Love, Loss and Sombreros

My post was ready earlier today, all I had to do was work on my illustration.  Then I found out that a past work colleague of mine passed away this past Thursday.  She had a massive heart attack. She was 45.  

I'm 45.  

A great group of friends.  Stephanie 4th from left, back row

It is not only the age but the person that is shocking.
When you hit "middle age" you are more aware of death.  You have older friends dying and younger friends living, but people start to die a little more frequently, and nobody likes death.

What this has done is inspire me to move forward in a bigger way with a project in my head.  This actually fits in perfectly.  Not in a macabre kind of way but in a good way. 

Life is short.  This hits it home once again.  Why I would not take a leap towards a dream is crazy. Why you say? Because we don't know what tomorrow brings so I'm going to make damn sure that I go forward balls-to-the-wall starting today and work my heart out towards my dream...and unknowingly, Stephanie had a part in this. 

Chay & Stephanie.  A perfect capture of her personality. 

Stephanie was not my best friend, nor did I work with her daily. She worked in a corporate position when I encountered her as a trainer and recruiter which fit her personality perfectly.  She was a tiny person with a massive personality...and she had an insane laugh that you couldn't help but hear from a mile away, and if you heard Steph laugh, you laughed.  I should add that it didn't take much to make her laugh and the more she laughed, the louder and more crazy it got.

Since I heard of this sad news, every time I think about it all I hear is the laugh. 

Kierland, AZ Store Opening Party 

I worked at Crate&Barrel for 11 years.  While sometimes the actual work sucked, the people were awesome.  Even the assholes at one time or another weren't so bad to be around.  The memories I pull from that part of my life are so full of fun, life, laughter, and chaos that I can only look back upon them and smile.  

Store Opening Party.. God Knows Where.... NC?

This incident has brought a group full of past/present employees together on Facebook and it has made me look back at what was an amazing time in my life full of amazing people.  I truly miss each and every one of them.  

I was going through my pictures and while I have TONS, I didn't have many personally of Stephanie.  I had two, one nice group shot at the top and one that looks a little tipsy ... wearing a sombrero to end with.
Par for the course. 

I was luck enough to swipe another one from a friend that captures her perfectly. 

The rest of these are just a sample from the piles I have of my many very happy years as a part of the Crate family.  The company was founded with the intention of bringing quality product that people could afford for their family and friends back in the 1960's.  To work there was to know that you were a part of a family and while it was still "working retail", the basis that it was founded on was to put your family first.  So this brings me back to my very happy memories and may just have sparked a trip to see many of those very happy faces soon.

Houston, TX, Designer Dinner

Right now there is such a push in our society to try to get people to "pay it forward" and do "random acts of kindness".  I agree 100% but you have to make sure you never forget your friends and those who are really the most important people in your life.  There's all those stupid ass cliche's like "people come into your life for a reason, a season, or for dinner...." or something like that. Bullshit.

People are memories.  People are life. People are purpose.  People are human.  People are assholes.  People are horrific.  People are amazing. Okay and I have to quote Depeche Mode: "People are People". 

...and to be blatantly honest I miss this girl the most.
 K1 & K2
"How about a smoke break?"

Don't let life get in the way of letting your friends know they mean a lot to you.  Life is hard and full of chaos but if you let the chaos take over your stream of consciousness then you start to lose those memories that are so precious to you.  

A perfect example of my lost memory... store opening ... no idea

For the 11 years I was there, 9 of them were spent in Dallas, TX ... and THOSE years were the best.  In MANY cases, "What happens in Dallas, stays in Dallas".  





I typed fast and I loaded pictures faster so please don't criticize my writing or editing tonight.  If you really read the words, you get the message.  Regardless of my aspirations of writing, this post is really just about love.


To Stephanie, we are shocked and saddened by your early journey however if you have faith then you know that she is in a REALLY great place, most likely laughing and wearing a sombrero.  
You were loved and you will be missed. xoxo

Stephanie and David, riding high!