Dance Marathon & Do Good (Well) Challenge

When I was in college, I participated in a charity dance marathon. After staying up all night, I kicked my good friend Barry out of my car after he whined too much for my cranky self; but hey, we had fun! Luckily, Barry and I are still buds and dance marathons still happen.

 This is what we danced to.

They don't just happen anywhere. This upcoming dance-a-thon is at The University of Maryland where my daughter is a Zeta Tau Alpha.

Those of you familiar with the ΖΤΑ sorority know they're into fund raising for philanthropies. Tonight, I was lucky enough to get an invite from my daughter... to go with her on her spring break cruise? No. To read her secret diary? Of course not! I was invited to donate money to the Children's Miracle Network Hospital. Hey, I'm not doing this alone! So, how about it? Pleeeeeeeease. My daughter will dance all night to help sick children. And the best part of all, I don't have to deal with her sleepless crankiness the next day because she's in Maryland, and I'm in Tennessee!

Also, take a look at this beautiful lady. Hopefully her face won't launch a thousands ships into battle, but she just might persuade someone to give up a little pocket change. After all, she's been convincing me to part with my slim pot for years.


If you're low on cash, you could also help her by liking the Zeta Facebook page. They are trying to promote their own philanthropy of breast cancer awareness and education. Kevin Bacon is even officiating the Do Good Challenge! As one who teaches English, this was tough to do because the University's project is called the, "Do Good Challenge." Really Terps? You're college kids and should do WELL!

I've babbled enough. Now it's time to show you how to make miracles happen. To sponsor Judy, click the link: Judy's Terp Thon. If you do, I'll be indebted. Hopefully, your kid won't want much.

To learn more about this do-goody cause, visit
Zeta Tau Alpha Do Good Challenge and click like. Judy and her sorority want 1688 people to "like" the page. That's odd. Why not 1689?

Thanks to all who help either by donating or liking the sorority's page!

Writer's Post: Ghosts of Halloweens Past

Once upon a Halloween, I was a kid who didn't need parents to escort me from door to door, nor did I wear expensive store-bought costumes. After someone brought me a poncho from Mexico, I was a Mexican Hat Dancer for three years. Of course being a hat dancer meant planning a routine because someone would always ask me for a trick. 

Get it? "Trick or Treat." In the St. Louis of the 1960s that expression meant exactly what it said. Kids rang the doorbell, said "Trick or Treat," and gave the homeowner a choice: Give candy immediately or ask for a trick. As a Mexican Hat Dancer, I did a dance. In other years, I wandered the neighborhood with a joke to tell. 

When I mention this tradition around Memphis, people look at me cross-eyed. That's not the only Halloween culture clash from moving 300 miles south. The first time my husband left to take our son trick-or-treating, he came home and asked, "Did you give out a candy?"

My kids: Halloween 1995

I said, "Sure. I gave out lots of candy. One to this kid, another to that."

He said, "But did you give out a candy?"

I hadn't a clue that he was trying to find out whether or not we had candy left. Go figure. We've yet to give out a candy, except for the year that the neighbors threw a huge party with gazillion kids, but didn't tell anyone they were coming.

Another Halloween memory of mine was Mrs. Zimmerman's Donuts. Every year, David's mom made homemade donuts that she'd give to all the children. I never ate one. 

Kids can be quite literal, and that I was when Mom always said, "Never eat anything unwrapped." So year after year I'd skip those sweet smelling snacks that all the kids would go out of their way for. If I could go back in time, I'd eat one of her donuts on Halloween; but, it's not all bad. The memory of skipping donuts inspired my latest novel. I wonder if this manuscript would even exist if I'd eaten a donut. I also wonder if her son, who grew up to be a chef, bakes these donuts on Halloween. If he does, I just might have to go to St. Louis and ring his bell.