Losing Joan Rivers

I first met Joan Rivers doing a standup act in a small hideaway on Fifth Avenue in San Diego, California.  She was hilarious.  Talking about negative things and comparing them to celebrities.  It was so enjoyable to sit and listen to her talk about various people that we knew, possibly not personally but we knew of them because they were in show business.  I'm trying to remember the name of the club where she was working.  I may have it wrong in San Diego.  It might have been in Los Angeles.  It's been so long ago I'm not sure I'm accurate, but it was a small club.  Intimate, with dimmed lights and bright lights on the stage.  She was in heels and a black, simple dress. 

I followed her from that moment throughout her career and loved the red carpet gossip and the Fashion Police.  I hope there will be re-runs because I need to see her, hear her and watch her.  There is no other Joan Rivers.

I had just gotten to know Melissa in the past few years from her joining her mother on the red carpet and other shows they shot together.  I am praying daily for Melissa and Cooper's struggle through this time.

I lost my own mother in 1992 and it's still fresh.  There are so many times something great happens and the first person I think to call is my mother, but she's not there.  It takes time to adjust to this loss.  It never goes away, but it does get easier as time goes on and you tolerate the loss.

I'll be watching you Melissa and praying for you.

Linda Lee Roberts
September 9, 2014

Preparing for my own death

When you're living a good life - a job, having a home, a spouse, children, grand kids, pets - who thinks of departing from this earth.  As you grow into adulthood, and starting out, death is something that happens to old people.  I've been doing a lot of research on the elderly.  I am part of that era.  I am turning 78 in March, 2015.

I donated my body to Vanderbilt University and one of my sons told me I would be a frozen popcicle until the next semester starts.  When I contacted the school to see if I was still on the list, the intake worker said yes, but asked who my alternate was.  I didn't have an alternate.  I asked her to clarify what she meant and this is what I was told. 

There is no guarantee the university will take my body when I pass on, for reasons such as, infected with an aggressive disease, too old, very unhealthy and many more criteria.  So, they suggested I have an alternate to call. 

I got out my phone directory and called three cremation places.  I don't want to be put in the ground and I don't want my ashes in an urn in someone's house.  Just burn my ass up and toss those ashes, wherever you want.  So far, I have contacted three crematories and will see them in the next two weeks. I want this all paid for by the time I need it.  I don't want my family burdened with the costs or preparation.

So I now have Plan B.  I have my Will in my safe deposit box with all my final wishes too. 

I'm set. 

My first face to face meeting with husband #8

I met John in 2002, online.  We communicated via email and online for about six or eight months, then I met him, face to face for the first time in Los Angeles.  I felt like I was meeting a dear friend I hadn't seen in a long time.  We had become such good friends via the internet, I didn't feel any fear.  I was living in Palmdale at the time and he was in San Diego, but we both drove to L.A. to see the play "Lion King," at the Pantages theatre in Hollywood.  He told me where he was staying and I asked him to get two Queen size beds so I could stay over and not drive back up the mountain at 2 in the morning.  We agreed we would split the hotel room.  I had colored my hair earlier in the day and failed to read the instructions on the box.  I had been coloring my hair for years, so I was not a novice at it and didn't feel I had to read them, however....these instructions - this box had a completely different solution inside.  It was for dark hair that needed to be lightened.  I had light auburn hair.  There wasn't a dark strand on me.  When I took the color off, I had orange hair - literally.  I didn't have time to process another color.  I had an hour and a half drive to Hollywood.  Oh well.  I just went with orange hair.

I called John on the way down and asked what room he was in.  228 over the pool area.  As I drove down the mountain I was thinking of what I could do with my hair.  I needed a scarf or something, but didn't want to stop on the way and I didn't have any hats to wear at my place so I was driving with orange hair to meet my good friend John and see a play. 

Ad I drove in to the parking lot, I saw room 228 and parked in the two car stall in front of it.  As I reached in the back seat for my overnight bag I saw a sweater folded up next to it.  I took the sweater and put it around my head.  As dumb as that looked I locked the car then went over to 228 and knocked on the door.  When John answered he asked me what was with the sweater.  I started to cry as I took it off, but he assured me it was no big deal.  Since we didn't know anyone in L.A., and certainly not at the theatre, who cares what color my hair is.  "You look good in orange," he said, as he put his arm around me and walked me in to the room.  As I looked around there was one King Size bed, not two.  "What happened to the two beds?" I asked.  He said he didn't know it was like that when he checked in but he would go downstairs and have them move us.  Being the good friends we had become I told him to forget it and let's just enjoy the play.

To be continued

Nobody has forgotten Demi Moore

Yahoo posted an unflattering comment about Demi Moore today, August 18 and I would like to share my feelings on the notice.  Demi has never made a movie that wasn't worth watching.  She has screen chemistry and her voice is only hers.  She is a convincing actress and plays dramatic parts with ease.

It is difficult to replace Bruce Willis and I was sorry to see them divorce.  Ashton Kutcher, however, can't walk in the shoes of Willis and she came down many many levels when she married Kutcher.  Unfortunately she loved him and there's something about a young person that's invigorating.  I should know, five of my eight husbands were young.  They aren't jaded yet.  They still could wake up at two o'clock in the morning and want to go hiking.  Actually, they're up for anything and you don't have to ask them to take a pill or look at a sexy magazine to get a hard on. 

I knew Demi's life with Kutcher was doomed.  As time goes on, the young lovers need someone their own age.  Even though they get older, so do the women.  It doesn't usually work.

I would like to see Demi in a new movie with a lot of bite to it.  She is a great actress and can play many roles.  She's great in the serious ones.  Yahoo said she was washed up and nobody wanted to hire her.  I doubt that.  I hope not.

"Friends" TV show

Friends remained on the air for ten years because the public liked it.  They became friends with the friends on TV.  They were so real, they seemed like they could be our own friends and we followed them through marriages, divorces, illness, deaths and births.  From being jobless to finding new jobs.  A group of friends who hung out in a nearby place maybe similar to where you hang out.  We felt their hurts and joys, but from reading the first few comments on this page, apparently you didn't like the show and that's OK because enough people did.  That's what kept them on the air for ten years.  Now the reruns are going.  10pm to midnight on Nick at Night, then on a channel 134 from 12am on.  I don't miss a show.  I've seen them all and know all the dialog, including what will make me laugh.  Yes, I still laugh at what they do and say.  Lisa Kudrow was a character.  Someone we loved from the beginning.  It's not easy to do prop comedy, which she's excellent at.  Her improvs with her dialog made her stand out.  The high pitched voice of Courtney Cox at times was just at the right time and she made us feel she truly loved Chandler Bing, a sweet, sweet friend.  Joey had his own thing too.  Very identifiable and while David Schwimmer wasn't a favorite of mine in the beginning, I just loved him throughout the show's tenure.  Jennifer hasn't had good luck with her movies except We're the Millers.  That was Rachel, all grown up.  The problem with Jennifer Aniston, she has not found a movie that's just about her character.  If you recall Kate Hudson, Kate is the star in her movies.  Jennifer is also a starring role but secondary to Owen Wilson and the dog.  She plays second fiddle to Adam Sandler.  She needs to hunt for a film that she's the main story point, not make movies 2 and 3 times a year that nobody will care about.  Horrible Bosses.  Why would she do something like that.  Would you see Angeline Jolie, Julia Roberts or Reese Witherspoon doing those films?  NO.  I'll keep watching my favorite Friends and hope to see more of them all.  I don't watch Cougar Town because that's not the Monica I loved.

The Kardashian News

Folks, I hope you know that a home is part of their production money as in most of the homes you see on their reality show.  The clothes they wear, watches, expensive jewelry are all part of the production costs negotiated when the deal is made.  If these people paid for what they're wearing or living in, they'd be broke sooner than later.  Here's a bit of news.  Kim and her new husband will last MAYBE three years.  He won't put up with her and she won't let him make the decisions.  I feel bad for Bruce, trying to figure out what and who he is.  As for Rob, he's never been given the attention his sisters have and speaking of sisters, Kylie has grown into an absolutely gorgeous young woman, better looking than any of the sisters with a beautiful body (I hope she doesn't acquire Kris's butt - that's where the other girls got their enormous ones) gorgeous lips and overall pretty.  Kendall is tall and not that pretty, but fits in well with other models in the same category.  If Kim injects her lips any more, she'll be tripping on them.  Khloe is simply a misfit, but Kourtney is a great mother and looker, with one exception, she drinks in front of an alcoholic boyfriend.  He should get a sponsor and join AA otherwise their union is pretty much defeated.  Now, if you want to see someone on the rise, search the internet for Iggy Azalea.  She's a bit "nasty" but so cute you overlook her words.  That's another thhing about the Kardashians.  With several small children on their shows, I don't know why Los Angeles Children's Services never put a halt to the filthy language used in every episode, usually by poor Khloe.

Two of my four sons are 10 months apart

My former husband, Jerry Scheff, was home from a tour and getting ready to leave on another one.  He was Elvis Presley's Bass player.  I had a new son, Jason, who was just one month old.  I was cautioned to be careful with another pregnancy because I was "ripe" for another one.  I was told to use caution, so we did.  Jerry wore a protection so I wouldn't get pregnant, however, when the love-making part was all over, the protection wasn't anywhere to be found.  I tried to find it.  Jerry tried to find it.  Neither of us could find it and really, how far up can a hand go anyway?

It was the night before Jerry was leaving for the road and we couldn't find the protection.  At that time, those "morning after" pills were not available, so what did I do?  I called my Obstetrician at 2:30am - woke him up, worried that I had gotten pregnant because I couldn't find the protection.  My Doctor said the protection would show up by either coming out by itself or if it went the opposite direction I might choke on it.  My Doctor had a weird sense of humor.

The rubber showed up in the sheets the following morning and my third son showed up 10 months later.  I considered myself very lucky because I had, at this time, three wonderful sons.  Two who traveled with me and Jerry when he went to Las Vegas for a long-term gig.