From the Inside Out

Want to help pick the Top 100 most influential people in the world? TIME magazine is letting readers cast their votes for the leaders, entertainers, and entrepreneurs who deserve a spot on the 2009 TIME 100 list.

There are 203 contenders vying for a spot on the Top 100. You can view a list of the current rankings to see how they stack up against each other. To get more information on each candidate, simply click on their name, and then cast your vote.

I’m proud to report that my CEO, John Chambers, is sitting at number 33. If you click over to the site, send a few votes his way. He’s an amazing leader who has received numerous awards for corporate, philanthropic, and social leadership. For more info on Chambers, click here.

Vote now

It’s 3 am, so I’m going to be keeping the blot short tonight because I have to get some sleep to be able to function at work tomorrow.

I had an interesting experience tonight. One of the executives at my company (who happens to be a friend that I worked with at my previous place of employment) invited me to a CAbi (Carol Anderson by Invitation) party. Carol Anderson is a clothing designer whose lines have been sold at Nordstroms and other retail outlets across the country. CAbi is one of her designer lines that is sold through home-based consultative parties (like a Mary Kay party or a Tupperware party). I don’t usually attend these types of things, but it’s good to network with other female colleagues, and it offered a nice break from work stress.

It turned out to be a fun evening. We snacked and chatted with each other — meeting old friends from Nortel who I haven’t seen in years and making new friends from Cisco. Then the show started. The consultant walked through the latest fashion trends and displayed the new collections from Carol Anderson. We even had our illustrious hostess modeling some of the clothes.

In addition, one of the rooms was full of jewelry items that could be purchased in case you wanted to accessorize any of the outfits you might be purchasing through CAbi. After the “show,” the racks were opened up, and we were able to try on the clothes. It was kind of cool — like shopping with 20 of your best friends at the same time in the comfort of your own home.

Unfortunately, I’m freakishly small. I require a zero petite in most cases. This makes it almost impossible for me to shop like a normal person, but I did order a really cute jacket that I think will fit me in an XS. If not, it can always be returned.

I’m not much for these types of parties, but this was one fun. If you have the chance to go to one, check it out. But be warned, you may have so much fun that you stay later than you expected. That’s what happened to me, and I still had some work to do tonight (getting ready for the One Life Murder Mystery Party on Saturday). Thus, the reason I’m writing this at 3 am…seriously, 3 am…okay, going to bed NOW!

Have a good Thursday everyone!

Some days I wish I could live in a black-and-white world where it was easy to distinguish right from wrong. Our society has given us a world obscured by shades of grey. They preach a doctrine of empowerment, freedom and selfishness — if it feels good, then do it. Don’t worry about who it hurts. If you are happy, then it’s okay. No one else has the right to tell you what’s right or wrong. Morality, integrity, honesty — it’s all just shades of grey defined only by the subjective experience of each individual. Basically, the rules don’t exist. You can make it up as you go along because there are no absolute rights or wrongs.

This allows people to live guilt-free in a fantasy world where they assume no responsibility for their actions. It’s not wrong; it’s just grey. We shouldn’t judge the “octo-mom” for selfishly choosing to have 8 fatherless children when she can’t take care of her other 6 kids. We are supposed to understand when a husband abandons his family for a relationship with a co-worker. We’re supposed to applaud sexual exploits that were once taboo. After all, who’s to say what’s right or wrong?

I’m not entirely against “grey areas,” and I’m not so naive to believe that everything is “black and white” although I wish it was. Grey areas serve a purpose, but what happens when everything becomes blurred out by the grey? Where does it end? Where do we draw the line and say enough is enough?

A 22-year old college graduate recently made headlines when she put her virginity up for sale. Natalie Dylan (a pseudonym used “for safety reasons”) is auctioning her virginity to help pay for a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy (ironic, huh?). Bidding has skyrocketed to absurd levels with the latest offers coming in at $3.7M. Articles quoting Natalie state that she insists, “We live in a capitalistic society. Why shouldn’t I be allowed to capitalize on my virginity?” She also added, “It’s shocking that men will pay so much for someone’s virginity, which isn’t even prized so highly anymore.” A Nevada brothel, Moonlight Bunny Ranch, is where the act will take place. Dylan’s sister works there as a prostitute to pay for her college debts.

Even the mother of a 21-year old son with Down’s syndrome is advertising online begging someone to sleep with him. She wants him to “enjoy the same experiences as other men his age” so she’s working hard to help him lose his virginity. She’s even willing to pay for a prostitute if she can’t find a partner for him.

I just can’t keep my emotions reigned in when I read stuff like that. It’s wrong on so many different levels:

• It’s disturbing that people have such little regard for their bodies and their value as individuals.
• It’s further proof of the moral decline of our society.
• It trivializes sex and degrades those who still hold their virginity.

However, the thing that saddens me the most is that these people don’t even seem to realize the value of having a wholesome relationship where sex is saved for marriage. In our society, sex is no longer sacred. Virginity is no longer valued. But the real shame is that people have no idea what they are giving up when they subscribe to the “sex is no big deal” mentality. They have no understanding of the beauty and intimacy that can be achieved when a couple waits for marriage.

Sharing a sexual relationship with your spouse (and only your spouse) is an amazing experience. It creates a special bond shared between you and only one other person in the world — pure, wholesome, and untainted by other experiences. This is where you find true intimacy, love, and acceptance. This type of relationship IS highly valued. It IS sacred. I can’t imagine trading it for any amount of money.

People will tell you it doesn’t matter. They will say not having premarital sex is old-fashioned or unrealistic, but it’s not true. Don’t buy into the lies (check out “Why wait for sex? A Look at the Lies We Face” for an excellent blog on this topic). Don’t sacrifice true beauty for a cheap imitation. In the end, it’s not worth it.

“And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.” Gen. 2:2 (KJV)

The seventh day is my favorite day of the week. It’s not hard to figure out the reason why it’s my favorite. Saturday is the day I try to follow God’s example and take a break from work.

I woke up well rested after getting a full eight hours of sleep last night. That’s a rarity for me, and it felt great. Gary and I took it easy this morning and then went for a short 16-mile bike ride from our house to Watters Creek. I’m ashamed to admit that it’s been weeks since I’ve been on my bike. I’ve been stressed and working way too much lately.

There are only two weeks left until the Tour Dallas ride. It’s a 30-mile ride so I need to build up my endurance. Hopefully, there’s still enough time to get me back into shape. If not, I’m going to be really sore after that 30-mile trek!

After our ride today, I spent time by the pool learning lines for the play and enjoying the beautiful sunny weather. The pool is still a bit chilly, but I waded around in the shallow area with the dogs. It won’t be long before we’ll be jumping in and swimming again.

This evening I went to ALC to watch the LifeKids Talent Showcase. Gary was the emcee, and he did a great job.

It was fun to see the kids showing off their talents. There wasn’t a lot of variety. Most of the acts were songs, but there was one girl who broke away from the pack and did a hula hoop routine. It was a bit awkward at times, but at least she did something different. My favorite act by far was a song done by the youth group. It was an updated version of “Our God is an Awesome God” with a dramatic sign language performance. In fact, it was so moving that they were asked to perform it in both services tomorrow. It’s great to see our youth being used by God — way cool!

Can’t wait for tomorrow. Have a great Sunday.