I just want to give a shout out to Nancy Colasurdo.
She writes a column for FoxBusiness.com.
We had a wonderful conversation last week about picking up the pieces after losing your job.
She turned it into a great column that you can see here.
Two and half years later, it does my heart good to look at how well something has turned out for me, something I would've never picked for myself. Funny how life works out that way. :)
And as a long-time CNN gal, I always gets a kick out of being featured on anything Fox. :)
June 24, 2009: My People Meet My People
So I have this great joy. I love it when my people meet my people.
You know that opportunity when you connect and introduce two people who you know from different parts of your life?
I also know when I've met my people.
Such was the case a couple of years ago. I stopped by ABC to do some interviews promoting DarynKagan.com.
My interviewer was a spunky young woman named Heidi Jones. She's a weather anchor on WABC-TV in New York. And she helps out on the network side whenever she can.
She did a great interview. Clearly got right away what DarynKagan.com is all about. You can see that interview here.
Once the lights and cameras were turned off we had a chance to gab about a shared passion: running.
I've often told you how it is my drug of choice. Apparently, it's the same for Heidi. She's taken her running to the next step, forming a team of not-so-experienced runners to help spark inspiration in life.
They are a great and varied group and very inspiring.
You can meet them in today's featured story and follow Heidi's journey of leading this wonderful group on her blog.
I'm sure you'll be able to tell right away why she's such a success on TV and you'll want to have her as one of your people, too.
So, my people meet my people!
June 22, 2009: On Why It Was A Naked Weekend
There's no getting around it.
I felt naked this weekend.
And not the good kind of naked.
Or "nekkid" as we say here in the South.
I was naked because I was without my cell phone.
This was not a planned separation, rather instantaneous.
Happened as soon as I dropped it in water.
That dreaded splash sound and we were instantly more broken up than Jon & Kate Plus 8.
Being as I'm one who likes happy endings, I'm going to fast forward to that part first.
And being as this 2009, a crisis happens, who ya gunna call? Well, Twitter, of course, which in my world is also connected to Facebook.
Here are my actual tweets from immediately post-splash:
funny thing about Mr. iPhone- doesn't like getting dunked in water. tips for iPhone dehyradration CPR? Or is there a new 3Gs in my future?
New 3Gs? Coincidentally, Apple came out with a new iPhone last week, one that has a sweet video feature that has definitely caught my eye. One tweeter suggested I dropped my iPhone in the water on purpose!
@jabberjw you could be right! Would be the ultimate freudian slip..when iPhone "slipped" into water, I tweeted back.
Actually, I swear I didn't do it on purpose. The dreaming about the new iPhone was more a defense mechanism. What else you going to do when you break up? You instantly start thinking about the next one and that one might be better than the one who just broke your heart.
Before I could start making designs on what I would do with a new iPhone, the suggestions started pouring in.
Like this one from my buddy, Steve Scott at WCBS radio in NYC.
SteveScottWCBS@DarynKagan I've heard that packing a wet phone in rice can help dry it out. Seriously. Don't know if it's a wive's tale...or really works.
Dry rice?
Never heard of that one, but figured I'd give it a try.
Out came the box of good ol' Uncle Ben's. I poured a generous portion into a paper bag and buried Mr. iPhone.
Gotta say as Saturday faded into Sunday, separation anxiety set in. Forget how new and shiny the new iPhone sounded, I just wanted my old one back!
Things were looking too good. Met friends for running, then brunch, then pool, all without having any access to my phone, mobile email, games, text messages, AOL Radio, music.
Egad! I'm shaking just thinking about it! Now you know what I mean about feeling naked!
I thought I could be all brave and give the phone a week to dry out. By the time I got home from the pool, I was done, weak, conquered and broken. Went online to see how late Apple Store was open. I had to remedy this tonight!
Just to see how bad things were, I dug Mr. iPhone out of the pile of rice and turned him on.
Hmmmm….that black screen seemed just a bit brighter than it did last night. Could it be? I was now able to check voicemail.
I plugged headphones in to see if the iPod function worked and bam! All circuits were a go! I pushed all sorts of different icons and everyone worked just fine.
Hooyah! It was if the doctors on Grey's Anatomy brought him back to life!
I am so happy and relieved that we are back together. For those in my immediate circle, I am now call-able, text-able, emailable, just generally over all reachable!
To all you in the Twitter and Facebook universe who talked me through the crisis! Thank you!
And for all you with slippery phones that might soon take that unfortunate splash—remember: RICE! Dry, uncooked rice. My cooking never tasted so good!
June 18, 2009: Yay For Grandparents!
Do you have an awesome grandparent in your life?
If so, Grand Magazine wants to know about them. Grand is the online magazine for grandparents and the grandkids who love them.
Along with Humana, they are running the Grandparent of the Year Contest. They want to hear about that unconditional loving bond between grandkids and grandparents.
It's pretty simple. Nominations will be accepted from everyone: grandchildren, daughters, sons, husbands, wives, neighbors, friends. Simply write 150 words and tell them why your nominee should be the 2009 GRANDParent of the Year.
There will be 10 finalists and the winner gets a 5 day/ 4 night trip to Orlando. Four people get to go.
So fire up those computers and let the world know about the special grandparent in your life.
Just want to send a "shout out" to all the old friends I saw in Phoenix this weekend.
KTVK-TV, the station I worked at in the early '90's decided to have a reunion.
I'm so glad I flew back to Phoenix to catch up with old friends.
My friend, Lisa, likes to say that everything has a good and a bad side.
Truth be told, those were some challenging years in Phoenix. KTVK was a station where if you were blonde you were the news anchor. If you were brunette, you were the reporter.
Er, not a big leap to figure out what my job was.
Even though I never got the big time anchor job or promotional billboard on I-17, I can look back now and realize how important those years were.
5 ½ years of really learning how to be reporter at one of the best local news outfits in the country. I've long known that's what got me ready to be a news anchor at CNN and also prepared me for what I do now with DarynKagan.com.
More importantly, this weekend was a great reconnect with all the special people I got to work with in that time. The other reporters, anchors, photographers, producers, editors, and yes, even the bosses.
Good stuff. Great people. So nice to be part of what we will always call, "Arizona's Family."
June 11, 2009: How Sweet It Is
A little reminder for all your kids of all ages out there. Father's Day is coming up next weekend.
I'm reminded once again this year about an awesome way to celebrate dads and some special families.
Wendy's Restaurants picks this time of year to do a special promotion to support adoption.
Founder Dave Thomas was adopted and spent his life encouraging others to give kids the family they crave.
Once again this year, Wendy's will donate 50 cents to the Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption for every Frosty purchased over Father's Day weekend.
And they have a new fun feature they've added this year. They're making it possible for you to send your dad a Frosty Card. It's an e-card that lets you send your love directly into Dad's inbox. They have some celebrity inspired designs to choose from. And for every free Frosty Card sent, Wendy's will donate 25 cents to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.
Talk about winners all the way around! Dads, kids looking for great homes, and Wendy's for supporting such a great cause.
June 8, 2008: Swim With The Sharks!
Now there's an inspiring headline, no?
It is, if you have a big business dream, but not the cash to make it happen.
He's about to take to the airwaves with a new show called, Shark Tank.
He is now on a nationwide search to discover the next successful – and possibly wealthy – entrepreneurs, inventors, businesspersons, dreamers, promoters, creators and innovators.
In each episode of Shark Tank, budding entrepreneurs are given the unprecedented chance to make their business ideas come true.
This is what Burnett's casting agents are saying:
If you feel you have a lucrative business idea but just can't seem to secure the financial backing to get it off the ground, then "Shark Tank" is just the show for you. Casting is looking for aspiring entrepreneurs who can pitch their breakthrough business concepts, products, properties and services to moguls in hopes of landing investment funds. If selected, five real-life, tough investors could be willing to part with their own hard-earned cash and give you the funding you need to jumpstart your idea. But the investors, also known as Sharks, aren't just out to invest, they too have a goal: to own a piece of your next big idea.
Apply now for your chance to enter the "Shark Tank" and see if your ideasurvives. Email us at SharkTankCasting@yahoo.com. Be sure to include your name, age, contact info, a recent photo, and a brief description of your idea.
Good luck!
June 5, 2009: Happy National Donut Day!
With great apologies to all the cardiologists out there, I want to be the first to wish you, "Happy National Donut Day!"
It's true. It's really today.
Apparently, it's not just some newly created marketing holiday. A little research shows me there's a great spirit behind the day.
National Donut Day, after all, started in 1938 as a fundraiser for The Salvation Army, to honor the Salvation Army "Lassies" who served donuts to soldiers behind the front lines in France during World War I. The non-profit organization created the memorable observance to honor the work of Salvation Army volunteers who prepared donuts for homesick soldiers. The donuts were reportedly an instant hit, with soldiers visiting Salvation Army huts for the sweet treat.
In that spirit, Basha's Markets in Arizona will donate 10% of today's donut sales to the Salvation Army. They're also delivering dozens of fresh-baked donuts to police departments in the Phoenix area.
Across America, Dunkin' Donuts wants to share the love with you, too. Participating stores will give you a free donut today when you buy a beverage.
Gets your donut wheels spinning, doesn't it? Makes me wonder, what is YOUR favorite donut flavor, shop, or memory? We're sharing over in our social online community.
Come see mine and I'd love to hear yours, as well.
May 26, 2009: Never A Better Time To Graduate
No, this isn't a typo. Despite all the doom and gloom you're hearing in the traditional media, there is another way of looking at things.
My friend, Mike Robbins, makes the case that NOW is an awesome time to be graduating college.
If you're a grad, a parent or know someone who is stepping out into the world, this is a conversation you will enjoy.
You can knock me over with a feather with this one.
Folks asking ME for recipes?
Anyone who knows me realizes this is about the most remarkable thing ever reported on DarynKagan.com!
My friends love me for many things. Cooking has never been one of them. My efforts have even been deemed dangerous. An attempt at Thanksgiving one year put a long ago boyfriend in the emergency room. You get the idea.
Still, I've been trying and slowly but surely building a few things I can create and share.
The highlight of my holiday weekend was hosting some dear friends for Sunday brunch. I lured them here with the promise of, "I'll just pick up some bagels at Einstein's," knowing they would think it safe to come over.
But, I got a bit more adventurous and spread my culinary wings a bit. Very successfully, I might add! I tweeted about the experience on Twitter (follow me here.) A lot of folks have been asking for recipes, so here you go. The biggest endorsement I can give: If I can turn out these dishes well, anyone can!
Magic 7 Egg Casserole 7 eggs 14 slices white bread (crust removed) 1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese 2 ½ cups milk 1 stick butter, melted 1 tsp. salt
-cube bread -generously butter 13x9 casserole dish -layer bread and cheese (set aside) -in separate bowl whisk eggs and milk and salt -pour egg mixture over bread and cheese -pour melted butter on top of that
-cover with foil and place in fridge overnight. Take out 1 hour before baking. -place in pre-heated 350-degree oven with foil for 30 minutes. -remove foil; bake another 30 minutes uncovered.
That's it. So easy and cheap. It's great that you assemble the night before. Makes brunch morning much less stressful. I got this recipe from my mom who suggests you serve with one side of salsa, one side of jam. Some folks like this dish savory. Some like it sweet, like French toast.
Also, all my people know I hate cheese, so it cracks them up that I make this. I've also tried making half the casserole dish with no cheese. That works fine, too.
The other winner from Sunday was Carmel Monkey Bread. This is probably my favorite. I've seen variations of this recipe. Turns out my collegue, Scott Miller over at Oprah Radio, loves to make it, too. He posted this recipe on Oprah.com.
Soooo good and sooo bad all at the same time. You know what I mean.
Enjoy!
May 22, 2009: Memorial Day "Twith" Meaning
I just got off the phone with Lee Woodruff.
She and her husband, Bob, have quite the interesting campaign taking Twitter by storm!
You'll remember that Bob suffered a severe head injury back in 2006 when he was covering the war in Iraq for ABC News.
The Woodruffs have not forgotten for one second how lucky they are to get their lives and family back. So for them, it's now all about giving back.
They're looking to raise some big funds to support returning US servicemen and women.
$1.65 million is their target for the 1.65 members of the military who have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11.
The money goes to 36 different organizations who help vets with rehab, retraining, and re-employment.
This Memorial Day weekend they've turned their attention to Twitter. Yeah, Lee told me that like most of us when she first looked at Twitter, she went, "Huh?"
But, like many of us, hang around there long enough and you get hooked on the immediacy and the power of this social online engine.
If you don't "get" Twitter, not to worry, I'll tell you what you can do in a moment.
Meanwhile, if you do, the Woodruffs want you to tweet and share, "Who is your hero?" Make sure to include the hashmark "#tweettoremind."
They're seeing all sorts of tweets mentioning dads, grandfathers, and family members who have served in the military.
Sarah Palin even tweeted her personal hero.
Which brings up a good point. Lee stresses this campaign is not political. "You can pray for peace and support the brave heroes of our military," she told me. "They are not mutually exclusive."
So Tweets—get your heroes up there. You can follow the Woodruffs on Twitter at @LeeMWoodruff and @BobWoodruff.
And whether you tweet or not you can find more information and send your support at Tweettoremind.org.
Here's a great example of the awesome types of programs the Woodruffs support. Check out how vets soar at Sun Valley Adaptive Sports.
Oh, yeah, in case, you're not already following me, I'm @DarynKagan.
Have a great holiday weekend and here's to all the amazing veterans who have served and sacrificed for America.
May 15, 2009: Be Yourself
My friend Mike Robbins has a new book out that shows you how to figure out who you really are, what you really want, and how to go get it.
Here's a chance to see what it's like when I hang out with one of my inspiring friends.
I can't take credit for all this good stuff that has happened since I left CNN.
The brilliant idea to strike out on my own and start my own website and media company? Wasn't mine.
Nope, my little sister, Kallan, made me do it.
All the big sisters out there will certainly appreciate how painful that is to admit. It's just not the natural orders of things! We big sisters of the world were put on this Earth to tell our little sisters what to do. Not the other way around.
And yet, the secret's out now. Paige Albiniak of Broadcasting & Cable Magazine interviewed me this week and got me to spill the beans.
(And to my Sissy: You know that's my way of saying, "Thank you!" xo YS.)
May 4, 2009: And The Winner Is……!
I have to say, "You guys rock!"
Our "Second Chances" Writing Contest was a huge hit last week. So many of you shared wonderful stories of getting, giving and wishing for second chances.
Meanwhile, I can tell you that you put guest judge Kaya McLaren in a tough spot. Her new novel On The Divinity Of Second Chances was the inspiration for asking for your stories.
The deal was supposed to be you post stories and Kaya picks a winner. Turns out that just wasn't possible. She couldn't pick! So, superstar that she is, Kaya is signing and sending copies of her book to EVERYONE who posted a story.
Here's what she writes:
All of these entries were so beautiful, and so distinct. I was often brought to tears. By the time I finished, I felt even more inspired to see the blessing in any given situation, to see the opportunity, and to have faith that I can be stronger and more courageous than I think I can be. Eileen's story resonated with me this week, as I fell off my horse a few nights ago and haven't wanted to get back on. I will though. I just need a little time out. I've figured that much out about life. The good times don't last, but the bad times don't last either. They ebb and flow, and with every change of the tides is a chance to jump in the game again.
You can see that Kaya came to find out what I've known all along: DarynKagan.com community are the best!
Thanks to all of you for sharing your stories and thanks to Kaya for her awesome book, her time, and her inspiration!
May 1, 2009: Smile!
No heavy lifting here. I simply want to send you into the weekend with a smile on your face.
That's guaranteed to happen when you watch this video.
Thanks to Debra Reese, our awesome dog guru and surrogate doggie mama to Darla Louise and Tripod for sending along.
How "pawesome" is Debra? She and her dog, Jack, stay with 'Pod and Darla when I travel. When I come home, my beloved babies look at me with that expression on their face, "Oh, you're home.. What a shame."
Yeah, like when the kid likes the nanny better than Mommy. Small price to pay knowing that 'Pod and Darla Louise are in such fine, loving care.
Thanks, Debra!
By the way, the Smile video was produced to support Best Friends Animal Society, an awesome sanctuary in Utah. I've featured them a number of times here on DarynKagan.com, including telling you about the great work they are doing rehabbing the pit bulls that used to belong to Michael Vick. Check them out!
She's not only an amazing writer, she's also agreed to be the judge for the contest.
Boy, does she have her work cut out for her!
I received this email from her yesterday:
Okay, I just read the three entries that are up, and yes, I'm already crying all over the place. I'll never be able to choose. They're all powerful!
I guess that doesn't make me a very good hostess. Here, I invite this best-selling author to an event, make her cry, and put her in an impossible situation. Tsk tsk.
So why does that make me smile? Probably because I know she's sharing the beauty of your wonderful stories as you open your lives and your hearts.
It's not to late to get your second chances story in there. Nothing fancy. We just want to hear what is your story of getting or giving a second chance? Or what's the second chance you wish for?
You can experience the wonderful entries and post your own over in our social online community. You have until Friday.
The winner will receive an autographed copy of Kaya's novel. Let's make her picking even harder! ☺
April 27, 2009: What's Your Second Chance?
I'm excited to announce the kick off of our second ever writing contest!
How perfect that it's all about the theme of second chances.
I'm inspired by awonderful new novel that comes out this week. It's called On The Divinity Of Second Chances.It's about an endearing, yet quirky family who all appear to be at the end of their respective ropes. Then life and second chances have a way of turning things around. It's a fun read that makes me smile and fills my heart with hope.
Kaya and I got to talking and thought it would be fun to hear your second chance stories. So please, click over to our social online community and share!
It can be about an amazing second chance you've been given in your life. Perhaps one that you've given. Or even one you wish could come your way.
I'll keep entries open until Friday. That's when Kaya will put on her judge's hat. Yes! Kaya is our guest judge. She'll pick the winning story. The winner receives an autographed copy of On The Divinity Of Second Chances.
Get those creative juices flowing. Kaya and I can't wait to see what you share and create.
April 22, 2009: You Can Start Making A Difference Today!
Many thanks to the awesome women of Kansas City, MO and Overland Park, KS.
I talked about this hunger so many of us have to make a difference in the world. You go through the checklist of building your career and your family and still, there is knowing desire to make an impact in the world.
I assured the ladies, as I assure you, that it's possible to do just that! Forget all the negative stuff you might be thinking, "I don't have money! I don't know how! I can't quit my job and move to Africa!"
I get it and you don't phase me a bit. Trust me, everyone doesn't have to move to Africa to make a difference.
Here's a list of some awesome websites I shared with the ladies where you can start making a difference right away, today in small doses.
Warning: the great feeling you'll get is addictive!
Kiva.org This site combines two fun things-shopping and giving back. Pick an entrepreneur in a developing country and give them a loan for as little as $25. You get to pick where your money goes and follow that person's success. Maybe a farmer in Tajikistan or a dressmaker in Ghana. You pick and watch your small loan work magic.
29Gifts.org You can see the full story of this amazing site here on DarynKagan.com. This site is sure to snap you out of any dull dr ms or pity parties. It leads you on an amazing journey of giving gifts that are sure to help heal what ails you.
EveryMondayMatters.org What if Monday was the BEST day of your week. It would be when it's the day you help change the world. The folks at EMM show youhow. Here's their story on DarynKagan.com.
WhatFriendsDo.com This is one of the most basic and impactful ways to change the world. Right at home with your family and friends in need. Get the full scoop in this DarynKagan.com story.
DonorsChoose.org Anyone who wants to help out school kids needs to check out this site. A great one to check out with your kids. Again, here's the DarynKagan.com story.
Enjoy your jumpstart! Do you have other favorite websites that you use to make the world a better place? Please share over in our social online community.
April 20, 2009: Help Pick My New Head Shot!
It's one of the extra things you gotta do in my line of work--keep your head shots up to date. So, I called in the forces, my favorite make up artist Kelly Graham and photographer Marvin Scott. They worked their magic on Friday afternoon.
Please take a look at the best of the bunch. We have it narrowed down to nine. I'd love for you to vote on your favorite. Just go to my profile page on our social online community. Look at the 9 choices in my album and then place your vote at the top of the page.
Btw...these photos haven't been touched up or photoshopped or anything...er ...yet...so go be kind about shadows, flaws and all that good stuff that we all have.
April 17, 2009-Part Two..Singing Sensation Susan Boyle Speaks!
More than 11 million people around the world have been wowed by Susan Boyle. They've watched her knock it out of the park on Britain's Got Talent.
This morning, Susan Boyle shared more of her story on CBS.
I hope you enjoyed that. Please keep scrolling down for smaller, yet sweet Wow. A live picture of baby eagles.
April 17, 2009: Watch The Eagle Babies!
We all know that mothers keep an eagle's eye on their kids. How about keeping your eye on some real life eagle babies?!
You can do it here:
̀
It's The Eagle Cam!
You're watching a nest with a mama eagle and 3 little chicks at Duke Farms in central New Jersey. Researchers set up the camera to monitor the new family without disturbing them and now you can watch along, too.
The 3 chicks hatched within a few days of each other beginning April 6th.
You can learn more about them and the project at the Duke Farms website. I just thought this would be a fun view to take you into the weekend.
Here's hoping Spring and new life is popping all around you, as well, wherever you are in the world.
April 14, 2009: The Power Of Authenticity
Today is a big day for my friend, Mike Robbins.
It's the release of his new book, Be Yourself, Everyone Else Is Already Taken. It's all about the power of authenticity, how it's not only important to be your true self, it's pretty much the only way you're going find success in your personal and professional life.
Mike has had quite the interesting journey. He was living his dream of becoming a professional baseball pitcher when he blew out his arm. Who can't relate to that? The thing you thought you loved being…Poof…just went away. I know I get that!
Like so many things we think we would never pick to happen to us, this was an invitation for Mike to grow. Lucky for him and for us, he seized that opportunity and has become a very successful motivational speaker and author.
This is his second book. In it, he tells us not only about the power of authenticity, but how you figure out what that means for you and how you make it work in your life.
Mike's Five Principles of Authenticity are:
-Know Yourself -Transform Your Fear -Express Yourself -Be Bold -Celebrate Who You Are
I know from having some great conversations with him, Mike is especially great at talking about the fear factor.
He's come up with a creative and generous campaign for launching his book. You buy it and he gives you a bunch of stuff for free. There are all sorts of bonus downloads you get like audio files from folks like Wayne Dyer, Jack Canfield, Dr. Christiane Northrup and about 20 other amazing authors.
Well, who knew? I heard on the radio this morning that today is "National Name Yourself Day."
My first thought was, "Someone has an awful lot of time on their hands to be able to think of such stuff." But then, as Darla Dog and I continued our walk it got me thinking that this could make for a fun conversation.
What do you think about your name?
I get asked questions about mine all time. For the record: Daryn Kagan is my real name. No, I didn't make it up as a TV name. No, my parents didn't give me a boy's name because they were hoping for a son. (Brother Mark, arrived the year before me.)
Story goes that my mother was into funky names for girls years before Hollywood celebs caught onto the trend. She wanted a "D" name in order to name me after her grandmother, Dora. She says she played around with other names like Karen, Sharon, etc. You put a D in front and you get Daryn.
Works for me. Even if there have been funny incidents over the years. The US government wanted to know why I didn't register for the draft when I turned 18. I had to provide proof of "incorrect gender classification," or some silly government speak language meaning, "Uh, Uncle Sam, I'm a girl!" No, didn't stick a camera down my shirt. I think I just sent them a copy of my birth certificate.
Then there's fun story that my best friend since kindergarten grew up and married a guy named, Darren. So, at Cyndi's wedding, both the groom and maid of honor answered to the same name.
And of course, I've shared in this blog, how honored I am to have my little namesake, Baby Daryn.
Bottom line, is –I'm good with Daryn. I'll keep it. What about you? Do you like your name? Would you change it? Have you changed it? Do you have a name you've always loved? Let's keep the discussion going over in our social online community.
April 1, 2009: No Foolin'-You Will Smile
On this day when some folks try to get a smile by pulling a prank, I thought I would deliver a smile to you with Frostie The Parrot. Watch this, I promise you will smile, maybe even giggle!
Thanks to Steve Scott of WCBS-AM who tipped me off via Twitter. Back in the day, Steve was one of my bosses at KLIV/KARA, my first radio news job while I was still in college.
I did news updates on the weekends. On KLIV, I would toss back to more really oldies, "And now back to more Music Of Your Life with Rosemary Clooney!" or Benny Goodman or The Andrews Sisters.
KARA was the FM station and always a tongue twister for me. "This is KARA in Santa Clara. I'm Daryn Klagan," is usually how it would come out.
Clearly, Frostie, here has his act together more than I ever did!
If you're on Twitter, you can follow me here and Steve is great if you want latest on NYC news.
Enjoy!
March 30, 2009: The Magic Broth
It was a bit of a rough weekend around here.
Tripod, the 19-year-old, 3-legged wonder cat was feeling kinda punky. His 3-legs and his spirit feel like they are 5-years old. Unfortunately, his kidneys are better at the math.
When he started not feeling well on Saturday, I was pretty clear on what the deal was. I knew because last October he became very ill.
I'm not sharing all this to bum you out, rather to pass along the miracle that one of you sent to me.
Last October when Tripod was having a tough time, I shared the news here on this blog. That's when Barbara from Connecticut wrote in.
It was quite the involved email and I almost didn't follow through. See, Tripod was that sick. ButBarbara would not be denied. Nothing I told her about his deteriorating condition scared her. Aparrently, Barbara has cared for many sick animals and you pretty much cannot scare her.
No matter what I told her Tripod was facing, she sluffed off as, "Oh yeah, that just the kidney failure trying to beat him. Make him this Magic Broth, give him the Halo Vitamins and you'll be shocked how well he does. You'll see a little improvement by day 2, even more day 4 and by day 6 you'll take him to the vet, tell him what you did, and he'll look at you like you're crazy."
Barbara had me sold. I looked at this 3-legged bundle of love and thought, "Surely, you deserve a pot of soup!"
It was like Barbara had seen the movie before. Day 2-a little better. Day 4-even more. Day 6-took him to the vet and told him how how this lady named Barbara wrote into my website and…well you can imagine the look.
Anyhow, when Tripod took a little setback this weekend, it was time for more soup. I'm happy to report he's doing better today! Hopping around once again on those 3 legs. Gobbling up food.
I mentioned on Twitter and Facebook that I was making this big pot of Magic Broth for Tripod. I had an overwhelming response from folks who wanted to know more. This was one where it takes more than 140 characters to respond. So here you go—
Barbara's Magic Broth Get bones [ skinless thighs, legs] on chicken parts and put in large pot with COLD water. Turn on heat and cook for 7 to 8 HOURS at a nice boil but not too high. You will skim off the foam at the beginning. Replace water as needed until the last hour or so. After about 4-5 hours, the meat will appear gray and stringy. Take meat out of pot. KEEP the bones, cracking them to allow for more penetration of cells. At the end of cooking time, strain all material, leaving you with miracle # 2....special chicken broth. I spoon it into ice cube trays and freeze them. I use an ice cube at a time for my pet. You know you did it correctly when a small amount is left refrigerated and the next day will have a gelation consistency. If it is watery you either , 1 did not cook it long enough or , 2 added too much water at the end and diluted it.
Yeah, it stinks up your house. No, you won't want to eat it yourself. But it really does do the trick. Gets fluids and great marrow cells into your pet when they don't want to eat. You can also grind up pills and put in broth as an easier way to get meds into your doggie or kitty.
As I said, I thought it sounded nuts, but what the heck. Tripod The Wonder Cat is living proof that it helps!
March 24, 2009: Confessions Of An Over-Indulgent Mother
You know the saying, "Can't teach an old dog new tricks?" Well, it turns out you can teach an old 3-legged cat some new bad habits.
I mean c'mon, Tripod, you're 19, for heaven's sake! Shouldn't we be past this?
Apparently, not.
I'm not sure how we got here, but here we are.
Tripod has decided nothing gives him a bigger kick in life than drinking water out of a coffee mug on my desk.
What inspired this discovery; I'm not quite sure. Sometimeover the last week or so, he was sitting as he usually does—3 legs sprawled across my lap while I work away on the website.
He popped his head up for a moment as I took a swig of water from a mug on my desk. He gave me that, "Me, too!" look with those big green eyes. I figured I had had enough, so I lowered it down to see if really wanted to drink from the mug. (For the record-I didn't intend to drink from the mug after that—I'm not THAT wacko! Even I have some boundaries.)
Anyhow, Tripod went nuts. Loved it. You'd have thought he was a 21-year-od frat boy drinking his first mug of beer! I put the mug up on the desk and put 'Pod up there. His 3 paws were all slip slidey on the wood surface, but he was one happy camper.
Life has not been the same since. It's all about the mug, the water and the desk. He won't drink water out of his bowl. Won't even take mug o'water on the floor. Gotta be a mug of water on the desk.
He's been inspired to demand this in the middle of the night.
He even made himself and his demands known yesterday while I was taping stories for Oprah Radio.
Thanks to the folks at Oprah, I have this neat contraption where I just plug in a mic and headset and I'm connected to the studios in Chicago. My producer, Geneen, is on the other end, keepingme on time, and making me sound good. (She does the heavy lifting.)
There we were cranking out the stories, "I'm Daryn Kagan with Oprah Radio…MEOW…"
"Ur…did you hear that?" I gulped and asked Geneen.
"Yeah, what was that?" she wanted to know.
I had to share the fix my indulgent mothering had created. "Uh, would you mind hanging on a moment so that I can get Tripod his mug of water?" I asked.
Geneen might've suspected she was getting a diva when she was assigned to work with me. Little did she know, the diva in residence would be a 3-legged cat.
It'll take more than that embarrassing episode to get to Tripod. I tried to have a talk with him about how silly this new passion of his is.
This is the look I got back.
"You gotta problem with that?" Mr. Attitude says with just one look.
Uh, no sir, Mr. Tripod. How did you want that mug of water served, Sir?
So there you have it. MY confession of being a terrible pet mother. Can you make me feel better and share your own tale (tail) of over-pampering your pet? Please share over in our social online community.
March 20, 2009: Twitter Lady Called Me "Tabloidy!"
I guess I'm thinking and saying some things I shouldn't.
At least that's the opinion of one lady on Twitter. Granted, I'm making an assumption that it's a lady, because screen name doesn't reveal his/her gender.
I just want to explain that I wasn't aiming for "tabloidy." I was simply asking a question that I know I have been wondering and I imagine a lot of other folks are wondering, as well. But for some reason, the traditional media isn't addressing.
It has to do with Natasha Richardson. By now, everyone has heard of her untimely death following an accident at a Canadian ski resort.
So much is sad about this story. How she was skiing with her young son when she fell and hit her head; how her life ended suddenly at 45.
I get all that and I also have some other thoughts.
Was Natasha Richardson an organ donor? Given the circumstances of her being a healthy woman disconnected from life support, I can't help but wonder if her family made that amazing gift.
I haven't seen that issue mentioned anywhere in the coverage of her passing. And so I tweeted, "so sad for natasha richardson's family. prayers to them. can't help but wonder--did they donate her organs? topic no one is asking." 5:59 AM Mar 19th from web
That's when I got, "Sorry, but I think the donated organs question is very tacky and frankly nobody else's business. Getting tabloidy there, Daryn. 7:24 AM Mar 19th from web in reply to DarynKagan
Oh! I'm not only tabloidy, but very tacky, as well. Forgot the tacky part.
I just want to say, not my intention. It's simply that I've done so many stories here on DarynKagan.com that illustrate the miracles that come with organ donation.
Want to check out a few? Watch the Gleasons' love story. Or the story I recently featured on the Flood Sisters who found a kidney donor for their dad on Craig's List.
My twitter accuser and I finally agreed that this big decision is a family matter. Yes, indeed. It's just if Liam Neeson and Natasha's family made that choice, what an awesome opportunity to influence so many others to do the same.
If they didn't make that choice, I respect that, too. But for the reporters covering the story to not even mention the topic is ignoring the white elephant in the room.
The other thing I think I'm not supposed to say about Natasha Richardson's story is that in some ways to me it's not that sad.
I'm sad for her sons who will miss their mother forever. But her? What an amazing life. She appears to have had great love with her husband and children and great success with her passion of acting. Love, passion, success, riches, adventures! Wow, talk about winning life's lottery!
That it went away in an instant is a yet another part of her legacy. She gets to be the spark for all of us to go for our own great love and passions today.
So, a star goes out on a shooting star. To that I say, "Thank you, Natasha Richardson."
Your thoughts? Would love to hear over in our social online community? Was my question tacky and tabloidy? Your thoughts on Natasha Richardson's life?
March 18, 2009: An Invitation I Couldn't Refuse
I think it's safe to say that there is plenty to do around here. New inspirational stories for you every day, the blog, the social online community, and now feeding daily stories to Oprah Radio.
So the idea of extra work isn't something I go looking for.
However, when the folks at US News & World Report came a callin' I had a hard time saying, "No thank you."
They wanted me to write an essay for them comparing my trips to Africa. The one in 2002 where I traveled with Bono and then US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and the one I just took in December to be with the awesome girl scholars of Hekima Place in Kenya.
If you're a regular visitor to this website, then you know what a huge deal the December trip was and how I love those girls. A chance to share their story with the readers of US News? How could I turn that down?
Plus, it was Paul Bedard asking. He writes the very popular Washington Whispers column and has been incredibly supportive of my journey with DarynKagan.com.
Turns out, you give, you get. The US News folks really went all out. Quite the spread: news about Oprah Radio, the essay, and one of the videos I produced on my trip. You'll find them all here.
March 16, 2009: Kids Who Love Animals!
It's no secret that so many DarynKagan.com visitors are animal lovers like myself.
We also have a lot of families that love to check out the inspiring stories here together.
Have I got a great tip for you.
The American Humane Association is looking for kids who are kind to animals. The annual Be Kind to Animals Kid Contest honors young people who have demonstrated extraordinary kindness to animals.
You can nominate a kid in one of two categories: 6-12 and 13-17.
Grand Prize winners each receive $1,000. You'll find more info here.
Good luck!
And thanks AHA for shining the light on kids who are kind to animals!
March 6, 2009: Oprah, Here I Come!
I'm so excited about my new outlet for telling inspiring stories. You can now hear me on Oprah Radio!
That's channel 156 for you XM/Sirius subscribers and channel 195 as part of "The Best of XM" package on Sirius.
The folks at Oprah Radio agree with the idea that it's important to be informed and inspired, as well. So, they're wrapping DarynKagan.com content around ABC News headlines at the top of the hour. Please tune in Monday-Friday!
I know. I know. You hear someone found a kidney donor on Craig's List and your "Hmmmm" meter goes off.
Just hold judgement until, as the dear late Paul Harvey would say, "you know the rest of the story.
Jennifer, Cynthia, and Heather Flood are the incredibly motivated and clever sisters behind today's story. When their dad, Dan, told them he needed a kidney transplant, they decided to take matters into their own hands.
None of the sisters nor their two brothers was a match, so the hunt was on. All 3 sisters have had success finding other life needs like jobs or nannies on Craig's List, so why not an answer to their dad's health crisis?
Watch the video to see how the whole miracle unfolded. Readers Digest is that a woman in California named Dawn Verdick saw the sisters' plea in the volunteers section of Craig's List. She had come to a place where she wanted to make an impact with her life. Turns out she shares Dan Flood's rare O-negative blood type and responded.
As warm and touchy feely as it is to think of a stranger making such an incredible gift, the Flood sisters want it known that there are some very strict guidelines they followed to make this all happen.
Bottom line, they want you to know-THEY DID NOT BUY THIS WOMAN'S KIDNEY.
In fact, the transaction sounds very much like people who go through private adoption of a baby. If you're really interested in the nitty gritty, here you go:
Dan's health insurance covered Dawn's medical costs such as testing and the surgery. The Floods say they paid for Dawn and a companion to travel to New York from California for the surgery and for any days missed at work. That's it. End of financial story.
I've talked with Dawn the donor. She sounds like a successful businesswoman, the kind of person who certainly wouldn't need to sell a body part to make ends meet.
The Floods really want to stress this part of the story. One they don't want folks to think they are out there buying body parts. Even more importantly, they taken their experience and poured it into their new foundation, The Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation of America. They're now dedicated to helping other families facing similar life crises. They want folks to know there is a way to help your loved one, be legal, and ethical all at the same time.
March 3, 2009: Anna Banana
The whole time I was working on today's story I kept thinking, "I gotta tell Anna Banana about this."
You'll see today's featured story is about making dreams come true for public school students and their teachers. If you haven't already been there, you have to check out DonorsChoose.org.
The reason I kept thinking about Anna is she is one of those above-and-beyond kind of public school teachers. She also happens to be one of my dear friends and has been just that since we were college roommates our senior year at Stanford.
She probably doesn't want her 7th grade students to know everything that we did that year, including the wild idea we got for what we wanted to do after graduation.
We decided to ride our bikes from her house to my house. That might not sound like the craziest idea, except that Anna is from Carmel and I grew up in LA. So, that meant riding our bikes 400 milesor so down the beautiful, yet treacherous Highway 1.
Needless, to say, our families were not thrilled. All these years later, I think I can see their point of view a bit more clearly. Two young, unaccompanied women without any previous cycling experience making our way down the coast. It was one of those crazy California wildfire summers, so we had to make sure to cover enough ground to outpace the blazes which were were their way from north to south.
Our big concession to safety was agreeing not to camp out. Instead, we stayed with friends and various family members who offered a floor and a shower. The way our folks saw it—that was at least 8 hours we were out of the reach of some wacko, machete-welding serial killer.
Sorry for the stress we put on our loved ones, but it really was a great week, seeing our native California. And despite what the families might think, Anna and I aren't huge risk takers. We made smart choices along the way. I think the wildest and craziest thing we did the whole time was maybe skinny-dipping in a hot tub. Do I remember that right, AB?
Whatever took place, clearly we lived to tell the tale. After all, here I am. As for AB, she's now the most awesome 7th grade teacher back in her hometown. Some teachers cringe at the idea of teaching middle school. Anna can't imagine teaching any other grade. Where most folks see crazy, hormone-whacked out teens, Anna sees energized young people ready to shape their world view. God bless her. She's that teacher you hope and pray your kid gets because she's going to go that extra mile to make history, social studies, and world events come to life.
That's why I have to make sure she knows about DonorsChoose.org. With all the cutbacks to California schools, I'm sure she has some great ideas up her sleeve that could use some creating financing.
So, AB, here's the deal--I'm telling you about DonorsChoose.org. But, you shouldn't tell your 7th graders what we did that summer after college. Can't give them any ideas. We can't have them do that! That would be nuts!
