tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605387116748964702024-03-21T14:49:03.543-04:00Glenn Plaskin's ReflectionsGlenn Plaskin reflects on life in Battery Park city and the process of creating his new book, KATIE Up and Down The Hall, which is based upon a true story that first appeared in FAMILY CIRCLE. Katie, his astutely-intelligent cocker spaniel, became a star in Glenn's Lower Manhattan neighborhood, and this is the dramatic story of what happened up and down the hall.Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-39758258207380266682010-06-09T23:53:00.073-04:002010-06-10T13:38:02.841-04:00G R A T I T U D E: The Prayer Of The Enlightened<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A few days ago, at an all-day media coaching conference at Hachette Book Group USA, a group of four authors with upcoming books--myself included--had the rare opportunity of being coached for our upcoming radio and T.V. appearances. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4AYBr43NoFSqZ-E3hIS9ttvFWJ1I3kAja5FagXKOGe4Eslabov5FKZ3qId7cLuEGMcJASRWDJj9l1OmPttZv0KjKSlScBO5vg0C4dFe8AiCtbYuB8KKknZxERPOreCBpZ07UvwYnJi5m/s1600/LW8R3763_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4AYBr43NoFSqZ-E3hIS9ttvFWJ1I3kAja5FagXKOGe4Eslabov5FKZ3qId7cLuEGMcJASRWDJj9l1OmPttZv0KjKSlScBO5vg0C4dFe8AiCtbYuB8KKknZxERPOreCBpZ07UvwYnJi5m/s200/LW8R3763_2.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Leading the way were brilliant media experts <b><a href="http://www.joelroberts.com/media-training/media-seminar"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">Joel and Heidi Roberts</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span>Joel a veteran talk radio host-turned-corporate media coach, and his business partner and perspicacious wife Heidi, a longtime TV producer, both indispensable in their astute observations of the day. They were also joined by well-known </b>TV producer, publicist, and media coach, <b><a href="http://www.tommartinmedia.com/">Tom Martin</a></b>. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sRJZoymbDxKCxGz2oI5WPQzHaWGmBNeMOEa3YMaluBsIPd7gRTT57sXlj0AXiAhlcNbcC_MSqKqoUKilWjm-mh4o3ihc7UfaBzzElUczHH0FQTcxMFYzy_WSQ6EJfbPFwUTKPKl64DTr/s1600/heidi-roberts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0sRJZoymbDxKCxGz2oI5WPQzHaWGmBNeMOEa3YMaluBsIPd7gRTT57sXlj0AXiAhlcNbcC_MSqKqoUKilWjm-mh4o3ihc7UfaBzzElUczHH0FQTcxMFYzy_WSQ6EJfbPFwUTKPKl64DTr/s200/heidi-roberts.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And as the long 8-hour day unfolded, with each of us receiving critiques of our presentations and being drilled over and over again to hone our message concisely for a national audience--I found myself filled with the one thing that often eludes me--Gratitude. </span></span></span></span><br />
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</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYtNa7QVLjlMm8Rjxez38mOupyUffoiZvKUdauu05pfg7iAuil9UxOEPJBFAReVlc53djexEt-JElyTg0GwI1kMIAQBTUDs6BUEAG2lKrLSDymKDoCtXi4kJx7RwqOKBNc0yCJZWRYcg0/s1600/tom-martin-and-muhammad-ali.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinYtNa7QVLjlMm8Rjxez38mOupyUffoiZvKUdauu05pfg7iAuil9UxOEPJBFAReVlc53djexEt-JElyTg0GwI1kMIAQBTUDs6BUEAG2lKrLSDymKDoCtXi4kJx7RwqOKBNc0yCJZWRYcg0/s320/tom-martin-and-muhammad-ali.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Why was this the case? Well, there I was surrounded by my Hachette family--the group of people I've grown to know so well, each of them expertly helping to launch my book, <b><a href="http://www.katiebook.com/">KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL</a></b>, including the great publicity director Shanon Stowe, Internet geniuses Kelly Leonard, Valerie Russo, and Anna Balasi, Hachette's marketing guru, Martha Otis, not to mention Editorial Director, Harry Helm, my brilliant editor and book's greatest champion. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSDvhgMyfyQQjpQXaKX2ehKzxtpg_MWF7FA5oUbKggRp7MMzAVjAxZcqIwYEyVU66P0-02lazcgnNDqC6mgbv76MqpYRNPv48C_w2hDV8lakD29l8_v4BsZLcl7sYL96vACD2sScTtrHu/s1600/gratitude1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSDvhgMyfyQQjpQXaKX2ehKzxtpg_MWF7FA5oUbKggRp7MMzAVjAxZcqIwYEyVU66P0-02lazcgnNDqC6mgbv76MqpYRNPv48C_w2hDV8lakD29l8_v4BsZLcl7sYL96vACD2sScTtrHu/s400/gratitude1.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Everyone this day was drawing together, supporting one common mission, making each of our book launches successful. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">In the end, this wasn't just about ego or making money. It was about pulling together as a TEAM. And when I left the day beyind--I carried with me something just as valuable as the lessons of the media training--i.e., a profound feeling of thankfulness. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">In an article I wrote about gratitude for Family Circle, I remember one wise interview subject telling me that the glass isn't just half-full; it's <i>always</i> full. Opportunity doesn't knock just once, it's <i>always</i> knocking. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Palatino; font-size: 12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Yet, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000055;">r</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">acing through a daily marathon of household chores, obligations at work, and </span></span></span></span></span></span></span> <br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Palatino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">short-term goals, how many of us take our good fortune for granted, focused solely on what we don’t have? </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Palatino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Perhaps money, time or love may seem to be in short supply. Maybe we don’t have the body we’d like, or the right car or house. Even worse, a crisis of some kind may be intruding upon us. So narrowly fixed on these perceived lacks and problems are we that our days are saturated with panic, irritation, worry, and a sense of deprivation: the tendency to </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">compare and despair </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">steadily depleting us at every turn. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Palatino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> This thankless attitude--or</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> ‘stinkin’ thinkin’</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">, a phrase humorously coined by 12-step recovery groups--can lead to chronic backaches, ulcers, headaches, depression, and multiple addictions, say medical experts who chart the connection between body and mind. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Palatino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> Today, many health-care specialists, therapists, and spiritual counselors believe that the solution to such a commonplace dilemma is a simple, yet profound one: </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">putting gratitude into your attitude</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">--”waking up” from an ungrateful mind, and allowing ourselves to appreciate the so-called ‘little things’ in life, that aren’t little at all.</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Palatino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> How often do we disregard a bright moon, the taste of an apple, a child’s laughter, or the welcome wag of our dog’s tail? In a perpetual rush, we may ignore the smell of freshly-mown grass, a friend’s concern, the feel of sand in our toes, or the miracles of technology--not to mention how well our arms and legs work, and how terrific it is to breathe and experience our senses. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Palatino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Palatino; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> What, then, is true gratitude? And how can we cultivate it? I just start by counting my blessings--and find that I have a very very long list. So will you!</span></span><br />
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</span></span></div></div>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-31098179361330449612010-06-03T08:50:00.028-04:002010-06-04T22:42:42.044-04:00THE TWO ELIZABETHS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBrA5cGlGbMwvqbjBWExMbSo5ps0pTzTR7rkQbMWkE3Kj95IwdXp0LXNOe5KtJQQhV4nLoFW_i1yOiEmBX_bDHF3HW2zcRgK-e3pkM2B6kTQbzUE0l6INnUhGYSPY_3VoS6laIfCEL2dF/s1600/article-1095043-015929620000044D-123_468x347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqBrA5cGlGbMwvqbjBWExMbSo5ps0pTzTR7rkQbMWkE3Kj95IwdXp0LXNOe5KtJQQhV4nLoFW_i1yOiEmBX_bDHF3HW2zcRgK-e3pkM2B6kTQbzUE0l6INnUhGYSPY_3VoS6laIfCEL2dF/s400/article-1095043-015929620000044D-123_468x347.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Famed columnist <b>LIZ SMITH</b> devotes her entire <a href="http://www.wowowow.com/culture/furious-love-elizabeth-taylor-richard-burton-fabulous-read-476343">column today</a> to mega-star <b>ELIZABETH TAYLOR</b>, discussing<b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Furious-Love-Elizabeth-Richard-Marriage/dp/006156284X">FURIOUS LOVE</a></b>, a provocative new book that traces the tumultuous, passionate, unpredictable, and unforgettable relationship between Taylor and Richard Burton, whom she famously married twice.<br />
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There's no journalist alive who has had better access to Taylor--and countless other stars--than Liz Smith. She knows <i>everybody</i> and has one advantage over anyone else in the celebrity pool--stars trust her.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzV-auFvxL2gJIAmA65-hn91Tdzl5rs1I8NI1QqmLEnMWYo8uwX5_EYa5eMA93ZHSfuD4UcdG-uKLoQ84DME_nho2Ek2xFWLYpr1ax6E72xto01lD0r8Yf8VCKNW0MKv_jFhHYmUq8efh/s1600/article-1203585-05E8D25A000005DC-773_468x554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzV-auFvxL2gJIAmA65-hn91Tdzl5rs1I8NI1QqmLEnMWYo8uwX5_EYa5eMA93ZHSfuD4UcdG-uKLoQ84DME_nho2Ek2xFWLYpr1ax6E72xto01lD0r8Yf8VCKNW0MKv_jFhHYmUq8efh/s320/article-1203585-05E8D25A000005DC-773_468x554.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_gBNJ9bDg8e4eX9eeONJg8zx8sv4DaaxyUV8fBbioMPxiFmnqrMIONFzKa18JAXTd00f-ulBNF4MUQRgYp7FoDR0Y9ek0teC0j1HGQ0pDqJs65vDvRJY8aeBfTgDGCCRAacTG8BP-VJd/s1600/51-q8r3ym-L._SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_gBNJ9bDg8e4eX9eeONJg8zx8sv4DaaxyUV8fBbioMPxiFmnqrMIONFzKa18JAXTd00f-ulBNF4MUQRgYp7FoDR0Y9ek0teC0j1HGQ0pDqJs65vDvRJY8aeBfTgDGCCRAacTG8BP-VJd/s200/51-q8r3ym-L._SL500_AA300_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>She knows her subjects from the inside out--and in this case, she traveled with Taylor and Burton extensively, covering them numerous times in magazines and newspapers.<br />
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I'm always amazed by the authoritative perspective Liz offers on any of her subjects--blending humor, wit, and compassion, though never sparing an objective, critical eye as well. In just a few words, she captures the essence of what we want to know. As she writes today:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmy1kCALIq-jG0QxRYtUvArer8BhgS2IBu3HhOqaUDDBrsOuSX_ViX1ti_4C9eVjL_4eWbiEVIwhoBpkTAgbuk5mb3clvXI1awHGwcStEDXIQ385ztSIAAjtVKHBW5APp8dxoHqElaTqT/s1600/liz2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmy1kCALIq-jG0QxRYtUvArer8BhgS2IBu3HhOqaUDDBrsOuSX_ViX1ti_4C9eVjL_4eWbiEVIwhoBpkTAgbuk5mb3clvXI1awHGwcStEDXIQ385ztSIAAjtVKHBW5APp8dxoHqElaTqT/s400/liz2.jpeg" width="327" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;">Richard was an alcoholic. Elizabeth was an alcoholic (if, at first, to a lesser degree and not as obviously disabled by drink). Richard wanted to be famous, just not as famous as his association with Elizabeth had made him. Who knew what that first hot tryst during the filming of "Cleopatra" would spawn? In time he felt trapped, suffocated and embarrassed. World attention did not salve his insecurities or the realities of his upbringing – he grew up a poor boy in Wales.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><b><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />Elizabeth? Fame was all she’d known. True, the intensity of it had grown exponentially as she matured from child star to princess-y ingénue to powerful leading lady, grieving widow and then, finally, a woman for whom a new shade of scarlet had to be invented. <br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /><br style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" />But it was all the same to her; the fuss, the crowds, the intrusions. She barely noticed. It was the perks that fame brought her that she truly adored. And as much as she loved Richard, she could never really understand where he came from. Her life had always been one of privilege and pampering. There had been trauma – her father’s beatings, her mother living through her, vicariously – but no struggle to success. She would admit to me once, when I interviewed her in London in 1973: "Richard worries more about money than I do. He was raised in extreme poverty, while I grew up luxuriously."</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZhZKFZZcVP1tPSN6lqTI0r3LhDHmsF5xE3PSJVf6aoXubnSTBouv9QYMGzcDWTIGOCEQTEIrTlenYGQWsSqaHLk4ZT7d00iBdyRdE5LMWb95tzvaC1AnE4Ky57dIj8ti8XKF9JXzWsOS/s1600/taylordn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZhZKFZZcVP1tPSN6lqTI0r3LhDHmsF5xE3PSJVf6aoXubnSTBouv9QYMGzcDWTIGOCEQTEIrTlenYGQWsSqaHLk4ZT7d00iBdyRdE5LMWb95tzvaC1AnE4Ky57dIj8ti8XKF9JXzWsOS/s320/taylordn.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have had the pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Taylor five times over a period of 23 years, most memorably about Taylor's unforgettable crusade to fight AIDS and raise public awareness about the deadly disease (which killed an astounding 2 million people a year ago.) The cover, pictured here, was one of our favorites interviews together, but the one I'll never forget first appeared in my column at the Daily News and later in my book: <a href="http://www.glennplaskin.com/">Turning Point: Pivotal Moments In The Lives Of America's Celebrities</a>. </span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"> And there was little peace for Taylor after that: "I'm goddamned sick and tired of people blaming gay men for AIDS. It was an <i>accident</i> that the disease was picked up by gay men. It could just as easily have been spread by some horny rich babe from Miami!"</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOG12y5scxnxDjF1BDU2SE9HwD4n-6IUHiqH5rJ2w7QPEPMo1GK004elkZvcjuE79BOFNA9rqDoy5HBpH5bwmiVKWEzBLmAaP9eAjgLbisktML-iEXcq-I5d_cHJRhaASrUxyAKUvPo1Bs/s1600/turningpointtaylor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOG12y5scxnxDjF1BDU2SE9HwD4n-6IUHiqH5rJ2w7QPEPMo1GK004elkZvcjuE79BOFNA9rqDoy5HBpH5bwmiVKWEzBLmAaP9eAjgLbisktML-iEXcq-I5d_cHJRhaASrUxyAKUvPo1Bs/s320/turningpointtaylor.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">"Aids," Elizabeth shouted, violet eyes flashing, "is not a sin, it's a disease--and the insanity of homophobia has go to stop. I'm wiped out every time I hear about people who still think you can get the AIDS visus through the air--through sweat glands or tears. The government has cold scientific knowledge, but I don't think it's heard about AIDS from an emotional heterosexual woman like me. I'm not an endangered species--although I've had blood transfusions, so maybe I am. We're all potential victims, for Christ's sake."</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">That day, Taylor left me with this message: <b>"What ever happened to compassion? And to caring?> How dare so-called religious people say it was God's idea, His wrath to kill the homosexuals. We're all God's children."</b></span></span><br />
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</b></span></span>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-50631909148395531942010-05-22T20:53:00.001-04:002010-05-24T19:45:42.726-04:00Lucy Makes Her Photo Shoot Debut<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 24px;">Today, thanks to the kindness of the great photographers Sheila Williams and Brandon Williams, my new puppy, Lucy, made her Twitter and Facebook and Katiebook.com debut. She’s only 11 weeks old, but already poised and ready for the camera. See what you think…and next week, read my longer blog on the incredibly talented Williams team.</span><br />
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</span></span>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-6569070298026214572010-05-19T10:55:00.003-04:002010-05-19T10:59:04.369-04:00An Unbeatable Technique For Losing Weight: Get A Puppy!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJH8AbAO-ehGSzwybEPxjX_iobSui3FlajKrBMAOegh-tdL1GtTq2ObMWgqzNsu9it3DuoOdOVJo8belhzQjFIFW9eCEERQM09jcTrt_hnPT8bDoKwJnHPNpj0CA-lI_QenNhmYipHfx5/s1600/Lucy8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinJH8AbAO-ehGSzwybEPxjX_iobSui3FlajKrBMAOegh-tdL1GtTq2ObMWgqzNsu9it3DuoOdOVJo8belhzQjFIFW9eCEERQM09jcTrt_hnPT8bDoKwJnHPNpj0CA-lI_QenNhmYipHfx5/s320/Lucy8.jpeg" /></a></div>Although the adventure with my new puppy started ten days ago, <i>today</i> is the first time I've written about Lucy, named after one of my all-time favorites, Lucille Ball.<br />
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Why has it taken me so long? Because I was so overwhelmed, and at times panicked, by Lucy's homecoming and the challenges of taking care of a 10-week-old cocker spaniel puppy--that I admit to seriously contemplating returning her! (Whew, but I didn't.)<br />
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For me, the transition really shook up my world. I guess it's because I haven't had a dog for <i>eight</i> years, not since Katie--the star of my upcoming book, <a href="http://www.katiebook.com/">KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL</a>. So I was out of shape, but no longer. The dining room has been completely given over to her large play pen and kennel and the house is littered with every kind of chewy and plush toy you can imagine.<br />
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After just a few days, Lucy's puppiness--her contagious energy, those big brown eyes, her astute intelligence, and that puppy smell--completely won me over. She is the most outgoing, confident dog I've known, completely comfortable with anyone. You can hang her upside down and she's happy, extroverted and ready to play with adults, kids, and most importantly, other dogs.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyy3aLi39Jt0kdvl3hG2ne6rZZFfLdPNk3FsCSMeeg67LbcNGg-5GjCkEKAAPXkdsLs07tKiyeAgcNFuasKPKH1hgXBJib1as89Lq28B5e1RWsWyLubYjvUxDCrHcX-EJLxUCl2dRQyI6-/s1600/Lucky+Week5a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyy3aLi39Jt0kdvl3hG2ne6rZZFfLdPNk3FsCSMeeg67LbcNGg-5GjCkEKAAPXkdsLs07tKiyeAgcNFuasKPKH1hgXBJib1as89Lq28B5e1RWsWyLubYjvUxDCrHcX-EJLxUCl2dRQyI6-/s320/Lucky+Week5a.jpeg" /></a></div>The other night there she was, weighing in at six pounds, wrestling assertively with a 92-pound bushy-haired giant (I don't even know the breed) who loves puppies. Eating them? I wasn't sure. But Lucy didn't have a care in the world. She grabbed onto his bushy tail and went for a ride--never letting go until she was left with a mouthful of fur. Then she put her entire head into his mouth before biting his ear and chasing him around the lobby of our apartment building.<br />
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She also has a Wheaten terrier friend named Norma and a Dachshund named Stanley, both regular play dates.<br />
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She also loves kids, and over the weekend, she met a little boy in Greenwich Village, pictured below, his smile telling you the entire story about the joy that a puppy can give, to anybody, anywhere, at anytime.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWGt5tI-u5HGtVhhFOo9hT6ECLZBG-R-zil3uHeGnFMjSm0X4K_cczaWr_p5J-rCST2F9FG8fFL7QQUkRWk_CBq8qXLBuAdVpCGFuGIqynnXzamnQaNOVZP9FypOqMA1s4opikGy8SfcT/s1600/sweet.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWGt5tI-u5HGtVhhFOo9hT6ECLZBG-R-zil3uHeGnFMjSm0X4K_cczaWr_p5J-rCST2F9FG8fFL7QQUkRWk_CBq8qXLBuAdVpCGFuGIqynnXzamnQaNOVZP9FypOqMA1s4opikGy8SfcT/s320/sweet.jpeg" /></a></div>Lucy is making her debut on May 26th at <a href="http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/">Book Expo America</a>, where I'll be signing autographs for KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL.<br />
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I hope you'll drop by at 1 pm to say hello. You can ignore me--but you'll never get away from the <a href="http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/">Hachette Book Group USA'S</a> booth without getting a lick from Lucy.<br />
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And for the first 100 people who come by, there will be special dark chocolate treats shaped into dog bones--bad for dogs, good for people. See you there!<br />
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</h1></span>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-34281443738403907732010-05-12T11:48:00.003-04:002010-05-12T11:53:43.007-04:00The Jolt Of That First Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXbyCmkSVl9St6PzT0WjinTXnL64IKR8gwg382cUTMpvzxmSjQ9GLorHo6ygUAiWwyfSdpBn_Tb0T89fcv3_9NUEKLNsmzm1DQmppfWRy5VaLLVvErXX8mohfbuBwEH2rFVqwIi2V4cuN/s1600/PW+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZXbyCmkSVl9St6PzT0WjinTXnL64IKR8gwg382cUTMpvzxmSjQ9GLorHo6ygUAiWwyfSdpBn_Tb0T89fcv3_9NUEKLNsmzm1DQmppfWRy5VaLLVvErXX8mohfbuBwEH2rFVqwIi2V4cuN/s320/PW+Cover.jpg" /></a></div>After an author finishes a manuscript, there's always an interminable lag time between the last edit, creating an advertising, marketing, and publicity campaign, and, at long last, seeing the book actually hit the stores and on-line sites. It's a drawn out process not much different than shooting a movie, then waiting for it to hit the theaters.<br />
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In advance of my upcoming book, <a href="http://www.katiebook.com/">KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL</a> being published September 14th, one of the most important elements to it being <i>noticed</i> by booksellers is the advance review seen in <a href="http://PublishersWeekly.com/">PUBLISHERS WEEKLY</a>, an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents.<br />
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Published continuously for the past 138 years, the main emphasis here is on book reviews. And yesterday, out of the blue, unexpectedly, I received from the publisher this all-important review--placed as the lead non-fiction item in the current issue of the magazine.<br />
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You can imagine how an author feels opening to a review, wondering what the reception will be from an impartial observer. You never really know. Did I strike the right tone? Was the story compelling to anyone--but my Mom?!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: helvetica, arial; font-size: 13px;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Katie Up and Down the Hall: The True Story of How One Dog Turned Five Neighbors into a Family</span></strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> </span><br />
<em><b>Glenn Plaskin, Hachette/Center Street, $19.99 (272p) ISBN 978-1-599-95254-3</b></em><b><br />
Plaskin (Horowitz), journalist and lower Manhattan resident, shares the delightful story of how his precocious cocker spaniel, Katie, brought him closer to his neighbors and turned an apartment building of strangers into an urban family. Katie charms everyone she comes in contact with: elderly Pearl and Arthur, dog-phobic Ramon, resident macaw Mojo, and Ryan, a motherless two-year old whom Katie befriends, breaking her "no kids" rule. Katie rubs elbows with the rich and famous--Alan King, Leona Helmsley, Peter Jennings, Katharine Hepburn--as she accompanies the author, a former journalist with CNN, on his interviews. She commandeers the television remote control, steals spaghetti, receives a Christmas gift from Ivana Trump, stars as Toto in a play production of The Wizard of Oz, and is the subject of a Page Six item in the New York Post. Aside from her antics and brushes with fame, Katie proves to be a source of comfort after September 11 and when a member of their makeshift family dies. Plaskin’s engaging narration and Katie’s ability to make community will endear this book to readers. (Sept.)</b></span>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-74346587174167616282010-05-05T16:41:00.011-04:002010-05-13T00:42:45.566-04:00The Huffington Post And Big Book Publicity<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCktcszuMakKoaksAffEBGn5-hgwWrFVnU52AL0lb_UQC1dbAyGP-ZXwby2ZNJG-OH46d_GN6NhXC3e6Ks-smq1aHqDjRPEHsC7XCKx_mKBc3CT9oNFxWxh9o_47vQ5o7vBwxXRapSRvlK/s1600/CatalogueInside1+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCktcszuMakKoaksAffEBGn5-hgwWrFVnU52AL0lb_UQC1dbAyGP-ZXwby2ZNJG-OH46d_GN6NhXC3e6Ks-smq1aHqDjRPEHsC7XCKx_mKBc3CT9oNFxWxh9o_47vQ5o7vBwxXRapSRvlK/s400/CatalogueInside1+copy.jpg" width="303" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Today, on a visit to the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/angela-hayes/the-evolving-world-of-boo_b_564680.html">Huffington Post</a>, I was startled when I saw an article about big book publicity claiming I was doing the right things vis a vis my book. I always feel that I'm not doing enough, or not doing it right, so it felt especially good to see this.<br />
Fate, of course, always takes its hand no matter what we humans do. So as I've learned, Take the action, and let the results go. </div><div style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>Every author should be like Glenn Plaskin. Over a year before his book </b><em style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-style: italic !important; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>Katie: Up and Down The Hall</b></em><b> would hit stores, Plaskin created an award-worthy book trailer, started working his celebrity contacts for endorsements, and hired a freelance book publicist. More than six months before his book would see the light of day, he started blogging almost every day, created a fan page for his book on Facebook, and debuted his active Twitter stream. And today, with his pub date still far on the horizon, he's taking meetings with major corporations to explore sponsorship opportunities.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinH7GHwBUHy9X-_IHztRWXnHahK1-fTL78Odk0O2uoc9gWFuN473V3T_HgVfdqV8b5zhOKWWw22WvaU5QePEPoXvvJ3r8AJBHsNYWDwwV8Paf8oReTf6LBypce9ozGnTg0XMs6snjBnEkH/s1600/CatalogueINsdie2+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><b><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinH7GHwBUHy9X-_IHztRWXnHahK1-fTL78Odk0O2uoc9gWFuN473V3T_HgVfdqV8b5zhOKWWw22WvaU5QePEPoXvvJ3r8AJBHsNYWDwwV8Paf8oReTf6LBypce9ozGnTg0XMs6snjBnEkH/s400/CatalogueINsdie2+copy.jpg" width="301" /></b></a></div><div style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>Plaskin is a client of Goldberg McDuffie Communications, so we're especially aware of his work. But authors are coming to our freelance book publicity firm ever earlier in the publishing process, recognizing that now more than ever they need expert guidance on building their brand and positioning their book in the best possible light. While the rest of the publishing world is wrestling with difficult decisions like eReader formats and rights issues, we feel we're working in a bright spot. Authors will always need public relations and marketing specialists to help connect them to their audiences. It's just that the way we achieve this is changing rapidly.</b></div><div style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>Even just a decade ago, a full-page review in the </b><em style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-style: italic !important; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>New York Times</b></em><b> would have been enough to catapult a book onto the bestseller list and keep it there. While still important, few traditional media outlets can achieve that sort of bounce for a book today as consumers change who they trust as tastemakers--it might be a "mommy blogger" instead of Ladies Home Journal. Communication is no longer a three-person process with the media playing the role of middleman. Because of this, a mix of coverage through mainstream general media, targeted niche media, online outlets, and the work of the author connecting with consumers one-on-one is necessary to give a book a life of its own and the sales numbers it deserves.</b></div><div style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>The work publicists and marketers do--whether in-house at a publisher or at an agency like ours--is increasingly important as the number of media outlets multiplies online, and new social networking sites and tools debut on a regular basis. Should one Tweet? Get on Ning? Start a blog? A big part of our role is to help authors assess the vast array of options before them, think strategically about what will get their book the most attention, and prioritize this work so that their efforts (and time) are not wasted.</b></div><div style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>We have also found it critical to become involved with an author and their work as early in the publishing process as possible. What good is advising someone to start a blog if their first post hits the day the book is on-sale? The point of reaching out to your "tribe" isn't just to sell books, though that will hopefully be a side effect. It's to begin an authentic conversation with people interested in your topic and your thinking. This can help sell books to consumers, and if done right, can help sell one's book to a publisher in the first place.</b></div><div style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b>The publishing world is evolving in myriad ways, as anyone following industry news the last few months well knows. With imprints, editors, and publishing missions changing, authors like the idea of having some constants in their lives. By working with authors over the course of their careers, with the ebb and flow of creativity and publication schedules, we're able to give them perspective, advice, and insight. We're excited about the future of publishing and the many new ways of bringing writers and readers together. And we're looking forward to working with our colleagues in the industry to achieve this together.</b></div><div><br />
</div>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-33957901141168581612010-05-04T00:58:00.020-04:002010-05-04T15:23:43.723-04:00KAPOW! Singer Marilyn Maye Knocks One Out Of The Park At Symphony Space<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo1JGUyGMhFaw3VVaRBe6FOuyhkcAON2l31e03Jau15LwBnv16z4Xx5VB4DccWBbujhfKYUv40r2r2M_dpC-ihSlPLcak1ynmYy7GVXrq8C48pSbZWMCJYE0HrYhL_7dhenc4P_2dxJdY/s1600/05mayespan-1-articleLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo1JGUyGMhFaw3VVaRBe6FOuyhkcAON2l31e03Jau15LwBnv16z4Xx5VB4DccWBbujhfKYUv40r2r2M_dpC-ihSlPLcak1ynmYy7GVXrq8C48pSbZWMCJYE0HrYhL_7dhenc4P_2dxJdY/s320/05mayespan-1-articleLarge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Yesterday afternoon, at the acoustically-perfect Symphony Space, legendary cabaret singer MARILYN MAYE delivered a 90-minute tour de force, a masterful set of classic songs performed effortlessly, no less at age 82!<br />
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But you'd never know it. This woman moves with the grace of a dancer, kicking up her legs, belting out song after song, her voice a buttery blend of perfectly delivered purrs, taunts and teases, shading her delivery with a maturity and level of musicianship you'll rarely hear anywhere. Ella Fitzgerald once dubbed her "the great white female singer in the world,"and it's got to be true.<br />
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Indeed, she can belt out a song with the best of them and she does it all with the physical stamina and vocal mastery of someone decades younger. You simply can't believe this woman.<br />
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For example, her virtuoso rendition of "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe," chugged down the tracks, leaving steam behind and bringing the audience to its feet. And I can't even begin to describe her extraordinary peformance of "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road), haunting and brave in holding back the darkness.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MXouJq9ux2rUBgU0kVjwct-W1YW_AZ2HOoZLwWSFa8gqY_5WSvmB78OUdzo8hUEFu3gWbZa21ji3uheVn21gjeqYipiu508TbYFy5guBzvv8MLBnx7K4eC5RIBnBKt6-6jBVb_Dr_Fuh/s1600/top72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MXouJq9ux2rUBgU0kVjwct-W1YW_AZ2HOoZLwWSFa8gqY_5WSvmB78OUdzo8hUEFu3gWbZa21ji3uheVn21gjeqYipiu508TbYFy5guBzvv8MLBnx7K4eC5RIBnBKt6-6jBVb_Dr_Fuh/s320/top72.jpg" /></a></div> <br />
With seemingly inexhaustible stamina, supported by her fantastic trio, she "swings hard" as the New York Times noted in a review of her act at Feinstein's earlier this year.<br />
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Outfitted in a sequined jacket, black pants with silver beads down the sides, and glittery silver shoes, she was a picture of grace and glamour as she offered a program including a tribute to the songs of Johnny Mercer, Steve Allen, Cole Porter, and more. For all this, I must thank my friend Mario Buatta, a great Marilyn Maye fan and friend, for inviting me as his guest to this afternoon delight.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXAg7M3G23iuiqhfsHZA0_h-zUGxpKMVrnvJfIswhDssMqzCTEm5V3L8g6qkPKu8h8LrOhnye4j9nci1cses2qMsbukhuMSfU6VVN2OT5Zwejbyt6b7s6JXC5TN5_DiDSBYMDiXNs-MVo/s1600/tn-500_marilyn-maye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXAg7M3G23iuiqhfsHZA0_h-zUGxpKMVrnvJfIswhDssMqzCTEm5V3L8g6qkPKu8h8LrOhnye4j9nci1cses2qMsbukhuMSfU6VVN2OT5Zwejbyt6b7s6JXC5TN5_DiDSBYMDiXNs-MVo/s320/tn-500_marilyn-maye.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">For those who don't know, Marilyn was born in Wichita, Kansas and began her career as a child competing in amateur contest in Topeka, where her father owned a drugstore. By 15, she had her own own radio show; and it wasn't long before she came to the attention of Steve Allen, who invited her to appear on his show. Her RCA record contract soon followed, the younger singer delivering seven albums and 34 singles. She appeared on the Tonight Show a record 76 times. Nowadays, she receives award and award, "and I hope all these lifetime achievement awards aren't trying to tell me something," she jokes yesterday, "because I'm not done, not even close."</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">You said it. </span><br />
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<div style="line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.4em;"></div>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-65134367050131492222010-05-02T15:31:00.007-04:002010-05-12T11:26:23.386-04:00A Most Relaxing Conversation At The End Of The Day, With A Perfect Neighbor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuR_nTcs7IsB4ujuf_o2n-WutpgUHz_UvfLi_B4y6jdtiOGDhX7swXYKs32qjdX69M_PYcCgBMBpvHlm-EaU-4vdwiy6X_HQoffQPvRLlezzIPSzFBXCJkp98x0ruoq_G8ycHqzE27uzS/s1600/UnusualSunset+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuR_nTcs7IsB4ujuf_o2n-WutpgUHz_UvfLi_B4y6jdtiOGDhX7swXYKs32qjdX69M_PYcCgBMBpvHlm-EaU-4vdwiy6X_HQoffQPvRLlezzIPSzFBXCJkp98x0ruoq_G8ycHqzE27uzS/s320/UnusualSunset+copy.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>Last evening, the balmiest, most perfect spring night imaginable, after a long day of working, and then a social engagement with friends, I came home to Battery Park City with <i>my</i> 'battery' completely drained.<br />
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There wasn't much energy left in me, not really. And as I got out of the taxi and entered the cherry blossomed-perfection of our waterside community, I felt relieved, as I often do, just by being back in my own neighborhood.<br />
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Unlike most of Manhattan, there was no traffic noise, nothing except the rippling sound of the water and people chatting while walking around at a much more relaxed pace than most of city life in this crazily busy metropolis.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQOVjqq3vKQTPfS22W93Mx1TUUCOvJ-Ui58iiqAbXPfv_zhrPQp-Y7VuSOdD0jotWTkRITFSDPZcJ0p3609GiGtqbQj8IZ4oPRMLY1XEvdPvaeb4j3gdX2QDI87hr4erzxUJD5KpbvWw3/s1600/get-attachment.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQOVjqq3vKQTPfS22W93Mx1TUUCOvJ-Ui58iiqAbXPfv_zhrPQp-Y7VuSOdD0jotWTkRITFSDPZcJ0p3609GiGtqbQj8IZ4oPRMLY1XEvdPvaeb4j3gdX2QDI87hr4erzxUJD5KpbvWw3/s320/get-attachment.aspx.jpeg" /></a></div>As I strolled home, I just happen to run into a great neighbor friend of mine, a fellow dog lover, BEN, as above in the photo, who was walking his two dogs, Miko and Sammy.<br />
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What happened next was an example of a truly great neighborhood phenomena. Ben and I hung out on the street for at least a half hour, talking about anything and everything--including the antics of his two dogs, diet and exercise, my upcoming high school reunion, the process of aging, the secrets of centenarians, the benefits of getting two dogs instead of one, my new dog coming next week, how to handle stress with competitive colleagues and unruly friends, dating---you name it.<br />
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In short, as we often do when we accidentally meet in the morning--me on my bike and Ben walking his dogs--we chatted and laughed about life in general. I can't tell you how refreshing it was to have this spontaneous conversation--THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WORK--or ambition.<br />
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It was just a normal, fun, casual talk and I left Ben feeling energized rather than drained. There was no tension. It was a "clean" transaction, devoid of any negative emotions--enervating feelings that are so destructive. Ben is a fantastic guy with a happy optimistic personality, a calm temperament, someone you WANT to be with, someone who is not in emotional pain.<br />
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In short, he is the perfect neighbor. He's also a contempoary, around my age, so we understand the process of how we feel and why. Because we're both settled in certain aspects of our life--it's actually healing to be with him.<br />
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Once, months earlier, when I told him that I was stressed--and that my back hurt--he was kind enough to give me a great book about YOGA. This was typical of his kind nature--being giving, open, friendly, not intrusive, and generous-hearted.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKkldRd_Q2YLGT7yTi_iuWEhtGdSypFwnE8dTgG2oIEQEFNeCFkUfXqjs_ZslkVnawyBXghpV0wls1dHXHi1FMU_NbkVrqubuXj_C0oGdDk8n6bGysOXBZkaAnndZvyt0LH3Fy-BcaPXK/s1600/todayview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKkldRd_Q2YLGT7yTi_iuWEhtGdSypFwnE8dTgG2oIEQEFNeCFkUfXqjs_ZslkVnawyBXghpV0wls1dHXHi1FMU_NbkVrqubuXj_C0oGdDk8n6bGysOXBZkaAnndZvyt0LH3Fy-BcaPXK/s200/todayview.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Now THERE's somebody you want to meet and spend time with.<br />
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Thanks Ben for a great gift, and the perfect end to the night.Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-66697124983971722122010-04-30T11:30:00.014-04:002010-05-02T23:01:19.660-04:00A New Side Of Joan Rivers Revealed At The Tribeca Film Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKDznP7GE8yv28pR5XyxDw3Bw-F_LtxiD0kiFgC3duLicyRPpuZsPJJplIoePQh2GKd8O0Wnkc0DSCBE_2s0o0MxrK0ZCSmZ1R9Bsl9fGJC2Zu3NO5xMfnaUAcUMURkXomEzQBfrZKs5q/s1600/rivers02112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKDznP7GE8yv28pR5XyxDw3Bw-F_LtxiD0kiFgC3duLicyRPpuZsPJJplIoePQh2GKd8O0Wnkc0DSCBE_2s0o0MxrK0ZCSmZ1R9Bsl9fGJC2Zu3NO5xMfnaUAcUMURkXomEzQBfrZKs5q/s1600/rivers02112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKDznP7GE8yv28pR5XyxDw3Bw-F_LtxiD0kiFgC3duLicyRPpuZsPJJplIoePQh2GKd8O0Wnkc0DSCBE_2s0o0MxrK0ZCSmZ1R9Bsl9fGJC2Zu3NO5xMfnaUAcUMURkXomEzQBfrZKs5q/s400/rivers02112.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>If you want to know something truly personal and revealing about the Joan Rivers <i>nobody</i> knows, go see the gripping film I saw last night at the Tribeca Film Festival titled <b><a href="http://sundance.bside.com/2010/films/joanriversapieceofwork_sundance2010;jsessionid=92B1A561F4245B80CCD4F45F01108807">Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work</a>.</b> <br />
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You can read into that title many things, as Joan--a longtime friend, interview subject (and fellow dog lover)--is wildly irreverent, controversial, hilarious, even offensive to the delicate sensibilities of some--but at the very least, she's the hardest-working woman in show business. Her work ethic is without peer.<br />
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The back-breaking schedule detailed in this year-at-a-glance documentary would exhaust anyone half her age, so she's fortunate to have such an astute and warm-hearted support team--including her longtime assistants Graham and Jocelyn, her housekeepers, fantastic agent, Larry Thompson, and a circle of close friends. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuY2YsjxAdsTtBvVVT04jZoDymKDHNz0OGaxJuywoie_9ytKyrfjjT9phdcKjl32gdNj9G1HMQfBvJ8wnD7KrPcAbjXJqkI2QQFjFo0pCByoz6ThcveSKDTf0zFeN05pih1ThVKrMI6KCz/s1600/joan-rivers_1113189i.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuY2YsjxAdsTtBvVVT04jZoDymKDHNz0OGaxJuywoie_9ytKyrfjjT9phdcKjl32gdNj9G1HMQfBvJ8wnD7KrPcAbjXJqkI2QQFjFo0pCByoz6ThcveSKDTf0zFeN05pih1ThVKrMI6KCz/s320/joan-rivers_1113189i.jpg" /></a></div>Still, wouldn't she like to just relax by the pool? You must be kidding. At almost age 76, she jets across the country, jamming in nightclub appearances, TV shows, book signings, <a href="http://www.qvc.com/cgen/render.aspx?qp=class|1652&ref=GJE&cm_ven=GOOGLEPAID&cm_cat=JEWELRY&cm_pla=JOANRIVERS&cm_ite=JOANRIVERSJEWELRY">QVC jewelry</a> spots, all of it non-stop though she could afford to retire and "live carefully," she says in the film. Retreating from the stage of life, though, is anathama to her and she wants to beat the record set by George Burns, who was still entertaining crowds well into his 90's.<br />
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Compared to that, who wants to golf or play bridge? Joan wants to travel the world, entertaining people, her mission and life purpose being that of an <i>actress</i> "playing a comedienne," for Joan's abilities as an actress, though underestimated by some, are formidable. When she takes the stage, nobody commands it better. And off-stage, chic in her signature jewelry and glittery costumes, she's a youthful wonder--the real secret of it not being plastic surgery, but rather the compulsive energy that feeds her ambition to stay current and active. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rf1Fh2JtNRYO-sIrOQ00D7gVclsO_60tymSnvMBy6Q57qgpTXueH2mA5PgfKQcbfMPyPMG1iOusEhMjEQxjkWppV3WBXIfiIFgCSX7FiEZvzGBqmxf35_5nQ3s_8ObgdLwGuZdsH8HoM/s1600/articleLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rf1Fh2JtNRYO-sIrOQ00D7gVclsO_60tymSnvMBy6Q57qgpTXueH2mA5PgfKQcbfMPyPMG1iOusEhMjEQxjkWppV3WBXIfiIFgCSX7FiEZvzGBqmxf35_5nQ3s_8ObgdLwGuZdsH8HoM/s320/articleLarge.jpg" /></a></div>In fact, in the film, she admits that her greatest fear is having an empty calendar, joking that when she looks at a blank page of it, she has to wear sunglasses to shield herself from the painful glare. <br />
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How ironic that, even with her formidable accomplishments, she's still proving herself, still vulnerable to rejection.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQz7dSU2evTKIf4HmeKAhYQBq7KUzERys5juRPgkhMgkwx9s1JrUGdFV30xVgy6hB1H6ZDh4kaRzGsQVT3zsGp6CeYI2KmYXEyR9wmIuP1JK-WYfQuBzfV998UoBXwNbbH6h-Q7xlpqxm/s1600/51OG7+fiiUL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQz7dSU2evTKIf4HmeKAhYQBq7KUzERys5juRPgkhMgkwx9s1JrUGdFV30xVgy6hB1H6ZDh4kaRzGsQVT3zsGp6CeYI2KmYXEyR9wmIuP1JK-WYfQuBzfV998UoBXwNbbH6h-Q7xlpqxm/s320/51OG7+fiiUL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a></div>At times, it's painful, in this film, to watch the triumphant winner of <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2009/05/11/2009-05-11_joan_rivers_wins_celebrity_apprentice.html">CELEBRITY APPRENTICE</a> struggling to pin down nightclub dates, public appearances, and product endorsements, while trying out an autobiographical play that she ultimately did not bring to the Broadway stage.<br />
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During tryouts in London, the lackluster reviews were painful to her. But criticism is nothing new to Joan. She's faced rejection at key points in life, most notably in the l980's when she left Johnny Carson to host her own late-night talk show on Fox, a move that resulted in Carson blacklisting her from late-night NBC talk shows. It's their loss. <br />
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The movie also captures hilarious vignettes of Joan in live performance--but most of the film is rather serious and emotional, capturing Joan in private moments. On a poignant note, there's one very personal off-stage scene that tells you everything you need to know about the real Joan Rivers. There she is, sitting in the back seat of her limousine with her adorable grandson, Cooper, both on their way to deliver food on Thanksgiving, part of Rivers' work for<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aFNN-nq1S7UEIGZ1wcmmQlSPsdfnF-53r1zRv9YwtY2YrJTxVxX8PIDypvwLvq0h5Lmgl_qnZcmtN_fh2O0ifLcwR76vL8LnxXILNgJoLI9jH5ppJd9t4xRp4CFnPFT8MMhCn9q5Yu34/s1600/spl63488_001_joan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2aFNN-nq1S7UEIGZ1wcmmQlSPsdfnF-53r1zRv9YwtY2YrJTxVxX8PIDypvwLvq0h5Lmgl_qnZcmtN_fh2O0ifLcwR76vL8LnxXILNgJoLI9jH5ppJd9t4xRp4CFnPFT8MMhCn9q5Yu34/s320/spl63488_001_joan.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.godslovewedeliver.org/">God's Love We Deliver</a>, a cause she's championed for years.</div><br />
In the car, Joan gently takes Cooper's left hand in hers and tells him affectionately: "I love your hands," turning them over in hers. And then the boy rests his head on his grandmother's shoulder as they snuggle, a tender part of Joan I'll never forget.<br />
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Her love for that boy, and for her daughter, Melissa, reminds you that beyond showbusiness, here's a woman with a vibrant heart and caring spirit.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidztss3FiamS5qzYq8AxXPjnbSxXaoBLzfwsqhRGh7N6B2-rs6cZdkA3w_JGLBvp5AGqdxL0vRmXpH7-UQnBk8921dBaYW0VawCbVEfz_HQtTe8awalzhXfUUl2Cs0I0yNnM2VWrOE8cq/s1600/services4n1_20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidztss3FiamS5qzYq8AxXPjnbSxXaoBLzfwsqhRGh7N6B2-rs6cZdkA3w_JGLBvp5AGqdxL0vRmXpH7-UQnBk8921dBaYW0VawCbVEfz_HQtTe8awalzhXfUUl2Cs0I0yNnM2VWrOE8cq/s320/services4n1_20.jpg" /></a></div>Unexpectedly, this small moment in the film brought me to tears. Maybe it was because I was remembering the close bond I felt with my own grandmother, Essie, who like Joan, was unusually modern, a remarkably strong woman who even had her own line of cookies at Bloomingdales! There she is with me in the picture to the right, at one of my book autograph sessions.<br />
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Anyway, Cooper is a very lucky boy to have a grandmother like Joan.Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-38417932385655141502010-04-29T10:56:00.004-04:002010-04-29T11:28:39.071-04:00The L-Factor: LIKEABILITY--The True Key To Success<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEEdGiwkLCSp9yvzSNO5NJKWsV6-GElc8gGRuU-B7_CHOye4ypXJLSN1EIDnu4VTrAlMQCnIzjm4NzdDt5MoEbakO-jatQaeAJsDlHsez1U-LagkXHMUJyOK3VZnGSxjstC0OCFmccfoV/s1600/oprah-winfrey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEEdGiwkLCSp9yvzSNO5NJKWsV6-GElc8gGRuU-B7_CHOye4ypXJLSN1EIDnu4VTrAlMQCnIzjm4NzdDt5MoEbakO-jatQaeAJsDlHsez1U-LagkXHMUJyOK3VZnGSxjstC0OCFmccfoV/s320/oprah-winfrey.jpg" /></a><br />
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Throughout my life, there are times when I've erred on the side of being too directive and exacting, wanting desperately for something to work out exactly as I imagined it.<br />
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This--more often than not--is a mistake, for people don't respond to being pushed or overly controlled. That's for sure. Whereas, the ability to take an action and let the results go</i> is the greatest relief in the world. It not only relieves stress but it also makes you a lot more likeable which is one of the greatest secrets to success.<br />
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Whether it's Oprah Winfrey or your favorite neighbor down the block--the thing that makes you want to "tune in" to someone is their overall likeability.<br />
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Have you ever noticed that when two people are up for the same job, more often than not, it's the person who is the most LIKEABLE who gets the job? regardless of their particular qualifications. The ability to establish rapport is essential in life, I've discovered, and there are specific ways you can do it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ai4eC_vGxdD3fvaMHwjCpjeZ2dReeiseQIe7xoku2kgJTwK2PqJnsacWYilX_xoDPReQaai08_Vx9d4y3PpLEJYMUWo1biZzBzBNfriZczcG2fa6h8embB5o78Y5Y6Jx2FExc7HKypbR/s1600/sanders_tim_book2_new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ai4eC_vGxdD3fvaMHwjCpjeZ2dReeiseQIe7xoku2kgJTwK2PqJnsacWYilX_xoDPReQaai08_Vx9d4y3PpLEJYMUWo1biZzBzBNfriZczcG2fa6h8embB5o78Y5Y6Jx2FExc7HKypbR/s320/sanders_tim_book2_new.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
“Your success and happiness in life is a total by-product of how likeable you happen to be,” exclaims leadership coach Tim Sanders, best-selling author of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Likeability-Factor-L-Factor-Achieve-Dreams/dp/1400080509/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272552761&sr=1-1">The Likeability Factor: How To Boost Your L-Factor & Achieve Your Life’s Dreams</a></i> a how-to guide to making yourself more popular in life.<br />
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"Your L-factor permeates virtually all aspects of your life,” he says. Likeable people land better jobs, earn more money, make friends more easily, and have lower divorce rates, lower blood pressure, and better relationships with their children. They also get better service in restaurants and more attention from their doctors!”<br />
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So what exactly is this powerful ingredient that promises such a charmed, happy life and how can we get more of it?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFk-hkihOOHdvgq2w9LIc9HErIS2FqVRrI-XBwho22IO4HtTVAAdyEsxtkBxAQrYNHjz4zNBL0HgF39AtAlhqesW7fiF9e7v1K4i-o4o3T_HcCyzx_gxURAzTp8zOfEyIoHLcQqVhRckhg/s1600/6a00d834515c1e69e20115722633fa970b-320wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFk-hkihOOHdvgq2w9LIc9HErIS2FqVRrI-XBwho22IO4HtTVAAdyEsxtkBxAQrYNHjz4zNBL0HgF39AtAlhqesW7fiF9e7v1K4i-o4o3T_HcCyzx_gxURAzTp8zOfEyIoHLcQqVhRckhg/s200/6a00d834515c1e69e20115722633fa970b-320wi.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Like-ability,” as Sanders defines it, “is what it sounds like--an to produce positive attitudes in others by delivering emotional and physical benefits.” These include comedic relief, empathy, insight, comfort, entertainment, and offering your expertise. “Someone who is likeable gives you a sense of joy, happiness, relaxation, and rejuvenation,” states Sanders. “He or she can bring you relief from depression, anxiety, or boredom.”<br />
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Better than Prozac and quicker than therapy, Sanders refers to likeable people as emotional angels---people who sees the world from an optimistic point of view and make you feel better about yourself. They build you UP! I call it the Dr. Feelgood factor. They’re typically positive, good-natured, and agreeable--bringing out the very best in others.<br />
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"Good for you!" is their hallmark," he observes "and they never rain on someone else's parade. They listen more than they talk, make direct eye contact, and they're generous with their emotions--more likely to laugh, cry, or confide their vulnerability than the average person."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbXtNRbS-djptm6wUwKTF2sWOUX2POGECZpZjLL6rjvCNJrnJwnaQlBiInCFyY87KUDAIvTvPWRM2b4OeuXamXGOdHfiHw9U7bQ2nZbrr2bMCzqSUilyCmaTMsznRfMOjgVaon0hUVGYq/s1600/Likeability1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbXtNRbS-djptm6wUwKTF2sWOUX2POGECZpZjLL6rjvCNJrnJwnaQlBiInCFyY87KUDAIvTvPWRM2b4OeuXamXGOdHfiHw9U7bQ2nZbrr2bMCzqSUilyCmaTMsznRfMOjgVaon0hUVGYq/s320/Likeability1.jpg" /></span></a></div><br />
Likeable people are typically thankful, grateful people with good math skills when it comes to counting their blessings. Their thankfulness results in making room for someone else to feel the same way.<br />
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This produces what Sanders calls a “positive feedback loop,” in which the warm feelings you invoke in others are reciprocated and returned to you, creating constant encouragement and an antidote to the strains of daily life.<br />
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One key component of likeability is FRIENDLINESS--the ability to be agreeable, neighborly and open, to roll out a red carpet of welcome that communicates your receptivity to someone.<br />
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You must convey warmth, comfort and safety in order to be likeable and have people open up to you,” says Sanders. "We’re all like broadcast towers--sending out signals that are decoded by others in order to determine whether we’re a friend or foe. So remember to smile, because it kicks off a chain reaction of smiles in everyone you meet. Studies have proven that smiling faces are perceived as more attractive than non-smiling faces--that a smile is a leading indicator of popularity. <br />
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The other key component to likeability is EMPATHY---the ability to recognize, acknowledge, and experience other people’s feelings. “It’s about being a really good listener,” says Sanders, “genuinely interested in someone’s feelings and responsive to them. It makes the other person feel like they’re being hugged psychologically.”<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1cSro_t7rY90qpzMRD1pyLeH1Gofw2vdu2bKcmZ8V1gSHMMMz3VHhcV3fUgS0pFJuIZkLzwa90WJdfwB0bQiowGBjmyGs3tGBaC8cHLUAa4-YtZOY3TxUwWLFlz3P3PFrtlmUC3nGj-Gv/s1600/HuggingKidsSmall%5B4%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1cSro_t7rY90qpzMRD1pyLeH1Gofw2vdu2bKcmZ8V1gSHMMMz3VHhcV3fUgS0pFJuIZkLzwa90WJdfwB0bQiowGBjmyGs3tGBaC8cHLUAa4-YtZOY3TxUwWLFlz3P3PFrtlmUC3nGj-Gv/s320/HuggingKidsSmall%5B4%5D.jpg" /><br />
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TIPS FOR GETTING PEOPLE TO LIKE YOU!<br />
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Everyone,” Sanders believes, is born likeable. The average five-year-old is sympathetic, friendly, and real--possessing natural likeability in spades! But by the time we’re twenty-five and feeling the pressure of producing results in life, we start cutting corners. We get sharp around the edges and become less likeable, the means often justifying the end.”<br />
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The secret to reversing this trend, he believes, is consciously boosting our L-factor: “If we’re able to raise it by even just one or two points, life will feel better.” Here’s how to cultivate an easy-going, likeable personality: <br />
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(1)<b> Pinpoint your two most likeable traits and use them every day.</b> Is it your smile, sense of humor, generosity, perceptiveness, talent, efficiency?<br />
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(2)<b> Go on a strict non-unfriendliness diet. </b>Eliminate unfriendliness from your behavior and adopt a policy of zero tolerance for being unfriendly.<br />
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(3)<b>Spot warning signs before you commit unfriendliness:</b> These include feeling angry, having an ache in your head, a pain in the pit of the stomach, or the sensation of blood rushing to your face. Delay anger gratification.<br />
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(4)<b>Show friendly signs:</b><br />
Make eye contact; use your eyebrows (the more animated they are, the more outgoing and friendly you’ll seem); widen your eyes to show emotion; smile--but don’t force it. Cultivate a friendly tone of voice--and don’t match tones with people who are unfriendly, upset, or angry. Remain calm. Speak in a confident tone.<br />
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(5)<b>Demonstrate good manners</b> Don’t interrupt people, apologize when you need to, and go out of your way to do favors for others. Don’t be aggressive; be nice.<br />
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(6) <b>Make yourself emotionally attractive to people at work and at home</b> Add value by easing their suffering, anxiety, or fear in any way you can.<br />
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(7)<b>Avoid the prima donna syndrome: </b>Don’t always be a star. Blend in and become part of the team.<br />
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(8)<b>Observe your behavior as if you were someone else <b>totally unattached to your ego. Ask yourself: how do I make other people feel?<br />
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(9) <b>Allow people to feel the way they do</b>. Don’t try to fix other people’s feelings. If they’re sad, be sad with them. If they're happy, let their joy be your happiness.<br />
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(10) <b>Keep It Real</b><br />
Believe every word of every song you sing. Be factual and admit your mistakes.Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-52871528030735482922010-04-27T10:25:00.007-04:002010-04-27T10:33:59.758-04:00Inner Harmony: A Lesson From The G R E A T Shirley MacLaine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNxXUVME2P7PIm4BQyZllhHd2qiKAZQX4Il6x-G0KIwDfIzP9sR-0TB_T-1Ue_VFylyhaUoTcXua2dbCWqvrO-xpJiuJGYrEO5s9upJ9uqh6t8TRCnfYyP3-FUXYTQJ9d9e0vKYuuTfYz/s1600/Shirley_MacLaine-r823409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNxXUVME2P7PIm4BQyZllhHd2qiKAZQX4Il6x-G0KIwDfIzP9sR-0TB_T-1Ue_VFylyhaUoTcXua2dbCWqvrO-xpJiuJGYrEO5s9upJ9uqh6t8TRCnfYyP3-FUXYTQJ9d9e0vKYuuTfYz/s1600/Shirley_MacLaine-r823409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNxXUVME2P7PIm4BQyZllhHd2qiKAZQX4Il6x-G0KIwDfIzP9sR-0TB_T-1Ue_VFylyhaUoTcXua2dbCWqvrO-xpJiuJGYrEO5s9upJ9uqh6t8TRCnfYyP3-FUXYTQJ9d9e0vKYuuTfYz/s320/Shirley_MacLaine-r823409.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>One of my all-time favorite interview subjects is legendary actress, bestselling author (and fellow dog lover) <b>Shirley MacLaine</b>, a luminously wise soul who brings her intuition and truth to everything she does.<br />
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Having done one interview with Shirley, together with Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Collins, and Debby Reynolds, for the TV film"These Old Broads," we spoke again, in a subsequent interview, about the secrets of Inner Harmony, an especially useful topic to anyone who experiences the vagaries of worry, stress, and fear.<br />
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Over lunch one spring day in Central Park, Shirley confided that whenever she feels angry, discouraged, or stressed out, she always does exactly the same thing:<br />
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"I go into a quiet room, close my eyes, and say, 'Thank you.'"<br />
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"Thank you for being stressed out," I joked?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUozZhF5WTzhWxfa1nGr2L6dPjYUhBHWGxb7mbpJXETI2wOc2VEXOKszXG331I24gxn6yTmgMA2bwWgu7Y8AeqmseO9oDhlrW1Bu6JJRI3ck0PufO17gxkvjATnHkURrjhYuGy4Q9DxbR/s1600/shirley-maclaine-chakra-sky-jewelry-collection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUozZhF5WTzhWxfa1nGr2L6dPjYUhBHWGxb7mbpJXETI2wOc2VEXOKszXG331I24gxn6yTmgMA2bwWgu7Y8AeqmseO9oDhlrW1Bu6JJRI3ck0PufO17gxkvjATnHkURrjhYuGy4Q9DxbR/s200/shirley-maclaine-chakra-sky-jewelry-collection.jpg" width="155" /></a></div>"Yes, that's exactly right. I have learned to say thank you for <i>whatever</i> it is I'm feeling angry or upset about because what I'm feeling is based on something that's unresolved in <i>me</i>," she observes.<br />
<br />
"I'm thanking someone for making me clearly look at something and understand what brought up my anger. It turns out that the person or event that caused me to feel upset is really a teacher. When I probe the reasons behind it, the anger disappears. So what we're really talking about is a change in <i>attitude</i> toward everything that happens to you. I find that going inward through meditation is a panacea for healing depression, worry, fear--you name it. Reducing stress is really all about calming the spirit."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVuFinMcvkQWT-2ggHOkQwcnsEPt6ZaYFR57-j4qtkbUEfY0GY0A3_6lY9YnY3r9MkAXCOz7T_MWoMllRewtA5aC6UZ0UWnYGpGS1yvmpCNhfb_jO2SH8nRvnsECWRsqLjwv4Yj1_s7FW/s1600/MacLaine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNVuFinMcvkQWT-2ggHOkQwcnsEPt6ZaYFR57-j4qtkbUEfY0GY0A3_6lY9YnY3r9MkAXCOz7T_MWoMllRewtA5aC6UZ0UWnYGpGS1yvmpCNhfb_jO2SH8nRvnsECWRsqLjwv4Yj1_s7FW/s320/MacLaine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It's been proven, also, that having a dog also reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, calms the spirit, and shifts the focus from the self to the unique needs of our canine companion. In return, guaranteed is an endless wellspring of love.<br />
<br />
Shirley touched on these spiritual gifts in her book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Out-Leash-Exploring-Nature-Reality/dp/0743486161/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272376827&sr=1-1">Out On A Leash</a>, all about her relationship with her dog Terry and how effectively her terrier communicates, sensing her feelings in the unique way that dogs always do.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWPjFrBZmyf4bu5Yz_-IZP7RJH5n2LtI96F8EsSn1LYEoSLY7jizbwAbzOxV0sgUcs4A5YHkrTw3j5xLQ8AcBetCr0IC2FA0tgHM9DvkxESyMVNhLDPqJjLo8wThNBD_lgBA-kAbZ8Ert/s1600/FourBroads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvWPjFrBZmyf4bu5Yz_-IZP7RJH5n2LtI96F8EsSn1LYEoSLY7jizbwAbzOxV0sgUcs4A5YHkrTw3j5xLQ8AcBetCr0IC2FA0tgHM9DvkxESyMVNhLDPqJjLo8wThNBD_lgBA-kAbZ8Ert/s320/FourBroads.jpg" /></a></div>I can tell you that in my upcoming book, <a href="http://www.katiebook.com/">Katie Up And Down The Hall</a>, there are countless examples of times when I was sick or depressed or worried or anxious--and no matter what the problem I faced, the mere presence of my dog--and MEDITATION--were both healing balms, better than Prozac, therapy, or a piece of chocolate cake.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheyNfwZ42rBxEERcNJwnc4frO1-lp7cA2c94uEHK6mipb31MQmItgZz1ra4HWacruTzuBLSwrSSbPthAQrCxtIQN90ieLlYNITUyTsuQiqP8T7lHIk0Jde4qNoLIZOYKTUroiaR1AH4Ar4/s1600/Shirley-MacLaine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheyNfwZ42rBxEERcNJwnc4frO1-lp7cA2c94uEHK6mipb31MQmItgZz1ra4HWacruTzuBLSwrSSbPthAQrCxtIQN90ieLlYNITUyTsuQiqP8T7lHIk0Jde4qNoLIZOYKTUroiaR1AH4Ar4/s320/Shirley-MacLaine.jpg" /></a></div>Meditation, Shirley says, "requires faith in yourself, faith in your capacity to hear your higher power."<br />
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When she finishes her spiritual routine each day, she has attained a state of inner harmony: "I don't ever feel depressed, and I don't ever feel ecstatic. I'm right in the middle--in a calm place. Maybe we have to redefine words likes 'happiness.' It isn't over-the-moon joy, necessarily. It's a humming feeling of real contentment."<br />
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In parting, Shirley shared with me her Daily Survival Kit, "necessary objects," she says "that you can keep in your purse or pocket--or in your imagnation--serving as reminders of spiritual principles." Thinking of them this way, as below, reduces stress every single time. Try it!<br />
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<div style="font: 14.0px Geneva; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: red;">The Toothpick</span>: is to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others.</div><div style="font: 14.0px Geneva; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: red;">The Rubber Band:</span> is to remind you to be flexible; things may not always go the way you want but they always work out.</div><div style="font: 14.0px Geneva; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: red;">The Band Aid:</span> is to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else’s.</div><div style="font: 14.0px Geneva; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: red;">The Pencil:</span> is to remind you to list your blessings every day.</div><div style="font: 14.0px Geneva; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: red;">The Eraser</span>: is to remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it’s okay.</div><div style="font: 14.0px Geneva; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: red;">The Glue: </span>is to remind you to stick with it; if you do, you can accomplish anything.</div><div style="font: 14.0px Geneva; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: red;">The Mint:</span> is to remind you that you are worth a mint.</div><div style="font: 14.0px Geneva; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: red;">The Candy Kiss:</span> is to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug every day, especially children.</div><div style="font: 14.0px Geneva; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="color: red;">The Tea Bag</span>: is to remind you to relax and take some time for yourself; you’ve earned it.</div><div style="font: 14.0px Geneva; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 19.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #777777;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="productDescriptionWrapper" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="emptyClear" style="clear: both; font-size: 0px; height: 0px;"></div></div>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-20664251695047832252010-04-26T09:48:00.008-04:002010-04-30T22:59:27.249-04:00A Puppy On The Move<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYGz4k3Gt86OlJM36k5oaRqbtf5JodGrHGVXUqSlrQbHKDHBqWTe1Qq8s848CYnWXMfvPXe6AzAokTNOf52_3ufluo-u95uqvamyFGJ_drHR_WIHLETgs5j_BuusKuv0p4ZuZ-F6st-os/s1600/PInkShirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYGz4k3Gt86OlJM36k5oaRqbtf5JodGrHGVXUqSlrQbHKDHBqWTe1Qq8s848CYnWXMfvPXe6AzAokTNOf52_3ufluo-u95uqvamyFGJ_drHR_WIHLETgs5j_BuusKuv0p4ZuZ-F6st-os/s400/PInkShirt.jpg" width="271" /></a></div> Years ago, when I got my first dog, <b>Katie</b>--the star of my upcoming book <i><a href="http://www.glennplaskin.com/">Katie Up and Down the Hall</a></i>--I never actually saw her until she was three months old.<br />
<br />
She appeared one day, as I describe in the book, fresh from the farm in New Jersey, and though she seemed rather shy and ungainly at first, almost pitiful in appearance, I loved her immediately and the rest was history.<br />
<br />
Here she is, to the right, in her Disneyland Minnie Mouse T-Shirt, at about 2 years old.<br />
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But now, in the age of puppy photos and videos transmitted electronically, there's little need for suspense, new images appearing each week on the computer screen or the i phone long before you meet.<br />
<br />
So in advance of meeting my new dog, Lucy, her growth has been faithfully documented week to week by Dolores, the wonderful cocker spaniel breeder in upstate New York. <br />
<br />
At first, Lucy looked like a furry blonde kualoa bear, easily fitting into the palm of your hand. But seven weeks later, her transformation is astounding.<br />
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Take a look for yourself....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJ-r9uhdDwj0hWeN8yKd95CJx3oSLUec4LwbeuARh3O8j7MYLKLYWFoyzoDCOv6AXs2efQflF2-C1rxzJMhin0W3NI5CYMRSYdol921iFfXKdErcUF72RUAiWAcIv-dTFu4fkx8BwE-Cd/s1600/Week1A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIJ-r9uhdDwj0hWeN8yKd95CJx3oSLUec4LwbeuARh3O8j7MYLKLYWFoyzoDCOv6AXs2efQflF2-C1rxzJMhin0W3NI5CYMRSYdol921iFfXKdErcUF72RUAiWAcIv-dTFu4fkx8BwE-Cd/s320/Week1A.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Week #1</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8eCZzE2w0CzEJFs6ImB-DZ-F5D2ERS3QpF5Ul6Ow4yq_ZTIRBCYFE2_5iWeW5C9G3PGD3fj4X7jbA-q0LJDTgi8ljkkPZLHu2fT0ayEktQ-j7mt3888VEnHfh_zZpN8vCVHRzX0Ai8Su/s1600/Week+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8eCZzE2w0CzEJFs6ImB-DZ-F5D2ERS3QpF5Ul6Ow4yq_ZTIRBCYFE2_5iWeW5C9G3PGD3fj4X7jbA-q0LJDTgi8ljkkPZLHu2fT0ayEktQ-j7mt3888VEnHfh_zZpN8vCVHRzX0Ai8Su/s320/Week+2.jpeg" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Week #2</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1B0GACHbaYijthgJPBBP04PHdXvQaJJqqsN-VVQRpO4QzXFD5XJ0V1kf74nIEhVQVtDcl-I97t6A7082ajASCGtuvq8ZEhHCjVYi0EMNqJcOcprjcXZhzWhm2iz38PMP1UTqdycUGTxW/s1600/3d.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1B0GACHbaYijthgJPBBP04PHdXvQaJJqqsN-VVQRpO4QzXFD5XJ0V1kf74nIEhVQVtDcl-I97t6A7082ajASCGtuvq8ZEhHCjVYi0EMNqJcOcprjcXZhzWhm2iz38PMP1UTqdycUGTxW/s320/3d.jpeg" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Week #3</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFfaVkt4qHkgHGhP6xFh2-ad6pCxAiHpfkYSM_JIcPetgWPusUFqFZOjw_lxXgzRKkEgnRs0fgd0Bkz9sPnHblb5o9EdfkmBUd_wm1tW3lgbtut29Gv1uBeU4hxvkUX8dWVFiLZ9v6Mlb/s1600/puppyweek4a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFfaVkt4qHkgHGhP6xFh2-ad6pCxAiHpfkYSM_JIcPetgWPusUFqFZOjw_lxXgzRKkEgnRs0fgd0Bkz9sPnHblb5o9EdfkmBUd_wm1tW3lgbtut29Gv1uBeU4hxvkUX8dWVFiLZ9v6Mlb/s320/puppyweek4a.jpeg" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Week #4</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9FlsQ5zEkXmnprxoxY886M9Kn27KCnG9kLdEfPoh4HPekcgNc8yxfV_uRn_EogC6Aab7n_N4IFuo2PilanXnqaXM85VAuGR5MBeKx1tcM5wOzoPmfXD9JMCw1GWw32KIgahSjUaX6Qsl/s1600/Lucy+Week+5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9FlsQ5zEkXmnprxoxY886M9Kn27KCnG9kLdEfPoh4HPekcgNc8yxfV_uRn_EogC6Aab7n_N4IFuo2PilanXnqaXM85VAuGR5MBeKx1tcM5wOzoPmfXD9JMCw1GWw32KIgahSjUaX6Qsl/s320/Lucy+Week+5.jpeg" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Week #5</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BLHDUmRiQRXLgykjTnM4CmCLDqvr__vP12yAVLnP2872HSgHe7nyFZ6D8kYl56xAcORRw3FPLt9wiKF9shL0lMEE3BNRofG1BMZbjHDxXEWMo8ofsE4eg4vn-5fmVOkxD_1fEMiVliUG/s1600/LucyWeek6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6BLHDUmRiQRXLgykjTnM4CmCLDqvr__vP12yAVLnP2872HSgHe7nyFZ6D8kYl56xAcORRw3FPLt9wiKF9shL0lMEE3BNRofG1BMZbjHDxXEWMo8ofsE4eg4vn-5fmVOkxD_1fEMiVliUG/s320/LucyWeek6.jpeg" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Week #6</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzj2T1l93WZp8yqHJ6FdrG8y4jKhJtAUrQ_KBKA2CZRzPZsZsUL0JEf47phbMuiO0vGmGMYUYAR6LZJ7AKPelx3b-10l1IotU2Kkx7BMJOTgHWZZnT-MeJWW43xl9YshgRrhNHzISZG-qz/s1600/Lucy+Week+7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzj2T1l93WZp8yqHJ6FdrG8y4jKhJtAUrQ_KBKA2CZRzPZsZsUL0JEf47phbMuiO0vGmGMYUYAR6LZJ7AKPelx3b-10l1IotU2Kkx7BMJOTgHWZZnT-MeJWW43xl9YshgRrhNHzISZG-qz/s320/Lucy+Week+7.jpeg" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Week #7</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RFtgCwClW4KTSYpXCorzdAU7wj6tS3Z34G_u1DLodUZnXLPLOGZw5uMepnkyqsO2r_QI-P22gxqyzR4a0b262iwsbP3tYOOn3KQs_S_be9FOxg7sQHbW4O7_EUwq3kfNAmGxUc_tXu3j/s1600/Lucy8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4RFtgCwClW4KTSYpXCorzdAU7wj6tS3Z34G_u1DLodUZnXLPLOGZw5uMepnkyqsO2r_QI-P22gxqyzR4a0b262iwsbP3tYOOn3KQs_S_be9FOxg7sQHbW4O7_EUwq3kfNAmGxUc_tXu3j/s320/Lucy8.jpeg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Week #8</div>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-91512430774031557032010-04-23T12:04:00.009-04:002010-04-24T00:44:35.503-04:00THE PERFECT BAKED POTATO: THE MAGNIFICENT KATHARINE HEPBURN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEM2m31wGFud60FQL4FT3fBvDK-X53xKLRc72FWXChJDgLWLQCYExaSeoNMh3WbkCjphL3rXN2XW595Icxj7TRV4-vTx2WPcmPPdTbax42xLGraPuwLLoUrXlEMtXLVW9JL66Q_QqA7lmU/s1600/hepburnmagcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEM2m31wGFud60FQL4FT3fBvDK-X53xKLRc72FWXChJDgLWLQCYExaSeoNMh3WbkCjphL3rXN2XW595Icxj7TRV4-vTx2WPcmPPdTbax42xLGraPuwLLoUrXlEMtXLVW9JL66Q_QqA7lmU/s400/hepburnmagcover.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>People often ask me: 'Who was your all-time favorite interview subject?'<br />
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Over a period of thirty years, having met or interviewed hundreds of celebrities--legends including Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Meryl Streep, Jacqueline Onassis, Calvin Klein, Nancy Reagan, Oprah Winfrey, Barbara Walters--all of them unforgettable--one radiant personality stands out in my mind as most magnificent--and intimidating!<br />
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And that would be the great <b>KATHARINE HEPBURN</b>, who as a child, I first saw in the movie "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?"<br />
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Growing up in Buffalo, New York, I never could have guessed that, decades later, <i>I'd</i> be the one invited to dinner at the Miss Hepburn's East 49th Street Turtle Bay townhouse, discussing, as we did, my biography of the legendary Vladimir Horowitz, which she kindly read, the catalyst for our first meeting.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>We instantly clicked and over a period of years, we subsequently did a number of magazine and newspaper interviews, including one titled "I'm Bored With The Great Katharine Hepburn!" for Family Circle; an 80th birthday magazine story about 'Madame' for the Daily News Sunday Magazine; another cover piece for the publication of her autobiography titled <i>ME</i>; and an interview for a TV movie she made with Ryan O'Neal called <i>The Man Upstairs</i>.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIuLzWJbm1k6N9SmgWLaenQVG-hZ0z-BF2agtMUwspLP6KvXDu1cVkLgbaFkUzlROTzmBrCwvb1y3uKBxjzUSdq-LGPLBL_ZW5U0LzYcyu1dGJU1bSwqPuPAkh5C1e_BkX8S8Df3sCfw7Q/s1600/1215617125_1910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIuLzWJbm1k6N9SmgWLaenQVG-hZ0z-BF2agtMUwspLP6KvXDu1cVkLgbaFkUzlROTzmBrCwvb1y3uKBxjzUSdq-LGPLBL_ZW5U0LzYcyu1dGJU1bSwqPuPAkh5C1e_BkX8S8Df3sCfw7Q/s320/1215617125_1910.jpg" /></a><br />
Through it all, in making my appointments to see her, I always got the same phone treatment: "Ham and cheese, 12:30," Click!<br />
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In one interview she compared herself to a baked potato: "A baked potato is fundamental, basic, nothing fancy, rough in a way." Actually, she was a baked potato upside down, I joked: "Yes, I like standing on my head. I go right up and I'll stay up for the count of four minutes." What's it good for, I inquired?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHW2lE3uJHlmJR6NS2UvkWAHSah1xb-KDCY7pkualcirs9N3MjHrX5lpcDQBRlf0o-fNUts9SmZ5dpIqV-7_CnCZ4csv1N2SV4QhN95BSlfvdasGazJxY0Y8mLSAGfeS6mSPJs6CTBuxRg/s1600/hepburndn3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHW2lE3uJHlmJR6NS2UvkWAHSah1xb-KDCY7pkualcirs9N3MjHrX5lpcDQBRlf0o-fNUts9SmZ5dpIqV-7_CnCZ4csv1N2SV4QhN95BSlfvdasGazJxY0Y8mLSAGfeS6mSPJs6CTBuxRg/s320/hepburndn3.jpg" /></a></div>"My self-respect," case closed!<br />
<br />
"Spencer," she added, " was a real baked potato...a great actor. Simpe. Never overdone. Unguarded. He could make you laugh. He could make you cry." So could she.<br />
<br />
And although the wonderful Katie is no longer with us, I'm so happy to say that she appears in my upcoming book, <i><a href="http://www.glennplaskin.com/">Katie Up and Down The Hall</a></i>, in a fun chapter titled: <i>Prancing With The Stars</i>, all about how my dog, Katie, interacted with some of those I'd interviewed, including Leona Helmsley, Farrah Fawcett, Peter Jennings, Bette Midler, Ivana Trump--and yes, even Miss Hepburn. I won't give away what happened--until September.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1rnmxBy_RNpYj4XQ5WbY7VzA9qTnTVWq-MU8gngjmJ8QKFXueNq3iXVw8XWyNy5jRBTuFZmstRBTjtdV6lx6viCmVUjq9ktcUvcyHs27lO_igymKNWiQw3A8HP7K_FZZVwLoy19LBCXP/s1600/KateAutograph1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL1rnmxBy_RNpYj4XQ5WbY7VzA9qTnTVWq-MU8gngjmJ8QKFXueNq3iXVw8XWyNy5jRBTuFZmstRBTjtdV6lx6viCmVUjq9ktcUvcyHs27lO_igymKNWiQw3A8HP7K_FZZVwLoy19LBCXP/s320/KateAutograph1.jpg" /></a></div>However, I would like to tell you my Kate Hepburn "pan story," one that illustrated the strong-minded character of another great figure in my life--the tart heroine of my book, Pearl, the octogenarian down the hall who gave me and my dog a home, a warm harbor, sixteen years of wonderful meals, a sympathetic ear, and a lifetime of companionship that I will never forget.<br />
<br />
One day, when I was going over to Miss Hepburn's house for lunch, "Granny," as we nicknamed Pearl, baked up one of her apricot pear tarts. "She'll like this," Pearl confidently surmised, "so give it to her, but remember, bring back my pan. It was my mother's."<br />
<br />
At lunch, Miss Hepburn did indeed love the tart, and gobbled it up. I left the lunch, returned home and told Pearl what a hit the tart had been.<br />
<br />
"Where's my pan?" she inquired. Uh oh.<br />
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"I forgot to get it back," I told her, "but I'll buy you a new one."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhAdd8xljfEOZBJ0b-auiqlvXemSEjCtZTUBBDVWKMRf0VRwD-ux8G8eKxt0Zkv-CwHzoUUIlRNQMPyBF3T_rz56rj7nrxi3-FY50XoUFSsfbgxaSThC6DhJ3P5mNWZVIpQ8HcGzwn-u4/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhAdd8xljfEOZBJ0b-auiqlvXemSEjCtZTUBBDVWKMRf0VRwD-ux8G8eKxt0Zkv-CwHzoUUIlRNQMPyBF3T_rz56rj7nrxi3-FY50XoUFSsfbgxaSThC6DhJ3P5mNWZVIpQ8HcGzwn-u4/s320/9.jpg" /></a></div>"No!" Pearl exclaimed. "I need the pan back."<br />
<br />
I called Miss Hepburn on the phone the next day and reminded her of the tart--"Oh yes, fascinating, thank you"--and told her that I needed the pan back for my friend.<br />
<br />
"You're calling me for a <b>pan</b>?" her quavery voice challenged.<br />
<br />
"Oh, yes, sorry Miss Hepburn. I'm afraid I need it back."<br />
<br />
"You can come over right now and I'll GIVE it to you!" And off I went to her house. She practically threw the pan at me--but then invited me in for some freshly home-made borscht.<br />
<br />
Pearl got her pan--and all was well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaX3A_I9nquVlWzjut8B2Zznb2Vxym5nV-Xoepyom1IjdzVrf0RRPY3XTO2Qb_njbRIMiStaI_ZTDE17ATfvEV_n3zaMIzaWfeVmkyEfLse3Ae5BWkDWinvSf5NXHR6C5w00mcKQaL12YB/s1600/244E49th-Hepburn-sml.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaX3A_I9nquVlWzjut8B2Zznb2Vxym5nV-Xoepyom1IjdzVrf0RRPY3XTO2Qb_njbRIMiStaI_ZTDE17ATfvEV_n3zaMIzaWfeVmkyEfLse3Ae5BWkDWinvSf5NXHR6C5w00mcKQaL12YB/s320/244E49th-Hepburn-sml.gif" /></a></div>A few years later, on what turned out to be my last visit with Miss Hepburn, I can never forget what happened as I was leaving her townhouse after lunch, illustrating the chin-in-the-air charm and playfulness of the great Kate. As she walked me outside, ignoring a number of curious onlookers who stole a glimpse at this legendary actress, she looked up at me, seeming to study my face, and then said: "You know, you look better than you used to."<br />
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"Miss Hepburn!" I laughed. "Is that a compliment?"<br />
<br />
"You can take it any way you want."<br />
<br />
And off she went. And that was the last time I ever saw Miss Hepburn.<br />
<br />
She eventually moved to her family home in Connecticut, gave fewer interviews, stopped appearing in movies, and, sadly, her health failed. But I will never forget this legend who had meant so much to me--and, of course, her first name had a special significance, as I named Katie after her.<br />
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</span></span>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-17915153667885233222010-04-21T14:18:00.004-04:002010-04-21T15:36:06.181-04:00How About A New Holiday called "SISTER'S DAY?!"<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHuPumiYmJeDdu-KYRUPAVL9OS7_XvqMZk6cIdL9nK06DcoejoYCvr3x7R16ppC_8NLEYs7pjahwzfCz0ABnGSi_DE7xgM8zqsIThub_mAK0GOkKyywXg9-1K99vGRzDsVTO7ULjKT8c0/s1600/Debcropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHuPumiYmJeDdu-KYRUPAVL9OS7_XvqMZk6cIdL9nK06DcoejoYCvr3x7R16ppC_8NLEYs7pjahwzfCz0ABnGSi_DE7xgM8zqsIThub_mAK0GOkKyywXg9-1K99vGRzDsVTO7ULjKT8c0/s400/Debcropped.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Although I frequently write about my famous interview subjects and celebrity friends, I never mention the one star in my life who shines greater than any other--someone I speak to virtually every day, a person of impeccable values who I trust and can count on no matter what</span><span class="Apple-style-span">.</span></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">She's a best friend, advisor, and confidante all rolled into one. You won't find a better listener, someone who has mastered the art of shining the spotlight on others.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnR8q6GMbqbDMupBU5PsMDCebt2lFa6lMrsAd972sKPGgJmfsfF2DXojLatNBayRjrW7H8CXqMWXyJSKYVvGV0dMIj75xKSZIsw344_UaSkM_zte5f7IkYvn6zaVGwE5T4TeNjQPhrBQw/s1600/Family+Photo" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnR8q6GMbqbDMupBU5PsMDCebt2lFa6lMrsAd972sKPGgJmfsfF2DXojLatNBayRjrW7H8CXqMWXyJSKYVvGV0dMIj75xKSZIsw344_UaSkM_zte5f7IkYvn6zaVGwE5T4TeNjQPhrBQw/s320/Family+Photo" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">She's my SISTER--Debby, and there ought to be a holiday invented for sisters (and brothers). She's especially on my mind as she's visiting here today in Battery Park City, taking a break from her quieter life in upstate New York.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As a little girl, Debby was so adorable with those huge brown eyes and plump cheeks. I carted her around, showered her with hugs and kisses, and we laughed (and sang) hilariously about anything and everything. Five years younger than me, she was nicknamed 'the baby' by my Mom, the most good-natured, accommodating, easy to get along with person you've ever met. (I was admittedly a bit more difficult as was my older sister Joanne). </div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Even as a child, Debby had a special talent--caring for others. For example, as a little girl of eight she was already baby-sitting kids in the neighborhood, with a string of toddlers up and down the block vying for her attention.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLi_KCikqgF6DVUrfsQRA0toLe_xTCp2-PcqQzhj-YaOG5rLCNa4_U2qQTxNaEvvCOz9sCvi5gQPfMenem423eqUqlVkqZ3hyphenhyphenYARKpmdA5Otdi9evtJdAzhZ4xhscENQGEyUmmAlMMayq3/s1600/KatieNanaGREAT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLi_KCikqgF6DVUrfsQRA0toLe_xTCp2-PcqQzhj-YaOG5rLCNa4_U2qQTxNaEvvCOz9sCvi5gQPfMenem423eqUqlVkqZ3hyphenhyphenYARKpmdA5Otdi9evtJdAzhZ4xhscENQGEyUmmAlMMayq3/s320/KatieNanaGREAT.jpg" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Our grandfather, whom we nicknamed Papa, adored her and I once found him placidly sitting in a chair while Debby plastered down his hair, putting it into ringlets. Debby was just as close to our grandmother, Nana, and they were soul mates to the end of her long life. Likewise, both my mother and father rely on her greatly and she's the most devoted daughter imaginable.</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Through my life, through so many ups and down, she's always been there. And I can say that I now truly understand the expression about blood being thicker than water, because the kind of unconditional love you can experience from a sister or brother, or parent, or grandparent, or family member is unlike any other relationship. Few friends or romantic partners can be that loyal or understanding. And fewer still last a half century.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizM-yeou2XEmDsFkgkRKtdExChoWDvA3MKWdDH_7W1yWj-CsHcUF-WNTrYeEdpTHNmlBwlH-dd-uMHVcDfggTM7MKpscHaFFCPlp0Zh23vhdO8XECJFyeC2_Tt4RtQDb6Y1opMSbVSmjxT/s1600/DSCN7384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizM-yeou2XEmDsFkgkRKtdExChoWDvA3MKWdDH_7W1yWj-CsHcUF-WNTrYeEdpTHNmlBwlH-dd-uMHVcDfggTM7MKpscHaFFCPlp0Zh23vhdO8XECJFyeC2_Tt4RtQDb6Y1opMSbVSmjxT/s320/DSCN7384.JPG" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">I can tell you that my dog, Katie, felt the same way about Debby as I do. She'd crawl into her arms and fall soundly asleep, blissfully content. Debby would sometimes dress her up in a red coat and green hat and take her outside in winter; and in the summer, she'd throw Katie's blue ball down our long red-carpeted hallway, and Katie would scoop it up in her mouth and throw it back at Debby, ready for another round.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As I think of both Debby and Katie--I realize that both have been my best and most loyal friends and companions--so on this sunny spring day, maybe you'll think of your brother and sister and pick out a special card or gift that expresses the preciousness of a gift we call family.</div></div></div></div>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-82610656008006908392010-04-20T11:12:00.011-04:002010-07-20T21:00:03.994-04:00IVANA TRUMP AND HER GREAT MOM: AN UNBEATABLE TEAM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4j87jNUzwkh59evck7INDsQrNd3TBQr_hRAe5VAd4tVdgw5hbmdXIyVRfl9vURklo9nrjlinul4PGGvIHOlxyBaiDzLVsNoarwZVuyZmzG1oKANPjKuEeKtzOn-Cb8gXJE00CUd24NvDH/s1600/Ivana_Trump_Cameo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4j87jNUzwkh59evck7INDsQrNd3TBQr_hRAe5VAd4tVdgw5hbmdXIyVRfl9vURklo9nrjlinul4PGGvIHOlxyBaiDzLVsNoarwZVuyZmzG1oKANPjKuEeKtzOn-Cb8gXJE00CUd24NvDH/s400/Ivana_Trump_Cameo.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>The effervescent high-energy<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1196293618"> </a><b><a href="http://www.ivanatrump.com/">IVANA TRUMP</a></b>, who makes a guest appearance in my upcoming book, <i><a href="http://www.glennplaskin.com/">Katie Up and Down the Hall</a></i>, is known for her sparkling charm, athletic prowess, and bubbly sense of humor. In the chapter of the book titled "Prancing With The Stars," Ivana, a passionate dog lover, befriends my dog Katie and marches her right into a board meeting at the Plaza Hotel!<br />
<br />
Super-disciplined and always on the move, Ivana, a former Olympic skier and model, remains timelessly glamorous whether seen racing down a ski slope in Switzerland or hosting a charity benefit at her pristine town house in Manhattan's Upper East Side.<br />
<br />
A seasoned businesswoman with her own perfume, cosmetics, and jewelry, Ivana is resilient and strong-minded, a survivor of many of life's ups and downs, some of which she wrote about in her book of a few years ago titled <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/best-yet-come-divorce-enjoying/dp/0671865692/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271776537&sr=1-1">The Best Is Yet To Come: Coping With Divorce And Enjoying Life</a>.</i><br />
<br />
As Ivana told me in a <i>Family Circle </i>interview, one of the secrets to surviving any challenge is the strength and comfort derived from her wide circle of friends, though her best friend of all, she confided, is her mother, Maria Zelnicek, who lives in the Czech Republic.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmymGfBTA2jtgpvVXqWD6sxCL9iFzZaGqLzbluascJIm1zVhMWxOLu9YEMerInBSkB-1fR3Cz5C1bdmVhWszjaV-ARRUqkwF9298TMKlxZRHfx4aOMpdasMzfZ5u9-QyvkVq4w7crKLse7/s1600/ivana-trump-3-660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmymGfBTA2jtgpvVXqWD6sxCL9iFzZaGqLzbluascJIm1zVhMWxOLu9YEMerInBSkB-1fR3Cz5C1bdmVhWszjaV-ARRUqkwF9298TMKlxZRHfx4aOMpdasMzfZ5u9-QyvkVq4w7crKLse7/s320/ivana-trump-3-660.jpg" /></a></div>The distance between them hardly keep them apart: "No matter where I travel," says Ivana, "we spend about nine months together a year. My Mom is very loving and caring. And she's a strong woman. Her priorities are her grandchildren, (Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric) and me. That's what she lives for."<br />
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"Ivana is my only child, so she's my jewel," says her Mom. "She's hardworking and gives so much. But sometimes people take advantage of her and that hurts me too. Ivana has a good heart."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKyyOizIUCTKyYDkJbrgBNc2OrWHv-f-WptS4raPuAkcysz0cf05nem9xYNmUtQnf8w0mMXBw7_uEdzGina-BaXYg7TE-xeLPJmkWSrRF6sPqz7Ac63ddmVDxqwCHLM8lf_P3ePTWTfy9/s1600/articleit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKyyOizIUCTKyYDkJbrgBNc2OrWHv-f-WptS4raPuAkcysz0cf05nem9xYNmUtQnf8w0mMXBw7_uEdzGina-BaXYg7TE-xeLPJmkWSrRF6sPqz7Ac63ddmVDxqwCHLM8lf_P3ePTWTfy9/s320/articleit.jpg" /></a></div>And though some may not know it, the jet-setting Ivana has a more introverted, private side as well: "People think I'm out to a party every night. But I'm actually a loner. Sometimes for three or four days, I don't call anyone. I'm just with my mom. I trust my close friends, but there are certain things I discuss only with my mother. She knows everything about my life."<br />
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While her divorces have been painful, it was Ivana's mother who provided the greatest solace: "I don't think I could have gotten through it without her.We were always close, but adversity has forced us to help and protect each other. My mother is like an angel looking over me, making sure everything is O.K."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiJgxyPAS6016fHPv4rIAUd38hM3wEPsq4N8WD-h6qkY7AL10T2xRKtenUu3s8XLBGiAi7tM6mqgJggDvqfu4OuZWdmkytNc_GOr69wfPLIxY_IUuWZ2zmpXhsnskwySEwvcmJFD3ul3q/s1600/Ivana+Trump+bigMjY0MQ%3D%3D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhiJgxyPAS6016fHPv4rIAUd38hM3wEPsq4N8WD-h6qkY7AL10T2xRKtenUu3s8XLBGiAi7tM6mqgJggDvqfu4OuZWdmkytNc_GOr69wfPLIxY_IUuWZ2zmpXhsnskwySEwvcmJFD3ul3q/s200/Ivana+Trump+bigMjY0MQ%3D%3D.jpg" width="152" /></a></div>Also a great source of joy is a newer member of the family, Ivana's toy Yorkie Tiger. He's as energetic as Ivana! "He is a love of my life, and all mine, until my Mom arrives!" she laughs. As for my dog, "KATIE reminded me of the many dogs I've had over the years, and how they bring a family and friends and total strangers together in a warm, harmonious way."<br />
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Indeed, when Ivana read my KATIE book, her comment on it reflected one of the book's main messages, about the power of friendship and the ability to be open to people, even in a city of nine million.<br />
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As she observed: "Whenever anyone says New York is a city of strangers, I strongly disagree. After reading KATIE I know why we're a city which loves our pets. Katie is a great neighbor and the true definition of a New Yorker--intelligent, adventurous, assertive, protective, warm, loving, kind, generous--and a joy to know."<br />
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Katie would be very flattered with this compliment, coming from a fellow blonde!Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-65579588139160534182010-04-19T07:58:00.162-04:002010-04-19T22:03:03.564-04:00THE HAPPIEST WOMAN IN HOLLYWOOD: The Indomitable Betty White<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Uhd9oLUVJQ6dxtgtTqCVd-V_qwsMgTiS52msRnxWgVM3d3jheksvjPH_MJGQnmMXG8kvgRElXgv3mQaVEwnDRl-d_ZTWaEkCmEjPwgHFh2d68nWYhStPv9JT0RuXKkDtP2poxg_N-u1G/s1600/betty-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Uhd9oLUVJQ6dxtgtTqCVd-V_qwsMgTiS52msRnxWgVM3d3jheksvjPH_MJGQnmMXG8kvgRElXgv3mQaVEwnDRl-d_ZTWaEkCmEjPwgHFh2d68nWYhStPv9JT0RuXKkDtP2poxg_N-u1G/s400/betty-white.jpg" width="278" /></a></div>How many 88-year-old actresses experience a resounding renaissance in their careers decades after they've mastered the entertainment business from A to Z?<br />
<br />
There's only one.<br />
<br />
It's the supersonic bubbly-spirited <b>BETTY WHITE, </b>defying all odds with her spectacular run of recent triumphs.<br />
<br />
Let's see, there was her brilliantly funny turn as Ryan Reynolds' kooky grandmother in <i>The Proposal</i>, the 2009 film also starring Oscar winner Sandra Bullock; the hilarious Super Bowl Snickers commerical that had her tackled and thrown into the mud, watched by the largest television audience ever; not to mention the Golden Globe Lifetime Achievement award, which she accepted with the grace and wit that have become her trademark. Bullock joked that she finds White annoying, to which White shot back: "Isn't it heartening to see how far a girl as plain as she can go?"<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 3px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 3px; font-family: verdana, sans-serif, geneva, arial; font-size: 13px;"> </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqDB6MBHrsnoLNpXTDSLaoO59lypmRxoOfAc0GidWleNzuQeoC-shE_n4XJ8EE-LLUlWxldvPXuyp4Zdqhdlg1NLDC4Yk-uBZt8M1Vfp0bOWOPLZ2k1-y_eltIwbsLYKT5KLMJLtIKhYe/s1600/the-proposal-sandra-bullock-betty-white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqDB6MBHrsnoLNpXTDSLaoO59lypmRxoOfAc0GidWleNzuQeoC-shE_n4XJ8EE-LLUlWxldvPXuyp4Zdqhdlg1NLDC4Yk-uBZt8M1Vfp0bOWOPLZ2k1-y_eltIwbsLYKT5KLMJLtIKhYe/s320/the-proposal-sandra-bullock-betty-white.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 3px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 3px; font-family: verdana, sans-serif, geneva, arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family: Times;">And now, with a new fan base following her every move, Betty, a longtime Californian, is heading east to host Saturday Night live on May 8th, after being the subject of a super-charged Facebook campaign to get her the gig. In short, she's hotter than ever.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 3px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 3px; font-family: verdana, sans-serif, geneva, arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family: Times;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjlxXnY44RLWZScVh0T7nJjkbbQ6YEm_17cTHKcWkdaTld1VDjatlQeBucOaf29PSiZbBa-O-w-GfTPoiJW5shyt2Tt8fFj4eYmQkea7KzeDHBz642alj9gC-yQYhJn_-9T80pIpd65yf/s1600/alg_betty_white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjlxXnY44RLWZScVh0T7nJjkbbQ6YEm_17cTHKcWkdaTld1VDjatlQeBucOaf29PSiZbBa-O-w-GfTPoiJW5shyt2Tt8fFj4eYmQkea7KzeDHBz642alj9gC-yQYhJn_-9T80pIpd65yf/s320/alg_betty_white.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 3px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 3px; font-family: verdana, sans-serif, geneva, arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family: Times;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; font-family: Times;">In between all this, as a passionate animal advocate and dog lover, Betty actively champions the fantastic Morris Animal Foundation, acting as its President Ermeritus, while also tending to her beloved five-year-old Golden Retriever Pontiac, who has an active career himself as a Guide Dog. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SHv03VmWACGIj7NQ3ykrLFNn-vD7Sorsstoh50ylAqAbafnijIQuyN7cD2-J2dkTiw3s2OvJHl7HAeNRaO4jcp-oWVV4iIbOcajD8H2-EnfEvU5VIR-Li5RdiMXGRwVbJj_QsFCMFi_5/s1600/betty-white-and-pontiacaol345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3SHv03VmWACGIj7NQ3ykrLFNn-vD7Sorsstoh50ylAqAbafnijIQuyN7cD2-J2dkTiw3s2OvJHl7HAeNRaO4jcp-oWVV4iIbOcajD8H2-EnfEvU5VIR-Li5RdiMXGRwVbJj_QsFCMFi_5/s320/betty-white-and-pontiacaol345.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;">Where is Betty finding the energy for all this? I can tell you that the former <i>Golden Girl </i>and <i>Mary Tyler Moore</i> alumnus is startlingly youthful in appearance, her demeanor and energy disarming. "I have lots more things to do!" she booms happily, posing on the red carpet for photographers. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;">What's her secret? In a classic <i>Family Circle </i>magazine interview with me, she shared it: "My animals definitely help keep me young," she says. "I just don't have time to get older! Between the show business side of my life and the animal side, there isn't a lot of time for sitting around and atrophying. Pontiac is set for 6:00 A.M. "Hey, Mom," he says, "It's another day, let's go!"</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;">"It's been scientifically proven that having pets--stroking a dog, for instance, lower your blood pressure and reduces your stress level. I find animals fascinating, and I didn't know how I would exist without them. When I feel stressed, I put my dog in the car and drive up to my house in Carmel and sit and look at the ocean for three days--and my priorities fall into place again.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;"> </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18XtakizAWxxPZSOI2M1FwyRDTSzkWcHja22-LBlW02Nczrq97AfcTmBGUM6U7laQVX35sTw6BkMoxaqC-fiULQ16tZLp6V6zRuqV9Z1vDeSoz0wPWgirOJoJHf7mx5dPQFE77gyeYrZ8/s1600/111263_betty-white-poses-with-her-lifetime-achievement-award-backstage-at-the-screen-actors-guild-awards-in-la-on-january-23-2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi18XtakizAWxxPZSOI2M1FwyRDTSzkWcHja22-LBlW02Nczrq97AfcTmBGUM6U7laQVX35sTw6BkMoxaqC-fiULQ16tZLp6V6zRuqV9Z1vDeSoz0wPWgirOJoJHf7mx5dPQFE77gyeYrZ8/s320/111263_betty-white-poses-with-her-lifetime-achievement-award-backstage-at-the-screen-actors-guild-awards-in-la-on-january-23-2010.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;">"Also, I'm blessed with good health, and that's the bottom line. I don't think I felt this good at 25! It's embarrassing, but I'm deeply grateful. My mother, Tess, passed away at 88 , my dad, Horace at age 64, and the secret of their longevity was their sense of humor and genuine love for one another. So the energy I feel is genetic--it's not false energy.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;">"Plastic surgery? I'm just chicken and have a very low pain threshold. It's not for me. I've seen so many women with their skin pulled tight over the skull, and they all look alike. If you suddenly look gorgeous, you've lost an essence that was you before. You've worked a long time to get all those lines!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;">"My mother taught me at her knee that age is so unimportant. I get so furious with people who say, "My God, I'm 30...soon I'm going to be 40! They waste a whole decade. We're so age-conscious in this country, it's ridiculous! Life isn't over at 22. There are many rewards to aging. You get automatic respect. You don't have the same physiological demands on you that younger women have, such as menstruation and pregnancy. Granted, in the entertainment business, people say it's harder to get a job as you get older, but if you hang in there and roll with the punches and don't mind playing grandmothers, you get work. For me, remaining busy is the key to staying young.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, sans-serif, geneva, arial;">"But physically, you do see the horizon of your limitations. And a lot of people might say you're approaching death. But that doesn't bother me at all...that's the next adventure. I always loved Mom's idea about death. She called it the "big secret." We're all going to find it out one day. In the meantime, as long as life is this much fun, I'm going to stick around!"</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-33385183704842775572010-04-16T13:21:00.022-04:002010-04-18T21:51:02.585-04:00A Great Novelist And A Passionate Dog Lover: BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckB_CTX_yoRP1x2aKAm2kq4blfOKx6uqFm-e5Tf9nv1aTwvoRx7j0t78hz8abNbX36kfwHGtnnZdO20OhWUbNaANKMuukkqz_3vMwEXfWrYpjEsbDvbFqU7KZFKE4I8o0MPdrfwRDcUST/s1600/000673-AP50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgckB_CTX_yoRP1x2aKAm2kq4blfOKx6uqFm-e5Tf9nv1aTwvoRx7j0t78hz8abNbX36kfwHGtnnZdO20OhWUbNaANKMuukkqz_3vMwEXfWrYpjEsbDvbFqU7KZFKE4I8o0MPdrfwRDcUST/s400/000673-AP50.jpg" width="266" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">For any writer, one of the most enjoyable parts of creating a book--is FINISHING one! No doubt about that. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Then, once the book is done, it's time to hope that people who read the manuscript in advance will actually </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">like</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> it--giving it a literary thumb's up, which is certainly the best feeling in the world.</span></span></span></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times;">Anyone who has written a book knows, of course, that completing a book is just the start of the work, as mapping out the marketing and advertising campaign is essential to any book's ultimate success. And one of the necessities of book promotion is procuring advance testimonials from prominent people with the idea that their quotes appear on the back of the book, enticing readers to take a second look and buy it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Times;">With this goal in mind, for the last two months, I've been collecting such quotes and have been very lucky that celebrities I've interviewed in the past have kindly offered to read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Up-Down-Hall-Neighbors/dp/1599952548/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271438853&sr=1-1">KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL</a> and provide their viewpoint on it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPN041egRC_EqGwKS90932p1WRrgDAOYl6BSwf2ogAcQVOG_nktGGHiUcHQG-_7l2V8EwvZoGJIe3UKLMAyo6jmSjvCdZfjJbMJodg-Cv0bdpXK7ApxxCHG_Ydn_1hikheHzpuMepB7Jb/s1600/044_barbara_taylor--300x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPN041egRC_EqGwKS90932p1WRrgDAOYl6BSwf2ogAcQVOG_nktGGHiUcHQG-_7l2V8EwvZoGJIe3UKLMAyo6jmSjvCdZfjJbMJodg-Cv0bdpXK7ApxxCHG_Ydn_1hikheHzpuMepB7Jb/s320/044_barbara_taylor--300x300.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Times;">One of my all-time favorite interview subjects is the great novelist <b><a href="http://www.barbarataylorbradford.com/">BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD</a></b>, the master storyteller who knows a good plot when she creates one, a true woman of substance.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzWeF_EqqwmZA2xKag_k8y_-7Mji8axMbTz07OasLEYM2bPhz1d4X9NeEHwafZyDpcw5BeqoEoA3pLaFaILS2cauu6z0IsQfP85Ei1wJFgmJQIiw_SmlLJCvIQiJZdEOu8NONAcRT4Qrd/s1600/breakingtherules_big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzWeF_EqqwmZA2xKag_k8y_-7Mji8axMbTz07OasLEYM2bPhz1d4X9NeEHwafZyDpcw5BeqoEoA3pLaFaILS2cauu6z0IsQfP85Ei1wJFgmJQIiw_SmlLJCvIQiJZdEOu8NONAcRT4Qrd/s200/breakingtherules_big.jpg" width="129" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Times;">Her latest novel, <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Rules-Barbara-Taylor-Bradford/dp/0312578067/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271438914&sr=1-1">BREAKING THE RULES</a></b>, is breaking bestseller records, as her novels always do, and it features a mysterious new heroine, along with some of the familiar faces from the dramatic Harte series. But never one to rest on her laurels, Barbara is also hard at work on <b>PLAYING THE GAME</b>, a novel to be published in October of this year.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times;">A few weeks ago, after many years of not seeing her, I ran into Barbara at a sparkling reception in her honor hosted by<b><a href="http://glennplaskinsreflections.blogspot.com/2010/03/youngest-woman-i-know-resplendent-liz.html"> LIZ SMITH</a></b>, a party at Michael's that was a benefit for Liz's great charity, <a href="http://www.literacypartners.org/">Literacy Partners</a>, of which Barbara and her husband, film producer Bob Bradford, are both champions and generous contributors. That night, I asked Barbara if she would read my new book and offer a quote. And since she's on deadline for the new novel before departing for a summer trip to Europe, I would have completely understood if she didn't have the time to do it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Times;">So you can imagine my pleasure about two weeks later when I came home from dinner and heard this message on my machine: "Hello Glenn, it's Barbara Taylor Bradford! I just wanted to tell you how much I really loved your book Katie. It was very touching--and I couldn't put it down. I'd be very happy to give you a quote. Please call me."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times;">Subsequent to this, we had a long talk about our mutual love of dogs, and the recent sad loss of one of Barbara's beloved Bijon Frises's. We shared the depth of sadness that happens when one of our "children" leaves us. It's a very empty feeling that only a fellow dog lover completely understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times;">After finishing talking to Barbara, inspired by what she said, I went back to the interview we did for my book, <b><a href="http://www.glennplaskin.com/about2n.html">Turning Point</a>: Pivotal Moments In The Lives Of America's Celebrities</b>, and it was fascinating to see that the seeds of greatness in Barbara were planted so early. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times;">As she told me: "I sold my first story about Sally and her little pony at age eleven to a magazine for seven-pounds-six. And my destiny was sealed," she laughed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times;">She brazenly quite high school at sixteen, bought a trench coat, and joined the typing pool at the Yorkshire Evening Post. Over the years she wrote for magazines and newspapers, dreaming of one day fulfilling her childhood dream of becoming a novelist. Finally, in l976, she hatched the idea about a woman of substance. Within a few hours she had the whole sixty-four year history of Emma Harte's story in her head. "The whole world loves a survivor, someone who uses adversity to make herself stronger. I put emotion on paper well."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFq7JmInGkLVvo9Y5IRyaL2DNkOMnsGn_231FdAmyVKVbCJrWH7rhqSLqYGc9YgTFwWzjFjgRfTByeyVZwzRxLsigiiJH51WWYjE5eLZOZpLdql1P-Wzg0YyDkXnQ7KVf_lkwnFlSNK0yD/s1600/P2684688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFq7JmInGkLVvo9Y5IRyaL2DNkOMnsGn_231FdAmyVKVbCJrWH7rhqSLqYGc9YgTFwWzjFjgRfTByeyVZwzRxLsigiiJH51WWYjE5eLZOZpLdql1P-Wzg0YyDkXnQ7KVf_lkwnFlSNK0yD/s320/P2684688.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Times;"> Did she ever. <b>A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE</b> was an overnight bestseller, spawning Harte sequels and TV miniseries for each successive book.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times;">"I tell a good story," she merrily shrugs. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times;">Indeed she does. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times;">And I can't thank Barbara enough for what she generously wrote about my story: "I picked up this book to glance through it and suddenly found myself unable to put it down. This warm, touching, tender and loving memoir is probably the best book I've ever read about a dog. Glenn pulls you into this moving story instantly. Even people who are not crazy about dogs will love this tale." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-84855977907716547272010-04-15T10:42:00.012-04:002010-04-15T13:27:04.833-04:00New York Legend, Global Phenomena: The Unbeatable Donald Trump<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDut1jBMQEoam08tZy_maKE6-5bYdTPRPqqQbAO5cZAQ6wYZblDm7ZLysEDkKWOGWFsaJCZek2C6HjwPMoPqReJs6H2KEm7QYV63YbXUREBYlMX_DBG_bADCDUZEfdxgeDYeJPEqb_jau/s1600/Donald-Trump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzDut1jBMQEoam08tZy_maKE6-5bYdTPRPqqQbAO5cZAQ6wYZblDm7ZLysEDkKWOGWFsaJCZek2C6HjwPMoPqReJs6H2KEm7QYV63YbXUREBYlMX_DBG_bADCDUZEfdxgeDYeJPEqb_jau/s320/Donald-Trump.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Mega Achiever <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump">DONALD TRUMP</a></b>, who I've known for twenty years, doesn't need much sleep--and he doesn't get much, overseeing a multi-billion dollar empire that includes vast real estate holdings, his NBC hit reality series, <b><a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-apprentice/">The Apprentice</a></b>, and countless other business ventures--including the Miss Universe Organization, Trump University,Trump Entertainment Resorts, even menswear and bottled water!--all if it keeping him busy from dusk to dawn.<br />
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The most meticulously organized person I've ever known, Trump also, more privately, devotes himself to his family--to his exquisitely beautiful (and very nice) wife, Melania (<a href="http://www.nbcnewyork.com/blogs/the-thread/THREAD-Melania-Trump-Debuts-Costume-Jewelry-line-for-QVC-85220662.html">debuting later this month on QVC with a costume jewelry line</a>), their four-year-old son, Barron, and of course to his older children, Donald, Jr., Ivanka, Eric, and Tiffany.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> One of the amazing things about the multi-tasking Donald, I discovered when I first met him, is that his mind misses nothing, and that he's eerily calm as he goes about his day, accomplishing more in a 24-hour period than most people could manage in a month.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerDV6hASMmWqn7Vm9g6z-Q1CjKUWaJz_K-4nnaYTUIwwKQEIKpy00nMiidH1pA4KTT72ssvGB8huVzyzFl4oyU5OJrHoC1XzcE2DqWrvm4b5Q3WzSVMxZfRAt2xB1P-EnQJEAKexOo0hO/s1600/donald_trump-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjerDV6hASMmWqn7Vm9g6z-Q1CjKUWaJz_K-4nnaYTUIwwKQEIKpy00nMiidH1pA4KTT72ssvGB8huVzyzFl4oyU5OJrHoC1XzcE2DqWrvm4b5Q3WzSVMxZfRAt2xB1P-EnQJEAKexOo0hO/s320/donald_trump-1.jpg" /></a></div>I first met Donald during my <i>Daily News</i> years, for a cover story titled "Man Of A Thousand Deals." As I write in my upcoming book, <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?index=books&keywords=9781599952543&tag=hacboogro-20">Katie Up and Down The Hall</a></b>: Tall, and intimidating at first, he turned warm and witty once relaxed behind his desk at Trump Tower for what turned out to be a series of long talk, first to the News, then a multisession marathon interview for Playboy. This Playboy interview drew headlines due to his comments on Leona Helmsley and feelings about women and marriage.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9BtuwzooaOfshI2niScVXTYL-BKFp2dHRZhF4y1IXKRWywVlAZ4UWyswYKPlDW8HyQgkcv4wztydDqG2FUv4nNbx8WmJ3-G4J0o22f1dgTSoL4mgYTC8I7Rf8EnvhPCgMMsml6M09doe/s1600/donald_trump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9BtuwzooaOfshI2niScVXTYL-BKFp2dHRZhF4y1IXKRWywVlAZ4UWyswYKPlDW8HyQgkcv4wztydDqG2FUv4nNbx8WmJ3-G4J0o22f1dgTSoL4mgYTC8I7Rf8EnvhPCgMMsml6M09doe/s320/donald_trump.jpg" /></a></div>Trump also expressed his very human, more reflective side when expressing grief for the death of his executives in 1989 helicopter crash: "I lost not only brilliant, key players in my company but true friends--and I couldn't believe it. At first, I was shocked, called their wives, just kept functioning...My own sense of optimism and life was greatly diminished. I never realized how deaths outside the family could have such a profound effect on me."<br />
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Donald, one of the most resilient figures in American culture, has, of course, also survived the ups and down of the economy and his own fluctuating fortunes, now at their zenith, though he always bounced back bigger and better, unbeatable, and most importantly, an example of what can happen with discipline, imagination, and a vision that knows no limits.<br />
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He's also tough: As he told me: "I study people and in every negotiation, I weigh how tough I should appear. I can be a killer and a nice guy. You have to be everything. You have to be strong. You have to be sweet. You have to be ruthless. And I don't think any of it can be learned. Either you have it or you don't."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFoNX2CotdJlHNRbD8_IkC8Ol_5rikREhhWgTKwKrE4SSkx6wxN2gQFrIfKQ8foAkX74YySMzbG-2XlDaCmymNO7RkOSv_sQ6Q_6gP6fOV6ANwpBRy5iJ0Kairg2Y3dMnRfEYass-HOyay/s1600/TV0107_Apprentice_01-07-07_QC3HVUN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFoNX2CotdJlHNRbD8_IkC8Ol_5rikREhhWgTKwKrE4SSkx6wxN2gQFrIfKQ8foAkX74YySMzbG-2XlDaCmymNO7RkOSv_sQ6Q_6gP6fOV6ANwpBRy5iJ0Kairg2Y3dMnRfEYass-HOyay/s320/TV0107_Apprentice_01-07-07_QC3HVUN.jpg" /></a></div>The answer is clear.<br />
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</span></span>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-7551471318334639572010-04-14T10:46:00.014-04:002010-04-14T22:36:03.875-04:00The Indomitable Mary Higgins Clark Does It Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kQ9_5nujUrY9GO8WrSuT4bMcDKkShQvyOGp3ZicSePdLVacdaMhAY25N_uBCcrpBm9Dc7nXF175zUhL2UvDjZTg1jd3iyDKAIaFSylceBoyfAZA5L5sGgKi_V0KGq7M4juRFZi9mR035/s1600/mary_higgins_clark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kQ9_5nujUrY9GO8WrSuT4bMcDKkShQvyOGp3ZicSePdLVacdaMhAY25N_uBCcrpBm9Dc7nXF175zUhL2UvDjZTg1jd3iyDKAIaFSylceBoyfAZA5L5sGgKi_V0KGq7M4juRFZi9mR035/s320/mary_higgins_clark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Last night at celebrity hot spot Elaine's, in came the Queen of Suspense, the great <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Higgins_Clark">MARY HIGGINS CLARK</a></b>, looking radiant in a fur-trimmed evening wrap at the publication party for her latest thriller, a fantastic book titled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Your-Smile-Higgins-Clark/dp/1439172269/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271255533&sr=1-1">The Shadow Of Your Smile</a>. It's all about a deceased nun who's a candidate for sainthood and 31-year-old Manhattan pediatrician who becomes the target of those who don't want her to inherit a fortune, the taut story featuring many of Mary's trademark twists and turns. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As always, it's a guaranteed hit that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The indomitable Mary is like a boxer who never loses a match, for each of her 42 books have become instant bestsellers, with more than 80 million copies sold in the United States alone. Paid $64 million for a four-book contract in 2000, she's hardly resting on her laurels, continuing to be just as productive and hard-working as ever. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It must run in the family because also appearing last night was another incredible mystery writer, Mary's daughter, Carol Higgins Clark, with a great new book of her own debuting yesterday titled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wrecked-Regan-Reilly-Mystery-Higgins/dp/1439170258/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271257382&sr=1-1">Wrecked</a> (A Reagan Reilly Mystery) that will also hit the bestseller list, as her books always do, the apple definitely not falling far from the tree. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekFMOSaUX22jd5qN2gC4yXsDoYPzoL7fdjRNEnbkUn4t8YuBV5xKNtdzxmFKJ82gTOq2pN4C_wAXVuLqB41NFfhOSh8lxBfyeNjaPcPoKOC-Zh4k35cUbxoqnf2rYk6916-W4-korsu6I/s1600/51A2djBwNCL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekFMOSaUX22jd5qN2gC4yXsDoYPzoL7fdjRNEnbkUn4t8YuBV5xKNtdzxmFKJ82gTOq2pN4C_wAXVuLqB41NFfhOSh8lxBfyeNjaPcPoKOC-Zh4k35cUbxoqnf2rYk6916-W4-korsu6I/s320/51A2djBwNCL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday morning, Mary's assistant, Nadine, kindly wrote me a note, inviting me to the party. And chatting with Mary about her technique for creating those intricate plot lines and colorful characters, I was struck by her youthfulness and bright outlook, her buoyant energy filling the room. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Seeing her again reminded me of our first interview a number of years ago, which appeared in my book, <a href="http://www.glennplaskin.com/about2n.html">Turning Point: Pivotal Moments In The Lives Of America's Celebrities</a>. In it, she describes her incredible rise to fame as a 26-year-old New Jersey housewife of modest means, busily tending to her home and five kids with the dream of one day becoming a successful writer.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZf0l2XOnfP9QHzYi_iQgE_IAShLe3FnjsW-Kzzj3HfqFp_cqgip1WLM5WqReg01hZ9snjZdtxIrXHON6LVCdUKCwwrMH5Bp-y3MrR0nEv5gFOBPmmkwqb_G73UX2y-UJFsp3SUn4WYZH2/s1600/clark_maryhiggins3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZf0l2XOnfP9QHzYi_iQgE_IAShLe3FnjsW-Kzzj3HfqFp_cqgip1WLM5WqReg01hZ9snjZdtxIrXHON6LVCdUKCwwrMH5Bp-y3MrR0nEv5gFOBPmmkwqb_G73UX2y-UJFsp3SUn4WYZH2/s320/clark_maryhiggins3.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"Honey," her husband Warren remarked, watching her bent over the Formica kitchen table, "think of it just as a hobby." She agreed until l964 when Warren, who smoked three packs a day, suffered a third heart attack and died. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Then, at just age 36, with five children to raise, she was left with a $13,000 mortgage and a few small insurance policies. "I <i>had</i> to work. I began writing radio scripts, twenty dollars a script." </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Then one day, looking over at her bookcase at the mysteries she loved reading, she had hunch that she would <i>write</i> what she loved to <i>read</i>. The result: the l975 bestseller <i>Where Are the Children</i>? a terrifying tale of a childnapper. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">"I knew that anytime a child is missing, the whole world cares." It sure did, and the rest was history.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Saying good-bye last night, Mary was kind enough to tell me that she was in the midst of reading my upcoming book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Up-Down-Hall-Neighbors/dp/1599952548/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271256049&sr=1-3">Katie Up And Down The Hall</a>, not a mystery, for sure, but a story that will hopefully touch her heart. I was so flattered as I headed home to get under the covers to read HER book, which kept me up until 2 a.m. </span><br />
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</span>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-55063345134319728312010-04-13T09:50:00.001-04:002010-04-13T09:53:16.591-04:00The Mystery Of The Phone: You Never Know Who's Calling (if you don't look at caller ID)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEA8lAUQY798MLZpu3nFbhgxotiS4xePEBSdqaigFaDEU7yFcxAOxbwlO36BLQuxnSmaAhrsRyu_G1weoyltSrXCwWl3WZWPY9cPrJP_zsvFPT2Pg0SqoMYRhDVlhvEOxY4VEGyY3FMWMA/s1600/marlo_thomas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEA8lAUQY798MLZpu3nFbhgxotiS4xePEBSdqaigFaDEU7yFcxAOxbwlO36BLQuxnSmaAhrsRyu_G1weoyltSrXCwWl3WZWPY9cPrJP_zsvFPT2Pg0SqoMYRhDVlhvEOxY4VEGyY3FMWMA/s400/marlo_thomas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>A few nights ago, at 9 p.m., the phone rang and, when I absently picked it up, there, to my utter surprise and delight, was the unmistakable voice of the great <b><a href="http://www.stjude.org/stjude/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=a2f4fa2454e70110VgnVCM1000001e0215acRCRD&cpsextcurrchannel=1">MARLO THOMAS</a></b>, my frequent interview subject and friend, still known to millions as THAT GIRL, the spunky, upbeat, always-independent heroine who won the heart of a nation.<br />
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Unforgettable in that role and many others since, Marlo is also a philanthropic powerhouse, working tirelessly for her father's great charity, <b><a href="http://www.stjude.org/stjude/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=f2bfab46cb118010VgnVCM1000000e2015acRCRD&plt=STJGENSEGOOGL0000865&gclid=COjzxoLmg6ECFQuB5Qodqn0RzA">St. Jude Children's Research Hospital</a>,</b> the top children's cancer center in the nation. As the National Outreach Director for St. Jude, Marlo also hosts <i>A Place Of Hope</i>, an hour-long television special that documents the lifesaving work of St. Jude, which provides free medical services to desperately ill children while also devoting itself to research and new treatments.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMcSZa6AzFRdgzORXuXJkKmnlnkkw54STms6uscK0CzOipN5ffubgFez-iiaeQfQaYEkwP7rK-jmmHbtyUYTT-xx5KmQOPImgxVyGTg-t3T3Sssvq9nmCLFDcjxMjopAgAynytea__jHJ/s1600/ThatGirl_S1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMcSZa6AzFRdgzORXuXJkKmnlnkkw54STms6uscK0CzOipN5ffubgFez-iiaeQfQaYEkwP7rK-jmmHbtyUYTT-xx5KmQOPImgxVyGTg-t3T3Sssvq9nmCLFDcjxMjopAgAynytea__jHJ/s200/ThatGirl_S1.jpg" width="147" /></a></div> Marlo was kindly calling up to congratulate me on the upcoming publication of my new book, <b><a href="http://www.glennplaskin.com/">Katie Up and Down The Hall</a></b>--while also mentioning <i>her</i> upcoming book, also being published in September, titled <b>Growing Up Laughing</b>, (Hyperion), a brilliant memoir about her childhood and the star entertainer friends of her father, comedian Danny Thomas. It will feature childhood memories from Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart and other contemporary comedians and it will be a must read.<br />
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Marlo, a great comedienne, says her own experiences made her want to learn how the seeds of humor got planted for other entertainers as well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rV9_bM9uHRZ0xMJ4GuzDyxGMuWjtfWORcDZeqe0OtEsK2dDYuxtj7NJ8kcOXOJVaf7oRQGuIO5cPatnDZISGXpmG2N_M72McpKInVovRgmb0CZYLqoJ6SOA1JrFZHGGskJuzpqW0grhT/s1600/Turningpoint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rV9_bM9uHRZ0xMJ4GuzDyxGMuWjtfWORcDZeqe0OtEsK2dDYuxtj7NJ8kcOXOJVaf7oRQGuIO5cPatnDZISGXpmG2N_M72McpKInVovRgmb0CZYLqoJ6SOA1JrFZHGGskJuzpqW0grhT/s200/Turningpoint.jpg" width="163" /></a></div>And speaking of great entertainers, I thought back to one of our classic interviews together that appeared in my book <b><a href="http://www.glennplaskin.com/about2n.html">Turning Point: Pivotal Moments In the Lives Of America's Celebrities</a> </b>which centered around her loving and supportive Dad, the legendary Danny Thomas.<br />
In the book, she reminisced about the time she was an eighteen-year-old fledgling actress appearing in a production of <i>Gigi</i> when some audacious interviewer asked her if she'd ever be as good as her Dad.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OfUFDCPGoVpsrhMO-qjcvZLfA4bPKOGwkesPA4S2okG-19uGEo3CenLF30xt2HAp7Qt7Sw8VWQIxOpFCNbJHoDKyCU5ewlsXg3gsvboP3eL1pCde8_yqCv9qanaRrq_Y9m2P1IJrk3nb/s1600/PhotoThomasMarloThomasDanny1974.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OfUFDCPGoVpsrhMO-qjcvZLfA4bPKOGwkesPA4S2okG-19uGEo3CenLF30xt2HAp7Qt7Sw8VWQIxOpFCNbJHoDKyCU5ewlsXg3gsvboP3eL1pCde8_yqCv9qanaRrq_Y9m2P1IJrk3nb/s200/PhotoThomasMarloThomasDanny1974.gif" width="200" /></a></div> "That was stupid and insensitive and I felt terribly upset by it," she told me. "Daddy said, 'Don't let them do that to you. I raised you to be a thoroughbred--and thoroughbreds run their own races...they just put on their blinders and run!'<br />
"Long ago," she said, "on that opening night of Gigi, Daddy sent me a box with old horse blinders in it. His note said: "RUN YOUR OWN RACE, BABY!"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKecnNqGDpuBy48v2R5702VCIzbYegy2Yux412DuN0YLMf5V7dAJ5OwDKTryIqiHcCYbZ9vM2Mb4MwxNVL2IeSdSQq6fF4YBo8EMKnl21crr3kU5qPH4zFWkQ89tMs-BQibFMEMOCKN1qc/s1600/aafa_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKecnNqGDpuBy48v2R5702VCIzbYegy2Yux412DuN0YLMf5V7dAJ5OwDKTryIqiHcCYbZ9vM2Mb4MwxNVL2IeSdSQq6fF4YBo8EMKnl21crr3kU5qPH4zFWkQ89tMs-BQibFMEMOCKN1qc/s320/aafa_6.jpg" /></a></div> And so she has, and brilliantly so. Toward the end of our recent phone talk, I invited Marlo and her husband, the great PHIL DONAHUE (who I had the pleasure of once interviewing for a Family Circle profile), to come to the KATIE launch party in September, to be hosted by <a href="http://glennplaskinsreflections.blogspot.com/2010/03/funny-gorgeous-and-dog-lover-cant-miss.html">Joan Rivers</a> and <a href="http://glennplaskinsreflections.blogspot.com/2010/04/marrrrrrrrrrrrrio-on-go-buatta-great.html">Mario Buatta</a>, a benefit for Guide Dogs For The Blind.<br />
Marlo said she'd love to come--and I can't wait to see her and Phil, two icons in American television, both indelible in our collective memories, and most personally, in mine.Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-70057761970920851592010-04-12T10:58:00.020-04:002010-04-13T07:29:55.228-04:00Flash Back: The Most Magical Introduction Ever: How I Met The Great CALVIN KLEIN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEyW5ESi0zs_Q5lfMxScJpez1avkKICsf3ZkWG0JeY55ZeUg_XZSxdcrYYD4HQT0l7kMiBM-v830oVMV-QLzatvUDIaJS2H3iUIux68wjly4_-1JzT_Qgs_91_iYYUocMcHSzpZKHQXI7/s1600/calvinklein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEyW5ESi0zs_Q5lfMxScJpez1avkKICsf3ZkWG0JeY55ZeUg_XZSxdcrYYD4HQT0l7kMiBM-v830oVMV-QLzatvUDIaJS2H3iUIux68wjly4_-1JzT_Qgs_91_iYYUocMcHSzpZKHQXI7/s320/calvinklein.jpg" /></a></div> Picture This: A 31-year-old writer with one book under his wing gets a letter from the former First Lady of the United States, admiring his biography of Vladimir Horowitz and inviting him to meet with her to discuss his next book project. After a few phone conversations, together, they decide to invite the king of American fashion to lunch to discuss the possibility of working with him on his autobiography.<br />
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Fact or fiction? I'm happy to report that I made the lunch reservation! And I'm thinking of it just today for reasons I'll soon explain.<br />
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Back in the summer of 1984,<b> JACQUELINE KENNEDY ONASSIS</b>, indisputably the most famous and glamorous woman in the world (and also a book editor at Doubleday), wanted to meet the legendary <b>CALVIN KLEIN</b>, the undisputed master of American couture and the hottest designer of his time. He was also the genius behind a billion dollar empire that included jeans, underwear and perfume, all of it advertised in daringly-trailblazing billboard and TV ad campaigns that to this day are classics, the most emulated, artistic, sensuous, and erotic ever created.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-btofooxdRY1mU00WW0m-MRX443VEfTm_eJGZTr1xeJRzhZYHdrvUcyjnMsa5siLNJMU6H23zxx3ixfnXu0OpTOObnhcgXvqA6rGlieyPop_wla6fRnMLmiY7YwS-YWq59cWGv6zqh6T/s1600/1219454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq-btofooxdRY1mU00WW0m-MRX443VEfTm_eJGZTr1xeJRzhZYHdrvUcyjnMsa5siLNJMU6H23zxx3ixfnXu0OpTOObnhcgXvqA6rGlieyPop_wla6fRnMLmiY7YwS-YWq59cWGv6zqh6T/s320/1219454.jpg" /></a>On a hot early summer day that year, more than a few forks dropped when my new friends "Jackie" and "Calvin" walked into a Park Avenue bistro named Rafael. Jackie, with no make-up or jewelry, looked radiant, dressed down in a simple blue summer shift. And Calvin, dashingly handsome in a blazer and a green-striped rep tie, was as warm and down to earth as I ever could have imagined him to be. In fact, despite their mind-boggling fame, I was taken aback by their warmth and high spirits and genuine interest in me. "Glenn, can I share?"Jackie asked girlishly, dipping her spoon into my chocolate mousse at dessert. Here was the woman who had seduced heads of state with her beguiling smile, a fashion icon who had transformed the White House. She'd conquered France on her first state visit there. And, of course, she'd forever won over the hearts of Americans with her bravery and dignity after the President's assassination.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvxHCsX8Ouvl6m2f5MZKFPX6_EYeaJNEDYHVF8wzFbuNwaUgXbTo0qTPVg34O48RdQkRns6mW9ne0IdlAQeivMCeSyrxLTtaMz9q5IutpRZYz_ae29Dq43yYUvReZJaZVKqEudZQ_RVHO/s1600/0k4hgyx3z54hyg3k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIvxHCsX8Ouvl6m2f5MZKFPX6_EYeaJNEDYHVF8wzFbuNwaUgXbTo0qTPVg34O48RdQkRns6mW9ne0IdlAQeivMCeSyrxLTtaMz9q5IutpRZYz_ae29Dq43yYUvReZJaZVKqEudZQ_RVHO/s200/0k4hgyx3z54hyg3k.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>But on this day, the conversation was light and sparkling--skipping from fashion to real estate, to the news of the day and Hollywood, but always circling back to the idea of a possible Calvin Klein autobiography. In the end, however, Calvin, at age 41, was just too young to do it--as his life story was still being written. So although Jackie was disappointed that Calvin decided to forego such a book--something wonderful came out of it anyway.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3DejEyetgRvNzUj_JJhJTT_QrP2lMgWlBHgSx5Vcz8pKRa99dlvulV4KQ9h-zmTa5GfKRgGYjmEreUGrdHO7ExcyEt7ax2ZhBLHvg2FjsmgY1fZWtyQmLdSgnWCJLqF-LV3dbygzRBSm/s1600/calvinplayboytext.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG3DejEyetgRvNzUj_JJhJTT_QrP2lMgWlBHgSx5Vcz8pKRa99dlvulV4KQ9h-zmTa5GfKRgGYjmEreUGrdHO7ExcyEt7ax2ZhBLHvg2FjsmgY1fZWtyQmLdSgnWCJLqF-LV3dbygzRBSm/s320/calvinplayboytext.jpg" /></a></div>He decided to accept my invitation to do a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.playboy.com/world-of-playboy/in-the-magazine/usa/">PLAYBOY </a> </span>Interview, one that was conduced over a six-week period, with hours of conversation taped, the final result published the following year, the most extended interview Calvin has ever given, before or since. It was recently re-printed in a special Playboy hardcover book titled <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Playboy-Interviews-Movers-Shakers/dp/1595820442/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271084748&sr=1-1">Movers and Shakers</a></b>, a collection of the magazine's favorite thirteen profiles, which also includes my interviews with Leona Helmsley and Donald Trump.<br />
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The Playboy Interview captured Calvin at his candid best: "What's bad about sex?" he laughed when I challenged him about his racy TV commercials. "I'm more offended when someone's killed on television than when there's something that's sensuous or sexual or amusing, or when there's a double-entendre. So what?" To read the entire interview, just pick up the the Playboy book.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibl59DVfI7yQa6uE8ulDxNPz9eZPBqP26yf-MWZN_7szCSMCHGuEQNgGEoBp_98wtytXB5rKwRByyx9apjXui6Jl26p4tnhJRTOWMEoiPfxwi5z_sWouBM8vUzMIkGu6ClJNqMYkYF22lC/s1600/Calvin+Klein--woman+riding+man+in+briefs--unknown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibl59DVfI7yQa6uE8ulDxNPz9eZPBqP26yf-MWZN_7szCSMCHGuEQNgGEoBp_98wtytXB5rKwRByyx9apjXui6Jl26p4tnhJRTOWMEoiPfxwi5z_sWouBM8vUzMIkGu6ClJNqMYkYF22lC/s320/Calvin+Klein--woman+riding+man+in+briefs--unknown.jpg" /></a></div>I can tell you that that interview cemented my friendship with Calvin for a lifetime and it was followed by our Today Show interview a few years later--and by so many acts of generosity by Calvin over the years. For example, he introduced me to both Nancy Reagan and to Diana Ross, putting a good word in and helping me secure those exclusives. He kindly introduced me to the great fashion editor, John Fairchild, and I wound up working at that company for a number of years. And not least meaningful to me, on one occasion, Calvin came on the phone to talk my grandmother, Essie, who loved Calvin's clothes. This small act of kindness was just the kind of thing he did all the time, and I'll never forget it.<br />
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Most recently, I sent Calvin a copy of my upcoming book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Up-Down-Hall-Neighbors/dp/1599952548/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271085184&sr=1-1">Katie Up and Down the Hall</a>, and I was so touched by the testimonial quote that he sent back to me. It says as much about him and his values as it does about the theme of the book.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>"Glenn's book is engaging, open-hearted, and very warm. His story proves that the true and small pleasures in life--friendship, loyalty, and trust--are the ones that matter most."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSMeTLqk4PtTgmhRspZq0yoFTWGi132csgwwrOYxxe15X78RohN1yLlRVrXeDBiGUxWyl1pmt_I9sqr9mOsZ_5aCU0iL7ejkpR4V9gYdlJqXyRdRdiuBtuHyq3SnoWRxFxQxYmxhBqnIh/s1600/Calvin-GP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSMeTLqk4PtTgmhRspZq0yoFTWGi132csgwwrOYxxe15X78RohN1yLlRVrXeDBiGUxWyl1pmt_I9sqr9mOsZ_5aCU0iL7ejkpR4V9gYdlJqXyRdRdiuBtuHyq3SnoWRxFxQxYmxhBqnIh/s320/Calvin-GP.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Palatino;">Indeed they do. And that's why the photograph to the right, of Calvin and me, is my all-time favorite. </span>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-57025886853325826102010-04-09T11:14:00.010-04:002010-04-09T15:10:53.932-04:00Better Than Prozac--A Foolproof Way To Vanquish Any 'Down' Mood--EXERCISEEver wake up feeling anxious, worried, down, or depressed? Hello!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPubywgHxQtv84IqwQijs5kR8gyEqFL8CDrkUbVgS94tmhxKr0w6zNk0W4rvrbvFVgPfv6cdqILmkFb8FpldmvZxn3tWOBDgkGmes9HM6bAscYpa1MMdvpxenq2VF36Gsq2r-EDiZS0r7/s1600/SwimmingPool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPubywgHxQtv84IqwQijs5kR8gyEqFL8CDrkUbVgS94tmhxKr0w6zNk0W4rvrbvFVgPfv6cdqILmkFb8FpldmvZxn3tWOBDgkGmes9HM6bAscYpa1MMdvpxenq2VF36Gsq2r-EDiZS0r7/s320/SwimmingPool.jpg" /></a></div>Approximately 20 million Americans are taking anti-depressants--and that number doesn't include anti-anxiety medications and sleeping pills.<br />
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As for the cause of our collective angst, just about anything can trigger it--financial worries, stress about work, health problems, an accident of fate, phantoms from the past, relationship "issues,"or even rainy weather. And very often, there's no reason at all, for moods are unpredictable, fluctuating for reasons even a forensic psychiatrist may never explain.<br />
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But like the weather, our emotional storm clouds do come--and then go. But rather than being a slave to our moods, and reactive to them, there is, I've discovered, a reliable and FAST way to turn a dark mood into a bright one. It's a remedy that's better than Prozac, and something I do every day that lifts me up when I'm down.<br />
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I learned this technique from my great friend <b><a href="http://glennplaskinsreflections.blogspot.com/2010/03/proximity-messenger-of-fate-brilliant.html">TONY ROBBINS</a></b>--the master of peak performance who teaches how anyone can create a resourceful, powerful energy state that can propel you forward toward your greatest potential rather than remaining fixated on problems, worries, and limitations.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGMxmKVGG4vO3lC1CCN2ewcAIRc0X_RHTWdq63mk1duu7xP3MOkuCpCxV7rBGePbXDngucK0ncbbns3lFkAeZn6Hk5eePAWmbDYEXbl39chwAcgkifUqRl-AWrcZ9te6Znr29qlduAfSF/s1600/man+on+treadmill-saidaonline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGMxmKVGG4vO3lC1CCN2ewcAIRc0X_RHTWdq63mk1duu7xP3MOkuCpCxV7rBGePbXDngucK0ncbbns3lFkAeZn6Hk5eePAWmbDYEXbl39chwAcgkifUqRl-AWrcZ9te6Znr29qlduAfSF/s320/man+on+treadmill-saidaonline.jpg" /></a></div> I can't tell you how many mornings I've awakened with a down mood or a sense of unexplainable dread or worry--and <b>Tony's three-part solution</b> to negative moods ALWAYS works, so I thought I'd share it with you today.<br />
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It's really simple: Change THREE things--<i>physiology</i>, <i>focus</i>, and <i>language--AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE.</i><br />
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For me, first and foremost, the secret to lifting me up is changing my body state, i.e. physiology. So the first thing I do every morning is: stretching, sit-ups, push-ups, twenty minutes on the treadmill, then twenty laps in the pool and a few minutes in the 103-degree whirlpool. I often follow this with biking outside on the Esplanade at home here in Battery Park City. Trust me--after I've been running, biking, and swimming, and felt the breeze of the day against me when I'm outside--those negative moods are swept away. And it's a lot faster than Prozac! This ALWAYS works. Hydrating is also key, as most of us don't drink enough water. Then after the physical exercise, I always have a smoothie--apples, pineapple, raspberries, and blueberries, with a white-egg omelette or whole grain cereal. I mention all this because each of these things I'm doing is dramatically changing my body state, my physiology. And inevitably, I always feel energized and ready to tackle the day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0UL8yMtYTd6xJiUksLIFwmONjIeEHk1ht0-Io6qQsPjFO8QV5z7mJLxgzm2guC_NwOs4eWBtyJMYIi3opjbdqZDJSJ7jhjA6ThijTXsJv2Jmm2b88XC3o_7FfKFqW7z4SDoIRPh7iEmv/s1600/steamboat07-bike11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0UL8yMtYTd6xJiUksLIFwmONjIeEHk1ht0-Io6qQsPjFO8QV5z7mJLxgzm2guC_NwOs4eWBtyJMYIi3opjbdqZDJSJ7jhjA6ThijTXsJv2Jmm2b88XC3o_7FfKFqW7z4SDoIRPh7iEmv/s320/steamboat07-bike11.jpg" /></a></div>On another day, I'll explain in more detail about focus and language, but in a nutshell, <i>what we focus on is what we feel</i>. Your focus equals your reality. Two people can experience the exact same challenge. One feels amused, one is enraged. The only difference between the two people is what they focus on, what they imagined in their heads. And both experience immediate feelings of strength or weakness in their bodies. <br />
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If I focus on all my problems, I'M a problem! So I try to focus my attention on the positive actions I can take to turn my life in the direction I want it to go. When I'm outside, I focus on the beauty of the environment here--the Hudson River, the parade of dogs and interesting people, the sailboats, the trees and flowers, the Statue of Liberty, you name it. Once I'm focused on something positive outside the space of my own head, I feel MUCH better, and again, this you can't get in a pill.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6lEFKolBqnztZx1wx0wJee5y7ojf0Hwsv0jr2EJZWYsCYpbgNaVKoMoz5GoRafEWNIw0VM5r75fxmCdefYgfcnzVpVQrqZZbqynGd7RHjg5wcKKk3_0RfdzV405pIftuiNxD-qqvRW3lg/s1600/Sailboat+View.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6lEFKolBqnztZx1wx0wJee5y7ojf0Hwsv0jr2EJZWYsCYpbgNaVKoMoz5GoRafEWNIw0VM5r75fxmCdefYgfcnzVpVQrqZZbqynGd7RHjg5wcKKk3_0RfdzV405pIftuiNxD-qqvRW3lg/s320/Sailboat+View.jpg" /></a></div>Finally, the language we use inside our heads--how we talk to ourselves--has everything to do with how we feel. It's been said that we all have about 65,000 thoughts each day--but the problem is that we tend to have the SAME 65,000 thoughts today as we had yesterday. Like a tape that loops endlessly over and over again, we need to change our thoughts, direct them, and use words that will help us create new futures, rather than self-defeating statements that keep us focused on the past. As the great <b><a href="http://glennplaskinsreflections.blogspot.com/2010/03/god-can-appear-in-many-disguises-even.html">WAYNE DYER</a></b> has often told me: "The most important thing a person can do to erase fear and access power is repeating these five key words: I WANT TO FEEL GOOD! This is the same thing as saying: I want to feel spirit, I want to be in harmony with the source of well-being."<br />
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So just for today, that's where I leave you....<b>I want to feel good, and I hope you do too.</b>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-81033670125087642942010-04-08T12:19:00.012-04:002010-04-08T22:51:24.954-04:00A Birthday Dinner On The Hudson With A Perspicacious Friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwf4BUce7WEBLwao1T0Ji6lTTDyWBITSKQh1cmEpbnQhhnOgPe-U14jzMfJp7HceHg215k0sSoZfP_HttaEqqszBYFlrRJb42ulDEB_nfmFIdXIWQpQEfLlZllPPPRmWkof44Pv_Fa05n/s1600/Jason.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwf4BUce7WEBLwao1T0Ji6lTTDyWBITSKQh1cmEpbnQhhnOgPe-U14jzMfJp7HceHg215k0sSoZfP_HttaEqqszBYFlrRJb42ulDEB_nfmFIdXIWQpQEfLlZllPPPRmWkof44Pv_Fa05n/s320/Jason.jpeg" width="309" /></a></div>Last night was a magically-breezy evening in Battery Park City, (pictured below at sunset), the perfect temperature for dinner outside on the Hudson, the occasion being a 31st birthday party for my great friend Jason VanOra, a psychology professor at Kingsborough Community College. Over guacamole and chips, chicken quesadillas, and a chocolate brownie sundae, Jason, who looks about 22, made me feel a bit old, as I have a belt older than him! But I was very happy to celebrate, together with our close friends <a href="http://glennplaskinsreflections.blogspot.com/2010/04/accidental-friendship-can-change-your.html">Peg</a> and Beth.<br />
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Occasionally in life, you come upon someone who not only has great intelligence and charm, but also a warmly empathetic nature too. There's an instant "click." And that person, with whom you have great chemistry, gradually joins the category of "best friend."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jT53zyYGgn1i1X2s9iHS0DbZ3Wp1S61FM1-Pvw3whsCLexhOntsqGThaZsXgG36Gme9RLm_ecLPVQX1O1pBXonbwVToJTk2rm8PtlC2Q4_sf-V0S4zSkOfrRmkQC-FM25_hV9wtHT08J/s1600/get-attachment.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1jT53zyYGgn1i1X2s9iHS0DbZ3Wp1S61FM1-Pvw3whsCLexhOntsqGThaZsXgG36Gme9RLm_ecLPVQX1O1pBXonbwVToJTk2rm8PtlC2Q4_sf-V0S4zSkOfrRmkQC-FM25_hV9wtHT08J/s320/get-attachment.aspx.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>Well, that's Jason! My perspicacious, always sunny-and-buoyant friend is a once-in-a life-time find. I met him five years ago at a get together in Greenwich Village and ever since, we've been having dinner almost every Friday night.<br />
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I can't tell you how many evenings we've spent strolling around the Village talking about anything and everything, laughing hilariously, people-watching, and musing on life's ups and downs. And like any best friend, Jason lifts my spirits, expressing his caring unconditionally, with no judgement. This is rare--and to be greatly valued.<br />
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In fact, last night's party for Jason got me thinking about <i>friendship</i> in general. After all, the entire theme of my book, <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Up-Down-Hall-Neighbors/dp/1599952548/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270743450&sr=1-3">Katie Up and Down the Hall</a></b>, is about creating the journey from friendship to family, our core group being my astutely-intelligent dog, Katie, my octogenarian friend Pearl, her husband Arthur, a little boy named Ryan, who had no Mom, his Dad, John, and me. And as I say in the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8Bm2gTgcs0">book trailer:</a> "That's the amazing thing about family. It's anything you want it to be."<br />
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I can't tell you how therapeutic it was for me to be part of such a fantastic group, one made even closer as we all lived along the same 120-foot hallway. Apartment doors were swinging open all day long--with my dog racing up and down the hall, chasing tennis balls and Ryan, running circles around Pearl, all of us sharing dinner together and long walks along the Hudson. It was the best of times. And to have close friends surround you, in a family circle, gives you the support and sustenance you need, getting you through every twist and turn of life. As <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://glennplaskinsreflections.blogspot.com/2010/03/god-can-appear-in-many-disguises-even.html">Wayne Dyer</a> </span>recently told me, "God can appear in many disguises--even as a dog!" and I might add, even as a friend as well!<br />
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And beyond emotional support, I remember reading a great article last year in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/health/21well.html">New York Times</a> about the health benefits of having friends--which include reducing heart disease, obesity, stress, lowering blood pressure, and creating all-important feel-good endorphins. People with friends feel more relaxed and at peace, so that the ultimate health benefit of friendship is living a longer, healthier life.<br />
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I can tell you that Jason makes my life more fun and interesting, and easier to handle. At the end of a long week, spending time with a close friend like him is as good as any therapy session. (Our next adventure is driving upstate in a few weeks with my book editor, Harry Helm, to pick up my new puppy). In fact, s<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, Helvetica, sans-serif;">urprisingly, even spending time with an intimate partner doesn't always provide the same health benefits as friendship, for good friends offer a different kind of support than lovers, siblings, parents, or children. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, Helvetica, sans-serif;">P.S. As all you dog lovers know, man's BEST friend, of course, is his D O G! It's been proven that dog owners live longer, easily stave off loneliness and isolation, have lower blood pressure and cholesterol, a brightened mood, and, of course, reap the benefits of lots of exercise with all those walks. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I once figured out that I walked my curiously-energetic dog, Katie, more than 20,000 times over the course of nearly 15 years. How many miles is that? And who needs the gym?!</span><br />
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</div>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-6584302684350836042010-04-07T11:01:00.015-04:002010-04-08T16:18:44.725-04:00Marrrrrrrrrrrrrio On-The-Go-Buatta, Great Designer, Great Friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJS5bqz7ktfn81Fy2I2PLOo77EtyQkZjamAAdGYQILVXSNDiwSnjoX5iwK2dM6lL_4ivUARr90iVzM1H6P73laIMgqs5aGAWUPcIx5f7uDvIf9N3U5-_FNaLRBSB9j1gCdQXuFmBXqLah/s1600/arsl02_buatta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJS5bqz7ktfn81Fy2I2PLOo77EtyQkZjamAAdGYQILVXSNDiwSnjoX5iwK2dM6lL_4ivUARr90iVzM1H6P73laIMgqs5aGAWUPcIx5f7uDvIf9N3U5-_FNaLRBSB9j1gCdQXuFmBXqLah/s400/arsl02_buatta.jpg" width="307" /></a></div> I recently spent two incredible evenings with the legendary interior designer <b><a href="http://www.interiordesign.net/HoFDesigners/4.html">MARIO BUATTA</a></b>, a longtime friend and frequent interview subject who appears in my upcoming book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Up-Down-Hall-Neighbors/dp/1599952548/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270651173&sr=8-2">Katie Up and Down The Hall</a>. Mario stars in an especially fun chapter titled "Prancing With The Stars," all about my dog's tete-a-tetes with a host of celebrities, one of her favorite being Mario, the nation's "Prince of Chintz," the acknowledged master of the English Country style, his work often featured on the cover of <a href="http://www.architecturaldigest.com/architects/100/mario_buatta/mario_buatta_profile">Architectural Digest</a>.<br />
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Mario is also a passionate lover of theater, comedy, cabaret, and any good performance in town. One recent night, he kindly ushered me backstage to greet <a href="http://glennplaskinsreflections.blogspot.com/2010/03/funny-gorgeous-and-dog-lover-cant-miss.html">Joan Rivers</a> after one her hilarious performances at the <a href="http://spincyclenyc.com/">West Bank Cafe</a>, the proceeds of which go to her two favorite charities, <a href="http://www.guidedogs.com/site/PageServer">Guide Dogs For The Blind</a> and <a href="http://www.godslovewedeliver.org/">God's Love We Deliver</a>.<br />
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And then a few weeks later, Mario invited me to a great cocktail reception at Michael's, a benefit for <a href="http://www.literacypartners.org/">Literacy Partners</a>, hosted by two of its champions, <a href="http://glennplaskinsreflections.blogspot.com/2010/03/youngest-woman-i-know-resplendent-liz.html">Liz Smith</a> and Barbara Taylor Bradford. This was followed by a quick dinner at <a href="http://orsorestaurant.com/Enter.html">Orso</a>, then a fantastic Monday night showcase at <a href="http://www.birdlandjazz.com/">Birdland Jazz Club</a>, where we saw the indomitable <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/arts/music/05maye.html">Marilyn Maye</a>, still an energetic wonder in her 80's, her voice untouched by time.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aAbe4Z7L2ci1O57gHbHS3h3dPIXV2hQM7cBMW6sBHi4S3bHE9SRgPIsaeSn51FiCYb1DavG-uptaYRN8oUi3uicnv-UkC8Nqln5nJ3dSmLJbJkrABUL6aYbiFpyYuOT2NBz2qOWnjSPQ/s1600/arar01_buatta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1aAbe4Z7L2ci1O57gHbHS3h3dPIXV2hQM7cBMW6sBHi4S3bHE9SRgPIsaeSn51FiCYb1DavG-uptaYRN8oUi3uicnv-UkC8Nqln5nJ3dSmLJbJkrABUL6aYbiFpyYuOT2NBz2qOWnjSPQ/s320/arar01_buatta.jpg" /></a></div> <br />
Through it all, Mario has the best sense of humor in town. Irreverent--despite such illustrious past clients as Barbara Walters, the Forbeses, Barbara Bush, Blair House (the President's guest house), and Mariah Carey, Buatta is a notorious prankster. He once showed up at a Peggy Lee concert with a monkey on his lap, strolled through Central Park in an all-blue chintz suit, and arrived at a masked ball wearing a lampshade on his head.<br />
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The first time I met Mario for a cover story interview for the Daily News, he was rather tame in a blue suit, but just as funny as expected. "My Mom once told me, 'maybe you'd like to be a psychiatrist or an actor or a lawyer,' but I combined all three and became an interior decorator!"<br />
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Indeed. Months later, after we had become friends, Mario came over to my apartment one evening, bringing along as a present one of his signature dog pillows with a painted spaniel curled up on it. This was a gift for <i>me</i>, though <a href="http://glennplaskinsreflections.blogspot.com/2010/04/katie-wonder-dog-fully-communicative.html">my cocker spaniel Katie </a>started ripping away the tissue paper as I took it from Mario's hand.<br />
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"This isn't for you!" Mario lectured Katie, who scrammed away, as she was never comfortable around tall people. (Mario is over six feet tall). But this didn't stop Katie from requisitioning that pillow. When I wasn't looking, she knocked if off the couch and I found her napping on the carpet with it under her head!<br />
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That night, I discovered my dog was doing a little re-decorating of her own. She had pushed the pillow into her kennel and arranged it carefully with her paws. She napped on it nearly every afternoon thereafter. As Mario later remarked to her: "Now you're English!"<br />
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You'll soon be able to read more of "Prancing With The Stars," a chapter which includes Katie's adventures with other stars such as Katharine Hepburn, Peter Jennings, Bette Midler, Ivana Trump, Leona Helmsley, and Farrah Fawcett. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijopTRcDVJYWHZeyHczhCgn3PexlEW5FCzFJEvg9ylkAfjwjg8dpDT8_AxNX-uxJf7-rO8Y7AerZEQLHZsQCEtxybXzq180VzqpKLlM6hPYjQgYBVlDKGgyY2fBaK7RfxKCgsjnfpNU6mT/s1600/Mario_Buatta_and_fabrics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijopTRcDVJYWHZeyHczhCgn3PexlEW5FCzFJEvg9ylkAfjwjg8dpDT8_AxNX-uxJf7-rO8Y7AerZEQLHZsQCEtxybXzq180VzqpKLlM6hPYjQgYBVlDKGgyY2fBaK7RfxKCgsjnfpNU6mT/s320/Mario_Buatta_and_fabrics.jpg" /></a></div> <br />
And speaking of stars, you'll see many more of them at the KATIE book launch party in September, an event to be co-hosted by the inimitable Mario and by Joan Rivers, the evening to benefit Guide Dogs For The Blind.<br />
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And on that evening, what might the irrepressible Mario and Joan do to liven up the festivities? We'll just have to wait and see.<br />
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Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2160538711674896470.post-82456070179537562992010-04-05T23:32:00.050-04:002010-04-15T22:21:42.447-04:00A LESSON FROM THE FANTASTIC VALERIE HARPER: FROM FRIENDSHIP TO FAMILY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8sqA2AnCyscBDRUEoClBjEe_ozVoxS4IQa4KcyjfNqsbpysRuNR-2VU8MWuQb4yAUjQ8Anbo2BWCqbKThEUxGhyfDKUNCq_RrAzwgaTmYRSPBJWNjoeCvDBMzdhzV8lu0nTuj78k_uW4/s1600/loopedinbroadway_popup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8sqA2AnCyscBDRUEoClBjEe_ozVoxS4IQa4KcyjfNqsbpysRuNR-2VU8MWuQb4yAUjQ8Anbo2BWCqbKThEUxGhyfDKUNCq_RrAzwgaTmYRSPBJWNjoeCvDBMzdhzV8lu0nTuj78k_uW4/s400/loopedinbroadway_popup.jpg" width="322" /></a></div> This past Saturday night I had a real treat, sitting second row center at the Lyceum Theater, seeing the great <b>VALERIE HARPER </b>in her Broadway tour de force as Tallulah Bankhead in LOOPED, a riveting one-woman (and two man) production with Harper "nailing every last laugh with a professionalism that the real Bankhead would surely admire," wrote the New York Times.<br />
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Sitting with my best friend (and lawyer), Michael Gordon, I was amazed by Valerie's virtuoso performance, gut-wrenching and compelling from start to finish. Although backstage afterward with Michael and me, she confided that she was fighting a cold and that an onstage coughing spell was not in the script, you'd never know anything was wrong, as she marshaled her forces with hilarious "dahlings" sprinkled over countless jokes. Supporting her in every possible way is her fantastic manager-producer-husband Tony Cacciotti, who hospitably welcomed us backstage after the performance. Valerie was dressed down in slacks and a baseball hat as she greeted her fans outside the theater.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOqOYgeLKs5ntNxabk8s_n5q9AQHJzwSmBVgz7FD2BScc2aA6jPtx9aMtJj4y6ug_IaLYIu_ye4OoLAAREqdZ6B1UPDIzgeiMjBxmn7ytewuLXdhXOSz2sPWBl3RayuPwgqFdodX1TShX/s1600/15looped1-articleLarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOqOYgeLKs5ntNxabk8s_n5q9AQHJzwSmBVgz7FD2BScc2aA6jPtx9aMtJj4y6ug_IaLYIu_ye4OoLAAREqdZ6B1UPDIzgeiMjBxmn7ytewuLXdhXOSz2sPWBl3RayuPwgqFdodX1TShX/s320/15looped1-articleLarge.jpg" /></a></div>Onstage, Valerie was magnificent, capturing fully the hilarity of the outrageous Bankhead, while mining her deep pathos and addiction to sex, drugs, alcohol, and nicotine, all of it creating chaos and pain toward the end of the actress's life.<br />
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The emotional bullet of this show isn't just Bankhead's hilarity and built-in tragedy, but the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">friendship</span> that develops, especially in the second act of the play, between Bankhead and the recording sound editor, Danny, played brilliantly by Brian Hutchison. These two lonely and tortured souls trade life stories and become true friends, Bankhead telling him that life is too short to stand back and let it pass by.<br />
The end of the play is touching when these two hearts unite.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb117m7_snE8bhFkmtOP3AE9VXRw6NVyjgCdTfd1NFoJhBtI7Cpteq5Q4vivEZDtiPPDgHjNaEDpwg9NttQFl0sXEn1w-iisoPa-nqCM2n3QR2dUDEwy-SqkNJRfnPbdZNQ5N0iNO3IuQF/s1600/valerie_harper_5260402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb117m7_snE8bhFkmtOP3AE9VXRw6NVyjgCdTfd1NFoJhBtI7Cpteq5Q4vivEZDtiPPDgHjNaEDpwg9NttQFl0sXEn1w-iisoPa-nqCM2n3QR2dUDEwy-SqkNJRfnPbdZNQ5N0iNO3IuQF/s320/valerie_harper_5260402.jpg" /></a>All this reminded me of a magazine interview Valerie and I did a few years ago for Family Circle, the subject being the vital importance of friendship in our lives. On and off stage, Valerie has always been a great friend, an all-American classic, first introduced to American TV audiences as the hilarious Rhoda Morgenstern on the "Mary Tyler Moore Show," then graduating to her own situation comedy as the inimitable "Rhoda." A true-blue friend as a TV heroine, she is also a devoted friend in real life, as I found out during our interview.<br />
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She depends heavily on what she terms her "quartet"of four best friends for support. As she told me: "I think there's always been a profoundly natural bond between women, a sisterhood from the cave days when we picked berries together, to the quilting bees of today. My four best friends and I have been through decades of boyfriends, engagements, marriages, divorces, babies, cramps and hot flashes!-- you name it. They are my family of choice."<br />
And that's exactly the point and theme of my upcoming book, KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL. It's all about how a group of strangers transform from neighbors to friends to family, the five of us becoming just as close as any biological family could be. While we shared some tough times, the thing that kept us together, more than anything, was the playfulness of our relationships--and our ability to see the humor and irony in everything.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOIqZloYKEOjyaPJUSFeP0gcE7XliYioXCyo9Owx3RSiOymEKfyRhJ9t2QOKHw3g7BYN7DLr_dX384sg2M6329SSoDNGm7oygmLZxYDYUWT62xdg-xmaq2Std2qgG2m6q5Kp-GYhs1jE-4/s1600/Friends1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOIqZloYKEOjyaPJUSFeP0gcE7XliYioXCyo9Owx3RSiOymEKfyRhJ9t2QOKHw3g7BYN7DLr_dX384sg2M6329SSoDNGm7oygmLZxYDYUWT62xdg-xmaq2Std2qgG2m6q5Kp-GYhs1jE-4/s320/Friends1.jpg" /></a> Like our own little family, Valerie agrees that laughter is key: "What first drew me to all of them was the fact that we could laugh together. I mean peals of hysterical, shrieking laughter. We can also be serious. But when you've known a friend 40-plus years, you can talk in shorthand. As for getting and looking older, we all grumble and laugh about it. The fact is that our bodies are going south, but our spirit doesn't fade--it only expands." So true, for the heroine of my book, Pearl, nicknamed Granny, even at 90, was still expanding, and laughing. In the book, as you'll see, she models a Disneyland Donald Duck hat at age 91, and does it laughingly with style.<br />
Valerie's sage advice: "For people who want friends, look at how you can contribute to people. I don't mean money. I mean your attention, your listening, your laughter. When you see a quality in a person that delights you, tell them about it. All of this swirls around and creates friendships."<br />
Is sure did for me.<br />
"It's a real wind in your sail to have best friends," she smiles.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 10px;"> </span></span>Glenn Plaskin's Reflectionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251149428569815696noreply@blogger.com0