Long overdue (or Movin' on up - part 2)

When I think about the circumstances that brought me to Richmond, VA, in June 2005, and my initial reaction to being there, I never could have predicted that I would grow to love (and now miss) it and its people so much. It truly is a special place with a big city heart and a small town feel. On its own, Richmond could be any city. It has all the requisite ingredients for an urban landscape... large and small businesses, real estate, mass transit, restaurants, sports teams, arts and culture, etc. But what makes it special is, of course, the people.

So,this is my long overdue thank-you-love-letter to Richmond, Virginia and all who dwell there, especially those I had the pleasure of knowing over the past seven years. And it was indeed a pleasure.

Theatre IV/Barksdale Theatre and the Richmond Theatre Community

I spent the first month and a half in Richmond unemployed. I was lonely, homesick, and (I'll just go ahead and say it) miserable. I had farmed out my resume to practically every arts organization in town as soon as I got there. Each and every time, the response was, "we're not hiring now, but we'll keep your resume on file." Not exactly music to my ears, especially with mounting expenses.

In late July I answered an ad in the paper for a part-time gig working for a Business Consultant and Executive Coach, Rich Russakoff. [I am probably the last person on earth who got a job answering an ad in the paper.] The work was interesting, helped pay some bills and Rich was wonderful to work with -- we still keep in touch. But I still needed something full-time.

Enter Michelle Prior, former Director of Development at Theatre IV/Barksdale Theatre. She called me one day in August. She was one of those people who "kept my resume on file." She had taken a job elsewhere and they were looking for an Annual Fund Manager. I interviewed with Michelle, Phil Whiteway and Bruce Miller, was hired, and started work on August 19.

I have never loved a job as much as I loved working at Theatre IV/Barskdale. Sure, it had its ups and downs, as does any job, particularly any non-profit job. But the ups far outweighed the downs, and I am grateful for each moment I got to be part of that remarkable staff, not to mention the opportunity to appear on stage. Truly a gift.

Thank you, Phil and Bruce, for taking a chance on me, and to all my former coworkers who made each day a joy -- Jennings, Liz, Tony, Kate, Katie, Brittany, Chase, Lucas, Tracy, Sara, Natalie, Andy, Ford, Jeanie, Gordon, Ronnie, Eric, Janine, Shannon, Laine, Jillian, BC, David, Jessica, Joy, Deejay, Sue, Sarah, Lynn, Marcia, Hans, Luke, Bruce, Wendy, Doug, Jenna, Derek, James, & Tom. Thank you, Richmond actors, directors, designers, technicians -- my FRIENDS -- for embracing me with open arms and becoming such an important part of my life. I think about you daily.

Rock Band

On my list of "wish-I-woulda"s before leaving Richmond would have been getting to know the local music scene a little better. It seemed like the indie music culture wasn't as in-your-face as I had expected, and to uncover it required some sleuthing. I did, however, get a chance to play a couple times in a "party band" for lack of a better term, thanks to a Theatre IV coworker, John, discovering that I played the piano. I played keyboards with The Nixon Years, which is how I met Greg, Ceci, Jesse, et. al. -- music loving friends who accepted me into their circle even though they constantly reminded me how "young" I was. 

Penny Lane Pub

I honestly can't remember the first time I went to Penny Lane Pub on 5th and Franklin. I know it was with Billy Christopher Maupin, and maybe some others, although the memory is lost in a haze of ale and cider. But it was early on in my Richmond life, and it was there that I got to sew my wild karaoke Hall & Oates. If I had a mantle, my Female Vocalist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year trophies would be on it.

Not only did I find my voice at Penny Lane, I found some great friends as well, namely Catalina, Pipe, Joe, Karen, and of course, KJ of the century, Jason Power. Some of my favorite Richmond memories happened at Penny Lane, so I thank you all for making that possible. 

Area 10 Faith Community

Through my friendship with Catalina and a well-placed neighborhood flyer, I learned that there was a new church starting up that was meeting at the Byrd Theater in Carytown. So I went. And I liked it. And a little while later I joined the worship team. And I liked that too. And then a couple summers later I volunteered on a service trip to Vietnam. And that was life-changing.

Thank you, Chris Barras, and thank you Laura, Gwenyth, Marci, George, Keith, Brittany, Helen, Marissa, Jessica, Terry and Bob for experiencing Vietnam with me and sharing the joy of the orphans of SS3. And thank you Bic, Pink, Dat, Thao and Xu for sharing your beautiful country--and your beautiful selves!

Mr. Jones, Ms. Freim, The Pattersons and the Other Joneses

[Of course I have to acknowledge my now-husband in this espistle!]

I met Robb at a New Year's Eve get-together five and a half years ago. We quickly became friends and it was just in time, because my life began heading in a direction I never would have anticipated. I leaned on his friendship a lot as I muddled my way through a divorce, drawing comfort from the fact that he too had been through a similar situation. A few years later, our relationship progressed to the point of a marriage proposal on October 29th, 2011 in Rodanthe, NC and we got married 5 years to the day after we first met. (It was the perfect example of Romans 8:28.)

Through Robb, I got to meet and become part of the lives of some other wonderful people -- his family. I owe a huge thank-you to Elaine Freim, Robb's sweet and generous mother, who has a heart bigger than Texas and is always willing to share it; Robb's sister, brother-in-law, nephews & niece -- Jennifer & Bill Patterson and Caleb, Nathan & Eleanor -- who graciously let me share their brother and uncle, [especially Caleb who, as he pointed out, has known Uncle Robbie since birth, which is longer than I have... duly noted] and who never hesitate to extend their love and hospitality; and finally Robb's dad, Don, and step-mom, Vicky, who lovingly ushered me into the world of "pickin'" and in the case of Don, provided me a glimpse as to the origin of some of Robb's traits. I am grateful to all of you for accepting me into your family and I look forward to seeing you all again soon!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Contrary to how it may have appeared, the decision to move to Minnesota was far from easy. I was finally at a point where I was content calling Richmond "home." But, it was time to go. While the move has presented its share of challenges, Robb and I both feel confident that it was the right decision at this point in our life together. Who knows... maybe we will be led back to Richmond in a year or two? Or Albequerque? Or Tanzania? Or Greenland? (Right, Nate?)

There are so many others who I could thank by name who made a lasting impact on me during my time in Richmond... my friends at the Mill, my Sanders family, my Quilters sisters, and so many more... suffice it to say that I love you ALL very much. And so I leave you with a scene that quite appropriately sums up how it felt to leave:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmkG6pnr7-g

(I couldn't embed it because of copyright, blah blah blah.)

Love you all!

XOXO

Movin' on up (part 1)

Minneapolis skyline

For some, this might be old news... for others, it might be a total shock. But at the end of this month, Robbie and I are moving to Minnesota. Yes, it is cold there. No, it is not Canada. (Well, not quite anyway.)

I accepted a job at Fox Consulting, a fundraising consulting firm in Minneapolis whose primary clients are nonprofits and community colleges. In a nutshell, I'll get to continue working with top-notch nonprofits, while earning a for-profit salary. The best of both worlds! My family, all of whom still live in Minnesota, is thrilled about us being closer.

While being near to my family will be wonderful, it was only one of several factors that went into this decision to accept the job and move northward -- a decision that was not made lightly. The move will impact not just our lives, but the lives of many other people who are near and dear to our hearts, in particular members of Robb's family who live in nearby Gloucester, VA. But we both feel that this is a God-given opportunity -- one that will result in positive changes for both of us, and one we would be foolish to pass up.

In my mind, the collective Twin Cities are like the Portland of the Upper Midwest. It is a metropolitan area bursting with art, music, theatre, parks, libraries, lakes, architecture, politics, cultures, restaurants, nonprofits and on and on and on. While not quite as "green" as Portland, the greenest-of-the-green metro areas, the Twin Cities are environmentally conscious leaders in energy responsibility. The public transit system is one of the best I've experienced, with light rail, commuter rail, and dedicated and regular bus lines. The Twin Cities beat out Portland as the #1 bike-friendly metro area in the country (according to Bicycling Magazine), with dozens of dedicated bike lanes and greenways. To me, one of the most impressive things about the Twin Cities is how clean they are -- and I'm not just talking about lack of litter on the sidewalk (which in itself is impressive). For a community that size, the air is breathable, the lakes are swimmable, and it's evident that residents take a collective sense of pride in the appearance of their communities.

Our soon-to-be St. Paul home

When Robb and I visited last month, we meandered through neighborhoods in both cities. Robb remarked (and I was reminded) how each city has a completely unique vibe, even though the downtowns are only 10 miles apart. We looked at a duplex in the Crocus Hill neighborhood of St. Paul that we both loved. Even though we saw other properties during our stay, we kept coming back to Osceola Ave., and were elated to learn our application was approved.

We are optimistic that Robb will find work, as the Twin Cities metro area is a regional printing hub. Eventually, he would like to go back to school for a degree in forestry/environmental science, and it just so happens that the University of Minnesota has a wonderful program. A definite plus!

I know I am probably a bit biased in my love of "the Cities," having lived in both Minneapolis and St. Paul over a five-year period before moving to Richmond. And I can almost guarantee that there are Twin Cities residents who would find counter-points to each of my glowing appraisals. No city is perfect, and I know that. But I can't deny that every time I have gone back, I've felt like I was going home. I am excited to be making it my home once again.

I plan to write another post in the near future to say my goodbyes to Richmond and the people here who have worked their way into my heart over the last seven years. I guess you could say I'm deliberately putting it off...... yah, you bet I am.

Staying on my soap box

Deep within my soul lies a passion for justice. I come by this naturally, as both my parents often get fired up in defense of "the little guy."

Over the last week or so, we've all been getting fired up over a little guy. The cause, "Jacob's Law," is being spearheaded by my friend from high school, Sarah Corder Guggisberg. Jacob's Law is a piece of proposed legislation in Minnesota that would require notification of both parents when child sexual abuse is discovered. 

Jacob

In a nutshell, Sarah's son Jacob was sexually abused by a neighbor while Jacob was at his dad's house for parental visitation. He was 6 years old. Jacob's father, Sarah's ex-husband, was notified of the abuse when it happened and again later when the abuser confessed; but Sarah was never notified, even though she had legal custody of Jacob. Her ex declined multiple times to press charges against the perpetrator (a juvenile), who ended up going to trail and being sentenced anyway because he had also abused 10 other kids. But Jacob was forced to deal with this horrible secret -- and the accompanying guilt, shame, sadness and fear -- alone. For FOUR YEARS.

Sarah was completely in the dark about the abuse until Jacob finally revealed some of what happened, four years after the fact. Rightly so, Sarah was (and is) outraged. Had she known about the abuse after it happened she could have immediately placed Jacob into therapy. Now, he is 12, has attempted suicide twice and spent time at different mental health facilities. It is beyond comprehension why county authorities failed to tell Sarah about the abuse, particularly since she is Jacob's primary guardian and has legal custody.

I have told Sarah that I will help her get the word out about this issue through all possible means. Sarah is currently working with a local lawmaker to research Minnesota state statutes and craft the legislation. She has set up a group on Facebook and a petition on whitehouse.gov, challenging the Obama administration to make the crisis of child sexual abuse a national priority.

I have sent emails to family and friends with the link to the petition. I would encourage everyone who is reading this blog to register with whitehouse.gov and sign it. All the statistics in the petition are from a website called Darkness to Light.

As several of you know, I work for a children's theatre company (Theatre IV) that produces a touring show called Hugs and Kisses,Virginia's primary child sexual abuse prevention and intervention program for elementary students. It is now in its 28th year of touring to elementary schools across the Commonwealth of Virginia. It has been seen by 1.4 million students since its inception and has directly helped over 13,000 children. Hugs and Kisses is a musical play that sensitively and inoffensively tells the story of a girl who is being abused. Throughout the course of the show, she, her friends and Hugs the Dog learn important lessons that enable her to break her silence and obtain help from a trusted adult. This program has won numerous state and national awards for its enormous positive impact on children's health and abuse prevention. I wish every state had this play as part of their educational curriculum.

Some quick facts about child sexual abuse:

• 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 to 7 boys are sexually abused by the age of 8, and 20% of child sexual abuse victims are under the age of 8
• There are currently more than 39 million survivors of sexual abuse in America 
• More than 90% of abusers are people children know, love or trust
• Only 4-8% of child sexual abuse reports are fabricated, and most fabricated reports are made by adults involved in custody disputes
• The crime of child sexual abuse costs U.S. tax payers over $35 billion annually

Child sexual abuse is real. It knows no geographic, cultural, racial or socioeconomic bounds. It is happening in cities and rural areas across the country. But it can be PREVENTED. Darkness to Light has "7 Steps to Protecting Our Children from Sexual Abuse," which I urge every parent to read and follow.

As advocates, one of the most important things we can do is TALK. The subject of sexual abuse has been taboo for too long, which has only exacerbated the problem. The more we talk, Tweet, Facebook and blog about it, the more success we will have in eliminating this heinous crime.

Don't step off your soapbox.............................. LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

First DROID post...

This will be my first blog post from my Droid. My laptop bit the dust a couple weeks ago, a little sooner than I had hoped. Not that I hoped it would die at all, but I knew it was coming. Anyway, being computer-less at home means I'm now putting my new phone to the test and that I'm also watching a lot more TV. Hmmm...

BUT, the Droid so far has not disappointed. I spent last weekend on the Minnesota Iron Range. For those not as familiar with MN geography, that's "up north," and then north some more. I was forewarned that unless I had AT&T I probably would have spotty -- if any -- cell reception since AT&T had the only tower in an xx mile radius. Well, I'm pleased to report that I was able to send & receive texts, send & receive email, take & upload photos... the only thing it wasn't so great with was actual phone calls, but I only tried placing a call from the basement of my friends' house so that could have been the reason the call got dropped.

At any rate, I am extremely happy with my Droid decision. I was wavering between it and a Blackberry... I am confident I made the right choice. I mean, it's got a QWERTY keyboard AND a touchscreen. I'm hoping to get a new laptop soon, however... because while technologically advanced, posting blogs with my phone could be a bit of a pain. Just sayin'.

Random miscellany

Nothing much to write about but feeling the urge to write. Trying to keep as still as possible directly under the ceiling fan which is on high because I'm resisting the urge to turn on the A/C in the FIRST WEEK OF APRIL. Oh, Richmond.

Does anyone else think the pollen is out of control this spring?? My red car is now a kind of yellow color. And my nose and eyes are a kind of red color. Kind of like that red bar in the graph to the left -- if you can't read it, today Richmond's pollen count was at an 11.4 on a 12 point scale. AHHH-CHOOOO Looks like we might get a little relief tomorrow.

The period key on my laptop keyboard came off a few weeks ago. For awhile I was able to press the little raised plastic thingy and it would work. It doesn't anymore. So how am I typing all these "." you ask? I copy and paste them each time. I'm kind of getting used to it. Also, my laptop is having an issue with its power source. This same problem happened about a year and a half ago. It got to the point where the A/C (different A/C) connection that the cord plugs into in the back of the computer somehow got separated from the motherboard (or something) and subsequently wouldn't charge the battery. A year and a half ago my computer was still under warranty so the nice Dell repairman came to my home to fix it.  The computer is no longer under warranty, and I'm having the same problem. It's kind of a slow computer death. Wiggling the cord helps for awhile, but eventually the motherboard connection will break completely, then the screen will go dim, then completely dark (cue Chopin's Funeral March). The hard drive is also nearing capacity, not to mention laboring to work, and the poor thing takes about 10 minutes just to start up. All this is to say that, while she's given me a good run (got 'er in aught-6), it's time to start shopping for a new laptop.

I am also shopping for a new home. My landlords next door have put their house (at left) up for sale because they are moving to the West End (in my landlord's words, "the land of plastic menus and nightmares of Cheesecake Factory") so their son can go to a good middle school. They don't really want to move there but are doing so because of their son's education. What a shame that they have to leave the city for that to happen. So, since I've been saying for awhile now that I want a bigger place, I put in my notice that I will be vacating in a few months. I really have enjoyed living in my charming little 1BR Fan apartment. But it's time to move on up (probably not to the East side though... hoping for the Museum District).

I'm flying to Minnesota in a few weeks for my best friend's son's baptism. I've been asked to be his godmother. I'm a newbie in this role so I hope I don't screw up. I'm really looking forward to meeting him. He was born about 6 weeks early and is now a handsome little heartbreaker.

A Grand Night for Singing at Swift Creek Mill is going splendidly. I have contemplated renting a harp of my own so that I can keep my fingers nimble over the summer until rehearsals start for Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming... and maybe get a wedding gig or two while I'm at it. A decent lever harp rental (like the Lyon & Healy Ogden model at right) from Virginia Harp Center is under $100/mo.

Hm..... a new computer, a new place to live, a godson, a harp, and a pay cut at work. This will be an interesting next few weeks!

How many snowflakes does it take to build a snowman?

As a Minnesota-native, I'll not-so-reluctantly admit that I love all the recent snow. It reminds me of home. But the difference between Minneapolis and Richmond is that there, residents are ready for and equipped to handle large amounts of snow. Richmonders are not. 

It's no one's fault. If I had grown up in a temperate climate, I'd be terrified to drive in snow and ice. If I worked for the City of Richmond, I probably wouldn't think investing thousands of dollars in snow removal preparations "just in case" would be a wise use of taxpayer funds. But regardless, here we are, stuck in the aftermath of "Snowmageddon" (gag) with more white stuff in the forecast.

While the snow is pretty and the kiddos are loving the string of days off from school, nonprofit arts organizations' opinions of dear Mother Nature aren't quite as rosy. Show cancellations mean dollars lost. It's that simple. And when several shows are budgeted to simply break even... well... I'm not very good at math but even I can figure that out.

Even before the snow hit, the arts were in a precarious spot. Barksdale and Theatre IV are in the same boat (or sled, as it were) as many of our fellow arts organizations. No one wants to see the arts go away. But that said, it means we all need to do our part. 

Several theatre advocates in the community have been buzzing about the concept of "virtual tickets" -- meaning, sending a donation to a theatre for the same amount as a ticket to a show you might have attended, but was canceled due to snow. For example, a ticket to The Song of Mulan is $22, so my donation to Theatre IV would be $22. (All four of the scheduled performances of Mulan this weekend were canceled.)

I think this is a great idea. Every little bit helps. And if everyone helps a little....... we can build a happy little snowman.

(Snowman courtesy of my 11-year-old neighbor, Dameon .)