Florida Sunshine

Ahhhh, kicking back and relaxing on the white sands of Tampa's gulf shores never felt so good. I was feeling the urge to darken my bleached skin and escape the cold so I thought where better to do that than with family in Florida this week. Unlike my foolish teenage years, today I'm dripping in SPF 30 and then some and hovering under an umbrella and hat. I disguise them as smile lines but deep down everyone knows it's stage 2 melanoma creeping in from those early iodine days. Tomorrow, we are off to swim with the manatees and tour Homosassa State Park at Crystal River with kyaking to boot. If I'd thought to bring my camera cable I'd be uploading photos for all to see. That will have to wait until I get home in a few days.

Business Birthday

The name is PilotGirl Productions™ and as of today I celebrate my first year being in business. It's been a fruitful year. Work with major television shows like The Rachael Ray Show, Montel Williams, Dr. Phil, HGTV and America's Most Wanted and Paul Newman. Also projects with industrial, commercial and not-for-profit giants like GE, CSX, Keybank, NY State OASA, St.Jude's, MDA and Habitat for Humanity. Then, of course, I cant forget the 15 international documentary shorts I produced, shot and edited for GoNomad and Turnhere.com including Argentina, Panama (two trips), Brazil, Taiwan, UK and Quebec City, Canada. It's been a triumphant first year with much the same shaping up for this year. Thank you to the many new clients and PR firms that took a chance with PilotGirl Productions. Altitude not Attitude!

A Bonafide Piano Man

A few years ago I interviewed Nate Buccieri for a CBS news story when he was trying out for Broadway's next Piano man superstar. The vocalist composer was in the running to play Billy Joel in Twyla Tharp's Movin' Out and odds were in his favor. He's adorable, sweet, kind, loving and would make the ideal celeb sans ego. The entire Capital Region was rooting for Nate to make it big in the Big Apple. Fast forward 3 years and like the sad song says "and they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar, and say, "Man, what are you doin' here?" Nate takes his rejection in stride. And though we're thrilled to keep him performing at Saratoga's Circus Cafe (especially tonight), it's just a matter of time before another Broadway bonanza steals him away and this time for good.

Stretching and Strengthening with Seniors

I'm bad. I can't get up early enough to get to the YMCA for yoga. So, instead of detoxing, toning and stretching with women my age at 7am, I'm showing off with a class of seniors at 10:30. Little 'ol ladies with wrinkles twice my age. No wonder the class is doing wonders for my self-confidence! While I'm gripping the balance ball, twisting like a pretzel and stretching my back out like a bridge, the older crowd are tumbling, falling and yelping in pain. The instructor, myself and a young mother of 1 are the only three out of a class of 30 (on good days) with the tenacity and strength to withstand the entire hour. As I peer at the reflection in the mirror in front of me I can tell when Gertrude and Hattie and Bernice are about to have a calamity. I count the seconds before someone goes plummeting southward. 10...9...8...7...DOH! And another one bites the mat absorbing countless black and blue marks to their bones and behind. But these intrepid women are determined and resilient. They shake themselves off, face their fear and start over again. They're of an age where embarrassment has no meaning and humility comes easy. I commend these women for their toughness and spunk. Unfortunately, I get the uneasy feeling that they resent my backbends, balancing act and bigger weights. Sorry ladies but my flexibility and peace of mind feels like a million bucks here!

Dying to Stay Alive

Did you know that countries like Jordan, Puerto Rico, Guam, Isreal, Iceland, even Bosnia and Herzegovina have a longer average age expectancy than the United States? In fact, 47 countries outlive us from as little as a year to nearly 7. These countries can't possibly have better doctors, medical research or hospitals than we do. So, how can it be that we spend so much more on treatment and get shorter lives in return? My friends and I have a theory.

Yesterday we gathered for Miriam's birthday. With so many attractive, active, professional girlfriends to occupy my weekends odds are good that one of us is celebrating another year wiser. And typically, after popping the champagne cork and watching a chick flick, our cake and icecream conversation circles around to the same complaint. No - it's not men with their neuroses and sensitivities (though that wastes a good chunk of analysis as well) but rather it's our shoddy, ineffective and unattentive health-care system.

There's Heather with her debilitating back and hip problem. There's Carrie with her lower back spasms. There's Tina with her undiagnosed waddling gait issue. There's Jen with her intolerance for wheat and gluton products. Young and otherwise vibrant women disenchanted with costly doctor visits, months of misdiagnoses' and mountains of insurance forms. That's another reason I only carry emergency and travelers insurance. Why bother with the rest? Until this country has a universal health care system and wipes out our sue happy society (or I opt to live in Europe) - doctors, pharmaceutical companies, trial lawyers and politicians will not be getting a dime of my money.

For more discussion on this topic, read this thread.

Out-of-Body Experience

I'm a firm believer in strangers entering your life for a reason. Be it strangers that turn into life-long friends or just temporary acquittances on this highway of life. For every person I've befriended an unexplained connection was established that lead to bigger and better things, sometimes it happened quickly other times it took years. It's almost like a spiritual transformation or awakening of the mind, body and spirit that produces a marked change in my future. But I can almost always credit others for it.

Take for instance the friend I made just the other day working at the Turning Stone Casino. I'm in a room full of busy professionals sipping cocktails and talking shop before dinner hour begins. I know nobody so I grab an empty table to survey the crowd before I wedge myself into a conversation with strangers. From across the room I see a blond who looks just like Renée Zellweger but with a smile a mile wide across her face. She's garrulous, thoughtful and full of positive energy, unlike the rest of the women at her table with dead-pan looks on their faces. This is who I gravitate towards. She's been touched by something, something almost divine and her depth of character rises far above everyone else in the room.

Sure enough, after hours of comparing vibrant adventures skiing or hiking or traveling (she even shows me a long scar on her knee where a mountain got the best of her) she trusts me well enough to talk about an accident she had 20 years ago. While boating with friends she dove into shallow water and snapped her neck. Her friends didn't notice at first. She lay unconscious, slowly drowning at the bottom of 4 feet of water. Then, this is the most amazing part, her soul or energy or consciousness rose to the surface and had what could be commonly called an "out-of-body" experience. She watched as her friends jumped into the water to save her, hurled her limp body onto the boat and started CPR.

While floating above her body she felt absolute peace without pain, worry or concern. However she was only 27 years old and something unexplainable was pressuring her to return. She lived and miraculously was not paralyzed even with a spinal cord injury. As a result, she tells her story without crediting any one religion but rather insisting that we carry on long after our bodies retire. Her story is hopeful, inspiring and reinforces my theory about meeting new people for all the right reasons.

Adventures Abound

His name is Captain John Smith. He sailed the Atlantic in search of the New World. He landed on the shores of Virginia in 1607. He was taken captive by the Algonquins but saved by Pocohontas. This year marks the 400th anniversary of the founding of English-speaking America and England and Virginia are busy commemorating the occasion. While in London in December I documented reenactments, special exhibits and monuments dedicated to the voyage. My article and travel shorts are online now at GoNomad. Thinking about an adventure this year? Let history be a part of it by flying to England and seeing where our roots all began.

A Gambling Future

I'm caught in conundrum. I finally found an issue that has no right or wrong answer: casinos and gambling. The last 2 days I bunked at the beautiful four-star Turning Stone Casino near Syracuse, New York. I was hired to videotape a guest speaker for the classifieds industry in one of the meeting facilities at the hotel. I don't gamble, not even a dollar, so the casino drew no interest in me what-so-ever. On the otherhand, the spa, georgeous accommodations and indoor golfing resort was an absolute pleasure. And I found a bellhop strong as an ox to help me pack up my car with all my heavy equipment. That alone is deserving of a tip and recognition.

Upon my observation of most of the patrons doing the gambling were the poor and elderly. The Turning Stone Casino prides itself on being a dry casino, meaning no alcohol allowed, however that doesn't prevent little 'ol ladies on fixed incomes from dwindling away their life savings. Or, worse yet, a family figure throwing away his children's college savings on the hope and dream of striking it rich. While in Las Vegas or Atlantic City or here at the Turning Stone, hundreds of them saddle up to the slots with visions of cherries in their eyes. The social interaction, fun and entertainment value for the elderly is invaluable, but for the poor it's disgraceful. If I were to take away bingo from my Grandmother when she was alive, one of her last personal freedoms, she would have clobbered me with her handbag. As for the irresponsible (not necessarily poor) I feel every right to scorn their actions and judge their choices.

But the gaming industry also holds massive appeal for responsible people and surveys show it boosts the economy, lowers property taxes and helps fund state education programs. According to the American Gaming Association, 11 states now have commercial casinos, 28 states have Indian casinos and 40 states and the District of Columbia have lotteries. The 445 commercial casinos in the United States generated nearly $29 billion last year. (2005 CNN business story). And, I wasn't aware until I did a little research but historically when the 13 original colonies started lotteries, proceeds helped establish some of the nation's earliest and most prestigious universities -- Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Dartmouth, Princeton, and William and Mary. Lottery funds were also used to build churches and libraries (History of Gambling)

Still, there's the negative social impact, the thousands of dollars of misspent money and addiction problems that occur when casinos open. So, where do I stand? For the first time in a long time, I have absolutely no idea.

Kiss the Blarney (Pizza) Stone

Single Irish birthday gal + St.Pat's Day = PARTY TIME! 3 wild and crazy gals took our birthday girl out for shots of Baileys Irish Creme, Guiness rounds and some harmless flower power this weekend. Yes, another festive year with my 'homegirls' in a city that accumulated 3 feet of snow the night before. The unexpected snow storm canceled the St. Patty's Day parade but that gave me time to cook up something special and talk trash about the opposite sex with my friends. My Betty Crocker pizza stone usually beats the pepperoni out of Dominoes but only unless I remember to set the timer. With all the free-flowing wine and conversation the pizza was forgotten; albeit it's not Irish fare but I try. The crust was harder than the stone it sat on to bake and after a night of bar hopping and mojo, it was time to eat again. A thin slice of greasy cheese pizza at the corner deli never tasted so good and before we knew it the effects of turning another year wiser was creeping up on us. We hailed a taxi home right as college fights and frostbite started to set in. Back before midnight made for about 9 hours of consumption. Not too bad leaving today to nurse an ever-so small hangover with a steeping pot of Irish coffee, minus the whiskey.

Language of Love

Ugghh...I need an asprin. My head is spinning cartwheels with adjectives, conjunctions, pronunciation and verb usage tonight. Because of the storm brewing outside I had some free time to sink my teeth into a refresher course in French online. I started with a rudimentary 50 questions to rate where I stand. For not using the language in 20 years I got 50% right. Not half bad in my book but a far cry from where I used to be. With so much memorization needed for things like past, perfect, future, conditional, perfect subjunctive blah, blah, blah, I can understand why I had to repeat my senior year regents exam 3x to pass. Fortunately, About.com online has everything I need to polish, perfect and print out what I'll need overseas. No dropping by a bookstore, library or ordering tapes to get reaquainted with the language of love... at least that's what people who can speak it call it. It might take a 12 month immersion class for me to get to that point.

April in Paris

'It's no use, I'm in love with the man I married. And he's not even my husband!" Doris Day's memorable quote from her 1954 classic 'April in Paris'. And just like Day or Audrey in 1957's 'Funny Face', Paris and the southern countryside await my arrival in a few short weeks! It's probably just my imagination but movies portend my reality in freaky ways. Shortly after watching Terrence Malick's 'The New World', I flew to London for the start of the 400th anniversary of America. Before I left for Beunos Aires, I picked up 'Evita' not knowing it was a musical but appreciating Argentina's history. Before I flew to Taipei, I watched a great interview with Ang Lee, Director of 'Brokeback Mountain' talk about Taiwan's agricultural countryside. Now, only days after watching 'Sabrina' with Audrey escaping to Paris to return years later as a very attractive and sophisticated woman, GoNomad invites me to do the same. That is, I'm going for 10 days rather than 2 years. Still, a lot can happen in 10 days. Hundreds of romantic movie scenes flicker in my brain. The Eiffel Tower, Seine, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, Louvre Museum, I'm dizzy with delirium and determined to fall in love (with the city) just like in the movies. Of course, I'd live happily ever after if a post-impressionist artist painted my face with a French kiss crossing the Pont Neuf!

Help Save the Stupid

My passion for proselytizing about environmental issues is getting the best of me. Without the help of a bottle of Reisling at night my busy brain takes hours to decompress. It's all about saving the Artic, cooling the climate, protecting the rainforest and the endless ways to conserve energy and go green. And because Earth Day is just around the corner I'm more and more anxious for my march on Washington next month with StepitUp.

So, the other day I had my annual tax meeting with my accountant. I dropped by a little early to enjoy a cup of coffee before the tedius process began. Then I heard his voice - the voice of the father of all lies, Rush Limbaugh, on the radio. That fabricating false prophet who, like Sean Hannity, G Gordon Liddy, Bill O’Reilly, Glen Beck and Michael Savage, is far more dangerous than George Bush and his cabinet of scariness.

"I just love Rush Limbaugh, don't you?" asks the secretary. She's serious.

"Uhmmm..."

I'm trapped. A reasonably intellegent woman just asked me if I love the most twisted right wing political propagandist to ever live and breath among us humans. How do I begin to contradict that question or better yet, do I even try? My confrontation skills aren't great and I know enough not to argue with a brainwashed victim. I smile softly and offer her a glimpse into where I am on the voting spectrum; "I love NPR and I think global warming is real."

"What? Oh, honey, there's no proof of that! The scientists are all wrong and NPR is just a bunch of crazy liberals," she says in return.

"Uhmmm..."

I start to panic. I want out of this office now. I think about switching accountants. I think about challenging her. I think about changing the subject. I think about reason and clarity. In the end, I laugh. I laugh long and hard in a mocking, ridiculing, sarcastic and pitying way. Its the best medicine, perhaps only medicine for someone so myopic, judgemental and stubborn in their thinking that no amount of talking can help them.

"We better not talk about this" I offer and with that she agrees - probably the only thing we'd ever agree on.

Drum Roll Please...

"...and Sony Stark of PilotGirl Productions, please stand now and take a bow!" On cue, I did as I was told and gave a rapt audience of about 300 people my best Queen Elizabeth hand wave. Today was a watershed moment for my company - the successful debut of my first Public Service Announcement for the State of New York! Lieutenant Governor David Paterson, Commissioner Karen M.Carpenter and SUNY Chancellor John R. Ryan Conference said a few words and then unveiled the launch of a project I've been working on with OASAS (Office of Alcohol Substance Abuse Services) for weeks. The campaign hopes to prevent underage drinking on college campuses by empowering students to make the right choices. I shot 90% of the footage at SUNY Albany in 5 locations and a 6th using a 16 foot crane at the Hudson Valley Community College. Then I edited it all using Apple's Final Cut Pro HD 5, Motion 2 and Soundtrack Pro. Several SUNY students participated in the :30 second spot including Joe, a 21 year old with a rich resonant voice made for broadcast. The PSA will appear in television markets and on theater screens across the state including NYC, Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Plattsburgh and Syracuse. Noticing too that all the local media were there to cover the story (even my own stomping grounds - CBS 6), I couldn't be more thrilled.

Risky Behavior

I think the ultimate adventurer is someone willing to break the rules, standards and conventions that govern how society expects them to live. Someone willing to risk everything to achieve a goal; a goal that ultimately achieves happiness for the adventurer and inspiration for everyone around them. Roz Savage, a 38-year-old British woman is doing just that writes Marina Solovyov, an aspiring intern at GoNomad.com. For an absorbing read about brains, beauty and brawn read "Rowing Around the World: One Woman's Odyssey" and learn more about Roz's risky behavior.

Legendary Lena

Besides being the the longest-running coffeehouse in the country, Caffè Lena in Saratoga Springs has been serving up folk, bluegrass and acoustic blues music since 1960. Big names like Skip James, Mississippi John Hurt, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Arlo Guthrie, Don McLean, Nanci Griffith, Dave Van Ronk, Odetta, Rev. Gary Davis and Utah Phillips were singing here long before coffee drinking was fashionable. After the original owners died, the coffee-house stayed open but was converted into a non-profit institution. Last night red-head lap-slide guitarist Pat Wictor and multi-personality singer/songwriter Kate McDonnell played for an intimate crowd of about 25 guests. You might recognise Kate's face or voice from the documentary film Crossing Arizona. The movie came out in theaters early last year and Kate's song "Lines" was the primary score for the film. Unfortunately, she didn't perform the score but she did sample several songs from her newest album including "Oh Mercy". It was our first time in Caffe Lena but not our last - but do take note, the food/drink selection leaves little to be desired. Go there with a full stomach and you'll enjoy the show that much more.

Bragging Rights

Can I brag about a friend for a minute? I'm incredibly privileged to know so many interesting, inspirational and motivated people but someone who stands a cut above the rest is, undoubtedly, my 4'10" yoga and stretch instructor Miss Nola. My ever-youthful single friend (who's far older than she looks) has conquered more soaring peaks in the world than any other female climber I know. Her expeditions include hiking up mountains over 15,000 feet in places like Peru, Russia, Nepal, Tibet, Antartica, Greenland, New Zealand, Africa and Afghanistan. She's one of the few or perhaps only women to ice-pick her way up all 46 high peaks in the Adirondacks in the dead of winter. She has survived camping outside in -30 degree temperatures as well as reoccuring bouts of breast cancer. Her proportions are tiny but her attitude and will-power and courage are taller than Mount Kilimanjaro, which, by the way, she's also tackled. Yesterday, she and I spent the day skiing the Berkshires, small molehills for a woman with her experience and skill. Miss Nola truly is my inspiration in her depth of character, sense of self and ability to take on challenges of insurmountable proportions. If there's anyone deserving of a biography, Miss Nola is it.

Ski-equipped LC-130

As if you can't tell from my website, I have a fetish for flying. Identifying World War II vintage aircraft is a second vocation and I rarely miss an airshow (nerd alert, nerd alert). Today, I made a quick sortie to the Stratton Air National Guard Base (ANGB) in Scotia, New York, home of the 109th Airlift Wing for a meeting with the Telecommunication department. Stratton is the only base in the Air Force that possesses the ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft and crews often fly to Greenland and Antartica for science support missions and training on the frozen tundra. 18-year veteran Willy gave me a tour of the facilities and studio and let me test out their newest purchase, the lightweight Canon XL-H1 with 20x lens. It's a beauty. A few years ago my CBS-TV reporter and I flew aboard one of the C-130's to capture a staged medical rescue of injured soldiers. While in flight one of the 4 engines blew and the scenerio suddenly turned real. The pilot had to cancel the practice run, change course and fly us back. Emergency crews were waiting on the tarmac when we landed. That earned the 2-part series additional accolades and recognitions and a little thrill for us as well. I wonder what my chances of being deployed as a civilian to the icecaps might be? I'd love to sneak aboard the next military operation... and incase of that rare possibility, I gave Willy my business card, size for fitted fatigues and insurance that I can shoot in subzero temps!

Carpe Diem!

Yes, it's time to seize the day, enjoy the present and take advantage of fortuitous moments. Green alternatives are popping up everywhere I look these days - and it's finally fashionable (and profitable) for big companies like GE and Walmart to contribute. Green consciousness has been a given in Europe for years and Wall Street is taking notice. Things like renewable energy IPOs, biofuel stock portfolios and electric car manufacturing are going mainstream and unlikely candidates are doing what they can to save Mother Earth.

Yesterday, I signed up for a technology that converts sunlight directly into usable electricity. The company is called Citizenrē Corporation REnU and offers an affortable alternative to a cleaner environment while taking steps toward energy independence. Odds are good that I'll need a bigger vehicle for my production business by next year so I'm also looking into a plug-in hybrid that runs on ethanol made from sustainably produced switchgrass. Change comes slowly in the apparel industry but I think I might have even found a place to buy sustainable clothing. Yes, even the wardrobe paradigm is ushering in a philosophy of donating a percentage (usually 5%) of sales profits to environmental, social and humanitarian charitable organizations. Activism and philanthropy at the corporate level - what an amazing time to be alive. Carpe Diem!

Prevailing with Poetry

Lou Gehrigs or ALS affects about 6000 people a year and former highschool teacher Glenn Nichols is closing in on his 2nd year with the incurable disease. I interviewed the 57 year old a few days ago for one of several medical pieces submitted for Realhealth.tv. Glenn still gets around with a wheelchair, the help of an aid and his wife but he's losing muscle fast in his arms, legs, hands and feet. Eventually, he will die when his breathing muscles begin to weaken and his diaphram closes down. The timing is unpredictable but in most cases death will come peacefully, hopefully while asleep. But Glenn doesn't worry so much about his last day, he's too busy reading, writing and packing his brain with more poetry. He was an English teacher for 30 years and can recite D.H. Lawrence, Walt Whitman and Robert Frost as if he's still reading to his students. He has a whole new appreciation for words and the signifigance behind them. A favorite that he draws strength from includes the following:

"Self Pity" by D.H. Lawrence

I never saw a wild thing
sorry for itself.
A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough
without ever having felt sorry for itself.

Countless Benefactors

Capital Region Philanthropist Marty Silverman, God rest his soul, gave me this $2 bill at a news conference 8 years ago while I was on assignment. It was his trademark to give out several dozen inspirational $2 bills to make a point about resilience and self-reliance. Marty's heroics and achievements and kind-hearted spirit so impressed me that I kept it buried in my wallet ever since. He died at 93 years last February but I was reminded of his generosity today when I had no choice but to use his $2 bill.

The New York State Thruway is no place to be driving without money and seldom do I have much, if any, on me. The toll woman reached her hand out anticipating some but all I could muster was a look of panic. In seconds, I tore through the vehicle digging deep into the crevices of the seats and under the floor mats. All I could surrender was 30 cents.

"Your still short a couple bucks sweetie" she said.
Then I remembered I had Marty with me, both in spirit and face value .

In 2000, Marty pledged $50 million to create the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research. Through his foundation, which today has assets of $300 million this extraordinary visionary contributed to academics, Jewish, veterans, and social causes, supported programs to help neglected children and indigent seniors, and provided housing in Israel for thousands of former Soviet Jews. The New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center in Saratoga Springs and the Holocaust Museum in Houston were also established with his support.

"What is this sticker doing on this?" the toll operator asked.
"It's a gift from a friend that I've kept for 8 years" I said. "It's advice my friend liked to share"
"A gift? Well, In that case, you better keep it for another 8 sweetie. I'll kick in the loot for ya this week".

Thank you Marty, thank you toll collector, thank you kind world.

An Oscar-Like Moment

"This is a huge milestone for my travel writing!" I explode to Mutti while tearing through this month's Preview magazine to find the Lincolnshire article. On my list of "top 20 things to do before I die" was getting something, anything I wrote or would write, published - be it in book form, newspaper, magazine or any medium, for that matter. And today is that day. How exciting! The magazine is written, edited and published in the town of Easthampton, close to the hippy little college town of Northampton, Mass. The monthly publication is a glossy, full-color look at the life, arts and culture of Western Massachusettes and the Berkshires. An editor came across the Lincolnshire article while surfing through GoNomad.com. Naturally, Max and Kent's beautiful stories are no stranger to reprints but this is my first time and given the respect and appreciation I have for published writers, you can imagine my euphoria today. I feel like accepting an Oscar for this recognition... "And I'd also like to thank GoNomad for this opportunity...without their inspiration I wouldn't be here today..." Clap, clap, clap, clap. It doesn't appear that Preview Magazine maintains a website but you can easily pick up a copy (if you happen to live around these parts) in any one of these idyllic little towns.