tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86130542375596090202024-03-13T20:19:33.719-07:00Judy's Op-Ed PageJudy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-53396657189439233152012-10-28T12:21:00.000-07:002013-10-28T07:14:56.391-07:00Bertha Meisler Helfand - Happy 100th Birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Denny, Birdie and Vivian - October 28, 2002</td></tr>
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<h4>
Looking back 10 years ago today...</h4>
Ten years ago today we celebrated the 90th Birthday of Bertha Meisler Helfand. I don't remember how many of us gathered to celebrate on that day, but I do remember one very special family friend, Vicki Fingerman, making a toast. As Vicki raised a glass she wished Birdie a Happy 90th and said, hopefully, may we all meet together in 10 years to celebrate "your 100th!" I remember looking around the room at the time and we all drank to the toast, but we wondered silently if Vicki's dream would come true. Sadly, today we are not together to celebrate Birdie's 100th, as we said our final good-bye's to Birdie on December 18, 2011, two days after her passing on December 16, 2011. Thankfully, many of her family were together to celebrate her 99th Birthday...and it was great. Joe Cantor, her nephew and my cousin-in-law, said of this 99th Birthday celebration as he recalled it beautifully in his eulogy for his Aunt Bert:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Above all, she loved her family: her parents and siblings, her
husband, her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. And her
whole extended family. And if she never knew it before, on her 99th
birthday, just 2 months ago, she knew just how much her family loved
her.</i></blockquote>
<h4>
Getting to know Bertha (Birdie, Bertie, Mom, Grandma, Aunt Bert...)</h4>
Bertha Meisler came into this world on October 28, 1912. (Although her passport issued in 1973, displays her birth date as October 29, 1912). She was the first child of Jacob and Rose (Drucker - nee) Meisler, both immigrants from Delatyn, a village in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. Before World War I it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; between
the World Wars, Poland, after World War II, the U.S.S.R, and today,
Ukraine. I have no idea if Bertie was born in a hospital or at home.<br />
<br />
For whatever reason, I cannot find a record listing our Bertha Meisler on the 1920 Census**; however, I did find her on the 1930 Census. She was 18 and employed as a bookkeeper. By the 1940 Census she was married to Julius Helfand and lived on Trinity Avenue; she was not employed. <br />
<br />
Bertie/Birdie and Julius (Julie) were married on March 5, 1938, and shortly thereafter they sailed to Bermuda for their honeymoon. They returned to New York on March 19, 1938, sailing on the Queen of Bermuda. Their first child, Dennis (my husband) was born in 1942, followed by Harvey in 1945, and finally Vivian in 1949. As Vivian wrote in her eulogy for her Mom:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i> I thought of the cold winter days we sat at the window watching
my brothers play in the snow, while singing songs together. I
remembered in great anticipation watching her fry chicken for a fun day
at Jones Beach with all our cousins, aunts, and uncles. She instilled
in me, and it’s one of her greatest legacies, her immense love of cats
which has now been, I’m happy to say, passed down to the next two
generations. I remember vividly doing even the ordinary, mundane
activities with her – shopping for weekly groceries and going to
Tuckmans for socks. Why were these the things that I remembered first?
Perhaps they spoke of the essence of a mother - what a mother should be
to a daughter. We did so much together and formed a bond from an early
age. I knew that she would do anything for me; I was special to her
and she made me feel loved, as it should be.</i></blockquote>
<h4>
Birdie, my mother-in-law</h4>
I saw an ad the other day on television. It featured people laughing, almost uncontrollably. It made me think of Birdie. For as many times as we "sighed" together and yes "cried" together...what I remember most fondly was just "laughing" together. I think sometimes we would make each other laugh, just because we knew if we looked too closely at a situation it might just bring tears to our eyes. Birdie liked to write. She wrote poems about and for those she loved. She wrote letters...usually to let you know she really was RIGHT about something. I still have some of those <i>LETTERS</i>, but today I came across one poem that she wrote in 2002 which talked about her childhood:<br />
<blockquote>
<i>How well I remember the 1920's<br />
in the ledger of my life I can make many entries.<br />It was fun and learning time<br />
with parents who taught me values<br />
of caring, sharing, honesty, and respect.<br />
Nothing less would they expect.<br /><br />
My fun with friends was playing<br />
store in the "lot"<br /> where weeds and flowers nested<br />
the bees and flies we had to swat!
<br /><br />For one penny Mr. Gersh the Grocer<br />
provided the crepe paper for our show.
<br />Draped around us we danced to and fro.
<br />Fanny's veil made her a beautiful bride.
<br />My cape encouraged me to dance with pride.
<br /><br />We played games of potsie, immies,
<br />hide-and seek and ball.
<br />It was just a wonderful time for all. </i></blockquote>
<h4>
Mom was<i> his morning...</i><i> </i></h4>
A day or so after Birdie passed away, Denny was talking to one of his first cousins. I listened to the telephone conversation and quietly Denny said <i>"She was my morning..." </i>It's true, Birdie/Mom was his morning. Every day for probably more than 20 years Denny would call his Mom, just to say "hi!" But he had one "strict" rule...he only wanted to hear good news, probably because for the most part there was nothing he could do to impact any of the bad news from 500 - 3000 miles away. So they would have their conversations, they would laugh, share memories, and basically just "check-in" with each other. I miss those conversations...Denny knows I miss those conversations, because every once in a while he will look at me and say "Gee, I haven't heard from my Mom in a few days!" He smiles, I smile...and we move through the day, sans Birdie!<br />
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Here you can see a few of my favorite photos of Birdie...she was a classy lady...(if you click on the album, it will get larger).<br />
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<h4>
A few of my own memories of Birdie - my mother-in-law...</h4>
As I close today, I am thinking of many days spent with Birdie. When I first met Birdie it was on the occasion of my wedding to Denny. In those days she liked to have a drink and a cigarette. She also liked to gamble, just a wee bit. She bought lottery tickets and always assured her grandchildren that she would <i>share</i> her winnings. On more than one occasion I went to Atlantic City with her. She once took me via a gambling one-day bus trip from the Bronx. She <i>sort of liked</i> to travel, but always seemed to book a trip with the delayed plane or even once got all the way to our home with a suitcase that belonged to a complete stranger (well, she said "it looked like mine!") We traveled by train a number of times, but her antics on those trips I will have to save for another post. We were once stuck in her car on the George Washington Bridge for 3-4 hours with Daniel and Aaron (so long that vendors were selling drinks and ice-cream to us). She taught me to cook Jewish dishes. She liked to laugh, but she was also a great <i>worrier</i>...she worried enough for all of us. She comforted me when my Father died in 1979 and when my Mother died in 2006. And once, many years ago she shared a secret about her life (something she had in common with my own father).<br />
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Today, I learned she also shared that secret with the 1940 Census taker Leo Terragas. I am thinking now she shared that secret with Mr. Terragas and many years later with me, because as she said about her parents in the poem about her <i>Childhood</i> - <i>learning time with parents who taught me values
of caring, sharing, honesty, and respect.</i><br />
<br />
I am forever grateful that I had 33 years with Birdie, 33 years of caring, sharing, honesty, and respect.<i> Happy 100th Birthday to my friend, Bertha Meisler Helfand. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Care to share your favorite memory of Birdie?<br />
______________________________________________ <br />
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** (10-29-2012)I searched Ancestry.com again for the 1920 Census using only Bertha's first name, with parents' first names of Jacob and Rose living in New York City area. I found them. The spelling of the last name was wrong: MINSLER. That is why I was having trouble. They lived at 843 Crimmins Avenue, Bronx, NY. It was an apartment building. <br />
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-44977215672737247272012-10-22T13:22:00.002-07:002012-10-22T13:31:41.515-07:00Remembering George McGovern - The Summer of 1972It's a funny thing about maintaining a personal blog. You start out with the best intentions, then your day to day life commitments to your family and your business need to take priority; before long you find the only time you can seem to publish a personal post is when you learn that <i>someone special </i>who impacted your life has passed away. So it is today, as I remember working for Senator <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_McGovern" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="George McGovern">George McGovern</a>'s 1972 presidential campaign. <br />
<h4>
Looking back to 1972...</h4>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LtA-Cg6p_x4/UIWFduGZ5QI/AAAAAAAAEkc/Lkay2wZYisI/s1600/1971_Judy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LtA-Cg6p_x4/UIWFduGZ5QI/AAAAAAAAEkc/Lkay2wZYisI/s320/1971_Judy.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judy, circa 1972</td></tr>
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In the Fall of 1971 I moved to Pasadena, CA. I was returning to college and my then husband was starting medical school. By June 1972 I had transferred from Pasadena City College to California State University, Los Angeles, and my major had changed to Sociology, with an emphasis on social welfare and corrections. Each day I rode my bike to and from the campus, round-trip 10miles. As July rolled around and it seemed Senator McGovern could win the Democratic nomination, my husband whose family was from South Dakota encouraged me to get involved.<br />
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And so I did. For the next four months I volunteered 3-4 times per week at the local Alhambra, CA McGovern headquarters, I trained to register people to vote, and every weekend I walked the streets of East Los Angeles helping people to register to vote. I proudly wore my McGovern political buttons, sadly putting away the McGovern-Eagleton button when Senator Eagleton left the ticket on August 1, 1972, while welcoming Sargent Shriver to the ticket. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qqK_N6532Yw/UIWWYE9xDzI/AAAAAAAAEko/8TjEaYB6Yug/s1600/DSCN2399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qqK_N6532Yw/UIWWYE9xDzI/AAAAAAAAEko/8TjEaYB6Yug/s200/DSCN2399.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judy's 40 year old campaign buttons</td></tr>
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We all know the outcome of the 1972 election. Nixon won by an historic landslide and by <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2009/08/remembering-august-8-1974-richard-m.html" target="_blank">August 8, 1974, we watched as Nixon resigned</a> resulting from the Watergate scandal that began on June 17, 1972.<br />
<h4>
Beyond 1972</h4>
Since 1972 I have never "worked" for another campaign. I always stayed informed and always voted, encouraged my children to study history and to understand the importance of their franchise. After the 2000 election I volunteered to be a <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2008/10/why-be-poll-worker.html" target="_blank">poll worker</a> in California and continued to work the polls here in Pima County, AZ. <br />
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<h4>
Saying good-bye to Senator McGovern...</h4>
Today isn't about me or even my fond and vivid memories of supporting Senator McGovern's campaign, it is more about the man who was my parents' peer, who fought in WWII, who loved history and eventually became a history professor, US Representative and US Senator. It is also about a man who was a lifelong advocate for peace which he practiced by working diligently as a Senator and serving as <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Ambassador_to_the_United_Nations_Agencies_for_Food_and_Agriculture" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture">United States Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture</a> from 1998 - 2001.<br />
<br />
My fondest keepsake from 1972 was a poster designed by the artist <a href="https://www.corita.org/" target="_blank"><i>Corita Kent</i></a>. She was also my parents' peer and her artwork spoke to social causes. If you click on the photo below, it will enlarge and you can see the famous Corita signature and read Sargent Shriver's message. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xDZQnAh5NgY/UIWjTJCGFaI/AAAAAAAAEk4/Erx0K4Tjf70/s1600/mcgovern-shriver-1972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xDZQnAh5NgY/UIWjTJCGFaI/AAAAAAAAEk4/Erx0K4Tjf70/s400/mcgovern-shriver-1972.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i>Come home America...</i>George McGovern, 1972<br />
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-40480686163516919392012-07-03T14:29:00.000-07:002012-10-11T13:09:17.943-07:00There Will Always Be Time for Andy GriffithDid you ever see the play <i><b>"Love Letters" </b></i>by A.R. Gurney? One of the exchanges between the two characters, Melissa and Andy, goes like this:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
MELISSA: <b>I was very sorry to hear about the death of your father. I know he was a great influence on you, and I know you loved him very much. I also know he didn't like me. I'm sure he thought I was bad for you and I probably was. Still, he was a good, decent man, and I always knew where I stood with him when you'd bring me home to your family, back in the old days, back in the Land of Oz. <i>I wish I'd had a father like that</i>. Please accept my deepest sympathies. Love, Melissa.</b></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
ANDY: <b>Dear Melissa, Thank you for your note on my father, I did love him. He was a classy guy, the best of his breed. Even now he's gone, I can still hear him reminding me of my obligations to my family, my country, and myself, in roughly that order. All my life, he taught me that those born to privilege have special responsibilities, which is I suppose why I came home alone from Japan, why I chose the law, and why I'll probably enter politics at some level, some time on down the line. Thanks for writing. Love, Andy. </b></blockquote>
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<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Griffith%2C_Andy_%28Whitehouse%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Andy Griffith, Tony Award-nominated and Emmy A..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Griffith%2C_Andy_%28Whitehouse%29.jpg/300px-Griffith%2C_Andy_%28Whitehouse%29.jpg" style="border: currentColor; font-size: 0.8em;" width="182" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">Andy Griffith, Tony Award-nominated and Emmy Award-nominated American actor, producer, writer, director and Grammy Award-winning southern gospel singer. Image taken as President George W. Bush presents him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Griffith%2C_Andy_%28Whitehouse%29.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
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In case you are wondering why I am so familiar with this play, check out #52 of <a href="http://judysoped.blogspot.com/2010/08/84-things-about-me.html" target="_blank">84 Things You May Not Know About Me</a>.<br />
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Today we learned that one very special television father passed away. Andy Griffith. I think many of us who met Andy Griffith, playing single parent Andy Taylor, way back in 1960 (and any those who grew up watching re-runs of the same show), often wished we'd <i>had a father like that. </i>For the record, I did have a father like that and I will be forever grateful. <br />
<br />
As Dennis and I read today about Andy Griffith's death, Dennis reminded me that the first play he ever saw on Broadway was <i><b><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Time_for_Sergeants_%281958_film%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="No Time for Sergeants (1958 film)">No Time For Sergeants</a></b></i>. The year was 1955 and Dennis' father took him to see the play. Mr. Griffith played the part of Will Stockdale and was nominated for a <i>Tony</i> for Best Featured Actor and it was in this production that Don Knotts also made his Broadway debut as Corporal Manual Dexterity. <br />
<br />
All in all, nice memories about fathers and what they teach us. <br />
<br />
One other thought crossed my mind this morning when I started seeing all of the stories of Mr. Griffith's life and the notice of his death. There was a time that I didn't understand that media outlets (newspapers, news networks, etc.) are always prepared with a famous person's bio, so that when the end comes all that is required to go to press are the details of the passing. This allows the news-writers to be prepared at a moment's notice. You might be wondering how I learned this fact. <br />
<br />
It was February 2, 1974. I tuned in to watch what is now referred to as Season 4, Episode 20 of <b><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mary_Tyler_Moore_Show" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="The Mary Tyler Moore Show">The Mary Tyler Moore Show</a></b>: <i>Better Late...That's a Pun...than Never</i>. The quick synopsis: Mary writes a humorous obituary as a joke, but when it's mistakenly read on the air, she's suspended from the newsroom. <br />
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You can watch the whole episode here, and I am including it, as I think Andy Griffith probably would have gotten a kick out how the news media can sometimes just get things all tangled up, not unlike his pal Barney Fife.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/T9c7K-nvSDs" width="420"></iframe>
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And if you are having trouble viewing the video, <a href="http://youtu.be/T9c7K-nvSDs">see it here</a>.<br />
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An interesting fact about this episode is that it was directed by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0161086/" target="_blank">John C. Chulay</a>. You know his work, but you may not know you know his work. Item #39 of <i>84 Things You May Not Know About Me</i> mentions that I started working for Wells Fargo Bank in 1969. From 1971-1972 John C. Chulay would visit my branch every week and every week I was the teller who waited on him, additionally his son and I were classmates at Pasadena City College that year. <br />
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Sometime this week I am sure the lights will dim on Broadway to honor Andy Griffith, many of us will tune into a re-run of <i>The Andy Griffith Show</i> or <i>Matlock</i>, we might catch him in a movie like <i><b>Waitress</b></i> where he displayed the compassion and love that saved Jenna's life. He was <i>"a father like that!"</i><br />
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<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-57465667-10391698/andy-griffith-dead-at-86/" target="_blank">Andy Griffith dead at 86 - CBS News</a> (cbsnews.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.salon.com/2012/07/03/beloved_actor_andy_griffith_dies_at_86_2/" target="_blank">Beloved actor Andy Griffith dies at 86</a> (salon.com)</li>
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com1Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.3389931 -110.926820132.2316676 -111.0847486 32.446318600000005 -110.7688916tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-82778534256882551382012-06-27T19:48:00.000-07:002012-06-27T21:20:46.229-07:00It Is An Affair To Remember - Nora Ephron Made Us Happy<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nicholas_Pieggi_Nora_Ephron_Shankbone_2010_NYC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="English: Nicholas Pileggi and Nora Ephron at t..." border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="231" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Nicholas_Pieggi_Nora_Ephron_Shankbone_2010_NYC.jpg/300px-Nicholas_Pieggi_Nora_Ephron_Shankbone_2010_NYC.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;"> Nicholas Pileggi and Nora Ephron at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival. (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nicholas_Pieggi_Nora_Ephron_Shankbone_2010_NYC.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
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There was a time, long ago, when both of my sons were away at college and the phone would ring and one of them would utter something like this: "Mom, turn on TBS <i><b>Sleepless In Seattle</b></i> is playing." Cute, huh? Sweet even. It always made me feel good that they knew their mom well enough to know that no matter how many times I might have seen a particular movie I will watch the film again and again. This fact about me was #24 on my post about <a href="http://judysoped.blogspot.com/2010/08/84-things-about-me.html" target="_blank">84 Things You May Not Know About Me</a>. <br />
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Today I would like to take just a few minutes to say <i>thank you</i> to Nora Ephron. Nora passed away yesterday leaving many of us sad and wondering what will we do without her uncanny ability to zero in on a story, write a captivating screenplay, find wonderful actors to play roles that really so many of us have played in our <i>real lives</i>. <br />
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I am about eight years younger than Nora, but I know many of our generation grew up watching Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant in <i><b>An Affair To Remember</b></i>. And for those of you out there who refuse to believe that <i>lovestruck</i> people don't still say: "If we are meant to be together, we'll plan to meet on the top of the Empire State Building", I am here to tell you that once long ago in 1976 I was to meet <i>someone </i>on the top of the Empire State Building. He cancelled.<br />
<br />
But years later on the occasion of my 25th Wedding Anniversary to the <i>one and only true</i> <i>love of my life</i>, <i>Dennis</i> took me to the top of the Empire State Building. The year was 2003 and it was wonderful...by then I had probably seen <i><b>Sleepless In Seattle (1993) </b></i>50 times and Dennis knew just how to surprise me (unlike Nickie in <i><b>An Affair To Remember</b></i>, Dennis took me first to the top of the Empire State Building and then on to Europe to cruise the Danube).<br />
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Nora Ephron's body of work is remarkable. If you have ever worked for a less than moral employer...then you relate to <i><b>Silkwood (1983). </b></i>If you graduated from high school or college and moved to the big city to find your fame and fortune (and <i>"what she's having"</i>), then you identify with all the ups and downs of <i><b>When Harry Met Sally (1989)</b></i>. If you discovered (or hoped to discover) the love of your life in a "chat room" and wound up marrying him/her, then memories resonate each time you watch <i><b>You've Got Mail (1998)</b></i>. If you have ever struggled to find your identity by learning to cook (#54 of the 84 Things You May Not Know About Me), then <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2010/06/learn-from-julie-and-julia.html%20" target="_blank"><i><b>Julie and Julia (2009)</b></i></a> not only inspires one to learn to cook, but also to start a <i>blog</i>. <br />
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Nora lived a life that many of us would envy. As a young woman she lived in Washington, D.C. and New York City, she worked as a White House intern for President Kennedy, she applied to be a writer for <i>Newsweek</i> in 1962, but was told women could not be writers; however, they did offer her a job in the mail room and she accepted it. She went on to write for the likes of <i>New York Post</i>, <i>New York Magazine</i>, <i>Esquire</i>, <i>New York Times Magazine</i>, and even found herself in a heartbreaking marriage to Carl Bernstein - one of two reporters for the Washington Post who helped <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2009/08/remembering-august-8-1974-richard-m.html" target="_blank">uncover the secrets of Watergate. </a><br />
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I learned today that it was that <i>heartbreaking</i> marriage that inspired <i><b>Heartburn (1986)</b></i>. I must confess that I have never seen <b><i>Heartburn</i></b>, but I do know the music from it and I have experienced divorce (#16 of the 84 Things You May Not Know About Me). <br />
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There is no easy way to close this post. Except to say a few final words. Nora Ephron gave us a gift. She shared her gift of writing with all who were willing to read her novels and eventually watch her films over and over again, simply because watching one of her films is still like <i>getting together with old friends</i>. Most of us never had the pleasure to meet Nora in real life, but we feel like we know her. And we feel like Nora knew us or at least she <i>knew</i> what we might be feeling or experiencing in all of those cross-roads of life, those life changing events. She taught us to dream, she coaxed us to dream even in the depths of heartache.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“And then the dreams break into a million tiny pieces. The dream dies. Which leaves you with a choice: you can settle for reality, or you can go off, like a fool, and dream another dream.” </i><br />
― Nora Ephron, <b><i>Heartburn</i></b></blockquote>
Heavy hearts tonight...but <i>It Is An Affair To Remember</i> and we won't soon forget. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uo3YIJ2oj7c/T-vBIvKhsaI/AAAAAAAAEVo/oaR_mBCDL_w/s1600/Dennis-Judy-EmpireStateBuilding-092003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uo3YIJ2oj7c/T-vBIvKhsaI/AAAAAAAAEVo/oaR_mBCDL_w/s400/Dennis-Judy-EmpireStateBuilding-092003.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dennis & Judy - Empire State Building 2003</td></tr>
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<div class="zemanta-related" style="margin-top: 20px; overflow: hidden;">
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<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/26/nora-ephron-dead-dies-age-71_n_1627757.html" target="_blank">Nora Ephron Dies At 71</a> (huffingtonpost.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/06/nora-ephron-1941-2012.html" target="_blank">Nora Ephron, 1941-2012</a> (nymag.com)</li>
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=2dbbc374-b98e-41d1-9863-8820f53aa167" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></a></div>Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com2Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.3389931 -110.926820132.2316676 -111.0847486 32.446318600000005 -110.7688916tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-22203200222816932712012-05-26T06:28:00.000-07:002023-06-14T11:12:10.085-07:00Remembering Memorial Day - History, Honor, and Humor<i>This post was originally published in 2009, but we thought it still a good way to learn about Memorial Day and share some personal stories. Happy Memorial Day Weekend 2012! </i><br />__________________<br /><br />This weekend, more particularly this coming Monday, May 25, 2009, Americans will "celebrate" Memorial Day. I thought today I would spend a few minutes remembering Memorial Day, with some <b>history, honor and humor</b>.<br /><br />As a youngster I came to know Memorial Day as May 30th, celebrated really as a day to remember those who had given their life in service to our country. It didn't really matter what day of the week May 30th occurred, it was a Federal holiday, a day off from school and it meant we would proudly display the American Flag on our home and we would attend a parade. After all I grew up in a military town, just outside San Diego, CA, and my father was a retired Naval officer. These parades weren't always grand, but they were a nice tradition.<br /><br />If you would like to learn more about the <b>history</b> of Memorial Day there is a very interesting <a href="http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/today/may30.html" target="_blank">Library of Congress web page </a>with wonderful information. Two historical items of interest:<br /><br />1. "In 1971, federal law changed the observance of the holiday to the last Monday in May and extended the honor to all soldiers who died in American wars."<br />2. "Protocol for flying the American flag on Memorial Day includes raising it quickly to the top of the pole at sunrise, immediately lowering it to half-staff until noon, and displaying it at full staff from noon until sunset." <br />Additionally, I came across a History Channel presentation of the history of Taps and the playing of Taps for our fallen military. Here is the YouTube video.<br /><object height="364" width="445"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ImeNKft0WaI&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="364" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ImeNKft0WaI&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="445"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o17sffE8CWg/T8Dcg6eEENI/AAAAAAAAEUc/ZFAFgOkiC9Q/s1600/Dad_Navy_Sailor.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o17sffE8CWg/T8Dcg6eEENI/AAAAAAAAEUc/ZFAFgOkiC9Q/s320/Dad_Navy_Sailor.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>Memorial Day is to be a day to <b>honor</b> those of our armed services who died during an American War or as a result of an American war. But since my father's passing in 1979, I always like to honor him on days like Memorial Day and Veterans Day. I have talked about my father, Joseph Eagen, in other blog posts. He led a very interesting life, but what defined his adult life was his commitment to the US Navy. On December 30, 1935, at the age of 17 years 11 months, he completed his Navy enlistment application. He needed his mother's permission to enlist! Ten months later, on October 13, 1936, his enlistment was approved. For the next 17 years he served and was retired due to a service connected disability on June 30, 1953. The photo shown here is one that I have always loved. My father is the tall one on the right. I believe it was taken in China between July 9, 1937 and November 3, 1938, when he served aboard the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Augusta_%28CA-31%29" target="_blank">U.S.S. Augusta</a>. What I love about this photo is the sheer expression of joy in my father's sparkling eyes and smile. (By the way, the dark mark on his cheek is just a defect in a very old photo.)<br /><br />Now you are probably wondering how I could ever remember Memorial Day with <b>humor</b>. Well, this story will take you to a day in my life at Cranmore Mountain Lodge, located in Carroll County, Town of Conway, Village of Kearsarge, New Hampshire. The year is 1987. Our country inn was situated on plus or minus seven acres and our property line went up a hill to abut the property line of the Kearsarge Cemetery. This cemetery is very, very old and it is the type of cemetery that people will often visit to do <a href="http://www.ancestryprinting.com/headstone.html" target="_blank">headstone rubbings</a>.<br /><br /><span id="goog_1612232133"></span><span id="goog_1612232134"></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6J9QcwP1JM/T8Dcww1w_aI/AAAAAAAAEUk/SMXR8FAqwiE/s1600/011A-Eric-Aaron-Dan-circa1987.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6J9QcwP1JM/T8Dcww1w_aI/AAAAAAAAEUk/SMXR8FAqwiE/s320/011A-Eric-Aaron-Dan-circa1987.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>On this Memorial Day 1987 a lady came to the inn. She introduced herself as a member of the Kearsarge Cemetery Association and she wanted to know if we were aware that our two young sons had been visiting the cemetery with her grandson, Eric. I told her I didn't know they had climbed the hill to the Cemetery and then she asked me if I noticed that my children were running around outside with many little American Flags in their hands. I told her I had noticed that and that is when she told me that Aaron (6.5 years), Dan (3 years)and Eric (4 years) had "raided" the cemetery and removed all of the Memorial Day flags that had been placed to honor the war dead!<br /><br />As you celebrate Memorial Day take time out of your weekend to remember those who gave their lives for our country. And let me know how you remember Memorial Day.<br />P.S. I do not know the names of the other two young men in the photo with my father. Should anyone out there in the world wide web recognize them, please let me know.Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com3Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.3389931 -110.9268200999999932.2612716 -111.01857609999999 32.416714600000006 -110.83506409999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-39913229682301326882012-05-03T16:09:00.001-07:002012-05-09T07:30:24.860-07:00Remembering Junior Seau<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sandiegochargersoffense1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="san diego chargers" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="199" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/52/Sandiegochargersoffense1.JPG/300px-Sandiegochargersoffense1.JPG" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">San Diego Chargers (Photo credit: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sandiegochargersoffense1.JPG" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Yesterday I read with sadness about the passing of <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junior_Seau" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Junior Seau">Junior Seau</a>. I didn't know Seau, but I was born and raised in San Diego and the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.chargers.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="San Diego Chargers">San Diego Chargers</a> have always been my hometown team. Please, don't think for one second that I am an avid football fan, but I do have fond memories of the Chargers moving to San Diego in 1961. Yes, I am <i>that</i> old.<br />
<br />
Today I thought I would tell you a story of how our oldest son came to be one of the Chargers' biggest fans as the 1994 AFC West Division Champions played in the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Bowl_XXIX" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Super Bowl XXIX">1995 Super Bowl</a>.<br />
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<i>A little background... </i><br />
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As I said, San Diego is my hometown. I remember my parents taking us to see the Chargers play in their first few seasons. They played in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balboa_Stadium" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Balboa Stadium">Balboa Stadium</a> (sometimes called City Stadium). I remember team members that were handsome and to me and my two older sisters that was probably the most important topic of conversation. Players like Lance Alworth, Jack Kemp and Ernie Ladd were San Diego Chargers' heroes in the early days. The year I graduated from high school the Chargers moved to the new San Diego Stadium in the Mission Valley section of San Diego. In 1970 I was working for Wells Fargo and was assigned to their new Mission Valley branch. Wells Fargo proudly became the Chargers' bank, but young tellers weren't told that we could cash visiting team members' travel expense checks. I will let your imagination fill in the details!<br />
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<i>November 1994...</i><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y9KxOeo4av8/T6LbGQRAlyI/AAAAAAAAETw/Lg6NLD5FLus/s1600/050-helfand-holiday-greeting-121994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y9KxOeo4av8/T6LbGQRAlyI/AAAAAAAAETw/Lg6NLD5FLus/s320/050-helfand-holiday-greeting-121994.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Helfands- Dec 1994</td></tr>
</tbody></table>From December 1986 through October 1997, we owned and operated Cranmore Mountain Lodge in North Conway, NH. Our children were really very young when we first bought the inn. They grew accustomed to meeting our guests and interacting with them. In November 1994 we had a guest drive-in (sans reservation) and during the check-in process Dennis discovered that the gentleman was a <i>line official</i> for the San Diego Chargers. He was in New England (traveling with his wife) because the Chargers played the New England Patriots (the last team Junior Seau played for in 2009) in Boston on November 20, 1994. Knowing that Aaron was following the Chargers that season Dennis found Aaron and introduced him to this gentleman.<br />
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I recall that Aaron (just shy of turning 14) and this gentleman had a number of conversations during his stay and he promised Aaron he would keep him abreast of the Chargers' news and game results completing the 1994 season and post season marching towards Super Bowl XXIX. <i> </i>To Aaron's surprise, a few weeks later the gentleman sent Aaron autographed football cards and programs and in December 1995 he followed up by sending Aaron the 1996 Chargers' Calendar signed by all the players, of course including Junior Seau's autograph.<br />
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<i>Today...</i><br />
<i><br />
</i>So as I said, this is a sad time. A sad time for Seau's family, friends, team mates, San Diegans, long time fans...and I just wanted to say that many years ago a young New England teen-ager met a nice gentleman who shared some San Diego Chargers' memorabilia. He made Aaron smile and feel special. And somewhere these cherished keepsakes are carefully packed away in a storage box or footlocker.<br />
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<i>Good-bye Junior... </i> <br />
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May you be at peace. <br />
<div class="zemanta-related" style="margin-top: 20px; overflow: hidden;"><h4 class="zemanta-related-title">Related articles</h4><ul class="zemanta-article-ul" style="clear: left;"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/58156/chargers-mourn-for-legend-junior-seau" target="_blank">Chargers mourn for legend Junior Seau</a> (espn.go.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/05/02/chargers-confirm-passing-of-junior-seau/" target="_blank">Chargers confirm passing of Junior Seau</a> (profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)</li>
</ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=14f71433-5249-4fb3-9efe-dceb78289db7" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></a></div>Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com0Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.3389931 -110.926820132.2316676 -111.0847486 32.446318600000005 -110.7688916tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-27137873333363547772012-04-13T06:36:00.000-07:002021-01-15T04:29:20.976-08:00Facebook Cover Photo Features Webconsuls TeamTwo weeks ago I talked about adding some <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2012/03/facebook-finishing-touches.html" target="_blank">finishing touches to your Facebook business page</a>. In particular, I urged you to create your business Facebook "cover photo" and to think through what message you wanted to send with that photo. Of late, I used our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/#%21/Webconsuls" target="_blank">Webconsuls Facebook page</a> to feature our clients' Facebook cover photos. All the while, I was working with our Webconsuls' team members to determine what our <i>cover photo</i> should say about us.<br /><br />Here is a little of how this process went: We are not a traditional <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brick_and_mortar" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Brick and mortar">brick and mortar business</a>, so we knew we wouldn't present a photo of our <i>storefront</i>. We also knew that our team members live in five different states and three time zones, so getting together for a <i>group shot</i> was not going to happen. Additionally, we felt that taking the approach that we use on our <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/Webconsuls" target="_blank">Twitter page</a>, that is <i>listing our services</i>, would not really make us unique or tell our story.<br /><br />So how do we tell Webconsuls' story? What makes us unique? I remember when Dick and Dennis first decided to form Webconsuls. They went back and forth about what to name their business, how would they convey their <i>vision</i>. The good news is they committed this history to a <a href="http://www.webconsuls.com/articles/Webconsuls_PressRelease_11_1999.pdf" target="_blank">press release </a>and here is what they wrote November 16, 1999.<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><b><i>'The name Webconsuls was chosen very deliberately. A consul is an official appointed by a government to advance the commercial interest of its citizens in a foreign country. Webconsuls is conceived as describing "a firm which advances the commercial interest of its clients on the World Wide Web." As Dick Fay recently remarked, "Web sites do not automatically produce dollars. Success is realized when web sites are carefully marketed and targeted, those activities being integrated into a tailored, well–orchestrated business campaign."'</i></b></blockquote>And so, between a few emails and phone calls the Webconsuls' team decided our cover photo should be a collage of the team members. It is not about being techies or understanding all the latest software and tools, but more about being people who work with other people to promote the success of our clients' businesses. It is a collaborative process and we think that is what our current cover photo says.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yRPLtuC06xk/T4gocHos1GI/AAAAAAAAER0/EllLyoiKEKk/s1600/Facebook-cover2-001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="147" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yRPLtuC06xk/T4gocHos1GI/AAAAAAAAER0/EllLyoiKEKk/s400/Facebook-cover2-001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Webconsuls' FACEBOOK Cover Photo April 2012 - click on it to enlarge!</td></tr></tbody></table>What do you think? Notice I said <i>current</i>, because we can refresh it and keep it vital. Like any collage it tells a story...Dennis, Judy and Dick meeting 31 years ago at an <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARCO" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="ARCO">ARCO</a> training seminar, Malik's college graduation and enjoying a California sunset, Heidi receiving her master's from NYU and "horsing around", Alycia and Bill celebrating their wedding in Hawaii, Dick supporting his beloved DUKE and the Phillies, Dennis meeting with clients, Daniel working with animals and 'dressing to the nines', Keith enjoying life and supporting the Toronto Blue jays...<i>the story goes on.</i> <br /><br />We look forward to your comments or stop by our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/#%21/Webconsuls" target="_blank">FACEBOOK page</a> and "like" us.<br /><br /><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=4806f214-8b48-476c-812b-72f28958d0e3" style="border: currentcolor; float: right;" /></a></div>Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com3Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.3389931 -110.9268200999999932.2612716 -111.01857609999999 32.416714600000006 -110.83506409999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-22018391711041259502012-04-08T14:55:00.001-07:002019-08-05T09:11:21.536-07:00Ships of Dreams - Teutonic, Ryndam, Titanic and Laconia<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C78MTf5w1V4/T4HjcK_Z9HI/AAAAAAAAERM/NMsL3Tud7l8/s1600/Titanic-Film-Circa2012H.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C78MTf5w1V4/T4HjcK_Z9HI/AAAAAAAAERM/NMsL3Tud7l8/s200/Titanic-Film-Circa2012H.jpg" width="163" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Titanic" Movie Poster - 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Yesterday Dennis and I took a break and went to the movies. We saw the newly released <i><b>TITANIC (3D)</b></i>. Yes, we saw Cameron's original release in 1997, and before that we saw 1953 version of <i><b>Titanic</b></i> and the 1958 docudrama <i><b>A Night to Remember</b></i>. But yesterday was different and not just because we were wearing 3D glasses. You see it was more about why <i>we</i> are fascinated with this 100 year old historical event. I cannot really speak for Dennis, so today I will just speak for myself. It is like you are drawn to the story, not just because it tells the beginning of a beautiful love story, but because you can actually imagine how that fateful trip must have been for both the survivors and the lost. <br />
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When I left the theater it occurred to me that six of our grandparents (and a few great-grandparents) immigrated to the United States via a transatlantic crossing. I thought about how the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Star_Line" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="White Star Line">White Star Line</a> promoted the Titanic as the "Ship of Dreams" and how perhaps each ship that carried hopeful immigrants was most likely considered a <i>Ship of Dreams</i>...<br />
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When I first started college I was a history major. I love history. But the one most important thing I learned from Father Smyth was that being an historian is HARD work. It entails hours and hours of research, checking details and subtle hints, comparing sources and then hoping that whomever was keeping the records or making the records was hearing and seeing the real facts.<br />
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I belong to <a href="http://ancestry.com/" target="_blank">Ancestry.com</a>. It is a great site, but it can literally suck you in for hours and then you realize that most of what you find is by luck. This happens because many of the records document split seconds of time and how you spell a person's name today may not resemble anything close to what was recorded on the ship's manifest or list of alien passengers for the United States! Just like <i>Rose</i> in the movie when the record keeper approached her as she sat aboard the RMS Carpathia. He asked her name and she responded Rose Dawson (aka <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanic_%281997_film%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Titanic (1997 film)">Rose DeWitt Bukater</a>). <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B7NMiZiwN58/T4Hp50H19eI/AAAAAAAAERU/IYePPLmrlmo/s1600/Joseph-Helfand-circa1944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B7NMiZiwN58/T4Hp50H19eI/AAAAAAAAERU/IYePPLmrlmo/s200/Joseph-Helfand-circa1944.jpg" width="146" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joseph Helfand</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Meet <b>Josef Elefant</b>. Josef arrived from Liverpool aboard the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Teutonic_%281889%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="SS Teutonic (1889)">SS Teutonic</a> on July 10, 1902. By the time the 1910 US Census was being taken he was known as Joseph Helephant and going forward his five children used the last name Helfand! Josef was Dennis' fraternal grandfather. The photo you see here is circa 1944. <br />
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Someday I hope to share with you much more about Joseph. But first I have to research his story. I want to understand more about why and how he came to America. Did his parents come before him? Or did they come after him? <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kIg-M7PPL54/T4HvmY4D-RI/AAAAAAAAERc/wPH9o8BcdvI/s1600/jacobMeisler-circa1909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kIg-M7PPL54/T4HvmY4D-RI/AAAAAAAAERc/wPH9o8BcdvI/s200/jacobMeisler-circa1909.jpg" width="136" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob Meisler</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Next I would like you to meet <b><span style="color: black;">Jankel Meisler. </span></b><span style="color: black;">You might remember meeting him when I wrote my post <a href="http://judysoped.blogspot.com/2011/09/jacob-meisler-september-22-1891-march.html" target="_blank">Jacob Meisler September 22, 1891 - March 23, 1989</a>. </span>Jacob set sail from Rotterdam, Holland, on July 31, 1909. He sailed on the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Rijndam_%28ID-2505%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="USS Rijndam (ID-2505)">SS Ryndam</a>. He was listed on the manifest as <i style="color: blue;">Jankel Meisler</i>, Austrian, Hebrew, from Belatyn, Austria, 18 years old, single. His next of kin was listed as Aron Meisler. His occupation was listed as tailor. He was held for "special inspection" because he "squints." He had 25 dollars and he told the inspectors he was going to live with Isaac Strum at 150 12th Street, New York, NY.(Isaac was married to Lena Meisler - Jacob's sister). He arrived at Ellis Island on August 10, 1909. He was really from <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delatyn" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Delatyn">Delatyn</a> (located in the Carpathian Mountains) and we all knew him as Jacob or Jake or Jack. And for the record, he married Rose. That's right the same names of ill-fated lover's from Titanic - <i>Jack and Rose</i>. <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7VeJDyXS6Bs/T4Hz33jrC8I/AAAAAAAAERs/nJRIqpD7kPY/s1600/humphrey-lynch-circa1917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7VeJDyXS6Bs/T4Hz33jrC8I/AAAAAAAAERs/nJRIqpD7kPY/s200/humphrey-lynch-circa1917.jpg" width="115" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Humphrey Lynch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, meet <b>Humphrey Lynch</b>. He is my maternal grandfather and I am only beginning to know him. He was born December 23, 1895 and died January 25, 1941(8+ years before I was born). He was one of 12 children and the first of his family to immigrate to the United States and I have learned recently his nickname was "Free." He sailed from Queenstown (the last port of the Titanic) aboard the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Laconia_%281911%29" target="_blank">SS Laconia</a> on July 8, 1914. He arrived in Boston mid-July (the date is smeared on the manifest). I always had the impression he set off on his own, but it turns out he was traveling with a cousin by the name of William Mahoney. The manifest of alien passengers (steerage class) indicates they were both going to Butte, Montana, and would be living with Timothy Mahoney. He listed his mother, Julia Lynch, as next of kin in Ireland. In the 1920 Census his name is <i>scratched through </i>and it is hard to know if it says Humphrey, while in the 1930 Census he is listed as <span class="srchHit"><i>Humpery Lynch </i>and his place of birth is listed as Irish Free State. One final thought about Humphrey's passage to the United States: the SS Laconia made her maiden voyage January 20, 1912, only three months before the Titanic. I can't imagine how brave and daring the 20 year old Humphrey must have been to decide to sail only two years after the Titanic sank. </span><br />
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Tonight I will watch the <a href="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/titanic" target="_blank">National Geographic Special about the Titanic</a>. I want to learn more about how and why this event happened and why we are so interested, even after 100 years. For myself, I think about the fact that my mother-in-law, Bertha Meisler Helfand was born in 1912, six months after the sinking of the Titanic. I also think about the fact that it was the RMS Carpathia that came to rescue the survivors of the Titanic (could it be the Carpathia was named for the Carpathian Mountains, where Bertha's parents were born and raised?). I think about after all these years, now that I am 62, I am finally getting to know about my grandfather's nieces and nephews that live both here in the United States and in Ireland. <br />
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I hope you enjoyed meeting Joseph, Jacob and Humphrey - three men that set sail in steerage class and made it to America. They didn't let go...<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RqN0fboW_es" width="560"></iframe>
<br />If you are having trouble viewing the video, you can <a href="https://youtu.be/RqN0fboW_es" target="_blank">see it here.</a> <br />
<br />
How about you? Do you have ancestors who sailed across the Atlantic? What have you learned of their story?<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com2Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.3389931 -110.9268200999999932.2612716 -111.01857609999999 32.416714600000006 -110.83506409999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-233951987530244052012-03-16T06:33:00.001-07:002012-03-19T07:12:55.311-07:00"A Woman's Voice" Just BecauseTomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, next week my first generation <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_American" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Irish American">Irish American</a> mother would have turned 94! My <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2009/05/how-i-remember-mom.html" target="_blank">Mother taught me a lot</a>, including how and when to use my voice. I am sharing this video today because the message in the music is powerful and if you close your eyes you can superimpose your <i>own</i> images. <br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Z8QZjis0AXY?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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Looking back on this blog, I realize that I often write about <a href="http://judysoped.blogspot.com/search/label/A-Woman%27s-Voice" target="_blank">A Woman's Voice</a>. Any thoughts? <br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=6126ce8e-6bd5-4e15-9616-4c5292708d6b" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com0Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.3389931 -110.9268200999999932.2612716 -111.01857609999999 32.416714600000006 -110.83506409999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-14541353079288228252012-03-07T13:53:00.003-08:002019-03-29T07:07:15.944-07:00Memories Between the Bookends<i>I have been "away" for a while. The last few months I didn't feel much like writing. It is not that I had nothing to say, I just couldn't bring myself to write. You see, I have lost special people in my life. You might remember that last September <a href="http://judysoped.blogspot.com/2011/09/jacob-meisler-september-22-1891-march.html" target="_blank">I kept a promise to my mother-in-law</a>, Bertha (Bertie) Helfand by sharing the history of her father, Jacob Meisler. Sadly Bertie passed away on December 16, 2011. She had turned 99 on October 28th. Then on February 17, 2012, my Auntie Agnes passed away, just about one month shy of her 94th birthday. Auntie was my Mother's twin sister. It seems many of my friends are going through the same sadness - the loss of a really wonderful generation, all in their late eighties and early nineties...so today I thought I would write about reconnecting with <b>old friends</b> and sharing memories. </i><br />
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Do you remember the 1968 <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_%26_Garfunkel" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Simon & Garfunkel">Simon and Garfunkel</a> album <b>Bookends</b>? The songs from the first side of the album explore a life journey from childhood to old age. The album opens with the <i>Bookends Theme</i>.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Time it was, and what a time it was, it was<br />
A time of innocence, a time of confidences<br />
Long ago, it must be, I have a photograph<br />
Preserve your memories, they're all that's left you</blockquote>
I thought of this album today because yesterday my childhood neighbor and playmate found me on the internet. She found my blog and sent me an email. Turns out she has been trying to find me for years and the truth is I have looked for her many times over the years. Last night we talked to each other for the first time in probably 45 years.<br />
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Her name is Peggy. We lived on the same street from 1956 till the end of 1960. We played together everyday. Her parents were 10 years younger than my parents and her mother, Doris, really was just like <a href="http://judysoped.blogspot.com/2010/10/good-bye-mrs-cleaver.html" target="_blank">June Cleaver</a>. Peggy has a brother named Jackie. He, too, was part of our play group. We played in the canyon, thinking nothing of wading into a strange looking pond or digging into a side of hill. We played in the street - hide and seek and kick the can. We played in my father's 1949 Cadillac mourning car. We made mud pies and Peggy swears that we once made a "mud pie" that resembled "dog poop" and placed it on her parents' manicured front lawn just to tease her dad, Jack. Peggy's parents loved to go to the beach. I often went with them, as they had a boat and loved to water ski. (I watched.) We shared holidays - I remember their Christmas tree was always picture perfect...right out of a magazine. Peggy remembers listening to my sisters and me play/practice the piano. She still loves Gershwin's <i>Rhapsody in Blue</i> and remembers watching my sister Agnes play it. We didn't go to the same school. We went to parochial school and Peggy and Jackie went to public school. But I do remember looking forward to the afternoons and early evenings as play time with Peggy. In late 1960 my parents decided they needed to find a larger home so we moved away from Alpha Street. It was a very sad time...leaving Peggy, Jackie and Mr. and Mrs. Alford. I know now it was just as sad for them. We stayed in touch visiting each other. Eventually they moved, too; however, our parents made an effort for us to continue to spend time together. I remember spending weekends with the Alfords at their new home in El Cajon...it was wonderful. And then slowly, we lost track of each other.<br />
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Getting back to <i><b>Bookends</b></i>...there is another song <i><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_the_Zoo" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="At the Zoo">At the Zoo</a></i>.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Someone told me<br />
It's all happening at the zoo.<br />
I do believe it,<br />
I do believe it's true.</blockquote>
It is true...many times Peggy and I, along with our siblings, went to the <a href="http://www.sandiegozoo.org/" target="_blank">San Diego Zoo</a>. It is a wonderful zoo...a place to play, to learn and make memories. I hope you will enjoy this little <a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/DRy9MkCZLMtYCJtU8" target="_blank">photo album</a> of some of those trips.<br />
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Finally, I want to share a video of Simon and Garfunkel singing <i>Old Friends</i><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bhgmEOiZGbA?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br />
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So here's to my <i>Old Friend</i>, Peggy. We are now both in are 60's. We have been apart for 50 years. We went to college, we married, we raised our children, Peggy became an artist. Strangely enough, from 1997 until March 2008, we lived only 10 miles apart. I'm hoping Peggy and I will be able to meet again in person before we are 70!<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Can you imagine us<br />
Years from today,<br />
Sharing a park bench quietly? <br />
How terribly strange<br />
To be seventy.</blockquote>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sCJqdXHFgks/T1fV6-fjOYI/AAAAAAAAEKw/Gqsp-lS8ZRQ/s1600/Peggy-Judy-2012.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sCJqdXHFgks/T1fV6-fjOYI/AAAAAAAAEKw/Gqsp-lS8ZRQ/s1600/Peggy-Judy-2012.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peggy and Judy -Circa 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I would love to hear about your <i>memories between the bookends</i>. <br />
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com0National City, CA 91950, USA32.6721599 -117.0970595999999732.6486114 -117.13372509999996 32.695708399999994 -117.06039409999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-40264569130702449202011-12-05T12:47:00.001-08:002012-05-09T07:29:18.761-07:00Happy Birthday to Toby - Our $40,000 Basset Hound<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xbbeK6ENp_k/Tt0goy4d6WI/AAAAAAAADyY/Rzk3YCDEOOs/s1600/DSCN1581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xbbeK6ENp_k/Tt0goy4d6WI/AAAAAAAADyY/Rzk3YCDEOOs/s320/DSCN1581.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toby Welcome Sign created by Phyllis Levine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Happy 10th Birthday to Toby! Tobias Wang Helfand was born December 5, 2001. Toby is a full bred <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basset_Hound" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Basset Hound">Basset Hound</a>. His parents' names were Sir Studley Dudley II and Lady Daisy May XIV. He was the first born in a litter of eight, records indicate his nickname was <i><b>TOPS</b></i> and the litter was chronicled by the attending vet of being all male pups. Here is a very quick overview of how we came to buy Toby.<br />
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Let me go on record right now. I take full responsibility for finding the classified advertisement in the local Irvine/Newport Beach paper. The ad nicely described Basset Hound pups for sale $400. Ever since I was a little girl and became aware of Hush Puppies shoes I have wanted a Basset Hound. I showed the ad to Daniel, our youngest son, who was at the time a high school senior. Daniel signed on immediately to the idea...remarking to his father: "Don't worry, I will walk the puppy. This dog is going to be a <i>chick</i> magnet!" And so, on January 28, 2002, Dennis and Daniel made the short drive to Mission Viejo, CA, and eagerly paid $400 <i>cash</i> for a pure bred Basset Hound.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MrS_OXjh0K4/Tt0mOtfIcHI/AAAAAAAADyg/rDEPMNaxxGg/s1600/Toby-Dog_bassett.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MrS_OXjh0K4/Tt0mOtfIcHI/AAAAAAAADyg/rDEPMNaxxGg/s1600/Toby-Dog_bassett.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Tobias Wang Helfand"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Ten years really does help you put things in perspective. Looking back I now know I should have been suspect when the Bill of Sale said: <i>"The basset hound puppy is not returnable at any time. The buyer accepts all responsibility for the basset hound puppy on 01/28/2002. Once the basset hound puppy is removed from the Seller's residence the Seller accepts no further responsibility."</i> My radar should have started buzzing when we took Toby to the vet for the first time. This was to be a quick check-up, but it started with the very nice vet questioning whether or not Dennis and I were aware that <i>"basset hounds are not the sharpest tool in the shed?"</i> Whew...this has been an interesting 10 years and the financial toll really is right about $40,000.<br />
<br />
Most of the $40,000+ is due to vet bills (Toby gets fatty cysts that need to be removed when they explode or get infected) and home repairs (Toby really is not the sharpest tool or the brightest bulb---real housebreaking did not occur until we brought him to Tucson where we have a fenced yard, and then even now he still has accidents on the saltillo tile).<br />
<br />
Here is a run down:<br />
<ol><li>$13,075 Veterinary bills </li>
<li> $22,317 Home repairs, new flooring and decking </li>
<li>$ 2,000 Boarding </li>
<li>$ 2,400 Food </li>
<li><u>$ 500</u> Judy's out-of-pocket medical expenses for permanent hand injury<u></u></li>
<li><b>$40,292 TOTAL </b></li>
</ol>I don't want to give you the wrong impression. I like Toby. Who am I kidding? I love Toby. He takes great photos and often serves as the headliner for holiday letters. But every time someone tells me they want to get a dog, I caution them to think about the real expense, not just the emotional attachment and companionship. I jokingly remind them that if it weren't for Toby I might only need to vacuum twice per month! By the way, that $40,000 figure does not include any furniture damage, leashes, harnesses (he used to chew through them) or prescriptions (only Toby would acquire <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coccidioidomycosis" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Coccidioidomycosis">Valley Fever</a> two months after moving to Tucson). <br />
<br />
So here's to Toby. Happy Birthday to Toby. <br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RyRhVEfMHQw/Tt0nTrtmJaI/AAAAAAAADyw/ZQNx3D6xlAE/s1600/desktopToby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RyRhVEfMHQw/Tt0nTrtmJaI/AAAAAAAADyw/ZQNx3D6xlAE/s320/desktopToby.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Should I expect party favors and cake?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>"Ears which sweep away the morning dew."</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Your thoughts? </i></b></div><br />
<br />
<div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0pt 0pt;">Related articles</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_the_Basset_Hound_a_good_breed_for_inexperienced_dog_owners_to_own" target="_blank">Is the Basset Hound a good breed for inexperienced dog owners to own</a> (wiki.answers.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_was_the_Basset_Hound_first_bred_for" target="_blank">What was the Basset Hound first bred for</a> (wiki.answers.com)</li>
</ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=db9ce1bc-ee16-479b-b9e5-3bf9c2935d94" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com3Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.398759 -110.8314500000000232.2630355 -110.99063100000002 32.534482499999996 -110.67226900000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-63297791373842514392011-11-09T15:46:00.000-08:002011-11-14T09:26:27.216-08:00Midnight Train to Los AngelesThis year <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.amtrak.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Amtrak">AMTRAK</a> turned 40! So when I realized that I would be able to attend <a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.blogworldexpo.com/" rel="homepage" target="_blank" title="Blog World Expo">Blog World Expo</a> 2011 in downtown Los Angeles, I decided to travel by train from Tucson, AZ to <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Station_%28Los_Angeles%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Union Station (Los Angeles)">Los Angeles Union Station</a>. Round trip ticket (1000 miles) for a reserved coach class seat (which totally reclines like a La-z-Boy), sans meals, was $70. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uSmMIWatTIM/Trrm7UgShOI/AAAAAAAADvA/l3gAai2wFUI/s1600/DSCN1501.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ida="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uSmMIWatTIM/Trrm7UgShOI/AAAAAAAADvA/l3gAai2wFUI/s320/DSCN1501.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><b><i>Leaving Tucson</i></b><br />
<br />
Have you ever traveled a long distance by AMTRAK? I have. Every trip is slightly different. This trip I was traveling solo, so I didn't have children to wrangle or a mother-in-law to assist or a husband to convince that he should not opt to disembark from the train three states early! It was just me and a few hundred other travelers who were taking the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunset_Limited" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Sunset Limited">Sunset Limited</a> / <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_Eagle" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Texas Eagle">Texas Eagle</a> from Tucson to Los Angeles. The train was to leave Tucson at 10:30PM, but on November 3, 2011, it really was the <i>midnight train to Los Angeles</i>!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="zemanta-related"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wMEAB4-0tgk/Trrr9MckVgI/AAAAAAAADvI/djkGKTIBCP4/s1600/sunrise-windmills-11-04-2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" ida="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wMEAB4-0tgk/Trrr9MckVgI/AAAAAAAADvI/djkGKTIBCP4/s320/sunrise-windmills-11-04-2011.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palm Springs Wind Farm</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="zemanta-related">The funny thing is it really didn't matter to me that we left Tucson late. I knew we would be traveling through the night and if sleep escaped me there was a Club Car complete with a snack bar and an observation car to visit. As it turned out, I slept comfortably and awoke around 6:50AM as we approached Palm Springs. The view from my window (captured with my RAZR phone) was the "wind farm". Pretty eerie, don't you think? </div><div class="zemanta-related"></div><div class="zemanta-related">For the next two hours I experienced a trip down memory lane. You see I lived a good many years in California's San Gabriel Valley - Pasadena, South Pasadena, Alhambra, West Covina...my oldest son was born in San Dimas, I finished college at Cal State Los Angeles (East LA), externed at LA County Hospital and Los Angeles Juvenile Hall and worked in downtown Los Angeles from 1974- 1981. I felt comfortable both on AMTRAK and in Los Angeles. </div><div class="zemanta-related"></div><div class="zemanta-related"></div><div class="zemanta-related"><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><i>Arriving Los Angeles Union Station</i></b></div><div class="zemanta-related"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SEBxac8dplA/Trr53d7MPlI/AAAAAAAADvQ/YVVjrN7CtMg/s1600/DSCN1505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" ida="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SEBxac8dplA/Trr53d7MPlI/AAAAAAAADvQ/YVVjrN7CtMg/s320/DSCN1505.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Los Angeles Union Station</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="zemanta-related">It had been 17 years since I was in Los Angeles Union Station. Then my family and I were about to go across country <i>First Class</i> to New York's Pennsylvania Station. So again I felt at home and quickly found my way to the Taxi stand to take a short ride to the <a href="http://www.sheratonlosangelesdowntown.com/" target="_blank">Los Angeles Sheraton Hotel</a>. Union Station is still quite busy, people coming and going from all over the world. </div><div class="zemanta-related"></div><div class="zemanta-related">As I said earlier, I was in Los Angeles to attend Blog World Expo 2011 (you can see a link to my review below). Downtown Los Angeles still looks good. It was my first time in the Los Angeles Convention Center on the same campus as the Staples Center. </div><div class="zemanta-related"><br />
<i><b>Los Angeles to Tucson </b></i><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uqEkG8eWvO4/TrsDjAyucLI/AAAAAAAADvY/SpiNOcN_jeo/s1600/DSCN1528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uqEkG8eWvO4/TrsDjAyucLI/AAAAAAAADvY/SpiNOcN_jeo/s320/DSCN1528.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LA Convention Center / Staples Center</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My few days in Los Angeles passed quickly. I met a lot of nice people and enjoyed downtown. By Sunday afternoon I was returning to Union Station and believe it or not I was boarding AMTRAK's 3:10PM train to Yuma, AZ and then on to Tucson. I arrived safely in Tucson at 1:30AM, after enjoying dinner with three strangers in the Dining CAR and a five hour nap in my recliner. All in all not a bad way to travel.<br />
<br />
I hope you will think about traveling via AMTRAK. Many people complain about train travel, but I find it totally enchanting. Over the years AMTRAK has had a number of tag lines...<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><b>"All Aboard - AMTRAK"<br />
"There's something about a train that's magic."<br />
"Enjoy the journey."</b></i></blockquote></div>In closing, please enjoy this video of vintage AMTRAK television ads. If you listen carefully you'll hear Richie Havens singing "All Aboard" <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/w0MIkduzGx4?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"></blockquote><i><b>By the way, have you ever traveled by train in the USA? Would love your comments. </b></i><br />
<br />
</div><div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0pt 0pt;">Related articles</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/11/08/1897334/amtrak-adds-trains-for-thanksgiving.html?storylink=rss" target="_blank">Amtrak adds trains for Thanksgiving travel</a> (thenewstribune.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://blog.businesswire.com/2011/11/07/bwela2011/" target="_blank">BWELA 2011: 7 Key Takeaways from BlogWorld Expo 2011</a> (businesswire.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2011/11/cheers-to-blog-world-expo-los-angeles.html" target="_blank">Cheers To Blog World Expo Los Angeles 2011</a> (webconsuls.com) </li>
</ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=d2fd8b45-155f-4729-8371-c45136e0e7c4" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; float: right;" /></a></div>Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com2Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.398759 -110.8314500000000232.2630355 -110.99063100000002 32.534482499999996 -110.67226900000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-56825399462974119442011-11-08T11:44:00.000-08:002020-09-17T16:30:28.254-07:00Cheers to Blog World Expo Los Angeles 2011<div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">"<span id="internal-source-marker_0.22718248556202314" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Wouldn't you like to get away?</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sometimes you wanna go..</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Where everybody knows your name</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and they're always glad you came.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You wanna be where you can see,</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the troubles are all the same.</span><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">you wanna be where everybody knows your name..."</span></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;">Somewhere around 1982, Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo wrote these lyrics for the new sitcom <i><b>"Cheers!" </b></i>And for some strange reason when I think of Blog World Expo Los Angeles 2011(#BWELA) these lyrics just seem to fit. And yes I do know that many #BWELA attendees had not been born in 1982...but I am pretty sure they all know the lyrics and have felt the sentiment. Heck, I have even been to Boston's Bull & Finch Pub which served as the exterior for "Cheers!" To me the lyrics fit because while many people in the on-line world may know your name...there is a pretty good chance they can't pick you out in a crowd of 4000+, but it is a lot of fun trying and they really are glad you came. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This was my third time attending Blog World Expo having participated in <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2009/10/bwe09-looking-in-rear-view-mirror.html" target="_blank">BWE09</a> and <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2010/10/bwe10-chief-listening-officers-wanted.html" target="_blank">BWE10</a>. Many bloggers have already posted their reviews and I am going to link to a number of those below, but I just wanted to take a few minutes to give you my overview. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Blog World Team</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody></tbody></table><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="border: medium none; float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="border: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border: medium none;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QMM8zKSfMGs/Trk7rkaXZCI/AAAAAAAADt8/OgS7jEiNusE/s1600/DSCN1510.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QMM8zKSfMGs/Trk7rkaXZCI/AAAAAAAADt8/OgS7jEiNusE/s320/DSCN1510.JPG" width="320" /></a></div></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="border: medium none;">Judy with Rick Calvert- #BWELA</div></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="border: medium none; text-align: left;">I must start by talking about the <a href="http://www.blogworld.com/about/" target="_blank">Blog World Team</a>. If you have ever planned an event - tea party, wedding, golf tournament, business meeting, Thanksgiving dinner...then you know just a tiny bit of what goes into pulling off an event of this magnitude. I am pretty sure by next week Deb, Lara, Allison, Julie, Nikki, Dave and Rick will be laying the foundation for Blog World 2012. Really? I am sure the infrastructure is already in the works for 2012. So to the Blog World Team I say thank you for a job well done, seamlessly presented and for making all of us feel welcome.<br /><br /><br /><br /><i><b> Exhibitors</b></i><br /><br />We all like to go to conference exhibit halls. It really doesn't matter the nature of the conference, the exhibit hall is like trick or treating...you walk around meeting new people, getting a few gifts and if you are lucky you can learn about new software or hardware and take home something tangible to share with your co-workers or clients. This year I met up again with Brett Wiltshire of <a href="http://blogger.com/" target="_blank">BLOGGER</a>. It was fun to reconnect with Brett and learn more about BLOGGER. I also stopped and talked to Tin Dizdarevic of <a href="http://www.zemanta.com/" target="_blank">ZEMANTA</a>. I love Zemanta and have used it here on our blog and deployed it on client blogs for the last couple of years. It is just a great tool. My new find this year is <a href="http://www.pond5.com/" target="_blank">POND5</a>. It will be my mission to share information about POND5 with my teammates and clients. I don't know about you, but finding just the right photo/video/illustration for a website can be exhausting and I intend to really check out POND5. <br /><br /><i><b>Keynotes </b></i><br /><br />I attended four <i>Keynotes</i> this year.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DdMRbVhJiRM/TrlVQ-wplEI/AAAAAAAADuU/LDDOTseTrxw/s1600/jim-farley-bwela.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DdMRbVhJiRM/TrlVQ-wplEI/AAAAAAAADuU/LDDOTseTrxw/s200/jim-farley-bwela.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Farley</td></tr></tbody></table><ul><li>Shani Higgins presenting Technorati's <i>State of the Blogosphere</i> was enlightening. Nice to know that 61% of bloggers are hobbyists! While Shani gave us a lot of statistics to chew on, it was Mikal Belicove of <i>Entrepreneur Magazine </i>that did as <a href="http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/" target="_blank">Jason Falls</a> suggested in his session "asked better questions" of Shani. It was the exchange between Mikal and Shani that made the keynote powerful. </li><li>Brian Solis made us all feel welcome by offering us a free copy of his latest book <b><i>"The End of Business as Usual"</i></b> and Brian certainly did a great job of interviewing Jim Farley - <span class="title">Group Vice President, Global Marketing, Sales and Service</span>, <span class="company-name">Ford Motor Company</span>. Jim has a great story including the fact that his grandfather was the 389th employee hired by Ford Motor Company. Jim's message: "Let people speak...listen...speak like them!" Enough said. I will make it a point to visit <a href="http://social.ford.com/" target="_blank">Ford Social</a> and I will read Brian's book. </li><li>Mitch Joel handily moderated the keynote session <i>Building a New Media Empire</i> with Lisa Stone, Deanna Brown and Michael Stelzner. A couple of great quotes from this session: "If you see a hole - you can build a business", "the most successful people write about what they love", and "provide service and band together!" </li><li>Jordan Cooper is funny and I am glad I got to enjoy his comedy as he introduced the closing keynote. </li></ul><br /><i><b>Sessions</b></i><br /><br />When you purchase a two-day ticket, as opposed to the full conference - you risk missing meaningful and powerful sessions. Next year I will not make this mistake. That is not to say that I did not enjoy the sessions I attended, but a number of people that I wanted to hear and meet spoke on Thursday and I arrived Friday morning. In all I attended five sessions (there were hundreds!). Hmmm...<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cOHdIb1QF2o/TrlYX0R84rI/AAAAAAAADuc/togRlmlhDjw/s1600/DSCN1525.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cOHdIb1QF2o/TrlYX0R84rI/AAAAAAAADuc/togRlmlhDjw/s200/DSCN1525.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jason Falls talking about B.S.</td></tr></tbody></table><ul><li><i>"The Use of Digital Application and Tools to Change Behaviors to Improve Health"</i> was interesting, but probably would have been more so if I were in the medical field. But still good to know that the health field is trying to make the most of social media. </li><li>Jonathan Fields interviewed Chris Brogan and Leah Segedie in a <i>"Lifestyle Makeover Roundtable". </i>This was a very intimate (small group of people) and personal discussion about going through a lifestyle makeover. There was great audience participation. </li><li>Jason Falls' session <i>"This Is All Such B.S.: How to tell and what to do when you're being had in blogging, social media and beyond..."</i> The title is enough to make you want to hear what Jason has to say. Jason had a lot to say but the big take-away was: "Ask better questions and do your own work!"</li><li>I happened upon <i>"How Dad Blogging Can Bust the Fatherhood Stereotypes"</i> featuring Bruce Sallan, Jim Lin, Ron Mattocks and Kevin Metzger. And yes, I know, I am not a father...but I had a great father and I wanted to listen to what these Dad bloggers had to say. Sadly this session did not have a lot of participants. It would have been better in a smaller room, but the content was over the top powerful. Each gentleman offered such wonderful insights and they were well prepared...I became so involved with listening that I forgot to take copious notes. But at the end Ron Mattocks gave me a gift of his book <i><b>Sugar Milk</b></i> and he signed my copy. I have started reading it...when a book can make you laugh out loud, then you know it is going to be great. </li></ul><i><b>Live #blogchat</b></i><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xItMoSClmaQ/TrljdTgmCiI/AAAAAAAADus/Gx8qWbaYZ8g/s1600/DSCN1529.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xItMoSClmaQ/TrljdTgmCiI/AAAAAAAADus/Gx8qWbaYZ8g/s320/DSCN1529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mack Collier leading #blogchat at #BWELA</td></tr></tbody></table>Live #blogchat was my fifth session. I have been participating in the on-line Twitter <a href="http://mackcollier.com/social-media-library/what-is-blogchat/" target="_blank">#blogchat </a>for over a year. Every Sunday at 8:00PM Central time people get together on Twitter to chat about blogging. So to be part of Blog World's live #blogchat with Mack Collier was much anticipated and Mack did not disappoint his live audience. The topper was Mack's invitation for all of the live audience members to introduce themselves with their Twitter profile names. So much fun to meet @Sherree_W, @wordsdonewrite, @BruceSallan, and @kikolani and to sit next to @allison_boyer in this live #blogchat. Great event!<br /><br /><br /> <i><b>Meeting People</b></i><br /><br />My favorite part of Blog World Expo is meeting people who I have come to know through their blogs/websites or twitter. For example, I have written about <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2010/11/go-right-at-501-mission-place.html" target="_blank">501 Mission Place</a> and finally I was able to meet Rob Hatch who is on the <a href="http://501missionplace.com/" target="_blank">501 Mission Place</a> team. Also I was able to meet <a href="http://www.chrisbrogan.com/" target="_blank">Chris Brogan</a>, <a href="http://fitarella.com/" target="_blank">Jacqueline Carly</a>, Mack Collier, <a href="http://inoveryourhead.net/" target="_blank">Julien Smith</a>, Justin Levy and get re-acquainted with Darren Rowse. <br /><br />So here's to Blog World Expo and stopping by the Sheraton Hotel's bar where many knew my name, but few knew my face!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q7d6qkQsKrg/Trk8QHP1kFI/AAAAAAAADuM/FBufsN9Npsg/s1600/alli-judy-julie-BWELA.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="141" ida="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q7d6qkQsKrg/Trk8QHP1kFI/AAAAAAAADuM/FBufsN9Npsg/s320/alli-judy-julie-BWELA.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Allison Boyer, Judy Helfand and Julie Bonner</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody></tbody></table><div class="zemanta-related"><h6 class="zemanta-related-title" style="font-size: 1em; margin: 1em 0px 0px;">Related articles</h6><ul class="zemanta-article-ul"><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://blog.businesswire.com/2011/11/07/bwela2011/" target="_blank">BWELA 2011: 7 Key Takeaways from BlogWorld Expo 2011</a> (businesswire.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://jtdabbagian.com/2011/11/blogchat-live-at-blogworldexpo-the-greatest-tweets-quotes/" target="_blank">#blogchat LIVE at BlogWorldExpo: The Greatest Tweets & Quotes</a> (jtdabbagian.com)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.thetechscoop.net/2011/11/07/blogworld-expo-la-2011-a-look-back/" target="_blank">BlogWorld Expo LA 2011 - A Look Back</a> (thetechscoop.net)</li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://wordsdonewrite.blogspot.com/2011/11/blogworld-gold-star-awards-bwela.html" target="_blank">Blog World Gold Star Awards #bwela</a></li><li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.thesaleslion.com/blog-world-la-2011-review/" target="_blank">A Personal Observation Of What Was Blog World LA 2011 [#BWELA]</a></li></ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=bff613fb-cdf0-4c68-99d0-a559972bbe2c" style="border: medium none; float: right;" /></a></div></div>Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com6Los Angeles, CA 90017, USA34.0543797 -118.267280134.0458077 -118.27734659999999 34.0629517 -118.2572136tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-66631042842710470662011-10-05T06:38:00.001-07:002012-10-06T11:38:30.586-07:00Birthday Memories Are Sometimes Blurry<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bggSbZIqgUs/Toujjh0zK7I/AAAAAAAADoA/dRVUPFRMOus/s1600/1989-birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bggSbZIqgUs/Toujjh0zK7I/AAAAAAAADoA/dRVUPFRMOus/s320/1989-birthday.jpg" width="229" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blowing out 40 candles with my 5 year old</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Most birthdays are a blur. Don't you agree? I mean really, it starts right from birth. A blur, am I right? You might have access to a really detailed birth certificate that indicates who else was present on your glorious day, but you certainly don't remember a thing about your birth day. Depending on your life's circumstances maybe only your mother remembers your birth. My father was overseas at the time of my birth, so it was just my Mom and I think my father's Aunt Mag. Of course, my two older sisters were at home waiting for me, but even at ages 5 1/2 and 2 1/2, I hardly think they remember the day of my birth with any clarity. <br />
<br />
I started thinking about this phenomenon after my <b>TIME Magazine</b> arrived last Friday. The cover story is <i><a href="http://ti.me/okEjO4" target="_blank">Why Mom Liked You Best - The Science of Favoritism</a></i> by Jeffrey Kluger. It is a good read, you will probably recognize yourself somewhere in it. I suspect all parents have a favorite. Sometimes it is just a little look, the color of the little one's hair, the shape of their hands...it just happens. And that's life.<br />
<br />
What occurred to me though is that there are very few actual celebrations of my birthday that I recall. Maybe this has to do with being the third of four children; I was the youngest girl of three, with a younger brother to boot. Maybe it has to do with my parents not being able to afford memorable birthday parties. I survived. That's what counts right? Point of fact: I actually remember eight celebrations. I can't locate a photo for each, but I thought you might get a kick out of the photos I did locate.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>CLICK ON THE PHOTOS THEY WILL ENLARGE.</b></div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hZkXERLw3v0/Touq5aA2ucI/AAAAAAAADoE/sw3Ad6l5jWI/s1600/joann-and-judy-circa-early-1950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hZkXERLw3v0/Touq5aA2ucI/AAAAAAAADoE/sw3Ad6l5jWI/s320/joann-and-judy-circa-early-1950.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My oldest sister, Joann, with me. I am in her babydoll stroller. This is the earliest photo of me. Circa 1950</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kibKWRzk0OI/TourBOGEp9I/AAAAAAAADoI/i-FcdzsedmY/s1600/1951-birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kibKWRzk0OI/TourBOGEp9I/AAAAAAAADoI/i-FcdzsedmY/s320/1951-birthday.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guessing this is my 2nd Birthday 1951. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d6vtj8ToX7g/Tourf6HrorI/AAAAAAAADoM/EwblN7TYttY/s1600/1954_Judy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d6vtj8ToX7g/Tourf6HrorI/AAAAAAAADoM/EwblN7TYttY/s320/1954_Judy.jpg" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5th Birthday celebrated as a guest on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Downs" target="_blank">The Johnny Downs Show</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gqdhxwfPQ0o/TourmCvoluI/AAAAAAAADoQ/S8jYT9wihG4/s1600/1958-birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gqdhxwfPQ0o/TourmCvoluI/AAAAAAAADoQ/S8jYT9wihG4/s320/1958-birthday.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">9th Birthday celebrated with Joann Eagen, Agnes Eagen, Michael Eagen, Nancy Tschiderer, Gloria Gurney, Marlene Sieger, Lucille Iavelli, et al. Can you find me?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V_Sg1jK2mtU/TousCLJrXlI/AAAAAAAADoU/aYbhW2-QtUs/s1600/1964-birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V_Sg1jK2mtU/TousCLJrXlI/AAAAAAAADoU/aYbhW2-QtUs/s320/1964-birthday.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">15th Birthday Celebration Back Row L-R: Mary Brockley, Adele Shaules, Cathy Callagy, Judy Eagen. Front Row L-R: Mary Dell Miller, Judy Devlin, Gale Huguenard, Maribeth Lewer and Michelle Walsh</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uD_tfCQ-Ex4/Tous2U7DFXI/AAAAAAAADoY/woThhTmFaHU/s1600/1989-birthday-group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uD_tfCQ-Ex4/Tous2U7DFXI/AAAAAAAADoY/woThhTmFaHU/s320/1989-birthday-group.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very blurry 40th Birthday. L-R Judy Helfand, Debbie Fischbein, Dennis Helfand, unknown, and Dan Fischbein</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q2py8FIvKb4/ToutAKtCt6I/AAAAAAAADoc/diq6HSLxysY/s1600/2003-birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q2py8FIvKb4/ToutAKtCt6I/AAAAAAAADoc/diq6HSLxysY/s320/2003-birthday.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">54th Birthday Celebration: Enjoying a gift from "The Girls". </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I would like to add that the following birthdays will always stay with me:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>When I turned four my family had just returned from living on Fort Campbell, KY. I received a boy baby doll for my birthday. I named him Michael. I think I chose that name because I had just spent some time with my Uncle Mike and Cousin Mike. I loved that doll. I had him for so long my Mom would take him to the <i>Doll Hospital</i> (yes, there is/was such a thing) to get a whole new body!</li>
<li>When I turned 34 my husband, Dennis, asked me what was on my Birthday Wish List. I told him I needed a wallet. He asked me to tell him what brand. Jokingly, five months pregnant with our second baby, I said "Gucci!" So off he went to Nordstrom's. He picked out a beautiful wallet, but found himself speechless when the saleslady said: "That will be $298!" I used that wallet until 2004! </li>
<li>When I turned 40 we were living in New Hampshire and Dennis gave me a surprise party. It was a great party with a cockeyed photographer, as you can see from the photos above. All of my friends pitched in and bought me a $300 gift certificate to <a href="http://thebalsams.com/" target="_blank">The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel</a>. Everybody knows the Balsams - it is "First in the Nation" location to report its results of the Presidential election. We used the Gift Certificate to celebrate Dennis' 50th Birthday! </li>
<li>When I turned 50 my friends (The Girls) at Mercury decorated my office. It was so much fun. I left the decorations up for six months. Every time the company President would stop by my office to ask about a project he would step back and say: "Is today your birthday?"</li>
</ul>
Well, for all my talk about blurry memories, I managed to ramble on for quite a while. Today is my birthday. Dennis and I are going out for dinner and I am going to have someone take a photo. I hope it won't be blurry.<br />
<br />
Tell me, what is your favorite birthday celebration memory? <br />
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com4Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.398759 -110.8314500000000232.2630355 -110.99063100000002 32.534482499999996 -110.67226900000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-19391291490242055182011-09-22T06:18:00.000-07:002017-03-23T06:53:41.978-07:00Jacob Meisler September 22, 1891 - March 23, 1989<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dRN8jcP0cUw/TnkAiz31dbI/AAAAAAAADl4/Vs2KV2J77k0/s1600/maxMeisler-jacobMeisler-plus2friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dRN8jcP0cUw/TnkAiz31dbI/AAAAAAAADl4/Vs2KV2J77k0/s320/maxMeisler-jacobMeisler-plus2friends.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L-R Max Meisler, Jacob Meisler w/ two friends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
120 years ago today, September 22, 1891, Jacob Meisler was born. Jacob Meisler is my husband's maternal grandfather and our sons' great grandfather. In celebration of Jacob Meisler's (Papa, Grandpa, Jake, Poppy, Uncle Jack) birth I am going to fulfill a request made to me in 1993.<br />
<br />
<i><b>The Backstory...</b></i><br />
<br />
On June 8, 1993, Bertha Meisler Helfand (my mother-in-law) sent me the following request:<br />
<blockquote>
<i>"I've been lax about having this "poem" printed like the one's you had made so I'm passing the job on to you. </i></blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i>I know that you're getting busy now - and since I've waited all these year to have it 'permanent-ized' -<b> please take as long as necessary to have it done</b>. You can make up 4 copies - keep one for yourselves & send me the bill." </i></blockquote>
Here is the poem Bertha (Birdie, Bertie, Mom, Grandma from the Bronx, Aunt Bert) is referring to; she wrote it for her father in honor of his 90th birthday, September 22, 1981.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<blockquote style="color: #073763;">
<i><b>A TOAST TO PAPA </b></i></blockquote>
<i><b><span style="color: #073763;">Congratulations & best wishes in your 90th year,</span><br style="color: #073763;" /><span style="color: #073763;">We're here to toast you loud and clear.</span><br style="color: #073763;" /><span style="color: #073763;">You're a man of integrity, dignity and pride,</span><br style="color: #073763;" /><span style="color: #073763;">You're refined and charming when we look inside.</span><br style="color: #073763;" /><span style="color: #073763;">With your taste in clothes you should be in "Who's Who,"</span><br style="color: #073763;" /><span style="color: #073763;">Bill Blass and Givenchy could learn from you.</span><br style="color: #073763;" /><span style="color: #073763;">You're King of the Cha Cha in Miami Beach,</span><br style="color: #073763;" /><span style="color: #073763;">Arthur Murray & Fred Astaire you could surely teach.</span><br style="color: #073763;" /><span style="color: #073763;">Your jokes are funny and make us roar,</span><br style="color: #073763;" /><span style="color: #073763;">Even tho we have heard them before.</span><br style="color: #073763;" /><span style="color: #073763;">So - enjoy your birthday - have health aplenty,</span><br style="color: #073763;" /><span style="color: #073763;">We want to celebrate with you until you are </span><br style="color: #073763;" /><span style="color: #073763;">120!</span></b></i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><b>So, I needed 18 years...</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I always listen to my mother-in law. She said: <i><b>"Please take as long as necessary to have it done."</b></i> So, I took a little more than 18 years to print this poem and <i>"permanent-ize"</i> for all the family to enjoy. This week I decided that I would try to share a little bit about Jacob Meisler's life. First, I will share what I know to be <b>facts</b>, then a bit of what might be <b>urban legend</b>, and close with some <b>photos and documents</b> for all to enjoy. </div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><b>Just the facts...</b></i><i><b><br />
</b></i><br />
<ol>
<li>Jacob (Jakob) was born September 22, 1891</li>
<li>His parents were Perle(Pescha) Bochner (nee) and Aaron (Euron) Meisler</li>
<li>Jacob was born in Delatyn - Delatyn is a village in the foothills of the Carpathian mountains. It lies along the Pruth River within Eastern Galicia. Before World War I it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; between the World Wars, Poland, after World War II, the U.S.S.R, and today, Ukraine. Delatyn was home to a vibrant Jewish community until the Fall of 1941. </li>
<li>Jacob had seven (7) siblings: Chaim Laib, Zigmund (Zelig or Sigmund), Chai Ester, Max (Mendel), Lena, Yette, and Alte. </li>
<li>Aaron, Jacob's father, was a tailor. </li>
<li>Aaron died in 1914, just before the family was forced to leave Delatyn.</li>
<li>Jacob immigrated to the United States in 1909.</li>
<li><b>Jacob set sail from Rotterdam, Holland, on July 31, 1909. He sailed on the S.S. Ryndam. He was listed on the manifest as <i style="color: blue;">Jankel Meisler</i>, Austrian, Hebrew, from Belatyn, Austria, 18 years old</b>, <b>single. His next of kin was listed as Aron Meisler. His occupation was listed as tailor. He was held for "special inspection" because he "squints". He had 25 dollars and he told the inspectors he was going to live with Isaac Strum at 150 12th Street, New York, NY.(Isaac was married to Lena Meisler - Jacob's sister). He arrived at Ellis Island on August 10, 1909.</b></li>
<li>Jacob's mother, Pesche/Pescha/Pesie, died in New York City November 9, 1937. According to her headstone, she was 80 years old. So that means she was born around 1857.</li>
<li>Jacob married Rose Drucker (nee)</li>
<li>Jacob and Rose had three children: Bertha (10/28/1912), Estelle (03/17/1914- 02/03/2006) and Sidney (05/22/1916 - 08/16/1995)</li>
<li>On June 5, 1917, Jacob registered for the United States draft. According to his registration he was living at 734 E 9th Street, New York, NY. He was employed as an operator for Singer which was located at 6-8 E 27th St. He is married with three children. He is described as short and stout. He claimed exemption from the draft because of his stomach and right eye. In answer to the question, "has person lost arm, leg, hand, foot, eye or both eyes or is he otherwise disabled (specify)?" he answered "right eye." </li>
<li>On June 18, 1920, Jacob Meisler became a Naturalized Citizen of the United States. He was 28 years old, 5 foot 5 inches tall, living at 341 Crimmins Avenue, Bronx, New York, with his wife Rose and three children. </li>
<li>According to the <a href="http://www.1930census.com/us_census_history.php" target="_blank">1930 Census</a>, taken on April 22, 1930, Jacob and Rose Meisler lived at 823 East 147th Street, Bronx, NY. They lived there with Bertha, Estelle and Sidney. Their monthly rent was $60. Jacob's occupation is listed as a tailor and Bertha's occupation is listed as a bookkeeper. The census indicates that they had a radio set!</li>
<li>In 1933 Jacob Meisler owned a car; this is according to a photo provided by Bertha.</li>
<li>On March 5, 1938, Bertha Meisler married Julius Helfand, D.D.S.</li>
<li>In 1942, Jacob Meisler again registered for the US draft. His registration reports his address as 111 West 167th Street, Bronx, NY. His employer is listed as Casual Sportswear 224 West 35th Street, New York, NY. </li>
<li>Jacob and Rose Meisler enjoyed eight grandchildren: Dennis Helfand, Harvey Helfand, Vivian Helfand, Stephen Goldberg, Beverly Goldberg, Phyllis Meisler, Myrna Meisler, and Sheri (Sherry Jane)Meisler.</li>
<li>Jacob and Rose's grandchildren are now parents and grandparents, as well. </li>
<li>In 1947 the following Meislers served as "officers" of the Meisler Family Circle: Jacob Meisler (President), Sigmund Meisler (Vice-President), Max Meisler (Vice-President), C. Esther Holtz, and Lena Strum. </li>
<li>Jacob and Rose Meisler bought a two family home at 1559 Pelham Parkway North, Bronx, NY</li>
<li>Jacob and Rose resided on the first level of the home at 1559 Pelham Parkway N, and Estelle (Stella) Meisler Goldberg and Benjamin Goldberg resided in the top level home with their children Stephen and Beverly. </li>
<li>Jacob and Rose loved to dance. </li>
<li>After Rose's passing, Jacob often would spend the winter months in Miami Beach, FL. </li>
<li>On September 22, 1978, Jacob celebrated his 87th birthday at the home of his grand-nephew Robert Stuckleman (grandson of Zigmund (Sigmund or Zelig) Meisler). </li>
<li>On September 23, 1978, Jacob Meisler danced at <i>our</i> wedding which took place at Robert and Tina Stuckelman's home. In attendance were: Mildred Meisler Stuckelman, Bertha Meisler Helfand, Estelle Meisler Goldberg, Benjamin Goldberg, Sidney Meisler, Rosalie Meisler (nee Steiner), Vivian Rubin (nee Helfand), Marc Rubin, Stephen Goldberg, Mark Stuckelman, Nona Stuckelman, Joseph Stuckelman and Sylvia Drucker.</li>
<li>Jacob spent the summer of 1981 and 1982 with us in West Covina, CA. He watched Aaron learn to swim and met Johnny Carson (got his autograph) on a return flight to New York City!</li>
<li>December 1982, Dennis and I visited <i>Poppy</i> in Miami Beach, FL. During this trip we met Jack and Rose Holtz. Jack was the son of Jacob's sister, Chai Ester (married to Israel Holz). </li>
<li>From 1985-1989, we visited <i>Poppy </i>where he lived at the Ambassador Manor, Long Beach, NY. </li>
<li>On March 23, 1989, Jacob Meisler passed away, just shy of his 98th birthday. </li>
<li>Both Jacob and Rose Meisler (nee Drucker) are at rest at Beth El Cemetery in Paramus, NJ. </li>
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<i><b> </b><b>Some urban legends (items I have not been able to prove)...</b></i></div>
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<li>I was told a few times that Jacob's father, Aaron, designed military uniforms for Franz Joseph I of Austro-Hungarian Empire. </li>
<li>I have been told that <i>Poppy</i> is known in New York City fashion industry as the designer of the woman's <a href="http://thefashionmuseum.blogspot.com/2010/04/eisenhower-jacket.html" target="_blank">Eisenhower jacket</a>. </li>
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<i><b>Photos and documents...</b></i></div>
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Over the years I have managed to gather copies or original photos and documents. I know that so many of you must have great photos of your own family that include part of the Jacob Meisler history. I hope that this little project will inspire you to send me the digital copies and I will add them to this post. One more thing, you should know that of Jacob's seven (7) siblings, two died young and before marrying. According to Bertha (Birdie), Chaim Laib died at two years of age and Yette died in Delatyn at the age of 22 of tuberculosis. </div>
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It has been my honor to have met descendants of Jacob Meisler, Chai Esther Meisler, Zelig (Zigmund/Sigmund) Meisler and Mendel (Max) Meisler. </div>
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Finally, a quote from Carl Sandburg...</div>
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<b><i>"A camera testament, a drama of the grand canyon of humanity, an epic woven of fun, mystery and holiness - here is the Family of Man!" </i></b></div>
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Enjoy the journey (<b style="color: #45818e;">click on any photo to enlarge</b>) and <i>please</i> add your own memories in the comments!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mgh_ypshmGk/TnoDGTcFB-I/AAAAAAAADl8/bUeowOv3JkU/s1600/001-Jacob-Meisler-Passport-1909-page1-2-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mgh_ypshmGk/TnoDGTcFB-I/AAAAAAAADl8/bUeowOv3JkU/s320/001-Jacob-Meisler-Passport-1909-page1-2-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob Meisler's passport verifies year of birth 1891 and immigration year 1909</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mSCHIX9K1ss/TnoDPAV1zeI/AAAAAAAADmA/6lafUkkEgFQ/s1600/002-Jacob_Meisler_Draft+REgistration.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mSCHIX9K1ss/TnoDPAV1zeI/AAAAAAAADmA/6lafUkkEgFQ/s320/002-Jacob_Meisler_Draft+REgistration.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob Meisler's United States Draft Registration 1917</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yy6M1_A7jZ4/TnoDfvi6cwI/AAAAAAAADmE/31q0LjAOQJE/s1600/003-jacob-meisler-certificate-naturalization-USA-06181920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yy6M1_A7jZ4/TnoDfvi6cwI/AAAAAAAADmE/31q0LjAOQJE/s320/003-jacob-meisler-certificate-naturalization-USA-06181920.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob Meisler's Certificate of Naturalization June 18, 1920</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oVCN2JqbgT8/TnoEPbZs_cI/AAAAAAAADmI/r3CE-Kin9BY/s1600/004-Bertha_Meisler_Census_1930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oVCN2JqbgT8/TnoEPbZs_cI/AAAAAAAADmI/r3CE-Kin9BY/s320/004-Bertha_Meisler_Census_1930.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob Meisler's Family Listed in the US 1930 Census</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DCMGqbTT6SQ/TnoEc2b-3xI/AAAAAAAADmM/5OiiYl2EgkI/s1600/005-Bertha-Sidney-seated-Estelle-Jacob-Rose-standing-meislers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DCMGqbTT6SQ/TnoEc2b-3xI/AAAAAAAADmM/5OiiYl2EgkI/s320/005-Bertha-Sidney-seated-Estelle-Jacob-Rose-standing-meislers.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing L-R: Estelle Meisler, Jacob Meisler, Rose Meisler and seated L-R Bertha Meisler & Sidney Meisler - Year unknown</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sGo5Skm67Fg/TnoEfNtSxVI/AAAAAAAADmQ/17AjZ9V5YWw/s1600/006-SeligMeisler-SolStrum-JennieSingerMeisler-BerthaMeisler-RoseMeisler-EstelleMeisler-BenTriebwasser-JacobMeisler-1933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sGo5Skm67Fg/TnoEfNtSxVI/AAAAAAAADmQ/17AjZ9V5YWw/s320/006-SeligMeisler-SolStrum-JennieSingerMeisler-BerthaMeisler-RoseMeisler-EstelleMeisler-BenTriebwasser-JacobMeisler-1933.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selig Meisler, Sol Strum, Jennie Singer Meisler, Bertha Meisler, Rose Meisler, Estelle Meisler, Ben Triebwasser and Jacob Meisler 1933</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XMQKP0Ulgvs/TnoEfgkKMqI/AAAAAAAADmU/Dlkpxg6ikhA/s1600/007-ZeligMeisler-JennySingerMeisler-RoseDruckerMeisler-EstelleMeisler-atPearls-1933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XMQKP0Ulgvs/TnoEfgkKMqI/AAAAAAAADmU/Dlkpxg6ikhA/s320/007-ZeligMeisler-JennySingerMeisler-RoseDruckerMeisler-EstelleMeisler-atPearls-1933.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selig Meisler, Jennie Singer Meisler, Rose Drucker Meisler and Estelle Meisler 1933</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9fFV8i9Ubpo/TnoEf7cKLdI/AAAAAAAADmY/XBaCougUeXA/s1600/008-JacobMeisler-RoseMeisler-neeDrucker-JuliusHelfand-BerthaHelfand-neeMeisler-BenjaminGoldberg-EstelleGoldberg-neeMeisler-Circa1940s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9fFV8i9Ubpo/TnoEf7cKLdI/AAAAAAAADmY/XBaCougUeXA/s320/008-JacobMeisler-RoseMeisler-neeDrucker-JuliusHelfand-BerthaHelfand-neeMeisler-BenjaminGoldberg-EstelleGoldberg-neeMeisler-Circa1940s.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meisler Family Gathering Includes Julius Helfand, Bertha Helfand, Benjamin Goldberg, Estelle Goldberg, Rose Meisler and Jacob Meisler (front right) - year unknown</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nZgnS6o6CQw/TnoEwN_b5YI/AAAAAAAADmc/L840LYDGpJA/s1600/009-Jacob_Meisler_Draft+REgistration-1942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nZgnS6o6CQw/TnoEwN_b5YI/AAAAAAAADmc/L840LYDGpJA/s320/009-Jacob_Meisler_Draft+REgistration-1942.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob Meisler's 1942 US Draft Registration</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OT4-kxQJj0A/TnoE9nEz4hI/AAAAAAAADmg/CW7KJNFBjHY/s1600/010-HarveyHelfand-BenjaminGoldberg-JacobMeisler-JuliusHelfand-DennisHelfand-SidneyMeisler-PhyllisMeisler-EstelleGoldberg-RoseMeisler-BerthaHelfand-RosalieMeisler-MyrnaMeisler-StephenGoldberg-VivianHelfand-01161955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OT4-kxQJj0A/TnoE9nEz4hI/AAAAAAAADmg/CW7KJNFBjHY/s320/010-HarveyHelfand-BenjaminGoldberg-JacobMeisler-JuliusHelfand-DennisHelfand-SidneyMeisler-PhyllisMeisler-EstelleGoldberg-RoseMeisler-BerthaHelfand-RosalieMeisler-MyrnaMeisler-StephenGoldberg-VivianHelfand-01161955.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 16, 1955- Dennis Helfand's Bar Mitzvah. L-R standing Harvey Helfand, Benjamin Goldberg, Jacob Meisler, Julius Helfand, Dennis Helfand, Sidney Meisler, Phyllis Meisler,. L - R sitting Estelle Goldberg, Rose Meisler, Bertha Helfand, Rosalie Meisler, Myrna Meisler. L-R Floor sitting Stephen Goldberg and Vivian Helfand</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vaQoK0awyac/TnoE_8pK2-I/AAAAAAAADmk/vEfKWAFXlfk/s1600/011-helfand-meislers-september23-1978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vaQoK0awyac/TnoE_8pK2-I/AAAAAAAADmk/vEfKWAFXlfk/s320/011-helfand-meislers-september23-1978.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">September 23, 1978: L-R Back Row Robert Stuckelman, Tina Stuckelman, Sidney Meisler, Dennis Helfand, Stephen Goldberg, Benjamin Goldberg, Vivian Rubin, Sylvia Drucker, Marc Rubin; L-R Front Row Nona Stuckelman, Rosalie Meisler, Mildred Meisler Stuckelman, Joseph Stuckelman, Bertha Helfand, Estelle Goldberg, Jacob Meisler, and Mark Stuckelman. The Stuckelmans are Zelig Meisler's descendants.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hHSdP6LO8A4/TnoFuWMSuII/AAAAAAAADmo/rZBmI7mc1EE/s1600/012-BerthaHelfand-JacobMeisler-JudyHelfand-DennisHelfand-09231978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hHSdP6LO8A4/TnoFuWMSuII/AAAAAAAADmo/rZBmI7mc1EE/s320/012-BerthaHelfand-JacobMeisler-JudyHelfand-DennisHelfand-09231978.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L- R Bertha Meisler Helfand, Jacob Meisler, Judith Eagen Helfand, Dennis Helfand September 23, 1978.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YOtD7AIUGqA/TnoFvspllzI/AAAAAAAADms/gZFwqOBpLn0/s1600/013-grandsonDennisHelfand-greatgrandsonAaronHelfand-JacobMeisler-08-1981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YOtD7AIUGqA/TnoFvspllzI/AAAAAAAADms/gZFwqOBpLn0/s320/013-grandsonDennisHelfand-greatgrandsonAaronHelfand-JacobMeisler-08-1981.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dennis Helfand, Aaron Helfand and Jacob Meisler- Summer 1981 California<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4kzY_nNBJUc/Tpdm71HdnyI/AAAAAAAADoo/Hy7D0Ol9Wd4/s1600/Granpa-letter-page2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4kzY_nNBJUc/Tpdm71HdnyI/AAAAAAAADoo/Hy7D0Ol9Wd4/s320/Granpa-letter-page2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This is a letter written by Jack Meisler to Dennis and Judy. He wrote this to send me Birdie's poem for his 90th Birthday Party. Notice he says to give regards to the Stuckelman Family. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8fMUZLh94O8/TnoFwDbFS2I/AAAAAAAADmw/jzRimbqpS60/s1600/014-JacobMeisler-greatgrandsonAaronHelfand-grandsonDennisHelfand-081982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8fMUZLh94O8/TnoFwDbFS2I/AAAAAAAADmw/jzRimbqpS60/s320/014-JacobMeisler-greatgrandsonAaronHelfand-grandsonDennisHelfand-081982.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob Meisler, Aaron Helfand and Dennis Helfand - Three generations Summer 1982 California</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z6R71yKy7m8/TnoFwRfwkrI/AAAAAAAADm0/0lfngeaU3os/s1600/015-JacobMeisler-nephewGeorgeMeisler-BelleMeisler-nee-fertel-JudyHelfand-grandsonAaronHelfand-neiceMildredStudkelman-nee-meisler-08-1982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z6R71yKy7m8/TnoFwRfwkrI/AAAAAAAADm0/0lfngeaU3os/s320/015-JacobMeisler-nephewGeorgeMeisler-BelleMeisler-nee-fertel-JudyHelfand-grandsonAaronHelfand-neiceMildredStudkelman-nee-meisler-08-1982.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer 1982 L-R standing Jacob Meisler and George Meisler, L-R seated Belle Fertel Meisler, Judy Helfand, Aaron Helfand and Mildred Meisler Stuckelman. George and Mildred's father was Zelig Meisler, brother of Jacob.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fnUsV3zXjLk/TnoFw04WgBI/AAAAAAAADm4/hM5Rx1xqEK0/s1600/016-BerthaHelfand-DennisHelfand-JacobMeisler-AaronHelfand-DanielHelfand-09-1985.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fnUsV3zXjLk/TnoFw04WgBI/AAAAAAAADm4/hM5Rx1xqEK0/s320/016-BerthaHelfand-DennisHelfand-JacobMeisler-AaronHelfand-DanielHelfand-09-1985.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bertha Helfand, Dennis Helfand, Jacob Meisler, Daniel Helfand and Aaron Helfand. Four Generations September 1985.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i53Vhy3eqWc/TnthCimI3bI/AAAAAAAADnU/rDA1QUPBL1c/s1600/017-DennisHelfand-JudyHelfand-RichardMeisler-JoshuaMeisler-DanielMeisler-AaronHelfand-DanielHelfand-MiriamMeisler-MendelMaxMeislersgrandsonsGreatgrandsons-Circa+1986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i53Vhy3eqWc/TnthCimI3bI/AAAAAAAADnU/rDA1QUPBL1c/s320/017-DennisHelfand-JudyHelfand-RichardMeisler-JoshuaMeisler-DanielMeisler-AaronHelfand-DanielHelfand-MiriamMeisler-MendelMaxMeislersgrandsonsGreatgrandsons-Circa+1986.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer 1987 New Hampshire - L-R Back Row: Dennis Helfand, Judy Helfand, Richard Meisler, Joshua Meisler, Daniel Meisler. L-R Front Row: Aaron Helfand, Daniel Helfand, Miriam Meisler. Richard and his sons Joshua and Daniel are the grandson and great-grandsons of Mendel (Max) Meisler. (Max is in the photo at the top of this article).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HX4kDmFp1kk/Tnti0DXIUVI/AAAAAAAADnY/J8zzNfpXTPQ/s1600/019-greatGrandsons-aaronHelfand-danielHelfand-03061989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HX4kDmFp1kk/Tnti0DXIUVI/AAAAAAAADnY/J8zzNfpXTPQ/s320/019-greatGrandsons-aaronHelfand-danielHelfand-03061989.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaron and Daniel Helfand, Jacob Meisler's great-grandsons - March 1989.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tUCeg5Sxw5I/Tntjlm6evnI/AAAAAAAADnc/rSh2Scnk07s/s1600/020-L-R-Sitting-MarkStuckelman-MyrnaKorman-PhyllisLevine-ReneePonder-NonaStuckelman-RobertStuckelman-standing-JonathanDaks-BeverlyGoldbergRoberts-10082010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tUCeg5Sxw5I/Tntjlm6evnI/AAAAAAAADnc/rSh2Scnk07s/s320/020-L-R-Sitting-MarkStuckelman-MyrnaKorman-PhyllisLevine-ReneePonder-NonaStuckelman-RobertStuckelman-standing-JonathanDaks-BeverlyGoldbergRoberts-10082010.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of Jacob Meisler and Zelig Meisler's grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Beverly Goldberg standing in background. L-R Seated: Mark Stuckelman, Phyllis Levine, Myrna Korman, Renee Ponder, Nona Stuckelman and Robert Stuckelman. Tucson, AZ October 8, 2010.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L-R: Jared Rubin, Douglas Rubin (Jacob's great grandsons), Jen Bender Rubin, Vivian Rubin(Jacob's grand-daughter) and Marc Rubin. August 7, 2011. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nFB5oFM5ApE/Tnq9E25VaTI/AAAAAAAADnQ/J9D76dQ_apA/s1600/023-BerthaMeislerHelfand-visiting-with-great-granddaughter-MeredithYates-08082011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nFB5oFM5ApE/Tnq9E25VaTI/AAAAAAAADnQ/J9D76dQ_apA/s320/023-BerthaMeislerHelfand-visiting-with-great-granddaughter-MeredithYates-08082011.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bertha Meisler Helfand visiting with her great granddaughter, Meredith Yates. August 8, 2011.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qGL3L9Qcm9U/WNPQRFKZ-HI/AAAAAAAAGCY/5FA4BzAjC9YUtexvGuMITU1J0Zgp-7xIACEw/s1600/Dennis-Helfand-Pesie-Meisler-09-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qGL3L9Qcm9U/WNPQRFKZ-HI/AAAAAAAAGCY/5FA4BzAjC9YUtexvGuMITU1J0Zgp-7xIACEw/s320/Dennis-Helfand-Pesie-Meisler-09-2015.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
September 2015 Dennis Eugene Helfand visited his Great Grandmother Pesie Meisler's grave. Jacob's mother died November 9, 1937, and she is buried in Baron Hersch Cemetery on Staten Island, NY. <br /><br />
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com11Bronx, NY 10469, USA40.8690303 -73.84778740000001640.8551263 -73.865704900000011 40.882934299999995 -73.82986990000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-57915404320427324532011-09-09T14:10:00.000-07:002020-05-10T16:00:57.154-07:00Times Long Gone - Remembering 9/11<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ka5IM-wsUws/TmpyDZ1_4iI/AAAAAAAADlw/O2NhlW817j8/s1600/002_Lady_Liberty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ka5IM-wsUws/TmpyDZ1_4iI/AAAAAAAADlw/O2NhlW817j8/s320/002_Lady_Liberty.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="World Trade Center">World Trade Center</a> 1990 - Click to enlarge</td></tr>
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<b><i>Times Long Gone - Auld Lang Syne </i></b><br />
<br />
A lot happens in a decade. This Sunday most of us, who are old enough, will be remembering September 11, 2001, or as we often refer to the day 9/11. We will think back to where we were, who we were with, how we spent the day and following days. It is what we do. We have our memories, albeit sometimes <a href="https://www.webconsuls.com/blog/2008/09/editing-only-remember-the-good-stuff/" target="_blank">edited</a> because they are too painful. <br />
<br />
When I wrote my 2001 <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2008/12/why-i-send-holiday-greeting-cards.html" target="_blank">holiday letter</a> I talked about searching for a "connection" to New York City and the World Trade Center.<br />
<blockquote>
<i><b>"...in the Fall of 1976, I actually toured the World Trade Center with my sister's brother-in-law; we even went to the Observation Deck. It was a cold and windy day, and sadly even though I returned to the City quite often as the years passed, I never returned to the Trade Center. I would point out the structure to Aaron and Daniel on each visit, but we never took the time to stop and tour this landmark. I kept thinking, if I only had a picture, I would have that needed connection."</b></i></blockquote>
As I said, a lot happens in a decade. I am thinking back now to good times, bad times, sad times. We have all, no doubt, experienced our own Circle of Life events through this decade - weddings, births, graduations, illnesses, retirements, deaths, career changes, wars, divorces, elections...life goes on.<br />
<br />
The photo you see above was taken by me in 1990; however, <b>I had misplaced it, until a few weeks ago</b>. That's right; it took me 10 years to find my photo of the World Trade Center. I took this photo from <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hornblower_Cruises" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Hornblower Cruises">Statue Cruises</a> boat. Aaron, Daniel, Grandma Birdie and I were touring Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. <br />
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The photo you see below is a blended image of Aaron and Daniel on the Statue Cruises boat in 1990 and the two of them all dressed up for a family gathering - Circle of Life events. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LX053Tws6jI/Tmp3_f1BFRI/AAAAAAAADl0/ZbU8dr7DWKg/s1600/aaron-daniel-1990-2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LX053Tws6jI/Tmp3_f1BFRI/AAAAAAAADl0/ZbU8dr7DWKg/s320/aaron-daniel-1990-2010.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaron & Daniel - Click to enlarge</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Would love your comments. What has this decade been like for you? What <b><i>Circle of Life</i></b> events have you experienced from 2001 - 2011? <br />
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com0Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.398759 -110.8314500000000232.2630355 -110.99063100000002 32.534482499999996 -110.67226900000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-15404842709573770862011-09-06T14:06:00.000-07:002014-09-30T22:07:53.546-07:00On Target, Does Cursive Matter?School is starting today in many districts across the United States. Here in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tucson%2C_Arizona" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Tucson, Arizona">Tucson</a> school started a few weeks ago. I have been reading a lot lately about the Common Core Curriculum which has been adopted by 40 of our 50 states and which suggests that there really is no need to teach <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursive" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Cursive">cursive</a>.<br />
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Cursive is a strange word. I remember the first time I heard it used. My oldest son came home from third grade and proudly announced that he was learning <i>cursive</i>. I told him I had no idea what he was talking about. The year was 1990. I was 41. He then showed me what he meant. And I said, "Oh, you mean handwriting or <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penmanship" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Penmanship">penmanship</a>!" He just kind of smiled. To this day I still have two pendaflex folders filled with Aaron's "cursive" 4th grade spelling tests that interestingly enough had to be done with two columns: One column for the printed word and one column for the word written in cursive. Mr. Dyrenforth graded each column not only for spelling accuracy, but also for cursive and printing proficiencies. For the record, I liked John Dyrenforth and so did Aaron and his brother, Daniel.<br />
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I was taught penmanship (that is what it was called in California in 1957) by the Benedictine nuns. I struggled somewhat as I am left-handed and by the time I started grammar school most nuns had given up on converting the left-handed to be right-handed. I say I struggled because if you are left handed you know all about smearing your ink and trying to write over the spiral rings of notebooks. You know all about sitting in one-sided desks designed for the right-handed. You struggle more if you insist on getting the slant of the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmer_Method" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Palmer Method">Palmer method</a> perfect for Sister Elitas. <br />
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But let's get back to the question at hand. Does cursive matter? I know many of you will say it is more important for students to learn to TYPE on a keyboard. But are they learning to TYPE? I don't have an answer to that question. I learned to type in a public school summer class. I was in 7th grade. I have never been sorry about taking that class.<br />
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Here is what I love most about cursive. It is personal. It is distinct. Every time I receive a card from my husband it has his very distinct handwriting. I have letters from my mother and father that I keep, more because they are handwritten...not typed or printed, but handwritten. I love getting letters from my dear friend Ginny, all handwritten. I know immediately when I have received a letter from my friend Arnold. He doesn't type it, but addresses the letter and envelope in cursive. If we don't continue to teach cursive, will the children of today not have signatures?<br />
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Today I would like to share a TARGET ad with you. I wonder how many of our children will not be able to read the ad "Expect More, Pay Less". <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="355" scrolling="no" src="//www.ispot.tv/share/7Vga" width="560"></iframe><br />
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If you are having trouble viewing the video, you can <a href="http://youtu.be/dEnSkv5M8rs" target="_blank">see it here</a>.
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On the other hand, below is a handwritten letter. It was written by my father in 1937. He was 19. He was writing to his twin sister. I love this letter. The only thing he got wrong was that he did not know the correct spelling of the troop transport ship <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Samaritan_%28AH-10%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="USS Samaritan (AH-10)">USS Chaumont</a>. He confused it with the USS Shawmut. If you click on the photos they get larger.<br />
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<b>I hope you will give your comments. On <i>target</i>, does cursive matter? </b></div>
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com4Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.398759 -110.8314500000000232.2630355 -110.99063100000002 32.534482499999996 -110.67226900000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-71761140784499022462011-09-03T18:31:00.000-07:002012-10-06T11:39:31.422-07:00E. E. Cummings Oct 14, 1894 - Sept 3, 1962<div class="zemanta-img separator" style="clear: right;">
<a href="http://www.last.fm/music/e.%2Be.%2Bcummings" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="e. e. cummings" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/126/352636.jpg" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: both; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">Cover of <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/e.%2Be.%2Bcummings" target="_blank">e. e. cummings</a></span></div>
<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._E._Cummings" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="E. E. Cummings">Edward Estlin Cummings</a> (E. E. Cummings) died in 1962, 49 years ago today. He died of a stroke at the Memorial Hospital in <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Conway%2C_New_Hampshire" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="North Conway, New Hampshire">North Conway, NH</a>. He summered at his <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_Farm" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Joy Farm">Joy Farm</a> in Silver Lake, New Hampshire. I am sharing this with you only because I always liked reading his works. He died the summer before I started high school. I kind of doubt that Sister Maria Dolores (Freshman English) introduced me to Cummings, but I know I read many of his poems prior to high school graduation, including the poem you see here.<br />
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I don't have much in common with Cummings, except that I lived in North Conway, NH from 1985-1997 and I lived through many interesting hours at the Memorial Hospital - husband's surgeries, children's surgeries and broken bones. And, yes, I was there once for the broken ribs I suffered as a result of an angry cow! I also recall some very idyllic summer days at Silver Lake and I think I know why Mr. Cummings loved his Joy Farm.<br />
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E. E. Cummings wrote <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/51275140/edward-estlin-cummings-complete-works" target="_blank">about 2900 poems</a>. <i><b> ITEM</b></i> (I don't really know if it has another name) is said to have been written circa 1926. So interesting. What made him write this poem? Do you know? <br />
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<b>XIV<br />
</b><br />
<b>ITEM</b><br />
<b><br />
<b>this man is o so</b><br />
<b>Waiter</b><br />
<b>this;woman is</b><br />
</b><br />
<b>please shut that<br />
the pout And affectionate leer<br />
interminable pyramidal, napkins<br />
(this man is oh so tired of this<br />
a door opens by itself<br />
woman.)they so to speak were in </b><br />
<b><br />
Love once?<br />
now<br />
her mouth opens too far<br />
and:she attacks her Lobster without<br />
feet mingle under the<br />
mercy.<br />
(exit the hors d'oeuvres)</b><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Tell me what you think of this poem.</span><br />
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And for fun here are some photos of my family enjoying Silver Lake 25 years ago this month. (If you click on the photos they will enlarge.)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CgizzHdd1_k/TmLPlt_566I/AAAAAAAADlg/-m12qOGQ9zA/s1600/daniel-silver-lake-NH-091986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CgizzHdd1_k/TmLPlt_566I/AAAAAAAADlg/-m12qOGQ9zA/s320/daniel-silver-lake-NH-091986.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daniel enjoying Sharon and Norm Wilson's boat and dog!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F23VE2hIfsw/TmLPrQNk3SI/AAAAAAAADlk/GvlZEyfA6P0/s1600/silver-lake-NH-09-1986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F23VE2hIfsw/TmLPrQNk3SI/AAAAAAAADlk/GvlZEyfA6P0/s320/silver-lake-NH-09-1986.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaron with Norm (far left), Sharon, Judy and Dennis</td></tr>
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com0Silver Lake, NH 03875, USA43.8656806 -71.1744201000000243.818640599999995 -71.224977600000017 43.9127206 -71.123862600000024tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-41567303893112031322011-08-23T07:52:00.001-07:002021-12-19T10:35:50.495-08:00The Help - Why Not Be Part Of The Living Proof<div class="zemanta-img separator" style="clear: right;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Help-Kathryn-Stockett/dp/0399155341%3FSubscriptionId%3D0G81C5DAZ03ZR9WH9X82%26tag%3Dzemanta-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0399155341" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cover of "The Help"" height="300" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41eKoQORnFL._SL300_.jpg" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="192" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: both; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 192px;">Cover of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Help-Kathryn-Stockett/dp/0399155341%3FSubscriptionId%3D0G81C5DAZ03ZR9WH9X82%26tag%3Dzemanta-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0399155341" target="_blank">The Help</a></span></div>
The recently released movie <b><i><a class="zem_slink" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454029/" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="The Help">The Help</a></i></b> continues to draw viewers. In fact this past weekend <i><b>The Help</b></i> won the box office take. As TODAY reported: <i>“No matter how you look at it, the female-driven drama about the relationship between black housekeepers and the white families they care for in the segregated 1960s is fast approaching phenom status. It drew bigger audiences than two higher-profile remakes debuting this weekend, “Conan the Barbarian” and “Fright Night” — combined.” </i><br />
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The recently released movie <i><b>The Help</b></i> continues to draw reviewers. I am not here to talk about how <i><b>The Help</b></i> beat out a remake of <i>Conan the Barbarian</i>, but more about why people are choosing to see <i><b>The Help</b></i> even with many negative reviews. <br />
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Did you read Kathryn Stockett’s <i><b>The Help</b></i>? Did you see the movie based on <i><b>The Help</b></i>? I did both, but you should know that some reviewers did not read the book and some reviewers did not read the book or see the movie. But, again, I am not here to review either, but more to talk about why there is so much talk about<i><b> The Help.</b></i><br />
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Some people, many women, seem very angry about this story. They are angry about the film. I am having trouble figuring out if they are more angry about our history or angry that someone who was not born until around 1971 took the initiative to tell a story about what is was like to be “raised” by a black housekeeper/servant/maid or to have been black and “raised” white children in Jackson, MS in 1963. Remember, Ms. Stockett <i>was</i> raised in Jackson, MS and was partly raised by her grandmother's black maid, Demetrie. So she does have a point of reference. <br />
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Here’s the thing. I was a freshman in high school in 1963, not a recent college graduate like the story’s Eugenia, aka Skeeter. I did not live in the “south”, but San Diego, CA. I did not come from a well to do family, certainly no household help. I am the granddaughter of Irish immigrants. I went to a very racially integrated all girls’ high school, with at least 35% of my graduating class being what we now refer to as “women of color” and never gave it a second thought. I remember <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medgar_Evers" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Medgar Evers">Medgar Evers</a> being assassinated. And I know that Mr. Evers was assassinated just five months before <a href="https://www.webconsuls.com/blog/2008/11/remembering-november-22-1963-and-president-john-f-kennedys-assassination/" target="_blank">President Kennedy</a>. When these events were covered in the movie....I choked and starting coughing. The memories are strong. They will not leave us, even those of us who were not raised in the South. <br />
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I saw <i><b>The Help </b></i>with my husband. It was a week ago; we went to a Saturday 10:00AM showing, thinking the theater would be quiet. To our surprise the theater filled with people of all ages. The ladies sitting next to me were serious and contemplating each scene. They seemed to want to make sure the director had captured the essence of the novel. Did we clap at the end? Yes, but maybe for the same reason that Tucsonans clapped at the <a href="http://judysoped.blogspot.com/2011/01/together-we-thrive-my-perspective.html" target="_blank">Together We Thrive Memorial Service</a>. Applauding is something you do when you want to say thank you. <br />
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Thank you to Kathryn Stockett for taking a chance. Thank you for making us think. Thank you for making us want to learn more about how other people lived and live. Thank you for making us realize that we all have different life stories. Thank you to DreamWorks for producing <i><b>The Help</b></i>. Thank you to <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octavia_Spencer" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Octavia Spencer">Octavia Spencer</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_Davis" target="_blank">Viola Davis</a> for sharing their talent and their insights. <br />
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As I write this post, I wonder if what Kathryn Stockett is experiencing might mirror what <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edna_Ferber" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Edna Ferber">Edna Ferber</a> or <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fannie_Hurst" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Fannie Hurst">Fannie Hurst</a> experienced. Imagine what people thought when first they read Ferber’s <i><b>Showboat</b></i> or <i><b>Giant</b></i>. Imagine the reviews from Hurst’s <i><b>Imitation of Life</b></i>. The truth is, writing about race relations in our country has never been easy. Playing the part of a maid/mammy/housekeeper/house servant has never been easy. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marietta_Canty" target="_blank">Marietta Canty</a> did just that at least 40 times in her career. A remarkable career indeed. <br />
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This week, as a nation, we prepare to dedicate the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King%2C_Jr._National_Memorial" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial">Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial</a>. At this time can we stop and just have a conversation? Can we read a novel, watch a movie and find what we have in common and build on that thread? Don't lecture, but teach. Imagine the fabric we might weave if we all just took time to listen to each other’s story.<br />
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Be part of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454029/" target="_blank"><i>The Living Proof</i></a>, share your story here...please! <br />
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<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/08/16/139669124/-the-help-needs-assistance-from-a-realistic-voice?ft=1&f=1008" target="_blank">Seeing 'The Help' In Context: Jackson's Dark Side</a> (npr.org)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/08/12/139578287/octavia-spencer-you-cant-help-but-feel-this-film?ft=1&f=2" target="_blank">Octavia Spencer: You Can't 'Help' But Feel This Film</a> (npr.org)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dyane-jean-fran/the-help-film-review_b_926798.html" target="_blank">How <i>The Help</i> Failed Us </a> </li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rebecca-wanzo/the-help-movie_b_925550.html" target="_blank">Love<i> 'The Help'</i> But Please Stop Asking Me To Do The Same</a></li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/movies/blog/2011/08/melissa_harrisperry_on_the_hel.html" target="_blank">Melissa Harris Perry On "The Help": How Condescending or Incoherent is this Review?</a></li>
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com4Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.398759 -110.8314500000000232.2630355 -110.99063100000002 32.534482499999996 -110.67226900000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-43237875014291001042011-08-18T10:23:00.000-07:002017-04-11T16:23:33.558-07:00Overbooked Children 20 Years LaterFor the record I am not a mommy blogger. Or on second thought maybe I am one of the original mommy bloggers; consider that I started writing my <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2008/12/why-i-send-holiday-greeting-cards.html" target="_blank">yearly "painfully honest" holiday letters</a> around 1985 and when I published<i><b> Innovations</b></i> for our Cranmore Mt. Lodge I frequently opined about raising our sons, Aaron and Daniel. This past week my friend, <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2009/07/waiting-for-godot-on-broadway_12.html" target="_blank">Angela DeCicco</a>, Facebook shared a New York Times article: <a href="http://nyti.ms/pR4HZV" target="_blank"><b><i>Family Happiness and the Overbooked Child</i></b></a>.<br />
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Whatever your current status is: parent with small children, grandparent, aunt, uncle, parent with teenagers, please read the article. I did. And it made me think back 20 years ago when our children wanted to participate in activities or learn a musical instrument. We had to weigh each request carefully, not just from the monetary impact, but also impact on their time, our time and quite frankly their real interest.<br />
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So let's see. Here is a quick rundown of formal ACTIVITIES that Aaron and Daniel enjoyed: alpine skiing training and competitive racing (both), soccer camp (Daniel), little league baseball (Aaron), Nordic skiing training and competitive racing (Daniel), Cub Scouts (Aaron) and guitar lessons (both). From my "edited" memories I am happy to report:<br />
<ul>
<li>Our spare closet still plays home to the alpine skiing trophies, medals, ribbons and I can still remember 10 year old Aaron returning from the 1991 Junior Ski Meisters Awards night. He had received a number of awards and exclaimed: "This was the best night of my whole life!" </li>
<li>Daniel won some kind of recognition at summer soccer camp, but for the life of me I cannot remember the details. (But be assured I have photos.)</li>
<li>In 1992 Aaron played baseball for the John Fuller Farm League and he was the first recipient of the James Reed Memorial Trophy for being the "most improved player."</li>
<li>In 1996 Daniel participated in the inaugural <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2009/01/many-ways-of-traversing-mount.html" target="_blank">"Ski to the Clouds"</a> race. He still holds the record for the youngest person to x-country ski UP the Mt. Washington Auto Road. </li>
<li>Guitar lessons...my clearest memory is: after multiple months of lessons, Grandma Birdie asked the boys to play her a song. They managed to "pick" out "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star!" Grandma Birdie was a pretty good audience (just a little eye-rolling), after all that is a grandma's duty. But Aaron and Daniel soon put down the guitars. Playing a musical instrument seemed not to be part of their DNA...the lessons ceased.</li>
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Today I am writing this post to share with you my thoughts about providing opportunities for your children. I have mentioned before that my mother insisted that my siblings and I learn how to play a musical instrument. I have no idea what this cost my parents over the 15 + years that we took lessons. I was never good in sports, but my parents did allow my middle sister to take tennis lessons and we all experienced rudimentary horseback riding (it was free). My brother played sports; he has a lot of trophies and mended bones. But details aside, I have always been thankful for these opportunities which allowed me to learn and appreciate the arts.<br />
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Opportunities are not always wrapped in a formal training program, be it a camp or team. Sometimes we can provide our children with opportunities by allowing them to learn a skill and practice the skill in day to day life. For example, when Aaron was about 12 Dennis encouraged or invited him to learn how to cook breakfast for our inn guests. Aaron found he liked cooking and he could be rewarded with compliments and a small paycheck. If you like to write then encourage your children. My dad liked to write silly poetry. I had an uncle that loved to draw - pencil sketching, and all these years later that innate ability has come alive in my sisters and at least one of my nephews. My husband loves to play the piano. It comes naturally to him. As little boys, Aaron and Daniel watched intently.<br />
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To my friends that have little children or are expecting babies, enjoy the moments. Encourage your children, but remember they will always keep surprising you. Want to know what our "overbooked children" are doing now 20 years later? Well, I am going to tell you.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QoH2R9I0I3c/Tk1Cf5TAfTI/AAAAAAAADlI/WCB65Lo9C4Q/s1600/aaron-dennis-cia-08022011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QoH2R9I0I3c/Tk1Cf5TAfTI/AAAAAAAADlI/WCB65Lo9C4Q/s320/aaron-dennis-cia-08022011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aaron and Dennis at the CIA - August 2, 2011</td></tr>
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Aaron is now (eight years after his college graduation) enrolled in the <a href="https://www.ciachef.edu/cia-new-york-advanced-career-experience-associate-degree-program/" target="_blank">Culinary Institute of America's ACE Program</a>. In fact earlier this month we visited with Aaron at the CIA. (see photo of Aaron and Dennis).<br />
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Daniel plays a great harmonica (see YouTube video below- Daniel is the one on the right). And now we have learned he is teaching himself how to play the piano! And believe me, he gets it. Music <i>is</i> part of him. So what if he is not a classical guitarist...Grandma Birdie was proud to have Daniel play piano for her friends earlier this month. By the way, he took up downhill skiing again this year.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RAXzpNq-ldg/Tk1EijrDxsI/AAAAAAAADlQ/2uLxuI7wlB4/s1600/Daniel-piano-082011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RAXzpNq-ldg/Tk1EijrDxsI/AAAAAAAADlQ/2uLxuI7wlB4/s320/Daniel-piano-082011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daniel playing the piano - August 2011</td></tr>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4eT8Y7MfrfM?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br />
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The truth is most children will find their way, their passion. And when they do, learning becomes fun and they will happily spend hours with their chosen art. <br />
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<b>Your thoughts? Are you overbooking your children?</b><br />
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com7Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.398759 -110.8314500000000232.2630355 -110.99063100000002 32.534482499999996 -110.67226900000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-43536093893322441792011-07-11T12:39:00.000-07:002023-11-29T08:19:25.424-08:00In Memory of Betty Ford<div class="zemanta-img separator" sizcache="7099" sizset="0" style="clear: right;"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:First_Ladies_at_Ronald_Reagan_Presidential_Library.jpg" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="First Ladies Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon, Ros..." height="205px" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/First_Ladies_at_Ronald_Reagan_Presidential_Library.jpg/300px-First_Ladies_at_Ronald_Reagan_Presidential_Library.jpg" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300px" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" sizcache="7099" sizset="1" style="clear: both; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 300px;">Image via <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:First_Ladies_at_Ronald_Reagan_Presidential_Library.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></span></div>Tomorrow our nation will bid a final farewell to <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Ford" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Betty Ford">Betty Ford</a>. She was our First Lady from August 9, 1974 till January 20, 1977. Not a long time, but an important time. When I learned of her passing on July 8th I thought back to that tumultuous period when we watched Watergate unfold. And then rather suddenly, <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2009/08/remembering-august-8-1974-richard-m.html" target="_blank">Mr. Nixon resigned</a> and Jerry and Betty Ford moved into the White House. I liked Betty, she was <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2009/05/how-i-remember-mom.html" target="_blank">my mother’s peer.</a> Betty was born April 8, 1918, 16 days after my mother was born. Don’t get me wrong, my mother didn’t personally know Betty Ford. But there is something about First Ladies that seems to capture our attention and we look for ways to identify with them, maybe because they make our White House a <i>home</i>. <br />
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Thinking back on my lifetime there have been 12 First Ladies: <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bess_Truman" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Bess Truman">Bess Truman</a>, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamie_Eisenhower" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Mamie Eisenhower">Mamie Eisenhower</a>, Jacqueline Kennedy, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Bird_Johnson" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Lady Bird Johnson">Lady Bird Johnson</a>, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Nixon" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Pat Nixon">Pat Nixon</a>, <i>Betty Ford</i>, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalynn_Carter" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Rosalynn Carter">Rosalynn Carter</a>, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama. <br />
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I was a baby for most of <b>Bess </b>Truman’s time in the White House; she was a little older than <a href="http://judysoped.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-holiday-letter-circa-1921.html" target="_blank">my paternal grandmother</a>. I remember <b>Mamie</b>. I often wonder if my mother cut our bangs so that our hairdos would resemble Mamie's. I know in 1955 my mother-in-law wore her hair like Mamie Eisenhower. I also remember winning an essay contest for writing about President Eisenhower and my husband went to college with their grandson, David. There is too much to say about <b>Jackie</b>. We shared in her joy, every woman wanted have her natural good looks, we cried with her, <a href="https://judysoped.blogspot.com/2008/11/remembering-november-22-1963-and_22.html" target="_blank">we mourned with her</a> and she taught us how to heal. Many years later I hosted her son, John, at our country inn. <b>Lady Bird</b> brought daughters into the White House. Linda Bird and Luci were my peers. We were able to <a href="http://judysoped.blogspot.com/2010/07/wedding-gift-presidents-daughter.html" target="_blank">share in their weddings</a>. <b>Pat </b>Nixon’s real name was Thelma Catherine Ryan Nixon. To me Mrs. Nixon always seemed sad, but she glowed whenever she talked about her daughters and we enjoyed watching Tricia being married in the White House. I will come back to Betty. <b>Rosalynn Carter</b> was sweet and charming. I remember we were excited that a young girl, Amy, would be moving into the White House. In 1985, 26 years ago this summer, I had a private breakfast with President Carter in the Anchorage Airport. He was in the Alaska Airlines’ First Class Lounge waiting for Mrs. Carter to get ready to catch a flight. <i>And the story goes on</i>...<b>Nancy, Barbara, Hillary, Laura</b> and now <b>Michelle</b>. Each has let us into their life, just a little. But none will compare to Betty. <br />
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Six weeks after becoming our First Lady, Betty Ford underwent a radical mastectomy. Up until that time no one really talked about breast cancer, at least we didn’t talk aloud about <i>it</i>. We feared <i>it</i>. Betty Ford went public and perhaps saved many lives by her willingness to discuss <i>it</i>. Most forget that Happy Rockefeller, then Second Lady of the United States, underwent a mastectomy just two weeks following Mrs. Ford’s surgery. <br />
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Betty stood for much more. She worked tirelessly for women’s rights marching in Washington, D.C. for the Equal Rights Amendment. She was openly pro-choice. TIME magazine called her the country’s “Fighting First Lady”. In 1978 she and her family went public with her alcoholism and addiction to pain medicine. And once again, she stood tall and realized that the disease of addiction shadows almost every American family; she and her family took on the crusade to help people find recovery. In 1982 the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Ford_Center" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Betty Ford Center">Betty Ford Center</a> opened in Rancho Mirage, CA. on the Eisenhower Medical Center Campus. I never met Mrs. Ford, but having worked in the addiction and recovery industry I did tour the Betty Ford Center. I met Jerry Moe, Vice President, National Director of Children's Programs for the Betty Ford Center and to this day he continues to deliver the long standing message of the Betty Ford Center... “serving patients, saving families”. <br />
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Tomorrow, July 12, 2011, services will be held to honor Elizabeth Ann Bloomer Warren Ford - Betty Ford. I understand that Rosalynn Carter will deliver one of the eulogies. I find comfort in this. Betty was a fighter, she was generous, offering each of us a part of herself. She taught us to talk about diseases that shatter a person’s life and a family’s life. She was anything but anonymous. She was brave and candid.<br />
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She wasn't afraid to dream!<br />
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Your thoughts...<br />
Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com0Rancho Mirage, CA 92270, USA33.7486721 -116.4311920000000133.6839331 -116.476076 33.8134111 -116.38630800000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-49779116621108989862011-06-01T14:09:00.000-07:002020-05-20T10:10:02.907-07:00I Walked Out On Frank Sinatra!<div class="zemanta-img separator" sizcache="4" sizset="0" style="clear: right;">
<a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Frank_Sinatra_Hollywood_star.jpg" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Frank Sinatra Hollywood star" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Frank_Sinatra_Hollywood_star.jpg" height="234" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="281" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" sizcache="4" sizset="1" style="clear: both; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 281px;" target="_blank">Image via <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Frank_Sinatra_Hollywood_star.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a></span></div>
<span id="internal-source-marker_0.3414086253269182" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I once walked out of a <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sinatra" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Frank Sinatra">Frank Sinatra</a> performance. </span><br />
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.3414086253269182" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It was July 30, 1982. Mr. Sinatra was the headliner for the New <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibson_Amphitheatre" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Gibson Amphitheatre">Universal Amphitheatre</a>. This was an opening night benefit performance, complete with Hollywood legends being interviewed on the red carpet, 6200 guests in total including my husband and me - compliments of my husband’s employer <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARCO" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="ARCO">Atlantic Richfield</a> (ARCO). The comedian <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Callas" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Charlie Callas">Charlie Callas</a> opened for Frank Sinatra. He was his usual entertaining self. And then suddenly Mr. Sinatra strolled on to the stage and was welcomed with a standing ovation. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We settled back into our seats, the orchestra started to play and HE began to sing. He sang all the familiar songs, but something didn’t seem right. And then we realized that he was reading the words, not from a teleprompter, but from sheet music that was propped up on his music stand. He fumbled lyrics and really didn’t seem to engage with the audience of his peers and fans. Finally, as he reached the end of the first set he started to sing “New York, New York” --the crowd got to their feet -- but still he had to read the lyrics. And as he finished, my husband and I looked at each other and we knew we were leaving. Yep...we got up and left. The “professional” was not prepared! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Are you wondering why I am telling you this story? Well, there are some on-line discussions, maybe more than a few, going on regarding last week’s Closing Keynote at Blog World New York. I wasn’t there. I wanted to attend Blog World New York; however, prior commitments made it impossible. But I am familiar with the Closing Keynote Talk Show format having attended </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Blog World 2009</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and </span><a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2010/10/bwe10-chief-listening-officers-wanted.html" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Blog World 2010.</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> I was very impressed with the 2010 Closing Keynote Talk Show “New Media Live” hosted by <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Barnett" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Rob Barnett">Rob Barnett</a>, who interviewed <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Carolla" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Adam Carolla">Adam Corolla</a>, <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penn_Jillette" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Penn Jillette">Penn Jillette</a>, Jeffrey Hayzlett and <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cali_Lewis" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Cali Lewis">Cali Lewis</a>. It was informative, interesting, entertaining and sometimes very funny. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But I am not here to talk about 2010, I want to offer what might be some simple observations about what many are calling a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">cringe -provoking event</span><span style="color: black;"> and what one tweet summed up like this: </span></div>
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.3414086253269182" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Grateful to those of you who hung out at #bweny for the closing keynote. Enjoy your party! I'm flying home. :)" </span></i></span></blockquote>
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<li> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I don’t think the problem had much to do with the presenters, the subject matter, the content, but more about the presentation itself. When you “book” a keynote “act” (and don’t kid yourself - a keynote is an “act”), you are paying for a professional performance. The lighting needs to be programmed, the sound system needs to be tested, the orchestra needs to be rehearsed, and someone needs to “call” the show. To invite five “professionals” to a stage who may never have presented together in the past and expect it to just </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">work </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">is playing with fire. This is </span><a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2009/03/lights-on-broadway-were-dimmed-twice.html" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">live </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">theatre</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"> and anything can happen,</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> but your preparation has to be spot on. </span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I might be wrong, but I suspect most people in the audience would have been just fine with the adult language (edgy content), if they were watching a polished show with context. Do you really think people walk out on Lewis Black or Bill Maher or Sarah Silverman or Chris Rock or Dennis Miller? What </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">would </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">make people walk out is that they don’t want to watch a train wreck...it is just too painful. Not unlike me watching Frank Sinatra 29 years ago. </span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">People commenting on this topic have talked about how they are professionals attending a conference of bloggers, professionals, and business owners. Can we look-up the definition for “professional?” It does not necessarily imply educational status, advanced degrees. A professional is anyone who conforms to the technical and ethical standards of a profession. More importantly, if you are being paid you have moved from </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">amateur </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">status to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">professional </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">status. It is about showing up on time, prepared and performing the task that you are being paid to do. It is less about </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">what </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">you do for a living, and more about how well you do it and how effortlessly you “seem” to do it. </span></li>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This <a href="http://www.blogworld.com/2011/05/29/are-we-hypocrites-tasteless-smut-peddlers-or-just-plain-dumb/" target="_blank">on-line conversation</a> will probably continue for a few more days. I know that Rick Calvert, Dave Cynkin, Deb Ng and the entire Blog World team will learn from Blog World New York. Every year they fine-tune their product. They are observant and sensitive to what they see and hear. I, for one, look forward to meeting up with the whole crew this November when the curtain goes up on Blog World LA!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Your thoughts...you think about it. I would love your input.
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<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/Latest-News-Wires/2011/0531/Barbara-Sinatra-tells-it-her-way-in-her-new-memoir" target="_blank">Barbara Sinatra tells it her way in her new memoir</a> (csmonitor.com)</li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://www.upi.com/News_Photos/view/fe7cc944d1fc8c9e669f3457798a47ae/Frank-Sinatra-at-Universal-Benefit-Concert/" target="_blank">Frank Sinatra at Universal Benefit Concert </a></li>
<li class="zemanta-article-ul-li"><a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/29/local/la-me-charlie-callas-20110129" target="_blank">Charlie Callas Dies at 83</a></li>
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</span></span>Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com0Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.398759 -110.8314500000000232.2630355 -110.99063100000002 32.534482499999996 -110.67226900000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-76363002146064841602011-05-23T06:31:00.000-07:002017-06-02T07:15:08.729-07:00Social Media TRUST Is Like Wearing A Lapel PinLast Friday Jay Baer published a post <a href="http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media-staffing-and-operations/speak-no-evil-social-media-trust/" target="_blank">"Speak No Evil - Why Trust Isn't a 4 Letter Word in Social Media."</a> I came across his piece as I have "social" friends that follow Jay; I saw a Tweet and took a break to read the post. Maybe you read it, maybe you commented -- I will say this, the conversation got pretty interesting. If you have ever been an employer or employee you might want to add your two cents. Here is mine!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X9HFKPZsPhg/TdmrWy5DyVI/AAAAAAAACEw/ETwICz07IGQ/s1600/Judy-Crocker-National-Bank-Circa-1979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X9HFKPZsPhg/TdmrWy5DyVI/AAAAAAAACEw/ETwICz07IGQ/s320/Judy-Crocker-National-Bank-Circa-1979.jpg" width="304" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Circa 1979 <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocker_National_Bank" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Crocker National Bank">Crocker National Bank</a> AVP</td></tr>
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Two years ago <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2009/01/we-should-all-thank-lilly-ledbetter.html" target="_blank">I touched on my corporate career</a>, writing a piece for my company's blog. If you read <i><u>this</u></i> blog with any regularity, then <a href="http://judysoped.blogspot.com/2010/08/84-things-about-me.html" target="_blank">you might know about other jobs</a> I have held since 1968! I once wrote a whole post about my <a href="http://judysoped.blogspot.com/2010/06/blog-worlds-allison-boyer-shares-easy.html" target="_blank">adventures of being a Sears' employee</a>. OK, suffice it to say I have been in the work force for 43 years. I have seen a lot. That is why I was taken aback when Jay said: "The belief in decentralized social media and every employee being in marketing is taking root in America." I believe that for decades, maybe even approaching a century + companies have known that every employee is part of marketing. This is not NEW!<br />
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Companies may take a different approach now that we have "<i>social media,</i>" but it is really not very different than the days of lapel pins and/or uniforms.<br />
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Weren't we always social? I think so. 40 plus years ago the banking industry dreamed of eliminating tellers by introducing Automatic Teller Machines (<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_teller_machine" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Automated teller machine">ATMs</a>), but they soon discovered that customers still like and need to go into a bank office and interact with bank employees and why not have that be a teller, as opposed to a marketer or Vice President. According to Wikipedia: "Tellers are considered a "front line" in the banking business. This is because they are the first people that a customer sees at the bank and are also the people most likely to detect and stop fraudulent transactions in order to prevent losses at a bank." Given this definition you'd think it was a pretty high paying job...but the median income for tellers is about $22,000. <br />
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Jay is correct when he concludes that "common sense and good judgment is not the sole property of a department" such as marketing, but I disagree with Jay when he says that "it's just that social media missteps are public," as if news media has not always been public. Jay suggests (I am sure tongue-in-cheek) that companies might consider reading employees' emails or listen in on their phone calls. These two activities have been part of the corporate world for a long time. And when the corporate world was less technically mature, we had mimeograph machines, steno pads, the Recordak machine, microfilm, multi-line phones and employees' memories. I think what Jay might have meant to say is that today's social media missteps are immediate. They were always PUBLIC.<br />
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Ernest Hemingway once said: "The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them." Trust is a two way street and it doesn't take long for an employee or employer to know whether they can trust each other. Think about the lapel pin. Recognizable logos! As soon as the employee is seen in PUBLIC wearing the company pin they are part of the Social Media department. When a company hands the employee the pin or supplies a uniform or logo embroidered polo shirt they have broadened the employee's role to include marketing. The employee's social audience has broadened further than one might imagine.<br />
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Last year at BWE10 I heard <a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2010/10/bwe10-chief-listening-officers-wanted.html" target="_blank">Jeffrey Hayzlett remark that the "customer owns the brand;"</a> today's board rooms and senior management would do well to remember that every employee really is and always has been part of marketing. I have some great lapel pins to prove it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p_r9t5HmgU0/TdmoT62j_oI/AAAAAAAACEs/pdmSriyA4G0/s1600/DSCN1245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-p_r9t5HmgU0/TdmoT62j_oI/AAAAAAAACEs/pdmSriyA4G0/s320/DSCN1245.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go ahead click the photo. How many of these companies can you identify? </td></tr>
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Do you have any lapel pins? How about polo shirts? I would love to know what you think... <br />
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com6Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.398759 -110.8314500000000232.2630355 -110.99063100000002 32.534482499999996 -110.67226900000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-90787836168718711722011-04-06T18:46:00.000-07:002011-04-07T07:42:21.644-07:00What's all this about comments?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6rFv02ghUhM/TZ0WLg5NXGI/AAAAAAAAB4M/eJ1_aT_gJj4/s1600/Zoo_Sign_twitter-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6rFv02ghUhM/TZ0WLg5NXGI/AAAAAAAAB4M/eJ1_aT_gJj4/s320/Zoo_Sign_twitter-a.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">San Diego Zoo sign</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The past few days it appears a few bloggers are writing about blog comments. I think I must have missed a meeting. Was there an on-line discussion that triggered these posts? It seems to me there is a strange <i><b>undercurrent</b></i> about this topic. Let me give you a few examples, maybe you have read others. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogworld.com/2011/04/05/when-opinions-turn-ugly-passive-aggressive-blogging/" target="_blank">When Opinions Turn Ugly: Passive-Aggressive Blogging</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.margieclayman.com/from-silent-to-troll-in-60-seconds" target="_blank">From Silent to Troll in 60 Seconds</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://fingercandymedia.com/4428-look-in-the-mirror" target="_blank">Look in the Mirror</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/the-other-side-of-comments-and-community/" target="_blank">The Other Side of Comments and Community</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.margieclayman.com/how-do-you-sleep-at-night" target="_blank">How Do You Sleep At Night? </a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.margieclayman.com/beware-the-bog-of-eternal-stench" target="_blank">Beware the Bog of Eternal Stench</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is <b>Déjà vu. </b>In fact, now I remember it was last fall when I wrote a comment on one of Chris Brogan's posts. It went like this:</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><blockquote style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Chris, <br />
Sometimes I must really be asleep at the switch. Where does all this drama unfold? I get so busy with my clients and trying to stay up to date on strategy that I have totally missed this soap opera. I will say this: yesterday I read Julien's post about "How to Make Popular/Influential Friends" and he closed with this sentence: "This post inspired by a bunch of talk going on recently that I don’t want to give more attention to." So...I said to myself...something is going on and I am really out of the loop, but I wondered why Julien was dignifying the 'bunch of talk' by even writing the post. (Curiously no one has commented on Julien's post. [to date only one comment - 04/06/2011]) <br />
In the scheme of things...we have two wars, North Korea shooting at South Korea, people losing their homes, cholera epidemic in Haiti, people starving in our own towns...be the bigger person, as I know you are, do good work like you tell us to do. <br />
Thank you for all you do. <br />
Judy </i></span></blockquote><div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Come to think about it, yesterday Chris Brogan tweeted: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b><span lang="EN">"If people spent 1/2 as much time working on good things instead of spreading rumors..."</span></b></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">When I read Chris' tweet it gave me a funny feeling and then in the last 24 hours came the blogs referenced above. Here is what I know. It is hard to know what all is going on in social media. Sometimes there is an <i><b>undercurrent </b></i>that just lingers. It is unsettling. You aren't quite sure what started the discussion and many involved don't want to share the gory details. My guess is this will always go on, after all we're humans. We don't always communicate well when we are face to face, so for sure our words can and will be misconstrued in cyberspace. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">Last evening I was reading a fairly new blog and came across this post: <a href="http://thefoolfoldshisarms.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/an-editorial-comment/" target="_blank">An Editorial Comment</a>. Go ahead click over and read it. Pretty interesting, don't you think? </span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: small;">I know it seems a bit crazy to ask for your comments. But I really would like to know what you think. So please, comment away!</span></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=e074b18f-43e9-4d45-aae7-033a45ef208f" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; float: right;" /></a></div>Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com8Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.398759 -110.8314500000000232.2630355 -110.99063100000002 32.534482499999996 -110.67226900000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8613054237559609020.post-87954928048884105752011-03-23T19:48:00.000-07:002014-05-03T15:45:29.407-07:00BUtterfield 8 Remembering Elizabeth Taylor and My Dad<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/BUtterfield-8-Elizabeth-Taylor/dp/B00004TX2E%3FSubscriptionId%3D0G81C5DAZ03ZR9WH9X82%26tag%3Dzemanta-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB00004TX2E" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cover of "BUtterfield 8"" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ehq1EmfsL._SL300_.jpg" height="300" style="border: medium none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="231" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="clear: both; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 231px;">Cover of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/BUtterfield-8-Elizabeth-Taylor/dp/B00004TX2E%3FSubscriptionId%3D0G81C5DAZ03ZR9WH9X82%26tag%3Dzemanta-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB00004TX2E">BUtterfield 8</a></span></div>
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This morning I woke to the news that <a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Taylor" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Elizabeth Taylor">Elizabeth Taylor</a> had died. As the newscaster read the first take on her life's history I thought about my Dad. You see, the newscaster mentioned her role in <b><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BUtterfield_8" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="BUtterfield 8">BUtterfield 8</a></b>. Do you know the movie? It was released in 1960 and it was this role that won her the first of two Academy Awards for Best Actress. The movie, according to IMDB, is about "the romantic life of a fashionable Manhattan beauty who's part model, part call-girl--and all man-trap."<br />
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I know you are probably thinking that <b>BUtterfield 8</b> is my favorite Elizabeth Taylor movie. It is not, in fact, I have never seen <b>BUtterfield 8</b>. Surprised? Well, I was only 11 when the movie premiered and I think my parents may have thought the subject matter was too mature. But my father had a great sense of humor and from a very early age (<a href="http://blog.webconsuls.com/2009/02/technically-speaking-hes-just-not-that.html" target="_blank">let's just say kindergarten</a>) I always had boyfriends. So in 1961 when my father would find himself in a position to introduce his three daughters (I was the youngest) he would say: "And this is Judy...we call her <b>BUtterfield 8</b>!"<br />
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The best part of this story is that I never got the joke. Finally, today I learned the plot line of <b>BUtterfield 8 </b>and now I get it! Plus, I now understand why my mother always frowned when my father would introduce me in this fashion. Oh, well....my father liked to kid and I liked it when he kidded with me and about me. <br />
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Today I would like to share with you, not just my little anecdotal story about my Dad, but also some of the really wonderful films that Elizabeth Taylor helped make remarkable. These are films that I have seen many times and will often stop to watch and say to my children..."here is a classic, don't miss it!"<br />
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<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_of_the_Bride_%281950_film%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Father of the Bride (1950 film)">Father of the Bride</a> (1950)</div>
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<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Place_in_the_Sun" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="A Place in the Sun">A Place in the Sun</a> (1951)</div>
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<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_%281956_film%29" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Giant (1956 film)">Giant</a> (1956)</div>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_on_a_Hot_Tin_Roof_%28film%29" target="_blank">Cat on a Hot Tin Roof</a> (1958)</div>
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Elizabeth Taylor was a fascinating woman. She had a passion for life and for living. For my entire life I have watched her life unfold. It was never dull and never without a purpose. She drove us crazy. She made us laugh. She made us cry. More often than not, she made us think about life and what can be. She was a star! <br />
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<b><i style="color: red;">Do you have a favorite Elizabeth Taylor film? I would love to hear from you. </i></b><br />
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While you think about that, enjoy the trailer from <b>BUtterfield 8.</b><b><i style="color: red;"> </i></b><br />
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If you are having trouble viewing the video, you can <a href="http://fw.to/q1m6MOc" target="_blank">see it here</a>.<br /><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;">
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Judy Helfandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10578407981655107900noreply@blogger.com4Tucson, AZ 85718, USA32.4179077 -110.740020732.2729987 -110.9734802 32.5628167 -110.50656120000001