"Yeah, well, I've got a dream too. But it's about singing and dancing and making people happy. That's the kind of dream that gets better the more people you share it with. And well, I've found a whole bunch of friends who have the same dream. And it kind of makes us like a family."

- Kermit

Excerpt from "It's Not Easy Being Green

And Other Things to Consider"

Jim Henson - The Muppets and Friends

Cheerful Giving

The Blind Side was a big hit seven months before I finally rented the movie.
I was sorry I hadn't paid more attention to the TV interviews with the family at the time of its initial release. Well, I needn't have worried, because People Mag did a nice interview with them recently and more interestingly, Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy wrote a book with Sally Jenkins, entitled In a Heartbeat, about their family's journey taking Michael Oher into their hearts and home, eventually adopting him.

If you thought you knew enough about them, I'm telling you the book is really inspiring, telling about their individual backgrounds, how their own parents' giving influenced their lives at an early age. I couldn't put the book down, which is rare for one with my short attention span.

Michael must have cringed when he saw the scene where Leigh Ann comes onto the field to tell him how to play and S.J. drills plays with him. According to Leigh Ann, he already knew how to play when he got to their family.

Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw, who portray Leigh Ann and Sean, and all three of the Tuohy children (Collins, Michael and S.J.) get their say in the book as well.

Anytime a book can make me smile, laugh and cry, I say it's worth recommending. Of course, the main purpose in writing the book is to encourage those of us who saw the movie and now have read the book to go out and buy into the Popcorn Theory. You will have to read the book to find out what that means. Actually, it's on the first page of the book.

You don't have to do a lot to make a difference in someone's life; every day there are opportunities if only we pay attention to them. I found this to be an excellent lesson in cheerful giving.

A perfect wedding

We hadn't been to a wedding in a long time and were ready to attend another when we received the invitation to Chris and Nikki's wedding, the daughter of our good friends, Betty & Frank.

If the venue that the bride and groom had initially picked out hadn't cancelled and left them not only disappointed but scrambling to find another one, it would have been a dreary and windy day in May for an outdoor wedding. This day in June, however, was beautiful. A string quartet played as we all entered the courtyard where the white rose-lined trellis and white pathway strewn with rose petals awaited the soon to be newlyweds.

Nikki, who has always been a beautiful blonde, looked gorgeous in her strapless beaded gown. The groom was handsome in his tux. The bridesmaids wore pretty black dresses. The "officiator" of the wedding was a close friend of theirs and did a marvelous job of setting the tone for the wedding vows. The brother and sister of the bride also spoke a lovely tribute to the couple,who had been dating for a few years before taking the plunge into holy matrimony.

Betty looked smashing in a lavender tiered floor-length gown. Frank wore a matching cumberbund, hanky and tie, which were made from the remnants of Betty's dress, which had been altered. Both sets of parents have happy long-term marriages, so Chris and Nikki have good examples for which to follow.

After the wedding, we drove to a nearby venue, which had previously been a dinner theatre. An open bar and many hot hors' doeuvres later, we had a delicious sit-down dinner of beef, potatoes, and veggies. The cake matched their colors of black and white and cranberry. We all danced and carried on and had a great time. Met some new friends whom we plan to see soon.

The truest words we heard that day in addition to the bride and groom vowing to love one another were when the officiator said to Chris, "Every married man in this room will attest to the fact that from this day forward you will now be made aware of faults you never knew you had." We ladies just smiled.

Happy Father's Day!

I spent my 30th birthday in the funeral home, receiving family and friends.
My dad died one day before his 54th birthday. How I miss Eddie Teener as my loving parent. You can tell where I get my curly hair!

On my 25th birthday, I was living in California and he in Ohio. I received a letter from him stating, "Twenty-five years ago today I went to a phone booth and called your grandmother and said, "I got my girl." You see my brother, Charles, had been born 2 1/2 years earlier, and my parents were hoping for a girl.

Now, all was not totally rosy as I was growing up. I always thought my dad was way too strict as a Sicilian father! I had always wished I came from a big family where I was not so much the center of attention. He really did spoil me in a lot of ways, however. If I was ever sick, he would bring me magazines and gifts to cheer me. Is it any wonder I had about six colds a year!

Transition to years later when I didn't understand why my hubby didn't make a big fuss over my ailments. So, it's not always mothers who spoil it for their sons' wives!

I liked having a father who was a musician, although in elementary school I would list my dad's profession as "magician." I got my love of music from him and my mom, who wanted to be a singer but was discouraged by her mom, because "nice girls didn't go into show business." So, my mom did the next best thing and married a guitarist.

They say a father gives his little girl self esteem. My father was constantly teaching me about how to get along in life. He taught me to set my goals high. However, I relied so much on his advice that it took me a while to have confidence in making my own decisions once I finally did leave home after college.

So on Father's Day, even though there's sadness in being without him for so many years, I feel very blessed for having had such a wonderful dad.

Nostalgic Radio Show

We first met John and Larry Gassman years ago when they were recommended to us. You see, we had a 15 1/2-inch vinyl disc, which was a studio recording of my dad, whose professional name was Eddie Teener, when he was on the radio, WHKK, from Akron, OH, with his band.

We had never heard it played, because we couldn't find anyone who had the right equipment to do so. Well, these two, John and Larry, who happened to be twins and happened to be blind from birth, had just the right stuff to help us.

I was amazed, walking into their studio, to see the hundreds of vinyl records stacked neatly in cabinets on either side of the room with no visible markings on them. How in the world did they know what was what! Well, they had their own system. I found out later there are actually 20,000 reel tapes of old radio programs as well.

John and Larry host the program, "Same Time Same Station, where nostalgic radio shows are heard on Yesterday USA at live365.com. The shows are posted at vintageradioplace.com. Check out their website to learn more about these interesting men, who are not only passionate about radio drama but also barbershop.

Oh yes, back to our project...Larry and John told us that these studio recordings were played "from the outside in." Who knew? We're so happy we found them. Local announcements of garden shows, announced by townspeople reflect the format of the times. The recording of my dad's band that we now have on cd is a real treasure.

Say "Yes" to Life

One of our heart challenges as we go through life is saying goodbye to close friends and relatives. My dear friend, Maria, died last week. One of the things we learn as "motherless daughters" is not to be afraid to use the word die, rather than passed away.

Maria and Peter were so much fun to be around. We would go to ball games together, the Getty Museum, out to dinner; whatever it was, we had a good time. Not to mention how supportive they were to me...attending all of my plays/singing engagements, even if it meant driving 100 miles on a work night. Having them present at a Hollywood premiere of a short film I did meant a lot to me. So many memories.

Maria's memorial service was a wonderful tribute to her life. Maria loved hearts. Anyone who knew her knew that about her. The heart flower wreaths there were some of the most beautiful I've seen. She had so many friends, who got up the courage to share what they loved about Maria: her consistency, her capability in whatever she undertook, her dependability, her promptness, her loyalty. Well, it went on for two hours. When there was a lull, her hubby would get up and share certain aspects of her life, which then would trigger a memory from someone else. When you hear that getting up and speaking is one of our greatest fears, it's really a testimony to how people felt about Maria to not let the moment pass when they could express their feelings for her. Co-workers from a decade ago showed up.

The one thing that I noticed as I reflected on Maria's life and heard what others had to say about her as well is how Maria always said, "Yes, " to whatever opportunity was presented to her. I believe this was the gift she was given having gone through a successful battle with cancer twenty years earlier. She didn't delay for another day or another time, because she knew today was what matters. It's ironic that her oncologist had just told her he didn't need to see her again when shortly thereafter she started having symptoms, which led to the diagnosis of recurring cancer. Maria told her family and close friends that she was at peace as the end drew near.

We are at peace, knowing that Maria will finally get to be with her mommy again who died in a house fire when Maria was three.

A life well-lived and a dear friend who will be missed.

A Special Valentine's Gift

Our newspaper is soliciting stories of the best Valentine's Day gift ever received. Well, even though my sweetie has remembered me with roses, dinner dates, and other fabulous romantic gestures, he has never painted a heart in the sky with the small plane that he flies. Wouldn't that be great!

However, the story that I am submitting is the Valentine's Day gift I received from my 87-year old father-in-law who at the time was living in AZ in an assisted living facility. He sent me on yellow-lined paper, which is all he had access to at the time, a Valentine message mentioning my Sicilian grandfather, whom I adored, who passed away a few years earlier. I was so touched by the sensitivity shown by that gesture. Poppy died a few years later, but the memory of that special Valentine lives on in my heart.

Transplant Games

At the beginning of the year is a good time to reflect on what we want out of life, what was most satisfying to us in the past.

In that vein, I was attempting to declutter my office when I ran across old photos from my volunteering days with the National Kidney Foundation. My brother, Charles, died of kidney disease two weeks before his 16th birthday. I got involved when I interviewed a lady with NKF, who turned out to be a good friend, Norma Cherniss, on the talk show I produced and co-hosted several years ago.

Through Norma, I eventually became Public Relations Director and served on the National Kidney Foundation Board for several years, in addition to chairing one of their major benefits, The Great Chefs of Orange County, where we raised $40,000.

Another memorable opportuniy I had as a volunteer with them was when I participated in the 1992 Transplant Games, a bienniel Olympic-style event for organ transplant recipient athletes held at UCLA. It was the first year the National Kidney Foundation took on the management of this event, started in Texas in 1982. I formed a volunteer team from my workplace, AT&T, and we showed up and assisted in any way they needed us. I had the privilege of presenting a medal to a heart transplant recipient. That year there were 2,000 supporters.

Where else could kidney or heart transplant recipients get the opportunity to compete in say a 50-meter dash or swim the butterfly stroke across a 25-meter pool.

Since 1992, the games have been held in Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Columbus, Orlando, Louisville and Pittsburgh, growing significantly each time. In July, 2008, a record-breaking gathering of 7,000 people, 1,200 of whom were transplant athletes from all 50 states converged in Pittsburgh, competing in

13 different sport competitions.

This program was started to demonstrate to the public the successes of the life-restoring therapy of organ transplantation and to call attention to the need for organ donation. It gave recipients and their families a chance to gather and share experiences, kindle friendships, and celebrate their "ultimate second chance" at life while paying tribute to those who make it all possible--the donor families. You can get more information on the games and/or the kidney foundation here.

P. S. I know, I know, the hair...what was I thinking?

Holiday Entertainment

Mary Poppins and Avatar in 3D...can't beat that entertainment for the holidays.

Even though I was sitting in the balcony at the Ahmanson, I thoroughly enjoyed Mary Poppins. I have to admit, being exhausted from rehearsals, traffic, etc, over the prior month, I had trouble staying awake through the first act;
I thought it was a little too long. However, there are so many talented people in the cast, many coming straight from the Broadway production. Ashley Brown, who originated the role on Broadway, and has won many awards for doing so, was superb as Mary. Gavin Lee as Bert originated the role in London and New York and likewise has been honored with many awards.

Things really moved fast in the second act, and there were some pretty amazing special effects, which I won't spoil for you if you plan to see it anywhere in the area sometime soon. Can never get enough of supercalifr...well, you know.

Avatar was something else! This was a very visually pleasing movie to watch. Okay, I had to hide my eyes once, but I'm such a scaredy-cat. Being a lavender lover, I relished the scenes with the beautiful flowers. The characters were riveting to watch. I couldn't believe it went by so fast. And you can understand when you hear it was one of the most expensive movies ever made: the special effects, animation. Watching it in 3D was such a pleasure. This was a great story.
I do believe its chances for an Oscar or two or three are good.

When we left the theater, I was amazed to see how many people were lined up to see Sherlock Holmes. Even if Guy Ritchie tries to turn Sherlock into a James Bond-like character as the critics claim, the trailer makes it seem appealing.

I just heard it was the biggest Hollywood box-office weekend ever. I can see why. I'd also like to see Blind Side.

Holiday Show

Haven't posted for awhile now...too busy with rehearsals for the show that my acting coach wrote. It's been loads of fun. Several new cast members have joined since our '06 show. Marvin the Menace, the bad elf, is the same, however. Mean as ever, but there are surprises in store. Everyone has a heart, really.

Love the song I sing, "My Simple Christmas Wish," as Glinda, the Good Witch. I was lucky enough to meet the man behind the clever lyrics and great song...David Friedman last year when he was visiting from the Big Apple. He and Kathie Lee Gifford work on several projects together. I believe they wrote a children's opera together.

Hope your holidays are going well. I'm really getting into the decorating spirit this year. The photo is from our first show in 2005. What a cast!

Good service

We always hear about the times we get poor service, particularly when dining out. Today, Julie blew us away! We only eat in this seafood restaurant about two or three times a year, because we only go to it when we're in the area. It's almost always busy.

Our last visit was perhaps two months ago. When Julie waited on us, she said, "Do you want the carmelized salmon again?" I looked at her in astonishment. (I did remember that she had waited on us the last time, but we didn't have a particularly chatty time then).

She didn't let it go at that. "Would you like to start with the shrimp cocktail appetizer too?" Again, my mouth dropped open. "Coffee to drink." The last time was the first time Julie had ever waited on us.

While we were waiting for our food, I remembered that we had a long wait because we got there mid lunch hour. I was just thinking that when she brought our food and said, "Better service than last time, huh? I was embarrassed the last time because it took so long," she said.

I just looked at her...she said, "I just have a good memory." Really!!

I just hope Julie gets incredible tips. There has to be some special reward for

that gift. Yea, we did our part.

Now, she had left one of those cards to fill out, asking for our email address for special coupons. I never fill those out. I'm already bombarded with Border's, etc., well, I do like some coupons. But, since Julie's name was on the bottom, and I'm sure she gets some kind of credit for this, I went ahead and filled out the form. Well, at least I'll get some kind of a discount for my birthday. It's the least I could do for that extraordinary service today.

Btw, I had mahi mahi today, just for a change. The next time I think I'll ask for Julie's station. I never can make up my mind on the menu. "Just bring me the usual."

Healthy and Green Living

There is a newsletter for which I signed up after a friend sent me an article from it. Care2 covers the gamut from healthy and green living, natural remedies, healthy mind, relationships and sexuality, garden and nature, pets, etc. Once you see all the topics they cover, you can personalize it to match your interests.

In almost every issue, I find myself reading at least one topic, more likely, two.
Today it was detoxing. The article covered all aspects of the subject. Personally, I've always thought it was a good idea, but I could never commit to a nine or ten-day detox program. The idea of doing a juice fast for even one day seems like a big deal to me. Maybe I'll try detox tea; that seems the easiest to follow.

But, the jury is still out on all the studies, there's no evidence that it's really necessary to maintain/achieve good health. Some doctors swear by it, though, judging by the improvement in their patients.

Enlightenment

I'm one who doesn't believe that spirituality and religion are necessarily mutually exclusive. This quote from "Why Walk When You Can Fly" by Isha (New World Library, 2008) hit home with me.

We often compromise our truth by playing small in order to make others feel better about themselves. We don't do what we really want to because we are afraid of losing approval, but enlightenment never compromises its own greatness.

My actor friend, Billy, had this quote at the bottom of his emails, which is another version of the same message:

"Your playing small does not serve the world."

The King of Rock and Roll

Just when you thought you knew everything there was to know about Elvis Presley, you may find these tidbits from the BRI Elvis file interesting.

Five Foods Served at Elvis' Wedding Breakfast:

1. Suckling pig
2. Fried Chicken
3. Oysters Rockefeller
4. Champagne
5. Wedding Cake


The King's Four Favorite Reading Material:

1. The Bible
2. The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran
3. Captain Marvel comics
4. Mad Magazine

Elvis may have left the building, but the fascination never ends.

Source: Uncle John's AHH-INSPIRING Bathroom Reader, 15th Edition

Pursuit of Happiness

"Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit quietly, may alight upon you."

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

Tea for Two

If you're of the female gender and you've never been to afternoon tea, make a date with a friend and go! It's such a special treat. My cousin and I for several years would go to tea at the Ritz Carlton around Christmas when it was so festively decorated for the holidays. Overlooking the ocean, we would sip champagne, while we waited for our tea to brew. Out would come delicious tea sandwiches: cucumber and cream cheese, seafood, egg salad or chicken salad, many different varieties. A delicious platter of desserts would follow.

Recently, I had the best quiche I've ever eaten at Barbara's Victorian Tea House.

These people have been in the restaurant business for years and, it shows.

Barbara mentioned that, as a business, tea houses are not such a good investment, but it is a labor of love.

"Meticulously arranged platters of luscious sweets and perfectly brewed cups of tea await you," as their brochure invites you to partake. This house was filled with fantastic gift items, ranging from china to jewelry to antiques. I bought a wonderful wrap on this trip. Music from the movies by a wonderful pianist played in the background as we enjoyed our treats.

Did you know that although teacups are fragile, they are also resilient?

Ceramic objects may be breakable, but they are also amazingly resistant to weathering and corrosion and age. Much of what we know about acient civilizations we have learned from bits of pottery they left behind. China dishes recovered from shipwrecks are often good as new, long after the ship itself has dissolved in saltwater.

This and other interesting facts can be found in a book, "Everything I Know I Learned Over Tea" by Emile Barnes with wonderful paintings by Susan Rios.

"It's always tea-time."

THE MAD HATTER

in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Advertures in Wonderland.

Live in the Present

The more I read about Buddhism, the more I believe they're on to something.

I love rereading the Dalai Lama's Rules for Life when it comes across the email.

It's so true, isn't it, that we make ourselves miserable in life by regretting the past or fearing the future. But, it's easier said than done to always live in the present. After all, we shouldn't lose the lessons of the past, lest the challenges keep presenting themselves. I can attest to that.

This was all brought to mind when I talked to a friend today who said she heard her ex was getting married today. I asked her how she felt. And the answer was "happy and sad."

Woodstock Anniversary

Okay...I've never really identifed with Woodstock in any way. However, I do enjoy the history of it. 400,000 people, mostly hippies, attending a Music and Art Festival in Bethel, N.Y. on August 16, 1969, defined the 60's. The promoters originally expected 10,000 to show up. And then the rain came...and more and more people showed up.

When I heard the Orange County Market Place was doing a "Welcome Back After the Fair" event, celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock last weekend, and I found out my friend, Connie Early, and her The Summer of Love Show, were performing, I knew I wanted to be there.

Also, it had been a long time since I had been to the "swap meet" there, so that was another reason to trek on down. I told a few friends, and we all met there to see the band perform. We had so much fun! I had first seen this band at the Orange County Pavilion. It is pure entertainment. Great imitations of Janis Joplin and Grace Slick (Connie) and Jimi Hendrix (Gerald Davis) were a delight to hear and see. This is a very talented group of people. Connie as lead vocalist, Gerald as lead vocal/guitarist/harmonica; Ron Olsson, lead vocals/guitarist; Julie Dolan, keyboards/vocals/harmonica; and David Abercrombie, bass/vocals. They are all having a great time performing, and the crowd really

got into it.

You can keep up with "The Age of Aquarius" performances and hear a sampling of their work here.

Interesting to note that at the original site of Woodstock, a not-for-profit foundation has been set up to run a museum and concert space. Concerts are regularly scheduled over the hill from the original stage at a modern, 4,800-seat amphitheater.

Joe Cocker and Santana boosted their careers at Woodstock. You can discover Woodstock on disc "Woodstock - 40 Years On: Back to Yasgur's Farm."

Julie & Julia

I guess it's just the difference in the way men and women think about or enjoy certain things. After reading two reviews by the male species, I expected to be at least a little bored or unimpressed with the "Julie" part of the show.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie!! Nora Ephron did her usual great job of directing this film (as well as writing it). "Cooking is all about time travel. Cooking is about traveling back in your memories." Meryl Streep is just...as you can imagine... sensational in this role! A true delight to watch. I loved the scenes where she was competing with the men at the Cordon Bleu school. I adore watching Stanley Tucci in anything. Remember how great they were together in The Devil Wears Prada. You won't be disappointed.

I guess the popcorn dulled my appetite a bit, because I didn't necessarily salivate over the sole meuniere. The food stylists did such a great job; all of the food displayed in the film was so tantalizing. I had been listening to Melinda Lee discuss in great detail the filming of the food and how audiences are so sophisticated today that you must use the real thing...no fake anything! Unbelievable how many lobsters, etc, it took to get just the right take. That's an interesting story in itself.

Amy Adams is darling as the blogger who made her way through all 524 (?) recipes in Julia Child's, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I thought the casting of her husband, Chris Messina, was a wise one as well. I had just started reading Julia Child's autobiography, My Life in France, written with her nephew, Alex Prud'homme, and published after her death in 2006. I guess the publisher felt they could sell more books with "Julie and Julia" on the cover, but when I bought it at Border's, I told the clerk that I was disappointed in the cover. She said, "Oh, I'll go in the back and get you the other one," which happened to have a picture of Julia and her husband, Paul, on the cover.

Well, I went as far as to cut out the recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon that Cathy Thomas had reprinted in the newspaper because that looked so good in the movie. Will I be brave enough to cook it for guests? Why not! Why let 17 ingredients and several hours of cooking deter me.

Go see the movie. It's really not a chick flick. I heard many men in the audience laughing out loud, and everyone applauded at the end of the movie. I recommend you plan to go out with friends for a nice dinner afterwards. You'll definitely be in the mood.
But, skip the movie popcorn.

I wonder what my blogger friend, Jan at the Movies, will think of this film.

Overindulgence

Gourmets claim that the true enjoyment of fine cuisine requires that you stop just when you would like to have a little bit more. In this way, the connoisseur maintains his interest. Everywhere, knowing how to stop short of satiety helps you savor life and, more importantly, helps you be free. - EKNATH EASWARAN

There is a price to be paid for celebrating too much birthday.