Smart, on point, funny, and insightful that is Cory O' Malley AKA Design Dude.

I would recommend Design Dude anytime.

Have you ever known someone you've never met but to whom you owe more than they could ever imagine? Think about that for a minute. Sounds crazy but give it to the count of one-two-three and you might have one of those, "Ahh.... yeah, yeah!" moments.

I'll explain in a minute. But first a hop, skip and jump back to the beginning of the year. Short version (as many know, brevity isn't my strong point. So going to attempt it for once. Or as close to it as I can get): most terrifying time of my life. Almost biblical proportions. For the first time ever, I wasn't sure if I had the energy left to stay up off of my knees. I'd list all the stuff but chances are even YOU might reach for a drink if you read it. We'll leave it at saying it verged on the unbelievable. And I was running on fumes.

Then in April, two weeks after what I was convinced was the most painful day of my life- one of those days where you say "There is nothing left in me to break. Truly, this has to be the bottom. It must finally be time to turn and see a bit of sun...." - I got a phone call just after midnight. My friend of twenty years- the closest I've had to a brother, really- was gone. Horrifically so, in fact. He had been my support, my version of "family." Apparently, I had more left in me to break.

That time is a blur. But there is a night that is crystal clear to me. I will never forget it. I had put the kids to bed and was in the office upstairs just staring out the window at the lake. I remember thinking that it was amazing how people drown in a crowded pool. How all around them, others are splashing and paddling and yet no one notices when they slip under. They can't scream, perhaps. Or don't signal for help. Incredible. People just don't notice.

I thought about the comments people made to me... all the "oh my God you're a RIOT!" quips.... "you are just TOO MUCH FUN"..... and the like. And I realized they were the equivalent to the splashes a drowning person hears as they are going down. Just noise. No one really notices what's actually happening. No one is paying attention to who you really are, what is happening to you, how little oxygen you have left.

For the first time in my life, I was really and truly scared.

And then out of the blue, the most random thing happened. It was something small that actually was something really, really big in disguise.

Cory wrote about my TN recs on his blog.

I didn't know him, other than from a few TN compliments we'd exchanged. But he actually read some of the things I'd posted at all hours of the night when I had been too overwhelmed for sleep- my typical, ridiculous TN rantings- and took the time to post about them on his blog. In doing so, he had noticed something (my love of ranting...er.. writing) that almost no one around me had. He actually noticed.

And that one gesture was oxygen to me when I needed it most.

So to Cory~ I once said I owed you more than you might realize. That's why. You gave me a few swigs of faith in myself when I was pretty damn thirsty. Thank you for taking the time. Really. Thank you. You are an incredibly funny, creative, talented, amazing person.

Footnote:
Of course, you later nearly got me killed with our ridiculous IM's when I was knee-driving on the expressway so I'm not recommending you in the "Safe Driving Aid" category. Just the "Incredible Person" one. You kind of rock. A lot. At least in my little world of whiskey rivers and midget herds....

Me, too! Me, too! I like Cory, too!

A truly great person with exquisite taste in design. Cory rocks!

Favorite person ever. Hands down. Xoxo.