I got this paper in the mail called Summons. It is for jury service. I just got a new job, and I’m afraid my employer will fire me. How do I get out of this jury service?
– Don’t want to be a juror
On Tuesday, we covered the basics of event planning, including choosing the venue, arranging for catering, and hiring a decorator. Today, I’d like to look at what needs to be done as the event approaches.
At this point, you should send out your invitations and request guests RSVP (you’ll need these RSVPs later to give your caterer a headcount). You should also order any items you’ll need for the event, such as programs, prizes, or décor. Vendor plans should be finalized, and all documents received from vendors should be kept on file.
For the past several weeks, our firm has been attending event after event – Big Hair Ball, Operation Smile, JDRF, and coming up, the PTI Run on the Runway. We even had a baby shower in February. Today I’d like to take some time to talk about what all goes into planning an event.
This is the biggest part. Before you set your heart on that spacious ballroom or the bottle of Port Sandeman that needs to be on the dessert menu, you have to know how much room there is in the budget for it. This is one of the first constraints you need to consider when making your choices.
I am a new Father, and I think the mother of our new baby is depressed. I am concerned. She seems exhausted and stressed. I am helping and her mother is helping, but there seems to be a problem. What should I do?
– Stressed with New Baby
I made these crispy slow cooker carnitas recently, and they are incredible! Carnitas weren’t something I’ve made before, but I’m proud of how they turned out!
The biggest challenge of the carnitas was maneuvering the hefty pork shoulder. I trimmed quite a lot of fat off of it, which I saved to render later. After trimming, I rubbed the pork with a Mexican-inspired spice blend that included cayenne, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. With my trusty cast-iron pan over high heat, I seared the pork in bacon grease to lock in the flavor. This was an interesting thing to watch – the shoulder was far too big for tongs, so I had to keep turning it by hand in the pan.
I loved how simple it was to slow-cook the pork. Some onion, green chiles, bay leaves, and garlic joined the pork in the pot. After pouring chicken broth and a bit of lime juice over the mix, I set the slow cooker for 10 hours and went to work on other things.
It’s hard not to appreciate spring in North Carolina – the air is just the right temperature, birds sing good mornings and lullabies, and sunlight feels like warm caresses. Though much of the country is still feeling the cold of winter, my corner of the world is getting ready to bloom.
I’ve written a lot about spring lately because I feel that it’s such a positive time of the year. Like all animals, we humans follow the cycles of nature. And while we can hide from the summer heat with air conditioning and grow indoor plants out of season, the emotional effects of the seasons are not so easily mitigated. Winter is a period of waiting and hibernation, a time of sharing food and enduring. It’s only natural that our bodies long for spring.
The energy of spring isn’t just a vague phrase either – studies have shown that the first few warm days of spring boost our mood and make us more openminded. Spending time outside during spring improves mood and memory, and makes us more flexible in our thinking.
Robins are hopping around downtown Greensboro; the weather is in the 70s – maybe I’m being hopeful, but it feels like spring’s arriving. And while spring technically doesn’t start until March 31st, we can embrace these sunny, spring-like days in the meantime.
My favorite part of spring is the sense of renewal it brings. The dead leaves have fallen away, and new life dots the branches that laid bare all winter. Birdsong breaks the months of quiet cold. Color starts to come back to the world. And as soon as we step outside, that rejuvenating energy slips into us as well, inspiring us and enlivening us.
I don’t know about you, but this buzz of new life makes me want something new in my life as well. I think about bears coming out of hibernation, animals shedding their snow-colored winter coats, newly-grown buds bursting with color, and I wonder what my spring changes are. What coat am I shedding? What will bloom from my buds?
Valentine’s day is aimed at couples, and those who are single often feel left out or disenchanted. But while the focus of Valentine’s may be romance, there’s no reason you can’t celebrate love of all types.
Platonic love is perhaps one of the most underrated kinds of love. Our friends are the people who support us every day, comforting us when we’re hurting, laughing with us when we’re not. But we don’t recognize that love nearly as much as we do romantic love.
The love we share with friends, siblings, and parents is just as worthy of celebration as the love of a significant other. So if you’re feeling down about being single on Valentine’s day, try celebrating the other types of love in your life.
Valentine’s day is approaching, and pink and red coat nearly every store. Shelves are overflowing with heart-holding bears, roses, and assorted chocolates with dubious fillings. Everything is marketed to say “love,” but is a prewritten card truly the best way to express that?
I’m a firm believer that the most meaningful gifts are the ones that you put effort into. The Christmas before I moved out, my parents gifted me dishware and supplies for my new home. Among these gifts was a cheese cutter from my dad. Instead of buying a cheese cutter, he instead spent hours of his time making one – and unlike spent money, spent time is gone forever. Of all the gifts I’ve received, this one stands out the most due to the work my dad put into it.
It isn’t just the time spent that makes such a gift special, though. Making a gift means you aren’t limited by a store’s selection, so you’ll always be able to choose something perfectly tailored to the recipient.
On Saturday, January 27, our firm attended Big Hair Ball, an event benefiting Family Service of the Piedmont. The highlight of the night was a circus-themed fashion show, which as you might have guessed, featured extravagant hair. Woodruff Family Law Group sponsored three models – Ashley Yates, Sloane Hoefle, and Anna Sardzinski.
Designer Brian Atkins created a stunning ringmaster costume for Yates, complete with a shimmering silver coat. A purple W nestled in the tulle atop her hat, which was created out of hair by artist Pepper Bendel. Makeup artist Emily Jackson built on Atkins’ imposing silhouette, creating a subtle, clown-inspired look. Yates’ lips, painted purple and lined with a bold black, split into a jester’s grin, winning her Best Makeup.
Ringmasters need a performer to introduce, and so Atkins dreamed up a lion costume for Hoefle. Her bodysuit gleamed silver, fringe cascading down from her collar like fur. Jackson used warm neutral tones to give the impression of a lion’s snout, while dark browns in her lips and nose created contrast with the pale outfit. A massive lion’s mane, crafted by designer Brandi Burns, unified the piece. As the biggest hair of the evening, it’s only fitting the mane won Best Hair.
Ask Carolyn