Profile: Sue Chipperton's Trained the Taco Bell Dog and Other Famous Four Legged Friends

"I have two sea lion bites, I have been thrown across a barn with enormous velocity by a ram (who knew?), and hit in the face by dolphins."

Sue Chipperton is a Hollywood star maker, but not in the way you'd expect. The 40licious animal trainer has made a career by helping her four-legged (and sometimes two-finned) friends steal the small and silver screens, most notably Gidget, the Taco Bell chihuahua. Chipperton's new book, A Famous Dog's Life: The Story of Gidget, America's Most Beloved Chihuahua, with co-author Rennie Dyball, is fresh from the press. I had a few questions about what appears to be the most fun job ever.

1. If you love animals, it seems like being a trainer is a dream job. How did you get into that line of work?
I started as a marine mammal trainer. I had moved to Florida from England when I was 19. I managed to get a job as an assistant trainer at a small park in Fort Lauderdale called Ocean World. This is where I learned the basics of training.

However, after doing this wonderful job for quite a few years I felt it was time to move on. I moved to California with the hopes of getting a job training studio animals. After a few false starts I started working as an intern at Studio Animal Services in Los Angeles in 1994. It was here I learned the ropes of being on set, training animals for television, breaking down scripts and storyboards with animal action and developing my own style of training all kinds of animals to do all kinds of crazy things!!


2. Why are pets important?
Well, I strongly believe that pets are important as long as you have the means and the financial capability to take care of them, in sickness and in health!! I don't think its everyone's right to have a dog or a cat, or a rabbit or a goldfish. The same way as I think some people should not have children. People may disagree with me on that. But if you get a dog and then abandon it to your back yard or worse - there is really no reason for you to have a dog. A dog should be a part of the family. It should have everything that you or I would expect, love, food, shelter and medical care when needed. Responsible spaying or neutering your pet is another factor. Having a litter of puppies just so your children can experience the wonder of the "joy of birth" is ridiculous and irresponsible. Rent a National Geographic DVD for that. So, pets ARE an important part of our lives when you have the means to take care of a pet. In return you will get unconditional love and companionship beyond your wildest dreams. You will have a snuggler to cuddle up with to watch a movie on a cold and rainy night. An athlete to keep up with you on your hikes in the canyons and woods. A buddy to take on the road with you for work or travels. A protector when you are feeling insecure or unsafe. A swimmer for all those boat trips and beach days - the list is endless. Matching your pet to your personality is vital for a happy union!!


3. Was there ever a time you wanted to quit, or thought you'd want to do something else?
Yes. Being a studio animal trainer is a diverse and hugely rewarding job. However it is a job. And you still have days when you are standing on set with a director yelling at you and you have no idea why you are there, and why you could not be happy working in a bank!!

Also, as I get older I am looking to branch out and do other things. My job is very physical and sadly when I look at trainers older than I, the majority of them have broken bodies. I do not want to do this until I retire. My body has already taken a beating over the years. I have a torn labrum in my shoulder (basically shredded cartilage). Spondylosis, while not a result of my work, it sure does hinder me in some ways. And numerous scars, from cats to dogs, I have two sea lion bites, I have been thrown across a barn with enormous velocity by a ram (who knew?), hit in the face by dolphins. Falling, missteps while jogging backwards on set to get out of the shot while working...The list goes on.


4. What business advice would you give someone in her 40s who wants to work with animals?

Ha ha. See above!! There are plenty of studio animal trainers working that are over 40. However, when you look at how and when they started, I would say universally they all started young. Our job requires a long internship. You have a lot to learn in this job. You do not start making a decent living until years down the road and even then you do not have a guarantee of a paycheck each week. In fact in today's economy there are a lot of starving studio animal trainers out there. Trainers who would normally be making a very good living. People who come and intern for us are usually fresh out of school, maybe they still live with their parents, or as many younger people do - they live in a home with 3 or 4 room mates. Not something someone over forty is usually willing to do. However, there are plenty of jobs out there working with animals that are rewarding and not structured like a studio animal trainer. I always said that when I retire (or become independently wealthy and no longer have to work!) I would train one or two dogs (my pets) for search and rescue - which is all volunteer work.


5. Anything else you'd like to tell us about your life or your work?
I have a blog that I started just over a year ago. It is a mishmash of things from my life as animal trainer, to my search for the perfect cup cake (so far, Bristol Farms "Black Forest" cupcake) with a few rants and raves thrown in for good measure.

My life has been a very rewarding one. I have never lasted in a job that I did not enjoy. Before I was an animal trainer I was a children's nanny for three kids and traveled the world, I worked as crew on a luxury motor yacht for over a year, I was a make up/beauty consultant for Ultima II before I moved to the States and years later went to school to learn special effects for film makeup. There was a three to four year stint as a production coordinator/talent scout for Chippendales (Yes! THAT Chippendales) where I basically looked for men to hire and was assistant to the owner. I've worked in vet offices and retail and have never looked back, always forward. Today I have many thoughts for the future. Photography is a huge passion. I have some inventions that I would like to see take off, and who knows, maybe another book!

Work: How to Start Over Again and Switch Careers

"Something happened while I was doing that three month gig. I fell in love with my new job, my new company, and the weekly paycheck that came with it. Gone were the days of the real estate roller coaster. I could eat!"

Today's guest post comes to us from Lisa Affi, who is so capable and beautiful and talented she could probably start over 15 more times and do just fine, thank you.

By the time you’re 40, you think you’re career life is settled and you are geared to stay on your path until retirement. For more than 15 years, I worked in the real estate profession. For many of those years, I worked as both a real estate agent and as an office manager/trainer/property manager. At age 37, I finally decided to take the proverbial dive into the shark-infested waters of full-time real estate sales.

The real estate market was going at a fast clip with property values rising almost on a daily basis. I had been in the business long enough to know the warning signs that it was all going to come crumbling down. Just like that. It did. Escrows were falling out. Buyers were panicking. Real estate as we knew it was coming to an end. My life was about to change in ways I had no idea.

I had made quite a bit of money in my own real estate investments. I had taken my equity and purchased a beautiful home in a lovely hillside community in San Bernardino County.

Still in denial about the long term effects of the real estate crash, I found myself taking the odd part-time job to get by; a hotel concierge (two weeks), a chip runner at an Indian casino (one month). The latest was a three month gig at a Fortune 500 company in the communications department. “No problem,” I thought. "In three months, I'll get back on my feet and back into the game."



I never went back to real estate.


Something happened while I was doing that three month gig. I fell in love with my new job, my new company, and the weekly paycheck that came with it. Gone were the days of the real estate roller coaster. I could eat! At the end of my three months, they hired me full time.

They say that for every humbling life experience, you gain a life lesson that will take you to a new understanding. That’s IF you learn the lesson. 2007 was the year, I learned that nothing is forever and hard decisions make you stronger. I lost everything. But I didn’t lose my spirit.

I am on a whole new path. A path I never even noticed was there. I have never felt more at home than I do in my new career. I discovered more things about myself that year and since than I ever imagined. I found out that I am stronger than I ever thought possible.

I never shared my story with anyone. I never felt the need to complain about where my life took me. But as you go through these experiences, at some point you want to share that new found knowledge in the hopes that someone else could benefit from what you went through. But if you could take just one something from it, remember that old saying is true: When one door closes, a window really does open. Be open to it. Let yourself learn from the experiences that life gives you. Take the gift. Open it.

Profile: Sondra Wright, Author of "40+ and Fabulous"

Today's Q & A is with Sondra Wright. She's the author of 40+ and Fabulous: Moving Forward Fierce, Focused and Full of Life!, which is a truly inspiring book about women who have created positive change in the world, and insight from men on women who are over 40.

This is author Sondra Wright. Fabulous indeed!

1. What inspired you to write 40+ and Fabulous?

I have a young niece who is just the apple of my eye. Having no children of my own, laying eyes on her after she was born was the very first time I had experienced loving something simply because it existed. I want to do everything I can to leave the world better than I found it for her. The fact that women would suffer anxiety, sadness or depression at the idea of aging and especially crossing that threshold of forty and fifty, is hurtful for me. The numbers of women who are filled with dreams, goals and aspirations but see age as a barrier to accomplishing those things, are unacceptable. I’ve always been a champion of the underdog. Society has had a good laugh at our expense, bombarding us with negative, stereotypical images of the aging woman, for far too long. I decided to establish some new ground rules for women and aging that I hope will permeate our culture and become the new standard for aging. There’s not a single reason for women not to be as excited about our 40th, 50th and 60th birthdays, as we were about that 21st birthday.

2. What surprised you the most during your research?

The men!! Hands down it would have to be hearing from the men. You see, one of the most common and most painful stereotyped images of the 40+ woman, is her mate leaving her for a younger woman. And while it does happen, I was getting feedback from men who would not trade a 40+ woman for a twenty-something if she was handed to him Saran™ wrapped in a Ferrari. That’s the other reality that we never hear about, but we should. I was always told telling part of the story was the same as telling a lie. And we’ve been lied to long enough. So, I added a men-tell-all section to the book that I call Straight Talk and Men’s Thoughts on 40+ and Fabulous Women and let me tell you…it is one liberating shot of ego boost to say the least.

3. What were the most important things you learned that you didn't know going into the project?

While I’ve been a business owner and a speaker for some time, 40+ and Fabulous is my debut book and so all the lessons that come with being a first time author were mine to be learned. The most important things though, had to do with me; the real strength I have in the face of adversity; overcoming obstacles, wanting to give up and being at that place where I felt as though I just had nothing left to give and then, reaching waaaaaay down deep in myself and discovering what I didn’t think was there. I learned that I’m stronger, more resilient, more gifted, and more talented than I ever thought I was or could be.

4. How did you pick your subjects? What was the criteria? After all, there are so many fabulous people in the world!

So true! There are many, many fabulous people in the world and I’m so grateful to know my share of them. For 40+ and Fabulous I wanted to share a sampling of stories of women from all backgrounds and all walks of life; women who were willing to be transparent and not just scratch the surface, and women that women could relate to.

Of the women in the book, I personally knew maybe 4 of them. For the others, I held sort of an internet casting call and selected from those who seemed most passionate about these stages of life. The women range in age from 40 to mid 70’s so there’s really something here for everyone.

5. Anything else you'd like to share about being 40+ and fabulous?

I always like to stress that being 40+ and Fabulous has nothing to do with the clothes you wear, the car you drive or the zip code you live in. 40+ and Fabulous is a state of mind. It’s how you look the world in the eye, shoulders back, head tall appreciating where you’ve been, treasuring where you are and looking forward to, with great anticipation, all you are yet to become. Move forward boldly and enjoy the journey, girls. Welcome to 40+ and Fabulous!

Follow Sondra on Twitter.

Spirit: Angela Kantarellis on How to Organize Your Life

"It’s clarity about what’s important to us and how we want to live our lives. It’s about letting go of what no longer serves us, identifying what’s great in our lives and figuring out what else we want to bring in to the mix to support us in our personal and professional goals."


Today we're glad to meet New York-based professional organizer Angela Kantarellis. She's been a complete blessing to me as I undertake Project: Desk over at the Herman Miller Lifework blog. Hopefully you'll find her as smart and savvy as I do.

I would totally trust organizer Angela Kantarellis, wouldn't you?

1. How did you become a professional organizer?
It’s really a 40licious kind of story … when I was 38 I decided to go back to grad school. I needed something to support myself while I was in school, something that came very naturally to me and that drew on the skills I had developed in my previous career in real estate. I’ve always loved the organizing process – the way making changes to our physical environment can have a profound impact on our inner world. I put the word out to my friends and within two weeks I had 14 clients! That’s how AKorganizing was born.

I joined NAPO – The National Association of Professional Organizers and the New York Chapter, NAPO-NY and I knew I had found my tribe. I graduated with my Masters in Psychology in 2008. I was 40. AKorganizing had taken on a life of its own by that time and the industry in general was rapidly expanding. The rest is history as they say.

2. By the time we are in our 40s, we have a lot of history racked up. How do we organize pictures, mementos, knickknacks and things our mother gave us that we can't throw out because we feel guilty?
First things first…no more guilt! I always encourage clients to “re-gift without guilt.” Don’t love it, can’t use it? Pass it along to a friend who would delight in it – yes even if your mother gave it to you! Donate the rest or gasp, toss it.

I’m a big fan of having memorabilia boxes. Beautiful boxes to store cards, mementos and knickknacks. There is something really powerful about all those memories and personal history stored in one place. It’s great to go through it every so often, and rediscover forgotten treasures.

A wall of photos is always a fun and creative way to display photos, especially at the entrance to your apartment or home, great feng shui! For photos that don’t get displayed, you want to store them in archival grade photo boxes or in lignin free scrapbook albums.


2. Can we talk about shoes for a minute? There seems to never be enough space to organize the shoes logically. Help!
I like to keep shoes in their original boxes so when I open the box it’s like seeing them for the first time.

I keep the shoe boxes stacked in a closet devoted exclusively to coats, shoes and bags. They are in chronological order – oldest, rarely worn but beloved on the bottom; more recent, often worn towards the top.

For everyday shoes, lined up at the bottom of the closet is a simple way to go, especially boots.


3. What's the best way to organize emails? We are bombarded by work and personal ones. Which should we tackle first?
Folders are key for managing email. I just revamped my email folders to reflect my current priorities for AKorganizing. I numbered the folders so they appear at the top of my folders list. It helps me stay on track and focused on my current business goals.

1. Clients
2. Press
3. Speaking
4. Writing
5. Follow up
6. Read
7. Great Ideas/Reference

Clutter, whether it is physical clutter or e-clutter results from delayed decision making. A great way to stay on top of email it to respond to simple items right away and schedule uninterrupted time to handle more emails that require more thought. To keep clutter at bay unsubscribe from unsolicited newsletters and delete suspicious email immediately.

4. What are the essential tools people need for organizing?
Surprisingly it’s not more gadgets or fancy boxes. It’s clarity about what’s important to us and how we want to live our lives. It’s about letting go of what no longer serves us, identifying what’s great in our lives and figuring out what else we want to bring in to the mix to support us in our personal and professional goals. A good professional organizer is an indispensable resource in this process.


5. Anything else people should know?
William Morris said it best “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

40licious Birthday: Surving Singlehood

Today's entry comes from Nicole Flier, who lives in Florida and works as a business, PR and marketing consultant in Florida. She also has a dating column in a monthly magazine about her single life and the quest for Her Man. Today is Nicole's birthday, so please welcome her to the 40licious community! If you have any advice that will help her on her 40licious journey, please enter it in the comments section.

1. How is being single at 40 different?

Happy birthday Nicole! Hope your wishes come true.

I never thought I would be single at 40. It is much more difficult to meet like-minded men as you hit 40. Most men between 35-40 are in no rush to get married and/or have kids. Those over 40, usually have a marriage under their belt and one or more kids. Being a successful and single woman at 40 with no kids and no baggage, is certainly not easy. We come off as a threat to some men as they can’t handle our success and our ability to be total independent. If we seek younger men, we look like cougars. Trying to find a man 40 and above, who actually wants more children if he has them already from a previous relationship, is like finding the cure for cancer. Good luck with that! Most men have done diaper duty with their first wife and/or girlfriend and have no real desire to start over even if it is with someone new. This makes it tough to date in my age range because I still really want to have a child within the next 5 years. The men I meet and date have made a pretty final decision, NO KIDS EVER or NO MORE KIDS which prompts me to move on, very quickly.

2. You're looking for Mr. Right. How will you know if you've found him?
Relationships should evolve easily without drama or tons of work to make them actually happen. Finding Mr. Right is not an easy task, believe me, I am still wishing, hoping and actively looking. As we all get older, we become more independent and more set in our ways. I believe that if and when I finally find Mr. Right, the relationship will connect on all levels, fairly instantly. Chemistry is there from the start, both physically, emotionally and mentally. It just clicks from the onset, without really trying! We both will be on exactly the same page, at the same time. We will both be independent but stronger and better, together as partners. We will both have the ability and desire to give in to the other, just because it is the right thing to do sometimes, be less stubborn or always assume we are right. We treat the other as an equal, making it an “US” or “WE”, not a “ME” or “I”. We allow for the other’s idiosyncrasies without judgment and with patience and understanding. When it’s RIGHT, its RIGHT! Finding Mr. Right is finding the man who chooses to live his life with the same morals and ethics, and who want the same things out of life, ie: marriage and kids on the very same time line as me! If I can find these simples ideals and can see myself going to sleep and waking up next to him for the next 50 years, then I have finally stumbled upon “HIM”!

3. What's the best way for a 40licious woman to meet someone?
We're beyond the bars at this point. And some of us have families and demanding jobs. It’s 2011 and we have all partaken in the online dating craze. My experience with online dating has been less than positive and somewhat a waste of time. For me,the best way to meet someone of any depth or potential is via set up from a trusted friend, colleague or family member. I also like to attend networking, professional/industry related and charity events as I feel they draw a more professional and philanthropic type of crowd. These are the types of people I would rather be exposed to as opposed to trying to meet someone at a bar or club.

4. What else is important for people to know about being single and 40?
Although I have accomplished some great things in my life, the truth is, I feel like I have so much more to achieve. Aside from the obvious; marriage and kids, there is a whole wide world out there calling my name. I have quite a few more miles to go, and I am just getting started! So if you are reaching the end of your Dirty 30’s like me, just remember 40 is definitely the new 30. Life definitely begins at 4-0 and the possibilities are endless! Embrace it, live it, love it! Don’t get down; age is only a number. Life is a journey, so enjoy the ride!

Happy Birthday to me! Today I am 40 and F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!

40licious Profile: How Monique Caradine Transformed Her Body

Can you believe this is the same person? Monique's transformation only took a year.

"Honestly look at yourself in the mirror from head to toe and ask yourself, 'Is this my best me? Is this really who I am? Is this what I want to look and feel like for the next 40 years?' If not, stop with the lame-ass excuses and do something."

At 40licious, we love stories of personal transformation. Today we're thrilled to have a Q & A with  Chicago-based TV and radio host Monique Caradine about her 40licious physical reinvention. You can see more pictures here.


What was it about turning 40 that made you want to transform?

By the time a woman turns 40, she’s what I call a real “grown-ass woman.” At that point, she deserves to be her most confident, most adventurous, most secure, most successful, most sexy and most satisfied. Enough with settling for less. This is the time of your life where you need to feel free to be your best self. In my opinion, it’s when life really begins! Unfortunately I’ve seen too many women view this age as the beginning of the end. They see themselves as “middle-aged” and begin to buy in to all the negative connotations that come with that.

Yes it’s middle age, but I asked myself at 38, when I was headed down the fat road, “is this really the way I want to go into the next half of my life? I started to feel myself slipping into middle-aged mediocrity and I didn’t like it. So I decided that at 40, I wanted to be my healthiest, most energetic, most beautiful ever in every way. I simply refused to just accept the idea of “letting myself go” like so many others. More than that, I wanted to be an example to other women of what 40 can really look like!!! At 40, I wanted to walk into a room and OWN it. Thanks to a lot of hard work I do!! I also own the playground. I can also play basketball, skateboard, run and hang out with my son and nephews. That’s the way life should be!

What was the hardest part about getting into shape?

The hardest part about getting into shape was committing to it. I worked with an amazing trainer who was committed to helping me, but when we first started working out, I came to it half-assed. He basically told me to stop wasting his time if I wasn’t going to go full throttle. So I made the commitment. I worked with him twice a week including on Saturday mornings at 7 am (WTH!!). Now you know there were Saturdays when I cussed him from sun up to sun down because I didn’t want to do it, but I did. It was hard because I swear, he trained me like a pro-football player. I couldn’t believe some of the stuff he made me do. I would literally break down in tears because I thought it was too hard. Then, I would think about my husband, son and my future. I could either keep going down the fat-ass road or get healthy and feel great every day and look good too. I chose the latter and kept working.

Most of my life, stuff has come easy to me. I’ve been known to quit when stuff gets hard. When it came to getting in shape, this was one of the hardest things I’ve done and stuck with even though it was hard as hell. Now, I can bench press almost 100 lbs. I am so fierce!!

A lot of women in their 40s have so many competing interests, such as families and careers. How can they make time to do what you did?

Working out became a part of my schedule, just like other important meetings or appointments. I just refused to miss a workout. On workout days, I would just tailor my day so that I would have no excuse to miss it. Even my clients understood that Thursday was a workout day! That strategy worked. The key is planning ahead and sticking to the plan. I also was fortunate that my husband was extremely supportive. He saw my commitment and he saw my results and gave me the freedom to do what I had to do.


What advice would you offer to someone who wants to get into shape after 40?

Honestly look at yourself in the mirror from head to toe and ask yourself, “Is this my best me? Is this really who I am? Is this what I want to look and feel like for the next 40 years?” If not, stop with the lame-ass excuses and do something. Regain control. Just because you are 40+ does not mean you have to join the frumpy-and-dumpy club. Commitment is the key. Start by being active everyday, whether it’s jumping jacks, squats, doing the treadmill with 5-pound weights in hand. Just do something. Also, a trainer or accountability partner is helpful as well. They’ll challenge you and push you beyond your boundaries.


What's the best part of being 40 for you?

Freedom from insecurity! I’m a grown-ass woman so I don’t sweat the insignificant stuff that creeps into my thoughts or my life. I have a millionaire mindset. I feel good in my skin and I embrace my imperfections. I am in love with me and I thank God for every aspect of my journey. At 40 I am bold, fearless and fabulous!