right hand corner of my blog.
  
• Go the Comments section immediately under Cheryl's post for today (6/23)
  
• Tell us what your state is made of.  Do this by telling us a place you'd love to take me should your state win and I end up traveling to your city. 
  
• ONLY residents of the state should be making posts today!  Be sure to let us know from which state you are hailing.

BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• Starbucks Update:  I went to Starbucks this morning at 8:30 a.m. and the books WERE STILL THERE and... placed back in a perfect stack!
  
• This morning there was an article in the Dallas Morning News telling of Herb Kelleher's retirement after 31 years as Chairmen of Southwest Airlines.  Here's a quote from one of the many pilots employed by the company.  "I still have personal notes written by Herb," he said.  I can't imagine any other executive having time to do that or taking the time to do that."  Yet again, affirmation that a simple note packs a powerful punch.
  

The lines for brainstorming are officially open...

Signing off until tomorrow...