Mise en Scène

Remembering Judy

2008-02-05T07:31:34Z

Her obituary which will appear in tomorrow's Statesman:

Judy Ann Rogers,
Austin Texas
Judy 23, 1954 – February 1, 2008

Judy lived because of love. She especially loved to travel and to explore. Judy found a home in the wilderness, where she could interact with animals, plants, and all of nature’s wonders. She loved to dwell with the spiritual force in the “Great Green Cathedral.”

Infinitely curious, Judy loved learning and read constantly. She was a talented storyteller who loved passing on what she learned. She often found herself the center of attention, but she used that opportunity to encourage others to find their voice and join her. She loved laughter and finding the humor in the world around us.

Her love for these things and her family—especially her niece, nephew, and great-nieces and nephews—kept her going despite formidable challenges. She persevered until she was free to explore the wilderness that lies beyond our comprehension. Judy continues to learn and love in this new dimension while her spirit remains in our hearts.

While Judy had many accomplishments and earned advanced degrees and received many awards and accolades, what was most important to Judy and those who love her was how she touched the lives of others.

She is survived by her partner for 13 years, Bonnie Jean Brown. She is also survived by her mother Jewell Rogers and sister Bambi Hester.

Services will be held, Saturday, February 9, 2008 at Trinity United Methodist Church, 600 East 50th Street, Austin, TX 78751. Phone: 512-459-5835

In lieu of flowers please send memorial donations “In Memory of Judy Rogers,” to Trinity United Methodist Church at the above address.

Sad heartbreaking news

2008-02-04T20:00:50Z

I found out this morning that my dear friend Judy passed away from cancer this weekend. I've spent most of the morning crying and reminiscing with co-workers about her. Thinking about the sweet thank you gifts she gave me, for the words of gratitude and support, for the dedication she felt towards the citizens and public water systems in the state of Texas. Her dedication was so strong that she put her chemo treatment on hold for a few weeks to handle recon to assess public water systems in the aftermath of Rita. Her words and pictures of "The Forgotten Storm" as she called it serve as a reminder of the hard work we put into that major and catastrophic event.

I'm sad that I hadn't seen her in months, as she'd been in too much pain to have me over for dinner. Sorry that we never had the chance to sit down and document several of her experiences, including the aftermath of Oklahoma City, Luby's in Killeen, and Hurricane Rita.

Of all the selfish emotions I'm feeling, what I feel the most is relief -

That she is finally at peace, and out of the pain that she had experienced for so long. The doctor had given her three months last spring, and yet she kept working until May 2007.

She will be deeply missed by many.

***********************
From Natural Resource, June 2006:

The Exceptional Customer Service Award is presented annually to one employee.

2005-2006 Winner Judy Rogers—OPRR, Water Supply Division

With Hurricane Rita bearing down on the Texas coast, Homeland Security coordinator Judy Rogers had just received treatment for her recently diagnosed cancer. But she went to her management and requested, in no uncertain terms, to be allowed to be part of the disaster team, and, after she received a doctor's OK, they agreed.

Despite the treatment, Rogers made a significant contribution to the TCEQ's preparation, response, and recovery efforts for the water systems in the area of Texas affected by Rita. Before the hurricane struck, she produced preparedness and response documents for the area's water systems. On the same day the hurricane made landfall, she was performing reconnaissance flights to assess the structural damage to water and wastewater systems.

Later, she developed recovery plans for systems damaged by Rita, suspending her medical treatments so she could provide the best plans for helping systems produce adequate and safe drinking water. Her management said no one else in the agency could have done a better job pulling together such a program, under the stress and confusion created by the hurricane, to help water system operators.

Rogers received her bachelor's degree from Texas State University, her master's degree in forestry from Stephen F. Austin, and her Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas. She loves to travel, to camp and hike, and to study weather patterns and events ... particularly hurricanes!

Resistance is Futile

2008-01-15T06:13:24Z

Must not click on the links in this post.

Birthday Boy

2008-01-14T22:31:03Z

In case you didn't hear, it's my new roomie bovineone bday this week so we are taking him to dinner. RSVP here.

Going to my Strong Place

2008-01-14T19:20:16Z

It's amazing how when I get motivated to really DO things, how stumbling blocks get thrown out. It can be unnerving, but these song lyrics popped into my head. Looking for a video to further cheer me up, and I found this gem. I Really Needed THIS!

Note that my strong place will never be listening to Matthew Wilder's "Break My Stride". My mom was driving on the FM2234, listening and singing along to this song on the radio. She had JUST gotten past these lyrics:

Ain't nothin' gonna to break my stride
Nobody's gonna slow me down, oh-no
I got to keep on movin'
Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride
I'm running and I won't touch ground
Oh-no, I got to keep on movin'

And that's when she lost control on a curve by the salt mine, and wound up in the ditch! She was okay, and I don't recall there being much damage to the car. DOH!

Bad Decisions

2008-01-14T17:08:03Z

Before I could download three months worth of holiday photos, my camera was stolen, along with a checkbook.

Tonight, right before midnight. Out of my car parked in the driveway at the Cowhaus. Luckily they missed my iPhone and IPod somehow, along with my passport and drivers license. I'd gone inside the house for a few minutes which became two hours of TV. I went out to load some empty boxes into my car. On my second trip I noticed my roommate's car door was open when it hadn't been two minutes before. I told him to come down and check to see if his car was okay.

I checked my car. Apparently my front seats had already been ransacked, and the person had moved on to the next unlocked vehicle. He didn't have his GPS stolen, and since I must have scared the perp off my roomie also found a knife on the seat that wasn't his! Cow had left his car unlocked, as he'd rather someone steal straight out than cut his Jeep's ragtop roof.

Good news is that the police arrived quickly, and got some really good prints off of my vehicle.

What a welcome - it was my first night moving stuff into the neighborhood. I know better than to leave my car unlocked ever again, or to leave my purse in the car even if I only think I'll be inside for just a minute.

For all you well-wishers who mean well and want to offer advice:

YES, I know to always lock my car doors.
YES, I know that I shouldn't have left my purse in the car.
YES, I emailed my bank's fraud department and will contact the credit reporting agencies to place an alert.
YES, I know I'm lucky and it could've been worse.
YES, I know that had I been there a minute earlier, the knife could've become a weapon.
YES, I know it was idiotic to be so trusting.

Officer J. Brandt kindly gave us plenty of advice about how to avoid this crime in the future.

Help Needed from a friend

2008-01-13T17:16:08Z

I'll probably be packing and moving myself that day, but if anyone else is available give Caitlin a call!

"Community Partnership's next development will be six units of affordable housing for homeless, single parent families that are coming out of SafePlace. The construction has begun, but the furniture for the units has not been purchased. The Ronald McDonald House is moving locations and is generously donating their old furniture to us. The catch is that we need to pick it up and get it over to our storage unit! For this we need your muscles and hopefully pickup trucks. We will provide lunch if you provide strength!

We are scheduled to move the furniture out of the Ronald McDonald House on
January 18th (Friday) at 10am until 3pm.
If you are interested in volunteering for this project, please contact me and I will provide further details. If we get enough muscles and trucks, I am guessing that it will not take the full 5 hours to move the furniture over to our storage space. Any help is greatly appreciated!!

As always, thank you for your commitment and interest in helping Community Partnership!"

Caitlin Uzzell

Program & Outreach Coordinator
Community Partnership for the Homeless
1503 South IH-35

www.austinhomeless.org
phone: 512.469.9130

"We got some COWS!"

2008-01-13T16:07:59Z

This one is for bovineone and all the cows. Udderly Delightful!

meme

2008-01-12T05:05:40Z

What Debra Means

You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row.
You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace.
People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality.

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.
You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.
At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

You are full of energy. You are spirited and boisterous.
You are bold and daring. You are willing to do some pretty outrageous things.
Your high energy sometimes gets you in trouble. You can have a pretty bad temper at times.

You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something.
You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense.
You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun.

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic "Type A" personality.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Hotel Lawrence

2008-01-08T06:28:09Z

Staying in Dallas at the Hotel Lawrence, a "European-style boutique hotel" with a history dating back to 1925. Lovely but definitely old and a little too similiar to the old Hilton Chrissy and I stayed at when we came to Dallas for an EPA training a few years ago. One of the elevators is broken, but hopefully that's where the similiarities end.
when we got off the elevator we joked about the decor being reminiscent of "The Shining" - until we noticed that there was no room number for Sean's room. "1408!!!" I exclaimed.

Should I check on him in 60 minutes?

My Happy Place

2008-01-07T05:54:14Z

I REALLY needed to go to my happy place earlier, and so I went to watch "Evil Eye Baby" but found this instead. JUST what I needed!! Be sure to watch the whole thing, it's not what you think!

There's 365 Days in the Season of Giving

2008-01-05T07:23:47Z

Thanks to silona post about Ten Things that Will Change Your Future", I've now become a peer to peer lender for a group of women in Peru! Be sure to bookmark this great site - Kiva, which lets folks connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world..

And since I've been meaning to support Heifer International for years (thanks to dearly missed Anita Roddick), I've bought a gift of a flock of chicks! Or should I say, me and my dad since I'm using some of my Christmas money that he gave me. :)

Funny Babies

2008-01-04T06:28:33Z

After sharing this post of chris2342 of "Evil Eye Baby" at this week's Nuclear Taco Night, nugget showed me this one of Baby Ally Whateva. Too entertaining!

Home for the Holidays

2007-12-21T21:03:26Z

For those of you who've heard me talk iirc about Eric Volz - I'd heard about his plight from mutual acquaintances, who grew up with him in Nashville. I'd followed his updates for the last several months:

Just received word via Good Will Hinton that Eric Volz has been freed and is on a plane bound for the United States! I was honestly worried that he wouldn't make it out alive, with the massive amounts of anti-American sentiment that fueled his wrongly convicted case to begin with.

More info at CNN

Peas and Social Media

2007-12-21T20:35:08Z

What do the two have in common? A lot when it is Frozen Pea Friday!
Check out Susan Reynolds' blog. Find out how the Twitter community has come together for not just one person, but for an important cause by creating the Frozen Pea Fund.

What's With the Peas?

Just in Time for the Weekend

2007-12-15T00:12:32Z

Be afraid, be very afraid!

2007-12-01T18:36:47Z

A Heartfelt Thanks

2007-11-15T23:59:05Z

I was surprised and touched to receive the following email after posting a comment on WanderingVet's blog. I'm sharing this response to provide a snapshot view of life for a homeless veteran

Dear Debbie:

I know we will never meet each other and we are a distance away, but I
wanted to tell you a story.

I had a very bad day today with the doctors at the VA and they told be
to find a shelter to stay in for 6 months today while they worked some
more on my head as I am a neurology patient. I have been doing odd
jobs to make a living while also awaiting my disability, federal job
applications and other applications to be either called upon etc.
Without something, I have been camping and living "rough" as you may
have read in the mountains and have no desire to live in an urban
setting with drug addicts and thieves in a mission or shelter.

So here I was in a large city I had never been in before coming from
the VA, rattled and upset, trying to get out of town in the dark, not
knowing where a shelter was, riding city buses, coming down with the
flu, and running low on funds. I get off the bus at the edge of town
completely lost feeling miserable and now very ill. The winds in
Albuquerque have now picked up to 35 miles an hour and I would never
be able to sleep outside in this tonight being sick as I am. So I ate
a small meal and looked at various places to stay as I have not been
indoors except a barn in almost two months. So I stubbornly went to
one of those econo inns where it is not so economic. After stowing my
gear I checked my site and there is your comment.

After a terrible week so far this being Wednesday, I was floored. I
have felt so down and not accomplishing anything. There was your
comment out of the blue. I do not know what to say except Thank You
Debbie. I do not know what I say at times. I do not know if I am right
or wrong. I am just one man seeing things from the lowest level, and
reporting it up the ladder.

Thank You Again For Your Words Today Meant So Much.

Wanderingvet

Because I can...

2007-11-12T01:54:54Z

One of my favorite U2 songs, from my favorite U2 Album "Boy" - I even still have a t-shirt with the cover art silkscreened. Limited edition created by a friend back in 1983. Second favorite U2 album "War" with "The Refugee" top on my playlist. Enjoy!

I, for One, Welcome Our New Robot Overlords

2007-11-11T20:16:58Z

Stephen King's "The Mist"

2007-11-08T23:06:40Z

Going to a special screening of "The Mist" with a dinner and the director Frank Darabont in the house. The "tendrilicious" menu?

I) Seaweed and Cucumber Salad in a citrus and sesame vinaigrette

II) Linguine with a squid ink cream sauce with sautéed calamari and green lip mussels

III) Coconut Mango Milk Tea with Tapioca Pearls

yum yum.

Why the Writers are on Strike

2007-11-08T01:31:55Z

Where I've Been or "The Fantastic Seven"

2007-09-28T21:48:51Z

I've been away from my computer for the last couple of weeks - having a Crackberry actually keeps me off a bit since I can read all of my emails instantaneously.

Just an overview for now, but more later here and in my blogspot.

I worked in Artists Transportation for the ACL Fest this year, for four straight 14 hour days. It was a blast, good pay and food, and all the artists and folks were nice. Which included: My Morning Jacket, Queens of the Stone Age, Peter, Bjorn and John, Bela Fleck, Ian Ball, and Britt Daniel of Spoon. Loved the tips I received from a promoter, who handles Billy Joe Shaver and David Allan Coe.

Than it was one day off for rest, and then three days later the Fantastic Fest. This year was amazing - I saw some really awesome films, sang in two drunken karaoke sessions, drank more Stella than I ever thought I could stomach, hung out with British film festival organizers, German and Spanish directors and a Chilean martial artist/actor. My favorite movies included "La Hora Fria" (The Cold Hour), "Mirageman", and El Orfanato (the Orphanage). I loved "There Will be Blood", and spoke with director Paul Thomas Anderson afterwards about West Texas, where much of the film was shot.

Chicken Hawk

2007-08-17T21:20:59Z

For ivo:

I'm a rootin' tootin' lasso loopin' popgun shootin' chickenhawk Henery Hawk

A Hard Day's Night of the Living Dead

2007-08-15T04:51:38Z