Girl Talk by Gigi Garner
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Girls Talking

The Secret Dish
Sunday Driver
The Memory Game
Do The Math
Little Lessons Lucies learner Through Life
What I Know Now




The Secret Dish
When my three boys were little, they hated vegetables, like most children. I had a very difficult time trying to get them to eat anything healthy. One night, when the twins were about three and our oldest son was about six, we all sat down for dinner and I placed one of those covered metal Chinese compote serving dishes in between my husband and myself. Well, the boys’ eyes grew as big as saucers, and they all asked,”What’s in there?” I replied, “Oh, that’s adult food, and you can’t have any until you are older.” They cried, “We want some!” Suddenly it hit me like a ton of bricks. Child Psychology 101. They were putty in my hands! I didn’t give them any food from the dish that night, but their curiosity about the covered secret dish, and what was in it, ran rampant! Finally, I let them try something (a vegetable) from the dish. They loved it and wanted more! So gradually, I would put more and different healthy foods in the secret dish until I could get them to eat virtually anything out of it! It worked like a charm! I recommend this to all new mothers.
Mary Oberstadt
Office Manager




Sunday Driver
Being an attorney, I unfortunately spend most of my days in heels, pantyhose, and a skirt. And of course it never fails, when I am late for court or for an appointment with a client, it seems my car is always on empty. As a natural born procrastinator, I developed a very bad habit of allowing the gas gauge to get too low and then finding myself in a tight spot—“gasless” and late! I’ve always hated going to the gas station for some reason, and especially hated going there dressed up for court, for fear that I may snag my pantyhose or spill gas on my suit. Drastic changes needed to be made! I came up with this idea to only go to the gas station and fill up my car on Sunday, when I was dressed casually. Now I am prepared with a full tank of gas for the entire week, and since my Sunday gas ritual began, I have never been caught without gas.

I’m single and have to fend for myself. My secretary, on the other hand, has done me one better: She has her husband take her car to the gas station every Saturday on his way to play softball with the boys. She always has a full tank of gas and never has to touch a gas pump.
Cindy Burnes
Attorney




The Memory Game
Like most young children, my stepsons (in my stepparenting days) had a short memory span at times and sometimes had to be told things over and over again to really digest and comprehend what I was asking them to do. For the most part they were pretty good about remembering the first or second thing you asked them to do, but when you added a few more things in sequence, they had trouble sometimes. So, I made up a game to help improve their memories. (In reality, I was preparing them in case of an emergency and they needed to go get help.) Any time you make learning into a game, they are hooked! I made up little scenarios they had to repeat like, “I want you to run to the river, swim across, run to the third yellow house, ring the doorbell, and ask for help.” Of course, the more we played, the sillier the sentences became! Now they go something like, “I need you to walk a tightrope with army boots on, then sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the president, then I want you to paint your face red with green stripes and dance the cha-cha under the ocean.” They loved this game and begged to play it all the time!
Gigi Garner
Writer




Do The Math
When my daughter Melissa was in her terrible teens, my husband and I decided to give her a little lesson in freedom and some learned responsibility. We did not give her an official curfew like the rest of her friends.

The only stipulation was that she had to be home eight hours before she had to leave the house again. So, if she had a game the next day, she would have to figure out how long it took to get to and from where she was going and count back eight hours. It gave her a false sense of having no formal time to be home, but she really did. It worked beautifully. No rebellion here!
Joan Rivers
Mom




Little Lessons Lucie's Learned Through Life
  • Read the whole contract
  • Never get Patty nails
  • A vinegar rinse makes your hair shine
  • Don’t cut your cuticles
  • Hug your kids
  • Hand-write letters
  • There are no stupid questions
  • Tap dance
  • Wear a hat when you garden
  • Don’t litter
  • Count your blessings
  • A lemon in brown sugar keeps it soft
  • Only buy the groceries on your list
  • Don’t let someone else raise your children
  • You can polish silverware and jewelry with ordinary toothpaste
  • Learn to appreciate the flowers on weeds
  • When you don’t know what to do...don’t do anything
  • Be good to yourself
  • Take a walk
  • Hug your kids
Lucie Arnaz
Mother and Actress




What I Know Now
Career advice I’d like to share!
  • Think like a winner.
  • Work harder to be noticed.
  • Always do more for your company than you are paid to do.
  • Price yourself and talent with pride. Women have underestimated their talent for too long.
  • Always make your boss look good.
  • Education is less expensive than ignorance.
  • Some essentials for success are sincerity, wisdom, humility, enthusiasm, courtesy, personal integrity, loyalty, and my favorite, charity.
  • Be a mentor and spread your talent to the next generation.
  • Energy breeds energy! The more you do, the more you can do.
  • Don’t take the word “No” personally. Rejection can be a golden opportunity.
  • Your customer may not need your product this Monday, but he may need it a month from Monday. Never burn a bridge!
Paulette Whitworth
Bank Executive Vice President, Retired



$15.95 U.S. / Paperback / Nonfiction
ISBN: 978-1-58985-052-1
www.GirlTalkBook.com
Published by Five Star Publications
P.O. Box 6698, Chandler AZ 85246-6698


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