WHAT NOW: HUMOR? IT CAN REALY GET YA’ DOWN

San Diego Presidio Sentinel, December 2011

By Laura Walcher

If you’ve missed your perfectly every-day sense of humor lately, well, it’s no wonder. 

But  black humor may be your thing; if so,  you’re in hog-humor-heaven with me. My personal favorite was Steven Colbert, who noted the headline, “Cain Hits Home Run with Kimmel. ”

“…impressive,” exuded Colbert, “because he was only trying to get to third base.”

Or the anonymous tweet about Rick Perry’s memory lapse: “ … I suspect from now on, he’ll be sewing his name tags on his underwear …”

Now, c’mon.  Our pols and celebs have provided us irresistible quips.   And, by and large, have no one to blame but themselves, although a few have made defiant attempts to blame their troubles on the left-wing media, the right-wing media, the opposing party, or thrill-seekers looking for exposure (uh-oh. bad word).

Across the pond, in the course of the ongoing interrogations into the News of the World’s phone hacking scandal, James Murdoch somehow didn’t know much about it. Imagine! Denier-blaster and panelist Tom Watson, that frequent Murdoch critic, furiously – or facetiously? - accused the son-in-the-spotlight:  “You must be the first Mafia boss in history who didn’t know he was running a criminal enterprise!”

THAT wasn’t funny, though it did get an initial international chuckle. Mr. Watson might have gotten mixed up between Murdoch and Silvio Berlusconi.  At least Berlusconi is Italian.

On our shores, Mr. Perry’s humbling bumble at forgetting his third item for the chopping block earned a national squirm, followed by mass sympathy with the problem.  Post-faux-pas, what else to do?  Mr Perry wisely opted for … funny.  Desperately needed, anyway, in the course of this parade towards the presidency.

 For a minute there, Mr. Cain was the major-domo, but whether he fell to the rear over physical groping, mental groping, or cheerfully describing his mates as ice-creams:  ‘Michelle is tutti-frutti!  Milt is vanilla!  I’m Hagen-Daas black walnut – substantial!” – our foreheads sunk to our chests.  Especially those of us who know our ice-cream:  Hagen-Dass doesn’t make Black Walnut any more. 

Did Lawrence O’Donnell’s  theory,  accompanied by video, have gotten it right, when he somehow made the case that the contendahs only blow it when they’re wearing red ties? 

Of course, the “oops” factor isn’t relegated to the class of eight. When CBS’ political director, John Dickerson, sent an e-mail to staff reminding them that the campaign front-runners should get the majority of TV time in the “debates,” he accidentally included Mrs. Bachmann’s campaign.  His argument against focusing on her,  that she’s “nearly off the charts,” sent her camp into a fury.  Mrs. B shouldn’t worry … just running for president shows she’s got plenty of “chootsbah.”

(This Yiddish word is correctly pronounced “chutzpah,” with a gutteral “ch –. “   It has clearly worked its way into our common vernacular, and means “audacity.” If you don’t believe the danger of slippery fingers, off-the-cuff insults, mis-representing the facts, or issuing your own black humor, go ahead, google “Michele, Chutspah.”  That’s how I know you know what I’m talking about, even if I don’t absolutely reference the context!)

Can we expect a continuation of candidates’ gaffes and goofiness to define the upcoming  “debates” ?   Anyway, according to them, the fault will lie, not in themselves, but in the aggressiveness of the news media, or their interviewers … who, however, are just doin’ their job, folks – and not for laughs!    ###

SHOULD YOU CHANGE YOUR COMPANY’S NAME? NOT IF YOU CAN HELP IT!

By:  Laura Walcher

Principal PR Counsel, JWalcher Communications

www.jwalcher.com

   In the last half-century, the bank currently known as Union Bank, has changed its name approximately a half-dozen times.  From 1^st National Bank of San Diego, to Southern California 1^st National Bank, California 1^st Bank, Union Bank, Union Bank of California – and just recently, back to Union Bank. 

    I’d like a nickel for every hour I’ve spent discussing the pros and cons of name changes with clients – and a dime for each that didn’t heed my advice! Because, while there is tremendous excitement and creativity around a potential new name, I more often find the rationales for doing so avoidable - if not basically weak.  Often, too, companies lack a corresponding commitment or know-how to effectively drive a new name home in the marketplace.

   A Bloomberg News report noted an Anspach Grossman Enterprise survey that said the number of name changes among U.S. corporations recently broke long-time records. Of those changing their names, 52 percent changed because of mergers or acquisitions;  about 44 percent wanted to better define themselves.

These may indeed be viable reasons to change. Others may

include:

   l.  A change of ownership (yet many still choose not to change names for this reason.  Consider the l00-year old law firm of Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps ... where only one “name” partner is  involved.)

   2.  Declining business.  Often, a fresh name and graphic look can jump-start a company - but not in and of itself.  It must be accompanied by announced philosophical, directional, product (etc.) changes as well.

   3.  Changing marketplace.  When fried foods came to be regarded as unhealthful, Kentucky Fried Chicken changed to “KFC.”  This enabled them to re-define themselves but still retain their fried product.  (An extreme example of a product suffering from this, as well as the next point, you may remember, was the diet candy called “Ayds.”  Uh-uh.) 

   4.  Tarnished name and reputation.  A product recall, a crime, an accident.  Sometimes the only way out is to erase history is by re-inventing yourself altogether. However, the Tylenol tampering case of l989 demonstrated that effective crises management can actually strengthen the brand name. Tylenol has remained a strong brand. 

   5.  The name does not describe your company’s business.  When Boston Chicken added other meats to their menu, they chose an easier path with a version of their existing name, to Boston Market.

   While these may be compelling reasons to change, avoid it - if possible - for these reasons:

   l.  You give up marketing equity.

        Most companies spend years driving recognition of their name, hoping to develop their brand or niche, and become strongly “top of mind” with their buyers and clients.  If you have succeeded in this, changing your name will throw away all that you’ve achieved and force you to begin the process all over again.

   2.  You often create confusion - not clarity - in the marketplace.  I recall some old saying about how difficult it is to become memorable.  The task:  get people to remember you; then, get them to remember why they remember you;  get them to care why, etc.   Even if you’ve achieved parts one and two of this; you can lose it fast when you insist they remember something new altogether.

   3.  Re-marketing your company name is expensive.  Unless you are prepared to underwrite the re-design and printing of collaterals (logo, cards, letterhead, brochures, etc.), plus, implement outreach such as direct mail (name change announcements), advertising, and media and web publicity (to explain the rationale, which may be of interest), the change may take a very long time to solidify.  

IF YOU DECIDE TO CHANGE

Your choice of a new name is another - and exhaustive - subject altogether.  But, evaluate for yourself the decisions that led to the following changes - and I guarantee that the decisions cost countless hours and dollars!:  the merger of Coopers & Lybrand with Price Waterhouse became “PricewaterhouseCoopers,” really (check out lack of spacing and sudden caps!)  In San Diego, the Centre City Development Corp. proposed changing The Embarcadero to ... the Waterfront, (yawn). (This subject miraculously - and sensibly - evaporated.)  Some changes may have substantive rationale, but to the consumer are gratuitous and unintelligible - Datsun to Nissan,  Lidak Pharmaceuticals to Avanir Pharmaceuticals, and the most unexplained of all:  The National Conference of Christians & Jews (NCCJ), to The National Conference, to The National Conference of Community & Justice  (still called NCCJ!) Lately, Radio Shack, which by now pops easily into our consciousness, is reportedly considering changing its name to “The Shack.” Years of marketing will tumble down the tube, and the only rationale to imagine is that it’s a “shorter” name, or that they imagine the word “radio” to be passé.  

ResearchWorks (a San Diego -based company), whose president Dr. Moshe Engelberg developed an Identity Touchstone System to help organizations capitalize on the marketing equity in their names, says, “Ideally, a name should distinctively position an organization, product or service based on

what makes it most unique to its target audience. “ 

Engelberg often advises clients that “if you can¹t fix it, feature it!” as Smucker¹s has so successfully done with its tag line, “With a name like Smuckers, it has to be good!”  Most important, he says, don¹t risk guessing or acting on what you think internally. Undertake research to understand the perceived value of your name.

  

Consider: 

   -  the reasons you wish to change.  Can your problem with your current name be solved through re-marketing?  If so, you will have only image to change, and not both name and image. 

   -  is the name you’ve chosen available?  Your attorney’s search can answer this, or you can find help and resources through the Patent and Trademark Office website: http://www.uspto.gov.  .

   -  is the name memorable?  Test this rigorously with representatives of your various target markets.  Test both internally and externally.

   -  can the name be presented graphically, in an attractive, clear and interesting way?  Can it be reproduced in both color and black & white?  (It may be too expensive to print all your collaterals - such as order forms, etc. - in color.)

   -  how does the name work in a sentence?  As a possessive?

   -  how does the name stack up against its competitors?  Is it easily distinguished?  Does it convey your unique message?

The process of deciding not to change may also be exhausting, but in most cases, it ís reinforcing, inspires marketing creativity - and, at least from here, comes highly recommended! 

And, the very latest change of Union Bank of California to Union Bank?  The Bank now has branches in numerous other states.  I’ll buy that change.  ###

YOUR SPOKESPERSON: SAVIOR, OR NOT?

San Diego Daily Transcript

January 5, 2011

By Laura Walcher

In this era of WikiiLeaks, everyone’s-a “journalist” – journalistic ethics and

search for the truth, often be damned.  And, unlike previous decades, our 24-7 news cycle has decreased our power to issue and control our company’s or organization’s message.

Today, your success in managing the message and imparting it in a powerful and consistent manner is far more challenging.  And the responsibility relies heavily upon your spokesperson.

Today, when your situation calls for engaging the media - or a reporter wants an interview on an issue, product, trend, or crisis, you’d best be prepared with the best-trained and effective person in the company. 

Be careful:  this person is not necessarily your leader, president or CEO.  Identify a person who is completely knowledgeable about  - not only the subject at hand - but the entire company; he/she must be able to translate even complex information into simple, understandable, declarative language.  Moreover, in nearly every media situation, the spokesperson must accomplish delivering the message(s) in just a few sentences or seconds.  More and more, spokespersons are given less and less time to report or respond. 

It’s worth the time and effort to have an internal discussion about how best and/or most interestingly or impactfully to describe a product or situation.  Write down the key points - your spokesperson must stick to those as much as possible.   In fact, prose up these points and arguments; your spokesperson can rehearse and deliver them verbatim and also be able to issue them in writing.  Consistency is the key.  

Your spokesperson must be nimble;  able to think on his/her feet, have

enough confidence (and information!) to appropriately manage the surprise question,  a change of subject, an attack (to which he/she must never be defensive.  Is “I am not a crook!” one of the most memorable

lines in American contemporary history?)    Under attack or surprise, you need your coolest cat.

Understanding the differences between dealing with a television reporter vs. a print reporter, for instance, is vital to your spokesperson’s success.  Needless to say, we can undertake an entire discussion about responses and control regarding whether the television interview is taped or live, whether the print/web reporter is writing or recording, etc. 

If at all possible, do not assign your public relations representative (if an outside agency) the role of company mouthpiece.   The public’s knee-jerk take-away is that a non-company spokesperson is assigned in order to “hide”  key information. 

Bottom line?  The public wants creativity, credibility and your company needs absolute messaging consistency.   That way, WikiLeaks might not be able to get’cha.   ###

Laura Walcher is Principal P. R. Consultant to J. Walcher Communications

AFTER THE FALL

Presidio Sentinel San Diego, December 2010

AFTER THE FALL

By Laura Walcher

   One minute I was in a exuberant stride up Fourth, fresh from the music of the 80’s in ‘Mixtec” at the Horton Grand, and the next thing I knew, I hit the concrete with the buildings above me revolving ‘in a madcap orbit. 

    The good news:  I’m here to tell about it.  Was I in danger of not being here to tell about it?   By now you know, you never know.

   Eventually some kindly male voices above me called Paramedics and tried to elicit from me the degree of my consciousness, etc.    By “etc.” I mean, the concern and competence of the male voices, the urgency of the docs to cut through my fog, figure out my condition, the race to Sharp’s emergency, the family circling around  ...

   Heavy drama, right?   Fuggetabout it. 

   I was soon out-done by every friend, relative or colleague – eager to hear about my story, only so they could tell me his or her own.   I therefore present myself to you as …”The Empress of Being One-Upped. “

   Joan’s fall knocked her teeth through her cheek.  Bad, though it worked well for dieting.  Alexa – after months - is still babying her shoulder and various other tender parts. Marilyn reports a broken shoulder, too.   I was rendered mute among crutches, stitches, drugs and splints. If the person his-or-herself was actually not the fallen, they all knew someone who just made my ten days of looking like an inflated pepperoni pizza … y’know, a toe stub. (Ouch.)

   Don broke his bones n a complicated, twisty manner while doing the tango. (We don’t have to go there.)  He still maybe needs surgery and at the least, extensive physical therapy, and while I was warned not to drive – or even walk – for a few days, he’s managed to extend his situation to months.

   My own little trip’s became soooo boring?  I didn’t even use Crisco on my various burns and abrasions.   Don’s discovered Crisco for his; he’s become a Crisco freak. He claims that Crisco is in a revival; a balm for an amazing list of skin “situations.” The Smucker Company ought to pay him.  I bet he’s sold more cans than they have.  I personally hadn’t thought about Crisco for any reason at all  - for half a century.

   But when I was rolling my eyes and resenting his worse injuries, I happened to be reading “The Help,” by Kathryn Stockett,  I went home and to my amazement, opened instantly on one of the character’s raves, which I now excerpt for you:  “ … if there's anything you ought a know about cooking, it's this ... and it ain't lard.  It's the most important invention … since jarred mayonnaise.  Ain't PIG fat.  It's vegetable.  Who in the world doesn't know what CRISCO is? Ain't just for frying.  You ever get a sticky something stuck in your hair, like gum?  That's right. CRISCO. Spread this on a baby's bottom, you won't even know what diaper rash is.   .... ladies rub it under they eyes and on their husband's scaly feet.  Clean the goo from a price tag, take the squeak out a door hinge.  Lights get cut off, stick a wick in it and burn it like a candle. .... And after all that, it'll still fry your chicken."

   Who knew?  At 90, my mother attributed looking gorgeous to oatmeal masks.

   Well, a little dab of Crisco a day might’ve made my own blown-up, contused face look pretty good sooner than the ten days I had to hide out. That was the solution I needed for my tiny little fall – nothing at all like the really brutal, even tragic one you’ll tell me about…. My, my.  You’ll need a whole can.  ###

NOW SAY THIS…

Presidio Sentinel San Diego, January 2011

By Laura Walcher

    Clear communication is in very short supply these days.  We’re just too distracted, from texting to tweeting, trying to figure out why most of it matters, how to make sense of any of it, and why it should impact on our lives, anyway.

Even when one is not even Facebooking or Yelping, communication is no longer entirely clear, nor can it be quite trusted.   Take John Boehner, who now, notably, cries.  This form of communication usually conveys sentiment, regret, shame.   But the issues that lead to Mr. Boehner’s tears are a little  ...puzzling.   Crying about kids getting - or not getting - a “shot at the American dream,” makes him cry, but voting against numerous issues that prevent them from the shot doesn’t.  Highly unclear.

And now that “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” is revoked, its implementation, should not “take too long a time, nor too short a time..” as offered by the experts, Oh.

That’s why I hang with Barney.  Communicating with a reasonably clear, concise Cairn Terrier is a pleasingly simple experience.  

What Barney knows, he KNOWS.   His vocabulary may be limited, but his comprehension is perfectly clear. In that interest, I offer his entire canine vocabulary that, with a few adjustments, might work equally well with humans:    

“NO!:  The singular “NO!” category is for situations that are not necessarily dangerous or life-threatening (yours or his).  He’s got one plan; you have another. Easily recognized situation. For him, peeing on somebody's newly washed car is a good example.    

“NO! NO!”:  For use when he ignores NO! (Ignoring is not mis-understanding.)

“NO! NO! NO!”: Emphasized.  This is normally associated with sidewalk garbage that Barney is determined to eat. The triple “NO” is often accompanied by a kind of war, but not one due to

mis-communication.

“STAY”:    This normally works best at street corners, and fortunately, is his best-understood word.  Who can’t use an admonition to pause and think before one runs headlong into a car  - or some other  “situation” of our own making?

“OKAY.”  You would think that “STAY” and “OKAY” sound kind've alike to a dog, but Barney seems to separate these nicely.

Anyway, OKAY means  … ready to proceed.  Sometimes he jumps the gun, but has the decency to look a little sheepish (wow, bad word.:) 

“ LET'S CROSS”:  Not to be confused with 'OKAY,” but useful when you change your mind– like suddenly deciding to cross a driveway or a lawn. Not useful unless it’s your decision. His decision requires “NO! NO! NO!”  In any case, we’re all allowed to change our minds. 

“UP, UP, UP”:  Unless he's decided not to, Barney understands that this means get UP on the curb, or UP the stairs. Human application: lite.

“GOOD BOY”:  Infrequent usage.

“BAD BOY”: Frequent usage, disdained.

“DOWN”:  Low expectations.  When “down” is required, he's usually occupying a chair upon which you wish to sit. It’s a little like “NO,” but friendlier.

“DO YOU WANT TO (GO) COME WITH ME?”  This is a pre-walk question, and his “answer,” is twirling with

glee.  It speaks for itself; a nice invitation for any communicator.

“HERE”: You either have something (food) for him, or you want him to go YOUR way instead of his way.  It works better for the first example than the second.  No polite human application.

“TREAT”:  no explanation necessary.

“COOKIE”:   Ditto.

The Winesellar & Brasserie’s Gary Parker discussed at unimagined length choosing screw caps over corks in the U-T.   As an expert, he could’ve merely told us to “do it,” and we’d do it.  Clear. Concise.

He needed some experience communicating with Barney. ###

GOTTA DANCE! Meet Mr. Malashock

By Laura Walcher

Presidio Sentinel

To meet John Malashock, that lean, limber, sunny man, you really might think right away, “this guy’s a dancer!”  Voila!  His company has presented dramatic, thrilling dance for near 25 years.  He lives in Mission Hills with his wife, Nina.  Their son, Duncan, 28, is a visual artist in Brooklyn. 

We talked:  

LW.  By now, the name “Malashock’ is synonymous with “dance!” in San Diego.  Tell us about your own entry into the world of dance?

JM: It still seems a bit unlikely to me. Nice Jewish boy from La Jolla gets interested in theater. Studies it in college. Tries dance to help his movement skills on stage. Falls in love with dance. Joins a dance company right after graduation, and never looks back! Hit the big-time in New York with Twyla Tharp’s company in the early 80s and toured the world. Returned to San Diego. Started creating my own work here and, again, never looked back. I’ll never forget my humble beginnings, though. I took my first dance classes at La Jolla High – and now I’m staring my 40^th HS Reunion in the face!

LW:   What did it take – passion, practice (!) - to develop your skills?  Where in the process does “student” become “professional”?

JM: It’s impossible to thrive in a field as tough as professional dance without drive, inspiration, discipline, talent, and a GREAT need to express yourself through your art. As for the leap from student to professional, dance is handed down from experienced dancers and dancemakers. Class work is important, but dance is learned through the creation and performance of choreography; there’s no shortcut to becoming a great dancer. Becoming a pro is largely a function of creating your own opportunities - by putting yourself in the proximity of the most talented artists you can find. Luckily, with Twyla Tharp, I worked for five years with one of the world’s best, along with  a company of dancers that was, at that time, unrivaled. 

LW:    Then, and now:  who – or what – inspires you?

JM:  I get jazzed by discovering new music; seeing incredible performances; unfamiliar territory; or riffing ideas with a collaborating artist. The best inspirations seem to come when I am least looking for them. Being open to possibilities is the best inspiration of all.

LW:  Were you always committed to the modern genre?  What makes you “go” for a certain presentation?  The theme? The physicality?  The music?

JM:    Modern dance just worked for me. There is more crossover now between the ‘art’ and ‘entertainment’ sides of dance, and now I allow myself to feel that …  creativity is just creativity,  despite its genre or labels. I think I’ve been known as a pretty ‘serious’ yet accessible artist over the years, but I love using enjoyable music and telling human stories with dance. Right now, one project I’m working on is a ‘dance musical’  with composer Yale Strom,  about the life and work  of artist Marc Chagall. CHAGALL will be a substantial  artistic project, yet entertaining as theatrical spectacle. Our current show, Malashock/RAW, pushes emotional and physical boundaries, but is energizing, varied, and personal.

LW:   Your dancers today must be highly advanced, to properly interpret & present your choreography?  Besides the (obvious) physical ability, what qualities do you look for in your

dancers?

JM: Technical ability, of course, but that only goes so far. I have lost interest in many technically strong dancers.  I need dancers that can adapt to my unique style and demands; ones that bring something more than the simple willingness to do what they are asked. When Pina Bauch, the late, great choreographer, was here a few years ago, she would  say “…look for the shy ones. There is often more to find there.” That resonated with me. In Malashock/RAW, I have plumbed the depth of my dancers to come up with some pretty unique characters.

LW:  How would you describe yourselves and your work? introduce yourself?

JM: I’m kind of a normal guy. I love projects around the house (a 1929 Tudor); enjoy traveling to new places; love good food and wine. Describing my work? That question should get easier  - yet, somehow, it only gets harder! Maybe because I am always trying to vary my approach; that’s what  keeps me interested in creating new work. While I think I’m consistently musical, dramatic, and physically dynamic with my choreography, it is the way that I can mix dance with other art forms that keeps the whole process alive for me.

LW:  By now, you must be a pretty accomplished businessman, marketing exec, fund-raiser? The “arts” are the last place in the world to be “in it” for the money! 

     

JM: Years ago, I heard a (sort of) joke that a ‘successful working artist’ is someone who “…continues to practice their art professionally and remains less than 50% bitter about the rest of their life.” Sacrifice is the flip side of living a life in the arts, but I’ve been pretty lucky.  Next season is our 25^th Anniversary! Many of my peers  marvel that I have kept a nonprofit dance company going  for this long. They say, “It’s an incredible accomplishment just to have survived all this time.” And I say, “Yeah, but I’d like to be remembered for something more than just surviving.” I have to assume that the quality and innovation of our work is the real reason we have stayed healthy. I’m pretty good with a computer, and I try to bring artistic creativity into the office as well as the studio. It takes a lot of administrative work to make this organization go. I am very clear, however, that our success is a result of  the shared effort by our incredibly talented staff and volunteers.

LW:   Artistic collaborations, partnerships; they’ve deepened and expanded your work? 

JM: Blending dance with other art forms has been a constant source of inspiration to me. Earlier this year, I did “THE FLOATING WORLD” at the San Diego Museum of Art with video artist Tara Knight and fashion designer, Zandra Rhodes. It told of a dance company on tour and was a real feast for the senses.  I’ve created works with the Symphony, the Opera, KPBS-TV, La Jolla Music Society, UCSD-TV, and collaborated with many composers, visual artists, and writers.

LW:  You’re dancing yourself, these days?

 JM: I’m not performing anymore, but I do shake it around when choreographing and teaching. I love our gorgeous studio in Dance Place San Diego at Liberty Station. This summer, I spent too much time in our office so, when I finally got back into the studio to create a new work for Malashock/RAW, it was like a mini-explosion of movement coming out of me.

LW:   Malashock Dance has scheduled a major work in October? 

JM:  Malashock/RAW is the wild side of Malashock Dance! This show will be edgy, energetic, dramatic, sexy, and – well, raw. The dancers really stretch their wings; it allows an opportunity to expand the ‘choreographic voice’ of the organization. I’ve created a new work for this show, and there are also new works by Michael Mizerany (our Associate Artistic Director) and the Directors of Lux Boreal from Tijuana (Henry Torres and Angel Arambula). We will  present it at the Mandell Weiss Forum Theater at the La Jolla Playhouse. October 20, 21, 22.   ###

WHAT NOW? “ABOVE ALL ELSE”:

 Dan B-C’s Story of  Survival,  Success:

By Laura Walcher

The headlines in April, 1992, screamed tragedy:  “16 DIE IN PERRIS PLANE CRASH.”  In that airplane accident, Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld survived, desperately injured, in a month-long coma, but ultimately, alive.  Despite all medical warnings and predictions, Dan B-C (as he’s known in the skydiving world), returned to national and world competition, made a profession of training and skydive management, and today is the sport’s most respected and successful  athlete. He’s the manager of Skydive Perris (just northeast of Escondido), a world champion of skydiving, and a devout believer in following one’s passions - all of which he’s told us, with heart and humor, in ‘Above All Else,” his new book launching in September by Skyhorse Publishing.

We talked.  

LW. You considered other titles for your book – so how and why did you decide on ‘Above All Else”?  Dreams? Passion?  The clouds?

Dan B-C:  We began with “Playing to Win,.”  The idea was always  that life isn’t about ‘winning.’  It’s about having something that you feel passionate about and want to excel at.  If, like me, you’ve defined a goal - like world championship - your success won’t depend upon winning that.  In the process of striving to achieve that ambitious goal, you’ll become a winner whether you actually ‘win’ or not.  It’s about “playing to win!’

   But that title without all the explanation sounded  too much like it’s all about winning - the opposite of the truth!  ‘Above All Else’ is about finding a passion in your life and having the courage, determination and conviction to go after your dream, whatever it is! 

. 

LW:  You write that you sold your “soul” along with your possessions, etc.  to finance an early – 1989 -  bid to win  the National Sky-Diving championship.  I don’t think you meant that!?

Dan B-C:  Not as in ‘ sold your soul’ to the devil, as in accomplishing your goal regardless of how that may effect other important aspects of your life.  I meant I was willing to sacrifice material goods and dig a hole of debt to accomplish a dream in which no monetary reward nor even significant recognition of any kind was promised. .

LW:   Recently, two accidents at Perris Valley resulted in the deaths

of a few experienced skydivers.  What do you make of those events – which hit you hard, professionally and personally? 

Dan B-C:  Skydiving is a potentially dangerous sport; after all, we jump out of airplanes!  These were very experienced jumpers with immense experience.  But, with proper respect for the sport and attention to safety, we mostly make it safe.   I have over 25,000 jumps and have never been seriously injured!   It’s absolutely awful when we lose any of our ‘family.’  Emotional devastation first; then, the pragmatics:  What went wrong?  Why did it happen?  Could it have been avoided - and, what can we learn? 

LW:    Yet by now - 30-plus years after you began to “fly” – hasn’t

Skydiving become safer, per equipment and technique?

Dan B-C:  Skydiving’s as safe as skydivers want to make it    Skydivers are not general adrenaline junkies; we don’t enjoy being scared.   We don’t consider skydiving risking our lives!  But like any other activity - as common as driving a car - you can never become complacent.  You need to know and follow the rules!  Watch out for those who don’t and don’t put yourself in situations that you’re not confident you can handle!  

LW:  What are the essential qualities a skydiver needs to succeed

at the sport – and to win in competitions?

Dan B-C:  Above all else (!), love it!  Love how it feels to experience the closest mankind has come to true human flight!  You have to be dedicated to your goals and willing to make the commitment and sacrifices required.    Then, work your ass off!   It  helps to be in good shape and have some athletic ability - but nothing is as important as loving it! 

LW:   “Above all Else” will tell us about your own journey.  Are your “lessons learned” meant to inspire athletes – or all of us?

Dan B-C:  I hope people are inspired to stop making excuses and go after the things they feel passionate about, and turn their dreams into reality.  

LW:  You've achieved becoming a renowned champion, trainer, manager and jumper.  What’s next?

Dan B-C:  The world record for the largest free fall formation skydive! It’s the remaining challenge that defines how far skydiving free-fall flying skills have come. Years ago, the first two parachutists  ‘hooked up’ in free-fall.  In 2002, I organized 300 jumpers using 14 airplanes flying in formation. The King of Thailand (really!)  supported our 400 person jump. Now, the Price of Dubai has offered to underwrite my team ‘Perris Performance Plus’ ({P3) in organizing a 500  skydiver jump - in Dubai.  We ‘fly’ February, 2013  -  an opportunity we’re not passing up!

###

State of the Union

State of the Union

By Laura Walcher

Presidio Sentinel, San Diego, August 2011

   Who would’ve expected  Mrs. Murdoch to go attacking the clown who sent her husband a pie-in-the-face?  She looks like a delicate sort of woman, but undeniably full of grit.  Anyway, at least she wasn’t the hurler – though heaven knows, that couple could be next up for “issues.”

Rebekah Brooks, she of the flowing flame mane, might … um, love Mr. Murdoch, herself.   We haven’t quite yet learned, … what did she know and when did she know it?  “Incredible!” is how Newsweek reports her claim that she din’ know’ nuttin’ - !    Wait   Maybe her role is deeply related to, ummm, more than her

Job.  We’ll find out.  The New York Times warns us, “the web unmasks ... everyone!”

And, we’ll hear soon enough just why Arnold refuses in court to provide his ex-Mrs. with child support and/or alimony.  He’s broke?  Mad?  Maybe Maria just plain doesn’t need it.   More likely, it’s the principle of the thing.

We un-rich couples have our own problems, so before the i’net bares my newest one, replete with untruths and second opinions, I’ll tell you that if I could afford it, I’d have taken Mr. Walcher to court myself.  

What happened?  I distributed my last  semi-brilliant column in e-mail,  with absolutely no subject line, thereby seriously reducing the probability of it being read.  I made this egregious error because Bob Walcher was driving me nuts.  He paced ‘round the office, stamping his alligator feet, because he wanted us to leave.  Leave!  What, again?  To be too early for a date we could easily be just on time for, if only I were left alone to craft an appealing subject line? But no. NO!    Off it went without the subject line, sentencing me to spend my writing life in miserable invisibililty.  

Unfortnately, I’m not rich enough to sue.  He owes me a subject line for sure.  Instead, I complained to PR guy Tom Sprague, who’d chided me for the lack of a  subject line. Tut, tut, he said, but soon, understanding the source, offfered  a perfectly reasoned solution:

“I’ve been married for 61 years,” he reported, “but I only recently discovered that no matter how much I suggested, pleaded, commented, etc., nothing made the ‘getting-ready’ process any faster. So now I get dressed, and lie down on the couch until she walks by and says she’s set to go.

  

“We have not yet missed any kick-offs, early cocktails or curtain time.  Who says time is money?” 

“My pastor  calls it the ‘Two Minute Warning,’ ” he continued, “ like in football, two minutes takes a lot longer than two minutes when getting ready to leave for an event.”

Mr. Walcher could take a lesson.

The rich could learn from us; we’re better at peace.  Or at least,

our peace costs us less.  When my mother and dad - both of whom spoke perfect English - had a dispute, they switched instantly to Yiddish, and somehow, that led to endless streams of resolution and not a single cash

exchange.  Or maybe they were just protecting us kids, which isn’t a bad idea, either; one the rich ought to get serious about.

It’s a little scary to think what we’ll learn next, about Mr. Shacknai and Ms. Zahau.  We’ll take the mere tut-tuts of we un-monied, any day.  ###

Music, Music, Music!

Presidio Sentinel San Diego, JULY 2011

Music, Music, Music!

By Laura Walcher

 “Live Long and Prosper” was the title of a lengthy article in the recent “Successful Aging Expo” program, outlining dozens of activities and techniques to help all of us...  age successfully.  How amazing, I thought, reading it through, that the writers omitted MUSIC - the one rewarding, diverting, entertaining and enjoyable activity that we - The Laura Michaels Trio” - find happens at every “gig” we play! 

Among other performances, we play the “senior circuit” county-wide retirement, independent and assisted living facilities. (I hope we’re “aging successfully” along with our audiences!)  Here’s what we experience:  rousing sing-alongs (whether we invite our audience to do so - or not!), dancing (if not on the dance floor, toes still tap and hands  still clap!)  And the best is that we ourselves love the music that best resonates with our audiences:  America’s “best”: the Gershwin brothers, Cole Porter, Hank Williams (who actually wrote a few cheery songs amongst so many dyin’ love ones!), Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen -  and of course, the music from the shows that go with them, like Rogers & Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!,” Gershwin’s “Porgy & Bess,” or Frank Baum’s “Wizard of Oz.”  It’s a musical genre – called “The American Songbook” - that brings back memories, and reminds our audiences that there’s, indeed, plenty they remember (like all the lyrics and melodies!).

“Music is the strongest force I can think of ... it has bonded us humans for many a millennia ..,” so said Chilean guitarist Marcelo Radoluvich. He’s “only” 45; we knew that!

We three are a doctor, a lawyer, and a publicist.  Although our drummer Michael Kaplan, and Jerry Rosenberger, our pianist, and I began our musical education as children, we ALL gave it up for careers, for which we now scratch our heads in total amazement. Jerry cheerfully calls it our “work break!”   

These days, you’d find us thinking very carefully about choosing careers OVER music (since two of us are still gainful wage-earners), because not only do we share the love of our own musical preferences with our audiences, but, as Michael says, we know it gets us out of our heads - - by which he means what we’ve found out:  you simply can’t think of anything else - - health, Afghanistan, finances, families - nothing! - while you’re playing music. You’re at least temporarily free of the various anxieties the world just seems to provide!

And, we trust, our listeners have the same experience!  

Music therapists have eagerly embraced that and turned it into a healing treatment.  

So, one day we’ll give it up, right?  Jerry says, “sure, when they carry me out, feet first!” And Michael chimes in, “sure,til’ arthritis permanently curls my fingers!”

Oh my! Playing, singing, entertaining (ourselves and our audiences), we’ve uncovered that one essential key to “live long and prosper!”   I think we’re in it for the long haul!  ### 

Yes!  You can hire us:  619-203-5751

BARNEY ATE AN OMELETTE

BARNEY ATE AN OMELETTE

By Laura Walcher

Presidio Sentinal
June 2011

   Barney may be the one male of late that I can deal with:    Arnold’s  disappointed us (to say the least), and The Donald’s wasted our time.  Barney does neither.  Part of it is expectations, of course; with dogs, you get what you get.

More by far, thought I, than what Isabelle Walcher gets from Millie, her Guinea Pig, and Shelly, the Tortoise. Ms. Isabelle, now 14, has been trying hard to prove me wrong.  Isabelle can “do” 15-minutes on Millie – without inhaling.  Even Shelly – a Tortoise! -  can get a minute!   Go figure.

Poor Ruby!  Isabelle’s smart who-knows-what canine may be perplexed at having been demoted from being Number One Pet since Millie’s arrival, but Ruby’s a lady; she doesn’t complain.

I’m a lady, too, but with a bigger brain (right?) than Ruby.  I yearn to understand the Guinea Pig phenomenon taking over my lovely grand-daughter’s life. “She (Millie) is adorable, sweet, loves to be held, and has the best personality!,” exudes Isabelle. 

I’m working hard to experience this.  Remember Isabelle’s non-stop 15 minutes?   Here she goes:  ”Millie definitely has her own personality! She’s a kind’ve ‘diva.’ She loves people but not other guinea pigs. She is very vocal and squeaks every time she hears the vegetable bags crackle. She loves to curl up on my chest while I watch TV or am on the computer. One of her favorite things is having her chin scratched!” 

Yeah, I say, but it’s nothing personal – not like Barney, who knows his masters, knows his friends.  And how does she know, anyway, about what and who Millie “loves”? At least Barney wags his tail.  Isabelle protests, “I think she ‘knows’ me. She’d better! I feed her. She knows my footsteps when I come down the stairs to give her breakfast  - lettuce, bell pepper, tomatoes, cilantro, and more! She never squeaks when my mom comes down the stairs, only when I do!” 

Could I be persuaded?  Millie, maybe.  But Shelly-the-Tortoise, when abandoned Ruby is slinking in a corner, silently yearning for attention?  You can’t even play with a Tortoise, I declare.  “Not really ‘play,’ “ Isabelle confesses.  Well, duh.  She declares, ”actually, I have!” (Uh-oh). “ I set up a maze for Shelly with bricks; well, OK, she just knocked them down. But I did try to take her for a walk “

“ The most enjoyable thing about Shelly is watching her move! She’s fast! I love watching her eat, too!” Isabelle’s undeterred.  “She has a little tongue  - tiny and pink! I feel a special bond with her.   My brother (Ben) and I had fish, but Shelly was my very first all-to-myself pet. She was my responsibility. She has lived with us for about seven years.  I love her so much! “

Growing up, I had tortoises, too.  Maybe I have a bonding deficiency.

I say, stick with dogs.  (Hear that, Ruby?)  There’s a certain rationality to Barney’s character that I respect. He has his pride.  If he has to vomit, say, he heads for the carpet, where it can then sink into the rug and he can pretend it’s not there.  If he needs to poop, he looks for a low hedge for hiding it, or better, someone’s lovely flower bed.  If I say, “stay” at a curb, he monitors the traffic from the correct direction.  And if he needs a little snack on a walk, he cleverly avoids the fresh tidbits that neighbors leave for him (odor, light), and heads straight for the rotting unmentionables – oh, like that omelette.

At least, I think it was an omelette.  ###