Johnny Knows Best

Freestore Foodbank/Healing Center Memorial Day Hunger 5K Walk/Run

"A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Mead

Freestore Foodbank/Healing Center Memorial Day Hunger 5K Walk/Run
Monday, May 25, 2009

To the lay person, these results would qualify us as "losers":

Place Name Ag S City St 5k Pace S

1197 JAMIE KENNEDY 30 F CINCINNATI OH 1:15:34 24:23 619/685 F
1340 CHRISTINA DIPUCCIO 28 F CINCINNATI OH 1:15:05 24:14 F
1349 DREW REMINGTON CINCINNATI OH 1:15:28 24:21
1352 SANDRA DIPUCCIO 63 F CINCINNATI OH 1:15:31 24:22 F
1353 MANDIRA JACOB 23 F FLORENCE KY 1:15:32 24:22 F
1354 MAUREEN JACOB 30 F FLORENCE KY 1:15:32 24:22 F


But I see differently.

This group of "losers," raised $90 and 840lbs of food for The Healing Center.

840lbs.

Seems like a win/win to me.

Thank you Jamie, Alon, Christina, Drew, Max, Sandra and Mandy.


*Photos by TEAM AWESOME's beautiful, talented photog.

I ♥ Animals: #2

For those who can't understand my animal-loving craziness, here's proof that even as a wee lass, I have been obsessed with them.


Location: St. John's, Antigua, West Indies. And special thanks to my Dad, without whom, all these Kodak moments wouldn't have been possible.

GO Cincinnati

6,500 church volunteers.

More than 300 community service projects.

1 day.

4 hours.

1 city.

1 God.

On Saturday, May 16, a group of friends and I, along with thousands of others, gathered on a stormy, wet Cincinnati morning, at Crossroads Community Church.

It wasn't even 8:30 a.m.


Have you ever been in a room filled with thousands of other people - without an open seat in sight - all gathered together, at the same time, same place, with the same mission/goal?

Try it sometime. I highly recommend it.

So what brought us all together?

Two words: GO Cincinnati.

GO involves an army of church volunteers impacting Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky through various service projects in a one-day, citywide blitz of compassion by loving-on hundreds of community-based organizations throughout the city.

Last year, more than 4,000 people from Crossroads and other partner churches went out into the city to serve the homeless, pray with the broken, paint schools, clean camps and help make a difference in the city.

This year, they had a goal of 5,000 volunteers, 200 projects.

But God had other plans and instead, 6,500 people showed up.

This year's GO "anthem" was The Robbie Seay Band's "Rise." They couldn't have picked a more perfect anthem for energizing the army of volunteers gathered at the "pep rally."



Our group was assigned to Dohn Community High School in Clifton. We did everything from painting, moving boxes of books, to helping out wherever we were needed.

We were a sweaty, dirty, dusty, paint-splattered mess, but in the end, we met a lot of cool people, and most importantly, for four hours, we breathed hope and a new sense of vitality into the halls of a school that needed some aesthetical TLC.

New this year to the GO blitz, was GO Grub, a block party feast, held after the service projects, in Washington Park for the volunteers and the OTR community.

David Falk - chef at Boca Restaurant - gathered his 13 industry-chef friends from the city's finest restaurants such as Nicola's, Nada, Boca, Daveed's and Bootsy's (to name a few), to provide a massive feast that included some mighty fine grub (and I was even able to get some vegan options!)

Click here and here to view footage of the fête.

To see some of the inner city residents enjoying, what surely must've been their first gourmet meal, was simply priceless.

Falk did a really good thing. He will be truly blessed for it. And hearing him share his testimony at the rally was even more of a blessing for those who heard it.

There were many sights, sounds, smells and emotions that afternoon in the park, but somehow, this woman's happy dance seemed to sum it all up for me...

God is good.

Yes, He is.

Facebook Manners

Thanks Charis for sharing!

The New Mile High Club

As if air travel isn't stressful enough, now the people at Air New Zealand have increased the pressure for the passengers of its inaugural "Matchmaking Flight." And we're not just talking cabin pressure, people.

According to reports, the airline's new venture, coined "Love at First Flight," is aimed to help single Americans find New Zealand dates.

The report goes on to say the Boeing 777 will depart Los Angeles on Oct. 13, arriving 13 hours, 10 minutes later in Auckland, N.Z., after which passengers are encouraged to attend the Skycity Convention Centre's Great Matchmaking Ball, a singles-only party. Roundtrip ticket prices start at $780 and ticket holders are also encouraged to upload an online dating profile, six months before departure.


Before take-off, passengers will attend a pre-flight gate party at Los Angeles Airport, and themed food, drink, entertainment and games will be offered during the flight.

"If your dating profile says you enjoy fine wine and long walks on the beach, then New Zealand is your perfect place for romance," says an airline marketer.

So what prompted all this mile high-ery?

The airline claims it needed to come up with innovative marketing ideas since the economic crisis and the swine flu outbreak have dampened "sales."

But inspiration for the speed-dating flight mainly came flooding in, after the airline released an ad depicting its staff in body paint. The spot has become an Internet sensation:



Personally?

Shoot.

I can't even get a date for the life of me while I'm "grounded," so the thought of being stuck on a 13-hr-plus flight, socially interacting with a bunch of strangers, WHILE still managing to look cute, AND being able to walk away with a few numbers after landing...is absolutely revolting to me.

Someone...quick!...hand me a barf bag.

Distant

I feel so distant from You right now.

I know that it's all my doing and none of Yours.

I know I should be talking to You.

And instead I'm not.

I'm just extremely frustrated right now.

I'm so cold and numb right now.

Help me find and feel Your warmth again.

For it's the only thing worth living for.

Jimmy Dean Lovin Vegan

*Disclaimer!*

As a strict vegan, I am NOT promoting the consumption of Jimmy Dean products. But as someone who can appreciate a witty, clever ad campaign, I have to give props to these commercials. Everything from the music, costumes, props and acting...these spots always make me smile. Honestly, I don't even notice the dead animal products since I'm always chuckling at the actors.

This one is my absolute fave.

Rwanda Birdhouse in the K-Y

Meet Mr. Red.

Meet Mrs. Red (do you see her?)

This is Mr. & Mrs. Red's new house* and food*.

At first, Mr. Red was hesitant in checking out his new booty.

But then, Mr. Red's lil belly got the better of him.

At least Fiona and...
...Kitty's bellies...

......didn't get the better of Mr. & Mrs. Red.

*Birdhouse and food from OUTSIDE. Birdhouse proceeds benefited the "Birdhouses for Rwanda" project.

Awkward Family Photos

Boy, I sure do love me the Internets machine.

Every. Single. Day. I find something that just stops and make me go...WTF?! or makes me snort and some sort of beverage come outta my nose!

Yesterday, I found this site:

Awkward Family Photos:
Spreading the Awkwardness

People! This site is craaazy good!

Just as the name implies, the site is dedicated to serve as a virtual database of the most awkward family, wedding, vacation, engagement, baby and prom photos...of the familial genre...known to man.

Here are some of my faves...so far (click on the caption links to view the hilarious comments that accompany each photo)...

Family Tree

I Think He’s Going to Pork Her

Happy Mother's Day

DoubleDelish

The Wonder Years

I can't enough of this shizz man!

People!

Please upload your own awkward family photos ASAP!

It's simple to do. Just click here and follow the instructions.

You can also follow the site's tweets and become its Facebook fan (which just happens to have MORE awkward pics!)

Spread the word, so we can have more browsing pleasure!

And you better believe I'll be doing my part in adding to the database - on behalf of my family - with this jewel of an initial submission...

Creepy Indian Dad

What makes this photo awkward you may ask?

Two words: my father.

Another family member - who just happened to be present at the shoot - said that his mischievous look made it seem like he was doing "something" to my mom and that's why she was grimacing. The way he's staring right into the camera just makes it all the more creepier. Trust me when I tell you that this scanned version doesn't do justice to the hard copy and his piercing gaze.

When I questioned my parents about the goings-ons behind this picture, all I got was a loud chuckle from my father, and then...silence.

Which was the most awkward of all.