Judy Garland is referenced as saying: “Always be the best version of yourself rather than a second rate version of somebody else.”

I have spoken a great deal in my book about my years of being a second rate version of somebody else. In this blog I want to highlight a woman who I have known for many years and a special man, my late husband, who  even under some very difficult circumstances, have never been second rate versions of anyone else.

Firstly I want to give high praise to Lynette Palmen AM,  founder and director of Women’s Network Australia, which she began in 1990 with a select group of women – friends and associates – catching up to share business contacts, information and ideas for success.

I became a member in 1997 when I left education and began my own business – Traill Blaze Communications. Lynette was a marvellous mentor and support to me in my early years in business, but after a few years I began working for a large training organisation and let my membership lapse.

Last year, prior to my book being released, I rejoined and this amazing woman remembered every detail of my previous life and welcomed me with open arms.  She has been extremely generous in advertising my book, and publishing as an editorial, the article I posted on this website titled, “It’s about being YOUR BEST SELF”. The article was published, prior to my husband’s death, in the Women’s Network Australia’s Working Women magazine.

I have received many benefits from being a member of Lynette’s organisation. Through her generous networking abilities, my husband and I were featured on an Australian television show, The Project in 2010 and earlier last year I was featured in an article for Prevention magazine. She has generously supported me through this very sad time, even personally paying for my annual membership fee.

It is people like Lynette who inspire me to walk my talk.

I miss my Mick so very much but I’m glad he went before he lost his dignity – he would have hated that and he died in the most beautiful place in the Robina palliative care unit. I was so lucky to have eight wonderful years with him.  In my book I write about him as a consummate entertainer and he certainly proved that when he performed one of the best gigs of his life two weeks before he went into palliative care. His 1000 fans had no idea how ill he was – he hadn’t been able to speak for three days and I had to get him dressed, but he gave his last performance without most of his fans knowing that he was about to die.

He was completely on auto pilot.

I would like to share with you this clip which shows him getting a reluctant Lyn Traill to join him on stage. I was totally exhausted and had lost my voice completely. He died four weeks later!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=bcRM1ObvVO4

As I look at it today, the tears stream down my face but I have special people supporting me to keep walking my talk.

A few weeks after his death, I had many fans ringing to want to say goodbye, so in November  I organised a wonderful tribute night for him in which bands and entertainers who had worked with him over the years, freely  gave such highly  polished performances.  I wish that we had it on film but I will add a few photos when I gave my wonderful husband the farewell he would have wanted. In fact if you look carefully you can see him sitting on my shoulder.