Amy's Blog

Congratulations to this year's winners:  Brad, Shelley, and Andre!

Even though I am still suffering the lingering effects of my last "traveling with a toddler" adventure, I booked a hotel room and set off for another weekend of being out of my comfort zone.  Destination:  Cuyahoga Falls, OH for a family get-together.  This is where my mom grew up (technically, The Village of Silver Lake) and where my grandparents lived until their passing.  I spent many summers and holidays here, and cherish the memories that are still fresh in my mind.  I hoped to somehow share those magical times with Steven as he gets older, but I'm afraid my ties to the area are becoming increasingly thin.  He'll likely have to rely on long-winded boring stories from dear-old-mom.

But, at least for this past weekend, we had a chance to run around and take "too many pictures, mommy!", in an attempt to pack a lifetime of memories onto one digital camera memory card.  The thing that really stood out for this trip, however, was the tremendous difference 4 months makes in the maturity level of a toddler.  Steven was an angel, a helper, and joy to be around.  He was interested in every mundane sight I took him to see ("Look Steven, that's the house that used to be decorated GARISHLY for Christmas every year!  Neat, huh?"....  "Oooooh!, Neat, Mommy!!").  He was infinitely patient as I drove around, got in and out of the car, and lingered at virtually every location, taking pictures from all angles imaginable.  

But after hanging out at the lake, hiking along the falls, playing ping pong and air hockey at my aunt's house, and even a trip to the local McDonalds, Steven's favorite part, and the thing he cannot stop talking about still today, is riding the elevator up the one floor to our hotel room.  You'd think the lights surrounding it were from heaven above.

Daily Photo:  A different kind of duck
 

I bid Dwight the Duck adieu as he embarks this day on his journey around the forum.  You will see him pop up on this blog from time to time in the Daily Photo feature, as we chronicle his adventures across the country.

Good luck, Dwight!  Many safe returns... 

So, I'm out of the office today, getting ready to leave for Ohio, but I couldn't let down the fans of the Daily Photo!  Unfortunately, it's not from Klipsch, but here you go....   This was taken at Stony Creek Farm in Noblesville, IN (the Pumpkin Patch)...and no, we didn't have to climb the tree to get our pumpkins--they have a few on the ground too.

Daily Photo:  Random desk in customer support 

Daily Photo:  One of many plaques on our "Wall of Patents" in the engineering center.  For more information on these, along with the latest addition by Mr. Roy Delgado, visit here 

They say what's important is the quality of life, not the quantity.

I'm trying to focus on that today.

My Aunt Julie was taken from us last month at 54 years old.  That doesn't seem like enough.

But it's the word "enough" that has been holding my attention.  It's a strange word if you say it over and over, but it also has a strength to it.

"Joules" lived every day as if it was the best and last day of her life.

She laughed longer and harder than anyone in any room.

She listened, understood, and remembered everything about the people she spoke with.

She must have known thousands of people in her life, and all would inevitably call her a dear friend--even after one conversation.

So for you Julie, it may not have been long enough, but you definitely lived enough.  And loved enough.  

May we all do the same.

Daily Photo:  Chrome-plated RSX-4s, custom made 

Just four days later 

Daily Photo:  Over the entrance to our Engineering and Technology Center 

Daily Photo:  A sitting nook behind our engineering facility 

Daily Photo:  Brian and Andy showing off their Cornhole skills at lunch

Daily Photo:  Taken at the desk of our lovely Marketing assistant, Creshan...who also happens to have the cutest kids ever... 

See?  I do get out every once in a while.

I took this picture because I can't recall seeing the color magenta growing from a tree in the middle of the woods in October.