Feel Good Friday - Birthday Dreams

Having just celebrated a milestone birthday yesterday, I wanted to know if there are any birthday-related non-profits I could write about for this Feel Good Friday. The answer is yes!

Birthday Dreams, in the Puget Sound area of Washington state, "is dedicated to bringing joy, hope and dignity to homeless children with the gift of a birthday party."

There are two types of parties Birthday Dreams provides. The first are onsite parties run by volunteers. These take place at homeless and transitional housing shelters and include cake, ice cream, presents and often games and entertainment. A Birthday in a Box is just what it sounds like - cake, a gift, balloons, party hats, streamers, plates, forks, napkins and a party game. Open, assemble and enjoy.

In addition to donating items (or cash) for the festivities, volunteers attend the onsite parties, bake cakes, buy gifts and party supplies and deliver the boxes. To date Birthday Dreams has held celebrations for over 6,000 children. You can get an idea of what the parties are like by watching this short video of twins enjoying their big day.

There are testimonials on the website so you can read what the impact is on both the kids who get to celebrate and their parents. If you live in the area and want to volunteer at a party or make the birthday cake, you can check this calendar of upcoming events.

No matter where you live, you can still support Birthday Dreams with a donation and by spreading the word on social media. Like their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @BirthdayDreams to get all the latest updates.

Happy birthday!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Do you suppose Carly Simon was singing about me? Yes, well, moving on.

Saturday I had a birthday bbq at the Cube.  It was a fun event with family, friends, good food and a pinata shaped in the number "40".  If that's not enough motivation to swing a stick erratically through the air while people stand around and laugh, well then, you're either under 40 or you don't like candy.

Speaking of candy... I've got plenty left.  And there's tortilla chips and 2.5 pounds of shredded cheese that someone needs to eat. If you find yourself hungry and in my neighborhood, stop by for some food.  If you don't know where I live, well then you'll have to fix your own dinner.

Did the excitement end there, you ask yourselves?  No!  I went to Beach Blanket Babylon with some friends later that night.  It's always a fun show and given the fact it's been 17 years since I've seen it... it was full of new surprises.  Nancy Pelosi singing "Leader of the Pack" with Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein as her backup singers was priceless.  

Did the excitement end there, you ask yourselves?  No!  Sunday was the big ol' Pride Parade! Although I got there too late for the Dykes on Bikes kick off (and Charo was a no show), we did see  Cyndi Lauper, a float of Charo drag queen look-a-likes and a whole bunch of proud Marys. I didn't have my camera with me, so you'll have to let the internet be your guide.

The excitement almost ended there, but then I went to my friend Danny's house to play Wii Rock Band!  I am much better at the drums than guitar but that leaves me with nothing but room for improvement!

Okay.  The excitement has ended.  Must now get back on task with this whole figuring out my life thing.  After just one more piece of pinata candy...

Update for My Three Fans

Hey All,

I do believe the number of people reading this blog has dwindled from it's peak last summer during my African adventure.  I think many people don't know I'm still posting and, admittedly, I'm not posting that often.

But for the 3 (maybe 4) of you out there who are wondering, what's up with Miss K... here goes:

On to new Scary Cow film projects.  Well, at least the one that had a meeting.  Pre-production work (location scouting, prop collection, script revisions) is underway with filming scheduled for August.  You can now see the award winning film from the last round, Echo's Wonder by clicking on the link.  It will be the first movie that pops up on the page.

The improv show the other week was a lot of fun and I will perform with the Secret Improv Society again sometime in early August.  Details to follow when I have them.

The Segway job should really, really start next week.  I'm eager to actually take people on a tour.  We'll see how much of the fabulous information I have in my head I can convey while making sure no one falls off in front of the streetcar.

I'll be going to Chicago in mid-July with my friend Allison who is sharing the bounty of a trip she won to see the Giants play the Cubs at Wrigley Field.  It should be a fun time and, even though I'm not so up on the Giant's this year, I figure I'll be okay as long as I don't make any shocked comments about not seeing Barry Bonds.  

The only other thing happening is me turning 40.  Say what?  That's what I say.  A little celebratory barbeque at the Cube and a night at Beach Blanket Babylon should make it all okay.