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So I have this ever-evolving philosophy. While I, like most people, have had a heart for those less fortunate, I’ve often allowed my “busy-ness” to keep me from engaging in any type of service to those in need.  I’m  an emotional type of person. I’ll go to a movie, see a show, read a book and feel compelled to “do something about it.” I get excited about effecting change in a fallen world. Naturally, as the impact wears off and I get back to the grind of running the restaurant and of opening a new one, I do little to nothing. It’s an interesting problem. The natural solution is to become hardened to heartbreaking things. I could simply decide to stop allowing myself to be angered by injustice and saddened by pain. I’m not okay with that. Instead, I’ve been waking up to this idea of using my resources in conjunction with the work I already do to care for others. I don’t have to drop my pursuits and move to Africa. In fact, if we all did that type of thing we’d leave a terrible mess at home. I can do a better job of being deliberate in how I care for my staff. I can use my position as an employer to give hope and relationships and love to a staff full of people who need those things. I’m working at doing this.

I recently heard about John 3:16’s desire to add some beds downtown. Every night, John 3:16 is forced to use a lottery system to decide which of our city’s homeless can stay inside the mission and which are left outside. Adding some beds would allow the mission to care for dozens more people. Notably, the mission’s services for women are limited right now due to a severe lack of space. There are those in the downtown area that are holding up the process of the mission expanding. They erroneously believe that expanding services to the homeless will somehow impede the progress of our downtown’s development. Consequently, a system of appeals and legal wrangling is temporarily handcuffing the mission, and therefore keeping human beings from shelter.

As many of you know, I am in the process of opening our new store in the heart of downtown. As a restaurant owner, the issue of homelessness affects me. In a city where so many of our citizens are not accustomed to encountering pan-handlers, a trip to downtown confronts them with an unwelcome new experience. Homelessness, therefore, can affect my business. I refuse to let my business pursuits trump my desire to care for those in need, so I have to ask myself “How can I use what I have to make a difference?” Through my personal journey, I’ve had the privilege of meeting with Steve Whitaker, the executive director of John 3:16. Steve and I have talked several times at length about Tulsa’s homeless and how we can better serve them. He’s also educated me about the common misconceptions regarding homelessness and is helping me to understand ways that I can use my resources to truly care for those in need. I encourage you to explore how you can make a difference where you are, with what you’ve got. Don’t allow the things that break your heart to escape you. I have found this process to be very rewarding. It adds a new purpose to what I do and an excitement to my days that I could not have anticipated.

So, in closing, what’s your cause? I’d love to hear it.

I got this info from a random website. Funny how St. Patrick’s day is now about getting blitzed and making a fool of oneself. I’m sure St. Patrick would be proud.

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated each year on March 17^th. In Ireland, Saint Patrick’s Day is both a holy day and a national holiday. Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland as he was the one who brought Christianity to the Irish.

According to legend, Saint Patrick used a shamrock to explain about God. The shamrock, which looks like clover, has three leaves on each stem. Saint Patrick told the people that the shamrock was like the idea of the Trinity – that in the one God there are three divine beings: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The shamrock was sacred to the Druids, so Saint Patrick’s use of it in explaining the trinity was very wise.

Although it began in Ireland, Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in countries around the world. People with Irish heritage remind themselves of the beautiful green countryside of Ireland by wearing green and taking part in the festivities.

Happy St. Patrick’s day to you and yours! There’s a bangin’ party at McNellies and Arnie’s downtown. You should go.

The Drillers and the city of Tulsa are engaging in plans to move the Drillers to downtown Tulsa. The proposed site of the new stadium is in area that has become known as the East Village, though it currently serves as a home to very few if any villagers. It is largely made up of the area that formerly served as the home to Tulsa’s Nordam companies.

This area is merely three blocks from the future home of Joe Momma’s. Imagine, friends, how fun it will be to enjoy Joe Momma’s before and after watching our Drillers play ball.

Congrats to Tulsa and to the Drillers! Let’s hope this deal goes through smoothly.

Paris Hilton has a new boy toy – 20 year-old Alex Vaggo, who’s fresh out of college and working in LA as PIZZA BOY. The hotel heiress, 26, has been parading around her latest victim after meeting him in a nightclub. Paris has even taken him home to meet her parents in Bel Air! Her friends say that she is “smitten” with Alex, and one of Alex’s buddies said enviously, “He is a really lucky guy.”

Alex, from Sweden, only just finished college and decided to fly out to LA for a holiday, and ended up spending a lot of the summer working as a pizza delivery boy to earn some extra cash. Alex, however, isn’t just your everyday greasy-faced pizza boy – he’s actually an aspiring model.

His mom in Gothenburg, who was quite shocked with the news, said: I always knew he’d do something extraordinary with his life.”

This story was provided courtesy of www.parishiltonzone.com.

Visit THIS SITE to follow this compelling story….

Greetings friends! I’m writing to you today with great news. Joe Momma’s is thrilled to announce that we are opening a second location in downtown Tulsa!

Three years ago we began the process of opening a downtown pizza restaurant with a large and diverse menu of specialty pizzas, pastas, wings, appetizers, and deserts. We also planned on a variety of unique beers and wines that compliment our food. We were excited even way back then about the prospects of contributing to the renaissance of our downtown.

After we had started the process of developing our downtown location in the Blue Dome district, an opportunity to purchase a small existing restaurant in South Tulsa presented itself. While the location was not ideal for our planned menu and amenities, it would allow us to develop some recipes, some name recognition, and our processes for running the business, so we put the downtown store on hold and opened the Joe Momma’s you know today at the All-Star Sports Complex.

Finally, nearly three years later than anticipated, we’re planning the location we have always wanted. Our new downtown location will serve a full late-night menu with several new and upgraded menu items. We’ll add a large selection of wings and new appetizers. Our bar will be larger with several imports and a carefully selected wine list. The atmosphere will be one of Tulsa’s most unique, our brick walls adorned with the art of a different local artist each month, classic pinball machines and old school arcade games, dozens of TVs, Tulsa’s largest big screen, and a great stage for local bands. Our new location will also have some of the things that have made our current location popular, just amped up a bit. A full schedule of events, live music, art shows, and independent film showings will keep Joe Momma’s Downtown hopping every day of the week.

We’re writing this now so you can begin to share in our excitement and anticipation. Our plan is to start construction within a few months and to be open by the time the March Madness games start in 2008. We’ll look forward to seeing all of you in our new home downtown. In the meantime, pay us a visit out South. Things at our current spot are better than ever as we’ve added some great new menu items and are planning some exciting events for the fall like our annual Halloween Myspace party, some video game tournaments, and our new Cause Nights to raise money for local charities.

Remember to check out www.joemommaspizzaisgood.com to keep up with the latest at Joe Momma’s and to check out our new menu! It’s great for ordering delivery and catering while at work!

Thanks for your support over the past two and a half years. We wouldn’t be where we are without you! As a thank you to our friends, mention this letter when you order and get 20% off your next order, no matter how big or small!

See ya soon!

Blake

“What you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.”

For nearly three years it has been my dream to open a pizza restaurant downtown. We even started planning for it and moving to get one open a couple of years ago, but changed the plan when a Simple Simon’s Pizza in South Tulsa became available for purchase.

We decided to start smaller, learn how to run a restaurant, and then when ready open our downtown location. A little over two and a half years later, we’re finally working on our downtown store. The business plan in done, the plans are being drawn up, and I’m in capital raising mode. Our plan is to be open in the spring of 2008. Cross your fingers for us and look for more info. I’m really excited about getting to finally have a Joe Momma’s in downtown. The menu will be bigger and better, the restaurant will be bigger, and we’ll have 5 times as many events and parties!

Thanks to those of you who have supported us here at 61st and 169 over the past couple of years! See ya soon.

Come out to Joe Momma’s on March 23rd and support a great cause!