Goodbye 2009!

Wasn’t it just a couple of weeks ago that I was making fun of people for stocking up on bottled water because they were panicking about Y2k? How can we possibly be at the end of this decade? I’m not ready for 2010 yet – I haven’t decided if I’m going to call it Twenty-Ten or Two-Thousand-Ten.

It’s crazy to think I’ve spent most of the past decade in the same job. The one constant while everything else around me changed. I’m the satellite radio cockroach ~ they can’t kill me and I refuse to die. Not bad considering when I took the job most of the people I knew didn’t think the company would be around this long. Although, I guess technically, you could say they were right.

The thing that comes to mind most over the past decade is the people. When it comes down to it, it’s not the building you walk into ~ a church, a home, a school, an office. It’s the people that are there to greet you at the door that make or break your day. I’ve found some amazing friends this decade. I’ve lost a few too. On the days that hurts a little less I realize that it’s their loss. Other days I'm still bitter that someone can just walk away like that. Not just from me, but from my daughter? Really? They've missed watching a pretty amazing kid grow into a pretty neat pre-teen. Yeah, their loss.

I know I’ve been a rotten blogger over the past few months. Don’t take it personally… my creative juices have just dried up. Writing is like a muscle you have to exercise. I don’t have shows to write at work anymore, I don’t blog, I haven’t even been writing for AOL lately.

I’d love to tell you that my New Year’s resolution is to be a better blogger, but I can’t make any promises. I tried Twitter, and honestly, I think the whole program is a bunch of junk. The only reason I signed up is to get some news scoop for the features I was writing – and that’s been useful. But all that RT’ing drives me BATTY. I feel like I’m eavesdropping all the time, on people I don’t know or don’t care to know. I have a whopping 20 followers I think, half of whom I don’t know, and one that blew me off years ago in real life. Facebook is my preferred medium, because it’s quick, easy, and brainless. But I had some issues in the fall and decided to put my FB page on lockdown. So now it’s pretty much only people that I know in real life. At some point I may open that up again, or make a second, more public account.

So what does 2010 hold for Producer J? No world tour, I’m guessing. I probably need to rename this blog. But I’m so glad I’ve had it all these years, because I really enjoy looking back and remembering the amazing things I’ve gotten to do… it really seems like a blur sometimes. For now, I’m plugging along. Delaynie’s doing great, she’s literally about half an inch shorter than me and wearing all my clothes. Gary’s training for a half marathon in April. Our new house still has a million things I want to do to it if I’d ever have time. Dave & Jen and Brad are all in Kentucky now and our family is in good health.

To recap the year… here are some memorable moments in absolutely no particular order in 2009 for me – personally and professionally. I’m sure there are many things I’m leaving out, so I reserve the right to modify! Here’s to many more in 2010.

~ Rizers Invade Kentucky: Between May and September Dave & Jen and Brad all moved to the Lexington area, putting them all within 3 ½ hours of us. What a blessing! Dave & Jen bought their first house, and hosted Thanksgiving. David’s church is doing really well, and they’re connecting with some great friends. They’re rubbing elbows with the stars too ~ he’s got an award winning country star going to his church!

~ Fearless Surprise: Taking Delaynie to see Taylor Swift’s Fearless Tour. September - Nashville. I kept it a surprise from her up until just a week or two before. If you saw this tour, you know that Taylor completely deserved that Entertainer of the Year.

~ Hey baby, let’s go to Vegas!: October. Had a Faith Hill song running through my head for a week when I got the invitation to out to Garth’s Vegas press conference and get a one-on-one interview. I didn’t wind up going, but I’ll always treasure getting the invitation, because I know plenty of people who didn’t..

~ Cowboy Boot Shopping in Texas: Love my boots. Loved that weekend. Not so fond of the giant beach balls hitting us in the head. When’s our next roadtrip? :-)

~ Christmas 2009: Lots of family, lots of snow, and the best gift ever. Great way to end the year.

Wishing you nothing but wonderful memories in 2010!

The 2009 World Tour T-Shirt

Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Ohio
Tennessee
Texas

Seriously... is this the lamest travel year ever? Did I forget somewhere?

Clearly No Parrotheads Work at CMT

Just got back from a CMT Crossroads Taping with Jimmy Buffett and Zac Brown Band. Small venue, about 500 people there. Both bands on stage together. TV Tapings are always a little odd, but this one had a couple of really odd moments.

- No Hawaiian Shirts allowed. Really?
- We were to dress in warm colors, no brights. At the risk of repeating myself... Really?
- There was a bar in the lobby (serving Margaritaville margaritas, of course) but they told us we couldn't take cups in. So no drinking. We get packed into our sardine seats, and guess what? There's a bar in the back. Serving the same drinks in the exact same cups they were serving in the lobby.

Even Jimmy wasn't allowed to wear bright colors, apparently. He wore the long sleeved (Really?) "Life Is Good" shirt I've been looking for for Gary. Olive green. Jeans - no shoes.