Zippity-do-dah

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What do you see in the first line? A pair of empty eyes starring at you? That is a the big question. What do we call this decade?

Yes, the Obama administration has difficulty branding things, but America loves a brand name. In a prior blog, we discussed the "stimulus package" name as blah and boring. For details, see the blog, "Choosy Mothers Choose Jiff."

For today, I am moving on to the branding of the last decade. In the last "TIME" magazine there was an article devoted to what to tag or brand this decade. Some of the options were:

• Aughts - awful!!!
• zeros - that could apply nicely
• 2Ks -
• naughty-aughties
• the nulls - I wish we could null and void this decade
• OH-LA-LAs - if it were the eighties, I could accept this title
• Double OHs -
• The First Decade - appropriate, but not descriptive
• Nothings - very descriptive and sadly accurate

But my personal choice is ZIPs. While a few of the above names are better than others. I am voting for "the ZIPs." To me and many others I know, this decade was more than difficult than expected or desired. Many of us can't wait to flip the calendar to 2010.

Remember back in 1999, we did not know if the party would continue. We had Y2K looming over us. For the entire 1998 and 1999, my Aunt Sis would start every conversation with the question, "Do you have your generator yet"? After a few times of the question, I just said "yes, I do."

The next part of the conversation would be her list of supplies she had stock piled in her storage area. She actually mailed me a three page list of the supplies I would need to "bunker down" for the rest of my existence. In those conversations, I did not need to blatantly lie to her. Of course, I would buy cans of tuna, beans, bottles of water, etc.

This whole hysteria was something Aunt Sis enjoyed. As a child growing up, I watched her save jugs of water (pre-bottled water) in her basement. She had a pantry filled with canned foods and survival things. Back then in sixties, she feared the "end was coming."

So ZIP happened! The 1999 party continued for awhile. Stay tuned for more on zip........

Jingle All The Ways

Where oh where did December 2009 go? Somehow, I lost the entire month. So for this Christmas season, I am going by the saying, “better late than never.”

2009 was a fairly decent year. In late June, after 7 months of unemployment, I started a totally different career with Dale Carnegie Training (“How to Win Friends and Influence People”) as an Account Manager (sales). The skills I acquired spending 20+ years in the executive search business transferred quite nicely. So far so good.

Even with being a “FIB”, Katie is doing well at Northern Michigan University in Marquette (da up yah). She enjoys the Upper Peninsula and her studies. In about two years, she will graduate with a degree in special education.

This year for Thanksgiving, I drove to Marquette to spend time with Katie and see snow mountains. But there was no snow! But when I was up there in May for my birthday, there were snowflakes in the air?

The Chaftons (Natalie, Rick and Chelsea) are doing fine. Rick has started attending school. Natalie has continued her banking career with a local bank in Harvard, Illinois. AAAAH!. Then there is Chelsea. She will be two in January 2010. If you haven’t guessed, she is the love of my life. As a family member mentioned, “do we need to hear about every step she takes”? She has started talking. Personally, I am coaching her to say, “Mimi is fabulous”!

This summer, Katie and I took a vacation back to Grand Marais, Minnesota. While Grand Marais and Lake Superior are beautiful, it’s the company. Spruce Point and the Allen family always call us back there to visit and enjoy the traditions. Our favorite tradition is the evening gathering at the cabin to play card games, especially the tripoly game. Good times!


Here’s to a Merry Christmas and an absolutely fabulous 2010!