CALLING ALL PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE MARATHONERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD! Impersonate Elvis or Get Hitched or just Groove to the Blue Man Group!

DECEMBER 2, 2007 is the date for the next Las Vegas Marathon which means it's time to get off our bums and get the lead out! If you've ever wanted to run a marathon or if you've run several, the Vegas one is different. No matter where you live,if you start now, just follow a training plan and you can do it. There's now a half and a full to suit your preference. Only runners are allowed on the famous Vegas strip that morning and it is a wild & crazy party you won't have a hangover from!

It's a good thing to join a group because once a week, you can do a long run with coaching, in preparation for the big day. If you're local, you can join the Las Vegas Roadrunners who meet on Sunday mornings at the strip mall at the corner of Stephanie & American Pacific. Pictured above are a just a few of the people you can meet. Photos from left to right and top to bottom are: Dr. Hill, the medical director;Pam Hall, LV track club newsletter editor;Shelley Hovaniec and Lil' Bit (who will do the shorter training runs);Betty Cook, mega-athlete; Amanda Wing, moved from Maine and now training for her 2ND marathon;Reverend Bill Peterson,age 64 marathoner who did the marriage ceremony at mile 5 in 2005 and Demi (she told him if she ever finds the man of her dreams who can go the distance, wants to get married at the marathon); Sista Social, glamorous runner who embodies the spirit of LV(check out those medals!)

As the "rockstar"leader of the pack, Tim Kelly (bottom photo) says "We are not just a bunch of skinny whippets. We come in all shapes and sizes". Where can you experience this? Only in Vegas,baby!

Airplane Flashbacks: Hulk Hogan Bubblebath

In the good ole' days of aviation, before blogs, cellphones and a flight attendant's need to be an adept Kung Fu Fighter, I was boarding a flight from PHL to LAX. It was a 767 and I was the greeter and it was my job to create a welcoming impression and direct passengers to their seats. Life was much simpler then. There may have been a few problems to diffuse or an occasional medical issue to deal with but it was a more carefree time. It may have been March or thereabouts.

That holiday season (before Xmas was politically incorrect), I found the coolest present to give my girlfriends at Sav-on Drug Store in SoCal. On a display shelf with bronzed biceps and Wrestlemania belt was a plastic replica of Hulk Hogan containing bubble bath. Wouldn't have been happier with a gold Oscar! Swooped up several and kept one for myself.

Back to Philadelphia and the agent is almost ready to shut the door. A final passenger is sprinting up the jetway. My mouth falls open. Can it be? Hulk Hogan?
Yes! Clad in Snakeskin pants, a headband, and straight from Wrestlemania.

Let's get something straight here. I have met a lot of celebrities and most of the time, to respect their right to have some normalcy in their life, I treat them with no special deference except to protect their privacy and keep them from unwanted attention.

I open my mouth and say "Hulk!!! I just gave your bubblebath to all my girlfriends!
He replied, "Bubblebath? I didn't know I had bubblebath. I have sheets and underwear but I didn't know about the bubblebath."

We take off and I'm working first class aisle. Services are finished. It is a late night flight. I had just perfected a practical joke I call "the cup trick". I would place a plastic glass under my armpit and crunch it while twisting my neck. Kids loved it but it wouldn't work in today's environment! Anyway, Hulk enters the lavatory and I don't know what possessed me but...when he comes out, I am poised with my cup and ask him "You're an athlete. Do you know any good exercises for stiff necks? I crunch the cup while twisting my neck and then bust out laughing. He calmly says in his deep voice "You are too much" and takes his seat. He is definitely a good sport and made my plastic bubblebath even more valuable to me!

1971 Airstream Sovereign Land Yacht (International Model) Docks in Hobbs!

As a child, my parents had friends who caravanned the world in their Airstream. Giant cranes would actually lift the trailer aboard ships and the couple would travel with other Airstreamer's to exotic locations all over the world. Their slide shows sparked my personal desire to travel internationally. While I've been privileged to do so in 4 and 5 star hotels (one of my great airline benefits), I have always loved Airstreams. My Hobbs house is still a work in progress, so thanks again to the power of Ebay and my vision board, this well-traveled model is now at home and my home in Hobbs. This particular trailer has quite a history and could write a book if it were human.

We will miss you, Richard Jeni!

Depression claimed the life of Richard Jeni on March 10th.

A memorial fund has been started on his website @ www.richardjeni.com

Thank you Richard, for all the memorable moments, great comedy and making your O.C. "groupies" feel so special. We love you and will never forget you.

THE STORY OF THE RICHARD JENI MOBILE

Here you see a picture of my favorite car of all time, my Dodge K car.I made the decision to buy it and get rid of a late model Honda Accord (and the payments that went with it) in order to help lower my expenses. It had low miles and made it possible for me to get in a better financial position. The ownership of it turned into somewhat of a social experiment for me. It is not just a stereotype that Californians place a lot of value on the type of car one drives. My daughter would request I drop her on the corner, rather than in front of her school and I grew to love the challenge of visiting a friend in a posh "OC' neighborhood and getting out of this beauty!

One really fun evening was at the Improv in Irvine. My friend LR and I went to see the comedian Richard Jeni, right after I bought the car. He is a regular customer at my airline and my friend has volunteered as a hostess when he does comedy benefits in LA. After his show, he asked if we would give him a ride to where he was staying. Excusing myself to visit the ladie's room, I took the picture you see here (above), which was an 8x10 off the Improv wall and ran to my car and taped it on the rear window of the K car. I ran back into the Improv and said I would drive him and then drop LR back to her car. We are walking and he asks "What kind of a car are we looking for?" I said it was a specialty celebrity limo. LR had not yet seen my "new" car, either. We arrive and I announce "Here it is!" LR yells "It's a "June Cleaver" car and Richard, your face is already in it!" It was known ever after as "The RICHARDJENIMOBILE!" It is no coincidence that one of my favorite songs is the BareNaked Ladies "If I had a Million Dollars". The lyrics say "If I had a million dollars, I'd buy you a Dodge K Car!" At the time I didn't really realize how fortunate I was that I already had one, even if I didn't have a million dollars.

WARREN BUFFET HAS HIS OMAHA, DEMI HAS HER HOBBS

Both Warren & Demi used to own properties in Laguna Beach, CA. They weren't exactly neighbors but Demi heard Mr. Buffet decided to sell his property. She was having a little remorse for having done the same but took some comfort in this tycoon's proclamation that the timing was right to do so. When asked why this man who could afford to live anywhere chose Omaha as his base of operations, he replied that there in other areas, there was "Over stimulation". He said in New York City, for example, he would get 15 great ideas proposed to him by noon. "All you need is one great idea in a year" and that's why Omaha suits him. I knew exactly what he meant and feel it is easier to focus on what is meaningful when there is less hustle-bustle.

DEMI & DOG ARE PACKING UP AND MOVING TO HOBBS!

The decision has been made. After a fun-filled road trip, Demi has decided to leave Vegas behind and explore the opportunities to be found in the Land of Enchantment! After visiting the Lea County museum, she bought a copy of a book "The Grandma Hobbs Affair , Remembering the Love Affair Between A Little Old Lady and Her City." It put her over the top since she is also in love with the place and eventually may be a little old lady there. The book speaks of how Grandma Hobbs loved the "boomtown" of Hobbs and could see the future and believed it would yield much opportunity. Demi feels the same way and wants to be a part of the upcoming action.