Al Turns 60 Today

It's my friend Al Roker's birthday today and he's turned the big 6-0.

I love Al.  I've been watching The Today Show for 25 years or so and Al has always been my favorite.  I love him fat, thin, weather-man-ing, shooting the breeze-ing, in a suit or in a Halloween costume.

Here's our pic with Tamron Hall:

NOTE:  I will never be lured away from CPD by one of the tech giants due to my photo shopping skills.  Giada De Laurentiis had to move over to let me be in the shot.  Sorry, kid.

Anyway, whether or not you watch The Today Show, I know that you will like Al's list of "Six Lessons for Six Decades" from this morning.

Family comes first“The thing that's got to be most important to you has got to be your family. And whatever you do, that's got to be your guiding principle. (It’s important) they know that I love them, that they matter the most to me, above all else, and that, even if I'm not there, they are still present and I am still present.”

Health matters“When it comes to your health, you — and especially guys — I think we put that on the back burner. You wouldn’t reschedule your kids’ pediatrician appointment; why would you cheat yourself on that workout?”

Find a rewarding hobby“I think you need to have something that relaxes you and takes you away from what you normally do. I like providing meals for my family. ... To physically make something and put it on a plate and here you go, is nice.”

Learn to laugh at yourself “If you can’t laugh at yourself, trust me, there are plenty of people who will. I don’t think anyone is ever going to look and say, ‘Hey look, Denzel Washington! Did he shave his head?’ That’s not going to happen. And I’m comfortable with that. I think that's a much better place to be than saying, ‘Aren’t I fantastic?’”

You don’t have to retire “My dad retired at 55. And the reason he retired was he wasn't enjoying what he was doing anymore. I love what I do.”

Never stop learning“If you’re not learning and you’re not learning new things, you're dead. We're built to continue to learn, and if you continue to use that muscle that is the brain, it only gets better.”

Keep working Al -- you're an inspiration!

Four Favorite Things I Love Right Now! Part 2

Well, I’m still on holiday break from July 4 (took a few extra days to sit around and read, play bridge, go to the movies, cook – all of the things I love to do, but cannot seem to make enough time for when I’m working).  I'm back in the office tomorrow, so cancel the dancing boys, co-workers...

Installment 2 of my four favs (in case you missed it, click here for Installment 1: 

http://blog.paigemcdaniel.org/2012/06/four-favorite-things-i-love-right-now.html):

• White Bean Dip – I make this dip from Giada De Laurentiis all the time.  One of my go-to items and everyone loves it.  It has a hummus-like quality, but tastes better and no tahini, so less mess.
• 1 Can of Cannellini Beans (15 oz), drained and rinsed
• 1/4 C Italian Parsley Leaves (loosely packed)
• 2 T Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1/3 C EVOO
• Put all (except olive oil) into food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.  With machine running, gradually mix in EVOO until mixture is creamy.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with Stacy’s Simply Naked Pita Chips.  Enjoy!
• Quivers:  A Life – this is Robin Quivers auto-biography.  Robin is Howard Stern’s long-time side-kick and before they moved to satellite, I listened to them every morning.  Her biography was written in 1995 and tells the fascinating story of her journey to radio stardom.
• The Perfect Polish Combo – I have finally found that the perfect color combo for “pretty” nails is one coat of OPI Bubble Bath and one coat of OPI Privacy Please, in this order.  Completely natural and touch-ups not required.
• The Dallas Theater Center – Joe was surprised the other night when I told him that I see a live theater or music performance at least 3 times a month!  Frankly, I was too, but when you have series subscriptions with several friends and family members, plus generous friends who include you as their guest periodically, you just do.  The Dallas Theater Center is consistently at the top of my list.  Their productions are exciting, imaginative, and thought-provoking.  Well worth the money.

Hope this list gives you some ideas!  What are your current four favs?

P.S.  My #FundraisingFriday gift is going to the Dallas Theater Center this week.  Use that $10, wisely, Kevin Moriarty and team!