Lisa Allender Writes

The Unspoken Words Premiere, 11-11-11, Atlanta.

2011-11-14T10:47:00.010-05:00

Friday night was like nothing I've ever experienced in my many years on planet Earth. Hansoo and I headed down after my full day of preparing myself physically, and mentally, for the Premiere of "Unspoken Words". Glancing at my gown(which, by 2:00 P.M., I'd already gotten dressed in), I asked for a 1970's style hairdo from talented hairstylist, Angie Brookmire, at Regis Salon, North Point. She did a "half-up, half-down" style that my sister Tina and I, used to beg my Mom--Demetra to fix our hair in, often lamenting when we were 8 and 13,respectively, "Mom, please fix our hair some-up-and-some-down?!"
Angie had colored and highlighted my hair only a couple of days before, but I stopped in for the styling, which meant literally--a half-up, half-down, off-the-face hairdo. Immediately after, I headed next door, to Macy's, and spoke with Lindsay at the Dior makeup counter.Lindsay prepped my face and applied light makeup; Julie did my (rather extravagant, but totally rockin')eyes. I was feeling comfortable in my Laundry gown, a hot pink number with a very Cher circa 1970's feel to it, which I'd picked up the night before, from Tootsie's boutique in the Around Lenox Shopping Center in Buckhead. I headed home, selected a faux-fur (very dear pal Dan Morrison had personally shopped for me, leaving several wraps of various fabrics and shades of silver, for me, from which to choose).
After much slow-moving traffic (Hansoo drove us--just he and I, down together.My dear Mom, Daddy, and Uncle, were in Mom's car.It turns out, all that annoing traffic was due to a Falcons game, going on in an adjacent area. Anytime there's heavy evening traffic in the ATL, it means (sigh) sports.)
As we approached the Georgia World Congress Center, I could see UNSPOKEN WORDS on the marquee.(!)
My only thought: So this is really, actually happening.That film we all worked so hard on, it's happening....
I asked Hansoo if he could drop me, as I was worried I'd be late (I'd spoken to our Director's girlfriend while I was getting my make-up done, and she'd said "There's a lot going on right now. Don't worry. You're alright."), and he agreed. He dropped me directly in front, and drove away to park our shiny, silver Mercedes ML 550(a large SUV, which he bought for transporting our large dogs, but that night, it looked luminous, and it made me feel glamorous, stepping out of this elegant vehicle).
As I stepped out, I looked up, holding the seam of my gown in my right, silver-gloved hand (the gloves were elbow-length, found-- by Dan Morrison--- at Eddie's Magic Trick Shop(!)), while the other silver-gloved hand held a structured vintage purse, courtesy my "Omma K." (courtesy my "Omma K."-my Korean Mother-in-Law).
And who, of all the nearly 1700 people present, should I see first?
Why, as I stepped as gingerly as possible down the stone steps that lead to the building, I heard "Hey, is that my 'mom'? Is that you? Wow, you look GORGEOUS!" It was Zeek Mayes, who plays Dante' Jordan, the young man who yearns to escape Benetha Evans' grasp in "Unspoken Words". Startled, and frankly, not able to see him well, I yelled, rather loudly, "Zeek? Oh, wow, is that YOU?!"
The hug that followed was one of those warm, I-love-ya-man hugs, and it was exactly what I needed, before the surreal-ness of the evening would begin....

The swirls of light focused on me, as I entered the Georgia World Congress Center's Building A, nearly blinded me.
As I entered the lobby, I noticed several people at various tables, and quietly made my way over, when suddenly, I heard several pop-pop-pops which startled me. I actually felt frightened, as the sound was reminiscent of gunshots. There were
people--men, women, young, old, professional, and people with cell-phones, aiming cameras at me. I actually glanced behind me, thinking someone important must be present, but no--they were aiming at me-- because they wanted pictures, of me?!
I felt like one of those whirling dervishes, as I had to keep moving, to prevent being stopped, and asked questions ("We'd like to ask you a few questions." "Hi, I'm
from Holywood Review, you're next, okay? We want to speak with you." "BET, hi, would you give us some time,please?")or requests, "Hey, will you sign my poster?" I started to laugh, because it was all so incredibly CRAZY. For heaven's sake, the film has not even been released, and this, uh, what is this??? Fortunately, I saw my hubby and assorted friends and family arrive pretty quickly, which meant I could run off and speak with loved ones, instead of strangers.
I ended up doing(I honestly cannot recall how many, 4, maybe 5?), and enjoying, the interview process, but the evening was getting later and later, and we still had not adjourned to the Sidney Marcus Auditorium for the pre-show of hip-hop music and dance performances, and poetry, though some poetry and dance was being performed on a small stage in the lobby. I cannot list all my friends without accidentally leaving someone out, but I will say the biggest chuckle of the evening came when my friend, Liliya arrived, with her husband, and I began to introduce her to my good friend, Julie.
I screamed out, "Oh, this is the woman who waxes me; she's great." I feel certain the peals of laughter rippling through the hundred or so friends and strangers
gathered around me, were happening because everyone must've been imagining and giggling about, this lovely tall blond Russian lady stripping me of my bikini-hair, or giving me a "Brazilian", but I was actually referring to her stellar skills in Brow and Face-waxing, as she had just performed those services a few days before.
(though she certainly is adept at the other lower-down stuff, too). That moment
helped me stay grounded, and seeing dear old USF pal, Derek (now Dr. Derek, DOC,located in Marietta/Smyrna/Vinings area) Conte', standing nearby,caused me to smile a big smile, that lasted nearly all night.
Derek was the guy that every girl in college adored: he was the strong, athletic, dark, edge-y, very Italian guy--from New York City-- no less, and he displayed his immense acting and singing talents in nearly every single piece of theatre our University produced.I had the extreme pleasure of working alongside him, in Jean Paul Sartre's No Exit, circa 1981 or 1982, in an Acting V Honors Class, with other distinguished actors from those years.... and just this past April, saw him for the first time since, at a Reunion of USF Theatre Graduates.
But I digress.
At about this time, I was being whisked away to see the auditorium where the screening would begin, and we were told there was "a power-outtage." Yikes...what did that mean? It's already nearly 8:30 PM,would the Premiere be delayed even more?
I was worried about my Daddy, and my Mom, and Uncle, all of whom I'd seen intermittently throughout the night, but as it grew more crowded, I saw less of them, which upset me.
I dashed out, against "orders" to stay put, to hold my hands up, and wave
everyone (I soon spotted most of my family and friends)over, and they soon filed in, with many others.One dear friend, Carole, exclaimed something about tickets, but I was being told (by organizers)at that moment,to come into the auditorium and I obeyed.I hope she can forgive me, whooshing past her; I felt incredibly flustered.
Once inside the Sidney Marcus Auditorium, I threw my silver faux-fur (I would NEVER wear real fur, ugh!)over a few seats, and then waved it frantically as I watched several attendees descend into the theatre, thinking I could catch my family and friend's attention, so they'd see me, and join me, in our "Special Section" for my peeps and me...
So, now we were all settled in, and I sat between Uncle Buddy and Hansoo, my dearest sweet grrrl, Ms.Coral McGhee sitting next to my Mom--Demetra, and my Daddy--John R., on the other side of her. Both in front of me, and behind me, dozens of friends who came to support me, and showed extreme patience in doing so. A few rows behind, Arthur (Hubby's little bro) and new gal, Erin, sat. And Hans's buddy, Jay (from Jacksonville), his gal-pal,Bunny,and Jay's parents, Harold and Barbara Alexander, from Greensboro, North Carolina.
We were treated to several hip-hop singers and dance numbers, both to warm us up for the film, and I suppose, to offer more entertainment in lieu of the Screening beginning on time, due to what was later called "technical glitches".
After hours of delay, there were prayers offered via gospel-like songs, in a fervent attempt, I believe, to move this Premiere, along.
When the film began, it began rather abruptly, and jarred us to attention.The sound quality was poor, making it difficult to discern every sentence, every word.
However, I found the story (remember, I had not seen the film, either!) very exciting. I loved seeing my name Lisa Nanette Allender up there (and am not embarrassed to admit it!), and enjoyed seeing the words fall away in a jumble as they left the screen.(I loved what Henderson did with the graphics)
The vast audience remnained calm, and very very supportive,as a series of technical problems threatened seeing the film in its' entirety.
Despite the poor sound quality, and numerous glitches where the screen would freeze on a particular shot (the first frozen shot was of me--Benetha--holding that shotgun.My goodness,it's surreal enough to see one's face a hundered times bigger than reality,but downright scary to see a shot like that, frozen-in-time. Great moment: my pal, Ellen's friend, Josh, seemed genuinely puzzled that the person frozen onscreen, was indeed, me, the woman he'd just met in the lobby.That was actually quite cool, not recognizing me,as her.), the audience appeared very engaged.
Several (8-9) of my own scenes did not appear, as the screen "froze", or simply
skipped, and I'm sure other scenes were missing too, but the ending still received much applause.
Filmmaker Henderson Maddox handled the challenges with aplomb and much class. The technical glitches, you can rest assured, will get resolved soon.
Henderson's even providing DVDs of the film (late next year) to those who purchased tickets, online.
As I headed out with family, several women and a few young men, stopped me to
to sign their posters.Several said they did not realize I was Benetha, and had to ask where the actress was, who played her.One woman said "I guess you gained weight for the role.You certainly went from Z, to A, honey. I'm looking at you right now, and this is 'A'." I responded, "Well, I ate half a bag of potato chips, and a half jar of olives, nearly every night we were shooting, because it puffs up your face, and ages you under the eyes. I also lifted weights for my arms, to make them look wiry and bigger, since Benetha would be stronger than I usually (personally) look." I loved that she said "Well, it worked. You were really scary. I loved your character, because I wanted to see more of her.I mean, she was dark, but I could not hate her; I mean, she's sick, but..." Her voice trailed off.
That was the best compliment someone could give me: she seemed at a loss to understand why, exactly, she could feel something for Benetha. Which made me feel, great.

Okay, so the Film Premiere, technically, was not perfect.
But, as my dear Pax Christi friends, Joe and Mary Jean, in a private e-mail later reminded me, these things never are. Perfect.
But for my first Film Premiere, surrounded by such love--my family,including Mom--Demetra, Daddy--John R., my Hubby--Hansoo, and Uncle Buddy, as well as my extended family of dear friends,a dedicated and hard-working filmmaker, Henderson Maddox, our crew and cast, and a strong, onscreen story that I felt myself being pulled into, it was close enough.
Peace, kids.

Gratefulness, Joy, Love.

2011-11-11T00:55:00.004-05:00

11-11-11. This configuration is not interesting simply because it is a palindrome, but because today, tah-dah!!!...or rather TONIGHT...is the long-awaited WORLD PREMIERE of award-winning filmmaker, Henderson Maddox's "Unspoken Words".
I was excited to audition, in August of 2010, and thrilled when I was asked to the call-backs, and was in tears when I learned so quickly that I was indeed cast...in a large supporting role that became a principal role: that of the troubled foster-mother, Benetha Evans.
The role was challenging on many, many levels. I keep thinking about my Yia-Yia, the mother of my mom, and a grandma who always believed I could achieve anything I wanted, if I focused on it and grew creatively. I've tried to do that, onstage, in this film, heck, even in life.
Both my parents are here for this, and I'm so incredibly grateful I have them both, here in-the-flesh, healthy, and able to be here to celebrate this film with me.

I've got a lot of catching up here to do, at this blog of mine. But for now, know I'm readying myself for one of the biggest nights (so far!) of my life: the reveal ( I have not seen the movie yet, myself!) of "Unspoken Words".
I have lots of family and friends here, and for those who could not be here, please I know I've felt your love, all through the years, and I will feel it tonight, too.
Updates coming soon on my new poetry series at Red Door Playhouse, the MODA event, a recap and updates on "Graphic Intervention", which was held a few weeks ago in Midtown, my Feature at the Sunday Poetry hosted by Kodac Harrison at Java Monkey Cafe',and a Poetry Seance held at Bound To Be Read Books and hosted by dear Franklin Abbott.
Think of me tonight, as the Red Carpet begins at 6:00, a music and poetry concert at 7:00, and the Screening at 8pm-ish, at the Georgia World Congress Center's Sidney Marcus Auditorium. Tickets are twenty bucks; there are only a few left.
Thank you again for lifting me up, emotionally, psychologically, mentally, artistically, intellectually, and spiritually. I love you.
Peace, kids.

GUEST EDITOR: Subtletea's David Herrle, on Depression.

2011-09-29T10:40:00.004-04:00

I was struck by the potency of David Herrle's words which I discovered through his literary 'zine, Subtletea.
Here he is:

The stranded desert-islander doubts his eyes when he sees a ship growing and growing toward his lonely, wall-less prison but bursts instantly into tears when he realizes that he’s been found, he’s been seen, recognized as a soul in distress. No more reciting desperate poetry against the idle chatter of nighttime rainfall or the mindless sizzle of the surf.
This is how I felt when I listened to Dick Cavett read his New York Times columns on depression, both entitled “Smiling Through.” After years of butting heads with Stepfordians and their cold-steel pep talks, shaking my head through Pollyannas’ platitudes of the powers of positivity, wailing into the squall of the American Dream and prosperity gospels, I’d been found, seen, recognized. There is nothing lonelier than being surrounded by a crowd of cheerleading friends, family and strangers who swear by the potion Optimism and refuse to acknowledge the “black dog” gnashing at the door. “[I]f you’ve never had it you can never begin to imagine the depth of the ailment’s black despair,” Cavett said. And Kierkegaard slam dunks Cavett's layup here: "So when the happy person says, 'Cheer up,' to someone who is suffering from anxiety, this also implies, ‘Be happy as I am.'"
Hearing this, I wept. Found, seen, recognized! By one who, by Stepfordian Pollyannas’ standards, should have nothing about which to complain. He’d had and still has an illustrious, astute career! His elbows know the rub of the elbows of Brando, Groucho, Mailer, Joplin, Davis! He must be wealthy beyond our working-class imaginations! Cavett answers this ridiculous notion: “Another tip: Do not ask the victim what he has ‘to be depressed about.’ The malady doesn’t care if you’re broke and alone or successful and surrounded by a loving family. It does its democratic dirty work to your brain chemistry regardless of your ‘position.’”
Thank you, Mr. Cavett, thank you. You’ve articulated what I’ve been trying to say with a petrified tongue all these years. How can a paralytic mime his misery to inquisitive others? How can a man who is expected to “be a man” admit that he feels lower than crustaceans? How does one who inhales nothing but darkness speak the light? These questions are the only things not too heavy to rise when mired in the selfsame melancholy that socked Bogart in the jaw, that strove to break President Lincoln and did break Hunter S. Thompson.
In my personal experience with this perpetually dropping anvil, a specific reason is nowhere to be found. I'm a (scrawny) Atlas bending under an unseen burden. "Reflection never snares so unfailingly as when it fashions itself out of nothing," says Kierkegaard. (I think that applies here, but one can never be sure about Captain Kierk's spiels.) Of course, I don't fantasize about casting off the burden and floating into a tranquil, blissful ether. Like Huxley's Savage, I claim the right to be unhappy. Kierkegaard also warns that despair flourishes in illusory happiness. But I don't deny the spirit, which is what you claim births "the sickness unto death," my favorite Dane (next to Hamlet), so why do I feel like despair's boot boy?
Depression is a killer that often doesn’t kill its victims. And though the victims themselves may contemplate taking their lives into their own hands (only to toss it out of them), they tend to shilly-shally on the way to the exit (Cavett makes the point that depressives on the mend tend to off themselves more than rock-bottom ones do), only to resign themselves to sitting at the threshold of death like Kafka’s man before the Door of the Law.
While I've never made it to that level of despair, and I know the sweet assault of true Joy (calculate Beethoven's Ninth times infinity), knowing that I’m not alone in the struggle when that tenacious imp intrudes, that an astute gent such as Mr. Cavett is brave enough to share his shadows, is a giant leap for me and glumkind.

Found, seen, recognized.

Thank you, David Herrle.
Peace, kids.

UPDATES.

2011-09-22T15:24:00.005-04:00

UPCOMING POSTS:
*A new post from a guest-editor, David Herrle.
Then,from me:
*A rant, on the injustice suffered by Mr. Troy A. Davis, recently executed by The State of Georgia.
*A recent vacation with my beloved has me rested, and ready to write...and ready to actually SUBMIT some new work, too!
*"Lisa's Second Sundays Featured Author and Open Mic" will begin on October 9th, at 4:00 P.M., at Red Door Playhouse, in Roswell, Georgia, Featuring Poet Amy Pence.The official Film-Trailer for "Unspoken Words" will be seen, too!
*A happy update on "Unspoken Words", the feature-film in which I play Benetha, directed by award-winning filmmaker, Henderson Maddox.Film PREMIERES in Atlanta on 11-11-11.
Hit my FB Wall now, and scroll down to see the Official Posters for the Film!!!
Please be patient with me in updating all this, and....
Peace, kids.

Prayer:Peace in my personal life;growth in my professional life.

2011-08-11T09:41:00.008-04:00

Where to begin?
In the past two months, lots happening, so let me get to it.
Update on "Unspoken Words": We shot more scenes, several of them, just two Saturdays ago, including some newly-written scenes designed, most likely, to expand Ms. Robin Givens' small-but-now-crucial-role as the social worker, Ms. Lewis. The added scenes gave me more lines as well, and of course, I was thrilled to meet and get to work with Robin, and found her to be kind and professional. She was great at improvising lines and working with both the award-winning director, Henderson Maddox, and I, in deciding how our fight(Ms. Lewis confronting Benetha Evans(me)) would play out. Big hugs to Troy Farouk, the stellar fight choreographer (and weapons-specialist:I use a Mossberg 590 shotgun in another part of the film) who made sure Robin and I played "safely".
I'm verrrry excited about the film's PREMIERE, here in Atlanta.It is scheduled for 11-11-11, and I would like to invite you all, to come see it.I cannot, of course, provide tickets, but tickets will not be expensive, and that evening, there will be several showings of "Unspoken Words".
I do want to warn everyone, the role I have is that of a violent foster-mother, and the film itself has several edge-y scenes.Because of the intensity of several scenes, I don't think I'd recommend it for children under 13.That said, the story will be appealing to teens, and if I were given ten seconds to describe it, it would be as follows:
Sixteen-year-old Dante' escapes from an abusive foster-mother, and heads to Atlanta to ostensibly find fame and fortune in rap music, but instead discovers poetry and spoken word, and a sense of family, and faith.
That's not an official "blurb" for the film, just my own short synopsis of the (original) script.
It was a great experience, discovering the medium of film, all over again. I once said "Gee, the process IS the process", when discussing film with stage actors.What I mean is, in theatre, you study, memorize, and create the biography/inner narrative to build your character, and then, in rehearsal, you hone your character (using the magic "if", as in, "If I were this chartacter, in this situation, what would I do?")until she feels "valid". You physicalize her needs, by asking, "What does she want, need, hope for, dream of?" Then you hope each night, to reproduce what you learned, as if it's happening, for the first time. In film, you do all those things, exactly as you do for the theatre, except that those discoveries are made, while you are filming.The process itself, creates the process.Of course, onstage, you get only one chance, each night, to get it, to make it your own. In film, you may get several "chances" (takes) but you cannot truthfully "own" the result: I think that is up to the director, editor, cinematographer, and sound-mixers. I trust director Henderson Maddox, as he embraced every suggestion I made. When I suggested graphic, he said yes, and yet, he reigned me in, with what I'd deem "tender". When I wanted gentle interaction, he'd ask me to fight. We balanced each other, in terms of "action".

I also worked on Atlanta filmmaker, Reggie Price's "Just Us", the short-film I'll be given a copy of, soon, which means I will now have a variety of pieces to weave into my professional acting "reel" for my agent. In "Just Us", I play Ruth Eleanor Caldwell, a mother who becomes addicted to heroin, and abandons her children. The three girls must survive on their own. My pivotal scenes are those of scoring heroin with my dealer, and the scene in which I die in my eldest daughter's arms.

Since the terrible automobile accident of May 23rd, my Mother-in-Law, "Omma K." is healing up well, and has been through some really rough trials,including multiple surgeries, first for her spine, and then for her broken right shoulder and arm. "Appa K", my Father-in-Law is doing well, but of course has concerns for his wife.
We are grateful for little Morgan Catherine Kwon, daughter of Toni Harris Kwon, and Arthur Kwon(my hubby's bro);she is about to be one-year-old, on September 21st. You may recall, if you follow this blog, that we lost Toni last year, on October 14th. She died suddenly and unexpectedly, shortly(about three weeks) after giving birth to Morgan Catherine.She died from Stage 4 gastrointestinal cancer, of unknown origin.
Please do keep us in your thoughts, and yes, prayers.
May G-d Bless You All.
I am studying Judaism currently, hence my abbreviation for G-d.
Peace, kids.

Andrew Pope, of Lawrenceville, Georgia.Guest Editor.

2011-08-07T13:58:00.007-04:00

It's been a long time since I posted here at Lisa Allender Writes, but today, Sunday, August 7th, I'm going to be posting from a dear friend's Facebook Notes. My ol' pal, Andrew Pope posted recently about a renewed sense of appreciation, and I think it bears posting here. Below,enjoy kids.

From Andrew Pope, posted on his FB Wall, July 22nd, 2011.

Don't Wait.
I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting since our Australian Sheppard “Jazzy” was diagnosed with lymphoma. We have all shed a few tears and have done a lot of reminiscing since the diagnosis. After discussing it as a family, we decided to do the emotionally driven, illogical thing and go for the chemotherapy treatments. Jazzy is doing well and the lymphoma is in complete remission even with a few months left of her treatments to go. She’s back to tugging my arm to chase squirrels (though not with quite as much gusto) as well as herding the kids as they run around the house and games of tug o war when she’s feeling up to it.

As painful as it has been for the kids (and Bonnie and I), I think we made the right choice even though it is so completely out of character for us to let emotions rule over logic, rationality and fiscal responsibility. Y’see, they can’t kill the cancer (that was not listed as even a possibility); they can only drive it back a bit to give us more time to say goodbye. And we’re willing to accept that as a gift.

The silver lining to the whole situation is this: I have noticed that all of us are much less likely to wave her off when she comes looking for attention or the plain ‘ol expression of love that a dog gets from petting. We've all become even more sensitive to these needs on her treatment days – when her need for the confirmation of our love of her seems to multiply tenfold. It has made us stop taking her for granted; to appreciate her like we did when we first got her from the dog rescue organization. We've returned to treating her like we ought to all treat our loved ones all the time. I will get down on the floor and pet her for extended periods of time. I am less likely to tug her along when she stops overlong (for what I often feel is a ridiculous amount of time) sniffing this or that indiscriminate spot along our walk route. We’re all playing with her more and pampering her more. We’re even letting her on furniture that used to be off limits. We’re appreciating her more…

It struck me recently how much better off we’d all be if we thought (realized) that there is only a finite amount of time that we have with ALL our loved ones. I’ve begun calling my parents more, just to check in with them. I’m concentrating on staying in touch more with friends and loved ones and trying to reconnect with ones that have become distant. . I’m trying to please my wife more and lift up my kids more that I used to. I’m tying to appreciate them more…

Did you think of someone there? Someone that you think you’ve perhaps started to take for granted? Whether you have or not isn’t important. The fact that you think you may have is enough. Give that someone (at least the first one you thought of) a call. Let them know how you feel. Appreciate them for what they are in your life; a blessing.

Here endeth the sermon.

Thank you, Andrew, for the (uplifting) reminder.Sunday feels like a good day to post this.
Peace, kids.

Summer Loves: family, fresh air, faith, films, and poetry.

2011-06-28T20:10:00.009-04:00

So I am dealing with loss (Casandra), exhaustion(not complaining, it just "is what it is") due to my doggies becoming demanding(I have less time for them, so they are 'acting-out', a bit).I also love feeding and caring for my (very beloved) in-laws, and would not have it any other way....but then I also have, mixed in with a lot of (bad) stress, tremendous creative exhiliration as the excitement builds towards the completion of the film, "Unspoken Words".
Casandra is gone, but I am praying for a renewed sense of faith, because this has been so very, very hard. My Mother-in-Law is improving everyday, though it hurts to see her hurting. My Father-in-Law is pretty well, but of course, wounded, seeing his wife so injured. All I can do is cook nutritious meals that hopefully taste great, (I'm doing lots of Breakfasts of omelettes, steel-cut oats with chopped pecans or maple syrup or strawberries, fresh fruit salads, and homemade pecan syrups,Greek potatoes, etc.; for Lunch: curries, stir-frys, curried eggs, spinach salads with berries and apples, brisket(I love "Jewish" food),spaghetti sauces including veggie ones, and ones with carmelized vidalia onions with pancetta(Italian Bacon);Dinner: soups, stews, tuna melts(with mushrooms and sharp cheddar on a croissant, or sliced apples and white cheddar cheese), fresh salmon patties and rice or soba noodles,etc.,and each time I snip from my herb garden a sprig of fresh rosemary or Greek oregano, I pray for my in-laws'full recovery.
I commence filming again, tomorrow. I am very enthused that we will first be working on younger Benetha(my character ages about 15 years in the film).The most physically demanding scenes for me, will be shot over the next several days, when Benetha is older, and hopefully, I'll be wrapped by July 3rd. The film is expected to be completely wrapped by July 8th. The photo shoot for film-posters, and interviews for press kit, will be on July 10th.
The film's "Trailer Release" is on August 23rd.
I must mention the kinship and love I felt, in two separate events recently:
The Howl-A-Thon at First Existentialist Congregation, in Atlanta's Inman Park, where pal Julie Bloemeke and I delivered Allen Ginsburg lines as we tossed rose petals, a la the 1960's, at an enthusiastic audience.That fundraiser, the brainchild of poet/resident hippie/phrasemaker Rupert Fike, was quite successful (in attracting attention and dollars!) for Atlanta Queer Literature Festival.And speaking of AQLF....WOWSERS!
We had a huge, appreciative audience at the kickoff for AQLF, which I Emceed, at Charis Books last Thursday night.I was thrilled with the diversity present, reading, performing, and sharing the love! I purchased Alice Teeter's award-winning book of poems, "String Theory" and Reginald T. Jackson's "This Morning I Woke Up Black: The Barack Obama Poems".I had Reginald sign my copy, but Alice was out the door before I could let her know I needed her signature. Both books are amazing!
My only regret is that I could not interact with AQLF more, because I had family responsibilities here, which prevented me from going out, and staying out, over last weekend.One of those responsibilities, was lovely little Morgan Catherine, our newest niece(born last September 21st), who came to visit with her lovable Daddy, my bro-in-law, Arthur.I discovered babies are truly cool.
Next big project to finish: A two-part Scrapbook, and Photo Album for my Pax Christi, St. Jude's group, which I will be finishing in mid-July, (with help from a couple of Pax Christi members who offered!)and plan to present at our August meeting.
After that: A "Second Sundays Feature Poet/Author with Open Mic" which I will Emcee, at Red Door Playhouse, in Roswell, beginning in September.Admission will be six dollars, but we will be offering CASH PRIZES at quarterly Poetry Competition/Slams.Our first scheduled Feature Poet will be announced in August. More details, soon!
I hope Summer 2011 finds you all, my readers, followers, and friends, both "real life" and "Facebook life", doing well, and enjoying wild blackberries, sunshine, and fresh air.
Peace, kids.

PASSING OF CASANDRA.

2011-06-08T23:05:00.005-04:00

UPDATE ON ROBYN CASANDRA SMITH's DEATH:
I was told today that Casandra's continual refusal to see a doctor(I'd been trying for many years, to get her to go for a check-up) came to an end when she stopped in at Hudson Grille (her watering-hole of choice) in Brookhaven, ordered a glass of white wine, and then, because her skin had (apparently, repeatedly)begun to crack and bleed(!!!), she headed off to the ladies' room, to freshen up. While there, two women noticed profuse bleeding suddenly coming from her abdomen, and thinking she was injured, called 911.When police arrived, they assumed she was a stabbing victim.In fact, Casandra said "No, I'm alright..." but police responded "Lady, you're bleeding, you're not alright.." she was taken to Northside Hospital, where she was treated, and it was discovered she had cirrhosis of the liver, and because her kidneys had begun to fail, even dialysis would not help.Two days later, she was sent to Hospice, where she remained for about a week, when she passed away on Monday, at 8:45 A.M., Feburary 28th(her on-line Obituary says March 28th, but I received this info from her long-time pal, Angie).Somehow, my own contact information was not discovered until a few days ago, so I had no idea that while we (my husband/husband's family) were wrestling with tremendous tragedies, poor Casandra was struggling with living....and dying.
I wish I could've said goodbye.I wish I could've held her hand and told her I was sorry that I nagged her about the doctor, about trying to drag her to a hospital, when she (repeatedly, for months) told me she was "throwing up blood".That I wish she'd read all the information I printed out, on cirrhosis, which is what I worried she might have.That I loved her for her, that she did not have to change, that she could be who she was--alcoholic and all--I just wanted her to be healthier, live longer.That I meant it--what I said about I didn't want "to have to see you die, Casandra, to be standing there, and watch them throw dirt on you;I'm younger than you, it's not right, Casandra...I will be angry, Casandra.Angry at all those people who drank with you, who never told you the truth, who never spent time with a sober you, Casandra."
When I asked her friend, Angie, if Casandra had asked for me, she said "No".
I was of course, deeply hurt, and asked again,"Are you sure?" she responded,"I heard she wasn't speaking to you..."
That was not true, I assured her. But what was true?
That in my frustration with trying to help her, I had, just weeks before this apparently happened, told Casandra "I don't want to hear from you, until you go to the doctor.I'm tired of you calling every few days, and telling me you are ill, you've thrown up blood, you're scared,and then you tell me you won't go to a doctor for even a basic check-up or tests, because you're afraid of needles, of getting your blood drawn.It is ridiculous, you're a grown woman, please Casandra, you're scaring me, you have to go to the doctor." (It should be noted that I offered AA, counseling, free clinics, trip to doctor and/or hospital, etc. She said no to all of these options.)
Many weeks ago, while I was juggling our many doctors' phone calls, and family phone calls, I was on the phone with my Mom, when there was a beep-in, and I glanced for just a second at the phone, and saw she (Casandra) was calling.I kept talking to my Mom, with whom I was discussing my husband's grave illness(see previous posts).I meant to return Casandra's call later that night, but I remember when I saw her name, thinking, angrily, that she was probably calling me, yet again, to simply complain about her feeling ill, and then she would refuse to address it by going to the doctor. Later, I simply forgot(overwhelmed with hubby's illness, demands on my time, unrelenting sadness over several tragedies.See previous posts here at this blog) until the following week.I never did reach her.
During the phone call in which her passing was explained to me,and suddenly in tears while speaking to her friend, Angie, I told her everything I've just stated here. That in addition to what I said, that I felt so bad, so guilty.That I didn't mean she couldn't call me. That if I hadn't been so tired/stressed/exhausted, I would've called Casandra right back. That I wished I had.
If there's someone you love, don't wait to tell them.Tell them right now.
Peace, kids.

RIP, Casandra.

2011-06-08T01:20:00.005-04:00

So yesterday (Tuesday) is measured by a message on my cell-phone: a voice I don't know, sounding chipper and light, and then telling me that my dear friend--a woman I'd known nearly 25 years, passed away...two months ago(!)
A friend of a friend, leaving words in a tone I can't quite comprehend.And how is it no one had (earlier)contacted me???
I am grieving the loss of the sweet, humble, lover of laughter, Casandra.A girl-woman who let far too few people into her life.A vulnerable woman who let men who did not deserve her trust, have it.
Though I do not (yet) know the details of her untimely (she turned 45 last December 29th) death, I know her young years were often filled with parties and dancing, and hugging doggies, and trying new eye-makeup out, and holding cookouts, and calling me at all hours, and recounting how much she had a crush on a particular guy.
Casandra didn't use computers,"Computers and I, we don't get along," she would say.The past few years, she seldom visited me, saying the new area in which I lived was too confusing in which to drive. Since I hate the phone, and she could not/would not use a computer, we visited, or did meet-ups, in-person. Which meant I often saw Casandra much more often than others in my life.I'd visit her for lunch, or after she got off work(she was a professional haircutter/haircolorist/hairstylist)for dinner, or tea(though she usually ordered wine). I knew her nearly 25 years, and I found her funny, and charming....and willing to "grow".In 1993, when I took her to my favorite bookstore, she admitted she seldom read. "Where should I go, Lisa? This feels like school..."
"Well, go where your interests are.You love fashion, start there..."
A few moments later, with a stack of magazines and a book on design, her face lit up.
Smiling, she said "Oh,this is fun...".
Many years later, a young man she had a crush on, Todd,shared some novels he loved, with her.And Cas became the reader I knew she'd one day be...
We had talked about poetry, about the sound of it.She had attended poetry open mics I'd hosted, many years ago.Now, she was reading poetry, and joined me at (Decatur, Georgia's) Java Monkey Cafe, to listen to poets read their own work, too.
We had grown closer, through our love of words.
RIP, Casandra.You were a sweetheart.A talent at hair-color, a giver of smiles and love, a truly kind soul.
Peace, kids.

Communion, in an unlikely place.

2011-05-28T08:22:00.009-04:00

The other day, while at the hospital, I noticed a sweet looking older lady, soft blond hair, bright eyes, moving about with purpose, and a deep sorrow in those eyes.She spoke to me as I sat in the Family Waiting Room with two of my dear Korean nieces.We ended up discussing books, this stranger and I.... "Hi, I'm Lisa." "I'm Frances", she said, softly, and politely...Seems she enjoys reading about Asian culture, and so I shared a few titles I thought she'd enjoy.Worried she'd forget the titles, I offered to jot them down. I handed her the list(among them, the Pulitzer-prize-winning author, Robert Olen Butler, who penned the vietnam-centric, "Good Scent From A Strange Mountain", a collection of short stories. And another author, and book I'll disclose in a moment)a business card, and explained that I was here in the hospital, because of my in-laws being injured in the horrific accident on Monday evening. She was there, she said, tears beginning in her eyes, because her (elderly) husband had suffered a seizure, and she hoped he would open his eyes soon, and be able to speak soon.
When she saw my name on my card, she gasped."I am your neighbor...we live in the same neighborhood; I recognize your name, Lisa."(I write updates on the film industry, and occasionally write articles on beauty and skin care,for our Neighborhood Newsletter).
"What?"
"I'm Frances[last name]"
Quickly, I shouted,
"Yes, Frances and Irv [last name]"
"How did you know my husband's name?From his work on HOA board?"
"No, I'm not involved at all, in that...I have looked through our Neighborhood Directory, and my memory is very, very good..if I see something in print, Frances, I can recall it pretty easily.When you said your last name, I immediately saw in my mind, Irv and Frances [last name].
I explained how odd it felt,meeting after 6 years of living somewhere, your neighbor(they live two streets over, have lived there for 7 years).
We talked about our injured relatives; I confided I was worried about my Mother-in-law, about her needing help afterwards.(I secretly worried whether I am up to the task).....and then I told Frances about that book, the one I'd picked up for my in-laws, and for me, to read, just last week.The book, by a female Korean author, is her first which has been translated into English. The book I discovered, that my Mother-in-Law's best friend had coincidentally mentioned, as my Mother-in-Law,Omma K. spoke to her from our home, to hers(my Omma K.'s friend lives in Los Angeles), and her friend joked, "Tell your daughter-in-law I read this new book from my iPad, like the young people." She said she'd already read it in Korean, but wanted to experience it, in English. I learned of this through my Father-in-Law, who told me how I should "Go ahead and read it first, Lisa.Omma K. is too hurt, she won't be able to read it anytime soon."
It was then that I discovered why I had picked up the book, long before Monday's accident occurred.I understood some of what I'll be doing, with my Omma K., to help her heal....I'll be reading to her,and with her. And this book, the one I'd spotted last week, that I instinctively wanted, knowing nothing about it, or the author? It was the title which had intrigued me:
"Please Take Care of Mom."
There was a quick hug, intiated by Frances, when we realized we were neighbors.After sharing the story of my injured mother-in-law, and the story that I would now read the story to her, as she recovers, I hugged my new friend, Frances, again.
This is what connection is made of.This is Communion.
Oh, and her husband, Irv? He opened his eyes, and spoke to her, that same afternoon.

Grace in the midst of chaos.

2011-05-26T20:48:00.008-04:00

Nine months is the time it takes for gestation, the time it takes to grow a new life, to give birth.I count back from now,the month of May....Which would be September, and that's when what most folks would say a rain/reign of challenges began.
First,(and continuing the metaphor, literally here) the lovely baby that was expected on Nov.4th(which happens to be my own birthday), was induced into birth, because my talented,and gorgeous sis-in-law was suddenly in pain,and her doctors feared something might "go wrong", if the baby(Beautiful Morgan Catherine) was not delivered (10 weeks early!)immediately.Only three days days later, we received news that Toni(that sister-in-law) had been put through several tests, when it was discovered she had cancer.Two days after that, we learned it was "Advanced, Stage 4, Gastro-intestinal Cancer of Unknown Origin."
Toni passed way, after a valiant attempt to beat advanced Stage 4 Cancer, approximately three weeks after her baby was born.Which left Arthur, my husband's younger brother, as a (devastated) single Dad.Shortly after this, Arthur and my husband's own own Dad's cancer, returned(years ago, he had prostate cancer, which was defeated....but it returned).The two brothers grieved quietly, but they grieved, and still grieve, over what treatments may (or may not)ever work for their Dad, my father-in-law.
Next, my husband began to have odd pains all over his body, which turned out to be non-acute appendicitis.He was given an "option" to have his appendix removed, but because it was "inexplicably large"(a 13 instead of a normal6), he opted for removal...and it's a good thing, since when it was removed, it was noticeably "fiberous". So, a biopsy was done. Biopsy results? A "Carcinoid Tumor".... so rare, it affects less than 1% of the world population.We were told it was early stage, possibly Stage I, and since it's rarely found until very late(deadly) stage, because there are NO early symptoms, "he was lucky" to have had appendicitis, or we'd never have known about it. So, this meant a second surgery for Hansoo, but one that would remove the cancer. All the while, we were juggling our grief(over the loss of Toni), our exhaustion (doctor's appointments, operations, and spending (happy) time with new Daddy, Arthur, and everyone's little miracle, Morgan)and our now-regular apprehension(fear of even a cold or flu, because either would make caring for each other, impossible).
So when Monday night's routine trip to a local grocery store, for my beloved in-laws turned into a twisted metal wreck of a Lexus SUV, as a Chevy truck struck them broadside("t-bone" fashion), then flipped over them, traveling at a high rate of speed as they attempted a left-hand turn, I held my breath as I rode in a friend's car to the hospital, following Hansoo, just minutes after he received a call from our local hospital's Emergency Room, that his parents had been admitted.
His Dad:
Broken ribs, mild concussion, bruise.
His Mother, seated in front passenger-side, was not as fortunate:
numerous broken bones
spine:fractured discs
spine:compressed discs
broken right shoulder
broken right arm(multiple)
hairline fracture, neck
bruises
lacerations
His Dad is back here, at home with us.His Mom, "Omma K." as I call her, is undergoing a life-saving blood-transfusion to strengthen her for her upcoming surgery.She'll be back home soon, but there will be weeks of rehabilitation therapy, physical therapy. And months and months of healing.
The loving Roman Catholic nun, Mother Theresa, famously said "I know God only gives me what he knows I can handle.....I just wish He didn't trust me so much."
It would be easy to say It is too much, all of these trials, all these tragedies, so close together, or I can't handle this; it is too hard.
But I am reminded it's been nine months, and like the baby, Morgan Catherine, our long-gone sis-in-law Toni gave birth to, perhaps these nine months are preparing us/me for a time of new life, new purpose.It's a way to re-frame the seeming chaos, and embrace what I'll call challenges, rather than call them difficulties, or tragedies.
When challenges emerge, we must grow to meet them.
I'm lighting a candle--a scented one, tonight.Savoring the sweet aroma, with the deep breaths I can easily take, even as "Omma K." struggles to take the deep breaths so necessary for her to strenthen her lungs, and for her to avoid the all-too-common hospital-pneumonia.
I am grateful, even now, for family, and, for God. Especially now.
Peace, kids.

Mother's Day, the death of Osama bin Laden, and my ol' friend Dan Kinch.

2011-05-05T14:04:00.008-04:00

Mother's Day is coming up, and instead of images of childhood and innocence, and joyous wonder, here on the heels of the announcement on May 1st(the death of Osama bin Laden), it is only death, destruction, and shame and fear, which threaten to consume my thoughts.
Mother's Day celebrates not only Mothers, but us who sprang from them.It is we who lift up our Mothers as those who nurtured us in the most crucial of ways, offering support and love--if we are so blessed--unconditionally, and forever, to us.Mothers are those who see the best we have to offer; we are never the worst act we've committed; we are first, and always, that Mother's child....
Just days after the announcement of the killing of Osama bin Laden, I pondered on my Facebook Wall, whether we (USA) should be "celebrating"(in private or public), the death of anyone, even (or maybe especially) an avowed enemy, like Osama bin Laden.The responses on Facebook, had the negative ones been in red ink, would have made my Facebook Wall appear as if it was bleeding. I was expecting a few "attaboys" from my more conservative(read:right-wing) Facebook Friends, but did not expect the kind of non-apology, and blind acceptance/following by my more Liberal and Progressive Friends, of our (USA) committing violence in the name of (ironically) putting an end to violence."
I think it surprised me, because I have "reasonable" friends...all of them were hurt by September 11th, some of them very directly so, and none of them supported our invasion of Iraq, though several supported bombing Afghanistan.Most of my friends, poets, actors, novelists, playwrights, spoke of understanding and compassion; they spoke of moving forward, not holding onto "blind hate." They SPOKE of it, they WROTE about it, but I am not sure that I ever saw or felt true forgiveness exhibited, in any of these (otherwise fine) folk.
One person in particular may surprise you, my readers, with his views on Forgiveness, as he was working approximately 800 feet from the Twin Towers that fateful September 11th morning...
I'm considering asking dear ol' pal, Dan Kinch from NYC, to guest-edit my blog, "Lisa Alender Writes" and perhaps "Practice What You Peace" for a day or two, as his own personal narrative is so compelling, that for me to tell it, would I'm afraid, never do it the thing we all wish for, and seem to keep speaking about.....justice.
Stay tuned.
For more on how to feel about Osama bin Laden's death, or perhaps how to re-frame it, please go to:
www.paxchristiusa.org
to read a statement by them, about this matter.
And Peace, kids, Peace.

Planting Seeds

2011-04-09T07:40:00.005-04:00

I wonder why it is that some articles, we may read them, and then, forget them, while others are so haunting, we become obssessed with them? Case in point:
I read an article moments ago, regarding the radiation in the soil, which Japan has measured, which indicates they cannot plant rice...rice!....the main-stay of their entire way of life, unable to be planted....The article detailed the reactions to yesterday's (3rd in three weeks) earthquake, too.
In another bit of news, I discovered the Oak Ridge Nuclear facility in Tennessee, is not a "peaceful use" of nuclear power for energy, but rather, a NUCLEAR WEAPONS facility--the first in the USA, in nearly four decades.That's right--we are again manufacturing incredibly lethal nuclear weapons. At a time when people are starving, both in Japan, and here at home, we are committing over 7 Billion Dollars to even more Nuclear Weapons.
Below, I've posted the observations from that first article, which I just posted on the "News Feed" on Facebook:
"Matsuko Ito said she screamed when the violent shaking woke her up around 11:30 p.m. She's not sure she can take much more.
"It's enough," the 64-year-old while smoking a cigarette outside the shelter where she has been living in the small northeastern city of Natori. "Something has changed. The world feels strange now. Even the way the clouds move isn't right."
"Even the way the clouds move isn't right." And images of all the clouds we've ever seen, rising over Japan, immediately flash into my mind.
And I think: is this Earthquake(s)/Tsunami/Nuclear disaster, this generation's Hiroshima/Nagasaki?Is it possible that a "Natural Disaster" could trump--in terms of enormity--the man-made(USA-made) atrocity committed on Japan, so many, many years ago?
I remember watching, just a few years ago,with my dear friends and fellow-Pax Christi members, Joe and Mary Jean Goode, a well-known HBO documentary, "White Light/Black Rain" about Japan, and the interviews conducted with educated, professional young people in major cities, Tokyo among them.They were told a month and day and year: August 6th, 1945, and asked what happened on that day.
Not a single young person(all under 25) could say for what that date, was famous. Most guessed it was a celebrity's birthday, or other such nonsense. I remember crying when I realized no one in their younger generation remembers Hiroshima, or Nagasaki(August 9th, 1945), anymore.
I realized no one recalls the bad, the horrific, the shameful.
And it occurred to me just now, that we are, generationally, like the lover who remembers only the good, and none of the bad.We rewrite our histories with the loves of our lives, just as we rewrite our country's histories,our government's moments of rage, hate, racism, and revenge.
It was rage, hate, racism, and notably, revenge, when the government of the United States of America, dropped those bombs on the civilian people of Japan.Innocuously named "Little Boy" (the bomb we dropped on Hiroshima), and "Fat Boy", (the bomb we tossed onto Nagasaki), did we simply decide we had the "right" to murder hundreds of thousands of innocent people instantly, while guaranteeing the deaths of millions, later? The argument is always "we saved more lives, by dropping the bombs."
Really?
In what universe does killing to avenge killing, and killing to prevent death, make any kind of sense?
In a recent letter from Mary Jean Goode, when addressing our (USA) involvement in yet more war(this time, Libya)she posited:
"...I recalled Luke’s version of Jesus’ arrival on the outskirts of Jerusalem. According to Luke, Jesus broke down weeping over the world’s refusal to learn “the things that make for peace.” It’s one of the most touching scenes in the Gospels. He has walked over a hundred miles on a campaign of nonviolence from Galilee to Jerusalem, only to arrive at the Mount of Olives, see the famous city, and burst into tears because of its collaboration with the Roman empire in the demonic spirit of war. He could see that its destruction was inevitable."
As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it saying, “If this day you only knew the things that make for peace -- but they are hidden from your eyes.”
(Luke 19:41-42)

Think about this, kids. Really think about it....Jesus spoke of "the things that make for Peace".That he longed for nations at war, to see that they "do not know the things that make for Peace."
I am thinking of Japan, long after the rain of nuclear fall-out which came, day after gray day, in Hiroshima, and Nagasaki.
I think of the pain and suffering a long-ago generation of proud Japanese, suffered.
And I think now of this woman, Matsuko Ito, reviewing the clouds, as they silently float by, and I wonder, when those people of Hiroshima, looked heavenward, hearing a whir, or seeing the flash,just before annihilation, was there any sense of The world feels strange now. Even the way the clouds move isn't right.....
We have the power to change the way we respond to violence, and while we cannot prevent natural disasters, or make the soil in which the Japanese long to plant their grain, safe again, we can all try to nurture the "soil" in our minds.Plant the first seeds of a sweet rice of Peace, now.
Before it's too late.
Peace, kids.

A Deep Breath of Theatre:"True Colors" Does It, Again!

2011-03-26T00:23:00.006-04:00

I'm not certain there are enough adjectives in the entire world to fully describe how magnificent the True Colors Theatre Company production of "The Colored Museum" at Friday night's Premiere, was.
Director Jasmine Guy's interpretation of George C. Wolfe's play, filled with alternately harrowing and hilarious subject matter, is genius.
The play opens with a reference to the most shameful chapter in American history, yet it does so with an open heart, a joyful heart. "The Colored Museum" spurs us towards joy, even as we experience, through various vignettes played by several actors in multiple roles: the alienation, night after empty night in a bar that a disenfranchised young man feels;the outrage of a mother;the loss a(Vietnam-era?)soldier feels...
Ms.Guy manages to create the tension we must have to get what I'd call "fully-vested theatre"(action we cannot look away from)while simultaneously relieving that same tension with over-the-top(yet still believeable)parodies of dance, mime, and even minstrel-shows.The ability to weave this together, such that we are enchanted and stunned/scared/horrified in the same moment, was so shocking that I found myself frequently unconsciously holding my breath.
There is an overwhelming sense of heritage and pride in being African-American in every celebration in this play, while at the same time, an exhausting sense of loss of identity for all African-Americans struggling to make it in this (still-racist) world.
Enoch King (he formerly starred in True Colors'"Brokeology")is entertaining, as always. Entertaining, and poignant.
Danielle Deadwyler is captivating as well.
But this is an ensemble piece, and every actor in "The Colored Museum" is gifted, convincing, and thoroughly engaging.
Must-mentions:
The music(Composer Russell Gunn and Sound designer, Bobby Johnston)acts as catalyst in the series of vignettes.
The set(Designer, Kat Conley) is constructed as "cells" of light.It evokes prison, glass, mirrors, and make-believe.
The costumes, designed by Sydney Roberts(especially the talented Je Nie Fleming's Diva-character Lala Lamazing Grace's stunning gown)are perfection.
My only disappointment was the show's length(too brief): just over 90 minutes.
But this means a couple (or bring the family!)could go see the play, go to dinner afterwards if they wish, and still get home in plenty of time to let the dog out.
True Colors Theatre calls itself "A Moveable Feast Of Theater".This means that their shows literally move...they bring their shows to various venues throughout Atlanta.
A recent show, "Brokeology" was, for example, held at Southwest Arts Center.
This show, "The Colored Museum", takes place in Decatur's Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center.
A beautifully designed space, with a 500-seat theater, and lovely surroundings, it's well worth the drive to Decatur.
Make the short drive to Decatur, and you'll begin the journey once you arrive:
A journey through time, stereotypes, heartbreak, laughter,and breaking free.

Peace, kids.

Lending Meaning to Lent

2011-03-21T22:58:00.004-04:00

Lent.
A time of sacrifice, after a celebration and before an even larger celebration--Easter, and renewal.
Lent.
Having loaned, spent, offered something.
After dealing with tremendous loss last fall (a beloved Sis-in-law passed away suddenly of cancer, just weeks after giving birth. The cancer was not discovered until days after she gave birth), and terrifying diagnosis given to yet another loved one( early stage cancer discovered and later, defeated, this past February), I was feeling exhausted emotionally.
All this loss (last fall) and fear ( this past February) was set against a backdrop of professional accomplishment for me, personally.
Any joy I initially felt at being cast in both a short-film (Reggie Price's "Just Us") and a feature-length film ("Unspoken Words") as well as being selected for representation by a leading agent in " the biz" of acting, evaporated in the mist of sadness that has enveloped me, for months. Even learning from award-winning filmmaker Henderson Maddox that "Unspoken Words" will be completed by June and ready for Premiere before this year ends, was not enough to excite me, though I am grateful to jump back into Benetha, the cruel foster-mother I am privileged to portray.
Understanding the meaning of Lent this year is fraught with reliving much pain . But the gorgeous irony is that I can live through this, and then "lend" it to God as I experience Him. I can then sacrifice not merely eating potato chips(most Catholics deny themselves some treat or pleasure), but my own ego, by recognizing that the real illusion is not my playing Benetha, or anyone else. The real illusion is the sense of control,the sense of ownership of self that we all believe is truth. Truth I realize, is accepting that we have very little control, but that we must endeavor anyway, that we must make the very best of each moment, because each moment is a moment BESTOWED on us.
To recognize every single moment as Divine, is I think, to see that we have this responsibility--- not just at Lent ( when perhaps we ponder more often) --- but every single day we are bestowed.
The days I am given, are days I must "Lend" my voice, my talents, my heart.
Make the most of this Lenten Season: examine your heart.
Peace, kids.

Holding On To Joy:Theatre du Reve's "The Red Balloon"

2011-02-19T01:09:00.008-05:00

"The Red Balloon", a 1956 French film is a new incarnation of charming, courtesy of Atlanta's own Theatre du Reve', which debuted a stage version, Friday night, at 7 Stages' Theatre. The show was sold-out for the first "adult audience" showing.(Please note: this "adult audience" designation does not mean R-rated action, it simply reflects the fact that only audiences of school-children have seen the play during morning hours.This is definitely a very family-friendly play.)
Park Cofield of the Center for Puppetry Arts, has fashioned(he adapted it for the stage, and also directs it) a play that feels as magical as the original short-film.
There are puppets, balloon(s) that bob when they should, sound effects, great musique(sounds more like what it IS, in French, oui?),and a set that carries us over the French countryside and into a tiny, quaint village. Indeed, the set itself acts as another character, transporting us not only into another place, but another time, as well...
We are treated to a narrator (the always chameleon-ish Park Krausen), as a coquettish girl-woman, and a mom to our hero, Pascal(played with great ease and the perfect percentage of adorableness and spitfire, by Leandre Thivierge), who observes the action, relating it to us, in volleying bits of both French and English(no need to worry if you've lost your French, the action onstage is clear even if you do not speak French), while a whining, puffing bus(a man carrying a very very clever cardboard mock-up of said bus) scurries about, and slogs up hills(the puppetry is genius!).
I must make mention of stellar performances all-around, especially Hubert(Christof Veillon) and Street Musician (Christopher Mont).The ensemble of children is remarkable, as they are very centered and in-the-moment, which is the goal of all acting: to be spontaneous, and for each moment to appear as if you are discovering it, for the first time...
Our little hero, Pascal, discovers his "Balloon Rouge" and...hilarity ensues.

The play is rather short, and that might be a negative for adults wanting a "big"(read:long) night out, but given that this is especially entertaining for young children, why not consider inviting the kids in your life(I'm thinking nieces, nephews, neighbor's kids, grandchildren, etc....) and have a real "kid's night out", beginning with "The Red Balloon", then a hop into the car to sing songs from the show, as you head to the nearest eatery for a meal before arriving home in plenty of time to tuck the kids in, at a very reasonable hour?
You'll forget all about the nightly news with its' fires, floods, unemployment, corruption, crime sprees, and war.
This is the kind of play that actually makes you feel like a child again.
When the best part of a day could be sharing the sunshine with a balloon you found.
Or on a rainy day, sharing an umbrella with a friendly stranger(Cue the nostalgia-button here: back when no one was a stranger, and children could indulge imagination, and were actually encouraged to do so).
When music, hopscotch, jumping rope, and a teacher's soothing voice was all you needed to feel joyful.
When a red ballooon listened to your words, and obeyed. And when that balloon ended, a revolution of balloons rose up in mighty defiance, to heaven.
And all was well, just as it always had been.

This Is What It Feels Like, When Theatre Works.

2011-01-29T03:00:00.007-05:00

Kenny Leon, director extraordinaire, has done it again. This time, it's a play presented by his own True Colors Theatre,it's entitled "Broke-ology" and it has Leon at the helm.
I attended the Regional Premiere, on Friday night, with the sweet Coral McGhee, a dear friend I've known for nearly 21 years, and my eternal friend, author Collin Kelley.The stylish Southwest Arts Center in south Atlanta includes a great place for mingling before-the-show, with local artists' works exhibited throughout the large open spaces.
I was thrilled to see a full house, and the theatre itself is large and impressive.
Jasmine Guy is ethereal as the haunting wife, Sonia King.Her forlorn husband, William King is played with precision, and with devastating honesty, by Afemo Omilami.
The two sons, Ennis and Malcolm, are played with conviction by Enoch King, and Eric J. Little, respectively.Ennis could be played broadly just for laughs, and Enoch King's comedic skills are impressive(he is hilarious!), but this actor chooses wisely, and we are treated to a complex human being who uses humor as his way of coping.Eric J. Little's tortured Malcolm is the catalyst for much of what occurs in this funny but ultimately thought-provoking piece of what I'd call 'lightning-bolt' theatre.
Lightning fast delivery, bolt-from-the-dark-of-night revelations in the form of dreams, inanimate objects that provoke, and what could be mirages, and moral dilemmas (one in particular) are the center of the play.
Surround this with a set which beautifully reflects a sense of being "stuck": a front door laden with bars for safety(ostensibly), but there is a palpable sense of being locked-in, as well as keeping trouble, locked-out, while other elements onstage, including superb lighting and nostalgic music, suggest being suddenly freed.
Billowing streams of curtains suggest the sails of a faraway boat, a rainbow after rain, a shroud...
As I readied to leave the theatre(my hands hurt from clapping so much, but it was well worth the hurt), I remarked to Collin, "This play reminds me of why I love theatre so much..."
Knowing I am an actor, he quipped "Well, it reminds me why I love SEEING theatre, Lisa..."
And though I love acting onstage, in this case, he's more accurate, as I wouldn't trade the rich experience I had seated, for one onstage.
When you experience this play as an audience member, you'll find yourself laughing hysterically one minute, and a moment later, your heart will be broken.
I'm sure the actors onstage enjoyed their well-deserved standing ovation, but given the enormity of the play, I know as an actor the real excitement comes from the (brilliant) discoveries they made, and will continue to make, during this evocative play's run.
Don't miss this play about the all-too-real needs of human beings. That we are validated. Cared for. Loved.

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and all victims and their families: Our Prayers are with you.

2011-01-08T20:00:00.005-05:00

Despicable. Word for the day for the gunman who killed several people, and wounded several others.
On Facebook, at my Wall, I posted early this afternoon, that I felt the Sarah Palin website which carried a picture of District 8 in AZ., and crosshairs (of a gun) over it, "targeting" that area, and in effect, the representatives of that area, too, was irresponsible, and reckless. I stand by that statement, despite numerous commenters who felt I was being "asinine", or over-reaching by forging a "connection" between the horrendous shooting today(which has critically injured a Democrat Congresswoman, and killed a Federal Judge, among others) and virulent speech by various political folk.
Later, MSNBC ran a clip from March, when this same congresswoman's office was vandalized, just after her vote on health care(she voted PRO-health-care-reform).
Turns out, she felt EXACTLY the same way.
I'm having trouble linking it here, but hit my FB Wall, and you'll see it.
Wowsers.
Peace, kids. Peace.

What is that?Oh My God.

2011-01-05T00:18:00.005-05:00

So I've been absent (again), but for several, very valid reasons:
Illness throughout the entire family here-at-home, with only "Omma K" (my Mother-in-Law)escaping sickness.
Even our sa-weeeeet German Shepherd, Afton, has been tired.I'd been treating her for a minor illness,but she seemed perky and ready to get outside.
So, I let her out into our (privacy-fenced) backyard, on Sunday. I always scan the yard if it is night-time, as we do live in a wooded area, and it is possible a possum could wander up(this has happened twice, and by virtue of the possum playing you-know-what, those two incidents ended with a possum scuttling off after I secured Afton, no harm done), but since it was very bright daylight, I did not scan the yard.
So, it's around 2:00, Sunday afternoon, and I see Afton hurry down, and then I notice a ball of fur, near where Afton likes to romp.
At first, I thought it was an abandoned dog-toy, but when the "ball" moved, I realized it was a big, fat, gray--oh no! is that our neighbor's cat?
"Jesus Christ!" I exclaimed, not in prayer, but in panic and sheer terror, as I saw that the very wild animal my playful German Shepherd was tossing about, had a big, fluffy gray tail--with black rings on it...it was a big fat fluffy....racoon...and since it was afternoon, I knew what that meant:
raccoons are strictly nocturnal creatures; if one is seen in daylight, it's ill, dying, and/or, has rabies.
I screamed again, this time loud enough for my sports-watching curled-up-on-the-sofa-hubby to hear me, , "Oh my God, Jesus Christ, it's a raccoon. Jesus Christ, she's going to kill it..."
What I worried about even more, of course, is that it would kill her--or blind her(raccoons are noted for their razor-sharp claws). Within moments, my husband was calling Afton in.
I had used her name, begging her to "Stop, drop it; leave it...", the command one uses to elicit obedience.
She showed little fear, and seemed reluctant to come upstairs, but did so once "Daddy" was out there, calling with me.
A quick call to Animal Control solved the problem(they'd be here soon, to remove the injured animal), and a call to our veterinarian helped calm me down.
Animal Control removed the poor little creature(who, btw, did NOT injure Afton--we took her to our veterinarian, and there was NO damage!)who would then undergo testing for rabies.
I hoped they could try to save the raccoon, but state law does not allow saving any animal that could potentially carry rabies. That made me very sad.
A word to all you kids out there:
Be sure you keep your companion animals up-to-date on all shots/vaccines.
We're happy to tell you, Afton is always up-to-date, and on Sunday, was given a "booster" of prevention, on top of all her shots she's already received. As for little raccoon, it's suspected she/he was quite ill, but we'll know more, this weekend. Meanwhile, the law says, Afton still must be "quarantined"(because she was thoroughly examined, is current on all shots, and is uninjured, we can (thankfully!)hold her here).
Be careful,and be watchful.
Peace, kids.

Santa was good to me.

2010-12-29T22:46:00.003-05:00

Am writing this using my supa-cool iPad... This is the best, kids!
Yes, I got an iPad for Christmas. Guess I've been a pretty good girl!
More later...for now, check out Ms. Christine Swint's blog, "Balanced On The Edge".
She and her blog, are some kind of beautiful.
Peace, kids.

MERRY CHRISTMAS/HAPPY HOLIDAYS/HAPPY HOLIDAZE....

2010-12-24T13:25:00.004-05:00

All is calm...but it's gonna be bright!
Quiet now, before the (cheerful!) onslaught of hubby's relatives, and the re-making of our home into "Little Korea"(I say this with great affection).
Delicious (mostly Korean) delicacies, great conversation, time spent surprising others with small but meaningful gifts...and a time for healing for all us, regarding the very recent loss of our dear sis-in-law, Toni.
We have little (our newest niece!) Morgan Catherine, to reflect her Mother, back to us.
May God/Universe grant you all, a bright, happy week....
Merry Christmas, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS/HAPPY HOLIDAZE!
Peace, kids.

POETRY READING AT ATLANTA WRITERS' CLUB, SATURDAY, December 18th, 1:20 P.M.

2010-12-17T18:13:00.005-05:00

Haircolor, Shampoo, Blow-dry, Style, check.
Full-face and brow-wax, check.
Feeling pretty: and grateful!
Tomorrow at AWC(Atlanta Writer's Club) I'll join this wonderful group of writers to hear various poets read.
I'll read a poem of my own, too.
Hit the AWC website,for details. Be there by 1:20 P.M., to get a good seat.
Take a break from the mall-crazy-rush, and sit down for some poetry that'll warm you right up!
Among the Featured Poets, tomorrow:
My dear friend, the lovely, verrrry talented Amy Pence, reading from her newly released collection, "The Decadent Lovely".
See you there!
Peace,kids.

Warm Mugs of Cocoa.

2010-12-12T18:03:00.006-05:00

It's been too long since I've updated my blog.I'm sorry. Really sorry.
The fact is, I have been in a hurt and hurting state for quite some time.
Our family's loss(see my most recent post, below)began the hurt, and then...my mental connection to not just one, but two different characters(for films) that I've been working on becoming--both of whom are desperate and hurt in their own ways, and one of whom is despicable in her acting-out of violence on others...have ratcheted up the pain I've been feeling.
But....good news! First, the short-film entitled "Just Us", is wrapped.
I'll be able to see excerpts, and then the entire film, very soon!
(In it, I have, according to wonderful Director Reggie Price, a "small, but pivotal role" as the heroin-addicted mother of three girls)
And "Unspoken Words", the Feature-Length Film from award-winning filmmaker, Henderson Maddox, will wrap soon! (In it, I play Benetha(pronounced like "beneath her"),a hard-drinking, hard-smoking, cruel foster-mother of 13+ children).
In the Spirit of the Holidays/Holidaze, I've been making homemade hot-chocolate every night, and brewing Jasmine Green Tea(iced-only, for the hubby, Hansoo)and catching-up by phone with dear friends and family.
Looking forward to feeling "attractive" again, since right now, I can't CHANGE the way I look, since I chose to look "very rough" for Benetha(that means no brow or face waxing, no manicure, no pedicure, no hair cut or color, etc.).
During the film, I am "aged" "a hard 14 years", meaning the brilliant make-up artist, Renonda Anderson, aged me 20-25 ugly-years(since Benetha drinks and smokes, she would not age gracefully), and it works well for Benetha.
But I swear, I (me-- Lisa Nanette)am going to go crazy applying glam-makeup, once "Unspoken Words" is wrapped.(sigh). May be headed to Saks Fifth Avenue's Cosmetics, and then Sephora, immediately following the finish of "Unspoken Words".

In the More-Holiday-Cheer-Department:
I recently shopped Pier 1 for their fab UNICEF Holiday Cards...Love those. Have been giving those nearly every years, for over 25 years, because:
* Children create the designs.
* Children directly benefit from the proceeds of the cards.
Delicious, incredibly decadent, White-Chocolate-Raspberry-Cake at "Alpine Bakery" in Crabapple area of Alpharetta. Yum-meeee. :)
Here's to bright dreams coming true for all of you kids out there in Blog-land and Facebook-land.
Peace, kids.

A Life, A Death.

2010-11-05T22:38:00.005-04:00

My husband's brother, Arthur, is someone I've known since he was just a youngster, in college. I've gotten to watch him become a serious young man, and then, a thirty-something-man with a great job who longed for a partner with whom he could share his life. I saw him search endlessly for a woman who would make him feel excited to leave work and return home for....He found that woman, Toni, approximately 3 years ago, in mid-2007, on e-harmony.After much e-mailing and many phone calls, they met up at an ice cream shop, and began dating. I met Toni that Thanksgiving, at Arthur's home, in North Carolina, and in January of 2009, they wed in Maui, Hawaii.
Toni wanted to get pregnant "soon", she told me, because she'd grown up happy, but as an "only child" and very much wanted children, a "big family", she said.
So they began making trips--very romantic trips. Italy, Puerto Rico, Charleston...in fact, several trips to a beach-house in Charleston, and viola'! Soon, she was pregnant.
Theyt were both elated to hear this news.
Now almost 36 years old, Arthur is focused and driven, just like my hubby Hansoo, but where Hansoo is quick to anger, Arthur is quick to let tears flow,and his ability to let his feelings emerge is his most endearing quality.
Of course, when it's tears of joy at my wedding, or his own, that's a great thing to witness.
Or when Arthur's lovely wife, Toni, gave birth(an induced birth, 6.5 weeks early), and lovely Morgan Catherine was their bright reward.
But the tears Arthur now sheds--the tears that we all shed now-- are over our loss of lovely Toni, just weeks after giving birth to their first--and only child, Morgan Catherine.
Only 3 days after giving birth,she was diagnosed on Sept. 24th with cancer, and days later, we were told it was "Stage 4 Gastro-intestinal Cancer,of unknown origin."
Toni had been vegetarian, (no eggs, some select fish), nearly her entire just-turned-39-years-old-life.
A veternarian who saved countless animals'lives, and who loved her fulfilling work and had two doggies and a cat of her own, she enjoyed the support of a close family and many friends. She was a non-smoker and non-drinker, who was vibrant, athletic and outdoors-y, and enjoyed river-rafting, hiking, international travel, and dancing(salsa lessons were a favorite).
After some pain, and several attempts to get her cancer treated via stents(for her liver) and chemo, Toni lapsed into a coma, and on October 14th, 2010, Toni Harris Kwon left this world, and I personally believe God must have needed another angel. How else to understand such loss?
We have beautiful baby Morgan Catherine, and two sets of grandparents nearby, to offer love and support to both Daddy-Arthur and little Morgan.
She has an Aunt and Uncle(Hansoo's older brother) in Tennessee, and two cousins(their daughters) there,too.
And here in Atlanta, Morgan has an Aunt ("Theya Lisa") and Uncle Hansoo, who are fully committed to being the best for her, that we can possibly be.
Please keep us in your thoughts, meditations, and prayers.
May God Bless and Keep Your Own Families.
Peace, kids.

A Date With "Becky Shaw".

2010-09-19T08:39:00.008-04:00

We began last night in the company of two neighbors who have lived for several years--like us---in this community. Like most folks, we live in a community of a few hundred folks, but we are "strangers" to one another, not interacting except at an occasional event in the neighborhood.We'd talked about getting together, and going to see some theatre(we all thought immediately of Actor's Express), and finally, got around to it. They drove, and we arrived a bit early at Actor's Express for "Becky Shaw". I was expecting a good show, because Actor's Express always delivers.
But I didn't get a good show....
I was present for an absolutely brilliant show.
Scenic Designer Kat Conley's set of colorful, geometric, sliding panels and series of entranceways and doors, revolve and morph into several different locations as diverse as a lobby, a cafe', several bedrooms, a living room, etc...they are a great mirror for the relationships which play out with shifting motivations, and desires, and which play with our notions of what those relationships are.
Is the couple we're seeing, married? Dating? Brother and sister? All of the above?
In less capable hands, the humor that is inherent in shifting identities, and Shakespearean-like shifting loyalties, might not hit the mark.
But lucky for us, Director-Extraordinaire, Freddie Ashley,is at the helm, and the direction is as fluid and crisp as the dialogue that won playwright Gina Gionfriddo a Pulitzer nomination.
Whether dodging questions from Suzanna(Jill Hames)or tossing out his own fast-ball curves, Max (Andrew Benator)is transcendant in the role of a bitter good guy, whose quick wit manages to be punctuated by moments of tender vulnerability. Jill Hames shines when engaged in the verbal fencing these two perform, throughout.Her interpretation of Suzanna is quite simply, lovely: it would've been easier to play her as a shrew(and she has legitimate, shrewish moments), but Hames makes choices for her Suzanna that enlighten us as to who she really is, and she's like most of us: yearning for love--real, true, loyal, eternal love and acceptance.

The statuesque, delightfully giggly Becky Shaw as played by Veronica Duerr, is not so much the blind-date-from-hell you fear, as the wounded sparrow you rescue from predators.Her nearly epileptic nervous laughter works as an exclamation point to nearly every phrase, and her motivations are at once, both nebulous, and crystal-clear.No easy feat for even an older actress, and certainly amazing for so young an actress.
Supporting cast members Kathi Welch, as Suzanna's mother, Susan, and Tony Larkin as Andrew do a fine job of parrying the verbal jabs (and feints)supplied by Max and Suzanna. The dignity and self-awareness with which Susan handles her own debilitating illness is a bright contrast to the self-indulgence seen in the other characters. Tony Larkin's Andrew is more "self-actualized" (to borrow from the Eric Maslow-ian terms of the play)than the others, but his painful, conflicted emotions are evident almost immediately, and serves well the intentions of the playwright. I found myself thinking:
No matter how "good" we are, how good are our intentions? What are our "obligations" to each other? And in our tech-savvy, ultra-connected world(as in this very review, here on a blog, posted at Facebook, etc.), how connected are we to each other, in-person, really?
One way to begin to feel more connected, is, of course, to go see live theatre. Unlike film or television, to exist, theatre--by definition-- REQUIRES our presence.
So on the way home, husband Hansoo, and Christine and Dale and I discussed the play(we all loved the show--though we held differing views on how "prick-ish" one character is)and we discussed our own relationships.
Strangers, no more.
Which brings me to the question Director Freddie Ashley asks in the program,
"How do you treat the strangers at your doorstep?"
If those strangers are your neighbors, why not ask them to join you for a great night out?
And at the risk of sounding like a commercial, make it "Becky Shaw" at Actor's Express.
Please note: Last night was sold out.So, get your tickets soon, because the magic and hilarity of "Becky Shaw" will end on Saturday, Sept. 25th, the last night of the run.
Peace, kids.

Review of Becky Shaw is coming!

2010-09-19T02:02:00.005-04:00

My Review of Actor's Express' exhilirating play, "Becky Shaw", will be posted here by mid-day, on Sunday. This is the Southeastern Premiere for this play, which launched at Humana Festival in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2008.
Check back right here, and at my Facebook Page, under "Lisa Nanette Allender".
Peace, kids.

Unapologetic Self-Promotion

2010-09-15T21:00:00.004-04:00

Tonight I'm asking for something I seldom ask for:
I'm asking for your help.
In order to develop (personal) publicity and p-r for the films in which I'm working, I want to develop a larger presence here in the blogosphere, and here at Blogspot.
Could you let your felow blogger pals, folks you've found on here Blogspot, on Blogger, at Blog-Her, and Social Networking sites like Facebook, know about me?
I'm hoping to get more "Followers" here at "Lisa Allender Writes", and at my other blog, "Practice What You Peace".
An auto-link to that second blog can be found on this page under "Poets, Bloggers, and Others".Just look to the right, and scroll down.
If you Facebook, please "Friend" me, using "Lisa Nanette Allender".
Thank you for all your support, these past few years.
I hope I can make you proud of me, and that I can offer help to every one of you, if you should ever need it, very soon!
And now, I'm headed back to memorizing lines, and lifting (heavy!) weights(see my most recent entry here at Lisa Allender Writes)
Peace and Blessings, and Continued Success. :)
Peace, kids.

Growing Larger

2010-09-10T07:59:00.005-04:00

The past several posts,I've probably worn ya'll out with joy.
Right now, I'm in-training. I've decided that one of the persons I will become the next several weeks(a person I will be portraying) needs to be "leaner, and meaner". So I'm lifting weights so she'll be larger, and stronger than little ol' Lisa.
I'm working on two separate projects:
One is a "small but pivotal role" in the short-film, "Just Us", by Atlanta director Reggie Price.
The other I cannot reveal, but it is a large Supporting Role, in a Feature-Length Film, and has a well-known, award-winning director at the helm!It is for this role, that I will grow larger.
Bonus for me, for working out with weights:
I'll finally be large enough, to hold all this joy! :)
Peace, kids.

Life. Getting Better!

2010-09-06T16:31:00.004-04:00

Life is good, no...make that GREAT. I am reliving the past few days...callbacks(went swimmingly, thank you! )for that Feature-Length Film, and then Decatur Book Fest(great poetry, and such beloved friends with which to share poetry and good news!)Last night, a phone call from our sa-weeeet niece, Breaz. :)
Later, hugging my in-laws."Omma K" and "Appa K" are dears.They are excited to be moving to this area, and are happy when we (hubby & I) are happy.And "Afton"(our German Shepherd) is great.
A whole HOUSEFUL of HAPPINESS, kids!
Doesn't get any better!
Peace, kids.

Decatur Book Festival!

2010-09-05T07:09:00.005-04:00

DECATUR BOOK FESTIVAL!I'll be roaming around the Fest this afternoon, and settling-in at Java Monkey Cafe' on Church Street, to both listen, and read/perform poetry!
The set I'm in, which includes the well-known, personable, poet Collin Kelley, begins at 4:00 P.M., but I'll be there, listening, much earlier!
Come on out and see/hear us!
Hope your having a great Labor Day! :)
Peace, kids.

What I Can Tell You, Is I Am...

2010-09-04T23:37:00.005-04:00

HAPPY.HAPPIER.HAPPIEST.I'VE EVER BEEN.
Details, later! :)

It's All Good.

2010-09-03T10:19:00.008-04:00

On second thought(see my most recent post, below, written only seconds ago), I have to say that all those interests have helped make me, ME. I won't be giving up(any of)my interests.
But what I will do, is concentrate even more, on my acting. I would never have guessed I might be more marketable now as an actress, and a "woman of a certain age", than when I was a young thing, but life experience informs who we are, and that of course, feeds us as actors. :)
Lots of Blessings, and Love, sent out to all of you. The blogosphere, especially Blogspot, and other Bloggers have been so kind to me, and offered continuing support.
May all of you find the joy I feel, at having been given new chances, to create!
Peace, kids.

Dreams Do Come True

2010-09-03T09:59:00.009-04:00

More gratefulness?
I think I've figured out something.
I have toooo many interests.The proof?
While I can enjoy these interests, such as activism for the poor, for minorities, LGBTQ, political activism, dog-training, baking, studying jewelry-making, and various job-jobs(my term for a non-acting, or non-writing job), all these other endeavors have kept me from attaining more development as an actress, and writer. I found this out, quite accidentally.
After throwing nearly all my energy this past year into working on my acting, I see that being "single-minded"(as much as I, Lisa, am able to do so), pays off.
The results?
I'm cast(in a small, but pivotal role) in a short-film. I'm in call-backs for a major role, in a Feature-Length Film. And the latest?
I was just accepted into a major model and talent agency with a stellar reputation!The head of the agency is a woman with tremendous drive, amazing accomplishments, and great personal charisma. And she said "Wow, Lisa" after my audition. Twice.
I feel like the luckiest woman on the planet.
If it gets any better, kids, I'll have to wake up! :)
Peace, kids.

Gratefulness to the max!

2010-08-27T20:01:00.007-04:00

In a recent post, I talked about how grateful I am for the numerous acting opportunities coming my way. Less than two hours after posting that, I checked my cell phone messages to find I'm in the CALLBACKS for a GREAT ROLE in a FEATURE FILM!
The Universe certainly appears to be lining up to give me confidence.
I'm currently reading and re-reading this ultimately uplifting screenplay, and reviewing my "sides"(the dialogue in which my character speaks)for those callbacks, which are next Saturday.
A great big "Break A Leg"(show-biz talk for "Good Luck") to everyone auditioning! :)
Peace, kids.

My Gratefulness List Tonight Will Be a Long One

2010-08-24T22:45:00.004-04:00

Gratefulness:
Auditions upcoming, an appointment with a highly-regarded talent agent, and a short film,"Just Us", that should be completed soon!
I cannot describe how empowered I am (finally!) beginning to feel. I suppose like a lot of artist-types, I'm not much of a "planner".I tend to "visualize" a goal, but it often takes me much longer to reach it than it would someone who lives only in the "9-5" world(folks who work ONLY there, in that they are not writing novels, poems, or acting for a living), not for lack of effort or work on my part, but because I am not as organized,or as "efficient" in terms of time management(which goes back to organizational-skills).
But I am excited, because I've even conquered that.
How?
By not writing out "To-Do" lists, and instead, writing a "Done" list, once I've completed tasks.This puts the onus on me, to be fast, to be single-minded(verrrry difficult for me, because in my head it always feels like three or five--or ten things--are happening at once.), to get it done.
So,here's to completion, to getting things finished--in a more timely manner--and to uh, confidence!
Peace,kids.

Everyone else thinks last night's scenes with Sally, are just about 'sexual awakening'....

2010-08-23T09:42:00.009-04:00

IF YOU'VE NOT SEEN LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE of "MAD MEN", SPOILER ALERT!
Last year, when "Mad Men" 's Don & Betty Draper's little girl, Sally, became so attached to Betty's father, the dottering, senile old grandpa(it was hinted that he might be stricken with what we would now label advanced Alzheimer's) who loved to have the little girl join him at night, as she read "The History of the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire", I suspected this series might step into the area I've long said needs to be explored. Since 1998, I've been saying:
"I think a television series should broach a subject long overdue, in weekly television: a beloved member of an intact, good, seeemingly "perfect" family, commits sexual abuse on a child--and if the show does it corrrectly it should be UNSEEN/UNKNOWN to the audience, so that when it is revealed(by a child "acting-out" or acting up, or simply telling someone), the audience will feel the same sense of shock, disbelief, denial....and eventually, betrayal, that the family itself feels."
The friends I shared this with, said "Why don't YOU write it, Lisa? Write it."
I even came up with possible titles,"A Good Family", "Relatively Speaking", etc...
I told one dear friend, Ellen L., to feel free to share it, because I felt sure I'd never write it, perhaps because I'd never written for tv, and also, because I felt tremendous pain at writing about something about which I unfortunately have first-hand knowledge.
Why do I think this subject matter should be brought out, through episodes on a weekly t.v. series? Because it can HELP. By definition, a regular T.V. series allows us to become "attached" to favorite characters, people who are loving, but of course, like all of us, very flawed. In seeing deception and dysfunction of the most egregious, aberrant kind(trusted relatives and friends,sexually abusing children) on t.v., we will be able to see our own lives, less-filtered, too, and perhaps identify a problem within our own families, before it spins out of control.
In "Mad Men", little Sally has suffered grief(very understandable, and normal) after Grandpa dies. And has acted up, becoming visibly aggressive and rambunctious with her baby brother. After her parents'divorce, and Betty's remarriage, we see her "sass" her impatient, un-yielding mother, trash her own dolls, and last night, we saw the results of other reckless behavior by an uncomfortable, tense, 10-year-old child: a short, hatchet-y haircut she performed on herself, in the confines of a bathroom, unbeknownst to the babysitter, (while her father, Don was absent, busy with a hot date)claiming, when what she has done, has been discovered, "You have short hair, and Daddy likes you..."(Sally incorrectly assumes her Daddy is dating the babysitter).
And acting-out:
We see her at an "overnight" at a friend's. Sitting on a sofa, her friend sitting next to her, only a few feet away, we see Sally, still uncomfortable, tense, and intense, staring at a screen where two men are bound, unable to escape(I believe a shot from "The Prisoner" a 1960's tv series), and we see her legs part slightly, and then the camera quickly cuts to her face, and we see her eyes narrow, as her hand reaches down to...and suddenly, an adult enters the room. The mother of her friend(the female friend is still staring straight ahead at the t.v.)screams, "What are you doing?" and separates the two friends,insisting Sally leave. One quick phone call to Betty, "I'd rather not discuss this on the phone.." and then "I caught her...playing with herself..." delivered to Betty, in-person, is the jolt that sends Betty and her new hubby clamoring for a psychiatrist.
I went online to see if anyone else has thought what I'm thinking, but everyone else is talking about Sally (she's only 10, people!)and her "sexual awakening".
Here's where I think the storyline is going:
It will be revealed that Grandpa molested her(Even though molestation was never even hinted at, there were other boundary violations.Like letting Sally drive his car--at age 8 or 9!), and/or someone else is molesting her (perhaps the slightly older boy down the street, whose behavior is odd, and controlling, and stalker-like?).Of course, the therapist will very likely assume Betty's new husband is the offender, even though he suggested to Betty, a psychiatrist for Sally.
This season is really heating up, and is taking the show where I previously believed only someone like Alan ("Six Feet Under") Ball could take any series.
He would've been my choice to write and direct my "A Good Family", had it ever been written, and become a series...
Kudos to Kiernan Shipka, who portrays Sally Draper. She has a mature, nuanced manner, and is a highly skilled actress.
Peace to anyone out there, who's been abused by a family member, extended family-member, or "friend" of the family.There is hope, and help, available.
Child-sexual-abuse helpline:
1-866-FOR-LIGHT (1-866-367-5444)
Peace,kids.

Creating A Role

2010-08-20T16:42:00.005-04:00

Hmmmmm...Doing a lot of research, regarding being a heroin-addicted Mother.
In "Just us", the short film about to be produced(filming begins tomorrow!), I play exactly that.A mother who "graduates" from prescription-pain-killers to (eventually) heroin.
Earlier this week, I was researching the effects of heroin on the body, etc., and I came across a poignant essay from a young woman who lost her younger sister, to heroin. You can read about it, at my other blog: "Practice What You Peace".
See link, directly to the right of this column, and scroll down.
Last night, I attended a NA(Narcotics Anonymous) meeting, and in keeping with their required anonymity, I won't say anything other than the phrase "searing honesty" kept coming into my mind.When I was welcomed(and I felt very welcome), I just said "I'm Lisa, and I'm here to understand."
I've gotten to meet some of the other actors who'll be working with me. They are superb. And I like the director: Atlanta Screenwriter/Director, Reggie Price.
Wish me "Break A Leg".
Peace, kids.

Poetry At Callanwolde, last Wednesday, August 11th,2010

2010-08-16T22:04:00.002-04:00

Meant to post about last Wednesday's lover-ly evening of Poetry at Callanwolde.Kodac Harrison, in my opinion, the South's greatest songwriter-as-storyteller and poet man and guitarist, never fails to please.I was delighted to see Rupert Fike in attendance, as well as old pal, the very energetic and readying-herself-to-graduate GSU, Ms. T.J. Annunziata, and Professor Bob Wood from nearby Georgia Tech, too.
Fellow writer(she specializes in "flash-fiction")Ellen Lindquist joined ol' pal, Dan-Dan and me, and we listened intently to Kodac.After his Feature, Kodac sat down near me, and Ellen and he and I enjoyed hearing newbie poets read, at the late-night Open-Mic.Really, realy cool stuff, on a verrry hot evening.Ruth Windham always does a great job with the hospitality(cold drinks, and sweet and salty snacks)and the encouraging introductions.
Earlier on Wednesday, I stopped in at Outwrite, picked up a naughty card for a friend's birthday, and when I didn't find him at home,left him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY card, and some jasmine-tea, at his door.
I then met up with Atlanta director, Reggie Price, of the short film we are shooting soon, "Just Us". Reggie also wrote the screenplay. The actor who'll play my "baby-daddy", fellow-SAG-member, Louis C. Robins joined us, and the young actress who'll play my oldest daughter, beautiful Ms. Vitelle Webb, stopped in, too.
We took photos, and looked over location, etc.(The film will be shot in Forest Park, Georgia, soon).
So Wednesday was a great day, and this past weekend was great(see my earlier post, below!), too.
Peace,kids.

Respect For Actors

2010-08-14T22:36:00.006-04:00

At an audition for a large-budget feature film today, where hundreds(though I'm told thousands in total showed up), I retreated to a "Starbucks" for a chilled green tea to wait for my call. Of course, several dozen other audition-ees were present, and we made conversation with one another during the afternoon.
At one point, I mistakenly assumed that a young woman and her husband were there to audition, and remarked on it.
Her husband said "Well, that depends, what's it for?"
He was playful, but I could see the hope in his eyes....and I got similar comments, all afternoon, from folks who either "heard about" the film auditions going on, or wandered up to ask me what I was auditioning for, could they audition, could their child audition, etc.
Famed acting-teacher, actress and writer Uta Hagen was right: there's no "Respect for Acting".
Imagine, kids, an engineer in a lobby area, waiting to see a potential employer, and dozens of folks wandering up, asking if they could "go in" to get hired, too. Except NONE of them has ANY experience as an engineer. Or a musician auditioning for a band, and folks with no experience in music, asking to audition. It would be preposterous.
Really, kids, it's a job. We train, work hard, and study to do this. Really.

My audition felt good. The film concerns a young man's struggle with his identity, and he finds redemption through his poetry and rap music. My love for poetry and for the spoken word has me quite excited about this particular project. I won't know if I am in the call-backs(for you not in "the biz", this means the "finals" from which they will cast the film), for about two weeks, but at least I got to read for the role I really want, and I got asked to stay and read a bit more, and that's always good! I can't say what the role is, but it would be a really meaty role, and one in which I would grow tremendously as an actor.
For now, give respect to everyone for what they do.
Whatever the job is, respect the job, and those who do it.
Peace, kids.

As If Every Day Is Your Last

2010-08-07T02:36:00.006-04:00

I thought the next time I posted, it would be all about re-connecting with my ol' pals from the wild days/daze of the 1980's. "The Limelight, One More Night" held just last Friday (July 30th, 201) was everything you could want in a disco-reunion.
The music, lights, and even showgirls strutting about(including "Evil Sarah" who was covered in whipped cream, red-pasties and wore black fishnets, and who plucked strawberries from a nearby bowl to run over her nearly-nude body for those in attendance, to sample)...Mouthwatering. And the berries were great, too.
Ahem.
I thought I'd talk here about seeing my sis--Tina, for dinner (sushi at Ru-San's)and seeing her best pal--Penny, and one of our dearest friends, Dan-Dan, and my husband--Hansoo, gathered not only for dinner, but dancing, too!
I loved getting to take my niece--Breaz, over to visit with her Mom earlier in the day, and was thrilled as we all met at Ru-San's, waiting for my MIA-for-twenty-years-friend, Sherry, for whom I will forever be grateful to Facebook(she located me, using Facebook), to join us. The meal was great, the conversation, uplifting, the dancing, crazy. Seeing "Baby" (of the(now infamous)Gold Club and did-you-know-she-slept-with-Madonna?)fame, and Randy--the deejay who lit up the original Limelight, for so many years, all those years ago, reminded me of a time in my life when I had little money, and worked several jobs, but I had lots of joy and living-in-the-moment.
It was a reminder to live, now.
At one point, nearly 1,000 people crammed into the old "Roxy" theatre now known as the Buckhead Theatre and reaquainted themselves with friends and dance partners, from the past.
I thought this was all I'd be posting about...until I discovered that Jonathon Spanier, one of the producers of this event, a few days after this "disco-reunion", had gone in for surgery, and came through it like a champ. And then, several hours later, died from complications involving a blood clot, and his heart.
So I'm posting about living life, I guess. Living it, as if every day--or night---is "One More Night". Only.
Condolences to Jonathon Spanier's family and friends.
And thank you for a wonderful, fun, evening, Jonathon.I know you're still dancing.
Peace, kids.

I guess putting good vibes out there, works(re: my last post)...

2010-07-31T09:28:00.005-04:00

Wowsers! Looks like I will be playing the role of "The Mother" in a short film written, produced and directed by, ATL-area director, Reggie Price. I don't want to give too many details, but let me tell you, it will require lots of "internal work" by me, because I'll be playing a mother addicted to various substances, whose three daughters suffer the consequences of that addiction.The family is bi-racial(I'm the "white" part of the equation), and I think this short film effectively addresses the cost of "dis-connecting" as a family(the father abandoning the family, the mother's subsequent addiction).
The film ends with some resolution and closure for the family........and when this short-film does get developed into a full-length feature film, the racial differences may be fleshed-out a bit more.
The mother's role (I have only a few lines in this "short film")will also be expanded.
Shooting begins in a few weeks! :)
Peace, kids.

Actors Working At Being Employed

2010-07-25T02:34:00.007-04:00

Auditions for voice-overs, and film and tv, coming up. Send out good vibes for me.
Sometimes I wonder what it would be like, to NOT feel the need to act, or write.
And despite being very imaginative, it's truly difficult to imagine being without that drive.I recall a wonderful Professor (renowned British film and stage actor,Paul Massie) saying to us eager college-students, waaaay back-in-the-day(University of South Florida, where I went to school) that "....if you can do something else, do it....You should only act if you HAVE to do it."
It's true.
This business is immensely rewarding in terms of self-expression, the relationships you form, and the discoveries you make about yourself--and other human beings, through the creative process, is amazing....but unfortunately, much of society rates a human being's worth in terms of the dollars and cents they make from their profession. It is sometimes depressing, to work so hard, and receive so little money.
Of course, plenty of A-List actors make a fortune, but the rest of us working actors feel fortunate that we just get paid.
We've all acted, or written poems, or written plays, for little or nothing, just to get to do it.
Most of us also work at a "job-job" (or two), my term for a non-acting or non-writing-gig, in order to pay bills, and/or save money for classes or workshops, etc.
So, I'm curious:
Any of you out there, who would be willing to do your chosen profession--whatever it is--for little or no money?

Note to Self: Huh?

2010-07-21T14:40:00.006-04:00

Little free-association-game I'm trying out,here.
Potato chips. Cape Cod Kettle.
Ice cream.Cold Stone Creamery Blueberry Bliss.
Sex. All kinds.Water. Rain. Ocean. Malibu. Blue. Dark blue. Turquoise. Jewelry. Tiffany's Pave' Diamonds. Pearls. Pearl necklace. Sex. Cream. Coffee. Iced coffee. Summer. Treats. Doggies. Happy. Sad. Miss Louie. Love. Peace. God. Dawkins. Wrong. Peace. Freud.Jung. Philosophy. Kant. Greg Johnson. Miss. Classes. Light. Hot.
Sweating. Sex. Hansoo. Miss. Marriage. Tired. Tea. Cups. Bra. Breasts. Women. Lips. Sex. Warm. Tongue. Taste. Perfume. Air. Water. Dry. Parched. Thirsty.Lemonade. Sweet Tea. Biscuits. Syrup. Sex. Okay, I'm feeling repetitive.
I hope this was entertaining.Gee, I feel like I discovered something about myself, kids. As I always do, whenever I write.
(sigh)
Peace, kids.

A Summer of Love

2010-07-18T23:16:00.009-04:00

So the summer is flying by.
This past weekend, a quick but sa-weeet visit with Bro-in-law, Arthur, and his lovely bride, and now, mom-to-be, Toni. They are a cute couple, with Toni always up for new adventure(Hansoo & I treated them to a trip to "The High"(museum in Atlanta), and we enjoyed a late lunch at the Tavern at Phipps Plaza on Saturday. Niiiice. Married just under two years, they are now officially pregnant, with a girl.
She's due, wait-for-it......... on my birthday, November 4th!
For late August:I'm working on the cover-art/photography for two different collections of poetry; rewriting/editing a few poems I plan to read at the Decatur Book Festival(on the Java Monkey Stage), and am also working on dialogue for my "The Taste of Shapes", a play.
Readying myself for many visits, for late July:
*"Camp Theya (Greek for 'Aunt')Lisa" with my lovely niece, Breaz, which will include baking(brownies, and an ol'-fashion sour-cream-pound-cake), seeing plays, a book-signing, workouts at a gym, and whatever else Breaz wants to do(reading the hilarious children's book series, "Curious George").
* with my sis, Tina, for "Limelight: One More Night", July 30th!
* with my ol' friend, Sherry(a pal I've not seen in over 18 years!Thank you Sherry, for finding me, via Facebook);she'll also be at "Limelight". :)
*with nieces Rachel and Grace, for their "Camp Theya Lisa", which will include baking(brownies, and a peach-cobbler), seeing plays, hiking, walking our dog, Afton, and learning her "agility" classes with her, reading poetry aloud to each other,home-made masks for skin-care, and planting and growing an herb garden.
In September, more writing/editing on a new one-woman piece, "Grandma Barnes of Brown County". The piece is based on research into the life of the irascible, quirky, talented(she was an actress and wrote poetry), quite lovely Grandma Barnes.
I became interested in her life as I read about my home-state, Indiana.
I later learned that she was---gasp--my own great-great-grandmother!!!
Details, soon. :)
Peace,kids.

Long Drive For A (Happy) Shampoo.

2010-07-11T01:56:00.007-04:00

I'm thinking how often we measure relationships out by using physical, or emotional "markers"....in spoonfuls of gifts--the watches I gave him; the rings he gave me; the events we attended together(were they plays and concerts, or football and baseball games?).
In this relationship,I've measured it in the dogs we've held dear; the nights filled with snuggling animals deciding which of us in the "pack" is more "Alpha" (no mystery here, Hansoo wins every time).Other nights, filled with fear(like the time we rushed "Louie" to a local animal-emergency-clinic because he appeared to be having a heart attack(gasping, his chest heaving with labored breath). It was not. It was something called a "reverse-sneeze". All was well a few hours later.) Some nights were filled with dread(like the night we had to put "Frisco", our sweet Aussie to bed, knowing it was the very last time she'd look us in the eye.(Spleen cancer, spread throughout her body, no chance at life).(Note: This is detailed in in this blog's Archives, January 2008)
The good inherent in having companion animals still outweighs all the hurt we feel, when we lose them to time, and to God.
Saturday's visit to faraway Marietta(actually Kennesaw area), was well worth it, too.
The Golden Retriever Rescue of Atlanta helps doggies and prospective "parents" everyday, and we were grateful to take our German Shepherd, "Afton" out for a shampoo, and to donate a bit to this great organization made up of even greater folks. We explained we were there to celebrate Louie's life, by donating a few dollars, and supporting their (dog-washing day at Red Bandana Pet Supply Store) event.
I was struck by the compassion immediate in each volunteer as we described adopting "Louie" from GRRA in 1998, all the great times we had with him, and then losing our adopted baby, "Louie" just over a week ago(last Friday, July 2nd).
Saturday was the first day I did not cry.
Even when the volunteers did cry, as I told of singing to "Louie"(I never told them the song was "Lean On Me")as he was put to sleep a final time, I did not cry.
As Hansoo and I drove off, "Afton", still rambunctious from her shampoo looked back.
I didn't.
I'm still trying to go forward.
Peace, kids.

Endowing Louie's Death, With Meaning.

2010-07-09T10:06:00.007-04:00

Oh, this is still so difficult.
I had the great pleasure of my cuz Gigi's company, and got to meet her new life-partner, the very gorgeous, exotic, quiet(did she have the choice of speaking, when cuz Gigi and I are together?!) Natalya. What a great couple they make!The food, the love shared between us, the time well-spent was gratifying, and uplifting.
But still.
I live in a too-quiet house, and miss the sound of one squeak-toy after another being squeezed by a big-mouthed Golden Retriever named "Louie".
"Afton", our calmly affectionate German Shepherd, misses him too.
Started sleeping in his doggie-bed. Carries his toys around.
Nestles at night, next to his "blue-dog"(which still smells like the tobacco-y,baby-powder-y scent that was The Lou), a ratty old toy that used to look like a floppy-eared-dog.
I know he had a great,long life.I know I should be grateful.
And God knows, there is more than enough (large, larger) tragedy in this world, than my losing my best buddy, "Louie".
But right now, it still hurts.
However, tomorrow(Saturday, July 10th), the GRRA(Golden Retriever Rescue of Atlanta) is holding a "Doggie-Wash" at the Red Bandana Pet (Supplies) Store, in Marietta on Dallas Road.
10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
We'll be there, with our "Afton", for a shampoo for her, and to donate to the great Rescue Group from whom we adopted our beloved "Lou".
For just 12 dollars you can give hope--- and give life --- to doggies(Goldens, Labs, etc.) they (GRRA) rescue from being sentenced to death, at Animal Control.
To donate, or to simply see updates and news from GRRA, check out the link on this page, to Golden Retriever Rescue of Atlanta.

Maybe writing and sending cards to others(I bought a bunch of cards the other day, thinking now is the time to re-connect with those I seldom see), and donating $$ and time to worthwhile causes, will help me feel better.
Give his death, a bit more "meaning".
Peace, kids.

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF "THE LOU".

2010-07-03T13:07:00.009-04:00

Photo of Afton and Louie, at home, July, 2009.
Photo of Louie with me(Lisa), hiking, Fall, 2008.

He's gone. Yesterday, Hansoo & I went to the veternarian's to retrieve our Retriever, "Louie". We were hoping to have a night, or perhaps the weekend, to take him to the park(he could not walk at all, but we thought he could enjoy the smells, and perhaps have previously "forbidden" treats(like hamburgers and french fries), and to tell him how much we love him.
Unfortunately, when we arrived at the vet's(Louie needed iv's to keep him hydrated, and our vet had kindly taken him to his own home, and cared for him there, overnight)the intravenous injections had not helped. Anemic, still filled with a deadly infection that had spread from his ears into his brain, when we saw him carried in--eyes glassy--limbs "seizing" as Dr. Mike of All Creatures Hospital put it, we knew the picnic we'd planned would not be happening, and the only blanket we'd all be sitting on, would be Louie's as we held his head, rubbed his furry chest, and told him over and over,"You're a good boy, Louie. We love you. Good boy. Good dog."
I hesitantly looked at Dr.Mike and said, "Can we give him steroids? An Operation?"
"Lisa, he's seizing up. He's dying..." He gently added, "He waited for Hansoo; I knew he'd wait for you, Hansoo."(I had been with Louie caring for him at home all week, but had taken Louie in the night before, because he kept falling, and would not take ANY type of food, or drink. I told myself the vet could somehow alleviate that).
Everyone was crying, though I summoned the will to be still, in order to keep Louie calm, as we asked Dr. Mike to make his passing a bit less painful, and he gently inserted the potion into the port already in Louie's leg.(so that Louie would feel no sting of a needle).I was fearful of looking directly into his eyes as he passed, so I closed his eyes as I began to sing to him "Lean On Me"...
(in recent days, his left-leaning body had elicited at least one political barb from me, Look, he leans to the Left--just like his mother.)

"....you need a friend, we all need, somebody, to leannnn, on."
I did not to finish that line, as Louie's eyes fluttered, and I held him tight.
Hansoo sobbed. I buried my face in Louie's still-warm-fur, and told him "We love you, Louie".
I asked sweet Mandy(vet's assistant), in an oddly calm voice, if we could get a cast of his paw.(A simple procedure for a "keepsake" of your baby).

The drive over, with Louie bundled in the very back of the SUV, was so difficult.
We'd planned for his passing to be at home, and here we were--driving home to let "Afton", our sweet German Shepherd out for a few moments.I wanted Afton to somehow "get" that Louie would not be here anymore.So,we let her see him, his head visible in the blanket in the SUV, and she approached enthusiastically with a wag, then a somewhat curious look, and several sniffs, then a slowwww backing away, as if she suddenly "understood".
She came over to me, sat by my side, and offered her head on my hand, where she kissed me, and whined, and then, like the wonder that all dogs are, suddenly looked up at me, beginning to wag her thump-y tail, as if to say "I'm here; I'm alive!"
I trotted her back to the pantry, gave her a treat, repeatedly telling her "You're a good girl.Be good. Mommy and Daddy will be back soon."
We were headed to "Paws, Whiskers, and Wags", the amazing Pet Crematory who helped us navigate through the shell-shocked pain we felt, once before, when we lost "Frisco", our beloved Aussie, in January, 2008.(See Archives, at this blog, below).
Jill was wonderful---a true professional, she offered help, then let us "visit" with "The Lou" as we called him, one last time.
I asked for scissors to clip just abit more(before we'd left at All Creatures Animal Hospital, I'd gotten a bit) of his reddish-gold fur, held his face again, and told him we loved him, that he was a great dog, "Good dog, Louie.I'll see you again,later." and his body was led away to the crematory.
While we waited(we took his ashes home in an urn; we will select a lovely Howard Miller box with room for a photo, soon), Hansoo and I looked at pictures of dogs,and read descriptions of various breeds, in "The Big Book of Dogs" in the lounge area.I told Hansoo how I'd wished I had a tape of Louie drinking his water from his water-bowl. The loud slurpping and sloshing was always hilarious, and as I told Hansoo this, he scanned through his i-phone for any videos of our doggies he might have stored.
A truly grace-filled moment, was when he clicked onto a video he'd shot,just months ago,of Louie and Afton, playing in our backyard.
A distict slosh, slurp, slosh can be heard as the tape opens. Then a Golden Retriever(Louie,of course)is seen in the lower-left foreground, dripping water, as he watches "Afton" engaging him in play.
A bit of running, jumping, boxing, and a few play-bows later, we see Afton finally sit, and Louie disengage. Hansoo is heard, saying,
"Good boy,Lou; Good girl, Aft." and the tape ends.
The running, jumping, and playing has ended on earth for Louie.
If we're lucky, we get a companion like "The Lou" to run, jump, and play with us.
And if we're really lucky, we get family and friends to help us through a loss like this.
Here's to living life.As "The Lou" did, in the moment, (with unabashed enthusiasm for squirrels), everywhere. ;)
Peace, kids.

Travel updates. And one heckuva dog, "Louie".

2010-07-02T05:50:00.005-04:00

So we had a great visit in Franklin area of Nashville, Tennessee.
Hubby Hansoo travels/works occasionally in that area, so I was delighted to get visit him and our "new town" for connecting, and re-connecting.
Speaking of re-connecting, I was thrilled to see cuz Jeff(the son of my mom's sister, my dear sweet Aunt Mary, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2003)who is continuing to make a name for himself in the music-land that is Nashville.
Jeff pens songs, plays a bad-a*& guitar, and sings eloquently.
I love having such a talent in our family! Check out the link to his site, under "Poets, Bloggers and Others", to the right of this entry.
Just scroll down.
From Franklin area of Nashville, Tennessee, we headed by car to Indiana, to both the area called "Little Nashville"(I am researching a woman called "Grandma Barnes"--a colorful character who was half-Cherokee, extremely beautiful and a subject for artists from all over the world, a poet and an actress...and my great-great-grandmother!)....and also, the Franklin area of Indiana, to attend 3rd-cuz, Robin Hall's outdoor wedding. It was a lovely, albeit extremely hot day(perhaps karmic punishment for my own, overly-cold wedding: a garden-wedding held in February, 2007!), and one I treasure:
Robin was radiant, and when her Daddy teared up as they danced the Father-Daughter dance, I recalled my own precious moments with my own Dad, who was sitting across from me.It was great to meet-up with Daddy, especially since I was(and still am!) extremely grateful he could be there:
his 4th heart-attack of the past 14 years, was the same day he flew into Indiana(he left just hours after!).His "saving grace" was the new (Fall, 2004) defibrillator implanted in his chest.
Whew.
We listened to children laughing, I danced the "Macarena"(the cheesy dance everyone else plays at their wedding; our cheesy dance-song was the gay anthem, "YMCA". giggle.), and we ate bbq and took pictures.
We listened to master-pianist, Larry Wayne(another 3rd-cuz of mine) play Preludes he'd written.
And then, we returned home to see our beloved(adopted from Golden Retriever Rescue Association of Atlanta in October, 1998) Golden Retriever is losing his footing, partly due to his hips weakening, and partly because he is suffering from a very nasty bacterial infection of the ear(he's had this "Pseudomonas" several times, but this time, it re-curred, and got to his inner-ear/brain area.sigh.). He's in a constant state of extreme sea-sickness, combined with a loss of balance.He appears to be nauseated, as he is refusing all food,though he's not vomiting.
He weaves, and often, falls.
The library in our house now looks like a small obstacle course of pillows and cushions, to prevent him hurting himself.(double-sigh).
At age 13(approximate, since we're not certain--he could be as young as 12-and-a-half, or closer to 14), we know we're luckier than most, having him for so many fun, great years.
But that doesn't mean when I look into his huge, wet brown eyes, his head tilted in a ridiculously amusing way (horribly, it's from the infection making him dizzy), that this is any easier.
It's so hard to do what I know we must do, to prevent him suffering any further.
We originally just wanted to clear up the infection(minimum time for healing:3-6 weeks, possibly months), and then have a few great weeks to celebrate his life.
It seems, however, that we must now take it not day-by-day, or even hour-by-hour, but moment-to-moment.
If you believe in prayer healing, I would humbly ask for you to pray for healing of any/all kinds.If not of Louie's illness, then may it be a healing of our hearts.
Thank you for stopping by; if you like, sign up to "Follow This Blog".It takes 6 seconds, and there's nothing to do, but click "Follow".
Be sure to Friend me at Facebook, using "Lisa Nanette Allender", for updates on life, love, the arts, science, politics, spirituality, etc...
Peace, kids.

Angry Fathers or Husbands, read this.

2010-06-20T03:38:00.005-04:00

Father's Day.
In honor of all things related to being male, check out what I've posted below, an article about a new study which apparently discovered a huge link between a husband's anger and his wife's depression.
I am fortunate to have a loving, patient Dad who rarely raises (or raised, when I was a young child) his voice. To the Fathers out there who are less than patient, read below, to see how your yelling and critical behaviors and curse words, are damaging your children's Mom.
If you're not a Dad, but you've got a wife--or a girlfriend--please read this anyway.
It will enlighten you on the truly negative impact you're having, on those you love...
Peace, kids.

Angry Husbands Linked to Depression in Wives
By Jeanna Bryner, LiveScience Managing Editor

Depression in women can be fueled by hostile husbands, a new study suggests. But the reverse seems not to be true.

Additionally, warm, positive behavior from husbands lessened the negative impact of their hostile behavior.

In the study, researchers watched 20-minute clips of 416 married couples interacting at home. The videos were coded for two behavior types: anti-social behaviors, which are those that are self-centered, defiant or show a lack of constraint; and hostile behaviors that are angry, critical or rejecting. Participants in the study also reported any symptoms of depression.

Forinstance, being snippy or curt with a spouse, interrupting her, eye-rolling, sneers and yelling were considered hostile behaviors.

"In the study, husbands' marital hostility was significantly related to increases in wives' symptoms of depression," said study researcher Christine Proulx of the University of Missouri. "The more hostile and anti-social behavior exhibited by husbands, the more depressed their wives were after three years. These findings suggest that husbands' treatment of their wives significantly impacts their psychological well-being and that hostile behavior has a lasting effect on couples that continues throughout their marriages."

On the flip side, the researchers didn't find any link between wives' angry behaviors and their husbands' depression — unless there was a significant life event at the time, including a death in the family or a job loss.

"It is possible that women's well-being is more closely tied to the well-being of their close relationships than is the case for men," Proulx told LiveScience. "So they may be more vulnerable than husbands are when there is hostility in the marriage."

But a greater number of recent, stressful events might put husbands at risk for being negatively impacted by their wives' hostility, according to Proulx.

In the United States, nearly 10 percent of the population suffers from a depressive disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. While the causes of depression vary, a husband's angry behavior could be a contributing factor.

"It's critical that professionals ask people experiencing depression about their close relationships and recognize that their spouse's behavior influences how they feel about life and themselves, especially among women," Proulx said. "It is important to intervene at the couple level and make spouses aware that how they act toward each other has a long-term effect on their emotional and physical well-being."

The study was published in a recent issue of the Journal of Family Psychology.

SMOKIN' HOT PAM GRIER!

2010-06-18T05:39:00.005-04:00

I was thrilled to get to see noted actress and provocateur Ms. Pam Grier at Outwrite Books in Midtown Atlanta, on Wednesday evening.I invited great pal, Diane Davis Weeks to go-with, and we sat with Collin Kelley and his BFF, Tina M.
Owner of Outwrite, Philip Rafshoon was delighted by the crowd, which began assembling quite early.
There was no mistaking her arrival, as spontaneous cheers went up through the crowd.
A hush fell over us, as we awaited her presence; we were mesmerized as Ms. Grier floated up to the mic.
I was already two-thirds into her memoir, "Foxy", so I knew some of the stories she recounted for the benefit of her fans. Stories of heartache and abuse are peppered throughout this great-read, which manages--like the woman herself--to be an homage to hard work, discipline, diligence, and faith. With a big nod to extreme, unbridled sex appeal, too!
Thanks, Pam. I'll treasure the meeting, and the autograph!
Pictures to follow. Check out my Facebook page, too, by Friend-ing me at the Auto-Link for my Facebook page, see "Lisa's Links" to the right of this column, by scrolling down.
Peace, kids.

Fund for young boy.

2010-06-11T12:07:00.002-04:00

Awhile back, a sweet young boy was blinded in one eye as a result of thuggish teens throwing bleach-filled balloons at children.
I want to start a fund for this young man. Currently, I'm contacing 11-Alive News to see how to get this accomplished.
I especially want to be sure he not only has medical-care-expenses covered, but a few pairs of super-cool shades (designer sunglasses) to wear this summer and when he returns to school in the fall, too.
Absolutely senseless violence(as violence always is).
We can all make a difference for this young man. Show him the rest of us out here are appalled by these criminals, and hurting in our hearts, for him.
Details, soon.

Remember to check out my other blog, "Practice What You Peace"; see link to the right of this column, and then, just scroll down.
Peace, kids.

One Sweet Woman.

2010-05-28T11:41:00.005-04:00

I met a lovely lady last year, but have only gotten to know her well, the past several weeks.Lovely lady's name is Julie Bloemeke.
Here's what I already know about her:
She's compassionate and kind(two qualities that I consistently rate as "most important"), speaking warmly about everyone to whom she refers.
A graduate of Bennington College(novelist Bret Easton Ellis graduated there),she's incredibly talented, keeping her husband and children supported, and pursuing her poetry with the passion required, while still lifting up her many,diverse, friends with that famous-Julie smile, and words of encouragement.
She thinks in future-tense, while never forgetting the past...and she lives in the best way possible: IN THE MOMENT!
I'll be celebrating her 38th Birthday with her, on Saturday(a wee bit after the actual day), at an old favorite haunt of mine, "Einstein's", in midtown Atlanta.
I had suggested Einstein's to her, as it was where I celebrated both my 35th and my 45th birthday.Turns out,(our mutual dear friend) Collin Kelley had already suggested to her-----the very same place!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JULIE BLOEMEKE!

Once Again in The Limelight (in more ways than one!)

2010-05-17T01:20:00.005-04:00

Feeling a bit like a hermit, but that's about to change. I've spent most of the past six months auditioning, working as an actor, and writing, re-writing and editing, the following: my original book, "Words From Water: Poems"; a second collection, "The Book of O: The Orgasm Poems"; a short-story; a children's book; two plays; and...the beginnings of something(it's still in "pieces") which may become a screenplay.
Next up: joining (and in some cases, re-newing membership)several writers' groups.
I'm also planning to do lots of meet-ups with everyone I've neglected, very soon.
My Mom--Demetra. My Dad--John R. All my "in-town" friends. Several friends and cousins who live in California, who'll be visiting later this summer. The "One More Night, Limelight Reunion".(for those who don't know, "The Limelight" was Atlanta's answer to NYC's "Studio 54" in the 1980's....).If you're on Facebook, be sure to check out their Facebook Page, under "Limelight Reunion".It's on Friday, July 30th, from 6:00 P.M.- 2:00 A.M.
Here's to work, networking, re-connecting, family, friends, and....fun!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, MOM!

2010-05-08T21:33:00.005-04:00

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY,TO MY MOM, DEMETRA ALLENDER!!!
It's easy to say you have a great Mom, if you're fortunate enough to have a great Mom.
What's often not-so-easy, is getting her to believe you.
My Mom, Demetra, is humble. Raised by a kind Greek lady(my maternal grandmother, my "Yia-Yia"--Georgia Chiboucas-Comati)who had not only my Mom, but three other children, and her alcoholic husband to worry about, she persevered, and I feel certain my Yia-Yia's patience and belief in the decency of each individual, helped inform my own Mom's absolute faith (some would say my Mom's naivete'--- in the inherent goodness of everyone)in the world.
It seems my Mom doubts her own contributions.I know she wishes she'd had college, and a "career", but the women of my Mom's generation took seriously their most important(if it's done well, it's the hardest job on the planet)job:
that of being a good Mother.
From my Mom, I learned to cook carrots. Fry fish. Bake pies.I learned the "value of a dollar", because if I wanted "extra" money, I earned it by doing "extra" chores:(cleaning up after the dogs(we had a kennel);seasonal household duties, like cleaning a refrigerator or oven, etc.).
I saw her tenderness in caring for the numerous doggies we had.
I learned to respect my elders.
I never learned to sew, but she certainly tried to show and teach me.I was probably a bit spoiled, what with her sewing such cuuuuute dresses, skirts, and jumpers(remember those?) for me. So cute, that I even got nominated for Best-Dressed in high-school.
High School:
when Mom was the ultimate in chaffeur, and supporter: attending plays I acted in, cheering me on when I performed as a "Dancerette" at East Bay High School in Riverview, Florida, and letting me ramble on(and on) about "....you know, that cute boy at C.Y.O...."(Catholic Youth Organization).
The most important thing she taught me, was to respect, and value-- myself.
"If you don't respect you, who's going to?" she asked, and she meant it.
"If you don't believe in you, who's going to?"
This Mother's Day, I'm asking you, Mom, to do what you asked me to do...
to BELIEVE IN YOU.
You really ARE that kind, caring Mother that companies like Hallmark keep writing about.
I'm one lucky woman, and so is my sister, Tina. And so is your grand-daughter, Breaz.
Peace, kids.

A Bright Reminder Of Why I Am An Unapologetic Idealist.

2010-05-07T01:44:00.009-04:00

Wednesday night was so exhilirating, I had to take over 24 hours, to process all of it.
I attended the May meeting for Pax Christi, (St. Jude's chapter).
We had our opening peace prayer
The prayers chosen are always very inclusive, and
(We have featured Native-American prayers, Jewish prayers, Interdenominational, etc.)
I was delighted to see this prayer featured the work of writer Dorothy Day, famed for founding the (socialist) Catholic Worker Movement, which our own fearless leader, Joe Goode asked me to read aloud.
We had our discussions about Peace Moments(we routinely share moments where we felt a presence of Peace); we discussed living non-violently.
We spoke of the new immigration law in Arizona. We are all, absolutely, against such obvious profiling and bigotry. As people of God, we want reform that will allow all(if they wish) to become citizens here.
We all agreed that the USA is quite fortunate to be blessed with such a great mix of people. :)
I offered to cast, and direct "A Line In The Sand", a play written by young people involved with CRS(Catholic Relief Services) and a play that I feel is especially timely, given the increasingly heated debate in the USA, over immigration.
I had first mentioned this play, back in 2007, and am glad we waited.
The play chronicles several scenarios involving undocumented workers from Mexico, the so-called "coyotes" that get them here, and the fear their families endure, seeing their loved ones try to squeeze across the border, just for a job that does not even pay a living-wage.
I hope to get this cast, and begin rehearsing, by late summer, or early fall.
We'll see!
We discussed books written that explore faith and spirituality, whether by metaphor(think:any novel by Flannery O'Connor)or in a biography or memoir(think: "A Persistent Peace", by Fr. John Dear)
The evening was one of connection(all of us offering support for each other's prayer intentions; all of us discussing ways to better live in peace, with one another), and communion(not the wafer-type, but the communion between humans that occurs when the connection is made real, whole, and wholly meaningful).
Every meeting I attend, I am again reminded of why I joined this group--and continued in this journey(I am a charter-member of PCSJ)--it is because it is here that I feel lifted-up, certain that the idealism we all hold in our hearts, and the living example of the peaceful, non-violent Christ we believe in(the only Jesus Christ who existed)and which we try to follow, can be achieved.
We can make a difference.
We will.
Peace, kids.

Collin Kelley is my Time-Management Muse.

2010-05-05T00:15:00.006-04:00

Does anyone out there have any tips for better managing time?
Although I am able to work from home,and I have many distractions(two dogs; renovations currently ongoing here at house;numerous e-mails and Facebook Friend messages to check, etc.), I still feel I should be more "ahead" than I am.
Some things that I do right:
1) At night, when I'm planning to do a scrub or face-mask, I make sure I wait to do my e-mails until I've applied it, so I can answer e-mails and check Facebook messages while my skin is getting prettier.
2) I do laundry and fold clothes, while catching up with family by phone(I use the "speaker" feature).
3) After washing my face, and applying moisturizer, I then take my shower so that the moisturizer can "sink in" so that when I get out,if I'm applying make-up--it will go on faster.
4) I use e-mail for almost all correspondence. Lately, I prefer private-messages sent via Facebook. Faster, easier.
5) Rarely use the phone at all, except for family.
6) Cook large quantities of food, so I can freeze it, and then heat up later.
Any suggestions for accomplishing more writing, in less time?
I'd surely appreciate it!
If you don't understand the title of this entry, just checkout my eternal friend and poet pal, Collin Kelley's blog, Modern Confessional, and you'll see what I mean.
Peace,kids.

Remembering my Sister's Wedding Anniversary...and also, my own wedding!

2010-05-01T11:04:00.011-04:00

So yesterday(April 30th) was the fifth wedding anniversary(they wed in 2005) of my sis, Tina and her hubby, Tom.
Their wedding was an intimate, sunny affair, held dockside and with birds flying overhead. My beautifully-blond, sunny sister had chosen the perfect venue for her: filled with lightness, and sweetness.
They live faraway, so I celebrated here in my house in Georgia, by looking at pictures of that exuberant couple, and of us celebrating at their wedding.
Later at night, Hansoo(my husband) says, "Hey, remember I told you I'd look for that cd from our own wedding?"
"The one that has, like, 900 photos on it?"
"Yeah, that one..."
So, I ended up looking at all 900-and-something(no kidding, our marvelous wedding-photographer snapped that many!),and was tickled to see so many of Tina & Tom enjoying themselves, at our own wedding.(We married on Feburary 10th 2007).
The fact that may surprise you all who are reading this, is that I never saw most of these pictures from our own wedding, at all.
Why?
Because shortly after our wedding, after reviewing only a few dozen photos, I began to be absolutely "sick" of my own face. It was just dizzying...
I simply did NOT want to be saddled with "choosing" the 300 photos we were allowed for the huge wedding-album Heidi Hofman(our photographer)was creating for us.
So I gave that responsibility to Hansoo, who did a great job of selecting a mix of photos of family and friends for us, which then went into our official album.
But seeing all 900+ photographs last night(he put them in a slideshow setting, so I could watch it, hands-free, on computer) was amazing!
This time, now three years since our wedding, I could enjoy seeing my "young" face lit up in joy, and what was especially rewarding was seeing all those moments everyone experienced---and that I lived---captured!
The shots that made my lip, tremble:
my sis(and my Matron-of-Honor) Tina, kneeling, struggling--with a smile-- to get my sky-high heels onto my feet, and later shots of Breaz(my sweet niece)looking inquiringly, as I peered into the mirror.
I loved seeing my vibrant Aunt Carolyn Service(my Daddy's sis), dancing, doing kicks, and tilting her head towards me, in the way she often does, whenever we are photographed, together.It made me cry, epecially since Aunt Carolyn, on the 7th of April of this year, suffered a heart attack, and is taking some time away from her Florida Sherriff's Deputy job.
This photographer was so good, she captured everything from my nervous glance at my Dad--John, before we began the march down the aisle, to my entreating my Mom--Demetra, and cuz Gigi, onto the dance floor with pals and bridesmaids Coral and Jeanne....to the tear precariously perched just below Hansoo's left eye, as his family's dear friend, Mr. Gavin, gave a heartfelt toast. I recall Hansoo was deeply moved when Mr. Gavin spoke of how proud he was of Hansoo's many accomplishments, and especially when he spoke of Hansoo's Hominee'(maternal grandmother), who because of infirmity, could not be with us that night.
There are a couple of great shots of Mary Jean and Joe Goode, dancing a slow dance, towards the end of the reception, and they look as in-love as any pair of teenagers(they are my beloved friends from my Pax Christi group, and they are now both in their 70's). Musician, songwriter and poet, Kodac Harrison looks beguiling, as he dances with dear friend, Ellen Lindquist.Poet pal Dustin Brookshire is boogeying with the very strawberry-blond, tall and sexy poet, Jess Hand, and on and on it goes....
I saw shots of the crowd, taken near the end of the reception, and a couple of exhausted-looking folks(that would be Hansoo & I), and I was so excited seeing my dress again, I actually went to my bedroom closet, and searched through my "wedding box", just to run my hands over the silk, once again.
I hope Tina & Tom, in celebrating their five years together, are lifted-up in knowing how grateful we(Hansoo & I) are, in having them, and so many great family and friends, here for for all of us.
Happy Anniversary to that couple we saw wed, dockside, in Florida.
Happy Anniversary, Tina & Tom.
I hope my memories of my own wedding, trigger happy ones of your own.
Our photos, coming soon. Three years, after-the-fact.
Peace, kids.

Like A Child, Again!

2010-04-29T21:17:00.005-04:00

Filmmaking.
I'm developing quite an interest in all phases of production.
In the past, my interest was keen in directing, and of course, in writing and acting.
But I'm becoming quite excited by what I see in all the crews: tremendous satisfaction. It seems all the directing, acting, and writing in the world doesn't mean a thing, if there's no crew to light you, mike you, make you up, and of course, film and edit you. Feeling lots of gratitude for crews, everywhere.
Next on my agenda: learning make-up for film.
The enthusiasm I have for the various elements involved in producing a television show, or TV commercial, or film, has me feeling like a kid, again!
Peace,kids.

HGTV ROCKS!

2010-04-28T10:17:00.005-04:00

I guess all this finishing of our basement, has gotten me excited about renovations, in general.
I was a fan of some of HGTV's offerings for years now, but lately:
Home & Garden Television(HGTV) has become my new "guilty pleasure".
Favorite shows:
"Bang For Your Buck", where different homeowners' houses are profiled, and recent renovations are compared, to see who got the (most) "bang", for their "buck".
This show is filmed in the lovely metro Atlanta area, as is another compelling series:
"Curb Appeal"--Starring designer John Giddings, he and his team work to create--as the title implies--more appeal, as seen from the curb. Several prominent Atlanta neighborhoods have been seen recently, including Inman Park, and the rising "East Atlanta Village" neighborhood. :)
If you're curious who's doing our own (complete basement finishing)renovations,it's the delightful team of A.B.C.:
Atlanta Basement Creations, headed up by Michael Humin, general contractor.Michael is a joy to work with, and his team is reliable, on time, courteous,meticulous, neat, and..... ahead of schedule!
Back to HGTV:
I also enjoy "Holmes on Homes". A Canadian production, Mr. Holmes corrects previous contractors' mistakes, and rescues homeowners, from their own homes!
To see what's happening at HGTV, just scroll down, and clickon the link in my "Poets, Bloggers, and Others", list, to the right of this column.

Hope you are having a marvelous week!
Peace, kids.

Dog Saviors/Savior Dogs

2010-04-27T05:52:00.007-04:00

Our Golden Retriever, "Louie", is growing old, and is slowing down.
An abandoned and abused dog, he was our sweet rescue(from Golden Retriever Rescue Association (Atlanta))whom we adopted in 1998(his age was estimated to be between 10 months and eighteen months when we brought him home), he's now between 13 and 14 years old.
Originally, he was company for ol' Frisco(our beloved Australian Shepherd, who passed away in January of 2008), and tremendous company for me, when we moved to the hinterlands of Suwanee, where we used to live. In those days, my then-boyfriend-not-yet-husband, Hansoo, traveled a great deal, and I was very often, very lonely. "Louie" made the days and nights,kinder:
I had two sweet furry creatures to care for, and often,it was also like having two comics on hand for my own private enjoyment!
Hansoo, too, softened, by virtue of having "Louie" in our household. When Hansoo was a kid, his family dog was a Golden,and so having "Louie" reminded him of his pleasant memories of childhood.
Hansoo's sense of play, of gentleness, improved, just as "Louie's" behavior(he was quite the escape-artist when he first came to live with us!)improved.
Currently, "Louie" is a friend/mentor to our sweet(also a prior-abandoned, and obviously neglected) "Afton", a female German Shepherd we just adopted from Big Canoe Animal Rescue, last(2009)summer.
And he can still make both Hansoo and I smile, too.
I hope he can continue, as I tell him every day "to hang in there, Louie...".
"Louie's" big goofy grin and loping gait are what greet us each morning.
Life won't be the same, when--heaven forbid it is anytime soon-- he is no longer here on earth.
For now, we're enjoying long walks with him, and extra treats and toys are happening with increasing frequency.
I know he's considered a "rescue dog", but come to think of it, I think HE rescued US. :)
For info on Golden Retriever Rescue Association, and the great folks who are saviors for these wonderful dogs(they also rescue Labs,too!),and also Big Canoe Animal Rescue, and the varied needy dogs(and cats!) they rescue, see auto-links to these organizations, in the list of links, to the right of this column.
Peace, kids.

Clouds in my coffee...

2010-04-24T22:29:00.005-04:00

It's Saturday, and I once again, "Facebooked"(notice it's now a verb, just as "Friend" is now a verb, as in, to "friend" someone)alot today.
What did I Facebook about? Films, music, and oh yeah--mental illness.
In Facebook-land, one does not have to be cohesive in posts, since they are listed separately, and are simple, dis-jointed little statements.
Quite fun, really.
btw, if you wish to "friend" me on Facebook, I'm Lisa Nanette Allender there. :)

And then, there's blogging.
I think I'm back to posting several times a week, here at "Lisa Allender Writes" because it's where I actually DISCOVER what I'm concerned about.
So, I'm readying for bed, and contemplating tomorrow: My husband's 39th birthday.
My husband is younger than me, and I'm grateful for that.But as I grow older, I see the "rate" at which my body "ages", increases.
I fear sometimes I'll fall far behind him, in both health(has already happened several times)and attractive-ness(he's verrrrry cute!).
What is it, ultimately, that keeps two people in-love, together?
I think(and certainly, hope) it's intellect, and soul. Those two seem to improve--and grow larger--with age.
Peace,kids.

Because I'm Not A Nihilist.

2010-04-23T02:22:00.008-04:00

So this past week has seen the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing.
The worst case of domestic terrorism ever seen in the U.S., it still feels surreal to recall it.
Only a few years later,my niece would take a trip to Oklahoma, to visit family, and she said to me "I'm going to that place where the bomb was..." She was 9 at that time.
Only a few years after that, on 9/11, she spoke to me from her home in Atlanta, (I was visiting Los Angeles at that time). She made me promise to be safe.
"Don't go in any big buildings, Aunt Lisa...", she wailed.
She shared a tragic story with me: a close friend had an Aunt who was in the World Trade Center, and she could not be found.The terror in her voice was there, same as a few years earlier.
It struck me then, that her whole childhood had been marred by terrorism,in one form or another.Besides the attacks I've already mentioned, there were others, very close-to-her-home:
1996--The Olympics in Atlanta, and the bombing at Centennial Olympic Park
1997--The bombing of a building in Atlanta(Sandy Springs area) which housed women's reproductive-care and in a separate incident, a gay nightclub, also in Atlanta(Midtown area).
And still others:
1999--Columbine, and the worst school shooting in the history (at that time) of this country, at a suburban Denver high school.
2007--The new record of death, this time at Virginia Tech University.

I cannot imagine growing up thinking life can be obliterated in a second.
Even though I grew up in an age when we all knew that not just a bomb, but "THE bomb" could fall at any second.....it DIDN'T.
Even though I saw war play out--for real--on nightly television, I felt safe.
Even though I saw great men assasinated, I believed good would ultimately, triumph.
Even though I saw (some) police and others, deliberately injure people of color as they silently, andnon-violently protested for their rights, I believed we could overcome.
In the chaotic, anything-can-happen of the mid-1990's-to-now, what can we do to let our younger people know it will get better, that life is still good,and that good, will keep getting better, even as evil rises, and ultimately, falls?
Peace, kids.

UNEXPECTED: DARK DAYS

2010-04-12T16:33:00.003-04:00

Recently, a friend e-mailed, sounding quite "down". Turns out, this person is incredibly depressed.And scared.
If there's someone--anyone--in your life, who you've been meaning to write to,or call, DO IT NOW.
Leave this blog, and go seek him/her out.
If you suspect someone is depressed, and they DON'T share it with you, your comforting words might come, too late.
Make the phone call. Write a note, and mail that card!
If you or someone you know is severely depressed, please call the numbers below. Trained professionals are there, waiting to listen, and offer help.
The national suicide hotline numbers are:
1-800-SUICIDE
1-800-273-Talk

Peace, kids.

Walking on Sunshine.

2010-04-11T22:07:00.003-04:00

What a marvelous day!
This morning, I had the honor of reading with Franklin Abbott and Theresa Davis at First Existentialist Congregation in Candler Park, Atlanta.The subject for Poetry Month at First E. was:
"Poetry is the Queerest of Languages."
The crowd was enthusiastic, and the response to everything from the traditional African-American spirituals we sang, to the incredibly talented pianist playing a smoking blues song, to hearing Franklin's steady,warm voice and mellow words, to feeling Theresa's heartbreak as she retold the story I never tire of hearing(her "Breathe", based on a lost love from college), was amazing.
I read afew older pieces, and then...
I chose a new piece to read, called "China Blue Frost", (the name of a Revlon eyeshadow), which has to do with (a few of)my days in college, sort of.....
Afterwards, Julie Bloemeke, Dan M., and I headed over to The Flying Biscuit(in L5P)
Yum.
I even ordered(and enjoyed!) a cocktail.
Yaaay, Peach Bellini.
Then tonight, went to visit with a pal who found me through Facebook. We met up at a dear mutual friend's home.
Food,conversation.
I love life, like this!
Peace,kids.

A Different Resurrection Story

2010-04-07T10:32:00.008-04:00

Winter has gone. And here in Atlanta, Spring is not Spring, but Summer. 86 Degrees the past two days/daze...
I celebrated Easter by remembering not only "He Is Risen", but by commemorating the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's assasination, which this year, fell on Easter Sunday.
I thought it would be meaningful to visit the church where Dr.King himself once preached, and I called and asked newfound(new being the past two years)eternal friend, Diane Davis Weeks, to accompany me.
We dressed up, and headed out to Ebenzer....
Ebenezer Baptist Church was filled with a rainbow of like-minded folks, and the songs, praise and liturgy that day, were breath-taking.
Pastor Ralph G. Warnock spoke bravely about politics, challenging us (as Christians, as people of faith) to remember the poor.
"No one talks about the poor anymore," he began, "Not even Democrats talk about the poor." He added,"We hate the poor. It's their fault,; they're not trying..."
He astutely pointed out that both Jesus and the Bible speak of comfort and great inheritance for the poor.
He then spoke of Jesus and his famous quote: "...the grain of wheat which dies, bears much fruit."
He pointed out, in a very accessible, folks-y way, that "God has you covered."
Pastor added:
"The seed of wheat is worth nothing until it's buried, when it can become more than itself."
Only in death, do we live, and bear fruit.
He ended with what I'd call a modern-day parable:
It seems a terrible forest fire happened out west, and the ranger was walking through the remains of a forest. At one point, he came upon a bird, standing upright, wings extended, burnt to a crisp. He thought it strange the bird would have held still, wings outstretched, and choose to die. He needed to move it out of the way, and so he gently kicked at the dead body, and suddenly there was an eruption of live, healthy baby chicks, which started out from under her wings.
She had endured death for those for whom she loved.
And life sprang forth, from death.
Peace, kids.

FR. JOHN DEAR PEACE RETREAT AT PAX CHRISTI, ST. JUDE

2010-03-21T17:12:00.003-04:00

Two Saturdays ago,I was involved in a weekend retreat that was inspiring, uplifting, and filled with the hope that one day, we will all actually not only get along, but be engaged with each other, and engaging...
Fr. John ("A Persistent Peace") Dear is the controversial, peaceful priest who's been arrested dozens of times in his quest for accountability from our government and others, and in his vow to be active for Peace. His call is to "Follow the God of Non-Violence, and Peace, Jesus."
I was delighted by the eclectic mix of people attending. Most were members of the Roman Catholic faith, though several noted they no longer "practice [their] faith", even though they find much to love and celebrate in Pax Christi("Peace Christ", a Catholic-based Peace & Social Justice group). Many others were attending a peace retreat for the first time, including a dear friend of mine, Diane, who I invited along to experience what I have felt myself, the past five years through Pax Christi, and the dedicated disciples of Peace this group has created.
Fr. John spoke at length about his own path--his arrests at military bases(it's important to note he supports "the warrior, not the war"), his anxiety over what he sees as a reigniting of our military-prowess(military spending, specifically on nuclear weaponry, is up, currently, under President Obama--even more so than with the former President, George W.)and his sadness over the deaths of so many innocents(all victims of war--both "us" and "them").
He quoted from poet, Edna St.Vincent Millay:
"I shall die..." and from Auden, "Death with a capital D..."
Fr. John has been greatly influenced by Thomas Merton:
"Don't place your hope in results."
And greatly influenced by his dear friend, and former roomie in jail, Fr. Daniel Berrigan:
"You are not attached to the outcome, you are attached to God." and
"Be human, be non-violent."
Fr. John reminded us:
"Be detached from the result. We commit to non-violence, and peace, because it is the right thing to do."
In other words, even if we do not see peace immediately (or even in our lifetime), searching for, and working towards peace, is the way. It's the way of Christ.
It's the way of Gandhi, the famed, peaceful Hindu who said he read Jesus'
"The Sermon on the Mount" everyday, for the last 45 years of his life.Gandhi said it was "The greatest spiritual story."
Gandhi also said "Jesus is the most active example of non-violence in the history of the world. The only people who don't know Jesus is non-violent, are Christians."

Fr. John invoked Dr. Martin Luther King, too, saying that Dr. King realized "on the night before his murder by the U.S. government", this:
"The choice is no longer violence or non-violence, it is non-violence, or non-existence."
Prescient of Dr.King, indeed, yes?

Fr. Dear asked us to begin in our own hearts.
Isn't that where all truth begins, kids?In our conscience, in our own hearts?
In Catholicism, it states "Your conscience first, then your church."
I believe Fr. John is conscience, personified.
I gained tremendous insight into what I can do, every day, to make a difference, in Peace, in my own, (tiny) life.
I will be more loyal, more attuned to those around me.
I will continue to offer help to those in true need.(we all believe we are "in need", but look around--there are always others much needier than us).
I will hear, and respond.

I will "Cultivate an interior of non-violence", as Fr.John asked.

Fr. John reminded us to watch out for the "Three D's":
*Despair
*Doubt
*Domination

Those "Three D's " have, I believe, held us Americans, and maybe others in the "West", too, in a kind of thrall:
*It's "cool" to despair--to be "dark, and edge-y".
*It's considered intellectually "superior" to doubt everything(especially God). I know, because I was what I called a "Cheerful A-theist/Non-theist for nearly 18 years, and I was, frankly, rather smug about it.
*It's still a "might-makes-right"--a domination-- mentality for many, especially here in the "West".
Our good ol' USA has flexed muscles and grasped for power in brutal ways(Central America, Africa, the Middle East, I could go on and on),but we do have the power to change not merely the perception--but the reality.
I urge you to read Fr.John Dear. Whether you are a "believer" of God or not--your belief in a peaceful, kinder, more connected world will soar, as you realize it can become a reality. We have only to ask for--and reach for--it.

Special thanks to: Joe & Mary Jean Goode, and Sr.Sally White, co-founders of PCSJ, and all the Pax Christi St. Jude members who contributed time, talent, and treasure to this outstanding event. Big hugs to Fr. Bob Cushing, who was with us that weekend, visiting from southern Georgia's St. Theresa of Lisieux.

Peace, kids.

BROTHER TIM, WE MISS YOU.

2010-03-13T04:15:00.004-05:00

This entry is a long time coming.A fellow-blogger named Brother Tim passed away some time ago.
And although I never got to meet Brother Tim in-person, I feel I know who he was, and what was important to him.
Brother Tim's blog was called "Blog of Revelation". (There's a link to his blog, in my list of "Poets, Bloggers, and Others" to the right of this entry.)
The "Revelation" part was a bit scary to me. I was not at all sure what that would mean, particularly since his sub-heading read "...From a TRUE Christian Viewpoint."
What I discovered (to my immense, un-ending delight!) was that Brother Tim was part of the movement of Christians who are stridently liberal and progressive, and committed--imagine this: to the concerns of Jesus the Christ, who asked us to not merely "Love [our] neighbor." but to "Love [our] enemies." The committments of Jesus included not only Peace, but Social Justice--quite liberal concerns.
Brother Tim's actions of peace were consistent.
He blogged about concerns over mideast tensions and two unnecessary wars(Afghanistan and Iraq)and posted entries about his beloved "Wally Da Weasel" with equal grace,and enthusiasm. For Brother Tim--from what I can tell--he was about committing to acts of peace which included railing against injustice by government, and also about committing to rescuing various animals, and giving them a loving "forever home".
Brother Tim showed by example, what it is to be inclusive, non-judgemental,and all-loving.
For me, someone who not long ago called herself a "Cheerful A-theist/Non-Theist",his unapologetic spirituality was deeply affecting.
I could keep writing my own thoughts,but I'd rather you read his.
Brother Tim, RIP.

Peace,kids.

SIGN UP FOR PEACE IN YOUR LIFETIME: HERE'S HOW!

2010-01-27T18:00:00.005-05:00

Soon, a very famous Peace Activist will be coming to Atlanta. Pax Christi, St. Jude will be hosting Fr. John Dear, author of countless books, musician, breaker of laws meant to be broken(see also: apartheid, laws which restrict civil rights for all, etc.), Roman Catholic priest.
Fr. John Dear's most recent, eloquent treatise on peace, is called "A Persistent Peace", and I am now re-reading this marvelous book, with its' part-memoir/part-call-to-peace tone.
Fr. Dear makes you believe in your own power. Want to know more? Sign up for the Friday March 5th(evening only, 7:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M.), and
Saturday March 6th(9:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M., includes light breakfast and full lunch), "Retreat" which will be held here in Atlanta.
Go to:
http://www.paxchrististjude.webs.com

Whether you are Roman Catholic, garden-variety Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, Muslim, Roscrucian, Agnostic, even A-Theist or Non-Theist, come hear this articulate, brave man who has kept his humility--speak.
Peace, kids.

Haiti, We Love You.

2010-01-15T18:19:00.005-05:00

What to do when you've got projects unfinished, people needing your help, plenty of challenges facing you, and an international crisis of biblical proportions, playing out in the media?
It's easy to feel helpless when you have your own concerns, and there is so much devastation happening:
Haiti, and its crumbling buildings and crumpled people, seems too hard to bear. Clicking on Facebook to "connnect", often doesn't alleviate fears, but appears to accelerate worry and stress.
So, what's a decent, caring person to do?
First, turn OFF any anger-fueled rants by those who don't have a clue what kindness or decency is. Those who throw words like "...cursed nation.."(are you listening, Pat Robertson?)as a proof of their own bias and cruelty, or spit the word "compassion" as if it is a dirty word(Rush Limbaugh).
In recent weeks, I made it a point to listen to the far-right both as an exercise in fair-minded-ness, and a "Know Thy Enemy" practical step.
But no more.I wasted precious hours listening to edict after edict from folks foolish enough to think just because they believe something to be the case, that makes it so.
The tragedy in the world right at this minute, is Haiti.
A longer-term tragedy is the inability of the "right-wing" of this country, to accept responsibility for not only their inefficient governing, but their utter lack of decency, when folks are in desperate need.
Second, personally surround yourself with kind, caring folks. This is pretty elementary, but bears repeating. We need folks who are "in" our corner, lifting us up.
Third, stay focused on what makes YOU Happy. Whether it's finishing reading that great novel you started, or singing softly to yourself in the tub, do what releases you, and your "good" energy.
Last, place that good mojo of yours, in a place where it can do great things. Bake brownies for your neighbors, especially the elderly lady, or the new immigrants.
Take a deep breath, and see how you can help. Once you're helping others, whatever worries you personally had, will begin to melt.
If you would like to contribute to help those devastated by the earthquake in Haiti, there are several organizations which are doing their very best for Haiti...
Visit my Facebook Wall, using the Lisa's Links to the right, by scrolling down and when you reach my Facebook Wall, see other links to caring organizations, like:
"The Animal Rescue Site" has a purple button you click on, and just by doing that, they donate dollars to Haiti's animals AND humans, who need food and supplies.
The "CARE" organization, the oldest assistance group in Haiti, is also a great charity.
"The Tyler Perry Foundation": Tyler Perry will give 100% donated, to Haiti.
Take time to give--first by being kind to yourself, so you have YOU. And then to others, so you CAN make a difference.
May God Bless the people of Haiti, and give them strength.
Peace, kids.

The Memorial Mass

2010-01-09T22:09:00.009-05:00

The Memorial for R. today went well, especially considering that the Roman Catholic Church does not "recognize" gay unions. On the altar were flowers, the urn containing R.'s remains, and two pictures--one of R. with a daughter from an early marriage. The other was a three-piece photo-frame of R. with the squirrel that was his pet for several years.
I didn't see a photo of my uncle and R., and could feel blood rushing to my face.
Angry, I tapped my mom, "I think there should be at least one picture of uncle and R..."
She gently asked:
"Did you see the pictures out front?"
It was then that I walked to the back of the church(the entrance) and saw the lively collage of pictures of family--many with uncle and R.,and two of just the two of them: in one, they were both dressed in Gasparilla t-shirts(Gasparilla is an annual celebration in Tampa)and looking very 1980's, my uncle with a bushy mustache, R. with clipped hair; the other featured the couple in swimwear, circa 1970's with 'fro-ed hair and dark tans.
It was very heartening to hear the priest at this local church speak of knowing R.(he was his barber for many years), and when he spoke of us all being "of God", it was clear this priest makes no distinctions; we are all of God. All of us. He repeated it several times.
I kept stroking my uncle's back. I chose to sit just behind him, as my mom was seated on one side, and his beloved R.'s daughter, on the other.
He was stronger than me. I cried a few times. Uncle was solid, showing little emotion. And it struck me: this is the way it's always been. Hide his feelings, Don't reveal himself. By the end of the Memorial Mass, uncle seemed relieved.

It was especially moving to see a cute gay couple, seated just behind us(the family) and see the younger of the two men, perform the sign of the cross, receive communion, and acknowledge us, during the Catholic Mass.
Afterwards, as we all gathered at the entrance to the church, I spoke to this great couple of men, known as "Frank and Frank"(I joked that they sound like a law firm), good friends of my uncle's, and it turns out, they are neighbors with a dear friend of mine!
I told them about helping uncle with the obituary(see my previous entry at this blog), and they nodded. It felt good to see that.
I returned to the subject of the Memorial, and told them "I'm Catholic, or at least, I'm trying. But I'm activist. I'm like, where's a great big picture of the two of them?"
The older Frank nodded. "I know."
"But at the entrance, they had pictures up, and there were several..." my voice trailed off, as the younger Frank added that he's close with my uncle.
Then we talked about where we lived, if we had pets, and then-- dogs-- and they told me they have five(yes, five!) and we are going to have to all get together.
I feel like R. was watching over not only my uncle, and my mom, but over me, too.
Peace, kids.

Eating My Heart Out.

2010-01-07T21:29:00.006-05:00

So, I'm baking.
Brownies, Key-Lime Pie, and cupcakes. In that order, beginning tonight.
Grief has a way of activating us.Why Grief? Because it's the emotion that presses on us, leaves, and returns. Often, folks say it comes "in waves". Mine comes like musical notes--high notes; low, deep notes. Every day.
Who am I grieving? My uncle's life-partner, a man with many wonderful talents, R. worked as a carpenter, barber, florist, renovator of homes, and gardener. R. was tender-hearted towards animals. He even adopted and cared-for an orphaned squirrel--for the whole six years it lived(inside their home).
When my uncle called to go over the obituary with me(I was placing it in the paper here, for him, as he lives elsewhere), he asked how he should refer to R.
"Should I say 'companion' or 'partner', Lisa?"
"Why don't you say 'Life-Partner', I mean, if you want to..."
He interrupted with "make a statement?"
"Yes," I said,
"Because he was your Life-Partner."
"42 Years", he said.
This is what I'm grieving. That his love,their love, while always there, was never openly acknowledged. Oh, it was with me(I'm an activist, I'm the Bi niece he can say anything to), but I think it's only now that he sees that maybe if he/the two of them could've been more open, more "out", the loss that he feels wouldn't have this ring of hollowness, that we both know it does.
That's why I'm grieving. I'm grieving that they never really had that recognition--as two men who deeply loved one another, as two men, both smart, both witty, both with many losses in childhood, who looked to each other, to walk through life with, together.
Peace, kids.

NEW YEARS' RESOLUTIONS FOR 2010!

2009-12-31T14:39:00.007-05:00

My New Year's Resolutions are similar to last year:
1) Get and stay healthy.(This one is "Mission Accomplished", and I mean that. So far, so good!)
2) Become a kinder person.(I'm told all the time I am very compassionate, so maybe I'll get there.)
3) See more houses of worship. (In order to learn more about other faiths, I'm planning a trip to a Hindu Temple in Lilburn, a Mosque in Midtown, and a Synagogue in Alpharetta.)
4) Perform, perform, perform!(This one is exciting. No details this minute, but bigger news coming!)
5) Publish. Everything I've promised to ya'll, to do. (Exciting to finally get this accomplished.)
6) Visit Greece.(Lifetime goal, to learn to speak some Greek(lessons soon) and to visit Greece. Hoping to visit before Fall, 2010.)
7) Bongoes. Play drums.(Currently searching the Internet for a cool set.)
What are YOUR RESOLUTIONS FOR 2010?
Peace, kids.

CHRISTMASES, NOW AND THEN...

2009-12-27T12:42:00.004-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS WEEKEND, AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS/HOLIDAZE.
I had a swell visit in Asheville, North Carolina,where we did a family "meet-up" which included my Mom--Demetra, cuz Jayne and her brood, and an uncle.
The food was fabulous--especially the artichoke/spinach/feta'/parmesan hot-dip that cuz Jayne prepared. Yummy! Her shrimp cocktail was superb, and the homemade potato soup and the prime rib(courtesy her hubby) were excellent!
Mom made my sis's "Corn Casserole" that makes my mouth water!And salad.
Hansoo grilled lamb before we drove up, and we surprised the family with that, some homemade Tsatziki Sauce(fresh Greek yogurt, fresh dill, fresh chopped garlic, and I added a bit of dried dill and mint), croissants, and home-made mint jelly.(I had no idea how to make mint-jelly, but was feeling experimental awhile back, and through testing, discovered I can bring a simple sugar syrup to a boil, add fresh oranges(I used Clementine tangerines) and crushed fresh mint-leaves. It began to "jell" after an hour or so, whereupon I chilled it in 'fridge...it came out great!)
So...We left the lamb, croissants, Tsatziki Sauce(to put on the lamb), and the Mint Jelly(to dip the halved crossiants into) for them, to assemble into what I call "Lisa's Lambwiches" later...
I had assembled a Greek-style salad I call my "Georgia Greek Salad", because I substitute toasted pecans, and fresh clementines for the tomatoes usually found in Greek salad.The rest of the salad consists of mixed greens(mostly field greens) and cukes, onions(sweet onion, and green onions), olives(Greek Kalamata and Spanish green w/pimento), chopped fresh white button mushrooms, and chopped fresh herbs(dill, oregano, rosemary, etc..)and of course, lots of fresh feta' cheese...Top the salad with balsamic AND red-wine-vinegar and extra virgin you-know-what-oil, and viola!I left the salad with them. Frankly, I didn't even try my salad, as I wanted my Mom's basic salad with luscious grape-tomatoes, crisp greens, cukes and celery, instead.
The mashed potatoes were comforting, and a great side for the meat.
A true feast!
We opened goodies afterwards, including wonderful homemade cookies from Jayne. Classic Greek cookies! Yeaaaaaa!!
And my mom--Demetra, sent home a box full of assorted homemade cookie-treats, too!
Great moments: watching children open books to read, and actually begin reading them immediately!(yeaaa, reading!)
and seeing their eyes widen when they received "Razor" scooters from their (stern, but beloved) uncle.
Something I noticed this year: that it is the tiny things, that we remember each other. I found when dicing up ingredients for the salad, that I "lattice-edged" the cukes just like my Yia-Yia used to do. I never peel cucumbers completely, preferring instead to do them "her" way.By scraping the cuke, length-wise first, using a fork,until several ridges appear, and then slicing thin slices, it replicates the look her salads always had.
When folding the dish towels, I fold them into "thirds", just as she had always done.
All the little details I found silly, or unimportant when I was a young child, feel more "necessary" as time passes, and I grow older. It seems the small details are the ones that create the memories, the ones we search for, that echo Christmases past.
Yia-Yia(Georgia Chiboucas-Comati-Walters)I/we miss you.
Peace, kids.

Small is the new Big.

2009-12-21T01:41:00.005-05:00

I keep noticing performers speaking about acting, or singing, in new ways.
For instance, I recently saw James Franco on Saturday Night Live(this past Saturday night, in their last show of this year), discussing why he's on the soap opera, General Hospital.
Mr. Franco has been in big-budget films like "Spiderman", as well as popular, prime-time("Freaks and Geeks") television series.
I read that he wanted the experience of a "performance artist", that he wanted to perform in a different way, as an "experiment."
Then on "CBS Sunday Morning"(my all-time favorite television show), the wonderful singer-songwriter Sting was interviewed on why he's suddenly choosing to perform in pubs, and in churches(?!).
"It's different.It's one thing to perform in front of 6,000 people in a stadium, but it takes something else to perform in front of 4 or 5 people, in a pub."

I would say it takes intimacy--and a comfort with sharing such intimacy, too.
Perhaps that intimacy--that communion I so often speak of, that I believe we're all searching for--at church, in the theatre, at an art gallery, when listening to a poet read--is finally becoming an admittedly desirable thing.
For too long, we've had the faux-intimacy of e-mail and Facebook(I am a confessed FB addict).Even this blog is not a true person-to-person experience.
Maybe what I'm hearing esteemed actor James Franco, and accomplished singer Sting
say is that the smaller experience can be a more genuine one, or one perhaps felt at a different(deeper?) level.
Seems to me, small is the new big.
Peace, kids.

Meredith Baxter Had A Secret...but not anymore!

2009-12-02T08:59:00.006-05:00

MEREDITH BAXTER CAME OUT, TODAY...on THE TODAY SHOW!
There had been a tease, a bit earlier on The Today Show, with the tag-line saying "Meredith Baxter reveals a secret."
I falsely assumed it must be something negative, or shameful, as that is what we usually associate with secrets.It was however, a secret filled with joy, and positivity, and gladness.....
Matt Lauer was trepidatious, saying, "Uh, do you want me to say it? How are we doing this?"
Meredith Baxter quickly blurted out,"I am a lesbian."
Matt gave a gentle smile and a nod of his head and said, "Okay, then."
Meredith Baxter, the woman I always longed to look like: Beautiful, blonde, with bright blue eyes, she played Alex Keaton's(Michael J. Fox) Mom on the iconic "Family Ties" series in the 1980's. I also recall her as the young, lovely, hilariously funny Meredith Baxter-Birney when she was married to David Birney(anyone remember "Bridget Loves Bernie" the rich Irish-Catholic girl vs. poor Jewish husband comedy in the 1970's?).
Ms. Baxter has been married three times, and has five children.
"I thought I was a bad picker, and I was...but it wasn't them, though they[the men she married] had issues...it was me."
She told Matt Lauer on The Today Show, that she went to her step-dad(her mother had died the year before) and said simply, "I date women." and he replied just as simply, "I do, too."
Her children, including her twin girls, have been immensely supportive. Her 42-year-old son claimed he "knew all along".
She is now partner to Diane, and recently took a cruise with 1200 other lesbians. When asked if she is happy, Ms. Baxter replied she is now "extraordinarily happy".
"I'm told this is a political act, even though it doesn't feel that way to me; I'm a very private person....I'm the same woman...but if I can be the 'lesbian you know', maybe it will mean you will think about rights for gay people..."
I think you rock, Meredith!!!
I'll be posting several entries later today, and catch all of you up on the "Queer Creativity" day I attended post-AQLF(Atlanta Queer Literature Festival, several Sundays ago),and an update on the most recent "Franklin Abbott and Friends" at Outwrite Books and More, three Tuesdays ago, as well.
And I hope everyone had a blessed and bountiful Thanksgiving. I was in Florida, visiting family for nearly a week, and it was grand!
Peace, kids.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

2009-11-06T00:26:00.008-05:00

There's a bit of a double-meaning for Wednesday, Nov. 4th....It was the 35th Birthday Celebration for Charis Books and More, AND it was my own birthday(and I'm not saying which one it was for me).
I was honored to get to Emcee the event for Featured Poets for the kick-off to AQLF(Atlanta Queer Literature Festival).
The visionary Franklin Abbott, incredibly dedicated Megan Volpert and Collin Kelley(co-directors of AQLF) and many others created a festival that is already surpassing previous festivals.
Reading on Wednesday night were, in order:Your host(me),Malika, Kristyl Dawn Tift, Alice Teeter, Louisa Merchant, Maudelle Driskoll(who was generous in giving us her time, after Sharon Sanders had to cancel), Charlene Ball, Libby Ware.
I ended the evening with a few newer poems of my own, and to round out the evening, Ken J. Martin, who treated us to some soulful music and his warm voice.
We had a very attentive audience, and approximately 50 total present, which is super!
Special thanks to all the performers, and to Charis Books and More, for sharing their celebration, and space with us(AQLF).And big hugs to Dan Morrison, who kindly filmed the entire event, and snapped a few pictures of some of us.
Afterwards, several of us landed at Brewhouse Cafe', a British pub, for decidely un-British food(wings, Greek salad, gyros, burgers)and quite a round of conversation--politics, the defeat for LGBT in Maine, and what-do-we-feel-about-President-Obama.(Me? I'm in the please-give-him-time-camp)
Thursday night(only a few hours ago, as I type this), a wonderful mix of styles at Outwrite Books' presentation of "My Diva: 65 Gay Men On The Women Who Inspire Them", a landmark piece of literature incorporating essays(some quite poetic!)by gay men recounting the influence or mentorship of a certain woman(icons, all!) in their lives.
Well-known poets Cleo Creech and Collin Kelley were featured contributors, along with the dynamo who launched this collection, Michael Montlack, as well as featured contributors Reggie Cabeco, and Jim Elledge. Delightfully, wickedly funny, and deeply poignant as well, I know the book(which I immediately purchased) will be as affecting as the reading was!
Props to Philip Rafshoon, owner of "Outwrite Books", for his great space, and his full, unending support of our(LGBT)community!
Coming up? Too many events to list, but read all about them, at the official AQLF site, below!
http://www.atlqueerlitfest.com

Peace, kids.

PRIDE MAY BE OVER, BUT AQLF IS JUST GETTING STARTED!

2009-11-02T07:21:00.006-05:00

Hi there, kids!
First, an update on "Lend Me An Ear", the amazing production I was fortunate enough to be involved in, one week ago! What fun we had. I got to play "Laurine" in "A Logic Named Joe", an episode of the long-running 1950's radio-show, "Dimension X".
Director Jon Hayden is great, as are Doug Kaye and Barry Stoltze, veteran directors for this annual event, which is performed by area SAG/AFTRA/AEA talent, and benefits the Atlanta Community Food Bank. The New American Shakespeare Tavern is generous in allowing us their marvelous space for rehearsals and performance.
The "Dick Tracy in B-Flat" was a stand-out piece! As was "Whispering Streets". I was unable to see every piece, since I had to be backstage to ready myself for my own performance, but was happy to get to see several of the sketches in our repertoire.
Special Thank-Yous to Kathy Higgins and hubby Dan, who came from faraway Marietta to see the show.
Dan Morrison, who attended, and supported with photos of some of my pals, afterwards--big THANK YOU!
I was thrilled to see pal Mack Anthony in attendance,(Mack worked alongside me at the old Academy Theatre here in Atlanta, in the mid-1980's), who now works as a teacher; he also sponsors the Gay-Straight Alliance, at Lakeside High School.
Speaking of gay....
Gay Pride was celebrated this past weekend in Atlanta, but.....
HotLanta is about to get a lot hotter!
The Atlanta Queer Literary Festival will be underway with events beginning with a dance for young LGBT tomorrow (Tuesday) night, a Wednesday evening poetry event at Charis Books & More(yours truly will be hosting) which will kick-off their 35th Anniversary as well, the fabulous Collin Kelley as a Featured Author at Outwrite Books on Thursday evening, Staceyann Chin and Manil Suri giving lectures at Emory on Friday, with their keynote speeches and an after-party on Friday night, all-day workshops and readings from local and national LGBT poets on Saturday, and the grand finale', parties and music, on Sunday!
And remember that the world-premiere of the award-winning play chosen by Larry Corse will be playing every night, Wednesday through Saturday, in Candler Park, at the First Existential Church(known as "First E.")There will be featured poets and performers before the play, each night, too!
Special shouts-out and props to all the AQLF Planning Committee Members who've made this year's Festival a winner:
Franklin Abbott, a true visionary.Collin Kelley and Megan Volpert, who are the dependable "backbones" of the AQLF and wonderful team-players, along with Cleo Creech, Cal Gough, Dustin Brookshire, Yolo Akili, Larry Corse.
For all the exciting details, hit the AQLF, below!
And find us on Facebook, too!
http://www.atlqueerlitfest.blogspot.com
I have links to AQLF and Charis and Outwrite, see column labeled "Poets, Bloggers, and Others", to your right.
Enjoy the week!
Peace, kids.

WHY I'M STILL ADDICTED TO FACEBOOK.

2009-10-25T12:55:00.004-04:00

Georg of the blog, "Washing Without Getting Wet",(see link in my "Poets, Bloggers, and Others", to the right of this column) asked for me to address what Facebook means to me. So, here you are, Georg...
Facebook is the new blog.
Why? Because it's self-expression, and instant gratification, and it's instant connection--often to people(old friends, ex-co-workers, etc.) I've not seen in (literally) twenty years or more!
In the past week I've been able to argue politics with two sweet folks who I used to see on a regular basis, back in the late 1980's. One is a lovely woman who is a performer like me. The other is a young man who is a supporter of performers and artists, and both apparently, are very conservative in their politics, which very much surprised me. It's been really interesting to hear from two folks I knew for years, but about whom I knew very little(unless they've radically shifted politically since then, which does NOT appear to be the case!).
I've reconnected with a gorgeous red-haired woman who was a best pal in the 1980's with me, as I worked two jobs and struggled to be heard, to be understood. Sherry T. is the strong, self-actualized woman I expected her to become.
Fabulous!
I truly feel humbled by the folks getting in touch with me from long ago(ex-beaus, old friends, grown children of moms I know, etc.)and feel quite lifted-up, and buoyed by the kindness and interest shown me, and my written words.
If you're not on Facebook, you should be.
In my opinion, Facebook is:
*the new blog
*the new town-hall
*the new community-organizer
*the new best-friend
*the new lover
In my case, I'm so addicted, that Facebook might also be my "drug of choice".
I don't want to neglect this blog, because "Lisa Allender Writes" has been good to me. YOU dear readers, have been good to me!
Join me on Facebook, too, so we can have a real, intimate relationship. I promise it'll be good for you, too! ;)
Find me at Facebook, using "Lisa Nanette Allender", or simply use my Auto-Link to Facebook, to the right of this column.
Peace, kids.

FLEEING FACEBOOK!

2009-10-19T10:08:00.007-04:00

I am (recently) often remiss in updating my blog. The cure? Probably I will have to begin limiting my Facebook-time. (sigh).
It appears my excitement over Facebook has become a bit of an obsession. I deliberately ignored Facebook most of this weekend, and ended up forgetting to check my e-mails, too! Not good.
So here's what I did, instead of Facebook-ing all weekend.
On Saturday, Hansoo and I attended The Cumming Greek Festival. Smaller than the Atlanta Greek Fest, but with a cozy feel, room to walk around without huge crowds, lovely vendors with jewelry, coins, cosmetics, paintings, etc...
and the food! The same great variety of veg-friendly entrees and meat(lamb, beef; chicken and pork are offered, too)selections one would see at Atlanta Greek Fest, but the Cumming Greek Fest gives you much larger portions!
Great desserts(I loved eating baklava, after over 6 years of not being able to consume it!) and pastries(the kourabiedes--Greek Easter/Wedding-cookies were mouth-watering-ly good!), too.
The past two days have been very chilly, and even a bit rainy, but that did not dampen our enthusiasm.
On Sunday, we attended the Golden Retriever Rescue of Atlanta(GRRA)'s Annual "Retriever Romp" at Blackburn Park in Dunwoody, to show support for this marvelous rescue-group, and to show off our sweet "Louie", our quickly aging, but still smiling Golden Retriever, who we adopted from GRRA, way back in October, 1998!
Our newest little love, "Afton" was in fine form. A German Shepherd who we adopted from "Big Canoe Animal Rescue" this past (2009) June, she seemed delighted to see so many "other Louies" running around.
Special thank you to Julie, the GRRA volunteer who shot a few pics of us and to whom we shared our joy of doggies!
Also, big hugs to the owners of "Emma Jo", formerly known as "Journey", a lovely Golden they adopted, after she was saved after being found discarded(with puppies)in a dumpster! While her puppies did not survive, Emma Jo has, and she is a sweetheart!
God Bless all these folks who open their homes--and their hearts!!

COMING UP, SOON:
*"Voices Carry", the annual Atlanta event which features poets from around the world.
I'll be updating with all the details, very soon!
*"I See Straight People", a spoken-word and poetry benefit for the AQLF(Atlanta Queer Literature Festival),
I'll have details on this soon, too!
*"Lend Me An Ear", the annual charity event at New American Shakespeare Tavern, with radio plays performed live, by SAG/AEA/AFTRA talent, and proceeds from ticket-sales going directly to The Atlanta Community Food Bank, to feed hungry families.I'll be featured as "Laurine" in "A Logic Called Joe", in an episode of the sci-fi series, "Dimension X".
Interested in attending "Lend Me An Ear"?
Here's the scoop:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
The 6th Annual ''Lend Me An Ear!''
This year's theme: "A Six-Pack to Go!"- A 6 Part Olio

A benefit for the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Don’t miss this fabulous evening of Old Time Radio presented live on stage by over 30 local members of AFTRA, SAG, and Actors Equity! Come join in the laughter as we celebrate America's Golden Age of Radio with some of Atlanta's finest actors and voice talent. The evening will include the folksy VIC AND SADE starring Bill Tush of the TBS Tush Show; broad comedy with THE JOE PENNER SHOW; a soap opera with WHISPERING STREETS; light mystery with MR. & MRS. NORTH; science fiction with DIMENSION X; and a musical spoof with DICK TRACY IN B FLAT.

Doors open to the public at 6:15 PM and English fare and beverages including beer and wine will be available. General Admission is $15 (plus $3.00 service fee for online sales) and all proceeds go to Atlanta Community Food Bank! Seating is first come, first served. There is public parking at Emory Midtown Hospital (formerly Crawford Long Hospital), show your ticket stub for a discount!

Come join in the laughter and celebrate
America's Golden Age of Radio!
Happy Imagining!

Monday, October 26, 2009 at 7:30 PM
New American Shakespeare Tavern
499 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
Phone: (404) 239-0131
Website: www.aftra.com/locals/atlanta.htm
Map & Directions
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Peace, kids.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER!

2009-10-09T10:10:00.005-04:00

WOW! I woke up this morning at around 6:00, fed my "furry babies"(my older male Golden Retreiver, "Louie", and new doggie, female German Shepherd, "Afton") and clicked on "The Today Show" to see what I hoped would be an entertaining exchange between Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera when the NASA "Shoot The Moon" program blasted into existence today. Instead, "breaking news" appeared as the familiar "Today Show" music cued up...."Presdent Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize!"
Congratulations to our esteemed President. To the progress he's already making, in changing hearts and minds, not only here in the USA, but around the world.
And although he had been in office only twelve days when the deadline for nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize was reached, my belief is that the international community is rewarding him (and us!) with this honor for his peace-filled, peaceful beliefs, and his by-now-famous efforts to secure the peace he has the audacity for which, to hope!
And to the Republicans, Conservatives, and haters who just seven days ago, claimed the world did not respect President Obama(ridiculously based on the US not getting Chicago selected as a host city for the Olympics. The city of Rio was chosen, frankly, because Brazil's head-of-state made a compelling argument that South America has never hosted any Olympic game), please take time to chew slowly, as you eat. your. words.

Article from AP, below:

____________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________
President Barack Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize
By KARL RITTER and MATT MOORE, Associated Press Writers Karl Ritter And Matt Moore, Associated Press Writers

OSLO – President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in a stunning decision designed to encourage his initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and stress diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism.
Many observers were shocked by the unexpected choice so early in the Obama presidency, which began less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline and has yet to yield concrete achievements in peacemaking.
Some around the world objected to the choice of Obama, who still oversees wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has launched deadly counter-terror strikes in Pakistan and Somalia.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee countered that it was trying "to promote what he stands for and the positive processes that have started now." It lauded the change in global mood wrought by Obama's calls for peace and cooperation, and praised his pledges to reduce the world stock of nuclear arms, ease American conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthen the U.S. role in combating climate change.
The peace prize was created partly to encourage ongoing peace efforts but Obama's efforts are at far earlier stages than past winners'. The Nobel committee acknowledged that they may not bear fruit at all.
"He got the prize because he has been able to change the international climate," Nobel Committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland said. "Some people say, and I understand it, isn't it premature? Too early? Well, I'd say then that it could be too late to respond three years from now. It is now that we have the opportunity to respond — all of us."
The selection to some extent reflects a trans-Atlantic divergence on Obama. In Europe and much of the world he is lionized for bringing the United States closer to mainstream global thinking on issues like climate change and multilateralism. At home, the picture is more complicated. As president, Obama is often criticized as he attempts to carry out his agenda — drawing fire over a host of issues from government spending to health care to the conduct of the war in Afghanistan.
U.S. Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele contended that Obama won the prize as a result of his "star power" rather than meaningful accomplishments.
"The real question Americans are asking is, What has President Obama actually accomplished?" Steele said.
Obama's election and foreign policy moves caused a dramatic improvement in the image of the U.S. around the world. A 25-nation poll of 27,000 people released in July by the Pew Global Attitudes Project found double-digit boosts to the percentage of people viewing the U.S. favorably in countries around the world. That indicator had plunged across the world under President George W. Bush.
"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," Jagland said.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has made no secret of his admiration for Obama, called the decision the embodiment of the "return of America into the hearts of the people of the world."
But Obama's work is far from done, on numerous fronts.
He said he would end the Iraq war but has been slow to bring the troops home and the real end of the U.S. military presence there won't come until at least 2012.
He's running a second war in the Muslim world, in Afghanistan — and is seriously considering ramping the number of U.S. troops on the ground and asking for help from others, too.
"I don't think Obama deserves this. I don't know who's making all these decisions. The prize should go to someone who has done something for peace and humanity," said Ahmad Shabir, 18-year-old student in Kabul. "Since he is the president, I don't see any change in U.S. strategy in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."
Obama has said that battling climate change is a priority. But the U.S. seems likely to head into crucial international negotiations set for Copenhagen in December with Obama-backed legislation still stalled in Congress.
Lech Walesa, who won the prize in 1983, questioned whether Obama deserved it now.

"So soon? Too early. He has no contribution so far. He is still at an early stage. He is only beginning to act," said former Polish President Lech Walesa, a 1983 Nobel Peace laureate.
"This is probably an encouragement for him to act. Let's see if he perseveres. Let's give him time to act," Walesa said.
Unlike the other Nobel Prizes, which are awarded by Swedish institutions, the peace prize is given out by a five-member committee elected by the Norwegian Parliament. Like the Parliament, the committee has a leftist slant, with three members elected by left-of-center parties. Jagland said the decision to honor Obama was unanimous.
The award appeared to be at least partly a slap at Bush from a committee that harshly criticized Obama's predecessor for his largely unilateral military action in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The Nobel committee praised Obama's creation of "a new climate in international politics" and said he had returned multilateral diplomacy and institutions like the U.N. to the center of the world stage.
"You have to remember that the world has been in a pretty dangerous phase," Jagland said. "And anybody who can contribute to getting the world out of this situation deserves a Nobel Peace Prize."
Until seconds before the award, speculation had focused on a wide variety of candidates besides Obama: Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, a Colombian senator, a Chinese dissident and an Afghan woman's rights activist, among others. The Nobel committee received a record 205 nominations for this year's prize, though it was not immediately apparent who nominated Obama.
"The exciting and important thing about this prize is that it's given to someone ... who has the power to contribute to peace," Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, who won the prize in 1984, said Obama's award shows great things are expected from him in coming years.
"It's an award coming near the beginning of the first term of office of a relatively young president that anticipates an even greater contribution towards making our world a safer place for all," Tutu said. "It is an award that speaks to the promise of President Obama's message of hope."
Obama is the third sitting U.S. president to win the award: President Theodore Roosevelt won in 1906 and President Woodrow Wilson was awarded the prize in 1919.
Wilson received the prize for his role in founding the League of Nations, the hopeful but ultimately failed precursor to the contemporary United Nations.
The Nobel committee chairman said after awarding the 2002 prize to former Democratic President Jimmy Carter, for his mediation in international conflicts, that it should be seen as a "kick in the leg" to the Bush administration's hard line in the buildup to the Iraq war.
Five years later, the committee honored Bush's adversary in the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore, for his campaign to raise awareness about global warming.
In July talks in Moscow, Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed that their negotiators would work out a new limit on delivery vehicles for nuclear warheads of between 500 and 1,100. They also agreed that warhead limits would be reduced from the current range of 1,700-2,200 to as low as 1,500. The United States now has about 2,200 such warheads, compared to about 2,800 for the Russians.
But there has been no word on whether either side has started to act on the reductions.
Former Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, said Obama has already provided outstanding leadership in the effort to prevent nuclear proliferation.
"In less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself," ElBaradei said. "He has shown an unshakable commitment to diplomacy, mutual respect and dialogue as the best means of resolving conflicts."
Obama also has attempted to restart stalled talks between the Israelis and Palestinians, but just a day after Obama hosted the Israeli and Palestinian leaders in New York, Israeli officials boasted that they had fended off U.S. pressure to halt settlement construction. Moderate Palestinians said they felt undermined by Obama's failure to back up his demand for a freeze.
Obama was to meet with his top advisers on the Afghan war on Friday to consider a request by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, to send as many as 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan as the U.S war there enters its ninth year.
Obama ordered 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan earlier this year and has continued the use of unmanned drones for attacks on militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan, a strategy devised by the Bush administration. The attacks often kill or injure civilians living in the area.
Nominators for the prize include former laureates; current and former members of the committee and their staff; members of national governments and legislatures; university professors of law, theology, social sciences, history and philosophy; leaders of peace research and foreign affairs institutes; and members of international courts of law.
In his 1895 will, Alfred Nobel stipulated that the peace prize should go "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses."
The committee has taken a wide interpretation of Nobel's guidelines, expanding the prize beyond peace mediation to include efforts to combat poverty, disease and climate change.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee decided not to inform Obama before the announcement because it didn't want to wake him up, committee chairman Thorbjoern Jagland said.

"Waking up a president in the middle of the night, this isn't really something you do," Jagland said.

___

Associated Press writers Ian MacDougall in Oslo, Celean Jacobson in Johannesburg, George Jahn in Vienna, Monika Scislowska in Warsaw, Poland and Jennifer Loven in Washington contributed to this report.

___

On the Net:

http://www.nobelpeaceprize.org
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Peace, kids. Peace!

UPDATE ON LISA NANETTE ALLENDER.

2009-10-04T17:46:00.036-04:00

UPDATE ON ME?
Lots going on, kids, beginning with my successful audition, just last week, for the 2009 version of "Lend Me An Ear", the annual stage event featuring SAG-AFTRA members, to benefit The Atlanta Community Food Bank.
I'll be playing "Laurine", described as a "Femme Fatale Southern Belle", in an episode entitled "A Logic Named Joe", of the sci-fi series, "Dimension X". It is probably unnecessary to even mention this, but I am sooo thrilled to have such a juicy role!
All the sketches are adapted from old-time radio-shows, and are mystery, sci-fi, romance, intrigue, comedy...and this year, they include a musical version of "Dick Tracy"--with my dear friend, Yolanda Asher, playing--who else? "Tess Trueheart". You go, woman!
I am thrilled to be working for the first time with director Jon Hayden, and am delighted that directors Doug Kaye and Barry Stoltze are once again directing many pieces in this collection. Get the full details, here, and updates, almost daily--at my Facebook Wall. PLEASE "FRIEND-REQUEST" me, using "Lisa Nanette Allender" so you can be in the loop! You'll see the Auto-Link to my Facebook Wall, to the right of this column. Simply scroll down 'til you see "Lisa's Links" and click on "Facebook".

I'll have updates on the turnout for my CAbi (Carol Anderson by invitation) Show(presented by eternal friend, Coral McGhee) & Party, in my next post.
Want to know what CAbi is? Check it out, at:
www.coralmcghee.cabionline.com

Peace, kids.

An Overflow Of Heroes.

2009-09-27T07:37:00.004-04:00

Trying to stay dry.
I'm certain everyone has heard by now about the serious flooding throughout Georgia that occured the past several days. Whew!
We live on a Greenway which has a large creek running through it. The creek has overflowed, but fortunately, our house is situated on a bit of a hill, so we are without flood damage. No other homes in our neighborhood were damaged, either. But in other ares, many lives were lost, and homes were damaged, or lost completely, in the wake of these rains. I heard yesterday on WXIA, 11-Alive News, that there has not been rain, like this, in over 500 years!
What's remarkable about the recent floods, is not the tremendous damage done, but the spirit of cooperativeness, and kindness we see examples of, everyday. A local tv station that features a "Hero" segment every night, offered everyone a chance to be a "Hero" by encouraging us to buy school supplies for the children of a doomed local public school(the school, Clarkdale Elementary, was completely submerged by the rising waters), and this same station(WXIA-11 Alive) will then distribute the supplies.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution ran an article detailing the devastation at this local elementary school. Read it, below:

_______________________________________________________________________________________
Forget classes at Clarkdale
Students will have to study elsewhere, as recovery will be long
By D. Aileen Dodd and Gracie Bonds Staples

Healing will be the primary lesson for Clarkdale Elementary students Thursday as they return to classes in two different schools, separating a family of children and teachers who survived a life-threatening flood.

Counselors will report to Compton Elementary and Austell Intermediate bright and early to provide assistance for those who need it. School supplies donated by Cobb County Schools families from across the district will be doled out generously.

On Thursday, buses will fan out across Cobb County picking up Clarkdale students as early as 6:30 a.m. to get them to their schools on time. Stops will even be made at the Cobb Civic Center, where some families who lost their homes are bunking.

“Every one has been working the past couple of days from sun up to sun down to figure out how to help these students,” said area Superintendent Ed Thayer. “We didn’t really have a place where we could put everyone in one building ... [but] your child will be in the same class. We will take care of your child.”

Students in grades k-2 will report to Compton, and those in grades 3 to 5 will go to Austell Intermediate. The children may be divided, but the school will still be together in spirit. Students will have the same classmates and the same teachers.

Cobb Schools administrators reassured more than 500 parents who gathered for a meeting Wednesday night at Ewing Road Baptist Church in Austell that the transition would be as smooth as the circumstances allow.

“You saw the pictures of the building — it is devastating,” said principal Marjorie Bickerstaff. “You all, we’ve lost a lot of stuff. We didn’t lose a child. The loss of a child or a staff member would be something none of us could deal with.”

Earlier Wednesday, Cobb School Superintendent Fred Sanderson visited Clarkdale. “It’s devastating to see the building, and what’s happened here. It’s going to be a long time recovering.”

Bickerstaff told parents that evacuation of the school was well-organized.

On Monday, the water in the parking lot was rising above the principal’s ankles and all she could think about was her kids — more than 400 of them were still in the building.

Cobb County Schools transportation officials had been monitoring the fury of the storm. They learned that 92 roads had been closed and the situation at Clarkdale was getting serious.

Third-grader Alivia Thompson was practicing addition and subtraction in math class when the water began to cover the playground. She said some kids broke their pencil points on purpose so they could look out the window at the river building where they used to play.

Eraina Drain, a transportation supervisor, came on campus and saw the water moving over the bus port and spilling into the parking lot. She called the cavalry. Eight yellow buses were standing by at Garrett Middle School.

By 12:30 p.m., the principal announced the evacuation of the school. She told parents their children reacted quickly.

The buses had to take the long way to Clarkdale because of flooded streets. Students were worried about getting wet and leaving their belongings behind.

“They were scared,” Alivia said. “Some of them were crying.”

The school was evacuated in 15 minutes. “I don’t think they could have done any better,” Drain said.

PTA president Veronica Johnson agreed. “They got the children out — that’s the greatest thing,” she said.

Bus drivers who worked second jobs stayed put so they could rescue the kids from the flood. Parents, administrators and staff hailed them as the unsung “heroes” of the day.

Parents and teachers said the school was like family.

“Whenever there is a problem, there are no questions asked, everyone just pitches in to help,” said Sheila Geyer, a parent and teacher at the school for the past seven years.

Bickerstaff said she has received calls and e-mails of support from across the country, from Alaska to New Jersey, with people wanting to donate time or supplies.

Summer Butler, a mother of three who lost her home and valuables in the flood, bought a Wal-Mart gift card for her child’s teacher for school supplies. The educator was distraught when she called her to tell about post-flood plans for students, Butler said

“She had lost her husband to lung cancer three weeks ago,” said the mother. “She told me she had lost everything she loved in a month. When I asked if there was anything I could do to help, she said, ‘Just bring your daughter to school.’ ”

Staff writer Mike Morris contributed to this article.
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I hope everyone is safe, and those of you reading about Atlanta and surrounding areas, please keep us in your thoughts and/or prayers.
Peace, kids.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TINA!!!

2009-09-24T11:04:00.008-04:00

Today is my baby-sister, Tina's birthday. I still call her my "baby sister", even though neither of us are anywhere near baby-age!
In most families, children are deigned "the pretty one" or "the athletic one" or "the smart one"...but in this family, believe me, my sister is all three, and then some. Tina's also quite kind, possessing a faith in both God and in most other human beings, too.
Tina is a marketing whiz whose recent campaigns included these cool slogans:
For a popular, rather luxurious bowling/entertainment center:
"SPARE Yourself from the ordinary!"
and the simple-but-true:
"Bowling's Back."
In her outreach to her community, Tina does tremendous promotions and parties for the bowling entertainment center where she is employed, as well as planning corporate events and parties, on-premises.
Lately, in her time away from work, she's been riding (a bicycle) for causes, specifically for Multiple Sclerosis, which a dear friend of hers has been stricken with. Tina runs, bikes, works out, loves to cook(and is quite the chef...her home-made, "Four-Cheese Mac-n-Cheese" rocks!), and loves spending time with her husband, daughter, and our Mom and Dad.
Tina's entertaining skills are legendary. An event I've dubbed "The Fabulous Fry" (which I blogged about last year, in November 2008, at this forum)has nearly 100 people cruising in and out, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, at Tina and husband Tom's "Purple Palace" as they call it! Tom does the frying of turkeys and the pouring of liquor, and Tina does everything else. Set-up, break-down, and all the various foods, in-between, including her famous corn-casserole, salads, veggies, rice dishes, pastas, and breads, and desserts.I almost forgot....her appetizers, including bruschettas are great!
Tina has been enlisting the help of those who attend to bring dishes to share, and often, Tina pays for the ingredients!
The one thing I'd change about Tina, if I could? I'd give her an extra hour per week, and insist on my share of that time:just ten minutes, every week with her, to catch up! Have a great birthday, sis!
Peace, kids.

A TORRENT OF WORDS.

2009-09-08T01:38:00.012-04:00

I spent nearly the entire weekend at the Decatur Book Festival, beginning on Saturday with a brief walk around, and then I attended a unique panel discussion at the venue, "Several Dancers' Core". It was entitled:
"Break In Case Of Emergency: This Book Could Save Your Life".
The collection of writers featured were: Laurel Snyder, Marc Fitten, Michael Malone, Robert Olen Butler, Hollis Gillespie.
As I took a seat, a young lady near me remarked she was there to see Mr. Butler, adding "My high-school teacher got us the book, 'Intercourse'; I'm in college now. I wanted to see him, in-person. "(R.O.B. published that in 2008)
I admit that Marc Fitten and Robert Olen Butler were the main draws for me, though I was impressed with the wit and clever conversation exhibited by all.
Marc Fitten spoke of fusing a storyline from a favorite tv-series("Little House on the Prairie"(!))with Huck Finn in his first-ever writing assignment for English class.... And how that created in him, the desire to be a writer.
Mr. Butler spoke of his first favorite author, Ernest Hemingway, punctuating the air like a bullet when he spoke of imagery in Mr. Hemingway's arsenal of stories. He emphasized many books we loved as teenagers may not hold up upon re-reading them today, but that Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast", does. And Robert Olen Butler reads "A Moveable Feast", every single year, again and again.
Mr. Butler went on to describe the "future of the book", and he held up his i-phone, noting that it IS the way books will be read, as unhappy as he is about it. Knowing the thing everyone who loves to read would miss in e-books and the like, he also made sure that we understood he, Mr. Butler, has "...the best-smelling books available."
"I like to bury my whole face in a book, like a woman's (I held my breath at this point, uncertain exactly what he was about to say)perfume."
That elicited a chuckle, and a sigh.
As we left the crowded, extremely hot room(There were simply too many people for the small space. Which delighted me--this many folks lined-up to listen to great authors-- even as I melted in the 100+ temperature. One lady fainted in the front row(I heard she recovered, and is now well). Not sure if she swooned from listening to the authors assembled, or simply succumbed to the heat....
Sunday, I arrived at the "Local Poets' Stage" at Java Monkey Cafe' in the mid-afternoon, just in time to hear Karen Head read(I missed a tiny bit of her stellar performance, as I was desperate for change for a large bill, in order to facilitate purchasing her books, before she escaped into the rest of the Book Fest.)
So, my book-purchases so far:
*Two copies(one for a gift for a fellow poet-friend; she was delighted to receive it!) of Robin Kemp's "This Pagan Heaven"(I already read it once-- on Monday night-- and it is spectacularly good!!I'll be reviewing within the next two weeks, in this blog)
*A copy of "My Paris Year" and "Sassing" both from Karen Head.
*Two copies(one for a gift for my Mom) of Ginger Murchison's "Out Here".
In terms of poets performing on Sunday, I was so moved by Ginger's quiet eloquence. I had not heard this much material from her before, and her time onstage did not feel long enough. I want more Ginger!
Jill Jennings had work I'd not heard before, and I was surprised by her range.
Kodac Harrison amused us all with "Amsterdam", always a crowd favorite...
Amy Pence always delights. Even when invoking loss, she manages to uplift, not crush us.
Dustin Brookshire's poetry spoke in a voice more raw than I'd given him credit for. His "Faggot", and a series of poems on rape, are devastating. He quickly shifted modes, however, and was able to leave us feeling good.
I read just after Dustin Brookshire, and the "I Rock Catholic Girls" t-shirt he was wearing was like a cosmic segway into a poem I would read later in my set, entitled "Lost Time". It begins with an epigrah, "Catholic girls start much too late..." from Billy Joel's "Only The Good Die Young".I will not publish this poem here, but if you want a copy, e-mail me, and I'll send it to you(Not suitable for anyone under 16).
I began, however, with a few older pieces. "For Aunt Carolyn",from the chapbook, "Phoenix Feathers"; "Iraqi Haiku" from the chapbook "Outside The Green Zone".
I also read "Incision","And still he tries..", and "For Amanda W."
I was nervous about reading from a play I'm writing called "The Taste of Shapes". The lead character, Claire, has a unique gift, and I read the opening monologue where she tries to describe what she has, as "a fusing of the senses"(In scientific terms, she has synethesia), and she prepares the audience for her "lecture" for them.
I did receive really encouraging feedback, so maybe I'll be more confident about all this..... :)
The group of us were treated to a couple of favorite Collin Kelley poems(he's always our favorite--Collin IS the support in the local poetry scene!)in a few "spare" moments.
Cleo Creech's musings were underscored by the fact that he's reaching age 50 soon, and that birthday falls on the same day--25 years ago--when he received a diagnosis that he's outsmarted to this day.
Teacher/faculty-member at Georgia Tech, Katie Chaple arrived her breath-y and blond self, and jarred us with imagery of peeled-off faces(a brother's medical-school cadaver named "Baby")and glinty belt buckles(another poem, and one which I referenced in my own "Found Poem", during my set onstage).
Sharan Strange rounded out the performances. She was exciting to watch, as well as exciting to hear!
I did not take notes, so I hope I haven't neglected anyone I was fortunate enough to listen to...
Collin Kelley, Cleo Creech and my pal Dan M., and I planned to go to The Brickery Pub, but I was late catching up with them, as I stopped to chat(of course!) with several folks, among them, Estelle Ford-Williamson, and Robin Kemp.
So the final tally was 6, not 4...and so, we lost a possible table at that restaurant, so we were off to find another spot.
"Parker's on Ponce" was great. Quiet, elegant, with great food and quick service. The talk was covivial, and though we did not solve the world's problems, I think Cuban-American relations could be greatly improved if our government could just listen to Cleo and Robin!(Cleo spent lots of time in Cuba, with his Cuban ex-partner; Robin wishes to visit Cuba with her life-partner, also Cuban)
After a robust dinner(the food AND the conversation!)at Parker's on Ponce(fyi, it's a great steakhouse(though I had veggies and a bit of calamari), we returned for Java Monkey Cafe's usual Sunday night of poetry.
Kodac Harrison, visibly rested since the early afternoon,leapt onto the stage, hawking the upcoming "Slams" at Java Monkey. The team from Atlanta has made the National Semi-Finals, every year, the past four years.
The first half of the evening gave us a few poets who could sing, one who couldn't, and a couple of energetic, in-the-moment performances, one most notably by Julie Bloemeke, a poet I'm only now becoming familiar with.
At Java Monkey on Sunday nights, each poet is given time for one poem, and then around 8:45 P.M., there's a brief break, and then the FEATURE appears.
And FEATURE she did.
Patricia Smith began with a bit of background, telling us that ever since she worked with school-children in(rough-neighborhood)Miami area, years ago, she swore she'd always read this particular poem--and mention this one little girl, who'd lost her mother, and wanted to know "if poetry could help her [bring back] her mother." This touching tribute would "book-end" Patricia Smith's presentation in a remarkable, nothing-less-than-spiritual way.
I cannot even begin to communicate how incredibly gifted Patricia Smith is.
I can tell you how when she spoke of Hurricane Katrina, and gave voice to those she called "...The 34 Victims in the nursing-home, who were left to die", that I could feel my throat catch as she reached victim #19, because that is when she said nothing, and she let us hear her(that victim's) silence.
Or when she reached victim #23, and we heard "Our Father, who art in Heaven..."
or victim #25 when she continued "...Hallowed be thy name; hallowed be our names.."

She spoke of other things that are unspeakable--a young girl gang-raped and her eyes sprayed with insecticide, her mouth held open, her throat sprayed with it, such that she could not see or speak. This girl was known as "Girl X". We weren't just shocked by the brutality, or the inhumanity of the crime, though, because Patricia Smith gave us tiny details--the navy blue Keds she decided this "Girl X" wore, the jump-rope she must've played--and these details made her real, and made "Girl X" whole for us, again.
Aristotle in his "Poetics" discussed how the most specific detail is the only way to Universality.
In the moments of "navy Keds", and "swinging braids laced with ribbons", and "you can keep my eyes", we are transported--that is the journey art is able to take us on, the specific to the universal, the microcosm-to-the-macrocosm...
And just-as-suddenly, the rain in New Orleans is the rain that can drown all of us. The rape of one little girl is the rape of all little girls. The rage and hurt is all of ours.
Patricia Smith (and her poetry) does not merely show us images, or excite us with her bold delivery(though she does all of this), she asks us to ACT.
Her poems engage your psyche. If you are fortunate enough to get to see her perform, you will leave asking "How can I make a difference? How can I be better?"

It feels unnecessary to mention this, but Patricia Smith received a full standing- ovation.
If I'd had roses, I would've thrown them for her!

Alas, she had no books for purchase, with her. I did get her autograph in my own copy of "Java Monkey Speaks Anthology, Volume II"(Her "The Way Pilots Walk" won a Pushcart!)
I'm in that same volume; my "Sea Life" is in there.

I did not stay for the last portion of Java Monkey Speaks.There would be several people reading, and if I had chosen to sign up, I could've read one more poem.

But I just wanted to close my eyes, and try to remember as many of Patricia Smith's words, as possible.

Peace, kids.

WHITNEY HOUSTON, AND "I LOOK TO YOU".

2009-09-02T11:14:00.005-04:00

WHITNEY HOUSTON, AND "I LOOK TO YOU".
Okay, I'm usually a kind person, and I always say kindness as an attribute is far under-rated as a positive trait to possess. But I admit my intentions for turning on "Good Morning America" on ABC this morning, were less than kind. The truth is, I was looking forward to seeing a "performance" I felt sure would be--if not credible-- at least terribly amusing.
The woman known for years as the "train wreck", the woman suffering from terrible addictions and tremendously poor decision making, the woman everyone laughed at, not with: Whitney Houston, was going to sing, live, in Central Park.

The audience gathered was enormous, and the expectations seemed as high as, well, Whitney & Bobby Brown used to be.
But when she walked onstage to an adoring, cheering crowd, she looked radiant. Much heavier than her "crack" days, but still slender and once-again beautiful, I was now suddenly encouraged, but by no means, convinced.
Then she offered to sing the title track from her new CD, "I Look To You", noting that "You" referred to "all of you...", as she gestured towards the crowd, adding "...and to..." as she paused, quietly--reverently--and thrust her arms gently towards the sky.
And then, she sang. Her voice is back, and more splendid than I remembered("I Wanna Dance With Somebody", 1987)more powerful("I Will Always Love You", 1992)and more tender than anything in my memory(though Judy Garland's iconic "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" leaps to mind).
For all you Michael Jackson fans out there, who feel cheated out of a "comeback", I'd urge you to give Whitney a listen. She was a huge voice in the 1980's and 1990's, and was silenced by her own addictions and disorders. But this time, kids, there's a happy ending.
To heck with YouTube, I'm headed to the store to get the CD.

COLLIN KELLEY AS ALCHEMIST.

2009-08-25T23:09:00.004-04:00

COLLIN KELLEY AS ALCHEMIST.
Many "contemporary novels" are labeled "magical realism" when they are infused with the surreal. Isabel Allende is a master at this. And in "Conquering Venus", Collin Kelley provides us with a novel Ms. Allende herself would enjoy.
As if tapping into some primeval drive, Collin Kelley unearths desire of various types--repressed, taboo, and unrecognized, in nearly every word.
In "Conquering Venus", Kelley's debut novel, protaganist Martin Paige is a man haunted by a death, and a secret.
During a trip from Memphis to London to Paris in which he embarks(ostensibly) to assist his best friend, Diane, Martin disovers that his ability to fall-in-love may be damaged, but not gone. With the deft care of an older, mysterious Frenchwoman, and the intuition his dreams (and hers) provide, Martin is coaxed, pushed, and finally, metaphorically-speaking, held hostage by his own conscience.
Many women readers will connect with Martin's losses and his seeming inability to get past old hurts. Many men will connect with Martin as well.
And both genders will pine for the ever-elusive Frenchwoman, the voyeur (she watches other people, in their hotel rooms) who passes time, from a prison of her own making.
The eventual object of Martin's affection is quite compelling, too: he is one taboo component of this "triangular" love story. And when I say "triangular", it's not what you think. There are three separate "triangles" in this dark, edge-y and oddly spiritual love story; that's because each of them intersect each other's lives in wondrous ways.
The characters here are so well-drawn, you may well forget you're reading a novel, and begin to refer to what you read, as a film you saw.
The novel will ask you many questions, but Kelley does not not hand us easy answers. He lets the characters speak for themselves, and by the end of the novel, he's performed an alchemy of sorts--and we are left with something familiar, something comforting, a sweet scent, like a French perfume. Ethereal, and lovely.

Peace, kids.

BROTHER TIM'S "BLOG OF REVELATION"

2009-08-22T09:59:00.005-04:00

BROTHER TIM'S "BLOG OF REVELATION".
If you haven't clicked on Brother Tim's blog, you simply must. Scroll down to his August post entitled "It....Killed Us" and marvel at an obviously naturally funny guy use metaphor in fresh, exciting ways!
Then read his most recent post, on the insurance-industry.
Both posts will have you howling with laughter; though in the former, we're glad you're SAFE, brother Tim!
Here's his link:
http://ofrevelation.blogspot.com/
Enjoy!
Peace, kids.

Hi Kids!

2009-08-21T11:30:00.007-04:00

Hi kids!
So I have not posted in a week. Been reading, and then reading a second time, the marvelous "Conquering Venus" from award-winning poet and playwright, Collin Kelley. I'll be posting a full review very soon.
Other stuff:
Had a wonderful visit with my Dad--John, only a few weeks ago(but miss him so much already, it feels like he's not been here, in years).

We visited "Big Canoe", a resort-like community in the North Georgia mountains. Tiny cottages, mid-sized houses, and sprawling estate homes, all co-exist in a densely wooded(think "Pan's Labyrinth", without the scary)forest. The amenities include paddleboating, canoeing, kayaking, on your choice of three lakes (one of which is huge, and completely God-created), fishing, swimming in three pools, hiking, etc. We just visited for a couple of hours, but it felt like a relaxing vaction.

We wanted to go see a film, too, but I had to be convinced to go see a film about war. In my trek to become more Peace-filled, war, or films that champion war,are not a thing(s) I support.
And my Dad disagrees on whether peace is ever possible.
My Dad: "Well, Lisa, do you REALLY BELIEVE World Peace is possible someday?"
"I absolutely do. In fact, I believe it's MORE LIKELY, than not, Dad."
"Really?!" he asked, incredulously.
"I do!"
The conversation could've become heated, and my Dad has "pushed it" before, but since I'm all-about-the-peace, I decided to simply smile sweetly.
What I Didn't Say(but what I truly believe):
"One day, everyone will figure out it's too costly--in terms of dollars, AND PEOPLE--to keep fighting one another. It's a ridiculous, outdated method of dealing with each other. It makes no sense."

So......in the in-town-Atlanta-things-we-did-category, we saw a great little film called "Hurt Locker", and it feels like a film about war, for people who never go to what my ol' Grandpa Reed Allender would call a "war picture".
It centers around explosive-device experts, and the ever-impending loom of death these brave soldiers face, every day in the "new wars" of Iraq and Afghanistan. (IED's being the preferred weapon instituted by those fighters.) The film explores the tenacity, the mistrust, and the unlikely brotherhood that is formed because of the interactions our soldiers and even those they must fight, create. I seldom recommend a "war" film, but this one is a requirement, in order to better understand the incredible sacrifice made every day, by these brave young men and women.
The film was directed by a woman, Kathryn Bigelow, best-known for her 1991 surfer/bank-robber-film, "Point Break". While researching her, I discovered she's a very talented painter, and it is easy to believe, since her filmed images of desert cities at dusk, sandstorms and explosions, achieve icon-status.
When you go to see it, be like a soldier with heightened awareness: if you do, you'll spot an extremely well-known, Academy-Award-winning actor, in a pivotal, but un-credited, cameo role.
Peace, kids.

COLLIN KELLEY AS ALCHEMIST.

2009-08-20T15:45:00.008-04:00

COLLIN KELLEY AS ALCHEMIST.
Many "contemporary novels" are labeled "magical realism" when they are infused with the surreal. Isabel Allende is a master at this. And in "Conquering Venus", Collin Kelley provides us with a novel Ms. Allende herself would enjoy.
As if tapping into some primeval drive, Collin Kelley unearths desire of various types--repressed, taboo, and unrecognized, in nearly every word.
In "Conquering Venus", Kelley's debut novel, protaganist Martin Paige is a man haunted by a death, and a secret.
During a trip from Memphis to London to Paris in which he embarks(ostensibly) to assist his best friend, Diane, Martin disovers that his ability to fall-in-love may be damaged, but not gone. With the deft care of an older, mysterious Frenchwoman, and the intuition his dreams (and hers) provide, Martin is coaxed, pushed, and finally, metaphorically-speaking, held hostage by his own conscience.
Many women readers will connect with Martin's losses and his seeming inability to get past old hurts. Many men will connect with Martin as well.
And both genders will pine for the ever-elusive Frenchwoman, the voyeur (she watches other people, in their hotel rooms) who passes time, from a prison of her own making.
The eventual object of Martin's affection is quite compelling, too: he is the taboo component of this "triangular" love story. And when I say "triangular", it's not what you think. There are three separate "triangles" in this dark, edge-y and oddly spiritual love story; that's because each of them intersect each other's lives in wondrous ways.
The characters here are so well-drawn, you may well forget you're reading a novel, and begin to refer to what you read, as a film you saw.
The novel will ask you many questions, but Kelley does not not hand us easy answers. He lets the characters speak for themselves, and by the end of the novel, he's performed an alchemy of sorts--and we are left with something familiar, something comforting, a sweet scent, like a French perfume. Ethereal, and lovely.

Peace, kids.

THE REAL GUITAR HERO!

2009-08-13T13:17:00.006-04:00

THE REAL GUITAR HERO!
A true loss for guitarists, songwriters, and of course, his family(and his rock n' roll family!).
In these days of the politics of extreme-left conspiracy-theories about 9/11, and so-called "birthers" and "deathers" on the right, and the tragic pop-culture "news" of Michael Jackson's "mysterious" death, it's moving to read about an open, honest, hard-working, inventive, wildly funny man named Les Paul.A man who--if he never existed-- much of rock-n-roll might never have existed...
We'll miss you, Les Paul.
Story, below.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Guitar legend-inventor Les Paul dies at age 94
By LUKE SHERIDAN, Associated Press Writer
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.
Les Paul, who invented the solid-body electric guitar later wielded by a legion of rock 'n' roll greats, died Thursday of complications from pneumonia. He was 94.
According to Gibson Guitar, Paul died at White Plains Hospital. His family and friends were by his side.
As an inventor, Paul also helped bring about the rise of rock 'n' roll with multitrack recording, which enables artists to record different instruments at different times, sing harmony with themselves, and then carefully balance the tracks in the finished recording.
The use of electric guitar gained popularity in the mid-to-late 1940s, and then exploded with the advent of rock in the mid-'50s.
"Suddenly, it was recognized that power was a very important part of music," Paul once said. "To have the dynamics, to have the way of expressing yourself beyond the normal limits of an unamplified instrument, was incredible. Today a guy wouldn't think of singing a song on a stage without a microphone and a sound system."
A tinkerer and musician since childhood, he experimented with guitar amplification for years before coming up in 1941 with what he called "The Log," a four-by-four piece of wood strung with steel strings.
"I went into a nightclub and played it. Of course, everybody had me labeled as a nut." He later put the wooden wings onto the body to give it a tradition guitar shape.
In 1952, Gibson Guitars began production on the Les Paul guitar.
Pete Townsend of the Who, Steve Howe of Yes, jazz great Al DiMeola and Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page all made the Gibson Les Paul their trademark six-string.
Over the years, the Les Paul series has become one of the most widely used guitars in the music industry. In 2005, Christie's auction house sold a 1955 Gibson Les Paul for $45,600.
In the late 1960s, Paul retired from music to concentrate on his inventions. His interest in country music was rekindled in the mid-'70s and he teamed up with Chet Atkins for two albums. The duo were awarded a Grammy for best country instrumental performance of 1976 for their "Chester and Lester" album.
With Mary Ford, his wife from 1949 to 1962, he earned 36 gold records for hits including "Vaya Con Dios" and "How High the Moon," which both hit No. 1. Many of their songs used overdubbing techniques that Paul had helped develop.
"I could take my Mary and make her three, six, nine, 12, as many voices as I wished," he recalled. "This is quite an asset." The overdubbing technique was highly influential on later recording artists such as the Carpenters.
Released in 2005, "Les Paul & Friends: American Made, World Played" was his first album of new material since those 1970s recordings. Among those playing with him: Peter Frampton, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Richie Sambora.
"They're not only my friends, but they're great players," Paul told The Associated Press. "I never stop being amazed by all the different ways of playing the guitar and making it deliver a message."
Two cuts from the album won Grammys, "Caravan" for best pop instrumental performance and "69 Freedom Special" for best rock instrumental performance. (He had also been awarded a technical Grammy in 2001.)
Paul was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005.
Paul was born Lester William Polfus, in Waukseha, Wis., on June 9, 1915. He began his career as a musician, billing himself as Red Hot Red or Rhubarb Red. He toured with the popular Chicago band Rube Tronson and His Texas Cowboys and led the house band on WJJD radio in Chicago.
In the mid-1930s he joined Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians and soon moved to New York to form the Les Paul Trio, with Jim Atkins and bassist Ernie Newton.
Meanwhile, he had made his first attempt at audio amplification at age 13. Unhappy with the amount of volume produced by his acoustic guitar, Paul tried placing a telephone receiver under the strings. Although this worked to some extent, only two strings were amplified and the volume level was still too low.
By placing a phonograph needle in the guitar, all six strings were amplified, which proved to be much louder. Paul was playing a working prototype of the electric guitar in 1929.
His work on taping techniques began in the years after World War II, when Bing Crosby gave him a tape recorder. Drawing on his earlier experimentation with his homemade record-cutting machines, Paul added an additional playback head to the recorder. The result was a delayed effect that became known as tape echo.
Tape echo gave the recording a more "live" feel and enabled the user to simulate different playing environments.
Paul's next "crazy idea" was to stack together eight mono tape machines and send their outputs to one piece of tape, stacking the recording heads on top of each other. The resulting machine served as the forerunner to today's multitrack recorders.
In 1954, Paul commissioned Ampex to build the first eight-track tape recorder, later known as "Sel-Sync," in which a recording head could simultaneously record a new track and play back previous ones.
He had met Ford, then known as Colleen Summers, in the 1940s while working as a studio musician in Los Angeles. For seven years in the 1950s, Paul and Ford broadcast a TV show from their home in Mahwah, N.J. Ford died in 1977, 15 years after they divorced.
In recent years, even after his illness in early 2006, Paul played Monday nights at New York night spots. Such stars as Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler, Bruce Springsteen and Eddie Van Halen came to pay tribute and sit in with him.
"It's where we were the happiest, in a `joint,'" he said in a 2000 interview with the AP. "It was not being on top. The fun was getting there, not staying there — that's hard work."
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nowadays, say "Guitar Hero", and you're talking about an XBOX or Wii game. But Les Paul, he's the real deal.
RIP, Les Paul.

Peace, kids.

DOG GUARDIANS HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN THIS!

2009-08-09T07:08:00.007-04:00

DOG GUARDIANS HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN THIS!
Okay, we (all of us who have dogs in our families)already know this. But read on, below, to feel the joy!

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dogs as Smart as 2-year-old Kids
Jeanna Bryner
Senior Writer
LiveScience.com Jeanna Bryner
Senior Writer
livescience.com

The canine IQ test results are in: Even the average dog has the mental abilities of a 2-year-old child.

The finding is based on a language development test, revealing average dogs can learn 165 words (similar to a 2-year-old child), including signals and gestures, and dogs in the top 20 percent in intelligence can learn 250 words.
And the smartest?
Border collies, poodles, and German shepherds, in that order, says Stanley Coren, a canine expert and professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia. Those breeds have been created recently compared with other dog breeds and may be smarter in part because we've trained and bred them to be so, Coren said. The dogs at the top of the pack are on par with a 2.5-year-old.
Better at math and socializing
While dogs ranked with the 2-year-olds in language, they would trump a 3- or 4-year-old in basic arithmetic, Coren found. In terms of social smarts, our drooling furballs fare even better.
"The social life of dogs is much more complex, much more like human teenagers at that stage, interested in who is moving up in the pack and who is sleeping with who and that sort of thing," Coren told LiveScience.
Coren, who has written more than a half-dozen books on dogs and dog behavior, will present an overview of various studies on dog smarts at the American Psychological Association's annual meeting in Toronto.
"We all want insight into how our furry companions think, and we want to understand the silly, quirky and apparently irrational behaviors [that] Lassie or Rover demonstrate," Coren said. "Their stunning flashes of brilliance and creativity are reminders that they may not be Einsteins but are sure closer to humans than we thought."
Math test
To get inside the noggin of man's best friend, scientists are modifying tests for dogs that were originally developed to measure skills in children.
Here's one: In an arithmetic test, dogs watch as one treat and then another treat are lowered down behind a screen. When the screen gets lifted, the dogs, if they get arithmetic (1+1=2), will expect to see two treats. (For toddlers, other objects would be used.)
But say the scientist swipes one of the treats, or adds another so the end result is one, or three treats, respectively. "Now we're giving him the wrong equation which is 1+1=1, or 1+1=3," Coren said. Sure enough, studies show the dogs get it. "The dog acts surprised and stares at it for a longer period of time, just like a human kid would," he said.
These studies suggest dogs have a basic understanding of arithmetic, and they can count to four or five.

Basic emotions
Other studies Coren notes have found that dogs show spatial problem-solving skills. For instance, they can locate valued items, such as treats, find better routes in the environment, such as the fastest way to a favorite chair, and figure out how to operate latches and simple machines.
Like human toddlers, dogs also show some basic emotions, such as happiness, anger and disgust. But more complex emotions, such as guilt, are not in a dog's toolbox. (What humans once thought was guilt was found to be doggy fear, Coren noted.)
And while dogs know whether they're being treated fairly, they don't grasp the concept of equity. Coren recalls a study in which dogs get a treat for "giving a paw."
When one dog gets a treat and the other doesn't, the unrewarded dog stops performing the trick and avoids making eye contact with the trainer. But if one dog, say, gets rewarded with a juicy steak while the other snags a measly piece of bread, on average the dogs don't care about the inequality of the treats.
Top dogs
To find out which dogs had the top school smarts, Coren collected data from more than 200 dog obedience judges from the United States and Canada.
He found the top dogs, in order of their doggy IQ are:
Border collies
Poodles
German shepherds
Golden retrievers
Dobermans
Shetland sheepdogs
Labrador retrievers
At the bottom of the intelligence barrel, Coren would include many of the hounds, such as the bassett hound and the Afghan hound, along with the bulldog, beagle and basenji (a hunting dog).
"It's important to note that these breeds which don't do as well tend to be considerably older breeds," he said. "They were developed when the task of a hound was to find something by smell or sight." These dogs might fare better on tests of so-called instinctive intelligence, which measure how well dogs do what they are bred to do.
"The dogs that are the brightest dogs in terms of school learning ability tend to be the dogs that are much more recently developed," Coren said. He added that there's a "high probability that we've been breeding dogs so they're more responsive to human beings and human signals." So the most recently bred dogs would be more human-friendly and rank higher on school smarts.
Many of these smarty-pants are also the most popular pets. "We like dogs that understand us," Coren said.
We also love the beagle, which made it to the top 10 list of most popular dog breeds in 2008 by the American Kennel Club. That's because they are so sweet and socialable, Coren said. "Sometimes people love the dumb blonde," Coren said.
And sometimes the dim-wits make better pets. While a smart dog will figure out everything you want it to know, your super pet will also learn everything it can get away with, Coren warns.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Our beloved Australian Shepherd(a "cousin" to Border Collies),"Frisco",has been gone now(she was stricken with spleen cancer at age 10-and-a-half)for a long time.
We still have sweet, goof-y "Louie", our Golden Retreiver, who we adopted as a one-year-old, from Golden Retreiver Rescue of Atlanta, back in 1998.
We added "Afton", our German Shepherd (found abandoned with five puppies)when we discovered her through Big Canoe Animal Rescue, only six weeks ago.
All these dogs were/are incredibly smart. "Frisco" liked entertaining herself, and taught herself tricks like bouncing the tennis ball on her nose, seal-like, and then bouncing it on the ground. I often caught her all alone, doing this(she did not know I could see her)!
"Louie" is what I'd call "craft-y", as he will sneak around to find treats, and even hide them(!) from the other dog, or me. And "Afton", our newest addition--is clever, resourceful, and a quick-study.
In playing hide-and-seek the other day, she found me quickly, then immediately went to the pantry door, and nudged me to open the door. Curious, I did. It was then that I realized what she was after: the dog-treats are stored there, and she quickly pushed her nose to the box, then sat immediately and looked up at me, then at the box, then at me, then the box.
It was hilarious! And needless to say, it worked(I gave her a treat!).
Later in the day, I was remembering this, and suddenly recalled that the first day we brought her home, I took her to the pantry, had her sit, and then rewarded her. I guess she figured out if she does any "task" or "trick", she can get rewarded.

How about you? Do you have any smart-dog-stories to share?

Peace, kids.