Farewell Party

Saturday night Bill and Carol threw us a heartfelt, fantastic party. They were gracious enough to not put a limit on how many people we could invite, as a result about 100 people showed up. They spent a lot of time, thought and energy getting the house ready, in fact, when we got there they were so busy with last minute details, they hadn't taken showers yet! Carol quickly filled me in on what needed to be done and went up to clean up!

Deb, who gave us the gift of designated driver

was helping me when Goldie and Mitch showed up. Goldie quickly saw what needed to be done and jumped right in to help out.

Bill and Carol had decorated the house in a Christmas/Hawaiian theme. As you came into the warmth of the house, an aloha sign greeted everyone at the front door. There were lei's for all and they got really pretty ones for Dan and I. Sean and his wife Jen also brought us some nice ones. The food table had a grass skirt around it and real pineapples for decoration. Outside on the deck (lanai in Hawaiian) was a blow up palm tree with a kiddie pool like base that held ice and beer. Christmas lights were on the lanai as well as in the house, along with a beautiful Christmas tree. The garage was cleaned up and outfitted with a space heater and the staple ping pong table was ready for games. With plenty of food, music (Dan and I made a playlist on our Ipod) and people everywhere, everyone was in high spirits. It was so crowded that it took forever to get from one side of the kitchen to the other! We were humbled by the turn out and a realization sank in that we are leaving behind a lot of good friends. We are so grateful for the people in our lives. Generally you don't know how you impact people but there were so many warm wishes, thoughtful admissions about our relationships, declarations of how we inspire both by living our dream and by the obvious love between us, that we were hit to our core.

In fact Megan brought tears to Dan's eyes as she told him how much he would be missed and what an inspiration he is. She came by me later and told me the same thing. I was struck by two things, how well she picked the words to describe how she felt, what she said was really beautiful (unfortunately, I can't recall it, just the emotion she left me with) and how hard it was for me to accept. I don't feel worthy of all the accolades!

Bill and carol had their daughter Katie design a card for everyone to sign. So much warmth and love, it makes me realize how lucky we have been to have such great people in our lives!

Just beautiful!!

A "Conversation" with Gracie

Today is the day after the going away party Bill and Carol threw for us. I will post about that in a different post because it was full of friendship, love and joy, this one is not. Like I predicted, no one from my family came to our going away party. It made me sad because a lot of people came to send us off and I wanted my family to be there. Not only to share in the joy we felt from everyone but so they could meet some of our friends

I'm blogging this incase I start to miss my family, this will be a reminder. We got to bed around 3am last night. Deb had taken us to and from the party because she knew we would be drinking and wanted to make sure we would be safe. This morning we woke up around 9 and I made German apple pancakes breakfast. Deb bought us a book for our new Kindle's for us to read on our trip and gave me a little clip on light. We looked at last nights pictures and enjoyed each others company.

Today is Paige's birthday and they are having a party for her. I told dad yesterday that we wouldn't be going to Paige's party because we'd probably be out late. After Deb left we were watching TV, in and out of sleep, when I got a text from Gracie.

Gracie: Hey when u comin over

Marta: We aren't going to be able to come over today honey tell Paige happy birthday for us

Gracie: r u drunk see u in 5 years

Marta: Why are you being so rude? Why would you say something so mean?

Gracie: Well u r not common to Paige's b day

Marta: You didn't come to our going away party and I'm not being mean to you

Gracie: Well we were making christmas cookies at my grandmas

Marta: I guess we all have our good reasons

Gracie: Sorry we had 200 cookies to bake and yes u r see you in 5 years I guess

Marta: I guess we won't come over for Christmas then.

Gracie: Well if you can't make it here than how could u make it to Christmas but I guess I will still love you

I'm flaming pissed right now. Really? I imagine my folks over there feeding this nonsense to everyone. I don't even want to say how I really feel about this whole thing and now they are putting the kids in the middle. Dan already doesn't want to go over there for Christmas, but the whole reason we are delaying our move is to spend the holidays with my family. It makes me wonder why I want to do this. Oh yea, Guilt.

Gracie: I guess I am sorry totally sorry

Marta: It's ok honey, I know you just want us to come over. I know you are just responding to what the adults in your life are saying. We love you, we love all of you and just because we can't come over today doesn't mean we don't and it doesn't mean we won't see you till 5 years from now.

My family has a great way of making me feel like an ass!

I Hope

The other morning Dan and I were driving to work - in the Arctic chill - the jeep was cranking out warm air and the iPod was on shuffle. A Dixie Chicks song came on and it made me feel hopeful and the chorus kind of embodies why we are going to Kauai and what we are looking for so I decided to post it. If you click on the header, you can hear the song. I don't know who did the video, but I like that they put tropical pictures during the first chorus!

Sunday morning, I heard the preacher say
Thou shall not kill
I don't wanna, hear nothin' else, about killin'
And that it's God's will
Cuz our children are watching us
They put their trust in us
They're gonna be like us
So let's learn from our history
And do it differently

CHORUS:
I hope
For love, joy and laughter
I hope
We'll have more than we'll ever need
I hope
We'll have more happy ever afters
I hope
We can all live more fearlessly
And we can lose all the pain and misery
I hope, I hope

Oh Rosie, her man he gets too rough
And all she can say, is he's a good man
He don't mean no harm
He was just brought up that way
But our children are watching us
They put their trust in us
They're gonna be like us
It's okay for us to disagree
We can work it out lovingly

For I hope
For love, joy and laughter
I hope
You'll have more than you'll ever need
I hope
You'll have more happy ever afters
I hope
And you can all live more fearlessly
And you can lose all your pain and misery
I hope, I hope


There must be a way to change what's going on
No, I don't have all the answers, but
I hope
For more love, more joy and laughter
I hope
you'll have more than you'll ever need
I hope
There'll be more happy ever afters
I hope
We can all live more fearlessly
And we can lose all the pain and misery, we can lose all the pain and misery

I hope, I hope


I hope
I hope
I hope

Wanted: Good Vibes

Please send good vibes this way, Dan is calling about this house!!!

Update: Sounds good but there are 2 problems. No washer and dryer would have to go into town to do it, 5 minutes away and NO KITCHEN!!!!! Just a kitchenette. Can I learn to cook all of our meals on a grill? We could get one with a burner. After all it's grilling weather all year round. No baking though. Dara, what would you do? Live beachside and have your cooking compromised or find something else?

Before and After

Before

After

1/3 of the move is paid for!

Late Night...Early Morning

I have to make a correction on my earlier post. The Assistant Editors do want the edit jobs, even if that does mean working weekends. Kris got some time in this week when several editors called in sick and Annie has been coming in on her own time to cut a spot. So, the race is on. Also, I heard that as of now there have been 100 applicants. Wow!

Last night was the Christmas party for work. They have been doing it at Invesco Field for the past 5 years or so but this was the first time Dan and I went. Really nice, first class! Dinner and open bar, tours, and a photo booth was set up with all kinds of cool costumes. Dan and I aren't really diggin the way the camera portrays us now a days so we declined.

Dyanne making the most of the open bar, outside having a smoke.

We got there around 6;45 after braving the I-25 traffic. Waiting in the parking line we learned that there was free valet parking for everyone. The night was really cold and as we headed up the colossal entry we could see our breath. I decided to be warm and comfortable so I wore my wool sweater and Uggs boots. Not really the proper attire for a party like this, but, it was either that or buy something new and I didnt want to do that. Seems I have out grown my fancy clothes! We checked in at the registration booth and decided not to check our coats. Up a flight of stairs and into a huge, warm, golden, softly lit ballroom. Drinks were in order so we got ourselves some Guiness and looked about. There was a wall length gas fireplace with the Broncos logo emblazoned above. Chandelieers spilling out a soft light making everyone, so dressed up, look fantastic, and people were walking around serving appetizers. We met Ted Intorcio's girlfriend, a beautiful and interesting young lady who used to live in Denmark. John and Athena, were at the end of the bar so we caught up with them. Athena looking lovely in her all black dress, faux fur lined coat and really cool 6" heals with big, fat soles. I don't know how she walks in those things! Dinner was being served so we headed over to the other side of the ballroom, past 2 bars, to find a table. We ran into Gail whose date was Shane's girlfriend Hadley. Our table filled up with Gail, Hadley, Dyanne, Brandon and his wife, Dyanne's friend from work and John and Athena. The dinner was buffet style, always a bummer, with salad, creamed pasta and broccoli, BBQ chicken, roasted (dry) taters, prime rib and a whole dessert bar. Good enough to absorb all the alcohol! Happy, warm and full we headed out to smoke. It took about a half hour to get out there because we saw Adam Dempsy who was a producer before we got married! Catching up with him Kent Wallace and Orin Levy came by. It was great, like a little reunion, we have worked together for many years and Orin was Dan's best man. Ah, how time flys, relationships are timeless and you don't realize the impact people have on your life until you see them again after a long time. Finally, out for a post dinner smoke.

Drunken, blurry, iPhone photos of Annie and Jon and Dan and I.

The rest of the night was drinking and dancing and talking and having a really great time. Seth and his girlfriend were there, Bill and Carol (the hosts of our going away party next weekend),

Tramazzo, Bryan and Cheryl. We talked a long time with Jessica, Les, Chi Chi and his beautiful wife. We met Molly's boyfriend and hung out with crazy Wes Bane. Karen Lannus, her sister and Greg Larson were there and funny as always. I'm really going to miss everyone. Good times. I missed the unmentionables, but, they are "coming out" at our party next weekend, then I'll be able to mention them by name! Next weekend should be a great time! We got home around 1am and decided MacDonalds would have been good to pick up so we loaded up the dogs and got them some burgers too! To bed at 2ish, up a 6. Snuggling up with Baxter, revving up my good vibrations, I decided that I wanted to feel pretty darn good today and sell a lot of stuff! Dan is still in bed and that is a good thing. He has a busy, laborious day ahead of him. A couple are coming by at 8:30am to pick up the bedroom set and home gym. Also scheduled for pick up; a lady who owns a used book store said she may buy all of my cookbooks, our books, DVDs and CDs, someone wants a painting, someone else wants some speakers and a lady is coming by to get my stamping stuff. Busy weekend ahead of us!

Passing the Editing Torch

Seth Witzel and Bryan Ganek

There are 2 postings for editors, they went up last week. About 4 years ago, Seth decided he wanted to be an editor after doing a video for a high school project. While working here as a tape operator, he has been going to The Colorado Film School. There is a perfect storm here for him. The assistant editors don't want to work weekends so they're out of the race (unless they change their mind) and there are two "entry level" positions posted. Double the odds? So, he's in my session today, cutting. I'm really impressed, not only is he passionate about editing and driven to get the job (he doesn't care if he has to work weekends, he just wants to edit) but he is expressing himself creatively. For such a newb, he is confident on the platform, a great communicator and in it for the long haul. Even though he is tired, he is not giving up. Editing can be exhausting. Full on brain work for 10 hours sitting in a small, dark, windowless room. Just you and your producer. Bryan is the prefect producer for Seth to cut his teeth with. He is encouraging, supportive and patient. We are 6 hours into our 10 hour day and Seth is not abandoning the process, in fact, he's an active member of the session, driving the content, getting it into the timeline. So much so that I can blog! I can tell he is tired but he's plugged in, focused. Before the session I explained the invisible side of editing, anybody can learn how to push the buttons. An eye and ear for pacing, storytelling, and how shots go together takes experience. But the soft skills; those are the backbone of how well the session goes, how creative it gets. You have to read your producer, how they work, their mood. Evaluate how much time you have and how much work there is. Listen, be open to the process, have a willingness to try different things birthing an exciting visual experience. He heard me, the rapport between Brian and Seth, is warm, comfortable, fun. Bryan is giving him compliments. By the end of the day Seth will have created 6 spots and 8 timelines, plus, quicktimes for approvals, the OMF and AFE. Seth is getting his energy back, having fun, not wanting it to stop. Bryan seems on the edge, maybe wanting to head home early into the dark, cold, and snowy evening. Seth persists, saying he has the time if Bryan does, wanting to cut the final one. Bryan acquiesces. They really make a good team, coming alive at the end of a long day, better for having worked together.