That's Church » Make Room for Kids

Random n’at

Virginia — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:30:51 +0000

1. I missed my five-year blogging anniversary on the 7th. Whoops! But I took nine months off, so maybe it doesn’t really count. I’d give you some five-year stats on hits and stuff, but I quit tracking my hits and page views when we launched That’s Church. I might have 30,000 readers. I might have 30. Who can know?!

2. WPXI’s Timyka Artist has some seriously kickass Facebook etiquette:

I bet her next status will be, “Interviewing the family of the man who was bludgeoned in Cambria County. THEN GETTIN’ MY HAIR DID!”

3. Iron City is a craft beer?

Who knew!

(h/t @observacious)

4. Lamarr Woodley is only 25 and he’s already a world class human being. What a great read.

Also,

tawdry Tweets, lavatorial lasciviousness and camera-phone preening

Calling out Santonio, Ben, and Skippy, without using their names. Brilliant.

(h/t Laura and Charles)

5. If you care about how the city uses open spaces, trails and parks, you’ll want to fill this survey out to voice your opinion. There’s even a survey for kids to fill out. Love it.

(h/t Jenn)

5. Junior Achievement of Western PA is holding quite possibly the best raffle prize ever in the history of ever! One lucky person will win, are you ready?

A pair of tickets to EACH of the following:

• All Pittsburgh Steelers home games, including one road game
• 20 Home-game package to the Pittsburgh Penguins
• Full season of home games—Pitt Men’s Basketball
• Full season of home games—Pitt Panthers Football

INCREDIBLE!

Here’s the details!

6. The Post-Gazette profiled Genre Baker and his Genre’s Kids With Cancer Fund and Make Room for Kids is given a shout out. WOOT!

And yes, it does reveal where I go to church, and that’s cool with me.

Also:

“The most common form of ALL is B-cell, which is 90 to 95 percent curable,” said Mrs. Baker. “Genre had T-cell, which is 80 to 85 percent curable.

“Those are still great odds if you’re betting on football, but if it’s your child’s life, you don’t even want them in a room where 15 to 20 percent of the people in it might not make it.”

Profound.

7. Daniel Tosh loves Zima!

Click here to view the embedded video.

(h/t Molly)

8. Braddock gets some love from Levis and it kind of touched my heart a little bit.

(h/t Clayton)

9. Do you know these Burghers? They lost their camera in Georgia and the person that found it would like to get it back to them.

(h/t Lisa)

10. Finally, from The Daily What:

Here, Dennis! Here, Dennis! Come here, Denny. Here pidgee pidgee pidgee.

[PUNT]

(h/t Charles and Will)

An epic night.

Virginia — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:49:17 +0000

Last night I met Mario Lemieux.

I’m sorry. I think I’m going to cry. Give me a minute.

Okay. So, after years and years and years and YEARS of loving the man, and after more recent years of kinda sorta stalking the man and trying to steal his stuff from his foundation offices, with no luck (yet), I finally was in the same room with Mario Lemieux, walked up to Mario Lemieux, talked like a demon-possessed kid speaking tongues to Mario Lemieux, got my picture taken with Mario Lemieux, and was — wait for it — TOUCHED BY MARIO LEMIEUX.

I need to cry again.

The reason my husband and I, and my butler Mike and his wife Meg, and Luke from Microsoft and his wife Jessica were invited to the event was because of Make Room for Kids.

The event was the table games preview at the Casino last night, with all losses benefiting the Mario Lemieux Foundation.

The reason we were able to corner the man, and I DO LITERALLY MEAN CORNER THE MAN, was because someone ill-advisedly put us all on the VIP list. That person, who shall remain nameless, will probably never do that again.

Right now, she’s all, “That’s church, sister.”

Upon arrival at the casino, the six of us headed straight for the VIP restaurant area to eat delicious noms. There were spicy watermelon things, buffalo chicken things, tiny Primanti sandwich things, mystery lobster things, crab cakey things, and on and on and on. Oh, and cheesecake things.

So there we were, like jesters in the royal ballroom, sitting in a booth, eating all manner of weird, but delicious foods, and drinking wine.

Delicious wine.

The six of us were sharing stories of our run-ins with famous people when Mario and his beautiful wife Nathalie walked into the restaurant.

And a hush fell over the crowd.

Not really. A hush fell over our table and then our conversation turned to this, “HE’S HERE HE’S HERE HE’S HERE THERE HE IS LOOK AT HIS HEAD. HE’S HERE. WE ARE IN THE SAME ROOM WITH MARIO LEMIEUX.”

The fact that we were the ONLY people in the VIP room doing that tells me something, but I’m ignoring it. LALALA I CAN’T HEAR YOU TELL ME I’M COMMON FOLK.

We began strategizing because no way in hell were we leaving without a picture of us with Mario. As we were discussing strategies, Mario and his wife left the room, probably to go mingle with the common folk. HA! Kidding.

After about 15 more minutes of stuffing my face with tiny foods and downing my second glass of Riesling, we decided to head out to the table games and donate some money via losses at the tables. It was then, when we rose and walked toward the restaurant exit, THAT MARIO WALKED BACK IN.

We stopped in our tracks as he engaged guests in conversation.

And we laid in wait. When he had finished his conversation, he looked like he was coming straight for us and we collectively began to internally jump up and down. We all got big smiles on our faces and our shoulders rose with anticipation and we rehearsed in our heads what we would say to him, and Mario walked right past us.

So, most of the people in the VIP room, when they talk to Mario? It’s no big deal. They have an air of indifference. I’m sure he appreciates that, but I couldn’t do that, because I’m all too aware that in that room at that moment, Mario was the entire head at the top of the totem pole and I was the left half of the eyeball of the tiny bug pooping on the ground next to the totem pole.

After another minute or so of waiting, we did our CORNER HIM LIKE NINJAS bit, and approached him in a way that he had no way out but to go through us. And if he tried that, we were totally going to trip him.

I sort of spoke initially for the group and tried to give the Make Room for Kids elevator speech as fast as humanly possible and did it in a way that made zero sense, so little sense in fact that I’m pretty sure Mario thinks Luke Sossi invented the XBOX.

Let’s just roll with that.

So after my blah blah blah giggle XBOX transplant I love you will you marry me blah blah [click click] [pew pew] speech, I said, “Look, we’re probably the only people in the VIP section who are going to ask you this question, but can we get a picture with you?”

And Mario did not say, “I have hundreds of millions of dollars; my shoes are made from the hide of a royal cow who was fed only gold flakes; my watch costs more than most people will earn in a lifetime; and you, you common folk crashing the VIP section, I fart in your general direction.”

He said, “Sure!”

Of course the professional photographers suddenly appeared to snap the picture, BUT THAT WOULDN’T DO, because I’ll never get those pictures. So after they took pictures, I had to say to Mario, “Um. Could you stay there while WE get a picture now?”

And he farted in our general direction.

I’M KIDDING. He was gracious and kind and took the additional picture with us and then was immediately pulled away by other VIPs.

But we got our picture you guys!

He has his arms around my waist!

Do you mind if I cry again? Do you mind if I crop out me and Meg’s husbands just for a sec?

But wait. The fun didn’t end there.

We stalked Mario to the table games and I sent Woy to take pictures:

At this point, we decided we were risking a warning to leave Mario alone, so it was gambling time. Meg, Jennifer and I left our husbands at the craps table, which boy is THAT an appropriately named game. Know what else would be a good name for it? Chaos.

I much preferred the Monopoly machine Meg introduced me to. No skill. Just feed this machine a $20, smack this button here, and watch the little men in suits run around on the screen. She and I sat there for an hour maybe and took turns screaming and punching each other on the arm when the other would make some money while people all around us did the same. We were with our people. The common people.

Fast forward to later in the evening. Luke and Jessica and Mike and Meg had left. It was about 8:45 p.m. and I was standing in the High Roller room or whatever it’s called, watching my husband play blackjack. This will be the only time I’m ever in that room because for this one night only, the maximum and minimum bet was FIGH DOLLAHS!

I went between that room and the outer room where Mario was still gambling with his wife, and at one point when I returned to my husband he said, “Did you see Jerome Bettis?”

I was all, “JEROME BETTIS IS HERE WHERE OKAY BYE NOW DON’T LOSE ALL OUR MONEY!”

I walked out of the room and there was Jerome Freaking Bettis walking right toward me with a friend of his. He didn’t appear to be there for the table games preview event, but rather was just there on his own. I stepped in front of him, prepared to trip him if necessary, and I said, “[Gasp!] Can I get my picture taken with you?”

But he kept walking, possibly farted in my general direction, and called out, “I don’t think they let people take pictures in here.”

I called after him, “Well, I’m a big fan!” and in my head I added, “You big fat jerk has-been!”

He stopped dead in his tracks like he heard me! As I wondered if I accidentally said that last part out loud, his shoulders slumped a bit and … he burst out laughing, turned on his heel and came back to me to shake my hand and say thanks.

I was on top of the world.

I met Mario. I was touched by Mario. I had a chance encounter with Jerome Bettis who I may or may not have insulted out-loud. I mingled with the filthy rich. I ate rich foods. I felt like I had climbed up the totem pole. Like maybe I was the entire bug that was caught in the spider web two heads from the bottom of the totem pole.

And the universe saw this and the universe said, “BAZINGA!” and smote me immediately with the worst migraine headache I have ever had in my whole life. I spent the last 45 minutes at the Casino wondering if the VIPs would be grossed out if I used one of the tiny dessert spoons to scoop my throbbing eyeball out of my head and place it in a martini glass.

In the car ride on the way home, it felt like someone had replaced my eyeball with a billiard ball. Just shoved it in there. The car ride home was also when I learned from a phone call to my Mom that my daughter had taken ill with a high fever.

Two hours later, close to midnight, having met Mario Lemieux and Jerome Bettis, and having spent time in places I’ll never be again with important people I’ll never be with again, I sat in my living room, my feverish, weeping daughter on the couch with my husband, my son crying because he was so tired and his room was messy and he couldn’t sleep in a messy room, the dogs tearing through the living room chasing each other like common folk dogs do, and I puked and fell off the totem pole, landing hard on the ground where a monkey stepped on me.

And the Universe slowly nodded its head and said, “That’s better.”

But who cares. Mario Lemieux touched me. And it’s all because of you.

The point of this post? Just wanted to say thank you, you guys, for giving me one of the best nights of my life.

I’m going to steal a hockey stick for you next time I’m in the foundation offices.

You’ve got mail!

Virginia — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:41:34 +0000

A surprise in my mailbox on Saturday!

A thank you card from some of the staff and the patients and their families on the transplant floor of Children’s Hospital!

It’s just as much your card, as it is mine.

Random n’at.

Virginia — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:47:57 +0000

1. Tonight is the Treehouse meeting, and I hope that I can count on some of you to be there with me as a show of support for Amy. I know she’d greatly appreciate it as well, considering that one of the opponents to the treehouse said, “If you’ve got a treehouse, what better place to hide the drugs.”

Amy truly wanted both sides to be heard, and that’s what’s going to happen. The meeting will be facilitated by the Regent Square Civics Association and the Parks Conservancy will present on behalf of Amy.

2. The Freedom post office will be renamed The John Scott Challis Jr. Post Office in tribute to John Challis, the teen who died after a truly courageous cancer battle almost two years ago.

Huge high five to Rep. Jason Altmire for making that happen by having the bill co-sponsored by all the PA delegates before President Obama signed it into law.

3. Boy, you’d think those Microsoft folks would just go away already, but NOOOO. They gotta keep giving, this time to the tune of an extra XBOX and Guitar Hero III with a wireless guitar, already delivered to the hospital for Make Room for Kids.

Awesomeness.

Mike and I will be getting busy with the other purchases very soon and will keep you updated.

4. PNC Park was named the 10th best baseball park by Fox Sports stating:

The last game I attended, you know, the one we lost 20-0? I got to high-five the yellow pierogi.

Good to have that crossed off my bucket list.

Next on the list: Kick Steely McBeam in the junk.

(h/t Sue)

5. On June 10, write your own “giant sucking sound” joke.

(h/t Charles)

6. A local pastor shows off his rap skills for a sermon, no less.

I’m told this is the pastor from Grace church in Cranberry and according to YouTube, it was produced for the final sermon in a series about parenting.

Click here to view the embedded video.

(h/t Erica)

7. Summer means heading outdoors in the Pittsburgh region, because, yo, Walls Are Bad.

You no longer have an excuse for not knowing what awesome things there are to do outdoors in the Burgh.

8. Up from 20th in 2007 and 4th last year, Pittsburgh has been ranked the country’s top philanthropic city in the United States, according to Charity Navigator.

This is a big deal! Group hug!

9. Super fantastic giveaway coming up on the blog later today. Hints: Mansion. Mt. Washington. Jeans. Charity. Dancing. Jewels. FUN!

So excited for this giveaway!

10. Lukey sent an email to the college graduates in Pittsburgh asking them to stick around and live and work in the city after graduation, and surprisingly he did not begin the email with, “Dear Graduates, Let’s just pretend that little Tuition Tax thing never happened. Let’s move forward from it, if you will.”

(h/t Brian)

11. I can’t decide which new fake account I like the most on twitter: FakeTomlin or FakeJulie.

That’s like trying to pick a favorite between CryBaby Gumballs and Sour Warheads. NOT POSSIBLE!

12. If you missed it, my post over at Pittsburgh Magazine about my horrible eating habits. Sneak peak: Count Chocula.

Also, please ignore the part where I get bitchy in the comments. Sometimes, bitchy just wins.

Maybe THAT’S what I’ll have put on my gravestone.

A really good day.

Virginia — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 14:41:52 +0000

So, yesterday. BIG DAY for Make Room for Kids.

I arrived at Children’s at 9:30 a.m. to meet up with Jenn Strang from IKEA who came bearing the carts, and to wait for the rest of the crew who were due to arrive at 9:45.

At exactly 9:45 a.m., and I do mean exactly, and I asked and they swore they didn’t wait up the block, Microsoft pulled into the main entrance circle at Children’s with a caravan of SUVs where eight employees, grinning from ear-to-ear, hopped out and got to work unloading carts and carts of equipment and gifts for the kids.

That’s Luke Sossi there in the green. If you ever see him on the street, you should grab him and hug him because this man is an angel on Earth. Don’t worry. I’ll bail you out.

We then headed up to the seventh floor playroom where Microsoft stacked up the XBOXs to prepare them for installation in the rooms and to give us a chance to take a few pictures of such a wonderful display of generosity.

That’s Nancy Angus from the Mario Lemieux Foundation there on the right. She was a huge help in not only working with Microsoft and the hospital to make this happen, but also in sort of being the official voice for Make Room for Kids yesterday. She’ll continue to be a huge help as we roll out Phase II in the coming weeks, which means another trip for me and Mike to the Mario Lemieux Foundation offices, which hopefully means an opportunity for me to steal some Mario-autographed stuff off the walls.

Microsoft also came armed with a giant box of kid-friendly movies:

As well as an entire Rock Band set up, including guitars, microphones and drums. Here’s Mike going nuts on the drums:

Immediately after that picture was taken, he bit the head off of a bat. True story.

The kiosks are fantastic and super easy to wheel around.

In the background there is David Severino, the Microsoft XBOX guru. You guys, HE WAS WEARING X-BOX SNEAKERS! Love.

My inspiration, nine-year-old leukemia patient Genre Baker and his mother came and we put him to work putting stickers on all the games and movies.

And here’s where I cried a little, because two minutes before this picture was snapped I was telling Genre how he inspired everything he was seeing happening and so, yeah, tears from me:

I was just so glad he got to come and witness the good that came out of his fight against leukemia, which is a fight he is completely winning. When I saw him a couple months ago, he had practically no hair and was wearing a surgical mask at church. Then when I saw him just a month ago, he had shed the mask and his hair was growing. Yesterday, his mother told me he had just had to get a haircut and that his latest blood work was fantastic! I expect a tap-out from leukemia real soon.

After we took pictures, it was installation time. Have you ever tapped an ant hill with your foot and suddenly, the ants are all, “FIRE FIRE FIRE!!!” and hurriedly scatter every which direction? That’s basically what happened. Luke gave the signal and the Microsoft employees and Mike grabbed XBOXs, which were already labeled for each room, grabbed extra controllers, grabbed cables, fanned out and got to work, installing 23 XBOXs in under two hours. There was one room they couldn’t install, simply due to the health of the child. So, keep that kiddo in your thoughts and prayers that he or she will be well enough to use the XBOX soon.

I had a chance to talk to a few of the kids, which I loved. They’re so strong. Really strong. Way stronger than me.

In one of the rooms, the mother of an infant transplant patient requested games for the newly installed XBOX so that she could pass some time, which is something I hadn’t even considered — that parents of smaller children might get some use out of “big-kid” games. That thrilled us all.

Here’s a little video that Children’s put together. You’ll get to see Microsoft at work and you’ll hear from one of the patients. You’ll notice I don’t talk in this video and that’s because I was very adamant that yesterday be about you guys and about Microsoft and about the kids. Not me. And I know I’m sounding like a broken record about that, but better it be that record than say, Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” of which my tennis coach once said, “When does she come up for air?”

Click here to view the embedded video.