Disturbed

First, I want to thank so many of you for the thoughtful letters and gifts you have sent me. I am humbled and grateful for all the love you have sent to Bobby, Allyson and me. I know the show has polarized so many fans and that I have come across as someone even I don't know. I hope over the next few episodes you will see my feelings come across, but nothing I write here could possibly explain what happened this season and why.

I don't think it was clear WHY I couldn't go with Ramona on her trip. Who wouldn't want to go on an all-expenses paid vacation on a yacht and home? It is one of the few perks we get being on the show! Allyson was preparing her final college essays that were due before Thanksgiving and I could not leave before they were finished. I told that to Ramona at the Four Seasons. I knew it was important to her and I wanted to be there.

I heard LuAnn's song for the first time in the Hamptons with Kelly. I loved it then and I love it now. It has a great beat and finally we can dance to something other than Bravo "house" music! Thank you for that LuAnn!

When I signed up to be on the show, it was called Manhattan Moms. It was supposed to be fun. Nothing I saw this week was fun nor has it been most of the season. The only "fun" or "funny" scenes for me were with my family. I didn't want to fight or make up on camera and didn't want negative energy around me. I still don't and won't. I was so disturbed and uncomfortable watching this week's episode. It is hard for me to watch myself anyway, but this season is so dark and mean-spirited that I don't feel connected to it at all. We filmed a lot of fun things but most of them ended up on the cutting room floor. There were a few fun or funny deleted scenes online (at bravotv.com) but they too were cut because they were considered "boring" or just don't fit into the story line. I tried to ham them up (like when I sharpened the knives in the kitchen while Princeton Review was at my house tutoring Ally for her ACT test!) but I guess if we aren't fighting, it just isn't good TV anymore.

Allyson only has two weeks left of high school. I have never been busier in my life. We are planning some big trips over the next six months to help me with the "empty nest" syndrome. It keeps my mind off the fact that Ally is leaving! If you have any ideas that have helped you get through this part of life, please let me know! I was just talking to my sister, Lisa, last night about my fears and she has a special guest on her radio show this Friday who wrote a book about it. Lisa's show is on daily from 4-6PM. She just won a Gracie Award for her interview with Gloria Steinem. If one good thing comes out of this show, it is introducing my sister Lisa Wexler to the world. She is incredibly smart, articulate and a gifted writer and radio host all in one. I listen to her show almost every day to learn about what is going on in the world. It is easier to listen to her show than to read four newspapers. If I miss a show, I can download it to my iPhone. Go to http://lisawexler.com/ and I promise you will learn something or hear something interesting. Right now she is advocating for a woman who has been jailed in CT for not paying her mortgage payments. It stems from an ugly divorce but it is beyond unjust and Lisa (who is also an attorney) is trying to "rally troupes" to help save this woman and her two underage children now with a mother in jail and no means to make money to "pay" the mortgage. I am so proud of you Lisa.

As many of you know, I have been on a book tour with my sister Lisa and Mom. I have had the best time of my life and it isn't over. The book did so well that it just sold to a Japanese publisher to be translated. The show doesn't even air in Japan so we were really excited that they bought the book on its merit alone. We have received so many letters from people who read the book that told us how it has helped them...That we reminded them of even the simplest things in life that we often forget like "make sure your children know you love them everyday and is as many ways as you can" or Gloria's "Must have qualities in a husband and the must avoids." If you are single and read her list, you might save yourself a lot of heartache. We hope to visit more places over the new few months including Florida, Boston and RI. If you have questions for any of us, email us through www.secretsofajewishmother.com and sign up for our newsletter for book tour and personal appearance updates!

I am writing this from my parents' living room in "Boca" spending quality time with them and Allyson. You never know what life will throw at you so embrace your loved ones as much as you can. Love has a 100% cure rate for everything.

I am excited that the Jersey Girls are back in town!

Love,
Jill