Workers in New York's Times Square are putting the final touches on the Crystal Ball!
One of the final orders of business for me this weekend was to place the finishing touches on a biography article forAirways magazine that I had been attempting to accomplish for the past few years. The rest of my weekend was filled with running errands and of course, getting my time in on the recumbent bike (11.47 miles each night). Physical therapy on my shoulder resumes Monday night and I am eager to find out when I can return to full workouts with weight lifting and other activities that I miss terribly. It's hard to explain this. But there is a camaraderie of sorts, a sense of "family" that each of us has developed this past year in a Sports Physical Therapy setting. I've met some of the most amazing people who would have you think that they lead "ordinary" lives. Nothing could be further from the truth! After you begin visiting with my friends and colleagues alike in PT, you discover quickly that these are people who are leading "extraordinary" lives! One of my buddies, for example, met the late Steve McQueen and Paul Newman as a fellow race car driver in the 1970's and recalled chatting up the racing business with both men. Another friend (who no longer attends PT) once played bass guitar in a California band that opened for The Rolling Stones a few times during the 1960's. Beyond this, we encourage each other with sincerity, because as a person "on the outside looking in"--so to speak--we have witnessed just how much progress we've made with our goals.
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Otherwise, after breakfast out at a small cafe where the staff and I have grown comfortable calling each other by first-name and otherwise exchange jokes and "shooting the breeze", I carried out an annual tradition of purchasing a fresh "At A Glance" Calendar book for 2009. Are you thrilled with this sizzling excitement of my weekend so far? Filling in contact sheets and important upcoming events. Oh, I could go on but then, why put you asleep? Other events beckon...
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For one thing, workers in New York's Times Square are putting the finishing touches on the always dazzling Waterford Crystal ball that will drop to signal the start of the New Year. But wait! This time the ball will be permanently perched year-round as a tourist attraction. Can you imagine 2,668 Waterford Crystal triangles assembled to mount the ball on the roof of One Times Square? I've always loved architecture. And because of the massive sphere's weight and size, engineers had to build an entire new roof structure and reinforce the steel columns going down to the 16th floor. Also, the mast is specially made and taller than the one used in years past. The plan is to test the ball on December 30th, and then light it the following day. After New Years Eve, the ball will be raised midway up the mast on January 6th, where it will remain static until the next New Years Eve celebration. I hope you will enjoy it with me.
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This has been an amazing year of positive changes for me. I am very happy in my new home state of Arizona; I am in the best physical shape of my life, and things are only getting better; we are making some wonderful new changes to my full website, and if all goes as planned, I hope to become a home owner in 2009. Also, we have some exciting new Guests who will be appearing on my feature, "THE INTERVIEW" straight ahead and so much more awaits us! In the meantime, while the repair shop continues to hover over my Laptop PC: May all of your dreams come true in the New Year! God Bless and I'll see ya real soon!
Remember this poster? Boy, I do! Actually, I was curious about what ever became of "the most printed poster in history". That, plus I like to think that I have good tastes...Now for some news...Jason Buckley, my Webmaster has a cool, new website at: http://bassnation.today.com/ ...I looked it over and then shot him an e-mail to let him know (whether this dates me or not) that I actually saw the band Weather Report live in concert with Jaco Pastorius...I Confess that I just now shipped my Christmas gifts...Trevor Tredaway and David M. Bailey are two unflappable souls and I appreciate the nice comments from those of you keeping them in your thoughts and prayers...Consider dropping them a comment on their websites...My computer is still in the repair shop...However, I was able to finish a bio piece to be featured in an upcoming Airways magazine issue...Have you seen any movies lately? I plan on seeing: "Frost/Nixon", maybe "Australia"...Ever the optimist, I must admit that I'm looking forward to reviewing the results of my photo shoot from last week soon...Hey, wasn't my Guest Mel Haber a BLAST on "THE INTERVIEW"?...Mel has no idea when I'm showing up at The Ingleside Inn...(and to tell you the truth, neither do I) but I'll tell you this much...I'll be asking for HIS autograph with a copy of his book tucked under my arm...That's all for now...see ya soon!
MM: Mel, tell us about your work with The Angel View Crippled Children's Foundation? You've been president for 15 of the 25 years you've been involved. Tell us what this remarkable organization is all about.
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MH: Okay. Angel View Crippled Children's Foundation was founded over 50 years ago. It started as The Sister Penny Polio Foundation to eradicate polio. Thank God to Dr. Salk who came up with the vaccination that eliminated polio forever. Angel View converted to just helping disabled children with all kinds of disabling diseases and problems. And over the years it has grown to eighteen 6-bed facilities spread throughout the Valley and houses children--some infants--that have every affliction you could possibly imagine. It's amazing what we've been able to offer children. My line, Michael, that I say is 'I know my work at Angel View won't get me upstairs. But hopefully, it will slow down my descent from going downstairs'.
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MM: And there you have it folks! Mel Haber! He's on his way out the door to the airport and he's the co-author with Marshall Terrill of a book that is a must-read for anyone like me who is a genuine "people-person". Go out and grab a copy. "Palm Springs a' la Carte"is scheduled for release in January, 2009. It is a fascinating read!
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My Thanks to Mel Haber for taking time out of his schedule to visit with me and for making this interview possible. He's a wonderful guy, a very funny fellow--I should add, and he's Class...all the way! I for one will be driving out to The Ingleside Inn for a stay very soon. Thanks for being along, and I'll see you back here on "THE INTERVIEW" sooner than later. Bona Petite!
I doubt that Mel knew he'd we'd be celebrating The Holidays like this but...
MerryChristmas...
MM: Cecil's was the equivalent of New York City's Studio 54 in Palm Springs. When you look back, what is the single identifiable factor that lent that certain magic to Cecil's or Melvyn's?
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MH: The place (Cecil's Disco) was designed in such a way--there were two statistics that say a lot. One night at Cecil's, there were 42 Rolls Royce's in the parking lot. I don't think there's a dealership in the world that had 42 Rolls Royce's on their lot! That was the kind of crowd we attracted. Number two: the place was designed in such a way that this is a disco in Palm Springs in a shopping center. We had no dress code. Eighty-percent of the guys wore jackets and fifty-percent wore ties! In a disco in a shopping center in Palm Springs. It was just a place where you got dressed up to meet members of the opposite sex. As a matter of fact, that's where I met my wife! I was 44 years old. The disco board at Cecil's was up on the second level. You could see everybody come in and see everybody dancing and watch the cocktail waitresses. And my wife was a beautiful school teacher who walks in for the first time with a girlfriend. She sees me up in the disco booth and pokes her girlfriend and says 'Isn't that guy a little old to be a disc jockey?' It was truly love at first sight--all these years ago.
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MM: You've sat down with some of the most famous people in the world. You're an astute observer of people. Is there a certain identifiable trait that successful people have that stands out most to you?
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MH: No. And that happens to be a very good question because I am a great fan of people of accomplishment. It doesn't necessarily have to be money, but anybody who has accomplished something. And as I sat with these people, I tried to identify just what you asked me! And I couldn't. I couldn't figure out why this particular person was so successful at what they were doing. Of the people that I know, I think a lot of them have chutzpah--the Jewish word; they step up to the plate. One time, I had the pleasure of meeting (billionaire) Kirk Kerkorian. I'm a great reader of biographies and I had a collection of books. So at the the time Kirk Kerkorian came in, I ran home and I brought back his biography and I said 'Mr. Kerkorian, would you be kind enough to autograph this for me?' And he said 'What do you want me to write?' And I said 'Write To My Friend Mel, Kirk Kerkorian'. Well, the next time he came in the manager said 'Mr. Kerkorian wants to see you'. I got nervous. I ran to his table and I said 'Mr. K. you wanted to see me?' He said, 'You know, the last time I was in here you embarrassed me. You asked me for my autograph'. I said, 'Mr. Kerkorian, do you have any idea who you are?' He was absolutely serious that I had embarrassed him because I had asked for his autograph. So, who knows what quality makes somebody as great as they are?
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MM: What drove you? What drove Mel Haber to develop this world-famous hotel and restaurant with his blood, sweat and tears--16 hour days six and a half days a week for years? Something drove you.
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MH: Greed. G-R-E-E-D.
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MM: Greed?
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MH: Yeah, Greed.
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MM: Really?
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MH: (Laughing): Well, I come out of Brooklyn with just a work ethic that you have when you come out of back East that you just work and work. When I first came out here, Michael, my competitors said 'Look at this jerk. If he wanted to work 18 hours a day, he could have stayed back in New York'. These guys closed their restaurants three months a year, they'd close the restaurant at 11 O'clock at night; they didn't stay open until 2 AM. So just by sheer, brute force I was able to compete just by being there much longer than they were. And they said, 'Look, if I wanted to work 18 hours a day I'd never come to Palm Springs. I came out here t play golf during the day, open my restaurant four or five hours a night, close it three months a year and travel'. And I'm the last one to say that they were crazy! I am also fortunate enough to have some staff that have been there 34 years. And I built a product. People don't come there because Mel Haber is there. They come there for the ambiance, or they like the food or the help there. And I'm not a star. Hopefully, I'm an extricated attraction.
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MM: Or the main attraction. And I want to get to this. You were the host for a while of a show on radio called "Celebrity Radio" and you gave advice on the singles dating scene. Okay, I'm single. Talk to me. What are your observations today from your vantage point of having operated Cecil's and restaurants about what makes the singles scene so difficult to navigate?
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MH: Well, first of all you have sexually transmitted diseases which didn't exist when I had Cecil's. AIDS was not a word in the early 1980's. Mothers Against Drunk Driving helped raise awareness about reckless partying every night. Those two elements coincided with the end of disco. People partied back then almost seven nights a week. Today, they're nervous. And rightfully so. Also, the Internet has come into play, where all people try to find others on The Internet. My biggest observation when I ran Cecil's--and I met so many single people--and a lot of the ladies used to talk to me. They'd meet a guy and after a dance say 'he's not my number 10'. And I used to say, 'Well, maybe the guy's a 7. Why don't you go with a 7 until you find an 8, go with an 8 until you find a 9 and you can't go from zero to a hundred overnight. And incidentally, I'm a very big philosopher on love relationships, I really am. You can't really know somebody until you go out with them, because everybody puts on a facade. Everybody has a shell out there. Until you really get to know them, you don't have a clue. Now if someone is repulsive, I don't suggest that you try and strip that layer off. There's another thing that I believe in. I don't buy the cliche' 'You can't judge a book by its cover'. I think the cover is the book. I think the way that ladies dresses is her tastes--nobody else's. The way she combs her hair is the way she thinks she looks good. And if I don't like her taste in clothing, nobody dressed her. She is the cover!
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MM: Okay, Mel. I'll have to give that some thought. I admit, I wasn't expecting to hear that. But that's why it's fun to visit here.
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Note from Michael Manning: To each and every one of you, dear readers, I want to wish you a MerryChristmas with my Warmth and my Love. Each year, I continue to find myself both surprised and sincerely touched by the depth of feeling so many of you consistently communicate to me. If only the whole world were like each of you! I Thank You with all my heart. And I'm aware that I owe many of you visits. I am still operating without my Laptop Computer (while it's in the repair shop), so my access is erratic. But I will catch up with you. Meantime, hug someone you love and celebrate Christmas!
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Mel wraps up our visit tomorrow with a cup of coffee and a short word about an organization near and dear to his heart: The Angel View Crippled Children's Fund. Please join us! I have been so lucky to visit with Mel Haber and I hope you are enjoying him as much as I did! He's a true "people person" and I find this quality about Mel to be refreshing in this fast-paced world. Read on...
"My staff of misfits included a day-to-day manager who sported a Buddha-like belly, a bad toupee, and a pronounced limp; a twenty year-old man-boy with a thick Arkansas drawl who alternately served as a bell captain, bellman, bookeeper and front desk clerk; a temperamental chef with a huge appetite for pornography; a housekeeper who had difficulty making beds because of a bad back; and four sixty-year-old waiters, including an Englishman who caused diners to gag on their escargot by addressing them as "Mum" and "Pops".
---Mel Haber, from"Palm Springs a' la Carte".
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MM:My readers are a young audience. They'll recognize the names of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, Cher, Madonna, Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson. But how do you explain the appeal of The Ingleside Inn? You write about walking into one of the the two basements (rare in Palm Springs) of the hotel and finding files of Guest Cards left behind by Ava Gardner, Liz Taylor, john Wayne and Howard Hughes--as I mentioned in my introduction of you--from the 1940's. That's a big stretch to today! I mean, we're talking over 50 years of celebrities in that brief mention. How do you explain that appeal? Someone opens a restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona and it stays open more than six months, they are considered lucky!
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MH:Well, there's a charm and there's an ambiance. The place was built in 1925. And everybody says 'Why don't you open another Ingleside Inn?' And I said 'If I knew how to build another place 80 years-old I would! I don't know how to duplicate that. But there's a certain intrinsic charm and ambiance about the place. And I must tell you as I've come to find out, that people who love small, intimate properties--they hate what they call the big box hotels. Now, having said that, I happen to be going to New York tomorrow. And I stay at a big-box hotel. I'm one of these guys who likes to sit in a lobby and see a thousand people walk by. But there's a whole clientele for my product. That's why it is so incongruous for me to have an Ingleside Inn and a restaurant--because I still can't even cook a hamburger. The point of the story is in the last line of the book, and it's really the story. 'If I can do it, anybody can'. I really hope that it will be an inspiration and motivation for anybody to try anything they want to do. Because I came to this business, knew nothing about the business, was not interested in the business, had no connections, had no money and I had no particular intelligence. So those are things you don't have control over anyway. The things you do have control over is caring, how hard you're willing to work and building around those two things is legitimate. Everybody has those tools. They're intelligence: whatever God gave is what they're stuck with. But everybody can control how hard they're willing to work, being sincere, listening to the customer--that's what I'd like to point out, Michael. The fact that I don't know anything about wine, food or liquor--I couldn't criticize a customer or correct them or anything. The only thing I could use as a tool was to listen to the customers and if a customer called coffee tea when he wanted coffee--I'd give him tea. I wasn't out to prove anything. I was only out to satisfy the customer. And because I had no knowledge, I had to listen to everything they said. My famous saying is, ' I've never been accused of listening to nobody, but I've been accused of listening to everyone'. It's such a great story. Forget about the guy whose name is Mel Haber. I mean, Michael, I just called my best friend in New York and said 'I think I just discovered the cure for cancer'. He said what? I said 'They're putting me on 60 Minutes cause I have a hot saloon!' For all I know, I'm going broke tomorrow. Amazing!
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MM: Television has been good to you. You've been on '60 Minutes', 'Phil Donahue', 'David Suskind'. How did that turn out for Mel Haber? Television becomes you!
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MH:I enjoyed it. It turns out that I didn't realize I was a ham! I did ten additional shows because I created the word 'Palimony' (this was during the famous 1977 lawsuit between actor Lee Marvin and live-in girlfriend Michele Triola). I mean, that was a great story and a great debate from my side of the fence.
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MM: Let me throw out one name for a thumb nail sketch--and you knew him: Frank Sinatra. I'll let you elaborate.
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MH:Frank Sinatra is the only person I have ever been in awe of. There was an aura of power about him. And everybody knew that about him. And he was a very high profile presence in Palm Springs. Everybody knew where he was having dinner, and where he was having drinks. in those days, when I first opened Ingleside Inn, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria (Shriver)--they were in the hotel once a month. Once they got married and had kids, they wound up renting a house near The Ingleside Inn and then eventually he became governor. They came into the restaurant (Melvyn's) quite a bit and they were great customers. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn would come here back when Kate Hudson was just a little kid. As a matter of fact, one day as I was walking out of my office and I saw Kurt and Goldie and I said, 'Oh, God! What are you guys doing here?' As it turns out, they needed someplace to go. So, they decided to fly to Palm Springs--Kurt Russell is a pilot--and spend an hour and a half at my pool at The Ingleside Inn and then fly back home in L.A.--which was a quite an honor for me. Marlon Brando spent a couple of days at the place--spending half his time, I might add--sitting in his mobile home outside the property talking on his CB (Citizens Band) radio. If these people knew they were talking to Marlon Brando on their CB Radios, they'd go crazy! John Travolta used to come down here all the time--back when he was in "Saturday Night Fever". All of that was such a blur, Michael. I had five restaurants that I had going and all of that celebrity was going on --and I was the loser. because I was so busy with my restaurant or my hotel--working 18 to 20 hours a day. I didn't have the time to absorb all of the people that I met. I remember one time, I told my wife 'Of all the people I met, I always wanted to meet Dionne Warwick'. And my wife took me into my office at home and showed me my picture with Dionne Warwick!
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MM: Well, this next item was hilarious for me. All three of actor Michael Landon's ex-wives showed up at the restaurant at the same time. My God, how did you handle that nightmare?
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MH: I'll one-up you on that. One night, as it turns out--a married couple that were cheating on each other somehow wound up in adjacent rooms at The Ingleside Inn and both walked of their rooms at the same time and I was standing there--and they were both in shock! They wound up getting a divorce, of course. But both a very prominent couple from Beverly Hills--both decided to sneak away to the small Ingleside Inn where nobody would see them and as fate would have it--I guess it was meant to be--they both walked out of the rooms and saw each other. But those stories go on endlessly. I'm sitting at the bar and a guy walks up to me and says 'Can you do me a favor?' I said certainly! He says 'I'm sitting right around the corner at the first table with my girlfriend. I'm going to go out into the car and I'm going to give you a ring. And after that, would you come around the corner and propose to my girlfriend for me?' So he does that. He gives me the ring, I wait until he walks around the corner and I walk up to his table and say to his girlfriend, 'Excuse me. Would you like to get married?' And she says, without hesitation. ' I hardly know you'. And I said, 'Not to me--to him!' And then she screamed and kissed him and they got married.
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MM: There ya go! Tell us about the night Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw showed up. This is a killer!
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MH: And that's how I got to meet the prolific Marshall Terrill, who wrote the biography of Steve McQueen, ("Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel") right? This is the story I am best known for. It was the first of a million bleeps. In 1975, while I was remodeling the place there was a young guy who hung around everyday. because he was a parking lot attendant at a restaurant two blocks away that was closed for the summer. So, he had nothing to do. He hung around and we became friends. His name is Danny Glick. He promised me that he would send up people from Lion's English Grille--it's been around for years. Come opening night, everybody is dressed beautifully. I am as nervous as can be. In the dining room, I had a maître d' who knew everybody in town. Everybody had jackets and ties. During the course of the evening, many people came up and told me 'Danny told me to come up and look at the place', and one was actor Tony Franciosa. I step outside to take a smoke because I'm nervous, and a motorcycle pulls up--a big blue Harley-Davidson with a girl on the back. And they're dressed the way they should be dressed on a motorcycle. I looked up and said "Buddy, give me a break will ya please? It's my opening night". And the guy looks at me, smiles and he takes off. An hour later Danny shows up and I said 'Danny, you're a sweetheart. It was just marvelous'. He said ' Did ya get all the people? Tony Franciosa, the actor?' I said 'Absolutely'. He said 'How about Steve McQueen?' I said 'Steve McQueen never showed up'. He said 'What are you talking about? That big blue Harley showed up and he promised me he'd come right up'. So, I got famous for chasing away Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw!
"THE INTERVIEW" PRESENTS: MEL HABER! (PART 1 OF 4)
Mel Haber
Owner of The Ingleside Inn & Melvyn's
Palm Springs, California
The New Book by Mel Haber with Marshall Terrill -
Mel Haber is my Guest today on "THE INTERVIEW" and he is a celebrity among U.S. presidents, business tycoons and movie stars alike who are frequent guests of The Ingleside Inn and his famed restaurant and bar named Melvyns. Not to worry! I'll be staying there soon after reading his new book.
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Now, you've got to admit: my timing is a bit ...different. I mean, posting a new Guest on December 23rd! Am I crazy? Au contraire! Then what's the deal? Well, January, 2009 marks the publication of Mel's book Palm Springs a' la Carte.Built in 1925, The Ingleside Inn fell into a state of disrepair by the 1960's. Then in 1974, after a long career in New York as a garment industry executive, Mel Haber took on the Hospitality Industry armed only with a determination to be successful and to restore the storied hotel that was frequented in the 1940's by the likes of Howard Hughes, Katherine Hepburn and Liz Taylor. Never mind that he can't cook a hamburger! Today, The Ingleside Inn's roster of clientele includes Madonna, Cher, Kurt Russell, Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver! Unlike the corporate-owned chains of predictable hotels and casinos one finds in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, Mel Haber restored The Ingleside Inn and built Melvyn's with his own blood, sweat and tears. It was (excuse the pun) a roll of the dice. But Mel managed to survive every embarrassing blooper and blunder and emerge with his wit and humor intact.
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Can you imagine being in Mel's shoes the night all three of actor Michael Landon's ex wives showed up at Melvyn's? YOW! Or how about seeing a pretty lady on the back of a blue Harley-Davidson motorcycle with a bearded guy and watching Mel in a slightly stressed out state of mind say, "Buddy, it's Opening Night. Please, give me a break!"...only to discover he just sent away Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw!OUCH! And remember the other night, when I wrote about suffering a laughing fit and falling off my couch at home? It was 11 PM and I had just read the opening of Chapter 5 of Mel's book. His description of the kitchen staff he inherited redefined the word "Hysterical"! No, I can't repeat his description here. But believe me...When every thing that could go wrong and did, Mel admits it in this highly entertaining book with nothing held back! Whats more...Little did I know that it was Mel (not that other guy) who first used the term "Palimony". Then there was the night when a dining patron begged Mel to propose for him to his girlfriend while dining at Melvyns! Another time, Frank Sinatra summoned Mel over to his table to discuss a party he was planning. And Frank knew details like no one's business! Sly Stallone filmed Rambo: First Blood Part II at The Ingleside Inn. Oh, I could go on...and I will! And the reason is that many of you read BLOGS on Christmas Week. So, I figured: "Why not?" In that spirit we sat down last weekend to get a take on life among "Caviar Dreams and Champagne Wishes". I separated this visit along 4 days. It is a fun roller coaster ride. Welcome Aboard!
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MM: You made a fascinating observation toward the end of your book where you stated that the celebrities of New York (Mel was raised in Brooklyn) were actors, actresses and well known millionaires of the business world. But in Palm Springs, celebrities are more likely to be restaurant owners, bartenders, valets and doormen. Tell us about this. It's a curious take on fame, isn't it?
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MH: It's a totally different mentality. When I first came out here in California 34 years ago in 1974, they would tell me that the guy to see was Vidal Sassoon. At that time, he owned a hair salon that did women's hair. The other guy was Mike Silverman. Mike was a realtor, and if you wanted to buy a house, he took your girlfriend or your wife around to show them a house. In New York, to be big you had to be Donald Trump; you had to own twenty-two buildings. In California, a business owner or a store owner was a big shot in Beverly Hills. And they would point these people out to me. I remember when I first came out here, there was a club that I wanted to join called PIPS--it represented the points on a backgammon table. Anyway, it was a very exclusive and private club. When I applied to join they told me I had to be qualified by Stan Herman. Stan Herman was a realtor! He was a very prominent socialite, but again, he was the guy to show you around when you wanted to buy a house. And it was a whole different mentality. You had to get used to that after a while.
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MM: Mel, when you arrived in Palm Springs in 1974 what was your first impression of the area before you acquired The Ingleside Inn?
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MH: Well, when I first came to Palm Springs, I was interviewed by The New York Times. And nobody could define the magic of Palm Springs. And in the interview, out of my mouth came the word 'Gold'. I realized that was the magic of Palm Springs. Another comment made me the worst outcast in town. I said, 'My first impression was that it had the ugliest mountains I ever saw! They were brown, they were dirty. I come from back East where the mountains are green, there's trees and there's foliage'. So, of course that didn't make me very popular in town. But as I was describing my existence in Palm Springs, I said 'Depending on your personality and your nature, when I was in New York, if I was looking for clothes, maybe there were better clothes in other stores and I'd go and look. If I was in a certain bar, maybe there were prettier ladies somewhere else'. In other words, there were always choices about where I could be or should be, maybe I should be someplace else. If I was staying here, maybe there was more action there? And you were always a little anxious. When I came out to Palm Springs, the magic was that there was nothing happening anywhere. So, if you were staying at The Spa Hotel, or The Riviera or The Canyon Hotel, you didn't say 'I could be or should be' because there were no choices; there was nothing happening. Subsequently, you were totally at peace with yourself. It was serene. If you wanted to sit by the pool and read your book, or go to a bar and have a drink or play tennis whatever you wanted to do in the desert, you knew that there was nothing else going on. There were no theaters, things weren't happening. Wherever you were is where it was happening! And that was the magic of Palm Springs, that you didn't end up missing something. Now of course things are changing--that's called progress. And now you have choices, there are things to do. But still, it's three words. It's Quality of Life. As an ex-New Yorker, if I get caught by a traffic light or I can't park my car in front of a store, I'm annoyed. Everything is relative. When I was in L.A. last week doing an appearance on a TV show, I said to myself, 'I don't understand why people even live there! I am so spoiled living in the desert, it's amazing!'
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MM: This is a fascinating story, because the way you and Marshall wrote this book, I literally felt as though I were along with you! When you first drove onto the Ingleside Inn property it sounded dilapidated. It was not in great shape. But you had the vision to really see something beyond what was physically there before you. Not everybody that you brought out there as potential investment partners saw what you did. I guess this goes right to the heart of the magic you spoke about. What were you seeing that others didn't?
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MH: You know Michael, I would like to think that there was some foresight there. When you say that not many people saw it--nobody saw it! But I can't explain it. I'm not into old properties. I'm not into charm. I'm not into that. But there was something that made me want to buy The Ingleside Inn without having the intention of either operating a hotel or a restaurant. I just looked on it as an investment with no downside. Two acres in the middle of Palm Springs at a very inexpensive price. In hindsight, they say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I didn't know what I was doing! If I knew then what I know now, I could have never done it. I would have been aware of all of the obstacles; I would have been aware of the odds. All of these things I came to learn about! You don't know that you can't accomplish something--we didn't know we couldn't get to the Moon! Some way someone got us to The Moon. For years, we never thought we could get to The Moon, so we never got there! So, there's something to be said for just perseverance and tenacity without knowing what you're doing--just plodding straight ahead. And you wind up getting there somehow. That's my story nonetheless. I'm a lucky beneficiary of lucking out or of succeeding in spite of myself and not because of myself.
Now that I have your attention, my photo shoot was yesterday morning on a ranch. And although Bo Derek wasn't my photographer, I have to think that Bo would have easily approved of the two girls who shot me for two hours--Sydney and Heather. They were terrific and I felt very comfortable and confident with them.
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We started the morning with coffee and a discussion of images that I had in mind. Then it was their turn. I had already seen their portfolio and it was the best I've seen in years. We shot at least 40 images to consider for the website, and we're also talking about a possible slide show presentation set to music. They wanted to capture me playing my acoustic guitar and I was on the spot. So I went with a song called "The Last Thing To Go" by Kris Kristofferson. It was very cold that early in the morning, and fortunately my health cooperated (I am no longer contagious with the Flu bug). Next weekend, we'll meet (with more coffee) to discuss the shots. I am excited. It was good fun getting some new images together. I hope it worked.
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Last note: Would you please consider keeping two dear friends of mine in your thoughts and prayers? They are 3 year-old Trevor Tredaway and singer/songwriter David M. Bailey. Both have had major surgeries lately and I don't want them to be forgotten. Each is on the mend and the news is good! Thanks ever so much! You guys ROCK!!!
You would have thought Don Rickles stopped by my place!
You're familiar with the term "Cabin Fever", I'm sure. Well, I am continuing on the mend from the Flu bug. My Laptop Computer is in the repair shop (and not being parted out in China). It is a pain to be without it. But life goes on...Since I was already home-bound I've been reading books ranging from Horses to Biographies of interesting people. Which reminds me...
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Last night, I was reading a book written by a future Guest on my feature "THE INTERVIEW" and I lapsed into a terrible "Laughing Fit". If you've never suffered one of these, you WILL before you turn 100--believe me! It was a minor miracle my neighbors didn't call 9-1-1. I fell off the couch and tried to walk to the kitchen for ten minutes...my sides hurt! Sorry, I can't "tip my hand of cards" and tell you who the author is. But he is absolutely Hysterical. After I made it to the kitchen for a bottle of Propel (I drink 8 of these a day), I wound up spraying it all over myself (Note to Myself: Never try to get serious with a bottle of Propel flavored water when you can't stop laughing). Fortunately, after about 12 minutes of this lunacy, I started to open my mail and got caught up with the latest newsletter from Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship--a favorite charity of mine. This cured my laughing spasm and settled me down as I was absorbed in every page. Under the stewardship of my friend and Executive Director, Mary Hadsall, Camelot continues to touch the lives of countless riders at no charge...even with these tough economic times. Click on their Logo located on the right-hand margin of this Blog Page for more information. This non-profit organization positively lends meaning to life for me...and I dearly miss all my friends there. But they know I'll be back...
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On a final "catch-up" note: We have removed all 73 photos from my PHOTO GALLERY (on my full website at http://www.michaelmanning.tv/) . So, if you stop by there, you'll find a "vacant lot" instead of a proverbial "house"! There were a lot of very sound reasons for taking this action. For starters, I've lost 42 pounds and got healthy (the present Flu notwithstanding). The photos were in need of a major updating as they leaned heavily (no pun intended) on my past and certainly not my present or my future. I've never been a guy who likes to look back. Believe me! As Shakespeare said in Macbeth: "What's done is done". With this in mind, and BonJovi's "Wanna Make a Memory" playing on my jukebox, I've assembled the Best team of Photographers in Scottsdale, Arizona and we hope to make some new memories that "keeps it real" (and positive). All of this is exciting! In fact, being grounded at home with the Flu forces you to take notice of every custom framing piece on the walls. Anything that struck me as lacking meaning or not being positive was taken down and replaced with "Good Stuff". That's all from here. I owe many of you a visit and I always keep my word. Thanks again for being so patient with me through the technical challenges of my erratic Laptop Computer. "This Too Shall Pass".
After thinking it over, I have decided that the very best way to bring an end to my feature "Friday Movie Suggestion Night" is to keep it simple with a video that struck me as an incredibly sweet way to go out. This is Eva Cassidy's special rendition of "Over the Rainbow"--- for reasons that should be obvious to all of us.
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Thank you for 40 great months! I'll see you again after my laptop repairs are finished and I'm back on line.
Many of you have expressed to me with an avalanche of e-mails (87) that you wished so badly that you could have met up with me, or otherwise attended last weekend's event at the Santa Paula Airport in California. I would have loved that! And I am literally bowled-over by your kind notes. Because my beloved laptop computer hard drive crashed, I am awaiting a recovery disc in the mail. So my current access to both the Blog and e-mailing is quite limited and this has caused me to be late in responding to my e-mails. Nevertheless, I have great news! The film you are about to see above was featured after our dinner under a tent just outside the doors of the new general aviation museum at the airport.
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If you are in the process of picking up this wonderful hardbound coffee table book, I would urge you to do so. "Steve McQueen: The Last Mile" is a genuine keepsake featuring never before-seen photos of actor Steve McQueen as photographed by his wife Barbara. It is a wonderful memoir. By posting this film clip, I hope that you can gain a sense of what the weekend was like for me. It was a Gift of God--and so are you. Enjoy it! And thanks for hanging in with me while the Laptop is "in the garage"! I appreciate your friendship and loyalty. Love to All,
Winding down two days of pure joy with Barbara McQueen and our friend Mike Jugan, who was Steve's personal LearJet pilot. It had been 28 years since Mike saw Barbie, and needless to say there was much love and healing. The group of we guys called ourselves "The McQueen Orphans" and for good reason. Each of us traveled to Santa Paula to honor the memory of the person Steve grew to become; it was not Steve the movie star, or the motorcycle and car racer that was foremost in our minds that weekend. It was the person Steve became. Many do not know that Steve earned his pilot licence and flew bi-planes. More importantly, Steve found peace with God before his diagnosis with Mesothelioma. He had clarity about where he had been in his life, and where he wanted to go. He wanted to start living again. While we all love the 30 films Steve made in his spectacular career, it was Steve's personhood that we found ourselves discussing and sharing laughter over! It was, in fact, a celebration of Steve's life. I think he would have loved it. I know he must have been smiling upon us in Heaven. Jimi Jet is a professional stunt man who as a teenager was an assistant to the film crew of Steve's documentary film on motorcycle racing, "ON ANY SUNDAY". A terrific friend with a sense of humor, we traded jokes all weekend!
This was the hangar where The McQueen's lived in for 6 months while their ranch house was being remodeled. In Barbie's book, "Steve McQueen: The Last Mile" there are never-before seen photos of Steve enjoying his time at the hangar with some of this antique cars, motorcycle's and antique toy collection.
With my good friend Mike Jugan, who was Steve's LearJet pilot towards the end of his life. Today, he flies for a worldwide airline. Mike Jurgen and I walked along the airport grounds for hours and we kept telephoning his wife back home and sending her photos like these via cell phone. I was able to give my best "Layman's" tour of the 1968 Mustang GT 390 Fastback replica on display commemorating the epic film, "BULLITT". I'm sure that Mike has ordered the DVD by now!
When I saw this car, I said "Stop everything. That's my baby!" When you acquire the DVD of "BULLITT", a second CD is included featuring the documentary, "STEVE MCQUEEN: THE ESSENCE OF COOL". It is heartwarming, and gives you a good retrospective of Steve's life and career. Barbara appears in the film as well. I strongly recommend it. There isn't a serious actor who hasn't studied "BULLITT" time and time again to watch Steve's physicality in every scene. He had the gift of infusing so much life into even the most mundane actions. And then of course, there is the car chase...endlessly imitated, but unequalled by anyone since 1968.
I must say, there were only two emotional moments for me, personally: visiting and walking with Barbie and our small group through the ranch house where she lived with Steve (which I found tender and heartwarming), and in the moments after this photo was shot in front of Steve's hangar. This is where Steve sat and "held court", chatting it up with the residents of Santa Paula who loved Steve and miss him to this day. For reasons of privacy, I will not be sharing photos of the ranch house (and I beg your understanding).
They say "God works in mysterious ways". It is clear to all of us that were it not for journalist Marshall Terrill, it is inconceivable that we would all be brought together to California last weekend. Like me, Marshall has been a reporter, a news journalist and is today a well known author. He is the Co-Author with Barbara of the book "Steve McQueen: The Last Mile". He came across my "Annual Steve McQueen Film Festival" and this was how we met and became great friends. A generous person, each of us agreed that we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Marshall.
Lastly, it was clear to we guys why Steve McQueen fell in love with Barbara. Her infectious sense of humor, her sweet spirit and her generosity in sharing with us intimate memories of her late husband meant the world to us. She is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside, and I must tell you...she is so down-to-earth. I really enjoyed spending time with her. MWAH!
Last weekend was truly a "once in a lifetime" event. Hundreds gathered at the Santa Paula Airport in California to remember the beloved actor Steve McQueen. But we also welcomed home a very special lady: Barbara McQueen, Steve's widow and co-author of the book "Steve McQueen: The Last Mile" with Marshall Terrill. This was Barbara's first time back to the airport since Steve's untimely death in 1980. The entire two days was pure magic, and a handful of us spent quality time with Barbara--both together and one-on-one laughing and reminiscing. The friendships that were created at this event were powerful and I will to post more photos in the days ahead. Also, in the months ahead, I will have new updates on an exciting event with Barbara.
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Just a short note to let you know that my computer hard drive crashed for a second time, so I have had limited access to my e-mails and have answered 70 of the 84 messages that I received since last weekend. Please be patient while warranty repairs are completed. See you soon!
At the end of this month, "Friday Movie Suggestion Night" will conclude it's run.This was not a hard decision to make. And I say this because as a good friend of mine once taught me, "Decision making is easy, when you don't have any alternatives--not necessarily less painful, but easier", and this is the fact. As I have shared on these pages many times, FMSN began on September 15, 2005. My objective was to create a fun, if not irreverent Blog movie feature. The approach would be casual and fun (with an interesting anecdote or two thrown in for good measure) and quite often tongue-in-cheek. Which is to say, I never really took myself seriously. But I loved the films we presented passionately. For 40 months, and roughly 170 films this feature has been an absolute joy. However, as healthy and positive changes have come into my life, the feature has become difficult to sustain with many personal and professional interests requiring more of my time and attention. So, while this month will be our "farewell", allow me to share some of the positive aspects that will continue!
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First, there are the many memories of films that have endeared themselves to me and I will be featuring "Memorable Moments" in these final days of 2008. Next, there were the private e-mails that I received from film producers, children of directors, and friends of the actors featured in the our film selections who generously shared with me their thoughts and "behind the scenes" stories (that I've chosen to keep private). There were simple notes of appreciation--all of which I cherish. We featured Drama, Comedy, Foreign Film, Independent Film, Documentaries, Music Concerts, Opera and animated film. Thankfully we avoided films that were exploitative or those featuring actors whose social responsibility was...shall I say, less than exemplary (one of the few licenses I enjoyed as the feature creator). A poignant entry earlier this year came in the form of a YouTube presentation which became the "feature" itself (a 10 minute presentation)...one of may "firsts" for us. And then came a resilient, touching and most unexpected development that sprang forth from "Friday Movie Suggestion Night" with "The Annual Steve McQueen Film Festival". Rest assured thatTHIS FEATUREWILL CONTINUE each March during the week of the 24th, celebrating the birthday of my favorite actor, Steve McQueen. Curiously, in 2006 a software glitch caused us to lose the full inventory of films that we managed to present. And when personal circumstances warranted an interruption, I took action to delay the feature, and then went on to explain "why".
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In closing, I want to thank each and every one of you who have been so kind and supportive of "Friday Movie Suggestion Night". Sadly, many of the original bloggers who were here in 2005 have closed their Blog sites entirely, and we have even lost a couple of people who meant so much to us in the BLOG community; they are missed. With this change, I will be able to devote more of my personal attention to updating my full website (which is underway) and enjoying more time visiting each of your sites too! I appreciate and cherish each and every one of you. Below is just a sampling of the films we have enjoyed together:
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32 Short Films About Glenn Gould, Cinema Paradiso,Cool Runnings, Children of a Lesser God,Patch Adams, The Last Waltz,Play It Again, Sam,Woodstock (The 1969 Aquarian Music & Arts Festival),Author!, Author!!,The Legend of Zorro,The Fisher King,Stealing Home, The Graduate, The Horse Whisperer, The Verdict,Junior Bonner,12 Angry Men,The Towering Inferno,The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Last Picture Show,The Pink Panther,Exodus,Sabrina,Dirty Dancing,Scent of a Woman,La Traviata(Zeffirelli-Opera film), Taxi Driver,Cactus Flower,Chariots of Fire,American Graffitti,Brubaker,Let It Be (The Beatles), Beyond the Sea,Casablanca,The Outlaw Josie Wales,The Banger Sisters,A Black and White Night (Roy Orbison Concert Documentary),Atlantic City, The Freshman, Tom Horn,The Electric Horseman,The Getaway,Papillon,Le Mans, The Sand Pebbles, The Great Escape,Never So Few,Standing in the Shadows of Motown(The Funk Brothers' Documentary),Swept Away (Foreign Film),Kramer vs. Kramer,Serpico, Conrack, The Big Chill,Starting Over,Moonstruck,Broadcast News, In the Heat of the Night,East of Eden, Citizen Kane, Someone to Love,Bridges of Madison County,Elvis: Aloha Via Satellite from Hawaii (1973 Worldwide Concert), GIANT,To Sir With Love, Summer of 42', Over the Rainbow: A Performance by Eva Cassidy,St. Elmo's Fire, August Rush, Capote, Nell,Five Easy Pieces,Silver Streak, "10",Miracle On 34thStreet, The Maltese Falcon,Patience, From Here To Eternity, Experience: Jimi Hendrix Live in The United Kingdom, Message in a Bottle,In The Shadow of The Moon (The Apollo Astronaut's Documentary),Coal Miner's Daughter, That's Life!, Good Night and Good News, Driving Miss Daisy, Picnic, Rear Window,Network,Good Morning Vietnam,Key Largo, Round Midnight, Wall Street, The Man Who Loved Women, This Is Elvis (Biography),Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, The Commitments, HUD,Butterfield 8,Moulin Rouge,Grand Canyon, For Your Eyes Only, Belle De Jour(Foreign Film),I Am Sam,High Fidelity,Tender Mercies,The Magnificent Seven, Soldier In The Rain, Annie Hall, Deliverance,Barefoot in the Park, The Sound of Music,Quiz Show, The African Queen, Gigot!, Arthur,Save the Tiger, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, The Cincinnati Kid, Bullitt, The Hunter,The Who Live at The Royal Albert Hall in 2000,Love With The Proper Stranger, The Misfits, Ed Wood,Amost Famous, The Freshman, Frankie & Johnny,Running,Shine A Light: The Rolling Stones Live in New York, 2006, Raging Bull, Across the Universe, West Side Story, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Cocoon,Ed Wood,Elvis: That's The Way It Is (Las Vegas 1969 Concert Documentary), All The President's Men, Straight Time,A Night at The Opera, Say Anything,South Pacific,Pale Rider, An Affair to Remember,Slapshot,48 Hours,Tootsie,Coach Carter,Cool Hand Luke,Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?,Hamlet, Harry & Son, Say Amen, Somebody (Documentary), The Manchurian Candidate, Hotel, Stand by Me, E.T., A Touch of Evil, Tucker: A Man and His Dream, Carousel, SOB,Victor Victoria,Stalag 17,M*A*S*H, Easy Rider,Two Mules for Sister Sarah,Dirty Harry, Any Which Way But Loose, Bronco Billy, Blazing Saddles, Chimes at Midnight, Renaldo & Clara (Bob Dylan and the Rolling Thunder Revue with Joan Baez),The Brave One, Say Anything,Dead Poet's Society,Good Will Hunting, Rachel, Rachel, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,Country, Crazy People, Teachers.
After a heartwarming trip to the Santa Paula Airport this weekend, I can only say that I met so many people who endeared themselves to me with many new friendships and hours spent walking through hangars and sharing stories, sharing our lives, and seeing how inextricably each of us who loved and admired Steve McQueen (in my case from the age of 9) share a common bond. It was abundantly clear to me why Steve and Barbara fell in love with Santa Paula and their special neighbors who live on the airport grounds in beautiful hangars, as The McQueen's did. Each of us spent real "Quality Time" with Barbara, and it was so evident to us why Steve fell in love with this lovely lady and found peace during the last three and a half years of his life. It was simply put, a "once in a lifetime journey for me". Marhall Terrill and Barbara took questions after our dinner, and this included a special DVD presentation of Barbara's photographs of her life with Steve with a beautiful musical soundtrack. I must say, I never imagined I would be meeting the people who were so important to Steve, including the residents of Santa Paula who saw to it that he was loved, respected and accorded the privacy to simply enjoy being himself (after a remarkable film career in Hollywood). Saturday night, I believe we exceeded the attendance record we expected and raised funds for the Santa Paula Airport Museum. There will be much to share with you (including some of my photos of the event in the days ahead). But for now, I'm exhausted and just need to catch up on my sleep. We are announcing a change on this Blog site (while we prepare to relaunch with new photos in the weeks ahead). I'll sign off with this: To all of you in Santa Paula who will be following The Annual Steve McQueen Film Festival here next March (in our 4th season) Thank You for the gift of your generosity, your kind comments to me about my BLOG Feature, and your self-less love; we all felt it and it's great to know we are now life-long friends with a common bond that brought each of us together for this celebration of life!
Once in a great while, a magical event comes along that allows us to celebrate and enjoy life. Today is such an occasion. The Aviation Museum of Santa Paula is welcoming home Barbara McQueen with a VIP reception, dinner and book signing at the Santa Paula Airport. This is Barbara's first trip back to Santa Paula since the 1980 death of her husband, Steve McQueen. The McQueen's actually lived at the airport inside Steve's hangar while their home was being remodeled. The evening's festivities will begin at 5 PM.
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On Sunday, December 7th, The Santa Paula Airport will salute the life of Steve McQueen on its "First Sunday Open House". Private hangars will be open to display vintage aircraft, cars, and memorabilia from 10 AM to 3 PM. Barbara McQueen will also sign her book Steve McQueen: The Last Mile at the five-hour extravaganza. With great pleasure, I featured this book last year on my Blog site.
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Steve McQueen: The Last Mile is a wonderful photo book that I highly recommend. Written by Barbara and well known Steve McQueen biographer Marshall Terrill, (author of the highly acclaimed "Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel"), this hard-bound coffee table book is simply a treasure trove of never before seen images of the beloved and private actor through the lens of Barbara's camera. Her personal recollections of her life with Steve and the photographs she captured is heartwarming, and will leave an unforgettable emotional impression on your heart. For me, it will be a genuine joy to attend this event and meet new friends who like myself, have admired Steve McQueen since childhood. For more information visit http://www.amszp.org/.
Last night after work (but before PT) I had my first session with a really great hairdresser. I decided to switch salons to hers as my hair started to resemble Jim Morrison. Her flyer was left on a display table where I do PT. As it turns out, she went through physical rehab (where I am seen)--only in her case a knee issue was the culprit after years of gymnastics, water skiing, and rock climbing--maybe not in that order--but the point should be made here that she is recovered. Further, the founder of my PT center will not let anyone else touch his hair but this girl. My good fortune. You may ask, 'Why is that, Michael?' Because for 20 years in Texas, I had one girl cut my hair and she was a comedic riot!
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For Christmas, I once gave her a voice-over audio tape I recorded in the studio of a rather obnoxious impression I did of Senator Ted Kennedy pleading for a date with her. You had to be there. For years, she kept that cassette tape in the glove compartment of her car. She played it for other customers during their haircuts and even at a party! I'm told that I was the hit of that party (even though I wasn't physically there). Lots of Laughs! Anyway, my new hairdresser here in Arizona is very easy going and is married with a 2 year-old son. So we chatted it up about topics ranging from the gory details of our orthopedic surgeries, to observations on being single. I don't know how many guys are fortunate enough to find someone to cut their hair well, but I've decided to fire the Mafia-type guys who have been cutting my hair lately (No, I've never watched "The Godfather" I or II all the way through--nightmares). All of this ultimately begs the question: Where did that saying come from:"Only my hair dresser knows for sure". Probablyfrom a TV commercial dating back to the 60's and the hush-hush subject about people who dye their hair. In the film "AUTHOR, AUTHOR" it was Al Pacino who gets his hair cut at Sassoon's in New York to learn details about his estranged wife, Gloria Travalian (Tuesday Weld) with hysterical results. It's worth renting this feel-good drama/comedy DVD just to see this haircut! But moving right along...What guy didn't loathe the 1970's film "SHAMPOO" with that script by Robert Towne (Chinatown) featuring Warren Beatty as a rather clueless motorcycle-driving hairdresser who made house-calls to Lee Grant, Goldie Hawn and Julie Christie? Hang on guys! Before some of you develop high blood pressure, let's not forget how sad (if not Just) it was to see the film end with hapless George left on a hilltop after justifiably losing Julie Christie to a life with Jack Warden. A farce film, I admit. For example, I've never seen a motorcyclist on Phoenix highways cruising along with an electric hairdryer tucked into the front of his jeans! So maybe there's hope for the rest of us who work for a living. I laugh too, when I think back to a college professor of mine telling us that bartenders were once offered courses in Crisis Intervention (my Fieldwork Training for 2 years)! One look at the movie "10" with Dudley Moore visiting that cabana bar with actor Brian Dennehy in his break-through role as a bartender makes my point. Dennehy refuses to give advice beyond "I say, down the hatch". I wonder.
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Do you have a fairly trustworthy hairdresser?
Extra Credit if you can answer:
"What do they know about you, and when did they know it?"
:-D)
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IT'S WEDNESDAY!
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P.S.: We are movie-free this week as I have travel plans (See "News").
Tackling a philosophical debate while having skilled care Physical Therapy carried out on my right shoulder was part of how I spent last night. One of my Physical Therapists and I were discussing the fascinating people I have enjoyed meeting who attend PT with me. I digressed and asked her if she recalled the debate two of my PT's (who are serious cyclists) had about hypothetically being hit by a car while cycling from either the rear or head-on. Each took an opposing view.
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Physical Therapist Number 1 opted to be hit by by a car traveling at 80 miles per hour from the rear. He supported his argument by stating that Physics was on his side. In other words, if he was traveling 40 miles per hour and was struck by a car traveling at 80 miles per hour, his feeling was that his odds of surviving were better because the actual impact would be mitigated by half, given his speed.
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Physical Therapist Number 2 took the opposing view. In his argument, he stated that he would rather be hit head-on by a car traveling 80 miles per hour while pedaling a bicycle. His rationale was that being hit from the front would enable him to "decide" to what extent he wanted to be banged-up. This would be undertaken by "assessing the situation quickly" and steering his way out of danger. When I told him that this is a strategy used by BMW in a television commercial, Physical Therapist Number 1 laughed and suggested that what his colleague really meant was that he would "throw his bike down in a ditch" (assuming there was a ditch conveniently located nearby) and avoid being hurt as badly, "or something like that". The debate was left unresolved. I'll update you as this story develops further...
First Officer Handel Wellington Mentoring a Young Friend
Life has many nice surprises. Last night, I also learned that my summertime Blog post ("The Spirit of Jamaica") honoring my good friend, First Officer Handel Wellington is featured in the News Briefing section of The Organization of Black Pilots at http://www.obap.org. Thanks, guys!
Hey, here's a GREAT Christmas Gift Idea: Deni Bonet's latest CD!
(What better way to avoid the crowds at Macy's? Info below...)
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Yesterday, my guitar teacher and I discussed the mental block I was having over a music lesson that was giving me fits. We meet every other week. I've always loved the guitar, but I'm not immune to the frustration many guitar students experience after sitting for hours trying to figure out why a lesson isn't making sense. I explained that I tend to "give it a rest" after an hour, walk off to my kitchen and make some tea. He was running a few hours behind and we had to reschedule our lesson for later in the afternoon. A friend of mine in New Jersey phoned me to ask about an upcoming magazine article I'm writing, and basically I ran short on time to change my guitar strings. Fortunately, my teacher had no other students, so he showed me a new technique for locking in a set of fresh strings at the posts. Ultimately, we resolved my mental block about the lesson in question. Part of this involved sampling a cut from Buddy Guy on his computer. Buddy has nothing to worry about yet; I have a long road to travel before I'm playing well, but it's been enjoyable so far.
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I returned home and caught up with my mother by telephone. She was describing a minor car accident she had. Actually, another driver rear-ended her car at a red light. The driver was distracted by talking on her cell phone. Fortunately, my mother was not hurt. She got out of her car after the impact to exchange insurance information with the other driver in good faith. To my mother's astonishment, the other driver sped off! If my mother was younger, I have a feeling she would have commandeered a Hummer to pursue the "hit and run" driver as Gene Hackman did (commandeering a Pontiac LeMans) to pursue crooks in "The French Connection". Thankfully, she opted for driving home peacefully and making arrangements for her car to be taken to the body shop for a new rear bumper.
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On that note, slide on over to Singer/Songwriter/Electric Violinist Deni Bonet's Blog (LAST GIRL ON EARTH). She wrote a song that is now featured on American Airlines domestic and international flights; she recently rocked out at CARNEGIE HALL, and she has a fun, new Holiday Song you can download on Itunes, "It's You and Me For Christmas".
Basically, I'm a Public Relations Consultant with a background in Broadcast News. I've worked as a Reporter and Anchor with PBS, ABC, CBS & NBC affiliates and in Cable Television. I'm active in Radio & Television Commercials, Guest Speaking engagements and I enjoy writing, music and sports.
Photo: Courtesy of AP
Our Conclusion Below:
