Happy Birthday to Me

Well...it's officially my birthday. Happy Birthday to me! I didn't really sleep too well though. Woke up like three times throughout the night. Feel better now that I have taken a shower and gotten dressed. Got a weird phone message at like 8:15 this morning from the first guy I ever slept with (he didn't know that though). How ironic that we share the same birthday. It's weird that he is calling me but at the same time pretty interesting. Maybe I'll be nice and call him back to wish him a happy birthday as well....maybe not. i'm going to head out the door in a few to head to the city. It's a beautiful day outside today. Who would ever think it's Christmas tomorrow with 50 degree, sunny days like today??? Hard to believe I made it to another year. Let's see how the day goes. Going to hop on the train post transit strike. Glad I didn't have to go to work this week!

The Last :30 Minutes

Well...it's about 20 minutes until the end of my 31st year. Another year down, another years worth of lessons. I don't really have much to say right now. I'm going to go to sleep in about 15 minutes. When I wake up i'm going to make it a point to do what I want to do for the day. I think I'll buy some CDs. I wanted to spend the day alone. Several have called me asking me to meet them in the city. I hate to blow everyone off but I am starting to feel stressed. I have to make it a good day. Happy Birthday to me.

-A

Ludacris, Jay-Z, and Kanye West

This past Friday was the one of the most amazing Meet and Greet sessions I have ever worked for the Foundation. Thirteen year old Rayne got to meet her all time favorite artist, Ludacris. The meet took place during this year's Z100 Jingle Ball concert at Madison Square Garden. Ludacris' road manager Jovan was so helpful and protective of the family and made us feel welcome. Rayne has had many challenges her entire life and her trip to New York from the South was quite an accomplishment in and of itself. She goes back into treatment tomorrow. But at least this time she will have more strength and hope thanks to Ludacris.

We were taken literally side stage and standing in a spot where you could see the entire garden, all of its screaming fans, the performers. Then about two minutes before his performance, Ludacris came over and hugged each one of us...before he was even introduced to us. How special is that??? Very in my opinion. He then took a picture with Rayne and then went out to perform. It was like having a private concert during the concert. How cool is that??? Very. A once in a lifetime experience. After coming off stage Ludacris walked back with us towards his dressing room to sit and talk with Rayne. Before we got there he introduced us to a couple of his friends...Jay Z and Kanye West! Rayne was stunned. The cousin who travelled with her cried. I smiled. I couldn't help but think at the time just how amazing this experience must be for Rayne.

Once we got back to his dressing room, Ludacris answered all of Rayne's questions, signed all of her items, and warmly hugged her again. She was so happy she didn't want to leave. But alas we had to go. The family heads back home today and tomorrow it's back to the doctors and hospitals grind. I think Rayne will do much better in treatment this time than last due to her passion for life, her love of Ludacris' music, and her once in a lifetime experience that she was able to have thanks to the power of a wish and a great musical artist and his team who took the time to care.