Julie Young Freelance
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Hey Everyone!
As though the upcoming launch for Eastside Indianapolis: A Brief History wasn’t enough…I am announcing my new project, Shelby County, Indiana: A Brief History which is underway and should be out in early 2010. I am really excited about this title and know it will be another accessible read for those who enjoy Indiana history. I am also in early talks about another book that I am very passionate about. While I don’t want to spill a lot of details, if this book comes to pass, it will be the biggest thing I have ever done and will couple my love for writing, Indiana and music.
In other news, I am having a pre-launch event for the new book at my house on July 10th. This is by invitation only but I know there are probably some friends and colleagues who have slipped through the cracks. If you know me well and want to come to the party, please e-mail me privately and we’ll get you an invitation ASAP. The first public appearance I will be making for the book will be at Bookmama’s in Irvington on July 11, at 1:30 p.m. Other early dates include:
August 1: Park Tudor-Indianapolis Tornadoes game. I have been invited to sing the National Anthem and will have books available for sale at the game.
August 2: Ice Cream Social at the Bona Thompson in Irvington
August 9: Irvington Farmer’s Market at Ellenberger Park.
As more dates are added, you will see them here first. Of course you can contact me or my publisher to order a copy of the book or any of my other titles. If your civic, church or other group would like me to appear, please contact me and we will set something up. I look forward to hearing from everyone soon!
Until next time, keep rockin’
Julie
Hey Everyone!
I am excited to announce that Eastside Indianapolis: A Brief History will be published next week by the History Press. I am hosting a VIP event at my home to celebrate the launch of this title and I will also be appearing at Bookmama’s on July 11 at 1:30 p.m. Here is the press release about the book. Hope to see everyone there…until next time, Keep Rockin’
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The History Press, Inc. |
18 Percy Street
Charleston, SC 29403
16 Front Street, Suite 202
Salem, MA 01970
Local Author, Julie Young, Pens New Book
In its early days, Indianapolis was designed to be a city of only one square mile, but as settlers flocked to the Circle City, a steady beat of progress made its way across the Eastside. Through their dedication to maintaining the character of neighborhoods like Woodruff Place, Fountain Square and Irvington, Eastsiders have banded together time and again to preserve the memories of landmarks like the Rivoli Theatre and Al Green’s. In Eastside Indianapolis: A Brief History, Julie Young, a lifelong resident of the Eastside, celebrates one of the most culturally diverse areas of Indianapolis as she illuminates the strength and determination that would make any resident proud to call the Eastside home.
Julie Young is the multi-award nominated author of A Belief in Providence: a Life of Saint Theodora Guerin. She is a freelance writer for a variety of local, regional and national publications including The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis Monthly Magazine, Evansville Living, ADVANCE for Nurses Magazine and the National Catholic Register. Julie lives in Indianapolis with her two sons.
If you would like to schedule an interview with the author, please contact Katie Parry at 843.577.5971, ext 113 or katie.parry@historypress.net
Meet the Author!
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Bookmamas
9 S. Johnson Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana
ISBN: 978-1-59629-683-1 • Paperback • 128 pages • $19.99 • July 2009
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Contact: Katie Parry Publicist 843.577.5971, ext 113 katie.parry@historypress.net |
I’ve told my children time and time again, “The world was not the same the next day.” It was 1983 and what was supposed to be a simple televised celebration of Motown became something bigger than life when Michael Jackson took the stage in the now infamous “Billie Jean” performance. He did a dance move that had no name at the time but seemed to defy the laws of nature. The next day, it was all anyone could talk about. “Did you see Michael Jackson last night?” Indeed, the world wasn’t the same the next day.
Everyone has those “Where were you when…” moments. For my parent’s generation, it was the moment Kennedy was assassinated or the moon landing. For my generation it might have been knowing where you were the moment the Challenger exploded, where you were when Elvis died or when John Lennon was shot, but when I was in fifth grade, it was all about the night Michael did the moonwalk for the first time.
It is hard to put into words what Michael Jackson meant to the music industry. I am amazed at how my mother looked at him as the kid with tons of talent and plenty of energy when she saw him on the Ed Sullivan show back in the ’60s. Of course I am of the “sequined glove” generation who remembers Michael for his military jackets, the “Thriller” video and the wagonload of Grammys he took home while dating Brooke Shields and Emmanual Lewis. For my oldest son, Jackson represented one of the great performers of all time, but also one of the most eccemtric and my youngest only knew Michael as “Wacko Jacko.”
I have said for years that if anything ever happened to Michael Jackson, I would hope the global community would focus on his music legacy rather than some of the more questionable decisions of the superstar. Jackson was a fellow Hoosier and someone who faced unprecedented fame at a very young age. Few people reach that super stratified level of popularity where they become prisoners of their success. Elvis is the only other one who comes to mind when I think about that. Even the Beatles didn’t have the same problems…maybe because there were four of them and maybe because when you really stop to think about it, their career as a band only spanned 10 years.
“It doesn’t matter who’s wrong or right” sang Michael in “Beat It”. For some, it did matter. Jackson’s troubles certainly tainted his image over his years. At the beginning he was merely eccentric, having a thing for chimps and a reclusive lifestyle, then people wondered why a seemingly sane person would build Disneyland in his backyard. The young man who seemed beyond his years suddenly became the boy who refused to grow up. Then the allegations came…I don’t know if the charges were true or not. That is now between Jackson and God, and I don’t want to use this forum for speculation, but I have always and will always question ANY parent who would allow their child to sleep with a superstar or who would look the other way as their child globtrotted off with a modern day version of Peter Pan.
Today, radio stations are playing Jackson’s music and the music channels are all dedicated to his memory. I know there are some who do not care that we have lost an icon, but I haven’t felt this sad since the day my mother told me Elvis died. I feel like a friend has passed, a friend who provided the soundtrack of my childhood. He was the King of Pop and had the chutzpah to claim the title as his own and he will be missed.
I love the song “Kryptonite” by 3 Doors Down, especially the line that says “If I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?” As if I wasn’t insane enough with my life, a random shot of brilliance told me that I should build a new house. I romanticized the idea that I wanted to be the only person to live there and to grow old in my little piece of New Palestine.
Friends tried to warn me. “You have to watch them every step of the way,” they exclaimed, telling me horror stories of their own building experiences that remind you of child birth and labor tales too impossible to believe. I was naive enough to believe that it was as simple as choosing your lot, adding you elements and being done with the whole thing….yeah, right.
So far, I have land that is oddly shaped, a house that fits on it only at certain angles and when I finally got all the math worked out (and for those of you who know me well, Math is NOT my subject), I am now being told that they don’t want to build the house on the angle I had in mind…hmmm, last time I checked they aren’t living there.
I could be crazy, and that might not be too far of a stretch, but if I am staring at an empty lot and this is my first problem? How many more will follow? Let me hear about your building horror stories so that I will feel better…also, pray that this somehow works out for me!
Keep Rockin’
Julie
I saw this fun writing prompt today and had to try it out: Pretend you are fourteen years old and you are writing your last will and testament. As I recall, I actually did this at some point and time when I was younger so in keeping with that spirit…if I was a fourteen-year-old today, but still had the same friends that I did back then, here is what I would leave to my loved ones:
I Julie Johnson, being of sound mind (though a few people would question that) and body (that has not fully developed despite daily prayers to the breast gods) leave the following as my last will and testament:
To my parents, please do me the favor of burying me in my favorite ripped jeans and my lucky Van Halen 1984 shirt with the black sleeves. I know it is so old that you can see my shoulders through it, but it is one of my favorite shirts and I want to wear it forever. Make sure that “Stairway to Heaven” is played at my funeral as well as the Beatles classic “Let it Be”. Don’t worry about church music…anything by Heart will do nicely. It’s OK with me if you want to let Vicki sing. She’s the girl who stood by me in choir in 8th grade. She’s really good and even though she is kind of shy, I know she will do a good job. Just tell her I said “You can do it, Vicki. It’ll be OK.” (I won’t be surprised if she grows up to be a great singer someday.)
You guys can keep my money, though it doesn’t amount to much more than $47.50. I was saving to buy a new guitar this year, and that’s all I have managed to accrue. Hopefully you guys have insurance to pay for everything else. Please give my old guitar to Kerri as I know she will appreciate it. Give Jack my music including my iPod, CDs and MP3 files. Bruce can have my computer. To Robi: I leave my books, clothing and posters. Please tell Mark…and this is a little embarrassing, but tell Mark that I really liked him. Not, just “liked” him, but LIKED him. Actually, to tell you the truth, I kind of loved him, but don’t tell him that part OK? Not unless he says it first, then you can, but make sure you don’t say it before he does. Please give his little brother Kevin my bike. He needs a new one.
I really don’t have anything else to bequeath to anyone. You guys wouldn’t let me have a TV in my room and you said I couldn’t have a cell phone until I was 16, so that’s about it. You know, it is weird to think that I will never drive a car, never get married or have children and may never live to be a rock star. Fourteen seems like a long time to be alive, so I hope that my life was well lived if this is all the time I have. Please don’t cry too much and know that I love you both very much. I’m sure we will see each other again. Love, Julie
WOW, what a powerful writing experience! I am actually tearing up when I think of everything that wouldn’t have happened to me if I had died when I was 14. All of the things I thought of as important so weren’t. The good news is that almost everyone I mentioned in there I am still friends with so that’s kind of neat. Oh well, it killed a little time out of my day…I love writing prompts so feel free to try one out…you never know what you might come up with. Until next time…
Keep Rockin’
Julie
I have come to the conclusion that at times…ignorance is bliss. After reading so many articles about the “death of print media” I have to say as a writer, the thought that my entire industry could come crashing down is a very, scary thought. After all, we are only in a recession. I have made the decision to homeschool my son and I still have to figure out a way to make ends meet. (Yes, I am well aware that I am a published author, but if the world knew what authors do NOT make on books…they would be amazed).
Do I think print media is dead? Far from it. While I am turning to online resources more and more, there is still nothing like having a book in your hand and I think that will always be a valid form of getting information. Kindles are great and I know a lot of people who use them…very eco-friendly, etc…but books will always be in, they don’t have to be upgraded and you don’t have to be techno-savvy to use them. On the other hand, do I think we are going to see some big changes in the way us writers have to operate? You betcha, but I think that can be really exciting and I think writers have so much more available to them now than they did just a few years ago. We’re not out of this at all, in my opinion. We just have to get a little more creative as to how we go about it. Look beyond the obvious and take the time, everyday to seek out new ventures.
My goal for this year is to have that first novel put to bed and be able to say I am a non-fiction AND fiction writer. I think that would be majorly exciting! I am still plugging away at it but have reached a small road block. No big deal though…as Led Zeppelin says “if you listen very hard, the tune will come to you at last” so I will hold out for the tune.
In other news, I am really excited about a book I am reading on Autism and Aspergers. It came out last year and it is by Diane Drake Burns…the reason I bring it up is because she makes comparisons that really resonate and I can appreciate that. When she discusses all of the various disabilities kids can have such as ADD, ADHD, Aspergers, Autism, etc…she compares it to the famous “Who’s on First?” routine of Abbot and Costello. She also mentions Lucille Balls hilarious stunts in the “Long, Long Trailer”. If you are a parent with an AS kid…it might be worth checking this book out of the library.
I am off to play tennis with my son as the interviews I have to do today are in California and I don’t think they will appreciate me calling at 6 a.m. their time…so I’ll give them time to have their morning coffee. I am also going to go see my new lot. Here’s hoping the measurements work out the way I want them to. Talk to you all soon!
Keep Rockin’
Julie
Hey Everyone!
Firts of all, I hope you are all doing great and getting ready for the beginning of summer! I know I can hardly stand it. This has got to be my most favorite time of the year. I used to love fall because of the colors but deep down, I am a summer girl and I am never ready for that season to end! This year I have even more reason to get excited. It looks as though I am going to be building a new house out in New Palestine and I just can’t even tell you about how thrilled I will be to walk through a house and not feel as though I am going to knock into someone while trying to make it to the bathroom! Of course I know this project is going to give me more stress and more gray hairs than I could ever imagine, but in the end, I assume it will be worth it.
As some of you know, I am planning to homeschool Vincent next year. This decision was a difficult one, mainly because I am very attached to the school he has been attending and I love that place more than anyone can realize…however, some kids simply have a tougher time than others in the academic setting and sometimes you have to pick your battles and know when to say “when.” I think this move will be a positive one and I know Vincent thinks it is a great plan, so we’ll have a go at it. He said anything that enables him to go to school in his pajama’s is OK by him. You have to love the kid’s practicality.
So last Friday I was out at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. What fun! Christopher and I had passes to the garage area and we were able to meet several drivers including Helio Castroneves, Sarah Fisher, Tony Kanaan and others. I have posted a ton of photos on Facebook so if you have a chance to stop by my albums and look at them, please do. You can click in this link to take you to the album as well: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2024824&id=1311366867&l=4891c6f7ec I also have several photos from my book discussion at Saint Mary of the Woods last weekend as well, so check them out to while you are on Facebook.
The Bachelorette season premiere is on tonight, so be sure to watch and see which man wins Jillean’s heart (I may have spelled her name wrong). I will be watching, but only from an academic standpoint. I caught the ending of Depserate Housewives last night…so I want to know who do you think Mike married….Katherine or Susan?
Take it easy and I will write again soon. Until next time…Keep Rockin’
Julie
I confess I haven’t done a whole lot with “The One” in the past week or so. I have been busy working with one of my son’s class on an original play that we wrote about historical characters and how they made their marks on the world. Yesterday was the big performance and I was really proud of each and every one of them! Now, I am just trying to play catch up and get a lot done around here on articles I have going on and other issues I am trying to deal with.
I am also still doing a lot of research on the world of reality TV. I watched the finale of The Celebrity Apprentice Sunday night and I was really happy to see Joan Rivers win the competition. It’s not that I am crazy about Joan Rivers or anything, but something about that Annie Duke girl just didn’t send me and I wanted to see Joan take it all. I also really had the sense that Joan felt she was doing something for her charity rather than it being all about personal glory and that is kind of the way the other chick looked at it. Sometimes I think the point of reality TV has been skewed. Yes, it is a “game” and yes, there are frustrations, but when this woman was saying “I’ve played games all my life” I couldn’t help but think of those poor refugees she was playing for. Their lives aren’t a freakin’ game! I don’t know, she rubbed me the wrong way and at least with Joan Rivers…you know where she stands. She may hate you, she may love you…but there is no ambiguity with her.
Next month, my favorite reality show returns, Gene Simmons Family Jewels. I love, love, love that show and think the whole Simmons clan has done an excellent job balancing “real life” with all that we love about sitcoms. Personally, I love the fact that you see Mom cooking in the kitchen, changing the oil in the family car and grocery shopping, etc…Shannon Tweed has said repeatedly that she does not have a maid, a cook or a driver so I love the added “normality” of the family despite the fact that they are headed up by one of the most famous Rock and Roll stars of all time. I have heard that this season will deal with Sophie’s sweet 16 party, there will be some sibling rivalry and we will see Gene tape his episode of Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? Tune in…the new episodes start June 7, I think.
The Bachelorette will also be hitting the airwaves soon. I have never watched it, but I think it might be fun to tune into and see how it all works the other way around. I am just not at all sure that it is possible to find love on reality TV because sooner or later the clock strikes midnight, the coach turns back into a pumpkin and the magic fades…only THEN can you figure out if this is the right person for you.
Oh well…until next time…Keep Rockin’
Julie
So I took a break from the reality TV scene to get back to some old school situation comendies yesterday. There really aren’t a lot of those around anymore which is kind of sad when you stop and think about it. Whatever happened to just laughing and maybe learning something along the way? Today, I am a huge fan of The Big Bang Theory and I never miss an episode. I was thrilled to hear that the show has been renewed for two more seasons at least and I personally think it is some of the more amusing writing on TV. But I miss the shows I used to watch when I was a kid. I loved Growing Pains, Who’s The Boss?, Diff’rent Strokes and of course, The Facts of Life…as a matter of fact, as I am typing this journal entry, I have the “Facts” girls yakking in my ear about who is going to be the Harvest Queen for Eastland. Molly Ringwald looks so young. Lisa Welchel seems so sophisticated and even though Blair was the girl you loved to hate, secretly I would have killed for her hair and her style. Of course I am still in the earliest episodes so the girls haven’t even met “Jo” yet.
When I look back on some of the episodes today, I am always impressed by the fact that every girl on the show wasn’t a raving beauty. I think it was easy for young women to identify with a particular character. I had a friend in grade school who was just like Jo and though I longed to be Nancy McKeon, I just wasn’t quite there…but she was, my friend I mean. She was smart, everyone liked her and she was tough. She even looked a little like her in a way. Of course, who didn’t know a Blair or admire the way Tootie and Natalie were the best of friends? And I am sure the vast majority of girls my age wanted someone like Mrs. Garrett in their lives…I had Mrs. Eckrich, and I can’t think of a finer mentor.
There were times when I didn’t understand the whole boarding school thing and I always found it a bit odd that these girls seemed closer to the school dietician then they did their own parents. But Mrs. Garrett didn’t have to sugar coat things for them and she didn’t have her hopes and dreams overly invested in these girls. It’s not as if they were her children. (Yes, I know they acted as though they were her children) I know when my kids see me talk to young women they can’t understand why that same sense of understanding doesn’t radiate in their direction…I guess it is simply because when you are a parent, it is a lot harder to be a “friend.”
As I listen to the dialogue of the show, I hear words like “Reagan”, “Margaret Thatcher”, “Manokam (Beagan)” and there are other suble inuendo throughout the show. I suppose some girls take these things for granted now, but when this show first came out…it had to have empowered us, though we didn’t know it at the time. The guest stars on the show were incredible…Eva Gabor, Dick Van Patton, Bobby Rydell and of course we all remember the next door handyman “George” who grew up to be George Clooney…who knew? (I will confess that his presence on the Facts is the reason I didn’t initially tune into ER.)
The Facts of Life should remain a classic and for everyone with daughters out there…introduce them to the show. It’s worth it…it takes the good and takes the bad, and when you take them both, then there you have…..well, you know how the song goes!
Keep Rockin’
Julie
When I was younger I always dreamed of having an amusement park in my back yard. Part of this fantasy stemmed from promos my friends and I saw for “The Backyard Carnival” you could install in your neighborhood in order to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. I was and remain a huge supporter for the cause and I remember seeing those commercials and dreaming of the day when my friends and I could host our own backyard event. < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Jack was the only kid in the neighborhood with a big enough backyard and a creative enough mother who could actually pull something of this caliber off. Still, the trees and other structures on the property would have made installing rides a bit impossible. My backyard wouldn’t have worked not only due to spatial constraints, but my mother’s inability to think creatively or allow one lawn chair in the yard to be out of place.
Of course Jack and I never actually sent away for the plans to construct this fun zone in our yards. Why would we do that? We were smart enough to know that all you had to do was build a couple of roller coasters, engineer a few games and set up concession stands. What was so hard about that? The real trick was in knowing what we planned to use as tickets and how much money we thought we could raise.
“I still think we should just use rocks from your driveway,” I told him. “We have plenty and we won’t run out. Don’t you think we ought to get working on that roller coaster so it will be ready by the weekend?”
I should note that this conversation took place on Thursday and despite having less than forty-eight hours in which to pull this off, I honestly believed that Jack could do it. I now shudder to think of the safety issues involved with our scheme.
“We’ll get it done,” he assured me, kicking at a mound of dust at the end of his driveway. “That’s no big deal-I know what I am going to do there.”
“Really?” I asked, very interested. Imagine having our own roller coaster in Jack’s backyard! When the carnival was over, I knew I would get to come over and ride it. After all, I was Jack’s best friend. “How are you going to build it?”
It was clear from the expression on Jack’s face, that his plan was very complicated and difficult to explain. “Well, I have some wood and I have my bike…and well, it’s hard to imagine, but it is going to be really neat!” He announced. “Do you think we can use your driveway?”
My driveway was very steep at the time and attractive to the neighborhood kids who wanted a little thrill coasting down it on their bikes. Jack just knew that it would make the perfect initial incline for our coaster.
“But everyone will end up in the street!” I told him.
“Well now, in something like this, Julie, you have to think big. Our carnival isn’t going to be in just one yard, it will be spread out all over the neighborhood. We can use the street if we have to.”
Of course we could, because the City of Indianapolis often allows 10-year-olds to shut down an entire neighborhood. I shook my head though. I knew enough to understand that my mother was not going to be too happy about a roller coaster invading her driveway.
Jack sighed and ran a hand through his bowl shaped haircut. “Fine, we’ll use the hill in my front yard. My mom won’t mind.”
It sounded good to me. Now, all we needed was for Jack’s mother to bake about 100 cookies for everyone who would come (It seemed like an enormous amount at the time) and make a pitcher of lemonade. I knew with the money our little event raised, we would be just like one of those really important guys who presented checks to Jerry Lewis on stage. Can you imagine? Getting to meet Jerry Lewis himself?
My mother called me home and I rode my yellow banana-seated hand-me-down bike four houses away and pulled into the garage. I burst through the backdoor anxious to tell my mother all about the big event. “We’re having a carnival on Saturday and you can come! There are going to be rides, and games and food…it’s going to be great. I have to go back to Jack’s after dinner and help him build the roller coaster of course, but this is going to be so cool!”
My mother seemed singularly uninterested. Looking back on it now, she probably assumed I was talking merely to hear the sound of my own voice. She mumbled something about “as long as you don’t get dirty” or something equally benign and told me to get into the car because we were going to McDonalds to get a Happy Meal.
As we backed down the driveway and drove past Jack’s house, I saw him and his brother Jason sitting on the hill of their front yard with a twisted wooden frame that must have belonged to one of those rattan rocking chairs that had no arms and a very tall back. You could find those rockers at World Bazaar back in the ‘70s and I am sure someone somewhere still sells them today. Wow, I thought as we made our way to the golden arches. That is going to be some roller coaster. A wooden frame and everything! I just knew if he had enough of those frames, this thing would rival The Beast over at King’s Island in Cincinnati and if anyone could do it, I knew it was Jack.
It was a grandiose idea to be sure, but that was what made it so great! Of course none of our parents were going to let us build an amusement park in our yards, but they didn’t stop us from dreaming about it. We saw the possibility of creating something and we spent hours working on the impossible. Our imaginations were encouraged and there were plenty of bright ideas to go around. We never had our carnival, but each year we both volunteer at our church’s festival. We take tickets, operate a couple of the game booths and we are still the best of friends. Now, I don’t know about him, but I still glance wistfully over to the Midway and watch the Scrambler spinning and listen the rumble of wheels on metal as the tiny rollercoaster encourages screams of delight from the passengers. I smile, think back to my childhood and wonder what might have been…
So I was watching clips from various reality shows on You Tube last night and I discovered that the television dating world is incredibly one-sided. On an interview with Ellen, The Bachelor’s Melissa (you know, the one he picked in the finale and then turned around and dumped in order to be with the runner-up girl) mentioned that while the 25 women were encouraged to fight for this guy, he was just supposed to sit back and enjoy it without having to impress anyone himself. Melissa said she believed it to be very one-sided as well, but it was easy to get wrapped up into it even though that’s NOT how you would go about it in real life.
It got me thinking about my story line. Why is it, just as the show begins to wrap up and as folks near the finale, there is a huge rush to start confessing their love for one another? I watched that Bachelor finale and saw both women tell this Jason guy how much they loved him (I admit I didn’t watch the finale until AFTER I heard what had taken place) and yet he said nothing until the final rose ceremony. I wonder if the director or someone tells the contestants at some point that they have to say “I love you”.
In my new novel The One, these are some of the issues Kim has to face. How can she compete next to “professional” reality contestants and survive all of the drama that always seems to be happening around her. Is anyone on the show in it for the right reasons or is everyone working an angle? What happens when she really falls in love? Will our bachelor, Josh break her heart?
Stay tuned to find out more about this exciting story! Until then, Keep rockin’
Julie
I can’t help loving May. I don’t know that I always felt this way but in recent years, I have come to the conclusion that May is really the “end of the year” as opposed to December. There is this feeling like something is almost over and something else is about to begin…after a three month break of course! It is time to take home papers you have been storing in your desk since October and time to clean out lockers….I tell you, the end is near people…ask any sixth grader!!!
As for my family, we are going through a lot of growing pains. My oldest son has decided to be a commuter student which means we really need to start getting our new home FAST…my youngest wants to homeschool (which will probably destory my sanity, but on the other hand will not cause me to go out in the middle of a snow storm in order to get him to school in the mornings) and I am just trying to keep it all together. Maybe it’s not the end of the year-feeling I am experiencing, but rather the “End of the world as we know it!”
I make a list every morning of the things I need to get done each day, but I have a feeling I am going to have to get Super organized in order to make this all work. Sometimes I think I put things on that list that simply can’t be done or I enjoy torturing myself with the thought that I have loaded my day down with more than I can handle…that is a possibility as well. I am just hoping to do good things for everyone involved and not screw everyone up in the process. We’ll see how it goes.
Until then, I just keep rockin’
Julie
Hey Everyone,
The good news is that I made my goal of having 20,000 words of The One finished by the end of the weekend. As a matter of fact, I am up to 24,000 and change so I am pretty pleased with the progress I am making on it. Throughout my research on Reality TV, I have learned a lot of things that I guess I never really considered before and it is making me watch the shows in a whole new way. Now, for the record…I am not a reality TV junkie in the slightest. I will always prefer a good sitcom compared to some of these shows. I get a kick out of Gene Simmons’ show, the Celebrity Apprentice and Rock of Love, but many shows just seem kind of silly to me. Survivor does nothing for me and never did. I don’t wastch The Bachelor and while I own up to watching Big Brother I have to say every since Dick Donato and his daughter won two seasons ago…the show has lost all kinds of appeal for me. I liked them. I thought they ruled that house and I think it will be a long time before there will be a couple of strong players like that again.
So why write about reality TV some people ask? Well I am fascinated by the strange nuances of the shows themselves. Most of them are produced very inexpensively and in a lot of cases the camera crews and staffers are a bunch of freelancers and not always employees of the networks. I am also impressed by the people who go on these shows. In some cases, they are “professional contestants” meaning they will audition for anything and everything in order to be on TV. I have heard that sometimes, such as in the case of “Evel” Dick Donato…the network wanted to use him for Big Brother for several seasons, but until they figured out the twist about having one’s enemy in the house, and secured his daughter for the show, they didn’t cast him. I have heard that many of the guys on Daisy of Love have participated in other VH1 shows such as I love New York and I love Money. Clearly, these people aren’t after the possibility of love as much as their fifteen minutes of fame.
As the novel progresses, I will share more about the characters, where my inspiraton came from and some of the inside scoop into reality TV…until then stay tuned and as always…
Keep Rockin’
Julie
Hey Everyone!
Kimberly Greene is the kind of girl who tends to come in second in life. You can’t help feeling sorry for a girl who breaks her heel during her high school graduation and has to deliver her Salutatory speech with one shoe on! She is a fade-into-the-woodwork kind of girl in the best sense, but when she began dating Bradley Stone (a political up and comer whose good looks could rival a Kennedy) she thinks her fortunes have changed forever. She is quickly ensconsed in Bradley’s life and sees her future as a candiate’s wife until one night when Bradley tells her he met someone else and he is breaking up with Kim in order to marry a beauty pageant queen. Once again, Kim sees herself as the kind of girl who can only come close to perfection. “Girls like me just can’t have it all” she chides herself.
Enter Kristin, Kim’s older, ecclectic sister who dares Kim to audition for a reality TV show that is billed to be a Survivor or Amazing Race kind of show. Kristin says that Kim could use a little adventure to get over Bradley and move on with her life. However, when the network calls her and taps her for their show, it’s not the high adventure concept, but rather a dating show in which twenty women compete for the heart of one man. Kim hesitates, but then agrees to appear on the show in which she encounters a number of silicone enhanced contestants, at least one who may still be married, a few who are in it for their “fifteen minutes of fame” and any number of hopefuls who believe it is possible to fall in love with bachelor Josh on national television.
Between catfights, meltdowns and dates straight out of romance novels, Kimberly can’t help being swept up into the magic of it all. She and Josh click right from the start and the two of them enjoy the adventure of a lifetime despite cameras following their every move and the other contestants vying for Josh’s affections. But is it all too good to be true? As women are eliminated and Kimberly remains, she begins to feel more emotionally invested than she ever has with any other guy. How can she feel this way about a man she has only known for a few weeks? Is it merely the magic of television or is it possible that this time, Kimberly will be “The One?”
Be sure to check back here for character profiles, plot lines and other fun reality TV tidbits in days and weeks to come…until next time, Keep Rockin’
Julie
So the other night I find out from one of my son’s friends that he needs to learn how to Tango. Apparently his girlfriend’s birthday is coming up and she is a ballroom dance afficianado, ergo he wanted to learn to Tango. Now, I never thought I would have an occasion to learn a darn thing from Bret Michaels of Poison, but in watching the season finale of his show, Rock of Love he took one of the girls dancing and they learned to Tango. I was surprised to see the hairband front man pretty light on his feet, but he did a good job and it was simple enough that I thought my son could learn it quickly.
He came home and I made him watch the footage, then we started practicing in the kitchen. The whole thing reminded me of Dirty Dancing when Patrick Swazye starts talking about “your space” and “my space”. My son said “I thought the tango was supposed to be done pressed up against each other.” Well in theory it can be and I am sure he would like that very much, but I could only imagine this poor girl turning black and blue as he stepped on her feet with his size 13 Air Jordans.
I have to say, I am now beginning to understand how contestants on Dancing with the Stars break bones and lose the amount of weight that they do. Dancing isn’t easy, especially if you are the one doing all of the spinning. I broke a sweat inside of five minutes and for the record, I am in pretty good shape and have danced on occasion, but this was another level entirely. I was really proud of him and how quickly he caught on. I even showed him how to do the little kick back in between her legs…now, as a dancer, she may not be impressed by this, but it is a cool little maneuver and she should be thrilled that he went to all the trouble to learn it. Hey, I know guys who wouldn’t dance if their very lives depended on it, so I am happy as a clam that my son is willing to put it out there. That kind of gift is priceless.
This week, I am finishing up work on my articles for Indianapolis House & Home Magazine and doing some stuff for Senior Life. Both of these mags are in the newsstands of many local stores and businesses and I encourage you to pick them up and learn something new. I am always impressed at the people I meet when I am working for one of my publications. We have so many great people in the Circle City and it’s cool that I have the chance to get to know them. This summer I am going to be trying to track down an interview with Ann Wilson of Heart, who is coming with Journey to the State Fairgrounds. It is my absolute dream to talk with her and hear about what is on the horizon for one of my all-time favorite bands! I am also hoping my pal Gene Simmons will be on hand during the 500 and will take the time for a short interview with me, because he is just as cool as they come!
In the meantime, I am half way through chapter 5 of The One. I am really excited about this plot line and I think it is going to be a lot of fun. Within the next couple of days I plan to put a character profile of Kimberly Greene online and let people get to know our heroine who has signed on to find love in front of the entire country. What do you think? Should Kimberly win the bachelor on the show or should she be dumped once again? What kind of elements do you as readers want to see? Let me know your thoughts!
Until then, Keep Rockin’
Julie
I admit, I have become a YouTube junkie. I can’t help it, you can find the oddest things on there to watch including a few things I didn’t know anyone managed to get on tape. The other day I was watching some crazy women in England breast feeding her eight-year-old child. No, I am not kidding…I wish I could make this kind of stuff up! Now why I would spend five minutes of my day checking something this insane out is a question I can’t answer but the point is, that has to be one of the strangest things I have ever seen. Lord, someone get that child a juice box please! How sad is it that this mother had to say “Now, no funny business, OK?” Call me weird, and I don’t know what is going on under her shirt, but if you have to TELL your child not to do anything strange under there, it is time to give it up! For the record, I didn’t go looking for this footage…it just happened to be among someone’s play list and I was morbidly curious.
On the other hand, I have watched all kinds of chick flicks lately as well as documentaries and concerts, etc…I swear I am almost disappointed when YouTube doesn’t have what I am looking for, although sometimes the search is tricky. It’s fun though and the best part is I don’t have to move from the computer. (A fortunate thing when someone else has hijacked the TV).
I am pleased to annouce that The One is up to about 13,000 words and I am hoping to have it up to 20 by the end of the week. it depends on my work load and what I need to do for the play I recently wrote and am directing for my son’s class. Did I mention I am now a playwright? Well, I doubt I will be giving Will Shakespeare a run for his money any time soon, but yes, I was asked to try and cobble together a Reader’s Theatre for my son’s class involving a myriad of historical characters and a plot line about making your mark on the world coupled with the comic relief of misunderstanding modern conveniences. With a massive cast of 22 people and 13 days to have them memorize all that they have to, I will be shocked if they can pull it off. Due to the secretive nature of the production, I have sworn the kids to secrecy but as soon as I can, I will tell everyone what the play is about and hopefully I will have some photos of the show on Facebook as well. Stay tuned.
May is always a busy month for me between my older son’s birthday, Mother’s Day and whatever, but this year, I will be out at Saint Mary of the Woods College in Terre Haute for a book discussion in honor of the WED program’s 35th anniversary and I have my nephew’s graduation events to attend. I am also hoping to catch some of the 500 Festival action…hopefully Gene Simmons will be in town! It would be awesome to see him again! Anyone who makes as much money as he does and in some of the oddest ways, has my undying respect.
Anyway, I will be out and about this upcoming month so be sure to stop by and say hello if you have the opportunity. I would love to see you and until then…
Keep Rockin’,
Julie
Hey Everyone,
Yes, I know it has been a while since I have posted and I do apologize, but I have been in the depths of dispair worrying about the house I have for sale. I have tried burying statues upside down, saying prayers, begging dead relatives to help me out and even going so far as to repeatedly shake my son’s Magic 8 Ball in hopes of finding a satisfactory outcome to my situation. Personally, I love the 8 Ball trick because after all, if you don’t like the answer you get, you can just shake it again!
At long last, though, I finally received an acceptable offer and assuming 500 things don’t go wrong, I will be on my way to purchasing a new home! I am really excited about that. For the past year, I have been gradually packing up my things, but I honestly think they have a way of breeding when I am not looking. I can’t account for the way things seem to multiply even as I am packing them. It’s crazy.
The new house will be bigger than anything I have ever had before and with me homeschooling my youngest son next year along with the re-invasion of my older son who has decided to commute…I think I am going to need the space. There is tremendous pressure on me to decorate like a grown up, but I can’t help wondering where I will be able to put my signed pink guitar and my favorite Page/Plant poster and my collection of Steeler Sports Illustrated covers. As you can see, I am being very mature about this!
I recently received a post card from Elizabeth Berg who has just published a new novel entitled Home Safe. Of course nothing she ever writes is bad, but this looks exceptionally good considering it is the story of a writer who loses her ability to write after her husband’s death while trying to meddle in her child’s affairs. I can’t imagine why I might want to read this one! LOL.
For those of you who have been asking, I am working on a new novel. It is called The One and it is the story of a young women who is unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend and then auditions for a reality show in order to forget about her troubles. the show is supposed to be a Survivor-esque type of show, but what the producers really tap her for is more like The Bachelor. This book will offer a glimpse at the behind-the-scenes world of reality TV, plenty of drama and an insane use of the words “amazing connection” (a phrase I have come to hate!). I am not quite half way through, but I am looking forward to sharing a little with you as it manifests.
In other news, Eastside Indianapolis: a Brief History is at the publishers and should be on the bookshelves this fall. I am really excited about the project and honestly, this one is probably the closest to my heart. I can’t wait to see everyone at the launch party and sign a copy for you! Also, for football fans, be sure to come out to the Indianapolis Tornados game on August 1, I will be singing the National Anthem before kick off and I was really happy to be included in the festivities. I promise to stay on key and everything!
Take care for now, and as always, Keep Rockin’
Julie
I don’t like to use this forum as a personal soap box, but sometimes, I just have to. The other day I popped into a friend’s business to find out that they are the latest casualty of the crumbling economy. As she told me her predicament, trying not to let the tears fall, nor the anger and frustration you could feel beneath the even tenor of her cadence, I thought back to the first time I walked into the shop and felt the energy and excitement of a new venture. My son bought my birthday present in there only a few months ago with money he made at his first job. Not only did my son feel a sense of pride in the purchase, but the owners themselves took stock in helping him pick something out. Name me the last time that happened in a big chain store.
In the area where I live, there tends to be a number of businesses that come and go, but what happened in this case wasn’t a question of a bad location or the lack of support…what happened to this particular emporium was the same thing that is happening everywhere, people are cutting down their spending in numerous ways. I know I sure am. Christmas was scant this year, the much ballyhooed Valentine’s Day was nearly non-existent except for homemade cards using stickers we had lying around the house and plain cards from holidays past. Quite frankly, I think we may have had more fun.
I am already scouring dollar bins for Easter goodies and I have resorted to more generic brands than I care to count. Eating out has become a unique trick. Unless a business is able to offer a buy one get one free kind of deal or a healthy coupon that makes spending $20 a little less painful, I don’t go out. It’s not that I don’t want to…but people have shifted to a survivor mentality where every dollar counts. Just the other day the newspaper reported that people are stealing the everyday stuff now more than ever: baby food, shampoo, diapers, laundry detergent, and meat. How could my friends stand a chance when this kind of thing is happening around them?
My pal noted that if one more person says “It’s the economy, not you” she is going to scream. I understand her diuress, but I offered the following ancedote that if the store was a failure, they wouldn’t have lasted as long as they did. A poor business person with no plan wouldn’t have lasted six months! It wasn’t their business savvy. It wasn’t their product. They were welcomed and embraced by the community, until the community felt a pinch that they couldn’t shake. I told her that I was tired of seeing my discretionary income wrapped into my ever growing grocery bill. How awful is it right now to buy little of nothing and still spend $40? I carry a calculator with me throughout the grocery store and before I am even halfway through the market, I am sighing because I have already “shot my wad.” I am among those who want to support local business owners and see their stores be a great success, but when every penny more than counts, it’s hard.
The small business owner doesn’t have the ability to offer the deals some of the larger places can, though I have seen a few of them try. One local business owner has started offering IOUs to customers in lieu of accpeting credit cards, but other places can’t offer huge discounts and still hope to turn a profit. It’s like my friend says when she noted “I just hope people start thinking about how they are spending their money.” It’s an interesting thought, isn’t it? We support the bigger places because they can offer the best discount not realizing we may be nailing the coffin on the little guy. We seem to support some of the ones who have been irresponsible with our money and have now had to turn to the government for a bailout and continued to be irresponsible with the help they have received. And yet the little guy is left with nothing, except a Small Business Association who can do little but offer seminars that may or may not revive their declining dollar.
As we move into spring, when we are recommitting ourselves to the nation, think about the money you are spending and who it is helping. Save up and save the small business owner who will be very appreciative of your patronage. They may only see you once in a while, but that loyalty may keep that “Open” sign in the door a little longer.
Keep Rockin’
Julie
The first time I considered homeschooling was when my oldest son was about four years old. I was convinced the kid was brilliant and reasoned that if I was only “required” to teach him a certain amount of days out of the year, then I could easily add in some extra days and the boy could simply fly through elementary school…maybe he would turn out to be one of those genius kids that went to college when he was 12 or something!
Eager as I was, I drove over to the library to look up some information on Homeschooling. At the time, my local library had this antiquated computer system with a touch screen that gave you a handful of choices and it was your job to find the guidewords that your subject fell in between. Sadly, I did something wrong and no matter how many times I hit the screen it brought up the same terms: Child Abuse.
This wasn’t even close to what I wanted! To make matters worse, a gentleman was standing behind me waiting to use the computer and seeing the terms that kept flashing on the screen: Child Abuse-seeking help, Child Abuse-support, Child Abuse-legislation. This wasn’t going well at all! I was terrified to walk away from the screen (which now had frozen with my “results” on it, of course) and I felt the guy behind me eyeing my little boy up and down for some sort of sign of mistreatment.
How was I consistently coming up with the same thing? I saw people use the computer before and actually found what they were looking for. I just wanted to teach Boy Genius in my own home, not murder the kid. Very gently, I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned around to see the kind eyes of the guy behind me. He whispered, “It’s all right, Sweetie. I applaud what you are doing, admitting you have a problem is the first step.”
“Oh no!” I blurted, feeling my cheeks get warm. “I wanted to look up Homeschooling, not this, but the stupid computer keeps bringing up the wrong thing!”
The guy had to bite back a laugh when he realized what was going on. I muttered something about being horribly embarrassed and he generously offered to help me figure it out. By that time, I was too horrified to stay there a moment longer.
“No thank you,” I replied, taking my son’s hand and leading him toward the door. “We have an appointment today and I don’t want to be late.”
I have always wondered if the guy ever really believed that I was hoping to home school my son. Eventually, I realized my oldest would be better off in a traditional school setting because knowing me, I would have pushed too hard and there would have been disastrous results. Today, I am rethinking the concept of home schooling…this time with my youngest. He has been campaigning for years to be brought home and I am beginning to tire of spending the money on private education only to feel like I am re-attending my former grade school. It’s nothing they are doing wrong, but I feel like maybe this kid needs something different. More one-on-one time…something untraditional.
God only knows how this one will all play out, but I am starting to make the calls and talk to people about their experiences in hopes that I can determine what might be the best thing for him. Nowadays there are hundreds of books written on the subject and it is no longer the uncommon concept that it was twenty years ago. You can find curriculum to fit whatever belief you have and can modify anything necessary. Thank goodness for Google and Yahoo! As though that wasn’t good enough, thankfully, the library’s catalogue is online and patrons can simply type in their search words in order to avoid any confusion.
At least there is no more inappropriate (screen) touching going on at the library!
Until next time,
Keep Rockin’
Julie
People in my family do not understand me. I realize for some, this is not news, but in the past two weeks I have become very involved in events that ordinarily I could care less about.
The Super Bowl was one of them of course. I am a huge fan of the Pittsburg Steelers and around Christmastime, I made the one-off wish that I hoped my favorite team would win the Super Bowl and the next thing I knew, they were in the big game! Now I won’t presume they got there based on anything I said or did, but the point is, I started this and I had to see it through to the end. Big Ben, Ward and Polamalu were counting on me, weren’t they?
So ther day of the Super Bowl I warmed the team up with a remote pep talk and constantly praying that the game would go well for my guys, all while family members rolled their eyes at me and wanted to know why I had to take the game so personally. I’m not a gambling woman. I didn’t have a dime on that game, but for me, it signified that dreams and wishes can come true if you try hard enough.
I have to say I was on my knees during the last three minutes of the game begging and pleading that something would happen to give us a shot at the title. Thankfully, Santonino Holmes heard my prayers and miraculously caught the ball for the score and my merriment ensued. I also confess that I ended up throwing out my arm and getting one heck of a knot in my back from all of the carrying on…still, I tell everyone that it was from shoveling earlier in the week. I don’t want to look like a nut case after all.
Just when everyone thought it was safe to be around me again….it was Grammy night! Despite being a musician, I really don’t pay a lot of attention to the Grammys and I am content to read the recap in the paper the next day. I think the last time I was into the Grammys was the night Michael Jackson took home a million little gold gramophones for “Thriller” and I had a snow day at school the next day. I stayed up really late and was excited for the “Gloved One” as he held Emmanual Lewis on his lap and shared his moment of triumph with Brooke Shields…Of course I now think the whole thing was a little weird, but whatever…
This year, I was determined to stay up and watch Robert Plant and Allison Kraus sweep the awards because I never thought it was fair that Led Zeppelin never won a Grammy and this was the next best thing. Once again, my family didn’t get it. Why would I take it all so personally, they wanted to know-“Do you really think Robert Plant gives a crap that you want him to win?”
He might…I don’t really know. I have only seen the man in person once in my life but I can’t help enjoying his vocal style and his I’m-cooler-than-everyone-else kind of look. I mean the man is a rock god beyond compare and in my opinion there are few singers who have ever reached that upper echelon of prowess.
So once again, I am crossing myself as they listed off the nominees and I got really excited when the duo approached the stage and even a bit teary-eyed when Plant thanked Jimmy Page for helping to write “Please Read The Letter”…(It was as close to Zeppelin winning a Grammy as we will ever get!) Then to see additional awards for the pair…could it get any better? I took it as a personal victory and I don’t think I could have been happier than if I would have won myself.
Now that I have proven myself to be a loyal fan of these entities, I think it is only fair that they return the favor and start praying for me that I can buy a house in the near future. I secured Super Bowl rings for one and shiny gold statues for another…so let’s get cracking shall we? Time to reciprocate, gentlemen!
Of course, is it possible that all of my prayers are placed in the wrong order? LOL