by David Borzo

“An Evening with Marie Osmond”    7:30 p.m. May 14 Civic Center of Des Moines

This month the 2012 Smart Talk Connected Conversations season comes to an end, with a visit from the ever-popular Marie Osmond, venerable singer, actress, TV star, spokesperson –  even doll designer –  to name just a few of her many endeavors. Over the last 40 years we’ve seen and heard Marie Osmond as she has lived a very public life, replete with more than her share of public triumphs and struggles.

When Marie comes to the Civic Center on Monday, May 14^th, we’ll no doubt get a full measure of her absorbing professional and personal exploits…and we hope she dishes about her work with Donny Osmond and their new album “Donny & Marie” (and their first music video together in 30 years “The Good Life”). Donny and Marie are currently headlining at the legendary Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas – a show that opened in September 2008 and is running still.

And don’t forget, your Smart Talk ticket also includes a pre-show reception of hors d’oeuvres, giveaways, drawings and presentations by local businesses. It’s an event!

Marie has a great story to share. She’s been performing since she was 3 years old, both with her famous family The Osmond Brothers, and on her own. She was the youngest female artists to have a debut record go to No. 1, and was the youngest person to host a national television variety show. Marie has also performed on Broadway, hosted radio shows, written books and started her own successful business. She will have much to say about her accomplishments and following all of her dreams, which is all part of the inspiring SmartTalk experience.

SmartTalk provides us not only with fascinating presentations from accomplished people; the series also provides the all-important question and answer portion of the evening, a connected conversation with us, the audience. We can receive powerful motivation and inspiration, as we all experience a true connectedness to the speaker.

Join us this next week for Marie Osmond, and take part in the SmartTalk experience!

by David Borzo

The real meaning of a tragic event is said to be the response, or rebirth that comes from it.  

A hero is often described as someone who acts instinctively, jumping into risk without thinking about the consequences. But that’s not how it always is, and not in the case of Melissa Stockwell, the Iraqi war veteran, 2008 Paralympian and a 2010 Paratriathlon World Champion athlete. Her heroism has flourished for over eight years, a force borne from tragedy that drives her every day. Some look at the unfairness of their difficulties rather than the opportunities that lie within; perhaps it’s a true hero who contemplates both the difficulties and the opportunities – and then attacks them with clarity and passion. Melissa Stockwell is that hero.

Melissa made quite an impression on the Smart Talk Connected Conversations audience in Des Moines, the fourth SmartTalk speaker for this year. She detailed the dreadful story of the life changing injury in 2004, while she was Platoon Leader of a transportation unit near Baghdad. A roadside bomb blasted her Humvee, taking her left leg. Her response to that loss was courageous: she never dwelt on her injury, and instead feels like “one of the lucky ones” to be alive, and “…lucky to have lost only one leg” unlike many fellow soldiers who lost much more.   

Melissa also impressed the Des Moines Civic Center crowd with her openness and honesty, freely sharing details of her victories, loses, loves, celebrations of life and her many legs (including one for running, one for biking and one for everyday use).

 Her drive towards success is also a drive to help others in need, that’s why she co-founded Dare2tri, a Para triathlon club to help those who have suffered debilitating physical trauma. Dare2tri promotes embracing what you have, and making it work for you. That’s the central theme of Melissa’s message – celebrating life regardless of our limitations. Struggle is built into life and conflict is inevitable, but Melissa charges us to still living life to the fullest.  

This commitment to life’s possibilities is illustrated in the film Warrior champions. From Bagdad to Beijing, a film highlighting during Melissa’s talk. It shows some of the challenges she has endured, as well as the stories of three other Para athletes as they pursue their dreams.  

Melissa’s story is not one of those “happily ever after stories.” The hero doesn’t ride off into the sunset… and she’s not looking for that. No time to write her life story because she’s too busy building that life. She’s works for The Range of Motion Project, which allows her to help fit people with prosthetics; she is training for Para triathlon competition events on the world stage, and she speaks to groups all over the country. She feels she’s accomplished more in the last eight years than she imagined she would her whole life. Her inspiring SmartTalk presentation shows that Melissa is fulfilling the promise of her capabilities, a dynamic work in progress and a true hero for us all. Thank you for your service and commitment!

Images via warriorchampions.com

by David Borzo

Des Moines welcomes a highly decorated and celebrated hero to the Smart Talk Connected Conversations on Tuesday April 17^th: Melissa Stockwell. Not a household name perhaps? She is an extraordinary woman nonetheless – and a hero for our times. Now I know that the word “hero” can be bandied about pretty easily these days, from rock stars to million dollar athletes, but if ever there was a true hero, Melissa fits the bill.

In 2004 she was a 2^nd Lieutenant in the Army on a routine convoy through Baghdad, when her HUMVEE was hit by a roadside bomb. The blast took off her left leg, and she started a new life as an above-the-knee amputee. Melissa underwent multiple surgeries and therapies over a year-long rehabilitation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Her experiences will be shared at this special evening, and we’re really looking forward to April 17^th at the Des Moines Civic Center.

Melissa’s story of that new life had a sad beginning, but she has an inspiring story to share. Since her recovery she has participated in countless marathons and triathlons, and won the 2010 world championship in the Para triathlon competition. In Para triathlon competition, athletes participate in smaller distances than the Olympic measurements: 750m for swimming; 20km for Cycling and 5km in the running portion.

Melissa hasn’t stopped moving and shaking her world and the world of so many others since her life-changing experience. She has inspired millions with her courage and dedication to moving ahead in life, and she has earned so many awards and medals that we can’t list them all here. And she works hard for other’s benefit, like co-founding “Dare2tri.” Dare2tri is a Para triathlon club that serves youth, adults and injured service members who have suffered a physical disability such as amputation, spinal cord injury, stroke, Spina Bifida, Cerebral Palsy, visual impairments or blindness. Dare2tri is a powerful statement of embracing what you have, and making it work for you. 

We’re looking forward to learning more about the personal triumphs and tragedies behind Mellissa’s powerful life experiences, and we’re anticipating a powerful connection!

by David Borzo

Frances Mayestook over the Des Moines Civic Center with a calm and reflective presence, sharing her special brand of contentment made famous in her book, Under the Tuscan Sun, a hugely popular book that was on The New York Times bestseller list for over 36 months. The welcoming Smart Talk Connected Conversationscrowd was treated to a very literate evening as Frances spoke lovingly of her home and burgeoning gardens in Cortona, Italy, “the center of her universe.” We learned a little bit about the magic that has inspired her life for the last two-some decades, and shared in some of her extraordinary experiences. Through her poetic prose, Frances encouraged us all to seize time for ourselves and cultivate a more fulfilling life.

With an understated delivery, Frances conveyed some of the peaceful and deliberate ways of life in Tuscany, sharing a rich perspective that was truly sublime. She spoke of her famous house lovingly; a house that seems to live and breathe in its own right with an ageless beauty and character. Add to the mix her neighbors – welcoming people all – who upheld and shared a genius for celebrating life. Whether in the garden, in the town square and markets, or enjoying life at the dining table, the people around Cartona know how to live!

Frances’ talk largely picked up where Under the Tuscan Sun left us. She followed up that book with two other international best sellers, Bella Tuscany, and Every Day in Tuscany, providing a Tuscan trilogy that charts her simple, honest life. And now she has continued this story of her sweet life in Italy with her latest tome, a cookbook featuring some of her favorite recipes, the Tuscan Sun Cookbook. It came out just a week before her SmartTalk presentation, and there was a short promotional piece about the book before her talk, reflecting the life she has carved out for herself and her husband Ed.

Restful days, shopping for fresh vegetables (with apologies from the shop keeper that some of the veggies weren’t “local,” they were from a town five miles away) and cooking for hours to prepare for dinner parties. What a life….and what dinner experiences. Not just dinner, they were “…an intimate society of musical chairs …” that would last over eight hours as the guests, and “whoever they may bring along unannounced,” took the time to share and celebrate with them.

We’ve said it before and it’s true: the SmartTalk seriesis all about presenting us with people and experiences that are full of life, and in the course perhaps helping reveal to us something about our own dreams and desires. The message here was clear – look at life changing as opportunities that are presented to us, and do something unpredictable. Frances Mayes is living proof that when you want your daily ordinary to go beyond the ordinary, you need to cultivate your own life’s garden, and seize the day. Well done!

by David Borzo

SmartTalk Connected Conversations Presents: Frances Mayes “Under the Tuscan Sun: Journeys of a Passionate Traveler,” Des Moines Civic Center, 7:30 p.m. March 28.

(Des Moines, IA) The next celebrity speaker for the Smart Talk Connected Conversations is Frances Mayes, international adventurer, literary and culinary phenomenon. Frances took the world by storm as the author of Under the Tuscan Sun, the international bestseller that began with five overgrown acres and a 200-year-old farmhouse, and ended up with a life-affirming story that the world has embraced. Under the Tuscan Sun was also made into a blockbuster film a few years later, starring Diane Lane.

Frances is a seasoned Italian cook, author, poet, professor, entrepreneur, and yes, and engaging raconteur. She is also the founder of The Tuscan Sun Festival, a popular arts festival that brings together musicians and artists from many disciplines to the beautiful Tuscan countryside of Northern Italy. An inspiring speaker, Frances will be sharing her story at the Des Moines Civic Center on Wednesday, March 28^th, an exciting addition to the SmartTalk lineup this year.  She personifies that dream of escape many of us have – taking a chance and putting the day-to-day routine aside to grab life by the scruff of the neck! She didn’t just dream it, she did it.

We’ll be sure to hear her talk about her new book, the Tuscan Sun Cookbook (coming out March 13^th). The Tuscan Sun Cookbook is a toast to the experiences that Frances and her husband have had over two decades at their home in Cortona, Italy; restful days in Tuscany, roaming the countryside for the perfect flavors and ingredients, and dinner parties that stretch well into the night. The Tuscan Sun Cookbook is ripe with authentic recipes and culinary secrets that are organized in the book like a traditional Italian dinner. Inspired! That’s what the SmartTalk series does; presents stirring speakers who take us into an adventurous world and share their stories of life and love. It’s all about the personal experience, the revelations, tragedies and triumphs. There’s a message for us all from Frances Mayes this month, and you can join us on March 28^th to share in the SmartTalk connection.

And don’t forget, your SmartTalk ticket also includes the pre-show reception of fancy Hors D’oeuvres, presentations, drawings and giveaways by local businesses, perfect for an escape “out on the town” with the girls.  It’s all good!

by David Borzo

It was an exceptional start to the 2012 SmartTalk Connected Conversations here in Des Moines. World renowned primatologist and icon Dr. Jane Goodall provided it all Thursday night at the Civic Center of Des Moines; insight, fortitude, humor and, ultimately, hope for humanity – all wrapped up with a charming deportment of elegance and quiet resolve. Through her gentle and authoritative personality, she shared her touching story of growing up in WWII England, knowing at an early age that she wanted to be a naturalist.  She was determined to discover and learn everything that interested her, often on her own. Her resolve was only strengthened when she was told she can’t do something. As a child she learned empathy for nature though her mother’s guidance, and became determined to travel to Africa and study animals. She fell in love with Dr. Doolittle and Tarzan books – mimicking Dr. Doolittle’s talents to communicate with animals, and lamenting that Tarzan took “…that stupid wimpy Jane” for his mate. 

Dr. Goodall epitomizes all that the SmartTalk series promises. A charmer throughout her well prepared talk, her accomplishments and story are truly captivating. She credits her success to the many people in her life that lifted her up on their wings, starting with her mother who never squelched her dreams of going to Africa. And of course there was the celebrated archaeologist and anthropologist, Dr. Louis Leakey who started Jane Goodall on her anthropological journey, by securing the funding to send her into the world of the Gombe chimpanzees. Her work at the time was not considered “serious” by many scientists and academics, but she soon fascinated the world with her discoveries. She turned the scientific world upside down with her observations of chimps altering sticks and reeds in order to use them as tools to “fish for termites for a snack.” This was nothing short of a revolution in the thinking about primates at the time; throughout recorded history man was believed to be separate from the animal kingdom in part because of his ability to create and use tools.

Her legendary work for nearly 50 years has been an inspiration to millions, and she continues her work today with projects and supportive organizations under the collective umbrella of the Jane Goodall Institute. She spoke most fondly of working with young people in her Roots & Shoots organization. Roots & Shoots is all about promoting and making positive changes happen in our world—for people, for animals and for the environment. There are tens of thousands of young people that participate in Roots and Shoots, in over 16,000 groups, spread across 130 countries. She told the SmartTalk audience that she looks to young people as her “greatest reason for hope” when she considers the human condition, and its future. Dr. Goodall also spoke of the resilience and indomitable spirit of the human race– even if we have been lead astray of nature with destructive and unsustainable practices of pollution from pesticides, phosphates and carbon Emissions. 

“It is easy to be overwhelmed by feelings of hopelessness as we look around the world. We are losing species at a terrible rate, the balance of nature is disturbed, and we are destroying our beautiful planet. We have fear about water supplies, where future energy will come from – and most recently the developed world has been mired in an economic crisis. But in spite of all this I do have hope.”

Dr. Goodall promotes her urgent but positive message by speaking to audiences all over the world – for an amazing 300 days a year. Her stamina at 76 years old is a force –including recent forays on 60 minutes and on NPR’s wait wait…don’t tell me!  And Thursday, even after several interviews and receptions complete with photos and fans, plus her hour and half presentation, Dr. Goodall still stayed on at the Civic Center late, signing autographs and talking to enthusiasts. Her generous nature and delicate sensibilities brought new distinction to the SmartTalk family of Connected Conversations.

Next up for SmartTalk:  Arianna Huffington and her message of “Becoming Fearless in Love, Work and Life,” on Feb. 21^st. SmartTalk, take me away!

By David Borzo of In Mind Matters 01/10/2012

It’s getting pretty exciting – the 2012 SmartTalk Connected Conversations is finally upon us here in Des Moines! This year’s season begins Thursday, January 19th with celebrated scientist and primate researcher, Dr. Jane Goodall. Talk about a world class authority and life voyager! Jane Goodall is the opening guest speaker for this eighth year of the SmartTalk series – a season that promises to deliver through May with inspiring and poignant messages of strength, fortitude and courage.

The world is fascinated with Jane Goodall’s social integration in to the world of the Gombe chimpanzees, and her legendary work is an inspiration to millions. Dr. Goodall will share her story – one that started in 1960 when she traveled to what is today’s Tanzania, with nothing more than a notebook and a pair of binoculars. The rest as they say is history! It will be fascinating to hear her inspiring story and learn more about her work on behalf of endangered species, and helping many other’s efforts to make the world a better place.

SmartTalk is famous for presenting remarkable women who inspire audiences with their stories of triumphs and struggles. Don’t let this year be an opportunity missed! If you put health and well-being on your New Year’s Resolutions list – and need to break out of the daily hum-drum – why not raise the roof with some girlfriends at SmartTalk once a month! Take advantage of what Connected Conversations really means…after all, girlfriends get together to talk – connect – and catch up! Everyone craves a connection, and SmartTalk is your opportunity to re-boot your motivational hard drive with meaningful time – real quality time. Remember, your SmartTalk ticket also includes a pre-show reception of hors d’oeuvres, giveaways, drawings and presentations by local businesses, all at the beautiful Civic Center of Des Moines…so rock the house!

Dr. Goodall will not just kick off the series with her fascinating story, but by sharing her inner motivations and dreams, from her earliest experiences to the latest news from the Jane Goodall Institute. Her message of hope and empowerment promises to personify what SmartTalk Connected Conversations is all about: passionate and accomplished women who have made a major difference in our world. Be there – share in it – be a part of this fascinating presentation and connect!
Subscriber Renewal subscriptions are still on sale for the 2012 season. (Subscriber tickets are sold for the entire series and range in price from $99 to $309.) Remember that Des Moines is one of only five cities across the country that hosts the Smart Talk Connected Conversations!
After Jane Goodall’s appearance on January 19th, the 2012 lineup SmartTalk speakers continue:

Arianna Huffington “On Becoming Fearless in Love, Work and Life” 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21st

Frances Mayes: “Under the Tuscan Sun: Journeys of a Passionate Traveler” 7:30 p.m. March 28th

Melissa Stockwell: “Lived a Lifetime by 25: From Baghdad to Beijing and Beyond” 7:30 p.m. April 17th

Marie Osmond: “An Evening with Marie Osmond” 7:30 p.m. May 14

Here is your chance to see Garrison Keillor in Des Moines this week, all because of the generosity of Martin and Melva Bucksbaum.

• 7 pm on Tuesday, October 25, 2011
• open to the public without charge
• Knapp Center (42 on the campus map) at Drake University

Thanks to the Bucksbaum family Drake University has been able to offer 26 varied and significant Bucksbaum Lectures since 1997 with such notables as local hero Bill Bryson, the late Tim Russert, Ken Burns, Maya Angelou, Salmon Rushdie, and Thomas Friedman.

Tuesday we will be treated to Garrison Keillor who has been known to spin a yarn and maybe more than one, and sing, and sing, and sing some more, with occasional political commentary. Although he will continue to write, Keillor will be retiring from performance on A Prairie Home Companion in 2013.

Get there early. You don’t want to miss this one.

photo courtesy of jeff at picasa.

Powerful Performances and Personalities are Ready!

Des Moines will welcome five highly motivational speakers for the upcoming Smart Talk Connected Conversations Season, starting with world renowned primate researcher, Dr. Jane Goodall who kicks off the popular lecture series in January of 2012. The Smart Talk series is well known for presenting remarkable speakers who inspire audiences with their personal experiences, triumphs and struggles. Your Smart Talk ticket also includes a pre-show reception of hors d’oeuvres, giveaways, drawings and presentations by local businesses.

By presenting passionate and accomplished women who have made a major difference in our world, Smart Talk provides us not only with their fascinating presentation and question/answer period; the audience also receives powerful inspiration, motivation, and experiences true connectedness to the speaker as well as the community.  

Subscriber Renewal subscriptions are currently on sale for the 2012 season – the eighth year in the series! New season subscription buyers can get tickets starting October 11^th. (Subscriber tickets are sold for the entire series and range in price from $99 to $309.) Remember that Des Moines is one of only five cities across the country that hosts the Smart Talk Connected Conversations!

This season’s fascinating speakers are:

Dr. Jane Goodall   “Making a Difference”    7:30 p.m. Jan. 19

Goodall will relate some of her fascinating years of studying the world of the Gombe chimpanzees. She will share with the audience some of her adventures―from her early observations and experiences to the latest news and stories from the field. She is founder of the Jane Goodall Institute; a UN Messenger of Peace, Dame of the British Empire and the subject of countless articles and television programs around the world.  Dr. Jane Goodall will show us her reasons for hope in these complex times,

 Arianna Huffington “On Becoming Fearless in Love, Work and Life”  7:30 p.m. Feb. 21^st

In 2005 Arianna Huffington launched a widely read and cited online news site “The Huffington Post”.  She is also a nationally syndicated columnist and an author of 13 books, and regularly addresses and promotes community solutions to social problems. Time Magazine listed her as one of the top 100 most influential people not once but TWICE!

Frances Mayes:  “Under the Tuscan Sun: Journeys of a Passionate Traveler”  7:30 p.m. March 28.

Bestselling author of “Under the Tuscan Sun” which was made into a successful movie, Mayes also is a professor, poet, traveler and seasoned Italian cook. She is also the founder of The Tuscan Sun Festival in Italy, and she’ll debut a new cookbook next year. An inspiring figure and speaker, Mayes talks to that part of all of us that wants to reach out and stretch our horizons!

Melissa Stockwell: “Lived a Lifetime by 25: From Baghdad to Beijing and Beyond” 7:30 p.m. April 17

Stockwell was the first female to lose a limb in Iraq – she was a commissioned officer in the Army when in 2004 the Humvee in which she was riding was hit by a roadside bomb. Since her recovery she has participated in marathons and triathlons, and won the 2010 world championship in the Para triathlon competition. An extraordinary woman with an extraordinary story to share.

Marie Osmond:  “An Evening with Marie Osmond”    7:30 p.m. May 14

Marie Osmond has been performing since she was 3 years old, with her famous family The Osmond Brothers, and on her own. She was the youngest female artist to have her debut record go to No. 1, and was the youngest person to host a national television variety show. Marie has performed on Broadway, hosted radio shows, written books and started her own business.

Sigourney Weaver

Image from Smarttalk.com

By David Borzo

She’s a three-time Academy Award nominated actress who has starred in some of the biggest movies of all time – including the biggest film ever made, James Cameron’s Avatar. Sigourney Weaver has been in over 60 films, starting with a six second role in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall in 1977, to her starring debut in the blockbuster Alien. She later reprised that role in Aliens, garnering both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress. The Alien(s) films (four in all) is just one of the franchise series Sigourney has been in – the Ghostbusters’ run have also been huge hits (with Ghostbusters III on the drawing board for 2012!)

As the final speaker for the 2011 SmartTalk Connected Conversation™ series, Sigourney Weaver certainly brought the star power to the Des Moines Civic Center. And she also served up a vigorous dose of her personal passion – protecting the environment; she spoke at length about the impact our modern world makes on our environment. This was the main thrust of Sigourney’s presentation, with a lot of facts and figures to digest, and a passionate call to arms.

Weaver in Avatar

as Dr. Grace Augustine in Avatar  

She may have been at her best with the SmartTalk crowd though, when she declared her love and dedication to the power of women. She said that while she knows that she has many male fans, she is really working for that woman; that Mom in the back of the theater who needs an escape from all her work…just a few hours of diversion. Sigourney also shared her thoughts on motherhood, saying that if you need things to get done – really taken care of – take it to a mom. Women are amazing task-masters and make good things happen, especially when the health of their children and grandchildren are concerned.

As a woman who has had her own struggles, first as a nearly six foot tall and gangly high school misfit, trying to fit in (as she shared recently on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show) to her challenges of balancing career and family. Sigourney compared her life to baking a cake; wondering for years if she was ready; always checking if she had reached that balance. “Am I ready yet?” She found the answer finally at the age of 50, and it was yes; she was ready, she had finally found the balance.

Now, at 61 she has the symmetry of family, fighting for the environment and for making movies. A lot of movies: after 35 years she is still one of the busiest actresses in Hollywood with no less than seven films out or due out in 2011 – and another five so far slated for 2012. And as for her ecologically minded work, she has just been awarded the prestigious Rachel Carson Award from The National Audubon Society, for her dedicated and vocal advocacy for the protection of our ecology. She’s putting her star power to work for all of us, actually.