Finish Lines

Today we switch gears, but first closure to last week. If you tuned in last week for the Half Time Fun, we hope you will consider sticking around and becoming part of our fun community.

O.k. closure.

Take a look at our Raving Half Time Fans...

Danko Defenders...

Holiday Armadillos

And the winning photo is..

Congratulations, Kate who, in the end, earned all three points from Friday's Raving Fan Challenge. Kate's Friday win means she also scored the greatest number of overall points. Danko Defenders, 10 points and Holiday Armadillos 5 points.

Thanks to both teams for making last week into such a fun and high spirited week.

So now.... The overall score for the Highlowaha Snack Throw Down is... Kate, 7 points and Lauren 4 points. Eight weeks left to go and still lots to happen. Kate, use today's comment section to let us know what you choose for next week's secret ingredient.

While Kate and Lauren were in the throws of the Half Time Challenge, Katie, Heather, and Cheryl were busy completing their own challenges. Sixty miles in three days! Congratulations to my three blog partners, each of whom I feel privileged to know.

I begged Heather to capture moments I could share with all of you, so sit back and enjoy compliments of Heather.

And while bringing closure to last week's activities is important, so is mentioning that today begins World Kindness Week and Friday, November 13 is actually World Kindness Day. Wouldn't it be nice if we each committed to doing something?

How about you? What might you do?

Signing off until tomorrow...

Free For All Friday: Raving Fans

Cut to the chase.

Last day of our Half Time Fun and lots to announce.

First, a recap of yesterday. Many of you took me seriously when I announced that yesterday's simple task of nominating someone for the Yellow Envelope Project was the calm before the storm. You must be resting up for what you know will be a climactic ending!

Only fourteen nominations were submitted - 9 for the Danko Defenders and 5 for the Holiday Armadillos. Two points to the Danko Defenders for recruiting the most Yellow Envelope nominees. Congratulations, Kate.

Five judges evaluated the fourteen nominations and an amazing woman, Peggy, received the majority of our judges votes. Peggy was nominated by a team member from the Holiday Armadillos! Congratulations, Lauren!

Tune in on Saturday to read more about Peggy and to get her address, so you can send a Yellow Envelope.

Now the moment many of you have been waiting for...

Half Time Fun: Making Waves

"Wow," is all I can say.

Kate and Lauren did a great job rallying teams Danko Defenders and Holiday Armadillos respectively, with over 100 separate people voting for a total of 122 Fancy Flours cookie cutters. And then there was Aunt Juju who really, really, really wanted the beer mug to win. The beer mug, by the way Aunt Juju, seems an especially appropriate cookie cutter for celebrating the completion of 50,000 written words!

But, in the end the on-line Random Integer Selector chose Amanda's screwdriver as the winning cookie cutter. Amanda is a proud team member of the Holiday Armadillos, meaning Lauren receives one point for having the winning cookie cutter suggested by her teammate AND Lauren gets to select a cookie cutter of her choice, compliments of Highlowaha.

Competition remains stiff, as Kate's Danko Defenders showed up in big numbers yesterday, yielding 55 unique visitors and scoring Kate 2 points for group participation. Lauren was close behind with 45 unique visitors.

In true Lauren and Kate fashion, the race remains neck in neck.

It's a new day and the ante is being upped - just a bit.

What kind of half-time would this be without the quintessential crowd pleaser - THE WAVE?!

Today Team Danko Defenders and Team Holiday Armadillos will create their very own virtual waves. The wave with the greatest number of participants, and therefore lasts the longest, wins 2 points. The wave voted most creative by our panel of judges wins 1 point.

Here's how...

I'll supply the very first word.

Building off of that word, create the most compelling statement for why your captain (Kate or Lauren) reigns supreme. BUT... each team member may only post one word. One word at a time and only one submission per person!

Confused?

Here's what it might look like if I was fielding a team...

Starting word: The

Person #1: reason

Person #2: Claudia

Person #3: must

Person #4: be

Person #5: crowned

Person #6: winner...

and on and on and on, until 9:00 p.m. CST.

One more time... Create a compelling statement about why your defender should reign supreme. Statements must be written one word at a time. No person may post more than once during the day. In other words... one word per person! Lauren and Kate (or their appointed designee) must place the final punctuation mark on their statement no later than 8:59 p.m. CST.

Ready? On your mark, get set...

Silver...

Half Time Fun: Danko Defenders v. Holiday Armadillos

If we, Highlowaha readers, have learned anything over the past eight weeks, it is that "foodies" are every bit as much fun as we are... and just as competitive!

For eight weeks Kate and Lauren have been incorporating our secret ingredient into their scrumptious recipes. Not even the NFL could write mid-seasons standings better than ours. Kate 5: Lauren 4. Neck and neck they've been ALL season long.

As tempting as it was to let Heather, with all of her Drum Corp experience, entertain us during Highlowaha's Half Time Fun we decided this week should be about showcasing the fan base behind our favorite foodies - Kate, Captain of Team Danko Defenders and Lauren, Captain of the Holiday Armadillos.

Each morning a challenge will be presented to Team Danko Defenders and Team Holiday Armadillos. Teams must complete the challenge, earning a maximum of 3 points per day. Two points will be awarded to the team with the greatest participation and 1 point is awarded to the team whose entry for the days is voted best/most creative/or whatever the criteria for that day might be. Current standings will be posted each morning when you visit our site.

Let's get on with it...

Highlowaha has a long standing relationship with Ray Wattson, the snarky, but fun loving light bulb you see partying in the picture above. Ray is a busy guy. Months ago he started a "Ray"volution, spreading the word across the land - SHINE (dammit). Whatever you are, doctors, lawyers, and such (in the words of Willie Nelson) be GREAT at it. Don't waste time being mediocre when, with a little bit of effort on your part, you can radiate... or shall I say "Raydiate."

One glance in our GalleRay is all the proof you need to know that Ray puts his money where his mouth is. He doesn't just trudge through life. Ray celebrates his way through life and he doesn't just celebrate... Ray becomes one with the celebration. At Christmas he was Jingle All the Ray. At Thanksgiving, Rayflower; first day of school, CRayola; Halloween, Count Raycula; spectator at the summer Olympics, VictoRay; St. Patrick's Day, Erin-go-Bray; National Best Friend Day, CompadRay; and he's even a little romantic, making an appearance as AmoRay on Valentine's Day. Ray shines at celebrating!

Today is your turn to shine, Team Danko Defenders and Team Holiday Armadillos. Roll up your sleeves and jump into our community by getting acquainted with one of our favorite and most long standing members - Ray Wattson.

Gather as many of your team members as possible. Have each submit an appropriate name for Ray, based on the picture in which he is shown above. Sure you could use something obvious like Green Ray Packer or Oakland Rayder Fan, but you if you're hanging out with the likes of Kate and Lauren, I know you can do better than that!

Remember, the team that has the most entries earns two points. The team with the winning Ray name wins 1 point. And, the person with the winning name wins a $20.00 gift card to Starbucks! Facebook, Twitter, phone, fax, text, or smoke signal... whatever your method, gather your team and let's get this week's show on the road.

Signing off until tomorrow...