Everyone has a public appearance nightmare--you know, the play where you forgot your lines, the microphone that didn't turn on, the wardrobe malfunction.

I had my little nightmare recently, as a guest on 99, an entertainment show on the new channel Soi TV. I'd been invited to talk about my book and my career as a journalist.

I had my suspicions when I realized the hosts didn't know anything about me, but what the heck--TV hosts are great at doing things on the fly, so I figured I was worried over nothing.

I had dinner with Gloria Estefan last week. Ok, I was interviewing her. But it was still dinner with Gloria. And, I have to confess, even a decade after first meeting her, I'm still in awe of the woman.

Not because she's a superstar who's sold 70 million albums worldwide, or because she was in Glee or because she still churns out No. 1 hits. It's because, despite all that, Estefan remains happily married--a wife, a mom who is so grounded and so solidly down to earth.

That is a major part of her stardom that others would do well to emulate.