Opinion, Out and About

Out and About

September 26, 2024 | Sandi Kemp

As I’m writing this, we are watching the yet-to-be-named storm that will be in the Gulf by the time you receive this paper. We are having daily updates with management and have a good plan in place. As an organization, we have been through Ivan, Dennis, Opal and Erin. However, many of our team members haven’t been through hurricanes, and they aren’t sure what to expect. There is no way to describe it except you will learn a lot about yourself and others after the storm. That is where it gets very real. Time will tell. In the meantime, we now have a “Storm Center” on our website where we will post when there are significant updates. When we post there, it will disseminate to Facebook and “X.” Now is not the time to check your insurance policies or decide you need flood insurance. But it is time to make sure you have 72-hours’ worth of food and water, just in case it heads west instead of east.

I went to Las Vegas for the first time this past week. I had plane tickets to go about 25 years ago when my husband was there for a military exercise but for some reason I had to cancel my trip. I’m sure it had something to do with work. The occasion last week was a “party” before the wedding of my nephew, who lives in Salt Lake City. I was there for three nights and four days (including a day hiking in Zion) and then flew to Salt Lake for the wedding. I want to go back to Vegas when I don’t have the 20 something’s holding me back. It is an adult playground, and my interests were not their interests. I wanted to explore technology and the museums, and I really wanted to see the Michael Jackson cover show – for starters. We tried to do everything in a group, but we kept losing people who would sneak into the casinos, which wasn’t difficult to do. The slot machines were everywhere – even in the airport. Between my husband and I, we gambled away $7 dollars and had two adult beverages the entire time. We did eat a lot more than usual though. There was an awesome breakfast place that would be awesome in this area named “Hash House a Go Go.” The food was just as awesome as their name; fast and efficient. I’m glad I went, but I’ll have to go back one day and follow my itinerary. However, I am very happy for the beautiful couple who are now on their way to Orlando for their honeymoon. You have to respect their bravery in inviting both sets of parents and aunts and uncles to their party before the nuptials, which does not match the newest member of our family’s name – Cautious. What an awesome name … not to live up to.

The Beatles tribute band, “Not Quite Fab,” had its last concert together this past weekend. Many remember them for being the opening act for Bands on the Beach, and they played many times over the summer at many renditions of Concerts in the Park and Fun Fest. Our production manager, Dickie Williams, is Paul McCartney in the band. At least twice a year, we happily changed our production schedule because he had a “gig” to get to. The band played for a Florida Press Association Media Conference in Destin, and they ended up getting a fan from South Florida and traveled there for a gig. They were and are very popular and talented. I’m sure we will see individual members of the band playing on new and different stages. “Not Quite Fab” had a very good 24-year run – and that is something a lot of bands boast about. And they aren’t boasting – I am.

Quote of the Week: “I don’t care too much for money / Money can’t buy me love.” From the Beatles song, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” 1964

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