PATRICIA GRAS - Senior Producer and Host

A wake up call: Curable Breast Cancer

2009-07-10T10:18:00.003-05:00

I never thought I would ever be writing a columm about breast cancer. For some reason I have lived in denial about cancer all my life. It is perhaps because I know so many people I love who have survived it, died from it or suffered through it. My mother had it when she was 75, so did my father when he was 76. They are both well, but others in my family have not fared so well.

I was diagnosed recently and it came as a shock to me. Although I produce and host a show called Living Smart, I must admit I chose to live dumbly several years by not having a regular mammogram. I guess it is "smart" to admit that I make silly mistakes every now and then. I have always known I was not perfect or smart in many occasions but I had not had a mammogram for 5 years. That was surely not a "smart" decision in my part. I am not to panic. I am blessed and lucky as always. We found this cancer threat on time and my stage is curable. In fact I believe so many more breast cancers now are curable and I am so lucky to live in a time which treats this type of cancer so well. This of course is due to what I call "women´s sacred power" to scare the heck out of politicians in Washington and demand more research. Too many women still die of breast cancer and other diseases such as heart disease. Perhaps one of the reasons I never thougth I would get breast cancer is that heart disease is a much bigger killer of women so I just decided to concentrate on my heart...for instance not to get it broken! which more than once I have failed to do, or to remain a good body weight and excercise and deal with stress etc. Oh well. It took me a while to decide to write about this, but after a while I felt it would be irresponsible to do a show on Living Smart and not admit how dumb I was about my own breast cancer. I am not afraid at all. I believe I am responsible for my own health and if I do everything right, especially under the wonderful care of the best doctors in the world and complimenting this with alternative therapies, I will be just fine. HOWEVER, I do feel this is a wake up call to look into my soul and figure out what role I played in all of this. This is why I choose to share a bit about this disease. Cancer is no longer the death sentence it used to be, but no matter how you look at it. It is a wake up call. Was I stressed before this diagnosis? Was I dealing with my personal and professional issues effectively? Am I angry at anyone or anything? Do I still hold resentments? How is my spiritual life? Do I excercise on a regular level? What do I gain from being sick? Is this how I want to get attention? As you can see I have a lot of work to do, inner work, soul work and professional work. I accept prayers for I believe in the power of prayer. In the mean time, I am now going to continue to try to live SMARTER! I have to walk the talk right?

Health Care Reform and the Mortgage Crisis

2009-06-23T17:42:00.002-05:00

Lately we are being bombarded with news on health care reform and the mortgage crisis. HoustonPBS is now partnering with different local organizations to cover both these topics in future television shows. On August 4th at 7pm I will be hosting a show on the mortgage crisis and what you need to do if you are at risk of facing foreclosure. I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. I am also very excited about a town meeting we plan to do in a couple of months with the Center for Houston's future on health care reform.

I have lived in Europe and South America and had to use the medical system in several countries. The USA has the best medical system with a big "BUT" and that is... it is the best for those with insurance or those who can pay for it. For the rest of the 50 million people who are uninsured or those with low medical coverage insurance, health care can be a nightmare. In the US it is too expensive and with very little incentive to focus on prevention. There are also a lot of players in the game who benefit from the way the system works right now. In Houston, health care is one of the largest industries with a very important role in our local economy. Whatever reform happens at the national level will affect us tremendously, so if you have something to say about it. Please feel free to let me know on this blog.

On the show we plan to cover the different policy initiative and how they would affect us. I look forward to hearing from you.

A commencement Speech and the secret of success

2009-06-01T16:02:00.003-05:00

The other day I was asked to give the commencement speech to highschool graduates of the Raul Izaguirre Charter School here in Houston. I was honored to say the least. These children have achieved in their short lifetime more than most teens in America. They come from low socio economic backgrounds, yet they have excelled academically and all 38 of them are going to college! Most of them are the first to do so in their families which must sign a contract of commitment to excellence to get into the school.
I have given many speeches in my lifetime but when I talk to adolescents I am afraid they won't listen, so I start out with music to get their attention. I told them I didn't expect them to remember anything I said. I certainly don't remember who spoke in my graduation in 1979! but I did tell them I hope they remembered one thing. Thoughts and words have power and "What you believe and conceive you will achieve!" I don't claim to be the creator of that phrase or thought, but I do defend its veracity. Our thoughts are full of power and so are our words so we must watch what we say and do on daily basis.
There is one poem I did not have time to share with the students and their families because I promised I would only talk for 10 minutes (that may be long for anyone's atention span) so I didn't get to share the following poem by Lindsay Pankey. If you are a dentist you probably know who this man is. My brother is a dentist. He was voted one of the best in America last year by the way and I think it is because my brother is constantly studying and cares so much about his patients and Pankey's philosophy of life and how to provide the best treatment for them. He learned this from the dentist philosopher. I leave you with these thoughts and then with Ralph Walso Emerson whose description of what success is all about is right in line with what I believe. Enjoy!

PROMISE YOURSELF

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something great in them to look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are of your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large to worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Lindsay Pankey

RALPH WALDO EMERSON SAID SUCCESS IS THE FOLLOWING

To laugh often and much
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends
To appreciate beauty
To find the best in others
To leave the world a little better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition. To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

Houston's Economy, The good news!

2009-05-13T16:06:00.005-05:00

On May 7th I moderated and produced a special on Houston's Economy along with other producers and the Center for Houston's Future. My production assistant took notes and shares some highlights that you may want to read on Houston's problems and Solutions. The good news is that we are better off than everyone else. The lesser good news, it will take a bit longer to get back to normal. To watch the show go to www.houstonpbs.org/haveyoursay

Evening highlights Houston’s problems and solutions

By Elias Jabbe

HOUSTON- Houston PBS hosted a special program focused on Houston’s economy for the latest version of ‘Houston Have Your Say’ on May 7th, 2009. Hosted and moderated by Patricia Gras, the one-hour program aired live from Houston PBS’s studio and featured an audience that reflected the cultural and professional diversity of the city: representatives from sectors such as education, energy, real estate, and aviation all were present and contributed their opinions on Houston’s economic development.

The program involved the guests answering questions posed by Gras, yet the questions weren’t solely presented by the host. Houstonians blogged on PBS’s website and had the opportunity to call in and voice their concerns to the expert audience, and they took advantage of the opportunity by calling in several times. The audience also was able to listen to the opinion of the public while watching the short interviews with Houstonians discussing the local and global job market that were shown intermittently.

Though the sentiment concerning the job market for most people has been one of doom, the audience stated that the negativity was overstated in the media, and that the city of Houston actually is much better off than many cities in the United States.

The current economic recession has helped teach the world a lesson about being more efficient and less wasteful, according to some of the experts in the audience. “This recession reminds me of the one that took place between 1984 and 1990 in Houston as a result of ‘overbuilding’ by real estate companies,” said Giorgio Borlenghi, president of real estate company Interfin. Despite the hard times that many are experiencing now, Borlenghi has faith that the future will be bright. “Houston is a city of growth: millions of people are arriving here. Real estate is a great service to the community, and the sector needs to stop using methods like prospecting and instead needs to create demand first before building new property,” said Borlenghi.
Patrick Neal Jankowski, vice president of the research department of Opportunity Houston had a notably optimistic attitude regarding the future of Houston. “The Greater Houston Partnerships predicts that Houston will lose between 40,000 and 45,000 jobs in 2009. We have a lot to be thankful for: Phoenix has lost 137,000 jobs in one year, and it is two-thirds the size of Houston, “said Jankowski. Houston’s growth as a world-class city will be the key to its success. “Houston is a global city: 3,000 companies here do international business, and the future for Houston has to include more global trade. Houston is the best place to ride out the recession at. Oil and gas will continue to be important resources because so many key derivatives come from them,” said Jankowski.

Representing Houston’s education sector was Dr. Adolfo Santos, Chair of the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Houston. Dr. Santos noted that Houston has the potential to produce people who can make an impact worldwide. “Many young people in Houston of Mexican descent have the advantage of knowing both Spanish and English, which means that jobs in foreign Spanish-speaking countries in regions such as Latin America are there for the taking,” said Santos.

Do you want to be healthy, release weight, and become smarter? Listen up

2009-04-27T14:20:00.006-05:00

Recently, I attended a summit Food Addiction: The Obesity Epidemic Connection in IslandWood, Bainbridge Island, WA. For more info go to www.foodaddictionsummit.org

Scientists came from all over the country and parts of the world. They were from Yale, Princeton, UCLA, Rockeffeler, University of Florida, France etc. They were joined by therapists, writers, journalists, philanthropists who wanted to know more. Why? There is now a growing concern, refined foods and sugars may be addictive and playing a major role in our obesity epidemic.

Here are some stats on that. Let's start with children. One in five children in the US is overweight. In the last 30 years, childhood obesity has doubled and is increasing among younger children. The question asked in the summit. Are we exposing our children to substances, refined sugars and processed foods that cannot help but create a generation of young addicts? As for adults, you know the answer, 39 million Americans are obese, a lot more are overweight. Are we doing much about it? Let's start with the science. Here are some of the presenters and what they said. Please understand the presentations were complex and comprehensive this is a very simplistic summary. I suggest you check the website. www.foodaddictionsummit.org for more complete info.

Kelly Brownwell PhD from Yale. He is the director at Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.

In his popular book "Food Fight: this Inside Story of the Food Industry, America's Obesity Crisis and What We Can Do ABout It" he and co author Katherin Battle suggest public policy iniatives for reversing the obesity epidemic. He questions what if the focus is on food and what it does to the body and the brain, in a way we can posssilby project the public health impact. Information on food addiction Dr. Brownwell feels could help remove the stigma tied to obesity.

Dr. Gene Jack Wang MD is the Chairman of Brookhaven National Laboratory Medical Department. He uses medical imaging techniques to study brain disorders. He found morbidly obese subjects had reductions in DA D2 receptors (brain dopamine receptor levels) which are similar to that observed in drug addicted subjects. This means, these people just as those addicted to drugs are predisposed to search for strongly rewarding reinforcers except in this case it was food (insntead of a drug) to temporarily compensate for decreased sensitivity of their DA regulated reward circuits.

NOTE: In neuroscience, the reward system (studied to understand addiction) is a collection of brain structures which attemp to to control and regulate behavior, cognitive and reward mechanisms by introducing pleasure effects. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter studied in addiction because it has many functions in the brain including important roles in reward, cognition and behavior.

Ernest Noble PhD and MD is a Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavorial Sciences and Director of Alcohol Research Center Semel Institute for Neuroscince and Human Behavior at UCLA School of Medicine. "It is well established that food (particularly carbohydrates) like alcohol, when consumed, increases brain dopamine levels. He found with his colleagues the DRD 2 A1 allele (the minor form of the D2 dopamine receptor gene to be associated with) alcohol addiction is also associated with obesity.

Serge Ahmed PhD Scientist at the Univeristy of Bordeaux France. In his research he found intense sweetness can surpass coaciane reward, even in drug sensitized and addicted individuals. "Sociologists, economists and epidemiologists have accumulated strong evidence linking increased accessibility and consumption of refined sugar with obesity in vulnerable populations, such as, for instance, chidlren and adults from poor communities. His findings clearly demonstrate that intense sweetness can surpass cocaine reward.

Bert Hoebel PhD Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Princeton University

Sugar Addiction: Bingeing, Withdrawal and Craving. "Evidence from animal models suggests sugar can act on the brain in ways similar to drugs of abuse. Eating large amounts of sugar when hungry, also known as sugar-bingeing, can cause behavioral and neurochemical changes in the brain that resemble those produced when someone takes substances of abuse including morphine, cocaine and nicotine. "

Eric Stice phD Senior Research scientist at teh Oregon Research Institute

"His program of research has primarily focused on the elucidating genetic and environmental factors that increase the risk for onset of eating overeating disorders and obesity, as well as the development and evalution of prevention programs for these conditions. He states "It has been theorized that elevated reward from food intake or anticipated food intake increases risk for overeating. However it has also been theorized that individuals who experience weaker activation of dopamine based reward circuitry in response to food intake may overeat to compensate for this reward deficit.

Irene Yaroslavsky PhD of the Leibowitz Laboratory, Rockefeller University

Mechanisms of Food Cravings

Dr. Sarah Leibowitz PhD has led animal studies exploring metabolic and neural antecedents for the overconsumption of fat and alcohol. " A major reoccuring theme in our research is the existence of a positive feedback loop, whereby a meal rich in fat activates certain brain systems that further stimulate fat intake. More specifically we have shown that brain systems involved in a palatability and reward can both stinulate and be stimulated by the intake of preferred diets rich in fat."

Kay Sheppard, Ma LMHC, CEDS

is the pioneer in food addiction treatment. She wrote the first best selling book on the subject. "Food Addiction: The Body Knows: From the First Bite and Food Addiction: Healing Day by Day. A licensed mental health counselor she conducts workshops and food adicts worldwide. " I came to appreciate that the brain and body of a food addict reacts differently to addictive foods due to the inherited predisposition to the disease of addiction. Addictive foods stimulate and increase the transmission of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin. When the brain is flooded with these neurotransmiters, euphoria results leading to the compulsive pursuit of mood change by engaging repeatedly in episodes of binge eating despite adverse consequences."

There were other presenters who shared their research, programs and ideas.

Dr. Mark Gold MD Food as an Addiction College of Medicine Brain institute at University of Florida

Elissa Epel PhD Co Director of the UCSF Center for Obesity Assessment and Treatment

Cravings and Chronic Stres: Why the Candy Industry thrives when the economy declines

Jefrey Grim PhD Co Director of the Northwest Center for Research on Eating Behaviors.

Abstinence make sthe Heart Grow Fonder: Incubation of Sucrose Craving.

Yvonne Sanders Butler Ed PhD who as the principal of Browns Mil Elementary banned all fods high in refined sugars, high fat, and processed foods and drinks from the cafeteria. The results, immediate drop in absenteeism, improvements in attention, and general increase in energy levels and grades.

Connie Benett, Author of Sugar Shock

Joan Ifland PhD, MBA Founder and Chair of Refined Food Addiction (REFA) Research

Foundation.

Ellot Blass PhD University of Massachusetts. Evolutionary and Devleopmental bases of Eating Addictions.

To get all the presentations in full go to

www.foodaddictionsummit.org

What next?

This is an epidemic and what concerns me the most is our children. Find out what your children's schools are offering. Get involved, contact Dr. Yvonne Sanders Butler. Get documentation to back your claims. Kids need to start eating better and moving more. Our schools are feeding them sugars and processed foods and yet we expect them to be healthy and smart.

We have to start somewhere. Knowledge is power. Don't expect the government or food companies to make the changes. We the people are ultimately responsible for what we and our children eat. Get armed with adequate information.

Living Smart, the future and Susan Boyle

2009-04-19T18:46:00.004-05:00

This coming Sunday April 26 at 3pm, Futurist Peter Bishop who studies scenarios of what might happen based on a lot of research will share his views on jobs, the economy, alternative sources of energy and what careers to consider for the future. Knowledge is power and this show can smarly prepare us for what is to come.

At 2:30 pm on Sunday you can also watch Latina Voices, as we discuss wellness with a medical doctor and a naturopath and we learn how to market ourselves to the top so we can get the job of our dreams.

One of the reasons I wanted to produce a show like Living Smart 4 years ago, was to help our viewers find golden nuggets of information that could help them find more happiness, better health, fulfilling relationships and more importantly a way to reach their dreams. We would all be so much happier, healthier and relevant if we had a passion for what we did every day. I know however that many don't find what that is in a lifetime. This in turn causes a lot of problems for them and those around them. That is why when I saw Susan Boyle on You Tube today. I cried. I also cried when I heard Paul Potts sing. Both were featured in the British talent show. Both surprised audiences around the world with their incredible and quiet talent.

I will share their youtube links for you to watch. Both of these people to me represent millions of people in the world who never give up their dreams. They have an unknown or unrecognized talent so many laugh at them, smirk, make fun of them or are quietly envious of their hidden talent. Yet they never give up. They both began singing at a very young age, and maybe never had a great chance to be discovered. There are millions still out there who are undiscovered, but I do hope they like Susan and Paul, will never give up their passion, their dream, their hidden talent.

What I feel we can learn from them is their incredible humility and resilience. Society does not tend to think highly of people who are unemployed or make a low salary. But in reality, everyone is special, everyone has a story, a dream, a passion. Some may never discover it. Others have it but only they know it. I just hope that by watching these videos you begin to ask yourself the question. What is my dream? What is my talent? What is my passion? and then sit back and just listen to these two. I know they will move you to tears of joy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk Susan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DelJrP3P7tA Paul Potts

Let me know what you think!

Living Smart with Opera Star and the most important things in life

2009-04-13T14:51:00.003-05:00

This Sunday April 19th at 3pm, (repeats friday April 24th at 10pm) Ana Maria Martinez one of the greatest Lyric Sopranos of our times will enlighten us with her knowledge of the value of music in our children's lives. Ana Maria who has sung in the greatest opera houses of the world remains humble and down to earth. She is extremely personable, talented and one of the smartest people I have ever interviewed. The only child of a psychoanalyst and an opera singer, Martinez grew up listening to music and trying to figure out the world alone. Now married to an opera singer and the mother of a two year old child, she knows first hand the value of music in children's brain development. I look forward to sharing this interview with Living Smart viewers.

This week I had the priviledge of reading one of my friend's books. Gloria Alcozer Thomas has written, "Feeding my Children. " She is considered a "Tejana" a word that can be interpreted and defined as she says in various ways. "For example as an Indian term of endearment, or secondly, as one of the first references to the indigenous people of the lower southwestern United States. Later it would identify as a whole the people of Texas. Gloria has lived all over the world and is a magnificent storyteller.

“Do you see my skin? It is a colour that leaves me in between I am not black or white Nor am I a race that other’s can easily categorize.” This is from one of the many poems written by Gloria Alkozer Thomas in her book. Does this sound like an American story? It is, with all its contradictions, ironies, and the confusion, pain and joy of being an American. Alcozer is the daughter of migrant workers. The book’s title describes her mother
mission and goal, who despite a very difficult life confronting poverty and intractable racism, succeeded in feeding her children in every way. At a time when readers beg to hear an authentic voice, my friend reminds us in her gripping and entertaining narrative, that in her journey to find herself, we learn to ask ourselves where we come from and why it matters.

On Sunday April 26th at 2:30pm Latina Voices Smart talk interviews a western medical doctor and a naturopath on how to achieve overall wellness. We also talk to Abel Garcia about his book, “Market Yourself Back to the Top.

Today, a door I wanted opened closed. I often hear from friends, when one door closes, many windows open and I truly believe that. I would like to share with you the latest e mail I got from a friend about "The Most Important Things in Life." I am translating

Falling in Love
Laughing so hard your face hurts
A hot bath
No lines in the supermarket
Getting mail
Lying down in bed while watching the rain
Finding your favorite outfit at half price
Chocolate ice cream
When someone tells you that you are beautiful
A long conversation with a friend
Waking up and still having time to sleep another 20 minutes
Finding a twenty dollar bill in your pocket
Your first kiss
Your first puppy
Great Dreams
Your first swing
Watching a great film with someone you love
Watching someone's face when they open a present they like
Winning a competition
Making chocolate chip cookies
Holding your lover's hand
Getting tickled
A surprise
Walking on the Beach
Watching the sunset

Please add yours. I am sure this made you think about it. Have a great blessed week!

Living Smart and Hispanics and Education

2009-04-06T16:54:00.002-05:00

This Sunday April 12th at 3pm we launch season 5 of Living Smart with Jeff Yeager, the Ultimate Cheapskate on living more with less. We aired our first Living Smart show on October of 2005 and we have come a long way since then. We are now on 113 PBS channels across the nation and the show serves a need for information that can empower the audience in different areas of life.
As we learn to live more with less, enjoying life more without depending on a big salary, and becoming resilient in difficult times, I can't help but become concerned with the latest information I have read about Latinos and higher education. Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group and the least likely to enroll in college. Why does this concern me particularly in Houston? Half of our population is Latino and if we are not educating our Latino youth properly or well enough to get them into college, we can't expect a robust economic development, the kind we need to keep our economy strong, diverse and our middle class strong and thriving.
We know Latinos from low income families are the least likely to enroll in college, so now that we know this. What can we do about it?
There are a lot of programs to help Hispanics make it into college but they are not widespread or systemic. They remain piecemeal and thus ineffective to read the volume of students we need to reach.
The Houston Chronicle reported just 42.5 percent of Hispanics graduated from highschool in 2007 enrolled in college or technical training. This is just not good enough. In fact, it is dismal.

Today 20 percent of students at the University of Houston (the largest university in town) are Hispanic. This is an improvement but Latino students are facing the biggest hurdle ever, money and the way the economy is going, that is not meant to get any better.

We always like to focus on solutions to the problem, but until we realize as a city and a state we need a better way, there is no end in sight.

We will most likely discuss this topic on our next town forum. In the mean time, make suggestions. I like a quote that might help us with this. "There is no stopping an idea whose time has come."
I hope that idea is how do we as a city, and a state with a very large Latino population, educate our youth for the future. This is not about blame. I am not asking why I am asking how do we do it.

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Economic town forum, Vaccines for addiction and priorities

2009-03-31T15:50:00.003-06:00

On May 7th at 7pm, HoustonPBS will present the third town forum. The topic this time is on Houston's regional (13 counties) economy. We plan to discuss the state of the economy, where the jobs are and where we are going. We will also provide a resource list on our website on job opportunities, training and placement organizations. You will have an opportunity to call in, chat and blog as well. I will start twittering soon! There is no doubt most viewers are interested in jobs. Those who have lost it, how to get a new one, those who have kept it, how to keep it and those who want something better during these hard times, where will the jobs be and what will happen in the future. We hope to find some answers to those questions.

This Sunday at 3pm Living Smart presents one of the most respected addiction researchers in the world, Dr. Tom Kosten who will address the new vaccines he has created to combat addiction. He offers hope and very useful information.

As we deal with the anxiety caused by this unprecedented economic downturn. I would like to share something I got from a friend.

"Life is short, work as if it was your first day, forgive easily and rapidly, kiss very slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrolably, and never seize to smile even at the strangest things. Life can't be the feast we expected, but while we are here, we should smile and be grateful. "

IT'S THE ECONOMY STUPID!

2009-03-23T14:11:00.002-06:00

On Sunday March 29th at 3pm on Ch. 8 , Permaculturist Diana Petrochelli teaches us some lessons on how to take care of the planet and in the process save ourselves some money. I can't help but want to talk about the economy with everyone I run into. Whether we like to think about it or not, it does affect our lives and our next town forum on May 7th on Ch. 8 at 7pm we'll discuss the Houston regional economy.
I am sure just as you have, heard the reasons: greed, subprime mortgages, derivatives, Madoff ponzi schemes, back to greed, lack of regulation, lack of oversight, stupidity, too much of a good thing, easy money, hedge funds, debt, back to greed, dangerous financial innovations, lack of savings, hubris, innocence, back to consumer debt. The list goes on and on.
What really bothers me now is that it appears no one was talking about this in the past 10 years. Where were the pundits, financial gurus, journalists, TV talk stars, etc. What was I doing? Sure I did a lot of shows on financial education but was clueless about the intricate economic signs of what was coming. I studied Economics in college and later got an MBA and know this much. The economy is cyclical but this downturn appears to be tied an tremendous financial system excess.
Also does speculation ring a bell? Delusion? again, Greed?
Now everyone is questioning what we do about it. My fear is that no one really knows if the government plan will work. If the solution was easy, then someone else would have come up with it. It is so much easier to criticize than to actually do something. The administration is trying something very risky but can they just let nature run its course? During the depression the government allowed 2 out of 5 banks to fail. We are not doing that now but does it mean we don't hold them accountable?
What we can not do is panic and unfortunately we are getting closer and closer to that. The media is not helping, neither are politicians who repeat the word crisis every chance they get.
The Federal Reserve promises to do everything they can to support the functioning of the financial markets and stimulating the economy but what can we do? We the people? What are we supposed to do? Here is my ten point plan to ride the wave of recession.
1. No recession lasts forever, so don't panic.
2. Look at the crisis as an opportunity, not a punishment for bad behavior.
3. Make a list of what you really need. (Really NEED) and for now only buy that.
4. Even if we are supposed to consume to get the economy back in shape, start saving now!
5. If you can plant your own garden, do it or find a community garden close to you.
6. Bring your lunch to work.
7. If you are out of work and can't pay the bill move in with family or friends for a few months.
8. Realize how lucky you are to live in the United States of America. This is still the land of opportunity. Don't ever lose hope or the vision that things will get better. That's American!
9. Love those around you more. You'll need them now more than ever and now you have time.
10. Don't take it personal. Losing a job is not about you. Quit being hard on yourself. You got a job before, you will do it again.

THE VALUE OF YOUR FEMALE FRIENDS

2009-03-15T17:52:00.002-06:00

As women, our bonds with other women tend to be different than friendships between men. Chris Hedges, a war correspondent for 30 years wrote "War is a Force that gives us meaning." (You can find the interview I did with him on video google) He said men don't fight for their countries. They fight for each other, for their brothers in combat, for other soldiers they have bonded with. As women our bonds tend to be stronger than men's. We don't need to go through something as traumatic as a war to bond. A few weeks ago, I received an email from a friend in Argentina so I will translate it as best as I can. It describes why women are so important in our lives.

This says it all.

Time passes,

Life goes on,

Distances separate people.

Children grow up.

Jobs come and go

Passion diminishes

Men don't always do what they were supposed to do.

Hearts break

Parents die.

Coworkers forget favors they have received

Professional careers come to an end

BUT

Your sisters are always there, It does not matter how much time and how many miles are between you.

A girlfriend is never too far to be with you when you need her.

When you have to walk the valley alone, the women in your life will be there surrounding you, cheering you on, praying for you, pushing you, intervening for you, opening their hearts and waiting for you with open arms at the end of the journey.

Sometimes, they will even break rules and will walk by you and will ease your burden.

Friends, daughters, grandmothers, sisters in law, sisters, moms, grandaughters, cousins, nieces and all your family are a blessing in this life.

The world would not be the same without women and I would not be who I am without them. When we began this adventure of being women, we didn't have any idea the incredible satisfaction and the painful challenges that await us. We don't know either how much we will need each other, but we will.

Pass this on to all the women who give meaning to your life.

First I would like to take this opportunity to thank my friend in Argentina who sent me this. She is going through cancer treatment so keep her in your prayers. She and I grew up together in Argentina and reconnected this year after 20 years through FACEBOOK! She lives in the mountains so we were out of touch. Gracias MARITE

I also want to thank all the women who supported me in the past week. Your friendship, your unconditional love and wise counsel got me through one heck of a week. Thank you sisters in arms. I hope I can be there for you always as you have been for me.

Remember Season 5 of Living Smart begins April 12 at 3pm on HoustonPBS and will repeat the following friday at 10pm. On March 22n at 2:30pm Latina Voices airs its second show.

Change Magazine, Living Smart and Latina Voices

2009-03-06T15:02:00.002-06:00

Change Magazine recently did a very nice article on Living Smart, Latina Voices and my life. Here is the link if you can't pick it up in your area, http://www.changemagazine.net/
The experience for me was like no other. I have never been interviewed at length and the reporter Sue Mayfield-Geiger, Publisher, Carla Medlenka and photographer Lisette Templin could not have been kinder, gentler and funnier. It was such a nice unforgettable experience. I consider it a gift to be among the ultimate joyful professionals they proved themselves to be. My wardrobe consultant and dear friend Sam Gershen made sure I looked good and despite freezing weather outside during the photo shoot. We had a blast. Thank you all.

Living Smart will launch in April 12th at 3pm (it will repeat on friday nights at 10pm) and Latina Voices comes back on March 22nd at 2:30pm. It will air every third Sunday of the month. (You can also find it in HTV Ch. 16 comcast on Sundays and Wednesdays at 8 am and 8pm .

I am truly excited about both these shows and simply want to share, I find them relevant to what we are living right now. Last week two close friends lost their high paying jobs. It feels awful to watch dear friends go through this. However, nothing puts us on a different life track than looking for work and feeling rejected. There is no doubt we learn humility when we go through this. We realize we are not indispensable and we have to dig deep to find what we have within ourselves to get back up and start looking for the next opportunity. I know how difficult this can be. As much as I try to live smartly, I fail many times because I am human and I learned we must allow ourselves these failures and be kind to ourselves, especially when we are down. Humility is a virtue we all need in times like these, then we must have courage to go on.

Keshavar Nair said "With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity."

To heal the world, heal thyself

2009-03-03T11:55:00.002-06:00

As some of my friends were discussing politics and how Rush Limbaugh and Anne Colter said this and Al Franken said that and why are the Republicans so angry etc. One of those friends sent me this quote by Thomas Merton.

"So instead of loving what you think is peace, love other people and love God above all. And instead of hating the people you think are warmakers, hate the appetites and the disorder in your own soul, which are the causes of war. If you love peace, then hate injustice, hate tyranny, hate greed - but hate these things in yourself, not in another."

- Thomas Merton, from "New Seeds of Contemplation"

Wow, I thought, how liberating it is to focus on what we hold within ourselves, our own prejudices, hatreds, confusion, anxiety etc. I actually have many mirrors around me (people who don't like me or accept me the way I am) They shine a light on my (shadow) Jungian concept of what we hate in ourselves. In time, I realize there is a lot within I have to work through. That is why I always pray for inner peace, harmony and balance. If I keep focusing on what I don't want in my life, then unfortunately I will probably attract it, so we must focus on the positive aspects of everything and quite blaming others for our own misfortunes. This is the only way we can get ahead. Blaming others tends to put a rope around our throat as we try to move forward. Yes, people hurt us, fire us, abuse us, lie to us, steal from us etc. but there are those who love us, accept us, put up with us and hold our hand when we need them. What am I going to focus on?

Kassim

"Living Smart" in times of crisis

2009-02-27T10:01:00.002-06:00

The fifth season of Living Smart will explore integrity, ethics, civility, parenting, music and science literacy and one of the most relevant topics as far as I am concerned will be covered by Dr. Bruce Perry M.D/PhD who is one of the top childhood trauma and development specialists in the country. Why do I say that?
Let's face it listening to the news has become more and more difficult. Thousands of Americans are losing their jobs, anxiety is at an all time high and many in the political spectrum only criticize but come up with few if any solutions to the financial crisis. Whether we agree with what the new administration is doing to solve the problem or not, we hope (if we are sane, there are those who want it to fail) and pray that it works. Putting labels on what is going on does not help. Is this too much government? Too much pork? Too many pet projects? I am going to be asking instead every month, does it work? Who is doing the right thing? What is working and what is not? I don't care if the projects are called "socialist or market driven" Do they work?
We have to get back to holding our officials and OURSELVES accountable, living in integrity, Making smart decisions based on facts not emotions.
Dr. Perry talks about keeping ourselves sane through relationships and how important these are in the lives of children and ourselves. The fact is Americans are becoming increasingly lonely and isolated. We are more reconnected than ever through technology but lonelier than we have ever been. A recent study by Duke University researchers found the number of people whom the average American discussed important matters dropped from three to two in the past few years. The number of one person households has also been increasing steadily since 1940, when only 7 percent of households had one resident. Today more Americans are living alone than ever in our history.
I was born in Houston but grew up in Latin America where extended families and friends are always around. I know that Health and Happiness is closely tied to social connections.
In sum, It is fine to be self reliant, at times individualistic and self motivated and driven, but we must be aware of social disconnection. We are social animals, we need each other and in hard times like these, believe it or not it might be easier and more essential than ever reconnect. Try it, you might stop thinking about the economy and that in itself makes it all worthwhile!

Books I am reading in times of "Crisis"

2009-02-16T16:43:00.002-06:00

As you know I have to read for my work and my soul every day. I interview people all the time and try to read books cover to cover before I talk to them. One of my upcoming interviews on Latina Voices is Abel Garcia who wrote "Market Yourself back to the top!"
Basically Garcia, who has a lot of experience as a headhunter says we have to look at ourselves as a product or service so we have to come up with a dynamic personalized marketing program. (I guess this is better than being an object!) All I can say about this book is that it has useful information. I don't know if it works and frankly I don't want to find out, but seriously, any information that can help us stand out, I welcome.
Another book I have been reading to keep with international relations and the US role in the world is The Post American World. The author, CNN correspondent Fareed Zakaria originally from India, ends the book with a quote I am paraphrasing and I feel says a lot about the greatness of America. "For America to thrive in this new and challenging era....it should be the place that is inviting, and exciting to the young student who enters the country today as it was for me."
(This of course applies if we don't make it harder than it already is for legal immigrants to come to America, which is not the case in the latest stimulus package. )
America, I agree with Zakaria is the most universal nation in the world. (I have lived in 7 different countries and visited 50 and from my own personal experience this is a fact)
We are a nation of immigrants where people can mix, work together and share common dreams. We have values that the rest of the world envies but we have to get back to those values and affirm our own ideals. "America can't freelance when it suits its purposes" says Zacharia, because then all the other emerging powers such as China, India, Brasil can also bend the rules and thus destabilize the whole world. I found the book pragmatic in its assessment of US power. Do we want to be the only superpower or an honest broker where "we share power, create coalitions, build legitimacy and define the global agenda." I venture to say, I prefer the latter.

For Living Smart I recently read the Muhammad Yunus book on Creating a World Without Poverty. Social Business and the Future of Capitalism. I was preparing for my interview with Elizabeth Vallette an Iraq war veteran and a microfinance advocate who wants to see America use its soft power as well as its hard power to influence the world. What I enjoyed most about this book is how comprehensive anti poverty programs have to be besides the microlending aspect of them to truly lift the poor out of poverty. Yunnus was the first to realize we can lend to the poor but we also have to create a social network for them to survive and thrive. Does the term we are all interconnected ring a bell?

I also read the Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: and other stories from a child psychiatrist's notebook. This book was written by Living Smart guest Dr. Bruce Perry M.D. Phd and Maia Szalavitz. The book is very well written but this is not an easy read because of the subject matter. I am still astounded at how cruel people can be with children. Dr. Perry who is the government consultant for childhood trauma in incidents such as 9/11, Branch Davidians, Columbine shootings, Katrina etc. shares the most horrific stories about traumatized children, but in the end, we learn what it takes to heal these children. Believe it or not, a permanent, loving, fully present adult can make a big difference. No therapy in the world can take the place of that. On our show Dr. Perry explains the importance of adult relationships for children. The book also introduces us to Mama P. a foster mother whose only weapon is consistent, permanent, repetitive, nurturing love.

Finally a book that is not difficult to read but is extremely uplifting by Paul Ferrini "Grace Unfolding" The art of living a Surrendered Life. It speaks for itself. Ferrini says "as we surrender to the truth of our being, we learn to relinquish the need to control our lives, figure things out, or predict the future. We let go of our judgements and interpretations and accept life the way it is."
My favorite quote in that book is "If we are going to be successful in our lives, we need to cultivate our ability to be present and alert." Basically what I get out of this little book is that we have to live the moment, the now, the present, period. Why is it so hard to do? Because we want control of our lives, well as you know, there is no such thing.

Albert Einstein and the Chinese on the meaning of "Crisis"

2009-02-10T15:02:00.003-06:00

None of us want to hear we are responsible for what is happening to the economy, our jobs, our homes, income, security, relationships etc. It is much easier to blame it on someone else, the government, the republicans, the democrats, the greedy executives, the ex husband or wife, the liars, etc. After all is said and done, we are still responsible for ourselves because no one can really save us from the vicissitudes of life. We can however control our response to what is happening around us and that's why I found what Albert Einstein, one of the greatest minds of all times said, very interesting.

"Let's not pretend that things will change if we keep doing the same things. A crisis can be a real blessing to any person, to any nation. For all crises bring progress.Creativity is born from anguish, just like the day is born form the dark night. It's in crisis that inventive is born, as well as discoveries, and big strategies. Who overcomes crisis, overcomes himself, without getting overcome. Who blames his failure to a crisis neglects his own talent, and is more respectful to problems than to solutions. Incompetence is the true crisis.The greatest inconvenience of people and nations is the laziness with which they attempt to find the solutions to their problems. There's no challenge without a crisis. Without challenges, life becomes a routine, a slow agony. There’s no merit without crisis. It's in the crisis where we can show the very best in us. Without a crisis, any wind becomes a tender touch. To speak about a crisis is to promote it. Not to speak about it is to exalt conformism. Let us work hard instead.Let us stop, once and for all, the menacing crisis that represents the tragedy of not being willing to overcome it."

So basically what we need to find is the blessings in disguise, the blessings in the crisis. We are supposed to learn from them. Ask ourselves where is the lesson. Here is what the Chinese say about crisis.

Not everyone agrees this is what the Chinese really meant but the word "crisis" in some Chinese circles means "danger" and "opportunity."

Let's face it, what we are facing seems dangerous but in my circles we say when one door closes, another one opens. Let me share an example. When I lost my job years ago, this is the opportunity that opened up for me.

1. I got time to network and meet new people.
2. I had time to work out and get back in shape.
3. I learned to be frugal with my money because I was running out of it.
4. I got creative on how to socialize: Pic nic's and cooking my own food instead of going out to eat.
5. I had more time to spend with friends and family.
6. I realized this can happen to anyone and became more understanding and compassionate.
7. I had to move in with my parents and had more quality time with them than I ever had. I was
older and more mature, therefore more open to them.

Last but not least. I always say the Cubans are some of the most creative people on the planet. Why is that? Under the Communist system, Cubans have lacked basic things. They have thus learned to fix things with what they have, to think out of the box, to plant their own gardens etc. They have had to be tremendously creative to survive. They have lived in crisis for a long time, and I think when they finally open up their system, they will quickly thrive. Again, I ask the question what can we learn from all of this? How do we Live Smart? How will this crisis enhance our creativity and innovation?

Living Smart and Latina Voices: Smart Talk

2009-01-31T17:14:00.002-06:00

Two of the series I will be working on in the next year have the word "Smart" in the titles. I figured if I say it enough times, maybe it will rub off on me! Seriously, how many times do we make smart decisions in life? Do we take enough time or give it a thought? Am I smarter now after 5 seasons of Living Smart? I hope so. I sure have learned a great deal from my extraordinary guests.

On February 22nd we launch Latina Voices: Smart Talk at 2:30pm on HoustonPBS. The show is airing now at the Houston TV (HTV) the city of Houston Channel (Ch. 16 Comcast) on Sundays and Wednesdays at 8 am and 8pm. The show is unprecedented. It was created by Minerva Perez, a former Ch. 13 anchor. I jumped on board when I heard I could actually interview guests with two other women. I felt that would make it much more interesting, since the three of us have very different personalities and really enjoy each other's approach to interviews.

The other co host is Texas super lawyer Sofia Adrogue. As far as we know, there is no other show like it in the country. The "View" for instance has no Latina doing interviews. I guess that may have to do with the notion that Latinas only like to do shows together in Spanish stations and in the Spanish language. This is a wrong assumption of course because most of us who are first generation American, like to speak English as wel!!!! It has been a lot of fun. We have done some celebrity interviews with olympic athletes, college presidents, pioneers and agents of change. We are also trying to cover controversial issues from different points of view, such as gun control, immigration, and global warming.

We just finished shooting our fifth season of Living Smart. The show is now airing in 113 PBS channels including some interesting cities like Anchorage, San Francisco, Cincinatti, Indianapolis, Tampa etc. We are all over the map and I like that. I want as many people as possible to benefit from the information Living Smart guests can provide. The new season which will launch in April will cover some of the most important and relevant topics we have covered in any season.

I find the subject matter useful in light of what we are living. Many of us are feeling the anxiety created by the financial situation the world faces today. Many are losing jobs and unfortunately those who feel no hope are going as far as taking their own lives. I have heard of a number of suicides. I hope people realize this is only temporary and everything has a solution, except death. Here are the topics

Ethics (Why do we need to be ethical? You'd be surprised how making the right decisions can ground you to overcome almost any obstacle)

Integrity (When you have it, it is the only thing no one can take away from you. It's value is intrinsic and it sure can help you sleep at night)

Poverty alleviation. (Microcredit and how it is changing one life at a time, Check out KIVA.org)

The Future. (Do you want to know where the jobs will be? what industries are likely to survive? What you should study?)

Dealing with Prickly People. (No need to elaborate on this. We all suffer from this malaise)

Living Green. (Do you want to save money and take care of the planet at the same time? Find out how)

The Ultimate Cheapskate ( Learn to live more with less)

The value of a music education. (Incredible facts about brain development and academic success)

Science Literacy (Technology is bound to help us get out of the rut we are in, how do we get our kids interested in science)

Children's brain and emotional development (Do you want to raise happy kids? Learn what you need to do)

Parenting by redirecting children's behabior ( As parents we never know enough, get some new tips)

Civility (It is time we learn to listen and learn from each other with respect)

Conflict Resolution (Do you want to avoid conflicts even before you jump into a relationship? learn how to do it)

As we get closer to the date I will share more information about the guests. We have nationally and world reknowned guests this season, an international opera star, a former astronaut, an award winning ethicist and brain development specialist.

Be sure to watch when we launch. In the mean time don't forget you can catch past shows on our website www.houstonpbs.org/livingsmart
and learn more about Latina Voices on www.latinavoices.com

Obama Inaguration and the Gaza tragedy

2009-01-19T10:39:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow Obama becomes the 44th president of the United States. No one can deny, the world is watching, most importantly the world is hoping. Most people around the globe I believe have a love hate relationship with us. They admire us in some ways and despise us for other reasons we may not want to understand.

What does this historic inaguration witnessed by over 4 million visitors in DC and on television
mean to so many? Does the word hope sound familiar? Does the thought, maybe this man can unite us? Maybe this man, who appears calm, collected and happy can take us on a new journey?
Maybe he can motivate us to sacrifice for our country and each other?

I attended a poetry slam for the first time in my life (Yes I am ashamed to admit, it was my first time) at G's and Z's Coffee house on 4412 Almeda here in Houston. This primarily African American art space that introduces visitors to love, revolutionary and conscious poetry offered me with one of the most powerful, unforgettable, and soulful events of my life.

Many black poets, men and women got up to recite their soulful, profound, and sometimes painful work. The night was magical. We were from different cultures, races and religions in this small space where words became an instrument for understanding, consciousness, love and compassion. These men and women of the word reminded me of why America is great and why we have so much potential to be better, to choose better to survive and thrive in the mess we have gotten ourselves into. These poets were hopeful and understandably so.

Within living memory, black citizens in this country did not have the right to vote. Now we are inagurating the first black and white (don't forget, he is both black and white) President, a brilliant man, admit, no matter what your political persuasion. His inaguration will culminate the civil rights revolution. Unfortunately for him and his administration he will inherit the white house in one of the worst times of our history.

A friend of mine who travelled to Washington to witness history told me the other day. " If you believe in the power of prayer and I do, pray for him and our congress. Pray for every politician of every party for we need miracles.
Also pray that he is protected for many still will want to destroy him, and pray that the hope he represents for the US and the world really helps all of us in this global community come out ahead. "

As for the Gaza tragedy, in my lifetime I have watched extremists on both sides of this conflict get the upper hand. I watch as thousands of innocent people are dying and all I can say is, enough already. America needs to help make this peace agreement a reality not a simple rhetorical idea that sounds good. We need new leadership that takes this seriously and forces both sides to accept a two state solution.

A dear friend and an excellent journalist, Montserrat Dominguez of Spain does a national weekend radio show. She interviewed a famous Conductor who is both Argentinian and Israeli. If you can understand Spanish, go to this link and listen to what he has to say.

http://www.cadenaser.com/internacional/audios/entrevista-daniel-barenboim-vivir-dias/csrcsrpor/20090103csrcsrint_2/Aes/

In the mean time, enjoy this historical moment. I know I am very proud to be an American today more than yesterday!

40 Tips for a better a life

2009-01-19T10:24:00.003-06:00

I got this on the internet. I thought it was fabulous and I have added some of my own comments in blue

40 Tips For A Better Life - 2009

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
( Remember you don't have to excercise a lot..but at least please 10 minutes a day okay? and the smile part..that's the best!)

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
(Tough but necessary and while you are at it, breathe)

3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.' (Party, dance, laugh, sing, work hard, and make the world a better place!)

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2008.

7. Make time to practice meditation and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
(Essential for our well being and that of our youth and elderly)

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured IN plants. (If we did this we would save lots of money on health care!)

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds, & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk, and let new and flowing energy into your life. (At least every 6 months)

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, OR issues of the past, negative thoughts, or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a l ifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card. ( A must to stay thin!)

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the NEGATIVE BLUES away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

26. Forgive everyone for everything. (Wow, does this ring a bell, especially if you are a Christian but few of us really do it)

27. What other people think of you is none of your business. (Don't let other people define who you are or what you do)

28. REMEMBER, GOD heals everything. (No doubt)

29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful .

32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

33. The best is yet to come.

34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.

35. Do the right thing!

36. Call your family often. (Or e-mail them to death!)

37. Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statements:I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________. (It's tough to get depressed when you are grateful!)

38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life, so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

40. Share this with those you care about. I just did. May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more, May nothing but happiness come through your door

Goodbye to 2008 with a poem by Neruda

2009-01-01T15:20:00.003-06:00

I was in South America for the holidays. I visited friends and family in Argentina and then went to Chile for New Year´s Eve in Vina del Mar, a very well known beach resort in the Southern Hemisphere. Chile as you know is in the Pacific ocean, so it is very cold, even in the summer. I actually had to wear a sweater to walk around the beach because the summer breeze is cold and so is the water. Vina has one of the most spectacular fireworks for New Year´s Eve, but what I really loved about this town was the people. When I travel I tend to be very open to new experiences and situations. I went with family but I spent a lot of time alone just to write, read and think.

Chileans are a very laid back, friendly and family oriented sort of people. What you see the most in Vina is young lovers kissing, crying, holding hands, eating ice cream and wasting time.

People here are not agressive at all. I liked that. This past year I have been to a few countries where people were quite abnoxious and desperate. I am not judging, after all, we all need to make a living right? but as a tourist, I prefer people not talking to me, unless they have something nice to say, like Happy New Year and Do you like Chile or What would you like to eat?

I was quite impressed with Chile´s coast line. I have never seen the rock formations I saw there. I enjoyed sitting there watching the waves. I visited Pablo Neruda´s home on the beach and understood why he wrote such romantic poems. Here is my favorite. A great description of an affair gone south.

"The night is full of stars,and the stars, blue, shiver in the distance." The night wind whirls in the sky and sings. I can write the saddest poem of all tonight.I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too. On nights like this, I held her in my arms.I kissed her so many times under the infinite sky. She loved me, sometimes I loved her.How could I not have loved her large, still eyes? I can write the saddest poem of all tonight.To think I don't have her. To feel that I've lost her. To hear the immense night, more immense without her.And the poem falls to the soul as dew to grass. What does it matter that my love couldn't keep her.The night is full of stars and she is not with me. That's all. Far away, someone sings. Far away.My soul is lost without her. As if to bring her near, my eyes search for her.My heart searches for her and she is not with me. The same night that whitens the same trees.We, we who were, we are the same no longer. I no longer love her, true, but how much I loved her.My voice searched the wind to touch her ear. Someone else's. She will be someone else's. As she oncebelonged to my kisses.Her voice, her light body. Her infinite eyes. I no longer love her, true, but perhaps I love her.Love is so short and oblivion so long. Because on nights like this I held her in my arms,my soul is lost without her. Although this may be the last pain she causes me,and this may be the last poem I write for her.

So quite melancholic I said good bye to 2008. It was a year of the wake up call. I have been thinking we can´t keep living beyond our means forever. We have to cut back. Everyone has to do their own part and cease to worry. I plan to love more, spend less, more time in nature, less time worrying, more time enjoying work and life. I don´t know what will happen in 2009, but I know one thing, I am going to keep my chin up and do the best I can. I am not going to let the financial news overwhelm me. I am going to keep smiling and believing things are going to get better. I hope you will too. I can´t wait!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

2008-12-11T17:02:00.000-06:00

I would like to end the year by sharing this poem by Micahel Josephson entitled WHAT WILL MATTER.

Ready or not, some day it will come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally dissappear.
See too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won't matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you live on at the end.
It won't matter wheter you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gener and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will matter. How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you borught but what you built, not what you got but what you gave.
what will matter is not your success but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you are gone.
What will matter is not your memories but the memories of those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters does not happen by accident.
It is not a matter of circumstances but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters.
And when it comes to a life that matters, I can't think of a better tribute than for it to be said:

This man or woman was a person of integrity.

but it all comes down to the choices we make. As someone aptly observed "If you have integrity, nothing else matters; if you don't have integrity, nothing else matters!"

The question I leave you to ponder is: How much does it matter to each and every one of you?

BLESSINGS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Living Smart's new season and the British Virgin Islands

2008-12-02T09:41:00.002-06:00

What does Living Smart's new season have to do with the British Virgin Islands? Well, I had to take a vacation so I can prepare for a new challenging, fabulous, and interesting season. I am not much of a sailor but I have friends who are and I am very lucky every now and then they think of me and invite me to come along and wash the dishes and entertain (I can't cook or sail so I have to do something!) I had been to the British Virgin Islands once before and I must say they are my favorite in the Caribbean. First of all, there are not that many people there, only about 30,000 in all the islands. The British Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, along with over fifty other smaller islands and cays. Approximately fifteen of the islands are inhabited. I love deserted islands so we visited a few. Somehow I feel like I am soon to be cast on survivor or lost. (That didn't happen)
It is amazing to live in paradise, but the locals tell me they don't see it that way. As soon as they have a few days off they want to get out of the islands! As the saying goes, it is always greener on the other side.
Many have asked me aren't you worried about the economic situation, how can you spend money on a vacation? the answer is yes I am worried and the more reason I need a vacation! However, somehow the fear and anxiety I feel has led me to try and enjoy life MORE not LESS. I am being responsible with my spending but somehow I find I must live life to the fullest now because I don't know what tomorrow will bring, which brings me to LIVING SMART.
We are taping our fifth season in January. We are also taping a town forum on Houston's growth and its challenges, a new season of Houston 8, a weekly issue driven show hosted by Ernie and Latina Voices which I am hosting with Minerva Perez and Sofia Adrogue. There is a lot going on in January and I am truly excited about the new season of Living Smart because I feel all the guests can help us in so many ways, especially while we go through the stress of uncertainty about the future. Here are my guests and topics.

501 Jeff Yeager (ultimate cheapskate) (Living Smart by surviving in tough economic times)
502 Ana Maria Martinez (Opera star) (Living Smart by appreciating the value of music)
503 501 Peter Bishop PhD ( Futurist) (Living Smart by preparing what is in store in the future)
504 Daryl Koehn PhD (Ethicist) (Living Smart by engaging making smart decisions and living a good life)
505 Dr. Bruce Perry M.D. (Child Development specialist) Living Smart by emphasising the importance of human connections )
506 Elizabeth Vallette (Microfinance advocate) (Living Smart by tackling poverty and empowering women )
507 David Thomas (Integrity expert)( Living Smart by living with integrity)
508 Dr. Mae Jemison M.D. (former Astronaut, entrepreneur) (Living Smart by motivating science and technology literacy)
509 Sr. Roselle Haas (Life Educator) (Living Smart by dealing effectively with prickly people)
510 Marilyn Mcnight (Mediator) (Living Smart through conflict resolution)
511 Mark Robinson (Green consultant) (Living Smart by living green)
512 Cassandra Dhanke (Civility expert) (Living Smart by engaging in civility)
513 Deborah Fry (Parenting expert) (Living smart by proper parenting)

As you can see we are tackling the economy, poverty, ethics, integrity, civility, conflict resolution, life issues, parenting and living green. I wanted this season to be truly relevant to what we are experiencing as a nation. I want us to feel hope that things will get better and that there are so many things we can do to create a better reality for ourselves. The series will not be airing until March or April of next year, but I can assure you it will be worth the wait.
In the mean time, have a wonderful holiday and don't stress about buying "stuff" Maybe make an effort to spend more time with your friends and loved ones instead of buying expensive gifts we don't need. The fact is we need each other..now more than ever. Happy Holidays!

The election and Ying and Yang

2008-11-08T14:43:00.004-06:00

We say goodbye to the age of Bush and enter the age of Obama. Some of you may be celebrating this day for the unprecedented win of President elect Barak Obama, and others may feel despondent.

For those of you who feel sad, remember 8 years ago, those who didn't vote for president Bush felt the same way and they have survived so you can too.

To me, this election was unprecedented, historic, surprising and frankly gave me new hope in the American democratic system. It may take us a long time to realize we need changes and that goes for both parties. ( I would never sign up to be part of any political party, because I think most people in America are not "center right" as the right likes to claim, or "progressive" as the left claims, but IN THE MIDDLE !! I find myself part of that group and I don't claim to be right but this election proved among other things that Americans like balance, equilibrium, Ying and Yang. Americans tend to believe in the market system and capitalism but they also believe the government can be a force for good. They want to be ready if there is a war but they also would like some effective diplomacy. They want to help their fellow man but they want their fellow man to work hard and be responsible.

I have always preferred a government in balance, a republican president with a democratic congress or vice versa. Today what I want is an effective, bipartisan SMART government. I don't care who is in charge as long as they get the work done well. Here is what they have to do. Whether you like President Elect Obama or not, the man has his work cut out for him. In 4 years, I expect to see some grey hair.
He with his cabinet and working with the congress has to make sure our recession does not last too long. Businesses and people have to have access to credit.
He has to motivate the American people to tighten their belt and live a more sustainable life.
He has to make sure small businesses have what they need to create more jobs.
He has to give hope to those who have lost their jobs or and their homes that together we can overcome and that soon enough things will get better.
He has to end a war that seems endless and create new alliances that will help us battle terrorism.
He has to come up with a viable peace process in the middle east once and for all.
Finally Obama has to be a motivator. Great presidents who ruled through hard times remained calm, positive, and truthful. We can't afford lies, whether we like them or not. We need the truth so that we can make smart decisions about our lives.

I don't expect the government to solve the problems we have. We have to play a role, but as many millions of americans struggle, they have to know someone really does listen, cares and is willing to help. I hope those in our new government understand that, for our sake and for their sake as well.

Politics, financial chaos and what you can do

2008-10-10T09:22:00.002-05:00

First as we get closer to the election, I invite you to participate in early voting. You will see more turnout this year than ever, so be smart and find out about early voting in your area. It is easy, no lines and it makes sense. Then I suggest you keep looking at the following websites. I got two more from a blog reader (Teresa) Besides http://www.factcheck.com/; go to http://www.newstrust.net/ and http://www.themoderatevoice.com/.

Both candidates will step up the personal attacks because they don't know how to win otherwise do they? How about sticking to the facts. Americans are worried, angry and scared. We need an optimist and someone brilliant who can choose the right team to get out of this mess.

The next topics for next season of Living Smart deal precicely with very timely topics. We will have experts on the future, integrity, ethics, civility. Does that interest you? Have we lost our way? We will also cover how to enjoy life more by spending less, the value of music in child development and how to raise healthy children. One of my favorite topics is how to deal with prickly people and keep a balanced spiritual life. I can't wait!

I would like to share with you some thoughts on how to deal with the financial meltdown. First of all keep calm. This will pass. We may face a recession but getting upset, frazzled and worried can't solve anything. We have to be smart. If you are young and have money in the stock market, talk to your financial advisor. I have heard it is best to wait it out but I am not an expert. If you are older, your options change. Is it smart to stay in cash now? In the first six days of October , Americans pulled more than 19 billion dollars out of mutal funds that investing US stocks. If you switch to cash now however, you are likely to lose money because inflation will probably eat up you after tax return you earn from saving or money market accounts.

The 700 bailout has not worked YET. We still have no idea how the stock market will do in the short or medium term (not good so far) but what is it you can do? Start looking at your own budget. What can you cut? Do you have to go to dinner every week? Can you wait on a new wardrobe? Find out what you spend on a single area of discretionary spending. What about restaurants, entertainment and shopping? Yesterday instead of eating at a restaurant. I got together with friends and had a picnic. WE saved money and enjoyed nature. Just consider that.

If start taking small steps with your finances, you will feel a bit more control. No one can really predict the future, but I have faith in America and what we are capable of doing once we work together. Remember a lot of the uncertainty in the markets is stricly psychological, based on what people think may or may not happen. In the mean time try to focus on what YOU can do yourself. For example, consider cutting up a couple of your extra credits cards you don't need.

Living Smart airs on Sundays at 3pm and Thursday nights at 10:30pm. My new show Latina Voices, I co host with executive producer/anchor Minerva Perez and super lawyer Sofia Adrogue airs on the municipal channel 16 on Tuesdays and Sundays at 10 am and 10pm.

The financial Crisis and a Speech by Joanne Herring

2008-10-03T16:52:00.002-05:00

Let's face it. Many of us are feeling quite a bit of anxiety. For the past 4 years, I have been producing Living Smart to help our viewers with valuable information to make better decisions in life. I have had three wonderful financial consultants and advisors talk about social security, saving, getting out of debt, making smart decisions with their money and here we are finding our lives a bit out of control. I still believe we have to keep calm. We do have to revisit our investments and if we are in debt, figure out how to pay it quickly. There are several credit organizations that help with that. http://www.cccservices.com/ is a good website. Most importantly though, this crisis to me represents an opportunity to think about what is important in life. For instance I hardly go out to lunch anymore now. I eat at work and save money on gas and lunch. The great part of this is that I have more time to relax with my coworkers and improve my relationships at work. I am also spending more time with my family and friends. I realize conversation does not cost anything and it is a way to reconnect with people in a different way.
In America we work too hard and we worry too much. We must find ways to relax and keep ourselves sane. To do that we have to keep our thoughts positive and upbeat. We can create our own reality. If all we do is watch TV and hear how bad things are, that is what we will eventually spend time thinking.

I do beleive in America we have the sort of productivity and technological innovation that will get us out of the rut we are in. We are creative, innovative and optimistic. To succeed we must remain that way. I believe we got into the mess we are in because we were out of balance as a nation. There is no doubt the capitalistic system is the best economic system but only when it is balanced with social consciousness, and justice. We do need some limits to greed driven excesses.

Today I heard a speech by Joanne King Herring. She is played by Julie Roberts in the Charlie Wilson's War movie. She shared how Hollywood had made a caricature of who she really was. She said in real life she never cussed or slept around like in the movie, but that Hollywood didn't care about her real life. They just wanted to entertain, even if that meant ruining her reputation.

She is truly grounded in her faith and really wanted to help the USA by understanding what was really going on in the Middle East. She also shared that it upset her the movie didn't recognize how congressmen from both sides of the aisle really worked together to help in her mission to battle the Russians. I find it sad that Hollywood disrespects conservative values and that the right wing talk show hosts do the same with liberals. We are living in a world where people of different political views don't listen or respect anyone who disagrees with them. This is sad and has led us to where we are today. To avoid this we must know the truth. I insist we read www.factcheck.org to find out if what the candidates are saying is true and then making a decision based on that and not on what they are saying about each other. For instance not all republicans are to blame for this debacle, nor are all liberals responsible for the lack of morality in our society. It is not simple. It requires us to read and analyze and try to understand other people's views, even if we disagree. Joanne Herring worked hard with both sides to battle communism, because she was smart, understood that there is good in everyone no matter what their politics and the focus was in the cause, not "what is in it for me."
We need more people like her in our society. Let's begin to look at the big picture and choose candidates who truly do want to work with each other. Otherwise, our nation will suffer.