Facebook: Steinman (left) and Dietrich (right)
Separated at Birth?
Melissa (Landau) Steinman and I were close friends in college. The last time Melissa and I spoke, though, was graduation day almost 20 years ago. It's a shame because Melissa was one of my "go to" friends during freshman year. We lived in the same dorm and had a few classes together. I remember her always with a smile on her face; she had a warm, sweet disposition.
After graduating from college, we lost track. I know Melissa now only through memories created two decades ago and through facebook. After we parted in college, she went on to Harvard Law, antitrust practice, marriage and motherhood. I also know that her birthday is tomorrow, December 27, 2009.
I imagine December 27 means a lot to her. I'd love to check in with Melissa tonight and let her know that I'm thinking about her. It's been a while but year-end holidays always seem to help rekindle connections. As I'm in the midst of writing GiftDay website content this evening, I'm thinking about what type of gift I could recommend to Melissa's friends. Melissa has a lot of them on her facebook page so I imagine one of them needs a good gift idea.
I navigate over to Melissa's profile on facebook and see that she loves movies. I know that she loves the classics because the movies she's listed as her favorites include "any Katharine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy movie", "Singin' in the Rain" and "Double Indemnity".
Tonight, I'm working on a calendar of biographies for GiftDay: 365 days of biographies that begin with Paul Revere and the World He Lived In by Esther Forbes (Revere was born January 1) and ends with Matisse the Master: A Life of Henri Matisse by Hilary Spurling (Matisse was born December 31).
As Melissa loves classic movies I think the definitive biography of a classic movie actress would make an excellent gift. In looking to see what movie actress was born December 27, I score. It's Dietrich.
Marlene Dietrich, in case your living under a rock, was one of the most famous and most talented actresses in movie history. She's also one of the most beautiful. GiftDay.com, in fact, named her as the most beautiful woman (in any film role) in 1935 for "The Devil is a Woman". I think that for a gift, better than a straight biography, would be a book of photographs of Dietrich. Judging from Melissa's facebook updates, it looks like she's busy with family and career and a long book might be a challenge. A coffee table book, especially because it is Dietrich, is clearly the better gift choice. I've selected for a $30 glossy, gorgeous book for Melissa called Marlene Dietrich: Photographs and Memories.
If someone were to buy the Dietrich book for Melissa, I know it would make an impression that would last for her lifetime. And for an extra thoughtful touch, I'd recommend that the gift giver include a personal note inside the book - a note about December 27 and what it means.
It's important and it matters.
Wow, Jeff, no Dietrich book for my bday but some nice compliments and a new hit for my Google search. Thanks, guy, and clearly we need to talk soon, it's been too long! ;)
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