Pecha Kucha

This stuff is spreading like wild-fire, so you may already be well aware of this very interesting phenomenon. Simply put, Pecha Kucha is an event where people gather and watch presenters talk about anything...the catch is each presenter has 20 PowerPoint slides (no more, no less) and exactly 20 seconds for each slide. The presentations flow, and there is little room for rambling on. Audiences tend to enjoy this.

My good buddy Stu set up a Pecha Kucha evening at The Crooked Tree CoffeHouse (www.crookedtreecoffehouse.com), which is owned by one of our good friends Kristyn. The event was fantastic and several interesting topics were covered. The point of this post was simply to make our readers aware of this great little event known as Pecha Kucha, and to encourage others to participate and/or help set up one at a coffeehouse or other place of business near you.

Learn more about Pecha Kucha at www.Pecha-Kucha.org. This last paragraph was needed because I think I was taught in middle school that there should never be two paragraphs...either one paragraph, or if more than one is required there should be three or more. Maybe I just made that up, who knows?

Out of the Loop

You've been out of the loop for a while, so I will briefly bring you back in the loop.

1. Jaclyn got married on Dec 13 and it was a beautiful wedding, had lots of wonderful desserts, great dancing, and Santa Claus even came! She looked amazing.











2. Last week for work, I traveled to 3 cities in 4 days and was on 5 different flights. We had a video shoot in Chicago, Sioux Falls, SD and Des Moines. The best parts of the trip were that I got to have dinner with Leah on Monday and got to see lots and lots of snow.

3. We had a little party at Liz's house on Saturday so I got to see lots of good old friends. Thanks to Liz for hosting a great Mexican Christmas party.

4. Josh and I have been sick for over a week now with bronchitis, but fortunately we will feel better for Christmas!

5. Today starts our Christmas festivities. We will be with Josh's family tonight and tomorrow, and with my family this weekend. Noah has been a very good boy so he is excited to see what Santa brings him.

6. Here is a picture we did not include on our Christmas card this year. Thanks to Mimi for the Christmas vest!

Christmas Questions

I've been tagged to fill out this survey and I can't let Mindy down, so here it goes:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper 85% of the time, gift bags 15%

2. Real tree or Artificial? We have really been trying to go "green" as much as we can...this year we are getting a living Christmas tree so we can plant it in our yard at the end of the season instead of throwing it away. (Really I think it is just an excuse for Josh to plant another tree.)

3. When do you put up the tree? Tonight

4. When do you take the tree down? New Year's Day

5. Do you like eggnog? I don't think so, but can't remember the last time I tried it

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Nintendo(?) - I have a bad memory, no offense mom and dad

7. Hardest person to buy for? My dad for sure, but just like Rachel Green, he can always get store credit

8. Easiest person to buy for? My sister

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail - speaking of we need to get on that

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I'd have to say the Brighton-esque wallet I received a few years ago from my parents. I think they forgot my style.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Christmas Vacation

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually the 2nd week of December

14. Have you ever re-gifted a Christmas present? Again, bad memory

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? I can't really say I eat anything different at Christmas time

16. Lights on the tree? Yes, white

17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph! (I can't say I deleted and rewrote this answer)

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Both b/c of the 2 families

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? It always sneaks up on me and goes by way too fast! (Ditto Womack)

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I have a little obsession with white, so I like the 12 or so white ornaments we have

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Mom's spaghetti and meatballs

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? To spend lots of time with Noah and to win big in Vegas!

4th Annual Turkey Trot

It has become tradition to run the YMCA Turkey Trot with my good ol friend Leah and her sister Kara. We started in 2004 and have run the 8 mile race each year since then. Josh has made it a tradition to be our photographer; here is a post race pic from this year's trot - Leah (in the middle) looks like she just got finished with her glamour shots. It is a really fun race, and I highly recommend it to everyone, b/c whether you run/walk the 3 mile or run the 8 mile, you won't feel very guilty eating the pie.

More Noah

When we first met Noah









"Hi Mama!"









Auntie Jamie









Bibi









Mama and Daddy

Uncle Josh and Auntie Jamie

We officially became Uncle Josh and Aunt Jamie today, 12/1/08. Noah Jack Pettett was born at 11:42am weighing in at 7lbs 7oz and 19.5" long. Case had a c-section, but is doing really well, and Noah is very healthy and of course the cutest baby ever!

The Half

To all of my sponsors, supporters, and fans:

I feel it necessary to share a little piece of information that I found out today. As you all know, I have been training for the White Rock Half Marathon on Dec. 14th; and by training, I mean following a schedule religiously since Sept. 22nd. I have been counting down the days until the race and it finally hit 3 weeks yesterday - it then became a reality that the race was just around the corner. Well, in preparation for the race, I am continuing the tradition of running the Turkey Trot with Leah this year...so, I made my way to Luke's Locker today to pick up my packet. I know a girl from A&M who works there and we were catching up since I hadn't seen her since this same time last year. She said so-and-so is pregnant; I said wow; she said what has been going on with you; I said well just running The Trot again and running in the White Rock Half; she said oh I heard that was sold out; I said I hope I've signed up for it.

Then I really started thinking about it, and in my stomach I knew something wasn't right. I immediately called Josh to ask him if he remembered seeing a receipt for the half on our CC statement - he didn't recall. I always keep confirmation emails, receipts, etc. in my hotmail account until they are past-due, so I went back to work and found no confirmation email and no receipt. I went to the White Rock Half/Marathon web site and clearly on the center of the home page it said "Half Marathon Registration is Sold Out."

To get straight to the point: I didn't sign up for the half, and after a day of frustration mixed with some laughter, I have come to the conclusion that God doesn't want me to run on that day. Now I can relax the night before at Jaclyn's wedding and eat the desserts that I otherwise would have foregone. My next decision I have to make is: Do I find another half marathon in the near future or do I skip over a half and keep training for a full?

Your dedicated runner,
Jamie