The Real Comeback Kid

Mark Curtis begins his book, The Age of Obama: A Reporter’s Journey with Clinton, McCain and Obama in The Making of the President 2008


with the story of how, when he was 5 ½ years old, on election day 1964, he stayed home from school in his small Wisconsin town and listened to the election coverage with his mother, a news junkie who faithfully watched Walter Cronkite while she ironed.

Mark was fascinated as the results came in from each state, although he had never travelled outside of Wisconsin. His mother bought him an atlas so he could see where Florida, New York and California were.

Is it any wonder that Mark became a political junkie like his mom?

Mark’s love of the process, personalities and drama of politics is evident in his book, which spans the 2008 election from the Iowa Caucuses through the primaries to the eventual, historic election of Barack Obama.

Mark was a guest on our March show


to talk about his book, a candid chronicle of his journey to over 30 states as a freelance reporter/political analyst covering the election.

The book is warm, real and insightful.

But what I enjoyed most was Mark’s relentless enthusiasm and optimism—and his inspiring story as the ultimate “Comeback Kid.”

Mark spent over two decades as a traditional journalist, including almost ten years as the co-anchor of the top-rated “KTVU Morning News.”

At the age of 48, he was let go by a manager who told him:

“Mark, if I could use a sports analogy, you’re Kurt Warner. You took us to the championship, but now you are on the second team!” He really said this! It was as if to say: “Mark, you’re a ‘has been,’ and your best days are behind you.”

A little scenario that might seem all too familiar right about now, especially to Baby Boomers who have worked hard their whole lives, only to learn that they are easily expendable.

So what did Mark do?

Maybe he cried silently into his pillow or drank too much cheap white wine or made Voodoo dolls of the TV executives.

(That’s what I’d do!)

In the short run, we don’t know, because Mark doesn’t dwell on this.

What matters is what he did in the long run.

He reinvented himself:

"Rather than walk away in defeat, I had been encouraged by my friends to transition to the “new media and to embrace it."

When you read the book or meet Mark, there is (astonishingly) not a hint of anger, victimization or defeat.

Only profound passion for what he is doing now and a work ethic and daily work schedule that blows you away.

I don’t know much about sports, but I do know that Kurt Warner came back, leading the Cardinals in the Super Bowl.

As Mark wrote on his blog on Super Bowl Sunday:

"Cheers to all my fellow “has beens” who’ve fought back after being counted out!"

Cheers, indeed!

Thanks, Mark, for being an example and an inspiration!

Yay! I’m a Villain! Another Writer We Love

Me, Camille, and Jim

Who doesn’t fantasize about being a Villain? Think of the most compelling characters of fiction (or non-fiction)—Erica Kane in All My Children, Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct, Tony Soprano, Ted Bundy, Bernie Madoff, Tamra from The Real Housewives of OC!

Disturbing as it is, these people are WAY more fascinating than the Average Joe or Josephine who file their income tax returns on time, never have more than two glasses of wine at a party and always remember to floss.

In my real life, I try hard to resist my evil impulses. I strive to be conscientious, thoughtful, kind—a good wife, mother, daughter and friend. My guilty shame is that I love bottled water, but I repent by religiously recycling.

But, in my imagination…Oh, the things I can think!

When mystery writer Camille Minichino (aka Margaret Grace) asked if she could hang out with us, watch us tape the show, and pepper us with questions about the inner workings of a TV station to research her new mystery, Malice in Miniature, I quickly agreed.

Camille is the most delightful of authors—on time, well-prepared, eloquent, exceptionally pleasant.

She brings fudge and candy for the crew! In over seven years of doing the show, Camille is the only one who has ever brought sweets—and she’s been on three times! (Hint, Hint, for all you aspiring authors!)

When she told me that she was basing her next book in a TV studio, I was more than happy to help her with the research.

Camille/Margaret loves using her fiction to learn about new things. When I read her latest book I was happily surprised to see how many details she got just right and how her powers of observation added to the realism of her writing.

But most of all, being the closet narcissist that I am, I loved how she took a few details of me and turned them into a not-so-likable character.

Nan Browne is blond and I am not, but I noticed that we both wore the same “flowered skirt with a handkerchief hemline” (I totally have one of those!) and I liked that Nan was “well put together,” which is something that is not so true when I am being the carpooling mother character in my real life.

A little bummer about Nan being “fortyish”—next time I’d like my imaginary villainess self to be more early thirties, with perhaps a sultry Angelina Jolie vibe….

And one more teensy request.

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

Margaret/Camille, next time, can I be the murderer?

Writers We Love--Sandra Kay on Blogging

To learn everything you've ever wanted to know, but were afraid (or too shy or too technically-unsavvy) to ask, be sure to go to Sandra's blogging workshop at the Pleasanton Poetry and Prose Festival!

Writers We Love

The first in a on ongoing series of writers—local, national and international--who we love…

Sandra Kay, Writeous Mom and The Tri-Valley Gypsy Poet


How do we love Sandra, let us count the ways….

1) She is a prolific blog writer of epic proportions—funny, genuine, irreverent, heart-rending…She’s a definite bookmark on our homepage!

2) Let me say again—genuine! I love Sandra because she says what she thinks and she thinks what she says. She is unafraid to peel off the layers of social convention and reveal her naked self—even if that self is feeling a little bloated after indulging in cheesecake for breakfast!

3) Despite her debilitating fear of public speaking, she has courageously appeared on In a Word multiple times, and she has always been a thoughtful, eloquent, extremely well-prepared guest.

4) Nine years ago, she was my writing teacher, when, after a lifetime away from writing, I decided to dip my toe in the turbulent waters of writing again. She taught me to “show, not tell!” Her warmth and encouragement were just the gentle push I needed to get me swimming again.

5) She is a survivor of the fiercest, most splendid kind. She is an inspiration in so many ways.

6) She always makes me laugh. Her take on Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken and her version (which is a part of a larger poem, in her wonderful, handcrafted book of poems, Beautiful Fish):

two roads diverged in a wood, and i ---

i took the one well paved. -now am a cliche'

should have went the other way

who put that flippin' fork in the road anyway?!?

Be sure to sign up for Sandra's blogging workshop at the Pleasanton Poetry and Prose Festival!

A Blog by Jim: In Defense of Food

One of my favorite desserts as a little boy was chocolate ice cream. My
sister and I would sit together and eat a few bites, then begin stirring
the ice cream into a whipped frenzy of delicious delight.

This was in the 1960s before my mother got swept up in the health food
craze--that cultural phenomenon that delivered wholesomeness to the
suddenly-moot taste buds of many youngsters growing up in the age of
Aquarius.

Overnight, the ice cream disappeared, as did cakes, pies, sugared
cereals, fried foods, and many other goodies. One culprit was Adelle
Davis, whose books on food my mother purchased and read with great
interest.

I'll never forget my mother serving--in lieu of birthday cake--what we
learned was a "torte." To a young boy this flat square appeared to be a
combination of sawdust and ground cardboard sweetened with honey and
topped with a birthday candle.

Of course, much as we made faces at the new non-tastes, we kids knew the
food she served us would secure our good health for decades longer than
the unfortunate children in town whose unenlightened mothers allowed
them to clog their arteries and mainline sugar into their kidneys on a
daily basis.

In fact, I soon preferred my mother's new and healthy cooking.

All these memories came flooding back when I read Michael Pollan's "In
Defense of Food," the book we're featuring on "In A Word" during our
bookclub segment throughout February. Livermore is reading the book for
its third annual "Livermore Reads Together" program.


Kathy and I talk about the book with guests Christine Wente, V.P.
Hospitality, Wente Vineyards (and a fifth-generation winegrower), and
Lucinda Wisniewski, V.P. for Innovation, The National Food Lab.

Anyone interested in food will enjoy the show as well as the book!

In fact, throughout February, the Livermore Public Library will present
a series of programs related to food, agriculture, cooking, and other
issues explored in Pollan's book. Many copies are available for checkout
at the library's three locations, thanks to a donation by the Friends of
the Library.

Although I've read many books in my life on a wide range of subjects,
I'd never been tempted to read a book about food. And yet now I wonder
why, because Pollan's book provides a fascinating discussion about the
history of food and the emergence of what he calls "nutritionism," which
should be a good thing, right?

No, argues Pollan, nutritionism is bad science. In one chapter called
"Eat Right, Get Fatter," Pollan describes how Americans have become more
obese on the low-fat diets that have been endorsed and encouraged by
experts in the food industry.

This is just one example of the many food myths that Pollan
deconstructs. I won't give away any more of the book, which is subtitled
"An Eater's Manifesto," but I do encourage you, whatever your home town,
to join Livermore by reading "In Defense of Food" and to tune in to our
show on TV30 in February.

For details about events, go online to www.ci.livermore.ca.us/library
for a listing of activities sponsored by the library.

By the way, if you read the book, I promise my mother will be proud of
you.

Meet The Crew!

Oh, I know, we make it look easy. But a lot of hard work goes into creating In a Word! You see Jim and me on every show, but I want to introduce a few of the behind-the-scenes people who make the television magic happen for us every month:


Terisa Thurman, Senior Producer/Director

Terisa is a cooler than the coolest cucumber on the longest vine on the frostiest April morning. NOTHING upsets her. She is as reliable as the sunrise and as sure to shine despite the clouds.

Recently, after going through all kinds of machinations to get a crew to come in on a Sunday to accommodate the schedule of a visiting author, the author's assistant e-mailed (not even phoned, but e-mailed!) to cancel—fifteen minutes AFTER he was scheduled to be in the studio!

I’m still practicing all my forgiveness and loving-kindness meditations on this one. At that particular moment in time, let’s just say, I was more than a little upset.

Terisa, on the other hand—Cool.

“Maybe we can reschedule,” she said shrugging her shoulders. As I thanked her profusely for giving up a Sunday afternoon for this show that would never be, she was completely unfazed, and then she said these words that made me feel really lucky and proud to have her as a part of our crew:

“I love to make TV and that’s why I’m here.”


Then there’s Dar Clark, Studio Manager

Dar is a bit of a mystery. I don’t know much about his history or his experience or his resume. It’s probably best that way. If he ever told me, he might have to kill me.

What I do know about Dar is that he showed up at the station some I-don’t-know-how-many years ago and now he is quietly doing the very same job that three people once did—and he does it better! I know that if Dar is doing the show, everything will be set up on time and it will run as smoothly as humanly possible.

Even though I suggested Dar’s quote should be “It’s all about the lighting,” which it really is and, BTW, Dar is great at lighting, he came up with something much better:

“To leave the world better than I found it.”


And then there’s the newest member of the crew—Kenny Avila, Production Manager

Kenny is a 27-year broadcast veteran—by the looks of him, he must have started his career in elementary school! He has worked at KICU in San Jose and other big-time TV gigs. I’ve only worked with Kenny twice, but I can say he is the utmost professional, he's totally upbeat, and he has an awesome smile.

Kenny’s quote:

“To learn something new every day.”

That’s the crew!

Everything Bad is Good for You (And sometimes things that are good for you aren’t so bad after all)

I thought of this headline because last night Jim Ott interviewed Steven Johnson, author of Everything Bad is Good for You, a book that argues that popular entertainment like video games, reality TV, and other diversions that we literary types like to think are mind-numbing wastes of times are actually—get this—beneficial to our problem solving skills and other important cognitive abilities! Thank you, Steven! I feel less guilty as a parent already!

Jim was interviewing this incredibly smart, (also not bad on the eyes!) New York Times best-selling author about his latest book, The Invention of Air, (from Amazon.com’s product description) “the story of Joseph Priestley—scientist and theologian, protégé of Benjamin Franklin, friend of Thomas Jefferson—an eighteenth-century radical thinker who played pivotal roles in the invention of ecosystem science, the discovery of oxygen, the founding of the Unitarian Church, and the intellectual development of the United States." Wow!

I won’t ruin the suspense by telling you about the interview…You’ll have to tune in to TV30 during the month of February at 6:30 AM, 1:00 PM and 9:30 PM Monday through Friday to see it for yourself.

I also thought of this headline because when my 13-year-old daughter got home from school today, I asked her to take the dog for a walk. Complaints ensued as they typically do when you ask a kid of this age to do anything other than lick the bowl for a bunch of brownies you are baking.

“Oh, come on. It will be good for you,” I implored.

“Why is it that everything that is good for you I don’t like,” she slumped. “Like vegetables.”

“Fruit is good for you. And you like fruit. Blueberries are great for you. Lots of antioxidants! And you LOVE blueberries!”

“But which is better for you, fruit or vegetables?”

“They’re the same good for you.” Brief reflective pause. “Although vegetables probably have fewer calories.”

“See? I’m right!”

And it got me to thinking about how we have this idea in our heads that things that are good for you are bland, boring, obligatory—generally stuff we don’t want to do. And, ok, that is sometimes the case.

But, I’ll tell you one thing that is good for you that is more like eating fruit than vegetables. Something that is thought-provoking, intellectually stimulating, fodder for small talk at cocktail parties or PTA meetings, and sometimes even fun! Watching In a Word!

For over seven years now, In A Word has been interviewing local and international authors of fiction and non-fiction, many of them New York Times bestselling authors (!) and talking to local people about their thoughts and ideas and passions about books. We’re like a literary salon, coming straight to your TV, featuring your friends and neighbors. And we’re on many, many times (at least 60) month! Even if you don’t have a Tivo and you have a social schedule like Paris Hilton, you are bound to have one of those 60 times when you are clicking the remote, looking something other than a repeat of The Real Housewives of Orange County to watch.

So I hope you will tune in. Enjoy. Give us feedback. Let us know what you like, what books you want to see as future bookclub picks, submit essays for our A Few More Words segment, complain about my hair (ok, that last one was for my mother.) Anyway, we would love to hear from you, and love your ideas for the show.

And, by the way, I ended up walking the dog. And it was wonderful.