I Might Be On TV!

[Lori]

Hello from Katrina-ville!

I'm down in Mississippi and up to no good...

...Actually I'm here for a week of homebuilding with Habitat for Humanity. It's the Jimmy Carter Work Project, our big event of the year. Last October they held it in Los Angeles, and they had Amy Matthews of DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Network working on our crew - they were constantly filming us for an upcoming special on DIY. I was one of the house leaders, so I got interviewed a couple of times.

I found out recently that they're airing the special tomorrow (Sunday) night at 6pm & 10pm (Pacific), 8pm and midnight (Eastern). It's called 'Hollywood for Habitat', and they're using it to kick off this year's build. The previews indicate that it's mostly gonna be about the 'stars', but there might be a snippet or two of me in it. If you see Amy at a blue house, it's ours, and if you see a blonde in a bright yellow t-shirt at that blue house, it's me!

The place I'm staying doesn't get DIY Network, so I'll have to wait till I get home on Saturday to watch it. If anybody sees it, let me know how it is.

Also, I'm a crew leader for the first time ever and I'm really nervous about it, so please keep me and my crew in your thoughts and prayers.

[angelina]

I'm down in Mississippi and up to no good...

Lori - it sounds like you are up a lot of good. I really admire you. Good luck and let us know if you did make it onto TV!

[butterfly]

Lori, I really admire you for all the work you've been doing down there since Katrina. I think it's a great accomplishment.
I watch the DIY channel sometimes so I will be keeping an eye out for you today. I checked my on-screen tv guide and it's listed for 9pm and 1am Eastern time here. I'll be watching for that bright yellow t-shirt.

[Bella]

Thanks for letting us know, Lori, what a great example you are! We'll keep an eye out for you. You'll make a terrific team leader. We'll all be pulling for you!!

[mtnme]

Hey Lori,

How fun!!! I'll be looking for you tonight. ;D

You'll be fine as team leader. You've done it plenty right here at GA. It's all about having a plan and then gettin' things done.

...and don't take any junk from those macho construction guys. YOU'RE the BOSS!!! (...just channel your inner mtnme....)

[number1fan]

found it, to be recorded @ 6pm...thanks for letting us know

[lisam]

Thats awesome Lori! Its so nice that you're involved in Habitat for Humanity, do you travel to a lot out of your state? My dad got involved one time but I think he just did it locally.

I don't get that channel but I hope we can see it recorded.

[Casper]

Thanks for the heads up Lori. I'll be watching. If anything positive came out of Katrina, for me at least, it taught me an even greater sense of perspective. In the grand scheme of things, why sweat the small stuff? I admire what you're doing.

[jennaceeta25]

Lori! You go girl! I'll keep my eyes peeled for you!!!

You're doing so much good in this! I don't know how you do it and take care of this site. I admire you!

And yea. Show the macho men whos boss!

[debbief]

Hey Lori, I just finished watching the 'Hollywood for Habitat' program and I do believe that it was you at the end of the documentary. It was a segment filmed at the blue house. It was pretty quick, but it did look like you and definitely sounded like you.

I think it's great what you are doing down in Mississippi with Habitats for Humanity. I know you have volunteered many hours over the past few years. I'm anxious to hear about your time in 'Katrina-ville'!

[Lori]

Hey, y'all!

We had the opening ceremony tonight in Biloxi. Some of the VIP's were 'Mr. Jimmy' and Rosalynn (of course), John Edwards (he truly has the shiniest hair I've ever seen - even from 4 tables back), Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, and former President of Romania Emil Constantinescu. As I was looking for a friend, I also noticed Emily Bergl ('Annie' on Men In Trees) eating at a nearby table with her crew.

Mtnme, I'm living up to my 'social butterfly' reputation - I spent most of the meal time running from table to table visiting with friends I'd met at previous builds - I ate my food cold while the speeches were going on. One friend gave me a hug that nearly threw my shoulder out - it hurt for 30 minutes, and I was thinking 'd***, how am I gonna 'splain to our house leader that a hug put me on the disabled list?'... (how freakin' wimpy would THAT look)

Our new crew is about half men and half women, and all but 2 of the women are from Ireland! For some reason, our house leader didn't get the memo that my friend Dave and I were crew leaders (I'm thinking 'whew!'), but then Dave TOLD him, so I proceeded to kick Dave's a$$ all the way back to Pascagoula...

Our house leader says that Garth Brooks is going to be 'visiting' our house tomorrow, which usually means that he'll be working with us for at least a half a day.

Here are a few of my Day 1 photos:

We stopped by our jobsite - here's what our house looks like today - you'll be amazed at the transition from day to day!


Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood


Mr. Jimmy and Rosalynn - he got choked up at one point during his speech. The only other time I've ever seen that was at a build in Houston when he described his feelings when the commandos trying to free the hostages in Iran were killed in the rescue effort during his presidency...


Our 'motley krewe' - I'm blonde hair, black shirt, 4th from the left. Note the guy squatting at the front - I can't remember his name, but trust me, he's gonna be a piece o'work...


Now I must be off to watch Carly Smithson interviews from American Idol so I can properly interpret our Irish lasses in the AM...

BTW, DebbieF, thanks for the heads up - I'll watch towards the end of the show!

EDIT: LisaM, you asked if I travel a lot out of state - not a LOT, but I've done it several times. So far I've been to Kentucky, Houston, Georgia, Michigan, the Philippines, and 3 trips to the hurricane areas on the Gulf Coast. When my husband retires we'll do more HFH traveling - hopefully more international builds as well.

[floridafan]

What a good person you are, Lori... have helped on a couple of projects and know what an endeavor it is! You are right down the road from me in Pensacola - where did you build in Biloxi? Keep up the good work! ff

[jennaceeta25]

Lori, you always make me smile. You're so caring and sweet! Keep being a role model and tell people that this isn't the end for Katrina. There's still a lot to be done but people can show up and make a difference.

You all are angels! I really wanted to help when my church did a missonary work in Mississippi! But I had College classes. But next year in April we're doing it again! And I'm going!

[wags]

Wow! Great job Lori. I just got back in town this evening and I missed it all. Hope someone can post a screen cap or rip the vid and share. Would love to see our star.

[Lori]

End of Day 1 and I'm hurting in places I didn't even know I had...

Here's what the jobsite looked like when we left this evening - quite a difference from yesterday!


Sen. John Edwards at breakfast


I had an interesting encounter at breakfast. The buffet has 2 lines, one on each side of the table. I was yakking with a member of my crew as we went through the line, barely aware of the gentleman moving alongside us on the other side of the table - until he passed me the syrup ladle and I looked up to say 'thank you'. It was Jimmy Carter.

I didn't have to be a crew leader! Yay! I ended up on Piece O'Work's crew (see my crew photo upthread), and I raised and set interior and exterior walls all morning, nailed hurricane straps and helped set roof trusses all afternoon. POW was the one who told us Garth Brooks was coming (he never showed at our house, though he WAS at breakfast) - instead we were entertained all day by POW trying to teach the Irish girls to properly say 'Git-'er-Done!'. I'll keep y'all posted on his progress, but from the early returns, he has his work cut out for him...