The New First Grandma is Going to the White House

There's a report out on the Politico website that the White House might be getting its first "First Grandma."

According to the article, 71-year-old Marian Anderson, mother of First lady Michelle Obama and mother-in-law of President-Elect Barack Obama, will be moving to the Nation's Capital to offer some much needed assistance to the family.

Throughout the past two years, it was Grandma Marian who made sure the Obamas' daughters, Malia and Sasha, were well taken care of while mom and dad were on the campaign trail. She was quoted in the Boston Globe saying, “If somebody's going to be with these kids other than their parents, it better be me."

The First Grandma is just doing what any grandmother who wants the best for her family would do. I applaud Marian "Grandma Diva" Anderson for playing such an important role in her grandchildren's lives.

Certainly she doesn't need any tips from me--but hopefully Michelle will let her read the book I gave her, Whatever! A Baby Boomer's Journey Into Middle Age, so she can have a laugh or two during the "trying" times.

One thing for sure, when my grandson becomes President--I'll be right there with him. But I'll be serving in a different role. I think I'll be his Chief of Staff.

Take an Aids Test for College Extra Credit

College sure has changed a lot since I went more than 30 years ago. I recall earning extra credit in my political science class by going to see the movie Casa Blanca and then writing an analysis of the movie as it related to a topic given to the class by the instructor.

Well, it seems that in my college daughter’s Health Studies class the students have been given the opportunity to earn extra credit by going to their Student Health Services Center and taking an aids test. God forbid that some of those young people discover they have the deadly disease. But it doesn’t matter because they will still get extra credit.

So what has college come to when students are being coaxed into taking an aids test? And why would a health class be MANDATORY for all incoming freshmen?

What’s next? When she takes Economics will she have to come up with a bailout plan for Wall Street?

Change My Grandson Can Believe In

When I was growing up, my parents always told me I could be whatever I wanted. I always believed that inspite of living in a nation where the color of your skin plays more of a factor in your success than your knowledge and education.

I have passed on that same message to my daughter who, in spite of being a teenage mom, is striving to beat the odds by pursuing her college education in order to live out her goals and aspirations.

As a 51-year-old baby boomer, I never thought I would live to witness the events of November 4, 2008. That is the day the majority of America voted to elect the first African-American man as President of the United States. So now when I tell my grandson, who is as smart as a pistol and already wooing people with his charm and personality, that he can be anything he wants---I will say it with conviction. YES, HE CAN!

Thank you President-Elect Barack Obama and 51 percent of the American voters who gave my grandson the change he can believe in!

House Rules are House Rules

Last Friday my college daughter came home for her Fall Break. During her four-day stay, she stepped back into the role of mommy again to her two-year-old son Jarod--giving me a much needed break. She also went to work at her Burger King job. Burger King keeps her as an active employee and welcomes her back anytime she comes home for an extended period.

THANK YOU BURGER KING!

But also during the course of her stay, my daughter got the idea that the same rules that applied when she was living under my roof were now null and void. For her, that meant didn't have to adhere to a curfew. After all, she's a college student--living away from home and can stay out as long as she wants. As she told me, "I can stay out all night if I want."

Funny, I told my mother that same thing when I was in college--and guess what? I told my daughter the SAME thing my mother told me: "As long as you are technically still under my roof, you're going to have to live by the house rules. That means you will be home by a certain time." (Instead of the 11pm curfew, I did extend it to 1am).

I did let her know there was an escape clause.

"You can take over the mortgage and the other bills and have free reign. No problem!"

Parents, Help Me Raise My Grandchild

This is an urgent plea to parents everywhere. I really need your help in raising my grandson.

I have been spending the last year of Jarod’s two-year-old life teaching him manners and respect. He knows to say “Thank you” when you give him something or do something nice for him. He is learning how to say “Yes ma’am/No sir” as a show of respect for his elders. He gives generous hugs to family members and his daycare friends and will even try to console you if he senses you are sad. He can even say “excuse me” if he bumps you accidentally or walks in front of you.

But the problem is he is being raised in a world where children seem to have NO CONCEPT of what morals, values, respect and manners mean. What’s even worse is adults seem to be clueless as well. Case in point: Yesterday, we went to the Post Office. Jarod was trying to hold the heavy door open for a lady who was coming out. Instead of acknowledging his effort, the woman seemed annoyed and forcibly pushed the door open and hurried past us. I said “thank you” to my grandson because I wanted him to know his efforts were appreciated.

I have seen children totally out of control and disrespectful in front of their parents and I am always baffled that the child isn’t jacked up and given a beat down. I’m not talking about teenagers either. I’m talking about those three-to-eight-year-olds who, obviously, were never taught proper behavior.

Parents, the world is counting on you to bring up the next generation of responsible and respectable adults. But how will your children learn how to act and survive if you haven’t given them the tools necessary? How can they differentiate between good and bad behavior if all they ever see if a loud, foul-mouthed parent who is always right, never listens and dares anyone to chastise their child for wrong behavior?

Do your part. Raise your child so my job will be a little easier.

Baby Boomer Divas Reach Out and Touch

You know, there's something special when grown-ups can connect with young people in a positive way. That's what Bern Nadette Stanis did today when she spoke to the drama class at Hillside High School in Durham, NC. I arranged to have her speak there because of my admiration and respect for their drama teacher Wendell Tabb.

Even before we could get inside the school a student spotted her from a distance and started yelling "Thelma! Thelma!" How she could see that far away is beyond me. Before I knew it we we swarmed by excited teenagers. These are teens who weren't even born when Good Times was on the air! Still, they were starry-eyed and anxious to get up close and personal with someone they've seen on the TV Land re-runs.

The crowd became so large at one point, sheriff's deputies had to be called in because they thought there was a big gang fight going on! Once they realized it was Thelma they, too, became star struck and starting pulling out camera phones to get a picture.

For more than an hour, the students sat attentively as Bern Nadette told them about her journey in the world of acting. She even did an improvisation with some of the students.

Watching Bern Nadette in action today makes me honored to have her as a member of Boomer Diva Nation. Our motto is: Women on the Move and Making a Difference---and that she certainly did!


NOW HERE'S THE REST OF MY DAY.......

9am: Phone rings. I'm dead asleep. It's Bern Nadette's Publicist, Sheila. She asks me if I'm coming to pick her up from the airport (she missed her flight yesterday). I'm not sure what I mumbled, however, she decided it would be best if she took the shuttle and allowed me to get some more sleep. Bless her heart!

10:00am: Get dressed to go to the airport to pick up Dr. Stan Fine (author of Business Boot Camp for Women) and his wife, Bethany. I had trouble finding him but there was no way he could miss me with my Diva green jacket on. We went to lunch at Quiznos.

12:15pm: Picked up Bern Nadette to go to Hillside H.S.

3pm: We had lunch at Blue Coffee Cafe---yes, I had two lunches :)

4:30pm: Picked up Debbie Zipp from the airport

Friday: 6:32pm EST

I'm finally home after spending ALL DAY on the road here and there and everywhere. After dropping Thelma--I mean Bern Nadette--off at the hotel last night, I went home and continued making final preparations for Saturday's Business Boot Camp for Women's Event. I didn't get to bed until about 3am.

working.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way from the Airport

I GOT LOST!!!

What was supposed to be a ten minute ride from the RDU airport to the hotel ended up being more than 30 minutes. I even had to stop at a gas station to ask someone for directions and I STILL GOT LOST.

Why did this happen? Because I was looking to cut down on expenses for my Business Boot Camp for Women Event. Here's the deal: Instead of hiring a limousine service to pick up my celebrity guests for this weekend's Business Boot Camp for Women Event, I decided to save on expenses and become the "celebrity chauffeur."

First guest to arrive is Bern Nadette Stanis. Most people know her as "Thelma" from the 70s hit TV show Good Times. She had to fly from Los Angeles to Atlanta and then to Raleigh-Durham. She was up at the crack of dawn to get here. The plane was about 30 minutes late. So instead of getting here BEFORE 11pm--she arrived closer to 11:45.

I waited patiently to see her come down the escalator. But instead of being one of the first off the plane, she was practically last. That's because we Baby Boomer Divas need to make a grand entrance--and that she did with her dark sunglasses on and bright pink luggage.

It was good to see her again. The last time was in Daytona Beach back in April. She still looks fabulous!

Now it's my job to get her to the hotel. You would think that someone who has lived in this area for more than 20 years would know how to get from point A to point B, but not me.

During this confusion, I learned something interesting about Bern Nadette. She's afraid of the dark---and let me tell you it was pitch black on some of those streets I was traveling on.

But we finally made it after I decided to use my house as my starting point :)

Be sure to stay tuned to this blog to find out more about the behind the scenes stories of my Business Boot Camp for Women Event.