Tremor Memories

After just 6 short months in LA, I experienced my first earthquake today...a smallish 5.4 Richter scale one, enough to shake things up, including my heart, but not big enough to cause any serious damage.

Wow, I thought I had recovered from that large earthquake in Seattle in 91, but when the shaking started, I had a little panic attack, and wanted to move from LA. Crazy, irrational, I know, but it was a very strong emotion. I still have a stomach-ache from the tremors of today.

Here is a funny anecdote...I just closed today on a condo in LA. I was supposed to close last week, but that underwriter didn't approve the loan because the condo building I am in didn't have earthquake insurance!! Now I am thinking...uhmm how smart was that? I was joking with my friend Julie that as soon as I don't have insurance there will be an earthquake...then we laughed. Whose laughing now? But the good news...maybe there won't be another one for a few years now. Fingers crossed.

My first thought was panic based...get me the f out of this building! But then quickly it turned to, "is everyone safe?" I needed to make sure Lori and Jeff were okay, which they were. I had a hard time using my cell phone and had to turn to the land line to finally get a hold of her. She was busy shopping in Bed, Bath and Beyond for stuff for the condo when it hit. She just continued shopping...now that is a pro for you!

Just posting this blog is helping me deal with that totally irrational fear and worry that the "big one" is just around the corner. God help me deal with this!

Chow!

"Longer than me..."

"How long do you want your daughter to live?"

I was exchanging e-mails with a friend of mine back in Seattle, and she was sharing some tough news...our mutual friends from church have been going through a very tough 3 years or so. Their 6 year old daughter, Jenna, is fighting a losing battle with cancer. It has been a horrible rollercoaster ride for them as the cancer went into remission, came back, seemed to be ebbing, and now finally the really bad news. Little Jenna has been through every treatment available, and last week the cancer board at Children's Hospital in Seattle had a tough question for her parents..."How long do you want your daughter to live?"

As a parent, I never want to hear that question asked of me. Kill me before you ask me that one. How does one answer that question? That question has to be the most misplaced, mistaken, and depressing question in the world. That is not the dream parents have for their children when they are born. Our children's lives are supposed to be full of potential; they are to live a lifetime's worth of fulfillment, and enjoy long lives filled with love, family, and achievement. Parents aren't supposed to outlive their children. Being asked that question crushes a parent's dreams and devalues their purpose in life.

What do you say to Jenna's parents? There aren't words that can comfort, ease the guilt, or ease the pain. "She's a fighter. She has lived a life filled with love. She has changed people's lives with her strength, courage and faith in God. You should be proud of her. She will be in a better place." All said with a forced smile, a pat on the shoulder or a hug. But empty and hollow in effect. How do they keep their faith and belief in God? I am guessing they face it one day at a time.

What do Jenna's parents say to the doctors caring for their daughter? How do you decide how long your baby should be with you? There isn't a right answer, is there?

If you believe in the power of prayer, please keep Jenna and her family in your prayers. Pray for another miracle, pray for peace, pray that her parents don't blame each other or themselves. Pray for their faith to remain in God, and that he gives them understanding.

Go hug your kids, your parents and your friends. We can never express our love and appreciation enough.

Chow!

Ketchup Post: Summer 2008

Here is my "catch-up" post for this summer. It has been one crazy summer so far! I have been meaning to write something, but when I sit down at the keyboard, something always comes up.

Let's see...what has been happening?

Well, the job has been wildly exciting, frustrating, and crazy busy. I have been spending much more time in LA than I had originally planned. I was HOPING that I could spend 2 weeks in LA, and 2 in Seattle. No way. I am spending almost 4 weeks in LA, and a long weekend in Seattle. So much time in fact, that I just bought a condo and furniture. I move in at the end of July. That is a story in itself. I will save that material for a later post. Where was I? Oh, yes, work. We are getting ready to launch 5 new flavors, switch from glass to plastic, and move from one warehouse to another. It is wacko to do all those in the space of a month, but we are going for it! We are seeking our second round of investor financing, and I have been busy doing presentations, calls, and getting information out to prospective investors. There is no shortage of VC guys out there interested in our little brand. I guess it helps to have the giant cola brand from Atlanta involved in our "bidness".

Family life is strange with the current situation. Time spent at home is not enough, and the family misses me. What they don't realize is that I miss them more than they miss me! It is hard living on your own in a strange city, KNOWING that the situation won't change. Other times of separation have always ended up with us together in one city. This situation won't have that same outcome unless I can convince Lori to move to LA. Can you say "Hell Freezes Over?" This summer has blessed me with my son being with me in LA. He is a finance/accounting major in college and our CFO asked if he wanted an internship over the summer. We are roomies, and I am really enjoying having him around. It is so much better having him here. He will learn a ton being at a small company as it suffers through cash-flow issues, seeks funding, and grows rapidly. 

Our relationship has always been pretty good, but we are learning much more about each other living together in a small apartment. It is hard to explain...I was just talking about this new relationship with a neighbor friend over the 4th of July. You all have read my story about becoming more like friends with growing and maturing kids. She is having the exact same experience with her daughters! As they mature away from home, their relationship is in limbo...between parental and friend. That is where Jeff and I are, but I think we are moving more towards friendship now that we live and work together. 

We did something amazing this weekend that I have to share. He and I have been talking about his relationship with Christ, and Jeff has been interested in being baptized. Well, that happened this afternoon! We were on the beach, catching some rays, and I asked him, "why don't we baptize you now?" He responded, "sure, why not?" We entered the pounding surf and I took his confession of faith. He had a strange (slightly embarrassed) look on his face, like the words coming out of my mouth absolving him of sin, gifting him the Holy Spirit, and accepting his confession of faith weren't really mine (they aren't). Then I dunked him as a wave passed over us. It wasn't magical, but it made my heart swell with pride and love for my son...now we are brothers in Christ as well! He has always been a thoughtful person. He and I have discussed his faith for years...when his friends were being baptized as teens and pre-teens, we talked about what kinds of sin his friends were confessing. My philosophy has always been that I want my kids to struggle with their own faith, not mine. I want them to need the power of Christ, and the realization that they can't do it without him. I told him that I wanted him to struggle with lust as he dated, struggle with doing right v. wrong, thinking bad thoughts while trying to remain pure in heart. Only then would he realize he couldn't do it without Jesus. One of my long-standing prayers was answered today...Thank you God!

Jeff will help move us into our new condo since I will be back in Seattle right after the closing of escrow. I am making him wait for all the deliveries of furniture, appliances, and cable, phone, utilities installation. It is a nice 2 BR, 2 BA 1140 sq ft beauty with new appliances, granite, marble, paint, carpet, and fixtures. I had to outbid 3 other buyers, so you know the real estate business in LA county isn't hurting too bad. I think I still got a pretty good deal, and I think getting in before the end of the summer is key to hitting the low point in the market. We will have a new President this fall (Go Obama!), and he will have to push the economy to recovery. The entire mortgage application process is now a killer...poor Lori had to fax 42 pages of account verifications, tax returns, and past pay stubs to the mortgage company. What makes it funny (almost) is that we have a high credit rating, I put 30% down, and we don't have any other debt. The mortgage underwriters are focusing on the wrong customers.

So, work is crazy, family life is wacky, and I am moving...not much else happening here.

Chow!