16 Minutes with First Lady Michelle Obama! Part 4 – Final
MEETING #4 – 7 minutes 30 seconds
Alice and I were fortunate to ride from the Hillside community center event in the First Lady’s motorcade to the United States Olympic Committee’s Training Center.
Now, we were NOT in the First Lady’s car, we rode with Senator Michael Bennet another honor in itself.
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/first-lady-part-04-02.jpg” size=”33″ caption=”Mrs. Obama and I speak about a business issue.”]I had not been in a fast moving motorcade since I represented the United States as track and field athlete in the CISM Games in Rome.
The motorcycles leap frog each other to stop traffic and clear the intersections. It is a sight to see as well as awesome to be in.
Once at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) the special guest lined up in a receiving line to take photos with the First Lady. Since I was emceeing the program I was asked to line up with Alice at the front to get our 2nd photo with her.
I was able to speak to her about a few business issues at this point and we chatted for about 2 minutes.
I then went to find a quiet place to review my notes for the opening ceremonies of the 3rd Annual Warrior Games Presented by @Deloitte.
As emcee I had the distinct honor of welcoming all the distinguished athletes from the Army, Marines, Navy, Coastguard, Air Force, Special Operations Command, and the British Military as well as three of four notable guests we had on stage. Mr. Scott Blackmun, CEO of the United States Olympic Committee, Mr. Robin Lineberger, CEO Federal Government Services Deloitte, General Martin E. Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs; and of course First Lady Michelle Obama. General Dempsey had the honor of introducing the First Lady.
As I introduced the others on the program to speak I would take the seat of that speaker. I eventually found myself seated next to the First Lady.
She was fanning herself on the stage like she was in an old southern church. It was hot out there. Most people thought she was fanning the smoke out of her face from the lighted torch flame sitting a top one of the mangled beams from the World Trade Center that had not been extinguished, but in reality she was fanning a small bee that had infiltrated the Secret Services perimeter and no fly zone.
When the torch relay began down Olympic path she quickly moved to her cued space to great each of the athletes.
When she came back on stage I remembered what one of her aids had told me. He said, “there are two water bottles under the podium. The one of the far left is FLOTUS’.”
I leaned over to her and said, “First Lady, now they (your staff) told me that the bottle of water on the far left is yours. Don’t try to get it twisted and drink from mine which is right next to it.”
She laughed, “Thanks, good looking out!” she said.
After her remarks, which concluded to the warrior athletes with, “Now, really, I know you’re here to compete but you all be careful out there,” I heard General Dempsey say as I was walking back to up to the podium and passing Mrs. Obama as she was taking her seat, “that last comment had the mother instinct come out of you.”
I took those words and began my closing with them, “First Lady had the mother come out of her with those last words! I began, “Now you all be careful out there!” I gestured point my finger to the crowd. They loved it. The laughter from the Warriors filled the Olympic / Paralympic pathway. But I dared not look back at the First Lady because she might have been pointing her finger at me. Someone later told me later that she was smiling too. Whew! I had just survived a “dig” on FLOTUS!
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/first-lady-part-04-03.jpg” size=”50″ align=”right”]But her words reminded me of how important family is to the healing process of people who are going through change. Families are concerned with the total recovery of their War fighter and they are concerned.
I related a story to the audience about how my wife Alice really stopped my negativity about my own injury and how she really moved my needle in a new direction.
After the First Lady heard those comments and at the conclusion of the ceremony she made a bee line to Alice to thank her for her service and sacrifice. Now, that’s just cool!
So, there you have it. As I stated from the beginning we have a First Lady who is classy, genuine, respectful, intelligent, and who cares her heart.
As I continue to use the words of sports caster Stuart Scott, “Mrs. Obama is cool like the other side of the pillow!”
That is our First Lady of the United States – Michelle Obama.
Thanks for reading!
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/first-lady-part-04-04.jpg” size=”100″ align=”center” caption=”John beams as he escorts FLOTUS off the stage!”]
16 Minutes with First Lady Michelle Obama Part 2
MEETING #2 – 30 seconds
The next night was the State Dinner. I was so excited to attend. I really did not know what to expect. I just heard from all sorts of people that this was the hottest ticket in DC.
I picked up Alice from the Airport and then back to the hotel where we got gussied up.
Both April Holmes and the First Lady were right.
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/first-lady-part-02-02.jpg” size=”33″ caption=”John and Alice on the Truman Balcony.”]Alice looked stunning in the dress she selected. I dressed up in my contemporary tux and put on the new tux shoes I purchased earlier that day.
The reason I mentioned the shoes because they were really slippery and with my artificial limb I had a phobia that I would be in the receiving line and be just about shake the Presidents hand and my foot was slide out from under me on one of those nice expensive rugs.
Can anyone say LifeAlert! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!
We jumped in a cab and headed over the 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. The street was jammed packed with cars! We jumped out of the cab about two blocks from the East Side entrance. As we walked down the street a young couple asked us what was going on. And like little kids we said that there was a State Dinner in honor of the British Prime Minister and we were actually invited!
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/first-lady-part-02-03.jpg” size=”33″ align=”right” caption=”Idris Elba stops in the East Wing in the White House for a photo with Alice.”]Alice and I went through the first level of security and guess what? (What John?) Our names were not on the list. So, we were stopped by White House security with about 9 other guest in a waiting area all of those guest assured us that it would only be a few minutes. We stayed in the penalty box for about 20 minutes and then were cleared to enter the East Wing of the White House. At least we were not the last ones in the penalty box.
Upon entering the East Wing we stepped up to get our name tint for our table and to announce our entry to the press corps. But low and behold our names were not there either! So, we were asked to wait again.
The sweat was beginning to roll down the small of my back because I thought this was going in the direction of ala (Tareq and Michele Salahi).
I’m thinking of a line from Eddie Murphy’s Beverly Hills Cop when the LA Police officer state, “We’re not going to fall for the banana in the tail pipe again.”
To make a long story short. We were not even on the this list either! The social secretary thought that we had regretted the invitation. Come to find out there was another John Register who had been to the White House who received my printed invite. You see, I had accepted the email invite and four days later this other
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/first-lady-part-02-04.jpg” size=”33″ caption=”Alice meets President Barack H. Obama.”]John Register regretted the printed invitation. I would have loved to see what would have happened if we both had shown up!
I would have been like Slim Shady!
‘Cause I’m JReg, yes I’m the real Reg
All you other JReggies are just limp veggies
So won’t the real John Register please stand up, please stand up, please stand up?
Taken of course with liberties from Eminens’ “Slim Shady” Rap.
Meanwhile, while we are waiting for it to get all sorted out up walks Idris Elba (Movie Star) and Alice begins to flip out because she wants a photo. Mr. Elba is looking at us like I think you all might be the Salahi’s and I really don’t want to come over to your holding pen. But he was gracious enough and obliged my wife the photo.
The social secretary finally sorted it all out and we were able to get in.
In the receiving line I let Alice go first. She shook the hand of President Obama who told her that she looked wonderful and beautiful.
I looked at the floor to see what type of carpet I was about to step on.
I then shook the hand of the President. And he greeted me with that classic smile of his. We exchange some quick pleasantries.
I then saw caught the First Ladies eye who looked at me and must have put two and two together that the lady in front of me was my wife and she remembered our conversation from the previous day and in a down to earth voice told Alice, “Girl, I heard about the issues you were having with finding your dress. But you look lovely!”
Now that is just too cool. Of all the people the First Lady meets, for her to remember a detail like that is just remarkable. Again, down to earth and genuine… (cool, like the other side of the pillow) – aka @Stuart Scott
The Non-Marginalized Father
“By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong.” – Charles Wadsworth
My Dad, Rev Donald B. Register, is one of those men who parallel a vocal, reasonable and silent leader. I am very fortunate to have grown up with a man who was part of the cloth but at all times a father to his children. He parented three boys to the best of his abilities. Though work was often pressing he made sure to catch the Lake Street El from downtown Chicago to make our baseball, football, or track practices in Oak Park, IL. I know it was tough for him to always make it, but It was always a great surprise and a confidence boost to see him peering over the fence or sitting in the stands as I went through practice drills with whatever team I happened to be on at the time.
When I was playing cello with the high school orchestra or singing in the choir my Dad was always a fixture in the audience supporting my aspirations.
I now follow his example with my own family. When my son John Jr. had practice for basketball or soccer, I ensured that to the best of my ability I was there for both the practices and the games. I have elevated that with my daughter Ashley to be an assistant coach on her team. Not a parent to interfere but always to offer encouragement to a young person maturing into her own adolescence. I even enjoyed watching my son Ron play sports the short amount of time he spent in our household.
The older I get the more I understand many of the pressures my Dad must have felt trying to balance work and family. And, I can attest, it is not an easy thing to do.
There is a grave responsibility on fathers who raise their children, but it appears that I find fewer fathers out there who are like my dad and more who disengage with their families. When I sit in the stands I don’t see Mom’s or Dads at Basketball practices, or volleyball scrimmages. I often find myself taking several players home from practice and dropping them off.
I look at caricatures of Homer Simpson or Al Bundy and I see more and more fathers playing the buffoon and the object of ridicule and less of the supportive, nurturing, loving steadfast parent in the home that I was accustomed too.
I know it just wasn’t me because where I grew up I saw other Dads out there supporting their sons and daughters.
Albert Mohler wrote a piece entitled, [1]“Watch out for the Myths about Fatherhood” in 2009. In it he talks about some of the myths that need to be busted such as the, Mr. Mom surge, 50-50 between work and family life, divorce impacts on children, and dispensable dads. I won’t go into any of these in this blog, but if you want to read the article by Mr. Mohler please hit the footnote link at end this blog.
I will rather spend the rest of this article talking about an interview I had with one single Dad who really makes it work for his children.
So, often our society praises single moms getting it done but we do not hear about the super single Dads who knock it out of the park on a day to day basis.
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/robert-caruso.jpg” size=”100″ align=”center”]Let me introduce you to inspirer Robert M. Caruso who goes by the handle @Fondalo on Twitter. Robert is a social media guru and can also be followed on his website www.bundlepost.com.
I caught up with this busy man while I was outside of the Fort Carson Post Exchange. No, he was not there he was in his home state of Oregon getting ready to pick up his daughter and he had a few minutes to chat by phone about how he holds it down as a single Dad.
Mr. Caruso has a 3 year old son who he sees 30% of the time due to Oregon state school laws and a 13 year old daughter who he sees 50% of the time.
I asked him a series of questions and voraciously wrote down his responses. I am paraphrasing.
Me: One myth is that Fathers are more concerned with work than they are their families. With your busy schedule and always being “plugged in” on social media how do you make time for the kids?
Robert: “What you prioritize is where you spend your time. I find myself telling other people this in my business but I have to practice in myself. Most of the job I do keeps me plugged in about 80% of the time, but that time can really be in any physical location. So, I can play with my son on the floor and then get up for a quick answer to a question.”
Me: What are your greatest challenges as a Dad?
Robert: “My 3 year old son needs a lot of attention, more so than my 13 year old daughter who is really self-sufficient. Really, she is very helpful. But my son needs to know I am there for him at this stage.”
Me: 13 year old daughter and self-sufficient don’t seem to go together in the same sentence can you elaborate?
Robert: “I was sitting with her doing homework when she was 6 or 7 and we noticed some teens sitting nearby causing a bit of a commotion. She looked up at me and said, “Dad, why are teens so stupid.” I just said that hormones take over. I have never had a problem out of her. I think that what you invest in your children is what you get out. Kids need love and discipline.”
Me: Do you have any advice for other single Dads out there?
Robert: “My advice is really directed at all Dads whether they are single or not. Men are being marginalized. Society looks at men as idiots or the butt of jokes. You can look on sitcoms. We are played as out of touch or the comic relief.
The impact is that we are diminished in the eyesight of our children and we accept it by walking away and not raising our own kids. My advice to fathers is that we must be involved with our kids. We have to show them that we want to be involved, engaged, and an active part of their lives. Our kids are watching how we act with them and if we get it right, they will repeat it.”
I thank Robert for this interview and his wonderful insights for all of us Dads out here who are striving to be better leaders, followers and parents.
In closing I salute my Dad, Rev Donald B. Register, for always being there for me physically, emotionally and spiritually.
If you are a Dad continue to love your children and ensure they know that you want to be a part of their life.
Happy Father’s Day All!
[1] http://www.religiontoday.com/columnists/al-mohler/watch-out-for-myths-about-fatherhood-11604985.html
16 Minutes with First Lady Michelle Obama! Part 1
MEETING #1 – 6 minutes
(FLOTUS) Speaks to youth on getting more active at American University. I’m far left next to Mrs. Benita Mosely
First of all, if you do not want to read any further, I just want to say we have a beautiful, classy, warm-hearted and down-to-earth First Lady in Michelle Obama. To coin a phrase from one of my favorite sports commentator Stuart Scott, she’s just, “Cool, like the other side of the pillow.”
To say I was ecstatic to receive an assignment from my employer, the United States Olympic Committee, to lead a group of Paralympic Ambassadors and assist in the First Lady’s Let’s Move initiative at American University in Washington, D.C., would be an understatement. The fact that both Mrs. Obama and Samantha Cameron (affectionately known as Sam Cam) who is the British Prime Minister’s wife would be in attendance was the real crown.
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/first-lady-01-02.jpg” size=”50″ align=”right”]The event was star-studded. I mean we had 80 phenomenal kids from the great states of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia coupled with amazing athletes like Benita Fitzgerald Mosely (100m Hurdle Champ 1984 Olympic Games) Dan O’Brien (Olympic Champion Decathlon); Lisa Leslie (4x Olympic Gold Medalist basketball); April Holmes (100m Paralympic Champion); Dominique Dawes (The darling of the 1996 Olympic Gymnastics Team); and Kortney Clemons (Paralympic hopeful and Purple Heart Recipient from the War on Iraq); who all volunteered their time to challenge these youth to inspire others to become more active.
And while President Barack Obama and SamCam’s husband, Prime Minister David Cameron, were enjoying an awkward hot dog at the opening of the final four basketball game, we (Olympians and Paralympians) were in the gym at American University leading 80 rambunctious kids through various sports stations.
My day was going great! A) All my athletes were at the gym and on time, and B) I was paired with the amazing Lisa Leslie at the Basketball station.
Decathlete Dan O’Brien escorted Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Cameron through the various sports stations and after the First Ladies were finished with their tour, Dan then called each of us working the stations to come to be introduced.
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/first-lady-01-03.jpg” size=”50″ caption=”JR and Lisa Leslie”]It was Lisa and my turn to meet Mrs. Obama.As I made my way to her I could not help but notice how long, lean and graceful the First Lady is. She is very comfortable in who she is.
Dan introduced Lisa and Mrs. Obama quickly started spilling stats on Lisa to Mrs. Cameron.
Now that’s just cool.
She then looked to me for verification of the facts and though I followed Lisa Leslie’s career, I don’t know all her stats, but like the Eurythmics song, “Sweet Dreams are Made of This,” lyrics state, “Who am I to disagree.”
Mrs. Obama then introduced herself to me. “Hi, I’m Mrs. Michelle Obama (or something of that effect.)
In my mind I was saying, “Like I don’t know who you are.” I was so honored and humbled I could barely remember my own name!
The mood was so warm at that moment and her personality had put me at ease that I decided to tell her about some of the issues I was having.
You see my wife Alice and I were invited to the President’s State Dinner in honor of the Cameron’s visit to America. The official welcome was the next day. I joked with April (the 100m dash champ from Beijing) the day before that Alice had so many dresses in the closet that she could pick from a bunch she had not worn. April looked at me like I was a cross-eyed Billy goat. She obviously did not think that was funny.
April and my conversation went something like this.
April: “Are you really going to allow Alice to come meet the First Lady with something she has hanging in the closet.”
John: “Well, since you put it that way, and with that attitude, and with your neck moving like that, I guess my answer is no.”
So, having that conversation in the back of my mind I greeted the Mrs. Obama. The following is only my recollection of how our short conversation went. It is NOT verbatim.
John: “It is an honor to meet you and thank you for this initiative that is getting kids active.”
Mrs. Obama: “Well, thank all of you for being such strong role models for these youth!”
(She then gave me a big hug)
John: “Our pleasure Ma’am. My wife and I are also looking forward to coming to your little shindig tomorrow night in honor of the Prime Minister and Mrs. Cameron.
Mrs. Obama: “We are so looking forward to it as well. I think it is going to be a great time and we certainly look forward to seeing you there.
John: “You know First Lady you’re setting me back a bit because I have to give the debit card to my wife to buy a new dress. And, she is having problems finding something that works in our budget!”
It was then that I wanted to say in comedian Kevin Hart fashion, “You see my checking account is tied to my savings account…”
To which Mrs. Obama just let out a laugh and a big smile.
Mrs. Obama: “I am sure she will be lovely!”
We had some more pleasant words after that but I don’t remember the rest of the conversation.
Now I don’t know if I should count this next meeting as a second meeting or a continuation of the first meeting? You tell me?
[image-shortcode url=”https://johnregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/first-lady-01-04.jpg” size=”33″ align=”center” caption=”JR and FLOTUS backstage Let’s Move”]After the remarks the athletes were taken for official photos by the White House photographer with Mrs. Obama. We exchanged a few more cordial words and I reassured her I would see her the next evening.