To get the attention he needs, Cassidy escapes from jail and plants himself on the ledge of a hotel in a fake suicide attempt.  It captures the media’s attention, which is something he wanted because just across the street lies the building of Englander Jewelry, owned by David Englander, the owner of the alleged stolen diamond.  Cassidy believes he had the diamond all along, and set him up as a thief so Englander could collect the insurance money on the prized jewel.

From the beginning to the end, the movie is packed full of thrilling  twists. It has the audience constantly wondering what is going on, including who’s good and who’s bad.  With elaborate plots, daring break-ins and near-death experiences, the suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time.

The ending is fantastic, as you will finally see the whole elaborate scheme as it comes to light,  in triumph and amazement.

I have to admit, I am more of a comedy guy myself, but I really enjoyed this movie.  I would definitely recommend Man on a Ledge and give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.  The cast  played their roles with passion and power, and the plot was outstanding.  Don’t expect to see a lot of special effects, but they certainly weren’t needed.  This is a movie that invokes thought, which makes it an epic classic.

“Playground,” for example, is drawn from childhood memories of cowering in bed while explosions filled the night. Then, a few days later, he and his friends would run outside, excited for the things they would find in the wake of battle. The children collected nails, various shapes of glass, and bullet casings the way most would pinecones and worms. Dwelling on this memory, adult Rock used these objects to capture movement. “Playground” is a hybrid of paint and object mosaic, with a girl’s dress soaked in red to represent the destruction of innocence. The painting moves like fire, with nails and bullet shells spiking the red and maroon border. A Peace sign made from rust-colored barbed wire is barely visible amongst the gray, red, and orange glass hovering over the scene. Altogether, the piece is six and a half feet long and weighs over 100 pounds; a heavy painting for a heavy memory.

A core element in Rock’s past and portraits is color. His piece “Ardoyne,” named for his home town, illustrates the atmosphere of the IRA neighborhood: dark, black as gunpowder with grit and smoke hanging in the air. “In the gray, dark…nasty nasty world, the bright colors are what you’re drawn to.” For Rock, those are the green, white, and orange of the Irish flag. Red of blood is also prevalent, repulsive yet intriguing. In the painting these bright colors are splashed against a backdrop of black and maroon, shining against the dark but still a mess in and of themselves. The paint is lumpy, thick, like plaster dried on pavement. To demonstrate the nastiness of war, Rock literally scoops dirt and mud from the ground and mixes it with the paint on canvas. “It also illustrates that we’re all dirt…that we’ll all be back in the ground, pushin’ up clovers…”

His intense involvement with his pieces is all part of his personal therapy; while most people talk through their past traumas, Rock paints through his. He literally lets his emotions and memories possess him until the rush is spent, the tension is released, and he can ride the euphoric high of completing his piece. “A lot of physical work goes into all my paintings,” he admits. The best example of this is “Burn,” which stems from a direct memory of his fourteenth year, when he helped clean corpses from a gas station explosion. The mannequin is stuck to the canvas, purple, black, and gray as charcoal with splashes of red. It’s wrapped in barbed wire painted to look like the Irish flag. While Rock loves his country, he admits that even in times of peace, the political closeness is binding and suffocating for the people. “Peace is never, ever free. [We] may achieve peace, but there’s always constraints.”

Rock’s work is all about his Irish heritage, but he now resides in the countryside of New Mexico, where he’s happy to say that he can hear the birds sing and has a new studio from which to work. Allowing the frantic nature of his memories to take control in his art has helped him immensely, though there’s always more to let out. While he still harbors chaotic memories, he hopes his paintings will give a voice to others from Belfast, to show the world what war was like and what it is like and what it will continue to be like. He has captured pictures of emotions behind his most painful memories so all can look at them and see the psychological scars of battle. One glance brings to mind anguish, frustration, and danger. On the other hand, they also carry a sense of hope; that the world will come to realize the atrocities of violence and stop before the next generation suffers its consequences.

At the tender age of 14, Alana produced her first single written by her production company for the music video called “Butterflies.”  When Alana first set out to create the video, she had no idea what to expect; all she knew was she was having fun with her friends in a way most teens can’t experience.  What came next was nothing shy of amazing.

After a few months of being live on YouTube, Alana’s video recorded over 11.5 million views, and that number continues to grow.  She was almost an overnight Internet recording sensation!

Maybe the video is so successful because of Alana’s good looks, or maybe it’s because the youth today love YouTube and simply watched it over and over- but I don’t think so.  The real reason the video has done so well is because of Alana’s fresh voice that’s full of passion for whatever she sings about.  The talented young singer puts heart into her music, and it shows.  The video also does quite well because of its great cast and story plot.

Few adults really know what goes on when they send their kids to school.  It’s actually a downright brutal experience for most, and this video shows how vicious kids can be.  The cast is comprised of all Alana’s close friends who create the “perfect” chemistry, giving the video believable reality.

It’s tough enough for adults to break into the music world, but imagine a 14-year-old doing it – and she’s succeeding.  Some musicians would do anything to have the kind of views for their music videos as Alana has for hers.  In fact, she is in great company; many top legends in the music industry have as many hits as she does, including her inspiration – Taylor Swift.

Now, let’s go back nine years ago.  Alana made her first live performance on a cruise ship while vacationing with her family, at the sweet age of six.  Even then she had stardom written all over her, because she wasn’t shy in the least.  Alana got on that stage and wowed the audience, and her parents, as it was at that moment they realized she had a wonderful talent.

To make it in this cut throat industry, Alana will have to overcome many tough obstacles including finding time to practice, record and produce more music.  She will have to do this while going to school and keeping up her grades.  In addition, Alana must also create moments to hang out with her friends, and, in general, experience childhood to its fullest.

She will have to battle the politics and harsh criticism that comes with the fame and glam of being a musician.  But heck, Alana’s in high school; it should just be like any other day in class, except she won’t get bullied.  This is one task she will be able to pass with flying colors.

It won’t be hard to do, especially with the love and guidance of her family and friends.  Alana credits their support as the main reason she has accomplished so much already.

In 2011, Alana released another single titled, “Synchronize,” written for her by her manager.  This song boasts a message of what it’s like to have a  true friend – a bond that cannot be broken.  Everyone in life can think back to that one person this song talks about.  That special someone who could finish your sentences, or all they had to do was look at you and you knew exactly what they were thinking.

When I first listened to the song it blasted me back to 1990 through 1993 – one of the best times in my life as I was surrounded by great friends.  It brought back memories of my best friend, who sadly we lost in 2006, and all those good times we had together.  Times I hold dear to my heart, and memories nobody can take from me.

Just listen to this song and you will know exactly what I’m talking about.  It will bring a smile to your face and tears to your eyes as you reminisce about good times with your best bud.  Add in Alana’s youthful voice, and it completes the formula for time travel.

Lastly, she completed and released, “This is Me,” a song that talks about something we all hold dear- ourselves!  Alana compliments this song with a pictorial montage of her life from her days as a baby to her teenage years where she is today.  It’s a wonderful video that shows you how she’s grown and matured throughout the last decade to today.

I can’t say I am a true “psychic” or anything, but I can predict we will see a whole lot more of this young, talented artist in the future.  In fact, don’t be surprised if you see Alana someday accepting her first Grammy Award.

To find out more about Alana Lee and view her videos, visit http://alanaleemusic.net  or go and LIKE her Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/alanaleeproductions

Instead, Lizard Lick Towing became one of the anchor segments for a new reality show,  All Worked Up, on TruTV.  From that point on, Lizard Lick Towing’s popularity grew, which spun them into their very own show.  Lizard Lick Towing exposes all of what the crew does and what they deal with on a daily basis.

The show is currently in its third season and can be seen every Monday night at 10:00 PM (EST).

Lizard Lick Towing‘s popularity stems from a few elements.  It’s taped in a real southern neighborhood -something many people can relate to.  Also, the show’s lovable cast, with their “real” and “charismatic” personalities that we fall in love with, make each episode delightfully entertaining to watch.  And, of course, there is plenty of  the usual day-to-day drama that confronts the Lizard Lick team.

Ron Shirley, the co-owner of Lizard Lick Towing, takes his best buddy Bobby Brantley on some amazing adventures, deep into the North Carolina backwoods and repos cars from people, including the Army rejects.  You never know what they will encounter next.

Throughout the years, the folks from Lizard Lick Towing have been threatened numerous times with various weapons- guns, knives, and even the occasional flame thrower.  Under an extreme circumstance once, the crew was even held up in their office with a hand grenade.  They’ve repossessed everything from high-end collectible cars to surfboards and even deer.

In Season 2 we saw an ex-fiancé of Bobby Brantley’s, Micky, return and woo Brantley away from Lizard Lick.  Her first run-in with the team, even before the show aired, she stole thousands of dollars from Lizard Lick and broke Brantley’s heart.

When she came back, she put a real kink in the friendship between Brantley and Ron Shirley.  Basically, Mickey tried convincing Brantley that he was better off without Lizard Lick.  Brantely was eventually given an ultimatum by Shirley, and he chose to leave the team.  That choice cost Ron and Amy Shirley a dear friend, and nearly their business.

“Me and Bobby are tight as a frog’s butt and that’s water tight,” says Ron Shirley, and with that statement and an act of friendship, Shirley accepted Brantley right back into the Lizard Lick family.  They are now trying to save their ailing business.

One of the greatest aspects of the show is that it’s real.  The Shirleys and Brantley are not paid actors.  Lizard Lick Towing actually exists in Lizard Lick, NC.  Unlike many other reality shows out there today, what you see is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

TruTV also allows the Lizard Lick crew to just “be themselves”.  “When you see us bickering, it’s real, and when you see us loving, it’s real,” says Ron Shirley about the show.  The owner adds, “I really like that TruTV allows us to be ourselves.”

That means that when you watch this show, they are not acting and it isn’t scripted in any way.  The crew of TruTV tapes Lizard Lick as they are, as if no cameras are present.

Life of a Repo Man

Unfortunately, we’re in tough economic times.  Even some of the most well-off individuals find themselves in tough times, struggling to pay their bills.  When that happens, you may see Ron Shirley and Bobby Brantley come to your home, to take your ride.

“At one time, we were one of the most hated people in the community,” states Shirley.  He recalls a time when he had to check over his food to ensure it was only food he was eating, and walking down the street meant being glared at with powerful stares.  However, he didn’t blame them because his  job requires taking from people at their lowest times.

Since the show, that has changed.  When he pulls up in their driveways, he generally is met with a handshake and is asked for an autograph, especially at the local watering hole around town.

 From episode to episode, we’ve seen many life and death attempts on their lives.  Shirley states that what you see is the bad end of his job, but not all jobs are like that.  Sometimes he’s in and out before the owner even knows the car is gone.

What you may not know is why Shirley and his team don’t pull a gun or taser out on these whack jobs that attack them when they are confronted.  Well, the answer is quite simple.  In North Carolina, repossession companies can’t carry a gun or knife in their car.  The insurance company takes it to another level and says they won’t cover them if they have a bat, pole, taser or any other kind of weapon.  So to avoid being blacklisted, they rely on their intelligence, a skilled plan, and a friend who can fight!

Because of the fact they are not allowed to carry protection, and Ron Shirley has a family who depends on him, he has no problem saying that he’s pulled back a bit.  A few years ago he would have gone into location like a cowboy riding a tornado, without much care, but not when others are counting on him.  You could say, his family has helped tame his wild side.

When I asked Shirley about the situations he’s run into he replied, “It’s not the people who wave guns and knives in our face and the loud ones that we really worry about, they are usually all smoke in the mirrors;  instead, we worry about the silent ones who give you one warning and walk off.”

The repo business is a tough profession that takes a certain personality to master.  It has its good days and its bad days, and what you see on Lizard Lick Towing are the days that we should be thankful we’re safe behind a desk!

If you want to see a true reality show, portraying the real lives of repo men in totally unscripted situations, then I encourage everyone to turn into Lizard Lick Towing on TruTV.  It’s probably one of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time.

If the Shirleys and Brantley show up to your residence, you can bet …. “You’ll get licked!”

Highly creative, intelligent and motivated, the Cincinnati, Ohio resident has worked as a producer, writer, creative consultant, photographer, and researcher just to name a few.  The man of many titles refuses to get bored.  “I’m always thinking and planning,” laughs Karlage during our recent interview.  “However, the hard part is making it happen.”

He doesn’t seem to have too much trouble making it happen though.  This past year, the talented Karlage produced an independent feature film titled, The Farm.  Not only did he act as the film’s producer, but he also worked as its screenwriter and web developer.  Steve Olander directed and edited.

According to Karlage, The Farm is based on true events, and let’s just say, it’s not exactly about cows and chickens.  Rather, the film focuses on a young, married couple while on their honeymoon.  The bride’s aunt, who is a realtor, loans her and the groom a rustic farmhouse to stay in after their wedding.  The country abode, however, is hardly charming and the couple’s romantic retreat turns into a horrific nightmare of sorts.  Estella and her new husband, Johnny, become stranded at the farm due to inclement weather and they soon realize they are not alone.  Ghostly events begin to take their toll on the couple, and whether or not they can escape their ordeal is left to be unseen- or at least for now.

Karlage will not discuss too many of the film’s details at the moment, as The Farm is still in the editing process.  He hopes that its full length version will be released the end of February 2012.  Currently, only a shortened version can be seen, which was run at a festival in Ohio in October of 2011.

The paranormal-horror film has the perfect trifecta for the making of a hit:  a creepy setting, several very talented actors and a brilliant production crew.  Karlage proudly states that Hollywood is already beginning to take notice of The Farm, and he hopes that after its spring release, the film will gain even more praise and recognition from not only big name critics, but also from audiences across the nation.

I, personally, have no doubt that Rocky Karlage will soon become a household name after The Farm‘s major debut, earning him a much coveted mark in the film industry.  In fact, the film did so outstandingly well at its Ohio screening in the fall, that it was also invited to be shown at the 2nd Annual Independent Film Festival in California in March of 2012.  Karlage further states the film will have a sequel, which hopefully will premiere sometime next year.

The Farm is not the only big project that Karlage has under his wing.  He is also the creator of  the much loved and highly respected Ghost Walk Saga.  Karlage’s Ghost Walk is an epic ghost story based upon historic events in late 1800s America, centered around the prestigious Lane Family of Cleveland, Ohio.  The fictional characters were  founded by Karlage; however, they may be more real than they seem.  “I have been told by psychics that the characters created for Ghost Walk are very close to “people who actually exist or existed.”  For instance, take Ghost Walk‘s most popular character, Little Lela.  Lela, the mysterious girl whose story is unfolded in the series, is based upon the “real” spirit known to Karlage as Lilly Rose.  The producer states that Lilly Rose has visited him in her ghostly form many times over his lifetime.

“Lilly Rose is a little girl ghost that is always around me.  She makes herself known quite abit,” explains the Ghost Walk creator.  Karlage goes on to state that Lilly Rose, who according to sensitives passed away over 200 years ago, looks for her mother who may be trapped, paranormally speaking.  Karlage feels this notion to be true as he communicates directly with Lilly Rose.  Considered to be an intuitive, Karlage often receives messages from this little spirit.  And, according to other Ghost Walk staff members, Lilly Rose is beginning to connect with them as well.  “Lilly Rose just wants to be heard.  She has reasons for reaching out to me and pushes me with my plans,” confides Karlage.  “She is an inspiration behind Ghost Walk .” 

Karlage continues on to say how all the characters in the saga are amazing.  Each and every one of them is beautifully complex and fascinating, adding to the drama and intrigue of Ghost Walk.  “To me, the saga is the ‘Gone with the Wind of the Paranormal’,” chuckles Karlage.  “In all seriousness, the Ghost Walk stories are very important.  They have meaning, are educational and full of history.  And within each story they feature dangers that are real.”

Some of Ghost Walk‘s other characters, in addition to Little Lela, include The Ladies Three:  Miss Dorian Lane, Mistress of Lane Estate and Manor; Leila Trent, Dorian’s best friend; and Sara ‘the hunter’, guardian of Lane Estate.  The Main Men of the Estate are as follows:  Taggart, the foreman of Lane Estate; Siegfried Lane, Master Lane of the Estate; and Jonathan ‘Jack’ Dawson, Lady Dorian’s fiance.  There are also the two children:  Little Lela (also known to many as Lilly Rose) and William, who is Lela’s best friend.  In addition, the Romy gypsies are characters in the saga, and their caravan lives on the eastern border of the Lane Estate.

Within the Ghost Walk series, “monsters” are said to walk among the so-called ordinary population, unbeknownst to others.  These dark creatures may look typical, acting much like “real” individuals, when rather they are far from it.  The three main female characters become entrapped in the supernatural schemes of the evil master of an ancient secret society.  All the while, times and places depicted within the stories are historically accurate.  Karlage is particularly proud of this, as he is a lover of history.  Ghost Walk‘s president and producer has worked hard on his saga.

Ghost Walk:  The Harvest Ball was screened at the Indie Gathering International Film Festival in August of 2010, a most honorable accomplishment indeed.  Karlage’s Ghost Walk company continues daily to develop a high concept story that incorporates many aspects of art, such as photography, video and musical composition.  “Ghost Walk Productions will bring the Ghost Walk story to book and even cinematic reality,” explains Karlage.

In addition to the actual saga, Karlage hosts a blogtalk radio show titled, Ghost Walk Mysteries, which airs every Monday at 6 pm EST.  The weekly broadcast of old-time radio from the mysterious to the downright frightening transports listeners to an era past.

Ghost Walk also features an online store, which can be found at http://ghostwalk.miiduu.com/index.php?route=product/allproducts.  Here, one can browse various items, some of which are a tad creepy.  Karlage sells haunted dolls on the site, which are quite popular nowadays.  The dolls are said to hold the spirits of the deceased either by choice or because the spirits were forced into the dolls (or hosts).  Dolls are “adopted” regularly through the online store.  Karlage also offers a variety of jewelry, worry doll accessories, and smudging kits.  This season Ghost Walk Productions has joined forces with the FreeStore Foodbank to help ease the hardships of families in need.  Therefore, the online shop will give 25% of all sales to the foodbank til December 31, 2011.

And speaking of haunted dolls, Karlage excitedly takes a moment to mention his good friends and colleagues, Tom and Traci Watkins of Knight Paranormal Investigation out of Albany, Pennsylvania.  The Watkins are the founders of the famous “Doll House Cam.”  The two paranormal investigators started the idea simply enough a few years ago at their home.  The couple set up video cameras in the hope of capturing evidence of their haunted dolls moving about on their own.  According to the Watkins and those who watch the videos through www.dollhousecam.com, the dolls will move slightly, without any help- at least from the living.  On one occasion, one of the Watkin’s cameras caught something pretty phenomenal.  On March 20, 2009, a camera facing an empty stairway, caught a most extraordinary ghostly image.  The apparition stayed in view for nearly two whole minutes, something quite rare when it comes to capturing evidence of this kind.  The image, most likely a small child, is very easily seen in the film.  Traci Watkins was out of town that day, and Tom was busy with their three children in another section of the house at the time.  The paranormal footage is now on YouTube under the title, The Apparition.  Karlage helped put the video together along with colleague, Sharon Watkins.  The video is well watched and continues to amaze even the most skeptical of viewers.

When Karlage is not busy with making films or videos, and isn’t working on his Ghost Walk projects, he is spending time on his publication, Haunted Path Magazine.  Karlage is the magazine’s publisher and consultant.  He started Haunted Path in August of 2010 and it has been growing rapidly ever since.  Haunted Path Magazine is both a printed and online publication, as well as a website.  The magazine features special industry and life interviews, topics involving the paranormal, horror, spiritual and human interest.  There are also write-ups on all the latest books, movies and works of art in the world of the paranormal.  Editor Sharon Watkins and General Manager Traci Watkins work alongside of Karlage and their outstanding efforts are easily seen in each and every issue.  In addition to the magazine, there is Haunted Path Live, which is the radio version of the popular publication.  The weekly show is hosted by Maria Mazur of Knight Paranormal Investigation.  Each week a new guest is interviewed for the show.

Karlage confides to me that he is currently working on forming a band in order to promote his latest projects.  Although the idea is just in its beginning stages, he is quite excited about getting members together and coming up with a unified musical group; yet another “hat” for Karlage to try on.

Oh, and did I mention that Karlage is also a professional photographer?  “I don’t have much time for this anymore, but I do still enjoy it when I can,” states the talented Ohio resident.  “I have done a lot with fashion models in particular.”

Karlage was also chosen for Stanford’s Who’s Who “Black Book” 2012 and was published and listed as one of “Ohio’s Top 77 Poets.”

No doubt Karlage is incredibly gifted and passionate, but he’s certainly not one to boast his achievements.  During our interview I found him to be a genuine and modest person; quite rare in this day and age.  I found his kindness and humble nature to be extremely admirable traits indeed.  “My dad, the best man I ever knew, always told me that if I wanted to have friends, then I needed to be a friend,” states the gentleman.

While chatting with Karlage recently, I found myself wanting to ask him more and more questions.  To say the least, I was intrigued.  I wanted to know more about his inspirations, his mentors and what got him interested in the paranormal and horror.

For Karlage, as long as he can remember, has been fascinated by things that go bump in the night. ”I have always loved horror movies and have always been interested in the paranormal.  I love Hans Holzer books.  I used to be very much into H.P. Lovecraft, but it was a little too dark and creepy, so I got away from that after awhile.  I’m also a very big fan of Alfred Hitchcock,” says Karlage.  “I’m not so much into slasher films.  You know, the ‘in-your-face’ blood and guts kind of stuff.  I would much rather watch a suspense film, a psychological thriller, if you will.  Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy some of those gruesome movies at times.  They can be fun.  I respect the people who do those films, but I love something that makes me think and that’s why I love Hitchcock.”

“As far as mentors go, I would have to say Hitchcock again here.  I also must note William Stafford.  He was a college professor I had.  He was very well respected and his writing class was very hard to get accepted into.  He selected me; it was a huge honor.  I also look up to all the classical horror writers of the past,” says Karlage.

And as for inspiration, Karlage has no problem answering that question either.  “My wife.  She is incredibly supportive and she always encourages me.”

It is quite obvious to me that Mr. Rocky Karlage has a lot on his plate, but unlike most of us, he can handle it- and well.  Karlage is, indeed, a rarity in the film industry with his combination of friendliness, creativity and dedication.  His production, The Farm, will most certainly make even the hardest to entertain, stand up and cheer; a frightening cinematic delight that it sure to please.  Karlage has come far, but doesn’t plan to stop here.  His hardworking ways and determination will take him to places many others in the industry only dream about.  With his creative and brilliant mind forever churning, Karlage has no reason to hang his hats up anytime soon.

For more information on Rocky Karlage and his work, please view the following sites:

http://thefarmfilm.com/

http://ghostwalkproductions.com/

www.blogtalkradio.com/ghostwalk

www.linkedin.com/in/rockyohio

http://hauntedpath.com

www.facebook.com/littlegirllilly

Q. Where did you get the idea for your novel ‘Aloisius’?

I’ve always been fascinated with genetic engineering, robots, and artificial intelligence. Growing up, I was drawn to books, movies, and tv shows about characters who were different or enhanced in some form. I was in high school when I decided to put my ideas in book form. I owed it to my characters to give them a voice.

Q. Have any of your characters demanded more page space than you had originally planned?

I would say Jonas and Matt.  They definitely surprised me when they started interacting with Tori more than I expected.

Q. What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Don’t give up and always try to sharpen your writing skills. Its easy to get discouraged but you have to keep your mind set on the goals you are trying to achieve.

Q. Has researching for a novel ever got you into any funny situations?

Not yet, but I found myself learning new things, especially when it comes to the military, science, and technology.

Q.As a writer, who are your main influences?

Lois Lowry and Frank Peretti.

Q. It seems that more and more adult readers are finding their way to YA books. Why do you think that is?

I think young adult novels appeal to the child inside us that likes to be taken from reality and into another world. They teem with imagination which is what readers are drawn to.

Q.What is the best part about being an author?

Creating characters, settings, and other worlds, and being able to materialize your dreams in the form of a story.

Q. And the worst?

Editing and marketing. Both are very hard work.

Q. What books have you recently read and loved?

The Giver by Lois Lowry is my favorite novel of all time. I recently discovered a book called Moloka’l by Alan Brennert, that I plan to read soon.

Q. Can you tell us a bit about what you are currently working on?

I will be taking a much needed break now that the first book is published. After I’m refreshed, I’ll be working on the second book of The Aloisius Series.

Jonathon Charlap is an article writer whose interviews, reviews, and other pieces have been featured in The Expressionist and Pet O’ Mine magazine. His interest in science, genetic engineering and artificial intelligence, inspired him to write his first book series, Aloisius.

Website: http://www.wix.com/jonathoncharlap/jonathon-charlap

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jonathoncharlap

Now I sit down after work and watch TV and wonder “WOW, sitcoms have grown stupid”.  Don’t get me wrong, they are good but they fall far short of the quality the sitcoms brought back in the 80s and 90s.  To me it almost seems like these people are being so fake and acting so stupid on these shows; almost as if the writers and networks feel that they feel they need to downgrade the content to amuse a less intelligent audience.  Just look at the commercials, they’re no different.

So what changed over the years?

Today I had the esteemed pleasure to talk with a star of one of my favorite sitcoms of all time, Soleil Moonfry, who played Punky in Punky Brewster.  This particular sitcom undeniably defined my generation, and its a show that is still revered by people my age today.

In talking with the star we talked about her show and during that answer she said something that made me think, “Punky Brewster used to not only be funny, but it taught us valuable lessons, I don’t know if you remember when Cherry got stuck in the abandoned refrigerator but that show taught us the value of CPR” said Moonfry.

And that is what changed!

She hit the nail right square on the head.  These shows had comedy in it, they were still fun and whimsical yet they taught a lesson.  They also took real life situations kids, young adults and adults faced in real life and brought them to life giving them something to connect to.

Today’s shows seem to portray sex, broken families, disfuction at it best, glorify bad morals and values, and have actors playing roles that make them look too fake, like they are trying too hard to be funny.  The morals in the story is usually “don’t do what they do” or “this is exactly why you don’t do drugs” etc…

Actors back in the day like Punky Brewster or Full House made it seem like they were an actual family, they acted so well it seemed like you put a camera in their home and watched them live their lives.  Sitcoms were not all comedy, it had drama and sadness intertwined; and that was OK.  You learned things, you cried, you laughed and you came away at the end of each episode feeling generally better about your life.  Most importantly, families came together and spent quality time with each other watching these shows.  Parents would talk to their kids after the show and explain what they watched.

Now parents are in other rooms watching one of several TVs in their house because they can’t stand to watch the “stupidness” their kids are watching.  Mom doesn’t want to watch the skankilly clad shows her husband is watching and Dad doesn’t want to be bored by the chick shows his wife is watching.  There is no togetherness and shows don’t cater to the whole family.

Sure, I like watching mindless stupidness from time to time, but I also enjoy learning things and actually thinking about what I am watching; but those days are a thing of the past.

Our society has changed over the years and maybe these shows have to keep up with the times to be more modern.  I believe that these shows could tone down the disfunction, and implement learning and values with comedy as the older shows did and still stay modern.

Back when Punky Brewster blairing on televisions across the country, you couldn’t cuss or swear.  I have yet to find shows, shy of children shows, that don’t include cussing or cursing – and even implied or full nudity and sex at times.

If we want to fix our tomorrow, maybe we should look at the shows of yesterday and expose our children to entertainment with a meaning!

April DeBord is one-of-a-kind.  Adventurous, charismatic, intelligent, passionate and ridiculously creative are just a few ways of describing the artist I was sitting across from over our dinner interview.  To be honest, when I first scheduled our chat, I thought I was only going to be talking with DeBord about her firedancing.  Granted, that would have been plenty enough to keep me intrigued; however, it was just the tip of the iceberg.

Originally born in Akron, Ohio, DeBord is an artist who has dabbled in a variety of mediums.  “I tend to get bored easily,” explains Debord over her linguine alfredo.  “I like to try out a little of everything.”  DeBord is a painter, professional photographer and has even published a book.  She is also an avid traveler, with her great love being road trips.   ”I love to travel all around the U.S. and outside of the country.  And I love to document my travels through photography and my writings.  While I’m in different places, even some as extreme as the South American jungles, I will stop and do a fire dance,” states DeBord.  Her goal, in fact,  is to travel to every continent and fire dance.  And I do believe, DeBord will achieve this.

DeBord combined her love for traveling with photography through a book she published in January of 2011.  “Heads Toward the River!” is a visually stunning and beautifully written volume of DeBord’s adventures through the jungles of Columbia.  This self-proclaimed adrenalin junky spent ten days sleeping in hammocks admist oversized insects and venomous snakes.  DeBord joined an adventure/travel group out of Tampa and quickly made friends with folks she had never met.  The gregarious and cordial artist also met with another interesting group while on her travels.  The Kogi Indian tribe was a significant part of DeBord’s South American excursion.  “I loved the Indians.  We sat around in huts with them and got to learn their culture,” reflects DeBord.  One of the adventurist’s favorite memories of her trip was being able to climb all 1200 steps to “The Lost City,” or Ciudad Perdida.  The location is considered to be quite magical in many respects.  However, DeBord’s journey offered a lot more than just enchanting jungle sites or sacred Indian villages.  “We had to trek through the jungles by mules.  It wasn’t always easy,” explains DeBord.  She also recalls having a couple very close encounters with snakes and enduring a painful knee injury.  “I was thankful for our travel guides.  They were amazing, always there to help us in a difficult or scary situation,” remembers DeBord. One of DeBord’s most daunting moments was while walking through a river.  “We often had to trek through rivers, but none were very deep.  However, there was one river that nearly swept me away.  It was treacherous and we had to hold on to each other to pass it.  There was a spot in the river that took a sudden drop and it was very deep.  I was in shock, as the water was freezing cold.  My guide was there to save me.  He really took hold of me and grabbed me,” recalls DeBord.

Personally, I was rather amazed at this young woman’s Columbian adventure.  It was all very Romancing the Stone-from Indians and snakes to dangerous rivers and mysterious jungle destinations.  And if you don’t think you have what it takes to trek through the jungles, but would love to visit vicariously through DeBord, simply check out her book.  It can be found at http://www.blurb.com/user/store/Apryl00.

Though DeBord’s travels may seem extreme, she also likes to just jump in her car and drive around from city to city, state to state.  Recently, the road tripper drove solo to all the New England states, minus Connecticut.  “All the states were so beautiful, but I really loved Maine,” states DeBord.  The daredevil naturalist even climbed Mount Katahdin, the highest peak in Maine. “I love to hike and climb mountains.”

So, was DeBord born with wanderlust, or did she somehow acquire the love of traveling as she got older?  “I lived in Alaska for a while and it changed me.  It made me really want to explore the world.  I loved it.  Somehow, living there, opened me up; it freed my spirit.  I was born in Ohio, moved to Florida when I was eight, and then years later in July of 2000, I got myself a one-way ticket to Alaska.  I was with a man at the time who was in the Coast Guard.  We had to live there.  I was worried about moving there initially, but I ended up loving it.  It was incredible.  I developed a love for exploration during this time, as well as for photography.  I felt creative,” fondly remembers DeBord.  The beauty of the rugged Alaskan wilderness was breathtaking and inspirational for the emerging artist.  Then, just two years later, DeBord packed up whatever she could fit into her car and took off on a road trip with a couple of her friends.  First, they went to New York, then to Florida, camping and making other fun stops along the way.  In the end, they finished their venture at DeBord’s home state of Ohio.

I had to ask DeBord, if she could go to one dream destination in her travels, where would it be.  “Oh, I have so many places yet that I would love to discover, but if I had to narrow down my list it would be New Zealand or maybe Africa for a safari.  Another place I have to go one day would be Bali,” answered DeBord.

If the artist isn’t on one of her many adventures, she may very well be taking pictures.  DeBord is a professional photographer, after all.  She earned a BFA in Photography at the University of Akron, along with a minor in Professional Photography and Computer Graphics.  Today, DeBord owns Inner Sanctum Photography and specializes in unique portraits, fine art nudes, wildlife/nature and pet photography.  She also does amazing black and whites, in addition to her color shots.  DeBord further mentions that she does hand coloring, upon request, for any of her black and white photos.  The photographer came up with the name, Inner Sanctum, because for her it means a place of calmness and peace inside the mind and soul.  DeBord explains that the words translate roughly into “mind den.”  For more information on DeBord’s photography, or to schedule a sitting, visit her website at www.innersanctumphotography.com.

DeBord also keeps busy with her everyday job, which is working at HSN, here in Tampa Bay.  For all of you home shoppers, HSN is your one and only go-to place.  At DeBord’s “day” job, she works as a freelance post-production artist- just something else the artist can do to spark her creativity and keep herself from getting bored.

To me, DeBord is synonymous with an onion; peel and onion and you will find lots of layers.  This fascinating thirty-something may indeed, wear a lot of hats; however, her most well-known hat is perhaps the one she wears during fire dancing, symbolically speaking.

DeBord began fire dancing in 2004.  “ I took a trip to Key West with a friend of mine and we went to Mallory Square at sunset to watch the street performers.  I saw a couple doing fire dancing and said to my friend, ‘I have to do this!’  After the two were finished dancing, I approached them and asked them about it.  When I returned home, I went online.  I learned a lot about fire dancing just by watching YouTube videos for six months.  Then, I started practicing with my roommate at the time.  When I first started, I used glow sticks so I wouldn’t hurt myself.  I eventually began using fire once I became more comfortable,” explains DeBord.  “The second time I did fire dancing was at my family’s annual Halloween party in Ohio.  Contrary to what people think, I don’t spend all my time fire dancing.  I’m afraid I would get too burnt out!  I like to keep things fresh.  I do love fire dancing though.”

Fire dancing is an ancient performance art.  For those who are not familiar, it is a beautiful and creative way of manipulating fire, and more specifically, objects set on fire through dance.  Objects, such as fans and staffs have wicks, which are soaked in fuel and then ignited.  The art form, obviously, is quite dangerous so it is crucial to take precautions while dancing.  Poi is fire dancing performed with a ball in each hand, suspended by a plaited cord (or chain).  It is then spun in circular and other acrobatic patterns.  Poi is also a traditional art performance of the Maori people who live in New Zealand, a group that DeBord would love to one day meet in person.  The Maori, however, never used fire while dancing; instead, the Americans were the first to light the match.

Poi began many years ago in New Zealand and for the purpose of increasing flexibility and strength in the hands and arms of the Maori people.  It was also excellent for improving coordination.  Poi dance was originally used by the Maori women for keeping their hands flexible for tasks such as weaving.

The wicks used in fire poi come in a variety of materials, most commonly, KEVLAR.  The material is a man-made organic fiber.  If used correctly and is well taken care of, KEVLAR will last and can then be used numerous times.  According to DeBord, it is also the same stuff that firemen’s suits are made out of.

DeBord performs wherever and whenever.  In fact, she has a few YouTube videos of herself performing at an old, abandoned Orlando amusement park called Splendid China.  DeBord felt inspired while inside the park, and even though she didn’t have music, she often would just dance to the sound of the wind.  Splendid China has since been razed, but DeBord still cherishes many of her memories performing there inside the cracked and decaying walls and corridors.  Over time, DeBord has danced at proms, private Halloween events and birthday parties.  She was once asked to lead the very famous Guavaween parade in Ybor City, Florida.  In addition, DeBord performs at her favorite venue, her family’s Ohio Halloween party.  “I’ve been asked to do many events, but unfortunately, there are a lot of fire restrictions that do not allow me to participate.  Fire codes are tough.  When I was asked to do Guavaween, I had to have a Fire Marshall on each side of me at all times.  It was pretty expensive in the end to hire all three of us, so I ended up not walking in the parade.  I really regret that,” states DeBord.

DeBord generally goes by the name RED, especially when she is fire dancing.  It is a nickname that she acquired while visiting New York years ago.  “While I was there, a group of obnoxious New Yorkers kept screaming out to me, ‘Hey Red!’ It was because of my bright red hair.  This was while I was in college, and now years later, I still go by the name.  It’s perfect for my fire dancing.”

When DeBord fire dances, she captivates.  “I use belly dancing with the element of fire.  I also like to experiment with objects such as fans.  I would like to get a fire jump rope to use in my routine.  I would use it to swirl around me, not to jump over.  I think it would look very cool,” explains the fire goddess .

Since fire dancing is considered to be such an intense performance art, I couldn’t help but wonder, has DeBord ever been burned?  Well, as the old adage goes, if you play with fire, you get burned.  “I usually don’t get hurt too badly, but once I got badly burned when a Poi wrapped around my arm and got stuck.  I actually could feel my skin melting off of my arm until I was able to pull it off.  It happened during a performance, but I just kept on going and played it off like nothing was wrong.  Everyone thought it was just part of my act.  Today, I will just get the occasional superficial burn, which tends to heal pretty quickly.  When I first started my fire dancing, I used to frequently singe my hair.  Now I use a scarf or put in dreads!”

DeBord brings her fire dancing along with her on many travels, as stated previously.  Her most beloved fire destination, thus far, being the DeBord Halloween Party.  The annual event just celebrated its 16th successful year and now has over 150 special guests.  It all started back in 1995 in the backyard of  DeBord’s brother’s house.  The party was modest and only a few family members and close friends were invited.  “My brother started it as a family thing.  It started in the backyard and then migrated all over the house and past it.  It just kept getting bigger and better with each year.  It became a street party,” states DeBord. “It then got so big, the police told us we had to stop it as a street party and move it to a bigger location.  What once started out with just a few people, soon had become an event of over a thousand.”  The party takes place typically the first or second weekend in October and there is always plenty to see while there.  An extravagant list of vendors and performers are on hand to entertain the crowds.  “We have jugglers, bellydancers, hearses, paranormal investigation groups, bands, costumed characters and so much more,” DeBord proudly tells me.  DeBord performs her fire dance at sunset.  And although the party is great fun, there is quite a bit involved.  “My brother and I are in charge of it and there are a lot of responsiblities for us.  I do the fire dancing, but also take many of the photos. I have to worry about putting things out, such as decorations, and taking it all down in the end.  We had to move it from the street to the VFW.”  All the hard work that the DeBords put into their party, sure is apparent in the end.  It is, by far, one of the most outstanding and elaborate of its kind.  If in the Akron, Ohio area next October, make sure you stop by.  It’s a great way to celebrate the bewitching season; the party is safe, family-friendly and best of all, free.

There is no doubt that DeBord is a stand-out kind of gal.  She knows what she wants in life and is not afraid to go after it.  She is strong and ambitious; kind and lovable.  DeBord is, indeed, unique and I mean that in the very best of ways.  A creative and free spirit that inspires and encourages everyone she meets.  A most talented artist and a most caring friend.

After our meal, I realized that our interview never really was one in the first place.  It was more like a dinner with a long lost buddy.  Or, maybe it was like some sort of self-reflection. Perhaps DeBord represents a small part which exists deep within each and every one of us- our adventurous side, our risk taking side, our creativity. Talking with this amazing artist was an awakening.  Life is far too short.  We need to live each day to its fullest; try new experiences and to not be afraid to learn something new.  Don’t just add on to your Bucket List- start scratching things off!  Not surprisingly, DeBord is doing just that…and more.

For more information on the annual DeBord Halloween party, please visit www.debordhalloweenparty.com.  The next party is scheduled for Oct. 13, 2012 in Akron, Ohio from 1 pm-11:30 pm.

To see DeBord performing some of her fire dancing routines, including those done at Splendid China, please visit her YouTube channel found at www.youtube.com/AprylRED

If interested in learning more about DeBord, please “like” her at www.facebook.com/FANSofRED. 

Fact or Faked:  Paranormal Files is a uniquely developed concept admist the more “typically done” shows on the unexplained.  Fact or Faked isn’t just about a group of ghost hunters who go out and simply film their investigations in the darkened corridors of old, abandoned buildings.  There’s a whole lot more to this series.  In each episode, a team of paranormal experts review various viral videos and photographs which may possess unexplainable and strange phenomenon.  The videos and photos are mostly submitted to the team, although some of the footage is searched out by the show via the Internet.  The team, led by former FBI agent Ben Hansen, looks over the photos and videos in the hope of finding whether they might be faked, or possibly authentic, paranormally speaking.  If the footage is deemed worthy enough for further investigation, the team will then travel to the destination at hand (which may be out of the country, in some cases) to try and replicate the paranormal activity reported.  The group will also attempt to test out various theories through experiments to see if the phenomenon was manipulated in any way.  Once the testing is complete, the members will discuss their findings back at their headquarters in Los Angeles.   When investigating, the team of six will divide into two seperate groups, allowing coverage of more than one case.  For instance, three members of the team may take on a UFO case out in a Nevada desert, while the remaining few will visit a notoriously haunted bed and breakfast in Vermont.  In the end, all members will share what they have learned on their cases with one another in what is called The Situation Room.

On a show such as Fact or Faked:  Paranormal Files, good teamwork is crucial for obtaining significant research and evidence.  I recently was given the great honor of catching up wiht the show’s team leader, Ben Hansen.  Hansen enthusiastically discussed his role within the group, and how his esteemed colleagues help make the show so successful.  Jael de Pardo is a journalist, Bill Murphy acts as a lead scientist, Austin Porter is the stunt expert, while Lanisha Cole offers her expertise in photography and Devin Marble gives support as a tech specialist.  The team meshes well, and brings forth good chemistry and harmonious cohesion.  Cole and Marble are the team’s newer members, replacing former photographer, Chi-Lan Lieu, and effects specialist, Larry Caughlan, Jr.  According to Hansen, team members sometimes need to move on and so they must be prepared to let go and bring in new experts as needed.  “We have open calls for new members all the time.  You just never know when someone will need to leave, and so we are always looking for new additions to the team,” explains Hansen.  Cole, the newest member this season, was the perfect fit in the area of photography.  Hansen states, “She always has a camera with her.  It’s great for a lot of behind-the-scene photos we are doing right now.”

Though some team members have come and gone, Hansen has no intention, himself, of leaving anytime soon.  He loves where he’s at in regards to the show, and is looking forward to Season 3 with great anticipation.  For Hansen, this is a dream job.  “I have had a life-long interest in the paranormal,” confides the team leader.  When Hansen was a child, he started to become passionate about the unknown, especially after watching a certain movie.  “I was around eight-years-old and I watched E.T.  After I saw it, I laid awake that night thinking about life on other planets.  My dad bought me a book on extraterrestrials, but I hid it.  I thought it was geeky, and I was embarrassed to show anyone else the book.  I also very much became inspired by UFOs because of my grandfather.  He worked at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.  Later on, while I was in college, I got into ghost hunting.  I would go out on ghost investigations and it was then that I got my first EVP.  I guess I probably should have been studying instead,” Hansen says with a chuckle.  Post college, Hansen started working in law enforcement and investigated child sex crimes, among other things.  “I love criminal investigations,” states the former FBI agent.  “I always watched X-Files when I was growing up, so I thought, ‘Why can’t I do both?’”  Hansen further states that he uses many of the same skills on Fact or Faked that he did while working in the FBI.  He considers interviewing witnesses to be one of his strengths while investigating.  “After doing an analysis of a video, I need to talk to the witness or the source.  Replication of the video only gets you so far,” explains Hansen.

I asked the show’s leader what is the one place he would love to investigate that he hasn’t had a chance to as of yet.  “I would go to Roswell.  I am really into UFOs, and it would be amazing to investigate there,” answers Hansen.  “There is a supposed autopsy video of an alien at Roswell.”  Now, that would be quite a piece of footage for the team to review!

So, what does it take for Hansen and his team to analyze their submitted videos and photos back at their California base? “First off, I don’t like the word, ‘debunk;’ instead, I like to use the phrase, ‘verifying paranormal claims.’  As far as what to look for in footage, well, that’s a good question.  The human mind has different levels of intellect.  The mind can only keep track of four variables, including logic and emotion.  To me, if I look at something and it just doesn’t feel right, then I break it apart logically.  Then, there are the signs of c.g. (computer graphics) and there are also the psychological aspects.  If I see a video where the camera is set to a certain spot in a room, to me, it looks like the person filming may be staging something; by getting the viewer to look in a specific area, as if something will be happening there.  Also, majority of hoaxing videos are brought to us and not the other way around.  If we go searching the Internet for footage, it’s different.  If someone seeks us out to show their video, it very well could be faked.”

When it comes to hoaxes, some can be quite involved and elaborate.  One case, in particular, comes to mind for Hansen.  “On our show one of the most amazing hoaxes was that of the Dr. Jonathan Reed alien case out of Washington.  We still get comments from Reed’s group, and he is still striving to revisit his case.  What amazes me is the extent he goes through to talk about it,” states Hansen.  Reed is infamous for his tales of alien encounters.  Many in the field consider him to be a showman of sorts, and even worse, a fraud.  Apparently, as one of Reed’s stories go, he was once walking through a quiet Washington forest with his dog.  Suddenly, the dog became spooked and broke loose from his leash.  Reed tries to chase after his pet, but can’t get to him.  Eventually, he discovers a gruesome scene.  Reed’s beloved pet is being ripped apart from limb to limb by an alien-like creature, only a couple of feet away.  Reed runs up to the creature and smacks it on the head with a large stick, knocking it to the ground causing it to bleed.  Soon after, Reed sees a floating object, much like a spaceship, that measures  3 feet by 2 feet.  In addition, after the dog died, Reed claims that the alien turned its bloodied body into ash.  So, he grabs a video camera and starts filming everything going on around him.  Meanwhile, Reed starts vomiting in the background, and can be heard breathing heavily on camera.  He then takes the alien back to his house, wraps it in a blanket, and puts it in a freezer.  Shortly after, Reed decides to take a nap but is too restless to sleep.  He goes back over to the alien body and starts to film once again.  Most who view the footage adamantly believe it to be nothing more than a hoax, albeit an elaborate one.  Some disagree, however, and claim the video to be legit, noting the convincing blinking of the alien’s eyes in one scene.

Hansen believes that paranormal hoaxers have been around for centuries.  Doctored photographs of spirits and ectoplasmic images were commonly seen during the Victorian Era.  “This was like an early version of Photoshop,” laughs Hansen.

Though there are plenty of fakes out there, Hansen also notes that there are videos and photographs that just cannot be explained, especially some of which are seen on Fact or Faked:  Paranormal Files.  “I like the cases that leave me perplexed, including one that will be seen in the spring season.  It’s about a woman in the U.K. who disappeared.  It involves alien abduction.  I can’t really say too much about it, but you do know now that I never could understand the case and I am still intrigued by it,” confides the investigator.

As mentioned earlier in this passage, some footage needs a more detailed investigation, which warrants a visit to the actual site where the activity was experienced or recorded.  Theories need to be tested in order to ensure the evidence filmed is indeed, authentic.  Scientific gadgets and impressive pieces of equipment are used during this part of the research process.  Everything from inflatable spaceships to high-tech thermal cameras are utilized, and many of these devices are worthy of a James Bond movie.  Team members must be prepared for just about anything when investigating a para-claim.  So, how do these guys think of such involved and highly detailed theories and experiments?  “A lot of what you see is through our viewers’ suggestions which are found online.  We try out their ideas, even if the experiments seem over-the-top and ridiculous,” explains Hansen.  “We’ve even called Disney before for information on holograms.”

When the team is not looking for mermaids or is busy searching out life on other planets, they are spending time with people who love them best- their fans.  For Hansen, meeting fans face-to-face is his other great passion.  “I love to break away from filming and meet my fans.  This brings me satisfaction.”  Hansen and his teammates get to visit their Fact or Faked fans at a variety of national paranormal conventions set up throughout the year, and also by organizing ghost hunts with the public.  Hansen, and sometimes other members from the team, will host paranormal investigations and allow their fans to participate.  One of Hansen’s last ghost hunts was at the very haunted Ft. Mifflin in Pennsylvania.  Hansen has worked with the cast of the hit show, Ghost Hunters, and is planning a large investigation set for March with Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango.  Sometimes Hansen leads his public investigations alone, while other times he will join forces with other team members or paranormal celebrities.  “It really depends on the size of the event ultimately,” states Hansen.  “We love bringing the investigations to our fans and allowing them the the chance to learn.”  Participating on an investigation with highly skilled researchers such as Hansen, is a truly great way to gain experience and insight as a paranormal investigator.

Though many aspects of the paranormal are not fully understood, and we often encounter numerous faked or hoaxed pieces of evidence in the field, one thing is for certain-Hansen and his team of experts are the real deal.  Knowledgable, credible and highly professional, the cast of Fact or Faked:  Paranormal Files  is one to be watched for many more seasons to come… and that, after all, is a fact.

Fact or Faked:  Paranormal Files  can be seen on the SyFy Channel on Wednesday nights, 10/9c.

There are only two weeks left of Season 2, so catch these last great episodes while you can!

If you would like to connect with Ben Hansen, look for him on Twitter at BenHansen00.  Or, you can become a fan of Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files by going onto syfy.com/factorfaked/twitter.  If on Facebook, you may look for Ben Hansen or go to www.facebook.com/FactOrFaked   

If you would like to make arrangements to do a ghost investigation with Ben Hansen, please contact Kim Rebman at penkavak@yahoo.com for more details. 

For more information on the show or if you are interested in submitting a video or photograph to the team, please visit www.syfy.com.     

Photos for this story were granted by NBC Universal.  Copyright 2011 NBC Universal, All Rights Reserved.

It’s been alleged that Bieber has fathered a child and the mother is so sure it’s his, she’s demanding a court ordered paternity test to prove what she already knows and will validate her claim for child support.

Now I am personally not a fan of Bieber, but the mother’s story is delusional at best.  If it did happen, it’s a stroke of bad luck and proves that testosterone is the worst thing in the world, making young teenage boys go temporarily insane.

The girl involved states that a security guard saw her getting into a concert, which she attended at the Staples Center last year.  The guard asked her if she wanted to come backstage and meet Bieber after he performed – now what girl would say no to that.  However, why didn’t he take a few of the other thousands of screaming tweens backstage?  Then, her story gets even more strange.  She alleges that when Bieber met her it was love at first sight.  They started making out, then he asked her to come to a place a bit more private, which she obliged.

You’d think it would be his changing room; however, the young pop star took her to the bathroom where she conceived this baby.

Come on, this is a person who rented the very same arena to watch a movie in private with his girlfriend, Selena Gomez.  So, why in the world would Bieber take this other girl to the bathroom?  I personally think the popular singer is the victim of a girl’s fantasy.  I know this young woman has a child, but she probably thought back to the guy she slept with that is actually the father and said, “Hmm, I have an idea!”  Realizing he would never pay, she went after her dream man.  On the other hand, she may not know who the real father is, and it may get very Maury Povich up in here.

If this is Bieber’s child, it is very out of character for the pop star and this could destroy his career.  Why?  Teen idols don’t tend to have it very easy in their adult years because their fan base goes on to the next young heartthrob.  In other words, these girls throw them to the curb like yesterday’s designer looks. Bieber, being 17, is almost at that plateau where he would make it or become another victim to teenage stardom.  Since he’s at that critical age, and if he has a child, he will no longer be as desirable among teenage girls.  Moms will not want to have their girls look at him as a role model.  It could spell tragedy.  Hopefully, he has invested that money into something other than renting arenas.

Only time will tell, but it’s not looking good for old Bieber!

From 1993 to 1997, Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-head ruled the airwaves with sarcastic jokes at music videos and soft-action antics that made us believe and wish that these things actually happened. Their next-door neighbor, for example, had his house graffitied, his lawn fricasseed, and his tool shed sodomized so often he changed his name and likeness and moved far far away. Tom Anderson grew hair and became Hank Hill, regional manager of Strickland Propane on the award-winning animated sitcom King of the Hill. Hank became an iconic character all by his Lone Star lonesome. But now, almost twenty years after the original premiere of Beavis and Butt-head, Mr. Hill will return to his roots because the lazy half-wit misfits next door are back and better animated than ever!

MTV will be airing brand-spanking new (heh-heh, spanking!) episodes of “Beavis and Butt-head” every Thursday night at 10 p.m. The premiere last week heralded the pair in the movie theater, making wise-cracks at “Twilight” much to the chagrin of the nearby girls. Later they learn in school that the rebelliousness and strength of the undead have always been attractive to women, so the boys stalk the town streets for werewolves. They find an HIV-ridden bum, bribe him to bite them, and the audiences are jumping out of their chairs in triumph, “Beavis and Butt-head are really back!”

But now that MTV is no longer about music but fluff and fake personalities, what will the boys make fun of? Oh, what indeed! “Jersey Shore” is expected to be a regular victim (“You’re the best grandma in the world, Grandma JWoww.” “Heh-heh, yeah…please don’t hit me again!”), as well as “16 and Pregnant,” “Real Life,” and, yes, music videos. The simplistic action will also stay true to the early 90s version, as the boys will continue to be inept at literally everything except self-mutilation and vandalism against unsuspecting townsfolk.

The new digital age, where the latest thing is the fad for only five minutes, could use commentators as simple and to-the-point as Beavis and Butt-head. The voice of the early 90s has now become the voice of the Internet, and while impaling their own hands with screws and seeking bites from hobos, many can agree that they match the intelligence of many Internet commenters and reality show stars, but are, like, way cooler.

Its going on over 7 years since they started Howl-O-Scream and I have enjoyed going back year after year.  This year I heard they were changing things around a little, so I was extra excited to see what they had to offer.  This year the theme was “The Dark Side of the Gardens”, zombies infest the haunted landscape, and they lived up to their theme.

Inside there were tons of haunted attractions including:  Nevermore, Ultimate Gamble Vampire Casino, Nightshade Toys, Death Row Vengeance -Fear the Dead, Destruction – The Dr. is Out of Control, Alone and the signature house Zombie Mortuary.  There are also scare spots across the park and all their roller coasters were operating even in the dark for an extra scary thrill.

From the moment you walk in the entire park was decked out as is if it were a garden.  Wrought iron fences draped in ivy and vines, but beware because as I found out leaning up against one of these walls or gates, there maybe something lurking behind.

Zombies, cheerleader zombies and evil clowns walk the park revving up chain saws from behind you, screaming at your face, scraping metal across the concrete as you walk the paths throughout the park.  Sometimes you don’t even know they are there, because they blend in.

Throughout the night I was able to visit two houses and ride one ride.

Cheetah Hunt

I chose for a ride “Cheetah Hunt” the brand new roller coaster to Busch Gardens.  Using magnet technology you are boosted from 0 to 60 mph in seconds. You ride down a path, making you feel like you are a cheetah running across the Serengeti.  You are propelled up 120 feet at 60 mph, reaching G forces of 4G simulating a cheetah jumping into the trees, then a short 90 degree drop.

I actually rode this amazing coaster during the day but at night… WOW!  I would seriously recommend this coaster.  There are not a lot of upside down loops, only one barrel roll, but its a fun ride you won’t soon forget.

**For this special event, this ride fills up fast, expect long lines with long wait times.  I suggest since this is a brand new coaster, hit this first**

Death Row Vengeance 

Now this was a cool haunted house.  It had some great effects for sure.  You’ll walk through the death chambers including the lethal injection, where you watch a man as he is strapped to the table, needle hanging out and waiting to meet the devil.  Walk through the maze and you will soon come across a strobe filled electric chair, where a damned inmate’s fate is sealed.  You’ll even see the old fashioned gallows where a man is strung up by his neck waiting to drop to his death.

When you come to the death row cell block, you’ll be “greeted” by the charming inmates and inmates float across the hallway above you.

I LOVED this house, wasn’t a horrific house, but it had a scare factor of its own.

Nevermore

The final house I went to was Nevermore.  This was a wicked cool house, because it has the feel of an old haunted victorian house with art statues that fill the atrium and garden; but don’t be surprised if one of or more of these statues come to life and try to grab you.  You’ll experience a haunted house, similar to the “Haunted Mansion” at Disney, just you won’t be in a ride, you’ll be up close and personal with the haunted entities.

I love the feel, the effects were amazing and by far my favorite house I had the pleasure to experience

What to Expect

All the rides are active except for the water rides, the Phoenix, and the kids area.  I would not suggest bringing children under 10 it is violent.  Get your tickets online if you can to help lessen the wait at the door.  Get there early, its packed and parking is tough and Busch Blvd is at a stand still.  Expect to wait in long lines, so bring your smart phone and sit back for the fun ride!

The event goes from September 28th to October 29th.

Passport members get in for $32.99, tickets are normally $77.00 – to purchase tickets visit http://seaworldparks.com/howloscream_com_2011/#/home/

Once again, Busch Gardens didn’t disappoint

ESPN who purchased the rights to Monday Night Football a few years ago fired Williams for his comments about President Obama.  He openly criticized President Obama as a “mass murderer who tried to destroy an entire race of people”.

On his website following the firing William’s stated this: “After reading hundreds of e-mails, I have made MY decision. By pulling my opening Oct 3rd, You (ESPN) stepped on the Toes of The First Amendment. Freedom of Speech, so therefore Me, My Song, and All My Rowdy Friends are OUT OF HERE. It’s been a great run.” — Hank Williams Jr.”

Who will be introducing Monday Night Football is yet to be seen, but a three plus decade tradition is now gone.  Honestly, like President Obama or not, that statement was not based on sound facts, but did they have a right to fire him?  Did ESPN step on his right to freedom of speech?  Hank Williams Jr.’s comments do not reflect the opinions of ESPN or their affiliates?  To me this does prove that we are not truly “free” to say what we want regardless how right or wrong it is.  I guess American’s do have to be more careful for what they say or face stiff penalties.  True, he’s not jailed for talking about our President but he sure is being treated like one.

Would this have happened had he chastised a Republican or President Bush?  The world may never know!

Benefit Concert for Tammy’s Tigers

Sunday October 1st from 6:00  to 10:00 PM

Located at the Beef-O-Brady’s at 7040 Land O Lakes Blvd – Land O Lakes, FL

The singer encompasses many musical genres such as blues, rock, soul, folk and even jazz, making her hard to categorize but delightful to listen to.  Atkinson’s smoky and sultry vocals captivate the soul.  Beautifully dynamic, this amazing singer offers something for every type, no matter their style.

Atkinson, originally from the Appalachian foothills in South Carolina, also known as The Piedmont, began singing back when she was only five-years-old.  She started out at school and church events.  Raised with a strong gospel influence, Atkinson participated in tent singings.  At fourteen, her mother presented her with a guitar, and it wasn’t long after that Atkinson began songwriting.  From that moment, the young singer’s love of music escalated.

In 1988, Atkinson performed a song, along with some of her friends, at a local festival.  The head of the venue, also a club owner, heard her voice and asked if she could play at his club on a Friday night.  For years to follow, Atkinson did indeed perform at the club and at the festival, thus gaining the highly esteemed reputation of a songwriter and gifted blues singer.

Wanting to explore the option of singing as a career, Atkinson decided to spend a summer in Maine, near Portland.  The gig, held at a resort called Camp Ellis, was a great way of allowing Atkinson to expand upon her musical abilities.

Then, in 1994, the singer moved to Florida and it was at this juncture that her life changed.  Atkinson fell in love with the “Sunshine State” after visitng her sister.  The warm climate also proved to be quite inviting.  Many great musicians in Florida began recognizing Atkinson’s great musical talents and encouraged her to further her career.

In 1995, Atkinson released her first CD, which was self-titled.  The CD featured ten original songs and was performed with Little Juke and 1 Nite Stand, a band which Atkinson put together and named.  Little Juke performed as the lead guitarist.  The CD received outstanding reviews from critics, and earned airtime on many radio stations around the nation, Australia and Europe.

Four years later, Atkinson’s second CD came out.  It also got much praise and played on blues shows all over the world.  Why Baby Why was produced by Tampa Bay’s Blues Godfather, Rock Bottom.  Rock achieved great popularity as a bluesman, especially in Europe.  He was also a tremendous help to Atkinson over the years, mentoring her with her musical career.  “I learned about the business from him.  He was always there to help others.  Rock believed it was important to give something back, like with a charity,” stated Atkinson.  In 2001, Rock died of a heart attack.  On Sept. 25th, Atkinson will play in Rock’s honor at Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa, marking the 10 year anniversary of his death.

Atkinson’s third CD, Million Dollar Baby, emerged in 2001 and featured guitarist Tomcat Blake; it had twelve more original songs on it.

In 2005, From There to Here was released, which included a compilation of Atkinson’s songs from her first three CD’s along with five new selections.  There would be twenty-two songs in total.

Atkinson’s fifth CD debuted in 2010, featuring a collection of her studio sessions and a live recording from a show at The Palladium Theatre in St. Petersburg.  This CD was the first to be recorded with Atkinson’s band, The True Loves, named after her first true love- music.

There is no doubt that Atkinson has come far since her early days singing at church events and small town festivals.  In addition to her CDs, Atkinson served as the committee chairperson for the Suncoast Blues Society’s “Blues in the School” program, which Rock Bottom was initially asked to be head of.  Rock booked the first session, but sadly passed away before he was able to participate. Atkinson took over for Rock and acted as chairperson from 2001-2005 in order to develop the project.  Atkinson was excited to tell me about some of her experiences while on this very special committee.  “I went to this fourth grade class in Clearwater.  I  showed the kids how the guitar works and talked about who Rock {Bottom} was.  I played a song by Rock, too.  I also sang, “Hound Dog” to them, by Big Mama Thornton.  I let them all touch the guitar.  I tried to think ahead of time what could I write for a group of kids about the blues; something thye could relate to at that age and still be entertaining.  I came up with ‘I Lost My Homework’,” Atkinson chuckled.  The singer still occasionally visits schools and does sessions.  The Suncoast Blues Society established a scholarship fund in Rock’s name for children that want to study music.  The schlolarship is awarded annually.

This fall, on October 9th, Atkinson will be performing at a benefit concert to raise awareness for Autism.  The event will take place at The Beach Theatre in St. Pete Beach.  Atkinson and her band, The True Loves will be performing along with a line-up of other amazing Tampa Bay musicians.  Tom Bell, Gale Trippsmith, Ronny Elliott, and the Black Honkeys will all take stage that Sunday from 1-6 pm.  Bobby Collins will be heading the event.  Collins is an advocate for Autism, and took over for Wendy Wrucha, a former speech pathologist who worked at All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg.  Wrucha died unexpectedly when she contracted menigitis in March of this year.  The speech pathologist helped Autistic children and was an avid supporter for finding a cure.  She worked hard at raising funds and even ran in the 2010 NYC marathon, where she personally was able to bring in $2600 in sponsorship.  Bobby Collins, a friend of Wrucha’s, along with a few others, took over for her after her passing.  Collins heads the local Autism chapter now, and is very excited for his October concert.  Because of Collins and his friends, Autism Speaks in the Tampa Bay area proudly lives on.  The concert will be sponsored by TBT (Tampa Bay Times) and will be hosted by Marvelous Marvin; it would have certainly made Wrucha proud.  For more information, please go to www.wendyswarriors.org and AutismSpeaks.org.  Tickets for the concert are $7.00.

Atkinson plays some pretty amazing venues, that’s for sure.  “I love performing at Tobacco Road in Miami, as well as Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa, the National Women in Blues Fest in North Carolina, Dunedin Wines and Brew, the Naples Jazz Fest and Ribfest here in St. Petersburg,” Atkinson stated.  In addition to performing in the U.S., the singer has traveled to Norway, where she enjoying performing at the Muddy Waters Blues Fest in Oslo.  And if she had a choice of where she would love to one day perform, the answer was an easy one for Atkinson.  “The Chicago Blues Fest would be amazing,” the singer said smiling.

Atkinson is not necessarily considered to be a traditional blues singer.  With musical influenes ranging from Etta James and Elvis to Janis Joplin and Big Mama Thornton, Atkinson has complexity.  She doesn’t fit into a classic mold, and that is a good thing.  Her voice is raw, intriguing and magical.  I get a strong Joplin vibe from Atkinson, which makes sense considering she listened to the famous singer’s albums many times over when younger.  “When I was a kid, I would take a radio into my bedroom.  I listened to many different singers and types of music; it was never just one kind of genre,” explained Atkinson.

The singer also contributes her great love of music variety to her parents, especially her mother.  “She was an influence to me and a huge Elvis fan,” confided Atkinson.

There is plenty of heart and soul in Atkinson’s music.  “For me, words and music come together.  It’s a feeling I get.  Mood defies the style; it’s what I feel at the moment,” states the singer.  “One time I went to Key West with my sister.  While there I saw a bumper sticker which read, ‘A woman’s place is in control.”  Atkinson took a sip from her glass of sangria and laughed.  For the bluesy singer and songwriter, the moment does indeed defy her music.  Passionate, soulful and strong is what describes Atkinson best.  In fact, the singer showcases her personality with her very own t-shirt and tank top logo:  “When the blues reach down and try to steal your soul, it takes a bitch to rock and roll.”  Clever and humorously written, these are words to live by especially in the music world.

With so many other strong and talented female singers out there in the industry, if given the opportunity to meet one of them, who would Atkinson choose?  “I would love to meet Bonnie Raitt.  I hear very good things about her and who she is as a person,” explained the singer.

For Atkinson, life is pretty darn good.  Getting to perform on stage and being able to entertain audiences is a dream come true.  Yet, the singer still can wish for more.  “In music, I would love to be known one day as a writer.  Songwriting is such an important contribution.

With her caring and passionate soul, Atkinson decided to write a song about the BP oil spill disaster.  “To me that was an outrageous, irresponsible incident,” stated the singer.  “I wrote the song, ‘Greed and Lust,’ also known as ‘The Gulf is Crying.’”  The song was featured on Atkinson’s last CD, and is also on a site with songs from other artists sponsored by Blues Revue Magazine.  For more information go to http://bluesrevue.com/2010/blues-for-the-gulf-compilation-available/.

Atkinson is currently working on a Christmas CD, along with a compilation album, which will feature the “best of’s.”  Duke Robelard, who has won many awards in his career, including being nominated for the Grammys, is recording one of her songs, along with a female artist he is promoting.  In addition, Atkinson has started a children’s book titled, “I Lost My Homework,” stemming form her days educating children on the blues.

And perhaps a few of those fourth graders may one day wish to follow in Atkinson’s footsteps.  For those who aspire to be musicians, the singer has some helpful advice.  “Take groups of CD’s, all different kinds, and listen to various songs.  Pick about ten different ones that you like.  Dynamics are important; learn to stretch your voice.  Also, work with other musicians and learn from them.  In addition, try an open mike as this gives great opportunity for feedback, which allows for growth.  And don’t get discouraged, as with this kind of economy there are more bands than gigs.  People always want to be entertained and hear music.  I say, if it’s part of your soul, feed it,” Atkinson spoke proudly.

The wonderfully skilled singer and songwriter has worked hard over the years and knows just what it takes to be successful.  Yet, for Atkinson, music is not just a job; it’s a way of life and who she is as an individual.  “Music is fun and it is my refuge,” confided Atkinson.  “It will always be my first true love, no matter what happens.”

For more information on Sandy Atkinson, please visit her website at:

sandyatkinson.net

-or-

www.triviamusicart.com

Atkinson’s CD’s are available for purchase at:

Reverb Nation at reverbnation.com

iTunes

Amazon.com

Daddy Kool Records at daddykool.com

Actress Cindy Morgan, who portrayed Lacey Underall in the classic 1980 comedy, Caddyshack, and starred as dual characters, Lora/Yori in the original Tron, is still just as radiant today as she ever was.

Yet, Morgan is so much more than just a pretty face.  I recently had the extreme honor of catching up with the actress and found her to be an absolute delight to talk with.  Confident, down-to-earth, intelligent and beautifully genuine describe Morgan well.

Born in the great town of Chicago, Illinois to Polish and German parents, Morgan was just the girl-next-door.  She attended Catholic school and eventually went on to college, becoming the first in her family to do so.  While at Northern Illinois University, Morgan studied communications.  During her collegiate years, she played records on the radio.  And when a local station wanted Morgan to report the news for them, a change had to be made.  Originally born as Cynthia Ann Cichorski, the Midwestern coed took on the name Cindy Morgan.  Morgan was inspiration from the tale of Morgan le Fay, who was King Arthur’s half sister; a book she read as a child.

Post graduation, Morgan took on a job reporting the weather for a local television station, but also kept her hand in radio by working the graveyard shift at a rock station.  She later began working at auto shows, which brought Morgan coast-to-coast.  It was then that she decided to move out to Los Angeles, and in 1978, became the Irish Spring girl.  With her fresh-faced look, it was easy to see why Morgan was cast for such a job.  While the blonde beauty spent time doing television advertisements, she also studied acting.  It wasn’t long after that Morgan landed her first big screen role in one of the funniest movies of all time.

First time director, Harold Ramis, began working on a comedy called Caddyshack.  The film featured many big name actors and was inspired by writer Brian Doyle-Murray and his memories of working as a caddy back in Winnetka, Illinois.  Bill and John Murray, in addition to Ramis, were also caddies back in the day and were able to bring forth their stories to the making of the movie.  The comedy and its colorful characters were based on real-life golfers and caddies through the eyes of Ramis and the Murray brothers.

Ramis decided to film Caddyshack on a golf course in Davie, Florida even though the story was to be set in the Midwest.  The South Florida course was picked as it did not have any palm trees and was far away from California.

From gopher puppets to unscripted dialogue, there was quite a bit of insanity on the set of Caddyshack, as Morgan recalls.

The film starred actors Chevy Chase and Bill Murray, as well as stand-up comedian, Rodney Dangerfield.  With an all-star cast, one could only assume that a young actress in her first big film would be a bit nervous.  According to Morgan, she distanced herself from the actors before the movie was even set to be filmed.  “I just stopped watching their work so that I wouldn’t be intimidated,” confided the actress.  By refusing to watch Chase and Murray, in particular, Morgan didn’t feel as flustered walking into filming that first day.  She merely introduced herself to the men, made friends and began working.

From day one on the set of Caddyshack, there was a whole lot of crazy.  Ramis was inexperienced as a director and it sometimes showed.  {Bill} Murray was on production just six days, and all of his lines went unscripted.  For the climatic golf course explosions which appeared at the end of the film, things didn’t go quite as predicted.  The massive fire balls were not approved by the country club owners because they feared the golf course would be badly damaged.  Movie producers were eventually able to convince the club owners to attend an off-site meeting, and it was then that the Caddyshack crew set off the explosions.  In addition, the golf course was near the Ft. Lauderdale Airport, and after the explosives went off, an incoming pilot reported what he believed to be a crashed plane.  Little did he know that it was one of the most famous scenes of Caddyshack coming together.

The silliness in front of the cameras also existed behind the cameras as well.  The cast of Caddyshack partied throughout the wee hours of the morning, only for them to wake up a few hours later to film.  Some members of the crew drove around in golf carts late at night on the course.  That is, until the keys were taken away from them.  However, that hardly stopped the crazy antics.  The cast and crew soon learned how to hotwire the carts.

Morgan’s first time being filmed for Caddyshack was a bit of a challenge.  The famous pool scene with the diving board was daunting, especially since Morgan is legally blind without glasses and contacts.  Hardly a swimmer, forget a diver, Morgan feared the worst.  “One month before filming I had to take all kinds of lessons, including swimming.  I couldn’t have my contact lens in for the scene, and so I had to literally climb the ladder blind.  I walked out on the board and saw nothing,” recalled the actress.

Her second scene wasn’t any easier.  “I had to film the nude scene.  I had never done anything like that before.  I was in Catholic school and was the Irish Spring girl!  I was suddenly told that a Playboy photographer would be coming out to do a shoot of the scene.  I was furious, so I contacted my agent and he said, “Honey, you’re not a doe-eyed girl from the Midwest, handle it.”  Morgan remembered that many people were standing in the room during the scene, making it even more uncomfortable.  “I stopped the filming and cleared the set,” stated the actress.  With her contract on the line, and the possibility of not ever being able to work again, the strong-minded Morgan fought for her right as a woman in the film industry in 1979.  “They ended up sending in the photographer, but no shoot was done.  I’m from Chicago, and let’s just say my broadcasting background came in handy.  I stood my ground and I’m hard-headed.  No one was going to win that battle.  That was the day Lacey became Lacey.”

When I spoke with Morgan I asked her what her favorite scene was in the movie.  Without any hesitation she stated it was the infamous piano scene opposite Chevy Chase.  According to the actress, many scenes in Caddyshack were improvised and unscripted.  The piano scene was no exception, which was set at the house of Ty Webb, Chase’s character.  “Harold Ramis told me to sit down at the piano next to Chevy.  He said, ‘Sing me a love song.’  Next thing I know, I look over and see the cameras are on and rolling.  I thought, ‘Oh my God, they’re shooting this!’,” exclaimed Morgan.  Needless to say, the piano scene was never set to be in the movie at all and everything involved was improvised, from the singing to the tequila.  It was also at this point in the film that Morgan and Chase were butting heads.  The two had had a fight just prior to the scene.  The atmosphere was indeed tense.  “I was mad at him {Chase}.  He was challenging me, even while the cameras were rolling, and pressing buttons,” recalled Morgan.  Filming the massage scene in Ty’s bedroom was not the least bit relaxing for the actress.  “We filmed in the middle of a Florida summer.  It was really hot; my make-up kept running because I was sweating so bad.  Chevy just kept trying to make me mad.  He spilled all that oil on my back on purpose; it wasn’t in the script.  When I blurted out suddenly, ‘You’re crazy,’ that was genuine.”  For Morgan, her relationship with Chase was “love-hate.”  When things between the two were good, well, they were really good.  Chase helped Morgan on the set at times and was a friend.  “I loved all my scenes with Chevy.  He is a comic genuis,” fondly stated Morgan.  But when things were bad, well, let’s just say the actress had to watch her back… literally.

After Caddyshack, Morgan got the role of Dr. Lora Baines/Yori in the original Tron, which was released in 1982.  Actor Jeff Bridges portrayed Kevin Flynn in the film.  Dr. Baines was the computer programmer or “User” of Yori, who was part of the digital world.  Tron was a Disney film and one of the first of its kind with state-of-the-art computer graphics and special effects.  Its amazing visuals and talented cast made it a box office success.  It became a cult favorite and later turned into a massive franchise.  Tron achieved movie making history, as it was the first computer generated film.  Acting in this type of movie wasn’t always easy.  There were a couple of times that Morgan had difficulty visualizing objects or settings that weren’t actually there, but said she got through it all with the help of her amazing colleagues.  “I worked with great actors.  The reality of it all was in each other’s eyes,” explained Morgan.  In 2010, TRON: Legacy was released, and to many fans great dismay, Morgan was not in the returning cast.  Therefore, an online campaign, Yori Lives!, was started up by these very same fans in order to bring Morgan’s character, Yori, back to life once again.  It has proven quite successful and Morgan cannot thank her supporters enough.  And because of the campaign, Morgan makes appearances all over the U.S. at various conferences and expos signing autographs and doing “meet and greets” for her Tron followers.  Morgan is greatly humbled by this and tells me it is a tremendous honor to be so loved.

In addition to both films, Caddyshack and Tron, Morgan has appeared on numerous television shows over the years.  She has starred on Chips, The Fall Guy, The Love Boat and Matlock, just to name a few.  Jane Wyman, aka Angela Channing, was Morgan’s co-star on the popular 1980 series, Falcon Crest.  Morgan greatly enjoyed working with Wyman and has some very special memories of her.  When asked if Morgan had a favorite television show she acted on, she quickly answered with Bring ‘Em Back Alive.   The adventure series, which appeared on television back in the early 80s, starred Morgan and her co-stars Bruce Boxleitner and Ron O’Neal.  “I loved that show.  I did my best work with Bring ‘Em Back Alive,” fondly stated the actress.

Morgan has done more than just acting.  In 1995, she was the associate producer for three television movies:  Out There, Dead Weekend, and Amanda and the Alien.

In 2003, Morgan supplied her voice for the Tron 2.0 PC game, and in 2006 she was the voice of Emily S. Preston in Night Traveler, a multimedia adventure series.

Today, the very talented and motivated Morgan is working on a book about her experiences in acting, specifically while on the set of Caddyshack.  A definite must-read for the movie’s fans, much like myself.  And until the book is released, be sure to check your television guide for Bio Channel’s Caddyshack: The Inside Story.  The documentary features some of the cast and their experiences on the set.  Filming secrets are exposed and many humorous stories are recounted.  Morgan is interviewed in the documentary, sharing her own personal memories of the movie.  Once Morgan’s book is published, she plans to go back into radio.  When not writing or traveling to conferences, Morgan spends time at her home in Florida.

She is also passionate about charity events, such as ones which support the U.S. military.  Morgan’s father fought in WWII.  In 2006, she headed the Caddyshack Reunion Golf Tournament at the Willow Crest Golf Club in her home state of Illinois.  The tournament reunited some of the original Caddyshack cast along with other various celebrities.  It was done for a good cause as it raised funds and awareness to benefit the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund, an organization to help families of the National Guard and reservists on active duty.

One thing in particular that I picked up on while talking to Morgan was that she has a very kind and genuine nature.  The loyal actress adores all of her fans and supporters.  She attends conferences and expos across the nation to sign autographs, take pictures and talk.  Whether those waiting in line to meet Morgan are followers of her character, Yori from Tron, or those who knew and loved her as Lacey Underall in Caddyshack, she is there for each and every one of them.  In addition to her meet and greets, Morgan also enjoys chatting with her fans via social media sites, such as Facebook.

Personally, I’m a Caddyshack fan.  I most likely have seen the movie nearly a hundred times.  I must admit, when younger, I wanted to be like Lacey.  She was sexy, confident and had great style.  She was always, without a doubt, one of my favorite characters in the film.   I asked Morgan how she feels when she watches herself in the classic comedy.  “It was really hard for me to watch in the beginning.  I was very critical of myself, saying things like, ‘I wish I had done that line differently.’  It’s easier to watch now though.  I was very lucky to have been a part of that movie.”

Although Morgan may no longer enjoy skinny skiing or going to bullfights on acid, there is a part of her that still embodies Lacey.  And, even if the actress did not reprise her beloved role in TRON: Legacy, Yori does still live on.  Morgan’s positive attitude and fearless nature keeps the characters of her past, strong within her soul.

A big thanks goes out to Ms. Cindy Morgan for taking the time to do this wonderful interview with me for The Expressionist Magazine.  It was an honor to have such an opportunity.

***For more information on the actress, please visit her website at www.Cindy-Morgan.com

What:  Howl- O- Scream 2011: The Dark Side of the Gardens
Where:  Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
When:  Every Thursday- Sunday starting September 29th to October 29th
Price:   Tickets start at $77.99 each

For more information visit: Howl-O-Scream’s Official Website

Sunshine and Bullets… who are they?  Simply put, they are one of the coolest bands of all time; a rock fanatic’s dream. Sunshine and Bullets brings a new sound to rock music that’s itching to be heard. They are made up of three powerful performers: Rich Keane, the singer and guitarist, Amanda Hamers, singer and bassist, and the drummer Kyle Wolfman. I had the amazing opportunity to talk to these National Recording Artists on what they love, how their album’s going, and the general life of Sunshine and Bullets.

Expressionist Magazine: How did Sunshine and Bullets get together and decide to make music?

Amanda: We all knew each other through different bands and different projects and it was something new to try.

Expressionist Magazine: How did you decide on the name Sunshine and Bullets?

Rich: We were all going through names. Then suddenly I shot out “bullets of sunshine.” Amanda goes, why don’t we change it around since it sounds like “bullet for my sunshine.” Then that was that, it became Sunshine and Bullets.

Expressionist Magazine: Do you guys have an inspiration or someone you look up to in music?

Rich: Yeah, for guitar players it would be Jimi Hendrix, Mike Einziger from Incubus, and Joe Perry from Aerosmith. For vocalists it would be Brandon Boyed from Incubus and Pete Loeffler from Chevelle.

Kyle: Morgan Rose, Jose Pasillas the drummer for Incubus, and anybody who makes me move.

Amanda: For a bass player it would be Emma Anzai from Sick Puppies, and singer Gwen Stefani.

Expressionist Magazine: How does it feel for your first album to come out?

Kyle: It’s exciting! Pretty tough in the works, but it’s definitely a learning experience. I mean, we were actually in the studio and fans enjoy our work. It took a lot to complete, but it is a good feeling and it spreads like fire!

Expressionist Magazine: What’s the first album Fight for Andromeda about?

Rich: It’s not random. It’s like a theme. CD titles equal code names, kind of like Nine Inch Nails. We thought we should code name ours too. We hired some guy to record us and he took our money.  We ended up recording in a better studio, but unfortunately the hard drive died that contained all of our music. We had to retake all the music. It was a heartbreaker incident, but there was a lot of passion and emotion in the album, which lead to the code name for the title.

Expressionist Magazine: What is your favorite song from the album?

Rich: “When We Fall”

Amanda: “Style,” because it’s fun to play!

Kyle: “If You Only Knew”

Expressionist Magazine: In general how does the whole process of making a song go?

Kyle: It depends on the mood. We start with lyric ideas and melodic ideas then go from there. Vocals and melodies are first, then drums.

Expressionist Magazine: If you had to choose, what is the most favorite place you have played so far?

Keith: CW Network’s The Daily Buzz on television.

Amanda: The State Theater.  I had a connection with the theater before I was in the band.

Rich: The State Theater. They hire real professionals. I also like Corkees because they have the best sounding bar.
Expressionist Magazine: Do you guys plan on doing this for the rest of your life?

Rich: We would love to! It has to be the right person to hear our stuff and give it the old English try, and to take the risk! We’re willing to go forth.

Expressionist Magazine: Do you guys work while being in a band?

Rich: Yeah, full time jobs.

Expressionist Magazine: If you could go on tour with any band in the world, who would you choose?

Rich: System of a Down, Perfect Circle, and Metallica

Amanda: Foo Fighters!

Kyle: Carnival, from Australia. They are incredible live!

Expressionist Magazine: Do you guys have a favorite rock magazine?

Amanda: Used to be Rolling Stone…

Rich: Used to be Rolling Stone, too…

Kyle:  Drum Magazine.

Expressionist Magazine: What is your band’s favorite place to hang out?

Amanda: A venue called Corkees. We hang out there before and after the show. Fun place to hang out! It has really good hot wings, too!

Expressionist Magazine: You have awesome style, Amanda! Where do you shop?

Amanda: I am blessed to have two sisters and a mother. I shop from their closet!

Expressionist Magazine: What’s the most memorable moment your band has had together?

Rich: The first show; it started it all.

Amanda: On live television; we were on the CW Network’s The Daily Buzz!

Kyle: When we go out, hang out, it’s always an adventure.

If you want to learn more about Sunshine and Bullets, check out their website below:

http://www.sunshineandbullets.com/

Me: It’s great to have you back on The Expressionist…I read on your blog that you recently went to Europe. What sort of impact did such an experience have on you artistically?

TM: My fiancée and I went to…Greece, Italy, Iceland, Ireland, and England. It was something I never experienced before; you draw tremendous inspiration from old-world masters…There wasn’t much contemporary work but so many old-world works. Since I teach art I know these works [from textbooks], so being able to see it was phenomenal. There are subtle nuances that you don’t catch.

I think it reiterates the fact that art should be something of time and historical value. The quality of my work has to be tip-top and continue to explore different avenues. I was in a natural history museum in Dublin, for example. Old-world building, with preserved animals and skeletons…so I started thinking of sculptures with fabricated bones…that kind of inspiration you can’t get anywhere else.

Me: What did you bring back with you philosophically to use for your own pieces?

TM: I think philosophically I was blown away by these, especially Italy. I was blown away by Renaissance artists, even old works from Greece and Rome. The whole point of Rome was to be remembered and that’s why contemporary artists do what we do; we want to live on. We’re in a creative field based on the fact that we can be remembered. It’s about the longevity of your creation…it’s reinforced why I do what I do and continues to keep me motivated.

Me: From what I saw on your blog, street art in Iceland is quite creative and insightful. How does it compare to American expression?

TM: Iceland was beautiful…I’m a big street art fan; I was [blown] away by the fact that Europe has a much longer artistic history, and America’s a very young country. I think the appreciation for art is there. They don’t mind having public art, they don’t clean it up…we give graffiti art it’s legal laws but it’s not really accomplishing anything…If we had any aesthetic towards street art I think it would thrive here in the States.

Me: Did you draw any graffiti?

TM: I continued a project called Tweets for Life. I’ll find interesting quotes from people and it’ll coincide with people in real environment. I type them and print them up on sticky paper so I can stick them in random places. I did that in Greece, Italy, in grocery stores…on shopping carts.

Me: There are a lot of video game icons and cartoon characters in what you call, “Potpourri,” or “Random Works of Awesomeness.” As a member of the current generation, I really liked these works and loved seeing these characters presented in such a creative and personal way. What sort of significance do these works have on your overall art? Do you feel they’re deeply relevant or are they simply just fun to draw?

TM: There’s so much behind them, it’s the memories from when you were a kid. It’s interesting, all these capitalists making money has become personal, lifelong memories for us. I think being…27, and growing up in the early 90s and late 80s, I think for my generation these are the heights of capitalism, for these icons to be burned in our brains. All that stuff, not only is it funny to me cause it brings back memories, but also an ability to inspire from it. I love abstraction; [it] can also be humorous. I love humor and I love comedy.

Me: Bearing these pieces in mind, do you feel that technology is detrimental to visual art?

TM: That’s a really good question. I think technology has been great for visual art. Artists choose not to embrace it properly, [but] as artists we’ve been using new technology. Now we have bits from new media…I can look up great pieces of art anytime, from anywhere. Disconnect comes when people get distracted by it. When they could be looking at art they’re looking at videos of cats playing the piano…It’s a great way for artists to be seen like never before, but you have to be careful with what you’re doing online to have it matter.

Me: Do you think the Internet could move art forward, or is it setting it back?

TM: It could absolutely move it forward! Revolutions happen through YouTube and Blitz. I think to ignore that as an artist is very silly. The world we used to live in, you know, hang out in studio, work really hard, and then someone in a suit comes in and says, “You’re the next big thing.” It’s not like that anymore; you need to be out there marketing yourself.

Me: People have to sell themselves.

TM: You have to be your own personal cheerleader. Recession weeds out what artists will and won’t be here. Doing art once in a while is one thing; for those who want to be full-time it’s harder than ever.

Me: Many of your pieces have a 3-dimensional quality to them. Is this method of painting inspired by our generation’s demand for media to literally pop! or is this more from your architectural background?

TM: Great question; I think it might be a combination of both. I think, for me…this generation demands more than ever. They can go to museums and be bored by technical art. [They] demand higher standards; dimension has to be there. I’m producing sculptured works and 3-D works; for me it’s more grabbing and more expressing. The “paint” has been done billions of times in history and it’s time to be exploring different materials and…be completely expressive.

Me: Of all the forms of art most Americans don’t understand, I feel as though abstract art has the worst reputation. Most feel it is someone simply throwing random paint on a canvas and saying, “Here, now pay me.” How would you describe your abstract work to someone with this opinion?

TM: I think that’s understandable. A lot of it has to do with money. We have really simple art in the modern era from the 50s and 60s where people would paint a square in the middle of the paper and now they’re worth $10 million. I think it offends people in a lot of ways. I think…if money wasn’t involved, they wouldn’t get so offended.

[But] I think it’s the most pure form of art. If you’re going to paint still-life, you’re just re-representing what’s out there. Abstraction is ultimate; there are no preconceptions of what you’re seeing, you’re inventing it, creating it, starting it.

Me: I personally love that abstraction shows the raw emotion behind a subject rather than just the subject itself.

TM: For a lot of people that’s hard to except, that art is just emotion. The subject is the canvas, color, movement, it’s not deciphering a person or a car or a tree. Most people have a difficult time doing that and it involves education and conversation. They won’t spend time looking or thinking. Abstraction’s still fairly young; it’s still 70 to 80 yrs. It may be a matter of time before abstraction is up there.

Me: Do you think it will be?

TM: I hope so. I’m a huge supporter of it obviously. I think a lot of artists gravitate towards it; it’s freeing media, and some people do buy it.

Me: Do you give yourself any rules with your abstract work? Many of your pieces, though wild, are pretty comprehensive compared to other works. How do you decide what to channel and what tools to use in the wake of such a loose form?

TM: In many ways, I have concept of color and feeling and what the basic premise of the piece is. When I first started I went with how I felt, and if it came out good I was happy. I’ve been doing it for years and [now] I have a better idea of how things will work. It’s become more of a scientific process, then the emotions come through. That’s when you really get free and start working on it…with abstraction you combine so much paint, action, movement; it takes a part of you with it. I think most artists feel that way.

Me: I like the car you have posted on your website. What drove you (author’s note: pun intended) to paint your car?

TM: (laughs) I got bored with cars always being a same idea. [A] huge part of American society, all solid colors. It doesn’t seem natural to me; I just decided I would start drawing on my car. Of course people were warning me against it, you know: resale value will go down, insurance will go up, [I would] be getting pulled over every five seconds. But then I thought, why worry about it? If I did, I wouldn’t have [become] an artist in the first place! So I stripped the clear coat, a friend at a body shop helped me…I drew it with paint pens, then covered it with another clear coat…It gets attention everywhere, definitely a conversation piece. People going about their daily lives, doing the same thing over and over, then they see my car and it’s a break from all the [monotony]. When routine is broken by a few seconds of art, it can be pretty powerful.

Me: Cars are a vital part of our world; they help us go about our daily lives and become a part of us personally. Why, do you think, more people don’t personalize their vehicles?

TM: Well it’s time-consuming; mine took over 180 hours. People get scared to make cars individual; they’re an expensive investment. It lacks a certain flair and human ability. They’re all manufactured, we know what they all look like; there’s no surprises. It makes life pretty mundane. Putting art on a car seems such a great thing, to have a rolling piece of art can be a powerful thing. I do drive it all the time.

Me: So when can you paint my car?

TM: (laughs) I want to paint another car. I’ve had a few close offers for motorcycles. I do by hand with paint pens, so it takes time and effort. It also takes the right person to want to commit to it.

Me: Do you paint on other kinds of products?

TM: I draw on everything. We live in manufactured worl; nothing has that personal touch, nothing is hand-made or really special. I add art to whatever I can and do it in some way that’s really meaningful. Everyone’s determined to keep things pristine and factory-fresh. I think people are afraid.

Me: What do you see on the horizon of your artistic future?

TM: I think there’s a lot going on. I have a solo show in NYC next year, an amazing accomplishment. For me, my work will continue in complexity and if quality doesn’t continue to go up, they should stop. Quality should be a staple, you want to have quality in what you make. I’m just going to continue in longevity…trying to one-up myself. Whether or not I can afford it, it doesn’t matter, art deserves to evolve.

Me: Do you have anything you’d like to share with artists and would-be consumers?

TM: I think art deserves to be seen and it deserves to be appreciated. I want to expose my art to as many people as possible. I think for art lovers and admirers…if you love my work that’s great, but continue to seek out other artists. It should be up there with music and film and be important in everyone’s lives. Artists are some of the hardest-working people I’ve ever met…I think, to have a following, is a nice touch to all the hard work. People think artists want to do it for themselves but they…deserve the recognition for all their efforts.

“Dreams, Nightmares, Fears and Fantasy” collection has been on display in Hong Kong, China and featured on Tampa Bay’s FOX 13 Good Day Tampa Bay.

Jason will feature these new series:

• Alice in Wonderland (Fantasy)
• Tinkerbell (Fantasy)
• Beauty and the Beast (Fantasy)
• Urban Legend of Carmen Winstead
• Angel / Devil – Make a Good Choice
• Haunting Dolls
• Evil Clown

Here lies Henry Pluck — corporate cubicle rat and frequenter of nursing homes. A perfectionist at work and an eater of sandwiches, he drove an import, lived alone in a box, and was virtually indistinguishable from any other office drone in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Daily life and reality come crashing into an adventure in Bryan R. Dennis’s  novel,  An Epitaph for Coyote. I’ll admit this was way out of my usual genre BUT I was surprised to find a great story of fantastic characters, intelligent dialogue, and well crafted scenes that show daily life antics in a way that engages us and sometimes gives us a little chuckle. The characters  live and breathe with each their own individual voice and personality. When they speak you know it’s them. Too many times novels throw us generic and poorly created characters that all sound the same. But it’s obvious that Bryan R Dennis has a talent for making characters that reflect real life but maintain a powerful and exciting voice in a fictional world.

The relationship that spouts between Henry and Rosa keeps us turning the page, wondering what Rosa will get him into next.  I loved the message the story conveyed about waking up to what we really want from life and living our dreams and having a purpose and passion that drives us. Something that lets us know we’re making a difference in the world and with people.  The plot revolves around Henry’s growing relationship with Rosa and how he begins to understand her way of thinking. The plot picks up pace near the end as we slowly discover Henry and Rosa’s fate. This isn’t a fast paced or action filled story, although there are some tense scenes, however, the story is rich with thought provoking ideas that I think more stories should hone instead of just showing mindless action and characters. This is an excellent novel and I highly recommend it. I give it three stars!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Born and raised in the cornfields of Illinois, Bryan enlisted in the Army upon graduation from High School and served his term overseas. Afterwards he moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and enrolled in UNLV’s college of business. It took a degree in Accounting, years of daydreaming in cubicles, and a collection of stories piling up on his hard drive to learn he is a writer and not an accountant. “An Epitaph for Coyote” is his debut novel.

Blog: www.bryanrdennis.com

www.facebook.com/BryanRDennis

www.twitter.com/BryanRDennis

I recently had the privilege to speak with Jesse Daley, Co-Host of ‘What’s Up on Thee Website and who also has small roles on Nickelodeon’s TV series “Big Time Rush.”  I got to learn more about him, where he’s come from, what he’s currently doing, and where he plans to go in the future.

When did you first know you wanted to be an actor? 

I have always been interested in the entertainment industry, however it really wasn’t until a few years ago that I thought I’d give it a shot in the ‘business’ as an actor!

What was your first TV/Movie appearance? 

The first job I had was a being a model for “Motorola” !  It was a print campaign which ended up being international which I thought was pretty awesome!  After that I started being an ‘extra’ on certain shows on networks such as Disney/Nickelodeon, and I’ve slowly worked my way up to some small speaking roles recently!

You’re the Co-Host of “What’s Up on Thee Website. How has that been for you? What’s the best part about it? 

I have LOVED being a part of “What’s Up!”  It is really fun for me to be able to talk about current events, (usually positive ones as there is enough negativity in our world).  My co-host, Jennifer and I have not recorded a new episode in quite a while as we have been busy but we’re hoping to do more episodes in the studio soon!

You’ve been spotted on Nickelodeon’s TV series “Big Time Rush” What’s it like to be contact with the cast?

I’ve been very fortunate to have some small roles on “Big Time Rush”, everyone is extremely kind and welcoming.  The main actors, James, Carlos, Logan and Kendall are really good guys and I’ve become friends with them!

Do you have any long term goals? Plans with future projects, tv shows, movies, ect? 

At this point I am taking everything a day at a time.  I’d love to work on TV shows in the near future as a series regular.  I enjoy comedic roles, as well as some more dramatic/serious ones.  I think being on a soap opera would be kind of fun actually!  The plot lines in those are pretty ridiculous!

How do you like to spend your free time? Any hobbies, interest, or activities?

I love the beach!! and I love to surf and skate!

What is your advice to anyone considering a future in acting or any other career?

My advice to anyone and everyone is to follow your dreams.  If you have a goal and work everyday towards it, you will meet it. Also I believe that we all should treat each other with respect. And finally–have FUN.  Life’s awesome..so live it up!!!

You can follow Jesse Daley on his Official Twitter page and check out his official website at:

Twitter.com/jessedaley

Jessedaley.wordpress.com

One major reason is they don’t have a website.  Other reasons are they have a website but fail to have a proper contact page, or they use these forms that fail to work right.

Sadly these talented artists found a way to expose their work yet they will find it harder to excel to the next level because they are improperly using their resources and tools that work for them and their art.  Its frustrating to see this.

Like it or not our world and the way we do business is changing.  Regardless what you think art is still a business, even if you don’t make money at it the goal is to expose your work to the world, and the internet has been the platform that most people rely on and one that can bring you international viewers.

Unlike most jobs art is universal, people can buy your work anywhere anytime; that’s why its key to utilize your resources at hand.

Why is it important for people to contact and talk with you?  As an artist many times you can receive special commission jobs.  These jobs can run more than your normal work because its customized.  In order to obtain these jobs your viewers need to be able to effectively communicate with you.  Another reason is your fans love the opportunity to talk with you because it makes it more personal for them to have a one on one relationship.  It makes them feel special, which in turn brings in more views, fans and requests.

The Excuses

Through out my journey to discover artists I have often asked them my they refrain from posting their e mail.  Believe it or not most of them are afraid of spam and they feel the forms will fight spam better.  WRONG!

My business website for my photography studio has a form.  Believe it or not I get more SPAM from that form than I do anything else.

I hate SPAM more than anything, it is a nuisance I agree but I refuse to let it keep me from my goal or mission with my art.

What To Do

First of all I suggest using a form but still post your e mail address.  As an artist I also strongly suggesting that you never use your personal e mail for communication.

With Google and Yahoo offering free e mail accounts, set one up there strictly for business purposes.  If you get SPAM here, so what.  Most of these e mail services have decent SPAM filters.

Next I suggest placing your e mail as a puzzle.  For instance you can make it look like this, I am using the magazine’s e mail  theexpressionistmag [at] gmail [dot]com.  You can also place the e mail address in an image.  Bots can’t read an image as long as you don’t make the image a hyperlink to mail you.

Why is this important since I have a form?

I have found through asking people directly why they tend to not use a form.  The answer is this… “They don’t believe that the intended person receives the e mail”.  I can see their point of view.  They don’t know if you have an office of people working for you who sees the e mail request and deletes them.  With a direct e mail for you they feel more secure in knowing that you have received your e mail.

Some artists may still have their staff screen their e mail address correspondence too, but its a greater chance that you will receive that e mail that not.

Do yourself and your art a favor and make yourself open to correspondence.  If you are afraid of criticism then let me tell you, you are in the wrong field.  Art is about criticism, and a good artist takes the good and bad compliments and makes it into something positive.

For Niki Taylor, life as a supermodel wasn’t always golden.

Niki, who started professional modeling at only fourteen,  was forced into growing up well before her time.  A mother of twin boys by the young age of twenty, and a divorcee just two short years later.  She suffered a heart-wrenching loss and nearly lost her own life.  Cosmopolitan once quoted Niki saying, “I may be 23, but I feel like 50.”

Born March 5, 1975 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Nicole Renee “Niki” Taylor was destined to make it big in the modeling world.  The blonde beauty with the sparkling eyes and broad, blinding white smile had the perfect “All American Girl” look.  While most high school freshmen girls were just tyring to fit in with their surroundings and find acceptance among their peers, fourteen-year-old Taylor already had a highly successful career as a supermodel.  She became the youngest model to earn a cosmetics contract.  At the tender age of sixteen, Niki signed a multimillion dollar deal with L’Oreal and then later on with CoverGirl.  The teen also won the title of being the youngest face to ever grace the cover of Vogue.  Niki had become one of the most recognizable faces in the industry.  “Modeling came naturally to me.  I was just a normal kid who’d fly to Paris or New York City for the shows, then go back to school as if it were what everyone did,” Niki once told Cosmopolitan.

The stunning model, daughter of Ken and Barbara Taylor, grew up in modest suburbia.  The Taylor family lived in Pembroke Pines, which was only about ten minutes from my childhood home and was only seconds away from my brother’s house.  With such close proximity to where I spent much of my time, I often found myself driving by the Taylor residence.  The grass was always a vibrant green and neatly manicured.  Most often there seemed to be a pick-up truck parked out front, and the house, which was nicely shaded by trees, looked happy and full of life.

Ken Taylor, Niki’s father, was an officer with the  Florida Highway Patrol, while mother Barbara worked as a real estate agent.  They eventually left their careers to be with Niki on her modeling jobs.  Joelle and Krissy, the other two Taylor daughters, were just as beautiful and personable as their supermodel sister.  However, Joelle never took to modeling.  Krissy, on the other hand, who was the youngest of the three girls, fell in love with photo shoots and runway.  So much so, she started up her own modeling career and even appeared on the cover of Seventeen with sister Niki.

Despite their glamorous career choice, Niki and Krissy kept grounded.  Friends described the girls as “down to earth” and “unaffected.”  Niki chose to remain close to her Florida home rather than relocate to New York City or Los Angeles.  Growing up near the Taylor girls, I often crossed paths with them when out with friends.  Niki and Krissy attended many of the same parties and social functions as I did.  And once I started college in Davie, Florida, I saw them even more.  We knew all the same people there and went to all the same places.  Krissy, a cowgirl at heart, hung out occasionally at the Davie rodeo; a popular site for all the local college kids, much like myself back in the day.  Niki, too, was often seen at the busiest spots in town.  There she’d be, enveloped by the prettiest and most well-liked girls, and of course, the cutest of boys.  The last time I ran into Niki, she was having dinner with friends at the local Bennigans.  I had just gotten into a fight with my worst enemy (now good friend) that night, and Niki was concerned.  That was just how she was.  She was a true friend to all, caring and selfless.

Life back then for the Taylor sisters was happy and virtually worry-free.  At nineteen, Niki met Matt Martinez, a hunky semi-pro football player.  The two fell in love and eloped.  Shortly after, Niki got pregnant with twin boys.  She gained over 70 pounds, but only three months after their birth, dropped the weight and went back to modeling.  Two years later, Matt and Niki ended their marriage in what was considered by many close to them as a “bitter divorce.”

Then, on July 2, 1995, Niki encountered her worst nightmare.  The young woman walked into her family’s Pembroke Pine home only to discover her beloved sister, Krissy, lying lifeless on the floor.  Niki frantically dialed 911, and Ken Taylor, tried with all his might to revive his daughter.  No one was able to help, however; Krissy had died.  She was only seventeen.  The youngest Taylor girl thought to have suffered a massive and fatal asthma attack, but later was found to have died from a hidden and rare heart condition known as Right Ventricular Dysplasia, or RVD.

Though devastated by the loss of her sister, Niki had to continue on with her own life, which meant motherhood and modeling.  Eventually the stress Niki had been trying to avoid for so long had caught up with her and she turned to prescription drugs such as Xanax and Vicodin.  Niki became depedent on the drugs and was often seen falling asleep while dining out at restaurants.  In February of 2001, the internationally known supermodel, checked herself into a Maryland rehab program, which lasted 28 days.

Niki decided it was best to cut back on her shoots and rather be with her twin boys.  Her emphasis at this point in her life was spending less time in front of the camera and more time as a mother.  And though her modeling career took the back burner, she still was seen as the most famous model of the time.  After all, it was then that Niki earned a coveted spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated and continued to work for CoverGirl as well as Nokia cell phones.

That spring, Niki got invited to visit a few of her friends in Atlanta, Georgia.  In the early morning hours of April 29, 2001, Niki almost lost her life.

James “Chad” Renegar, a stockbroker and a good friend of Niki’s, hit a utility pole while trying to retrieve a ringing cell phone in his car.  It is reported that at least one other passenger, aside from Niki, was traveling in the car at the time of the accident.  The weather that fateful morning in Atlanta was stormy, and the roads were wet, not to mention winding and curving.  Niki, was in the front passenger seat during the low impact crash.  The driver and passengers checked themselves and their car over, and realized they were all fine.  The car only had minor damage and no one seemed hurt or injured in any way.

All was well, or so the friends thought.

Once back on the road, Niki began feeling ill.  Her stomach started to hurt and within minutes, Niki was bent over in extreme pain.  She urged her friend to stop the car and pull over.  “I need to get out and walk around,” pleaded Niki.  By the time they stopped, the supermodel was overcome with pain and became dizzy upon exiting the car.  Collapsing into the wet grass, the last thing Niki could remember was the driver hovering over her and calling 911.  Niki blacked out completely.

The next thing she could recall were all the horrific and terrifying nightmares.  The images in her head still haunt her to this day.  “I was being chased and people were cutting me.  There were grizzly bears and people floating in a pool,” recounts Niki during an interview for the Bio Channel’s Celebrity Close Calls.  Not only were the visuals disturbing, but Niki felt extreme thirst and hunger.  “I saw the Devil trying to take over, and wanting my soul.”

Even after waking, Niki’s nightmares ceased to end.

“I wake up in the hospital then and see my mom and dad, doctors and pictures of my sons,” recalls Niki.  “I remember looking at them and feeling despair.  I wanted to get out of there.  I wanted to speak, but couldn’t.  I could look down and I saw tubes everywhere on my body, including a trach in my throat.”  More than anything, Niki felt paralyzed.  Without being able to speak and move, she had no way of communicating with those around her.  She couldn’t even hold a pen to write a simple note.  The doctor’s explained to Niki that she had been in the hospital for over a month; a total shock to the model who felt she had only been there for a mere moment.

As Niki’s story goes, after her friends called for help while she lay unconscious in the grass, paramedics rushed to the scene and took her to Grady Hospital.  Trauma surgeon, Jeffrey Nicholos had just begun his shift.  He didn’t have much hope for Niki; her prognosis was grim.  Within the first 24 hours, Niki had undergone three surgeries and had to have her blood volume replaced ten times, as she was bleeding profusely.

The next surgeon arrived.  Niki was barely clinging to life at this point.  In the hands of surgeon #2 was Niki’s liver, which had been torn in half.  Apparently, the seat belt which Niki had been wearing while in the car, cut her liver in two.  How ironic that something Niki depended upon that night for saving her life, could ultimately take it away. Niki flatlined; not once, but twice.  Doctors informed Ken and Barbara Taylor to start making funeral arrangements, and discussed moving Niki’s body.

Somehow though, Niki defied the odds.  No doubt there would still be plenty of challenges.  For three months, doctors had to keep Niki’s abdomen open from the breast bone down to the pelvic bone.  Her body only loosely strung together by a set of large stitches, necessary to do for all of her numerous surgeries.  According to Niki, the constant re-stitching and scrubbing of her abdomen was brutally painful.  No amount of morphine could help alleviate the extreme discomfort Niki felt.  She described these experiences as “excruiating.”

In total, Niki endured 41 surgeries in this three month time frame.  In Niki’s second month, she finally was able to write, but was still quite challenged.  She recalls it was very frustrating and could only make out a scribble.  Another hardship were all the heavy pain meds that Niki was on.  She was constantly drowsy and sedated.  The meds were necessary for proper healing.  For if Niki was in too much pain, her body would be unable to heal properly.

The ICU became Niki’s new home.  She spent months there, taking her delicate life day by day.

On her last day in recovery, Niki’s trach was removed.  This was one of her most profound moments while in the hospital.  Niki knew that having the trach taken out meant she was going to live; however, the experience was also physically intensive.  After the trach was removed, Niki recalls how strange it felt to take her first breath, unaided.

For the entire three month duration of Niki’s hospital stay, she never once was able to see her six-year-old twin boys, except in photographs.  Children under the age of ten were restricted from visiting in the ICU.  For Niki, her sons’ absence was “the most terrible thing.”  Niki says she is alive today because of her children.  She wanted to survive for them and the fight she made while in the hospital shows just how much she wanted to see her boys again.  While recovering, Barbara enlarged a few photos of her twins and taped them to the ceiling in Niki’s hospital room so they could be seen each time Niki opened her eyes.  When she could finally see her boys again in person, it was a most joyous moment.  “They ran to my bed; they had grown up so much,” smiled Niki.  “They gave me the motivation to fight.”

After months in the ICU with a sewn up abdomen, having endured numerous surgeries, receiving 100 units of blood and flatlining twice, Niki recovered.  Her once torn-in-half liver, regenerated itself completely.  The organ is the only one of its kind that can heal this way.

With severe liver damage, massive internal hemorraging and a shattered vertebra, no one expected Niki to live.  And during her three months in the hospital, anything that could’ve gone wrong, did.  Doctors never could explain how a low-impact car accident could result in such life-threatening injuries.  After all, Niki was wearing a seat belt, and the car’s estimated speed at the time of the accident was only 28 mph.  There was no evidence of drugs or alcohol influencing the driver’s system.  According to medical experts, only one out of ten could live through injuries of that magnitude.

Niki Taylor’s survival is, indeed, a miracle.

Ten years after the tragedy, Niki continues to model internationally and is now the mother of three, with a fourth on the way.  When not spending time with her children or walking the runways, Niki dedicates her efforts and passion to several charities such as Teen Driver Safety and the American Red Cross, which she fought for while appearing on the hit show, Celebrity Apprentice.

When Niki was asked how she beat the odds, she said there were a number of different factors involved.  “I got through the residual with a strong support system.  I am also thankful for good doctors and all the donated blood.”  And, of course, for Niki, her twins played a pivotal role in her recovery.  Niki knew she had to be strong and keep fighting on their behalf.  She also believed in the “power of prayer.”

Perhaps it just wasn’t Niki’s time to leave this Earth; God had other plans for her.  Or maybe, Krissy, Niki’s late sister, had something to do with her fate; heavenly intervention, if you will.

Today and everyday, Niki is reminded of her accident.  She still bears the physical scars.  For whenever she looks in a mirror when getting dressed, the memories of her nightmare penetrate her mind.  She remembers the pain, her helplessness, and her fear.  But with the bad, trickles in the good.  Niki knows just how incredibly lucky she is to be alive.  In her interview with Cosmopolitan Niki was quoted to have said, “I’ve been through a lot, but everything has been a learning experience.  It’s made me a much wiser, stronger person.”

Life is fragile, and no one understands that better than Niki Taylor- supermodel, mother and survivor.  The incredibly gracious Niki states, “Every day is a gift.”

“Bleed-Out” by Joan Brady brought me to these clichés only to mix them up, around, and inside-out until I couldn’t remember which character was supposed to fit what profile, only to discover that there were no labels. I rode through the twists, turns, and angles of corporate conspiracies, two-faced social elites, and bare-bones, barbaric convicted criminals. All came crashing together to investigate, or cover-up, the murder of Hugh Freyl, a blind corporate lawyer and philanthropist. His life passion is teaching convicts in the local prison system, including his favorite student and confidante, David Marion.

Born into neglect, David was an orphan convicted of murdering one of his foster fathers at age fifteen. He was tried as an adult and sentenced to life in prison. After doing research behind closed doors, Freyl found gaping holes in David’s investigation, including missing files and shady uncertainty regarding the boy’s confession. A few connections later, David is a free man.

Months later, when Freyl is found beaten to death in his own law firm, everyone is convinced of the obvious. However, there’s no evidence to prove David’s guilt. Nor is anyone else street-wise or motivated enough to find the real murderer. So here Brady casts the common mustache-twirling villain as the book’s detective.

“Bleed-Out” is brimming with villains who duck behind curtains, put on blonde wigs, then emerge again fluttering eyelashes. Nobody is who or what they seem, and everyone has a motive. Even David himself is often dancing over the edge of uncertainty, unclear as to whether he is a psychopath or the street-smart genius Hugh Freyl believed him to be. With inputs from the diary of the dead man, “Bleed-Out” carries a sophisticated, intelligent tone while revealing life of the unfortunate and unprivileged with honest grit. The clash of classes collide to make the reader wonder what other secrets govern civilian lives behind closed doors and why innocent Hugh Freyl would have to pay. Any reader looking for a thrilling mystery with a level of education and realism should look for Joan Brady’s “Bleed-Out” as the book of the summer.

Some people see it as a variety of colors and nothing more, while others see something more defined and intense.  Either way, the work is awe-inspiring!

Today, the Expressionist Magazine sits down with Kerrie Warren, an Expressionist painter we found in Australia.  She’s halfway around the world, yet her work connects us all.

1. Tell us a little about yourself- where you are from, are you married, etc. (bio.)

I was born in Melbourne in 1968 and lived a ‘gypsy’ type lifestyle with my younger brother and sister, regularly moving from place to place.  My parents had grand ambitions and fresh ideas with each move so I remember it was always exciting to pack up, but emotionally torturous walking into the next ‘new school’.

To date, I’ve moved 34 times (including caravans) but like a tree I’ve grown roots here in Crossover (Victoria, Australia) with my husband Chris, two beautiful dogs, Garth and Tess, and an old horse named Billy.

I’m a country girl at heart and experienced living on a number of large properties as a child, so I’m completely at home here surrounded by green pasture, rolling hills, dairy cattle and wild birds (paradise for an artist / hermit).  I’ve been here for ten years now and my studio is an old (renovated) dairy.

2. At what age did you start painting, and what got you interested?

From a very young age I loved drawing and writing poetry.  I didn’t have access to paint and brushes, probably due to moving about so much (and pencils were quick to pack up).  My father and both grandfathers enjoyed drawing and I can remember myself and my brother Rodney spending hours upon hours drawing whenever we got a chance.  Mum would often surprise us with a new Derwent pencil and I’ll never forget how exciting it was to smell the wood and admire the fresh color!

But poetry was my pure expression of self.  If I ever felt ‘lost’ or ‘anxious’ (common feelings in those days), I would completely loose myself in the rhythmic words.  The sensation was so profound. From a very early age I was able to tap into ‘me within’, to ‘the source’, and my worries seemed insignificant and I would be at peace again for a short period.  Even reading my poetry late at night helped keep me sane (art therapy).

It wasn’t until years later I learned that poetry is ‘abstract’; it all started to fit into place like a jigsaw puzzle.

I left school to work when I was sixteen, following in my parents’ footsteps and working in a variety of fields hoping that something would ‘fit’. I wound up working in regional television and producing, which I enjoyed to some extent, but still found myself sitting in the car during my lunch breaks madly writing poetry.  I had a mid-life crisis at twenty-five, which was the best thing that ever happened.  I sold my car and enrolled to get my Diploma of Art in Ceramics (I had never touched clay before).

My whole being yearned to create and I allowed myself to be guided by instinct.  These studies also included formal drawing classes and I had taken on additional painting classes too.  The whole world seemed to open up before me and I fell in love with life itself.  I discovered in those years that the raw materials have a life of their own and instead of manipulating them, I would work with them and allow them to take me on a journey within (like poetry did).

I became more and more intrigued by the process itself and continued on to complete my Diploma of Transpersonal Art Therapy in Melbourne where my mind was opened up to ‘working in the moment’ to ‘abstract expressionism’ !

3. Tell us a little about the part of Australia where you currently reside.

I live in Crossover (West Gippsland), Victoria, Australia.  It is approximately 1.5 hours from our capital city, Melbourne.  http://www.westgippsland.com.au/

4. How would you describe Abstract Expressionism to those who may not be familiar with the art   form?

For those unfamiliar with this style of work it would be best to break it down first and look at the word, abstract, which means to not represent or imitate external reality. (Non-representational)

Expressionism represents the ability to express emotional experience rather than impressions of the external world.

‘Abstract Expressionism’ is also known as ‘Action Painting’.  My work is furiously energetic; a free and spontaneous application of paint which allows the release of pure creativity of the unconscious mind.

‘Spontaneous’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘quick’ and certainly doesn’t mean ‘out of control.’  It’s about stepping into spontaneous itself and being ‘in flow;’ to be at one with the canvas and clear of mind in order to work in that zone and be taken on a journey within.  I’m greatly influenced by my environment and what is occurring in my life at the time.  When the paint dries and I become the viewer, it’s obvious to me that my work is a visual diary of events.

This process is more akin to tuning in a musical instrument than it is to a traditional painting style and I work with rhythm, balance, vibrancy and pitch (in a visual sense) to a point of resonation.  I work with the force of gravity and the thrust of energy; the physical movement in those moments is recorded on canvas in paint.  I walk out of my studio at the end of the day feeling like I’ve been hit by a truck, though the process itself is a spiritual comfort and quite addictive.

5. Who, or what, inspires you?

‘Life’ inspires me.  I’m absolutely fascinated by the miracle of life on Earth.  I’m fascinated by the Universe and what might be on the other side of it.  I’m intrigued by life after death, by God and by the power of Mother Nature and why I might be here, in other words, ‘my purpose’.

I feel that I’m close to knowing something more, to seeing something more, to understanding something else when I’m in the process of creating.  It ‘feels like that’ to me and it is this sensation that draws me back into the studio day after day.

I feel more like a mad scientist than an artist most of the time and yet I have no answers. I don’t experience ‘creative blocks’; I simply make a start and then seem to be following a thread.  It’s excitably tormenting!

I became in-tune with this process during my studies in Transpersonal Art Therapy where I experienced working on the floor, working within the moment and often during meditation or after chanting and drumming sessions.

It was after this period when I first heard ‘the Pollock comments’ (often sarcastic) and I became curious.

I started researching and learning more about this Jackson Pollock.  I was intrigued to learn that, he too, had lived a gypsy type life as a child and had experienced Shamanism (as I did during my Transpersonal Art Therapy studies).

Over time I’ve become more and more fascinated by, energized by, and absolutely inspired and excited by his work.  Even though we are separated by lifetimes and continents, I feel a very powerful and personal connection that I honor and cherish.

6. Do you have any mentors?

I have a number of mentors including my mother (and artist) Judi Money and husband Chris Major who both offer understanding, encouragement, and belief in me and my work.

I’ve formed lifelong friendships with a number of my surrounding colleagues and time after time we have mentored each other and emotionally supported each other through the various cycles of living an artist’s life.

I do, however, experience moments in my career when I feel quite alone and I’m not sure of the next step (not inside the studio, but outside) and ‘self managing’ my career.  Each step is a new one to me.

7. What are your goals, dreams?

To be approached by a ‘Peggy Guggenheim’ who will be absolutely taken by my work, believe in my work and manage my career!

I would also love to create historically significant (and very large scale) works to be hung in and collected by state galleries and museums around the world.

To be known as Australia’s great ‘Action Painter’ on a global scale.

To discover what’s on the other side of the universe through my work (I don’t ask for much).

8. Where can we view your work currently?

I currently have work exhibiting in the Red Sea Gallery, Brisbane (Queensland), Australia and am in the process of organizing my up and coming solo show in Melbourne (details soon) where I will also launch my new design label ‘Kerrie Warren Designs’ inspired by the Guggenheim.

Until I exhibit again in New York, you can view my work on-line at www.kerriewarren.com.au

and my studio is always open by appointment if you happen to be close by.

9. Tell us about your favorite piece, if you have one.

Each piece is significant because it links to the previous and the following much like a chain of events, but I’m always most excited about the piece on the floor!

10. What does painting do for you on an emotional level?

Painting emotionally stabilizes me and provides a spiritual comfort; it allows the release of pure creativity of the unconscious mind.

11. How much time do you spend working on each piece of art?

I tend to work furiously over a 1 – 2 day period and then continue in a more subtle sense while the paint is drying (tuning it in), which is generally over the course of a week depending on the weather.

I enjoy building my own stretchers and bonding with the canvas itself before I launch into it.  It’s like ‘warming up’ first.

A Co-op is a group that comes together for a purpose.  In the art sense, it’s a group of artists that join together to provide a workable gallery or studio for artists to show or perform their work.  By joining together, many Co-ops provide opportunities many couldn’t do by themselves, like owning a gallery for instance.  Co-ops can come in and negotiate using the power of the group to provide affordable opportunities.

Some Co-ops charge those who join a monthly fee, some charge a yearly fee and require those artists to donate their time to help offset operation costs.  Some don’t charge at all, but rely on networking to expand their reach and services.

These organizations can be quite a blessing for artists, however, Co-ops are best if they are run correctly.  The main problems that Co-ops face are the ever present politics and cliques.

Since these Co-ops operate with a board of directors, you will have some politics present.  Everyone will have a say into how this should run.  Like some government politicians, they tend to make their time in office a life long career, and even after they leave office they still have a lot to say on how things are run.  If people do not listen to them, they will sometimes try to make a lot of trouble for the group.  Unfortunately the ones it hurts the most, are the ones who are simply involved to show their work and want nothing to do with the politics of it.

Politics and egos go hand in hand.  Sometimes you will see particular artists try to befriend someone at the top in order to receive perks, kind of like D.C. lobbyists. This can cause a lot of animosity among the others in the group, especially if that person gets their way more often then not.

Being apart of a Co-op I also saw cliques take shape.  These are groups of individuals in the Co-op that feel their work is far superior to the rest.  They criticize the others and are quick to judge.  When these people take over and volunteer for the day, they tend to not be neutral, and push their work and the work of their friends. In some cases they talk down about the work they feel is sub par.

This kind of behavior hurts Co-ops probably more than politics do.  The reason is, by trashing other’s work or ignoring it all together, the Co-op fails that artist.  That artist could be paying a fee to be in the group or taking time away from something that could financially benefit them to work the gallery to help offset costs.  If these people don’t sell their work, it soon could become a financial burden and they leave.

Lack of members with the inability to recruit new members hurts Co-ops because their income does not come from art commissions, in most cases, but from monthly dues and volunteering.  Without volunteers, they are forced to hire people to work the gallery, which takes away from the financial power to advertise and sponsor events.

If Co-ops keep politics to a minimum, and axe cliques before they become a problem, artists will find Co-ops to be a great way to get their work on display, grow their resumes, sell their work for extra income and learn from other artists who have the same goals.

*   *   *

Mel Majoros loves hockey.   Without much motivation for the gym, Majoros was in search of an exercise regimen that would keep her going and give her something to become passionate about.  At the time she was living in California, and attending an L.A. Kings game, was a pretty exciting thing.  Majoros got tickets, and quickly became hooked.  In the year ahead, the young woman learned to skate and even spent her tax refund money on hockey gear.  Majoros found great passion for the ice sport.

It was 2007 and Majoros had moved to Michigan and began working for a radio station there.  As an affliate of the Detroit Red Wings, the station gave media credentials to the training camp held in Traverse City.  Majoros typically jumped at the opportunity to go to the camp.  That year though, it was different.  It was the last day of the camp, and the same day that Majoros got diagnosed with cancer.  Instead of heading over to see the Red Wings practice, she drove home and told her fiance.  Majoros then called her friends and told them she would not be going.  They knew something was amiss when she cancelled.  And there, at her home, Majoros sat and cried.

It wasn’t long after Majoros was diagnosed that she encountered her most profound moment; a time when she felt her once very stable world, crumbling all around her.  “It was when I started to lose my hair,” confides Majoros.  “The oncology nurse said it would fall out two weeks after I started the adriaymicin/cytoxan (the first chemo treatment), but I didn’t believe her.”  It was exactly two weeks to the day, according to Majoros, that her hair started falling out in clumps while in the shower.  “That was overwhelming.  It was then that I realized I was in for a battle.”  Majoros recalls the moment as extremely traumatic, and certainly one she will never forget.

Once a hockey player, radio station employee and someone greatly involved in the entertainment industry (she worked on the hit shows, Walker, Texas Ranger and Crossing Jordan), Majoros was now taking on a new title- “The Cancer Warrior.”

Knowing she had to keep strong and fight, Majoros used her sense of humor and athleticism as weapons against her diagnosis.    “I had friends who didn’t even know I had cancer, and they saw me lose weight.  I didn’t look sick, so they thought I had been working out.  I said no, I have cancer, and it’s the best diet I ever had,” said Majoros jokingly.  “You have to keep your spirits up regardless of the disease.  Why would you want to go through life in a bad mood?”  When Majoros wasn’t using her spiritual strength to get her through her darkest days, she was also physically trying to get stronger.  The hockey player continued to keep on the ice, and the game kept her going.  According to Majoros, having a trainer prior to getting cancer was greatly beneficial.  And while Majoros couldn’t go to the gym very often during her chemo treatments due to fatigue and low white blood counts, she continued on with the hockey and also participated in The Pink Ribbon Program.  This is a pilates program designed just for breast cancer survivors.  Majoros says that it helped with learning breathing techniques, posture and even self-esteem.  She loved the program so much, that she has still participates in pilates and goes at least once a week.

Despite Majoros’ strength and courageousness, days were still quite challenging, to say the least.  Chemo came with not-so-fun side effects.  Fatigue would hit without any warning, and there were varying degrees all depending upon the type of chemo and radiation.  “It’s true that the treatment is sometimes worse than the disease,” states Majoros.  In addition, Majoros developed osteopenia, a precursor to osteoporosis, possibly brought on by the chemo.

The side effects weren’t just physical.  Majoros suffers from “chemo brain,” a condition from the treatments that affects memory.  For Majoros, it is sometimes a struggle to just form a thought or recall a simple word.

As a warrior of cancer, Majoros knows how important it is to have a good army on her side.  She did not have to go through her fight alone.  Shortly after Majoros’ lumpectomy, The Vic McCarty Show contacted her.  The radio show out of Michigan features news and sports talk.  They were in need of a producer, and were hoping Majoros would want to step up to the plate.  Happy to do so, she accepted and was soon producing the popular show.  McCarty and Majoros became co-hosts and clicked almost immediately.  “Vic and I had instant chemistry, which is pretty rare,” says Majoros.  The show provided an outlet for Majoros to openly and honestly talk about her cancer. It wasn’t long after that The Cancer Warrior was born.

“The Cancer Warrior on Empoweradio came about after I was producing Empower for five months.  The owner of the station wanted to add more shows.  He read my blog that I was writing and thought that having a show which focused on positive aspects of cancer would be a great addition to the station,” adds Majoros.  Despite being a little nervous about hosting her own show at first, she soon realized that this show would be unique and unlike any others out there.  Majoros quickly took the offer.  “It’s always fun finding inspirational survivors or organizations to feature that might be overlooked by a larger show, station or network,” explains Majoros.

It wasn’t just being on the radio that helped Majoros get through her battle.  “I had a great support system.  The doctors and medical staff were amazing,” recalls the courageous cancer fighter.  She also gives much praise to her then boyfriend, now fiance.  “He took me to all my surgeries, doctors’ appointments, and chemo/radiation treatments.”  Majoros feels that caregivers often do not get the recognition they deserve.

She also thanks her mentor, Matt Zachary, for his great support and guidance.  Zachary is the head of the “I’m Too Young For This!” foundation which focuses on teenagers and adults ages 15-40 and what they must endure when they are suffering with a disease like cancer.  According to Majoros, “We are an undeserved population of the cancer community.”  Majoros found Zachary online when he was looking for guest bloggers for his website.  She had her own blog site, but eventually guest blogged on Zachary’s.  “Matt is a mentor, an inspiration, and best of all, a friend,” fondly states Majoros.  To this day, she will call Zachary if she needs advice on anything cancer related.  Majoros encourages other young adult survivors to seek out Zachary and his foundation if they need support.

Majoros has also found strength through the Internet.  “It has been a good resource,” states The Cancer Warrior. “It would have been nice though to have had Facebook or Twitter when I was going through treatment.”  Social networking was not available then like it is today.

Today, Majoros makes great use of sites such as Facebook so she can network and friend other survivors, advocates and organizations.  She also spends time blogging about her experience with cancer and attends as many charity events as possible.  In the summer particulary, her weekends are filled.  Relay for Life, Bike for Breast Cancer, and Cruising for the Cure are just a few of the events that Majoros participates in.  She is on the board of directors for Cruising for the Cure. Majoros is also passionate about speaking and sharing her story with others.

On September 18, 2011, Majoros will be four years cancer-free.  Even though each and every day for the survivor is a celebration, she still struggles.  “Survivorship is hard,” confides Majoros.  ”It is hard getting back to the everyday life.”  She describes her daily challenge as the “new normal.”  Majoros now suffers from depression, which she takes medication for.  Her hair has grown back, but is now entirely grey; something that Majoros says she is finding hard to deal with now that she is free of cancer.  However, Majoros is very thankful to be a survivor and tries to maintain a positive attitude.  She is active and exercises as much as possible.  In the winter months, Majoros goes to the gym regularly, participates in pilates and plays hockey.  While in the summer, she incorporates bike riding, tennis and other outdoor activities into her routine.

Majoros says that she feels that there is a strong analogy between hockey and cancer.  She explains how hockey is a team sport and you need the help of your teammates to get you through the game.  Cancer is much the same way.  You need a support system, including doctors, nurses, family and friends.  Without these people, you would not be able to overcome the disease.  In hockey, Majoros says that if you get knocked down on the ice, you cannot stay down; you have to be able to get up and keep skating.  With cancer, you must get up and keep on going in order to endure.  Majoros finds great significant in these similarities.  A fighter on the ice, and a fighter for her life, Majoros really is The Cancer Warrior.

As a warrior, Majoros has much to advocate to others going through her battle.  “Be proactive about your health, whether you have cancer or not,” urges Majoros. ”If you feel your doctor isn’t giving you the best treatment, seek out another doctor.”  Obviously, taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do.  And it is important to find others going through similar treatment.  Once again, a good support system is key.

Majoros began playing on a co-ed hockey league this year.  Her team ended up winning  the season and the playoffs.  “I scored the first goal in the finals,” proudly states Majoros.  ”It felt so good.”  It was her first goal after battling cancer.

Mel Majoros’ blog:  http://www.thecancerwarrior.blogspot.com

website:  www.thecancerwarrior.net

e-mail:  thecancerwarrior@gmail.com

Majoros is available for speaking engagements and for anyone who has questions about cancer.

This edition of Amazing Adventures takes us to that magical place where Fairies and Princesses live, and imagination is king. We traveled up to Orlando, Florida to visit the world famous Magic Kingdom and to seek out adventures in the “House of Mouse.”

I was super excited to return to the Magic Kingdom, because I heard they enhanced the infamous Space Mountain ride, and I wanted to try it.

Disney Experience

If you’ve never visited Disney, you are missing out on so much. The megaplex that contains Disney’s Magic Kingdom, MGM Studios, Downtown Disney, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and the Wide World of Sports Complex is highly groomed and well-taken care of; the landscaping is immaculate.  To make it even more eye catching are all the luxurious resorts.  Staying at one of these beautiful places makes you feel like a prince or princess,  king or queen.

With so many options to choose from, it’s hard to decide which resort to stay at, and what park to enjoy. Luckily, Disney introduced a hopper pass which allows visitors the chance to experience two or more parks in one day, or over a period of days.

Take it from me, you will never be able to experience everything each park has to offer in a single day. I’ve gone to the Magic Kingdom four times in the last three years and I still find things I didn’t see before.

Magic Kingdom

If you can, try to get there before the park opens.  This was the first time I actually arrived before the park opened and what I saw was magical. They open each day with a grand parade – but would you expect anything less from Disney?

All the characters arrived on the train over the main gate of the park. They danced, they celebrated, and then the Mayor of the Magic Kingdom opened the gate in grandeur style. It gave me the chills.

Once inside, your first experience is a nostalgic one, as the shops and the original “downtown” of the park are donned in 19^th century style from signage to the architecture, and looming down over the horizon of Main Street is Cinderella’s Castle.

I suggest going through all the rides first and finishing up with lunch or a snack and some shopping in Main Street before you leave.

Tomorrow Land: Here you will experience the amazing Space Mountain, one of the original rides of the park. There is also the Grand Prix, Stitch’s Big Adventure and much more.

My personal favorite ride in Tomorrow Land is Space Mountain. Space Mountain is an indoor roller coaster, which makes you feel like your flying through space. In 2009, before they renovated the ride, Space Mountain was partially lit. You could see stars and the tracks ahead of you, but not easily. However, since the renovation, I personally think they made the ride even better.

Now when you ride Space Mountain, you can’t see anything. This is what my grandfather and parents said it used to be like back when the ride opened in the 1970s. You don’t know what to expect now – you can’t tell if you’re going to go blasting down a steep drop or fly around a sharp corner giving you a high G-force experience.

But don’t be scared, one of the best aspects of the park and something Walt Disney held true to his heart, is that none of the rides should scare you, just entertain. That holds true even today! Which goes to show you that you don’t need to be scared to have some fun.

Fantasy Land: Fantasy Land is home to all the fairies, the princesses, and wonders that await you in Disney. It’s home to the WORLD FAMOUS, It’s a Small World, and other fantastic adventure rides through your imagination.

You will also smile as you watch all the young girls dressed up as their favorite princess living the movies they’ve come to love.

I personally love It’s a Small World. The ride isn’t meant to be fast paced, instead it’s a moveable world of amazing animatronics, with a catchy tune and some amazing art.

You sit on a boat which floats through all the countries and continents that make up the world. You listen as the animatronic boys and girls all sing the same song, dressed up in their native clothes, enjoying life. It tells a story of morals as well as a story of art.  And that story is, we are all human, regardless of how we dress and talk. Despite our uniqueness, we are all human… making it a small world!

This is a great ride to get lost in your imagination, while experiencing a meaningful lesson we should all listen closer to.

Adventure Land: This is home to one of my all time favorite rides, the Haunted Mansion, as well as other great rides such as The Pirates of the Caribbean and The Swiss Family Robinson’s Tree House. This is the land where adventure runs wild.

The Haunted Mansion: If you like ghosts and creepy stuff like I do, this is a ride for you. You enter the ride by walking through a vintage cemetery,  just past where the former owners of the mansion lie. Then you walk into the mansion and everyone piles into a room, which seems like it is growing.

After the introduction, you are led down a hallway to your DoomBuggy, which is pulled along on a moving sidewalk of sorts. Once in your seat, you are  taken on an adventure that will simply amaze you. The brilliant artistry, along with all the unforgettable holographs, are enough to make you want to ride this ride over and over again.

The interior of the mansion has it all, from the musty old smell you would expect in an old haunted house to the cobwebs and wall paper; it is as authentic as you can imagine. The engineers and artists who made this ride are geniuses.

Throughout the ride, ghosts will interact with you, as well as dance and sing.  You will also visit a seance room, see corpses escaping from their caskets, and much more. I won’t ruin it for you, as this is a ride you have to see for yourself.

Then when you’re done, and you leave the mansion, you’ll be greeted by an authentic 19^th century horse drawn hearse.

Independence Square: Libertyville is another favorite of mine. It gives you that colonial America nostalgia; something I know very well growing up in New England. It truly makes me feel like I am home.

This land has some shops with great nick-nacks that tell about our great history as a country. It’s also home to the award-winning, Hall of Presidents.

This show is housed in a building that resembles Independence Hall. When you enter, the Seal of the President is in the center of the hall, like in the White House. You’re greeted with authentic presidential portraits, inaugural ball gowns and other items from some of our U.S. Presidents.

When the show starts, you will see the work of one of the greatest wax sculptors in the world. He personally sculpted all 45 Presidents for this show, from Washington to Obama. They take you on a tale through our great history. President Lincoln even gives you the Emancipation Proclamation that he gave on the battlefield of Gettysburg.

Frontier Land: If you’re looking for the experience of the Old West with some high intensity rides, this is the town for you. Here you will find Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and Tom Sawyer’s Island.

If you are looking for a daring plunge into a pool of water, you’ll love Splash Mountain. This ride takes you through the story of “The Song of the South” with Brer Rabbit. You’ll board a flume ride and drift through the story of the old American South. In the end, Brer Bear and Brer Fox will throw you into the briar patch, where Brer Rabbit lives. What you’ll experience is a 50 foot drop down through large briars as you crash into the water below- to safety!

If you like roller coasters, Big Thunder Mountain takes you down and around a mining mountain in a fast paced mining train. It is a great roller coaster experience for any age, so even the young children will enjoy it.

Once your done exploring the park, have a great time shopping through the original and authentic merchandise and art on Main Street.

Disney also is known for their extraordinary parades. You will see them happen throughout the day. So sit back and enjoy as the characters in the movies come to life and dance and sing. If you have a little one, there won’t be any more joy brought to your heart than watching their faces light up in amazement.

When the park closes, they put on a fireworks spectacle that only Disney can. If you’re not completely wiped out before then, I strongly suggest staying for the show.

Disney is always packed.  I encourage using a Fast Pass, which is located at each ride.  Just show up to the booth and insert your ticket.  It will provide you a ticket for that ride at a specific time.  You can then bypass the lines and enjoy the ride VIP style.

If you have young children, bring a stroller and hats.  Florida gets really hot in the summer, so sunscreen is a must and be sure to keep hydrated with water.  They sell water in kiosks throughout the park, but you are allowed to bring in your own.

Creativity: 5 out of 5 stars

Cleanliness: 5 out of 5 stars

Family Oriented: 5 out of 5 stars

Thrill Rides: 3 out of 5 stars

Average Ticket Prices $100.00 / Food Prices $24.00 for 2

Disney offers discounts and packages online, go there first to plan your trip. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/

** VIDEO OF MY EXPERIENCE COMING SOON **

The Dali Museum which opened in St. Petersburg, Florida has drawn visitors from all over the world. Even Princess Cristina of Spain. The structure is set next to the water and boast a modern design. A glass tube runs alongside the building and glass dome. There is nothing else in the world like it. The inside features a gift shop and café. I highly recommend the veggie wraps. You can also eat outside under an umbrella table overlooking the water. To get to the galleries you can take the spiral stairs which lead to the upper floor. There you can look out the glass structure. You may take the elevators as well but it will take away from the experience.

But who is Salvador Dali? Once you know who he is and discover his background you can became more familiar with his work.

Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dali I Domenech was born at 8:45 on the morning of May 11, 1904 in the small agricultural town of Figueres, Spain. Figueres is located in the foothills of the Pyrenees, only sixteen miles from the French border in the principality of Catalonia. The son of a prosperous notary, Dali spent his boyhood in Figueres and at the family’s summer home in the coastal fishing village of Cadaques where his parents built his first studio. As an adult, he made his home with his wife Gala in nearby Port Lligat. Many of his paintings reflect his love of this area of Spain.

The young Dali attended the San Fernando Academy of Fine Arts in Madrid. He did not graduate though. He refused to take a final exam and walked out of the class with all of the students following behind him. He passionately believed that he knew more than his professors did and didn’t have to prove his skills. But Dali’s reputations for drawing attention and causing a stir didn’t stop there. When he was a young man he went up into his room and bit his lips as hard as he could until they bled. When they were stained red he applied white powered to his face and then sauntered down the streets where the neighbors praised him for his beauty; unaware that his red lips were covered with blood. Early recognition of Dali’s talent came with his first one-man show in Barcelona in 1925. He became internationally known when three of his paintings, including The Basket of Bread (now in the Museum’s collection), were shown in the third annual Carnegie International Exhibition in Pittsburgh in 1928. Dali soon became a leader of the Surrealist Movement. His painting, The Persistance of Memory, with the soft or melting watches is still one of the best-known surrealist works.

Themes

The majority of Dali’s works swim with themes of his life, past, sexuality, religion and science. At one point in his life Dali had lost his brother. Shortly after his mother gave birth to another son. Dali resented them for having another child after the death of his brother. He hated his younger brother and this eventually melted into his artwork. In one of his paintings he shows Spanish soldiers attacking plump cherries. These cherries represented his guilt and ego because Dali found himself being torn apart by his hatred for his younger brother and his guilt for feeling such dark feelings for his family. Another aspect of his life that haunted him was his problem with masturbation which can be seen in a variety of his artwork. One for example shows a hand reaching into a jar that contains a penis. Others show his hatred for bureaucracy. But his work has not come without controversy. Some of his paintings mix together images of Jesus Christ and sexual images that many find sacrilegious and blasphemous. During the tour we learned one person had even visited another museum and slashed a picture of Jesus that they perceived as offensive. One shows Jesus on the cross but not bleeding or suffering. Dali did not do this out of malice toward Christianity but stated that he did not want to see Jesus suffer.

I was also surprised to learn that science and mathematics played a major part in his other works. A photograph of the Mediterranean Sea when looked at twenty meters away becomes Abraham Lincoln. Such works reflect his intelligence of science and mathematics. Copies of his paintings, portraits, and photographs can be bought at the gift shop.

Don’t Miss The Tour!

If you want to have a full experience and understand what the gallery has to offer and know the meanings of Dali’s artwork and his rich history, then missing the tour isn’t an option. It’s also free and can be joined at any time. The tour guides are friendly and will answer any of your questions. You can find the tour schedules on the website. www.thedali.org

Note: Admission to the museum requires payment. Only the tour is free.

Hand-tossed pizzas come in either small or large and can be prepared with just cheese or with a variety of  toppings, everything from Anchovies to Artichoke hearts.  In addition to making your own pizza, you can order The Veggy, a pie covered in yummy vegetables, or The Cappy, the pizzeria’s signature pie that comes with a handful of toppings such as ham, sausage and mushrooms. 

For the heartier appetite, try a deep dish; a true Chicago speciality.  With this pizza, there are three sizes to choose from- small, medium and large.  Cappy’s deep dish can be prepared with all the same choices for toppings, including pie varieties such as The Veggy and The Cappy.

Cappy’s sauce tastes slightly sweet and fresh, like it was made from tomatoes right off the vine.  All the toppings are of the highest quality; nothing tastes as if it has been packaged or frozen.  The crust is always light, never heavy with dough.

Calzones are also made to perfection at Cappy’s.  Stuffed with mozzarella and served with marinara on the side, they are a tasty variation from a pie.  And if you want to get a little bit creative with your calzone, order one with a filling of choice for just 50 cents extra.

Breadsticks from Cappy’s are wonderfully seasoned and make a great addition to any pizza or calzone.  My husband and four-year-old son enjoy the cheesebread from the pizzeria.  Each bread stick is covered with melt-in-your-mouth mozzarella.

A cold, crisp salad pairs well with Cappy’s heavier dishes.  Choose from a Greek, Caesar, or tossed salad.

The only thing Cappy’s is missing are hot wings.  I’m a wing lover, so these are a must when I order a pizza.  Cappy’s does not carry wings, at least not at this point in time.  Then again, with pizza so good, who needs anything more.

Cappy’s Pizzeria

Located at 2900 1st Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33713

727-321-3020

www.cappyspizzaonline.com

Dinner:  Sunday-Thursday, 5-9 pm, Friday and Saturday, 5-10 pm

Lunch:  Thursday and Friday, 11 am-2:30 pm

The Floridian, just off of the Treasure Island Causeway, is the next best thing to getting my Miami fix.  I had only driven by this place about a hundred times, but never actually parked and gone in.  I had heard phenomenal things about The Floridian; how great the food is, the friendly staff, the laid back atmosphere, its ideal location.  So why did it take me such a long time to actually get inside this fabulous little eatery?  Who knows, maybe I just didn’t think their sandwiches could possibly compare to the “real deal.”  But now that I know how delicious The Floridian really is, I can’t seem to stay away.

Voted Tampa Bay’s “Best Cuban Sandwich” by both local newspapers and news channels alike, The Floridian aims to please.  Their trademark Cuban comes in two sizes; twelve inches and nine.  The bread is toasted perfectly and the mustard/mayo mix is just right; not the least bit overwhelming.  The sandwich is loaded with mouth-watering meats including ham, spiced pork, and Genoa salami, layered on just right and mixed in with imported Swiss cheese.

If the traditional Cuban isn’t what you are craving, there are plenty of other yummy sandwiches.  For instance, there’s the Roast Turkey or Tuna Melt, made with homemade Albacore Tuna salad.  For a close second to the Cuban, one may try the Spiced Pork, prepared with a delicious Mojo marinade.

The Floridian is so much more than just sandwiches, however.  The soups are simply heavenly at this Treasure Island hot spot.  The famous Floridian Bean Soup is sensational and a must-try.  This soup is hearty and is especially  satisifying on a cooler day.  There is no shortage of ham, pork, chorizo in this dish.  Hardly bland, the soup is full of flavor, and mixes in garlic and Collard greens to boot.  It’s definitely a favorite of mine.  Another great choice is The Floridian’s Black Bean Soup, served up with onions and toast.  This is no side dish, as it makes for a perfect meal all in itself.

Combo plates are also very popular at this beachy little cafe.  You can pair just about any sandwich will either black beans and rice, or one of the soups.  There are also black bean and yellow rice plates.

The sides are just as amazing as the actual entrees.  One that tops the list for me is the Devil Crab, which is a breaded and deep fried dough roll served up with seasoned Blue Crab inside.  Scrumptious!  According to the folks at The Floridian, this is an authentic Tampa dish.  The Stuffed Potato side is equally delectable.  Once again, it is breaded and deep fried, but there is no crab here.  Simply a potato ball with an inside of seasoned ground beef and pork.  If you want to keep it easy, just order up some Cuban toast, potato chips or good ol’ Plantain chips.

As far as a casual beachy atmosphere, well, The Floridian personifies that.  Most folks who dine in or take out at this cafe, come in either barefoot or with their brightly colored flip-flops on.  Sandy legs and sun burned backs are pretty standard in this place, and no one looks twice at bathing suit clad patrons.  Friendly and relaxed, The Floridian is the perfect spot to visit after a long, hot day at the shore.  There’s indoor seating, but most prefer to sit outside on the cool, covered deck. 

For those choosing to dine in, beer is served, including one of my favorites, Landshark.  There’s also plenty of other cold refreshments, including iced tea and lemonade. 

Trays are available for parties.  Cut-up sandwiches are served on a dome tray and are enough for 6-8 people.  Be sure to call ahead.

Open daily from 11-9

For take-out orders call, 367-6662

Located at 230 Treasure Island Causeway (107th Ave.), Treasure Island, FL

www.FloridianRestaurant.com

Like a freak show frozen in time, Obscura houses unusual and one-of-a-kind items; everything from a human skull to a taxidermied cryptid.  Bizarre antique medical instruments, turn-of-the-century masks, Victorian hair jewelry and amusement park fortune teller heads make up just some of the shop’s inventory.

Co-owners Mike Zohn and Evan Michelson share a passion for these hard-to-find items, many of which are downright creepy.  Zohn discovered his love for antiques back when he was just a teenager and was learning how to drive.  While cruising down a quiet street, Zohn got lost and stumbled upon an antique store housed in an old barn.  His curiosity led him inside and almost instantly he was hooked.  Shortly after, Zohn started buying antiques and began learning about rare and strange artifacts such as taxidermied animals, circus and sideshow souvenirs, and natural history artifacts.  Zohn didn’t just buy for his own personal collection; he supplemented his salary as a photo researcher and editor by purchasing items he could later resell as profit.  Whatever money Zohn made, he then put towards antiques that he really wanted.  And before long, Zohn had a plethora of artifacts collected.  So much so, he knew he either had to seek help for a hoarding addiction, or open a shop.  As it turned out, a shop was Zohn’s best option because the stock photo company where he worked, started to crumble.  For the former photo researcher and editor, taking a job with antiques was just a temporary fix until Zohn could find a different, and perhaps better, job.  That was fourteen years ago.

Today, Zohn wakes up before sunrise in order to find all the magnificently eccentric artifacts his Obscura Antiques and Oddities showcases.  And when Zohn is not stocking up on femur bones and coffins, he gives lectures on 19th Century taxidermy automata.

Obscura’s other owner, Evan Michelson, is an avid collector and a museum aficionado.  What many don’t know is that Michelson was a hardcore rocker back in the 1980s.  Her first band was considered a goth/industrial/post-punk group known as Killer Weasel.  The rockers were famous for being pyromaniacs and for dousing their audience with blood.  And though the blood was fake, rumors began to abound that a few audience members died during Killer Weasel’s first show.  According to Michelson, “it was all good from there.”  During this time, the blood-loving rocker chick found her husband (a graphic artist/musician/composer/animator) while perusing through junk.  Both were looking for instruments to add to their industrial bands.  Michelson progressed from post-punk to cyber-punk in the 1990s, and then joined in with a fetish band, where she played in dungeons.

Michelson’s love for the dark and morbid came long before her gothic rock days.  She has always had a fascination for anatomical/medical antiques and for artistic depictions of the extremes of human experience.  Michelson became intrigued with how “art melds with pain and ectasy” and also the esthetics of grief.  Funerals, cemeteries… Michelson loves them.

During the week, she attends various markets and auctions.  With such a strong passion for the macabre, Michelson has earned the nicknames, Morticia Addams and the Death Lady.  And when she is not presiding over the shop with Zohn, Michelson is acting as a scholar-in-residence at the Morbid Anatomy Library where she conducts weekly lectures.

Just where would a shop like Obscura Antiques and Oddities be without a knowledgeable buyer?  Ryan Matthew is a collector and can trace his passion for finding artifacts all the way back to his childhood.  He would go out into the woods as a young boy and find trinkets that he would keep as treasures.  Eventually Matthew progressed  to baseball cards and then went on to accumulating horror movie props.

Today, he keeps a prized collection of Victorian taxidermy, skulls, skeletons, and early industrial lighting.  The avid buyer is intrigued by the medical field and taxidermy, and is very hands-on with his studies.  Over the years, Matthew has collected various animal skeletons, some of which were made into skeletons by his dog.  Matthew would clean the bones and then would attempt to rearticulate them.  He would “figure” the skeletons out by studying the specific animal at hand.  With a passion for osteology (a love of bones) and for Victorian taxidermy, Matthew has purchased at least one human skull off of Craigslist.  He would then disassemble and rearticulate, making the skull a Beauchene or an “exploded” skull.

There is no surprise that, as a buyer, Matthew travels quite extensively, where he looks for great finds at flea markets, auctions, and even yard sales.  Sometimes people will bring items to him.

Matthew’s best discovery was Mr. Woofles, a Victorian taxidermied house dog set in a glass museum case.  Mr. Woofles was won at an auction after a very long and rainy drive, followed by an agonizing buyers’ battle.  And though Matthew owns the much sought after Mr. Woofles, there is one other artifact he would do anything to own.  “At Mr. Potter’s Museum of Curiosities, there was an amazing anthromorphic diorama of taxidermy kittens having a tea party that I would most likely faint if given the chance to buy,” gushes Matthew.

It isn’t just the owners and buyer that bring magic to Obscura Antiques and Oddities.  More so, it’s the colorful and quirky clientele.  The collectors selling and the curious buying, are often oddities in themselves.  Though it may be obvious that a shop such as Obscura would strongly appeal to the Addams Family, it is not unusual to see soccer moms and business men scouring the shelves.  For Obscura, there is no such thing as a “typical” customer.  Zohn and Michelson routinely welcome tattooed artists, black-lipped goths, and pierced musicians into their shop, but also cater to school teachers and office professionals.  Some of Obscura’s more famous clients include Ripley’s Believe It or Not, the Mutter Museum, Ralph Lauren, and Danny Elfman.  Whether the customer is wildly eccentric or conservatively demure, one common interest is shared- an appreciation of the strange.

Some of the city’s more artsy and creative individuals will come in looking for an inspirational purchase.  Buying a new pair of blue silk Manolo Blahnik heels can be great shop therapy for a girl feeling blah.  Well, in this case, a mummified cat might be the perfect mood lifter for a struggling artist.  Perhaps a buy from Obscura is intended as a gift, rather than something to just put near an easel or in a recording studio.  Some visit the shop for birthday and Christmas gifts, while others look for anniversary presents for their special someones.  After all, nothing says love like a set of rotted human teeth.

Obscura Antiques and Oddities is such a bizarre little shop, and is so popular with tourists and locals alike, that it has become the star of the hit series, Oddities, which airs on the Science/Discovery Channel every Thursday at 10:30 p.m.  The show, which sparks great water cooler conversation, exposes what goes on behind shop doors daily.  A friend of mine turned me onto watching it recently.  I DVR-ed one episode, and that was all it took for me to get hooked.

I have always dreamed of owning a store much like Obscura.  All of my life, I have had a strong appreciation of antiques.  I feel that each period piece tells its own unique story.  And I’m not just an antiques lover; I am also very much into all things morose and funereal.  My favorite holiday has always been Halloween.  Instead of going to a park for a picnic, I’d rather have lemonade and sandwiches in a graveyard.  As a young child, my dream job was to work one day as a chambermaid at DisneyWorld’s Haunted Mansion.  So, yes, Obscura would be the perfect shop for me to own.  Sadly though, I would probably have to close as I would surely not be able to sell a single item; I’d want to keep everything for myself.  How could one part with such delightfully ghoulish wonders?

So, here I am, giddy with excitement, watching my first ever episode of Oddities, living vicariously through Zohn and Michelson.

Genesis, a very eccentric but loyal customer to Obscura, came into the shop to sell a trumpet made out of a human thigh bone.  The ceremonial instrument was said to be used in rituals to call upon spirits and also is considered to possess healing powers.  It was unlike anything I had ever seen or heard of before.  Zohn and Michelson felt it would make a perfect addition to the shop, however, they wanted Genesis to “play” it first.  After a few very sour-sounding attempts, the bone trumpet blew out a semi-respectable note and a deal was made.

Next off, an artist came in looking for -you guessed it- an inspirational artifact.  When offered a skull, the pierced, dark-haired dude disappointedly shook his head, denying the piece.  Skulls were just too common for this guy.  After shrugging off a few more medical antiquities, Michelson dangled the carrot, so to speak.  There it was, looking the wide-eyed customer right in the face.  A pig head with brain matter “exploding” out of the top of its head, covered by a glass dome.  “This one is definitely speaking to me,” grinned the very pleased musician.  This little piggy went “wee, wee, wee all the way home” with the rocker dude for the bargain price of $1,000.00  Who knew that pig brain matter could be so creatively inspiring?  I’m so glad this guy held off for one of the rarest pieces in the shop.  Skull, schmull…boring!

Obscura Antiques and Oddities collects and deals in the weirdest of weird; from the “medically interesting to macabre.”  So, it was no wonder that shrunken heads would be inevitable on an Oddities episode.  Considered to be one of the rarest objects in the business, shrunken heads are worth a pretty penny, at least for the real ones.  There are plenty of fakes in the market right now, and many are hard to determine whether they are real deal.  Typically a replicated shrunken head is one made of animal skin and hair.

A gentleman on this particular episode walks into the shop, presenting his most prized possession, a shrunken head.  Though it’s an amazing, one-of-a-kind artifact, the customer did not wish to keep it and came to sell.

First, Zohn must make sure the head is authentic.  If it is, it could fetch up to $30,000.  With its dark skin, whiskery hair and sewed-up mouth, the tiny head is disturbing.

After Zohn had a shrunken head expert examine the artifact, its owner was updated with the exciting news that what he has is indeed legit.  The historian felt the owner could easily be paid $10,000 for his find.  Zohn would not be able to clear the purchase just yet though.  He had to first get his lawyer’s approval.  Dealing in real human flesh can be highly illegal and that is not something Zohn is prepared to get involved in.  Depending upon what the shrunken head was used for at one time will determine its fate as of today.  After doing some shrunken head research, Obscura’s lawyer found that this particular head was intended for commerce, considered to be a “tourist head.”  If it was to be used ceremonially, then it would be forbidden to sell.  However, since it was to be used for selling in the first place, Obscura could make the purchase.

Thrilled, Obscura announced the good news to a very happy and relieved client.  Unfortunately, a $30,000 price tag could not be awarded.  Neither was one for $10,000.  Offered $5,000, the head strong owner wouldn’t take less than $8,000 and felt that a negotiation was in order.  In the end, the gentleman left Obscura without his shrunken head, but did have $6,000 more in his wallet.

The episode didn’t stop there.  One man, an obsessive taxidermist, called Zohn out to his residence to show off his mounted collection.  His apartment looked like a hunting lodge.  The man promised Zohn that he had found a cryptid, the elusive Jackalope.  Not exactly the Chupacabra or Bigfoot, Zohn wasn’t too impressed when he saw the fuzzy, bunny-like creature with antlers staring back at him, expressionless and stuffed.  The man excitedly recalled the day he found and then killed the strange hybrid.  He claimed that he was in the woods, taking a potty break, when he heard rustling in the brush and saw a creature.  He shot and killed the supposed Jackalope.  Zohn, finding the humorous tale hard to swallow, got the so-called Jackalope hunter to re-hash his story and tell it the way  it really happened.  It was then that the slightly embarrassed man deflated, and admitted he found it for sale at a gas station instead.  Still, Zohn made the buy for his store, and got a date besides.  The taxidermist finagled lunch with Zohn, and in addition, got over $200 for his little critter.  I could only wonder if Mr. Jackalope got to tag along for lunch, too?  Seems only fair to me.

All in all, my first Oddities episode was well worth watching, and as I said before, I’ve been a fan ever since.

And if you should ever find yourself in New York City, be sure to stop by and say hello to those fun folks who make Obscura Antiques and Oddities so very weird and wacky.  Whether you’re shopping for a new skull to add to your collection, a stuffed cryptid, or you desperately need a vampire killing kit, Obscura has just that morbid little piece.  A nightmare to some; a dream come true for others, but one thing is for certain… Obscura Antiques and Oddities “ain’t your grandma’s antique shop.”

So kick the mudane to the curb, be prepared for the bizarre and open your mind; you’ll be pleasantly surprised once you enter into the world of the medically macabre.

For more information, go to:  www.ObscuraAntiques.com , info@obscuraantiques.com, or at www.obscuraantiques.blogspot.com

If you have an item you may want to purchase from Obscura, or would be interested in selling, contact Mike Zohn at Mike@obscuraantiques.com.

Obscura Antiques and Oddities

280 E. 10th St., New York City

212-505-9251

Open 7 days a week, 12-8 pm

Special thanks go to the Discovery Channel’s web page.

For me, I had no interest in going at all.  Not because I had or didn’t have a date, but because of the social cliques, hypocrisy and politics that come along with the event, and watching what I saw on the news the other night, solidifies my opinion of the prom.

What I saw were teenage girls, mostly in their Junior year, convincing their parents to spend at minimum $3000.00 on designer dresses, plus extra money for facials, manicures, pedicures, designer shoes, hair and transportation.  In the end, these parents paid up to a minimum of $8000.00 for their daughters’ Junior prom!

My jaw fell to the floor hearing this.

I could not believe that a parent would spend $10,000.00 on a Junior prom, which is a car payment or a decent down payment on a home.  I can’t fathom how anyone would pay that kind of money for a school dance with the economy the way it is.  Sure, I love my daughter and would always want the best for her, but at the risk of going broke for a dance, NO!

This behavior does not teach these children good monetary values, and gives in to the notion that they can get whatever they want, whenever they want it.  I know this is a once in a lifetime event, but you can go twice, and some of these girls will.  That means their parents will spend conservatively $16,000.00 for two proms and liberally around $20 to $30,000.00

When the parents were interviewed I got a real sense of the “true meaning” behind their actions. “I always wanted something like this for me when I went to my prom.  I want my daughter to be beautiful and the talk of the prom, so any amount of money it takes to make that happen… then so be it,” stated one mother.

Let’s dissect this, shall we?

“I am going through a midlife crisis, I don’t feel pretty enough and if my daughter is the talk of the prom, they know that she got her good looks from me.  I also don’t want to upset my daughter by not giving her what she wants, so I’d rather be her friend and make her happy,” confided another mom.

You could tell the girls were spoiled and damaged from the bad example their parents were setting when they were interviewed.  One girl said, and I quote, “I feel bad for all the less fortunate girls who don’t get the chance to have the dress and experience I will have at this prom.  It’s a shame that their parents are not well off enough to give their daughters what they deserve.”

Really?

First of all, those girls are very much normal and are not less fortunate.  And if the supposed “more fortunate” teens knew that their parents were taking out second mortgages and taking second jobs to afford these luxuries for them, they might think twice.  In fact, most of the parents that are doing this for their children are making less than $50,000.00 combined income a year.

Now as far as budget, I could see $800.00 conservatively and maybe at most, $1100.00 for a prom.   Limos are expensive, dresses can run in the mid $200.00 range and hair and nails can be pricey.  However, they don’t look any less beautiful because they are not wearing designer clothes and went broke obtaining them.

I don’t see these girls any less happy, nor have I ever seen them having any less fun than the girls that spent $10,000.00 or more on their prom experience.  To me, that says you spent yourself into the hole for nothing.

I realized long ago that clothes do not make you more beautiful.  Neither do jewelry, nails, hair, makeup, accessories, perfume or other enhancements.  What makes someone beautiful is their heart, and someone who appreciates what life gives them and uses it to the fullest.  Beauty comes from being happy with yourself.

I know over the years that America has become a very vain place filled with greed and self love.  I’m ashamed that people are spending beyond their means to please their daughter, as opposed to teaching them the value of a dollar, and the moral that it’s okay to not have everything you want, and yet you can still be happy.

This kind of behavior must stop.  If these parents were able to pay for this without going into debt then it’s acceptable for them to do this kind of thing.  It is fun to splurge on your daughter, but wouldn’t it make more sense to splurge on her wedding?

We must examine our priorities and realize that beauty isn’t everything.  A simple car accident, slip and fall or chemical accident could change that in the blink of an eye.

That’s my opinion.  It’s okay to disagree with me, but realize that if we don’t teach our children the value of a dollar, the true meaning of beauty, and to live within our means, America is guaranteed to be bankrupt in just a few years as it’s already heading there.

So what if the Jersey Shore really is in its last season?  For some, it is good riddance, while for others, it is just too sad; our guilty pleasure, no more.

Though the shore gang will entertain curious audiences once again with their newest season, some die hard fans believe that Season Three might have really been their last.  For those not so familiar with the reality show, Season One started out on the famed Jersey Shore, but then producers brought the overly tanned twenty-somethings south.  Season Two episodes showed the big haired  New Jerseyans dancing and drinking all over the streets of Miami’s tropical South Beach.  Season Three reunited the cast with their former home on the Jersey boardwalk.

Now, with Season Four set to film, producers are back to changing locales once again.  This time they are looking abroad.  Florence, Italy will play host to the reality stars this time around, so let’s all pray the Tuscan town is ready.

There is no doubt that drama is synonymous with the Jersey Shore, but this time the tension started way before the cameras began to roll.  The first problem that arose was due to salary disputes among the cast.  Shocker, huh?  This season, Snooki, the Situation, and the rest of the gang demanded higher pay-per-episode than in previous seasons.  The cast members had pushed their salaries to over $10,000 an episode, after threatening to shut down Miami’s Season Three production, even before it started.  The Shore’s Ronnie, Sammi and Vinny were the first to come to terms with the established Season Four salaries and signed off on their contracts early on.  However, the remaining five decided to put up a fight and hold out for more money.  The dispute over episode pay resulted in the original April 18th film date being postponed to sometime in May.  A recent report states that all cast members were finally able to come to an agreement on salary.  It is unclear what the final negotiation was, but according to TMZ, everyone was “pleased with the outcome.”

In addition to their raises, some of the Jersey Shore cast will also be starring in their own MTV spin-off shows.  Gee, I wonder how much they asked to be paid for those episodes.  Well, in their defense, hair products have become expensive these days and we all can assume that seven nights a week of club hopping can be draining on the ol’ wallet.

It’s not just  money that has caused issues with the MTV production.  Italians living in Tuscany are not happy that the Jersey Shore crew will be walking their historic streets and dining in their five star restuarants.  Those living in Italy claim to be outraged that MTV is bringing their “insulting show” overseas, possibly tainting their beautiful city of Florence.  The locals say that Jersey Shore depicts Italians as “guidos” and “guidettes.”  According to columnist Roberto Del Bove of New Notzie, “They embody the worst stereotypes of Italians, multiplied by thousands and Americanized.”

Florence, the capital city of Tuscany, is prided for being hip and fashionable.  It’s a walking town and is easy to get around nearly everywhere by foot.  Florence is beautiful, historical and so not, well, the Jersey Shore.

The mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi, has laid down some strict rules for the cast to follow while filming.  Renzi simply wants for his city to be treated with respect and portrayed on television in a positive light.  The mayor’s rules include the following:

1.  No filming in bars, clubs or anywhere else that “promotes the reckless consumption of alcohol.”

2.  The cast is prohibited from being filmed while drinking in public.

3.  Florence cannot be portrayed as a “drinking town.”

4.  The cast must interact with authentic Italians in Italian settings and promote Italy and its “culture and good food.”

In addition to the above, Renzi does not want historic buildings filmed with the cast, but does understand he cannot totally restrict MTV from using the city as a backdrop.

No public intoxication?  No clubs or bars?  We are talking about the cast of Jersey Shore, right?  If JWoww can’t be filmed urinating behind a bar inside of a club, then what’s the point of watching this new season?  And what about Snooki?  No more sitting in the backseat of police cars?  Maybe Season Three really was the Shore’s last season.  What will get fans to tune in now?  Authentic Italian culture, outdoor cafes and priceless works of art?  Um, yeah.  And without the clubs and bars, where will the Situation find all of his late night bedroom guests?

And speaking of bedrooms, MTV is keeping the cast members’ new residence a secret.  All that is known is their new home will not be anything we’ve seen in the past seasons.  There will be no beach house, nor will the group be staying in a hotel.  Some viewers speculate the cast will be staying in a hostel, but mum is the word til the season’s official premiere.

It is hard to know at this point how Season Four will pan out for the Jersey Shore crew, but one thing is for certain, we’ll keep watching.  For me, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself for an entire season without Ronnie and Sammi fights.  Though one is to wonder, will they yell in Italian now?

Then I saw the commercial saying “a limited time offer.”  Oh no!, I thought.  Well lucky for me, that limited time offer is still going because they have yet to disappear and they are still a favorite from this fast food chain.  However, about six years ago, I started to grow disappointed with this amazing dish.

Just around the time Burger King changed the recipe with their fries – something they never should have done – they changed the look and breading to their signature chicken tender.

Now, in a taste test between McDonald’s chicken nuggets and Burger King’s chicken tenders, it was hands down Burger King that won top honors.  Yet, after they changed their recipe to the new breading, I stopped eating the popular meal that I have been eating since 1986.

It wasn’t just the new shape of the chicken tenders; instead, it became the large amount of fillers used, unlike the preceding recipe.  When I ordered them, they came to the counter very greasy and soggy, mainly because of all the breading inside.  It was the death of my beloved chicken tender.  The tender that I once enjoyed eating, had evolved  into chicken strips; soggy and bread filled, with a different shape.

But now in 2011, 25 years after they introduced the chicken tender and about six years since they almost destroyed the dish, they yet again reinvented it – and honestly, I’m glad they did.

It still doesn’t match up to their original recipe, but it’s a big step in the right direction.  The shape now mimics McDonald’s chicken nuggets, and you can taste more chicken than breading.  Reluctant to try it at first because of all that grease, I broke down and ordered a serving.  I was not looking forward to that horrible breading texture Burger King used to coat the strips with, and I really didn’t want to feel the oil ooze into my mouth.  To my surprise, that’s not what I received.

What I did get was a hearty nugget, similar to the original, with less oil and a better breading.

I still miss the original and I really hope that Burger King executives wise up and realize they had a winner for almost 20 years and reverted back.  Still, if you’re craving that original goodness, feel safe in sampling the new and improved chicken tender from Burger King.

It started when former Hillsborough County teacher, Catherine Borkowski, came across property in northern Land O’ Lakes.  The piece of land somehow called her to it.  Borkowski knew then and there that her dream of being a small business owner could come true.  She also knew in her heart that that small business was going to be the most unique consignment shop in the state of Florida.

The idea came from her ability and need to redecorate her home, and visiting many local consignment shops in the area was where she found the right pieces to make her rooms complete.  That spawned the notion that, “I can do this, if not better… but I can do this”.

She credits the stores beginning to the help of God, and her beloved mother, Carolyne, who funded the dream and Christina Thomas a dear friend and financial advisor who she said with out her guidance, Cayce’s Home Consignment would not be in business today.

At first her mother was a bit skeptical, but upon visiting the property and seeing the incredible vision her daughter had, she knew it was going to be a success.  During the last few weeks in March of 2011, Borkowski opened Cacey’s Home Consignments and runs it now with her husband.

She didn’t name her new venture after herself, like most people would; instead, she decided on a family name. Cayce was chosen, the name of the legendary sleeping prophet Edgar Cayce, also Katherine Borkowski’s great uncle.

It wasn’t long before folks started to notice this new shop, and consigned their goods to her.  Now she has over hundreds of pieces and fifty consignors, with Borkowski’s very first consignor still bringing goods to her regularly.  Upon receiving the first piece from that consignor, Borkowski was told, ”I want you to sell my stuff; this is what God wants me to do.”  So once again, the powers and credit of the shop’s early success stem from God, according to Borkowski.

What makes this place even more unique than your average consignment shop are the themed rooms. “Everyone themes their rooms at home without even realizing it,” says the shop owner, therefore, theming the shop accordingly.  Borkowski wants her customers to experience what they already do at home, and to see the shop in a way that is not only inviting, but breathes creativity.  “I just want everyone of my customers to feel at home,” states Borkowski.

By doing this, the customer can see how different patterns mix and match, as well as woods and textiles.

Each room in Cayce’s Home Consignments has a name, and those names change as new pieces come in and transfer out. The current names of these rooms are:  The Grand Show Room, The Man Cave, Grandmother’s Attic, The French Foyer, The Italian Ren Kitchen, The Rose Room, The Wedding Nook, The Chicken Coop, All Roads Lead to Rome, The Roman Baths and The Asian Persuasion Room.

In addition to having walls and rooms packed with great antiques and nick nacks, Cayce’s Home Consignments also offers free tea parties, a wine and cheese night, and vendor sales.  Borkowski allows anyone who wants to throw a party in her amazing backyard, with trees and a fountain, the ability to do so for free.  Where else can you find something like that?

She also takes her customer service one step further and offers redecoration services.  If you give her free reign, Borkowski will come to your house and redecorate it with a fresh eye.  She lets her creativity flow and creates a room that will stir up conversation for you and your guests, all while making room for your new piece of furniture or accent decorations that you purchased from the store.

“I’ve always been creative, and this allows me to channel that creativity and make something beautiful for my clients,” says the shop owner.

Loyal customer and dear friend of Borkowski, Lynn Angelica states, “It’s the most beautiful place to come and be able to see what you would like your home to look like, because she sets it out so pretty.”

Angelica found this “shop of wonders” one day just by driving down the street and decided to stop in.  Now she’s one of the Cayce’s Home Consignments most loyal customers.

The shop has thrived so well mainly because of  repeat customers, which Borkowski so dearly appreciates.

One of the best aspects I found in the store was the knowledge Borkowski has of the products she sells.  Borkowski took me on a tour and showed me some very interesting things, teaching me about them and explaining why they are so unique.  Most of the shop’s items I had no idea existed, and never would have guessed their function in a million years.  Borkowski provides these informational tid bits free of charge as well.  She still captures the spirit of a teacher and, regardless of what she does, will find  a way to educate her customers.

So come in and explore the great trinkets and furniture, learn their stories and talk with an amazing person who completes the shop’s unusual zen.  You’ll stop in once and keep coming back for more.

You can find out more about Cayce’s Home Consignments by visiting their website at http://caceyshomeconsign.com

April 17th is going to be a very special day for producer, Stan  Arthur.  For on that day, Arthur will be showing his independent documentary, My Anniston:  Edward Wood, at the Sunscreen Film Festival in St. Petersburg, Florida.  Arthur, a St. Petersburg native, is a video producer and multimedia specialist at Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida.  Getting acknowledgment for a film he worked so hard on and put so much passion into, is monumental and a dream come true for Arthur.

My Anniston:  Edward Wood is a film about an 84-year-old African American man with a profound story to tell.  Edward Wood’s tale is an inspirational one, and often times, humorous.  As a veteran of the U.S. Navy, Wood was part of the American Civil Rights Movement and was one of the few who actually saw the 1961 Freedom Riders Greyhound bus burn as a result of an angry KKK mob in Anniston, Alabama.  From the comforts of Wood’s own living room, memories are recalled and stories rich with history are told.  Wood describes what it was like living in Anniston during a time when African Americans fought for equal rights.  Back in the 1950s and ’60s, in the deep of the South, life then was far different for these people.  Wood understands this period in history all too well.  His father was a slave, and his grandfather, a white slave master.  As a storyteller, Wood does a great job of keeping his listeners deeply engaged.  Arthur adds, “his stories are amazing.”

Arthur is very proud of his film, as he should be.  My Anniston:  Edward Wood is sure to please, as it is well-constructed, smart and unique.  This Florida filmmaker certainly put his heart and soul into the making of this wonderful creation.

A screening of Arthur’s documentary will take place at the Sunscreen Film Festival in beautiful downtown St. Petersburg, near the bay.  The festival is ideally located, which in turn, attracts many visitors.  And speaking of visitors, did I mention, celebrities?  If you should visit the Sunscreen Film Festival, be sure to bring your pen and autograph book.  Last year Patrick Wilson, Billy Dee Williams, and even John Travolta walked the festival’s red carpet.

Muvico Baywalk 20 is hosting the Sunscreen Film Festival this year.  It arrives into town Wednesday, April 13th and runs til Sunday, April 17th.  My Anniston:  Edward Wood will be shown Sunday, April 17th from 3-4 pm.

The film is certainly a  must-see and one that will be talked about for years to come.

For more information on My Anniston:  Edward Wood, go to www.facebook.com/myanniston

www.imdb.com/title/tt1847651/

For more information on the Sunscreen Film Festival, go to www.sunscreenfilmfestival.com

Kai was born with brain damage as a result of a fetal/maternal hemmorage that left him with less than half of his blood volume.  He was not expected to live and if he did, doctors did not give him much hope.  The prognosis was grim.  If Kai did survive past birth, he was not expected to come off the ventilator.  Kai’s mother, Kristie Jo Redfering, along with a team of doctors, embraced the harsh reality of a worst case scenario.  Kai, however, had other plans.  Not only did he survive past birth, but he successfully was able to be taken off a ventilator.  And when doctors informed Kristie Jo that Kai most likely would have to depend on a feeding tube for all his future meals, the miracle baby proved everyone wrong once again.  “Whatever he wasn’t expected to do, he did,” smiles Kai’s mother.

Making great and very unexpected progress, Kai continued to push on, surprising many along the way.  He has since been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder and Klinefelter syndrome, a genetic disorder unrelated to cerebral palsy.  In addition, Kai has hemiplegia, which is a condition where there is paralysis vertically on half of the body.  For Kai, hemiplegia affects his right side.  “Kai doesn’t use his right arm, has limited use of his right leg, cortical blindness in the right field of vision in both eyes,  and has tone and sensory issues largely on the right side,” explains Kristie Jo.

Despite these challenges, Kai continues to make strides and today is cognitively and physically capable of activities and tasks once never imagined possible for him.  Currently attending New Heights Elementary School (the same school where Kristie Jo is a teacher) in St. Petersburg, Kai is now participating in toy play and games.  His receptive language has grown.  He loves music, dancing, animals and books.  In addition, Kai is making physical advancements.  He is commando crawling by pulling himself up and along with his left arm.  And, according to Kristie Jo, eight months ago Kai began eating solids, giving up the pureed meals he depended on for so long.

In the summer of 2010, Kristie Jo enrolled Kai in an intensive therapy program called TheraSuit.  The program lasts a total of three weeks at three hours a day and five days a week.  And though these sessions may sound challenging, they promote great success for a child like Kai.  Kristie Jo has hopes of placing Kai back into the TheraSuit program this coming summer.  “I want to get him back into TheraSuit over the summer so he can be as independent as possible,” states Kristie Jo.  Unfortunately, there is one major obstacle going against Kai getting into TheraSuit.  It is costly.  By June 1st, over $3,000 needs to be raised or Kai will not be able to attend the therapy sessions he needs in order to progress further.

Kristie Jo knows better than anyone though that even the biggest challenges can be overcome.  In order to reach her goal of $3,375, she is hosting a car wash on April 9th, a beach bash benefit on May 7th, and is also working with artist, Karen Rust, on making glass pendants for Kai’s cause.  Support, both financially and emotionally, is essential for Kai’s therapy goals.

For me, it was a great honor having worked with Kai as both his teacher and therapist.  He is an inspiration to anyone facing a challenge.  As an educator himself, Kai teaches us how to find strength, courage and hope.  Although he is only four and a half years old, we can all learn from someone like Kai.  He possesses many special and magical qualities, some which are far beyond his tender age.  There was never a day where I would walk into my classroom and not see a smile on Kai’s face.  This is a  boy who loves everyone he meets.  A boy who adores his older sister, JoLee.  A boy that sees his world as a happy place.  Yes, I do believe we all could learn a thing or two from this little person.

As I think about Kai, I remember back to a very cloudy day here in St. Petersburg a few years ago.  Overcast and dreary, with rain beginning to softly drizzle outside, I stood in my classroom looking out the window and waiting for my “students” to arrive.  Suddenly, through the dark morning skies, a little ray of sunshine unexpectedly found its way through the windowpane, illuminating the rug underneath my feet.  I turned around, and there was Kai, nestled snuggly in his mother’s arms… smiling.

If you would like to help raise money for Kai’s summer therapy, see below:

Car Wash

Time/Date:  Saturday, April 9th, from 10 am til 2 pm

Location:  Hess Station at 66th Street and 30 Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL

Details:  Come have your car washed by some great folks for a good cause

Beach Bash

Time/Date:  Saturday, May 7th at 2 pm

Location:  808 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach, FL

Details:  $20 donation

Food, drinks, silent auction, raffle, volleyball, music and plenty of fun for all

Glass Pendants

Details:  Artist Karen Rust from Camano Island, Washington has created pendants for Kai’s cause.  They are $25 and come in various colors.  You may add a name or word to each pendant.  100% of the proceeds will go towards Kai’s therapy.  Orders will be taken til May 20th.  See below for further information on how to order, or go to www.wix.com/kredfering/Names-for-Kai .  Kristie Jo will also be handling orders for pendants at therasuitforkai@hotmail.com.

For more information on Kai’s cause, TheraSuit, and how to donate, please go to www.CashforKai.com.

As most people say, there is no greater threat than a gun in the wrong hands.  Well, the same proves true for photographers and cameras, only their weapon scars the soul and looks harmless.  Cameras, these days, are quite affordable and versatile.  In addition, you don’t need a concealed weapons permit to purchase one.  Most who have these high tech SDR cameras automatically consider themselves “pro” photographers, and with the “automated” settings, they can achieve a decent photo with little to no skill.

That causes concern because that kind of camera could trick many women.  Women who are looking for nothing more than to be the center of attention, flaunting their beauty to the world as an innocent dream, thinking the photographer is for real.

Unfortunately, when people with cameras use their piece of art equipment to lure these beauties, strip them down and photograph them for their own sexual pleasure, it creates a bad name for those who are “real” photographers.

These deceptive photographers are easy to spot, but can be quite convincing.  They will say or do anything to get these women out of their clothes.  They will make them sign their lives away, throw them empty promises, and in the end, the innocent will be taken advantage of and visually raped.

Working with models most of my professional career, I’ve heard horror stories from other photographers.  In some cases, these freaks actually gave them their pictures – which I got a chance to look at – and saw nothing more than a point and shoot version of what they called “art”.

I’ve known models who performed implied and full nudity with the promise these photographers would break them into the “big leagues.”  They tricked women by saying  ad companies and modeling agents require a full nude photo to gain the aspect of their body structure.  In the end, the photos were less than amateur at best, and many ended up online somewhere.

In some cases the women never received their copies and the photographer is no longer around… surprised?

I also know some models that refused to do nudes or implied nude photography, but the photographer didn’t care.  The photographer actually decided that the model was going to pose nude, and took it upon himself to try and strip her.

As I said earlier, there are certain signs these photographers will throw off and they are easy to spot if you know what to look for.  I suggest that all models or any female who wants to do any kind of modeling shoot, follow my advice.

Sign 1 – The first question out of the mouth of these photographers when setting up a shoot is, “Will you pose nude or implied nude?”  In the aspect of nude or implied nude there is no difference, except that an implied nude shoot won’t expose a fully naked body; the photographer will see you nude but will pose you in such a way that doesn’t allow full exposure on film.

Sign 2 – The photographer wants to do this shoot TFP (time for photos) and promises the moon to these models.  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  “Time for photos” is when the model trades their time to the photographer for photos.

Sign 3 – Thier portfolio is filled with nudes or implied nudes with little to nothing else.  Examine these photos and see if the models have anything in common such as ethnicity, length or color of hair, and how they are posed.  Then look at yourself.  If you have the same qualities, you may be the prospective victim of this “legal” sexual predator.  If you don’t like their work or it’s just not what you want to shoot, then simply leave.

Sign 4 – Tell the photographer you are bringing an escort with you.  Most will object to the heavens, convincing you everything will be fine.  They might even get in the way and mess up the photo shoot.  If you still insist, you may not hear from them again.

Another tall tale sign comes when you first show up to the shoot.  If you are posing nude, even implied, the photographer should ask you for your identification, and make record of it.  The Federal Government states that nobody under the age of 18 can pose nude for the camera, implied or otherwise.  Regardless of the law, it’s a moral issue not to photograph someone nude under 18.

Unfortunately, these photographers exist and with more and more of them acquiring mobile studios and working out of their homes, the chances for this disgusting activity increases.

Always meet with the photographer prior to the shoot in a public area.  Be sure to bring an escort with you; that reduces the chance of something happening.  Tell another person where you will be at, how long you should be there and who is shooting the photos.

I also suggest obtaining references from the photographer and calling them, especially if nudity is in play.  I also think it’s a good idea to look them up on the local database for sexual predators prior to shooting.

If you arrive at the photo shoot and you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to do the shoot at all.  It is your right to say no.  Any serious photographer will respect that and work around the issue, and will still be able to create a masterpiece for you.

The best advice is be vigilant, listen to your instincts and play it safe even if you’re shooting simple head shots.  Also, glamour shots don’t necessarily mean stripping!

Unfortunately, even if you fall victim, there are no laws that will put the photographer into jail for sexual abuse.  At most, you could sue for the pictures and maybe for pain and suffering.   However, conditions become much different if the model is underage, or has been physically assaulted.  If this should happen, it then transposes into physical sexual abuse and/or rape.

For more about Jason Dowd or Dowd Studios visit http://dowdstudios.com

Jon Benet Ramsey NO PHOTOSHOP

America’s obsession with beauty has grown out of control, fueled mostly by ads and pictures found in magazines. It seems that each magazine is packed full of fashion photos, beauty product reviews and tips, but to make matters worse, they are also full of deception.

These magazines not only target adult women, but also impressionable teens and pre-teens, showing them exactly what “true beauty” shouldook like. The women who look at these magazines then compare themselves to these models and feel anything but adequate to the women in these pictures.

The photographs set the bar of what beauty is, and therefore, the women who feel they don’t match up will do whatever it takes to be as beautiful or even more beautiful than the women in the magazine. This is a tactic beauty product companies have used in order to make a multi-billion dollar industry based on the insecurities of women.

Unfortunately, in most cases, the photos are completely changed to promote attractiveness. The model’s skin is digitally airbrushed, her weight is altered, and the hips and bust are enhanced.

The problem is women are shooting for a standard of beauty that can only be obtained through digital manipulation. To the untrained eye the photos look realistic. Women are led to believe that the products these models endorse really do work. What they fail to realize is, these photos are completely faked.

The question is, does it really matter? Is this really hurting anyone? Unfortunately, yes.

The need to be beautiful has been fueled by false portrayals through these photographs. The goal is to sell these beauty products in order to make money. As a photographer, I see both sides of the equation. I don’t feel there is anything wrong with making money, but I do feel it should be done honestly.

I can see the reasoning from the beauty product companies for doing what they do. If they placed people on their ads with major flaws, no one would buy their products. However, doctoring the photos to an extreme, is just wrong.

I feel that a little touching up on a photo is fine. If you want to reduce some wrinkles, remove acne, or lighten up dark shadows under the eyes, then go right ahead. However, a woman who is over 40 will present some aging, so leave some flawing for a sense of realism.

On the other hand, digitally altering photos to the extent they have, has made women compare themselves to the unrealistic. They think if they are not a size 0 or 1, then they must be fat. And because these older models seen in magazines have absolutely no wrinkles, then female readers feel unattractive with just a few frown lines or crow’s feet.

This can cause severe insecurity among women. To make themselves feel better and more beautiful they will go out and buy these beauty products hoping they can achieve the same results as the models on the ads and in these magazines. When they don’t achieve the same results, which most of them won’t for reasons I will explain later, they are now at risk for more serious problems.

Some women will turn to plastic surgery. There is nothing wrong with plastic surgery except that it won’t last. Breast implants, for one, will need to be checked regularly, and in most cases, replaced after so many years. This is expensive, but once the surgery is completed, these women will have no choice but to spend money keeping the surgery up.

In other cases, women and men will go under the knife to surgically enhance their nose, face, or other extremities they see in magazines. Again, there is nothing wrong with this, except every time you go under the knife you are taking the risk of death and the possibility the surgery will actually become deformed or unsuccessful.

I have read stories and seen television shows on how plastic surgery can go horribly wrong. Sometimes once the surgery is a failure, the end results can’t be fixed which forces these people to live their life with a deformity. The sad part is, they were perfectly fine before they even had the surgery.

If physical features aren’t the problem, then weight becomes the issue.

Every year around summertime I see ads in magazines and on television talking about the dreaded “bikini season.” So, women will tend to diet in order to look their best in their swimsuits

Hoping to lose weight quickly, some women will turn to fasting, crash diets, dangerous dietary supplements, and energy drink consumption in order to boost their metabolism. All of these methods of weight loss can be extremely dangerous especially if you are not under the watch of a doctor.

Some women will virtually kill themselves to fit into that size one dress, because they are constantly being exposed to skinny models on television and in magazines. To these women, thin equals beautiful. In our modern society, there is great pressure to be a certain weight. According to most height to weight charts, 110 pounds for a female who is 5’4″ or taller, is very underweight.

As these people fight for their optimal weight, they may develop severe eating disorders and other health related issues. Some will take to more drastic measures such as stomach stapling and lap bands, which are medically done but can be extremely dangerous.

Again, these individuals are comparing themselves to the greatly enhanced and highly unrealistic photos of celebrities and models.

I’ve been a photographer now since the mid 1980s. I’ve had clients require me to alter photos in order to enhance their appearance. In turn, I have successfully shaved 20 pounds off my subjects. I have removed scars, baldness, wrinkles, pale skin, acne, eye bags, and other flaws. I have taken away “the muffin top,” as they say, creating a more toned stomach

If you’ve never seen these people in person or seen the photos prior to being altered, you’d swear that’s how they look in real life. That’s why most people can walk by a supermodel or celebrity and not even recognize them.

What we also tend to forget is that each of us are made of different gene structures. With our unique set of genes, each one of us tends to age differently, wear our weight and bulk differently, and have different complexions. So no matter what we do to ourselves surgically or regardless of how many beauty products we buy, a person may never be able to achieve the look they want to, just because their genes won’t allow it. Photoshop, on the other hand, has no idea what a gene structure is.

Despite the health risks involved from altered photos, we also face unethical practices.

A few years ago I heard a story about a plastic surgeon who gave breast implants to a girl who was under sixteen. The teen simply wanted to enhance her figure. Her parents allowed it, but they too were obsessed with their bodies and had no qualms about plastic surgery.

This young girl said it was her body, and she could do whatever she wanted with it. She’s right, except she forgot a major piece of the equation that a parent and doctor should have recognized. She was still developing!

The young girl went to a few plastic surgeons and all of them turned her down. Determined to find a doctor, the teenager and her parents kept searching till they found one who had no ethics and just cared about the almighty dollar.

As previously stated, this girl was hardly done developing her cup size. Some young women do not finish developing until they are in college. So what if that happened here? What if this teen grew three cup sizes in addition to the implants and then develops physical and emotional issues down the road?

As long as there is a need to be beautiful and the money to pay for it, there will be a doctor who will throw out morals and ethics to achieve riches.

Where have we gone too far in terms of photo altering? I have two examples that stand out in my head, the first one involving the famous model, Twiggy.

In 2009, an Olay Regenerist advertisement featuring Twiggy, hit the stands and caused quite a stir. The ad showed a flawless Twiggy making the Olay cream look like a miracle cure. Twiggy was 60 when this ad was released, and to the shock of everyone who saw it, she didn’t have a wrinkle present or any other signs of aging…. just flawless and radiant skin.

This ad did not fool the British government however; they banned it from being released in the United Kingdom. They know Twiggy all too well because she is a resident of England. They know and have seen pictures taken of her without her makeup, showing wrinkles and other skin

imperfections. They cited Olay with misleading advertising and forced the removal of the ad from all media outlets.

No matter her age, Twiggy is gorgeous and didn’t need to be touched up to that extent.

In another example, have you ever Googled pictures of JonBenet Ramsey? If you have, you’d probably be shocked from what you see.

At the time of her death, Ramsey was 6-years-old. She was a natural beauty, who was years away from puberty. Still, her photos are completely airbrushed which is not only unnecessary, but makes her look 10 years older than she actually is.

Now, I see a lot of 6-year-olds everywhere. I have yet to see one without radiant glowing skin, or one that is riddled with wrinkles and acne and other major flaws. So why did they have to airbrush Ramsey to the extent she was?

It’s things like this that set a false sense of reality, which is immoral and unethical.

As I said earlier in this passage, I do want to say that I completely support a little touch up here and there. I understand acne and scars and skin imperfections can be embarrassing; however, completely airbrushing a photo and altering a person’s weight and featuresto sell a product is WRONG.

In conclusion, I wish to give out this advice to everyone.

We all have a flaw or two; we’re human after all. We need to use these flaws to bring out our strong points; be proud of them and learn to exploit them in the best way we can. Let’s not be afraid to flaunt our flaws because that’s what makes us unique and gives us the ability to stand out in a crowd.

Don’t worry what anyone else thinks of you; they don’t have to see you each and everyday. Don’t change yourself to please them.

If you are wanting to model or try out for a part, don’t ever take one that forces you to alter yourself, other than hair, because it isn’t worth it. Find someone who will be happy to use you for who you are.

And most importantly, if you want to diet, do so under the guidance of a respected doctor and be sure to exercise and eat properly. Don’t swarm to these dangerous diets and supplements. They may work fast but don’t last. Take the weight off gradually and when your results stop, that is your body telling you it’s enough. Enjoy who you are!

For more on Jason Dowd or Dowd Studios visit http://dowdstudios.com

Today, Greco is a talented filmmaker.  And while there is no white smoke or magic wands in his career, Greco is indeed creating illusions for audiences all across the nation.  “A magician and filmmaker are actually two very similar professions.  Both require the willing suspension of disbelief on the part of the audience,” says Greco.  He goes on to describe that still images are projected at 24 frames a second, resulting in the perception of movement.  “Film is an illusion,” explains the director.

Greco says that as a young boy he didn’t just admire Copperfield for his magic, but for his ability to convey a story with each performance.  “He could weave a narrative around the trick,” recalls Greco.  The filmmaker says that is what he tried to do with his own magic shows in school.  “Every performance got a little bigger and I eventually levitated a girl on stage in high school.”  It was during this time that a good friend of Greco’s introduced him to a Steven Spielberg film, Empire of the Sun.  “I always loved movies, but when I saw that film, everything changed,” confides Greco.

The gifted writer-director was born and raised in Hollywood, Florida; a small town wedged between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami.  And as Greco calls it, “the ‘other’ Hollywood.”  Greco’s childhood was for the most part fairly traditional.  He grew up in a blue collar, middle class family with two very loving parents.  However, Greco admits that despite the happy times, things weren’t always easy.  “Life wasn’t perfect.  I grew up watching a parent battle mental illness.”  Greco overcame his challenges and went on to follow his dreams.  With a great love for magic and a creative passion, Greco set out for film school.  He was accepted at Florida State University, where he was fully able to express his artistic talents.  “As a filmmaker you never stop learning.  But when you are a film student, you can fail safely.  Try things.  Learn what works and what doesn’t.  In fact, I encourage all film students to fail.  Fail bravely.  See what the medium is capable of, and find your own voice,” advises Greco.

Greco’s first film, a short documentary titled, The Ghost of Drury Lane, was directed while he was in London. Greco took part in a study abroad college program during the time.  The award winning short is about the ghosts that allegedly haunt the backstage corridors of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in Covent Garden, as told by the octogenarian manager George Hoare.  Sadly, Hoare has since passed away, but the Drury Lane legends continue on.  According to Lane employees, Hoare’s ghost roams the darkened corridors late into the night.

After graduating from Florida State University, Greco took on an assistant job for a certain someone in Los Angeles.  That certain someone turned out to be Mr. James Cameron.  “I often tell people that working for Jim was my ‘grad school,’” states Greco proudly.  Fresh out of college, Greco began helping Cameron on the set of one of the largest blockbusters of all time, Titanic.  Watching him {Cameron} work was a gift.  I learned a lot from my experience,” fondly recalls Greco.  “He was a great mentor and he was the one who signed my application to join the Directors Guild of America.”

Cameron wasn’t Greco’s only great mentor; he was blessed with quite a few over the years.  Bruce Beresford, director of the films Driving Miss Daisy and Tender Mercies, was always a dear friend to Greco and offered him much insight on the art of filmmaking.  George Hickenlooper also held a very special place in Greco’s heart.  Hickenlooper recently passed away and Greco says he misses him greatly.  “His new and last film, Casino Jack, just opened and Kevin Spacey was nominated for a Golden Globe.  George would be so proud,” expresses Greco.  In addition to their own great films, Beresford and Hickenlooper acted as executive producers to Greco’s film, Canvas.

In 2006, Canvas was released starring such honorable actors as Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden, Emmy Award winner Joe Pantoliano, and Devon Gearhart.  The film was inspired by Greco’s childhood and the influences his parents made on his life during his youth.  Canvas embraces the reality of living with a schizophrenic parent.  Pantoliano stars as a Florida construction worker struggling to make ends meet and facing the trials of being a father and husband in a family where mental illness reigns.  Greco reflects much on his own personal strifes of dealing with a mentally unstable parent, but also uses happy nostalgia to inspire the making of this film.  Canvas reflects a time in Greco’s childhood that was fondly remembered.  Greco’s father encouraged the love of sailing with him when he was a boy.  A cherished memory that the film beautifully captures.  When it comes to inspiration, Greco explains that every script has its own type of motivation.  “Ultimately, everything I do begins with an emotion; a feeling.  I write from that feeling and try to communicate that feeling to the audience.”  Canvas went on to win Best Feature Film in the Alice in the City sidebar of the Rome Film Festival after winning several Audience Awards at U.S. film festivals, including the prestigious Sarasota Film Festival.  Canvas was also invited to Roger Ebert’s Film Festival just outside of Chicago where it received a much coveted “Thumbs Up” Award.  “It was something I will never forget,”  remembers Greco.  Canvas has been the recipient of many honorable awards and has earned much praise and recognition over the last few years.  It was released by Screen Media Films, Universal Studios Home Entertainment released it onto DVD, and it has since appeared on Showtime.

Greco, in addition to his work in film, has directed music videos, including “Take Me Home,” from the widely popular HBO series, True Blood, and also “Hope is a Thing” for singer/songwriter Lisbeth Scott (Munich, Avatar).  Greco has had the distinct pleasure of working alongside the two time Academy Award winning cinematographer, Haskell Wexler.  Greco also has produced web content for the Walt Disney Company.

Currently, the filmmaker is busy working on several projects.  One is a road trip drama entitled, Miracle Mile, while the other is a light hearted film that the whole family can enjoy.  Firecrackers, which is still in development, is a feel good story about how a talented jump rope team got its start.  The Firecrackers have wowed and amazed audiences across the nation from stadiums and the Macy’s Day Parade to a presidental inauguration and television appearances.  Firecrackers is being described as “The Blind Side meets The Bad News Bears” kind of film.  Greco and a production team attended the University of Kentucky and Sycamore High School last year to film the team during a few of their halftime shows.

There is no doubt that Greco is the highly creative mind behind many smart and well made films and videos, but what about the actors that help make the magic come alive.  Over the years as a filmmaker, Greco has worked with many greats such as Harrison Ford, Matthew Modine and Cloris Leachman, just to name a few.  When asked if he had an actor in particular he’d like to work with one day in a film, Greco had a hard time narrowing down his list.  “There are so many wonderful actors working today,” states the director.  “But I would love to work with Robert DeNiro.  He’s an American treasure. I also think Anthony Hopkins is brilliant.  He could read the phone book aloud and I’d be captivated.”  In the film industry, there are quite a few brilliant artists as far as Greco is concerned.  “Anyone who is able to get a movie made or have a piece of art produced, I admire,” expresses Greco.  “I love the work of Chris Nolan.  He is always breaking new ground.  And, of course, James Cameron.  I think Avatar is a wonderful film that has so much relevance to the plight of our own planet.”

Behind every great career, there are the pros and the cons; the high and the low moments that define us.  For Greco, the hardest part of filmmaking is the search for financing.  “Just ask any filmmaker,” confides the director.  “You are asking people to believe in something that doesn’t exist yet; an idea.  Fortunately, there are plenty of people who still believe in dreams and want to see them come true.”

And as far as regrets?  “I see that everything that happens, even the ‘mistakes,’ are opportunities for growth and understanding.  With that said, I do have a few wishes.  I wish I could have met Jim Henson before he died.  I love the Muppets and the original Muppet Show was brilliant,” Greco states.

On the flipside, working as a filmmaker can be quite an entertaining experience.  Greco says he loves to be able to collaborate on set with the actors and crew.  “Everyone who works on a movie contributes something and it is my job as the director to bring out the best in everyone, ” explains Greco.  “Actors are so much fun to work with.  Watching a gifted actor work is a thrill.”

Being a filmmaker also means lots of traveling and not just within the United States.  To be able to visit other countries around the world is a privilege many of us don’t get to experience.  “I love Italy; Rome is my favorite city.  I also enjoy visiting London, Shanghai and New Zealand,” confides the director.

The movie industry definitely has both its perks and its challenges, and getting started as a filmmaker can be daunting.  Greco had a handful of wise mentors to help guide him along his journey and make transitioning into the industry, smooth.  He learned much from these great men and cherished each and every one of his experiences with them.  But for some film students who are just starting out, mentors are few and advice doesn’t come easy.  According to Greco, a successful filmmaker must learn to follow their own path as honestly as possible.  Greco says he has seen too many young filmmakers trying to be other people and their work is then devoid of authentic meaning.  “There is nothing wrong with aspiring to be successful, but ultimately being true to yourself and honoring your own voice is more important, ” counsels Greco.  I must say, this is well-stated advice for all aspiring filmmakers, in addition to all the rest of us out there needing some words of wisdom in life.

Greco is a true talent; his filmmaking is masterfully done.  He has worked hard in the field and will continue to amaze audiences  with his gift of creativity for many years to come.  “I want to continue doing what I love to do, and inspire people with my work,” responds the filmmaker.  After all, Greco is indeed a magician, living out his childhood dream and making people fall in love with his craft.  Only a few individuals  in this world possess such an ability, and Greco is most definitely one of them.

For more information on Joe Greco and his filmmaking career, please visit www.canvasmotionpictures.com.

This art is unlike any other, it’s something nature paints but masterfully put together by Doug Drysdale. When Drysdale puts together his eco art, he must consider so many things such as: what species go together, what climate its going to endure, the care the owner wants to provide, and color scheme. If Drysdale doesn’t consider each element, the tank and all that inhabit it could perish.

His art is so unique, that every tank is completely different, yet the depth of the art is shown when one takes the time to really study each element separately. For instance, if you really want to wow your viewers, place a black light over the tank to see an amazing color change in the sea urchins and most fish. Step back and see the grandure that is the mighty coral, yet so fragile in its own right; but still provide shelter to the fish that live in the small glass contained eco-system.

After sitting down and talking with Drysdale I walked away with a new understanding to this living art. I discovered things I had never known before, for instance, Coral is a living organism despite its rocky bone like appearance. Prior to talking with Drysdale, I always thought Coral was dead just living things grew off it. Coral is also very fragile, despite its strong exterior. It can crumble from various things like toxins in the water to climate changes and light.

According to Drysdale, different coral and other anomalies live at different depths of the ocean. At these depths certain rays of light are able to penetrate, if that light is too strong inside the tank, those deep living coral can become in a sense ‘sunburnt’.

Additionally, Coral has many ways to defend itself. As other coral grows and spreads, a piece of coral may defend its territory by omitting a toxin. Some of these toxins cause slime, shock, and other reactions. Looking at it, would you have any idea coral did this?

Going further in the conversation, I found out that toxins in the air can affect the tank and the life it contains. Those toxins can come from you simply cleaning your house or office. For instance, if you were to spray Windex or something of this nature on the tank, the glass can absorb that acid and affect the water or the overspray can land in the water. Air freshener and other sprayable household cleaners can get into the water by air transfer. These toxins can offset the pH in the water; depending on the level it rises to, it could kill some or all of the tanks inhabitants.

Drysdale suggests using natural items to clean around your tank, and the tank itself such as vinegar. Vinegar is 100% natural, and it doesn’t contain other caustic chemicals. The worst that will happen is it rises the pH in the system which must be counteracted by a base. Household chemicals have other ingredients which may not be easily fixed if it contaminates the tank.

What’s really amazing is the colors one can add to these fish tanks. I was amazed with the brilliant yellows, reds and oranges these anomalies came in. The fish too can add brilliant colors for a perfect blend of color and accents to the tank.

If you’re one of those who needs to be exotic, you can add some Lion fish or maybe an Octopus into the equation. The possibilities are endless, yet it provides a piece of art that’s forever changing, and art that you can look at over and over again and never see the same thing twice.

Drysdale sells pieces for your aquarium out of his home based business in Lutz, FL. He’s open Saturday and Sunday for you to come and see his inventory of fish, coral and anomalies. You can find Drysdale by visiting his website at http://www.DrysdaleAquarium.com

About Doug Drysdale of Drysdale Aquarium

As a biologist (Tufts ’95), I take the time to educate my customers who wish to develop their skills and knowledge as hobbyists and encourage active participation with regular operations.

Conservation, continuing education, promotion of aquaculture and ethical ecological practices are cornerstones of my business philosophy.

I am proud to say that the majority of the corals I provide to my customers are grown in my other systems, minimizing impact on the world’s reefs. As more and more fish species become available to us, I am delighted to provide tank raised clownfish, blennies, basslets and cardinal fishes and a growing number of species whenever they are available. Kudos to the pioneers of marine fish breeding and rearing! -DD

Inside this bag, Faulkner found stacks of paintings, newspaper clippings, and photographs from an artist named Harry Sonntag. The stack of pictures is a trove of Florida history, in a time when most of the state was completely barren. Faulkner’s research on the life of Harry Sonntag, combined with his art, tells a tale of Florida’s past; a story almost lost forever.

Harry Sonntag was a lifelong artist. He started his career in New York, eventually opening his own gallery. New York is a great place for an artist, but Sonntag craved individuality with his art. He didn’t want other artists to copy his style and ideas, thus in 1949 he moved to the Florida Keys where he would assume the life of a “hermit artist.” It was during this time that he began depicting life in Key Largo in his art.

Before he moved to Key Largo, a small misfortune struck Sonntag when his studio burned to the ground. He claimed that all his works of art burned in the fire, so Key Largo was going to be a great new start for Sonntag.

In Key Largo, Sonntag opened the Key Largo Art Gallery. This gallery was right off the main road leading to Key West; a great place for vacationers to stop and see his work. The ironic part was that his gallery was an abandoned structure, dilapidated with a roof full of holes. Structurally, one would wonder how the place remained standing. Sonntag didn’t care. He covered the roof up with tarps and hung his work with pride; ironically, the looks of the gallery didn’t deter the rich and famous from perusing the gallery.

From 1950 to 1957, the Key Largo Art Gallery’s walls donned pictures painted by Sonntag, which depicted life in Key Largo during that time. During the 1950s, cameras weren’t readily available; so many locals didn’t carry or own one. Sonntag’s pictures were the only real documentation of Key Largo during this period of time, because of this; Sonntag is considered Key Largo’s first resident artist and quite possibly, historian.

In 1957, another tragic twist of fate struck Sonntag, as his gallery once again burned to the ground. The Key Largo Art Gallery was no more, and with it, according to Sonntag’s statement to the Miami Herald, all his works of art.

Since his gallery was destroyed and nothing was keeping him in South Florida, Sonntag would leave the United States and take residence in St. Thomas, the Virgin Islands. Sonntag would continue his art, depicting life in St. Thomas until 1960 when his father became deathly ill. Sonntag returned to St. Petersburg, Florida to be by his father’s side leaving everything behind.

THE DISCOVERY

In 1960, a couple staying in the room house that Sonntag once inhabited, found a bag full of pictures underneath the bed. The couple took the pictures to the room house’s front office, where they said the couple could keep the art.

That couple returned to Florida, and stored the pieces of art in their storage unit in Central Florida where they would remain in a non-climate controlled environment for 32 years.

In 1992, Chuck Faulkner gained possession of the pieces and realized how valuable they were. The bag contained 175 pieces of art. Ironically, it contained pieces of art from when Sonntag lived in New York and Key Largo that supposedly were destroyed in the fires. It also contained his latest works of art from when he lived in St. Thomas. Strangely, only seven of these original pictures are signed.

Wanting to know more about Florida’s “hermit artist,” Faulkner asked locals who may have known Sonntag, about his life and gallery. What he got was some amazing stories about how Sonntag lived from former visitors of the gallery and personal acquaintances.

Faulkner managed to even reach out to Sonntag’s school in New York, obtaining his transcripts, his birth and death certificate as well.

Faulkner is dedicated to his find and wants now to sell the collection and all his knowledge of Sonntag to a collector who will cherish it as he does. He doesn’t want it split up because he feels it’s just not the right thing to do. He hopes the next owner will find a way to get this collection on display somewhere in Key Largo, returning the art work to its home, allowing locals to see what life was like back in the mid-20th century.

Faulkner has created a website dedicated to the collection, and information about Sonntag which can be found at www.harrysonntag.com

About Sonntag

When Sonntag moved to Key Largo, he earned the title “hermit artist.” Sonntag lived in a self-built shack behind his decrepit Key Largo Art Gallery.

For food, Sonntag would spear fish in the water behind his gallery. He grew all his own vegetables and anything else he needed to eat.

When he needed supplies or food he just couldn’t grow or catch himself, Sonntag would hitch hike up to Miami where he would purchase the goods.

Sonntag’s hermit life personifies the artist spirit. He had nothing, but was a very happy and content man. In today’s standard, and maybe even by standards back then, he would be considered strange, maybe even an outcast; to Sonntag this way of life was exactly what he wanted.

In 1960, Sonntag would return from St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, to care for his sick father. His dad would eventually pass away in St. Petersburg, Florida that year. Sonntag would move no more, calling St. Petersburg his home until his death in 1990, just two years shy of his artwork being discovered back in Florida.

As far as we know, he didn’t create any more art while living on Florida’s west coast. Maybe he wanted it that way, maybe he knew his work would be discovered in that room house, setting up his own legacy with the tale that his work was destroyed in the fire. Did Sonntag know that his work would make someone rich, by discovering it and appreciating it enough to take care of it? The story is eerily similar to “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” where Willie Wonka wants to pass down the factory to a stranger who cares about his work. We may never know, but what a story to tell.

I recently got word of this great beachside establishment a couple of months ago.  Travel and Leisure refers to this funky new Florida hotel as “hip, affordable and resolutely casual.”  But that’s hardly the only good press this place has gotten. The Postcard Inn, located on beautiful St. Pete Beach, has received much praise on its inexpensive room rates and cool vintage vibe.  The hotel captures the essence of old Florida in a very charming way.  No two rooms are alike. Certain rooms feature beachy wall murals, while others come with their very own grassy patios equipped with hammocks to lounge on. Despite each room being unique, they all have a commonality- being retro chic.  The Postcard Inn may be vintage, but has a modern twist; it is unlike any other hotel I have ever seen.

I’m a sucker for nostalgia, so I couldn’t wait to check this place out.  It was a warm June evening when I decided to venture over to the hotel and have dinner at its critically acclaimed barbeque restaurant.  Wildwood Barbeque has gotten much recognition since its opening here in town.  The restaurant serves scrumptious, mouth-watering barbeque from pit master, “Big Lou” Elrose and offers a wide array of bourbons, which I was later told by my waiter, pairs well with this kind of cuisine.  Wildwood’s interior is rustic urban, with plenty of polished wood and flatscreen televisions. In the background, feel good music played out on the overhead speakers.  The menu features a great selection of barbeque and all the fixin’s.  There is the Carolina pulled pork in vinegar sauce, the Kansas City baby back ribs slathered in a spicy chipotle, and the Memphis style ribs dry rubbed, just to name a few.  The sauces to accompany these rib dishes taste amazing, and the tender meat practically falls right off the bone.  While I dined, I  particulary enjoyed the sticky ribs, which are full cut spare ribs served wet in a delicious sweet and tangy sauce.  I also sampled the Texas smoked brisket, garnished with pickled jalapenos.  Typically, I’m not much of a jalapeno fan (too hot for my taste buds!), but on this dish, they were just right and the pickling cut down the heat.  It was a perfect accessory to the brisket.  The meat here was so unbelievably tender, it felt like it melted as soon as it touched my tongue.  I was in my happy place.

If you can’t handle a full rack of ribs, there are half racks available as well, for the smaller appetite.  With my ribs that evening, I started with just a half rack, but they were so tasty, I regretted not ordering the bigger version.  And if pork isn’t your thing, don’t fret, as the applewood smoked chicken with an apricot barbeque glaze is just heavenly to the palate.  There are also combo plates and sampler platters for those who want to try a little of this, and a little of that. The sides are just as special as the actual barbeque entrees.  The aged cheddar mac and cheese is out of this world, and the baked beans served with burnt ends and bacon, taste just as good as my grandmother’s.  There is also cast iron skillet cornbread, which is a must-try.

In addition to the amazing food, the service was first rate.  My table was checked on multiple times during dinner, and my waiter was exceptional.  He was a young man, but showed much knowledge regarding the food and the restaurant itself.  My ice tea, served icey cold in a Mason jar, was kept filled throughout the evening.

I was done with my meal and ready to explore the rest of the hotel.  Even though I had washed my hands in the bathroom (which I was impressed with, even though it was quite small), I could still smell the lingering scent of ribs on my fingers.  I guess this really wasn’t a complaint though.  I started toward the lobby, which looked very unexpected, but in a good way.  Retro, hip and fresh is a perfect way to describe the unique decor; 1960s’ surfer chic mixed in with a little James Bond (the Sean Connery version), and topped off with cozy coffeehouse funk.  The Postcard Inn on the Beach showed itself to be clean, uncluttered and full of nostalgic charm.  I felt like I was in St. Pete Beach back when my folks were teenagers and dating.  Ah, those simpler, happier days again. Just walking through the lobby to the back doors leading out to the pool, I felt refreshed, light and airy.  The hotel had already proven to be a major mood lifter. Strolling through the courtyard was like another jolt back into time.  There was a nice selection of comfy vintage lawn furniture arranged on the freshly cut, bright green grass.  An outdoor pool table and a couple of ping pong tables were a nice twist to the more traditional hotel courtyard set-ups.  Under a few sprawling branches of a couple of shady old oaks, dangled glass lanterns that flickered over a few Adirondack chairs grouped next to a fire pit.  The scene looked like something out of the Poconos in the summertime, back in the ’50s.  It was magical.

The pool beckoned on this hot summer’s night with its sparkling blue water, cool and refreshing.  Retro lawn chaise loungers lined its perimeter.  And if old style simplicity isn’t your thing, then bronze your hide on the South Beach influenced outdoor beds.  I think I would have to order a martini if I laid out on one of these.  Glamorous, chic and once again, oh so reminiscent of  1960s James Bond.

Just past the pool sits a legendary beach bar; a real one-of-a-kind, as far as this writer is concerned.  What was once the Swigwam, the oldest beach bar around, is now the PCI Beach Bar and Snack Shack.  Covered in old license plates from all over the nation, the rustic wooden shack attracts a mostly young and hip crowd.  However, there still are the more seasoned patrons who hang around PCI that were regulars from when it was the Swigwam.  These are the sunbaked beach bums and bumettes who never gave up their bar stools.  Despite the age differences, these patrons blend right in with the college crowd and young professionals.  Twenty-something women, with sand sprinkled on their brightly painted toenails, ease up to the bar for frozen concoctions and cold brewskies. Guys wearing polo shirts with their farmer’s tans sit back on the wooden benches listening to the live music and occasionally glancing over at a pretty beach babe.  The bar translates well from afternoon to evening.  Once the sun melts into the ocean and the moon and stars begin to peek out from behind the purple lined clouds, the PCI Beach Bar starts to really come to life.  A warm breeze gently sways the seagrape leaves next to the far end of the bar, and a girl wearing a pair of worn and faded cut-offs and flip-flops encrusted in wet sand orders a tropical drink.  A group of college coeds plays a game of night volleyball on the sand under the moonlight, while the seat oats blow back and forth softly.  And old dude with a Gorton’s fisherman beard pulls up a seat, while Cat Steven’s classic hit, “Moonshadow,” plays in the background. “Draven was here.  Don’t steal my name,” is scribbled onto the weathered wood bar top.  Of course, there are the many inscriptions of “forever loves” grafittied around the beach shack as well.  ”John and Sue forever.”  ”Tina loves Mike forever.”  I just wonder how many of those “forevers” were sincere.  Then, I notice something scribbled in permanent black marker on the farthest side of the bar.  A female patron had written out a list of people who had attended her recent divorce party.  The shack’s dim lighting barely illuminates, casting a cozy and warm glow.  I felt like any minute I would see an old time sea captain walk in off the sand, and order up a boilermaker.  A bikini clad bartender, with an elaborate tattoo covering most of her beautifully tanned back, was busy behind the bar taking drink orders.  I tried the ever classic pina colada, which was nicely mixed and perfectly sweet.  The bar also serves up a large selection of beer in cans.

All in all, my experience that night at this retro beachside hot spot was memorable.  It was exciting to be in an environment so different and unique.  As I walked back out through the Postcard Inn’s lobby, I took one last lingering look around.  A movie was playing on a wall, overhead on a projector.  The night clerk smiled friendly and wished me a good night.  I opened the door leading to the front parking lot, and stepped out once more into the warm summer’s night… back into 2010, all over again.

For more information on the Postcard Inn on the Beach, visit their site at www.postcardinn.com.

Postcard Inn on the Beach

6300 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, FL 33706/ 1-800-237-8918

Groff, a New Hampshire native, has a passion for creating jewelry, especially when it comes to stringing and knotting beads.  To be able to take a loose strand of beads and turn them into something beautiful and unique is a gift that this jewelry artist surely possesses.

Groff says she got started with the art  just after high school when she went on a family vacation with her at-the-time boyfriend.  His brother-in-law was in the jewelry business and was considered a “rockhound,” someone who enjoys collecting rocks and/or mineral specimens from their natural environment.  At this time, the brother-in-law had with him a collection of semi-precious beads and asked Groff if she wanted to make jewelry.  Being that Groff considers herself to be crafty and has always been willing to try new things, she jumped at the opportunity to learn the skill.  After being taught, Groff realized how much she enjoyed it and thus began her love for designing natural gemstone jewelry. Designs by You was later created and Groff and her ex’s brother-in-law started doing home parties.  ”He’d supply the beads, we would show people how to lay out a design and then the people would put the beads on a wire and I would finish the pieces with a clasp, ” explains Groff.  Even though her relationship with the boyfriend didn’t last, her passion for jewelry making has endured.

In 1991, Groff landed a job at the largest jewelry store in New England, where she worked in the semi-precious stone department selling fine jewelry.  She says she still had an eagerness for making jewelry, in addition to her just selling it. Groff was happy to learn a technique from the company’s pearl stringer.  In 1994, after the birth of her first child, Groff started stringing for the company she was with, and also for another local jeweler.  She stayed with that company and still strings for those jewelers, as well as many others.

When Groff first started professionally stringing, she started a company of her own called Pearlstrings.  To string means to indivually hand tie a knot for each bead.  With Pearlstrings, Groff has done custom and stock work, stringing strands of pearls for jewelers in New England and many other states along the East Coast.  Pearlstrings services include jewelry redesign, restringing, service contracts and customized designs.

Then, in 2008, Groff took jewelry making to another level.  She had fallen in love and wanted those closest to her to know.  So, one night as Groff recalls, she went out to dinner with her family and friends and introduced them to her significant other.  With a strikingly beautiful aquamarine stone necklace, much larger than her typical pieces, Groff excitedly showed off her newest creation.  A one-of-a-kind showstopper, full of delicious color, the necklace was naturally well received.  When Groff asked her loved ones what they thought of the necklace, a very famous cartoon character came to mind- Betty Rubble.  ”I thought that was funny, growing up with the Flinstones,” chuckled Groff.  The jewelry artist felt the name, Betty, to be fitting in more ways than one.  Groff always loved the name, because for her, what comes to mind is a pretty, fresh and natural girl.  Someone who is down-to-earth and fun.  In addition, Betty was her grandmother’s nickname, and Groff was given her name as a middle name.  It was while Groff was in high school that her grandmother passed away from cancer.  Holding a dear place in her heart for her grandmother, the name Betty became even more special to Groff.  ”I then thought of the other Bettys in my life and they all give me such joy, and they all rock! ” lovingly confides the artist.  ”Betty is all woman and so it stuck and I loved it!”

The Betty Rocks collection consists of large, bold statement, beaded jewelry.  Natural and earthy semi-precious stones, individually hand-knotted on matching silk threads fastened with a sterling silver toggle clasp.  The individual beads vary in character, making each piece special.  Groff adds that the classic styling makes her creations perfect for wearing daily for any occasion.

When it comes to semi-precious stones, one must understand they each come with their own unique properties.  For example, some stones promote confidence and clarity, while others promise to enhance psychic ability or encourage relaxation.  ”There are natural energies that come from gemstones and the people who wear them will absorb that energy.  ”I think that is pretty cool,” states Groff.

When asked about the inspiration behind her work, Groff explains that it comes from her background of pearl stringing and her love of natural gemstones.  ”A friend of mine came to me with a large strand of nugget style chalcedony and asked me to knot them.  Usually I have seen large beads as accent pieces to a necklace, not as a whole strand.  I strung it and loved it, and I was totally hooked from there,” Groff remembers fondly.

With all of Groff’s amazing creations and her brilliant choice of stones, I couldn’t help but ask her if she had a favorite. “That is like picking a favorite child,” laughs the talented jewelry maker.  ”I really do love them all!”  However, if Groff did have to choose, she would lean towards labradorite, which is a deeply rich, gray stone with an opalescent iridescence.  She further describes labradorite as a unique stone that many are not familiar with.

The Betty Rocks collection is so beautiful and wearable, it’s no wonder its getting attention and from pretty well-known folks.  ”I had a wonderful opportunity to meet Mrs. {Barbara} Bush.  I did a fitting for her for a necklace that Mr. Bush had gotten for her birthday and I brought with me some pieces of my Betty Rocks collection and she loved it!  Instead of pearls, she might go for Betty Rocks now,” proudly states Groff.

The artist says that her Betty Rocks collection is for the bold and fearless woman who isn’t afraid to make a statement, and it is also for the classy, elegant woman who continues to bring a classic element to the world.  ”I want to see my jewelry on musicians such as Taylor Swift, television personalities such as Betty White (another great Betty!) and people of influence such as Barbara Bush.  It’s for the fashionistas across the country, and for the women who never feel completely dressed without a finishing piece of jewelry.

Groff continues on to say that her dream would be to have Betty Rocks in fine retail establishments all across the nation, places such as Barney’s and Neiman Marcus.  Seeing her collection in top fashion magazines, museums, hotels and on websites is a huge goal that Groff hopes to one day fulfill.

Not only is Groff a highly skilled jewelry artist, she also projects a very genuine heart and soul.  ”I am always willing to help out a cause in any way I can,” states the New Hamphsire resident.  Groff takes much pride in volunteering in her community and gives to various charities.  Specifically, the artist has done bike tours to support Multiple Sclerosis, and recently was asked to donate a Betty Rocks piece for an ovarian cancer benefit in September.  ”I am going to create something special for that one,” says Groff with great honor.

After talking to the New Englander and perusing her online collection of beautifully colored semi-precious stone creations, I have become a true fan.  Groff’s Betty Rocks collection is for every kind of woman, regardless of age, race and style.  Her designs are all one-of-a-kind and are as classic as a black dress.  There is no doubt in this writer’s mind that Groff will go far with Betty Rocks.

And for those of you paranormal enthusiasts out there, if Groff’s name sounds familiar, well, it probably is.  After all, the artist is the aunt of Nick Groff of Ghost Adventures, which airs on the Travel Channel.  When it comes to her nephew’s success, Groff gushes about how great of a job he is doing with the hit show.  ”I am very proud of him.”   And, according to Nick, it is only fair to say, the feeling is most definitely mutual.

Website Information and E-mail addresses:

www.PearlstringsNH.com

Anne@PearlstringsNH.com

Facebook page for Betty Rocks:  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Betty-Rocks/398488846411?ref=sgm

To purchase Betty Rocks online:

www.LNT.com (Linen’s ‘N Things)-just put in Betty Rocks into the search engine

Retailers in New Hampshire and Maine sell Betty Rocks, and soon-to-be, Massachusetts and New York

In New Hampshire, find Betty Rocks at:

Fresh on Main Street in Nashua, www.freshofnashua.com

A&E Jewelers at Pennechuck Square in Merrimack, www.aediamond.com

Roxie’s Fashion at Salzberg Square in Amherst, www.roxiesfashions.com

Wholly Tara on Main Street in Ashland, www.whollytara.com

Puttin’ on the Glitz on State Street in Portsmouth, www.puttinontheglitznh.com

J.M. Princewell at On the Oval in Milford and Maine, mail@jmprincewell.com

Coastal Jewelers in Kennebunkport, www.coastaljewelers.com

Extra Information:

Linens ‘N Things-on this site Groff sells the bulk of her designs, but she also has exclusive pieces that are sold in the above listed boutiques and jewelry stores

Groff belongs to the MJSA-Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America (through LinkedIn)

On Groff’s Pearlstrings site:  She is planning to update the site so you will be able to see the entire Betty Rocks collection, not just a few select pieces.  Groff welcomes anyone’s suggestions, comments and questions.

If you would like to have a piece of jewelry done by Groff, she can string necklaces, bracelets and earrings.  She offers two types or styles of earrings which both come in sterling silver – long drop or lever back style drop dangle earrings.

Every song, every word he sings is delivered with unparalleled passion and heartfelt honesty. Shafer gives you everything he has, every moment. He is no stranger to success in the music industry, having repeatedly defeated the odds that this highly competitive industry breeds, because he eats, sleeps and breathes his music. His relentless work ethic and never give up attitude only adds depth to his world-class talent.

This year, Fred Shafer has reached a major milestone as he finished his first full-length solo album, “Resistor”, which will be released October 5, 2010 through Northview Media/ Intensity Entertainment. The album was coproduced with Jamey Perrenot (Taylor Swift, LeAnn Rimes, Paul Brant) and mixed by Rob Burrell (Michael W. Smith). “Resistor” is an eclectic work, which includes songs Shafer wrote last year while on tour, as well as songs co-written with Nashville songwriters including Autumn McEntire. Being a singer/songwriter (an endangered species in the music industry today), Shafer is able to combine his in-demand, timeless songwriting with heartfelt emotion and tireless conviction.

Standout tracks include first single, “Letting You Go”, “Why You’re Gone,” “Hello,” “Into the Ground”, “Mama Said” and “Gone”. They tell the story of trials and tribulations, love and hope, heartache and maturity; feelings most of us are accustomed to in our own lives. In these songs, Shafer is able to give us hope and comfort in knowing we’re not alone and we are not the only ones going through these troubled times in our lives. Having a song that describes what we’re going through or allows us an insight to our feelings, and that escape and understanding is a medicine far better than any drug you can take. Shafer’s passionate sincerity and soulful performance are both comforting and intoxicating. “Letting You Go,” the current single off the album, has gained some incredible success charting six times on commercial radio, quickly gaining on his previous mark with “All On Me”, reaching #1 on two stations across the country. In addition, Shafer’s music has already appeared in FX’s The Shield and the Ultimate Fighting Championship as well as in the full-length film The Station Agent by Miramax. He has even been featured in Vanity Fair, Hit Parader and Billboard magazines.

Shafer continually undertakes a grueling 250 show per year schedule, Coast to Coast and abroad. “I consider it an honor and blessing to be able to play my guitar for a living, helping those who work hard each day relax and have something to escape in,” explains the talented musician. Some of these tours include playing LIVE for the US Armed Forces in battle stricken countries across the world. Shafer just returned from Asia where he performed in China, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and Diego Garcia. There he became the FIRST ARTIST EVER to perform at the US Embassy in China. He says, “One of my biggest memories of this trip was when I played in South Korea. South Korea and North Korea were at a military readiness standstill over the sinking of a USFK ship. It was amazing to be in the area when that happened; like being in the center of a historic moment filled with tension”. When asked why he decides to put himself in these positions he proudly replies, “When I was born with Polycystic Kidney Disease, they removed my left kidney. Though all the men in my family are in, or were in the Armed Forces, my kidney condition prevented me from joining the Armed Forces. So I serve my country and lend a hand the best way I can, by bringing a little piece of home to the troops stationed abroad and some good old fashioned Rock n’ Soul!” Shafer will be returning to Asia in the fallof 2010 with another invitation from the Armed Forces; an invitation he is VERY proud to accept.

Shafer’s current tour will start in July and will take him through the Midwest US making stops in Ohio, New York, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Nebraska, and Iowa before starting heading to the southern US to hit Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and more. Check out www.fredshafer.com for the exact dates and times of his performances.

Pick up your copy of “Resistor”(Northview Media/Intensity Entertainment) available now at www.fredshafer.com, iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody and available in stores October 5th. See you at the show!

And when it comes to a choice of mediums, Phillips says she likes a variety.  ”I feel a true artist tries all mediums to have a well- rounded understanding of tools and options.”  Recently, Phillips’ favorites to dabble in have been a mixed media of texturized watercolor paints, colored pencils, acrylic and goucache paints.  The artist adds that her favorite paper to use are bristol brand card stocks, which were first introduced to her in college.  And when it comes to drawing instruments such as pencils and brushes, Phillips points out she chooses reforested wood pencils and non-fur paint brushes over the supposed “high quality” alternatives.  ”To me, a slight quality difference isn’t worth compromising my personal standards,” explains the artist.

Phillips is formally art trained, and has attended Figure Drawing and Anatomy courses, along with Painting, Drawing, Design, Structural Design and Sculpture.  Phillips’ Digital Painting, which takes place in Photoshop CS4, is the only area where she is “self taught.”  The artist’s training hasn’t been without a few snags along the way.  ”The running joke with me and my immediate family is that I am aspiring to make back the money I spent on college.  I attended two years toward a Fine Arts degree at Meremec College in St. Louis, Missouri before moving to Florida and finding out, to great dismay, that community colleges prefer you to take all “speciality courses” at their schools, so I would have to start over.  I’m not sure I will ever finish my degree, but what I do enjoy is staying fresh and updated on art classes and taking one at a time, for the companionship and critiquing element that often keeps one “squared.”

Born Sarah Kluegel in St. Louis, Missouri, the artist now resides in West Palm Beach with her husband, four cats and hound dog.  When not busy creating, Phillips enjoys time reading, gaming with her husband, and helping out with animals in the community.  She particularly loves spending time at the local zoo, where she can devote an entire day to sketching, and looking for unique photo opportunities.

Phillips doesn’t just express her love for animals in her paintings and illustrations, but does so also through literature. Currently, Phillips is composing a graphic novel titled, PAINTED.  ”It is the story of an African Serval named Sanura, which is Swahili for kitten.  Sanura is adopted by a pack of African wild dogs, or ‘painted dogs.’  Painted dogs are one of the most endangered and exploited species in the world today, with as few as 3,500 animals remaining in the wild,” explains Phillips.  ”My goal for the comic novel is to bring awareness and adoration for this species.  People love wolves, and these guys are the African wolf!  I hope to get published in the next year, but in the meantime, I am sharing it with the Deviantart* community, as they are an endless wealth of inspiration and support.”

In addition to Phillips’ book, she is also excited about her mixed media piece titled, “Sea Jewel,” which was chosen as one of the illustrations for the ALF Gulf Oil Spill Calendar Fund.  Having art picked for the calendar is a tremendous honor, and Phillips couldn’t be happier.  ”I am quite proud of ‘Sea Jewel’,” states the artist.

According to Phillips, she has more dreams waiting to be fulfilled.  ”I want to one day be published in a book.  I am very interested in illustrative work, as well as writing my own stories.  I might find a nice niche’ within children’s books,” says Phillips.  ”Another dream of mine is to help animals with my work, which I am already doing.  I donate every year to the Big Cat Rescue Furball in Tampa, and more recently, to the Oil Spill Calendar.”

Phillips’ pieces are nothing short of amazing.  There is no doubt that she is a gifted and wonderfully creative artist; therefore, it is easy to see why her work is so well received.  Certainly her fans have their favorite pieces, but what about the artist herself?  ”I try not to choose favorites; in fact, I am often my hardest critic,” confides Phillips.  ”However, I am personally fond of my ‘Cuttlefish’ digital piece.  It was enlightening to work on an animal lacking the typical mammalian cuddly qualities many expect from my work.”  Another popular item for Phillips is the artist trading card, or Aceo (Art card, Editions, and Originals).  The Aceo is a movement within the artist community that uses cards the size of baseball cards to do “art trades.”  ”I sell many Aceo’s because they are small and an affordable way of owning something by your favorite artist,” explains Phillips.

When speaking to the South Florida artist, there was one question I couldn’t help but ask.  Why the name Eviecats?  ”I wish I had an epic tale to weave about my screen name, but sadly, it’s pretty straight forward,” says Phillips.  ”My middle name is Eve, and I have known many Sarahs throughout school and work, so I sometimes go by Evie instead. Occasionally, people would call me “kitty,” because of my love for animals, especially cats.  So, ‘Eviecats’ was born!” Phillips says the nickname has worked out well and survived her last name changing with marriage.

Throughout the many years of creating art, Phillips steady and endless source of inspiration and encouragement has come by way of her grandparents.  It is obvious that strong family bonds are significant to the artist.  Not only is Phillips talented, but she has a big heart.  This is an important quality when it comes to being an artist.  With love and caring comes great passion and expression.  Phillips shows her beautiful soul in all of her outstanding and original pieces.  ”I am motivated by the unending road of improvement spread out before me,” states Phillips.  ”While it is true there is very little left in the world that hasn’t been done, it is immeasurably fun and empowering to create illustrations and expressive pieces that really represent your inner most thoughts and self to the rest of the world.  My wish is to share my unique view and appreciation of what I find beautiful with everyone.”

*To view Sarah Phillips’ work, go to Eviecats.deviantart.com.  Phillips says this is her favorite online art gallery because it is international, and is for all skill levels, groups and genres of art.  The site includes Phillips’ most updated and complete art collection, as well as her commission information.

To view Phillips’ journal, and to buy a piece from the Eviecat collection, go to http://eviecats.deviantart.com/journal/32529673/

Some of those people block out and forget the entire dream; they don’t want to remember it so they stuff it back into the archives of their mind never to be touched again.  Others, like Stephen King, face their fears and nightmares head on and have found a way to profit from them, while chilling others to the bone.  That is the case for Jason Dowd, the founder of Dowd Studios and artist in the new series “Dreams, Nightmares, Fears and Fantasy.”

Ever since he was a boy, Jason has been tormented in the night with night terrors.  He recalls dreams where he’s free falling through the sky, looking down at the solid mass that will surely take his life when he hits; but he never hit, instead he woke up before touchdown.  He also recalls one of the longest running nightmares that still haunts him today. It’s where he wakes up in a coffin, mistaken as dead; he smells death and sees the solitude of the metal box he lays in.  The horrific sound of the earth being thrown in, covering the coffin and the final pitch dark and forever silence that he is forced to live until the remaining oxygen is depleted.

He also recalls some of his biggest fears, which are spiders and clowns.  He states clowns are just evil; they are dirty and look like a dead corpse that put on some makeup to make their pasty skin look worse than it already is.  After seeing the movie, It, he became fully convinced that these fun-loving, carefree hobos are really a disguise for the evil that lies beneath the layered thick paint.  The yellow jaundiced eyes that glow when provoked, and teeth that turn razor sharp to take your soul.  Yes, that is what he thinks of clowns, and he has no problem stating that fact.  Then there are spiders, and who isn’t scared of them.  They are eight legged, multi-eyed little nasties whose whole purpose in life is to freak you out.

So what do these fears and nightmares mean?  Why are we telling you this?  Quite simply, one day after telling a story, one of the listeners asked Jason, “What the hell goes on in your head?”  Jason has always said he wouldn’t wish his mind on anyone, especially someone he loved; but that one question did spark a interest, an idea if you will.  He decided words weren’t powerful enough to express the horror of those nightmares, the sense of fear when he sees the very things that scare him the most.  The comfort with some of the greatest dreams he’s ever dreamed.  So he decided to create his own art series depicting his dreams, nightmares, and fears, and for fun, he threw in his twisted views on fantasy creatures and fairy tales.

In less than one month of planning and shooting, with the help of some very beautiful and talented models willing to step foot into the artist’s mind and face the very objects he fears most, Jason gave birth to this series, “Dreams, Nightmares, Fears and Fantasy” and was able to achieve his vision and confront his own fears.

The collection is guaranteed to shock, horrify, gross out and disgust you.  It will surely inspire and capture your heart and emotions and it will make you see the world through the eyes of Jason himself.  He’s fully aware some of the pictures will invoke some controversy, but he says it’s “no holds barred, anything goes.”  Despite some of the more disturbing pictures, you will probably notice that they are still beautiful and will capture your eye despite the graphic nature of the piece.

Right now the collection contains: Sugar Plum Fairies, Woodland Fairies, Gothic Little Red Riding Hood, Angel vs. Demon, Isolated and Insane, Trapped, But Not Dead, Remember When, Death To Yesterday, and Please Help Me.

“Trapped But Not Dead” is the reenactment of his nightmare of being buried alive.  The coffin used is a real vintage child’s coffin, and a real mortician gave the makeup tips to him.  “Details make the picture; it’s what helps to create the emotion and ambiance of the piece.  When I shoot these, I strive for authenticity.”

“Death To Yesterday” and “Angel vs. Demon” are darker pictures that still inspire.  For instance, the “Demon vs. Angel” series is a collection of twelve pieces that tell a story of the battle between good and evil.  In the end, good triumphs and peace will live again.  “Death To Yesterday” is the artist’s way of saying, don’t cry over the past, you can’t change it and you can’t live in it.  It’s there so you don’t repeat your mistakes and will be there to make you smile in the future.  These were both actual pleasant dreams Jason has had throughout the years.

Despite the month long shooting spree, Jason was asked to show this collection in Hong Kong come August at “THAT GALLERY,” a new art gallery that shows art from artists from around the world.  “It’s an honor and a dream come true to be asked to be a part of this show,” Jason states. “All I ever wanted was to be in a gallery somewhere. I figured it would be here first, but heck, I’ll take Hong Kong!”

The series has received rave reviews and comments, and I see it going very far.  Soon, Dowd Studios hopes to be able to place the pieces up for sale in small print and collectors’ limited editions in the studios online store.  He also hopes to be able to do some live shows around the country.

To see the collection, go to www.dowdstudios.com and click the gallery link.  If you are a Facebook user, follow him and his art there at www.facebook.com/pages/Dowd-Studios/371707221418