A Conversation with Dancer, Starry DeLight

Thank you so much for taking the time! I’ve got to ask, what got you into burlesque?

In August, 2012, my husband (Mike) and I celebrated our wedding anniversary with an evening date including dinner and a burlesque show.  We had never experienced burlesque and we were so entertained by the energy and talent of the performers. Immediately after the show, I met with the producers of the show and enrolled in the local burlesque academy.  Upon graduation from the burlesque academy, I was offered the opportunity to be a featured performer with the neo-burlesque troupe, Salome Cabaret, and I am enjoying my fourth year as a troupe member!   I also perform/collaborate in a number of local productions and travel to perform as an independent artist.

Tell me about your first burlesque performance.

My husband and I developed a concept/character to a favorite song “Ladylike” by a fierce female rocker (Storm Large) for my graduation, or “grinduation,” act to complete my study at the Salome Cabaret Burlesque Academy.  The song is powerful and it motivated me to find the confidence I needed to take the stage in front of an audience (something I never imagined I would do!).  Since that first performance, the “Ladylike” act has been performed many times and will always be a favorite for me.

What thoughts did you have before going on stage that first time?

I remember stepping out on the stage and feeling rather numb…I could not focus on the audience, but I wanted to please my husband with my performance because he was in the audience cheering for me.  When my act was over, my husband presented me with a long-stem rose and a beautiful engraved, star-topped crystal trophy to commemorate my first stage performance. The experience was invigorating and it marked the start of a new journey in life.

Do you have a stage name or tag line, and if so how did you come by it?

Starry DeLight, “The Tease of the Twilight.”  Deciding on a stage name was easy             because my husband has always called me “Star.”  But, our “delightful” journey of tease as the day ends and the night begins helped the name evolve with a tag line.

Tell me about your burlesque persona.  

Starry is confident on stage and wishes to please an audience.  She changes her look to complete each character/personality she has developed and she can be demure or dramatic, depending on the story she is sharing on stage.

Tell me who/what inspires you, burlesque or otherwise.

I love Dita von Teese who provides a larger than life, sparkle-tastic fantasy on stage, but she is beautiful and gracious off stage, as well.  Mike and I travel annually to enjoy her magical productions and we had the honor of meeting her this year.  But, I have had the privilege over the years to meet and to study with many burlesque Legends who have inspired me to follow in their footsteps and respect the foundation they have laid for all who wish to experience the wonderful world of burlesque! When I met Penny Starr, Sr. a few years ago, she offered advice on how to have longevity in the burlesque scene and said she wished the “neo” performers would go back to classic performances of the art…she asked me to develop classic acts and respect the art as it was originally intended.  I find that I am more comfortable with a classic approach to the art and I plan to strive for a more classic (and classy) flair to my performances.

Do you make your costume pieces or buy them/alter them? 

I am so lucky to have the most amazingly-talented burlesque husband who makes and/or alters all of my costumes, pasties, props and accessories!!!  He also guides me through concepts and choreography…we are definitely a team, but I believe he is more “Starry” than I am, at times!!  If I have a vision for a costume or character, then Mr. DeLight makes the vision become reality.

What is your favorite costume or piece? 
 
I could not pick just one favorite, but at the top of the list is my “Barbie” ensemble that includes a life-size Barbie box.  The act is campy and fun and the prop garners much attention…so much so that “Starry Barbie” was invited to perform in NYC after being seen on stage at a NC festival.  The first performance in NYC in a Calamity Ch

ang production led to other opportunities to perform in the Big Apple…so surreal and fabulous!!

What’s your favorite burlesque moment (This can be past or present/yours or someone else’s)?

I have been blessed to experience so many wonderful moments and memories over the years…with the honor of sharing the stage with extremely talented performers from all over the world! But, this year I received my first festival award at Burlesque!Burlesque!Burlesque! in Asheville, NC and I was so proud to share the award of “Most Deco-Rated” (that recognized the coordination of theme/costume/props) with my husband who made my props and costume for the winning act, “Ice Cream Man!”  It was so exciting and fulfilling to be in the winners’ circle with a beautiful Queen and a talented performer who was Most Comedic…a favorite moment, for sure!!



What’s the funniest (or strangest) on-stage experience you have had? 

I will relate my “strangest” experience…and I have experienced it a few times.  It was strange for me the first time that a man walked up to me to say that he and his guests were actually crying through my performance because they had been moved to tears watching such a personal expression of heartbreak.  He said my interpretation was beautiful and he could not hide his emotion.  Since that time, I have had a number of people tell me that they were moved to tears by a few of my acts, thankfully from what they called a beautiful interpretation rather than a terrible performance!! ha ha  I love being approached by audience members and getting their feedback…it helps me grow in art and in connection with my kind supporters!

Tell me about a time your act went awry.  How did you overcome it?

Live performance always lends an opportunity for something to go awry…always!!  But, I have found that when a snafu occurs, a smile or laugh while pretending the snafu is intentional will buy some time for a resolution of the problem.  If possible, engaging the audience (or a member of the audience) to help with the resolution will be well received (i.e. allowing an audience member to help with a stuck zipper, remove a tangled glove/stocking, assist with a prop, etc.).  The audience is experiencing the act with the performer and wants it to go well!!

You also do pole-dancing, when did you first start pole dancing and how did you get started?  Did you take a class? 

I started studying pole dance in 2009 with my awesome pole goddess, Natasha Fine, who founded Sheer Inspiration Pole Fitness.  That year, my husband gave me a gift certificate for pole lessons in an effort to give me a break from an extremely laborious and all-consuming wildlife rehabilitation career.  I am still in the pole studio weekly and pole dance gives me confidence, helps keep me fit and strong, allows me to enjoy a spiritual journey with my pole family and offers a different approach to performance art.  I enjoy developing “polesque” art and performing with my beautiful and skilled SI Pole Family!!

Do you have any other extracurricular activities besides burlesque that might surprise someone? 

My love for animals and my passion for animal welfare have given me the opportunity to experience the most incredible encounters and interactions over the last 3 decades as a wildlife rehabilitator and domestic animal rescuer/caretaker.  I have raised thousands of wild creatures (from bunnies to bears!), rescued/rehabbed hundreds of domestic and exotic animals and worked with compassionate people dedicated to making life better for animal kind.  I enjoy being a mom to three adorable Dachshunds and a feisty green-cheeked Conure; and, I currently work in a busy animal hospital.

What do your family and friends think about your burlesque? 

My husband is my biggest fan and I always want to make him proud since he works so hard to help me create my stage persona and presence. My friends are extremely supportive and generous to cheer me on while I’m on stage…and off!  My mother always expresses her admiration and support, even when she may find some of my acts to be risqué…she says she lives through me!!  My father does not understand my burlesque involvement and does not acknowledge it, but he supports my interest in “dance projects!!” ha ha

What one piece of advice would you give to rookies thinking about trying burlesque?

My advice to anyone exploring an artistic endeavor is to always follow your heart and believe in yourself.  Outside support is wonderful, but being true to oneself will make an artistic journey fulfilling and rewarding.  As one grows in art and personal truth, the ability to share love from the stage to one’s audience will be returned tenfold…a true accomplishment of art and self!

What advice would you give to other dancers who are faced with opposition from friends/family/culture about what they do?

For me, “reality” is difficult and oftentimes hurtful and/or painful for many reasons. I find the most true friendships and support through the people who share my glitter world.  I wish the general public would cease to make so many judgments before experiencing the burlesque world.  Only after such an experience could one really be   equipped to have informed opinions and “judgments” if necessary.  The fans who follow burlesque performers are the best and I appreciate their love and support!

My advice for a successful burlesque existence is to carefully separate a burlesque persona from a work/muggle life persona (unless one is fortunate to make a living from the stage so that a work and burlesque persona are one and the same!).  For most performers, art is a personal hobby or a “night life” that does not overlap with “day/work life.”  I am careful to keep the separation and to also seek out safe spaces where others share my love of the art.  I strive to remain professional in all situations and to work well with others, on and off stage.  And, again, remain true to oneself and present a positive presence so that a personal and performance persona can successfully coexist. 

Has your participation in burlesque changed the way in which you view yourself?  

Yes…I always wish to have the confidence that Starry possesses and I have become less guarded as an individual by living through Starry’s empowerment.  In years past, I would have backed down from a life situation for fear of consequences…I don’t back down anymore and I strive to have the “control” in daily life situations that I feel I have when I am on stage.

If our readers want to start dancing Burlesque, pole or anything, what advice could you give them to get up right now and get started without any money or going anywhere?

The internet provides so many resources for entertainment and education.  I would suggest using the resources to search artistic interests and watch “how-to” videos and performance videos.  One can mimic the videos in private practice until the desire to learn more leads to class enrollment and development of the art of choice.  Anyone can start immediately and begin a journey of artistic enjoyment and expression!! 


Thanks so much for sharing with us!  You and your husband, Mike, are two of the kindest people I’ve ever met and I thank each of you for being you!

A Conversation with Rafting Guide and Entrepreneur, Lauren Mindermann

Lauren, I met you at a rafting outfitters, Cascade Outdoors, last month.  We had been white water rafting the weekend before, loved it so much we wanted to go back with more fun-lovin' adventurers.  We had a perfectly amazing time with you--jumping off boulders, seeing a tiny waterfall from underneath if you can force your head underwater, saw endangered flowers, took a hike to a waterfall, completed a successful rescue mission, surfed the rapids, did some bull-riding down the rapids and even did headstands at your encouragement in the raft.  You are certainly my kinda girl! 

Have you had any trouble getting everyone to listen to you being a female leader of an adventurous activity?

Yes, kids and older men seem to come to mind when answering this question. Kids commonly have a hard time listening, especially to a young female. Often times older men seemed glazed over during my speeches and then when we hit the water they do exactly what I have told them not to do. I quickly have to address the problem before we continue the trip. Older men want to be in control but I have to constantly reiterate that I have been on this river for 5 years and know it a lot better than they do. I address the dangers over and over and explain that people have died on this river. After a few stories and addressing the problems, they begin to listen. They may refer to me as “sassy” but when I have other people’s lives in my hands, I’d rather be referred to as “sassy” and get the job done in a safe manor than be unobservant and have a bad accident occur. I have learned that if you do not address certain flaws of paddlers in the beginning of the trip it could result in a very bad and dangerous outcome. It’s better to get the kinks out in the beginning than to suffer through it the entire trip and risk a big disaster. By the end of the trip, no one regrets getting me as a guide.

In guiding a raft do you need much strength or is it more learning the rapids and being

knowledgeable about how the water runs?

Yes, strength is a huge part of rafting. My strength has grown a lot throughout my time as a guide resulting in me getting a lot better. Knowing the lines is extremely important on the Ocoee River. It is a technical river with TONS of rocks so the chances of getting stuck is very, very likely. But even when you know your lines and everything seems fine and dandy, when you have a group of 6-7 people who all weigh over 150-200 pounds, it can be a very challenging trip to make every turn. Once you learn the lines and develop specific strengths, things begin to get easier.

How did you get in to white water rafting and guiding?

I went rafting with my family a couple summers as a kid and I knew one of my older brother’s friends who was once a raft guide. In college, the Ocoee River was less than an hour away so I applied, trained, got the job, and had one hell of a first summer.

As a kid, I had a near-death experience when I went out into the big Nashville flood in 2009. I got swept away in a fast moving flood current, lost my friends and pool float, wound up on a fallen tree away from everything, scraped up and alone and ended up getting saved by a random stranger. For years I could not get into moving currents without being very scared. I knew that at some point I would have to face my fears, just like I started rock climbing to get over my fear of heights.

My first summer was a high water year that was very exciting. It was scary, unpredictable, and all new to me. Each time I wound up in the water I would panic. I wouldn’t say I am the MOST comfortable person swimming white water now but I have gotten a WHOLE lot better. I find it a lot more fun than I used to having an “out of rafter” experience. After my first summer, I knew I was hooked. The adrenaline, the amazing rafting community, having a job that let me have fun outdoors!

What thoughts were you having before you led your first rafting voyage with a crew you didn't know?

My nervous thoughts consisted of “Do I tell them this is my first trip?” I ended up telling them at the very end of the trip. They were surprised and said I did a great job. Thankfully my first trip went better than the next handful of trips. Like I said, your first year is definitely not easy but you begin to learn all the little tricks. With many jobs that I have had I have learned that you almost never feel ready when it’s time to start, you pretty much have to jump right in and act like you know what your doing or else you will never start.

Have you ever had an embarrassing experience while leading a trip?

ABSOLUTELY! On my second trip ever (after the fairly solid first one), I hit a rock in the very first rapid! Everyone at the put-in was watching me as I looked back for help. I had NO idea what to do. I was so embarrassed and thought that this was NOT the job for me “someone call the helicopters and get me out of this situation” I thought. I ended up rescuing most of my people along with another entire raft that got stuck with us. The people in the other raft ended up tipping me because I helped them all get back to their raft safely. HAH!

I have fallen out of the boat on several occasions, I have gotten stuck for long periods of time, I have pulled in a fully grown man out of the water who had completely lost his pants. You begin to laugh it off and explain that no rafting trip is ever the same and that we are ALL in-between swims. Annnnnything can happen out there.

Have you ever been injured while rafting?

My ego has been injured a time or two. I have been extremely sore from rafting. I have swam and hit some rocks in the river. I’ve had some bad blisters, Some sore facial features from having a paddle whack me in the face. But no, I have never had any bad injuries from rafting.

Where is your favorite place to raft?

I recently did a 4 day rafting trip on the “Hell’s Canyon” section of the Snake River up in Idaho/Oregon. It was absolutely incredible. This section is the deepest canyon in North America so we were amongst huge walls. So far this is my favorite place I have ever rafted but the Ocoee is home to me. I know it better than any other river so I guess it may be my favorite. Some other amazing rivers I have gotten to do include the Gauley River (Class V in West Virginia) which is absolutely incredible and I highly recommend everyone reading this to do. You can reserve commercial trips but I would recommend this not be anyone’s first ever rafting trip. The Tallulah Gorge (Class V in Georgia) is absolutely amazing but only releases a couple times a year and is not commercially guided. I have done several other amazing rivers but I eventually hope to do a 15-21 day trip on the Grand Canyon.

Do you do any other interesting sports or hobbies?

I love yoga, mountain biking, rock climbing, trail running, cooking, and various forms of art.

What's one thing you've never tried, but would like to?

Sky diving! Some people have told me it’s not even as scary as rafting.

Now, while we were on our trip, you told us you're going to college to become a nutritionist and that you've started your own line of energy bars! How does one get started in that?

Test out some bars, see what people like, design a logo, order packaging, start selling!

Do you make them and package them yourself? How do you come up with the packaging and art?

Yes, I make and package them myself. Sometimes I’ll have a friend help me package, in exchange for food or brews (thank god for great friends and cheap labor). I honestly built my logo on a free logo website online. One of the other guides that works at my company does product marketing so she took my logo and turned it into a label. I was extremely grateful to have her help along the way. She helped me design labels for every different flavor that I wanted to come out with. She used the same template for every bar but changed the colors for each flavor. She kept telling me that consistency is important.

How do you handle marketing and distribution?

Facebook is my only online form of marketing. Working on the river provides a huge market place. It’s a small community where the word spreads fast. Once one person likes something, it begins to catch on. Before I knew it, other outposts were contacting me asking, “Are you the girl who makes the granola bars? We would love to order some!”  It began to take off like wild fire. For the first summer, I took orders, sold to friends, and sold the bars at the outpost that I worked, Cascade Outdoors. I was able to talk to my guests who went rafting with me about my bars and when they were finished with their trip, of course they were hungry and wanted to try them!

You also came up with cute names for the variety of flavors. Can you tell us about them and what makes your energy bars special?

The names for my bars come from rafting terms including specific whitewater jargon, river/rapid names, funny lingo. Making up the punny names with people is probably the funnest part about the bars. My friends and I are constantly making up new Lolo bar names. My energy bars are special because they are energy dense. I do not use any added sugars or preservatives. I concentrate on using superfoods and making them vegan and gluten free. The base of all of my bars contains walnuts, dates, various dried fruits, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and more. I want to keep the bar simple but also pack it full of nutrients.

Where can our readers purchase them?

Currently the Lolo bar production has been on a bit of a stand still due to my new job and relocation to Nashville for the winter. I encourage readers to check out the facebook.com/lolobarsocoee. At this time I will take orders through the facebook site and ship them. During the summer I hope to sell the bars to more rafting outposts on the Ocoee and in shops around Chattanooga.

I like to ask everyone what is one thing you can tell our readers to do right now to get up and have some adventure in their lives without spending money?

Go hiking or camping at a new spot! Such an easy and fun way to get out for free.

If someone lives in a very urban spot where mountains are not close by, I would advise them to look into fun meet-up groups or try out a new fitness class. Typically gyms, yoga studios, climbing gyms will have a discount or free voucher if it is your first time.

Anything I should have asked you about rafting or making energy bars that I didn't?

I think you asked me in the beginning if people get worrisome about a small female being their guide. And YES, we get that a lot. People will ask my boss if they can request a strong male guide and he will typically jokingly send them my way. I always prove them wrong. It took a long time for me to get strong, gain the confidence, and convince my guests that I actually do it better than most guys but I absolutely love how my hard work and experience has paid off and I absolutely love my job as a raft guide.

Lauren, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me.  I just wanted to let you know that you really impressed me on our trip with your fun loving, adventurous spirit.  I just wanted to say thank you--we need more like you in the world!

A Conversation with Pilot, Tommy Ferguson

Tommy, Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me.  Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am 47 years old and have been married to a wonderful woman for the last 21 years.  We have two sons, aged 18 and 16.  I’ve been in law enforcement since 1998 and Cathy has been since 1996. 

Tommy, yesterday you got your pilot's license, that's fascinating to me!  What made you decide to start taking lessons?

When I was about 13, my mother was the business manager for a pediatrician’s clinic.  One of the doctors got (or had) his pilot’s license.  He took us for a flight and, after putting the plane in a banking turn, had me put my hands and feet on the controls and “fly” the plane.  I also knew a colleague of my father’s who had a plane and, even though I never flew with him, it kinda let me know that normal people did this. It’s something I’ve always wanted to learn about.

Last year, Cathy and I went to Alaska for our 20th Anniversary.  We fell in love with Alaska and began dreaming about what we would do after retiring.  Realistically, we know we’ll never live there, but it was the impetus I needed to do this instead of continuing to talk about it.  I found out that two guys that used to work at the Police Department were running a flight school at an airport 12 minutes from our house.  Shane owns the planes and Will is the main instructor.  Everything just fell into place.                                                                                    

How long did this process take you?  

I started taking lessons in July of last year, and I got my license on Halloween, one year and two days after my first solo flight.  The way Will teaches, you buy a stack of books and you’re responsible for learning on your own.  There’s some of what people would think of as “ground school”, but really very little.  I spent a lot of time reading, studying, and watching YouTube videos.  I was on night shift last year, so I could only fly one day a week.  That was my routine until this year, when I got moved to day shift, then there were weeks I could fly more often.  After I soloed, I could fly anytime the plane was free.  The FAA requires 40 hours in the plane, and I had about 60 when I took the test.  There are schools that advertise getting you your license in a week or two, but I can’t see how you can absorb the knowledge in that time.

Was every moment of it just amazing?

It was amazing and scary and a lot of hard work.  There’s a phrase in the tactical training community - “Get comfortable being uncomfortable”.  I made the decision that I was going to conquer this, no matter how hard it was.  I realized that all the people we admire for doing amazing things were just people, like me.  If this was humanly possible, I could do it.

Did you have to learn flight language/terms/code that we wouldn't think of?

Lord yes.  Aviation is full of acronyms, lists, and lingo.  There’s a shorthand or phrase for EVERYTHING you can think of - like there are five different types of altitude to be aware of.  Pressure altitude, absolute altitude, indicated altitude, true altitude, and density altitude.  There’s also a lot of weather information to learn.  I could bore you to tears.  That’s what I mean about absorbing the knowledge - would you want to fly with someone who just met the minimum standards?

Do you "take the wheel" (is that the term?) in mid-air for the first time or is it taking off, start to finish it's you?

I think my first lesson was about an hour long, and I helped take the controls during a turn just like that flight when I was a kid.  Every flight I had a little more control until I was ready to solo.  I had my hands on the controls all the time, and so did my instructor, and every time he touched his controls less and less.

My instructor showed me how to pre-flight the airplane on the first day, and after that it was my responsibility every time.  Same thing with refueling the plane.

What thoughts were going through your head before your first lesson when you were in the air and "taking the reins"?  (Is that the term?)

I think the phrase would be “taking the stick” - like “stick and rudder”. Will told me once I was a “pretty good stick”.

I was thinking that this was different than what I expected.  There’s a lot to keep up with.  I knew there was going to be a lot of studying in my future.

Yesterday, you piloted with your wife, Cathy, as your passenger.  What thoughts were in your mind before taking off?

I was wishing we had more time to fly, and hoping she enjoyed the flight.  I wasn’t really nervous about flying or having her as a passenger, I just hoped the weather cooperated.

What is your favorite thing or moment when flying?

I compare being in a small aircraft to being in a small boat on the ocean.  There’s almost always some waves or currents, you just can’t see them in the air.  That was the hardest thing to get used to - the sudden thermal or wind change that you have to adjust for.  My favorite thing (so far) is when the air is still and calm and you don’t have to adjust for anything.  Those times are usually early in the morning or late in the afternoon, so that’s my favorite time to fly right now.  Flying at night is really cool too, but I need more practice at that.  Landings are difficult because your depth perception is off.

This sounds like an expensive hobby.  Do you have a plane or are there renting options?  How do you take advantage of your new license? 

I still had my first car,  a 1965 Chevelle that was in decent shape.  I sold it and used that cash for most of my training.  I rented the plane the entire time and have no immediate plans to buy a plane.  A good used plane can be had for the same amount as a good used car, but the maintenance and inspections are what runs the cost up.  I learned in a 1967 Cessna 150 (2 seater) and will be checked out soon in their 1966 Cessna 172 (4 seater).  That will let me carry a couple of people and enough fuel to go fun places.  I could rent a plane legally anywhere in the country that rents planes now, so if we’re going on vacation, I’m taking my paperwork with me!

Have you had any scary moments in flight?

My first solo was kind of scary.  The traditional first solo is three takeoffs and landings, and when I was up there and realized landing this plane was up to me, it was a real eye opener.  The first time I flew away from the airport by myself, I was scared.  That 1967 plane has a compass for navigation, and I was REALLY hoping I could find my way back to the airport.  Lots of days were scary, but like I said, “get comfortable being uncomfortable”.  I told Cathy a couple of times I was leaving the house to do something that scared me to death.

One day I was in the “practice area” about 15 minutes away from the airport, and the engine cowling door (about a foot wide, on the right hand side between the windshield and propellor) came open.  I was afraid it would tear off and damage the windshield or tail, so I turned towards the airport immediately.  The airflow kept the door shut until I flared for landing, then it opened again and tore off.  We found it lying on the centerline of the runway.  That was lots of fun.

If you could choose any plane past or present, what type of plane would you love to try to fly, at least just once?

Any warbird from World War II - an F4U Corsair would be the ultimate.  I believe I could figure out how it works and how to land it.  I’m a child of the ‘80s, so an F-14 Tomcat from Top Gun would be amazing, but I’d get my fool self hurt.  I could figure out one of the warbirds, though (I think).

What's next for you in flying? 

Well, like I said, getting some experience in different planes and flying longer distances.  Lambert’s Cafeteria in Sikeston, MO is about 45 minutes away by plane and I foresee lots of flights there and back with different friends and family members.  I can get a tailwheel plane endorsement pretty quickly, and maybe next year I’ll go on and get my Instrument (IFR) rating.  I can also get licensed to fly drones (UAVs) pretty quickly now, so I am going to do that soon.  The Department I work for doesn’t use drones now, but if they decide to, I’d like to be ready.  They are a great tool for first responders.  Everyone asks if I’m going to learn to fly helicopters for the Department, but I really have no desire to do that.  Adding a rotary endorsement is pretty expensive and the Department has plenty of pilots right now.  I learned that those things spinning overhead are the wings, and that just confounds me.

What other interesting or unusual hobbies do you have?

I have been a martial artist for 30+ years now.  I teach that a little, but not a lot.  I’m more of a never-ending student.  I enjoy letting people like Mark Hatmaker beat up on me and use me to demonstrate stuff.  I used to do a lot of shooting and teaching shooting classes, but I don’t do that much anymore.   I own a Harley-Davidson that I’ve ridden three times in the past two years.  I own a couple of guitars but can’t do much with them.  I ride a road bicycle (think Lance Armstrong) for exercise, and I’ve been doing that for 25 years, but I’m way heavier than most of the folks that do that.  I fish a little and hunt deer a few times a year.  I can do calligraphy and I play chess for fun.

What's one thing you'd like to try but haven't yet?

Skydiving.  Some folks at work have done that and I hear a company in our area on the radio announcing “jumpers away”.  Anything but scuba diving.  That’s one phobia I have NO interest in trying to conquer.  

We always end with advice to readers about what they can do right now, to get up and do something. What is one thing you can tell our readers to do to get started in learning to fly?

Look on AOPA or FAA websites (or the yellow pages) and find a school in your area.  Go take an introductory lesson and see what it’s like.  Talk to the instructor and get a feel for their experience and teaching style.

Thank you so much for taking the time to have this conversation. And congratulations, Pilot!

Thank you!  Let me know when you’re in the area and we’ll go fly!

Two Women, Two Whiskeys, One Subject: Obstacle Racing 2

My sister-in-law, Alex, and I did a video series on a variety of topics.  Here's our second installment of Two Women, Two Whiskeys, One Subject: Obstacle Racing where I finally apologize to Al for our first mud run.

Two Women, Two Whiskeys, One Subject: Obstacle Racing Episode 1

My sister-in-law, Alex, and I did a video series on a variety of topics.  Here's our first installment of Two Women, Two Whiskeys, One Subject: Obstacle Racing where I reveal my most embarrassing moment on a course.

Women In Sports

I'm late on this, but it's exciting news to me all the same.  These good folks recommended my book, She's Tough: Extreme Fitness for Women, among many other good books.  It's gratifying to be in such fine company.

Embarrass Yourself, Cherish Yourself, Impress Yourself

Greetings Free Spirits!

If you’re like me you’re getting a little weary of political posts, boring poster shares, thumbing “Like” on other people’s adventures, and lives where the most important questions of the weekend are which shows to binge-watch or what sporting event of other people doing things should I sit down and paste my eyes upon.

How about DOING something?

How about doing something FUN?

 How about doing something FUN together?

With that in mind, I have started this blog.

What’s it about?

Well, doing stuff. What kind of stuff?

I don’t know, all sorts of things.

I’ll offer my own accounts of small personal adventures and weird personal experiments. Some of them mild [cooking brand new recipes found in a historical cookbook just to see what meals were like back then], some of them wild [what it’s like to run a Naked 5K] some of them simply “I wonder what that’s like?” [eating an entire meal blindfolded.]

I’ll also be talking with, interviewing and pointing at other doers. People who have the guts and gumption to get up and GO!

We’ll meet Food Truck Entrepreneurs who put it all on the line because they believe in their recipes, a lovely young White-Water River guide who is having a go at starting her own energy bar, housewives/moms by day, burlesque dancers by night, and other people who are not satisfied with the same-o, day-in and day-out routine.

Occasionally I will offer a Personal Challenge to wake us all up a little and allow you to fly your own freak-flag as freaky mild or wild as you like.

These can range from “You have your own meal blindfolded and provide a photo” or “Get a photo of you holding the biggest dog that you can find” or “Do a cartwheel in a public place.”

Really, they could be anything. The point is, you do the weird thing, you do the fun thing, you have the experience and you are free to share it here, and we share together.

If this sounds up your alley, well, glad to have you! Welcome aboard!

I look forward to sharing my own and others’ wild, weird, daring, dangerous, and fun experiences with you, and I look forward to seeing and hearing about some of your adventures as well!