Everyone has a life story ... Have you written yours?

Please read the Disclaimer before proceeding.

If you're a frequent or returning visitor, check out our Life Story Writing Weblog and learn what's new on our family of sites.

Looking for resources on the Internet?
Seek and you will find it in the BEST search directory in AZ:
Arizona High Tech Directory

Arizona's Phoenix area East Valley Living site is your guide to the East Valley and surrounding communities.

List your Arizona business for FREE in the EVLiving.com business directory

Menu:
12 Step Humor (humor)
50 Zany Ways to Order Pizza (humor)
A Dictionary for Women (humor)
A Peculiar Yet Familiar Feeling
A Tribute to My Mother
About Life Story Writing (Thelly's Book)
Aging, Bunions and Corns
An Agonizing Lesson on How to Fish (by Clarence Brown) (humor)
Annual Tax Return - Hurry Up and Wait
ATT Community Port (Copy of the one and only award I ever one)
Barefoot'in
Baseball in Heaven (humor)
Better New Words
Breaking the Rules
Brownies With a Difference (humor)
Brush With Greatness
Bud
Cat Bathing as a Martial Art by Bud Herron (humor)
Cat Humor (humor)
Common Bonds
Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy (humor)
Divine Parenting (humor)
Easy Humor - One Liners (humor)
Esteemed Author and Public Speaker - J.D. Wetterling
Factual Humor (humor)
Faith Defined
Famous Last Words from my Therapist
Famous People dot com (Copy of Our Listing)
German Automotive Terms (humor)
Get Your Mammogram Today
Glamour Kat
Gotcha, Gecko!
Grandmothers Are Titanic (by Joyce Marcel) (humor)
Guestbook
Helpful Homemaker's Tips and Tidbits
Housecleaning ... How to?
Housework
How I Met My Wife (by Jack Winter) (humor)
How to Disable the Modem Speaker (humor)
How to Do a Testicular Self Examination
How to Speak About Women (humor)
How to Win Arguments by Dave Barry (humor)
I Cannot Pray (author unknown)
I Corinthians 10:13
Insanity and Sharing
Later
Levis
Life Story Writing Discussion Forum
Life Story Writing for Kids
Life Story Writing Network Home
Link to us!
Matt's Story
Me!
Memories
Minimalist Web Design
More New Words
My Honorary Son ... Bob
My Job, My Other Life
My Kids - My Family Tree
My Parents
New Words
No One Pays Attention
Overcomer's Outreach
Overheard at a 12 Step Meeting (serious humor)
Perfect English (humor)
Phone Line ... Number THREE!
Pipe Specifications of the Government (humor)
Preparing For Your Mammogram (humor)
Professional Affiliations (links)
Purses
Quick Stop Menu
Quotes on Marriage
Reasons For Faith
Rools for Righters - Rules for Writers (humor)
Roses of Life
Sheets
Sinless
Something Called ... B-O-O-K (humor)
S-O-X
Standards ... and Other Points to Ponder
Stranger Danger
Subliminal Messages
Taysia Says
The Chore Book
The Fisherman (humor)
The Game of Romance (humor)
The Giant Dipper
The Haircut
The Miracle Worker
The Music Page
The New Phone Line
The OTHER Toilet
The Room (Take 5)
The Saga Continues
The Toilet
The Wordless Book
Thinkers Anonymous (humor)
Thunder Storms
Tithe
Tobacco
Tobacco - Part 2
Top 10 Rejection Lines (humor)
Unmentionables and Empty Promises
Web Design, Hosting and Training
Why ... Kat?
Why … Life Story Writing?
Wild Hair
Writer's Resources and Related Links
World Famous Recipes
Famous Quotes
Wireless LAN
Daily Bible Verse
Jobs and Employment
Christmas All Year
Funny Jokes
Quotes Weblog
Famous Recipes
Reasons For Faith
Christmas Carols
Christmas Quotes
Christmas Recipes

[Polished to Perfection logo]
P2P by Bill Austin
Famous Quotes

Brush with Greatness

I'm not quite as famous today as I anticipate in the future, but I am gaining ground daily. I hope to impress you folks with my ever increasing brush (brushes) with greatness list. Please check back often!

When I was a kid, I used to walk around Pacific Beach in San Diego, California, and go door to door asking for autographs for my autograph book. I got a lady to sign my book, who just so happened to star as an extra in the mid 50's movie, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." The fact that you cannot decipher her signature in my autograph book is immaterial.

I swear this is true ... while waiting at a train station in El Paso, Texas in the late 50's ... Elvis Presley walked through the lobby. I was gushing with adoration, knowing it was ELVIS in the flesh and as he walked past me, he winked!

Walt Disney waved at me while at Disneyland when I was 11. Does it count if I don't share the year?

I went to grade school and junior high with Marianna Bompenserio, and (as rumor has it) her dad was gunned down in a telephone booth by none other than ... the mafia. Is there such a thing as the mafia -- or have I watched way too many movies? Either way, another brush, right?

I had a neighbor who was a local San Diego, California, television sportscaster in the late 50's and 60's named Al Coupe. I sometimes played with his snotty, stuck up daughter.

I went to junior high in Pacific Beach, CA, with Dee Dee Jenkins, the granddaughter of retail store founder, J.C. Penney. No wonder her wardrobe was the envy of her classmates.

When I was a senior in high school, I lived in a suburb, just north of Los Angeles. While driving back home on the freeway from the Los Angeles area, my boyfriend and I decided to take the Mulhulland Drive off ramp to take the scenic route back home to Canoga Park. At the end of the off ramp sitting on a large boulder, was Jan Michael Vincent, hitchhiking. The year was 1969. From a distance, he looked like my sister Linda's boyfriend, so we pulled over to offer him a ride. Lo and behold, as we got closer, we discovered the guy was NOT my sister's boyfriend, "Don"!! The fellow looked at us with a bewildered expression as we drove off hollering ... "Whoops! We thought you were someone ELSE!!!!" I bet Jan Michael Vincent thought that we thought he was Jan Michael Vincent and we had second thoughts about it being him!!! We just didn't realize WHO he was till later -- when it was too late to turn back!

I went to high school (Canoga Park High) with Little Peggy March of the 60's song, "I love him" (I love him, and where he goes I'll follow, I'll follow, I will follow him) fame. Of course, it matters not that I did not know her personally, but my boyfriend did ... and I married him, thus my brush!

I went to high school with a terribly stuck up redheaded girl, and I can't even remember her name to this day ... but she was the girl "who danced on stage with the Planters Peanut man of the Planters Peanut commercial fame. (late 50's or very early 60's) I remember she was one of the only kids in school driving a late model Mustang. Hmmmm, the commercial paid off I guess.

In high school, I once worked a factory job making tachometers for auto parts stores for racing car driver, Mario Andretti. He came for a factory tour and waved at me.

I went to high school with a girl named Sue B. (last named changed to protect the innocent), who had gotten quite involved with the hippie scene and drugs. She used to invite some of our school group out to a ranch in Chatsworth, CA on weekends, although we never went with her. Come to find out, I read in the newspaper a year after graduation, that she was wanted for questioning in the Tate/LaBianca murders of the Charles Manson fame. Yikes! I not tacky enough to ordinarily include murder in a brush with greatness list, but since she was never arrested or charged, the "brush" here is okay, since I knew someone who just knew a notorious murderer.

In high school, a popular place to park with your boy/girl friends was by the Chatsworth Cemetary. I used to park with my boyfriend on a nearby undeveloped street because the cemetary gave me the heebeejeebee's. The street was named Trigger Lane, which was right across the street from Roy Roger's and Dale Evans old house.
The morning after high school graduation, my boyfriend and I went to see a taping of the Jack Paar show. The camera panned across the audience and displayed my face on the overhead screen. I froze!! I couldn't think of a thing to do, so without changing my expression, I continued chewing my gum in typical dizzy valley girl fashion and never bothered to smile! Thank goodness there are no reruns to look forward to. ;-)

As a young adult (before children) I used to shop at an exclusive clothier in Santa Monica, CA. While getting some clothes measured for alteration, a kid named Beau Bridges, aged 10 or 12 at the time, showed up at the store. Apparently, he was the kid of a personal family friend of the shop owner, and was introduced to me. My idol growing up was the kid's father, Lloyd Bridges of "Sea Hunt" television fame.

While shopping in another Santa Monica, California store called, "The Corral." actor, Lee Marvin was standing behind me in the checkout line. I was trying my best to ignore him and to pretend that I didn't notice that a movie star was standing right behind me. His lady friend, the woman who sued him for palimony years later, was with him. She made a remark, "Doesn't she have a cute figure" to which he replied, "yes she does." There were no other women in the store ... so it HAD to be me!! When we got to the front of the line to pay for our purchases, my husband stated, "We'll be paying with cash. I just got paid for playing the horse in "Cat Balou." ( which was the movie Lee Marvin had just filmed) We all got quite a laugh out of that!

I am related in some far distant way to Merle Haggard of Country Western music fame. I know this because my dad told me so!! It matters not that I've never met Merle, but I'm sure he'll remember me in his will.

I have a third cousin, Billie Talbert, who not only was a famous tennis star many years ago, but ... get this, he was the PRESIDENT of the National Tennis Association at one time too!

My first cousin, Dan Gorden, used to play pro baseball for the Toronto Bluejays, until an injury forced him to retire. He then became a model for a while.

My oldest daughter went to the same high school in Glendale, Arizona as Jennie Garth, of "Beverly Hills, 90210" television fame.

I named my son Clint after the actor, Clint Eastwood.

My brother, Bruce, was once hitchhiking in Pacific Beach, California as a teen back in the mid-60's and was picked up by Skip Frye, a famous surfer. Of course, it was a no risk effort on Skip's part to pick my brother up anyway, since he went to the same church as we did.

My brother also used to shoot pool with Butch VanArtsdalen, another famous surfer.

My same brother, as family counselor, had an associate by the name of Kathy. She was an impressive and talented writer. At my brother's encouragement, she marketed herself to TV and as a result, became one of the writer's for the famed, Cagney & Lacey show.

My mother once worked for an insurance company who had a famous basketball (Lakers) client named Lou Alsinder, who changed his name to Kareem Abdul Jabaar. When he came in to the office once, my mother asked him if he was really as tall as everyone said ... it was his pet peeve ... and he glared at her.

My mother stopped her car at a La Jolla, California intersection so John Wayne could cross the street. He winked at her as he crossed the street.

My step-dad used to date Terry Moore, of "Shack Out on 101" and "Mighty Joe Young" movie star fame. They both attended the same high school as me, Canoga Park High, in Canoga Park, CA. Terry was in many "B" movies in her prime. It's also been reported that she was once married to Howard Hughes.

My step-dad used to repair TV's for RCA and Zsa Zsa Gabor offered him a glass of wine when he fixed her TV ... plus, she also called him "Dollink".

My Uncle Doyle Baird (cousin Joyce's father) invented the pop up drain plugs on bathtubs.

Raquel Welch went to the same high school as my brother, although not at the same time ... she's much older. In fact, Raquel Welch went to the same high school as my mother, although not at the same time ... my mother is much older. Ok then, Raquel Welch went to high school with my dad's boss' son, Curt Holder. With THREE brushes on this one, I really qualify for greatness, right???

I used to work at Cummins Southwest, a distributor and service center for Cummins Engine Company products. John G. Erskine worked there too. He was the nephew of Barry Goldwater. Can you wager a guess at what the "G" stood for as John's middle name??

My (former) husband used to install cable television back in the early 70's. He installed cable for Bing Crosby and Marlo Thomas.

My former best friend in Los Angeles, used to be married to the late pop entertainer, Marvin Gaye's brother Frankie.

My friend Bill Rowe (of Phoenix, AZ) and his (former) wife Linda had their picture taken backstage with Debbie Reynolds who was a friend of Bill's brother's wife's mother.

I used to attend motorcyle races at Indian Dunes, north of Los Angeles. Jerry Mathers, the star of the 50's show fame, "Leave it to Beaver", used to participate in many of the races.

I once shook hands with Ray "Windmill" White, the California Light Heavyweight boxing champion in the early 70's. The promoters referred to him as the fighting carpenter. He was a humorous fighter. He'd enter the ring and act like a kangaroo, jumping all over the ring. He had a hammer punch that always threw his opponents off guard, thus his nickname "Windmill".

I was sitting in a front row seat at an exhibition boxing bout between then boxing unknown Mike Nixon and boxing great Sugar Ray Robinson.

I once visited "Church on the Way", a foursquare church in Van Nuys, California. I looked up during our opening hymn and lo and behold, there was Pat Boone standing right in front of the church. He was one of the church elders. Jack Hayford was the preacher, and to this day, preaches on TV!

My website was featured as part of a study at Georgetown University on the psychological aspects of webpage design. Actually, the study in its entirety is rather uncomplimentary, and I happen to be the first link. I'm ... first!! Errr, should I be ... proud? Incidentally, the link from the study page is to my first homepage originally created in 1996. Although my site has changed considerably since then, the points of the study remain the same. Scarey!

My beau, Bill Austin, is famous. Check out The Famous Bill Austin's Home Page and see why!

My beau and I are both listed on the Famous People website! Click here to see our listings! Search for Lady Kat's Home Away From Home and The Famous Bill Austin's Home Page listings. Since the site is subject to change, we have copied it here for your viewing convenience.

I was listed in ATT Worldnet's Community Port Member Showcase of "Top Ten" ATT websites for May, 1999, in the People category. Since my listing was just for one month, I have copied it here. Check out their other top ten sites here.

My friend Bruce Wilkison is an avid golfer and plays violin for the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra for a living but I think he gets business and pleasure confused at times! His wife, Lenore, also plays violin for the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra and in 2000, she won the Halloween costume contest, dressed as a Christmas Tree. Last year, the Wilkisons invited me to a Pops concert conducted by Doc Severenson, formerly with The Tonight Show. Bruce was interviewed on KBAQ classical radio by host Randy Kinkel. Listen to it here! Audio courtesy of KBAQ Radio Station, Phoenix, Arizona.

This just in ... my mother's friend, Cleo, had her picture taken with our beloved-may-he-rest-in-peace former president, Ronald Reagan. What do you think about that? Pretty impressive, eh? Aside from the fact that the photo is a cut out of Ronald, it looks pretty authentic to me. Therefore, another brush, IMO, and that's all that counts!

Contact me!

For those so inclined ... my guestbook

[ Home ] [ Top ] [ Privacy ] [ Contact Us ]
Return to the Life Story Writing Network
Webmaster Mail ...... WebSite Hosting
Domain Name Registration

Brush with Greatness

Categories