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Bright Stars: Inspiration

I am forever grateful for my Dad's deep love...such devotion is powerfully affirming. The importance of fathers/ father figures can't be overstated.

 

My Dad, Norman R. Tyre, was a highly respected entertainment lawyer- a man so respected for his sharp intellect, honesty and integrity. He could be tough but you knew it came from a good place. He felt things deeply.

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How blessed were we for his zest for life. Dad was a thinker, never had time for small- mindedness and negativity. He was too busy striving to extract as much as possible from living! He and Mom traveled the world 29 times, cultivating lasting friendships wherever they went and always learning from others. Then they delighted in entertaining their friends when they traveled here. They came from such places as India, Europe, Southeast Asia and on.

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Repeatedly, I've said in similar messages, everyday I'm driven to give back. Perhaps it applies to us all. . . A grateful heart is one that beats for others. Let's make best efforts to be giving, curious,

enthusiastic and positively involved human beings. Our world sooo needs us.

 

Happy Da-DY Day, as our so precious 9.5 month old grand baby would say.

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Perhaps, like me, you're striving to create your best possible life journey. I have a book for you! (And a national best seller!)

 

I Think You'll Be Happy: Moving Through Grief with Grit, Grace and Gratitude - is the title of the newest book by former U.S. Ambassador Nicole Avant. These were the last words uttered by her beloved mother, Jacqueline Avant, to her daughter in the evening hours just before her random brutal murder by a robber as she was sleeping. What emerges is a deeply honest, insightful, thoughtful book about Avant's struggle to heal her  broken spirit after this terrible and horrific sudden loss. So generously she opens her heart and soul to reveal how she managed to cope and eventually move on and embrace life with positivism and renewed creative energy. So many of us retain hurt, disappointment, fears and on ... the negative emotions from past events that can so powerfully steal the light from our todays. 

 

Recounting the many lessons so strongly imbued since her earliest days, she was determined to not allow herself to become a victim which she knew could so easily happen. She felt such an overwhelming sense of responsibility to live a life that is worthy, profoundly understanding the many sacrifices her ancestors made so future generations could live freer, more fully. Totally blindsided by the emotions flooding her mind she knew she must relearn how to live.

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She recalls her mother's many lessons. . . "Always serve and love your life; Living a life of grace is all about helping others while not forgetting our garden."  To this end, she stresses those time -honored values of gratefulness, compassion, forgiveness. She reminds that the power of being grateful is ALWAYS there for us. "There are always messages of hope in darkness.  We have only to be open to see it. Gratefulness is like a healing balm. It shifts the perspective from The Other to Ourselves. We can be sad and at the same time be grateful."

     

Another strong lesson - "Take responsibility. All the choices we make are ours - own them." Smartly,  she turns to her friends, as well. She allows herself to lean on them and bring them with her, even in the       depths of grief. I applaud her ability to be vulnerable and courage to write about it.

 

I was truly impressed by the hard work she did to feel compassion for the killer.  Her father set the example. Shortly after hearing about his wife's murder, her father in his profound sadness asked, " Where are his parents, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles?" His compassion for this man was unforgettable.  She prayed, "Please G-d don't let me hate this man. Please G-d, may I forgive him." How wise.  She understood how easily hate can consume the heart and soul and slowly erode the spirit.  She knew she must forgive and not allow herself to hate.  She says, "Reconciliation isn't necessary, but there must be forgiveness for this human being." Forgiveness is like a healing light that is necessary to be able to cultivate joy - her power and strength. 

 

Though she was so profoundly sad, she needed to "tend to her garden" as well. She strove to make choices that came from positivity and light, rather from those so heavy emotions of anger, bitterness and vengeance.  To this end she did things that filled her heart with new and healing emotions, such as writing letters to the killer then burning them. She made a mantra which she repeated and repeated - "I let you go- I release you with love- I release you in peace. It is about us, not him. Don't let this poor soul impose overbearing darkness in my life."  In so doing, she allowed herself to let go and again embrace this G-d given life. 

 

Do check out this powerfully personal, smart and inspirational story.  She inspires us to love ourselves enough to fight for a life that is worthy, no matter our obstacles. Each day is too precious.  Nicole Avant's book has so many valuable lessons for us. 

 

Thank you to Visionary Women for shining your bright light upon this very remarkable woman.  

Baby Art Mart

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Granny Pepper!

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Pepper's Family when they were young

Dear friends,

 

It is with tremendous JOY that I introduce you to my long friend who is also exceedingly loving, creative, and talented. Feeling a lot empty once her BIG and very BOISTEROUS family had grown up and her parents passed on, Pepper, actually named Pepper Salter, was indeed in need of some big time cheering up! What did she do? She launched Baby Art Mart! http://www.babyartmart.com. She thought just maybe her vast collection of vintage cookie jars could bring cheer to you, too! Spoiler alert! Be careful! Like Pepper, you, too, could become insatiable collector! 

 

 

From Pepper:

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"One day I realized that cookie jars could make kids happy, too! But rather than a heavy breakable ceramic jar that could be hurled at a hopeless younger sibling, what about a portrait of a cookie jar on a brightly colored canvas, hung high on a wall! Thus was born Baby Art Mart!"

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Some of my favorites:

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Brick Pig

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Cal Bear
We love this one - Go Bears! The UC Berkeley Mascot!

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Ella Eskimo Girl

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Lili Bosse

Interview with Beverly Hills Vice Mayor, Lili Bosse

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As these times demand, we strive to better understand, be more tolerant, more patient. Do have a look see at “my takeaways” from a recent interview of a wise and brave lady who works diligently to lead in exactly this way. She is Beverly Hills Vice Mayor Lili Bosse. She has much to share.

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Nana's Nuggets of Wisdom

Marjorie Cohen

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A new and ongoing column starring the inimitable Marjorie Cohen, a lady with an insatiable appetite for life, quick wit, brilliance, and a lifetime of experience. Secure your "seat-belts", away we go!

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Click here for all of Nana's Nuggets!

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Marjorie Cohen
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Grief and Discomfort

David Kessler

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Perhaps, like me, you find yourself discussing, much too much, all matter of things relating to the Coronavirus. As David Kessler explains, a world renowned expert on grief, founder of www.grief.com with 5 million visits annually from 167 countries, many of us are experiencing some sort of Grief… as we grapple with conflicting feelings arising from a loss of normalcy and of connection, economic and health uncertainty, fear of safety…  And quite unusually, this emotional roller coaster is happening Collectively. We are not accustomed to this kind of collective grief that has gripped our society.   

Here is an excellent, very clear, concise and easily digestible article that provides some clarity and understanding. https://hbr.org/2020/03/that-discomfort-youre-feeling-is-grief.

I Will Always Write Back

Caitlin Alifrenka & Martin Ganda

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"I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives" - the NYT best selling true story that is sure to capture the interest and heart of any teenagers in your life. It's the unforgettable and very personal story of two teens revealed through an enduring pen pal relationship. One is an All American girl and the other, a young boy from Zimbabwe. We couldn't resist sharing this with you!

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The Science of Happiness
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The Science of Happiness

Tia Graham

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Happiness... Aren't we all striving for more? Happiness lifts our spirit and those around us. So what is so elusive about Happiness? 

 

Tia Graham has founded her LA based company Arrive at Happy to delve into the science of happiness. Recently I heard her speak. The audience was in rapt attention as she explored latest findings in her scholarly research into Happiness

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Salt in My Soul

Salt in My Soul

Mallory Smith

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Salt in My Soul: An Unfinished Life, by Mallory Smith, is her so very inspiring story, edited from her 2500 page journal she kept religiously from the age of 15 to her passing. Just before she was to receive a double lung transplant, she finally gave her mother the password to her computer, and said, “Mom, I know you’ll know what to do with this, just include nothing that could be hurtful.”

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Mallory Smith

Young at Heart

Young At Heart

General MacArthur

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Youth is not entirely a time of life, it is a state of mind. It is not wholly a matter of ripe cheeks, red lips or supple knees. It is a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions, a freshness of the deep springs of life. It means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of an appetite for adventure over love of ease.

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Teddy, Mayor Bosse's poodle - inspiration for relaxation

Meet Teddy, a completely adored and loved pet!

That's What My Mother Said
Marjorie-Carol's mother

Marjorie

Margery-Patti's mother

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Mary - Maria's mother

That's What My Mother Said

Sissy

When I was growing up who was a girl's #1 teacher? Her Jewish mother, of course. One of my favorite lessons was a dance, mother called the "one step" which through the years has guided me over many a bumpy floor. I've come "round" to calling it the Gospel of the one-step, because what my mother said was "gospel." I'd love to teach you how to do it...

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Mary

Mother and Baby

A Gift From Mom...

A Mother's Birthday Wish

Robin Keefe

A Gift From Mom...

* Thank you Robin Keefe... for sharing your loving letter to your grown children. It so beautifully resonates with the heart of Pazazz.

I would like each of you to seriously explore volunteering for a nonprofit organization with the goal of serving on their board of directors. Consider it the ultimate gift to me and from me to you.

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Bright Stars: Health & Wellness

Feeling Stressed, Rundown? Try Peppermint !!

Tammy Park-Coburn

Fresh Mint

If you love peppermint, you're not alone.

Peppermint is one of the most popular essential oils & teas for a good reason. It has so many benefits!

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Try a Little Peppermint
Eat, Live, Be

Eat Well.. Live Well.. Be Well 

Pamela Salzman

This is the simple philosophy of Pamela Salzman, nutritionist (www.pamelasalzman.com). Below is a summary of some highlights from a recent, healthily informative presentation. Here’s to HEALTH! Perhaps you’ve heard many of these points before, but if you’re anything like us, review is always in order.

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Breathe... Just Breathe
Girl Relaxing

Breathe... Just Breathe

Amy Kahan

Post-partum Doula

Lactation Consultant 

Urban Zen Integrated Therapist

Any idea how many breaths you’ve taken today? If you’re an adult, chances are you’re taking about 23,040 breaths per day. Noticed any? If you’re like most of us… probably not. But it’s there, always has been, creating the steady backbeat of your life. It’s also there allowing you to feel more rejuvenated, relaxed and in control…if you know how to let it.

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Windows to the World

Windows to the World

Carrie B. Zaslow, M.D.

Ophthamologist

Long Lashes

Our eyes are the windows to the world. They help us to see and interpret our surroundings. They allow us to experience joy when we see a beautiful sunset or see the smile on our friend's face when we tell them a joke. They help us to express things like happiness and sadness when we cry. 

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TM

The Saving Grace of

Transcendental Meditation for Moms

Janet Hoffman

Transcendental Meditation for Women

jhoffman@tm-women.org

Meditation Class

Moms need to take care of themselves, probably more than anyone else does. The stakes of our performance are higher than anyone else's. We may try to forego our own needs in order to focus fully on taking care of children, work and home. But children are sensitive to a mother’s stress and reportedly have higher stress themselves when the mother is overworked, exhausted, anxious or depressed. With so little time to spare for self-help, moms need something that is quick, simple and effective.

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The Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique is easy to learn and effortless to do. It requires about 20 minutes twice daily (while the little ones are napping). The TM technique is not a philosophy or religious practice and it doesn’t require clearing our mind of thoughts or having to concentrate or focus.

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Bright Stars: Nurturing Loved Ones

Jam with Jamie

Jam with Jamie

Jamie Kolnick

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Help! My son’s birthday is fast approaching and I want it to be very fun, but whatever do I do?!

 

Do as Dylan’s Candy, Facebook, Soho House, A-E Networks, American Express and so many others have done, go straight to Jam with Jamie!

 

Jam with Jamie is a nationwide children’s music entertainment and education company specializing in customized birthday parties, events, classes and playgroups for children ages 0-10. Currently serving the NYC Tri-State area, LA, Chicago, Nashville, Miami and Dallas.

 

From Music to Face painting and Balloonists, Photographers and cake specialists - they are truly a one-stop shop for all of your young group needs. Have fun because life’s a jam!

 

Jamie, the founder of this company, offers the most playful and engaging interactive music experiences for children that I have ever seen (and trust us, we’ve seen a lot of classes!) We were instantly captivated by her playful spirit, warmth and enthusiasm. www.roseandrex.com - Rose and Rex is a toy boutique offering curated content and a selection of elegantly designed toys that promote imaginative play.

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To learn more, visit: https://jamwithjamie.com.

Mention PAZAZZ when booking -15% off!

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The Problem with Praise

The Problem with Praise

Edith A. Buie, M.A., M.F.T.

In the Classroom

Any good parent wants to make his/her child feel good about himself, right? We all know the enormous impact strong self-esteem has upon a child. Parents spend a lot of effort trying to build self-esteem in their children, knowing that a belief in yourself and confidence in your own value is so fundamental to achievement, success, and happiness. So when 5 year old Bobby runs up to show you his artistic masterpiece, you are apt to exclaim with PRAISE and tell him “How beautiful! I love it! You might let him know how those squiggles and scribbles are signs of an emerging Picasso or Rembrandt. That might be the case, but let’s face it, you are stretching things a bit in the effort to make Bobby feel good.

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Growing Ethical Little Ones

Growing Ethical Little Ones

Parts 1, 2 and 3 (coming)

Greg Richards, Ph. D.

Director, Middle Grades Ethics Project

Shy Girls Smiling for the Camera

Part 1: We all desire to raise our kids to be truthful, fair, and honest. Greg Richards's long research provides eight specific insights for you to ponder.

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Part 2: Reflections on Mary Pipher’s The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding Our Families (Riverhead Books)

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Tots 2 Seniors

Tots 2 Seniors

Elisa Schoenfeld

Grandma's Healing Touch

Tots 2 Seniors is a Mommy and Me class unlike any other in Los Angeles, because it brings together two special populations, seniors and children. The joy and smiles children bring to seniors and vice a versa is priceless.

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Short Books for Busy People

Short Books For Busy People

Danny Brassell, Ph.D.

Colorful Book Spines

Do you have someone who needs a little encouragement to read? Maybe they have a reading disability and find reading to be a chore? Check out The Lazy Readers Book Club, which boasts over 10,000 subscribers!

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About Danny...

Affectionately known as “Jim Carrey with a Ph.D.,” Dr. Danny Brassell (www.DannyBrassell.com) has held a variety of titles and worked with leaders from a variety of fields and disciplines, but he has always considered himself first and foremost a teacher. He is a best-selling author of 15 books, including Read, Lead & Succeed. Google consistently ranks Danny's online reading club, www.lazyreaders.com, as one of the top sites for cool, short book recommendations. 

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Lazyreaders.com

An Attitude of Gratitude

An Attitude of Gratitude... 
I am grateful for...

Jennifer Breheny Wallace

Give Thanks

“A sense of entitlement seems too prevalent among young people today, but cultivating an attitude of gratitude is so easy and an effective antidote. Gratitude can be taught at any age, simply by regularly counting our blessings.” It’s true!   If we were to open our hearts and minds and begin a daily practice of noticing all the little joys that abound and expressing them, we might be amazed at the reward. For example: I am grateful for my friends; my family; my health; the warmth of the sun or even for that fresh steaming cup of coffee. You get the idea!  

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We can debate the reasons for this misguided sense of entitlement which diminishes gratitude. Too often, parents are  organizing their lives around their kids, which invites the children to grow up expecting it is so with the world.

Researchers have found those who are grateful are happier. With just a little practice, this attitude of gratitude can become a mind-set, a way of seeing the world.

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The evidence is enormous how this easy practice affects mood and enjoyment of life and importantly, those around us. Let’s do it!

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For more... please refer to the Wall Street Journal.

Wallace, Jennifer Breheny. “How to Raise More Grateful Children.” The Wall Street Journal, 23 Feb. 2018.

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Chief Justice Roberts

'I Wish You Bad Luck,' He Said With Good Intentions

Bob Greene, NY Times

Graduation Caps

“I wish you bad luck," said the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice John Roberts. Wow! One might say to this statement which headed up Chief Justice Roberts commencement speech to his son’s 9th grade graduating class at the end of 2017.  

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By this, he didn’t mean any negativity, rather to express encouragement and optimism. He was saying, only by experiencing some adversity may we really understand reward. To better understand loyalty, experiencing some level of betrayal can be a teaching moment.  And so it goes with friendship, luck, sportsmanship, compassion and so on.

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This is a reminder to us parents, to use experiences of pain to better appreciate painlessness. To understand that it is our job to give guidance to our little ones, but not to overprotect. What seems like loving may be crippling.

 

To read more... Greene, Bob. "'I Wish You Bad Luck,' He Said With Good Intentions." The Wall Street Journal. New York. 21 December 2017.

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Conversations

Join Danielle as she reads books to her young daughter Elena and then relates those stories to those things that matter most; kindness, attitude, service to others, even holidays and more! We hope these conversations will inspire you to do the same.

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Responsible Money Habits

Inspiring Responsible Money Habits

by Jean Huang, Bernstein Private Wealth

jean.huang@bernstein.com

I am a financial advisor at Sanford Bernstein. As someone involved in the world of finance, it was critical to me that my husband and I teach our kids about the value of money, and the significance of delayed gratification and hard work. (Believe me, this is not easy to do when you raise your kids on the privileged Westside of Los Angeles!)

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Hans Tercek, Mei Tercek, Jean Huang, Charlie Tercek

RX to Parents

RX to Parents:

Encourage children to play more..

UCLA Vital Signs – Winter 2019  Vol. 81

Kids Playing Tug of War

Pediatricians can provide a simple prescription to parents to increase their child’s  social – emotional, cognitive, language and self- regulation skills.. interactive play!

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With so much emphasis on how important the early years are to child development, many parents assume that they need to start emphasizing academics really early on.   But in reality, it’s free or guided play that is potentially the most beneficial,” says UCLA pediatrician Carlos F. Lerner, MC.

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“For parents to enter their child’s world and directly interact with that child is more valuable than going through flash cards or investing in educational software or TV programs.” Play that entails active engagement can result in joyful discovery.  For much more, please see UCLA Vital Signs.

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Addiction to Media

Addiction to Media

 Marc Milstein, Ph.D

www.drmarcmilstein.com

This well-known and respected scientist endeavors to deliver the latest, cutting edge science breakthroughs that help us to live a happier, healthier life. He is a most sought after speaker, the world over, for his ability to explain in lay terms the latest information on brain science. His entertaining and engaging style captivates and motivates his audiences.

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