March-July 2011

 
Okay, okay... I know that this issue of RSP is really late...I could use the excuse that I'm still celebrating my birthday...One of my friends told me as I reached this 55th year of existence on the planet, that I have now advanced to the senior class in the Real School of life! Nicely put! He also told me to slow down, because I've reached the speed limit! About a month before my March 5th birthday, I became vegan. It was the best decision I ever made.

As I look at my life and look forward to as much of it as I can, I can totally appreciate all the memories I have made and the stories I have to tell… I look at all those hat boxes full of photos and think, "most of my entire life is in them." If someone were to take a peek in those boxes, the story would be already told…

I used to wonder as I was coming of age, how my mother "knew" things. It was like she was psychic...If I formed a friendship with someone as a teen, she could instinctively tell me their entire history just by meeting them once. And as I got older, I discovered her secret. It was the longevity of living, the wisdom you gain through experience and the quacking duck theory...I have become my mother.

All of us real-schoolers have the wealth of experience and wisdom on our side…That doesn't make us as irrelevant and obsolete as some of the younger generation would like to believe...Because whether they know know it or not, as real school pre-schoolers, if they live long enough they will come into their own, and collect their own cultural icons and memories.  

We live in a society that caters to a younger generation, but there are societies in other countries that cherish the wisdom of the elders. The more we live, the more we grow as we earn our degrees just from living...

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YESTERDAY TODAY AND ALWAYS: BILL WITHERS

His style is infectious, easy going, Sunday morning, bluesy, folksy, soul, r&b. This is a sound that can come from only one guy, Bill Withers...I know we've all been wondering where he's been, but thanks to Netflix, I was able to watch one fantastic bio-music-mentary, Still Bill about this unique and well loved music legend...He's older, he's wiser and looks at legacy. But in his every word, there is a sincere poetry that is uniquely Bill...

From the moment I saw Still Bill I was entranced from beginning to end…Curiously you may wonder what Bill Withers has in common with the  Oscar winning film  “The Kings Speech”…Well, he was a stutterer. I am not going to be a spoiler for this wonderful look at the legend that is Bill Withers…I’m just going to say. See it!

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 FLASHBACK: THIRTYSOMETHING

Once upon a time in 1987 Hollywood, there was an interesting show called "Thirtysomething" that ran until 1991. It was about a group of  Baby Boomers in their 30s and I am dying for a reunion...I really loved this show...It would be interesting to see them as they are now with flashback scenes from the show...Watching it again brought back memories of raising kids and being in my thirties...This show broke ground on many levels and won numerous Emmys...It paved the way for shows like Brothers and Sisters, Six Feet Under, My So Called Life and others...So where are they now? 

Ken Olin played Michael Steadman. Olin stars in and is executive producer and director of Brothers & Sisters on ABC.

Patricia Wettig played Nancy Weston, is married to Ken Olin and  earned three Emmys and a Golden Globe for her role as Nancy. She plays Holly Harper on Brothers & Sisters on ABC.

Mel Harris played Hope Murdoch Steadman and  has appeared in several series including the film, Imagine That with Eddie Murphy.

 

Peter Horton played Gary Shepherd. He's an executive producer and director of Grey's Anatomy on ABC, and produces and directs NBC's The Philanthropist.

  

Melanie Mayron played Melissa Steadman, and won an Emmy for role. She has appeared in HBO's In Treatment and Lipstick Jungle on NBC.

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 REAL FRIENDS 
 MEET ELENNE BOOTHE

Elenne & Tommy

Sometimes in the face of great loss there is an incredible gain. It is a curious thing that those who are departed seem to bring people together. Such is the case with Elenne Booth and I…We met upon the sadness of the sudden loss of our most beloved Tommy Thomas… Elenne's an individual with a true spirit and creativity… 

Her career started in 1986 at LA’s Inner City Cultural Center, learning everything from setting the stage, lighting and wardrobe… Her first show at Inner City was a tribute to Thomas Fats Waller which led to more theatrical work. By 1993, she was in the in the Los Angeles union for theatrical wardrobe and I guess you say the rest is history. In wardrobe, she assisted in show load in, preparing the show, steaming and ironing costumes...She’s worked in major theatrical venues throughout Los Angeles. Ice Shows, ballets, operas and Broadway shows as well as traveled internationally.

 

 

In 2000 Elenne became key staff member for Chaka Kahn. Throughout the years a friendship grew and it was truly an amazing moment when Chaka gave Elenne a heartfelt “thank you” when she received her star at the Hollywood Walk of fame. “Working with Chaka Khan was the most amazing and beautiful experience.” Says Elenne.” It was a great joy working for her. She is truly beautiful lady.” 

When Elenne isn’t working the stage behind the scenes, she’s taking photographs and implementing them in her designs on her very successful Zazzle website…

”I use my camera to take pictures of nature and I also add my poetry, poems, special sayings to my art and designs on custom T-Shirts, cards, Keds shoes, iPad & iPhone cases, posters, buttons and  so much more.” She continues, “I love what I do. I love touching lives. I believe when one helps another you are helping yourself and the love you give out will come back to you in so many ways. I just pray that I be remembered for my art, my love and my service/hard work of touching many...Working in the entertainment industry isn't easy nor a bed of roses all the time. you have to put up with a lot and bite your tongue and keep a lot of secrets working with artists. But I wouldn't change the path I have been on."

Since we have our birthdays 4 days apart, we hung out at the Huntington Library…Camera in hand, Elenne couldn’t get enough of the beautiful energies in the gardens, waterfalls, bamboos and coy ponds. It was awesome…

 


Check out Elenne's T shirt design, a  current popular seller on Zazzle.

Elenne's design sites:

• http://www.zazzle.com/elenne
• http://www.artamatik.com/Eagleswings
• http://www.redbubble.com/people/elenne

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THE END OF AN ERA: JERRY LEWIS' LAST TELETHON

Jerry Lewis is turning over his position as the face that got us to give for  Muscular Dystrophy with this years telethon."As a labor of love," he says "I've hosted the annual Telethon since 1966, and I'll be making my final appearance on the show this year by performing my signature song, 'You'll Never Walk Alone'...

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REAL TV:

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM

I was never a Seinfeld fan, but when one of the co-creaters, Larry David, landed a series on HBO, I like so many,  became hooked. Life has no laugh track and that is what makes Curb Your Enthusiasm a real hit. No one has to cue you when to laugh or get the punch lines because it's automatic.  A brilliant, hysterically raunchy out of the box show, Larry David plays himself and usually gets caught up in the wrong side of everything he attempts to do.  For those of us who can't get enough Enthusiasm, season 8 begins July 10. For those of you who would like to check out the show from it's first season, it's available on HBO 

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THROUGH THE WORMHOLE

Morgan Freeman has scored  as host with this amazing science series. It explores the mysteries of man's existence and shares the new technologies of science that at one point in time were unimaginable.

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THE BIG C

This series now in its 2nd season is breakthrough television at its best. It's inconceivable that a main character with stage 4 melanoma could render comedy and drama. The Big C is just that show. It has so many dimensions and colors as a "dramedy" and takes us through a myriad of emotions...Laura Linney as Cathy is brilliant in her performance, with a vibrant smile and dimpled cheeks reminiscent of a young Betty White.

In the final episode of season one, Cathy,  knowing that she is on borrowed time and keeping the secret of her terminal illness from her family gets discovered by her son, Adam. He's a typical kid coming of age who sees life as forever.  He has all but blown his mother off as he comes into his manhood as he's  assumed she will always be there. I don't think that there was a viewer with a dry eye on this episode. It was a masterful concept and got us, just like it was meant to.

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REAL MEMORIES: 

THE BABY BOOMER e-MUSEUM

Don't you just love it when you stumble on a goldmine? That's what happened when I started thinking about full serve gas stations...Remember? A uniformed employee of the gas station asked you how much fuel you wanted. He pumped the gas for you and cleaned your windshield? Ah, gone are the days... 

I was looking for a picture and came upon this one which I shared on my Facebook page and found the Baby Boomer e-Museum...What a great journey back in time this site is! Check out this site...I bet you you'll be saying " Oh, yeh! I REMEMBER that!"

The Baby Boomer e-museum: A site worth Bookmarking.

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Thanks for sharing the journey!!!!!

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