Tonight I had a chance to watch truly an amazing day in history.  This election was easily the most significant in my lifetime.  This is the sort of thing “I’ll tell my kids about”. While I won’t bore you with the details about my personal view points and convictions RE: politics — I will reiterate something I mentioned on Twitter this week.

“Anyone who has an informed opinion RE: politics, that’s what counts. Just having a choice is what’s makes this country great.”

I went to a watch party downtown with some friends after work (I can walk to P&L now, it’s great!), while I was there I took some photos.  Check them all out on my flickr account.

I’d like to shake the speech writers hand who wrote the final sentence of his speech:

“I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voice, I need your help, and I’ll be your president, too.”

Powerful stuff. Those words hit me like a ton of bricks.

This past weekend I attended HillOween, a local homegrown benefit here in Kansas City. I tell everyone that this is truly one of the two parties in KC you CAN’T miss. It benefits the Lee Ann Infant Development Center. I video blogged about it last year.

Check out the costume I wore this year… Insepctor Gadget! The entire thing is pieced together. I actually had a fun adventure at the hardware store trying to figure out how to make the “helicopter” hat (it’s just, PVC pipe, wood and electric tape). My date was Penny — you know Inspector Gadget’s niece?

My friend Taylor thinks he can eat anything. Grinders downtown (here in Kansas City) has “insane hot wings”. I’ve sampled the sauce via tooth pick and almost vomited because it was too hot. I tried actually ordering the wings first, but the waitress would actually not serve me the “Death Wings.” She said the most that anyone has ever eaten is 2. The cooks wears latex gloves when preparing them and get blisters on their hands if the sauce gets in between the glove and the hand. She said that lips swell and people vomit. There is actually a “No Refund” disclaimer on the menu because they do not people ordering them, trying one, vomiting, and then wanting their cash back.

So this video blog is a look at a bet we setup for my friend Taylor. The bet was Taylor had to eat 3 “Death Wings” in less than 1 hour. He was allowed to use all the ranch, milk, cheese, etc that he wants. Taylor couldn’t cannot vomit, or let anything come out of his mouth once it’s down. After he has eaten the third wing, he had to keep the wings down for 1 hour.

Watch to see what happens:

Today is Blog Action Day! Dude, what’s that you ask? It’s simple: It’s one day of the year bloggers across the world agree to discuss and blog about one single issue - “poverty”. The goal is aim to raise awareness, initiate action. (p.s. last year’s topic was “the environment”).

This year’s topic couldn’t be anymore PERFECT because the benefit party I’m planning is actually dedicated to Operation Breakthrough. They are an organization here in Kansas City who assists children who are living in poverty. They provide them a safe environment to learn and have fun. I wanted to share a little bit about this great organization and all the great things that they do.

Here’s some fast facts about Operation Breakthrough:

• At any given time 25% of Operation Breakthrough’s children are homeless and 25% are in foster care. Many are in need of therapeutic services due to language development delays, sensory integration problems, and/or traumas associated with an unstable home environment.

• Operation Breakthrough began 35 years ago when a group of working-poor parents in the central city voiced their need for child care to Sister Corita and Sister Sailer.

• Operation Breakthrough only receives half its funding from government sources - city, state and federal. Grants from foundations and corporate and individual donations make up the rest. Without private support, Operation Breakthrough would be unable to offer its many service programs.

When I had a chance to visit Operation Breakthrough — seeing the faces and hearing the stories of what these children are experiencing was one of those moments in life when a hard, loud, sobering feeling hits your soul. It made me realize that so many things I’m fortunate to experience and be able to the things I do in my life. I’ve made a commitment really to helping O.B. after seeing how PASSIONATE the employees were and how they were really able to help make a huge difference in each of these kids lives (if you’ve read my motivational blog post before, you know I’m a big a big fan of passion).

I’m a huge proponent of Kansas City and what a great city it is, being a local organization — this is vital to several families and their well being. While poverty exists throughout the U.S. and the world, supporting a local organization that really is making a dent is little to ask for anyone who’s fortunate and able to give back anything they can — whether it be time, physical effort or money.

Check them out! They’ve got this great video on their website too. Annnnnd don’t forget to attend on December 12th — the 4th Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. Psssssst, our website will be launching soon!
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When I was asked to attend a rooftop fashion show last week — I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical. A fashion show? What would I find engaging at a fashion show? I’m FAR from a stylish kind of guy… and I hardly shop for clothes!

It ended up being a pleasant surprise. The event was organized by Standard Style, a local clothing store here in Kansas City, and it was held on a rooftop parking garage (Country Club Plaza). I can remember thinking during the night, “this is Kansas City? This seems like something that only happens in L.A.” The party benefited a great organization called Bacchus (they conduct fund raising for an annually selected beneficiary each year).

When I got to the party — I realized it was totally blog worthy and I snapped a few pictures and did a quick video blog. Check it out below.

This past weekend I attended the Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI) night golf tournament. My friend Allison, volunteers for the CCVI and when I heard the words “golf” and “benefit” — I was sold.

What was unique about this golf tournament, was the back 9 was played in the dark. Yes, you read that right — in the DARK. It was AWESOME! They setup glow sticks down the fairway and on the flag pins and you hit with “light-up” golf balls.

I video blogged the experience, watch it below. It was hard capturing the “night footage”, but the video gives you a pretty good idea of what it was like.

Last night I attended for the third time startFEST, an “after work” social gathering geared towards putting together startup companies and members from the investment community. Their promotional flyer describes the event as:

“A social gathering with an aim to create relationships among growth-oriented entrepreneurs, innovative companies, and members from the investment community. StartPATH is a virtual incubator and social network helping entrepreneurs transform concepts into successful companies.”

In my opinion it’s a great event in which other fellow entrepreneurs can see up-and-coming businesses. I love coming to these events to be around people who are “carving their own path” and doing it their way. Having the drive, ambition, and emotional capacity to start your own company isn’t something everyone can do. Everyone is unique with their stories of being motivated and trying to make it all happen.

Check out quick video blog I put together (below). I just started experimenting with YouTube and it’s new annotation feature — which makes commenting over my video pretty cool!

So check out the logo for the benefit party I’m planning (below). How awesome is this!?!

I posted earlier this month about the benefit party I’m planning — which is help a local organization her in Kansas City, Operation Breakthrough.

I’m really proud of the fact the friends I’m working with are doing everything they can to make this party the best it can be. We’ve already secured the venue which is Tower Tavern — and we have a local “hip-hop” band that will be performing too!

It’s just amazing how much everyone is willing to help out. I can’t tell you how great of a feeling to watch this all come together.
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For the past 77 years, a great tradition happens here in Kansas City — the Plaza Art Fair. The Plaza Art Fair is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 5 art festivals. It’s three-day event which features 230 artists from 36 states. The celebration of the arts extends 9-blocks into the streets of the Plaza.

It’s just a great outdoor event here in KC.

This year I went during the day to grab a late lunch and meet some friends. I noticed so many people love bringing their dogs to the Art Fair. In fact, this year I got more of a kick out of seeing some of the exotic dogs than the art!

One thing still holds true, if I ever want to own some of this cool art featured at these shows — I’m going to need a lot of money.

Ingrams Magazine, a local Kansas City business publication recently listed twenty individuals in the KC Metro that “are showing promise, vision and commitment to their entrepreneurial ideas”. I’m truly honored to be recognized in the inaugural class. Here’s the excerpt from the magazine:

Of course I’m humbled by the honor (and my parents are lovin’ it) but I can’t reiterate enough it’s the people around me who have helped teach, guide, inspire, enable and provide the opportunities to make me who I am.

The company I work for, Digital Evolution Group continues to make work life enjoyable. Instead of getting a traditional boring “thank you card” or bad tasting “grocery store cake”, they made a “facebook-like wall post” website as a congratulatory gesture. HOW FREAKIN’ COOL IS THAT!?!

Screenshot: http://congratsramsey.digitalev.com

I’ve blogged before about how “…people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn. We are led to those who help us most to grow, if we let them and we help them in return.”

I’m living it. I am who I am because of it… and I truly believe in it. While this recognition is nice, the best has yet to come.
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This past Friday, American Idol rolled into Kansas City to hold round one auditions for Season 8. Of course, I grabbed my camera and video blogged the craziness. It was great — I really met a lot of cool people in the couple hours I walked around. One thing I found surprising, the majority of people were practically fighting to sing for the camera …and they were actually all pretty good! Check out my audio blog on Utterz and my video blog below. P.s. You’ll be crackin’ up when you meet “Mr. Banana Man”, a memorable character for sure. Enjoy!

My audio blog of the event:

A look at my experience at Jazzoo 2008, the Kansas City Zoo’s largest fund raiser.