Dealing with Divas Blog

Mystery Blogger Gayle

2009-07-11T06:19:54+00:00

Hi everyone.

I have been traveling so I apologize for not writing a blog in a while. Luckily Shelley still loves me no matter what!

I wanted to write a tribute to all the people who passed the last few weeks but my heart just isn't in it.

Instead, a short blog about the boss man. For those who followed my exploits that began last summer with the pond blogs....all appears to be well with the pond as of today. Anything could happen tomorrow though!

The latest thing is the boss man (who loves technology but has NO idea how to use it) has decided to have Tivo installed in the main house. Oh oh. I have a bad feeling about this. He is such a charmer but has challenges with how to use his TV remotes right now. So I am thinking this is one more thing to irritate him -- actually, it is one more thing to irritate ME!

The Tivo guy tells me today, oh it will be easy. We will just give you new remotes.

I wanted to tell this guy -- noooooo! Do you know how long it took me to train the boss man to use the two remotes we currently have?

The Tivo will be installed next week while boss man is away on vacation. By the time he returns I have to figure out how to "train" him all over again.

Sigh. A day in the life...

More later I am sure.

Gayle

Rest in Peace Michael

2009-07-06T19:39:39+00:00

Hollywood Book Festival

2009-07-05T23:34:09+00:00

UPDATE: The book didn't make the cut this year. Oh well!

Wish my luck. Tomorrow the Hollywood Book Festival committee will announce the 2009 book awards. Dealing WIth DIvas is up for "Best WIld Card." More later!

Rest in Peace

2009-06-29T05:12:41+00:00

I've been too shocked to write my blog the last few days. The passing of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson stunned me. I know people close to these people -- and they were real people. Yes, they were stars but they also were real people with real lives behind the scenes.

I am sad. Life does go on. It just seemed to stop for a few days here.

Rest in Peace Everyone.

Reading: A Novel Approach

2009-06-24T19:37:24+00:00

I have been spending waaaay too much time lately twittering and/or reading other people's twits. Sometimes, it has been fascinating. The Iran election for instance. Other times, stupid. Who cares about Perez Hilton?

So I decided to do something completely revoltionary. I have taken up reading books again. I know, radical isn't it? I just finished Steve Martin's book "Born Standing Up." Fabulous book. I will be starting the epic "Mists of Avalon" tonight and I have five other books piled by my bedside longingly waiting for me.

I'd forgotten how wonderful it was to take the time to read. To really get into the story line. To connect with the writer.

How does one connect with someone in 140 characters (twitter) or less? Yes there is the funny sentence or two (rainn wilson is fun to follow) but that leaves me wanting more.

Therefore, I've resolved to turn the computer off at night after a certain hour and turn the pages of the latest book I am involved with.

A novel concept. Time for me and the rest of the world can go bye bye.

Diva Jobs now on Line

2009-06-24T01:31:27+00:00

My friends at The Grapevine Agency in Los Angeles have decided to post their job openings on line. Most industry jobs are kept secret! You have to know someobody who knows somebody to get tot talk to someobody who might know about a job. Just kidding. But this is still pretty cool. Here's the press release:

We are excited to announce that from now on all of our job lists will be posted on our website (www.TheGrapevineAgency.com). All you need to do now is go to our website and click on BLOG for the most up to date job postings. We will be posting both our corporate list as well as our domestic list and we will be updating them both regularly. We decided to create this blog as a forum for all of our Grapevine fans. We will be discussing hot topics regarding the job market as well as offering many tips and advice on how to find and land that perfect job. We will also let you know about upcoming Grapevine events as well as new divisions that we are launching. Feel free to pass this along to your friends who have been asking you to forward our lists. If you have any suggestions about things you would like to see on our blog, please let us know. This is for you guys so we hope you enjoy it and find it useful!

*Become a fan of our Facebook page (The Grapevine Agency) for immediate updates and you can now follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/GrapevineGal.

Top 10 DIvas

2009-06-20T21:28:31+00:00

The Top 10 Pop Music Divas. Do you agree or is there anyone they've left off the list?

http://top40.about.com/od/artists/tp/popdiva.htm

Hollywood Book Festival

2009-06-18T03:20:23+00:00

HOLLYWOOD, CA (June 18, 2009) _ The 2009 Hollywood Book Festival is nearing the final deadline for entries to its annual program celebrating books that deserve greater recognition from the film, television, game and multimedia communities. All entries must be received by June 25.

Based in the capital of show business, the Hollywood Book Festival aims to spotlight literature worthy of further consideration by the talent-hungry pipeline of the entertainment industry. The awards will be held on July 9, 2009 in Hollywood, CA.

What the hell - I went ahead and entered my book in the "Wild Card" category. LOL

Funny video

2009-06-14T00:32:17+00:00

Check out the latest mini-movie by Alan and Frank:

Funny video with Meryl Streep cameo: http://vimeo.com/4948039

(Ok it's not the real Meryl Streep!)

Lovescopes Guy

2009-06-09T21:15:35+00:00

I met up with Mark Husson (The Lovescopes Guy) last month at a workshop he was giving.

Nice guy. Check out www.12house.com and his terrific book, The Lovescopes.

slow news day

2009-06-09T02:41:31+00:00

Pretty quiet today in my world. Here's a recent picture of me with Louise Hay (I'm the one with the double chin - ouch!). Even so, this is one of the best pictures of the two of us together.

Amazon Ranking

2009-06-01T07:15:14+00:00

Once a month or so I check my amazon.com standings. Tonight Dealing with Divas is in the #73 position. Not bad considering the book has been out for 18 months and due to the economy, I haven't really been spending money these days on promotion. I hope this web site and continued word of mouth is what is keeping me in the top 100.

The other books in my category are actually kinda boring. Most of them have the words "idiot's guide..." in the title, or they talk about hotel management or doing your makeup or painting your nails. I kid you not...but I am intrigued by a new title listed for the first time tonight: The Russian Tea Room: A Love Story by Faith Stewart-Gordon. I just may have to go buy that one. I have a feeling the word idiot does't appear in this book once.

Remember when?

2009-05-27T02:05:47+00:00

Nothing to blog so I thought I'd post this gif of me....it's suppose to be a joke BUT....I actually had hair exactly like this in high school!!!! As for the guys behind me, they are a little too preppie for my taste. :)

Mystery Blogger Gayle

2009-05-22T20:25:18+00:00

Hello all. I just realized I haven't sent Shelley a blog since February - eek!

Not much to say really. Work is same old, same old. I do want to say how much I enjoy reading this blog and what the other "mystery" bloggers have to say about their jobs. It puts my job into perspective when I read about what they are going through.

So I hope you keep reading here. And Shelley's e-zine is kinda fun too. Oh and I guess she is on tweeter now? I need to check that out.

More later...

Gayle

PS For those who care, yes, the boss still has a pond and now it has koi in it.

Former Presidents Get Together

2009-05-22T20:19:18+00:00

The current president of the ACPA - Andrea Donnelly (third from the right) - met up in Beverly Hills last month with 5 of the former presidents of the organization. Nice looking bunch. I think you can pick out moi! We ex-pressys are going to meet up a few times a year just to trade stories. Should be fun.

Jean Haner Reads Faces

2009-05-16T23:34:40+00:00

Met up at the I Can Do It conference in San Diego last week, a number of Hay House authors - here's one of my favorites: Jean Haner. She's a Chinese Face Reading Expert! What a cool job she has. (Guess what we are thinking? Can't guess? Maybe you should take a class from Jean!)

Blog Talk Radio

2009-05-14T01:14:00+00:00

I just discovered Blog Talk Radio! Everything is on these shows. Check out the Literary diva of DIvas House: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/diva29

Still on Amazon

2009-05-12T20:27:24+00:00

18 months after releasing my book, I'm still on the amazon.com Top 100 list under business/service.

I went as high as #35 I think, now at #80 -something. But heck, I am beating out Robert Wolff's book, How to Make it in the New Music Business, so it's all good. (No offense Robert).

Finalist!!!

2009-05-11T05:41:57+00:00

Just got back from a fun weekend in Las Vegas to this news:

Your book, Dealing with Divas, is a Finalist in the Current Affairs/Media Entertainment Category of the 2009 National Indie Excellence Awards"!!!!

The winners will be announced next week. YAYNESS!!!

RIP Dom DeLuise

2009-05-07T16:46:17+00:00

I met Dom at the ACPA annual membership drive dinner held at the Hotel Sofitel in 2004 I believe (picture below). He will be missed.

RIP Dom DeLuise

2009-05-07T16:43:14+00:00

I met Dom when he was the guest speaker at the ACPA annual membership drive dinner held at the Hotel Sofitel in 2004. He will be missed.

Louise Hay and I Can Do It

2009-05-04T20:15:00+00:00

Did you miss me? I spent the last 4 days at the San Diego I CA DO IT conference hosted by my boss, Louise Hay.

We hob nobbed with 30 plus authors and speakers - everyone from Wayne Dyer to medium Lisa Williams to astrologer Mark Husson. Louise did a number of print and radio interviews. One of the nicest people around, actress Mariel Hemingway (shown below), interviewed her.

Check out the I CAN DO IT website - we do these a few times a year in different cities and will be in London this fall: www.icandoit.net!

Louise Hay in San Diego

2009-05-01T02:18:15+00:00

Let the games begin!

The Hay House sponsored, Louise Hay 4 day conference I Can Do It begins tonight at teh San Diego Convention Center in less than an hour with angel expert Doreen Virtue. My boss, Louise Hay, will take the stage this Saturday at 9:00 am to officially welcome all the attendees.

Should be a fun weekend. Over 35 New Age authors and scientists who speak about the latest health technologies mingle with psychics, astrologers and motivational speakers such as Wayne Dyer and Marianne WIlliamson.

So I will be manning The Hay Foundation charity booth. If any of you are in town, come by and say hello.

Dangerous Virus = W.OR.K.

2009-04-24T17:37:01+00:00

This just in (anonymous source):

The Center for Disease Control has issued a medical alert about a highly contagious, potentially dangerous virus that is transmitted orally, by hand, and even electronically. This virus is called Weekly Overload Recreational Killer (WORK).

If you receive WORK from your boss, any of your colleagues or anyone else via any means whatsoever - DO NOT TOUCH IT!!! This virus will wipe out your private life entirely. If you should come into contact with WORK you should immediately leave the premises.

Go to the nearest grocery store and purchase one or both of the antidotes - Work Isolating Neutralizer Extract (WINE) and Bothersome Employer Elimination Rebooter (BEER). Take the antidote repeatedly until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system.

You should immediately forward this medical alert to your friends. If you do not have any friends, you have already been infected and WORK is controlling your life. It is too late.

After Oprah

2009-04-23T20:16:16+00:00

Local CBS TV station was here earlier to interview Louise (my boss). She is hosting a 4 day conference here in San Diego next week and they wanted to talk to her about that. It will air right after Oprah next Friday.

So that was cool. Made for an interesting morning!

(The conference info is here: www.icandoit.net)

#43 on Amazon

2009-04-19T22:45:35+00:00

Today my book Dealing With Divas is #43 on the amazon.com top 100 (under Business/service) which is pretty cool. Most of the books I compete with are about how to run hotels or restaurants, but the biggest books kicking my butt lately are actually about songwriters and managing musicians or starting your own record label.

I have no point just found that interesting.

Peace.

He's back! Mystery Blogger JDUBZ

2009-04-15T21:04:00+00:00

hey blogworld!
so it's been a while, a long while, so long i feel that i have no excuse, but actually i do.

i started working again.

for those who are pa's, epa's or estate managers, basically saying 'i started working again' explains everything. i am back to crazy hours, non stop phones, scheduling, fires to be put out, emails to respond... you get the idea.

plus the hardest part has been trying to figure out what i can actually write about that isn't going to get me fired.

what i can say is that having a 'break' between clients (almost a year to the day) has given me a lot of insight and strength.

the biggest factor is really being able to start in a new work/home office environment and realize how easy it was for me to suss out (or as i like to say perform 'triage') what was working and what wasn't. it amazed me how all assistants that had worked prior to me basically had no clue to what was needed to keep a boss who has 4 business, 5 major properties, and an army of friends and family all over the place life in order.

the good thing was hearing; 'wow, you're amazing, i'm amazed how you get everything done.' 'my productivitiy has increased 300% since you've been here!'
admittidly, it does get a bit tiring to hear it, as my thoughts are 'why didn't you have someone like me, or even kinda like me before?' and also, 'i'm not getting paid enough.'

so clearly, i'm good at what i do. there have been a couple tasks that have challenged my abilities, but i have found i have been able to conquer any obsticle. that feels pretty damn good.

but, there is a flip side to all this.

it does wear on me of 'why can't these people take care of themselves and why do they keep making the same bad choices that complicate thier lives, over and over and over...'

that issue will ALWAYS be there, and the best and only way, and i'm more than happy to get advise from you dear blog reader, but the bottom line is I do this over and over and over because it's my job and i get paid for it.

and there ain't nothin' going on but the rent.

or the mortgage.

--jdubz

I'm on TWITTER!

2009-04-15T04:23:26+00:00

OK I am finally using TWITTER!!!!!!!!!!! Follow me!

Just go to shelleyanderson (original huh?) and I promise to actually Tweet...is that a word?

See ya...or HEAR you soon!

Figured it out yet?

2009-04-14T21:23:21+00:00

Have you figured out the riddle from my March 31st blog yet?

All will be revealed in next Monday's DIVA NEWS.

See you on the 20th!

Miss Know It All....

2009-04-05T01:40:55+00:00

...has some new fans!

Riddle Me This

2009-04-01T05:56:06+00:00

What do a country western singer, a drag car racer, a wedding photographer, a pro golfer and an interior designer all have in common?

Look for the answer in the April 20th issue of my DIVA NEWS!

In Vogue At Last

2009-04-01T01:02:37+00:00

I've finally arrived!!!

Photo Fun

2009-03-25T03:31:02+00:00

I discovered this cool site: www.photofunia.com and decided to try out a picture of me and Louise:

Pretty neat! So I tried another one:

Very addictive site!!!

Paparazzi Dream?

2009-03-19T19:21:27+00:00

Last night I was honored to be part of a panel of 6 amazing people. We all are (or were) Presidents of the ACPA - the Assn of Celebrity Personal Assistants. The ACPA invited us to speak at a meeting which was held in Beverly Hills at the historic Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The ground floor of this hotel hosts amazing shops such at Saks Fifth Avenue and is a step away from the infamous Rodeo Drive. A beautiful hotel.

Anyway, we were treated to wonderful food, drink, and conversation. Over 80 members and guests were in attendance. After the function, I went down to valet parking to pick up my car. Well, I should explain I actually had my boss's car for the night. Here is what it looks like (not the actual car, but from a dealer's website). Nice yes?

Apparently, it is so nice that as I got into the car, the paparazzi lightbulbs went aflashing. it took me a minute to realize that was what was happening. This happens to my boss from time to time, but to me???

So be on the lookout next time you are watching TMZ. You could catch a glimpse of moi!

Girl Talk

2009-03-18T20:08:23+00:00

I met with Christine Arylo last week. She has written a terrific book called Choosing ME before WE. Anyway, she also has a web site and blog. We got to chatting about blogs and she asked me to be a guest blogger from April 2 through June. Kewl!

So check this out in a couple of weeks: www.letsgirltalk.com. By the way, Christine has many different ages of girls on the site and blog. The youngest is 13 and the oldest...er, might be me?

#44 on Amazon

2009-03-13T04:34:17+00:00

Dealing with Divas is currently #44 on the Amazon.com top 100 list (in business/service) - whoot!

I am beating out Weiss and Gaffney's Managing Artists in Pop Music.

Kind of ironic since I think Weiss and Gaffney could use my book in their line of work.

Just sayin.

Little things...

2009-03-08T06:34:18+00:00

The little things in life make me smile...

Hearing my daughter and friends in the other room laughing...

Drinking a fresh glass of spring water...

Enjoying the spring flowers as I take my morning walk...

Petting my cats...

Talking to my best friend Marcie about nothing and everything...

Hearing a song that makes me think of friends faraway but in my heart...

Looking at my Christmas tree and lights in the middle of the night...

Ok, the last one might have stopped you in your tracks for a moment. Yes, it is March and yes, my Christmas tree is still up in the living room. But that's ok. My sister in law sent my Christmas gift to me last week. She knew I was in New York in December, then forgot to send the package. I thought it was perfect timing!

I'm weird...another little thing that makes me smile.

Marching

2009-03-05T23:36:50+00:00

What's that old saying: "March comes in like a lion, and leaves like a lamb?"

Am I right?

Okay, just checking.

Is it April yet?

PS My hugs to those of you living in parts of the globe that are having major storms, snow, rain and the like. We are a little cold here these days in So Cal, but nothing like some of you are experiencing!

* Mystery Blogger - Gayle *

2009-02-28T22:17:24+00:00

P stands for Problem

Had lunch with a fellow assistant the other day and he asked how the pond project turned out at my boss's other house. I have written extensively about the project, which began last August (check out the archives here for the whole story).

Anyway, long story short, the pond is finished. Infact it looks lovely, has waterfalls and now some fish.

But the conversation with my friend got me to thinking about another project involving water we did years ago. The boss had a different house at the time that overlooked a canyon and the city was far far in the distance. Especially pretty at night. So he decided he needed a hot tub built. We got a pool guy we knew to construct it.

He designed it in the shape of an octagon, with a waterfall (what's with all the waterfalls?), and of course lights you can turn on inside the hot tub at night. It was a very cool tub. And it was all computerized.

(click READ MORE, to read more)

NIEA 2009 Book Awards

2009-02-25T21:20:48+00:00

I just bit the bullet and applied for the NIEA - National Indie Excellence Awards - for 2009. I was a finalist in 2008 for the Next Generation Awards so I figured why not go for it this year? Since my book was published through an "indie" book publisher, I should fit right in! They certainly offer a lot of categories to enter, unlike some book awards which are fairly stitled in their choices. I think I counted over 80 categories!

So I entered in two of them: Self Help and Current Affairs: Entertainment.

The deadline is March 31st and I will know if I made the final cut by May 1st. Wish me luck. Better yet, go buy another copy of Dealing with Divas for a friend!

Off Topic

2009-02-23T23:47:06+00:00

So this has nothing to do with divas or diva-dom...just wanted to share that my daughter (who is now in college) wants to transfer to an exclusive art college in Los Angeles county in 2010 or 2011. We went to the open house at the college this weekend. Gorgeous campus. Friendly professors. Informative students. Huge photography department (her major). Now I'm depressed. The tuition is coughfivefigurescough a year. But if she is accepted I will find a way for her to attend. It's just daunting to look at the cost of high education, not to mention a place to live, etc. Oy! Well, this keeps me busy that's for sure. Never a dull moment!

* Mystery Blogger - Joey R. *

2009-02-14T21:25:58+00:00

When Shelley asked me to write something about this Valentine's Day for her Dealing with Divas website, my thoughts turned to V-Day 2008. Now, 2007 was not a great year for our family. I'll try to keep the whining to a minimum, but here is what the situation was on 2/14/08: My father died in 2007 and the process of settling his estate dragged into 2008, making 2008 into an even worse year. I got so fed up with dealing with the legal complications of the estate, by the end of 2007, I had quit my job after nearly nine years. Due the Writers Guild strike of 2007/2008, my husband's show was not shooting so he joined me in the land of Unemployment. Our oldest dog died. Our younger dog got sick. Our son and daughter were both looking for jobs. Neither of them were dating anyone and everyone was generally in a bad mood. Not exactly the Hallmark moment you'd expect for "the most romantic day of the year", celebrating Love (with a capital "L"). So despite that (maybe because of that) our daughter threw a Valentine's Day dinner party.

Being the thoroughly modern young woman that she is, our daughter has remained on excellent terms with her ex-boyfriend, (her first real boyfriend, and the Former Love of Her Life). They remain best of friends now that they are no longer a couple. So, she invited him to the party too.

You might think this would be an awkward situation. (Actually, there is no proper term that comes to mind about how to refer to your child's ex, but awkward is an excellent adjective for describing the social relationship with him/her. Especially in the context of a Valentine's Day situation.) Not that we don't like him anymore; the fact is…we still do. It's just that Valentine's Day, is usually a celebration of new love or love in bloom, but I don't think it's usually associated with exes.

Being modern people (or at least attempting to be), we tried to take it all in stride. The odd thing was…it worked. Our daughter cooked a gourmet meal for the family and ex-boyfriend. We drank wine. We tried to keep the "L" word out of the conversation or references to V-day. We simply ignored it while having a dinner together to celebrate it…in a way. Not as a greeting card holiday, or a time to buy expensive jewelry, armfuls of long stemmed red roses, and all the accoutrements of a proper V-Day celebration. We celebrated the relationships that remain even after romantic bonds have been broken. We celebrated having each other around even during the bad times.

And we decided that on the next Valentine's Day we were not going to define love by an artificial holiday made up by greeting card manufacturers and florists to makes people not in relationships feel like losers. Or make people in relationships feel cheated if they don't get expensive floral arrangements to prove that they're loved and valued.

So, whether you're in a relationship or not, I hope this Valentine's Day finds you surrounded by loving friends and family. If you have that, you don't need roses.

Happy Day!

2009-02-13T19:09:48+00:00

A DAY EARLY - Happy VALENTINES ALL!

Years ago when I worked at Capitol Records, I often got calls from critics who wrote for music magazines requesting the newest record releases and any tidbits about them so they could write their columns. Believe it or not, poet and singer Rod McKuen was a music critic and a lover of classical music. (side note: he's actually written some classical pieces).

Anyway, Rod and I became fast friends and I've never forgotten that Valentine's Day was his favorite holiday of the year. He went crazy. Everyone he knew got cards and gifts from him. He felt a day set aside to honor LOVE should be celebrated to the hilt!! I agree. It doesn't have to just be a day for lovebirds but it's day to tell everyone in your life that you love them. So happy hearts everyone! I wish you happy hearts, today and always!

Car Repairs

2009-02-11T19:31:08+00:00

I really hate having to take the boss's car in for service. I know, it's not a difficult thing to have to do. You drive it in to the shop, wait or get a loaner car, come back and pick it up when it's ready. What's the big deal?

I don't know. Just hate it. My "real" job consists of managing a couple of websites and running a charitable foundation, as well as the personal finances for her two homes. I love those aspects of my job. Going to the car shop, not so much.

Had an unexpected trip the other day when I got to work and the Lexus hybrid had a dead battery. Not all AAA tow trucks have those types of batteries with them, so once I had the car jumped I had to drive it to the Lexus dealer to have a new battery installed. Of course, I didn't have an appointment so they didn't have a loaner. But I got them to take me back to the office via shuttle.

The next day I had a personal emergency to deal with so dear boss went to the Lexus dealer's with a friend and picked up her car. Nice gesture.

However....there is always a shoe that drops - ha! After the car is back home, she tells me that the left rear window isn't closing properly. I said, did you tell the service people that when you were there. Um, no.

So guess where I am going next week? Yep, back to Lexus.

Shouldn't complain. They've got free donuts.

TGI-Thursday

2009-02-05T21:26:52+00:00

Hi all.

So my dear boss got a call from the alarm company at 6:30 am the other day. She is on the call list for someone she use to be close to. She forgot she was on that list. But the alarm company didn't know that and called her anyway to say the alarm was tripped and they couldn't reach the owner.

So does she call 911? Nope. She calls me and has me call 911.

Turns out the alarm system is battery operated and the batteries had run low.

Never a dull moment. It is what it is.

That's all I got today.

Happy almost February

2009-01-31T03:34:50+00:00

HI all.

Still reeling from the Obama inaguration, Wayne Dyer's movie premier and my trip to New York. Whew.

Can not believe it will be February in just over 24 hours. Why is 2009 going by so fast?

Took off work today as I had an "issue" with my left eye. Basically, couldn't see out of the darn thing! Took myself to the eye doctor (by the way, he is adorable and newly single - ahem) and it appears I suffered yesterday from a migraine. He had a fancy term for it, but that's what it was. So the verdict? Deal with it. Stuff happens. No biggie....yet.

Ah well. So it was 79 degrees and sunny today, and one eye was dilated and the other one wasn't, so I "dealt with it" by sitting outside on my patio and enjoyed the weather and waited to get my vision back.

It was lovely. Thank goodness the boss lady was on her way to her weekend home and was fine with my absence.

Life is good.

Party on!

* Gayle - Mystery Blogger *

2009-01-22T22:41:50+00:00

Happy belated new years everyone.

Haven't had anything earth shattering to report, so, sorry I've been away from the site so long.

A little tidbit for today: why are celebrities so cheap????

My boss is a multi-millionaire, and yet he loves a sale or a deal more than life itself. I know these are tough economic times for people, and I think getting something on sale or having a coupon is fun...up to a point.

His significant other likes her fair share of the bargain pie too. She was at a spa a few weeks ago and really liked their skin products. When she get home, she received a coupon in the mail for 15% off products from this spa. All excited, she asked me to order her 2 eye concealers - at $20 a piece - so a $40 order. When I printed out the receipt for the order, she was taken aback that her 15% hadn't been applied to the total.

Oops.

The 15% would amount to a whopping $6.00 - why that's 2 cups of coffee at Starbucks!! She was not a happy camper. Neither was I. (Read my past posts about the pond. I can be crabby. I digress.)

So I re-did the order, trying to put in the coupon code. Nada. Did it again. Zilch. FInally read the fine print on the coupon: This does not apply to makeup orders.

Oh my.

Well suffice it to say, the order was still placed. And infact, that was yesterday and the makeup arrived today.

Still, this makes you wonder. How is the economy ever going to survive if the rich people are saving their pennies like the rest of us?

Until next time....

Gayle

God Bless America

2009-01-20T04:23:36+00:00

No matter where you live (the USA or not) or how you voted (for or against) January 20, 2009 is a very historic moment in time - congratulations Barack Obama and Joseph Biden!

Wayne Dyer Movie

2009-01-12T22:31:13+00:00

I attended the movie premier at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood last thursday. This was for Dr. Wayne Dyer's first movie, AMBITION TO MEANING. Dr. Dyer is a dear old friend of my boss, Louise Hay. She was also there (she has a cameo in the picture).

Louise with director Michael G. and his BFF, Jolie

Portia and Wayne

Portia de Rossi was there as were the other stars of the film: Michael deLuise, Ed Kerr, Shannon Sturgess. Dr. Dyer and the director, Michael Goorjiian, held a Q & A afterwards which was fun.

All in all, it was a fun evening. Lots of booze, not enough food, and a good movie. All of us got to take home a copy of the DVD (I already have the screener) so I brought one back for my friend David, who at the last minute wasn't able to come with me.

This was Hay House's first Hollywood movie premier. Kinda cool for the company. We are known for publishing books by famous people in the self-help world. To step into the realm of film making has been a bit surreal, but it appears to be something the company will be doing more of in the future.

Oh goodie! More booze and food in my future!

Happy Hump Day

2009-01-08T04:42:26+00:00

All day today I thought it was Tuesday.

Just felt like sharing that.

Tomorow is the world premier of Wayne Dyer's new movie, AMBITION TO MEANING. My employer has a small part in the movie so we are off to Hollywood tomorrow night for the showing at the Egyptian theatre. I haven't been to that theatre in years. It should be a fun night. Glad I'm not the celebrity because I don't have a darn thing to wear and no one will be looking at me anyway!

I've already seen a rough cut of the film, so I know what to expect. One of my favorite parts is where a band plays and sings for a wedding reception, Funny guys and fun music.

Interested to know more? Go to www.ambitiontomeaning.com.

We will be in the red carpet so will report on Friday how it went.

PS Mrs Ellen Degeneres is in the movie so mayeb Ellen will be there tommorrow.

Mystery Blogger Joey R

2009-01-01T18:39:55+00:00

"Looking on the Bright Side"

Like Gayle, I have had the experience of realizing what is right about my employer with full realization that like everyone else on that planet, she is not perfect. No one is.

But knowing that unlike other famous people who I've worked for in situations similar to hers--in terms of wealth, privilege, talent and access to the good life--she refuses to squander it.

I've seen extremely gifted people who seem oblivious to the power they possess to use their fame in a positive way to make the world a better place. There's something admirable about someone having the sense to apply their blessings in a way that benefits others.

As we enter the New Year, let's take a moment to acknowledge how fortunate we are to have our exceptional bosses in our lives, and acknowledge that they can be "agents of change" to make the world a better place. Maybe we have to remind them of that sometimes (LOL) but it's true.

So let's look on the bright side of our profession, even during the times that they can be difficult and demanding, they can also be generous (if not always with us!) and we have a front row center seat in the lives of exceptional individuals, to witness them at their best.

Signed,

Joey R

Pictures from Big Apple

2008-12-30T05:06:37+00:00

Some photos from our recent NYC trip:

John Lennon Memorial in Central Park (freshly fallen snow covering it)

Snowman in Central Park:

Shopping!

Broadway! We saw Equus, Ave Q, Wicked and...SPAMALOT

Good times!

Christmas in New York

2008-12-27T23:23:20+00:00

Hi eveyone! Back from my whirlwind trip to New York with my daughter!

First, we had to GET there. Of course we got caught in the weather storm that hit the northwest - northeast on Friday Dec. 19th and our flight was canceled. Not to be deterred, we found a direct flight to New York on a red eye that left Las Vegas that night - sooooo we had to get ourselves to Las Vegas from San Diego first! Which we did.

Once the red eye left (at 2 am not midnight) we knew we would be seeing NYC soon. Whew.

And boy did we!

JFK Airport was COVERED with snow - arriving on a Saturday at 10 am was a Godsend, however, because traffic to Times Square was non exisetent. We were prepared to crash for a few hours but the weather was suppose to be worse the next day, so we walked a few miles to Central Park instead. It was soooo worth the freezing cold to do that. Wow. The Park looked amazing with untouched, freshly fallen snow everywhere.

We walked back via Fifth Avenue stopping in shops to warm up (and shop!). We saw the Apple store, Tiffany's and many other shops along the way, and the Rockefeller Tree!

We saw four Broadway shows in three days! Also, visited top of 30 Rock where you have a 360 degree look at Manhatten, checked out Macy's (too crowded!!), Mood (fabric store from Project Runway - we bought material!!),Virgin Records, International Center of Photography and the Guggenheim (both amazing), and managed to visit Brooklyn and have lunch with friends along the way too.

Got back late Tuesday night, just in time to snuggle for Christmas Eve and Day in our own beds.

What a trip!

Pictures not uploaded yet on computer but will post some of the snow (and John Lennon's Strawberry Fields).

Didn't think about the boss once - :)

PS Came home to welcome rain - we need it!

ON WAY TO BIG APPLE

2008-12-15T05:10:55+00:00

I will be leaving this week for a week in New York - a much needed vaca - so I won't be posting on the blog until after Christmas.

Awwwwwwwwwwwww.

But I'll be back before the new year, I promise.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Gayle Mystery Blogger

2008-12-13T23:14:51+00:00

Good afternoon all.

For those who have been following my blog, I am responsible for my boss's new pond (understatement of the year!!!).. scroll down to find all my blogs about this beginning this past August...

Anyway the latest is that the pond has developed string algae, whatever the heck that is. Of course this is discovered just as I am taking off for two weeks vacation and so is the boss man. Neither one of us will be around to handle said pond as we will both be out of the state.

Why don't we just hire the pond guy to handle things, I asked? Because it costs money, duh, boss replied.

So neighbors will handle it...only "it" has become a big production. We've gone from 1 scoop of chemicals a week to 10 scoops three times a week, plus a UV light has to be turned on - left on for two days, then turned off, then back on...what???

FInally, we've met with said pond guy and seem to have figured out a way to just leave the light on while we're gone and he, pond man, not the boss, will handle the on-off switch.

Oy.

I think I nice metal statue would've been so much easier to take care of than this water feature. But as you've probably surmissed for some time now, my opinion carries NO weight!

Happy holidays. I will be back in the new year with more tales from the crypt.....um, I mean pond.

Christmas Time

2008-12-07T03:43:19+00:00

TIS THE SEASON!!

Finally got the Christmas tree up!!! Kinda hard to tell in the picture but it;s decorated with turquoise, pink and green lights and ornaments. Not my choice but my 18 year old decided those would be cool colors. And actually, it does look cool! We threw in some purple too.

After doing our tree, we went to the community tree lighting ceremony and cheered on some of my daughter's friends who sing in the local high school choir. It is held each year at an outdoor mall. The stores gave out free food, drink and toys for kids. It was a fun, festive time.

Happy Friday

2008-11-29T00:43:43+00:00

Hi there. I have no good reason for not blogging for a week.

So what did I do this past week? Let's see. Went to a meeting of the Assn of Celebrity Personal Assistants in Beverly HIlls. I forgot how pretty Rodeo Drive is at night during the holidays. It was all decked out. The lights at night are magical. Saw a lot of people I hadn't seen in a while. It was nice to catch up. Everyone brought toys for the Toys for Tots drive. Loved the Marines all dressed up and looking handsome who gratefully accepted our gifts. And we took hope goodies bags too. FUn night.

Started taking group yoga class again on Saturday, after a year of intense private lessons to help repair this body from the shock of hip surgery. Felt good to be able to keep up with the class for the majority of the time. No sleeping in on the weekends though. Bummer.

Work has been low key since Louise Hay was out of town in NYC for work related appearances. Now she is home to stay until the new year. We've been wrapping gifts and making lists. Fun time of year for me.

Oh and all my personal cards have been addressed, stamped and ready to mail for a month...I know, I'm one of THOSE people!

Went shopping day after thanksgiving (today) with my daughter for random stuff. Mittens. Hat. Thermal shirts. We wil be in NYC for Christmas so we shopped for ourselves today! Did you know it's cheaper to get men's clothes? We got great thermal shirts for 9.99 and pjs for 10.00 whereas the women's section would've charged double for that!

Anyway, back to work Monday. I have a couple of mystery bloggers who promised me new entries before year's end, so stay tuned!!!

Shelley

Bono

2008-11-20T22:16:21+00:00

Thought it would be fun to post the picture that just came in the mail of Bono with Billie Jean King, Louise Hay (my boss!) and Gloria Steinhem. Pretty cool!! The gals are holding their Minerva Awards which they had received earlier that day (Oct 22, 2008) from Maria Shriver.

What do Assistants Look Like

2008-11-12T22:42:26+00:00

Have you ever wondered what personal assistants look like? Well, basically they are from every walk of life. Recently I ran across an old photo taken of a bunch of us in New York at the Carlyle Hotel in 2006 - thought it would be fun to post it. I'm the red head stuck way in the back on the left. As you can see, there are a number of fellas in the group. Yes, there are male celebrity assistants and all of the ones I know are fantastic at their jobs!

Personally, I'd like to have a male assistant. What? Just sayin....

Not written by me

2008-11-10T23:50:50+00:00

Just a friendly reminder: I do not write all of these blog entries!!! It says right under the heading up there: written by Shelley. I asked my computer wiz to remove that but he says he can't.

So I just want you to know that all of the mystery bloggers really are writing their own stuff! I have no way to differentiate except to post each blogger under their mystery name, which I do now. So sorry for any confusion.

If you're not confused, carry on......

* Mystery Blogger - Pat *

2008-11-08T05:40:32+00:00

TOP 5 NICEST MOMENTS AS A PERSONAL ASSISTANT

My last blog entry, Top 5 Worst Job Interviews, highlighted the absurd and often funny things that may come along as we pursue our careers as personal assistants. These extreme circumstances are by no means the norm, but as cited, really do happen. In contrast I feel obligated to write about the extreme good stuff, the warm fuzzy moments you don’t often hear about unless you are in the “in.” Sure there have been stories swirling around about celebrities buying cars and even homes for their career assistants, and many of us have been in the SWAG suites with our celebrity bosses and received thousands of dollars worth of stuff. But I’m here to tell you that as great as these perks are, and believe me getting free things is fantastic, it’s often the private recognitions or behind the scenes knowledge that make us feel the most appreciated and keeps us working at jobs we love and loyal to the people whom we’ve come to respect. Like the Worst Job Interviews, these are short summaries of what happened to several different assistants and told with their permission.

(Click on READ MORE below, to continue blog)

Joey R., Mystery Blogger

2008-11-06T19:36:11+00:00

In Business You Don't Get What You Deserve, You Get What You Ask For Part Two

By Joey R.

A while back, I wrote a blog about a common personal assistant dilemma—getting what you want from a job. Specifically, getting what you want from your employer's business managers. When I was starting out with a new client (Tracey, an up-and-coming actress,) I encountered obstacles in my dealings with her financial advisors. They were initially very skeptical about personal assistants in general and wary about Tracey getting ripped off, presumably by a personal assistant (i.e., me). Since I already have a good track record with other celebrities as a trustworthy and reliable employee, I was offended by this, but kept my feelings to myself. I was also annoyed that they were reluctant to provide me with the bare essentials to do the job—a cell phone, a computer, perhaps even a desk.

I'm happy to say that after weeks of negotiating, I ended up getting everything I asked for—including a company credit card and a gas credit card, since Tracey has me run endless errands on a regular basis for her many purchases.

The one thing I learned from this particular experience was that once we got past establishing the ground rules, I developed an understanding of how important her business managers have become to me. They are now my most important allies. Through the negotiation process, I remained polite and business-like while standing my ground. It paid off. By not whining or giving up and looking for a less problematic job (the business managers were pretty irritating at times, so it was hard not to react to them negatively) I turned the job I had, into the job I wanted!

(click on READ MORE, for the rest of this blog)

Moving up on Amazon

2008-11-05T18:40:14+00:00

Okay first let me get this out of the way: YEAH OBAMA!!!

Now on to my book. It moved up from #41 to #35 this week on the amazon.com top #100 (in the business/service list)!!!!

However, I am still having my butt kicked by "How to Start Your Own Record Label" by Dayelle Deanna Schwartz. She is now at #4! I think I better buy a copy of her book and see what all the hulabaloo is about!

Gayle, Mystery Blogger

2008-11-01T18:05:19+00:00

Hello all. I've been writing about my boss and his little "pond" project since early August. Scroll down to see all the entries about that. It's been an interesting ride!

Basically, the project is now finished - yea! And I'm over it. All the angst is gone. Today is a new day.

Yesterday, I went into work but the boss man wasn't there. I was under the impression he would be so I called his cell. He picks up and informs me that he is at the "other" house -- the one with the aforementioned pond.

Oh, I say. Well do you want me to meet you over there?

Yes, I want to talk to you.

Gulp. Ok. On the drive there, I figure, maybe he found out that I've been thinking of going back to college and he wants to see how that will impact my time with him. Or maybe he's giving me a raise! Yeah, right. I know it's not that. Or maybe he also has heard through the grapevine that I would like to work less hours. Whatever, I figure now is the time to get all of this out in the open.

I drive up to said house. It's a beautiful sunny day in Southern California. Isn't it always? Outside is boss man.

Since I hadn't seen the finished product, he happily leads me out to the backyard to show off his new pond. Gardeners are busy scurrying around, digging up the earth, planting new plants. I must admit, it all looks beautiful.

I am so glad I never have to be involved with this pond ever again. Now I am bracing for "the talk," wondering what he has to say to me. Thinking we are going to walk back into the house, I turn to go do just that.

Oh, he says, see this (holding up a container)? These are chemicals that have to be put in the pond three times a week. You take a scoop (he opens up the container to demonstrate) and lift this lid here by the pond and just dump in a spoonful into the water. That's it.

Um...why you are telling me this?

Oh, because from now on, since you live so close to the house, you will be doing this three times a week.

Oh joy. It's the project that just keeps on giving.

#41 on Amazon.com

2008-11-01T03:10:29+00:00

As of tonight, Dealing with Divas is #41 on the amazon.com top 100 list of books.

However, I am still being beaten out by Daylle Deanna Schwartz and her smashing book "How to Start your Own Record Label." Darn it. Embarassing, really, since I use to work for a record company. Oh well.

Carry on...

Maria Shriver and Louise Hay

2008-10-24T02:47:42+00:00

So yesterday was pretty amazing. Too much to write about in a short blog.

My boss, Louise Hay, along with Gloria Steinem and Billie Jean King (and others) were given the Minerva Award by First Lady of California, Maria Shriver (who I think is a size 2 by the way!). This was the culmination of an all day women's conference held in Long Beach, CA with many many guest speakers and many many vendors - over 14,000 people attended.

Speakers included Warren Buffet, Madeline Albright, Deborah Norville, Sarah Jessica Parker, etc.

It helps to be the celebrity's assistant I guess because I was in the front row. Not only did I see all the speakers and Maria hand out the awards from a great location, but singer Bonnie Raitt put on a top notch concert, AND everyone's favorite rock star with a cause, BONO, spoke eloquently for almost an hour. He had us in the palm of his hand.

Oprah.com streamed the entire thing live and I received numerous emails from people saying they saw me on TV. Since the front of the stage (aka mosh pit) and aisle to my right were swarming with photographers, I'm not surprised.

It was a fun day and today I got to hold Miss Hay's Minerva Award - wow, it'v very beautiful, just like she is.

Minerva Awards

2008-10-22T02:45:29+00:00

My boss, Louise Hay, along with Gloria Steinham and Billie Jean King, and others will be receiving the Minerva award from FIrst Lady Maria Shriver tomorrow.

You can click here and be able to watch this and the entire Women's Conference streamed live by Oprah Wednesday Oct. 22nd from 8 am - 8 pm EST.

I'll be in the audience. Look for me on Oprah (just kidding!).

On Oprah, Kinda

2008-10-18T05:48:18+00:00

So my boss told everyone that she was going to be on Oprah. First it was Oct. 9th then moved to Oct. 14 then finally to yesterday, Oct. 16th. We scrambled each time we got the word from Harpo Productions and let everyone know the final air date.

Thursday came and went. Oprah aired her show on Thursday with the First Lady of California, Mrs. Arnold Schwarzenegger....I mean, Maria Shriver. Also featured were 2 of the 5 Minerva Award winners - Gloria Steinem and Billie Jean King - phenomenal women. It was a lovely show.

Um...but what about Louise? Well, if you blinked you missed her.

Maria announced all the winners of this annual award, Louise is one of them, and as she spoke about her passion for Louise and her work, a film clip was shown of Louise speaking at a recent conference.

And that was it.

At least Louise was on Oprah two times earlier this year for the entire hour - live and in person! This was just odd, but she is grateful to have been given the award. Actually, she will be receiving it "live and in person" next week at Maria Shriver's women's conference along with Ms Steinem and King.

Everyone jumps when Oprah speaks. But personally I am more excited about the conference next week which will bring a large array of women from all walks of life together for a day: Caroline Kennedy, Madeline Albright, Condi Rice, Sally Field, Campbell Brown (CNN), Deborah Norville....and many more.

Oh and an appearance by Bono of all people!!

I promise I will blog about it!

OPRAH!

2008-10-13T18:58:47+00:00

Oprah being Oprah, the date of Louise's appearance has been changed. It's now THURSDAY, October 16th. This is an exciting appearance as it features California's First Lady Maria Shriver and she will be making an announcement....tune in!

Moving up on Amazon

2008-10-06T02:36:09+00:00

God bless you whoever you are.

My book has started to move back up the list on amazon.com. Tonight I am at #43 on the top 100 list - just edging out "Ice Sculpting the Modern Way." I know, I know. Hard to believe.

I'll say it again: bless you whoever is buying Dealing with Divas.

Mystery Blog - Gayle

2008-09-30T21:57:55+00:00

Re: The Pond Project (see posts down this thread to get the whole story)

The approval from the architectural committee arrived today.

I framed it. I wrapped. I put a bow on it. I handed it to my boss.

Let the games begin...now the real fun starts. Building this sucker.

[insert expletive here.]

Boss on Oprah

2008-09-29T20:59:09+00:00

I promised to announce when the boss lady would be on Oprah again.

She is filming on Oct. 9th and we've been told it will air Oct. 15th.

So if you're a Louise Hay fan, check out the listings for the week of Oct. 13th!

* Mystery Blogger Gayle **

2008-09-29T20:55:46+00:00

It rained today! If I had an emoticon for jumping up and down I would put it here.

Those who have been reading my blogs, know that I've been put in charge of a "pond" project at my boss's house. Well, I laughingly mentioned he could have his frigging pond finished a lot faster if it rained, and it did!!!!

Ah, That felt good. Now back to reality. Yes it rained. Yes, we have hole in the ground that is now a WET hole in the ground. This does not a pond make. How I wish it did.

The HOA appears to have finally okayed this project (which has been on going since the frst week of August -- scroll down and read all my posts). I told them I will believe it when I see it in writing. So here we sit waiting for the final papers.

Oh and of course the boss is going out of town again to leave all of this in my lap. Do I get to enjoy this pond (and now I hear it's also got two waterfalls?)....will I get to enjoy this thing of beauty once it's finished?

I hope not. I'm sick of it already and it's just a mud hole right now. I'm not bitter.

Clay Aiken on Broadway

2008-09-24T19:28:19+00:00

I'm tired of writing about work, so I am writing today about play!

Just got back from a lovely (but exhausting) weekend in New York. I went to see Clay Aiken in his triumphant return to Broadway last Friday. He was reprising his role of Sir Robin in the crazy musicial SPAMALOT. If you haven't heard of Monty Python, get thee to a video store and rent some of his movies.

So Clay was fantastic, as was the entire cast. Spamalot is a silly romp through King Arthur's quest with his brave Knights. My sides hurt from laughing so much for three days! I couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable night(s) in the theatre. I'm a firm believer (if you've read my book, you know this is true) that laughter is GOOD for you!

Please do yourself a favor and go to a concert, movie or theatre event this week. It will do you a world of good to get off that couch or away from the computer for a few hours...I promise.

Ok, back to work for me now (but, Clay, I am smiling, I am smiling.) Always look on the bright side of life.

Mystery Blogger Identities

2008-09-23T02:06:51+00:00

Hello all. I am back from my trip to New York City. Hard to get myself back on the ground and my head back into my work life. That's what vacation is suppose to be all about, right? You feel transported....

Anyway, I met someone on my trip who has read my blog and commented that I did a nice job, especially with pretending to be all the different mystery bloggers. What? WHOA! Back up.

Even if I wanted to take on a split personality x five, it's not true. All of the bloggers are real people who also happen to be celebrity personal assistants. I don't have time to do all that blogging and am so grateful that each of them is willing to share with us from their prospective what it's like to do the work they do.

As much as I would love to take the credit for being so creative, I can't!

So there you have it. Mystery solved!

And if you haven't scrolled back in time to read their blogs, please do.!

OK - enough with the !!!!!! points!

New York City

2008-09-20T23:14:21+00:00

I'm on a short vacation (Friday thru Monday) so sorry you have't received a blog from me in a few days.

Here in New York City with friends seeing some Broadway plays - having a great time. Looking forward of course to coming back to work NOT! Ha. I'm sure there will be something to report to you when I return. There always is.

Be well!

* Gayle - Mystery Blogger *

2008-09-17T03:53:02+00:00

Part three in the continuing saga of "the pond" building project.

No pond yet.

Big hole in the ground.

I hope it rains soon.

Then we'll have our friggin' pond!

PS Moving to China soon...just kidding.

Happy Monday

2008-09-15T21:09:13+00:00

Hello all. It's Monday in Diva land....

Nothing much to report. Although we did get a request to submit a 500 word essay on how Louise Hay's life has been transformed since starting on the path years ago to become a world renown author and teacher. This is for a fan's website.

Excuse me?

I don't think Louise is going to drop everything every time a fan asks for something! As appreciative and heartfelt the fan is, this is not what a diva does with her spare time! Volumes have been written about Miss Hay and her life, and she wrote about her journey in her book "You Can Heal Your Life" so I emailed them back and gave them permission to use an excerpt from her book on their site.

This request just tickled me. I don't think fans realize that their one request is just another in many, and if they were printed out and piled one on top of the other, we'd need to raise the ceiling in my office!

Now celebrities who ask their fans to do something for them are smart to turn the tables. Clay Aiken is reprising his starring role on Broadway as Sir Robin in Spamalot this weekend (begins a four month run) and he's asked his fans to write his bio for the Playbill. Now that's being smart!

** He's Back!! JDUBZ - Mystery Blogger *

2008-09-12T19:46:43+00:00

Spouses. Be it a wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend, significant other or ‘new special friend,’ it’s a major element to your work environment.

First, remember it’s a job. You are not your clients’ best friend and soul mate. You are an employee. Even if think you’re the ‘Turtle’ to his ‘Vincent Chase’, when you’re on the clock, you’re not a friend but an employee who has a job to do. If there are issues between your boss and his spouse or family (I’m going keep using ‘his’ as a reference and let you, the reader fill in the appropriate title) you must remember, it’s your employer who’s paying your check.

Often when new to a job, you will be welcomed with open arms by an employer’s spouse. Basically the motivation for the spouse is that if you are on their side, you will take care of them as well and make sure they have instant access to your boss. It’s a very fine line because by keeping your boss’s spouse happy, you will keep your boss happy. Upset the spouse and your boss now becomes a mediator, which I can promise you, they were not looking to have this be part of their job. During work hours, you have the ear of your boss. After hours, the spouse does. It goes without saying that you should NEVER speak poorly of your boss’s spouse. Whereas, your boss’s spouse can talk trash about you all they want. Seriously, who in the long run will win this battle?

Years ago, I had a boss who on the first day warned me that his spouse was ‘the jealous’ type. That even when he was on set, or in meetings, she would question if he really was where he or his past assistants said he was. It was a good heads up, and made me understand that he knew I was going to be challenged by her and there could be surprise calls from the gate saying ‘Mrs. X is here to see Mr. X.’ It will be ridiculous, and eyes will be rolled often, but this is an element of your boss and his spouse’s relationship and unless he tells you to contact a divorce lawyer, it is their dysfunctional relationship to endure and probably for some unknown reason, it works. Embrace that your boss at least sees the reality of the dysfunction and has made you privy to it.

Now, what to do when your boss actually does begin to ‘stray’ from his spouse? You may have come across an email, a voice mail, a personal note, or are noticing a ‘special friend’ calling the private line or spending a lot of time on the set or in the trailer. It may even become very obvious to everyone except your boss and the spouse. No matter what, take the (and I’m really dating myself here) Sgt. Schultz from ‘Hogan’s Heroes’ approach of “I hear nothing. I see nothing!” Granted, you are seeing and hearing the big-ass pink elephant in the room, but this is not your business. That said, if you know the ‘special friend’ is visiting your boss on the set and the gate just called you to say Mrs. X is at the gate, PROTECT YOUR BOSS! If your boss is really subconsciously looking to get caught, let him do it on his own time.

(click READ MORE)

Another day in diva land

2008-09-11T22:25:37+00:00

Hi everyone. Sorry I've been awol. Usually I am better about keeping up the blog.

So I have a question for everyone out there...do I appear to have magical powers? It must be the perfume I put on today, or, maybe just my deodorant. Lately, I've been getting weird requests for the impossible from people. Why?

Because I'm...beautiful...charming...available (did I just say that?)...all of the above?

Naw. It's because I work for a celebrity.

To back track: I've written a book. That's clear. If you're reading this, you most likely are aware of this. So now suddenly people are asking me to help get them on Oprah or Ellen because they've written a book too. Are they serious? Like I have that kind of leverage? hahahahahaha

Oh well. It's fun to pretend for a day that a simple word from me would have everyone I know lining up for their "close up" for Oprah!

Too funny.

* Gayle Mystery Blogger *

2008-09-04T19:40:35+00:00

Hello everyone. Remember I wrote a few weeks ago about how my boss went to China, I was suppose to have a few days off, but I had to deal with the "pond" issue at his house? If this makes no sense to you, scroll down to my last blog. Trust me, it's worth reading.

Anyway, the boss is back, labor day holiday is over, and I thought everything was fine. It's not.

The pond construction is still at a standstill. I had plans drawn up and turned in (after a long series of events noted in the blog farther down). Well the boss says he was told the plans aren't drawn correctly. Actually he told me that in passing last week and said he handled it. I assumed that meant, oh, you know, that it was handled. Bwaaaaaha!

Wrong.

Yesterday afternoon I find out that the plans HAVEN'T been redrawn. I don't understand the logic of saying "it's handled" when it isn't. Can someone please explain this to me?

To be continued....

Preparing for Oprah

2008-09-02T20:05:11+00:00

Hello everyone. I hope those in the US and Canada enjoyed the extra day off yesterday for Labor Day. Now it's back to work!

So, Louise (the boss lady) and I had an interesting Thursday last. She has appeared on Oprah twice this year and is scheduled to appear again in a few weeks. Usually we just fire up the private jet, pack a few things, get the limo and off she goes. But this time Oprah asked for a snippet of film to show on the broadcast when Louise appears. So the house was teeming with activity last week.

The film crew and a lovely interviewer gave themselves two hours to set up for the film shoot, but they didn't expect to encounter the maginificent view of the ocean and lagoon from Louise's front room. Unfortunately, the natural light from the outside was streaming in so strongly that, sadly, the crew ended up setting up the main shoot in her bedroom sans the beautiful view but perfect for their lighting needs. (They did do a few shots of that view with Louise in her rose garden.)

A few powdered noses later, Louise was answering questions like a the pro that she is. Afterwards the crew,Louise and staff were treated to a catered lunch of yummy gourmet sandwiches, giant cookies, and choices of salad and pickles. A fancy and delicious picnic!

When I know the air date for the Oprah show, I will share it here. The word is it will be the first week of October.

Just another day in the life of a diva and her assistant.

* Welcome Mystery Blogger - Pat *

2008-08-27T01:00:46+00:00

Ever been on a bad job interview? You know, the ones that have you smiling politely on the outside all while scanning the room for the quickest escape route. Yes, I admit I have been on some doozies which had me looking for Ashton Kutcher to jump out and yell, “You’ve been Punk’d.” But since I’m a personal assistant used to being behind the camera, I know it’s really just another indication of a bad job.

Top 5 Worst Personal Assistant Job Interviews

Number 5: Everyone is stupid.

After a 3 hour interview in which this notorious employer talked nonstop about how big their house was (i.e., “I’m very rich.”), how they monitor every staff member at any given moment (i.e, “I’m very anal.”), and how stupid the rest of the world was (i.e., “You’re probably stupid too, but everyone else quit.”) the employer finally looked at the candidate for the first time and asked if there were any questions. “Yes,” the candidate stated, “Can you tell me, how would I know I was doing a good job for you?” Without pause the employer replied, “When I’m not yelling at you.”

Number 4: Paying to interview.

A job candidate was asked to meet a well-known music artist at an upscale hotel lounge. The artist arrived and ordered a drink and meal. The candidate ordered an ice tea. Due to the fact that the artist was “saving their voice,” peculiar since this artist was not on tour, the artist conducted the whole interview by writing questions and answers on a piece of paper. After the interview and with another interviewee waiting in the wings, the candidate made a half-hearted gesture to pay for their ice tea although the check had not yet come. Instead of waving off the candidate’s effort, the artist indicated that the candidate could pay for the drink at the bar. “My ice tea was $6 and my valet parking was $10. It cost me $16 plus gas to interview!”

(click on READ MORE, to read the rest of the blog)

New Review!

2008-08-24T03:45:52+00:00

Hello all. As you may or may not know, Dealing with Divas, has been reviewed favorably on line by bookpleasure.com, breenibooks.com, tcm-ca.com, and bloggernews.net.

Now, there's a new review by Simon Barrett circulating many web sites as of last week. Here's a partial read of the review:

I have to admit that one of the most fun parts of being a reviewer is that you learn something new every day. It was not until I had read Dealing With Divas that I realized there was an association solely committed to the plight of those that work for the famous.

While Dealing With Divas is clearly aimed at the niche market of Personal Assistants that work with the sometimes eccentric and egocentric, it is a delightful little read. It is by no means a 'show and tell,' there are no wild revelations about your favorite star, but there are some truly funny anecdotal tales.

My one criticism of Dealing With Divas is that it is not nearly long enough. You just start to enjoy the subject, and maybe speculate about some of the situations, and Shelley Anderson pulls the rug out from under you, there are no more pages to read!

What a fun read.

(To read the entire review, click here)

RL = Real Life

2008-08-21T17:35:14+00:00

Hi everyone....sorry I haven't blogged much lately. RL has gotten in the way!!

I'm sitting here right how at Starbucks waiting for my Volvo to come out of the shop. Just routine stuff.

I'll be back soon with a NEW Mystery Blogger!

Olympics Fever

2008-08-14T00:54:27+00:00

Hi everyone. Sorry I haven't blogged in a while.

Quite honestly, I've been staying up late watching the Olympics. What can I say? My diva, Louise Hay, is in Australia for the rest of the week so I've been "on vacation" which has consisted mostly sitting in front of the TV watching Michael Phelps in those little tiny swim outfits. :)

Back to blogging once these games are over, I promise.

New Review

2008-08-07T19:20:17+00:00

Click here to read the latest review of Dealing with Divas!

* Mystery Blogger Gayle *

2008-08-06T02:02:13+00:00

8:00 am

It's another sunny day in Southern California. I'm in a good mood because my celebrity boss -- all-around good guy, beloved by millions -- is off to the Olympics later tonight. He's not in the Olympics -- just going to China to see the sights and see some sports.

What does this mean for me, his lowly assistant? TIME OFF! WHoo! I am so excited about having 12 days off. I don't have a lot planned (I can;t afford to fly to the Caribbean for a week!!) but still just to have some time off to visit with friends that I don't get to see that often, sleep in and eat way too much dessert just because I feel like it sounds like heaven to me. I've really been looking forward to this break.

Don't get me wrong. I love my boss but it's nice to have a break from time to time. I fix myself some eggs for breakfast and I'm off to Starbucks before going into the office...for the last time for the next 12 days - YES!!!

10:00 am

The boss man isn't at home. Having a massage and haircut, the note says. Okie dokie.

Hold on. There appears to be an "issue" with some remodeling being done at one of the zillion homes my boss owns. This home is located in my backyard... almost. In hindsight, I guess I should be happy it's not in the South of France. The boss yesterday mentioned that a little pond was being put in the backyard and while I was gone could I pay the guy putting in the pond. Everything is all set up, he just needs a check. Ok. I figured that would be the extent of my involvement.

I was wrong.

(click read more.....for the rest of the story)

* Meet Mystery Blogger - Joey R. *

2008-07-31T19:11:55+00:00

Another new mystery blogger joins us today. Say hello to Joey R.!

In Business You Don’t Get What You Deserve, You Get What You Ask For

There is a book by author Chester L. Karrass called, In Business As in Life, You Don't Get What You Deserve, You Get What You Negotiate. The title is pretty self-explanatory. I recently came across a very good illustration of exactly how true that principle is, especially for personal assistants. Let me give you a case in point.

This year, I began a new job as a personal assistant to an up-and-coming young actress. Let’s call her Tracey. Tracey is constantly working, her face graces multiple movie magazines and as a result, she is fairly successful and wealthy, although she has not been around for a long time. My background as a personal assistant is almost a dozen years experience assisting various actors and actresses. I also have a lot of experience working on movie sets. Anyway, Tracey and I hit it off. We began working together, and she would text me or call my cell phone, day or night, whenever or wherever she wanted me to show up. I came before 9am and after 6pm, if she needed me. To accommodate their lifestyles and work schedules, this is the arrangement I’ve had with all the celebrities I’ve worked for.

Tracey is very cool with our arrangement and happy with our dealings. But there are often other people in a celebrity’s life who are hired to make things more organized and manage their affairs better. And sometimes, they also manage to complicate their life—and the lives of personal assistants—as well.

Although Tracey and I have a good working relationship, her life is a little chaotic. She hasn’t ever set up an office space for her assistants. This resulted in her previous assistants having had to work out of their laps, their cars, or tables at Starbucks. Not that her assistant has to have an office at a penthouse in Century City (like her accountant, attorney and publicists have) but it is reasonable to have an official place outside her home to receive deliveries, do paperwork and keep files.

(click READ MORE) for the rest....

So Cal Rock and Roll!

2008-07-30T05:13:35+00:00

All is well in Soul Calif. The earthquake did get our attention today for a few minutes. I was on the top floor of my boss's penthouse - 14th floor - and that tower swayed back and forth for a good 15 seconds.

I figured the quake was in Mexico, not near Los Angeles!

But being a native of California, I was cool....once I got my sea legs back a few hours later.

Thanks for all the inquiries as to my well being.

Back to normal....whatever that is!

* Mystery Blogger Gayle *

2008-07-28T03:49:03+00:00

ARGHHHHH!

I just felt like screaming. Thank you readers for letting me vent for a second!

What is it about celebrities and their apparent inability to do some things for themselves? The other day, just as I was getting ready to leave for the weekend, I get a panicked call to schedule a car (not a big fat limo for a red carpet event...just a sedan for a doctor appt) for the boss man. He knew I was leaving for the airport that minute. In fact, I was almost out the door when I get the call to get a car handled for a trip to a doctor appointment.

This could've been handled two ways. WAIT until I got back Sunday night and arrived at work on Monday am (these cars are available 24/7) or call them himself without saying it was them. He's done it before. I know I am being harsh. But I was finally getting out of town early on Friday -- 1:00 pm instead of the usual 4 or 5 pm -- and of course I get the call just as I am leaving.

I'm sure you're thinking, what's the problem? This is part of your job. I know. I know. I also had to cancel the car which was originally going to be for Wednesday, not Tuesday and alert a few people to the change. And print out the confirmation before I left.

I was just annoyed!!

Okay, I'm done ranting.

Thanks for listening.

Another Fab Review

2008-07-25T18:25:32+00:00

This review just came in from Vianna Renaud of TCM Reivews (red by me, obviously):

I found this book to be as entertaining as it was educational. Just the right length with an extremely logical approach, I found this book impossible to put down. I particularly enjoyed the common sense highlighted by the L.A.R.K. approach which I feel could help inspire professionals from all backgrounds. As the former President of the Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants (ACPA), Ms. Anderson definitely knows her stuff which clearly showed in the Question and Answer section of the book. Not only is she ferociously witty and a pleasure to read, she is supportive and offers realistic advice which perfectly models her L.A.R.K. approach.

(click below to read entire review)

Me and Louise Hay

2008-07-23T23:50:00+00:00

This is a recent pix of me and the boss at her "I Can Do It" conference held every year in Las Vegas (taken June 30, 2008).

Many fans waited in line for an autograph...but only ONE asked Louise to sign the back of her shirt!

* Mystery Blogger - Gayle **

2008-07-21T21:45:33+00:00

Hello readers. It's been a while so I thought I'd just check in.

I know I've written in the past about things that drive me crazy about my celebrity. All the mystery bloggers have. But there'll also be the moments when there's nothing nasty to report. That's where I am today.

My celebrity has a bunch of charities, and also gives to a bunch of charitable causes. Often anonymously. I think that's pretty cool.

What would you do if you had all the money these people have? At first, the obvious thing most people say is: pay my bills! get a car! pay off my mom's mortgage! Well, those make total sense. Then what?

My celebrity did all those things long ago, so now he gives to "causes" that he believes in. Everyone does somehting different. Some like animals. Others gravitate towards children's causes. Or curing diseases. Or relief for places in the news, like the recent work Unicef and Clay Aiken are doing in Somalia. It's all good as far as I'm concerned.

Recently we gave money to a local school that wrote asking for a very small amount of money to replace a sink in the kindergarten for kids to wash their hands, and new tables to sit at during lunchtime. Yes, we get the requests for a half million dollars for something too. But this simple request was touching and seemed the right thing to do.

Sometimes the celebrity does do the right thing.

Amazon.com is another word for God

2008-07-19T06:31:25+00:00

Okay I am becoming addicted to checking my standings at amazon.com AKA my new "God" these days.

I am now #29!

I am neck and neck (but ahead of) Diary of a Caterer by Jennifer Heigl. Take that Jen! And remember my last post? The 4th Edition of the Restaurant Manager's Guide...or something like that? He was #1. WELL NOT ANY MORE! Ha! That book has been beaten out by a book written about Las Vegas.

Anyway.....

In the scheme of things, this probably means that 5 more people bought my book in the last five minutes which moved me up in the ratings. So to those 5 people, God I love you!

Divas is Reviewed!

2008-07-19T01:41:27+00:00

Got my first internet review of Dealing with Divas this weekend!

Jessica Roberts of bookpleasures.com wrote:

"This book proved to be absolutely delightful to review, no doubt aided by author Anderson’s sense of humour when discussing work related situations. Usually books of this genre are mainly dull, however this one indeed was very entertaining, and I even caught myself laughing in places."

She laughed! She cried!

To read the entire review, click here!

* Fiona Mystery Blogger *

2008-07-14T06:35:15+00:00

KNOCK, KNOCK, WHO’S THERE?

Part Three by Fiona

In our last installment, we began by differentiating between uninvited guests in the celebrity world ranging from simple nuisances (as in business associates who show up unannounced or fans who just want to see where movie stars live) and the truly terrifying—and dangerous: stalkers. A good book to read on this subject is Detective Mike Proctor’s, How To Stop A Stalker. It contains detailed information and resources that is useful for celebrity personal assistants who might have to deal with a stalker situation. From my own personal experiences (which I will share with you), the biggest asset you will have in dealing with a stalker is your own ability to keep calm in order to protect not only the people who employ you, but to protect yourself.

In the past, I have confronted a couple varieties of stalkers. One is of the criminal type, who attempts to scam your employer in some way (usually for financial gain.) Knowing your employer has lots of money and a probably aversion to public humiliation, this breed of stalker shows up (uninvited, usually) with some service or item for your employer.

I encountered one very strange man who showed up at the door of my employer’s residence with the offer of “free chiropractic and massage services” for her. After I chased him away (I knew the moment I met him that he was a scam artist) he started creeping on to my employer’s property in the middle of the night! He succeeded in ambushing her in the garden one night, and convinced her that he would love to give her a series of “free” sessions for massage and chiropractic adjustments at her home. He professed a deep desire to do so, simply as a “service” since he so admired her not only as an actress but as a “progressive and enlightened human being”. Riiiiiiiight. Of course, he complained about me because I‘d denied him access to her. He told her that I was a small-minded peon who turned away his generous offer. For reasons I will never understand, my boss became convinced that I had wrongfully prevented her from enjoying this opportunity for “free services” offered by a harmless and kind “spiritual healer”. She chastised me for being so overprotective and for my “negative and suspicious nature.” Celebrities think in mysterious ways, sometimes. Especially when someone throws the word, “free” around them.

to read more, click "read more!"

Hollywood Book Festival

2008-07-13T00:05:10+00:00

Today I was a part of the Hollywood Book Festival held at The Grove in Los Angeles. It was an interesting day. The Greater Los Angeles Area Writers Society had a booth, and since I'm a member I was invited to bring my wares and set up for a few hours.

As you can see from the photo below, the throngs were out in full force to greet me and to get my autograph. Oh! BTW my new "alias" is now IPHONE.

Okay so they weren't waiting for me. But it wasn't for not trying to find me. The GLAWS booth was preset by the Festival folks. As you can see below, a huge pillar (on the right hand side of the picture) completely obscured me and my books from view by the public. But this is a nice shot of author Matt Pallamary (who I discovered lives in San Diego county too!). Small world.

#50 on amazon

2008-07-10T18:42:50+00:00

Ranking #50 on Amazon sounds exciting. Especially when you discover that you've beat out The Reluctant Spa Director by Skip WIlliams and Hospitality Management by Matt Casado - ha!

However, the #1 book in my category is still the Fourth Edition of the Restuarant Management Handbook. It costs only $50.37 - slashed from $79.95!!

Heck you can buy FIVE of my books for one of his.

I'm just sayin'.

Newspaper Article is Posted

2008-07-08T22:54:39+00:00

Well, everyone, here's the article written by Guy Adams of the UK paper -

The Independent - READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Luckily, my little blurb (toward the end of the article) is fine.

But Guy definitely drops names like beads of sweat after a heavy workout.

My, my. Thoughts??

Click here to read Guy Adams Article on celebrity assistants

* JDUBZ - Mystery Blogger *

2008-07-07T01:29:16+00:00

Okay, it’s been a while, but as promised, this post will be my thoughts of boundaries.

While Jordan covered it very well, I thought I would give my own experience and my advice on how to help create some boundaries.

First, know that the boundaries HAVE to come from you. They will not come from your employer. Also know, that is what separates a career EPA / PA and the personal assistant wannabe. Basically all employers want boundaries, but are probably not going be the first to step over them. Plus boundaries can be very, very vague.

I feel boundaries are made of two elements. Literal and emotional.

A literal boundary is pretty much as it sounds. Examples would be an employer telling you “never look at my personal email” or “I don’t want to be contacted after 10pm.” These are easy to follow. If they are broken, they it will most likely be initiated by the employer who after they are comfortable with your performance and have gained your trust. These boundaries will start to be crossed when your employer calls YOU after 10pm or asks you to go on their computer and check an email. When this happens, you have really only one option. To do what you’re asked to do. BUT it may be wise to remind them that this was a ‘off limits’ element in the beginning, and if they are sure they’d like you to check their personal email you are more than happy to do so. Basically it’s a no brainer. You have to do what you’re asked.

When your employer calls you after 10pm even though they said they do not want you to, that is still in effect. THEY have crossed their own boundary. If they ask you to look on their personal computer that does not mean you have license to do so at your own choice. There is nothing wrong with asking your employer if they are now comfortable being contacted by YOU after 10pm (if you want to open that window) or if they are comfortable with you on their personal computer (that is a really, really slippery rope) by asking them you are allowing them to either ‘reset’ the boundary or not.

An emotional boundary is going to be different for each individual. Basically, it’s when you experience something on the job that brings up an emotional response from your past. Two examples could be seeing your employer fighting with their spouse and yelling at their kids, or to seemingly be lavishing everyone, except you, with gifts.

Watching an employer has ‘family’ issues can bring up every emotional issue you have with your own family. THIS IS NATURAL! The difference here is that it’s THEIR issue and THEIR FAMILY. Not yours. True they may tell you ‘you’re one of the family’ but you’re not. This is a very dangerous element to get in between, even more difficult if you work out of their home or home office.

This just gave me the thought that my next blog will be on ‘the spouse.’

Anyway…

(click "read more")

Please comment on my Blog

2008-07-06T05:35:45+00:00

I hope you're enjoying reading my blog and also my mystery bloggers' blogs. If so, please take a moment and leave a comment. The mystery bloggers in particular will really appreciate it.

So will I!! We want to keep encouraging them to write, right? Thanks!

PS Hope you had a lovely weekend.

* Mystery Blogger - Fiona *

2008-07-06T03:29:00+00:00

KNOCK, KNOCK, WHO’S THERE?

Part Two by Fiona

In my last blog regarding the way that celebrity personal assistants are called upon to act as gatekeepers, I discussed an annoying but relatively harmless intrusion upon my employer’s privacy. Celebrities are notoriously unavailable to those wishing an audience to grant a favor, for example. They have to be. Not only do they work long and exhausting hours on the set, they are often bombarded with unwanted demands on their free time. Most celebrities will grin and bear it when they are in public. It comes with the territory. When a celebrity is asked to sign an autograph while they are at Starbucks or at the park with their kids, it’s usually no problem. However, that changes when it’s the unexpected appearance of an unstable person knocking at the door. In this blog, I am going to discuss this kind of intrusion which brings the potential of more dire consequences for the celebrity, his or her family, and the household staff.

(click "read more")

* Gayle - Mystery Blogger *

2008-07-04T00:29:05+00:00

Just another little report from my perch as a celebrity personal assistant.......

Recently my guy (I would never call him that to his face!)...my celebrity was preparing to do a radio interview. I actually didn't have to go to the radio interview with him but was going to meet up with him later, so a close buddy went with him instead. This interview was part of a publicity tour so there were lots of interviews and interaction with fans because of a recent movie release. This radio stop was one of many in that particular city that day.

A couple of hours before the interview I received a panicked call from the radio producer: "He won't do the interview because it's being video taped!" She was worried because the station had heavily promoted the interview and now she didn't think it was going to happen. I had to talk the producer down off the wall, and told her the star would be there and I would call her back if that wasn't the case, but that I knew he would follow through.

Then I called the buddy - calling the celebrity directly would've not been a wise move on my part. If I've learned nothing else in all these years of doing this, I've learned how to dance around the celebrity to find out the whole scoop before approaching the star. Have all the facts straight!

The buddy said that all was fine. There'd been a misunderstanding. I gathered the celebrity didn't feel he had he right wardrobe on and had forgotten he'd agreed to let the interview by video taped. Thank goodness the buddy was there to lend him a jacket and smooth the diva feathers. I never had to talk to the star about any of this thanks to his pal saving the day.

The taping went on without a hitch.

Just one of the many little things we deal with everyday....well,maybe not everyday...still it's this behind the scenes stuff that people never hear about or see. Add all the little things up after a week and that molehill begins to look like a mountain sometimes!

On the Internet

2008-07-02T18:25:03+00:00

Well July has entered with a BANG!

Although there were two typos in the interview (let it go Shell!!!), I'm still really stoked to be officially on the net! As of today at 10:00 am PST, my interview by Norm Goldman is on the following sites:

bookpleasures.com

authorsden.com

amapedia.amazon.com

digg.com/arts_culture

searchwarp.com

americanchronicle.com

click here to read my interview with Norm

PS I was also featured in the iamadiva.com newsletter last week! Whoot!

Back from Las Vegas

2008-07-01T05:48:43+00:00

Sorry I didn;t blog while in Vegas with my boss, Louise Hay, last week. Too much going on! Pictures to follow I promise.

Meanwhile.......got a cute email from a fellow writer at Authornation.com :

PS I ran into some business type gals (Princess Hotel Exec's), here in Fairbanks who saw your book on the dash of my vehicle and commented on the fact they also have read it.

Wow! I am so pleased to hear that the book made it up to Alaska!

* Mystery Blogger Fiona! *

2008-06-30T18:19:45+00:00

KNOCK, KNOCK, WHO’S THERE?

Part One by Fiona

Assistants: the Gatekeepers

One of the most difficult positions that a celebrity personal assistant will get put in (and there are many) is when you are called upon to act as the gatekeeper for your boss. You get to be the messenger of bad news. You know that old saying, “don’t kill the messenger?” Well, from Day One as a celebrity personal assistant, you will be the person with the bull’s-eye on the back of your head. It’s not paranoia on your part. You really will be the bearer of bad news who gets all the blame, from all sides. That’s because, when someone wants to see your boss, who gets to break the news that your boss does not want to see them? You, of course. You’ll be that terrible person who runs interference between your celebrity employer and the insistent writers, producers, directors, studio heads, and/or wannabe new best friends that call night and day to schedule a meeting, pitch a project or generally ingratiate himself or herself into your employer’s heart. It doesn’t matter that you’re just doing your job. Duh! You’re an obstacle, plain in simple, standing in their way.

Now, while you are professionally and diplomatically making plausible excuses why anyone requesting an audience with you boss won’t be able to speak to/see in person/or get a commitment from him/her today, your boss will be hiding under his or her desk, pretending to be unavailable. I have personally blown off countless studio big shots, actors, actresses, and various people of wealth, power and position, at the request of my employer. I have cancelled appointments at the last minute and made excuses for her when she’s stood people up. They are invariably disappointed, angry, despondent, or insulted that a mere peon like me is standing in the way of “face time” with her. They make it abundantly clear that they resent, maybe even hate me. They blame me for keeping them at bay, like it’s my choice! Although my boss is really the “bad guy” in the situation, I am the only one it is safe to pin it on. And that’s fine.

Being the gatekeeper will not make you popular... (Click "read more" below to continue)

* Introducing Mystery Blogger Gayle *

2008-06-23T21:34:34+00:00

What’s Real?

Hello fellow assistants. My “name” is Gayle. I wanted to just write about an experience I had where I realized that sometimes celebrities live in a different reality than you and me.

Many years ago, around 2002, Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter, while reporting in Pakistan was kidnapped. It may be hard to believe this, but everyone in the United States and even in other parts of the world had been on edge since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. People were constantly concerned about whether or not the US was going to go to war with Afghanistan and Iraq. Now years later it’s hard to remember when we weren’t at war with these two countries.

In any event, tensions were high. Daniel Pearl was one of four people abducted and unfortunately murdered. What was particularly shocking about his murder was he was beheaded, and it was video taped by his capturers and shown around the world.

All of this information weighed heavy on mind as I went to work one bright sunny Monday to my job for a celebrity. This fellow was a very nice enough guy but picky about things being moved around his house and not put back in the right place. We had hired a new housekeeper who was always apparently moving stuff. The pots would be where pans were supposed to go; the knives in with the can opener; or some such nonsense. This was not life threatening but certainly annoying to the celebrity. I usually helped ruffle feathers and whatever the misunderstanding was, we were all able to handle it easily and move on.

On this particular Monday, I came in early. No traffic I guess! My boss had a party the night before, with a caterer and staff, and a few chairs and tables were still sitting out. But otherwise, it appeared that everything else was in its place. Boy was I wrong... (click on "read more")....

The Independent (UK)

2008-06-20T00:50:48+00:00

I was just interviwed by Guy Adams of the UK paper The Independent. Have you heard of it? Anyway, the article he is writing about celebrity assistants will probably just mention my name and my book - no big cover story about ME (smile) but be on the lookout for it, will you? It should be out by July 6. That's the rumor. Guy seemed like a nice fellow and asked such nice intelligent questions. I feel the article will a favorable one about the world of celebrity assistants.

* Mystery Blogger Jordan is baaack! *

2008-06-13T20:19:15+00:00

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil

(The Personal Assistant Code)

by Mystery Blogger Jordan

Once you’ve seen your boss in his or her underwear, a boundary has definitely been crossed. For those of you who have actually seen their celebrity boss naked, it’s a whole other story. That story is one you need to keep to yourself. As cool as it would be to be able to tell your friends that your boss has cellulite like everybody else, you just can’t. Whether your boss swore you to secrecy upon hiring you or not, it is part of the Celebrity Personal Assistant Code that you have to live by. It must not be breached. Ever. You would think this goes without saying: never divulge personal details about your boss to the world.

I did too, until I hired a temp in my office. Let’s call her “Charlotte”. Actually, I didn’t exactly hire her; I inherited her. As it happens so often in the celebrity world, there are dozens of people that your boss will end up owing favors to, after a career of hitting up connections for various “necessities” (that’s a whole other blog story.) The payback often involves giving a friend of a friend of friend’s unemployable cousin, niece or brother a job. Anyway, to make a long story short, I would never have picked out this person as my second assistant. She was incredibly naïve, vain, self-absorbed and definitely unqualified. Her previous jobs all involved some aspect of retail sales at suburban malls. Needless to say, my boss loved her.

Charlotte was (and is) pretty, younger and adoring. She told me several times that our boss is “da bomb”. She is a nice enough person, don’t get me wrong. She just has no idea what was involved in being a personal assistant. In her opinion, all I do all day is talk on the phone to cool people and have a great time. She does not understand the work that I do. She does not understand the importance of the things I am not saying, the things I was not doing. For example, like all professional assistants, I am friendly on the phone but not familiar with the famous people I was speaking to. After hanging up with a celebrity, she would chastise me: “Dude, how come you didn’t ask him if he was really going out with Paris Hilton or not? I would so be all over that!” Then she would type furiously on her keyboard and sulk because I talked to Mr. Hunk-of-the-Month and she hadn’t.

To make it up to her, I would give her assignments that I knew she could handle. Once, when we had paparazzi staked out in front of the estate, I asked Charlotte to go outside and surreptitiously get the make, model and license plate numbers for their cars. This was in case we wanted to call the police if the paparazzi got to be a problem. Sometimes we keep track of the days and times they park outside. It’s just routine security. Charlotte approached this task with enthusiasm. She thought it was a top secret assignment. Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte!

(to read more, click the button)

Graduation Day

2008-06-12T05:00:41+00:00

OK Since this is My Blog I am going to digress from just talking about business and share for a minute that I am a proud mama of a graduating senior (see picture below posted after I wrote this blog!

My daughter graduates from high school tomorrow and I couldn't be happier. She made wonderful friends in her 4 years in the marching band and choir (she was in both) and also still has friends from as early as 4th grade that she's graduating with. She ends her 12 years in school with a 3.33 gpa (in English that means a B).

All in all with her commitment to the church youth group, choral dept. (go Chamber SIngers!) and her volunteer work, she's been one busy young lady. Tomorrow I will be in the audience watching her and all her friends together one last time, kleenex in hand. Sniff.

I love you honey!

GRAD AND MOM WITH BFF BETH

I Am A Diva

2008-06-10T18:37:41+00:00

Check out the aritcle I just posted at www.iamadiva.com!

Click here: Shelley muses about being an assistant.

Confidentiality Agreements

2008-06-09T19:25:14+00:00

Okay, so you may or may not already know this, but it bears repeating: celebrity personal assistants usually have to sign a confidentiality agreement before they can begin working with a famous person. Basically you (the assistant) aren't allowed to tell the public what you're doing, or more to the point, what your celebrity is doing. Most of the time the working relationship is cordial and the work frankly boring. But there are those juicy moments the media would love to be a fly on the wall.

Many confidentiality agreements just apply for the time you are employed. Once you leave you can say whatever you want to, but most assistants don't bother. It's not worth the headache. If you worked for Oprah, however, you are banned for LIFE to repeat anything about her that you may have seen, heard or been involved in. Wow.

There was a terrific article recently in the Los Angeles Times - click on the link below to read it - all about confidentiality agreements and privacy issues. This article was about actor Rob Lowe's latest legal wrangling with two ex-employees. Very interesting debate about what's sacred in the privacy of one's home and what isn't. It's a tough call either way.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE LA TIMES ARTICLE

Listen to my interview with Dr. Pat!

2008-06-03T11:00:00+00:00

Here's my interview with Dr. Pat in MP3 format. Just click on the link below to listen to it now!

Listen to my Dr. Pat interview

* Meet Mystery Blogger Jordan! *

2008-05-31T18:15:49+00:00

Boundaries: Knowing When to Stop

Hi, fellow assistants! I would like to introduce myself. Let’s call me Jordan. Like you, I walk the showbiz assistant beat. While I was reading the blog by JDUBZ, it dawned on me that an important subject to discuss is boundaries. Let’s face it: assistants have to be the ones that set them. When you go through the door for the first time as an assistant, walk in with an idea of what you will and will not put up with, period. It’s essential for every assistant to protect her or himself. That is, unless you want to be driving down a canyon with a car with no brakes. Let me explain…

Everybody Is a Star

A huge boundary that is often crossed is how many people you will accept responsibility for when you sign up for the job as personal assistant. (I’ll get to the car with no brakes later.) Your employer writes your paycheck. Therefore, your employer must be your primary responsibility: your Number One focus. Celebrities are well-known for being incapable of running their own lives. That’s why they have assistants, publicists, stylists, managers, agents, therapists, estate managers, accountants, nannies, housekeepers and attorneys, among others who tend to them. Thank God they need us.

The problem begins when everyone in the celebrity’s life starts thinking that because they are married to the celebrity, dating the celebrity, they are the ex-spouse of the celebrity, the entourage to or a distant relative of said celebrity, that they also deserve the same star treatment as your celebrity boss. That means that somehow, they expect you to work for them too (free of charge, of course.) Without proper boundaries, before you know it, your primary job (taking care of the celebrity) will take a backseat to the endless needs of the celebrity’s entourage. It’s the proverbial slippery slope. One day you will be coordinating a press junket with your employer’s publicist. The next thing you know, you’ll be asked to lend the celebrity’s boyfriend a stamp. It’s an innocent request. You don’t want him to feel like he’s not as important or undeserving of simple courtesy. Then he will ask you to mail the letter for him. “No problem”, you say. You want to be agreeable. Before you know it, you’ll be expected to drop everything you’re doing for your boss in order to accommodate the requests of your employer’s boyfriend. And then, it will be a favor you’ll be asked to do for his mother…brother…cousin…childhood friends.

By the time you’ve realized that it’s too late, you’ll be up to your neck in requests from needy people that will haunt you. They will fight over you. Suddenly, it will be your job to make excuses for them when they want to cancel an appointment that they had no intention of keeping in the first place. They’ll need your help and connections to score concert tickets…take their dog to the vet…take their mother to lunch…pay their child’s parking tickets for them. And there will be your employer, who will resent it all. Of course, it will be your fault. You should have said no. And of course, that’s true. We’ve all been there and it’s no fun. It usually starts out with good intentions on your part and ends badly for you. Here’s where we get to the car with no brakes.

(click "read more" to hear the rest of this story!)

Divas in London

2008-05-27T19:02:28+00:00

MY BOOK AT THE LONDON BOOK FAIR! CLICK ON THE PICTURE!

iUniverse Brings Something New to Merry Olde England

On April 14, the iUniverse New Title Showcase ventured somewhere it had never gone before—London. A collection of iUniverse titles were featured at the London Book Fair, making this the first showcase appearance for iUniverse books in the United Kingdom. The platform gave iUniverse Editor's Choice authors an exclusive opportunity to get their books in the hands of a new set of purchasers who fit their target audience.

On the Radio

2008-05-24T07:28:43+00:00

I just finished my radio interview on www.drpatshow.com! 1150 AM in Seattle.

Dr. Pat is based in Seattle and if you check out the website, you'll see that she usually talks to major folks like Deepak Chopra and my boss, Louise Hay, among many others - I was blessed to be asked!

We had a lot of fun and I appreciate Dr. Pat telling people about my blog and site. Tune in anytime and my interview should be up on their site probably next week in the archives.

* Meet Mystery Blogger JDUBZ! *

2008-05-18T00:03:53+00:00

Please welcome our Mystery Blogger - jdubz - and feel free to comment on the blog!!

First, I apologize to Shelley for being late on this. Reason being, I had intentions to write on boundaries but in true form of what a ‘blog’ is, I thought it be best to be ‘of the moment’ and write what is actually on my mind and going on in my life right now, which is:

I’m looking for a job.

Here's a bit of history on me. I’ve been a personal assistant for over 5 years, and before that I’ve worked as a script coordinator and writers’ assistant and Executive Producers assistant in television. I feel ultimately we all work for someone. Everyone has a boss; therefore we are all ‘assistants.’ Even if you freelance and work alone, you have to tend to your clients’ needs and demands. We all have to answer to someone.

The actual process of finding what’s available is difficult. Luckily being a member of ACPA (Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants) has the perk of a job board that will offer listings for members only. Still, like most internet and job agencies, you don’t really know who the listing is for, and the anonymity or vagueness of what the position will entail can be frustrating. Basically, it’s become very much like on-line dating. You have little information, which you can’t be sure is accurate, and very rarely do you have any actual contact information to follow through with, and it’s hard to not hear a response of ‘thank you for submitting, but we are looking for someone with a different skill set.’ Rejection is never enjoyable, but to at least feel as though you didn’t take the time to write a cover letter and send a resume for naught makes the process easier. But it’s the 21^st century, get used to it. Sooner or later, you’ll get a response, at least to survive this process I keep telling myself that. I’ve literally have sent out hundreds of resumes (of which I have four versions of my resume, and a template of over a dozen cover letters) with long spells of nothing, then I will have week of ten interviews. Basically accept that there is no making sense of it.

READ MORE........................................ (click "read more" button below)

FINALIST!!!

2008-05-15T09:04:14+00:00

I just received this email (May 14, 2008):

I am writing to let you know that we are now notifying all Finalists
and category Winners for the 2008 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.
I am delighted to give you the good news that your book has been
named a Finalist in the Entertainment category of the 2008 Next Generation
Indie Book Awards. Congratulations!

WOW! My little book is a finalist for the INDIE BOOK AWARD!!!! I can't believe it!

I won't know until the end of the month what my competition is, but who cares?

DEALING WITH DIVAS will be on the www.indiebookawards.com web site for the rest of 2008 whether I win the top prize or not.

AWESOME!

Mystery Bloggers

2008-05-12T11:00:00+00:00

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

Be prepared to be dazzled by FOUR different celebrity personal assistants who will be blogging anonymously in the next few days. Personally, I know I'll be checking back regularly to see what they have to say. I hope you will too!

Also, I hope you'll sign up for my free newsletter (on the right). It will be posted here on the web site, but if you prefer to get it faster, then sign up and it will be delivered to your mailbox each month.

Hollywood Book Fair

2008-05-12T11:00:00+00:00

Mark your calendars for July 12, 2008 - that's the date for this year's Hollywood Book Fair. I will be there with my book at Barnes & Noble as part of the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society (GLAWS) booth. We'll be at The Grove at 3rd and Fairfax - see you there!

Extra TV!

2008-05-06T11:00:00+00:00

Good afternoon everyone. Secretary's Week was April 21-25 - and I wasthe guest speaker at the ACPA (www.acpa-la.com) April 23rd meeting in Los Angeles. Also appearing was my alter ego- Miss Know It All - to answer questions on, well, anything!

EXTRA TV was suppose to show up but THEY DIDN'T really film much and didn't film me speaking at all. Oh well. I still had fun!

Amazon.com

2008-05-05T03:08:40+00:00

Just for fun I recently checked to see where my book was on Amazon.com. It's not that high in the ratings - #90 last time I looked. Bue what was even more fun was to see what books were beating me out. I could not make this list of titles up! Ahead of me are: Taxi Driving and Capitalism in America and Winning Ways: A Funeral Director's Guide to Human Relations. Pretty wild, yes? It just goes to show that anyone can write about anything and get it published - even me!

Me and Louise Hay

2008-04-28T22:18:52+00:00

I thought it would be nice to show some pix of me with my boss,

author Louise Hay, through the years. Not very clear photos.

These were scanned, not special digital shots so I am only

going to show you one for right now.

You'd think after 10 years together, we'd have ONE decent photo!

Louise's 80th Birthday

I Am A Diva Web Site

2008-03-27T07:54:09+00:00

It's official!

Dealing With Divas is featured on the tres chic website www.iamadiva.com.

Check it out! It's an adorable site based in La La Land, naturally!

Book Launch Photos

2008-03-17T07:19:19+00:00

Thanks to Hostess with the Mostest Marci Hintz,

here are pictures from the Book Launch Tea Party!

Guest of honor (me!) in red with dear friends Linda and Kathy.

Can't have a tea party with out tea cups!!

Marcie made me feel special at this table set up for me to sign my books.

As my friend Jade (second from right) said, this is your first "line!"

Waiting to greet my admirers!!

Thanks again to everyone who attended and bought my book. I appreciate it soooooooooo

much! Shelley

Book Launch Party Was a Hit!

2008-03-15T02:53:02+00:00

My book launch party was so much fun. A lot of interesting people from all walks of life came and celebrated the launch of DEALING WITH DIVAS. I sold 20 books that day - and sent 25 more to Los Angeles for a party Matthew McConaughey's mom was having the following week - had to reorder 100 from my publisher the next day!

Then I went into my local Barnes and Noble to set up when to autograph my shelf copies and they were already there to sign! So I did. Weird to see the book finally on the book shelf.

My firend Marcie will be scanning over pictures of the book launch party soon and I will put them on the site. She even had wine bottles with labels of my book cover that said "Book Launch" with the date. Very cool!

Book Signing

2008-03-01T19:01:42+00:00

Hi there. My friend Marcie is giving me A TEA PARTY tomorrow to celebrate my book's release. She went from a quiet little get together to a full blown PAR-TAE!!! Because she just got back from China, that's the party theme, but we're adding wine and bubbly and food and I will tell stories on myself and my brief encounters with celebrities and their assistants. Then sell and sign my book. It should be fun. I will report back with hopefully some pictures.

Meanwhile my book is going up and down on amazon.com. Lowest rating was #91, highest #12. Very cool.

Book is #37!

2008-02-27T05:30:38+00:00

Today on Amazon.com my book is listed as #37 in the business/service section! That's weird but I guess I should be happy it's selling. I need to put my focus on that sector of the population I guess. The book is listed under SELF HELP in the bookstores, but I guess it doesn't matter what it's called as long as people read it and like it.

UK Documentary

2008-02-19T09:05:12+00:00

I was interviewed earlier today in Los Angeles by a delightful TV production company from the UK called S2S about my book. The company is talking to all manner of celebrity assistants and/or people who work with celebrites, ie hairdressers, charity organizers, etc. I was thrilled to be included in the film. No word on when this will finally come out and be shown to the public. My guess is not before the end of 2009. Even so the S2S team made me feel that my little book has merit.

The Grammys!

2008-02-11T23:07:03+00:00

Did you enjoy the Grammys last night? I hate to admit how many decades I've been watching that show?! Anyway, I always look past the stars to see if I recognize anyone working the red carpet - the assistants who are sometimes hired to help with traffic flow, etc. - but no one popped out tonight. Loved the start of the show - Alicia, Carrie, the Beatles - then the rest of the show, not so much. Glad Foo Flighters sang but what about Panic at the Disco or Tool? I am technically an old fogie but even I was tired of Aretha Franklin (who use to be such a talent) - would rather have heard Cece Winans or Gladys Knight! Oh well. Enjoyed Josh Groban and Andrea B. And actually liked Amy Winehouse's set, short as it was. Grammys are gone for another year.

Barnes and Noble

2008-01-28T20:28:41+00:00

Guess what? My book will be featured on the NEW PAPERBACKS table from March 18 thru May 18 at the Barnes and Noble in Encinitas California - WHOOT! I just got the call. How cool is that???

IPPY Awards

2008-01-25T00:59:22+00:00

OKAY FANS: I sent in my application! Let's see if my book makes the finals.They won't announce those until the first week of May, 2008. Just to be a finalist would be awesome!

The 12th Annual Independent Publisher national and regional Book Awards (IPPYs) is accepting entries for its annual IPPY Awards that honor the year's best independently published titles. Entries are now being accepted in 65 subject categories and Best Regional Fiction and Best Regional Nonfiction categories in eight United States and two Canadian regions. All independent, university, small press and self-publishers who produce books intended for the North American market are eligible to enter titles copyrighted or released in 2007.

Started in 1996, the IPPYs were designed to bring increased recognition to the deserving but often unsung titles published by independent authors and publishers. Established as the first awards program open exclusively to independents, the IPPYs recognize hundreds of the year's best books, bringing them to the attention of booksellers, buyers, librarians and book lovers throughout the world.

Author Nation

2008-01-16T00:37:41+00:00

Check out my profile on www.authornation.com/sanderson. It's a place for writers to meet and share their work.

Today is a new day

2008-01-15T02:59:16+00:00

Man, I am so excited to have my site re-done by a pro. Thank you Jim! I promise to send lots of people your way in the future. The site looks great.

Dealing With Divas is now available on amazon.com. It is so weird to log onto amazon and find it! I first started on this book in 2003 and to finally have it finished is amazing.

Latest word from my publisher is that the book will be in Barnes and Noble in March sometime. Keep checking back and I’ll let you know when as soon as I know something.

Welcome to my new site!

2008-01-13T10:00:00+00:00

Welcome to my new site for my book “Dealing with Divas”! I will be posting here regularly so make sure you visit the site often - bookmark us!

If you have any questions or comments or feedback on the book, make sure you click on the email and send us your thoughts. We want to hear from you!

Dealing with Divas Blog

Mystery Blogger Gayle

Rest in Peace Michael

Hollywood Book Festival

Rest in Peace

Reading: A Novel Approach

Diva Jobs now on Line

Top 10 DIvas

Hollywood Book Festival

Funny video

Lovescopes Guy

slow news day

Amazon Ranking

Remember when?

Mystery Blogger Gayle

Former Presidents Get Together

Jean Haner Reads Faces

Blog Talk Radio

Still on Amazon

Finalist!!!

RIP Dom DeLuise

RIP Dom DeLuise

Louise Hay and I Can Do It

Louise Hay in San Diego

Dangerous Virus = W.OR.K.

After Oprah

#43 on Amazon

He's back! Mystery Blogger JDUBZ

I'm on TWITTER!

Figured it out yet?

Miss Know It All....

Riddle Me This

In Vogue At Last

Photo Fun

Paparazzi Dream?

Girl Talk

#44 on Amazon

Little things...

Marching

* Mystery Blogger - Gayle *

NIEA 2009 Book Awards

Off Topic

* Mystery Blogger - Joey R. *

Happy Day!

Car Repairs

TGI-Thursday

Happy almost February

* Gayle - Mystery Blogger *

God Bless America

Wayne Dyer Movie

Happy Hump Day

** Mystery Blogger Joey R **

Pictures from Big Apple

Christmas in New York

ON WAY TO BIG APPLE

** Gayle Mystery Blogger**

Christmas Time

Happy Friday

Bono

What do Assistants Look Like

Not written by me

* Mystery Blogger - Pat *

** Joey R., Mystery Blogger **

Moving up on Amazon

** Gayle, Mystery Blogger **

#41 on Amazon.com

Maria Shriver and Louise Hay

Minerva Awards

On Oprah, Kinda

OPRAH!

Moving up on Amazon

*Mystery Blog - Gayle*

Boss on Oprah

* Mystery Blogger Gayle **

Clay Aiken on Broadway

Mystery Blogger Identities

New York City

* Gayle - Mystery Blogger *

Happy Monday

** He's Back!! JDUBZ - Mystery Blogger *

Mystery Blogger Joey R

Gayle Mystery Blogger

Joey R., Mystery Blogger

Gayle, Mystery Blogger

Mystery Blog - Gayle