a flight attendant's wild flight from "the OC" to hobbs, new mexico with a layover in sin city

So long 2013!

2013-12-31T14:05:00.000-08:00

Went on an extended hiatus from blogging but decided to return. Missed 2012 altogether! Finally hung up the wings since I felt continual sleep deprivation no longer in my best interest. Thanks to Facebook, I am able to keep in touch with my many flying partners.

Just as Alice entered the rabbit hole, I did so in my journey from the OC to Hobbs, NM. Buying a true fixer of a house on eBay and living in it was my personal adventure and continues. Even though I left Hobbs a few years ago, I continue to have an interest in the community and am shocked at the many changes and growth of this town. Will be coming back to Hobbs from the OC on Jan 1st!

Be Still My 'PlantStrong' Heart!

2011-05-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

Move over Hugh Jackman. There's a new 'fantasy man' for women who probably is the object of many a 'bromance' for men as well. Rip Esselstyn is his name and he is a true American hero.

What qualifies him for this distinction in my eyes? Rip is a solid family man who recognizes the value of his wife Jill's love and support so that's a start. Firefighters (like flight attendants) share the designation of first responders. I always make a mental note of where a firefighter is seated on my plane and they often will identify themselves to us so we can quickly call on them if we need helpers in an evacuation or to help 'take down' a bad guy/gal in this new age of travel after 911.

Physical fitness is important in their profession as it is in mine and Rip is a buff triathlete who helped change the eating habits of his own firehouse and has written his book "Engine 2 Diet". Coining the term "plantstrong", he is helping change the image of vegetarian food. He has recently retired from firefighting and his influence is 'on the road' to saving many more lives than he ever could back in the Austin Fire Dept.

Last night I went to the San Diego premiere of "Forks Over Knives" and was pleased to meet Rip and briefly talk to him. Told him he's going to have to start wearing a disguise as more people become aware of the huge impact possible with a plant based diet coupled with exercise.

Traveling brings special challenges to remaining healthy. Confinement, food availability, TSA guidelines and biorhythm disruption are all things frequent fliers must deal with and it is my intention to share how I am incorporating plants into my lifestyle in the friendly skies.

The Flying Treehugger's Latest Passion

2011-05-15T12:18:00.000-07:00

Plants are my current obsession. Not being eaten by plants but eating only plants! Recently completed a certificate program in Plant Based Nutrition offered through Cornell University. It is entirely online and is an excellent series of courses put together by T. Colin Campbell PhD Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry. His book based on decades long research is called "The China Study". The New York Times has called it the "Grand Prix of Epidemiology.

The attendees of his courses are mostly from the health field; physicians, dietitians and an occasional flight attendant ;) There are excellent lectures, interactive discussions, written assignments and scheduled live chats. What was really refreshing is that students are encouraged to use creativity in their own approach to the subject matter. Lewis Freedman was my instructor/moderator for "Diseases of Affluence" and "Principles in Practice." Rebecca Michaelides did my first course of "Nutrition Fundamentals". There is sometimes spirited debate between the online egos which makes it all the more interesting. Thank you Dr. Campbell for allowing people outside the medical community to partake of your outstanding program!

Every Woman's Fantasy Man Ziplines From the Sydney Opera House!

2010-12-15T15:02:00.000-08:00

Hugh Jackman gets a big thrill and delights thousands as he ziplines from the top of the Sydney's famed landmark. It has actually been renamed the "Oprah house' due to the filming of Ms. Winfrey's show which won't be broadcast until mid January. Mr. Jackman was apparently so overcome by his experience
that he applied the brake a little too late and had a bit of a crash landing. True to his manly image, he brushed himself off and the whole event added to the showbiz spectacle.

It will be interesting to observe "the Oprah Effect" on Australian tourism after these shows hit the airwaves in over 145 countries. It is advertising that money can't buy and it couldn't happen to a more beautiful country. Being in Sydney and watching their news, one couldn't help but get caught up in the excitement of this Ozzie lovefest which included Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban, Russell Crowe and the late Steve Irwin's daughter, Bindy among others.

FLY Hobbs From Here To ANYWHERE

2010-12-03T11:25:00.000-08:00

Sydney by United flight attendant Robert Gallant

Great news arrived on a flier in my Hobbs water bill! My favorite Hobbs agency , the Economic Development Corporation of Lea County has launched flyhobbs.com What is so great is that one can now easily connect to Hobbs from the rest of the world. When I first discovered Hobbs, part of the appeal was that I could fly directly into Hobbs on a I.A.T.A. member airline. That service was replaced by a smaller company that was slower, more expensive and offered no reciprocal airline agreements with the larger carriers. Starting March 3rd, that all changes and I am thrilled to be able to once again fly directly into Hobbs connecting from major destinations all over the world.

There is a mistake on the website and flier that I must point out. ExpressJet is the regional airline that will serve Hobbs and they used to be under the umbrella of Continental Airlines. As of October 1, 2010; Continental was merged into United Airlines. Therefore, it is United Express who will be serving HOB.
Great job by the EDC making all this happen but time to update the website!!!

Hobbs to Hollywood

2010-03-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

Since I bought the house on eBay which was the topic of my first blog posting, I have been talking about the special community of Hobbs, New Mexico.

I moved there for a while and loved their great 'kick ass' country music.

Back in SoCal, I watched the Academy Awards especially enamored of the the film "Up in the Air" since I have followed the progress of the movie before it was filmed. The lead character played by George Clooney is named Ryan Bingham. That Ryan is just a fictional character. The great coincidence is that a very real Ryan Bingham born in Hobbs was a very real Oscar winner that night. He wrote the song 'The Weary Kind' and won for best original song for the movie Crazy Heart. Ryan is a true and deserving artist that grew up with a lot of character building experiences which are reflected in his music.

"The lighter your rollerboard, the better!"

2009-07-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

One of my personal quests in the last year has been to "die while alive". When my mom passed away , I was surprised by a gift she gave me. She had given me this gift all along but I didn't realize it until she was gone.

This 'dying while living' sounds a bit wacko until you delve deeper. Wayne Dyer writes about the concept which he lifted from the Tao Te Ching. My mom Sparky was a woman of surrender and material things were at the bottom of her priority list. I have a hard time following this act. I'm not sure if buying a kindle while giving away my books fits this concept but I have been simplifying and downsizing. I'm used to living out of a suitcase and having to lug that thing around, the less it weighs, the better.

The task that has driven me to lighten my material load was going through my mom's possessions after her death. It was difficult emotionally but in no other way because my mom didn't accumulate things like I have and would give away things easily. In a few hours, I had 2 bags of clothes to donate, one photo album and a few momentos. It occurred to me if my daughter had the same task, it would be horrific.

Another beautiful thing about unloading stuff and not easily acquiring new things is the time it frees up. Warren Buffet talked about the fact that he could have the big, fancy yacht but then you have to manage the staff that goes with it. My friend Hal Spolerich is fond of saying that "even a book requires maintenance" so I'm trying to use that one to justify my own purchase of a Kindle and dusting off one device instead of an entire library.

My Clooney Convergence

2009-03-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

Sometimes that whole 'synchronicity' thing knocks me out! A few weeks ago, My daughter tells me she met George Clooney and shook his hand. The very next day, I'm on an airplane after a visit to Hobbs and then a stop in Vegas. I happen to be seated next to the director and producers' of Clooney's next film which was about to start filming. It's called "Up in the Air" and is about a corporate hatchet man who is on a quest to build his frequent flier miles. The day after that, my friend calls and tells me her husband was heading to Darfur with guess who?

On the flight seated next to the filmmakers, Jason Reitman told me he recently took a trip from LAX to ORD just to keep his mileage status. He bought a Chicago pizza which the TSA tried to confiscate and immediately returned home with his goal accomplished, retaining his 1K status which would have been short a few hundred miles if not for that pizza trip. Mr. Reitman is an acclaimed director "Juno" and the son of another acclaimed director, Ivan Reitman, who directed "Ghostbusters". In fact, he was wearing a Ghostbusters t-shirt on the flight. It is hard for me to believe but that film was done 25 years ago. I'm one of those movie fans who always stays for the credits. Can't wait to see this film after talking to these three gentlemen.

Bite Me!

2009-02-16T17:05:00.000-08:00

Went last week to my 'One on One' at the Apple Store and had a discussion with my teacher about my favorite website. Ted.com Ted has a conference every year that I have so longed to attend but it's a bit costly and certainly the airline business doesn't pay enough for me to attend. One of the teacher's customers had just been to the conference and she told him about Bill Gate's talk. Both my teacher Josh and I agreed that although we both love Apple products, Bill Gates has set the world on fire. Anyway, at the TED conference, he actually let loose a jar of mosquitoes into the audience. He had showed a map of the countries where malaria is a major killer and they are all poor countries. He was just trying to even the score and naturally the mosquitoes were malaria-free! Too funny and such an example of guerrilla marketing. His foundation is fighting malaria and his talk is inspiring. I have mentioned him in an earlier post when he was a passenger on one of my flights. He is good buddies with Warren Buffet, another personal favorite of mine who has advised him in his philanthropy efforts. Gotta' love people trying to make a difference!

Shoes & Stem Cells

2009-02-16T15:31:00.000-08:00

Now it may appear I'm on some sort of a shoe obsession but I don't usually notice shoes that much, unlike my pal Rebecca who claims that "Shoes make life more fun!" and has the shoes and experiences to prove it. That said, you can see that Rebecca must have influenced me because I seem to be taking more note of shoes these days! The shoes pictured here belong to a scientist that completely changed my image of the scientific community. I was commuting to work on a 6am flight. Didn't have to work until that night but flying space available, didn't want to chance a later flight. Had no makeup on and flat shoes and as luck would have it, got seated in first class next to the owner of these incredibly stylish shoes. This picture which I asked him to send me, does not do them justice. The gentleman, Chris Airrless; is a brilliant Phd and the head of CA Stem Cell . He is also a flight instructor, and bears a slight resemblance to the motivational guru, James Ray. (James, you could take some fashion advice from Mr. Stem Cell.) He was so charming and said he thought me a female counterpart to Sir Richard Branson. Obviously, the man can "talk the talk" as far as women goes and what I admired even more about him was the high regard with which he spoke of his wife. (Ladies, you knew a man like this would be married!) His wife is a blogger and I suspect might have influenced him in his clothing selection. His shirt also did not fit the culture, I have come to picture of your typical scientist. The potential in Stem cells provide hope to those with ALS, SMA and cardiovascular disease. To top it off, an article about his company was published that day on the front page of my hometown newspaper, The Orange County Register. My close friend, Allison and I were journalism students in high school and have that newspaper on a pedestal in our hearts.

Cowgirl Airplane Cupholder

2009-02-13T11:45:00.000-08:00

Creative genius with huge style points given to this passenger for her water bottle holder! Turbulence! Not a problem since you can stabilize the boots with your feet. For those of you with embarrassing foot odor ( you know who you are), I recommend some thick socks if you're going to give this a go. That was not the case for this beautiful Oklahoma cowgirl who had just visited California for the first time. Met her on a flight from San Diego to Dallas. She had obviously had a very special time with her sweetheart who sadly was being deployed to Iraq.

There is always someone who doesn't pay attention to the safety demonstration.

2009-01-23T06:08:00.000-08:00

One of my flying partner's from our heydays' at the long gone Hawaii Express sent me this photo which has been bouncing around the internet. The successful ditching of USAir's flight into the Hudson River made anyone who has ever been a part of the flight attendant profession so proud. While our job has it's share of mundane tasks, we all have the training and have proved ourselves in plenty of practice scenarios so we are ready to conduct an evacuation should the need arise during any takeoff or landing. Kudos to FA's Sheila Dail, Doreen Welsh and Donna Dent for directing a textbook perfect event and of course the expert piloting skills of Capt Sully and FO Jeff Skiles for making it possible for there to be an intact aircraft to get out of in the first place.

"Life is Like a Roll of Toilet Paper."

2009-01-01T16:09:00.000-08:00

"The closer you get to the end, the faster it goes! says a friend from my inner circle in his best Forest Gump voice. Here we are ripping off another sheet and what I now know for sure is each moment must be relished. Got to get it right in life because don't want to waste time on retakes. Make only new mistakes and take big smart risks to eliminate regrets. Life truly is a fabulous adventure. Make this year count.

Legacy Airlines Offers Selected Passengers the Ultimate Spa Experience!

2008-07-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

It seems the only airline stories one hears these days are those of miserable service and higher costs for everything. My personal experience contrasts with those tales of woe. At Legasy, I have pampered and been pampered with Fijian coconut oil skin treatments. Here's how you can live the high life! You need to bring from home: 1 small vial of coconut oil (up to 3 ounces are allowed as carry-on) , and 2 plastic bags (recycled from the grocery store). When offered an inflight beverage, ask for a packet of sugar and you are ready to begin.

Revel in the envy of your seat partners as you apply the fragrant oil to your palms followed by the sugar packet. Rubbing your hands together creates a wonderful exfoliate scrub and the smell is great for masking stale airplane odors. Place your hands in the plastic bags for 10 min. Follow up by a trip to the lavatory and wash your hands with warm water. Be sure and allow enough time before the fasten seat belt sign is turned on in order to complete the task.

Where Else But in Hobbs?

2008-06-23T13:27:00.000-07:00

Earlier in the year, I took this picture of NMJC found in lovely Hobbs, New Mexico. There are not many who would call Hobbs a lovely place...even the Hobbs natives. It is a grassland area, decorated liberally with oil pump jacks. Often, there is the smell of oil in the air, air that is frequently filled with dust. My view of Hobbs is admittedly rose colored due to my personal experiences such as one on this very campus. The campus is nicely landscaped and has a perimeter road of exactly one mile, perfect for running. My friend Marty had just moved to town and we decided to go for a walk with her Chocolate Labrador Retriever, Snickers. I suggested we go to the NMJC campus. We walked through the campus admiring the plantings and are approached by security. "Busted!" I mutter to Marty figuring dogs and non students are probably not welcome. "Hi officer!" we say and explain we definitely pick up after the dog and got quite a different response than expected. Officer JJ inquired about us and said he would be happy to give us a tour. He said the dog had to remain outside but the computer center was open to us. The President of the school encouraged citizens to use the facilities since "their tax dollars helped provide them". It is very state of the art and since that time have attended an event at the other college in town "The College of the Southwest". Marty & I met the President of that school and were equally impressed with the public accessibility and the commitment to higher education afforded the Hobbsans.

SHOW YOUR MOVIE STAR QUALITY! Your Treehugger Picture Is Past Due!

2008-04-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

Meet Derry and Marty Leafe. They are integral members of my green team and we've been working to turn the "Almost oneredpaperclip house" into a green paperclip. Lots of work has been done including recycled insulation,a water saving commode, energy star appliances and oh so much more! An earth day open house was planned but our ecotrain has had a major derailment. Due to forces beyond our control, the green dreamer team may be returning to the OC where it's easier to be green without going into the red. Also, the website, askgreengirl.com is still under contruction. Do not fear or Be very afraid! It will happen and photos of you hugging a tree are needed for the launch of that site. So...support your local greenovators and send your shots. If you do not, Demi will be forced to show up and pull a paparazzi on you!

Hobbs Flashbacks: Amelia Earhart Comes to Town! circa 1928

2008-02-19T03:19:00.001-08:00

Amelia Earhart was flying on her famed transcontinental flight and due to the open air cockpit, lost her map as it was blown from it's safety pinned location on the knee of her trousers. Originally headed for Pecos, TX; she lost her bearings and followed a road leading to a cluster of houses built around an oil well. This was the small boom town of Hobbs and she managed to land on Main Street. The people of Hobbs, true to their welcoming nature, took her in and gave her food and shelter. Today, if you mention the town of Hobbs to most pilots, they are familiar with it's location because there is a VOR (VHF Omni-Directional Range) located there, that aids in aircraft radio navigation. Back in the day that Amelia flew, that wasn't available and the area was mile after mile of grassland and provided a much greater challenge with a compass and dead reckoning as her primary tools. Read more about Amelia's experience in Hobbs at: www.hobbshistory.com, an active link is above this post.

If you are visiting Hobbs today, try soaring! Hobbs is a major mecca for soaring enthusiasts and the proud home of the Soaring Society of America! A modern day aviator of the soaring variety, Joann Shaw holds the women's free distance record of 344.4 miles.

Announcing: The Almost ONE RED PAPERCLIP House turned GREEN!

2008-01-31T21:30:00.000-08:00

Unless you live under a rock, it's hard to have missed the trend that is sweeping the planet, changing the policies and practices of entire industries. Green is in and it has come to the heart of Hobbs. The house which was purchased on Ebay a couple of years ago and passed over by Kyle MacDonald of www.oneredpaperclip.com is being morphed into a concept house of green ideas and technologies. Call Demi a treehugger if you will but even if you aren't a zealot, it is difficult to argue with the potential. Demi joined the USGBC last year and has been hitting the books . She has assembled a green team and they are making it happen! Extra special kudos to her mentor Jan McAdams of The McAdams Group for her suggestions and contacts. Check her out at www.fundinggreenbuildings.com . Stay tuned for the upcoming launch of Demi's new website Askgreengirl.com which will have videos showing cost effective renovations that are also health protective and environmentally low impact.

The Art of Travel

2008-01-27T09:37:00.000-08:00

Pictured above is a cockpit view on approach into Las Vegas of Red Rock National Park (photo by FO Wheels Bauder). There are often beautiful sights while inflight but let's get real about other parts of the experience. The conditions that surround us when traveling can be trying at best. In an airplane cabin, the only humidity present is that which comes from bodily respiration. Space is confined and our bodies are subject to forces and pressures that create added stress on even the most healthy. Add to this the fact the environment has so many factors out of our control from weather and mechanical factors to the mix of individuals that invade our personal space.

On a recent flight, I met Bert Snow who is the founder of a business called 10,000 Feet. Learn more at:www.tenthousandfeet.com The slogan on his business card says "Perspective changes everything". Profound, eh?

On the top of a mountain or when immersed in nature's surroundings of all types, we are reminded of what is important in life and that we are mere mortals. As the website mentions, when below you can not see what is above but when above you can see below and when you descend, you can remember what you saw. Those peak experiences we gain while traveling are also why we put ourselves through some of the torture!

Often a passenger myself, I use my mind to affect my experience. When I start feeling claustrophobic while stuck in a center seat, I think cozy. When the temperture is too hot and we are in the sterile cockpit stage of flight, I remember times I have paid for the spa experience of sweating in a Finnish sauna. I'll remark to my seat companions "Too bad they can't crank up the heat so we can have the full spa experience". Our minds are powerful and while we can sometimes change some conditions, when it's not possible, changing our mental outlook can be an effective tool.

Gassy is a part of Legasy

2008-01-23T05:38:00.000-08:00

For the past year, I have flown out of the Las Vegas base for Gassy. It is a lower cost (all coach) part of the larger operation of Legacy Airlines. Flight attendants sometimes refer to the passengers as "gassy people". I have to let you in on a secret. The passengers are no more gassy than some of the flight attendants. I flew with a guy who would pass out water but said he had to go "crop dusting." So if you didn't have enough to worry about when aloft, add something else to your list.

I only have one trip left in the Gassy operation since I've transferred to the San Francisco domicile. This will enable me to fly International once again and fulfill my dream of actually living in Hobbs! It's a bit of a commute but not that uncommon.

(Update as of June 5, 2011...that gassy flight attendant has since retired and the entire Gassy operation no longer exists. Join me in a deep breath of relief).

"I'm a librarian for the Santa Ana Public Library."

2007-12-12T03:03:00.000-08:00

That is what my evil twin used to answer when asked where she worked. In her youth, she wasn't comfortable with the stereotypes and line of questioning that followed the truth. It's amazing the difference a few decades can make. She no longer cares so much about what other people think. Our mom Sparky would have asked "Who gives a rat's ****?" and she had the right idea. Years ago, that twin actually carried on this librarian hoax for 6 months with what was to become a most life changing relationship. It was a case of "when two personalities meet and there is a reaction, both are transformed". Having actually spent a lot of time in the Santa Ana Public Library, it was an easy con to pull off. She's always been a fan of librarians who Stewart Brand referred to as subversive because they share all kinds of information. Their image is every bit as inaccurate as the one of flight attendants.

Speaking of books, I'm always hauling a few around. Since I have to hoist my own bag sometimes multiple times a day, they contribute to a heavy load. Passing through O'Hare in the concourse between terminals, I saw this ad which I had to photograph. It reminded me of that stereotype of librarians which is so wrong. Seems like a cool product and I know Amazon makes a similar product called the Kindle which they have advertised on my blog. It is actually possible to own one of these devices and carry 200 books and still not have to check your bag! Amazing! You know the technology will only improve. You can also subscribe to several newspapers and access all the information on this machine. I must admit I like the feel of a real newspaper or book but as these devices become closer to replicating an actual book or paper, it seems like they may change the face of publishing.

Legacy Airlines Flight Attendants Way Hotter Than Virgin American Super Models!

2007-12-03T08:20:00.000-08:00

Richard Branson, my dander is fired up! So you hired supermodels for an inflight fashion show. What a PR gimmick! Many non-airline bloggers are so impressed dissing the "legacy carriers" for their lack of sex appeal. I've seen your billboards in London and Sydney that compare me and my fellow flight attendants to grandmas! You would have an age discrimination lawsuit if you tried that one in this country. There are plenty of HOT babes that are actually providing service and security in our aisles. This picture is proof! What do you know? I'm sure you only fly on Virgin , a private jet or one of your hot air balloons.

HELP!!! Hollywood Calls On A Former Flight Attendant's Classroom!

2007-11-17T20:14:00.000-08:00

Paramount Pictures is about to release a new film based on the best selling novel, "The Kiterunner" by Khaled Hosseini. They are holding a classroom competition which requires adding your email to join the online club. A friend of this blog (educator, artist and former flight attendant) is currently the team captain in the #1 spot. The "Showgirl Demi" photo on the left sidebar is her contribution and it would be much appreciated if any of you readers would join her club and help keep her classroom in the top spot! Click on the link at the top of this blog (just above the date Nov 17) that says "Reading Runners" and you can help out this Las Vegas classroom. If you would like to read this outstanding novel, it is available from the Amazon link on the sidebar.

Thank you and GO READING RUNNERS!!!

Update on 1-1-09

My friend has a new website and her project revenues are donated to help save Orangutans. She has talent and is working to benefit a great cause. I have replaced the club website with her personal one of http://www.rebeccareeder.com Check it out!

Airplane Flashbacks: "You have something on your nose."

2007-11-02T12:51:00.000-07:00

Revealed here is a self portrait that leaves nothing to the imagination. It is a disgusting vision, that is certain. You may wonder why a woman would want to project such an image and how she has been able to maintain employment when you learn she has been seen in uniform wearing a similar decoration on her nose.

It is actually a therapeutic technique I have developed known as "Booger Therapy". I have used this effectively with males of all ages who are fearsome fliers. The booger is actually a piece of lime. Sometimes, I'll fall back on it out of boredom (mine or passengers) because it always causes somewhat of an uproar. Those that get the biggest kick out of this are boys in the age range of 5 to 12. I'll show them the trick and let them spring it on the unsuspecting.

There was once a precocious boy of about 10, traveling with his mother in first class to Maui. He was not having a good flight,so I showed him the joke. I asked the boy if he was going to try it on his mother. His reply "It would be a lot funnier if you did it." I thought the better of it but he would not let up. Toward the end of the flight I relented and when they left the mother said it was the best flight she ever had because her son had such a fun time.
DISCLAIMER: If any of my readers are probationary flight attendants, I would wait until you are on the line for 6 months before you attempt it because it is certainly not management sanctioned.

Over many years, I have conducted a study using the lime booger. Flight attendants, who are not lime-booger savvy will say "You have something on your nose" to warn you not to walk out in the aisle. When I have visited the cockpit, male pilots will say NOTHING! Female pilots will usually warn me using the subtle "something on the nose" approach but if all the pilots are men, not a word! I have asked them the reason and they usually clam up. Never have been able to understand the reason for this.

Update as of June 2011... Booger therapy does not convey a professional image of authority that is needed in today's world so it was grounded some time ago. You may see it reappear in some earthbound restaurant locations.

HOBBS COULD HAVE BEEN A CONTENDER!

2007-11-01T13:10:00.000-07:00

In the trading game of oneredpaperclip, which became an internet sensation, Hobbs lost out to a small Canadian town of Kipling. There is no doubt in my mind that the folks of Hobbs would have rallied in some kind of similiar competition had the backstory been public knowledge. When the offer was first presented to Kyle, he did not immediately respond so I contacted Stone Phillips of NBC, who had interviewed Kyle about the game. It was then that I discovered the Hobbs house was one of several offers and Kyle was taking time attempting to sort out everything. A lot of people became inspired by the simple and fun story. Now Kyle is the author of a book and is on tour. I am hopeful he will visit our town and see what he passed up!