by Jennifer Farlin | Jan 12, 2015 | Life Reflections
I really wanted to follow up on I Am A White House Christmas Decorator with a fun post about how I was asked to be a seat filler for The Lincoln Awards-A Concert for Veterans & the Military Family at The Kennedy Center last Wednesday and call it something snappy, like, I Am A Kennedy Center Seat Filler. This concert was a televised event to recognize those who have helped and supported our military in a big and awesome way and I was really excited to be there.
Backstage at The Kennedy Center
I pictured myself rushing in between set changes to fill vacant seats next to Bruce Springsteen, Jerry Lewis, and Gavin DeGraw’s plus one as they took the stage. I imagined passing Miss America or Nick Jonas in a frenzy of activity as I desperately tried to make it to their seats before the cameras started rolling. I mentally practiced looking dignified for my big close up. Maybe I would be caught on camera in Brian William’s clan and people would wonder if I was the sister to Pan? Maybe there would be some glitch that would be funny or I would become a celebrity bestie, you know, in the 5 seconds as I dodge in and out of rows.
Alas, I sat on Row N, Seat 2, next to my friend Stephanie and watched from beginning to end in that one seat, filling it as well as I could:) Nothing really too funny to mention except for the fact that the camera man’s cord went as far as Row N–so there he would stop and record us for audience reaction (for what felt like hours)–good thing I practiced looking dignified.
I wasn’t even going to write about any of this, but then I watched the Golden Globes last night. The quote of the night came from Tina Fey:
“George Clooney married Amal Alamuddin this year. Amal is a human rights lawyer, who worked on the Enron case, was an advisor to Kofi Annan regarding Syria, and was selected for a three person UN commission investigating rules of war violations in the Gaza Strip. So tonight her husband is getting a lifetime achievement award.”
Right?
What is it about celebrities that completely dwarf real people and their accomplishments? I’m completely guilty of this. Here I am at this amazing Kennedy Center event honoring people who have made a huge difference in tens of thousands of lives and I’m trying to find Bruce Springsteen? And when I google this event the headline is about Nick Jonas–not about Dean Kamen who developed a prosthetic arm that is near natural, or Britnee Kinard, a wounded warrior advocate who has turned her own struggles into a way of helping thousands of others with the SD Gunner Fund.
I’d love to see the honorees Justin Constantine, Ken Fisher, Jackie Garrick, Dean Kamen, Britnee Kinard, Bruce Springsteen, Kayla Williams, Dick Young, Team Rubicon, and Walmart (well maybe not Walmart exactly) walk the red carpet with a little paparazzi and get all the same perks as A-List Hollywood.
Journalists receive Pulitzers and scientists receive Nobel Prizes and I bet the general public have no idea who won what last year. I don’t.
I’m really not trying to preach. I just think Tina Fey made a hilarious and very accurate point. Despite all this I would TOTALLY be a seat filler for the Golden Globes. If you know someone, email me.
If you would like to learn more about these amazing Americans who were honored or to just see me looking dignified in the audience it will be aired on PBS, March 4th at 8 pm.
You can read the details for the The Lincoln Awards at The Lincoln Awards: 2015 Winners/Friars Club and Military Times.
by Jen | Jan 10, 2015 | Life Reflections
We aren’t like most military families. They move more than we do. And most have had at least one overseas tour, if not more. On paper I am jealous of them. But the reality is something different. Logistical hell. New schools, houses that need to be sold, niches that need to be found, packing, unpacking, saying good-bye…and that doesn’t even begin to address moving to another country (cars with the steering wheel on the wrong side, pets that need to go into 6 month quarantine, and the new washing machine you just bought that the military won’t ship). But still, how boring to let all that stop you? Trying new places, lands, and cultures changes people. It broadens perspective and teaches new ways to measure quality of life. On the other hand packing and unpacking and dealing with all the red tape can and may kill you…
So on a third hand, I really want to live in France for a year. I really want to try New England. I wish I could have lived on the West Coast longer. And everyone loves their experiences living in Guam (who knew?) And on yet another hand, I may not make it if I have to move my household goods again (did I mention I am living in a rental house?)
I’m glad I’ve moved as much as I have. Every move has been a blessing, every single one–albeit sometimes disguised. Which brings me to now–approaching our final military chapter. Do we stay where we are and bloom where we are planted? Or is the grass greener somewhere else? In my head I have this vision of a small West Coast town where you ride your bike or walk to everywhere, the vistas are breathtaking, the picket fences extra white, and my charming seaside cottage is below BAH (that’s really affordable in non-military terms). In my head I live where other people dream about–only it’s my reality. I wish I could move all the people with me that have made every place I have lived special. I’ve left bits of my heart across the country with these people.
Today I am enveloped in my rental house on a freezing cold day thinking of them and homes I have left and places I dream of going procrastinating on the blasted Christmas decorations that need to be packed up. It must be all the empty boxes waiting to be packed that have triggered this thinking. Who knows where we will be when these boxes get unpacked next?
Joy and Warmth to You,
Jen
If you liked this post then read on:
I’m Sorry You are Not a Military Family…So Put That In Your Pipe and Smoke It, Downsizing Part 3, and My Household Goods Weigh As Much As A UK Bus
by Jennifer Farlin | Jan 8, 2015 | House Tours, Interior Decorating
New Year’s Resolution. Be very specific about what I want.
Dear Universe, I will take one of these please. Thank you. Jen
The Queen’s Hamlet. Versailles. www.stuckincustoms.com
Rhinebeck, New York
“Hansel”. Carmel, California
Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. Architectural Digest
Bee Cottage. House Beautiful.
Bee Cottage. House Beautiful.
If you liked this post then you will just love:
Teeny Tiny Cottages, and Cottage Love
by Jennifer Farlin | Jan 5, 2015 | Life Reflections
I am a very important person. At least that is what I tell my husband and my sister in- law, repeatedly. The fact that I need to constantly remind them of this has not gone unnoticed. You see, I decorated the White House for Christmas this year and this now makes me an expert on many things. When asked how long I would milk this for I thoughtfully replied “until the end of December”. I texted my sister in-law from an extremely long, long line in Chipotle asking her “didn’t they know who I was?” She texted back I should wear my White House 2014 Christmas work apron wherever I go. I was wearing my laminated White House 2014 Christmas ID badge and lanyard but maybe she had a point, maybe the lanyard wasn’t enough. However, due to 67 different bouts of the flu I didn’t get out much in December so I started wearing my lanyard and apron in the house–just in case my family forgot my powerfulness. Since it is now January, I am bereft. I still have the flu but I feel wearing my apron and lanyard might be a bit much now.
A few days ago, I did receive a signed note by the First Lady personally thanking me for decorating the White House for the Holidays and I did hear my husband say from the other room, “there will be no living with her now”.
I’m thinking about putting the note from Mrs. Obama next to the other note I have from her husband, The President. That note is just something he scrawled quickly to my kids while we were having coffee, but that’s a story for another day.
Cocktail Reception hosted by First Lady.
Me and the East Room.
You know even though December has passed—my decorations are still up–maybe I can still milk it a bit longer?
Jen aka Very Important
by Jennifer Farlin | Jan 2, 2015 | Happiness at Home
Bella Home Staging
By Jennifer Farlin
Live Your Fun!
by Jen | Jan 2, 2015 | Happiness at Home
Cue me singing in an operatic voice. Cue sunshine streaming. Orchestra music swells. Drumroll. Joyousness resounding. Puppies leaping. Kittens rolling. Happy. Bright.
Colombian Coffee and Cocktails for all my friends!
This is what it’s like over here…Bella Home Staging moved to a new place. Where everybody knows your name, it is EASY being green (shout out to Kermit), and the grass is greener on OUR side–not the other. There are no mean girls, bad bosses, to do lists don’t exist, and the laundry is always finished. We have butlers over here filling up your cup so it’s always full–none of this half empty crappola–ain’t nobody got time for that.
We are practically at the corner of happy and healthy–move over Walgreens.
We still like coveting other people’s mighty fine homes, we still aspire for good taste and style…life is too short for ugly, and we still think our deep thoughts. But we do it with a mariachi band and a margarita now.
Whoop Whoop!
Our new place is Live Your Fun. We like mixing it up.
We are still working on the gorgeousness and the fancy so there might be a few nonsensical things, but that’s another thing about here–we try not to judge, we’re all just doing our best.
So live your fun everyone. And welcome;)
Jen
