Ted Women – part two

Published to Jackizehner.com on December 2, 2011
Yes can you believe it. An unannounced speaker to TEDxWomen was none other than THE Barbara Streisand. Sure I think it is cool meeting celebrities, but Barbara is beyond a celebrity to me. When I was a young girl I used to play her music, cradling the album cover in my hands, and sing to her. “The Way We Were” could possibly be my fav film. Her and Robert Redford. Remember that scene where he fell asleep at the bar and with those long fingers she pushed his hair aside. Magical.

She was at TED to talk about “Women and Heart Disease” and introduce Dr. Noel BaireyMerzis, the director of the Cedars-Sinair Women’s Heart Center. That will be the topic of a future blog entry but suffice it to say it is the leading cause of death for women. Let’s imagine for a minute that heart disease gets the attention and funding it deserves. Imagine.

My hat is off to Pat Mitchell for a truly spectacular day. Spectacular. Last year in Washington was amazing but I have to say, this was better. The diversity of the speakers and performers was off the charts. It ranged from the three girls who recently won the GOOGLE science awards, to the legendary Jane Fonda. Al told there were over 30 speakers and my head is exploding with after thoughts. If that were not enough Debbie Reynolds was at the Paley Center giving an intimate tour of her costume collection that was there for display and auction. She is almost 80 years old and so charming, and funny, and well, just delightful. It was indeed a very special day.