Smyrna Skate Center To Host Special Skate Night For Fundraiser

Another night is planned at the Smyrna Skate Center to help raise money for the Christmas for the Children event. Please mark your calendars for Thursday, October 26th from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Smyrna Printing generously donated printing of over 8000 coupons to take to the Smyrna and LaVergne schools. Mark of Drama Llama has also confirmed a firetruck from the SFD will be there. In addition, the silent auction will be a part of and end at this event.

I also expect Christine Hooper, an Arbonne representative, will be there and is going to donate a portion of her sales to the charity. If you haven't got your spouse a gift for her birthday/anniversary or Christmas you are sure to find something that will please her in Christine's collection.

Thanks to Mark of Drama Llama. Stop by Drama Llama's to find out what will be auctioned.

Smyrna Skate Center
Located at:
1505 Plaza Drive
Smyrna, TN 37167
(615) 459-7655
Email: smyskate@bellsouth.net
Web Site: http://www.skatecenter.com/Smyrna/

What Makes A Great Town - The Conversation Continues

Back in September I posed the question to the readers, "what makes a great town?"

I'd like to continue that conversation. I want the residents of Smyrna and our surrounding towns to hear what people have to say so tell me here about what you think makes a great town. Some of the ideas that have been shared are:

Green spaces
sidewalks
Cleanliness
Underground utilities
Close knit neighborhoods where you know your neighbor (Kathy T.)
Well managed resources with politicians that spend within means and controlled growth (Michael)
Restaurants that have patios and open air dining (Josh)

So, what else?

FBI Still Having Problems With Arabic

Just caught this on CNN... After five years most of the FBI agents still have limited Arabic Language skills. Here's an idea. Podcasts. Of course, it doesn't teach you the written language but one can learn a great deal from a podcast. Podcasts have been a blessing to me. I spend a great deal of time in my car to and from work and listen to podcasts while driving. Last night my son played on the computer while I cleaned and listened to podcasts on my laptop. A very convenient path to enlightenment.

Check out this Arabic Language Podcast on Podcast Alley.

http://www.podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=38202

Smyrna Fire Department Open House Today

From 1:00 - 5:00 today the Smyrna, TN Fire Department will be conducting their annual Open House. There'll be refreshments and demonstrations. Contact information as provided by their website:

Town of Smyrna - Fire Department Headquarters
145 South Lowry Street
Smyrna, TN 37167

615.459.6644
Info. Line:615.459.9742
ext.7550

Hours of Operation
8:00a.m. - 4:30p.m.
Monday - Friday

Want To Be A Member of This Is Smyrna, TN?

If you are interested in being a contributing member of "This Is Smyrna, TN" please email by clicking on the email tab above.

2006 Halloween In The Park Coming October 28th

Mark your calendars for one of the most anticipated Smyrna Events of the year... Halloween in the Park.

Halloween in the Park is my favorite Smyrna festivity. Every year my family and I head over to the Sharp Springs Natural Area to take part in Halloween in the Park. Year after year you can expect costume contests, food, inflatables, hayride and music. It is a great time for the whole town.

The Town of Smyrna has more information on their website at www.townofsmyrna.org but here are some of the highlights.

• Saturday, October 28th from 3-6pm at the Sharp Springs Natural Area.
• Food, Games, Contests, Vendors and Hayrides.
• Haunted hayrides are from 6-8 pm.
• For more information, contact Monty Perkins at monty.perkins@townofsmyrna.org.

Christmas Challenge Website Launched

Kathy T. is at it again. This time she has created a whole new website for the Christmas Challenge. The Christmas Challenge was created to help generate donations for the Bob Park Realty Christmas for the Children event. For many years they have brought Christmas to children identified by school counselors who otherwise may not have had anything.

The offer still exists to businesses and to bloggers that if you donate time or money, I will list you on my special CCBloggers and CCBusinesses page. For businesses that includes a link to your website, if you have one, and your address, phone number. Many companies would pay considerable dollars to get a link on a website that has a page rank of 5. I'm offering you this for a mere donation.

Yesterday, Big Orange Michael and I got together and did a podcast about some Christmas initiatives. As soon as he has it loaded you should check it out.

Check out Kathy's new website at http://christmaschallenge.blogspot.com.

Enjoyed a blogger moment.

Blogging has allowed me to get to know people that I likely would not ever have known. To make friends that have enlightened me on many subjects. It also has given me a few pleasant surprises along the way.

I posted on my blog about attempting to go to the libertarian party get together in Murfreesboro. The surprise was whom I met.

At this time I enjoyed a blogger moment. The manager is the husband of Bad Ivy, a local blogger I know, and I sat next to him at the luncheon just last Friday. He told me he had not seen the Libertarians or the Young Republicans for many months. We talked a little but I excused myself to dash to the Smyrna city council meeting. A meeting I had skipped to go to the Libertarian get together.

It's nice to run across people in situations like this.

Smyrna Skate Center to Hold Silent Auction and More Tomorrow Night

Graphic lovingly created by our friend in Norway, Tim of A Tennessee Redneck In King Harald's Court

The Smyrna Skate Center will be open tomorrow, Tuesday, October 10th from 6:30 - 9:00 for charity! Come on out for a silent auction, there will be an Arbonne representative there with great gift ideas and a portion of the sales will go to the charity. The Smyrna Skate Center will donate a portion of the admission to the fundraiser.

Thanks to Mark of Drama Llama. Stop by Drama Llama's to find out what will be auctioned.

Smyrna Skate Center
Located at:
1505 Plaza Drive
Smyrna, TN 37167
(615) 459-7655
Email: smyskate@bellsouth.net
Web Site: http://www.skatecenter.com/Smyrna/

Hey, Middle Tennessee Businesses there is, in case you haven't read, a real possibility that kids will miss out on the kindness of Bob Parks Realty this year because they haven't been able to raise the money they need for the Christmas Gift program! We can't let that happen.

Donate! To donate, contact Kathy Tyson of the LaVergne blog and Bob Parks Realty realtor.

Get your website listed here or if you don't have a website, get your company information listed here!

Meet the bloggers who have donated or who are helping promote the effort! Bloggers, HELP us, PLEASE.

Why Should Bloggers Get All The Love?

Graphic lovingly created by our friend in Norway, Tim of A Tennessee Redneck In King Harald's Court

Because they care! Hey, Middle Tennessee Businesses there is, in case you haven't read, a real possibility that kids will miss out on the kindness of Bob Parks Realty this year because they haven't been able to raise the money they need for the Christmas Gift program! We can't let that happen.

Donate! To donate, contact Kathy Tyson of the LaVergne blog and Bob Parks Realty realtor.

Get your website listed here or if you don't have a website, get your company information listed here!

Meet the bloggers who have donated or who are helping promote the effort! Bloggers, HELP us, PLEASE.

Mark of Drama Llama was able to get the Smyrna Skate Center on Tuesday, October 10th from 6:30 until 9:00 PM to open and donate a portion of the admission to the fundraiser. There will also be a silent auction... Oooooh... fun.

Pictures of Walden Farms uploaded to Flickr

Some Middle Tennessean Bloggers got together today to go out to Walden Farms with their families. We met first for lunch at O'Charley's in Smyrna then headed out to Walden Farms.

Here's a sample of what you'll see:
Who was there:
Amy and kids
DeWayne and Todd
Gunner
Mark
Kathy T.
Myself

We did discuss the Christmas Challenge. I hope that Middle Tennessee Bloggers and Companies will come together to make this the best year and surpass all hopes and expectations in raising money to buy gifts for underprivleged children. Won't you help?

Mark of Drama Llama was able to get the Smyrna Skate Center on Tuesday, October 10th from 6:30 until 9:00 PM to open and donate a portion of the admission to the fundraiser. There will also be a silent auction... Oooooh... fun.

Shout Out To McMinnville For The 2006 Christmas Challenge Love

Okay, it is the Kathy T. and Bob Parks Realty Christmas Fund Raising initiative to raise money to buy gifts for underpriveledged children of Smyrna and Rutherford County but I lovingly challenged Rutherford County Bloggers and Businesses and called it the Christmas Challenge.

A HUGE shout out to anonymous in McMinnville for making a contribution.

Remember, if you are a business I'll put you on my CC Companies page until December of 2007 for a donation and if you are a blogger I'll put you on my CC Blogger page until December of 2007.

Don't forget that the darling Mark of Drama Llama was able to get the Smyrna Skate Center on Tuesday, October 10th from 6:30 until 9:00 PM to open and donate a portion of the admission to the fundraiser. There will also be a silent auction... Oooooh... fun.

Yes, I Said the C Word

C, it stands for Charity, Clarity, Caring and Christmas. Oops, a lot of C words. I would like to remind you that Tuesday, October 10th is the charity skate night at the Smyrna Skate Center. A portion of the proceeds go to this charity.

I've challenged bloggers and businesses alike and made some offers to those who participate. It takes very little time and very little money to help.

Middle Tennessee Blogger Get Together on Friday

The delightful Kathy T. of LaVergne, TN's blog and Where's the Mute Button and Dewayne of Chip Talks has coordinated a get together on Friday, during the day. Interested in learning more, stop by her blog. It goes a little something like this:

We are planning a mini-meeting of bloggers! A lunch date! So come one, come all!

WHERE: O'Charleys in Smyrna (kids eat free)
TIME: 11:30 a.m.
WHEN: Friday, October 6th
WHO: Middle Tennessee Bloggers and Friends

Afterwards, we're going to Walden Pumpkin Farm!

Rutherford County, While You Slept

I posted a call for help to Rutherford County Bloggers last night. I am posting once again this morning so that any of you who only make your hits off the aggregator can see this post this morning.

Thank you for all your help in making The Christmas Challenge a success.

To All Rutherford County Bloggers

Greetings all. You may have never visited this site before so if that is the case, welcome. The reason why I titled this post "To All Rutherford County Bloggers" is because I wished to issue a call for help to you.

Recently, Kathy Tyson of LaVergne, TN blog wrote about the Bob Parks Realty Christmas fundraiser coming in under budget so far this year. Well, a few of us have taken it upon ourselves to help out. Mark of Drama Llama was able to get the Smyrna Skate Center to open on Tuesday, October 10th and donate a portion of the admission to the cause and Sam Davidson is currently in contact with Kathy about helping to publicize this on Coolpeoplecare.

I issued an announcement to Companies donating to the cause that I would list their company on my website for a full year.

Now I want to further the effort by asking all the Rutherford County Bloggers to publcize this fundraiser on their blogs. All you need to do is make one short post about the 2006 Christmas Challenge, leave me a comment or email me with a link to the post and I will put a link to your blog on my blog in the 2006 Christmas Challenge Bloggers page.

So, what do you say? Heck, even if you don't live in Rutherford County and would like to particpate, I'll list your site. Family friendly sites only, please.

2006 Christmas Challenge Bloggers

Graphic lovingly created by our friend in Norway, Tim of A Tennessee Redneck In King Harald's Court

This page is dedicated to all those Bloggers who have helped in publicizing or contributed time or money through the 2006 Christmas Challenge to the Bob Parks Realty Christmas charity. To donate, contact Kathy Tyson of the LaVergne blog and Bob Parks Realty realtor.

Kathy Tyson of LaVergne, TN Blog (who started the whole thing)
Mark of Drama Llama
Sam Davidson of Sam Davidson
Dewayne of Chip Manor
Michael Hickerson of Big Orange Michael
Bad Bad Ivy's Mom Bad Bad Ivy
Tim of A Tennessee Redneck In King Harald's Court
Glen and Jen of GlenBlogJennBlog
Brittney of Nashville is Talking
Les Jones of Les Jones
Debbie of Right Truth
James of James' Space

Town meetings for the month

Smyrna town meetings are not exactly a party awaiting to happen. What they are is a glimpse into the future of the city I live in.

I now know why there are work barrels along certain streets. I know what buildings are going to be moved, and torn down long before it happens. I even know what streets will be widened for future growth.

It isn't all dull city business. I get to see a lady talk passionately about her $800,000 lawsuit against the city, and see the crowd of visitors from our sister city.

So if you have time, here is a list of meetings that may interest you.

Next Town Council Meeting is: October 10, 2006 - 7:00 PM
Next Town Council Workshop is: September 28, 2006 - 7:00 PM
Planning Commission: October 5, 2006 - 7:00 PM
Beautification Committee: October 3, 2006 - 5:30 PM
Board of Zoning Appeals: October 19, 2006 - 5:00 PM
Beer Board: October 9, 2006 - 7:00 PM
Parks Advisory Board: October 17, 2006 - 6:00 PM
Sister City Committee: October 3, 2006 - 6:00 PM
Storm Water Advisory Committee: October 5, 2006 - 5:00 PM

Only Elizabeth(Harelipfrog) will be going and reporting on this months town hall meeting. I will be attending a Libertarian Party of Tennessee get together in Murfreesboro on the 10th.

Blogger and Podcaster's Group's One Year Anniversary

October 22nd marks the one year anniversary of the Blogger and Podcaster's Group. I remember meeting Amy of Bad Bad Ivy and DeWayne of Chip Talks. At the time I knew nothing of NiT (don't have a heart attack, yes it is possible). Since then the group has grown and we've been graced with the presence of:

Amy of Bad Bad Ivy
DeWayne of Chip Talks
Michael of Big Orange Michael
Gunner of No Quarters
Elizabeth of Harelip Frog
Kathy of Lavergne Tn Blog
John of Salem's Lots
Aunt B. of Tiny Cat Pants
Malia of Musings from Malicious
Kerry Woo of Wonderdawg
Michael of Mashby
Christian of Christian Grantham
Kathryn of Just Another Pretty Farce
Rachel of TN Girl
Brittney of Nashville is Talking

What better way to celebrate our anniversary than by being a panel of experts at Belmont University? If you would like to participate, you must email your bio and picture to me. It will be posted on a special page for the Middle Tennessee Blogger and Podcaster's Members and will be used by Belmont in materials for the event.

Next Middle Tennessee Blogger and Podcaster's Group Meeting: The Panel of Experts

I've confirmed October 21st, 2:00 PM at Belmont University for our Panel of Experts session. We will be in the Vince Gill Room. I will be gathering more information this week.

Don't forget to send me your profile and picture.