Life, Change and Divorce By Jacqueline Sebiane

Each person’s individual life is so interesting and poetic as events unfold in their natural order.  I literally just wrote an email to Giada De Laurentiis the other day to inform her that Tony Munafo, a good friend and business associate of her aunt Raffaella (“Raffi”) De Laurentiis, had just passed away.  When I worked for attorney Jake Bloom on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills a small percentage of my workload was administering legal affairs for Arnold Schwarzenneger with his nephew Patrick Knapp.  The majority of my work was administering legal affairs for Sylvester Stallone.  I got to travel to Italy at the time for the filming of a movie starring Sylvester Stallone at Cinecitta Movie Studio.   Giada’s aunt Raffi was the executive producer of the film and I remember laughing and hanging out with her on the set like it was just yesterday.  Little did I know when I was emailing Giada that she was experiencing her own serious life event.  It is only today that I learned that Giada is getting a divorce from her husband of eleven years Todd Thompson.

Giada is the host of her own show Giada At Home on the Food Network.  She is a major Food Network star. Viewers of the show all over the globe have been captivated by how adorable she is and her seemingly perfect life as she cooks for her family and friends at her beach front home in Malibu, California. 

Don’t we all want the storybook life?  Don’t we all want to believe in the fantasy?  The reality is that change is inevitable.  Marriages fail because love, if it really existed in the first place, changes.  And people change.  Some people are willing to accept that while others throw in the towel on the quest for self discovery.  As you travel through the journey of life, be accepting of where your life is each day and savor the beautiful moments for they will not last.  Life is fleeting.  Appreciate each day for with every tomorrow will come change.

Ownership Statement: The written content of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane which is deemed and construed to be original is the sole and exclusive property of the author, Jacqueline Sebiane.  All right, title and interest in and to the intellectual property rights of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane shall vest solely in the author.  Any unauthorized use or duplication of the written content of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane, or any portion thereof, is expressly prohibited.  

Disappointment By Jacqueline Sebiane

Have you ever been disappointed by a person, a situation or an experience? I am sure the answer is an overwhelming yes.  Sometimes things don’t turn out the way you want or expect them to.  Sometimes someone you like, love, trust or respect does something unsavory that forever changes your life or the way you feel about them.  Recently my friend of many years BMW Race Car Driver Bill Auberlen revealed an ugly side of himself to me that immediately changed the way I feel about him so much so that it caused me to end my relationship with him.  Sometimes your family or home life is a source of great pain rather than your safe haven.  Or sometimes you work really hard for something only to be knocked down in a moment by a person or event that causes you to regress rather than progress.  Don’t let disappointment cripple you or make you bitter.  Rest in the peace that everything happens just the way it is supposed to for your own evolution. Disappointment evokes thought and emotions that are often the catalyst for a change that redirects the course of your life.  It’s up to you to be rooted in awareness so you can recognize the messages that come out of life’s disappointments so you can make the right decisions for a full and meaningful life.  

Ownership Statement: The written content of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane which is deemed and construed to be original is the sole and exclusive property of the author, Jacqueline Sebiane.  All right, title and interest in and to the intellectual property rights of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane shall vest solely in the author.  Any unauthorized use or duplication of the written content of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane, or any portion thereof, is expressly prohibited.  

Your Dreams By Jacqueline Sebiane

So many people have become spectators of other people’s lives rather than being active participants in their own lives. Paying attention to every detail of celebrities’ lives has become a national past-time. People are hypnotically watching reality TV attentively observing others activities and interactions rather than being present in their own lives. Everybody is obsessed with their cell phones talking about everything/ nothing day and night and robotically sending/receiving text messages. Online dating and hook-ups  are the in thing nowadays rather than people experiencing the excitement of meeting someone new randomly while they are out living their life. And an inordinate amount of time is spent on other people’s Twitter, Instagram and/or Facebook accounts checking people out and posting comments.  Does anyone really have 500 plus friends just because they accept a Friend Request on Facebook?  I can barely keep up with a handful of people. How ridiculous. It’s important to have fun, watch mindless TV shows and do leisurely things sometimes just to take a mental break from the reality of your life but all of that is only healthy if it is done in moderation. 

Have you wasted precious minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years of your life obsessing with social media, the Internet, TV, your cell phone and leisurely activity without working on your goals and developing your live interpersonal relationships?  Have you abandoned your dreams and stagnated in your career? Or worse yet, maybe you never took the time to pursue a career.  If the answer is yes, then this quote is for you.  It is one of my favorite quotes and it is powerful and thought-provoking.

You are what your deep driving desire is.

As your desire is, so is your will.

As your will is, so is your deed.

As your deed is, so is your destiny.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV      

Ownership Statement: The written content of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane which is deemed and construed to be original is the sole and exclusive property of the author, Jacqueline Sebiane.  All right, title and interest in and to the intellectual property rights of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane shall vest solely in the author.  Any unauthorized use or duplication of the written content of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane, or any portion thereof, is expressly prohibited.  

Pac-12 South 2014: UCLA Takes 3rd Straight Win Over USC 38 To 20

11/22/2014: Done and done.  Bragging rights!

UCLA vs. USC 2014

The game that divides Southern California... UCLA vs. USC brought to you by SoCal BMW dealers.  

Jacqueline Sebiane Loves "A Sky Full of Stars" by Coldplay

I am passionate about music. I use to work at Sony Music where I became friends with Randy Jackson of American Idol while I was working in famed music producer Rick Rubin's office. I worked in A&R at EMI Music Publishing on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.  I helped produce a Rock and Roll special for documentary filmmaker Andrew Solt and even got a screen credit on VH1. And I used to work for an attorney who represented KISS and Motley Crue. That's how I met Gene Simmons and became involved with Tommy Lee. And I had an intense relationship with music producer Scott Humphrey famous for working with Rob Zombie. Scott is Tommy Lee's best friend. And Tommy was the matchmaker for me and Scott.  Why did I listen to Tommy. : ) 

Anyway, I am such an emotional person and music is my heart. This song by Coldplay is beautiful.  Sometimes you have a relationship with someone and it doesn’t work out for some reason or another.  Yet somehow the memory of that person still evokes strong emotions within you and leaves you with an inexplicable curiosity of what could have been. Or sometimes there is a certain someone who makes your heart beat a little faster than normal. Someone amazing that you can't get off your mind but who you've never told how you feel. This song is all of that. 

A Word From Jacqueline Sebiane

This posting is directed to my global audience.  Thank you for taking time out of your life to visit my blog.  I am humbled by the fact that so many people from all around the world have taken an interest in me, my life experiences and the subject matter I have chosen to write about from my perspective.  If you are a repeat visitor here, you must have noticed that I have slowly started deleting postings and changing the direction of my blog.  I created this site in February of 2011 after a Redondo Beach firefighter did something outrageous to me and the Fire Chief and Mayor of Redondo Beach tried to cover it up.  I started blogging about it.  Then something incredible happened.  All of the feelings I had suppressed for so long about my life experiences, especially my dating life and life in Hollywood, surfaced and I just started writing much like a songwriter.  My experience with that Redondo Beach firefighter became the impetus for this blog, then entitled DIRTY Secrets, that became popular all around the world.  My blog was so popular that even my postings about Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kim Kardashian, who are heavily Google searched, became #1 for a long time in the Google search engine.    

My blog has been viewed in the following countries: The U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia, South Africa, Ireland, Italy, Austria, Germany, France, Guadeloupe, Portugal, Greece, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Turkey, Poland, Norway, Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Azerbaijan, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Benin, Jamaica, Indonesia, Malaysia, French Polynesia, Fiji, Aruba, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Myanmar (Burma), Afghanistan, Botswana, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Namibia, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Morocco, Madagascar, Montenegro, Trinidad and Tobago, U.S. Virgin Islands, Egypt, Israel, Macedonia, Mauritius, Armenia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Andorra, Angola, Bahrain, Belarus, Yemen, Qatar, Tunisia, Brunei, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Malawi and Martinique.  That is really incredible.

I obviously struck a chord with a lot of people.  And with that size of audience comes a huge responsibility not to hurt people nor to say anything that can have a negative impact on any individual or group.  It was always my intention to use my experiences and words of wisdom to help others. To have the attention of so many people all around the world is, to me, a privilege and I will use that privilege to elicit emotion, provoke thought and effect change.

The holidays are coming.  It’s time to slow down, reflect and celebrate life. While you are enjoying your blessings, please humble yourself and give a gift to someone in need.  A gift can be food, money, an article of clothing, a gesture of kindness (i.e., a hug, a kiss, a smile), forgiveness or simply a word of encouragement to someone experiencing physical or emotional pain.  

Ownership Statement: The written content of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane which is deemed and construed to be original is the sole and exclusive property of the author, Jacqueline Sebiane.  All right, title and interest in and to the intellectual property rights of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane shall vest solely in the author.  Any unauthorized use or duplication of the written content of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane, or any portion thereof, is expressly prohibited.  

September 11, 2001: A Day I Will Never Forget

Today is September 11, 2014; the 13^th anniversary of 9/11.  It is a day I will never forget.  It is a day when fear and uncertainty took over the nation and the world. It is a day when all of our lives changed forever. That fateful day overwhelmingly proved that evil and hatred exists in the world.  How could anyone purposefully unleash death and destruction of such magnitude on innocent people?  Why?  What is so incredible about that day is that God placed two French filmmakers (Jules Naudet and Gedeon Naudet) there to record history on film. These two men were in NY to film a documentary on the firemen of Engine 7, Ladder 1 in lower Manhattan, NY. What these two brothers didn't know is that God was using them as a vehicle to capture the images and details of this indescribable act of terrorism in real time. What were you doing on September 11, 2001 when you first found out that terrorists had attacked America?  I remember it like it was yesterday.  I was working in the movie industry at Showtime Networks at the time.  I was in bed that morning, awoke suddenly and for no explainable reason immediately turned on the TV.  The image that appeared was a giant airliner, American Airlines flight 11, crashing into the north tower of the World Trade Center in NY.  The image was so graphic; especially for someone who’d just awaken from a peaceful sleep.  I sat up in my bed as my heart sank.  I immediately contacted my parents.  My first words were “something terrible has just happened.”  There was a knot in my throat and tears in my eyes.  I could barely speak.  I didn’t know the depth of what’d happened quite yet so I showered and drove to work.  The 405 freeway was empty at peak traffic hours and anyone who knows L.A. knows that is bizarre.  I got to work in Westwood, CA and no one was there.  It was haunting.  I drove back home so scared. 

My father’s birthday is September 7^th and my parents had been in Vegas.  They had called me on September 10^th to tell me that they were staying for a few more days.  My parents and I always keep in touch as a precaution for safety reasons.  Again, for some unexplainable reason I felt that they should fly home and persuaded them to do so.  They flew home on the evening of September 10^th just before the tragedy on September 11^th.  Had I not persuaded them to fly home, they would have been stranded in Vegas at a terrifying time.  Recall that no planes were allowed to fly in the U.S. for a week after September 11, 2001.

I was living a perfect life in Los Angeles.  I was working in the movie industry, hobnobbing with movie stars, going to movie premieres, driving around in a nice BMW, going to fine restaurants and dating two good looking guys.  Yes, two!  9/11 brought my world to a screeching halt and was a pivotal moment in my life. I've never felt such deep emotions as I did on that day.  The events of 9/11 confirmed to me that life is fleeting and at any moment our lives can change or be taken away.  Terrorism, evil and hatred jeopardize everyone’s safety and security; not just that of Americans.  Go out in the world and do good deeds.  Give love and make each day count.  God bless.   

     

Ownership Statement: The written content of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane which is deemed and construed to be original is the sole and exclusive property of the author, Jacqueline Sebiane.  All right, title and interest in and to the intellectual property rights of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane shall vest solely in the author.  Any unauthorized use or duplication of the written content of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane, or any portion thereof, is expressly prohibited.  

The Good Life By Jacqueline Sebiane

Yesterday the news spread across the world that iconic actor/comedian Robin Williams passed away and today it came to light that his death was a suicide. God works in mysterious ways.  He often uses people who have achieved fame worldwide to spread profound messages.  How ironic that a legendary talent that made the world laugh was battling internal sorrow to the point that it led him to take his own life.  I believe the message is regardless of how you are feeling on the inside, take the time to laugh and be happy along the journey of your life.  Remember how actor Christopher Reeve, famous for his role as Superman, was stripped of all human strength after he became a paraplegic due to an equestrian accident.  His life's work was also used as a vehicle to send a message to the world that no man is invincible.  It is no mistake that Christopher Reeve was one of Robin Williams' best friends.

I saw Robin Williams once in person when I was working on a TV show in Hollywood called Real TV.  Comedian Keenan Ivory Wayans had his own show at the time on the studio lot, Hollywood Center Studios, and Dr. Drew Pinsky was also doing a show on the lot called Love Line. I am not sure why Robin was there I just remember I was leaving for the day and we made eye contact as I walked past him.  I tried to play it off as I’ve been in the presence of many big stars many times over but I do remember feeling that something special had just happened to me because I’d just seen Robin Williams up close and he'd said hi to me.

Don’t certain people, situations or life circumstances make us all feel down at times; especially those of us who experienced a traumatic childhood.  Pain is universal.  If you are feeling bad, do what you have to do to pick yourself back up and live a good life.

Ownership Statement: The written content of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane which is deemed and construed to be original is the sole and exclusive property of the author, Jacqueline Sebiane.  All right, title and interest in and to the intellectual property rights of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane shall vest solely in the author.  Any unauthorized use or duplication of the written content of The Blog by Jacqueline Sebiane, or any portion thereof, is expressly prohibited.  

On The Race Track With BMW Race Car Driver Bill Auberlen

My personal message to Bill Auberlen of Redondo Beach, CA.

Bill, I love this video.  It’s so amazing that I thought I’d give you the worldwide audience from my blog. What little boy or man wouldn’t want to be you for five minutes? 

BILL AUBERLEN TAKES YOU ON A LAP OF ROAD AMERICA 

IN THE NO. 55 BMW AT ROAD AMERICA

In Observance of Memorial Day 2014

United we stand, divided we fall.  All honor and respect to the valiant soldiers who gave their lives in service to our country.  God Bless America; land of the free.

In Honor of the Police by Jacqueline Sebiane

I love this…

A PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Each year, America sets aside a week to salute the men and women who do the difficult, dangerous, and often thankless work of safeguarding our communities. Our Nation's peace officers embody the very idea of citizenship -- that along with our rights come responsibilities, both to ourselves and to others. During Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week, we celebrate those who protect and serve us every minute of every day, and we honor the courageous officers who devoted themselves so fully to others that in the process they laid down their lives.

As we mourn the fallen, let us also remember how they lived. With unflinching commitment, they defended our schools and businesses. They guarded prisons; patrolled borders; and kept us safe at home, on the road, and as we went about our lives. To their families, we owe an unpayable debt. And to the men and women who carry their mission forward, we owe our unyielding support.

Our Nation has an obligation to ensure that as police officers face untold risks in the line of duty, we are doing whatever we can to protect them. This means providing all necessary resources so they can get the job done, hiring new officers where they are needed most, and investing in training to prepare those on the front lines for potentially deadly situations. It also means making reforms to curb senseless epidemics of violence that threaten law enforcement officers and haunt the neighborhoods they serve.

Just as police officers never let down their guard, we must never let slide our gratitude. We should extend our thanks not only in times of tragedy, but for every tragedy averted -- every accident avoided because a patrol officer took a drunk driver off the streets, every child made safer because a criminal was brought to justice, every life saved because police officers raced to the scene. In other words, we must show our gratitude every day.

By a joint resolution approved October 1, 1962, as amended (76 Stat. 676), and by Public Law 103-322, as amended (36 U.S.C. 136-137), the President has been authorized and requested to designate May 15 of each year as "Peace Officers Memorial Day" and the week in which it falls as "Police Week."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 15, 2014, as Peace Officers Memorial Day and May 11 through May 17, 2014, as Police Week. I call upon all Americans to observe these events with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I also call on Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of the other territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day. I further encourage all Americans to display the flag at half-staff from their homes and businesses on that day.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.

BARACK OBAMA

* Source of official information in this blog posting is The White House, Office of the Press Secretary.

LAPD Officer Nicholas Lee: End Of Watch March 7, 2014

Today LAPD Officer Nicholas Lee of the LAPD's Hollywood Division was killed in the line of duty.  My heart aches every time I learn of a police officer being killed while protecting and/or serving the community.  In my posting of September 30, 2011 entitled Police and Fire Service Real Life Dangers I state the following: "Please be supportive of policemen and firemen; and the brave women in these professions.  They risk a lot everyday for very little in return.  They are the ones we turn to and rely on for help when an emergency situation presents itself."  

Here is the official LAPD News Release:

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Beverly Hills:  Today, an LAPD officer was killed during a traffic collision in the City of Beverly Hills. The accident also injured a second Los Angeles Police Officer.

Around 8 a.m. this morning, Hollywood Division Officer, Nicholas Lee and his partner were responding to an “unknown trouble” radio call in the City of Los Angeles when a large truck lost control and collided with their patrol car at Robert Lane and Loma Vista Drive in the city of Beverly Hills. 

Los Angeles Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and pronounced Officer Lee dead at scene and transported his partner to a local hospital.  The driver of the large truck was also taken to a hospital in critical condition.  Officer Lee’s partner officer and the truck driver are expected to survive their injuries.

Officer Lee leaves behind a wife and two young daughters.  Officers Lee was a 16 year veteran of the Department.  His past assignments include: Van Nuys Area, Wilshire Area and Hollywood Area and has received over 70 commendations.  Most recently Officer Lee was involved in sending a live birthday card video to a 7-year-old boy suffering from Leukemia.  This card can be view at http://youtu.be/0NlwHq5lKqY and https://vimeo.com/88196960 

“Every day police officers put their lives on the line to uphold the law and keep our communities safe.  That is the harsh reality of police work and today that reality took its awful toll, the life of one of our best, Police Officer III Nick Lee.  Nick was a great cop.  His hard work, dedication and leadership helped mold young police officers into law enforcement professionals.  Nick's death is a great loss to our police family, all of law enforcement and the residents of Los Angeles.  I send my most sincere thoughts and prayers to his wife, two daughters, the entire Lee family and Nick’s surviving partner officer.  We will all get through this together and honor Nick’s memory.” 

Chief of Police Charlie Beck

*Source of official information in this posting is the Los Angeles Police Department.