Don’t Leave The Bucket List In The Bucket
I recently finished my second “trip of a lifetime.” After buying a boat during the pandemic, I decided to cruise 1,138 miles down The Intracoastal Waterway, from Urbanna, Virginia to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Buying a boat was always on my bucket list, so I said “Bucket, I’ll do it.”
After hearing about my adventure last year, friend and fellow Rotarian Tom Yeager told me that cruising the ICW had been on his bucket list for more than 40 years. I welcomed Tom aboard last fall and warned him that the pay for his first mate duties would be paltry; free Bud Lights and lots of baloney sandwiches. To my surprise, he agreed, and off we went.
Last week, we completed the long trip back from Florida yet again. Nine and a half sailing days. 10 beautiful sunrises. Three days of 30+ mph winds. One massive thunderstorm and one tornado warning (Palm Beach). Two Volvo techs to fix “fuel issues.” One space shuttle launch (Titusville). Four steak nights. Two pounds of stone crabs. Stuck on two sandbars (one in North Florida marshes and one in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay). 136 bridges. One canal lock. Two AMAZING first mates. Huge thanks to Melissa Thurston and Tom Yeager for making another trip of a lifetime!
Do you have a bucket list? What’s something you’ve always wanted to do? Go ahead. I’m waiting for your answer. Now, here’s the real question…why haven’t you done it yet?
I waited 20 years to buy a boat. Tom waited 40 years to cruise the ICW. After crossing these things off our bucket lists, neither one of us regretted it — and we have enough “stuck on a sandbar” stories to entertain at cocktail parties until 2033.
In the words of the immortal Nike tagline, “Just do it.”
MONDAY:
LEANNE’S LUNCH
On Monday, Director of Business and Marketing Leanne Pillow spent her lunch hour with the ladies of Richmond’s infamous Insider’s Club. Debbie Stocks from OneDigital, Kelly All from WPER Virginia’s Home For Encouragement, Kay Henry from Architectural Products of VA, and Cathy Saunders (no relation to me) from Long & Foster Realtors were all in attendance. The ladies dined at Plaza Azteca and although I wasn’t invited, I’m sure they’ve concocted a plan to rule the world (or at least RVA).
TUESDAY:
RICHMOND’S RESTAURANT WEEK
This week kicks off one of my favorite Richmond traditions. During Restaurant Week, Richmond area restaurants offer three-course meals for $35.22 with $5.22 donated directly to Feed More. Feed More (formerly Richmond Area Food Bank) is a local non-profit that fights hunger and an organization the Madison+Main-iacs have supported for years. More than 25 local restaurants are participating — and so should you. Helping people has never been more delicious. Visit rrweek.com to make reservations for this weekend.
WEDNESDAY:
15FIVE
At Madison+Main, our leadership team works every day to empower our people to achieve the extraordinary. Thanks to Office Manager Mollie Banks, we’re implementing a new HR platform that will do just that — streamlining our current check-in process for both managers and employees. 15Five allows each employee to easily check in weekly, request one-on-one chats with their managers, track professional goals, and more. Mollie has been working hard to implement the new software and train us, so I wanted to give her a quick shout-out for all the hard work behind the scenes. Thank you, Mollie!
THURSDAY:
GET TO KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS DAY
Today is “Get to Know Your Customers Day” and I want to hear from you. What’s a topic you’d like to learn more about? Advertising, branding, public relations, or marketing? I’d be more than happy to answer or write a Weekly Report about it! Email me your questions here. And your favorite color. I desperately need to know what your favorite color is.
FRIDAY:
EARTH DAY…AGAIN
On Friday, the team reminisced about our adventure last week on Belle Isle in honor of Earth Day — which is in fact, today. Since I couldn’t be there last week, I spent the day on Belle Isle alone, writing this Weekly Report perched on a tree limb, humming “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. I’ve lost weight recently, but I sure hope this branch holds. Check out these photos from our day volunteering last week and follow us on social media for more Madison+Main moments.
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE EVENTS
Stories and Songs in the Oral Tradition
The Perk
April 24 | 1 p.m.
Charlotte Blake Alston is a nationally acclaimed storyteller, narrator, instrumentalist, librettist and singer who has performed in venues throughout North America and abroad for over 30 years. She is committed to the preservation of African and African American oral storytelling traditions. Her stories include folktales, historical stories and songs that highlight the richness of those traditions. Her presentation style is engaging and often participatory. See her performance at The Perkinson Center for Arts and Education!
Evolution of Freedom, The Music
Virtual
April 28 | 5:45 – 7:30 p.m.
Fort Monroe Authority and the National Park Service are hosting a free virtual event exploring music, culture, and personal ideas of freedom with their latest installment of Evolution of Freedom, The Music on April 28, 2022. The event will explore the origins of Powwow-Step, a revolutionary sub-genre of club music that intermingles indigenous music traditions and history, intertwined with a discussion between guests DJ Shub and Dr. Chris Scales.
The Art of Housing: A Benefit for Housing Families First at VMFA
Richmond, VA
April 28 | 6-9 p.m.
Housing Families First’s seventh annual signature event will highlight talented local artists at the most artistic venue in town- Richmond’s VMFA. Join them for delicious hors d’oeuvres and drinks in a fun and dressy-casual atmosphere. Come ready for a fantastic silent auction that will benefit their programs for families facing homelessness!
“Stop dreaming about your bucket list and start living it.“ — Annette White