In Blog # 257 I Talked about having fun with product again. In this blog I want to talk about don’t take moments for granted.

If you know me well, It wouldn’t come to you as a surprise that I’m a little obsessive about things. When I get into something I don’t test the temperature of the water first, I just jump in. I’ve been so busy with my two stores lately, the one on eBay and now the new one on Etsy, that I didn’t write a blog on Saturday night like I usually do.

I was sitting in my office making new designs for some shoedog pint glasses for Etsy site and I started daydreaming about my grandmother Si. Grandma passed away in 2008. It’s been 14 years now. There were so many great moments I had with her I thought it would be a good topic to write about. We get wrapped up in our daily lives sometimes and we forget to really enjoy the moments as they are happening. So you have to reflect on those moments. I was trying to be better at this when I left Zappos and found I had a lot of time on my hands. I tried to be mindful to smell the coffee aroma when I opened a new can or really marvel at the beauty of nature. Flowers blooming, bees pollinating them, it’s fascinating to take it all in at the beauty of this world we live in.

So, I was daydreaming about a dance I had with grandma at my cousin Kathy’s wedding. Every summer when I was a young guy, I would spend a lot of time with her and my grandfather at her cabin located in Huntington Lake California. And we would go fishing or, hike around or play cards. The air was fresh and crisp in the mountains, so I loved being up there. Some evenings grandpa would be engrossed in a book, so grandma would put on some music and teach me to dance. Basic box step first 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4. Years later at the wedding she complimented me on my slow dance, I reminded her I had a good teacher. I wouldn’t say I took this moment for granted but at the time I didn’t appreciate it as I do now. Especially since she isn’t around to talk about it with me, I sure do miss her.

I remember the birth of both my kids very vividly, with James I ran over a cat trying to get to the hospital while his mom was in labor. I didn’t dare stop to see if the cat was ok, but I thought about it. My second child Jennifer was born in 1992, She was so cute and I remember so many wonderful moments of both them growing up. Next thing you know I’m walking her down the aisle to marry a wonderful guy named Jon. The wedding was incredible though being at Disneyland, it was truly magical. She arrived in the Cinderella glass carriage. I was fortunate enough to share that ride, then I walked her down the aisle. It was such a surreal moment. I cut the umbilical cord of both my kids and felt like I was doing it again on this day. But we have remained super close as I have with my son James too.

When I got divorced in 2005 it was a weird 3 years before I met Linda. Dating was a trip. I had a few dates that were set up by friends of mine and they went pretty well but still weird after being faithfully married for almost 20 years. I decided to try the dating sites. In some ways they are great and others not so much.  I guess i’m a old fashion type of guy so I was always honest and first dates were always at a nice place and I would be respectful to the person I met. 

Those of you who have done this know that a-lot of times it doesn’t go that way lol. So many times the person would look different from the picture. I met someone on a date and she showed up ten years older than the picture on line. Funny thing was at the end she gave me her card and it had the same picture. I guess I’m kind of a what you see is what you get type of guy. The other thing was if you date too many people at the same time, it’s hard to keep track of everyone, so I kept to one or two people and only for a few dates. I like low stress and an uncomplicated life. 

So in this instance the moments were that great lol but a learning experience. I did meet a few great people along the way but in some instances I was the one not ready for a serious relationship. Then I met Linda…

I was about to give up on finding my life partner. I was dating one girl in Vegas and she was nice enough but there just wasn’t the “it” factor. I had been talking to Linda for about a week and decided to go to LA and meet her in person. In the back of my mind I was thinking after this I’m going to focus on my job and kid’s more and take a break from dating.

She suggested staying at the Standard hotel, which I did. It was a hip place with a cool bar by the pool and music. I decided to get my hair cut and at the time I colored my hair to hide the gray hairs that were over taking my head. The guy was nice enough but it turned out a reddish brown color lol. I was going to meet my future wife and not look like my picture. 

We met at a place called the little door, I arrived about an hour early so I went to the bar to get a drink and decided to go with an Arnold Palmer so I wouldn’t be intoxicated when she arrived. Ok maybe I had one glass of wine. She arrived on time and looked fabulous, just like her picture! I told her about the Hair story and we had a good laugh about that. 

We had an amazing dinner together, she was so accomplished being an Interior designer and a Professional Figure skater earlier in her life. She had such a welcoming personality and we had a-lot in common. In fact we both ordered the same meal so I changed mine at the last minute to something else.

We decided to bar hop because there were multiple places to check out and at the end of the evening we kissed. We have an on going disagreement on who wanted to kiss who the most first but I’ll concede I wanted to kiss her. It was an amazing kiss too, one that doesn’t leave you. We often say “do you still feel it?” and the answer is yes I do, everyday. I talked her into coming to my hotel room because I bought her flowers and the vase was quite large so I didn’t take it to the restaurant. My intentions were pure and I assured her of that. She took a picture of the vase in her home that also sticks with me. The first of many dozen roses.

The next day we met at Geoffreys of Malibu, great breakfast spot over looking the ocean. The food, the atmosphere and of course the company was just spectacular. It was quite the moment. This whole experience was also magical for me without the Cinderella carriage. A moment I will never forget and certainly didn’t take for granted. In fact I absorbed it all the way back to Vegas.

We have had so many great times in the last 14 years we have known each other and certainly the 10 years we’ve been married. There have been some regrets though on exactly what this blog is about. The moments that you share with loved ones as a couple but don’t truly appreciate them until it’s too late. One that sticks out, is every other Sunday when Linda and I had a long distance relationship, we would go to a movie with her father Edgar. I wouldn’t say we took it for granted but again, didn’t appreciate it as much especially since he passed away in 2012. We had so many great times together, having dinner and a movie. He would meet us at the movie house and always say in a very distinctive “Edgar” voice “How you doing Michael” and “How’s my little girl?”. we would usually go to his favorite Italian place, “Louisa’s” afterwards and every so often “El Cholo Spanish Cafe”

Those were great moments.The other moments would be with my dad as well. We would go to Idaho and visit with Him and Tamara. Usually play tennis and go vintage shopping. Then my dad and I would go fishing. We would end the evenings with good wine I would bring with me. My favorite story I usually tell everyone is I brought a bottle of Grey Goose vodka and some really nice bottles of wine. I told him I brought a premium bottle of vodka for him to try out. He replied “I’ve been drinking Premium Vodka for years”. He didn’t usually drink the good stuff so I asked him what brand he was talking about. He brought out a plastic jug of vodka that simply said “Premium vodka”. Always the joker and another moment I wont every forget.

It’s crazy that ten years have passed so fast since we tied the knot. I cherish all out moments though and many of them are very vivid still either in pictures or memory. 

It also seems like yesterday I was working at Zappos. I left in February 2022 and have so many fond memories. Traveled all over the world, Italy, Germany, England, Amsterdam, Brazil, China (too many times lol) Vietnam and Hong Kong. So many stories and I’ve written about many of those moments in Blogs #203 through #251. I look back now and appreciate all those adventures, some were normal and a few pretty crazy. 

Most of all it was the people I had surrounding me. My teams were all top notch. What makes me so happy is many of them still keep in contact. Even some that aren’t with Zappos any more. I am so proud of so many people like Kristin, Dee, Kathy, Scott, Steve P, Andrea, Heaven, Bill, Heather, Pam and Jerry, Eileen, Aaron, Eddie, Myra, Dave, Stephanie, Angela, Avneet. It’s funny I didn’t want to miss anyone so I just went down my text history and all were there. There are so many more people to list as well, that I haven’t talked to in awhile, maybe another blog. 

Now I’m creating new moments, with my amazing grandson and other family members, watching Lindas business take off and having fun with my two shops I’m running. I definitely want to work in my next career soon and all I can say id I’ll enjoy every moment and appreciate  the people I work with even more.