I’m not trained, per say, by profession or schooling to weigh morality or administer counsel. My girlfriends would say I have a knack for capturing a cool snapshot,   throwing together a tasty meal out of “catch as catch can,”  and drawing the life story of just about anyone who will share.  I have a keen eye for color and the ability to get a task completed quickly and efficiently. I love clean lines and order. That gives me peace.

All this to say I’ve never earned a doctorate, run a marathon or written a book. I’m actually not an expert in any field, and to write about why my favorite place to be is HUM, is, well, a bit daunting. I can’t even really talk about the economy, politics or the scientific case for the universe, and when my professor husband uses phrases  like “integrating learning community pedagogy,” well, I have to admit I find myself hungry for a bowl of Cherry Garcia. My life is motherhood. I have a large family, and I’ve been one of those hem them in and protect their souls kinda moms. I’m a photographer. So my work is to draw people out and capture the real. I don’t confuse the two, for the second is only an extension of the first.

My favorite place to be these days is at HUM, an addiction rehabilitation program for 400+ men in the heart of my Baltimore. I’m not exactly sure how I got there. For years, I had heard about HUM but argued that it was too far, and that our small town, an hour northwest of the city had it’s own addicts. And you don’t get to pick your addicts or your family. Why travel an hour to fill a need that existed right out my back door?  And, honestly,  the thought of serving  400 men, barely hanging on by a thread was actually not that appealing to me, for after feeding my own family of ten, three squares, I’m not looking for more kitchen time.

I made the leap on behalf of a Great Books course I was tutoring. They were seniors, and we were all bored. So, I got permission to take the lot of them to HUM . . . just on a whim. I was doing this for their own good. We started with our facility tour, and I knew I was in trouble when I entered the library. It was the guy behind the library desk. He was the guy that I had seen in the comfy chairs at Barnes and Noble, sipping a latte and reading Atlas Shrugged. Young, bright, stars in his eyes. It happened over and over again that day. What I thought I would see was not what I saw. These were not strung out, lazy indigents . . . and I am ashamed to write that phrase, but that was my expectation. I served dessert at lunch that first day . . . and quickly realized that these guys were just like me. One decision from destruction, but they were living  transparent lives . . . living their beautiful mess out loud. From the get go, I realized that HUM gives me more than she takes. She gives me hope. She gives me escape from my own sludge . . . if just for two hours, twice a week. And yes, she gives my heartbreak, for I’ve oft come to look forward to seeing a friend only to find he’s been beckoned back to his mistress.

I haven’t completely figured out why I wake up happy to drive an hour to fill up the cups with ice water.  Maybe it’s where I see Jesus these days most clearly. Maybe it’s human connection. Maybe it’s completely self serving. But a couple times every week, we pile  into the Suburban, roll down the windows, turn up the music and barrel on down to the city where I leave with a smile on my face and a song in my heart. Every time.

I’ve published this retrospective into a hip pocket sized book . . . and yes, it’s available with a portion of the proceeds going to HUM. Contact me if you’d like to support HUM in this way. ($25.)

The Wagners were in celebration mode. It was five years ago that John and a small team ventured to establish a  high-end broker and consulting company that focuses exclusively on the risks associated with construction and real estate companies. So, the power boys were there to celebrate and they did it in style at Baltimore’s Marriott Waterfront. The entire evening was total class from start to finish . . . executed seamlessly by designer Karen Stott of KS Designs and event planners, Jodie Limsky and Sue Green of Event Planning Resources. They know how to run events. Period.

Sunset VIP cocktail party on the 31st floor . . . quite nice.

City life does have its appeal.

Oh wait. The view out the other window.

Classical guitar to die for . . . all about the mood.

John and Suzanne  . . . magic together.

Entertainment Exchange’s Free Spirit knows how to work the crowd. That dance floor was full all night. Agent, Vicki Preston knows how to pick em.

CEO Chaplain, Mike Donohue . . . well, it’s a classical allusion to be sure.

The effervescent Wagner ladies . . . Shannon, Courtney, and Nicole.

Corporate done right. With a sense of humor.

Yes. Photo booth fun.

Enter Peter Krug, to whom I explained my vision, and a week later my glass work space floated weightlessly. haha! Artistic perfection. Ummm, Peter’s, not mine.

Quickly,  I invited myself into Peter’s studio, wanting to share his gift with the world. Peter Krug, owner of  the oldest ironworks factory in the United States. His family’s work has graced Baltimore’s Washington Monument, Johns Hopkins University, and the Basilica of the Assumption.

Our challenge? To create and capture light. Shutter drag, long lens, and strobe flash were all considerations. And Peter was a gamer to play along.

The view from Peter’s studio. Right out front, smack in the middle of the city. That cute lil red number?  I’ll call it “the oooo . . . oooo . . . pick me!”  That’s my choice. Yep.

Neighborhood flava. That yellow wall just makes me smile from the inside out. Yeah, I love my quirky girl, Bmore.

I was over the moon thrilled when HUM’s Kris Sharrar invited me to join  Deb Poquette and Valarie Wideman to help plan the Christmas meal. The dangling carrot for me? I would get to invite my NACE friends to join me . . . and I know that when I get those guys involved, beautiful things result.

I’m humbled. Truly humbled. Just look and see for yourself. And if you’re at all inclined and want a partner to visit HUM with you . . . just call my name:)

It was all about the guys at HUM, the way it should be . . . but please indulge me while I brag on those generous friends that donated their time and resources . ..

Baltimore’s award winning 2011 Philanthropist of the Year top chef, Jerry Edwards, and his team from  Chef’s Expressions cooked for two days alongside HUM’s Richard Sullivan and his team. Chef’s Expressions brought along complete table settings for 400+ meals, cause that’s how they roll. Coupled with gorgeous linens complements of Tony Barbar at Let’s Do Linens and floral decor by Eddie Wingrat at Flowers and Fancies, the HUM dining room was transformed. See that family ready to serve? They’re mine.

After  full week of event after event, Chef’s Expression’s Chef John wore that smile all night long.

Little Miss Lily Freundel wore her smile all night as well, handing out candy favors provided by Staci Summers, former owner of Haute Cocoa.

My girl Staci Summers.

Our guy, Brian Roberts, the evening’s host and  HUM regular . . . well, he’s the real deal. There to encourage the guys, and, WOW, his message on that night? so powerful. really so powerful.

NACE rockstar servers, Vicki Preston of Entertainment Exchange, Elizabeth Bailey of EB Weddings, The Skippers of Black Tie Video . . .

East Hill Video’s Daniel Watson Bey and our adopted brother, Jerome Dorn . . .

The amazing Tori Morse quartet . . .playin’ some Coldplay . . .

Brian and Jerome:)

Chef Reggie Camphor and HUM’s Frankie Moses . . .

Wedding 411 on Demand’s beautiful Karen Buck . . . the pie girl . . . joined  by her dashing husband, Jay . . .

my dad. that’s all I’m gonna say. yep. my dad.

All the fun  Minneapolis has to offer in in a double trouble package. Two Popes Film’s Greg and Jerry Pope. They could draw the story out of a paper plate. and it would be funny. Wanna laugh? Go onto their site and look at their commercials. Promise.

Sarah Hinsche served it up with a smile. The whole Hinsche clan was in on the evening. Tim, superstar photographer got all these shots, and the kids and Sarah worked all night long. Go team Hinsche!

HUM’s Bob Gehman, the man with the biggest heart in the city . . .

powerful. heartfelt. real deal.

Valarie Wideman and Deb Poquette . . . keeping it running smoothly:)

Diana and Brian took time with each man.

Even my little man, Will.   This was the photo op of his dreams:)

HUM’s Kris Sharrar gives the love right back.

Yeah, it was pretty much a big Roberts love fest:) . . . These kids were amazing helpers. The future of my girl, Bmore is in some good hands.

View the entire gallery here.

Thank you to those who donated their time and resources . . .

Vicki Preston, Entertainment Exchange

Ed Shilling

Staci Summer, Haute Coaco

The Carl Freundel family

Jerry and Greg Pope, TwoPopes Film

The Tim Hinsche family, Tim Hinsche photography

Elizabeth Bailey, Elizabeth Bailey Weddings

Victoria Clausen, Romance of Flowers

Eddie Wingrat, Flowers and Fancies

Jerry Edwards, Chef’s Expressions

Tony Barbar, Let’s Do Linens

Bowtie Bob Nelson

Jean Mayer and Emily Villarreal, Boutique Events

Evelyn and Daniel Watson Bey, East Hill Video

Adan Van Bavel

Stephanie Bradshaw, Bradshaw Styling

Whitney Downs and Laur Fosler, Westin Annapolis

Danielle Baird

Johari Barnes

Julie Brown-Edwards

The Jim Skipper Family, Black Tie Video

Karen and Jay Buck, Wedding 411 on Demand

You cannot make a revolution with silk gloves, but you can sure start some talkin’ with a body painted raffle gal. That’s my Stalin: Freundelian mash up of pith.

Urban Chic’s  Revolution, the American Visionary Arts Museum benefit of 2011 made a dent. In this case, the only thing more powerful than two sisters getting together is two sistas getting together. Urban Chic’s Linsday Cannata Buscher and Putting on the Ritz’s Cate Buscher married two sharp brothers years ago . ..over those Thanksgiving table conversations, they have joined to do some serious movin’ and shakin’ in our quirky but lovely Bmore.

Last year’s team won the National Association of Catering Executives Group Award for Event of the Year, so when Cate invited me to be a part of this year’s event as well . . . no hesitation. The girl knows how to raise some serious money for a great cause. Besides, it was a great opportunity for me to hang with some of my favorite artists in the city.

Jean Wade Mayer and Emily Jean of Boutique Events, LLC.  Jean and I quickly set upon pretending we will fix  foster care and international adoption  when we get together. . . she’s a woman that knows how to git’r done.

My partner in crime, Daniel McGarrity . . . who has landed in Hamden (nice!) and taken Bmore by storm with his amazing aesthetic.

All Hail the Queen. 98 Rock’s Sarah Fleischer . . . that girl knows how to get people up and roaring!

Plan it Perfect’s Rachel Hoffberger Shaw with the VIP’s frontman, Tim . . . who rocked the house. And I wish I could show you how amazing Cate Buscher looked . . . but the girl was running at 75 mph all night!

Did ya miss it? It WAS great fun. Raised a ton of money for AVAM . . . keep your ears tuned to more going on at AVAM . . . where irreverent and museum collide to mirth.

He’s the cool guy in the bow tie.

Corporate rock star at Financial Consulates,  Financial Minute guy on WBAL, author of The Financial Crossroads, which he co authored with Jim Stovall and drummer for The Jon Maurer Band. Oh, and I forgot to mention piano playing, bicycle training, devoted husband and daddy .  . . . and Tim does all of it with equal parts focus and fun.

To be in Tim Maurer’s world is to live life to the full.

I went in with my partner, Tim Hinsche, to do corporate “out of the box” shots for the new FC website . . . so much fun.

Tim and Andrea have jammed with Carl and I going on about fifteen years now . . . so much fun to have a history, don’t you think?

This is my favorite. My absolute favorite. Tim Maurer . . . you rock!

Literally. Check out The Jon Maurer band . . . Scoot.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We whirled around, hair flying, eyes watering and laughing hysterically in our Brownie uniforms, skating the “crack the whip,” across the wooden planked floor. One of us ended up in the ER with a chin full of stitches. (not her) We both looked up to our older sisters and strove to be just like them, often feeling like we came up a smidgen short. We marched in the band together for three years and have a whole history of band trip stories.

Yup. My friend, Wendy and I go back a long way.

So, when I was feeling like I needed a little pick me up last spring I called my girl, and went in for a little refresher of sorts. Wendy hooked me up with some great products, and what’s better, she gave me a big fat dose of girlfriend love, and I left feeling like I could take on the world.

Go see Wendy. She’s gorgeous on both the outside and inside, and you’ll leave feeling like you’ve just had a bowlful of sunshine.

Wendy is currently a featured business woman of Howard County, and her spa Wendy’s Face Place is truly a blissful escape. Trust me, you won’t be sorry.

Putting on the Ritz’s Cate Buscher as hostess/ caterer is a tall glass of effervescence. That girl KNOWS how to host a fete.

VIP reception, photo booth, tasting stations, performance artsists, celebrity guests, and a throw down by the VIP’s. Sweet.

MICA graduate Mishka Colombo, performance artist, loaded her palette with {you guessed it!} make up.

And some of Baltimore’s most beautiful . . .

98 Rock’s Sara Fleischer strutted her stuff . . . keeping that runway alive and kickin’.

And the crowd went crazy for this man . . . our very own Ace, Charm City Cakes‘ Duff Goldman.

WBAL’s Sarah Caldwell.

Real Housewives of DC, Mary Schmidt Amons.

Sir Andrew. . .

Girl About Town’s Stephanie Bradshaw, Jenna B. Hager, Lisa Martel, and designer   Carla David.

Check out the full gallery here.

Business owner, Kevin is a guy who hears big things from God and makes them happen. One day he goes in to interview for a position in his company and before the interview commences, he’s humming, “These are the Words I Would Say.”

The interview-ee  says, “That song you’re humming?? That’s my son’s.”   Coincidence or God? So Kevin prays and obeys and here’s the result. God sized.

That’s all it takes and the 2010 Best New Artist Dove Award Winning Sidewalk Prophets are rocking out on the Crossroads stage on a perfect late summer night. They are the real deal. A bunch of down to earth, hugely kind-hearted guys who are enjoying the ride of a lifetime. And if you’re one of those concert goers that really appreciates the performer:audience rapport . . . the reason it works so well is because it’s sincere. They’re headed to Virginia today . . . check out their site- totally worth the road trip:)

I secretly wanna be Astrid Kirchherr . . .  got my little taste last night. It was a good fit.

Openers, the Jim Cabral band with special guests Jenna and Kayla Contestabile.

Ever dream of doing that in your early twenties? Paige force demands reckoning . She a Hopkins’ graduate, economist and a petite ball of fire. Her strength and personality shine through her warm smile, throaty laugh and super sized dreams.

I couldn’t resist Paige . . . and in our quest to get her corporate sponsors, we consulted  a mutual force in our lives . . . a business man who knows how to make things happen.

Our goal? To get Paige on that ship to Antartica to complete the last of her marathons to earn her the title of “youngest woman to run a marathon on each continent.”

When a young woman chases her dreams with that much joie de vivre, the question begs to be asked. It’s my favorite question, and I asked it. If you know my journey, you know the question.

Her answer:

I’d start a foundation in Baltimore City, to bring top notch teachers and  coaches into the public schools, underwritten by private industry, to level the playing field among economically advantaged and disadvantaged kids.

Early twenties. No kidding.

Paige Cantlin. Remember that name.