Breaking Divorce Commandments one at a time

I was recently asked by EONLINE to comment on Jon Gosselin's behavior; what if anything could be done to rehab his image and what advice I would give.

Jon Gosselin is breaking 9 of the Divorce Commandments and then some but the biggest infractions are the following

1. Thou shalt be discreet. Save all confessions for your priest or your lawyer. Thy shall in particular resist the powerful natural impulse to seek the counsel of mutual friends, of your spouse, to get them "on your side." In JG's case I would add reporters to that list of things he needs to resist.
2. Thou shalt not covet the nanny, the babysitter, the secretary, the girl next door, the exotic dancer who "wants to go back to college", or that hot single mom who "just wants to be friends," until your divorce is FINAL.

Good luck Jon.

You can read the article in its entirety here jon_gosselin_misunderstood

Don't buy a tie!

82% of Dads do not want a necktie, cologne, underwear or socks!

According to a poll at InteractiveDad.com, Dads’ top pick for Father’s Day is to enjoy a meal with his family. Thank Dad for all his care and attention this year; fire up the grill and open a bottle of Oriel?

Give your Dad what he really wants this year. Try handmade wine from some of the world’s best winemakers! To celebrate Father’s Day Oriel is offering a BUY 3, GET 1 free offer.

What Matters Most on Father’s Day

I was recently interviewed by DETAILS Magazine about Father’s Day and Fatherhood. One of the questions was about the meaning of fatherhood and how fathers are portrayed on TV and more importantly, in society as a whole. I was asked if there was a father figure from TV that I remembered or that stuck out in my mind. I felt like I was taking an Alzheimer’s quiz…



So I thought about it. And then I remembered growing up in Southern California and the role models I saw on TV and what mattered most to me. First, I recalled a TV show called The Courtship of Eddie's Father with Bill Bixby. I think this was the first time I learned about the life of a widower. What I liked about this show was that there was a moment at the beginning and end of every show where father and son spoke in a philosophical way to each other - kind of like a “zen moment” between them. They were learning from each other and I thought it was an interesting relationship. I liked the simplicity of the show. I don’t really remember the individual episodes or how he became a widower, but I really didn’t need to know the details. I was completely focused on the bonding between father and son. (Yes, I know there was a Japanese nanny, but I didn’t really put the two together!)

From my adolescence, I remembered Little House on the Prairie, Sanford and Son, Chico and the Man, The Brady Bunch, and Happy Days. These shows had a variety of father figures but they all had an active father role and I liked that. As I continued to talk about these shows, I realized that I was going off rack in my interview. The writer wanted something more current like the father figures of Al Bundy or Homer Simpson, characters that were heavily portrayed as bad, out-of-touch fathers. In addition, they wanted me to comment on the more recent role of Bruce Jenner on the reality TV show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. I thought about the family going to Las Vegas, without Bruce who had to stay home for a scheduled doctor’s visit to get a colonoscopy! My legs crossed and my mouth dropped. All I could say was, “That’s one sad state of a family and I am sure they don’t know what kind of message they are sending out to their TV viewers.” I couldn’t hold back my feelings in that interview.

When I left the interview, I realized how today’s TV fathers have so little in common with what reality is like. I am sure you can have the same argument for TV mothers as well. Granted, I am not the perfect father. In fact, I am far from perfect and I am grateful for the mistakes I have made. The lessons that I have learned have taught me about myself and how to be a better dad. What matters most in my life is that I get up every day knowing that I am not perfect. I am willing to learn from my children about how to communicate as the father in my family. Whether you are married, re-married, widowed, newly divorced or a single father with children, we all have a common goal in life: To be the best dad we can be and to being proud of the legacy we create every day of our lives.

I can remember this very topic of conversation with my own father about fatherhood. My Father is a great man. I love and respect him very much. When I was young, he had to work 6 days a week to provide for the five of us. I always knew he was present in my life. When I played sports, I could always count on him being there. If it was a tennis match, I could see him in the back court. If it was baseball, he was always past the outfield fence. If it was soccer, I could always count on him cheering me on. In school, he was always asking questions about my studies and encouraging me to be the first in my family to earn a college degree.

At times when I was in college, he felt unsure about his ability to support me financially. I remember the talk we had at graduation and how guilty he sounded when we discussed how I had put myself through college and worked a full time job. As my father shared his feelings, I listened attentively and waited for my turn to speak. I looked right back into his eyes, and I told him, “Dad, you never let me down, you and mom were always with me. You taught me everything I needed to know to be prepared for college and the responsibilities of life. You did the best you could and you did a great job as my father. You have given me the tools to be a great dad to my children and that gift is priceless.”

So on this Father’s Day, I want all of us to look back and look forward to being the best fathers we can be. Know that you are doing the best you can do each and every day. What matters most is that fatherhood is an experience in learning, communicating and feeling. Richard J Jaramillo

STARS AND STRIPES at the Playboy Mansion

on Saturday May 16th, 2009 7PM-1AM the Playboy Mansion will come alive with a provocative evening of patriotism for our STARS AND STRIPES event, benefiting the extremely worthy cause of ‘The Wounded Warrior Project’ (www.woundedwarriorproject.org) Enjoy yourself with the live entertainment, surprise celebrity guest band, catered food and open bar surrounded by this country's truest heroes.

Soldiers will be in attendance from the United States, Canada and Britain who have been wounded in the line of duty while serving this country during current conflicts in the Middle East. Marines, Navy Seals, Green Berets and personnel from all branches of the armed forces will be in attendance. So prepare to celebrate National Armed Forces Day like never before.

This is your invitation to take part in this exciting event Hosted by Playmates Victoria Fuller and Jessica Burciaga along with co-hosts Sara Stage, Masumi Max, Metal Sanaz, Maria Venus, and Kina Tavarozi! Enjoy the sights and sounds of live entertainment and top DJ’s spinning hit music, partake in a live and silent auction that includes rare and fascinating items from around the world.

GENERAL ADMISSION: $1,000.00
General Admission: Full access to the grounds of the Playboy Mansion and famous grotto, Shuttle service to and from the Playboy Mansion, Photos with Playmates and models, Special Gift, Open Bar, Gourmet buffet. (Accommodates 1)

SPONSOR A WOUNDED WARRIOR: $1,500.00
Includes: All perks of general admission plus: Grants you and one of our wounded warrior's admission, VIP gift bag, special pin, shirt and hat, Special gifts from Playmate Victoria Fuller, Special recognition during event, Special photo with warrior you sponsored, Custom bottle of wine, Signed Playboy magazine by host and celebrity guest, SureFire flashlight, Special dog tag. (Accommodates 1 Plus 1 Wounded Warrior)

For purchasing, promoting or sponsorship information
Please feel free to contact:

LINDSAY GARTNER
9107 WILSHIRE BLVD. SUITE 450
BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210
DIRECT: 416.906.3195 (TO)
DIRECT: 310.729.9843 (LA)

DIFFA’S DINING BY DESIGN 2009

Please sign up to volunteer for DIFFA and the upcoming DYD in NYC.
DIFFA is Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS.
It is a great cause and you will get karma brownie points.

DIFFA’S DINING BY DESIGN 2009

World's Most Expensive Divorce

Mr Ecclestone paid $$1 Billion dollars for "stress and anxiety"

In court documents, Slavica Ecclestone said her husband's behavior "has caused me stress and anxiety."

Bernie Ecclestone the top dog at Formula One is forking over a cool billion to his STBX wife. Slavica said he caused her stress and anxiety. He has most of the property in the name of his STBX-wife because of tax reasons, so he doesn't stand a prayer of not paying this amount and then some.

Do I have any takers who would trade some "stress and anxiety" for a billion dollars??