March forth!

Every March 4th, I think of Chris Edmonds, and this story I did about her in 2005:

Source: BY SUZANNE PEREZ TOBIAS , The Wichita Eagle

ADVICE FOR TODAY: 'MARCH FORTH!'
-- A PUN MADE 30 YEARS AGO HAS EVOLVED INTO A WICHITA WOMAN'S OWN PERSONAL HOLIDAY.
March 4th.

March forth!

Today isn't just another late-winter Friday. Today your calendar is giving you an order:

Reach high.

Laugh hard.

Dream deep.

March forth!

Chris Edmonds heeds the directive. Nearly 30 years ago, a high school classmate passed her a note. She doesn't remember what it said. But she recalls her reply:

"Happy March 4th! March forth!"

The girls giggled at the play on words. The rest of the day, they shouted "March forth!" to everyone they saw.

Edmonds has honored March 4th ever since. She calls it "my own personal holiday."

She sends handmade cards to friends and family, and they send cards to her. Some are serious, with scripture verses:

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. . . . In the same way, your light must shine before men, so that they may see goodness in your acts and give praise to your heavenly Father" (Matthew 5:14-15).

Others are fun -- a watercolor butterfly with the sentiment "Don't just flutter by. March forth!"

Forget your mistakes.

Throw paint on the canvas.

Seize the day.

March forth!

"To me it's about hope, about optimism," said Edmonds, 46, who directs young adult ministries for the Catholic Diocese of Wichita. "Over the years, as I've shared it with people, I've noticed it's a transformative thing.

"You see their faces light up. They realize that life's not so bad. What's done is done, and this is a new day."

Set sail.

Find a way.

Live out loud.

March forth!

Edmonds wants the whole world to celebrate March Forth. People have told her she should trademark the holiday, sell her cards to Hallmark. It could be big. Really big.

"That would be too commercial," she said. "It's not my day to own, it's my day to share."

She feels the love every March 4th. Her mailbox fills with cards and letters from friends all over the world. People see the date and remember her, and her phone rings nonstop. They call with greetings and good wishes. Some sing songs.

One year she heard from a friend who had recently lost her job. "I just clung to 'March Forth,' and it got me through," the woman told her. "I may not know what the future holds, but I knew March 4th would come, and everything would be OK."

Start over.

Start now.

Amaze yourself.

March forth!

This year March 4th falls on a Lenten Friday, a day of penitence rather than celebration. She'll bring cookies to the office, but small ones.

"It's meant to be light and fun," she said. She marks the occasion in little ways, by fixing a favorite meal or attending the garden show to drink up spring. And she basks in the positive energy that comes from knowing people all over the world are thinking of her.

Friends in Maryland, Texas, South America and New Zealand. Friends all over Kansas. People who don't even remember her birthday (it's in November, by the way) will call her today and say, "March forth!"

And she'll reply, "March forth!"

"I never dreamed a silly little play on words could end up being so meaningful to people," she said. "But I love it."

March forth!

Most brutal Valentine's Day story ever...

My colleague Annie Calovich and I were reminiscing about Valentine's Day stories and just remembered this one from 2004. A classic. I'll never forget hearing that painful, botched wedding proposal on my morning drive to work.

Here is an excerpt, along with the full transcript of the radio show. That was back when we had plenty of space for such treasures.

Saturday, February 14, 2004

Page: 1A
Source: BY ANNIE CALOVICH, The Wichita Eagle

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE FOR LOVE

It's Valentine's Day, people. Have a little heart...

.....

One poor man laid a big Valentine's egg on Friday - ear-witnessed by thousands of people listening to the radio on the way to work.

"Walter" was the last of five people to propose on the air this week during the annual Five Proposals in Five Days promotion that disc jockeys Brett Harris and Tracy Cassidy of B98-FM do every year leading up to Valentine's Day.

The way the promotion works, a man comes into the studio and calls his beloved on the phone, live on the radio, and asks her to marry him. In five years, no woman has ever said no.

Until Friday.

After Walter told "Katie" that he knew he could never be with another, that he knew she needed structure and someone to take care of her, that her eyes were like pools and her touch like a feather, he was met with the dreaded radio silence. And then:

"Absolutely not. Not now. Not ever."

Her anger was palpable. His voice choked and faltered ("I'm sorry, sweetie, but I do love you").

The phone line eventually went dead. Katie had hung up. Brett and Tracy, like all their listeners, were in shock. Among the first words spoken were Tracy's, offering to give Walter a list of counselors. Walter, declaring that he loved Katie, simply walked out of the studio and straight to his truck.

The song "Have You Ever Been in Love?" -- chosen, tragically, with a differen t outcome in mind -- was queued up, giving the disc jockeys a chance to gasp off the air.

"It should have been J. Giles -- 'Love Stinks,' " Brett said afterward.

While e-mails flooded the radio station -- saying everything from "Bless his heart" to "He should have seen the signs" to "Can I meet this guy?" -- Brett got Katie on the phone after the show and asked her to come on the air Monday to give her side of the story. Still sounding angry, she agreed. Tune in during the 8 o'clock hour.

'Will you marry me?'

Here is the transcript of a marriage proposal made Friday morning during "The Brett & Tracy Morning Show" on B98-FM. Walter is in the studio with Brett and Tracy. Katie is on the phone:

Brett Harris (talking to Katie): Do you know a gentleman by the name of Walter?

Katie: Uh, yeah.

Tracy Cassidy: He happens to be with us this morning.

Brett: Yeah, hang on one second here.

Walter: Hi, sweetie.

Katie: (Pause.) Hello.

Walter: I just wanted to let you know that when I met you I'd never be with another. What we've been through these long last eight months has taught me one thing, and that's to lead with my heart. And so that's why I'm calling you this morning on B98. I know the one thing you need more than anything right now is structure, someone to depend on . . . someone to take care of you. Your eyes are like pools, and your touch is like a feather. Monday night you said you could spend the rest of your life with me, so I ask you this morning: Katie . . . will you marry me?

Katie: (Audible sigh.) Absolutely not. Not now. Not ever.

Walter: Why not? Sweetie . . .

Katie: Please tell me this isn't on the air.

Walter: Yeah.

Brett: We are on the air.

Katie: Ohhhhh, gee.

Walter: Are you all right, baby?

Katie: How could you do this to me? You're so manipulative, putting this kind of pressure on me. You know I'm not ready. You know I've been seeing other people. Uhhh. Where are my kids right now?

Walter: They're at Mom's.

Katie: I can't believe you've done this to me. I am so embarrassed right now. (Heavy sigh. Silence.)

Walter: I'm sorry, sweetie, but I do love you.

Brett: Walter? Um, Trace? Hold it.

(Dial tone.)

Brett: Oh no. She hung up on him.

Tracy: Uh, Walter, um, maybe you should come and let me give you a list of good counselors. This might be a real good time for that.

Walter: I'm sorry. I'm sorry about this. I gotta take a walk. I'm sorry.

10/365: Snow, finally.

Woke up to fresh powder, which is always nice. Even when school's not cancelled.

9/365: Decadence

Ready for snow with a cup of Mayan hot cocoa (hints of cinnamon, vanilla and ancho chiles!) from Cocoa Dolce. This stuff is awesome. Many thanks to Sherry Chisenhall, who lent me the cocoa mix after she saw me all excited about free "hot chocolate" from the office vending machine. :-P

8/365: Coffee at Panera

Saturday morning coffee with Tara and Alice. Good times. :)

7/365: Report card pizza

Great report cards on Friday, so the kids got Pizza Hut for dinner.

6/365: Keeping Christmas

This week's column was about how I love my Christmas decorations and don't feel like taking them down just yet. Least of all these awesome nutcrackers in the kitchen.

5/365: Muscles

4/365: Nerf warriors

Celebrate life

“Celebrate life. We tend to be so focused on efficiency and convenience that we forget to invite our children to share in life’s messy or inconvenient pleasures: finger paints, late-night fireworks, mud puddles, the sunrise, baking a cake. The pure joy of a moment fully lived is more precious than clean hands, an hour of lost sleep, dry shoes, or a perfect dessert.”

-- Katrina Kenison

3/365: Back to school...

And not very happy about it.

Resolution

Borrowed from this awesome list of resolutions.

World's Best Snickerdoodles

This recipe is from the "America's Test Kitchen" Holiday Cookies 2010 cookbook. And it was the best, most delicious surprise of our last holiday baking day.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 3/4 cup sugar, divided

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in bowl.

With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each until well-incorporated.

Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture gradually and mix until just combined.

Combine cinnamon and remaining (1/4 cup) sugar in bowl.

Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls with moistened hands, toss in cinnamon-sugar to coat, then place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake each sheet separately until edges are light golden brown and centers are soft and puffy, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating each sheet halfway through baking.

Cool 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

2/365: Baby Jesus

Put a few Christmas decorations away today. Part of me wants to keep the Little People nativity set up all year.

Project 365: This will require some caffeine...

I'm launching a resolution today, hopping on the Project 365 bandwagon. Will take a photo a day in 2011. Decided to kick off the project with a shot of my new best friend. Thanks again, Mom and Dad.

Notable moments, Christmas 2010

1) Jack knocking on my bathroom -- yes, BATHROOM -- door at 6:30 a.m. and then, once I emerged, staring up at me and saying, "It's Christmas!"

2) Hannah in the living room after aforementioned wake-up call, shaking her head and declaring, "I TRIED to hold him off until 7, but I'm sorry. I couldn't do it anymore. I . . . I just couldn't."

3) Randy walking into the living room, squinting and holding his head exactly like The Old Man in "A Christmas Story."

4) Jack looking into the sunroom, where the Christmas tree and all the presents were, and saying, "There's a FREAKING BIKE in there!" Classy.

5) Unwrapping my new Snuggie, a present from Jack. His hints were: "You'll laugh, but it's useful," and, "It starts with an S." :)

6) Getting the most incredible gift from my friend Sandy: a beautiful pair of hand-knit mittens. For years now, I have watched her create masterpieces with yarn -- socks, scarves, blankets, mittens, you name it -- during our girls' ballet classes, and I'd always joke, "Are you done with my mittens yet? I can't wait to wear my mittens!!" I'd even try things on and say, "Yes, yes, this will work very nicely..." It became a running joke. I never DREAMED she would actually bless me with a pair. This morning, Hannah handed me a box that was tagged from "A little elf." It was the fiddlehead mittens! Sandy's note said, "Who could possibly enjoy these more than you?!" True. I was speechless. What a treasure. (I had to chuckle, too, thinking about Sandy saying, "THERE!! Now stop hounding me!!" Hee.)

7) Making jambalaya (Bo Rader's recipe) to go with the ham, potatoes, pie, etc. Our family loves that recipe so much, we might just have it every Christmas as well as on Super Bowl Sunday, which is when I usually make it. Heck, we might just have jambalaya for every single holiday from here on out.

8) Using my NEW KNIVES to make the jambalaya. Yes, I said NEW KNIVES! NEW KNIVES!! My hubby's the best. :)

9) Randy feeling better after several days with a horrible cold and sinus infection. Antibiotics prescription called out by our doc turned out to be his favorite Christmas present. ;-)

10) Uncle Brad being released from the hospital and being able to join us for at least part of Christmas Day. And Uncle Davy being home from Dallas for Christmas for the first time in several years.

11) Hannah hooking up her iPod to the computer for the first time, watching it sync and saying, "It's doing things! Things are happening!!" I think she may have earbuds in her ears for the next, oh, 12 years or so.

12) Carl's traditional Christmas Eve get-together, complete with the traditional Chicken McNuggets, Coke salad and plates of brownies marked "Nuts" and "No Nuts."

13) Phone call from the Perez family on Christmas Eve, making sure I knew that Papa Perez was posting old cheerleading videos of me on Facebook. Because nothing says "Merry Christmas" like embarrassing videos of your mullet-headed high school self doing dance routines to Gloria Estefan.

14) Laughing hysterically as we set up and shot our 2010 Christmas card photo. That's right, we may be a little late with our cards and letter this year, but it'll be worth it. (Or maybe it won't be worth it, but at least you'll get something besides holiday bills in the mail. So stop griping.)

Merry Christmas, everyone. Hope yours was as crazy and happy and unforgettable as ours. I'd love it if you posted your favorite holiday moment here. :)

Early resolution...

Last night I got to hear and meet one of my all-time favorite writers, David Sedaris.

He said he has kept a diary for more than 35 years, writing something every day -- memorable moments, jokes, comments from fans, descriptions of hotel rooms, interesting conversations, just whatever. During that whole 35-plus-year time period, he has skipped "maybe 50 days," Sedaris said.

Fifty.

And I can't keep a blasted blog going for more than a few weeks at a time? Must rectify. Starting now.

Prayers for Kelli

In tears right now trying to wrap my head and heart around this news from a high school friend of Randy's. She's one of the most upbeat, positive women I know -- a middle school English teacher, which pretty much says it all, right?

Not really sure what to think or say or do, except to say that I'll be praying for Kelli. Y'all please do, too.

Frugal

Remind me never to complain about my kids not making the most of school supplies.

The taste of autumn...

September is here. The windows are open (we've got an unusual early fall in Kansas). So I couldn't wait to make the season's first batch of caramel corn.

I got this recipe years ago from Alice, who got it from one of the pressmen at The Salina Journal. It's sticky and gooey and awesome and perfect. Here you go:

CARAMEL CORN

2 sticks butter or margarine

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda

air-popped popcorn (8-10 cups?)

peanuts (I use unsalted or honey-roasted, Alice swears by Spanish peanuts)

Important note: After you pop all the corn, sift through it well to remove all the unpopped kernels. Otherwise, someone could break a tooth. Seriously. I pop it all into one side of our turkey roasting pan, then transfer it by handfuls to the other side (lid), and throw away the tooth-breaker seeds.

Combine first five ingredients in a large-ish pot or saucepan (this bubbles and boils quite a bit). Heat over medium to medium-high heat until boiling. Boil, stirring constantly, for five minutes. Remove from heat and add baking soda. Stir. Syrup will kind of whooosh and turn a nice caramel color. Pour over popcorn and peanuts in a large roasting pan. Stir until everything is coated well. Bake at 250 degrees for one hour, stirring well every 10 minutes. Cool on wax paper, then transfer to airtight container (if you don't eat it all off the counter).