#10–Appreciation Matters
Even though I never got to touch the flesh of Oprah or get more than one person (or boat) away from  her, I have to accept that is enough!  It’s important to remain appreciative through an experience like this (as in completely free) and remember that we were never promised a custom meet and greet or even an individual photo with her.  “just being nominated” IS enough.

I Know I'll Meet Oprah One Day, Just Not This Trip -- These banners were all over downtown Sydney. You can have your city back, thank you for your hospitality.

#9–Manners Matter
302 people is a big group.  When being herded like cattle, it’s important to not be rude to people.  You are going to see them again and guess what, you’re all going to the same place and they are not going to start without you.  Also, being ambassadors of America (and Oprah), it’s important to show the Aussies that Americans can be as polite and nice as they are.  I kept hearing about “how nice Aussies” are.  Isn’t that the goal of world culture?

#8–Love Matters
Without a rock star hubby, My Geek, I’m not sure this trip would have been possible with as much peace as I had leaving.  The trip was so incredible that I was almost jealous of myself!  My Geek really held down the fort w/the two nippers (daughters age 3 and 6) and took vacation time to do so.  He provided continuity and love in a way that’s maybe even better than me.  I’m thankful that they had this time together.  I’m more recharged than ever to get through whatever life has to offer us.

#7–Laughing All The Time Matters
There were a few times on this trip that I laughed so hard I went into “ugly laugh” (similar to ugly cry only more fun).  Tears of laughter just pouring out of my face.  There’s no way I can recapture the moments in writing fully, but coming up, I’ll try my hardest.

Lisa & I laughing from my director comments to the photographer in getting the perfect, flattering picture

#6–Eating Great Food & Drink Matters
We were asked by trip organizers what type of experiences we were looking to have in Australia.  My choice was an easy one, put me in the food and wine group please!  Ayres Rock, the Outback, wildlife, Great Barrier Reef, Aboriginal roots, those were all important to me to see sometime, but Australia is about the size of the US, you canNOT see it all in a week.  Food and wine were the drivers to our 4-day excursion of a trip within a trip.  Call it our “small group” if you will.  We went to the Hunter Valley, wine country in New South Wales and let me tell you…I felt like I was on some entertaining or dining magazine cover at virtually EVERY meal.  They did it right.  I’ve changed how I look at food, eat food, present food and look for and source food.  Holy wow!

Mango Tart -- For sure a dessert highlight of the trip at Tower Estates in the Hunter

#5–Enjoyment of the Present Matters
The pace of this entire trip was akin to a speed date that goes on and on.  You were put with some new faces constantly and doing some incredible thing together.  It was easy to think or wish everyone you know in your life was with you to experience this greatness, but it is important to stay in the present.  If you’re not, you’ll lose out completely on what is being offered!

#4–Perspective Matters
Occasionally I’d witness folks gripe about this not working out, or why didn’t I get this or why isn’t the line moving faster or comments about local food that made me want to slink under the table or put on my best Aussie accent so that I wouldn’t have to be associated with the group.  It was important for me to keep perspective that 2/3 of the group has never been outside the country.  It doesn’t excuse the gripes, but it did help me.  My main gripe to myself was how little time I took/had to get ready in between events.  My perspective when I came home?  30-60 minutes to get ready is GLORIOUS and I should always leave the house like an American tourist in a foreign country that could be on tv or a newspaper cover any minute.  I feel better and look better.  I’m happy to do this for myself, I’m thankful for my new perspective on time.

#3–Networking Matters
My group leaders, Erin and Jaime from America and Sue, Leigh and from Australia were incredible.  Their attitude and personalization on the trip was unmatched.  If you let your desires be known, like a serious passion for food and wine education then they arrange fun things like introduction to a restaurant chef and wife co-owner.  Later we saw this pair at the Oprah taping.  Followed by us finding each other on Facebook and now our children are pen pals, which was one of few goals I had on the trip.

#2–Kindness Matters
A flight attendant walked through the Qantas aisles on the way to Oz collecting foreign coins for UNICEF.  We sat behind a woman on the flight listening to her explain in detail that not ALL the money collected for UNICEF goes to UNICEF.  The flight attendant replied with, “It’s important to remain bright! and lighthearted!  Remember to be positive and happy for the money they do receive.  These foreign coins would otherwise just be sitting in someone’s dresser.”  I’m paraphrasing, but it was an incredible sight to see happen.  The flight attendant was so animated and bright and lighthearted and was all spoken in a very Aussie accent.  My travel mate, Lisa J does a PERFECT imitation of this incredible scene and it ended up being the theme of our trip.  Remember kindness matters to everyone, especially UNICEF. 

#1–Laws of Attraction & Having Your Cake and Eating It Too Matters
I’ve often been described as a person that “things just happen for her or things just fall in her lap”.  This is half-true.  Life was pretty good for me BEFORE the trip, and the trip happened.  AND then I got a chance to get to know my friend, Lisa more on the trip.  AND then a fashion blogger had her vendors and supports send me a bunch of great clothing and accessories for free.  AND then I made a great friend in an Aussie named Megan who made me the most gorgeous piece of jewelry I own next to my engagement ring.  AND then my children were terrific for their daddy while I was away.  AND then I got a bunch of swag from the trip that I can give to loved ones.  AND then we bought our dream house.

Oprah spoke several times to the whole group.  The three biggest things I took away from her conversations with us were (1) “This is not my doing.  This is God’s doing.  We were all brought there for our own individual purpose.  (2) “I firmly believe what you put out into the world does come back your way” and (3) “you can have a life like this, this treatment you’ve had all week, it can be yours everyday back home.”

With just media alone you can see how everyone was falling over themselves to get a glimpse of Oprah or get close to her or thank her in some crazy way by screaming “thank you” at her.  So, it was helpful to be reminded that none of this belongs to her.  She does have an incredible team at Harpo.  She considers them a blessing, her life a blessing and each of us attending a blessing.  As an ultimate fan on this Australian adventure, I have learned from Oprah to be even more humble and grateful than ever and how to be an ambassador.

Thank you. <in a sincere whisper>

Australian fashion blogger, Karen Cheng, is wrapping up her project with me and will be moving on with her life.  Here is her latest article on ME.

She’s been accepting awards for a few years now for her blog.  I’m excited to report that on Saturday, December 4th she’s being recognized as one of the top bloggers in Western Australia.  I can’t wait to see the article and am so happy for her.

Here’s my packing list & to-do items for the trip:

- New great clothes from Karen Cheng, CHECK!
- Borrowed summer clothes from Tara V and Becky V, CHECK!
- My own clothes, accessories, footware (included new sandals from my sis), and toiletries, CHECK!
- Important docs, CHECK!
- Phone, mini computer to skype home and chargers, CHECK!
- Adapters, CHECK!
- Special handmade gifts for two important Aussies, Karen & Megan, CHECK!
- Left the refrigerator and pantry full of “healthy”, yet easy to make meals, CHECK!
- 11 small wrapped gifts for my girls to open each day I’m away, CHECK!
- Grateful and positive attitude, CHECK!

I kinda promised my daughters I’d take them to Australia one day…why do parents make such claims?!  Out of guilt, I would say.  So, I want to say this is a trip of a lifetime, but looks like I’ll be coming back again.   

If I don’t make it back soon or if YOU want to go and don’t see that happening before retirement, then come along with me in my photo journaling ways.  I’m excited to see what South eastern Australia has to offer & how Oprah plans for a vacation with her fans!  Looks like I can Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, or shout really loudly what ever on this trip after all! 

—-

Shout out to Todd W and my brother-in-law, Dean for giving me advice on being on camera (if that happens!!) and also offering a perspective of what my blog readers, facebook followers and twitter tweeps would want to know about the trip as it’s happening!

Some of you are interested in being kept up to speed on how things are coming along with my new friend, Karen Cheng. 

One day Karen Cheng, famous fashion blogger in Australia, read my email and answered my plea to help me with fashion advice for the Oprah show in Sydney, Australia.

Article in Local Press in Perth, Australia. Perth is roughly as far from Sydney as LA is from NY.

Not only did she answer my email, she offered to style me as the FIRST person she has styled…EVER!  I swear she is lying in that this is her first styling project, she’s a PRO.  Her instincts are so right on!  I’ve never met her or seen her on video.  She only has what I’ve written, photographed and said on the phone to go off of. 

(This article above is only the first of many covering Karen on this styling project.  My brain can’t even wrap around being published so much for helping someone across the world.  Karen is going to be FEATURED in one of Western Australia’s largest newspapers as a top blogger.  When that comes out, I’ll post here. )

She explains that several years ago she was in my shoes.  Wardrobe on a budget.  Went from career to mommy life.  Trying to maintain some semblance of the person our husbands married. 

What an inspiration she has been!  A week ago, she posted part FIVE (click to read her updates on our adventure together). 

Over the weeks, I’ve learned to trim the “fat” in many areas of life.  I’m trying to be more intentional in the areas of marriage, motherhood, cooking at home, dressing myself for daily living, dressing myself for going out, writing, shopping, sleeping well, eating well…you name it! 

We could all use a Karen in our lives.  They take an objective look at one aspect of your life, cut out the clutter or fat, add in some useful pieces, step back, shed a small tear at their accomplishment and rejoice in that they helped someone doing something they love!  Isn’t that the meaning of life?  (Finding your passion while serving others?)

I hope I can be a Karen in my own life, someone’s life, everyone’s life! 

Here are MY previous posts on this adventure:  one, two, three and four.  Each posts links back to her original post as well.

Also, I won’t be blogging or Facebook’ing too much during that time, but I will be TWEETING for sure!  Minute by minute accounts of what’s happening with Oprah and my new friend, John Travolta.  (Just kidding.  It really isn’t clear whether he will be flying the plane or not, but we sure are led to believe that he will be!)

Here is my twitter account.  In the near future, I plan to do a more extensive post on explaining twitter and how it works and who on earth uses it!

Twitter and tweeting is a very INFORMAL way to just get quick messages out there for anyone to read.  I like it for the celebrity tweets or the local celebrity tweets.  (Sometimes they even send you a message!)  I guarantee if you poke around you’ll find some expert tweeting hourly on some topic that you LOVE, give it a shot!

—
Special shout out to my rockin’ hubby, My Geek, sweet and caring children, all kinds of family and friends that care about me and my family so deeply.  Love to you all and all things that are extraordinary in your life right now.

Matt knew Megan lives in Australia and was just positive that the two of us should meet.    He was right!

Megan is known by MANY Aussies as “Jewelchic”.  She’s lively, fun, strikingly gorgeous, creative, a wonderful home cook and just an overall truly positive spirit in all the lives she touches. 

Jewelchic is a famous YouTube’r and fashion jewelry designer.  She doesn’t sell to the online world (sorry folks!) but if you know her by one degree of separation, you might get invited to go on a shopping spree at her private studio. 

One portion of one wall in one amazing studio

She starts many of her videos with “Hello Everybody!” but in THAT accent, spoken by the folks that live in Oz.

When she heard about what Karen and I were doing, she insisted on making a custom jewelry piece for the outfit I wear to the taping of the Oprah show(s), sitting in the Sydney Oprah House.  I sincerely hope Jewelchic and Karen meet some day! 

Megan is beyond ambitious.  She seems so involved in her kids’ lives.  She lives in a way that keeps them, her hubby and herself humbled and honest.  Not to mention being on the cutting edge of all social media, a truly a successful You Tube’r and technology superstar. 

She is an inspiration. 

I might be exaggerating (although I doubt it)–I am confident Megan is THE Ultimate Oprah Fan in all of Australia, which is a country by the way and a continent.  I don’t think any of us could say that of ourselves in America / USA / North America!

If you look at some of her more popular posts, you will understand what I mean when I say I feel like I have a new friend in her.  “HOW CAN YOU NOT !!!????!!!!!!  xxxxxxx!”  (A tribute to her writing style.)

Feel free to add her JewelchicPage to your Facebook friend page or visit her YouTube page.  Either one will put a little pep-in-your-step for the day!

When I admitted this like a confession to a friend (A non-Oprah-watching friend) named Tyler, he said, “Yeah. Own it!”

How did he know that Oprah’s new network is called OWN? 

Five years ago, I saw an episode that really changed the way I thought about my role as a mother and wife.  Ayelet Walman was on Oprah with her controversial essay of loving her husband more than her children.  In 2010, I wrote about my resonance to this essay and her appearance on Oprah in my Ultimate Fan entry.

I had been watching Oprah for a year on TiVo and this episode made me think, “Maybe I could sit in the audience!”  I scoured the internet for a blog post (remember blogs were really taking off then) and I couldn’t find anything.  I went off the perception that tickets were really hard to get. 

They aren’t really that difficult to come by, especially if you’re in the Midwest.  However, you do have to invest a little bit of thought in your entry.  I have written into the show several times and these are the three shows I attended:

~ The first, October 5, 2005 w/my mom and we went as an invited audience member and fan of the author Elizabeth Gilbert and her new memoir “Eat, Pray, Love”.  There was so much good info that came from this interview, on the fly, they turned this into 2 episodes. I loved it when Oprah said to the audience, “I just think we need to have different outfits on, since this will be airing later in the season…and it is my show, so I guess I can decide that.”

~ The second, February 13, 2008 w/my friend Megan and we went for an unknown topic, truly last-minute seats. When we arrived, it was How to Look Good Naked w/Carson Kressley.  He really gave women the confidence to live in their own (naked) truth.  It was interesting to say the least! 

~ The third and final (because it IS the last season) was September 9, 2010.  I wrote into the website in response to their quest for Oprah’s “Ultimate Fans”.  I got called.  My friend Lisa and I went.  Everyone in the audience won a trip to Au-stra-lia!!!”  Here’s my post on that day.

THIS is the blog post I was looking for 5 years ago, I just decided to write it myself.   

Given to audience members to show that we have been processed after our big trip winnings. There was a lot of paperwork. One more reason I'm glad I took my friend Lisa, she is an attorney!

I get asked a lot “How did you get tickets?” I explain in detail and as the listener starts to drift off, I realize they were just making polite conversation. 

IF YOU REALLY DO want to know, here we go…

You can apply to several show topics, but attend only once per season. 

General tickets-by-phone have all been assigned, at this point your only chance are “last minute tickets”. That’s all I ever got anyway, and they were great!

- TOP TIP: Check the “last minute” audience reservations link DAILY. For real, there are times where travel to Chicago is not ideal, but the “show must go on” and tickets will be more abundant in January and February. Be honest, don’t say you live in the Chicago area if you don’t just to get tickets. That makes you just a liar and not an ultimate fan. (Hmmm, you’re not a liar if you see a topic, rush out buy the book, read it and respond w/a fresh opinion, that just makes you efficient and devoted, right?)

- If a topic speaks to you, then take the time to apply and fill out the form. Consider this, producers of the show are tasked with filling the audience. 300-seat audience is NOT that big. They don’t want any sch-moe off the street, they want people really revved up by the topic and that will be excited (on cue helps!)

- When you fill out the form, treat it like an adult essay contest. Don’t worry about grammar or the informal-ness. Just pay attention to details like restating the questions in your answer. For instance, “what show really made an impact on you.” You would want to restate with “The show that made a huge impact on me…”  Producers read literally thousands of these forms on hot and current topics, just by simply showing that you are thoughtful in your answers and direct and genuine can really pay off…with tickets and in life and parenting, etc.

- Fill out more than one web form for last-minute tickets, go ahead fill out 10 (if the topics are important to you).  You have a much greater chance if your responses are authentic. Did I mention they read thousands of these? The first form you fill out, your palms will sweat, you’ll re-read it a hundred times, you’ll copy your text over and reword to make the maximum character requirement…I know, I’ve done all these things! But treat this like a gourmet crock-pot meal after a long day at work.  “Set it and forget it!” Ok, you do have to do a little work to be heard and read, BUT just put it out there, give it your best and move on to other things in your life you CAN control.

- Answer your phone. If someone from the 312-633-1000, it’s Harpo calling and that want to talk to you further. Don’t freak out! It’s very likely they will be offering you tickets to the show. Maybe you plus a guest, maybe you plus 3 guests. Their process has changed over the years and maybe the topic is not as “hot” as others.  Who knows, but definitely answer your phone. They might leave a message. Also, if your story is very compelling, a producer might call to ‘dig deeper’ perhaps they are considering you to be a guest or in a panel of guests.  If you are feeling like your answers are NOT super compelling all of a sudden, at least try to get tickets out of it. The producers are usually sincere and glad you took the time to write/talk to them further.

Good luck!

I hope you enjoy this!  I hope you get audience tickets!  I hope you like or love the show topic!  Please post back if you go and if this was helpful! 

P.S. Since I know many of you are persistent, determined and die-hard like me, I’ll post in a few days about “Now that I have tickets, what should I expect?” Because I KNOW some of you really will attend this last season.

Karen has written my favorite post yet in this long-distance makeover project!  (Except maybe the very first email when she responded to my fan letter SOS to her).  These are real conversations that Karen and I have had.  They are also real conversations I have with my mommy friends, who are women who live across the world from Karen in my neighborhood.

I want to first mention that I started this blog as a writing practice for food related articles and daily eating.  But also to help grow the confidence in the everyday home chef…you!  I also obsess over photographing food.  A blog was the perfect place for all of this to come together.

So much support has come my way in the infant stage of this blog and I am SO grateful.

My soon-to-be-famous-writer-brother-in-law, but already famous in my mind, strongly suggested I ask her to link to my blog for my perspective of the project.  Karen accepted.  My readership increased by 1,000% in one day.  Uh, good idea Old-Fashioned-Man.

I could end this post here.  Isn’t this one day extraordinary enough? 

No?  You’re right, here’s Karen’s post.

I’ll keep posting on my perspective of this fashion project together.  I can’t wait for my shipment(s)!! 

I’m heading into H&M to try on for sizing and will most likely order online or in the store.

For this fashion show, I’m enlisting the help of a friend who loves her camera.  Yeh!

My emails to and from Australian fashion blogger, Karen Cheng, have certainly increased.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, especially with these detailed assignments she was giving me.  But now I understand!

She is coordinating one smokin’ hot wardrobe.  She is putting together multiple outfits so that pieces can easily be mixed and matched, dressed up or down.  We both have the same goal:  choosing clothes that I would actually buy, clothes that I would actually wear.

I told her that I love H&M! Stylish and affordable. Karen was thankful that they had a website, that allowed her to style me from the other side of the world!

She has created a style board of sorts with really amazing shoe recommendations.  I told her that I could just EAT these shoes, Celine in Mushroom.  They are beautiful!

Here is her third post on this experience.   

One thing I’m learning about this whole fashion update / make-over / finally grown-up clothes is that if goodness comes in your life, just accept it and say thank you.  If you start playing the recorder in your head, “why is this happening?!”  ”I don’t deserve this?!”  You will talk yourself out of a really rich experience! 

As modern women, we have a really hard time saying thank you and accepting compliments. 

This is an example of a common situation I experience.

Me:  “I love this dish!”,
She: “Oh, it was nothing, I burnt the edge, usually it turns out better, wish I had more time, blah blah” 

Sometimes I’m Me, sometimes I’m She.

Oh my word, I’m exhausted!  Just say thank you so we can move onto where you got those cute shoes…and oh no, another compliment!

Am I totally off base?  Is it that hard for a person to accept a compliment, help or advice?

A few days ago, I wrote about needing an updated look for an upcoming Oprah Show I’ll be attending…in Australia.  I wrote a famous fashion blogger who lives in Australia that I’ve been following for a couple of years.  She agreed to give me some styling tips.  Here is the next part of our adventure together.

Karen Cheng is a pretty amazing lady.  One thing My Geek and I are noticing about Aussies is that they are SUPER MOTIVATED.  Is that an accurate or fair picture?

Remember, I was hoping for a few tips, “wear this or don’t wear that.”  She dreamed a way bigger dream than I could for myself and it came in the form of a 3 page questionnaire of getting to know my style.  If you know me and see me regularly, you will laugh at these pictures because you’ve all seen me in these outfits…regularly!

My first assignment was to take my measurements.  I love the idea of Leon’s Tailoring in downtown Indianapolis doing this, but I was having a hard time picturing taking off my bra for bust measurements.  I was just going to sweet-talk an old lady in the Nordstrom Lingerie department to take the rest of my measurements.  And that is what I did and they were sweet.  Got all my updated numbers…astonishing.  If you’re a woman and haven’t been measured for a bra lately, this is a free service and you might be shocked?!

The next assignment was to have someone photograph me in my current favorite outfits.  I misread this assignment and actually photographed myself…in the style that “my stylist” does…her fans have coined it “doing the Karen Cheng”.  Then I added a new part by including my commentary on my current outfits.  Wow, do I have a whole new appreciation for what I see on her site.  It takes a lot of time to get the outfits lined up, on and photographed.

This was a fun exercise.  Until you see yourself in a full length mirror photograph, you don’t really know how you look.  If you are unsure if an outfit works, try this sometime and you will be amazed at the results.  You may just finally give yourself permission to ditch that outfit you’ve been hanging on to…or be reassured that you ARE SMOKIN’ HOT!!

Here is Karen’s second blog post on our adventure together.  Enjoy!

3 years ago: I search on award-winning blogs and find “snippets from karen cheng”, a fashion blogger and mommy blogger and she’s Asian, so that takes the guess-work out of “imagining her outfits on me”
2 years and 11 months and 29 days ago:  I add her blog to my google reader (a one page way to organize blogs you read)- I can get caught up on all blogs in 15 minutes!
2 years and 2 months ago: She had a post of a cool bag called Root Tote.  I asked hubby for one.
2 years and 1 month ago: Hubby buys me the bag and then proceeds to tell me of the lengths he went through to get the bag since it was shipped from Asia and the Blogger I loved was from Australia! 

How was I to know?  Just because she occasionally misspelled realization for realisation.  I thought it was honest.  Well, now I was really intrigued.  She’s an Aussie.

2 years ago: I continue to follow her blog.
1 month ago and 1 week ago: I was given this amazing opportunity to travel to Australia paid for by Oprah & Tourism Australia.
3 weeks ago: I thought what would I wear and do I know anyone in Australia?  (two separate thoughts).  So, I wrote my “friend” Karen Cheng.  She’s Chinese and I’m Korean so I was hoping at least she would read my email and at most she would say “Hi. Yeah, don’t wear yellow.  Have fun!”  But she responded with such warmth and generosity…I am OVERWHELMED!

This was her POST in response to my email.  “Oh my word!” in the words of my friend, Julie.  More posts to follow from my new friend / fashion consultant, Karen.

I’ll write several posts leading up to the trip, post some videos during the trip and write a recap upon my return.  But first, I want to introduce the greatest thing that came out of me winning this trip–getting to know my friend Lisa J more. 

If you want to read more about Oprah and the trip, come back for future posts.  If you want to read more about God’s work in giving me a friendship that He thinks I need, then read more.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Over the summer I went to Oprah’s website to check the final season start date.  It was a few weeks away.  A question caught my eye.  “Are you an ultimate fan?”  I thought, “well, I do TiVo it everyday and haven’t missed an episode in 6 years…Maybe?!”  I filled out the form discussing specific episodes and what impact it had on me then. 

On Labor Day, a producer called me and asked a few more questions regarding the form.  One hour later, the studio was called to see if I could attend a taping (no specific topic given) that Thursday.  I had to call them back.

My Geek said, “What kind of Ultimate Fan would pass up this chance in the last season?”  He was right.  Also, I knew if I had his support I could make it through the longest weekend ever following the taping.  I asked my Facebook friends who would want to take out a day in their life to accompany me.  Apparently, a lot of people would.  Great.  I was all set.  

I took a friend, Lisa J.  My Geek and she used to work at a law firm together.  I always liked her infectious smile and warm personality.  Over the past decade, we had been to 4 or 5 events together, a playdate and had some Facebook interaction.  But since she left her job as an attorney to become the top graduating culinary student of her class, then chef and now a stay at home mom, NOW we had time and something to talk about!

We have 4 children between the two of us and they are all under age 7.  We couldn’t believe the un-interrupted conversation we were having with each other! 

Hands down, the show was great (saw John Travolta, Paul Simon & met some seriously crazy fans and was given an all expenses paid trip to Australia) but the real prize for me in my new title as “ultimate fan” was getting to know this friend more.

Two desperate housewives chatting for hours about life about not-so-distant demanding careers traded in for demanding at home lifestyle with preschoolers.  We talked about church, culinary school, how awesome our husbands are, family histories, baking birthday cakes, fashion make-overs, education public vs. private, and one of the most valuable topics to me: maintaining and nurturing authentic relationships with other women.  

Our road trip was six-years of Oprah shows wrapped into a conversation with one real person in front of me.  I’m so thankful for a God who put this beautiful friendship in my life at a time that I would have not taken 10-12 hours out to nurture so intensely.  Of course, it had to take something as big as being named one of Oprah’s Ultimate Fans to get the message, but I got it.   

That’s a life lesson learned.