Inspiration: Words of Wisdom from Eleanor, Part 1

One of my favorite presidents is Franklin D. Roosevelt. Why? Because of the strong leadership he provided the nation during World War II. (This despite the fact he spent his presidency in a wheelchair.) But it wasn't Franklin's spirit and strong will that saw the nation through World War II. He and his wife, Eleanor, were truly a "team," a force to be reckoned with in American Politics.

I've always admired Eleanor. Why? Because she faced many of the same challenges Franklin did – and more. One of my favorite "Eleanorisms" is:

"A woman is like a tea bag. You can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water."

I shared that quote with a class I was in training with recently and they loved it. Eleanor Roosevelt resonates through the ages. Every week I share quotes of hers with my Twitter followers, hoping to inspire and find common ground with others.

What is it about Eleanor that resonates? I think for me, that despite growing up wealthy, she was always approachable to the every day person. Heck, when George VI and his wife visited the USA in the 1930s, they hosted a picnic for the royal couple and served hot dogs. Very down to Earth with honest appeal and charm if you ask me.

Just a little about Eleanor and what shaped her life:

She was born in October 1884. Her father was Teddy Roosevelt's brother, making President Teddy Roosevelt her uncle.

Eleanor's first name was Anna, but she preferred "Ellie."

Eleanor's mom died when she was 8. Her alcoholic father was committed to a sanitarium when she was 10.

Eleanor went to a private finishing school in London, England when she was 15 and learned to speak French.

Eleanor met her 5th cousin, Franklin Delano in 1902.

Franklin's mom did everything she could to discourage the match, but Franklin stuck to his guns. He wanted to marry Eleanor. They got hitched on 17 March 1905.

In 1921, Franklin was hit by a paralytic illness while vacationing in Maine which resulted in permanent paralysis of his legs. At the time, the doctor diagnosed polio, but it's now believed he might have had Guillain-Barre syndrome.

After Eleanor discovered FDR's affair, their marriage almost fell apart, but they decided to stick it out. Why? FDR respected her intelligence and honest and sincere desire to improve the world.

I'll have more on Eleanor and her time as the first lady next week. Here are some of my favorite quotes:

A little simplification would be the first step toward rational living, I think.

Friendship with ones self is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.

I have spent many years of my life in opposition, and I rather like the role.

Read more quotes by Eleanor at
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/e/eleanor_roosevelt.html#wAcqAtDwZLTVG6yB.99

Feedback:
I'd love to hear your thoughts on Eleanor. Does she inspire you? Could she? Is she the first modern woman of the 20th Century?

Author Bio: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. She lives in Castaic, CA and likes to write contemporary, steampunk, paranormal and fantasy romance. She also writes for children with 4RV Publishing.

JOURNEY OF THE HEART

Blurb: Set in Sonoma, CA in 1946, can James help Rachel save her winery or will he drift out of her life the same way he drifted in?

4, 5 Star Reviews on Amazon
The story was compelling and not boring, which is often a stereotype of sweet romances. I would recommend this short sweetie of a story. Good job, author. - Angel E

Excerpt:
"Your case threatened to run away, so I bribed it." Her sweet expression was an arrow through his heart.

"Really? What did you bribe it with?" He wiped the sweat off his brow with a handkerchief, caused from a combination of the summer heat and lifting the heavy cases.

"A job."

He hooked his thumb toward his chest. "Are you offering me a job, Miss Santori?"

BUY LINK: http://amzn.com/B008G1JI6C

A Look at Pan Am - the tv show & airline

I love to fly. My first flight was in July 1986 from Boston to Atlanta, GA on my way to Ft. McClellan, AL for my Basic and AIT Military training for the US Army.

What did I love about it? The whole ambience: being in the clouds and looking down at the ground, marveling at nature from the air. I was excited to go to another state because I loved learning about the differences. I still love learning and traveling. In fact, I had signed up to go to a travel school in Florida before deciding the Army was for me.

Since 1986, the aviation industry has taken its lumps, but if it wasn't for Pan Am Airways and its ground setting accomplishments, aviation might have taken a different turn, especially in America.

When I heard there was going to be a TV drama called "Pan Am" it stirred my restless soul – that part which loved traveling to new places, and learning about different cultures. I had to watch and see what the show was about. Quite honestly, I hadn't been this excited about a TV show in a long time.

Pan Am, the TV series, appears to be in a good hands with Jack Orman (writer, ER) and Thomas Schlame (writer, The West Wing). The episodes I've seen strike a nice balance between drama and depicting a historical way of life. The show captures the excitement of early air travel, mystery, danger, and romance. What resonates with me, as a viewer, is how the stewardesses (the 1960's term for flight attendant) embody that sense of adventure that I had when I joined the Army in 1986. The stewardesses are smart women with strengths and weaknesses I can identify with. These women looked 1960's conversations in the face and side stepped them. In fact to be a Pan Am stewardess you had to speak a second language and have medical/nursing training.

I enjoy all the characters on the show, but the one that I like the most is Colette Valois, played by Karine Vanasse. Colette is French, speaks French and German, and grew up in Nazi occupied France. Colette speaks to my French roots, proud, yet vulnerable, sweet, yet tough when the occasion requires, and achingly human when she enters into an affair with a married man. Colette breaks off the affair, but there's no mistaking her wounded heart.

Colete Valois


Another character on the show, Kate, is recruited by the CIA to be a courier. I found this interesting considering the Cold War was a deep freeze and the East and West were always spying on each other.

Kate's sister, Laura is on the show. Laura is drop dead gorgeous, but what really appeals to me is that she's a runaway bride. She didn't want to be married, pregnant and a dutiful wife at her age. She wanted to go out and do something for her so she finally made a choice and ran out on her wedding. It took a lot of courage to do that.

Maggie is played by Christina Ricci. She's a fun loving character who has a penchant to get into trouble. She's always pushing the boundaries of the time.

For those who watch, do you have a favorite character? Why or why not?

Enjoy these "Pan Am" facts:

For the TV series, Sony licensed the rights to the Pan Am name and logo from a New Hampshire railroad company who had acquired the rights/brand in 1998.

Pan Am was established in 1927 with a focus on air travel routes to Key West, Havana, and the Panama Canal.

Juan Trippe became Pan Am's first CEO. His guidance led the airway in several innovations.

In the early days of aviation, Pan Am pilots were trained in long distance flight, over water navigation, aircraft repair, and maritime tides. Flight crews learned celestial navigation in bad weather. They used dead reckoning and timed turns in fog.



In 1936, the fare from Oakland Alameda to Manila (and Hong Kong) was $1,710 round trip (approx 26,300 in 2010 currency) and took 4-5 days.

Pan Am named the aircraft clippers, after the 19th Century clipper ships which could travel long distances.

In the 1940's Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry, was a Clipper pilot.

Pan Am was the first to order the Boeing 747 in 1966.

Pan Am had an option to purchase the Concorde, but did not.

Pan Am built PANAMAC, a large computer in 1964 to help book flights.

Pan Am reached its peak in the early 1970's.

From 1950-90, Pan Am operated flights from West Germany to West Berlin.

Pan Am's cabin staff were multilingual, college graduates with nursing training.

In the early 1980's, a series of bad economic decisions along with poor security measures led to the airline's downfall.

Pan Am fled for bankruptcy in Jan 1991.

Enjoy this trailer:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HspOM_QWUqc&feature=related