Whom do you admire most? (still living)

[Duppers]

Why?

Do you know them personally or would you like to meet them?

[taterguy]

1. Tommy Womack

For obvious reasons

[moriah]

2. My grandma.

She is the hardest working woman I have ever met, and while she may not be all that expressive emotionally, she means the world to me.

If my grandpa was still alive, I would probably mention him.

Outside of immediate family.... the Dalai Lama.

[Duppers]

12. Moriah

Your grandma sounds as if she could be Irish too. (I'm referencing post down thread.)

Thanks for posting. :hi:

[moriah]

17. Thanks....

She's been on my mind lately because, while we are unsure, it seems she may be developing Alzheimer's.

She's taken care of women dying of Alzheimer's. If she receives the diagnosis, I don't know what it will do to her emotionally.

She's not doing things like the woman I knew who they didn't catch it early -- that woman called over to my house to demand I return the bobbin from her sewing machine because she was sure I stole it.

But she's starting to have a lot of trouble. And with the insults to her brain from malaria, seizures, and strokes.... we don't know exactly what is going on but we are taking it seriously.

I think it's more likely to be multi-infarct dementia than anything else, because her family has such a strong history of strokes and blood clots, and she has had so much trouble keeping her Coumadin balanced with her Dilantin for her seizures that it seems the most likely thing.

The other concern I have is possibly that she's suffering from temporal lobe epilepsy. The scarring to her brain from the malaria only manifested seizures when she was older, and her seizures have always been very odd. They aren't full on, they are often only able to be detected if you're watching her, because she'll just stare off into space a bit and the side of her face might twitch a little, then she is very confused after.

She's having a full neuropsych eval, including a 1 hour EEG, a MRI, and a CT today.

[Duppers]

22. I'm wishing her much luck

She is facing and has faced so much. Wow.

I hope your family has some answers soon. Alzheimer's is my most dreaded disease. I read about it and have great hopes for more interventions.

With my greatest concerns and best wishes.
:hug:

Keep us posted.

-d

[harmonicon]

3. family members

My parents are tied for #1, but also my two uncles who run the family farm... and don't know of other people that I admire 1/10th as much as I do any of them.

[Duppers]

13. You're 'blessed'

I'm not religious. That just sounded better than saying you're lucky.

But you know you are.

[harmonicon]

26. oh, I know

I had a very fortunate (not monetarily) up bringing, and I still get on pretty well with my parents in adult hood. We still have fights to this day, but it's never been so bad that I've had to rethink my estimation of them as human beings. Both of my parents were the first members of their families to go to college, both got doctorates, and worked like hell to make sure that my siblings and I would have as many opportunities as they have had in life.

[BarenakedLady]

4. Jane Goodall

I would love to meet her.

[Duppers]

8. Definitely. Me too.

And I love to meet the Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan.

He understands both human and dog psychology so well--much better than these popular tv shrinks.
He has such insights and patients. Ah, to have his calmness.

Thanks for posting. :hi:

[mcctatas]

5. Michael Parenti...

and I actually met him, although he took the opportunity (in the middle of a packed lecture hall) to give me shit about drinking diet coke...

[bigwillq]

6. My Nonni

She survived WWII came over the the USA on a boat, lost her husband when she was 38 and raised 5 wonderful children. Had two or three jobs to support the family. Survived cancer three times in her 70s and she's still going strong at 82!

[Duppers]

9. Wow.

I've knew an amazing woman with a similar background. She passed at the age of 93.

[SoxFan]

7. Mom

I'll let Joe Biden answer for me:

She has taught her children, all her children in my neighborhood who flocked to her hearth, that you are
defined by your sense of honor and you are redeemed by your loyalty.

She is quintessentially Irish -- a combination of pragmatism and optimism.

She also understands as my friend Pat Moynihan once said, there is no "point in being Irish if you don't know that the world is going to break your heart eventually."

But she is more. She measures success in how quickly you get up after you have been knocked down.
She believes bravery lives in every heart, and her expectation is that it will
be summoned. Failure at some point in everyone's life is inevitable, but
giving up is unforgivable.

As long as you are alive you have an obligation to strive. And you are not ead until you've seen God's face.

My mother is a living portrait of what it means to be Irish - - proud on the
edge of defiance. Generous to a fault. Loyal to the end. She made not only
me believe, but scores of my friends and acquaintances believe in
themselves.

http://www.procon.org/sourcefiles/Biden20060316.pdf

[Duppers]

10. Oh, I fought tears

when I heard him speak of his mom.

Irish poem "Any Woman" by Katherine Tynan:

"I am the pillars of the house;
The keystone of the arch am I.
Take me away, and roof and wall
Would fall to ruin utterly.
I am the fire upon the hearth,
I am the light of the good sun,
I am the heat that warms the earth,
Which else were colder than a stone."

[Tikki]

11. Mr. Tikki...

and Steve Berlin...I have met him...like a fan meets a celebrity.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/features/jazzfestival/story.html?id=743de3b9-4a8d-4c50-9cc5-7499150522a8

Tikki

[Duppers]

14. you're another very lucky person

to have a mate you admire more than anyone else on the planet.

[Tikki]

16. I adored my mother-in-law and father-in-law....they are...

:hi:

gone from here now but are sure in my heart. They raised this great guy
who has been my husband and partner for 44 years now.

I am lucky...this I know to the very bottom of my heart.

Tikki

[Duppers]

18. You' are doubly lucky! ! - 41 yrs here.

Y'all have us beaten by 3 yrs.! We celebrated our 41st anniversary the first of this month. I didn't think anyone here could have been married longer than I have! ha!

Our marriage has been very rocky, however. I helped him through grad school, an unsteady career, multiple assaults from the families from hell - on both sides, and built up resentments. He's jewel now--finally; the problem is me. Sigh.

[Ava]

15. My Mom

She married her highschool sweetheart straight out of highschool and had my brother and I a few years into the marriage. Then when it fell apart she, my brother, and I moved to Tuscaloosa where she worked nights as a nurse and went to law school during the day to try to make a better life for my brother and I. She did all this and still found time to spend with us every day, and each week take us for ice cream. Now I look back and realize there were times when the power was almost was cut off, but I never felt that way as a child. I felt like I lived in the most secure house in the world, and that everything was perfect.

Then we moved to her very small hometown and she opened her first law office. She was the first female attorney in town to open up their own office, and this was the 90's! She fought a lot of sexism and managed to win most of her cases. She married my wonderful Stepdad while we lived in that town. They met in law school. We then moved to the town we live in now, and she became Assistant District attorney, winning the "Alabama Assistant District Atttorney of the Year" award her first year in, and set a record with her winning streak. Then, when she saw corruption in the office during a capitol murder case(that would have resulted in an unfair conviction) she resigned and stood up for what was right. Now she's opened her own office and is still kicking butt in the court room.

My Mom pretty much kicks ass, and I love her to death. :)

[Duppers]

19. Yes, I knew you had to get your great drive & values from her

I knew your mom was a very unique person, just like yourself, who, I must add, is one of the most unique young people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. I had to qualify you as 'one' (or you'd have the title by yourself, seriously!!) because...well, you know 'because' -- that sleep deprived kid of mine. We moms are biased like that. ;)

Thank you for telling her story. She is a true hero. I bet she has a uniquely tough parent too (one or both of your grandparents). My hats off to you both. Special mom = special kids.

Sweetpea, I'm looking forward to meeting both you and your mom.

:hug:

[NJmaverick]

20. This might seem trite, but my answer is Barack Obama

[Duppers]

23. trite? Hell no! I love the man!

OBAMA! I strained my voice yesterday yelling his name at a rally.

He's on my list too.

[jobycom]

25. Don't let anyone make you think that's trite.

If that's who you admire, be proud of it.

[jobycom]

21. Jimmy Carter and Jesse Jackson.

Never met either. Both have spent their lives fighting for what I believe in.

[Duppers]

24. I love Jimmy.

I just type that in an email the other day. He's definitely one of my heroes.

[Bennyboy]

27. Wavy Gravy!

He is the best. He saw a need, founded the SEVA foundation and has brought eyesight to millions of people all over the world.

Bob Dylan wrote "The Times They Are A Changin" on his typewriter.

He has a performing arts camp that is for kids.(camp Winnarainbow) And for evey paid tuition supplies one tuition for disadvantaged youth.

When I was starting my non profit (The Make A Fish Foundation)I asked him if he could participate and make me a fish. He did. ( I have since discontinued this venture)

Now that I am starting another non profit (The Joyful Sound Foundation)he has turned me on to some the people I need to know and is willing to become active in this venture.

He didn't eat the brown acid.

Simply put, I think he one of the finest human beings ever put on this earth. I a feel very fortunate to have known him and taken part in his wonderfulness.

[I Have A Dream]

28. The Dalai Lama

I trust him. I feel that he has real integrity and compassion for humanity.

No, I feel no need to meet him.