"We seldom get into trouble when we speak softly. It is only when we raise our voices that the sparks fly and tiny molehills become great mountains of contention."
When
my first book Roughing it Easy came off the press on March 28,
1974, I picked up a copy and as I looked through it the thought
flashed through my mind, “I wonder if this will change my
life.”
A
short year after that, I was in Philadelphia in May 10, 1975, where I
had just finished taping “The Mike Douglas Show,” when I
received final word that I was going to appear with Johnny Carson on
the NBC “Tonight Show.”
I
called home with the great news! My father answered. I
said, “Dad, guess what I am going to do next?” He
responded, “Tell me.” “I am going to be on
the ‘Tonight Show’ with Johnny Carson.”
There
was dead silence on the other end and then I heard him say, “Who
is Johnny Carson?”
Even
though my father did not know who he was, my mother did and was very
excited for me.
It
was June 4, 1975, and I arrived at the studio in Burbank California
at 3 P.M. for the 5:30 taping. The staff worked with me to make
sure that every detail was covered. The backdrop was a huge
canvas with an outdoor scene painted on it. They even had a
fire pit with hot coals ready for me to cook on.
As
I stood waiting back stage, I heard Ed McMahon announce, “Hereeee’s
Johnny!” The show was off and running. I was the first
guest on that night. Right off the top I showed Johnny how to start a
fire with two batteries and a fine grade of steel wool. I gave
him the batteries and he put them together the way they go into a
flashlight. Then he placed the fine grade steel wool on the
bottom and brushed it across the top of the batteries. The
steel wool burst into flames. This ignited the next 13 minutes
with idea after idea.
I
showed him how to cook eggs and bacon in a paper sack, how to boil
water in a paper cup, how to cook meatloaf in an onion, and how to
bake a cake in an orange. I also baked a pineapple upside-down
cake in a box with a see-though oven bag wrap window over the top.
Johnny Carson made every adventure seem like the most exciting thing in the world.
As
the segment came to an end, Johnny reached down for the paper bag and
put his hand on the bottom. He began jumping around on the stage
saying words I cannot repeat. He then laughed and said, “Look
at this!” He showed the audience the eggs and bacon, now cooked
on the bottom of the bag.
When
the segment ended he turned to me and said, “Great Job! I will
go back and plug your book.” With an opportunity like
this, my book Roughing it Easy took off and climbed quickly to
the top of the New York Times Best Seller list. These thirteen
minutes changed my life forever.
I
decide that I would share that special moment with all who may not
have seen it. Go to www.dianthomas.com
and on the front page you will be able to view that special night
that changed my life.
Dian’s
Outdoor Special:
If you would like to add these fun and easy ideas to your list of
exciting things to try this summer or during an emergency, check out
the special for Roughing
it Easy,
Recipes from Roughing
it Easy
with a DVD on how to cook in a Dutch Oven for just 29.99 —
regularly $49.97. It is filled with practical and down-to-earth
suggestions for wonderful outdoor adventures. Go to
www.dianthomas.com.
Dian’s
book,
Tipping the Scales in Your Favor,
shares her weight loss journey. For years Dian tried and tried to
lose weight but it was not until Jackie Keller said to her in
California, “I can help you lose weight,” that she caught
the vision and lost more than 100 pounds. Most important, she has
been able to keep it off. Get Dian’s book today and begin the
journey to healthy living. Go to www.DianThomas.com
to learn more.
Want
to travel with Dian?
Join one of her trips to China this fall, where you will enjoy a
cultural feast and fun adventure. Email Dian at
Contact@DianThomas.com
or call 801-277-4332 for more information.
Dian Thomas was blessed with the good fortune to be born near and raised in
the remote, breathtaking Manti-La Sal National Forest in southeastern Utah,
where her father was the forest ranger. She took the skills she learned in the
outdoors and turned them into a New York Times best-selling book, Roughing It
Easy. Her appearance on the NBC's "Tonight" show with Johnny Carson
boosted her into the national media scene, where she became a regular on
NBC's "Today" show for eight years and then ABC's "Home Show" for six years.
After more than 25 years of media exposure and 19 books, she now shares her
practical insights and wisdom with audiences who want to savor life.
A former Relief Society president, Dian is currently serving as a visiting
teacher. Visit her website at www.DianThomas.com