There was no way to know a little boy's wish to be a police officer would transform millions of lives.
BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: It started with one little boy's wish, and 41 years later, more than 500,000 wishes have been granted by The Make-A-Wish Foundation, and so many of our lives have been touched, so we hope you join us in celebration of World Wish Day.
Although The Make-A-Wish Foundation is now in nearly 50 countries across five continents, Red doesn't remember hearing about them before returning to live in the States and moving to Houston, where she soon became aware of Black's involvement. And it quickly spread through the family as Red's daughter Natasha, and later Sawyer, grew up not only admiring their aunt's commitment to helping grant life-changing wishes for critically ill children, but were inspired to do what they could. Red has fond memories of many lemonade stands over the years where her daughters used all their charm and persuasion to raise money for the local chapter of The Make-A-Wish Foundation.
While Red wasn't surprised that Black found innovative ways to raise money (such as using the roof of her Ferrari Challenge race car as a "sponsorship" opportunity and requesting donations in lieu of wedding gifts), she had no idea just how involved Black was in her local chapter. But over time, she became aware that for Black, The Make-A-Wish Foundation was more than a Board position or charitable contribution, it's a passion and a part of her daily life.
Of course, Red was curious as to how Black planned to celebrate World Wish Day (April 29), and after Black replied, "With JJ Watt," she invited Red to the Texas Gulf Coast & Louisiana chapter's digital celebration,
How does granting 24 wishes in 24 hours sound? And, to make it even more exciting, wish granter and football great, JJ Watt will be featured in a 24-minute event celebrating 24 wish kids. This year's theme is "Don't Wait for Hope. Create It." and all it takes to participate is a click of the finger to register.
World Wish Day celebrates the anniversary of the first wish that inspired the founding of The Make-A-Wish Foundation, but every day is the perfect day to help to bring hope and joy to not only a wish kid but their families.
Red started to write warm and fuzzy Christmas and holiday greetings, but Black said some things are worth repeating … like our simple Christmas post from 2023 (check out the movie clip) …
No matter what holiday you may celebrate, Red can’t help but quote a line from one of her favorite Christmas songs, “Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Let your heart be light. From now on, your troubles will be out of sight.”
And Black can’t help but point out that the song wasn’t introduced in a Christmas movie but in the movie "Meet Me In St. Louis."
Wishing you a merry everything and a happy always!
Sadie Hawkins Day … some may find it sexist. Some may find it inspirational. Others just nostalgic. Our take on it hasn’t changed since we first issued this post. But if you asked Black for a car analogy (she always has one), she’d tell you it’s about taking the wheel and leading the way …
Comic strip or reality show: A group of bachelors participates in a foot race, and whoever's caught by the single woman in the race will become her husband.
BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: We may be sisters, but except for growing up with the same parents in the same house in New York, that may be where the similarities end; especially in terms of dating "protocol" as Black never thought twice about asking boys (and later men) out on a date, while Red never gave it any thought, accepting the convention that boys did the asking. (She did make an exception for her senior prom but was shocked when he accepted.)
When it comes to Sadie Hawkins Day, we both agree it's a quirky holiday that makes it "acceptable" for girls to ask out boys, but of course, we have very different perspectives. For Red, it conjures up images of Sadie Hawkins Day dances, although she never went to one and doesn't even remember how she knows about them. While Black's fascinated by how it all began with the cartoonist Al Capp and his popular "Lil' Abner" comic strip and quickly became a pop culture phenomenon.
Now, over 80 years later, if you were to analyze Sadie Hawkins Day, you would probably find it outdated and sexist. But why not just laugh at its silly beginnings and enjoy the day. The funny thing is Red still thinks men should ask out women, while Black always believed that every day's Sadie Hawkins Day.“A Dictator & His Mistress” might have been a catchier title, but that doesn’t change the fact that the combination of history and food makes this one of Red’s favorite Banter Bites. While Black loves the leadership lessons (from a dictator?!). Curious? If so, read on …
Quick! If someone says "Julius Caesar," what comes to mind?
BANTER BITE BACKSTORY: Almost everyone has heard of Julius Caesar, but how many of us really know much about him, or at least that's what Red starts to wonder when she receives the usual flippant, but still accurate, reply from her sister, after feeling very proud that she knew that July was named after the famous Roman.
Which is what got Red to realize, much to her surprise (shock, if truth be told), that even as a straight-A student with a love of history, that when it came to Julius Caesar, a famous historical figure and possibly one of the greatest generals and statesmen of all time, she couldn't tell you dates or battles or anything "historical" associated with him.
Even as a theater major in college, she never read Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar," although she knew just enough about the play to know that it was where the fortune teller warned Caesar to "Beware the Ides of March." Instead, her knowledge of Caesar came from her love of movies.
My first, and probably my most enduring, memory is of a brilliant general who not only commanded armies as he conquered lands far from home but was a great statesman who was also involved with one of the world's most beautiful women. And while he was Julius Caesar and the woman was Cleopatra, to me, they'll always be Rex Harrison and Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra, a movie almost as controversial as the general himself.
And Black? Besides knowing that Caesar Salad was invented by a different Caesar, she appreciates Julius Caesar's leadership skills and way with words,
There is much we can learn about leadership from Julius Caesar, whether on the battlefield, in politics, or in business (start small, take risks, communicate well), including what ultimately led to his death (always consider worst-case scenarios, never get complacent or arrogant). Many of his quotes speak (pun intended) to his powerful way with words, and the ability to not only deliver a message but to inspire (and story tell), with my favorite being, "I came, I saw, I conquered."