Partial Update borrowed from the Hall of Fame :)

Thursday, July 15, 2004 @ 8:54 pm.  Pshwoo!!  Some of the work is pretty long, but all agree it is well worth the effort.  We may get the help of a new volunteer ... another Debbie!  Keeping fingers crossed.  The first Debbie and Rose have bowed out.  We'll keep them in our best spirit thoughts :)  We're getting down to the wire.  We've collected listings for 332 journals.  Yesterday, we sent out about 150 emails asking for permission to publish to the Hall of Fame Journal.  When I woke up this morning.  There were 80 emails responding and 35-40 were added past that during the day!!  Almost everyone is saying yes.  There are only about 95 more listings to prepare.  Then we'll need to send out about 145 more emails.  There are 240 journals that people have accepted to be published in the Hall of Fame Journal (70%)!!!  Pretty good, pretty good!  Thank everyone of you who are so responsive as to say a quick, "Count me in!!"  I'm hoping that there are 102 people who won't mind us sending out a second request :)

I've got a little time here before we go to work this morning.  I thought, I'd like to write a little.  I haven't said too much this week yet due to the busyness over at the Hall of Fame.  I really want to thank the work of Kathy and Christy ... they've contributed quite a bit.  And, as potential, Debbie looks like she's going to help Kathy and I finish strong.  These women, our co-editors, are just a God Send!!!

I wish I could describe well the incredible feeling it has been to be surrounded by so many wonderful journals.  They people range from young to old and the addition of journals over the years seems VERY evenly paced.  I've seen people from age 13 to age 81.  The common denominator seems to be that everyone LOVES their journals.  We're hoping that the Hall of Fame Journal generates some more movement between the journals.  Some are lacking in the number of visitors they receive.  Most people hold the thought though that they write for themselves first.  As a group, journalists are pretty faithful to their trade.  It seems to make people feel better to be writing their thoughts, as it does us.

I feel bad when I read that there are people out there who have experienceddeaths, abuses, and loss of love.  More people than not are more in the process of experiencing life through their families, jobs, and friends.  Some have interesting side line activities.  I think riding an alligator, surviving in the wilderness, or living alone on a boat are pretty unusual events and these stories seem to liberate my soul.  But, I get other feelings of excitement to hear someone's grandchildren are coming to visit, that someone joined a new knitting/quilt circle, someone is taking a trip/moving, or have started exercise/diet.  Another thread people talk about is in getting sick or injured.  Feel bad for these folks too.

There are some avid photographers out there and the number of people who use the animation or glittery, sparkly things is tickling!  Quite a few musicians and artists too.  We're not seeing quite as many news, political entries, or sports stories, but there are some who've been very credible over time.  Another line of thinking follows literature, cooking, and gardening. 

I've been very surprised in that ... in all the journals I've seen.  People aren't gossiping about one another and you really don't hear too much about fighting.  Eh, maybe someone's hubby will forget to thank his wife for her hard work, but just as likely maybe a woman has come around to sort of a male "attitude?"  Hehe, I think there is a lot of play between men and women ... Sometimes, I think people feel hurt and taken advantage of or our boundaries aren't drawn quite properly.  That gets people mad.  Maybe why there's so many incidents of people going "out on the town!" 

AND, there's not a parent out there, I believe, who doesn't feel challenged by the raising of kids, or the caring for of parents!  Oh yeah ... pets and animals are ALL loved, including some insects, birds, and lizards!

There were many, many sites I saw that carried torches and there is an excitement in waiting for the candidates to the Awards ceremony.  Gregg, YOU'RE THE MAN!!And, there's no doubt that Vivian over at Anniversary head quarters is burning the midnight oil!  We've got the feeling she is holding many secrets.  She's more apt to ask, "How are you doing?  Rather, than to say what's all going on in her mind!

Yep, yep.  It seems like there is a definite hum in the air.  Not sure, how many people areusing the AOL Journal feature ... the disovery this last week of the site that collects information on AOL "traffic" was pretty amazing.  Viv reminded me yesterday, the real celebration starts two weeks from yesterday.  Man, we've been partying in our head all along!  Pretty cool, pretty cool!!