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Birthday Cakes and Career Remakes
A couple of months ago, I had my first (and hopefully last) Covid birthday. As that day was approaching, I saw a Facebook post from a friend and former colleague who had just started his own custom cake business here in LA – @LACustomCakes. His name is Michael Carney, and he is truly a jack-of-all-trades, as he is also an actor, and an amazing Talent Producer. Among other events, he books and works with the artists who perform on the Memorial Day and Fourth of July Specials that are filmed at the U.S. Capitol. Two of my former management clients were winners of American Idol, and both were performers at…
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Misplaced Lens: Bringing His Journey into Focus – The podcast episode with Special Guest, photographer Brian Bowen Smith
I am so proud and so honored to have my lifelong friend join me and Donzell on our most recent podcast. In addition to being one of my closest friends, he is also one of the most amazing photographers on the planet. His art will move you. His story will inspire you…..and as always, he is guaranteed to make you laugh. Treat yourself with a follow on his Instagram @BrianBowenSmith. You should also check out the beautiful book he recently published that chronicles his 11,000 mile journey across America in the height of 2020’s Covid shutdown. All of the photos were shot “socially distanced” through the window of his cross-country…
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Chapter 2 after 22….whew!
The last few years have been quite an interesting journey for me. After spending over 22 years in the music business, I went on this soul-searching mission to find out why I felt so unfulfilled in my professional life. My personal life has always been amazing, give or take the usual day to day problems that any family has. I have two awesome teenagers and a wonderful husband. I had a very successful career at Interscope Records and 19 Entertainment/American Idol, where I worked with some of the biggest artists in the world. A few years ago, it just didn’t seem like I was where I was supposed to be….so…
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Pit-stops in Life – Refuel, Retool and Finish the Race
When I was growing up in Alabama, my Daddy used to take me to the local car races in Birmingham. His longtime assistant (I can’t bear to say the word secretary – it’s so 1970) was married to a guy who was one of the drivers. There was a track on the west side of the city where they raced stock cars and when we would go, we would get the VIP treatment. I remember walking through the Pit before the race, saying hello to all of the drivers, hearing the loud noises of the engines revving up, and looking up at the crazy, energetic crowd. When I was a…
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Misplaced Values – The Inequities Within the Fight for Equality
We are all conditioned to rank, rate or categorize each other – quite simply, it’s part of our human nature. Or is it? Maybe it is, but why? In this episode, Donzell and I talk about the prejudices that exist within the fight for equality, and how our human nature plays a role. We talk about the origins of this conditioning of status and hierarchy as it pertains to each other. Throughout our history, there has always been manipulation in so much messaging in man’s attempts to exert power over one other. We also talk about how much the Movement is really moving, and how much more it could move…
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The Love of a Common Man & Teacher of Life
I would be so pleased to spend some time, I'd just spend a little time To hear a little talk about what's been on your mind Cause it don't take long to turn my head around If it comes easy and everyone Needs the love of a common man - Todd Rundgren, The Love of a Common Man My first high school crush (prior to first actual high school boyfriend) was my “gifted program” social studies teacher, the infamous Mr. Terry Griffin, aka Grif. He was my first encounter with the Left. Growing up in a town of 2500 people in the deep South did not lend itself to bumping into…
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Cookies are for kids – NOT women over 40!!
Sugar cookies are my favorite, and chocolate chips are a close second, although I like the actual cookie part more than the chips. However, I’m talking about a different kind of “cookie.” You know the ones – those little “things” that allow everyone to know your every online move in life. I don’t need Big Brother or every other company on God’s creation to track each and every click, because it is going to drive me insane or send me to an early grave. You know what really sucks the most about reaching and accepting your middle-age-ness? BEING F-ING REMINDED ABOUT IT EVERY F-ING SECOND OF EVERY F-ING DAY. I mean…let’s…
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She Wept
She dreamed the world changed, but then she woke up to more chaos
