I've Missed You Too...

Hello, blog. Have you missed me? Special shout-out to Mademoiselle Danielle over in Paris who has been begging me to re-visit you. For all you blog-fans, you better thank her!

Well, its been an eventful 6 months. Crap, has it been that long? And the 6 months before that I was kind of a slacker blogger with little substance. But its a new year and lots of new changes are beginning so its a good time to reinvigorate my favorite family, friends & follower updater (sorry Facebook status updater. I do love you too.). So... I will re-hash a quick 6 month summary of my personal life so I can resume without guilt.

- THE MAN & THE MOVE: Okay, so this isn't in particular an item on my life list so I'll try not to gush or start rambling too much about my love-life. But in June of 2008, I got a lovely LinkedIn message from a past love from about 10 years ago. We had lost touch and hadn't emailed in about 6ish years. I had often thought of him over the years and vice versa. Oddly enough, I thought of him a lot when I was in the pain of mourning my cousin last March. I guess deep in my mind, he was more than just an old flame and my subconscious knew he could comfort my sadness. LinkedIn messages led to a few emails and photo exchanges which led to a week of daily 2 hour phone calls... and pretty much daily calls since and visits to Ohio/NYC/and in-between every other week over the past 6 months. We knew pretty quickly that this was a big re-connection. And although I've always been convinced I didn't need a man to be happy (and still do), I've never been happier in my life than in the last 6 months. Soon, I made the decision I swore I never would... I moved back to Ohio. And you know what? I could not be happier that I did.

Its funny... I spent the last ten years playing big city hotshot. Getting glammed up. Shopping at Saks for designer ensembles. Rocking stilettos so high that they should really have a health-advisory-warning on them. Climbing the ladder at work and in the design world. And just trying to be as glamorous and far away from the little farm girl I grew up as. Deep inside, I knew I shouldn't hide that friendly & sentimental Midwesterner who missed her family and the quiet of the country and small towns. But it took a man from the past to remind me that although its fun to play dress up, I'm just as special being the same person I was way-back when. He loves me no matter what I wear, where I live, or how successful I am. And finally... I do too. What an amazing man that can show me that.

- THE JOB(S): dbox has been great to me. Like every company recently, we've had a few bumps in the road but because of their quality, much less so it seems than pretty much any other agency out there. And, even better, unlike my previous gig that left my insecure and unconfident, they've made me feel capable and talented to rock any project. I don't want to sound conceited by any means but, damn it, I've been designing a long time and my eerie good memory along with my attention to details has made it inevitable that I would become one of the best at what I do. In most cases throughout my whole career, I end up the sole art director/designer on most projects because I earn the trust from both my boss and client to be able to do it all. So its time to retire the insecure and scared designer and embrace my new life and my new business finally. Its scary as hell but somehow without any effort or push or requests for referrals, I've got new business requests flying at me -- and amazing dream clients at that! I've worked hard to get here and I'm finally more than ready and entirely inspired.

- THE RIDE: I did it. #4 on the list. Ride a century bike ride (100miles) in honor of my Uncle Ray. My Uncle Ray passed away a few years ago from cancer but not without leading a life that inspired. He struggled with spina bifida his whole life and despite having been told as a child he would never walk... his determination and persistence made it inevitable that he eventually did. Beyond that, he additionally went on to ride TWO century bike rides. For a man that I walked with a severe limp his whole life, I sat at his funeral and listened to these stories and thought about how I should try a century ride too... I didn't even OWN a bike then either. And he could join me as my angel and ride in his third century ride. So on a very rainy day on August 31, 2009, my sister Tessa and I taped photos of my Uncle Ray onto our trusty bikes and took off to ride 100 miles out to Montauk from Babylon, Long Island. We were tested for sure... Tessa had three flat tires and though we started out tentative, by our third flat we were practically an Indy 500 pit crew. We had our tears, irritations with one another, sang songs along the way, and I think I prayed about 40 exhausted Hail Mary's during the last 10 miles uphill. I've never been so muddy, cold and wet. And our 8 hour prediction turned into an 11 hour reality with the weather and tire problems. Ironically, the rainy storm was remnants from Hurricane Daniel. So apparently the angel of our lost cousin Danny decided to also join us and play a trick on us that day... that's just like him too. But we enjoyed it nonetheless... and finished proudly and without injury.

What else...
I'm training for my THIRD full marathon. Who would have thought? Do I get extra credit for finishing #1 on my life list three times?!? When I wrote this list in April 2007 I hadn't even done my first half-marathon and I had only been running for about 4-5 months. Who would have thought the little unathletic, clumsy girl would become a runner?!? I'm still unsure of it... we'll see how many marathons it takes before I finally feel like a real "athlete" rather than some sneaky regular person posing as one. All I know is that this marathon will be on my 32nd birthday. What a great way to assert how young I actually I am!

Lastly, life is just good all around. Friends and family are healthy and happy. My life is on the cusp of finally finding a better balance and peace with the patience and help of some amazing people in my life. And if you would have told me one year ago, that my life would be what it is now and I'd be so happy... 1. I wouldn't believe it. 2. I would be pretty proud of myself.

Although I have to do better on my blog updates, I know. Life can't be perfect now, can it? I'm making a list now of other things to update you on from the past 6 months too -- weddings, design projects, vacations. So stay tuned. I swear I will write again before another six months go by!!!

Hudson River Landing Animation

Fascinating!



Found on swiss-miss.com

2 out of 3 Wehrman girls mentioned in this news article

Yea . . . I was working and didn't see squat. And I don't work for a newspaper. So there wasn't much to mention about me.

Published in the Dayton Daily News . . .

Urbana native witnessed plane crash
By Jennie Szink
Staff Writer
Thursday, January 15, 2009

Urbana native Tessa Wehrman was sitting next to a window on the 33rd floor of a building in New York City when she heard the worst words a New Yorker can hear.

"Someone goes, 'Oh my God is that a plane?'" Wehrman said.

Turning around to look outside, Wehrman watched as a US Airways jetliner crashed into the Hudson River about 3:30 p.m. Thursday. She and her coworkers at Nickelodeon saw the plane "smoothly" cut through the frigid water and waited to see if passengers would exit.

"We said 'It can't be a water plane,' and at that moment we saw the side doors open and (the passengers) were standing on the wings," Wehrman said. "We first thought, 'Where is a boat, where is a boat?' "

The river's current carried the plane about 10 blocks before ferry boats reached it, she said. The boats carried the plane's 155 passengers and crew to shore to meet the many ambulances that lined the banks.

"It's good to hear everyone's safe for the most part," said Wehrman, the sister of Dayton Daily News Washington correspondent Jessica Wehrman.

Wehrman said her office was "pretty crazed" and her coworkers were glued to the TV since seeing the falling plane out their windows. She has lived in the city for two-and-a-half years and sympathizes with the alarm the reported accident set off in the city.

On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists crashed hijacked jetliners into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, causing them to collapse. Nearly 3,000 people died in the attack.

"It's not something you want to see in New York," Wehrman said. "It's still very sensitive for everyone, even if you haven't lived there."

Water Rescue in the Hudson River!!

Breaking news from NYC . . . US Airways flight to Charlotte, NC made a water landing. Check it out here.

Also check out a friend of a friend's camera phone pic from the ferry. Thank God everyone's safe although I can't imagine they'll be too eager to get back on a plane soon.

Folks Just Love Those Burritos

From consumerist.com:

Yesterday, a magical new application appeared in the iPhone App Store. What did it do? Well, it allowed you to order burritos from Chipotle (for pick-up). From your iPhone.

There's apparently such a huge demand for this service that it broke the application.

Wow. So it was SO successful that they pulled it (for two weeks or so until they can streamline things). Expect many many more iphone ordering services from other restaurants soon!

Sweet! (and kinda gross at the same time)

This just out from the Daily Mail Reporter and BuzzFeed:

Revealed: Women feel at their sexiest aged 34 but enjoy love-making more as they get older
By Daily Mail Reporter

According to a new study, women feel sexiest when they're 34 years old (which is, for instance, Elizabeth Banks' age). And although women in their 20s and 30s are having the most sex (10.4 times a month), women between 45 and 60 (who're doing it 4.5 times a month) say they're enjoying sex more than when they were younger. Somewhere, a Sex and the City fan is excitedly emailing her friend.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


First of all, "10.4 times a month." If there was a boyfriend in the picture well obviously (or more I'd hope) but, if not, holy slutness, batman. I will reveal that my new life in NYC is anything but "Sex in the City."

Secondly, "women between 45 and 60 say they're enjoying sex more than when they were younger". . . please Lord, no comment Mom.

Inspiring Automakers . . .

OK — this article doesn't really discuss the whole economy crisis and pending bailout with the big 3 auto manufacturers. But it is quite an interesting read. Now, I'm obviously quite partial being that my father works for Honda and I won't lie to you there. I'm entirely proud of him and this article really embraces the things that make him so passionate for what he does.

But, additionally, I just adore their mission statement. What great words to live by in this rocky time: "We see the world not as it is, but as it could be."



G.M. should look at Honda, a model 21st Century Company
November 26, 2008

If General Motors (G.M.) wants to emulate another auto maker, it should look no further than Honda. Honda is what a 21st century “mobility” maker should look like. And it clearly the most innovative of all auto makers.

The company gets more U.S. patents than any other auto maker by a wide margin. With 677 in 2007, it was awarded nearly double the number of Toyota and GM which were second and third, respectively. And Honda’s new Greensburg, Indiana plant (its fifth in the U.S.) that just opened is a model of efficiency.

Honda is also the greenest car company. It largely ignored the gas-guzzling SUV and pickup craze. Sure, it has the Pilot and ungainly Ridgeline which at best (read: highway) deliver 20-23 MPG. But Honda’s seven other models get 25 MPG or better – much better in some cases.

What spurred me to write this post was nothing in about the auto business. Rather, it was what Honda is doing in the Combined Heat and Power area. American Honda just introduced a new home cogeneration unit for heat and electricity. It’s basically a very smart generator that runs on propane to produce heat and power. As part of the freewatt system that can deliver as much as three quarters of a home’s heating and electricity, the freewatt system it promises 30% reduction in greenhouse gases over conventional heating systems and annual electric bill savings for $500-$1,000.

It’s worth reading Honda’s entire mission statement. But I will excerpt the top three paragraphs which emphasize its value proposition in terms of mobility and benefits for society:

“We see the world not as it is, but as it could be.

We see the world through the eyes of dreamers. Because we are a company founded by a dreamer. And we are a company built on dreams.

We see the pursuit of impossible dreams as an empowering force, capable of producing revolutionary ideas. Dreams inspire us to create innovative products that enhance human mobility and benefit society. Honda encourages all of its associates to pursue their dreams. And it’s our mission to share these dreams with others and to make them a reality.”

I could not find a GM mission statement per se at gm.com, but did find one on Google. It’s as follows:

“G.M. is a multinational corporation engaged in socially responsible operations, worldwide. It is dedicated to provide products and services of such quality that our customers will receive superior value while our employees and business partners will share in our success and our stock-holders will receive a sustained superior return on their investment.”

Which one do you find more inspiring? More accurately, which of the two companies are designing and making the right products for the 21st century?

When Honda named its first American model the Civic, one senses they really meant it.

Posted by John Dodge on November 26, 2008

See Blogorelli? It Wasn't Just You...

Although maybe you were one of the folks included in this study (ps: Mom, please don't read this):

Snowboarding Tops Most Dangerous Outdoor Sports List

Next powder day, bring your first aid kit: snowboarding ranks as the riskiest outdoor sport, according to a new C.D.C. report. The study, which tracked injuries at 63 major hospitals countrywide during 2004 and 2005, showed that snowboarding accounted for a full 25.5 percent of all injuries in the outdoor activities category. Sledding came next, with 10.8 percent of the injuries, followed by hiking, with 6.3 percent.

Though skiing was found to be considerably less dangerous than snowboarding, nearly 65 percent of 5,609 sample cases cited in the study were results of snow-related activities.



(via Outside Magazine blog)

Coincidence that this Happened 2 Days before my Birthday or Not?

Alas, Charles Fuller fell through on my birthday gift... this is hilarious.


Man accused of trying to cash check for $360,000,000,000
07:59 PM CDT on Wednesday, April 30, 2008
From Staff Reports

A man has been accused of attempting to pass a $360 billion check, which he claims was given to him by his girlfriend’s mother to start a record business, Fort Worth police said.

Charles Ray Fuller, 21, of Crowley, was arrested on April 22 on an accusation of forgery, police said.

Police responded to a report of a man attempting to pass the check about 4 p.m. that day at the Chase bank in the 8600 block of South Hulen Street, Fort Worth police Lt. Paul Henderson said.

The personal check was not made out to Mr. Fuller and when the bank contacted the check owner, the woman said she did not write a check for $360 billion.

Mr. Fuller was also accused of unlawful carrying of a weapon and possession of marijuana, Lt. Henderson said. He may also face a theft charge in Crowley.

Lt. Henderson said he did not know if Mr. Fuller and his girlfriend were still together.

(from dallasnews.com (via perezHilton.com)