So far all the feedback I’ve gotten about our three day bash at Chene Park over the weekend has been 95% good.  People seem to really enjoy themselves out there on the Detroit River jamming to some incredible music.  Many people have called, written or posted on my Facebook Page. Tons of folks have said they LOVED Boney…yes, me too…probably my favorite.   But, it’s close…watching Brian McKnight on Saturday was nothing short of amazing and the incredible energy that all the performers gave was awesome.  I did miss seeing (but not hearing) all of the show because I was either broadcasting or backstage on other business…so I need you to fill in the blanks…I hope you’ll send me some of your favorite Smooth Jazz Fest moments and pictures if you have them.  Tell me everything….the good and bad.  I’ll post them, pass them along or both!

The news hit me like a ton of bricks when our promotions director, Maureen walked into the studio and told me the news.  How could Wayman Tisdale have passed, he had been through so much, but he was beating cancer…touring and making music.  His hot new single climbing the charts.  It’s never easy to pass the news along to everyone on the air that someone has passed.  But I had to be the bearer of bad news. 

 Since then I’ve received many calls and heard from many people via email and facebook, all stinging from the loss. The man packed so much into his short 44 year life.  A professional musician, a pro basketball player…a family man and a man of God.

We all miss you Wayman, and we’re so glad we have your music! 

 Please pray for his family especially his wife and kids. 

 Chcek out a Wayman Tisdale tribue and pictures of him playing here in Detroit at http://www.wvmv.com/pages/4405954.php

 and please feel free to post your thoughts and comments.

So what are we gaining amidst all this apparent loss in tough economic times? The last blog I wrote focused on remembering that the most important things in life are not “things” but people and relationships.  Many people have told me they have a new appreciation for friends and family. May we not forget this when the economy rebounds.  But may we also not forget another lesson:  be smart with what we do have.   We always like to think we do the best making the most  of our money, but the reality is many times we are just too busy to be bothered .  That is actually a very realistic challenge. I am no expert on this, so I often seek advice from those who are.  The net is full of great sites that offer money saving tips and tools.  One site financial advisor, Gail Perry Mason, recommends is www.mint.com. It’s a calculating tool for all your accounts to keep you in touch with where you are financially.  It seems safe and secure and I certainly trust Gail’s recommendation, but it is something you should make sure you are comfortable with yourself.  I’m about to give it a go. It is supposed to give you a finger on the pulse of your economic health.  One of the things I’ve heard from so many people is we need to know exactly where we are financially — for the good or bad.  It’s like knowing your weight when you diet. It’s the best way to judge your progress. So whatever way you do it, a good realistic picture is important.  On a more basic level, it helps if you can save on your everyday expenses. There’s a great site on AOL’s food feature called “frugal feasts” where you can feed a family of four for under $10–now that’s what I’m talking about! See http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts

My point is there is help to make it easier for folks who suffer from not only insufficient funds, but insufficent time.  As always, be careful who you trust…and don’t give out your personal information.  Unfortunatetly there are people preying on our area because they know so many people are desparate.  The experts say NEVER give out your information to someone who calls or emails you.  If they say they are from your bank and it’s regarding your account, hang up and call your bank.  Chances are it’s a scam.

I guess it comes to down to being grateful — and careful–with what we do have.  Let that resonate with us now and when times are better…and they WILL be better! 

This is not another blog about MSU, but in my last one,  I talked about the fighting spirit of the Spartans and how I thought their perserverance was a great example for us all.  Since then they won one more big game that most people said they couldn’t—but of course they lost one (the big one!) too.  Now I don’t think anyone would suggest what they did was anything less than remarkable and inspiring and a great boost for our area. And guess what, many are picking them to be next year’s champs. 

They were up, then down…and hopefully coming back again!  And isn’t that just how life is sometimes you’re up–way up…then suddently… not so much.  So many of us are in the”not so much” phase right now because of the economy.  But I’ve had some experts tell me that it is precisely how we handle this time that will affect our future.  I’m not talking about the government or society in general—although that is obviously important.  It is all of us, each individual.  What are each of us thinking and doing? Here are some of the things people have told me.  “I no longer take my job for granted”, “learning to live with less is making me appreicate simple things more”, “having lost a job I thought I’d have til I retire has forced me to re-invent myself and now I am doing what I really want to be doing” and “I have become more grateful for what I do have”–and many many people tell me that they are learning to value more what is most important of all –thier personal relationships, their family and friends.  Even better, we see people extending a hand to others–friends, neighbors and strangers– who have even less.  Despite our economy, our area remains one of the most giving in the country…that really speaks to the character of our citiizens.

No one is saying this is a breeze if we just have the right attitude. But of the several authors and motivational speakers I’ve talked to, they are all telling me that there is a blessing in this somewhere.  I found a quote from Norman Vincent Peale that said the following:  “In every difficult situation there is potential value.  Believe this, then begin looking for it.”  If we can find it, name it and hold on to it, it will make us stronger.

In the midst of a hostile crowd and a formidable foe (the #1 team in the tournament!), the Spartans fought and fought and fought and fought….until they won.  As someone who generally comes into the college basketball season around this time of year, I’m not going to comment on anything about the game or how it was played…other than to say it’s been awhle since I saw anyone (team, individual, group) look like they wanted something so badly and would do anything in their power to get it.  How cool that they are coming home to play in the final four!  And how cool for us that we get such a great example of how to go after a dream. 

I’m reading a book by John Maxwell who I will have the privelege of interviewing next week for my Sunday Morning Public Affairs Talk Show, Motor City Review. The book is called: “Put Your Dreams to the Test: 10 Questions to Help you See it and Seize It.”.  In the chapter entitiled “Am I Willing to Pay the Price For My Dream?”, he says “Never once in my conversations with successful people have I heard the words, “Getting to the top was much easier than I anticipated.” I can’t imagine it was easy for MSU on the court today–and even more importantly throughout the season and even before then…all the time, practice, preparation and sacrifice these young men, the coaches, families and thier organization have had to make of the past months and years.   Kudos to the Spartans for  playing with heart, courage and unending desire to fight for their dreams.  It’s a great example for us…now let’s get out their and fight too! 

Judi Crawford who won a trip from us to Hawaii spots Paris Hilton dining at a restaurant at the Four Seasons Maui at Wailea…. 

 Judi sent me an email describing the dinner where she sat next to Paris and Doug (who Judi called her Boy Toy).  She also sent me tons of messages and pictures on Facebook, many saying she wasn’t coming back…but she did!  Paradise can be addicting…but even though she came from 87 to 27 degrees, I’m guessing Judi is glad to be back home.  Hanging out with her friends and family and “salt of the earth” Midwesterners beats celebspotting anytime!  Call me dorky, but while I adore traveling and I can certainly appreciate the excitement of seeing famous folks….there’s nothing like being here… and as Dorothy said in “The Wizard of Oz” (which makes me choke back tears every time)…”oh Auntie Em, there really is no place like home.” Welcome home Judi!

You’re Welcome…Ahoha…

You’ve got to love the opportunity to step into another line of work for a day or an evening.  This past weekend I was a fashion model and this weekend, I’ll be a bartender.  All for a good cause. I was lucky enough to walk the runway with other “local celebs” in the Giving in Style Benefit on Saturday.  It was all to raise money for a great cause, the rebuilding of Scripps Mansion, a beautiful historic estate once used by Guest House — a recovery center for priests and other Catholic religious.  Find out about the cause at www.friendsofscrippsestate.org and www.guesthouse.org.  Next week, I’ll be serving up beverages–adult and otherwise–at the White Lake Inn for Friday’s benefit for the Joel Jeremy Memorial Fund, a wonderful group that helps provide for families with financial needs due to large medical expenses.  Visit them at www.joeljeremy.com for info on the benefit…and maybe I’ll pour you a drink…

How many times have you heard people say “it’s the thought that counts”? Cynics might scoff at this and there are certainly some people who only see value in a gift that costs a lot of money–but I believe they are in the minority.  I love the quote “not everything that counts can be counted and not everything that can be counted counts.”  With the economy being the way it is, you may not be able to spend the money you’d like to on your valentine, but you can be very thoughtful.  Think about his or her favoirte things, places, etc.   Does your man love a certain dish you make, make him a romantic dinner.  Does your lady like a certain kind of bubblebath or body lotion…that makes a great gift.  In other words, you don’t have to spend a lot of money–just show that you were thinking especially about that person and wanted to make them happy. Most of all, remember to truly appreciate that special person not just on Valentine’s Day, but all year round!

ps:  We’ve got some great valetines day gifts/ideas on our website, including  our FREE song dedciation service with “Now Playing”.  It’s an easy way to send your own personalized note, along with “Your Song”–maybe your wedding song or just a song that means alot to you both.  Find “Now Playing” on the homepage!

My Space just felt weird, although I may go back to it.  Linked In, now that I could deal with , it was a strictly professional website for business contacts, not just kids blogging on their favorite band and cute boys. (Yes, I know My Space is more than that…but that’s how I perceived it) Well, just recently a friend talked me into Facebook. It was actually one of listeners, Judi, who I met after she won a trip to Hawaii from me. So far, I’m liking it. It seems to be good for folks of all ages.  These days social networking sites are a huge part of people’s lives and can even break news.  Did you hear the first pictures of that miracle plane that crashed in the Hudson River came from Twitter?  These sites can be great way to re-connect with people, keep up with friends you wouldn’t ordinarily have time to, share pictures and stories, etc. They can also help you with your professional network.  It’s all free and it’s fun.  Just be careful not to get addicted.  Recently I read an article about a woman who felt she had let her facebooking get in the way of time with her kids.    That brings me to this, make sure you don’t forget the beauty of face to face contact.  Yes, remember those people who live in your house and the ones that work next to you.  But hey, online networking is a great supplement to your social life and can be a benefit to your career too–even if you are over 40!

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