Momniscient Musings Blog

Behind The Scenes At The Today Show

Friday was the second time that I had been on The Today Show, but the first time that I was in the studio to do the segment. Back in July, when I was on the show they had filmed at my home, via satellite.

At the crack of dawn, I was greeted by a camera crew and had to force myself to look wide-awake even though I had only slept an hour the night before. The kids’ infant years had trained me well for such a task. This time, I was flown to NBC studios in New York and treated to the total experience. Friends and relatives have asked me, “What goes on behind the scenes?” So, to answer those inquiring minds, here’s the low-down.

I was called by a producer at The Today Show at 2:30pm on Thursday and asked if I could catch a flight right away. Being a girl who loves spontaneity (and of course, doesn’t mind the limelight either) I jumped at the opportunity. When I went to go pack, instead of it being a methodical choice about what I need to bring, I was throwing things in my suitcase at a frantic pace. My mind raced…“What looks good on camera? What is clean? What still fits?” That was about all the time I had to reflect on what to bring because I would need to get through rush hour traffic to make it to the airport with ample time to make it through security for my full body cavity search. My heart rate finally got back to normal as the flight crew sealed the doors for departure. On the flight, I made notes about points I would try to make during the debate with the other guest. (Knowing full well that even though I have responses crafted to things they may ask, most of what I had prepared to say will be next to impossible to retrieve once the camera is rolling.) I arrived at JFK airport at 9:00pm and as I was coming down the escalator to baggage claim (with my fingers crossed, praying that my luggage had also arrived or I would be forced to wear the summer dress I had been wearing for the past thirteen hours…which, was now laden with peanuts and cracker crumbs) I spotted a limo driver holding a sign with my name displayed. I brushed off my dirty dress and said, “That’s me!” Talk about feeling like a rock star. Okay, maybe not a rock star because their was no entourage or cheering fans, but to this stay-at-home Mom, it was pretty exciting. He whisked me away to my hotel, which was located a block or so from Rockefeller Plaza.

Daylight came too fast and although I was hoping that I would get a full night sleep before the show, again, my adrenaline rush had me tossing and turning. That, coupled with the fact that they had asked me to arrive at the studio without make-up, because they would have a professional doing that for me. I kept having the vision that I would arrive at the studio without a trace of color on my face and would find out that my segment was moved up and they would be dragging me onto the set kicking and screaming because make-up is my friend and constant companion. However, when I arrived at 7:00am, and made my way through the crowd who was gathered to hear Martina McBride play in the Friday Concert series, there were no last minute schedule changes.  They escorted me to the “Green Room” (which consequently isn’t green) and there were a few other guests gathered who were also going to be on the show. They had a huge spread of goodies, but my stomach warned me to stay away from food. Yes, I must have been nervous if I declined to eat doughnuts and croissants. Al Roker strolled into the room and grabbed some coffee and said hello. He is just as jovial and friendly in person as he is on the show. Actually, come to think about it, everybody I met couldn’t have been more genuine and charismatic; from the producers to the interns. The time flew by and before I knew it, they had me up in make-up to apply the “spackle” I so desperately needed. Minutes before the segment, Ann Curry, myself, and the gentleman I would be debating on the topic all gathered to introduce ourselves. Although I have done live television before, I always get butterflies as they are weaving the microphone under my blazer and the cameras are jockeying into position. The four- minute segment felt more like forty seconds. It was over in a flash. Ann was a great moderator, although many were miffed that she seemed to not stay neutral in the debate and agree with more of what I had to say…could you blame the woman?

After the segment I was wiped. It could have been from the mental sparing or it could have been that my three hours of sleep were catching up to me. I returned to the hotel and fielded calls and e-mails from family and friends. (You know I was tired if I gave up shopping on 5^th Avenue in exchange for trying to catch up on sleep.) The driver was back to take me to the airport and after many hours of travel, I was back in Orlando.

I loved the experience. It was fast-paced; excitement filled and my only regret was that my family couldn’t be there with me!

They're Back!

If you listen closely, you can hear moms across the country breath a collective sigh of relief… The kids are back in school!

As much as we love our children, and have fun spending quality time together at the park, the beach, the library, the movies, bowling and putt-putt golf, some of us are more than ready to reclaim a few hours of time for ourselves. There are days over the summer where I feel like a one- woman social director on a cruise ship, whose job it is to provide non-stop entertainment. (Other days I feel like I should be wearing a red, rubber nose and giant clown shoes and rent myself out for birthday parties.) By the end of the summer, I’m ready to take a mini vacation to recuperate from the rigorous “playtime” spent over the previous two and a half months.

It’s not just stay-at-home moms who are glad to see the school year roll around. My friends with careers have their own set of challenges about their kids and summer vacation. “I could have practically paid for college for my daughter rather than sending my son to camp all summer.” I hear them lament over the high price of camps and daycare.

The education administrators, who are trying unsuccessfully to convince the public about year-round school, are going about it all wrong. Instead of extolling the virtues of “ the continuity of learning” and the “power of retention”, all they really need to do is time the vote strategically. If they took a vote for year-round school on the last day of summer vacation, it would pass with flying colors.

Until then, however, I’m going to sit back and say a small prayer that our kids are back in school to learn about the three R’s. Meanwhile, I’ll be practicing my three R’s: Relaxing, Recharging and Reclaiming some time for me.

Entertaining For The Domestically Challenged 8/8/07

If my cooking prowess had to be summed up into a bumper sticker, mine would read: “I don’t make dinner, I make reservations.” Although I would consider myself a fairly accomplished woman, cooking is not a skill that would even be mentioned in the top ten list of things I do well. This presents somewhat of a quandary for me, because as much as I detest cooking, I love to entertain. How, may you ask, can the two coexist under the same roof? Hint…a little pre-planning and a lot of frozen food is involved.

Entertaining is a like an elaborate magic show. If there is music, decorations and ample libations (this is the equivalent to the smoke and mirrors used by magicians to distract the audience from their slight of hand) then, your guests will have a blast and leave happy, never realizing that the food preparation received very little of your attention.

It is easy to entertain when you choose a theme for your party. Whether it’s a summer Luau for seventy or an Italian dinner for eight, having a theme will provide you with some direction. You must create the tone of your party from the onset. The invitations you select let your guests know what is in store for them. Having a Mexican Fiesta? Send a small bottle of Tabasco attached with twine to your invite. Having a Japanese dinner? Get a small take-out box and fill it with several candles shaped like Sushi. You get the idea. Showing that you intend to have fun is paramount.

Depending on the theme you select, you have the opportunity to develop the ambiance with music and decorations. Having a Cuban dinner? Get a hot, salsa CD, dress the table in placemats of bold orange and lime or perhaps hire someone to roll handmade cigars. Having a Middle Eastern dinner? Make sure to have lots of colored pillows strewn across the floor and perhaps a belly dancer could make an appearance? If hiring entertainment is out of your budget, don’t fret. It’s amazing what the right music, a few paper lanterns and well-placed flower arrangements are able to do to transform your living room into an oasis.

As for the food, there is an extensive variety of frozen food at your fingertips in your local grocery store. Don’t feel like you are obligated to make everything from scratch. Mix a few homemade items that you can make the night before, with several frozen dishes or dishes prepared by a gourmet shop and “Voila”…you heat and serve and there is your party.

Although I have alluded to the role that alcohol plays to enhance the mood of your guests, it is not a necessity. If you have “virgin” Mojitos or Shirley Temples, most of the time your friends are just happy that they had an excuse to get out of the house to play. So, stop stressing about the fact that you are not a chef. Don’t let a little thing like not being able to cook stand in your way of having a good time!