2012 Race for Hope - No more lost Yellow Balloons

 

I would be lying if I said David Cook wasn’t the reason I first heard about the Race for Hope.  As I’ve said here before, my family was touched by Brain Cancer the same time that news of his brother Adam’s battle broke while he competed on American Idol.  However, he is not the reason I’ve joined the race all these years. The reason for that is a desire to have played even the smallest role in helping a find a Cure for this killer and to irradiate the spread of yellow balloons.  The reason I join his team is because of the person he is. Let’s be honest; every person who is there is interwoven together by tragedy and heartache but it is the hope and grace that Cook shows off that leads me to his team year after year. 

So what do I have against yellow balloons? 

At the race the survivors are each given a yellow balloon and two years ago as the runners started, I noticed that Cook, his father, and surviving brother standing directly across the street from where I was photographing the survivors, and all three of them were holding on to the same yellow balloon, look to heaven and let the balloon go to Adam.  Last year, Cook once again led the survivors out on this walk to the speakers aptly playing his song “HEROES.” As the crowd reached the starting line to thunderous applause, I noticed his black shirt nearing a small group of people who I quickly realized were his parents, step parents, and younger brother. Recalling the balloon the Cook men sent to the sky in tribute to Adam (Cook’s older brother who died from the disease two years ago,) I fixated my eyes on them to see if it happened again. Indeed, the father and two sons again gathered slightly to the side of everyone else holding a yellow balloon, but this time, before releasing it, they motioned over toward the rest of the family and two blond children ran over to stand in between them. The children were Adam’s daughter and son and this time they were handed the balloon, which was then released skyward as all five Cooks watched it fly.

Both years this was done with no fanfare, no media attention just a beautiful yet simple moment that reminded me, just because we don't see our loved ones anymore, it doesn't mean they are gone.  It brings comfort and calm to the heart but anyone who has ever lost anyone they love (regardless of what took them) knows that feelings that you are not alone, memories, and the proverbial “I’ll always be with you” can never take the place of a hug, nor can it fill the seat left vacant in the special moments of our lives or evil the aching hole in your heart.  It is too late to bring back everyone who has already fallen victim to brain cancer but I race so that one day every yellow balloon remains on the ground and with the people who love them. 

Please donate: 
2012 Race for Hope - DC: Ms. Elisa Donahue - Race for Hope - DC

Macy's flower show

This past week, Lauren and I took Gigi to the Macy's flower show for the third year in a row (and Thomas's first.)

The theme this year was the beauty of Brazil and for the first time, the display was in a tent in Herald Square, a welcomed relief from the navigating around a crowded store with a Bugaboo that we all delt with over the last two years.
Once again, the beauty speaks for itself...

The display was too overwhelming for one member of our group, unfortunately.

I love free stuff

I don't really think there are many people who don't, mind you, but freebies for me, are like tiny little birthdays. no I am not just cheap!
So anyway, yesterday I saw a sweet from BBC America saying how they were comping lunch from assorted food trucks that would be parked in Time Square and Madison Square park in celebration of the primire of one of their shows. All someone had to do was like the program on Facebook and he or she was given a ticket for one meal from the truck of choice.
The truck I chose was Frites 'n Meats ( http://www.fritesnmeats.com/about-us/) which served a cheddar cheese burger with onion, and tomato on a brioche bun and a side of coleslaw. It was mouth-watering and it would have only have cost $6- extremely reasonable. I think I have a new lunch option.

The freebies didn't stop at lunch, however, because it was also free cone day at Ben & Jerry Shops. I had a chocolate, Lauren had Americone Dream, and Gigi had a vanilla and a chocolate because, since Thomas can't have it yet it, only seemed fair that big sister should.

Happy Birthday Heath Ledger

Today would have been Heath Ledger's 33rd birthday and I like to believe somewhere out there in this infinite universe he's celebrating.

"nothing is permanent, not even death..." ~Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

Tune in Tuesday: This Quiet Night

When David Cook released his sophomore album in June, fans were offered the chance to buy a deluxe fan edition directly from David's official website that included an exclusive EP of acoustic versions of 5 of THIS LOUD MORNING's tracks called THIS QUIET NIGHT. Needless to say, I opted to get this so it isn't new to me but, now THIS QUIET NIGHT has been released as a stand alone EP and is available everywhere music is.


 As someone who has heard it, I'd highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys Cook and even those who feel his music is a bit rough around the edges because hearing the softer side of these songs bring out the beauty of his writing. The emotion he brings to The Last Goodbye and Paper Heart truly bring out such heartache as "I Hold On To The Pain In These Arms That Just Let You Go; On These Lips That Said Your Name" and "They'll Be The Forever We Never Were Cause We Were Everything That's Right At The Wrong Time" that someone might miss in uptempo versions. With Take Me As I Am and Goodbye To The Girl, his voice is at once so powerful and yet so fragile that it could bring angles to their knees, collapsing in tears- think of a male equivalent of Adel's Someone Like You.


 However, the album isn't just a tear-jerking extravaganza. No matter how hopeless love seems after hearing the other 4 songs, anybody with an ounce of romance inside will at once be lifted up by Right Here, With You where Cook professes his undying love stating:

If The Sun Stops Burning And The World Stops Turning I'll Be Right Here With You And If The Sky Keeps Falling And The Night Keeps Calling I'll Be Right Here With You I'm On Your Side And Times Will Always Change The Wings Will Always Break And I Will Be Here Waiting Over Time Forever By Your Side Our Love Will Never Die

And then there was one...

This photo was taken of David Cook and the Anthemic in November 2008 at the Album release of Cook's self titled debut.  From right to left: Andy Skib, Cook, Kyle Peek, Neal Tiemann, and Joey Clement. This was the second of three concerts I saw of the band before Bassist Clement left in favor of Monty Anderson early the next Summer.  Perhaps it was always the plan for him to leave or perhaps the rumors that RCA fired him are true but it doesn't really matter, Clement is having a successful career elsewhere and it wasn't long before Anderson found a place in my heart. 

March 2009

March 2009

The above picture was taken at This Loud Morning's release last June and, though I didn't know it at the time but it would be the last time I saw Tiemann mastering guitar alongside longtime friend Cook. This loss was a bit harder than Clement, no offense to Joey but Tiemann's whole persona was amazing- he played as well as the Rock Gods of yesteryear, yet shy and sweet the way you wouldn't think when looking at him (we talked at the Borgata in Atlantic City for probably about a half hour like we were old friends.) More than that though, he was David's longtime friend and the idea that he's leaving could've been because that ended was sad. 


I continued to believe that Devin Bronson was just a temporary replacement and couldn't have cared less about him last December.

Poor guy was so nice and was playing with Gigi that in retrospect I actually feel kind of bad but that is not the saddest part of this photo. Saturday night, David announced Kyle Peek was leaving to be a stay at home Daddy' leaving Andy Skib as the sole original Anthemic member.  My heart Sank.

There is something special about Peek, who plays like Animal from the Muppets. Maybe it's because I feel like we've grown up together.  When he joined David after he won Idol, they hadn't known each other but in the years since they (and he and the fans) have forged a close bond.  He was only 20 at the time and when he turned 21 a few months later, Peek performed a solo show which Cook and pals crashed, got Peek drunk, and turned it into a Karaoke Party broacasted live across the web!!




Peek also had a toddler at the time who has grown into a school aged, little gentleman who has even appeared on stage playing guitar with the band!   and Kyle has been kind enough to keep fans up to date on every milestone with pictures and updates galore. 


Since the first time Peek played with the band he's grown as a musician,gotten married to his beautiful wife Nichole, and became a father once more to baby Elle born last Summer. Now he's moving on to his next phase of life and, while I am happy for him, I just hope he keeps everyone in the loop of what happens next.

We've found this year's April's Fool

After being arrested by Canadian Mounties in late March, and unable to plea his case, one man decided to perform all of Queen's classic Bohemian Rapsody.