Very Smart Gals Salon

On July 1, 2015, at Eddie V's in Austin, a congress of Very Smart Gals grew to love and appreciate each other, and our gender, a little more. (L-R, Sharmyn Lilly, Lidia Agraz, Sarah Bird, yours truly, Myra McIlvain, Melanie Barnes, and Ronda Rutledge).

When Lidia Agraz, Principal, Punta Reyes Investments, former VP Public and Government Affairs, Time Warner Cable Austin, arrived, I couldn’t take my eyes off her beautiful complexion. I became a huge fan of Lidia's when she and I were involved in the Hispanic Women’s Political Caucus and the Austin Women’s Political Caucus and Lidia was the Director of the Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Lidia’s quiet grace, consummate graciousness and her completely unassuming physical beauty hasn’t changed a bit. What a joy and privilege it was to share the evening with a woman who has always been an icon of loveliness and intelligence for me. Lydia nearly brought us to tears when she spoke so lovingly of caring for her aging mother as one of the most important things she’d done in the past five years.

Ronda Rutledge, Executive Director, Sustainable Food Center, former Executive Director of the American Indian Child Resource Center, is one of those women who, when she enters a room, physically commands it with her striking beauty and intense continence. I fell in like with Ronda almost instantly when she and Sustainable Food Center became a client for my grant writing business. I knew instantly she would become my forever friend. Ronda is 100% committed to making sure that every person in Central Texas has access to healthy food, but what is equally interesting is Ronda’s  American Indian heritage. When I mentioned that America was the only industrialized nation that had never had a woman president, she corrected me saying there had been a woman President in American, Wilma Pearl Mankiller, who was President (Principal Chief) of the Cherokee Nation, and whom Ronda had met. Ronda is a “country” I have yet satisfactorily explored, but I assure you I will.

I was so excited to meet Myra Hargrave McIlvain, who wrote many of the stories on Texas Historical Markers along the highways, and her most recent book, Stein House. What I didn’t anticipate was just how amazing the experience would be. Picture a walking encyclopedia of Texas history wrapped in hyper-intelligence and charm, and you have Myra. When she spoke of writing Stein House, which was picked by Kirkus as one of the best books of 2014, her eyes sparkled and you could see her passion. As she spoke of the history behind Stein House, the characters in the book became flesh and blood. I couldn’t help but connect her capacity to enliven her characters to her stint as a family humor columnist for the Victoria Advocate. And I couldn’t help but be a little jealous of her experience as a world-wide tour director. Meeting Myra made me want to go look at her bookshelves. From one bibliophile to another, that’s a huge compliment.  

I’m always honored to be in award winning and critically acclaimed writer Sarah Bird’s presence (Above The East China Sea and much more) and here’s the kicker. She’s FUN, she’s funny, and she used to be a go-go dancer. No kidding. I thought maybe it was a joke when I first heard this about Sarah, but she was the first to the dance floor at one of our recent Couples Salon dinner party dance breaks. And then there’s the fact that her books have won killer recognitions: “Best Books of 2015", Seattle Times, “Editor’s Choice”, Chicago Tribune, “Hot Read”, Daily Beast, “Best Summer Reads”, Marie Claire, well you get it. Her accolades could fill this page. Yeah, she’s famous. Some of Sarah’s best stories are about her screenwriting career, traveling with Isabella Rossellini and a similarly stunning lineup of luminaries. I’m hoping that some of Sarah’s writing skills will rub off on me, but the real reason I like hanging out with her is because she’s smart, and a gifted smart-ass. I’d tell you what she’s writing next, but then I’d have to kill you.

When I invited Sharmyn Lilly, former Executive Director, Austin History Center Association, attorney and educator, to this Very Smart Gals Salon, I sensed her acceptance hung on Sarah Bird being there. But who can blame her. Sharmyn could claim fame for any number of things herself, but her most recent accomplishment is her continued recovery from a devastating hemorrhagic stroke.  I probably don’t have the details exactly, but about seven years ago a stroke, out of the blue – no family history, no health precursors – took everything but her life. She spent months in the hospital and in rehabilitation, and has only recently recovered her ability to participate in her lifelong love of running. Sharmyn spoke with unmasked appreciation of the support of her husband, sisters and friends, and of how happy she was to actually still be here. I agree. Sharmyn is one of the most elegant women I’ve ever met - a true southern belle.

I’ve known Melanie Barnes, retired attorney, very active Austin philanthropist since1982, when I was working for an elected official and she was a young attorney at a large Austin law firm. Although Melanie and I haven’t really stayed in touch, I’ve following her well-documented life as a major Austin philanthropist who has provided leadership and support for many different nonprofits. When I asked the Very Smart Gals who were at Eddie V’s that evening what they’d done within the last five years of which they were most proud, Melanie could barely contain her excitement about her work with the Waller Creek Conservancy, which is described online as the green urban artery connecting “many of the things that shape Austin’s identity, including UT, the Texas Capitol grounds, a growing medical complex, our famous music and entertainment district, Austin’s Convention Center, Rainey Street district, Butler Hike and Bike Trail, and Lady Bird Lake.” Our community is so fortunate to home visionaries like Melanie, preserving and building on Austin’s natural environment to create the things that make our community the jewel of Texas. 

In summary, it was an exceptional evening of exceptional repartee among exceptionally Smart Gals.

Cluster Critiques

Oveta Culp Hobby - Colonel, Cabinet Member, Philanthropist by Debra L. Winegarten

With the publication of Oveta Culp Hobby - Colonel, Cabinet Member, Philanthropist, author Debra Winegarten has proven two things. First, Texas women are, and have been since they first set foot in Texas, absolute forces of nature; and Debra (pictured below, top right, with my book club) can write like nobody’s business, and has the “grit” to write best sellers.

Before reading this huge (in appeal) yet tiny (156 page) book, my only solid context for the Hobby name was a few goose bump moments when I was in former Lieutenant Governor Bill Hobby’s presence (Oveta Culp Hobby’s son). I knew his father had been governor of Texas, and I knew Bill was highly respected, but until I read Winegarten’s book, I had no idea that his mother was anything more than “just” his mother.  

Although she never completed her post-secondary education, this autodidact became the first secretary of the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare (US-DHHS), first director of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), and chair of the board of the Houston Post. In her early career, Culp Hobby became a highly respected parliamentarian of the Texas House of Representatives.  In 1931, at the age of 26, she married widowed 47-year-old former Texas Governor William P. Hobby when he was the editor of the Houston Post.  Other than an incident in which Culp Hobby, in spite of her own injuries, pulled her critically injured husband and the pilot (who subsequently died from his injuries) from their crashed airplane, what impressed me most about this extraordinary woman was her service in the establishment of WACs. Winegarten’s enthralling story of Culp Hobby told of many, many  long hours working to help fill the non-combat needs of the WWII war effort when every minute equated to lives lost. I was particularly impressed with her tenacity and forcefulness in making sure that women in the WACs, including women of color who prior to Culp Hobby’s intervention were systematically de-prioritized,  had uniforms equal in quality and warmth to military men.

Read Oveta Culp Hobby - Colonel, Cabinet Member, Philanthropist, and as important, make sure your children read it, as this is a story of a real super-hero.

Dead Wake by Erik Larson

Erik Larson has a unparalleled talent for turning academic history and exhaustive research into enthralling mystery. His books about the 1900 Galveston hurricane (Isaac’s Storm) and the 1893 World’s Fair (Devil In The White City) are two nonfiction books with the intrigue of a Patricia Highsmith (The Talented Mr. Ripley) or  Daphne du Maurier (Rebecca), and the literary gravitas of an Ernest Hemingway (The Old Man and the Sea) or Ann Patchett (Bel Canto). Dead Wake, which is Larson’s story of the May 7, 1915, German torpedoing of the 787-foot superliner Lusitania, which was traveling from New York to Liverpool, is no exception. You may think you know all you need to know about the grim history of the sinking of the Lusitania, but I suggest you do not.  To begin with, you have the conspiracy theory that the English manipulated the sinking of the Lusitania to lure the Americans into the fight against Germany (128 American’s died as a result of the sinking). But even if that plot intrigue didn’t exist, you would enjoy this book because Larson doesn’t just tell the story, he puts you into the story. You feel the rhythmic rocking of the boat and the sun-kissed ocean breeze. You see blonde curls suspended in white ribbon as the children play games on the ship deck. You sense the ever so slight hesitation as the German U-boat captain considers his actions before ordering the launch of the torpedo. You watch in horror as reality slowly blooms on the faces of families who will never again see each other. Larson helps us look beyond the surface of tragedy to see the people, and that is always the heart of a well-told story. If you have the patience to let drama unfold in the context of beautiful writing, in spite of knowing the oncoming outcome, you will enjoy Dead Wake.

The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man by W. Bruce Cameron

This was a surprisingly fun little book that allows you to not take it too seriously. Bruce Cameron is a playful writer, who imbues his characters with quirkiness and unexpected mannerisms. Like what you ask? Like, none of the characters are handsome or beautiful or rich or adventuresome or even particularly scary or interesting. Well, except the dead guy who lives in the main character Ruddy McCann’s head.  So, the story is about a murder in a small town, but honestly it really doesn’t even matter what the story is about because Bruce Cameron and his main characters are all laugh-out-loud, go nowhere, fun characters. Oh, and I loved the taxidermied bear in the bar. 

Gods and Kings: The Rise and Fall of Alexander McQueen and John Galliano by Dana Thomas

Alexander McQueen and John Galliano’s brilliant fashion sensibilities advanced them to the top of the design world at Dior and Givenchy. But the same creative intensity that made them “Gods and Kings” of the unprecedented growth in the fashion industry they caused, also eventually rendered them incapable of living normal lives.

Alexander McQueen, trained as a tailor, was the master of fabric and construction, designing clothes that every woman wanted to wear. Galliano’s designs based in unique romanticism brought the design world to their knees. They both turned the clothing industry into theater, changing forever the way seasonal designs are presented to the world. The stories of their insanely elaborate fashion shows are legendary. Imagine vats of blood and techno-lighting, hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on flowers, and hours-long late starts and you have some sense of the bizarre world in which they functioned. Sadly, McQueen’s life ended with suicide, and Galliano’s career careened out of control due to substance abuse. Whether you care anything about fashion or designers, this is a well-written and interesting story about two fascinating and creative, yet tragic characters, and it is an inside look at an industry that is like none other. I enjoyed this book and believe you will too. 

Head Case: My Brain and Other Wonders by Cole Cohen

When you have a hole in your brain the size of a large lemon, life is not going to be easy. In this pretty fascinating book, Cole Cohen tells the relatively unemotional story of how, for the first twenty-six years of her life, she was diagnosed with one learning disorder after another and put on medication after medication by physicians who really didn’t have a clue what was wrong with her.  As long as she was a child and living with her parents, it was mostly just difficult and made life for her and her parents a series of unanswered questions and concerns. But when she became an adult and expected to live life independently, it became a huge issue. The primary disability that impacted every aspect of her life was related to time and space. She couldn’t drive, she couldn’t make change, she couldn’t remember where anything was, she couldn’t navigate a grocery store or much less a city - all of which made it impossible for her to keep a job. She just migrated from therapist to therapist, trying to reconcile her inexplicable, undiagnosed problem.

Then, although it sort of defies logic that it would take 26 years to find a huge hole in someone’s brain, Cole is finally scheduled for an MRI, and bingo! There it is – a very big hole in her brain. The doctor freaks because he can’t understand why she is still alive. But Cole and her parents are just relieved to have an explanation. The story doesn’t really go anywhere, and reading this book felt like I was “rubbernecking,” but Cohen’s story is mesmerizing and well-written considering her young age and, well, considering the brain hole.

This and That

Hillary Clinton:
On June 4, I was honored to meet Presidential candidate, former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton at a fundraiser hosted by the ever gracious Suzanne and Marc Winkelman. Yes, I am a supporter of Hillary Clinton for President. Here's why. She is exceptionally smart, she is much more experienced in world affairs than any other candidate (and this is a very important point), and just as I'd heard from many other people who had met her personally, she is warm and generous one-on-one. When I told her my five-year-old granddaughter asked me to ask her what's her favorite thing to do, in spite of a long line of people patiently waiting to be photographed with her, she replied, "Well you tell your little granddaughter that I love to swim, and I love to play with my dogs. But my most favorite thing to do is to play with my new little granddaughter Charlotte." America is the only industrialized nation yet to elect a woman President/top leader. What are we waiting for? Is Hillary Clinton perfect? No. Who is? If we wait for a woman candidate who is perfect, it will never happen. Are any of the male presidents or male presidential candidates perfect? No. Why do we hold women to a different standard? Women really need to cut each other a little more slack, and they need to stick together. Why? Because the female perspective is important. Not more important, just important.

Road Trip: 
On June 7 Austin Philanthropist Lynn Meredith and I drove to San Antonio to visit the new $47,000,000, 65,000 sq. ft. The DoSeum - San Antonio's Museum for Kids. I wanted to show Lynn the museum because of her interest in children's museums, and I wanted to introduce her to The DoSeum CEO, Vanessa Lacoss Hurd, who is one of the sharpest non-profit CEOs I've had the pleasure of working with (Lynn and Vanessa pictured).

Vanessa graciously took time from her busy schedule to give Lynn a personal tour of The DoSeum, highlighting the sharp focus on STEAM learning (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) incorporated in every aspect the building and programs design. And Lynn graciously shared valuable knowledge and insights from the volunteer leadership perspective. Lynn is such a Very Smart Gal (as is Vanessa), and I always enjoy dissecting current events with her. Our drive to San Antonio and back made for an intellectually stimulating and super fun day.

International Junior Miss:
On July 18, my husband and I, along with my eldest son and his family, and my daughter's eldest daughter, attended the International Junior Miss competition in Virginia Beach, VA, where our little granddaughter Khloe, representing the Lone Star State, competed with hundreds of other little girls from all over the world.

While there, the Texas delegation presented the flag that flew over the Texas Capitol on May 8, 2015, International Junior Miss Day in Texas. I want to recognize The Honorable Representative Elliot Naishtat, District 49, Texas House of Representatives (pictured) and his assistant, Judith Dale, for their assistance is getting the resolution approved.

As you can see from these photos, this competition is somewhat about physical beauty (thankfully the little girls look like little girls), but what you can't see is the strong competitive emphasis on poise, scholarship, personality, articulation, volunteerism, and leadership. I was particularly impressed by the sisterhood amongst the girls .

Khloe made it to the top 15 in her age category, and won the photogenic and spirit awards, but more importantly, she is gaining skills and friendships that will benefit her throughout her life. We couldn't be more proud of her.