Day Twenty-One: List ten people (dead or alive) that you would invite to a dinner.

I have always dreaded a question like this because there are so many people (dead and alive) that I would love to meet (or loved to have met).  To spend a little time getting to know a variety of individuals to see how they really are versus what we envision them to be like is something that I always thought would be a neat experience.  But how do I narrow a list of hundreds of people, famous and non-famous, down to ten?  It is virtually impossible.  

I decided for my “dinner” that I would invite ten random ladies (dead and alive) and we would just have a big “girls night out” celebration.  I opted not to include the guys, primarily because three of them are listed in a prior post on celebrity crushes, and while I would invite them and many other guys to dinner, I would probably get too distracted to carry on much of a conversation.  So, here’s my list of ladies to invite to my “girls night out” celebration along with why I would include/invite them:

Gillian Anderson - She is so funny, smart, talented and gorgeous. I have been a big fan of Gillian’s since the start of The X-Files back in the early 1990s. Because of Agent Dana Scully, I almost decided to become an FBI Agent (some days, I wish I had followed that route!). But one thing I love about Gillian is how she loves to laugh! I adore seeing her get tickled during an interview or in an outtake on a show she’s working on.  I think she would be so much fun to spend time hanging out with.  Plus, I need her to give me some tips on how to make my eyes look as amazing as hers!  She would be an awesome addition to my list of dinner invitees as I would thoroughly enjoy getting to know a little more about her!

    

Julie Andrews – I am honestly on the bubble as to whether I would invite Dame Julie Andrews or not.  I wholeheartedly LOVE Julie Andrews, but I have this childhood idea of how I believe she is, and I am deathly afraid that if she were not how I imagined her to be that it would impact so many things.  Nonetheless, I have to put that fear aside and realize should the opportunity arise to invite the legendary Julie Andrews to dinner, then I would need to jump on it.  Additionally, I would love to hear more of her stories of her life and just be filled with her wisdom over the years as a singer and actress.  What a jewel of a person she is and to be able to be in her presence and learn from her would be an amazing experience!

Sue Semrau – One of my most favorite basketball coaches is Sue Semrau.  She is absolutely passionate about what she does.  She is spunky and so energetic.  By title, she is a coach, but in reality, she is much more.  She is a mentor, a teacher, a leader, a role model, a Christian.  If I ever had a child who played basketball, I would want her to play for Coach Sue as I feel my daughter would be in excellent care and learn so much about basketball and about life.  In many ways, Coach Sue reminds me of Coach Kay Yow.  Their personalities may differ but their overall goal and influence is the same. When I was younger, I never could pronounce Coach Sue’s name, so I always called her “Semmi” and I always remember just being in awe by her ability to not only coach her team but teach her team how to excel in the game. I imagine she would be our little fireball at the “girls’ night out” celebration – I think she would be the life of the party! 

Jacqueline Kennedy – I may not have been a big fan of President Kennedy’s politics, but I always found Mrs. Kennedy to be one of the most elegant ladies this nation has ever been blessed to have as First Lady.  She endured so much in her life, things that I cannot even begin to fathom how she coped with.  She was such a lady of courage, strength and beauty.  I would definitely include her on my list to invite to dinner as I would love to gleam some of her tips for enduring so much and yet continuing to be a source of light in the world.  

Kay Yow – One of the biggest influences in my life and in so many other individuals’ lives was basketball Coach Kay Yow.  She was more than a basketball coach, she was a believer in Christ and was not afraid to share her love for her Savior.  To this day, I still stand in awe of her video testimony at her funeral of her belief in Christ and how she encouraged many others to trust in Him, as well.  She bravely fought a public battle of breast cancer for nearly two decades.  The pain and trauma her body was ridiculed with, I don’t know how she kept pushing forward to continue to coach the games she did and set such an example for others.  I wish in so many ways that I had been able to spend time with her, but growing up down the road from NC State’s main campus, I always felt I knew her.  So, she would definitely be on my list to spend time with in addition to inviting for dinner.  Keep pushing forward and as Coach Yow would say “When life kicks you, let it kick you forward.” 

Lauren Holly – Another of my favorite actresses is the stunning, Lauren Holly.  I’ve always adored Lauren and have always wanted to meet her.  Not only is Lauren a talented actress, but she is a phenomenal designer.  I absolutely love her clothing line, and her sense of fashion is terrific.  I would spend time talking to her about her fashion tastes and see if we could come up with some ideas together.  She would be a terrific dinner guest for her knowledge of fashion, acting and being a Mom.  In reality, she seems like she is just a normal person like the rest of us!  

Laura Bush – Probably my favorite First Lady is Laura Bush.  She epitomizes class and humility.  She is remarkably smart and is such a wonderful role model for so many women.  She is a devoted wife and mom and someone that we should all revere.  She was one of the best First Ladies that this nation has had in the recent years.  She stood faithful beside her husband and gave him advice that only she could give during times that this nation has never experienced before.  I would love to spend dinner getting to know her better, getting to know just Laura!

Rhonda Vincent – I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Rhonda Vincent on several occasions and every time that I meet her, I am always amazed at how caring and devoted she is to her fans.  She takes time to have pictures made or talk to each one of them.  Most artists don’t even acknowledge their fans, but she spends time mingling with them.  I’ll never forget when she took a picture of the two of us on her cell phone and shared it on her social media.  That made my day!  She is a wonderfully talented artist and has a voice that I could listen to non-stop.  I would love to invite her to dinner to spend more time with her and let her sing a few songs and entertain us, as well.  Not to mention, I still owe her some Krispy Kreme doughnuts, so we would have to go have dessert afterward!

Sharon Osbourne – A unique twist to my list along with the need to add more British, we’ve gotta add a little Shazz.  I’ve always been intrigued by Sharon Osbourne.  She speaks her mind and isn’t afraid to back down from her stance.  I may not always agree with everything she says, but being willing to stand up for what you believe in is key in this society.  She also is a cancer survivor and that is admirable, as well.  She is a talented businesswoman and has excelled in many areas of life.  I always enjoyed seeing her in a judging role on The X-Factor or America’s Got Talent.  We need more people willing to stand up for how they feel, and I think adding Sharon to my dinner invite list would totally create some interesting topics of conversation at the table.

Dolly Parton – One of the greatest entertainers of all time is Dolly Parton.  She is such a talented singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, you name it she can do it.  I’ve always been touched by her childhood story of her upbringing in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. She is also the founder of the infamous Dollywood, which is one of my most favorite theme parks.  It possesses such a family-oriented atmosphere and you can see how Dolly added her touch all throughout the park.  She is definitely an inspiration to many!  I would most definitely invite her to dinner as she could bring all sorts of excitement and entertainment to the table.