Month: July 2017

A happy happenstance

Posted in Arts2 Comments

Michael Lucarelli, a musician par excellence

I hope Michael doesn’t mind me sharing this story before you get into reading his Q&A. He is first and foremost an artist worth listening to. Sharing his story is an honor. This began with an query from Michael that indicated he’d gotten the One Roof Publishing Q&A link from the Las Vegas Arts Council, and was interested in participating. I, of course, welcomed the opportunity. I always want to have a digital dialog with artists from every discipline. Fortunately, my first question was, “With your varied and successful career as a classical guitarist, what brings you to Las Vegas, N.M.?”

Michael LucarelliI can almost imagine the pregnant pause when Michael received the question. He promptly let me know he was in NEVADA and was unaware there was a Las Vegas in New Mexico, until now. So the crux of this story is that the local Las Vegas Arts Council ranks high in search engines! And Michael Lucarelli came upon it when searching for resources in that other place. Perhaps he will visit this Las Vegas and enjoy the history and charm of a true original.

Once Michael and I worked out the where, I welcomed his responses to my questions, which follow. Incidentally, he moved to Las Vegas, Nev., because of weather, which is more agreeable than the weather in Salt Lake City. “But it’s also great to be where the action is,” he said.

Michael’s bio excerpted from www.michaellucarelli.com: Award winning Classical guitarist Michael Lucarelli  has enthralled audiences throughout the U.S. for more than 30 years. He is known for his diverse programming and expressive style, tastefully blending classical, popular, jazz, Spanish, South American, as well as his original compositions. He is an annual favorite at The Sundance Film Festival where he has entertained for industry notables such as Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Animation and Arts & Entertainment. His music videos on YouTube have received more than 35 million views from fans world-wide.  He has twice received an Individual Artist grant from The National Endowment of the Arts. In 2014 Martha Stewart Weddings named him one of the top weddings musicians.

ORP: What drew you to pursuing music as a profession?
Michael: Luck, really. I was days from joining the military. I worked at Sperry Univac (computer factory ) for almost eight years, while studying classical guitar privately with Ricardo Lineres from Peru. I was also studying martial arts and going to competitions. After my roommate talked me out of joining the  military, things fell into place and I took a leap of faith. I walked away from a career job with full benefits and went to the University of Utah in 1985. I started playing the guitar at various gigs the day I started college. Hard to believe I’m still doing it after 32 years.

ORP: When you started out, what was your goal?
Michael: I began playing the electric guitar in 1973. I wanted to be a rock star. I started classical guitar in 1980. When I began my career professionally in 1985, my inner wish was to write one great piece for the guitar. I’ve been blessed. Now I’ve written many. I am very goal oriented.

ORP: In what ways has your goal changed over the years?
Michael: I’m still composing much more prolifically than the early stages. One recent goal was to write compositions that were more intermediate. Another goal is to write a method book, which is 70 percent finished. But my current goal is to get something going in Las Vegas, Nevada.

ORP: In terms of your accomplishments, are you where you want to be as an artist?
Michael: I believe I did more than I ever expected I would do with music. I never thought I’d have 38 million views on YouTube, or I would release 15 CDs, or compose so much music. In some ways, I’m lucky; I just follow where the guitar leads me.

ORP: What gives you the greatest joy, practicing or performing, and why?
Michael: They’re different. Each is extremely enjoyable. Practicing is a sacred and special place, a completely different experience from performing live. There is a reason – if you love music – you practice for five hours a day.

ORP: What do patrons say that gives you the greatest satisfaction as a classical guitarist?
Michael: That comes from different angles. I love the comments I get from YouTube, people who say they started playing guitar because of me. In my case, it was Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin. As an artist, when you give a concert, you always love when someone says how great you are or how much they enjoyed it, but when I read comments like these on YouTube it really moves me:

“My sister died last week. Thank you for helping me get through that.”
“I have a chronic heart condition. Whenever I’m having a heart attack, I put on your Moonlight Sonata and concentrate on my breathing. That’s helped more than anything I tried.”

It’s strange and heartening to know that what I’m doing can effect people on such a personal level.

ORP: Solo performance seems to be your preferred style. How do solo performance and performing with others differ?
Michael: Yes, I mainly do solo. I did play with a trio a few weeks ago. Several concerts I’ve done titled Lucarelli and Friends, are a mix of various ensembles. I love playing ensemble but it is a bit more work. Solo guitar creates its own unique world. But playing with so many ensembles over the years has helped me be a better soloist. You learn to phrase things differently. More importantly you learn to listen! I do have a CD, Romantic Christmas, with violinist Kellie Parkinson, and Romanza with mandolinist Martin Swick, who passed away a few years ago. I did release a CD this year titled Blue Sunday, which is more jazz and New Age, but I’m doing all the instruments, something I’ve always wanted to do. It’s on YouTube. You can stream it or purchase it on iTunes. It features me playing electric guitar on four tracks. I haven’t played Electric guitar since I was 23.

ORP: At this point in your career, are you satisfied with your level of performance, or is it always evolving?
Michael: It’s always evolving, and yes, I am satisfied. When it stops evolving that’s when I’ll call it quits. You get older, your vision changes, you have to deal with those things along the road, but you always seem to reach higher ground, explore different avenues. I never saw YouTube coming. That’s a whole other world. I was lucky to be at the starting gate. I never dreamed people would be able to see me play the guitar all over the world, and having viewed, would enjoy and be inspired by what I do.

ORP: What excites you as a musician and performer?
Michael: To make a better world and to light up the inside of people who connect with my music. Physicists think music is one of the highest achievements of man. I think most people would agree. To be able to try and express the inexpressible. Some people call it God. I don’t think there’s a word that could describe how it makes me feel. It would have to be a musical sound like om. To think that there are an infinite number of dimensions and we are only living in four! What else could you do but create art. I love to think what music would sound like in the fifth dimension, or 100th or 1000th or one millionth. It’s lovely to think about what I do with my spare time.

ORP: What is the one thing you want people to know about you?
Michael: I love the Beatles, and that I finally got – after years of study – the meaning of “…all you need is love.” It is the path to freedom.

ORP: What performances to you have coming up?
Michael: Aug. 5 I will be playing at the Park City (Utah) Arts Festival, Oct. 20 Las Vegas, Nev. I mainly play private events. We’re playing on the biggest stage – YouTube. I have several videos coming out including Take Five, House of the rising sun, and Come Together, starting the first Friday of each month.

To book Michael Lucarelli for an event:
E-mail michael@lucarelli.com
Phone: 702-343-1009
Website: www.michaellucarelli.com
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Image: From Michael Lucarelli website
Music: YouTube

 

Is there a ghost in the house?

Posted in Entertainment, Las Vegas, New Mexico, My Town, New Mexico, Places, Q&A Posts, Travel & Tourism

Find out at the CCHP Places with a Past Tour Aug. 5

The Las Vegas Citizens Committee for Historic Preservation Places with a Past Historic Homes and Buildings Tour returns on Aug. 5, with haunting recall of lore and legend about ghosts flitting here and there. Visit Montezuma Castle (United World College), the Plaza Hotel, the Castañeda or some of the legendary homes around town and you will be amazed and delighted by the mystery in the history.

Do I believe in ghosts? I reserve judgment since years ago I lived in a spirited house in town. I say spirited because it was not haunted in the sense that something weird lived there. Quite the contrary. It did not appear as a ghostly apparition, but as a bright light flashing just on the periphery of vision. The spirit could be almost seen day or night. I thought of it more like an angel watching over me. I won’t tell you where the house is, but I hope the people who live there now appreciate that friendly spirit as much as I did.

Kathy HendricksonGhost Stories is the brain child of tour guide and owner of Southwest Detours, Kathy Hendrickson, who is also a CCHP board member. From whence did this idea spring? This Q&A with Kathy reveals the story behind her ghostly vision.

ORP: PWAP has been the major fundraiser for CCHP for many years. Talk about the challenge of making old ideas new again so you not only have new visitors but return visitors as well.
Kathy: This is my fifth year as Chairperson for the PWAP Tour and every year is a challenge to think of a new idea for the tour. There are so many events going on this time of year, it is a challenge to bring visitors to our town. I have been thinking of this ghost theme for awhile, mainly because I have heard so many folks talk about ghosts here. In fact, as soon as we bought our old Victorian, the former tenants told me that we have a female ghost living on our 3rd floor, thus the reason my house is on the tour!

ORP: Why did you select this theme?
Kathy: Ghosts stories seem to appeal to everyone, even when you say you don’t believe. Las Vegas was the “Wild West” and if you read about the history, there were hangings on our lovely Plaza, thus there must be ghostly spirits around.

ORP: How many homes and properties are on the tour this year?
Kathy: There are nine places on the tour this year. Four beautiful Victorians and five historic buildings, all with interesting tales of restless souls.

Ghost in the houseORP: Since the theme is ghostly, how did you go about selecting properties?
Kathy: Well, for one, my home has a ghost story, so that was a no brainer. I had heard ghost stories about the other properties I chose for the tour. Luckily the owners agreed to open their homes and buildings for the tour. And I only selected properties that have friendly spirits.

ORP: The popular sites are the United World College, fondly known as Montezuma Castle, the Castañeda and the Plaza Hotel, all of which host ghosts. What home properties and stories surprised you when you were putting the tour together?
Kathy: I don’t want to give the stories away, but there is one home on the tour in particular that has a very active ghost within. I had heard there was a ghost in this home and that two previous owners had moved because of the apparition, but after listening to the current homeowner tell her personal experiences with the spirit, it raised the hairs on my arm.

ORP: What reactions have you received about the theme of this year’s tour?
Kathy: I was surprised to find out how many folks are interested in spirits and ghostly tales. Even if you don’t believe, you are curious to hear the stories.

ORP: What is the most intriguing ghost story you’ve heard while putting the tour together?
Kathy: Not to give anything away, but in one of the homes, a ghost tucks the owners’ daughter in bed at night.

ORP: Have you ever seen a ghost?
Kathy: I was never a believer in ghosts, but now I am rethinking everything. After we bought our old Victorian, I heard many noises at night, and thought I saw someone in our room one evening. I always came up with a logical reason for hearing or seeing something. Now, after doing the ghost research, I’m not sure.

ORP: What do you most want people to know about the Ghost Stories tour?
Kathy: Even if you are afraid to be afraid, or don’t believe in ghostly spirits, you will enjoy exploring some beautiful historic homes and buildings and hearing about their histories. We will also have a special added attraction to the tour this year. The Ghost Paranormal Investigators team will be present to do two demonstrations during the day, and show folks how they investigate the paranormal phenomena of a haunted building. This husband and wife team have been featured on the Travel Channel Ghost Adventurers Show.

ORP: Have you had success recruiting docents for this ghostly adventure, and how are you preparing them to keep the ghosts at bay while revealing their secrets?
Kathy: This is the first time the CCHP has ever had a Ghost Story themed tour. I think the docents are excited about doing something new and fun. Hopefully the ghosts will enjoy being shown off, too. The Las Vegas Harvey Girls and Fred will be the docents at the Castañeda Hotel. This is for all those Fredheads out there.

ORP: Do you want to name the properties on the tour?
Kathy: I will let folks be surprised to see the places when they purchase a ticket.

What: Ghost Stories, 2017 Places With a Past Historic Homes & Buildings Tour
When: Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Where: Nine selected properties
Cost: $25 per person
Tickets: CCHP, 116 Bridge Street, Las Vegas, NM
Phone: 505-425-8803
Website: www.lvcchp.org

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Photo Kathy Hendrickson, Fred Harvey/Mary Colter Fan Club
Photo at Castañeda, Martha Johnsen

 

The purpose of purpose

Posted in Health, Inspiration, Opinon2 Comments

In a recent study, researchers at University College London found that, for people over the age of 65, a sense of purpose and overall well-being meant that they were 30 percent less likely to die over a period of eight and a half years. This study followed over 9,000 English people and found that, at the end of the eight and half year period, only 9 percent of people in the highest category of well-being had died, compared with 29 percent of those at the lowest level of well-being. Those who reported the highest level of fulfillment lived, on average, two years longer. From a Psychology Today blog article. Read more…

Golden YearsWhat is your purpose? Do you have one? It’s important for everyone to have a reason to get up in the morning. It’s important for businesses and organizations to have a purpose, one that goes beyond making money. As you get older, purpose is crucial to well-being and having a healthy lifestyle, even when you may struggle with physical challenges. You don’t have to jump out of a plane to make life interesting.

So, what is purpose? Purpose is that thing you dedicate yourself to that shapes who you are. That’s not the Webster definition, but that is the essence of what it means to have purpose. When you have no purpose, ­ no goal – life becomes dull and meaningless. Not having purpose can rob you of joy.

Your purpose may be as simple as sending notes of encouragement to people in your family or social group, or as grand as creating art or building a business, or being in a profession that by its definition is one that serves others.

My purpose is to write something every day, and most of the time, I do. When my husband and I went through recent bouts of health issues, I scarcely wrote at all and the result was a descent into negativity and gloom. When I went back to writing, my spirits lifted and my outlook improved dramatically. How often have you heard about retirees who after they no longer have their jobs – their purpose – they go into decline, to the point of giving up on living.

Those who do best are those who continue to contribute in some way to society and to the lives of those around them. Sitting in a chair waiting to “get better” or get back what you once had, is not the answer. Getting up to the degree you are able and getting with it – whatever “it” is for you – will make a difference for you and those around you.

Stuck for something to do after you’ve done it all? Here are some suggestions to give you food for thought.

• Take classes: Check out the activities and events section of your local newspaper. Are there classes offered you might be interested in? The senior group Our Healthy Circle at Alta Vista Regional Hospital here in Las Vegas, offers a wealth of opportunities. Check out the classes and become an active participant in their dinners, travel events and other activities.

• Visit a nursing home: If you have the gift of song or art or anything else creative, check with a nursing home in your area to see if they would welcome you to give a class or provide entertainment for the residents. Or they may need other volunteer help you are well suited to provide.

• Check with your church: Most churches have volunteer programs to provide meals for the ill or visitation to the home bound or those in hospital. What skills do you have that would be helpful? In our church we provide prayer shawls for people undergoing trying times. We always need more shawls. Want to volunteer to make one? Perhaps your church has a similar program. Check it out. See how you can help.

Write your memoir• Write that memoir: What a gift for your family. Your history is something only you can tell. Even if you have orally told your stories time and again, much will be lost to misinterpretation or plain old forgetfulness. With the advent of self-publishing (www.createspace.com as an example), you can write it, upload it, and – once you’ve approved the proof – you can affordably order as few or as many as you like. (A little sales pitch here. If you need help with formatting and uploading, I’m available. 🙂 ).

• Learn how to use a computer: It will open a whole new world of information for you. Caution, don’t let it become the only social interaction you have. Face-to-face is better than Facebook any day.

• Write a recipe book: You can publish it in paperback for your family, or do it digitally. Either way this is a gift that will keep on giving, which is really what having a life purpose is all about. Reaching out and making a difference.

A recent study followed nearly 1,500 older people for 10 years. It found that those who had a large network of friends were about 22 percent less likely to die during the 10 years. www.webmd.com.

• Maintain friendships: There is a tendency among elders to isolate themselves. It becomes a challenge to get out if you are on a walker or have other disabilities. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make the effort. According to one study, elders who remain socially active are happier and healthier. Unable to drive? Check resources in your community. You might be surprised what is available at low or no cost to get you to activities and events.

• Get a part time job: If you have time on your hands and don’t know what to do, consider working part time. Older employees are valued for their work ethic and reliability. Don’t believe for a second your age puts you out of the running, especially for part time work.

These are a few suggestions; I’m sure you have plenty of your own. Your purpose today may not be your purpose tomorrow. That’s okay. The point is to have a reason to arise in the morning and do something during that day that will put a smile on your face at night. Benefits? Countless, the most significant being that you are opening the gift of life each day and making the most of it.
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Photos: www.clipart.com

Healing in forgiveness

Posted in Inspiration

SunriseAnd we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16 (KJV)

Forgive and forget. The forget part is hard. We mull over disappointment, wrongs done to us, wrongs we have done to others. We slog through the murky depths of disappointment. Our focus finds its way to yesterday to the point we don’t give attention to the joys and opportunities of today. It isn’t easy to forget, but it is something we must do to make a difference for ourselves and for those around us. Fears keep us from so much. Anger nails us to the floor of discouragement. Let go and let God is not a panacea; it is faith come alive. He does not forget us. We are crafted with as much thought as the earth and sky. We are unique. Formed for a purpose. Given breath and life. Give back in the ways you can and leave behind anything that holds you back. It is healing; it is restorative; it is joyful.

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Photo: clipart.com

 

Attitude and aging gratefully

Posted in Health, Inspiration8 Comments

Life After a FallLife has sort of been on hold for my husband and me since early May when his femur broke and he had to have surgery. The surgery went well and thanks to great care at Alta Vista Regional Hospital and Vida Encantada, he came home from rehab a week earlier than anticipated. For the first two weeks, we scooted along quite well… until I got a sacral fracture (result of osteoporosis and overdoing it gardening), that really sent us topsy turvy. Since then we’ve both been on walkers and confined to the house, or so we believed because neither of us was confident enough to get behind the wheel.

The experience has given us a whole new appreciation for the ability to drive. We have relied on – and thank you very much nephew Seth and great-nephew Carter, Tom Trigg and Mary Schipper, and Karyl Lyne – as well as Lydia Palomino, who worked us into her busy schedule – for getting us to and from appointments and the store (and sometimes Charlie’s!).

We are on the mend, but I want to especially thank my long-time friend Kathy Allen, whose phone call this week helped me see how much of our isolation came as much from self-inflicted and unfounded fears as it did from our actual afflictions. She didn’t tell me that, but my whining about my plight – which resonated long after the conversation was over, did. If I’ve learned anything from this experience, it is that as you age, fear sneaks in where you least expect it.

Fear of falling is a real thing, especially as you get older. Fear of falling in older folks is greater than that related to robbery, financial stress, or health problems, according to an article on the Anxiety and Depression Association of America website. Click here to read the full article.

Julie Loebach Wetherell, PhD, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, writes that about ten percent of older adults report excessive fear, and at least three percent avoid leaving their homes or yards. That may not seem like much, but when you consider that the aging population is the fastest growing demographic globally and that by 2050, two billion adults older than sixty-five will be living on this planet, the percentages become more significant.

“Most people who fear falling avoid some physical activities. This fear is a better predictor of decreased physical activity than age, perceived health, number of prescription medications, gender, or history of falls,” Wetherell writes. She notes that fear of falling and less physical activity lead to disability, including decreased capacity to perform daily living activities such as bathing and shopping.

Paradoxically, the fear of falling increases the risk of falls. It also increases the risk of having to enter a health care facility and the loss of independence. Those who had excessive fear but no falls over a two-year period increased their risk of entering a nursing home five-fold relative to those with low fear. Of older adults in one scientific study, fifty-six percent with high levels of fear fell again within the following year, while only thirty-seven percent of those without fear did. – Julie Loebach Wetherell

I confess that fear of falling and making my back injury worse has contributed to our isolation, which, by the way, also leads to feeling discouraged, even depressed. These are not characteristics in my essential make up. Quite the contrary. I always think life will get better, every obstacle can be overcome, and bloom where your planted. I’ve scarcely written a word in the last six weeks that wasn’t related to my daily prayer journal and devotional journal. I dropped out of Pasateimpo Art Academy, simply because I had neither the energy nor the time (or physical ability), to conduct the writing classes I had signed up to do.

I realized after my whine-fest with Kathy, the problem wasn’t my circumstances; the problem was my attitude, which was being shaped by my fears.

No more. Time to get back to normal. Ordinary caution makes sense; hiding behind anxiety does not.

Onward and upward.

We met Kathy and Fred for coffee at Charlie’s today. I drove.

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Photo: Life after a fall.