June come and gone..

Window display, aliens playing poker!

Have lots to post, but have yet to carve out regular time to blog. MUST make one more post before June rolls out...

We arrived in Roswell last week, had fantastic meetings with the partners, and began looking for a rental to suit our unique family and budget.  One IS on the horizon, and we hope to be moving in this week.

For fun, Wyatt and I have a goal to photograph every alien in Roswell.. stay tuned!

Museum of Texas Tech

As a Historian, Henry B. Crawford was invited by the Western Writers of American to present some panels about reenactments.  He also participated in the reading of the "Homesman".  He is the Curator of History, History Division, at the Museum of Texas Tech University located in Lubbock.

When Henry invited us to visit him at the museum, with a personal tool of the downstairs archives, we jumped at it!

Pictured here is Thadd holding the rifle that  It belonged to John Wesley Mooar (brother of J. Wright Mooar). Both were Kansas and Texas buffalo hunters. The gun was ordered in December 1876 and delivered to Fort Griffin in January 1877. Mooar bought it from T. E. Jackson at Fort Griffin.  Mooar is known for having killed a rare white buffalo at Deep Creek, Scurry County in 1876, as his crew was on a hunting expedition from Fort Griffin.

The rifle is a Sharps, caliber .40-90, and weighs about 12 pounds.

The collection that the museum has in the basement is amazing; Thadd & I walked thru envisioning the items as props in our scripts!

Henry is retiring in December, and we hope to collaborate with him on a buffalo hunt movie or regarding Adobe Walls.  Thanks Henry for the tour and your new friendship!

Western Writers of American read the "Homesman"

The Western Writers of American kicked off their annual convention, this year held in Lubbock, TX with an acting-read of the "Homesman."

Kirk Ellis, Vice-President of the Western Writer's of American, notes that annual conventions always include panels and workshops on screenwriting, but what better way to learn the craft then to hear and see first hand how the a novel flows into script format than to do a table read?

An assortment of Western Writer members did such that.  Narrated and directed by Kirk Ellis, the audience was entertained and impressed with the table read of the  shooting script of the "Homesman".

Thadd had three characters to read- first the freighter driver, then a bartender, and poker dealer.  

Johnny Boggs did an excellent job as the primary character played by Tommy Lee Jones in the movie.

the entire cast

After party- Henry, me, and Thadd

Simplifiy, Simplify!

This rings true today as I pack the car for the 999 mile trip back to New Mexico...

While we are each only taking minimal personal items, when we came in February some items that were to stay in NM found their way into the U-Haul, so we are packing them up to go back.  Plus, we have to pack our materials & projects, the dog & cats...  at least it will all fit in the truck and my car!

Oysters 101

With two days left until we travel back to NM to work for a few months, we WILL be indulging in raw oysters both days- in an attempt to eat enough to last us thru our change of cuisine...

So I thought I should learn more about the oyster business here in LA.  Here are some interesting facts:

• The Mississippi Gulf Coast is home to the American Oyster. The lower salinity levels of the Gulf have protected wild oysters from certain diseases.
• The warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico foster a faster growing oyster- they can reach a 4" length in less than 9 months!  However, the marketable oyster (min 3") are the 18-24 month oysters. An oyster can live 20-30 years!  Because the water never cools down much, the oysters never go dormant, which means their flavor stays the same throughout the year.
• While you may find natural pearls in the American Oyster, the oyster lacks the ingredient in its secretions to form the mother-of-pearl coating that gives the luster.
• Oysters are in best condition and most tasty in the winter and early spring.
• When oysters are feeding, they filter about 50 gallons of water over the gills per day. They can accumulate concentrations of bacteria & chemicals up to 1,000 times that of surrounding waters.  This is why all harvesters must be licensed- they are legally liable for illnesses and deaths that might occur from their disregard for proper harvesting & handling practices!  Harvesting can only be done from approved safe waters.
• Oysters reproduce by spawning in the spring.  Sperm & eggs are released at the same time & fertilization occurs in the water column. Fertilized eggs hatch into larvae- only 1% of these reach the next stage where they begin to swim & drift until it becomes a spat and attaches to something- where it will spend the remainder of its life.
• Oysters are born male, then a portion converts to female (?!). BUT if an oyster colony (called a "bed") lacks males, a female can convert back to male!
• 6 medium raw oyster have a whopping 45 calories, packed with 4.8 grams of protein, and only 1.44 grams of fat. They also are a good source of phosphorus, calcium, potassium & zinc, and, 7.35 micrograms of vitamin B-12! 

You're My Favorite Husband....

Celebrating DECADES together, yesterday Thadd and I hit the streets of New Orleans in style... 

1. Our chauffeur (aka son) dropped us off on Decatur Street.
2. We chose a new bar to have a cocktail (with SO many bars in NOLA, one must always try new haunts!)
3. Enjoyed delicious STEAK & LOBSTER dinner at Star Steak & Lobster House.
4. Listened to music at our favorite Irish bar, Kerry's Irish Pub. 
5. Dropped in Coyote Ugly to say hi to our favorite bartender, Carla (who now also works at our favorite neighborhood bar, Down the Hatch).  

NO, I did not dance on the bar at Coyote!  But we did sing to Don McLean's "American Pie", and met a trucker who is our vision of what Brutus would look like in Thadd's script, "Bloody Knuckles"! 

THIS says it all, and is our motto for our next year in matrimony!

Yes, they MADE us wear the Lobster Bib!.  The lobster was HUGE! The Steak PERFECT!

My drinking buddy... and overall bud!

Carla.  She has been nominated as Coyote of the month- stay tuned on how to vote for her!

"Unforgettable" Advice for a Good Life

Scott Simon (NPR Correspondent) recently released a book about his relationship with his mother, "Unforgettable: A Son, a Mother, and the Lessons of a Lifetime", a memoir of his mother's life and death.


And while I haven't yet read this book, I appreciate his mother's advice:

Patricia Lyons Simon Newman Gelbin’s Advice for a Good Life

Write thank you notes

Tip well

Sing

Drink Responsibly

Remember that good manners cost nothing, and open doors

Reach out to someone who is lonely.  Make them laugh

Help people smile

French Market Creole Tomato Festival!

Spent Saturday at the French Market enjoying Creole Tomato Festival!

Lots of food, music, vendors! Some background info, (from NewOrleansOnline):

June in New Orleans means the arrival of Creole tomato dishes on local restaurant menus, in farmers markets and at roadside stands. Typically the crop arrives in early June, which is why the French Market Creole Tomato Festival is always held the second weekend of that month.

Tomatoes, especially the succulent Creoles, are essential ingredients in many of the most popular dishes served by New Orleans' top restaurants. Chefs love them for their versatility and diners love them for their unique flavor.

The French Market Creole Tomato Festival is a celebration of Louisiana's produce, farmers and the Pelican State's unique cultural and cuisine offerings, of which the Creole tomato is emblematic. Originally imported from the West Indies, the Creole tomato thrives in the rich alluvial soil and subtropical climate of south Louisiana, especially in St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes.

For over 20 years, the Creole Tomato Festival has celebrated this unique Louisiana vegetable, which adds so much to so many local recipes. The festival is beloved by locals and visitors alike for its quaint and quirky traditions, such as life-sized tomatoes strolling the grounds handing out tomato shaped fans, and the auctioning off of the first tomatoes of the season to local chefs. Shrimp season coincides with Creole tomato season, so it's a perfect recipe for delicious summer fun to feature fresh seafood and fresh produce in dishes, seminars and in "making groceries" at the historic French Market.

Centered around the French Market, which dates back to 1791 and is the nation's oldest city marketplace.

The paddleboat we took a cruise on earlier in year, on the mighty Mississippi!

Thadd got his first NO hat!  

"Don't Look Back"

Had a GREAT time at  BOSTON & guest FOGHAT concert!

Held at Champion Square outside the New Orleans Saints Superdome (which is where this awesome sign came from), the crowds enthusiasm was not dampened at all from a downpour that started just as Boston began.

It is funny how the lyrics we listed to in the 70s seem to be written for us now...

if you are not familiar with songs of Boston or Foghat, here are a few of their more popular:

Boston:

"Don't Look Back"

Don't look back

A new day is breakin'

It's been too long since I felt this way

I don't mind where I get taken

The road is callin'

Today is the day

I can see

It took so long to realize

I'm much too strong

Not to comprimise

Now I see what I am is holding me down

I'll turn it around

I finally see the dawn arrivin'

I see beyond the road I'm drivin'

Far away and left behind

It's a new horizon and I'm awakin' now

Oh I see myself in a brand new way

The sun is shinin'

the clouds are breakin'

'Canse I can't lose now, there's no game to play

I can tell

There's no more time left to criticize

I've seen what I could not recognize

Everthing in my life was leading me on

but I can be strong

I finally see the dawn arrivin'

I see beyond the road I'm drivin'

Far away and left behind

"Peace Of Mind"

Now if you're feelin' kinda low 'bout the dues you've been paying

Future's coming much too slow

And you wanna run but somehow you just keep on stayin'

Can't decide on which way to go

Yeah, yeah, yeah

I understand about indecision

But I don't care if I get behind

People livin' in competition

All I want is to have my peace of mind.

Now you're climbin' to the top of the company ladder

Hope it doesn't take too long

Can'tcha you see there'll come a day when it won't matter

Come a day when you'll be gone

I understand about indecision

But I don't care if I get behind

People li vin' in competition

All I want is to have my peace of mind.

Take a look ahead, take a look ahead, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...

Foghat:

"I Just Want To Make Love To You"

(originally by Muddy Waters)

I don't want you, cook my bread

I don't want you, make my bed

I don't want your money, too

I just wanna make love to you

I don't want you, be no slave

I don't want you, work all day

I don't want you to be sad and blue

I just wanna make love to you

I can tell by the way that you baby talk

I can see by the way that you switch and walk

I can tell by the way that you treat your man

But I could love you, baby, it's a cryin' shame

I don't want you, wash my clothes

I don't want you, keep a home

I don't want you to be true

I just wanna make love to you

I don't want you, be no slave

I don't want you, work all day

I don't want you to be true

I just wanna make love to you

I don't want you, keep a home

I don't want you, wash my clothes

I don't want you to be true

I just wanna make love

FOGHAT.  While the concert was scheduled to start at 8 pm, the band started at 7:30..

BOSTON.  They had awesome visuals- lot of Grand Canyon shots, Wyoming, and of course outer space!

Vet Visit

Took Lucy in to the local vet today for an annual check-up plus to get flea control.  Unbeknownst to us, the fleas in New Orleans drink the Frontline and Advantage topical formulas! 

Only way to fight them is with oral medicine from the vet.    

Lucy does not enjoy the vet- to draw blood for her heartworm test she had to be muzzled (which was a great steampunk look for her- wish I could have snapped a photo!)..  good news is she is negative for heartworms!  

Irish Bagpipes!

We went to the Irish House to listen to bluegrass jam... but the band didn't show.  However, we were privileged to watch these awesome bagpipe players!

"Happy Out"

Don't MISS your LIFE

TIME is a Limited Asset- because we are mortal.

So this is a reminder to QUIT living for "down the road" with required "prerequisites" to enjoy it.

What about NOW?!

We don't know how much time we have left to do the 'bucket list' items, and with work & family commitments you run the chance of "missing" your life.. letting possibly thrilling or memorable times pass by.

It is experiences that invigorate and satisfy us. So today make a list of fun things you would like to do in your community. Do it! Try to list at least 5 ideas that you can fit into your leisure time now.


I only have two weeks left in NOLA, so I must hurry and get some fun things done here!
Here's my list:

1. Go to a rock concert.  (Boston with special guest Foghat is playing in town!- Friday 8 pm)
2. Hike in a swamp.  (this will be THRILLING as it will TERRIFY me!)
3. Dance on the bar at Coyote Ugly. (ok...  this is NOT going to happen, but thought I would throw it in there..)
4. Go watch a jazz, bluegrass, zydeco jam. (catch blugrass jam at Irish House tonight at 7!)
5. Go to the French Quarter Farmer's Market (Weds 2-6)!

JUNE: Week 2 EXERCISE!

One year ago on June 6, champion swimmer Amy Van Dyken-Rouen was paralyzed in an ATV accident that severed her spine.  Her life took an amazing turn, and this awesome woman perseveres and is an inspiration to all.  Read her story here.

In a recent interview she talked about how hard the daily regiments are.. in fact harder than her Olympic work-outs.  She said that when training for the Olympics she was working out for her country, which was awesome, but now, she is

“Working out for my life”!

I am inspired by these words and devote the 2nd week of June to EXERCISE! 

This Life is too Fleeting....

STOP COMPLAINING: Tip 7/7- Keep Moving Forward.

Tip 7 of 7 on how to STOP COMPLAINING, is to Keep Moving FORWARD.

Yes, everyday there is no doubt that their will be stumbling blocks that may or may not be worthy to complain about, but you must refuse to let them keep you from Moving Forward!

Keep your eye on the prize!  

Don't let everyday hindrances keep you from moving onward!  

Don't let daily annonyances turn you gloomy!

Keep calm & realize:

STOP COMPLAINING: Tip 6/7- Be Part of the Solution

Tip 6 of 7 on how to STOP COMPLAINING, is to be Part of the SOLUTION.

 Your housemate doesn't do the dishes...
 Your son used the car and didn't gas up...
 Your lunch mate does not offer to share the tab...

Ready to start complaining about these situations?

I don't know about you, but my complaining persona would likely:
.. do the dishes myself (grumbling about it no doubt)..
.. yell at son and fill up the car myself..
.. don't go out to lunch again with the moocher..

BUT remember, we are trying to curb our complaining and so take a breath...

We don't want to stop at the complaint; we want to move Forward.

Be Part of the Solution.

Ask your housemate to commit to dish schedule.  Ask your son to remind themselves to gas the car (text it!).  Set rules with lunch mates before any food is ordered.

If you are PRO-ACTIVE, then you can prevent problems from occurring, 

and TA-DA.. nothing to complain about!

STOP COMPLAINING: Tip 5/7- Be Responsible.

Tip 5 of 7 on how to STOP COMPLAINING, is to be more RESPONSIBLE.

Personal Responsibility means taking responsibility for your thoughts, actions, and  words... including your own mistakes.

Doing this leads to self-respect.

And when you have self-respect, you will decide to remove those from your life that do NOT respect you... these are the people that will take advantage of you and are likely chronic complainers.

Your life WITH those that like and respect you... Priceless!

STOP COMPLAINING: Tip 4/7- Be Less Judgemental

Tip 4 of 7 on how to STOP COMPLAINING, is to be less JUDGEMENTAL.

How is this related?  Because as you are being JUDGEMENTAL of someone or yourself.. your criticsm easily turns to COMPLAINING.

I love the Urban Dictionary definition of JUDGMENTAL:

1. A way of making ones self feel better, by hurting others. Usually caused by closed mindedness, and a lack of manners. 
2. Feeling the right to judge, and doing so. 

So how should you approach this?

1. BE AWARE when you are being Judgemental- to both yourself and others.  For the rest of the week, just take notice to see if you are indeed passing judgements.
2. UNDERSTAND: I have always stressed with my son that every person has a story.  So before being critical of someone, try and understand their story by talking with them, or imagining their situation.
3. ACCEPT: After trying to understand, your next step is to LET GO OF CONTROL and accept it for what it is. 
4. COMPLIMENT: Opposite of being critical, complimenting yourself and others will give you positive vibes to get thru the day and lower your stress level.

and finally, share a SMILE!

STOP COMPLAINING: Tip 3/7- BE ASSERTIVE.

Tip 3 of 7 on how to STOP COMPLAINING, is to be more ASSERTIVE.

OK.. to understand how this is related to giving up the bad habit of complaining, first look at the definition of ASSERTIVENESS:

Assertiveness is the ability to honestly express your opinions, feelings, attitudes, and rights, without undue anxiety, in a way that doesn't infringe on the rights of others.

Contrast this with the definition of COMPLAIN (via the Urban Dictionary, as it is closer to our intent than Webster's definition):

To express your feelings about a situation in
an annoying manner all the time.

Both actions involve expressing your feelings, yet we want to express assertively vs agressively. In other words, choose your words wisely, pay attention to HOW you voice your feelings, and how you present (ie body language).  But most of all, know that you have the right as a person to express yourself.

STOP COMPLAINING: Tip 2/7- BE MINDFUL

Tip 2 of 7 on how to STOP COMPLAINING, is to be more MINDFUL.

Psychology Today defines MINDFULNESS as:
"a state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience."

Apparently, the year 2014 was called the “year of mindful living” (WHO knew? I seem to have missed this trend!).  It was the answer to stress, burnout, tech addiction & distractions… the effects of general business.

So if your goal is find that zen zone and be attentive to the present moment, here are things a mindful person is likely to do:

1. TAKES WALKS & GETS OUTSIDE!
2. REALLY FOCUSES! Really pay attention to daily activities as you perform them (this means when you have sex… don’t be thinking of baking a cake!)
3. CREATES!  From baking, crafting, painting, writing.. do something other than work!
4. UNITASKS! Yes, this is the opposite of multi-tasking (which every employer expects)!  Studies now show that we are incapable of doing multiple tasks at one time WELL.  Try intent focus on one task at a time.
5. SETS SMARTPHONE LIMITS!  Know when NOT to check your phone; do not be a victim of Nomophobia (fear of being out-of-touch)- take back control!
6. SEEKS NEW EXPERIENCES!  Be an adventuress!
7. ACCEPTS THEIR FEELINGS!   “Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.” ~Mother Teresa
8. LAUGHS!  Don’t take yourself so seriously!

I want to know this person;

they certainly sound like someone I would love to hang with!

JUNE: STOP COMPLAINING: Tip 1/7- BE POSITIVE!

JUNE is such an awesome month... I think because of its association with summer vacation, beaches, bbq's, weddings, concerts....

and with today being June 1, it is a good excuse to make a fresh start.. give yourself a clean slate!

Let's use this month of sunshine, almost half-way through the year, to radiate our own rays of light!

First on my list is to STOP COMPLAINING and to veer towards the opposite camp...

BE POSITIVE!

COMPLAINING is easy to do.. and it can be verbal- which affects those around you-  or internal grumbling- which affects your own energy.  Being in a constant state of negativity, drains you. Being around someone who constantly whines drains you.

So let's take 7 days to find 7 Ways to Stop Complaining!

1. The obvious first step is to BE POSITIVE.  How? Try taking a different view on things- seeing the positive in each situation, and accepting that no one or no situation is or can be perfect.

"The best way to interrupt a bad thought

is by saying something positive."   ~Joyce Meyer.