Fun Suprises ! #BlogwithaPurpose #RaisingCane

I heart Chicken, mostly when it’s cooked. Especially when it’s fried and served along side French fries.  So Raising Canes is my go to after a bad/long meeting, during a long week, if I’m happy or sad. It’s really good, hot food, quickly served and delicious every single time. Just thinking about the Cane’s sauce makes my mouth water. It’s not too far from my office and I admit to eating there more of than one likely should eat anything deep fried. However that’s between me and my doctor.

Back during the 2025 Christmas season I was on a mad dash to add to my Raising Canes’ plushy collection. See Raising Canes is more than just really GREAT Chicken Fingers (they also have amazing sweet tea), they also give back to local communities where their stores are located. Every year they partner with a Christmas movie and create special plushies of their beloved mascot “Cane” representing that movie. These are usually available from early November until supplies run out. When you buy one you are supporting animal welfare organizations with proceeds benefiting local rescues and shelters. Plus they are always freaking adorable.

Since the store opened near me, I have been able to participate in the Elf and National Lampoon Vacation celebrations. Over the years there have been more, I know for a fact I’ve seen Frosty the Snowman Cane puppies on the internet but I choose to look ahead not back (cause that was all I could find). The point is this is a yearly tradition that I love and fully support with my entire soul. I am always excited  to see what the new plush is going to be. I have the Christmas Tree Cane (from Elf) and the Clark Griswold Cane (from well if you don't know ... we can't be friends) and use them as my office décor during the holidays.

 The 2025 Plushy was for A Christmas Story … it featured Ralphie Cane (in his Christmas PJs), Fra-Gee-Lay Cane (complete with the leg lampshade and the fragile box), and the holy grail …. The Pink Bunny Cane. I was on the hunt for a Bunny Cane cause I LOVE Ralphie and his pink nightmare. This is my all time favorite Christmas movie. I even like the sequel (did you know there was a Christmas Story 2??) and of course I LOVED A Christmas Story Christmas a few years ago that deserves far more love than it gets.

Alas the Pink Bunny Cane alluded me at every turn. I tried online, I called other stores, it was sold out everywhere. I was not destined to get this to add to my collection. I almost got the Fra-Gee-Lay as a consolation prize when it was clear I wasn’t going to get one I really wanted but decided not too. I didn’t need another random plushy that would just collect dust. . . . I was a sad Marcy for a while but the holiday’s came and like Ralphie my mind shifted to other important matters.

Weeks passed and suddenly on my various social media feeds (yes I follow Rasin Cane’s on social media … what you don’t) was a Canes video with Peter Billingsly (AKA Ralphie) talking about the promotion. They raised over $500,000 for pet charities They also donated over 400,500 Cane’s Bikes and Helmets to the Boys and Girls club. Upon seeing this video I just happened to mention on one of the platforms that I tried so hard to get the Pink bunny but was not successful. A day or so later I get a DM from Rasin Canes asking for my address. I usually don’t participate in those things figuring they are a hoax but since I wasn’t giving credit card information I wrote them back. I thought it was ironic that I was answering the DM while eating at a Raising Cane after a particularly long week and a stupid meeting. It’s my happy place what else can I say.

TWO DAYS later, on a Sunday mind you, a giant box appeared on my front porch as I arrived home from Church. Guys. THEY SENT ME A GIANT PINK BUNNY CANE !!!!  He’s absolutely perfect I love him so much and while they already had my heart Rasing Canes has a customer for life. I love when places use their outreach for good. I love when they use their brand for good and Rasing Canes does it better than anyone I know. The way they don’t just open a store they open a location that is truly community driven. My store alone supports the local college and high school teams, has fund raiser nights for various local clubs and organizations. That support is staying within the area that supports the store and I love that the most. I can't wait to introduce him to his "younger brothers" ha! 

If you don’t have a Raising Canes near you, you will soon as they are adding new stores every year. If you do have one check them out the food is fantastic but what’s going on behind the scenes is even better and definately worthy of a #BlogWithAPurpose post 

Marcy

BLOGAVERSARY!!!!!!

Can you believe it … Aug. 2, 2014  … 11 years ago …. we posted our “test post” which frankly didn’t have much on it but it was a start. It was the push that propelled everything else that followed. It was the “first post” and yeah we could have stopped there but we didn’t we just kept pushing through. On August 3^rd we did an introduction post about what the blog was going to be and more importantly what it wasn’t going to be and then we did some introductions to each of us … myself .. and my partner in crime Golden.

 This blog started out as a way to take two people being crushed by the world and help them remember that they have it in them to be creative. Golden did this for me and I know that but having her along the way gave me … I don’t know a sense that if I didn’t see it through I’d be letting her down as much as letting myself down. So I’m grateful she came on this ride with me. Truth is she’s better at this than I ever wanted to be. The way she uses words like a paint brush to tell a story fills me with an envy that I can’t fully express.

 That August was a good month for us with 27 posts but then again it was new, exciting and we went to Dragon Con which always helps with content. Here I sit … again looking our 10 year anniversary of Dragon Con (it really feels like we’ve been going longer but my calculations say 10 years so 10 it is – math is hard yall) and I can’t wait for that 4 day break with my bestie. I need it and more important she needs it. We might just veg the entire time playing video games but we’ll at least be doing it in the same room.

 A lot has changed for Golden and I over these 11 years. She’s changed jobs for one. Sometimes I think it’s for the better but other times I’m not so sure. I’ve gotten a few promotions at work and am now leading a team of people which is very daunting and I’m not sure I like it at all. She’s been through a few fur babies, which were really tough to watch her go through cause as you know dear reader I’m too far away to just go over and make sure she’s ok.  We have both lost family members along the way, and we have both also gained family members, which has been more fun than the losing. We’ve gone on a few more trips, most recently to Atlanta to see the StayKids which I admit was far more fun than I anticipated.  Sickness we have both dealt with our fair shar of sickness over the years mine mostly watching others be sick and Golden being my Medical Marvel. Neither of us really use Twitter (I refuse to call it anything else) as much as we used too but have migrated to other platforms. Social Media has always been a cesspool and now it’s somehow worse.

 I admit finding content to post here without a lot of feedback wasn’t always easy so I started little challenges for myself. The thankfulness challenge in 2014 was particular a highlight for me as it was a post a day for the month of November and I succeeded. Is every post worth a read … not really but there are 30 posts in the month of November and for that I am proud. I tried it again in 2019 and it was equally successful. Maybe I bring it back this year?

When we started this blog we said we’d not “teach you anything” but like the former journalist that I wanted to be I added but we might … which helped open the door for my Blog with a Purpose posts that focused on a few charities that Golden and I have supported over the years. I hope those were interesting cause I really enjoyed writing them.

Oh and the greatest challenge of all is that this blog got me writing again. Here of late I’ve been doing my Writing prompt challenge, which has been interesting. However, over the years I used this to share some of my original  fiction which was both fun and scary at the same time.

Several reoccurring themes have popped up too including music, books, tv, the aforementioned drama with fur babies, etc., which has also helped in keeping this thing going. Oh and I’ve wasted a post or two a year on my silly TV movie calendars for Halloween and Christmas and while that is slowing down I don’t see it stopping soon. Tho Microsoft doing away with publisher I might have to come up with another plan for those in the very near future. My gripes at Microsoft have also  made a few appearances too over the years. Year end posts or new year blogs helped kick off the year or end it and made for some good content as well. Random Thoughts/Grind my Gears were also fun ways to get topics bouncing around in my head out of my head and onto the screen so I could move on.

So the point is if you have been with us this long than you, if you are new here enjoy going through the archives to the right, and if you are a casual reader it’s been fun seeing you around too. This blog isn’t dead yet and while I know sometimes it looks and feels that way that’s just what we do. We don’t post for the sake of posting we post when there is something worth saying and in my opinion that is more fun. It’s about quality not quantity but know there will be typos.

So thanks again Golden for the push and let’s keep it going a few more years at least!

Marcy

Blog with a purpose – Anthony Nolan/Open Links

   

If I have a flaw, and the truth is … I have many, it’s that I’m loyal to a fault. I’m either on your team or I’m not. I either root hard for you or ignore that you are in fact on this planet with me. I tend to have tunnel vision about things as well, but when I become a fan I am usually all in until … well I’m not. As is the case with one Tom Holland. I have posted on here before on my love of Spiderman (all of them are unique in their own way but I especially love Tom’s version of Peter Parker), my love of the Crowded Room, the enjoyment I get watching Spies in Disguise or Onward after a long week, and my obsession with the movie Cherry … all of which star … one Tom Holland. I even enjoyed In the Heart of the Sea (which also starred Chris Helmsworth) and Pilgrimage, Chaos Walking, and of course the one that started it all The Impossible. The more I learn about this kid the more I love him. I can call him a kid cause he’s younger than me. The young man carries himself very well in both his personal and professional life and he just seems like an all-around nice guy that makes you want to cheer for him to succeed.

One of my favorite things about him is the charity he and the family set up, The Brothers Trust, in order to make positive use of his "fame". I have previously talked about this on this blog and will likely do so many more times moving forward. I love that it exists to shine a light on charities that might not get the limelight it deserves but what I really love is that the entire family is involved. I love that what they are doing is really making a difference. I gladly support it with charitable donations and proudly wear my t-shirt and hoodie when the weather allows it. A few weeks ago I had a cold (not covid) and couldn’t get warm so I wore that hoodie for 2 days straight. It was the only way I could get warm.  That’s how I found out about the subject of my 2^nd Blog with a Purpose post which focused on DEBRA one of the charities supported by the Brothers Trust to help fight Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).

HOWEVER ……. Like my previous blog … this one isn’t really about Tom Holland …. or frankly the Brother’s Trust ….. well … not really, but they are all connected.

While learning more about this young man, I stumbled upon the fact that his father is an author in addition to a successful comedian in the UK. As a self-diagnosed “Bibliophile” (A person who collects or has a great love of books) I was intrigued. While clicking around on the Brother’s Trust site one day to see what all they had to offer, I saw one of his books on sale called “Open Links” oh a Golf Book I thought …. then read some more and realized all proceeds for the book go to the charity called “The Anthony Nolan Trust” which saves lives by matching people with blood cancer. Oh that’s interesting I thought … and bought the book. 

   

It sat on my shelf for a while cause again it was a “golf book” not something I’m particularly interested in. Golf I mean. My company has a “internal” golf tournament every year that I go to in order to take pictures and I like putt putt when ever I’m on vacation but that’s so not the same thing. Then one day I am looking around for something new to read and at the top of my to be read pile was Mr. Holland’s book, Open Links. It was a short read. I was in the mood for something different so I dove in. It took me longer to not read it than it did to read it. I couldn’t put it down. This “golf book” sucked me in like no other book had in a very long time. Open Links follows the story of Ricky Randall a journeyman professional golfer playing in the final round of the Open Championship at Muirfield. The book starts with Ricky in the middle of what I would call a panic attack at the idea of the day ahead of him. In this final Round Ricky finds himself at the bottom of the standings with nowhere to go but up. It takes Ricky a bit to pull his arse out of his hindquarters and get on with it, which makes the reader want to grab him by the shoulders and shake him. At least I wanted to. The novel takes place over a single round of golf, 18 holes, 18 chapters and even non golf fans can feel the build up and understand the drama unfolding in front of them.  The Anthony Nolan Trust features heavily throughout the book and upon learning more about them you quickly understand why Mr. Holland gave the proceeds to the charity.  

In 1974 Shirly Nolan founded the Anthony Nolan Trust after her son was diagnosed with blood cancer. In 1971 Anthony was born with Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome. The cure … a bone marrow transplant. In 1974 the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Register was established to make searching for unrelated donors easier. Mrs. Nolan wanted to give other blood cancer patients and those suffering from other forms of blood disorders a second chance at life. Finding donors was much harder back then than it is today. In 1979 Anthony died at the age of 7. That’s also the year I was born. Today the Anthony Nolan Trust has helped over 22K people receive a lifesaving transplant.  As the Trust celebrates 50 years I'm excited to help support them through a book that I really enjoyed. 

I won’t tell you how Rickys’ round ended or the insane circumstances surrounding the round. For that you’ll need to pick up the book and read it on your own. You will not be disappointed in having taken the ride. If it gets you to learn more about the Anthony Nolan Trust even better. 

Purchase your own copy of the book here via Amazon .... https://a.co/d/1l3q328

To learn more about the Anthony Nolan Trust go here ….   https://www.anthonynolan.org/

Check out The Brothers’ Trust here ……     https://www.thebrotherstrust.org/

I have since bought many of Mr. Holland’s books and highly suggest I Gabriel, the Fruitbowl, and if you are a Tom Holland fan Eclipsed which is a diary of sorts about a son eclipsing his father which takes place during the filming of The Impossible and I often think that one day Tom might be writing a similar one about his brothers one day. Mr. Hollands latest books “Takes on Life Vol 1” and “Takes on Life Vol 2” evolved into a Podcast that can be found on Spotify and is a GREAT listen as well as excellent reads. The Margaret Mizen episode really stood out for me, as did the Omid Djalili one and the Graeme Souness episodes.

To learn more about Dominic Holland  go here …….      https://www.dominichollandbooks.com/

To join his Patreon for exclusive content  go here …….    https://www.patreon.com/dominicholland/posts

(tell him Marcy sent you) 😊

As with the rest of my Blog with a Purpose posts the goal is to teach you something, and make you think about or become aware of a cause that I think is worthy of your time. People dealing with blood cancers and unseen diseases, of which my partner in crime @theonlygolden can attest to, is harder to deal with than those that people can see. People tend to dismiss the battle inside cause they can’t really see it making the effects worse for the patient.

I am proud to support the Brothers Trust, proud to support Open Links and am very proud to support the Anthony Nolan Trust as they fight to save lives. With the exposure from this book and the recognition that comes from it may they go from saving three lives a day to many, many more.

Marcy

(@beaslma)

 

Blog with a purpose – DEBRA

Did you miss me ?! I mean I’ve been gone a really really long time … Did you even notice I was gone?! ….. I’ve packed a lot into those months but that will have to wait for another post. Late last year as I pondered the existence of this blog, for lack of a better word (diary might be a better fit), I realized if I’m not going to use this thing as my “creative outlet” like originally intended (and I’m still holding out hope that I might) I’ll use it to spotlight organizations and groups that I’ve discovered over the years that are making a huge difference in this world and could use a boost. Not saying a blog posting by me here would boost anything, but at least I can say I gave it some spotlight if only for a small moment in time and with the tiniest bulb out there. What they do with it after that … well that’s on them!

The first one can be found here  .. Blog with a purpose “Triumph Over Tragedy Foundation” which exists to help families financially, who have had loved ones that have been in traumatic accidents that have left them either paralyzed or severely impaired. They support the family unit through biblical principles from the initial impact of tragedy or illness to the ongoing circumstances faced in the years to come. Thanks to Bryan White for putting them on my radar. Loyal readers know how I feel about him. IYKYK

This one is also one I found through my love of someone else but is still a really great thing they are doing with their star power. I love Tom Holland as Peter Parker …. He’s exactly who I pictured in my head as I read the comics all those years ago. The super not confident when walking but super confident flying through the air quality of how he portrays that character is something special. I will admit tho my favorite Tom Holland outing to date has been Cherry …. But the Crowded Room is a very close 2^nd best at this moment (tho if you log into Apple TV+ for Peter Parker... well just don't). I’ve watched those 3 episodes about 3 times each already and each time I watch I catch something I missed before. The more I learn about this man the more I like about him. 

However, this blog isn’t really about Tom Holland but it kind of is. See his family started The Brother’s Trust as a way to use his "star" power to do some good. They support charities that are doing great work but don’t get a lot of love. They are helping the every day person and doing the best they can and the Brother’s Trust exists to boost them up, give them a platform like no other to allow them to continue to do good works in the world. One such organization is DEBRA a registered UK charity that supports people affected by Epidermolysis Bullosa Also known as EB.

The Brother’s Trust also works with Epidermolysis Bullosa ResearchPartnership which is a USA Based non-profit organization dedicated to funding research to treat and ultimately cure EB. What is EB you may be asking yourself ? Cause that’s what I asked myself the first time I heard about it. It’s basically where the skin doesn’t function as skin. It tears and rips at the slightest touch and often results in large gaping, painful wounds all over the body. This of course also affects the inside that the skin is supposed to protect. It's a pretty debilitating disease and pictures i'm sure don't do it justice but they are also very graphic. Look them up to see but just know that while it's hard to look at, imagine living with it. Especially  when you realize there is no cure for this life limiting and often fatal condition.

However today the focus is going to be on DEBRA, which was established in 1978 by Phyllis Hilton whose daughter, Debra, who suffered from EB. DEBRA is a support group for people living with EB supporting patients, family members, healthcare professionals and researchers as they work to live and fight EB.

Just before The Crowded Room press tour started a fundraiser was established in which Graeme Souness, famous UK football star (soccer for those of us on this side of the pond) is swimming a 21-mile stretch known as the English Channel to raise awareness about EB, raise money for DEBRA, and support those living and fighting EB daily. Tom has mentioned it in several of his interviews and that's how it ended up on my radar. They are over halfway to their goal of over 1,100,000 raised in support of this swim (his jersey number was 11). The more I learn about this charity and EB I can support anyone who is supporting any effort to make the effects of this disease less painful for those living with it and supporting thos watching people living with it.

So I encourage you to learn more about it … donate to the swim if you can and support this effort links are below.

Donate directly to Graeme Souness and Andy Grist swim of the EnglishChannel

Media coverage of the swim     

I hope you like these ..... I am enjoying writing them up cause I always learn something new about the organization I am highlighting so they will continue even if you don't enjoy them. If you know of an organization I should spotlight drop it in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter @beaslma 

If you haven't watched The Crowded Room yet on Apple TV what are you waiting for !? Get on that now. Next episode comes out next Friday! 

Thank you,

Marcy

Blog with a purpose : Triumph Over Tragedy Foundation

A few weeks before Christmas I got an e-mail from someone whom I consider one of my favorite people on this planet and I started looking into the organization he was telling me about so that one day I could share it with you all. Today is that day. Let me start by saying … I was going to say friend, which I suppose he is but we don’t see one another on a consistent basis, tho I wish that were true. I’d say I am his biggest fan but his wife might tell me otherwise…. He calls me a “blessing” but he’s by far blessed me more than I have him …. so I’m going with my favorite person.

This fella, who shall be named later I assure you, is a member of an organization that is called “Triumph Over Tragedy Foundation” which exists to help families financially, who have had loved ones that have been in traumatic accidents that have left them either paralyzed or severely impaired. They support the family unit through biblical principles from the initial impact of tragedy or illness to the ongoing circumstances faced in the years to come. Often organizations are all in at the beginning and the individual comes home alone to “figure things out.” This organization, based on what I’ve learned about them, is the opposite.

The organization was born out of necessity, as most often are, when a young man of 9 named Wesley was playing with his friends and fell 20’ from a makeshift zip line breaking his neck and becoming a quadriplegic. Wesley spent 6 months in the hospital with his parents and older brother, Reggie, by his side. In the aftermath of the tragedy, they thought of all the people who helped them during this difficult time and Triumph Over Tragedy Foundation was born. They knew they had to give back and a foundation that focused not only on the injured party but on the entire family unit was the way to go. They focused not only on the physical impairments but on the emotional scars that the entire family now faced as well as financial assistance. From guilt, to anger, frustration, and down right panic about what was to come, and depression it all needed to be addressed and attended to in different ways.

Their assistance is broken down into 3 main categories:

• 1.       The initial onset of illness or injury
• 2.       Adapting to life after the illness or injury
• 3.       An escape from the stress caused by the illness or injury

That escape part is how my favorite person initially learned about this organization. Bryan White, who loyal readers to the Blog know is one of my heroes, was invited to come and play music and participate in their annual golf tournament in Conyers, Georgia several years ago and now sits on the Advisory Board and is helping raise awareness about this organization. So of course, he reached out to me, and several others around the holidays to talk about this organization. Then I looked into it and here we are.

The easiest way to help is to earnestly pray for the Care Team, who make the initial touch with the family in the aftermath of the event, the grief counselors and pastors who are trained to sit and listen and talk with family members in their time of need, the Adapt Team who helps readjust the houses for wheelchair accessibility, and of course individual families forever changed by the event. By raising awareness in the community about the foundation so that others might know of the organization and what they can provide. Most importantly is by giving to the foundation so that they can continue their efforts and provide financial support to the families as they adjust to their new normal. Triumph Over Tragedy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All contributions are tax deductible, but most importantly can impact a family for a lifetime.

One of the planned initiatives for the coming years is the building of an “event center” near Mansfield, Georgia (east of Atlanta). The event center, a short drive from one of the best rehabilitation centers in the Country, will serve as a retreat for those families and serve as a place to hold fundraising events, weddings with wheelchair access and eventually a concert venue to entertain guest and families in an effort to take their minds off of their troubles if only for a few hours.

If you are interested in learning more about this organization or in donating to their cause, check out the Triumph over Tragedy Foundation website (links below). From the stories on their facebook page, to what I’ve read about them they really are restoring hope by restoring families and I’m happy Bryan put them on my radar.

Links about the organization:

https://givetotriumph.org

https://www.facebook.com/TriumphOverTragedyFoundation/

https://givetotriumph.org/#donate

I've decided that this blog does not exist in a vacuum and after some soul searching decided that while it's purpose is to provide me a creative outlet when I need it it's also going to exist to lift up organizations, groups, or individuals that are doing good in the world from time to time. So, consider this the first "blog with a purpose" and it was a great one to start out with. 

Marcy