A Little Privacy Please, Thank You.

I was sitting in my office chair, legs folded, you know, office stuff - minding my own business, just about to start tapping when my boss comes in and expected me to work. Let me explain something to you: I work for a guy who sells insurance. I'm suppose to be his Customer Service Representative, but he doesn't pay as well as most employers so from time to time I do my own thing - this was one of those times.

Everytime he comes into the office and catches me with the lights out, the candles on, and the chair turned around he thinks I'm goofing off - he doesn't understand the whole - "You get what you pay for" concept. I tried to explain it to him last month, he fired me, I laughed - and well, I'm still there, he's still not paying well, and I'm still doing my thing when I need to. I digress, let me get back to the tapping thing. I was just about to tap but he interrupted me. Then, because he's a bit scared of me at times, he asked me to tap some place else - his suggestion was the bathroom. I took up my candle and left. I use a candle because I like the smell of it, I'm not weird or anything.

When I came back - maybe in 6 minutes - he wants to know if I was praying for him too, because apparently he believes in me, and what I'm able to do with the prayers an the tapping, but it freaks him out to see it. I explained to him that YES, I was praying for him, and that he should receive money from unexpected places very soon. This is the funny part: The second the words left my mouth his cell rang and he answered it. He stared at me. He just pointed at the door, told me to leave and kept staring at me. I picked up my candle and went back to the bathroom laughing. He soon followed me, knocking on the door within seconds.

"Get out here!" He said - get out here now! Seems he was given a couple of bonuses he wasn't expecting from insured who had filed online without using his services, but since they were his clients he got the residuals - something like $1300, and he wasn't expecting it whatsoever - it just ....well, it just happened. I had to smile, I mean, tapping really really really does work, and why not use it to make your boss freak out? I think it's fun - he's not complaining (much) and he asked me to tap again this time for the pickup truck he wants to get. OK...I can't resist a good challenge. I'm have to inform you the reader if and when he gets it.

What I did today after that was to make myself a little happy chart - I listed all the places I wanted to go, all the people I wanted to meet, all the money I wanted to make (for now) and all the things I wanted to do (for now). Sort of like a check off list, and it gives me something to focus on when I'm talking to the universe, to God, and to my soul - because you can't help but question and ask your soul when you do this - it's a must. You have to be in tune with yourself. One thing I noted when I was tapping was that the pressure points hurt a little less when I tap now, they're becoming more receptive to the fact that I'm receptive. I'm opening my heart up and my spirit up to receive good things - keeping negative out.

I did actually manage to do a little work today too. I made the calls, ran the quotes, answered the questions from clients calling in with complaints and/or needs - but all I needed to keep my boss at arm's length was to pick up my little candle and pretend to thrust it at him - he spooks easier than most; and that makes me smile. Scaredy-cat!

No Yellow Dog Democrats Here!

For several years and now a couple of presidential campaigns, members of the Democrat party have been calling me and asking me to allow them to take Faith's image for their benefits, their functions, their causes - No Thanks! Faith, although she has never actually proclaimed it out loud, is not a Yellow Dog Democrat. She is however, a yellow dog. She's one of the most talked about yellow dogs in the world, so yes, I can see where the Dems would want her image or picture associated with their needs. We turned the Kerrys down, and now we have had the privilege to turn a couple of locals and another presidential candidate, or would be candidate down. Where are my Republicans? Ask! Come On! ASK!

Faith loves to make a stand, in fact, she stands a great deal of the time. Let's see what she would believe in if she were running for office. More meat on every table and in every dish. More time to sleep. More loud rock n' roll music, because believe it or not she loves that. When Faith traveled with Brown Gravy's Brothers Grim Side Show this summer with Ozzfest she met up with some great (really loud) bands who just loved having her on their stage and backstage. She was the hit of the tour for sure. Laura was rather cute too mind you, but we all know it's the dog they come out to see. I'm used to it. No one ever really remembers my name - I say it's "Jude, as in Hey Jude", but they don't remember. They love my little mutt! As they should.

So, from TV and radio talk show hosts, the Glenn Becks, Rush Limbaughs, and all the other right wingers out there - Where is Cobert? Hey, call me!! We need to have a few more Blue States calling and asking for the yellow dog! She could be the happiest, tongue-waggingiest, jump-up-and-make-them-pay-attentionist campaigner you ever saw! She could bring the votes in people.....oh, and she's got a great platform to go on too - LOVE. She shares it with everyone she sees. From our Armed Forces to the children we meet on every corner of every city we visit - she loves them all - what a great backer to have in your corner...or under your bed. I'm often asked what the most famous dog in the world does all day - you'd be surprised. Suffice it to say - she's a dog.

Top 10 Cities to Live in? Us?

Wow! Imagine my surprise today when I read that Forbes.com had named Oklahoma City as well as Tulsa,Oklahoma to their Top 10 list of cities to move to for business! I'm moving OUT of Oklahoma City for the same reason, you can't get anywhere in this town! I mean, it's a great state, it's a wonderful city, but work? No, there's not much of that anywhere - - not that leads to prosperity. I suppose if you're looking to stay at the poverty level it's a great place to hover. I know hundreds of people doing that. I'm still hovering around it myself for the time being - but that's the entire reason behind picking up the leftovers and heading to Chicago! Surviving is a great way to spend a few of the youthful years, but no thank you for the middle ages or the retirement ages. I'll take wealth, establishment, and what do that call that? Oh, I remember - success!

There are some things I will never give up when I move to Chicago (or if I moved to any other place)for instance: I will ALWAYS be a Sooner fan. I will always call myself an Okie, I will be proud forever and a day of the fact that I was born and raised here, in the heartland, and with the moral codes and the work ethics that I believe this state and it's good people instill in a person; however, money? No, not so much. Not so much in the way of education either - number 47 I think. Teen pregnancies? We top the list, we are #1 in that, in meth-labs, and we can't forget the divorce rate. I'm a part of that stat, but only once, I've known people who have helped those numbers out quite a few times. (And yes, with divorce rates being so high so is the bankruptcy rate.) Our great state is a great state, but Forbes must have been thinking of Boulder, Austin, even Joplin, but I can't see Oklahoma City as being anywhere NEAR the top 100 in terms of growing income. Wait, I take that back - my daughter got a raise last week. She's now making $5.70 an hour rather than minimum wage.

Tulsa made the list too, and where that makes a bit more sense, I still don't believe it. Now, give me something I can believe in when it comes to Oklahoma being the best, the Top 10 material so to speak: Country Western singers - yes! I believe that. We have Garth, Reba, Toby, Carrie, and Vince. What about beef? You betcha! I'll go for cattle producers and wheat producers! I'll even throw in sod, we have amazing sod, God's sod in fact! Quite possibly, Oklahoma is the best state in the nation when it comes to friendly, openly honest folks who greet you on the street with a smile, a wave of the hand and even a question or two to make you feel welcomed....that I get, but we don't have a growing income people, we don't have the commerce you may have been led to believe. Chesapeake does...OU and OSU have money, sure, and there are actually more millionaires per capita, but they're holding on tight to what they have - believe me, if it were true we'd all be singing a different tune when it comes to buying the books our kids need for school, or the buses we need to take these kids to and from classes. I wish it were so.

Well, let Forbes talk! We can use the advertising. Perhaps some people will take heart, move a professional baseball, basketball or soccer team to our state and really make a difference. I'd say football, but with the Sooners picking up that lack we don't need another team to fill up the seats of any new stadium - Boomer Sooner! We got that!

Congrats fellow Okies - who knew! Break out the mismatched tumblers, the plastic dishes and the lard - looks like we're gonna get some company real soon with all those nice folks comin' by to check out our growing incomes. Ya'all come back now, ya hear!

Ranger Reuben! (It's All My Fault)

YES! It is all my fault, and I take full and utter responsibility. Reuben was only 3 when we were in a store and he wanted me to buy him a little toy tank. My fault. I bought it for him. He was the typical kid, he ran around pretending all the time, but as he grew up it became apparent that my son was obsessed with war and warfare. He used war lingo, and war jargon at age 6. When I grounded him to his room once he took out pencils from his little camo backpack and drew an entire audience. Now I know they were more than likely his platoon! He spoke to the walls, he talked to the men he drew (no women) and he made definite plans with them to take over the stuffed animals in the closet! That must have been the first time I saw what he would become famous for in our house - destroying stuffed bears! Look at him now, he's still trying to take on bear! This one is bronze son, bronze - give it up!

When I was late coming home from work once, and it was just Reu and I living at home, he had kept himself busy by redesigning my living quarters to match that of the battle of Gettysburg. I couldn't step anywhere without fear of changing history! In the 7th grade and 8th grades my son was a ceramic doll maker in creative arts class - don't laugh, he made Civil War heroes to scale. It's my fault, I started this; I must now accept it when he calls me all excited to tell me that WITH HIS BROKEN ARM he was still able to pass the tests that will guarantee him a try out for the Rangers! He qualified for the top ranks in shooting with a messed up right elbow! Now, the only thing I worry about is him getting behind enemy lines without a compass - and of course, if he has a compass there will need to be someone to explain the N,S,E,and W on it, because where he's the best at driving tanks, shooting targets, and sneaking into areas on recon - directions are out of the question. Hopefully the Army will take the time to do a bit more one-on-one with the boy before he actually takes on the country they set him down in.

This afternoon when he called me to tell me he had qualified I couldn't understand a single word out of his mouth - it was moving a million miles a minute, he was jumping, hopping, screaming, laughing, and just being the Reuben that I remember after a win on the football field where he had a personal best day! I missed that sound actually, and since I knew he wasn't wearing his #63 Pirates jersey today, I had to ask him at least 3 separate times to slow it down, say it again, OK....say it one more time. "Mom, I'm going to be a Ranger!" Can't tell you how proud of that boy I am. Seriously, he's going to be the best dang Ranger in the U.S. Army because he's been practicing for over 18 years for this. General George Custer could have used that boy in the day! Congratulations Baby Boy!

There was that one person who wasn't all that thrilled with the news - his grandma. She said she wouldn't want it, it was too dangerous, that the Rangers get all the hard and tough assignments - - my answer to my mother was this: Yes, he will be in the mix, and he will be called upon to do somethings that others wouldn't be able to do. He'll go in places, see things, do things, and be on his guard 24/7/365 - but - "my God is an awesome God, He reigns from Heaven above - He rules with Wisdom, Power and Love, my God is an awesome God!" How can I possibly ask that Reuben be held back -no, sorry Mom, not this boy - he is destined to be Ranger Reuben. Hooah!

Mom & Mutts - Terrible People They Are!

This is seriously wrong. By wrong I mean WRONG - Mom & Mutts (despite words on their contract to the contrary) have NO RIGHT to remove the puppy that Ellen brought to her very trusted friend. Ellen's comment regarding the purpose for the rescue organizations is correct - they are there to be certain that dogs and cats are found good homes. This particular story hits so close to home for me, I have adopted a dog and because of the contract I was forced to sign, my dog Matrix wasn't guaranteed. Because he wasn't guaranteed (replaced if he died within a year) I was free to give him to another good family when the time came for me to do so. That family let him out in the cold to fend for himself without calling me to retrieve him. I had no idea, not until a good man, a Captain in the Air Force, called me to say he had found my Matrix. He was willing to drive him back to me. Because I was still unable to take care of him I told the Captain that he could have Matrix, but before I did I questioned him, I prayed with him, and I explained to him all of the small eccentric behaviors that I remembered the dog had. He agreed to take care of my mutt, and I was pleased.

When the Captain was given orders to leave the states he took Matrix right back to the original adoption agency. (Oh, something I didn't tell you about the adoption agency is this: they made me pay for my dog, but wouldn't guarantee him. In essence they were saying if he dies he dies, but we still want our money. The only problem I had with this arrangement, is that I had paid for a dog earlier in the day, but it had been given away - to someone with a similar name. My money was not returned (credit card), no apology was offered, but I was encouraged to pick out another dog.) The dog I picked, though perfect to me, was unhealthy. I had to promise the adoption agency who actually threatened me a number of times, that I would take Matrix to their vet - she ended up being mine too, so that was cool. They made me swear on paper that I would have Matrix neutered, which I did. It was all about the agency and their rules - but I understood, they wanted a good family to adopt their dogs and cats. I was (at the time I adopted Matrix) in a home with a fence, we had a couple of cats, but the kids wanted a dog. We were perfect. When the woman that actually owned our house decided to sell, but not to us, we were forced to move immediately, and she wasn't interested in our pet problem, as she put it.

As I mentioned, the Captain took Matrix back to the adoption center. They looked up his papers from his tag registration - no doubt they saw that he had been paid for, but not guaranteed. The agency did what the agency did time and time again; resold my dog! What the agency didn't understand however, was that the dog, my dog, Matrix, could out-eccentric any dog out there. He was returned, replaced, and readopted more than 3 times...and every time he was brought right back to the agency with more complaints. NOT ONCE did the agency try to contact me. The Captain found me easily enough - I lived in the area! They just readopted him and never considered his feelings, his needs, or his behaviors, they just wanted to get rid of a dog without a guarantee...bad for business.

On July 27, 2001, I won custody of my daughters full time, permanently, forever - when I asked them what they wanted, they only wanted to walk dogs, bathe dogs, feed dogs, and just hug the kittens at the agency - I said yes. Can you imagine our surprise when we saw our dog? He was there! Our Matrix. Of course, we had no idea what all he had been through - not until one of the workers told us (after she had been fired for letting a family have a dog for free). Matrix came home with me that day - and no, I didn't pay for him again. It was soooo ugly. I had to threaten, force, yell, complain, and even drop my attorney's name before they finally let us have him. I made them prove that he was guaranteed, which they couldn't. Technically he was still MY dog, they weren't allowed to sell or adopt him over and over again.

My point is simple - the Mom & Mutt idiots need to do the right thing. The right thing! Not the contractual thing, not the "I'm so right I have the right" type thing. The right thing - every time! Give the dog back to the girls who Ellen chose. They come from a good home, from good and trusted people. Ellen (one of the premier dog lovers on the earth)made a good judgement - her dog, her right. If Mom & Mutts continues to make these types of negative and terrible decisions, they will give the rescue agencies that are good a bad reputation; and all because they had a piece of paper that said they could - shame on them! SHAME.

When Faith and I go around the country now to promote rescue organizations, humane societies and dog loving groups - we don't need to be associated with people like Moms & Mutts; we won't be - not until the real beasts are replaced: GUARANTEED!

LOOOOOOKK! My condo is being built! I went to Chicago this weekend for a trade show, but while I was there I managed to talk my friends into driving me to Lincoln Park to stare up at my unfinished condo! I do that. I can totally see it in completed form in my head. I can walk through it's halls. I can feel the hardwood floor that I picked out, and touch the granite cabinets in my dreams. I can see the mail sitting on the end of the kitchen cabinet, just waiting for me to open it. I can smell the burning soy candles over the fireplace, the stew in the kettle, and I can almost, just almost see the neighbor on the other side of the building putting on his shirt - - wait, he's hot! I knew I bought the condo with the ceiling to floor windows for a reason!

What a beautiful building the Emerald is. I couldn't have picked a better place. I even took the time to go to the Walgreens on Halstead, just in front of my Emerald, and I met my clerk. I went to Starbucks in Dominicks and I met my staff. I went down the street and visited Steppenwolf - soon I'll be going to shows. I absolutely love the neighborhood: Patagonia, Harpo, Home Depot, Dublin Pub, the Black Duck restaurant! Oh, I am so in love. I can't wait for April, but it may have to be August. Marilyn and I (Emerald rep) discussed the layouts, the plans, the furnishings, the floors, the tile, the ceramics, even the fact that she will be buying me a new Magnifica coffee maker so I don't have to freeze in February to get to Starbucks. The Emerald doesn't have a secret back exit leading onto Halstead and I would literally have to walk a city block if I wanted (had to have) coffee in the mornings. She's always looking out for me. LOVE the Emerald!

Today they are having their soiree and I can't make it. Although, I would love to have been there because ALSO today Van Halen is in concert at the AllState Arena....that would have been fun to meet up with Alex after 24 years to see how we've both aged. At least he's still a rock star - but wait, I'm still a writer! See, nothing changes. We're still gorgeous and beautiful, we're still kicking, and from what I have seen he's in great shape! Way to go Alex!

The Emerald will be my home soon, but until that day I'll have to settle for visiting the construction site, taking pictures of the empty walls, the progress of the first tower - my tower is the north tower, and I'll think great productive thoughts from the bottom of my heart and soul. I sip my coffee, tip my hat, and dream of the day I'll crank the stereo with Buble crooning to me while I gaze over the magnificent Chicago downtown skyline. Soon.

My Dog is Such a Rockstar!

From time to time we'll be in an airport somewhere and run into a real live rock star who recognizes another rock star, my dog Faith. Faith has been privileged to have toured with Ozzfest, she's met with such wonderful musicians as Rick Springfield, Michael Bolton, From First to Last, Fall Out Boy, Three Inches of Blood, Static X and so many others. She's always loved on by these bands and their staff. Sometimes she's even asked to come on stage and make an appearance. That's always fun because the applause is so deafening that the band has to make a decision whether or not to hire Faith for the rest of the tour! She's THAT loved by people who see her.

We were in the Oklahoma City Will Rogers Airport the other day making our way to Chicago, when one of our own very very very special rock stars came up to me and said hello. I asked him for his picture because we live so close to each other and never get around to taking the shots! We have to be on the road to see each other; I find that funny. Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips could not be more handsome. He could not be more energetic, and he could not have found a more beautiful, fantastically wonderful wife! Michelle is a rock star in her own right! Look at them! They're gorgeous! Faith ain't bad either, and we are so happy to be neighbors to such great and talented people as the Coynes. (I say neighbor, it's more like community fellows. We share a Borders Bookstore at times.)

Wouldn't it be great to see Faith in a Flaming Lips video? With her unique qualifications I personally believe she would add so much to one of their shows - perfectly equipped she is, she's quirky, fun-loving, a little scruffy and all in all she's the best down-to-earth dog I've ever met. She loves just about everyone, and the Lips are that genuine too. Well, being from OKC you'd expect that, right? Hey Wayne, have your people call my people, and while they're figuring out the next gig you, Michelle, me and of course the girls (Laura & Caity) can have a coffee at Borders to discuss you letting Caity be your new fashion designer and Laura wants to sing back up for the band! C'mon Wayne - they don't bite (often).

Love to you guys, the Lips, the rest of you beautiful rockers out there who have and haven't seen Faith. You will - it's just a matter of time. She gets around.

Giordano's in Rosemont, IL (Chicago)

If I blogged for 11 days I couldn't possibly cover all the restaurants, the convention, the hotel, the people, the airport, the fun, the police, the great city of Chicago, my Emerald! I couldn't begin to touch everything that was so incredibly awesome about my new adopted city of Chicago, which of course will have to include the city of Rosemont! Giordano's is one of the great stories that came out of this week's adventures in the Windy City.

I was asked by Dublin Dog to come to the H.H.Backer Show for the purpose of being a speaker/spokesperson. It was awesome. Faith and I stood around the booth for a while, then walked around the 3000+ booths to see everything and everyone we could possibly meet - I have the business cards and the blisters on my feet to prove it too. We met and talked with literally thousands of great people; publishers, manufacturers, boutique owners, buyers, and just people who exhibited their wares like Dublin Dog, who has the best line of collars on the market - seriously. We finally reached a point of near starvation so we waltzed ourselves over the red carpet area and over to the Crown Plaza to grab the car. We took painstaking decisions (Lenny and I, he was Faith's handler, and I'll blog about him tomorrow) to decide which restaurant we needed to visit "this time". We choose Italian food, then we narrowed it down to Giordano's upon another recommendation from a member of the fantastic staff at the Crown Plaza on River Road.

When we were walking into Giordano's it dawned on me that we had forgotten Faith's vest. I had no idea we had left it at the convention. We were dying of hunger, but we couldn't take her in without her therapy vest - or could we? Upon mentioning to the staff that we could order the food and wait outside, maybe taking the food to go -- we were inundated by "No, no, we know Faith!" She's been papers in Chicago, she's been on Oprah of course, and she's in Chicago. She's been in their hearts and lives for years and the staff made us a promise "Not to tell" but they they got on the phones taking pictures, calling friends, and family! Faith just has that effect on people and the people of Chicago are soooooo precious! So gracious was their hospitality, that they gave Faith a little extra cheese to deal with during dinner, and they brought her water in a real silver bowl. Can it get any better? YES!

We got our pizza hand tossed like everyone else, but we got to watch OUR pizza being tossed. It was photographed as all pizza should be, and then produced here for prosperity...I ate that pizza people! It was tooooo good, and I am so happy that I have photos to remember it by. You know I'm kidding, right? Anyway, the people in the restaurant were mainly from the center, the convention center, and we were completely taken by their love and gestures of giving as well. When I flew home I had to by a second piece of luggage to keep all of my presents and samples for Faith and Matrix....toys, food samples, clothes for both, and then the cards! I collected more than 700 cards, and that was from DOWNSTAIRS! I think I got another 200 from up stairs, but I could have filled up 40 business card books probably. There were so many people there - but I digress, this blog was about Giordano's.

I asked the staff to teach me to say their name correctly! I wanted to pronounce it with pride. I can do that now! I can! Just ask. When we left the restaurant we saw a dozen gray squirrels all wanting to get a better look at Faith. I could almost hear their little Italian voices discussing the great pieces of crusts being thrown out back for them, and then their discussion switched to the two-legged dog approaching them. Some stayed, some ran away, some sat up and barked back at her. It was memorialized in film, and in my heart. I can't wait to return with her on "Faith Day" in November. Giordano's is sooooo very cool! Seriously, and the pizza -- perfectly Chicago!

Take TWO! American Airlines Loses Faith For the 2nd Time

It is TRUE! Faith was left in Chicago again, on the tarmack of the O'Hare Airport. I'm being told it was an error, a miscommunication between something called a PROSPECT and American Eagle. I flew on Flight 3975 home from Chicago this afternoon after standing in line for about 1/2 an hour with some of the greatest people in the world. They loved Faith to pieces. The counter ladies at American COULD NOT be better! Absolutely the best of the best - so what happened?

I put Faith in her crate and kissed her good bye, she was flying in the cargo again. Seems when I do that with American she has a problem - I don't know why, or how it could happen - barking luggage should be easy to see, hear, and detect. I even went to the gate (G8) and spoke with a beautiful attendant, who assured me that the dog was being boarded. SHE CHECKED, it was clear that Faith was being boarded, so she had to have passed a least a few check points.

It was a little like a broken record when I arrived in Oklahoma City. (Last time I had arrived in Orlando, but they both start with an "O", and she was sent, this time left, in Chicago. Different song, same result maybe?) Anyway, I get to the baggage claim and there is NO baggage to claim - no dog to hug tonight. She's in the airport at Chicago. I got the call sayin the guy that screwed up was too embarrassed and hurt about it to call me. OK, I understand - I do, I really do understand, mistakes are made, but to NOT put a dog on a plane with a number, a flight scheduled number, one that matches up to a passengers, and it's not like it was a connecting flight...but I am still very hopeful that this can be rectified. I am, I love American, I love the workers, I love the people who have helped us along the way. One guy, not the company, made a mistake - yes, it could be disasterous, but I'm hoping that God sees otherwise.

So, where is my dog? She's on another American flight to Tulsa, 90 miles from my house, because of hail and wind coming into our city. They intend on driving her to me, again in the storm, and again, making it difficult and dangerous, which is something I'm not sure I want for the drivers. I don't want anyone being hurt for this cause - maybe they should have allowed her to stay overnight with one of the girls up front. She would have been cared for like you wouldn't believe! Spoiled beyond all measure for sure. We'll have to see.

I instructed the Oklahoma City PR woman that I want the kids that are driving her home to be sooo extra careful, no fast moves, they're very very important to me too. Faith is my dog, yes, but they are just as important, more so even. Well, long story short - they let me know they were doing all they could. I appreciate it, I love that - I thank American. HOWEVER, we're going to deal with this issue once and for all. Amercian will be asked ONE TIME to agree that Faith flies UP FRONT forever, without cost, and this guarantee will be for the rest of her life. It should show them that I am willing to work with them, and that I trust them. I do. I love American, and want to continue to use them.

I was asked if I wanted the kid fired that screwed up. NO. I want him trained! I hope you'll keep a good eye on your barking luggage too. Always double check to be sure she/he has been loaded and get names of the people on the ramp who are in charge of their handling. This is the reason we're trying to change the laws about flying animals in the cabin if we can afford the chairs and they are well trained.

Thanks for your love and kindness. I have to get off the computer now, bad storms coming!

Maria's of Rosemont! (Chicago)

Goodness doesn't even describe it! We stayed at the Crown Plaza in Rosemont this week while we were at the H H Backer pet trade show. We went downstairs and asked "P.M. Dan", as there are 3 Dans that work for the CP, where we could eat well for a great price. He suggested Maria's on Foster. Just around the corner from the Rosemont Theatre, which was packed tonight, we couldn't get in. We did however make our way to Maria's, and oh...oh.....the food, the people, the music, the love! Some of the people wondered if Faith could take the loud noise, the crowd, the constant hustle and bustle, and my answer was "Watch!" Within seconds she had made so many friends at the bar! She was all over the bar area, being kind and obeying all of the health regulations - she is a dog, a therapy dog, but a dog, and she was so well received at Maria's by the staff and the beautiful patrons who were so gracious and so giving. One man bought Faith her own steak pieces and threw in his cheese soup bowl for her to clean - she was his friend forever!

Interestingly, just last night, we were asked to leave the Gibson's Steakhouse. I'll blog about it later because the contrast was so brilliant! We were asked to leave because Faith was creating a "disturbance" - hello, yes, she does that. We did keep her contained, but hundreds of Backer trade show exhibitors were in town and had seen the ads and had seen the internet news about Faith coming to Chicago for the show - yes, there was a bit of a disturbance; women crying and wanting to hug her, men thanking me, and getting my business card - then, a man asked me to go back to the back of the restaurant because he had a private party he wanted to introduce Faith to. She was his guest! His mother had recently passed away from lung cancer and she had placed Faith's photo on her bedside for encouragement. I was floored, and honored to meet some of his family - but the manager Grace was not so thrilled.

We felt sad for leaving, because it was one of those moments when people were upset about Faith being treated so poorly after she has given so much to so many - but I understood, and I tried to be polite, it was hard to hear exactly what Grace was saying, but I tried to hear and mentioned to her that Faith was actually allowed. We were nice though, we did leave. About an hour later the restaurant called me back - they had left a message with my manager (I had given a patron a card) and he called me to say the manager was sorry and wanted us to return. Well, needless to say, we were already seated for dinner at the Off the Park, just across the lobby at the DoubleTree (O'Hare) and were dining with about 30 others from the Gibson who had decided NOT to eat at the famous steakhouse because of how they treated Faith.

I mean, I sort of accepted it, but they didn't. The ball player that had invited us back paid for his meal and tab - left the restaurant and came to be with us. He said his brother, a 15 year old kid from Cleveland, had been his guest - and was unimpressed with the Gibson's decision. I understand he blogged - which I think is a great way to let out some steam and not be hot-headed. I applaud the kid! This morning, my room was filled with fresh flowers - go figure. Faith has a way of making the world see things from another perspective. I will actually go back to the Gibson to eat, I will - but Maria's has my attention! I have to recommend it, and I have to say thank you, thank you, thank you to P.M. Dan for his fine and precise suggestion!

I love Chicago, absolutely love Chicago - not even that little event will stop me from loving this city fully. Oh, and I enjoyed the flowers too. It was a great way to say "We're sorry". I accept!