June 2008 Archives

Our flight is delayed. Again. Robert and I are sitting in the Seattle Airport with our Grey Goose martini's up, twist. I prefer olives, but am avoiding the salt. TV you know. Adds 10 pounds of water. We have respite from the TV appearances, and I'm taking the opportunity to consider myself on vacation. I started in Chicago, flew to New York, then onto Seattle where I just finished my segment with KOMO-TV Seattle. It was a blast. It was fun to do in the news room and to have a live audience. I do better with a live audience. I leave satisfied I know what happened. When I don't get instant unbiased feedback, I find that I replay the segment continually in my head trying to remember what was said, and how. With an audience I get a reaction and I know how I was received. Good or bad, I can let it go. Christopher on ABC 7 News Chicago Christopher on KOMO 4 in Seattle Not so the Today Show. I have been replaying the segment in my head over and over and I still don't know how it went. I am TOLD it went well. I received positive comments from the producers, the women in the green room who watched the segment, Robert, my P.R. people from Hoda herself and from the sexy camera guy who gave me the thumbs up. Not sure if it was about the segment, but I don't care. What I recall is that as I sat on 1/3 of three stools, up walked Hoda Kotb, with a gracious hand shake and a "I really liked your book" compliment complete with genuine smile. Tension slightly relieved until Miss Kathie Lee followed her with a "Yes, very good, it's all bunk...back hand. I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt that it was a make me laugh jab. I do the same thing. When something is obviously good, rather than be obvious, I try to balance the compliment with a slightly sarcastic joke. "You'd look great with a little color," I'll say to a tan woman, or "You should try wearing earrings," I might mention to a woman with huge discs hanging from her ears. I mean well, but I might not be interpreted as, well, meaning well. I do this with friends however, or strangers who I think will get it. So, I gave her the BOTD. What could I do? We were on in a minute so I tossed a compliment. She is quite pretty in person. She accepted gracefully but kept a professional distance. Almost cynical. We all had polite dialog until the segment began. Christopher Hopkins with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, Today Show Now we are on to San Francisco where, I have every intention of celebrating with abandon. Robert just took a photo of me. I'm starting now.

Christopher,

I am a 47 y.o. woman who let herself go.  I don't really know why except I've gained 60 lbs over the past 8 years and gave up wearing make-up and wearing anything other than sweat pants and horrible fitting blue jeans.

Your book has given me the inspiration to get out there and try again!!!!  To be honest, after seeing Sex N the City movie two times since it came out, I did go out and buy 5 easy summer dresses.  Non form fitting but much much nicer than sweatpants.  I also bought an expensive designer purse and shoes as I couldn't go through summer in my new dresses with a 5+ year old black leather purse.

But your book has provided me with a true game plan for the summer.  I am going for a pedidure today and for eyebrow shaping on Tuesday.  I just booked both appointments.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving me some courage to start over.

Nancy

  Christopher -I just finished reading your book and had to email.  I send a thousand 'thank you' notes for writing your book.  I am a sixty something who just returned to the work force for my fourth career and believe me I had no clue what to wear.  When I was twenty and thirty is was simple - read a magazine, buy a little suit, understated make-up and I was good to go.  Now with the uneven skin and the wrinkles and the SAD state of dress in the work place I was totally lost.  I have never before been in this position so your book was a Godsend.  I shall use every page (including the ones about organizing my closet-ugh).  Best of the best to you

Sincerely,

Danna  

Dear Christopher,

I bought your book and loved it I have underlined and highlighted each and every page. I feel that your book is a breath of fresh air and a joy to read and am following all your hints and guidelines. I am the true alluring/dramatic can't you tell and won't give up without prying your book out of my hands.The words old lady will get people beaten to the ground.lol If you are planning a beauty journal/workbook that goes into more depth. I would buy it yesterday.

smooches phyllis  

Hi Christopher!

I'm really excited!!  I bought your book yesterday - it JUMPED off the shelf at me - exactly what I was looking for to revamp and revitalize!!  I have been fervently studying every page, highlighting, making notes in the margins, writing affirmations, taking measurements, and kickin' ass!!  (Okay, not literally, but you get the point).

PS - I'm 44 and I look too frumpy for the way I genuinely feel inside.  I'm tired of covering up the real me with all this frumpiness!!!  You're book speaks right to the heart and soul of a woman - do you know that? Your words jump off the pages and have pulled me out of this mess that I am not, but of which I have become.  THANK YOU!!!!!


Rebecca  
Orange Park, FL

Good Morning, Mr. Hopkins:
 
I purchased your book yesterday, and while I have only had time to do the initial "hit the high points" read, I have to say that you've hit a home run. My goal this morning is to find my tape measure and determine my body type, etc. While I have always tried to dress stylishly and appropriately, and have always styled my hair and used makeup, something's been missing. Hopefully, your program will give me the little extra something I need to feel completely confident in this second act. Thanks!
 
Jo (age 51)
 
Dear Christopher,
 
The first time I wrote to you I had started to add some new looks to my wardrobe and was starting to wear some make up on a regular basis.  Well it's almost 2 months now and my wardrobe is almost totally changed.  I'm wearing a light but complete make-up everyday and for the final transformation I colored my hair for the first time in 5 years!  My hair could have been called salt & pepper in the front but was nearly all gray/white in back.  I used your guidelines and went with a color that was a little lighter than my natural color when I was younger.  When I walked into work on Monday morning the comments were great.  Everyone agreed I looked about 15 years younger and people said I looked like my own younger sister.
 
All that was very fun but the biggest change was on the inside.  I just felt better, younger, more confident and more ready to take charge of this phase of my life. Then one day I had the opportunity to speak with the top 2 people in the company about a situation that I thought I could contribute to and do you know what happened?  I got promoted!  This week I moved out of the "cube farm" and into my own office.  OK, so the 30 years of retail experience I bring to the job is important but you can't tell me that the changes I made both inside and out after reading your book didn't help!  I'm not sure I ever would have put myself out there and spoken up for my own position without the personal confidence I've found.
 
Thanks again, I'm a believer and I'll be watching for the sequel,
Debbie



 

 

I'm home (I love that word) after the first leg of what will be, hopefully, many more legs of touring. I have been lucky. Other than the state of our airlines and of my 6'4" stuffing itself into less than roomy seats every day, the actual on camera experience became easier each time. The hotels vary, but in general were lovely, and the energy of each city and its people is educational. And, I'm reminded why I love Minneapolis. Often people assume we're from L.A. or New York then ask when I explain I am from Minneapolis, "Why would you want to live there?" Ask anyone who does, or who has traveled here. I've yet to visit a city where I'd rather live. What bums me out is the state of our flight attendants. I'd pay big bucks to go back to hot pants and pantyhose, fun hats and finished make-up and hair. They just always look like they've been ridden hard and put away wet. Sigh. I think probably because of the state of the airlines, they have. Oh the days of "Western Airlines, the o-o-o-o-nly way to fly." On Monday our media escort, Larry. gave us the tour of San Diego and La Jolla where we did the requisite drop ins to book stores where, again, they didn't have books, didn't really care, or couldn't be found. I appeared on Good Morning San Diego, badabing badaboom, to the airport, to the hotel in Sacramento, to a quick walk around Old Sacrmento (which was quite fun) to a conversationless dinner with bad martini's at the Embassy Suites. The Makeover Guy on Good Morning San Diego Up early, I called into an Arizona radio show called "The Duo" which was hosted by two "regular guys" trying really hard to find a common ground with "The Makeover Guy." The first question, "Where did you get that name, in high school or something?" started the ball rolling, but we found our pace when we got on to picking up women in bars, not telling your wife she has a fat butt, and the difference between Roseann Barr and Delta Burke. Next. I then called up to the Justin and Maryann Show in Sacramento and, joy, even though Maryann wasn't there, Justin had read, liked, and could talk about...what? MY BOOK!! Good interview. Next stop: the Arden Fair Mall, where KCRA channel 3 does "Reports at Noon." And, again, with a female anchor missing, I was interviewed by Walt Gray, who couldn't be less interested in makeovers or beauty products, but sleep-walked his was through the segment like a pro. Walt Gray from KCRA feigns interest in beauty for older women On to Phoenix, where it was 100 degrees. Check in, ask around for a restaurant, have the doorman hail a cab and as we entered the car waiting for us Robert realizing that there is no meter asks, "How much will it cost to get to the Barrio, which is on 16th and about 3 miles from here..." "Thees caht ees all yoors for tonight." (?) What does that mean? "So...does the Hotel pay for this, or what?" "Thees is a subcahntdacted cohmpany..." Basically, we were confused, and it took about 4 blocks to finally get: "Eeet eees 16 dollar flat lrate." "Turn around, take us back, you didn't say that when we got in the car." This led to some drama, some talking to the door man, the front desk man, and eventually walking in the heat to the convention center where we flagged down a cab driver (who didn't understand us, but wanted to know how far we were going before deciding if we could get in). He took us to our restaurant ($14.00 with tip). And we enjoyed a fantastic Mexican dinner and two of the best margarita's I've had in a while. The cab ride back was $10.00 and took half the time. Wake up,puffy and bloated, then drive to Good Morning Arizona (see it here), Sornoran Living Live (see it here) one radio interview that turned out to have cameras lighting and took an hour. It was an interview with Clarissa Burt (Clarissa Burt Talks), who I loved and mildly lusted for, immediately, and somehow felt oddly, past life love. I must devote an entire blog to her, because, I'd have definitely not been gay for at least 24 hours had I met her in the 80's. But that is an entirely different blog. After our hour of fun it was on to the airport for the 12:20 flight. Good Morning Arizona Sonoran Living Live Ready to go home? Not quite. Our Northwest flight ran into problems, came back to the gate, and, you guessed it, was detained for several hours. Fortunately we managed to get on the next flight (I have people now) and we ended up in Minneapolis at 7:46 p.m. Home. That word. We were all "Minnesota Smiles" when, we ran across an airport advertisement with my Mother, her only time, I think, in a canoe. Joann Hopkins, my mother "acting" like she can paddle a canoe

Books, and books, and more about books. That is what you see at the Book Expo America that was held at the Los Angeles Convention center. I did three signings for my book and spent the rest of the time perusing the world of books. Signing Books at Book Expo America What made my trip was the camaraderie and "getting to know" my publishing team at HCI books. And get to know them I did. But out of professional courtesy, I'll leave the details out of public record. Let's just say book people know how to party. So do beauty people. Combine that and, well, it's a fun time. Carol Rosenberg and Michelle Mastrisciani, my editors But not only that, there was the official "celebrity sightings" that were like little sprinkles to the icing on the cake. I'm also not a "celebrity" person. Unless, that is, it is a REAL movie celebrity. And to me, that means you had to have made your movie in somewhere near the Golden Age of Hollywood. You can have all the Brad Pitts, and Jennifer Annistons, the Tom and Katies, the Brittney's and the Tori's of the world. Give me Elizabeth Taylor, Doris Day, Esther Williams and Debbie Reynolds. I know, gay, but true. And if you're going to give me an icon, give me Tippi Hedren. You know, "The Birds?" But that's not all she's know for, she is STILL working it at 78 and looking, well, breathtakingly beautiful. So you can imagine my moment of, "WHAT?" when I found myself looking into the beautiful wide eyes of Tippi. We talked about animals "I live with the animals", books "could you sign one for my daughter," and Minneapolis "I am from Minneapolis, I grew up there." I could just have stayed right there in the presence of loveliness. On the flip side, I ran into Jamie Lee Curtis. If it were Tony Curtis or Janet Leigh, well, I'd have stopped in my tracks. But it was Jamie, right in front of me, on the phone, and I thought, "We both celebrate mature beauty,I have to give her a book." So I showed her the cover. She was interrupted, trying to be pleasant, but not really. "I am the antithesis of that book," she said aloofly but with decision, "I believe we are fine exactly how we are and don't need to make a comeback." Not one to make a snap judgment I see, and maybe, dare I say, slightly bitchy? But, I loved it. Why? I don't know. I think there's a book "Why Men Love Bitches," and, well, you have to like and respect a confident woman -- even if she's totally off about the sum of your life's work and willing to dash it with a passing blow. And I wanted to say, but held back (imagine) "Is that why you have a fabulous haircut great clothes worn to flatter, and a MGM face full of make up?" I know what she meant, though. She assumes I am one of those. That guy that tries to make women feel insecure by telling them they need botox and have to wear fabulous heels and spend a fortune on their hair and wardrobe. She was wrong. So I made sure she got a book. Besides, she could use a little comeback. There was William Shatner, Lindsey Wagner, Ernest Borgnine, Leonard Nimoy, and even, Henry Winkler. As Henry signed a book for Robert, I watched women my age giddy to see "The Fonz." But I felt nothing. It wasn't Henry Fonda or Rock Hudson. It wasn't Sean Connery, Gregory Peck or, my favorite, Cary Grant. But then I realized that one sized celebrity does not fit all. When Robert was in the presence of Alison Arngrim (Little House on the Prairie's Nellie Olson) being 100 percent Finnish was so surprised he almost reacted. In fact, he quickly hung up the phone and started to gush. We ended up spending much of the evening listening to what can only be described as a woman who can't stop, save to sip her chocolate martini. I could do an entire blog about the woman who has a one-woman show called "Confessions of a Prairie Bitch" but it wouldn't do her justice. You have to experience her to appreciate her. She's full on entertainment and information that would put a Fox News/E Hollywood Entertainment combo to shame. Christopher, Alison Arngrim aka. Nellie Oleson, Robert Lindquist I am officially an author and now, I am officially an author who has "done" the BEA. As "our driver" (see I can't even say it without quotes) drove us from Los Angeles to San Diego, Robert and I floated in our Vicodin haze. Prescribed for my shoulder, but handy for a hangover, as we traveled I thought how fortunate I am to have met such interesting people all working hard to take things to the next level. I am thrilled to get to THIS level, so anything beyond this will be heaven, well, heavener.