I decided to organize some of the emails I had been collecting and randomly clicked on one. Turned out it was an email from my dad (who died from pancreatic cancer 5 years ago). The email was about my grandfather who had a stroke and was about to die (9 years ago). My father talked about the last time he had worked with my grandpa in his workshop not too long before, an activity he loved to do with his dad. It was heartbreaking to read the sorrow that my father was going through, mostly because it's the same sorrow I went through when he died. I hate the thought of my children going through that same grief when my husband and I go.

The part that really tore me up was that he went on about how my grandfather and my dad had a conversation about me, in which my grandfather said he was planning on coming to my wedding and was very proud that I was in college and had chosen a career that would help people. For some reason, I don't remember reading that part before, although I know I must have, so it was like reading it for the first time. And then that immediately brought back the memory of dancing with my dad at my wedding and how during that dance he told me how proud he was of me for everything I was doing in my life. That was one of the happiest moments of my life. Funny how no matter what we do, we're always trying to get the approval of our parents somehow.

I wonder if they knew how much I admired them, how much they inspired me, and how proud I am of them.

So my morning of trying to be productive and getting things in order physically has just turned into a morning of trying to get things in order emotionally. That always happens when I least expect it.

Labels: Inspiring People I Admire, My Life

My paternal grandmother, Margaret, loved to tell me stories about her life, and I loved listening to them.

She told me about what it was like to hide in a bomb shelter in Plymouth, England during World War II, playing cards and telling jokes to pass the time with neighbors, and then emerging to witness the destruction, clean up, and move on with their lives.

We laughed at stories about "French letters" (condoms) littering the streets of England, her 20-something sister's naive explanation of sex (it involved nudity and urinating), and nude theatrical performances that she had attended with my grandfather.

She told me about camping trips. On one trip, a bear began rocking their teardrop trailer, where my father, grandfather, and uncle were sleeping. Then it began rocking the car, where my grandmother and aunt had been sleeping. Each group suspected each other of playing a joke them. When they realized that there was a bear nearby, they began to yell, and the entire campground came to life and started yelling at the bear and chasing it into the woods. My uncle, who was only three years old at the time, also began chasing the bear with a stick, and they had to save him from getting into a fight he would certainly lose. On another trip, another bear, begging for food, slammed down the passenger window of their car as they parked in line and waited to leave Yellowstone. My grandmother had been sitting in the passenger side of the car, and the bear hit her arm. Fortunately, rolling up the window was enough to discourage the bear from persisting.

She especially liked talking about her childhood and teenage years. The milkman would pull up in his horse-drawn cart, come in through the kitchen door, and sit down for a chat and a bit of tea. The mailman often did the same. Everyone in the neighborhood knew her family. Her mother raised her and her two sisters alone. Her father was in the Royal Navy but had nothing to do with any of them; he was out having affairs and adventures. The girls often went to the beach where they would burn and blister, but they didn't let that stop them, and they just went back the next day and the next until finally they'd tan. (She later battled skin cancer repeatedly.)

One of the stories I enjoyed the most was a story about how all they all kept a family dream journal. If somebody had an unusual dream, they would wake up and write it down in the journal. Then later the rest of them would read it. It was a major source of entertainment and left them all rolling on the floor with laughter.

I like that idea. I think I'll start a dream journal too. And I'll share it with everyone by posting it here.

Labels: I Had a Dream, Inspiring People I Admire

This morning, I turned on Good Morning America and as they were rambling on about the economy, I saw the ticker at the bottom of the screen, "George Carlin dies at age 71 from heart failure." (Or at least it was something close to that. I mostly remember my giant gasp from that moment of my life and not so much the words I was reading.)

I first saw George Carlin during an SNL special in which they replayed his baseball vs. football routine. Wow, I thought, I wonder how it must feel to be so smart and so funny at the same time.

I then saw him in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (another cult classic in my book), and I instantly thought, wow, I wondered how it must feel like to be that cool. (I was anything but cool.)

In 1992 I came across George Carlin Jammin' in New York on HBO. I ran to my VCR, popped in a tape, and hit the record button. I watched the entire show while trying to catch my breath from laughing. I had never before seen somebody who could use such obscene language in such an articulate and intelligent way. And the things that he said... brilliant. When it was over, I hit rewind and played it again, and again, and again. I memorized the entire show. It made so much sense to me in so many ways. It was a major part of shaping my opinions about the world. (The government is filled with prick wavers (damn Republicans). George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Colon Powell suspiciously have names that when put together result in sexual innuendo. And the planet really is fine, but the people are screwed.) I've been reciting bits from that show for years.

After that, I became a Carlin fanatic. I watched all of his shows, read his books, religiously followed his interviews, and fantasized about what it would be like to have George as my friend. How cool would that be to call him up on the phone, invite him to a BBQ, and have him show up? Then I could just spend hours listening to his witty words of wisdom. (Yes, that's the kind of thing I fantasize about. No half-naked men or women in my daydreams. No million dollar yachts. Just give me some interesting people to talk to and laugh with, and I'm a happy gal.)

So unless we get to meet someday in that giant electron, I fear that my dreams of meeting George and having a witty, laughter-filled conversation with him are over. And meanwhile, the world has lost one of its most brilliant citizens.

So this morning, as I drink my soy chai tea latte, I'm making a toast to big George. Cheers man! I'll miss you.

Labels: Inspiring People I Admire

Every day, I'm on the hunt for people who inspire me, but I didn't have to look far to find some of the most influential people in my life.

My Mom, who took care of me and taught me the importance of getting lost in imagination, dedicating yourself to your kids, and making yourself a priority.

My Dad, who made sure I always had food, clothing, shelter, and transportation and taught me how to take care of myself and the importance of working hard, perseverance, trying new things, and doing what you love.

My husband, who loved me and stuck by me (even during the difficult stuff), taught me the importance of laughing at everything, absolutely everything, was always open and honest with me about my talents and flaws, and supported my efforts to follow my dreams.

My children, who are my world, who taught me what's really important in life and that it's OK to be a show-off and make a fool of yourself as long as I'm having fun doing it.

My grandparents, who taught me the importance of good health and creating the life you want, so you don't have any regrets when it's over.

My teachers, who repeatedly told me that I could do anything that I was willing to work for.

Thanks everyone.

Labels: Inspiring People I Admire

I'm always watching and reading biographies. Some people like biographies because they enjoy the gossip. I like biographies because I want to learn how ordinary people do extraordinary things.

So yesterday I saw a biography about Ub Iwerks, The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story . I had never heard of him before, but it turns out that without him, the Disney corporation would have been just another little cartoon studio, and Walt Disney would have been just another cartoon studio manager.

Ub Iwerks is the creator of Mickey Mouse. (I always thought it was Walt Disney because the Disney company keeps saying that Walt created Mickey, but it turns out that Disney was just the manager.)

And all those "Wow!" techniques that Disney pioneered... Iwerks was behind them.

Iwerks was the inventor of many movie techniques still used today. He animated the first cartoon with sound, Steamboat Willie and the first color cartoon, Flowers and Trees. He was the first person to mix animation with live actors (and today, almost every movie in the theater and film on YouTube contains some special effect that requires mixing animation, now done on computers, with real people). He invented the multiplane camera (for making amazing perspective animation). He invented the Wet Gate process for transferring 16mm film images to 35mm film. He used Xerox machines to copy drawings to cells to reduce production time. He invented the special effect that allows one person to play two different characters in a movie and have both characters appear on screen at the same time (e.g. The Parent Trap). He created the camera to make forced-perspective shots. He created the projection technique to make those statues sing in the Haunted Mansion. He was involved somehow in nearly every attraction at Disneyland. He invented Circarama (later called Circle Vision). Ub Iwerks was the Benjamin Franklin of the animation and special effects industry.

He also worked with non-Disney studios, including MGM and Warner Bros. He created Flip the Frog. He worked on Hitchcock's the Birds. He was even the mentor of some of the greatest animators, like Chuck Jones and Grim Natwick.

So why didn't I learn about him sooner? Why don't they have a museum at Disneyland dedicated to Ub the way they do for Walt? Was Disney so egotistical that he wouldn't give proper credit to the man who made him the Walt Disney?

I used to always think of Disney as an inspiring, creative artist, but after learning about Ub, I decided to do a bit more research on Disney.

Walt Disney was a producer, a businessman, a manager, and a commercial genius. While Iwerks created art with cartoon drawings, Disney made an art form out of business. He wanted to conquer the entertainment industry, and he did. He created an animation company. He hired the best creative people. He diversified (a key to success in any area of life). He expanded into television shows, amusement shows, live theater shows, lunch boxes, pencils, etc. His marketing strategies and business methods were brilliant.

For me, the partnership between Iwerks and Disney shows how popularity and profits require superb creativity as well as a deep understanding of people and consumerism. The greatest artist in the world will likely go unknown without a good marketing team, and the greatest entrepreneur in the world won't make a penny without good creative team. I know so many artists who fear going commercial because they think it will stifles their creativity, and I know so many intelligent business people who refuse to work with "eccentric artistic types" because they don't care enough about the profit margin. Funny.

Funny how the success we often seek requires us to embrace the very things we rebel against.

Labels: Inspiring People I Admire