Where Have All the Good Posts Gone?

by Julianna Squicciarini

It has come to my attention that *I* am the only one writing anything on this blog. Or at least, I’m the only one posting to it since the beginning of the year. Scary, you know? I feel like the single sailor trying to keep the ship afloat…

No, not really. But if you’ve wondered where we went and what’s going on in our lives, here are the Highlights of Our Lives for the past few months, and our mysterious absence from our blog.

• First of all, the efforts of the main authors of this blog (that being my sister Morgan and myself – no offense to any of the secondary writers) have been focusing their attention on building a more spiritually-based blog centering around our faith and connection between other young women around the globe. You can check it out at http://www.candlelighters.wordpress.com. As our personal community grows, so is our online presence, and it is so encouraging – and amazing! – to see what G-d has done for us.
• As to our physical lives, you know that Morgan is now engaged. Because of this all-important fact, you can well imagine how her life has gotten busier over the last few months, during her courtship. Now that she is offically engaged, life will probably be getting even busier! That’s a good thing. If you want to stay updated with her life, feelings, plans, details, etc., be sure to check out her personal blog at http://www.torahgirl.wordpress.com, where she will posting things like that.
• I have been starting to implement my 10 Plagues Project – a community service idea to fill my summer with profitable and meaningful activities. Interested in what exactly I mean by that? Feel free to leave a comment asking for more details (it’s kind of a long story), or email me and I’ll send you my PDF explaining things. Anyway, to that end, I have signed up yet again to walk with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on their October Light the Night walk here in Charlotte. If you live in the area and want to walk with us (no donation necessary!), please join our team at http://pages.lightthenight.org/nc/Charlnc10/Squicciarini. Clicking the red “Join” button at the bottom of the page will add you to our personal team and you’ll be signed up to walk with us on October 16. I’d love to have you with me!
• My sisters and I have continued to volunteer at the USO in the Charlotte Airport. Curious about what the USO is and does? Check them out at http://uso-nc.com/. It’s really cool being able to get through security easily and serve our military from right here in our hometown. We go about twice a month, usually in the early morning on a weekday or on Sunday afternoon.
• You all know about my Valentine’s Day luncheon – third year in a row! If you haven’t read it yet, check out my write-up at http://squicciarini.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/hugs-kisses-the-valentines-day-luncheon-2010/. Not only was this year’s luncheon a smashing success (and probably the best year yet), but I also entered a contest a few days later, competing with a few other girls for the best Valentine’s Day event (in a do-something-for-others spirit), and won first place! It was very exciting. Prizes came flooding in. It was incredible.
• My father’s business is doing very well. Flourishing, in fact. New customers have continued to call, even in this recession. Our father had us schedule set work hours, so we do actually get things done. I’m a schedule freak, so that’s fine with me. Plus, he still allows us to be very flexible. We are now in the process of cross-training, since it looks like our Chief Operating Officer might be moving out and starting a new life soon…!
• Peter is still taking piano, but his final recital is coming up. He’ll be performing Saturday afternoon, May 8, at Mt. Harmony Baptist Church (moments from our house). Email me if you’re interested in coming. This is going to be fantastic.
• My mother and Mary have both had birthdays, which were celebrated accordingly. The post on my mother’s birthday can be read at http://squicciarini.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/thinking-happy-thoughts/.
• I’ve been busier than ever with piano lessons, as I have acquired another four students since my post about them (http://squicciarini.wordpress.com/2010/02/03/play-it-through-to-the-end-and-repeat/). That’s seventeen students! Even I can’t believe I have that many.
• Christine has been on the endless search for a car. This search has been on the side of the road, in car lots, CraigsList, and eBay. She actually went and saw one yesterday – a manual, yellow MINI Cooper – and something might actually happen with that. I’m sure you can easily see Christine driving a yellow MINI. We all can.
• Speaking of cars, Morgan updated her look with a new car, as well. She traded in her bright yellow VW bug for a 2008, vanilla VW convertible. It’s smooth and sleek, and drives like a dream. Drop by sometime to see it.
• We’re planning on opening our pool in very early May. If you’re interested in helping with that, and thus adding yourself almost permanently to our pool-party guest list for Summer 2010, comment below or email me. We’re always looking for willing helping hands, and cold beverages will be complimentary.
• I really do plan to go skydiving for my birthday – want to come with me? Comment below or….email me. (You should know the drill by now <wink>). It will be sometime in June, and you’re welcome to come along just for the ride and the view, if you want.

Well, I think that’s about it. Put down on “paper”, it doesn’t look so busy. But as I was recently telling my dad, sometimes it feels like I don’t have time for anything! Like I work all the time, or something! While that’s not exactly true, life certainly is jam-packed. In an extraordinarily good way! Please pray that G-d continues to bless our family so abundantly.

20:20 Hindsight

by Julianna Squicciarini

2009 is finished. Wow. Did anyone see it blow by? Did anyone hear it screech past as it disappeared around the bend and 2010 arrived?

I didn’t.

The end of December always starts me thinking about what the past year was like. What I remember most. What I did with all that time. Because if you think about it, a year is 12 whole months – 52 long weeks – 365 days – 8,760 hours – 525,600 minutes. That’s a long time. I start thinking things like, “Did I use my time wisely? I’m never going to get this year back; it’s never going to be 2009 again.” It’s not depressing, unless I did, in fact, waste all kinds of precious moments.

So here’s what I came up with:

• This year, my car failed on me for the first time ever. I was driving home with Morgan from our very last horseback riding lesson down in Waxhaw, when…wait a second…this all sounds familiar…oh yes – that’s because Morgan already wrote the whole thing up. You can read all about it here.
• This year, I watched the Superbowl for the first time ever! When you get up off the floor, read all about it here.
• This year, I got texting on my cellphone. <pause> This could be seen as a good thing, or a bad thing. In some ways, it makes it so much easier to communicate with my friends and family; in others, it is exceptionally easy to abuse the privilege and text too much. Guidelines had to be set and reset by The Powers That Be, but I think I’m doing ok now, walking the straight-and-narrow.
• This year, I went to a good handful of concerts. I saw William Joseph, Straight No Chaser, Steve Lippia, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra all in person. What’s more, I thoroughly enjoyed all of those concerts, and don’t regret spending a single penny. THAT is most important.
• This year, I did a lot of traveling. I went every direction. I went 100 miles south, 250 miles southwest, 150 miles west, 1200 miles northwest, 400 miles northeast, 180 miles east, and 190 miles southeast. I visited Ocean Isle NC, Columbia SC, Fort Mill SC (finished out the year there!), Rock Hill SC, York SC (pretty much once a week!), Atlanta GA, Asheville NC (many times!), Lake Lure NC, Raleigh NC, Bristol VA (twice!), Hudson WI (full series here, here, here, here, and here), and Washington DC. If you’ll notice, that means I got to visit the capital of my state, as well as the capital of our country, both in the same year. I now know that I enjoy being in other places, but I don’t especially like to travel. Being in a town I’ve never seen, walking streets I don’t comprehend (has anyone ever thought of *fixing* Washington DC??), and seeing famous sites are magnificent; I just don’t really like the process of getting there – usually a long car drive. But hey – can’t win ‘em all. I’m certainly not complaining! I can’t believe how many places I’ve been!
• This year, I turned 20. I left forever behind the “teen” years. That realization was bittersweet; mostly sweet, with a little sadness, as the thought hit me. Time, in the long run, really does fly by. If we are just looking at hours of the day and minutes passing, time seems to crawl. But looking back now, I can’t believe my teen years have ended. I guess I should start acting like an adult…
• This year, I went to Carowinds for the first time ever (read all about it here). In fact, I went twice. That was fun, and something I can’t even believe I did.
• This year, I finished off a year at the USO. Morgan and I were very excited about having volunteered there for a year, and the Washington, DC trip was a pseudo-reward for that. We each got certificates; mine says I worked 92.25 hours there, in their fiscal year. I know it’s not exactly right, but it’s got to be close. That’s pretty cool. Here’s to another fantastic year at the CLT Airport! <raises glass>
• This year, I decided to go skydiving for my 21st birthday. And for those of you who don’t believe I’ll really jump, or think I’m going to freak out and start screaming, try me. Come see for yourself – I’m ready to do this.
• This year, I participated in the Light the Night fight against leukemia and lymphoma. The five of us Squicciarini “kids” signed up to help out and walk the 2-mile walk up in Southpark in October. Only one of us was too sick to attend the actual walk in the arctic temperature. <sheepish smirk> But at least I wrote the post telling everyone about it!
• This year, I attended a black-tie event for the first time in my life. I bought a great dress and uncomfortable heels, and enjoyed myself immensely. I’m thinking about returning for the 2010 gala.
• This year, I was the official accompanist for one of the homeschool choirs in our area. It was fun, it was hard work, it was stressful, and it was a great use of my spare time. I enjoyed it like even I didn’t know I would, and I am continuing to accompany them here in the new year.
• This year, I celebrated the end of the year at a party at our friends’ house,* with my family, rather than sitting quietly in our own living room, sipping bubbly cider. It’s the first time we’ve ever been invited to a New Year’s Eve Party, and remembering the excellent time had by all, I can only hope it won’t be the last.

All in all, I am pretty happy with 2009. There are some changes I would make, there are some resolutions I’ve made for this year. But there’s no use crying over spilled milk – although I may have done things differently, I can’t change the past, so I’m going to smile at the future.

To the new year, readers! Tempus fugit! Let’s use our time wisely this year, shall we?

*Bartoast, Inc.

Reflecting on a year at the USO

Julianna and I are coming up on a full year of volunteering with the USO – by the end of July, we will have reached 12 months of service at the Charlotte USO. In honor of that milestone, and in the spirit of patriotism surrounding us as the 4th of July approaches, here are the top 10 reasons we love coming to the USO:

1. (M) Any excuse to be at the airport! “Ladies and gentlemen, please keep a close watch on your personal baggage at all times… if you notice any suspicious persons or unusual activity, please report it to your nearest law enforcement officer.” Love it. And there never are any policemen around when this announcement plays.

2. (J) Our ever-growing list of “friends” among the airport personnel: Freddie, Darren, Pete, John Regeis, Mike, Rich, Chris…and the list goes on and on.

3. (M) “WE NEED THEM. THEY NEED THE USO. THE USO NEEDS YOU. IT’S THAT SIMPLE.” 

(You can visit www.uso-nc.org to see what else is going on in Charlotte, or go to www.uso.org to find a center near you.)

4. (J) Those long, introspective walks down the B Concourse to pick up 40 Bojangles biscuits at 6:15am. The walk there is pleasant. The walk back? …no comment.

5. (M) Parking 3 miles from the airport, in the small hours of the morning, and taking an employee shuttle to the concourse. Since we are the only ones not in uniform, most people assume we work at the US Airways lounge. Which sounds a little… sketch, if you catch my drift.

6. (J) Knowing that flashing your biggest, brightest smile and giving your cheeriest “Good morning!” actually will make someone’s day.

7. (M) Employee badges. With photos. As if it wasn’t bad enough to get a driver’s license, here’s another chance to get your picture taken under harsh fluorescent lighting! Yay! When the badges were first issued, there was… a glitch with the layout… so the pictures were distorted and we looked like pointy-headed aliens… however, the updated badges have corrected this fault. <sigh of relief>

8. (J) When some random man or woman decides that standing up front and talking with us is *better* than sitting in the armchairs with free food and free coffee. I mean, I totally agree with them – but it’s always a lot of fun when someone else realizes it, too.

9. (M) The way each shift is a new experience. Searching for dental floss… figuring out how to work the DVD player… learning the subtle difference between video game controllers… shipping a serviceman’s jacket accidentally left behind… trying to locate documents in the B concourse lost and found… meeting a policeman from the K9 unit and his dog… greeting Mr. and Mrs. Jack Ahart as they came through (Jack is the former Charlotte USO director)… flipping through the comments notebook and seeing all the rave reviews for our center… sympathizing with travelers when their flights are delayed another 3 hours… getting the call that our missing co-worker overslept… it’s always different and always an adventure.

10. (J) Getting to know our coworkers really well. Don, who likes to work Christmas Day with his wife, Paula, since they are older and their kids have moved out – what better way to spend Christmas than ministering to our military and spending time with each other? Boyd, who loves Godiva chocolate – especially the White Chocolate Raspberry Star. Oscar, who knows everything about everything going on at the airport, the USO, and the US Airways Lounge. Kathleen, who has gone back to college as an adult to take culinary classes, because she loves to cook. You get the idea. With three hours on a slow morning, people tend to open up about themselves.

Conclusion? We ♥ the USO.

And G-d Was Watching: Top 7 People We Met

By Julianna Squicciarini

1. The Gordon Family [Joe & Karen, Autumn, Noah, Abigail, Anna, Timothy, Isaac, Joshua, Elizabeth]
How we met: Our Aunt Lynn brought the Gordons to our 2008 Passover Seder in April.  We had said, “Bring friends!” and…she did
Where they’re located: Rock Hill, SC.
What’s great about them: They are always willing to drive an hour to party with us!

2. The Zilber Family [Eugene & Elena, David, Daniel]
How we met: The Zilbers became Quo Vadis customers in May 2008.  It didn’t take long for them to become family friends!  Mr. & Mrs. Zilber emigrated from Russia several years ago, but their two sons were born right here in the US.  We were honored to be invited to their home for a festive dinner later in the year.
Where they’re located: Charlotte, NC.
What’s great about them: Their way of expressing things, with accents which we adore, using phrases that charm the heart.

3. Kelly Miller
How we met: Kelly and I sat across from one another on the Eurostar, traveling from London to Paris in July 2007 – she was one of the only girls my age on the tour.  After returning home, we began emailing and getting to know one another much better.  In June 2008, she came and stayed with us for about three days, giving my family the chance to meet her as well.
Where she’s located: Home is Louisville, KY, but she is currently attending an art college in Baltimore, MD.
What’s great about her: She was one of the easiest guests our family has ever had, hands down.  It also never ceases to amaze me that we can remain such good friends with virtually no face-time!

4. Gloria Hartis Alexander
How we met: Morgan bumped into Gloria (almost literally!) as she was leaving the Zilber’s office one day.  Morgan has never met a stranger, so the following week Gloria was with us for a Sabbath dinner.  Now she’s simply part of the family!
Where she’s located: Charlotte, NC.
What’s great about her: We love how relaxed she is around us!

5. The Covert Family [Tim & Lisa, David, Daniel]
How we met: Our parents met the Coverts on the Israel tour in November 2007.  In August 2008, however, our families finally got together here in Charlotte for a weekend, giving the rest of us the chance to meet.
Where they’re located: Atlanta, GA.
What’s great about them: It is so rare to find a like-minded family, but the Coverts really seem to be on the same page of music as us.  What a find!

6. The First Fruits of Zion Group [Boaz Michael, Daniel Lancaster, Steve & Mona Lancaster, Jeremy Schoenwald]
How we met: Ok, this one has some poetic license, because actually our family has not met them.  Morgan and Christine were privileged to meet all five of the above on their Israel tour in November 2008.  From the stories and occasional contact via Facebook, we all feel as though we know them.
Where they’re located: Marshfield, MO.
What’s great about them:
Boaz is always calm, cool, and collected.
Daniel is *such* an entertaining encyclopedia of information.
Steve & Mona are sweethearts.  Period.
Jeremy is a godly young man, always amiable, and always aiming the video camera at Morgan and Christine (wait, that didn’t sound right…)

7. Richard Rampe
How we met: Morgan and I met Rich toward the end of the year, when he walked into the USO during one of our shifts.  A couple of weeks and a few emails later, he came over for pizza, and to meet the rest of our family.  He’s one of the police officers in the CLT Airport – always good to have friends in high places
Where he’s located: Dallas, NC.
What’s great about him: His very easy-going, laid-back, friendly nature.  Also, having a police officer at a party seems to lend an innocence and probity to the event, doesn’t it?

In closing, I would like you to take a quick look at the locations of these seven people or families and notice that only two of them live right here in Charlotte, NC.  G-d has brought so many new faces across our path, from far and wide.  Bottom line – wow!

And G-d Was Watching: Top 7 Happenings of 2008

What: High school graduation
Who: Julianna
Where: Christ Covenant
When: April 2008

What: New cousins!
Who: Timothy Stelzl, Scott Berlin, and Nathan Reed
Where: Waxhaw NC, Vero Beach FL, and Rock Hill SC
When: February-April-July 2008

What: Volunteer work at the USO
Who: Morgan and Julianna
Where: Charlotte-Douglas International Airport
When: August 2008

What: Driver’s license and learner’s permit
Who: Christine (fully licensed) and Peter (learning)
Where: the streets of Charlotte… watch out!
When: September 2008

What: 25th anniversary celebration
Who: Joseph and Allyn
Where: Tuscany, Italy
When: September 2008

What: Profiles on the social networking site Facebook
Who: Morgan, Julianna, Peter, and Mary
Where: Online
When: Fall 2008

What: Tour with FFOZ
Who: Morgan and Christine
Where: Israel
When: November 2008

Under the Tuscan Sun: Day 1

As an introduction, this year is my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary. October 8th marks a quarter century since our family was established… undeniably a momentous occasion worthy of the most extravagant demonstrations.

My father pondered the best choice of an anniversary gift – deliberating between two excellent options: a 10-day trip to Tuscany, or a new car.

We voted decisively for the trip… so after selecting the perfect tour (relaxing but structured, personal but guided) and making arrangements to be gone for almost 2 weeks, my parents departed this afternoon on a Lufthansa flight bound for Florence. International travel produces the occasional tense moment or crucial preparation… (my mother’s primary concern: clothes; my dad’s: business). Fortunately the actual leave-taking today was relatively simple – no frantic last minute searches for tickets, no vanishing passports, no forgotten luggage. As it happens, Julianna and I now have USO badges which allow us to get through security, so we were able to give my parents a tour of the USO facility and then accompany them through the concourse.

Now, on to the fun part! Ten days on our own is a rare opportunity… and it’s no exaggeration to say that we’ve spent countless hours in the last couple of months planning an ambitious social schedule… balanced of course by our dedication to company work.

Tonight was an important celebration… no, not because our parents left! What do you take us for? We had a good reason for celebrating, which will be explained in a subsequent post. It was a great way to kick off our time Home Alone.

In closing, I want to extend an open invitation for friends and family to drop by anytime… to inspect the housecleaning, have a cup of coffee, or just make sure we aren’t getting into trouble. We usually keep a count of how many guests we can entertain during the time away, so we’re grateful for any additional visitors!

Community Service

by Julianna Squicciarini

I don’t want to draw the attention away from Edward Norton, TANFF, or Nortonmania in any way, but I did want to do a short post on the volunteer work in which Morgan and I are now involved.

This month, Morgan and I both became official volunteers at the Charlotte USO.  It’s located in the Charlotte-Douglas Airport “up the stairs and to the right”.  We have little badges and a green thing to hang in our car window (this entitles us to free parking in the employee lot ).

Our first shift was today; we get to choose when we want to work, and they do it by three-hour shifts.  Since they need help most in the mornings, we volunteered for the 6:00-9:00am shift.  Doing so means we got up at 4:30am, were in the car by 5:00am, and started “working” at 6:00am on the dot.  To some of you, that may not be a huge deal (I’m thinking of you, specifically, Uncle Jim), but 4:30 is a stretch, even for me.  I’m still feeling a little fuzzy.  I’m sure I’ll get used to it

It was fabulous – I feel so connected and helpful.  This is true community service.  Plus, I’ve always had a heart for the military.  Unfortunately, you have to be over 18 to volunteer; Christine was pretty bummed about that.  Next year!

I strongly encourage those reading this blog to consider helping out at the USO.  The military personnel we saw just this morning are so grateful for all the USO does.  It’s heartwarming!