I'm Back in School

I'm doing something new.

I almost don't want to write about it because I'm afraid that somehow if I talk about it that the magic will be gone -- or at least people won't love it like I do and that will make me feel like it's not what I think it is and it will make me not be as excited about it as I am...

But, the above being said, I am going to talk about it because I really love it and I want you to know.

I signed up for Oprah's Life Course with Brene Brown about imperfection.  It's an online course and this is week one (of six), but I have already completed my 2 assignments for the week and I've been changed by it.  Here's the link  -- I bet you can still sign up:

http://www.oprah.com/own-brene-brown-course/brene-course-bundle-landing.html?utm_source=O.comPopUpAd&utm_medium=20131216&utm_campaign=1

I've already learned something about myself.

I have a hard time letting people help me.  I didn't even know it until I read this week's portion of the book.  I've always felt as though I was a good friend to have and that my friends can always count on me to help them, but I rarely let people help me.

Coming to my house for dinner?  Ask me what you can bring and my response will be "just bring yourself".  I drove myself to the emergency room a few weeks ago.  Texted my mom and my doctor that I was going, but didn't want to wake them up since I can handle everything.

WTF?

My Aha Moment was when Brene explained this:

While I was always willing to help someone else with any needs they had, because I wasn't able to accept help that I was probably silently judging those friends that I helped knowing that if they were accepting my help, that they weren't as perfect as I was because (remember, people) I DON'T NEED ANY HELP.

Revelatory.

Take the class.  More revelations to come (I hope).

Observe at Your Own Risk

I was lucky enough to be invited by my friend Jill Bee to attend the SMU Tate Lecture last night.

NOTE:  The Tate Lectures are normally sold out.  I love attending and I do get to go every once in awhile since I have generous friends who have subscriptions and they include me or every few years SMU seems to have my old boss William J. Bennett as a speaker and I beg my old boss for freebies (Second row, suckers, when you roll with Bill!).

Anyway, last night Jill and I had a quick dinner at Sushi Kyoto and then arrived at McFarlin to see someone neither of us knew much about -- M.K. Asante, Jr.

M.K. is a 30-year-old author, filmaker, and professor.  He's worked with Maya Angelou and is a recipient of the Langston Hughes Award.  He's amazing.

I had Aha Moments throughout his address, but my favorite was this:

When you make an observation, you have an obligation.

How great is that?

We do have an obligation to right wrongs, to share our thoughts, to make art.  I think most of us just want to observe (How many lurkers are there on FaceBook who never enter the conversation?) and judge or tell others how they need to fix it.

No -- M.K. is right.  We must fulfill our obligations.

Mine is to the abused and neglected children of Dallas County. 

I have observed.  I am obligated.  So are you.

P.S.  Melissa and Trevor -- you missed a good one last night!

I Got Schooled

I tend to “dance with the one that brung me” most of time.  I stick with my favorite charities like CPD, JLD, HPUMC, and a few others.  Never have really branched out much and while I graduated from college (in 4 years, I might add), that is pretty much where my education ended.  But the more I think about where our country and world are heading, I keep coming back to the importance of education.  So, I set out to learn a little more.  Here’s my first report:

Recently I have found out about a couple of great things that are happening here in Dallas and I want to share them with you…

First, I visited the KIPP Truth Academy at the invitation of my friend and Junior League of Dallas President Susan Wells.  KIPP Dallas is a charter school and they are doing great things with the kids who attend.  Here is their mission statement:

The mission of KIPP Dallas-Fort Worth is to provide underserved children in our community with a free, rigorous, high quality education that offers the knowledge, skills and character traits necessary to thrive in school, college and the competitive world beyond.

The Aha Moment for me came while we were on our student-led tour.  Outside of each classroom a sign was posted that listed the instructor’s name and the university from which he or she had graduated.  How smart is that?  In order to get kids to be excited about college, they need to know people who graduated and are proud of it.

Check out KIPP at www.kippdfw.org  You’ll be “KIPP-notized” too!

Another great agency making a difference in our community is the Dallas After School Network.  Their CEO Tanya McDonald and I are friends and I have been on a tour of some of the agencies that they support.  Just this morning the DASN revealed their new campaign called “I Do” – it is the answer to the question “Who Cares About Tomorrow?” – and my answer is I Do. 

You may see some cars sporting their new logo or spot a DART bus with info about the campaign.  Remember you heard it here first.

Learn more at www.WhoCaresAboutTomorrow.org

In my opinion, one of the best ways to stop future child abuse is by better educating our kids now. 

Tips from Roger Horchow on Connecting with People

I was lucky enough to hear Roger Horchow speak yesterday at a lunch for the United Way.  He is 83 years old and if you don’t know who he is, Google him – he is simply amazing.  Throughout his life, he has met and worked with some of the most famous people in the world:  Nancy & Ronald Reagan, Diane Von Furstenberg, Barbara Walters, Carol Channing, Stanley Marcus, and many, many more.  Roger and his late wife were often seated at dinner tables with the world’s most interesting people. 

It really was a great speech, but the “Aha” moment for me was Roger’s fab advice to always continue to make connections with people.  Follow up later when you meet someone.  Send them a handwritten note.  If they invite you to come by the next time you’re in Kalamazoo, call them up before you arrive and tell them you’re coming to town and would love to see them.

Now, you know that this advice isn’t a new revelation for me – I am a gal from Texas and my mother “raised me right” – I know that I need to do this, and I do it.  Believe me, when you raise money for a living, you have to do it!  But what I loved about hearing it from Roger was that he showed us how the connections he made with people helped make him into a successful business leader, a successful person, and someone who we would all love to sit across from at our next dinner party. 

I’m available whenever you call, Roger.

P.S.  Here's a photo of Jennifer Hilton Sampson and me from yesterday -- by the time I remembered to take our picture, Roger was gone.  Oh well, 2 more interesting people he'll have to meet another day...