Happy Syttende Mai

Just a quick shout out to all the Norwegians in the world, Happy 17th of May! Being part Norwegian, well that means being married 18 years to a full blooded one, I've come to really know this country and its wonderful people. For a country with a little more than 4 1/2 million, they have surely made their mark in the world. I think the world really got a sense of their warm hospitality during the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. I was there and could feel all the energy. Oh, and they did manage to win the most medals that year. For the oil, yeah! For their most delicious smoked salmon, yeah! For their chocolate, yeah! For their most incredible Fjords, yeah! Gratulerer Med Dagen!

The Wizard of Oz

Don't you just love Dr. Oz? Leave it to Oprah to discover yet another brilliant person. Dr. Mehmet Oz has took this medical awareness by storm. His show is on in the mornings, in the afternoons and I think late night too. Don't bother just trying to catch a few minutes of his show because its so informative, it will just suck you in. He covers so many current health topics, but the most important thing that he's trying to get people to do is to notice what their Real Age is according to your weight, cholestoral levels, blood pressure, diet and exercise practises. He stresses that the #1 killer of Americans is Heart Disease, but its so fixable by changing your diet and exercising. He's so sweet and its obvious that the ladies go gaga for him, but his warm and genuine caring is so evident. Once you see his show you'll want to take that next step for living a healthier life. Oh, and eat berries!

PR Superstar - Kelly Cutrone

So I just finished reading, "If you have to cry, Go Outside and other Things Your Mother Never Told You" by Kelly Cutrone. I finished the book in a couple of days and all I can say is I wish I had read this in my 20's, or even my 30's for that matter. This read was fantastic and Kelly kicks butt! Kelly Cutrone is the founder of People's Revolution which is a Public Relations Company specializing in the Fashion World. She runs offices in LA, New York and London and is a single mom of a young 10 year old named Ava (who is the love & center of her life). I suppose she hit the main stream after being on a couple of MTV Reality shows and just got her own reality show last season, aptly named, "Kell on Earth." If you first see her, she comes across as this uptight, all black wearing Gothic, Rocker chick with a bitchy disposition. Well, I guess she can be and has been known to overwork her employees, but she is definitely one to be reckoned with in the Billion dollar fashion industry. She is so brilliantly smart and is good, or rather, incredible at what she does. She works hard and has been a key person in the fashion world; designers count on her to market, publicize and brand them and their collections. I was so impressed with her story and its amazing to see how she got from growing up in upstate New York to NYC. I enjoyed especially reading about the spiritual side of her and how she assembled her own religion. Basically her way of living and creating the best person she can be. The book is part autobiography, part career building do's and don'ts and part how to feel whole and complete. The chick is honest and different and knows "where she stands in the pack." One of the chapters in her book is titled, " Bitch is not a Bad Word." That alone made my day! I wish I could have been an intern there. Go Kelly!

Fallen Heros

In honor of Police Week 2010, I wanted to take a moment to honor all the fallen law enforcement heros. From police officers to sheriffs, parole and probation officers and special agents, there are nearly 20,000 officers who have lost their lives while serving and protecting the citizens of our country. In Washington, DC, there are five full days of events all in honor of these heros. Opening ceremonies began on Wed, May 13 and they conclude this Sunday, May 16. It should be a really exciting time at our nation's capital and a wonderful way to honor and remember fallen brothers and sisters as well as to show support for all of their survivors.

Modern Pioneer

Did anyone catch that recent interview with Craig Newmark? I was so impressed with this man and it really got me thinking about how our world is changing because of not only the internet, but because of the connection of people and causes through social networks. Craig Newmark is the founder of Craigslist. Being from San Francisco, I remember being introduced to Craigslist in the mid 1990's. I've bought and sold things (even a car), I've set up poker parties for my husband, I've found a place to live and I've even found a job on Craigslist. That sight has been my "Go to" sight for all my needs and even wants too. To see how this sight how grown; its now worldwide and has connected so many people is ingenious. I think the one most important thing that I got out of his interview is that these social networks offer an individuals a voice. No matter what your cause is; group, idea, or party, it allows the power and influence to flow. Its a way to act together in goodwill by building a network of trust. He said that he believes that customer service is public service and public service is customer service. I'm gonna focus on that statement today! I applaud Mr. Newmark! Great Job!

The New Susan Boyle

Did anyone see Janey Cutler on Britain's Got Talent? She's gonna be the new Susan Boyle I betcha. She's 80 years old, looked great and my goodness could she sing. Here it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAwOZvvGsRs on youtube. I take my hat off for this woman. She walked onto the stage seeming a little confused but things changed once she opened her mouth. I give her so much credit for auditioning for the show and sharing her love for singing with the world. I am just aiming to make it to 80!

Record Food Drive by 230,000 Letter Carriers

So I read today that the Stamp out Hunger Food Drive organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers hit the 1 Billion pound mark. That's holy incredible! So, this all went down this past Saturday. The National Association of Letter Carriers, the US Postal Service and Campbell Soup Company teamed up to collect donations of food along postal routes. It was the largest one day food drive in our nation's history. These non-perishable foods will be delivered to food banks and will ultimately hit nearly 10,000 communities. What is so amazing is that in one day, they collected more food (that's 1 Billion pounds) than what was collected since this food drive started 18 years ago. There were 32,000 fans on Facebook too. Go Stamp Out Hunger 2010!!!

Those Who Clean the Animals

The Cosco Busan and Exxon Valdez oil spills are still so vivid in my mind. Now we have the British Petroleum spill in the Gulf. There will be a lot of suffering going on and I just wanted to praise those who volunteer to clean the poor suffering animals that are covered with oil. Have you seen those commercials? I heard that there is a quite lengthy process for volunteers to go through when dealing with oil-affected animals. There is hazardous waste operations training because people really can't just go out there and pick up these animals; there are health risks when dealing with oil. I applaud these individuals for their warm hearts and unselfish concern for wildlife. I admire their sacrifice of time and energy and their compassion for rescuing animals. I commend those who do their part to save wildlife and its living quarters.

May 10, 2010 5pm San Francisco

Its a little after 5pm in San Franciso. I just shot this picture out of my living room. That's Coit Tower in the background and St. Peter & Paul Church. I live on Mason Street in North Beach/Lower Russian Hill and if I could tie an audio feed you would be hearing the ringing of the cable cars now. It was bloody cold today and we received nearly an inch of rain too. I am so longing for some warmer weather! Nevertheless, I wouldn't trade living here in this Beautiful city for anything! Heading out to Sodini's for dinner now - yum!

Sunrise over Clearlake, California

About 10 years ago, my husband and I bought a vacation home in Kelseyville, CA. Its located in Lake County about an hour north of Napa Valley. We had never been there before and actually made an offer on a home during our first trip there. That was one of the best investments we have ever made. This place is a jewel! Its 2 1/2 hours from SF, so we can go there during the weekends. Its peaceful and laid back and has recently made a name for itself within the wine community and has developed some incredible wineries. Some people say that the name Clearlake was for the water, but I believe it was named for the skies. This picture was taken from our deck one spring morning. I'll be posting an evening shot soon.

Those People Who Work at the ICU @ Queen's Medical Hospital

I just wanted to acknowledge the wonderful and amazing people who work in the ICU at Queen's Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. For the doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and the rest of you folk, I applaud you. I saw my father die three times there and you all brought him back to life. You took care of him and monitored his every breath. For every second, you watched his blood pressure and his other vital signs. You talked to him when it seemed he wasn't there. You gave him respect and I know that you all did everything you could in what seemed like a dire situation. You were kind and supportive to my mother. I believe you all had him in your prayers too. After he was transferred out to another hospital, he slowly got better. You know, he totally came back!! I was able to spend nine more months with him until he died. But, during those nine months we talked every day. Our relationship was so strong as I knew that time was limited and I cherished him very much. Thank you for giving me that time with my father!

Harry Connick Jr.

I just caught American Idol the other night with Harry Connick Jr. He was by far one of the best mentors for that show, ever. This man is amazing! I've always been a fan of his music, but as I watched him, I started to really appreciate how incredibly talented he is. C'mon, aside from his obvious good looks, boy can he sing. He has that crooner voice and so much soul. He has reintroduced my love for the Blues and his love and dedication for music is inspiring and contagious. I love how he has so much passion! I love how he can play that piano like nobody's business. I love how he loves Louisiana and where he came from. I loved him on Will and Grace. He even has a really great sense of humor. But, seriously, the amont of talent that is in that human is mind blowing. He has surely made his mark in the music industry. Mom, why did you let me quit piano lessons?

Diane Sawyer

I'll be astonished if there's someone out there who doesn't know who Diane Sawyer is. Its like I wake up in the morning and there she. Then I see her for the evening news and then around Nightline time. Is there any other news personality who works more? I love Diane Sawyer because she is not only smart, articulate and diplomatic, but you can tell that she really cares. Her honesty and warmness is so evident. She's worked on CBS Morning news, Good Morning America, she's been a 60 Minutes correspondent, anchored Primetime Live, co-anchored 20/20 and is now anchoring ABC World News. What a woman! She has traveled all over the world doing her journalist thing with such class and poise. I know why she has made it onto The World's 100 Most Powerful Women! Bless Her!

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

For my first blog, I wanted to talk about a 29 year old superstar. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has become one of my favorite Indie turned mainstream actors. Well, he's been acting since he was a wee kid on that show 3rd Rock from the Sun. I first came to know him when my husband took me to see Mysterious Skin. I walked out of that theater a totally different person. I pondered that movie for days and have seen it a few times more. It is today, still, one of my favorite movies. JGL is this amazing actor who has starred in countless Indie flicks and actually has a movie coming out this summer with Leo DiCaprio. What intrigues me about him is not only his incredible acting, but he is the founder of this incredible online, international, collaborative production company. Its an amazing concept and I was hooked the moment I stepped inside of that HitRECord world. He has created this community of artists- writers, musicians, animators, singers, graphic artists, editors, etc. etc. who come together to collaborate on projects. A couple of them screened at Sundance and at the South By Southwest Film Festival. Its one of the most positive online communities that is filled with the most creative people you can find. And, JGL is there. He is guiding and participating and encouraging. He is using all of his Hollywood contacts and experience to get HitRECord noticed and its growing like a weed. I am blown away by his creativity, (he sings, plays music and is quite the editor too) his dedication and his passion for the arts. He is definitely carving out a whole new path for this multimedia, cinematic conglomerate. Keep an eye out for him because he's gonna be a major player!