Reality is Reality...

Greetings from WisCOWsin. Land of cheese and cows. I am at a young professionals leadership conference. ID was not required to prove that I am under forty, but I was prepared. This has been one amazing experience. 150 people representing 30 states, representing 46,000 members of young professionals groups gathered on the University of Wisconsin campus to learn how to do better with time, talent and treasure. How to tap those treasures and learn best practices from others. My partner in crime, and I have learned a lot. Taken tons of notes, networked with many different cities and then we were separated to play The Amazing Race. Four people, where no one is supposed to be from the same city/member base, were given four pages of clues and five hours to seek through the city to find the answers. Now, mind you, I have never seen the show. What I can tell you is that I had one rockin team! We had to stay together and we had to all work together. We did. We had a blast. We had a few bumps, we nearly walked over/through a child who kept playing in front of the door. We lost a cell phone but a police officer found it and alarmed someone when the police man answered! We ate an amazing dinner in the downtime of regrouping at a wonderful college-upscale kinda way restaurant. We walked through rain and blustery wind to complete every task on the list. We had to be at the finish line at 9pm. When we finally found our last two clues, we had fifteen minutes to make it to the finish line. Resourcefully, we hopped a cab. We made it in time and within hours, we will find out who wins the cash prize. We had to convince one security officer to open the doors as they were closing to gather the needed information. We interviewed people until we found out some answers. (This was my role, obnoxious talkative and uninhibited). It was kind of funny, as we walked, very fast down the sidewalk, I felt like I was a tag-a-long on Sex in the City! Three funny, bright women. One in pretty decent heals, made Madison our own bed of conversation and witty banter! We walked faster than they do in LOST or they did walk in the West Wing! I took some pictures of our adventures and hope to post them in future blogs. I have been very fortunate to be one of the delegates from Fort Wayne's young professionals group to attend. P.S. Clyde, I have not had any cheese ... so my trip is not complete haha.

Bound up and determined

Today, I depart Fort Wayne for Madison, Wisconsin. A young professionals leadership conference will occur there. This is my first visit to Wisconsin, but I have heard my share of foreshadowing about cheese, cows and cheese. So, it reminds me of my adventure to Iowa where the focus was corn, skies, and corn. It makes me reflect on an article that I half-sorta read about a new Fort Wayne campaign. Destination relaxation was the title of the iniaitive. Premise, if I got half of the story correct, people who live 90 miles from Fort Wayne will be targeted to visit Fort Wayne for a hotel stay with dinner at select restaurants and something artsy to do. The price tag fell under $200 in some cases. Well, who could pass up this opportunity. Too bad I am traveling out of Fort Wayne today or I would venture into our Downtown District and just live it up, eat, enjoy a fine artsy gig and crash in a plush hotel room with all the amenities. Now, stop laughing. Stop it. Well, back to the reason I am telling about the adventure to Wisconsin. I am uncertain how much time I will have to update the blog on this adventure, but if I am swamped I may just run the "Best of Carbo" so keep checking back for the latest. Until then, I say Ciao. The only person who is jealous of my trip is my dog, because his favorite word and thing is CHEESE. Little buddy spins like a tornado when the word is uttered. He will be taking his own adventure up north this weekend too, but he is not going that far. He may try to convince his caretaker to go see his papa, but I am sure she will hold strong.

You say goodbye, I say hello....

Today, a group of friends and I begin to take Italian as our second language. For some it may be a third language, for me, it may become my first since I have yet to master English. Nonetheless, IPFW will be my home away from home each and every Wednesday until I can say "hello" and "where is the bathroom". It is conversational Italian. So I should be able to compliment someone, curse someone out, and then ask for help. (Hopefully, this is not done to the same person, when I am in Italy.) So, perhaps if luck has it, I will share a few words with my ever growing blog-base. Until then, Ciao.

Let is snow, baby!

Who doesn't love a sno-kone. Well, I always got a big head rush from them but you know, my perspective on snow in general has just perked up. I say, snow - snow - snow all it can, every day a little bit of snow this winter season. Start early snow, no shadow for the g'hog and let it just be a white winter. Why? Well, my car does not like snow, mind you, unless it is loaded with logs of sand in the trunk. What I do find wonderful about the winter wonderland is the potential for the growth of the company. Successfully, our team will work toward removing snow in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. So, if it does not snow, it does not mean much to me. So, do your tribal dance or pray to the patron saint of snow or bribe the weather personalities, because I want to have my sno-kone and eat it too!

Someone's knockin at the door...

A dear friend of mine and I were going to Michigan for a football game on Saturday. Well, it was going to rain. Or so they said. I am not sure if it rained. Instead, we watched brilliant movies, mediocre programming and terrible but ironically somewhat funny flicks too. We shared a bottle of wine, a pizza a piece. (For the record, neither of us finished our own pizza at that sitting.) We locked ourselves away for about nine hours of cinema time, conversation and magazine glancing. It was a grand way to spend a day that was to be gloomy, grey and wet. Well, I think it may have rained, because the pizza delivery dude seemed a bit moist. I forgot to ask him, because my special bottle of wine that was delivered from Napa Valley was calling my name. Luckily I heard the knock at the door for the wine, a few weeks ago, and I heard that same knock when the pizza came. Here is to weekends where a shower is the only effort that has to be put into the mix.

Six degrees of Bacon...

Last night, a friend and I had dinner and drinks at Hartley's. You have just turned into the dinner review segment of Carbo's Blog. Nestled in the back section, with few surrounding guests we started with the Clam Chowder. Nice texture, with a touch of paprika on top with a bit of crispy bacon. Sold on the bacon! The house salad followed with a nice colorful display, without tons of onions, but one simple slice that added a nice kick. The entree I selected was a New York Strip Steak with pink peppercorns. It was ordered medium and arrived medium. I had my choice of vegetables, pasta or a potato served up a few different ways. I selected the pasta, with the Alfredo and mushroom sauce. The steak was a great cut of meat, and I always love a New York Strip. By the way, Kevin Bacon is from New York. Anyway, for drink I had an ice tea. Just one ice tea. Mind you, anyone who has ate with me before knows that I drink ice tea by the gallon at a restaurant. Well, tonight that was not the case. Why? The ice tea was not good? In fact, just the contrary, it was awesome and flavorful. My drink that I drank by the gallon was a grapefruit martini. Oh my! It was grapefruit vodka, with fresh squeezed grapefruit. It also had something else in it, but I seem to have had that brain cell puckered out of my brain. The meal was great. Hartley's was a welcome home. My friend and I had a marvelous time. Shared great life stories and wonderful food. On the way out of the restaurant, a lady at the bar stopped me. Oh yeah baby, this is what a blog is all about. Juicy pick up lines and things that you just don't know happen without an inside scoop. Well, it was not that exciting, but she said, "Are you Mark Carboni". I of course admitted to my namesake. She said, "Well, I thought that was you. I lived one road over from you". (twenty five years ago). She had been friends of my younger sister and rode the school bus. I guess somehow there is always a connection to someone no matter where we go.

Got to make the donuts...

Well, I am sure it was not a start of a pandemic flu or anything, but I have found myself flashing back to a point in my life where I did not understand consequences. Now mind you, nothing bad happened from the pranks or game playing I did growing up. However, by today's standards, I would have been sent to a youth prison, or expelled or both. Like the time when I "blackmailed" the librarian that her books were going to be destroyed book by book until she removed the mass layers of make up. Or, with a partner in crime, the card catalog was rearranged in a not so convenient way. How about the time that a friend who was ill licked a chocolate donut and gave it to an ex who had cheated. I think that the pranks that I was involved in were funny. I still think so. I am sure anyone on the outside looking in would find the concept ridiculous. But, I guess that is why kids are kids. I just have leaped beyond kid-dome. Then, before I go I have to add that this picture combines the donut experience with the teeth that for some reason reminded me of Talk Like A Pirate Day, that has come and gone. I know, pirates do not have fangs, but in mind it seemed like it connected somehow. Oh well, from creative to clunky... my mind continues to churn.

Smile...

Now Fort Wayne's south side has had difficulty sustaining business for many reasons. The former Southtown Mall sat empty for years. The mall was tore down and sat empty for awhile before someone thought, hey, how about we build a Menards? Well, it was built and people began to shop. Then talks of a Walmart surfaced. Some Fort Wayne residents said..."Another Walmart?!" Well, no one said that about Pizza Hut or Walgreens when they popped up. Well, the Walmart was built and it was ready to open until someone thought...hmm, lets foreshadow the future that the south side of Fort Wayne will fail so lets blame RACE. Well, the NAACP spoke out and called for a boycott. Now, I am not a Walmart fan at all. I would rather be run over by a Citilink Bus, which I would not ride either, than go into a Walmart. But, I believe that a Walmart is commerce and the south side can use the boost. Well, today the Walmart opened and the boycott was called off. Maybe someone said, shut up and shop. Nonetheless, stay tuned because something good for Fort Wayne is never good for long.

Bow to your partner...

Over the years there have been many dancing shows. I am sure you wished you did not see some of them. But recall American Bandstand? Dance Fever? Solid Gold? Hee Haw? Lawrence Welk Show? Fame? Cop Rocks? Muppet Show? The list is endless. Or we wish the list was endless. Well, Dancing with the Stars seems to have struck a chord. The toe tapping antics have brought in great ratings even if the dancing is something you may see on the Jerry Lewis Telethon. I have sat through a few minutes this season and got right back up. I tried to root on my Sara Evans but I hung my head in shame when I saw the last week show. When you couple her with other non-traditional dancers like Jerry Springer, you just wonder who was asked to dance and said no. I think that a bunch of A, B and C list actors turned down the chance to be a TV reality celebrity. So, maybe next year the slate of dancers could be Dick Van Patten, Pam Dawber, Bea Arthur, Sherman Hemsley, Richard Carpenter, Marie Osmond, Billie Jean King. So, if your life is missing the glamour of interactive encounters, perhaps Dancing with the Stars will stimulate you. If not, it will propel you to sleep much faster than Ambien. Amen.

Fall Fell Flat.

All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey... Welcome to Fort Wayne! Home of your mama and your papa that is what probably brings you back if you have left before. There are so many great things about Fort Wayne, but today I am just not feeling it. Kind of in a grumpy mood. Lets see, I have bursitis. No, I am not 90 but I feel like it. My blog got flagged for an outrageously rude and vulgar comment by a mystery person. The weather has dropped from summer to icky fall and we missed the pretty fall. A friend of mine knows that when we hit these moments in life, they are "Blah" days. My subway sandwich was less than stellar. How can you make bread so hard yet call it fresh? It was a complimentary lunch, so I should not complain. However, that has yet to stop me. Blah. Traffic was just down right evil driving down West Jefferson tonight. Blah. My pup is not eating his food. Blah. Had a board meeting tonight. Which wasn't Blah, but I was grumpy so I made it, blah. I filled up with gas on the way home, but you know that tomorrow the gas price will go down, blah. Well, that is about all the happiness I can spew out tonight. Enjoy the blahstery day!

A is for apple.... B is for ....

As folklore may go, my ancestor is John Chapman. The guy with the knapsack over his back, spreading apple seeds, spreading good will and ... the ring leader for the biggest weekend event in the state of Indiana. Johnny Appleseed Festival is a two day celebration where time is turned back to life without electricity and IPODs and You Tubes and the Magic Bullet (another time I will talk about this...) Anyway, food and music, and hands on demonstrations make this two day event a spectator favorite. For many of us, we know this is the time not to drive along Coliseum Boulevard because the traffic is unbearable. Others know this is the time when we should make sure we are not allergic to bumble bees, because even though 300,000 people attend the festival ... 500,000 bees come to Fort Wayne to celebrate this special event.
The Festival had a special place in my mind for many reasons, to include, but no encompassing, was the spot where I was engaged nearly a dozen years ago. It was a tradition that made me enjoy apple cider. Beyond that, it was something to do. I have not been to the Johnny Appleseed Festival in the past three years. This year is no exception. I thought I would just share a bit of trivia and ramble about history.

So Emotional.....

I heard it was snowing in Hell, today. Well, the next report was that it was not snowing in Hell but Whitney stormed out of her husband's house and she dropped her purse. Cuz you know...crack is whack... Well, one of the dysfunctional Brown's has escaped. Whitney has filed for a legal separation from Bub-bee. I think I may have been a stalker. It just came to me, I followed Meredith. I followed Whitney. I am wondering how I ever got anything done with the hours of watching Guiding Light, Lost and The View... As I have said before, I digress! Well, Whitney had a great voice. A super talent that was on loan from God.... I am hoping that by leaving her crazed husband that she will regain her sanity. First clue she needs to accept ---- run from your crazy cousin too, Dionne Warwick. That is one messed up chick too. So lets grab the candles and hold the vigil, Whitney make the right steps and know that even though Bub-bee will always love you, you need to love yourself enough to go out and dance with somebody who loves you!

Our own game of telephone...

Well, this blog site has become host of meaningless fluff, stories about termites and things I find interesting. Guess what, two out of the three will be repeated with this entry. Meredith Vieiria returns to broad-cast television. ... nuhhuh, he didn't just say that...Yes, I said it!! Well, I am truly a fan of Meredith. I followed her from 20/20 to Lifetime Intimate Portrait to the View. So, I am hoping my compass will direct me to Today. I think she is wise, witty and teethe. People who know a tad about me - know that I like long hair, a laugh and nice teeth. I like tuna casserole, old Whitney Houston and Chicago music and watching Arrested Development, but I know that has taken me off track. Anyway, I did not catch Meredith on Today, today. Nor did my TIVO because I guess I was the last person on earth to know that she started on a Tuesday. Hello. So I have no insight to the chemistry between she and Matt. Nor do I know if she was witty and told Tom Cruise that she too has tried prescription anti-depressants. Not even certain if her hair is the same color, same length. So, if anyone did catch it, clue me in on the facts. Or just make up a few. It is gossip at its best!

The down low....

Maybe it is just me, but I am certain that I stepped back in time. Not sure if anyone else has filled up with gas this week, but the price has dropped to $2.34 a gallon. Being the spend-thrift that I am on occasion. I used my Kroger Plus Card and got it for $2.24 a gallon. It made me want to drive all over Fort Wayne. Even drive to Tallahassee. Though, I do not know anyone who lives there, at these prices I could just drive the country side. A hurricane is coming so the prices will bolt up at least 'fitty cent' so you better w-rap your arms around these prices while you can.

Not my donuts!!!

The University of Michigan is in its 127th season of football. I have been attending games since 1998. I have sat through some rain, some snow, lots of sun, an occasional wind but let me tell you about the experience that they say never happen twice. Lightening. I have always heard that the last place you want to be is in the middle of a lightening storm. I am sure that really the last place anyone wants to be is outside sitting on a metal bench with 110,000 people sitting shoulder to shoulder and butt to butt (or thigh depending on the person next to you) in a lightening storm. Yesterday, the sky had clouds. They thought a 30% chance of rain late in the afternoon. A noon game, hmm, I think we could get through this game dry and ... of course undefeated. Well, the game kicked off and was clipping pretty good pace. I had my bag of donuts and my apple cider and I don't think I could have been any closer to heaven. Well, then a roar of thunder happened. The crowd cheered...it was like "in your face storm, you have blown over us and nothing is going to stop us". Then a second roar of thunder. The crowd cheered..."haha Detroit, it is coming your way." Well, let me tell you my donuts did not have a chance in hell when the sky opened up and dropped 110,000 gallons of water on the stadium. One gallon per person, share and share alike. Then the game was called. Then the announcer said, "duh, water. RUN people for your lives." Well, that is what I think everyone heard. The rain came down, down, down! The people pushed and shoved like it was the last cabbage patch kid in 1986 on Christmas Eve. Thunder, lightening, rain. For forty five minutes people pushed and shoved to get out the tiny hole that is the exterior of the stadium. Mind you, my little bag of donuts that I was not done eating. I had three left and I was more mad that my donuts were going to be ruined than the fact that there was not a portion of my body that was not moist. I think I had water pouring out my ears. It was a once in a lifetime experience, I do believe. I have been bitching about that rain ruining my donuts for almost twenty four hours and I really doubt I am going to get beyond this moment in my life.

Too much of a good thing...

Well, well, well, look who was out drinking all last night. Poor Jack! This makes me realize that Halloween is just right around the corner. Which means in two more weeks we will see the Christmas trees being harvested for "fresh" cut displays at gas stations and big box home improvement stores. Somehow, once we cross Labor Day the next three months rapidly pass like a kid on a tabogon with a shiny underside. Mind you, I am the one who has been declaring a celebration in December a "hot topic" but I have yet to hang the miseltoe. {Note to self, must find reason to purchase miseltoe this year.} Let us hope we can enjoy the next couple months without being squished to death by Frosty and Rudolph television specials. That I can still purchase M and Ms that are not green and red. That I have ample time to make my own Christmas List rather than receiving 10,000 catalogs that don't allow me to think for myself. Christmas can be a great holiday, but I wish consumers had more choice of when we begin to plan it, celebrate it and claim it.

Rub a dub dub

Okay, so you may have noticed if you have followed this blog that I have a handful of quirks. Well, today I expose one more. I am addicted to different shampoos. I have more in my shower than most OCC people. I have mint soap (to the right), I have a rosemary mint, a lemon soap, an orange soap, a peach soap, a lavender soap, an almond soap, a clarifier and that is just on the left side. Not sure why, but it could be like the addiction to cologne (as highlighted in an earlier blog). Nonetheless, one might think I have a beautiful head of hair. Well, shock, I don't have much hair at all. I do feel good about the process of cleaning what I do have left. So...before you get into your tub, bring a new scent into your shower.

Look what I found....

It was last summer that a friend of mine began to catch the craze that swept the Emmys and swept the ratings. It is the show LOST. Now, mind you, that I can easily get hooked on a good show, or a good song, or a good box of Girl Scout Thin Mints. Like that infamous box of cookies, you can not stop no matter how you try. I watched season one non stop. As I was informed, a person was surgically removed from their couch. I was near that point. Well, season two was released yesterday and I was on hand to purchase it. Mind you, I did not schedule to take a few days off to watch it. Though, I should have. I have one month to watch all of season two before season three begins to air on network television. I seldom endorse a politician, but I do endorse this show. I highly recommend that you rent season one and get hooked. You will lost without it.

Lets Make A Dessert

Well, today I have the day off and I am going to make a dessert for a pool party. Thought it would be fun to make something fun and simple. So here it goes. You can make this dessert at home and you may be surprised how easy it is to make. Take a pound cake and slice it. Place it a round bowl, one layer covering the sides and the bottom. Apply a layer of Almond paste to the pound cake. Dump the bag of heath bar crunch onto the pound cake next. Make chocolate and pistachio pudding. and put atop the heath bar crunch. Next put the maraschino cherries on the pudding. Then layer pound cake on top of it. (You can put some pecan brandy on the pound cake, but this is optional). Layer the cool whip on top and put the bowl into the refrigerator and serve when ready.

Singing the Blues.

Ah, well now that summer is over (see yesterday's blog), fall is now ready to turn green to red to yellow to brown. But the colors the trees should turn is maize and blue. It is officially football season. Cannot state I am a big fan of high school sports. Never was. I think in my four years at Carroll I may have attended five games. As you know, I have not been tempted to see the Wiz...rather Wizards. I have been to a dozen hockey games. I have been to a handful of major league baseball games. Never saw a tennis match. Been to a couple of golf courses for lessons (in losing). I cannot swim. I can run up the stairs but not down the road. I have yet to understand the shot put. I took horseback riding lessons when I was dating someone who liked horses. I realized it was just too much work to try to love her and the horses. I have not fished much because if I catch the "big one" and get pulled into the water, the fish wins and I float up a few days later. So, now that this rant has went on for days, the only thing I enjoy about sporting events is Michigan football. The BIG HOUSE as it is so endearingly coined brings in some big coins! Over 100,000 people are in the stadium at each of the seven home games. Tickets are harder to get than the truth from Star Jones on how she dropped 250 pounds in 10 weeks by just getting married.... Nonetheless, the city of Ann Arbor comes to life and is the hot spot all day Saturday when the team is in town. I go to every home game that I can. Now, mind you I am not a Michigan Grad..I went to many colleges that I never graduated from (but that is a rant for a later date). I have loved the colors as a kid, thought about college at U of M as a teen, and as an adult I make the scenic fall trek seven times a fall to see them play. Go Blue.

Bye Bye Summer

Last night, I had a remarkably fun evening. Friday night end of summer party. A gourmet dinner, if you will. Now, some of you are saying, Hey Carbo, I did not get invited.... one of your all single friends party... Truth be told, I was actually invited to a party. It was an outside dinner party with nine people. From appetizer to dessert, the conversation flowed as well as the cranberry vodka that I chugged for the six hours that I probably over stayed my welcome. Candles for light when the stars hid behind the cloud cover. Music provided by the gentle rap of the sprinkling system. It was good to talk a bit of politics, a bit of You Tube, a bit of ghosts, a bit of cars. You name it, we probably touched upon it. The host and hostess for this evening rolled out the carpet and made me feel like I have been part of their circle of friends for years. If this is the way summer ends, I can not wait until Fall begins.

Circle of Life...

Today is payday, and guess what I have spent most of it already. Not whining just making a point that the money comes in and goes out just as fast. So, I do things to stretch that all important dollar bill. Like, I use coupons like many other people do. I use credit cards that offer bonuses like airline tickets, gas cards, gift certificates. I go to the doctor only when I have two things wrong so I get more for my dollar. I purchase the buy one get one free items even if I don't like what the item is. Have one of those Entertainment Books, the ten million coupons that expire in November. Well, I seem to use enough to pay for the book, but I have yet to get rich quick from it. As we approach this Labor Day holiday, hats off to the working person who worked so hard this week that he (she) is just right back where he started.