Portfolio now online

I'm happy to report that I have been somewhat productive over my summer break. I finished my online portfolio and blog. I'm always looking for constructive feedback let me know what you think of the new site.

Fun with the Camera

Nicole and Steve came up over the 24th and Alyssa and I had some fun out back playing with the camera. Here are a few of the pictures.

That's a Wrap!

Thirteen days in Las Vegas is a long time to be in Vegas. With that said I didn't loose a penny in a slot machine and I didn't win one either. I was in two casinos, during my stay in Vegas and that was just to walk through to get to the Strip.

Things I learned while in Vegas this summer:

• It was too hot! Not once was it under 100 degrees while I was outside during my two week stint.
  
• If you're looking for a great, non-gaming hotel close to the strip, the Marriott Suites is the place to stay, there is also a Marriott Spring Hill Suites, a Marriott Courtyard, and a Residence Inn by Marriott all within about a half mile of the strip. (Gotta love my Marriott points!)
• You shouldn't touch a black steering wheel that has been baking in the sun for more than 8 hours. (enough said)
• That 58 basketball games, is a lot of basketball.

Quent came down for the last three days of the tournament and drove home with me. After not seeing him for 10 days it was great that he was able to come down and take in some basketball with me. My boss at the NBA allowed Quent to have a credential for the event so on Saturday he sat next to me for all four games. After going through all of the photos, I was able to find us in one. The top picture is the actual picture, the second one is zoomed in to see us sitting together.

Where Amazing Happens....

Ok so I stole it from the NBA but somehow fitting as I am at an NBA event for the next 10 days. Now I won't say that Vegas is amazing, I won't say that my hotel is amazing...although it's close to amazing when it comes to non-gaming hotels in Vegas...I won't say that work today was rather amazing but what I will say is amazing is the evening I had tonight.

I had to do one of the things I most hate to do tonight and will honestly admit that I went into the evening with a bad attitude, I however left with a change of heart and was privileged to to be part of such an amazing evening.

Like every other year at Summer League the operating group has a tip-off dinner at a local casino and for the past three years it has been a charity dinner for Hoops for St. Jude. Most of the coaches and front office staff from the 23 teams participating in Summer League were in attendance. There were people from Las Vegas, from Chicago, from Memphis and Phoenix that came in for the event. I for one was under-dressed for the event not knowing I was going to the event I didn't pack accordingly.

The night was emceed by David Aldridge (TNT & NBA TV) and George Karl (head coach of the Denver Nuggets) was the guest of honor. George shared his story about fighting throat cancer over the past four months and the story of his son fighting cancer during his senior year at college. They honored two kids, a now 17 year old who at 13 was told he had one month to live and a cute 13 year old who at the age of 8 had brain cancer.

There was a silent auction, a live auction and a live to give auction. The money that was raised during this event was incredible but it really wasn't about all the big wigs donating money it was about them opening their wallets for St. Jude's Children's hospital. I learned that St. Jude's has a daily operating budget of 1.5 million dollars, an insane amount of money. I learned that St. Jude's never charges their patients one penny for their services. I learned that back in 1962 when St. Jude's was opened a child with leukemia had a four percent chance of surviving the horrible disease and today 94 percent of children diagnosed with childhood leukemia survive. One of the most amazing bits of information I took from the evening was that St. Jude's is an open book. They share everything with other children's hospitals and other cancer hospitals around the nation. Their research is free to help everyone regardless if they are in Memphis or not.

There were several video tributes to children who had lived, one on George Karl and one about hope and living and after watching these videos there wasn't a dry eye in the house. I won't say that I didn't enjoy dinner (after all it was filet mignon and not McDonalds) and it was free for me, ok dinner was amazing.

I had a chance to donate but didn't have my wallet with me but I will in the future, when I receive the return address labels in the mail that I use with the cute hand drawn pictures, I will when I receive that envelope to donate to my local children's hospital, after all, it's going to the children (and the families) who have been given much more pain than any child deserves.

Tonight I learned that Amazing Happens at St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

Looking for Cindy?

If you're wondering where I'll be for the next 13 days you'll find me here. 58 games in 10 days in Las Vegas. Sounds like fun doesn't it?

While I'm gone Quent will be holding down the fort in Mantua. He keeps reminding me that he lived on his own, did his own laundry and cooked his own meals for the first 37 years of our life...It's amazing how things can change in three short years. I'm sure he'll be just fine without me.

Quent will join me in Vegas on July 17 and then drive home with me on the 19th. I'm sure he'll love the heat of Las Vegas in July. I know I can't wait.

The weekend that never ends

This fourth of July weekend has been going and going and going. Not that I'm complaining much but it seems to be never ending.

Quent and I stayed home for the holiday as he was working all weekend and I have to admit it was nice to be home for a couple of days without much to do. (Well there was plenty to do around the house but no schedule to keep)

My parents came up for dinner Saturday night and stayed until Sunday morning. We went to the town breakfast this morning and are planning on going down to Brigham City tonight to the fireworks. I think the holiday officially ends tonight, I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle things tomorrow.

Fireworks Update: Quent and I had a great time down in Brigham City at the Fireworks. The show was great for a small town, we had great seats and the show lasted almost 30 minutes. The best part of the show was at 10:15 p.m. when the sprinklers came on where we were sitting. We won't be sitting at the Natatorium next year. We made it to the parking lot and resumed watching the fireworks like nothing had happened!