The Pres.

OK, If Obama was Jewish, he’d be white because his mom is white.  Black, white, brown or yellow, I just hope the guy is real.  I’ve read his books and truly believe this man will be one of our great Presidents.  THE AUDACITY OF HOPE is one of the best and most inspirational books I’ve ever read.  Bush and his people have done all they can to destroy the image of and hope in America.  McCain can finish the job completely or Obama can do what I think he will do: put America back on the road to pride, honor, faith in our country, its leaders and the future.

Old Young & Now

I love and respect what is old: people and monuments.

I admire and appreciate the young: babies and ideas.

I live for now, which is forever.

Bigotry

8-25-08 Bigotry   Intolerance

 

 

I usually write about positive things, things I’ve experienced or things I believe in.  Today I want to write about two words that I really hate but are very important to me: Bigotry and Intolerance.

 

The Olympic Games of 2008 concluded yesterday and for the first time in my life, I saw an all Black US Olympic Basketball team with the Gold Medal for our country.

 

Not once did I hear any of the announcers refer to the fact that all our players were Black, White or Purple.  They were just great American Athlete’s competing with all their heart and soul to bring the Gold Medal in Basketball to America.

 

Not only did they succeed in doing so, they did it with magnificent character, dignity and emotion. 

 

When our National Anthem was played, each player held their right hand over their heart, not their fist over their head.

 

I felt so proud and so connected.  At long last, are the despicable elements of the words Bigotry and Intolerance being erased from the psyche of the American People. 

 

I have two words that I would love to become our code:  Respect and Compassion:  Amen

 

 

An Average Morning

Woke up around 6:00 A M.  Brushed my teeth, put in my contacts and went downstairs to feed the cats, put out the trash and recycleables, bring in the paper, meditate, do my yoga stretching, read the paper and went for my swim.  Did 1500 yeards this morning, which is about a mile.  Good way to start a day.  Don’t feel like writing today so this will be it.  I’m on my way to Zune to set up the studio for my interview with Robert Osborne and Tom Brown of Turner Classic Movies, next Tuesday, then comes lunch with my son Robby and probably a flic.  Dinner with my love, watch the Olympics, my boy Kobe plays against Argentina tonight, then to bed and get ready for my radio show interview with Universal Studio COO, Ron Meyer.  Also good stuff: He’s not only a good guy, he’s a great friend.

Faith

Faith not Fear

 

I get scared, I get scared a lot.  The only thing that takes me out of my fear is my faith; my faith in God and my faith in myself.

 

I promise you, my faith in God comes before my faith in myself but my faith in myself is based on my faith in God.

 

I feel fear in the early morning hours or when I first wake up; can I do all I have to do that day, will I do it right, where’s the money coming that will make my professional desires come true, etc.

 

The fear lasts for a moment or until the moment that I realize that always, throughout my life, my faith in God and my faith in myself got me through the worst of my worries always.  I’ve suffered, like we all have and like most of us, my suffering brought me to wonderful things and values.  Without the suffering and defeats in my life I would have been a little egomaniacal jerk, I promise you.

 

My defeats and losses have brought me humbleness, values, appreciation and thankfulness for what I have. 

 

I still have moments of fear regarding not having the finances to accomplish what I want in life but the fear of having little or no money disappears when the faith I have in God and myself comes into my mind, heart and soul.  The fear of failure disappears and the faith of success brings incredible energy to me.

 

I know I might fail but my faith in God and myself will enable me to get myself up, dust myself off and start all over again if I have to.  I’ve done it before so I know I can do it again.

U S Trademarks

Two gentlemen are trying to use my Heart of Hollywood Trademark for their “from the heart of hollywood” webcast.  When my atrtorney notified them they were violating a United States Trademark, they referred to me as “some idiot with a radio show.”  Gentlemen, I have been in this business for fifty years with some noteable success.  When “gentlemen” like you call me in idiot, I take it as a compliment, especially when the United States Government has granted me a Trademark for a name that I have owned for over ten years.  I welcome them to check out who I am by going to www.heartofhollywood.com.  Thank you once again.  I always judge what I am called by the source.

Good

I love doing good, being good and creating good.  The nice thing about wanting to do good is when you do bad.  You know it right anway and have nobody to make excuses to.

Teeth etc

8-19-08

 

Teeth  Eyes  Hair

 

I may have forgotten to discuss three things that really let you know time is passing.  Your teeth, without them you look like Gumby: Your eyes, they change at 40 or so whether you like it or not: Your hair, unless your lucky, skin moves in where there used to be a nice silky coverage.

 

You can take care of your teeth, and you should, with brushing, flossing and regular dental visits.  Teeth are the most expensive part of your body to repair or replace.  With diligent care, almost all tjese costs can be prevented.  Cleaning is cheap and important.

 

Your eyes are a trip.  Close things that used to be as clear as a bell at 39 become a blur between then and 45.  They say you can do eye exercises to keep close things clear but it didn’t work for me.  I hate glasses so every day, in they go and every night, out they come: My contacts that is.

 

Let’s not talk about hair.  Mine is all mine but I did have to move it around a little bit.  It’s not a problem for me, even my barber can’t tell and after all, it is my hair.

The Fight

Get Ready: It’s coming

 

I’m 71 and constantly asked when people ask my age and look at my physical and mental condition: “What’s your secret?”

 

It’s no secret; I started getting ready to hit old age when I was about forty.

 

I swore to never smoke cigarettes or dope: my lungs were too important to me,

 

I swore to not eat animal fat if at all possible: my arteries, veins and heart were too valuable to me.

 

I began stretching every morning to keep my body loose and limber: I never wanted to shrink like I’d seen old people do.

 

I worked out at least six days a week: four for my cardiovascular conditioning and two for my body muscle tone: I wanted to be able to run at least three miles without losing my breath or strength.

 

I started meditating at sixty but wish I had started that at forty as well.

A quiet mind is just as important as a fit body that can be called into action.

 

Fruits and Vegetables replaced desserts and sweets.  Wine replaced hard liquor. 

 

Why do I still follow this regimen at 71:  I’m getting ready for ninety! 

 

I stopped running my twelve miles a week but do about six miles on my bike and three miles of swimming every week: I like my hips to much to lose them because I continued to run.

 

Aggravation

Aggravation

 

I was about thirty and in the cool off room in my health club after taking a steam.  Next to me were two elderly gentlemen talking about their wives and marriage.  I was in a slight trance and wasn’t really listening to their conversation so was quite surprised when one of the gentlemen asked me if I was married.  I told him I was not.  In all seriousness, he looked at me with a concerned face and asked me,

“What do you do for aggravation?”  Funny how timeless some questions are.