Fostering Human Connection, Communication and Growth

Fostering Human Connection, Communication and Growth: Patricia Rossi had a rough start, overcoming a challenging childhood and dyslexia. Instead of discouraging her though, it fueled her flames of success an…

Becky Bortack: Mom, Widow, Songwriter, and Yogi

Becky Bortack: Mom, Widow, Songwriter, and Yogi: Becky Bortak, my guest today is a mom, a widow, a songwriter, and a Yogi who believes love conquers all. In today's unforgettable conversation we talk ab…

Jim Joseph: The Experience Effect

Jim Joseph: The Experience Effect: Jim Joseph has been awarded numerous accolades throughout his storied career, including Entrepreneur of the Year, Agency of the Year, Most Creative Agenc…

Audrey McClelland: Creating the Life You Want (and Deserve)

Audrey McClelland: Creating the Life You Want (and Deserve): Audrey McClelland wears many hats and has navigated her life and career with vision and trust, following her heart and gut. She began her career in New Y…

I am thankful for so many things, no butts about it!

I am thankful for so many things, no butts about it! EVERYDAY, before my feet touch the floor in the

morning and before my head hits the pillow at night, I thank God for the many blessings I have in my life.

I am grateful for my dysfunctional family that reminds me to Keep It Real. They've seen me before coffee. 

The dear friends that listen to me bitch about my dysfunctional family and sit through countless hours of my travel photos and tales from the road

The joy I feel when I travel to a new place, the opportunities I've had to see the world and break bread with incredible people. So, I raise my glass to the boss that fired me 8 years ago. His moment of insanity opened doors and windows I didn't even know were there!

My husband Ralph, (yes he does exist) who has encouraged me to reach for the stars and lifts me up when I can't quite reach them

A hilarious business partner, Rick Griffin who makes me laugh daily, makes me step out of my comfort zone, daring me to do things I didn't think possible

The amazing destinations I've been to that remind me how big the world is and that it doesn't revolve around me.

and YOU. Yes, You! You know who you are 

Looking forward to a stress free day, with no expectations, serving up heaping helpings of traditional fare in my pajamas with people who have seen me before coffee.

Yup. Keeping it Real. Happy Thanksgiving!

Interview with a Foodie – Sandi McKenna

Interview with a Foodie – Sandi McKenna

About Datz

They are omnivores — carnivorous, chocolate-loving, bacon-hoarding, wineauxs, beer geeks, curd nerds and yes, even vegetarians. They are shamelessly unapologetic flavor crusaders and Datz is their playground. An american gastropub and market dishing up regional comfort food favorites generously paired with boutique spirits, craft beer and wine. Served with ample sides of culinary education and entertainment in a spirited, ever-evolving environment.

Meet the MidLife Road Trip Co-Hosts, Travel Experts and Dream Weavers, Rick Griffin and Sandi McKenna

It's is our firm belief that travel is the perfect therapy for a midlife or any crisis no matter what your age. We're about encouraging people to live their dreams, daring to try what they always wanted to do, go where they have never been and experience all that the world has to offer.  Through food, travel and adventure we take them along for the ride, in the air, on the road or at sea. .  Whether it's something as extreme as skydiving or as simple as learning to cook your favorite meal, the Midlife Road Trip cast and crew are committed to making the most of life {YOLO: You Only Live Once} in a fun and entertaining way. Our co-hosts, Rick Griffin and Sandi McKenna met through mutual friends on Twitter where a simple conversation launched the adventure of a lifetime.

Rick Griffin

Atlanta, GA

Rick's Twitter

Rick's Facebook

Rick is the founder/creator and co-host of the Midlife Road Trip.  After a life-threatening experience in 2004, Rick re-evaluated his priorities, sold his business and began to pursue his creative passions in travel, writing and video production.

In 2009 Rick developed the creative concept used for Budweiser's Designated Driver Campaign that premiered in the Tonight Show. Rick was the first place winner of XlantAds.com’s  "Searching for Love" webisode contest and of Poptent.Net’s  "Road Trip" contest. In 2010, Rick was selected as a featured panelist for BlogWorld 2010 in Las Vegas, selected for Princes Cruises "Follow Me At Sea" Twitter cruise, selected to attend the NASA shuttle launch and Tweetup, participated in the Mongol Rally and Rand McNally/USA Today's Best of the Road Rally.

Sandi McKenna

New Yorker living in Tampa, FL

Sandi's Twitter

Sandi's Facebook

Sandi is the co-host of the Midlife Road Trip. Considered the Lois Lane of social media, Sandi's natural curiosity combined with 20+ years in marketing and entertainment public relations were the perfect training ground for the MidLife Road Trip.  Add to that a myriad of life experiences & her love of connecting with people everywhere and you get a recipe for laughter, the unexpected and a great time in any circumstance. 

With dogged determination and unstoppable spirit Sandi show's you that simply being ordinary can be an extraordinary experience. Sandi was selected to attend the NASA shuttle launch and Tweetup, Rand McNally/USA Today's Best of the Road Rally and named one of the Top 10 Travel Experts on Twitter.

Bucket List Adventures: Hitting the (midlife) road - Wire - NewsObserver.com

Bucket List Adventures: Hitting the (midlife) road - Wire - NewsObserver.com

Think ......

Mission San Juan Capistrano

I'm not a fan of chain letters and emails. I rarely, if ever pass them on even (especially) when they threaten me within an inch of my life. While the following was not threatening (but did request I forward the email to at least 10 people) I thought the message was a beautiful one. I'm sure this story has been around the block a time or two but this is the first time I had read it. What a lovely message of gratitude that it carries with it. 

There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.' One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend. He asked her, ‘Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?' The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him. Her boyfriend left her in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.' This is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.

Life Is a Gift Today before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak.
Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion.
Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too early to heaven.
Before you complain about your children -Think of someone who desires children but they're barren. Before you argue about your dirty house someone didn't clean or sweep - Think of the people who are living in the streets.
Before whining about the distance you drive ~ Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.
And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.
But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another - Remember that not one of us is without sin and we all answer to one MAKER. And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and thank GOD you're alive and still around.

Beware: Watch your "Social Media Back"

Social Media can be a great thing. It can also be quite unsettling. It can leave you vulnerable. I don't often talk about my past. Not that it was bad or because I did anything crazy. There are parts of ones life that are raw, unresolved and therefore go unspoken. That is until through the beauty of social media they hit you smack dab in the face.

In high school I met & fell in love with Tom a very smart and handsome young man. I was head over heels crazy in love. Of course, hormones took over and at 18 I gave birth to our daughter. Yes, there was s shotgun wedding. Back in the day that's what we did. Sadly, I wasn't the only girl on the block to wind up in that situation. After a very tumultuous two years, this union which was doomed from the get go, came to a crashing halt. While I'll spare you the details, it took me several years to recover from the heartbreak. It took me 18 years to fall in love again.

That chapter had long been closed until I received several anonymous emails telling me that my first husband had passed away several months earlier. It had been nearly three decades since we had spoken, a lifetime ago. He had moved on with his life and I with mine. I remembered him as a vibrant young man and was sad to learn his life ended. He and my daughter never had a real relationship. It had been over 25 years since he had contacted her. I don't even know if he knew he had two grand children. They were never mentioned or recognized in his obituary. His family never had a relationship with my daughter and never met my grand children. Probably didn't even know they existed. We are all o.k. with that.

Now, for the unsettling part. This week someone named Charlotte (who we don't know) posted her condolences on his legacy guest book. She included a photo of my daughter (which Charlotte used as her avatar) and one of my grand-daughters. She used the photos as if they were hers. She did not mention that the avatar she posted was not her and that the girls had nothing to do with her. Both photos have been cropped & edited from a recent photo that was taken of my entire family for Parade Magazine (including my husband of the past 18 years who raised the kids w/me). It's downright creepy.

I can't imagine why someone who we don't know would do this. It serves no purpose. It could certainly be hurtful to his mom, sisters and son. While they know he had a "First Family" we have long been out of their lives and long forgotten. Chapter closed. I have googled "Charlotte" in Land O' Lakes until my fingers went numb. Surprisingly, "Charlotte" does not exist! Then who? Who would feel compelled to do such a thing? Sometimes, the past should be just that. The past.

While I may never know who "Charlotte" is, I think there is a valuable lesson here. You have got to "Watch you Social Media Back" ... People can steal your likeness and use it for anything. They can "edit" your life to fit theirs.

Here's what "Charlotte" wrote:

September 28, 2011
My thoughts and prayer are with your family today Tom. I've just recently learned of your passing. You possessed a spirit that always gave and seldom asked for return. You continue live on in the heart and soul of your diverse and very large family, your multitude of friends from all walks of life, and in the beautiful children and their children you created. Your life and all which it stood for should never be forgotten. May peace surround us all until we meet again.

Charlotte

Happy Valentines Day

2010 had more ups and downs than a Craftmatic bed at the Bunny Ranch

2010 was a year of highs, lows, heartbreak, obstacles and challenges. It was the best and worst. It was the year I learned what I was made of.

The lessons of 2010

Blessings sometimes come disguised as heartbreak.

It was a year with great loss. It began and ended with the passing of loved ones. My dear friend Renee in January, my father in December. I learned that when someone leaves this earth their memory lives on within you, in your thoughts and in your actions. They are never far away.

Laughter is as important to my well being as the air I breathe.

Facing fear never gets easier. I did things I thought I could never do. We moved the entire family, four generation into one house. That in itself was a challenge. Overcoming being squeamish to care for the physical needs of my father is something I never thought I could do, yet I did. Managing to keep joy and laughter in your life when facing impending death while a challenge is not impossible. My dad inspired me every day. He had so many obstacles to deal with just to get through a day, yet he did it with a smile and gratitude.

Not everyone will like me no matter how much I wish they would.

The disillusion of friendship. I learned that misunderstandings can't always be repaired no matter how much you had hoped they would be.

Forgiveness is imperative to moving forward.

Not to rush to judgement. Some of the best surprises of 2010 were things I would have missed out on if I had never explored beyond my initial impression.

Passion is the lifeblood of creativity.

The labyrinth always leads back to the people you respect and care about.

Love, It's that simple.

All in all, it was a very good year. Looking forward to a great 2011. Happy New Year!




























All in all, it was a very good year.

My Dad ... Forever in my heart

At 3:10 am this morning, surrounded by family, embraced by love and laughter, my father passed away.

It has been a year of many ups and downs highs and lows. There were so many times that the doctors had little hope that my dad would pull through yet somehow he always managed. This year was a "bonus" round, a blessing in every sense of the word.

We learned to work together as a family, four generations under one roof. Not an easy task, but it was such a privilege to have my dad at home with us. Our common goal of his well being and comfort far outweighed any of our personal differences.

He was a man of courage and extraordinary will. He reminded me of the Incredible Oz. Only until you looked behind the curtain, did you realize truly how frail he truly was.

Kenneth David McKenna was a husband to my mom Betty for 59 years. He was a dad, grandfather and great-grandfather. He lit up a room and had a sense of humor that was larger than life. As a family we laughed a lot and he was the conductor. Good times and bad we always managed to see a silver lining.

So in his last hours we remembered the good times. As we sat at his bedside we all shared funny memories and the laughs we had throughout the years. He smiled. We smiled through our tears, laughter and love filled the room as we said our good-byes.

Losing someone you love is never easy. Today, my heart is heavy, and I'm overwhelmed by sadness and an endless stream of tears. This isn't the end of my father. He shall live on in our hearts, our memories and in the stories I will continue to share.

His favorite time of year was Christmas. He always did it up big. So we couldn't pass up the Santa Snuggie we found last week. It only seemed fitting. It was his last photo taken just days ago, with a smile that could light up a city block.

I love you dad.

Dave Koz .. we talked music, family, travel and of course cookies!!

Dodging Bullets

I lost a wonderful and very dear friend to breast cancer this year. She never once said "Why Me?" I have several other friends who are fighting valiant battles now. No complaints from them, all amazing incredibly brave ladies doing what they have to do with dignity and grace. I'm no different, not special, so every year when I get the results back from my annual mammogram and it's good, I feel as though I've dodged a bullet.

My dad has had pneumonia four times in the past year and a half. He almost died twice. He has been in and out of hospitals, he has a traich, a catheter and is on oxygen 24/7. He has amazed doctors with his resilience and sheer will to live. We brought him home to my house a year ago this month. Doctors were not optimistic and we counted everyday with him as a blessing There have been tears but mostly laughter. That's what we do in our family. Face anything and everything head on with a joke and a belly laugh and pie.

Today, I write this from Room 3115 where my dad is battling his 5th go round of pneumonia. When he arrived by ambulance a few days ago doctors thought he might be in for just a couple days, a "Tune-Up" if you will. Last night, was a bad night. He couldn't catch his breath. He's scared. The treatment has gotten more aggressive, his oxygen need is increasing and his breathing more labored. He's not eating. He's been here before and always come out of it. I never try to count him out, after all he has amazed us all so many times before. Yet, somehow this time feels different. So we wait, and hope and continue to pray. Does he have the strength to dodge another bullet?

New Season Starts Now: Midlife Road Trip

My Dad

This is my dad’s 53rd father’s day, my 53rd year as his daughter. No Norman Rockwell painting here, but more than five decades peppered with magical moments and plethora of belly laughs.

Growing up, my dad was always larger than life to me. He would walk into a room and everyone knew who he was. We never waited for a table. He engaged everyone in conversation causing me to shrink with embarrassment. At the time I wondered how could he just talk with everyone, selfishly knowing we would be there for a good while.

While my friend’s dinner tables were quiet and uneventful, ours was filled with the tales of the day and laughter. Sometimes we laughed so hard there was more giggling than eating.

My dad taught us everything from basic survival skills like how to deflect attention when passing gas in public to more important things like chasing your dreams and doing what’s right when nobody is looking.

Dad wasn’t perfect. He fell short on many an occasion. But, he was real. He was who he was, no apologies. The good memories have far outweighed the others.

My father planned the most wonderful vacations, like the summers we spent on Fire Island. We had to get there by boat. No cars on the island, we pulled red wagons along the boardwalk from the dock to the summerhouse where we stayed loaded with our necessities and our imaginations for what was sure to be an awesome week. It always was and even after 50 years I can still recall the tiniest details.

My father instilled in me his work ethic for which I will be forever grateful. He showed me how to stick it out, even when it isn’t always the fashionable or popular choice.

This past year has been the most profound of all my 53 years with my dad. He almost died, he was told there was no hope, has been in and out of a coma, in and out of the hospital so many times I’ve lost count. This once independent, larger than life figure now relies on others for just about everything. The most remarkable thing though, while his body may be compromised, his spirit and sense of humor remain unscathed.

It has taught me that life isn’t always pretty, sometimes it’s downright ugly but never let it get the best of you. A sense of humor and a soaring spirit will shine light on the darkest times.

It has taught me that my house doesn’t have to be perfectly clean with everything in its place. The chips and dents from my father’s wheelchair have become precious reminders of how lucky I am to have these months with him living in my home.

It has taught me to step outside myself. Realize it’s not all about me. That helping others, sharing what I have is far more important and gratifying.

It has taught me forgiveness.

It has taught me who my friends are, the ones who have been here to stand with me in dark hours, the ones who call just because and the ones who encourage when I just don’t think I can do it another minute and they never judge.

Most of all, it has taught me that my father is facing his mortality, much how he lived his life, with courage and grace. His smile is still a beacon, his spirit still larger than life.

So this Father’s Day, I am especially grateful for the time I have with my father. Our conversations are more meaningful. The “I Love You’s” are much more frequent. That just sitting in a room with him has significance. That every day I have from here on out with my dad is an extra special gift.

While our family portrait may be more of a Mad Magazine cover than a Norman Rockwell, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

It's a new day

Your thoughts don't have words every day

Your thoughts don't have words every day

They come a single time

Like signal esoteric sips

Of the communion Wine

Which while you taste so native seems

So easy so to be

You cannot comprehend its price

Nor its infrequency

by Emily Dickinson

Perspective

Sometimes things in my life don't go as I had hoped or planned. Today was one of those days. Nick Vujicic again reminds me how blessed I am.