Yes, in case you were wondering the title of today’s blog is an “inside” joke. If you have had the pleasure of knowing any Persian Bahia’s then you may have experienced the tremendous love that comes from them to you like I have felt from Khotan Harmon and some of the other special Baha’i friends that I have been blessed enough to meet through Khotan.

Tonight was a true love fest of Khotan, for Khotan, from Khotan with a dinner given in celebration of Khotan’s recent Gracie Award honor (http://www.austinpost.org/content/austin-dj-interviews-nobel-peace-prize-winner-and-wins-her-own-award). The award was in special recognition of a feature interview with Dr. Shirin Ebadi, the first Iranian Muslim woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Ginger and Michael Blair hosted the dinner this evening in their lovely home inviting a group of friends to gather and eat delicious food, share devotions and our love and admiration for Khotan. I could go on and on about Michael and Ginger and all the love they share, have done and continue to do for the world but I will shorten it to two things. They have put a lot of time and energy into the Austin Area Interrelationship Ministries (http://www.aaimaustin.org/). And I was especially interested in the story of Ann Wolf ( http://www.wban.org/biog/awolfe.htm) that Mike shared with us about all that this Woman Boxing Champion is doing for disadvantaged youth. Wow does she have an amazing story!

Some of the guests at this dinner included beloved author Sarah Bird, beloved author and Bahai Avrel Seal and his lovely wife Kirsten, Poet and Radio Personality Dillon McKenzie, Radio Personality Reverend Chuck Freeman, gorgeous and multi-talented Neyssan Moshref, wise and wonderful Melita Elmore, KMFA Radio talent Jeffrey Blair and his lovely intuitive wife “Z”, Austin American-Statesman columnist Eileen Flynn DeLao and her gorgeous daughter Clair and Spiritual Chef Vickie Newton. I hope I haven’t left anyone out.

Suffice it to say with such a lovely and vibrant mix of people how could we not thoroughly enjoy ourselves and relax into the vibe of celebrating Khotan’s well deserved fortune?! After listening to various prayers and poems read by everyone over coffee, Michael shared with us that one of the auction items for AAIM’s 2010 “Hope Awards” (May 4, 2010) is the use of Pink’s fully decked-out touring bus that holds 30 people replete with driver and steward for three days! Well, of course we were all talking about how we could manifest this bus so that Khotan could take us, her entourage, with her to Beverly Hills to accept her award. The idea of this still makes me laugh with the sheer fun mad idea of it all.

It is nights like tonight and people like these that make me very grateful to be alive in Austin, Texas.

For those of you who don’t live here (yet), you can listen to Khotan on her KOOP FM show the “Idea Lounge” by going to http://koop.org/?page=schedule&section=idealounge.

Until we meet again…….goodnight Gracie….