7:57 p.m. | 2002-08-09 Gardening is a Great Equalizer. Gardeners have an instant connection with others who garden. This connection crosses all barriers (race, gender, economic, class, etc). Why? Because, my friends, Mother Nature is a formidable force to reckon with. You�re taking up with the Grand Goddess there! No doubt about it. You can love, nurture and pamper your plants all you want but Mother Nature can take it all away with a ill-timed frost or an unexpected heat wave. It�s a quite enjoyable yet humbling hobby. Anyway, I once met a famous actor, his wife, family and some of their friends. Actually, to be more precise, I joined them in their home for a holiday celebration. Being one of the few people at the party who is/was not in the BIZ, I felt a little out of place at first. Then, we went to check out his vegetable garden. Instantly we were on the same footing and automatically started talking about all the things he was growing, the challenges (weather, wildlife, insects, etc.), disappointments, and victories. After we were done with that, he shared with me some of his favorite catalogs, gardening supplies and methods. It was all quite strange but instantly comforting. And, I have to say that he was very down-to-earth and welcoming. Ditto for the family and friends. Yet, it was still strange to hear his voice in person rather than coming outta my TV. (He has a very distinctive voice.) During the evening, I met a young man who was around my age, and we got to chatting about life and stuff. He was fascinated with the fact that I was working and going to law school. He was disappointed with how his life was going and was kicking himself for not going to college. I assured him that formal schooling doesn�t a person make. It�s good and all, but lots of great and wonderful people who lack a formal education are incredibly smart, talented and successful. And lots of people with a formal education are incredibly stupid, untalented and unsuccessful. Life is what you make it after all. After I left the celebration, I found out that he is the son of a famous actress who was quite the sex symbol when he was growing up. (He had mentioned that it was tough being the son of an actress but I never asked him who she was. Didn�t think to. Everyone at the party was connected to the BIZ in some way and it didn�t seem relevant to me.) When I found out who she was, I thought about how hard life must have been for him � she was always busy or gone, she was a single mom at times, and she was always in the news and on TV. Ouch. Not an easy life for a young boy, I�m sure. I hope he�s doing well and is happy with his life. And, the 30s can be a tough time for anyone. It�s a time when you check to see just where you�ve gotten and it�s often not as far as you expected. The evening was very enjoyable and relaxing. However, I did learn that if you�re a 20-something woman who�s trying to get into the BIZ, fake boobs, flirty behavior and an ability to drink champagne as easily as Kool-Aid are a must. (Wow, could they toss it back!) And, it was the first and only time I rubbed elbows with a gardener who is also a famous actor. your thoughts? seed flower