A Full Friday

The entirety of this post happened on June 13, 2025.

Up at 4:15AM, did the typical morning things and then spent about 45 minutes working. Then out the door (all male at this time) to pick up my associate and take him across town to facilitate the return of a rental truck and our workday. A quick stop at Home Depot and then back home, about two hours in all. Now we get ready to get an ultrasound on my shoulder, so as always it was time to change and do my makeup. Then out the door for a different 45-minute drive to get the ultrasound.

I check in looking like you see here and go about waiting for the technician. He calls my name (not Kandi) and I do not wish to raise my voice. He clearly does not see the man he is looking for, so he turns around until I can catch him. He was very kind and asked what I wanted to be called. Since I would likely never be back there (it was not a facility I would normally use due to location) I said my name was just fine.

Long story short, we go about scanning the shoulder. I notice he used the initials RT in front of his description of where he was scanning. I asked what RT stood for, making sure it didn’t mean something I had not considered. He said “right”. I then broke into a big grin, my right should is just fine, he was scanning my left. Made my day! That and the fact I sent more than half the day looking cuter that cute!

Now we wait on the results…

Back home and I went about some household chores and work things before changing for my evening’s event. It was simply delightful doing so dressed like this. It NEVER gets old (but I certainly do, deteriorating before your very eyes) and I NEVER take it for granted. It is like the first time, every time.

Time to give back for all of my blessings. The Cleveland Heart and Stroke Ball benefits the American Heart Association | American Stroke Association in bringing together prominent scientists, medical professionals, and community business leaders for a unique celebratory evening to raise awareness and funds to combat the effects of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Your girl was there volunteering.

The whole event was surreal. The complete acceptance I experienced was amazing! Many of the other ladies were in evening gowns, but I went cocktail attire for practical purposes (I was working). The compliments I received were so special. Got the “how perfectly put together” compliments. The necklace was noticed as well as the purse in very specific compliments. I knew so many people amongst the fellow volunteers, the event planners, the Heart Association, the patrons and the wait staff. Literally any group of people you could identify in the context of why they were there, someone knew me. I must correct myself, I did not know (or more accurately could not remember or place) most, because they either new me by name or by some other event or venue. One woman, who was clearly a very large dollar donor, walked up to me and specifically identified where she had seen me, so kind and happy to see me again. Plus, I got hugs from two local (female) news anchors, who also knew me by name (and surprisingly, I knew them).

I functioned as the initial greeter, standing in the lobby of the Marriott and pointing people in the right direction. I was joined by a delightful woman who runs the Kansas City Heart Ball. Almost everyone there had to see me. If you did a heat check of aggregate net worths in the Cleveland area this evening, I would have been at the epicenter.

Once the dinner and programming (including paddle raises and live auctions) started, I was basically on patrol for any issues or needs of our guests. During the paddle raise, I was on the celebration crew, literally almost like cheerleaders to show enthusiasm and gratitude for the donors. Then I was in my glory. One of the live auction items were concert tickets and many amenities for Morgan Whalen. Whatever table won, I was to give everyone a cowboy hat (see the initial picture of this post). So, I went around with the hat on handing them out, doing my Oprah imitation, “You get a hat! Everyone gets a hat!” I was noticed for sure and had just a ball! I also did this for a big dinner party auction, this time with a chef’s hat.

All I can say is to quote The Four Seasons, Oh What a Night!

RIP Betsey Johnson cherry dress

Sadly, the dress you see here sits in the bottom of our garbage can. After my evening, and a chat with my wonderful wife, it was time to get ready for bed. I got the dress half unzipped, but because of the shoulder problem, completing the task was difficult. I began to pull her over my head, winced in pain while doing so and the zipper blew out. Unrepairable. 🪦🍒😢 You will be missed, my friend…