Just say yes

I have a problem.  It's this:  I find it hard to say "no."  I will admit that part of it lies in not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings, but really, as a mother, you get over that one pretty quickly.  My actual verbalization of the word has gone up about a thousand-fold since giving birth.  However, when it comes to offers from adults, I find it very difficult to say that little word.

Here's the thing though, I like adventure.  Not the jumping off high things or wrastlin' dangerous creatures kind, but the I've-never-done-THAT-before kind.  I like to challenge myself to see if I can.  I like to have one more story to pull out at a dinner party.  And, I will fully admit it, I like that look people get when they utter some of my favorite words, "You did what?"  It's why I make cheese and join show choirs.

So, when I was faced a couple weeks back with two opportunities on the same day, I didn't blink.  I just said, "OK."  It's not everyday that you get offered a chance to present an award at the Upper Midwest Emmy Awards AND appear in a web-based TV show in the same day!  So, I wrote out my schedule, hired a sitter, prepped my family and readied myself as best I could for one of the most random days of my life.

It started with Moms Like Us.  I was sitting at my desk, minding my own business on a Friday afternoon when one of the merchandise coordinators at work came into my cube and asked me to follow him into the studio.  There I met Elizabeth, the creative mind behind Moms Like Us.  She told me about this show she is doing in a talk-show style that would be "by moms for moms".  Each show will include a mom-panel discussing a pertinent issue with an expert in the field.  Elizabeth had just discovered she was one mom short of a full panel and needed a quick replacement.

"Well," I said, already feeling pretentious, "I have Emmys rehearsal at 4, so as long as I'm done by then, I can do it."

"Emmys?"

"yeah."

"We'll have you out of here by 3, is that good?"

"OK, I'm in."

I showed up at noon, and they had already gone through a panel taping for another episode.  The panel I was on was discussing nutrition – a topic I love.  We sat down in the kitchen at the office, made all our introductions and briefly discussed our topic.  The group was amazing!  The moms and the expert that I got to be with were all very nice, easy to talk to and had lots of great advice.  Once the camera men were ready, we all trouped into the studio and made ourselves comfy on a big sectional.  They wired us up with mikes and we talked.  Elizabeth would pose a question, Tracy, the expert, would give an answer and then each of us moms would chime in tips and tricks for things like getting your kids to eat veggies or healthy snacks on-the-go.

Here I am on the panel (this is a cameras off behind-the-scenes moment) :

I really like the concept of the show too.  Besides the panel discussion, there are profiles of "amazing moms" - momtrepreneurs and moms who do cool stuff.  There's also Gramma's Corner to get the perspective of "the older generation."

As soon as the episodes are posted online, I will post direct links, or check back on the link above.  Also, check it out on Facebook.

After taping was over and we had all agreed to meet again to make cheese and drink wine together, I headed downtown to The State Theater for rehearsal of my big Emmy moment.  (This all came about earlier in the week when our president at work was not able to make it.  They looked for a replacement and landed on me.  What the heck?  I'm up for anything!)  I was so excited just to get the opportunity to be backstage at the State!  It was my first experience with a teleprompter, and after 7 runs through because of others' missed video cues, I was ready to go.

Brett was my willing date.  We got dolled up.  Then hit our favorite Indian Restaurant, The Dancing Ganesha, for dinner.  And then, fully stuffed, headed to the theater.  We couldn't stop talking about how surreal it was to be "going to the Emmys."  OK, I know, it's the Upper Midwest Emmys, but still!  We sat in the back of the theater so that I could dash out about an hour in – after my "cue."

I presented with the president of NATSA, and she presented me (OK, my employer) with a community service plaque.

I then spent the next 10 or so minutes on stage with her, introducing two community service winners – one who helped to enact "Hannah's Law" which requires all daycare workers in MN to know CPR and the other who helped a young African boy get surgery to correct his severely crossed eyes.  It was very moving and a really cool experience.

After I left the stage, Brett and I took our leave and went and got some dessert.

"Well, what did you think?"

"It's not the weirdest thing you've gotten us into."

Sometimes saying yes leads to a lot of fun and some really good memories.