Tough times call for creative measures...

In tough economic times, you better brush up on your creativity. The market is flooded with good people who are looking for jobs, so landing something new takes a tough gut, determination and a little creativity. My brother-in-law works in TV as a sports guy, and he's not so sure just how much longer his job will last. To help him rise to the top of the candidate list, he is marketing himself in a different light. His son Coen - my favorite, chubby-cheeked nephew! - helped him out. Let us know if you have any thoughts or suggestions. Any and all are greatly appreciated!

Peace and quiet.

I'm sitting on my couch this morning, calling to make all those fun appointments that you need to have once or twice a year. You know. The eye doctor. The dentist. The gyn.

Anyway, I had a break during my phone calls, and it dawned on me how super quiet it is here. Brady has been sick and home with me the last few weeks, and I didn't realize how talkative he's gotten lately. He's also in to pushing buttons that result in an action, so our TV and his many noisemaking toys are constantly sounding off in an erratic fashion. So now, as I sit and enjoy the quiet, I'm dreaming of a setting something like this beautiful at Lake Tahoe:

More than a month has passed since my last entry...

I've been silent. It's a rarity, I know, but things have been pretty busy!

In the last month, I've gone through a lot. I've also been reminded of a few incredibly valuable life lessons.

Don't let your work define who you are.

• Don't take anything or anyone forgranted.
• You can't ever have too many good friends.
• Love your family - they'll always be there for you.
• Enjoy life to the fullest.
• No matter how bad you have it, there's someone out there who has it worse. Help put a smile back on their face.

It's amazing how things happen in life. While certain life milestones are incredibly hard to understand as they happen, the end result can be pretty sweet. Especially for those who enjoyed my month-long silence.

Look for more posts soon!