We are often reminded to “stop and smell the roses” but how often do we actually do that? Sometimes, it’s the simple pleasures in life that we can get the most joy out of. Last night the sunset was incredible and all of us ILMers took a moment to marvel at it.
There are moments in everyone’s life that changes who you are forever. The day you get your driver’s license or when you throw your high school graduation cap up in the air. When you get married or become a parent for the first time. Your life changes overnight and is never the same.
Today is the official day that our team mate Robbie Folena changes to “Rob” Folena. Now that he is officially 25 years old, he has asked us to take him seriously as an adult and colleague.
So when he shows up at the lunch room with a healthy meal, he can remember the good old days when “Robbie” brought in a full plate of nachos for lunch and when he could eat anything he wanted and not gain a pound. These were the good times. CEO
Only a few weeks ago, I became the “mother of the groom” for the very first time. Our daughter, the oldest of our three children, was married three years ago and that was hard enough – a strange mixture of happiness and tears, excitement for a newly-launched family and a bit of melancholy for the child that was now all grown up! As parents, our job is to work ourselves out of a job – taking a completely dependent infant and turning them loose on society some 18 years later as, hopefully, independent, moral, loving, productive members of society.
A son’s a son till he takes a wife, but a daughter’s a daughter for the rest of her life! I’m sure you’ve heard this before and it’s true. My son, Stephen and his sweetheart met each other for the first time in 5th grade. They started dating as juniors in high school and the romance endured 4 years at CU Boulder. Finally, this summer, they officially became husband and wife in Grand Lake, Colorado with Mt. Baldy and the Rocky Mountain National Park in the background. For the record, my new daughter-in-law is easy to love and has been part of our family for years before their wedding on June 26th. Still, it was a little hard releasing my little boy to another woman, I must say. For years, I was the only woman in his life. Whether I was wearing a cocktail dress or an old bathrobe, hair color or jewels, he always told me I was “beautiful” and that one day he would marry me. Aah – unconditional love. My adorable new daughter-in-law is a wonderful cook, sweet as the day is long, funny, intelligent and, not surprisingly, beautiful! As it should be, she is the new woman in my little boy’s life. After multiple viewings of “Mother of the Bride” (conditioning myself so as not to cry) I behaved myself and did not dissolve into a puddle of water. Those precious memories are mine to keep, but my little boy, now a Man – is all grown up and he’s going to make my dear Tahnee a wonderful husband and father.
Not even two months ago, I got to experience for the first time, being the “mother of the groom”. My husband and I are the fortunate parents of three young adults. The subject of this story, our youngest, Stephen was married to the love of his life, Tahnee on June 23rd in Grand Lake, Colorado. We relocated from Australia to Conifer, Colorado in December of 1995. Stephen started school just after the holidays and here, in 4th grade, is where he met his future wife. Stephen was all about sports in those days and it wasn’t until Junior prom that Tahnee finally succeeded in getting Stephen to notice her. That’s where it started and the two endured through 4 years of college. While most of the “home town honey’s” fell to the wayside, Stephen and Tahnee
I live in the Lodo area of Denver in a one-bedroom apartment by myself. However, most nights I’m anything but alone. Two of my closest college friends, Jimi and Cheese, (Craig’s name has been pretty much formally changed thanks to a few years in a fraternity) live below me one floor and 6 doors to the right. Upon moving into my new apartment I knew I should give a spare key to someone in case of lock out, emergency etc… Well, there were two likely candidates. Ever since that moment our other friends haven’t let any of us live down our Seinfeld living situation.
In Seinfeld, Jerry’s apartment and refrigerator have revolving doors. Jimi & Cheese have been grocery shopping a total two times since I moved in upstairs. Some days, I will come home thinking about a cold beer in the fridge only to be greeted by a beerless fridge and a text from Cheese “had a tough day, grabbed the beer”.
When I told them I was going to blog about us it was unanimous that Jimi is without a doubt our Kramar.(Hes on the left in the picture) Jimi has gone through a lot in the past year but his sense of humor and out look on life have kept all of us entertained. He is one of the most astute people I know from 9-5 (although he’ll tell you he works 7am-7pm) then all of a sudden work is over. “Jim” is put away and “Jimi” comes to life. He tells us though that “Jim” is always around cause you never know when you’re going to have “talk shop.”
Our Seinfeld story is coming to a close because, I am moving out next month to an apartment closer to downtown and only 5 blocks from the InLine offices. Although I would never tell them, I am going to miss their constant company, laughter and family feeling they’ve given me. Moving merely 3 blocks away I know not much will change. I have little doubt there won’t still those nightly 6pm phone calls “Hey Bails, what’s up, what’s for dinner?”
Off to start the weekend with a cold beer, hope there is one in there!
In honor of Ilene’s (impending) 50th birthday on Friday, I asked the InLine crew to help me come up with 50 reasons that Ilene is fabulous and what makes her a STAR! Not only does this list give our readers’ insight to Ilene’s personality, but probably also what a day in the life of a member of the ILM crew entails. Hope you enjoy!
1) She is the best office mom!
2) Ilene has been a true inspiration and mentor- she is how we all aspire to be with clients, co-workers, and everyone in her life!
3) Ilene is InLine’s very own ‘Queen’, reigns with a quiet brilliance.
4) No matter how busy she is, she always makes time to listen.
5) She says it like it is.
6) You always know where you stand with her.
7) She stays calm in a crisis.
She always figures out a way to make a bad situation better!
9) She helps out around the office in any way that she can.
10) She successfully juggles career and family.
11) She travels well- even calls in from the shower!
12) Ilene always makes you feel like you are the most important person she’s talked to all day!
13) She is humble and has a great sense of humor about herself!
14) I love the jokes and pranks she plays on all of us.
15) No matter how bad her day is going, she always finds something to laugh at, or make a joke about.
16) Her laughter can be heard from California Street!
17) I love her smile and her good mornings to everyone.
18) Ilene’s smile often lights up the room, in both Spanish & English.
19) She is fair in business and tries to see things from both sides of the desk.
20) She has three teenagers and all are still alive!
21) She has the sweet spirit of encouragement!
22) Because of how clean her car is.
23) Her frustrations with riding public transportation! (Ask her about her run-in with the RTD person checking passes on the light rail!)
24) She always has pretzels at her desk.
25) Her diet coke addiction.
26) Her hair after a stressful day.
27) How she ALWAYS loses her glasses (sometimes on top of her head!)
28) How she thinks it’s totally acceptable for her youngest daughter to spend afternoons alone at Starbucks.
29) She’s the only person who drives to work and manages to lose her keys between parking and the office.
30) How her desk is normally about as organized as a child’s finger painting.
31) She refers to her parents as Judy & Harvey, even to her children.
32) I love how she treats us all like family.
33) I love how Ilene talks to each client- She sounds like she is talking to her best friend and makes them feel like they are the only client!
34) I love her intercom system… she talks to Ann & Scott in the back offices like they are sitting next to her.
35) She prefers to holler down the hallway rather than use her intercom.
36) She is old enough to remember some cheesy TV commercials: ‘Love that Bobcat’ for instance for the Mercury Cougar.
37) The way she interjects Yiddish terms into every form of conversation!
38) She has saved the day more times than Nancy cares to admit!
39) She willingly shared an office with Steve Sander and outlasted him.
40) Nancy will forever be grateful that she went from InLine’s first Go To Freelancer to Lieutenant General and often takes on 5-Star General!
41) Her college stories and how they sound more like dreams than actual events.
42) Her candy jar that is always full!
43) Her obvious love for firemen and young men at Sports Column.
44) The misspelled flier for the firemen auction on her office door.
45) The fact that she puts up with us teasing about her being a cougar! (Her kids would probably be SO embarrassed if they knew.)
46) She is a very accommodating hotel room roommate and a great travel companion.
47) Her rule that she is only allowed to drive and NEVER allowed to provide directions/navigation.
48) How silly she gets after ONE gin and tonic!
49) Her undying love for her dog, Jake (she always says he’s the only one who listens to her!)
50) Last but certainly not least, she honestly makes 50 look like the new 40!
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