♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS," WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION.

>>> I'M LYDIIDIA BASTIANICH.

TEACHING YOU ABOUT ITALIAN FOOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY PASSION.

>> EVERYONE WANTS TO BE IN THE KITCHEN WITH LIDIA BASTIANICH, THE BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, RESTAURANT AND HOST OF "LIDIA'S COOKING."

NOW SHE'S TEACHING EVERYTHING EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW TO BE A GREAT ITALIAN COOK.

JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND FOR A LOT OF FAMILY MEALS.

LIDIA BASTIANICH JOINS ME NOW.

WELCOME.

NOW, LIDIA, THE TITLE OF YOUR BOOK, "LIDIA'S MASTERING THE ART OF ITALIAN CUISINE."

SOUNDS A LOT LIKE JULIA CHILD'S "MASTERING FRENCH COOKING."

WAS THAT INTENTIONAL?

>> I THINK SO.

MY FIRST OPPORTUNITY ON TELEVISION WAS ACTUALLY TWO EPISODES THAT I DID WITH HER.

>> WOW, THAT MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

BUT ALSO, HER EDITOR, WE BOTH HAD THE SAME EDITOR, ALTHOUGH JULIA'S RETIRED AND I HAVE PETER GATHERS, BUT WE HAD THE SAME EDITOR, THE SAME PUBLISHING HOUSE AND SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, LIDIA, I THINK WE NEED AN ITALIAN KIND OF VERSION OF THAT MESSAGE OF ETHNIC COOKING.

AND THE NAME, THE SIMILARITY, WAS INTENDED BY ALL OF US.

>> OKAY.

SO, WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK DIFFERENT THAN ALL THE ITALIAN COOKBOOKS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND YOUR PREVIOUS COOK BOOKS?

THI >> THIS IS MY TENTH BOOK.

IT TAKES ABOUT TWO YEARS TO DO A BOOK.

THIS ONE TOOK ME ABOUT THREE YEARS.

BUT WHAT'S IN HERE IS KIND OF ALL THOSE BITS AND PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT YOU KIND OF, YOU KNOW, AS YOU GO ON, YOU COLLECT, YOU PUT IT AWAY, THINGS THAT MADE ME WHO I AM, THAT MADE ME UNDERSTAND HOW TO COOK BETTER AND I KIND OF PULLED IT ALL OUT OF THAT FILE.

AND INCLUDED IT IN THIS BOOK.

SO, IT'S A BOOK THAT REALLY -- THAT I -- YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO BE -- TAKE THE COOK BY THE HAND AND GIVE THEM THE STEP BY STEP WHYS AND HOWS AND MAKE IT EASIER AND MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, AND A LOT OF THAT, RAFAEL, IS COMMON SENSE, THINGS THAT PEOPLE EVEN KNOW.

>> SIMIPLE THINGS.

BUT THEY MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

BECAUSE YOU SAY IT MAY SEEM DIFFICULT TO PREPARE ITALIAN FOOD, BUT IT IS SIMPLE IF YOU KNOW HOW TO DO IT.

HOW DO YOU MAKE IT SIMPLE?

EVEN FOR A GUY LIKE ME?

>> ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GET YOU IN THE KITCHEN.

ITALIAN FOOD AT ITS BEST IS SIMPLE FOOD.

IT'S ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS.

THE SEASONAL INGREDIENTS, THE BEST INGREDIENTS AND THE TRADITIONAL ITALIAN INGREDIENTS, YOU KNOW.

YOU NEED THOSE TRADITIONAL INGREDIENTS TO MAKE GOOD ITALIAN MEALS.

ONCE YOU HAVE THEM, PULLING TOGETHER IS REALLY SIMPLE.

AND ACTUALLY, THE FACT IS NOT TOO OVER-ELABORATE.

NOT TO ADD SO MANY THINGS.

SO, IN ITS SIMPLICITY, IF YOU UNDERSTAND THE PRODUCTS, YOU STAY SEASONAL, YOU STAY LOCAL, YOU THROW IN SOME TRADITIONAL ITALIAN PRODUCTS, YOU ARE BOUND TO MAKE A GOOD ITALIAN MEAL.

>> ASIDE FROM THE 400-PLUS RECIPES IN THE BOOK, YOU HAVE 88 PAGES SPECIFICALLY ON THE BASIC, OR, ABSOLUTE NECESSARY INGREDIENTS.

GIVE US SOME INGREDIENTS THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

>> YOU DON'T GO RIGHT INTO THE RECIPES.

YOU GO -- >> 88 PANELS AT THE BEGINNING.

>> EXACTLY.

AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I WANT THE COOK, THE HOME COOK, TO READ, TO GET INTO IT AND TO UNDERSTAND.

SO, THERE I HAVE THE DIVERSITY OF CHOOSING -- KNOWING HOW TO CHOOSE A PRODUCT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN IS IT PERFECT RIPENESS, KNOWING HOW TO PREPARE THAT PRODUCT, KNOWING HOW TO STORE THE PRODUCT AND ULTIMATELY KNOWING HOW TO COOK THAT PRODUCT.

HOW TO COMBINE PRODUCTS.

THAT'S ALL IN THERE.

YOU KNOW, LIKE, OKAY, I TELL YOU, SAN MARZANO TOMATOES WHY ARE THEY THE BEST?

THOSE ARE THE SEXY-LOOKING TOMATOES, LONG ROMA TOMATOES.

THEY ARE GREAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE THIN SKIN, THEY HAVE A LOT OF PULP AND A FEW SEEDS.

SO, NOT TOO MUCH JUICE, JUICE MAKES SAUCE ACIDIC.

SEEDS ARE TANNINS, SO THEY MAKE THE SAUCE BITTER, SO, IT MAKES SENSE WHY A SAN MARZANO, OR A PLUM TOMATO.

SO, NOW THE READER UNDERSTANDS AND WILL BE LOOKING FOR THOSE INGREDIENTS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE TECHNIQUES OF COOKING, DO WE BRAISE, DO WE BOIL, DO YOU STEAM, DO YOU ROAST, DO YOU DRY ROAST, DO YOU WET ROAST, DO YOU KNOW YOUR OVEN?

THE OVEN, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY, OKAY, I PUT IT ON THE -- IN THE MIDDLE RACK AND IT'S COOKING.

YEAH, THE MIDDLE RACK, YOU GET HEAT FROM ALL OVER EVEN.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF YOUR CHICKEN IS PALE AND YOU WANT TO GET SOME EXTRA COLOR QUICKLY?

WELL, YOU PUT IT ON THE TOP RACK, BECAUSE THE HEAT TRAVELS UP, COMES TO THE TOP.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU ARE MAKING A GRAVY OR A ROAST AND THE GRAY SI'S TOO LOOSE?

YOU TAKE IT, YOU PUT IT ON THE BOTTOM RACK SO THAT THE GRAYVY BUBBLES.

SO, THEN I ALSO TELL YOU, IF YOU HAVE LOOSE GRAVY, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SAYS, OH, PUT FLOUR -- WELL, YOU COULD, BUT THAT'S RAW AND YOU HAVE TO COOK IT, BUT HOW ABOUT SOME BREADCRUMBS?

THAT'S BASICALLY STARCH, FLOUR THAT'S COOKED.

YOU PUT IT IN YOUR LOOSE GARAVY YOU COOK IT AND THEN STRAIN IT.

SIMPLE, RIGHT?

>> THEY ARE SIMPLE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RECIPES.

THE ONE THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WAS THE CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CAKE.

WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THAT RECIPE?

>> THE SIMPLICITY, ACTUALLY.

>> AGAIN.

>> YEAH, BECAUSE IT'S ALL IN ONE BLENDER, IN A MIXER AND YOU ADD THE TRADITIONAL, THE BUTTER, THE SUGAR, THE EGGS, THE FLOUR, THE CHOCOLATE AND THEN THE HAZELNUTS, THOSE WONDERFUL HAZELNUTS THAT YOU TOAST THEM FIRST A LITTLE BIT.

SO, IT'S HOW YOU ADD THEM IN AND TOASTING THE NUTS FIRST SO YOU GET THE FLAVOR OUT AND THE COMBINATION OF ALL OF THOSE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER.

NOW, ITALY HAS 20 REGIONS AND, YOU KNOW, THE CUISINES IN ALL THE REGIONS ARE QUITE DIFFERENT.

AND THEY REALLY REFLECT THE -- THE CLIMATE THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE REGION.

SO, THIS CAKE COMES FROM THE NORTHEAST.

THEY HAVE SOME OF THE BEST HAZELNUTS AND THEY HAVE GREAT CHOCOLATE AND THE INFAMOUS, IF YOU WILL, HAZELNUT AND CHOCOLATE COMBINATION, COMES FROM THAT, SO IT'S ONLY NATURAL THAT WE WOULD MAKE IT INTO A CAKE.

>> NOW, FOOD FOR YOU, OBVIOUSLY, IS MORE THAN A MEANS OF GETTING NUTRIENTS INTO THE BODY OR EVEN AN OCCASIONAL PLEASURABLE EVENT.

WHAT CAN FOOD BE?

>> OH, GOD.

FOOD IS SO -- IT'S SO MUCH, IT'S THE COMMON DENOMINATOR FOR ALL OF HUMAN BEINGS, YOU KNOW?

WE ALL NEED TO EAT.

WE ALL -- SO THERE IS, WHEN WE SIT AT THE TABLE, NO MATTER WHICH ETHNIC TABLE WE SIT, THERE'S A COMMONALITY, THERE'S A SENSE OF WELL BEING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING AT THE TABLE, BECAUSE FOOD NURTURES YOU, FOOD KEEPS YOU HEALTHY, IF YOU DON'T OVERDO IT, YOU KNOW, AND ALL OF THOSE -- BUT FOOD IS ALSO COMMUNICATOR OF EMOTIONS, YOU KNOW, SAYING, WELCOME, I LOVE YOU, I WANT TO CELEBRATE YOU.

YOU CAN SAY ALL OF THAT WITH FOOD.

>> ALL RIGHT, LIDIA.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

"LIDIA'S MASTERING THE ART OF ITALIAN CUISINE" IS THE BOOK.

>> THANK YOU, RAFAEL.

>> THANK YOU, LIDIA.

>>> DAVE BARRY SAYS HE DECIDED TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL HUMAN MORIST WHEN HE DISCOVERED THAT, QUOTE, PROFESSIONAL HUMOR WAS A LOT EASIER THAN WORKING.

WE THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY IN A CAREER THAT HAS SPANNED FIVE DECADES HE'S BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL AT THIS REALLY NOT SO EASY PROFESSION.

WITH OVER 30 BOOKS, A PULITZER PRIZE AND A WILDLY POPULAR SYNDICATED COLUMN, "THE NEW YORK TIMES" HAS CALLED BARRY THE FUNNIEST MAN IN AMERICA.

NOW THE 71-YEAR-OLD WRITER IS AIMING HIS SIGNATURE SARCASM AND WIT AT PERHAPS THE TOUGHEST CONUNDRUM AT ALL.

HOW CAN WE AGE GRACEFULLY?

AND IN HIS ATTEMPT TO DISCOVER THE ANSWER TO THIS TIMELESS QUANDARY, HE HAS BEEN CONSULTING HIS WISEST FRIEND, HIS DOG LUCY.

BARRY'S NEW BOOK IS "LESSONS FROM LUCY: THE SIMPLE JOYS OF AN OLD HAPPY DOG."

AND HE JOINS US NOW.

DAVE, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

>> THANK YOU.

>> GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE, THANK YOU.

>> SO, DAVE, FIRST OF ALL, YOU DON'T CARE FOR SELF-HELP BOOKS, THAT'S MOSTLY BECAUSE YOU DON'T CARE FOR SELF-HELP AUTHORS OF WHOM YOU WRITE IN THE BOOK, QUOTE, A REMARKABLY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THE ONES I MET DID NOT STRIKE ME AS COMPETENT, GOOD OR EVEN NECESSARILY SANE.

YET, YOU WROTE A SELF-HELP BOOK.

>> YEAH, I'M NOT KNOWN FOR SELF-HELP BOOKS, I MEAN, USUALLY WHEN PEOPLE READ MY BOOKS, THEY GO, THAT DIDN'T HELP ME AT ALL, OR SOMETIMES, I'M ACTUALLY STUPIDER HAVING READ THIS BOOK.

BUT -- AND YET -- OVER THE YEARS, I'VE BEEN ON A MILLION BOOK TOURS AND I FOUND THAT AS A RULE, THE SELF-HELP AUTHORS WERE NOT REALLY TOGETHER PEOPLE.

>> THAT'S MY EXPERIENCE, AS WELL.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, ON THE AIR, THEY'D BE CALM AND DO THIS AND THIS.

AS SOON -- THEY'RE SCREAMING AT THE PUBLICIST OR SOMETHING.

SO, YEAH, IT'S A DEPARTURE FOR ME TO WRITE A BOOK AND I LIKE TO STRESS THAT THERE ISN'T ANYTHING THAT I SAY IN THIS BOOK THAT EVERYBODY DOESN'T ALREADY KNOW.

I'M NOT, LIKE, BREAKING NEW GROUND TELLING YOU AMAZING THINGS.

>> THAT'S THE THING ABOUT LIFE STORIES, LIFE-LEARNING STORIES, THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW THEM, BUT YOU GOT TO BE REMINDED OF THEM.

AND IT REALLY WORKS, MAN.

>> WELL, THANK YOU.

THE IDEA IS YOU YOUKNOW, IT'S N THAT WE DON'T KNOW THINGS, WE KNOW PLENTY OF THINGS.

AND THINGS WE KNOW THAT ARE IMPORTANT ARE SO SIMPLE THAT DOGS OFTEN KNOW THEM.

DOGS, THEY JUST KNOW HOW TO LIVE THEIR LIVES IN A WAY THAT MAKES THEM HAPPY, WHICH HAPPENS TO TURN OUT TO BE KIND OF A WONDERFUL WAY.

AND THEY DON'T CHANGE.

THEY CONTINUE TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT WORK FOR THEM AND HAVE WORKED FOR THEM FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

PEOPLE, WE START OUT KNOWING A LOT OF THESE THINGS.

WHEN YOU'RE A KID, YOU KNOW HOW TO HAVE FUN, YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS AND THEN GRADUALLY YOU LOSE THOSE THINGS.

YOU BURY THEM UNDER A PILE OF DAILY MINUTIA THAT SEEMS MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU, YOU KNOW?

IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO ME TO READ THIS PARTICULAR TEXT THAN TO NOTICE MY KID WHO IS RIGHT NEXT TO ME, YOU KNOW AND IS ASKING ME A QUESTION.

>> SO, THAT'S -- YOU'VE NAMED A COUPLE OF THEL LESSONS BUT I WAT TO GO THROUGH THEM.

HOW DID YOU COME TO REALIZE THAT LUCY, THE GREATEST DOG EVER, OF COURSE, YOUR DOG, WAS ABLE TO GIVE YOU THESE LESSONS?

>> WELL, WE BOTH GOT OLD.

I TURNED -- LAST YEAR I TURNED 70 YEARS OLD AND SO I'M NOT 71, THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT IN FLORIDA, EVERY YEAR, YOU ADD ANOTHER ONE.

AND AT THE SAME TIME I TURNED 70, LUCY TURNED 10, SO, IN DOG YEARS, SHE ALSO TURNED 70 AND IT WAS TIME -- WHEN YOU TURN 70, THAT'S A BIG ONE.

YOU REAL LY ARE THINKING, HUH.

WE'RE DEFINITELY IN THE FOURTH QUARTER HERE.

>> YEAH.

>> AND ON REFLECTION, I WAS THINKING, A LOT OF THINGS I REALLY WASN'T CRAZY ABOUT THAT I WAS DOING THAT HAD TURNED INTO, WITHOUT REALIZING IT, BECAUSE IT HAPPENS SO GRADUALLY.

AND MEANWHILE, LUCY WHO IS WITH ME ALL THE TIME, ALL DAY EVERY DAY, BECAUSE SHE'S A DOG, WASN'T DOING ANYTHING DIFFERENT.

MAYBE SLEEPING A LITTLE MORE, YOU KNOW, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, SHE WAS STILL EXACTLY THE SAME DOG SHE'D ALWAYS BEEN AND THE SAME THINGS MADE HER HAPPY AND SHE WAS, YOU KNOW, SHE WAS LIVING HER LIFE IN A WAY THAT MADE HER VERY HAPPY, WITHOUT REALLY -- SEEMINGLY EFFORTLESSLY, ALMOST.

I THOUGHT, WELL, IF SHE CAN DO THAT, MAYBE I CAN DO THAT, BECAUSE AT LEAST SOME OF THE THINGS DOES NOT, NOT DRINK FROM THE TOILET, ALTHOUGH -- YOU GET TO BE MY AGE, YOU TRY -- I HAVEN'T TRIED THAT YET.

>> SHE TAUGHT YOU SEVEN LESSONS.

THE BOOK HAS EIGHT, BECAUSE THE EIGHTH YOU LEARN YOURSELF WITH A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE YOUR FAMILY HAD TO ENDURE.

LET ME SEE HOW MANY OF THE SEVEN I CAN GET.

SO, THE FIRST ONE OF THOSE LESSONS IS, MAKE NEW FRIENDS AND KEEP THE ONES YOU HAVE.

HOW DID LUCY TEACH YOU THAT AND HOW HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE IMPARTED WISDOM?

>> WELL, LUCY IS A VERY FRIENDLY DOG AND WHENEVER ANYBODY OR ANY DOG COMES INTO THEIR SIGHT, SHE WANTS TO MEET THAT PERSON.

SHE LOVES THAT PERSON OR DOG VERY MUCH, ESPECIALLY A DOG IF IT SMELLS RIGHT.

>> AND THEY ALL SMELL RIGHT.

>> AND THEY ALL SMELL RIGHT.

AND SHE'S JUST VERY OUTGOING, YOU KNOW, KEEPS -- SHE SEES SOMEBODY SHE KNOWS, IT'S A WILDLY EXCITING MOMENT.

I DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE, YOU KNOW?

ALL MY REALLY OLD DEAR GOOD FRIENDS, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY'RE ALL STILL ALIVE, YOU KNOW?

TO FIND OUT, I WOULD HAVE TO CALL THEM UP AND I DON'T DO THAT.

YOU GET OLDER, YOU GET MORE ISOLATED, I THINK YOU GET -- AH, I COULD, BUT JUST TROUBLE, TOO MUCH TROUBLE.

AND YOU BEGIN TO DISMISS WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS YOU HAVE IN YOUR LIFE, AT LEAST I WAS DOING THAT.

AND SO, THAT WAS THE FIRST THING, TO TRY TO GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE AND TO TRY TO BE OPEN TO NEW FRIENDSHIPS, WHICH IS HARD TO DO WHEN YOU GET OLDER.

>> YEAH.

>> BECAUSE YOUR STANDARDS GET VERY HIGH WITH WHO IS ALLOWED TO BE YOUR FRIEND.

>> IN FACT, IN THE MIDDLE OF WRITING THE CHAPTER ON THIS, YOU STOPPED AND YOU CALLED A FRIEND THAT YOU HAD -- >> YEAH, I WAS FEELING SO GUILTY, BECAUSE I WAS THINKING ABOUT, HIS NAME IS ROB, HE WAS MY COLLEGE ROOMMATE, HADN'T SEEN HIM, TALKED TO HIM IN A COUPLE -- SEEMED LIKE A LONG, LONG TIME.

I'M GOING TO CALL ROB RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WHILE I'M WRITING THIS.

AND I DID AND WE HAD A GREAT LONG CONVERSATION AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING MUCH MORE SINCE THEN.

>> YOU KNOW, I WAS INSPIRED BY THAT AND IN THE MIDDLE OF MY READING THAT CHAPTER, I STOPPED, I CALLED PERHAPS MY -- >> YOU CALLED MY FRIEND ROB?

>> YEAH -- >> GET YOUR OWN FRIENDS.

>> THE FRIEND I DID CALL, THE CONVERSATION WENT DIFFERENTLY THAN YOURS.

I REALIZED WHY I HAD ABOUT CALLED HIM IN AWHILE.

THE MAN HAS GONE COMPLETELY NUTS POLITICALLY.

AND THAT'S ALL HE TALKS ABOUT AND THAT'S PARTLY WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING SO I DON'T WANT TO DO IT.

SO, WHAT DOES LUCY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT?

>> ACTUALLY, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.

WE ARE AS, YOU KNOW, AS A NATION, WE'VE -- WE'VE ALL GONE KIND OF NUTS AND IT'S BECOME MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.

I MEAN, ANYTHING POLITICAL WITH ANYBODY.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FIND OUT FIRST, WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON, IS IT THE SAME SIDE I'M ON, ARE WE -- WHICH IS A SHAME, I MEAN, I THINK THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE WERE MUCH BETTER AT DISAGREEING POLITICALLY AND STILL KNOWING, OKAY, I KNOW YOU AND I DON'T AGREE, BUT WE BOTH WANT THE BEST FOR THE COUNTRY, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE AN IDIOT AND YOU'RE WRONG.

NO.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

WE USED TO BE BETTER, I THINK, AT ALLOWING THE POSSIBILITY THAT SOMEBODY COULD DISAGREE WITH US AND STILL BE AN OKAY PERSON.

DOGS DON'T TALK ABOUT POLITICS.

THAT I'M AWARE OF.

ANOTHER THING, THEY VALUE RELATIONSHIPS OVER EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO, THEY WOULDN'T ALLOW AN EXTRAIN YUS THING LIKE YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS TO GET IN THE WAY OF A RELATIONSHIP.

>> SO, THE SECOND LESSON IS, DON'T STOP HAVING FUN AND IF YOU STOP, START HAVING FUN AGAIN.

TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> WELL, WHEN YOU GET OLDER, AT LEAST WHEN I -- YOU BEGIN TO THINK CERTAIN THINGS ARE BENEATH YOU, YOU'RE TOO OLD FOR THAT, YOU CAN'T DO -- THINGS THAT MIGHT BE PERCEIVED AS SILLY OR STUPID, YOU SHOULD AN'T DO THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE OLD.

DOGS DON'T DO THAT.

LUCY LIKED TO PLAY BALL WHEN SHE WAS A PUPPY.

SHE LIKES TO PLAY BALL NOW.

IT DOESN'T SEEM STUPID TO HER.

>> OKAY, THE THIRD LESSON, I'M PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO SKIP A FEW, BUT I WANT TO GO TO THE THIRD LESSON, WHICH INVOLVES THE PRACTICE OF MINDFULNESS, WHICH HAS BECOME SO POPULAR.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU WRITE IN THE BOOK, CORPORATIONS ARE NOW FOISTING IT ON THEIR EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS ALWAYS A BAD SIGN.

BUT SPECIFICALLY, THE LESSON IS, PAY ATTENTION TO THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE, NOT LATER, RIGHT NOW.

TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> THIS IS -- THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT LESSONS THAT DOGS CAN DEETEACH US.

THERE IS NO CREATURE MORE MINDFUL THAN A DOG.

EVERY MOVEMENT YOU MAKE, EVERY SOUND YOU MAKE, IF YOU GET UP, THE DOG IS INSTANTLY UP AND READY TO GO.

WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO, THE DOG WANTS -- THE DOG IS FOCUSED ON YOU BECAUSE IT REALLY, REALLY LOVE YOU.

I RATELY WANTS TO BE WITH YOU.

WE START OUT THAT WAY, MORE AWARE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND US AND THEN WE END UP, YOU KNOW, ON OUR PHONES AND, YOU KNOW -- WE'RE IN THE SAME -- YOU'VE SEEN IT, COUPLE AT A RESTAURANT AND THEY'RE BOTH -- >> I'VE SEEN IT, I DO IT.

>> THEY'RE AT A RESTAURANT, SITTING RIGHT ACROSS FROM EACH OTHER AND THEY ARE BOTH -- WHY ARE THEY AT A RESTAURANT?

STAY HOME AND EAT PIZZA IN THE CLOSET IF YOU ARE JUST GOING TO LOOK AT THE PHONE.

AND DOGS ARE SO, SO GOOD ABOUT THAT AND HAVING A DOG IS SORT OF A CONSTANT REMINDER OF THAT.

SO, IF YOU ARE IN A ROOM WITH YOUR LOVED ONES AND YOU ARE LOOKING AT YOUR PHONE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT THEIR PHONE, PUT YOURS DOWN AND LOOK AT THEIR PHONES.

NO, LOOK AT THEM, TALK TO THEM.

>> THAT'S A HARD ONE.

>> IT'S A TOUGH ONE, BUT EVERY TIME -- WHEN YOU REALLY GET REMINDED WHEN YOU GO TO A FUNERAL.

>> YEAH.

>> AND, YOU KNOW, YOU THINK, I'M NEVER GOING TO SEE THAT PERSON AGAIN.

I'M NEVER GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH THAT PERSON AGAIN.

AND THEN YOU WALK OUT AND YOU THINK, I AM GOING TO MAKE SURE I DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO ME -- AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOUR PHONE BEEPS, YOU KNOW -- >> EVEN IF IT DOESN'T BEEP.

>> JUST ONE TWEET.

>> SO, THE FOURTH LESSON, I WANT TO GET TO THIS ONE.

THE HARDEST FOR ME.

LET GO OF OUR ANGER UNLESS IT'S ABOUT SOMETHING REALLY IMPORTANT, WHICH IT ALMOST NEVER IS.

THIS ONE'S HARD FOR YOU, AS WELL.

YOU WRITE, YOU ARE PRONE TO INSTANTANEOUSLY HATE PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW.

NAME SOME OF THE PEOPLE -- >> THE FIRST EXAMPLE I GIVE IN THE BOOK IS, LIKE, IF YOU ARE IN LINE -- ONE OF THOSE ICE CREAM PLACES WHERE THEY HAVE 57 FLAVORS OF ICE CREAM AND THEY HAVE A LITTLE TASTING THING SO YOU CAN TAKE A SAMPLE BEFORE YOU DECIDE WHICH ONE YOU WANT.

A MAJOR DECISION, OF COURSE.

AND I DON'T MIND IF THERE'S NO ONE THERE IF YOU TAKE A FEW SAMPLES BUT IF YOU ARE AT THE FRONT OF A LINE OF 25 PEOPLE WAITING TO BUY ICE CREAM AND YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT GO, I'LL TRY THAT, NO, LET ME TRY -- LET ME TRY -- AND YOUR FRIENDS, TASTE THAT, AND YOU GO, CAN I TRY THE FIRST ONE AGAIN -- I WANT TO SHOOT YOU.

I MEAN -- I DON'T OWN A WEAPON, BUT -- >> YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO, RIGHT?

IN FLORIDA, YOU CAN.

>> LEGALLY, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO.

NO, AND D-- THE POINT IS, I WIL BE BECOME ENRAGED ABOUT THAT.

THERE'S MANY THINGS, INSTANTLY ENGAGED AND THEN -- THE REAL PROBLEM IS, I KEEP THE RAGE.

I MEAN, I'LL BE SEETHING ABOUT IT FOR AWHILE AND THAT'S A WASTE OF MY TIME, IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE THOSE PEOPLE -- AND IT WAS, WHAT, 30 SECONDS.

IT'S JUST NOT THAT IMPORTANT.

LUCY DOES GET ANGRY.

LIKE WE HAVE A WINDOW IN OUR OFFICE THAT LOOKS OUT ON THE DRIVEWAY, MY WIFE WORK IN AN OFFICE AND LUCY SITS THERE AND SHE HAS A PERCH TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW.

ONCE A WEEK, MEN COME AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS, THEY TAKE OUR GARBAGE.

WALK BRAZENLY DOWN -- TAKE -- AND LUCY IS LIKE, WHAT?

SHE'S LOOKING, CAN YOU -- DO YOU SEE?

YOU'RE GOING TO LET THEM -- SHE'S VERY UPSET BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING OUR GARBAGE.

AND THEN AS SOON AS THEY GO AROUND THE CORNER, GONE, BACK TO, YOU KNOW, SLEEPING -- THE RAGE IS OUT, SHE DOESN'T THINK ABOUT IT.

SHE DOESN'T WAKE UP AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING, I CAN'T BELIEVE WE LET THEM TAKE THE GARBAGE.

SHE'S VERY GOOD AT JUST LETTING IT PASS.

I NEED TO GET BETTER -- I NEED TO GET BETTER AT NOT GETTING MAD IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHICH IS DIFFICULT, BECAUSE I DRIVE IN MIAMI, WHERE MY LINE IS EVERYONE IN MIAMI IS DRIVING ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF HIS OR HER COUNTRY OF ORIGIN.

WE ALL HAVE A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION OF THE YELLOW LIGHT.

>> HOW ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT LESSON?

>> NOT TOO WELL.

I NEED THAT MOUNTED ON THE CAR.

>> LET ME TURN TO THE LESSON LUCY DID NOT TEACH YOU.

THERE REALLY WAS A TERRIBLE EVENT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY HAD TO ENDURE.

QUICKLY TELL US WHAT THE EVENT WAS AND WHAT THE LESSON WAS.

>> THE EVENT WAS, I WAS -- THE BOOK WAS DONE, I THOUGHT IT WAS DONE, I HAD WRITTEN SEVEN LESSONS, BEEN EDITED AND BOOK TOUR HAD BEEN PLANNED, THIS WAS LAST YEAR.

I WAS GETTING READY TO GO ON A BOOK TOUR IN OCTOBER AND IN AUGUST, AUGUST 18th, TWO DAYS BEFORE MY DAUGHTER SOFIE WAS SUPPOSED TO START AT DUKE, SHE WAS GOING TO BE A FRESHMAN, VERY EXCITED GOING TO COLLEGE, SHE WOKE UP PARALYZED FROM THE WAIST DOWN.

AND IT TURNED OUT SHE HAD A COND CONDITION WHERE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM ATTACKS YOUR SPINE.

IT'S A SERIOUS DISORDER, RARE AND IT SOMETIMES DOESN'T GO AWAY.

THEY DON'T KNOW.

THEY DON'T PREDICT, THEY DON'T TELL YOU.

SO, WE SPENT A HORRIBLE COUPLE OF WEEKS THERE THINKING THAT OUR DAUGHTER WAS NEVER GOING TO WALK AGAIN.

ALL HER FRIENDS HAD GONE OFF TO COLLEGE AND SHE'S THERE WITH TUBES ALL THROUGH HER, THE TREATMENT IS NOT PLEASANT.

AND LOOKING AT HER INSTAGRAM OF ALL HER FRIENDS STARTING COLLEGE AND GOING TO PARTIES AND EVERYTHING AND WE'RE THINKING, OUR LIVES ARE OVER HERE.

THIS IS -- YOU KNOW, ANYWAY, SHE GOT BETTER.

SHE RECOVERED, IS NOW AT DUKE AND SHE'S HAVING A WONDERFUL, YOU KNOW, SHE STARTED LATE, BUT SHE'S DOING GREAT AND HAVING A WONDERFUL TIME AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL.

BUT THAT WAS THE LESSON, AND IF YOU HAD ASKED ME DURING THE TIME THAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS, WHICH WAS THE WORST, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE A PARENT, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WORST FEELING THAN WATCHING YOUR CHILD SUFFER AND NOT BEING ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND NOT KNOWING THAT IT'S GOING TO GET BETTER.

IF YOU TOLD ME THEN THAT THE LESSON I WOULD GET FROM THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD, I WOULD NOT BELIEVE IT, BUT IT WAS GRATITUDE.

AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS, FIRST OF ALL, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL THAT SOFIE IS OKAY, BUT IN THE PROCESS OF LOSING THAT, HER HEALTH, WE REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT THAT WAS AND HOW UNIMPORTANT ALL THE OTHER THINGS IN OUR LIVES WERE.

WE -- WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS, WE SAID, WE'D GIVE UP EVERYTHING, ANYTHING, IF WE'D KNOW SHE'D BE OKAY.

WE DON'T CARE ABOUT MONEY OR ANYTHING ELSE, WE JUST WANT OUR DAUGHTER TO BE OKAY.

SO, YOU GET THROUGH THAT AND YOU REALIZE, MAN, ALL THIS STUFF THAT I THINK IS SO IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT JUST US, I MEAN, THE WHOLE WORLD, WE'RE ALL -- TALKING ABOUT POLITICS, EVERYBODY IS JUST FREAKING OUT ALL THE TIME, EVERYBODY IS ANGRY ALL THE TIME, BUT THOSE AREN'T THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN YOUR LIFE.

AND IF YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND YOU CAN GET UP OUT OF BED AND YOU ARE REASONABLY HEALTHY AND SO ARE YOUR LOVED ONES, YOU HAVE A LOT TO BE THANKFUL FOR, GRATEFUL FOR, MOST ANYTHING ELSE, YOU'VE GOT THAT.

AND THE REST IS KIND OF MINOR COMPARED TO THAT.

SO, THE BIG LESSON I GO OUT OF THAT AND I STILL FEEL IT EVERY DAY, I AM GRATEFUL FOR EVERY DAY NOW THAT MY DAUGHTER IS OKAY, WE'RE OKAY.

I DON'T CARE ABOUT MUCH ELSE, TO BE HONEST.

>> YOU TOLD MEL BEFORE WE SAT DOWN THAT SHE'S ALMOST 100%.

>> SHE'S DOING VERY, VERY WELL.

>> SHE'S DOING WELL.

HOW IS LUCY DOING?

>> LUCY IS UNCHANGED.

>> THAT'S GOOD.

>> NOTHING ABOUT LUCY CHANGES.

THAT'S ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT DOGS.

>> ALL RIGHT, DAVE.

IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TALKING TO YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- JANET PRINDLE SEIDLER, JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD, CHERYL AND PHILIP MILSTEIN FAMILY, JUDY AND JOSH WESTON, DR. ROBERT C. AND TINA SOHN FOUNDATION.