Pam Appreciation Day!

Each year, on June 21st, I celebrate Pam Appreciation Day in honor of my wife. She was instrumental in helping me set up this blog, and has been extremely supportive of my countless creative endeavors, interests, and obsessions. Here are a few examples:

When we first started dating back in 1989, it didn’t take long for her to discover that I’m an avid Hollies fan. Pam’s an extremely talented artist, and she decided to paint a portrait of the band for me. She did a great job, and the painting (see above) continues to hold a place of honor in my media room.

One of our first dates involved seeing The Smithereens perform at an outdoor concert in Grant Park in Chicago. It was a mercilessly sunny day, and Pam soon looked like she would pass out from the heat. I decided we’d have to leave, but she refused because she didn’t want me to miss one of my favorite bands. So we compromised. I stood up directly in front of her to block out the sun. Which must have looked incredibly ignorant to people around us, because that meant she couldn’t see the stage, but at least I provided a bit of refreshing shade.

When The Hollies came to America for a brief series of concerts in 2002, Pam drove me to Stillwater, Minnesota so I could see them. Why they chose that town instead of somewhere in the Chicago area, I’ll never know. Unfortunately, the concert got rained out, but we did see their sound check since the concert was outside, and had a chance to chat with a very gracious Carl Wayne, who was then the lead vocalist for The Hollies. I also met a fellow Hollies fan who has been my friend ever since.

Pam drives me to my writers meetings for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators twice a month. If any of my novels ever get printed, it will due in part to this very helpful group, and my wife for taking me to the meetings.

Pam and I have created a series of short video clips called Manchester Gallery. They can be seen on the Sunday Morning Coffee With Jeff Internet show. I write the clips and perform in them, which takes about 10 minutes to do. Pam does all the taping and editing, which takes quite a bit longer.

So, for all the wonderful things my wife does for me, I once again celebrate Pam Appreciation Day. Feel free to use this occasion to express gratitude for your own significant other.

Happy P.A.D., Pam!! Love, Terry