Dish-Houston

DISH is so excited to welcome Lori Geshay, the original Dating Diva as our newest contributing writer! She is loving, hilarious, crazy intelligent, hard working and always has a smile on her face and in her heart to share! To kick things off, we asked her to write a little blurb introducing herself to you! After reading it, we were even more impressed by her! She is a genius writer!!! She's not only full of great stories but she is also an amazing advice giver!! CLICK HEREto email her your dating dilemmas!! Make sure to check back under the Dating Diva DISH section often because her stories are hitting hard and often!!!

DISH Contributer: Lori Geshay

About 2 ½ years ago, I dreamt of Dating Diva Adventures, literally!  I awoke and quickly grabbed my Hermes journal next to my bed and sketched out the character image for the bathtub graphic that most associate the Dating Diva with today.  After 7 years of marriage and a recent end to 3 ½ year relationship/engagement, I realized that I needed to re-discover who I was, what I wanted and what I lacked in my life and so began writing a book---33 First Dates on Match.com, a Dating Diva Adventure.

I’m a girl that has “everything that she wants, and nothing that she needs”, i.e. LOVE.  I’ve had a successful IT sales career for over 15 years and travelled around the world.  However, I’ve paid too much attention to my job and not enough to my personal life.  Why you ask?  I believed that money would bring me happiness.  I believed that material things would make me whole as I grew up less than middle class in Georgia.  I’m here to set the record straight that after all the extravagant purchases, you feel good …for a moment… but then…not so much! Now don’t get me wrong, I love my Birkins, diamonds and anything with an inter-locking “CC” but….they don’t keep me warm at night!
 
So for those of you that are new to the adventures, I began with 3 BFF’s in-tow, and we created a Match.com account.  After over 3,286 hits in 30 days, I set out on a journey of self-discovery in hopes to learn about human behavior, my needs, my desires and basic human interaction.  During this process of 33 first dates, I met some incredible individuals and learned about common dating faux-pas and areas of opportunity that we all have!

My book and dating advice column, Dating Diva Adventures is meant to be light-hearted, fun and introspective.  It is not about the “hunt for a man”, nor is it about marriage…. or finding a rich, sugar daddy.  We’ll leave that to the experts!  I am a woman of substance, have my own financial means and don’t need a man for that, nor do you!

For I am a simple girl that has lived a thousand lifetimes in friendship, love, laughter and can only hope that you’ll enjoy the quest for true love as much as I do.  So guys and dolls, email me your dating dilemmas.   

As I always say, I’m not a dating expert; I’ve just dated more than most!

XOXO

Want more delicious Dating Diva Adventures?
www.dish-houston.com

If you've ever read DISH you know helping others, supporting others and charity is what really motivates us and The Star of Hope Homeless Shelter has been our pet project for many years, even since before DISH's inception. Needless to say when we heard our very favorite singer in the world, Jon Bon Jovi visited with the homeless in Dallas after two sold-out shows over the weekend, we knew we had to tell the story!

Forget the typical rock star egotystical behavior, Bon Jovi spent Monday afternoon continuing his education on how communities can combat homelessness by taking tours of http://www.citywalkatakard.com/ and the Casa Youth Emergency Shelter.

"It's one soul at a time," Bon Jovi said.

In 2006, Bon Jovi started the nonprofit Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation (formerly the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation) and has since built 250 affordable housing units in Philadelphia.

During this concert tour, Bon Jovi has made a commitment to visit as many homeless shelters and foundations as possible in each of the tour cities to share ideas about the fight against homelessness.

Monday's first stop was CityWalk@Akard, where Bon Jovi talked to John Greenan, executive director of the Central Dallas Community Development Corp., and Larry James, president and chief executive officer of Central Dallas Ministries.

CityWalk had its grand opening last month and provides low-cost housing in Dallas to formerly homeless and low-income residents. The facility offers furnished units in a downtown Dallas high-rise, with rents ranging from $350 to $912 per month, including utilities.

A 7-Eleven will be opening in the mixed use building soon. It also has penthouse lofts and business office space which were pre-sold before the project even started.

"Those folks are cleaning up their own act because no one's pointing their finger," Bon Jovi said.

Money and opposition from the neighborhoods is always the biggest issue when low-income housing projects are being considered. But in the long run, these programs can save taxpayers money.

"We're saving taxpayers $50 million per year in Dallas," James said.

The second stop Monday was the Casa Youth Shelter, a 20-bed haven for runaways and troubled youths operated by the Salvation Army.

The shelter – where youth can stay up to 30 days – is funded through grants, federal dollars and donations and offers group, family and individual therapy. Two Dallas Independent School District teachers provide educational support.

Bon Jovi said he understands that the homeless may not be everyone's cause, but he said it is important to get out there, find a passion and volunteer.

"This moves me," Bon Jovi said.

He said wants he wants the next ten years to be a " 'we' decade not a 'me' decade." 

For more information on how you can help with the homlessness in Houston or Dallas, click on the links above or google your city and homeless shelter to find a way to help nearest you.

Well sort of.

Bret was rushed to a hospital here in Texas after complaining of severe stomach pain. His rep told the press that Bret had to have an emergency appendectomy but that he is doing fine.

So wait...do you think they let him go into surgery without his bald spot hiding bandana?? hhmm we wonder!

Glad to know you are ok though Bret! We love you and your skank loving self! =)

Honestly, we think he was wanting some attention since he was playing a not so full Billy Bobs in Fort Worth while another little 80's hair band Bon Jovi was playing 2 sold out shows down the street in Dallas at the American Airlines Arena...Bret, that would have made us sick to our stomach too.

OOPS...Paging Dennis Quaid...Can you get your brother to act normally or are you avoiding him like the rest of Hollywood??

Texas's latest fav train wreck couple Randy and Evi Quaid apparently don't care if they go to jail or not because they have missed their scheduled court date AGAIN!! This time they were sue in for defrauding an innkeeper. Between yesterday and today there have been two missed dates and their lawyer, Robert Sanger, was left dangle in the air alone with a severely hacked off Judge and DA!

According to sources, Sanger plead in vain with the Quaids on the phone this morning to show up but when they failed to appear, Judge Frank J. Ochoa issued a bench warrant for their arrest!

Honestly, if you are going to be dumb you've gotta be tough and DISH says they should pay for their bad behaviour!

Ah...the strange joy that comes from watching crazy people! Thank you Randy and Evi!

The first day of Emily’s life was the last day her mother saw her.

This local story is a bittersweet, close to home, American Tragedy that has reached out to a community that, as they learn about it, is beginning to reach back with compassion, love and support.

Emily’s Mom made her living as a dental assistant. She was one of those people who lit up a room as she entered ….full of life, optimism and laughter.  Always grinning, she even worked in a place called “Made Ya Smile”. Her name was her disposition – Rosie. 

Rosie and Tony Bratton had been married for two years and planned their first born by the book. They moved out of their trailer, built a house next to Rosie’s parents and decorated the baby’s room. Friends say they never saw Rosie so excited. She would constantly talk to her almost born daughter, give blow by blow descriptions of her movements and rock her to sleep in the yet to be used nursery.

Three months after they moved into the house and less than two weeks after Rosie’s 24^th birthday, it was time to begin a new generation. The date was January 20^th and Emily was on the way. There were some complications and the newest Bratton entered the world with the help of a C-Section. Soon the baby was brought to Mom and Dad for the traditional first family picture. Smiles lit the room brighter than the camera flash and for the Brattons, the American dream was about to begin.

The nurse took Emily from her mother’s arms in order to clean the child and when she returned to the room, Rosie was suffering the first of two heart stopping strokes that left her in a deep coma. She never saw her cherished child again. She had fallen victim to Amniotic Fluid Embolism, fluid from the baby enters the mother’s bloodstream and blocks the heart. The odds of this happening are over one in twenty thousand. Today Rosie is in a semi-coma state, still not able to speak or communicate. Part of her brain has died. Now, she is the one taking baby steps.

Rosie and her family need help. The little medical insurance the couple had purchased is about to run out. Hospital bills are mounting. Now there’s child care and only one income. Tony, a youth minister at church, continues to work at a T Shirt company and has been living in Needville with his tiny daughter at his in-law’s place, next door to their empty house full of promises and dreams.

As the story circulates, friends, co-workers and organizations are stepping up to support the Brattons. A website (prayforrosie.com) has been created to encourage the family, feature updates from Tony about his wife’s condition and to let the Houston area know about a fundraiser for Emily’s Mom.

A Benefit for Emily’s Mom happened over the weekend but they still need our love and support. Houston, take this opportinuty to help these wonderful and deserving people. You will be blessed for it! For more information visit prayforrosie.com or call Christy Kroboth at 832-282-5782