Tag: Arts

Friday Funny: Give A Little, Laugh A Lot – Woody’s Corner Bar

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This Monday, May 27, 2013 the Local Comedy Community will come together for a MARATHON COMEDY EVENT like you’ve never seen!

 

We will be taking items all night, and your donation could earn you some great tokens of our appreciation.

 

For anyone donating more than $100, you will be allowed to choose any comic from our lineup and they will perform a private 10-Minutes of comedy for you in our PBR room (our version of the Champagne Room).

 

Our comedians will also ROAST anyone in the crowd you want for your donation of $10 per minute!

 

There will be lots of laughs and many surprises! Come enjoy a fun night to give to those who have lost so much. We’ll see you Monday!

Woody’s Corner Bar, 325 East Second Street, Tulsa Oklahoma

 

Having Fun with Slay N Savage — I’m going to be on the radio!

DeanaLeave a comment

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Oh my gosh guys and gals, I’m going to be interviewed on the radio tonight and I can’t find a thing to wear! What does a woman wear for her first radio interview? I have no idea. No wonder God tells us to go into our closets and pray, he knows that’s the one place in a woman’s life where she needs prayer.

Please let this fit!

Don’t let it be out of style.

Make it look good on me.

 I know what you are thinking — CHILL OUT WOMAN, IT’S RADIO, not TV, we aren’t going to be able to SEE you anyway. And you would be right. So big deep cleansing breaths…

Much better now. Thanks.

I’m going to be on Blog Talk Radio tonight on the SLAY’N SAVAGE show. 10:00 Central Time.

Joe Slay and Joie Savage and I will be getting together to talk about life, comedy and this great city of Tulsa that I live in. I’m super excited and cannot wait to talk to everyone.  Hope you can tune in.

CLICK HERE TO TUNE IN.

Listening to the bones

DeanaLeave a comment

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I’ve had a fabulous week so far. Through an incredible set of circumstances, I played my very first bar on Sunday night with a bunch of local comics and had a blast. I’ll admit I was nervous when I arrived. Bars can be a tough crowd, or so I’m told. There are pool tables, poker tables, dart boards and all kinds of other activity going on. Getting people to listen to comics in that kind of setting is not always easy. But we pulled it off. We had a great lineup, people listened and the comics,  well, everyone brought their A-Game and they killed! I loved every minute of it.

As a comic, you cannot show fear on stage, and even though I was nervous when I first walked in wondering if they’d like me, laying that down, getting up on stage and just having fun is empowering.

Both of my husband’s bands came out, as well as a few other friends and we kicked back and had a great time. Most of my shows have been at least two or more hours away, playing local and being able to have them there meant the world to me. I’ve gone and watched them perform for several years now and being able to give back something to them – my comedy – is very cool indeed.

So keep your eyes open local peeps, there is no telling where I’ll show up.

Before I do that however, I’m heading out to the woods for some quiet time. I need that as well. If I don’t make time for that, I become needy in a not so good kind of way. I have things my music teacher wants me to do, like learn how to play up the neck, listen to songs and try to copy what I hear, and practice chords. It’s hard to do that with a house full of people and dogs. I can’t even remember the last time I peed alone, you know? So off to the woods I go. I’ll read, play, write, and just be me for a few days. It’ll be glorious.

Once I refill my cup, I’ll be available to pour it back out again.

How do you unplug?

What fills your cup?

I’d love to hear from you.

Happy 2013 Some Random Thoughts from little ole me.

Deana3 Comments

When writing the story of your life,

don’t let anyone else hold the pen. – Harley Davidson

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It doesn’t matter how 2012 ended.

It does not matter if you kept last year’s resolutions or not.

You have the power to decide where to go next. You always have.

I usually end the year with an inventory of some kind. I list what went well, what did not go well, what I learned, what I still need to learn and then once finished, I declare the year complete. 2012 was a year of challenges and great growth for me. Instead of making resolutions, I followed the advice of several writer friends. I chose to live a great story (Donald Miller) and picked a word for the year to focus on. 2012 turned out to be one of the best years I’ve had in a while. I even chose to follow Ken Davis’s advice and live a year that is Fully Alive and what a difference that makes. Living a great story Fully Alive is not an easy road — you get skinned knees and bruised hearts along the way. It requires honesty with yourself and others. It’s hard work. Sometimes you say as many goodbyes as you do hellos and that is okay.

Some highlights from 2012

  • My youngest graduated high school and started college as well as a part-time job. — He has epilepsy and a great deal of my life and his childhood has revolved around taking care of him and being his advocate. Now I get to watch him spread his wings and I could not be more proud. (My oldest is in his 4th year of college with one more to go — my life is changing fast)
  • I’m in two movies as a paid extra, Cowgirls N Angels and So This is Christmas — I am at a loss of words trying to explain the emotional impact of seeing myself on the big screen had on me. The best I can come up with is “it rocked!” I want to do more of that.
  • I rode the Tulsa Tour De Cure for the first time and will definitely raise the challenge bar and do it again.
  • I started playing the banjo.
  • I emceed a local youth rock concert.
  • Attended the Christian Comedy Association Conference in Nashville and had a blast.
  • The political climate caused some attrition in my friendships. Sorry to see that happen, learning to let go.
  • Made new friends.
  • I said goodbye to the church I’ve attended for ten years and hello to a new one that has women’s ministries and bible studies, two things that are important to me. This was a hard choice, but one that needed to be made.
  • In 2013, I plan to ride more, participate in the Route 66 Marathon, return to Nashville for the CCA Conference. My word for the year is Resolve and I plan to continue writing and living a story that keeps me alive.

Random Thoughts:

  • It’s easier to tell the truth the first time than to have to remember a lie.
  • Hidden things have a way of coming back to bite you — deal with your closet before it deals with you. (Just trust me on this one.)
  • You can’t have everything you want.
  • Don’t take what isn’t yours.
  • Don’t do something permanently stupid just because you are temporarily upset. – Temper your temper.
  • Always strive to leave people and things better than you found them.
  • Own who you are.
  • Don’t blame others for your choices.
  • Try new things.
  • Fail as often as you need to before you succeed.
  • Gratitude is a choice.
  • Write your own story.
  • Find your catalyst and be the person worthy of love, trust, and respect that looks back at you in the mirror every day.
  • LIVE a life that is UNDAUNTED.

Support Movies Filmed in Oklahoma: So This is Christmas

Deana1 Comment

One of the fun things about having grown kids is having the time to be an extra in locally filmed movies. (This is my second movie as an extra. Wow what fun.)  This is a wonderful story for the whole family and is showing at the Circle Cinema December 2 – December 8. For more information on the movie check out So This Is Christmas, The Movie.

Music Monday: Love Me Like A Man

DeanaLeave a comment

I’m trying something new here for you guys. Now that I’ve been assimilated as a musician (even if it’s still at the wannabe stage)  I’ve been researching different music styles. One of my girlfriends told me she is learning this song by Bonnie Raitt. It’s been so long since I’ve heard it that I had to look it up. And I thought the words to Salty Dog made me blush. I heard this song for the first time when I was only 10 years old and now that I’m old enough to understand the lyrics – oh heck yeah, don’t we all girlfriend. I love Bonnie Raitt (She turned 63 last week). I wish I had a voice for blues.

 

 

Cowgirls N Angels Goes on Sale Today

DeanaLeave a comment

It isn’t often great movies are filmed in Oklahoma, but when it happens we talk about it. Cowgirls N Angels was filmed here last year and several of us got to participate as paid extras. This was my first time on a major motion picture movie set. I had a blast.

Cowgirls goes on sale today at Walmart,. It’s a family friendly with an awesome cast and a great heart. You’ll definitely want to pick up a copy for yourselves.

My Brain, My Banjo and Me

Deana2 Comments

It’s all about perspective — I told my son last night that I was going outside to work on sucking less at playing my banjo (aka practice) and he looked at me and said, “Mom you play that thing better than everyone in this house – including Dad and he’s a musician. You don’t have the right to say you suck at something when you are better than all of us. Just sayin.” — Man I love that kid.

I’m a horrible perfectionist. I used to think a perfectionist did everything perfectly or at least near perfect. It took me years to learn that being a perfectionist is a demand rather than an outcome. The self-inflicted demand is more often than not the root of a stink weed of a memory and/or fear of abandonment.

I don’t like doing things I can’t do well and if I can’t do it well enough to suit myself, the old me just didn’t keep trying. I didn’t see the reward in trying again. While riding horses last year, I learned that I’d have great days of riding as well as days of great humility. Some days Cowboy did exactly what I asked and other days he just wanted to jack with me.

Learning the banjo is no different. Some days I nail it, some days my picks trip up the strings and my fingers can’t remember their assigned places. On days like that, I have learned to take a deep breath, relax my shoulders and try again.

For those of you who’ve been around all year you know that my word for the year is “breathe.” Oxygen does wonders for a negative brain.  As simple-minded as it may sound breathing in the good and breathing out the negative works wonders.

I gave up horseback riding so that I can afford banjo lessons. While I miss riding, I do love the banjo. Playing is a different skill set entirely and yet the lessons are the same. Sit tall, be confident, keep it fun and BREATHE.

Perfectionism is self hatred in disguise.

Deana10 Comments

I would rather be naked than let you see me learn the banjo. That says a lot. I don’t do naked well. (Think Bob the tomato). Learning something new while people watch is apparently worse.

I call it being an introvert.

My husband calls it being a perfectionist.

Either way, I don’t like people seeing me or hearing me try something new until I master it.

The problem with that?

Life isn’t meant to be lived in a vacuum.

Truth is, I’ll let my husband see me naked, but I won’t let him sit out on the porch while I practice my banjo. For some reason I feel more vulnerable playing the banjo than I do in the nude.

Refusing to let my husband (he’s a professional musician on weekends) hear me play robs him of the joy of music.

I knew my anxiety level had reached an all time high when not only did I not want my husband to hear me play the banjo, I couldn’t play for my teacher either.

When we first started out with lessons — in May, I’d get so nervous that I made my instructor nervous.

That’s rough.

My husband finally offered me his great wisdom.

“This isn’t the Opry, it’s our back porch. Now lighten up and have fun already.”

I’ve been having a lot of fun since he said that. When I get frustrated (like I am tonight) I remind myself that I started playing the banjo on May 25 2012 and I missed three lessons in June because of traveling. So really, I’ve only been playing for four weeks. In those four weeks, I have learned chords, how to tune a banjo, how to read tabs, four basic rolls and now I’m learning slides.

My husband does not think less of me because I haven’t mastered this yet.

My instructor (who has been playing guitar for 40 and banjo for 3 years) does not think less of me because I’m not as good as he is.

Fact: I sing in the chorus of the second longest running presentation of Handel’s Messiah in the US. Have since 2000. I cannot read a lick of music. I’ve memorized the entire piece. That takes talent.

Learning how to create music brings me joy and will help me become a better songwriter.

Hating myself because I have the unrealistic expectation of mastering something over night (like slides) is ridiculous.

This isn’t the Opry.

It’s my back porch.

I hereby give myself permission to not be great while I learn with the knowledge that every time I try, I will get better.

What new thing are you trying to learn right now?

Are you willing to be kind to yourself while you learn?

Banned from the Bobbin

Deana4 Comments

Life after kids is an interesting journey. Not that I’ve stopped being a Mom. I’ll always be mom, even after they are married and have children of their own.

We are in the homestretch for graduation for my youngest. I cried for months when my oldest left for college and while I’ll definitely miss not having my youngest home every day, I need to learn new things that don’t involve mothering my husband. Really I do, he’s requested that I stop cutting his meat for him.

Having children changes you for the better in a lot of ways. I thought college prepped me well for sleepless nights, popcorn beggy prayers (as Anne Lamott calls them), and delusional hopefulness but it is motherhood that truly brings those gifts into fruition.

That and sewing.

A friend recently asked me what it is with Oklahoma women, is there nothing I won’t try? Most assuredly there is. For one, I won’t try tequila with a worm still in the bottle or snails. I definitely won’t try snails even with butter and garlic. Everything else however is fair game.

Much like motherhood, learning how to sew brings out all of my best gifts.

Gift 1. Delusional Hopefulness — Even though I haven’t touched a sewing machine – except to dust mine – in over 30 years, I’m going to make a quilt.

Gift 2. Popcorn Beggy Prayers — Oh God, I know my blocks are trapezoidal in some respects and not truly square, but PLEASE make them align correctly.

Gift 3. Sleepless nights spent seam-ripping, pinning, and re-sewing my fabric trapezoids in hopes of making them fit together.

Even though our instructor has officially banned me from the bobbin due to my creative squirrels nests, and the fact that she found “left over parts” sitting on the table after I exorcised replaced my bobbin for the umpteenth time, I think things are coming along rather well.

Here are some photos of the journey so far.

Do not be deceived by the title, we've been working on this quilt since January.
We need three colors to do a Double Irish Chain. I happen to like purple and found these for 40% off at Jo Ann Fabric.
This is one of the blocks we created. I actually made three different blocks, but do not have photos of those like I thought. I think they are square, but it turns out they are really square-ish and need adjusting.
Now we pin the rows together to form the quilt. This is where I discovered that the rows are supposed to be the same length. Mine are not quite there yet. Back to ripping, pinning, and resewing.

And there you have it. Once I convince the rows to get along with each other, I get to add a border and take my lovely new quilt top to a local gal where she will “finish” it for me by adding the batting, back, and machine quilting. I’d do that myself, but my instructor believes that “baby steps” is the way to go here.

Our soccer team made it to the state finals and I’m going to Bartelsville to see them play this weekend. I can’t wait.

Enjoy the weekend everyone.