Michigan and Illinois have the softest, greenest grass for summertime bare feet
June 20, 2008
We flew into Detroit on Monday, picked out our rental gar (a sparkly maroon van) and drove over to Ann Arbor for my
show at the Ark. The girls enjoyed swimming (two shakes of a noodle down from our hotel room) while I went over to
perform...Terry ran sound, and he was so accomodating as my ears were still clogged from the airplane, and I couldn't seem
to hear ANYTHING, but he patiently helped me get levels in the monitors until I was satisfied I would be able to hear myself.
Which, of course, midway through the show, my ears, finally!, popped open and I was like, "Oh, man, that's loud and it ROCKS!" and
I broke out in a huge smile in the middle of the song I was singing (which was a wierd moment to smile, but I was so happy I couldn't
have cared less at the moment! I COULD HEAR AGAIN! HOOOOORAY!)
The audience was super. Thanks to Lisa for bringing me the lovely drawing of hands and sharing tears with me. She asked me to call
and sing for her kids, so I gladly obliged and then hugged her and everyone around me. Maybe I should just go on a hugging tour, as
that inevitably is always my favorite part of any show---talking with folks and hanging out and smiling, sharing, laughing, hugging...
I found where I had signed my name in 1998 and 2001 on the wall in the back green room, which I thought would be incredibly hard as
the walls are completely covered in markers EVERYWHERE. But, fortunately, I was clever and had signed, both times, by the light switch.
I took pics and will post them when I get back in Austin. The best part of signing walls is seeing your friends sign all around you...Adrian Belew and
Tish Hinojosa and Dan Navarro and..um....ok, can't remember any more at the moment....because I am 45 and starting to forget! RATS!
Next day, we got up and went to the Fleetwood Diner (quadruple stars of goodness! Try the hippie hash! INCREDIBLE!) and then we walked around downtown Ann Arbor and went into the community art center (Ann Arbor Arts Center) which has been in existence since 1907 and while in there oohing and aahing over the amazing handmade arts and crafts, a photographer for the paper came in and took pictures of me and iolana for their paper! Magic, I tell you.
There was a really groovy place (The Velvet Dark? The Soft Basement? The Midnight Something? I have no idea!), a comic book store (that also had STUFF!) and the girls, Lance and I walked around in AWE...it was incredible! If you like comic books, you HAVE to go this shoppe. And I bought iolana a Gumby comic book, lamenting the demise of The Flaming Carrot, and as I read the back of her comic, I realized it had been created by the same
creator of THE FLAMING CARROT! ISN'T THAT AMAZING??????? Ah, life is good, I tell you, because the back also announced the RETURN of The Flaming Carrot and A WEBSITE and so I will be checking in on that at some point. Like 2011. Time! I have so much I want to enjoy and where does the time go? I know what I'm going to be doing when I'm an old woman...reading Flaming Carrot and surfing that site! Whoo-hoo!
Then on to Indianapolis where I played at the Boulevard Cafe, and even though turnout was small, I gave my all. So, thank you to Robin for hosting me, for the delish salad, for the girls selling my cds (Lily sells, iolana brings them over to me to sign....and when she says it is time to sign, she is NOT FOOLING AROUND...she means SIGN NOW, MOM! My little drill sergeant!) Indianapolis had a great Chinese restaurant that we walked to from our hotel...and we had fun at the Indiana Museum of Art....we spent the entire day there on Wednesday....contemporary, Asian, and fashion arts....
walked over and used the digital headsets as we meandered through the Lilly house...walked through the gardens...oh, man, so much fun! I love sharing art and culture with the kids. I love the questions that they ask. I love how they think of things I would never think to ask. And then it leads into these brilliant discussions for the entire family. We took a ton of photos in the gardens...Lance took some black and whites. It has inspired me to want to paint new portraits of the girls.
Lance has finished reading the "Grapes of Wrath"...now I'm digging into it. Man. Whoo. Nothing like driving through lush, flowerfilled landscapes full of
abundance while reading about dust and death and despair. The funny thing is Lance has taken to calling us his "fambly"....Now we are all saying it.
Last night, we arrived in Michigan. Along the way, we have been stopping in the tiniest of towns, enjoying finding the smallest parks with ancient swings and metal slides, running barefoot in the soft, green grass....eating at Mom and Pop diners...exploring and laughing...iolana has a journal she has been keeping since she was four, so it is stocked with drawings and memories and she writes down all these sweet funny things....She let me read the entire thing the other day, and gosh, journals are just amazing. The things that fascinate her held me fascinated, and I was only sorry there wasn't more to read!
Lily draws manga all the time. There are loose pages around the van, and we had to buy another sketchbook at the museum as she became enamoured with a drypoint of a woman's hands and wanted to sketch it.
We arrived last night at the Garfield House, nestled in a beautiful neighborhood of Blue Douglas Firs and thick purple trees, elegant sweeping lawns with lillies and flowers I do not know, but colorful and bending gently in the summer breeze (makes me feel fine...!) The Garfields are really wonderful folks, generous hearts and big smiles. Their son, Roger, came up from Tennessee, and we all sat on the patio to a wonderful meal of shishkabobs and
fresh fruit. The weather here is so relaxing compared to the abuse of the hot Texas sun. It's like being a new born babe, the way the air melts around your skin in gentle caresses. I love having the windows down in the van, the immense blue sky and fluffy white clouds dancing still in the blue.
The show last night was a lot of fun....packed house and so many interesting people! I just fell in love with everybody! I sang two full sets, with a generous break in between, and lots of wine and smiles flowing. The show will be podcast (I'll submit the link here when I get it), and I just ripped out the jams. At one point I said I was going to "kick ass" and then looked at our host, Stan, who was directly in front of me in the first chair (he plays oboe? Ha ha) and asked if it was okay that I had said "kick ass" in his home and he looked me directly in the eye and said, "No, it's not," very deadpan so of course I was horrified with myself. I looked back at Lance and he was grimacing, but, then, of course, Stan was pulling the wool over my eyes, which I knew, at some level, he had to have been because he'd had Cliff Eberhardt play here, and SOMETHING had to have slipped outta his mouth, right? (Hi Cliff! I know you'll never read my blog, so I'll just write a little note to you here to say those were great days when we were out on the road together and I still love your voice and I hope you are doing well these days! Now stay out of trouble, you here?
I just love house concerts! I got all weepy last night at the end of this one...I think because I went on a bit of a journey, talking about my early beginnings in high school with music therapy, which I've never talked about on stage, and it led me into talking about love and music and how important house concerts are and before I knew it: tears in my eyes, tears in Nicole and Suzanne's eyes, and just that flow, that feeling, of connectedness that rises, and it is as if God's fingers are softly playing with your heartstrings and then you just know....you know everything is going to be ok in the big picture. That love is deep and fast and when it is upon us, we must smile and embrace it and let the tears of wonder flow....
posted by Sara Hickman at 05:17 am
comments (1) | permalink | Tweet | Share on Facebook
Since I Spoke With You Last, Here’s A Toast to All Who’ve Come My Way
June 12, 2008
have a view that is spectacular, with a dog named True to keep you company. I had fun looking at all the antique photos
Sarah has collected of family, hanging in all the rooms in interesting frames. John and Kathi Lopez came out, and that blew my
mind cuz they drove two days to come hear me sing songs they've heard at 6 zillion times over the last 18 years. (For all that
time I've known them, though, I can never get enough of their smiles and hilariousness. One of these days we are just going
to have to sit down over John's cooking and share some tears and stories while I pour an excellent bottle of wine and the
sun sets over Lake Livingston.)
Jim Jennings, my dearest friend of even longer, a friend who on numerous occasions has stood strong through tumultous
troubles and helped me stay on my feet, came out to the show because he lives only 3/4 or so miles away! So, I got to meet
Gaia, his partner, and share some hugs. I meant to go see them at the flea market the next day, where they sell Gaia's jewelry,
but by the time I finished talking with Sarah and Vince, and then high-tailing it over to another of my brother's, Mike Easterling,
to meet for breakfast...well, the day was marching on and I had to skedaddle on to Las Cruces, 4 1/2 hours away.
Mike and I walked down to the plaza and had breakfast in a fabulous restaurant. I'm glad Mike and Jim finally got to meet.
To have two such deep friendships with two such very smart, caring men...who also get dry humor and read a lot and like sports
and are just good Joes to be around....blows my mind that now they KNOW ONE ANOTHER. Cuz I hope they hit it off somehow and
start hanging out. Who knows if that will happen. Me and my party planning!
I called Jim and Gaia, twice, to tell them I wouldn't be makin' it to the flea market, and a few hours later, as I'm driving through hot,
empty desert, I find a message on my cell phone (I'd gone in to pay for gas) from a woman who kindly told me she'd gotten all my messages
but that Jim and Gaia hadn't cuz I had the wrong number. Just goes to show you that calling and SINGING phone messages ALWAYS puts folks
in a good mood to return a call, even if they don't know you.
Got to Las Cruces and met up with Lee and wandered around with eyes like saucers of moonbeams cuz his house is FANTASTICALLY GIANORMOUS.
(I felt like I was in something Brad Pitt designed with Marsha Brady in mind, assuming Brad Pitt is really as good at creating interesting architecture as I think he
probably really is.) I mention Marsha only because this house had enormous rooms, ceilings, floor tile...much that 70's space! space! the folks living here
will need lots of space! mentality....The room I performed in had a ceiling at least 20 feet over my head that extended in a slant upwards to about 35.
Perfect room for house concerts, or a small BALL! And the backyard had the feel of Greek mythology, with this cool bush covered in yellow-golden
petals, many of which had fallen to the ground, like a ring of brilliant feathers. They also had a mysteriously empty pool. Why didn't I go stand in the
empty pool in the moonlight? Hmm. Just thought about it.
Both audiences both nights were just PERFECT---attentive, fun, good heckling....Interesting to look at, too...lots of colorful, artsy glasses and cool hair
and smiling faces and husbands and wives and girlfriends and even families and a woman with a blue crystal heart who I just couldn't stop hugging, either
because she had that sweet accent (Tunisian?) or because we were both into hugging anyway and Fern, Lee's mom, who fell asleep as I sang a quiet song
and drinking Max Pumpkin Ale (and you know I think beer tastes like dirt so this was only my THIRD BEER EVER!) because Mike E. makes homemade beer
and he made it for me with REAL pumpkins and it was, well, it was GOOD! and walking in the New Mexico sunshine felt glorious and freeing and all those
mountains made me realize how tiny I am and it felt like the arms of God to be in all that goodness of so many kind strangers and friends, surrounded
by all those silent hills.
Since then:
I got a speeding ticket driving over to the El Paso airport.
Went to Lily's 5th grade awards ceremony. It was moving and I took way too many pictures but this is her last year at her elementary school, and suddenly,
she's a young lady and I can't believe it.
Lance and I watched the school talent show with 8 zillion other parents/family members, teachers, kids.... The show was good, the emcee needed to pick up the pace (and I mean he needed some salsa on his talka)...Lily and Clara sang "Tears of Rain" , written by Aubrey Elenz of Super Pal Universe. Lily learned the guitar just to learn this song, and now she can't put it down.
She's written, maybe, 10 or 15 songs already. I hear her in her room, practicing and playing and singing all the time. Amazing. One day she doesn't want to play guitar,
the next, that's all she can think about. So, I went in my closet and gave both she and iolana a guitar each, smaller, handmade guitars that kind men have made me
during tough times, and it's wonderful to pass on that love of creation, to watch it unfold in your children. So, Clara and Lily were great and we were only sad that iolana's band,
THE SKELETONES, didn't get accepted into the event.
Last day of school....even some of the fifth grade boys were crying. I took pictures of everyone....iolana's class, too....although there wasn't any crying going on in there, just happiness
cuz they all got to pick out a treasure from the treasure box!
Talked to Art Greenhaw on the phone. We are going to work on a special secret cd I can't talk about at the moment, but has the potential to be quite cool.
My nephew, Milo, arrived with my mom and dad...he is visiting from Colorado, and we are going to Sea World and Seguine. It is a full-throttle capital S summer for us!
Went to the Capital with the kids, my mom and dad, and sat in the Senate side of the beautiful place and sat through a very...ah-hem.....lengthy presentation that really wasn't geared towards children, but there they were, dressed up and waiting ...for the cookies and lemonade....after many speakers, who were all very nice, they showed Joe McDermott's Summer Reading song celebrating 50 years of libraries...and then I got up to sing and we sang my summer reading song live and then iolana's song, to which I had Rep. Otto come up and hold the cards and do a little dance and we all had a good laugh/time...then back into the chambers (wow! so cool!) for the cookies and lemonade, which are all handmade by the Capital's chef. Delish! The TLA gave out goodie bags with age appropriate hard cover books for each child...that was amazing! I love libraries, and I love working with kids...and it was fun to take Milo and Gunner (our 8 year old cousin from Minnesota, also visiting) to the capital to walk around and sing under the star in the middle of the rotunda.
Worked with the kids on the Super Pal Universe pilot! I was there all day Friday, which started off slo-o-o-w, but built up speed. The kids are so patient and do such a great job working with the director, or whomever (me...Joe McDermott...Mady...) who is helping them. Saturday, I went for awhile and then was told we had an hour and a half, but that I wasn't needed til 4, so came back and shot my segment of the pilot after watching a lot of hilarious green screen antics with the kids and a polar bear. Sunday we had off, Monday the kids finished up. I can't wait to see it all edited together and the animated front segment and....
SPU has started their summer library tour...I went to the first one, and Joe (McDermott) came out to see how they handled it...we had a little pow-wow afterwards, me and Joe, and the kids had their own pow-wow...I really like how they gather in a huddle and discuss what worked and what didn't. That is a dream come true, to see them taking charge of what they want to accomplish. I thought they did pretty, pretty, pre-tty good, as Larry David would say, and they know what they need to work on, although, of course, I'm happy to tell them more feedback, if they would like it.
Went to Sea World yesterday with family.
On our way out of town for a short family vacation....My mom just gave me "The Shack" to read....and I just finished iolana's suggestion of "Hugo Cabret", which I absolutely loved. Between the illustrations, the story and the historical content, excellent reading! Five stars, I say.
Adios!
posted by Sara Hickman at 05:36 am
comments (0) | permalink | Tweet | Share on Facebook
Ok, Ok….So I’m A Part-Time Zombie!
posted by Sara Hickman at 05:35 am
comments (0) | permalink | Tweet | Share on Facebook
I TURN THE TABLES AND ASK A JOURNALIST GOOFY QUESTIONS WHILE WAITING TO DO AN INTERVIEW WITH HIM.
June 09, 2008
i'm sorry we keep missing each other, so i thought i'd interview you with some questions to get us started:
how old were you when you first knew you wanted to be a writer?
CS - Probably 19 or 20. Before that I played Tuba (and still own one!) and a little bass guitar. Started playing acoustic later and decided I'd rather write than play other folks songs.
did you have any early influences/mentors?
CS - I didn't know anyone at all who wrote till I started venturing out to open mics & songwriter groups. I learned from that and still learn from it. As for pro writers, Steve Earle is probably my biggest musical influence. He really opened a lot of doors for me & turned me on to music I wasn't into before him.
what makes you laugh? when you laugh, do you giggle, chortle, guffaw or snicker?
CS - I'm a sucker for really bad, crass cartoons... The Squidbillies, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, South Park, etc... I'm not easily offended (except by any form of hate!) so I like offensive cartoons! I don't know if I chortle but I sure like the sound of the word!
if you were a household object, which one would you be? why?
CS - Animals aren't objects but I'd really like to be a cat... Laying around being aloof all day, then random burst of energy & only loving on people when you want to. Cats really call their own shots!
do you play any instruments?
CS - I do, guitar, dulcimer, dobro, bass, piano (poorly), djembe, tuba (the only thing I'm classically trained in) and singing of course! Mostly it's just guitar & singing these days, most of the other stuff is just for fun.
do you have pets?
CS - I do, a miniature dachsund named Buddy. He's dappled (all kinds of splotchy colors) and has blue eyes. People love those blue eyes so much that they'll let him get away with anything he wants and then they just fall for those eyes. Also have an all white cat named Bali (like south pacific) She despises other cats and pretends to despise Buddy but I know she really loves him.
have you ever been on a picnic and heard the snuffling of a bear in the woods? what did you do?
CS - I've not but I'd be equal parts excited & spoooked. Never had to deal with bears in Indiana.
have you ever had to stop, drop and roll?
CS - Nope, but I did see a friend light the bottoms of his shoes on a campfire (intentionally) and then do cartwheels with his flaming feet. Much more entertaining than stop drop & roll. Don't think I'll be telling my little boy that story though (for a while)
how do you think the alphabet came to be in the order it is? doesn't it seem suspiciously perfect?
especially "...m..n...o..p...q...r..."...it just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?
CS - Could have something to do with aliens or conspiracy theories. Read a really cool book once called the Gods of Eden that tied all these notions of world religions & other conspiracy theories all back to aliens. Some of that Old Testament stuff makes a lot more sense if you're thinking about space ships!
have you ever visited austin, texas? did you know we are trying to keep it weird?
CS - I did read that you are trying to keep it wierd. Never visited but want to badly. I've got all these notions that it could be the greatest place in the world for a songwriter like me. Plus I really LOVE a bunch of TX songwriters. Hayes Carll, Ryan Bingham, Steve Earle, etc... I've got this idyllic vision that I could move to Austin, ride my motorcycle ever day, find folks who really enjoy my music & then help you & Steve Earle stop the death penalty while I'm at it.
ok! this is all for now. i can, of course, follow up with some serious, in - depth questions about
politics, spirituality and the perfect pie crust, but that's really up to you!
joyfully,
sara hickman
posted by Sara Hickman at 12:11 pm
comments (1) | permalink | Tweet | Share on Facebook
Super Pal Universe/Sara in AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN today!
June 07, 2008
Band members say their message is a postive one for teenagers: Save energy and pick up trash.
By Claire Osborn
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Austin musician Sara Hickman wanted to put together a band of teenagers who were smart, accessible and friendly and could encourage other children to believe in themselves.
Her idea was so successful that the band, Super Pal Universe, is filming a pilot show for television. The five members have been practicing together for the past year and have played 30 to 40 shows, ranging from the Austin City Limits Music Festival to parties for their own junior high schools.
The pilot show, being financed with the help of investor Alan Luecke, hasn't been sold to a network yet, but Hickman said she hopes it will air on PBS. She said she plans for the band members to interview local children doing positive activities, including making their own clothes and getting involved in politics.
The band members come from all over the Austin area and practice twice a week. Aubrey Elenz, 14, will be attending Austin High School in the fall and plays the guitar. Evan Slack, 17, is a student at McNeil High School and also plays the guitar. Olivia Bennett, a 13-year-old guitar player, goes to Hill Country Middle School. Jacob Scott, the 13-year-old keyboard player, goes to Dripping Springs Middle School, and Rush Evans, 14, the drummer, goes to McCallum Fine Arts Academy.
None of the band members knew one another before they auditioned for Hickman, but they had done volunteer work with their churches or local charities.
The songs they write encourage teenagers to get involved in the community by doing things such as picking up trash, Scott said. The songs also encourage teenagers to respect themselves and others, Elenz said.
"One song, called 'Microphone,' is about being yourself and not stereotyping other people," she said.
Bennett, who said she is obsessed with the Beatles, said that being in the band and talking frequently to Hickman have made her a better person and "opened her eyes to what's going on."
"It's hard to put it into words," she said.
The band recently played a party for fifth-graders at a West Austin Youth Association event, and the members left the stage and danced with the audience to make a connection, Evans said. "Somebody wanted me to sign my name five times for them," said Scott, grinning.
Hickman said she plans to take the band members to visit children who have cancer this summer so they can try to offer positive messages through their songs.
"Children are not blank slates that we fill up. ... Kids are brilliant, and it's our job to help them reach their potential," said Hickman, who has two daughters.
The teenagers in the band, who also perform some of her songs, have surprised her, she said. "They have become a family," she said. "They talk a lot and text a lot."
"Some people have said the band is not edgy enough or Disneyfied enough, but I don't want it to be either," she said. "I want them to be real kids."
posted by Sara Hickman at 04:34 am
comments (0) | permalink | Tweet | Share on Facebook
