I know this post may be a little heavy-hitting for my blog, but bear with me and weigh-in.

I’ve mentioned a few times that I’m a huge NPR fan. I don’t understand half of what they talkabout, but I find it calming and I might even be learning a little something in the process.

Today, I listened to This I Believe, which is a short segment where people from all over the country share one of their core beliefs. Sometimes they are touching and sometimes they are funny, but today’s segment was about Finding Freedom in Forgiveness and was absolutely shocking.

Jennifer Thompson-Cannino picked Ronald Cotton out of a line-up as the man who raped her in 1984. After 11 years in jail, DNA evidence proved that Ronald was not the rapist and he was released. Jennifer felt tremendous guilt and met with Ronald to ask for his forgiveness. He told her that he forgave her long ago because they were both a victim of the same crime. Because of their ordeal, the two are now good friends.

To me, it’s a tremendous story from both accounts, because I don’t know if I’d have the guts to face up to my mistake and apologize like Jennifer did and I don’t know if I’d have the complete lack of bitterness that Ronald has.

The two have written a book together called Picking Cotton and will be featured on 60 Minutes in a segment about mistakes in eyewitness testimonies this weekend. You can also download This I Believe free on iTunes and watch a video clip on Amazon.

So, would you be able to do what either one of them did? Stand up and confront your mistake or forgive someone who essentially took years of your life away from you?

In the past week, two of our clients and their cookbooks were featured on the local news in Chicago and St. Louis. They both have outstanding cookbooks and did an fantastic job using completely different approaches to their screen time; Naam Pruitt giving a cooking demonstration and Nielsen-Massey * show casing their product line.

EDIT: Video removed because it autoplays. Ick. Watch Naam Pruitt’s cooking segment.

I don’t work directly with these clients very often, but my company did provide all of the photography for the cookbooks and some recipe development, so it’s awesome to see our** work on television!

*Channel 7 doesn’t allow embedding, so click for video.

** Okay, so both cookbooks were completed before I was hired, but it doesn’t make it any less exciting!

Start celebrating! It’s my birthday month! Yes, month. Not just a day or week. I claim the whole month as mine! Though that may end next year when I turn the big 3-0 and banish all birthday celebrations (unless, of course, someone is planning a big birthday bash with lots of presents, cakes, and a celebrity host).

I think I’m holding up well, so far. No wrinkles or gray hairs, I still get carded when I order a drink and I’ve never been called ma’am, but I’m afraid it’s all downhill after 30. Lots of people experience memory loss, fatigue, insomnia and sexual problems as they get older and I somehow doubt I’ll be immune to those symptoms.

Dr. Sergey Kalitenko wants to help people alleviate the typical problems associated with aging through bioidentical hormone replacement, a holistic therapy treatment. Prevention is the best medicine, and I’d like to avoid those unsavory facts-of-life before they begin, which is what Dr. Kalitenko’s treatment aims to do by determine what hormones, vitamins and minerals you are lacking.

The treatments can boost your energy levels, help you lose weight and stay active, fight hot flashes and lead to a better nights sleep and sex life, making you look and feel 10 years younger. Who wouldn’t want that?!

It gets more expensive to fly every day. No more $79 round-trip flights to Vegas! I understand that overhead costs are tremendous, but I suspect there’s some gouging going on, particularly from Ryanair, who’s CEO suggested charging customers to use the toilet in-flight.

Charge me for my heavy luggage because I’m an inefficient packer. Charge me for a paper ticket because I’m not savvy enough to use the internet, but do not charge me to take a whiz after I’ve bought a $5.50 Bloody Mary that I had to mix myself from the flight attendant.

Is there no such thing as customer service any more?

While in the Bahamas a few years ago, my mom, dad, sister and I spent an afternoon swimming with the dolphins and had so much fun. It was amazing the personalities these dolphins had. Playing and splashing and squirting water at us.

At the time I didn’t know about dolphin bubbles, yet playful dolphin activity. The dolphins at SeaWorld Orlando have the unique talent of blowing underwater bubbles and rings for their own amusement. It all started with one dolphin, and now they all push the bubbles around with their noses, pop them into tiny bubbles and nip at them just for fun.

They look like they are having so much fun and what a great thing to experience! I’m hoping to visit SeaWorld this summer, and I can’t wait to see their dolphin’s unique talent!

You can learn all about dolphins on SeaWorld’s new blog dedicated to their playful friends, www.dolphinbubbles.com. There are lots of entertaining photos and videos, as well as interesting dolphin information and a chance to comment on each and every post! You can even book your very own trip to swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove!