Hotels today strive to make their amenities not just like home, but better than home.  The Alex Hotel in NYC and Ritz-Carlton hotels feature luxury Italian-made Frette linens. Aveda and Bliss brand toiletries are staples in many hotel bathrooms.  Loews hotels have a welcome bag for your dog, complete with gourmet treats and poop bags.  But when it comes to the hair dryers, even at top of the line hotels, they falter.  Badly.

At a Kimpton Hotel, Washington, DC

The issue is four-fold.  The design of the wall-mounted dryers allow long hair to be sucked into the air-intake fan, leading to that sizzle and awful smell of burning hair.  The cords are too short. In addition, many hotel hair dryers are a measly 1600 watts.  For a woman going to a business meeting, that means allowing at least an hour to dry her hair.  An hour with these dryers often leads to burn out and a half-wet head.  1875 watts is recommended for quick drying time and the power of many $25 drug store dryers.  For less than $50, hotels could really provide a great option to guests.

For years, this element of travel, for business and pleasure, has been my bailiwick.   I was most appalled with a stay at the ritzy Miami Mandarin Oriental in 2005.  The hair dryer was the standard issue wall model that practically ripped my hair out.  I wrote the manager afterward and received a personal response.  But for some reason, I doubt that all hairdryers in all Mandarins were updated.

Sexism?

The number of women travelers varies widely, depending on the source.  The Bureau of Travel Statistics claims 77% of business travelers and 54% of general travelers are men.  Other surveys suggest as many as half of business travelers are women.

Super Solano 1875: A REAL Hair Dryer

A 2003 study by New York University, “Coming of Age: The Continuing Evolution of Female Business Travelers,” found that only 51% of women business travelers felt like valued customers at hotels.  From that survey, the top three amenities women “must have” to be productive on the road are a mini-bar (71%), brand-name bath amenities (56%) and spa services (47%).  OK, so a hair dryer isn’t on that list.  Perhaps they have resigned themselves to packing their own, so they don’t even give it a second look.  But they should!

When it comes to travel in general, Travel + Leisure estimates that women make 80% of all travel decisions.  Eighty percent!

Theft deterrence and a marketing opportunity

Hotels are probably worried that decent hair dryers would walk along with the nice toiletries.  (Admit it–you made sure to get extra travel-size sets of Bliss or Aveda products.  And for fancier brands, you might even raid the housekeeping cart).  But just like your bill will be inflated if you poach the fluffy bathrobe, the same policy could apply.  Problem solved.

At the Westin in Chicago

In fact, when hotels offer fancy toiletries, there’s a two-fold benefit that could apply to hair dryers.  The hotels appear to cater to customer needs with high end products and the companies likely get increased sales after hotel guests sample those products.  The same could work for hairdryers.  Companies like Sephora or Folica.com could reach new customers easily with a tag on the hair dryer cord: “Like this dryer? Buy one for home at Folica.com.”  Or, like “W” brands everything from its bed linens to its towels, hotels could brand high-end hair dryers.

The Cranky Consumer

Surely I can’t be the only one with this gripe.  However, a web search only turned up complaints about general lack of hair dryers in particular hotels.  I say traveling tress dressers unite!  With luggage restrictions, bringing a personal hair dryer adds unnecessary weight and takes up valuable space, space that would likely be better fit with an extra pair of shoes.  It’s not just a business travel issue.  Any travel experience where appearance must be tended to is a target:  weddings, vacations, reunions just to name a few.  Why can’t my hair look as good on the road as it does at home?

The Campaign

I can’t do this alone.  Next time you are at a hotel and it takes too long to dry your hair or worse, it gets fried, drop the manager a note.  Comment on the survey that will land in your email in-box after your trip.  Stand up for your hair–it’s the one accessory you wear each and every day.

It’s high time for a review of concert etiquette.  Music aficionados may think a musical event that actually requires etiquette must only apply to classical music, an experience where people still dress up on stage and off.  Not true.  All genres have their rules; many of which even overlap.  In a time where new, youthful music directors at both the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Philadelphia Orchestra make national news, all music is striving to be more mainstream. Jazz, rock, or Broadway-inspired cabaret are not to be overlooked.

Idina Menzel’s Crazy Fans

Idina Menzel with the New York Pops April 2009/ Photo: Rob Rich/IdinaMenzel.com

Last week, the Mann Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia hosted the Philadelphia Orchestra featuring Idina Menzel.  The singer, best known for her Broadway roles in “Rent” and “Wicked,” is experiencing a career resurgence on the hit TV show, “Glee.”  Based on the performance of some audience members, you might have thought it was a Phillies‘ game, where fans are known to storm the field and vomit on other fans.  This despite an interesting audience makeup featuring several definite trends: teen and tween girls and their moms (who love Wicked and Glee), gay men (who love Rent and Glee), and senior citizens (who love the Philadelphia Orchestra and cheaper outdoor seats).  In full disclosure, my husband and I fit the first trend, albeit a bit older than the girls and many of their moms.

Performers appreciate the sense of acceptance by their audience, but most don’t need help in programming the evening (that’s for you, song request screamers).  And performers who thrive on audience love, hearing “I LOVE YOU” yelled at every pause and song break just disrupts the flow.  Of course, Menzel closed the program with her “Wicked” hit, “Defying Gravity,” but not before a screamer goaded her into telling the story of how she broke her ribs during a performance of the show.  Menzel, patience wearing thin, offered “here’s my thank you,” before a powerful, inspiring explosion of the song.  The breaking point after a show full of mostly uninvited participation was during Menzel’s encore when she tried to gracefully mount a teetering stool wearing a flowing gown on a very hot, humid summer night.  She laughed off the attempt, inviting the audience to share and access the moment.  But when an audience member near me bellowed, “Don’t hurt yourself,”  the moment leading into a soulful rendition of “Tomorrow” from Annie, was ruined.

Menzel is not a diva.  With a few errant fans out of thousands present, she handled them like a pro: grin and bear it.  She spoke of lactating and the questionable lyrics in a Lady Gaga song (and proceeded to sing it).  She made fun of her mom in a Joan Rivers kind of way.  She’s a Long Island girl who worked her butt off, but saw enough time not working to graciously appreciate her fan base. Menzel profusely thanked the audience for paying good money to see her.  (Of course, an audience member loudly “reminded” her to thank the orchestra for backing her up.  Duh.  With a flourish, she re-thanked the orchestra, the conductor, her pianist, and a musician in the back playing the summer concert while seven months pregnant.)

Rudeness Doesn’t Discriminate

Jackson Browne in Concert, Reading, PA 2008/Carol Berman

I’ve seen similar behavior at smaller venues featuring singer-songwriter Jackson Browne.  We’re not talking snooty orchestra goers here.  Audience members are mostly baby boomers no longer influenced by the drugs and alcohol that fueled their concert experiences 30 years prior.

My point:  all these music lovers should know better.  And dropping $30 or $50 or $100 or $200 for tickets is not a license to be rude.  It’s not a personal concert in your living room.  If you want that, call Elton John.  He’ll do it for a $1 million donation to his AIDS charity.

I’m not saying to sit and do the “polite half-handed clap” after each song. I have enjoyed music experiences ranging from Bruce Springsteen to Depeche Mode to the late Ray Charles–where audience participation truly varies.  But it all got me thinking about the acceptable behavior at all types of concerts.  Just like performers work diligently to know and play to their audiences, concert goers need to know and understand their chosen experiences.  Bruce Springsteen expects song requests for his “stump the band” segment.  He expects homemade signs too, which might inspire the performance and cement an attendee’s memory as “the best ever. “   Hall and Oates take requests too.  And frankly, when these artists have repertoires that span 30 years, it’s impressive to see a dusty B-side make an appearance after an audience inquiry.

The Rules

As I looked around and online, what’s striking is that the etiquette expected at concerts across genres is basically the same:

• Don’t talk to your neighbor.  You’ll have to scream, and she won’t hear you anyway.  You’ll relive the concert on the way home anyway.
• Don’t take more than one bathroom break if you’ve got to step over people.  A concert is likely two hours.  You can’t make it?  Then get an aisle seat.
• If you’re going to sneak a photo, turn off the flash.
• Arrive on time.  If there’s an opening act, they deserve the same respect as the headliner.  Remember, the headliner was once an opener, and you can say, “I saw them when…”
• Related to time, if there’s intermission, don’t wait until the lights go back down to find your seat again.
• Respect your neighbors.  Clap, sing along, and bop in your seat. But if you’re occluding someone’s view because you’re the only one standing, sit down.  Remember everyone around you paid to see the act perform, not you.  At the Fraze Pavilion in Dayton, OH, if an usher gets 5 complaints about you standing up, you’ll be asked to sit–and that’s embarrassing.  This happened at a recent Allman Brothers show.  If everyone’s up and dancing, go for it!
• If you’re at a venue where eating and drinking is allowed, keep your garbage under your seat until you can toss it.  Otherwise, you’ll get annoyed when a person taking their bathroom break kicks over your beer or steps in your melted ice cream and makes a mess.
• If you’re trying to expose your kids to music–great.  But if they’re restless, take them into the hall.
• Don’t whistle.  It’s really annoying.
• Many etiquette “experts” say you shouldn’t wear t-shirts of the concert or band you’re watching.  I agree it’s a bit nerdy, but definitely the lowest on the offense list.  Your clothes likely won’t bug me.  Your cat-call type whistle will.

There are a few specific actions related to genre:

Rock/Metal Concerts

• If there’s a mosh pit and you don’t want to be jostled by fellow sweaty fans, drop $10 more and get yourself a seat 10 feet back.  You’ll still have a great view.

Jazz

• If a musician has played a solo, which is often improvised on the spot, applause at the end of the solo (while the music is still playing) is perfectly acceptable.

Classical/pops/anything with a full orchestra

• If the conductor hasn’t put his arms down, the music isn’t over.  Some classical pieces go on for 30 minutes or more.  Don’t applaud until his or her arms are down.

It’s a bit ironic that Idina Menzel’s signature song, “Defying Gravity” is all about breaking rules:

I’m through accepting limits
”cause someone says they’re so
Some things I cannot change
But till I try, I’ll never know!

But please, for the sake of thousands of music lovers everywhere, accept these rules of concert etiquette!  We’ll all have a better, more memorable time!

Call it the Mars/Venus Effect where the sexes are just different, point blank.  When a person tried to invade “sacred” space, be it a locker room, a playing field, either you’ve got the required equipment, or you don’t.

Now, thirty-five years after a female reporter entered the first professional locker room post-game, women are coaching at all levels.

Robin Herman, Former Intrepid Sports Reporter, now at Harvard

In 1975, New York Times reporter Robin Herman, then a 23-year-old reporter, secured entry to the N.H.L. All-Star Game after a year of persuasion.  She, not the game, became the story of the day.  Today, Herman is an assistant dean for research communications at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Then three decades later, Katie Hnida became the first woman to score in Division I-A football, as a kicker for the University of New Mexico.   She had transferred from the University of Colorado after dressing for games but not playing.  She also played in high school.

Now, Nancy Lieberman, a legend in basketball in her own right, has crossed over to the men’s space as the first female coach in the NBA for the Texas Legends, part of the NBA D-League.  The team hasn’t played a game yet, but two of its back office executives have already been called up to the NBA, potentially a good sign for players with dreams.

Perhaps It Just Takes a “Trailblazing” Attitude…

Nancy Lieberman/Former Player, Current Coach

Nancy Lieberman didn’t just pop on the scene.  At the age of 18, she was the youngest person, male or female, to win an Olympic medal in basketball.  She picked Muhammed Ali as her role model at the age of 9 and then met him 12 years later.   A 30 year career with ESPN was interrupted by a stint in the WNBA–at the age of 50.  It’s not that Lieberman doesn’t let the word “no” stop her–she never even considered it!

“This is normal for me,” she says.  “I’m used to being the only woman or the first woman.  It’s very normal.  It might be strange to other people, but it’s what I do every day and I love being in that capacity to inspire women.  It’s the coolest thing that can really happen to you.  We all want to be respected for our effort.”

She also remembers every step of the way, which keeps her grounded and provides a basis for her philosophies.  Many are very “coach-like,” but inspiring at the same time:

- It’s not being afraid of success. It’s being prepared for success.

- Nobody is harder on me than me.

Many people have memorable stories of how they met legends and role models.  Lieberman is no different, with her Muhammed Ali experience extending decades, even to today.  Perhaps that’s something to think about–what makes people successful is not compartmentalizing opportunities but seeing how a kernel of a moment can have long term impact.

She remembers meeting Ali at the New York Stock Exchange after she had won an Olympic medal:

“He says, ‘Come Here Kid,’ and he looks at me and he says that your mom says that you’re good.  I couldn’t even look him in the eye.  I said I’m not good or nothing, I’m the greatest.  And he says give me a hug, there’s two greatest in the room.  We spent time with him, exchanged phone numbers and stayed in touch my senior year.  Eight years ago, we reconnected and it’s been incredible.  Ali is writing and endorsement for [my upcoming] book.  They have said they’ll be at opening night.”

Opening night is in November when she takes to the court with her team.  Her goal–to lead and to teach, with successful results.

“I’m not in control of my reputation but I’m always in control of my character and that’s what I want to teach my guys,” she says.

Difference between contact and non-contact sports?

Does padding matter?  It seems that women are more welcome with the men when there’s less padding.  Case in point?  Tennis!  Mixed doubles have been played since 1888 at the US Open.  That was five years before Colorado was the first state to pass an amendment granting women the right to vote!

The Women in Sports Foundation notes that while there will always be women who can compete side by side men in contact sports, specifically boxing, the majority of women have less muscle mass per unit of body tissue and therefore,

As long as competing athletes are matched by ability, muscle mass and other standardized physical variables critical to success in the sport, competition between males and females should be permitted.

Regarding other contact sports, the Foundation considers physical development in their recommendations that pre-puberty, girls should only participate in contact sports, such as football, with other girls, and after that, continuing women-only teams are fine too.

Women in their own leagues?

The WNBA has been around for 14 years.  Women’s football leagues have popped up over time.  While Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972 covered gender discrimination in a broader sense, the increased opportunities for women in sports have been an unexpected and lasting result.  According to a 2006 study Linda Jean Carpenter and R. Vivian Acosta of Brooklyn College there are nine times more women participating in high school sports and the number of women in collegiate sports has increased by 450%!

The five most frequently offered college sports for women are, in order: (1) Basketball, 98.8% of schools have a team, (2) Volleyball, 95.7%, (3) Soccer, 92.0%, (4) Cross Country, 90.8%, and (5) Softball, 89.2%, according to a 2008 Brooklyn College study.

Perhaps league and level of play should be determined by the athlete.  If a woman can hold her own with the men, who cares?  In May 2010, Eri Yoshida debuted with the  Chico Outlaws, of the independent Golden League of baseball.  It’s not Major League Baseball, but it’s still considered professional.  It’s actually often the last stop for players before they retire for good.  She throws a 70 mph fastball and retired 7 of the first 10 batters she faced.

A woman hadn’t played professional baseball since 2000.  But with Yoshida’s arrival, ticket sales jumped more than 50% from the day before!  Her goal–to reach the majors.

No news is good news

It’s truly up for debate whether women in sports doing things “first” or even “second” is good in the news.  If it’s in the news, then public consciousness raises.  But if it’s not news, if it’s “ho-hum,” then it’s mainstream, hardly worthy of a blink.  Maybe that’s not so bad.

Sheryl Sandberg: Mom, Executive Photo Credit: Google

She writes:

“I…believe that once you have a child, it becomes necessary to make real changes, including potentially deemphasizing your career. But slowing down too early is a mistake that too many women make today, often without even realizing it. Because they sincerely want to stay in the workforce, they try to make room for everything and they slow down–or unconsciously pull back–well before their circumstances actually change. By the time they fully return, they are in jobs that no longer challenge or reward them enough to hold their attention.“

In the greater context of the piece, I do think there are essential points Sandberg glossed over.

Sandberg is hardly representative of all managers, male or female.  I can think of two examples: one where a woman got laid off right after she told her manager she was pregnant; one where a woman got laid off soon after returning to work after her second child.  Would a manager admit the connection?  Of course not.  But both had evidence that their “choices” played roles.  And these women DIDN’T “leave before leave.”  Imagine if they had!

Choices

Making Hard Choices

Sandberg writes:

No one can know in advance the choices they will make after going through a life change as profound as becoming a parent. But if you want to preserve the option of staying in the workforce and building a career, my advice is simple. Stay fully engaged, take on new and interesting challenges, and do so until you have a child. Keep your foot on the gas pedal until your life actually changes. Then you can make the decision to keep driving quickly, slow down, or step out of the car.

Choosing to take time off to raise a child or care for a sick parent CAN be considered part of a career.  A career spans decades and includes many life changes, such as advancement, talent development opportunities, extended time off, and the plan to return.  In a society where moms work on a Thursday and give birth on a Friday, “leave before leave” can help preserve sanity.

There are many industries such as law, journalism, and medicine where hours are long and erratic.  If a person doesn’t decide to pull back before he or she is in a relationship which might lead to a desired family, that relationship may never materialize.  From my experience in journalism, you don’t even realize you’re on the road to becoming a “news nun” until you’ve almost gotten your habit and blessing.  You’re having too much fun, you’re embracing your responsibility to inform the public, and you better have a pet sitter on speed dial for those last minute trips to breaking news sites.

The Biggest Oversights

Most importantly, I think Sandberg misses the point that everyone, male or female, engages in “leave before leave” to some degree fairly often.  It potentially has little to do with success or job performance.  It’s about finding work/life balance in varying degrees.  Most of corporate America experiences a tiny bit of “leave before leave” every Friday after 3pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day.   Or how about pending weddings, vacations, and even just a hot date that night?  People naturally pull back in the face of other priorities.  It may not hinder performance, but bad timing could impact advancement.

She also does not define “career,” even in her own view.  How does she define balance between title, paycheck, direct reports, benefits, ability to balance life, chances save the planet, feel fulfilled, etc?  We all split this pie differently, and one recipe is not necessarily better.

Sandberg suggests forging ahead no matter what life obstacle gets in the way.  She writes that she hired someone who became pregnant soon after joining Facebook.  Sandberg herself took the Facebook job upon her return to work after the birth of her second child.  Her main theme is this: there’s never a good time.

She’s right, there is often never a perfect time.

Stop Your Career At Your Own Risk

Sandberg is outspoken about her hard work to provide leadership opportunities for women and deserves all the attention she gets for it.  But at the end of the day, she has to report to someone and make her numbers.  I strongly doubt she’d hire me, 8 months pregnant, even if I was the best “whatever” on earth.  The key is knowing when something is a “once in a lifetime” opportunity and when it isn’t.

I Practiced “Leaving Before Leave”

I think by “leaving before leave,” I have shown that I respect potential employers. Making a huge investment in me, an unknown, only to need a replacement in a few months during maternity leave is asking a lot.  In a “need it now” society where employers have work to be done or risk losing headcount without immediate hires, most look at current availability.  Yet, I have already had positive response from hiring managers and clients as a result.  I’m not sitting idly by; I have continued to work at a level that fits my current situation.

Consider the numbers:  According to the CDC, 4 million women give birth each year.  The US Census reports that 56% of moms with infants in 2004 are working, down from a record high of 59% in 1998.  And 51% of women returned to work within 4 months of having their first children.  True, we cannot assess the “quality” of those jobs.

You have to consider your job as well as your career.  Sandberg talks about conversations she’s had with women who didn’t even have boyfriends and yet were pulling back, planning to have children.  (She didn’t mention the rising trend of single motherhood by choice, by the way) If women approached their relationships with the same energy and drive that they put towards work, that boyfriend-husband-baby path may not be as long as Sandberg implies.  That entire process can take less than two years.  Sandberg would argue that two years of pulling back will greatly and adversely affect my prospects going forward.  As I still get calls for jobs and assignments, I disagree.

It has to do with the person and how that person tackles ANY challenge, personal or professional.

In addition to Sandberg being among a tiny proportion of potentially understanding managers, she is likely among a small proportion of high wage earners.  She doesn’t discuss her childcare options, which are likely choices not experienced by the majority of working moms.  Former TV personality and current entrepreneur Joan Lunden is mom to 4 children under 7 and 3 others.  On a Thursday May 20th appearance on ABC’s The View, she freely agreed that being married to an owner of summer camps and having the resources to comfortably provide for her kids makes all the difference in balancing work and family with the help of her husband.

Sandberg gives job applicants the option of expressing their plans to have children.  She asks them directly, which is a questionable practice according to the EEOC.  It’s illegal to discriminate in the course of hiring, firing and other conditions of employment based on pregnancy.  With that in mind, she might argue that I should not have considered my pregnancy in a job search.

Hard Work Pays Off

Sandberg has an admirable life at which she worked very hard to earn.  She’s Harvard educated (undergrad and grad).  Her resume includes being the highest ranking woman at Google and Chief of Staff at the US Department of the Treasury.  She’s now half of what could be called a Silicon Valley “power couple,”  married to SurveyMonkey CEO, David Goldberg.  In other words, she’s no slouch.

Her dad is a well-known eye doctor in Florida.  Her mom is a teacher.  Together, they founded the South Florida Conference on Soviet Jewry.  In 1975, they were detained, questioned, and expelled from the USSR.  This is a passionate family.  Sheryl’s efforts clearly have deep roots in a family with strong values and drive.

Sandberg worked as an economist at the World Bank on international issues. She now works for a company that touches 500 million people worldwide.  She has a clear view of the world as a whole.  I would just suggest that when needed, she shrink her world view to realize a wider range of women and what we offer.  It will be several months before I know if my decision was a mistake.  But I am  confident that it was not. That confidence will count for something.

The train pulled into New York’s Penn Station and I had 10 pages to go in the riveting memoir.  But kind of like with “Titanic,” you know how it ends.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Author, Professor, Holocaust Survivor Elie Wiesel April 28, 2010/Carol Berman

The 90 minute program sponsored by the New York Press Club (of which I am a member) provided even more insight into Mr. Wiesel’s life since his time in Auschwitz and Birkenau.  But I did not take away a greater desire to connect with Israel and current politics there.  What I did think about is the responsibility to learn.

As a journalist, it’s been my job to learn about any number of things, usually under deadline.  Even off the clock, the quest and desire to learn is usually present. But in a semi-schizophrenic way, sometimes I just want to turn it off and it’s completely unpredictable.  On my honeymoon, I tried to turn it off and literally did not power up my iPhone.  But like calories not counting when eaten off someone else’s plate, I was drawn to news alerts on my husband’s Blackberry.

A journalist is also charged with being a witness to history.  But Mr. Wiesel took this notion even further:

“My deep conviction is he or she who listens to a witness becomes a witness.”

Does Your Day Have 28 Hours?

There’s only so much time in the day.  During the little free time we get, are we responsible for “work” of a different kind?  Work in self-educating?  Are we responsible for filling in the gaps left by tightly scheduled school curricula, when there’s never enough time to learn everything.

Back in 1989, AP American history, I remember whizzing through the post-World War II years because time was short and exam prep had to begin.  In college, professors often skew curricula to their own areas of interest and expertise.  There are so many classics to read,  so many events to embrace.  In 2006, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that 37% of high school seniors didn’t know that a 1962 conflict between the US and the Soviet Union was over missiles in Cuba.  That was considered an easy question.  Only 29% could name one reason why the US got involved in Korea.

During Mr. Wiesel’s talk, he addressed an audience question recounting a 10 year old who did not know about the Holocaust.  “I will not force a child,” he said. “A child must be ready for it.”

"Pleasure" Reading or School Assignment?

I know my knowledge of European history is lacking.  Same can be said for wars in Korea and Vietnam.  I read works including “The Great Gatsby” and “The Grapes of Wrath” on my own because I felt a hole in my literary knowledge.

Nothing Wrong With a Little Brain Candy

But are we allowed to turn it off?  While I’ve been to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, read The Diary of Anne Frank, and experienced several first-hand accounts of survivors in years of Hebrew school, I never saw Schindler’s List. It just isn’t what I look for when I go to the movies.  I don’t consider it entertainment; it’s education.  And if I’ve got 4 hours for dinner and a movie on a Saturday night, maybe I just don’t want to mentally “work.”  But I’m beginning to think responsibility might have to win out more often.

That sense has become stronger as I’ve sought to be educated and seen the link with responsibility.  Watching “Food, Inc.” and reading David Kessler’s “The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite” has changed the way I shop for food.  Over time, this education will positively impact the health of my family.  But I found both entertaining.

The Holocaust and other historical accounts are not meant to be entertaining.  Ken Burns has made a valiant effort in making historical events such as the Civil War watchable (though many critics don’t like his treatment of still photographs).

How Much Time do YOU Have?

The challenge is in finding time to balance responsibility with unadulterated recreation.  A 2007 study from the Pew Research Center found that despite the boom in readily available information, between 1989 and 2007, knowledge of public affairs didn’t improve much.  In fact, 5% fewer people knew the name of the Vice President.  If you want to make the argument that people don’t see far beyond their noses, it doesn’t hold.  Eight percent fewer people could name their own state’s governor.  Despite the fact that people are more educated, knowledge has not increased accordingly.

I think it’s a combination of time in the day and sheer desire.  Both should not be excuses.

The American Historical Association lists three benefits of studying history–that when you think about it, can be translated to so many elements in life:

1. The Ability to Assess Evidence
2. The Ability to Assess Conflicting Interpretations
3. Experience in Assessing Past Examples of Change

The American Revolution Center found 83% of adults failed a basic test on the American Revolution in 2009.  (I scored a 90% on the same test–a little comfort in knowing I have not fried every brain cell since the 10th grade)

I now think we’re compelled to be more conscious in our post-school learning, no matter what the circumstance.  Some work 3 jobs to get by and put food on the table.  I think 5 minutes with a newspaper on the commute or waking up to 10 minutes of news radio is as much a privilege as a responsibility.  We can become educated and question the information sources.  Not everyone can.

I finished the last 10 pages of “Night” on the train ride home.

So you want to be a music legend.  (Or maybe it’s your kid who spends more time writing songs than doing science homework).  While there are often predictable paths which lead to many professions, becoming a music legend isn’t so easy.  If you study and pass certain exams, you can be a nurse or a teacher.  Hard work, study, and even luck makes no guarantees in the music industry.

What Makes a Music Legend?

Jackson Browne in Concert/Carol Berman

There are some traits that all legends have in common.  Mark Wolfson has more than 3 decades in the music business, as a producer and a writer primarily.  He’s worked with artists including Smokey Robinson, Van Halen, and Talking Heads.  With all the people who have entered his studios, the legends stand out. “Now more than ever, someone who might be good at whatever they would accomplish are the people who are always going to stand out.  Someone like Jason Mraz,” he says.  “They’re driven in any form.  It becomes an inherent personality trait.  The more glutted the market is, the more they stand out.”

Being great musicians offer no guarantees.  Remember the 80s group, TOTO?  Extremely talented studio musicians, but legends? Not so much.  “They became a super-band out of the need for the record label to make it happen,” says Wolfson.

Jackson Browne has had it all–stories, longevity, prolific turnout, awards, consistent touring–but is he a legend?  It seems so random.

In fact, talent might have nothing to do with it.  “There are plenty incredibly, even supernaturally talented musicians who will never become legends,” says Robert Fink, Professor and Chair of UCLA’s Department of Musicology. “And there are musical legends who are not actually that musically talented–Ringo Starr?  Sid Vicious?  Flavor Flav?”

Who Gets to Decide Who’s a Music Legend?

According to Fink, legend status is often the result of coronation by the media more than consumers.  “Certainly it is possible to be a legend in your own time, if your story is archetypal enough,” he says.  ”The turning moment would be the moment when someone “tells the tale” in a way that catches the attention of the public, and that “fixes” the artist’s story in a form that will last.”

Sounds a little depressing to me.  It’s the story, not the music.  What about controlling your destiny, working until you make it, die trying and all those positive messages that get people through the day?  In the music world, that’s just not realistic.

Wolfson sees a more linear progression–organizations like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bestow legend status.   DJs and websites keep artists in the spotlight.  And listeners and fans keeps it going further.

How Long Does it Take?

If you’re lucky, legend status can actually be observed before death.  Let’s face it, death, especially a tragic one, becomes a great story and adds to the mystique.  Take note, fans of Janis Joplin, Lynryd Skynrd, and Otis Redding.

But if you compare photos of the artists who sang in “We Are the World” from 1985 and “We Are the World” for Haiti 2010, what’s notable is that most of the singers in the older photo are still around, still singing, and still filling seats. Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, to name a few of the soloists. (A side note: Barbra Streisand was asked by Quincy Jones to participate in 1985.  She turned it down and kicked herself for it.  So the second time, she jumped on.)  That’s not to say they’re all legends, and only time will tell about the new crew including Justin Bieber and Akon.  But with Autotune and technology smoothing out more rough spots, talent is more easily molded, manufactured, and helped along the way.

And Then There’s Life.

Truth is, optimistic or not, the odds of becoming a legend are slim.  You might win the lottery first.  But in real life, musicians find happiness and fulfillment anyway.  Just look at the rejects from American Idol, performers who had a leg up from the get-go.  Several find jobs on Broadway–Fantasia Barrino in The Color Purple, Tamyra Grey in Rent, and Constantine Maroulis was nominated for a Tony award in Rock of Ages.  Others fall into obscurity.

Mississippi Musician Scott Albert Johnson/Susan Margaret Barrett

Scott Albert Johnson, a musician from Jackson, MS, pays the bills as a writer.  He’s earned degrees from Harvard and Columbia.  But if you ask the married father of three what he does for a living, “musician” is what he’ll say.  “You had better love it, to the extent that you can’t live without it, if you’re going to give it a go,” says Johnson.  “My main goal has always been to get my music to as wide an audience as possible, via recordings as well as live performances.  That goal has never changed and I don’t think it ever will. Thanks to the Internet and social media, I have been able to get fans and recognition all over the world despite very limited touring.”

Johnson released his album, “Umbrella Man” in 2007.  He’s not selling out stadiums, but he’s ok with that.  He’s shared stages with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Burton and Marty Stuart, who played in Johnny Cash’s band and is a gold solo recording artist.  These are the experiences which inspire and motivate him.  His second album is due

Legends of Tomorrow

We put our experts on the spot to identify current artists who have “legend” potential; the ones to watch.  Professor Fink’s money is on White Stripes’ frontman Jack White and Singer-songwriter Conor Oberst.  For women, for some reason, it’s a bit more difficult. “It is harder for women to become legends, but some stories are compelling, like, say Mariah Carey, who I would bet on over, say, Beyonce, who is beautiful and talented (ie, “diva”), but whose story is a little…bland,” says Fink.

Wolfson would agree, that the White Stripes are poised for long-standing greatness along with the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, The Shins, Foo Fighters and Green Day

Johnson names Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Louis Armstrong, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, and Bonnie Raitt in the “legend” category.  And his heroes might just fall into that category too: Sting, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Pete Townshend, most of the Beatles.

Your chances of hitting it big?  Consider Johnson’s goals…which might not result in riches but will maintain sanity in an insane industry.  And they all stem from observing the legends he admires:
“They can (1) sing well, (2) play an instrument exceptionally well, and (3) write good, challenging songs that work on a lot of levels,” says Johnson.  “That’s what I strive for.”

Dirty Jobs’ Mike Rowe Works Hard and Smart

Discovery

He’s one of the most interesting people I’ve ever spoken with.  And I’ve been in journalism for 15+ years.

While he might not have the viewership of some other reality hosts–Jeff Probst and Ryan Seacrest come to mind–I would bet few have the overwhelming positive viewer feedback.  There is little criticism and much support.  No public personal life drama.  No tabloid headlines.  Basically no BS.

Yeah, the guy got fired from a few jobs.  He’s happy to talk about it.  He admits to never shopping, not wanting too much stuff, and wearing clothes he gets on photo shoots. Yawn.  Or, you can view it as a regular guy who happens to get a lot of attention for being a regular guy and, get this, it didn’t go to his head.  I’m sure some therapist out there could find some issue.  But why bother?

Blaine Fisher/Getty Images

I interviewed him about his work with a little personal stuff for color.  That wasn’t the point of my story, so I had no reason to push on subjects that belong on TMZ.  However, it was not fluff at all.

Rowe is always looking to the next dirty job.  But when it comes to giving back–he’s far from trite about it.  He connects with people and causes NOT for the photo op but because the guy truly cares.  When we talked, he wasn’t looking for extra attention for himself like some celebs.  He really wanted notice directed towards a vet-centered program to which he contributes.  ”Green Cares” takes care of landscaping for vet while they’re deployed.  Rowe also gave a special shout out to his buddies from “Deadliest Catch,” the folks who toil to get Alaskan crab legs on your raw bar, in a very dangerous pursuit.

Rowe earnestly fights for the “everyman.”  He wants every plumber to make 6-figure salaries and gain respect for their work.  He wants to to change the perception of make earning an honest living through hard work–he wants it to be cool.  And whether a person is an electrician or a TV host, Rowe knows it could all end tomorrow.  So, to borrow an appropriate aphorism, he’s making hay while the sun shines.  And yes, he’s done that on “Dirty Jobs.”

The sun sets, but many are still working

It’s not defusing bombs in Iraq.  It’s not putting in 12 hours of assembly line work, which sounds mind-numbing. Unless that assembly line turns out the food you eat or the car you drive and you pray that the minds at work are not numb, but sharp.  One thing I will tell you is that our Executive branch continues to be one of the hardest working group of cubicle inhabiters out there.  My proof?  Read on.

A friend of my husband works at the White House in a military capacity.  He showed us around the Eisenhower Executive Office Building around 9pm on a Friday night.  Most Americans were doing any number of things–continuing the happy hour that started 4 hours earlier, putting kids to bed, worried about kids who weren’t home yet, or maybe getting ready for that third shift job that pays double on the weekends.

Say Goodbye to Happy Hour

Most White House employees work here

There was a large group of people who were just leaving work or still working in the Executive Branch of government.  One person in the White House Counsel’s office, a couple of 20-somethings closing up the communication’s office, and a few taking a coffee break outside the Cantine.  There were still cars in the parking lot when we left.  Close to 10p.m.

For all the “cushy” government 9-5 paper pushing jobs that exist, you can be sure that few of them exist on the White House campus under Obama’s watch.  You might say I’m biased, having worked there before and being an open Democrat.  But I have a defense.  I worked 12-14 hour days and I was happy to do so because of the greater implications way down or up the food chain my work could have.  It was a heady time–early 20s, lots of friends, no husband or kids.  In fact, in our group of about 10, only one was married.

Lately, there have been criticisms of the perception of “work-life balance” in the Obama White House.  The President seems to get it, having dinner with his girls every night while his advisers barely see their families.  David Axelrod, who has a daughter with epilepsy and brain damage, only sees his family in Chicago once a month. Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff, debated taking his job since the arrival of 3 children, priorities which didn’t exist during his 15 hour days with the Clinton administration.  It’s about choices, and they’re not easy ones.

Obama’s intent to make the White House “family friendly,” really only applies to his family.  Take-home laptops for top aides don’t end up helping that much.

Art Imitates Life

Family versus country?  They’re not exactly mutually exclusive.

Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie in The Hurt Locker (Jonathan Olley/Summit Entertainment)

In the Oscar winning film, “The Hurt Locker,” Jeremy Renner’s character, Staff Sergeant William Jones, [SPOILER ALERT] chooses country over family.  Through the film, his character is portrayed as a bit of a swashbuckler.  But when it comes to decision time, it’s clear his choice isn’t made in haste.

Many military families accept this way of life for decades–that someone in the family has the struggle between family and country.  Sometimes family can come along.  Sometimes family gets through a year with emails and webcams, missing first steps or friends’ weddings.  The family’s pride for their loved one and their country helps them through.  There’s support for military families, to be sure. But it’s still hard.

Other Agencies Make it Work–Just Not the Big One

The government as a whole provides high levels of job satisfaction.  The Partnership for Public Service and American university’s Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation (ISPPI) conducts regular studies.  Based on responses of 212,000 employees in 278 federal organizations and agencies, of the top 31 agencies reporting on work/life balance, 20 reported increases work/life balance as compared to 2007.  The top 10 include 4 cabinet agencies: Treasury, Education, Energy, and Commerce, all who reported changes for the better of .7-4.6%.

I don’t think it’s a partisan thing–but I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that President Bush spent 487 days at Camp David and 490 over 77 trips to his ranch in Texas.  I’m all in favor of “working vacations” and “working at home,” but being a writer at home is different than being President.

There’s no clear or right answer.  Do we work our government to burn-out or make honest efforts to ensure work-life balance for some hard-working Americans?  Do we tell them to suck it up?  What is truly better for our country?

Ever read those surveys that scientifically prove the obvious?  The ones that report things like drivers with guns are more prone to road rage (Accident Analysis and Prevention, Jan. 2006) or that “Beer Goggles” really exist (Bausch & Lomb press release, Nov 2005).  You laugh until you realize the money that went into the work, the laboratories, and the salaries of the Ph.D.s.   Then you wonder why didn’t you think of it first.

There are the things that almost everyone seems to experience.  Traffic. Bad customer service. Travel woes.  The search for the perfect jeans or the perfect mate.  The experiences tend to be universal and we have universal expressions.  Pissedconsumer.com is a repository of cranky sports.  Most newspapers feature ombudsmen who will fight your battles for you with names like “The Haggler,” since no company wants a reporter mad, especially a reporter with the platform to tell thousands about the experience.

But there’s a certain experience, mostly favoring one gender (except for a guy in Oregon) where complaints are not well received.  No one wants to hear the bitching and moaning of a woman, let alone a pregnant woman.  So my point here is to “out” a common issue and my plea here does not go so far as sympathy, but perhaps more understanding–understanding that pregnancy sucks.

Why can't this guy just come?

Pregnancy Sucks.  Yes I said it.

For current mothers, the attitude is, “been there, done that, suck it up.” For want-to-be mothers, the attitude is, “be thankful you can reproduce, suck it up.”  For everyone else, the attitude is, “you wanted a kid, now suck it up.”  And for some it’s, “How could you not love every moment of creating new life?”

It’s kind of funny actually.  There’s a bit of amnesia that hits mothers around the 6 month mark, when their babies start to sleep through the night, coo in the cutest ways, and are fun to have around.  I have many dear friends who are moms.  I still have a mom and a grandma too.  But no one tells you how bad it is–and I’m still 4 months from labor.  A few mention the ick of morning sickness and the holy grail cure of saltine crackers but that’s about it.  I do realize that I have very little perspective here.  I’m inside the situation and I literally can’t see it from the outside nor from what awaits because I think having a child is one of those things where you can’t approximate the experience.  And I also realize that not everyone cares.  To some, I’m just a passing curiosity in the supermarket: is she pregnant or just fat?

Pregnancy is like a 9 month college degree.  There’s a lot to learn, midterms along the way, and a final exam. Like in college, some friends tell you what reading you can skip and still pass.  Others are bookworms, absorbing every word.  Some professors (doctors) conflict in philosophy.  But unlike college, it’s not like you have to regurgitate his or her published theory to get an “A.”  You do have to figure out what works for you, however.  Some wine or none?  Diet soda?  Peanuts? And crossing your fingers hoping for good results never hurts.

One thing about pregnancy that rarely said out loud, though, is that it’s not really all that fun.  And this is coming from a person who is an eternal optimist and a bit of a dreamer.  It gets pretty heady when you stop and think about the responsibility taken on: from 18 years of support to the loftier concept of expanding the human race to the lottery-type dreams of producing a President or Super Bowl winner.  (I’m hoping for the fourth Cornell grad in the family)

In her book, “Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth About Pregnancy,” Jenny McCarthy exposed a lot of the yuckiness.  There’s actually a book entitled, “Pregnancy Sucks: What to Do When Your Miracle Makes You Miserable,” by Joanne Kimes.  Other bloggers here and there are on the bandwagon, but the majority of moms wax poetic about how wonderful it is to have the privilege of being lucky enough to experience the miracle of life.  Many message boards are just plain saccharine about the “best” way to spell “Ashley” and baby showers.  Blech.

Google® Won’t Find it for You

Even Google® won't come through

Even Google’s auto-completer in its search engine DOES NOT complete “Pregnancy sucks.”  You get “Pregnancy sushi” and  “Pregnancy Success Stories.”

I think there are at least 5 things that really suck and men can even relate to some:
1. You work very hard to get the body you want and *poof* it’s gone.  (For a guy, it might be too many pizzas in football season that lead to extra pounds.  But he skips dessert for a week and he’s fine.)
2. You don’t have the energy you need or want.  Whether you want to run a marathon, work a 12-hour-a-day job, heck, even watch Comedy Central at 11:30pm, you can’t.  A caffeine jolt for help?  Well, a little is ok, but that old 10-cup-a-day habit has to go.
3. You don’t sleep well.  No matter what you try.  I slept better the night before the Biology AP exam, the nights before I moved to cities where I didn’t know a soul, and the night before my wedding.  Practice for sleepless nights ahead? Hardly, when I still have to work, meet deadlines, and stay sharp.  With a newborn, you’re not expected to do anything but take care of the baby.  That’s why there’s maternity leave.
4. You forget everything.  Little things like where your keys are.  And big things like you’re actually pregnant!  I was reminded at yesterday’s spin class when my thighs were bumping my belly.  Or when I had a complete 20 minute conversation and planned how I was going to get myself on the communications staff for Andrew Cuomo’s yet-to-be announced New York gubernatorial campaign.  Uh–how exactly would that work with a July baby and a November election?  It won’t.
5. You can’t ___.  Fill in the blank.  It changes every day as you discover a growing belly gets in the way of more than seeing your feet.

Like an Oscar Nominee, I Am So Thankful to be Nominated

I do realize that I have a lot for which to be thankful.  Many women who want kids don’t or can’t have them.  Whether it’s fertility issues, age, biology, or adoption challenges, it doesn’t matter when you want to be a mom.  Worse, others have had kids and lost them.  At 37, I felt like my ovaries were slowly shriveling with little useful time left.  But like Jeff Bridges whose time may have come later in life or Susan Lucci for whom it did, I feel very lucky.  So far.  But I haven’t given birth to a healthy baby yet.  I have signed up for every test I can to check for abnormalities and sweated the time from the test to results.  (They tell you the delay is because the lab is in New Mexico.  I think that’s bunk.  FedEx anyone?)

You Just Hope Science is in Your Favor

You’re told the percentage chance of your child-to-be having any number of disorders from Downs Syndrome to Trisomy 18.  I know many now-Baby Boomer parents drank and smoked through their pregnancies and my contemporaries are highly functioning, contributing members of society.  But that doesn’t make me wonder if the pot I smoked in college will have repercussions now.  While all the research says that running through pregnancy is fine if you were a runner before, I decided to stop.  Why?  Because if something were to go wrong, I’d hate to wonder if all that bouncing was a contributing factor.

Who IS This Person?

I’m not like this.  I don’t make big decisions lightly, but I do enjoy life teetering on the edge.  I only applied to a single graduate school.  I used to own a motorcycle.  I love roller coasters and trying food I’ve never had before.  I enjoy travel near or far, without an itinerary.  I like forks in the road.

I’m not depressed.  I’m excited by the prospect of giving birth, having a kid, and expanding our family beyond our beloved dog.  According to the American Pregnancy Association, 10-20% of pregnant women are depressed.  A new study to be in the March issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology out of Stanford University found that acupuncture alone was a helpful treatment for antepartum depression.  So beyond drugs, there’s more verified help out there for those in need.  Good news for my fellow pregos.

Most of the time, you’ll never know it sucks.  It’s like when someone asks you, “How are you?”  Based on the relationship, you have to gauge whether the answer is “Fine, how are you?”  or “Gosh, this sucks.”

It reminds me of a time when we whispered “cancer.” When there was that silly Politically Correct trend in the 80s, euphemizing everything.  Some argue we’re in a “TMI” (too much information) trend now, which is true.  Not sure I really want to see other people’s child births on YouTube or read emails from Ex-Governors’ and pro-golfers’ former prostitutes.  I’m just saying that when it comes to pregnancy, women can be better served by a healthy dose of honesty among each other.

Old School Snowshoes

Since 1977, the United States Snowshoe Association has existed in Upstate New York to spread the word about running through snow with tennis rackets tied to your feet.  But this is not a sport for the Aspen fancy-pants ilk.  Take a look at their website and then look at the US Skiing and Snowboard Association‘s.  The same number of “S”s but worlds apart.  There are snow shoe races and events called “invitationals.”  It’s serious stuff, but there is a definite dual sense of wishing their sport was more mainstream but not wanting everyone in on the secret.  As for numbers, well, they do reflect growth.  But the latest stats available are from the 1990s–not exactly accurate for today, when you consider that those numbers reflect a time when Olympic snowboarder Shaun White was in elementary school.

The secret might be out soon if the exercise benefits get some press.  According to the Snowsports Industry Association, snowshoers burn 45 percent more calories than walking or running at the same speed.

Nanook of the North

Snowshoeing has been around for about 6000 years. Legend has it beginning in Asia, where ancestors to Inuits and Native Americans migrated bringing snowshoes with them.  Their design mimics the feet of animals who walked in the snow.  If you have ever taken a step and found yourself in snow up to your knees, you’d agree that those folks were on to something.

The old wooden snowshoes you see with leather webbing and ties were, not surprisingly, hard to keep on.  In the 1960s and 70s, technology and plastic were introduced, leading to designs we use today.

And for you skiers out there, the guy who invented step-in ski bindings contributed to modern snowshoe design in the 1990s.  Rick Howell lent his expertise to the Vermont-based Tubbs Snowshoe Company, which grew to be a leader in the industry.

Typical Recreational Snowshoes

You want to start?

As far as sports equipment go, snowshoes won’t leave you broke.  For around $150 you can get a set of entry level shoes and a set of poles if you’re not planning on scaling a huge mountain.  Poles, which are usually telescopic, aren’t essential, but help with balance.

According to the USSSA, about 30 manufacturers market aluminum-framed snowshoes, the standard used today.  Tubbs, Atlas (owned by Tubbs), Redfeather, Sherpa, and TSL are the leaders.  And of course, Maine’s L.L.Bean brands their own snowshoes too.

There are three types of snowshoes: Recreational, Hikers, and Runners.  The majority of shoes bought and sold are recreational–versatile, spread across wide price-points, in many sizes and styles.

Snowshoes tend to come in two sizes: 8×25 and 9×30.  There are also 8x21s for smaller users too and even tinier ones for children.  Size is determined by the total weig

Blaze Your Own Trail

ht of the user–including whatever gear he or she might be carrying.

The Buddy System

Like many sports whether there’s the possibility of being swallowed by a wave or a bear, traveling in a group is usually recommended.

However, part of the thrill is being able to take in the peace of the woods on a solo mission, just you and the crunch-crunch-crunch of your snowshoes in the snow.

The first place many people encounter snow shoes is when they want something other than skiing to do on a winter vacation.  It’s an activity regularly offered at New England bed and breakfasts.  Outdoor shops sponsor treks which might end with hot chocolate.  To take a trek is usually an economical afternoon–around $30 per person, including rentals.

Don’t knock it till you try it.  It’s a way to connect with nature and be outside in colder weather.  That abominable snow man crossing the tundra otherwise known as a school yard on the next snowy day might just be you.