amazing women wednesday Archives

Two Amazing Women are Coming to Dallas!

February 2, 2016 By Tam Warner 12 Comments

goldie, goldie hawn, Jewish Family Services — Photo from My Sweet Charity

That is correct! Two of my very favorite and most admired women are heading to Dallas to speak, or give a keynote. Goldie Hawn will be giving the keynote address at the Woman to Woman Luncheon on April 5, put on by Jewish Family Services in Dallas. http://www.jfsdallas.org/getinvolved/woman Did you also know that Goldie, Diane Keaton and Bette Midler are rumored to be thinking about a series on Netflix? Hey, if Jane and Lily can do it, Goldie and crew sure can!

Jane Goodall, Jane, women — Jane Goodall

The other speaker heading our way is none other than Jane Goodall! I’ve blogged about Jane a couple of times actually, as an Amazing Woman, and as a fun woman on Bill Maher’s show. Jane is being hosted by the Texas Outdoor Woman’s Network, Ft Worth Chapter on March 31. Tickets are available at http://www.utacollegepark.com/events/event.php?e=20160331-mss-janegoodall on March 1!

See you there? What a week it will be!

The Amazing Dame Jane Goodall on Bill Maher’s show!

September 28, 2015 By Tam Warner 19 Comments

How I love Jane Goodall! She is such an amazing woman, a role model for generations of women, and an iconic figure in the world of conservation. I have blogged about her before in my series, “Amazing Women Wednesday”, and have urged younger generations to venerate Dame Jane. As of Friday night, she has truly found her way into my heart.

On September 25 Jane made an appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher (possibly my favorite show on television). Bill, that incisive, sardonic, and unforgiving comic, had a discussion with Jane about Cecil the Lion. Dame Jane admitted she can’t get into the mind of a hunter who will actually go out and shoot a beautiful animal (especially an endangered animal). “It actually makes me sick,” she said. Maher remarked that the reason these hunters did it was because they have a small penis. Jane replied, “They must have a very small penis.” Check out the video!

In addition, Donald Trump and his lawsuit against Bill Maher came up. Did you know that the Donald sued Bill for suggesting that Donald Trump’s father was an orange orangutan with the same color hair? Jane remarked that it was an unkind comparison…to the orangutan!

jane-goodall-top-10-birthday-02-a — Dame Jane Goodall of the Jane Goodall Institute.

Dame Jane and Bill, you made my day. I actually had to watch it three times because I was laughing so hard. (You probably realize by now that if you aren’t fairly liberal or moderate, you might not want to read this.) Living in Dallas I am surrounded by Conservatives (well meaning, I am sure) and I look forward all week to getting my dose of progressive politics via @billmaher. I did enjoy all the Pope and John Boehner talk last night, but Dame Jane, you were the best.

Oh yes, my “red” friends (funny how that has such a different meaning now than it did 30 years ago!) Bill may be blasphemous and wicked and bring up taboo subjects, but underneath the comedy is social commentary which is first rate. I love me some Bill, and some Dame Jane, too. They are keeping it real.

Amazing Women Wednesday: Hélène Tragos Stelian

June 23, 2015 By Tam Warner 14 Comments

Hélène Tragos Stelian is a multi-talented woman who puts family first while finding creative outlets for her own life. Her first creative project was a book, Getting Ready for Baby: The Practical Parent’s Organizer. As the mother of twins Hélène knew that planning to have a baby (or babies) was a tough job in itself, so she shared her organizing ability with other parents. Hélène recently updated her book, see above and below the post for links to purchase it! What a great gift for someone who is expecting!

Next Act for Women is Hélène’s blog about women of a “certain age”, meaning midlife, who find a new purpose or career. I love it! It encourages women who haven’t “found their thing” yet to take chances, to make changes in how they live their lives. Hélène points out in her blog, “Women of a “certain age” are often self-aware: emboldened by their strengths, accepting of their limitations, and ready to take a realistic approach in the pursuit of new personal goals. Their motivation may come from regrets about paths not taken, an itch to put their energy into more creative outlets, a wish to give back to their community in a more substantive way, or any myriad of reasons.” Her blogs about women moving forward and taking risks are engaging and compelling. She writes about women who have completely changed their lives, gone into a new field, or given themselves over to helping others. Here are a few of the blog links:

Becoming a Fashion Stylist at 45: Jennifer’s Story

Advocating for Therapeutic Drug Policies in Her 50s: Gretchen’s Story

Creating Healthy Workplace Cultures at 55: Jeanne’s Story

Let’s Hear From an Expert: Mary Beth Barrett-Newman of 2nd Career Consulting

I love these blogs/articles, after all, I am a woman of a “certain age” and I love to hear what other women of a certain age are up to. This may sound random, but have you ever seen “Something’s Gotta Give” with Diane Keaton and Frances McDormand? The film is about a man over 60 who dates much younger women, and a woman (Diane Keaton) who is over 50 and, as Frances McDormand’s character explains it:

“….there’s my gorgeous sister here. Look at her. She is so accomplished…..She’s over 50, divorced, and she sits in night after night after night because available guys her age want something-forgive me, they want somebody (much younger). The over-50 dating scene is geared towards men leaving older women out. And as a result, the women become more and more productive and therefore, more and more interesting. Which, in turn, makes them even less desirable because as we all know, men- especially older men- are threatened and afraid of productive, interesting women. It is just so clear! Single older women as a demographic are about as fucked a group as can ever exist.” Not being single, I cannot really comment on the dating scene, but here is what I do know, and what I love about Hélène’s Next Act for Women: being in midlife is incredible. It is liberating, actually freeing in many ways. I can look back to my twenties and thirties and realize that I am now wiser, more sure of myself, more comfortable, more intelligent, and more confident. Reading about other women who feel the same is refreshing as well as exciting.

Hélène is part Danish and Greek, and was raised in Paris until she was 13 years old. Traveling has been a top priority for her and her family, and they have been all over the globe. I would certainly say she has led a life full of adventure! For being an independent woman who has written and published a book (and is working on another), raised twins, enjoyed her family life, and has put the spotlight on midlife women at the very apex of their lives, I say you are amazing, Hélène! You are an amazing woman, and a fabulous role model. Keep Next Act for Women going strong, those of us in our “next act” love hearing about other women who are on the same stage.

Bhutan-Trek-DaddyDaughter-2012 — Trekking in Bhutan!

Gorilla-Tracking-Rwanda-2013 — Tracking gorillas in Rwanda 2013.

Istanbul-2013 — Istanbul (not Constantinople)…checking out other cultures.

Mudding-a-hut-Uganda-2013 — Helping to “mud a hut” in Rwanda.

Tanzania-2007 — Hélène’s family on safari in Tanzania, 2007.

Amazing Women Wednesday: Diana Paboojian

June 9, 2015 By Tam Warner 19 Comments

How I love Wednesdays and the opportunity to introduce you to some Amazing Women! Meet Diana Paboojian, and look at her incredible photography.

diana herself — Diana Paboojian and friends!

Diana and I met on a dive trip exploring the Socorro Islands (very far south of the Baja) on the Solmar V. She caught my interest early…her camera equipment was obviously “serious”, and her husband, Shannon, was the videographer. I enjoyed viewing her images during the trip as most of us hung out in the dining area categorizing our photography. Her images were, and are, light years ahead of mine. I learned quite a lot from watching her.

Like my family of four, she and her family are all divers, and enjoy dive trips together. Her two sons are now in college, and she and her husband raise quarter horses and are organic Alfalfa/ Grass feed farmers who live in the northern part of the Central Valley of California. I’m trying to imagine something better….horses, diving, animals, traveling. Throw a dozen dogs and cats in the mix and that’s pretty close to heaven for me!

A natural in the water, Diana didn’t get certified until her younger son sought dive certification. I would have guessed during the trip to the Socorros that she had been diving far longer than 6 years or so. Photography is tough to do underwater…one needs to be a damned good diver before you add a camera into the mix!

When I asked how she became interested in photography, she told me, “I have been always been interested in photography. I loved taking my own pictures for my horse business and I am also an excellent sports photographer. As for under the water, once I mastered my buoyancy, it was a natural progression to take a camera with me. I started with a point and shoot, then upgraded to a micro 4/3’s camera, and now I shoot with a DSLR. I have taken many pictures and have had a few great teachers to get me where I am now.”

diana5 — These creatures are as small as your fingernail.

I also asked her about her photographic experiences, and which was the most exciting (I know that is a very hard question to answer). She replied, “I have had so many exciting adventures out of the water and in. Gorillas in Rwanda, Lions in Botswana, Leopards in Tanzania, Bull Sharks in Fiji, Mantas and Dolphins in Socorro, Whalesharks in Mexico! When we were on a safari with Derrick Joubert in Botswana, we were watching two painted dogs sleep. A herd of elephants with babies walked by. After the elephants disappeared in the distance, the two painted dogs stood up stretched and started mating. I took a few pictures, but then just sat and watched. Derrick was filming the whole time so we stayed as quiet as we could. Every experience has been exciting but the most important advice is to make sure you put your camera down every once in awhile to truly enjoy the experience!”

Diana doesn’t call herself a conservationist or activist, but an educator. She says, “People just do not know what is really happening in our oceans or in Africa. I want to use my photography and knowledge to educate them to be more caring. To make a difference. I always say you can’t un-know what you know so all I can do is get the information out there. Then we can only hope that the human race can evolve enough to save the world.”

diana2 — Isn’t this an exquisite photo? A great example of the detail Diana gets with Macro images.

Her photos are amazing, and they make one care about the creatures she photographs. From sea horses no bigger than your pinky finger to gorillas in Africa, the photos keep you interested, and curious about the animal itself. You can find Diana’s work on Zenfolio, and the link is www.dianapaboojianphotography.zenfolio.com. If you are looking for fantastic wildlife photographs, you won’t have to look any further than Diana’s photos. Her Macro underwater photography is particularly engaging. She captures the tiniest sea creatures in incredibly detailed shots.

diana4 — The largest fish in the ocean…the beautiful Whale Shark!!!

So, what is next for this traveling, empty nest, shutterbug? “Heading back to Indonesia in July. We will be going to Villa Markisa in Tulumben, Bali to get a little muck diving! We will then head to Komodo on the Liveaboard Damai. We will finish off with Cenderawasih Bay to see the Whalesharks!”

There is never a dull moment in Diana’s life…she embraces all experiences. Her son is studying Marine Biology so who knows where that will send her family? I can’t wait to find out…and maybe go along!

I always enjoy following Diana’s travels around the globe, and hope to meet up with her again on a liveaboard somewhere…or a dive resort. Or a safari. She is an inspiring figure, and a great role model for young women. Since Travels with Tam is participating in the #AcrossWomensLives initiative, I’ll be sending this post over to them to demonstrate the strengths and talents of women! It feels good to be able to share positive stories about women’s lives!

Amazing Women Wednesday: Update on Cathy Chester!

June 3, 2015 By Tam Warner 11 Comments

Cathy Chester, author of An Empowered Spirit

Cathy Chester is indeed a powerhouse. She is an advocate for wellness, for research into Multiple Sclerosis (she was diagnosed at 29), and she is an award winning blogger at An Empowered Spirit. Next Act for Women, a blog about midlife women and reinvention, has just published an awesome feature on Cathy. I highly recommend that you learn even more about this truly Amazing Woman! Here is the link to the BLOGPOST on Cathy Chester!

Amazing Women Wednesday: Jane Goodall

April 7, 2015 By Tam Warner 16 Comments

It occurs to me that perhaps the millennials and younger generations are unaware of the amazing women who blazed a trail for them. I’ve decided to include some historically amazing women in my Amazing Women Wednesday series, and who better to talk about than Jane Goodall?

Like Jacques Cousteau, Jane Goodall was a part of the baby boomer and Gen X generation because we saw her on television. Cousteau’s specials were about the sea, Jane Goodall’s television appearances were always amazing because she actually lived with her study subjects (chimpanzees), and because she was a woman. Born in 1934 in London, no one could have dreamed that she would become the most famous primatologist in the world. Especially when one considers she did not have a college degree when she went to Africa.

As a young woman of 23, she traveled to Africa where she met well known anthropologist Louis Leakey. Leakey and his wife had discovered the oldest human remains known, and those remains were found in Africa. This was a surprise to most people, who thought humans began in Europe, or perhaps Asia. Without DNA or any of our modern scientific methods, Leakey believed that humans were closely related to Chimpanzees, Orangutans, and Gorillas. He chose Jane Goodall as his protege, for many different reasons. Leakey thought that since she did not have an education in animal science, she would be more likely to record what she actually saw rather than what she thought she was looking for. He was also of the opinion that women were more patient than men, and studying these animals would require patience, and a lot of time. She began in 1960, in Gombe National Park, and planned to stay a few years studying chimps. Jane Goodall stayed with these groups of chimps for two decades, and her discoveries are still notable today.

It took tremendous time and patience, but after tracking and following the animals for long periods of time, they began to allow her to get closer and closer to them. She gave them names, and noticed their differing personalities and complex social structures. They even used tools and ate meat. In 1965 she became only the 8th person to achieve a doctorate from Cambridge University in England without an undergraduate degree. Photographers from NatGeo came to photograph her, and soon they were also doing television specials of Jane’s work and research with the different chimp families.

Animal Planet recently celebrated Jane’s 80th birthday *(in 2014) with an article giving 10 Reasons Why Everyone Should Love (Lady) Jane Goodall. You really should click on the link and get a better understanding of the difference this amazing woman has made to science, to our world, and to humankind. Be sure to visit the Jane Goodall Institute online at http://www.janegoodall.org/. Read her book, Reason for Hope, and look at her many other books. She remains a pioneer, and an advocate for hope in a world that seems destined to destroy itself. Jane still has hope we can turn things around.

“If all of us would go through our lives thinking about the little choices we make each day as to what we buy, what we eat, what we wear – and how those choices might impact the environment, might impact child slave labor in other countries, might impact cruelty towards animals, we start making small changes… Billions of small changes around the world can lead to the kind of change we need if we care about future generations.” – Jane Goodall (http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/jane-goodall/photos/jane-goodall-birthday/)

Amazing Women Wednesday is a series about Amazing Women in our world, who are changing our world, or want to change it. Please check out www.blogher.com (SheKnows Media) and PRI for other stories of women and women’s futures.