Hoops and Yoyo…American Icons

I need to find out who came up with Hoops and Yoyo and thank them for their inspiration and humor. If you’re not familiar with these 2, they are greeting card characters and downright hilarious. I picked up a card today for my husband and nearly peed my pants in the card aisle. No kidding, just thinking about that card makes me grin and giggle. They are inspirational and prolific…well maybe that’s stretching it a bit but they delightfully entertaining. I could hang out for an hour in the card aisle with Hoops and Yoyo and consider it time well spent.

If you've gotten a Hoops and Yoyo card from me, you know you’re special. I wouldn’t have bestowed one upon you if you weren’t. If you haven’t received one yet, you should probably try a little harder.

Inception

Hhmmm. Interesting movie to say the least. I really enjoy movies that make me think after I’ve left the theater. The movie concept was certainly brilliant and the effects were exceptional. I think DiCaprio did a good job (and I’m not a big fan), but I was really unimpressed with the girl. She wasn’t believable and I found her uninspiring.

I thought one of the most poignant parts (although brief) was the room where the men came to dream everyday because the drug-induced sleep was the only place they could dream anymore. I found that fascinating! Did using the inception make so that a person could not dream on his/her own, or were natural dreams unfulfilling in comparison to the inception experience?

What brought those people to that room and that state of dependence? Perhaps it was the ability to create their own reality that drew them there. Maybe they became addicted to a world of their own creation that “reality” paled in comparison too. Perhaps they were so dissatisfied with “reality” that they craved their dream world and could not enter that world any other way. Or maybe they become dissatisfied with reality as a result of the inception experience.

The inception can provide you with something that you cannot get any other way…once experienced it draws you back…it can trap you and keep you captive…is it a blessing or a curse…?

LA Love Story

Lauri & Stephen are a work place romance success story. They became great friends and before long realized there was more to their relationship than mere friendship. From their first date at a coffee shop where Steven took Lauri's hand, they felt a deep connection that they could not deny. It is easy to see why they hit it off so well because they are truly compatible an it is plain to see how happy they make each other.

James & I had dinner the night before the shoot with Lauri so that I could meet her and we could plan the shooting schedule for the following day. We had the MOST amazing Thai food I have ever tasted. I wish I could have brought home a week worth of left-overs.

Since Stephen could not come to dinner, I asked Lauri to describe him. She described him as an easy-going, fun-loving individual. The most likable person she has ever known. I could tell by the softness in her eyes just how much he meant to her. 

We went to their favorite places: a lighthouse, a park overlooking the ocean, the beach at sunset, and their favorite coffe shop. What a marvelous time we all had...I even got to meet a very special coconut! It was a joy to be with them and enjoy their humor, their fun-loving relationship, and deep love they have for each other. 

This is a couple that was truly meant to be together. Their journey to be together has not been an easy one, but I am so glad they found each other. I have no doubt that their story will be a "happily ever after" one. 

 

Pure Joy & Pink Skies

I took my 4 kids to get what they needed for the upcoming ski season. My 4-yr-old daughter needed skies. I started holding up various pairs to her to see if they were the correct height. She apparently wasn’t very impressed with my choices because she looked at me and said, “No…I want cute ones!” Naturally, what 4-yr-old girl doesn’t, right?

I, of course, was more concerned about price and less concerned about the cuteness factor. We continued looking and my 10-yr-old son walks up carrying an adorable pair of pink skies that were undoubtedly the right size. My daughter couldn’t have cared less whether they were the right size or not…THEY WERE PINK!!!

She carried those skies around with her for nearly 2 hours as we looked around and selected the items we needed and she did not complain a single time. She was so delighted with her skies that nothing else seemed to matter. She probably would have wanted to sleep with them if she had thought to ask.

That event taught me something. Life often doesn’t always work out the way we plan on, and we’re often disappointed. But I think those difficulties and disappointments help us to really appreciate and enjoy those glorious moments when something works out just they way we hoped. Those moments are infrequent, but that helps us savor them even more.

Joy…sometimes it just takes a pair of pink skies!