Musings From My Minivan

A big piece of my childhood has just passed away. Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson have left this World… early. (She from a long battle against cancer and he from undetermined causes that lead to cardiac arrest.) It is a strange feeling that I am experiencing with this news. I did not know either person personally. I have simply enjoyed their personas from the audience like so many others. But their impact on my life is unmistakeable. I speak today of Farrah Fawcett.

When Farrah became the number one female television star I was early in my elementary school experience; the only ethnic child in an all white Catholic school. I was a young, multi-racial girl with full head of mixed chic hair, and a loving white mother who really had no frame of reference for how to deal with it. Just like every other girl, I wanted so badly to look like Farrah; to have the trademark Farrah Fawcett hair cut, feathered and bouncing in the wind.

(more…)

Tonight I am finally getting around to watching the NBC News Special I tivoed a few weeks ago, Inside the Obama White House. It?s really interesting. Such an intimate glimpse into the fast paced high energy world of our executive government. It’s really quite amazing when you begin to understand the sacrifices of the individuals who are contributing to the betterment of this Presidency. Watching I feel closer to the action, in touch with the heartbeat of our central force known simply as Obama. I felt so compelled to watch this special given the historical nature of this presidency, but also for a more personal reason, because I have a known this first family in part for the last 8 years. Surreal. And so I reflect upon the beginning.

My relationship with the Obama family dates back to an exercise class at a local dance studio. It was a perfect class for me since I could take it with my youngest child at the time in her car seat at my feet, while my older child took a creative movement class in the next room. Apparently I wasn?t the only mother who appreciated the simultaneous opportunity. Next to me most weeks was a tall, attractive woman known only to me as Michelle. As is the case with many interactions we busy mother?s have, I knew only her first name. Our talk was centered around our children, and our meetings were relegated to those brief encounters sandwiched between child events and commitments. This went on, off and on, for a few years, during which time I gave birth to another child, started teaching some dance classes at the studio myself, and conceived the outline for my own CAMPUS Classes.

Fast forward to April 2004. It is time for the primary election for our Senate race in my fair city of Chicago. Truthfully I have been preoccupied with my day to day life and so I shamefully have not been paying attention to the races in general, and the candidates specifically. Although, I had seen posters all around for candidate Obama. I new he was young and a democrat, and that many of the people I knew and respected were voting for him. So, earlier that day I hurriedly cast my ballot for him as well. When the results came in later that evening I was in front of the TV watching Obama?s acceptance speech. When the television shot widened so did my eyes. There, standing on the stage with this candidate who is so new to me, is another person who is not. My Michelle is standing on the stage with little Sasha and Malia at her side. I ask out loud, unbelieving, ?What is Michelle doing there??. It took a moment for my brain to catch up to the images on the screen. I could certainly see what she was doing there, she was supporting her husband; her husband the Democratic nominee for Illinois Senator in 2004. Well I?ll be. Go figure.

(more…)

The other day I received one of many event notices from Constant Contact. My mailbox is always filled with them. This one stuck out, entitled Blind Spots, Business and Breakfast. It was from Karyn Pettigrew a name that scratched at the back of my addled brain. So I opened it, and thus opened a new chapter for my blog.

I decided right then and there to start profiling people for my blogs. No particular category, rhyme or reason… But it’s something I feel compelled to do, or rather I should say I felt compelled to do after reading Karyn’s invitation. Call it intuition, I knew there was something special to be found in this event. SO I reached out to Karyn and asked her if she would share some time with me so that I could create this inaugural profile post. And guess what…she agreed. This is Part 1 of my two part profile on this amazing woman.

(more…)

Karyn Pettigrew is an intuitive business and professional consultant, author, motivational speaker, and teacher. Through her company KP Consulting she is hosting her first “Blind Spot Breakfast” on June 18th, at 7:30am, at Ina’s restaurant on Randolph. I talked to her about the Breakfast and a whole host of other things in Part 1 of my profile of her yesterday. My original questions all answered, Karyn and I kept talking on and on about what she sees as the most important lessons we can internalize as business people, her visit to the White House, and what she hopes to teach her own children. I capture those thoughts here in Part 2 of my profile.

ML~Your event is about Blind Spots and helping people overcome them. Have you ever had a blind spot? How do we do overcome them?

ML~What do you think is the most important lesson that new business entrepreneurs need to remember?

(more…)