Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner

 
In June, 2011, while living in Berlin, I picked up a German Vogue magazine in an attempt to brush up on my language skills. One of the interviews in Vogue that month, was a charming interview with Jennifer Garner.

Along with discussing the actress's current work and overall career, Ms.Garner found herself talking about her husband, Ben, and what a great dad he is. Interviews, unlike tabloids, focus on areas the celebrity chooses. In this article it was clear that the Garner-Affleck family, like many others, had funny stories about life at home that they were delighted to share with the reader. One part of the article was particularly difficult to translate, it had something to do with Ben Affleck and his daughter's hair.

After struggling a bit, I finally figured out what the article was discussing. It ended up that Jennifer Garner was saying that one could always tell when Dad was in charge of the two girls by looking at the way their hair was "arranged" when they left the house.

 This image made me remember when my husband brought my two daughters into the hospital to see their new baby sister. The girls had chosen their own outfits and had asked my husband for help braiding their hair. The result was wonderful; a wild mix of independence, attempt at symmetry, and a feeling of huge accomplishment.

At the time the 2011 interview was published, I was delighted to learn that the couple was expecting a baby boy. Now all interviews contain the sad news of Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck splitting up.

I hope that somehow they continue to find some happiness together in their parenting and with their growing family, and eventually learn to laugh with one another again.

Mia Hamm and Nomar Garciaparra

Tonight,the USA and China will meet for the first time in 16 years at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup quarter-finals. Anyone who watched the 1999 final match between these two teams will never forget that game.

Played in sunny Pasadena, California in front of a record crowd of 90,185, fans on both sides watched the grueling 120 minute, scoreless match as it progressed into penalty shots. When Brandi Chastain kicked in the winning goal, US soccer fans celebrated a great World Cup victory.

Mia Hamm, the legendary forward of this amazing team, went on to a career which inspired a generation of young women to take up the sport.

In 1998, at a promotional, soccer event held at Harvard stadium, Mia met the famous Boston Red Sox shortstop, Nomar Garciaparra. She won the penalty shoot-out, 4-3, but he won her heart.

A few years later, after Hamm had divorced her first husband, Nomar made his move and things progressed very nicely.

The couple has been happily married since 2003 and are parents to twin girls. Maybe we'll see another future soccer or baseball legend, but whichever sport is the home favorite, I'm sure the entire Hamm-Garciaparra clan will be watching and rooting for the USA women's team in tonight's match.

Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

In 1844 Elizabeth Barrett's collection, Poems, was published and made her one of the most popular writers in the country. Robert Browning, an emerging poet in his own right, was so inspired by her work that he wrote to her stating,

"I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett"

A meeting was arranged, and Robert was introduced to the frail Elizabeth on 20 May 1845. So began one of the most famous courtships in literature. At the time of her success, Elizabeth was living in her family home under the influence of a very domineering father. She also suffered from poor health and was considered an invalid.

Despite this, and the fact that she knew her father, and even her brothers, would disapprove of her friendship with the handsome and dashing Robert, she took the courageous step toward love.

Elizabeth Barrett began her love sonnets to Robert Browning immediately after their first meeting. Robert was smitten, and the couple secretly corresponded for nearly two years before Elizabeth eloped with Robert. He whisked her away to a life in Italy. Her health and her heart grew stronger. And a son was born several years later, whom they nicknamed, Pen.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight 
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. 
I love thee to the level of everyday's 
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. 
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; 
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. 
I love thee with a passion put to use 
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. 
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose 
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath, 
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose, 
I shall but love thee better after death.

www.wikipedia_Elizabeth Barrett

John Nash and Alicia Lopes-Harrison de Lardé

This weekend, renowned mathematician John F. Nash, Jr. and his wife, Alicia Lopes-Harrison de Lardé were tragically killed in a taxi accident. John and Alicia were on their way back from the airport to their home in West Windsor Township, New Jersey, where John served as Senior Research Mathematician at Princeton University. They had just returned from Norway, where Nash had been awarded the Abel Prize for his legendary work in mathematics.

The movie A Beautiful Mind brought attention to the work of John Nash, along with his lifelong struggle with schizophrenia and the unique relationship he shared with his brilliant wife, Alicia.

He and Alicia met at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she studied physics and he taught advanced calculus. She was one of only 16 women entering the M.I.T class of 1955. It was her dream to become the next Marie Curie.

They married in 1957, and John was awarded a tenured position in 1958. Soon, however, the first signs of the schizophrenia, which was to plague him for many years, became apparent. Alicia chose to have him hospitalized for care, and suffered greatly worrying about him and their new born son.

The stress of the illness caused the couple to divorce in 1963. When John finally was able to leave the hospital in 1970, however, Alicia invited him to stay at her home to be near her and their son and to have some stability.

Nash’s condition began to slowly improve and he was able to resume teaching at Princeton and eventually resumed his relationship with Alicia. They were remarried in 2001.

Russell Crowe, who played John Nash in A Beautiful Mind, paid tribute to John and Alicia by referring to them as, “An amazing partnership…beautiful minds, beautiful hearts.”

Memorial Day Poster Girls

Deborah Samson is the Official State Heroine of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. She was awarded this honor On May 23, 1983, because of her heroic role in the final months of the American Revolutionary War.

At a young age, Deborah was sent away from her family because her impoverished mother was unable to provide for the large family. An independent spirit certainly was born of necessity, and Deborah asserted herself early by gaining an education despite the lack of formal schooling, and later, in a burst of patriotism, disguising herself as a young man in order to enlist in the Second Massachusetts Regiment.

Now known as Robert Shurtliff, Deborah faced some wild skirmishes and merciless hand to hand struggles in the final gasps of the fight with Britain. She was able to preserve her disguise by treating one leg wound, but a more serious wound, incurred later on, and one that almost cost her life, required medical attention that revealed her sex.

After an Honorable Discharge, Deborah, like so many veterans, attempted to return to normal life, but was unable to fit in. She once again donned male garb, and traveled to the house of her aunt, this time as Cousin Ephraim.

Deborah Samson Gannett

The disguise was finally deemed unnecessary when she met and fell in love with farmer Benjamin Gannett. Even as a wife and mother, Deborah lived a life of unusual courage and determination. She traveled all around the now United States, lecturing on her role in the war.

One wonders if Deborah Samson suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, like so many of her brave modern colleagues who are the veterans of all too many wars.

Poster Girl is a documentary film telling the story of Robynn Murray. Robynn, like Deborah, wanted to make a difference by enlisting and going off to fight in a war; this time the war was in Iraq. First time director, Sara Nesson, creates a film that follows Robynn through her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following her deployment home. The film, nominated for an academy Award for best short documentary, is a touchingly honest portrayal of an amazing young woman. Like Deborah, Robynn’s journeys chronicle war, brutality, and pain both physical, but even more heart rending, emotional. Both women come out on the other side. Both women find someone to love and understand, and both women represent the price paid in the call to duty, and the debt we all owe for the sacrifice they made and are making.

Perhaps in another time Deborah Samson would have shown the honesty that Robynn Murray demonstrates in Poster Girl. Who knows, though, perhaps Deborah’s American Heroine lecture series did exactly that.

 Robynn Murray and Deborah Samson, two American heroines, who made a difference, of whom we are proud, and who should take great pride in all their accomplishments.

That's what Memorial Day weekend is all about.
 Let's remember!

http://www.canton.org/samson/
http://www.portrayalfilms.com/

Nellie Bly and Lois Lane

Happy Birthday to an amazing and talented woman, Elizabeth Cochrane, better known as Nellie Bly!

A true super woman,Nellie Bly became famous for her inventions, adventures, and investigative reporting. Nellie gave voice to those held down by gender, poverty, and social injustice.

I've always loved super heroes and grew up watching Superman. I was a huge fan of all the characters, so, I was thrilled to discover that Lois Lane was based on Nellie Bly.

Lois Lane was created in 1938. She was a tough, career minded woman, like real life journalist, Nellie Bly. In 1940, much to Lois' dismay, along came Clark Kent. 

To her he was nothing but annoying competition in the dog-eat-dog world of reporting on the Daily Planet. 

Of course, though, when Clark Kent came along, so did Superman. Was I the only person who was amazed at Lois' obtuseness concerning the identity of Superman? How could she not see that he was Clark Kent? 

I think that Nelly Bly would have done some investigation and solved the Clark Kent/Superman mystery,but maybe Nellie, always one to seek adventure, would have understood the power of Clark Kent's mystique.

As soon as the guy took off his glasses and put on the"S" outfit, complete with cape, he was transformed. He looked no more like Clark Kent than Jimmy Olsen did. Lois often came close to thinking Superman and Clark Kent were indeed the same man, but fortunately our caped crusader always managed to keep the myth and the romance alive. Lois and Superman have been an item for a long time. Here's to Nellie Bly and the Superhero in all of us!

www,wikiepdia.com

Prince William and Princess Kate

Prince William and Kate Middleton met at school. They were both students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland when they met in 2001. The relationship went through the usual ups and downs, mostly William not wanting to commit, and then realizing what he was throwing away. Fortunately for him, Kate was willing to try again. This time he took the step, proposed, and she accepted.


The result... the Royal Wedding on April 29, 2011...the birth of Prince George, on July 22,2013, and a new arrival!


A little Princess born on May 2nd 2015...Kentucky Derby Day!
Congratulations!

 I wish them all the best!

Prince Naruhito and Princess Masaka

Prince Naruhito,the eldest son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, is the heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan. While in his early thirties, Naruhito met and fell in love with Masaka Owada, a beautiful, intelligent and highly accomplished diplomat in the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Masaka Owada’s resume is impressive, to say the least. At the time of their meeting when she was 29,  Masako had earned an A.B. magna cum laude in Economics from Harvard University, and had attended  graduate courses in International Relations at Balliol College, Oxford University. She had also studied briefly at the University of Tokyo, in preparation for the entrance examinations at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A native Japanese speaker, she is fluent in English and French, and is conversational  in German, Russian, and Spanish.

Prince Naruhito had met Masaka Owada when her father served as an escort to the Imperial Royal family, and was reacquainted when she was preparing for her Ministry of Foreign Affairs examinations.

The Prince was understandably smitten and sought Masaka’s hand in marriage. Her name had been removed from the list of potential matches for Naruhito, due to some political scandal in her family’s past, but apparently the Prince did not get the message. Their relationship continued and he proposed twice before Masaka accepted his hand in marriage.

I think that her reluctance had nothing to do with affairs of the heart, but more to do with affairs of state. It’s hard to imagine what it must be like for such an accomplished woman to relinquish all independence and individual success to enter a royal marriage.

Perhaps Masaka’s deepest fears ended up coming true. After years of trying to produce that all important male heir, the royal couple announced the birth of their daughter on December 1, 2001. Despite the fact that many in Japan would welcome an amendment to the Imperial Succession Law, it appears  that Princess Toshi, as she is known, will have no right to the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan. Like her mother, she might only be looking forward to a life in which she plays a supportive, never a leading role.

Masaka Owada, former female superstar, is now known as the Princess who can’t produce, and the woman who suffers from “adjustment disorder”, more commonly referred to as anxiety and depression. Her husband, who I’m sure, still adores her, actually appealed to the public to be more understanding of his wife’s condition.

 "I would like you to understand that Masako is continuing to make her utmost efforts with the help of those around her. Please continue to watch over her kindly..."

Maybe she should have refused that marriage proposal just one more time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_Princess_Masako

Anton Chekov and Olga Knipper

 Born on January 29, 1860 in the South of Russia, Anton Chekov was the middle child in a family of six children. He always claimed to get his talents from his father, but his soul from his mother.


Yevgeniya was an excellent storyteller, who related spell binding tales of her travels all over Russia before she was wed to Anton's tyrannical father.


It was no wonder that years later, when Anton met and fell in love with the talented and high-spirited actress, Olga Knipper, he was reluctant to marry. He feared that the institution of marriage would be too much of a burden for the romance they shared.


Chekov was considered one of  Russia's most eligible bachelors when he met Olga during rehearsals for his play, The Seagull. The young actresses volatile and emotional personality attracted the handsome play-write and kept him "on his toes".


Chekov, who had advanced tuberculosis, continued contact with Olga during his attempts at recuperation in Yalta. Flirtation turned to deep affection and he worried about committing himself to someone ten years his junior knowing he was gravely ill.


Olga, in frustration, wrote to his sister, "Can anyone come to a decision with him?"


Finally on May 25,1901 Olga and Anton were married in a secret ceremony.
Anton's illness and Olga's career made long separation a continued part of their lives together. Despite this they stayed in love and remained together until Chekov's death on July 1,1904.

He wrote to Olga,

"We have one fault in common, we married each other too late."

http://www.gyford.com/archive/2009/04/28/www.geocities.com/Paris/Parc/9893/anton2.html