On July 2, I drove the omphalabyrinth laid out in this post, creating an omphalos knot with a strength of 17.82. All told, it took about two hours, and it was nice to have a chance to check out that neighborhood.

After I submitted the Trackstick data, Eli Hunt wrote back with this reply, which I really love:

"First, I must say, this is a tremendous omphalabyrinth. I have used that word to describe omphalabyrinths before, and I find myself at a loss to come up with a stronger word to describe my feelings when I view this KMZ data. It is MOST tremendous. It is a supreme omphalabyrinth. Do you not find that you also have feelings of awe and pride stirred in your heart when you view these wondrous paths created by yourself and our allies? I do not feel free to speak this way with everyone, but I believe you will understand."

Did I mention that I love Eli Hunt's emails?

View all the photos here.

Mosaic Art Source Gallery - Featured Artist - Sonia King

Mosaic artist Sonia King is a founding member and past-President of SAMA and a director of the Associazione Internazionale Mosaicisti Contemporanei. Sonia creates one-of-a-kind, contemporary mosaics for gallery, architectural, community and home settings. Her mosaic art is exhibited nationally and internationally and represented in private, public and corporate collections.

Mosaic Art Source Gallery - Mosaic Artist - Sonia King Mosaics - Spinoff

Sonia was featured on HGTV’s popular show, “Modern Masters”, and in numerous books. Her four large mosaic walls for Children’s Medical Center of Dallas were featured on the cover of Healthcare Design magazine and awarded an international Spectrum Award recognizing creativity and achievement in the use of tile in residential and commercial design.

Mosaic Art Source Gallery - Mosaic Artist - Sonia King Mosaics - Meltdown

Sonia teaches the art of mosaic at the Creative Arts Center of Dallas as well as advanced workshops around the world. She is the author of the bestselling book Mosaic Techniques & Traditions: Projects & Designs from Around the World from Sterling Publishing. Sonia is currently co-authoring Mosaic Master Class: The Advanced Techniques.

Mosaic Art Source Gallery - Mosaic Artist - Sonia King Mosaics - Dallas, Texas

Please Note: Mosaic Images above may not be reproduced in any form without the legal authorization of the artist.  Please be aware that Mosaic Artists worldwide have united to form an International Mosaic Art Watch Group that will support the prosecution of anyone who does so.

Poster's age: 18

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In 2006, we claimed that Carolina would be the Super Bowl champion with a win over Miami. Yeah, about that ... we were really off base. Last year, we improved ... somewhat. We called New England as being the AFC Champion, but that didn't take much guts. That Chicago pick in the NFC looked good at the time, but Rex Grossman proved to be a better quarterback on the bench than in the game.

So we look ahead to year No. 3 of our NFL predictions with this being the earliest edition of our failed prognostications. It should be an interesting season whether or not Brett Farve decides to play. You have the N.Y. Giants feeling as if they still have something to prove and Jason Taylor dancing his way to the Washington Redskins. No truth to the rumor that Dan Snyder promised Taylor a sequence  uniform  for home games.

Onward to our bold predictions of no reputation.

The San Francisco 49ers will be coach shopping at the end of the season. Mike Nolan will make it to the end of the season, but the addition of Mike Martz as offensive coordinator will prove to be a bust and the 49ers will be looking for yet another coach that can bring the team back to it's former glory. To do that, the 49ers will need new ownership...but that seems to be wishful thinking.

The N.Y. Giants will be happy to be rid of Jeremy Shockey, but will find defending the Super Bowl championship difficult.

San Diego may have its best shot of getting back to the Super Bowl this season. So long as Norv Turner doesn't mess things up.

AFC East - New England will continue to be the class of the division and will claim the division title once more. Tom Brady will make another run at league MVP.

AFC North - Pittsburgh has a chance, but it depends on how good Ben Roethlisberger looks during the early parts of the season. The Bengals ... no chance.

AFC South - This may be the most competitive division in all of football. The Colts will win, but the Titans, Jaguars and Texans will all compete for a playoff spot in my opinion. The Texans may be the odd team out, but will be vastly improved.

AFC West - There are the Chargers and then there is everyone else in this division. Oakland is hoping that Al Davis gives up day-to-day control soon ... very soon.

AFC Playoff Teams: Patriots, Colts, Steelers, Chargers, Titans, Jaguars.

Champion: San Diego

NFC East: This could be the most competitive division in the conference. Dallas has a new returning threat in Pacman Adam Jones. But how good will Jones be after spending a year away from football due to suspension that included time as co-holder of the TNA World Tag Team Championship with Ron "The Truth" Killings. Look for Dallas to win the division, the Redskins to be improved, and the Eagles one step closer to divorcing Donovan McNabb.

NFC North - The main question - what will Green Bay look like without Brett Farve? Good, but not good enough to win the division. This is the Vikings year to dominate the division. Detroit ... will be lucky to win four games.

NFC South - I feel for my friends in the south that will be forced to watch this division play out on FOX TV this fall. None of the teams in the division look that great and it could just be attrition that decides this champion. Tampa Bay has the "best" case. John Fox will be out by the end of January.

NFC West - Another yawn division, though the Cardinals and Rams could make it interesting for the Seahawks, which should win the division. Again, no playoff berth for Nolan and the 49ers and Nolan is looking for a new job.

NFC Playoff teams: Dallas, Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Seattle, New York, Green Bay

NFC Champion: Dallas

Super Bowl: San Diego v. Dallas. San Diego wins 34-28.

Yes, I know it's been quite some time since I've written . . . I'm terribly sorry (really, I am).  Some days I don't really know what to write and others I feel like I could go on forever (though I tend to spare you the details ~ you're welcome, by the way!).  While this blog is attached to Painted Beauty (the business), I feel inclined to write about whatever is happening at the moment . . . even if it's non-business related.  So, here's the skinny on what's been going on since my last entry . . .

Ranard and I took Pal on a hike at Crowder's Mountain today.  It was great fun and quite a workout.  We chose the "strenuous" trail . . . brilliant idea!  We hadn't even walked 0.3 miles before I was huffing and puffing!!!!  Thank goodness for the boulders strategically placed along the trail . . . a rest was required along the way.  Pal was a trooper and forged ahead without any coaxing.  Perhaps mom and dad need some more cardiovascular conditioning!!!!  The view from the top was absolutely gorgeous . . . well worth the rubbery legs and gasping (I assure you). 

I traveled to Dallas, Texas for the eWomen Network International Conference & Business Expo.  The conference featured distinguished speakers from all over the country and provided business owners with a variety of workshops to attend.  It was fabulous to meet women from not only the U.S., but from Canada and Australia as well.  Dallas is a great city . . . definitely a mix of old and new (think Buffalo meets Charlotte).  We had so much fun seeing the sites and enjoying delicious food (seafood, tex-mex, and . . . OH MY GOSH, the BEST mango margaritas I have ever tasted in my entire life!!!!!).  Seriously, if you're ever in the West Village of Dallas, you have to visit Mi Cocina for wonderfullly delicious mexican food and margaritas. 

As for the jewelry, well, let's see . . . The L.O.F.T. of Asheville (www.loftofasheville.com) now carries Painted Beauty Jewelry (yay!!!).  In addition, I've been keeping busy working on custom orders and creating new designs for the upcoming season . . . I must say, I am really excited about what I've put together so far.  I can't wait to share everything with you!  On that note, I must get going.  I have more to create and I'm certainly not working on jewelry if I'm sitting here typing!

Earlier this year I had some extra holiday cash and wanted to treat myself. I had been fascinated with Ylang|23's assortment of jewelry on their site for quite sometime...so I thought, why not? When I finally decided to purchase a bracelet by designer Sydney Evan, I noticed it was no longer on their website! I decided to send a quick email about it, but didn't want to get my hopes up. I immediately recieved a response from a friendly sales associate. She had found what I was describing and told me that she would have it ordered. I was even able to get the 7" bracelet sized down to 6.25" at no extra cost! That made my day because it is usually very difficult to find bracelets that can be resized to fit my wrist.

The sales associate always made time to serve me as a customer, even if I lived 1,000 miles away! When I received my bracelet, it was wrapped in the cutest packaging and ribbon...I didn't want to untie it! But, I quickly did and was amazed by my purchase. I also received a thank you card. I want to thank Ylang|23 for their great service and beautiful jewelry. My purchase may not have been as pricey as some of the jewels that go for thousands...but you sure made me feel as if mine did!

Pictured far above is the white gold, sapphire and diamond lucky eye bracelet that I purchased; designed by Sydney Evan. Directly above are a few pieces from Ylang|23 that caught my eye! Designers are Ten Thousand Things, Gurhan, and Andrea Fohrman, respectively.

Washington, D.C. --- This year’s annual meeting of the National Coalition of Abortion Providers (NCAP) and the Abortion Conversation Project (ACP) May 17-19, 2008, awarded Charlotte Taft and abortion care providers, Mary Frank of the Memphis Center for Reproductive Health and Jen Boulanger and the entire staff of the Allentown Women’s Center with the organizations’ highest honors. NCAP and ACP meet annually to offer workshops on quality care for members and to strategize about improving the societal climate for their patients.

Charlotte Taft, currently a consultant and counselor in Pecos, NM, and former Executive Director of the Routh St. Clinic in Dallas, Texas, was awarded the David Gunn Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement. Charlotte was chosen for her visionary leadership in re-focusing attention on the woman’s abortion experience. She pioneered the concept of “head and heart” counseling and has offered thoughtful, honest analyses of abortion politics that have created a new dialogue about abortion.

The Allentown Women’s Center has been awarded the 2008 Vision Award by the Abortion Conversation Project. This award is presented to the abortion provider who challenges the stigma around abortion both within the clinic and in the community. For the first time, an entire staff was recognized: the Allentown Women’s Center was chosen for its dedication to quality patient services and outreach to the community under conditions of extreme anti-abortion activity. The staff, individually and collectively have worked hard to counteract stigmatizing messages about abortion in their everyday interactions with patients as well as creating a positive presence at community events.

And as a coporate shill, I should remind you that the final contestants will be on NBC 5 tonight at 7 p.m.

But, more importantly, as a former stand-up in the Dallas area (I was terrible. Thanks for asking.) I've latched on to Iliza Shlesinger (a Dallasite comedianne) as my favorite and pick to win on the show. Why? She's survived two weeks in a row, knocking out 4 contestants with her great sets.

She's feisty and confident, but not to the smug, jerky level of some of the other comedians. Check out her bio and some of her performances on the official LCS site. http://www.nbc.com/Last_Comic_Standing/finalists/iliza-shlesinger.shtml

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="200" caption="Colonics in Dallas"][/caption]

Colonic therapy in Dallas:

In Dallas colonics detox services are available at: Dallas Colon Care Center (9900 North Central Expressway, Suite 110); Colon Care Dallas (Oakwood Tower, 3626 N. Hall Street, Suite #712); and Tiffani Colonic Center (5409 N Jim Miller Rd).

SOURCE: Colonics in Dallas

Some rich person named Nancy Hamon donated a zillion dollars to help renovate The Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and in recognition of that the school district decided to name the new part the "Hamon Arts Magnet".  The problem is that "Arts Magnet" is one of the names commonly used to refer to the whole school, and the name Hamon Arts Magnet sounds like an attempt to push the Booker T. Washington name into the background.

The Booker T name is an important one.  Up until the 1940s or 50s that was the 'black part of town', before it was paved over for Woodall Rogers and Booker T is one of the few remaining vestiges.  Even if segregation is officially over a lot of people feel ties to the school.

Having a Hamon building or wing at Booker T would be OK but a big sign on the side of the building that says "Hamon Arts Magnet" looks suspiciously like they're trying to take away a part of the black community and name it after a rich white person.

The providers on this list are certified by Anderson & Anderson, and they have done the following: 1.) completed the 40 hour certification training, 2.) use the Conover Assessment and post-tests, and 3.) are using the Anderson & Anderson client workbooks and other Anderson & Anderson training material for their classes.

This court list is updated every six months to reflect the current status of anger management providers in L.A. County. Each court mandated anger management client receives a copy of this list, and he/she can choose which program to enroll in. The providers list, in its web-based form, is available on the Anderson & Anderson website: http://www.andersonservices.com/providersLACounty.html.

###

Anderson & Anderson, Trusted Name in Anger Management

All reputable programs for “disruptive physicians” must begin with a comprehensive assessment, workbooks and focused intervention to address issues of stress management, communication, anger management, emotional intelligence, and motivation to change. Following the intervention, post-tests and aftercare are generally provided. The three major providers of acceptable resources for “disruptive physicians” include the following: P.A.C.E Program of University of California at San Diego, Department of Psychiatry of Vanderbilt University and Anderson & Anderson, Trusted Name in Anger Management of Los Angeles, CA.

George Anderson, MSW, BCD, CAMF, CEAP
Diplomate, American Association of Anger Management Providers
Anderson & Anderson®, The Trusted Name in Anger Management
http://www.andersonservices.com/
http://www.aaamp.org
http://www.linkedin.com/in/geoanderson
www.anger-management-resources.org

Texas er ikke for tøsedrenge. Det fandt vi ud af, efter at have krydset Bill Clintons Arkansas og var kommet til denne kæmpe stat. Vejene ind til Dallas lå i flere lag oven på hinanden og var fyldt med kæmpe store firhjulstrækkere. De færreste amerikanere kan nøjes med en lille konebil, men i Texas gik super-truck-drømmen helt over gevind.
Mange bilforhandlere ligger midt ude i ingenting men rummer så mange vogne, at de kan fylde en hel Bilka-parkeringsplads x to. Afstandene er da også store og naturen både skovrig, ørkenfyldt, med floder og søer, men alligevel; Det er vel ikke nødvendigt at have kreaturgrill og lad på sin bil, når man blot kører rundt i en millionby omkranset af skyskrabere.

Kan du få Gud til at smile?
Bush kommer jo fra Texas, og man kan tydeligt mærke, hvor hans samfundsopfattelse er fostret. Mens diverse mænd har sat plakater op for at blive valgt til sherif, og aviser og billbords reklamerer med skydevåben, råber slogans med kristne budskaber fra hver en baptist-kirke.
"His bodypiercing saved my life" var en af de mere kreative, mens "Have you made God smile today?" og deslige er normale opfordringer. Bibelbæltet går også igennem her.

Apropos valgplakater er det sjovt at se, hvordan man kan stille op til hvad som helst. Udover sherif er der blandt andet kamp om jobbet som borgmester, dommer, medlem af skolebestyrelsen og skatteindsamler. Det bliver spændende at følge præsidentvalget, for opvarmningen er i topgear.

Vi havde håbet at se nogle ægte cowboys med hat og det hele, men de må bo endnu længere vestpå. Vi satte derfor kursen mod de klassiske sydstater med start i Louisiana.

If you're flying New York to Miami, you're most likely to go online and look for direct flights between John F. Kennedy / LaGuardia / Newark and Miami. Sound about right? Yet, how many travelers search for direct fights to surrounding airports for less. Instead of flying to Miami, try Fort Lauderdale. As a matter of fact, Ft. Lauderdale is ranked number 4 in cheapest average one-way fare at an airport, which happens to be $238. It might even be safe to say that the top 5 cheapest airports are served by primarily low-cost carriers such as Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways. For vacation, I typically fly Philadelphia, Pennsylvania direct to Palm Beach, Florida. Instead, it may be cheaper to fly Atlantic City to Ft. Lauderdale. Atlantic City is number 1, with an average one-way fare priced at $109. 

From what I've told you, it sounds as though smaller airports tend to have cheaper fares. While this may be true for airports that are in the suburbs / surrounding areas of large cities, this is not typically the case for airports in the middle of nowhere. The most expensive airport is Cincinnati, a hub of Delta Air Lines. The average one-way ticket price for a flight from Cincinnati is $535. 

You have to wonder what contributes to a route price when you look at these ticket prices. Some things to consider: Gate leasing fee from airport, fuel cost for route / aircraft fuel efficiency, destination city gate fees / charges, landing fees. I'm sure there are plenty of other contributing factors, but those are some of the main factors that help price a route. 

A side note: I'm sure since the Wright Amendment places limits on destination and aircraft size, at Dallas-Love, so the routes are fairly short. So, short routes + Southwest Airlines hub = average low fares. 

Here is the complete list of the top 5s for the Cheapest and Most Expensive (Average One-Way Ticket Price):

Cheapest:

1. Atlantic City, N.J. $109
2. Dallas Love Field, T.X. $210
3. Burbank, C.A. $237
4. Fort Lauderdale, F.L. $238
5. Las Vegas, N.V. $241

Most Expensive:

1. Cincinnati, O.H. $535
2. Greenville, S.C. $474
3. Madison, W.I. $455
4. Knoxville, T.N. $440
5. Grand Rapids, M.I. $436

Image: www.garvich.us

Hit up my boy Christopher Whitten, with Christopher Whitten Photography; located here in Dallas, TX (off of Lamar)

He has taken pictures for the Nova Lab Project crew, Grafwurks, Info-Red, Dead Stock, and other local people. Does VERY good work!

If you're interested please e-mail him at cwhittenphoto@yahoo.com and let him know you're interested & that Grafwurks sent ya, maybe there will be a little special hook up (MAYBE). so hit him up

Check out Nova Lab Project; www.myspace.com/novalab; he shot all those pictures!

Today is no different!

Since moving to Dallas, I've been amazed at how The Ticket (KTCK 1310 AM) kicks the local ESPN radio affiliate's ass (ESPN 103.3 FM). Ask any Metroplex male in between the age of 24-50 and you'll probably get a hundred different answers on why they prefer The Ticket to ESPN radio, but I suspect 95% of those answers would deal with entertainment value. In the end, sports talk radio exists to entertain. If a station fails to entertain, it fails to serve its' purpose and will eventually fail.

What makes for entertaining radio? Well, it's kind of like pornography--you'll know it when you see it, or in this case hear it.  I think we can begin by listing what makes radio NOT entertaining.

1.) Phones Sure, listener feedback can be helpful and possibly even entertaining, in smal recomended doses, but when I tune into a radio program, I do so to listen to the on-air talent and not "Doug in Garland". As I began my journey into radio, a great talent taught me that an on-air personality should not go to the phones more than one segment per hour. Tune into ESPN 103.3 and their shows contain a ton of phone calls and text messaging, especially Randy Galloway's program.

2.) No Experts Needed In the world of sports, experts don't exist and anyone who claims to be one is lying out their ass. Sure, it helps to understand the techniques and nuances associated with the games; however, in the end, there are way too many intangibles to attempt to proclaim some universal truth.  Sports journalist serve two functions—report and entertain. The last thing I want from a sports journalist is conversations with other media members. If want to know what Todd Archer thinks about the Dallas Cowboys, I’ll read the Morning News. If I cared what John Clayton thought, I would watch ESPN. If, for some reason, I turn on Randy Galloway’s radio program I do so with the hope (or fear) of hearing Grandpa Urine. The on-air talent who depends on “experts” expresses low confidence in their ability to both report and entertain.

3.) Tunnel Vision We have all read the various studies; we live in a country of shrinking attention spans. Yet some radio producers failed to read the memo. Many sports talk radio stations, especially the generic sports talk stations, want to take a 3 hour radio program and focus on one or two issues. Even in July, material exists to fill a 3-hour program. Sure, you may have to venture off the sports page, but being cultured and diverse never hurt anyone. In short, after two segments on a subject, it is time to move on to another subject. After that time, you’ve said all that can said and you risk rambling or even worse yet, becoming cliché.

4.) Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously Jock talkers are the worst when it comes to egos. Turn on sports talk and you’re going to hear extreme bravado. While I think it is necessary to be self confident, on-air personalities need to realize that in the end, they’re talking sports, which is entertainment and for which there are no experts. For example, let’s take Dallas sports talk personality, Chuck Cooperstein, “Coop” carries himself as a man’s man. He speaks with the deep baritone falsetto of “radio voice” and issues strong opinions, often against the home team, to appear non-biased. He grows impatient if talk deviates, even for one second, from sports and grows even more irate if the conversation turns to certain sports topics he feels are not worthy of “talk” (i.e. high school football, fantasy sports, etc.). “Coop” needs to realize he might be a little more successful if he broadened his horizons.

I live in Dallas.

Two people that I love live in Austin.

I miss them dearly.

This is their mix.

A Nostalgic Mix – For Shkel

1. We Are Your Friends - Justice feat. Simian
2. Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)  - Arcade Fire
3. The Hardest Button to Button - The White Stripes
4. The City Has Sex - Bright Eyes
5. Thank You For Sending Me An Angel - The Talking Heads
6. Commerce, TX - Ben Kweller
7. Annie Mae - The Twilight Singers
8. Across The Sea - Weezer
9. I Got You (At The End of the Century) - Wilco
10. Grass - Animal Collective
11. I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You - Tom Waits
12. Super Sexy Woman - Sufjan Stevens
13. Dry The Rain - The Beta Band
14. 10 Gallon Ascots - Tapes 'n Tapes

Download: Mix for Shkel (.zip file)

As soon as gas hit $4.00 per gallon, you could not help but notice how full this lot became with both pre-owned and new Hummers.

........when demand for "urban" properties (read: less commuting- notice the office towers in the background.) is much higher than for suburban ones ( I took this in north Dallas near the tollway and 635) especially among young families just starting out and baby boomers.

There are shops and restaurants on the first floor and 2 major highways less than a 1/4 mile from this development. Both of Dallas' major airports are just 15 minutes away from here. A mall housing Banana Republic and Nordstrom among other top end retailers is within walking distance as well. These developments are now à la mode all over DFW in an environment where experts are trying to determine when to officially call the economy a "recession".

 Here are more examples of these developments. I took the pictures from different angles and what you can see are office complexes, very nice walking/bike paths and a restaurant or two. What you cannot see are a mammoth shopping complex just to the north and two major highways that lead to downtown and DFW airport respectively. This is part of the Legacy urbanisation project at the corner of 121 and the tollway in Plano, TX

 
 
..........when that SUV in front of you seems to be going way slower than the posted speed limit....it's probably hypermiling. I don't have any beef against Hummers and their owners, this one just happened to be in front of me when the thought hit me. I've seen this enough to come to this conclusion.

 
 
.....and finally...you can tell things are getting tough in Dallas...when you are in a part of town where income is considered high and you don't have to look hard to see that people are pumping just enough gas just to get by. I took these pictures within 45 minutes of each other.

Just to give you a point of reference; the car with the smallest tank I can think of is a Chevy Aveo which has an 11-gallon tank. Not everyone drives those by the way so the tank sizes on average are much bigger. I would assume the average tank to be at least 15 gallons.

Excerpts from, The Practice of Control:  Executive Coaching/Anger Management for Physicians by George Anderson, BCD, CAMF and John Elder, MA; Editor, Tom Wentz, PhD, CAMF. © 2008.

Joint Commission Alert: July 9, 2008.

Stop Bad Behavior among Health Care Professionals: Rude language, hostile behavior threaten safety, quality.

(OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. – July 9, 2008 ) Health care is a high-stakes, pressure- packed environment that can test the limits of civility in the workplace. A new alert issued today by The Joint Commission warns that rude language and hostile behavior among health care professionals goes beyond being unpleasant and poses a serious threat to patient safety and the overall quality of care.

Intimidating and disruptive behaviors are such a serious issue that, in addition to addressing it in the new Sentinel Event Alert, The Joint Commission is introducing new standards requiring more than 15,000 accredited health care organizations to create a code of conduct that defines acceptable and unacceptable behaviors and to establish a formal process for managing unacceptable behavior. The new standards take effect January 1, 2009 for hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, laboratories, ambulatory care facilities, and behavioral health care facilities across  the United States.

Health care leaders and caregivers have known for years that intimidating and disruptive behaviors are a serious problem. Verbal outbursts, condescending attitudes, refusing to take part in assigned duties and physical threats all create breakdowns in the teamwork, communication and collaboration necessary to deliver patient care. The Institute for Safe Medication Practices found that 40 percent of clinicians have kept quiet or remained passive during patient care events rather  than question a known intimidator. To help put an end to once-accepted behaviors  that put patients at risk, The Joint Commission Sentinel Event Alert urges health care  organizations to take action.

The Joint Commission Media Contact: Ken Powers, Media Relations Manager

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

                                                                                           - George Bernard Shaw

Improving Communication with Others

Lack of communication is the root of many troubles, such as hurt feelings, mis- understandings, missed deadlines, and unsuccessful connections. Healthy communication in its broadest form is important in developing positive healthy relationships between family members and others. Skills for acquiring good communication techniques are emphasized in this series of blogs on improving communication skills.

Basic skills are very important and many people do not use them well. Poor communication skills result in unnecessary problems and misunderstandings in relationships.

Good communication requires two sets of abilities:

1.  Ability to hear the other person (Receiving – active listening).

2.  Ability to articulate messages accurately (Sending – assertive communication).

Four key communication skills for improving interpersonal relations are:

1.  To listen without judgment.
2.  To comprehend and acknowledge what has been said.
3.  To acknowledge the other person and their point of view (does not imply agreement, however it     does require recognition of the person and their message).
4.  To not impose your personal beliefs on someone else.

Good communication skills take patience and time to acquire. We encourage participants to use all of their newly learned skills in developing positive healthy relationships.

I.  What is Communication?

Communication Defined: At its root, communication is about clearly and respectfully articulating our needs and caring enough to listen to and understand the needs of others.

Human beings live in a single world of communication but divide that world into two parts: words and behavior (verbal and nonverbal). Words represent perhaps 10 percent of the total while behavior the other 90 percent.

The words used in communication, representing 10% percent of the total, emphasize the unidirectional aspects of communication, while behavior, the other 90 percent, stresses feedback on how people are feeling, ways of avoiding confrontation, and the inherent logic that is the birthright of all people.  Words are the medium… which in the final analysis deal in power, so that words become instruments of power. The nonverbal, behavioral part of communication is the provenance of the common man and the core culture that guides his/her life.” (E. Hall, 1983.)
Hall’s Three key points:

1.  Communication is 90% nonverbal and 10% verbal.
2.  Words are instruments of power. 
3.  The purpose of communication is as much to conceal thought as it is to reveal it.

Just as stress underlies all anger, stress also underlies most communication, whether it is the internal dialogue we have with ourselves or the interactions we have with others. Without good communication skills, we can not have healthy or productive relationships with ourselves or others.

Too often, we listen only to ourselves or fail to be aware of our stressors and related feelings. With others, we fail to recognize the important verbal and nonverbal signs that people are sharing about how they feel and what they need. When this happens, no one is heard. Communication breaks down. Assumptions are made. Worst, our needs and the needs of our family or colleagues go unmet and we all fail to perform at optimal levels. “Empathy builds on self-awareness; the more open we are to our own emotions, the more skilled we will be in reading feelings. Knowing our emotions; self-awareness, recognizing a feeling as it happens – is the keystone of emotional intelligence.”

After what seemed like an eternity, Thursday arrived and those who had attended the educational technology conference cleared out.  The last of my co-workers left early that morning, but my flight to Dallas wasn’t until later in the day.  This gave me time to collect myself and obsess over the fact that I was now in a city with absolutely no one I knew, except of course for Milagros, the check-out girl at the Balcones Heights Target.  This freaked me out a little bit, so I sought comfort at the hotel’s Starbucks outpost.  Downstairs, I found the lobby packed with husbands and wives about my parents’ age, all of whom looked and sounded exactly like Hank and Peggy Hill, the protagonist couple in the aforementioned (and animated) King of the Hill.

“Hank Hill, propane,” one of them said to another in a Texan accent. [Note, for those of you who have never seen “KOTH”: This is how Hank Hill introduces himself – he provides his name and the business he’s in.]

“Heh heh. Mah nay-eem eez Haink Heel too, and I also say-ell pro-pay-in!”

“May too!”

It was not actually a propane sellers’ convention that had come to town but rather, a reunion of Vietnam War helicopter pilots from south Texas. I made my way through the sea of Wrangler jeans and ordered my frosty caffeinated beverage, intrigued by the whole thing and the flashbacks to the early 70s it caused me to have.  But alas, there was no legitimate reason for me to be down there and I certainly couldn’t stand there eavesdropping on their memories of Saigon and An Loc without looking like a conspicuous freak. I also didn’t think they’d care that just a few days earlier, I’d seen a real Huey at Fort Sam, or that I myself lived on a NATO base during the war, so I went upstairs to pack. 

At the San Antonio airport, I had a sad Quizno’s lunch by myself, obsessed for a bit about the still-unsolved salmonella outbreak, then flew (on a plane) to Dallas, where Dave picked me up at the airport.  I had a lovely reunion with him, RSM and of course, my beloved furry god-dogs, Howie and LuLu, then we humans had some cocktails by the gorgeous pool. Also in attendance, but keeping a low profile, was Otis, Howie and LuLu's elderly Shi-Tzu first cousin.

After a delicious dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant in Oak Lawn, we headed to Home Depot to procure some extra outdoor tables for the impending July 4 BBQ.  En route, Rob and Dave noticed a prime parking spot in front of a bar called The Round-Up.

“It’s a sign!” they agreed as Rob made a sharp right. 

The Round-Up is a gay cowboy bar featuring Texas Two-Step lessons. I was fascinated! We watched the lesson while drinking Shiner Bock, and I would absolutely have participated myself had it not been for some menacing-looking lesbians on the dance floor. 

[caption id="attachment_243" align="alignright" width="269" caption="The Big Green Egg heats up"][/caption]

The next day, Allyson and I got manicures in Plano, then had a Japanese-infused snack with Eric. Later, Rob and Dave hosted a fabulous BBQ to which I contributed my traditional July 4  white trash flag cake (strawberries, blueberries and Cool Whip) and an experimental but equally white trash S’mores casserole that turned out to be a huge success. Also on the menu was Dave's fabulous corn salad, which involved cheddar cheese, onions, sour cream and some other stuff; grilled chicken and sausages; Tesa's fabulous cornbread salad; Tesa's fabulous watermelon, blue cheese and cucumber salad; and several fabulous dishes prepared by Lil, the Unsinkable Molly Brown of my life.  The real star of the evening, though, was Dave and Rob's brand-spanking-new Big Green Egg, a born-again version of a grill that had been popular in the 70s. Not only did it produce fabulous BBQ, but it was quite cute.  

On Saturday, in a momentarily lapse of reason, I agreed to walk the famous Katy Trail with the boys in the brutal Dallas heat. Powered by a dee-LICIOUS Raspberry Strudel Oatmeal Bar, I was somehow able to handle this activity without passing out, although I do seem to have developed varicose veins since returning from my trip … I found it comforting that the trail was lined with signs that revealed your coordinates. That way, when you did pass out, passersby could easily tell the 911 operator where to find your limp, smelly body.

Saturday night, after dinner at Fireside Pies with the Philly-Dallas crew, we drove 20 minutes southeast out of Dallas and attended the Mesquite Championship Rodeo. On the way there, Dave pointed out a fine-looking establishment on the right side of the road.  He told us that if you dared to enter wearing a tie, the restaurant cut it off.  We all found that hysterical, of course, and Eric said he wished he’d had a tie in the car so he could run in and experience the chopping process.

As it happened, I’d noticed a rather unsightly tie sitting next to me and brought this to Eric’s attention. 

“What about this hideous piece of shit? Did you get it at the airport gift shop? Is it a clip-on?” I asked.

“Actually that’s my favorite Hugo Boss tie.  I keep it in the car for good luck. I’m not making a hundred-dollar sacrifice, sorry.”

Um … oops.

Anyway, Allyson had been to a rodeo before, in Cowtown, NJ of all places, and Dave, of course, was no stranger to the bovine realm either, having grown up in the sticks of Texas. But for HBD, a British import; Eric, a Philly native; and me, it was a virgin experience.  And honestly, I have never been so proud to be an American.

The rodeo was sponsored in part by Justin, the company that manufactured the cowboy boots I’d worn every day between 1992 and 1994. Other sponsors included a trailer park developer; Wrangler; Cavender’s Boot City; Fox Sports Southwest; Dodge; Holiday Inn; and Resistol Hats, for which the rodeo’s arena is named. It was just like I pictured it would be, except no one in the audience was actually wearing a red bandana around his or her neck, and there were no bison roaming in the background. Much like a less creepy version of the circus, the rodeo consisted of different “acts.” There was the traditional bull riding and then a kiddie version, in which small cowboys and cowgirls rode and attempted to not fall off of young sheep.  (I believe the technical term is “Mutton Bustin’.) There were covered wagon races, barrel races and an event during which all the children in the audience chased after a small farm animal, oft losing shoes in the process. I tried to take some good action shots, but I was wearing a white shirt and the cows do tend to send dirt and god knows what else flying. Better to miss out on the photo-ops than to die from Mad Cow Disease while looking at beautiful pictures of bull balls.

After bidding a teary farewell to HBD, Eric and Allyson back at the house, I packed and retired, slightly depressed about the end of my trip. The next morning, we rose early and voyaged to the northern suburb of Plano, where we breakfasted at Breadwinners with Lil, Hal and Judy, then toured their beautiful homes. Panic set in as I tried to mentally prepare for my return to New York.  It made me sad to think about being back in my studio apartment at my mediocre job with everyone down here, living a good life in a place where people were nice, brunettes and B-cups were a novelty, and a few months of Manhattan rent could practically BUY an amazing apartment in a posh Dallas ‘hood.  It’s odd that almost everyone I knew in Philly ended up in Dallas for various reasons, and I can’t help but feel slightly left out and “My Life Without Me-ish.” And don’t get me started on the dogs. I asked Howie how he felt about coming with me in my suitcase, but he wasn’t sure he’d fit given the numerous pairs of shoes I’d brought.

[caption id="attachment_234" align="alignleft" width="269" caption="I miss ya, Dave and Rob!"][/caption]

Alas, the time came to head to the airport, and Howie and LuLu joined us for the ride. It was hard enough saying goodbye to Dave and Rob at one of the eight American terminals at DFW.  But I have to admit that I cried a little when they drove off and I saw Howie sticking his fuzzy noggin out the window, looking back at me.

[caption id="attachment_4" align="aligncenter" width="240" caption="Bra by Andres Sarda"][/caption]

Lingerie has been a passion of mine since I was young and growing up in Texas. The more expensive and the more exclusive the designer lingerie the better. I always buy lingerie sets as I like things to match and I have a few favourite designer lingerie brands like Di Murini, Andres Sarda and Marlies Dekkers (which looks a little wierd but certainly turns heads and is very distinctive).

I love nothing better than going to work in a boring old business suit and blouse and knowing that I am wearing gorgeous lingerie underneat while no one else knows. However, sometimes when it is hot and I have my jacket off I see some of my colleagues (male and one female!) trying to snatch a look through my blouse as they catch a glimpse of the lace and silk underneath.......nice to feel wanted;-)

Living here is ok... as long as you make extensive use of the international airport, but my dog Virus will draw his final breath before I pack another suitcase. I owe him for 15 years of devoted service and all the dead presents, so I stay put. But I ITCH!!!

The other day a sudden awareness struck me. I realized that, to many, Dallas would be considered different and exotic. Obviously not if you live around these parts, but what about if you lived in Rome or London? I bet you English folks still think Southfork Ranch lies right smack in the middle of town (which it totally does not! Ha!)

Dallas is my new Paris. Minus the croissants and the old buildings and art that no one bothered to replace over there because, you know, they are a bunch of socialists after all...

Bye bye Art!

Driving south on 35, after crossing the Trinity River, you arrive in a neighborhood called Oak Cliff. It knows no official bounds; anything south of the river is pretty much considered Oak Cliff. Many celebrities either lived there or attended its schools: Sergeant Garcia from Zorro certainly did, and so did Batgirl.

Then, there were some for whom Oak Cliff did not bring a lot of luck. It is said that Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow met there in 1930 and we all know what happened to them. Then, there is also Dennis Rodman. When he attended South Oak Cliff High School, he failed to make the football team. Freshman year, he quit basketball in the midst of the season for not having been given enough playing time. Truth be told, he was only 5 ft 6 at the time. We all know the rest of the story. He left Oak Cliff to attend college, grew to be 6 ft 7, dyed his hair funky crazy and dated Madonna. Sometimes a change of venue is all it takes.

Nowadays Oak Cliff has bits of parts for the well-off, and plenty of parts for the not so well-off and the not so white. Most places, it's not so safe either. I decide to walk along the route of the former steam railroad on Jefferson Boulevard.

First impression? A lot of Spanish!

Second impression? If it's not your first language, buy a dictionary. You just know that this little fellow will misspell the word "cigar" for the remainder of his life. In all fairness, 80 cents for a supreme cigar seems like a bargain to me.

This Tejano sells Cds on the street. His friend approaches me as I am walking along the Boulevard and asks me what I am doing. I never thought I looked anything like a threat, but indigenes plain don't like outsiders in this part of town... that is until we start talking on the sidewalk and he tells me all about his former gang activities and the murders he witnessed. Pause. "But, er, we're friends now, right?" He reassures me and tells me he is going to watch over me. Five minutes in the hood and I've got myself a spankin' new guardian angel! Or a guardian evil...

I continue my walk and cross paths with this couple of lovebirds who maintain their very own red shopping cart.

This is Brenda. Brenda scares me. As I look through the window of the laundromat, she briskly opens the door and, with a bit of what could be easily described as a disapproving tone, questions my presence on the premise. She is smaller than I am but she could take me. With a finger. I stutter something about Sergeant Garcia and Dennis Rodman and my blog and Paris and she appears overwhelmed by a sense of great pity. Silly little blond is going to have a hard time going through life with that pea-size brain! She requests a photograph. We're buds.

Ah kids! The little girl sits on the table, patiently waiting, and her smile is beaming. After taking Brenda's portrait, I really need a more reassuring subject. I could definitely take her.

I catch this family in front of the bus depot. The boy in the yellow tee-shirt hams it up. The boy in the orange shirt just wants to die of embarrassment. A camera generally has this effect on teenagers, especially when the whole family is involved.

This is the Supermercado. In front, another seller of CDs. I try to convince him to have his portrait taken but when he learns I have already photographed the competition, he shuts down like a clam. His CD selection is not as good anyway.

At this point, I'm starting to feel as if I had traveled to Mexico. The colors, the people, the language: there is absolutely nothing Anglo about this place besides the street names. Add a beach and I'm moving there.

A muy cool Tejano plays pool. The rules are different. Instead of starting the game with all the balls in a triangle, he aligns them on both sides of the table.

At first, this young Tejano appears very reluctant and even a little stern. He "warmed up" eventually although you really can't tell by looking at this photograph. I want boots like that too.

The cohort of Stern Tejano, all wife-beatered and pumaed. Tejano sell-out!

Diana. In the arms of her mami. Hating me. For delaying her supper. I look like that too when I'm hungry.

At the bus depot, this Mexican man provides drinks and food to the waiting passengers. He is incredibly sweet.

In front of the bus depot, two men in intense conversation. We mean serious business.

As I make my way back, this little thing catches my eyes. She is mesmerized by me. I steal her image. I generally always ask the parents, but I just could not resist the moment.

Waiting for a call? Waiting to make one? Does anyone still use public phones?

The hair salon. All this pinkness! You feel transported back to another era. If I managed a pink salon, I would ban bright yellow products.

I enter a check cashing joint and see this security guard. To obtain the permission to photograph him, I would have gone through extraordinary lengths, jumped through hoops, and sold my grand-mother. There is something incredibly touching about him beyond his droopy eyes and high-waisted pants: the man just exudes goodness and sense of duty.

You should always pay for your ticket. Ask Lee Harvey Oswald! If the dude had paid for his ticket at the Texas Theater, he might still be sipping cocktails on a beach somewhere in the Pacific. Sometimes small savings do not pay off in the end.

I walk on the now seemingly deserted boulevard. A big black dude in a big black car moves slowly along the sidewalk. He lowers the window on the passenger's side and asks me to join him for a ride. He is holding some kind of baton that he rubs in upward and downward motions as he insists heavily. I kinda like my life and I really feel like I ought to go home right about that time. I see him park his car a little further down the street. Time to get the hell out of here!

Bye bye Oak Cliff!

]]> http://grafwurks.wordpress.com/?p=1487 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:51:51 +0000 Grafwurks http://grafwurks.wordpress.com/?p=1487

Semantic Noise is at Fallout Lounge tonight & every Wednesday night spinning good music. On top of that, cheap drinks!!! Come on, you can’t get any better than that, if you don’t have anything to do tonight and feel like going out, then come out to Fallout Lounge & kick back. Good music, good-cheap drinks, & with a laid back vibe, doesn't get better than that!!!