http://www.zenlala.com/ The weblog of Sara Hickman: singer, songwriter, angel en sara@sarahickman.com Copyright 2010 2010-08-26T15:12:30+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/my_father_remembered_by_my_mom/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/my_father_remembered_by_my_mom/#When:14:12:30Z I asked my mom if I could share these exquisite thoughts she wrote about my father, her husband. She said, "Always, in love." Here, then, is another picture of my dad through the eyes of my mom. Love and gratitude, Sara I always loved your dad, from the very first day I met him. I feel very sad that he is no longer walking on this earth, but his spirit and the love I experienced from him and his family will forever live in my heart. No one ever knows what happens between a husband and wife but the two people themselves, and words are not capable of fully describing that unique relationship. Your dad was a wonderful person and I will always be glad that I was privileged to be a part of his life and to share with him the making of two amazing daughters. I know your heart is incredibly sad.... Early on he told me he wanted to do his very best with whatever he chose to do. He wanted to be the best husband, the best father, the best friend, the best artist, the best professor, the best person--and he certainly always tried to do that. I believe the effort he put into meeting his own expectations put a great strain on his heart and, even thought it tried valiantly to bear up under that strain, it finally just wore out from all the trying. Your dad's love will always be with you and in you. My love will always be with you and in you. God's love will always be with you and in you. So, walk in love, my dear, sweet daughter, knowing that you are always surrounded by and filled with love--a love for which there is no end. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. -- 1 Corinthians 13:13 Love, Mom 2010-08-26T14:12:30+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/dr._toy_press_release_winning_for_big_bird_little_bird---hooray/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/dr._toy_press_release_winning_for_big_bird_little_bird---hooray/#When:18:27:32Z Here's what Dr. Toy just released concerning the winning Vacation Products... so excited our new animated DVD, "Big Bird, Little Bird" won (listed under my label, Sleeveless, below)! I'm including the entire list so all you parents out there can see what other amazing items are available for you to resource and enjoy. Sending summer love, year round, Sara TALKBACK Dr. Toy's Names Best Children's Vacation Products Retail Editor 2 -- Playthings, August 3, 2010 SAN FRANCISCO - The report of winning toys for Dr. Toy's Best Children's Vacation Products for summer 2010 is at http://www.drtoy.com. The information is designed to assist children to play and learn at home and while on vacation. Dr. Toy's Best Vacation Products Awards were developed by noted child development authority, Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D. (a.k.a. Dr. Toy), as a service to consumers who desire to purchase safe, affordable, educationally-oriented, and stimulating toys and play products for children for vacation time at home or on the road. "As a childhood specialist for 40 years," said Auerbach, "I have seen the continuous, essential need for more year-round resources for consumers to identify and choose the most appropriate products for all children." Auerbach reports that in the years the online magazine, Dr. Toy's Guide, has been available, "thousands of visitors daily from around the world have accessed its information." It was the first Web site to evaluate toys and children's products. The report is being released, according to Auerbach, to "encourage parents and teachers to focus on the value of play during the summer as essential to the overall learning process." She added, "The Best Vacation Products a balanced selection from large and small, new and established, companies across the U.S.A., Canada, and overseas will provide children with exciting new learning tools that will help them not only do better in school, but also will provide more constructive activities while traveling or at vacation destinations." The award-winning products include innovative toys, books, CDs, crafts, DVDs, games, puzzles, and many other play products for children of all ages and interests. Auerbach believes "parents need more help to get a head start locating new, diversified products that children will enjoy as they increase learning skills and expand creativity." The products range from low to high tech for hours of constructive, educational, and stimulating fun. "Children learn best through play and these Best Products encourage children to maximize their potential and make the most of Smart Play," said Auerbach. "By making a renewed focus on summertime as a special time for choosing new products for children, parents improve their children's development. This is a perfect time for parents to ‘take stock' and do an inventory of what their children are playing with, what is not used, and what they need next in their development." Dr. Toy's Best Children's Vacation Products are carefully chosen, using extensive criteria she has developed over many years, from among hundreds she has reviewed at toy fairs, in catalogs, and through many other sources. The criteria she uses includes: safety, age-appropriateness, design, durability, lasting play value, cultural and ethnic diversity, good transition from home to school, educational value, learning skills, creativity, improvement in the understanding of the community and the world, good value for price, and, naturally, fun. These are products suitable for babies to older children, include products from hand-crafted to hi-tech, and range in price on the average from $10 to $50. The winning products are affordable, well designed, and reflect the wide range of children's interests. Complete information about these and other products are included in the full report. Dr. Toy's report includes company customer service numbers, web site addresses, age range, price, and a full description of each product. The award-winning, online magazine, Dr. Toy's Guide, features full color photos of each product, links to companies to learn more, interviews with and articles by Dr. Toy, plus hundreds of other Best Products for all reasons and seasons. At this time over 4000 products are included in the Dr. Toy's Guide with direct links to companies and toy stores on line, plus toy history, parent resources, and much more. WINNERS: adaptivePlay Mickey Melodies Advance Games Say-N-Play ALEX Ready, Set, Doodle! ALEX Scribble & Doodle All Mighty Productions Spoon Racers & Beanbots Alton Road Publ Sabu & Me Ape Park Picnic Pals Blankies Ape Park Picnic Pals Plush AroundSquare Deconstruction Blocks b. dazzle Color ‘N Seek b. dazzle Cows Scramble Squares b. dazzle Fall Scramble Squares b. dazzle GUITAR Scramble Squares Big City Publ Angels from the Attic Blue Orange Games Golden Gate Blue Orange Games Pigzup! Blue Orange Games Spot It! Blue Orange Games Sumoku Box Girls Family Dinner Box of Quotations Buckle Toy Buckle Buddy "Bucky" Carrera Mario Kart DS 2 Carson Dellosa Summer Bridge Activities Citiblocs Skyline Color Sets Community Music Little Ditties for Itty Bitties Constructive Eating Construction Plate Constructive Eating Set of Utensils Corolle Dolls Tidoo Poppy Creatively Canny Bug's Adventure Series Critical Thinking Balance Benders Level 1 Crorey Creations Friendship Bracelet Maker Debbie and Friends More Story Songs & Sing Alongs Dig-It! Games Roman Town DreamBox Learning K-3 Math Educational Insights Hot Dots Jr. Educational Insights Stix & Stones EducationalGames.Biz All-Star Math Game Eye Think Strobotop Lightphase Animator FoxMind Canada Dig-It! Free Spirit Pub. Treasury Hunt for Primary Fun & Function Amazing Peanut Ball Galloping Minds Preschooler Learns Numbers DV GameWhys Icecap GameWhys Paradice GameWhys Icecap app for iPhone Gamewright Can You See What I See? Gamewright Dweebies Gamewright Order's Up Gamewright Take the Cake Giddy Up! Barbie Blendy Pens Giddy Up! Spiderman Color Book Griddly Games Chronicle of the Mind Griddly Games Words of the Wise Growing Sound I Can Do It HABA Bucket With Valve Haywire Group Flickin' Chicken Idea Storm Products Yamodo! Good To Go! Ideopolis Alphabetz Decoder Innovation First Int'l Hexbug Na Inspiration Software Inspiration 9 Inspiration Software Kidspiration 3 ISEO Chemdis Pvt Rubbabu City Life Playset ISEO Chemdis Pvt Rubbabu 3D Shape Sorter ISEO Chemdis Pvt Rubbabu Educational Balls ISEO Chemdis Pvt RubbaBlox Just Triangles Itty Bitty Toy Co Sneako Julie K Music A Sunny Day Kreg-Kid Hip Kid Hip Learning Resources Alphabet Suitcase Learning Station Book About Tony Chestnut LEGO Systems Atlantis Guardian Lucid Publishing Reef Fish Coloring Book Maru & Friends Doll Maru Latina Girl Mindfull Games Verbal Volley Mindlogic Consensus Jr Edition North Star Games Wits & Wagers Family Original Toy What Zit Oshi mat LLC Oshi Mat Out of the Box Word on the Street Jr OWI Transforming Solar Robot Pay Your Family First ThriveTime PBS Home Video Super Why! PBS Home Video WordGirl: Earth Day Peaceable Kingdom Really Ridiculous Prime Time Toys Sash Paddle Russ Berrie Raggedy Ann & Andy Safari Forest Dragon #10155 SenseAbility Games SenseAbility SepToys SepToys Design Blocks Sleeveless: Big Bird, Little Bird DVD Smithsonian Folkways Go Waggaloo Spin Master Aqua Sand Creation Kit Spin Master Air Hogs Titan Spin Master Bow Rod Fishing Rod Spin Master Magic Fabric Creation Star Kids Products Airplay Star Kids Products Snack & Play Travel Tray Steps4Kids Modern Manuscript Storytime By Design It's A StoryTime Jam Tech Source Bubble Talk TenMarks Education Online Summer Math Program Think-A-Lot Toys Think-ets Genius ThinkFun Zingo! To Go Tier Toys Animal Sea Xplorer Trenna Productions One To Grow On! Vraney Pocket Referee VTech V.Reader Animated e-Reading VTech MobiGo Touch Learning Wild Republic Mini Morphs Wild Republic Chompers Wild Republic Audubon Baby Birds WonderChess WonderElla Yoshiritsu LaQ Imaginal Zoo Yoshiritsu LaQ Hobby Flower Kit Youthlight. Snoots Toots! Zany World Games Zany World Games Zoobies Furbie the Feline 2010-08-06T18:27:32+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/update_on_the_bahai_seven/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/update_on_the_bahai_seven/#When:14:14:06Z Waiting, waiting for results....this is appalling and everyone needs to help speak out on behalf of these people!!! Love, Sara Trial of seven Iranian Baha'i leaders appears to have ended NEW YORK, 14 June (BWNS) – The trial of seven Baha'i leaders imprisoned for more than two years in Iran seems to have come to a conclusion after three days of successive court hearings. The seven appeared in Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran on the morning of Saturday, 12 June and returned to Evin Prison shortly after noon. The Court was reconvened the next day, as well as this morning. "We can confirm that a court session was held today in Tehran," said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha'i International Community to the United Nations, "and it seems from what we have heard that the trial itself has now concluded. But we have no further information at this time." The defendants are Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Mahvash Sabet, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm. Before their imprisonment, they attended to the spiritual and social needs of Iran's Baha'i community, which numbers more than 300,000. They have been held in Evin prison since they were arrested in 2008 – six of them on 14 May and one of them two months earlier. Their trial began on 12 January this year after they had been incarcerated without charge in Evin prison for 20 months. At the first hearing, the seven categorically denied charges of espionage, propaganda activities against the Islamic order, and "corruption on earth," among other allegations. A second appearance on 7 February was concerned mainly with procedural issues. The third session on 12 April, which was purportedly a closed hearing, was adjourned after the seven – with the agreement of their attorneys – refused to be party to the proceedings because of the presence of nonjudicial personnel. To view this article and a photograph, go to: http://news.bahai.org/story/778 2010-06-29T14:14:06+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/prayer_from_the_leader_of_the_sioux_nation_concerning_gulf_oil_spill/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/prayer_from_the_leader_of_the_sioux_nation_concerning_gulf_oil_spill/#When:16:16:57Z SIOUX PRAYER REQUEST A letter from Chief Arvol Looking Horse (Present Chief and Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe of the Lakota, Dakota, Nakota Nation of the Sioux) Gulf Coast Oil Spill - Sioux Prayer Request ****** A Great Urgency ****** To All World Religious and Spiritual Leaders My Relatives, Time has come to speak to the hearts of our Nations and their Leaders. I ask you this from the bottom of my heart, to come together From the Spirit of your Nations in prayer. We, from the heart of Turtle Island, have a great message for the World; we are guided to speak from all the White Animals showing Their sacred color, which have been signs for us to pray for the Sacred life of all things. As I am sending this message to you, many Animal Nations are being threatened, those that swim, those that crawl, those that fly, and the plant Nations, eventually all will be affected from the oil disaster in the Gulf. The dangers we are faced with at this time are not of spirit. The Catastrophe that has happened with the oil spill which looks like the Bleeding of Grandmother Earth, is made by human mistakes, mistakes that we cannot afford to continue to make. I ask, as Spiritual Leaders, that we join together, united in Prayer with the whole of our Global Communities. My concern is these serious issues will continue to worsen, as a domino effect that our Ancestors have warned us of in their Prophecies. I know in my heart there are millions of people that feel our united Prayers for the sake of our Grandmother Earth are long overdue. I believe we as Spiritual people must gather ourselves and focus our thoughts and prayers to allow the healing of the many wounds that have been inflicted on the Earth. As we honor the Cycle of Life, let us call for Prayer circles globally to assist in healing Grandmother Earth (our Unc'I Maka). We ask for Prayers that the oil spill, this bleeding, will stop. That the winds stay calm to assist in the work. Pray for the people to be guided in repairing this mistake, and that we may also seek to live in harmony, as we make the choice to change the destructive path we qre on. As we pray, we will fully understand that we are all connected. And that what we create can have lasting effects on all life. So let us unite spiritually, All Nations, All Faiths, One Prayer. Along with this immediate effort, I also ask to please remember June 21st, World Peace and Prayer Day/Honoring Sacred Sites day. Whether it is a natural site, a temple, a church, a synagogue or just your own sacred space, let us make a prayer for all life, for good decision making by our Nations, for our children's future and well-being, and the generations to come. Onipikte (that we shall live), Chief Arvol Looking Horse 19th generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe 2010-06-15T16:16:57+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/heres_the_stained_glass_cross_i_designed_for_my_churchs_chapel...seeking_do/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/heres_the_stained_glass_cross_i_designed_for_my_churchs_chapel...seeking_do/#When:17:02:25Z I'm so excited and honored to have designed this cross for our chapel at First United Methodist Church. It will be 8 feet high, 5 feet wide, and light up from within! If you can help donate towards the creation of it, I'm trying to raise $6000. Thank you so much, if you can help donate....I'll also let everyone know when the unveiing is so you can come celebrate! ChipIn: Stained Glass Cross for our chapel stainedglasscross4fumcaustin.chipin.com 2010-06-06T17:02:25+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/boone_planta_water_project....its_happening/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/boone_planta_water_project....its_happening/#When:01:46:20Z Hi, Everybody... I wanted to give you and update on the Boone Planta Water Project. Boone was the son of my dear friend, Sam. Sadly, Boone passed away several months ago, and in response, many, many people came together to create this project to build wells for remote places that need clean, fresh water. Tomorrow, a team of 15 people from Impact Ministries and The Boone Water Project will leave on a mission. Their destination, El Zapote, is a remote village in the northern mountains of Honduras. There are about 85 people in the village, 25 are children who are in dire need of fresh clean water. 80% of infant mortality in the 3rd world is caused by water borne diseases. Like many villagers the world over, the women and children of El Zapote spend hours each day trekking to and from a distant mountain spring to collect the day’s supply of water needed for drinking, cooking and bathing. Think about how much we take for granted the water that flows into our homes...for showering and bathing, for drinking, for making ice, for running our automatic dishwashers and washing machines, for watering our lawns and filling our swimming pools. It’s sanitary, its supply is unlimited, and it’s available to us at the turn of a knob. It can be regulated to whatever temperature and pressure we choose and even contains fluoride to prevent tooth decay. And all for pennies a day. Within a week, Meredith (Boone's sister) and Sam (along with Brandon Parsons, Camron Barnette, Dillon McCarty, John Langford, Kelly Vidovic, Mark Smith, Matt Bowman, Matt McCarty, Maurine Winkley, Serineh Saki, Shay Spence, Tiffany Harelik, Win Smith) will have worked diligently in Boone’s honor to ensure water reaches the village. Stay tuned for updates on The Boone Planta Water Project FaceBook site and/or the Boone Planta Water Project website, Blogs and Twitters. Share this with friends. Offer your prayers and good wishes. And thank you all who have supported the project & family with prayers and donations in making this happen! In Grace and Gratitude, Sara 2010-05-20T01:46:20+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/big_bird_little_bird_absence_of_blame_sweet_songs/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/big_bird_little_bird_absence_of_blame_sweet_songs/#When:13:04:59Z THRILLED that "Big Bird, Little Bird", our new animated DVD for wee ones & new parents, just won a Dr. Toy award! BLOWN AWAY that "Absence of Blame" is out, produced by Mark Addison: 13 songs of sorrow and redemption, and thanks for all the support here in Austin, and abroad... IN LOVE with "Sweet Songs", the cd I produced of 8 fabulous Austin women musicians. This is a collection of songs for families..songs to make you laugh, to sleep, to dance, to sing along with.... All available here: http://www.sarahickman.com Thank you, everybody, for your kindness on these ventures! I'll keep working to create more music/art/love.... 2010-05-18T13:04:59+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/maverick_magazine_review/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/maverick_magazine_review/#When:03:34:33Z Review from Maverick Magazine, May 6, 2010 Sara Hickman ABSENCE OF BLAME Sleeveless Records 4-1/2 out of 5 Stars ABSENCE OF BLAME is practically faultless. Whatever, let's blame Sara! Hickman's thirteen song, thirteenth adult recording, delivers six songs written on her own alongside five co-writes. Her (five) collaborators all possess Texas credentials, rather appropriate since, appointed by the State Commission on the Arts, Sara is the 2010-11 State Musician. Bar one song, Sara's latest album was recorded and produced by Mark Addison at his Austin, Texas studio The Aerie-that song being the bittersweet Suitcase which she wrote with Dan Workman. The simple, mainly voice and acoustic guitar rendition was recorded at Dan's SugarHill Studios in Houston. In addition to helming the project, Addison plays a plethora of instruments. Scrappy Jud Newcomb (the Highwayman/Loose Diamonds/the Resentments) delivers big (occasionally fuzzy) electric guitar power. Chords, drumbeats and percussion arrive care of Dony Wynn, while wind instruments are handled by Mike Agentis. Album opener I'm So Glad You Came Along expresses gratitude to the person who: 'built this house of glory' while later on, supported by a sympathetic string arrangement, the ballad Before You Change Your Mind, co-written with Addison, simply shines. A couple of songs were co-written with Rachel Loy, an Austin-bred musician and Berklee College of Music graduate now residing in Nashville. Their Size Six Dress focuses on a young woman driven to extreme measures-cosmetic surgery-in order to satisfy that facile human vanity labelled fashion. Supported on backing vocal by her oldest daughter Lili, the justifiably vitriolic lyric cleverly embraces uncertainty: 'Less is more, less is happiness I guess' and then adds: 'Are you happy, now there's half of me, Love is more than a size six dress.' Previously released as a single, Hickman's narrator embraces social commentary-regarding autism-in the lyrically desperate State Of Emergency. Located in the Concho County, Central Texas town of Eden is a for-profit prison operated by the Corrections Corporation of America. At the outset of the sonically muscular Edentown Sara mentions the facility before shifting her focus to a blue-collar couple living on the edge-'Eve had six children, and Adam was a drunk, He led them deeper into debt, He wiped each kiss with a punch' You will probably have figured, Adam ends up incarcerated in Edentown. At the outset of the lyrically sly 99% Sara sounds suitably seductive-'Let me take you home and I'll give you ninety-nine per cent'. ABSENCE OF BLAME includes a couple of covers. Juliet & Juliet, a gospel tinged tale of forbidden love penned by Marvin Etzioni (Lone Justice, Grey DeLisle), is performed as a duet with Ginger Doss, and the album closes with Grace Pettis' hymn Love Is There. The principal gem among many in this package is without a doubt the (ten-year-old!) love and loss focused Blown Away. In the mid-section Sara's voice simply soars skyward on this lyrically inspirational number. Frankly, she has never sounded better. - Arthur Wood, Maverick Magazine UK 2010-05-07T03:34:33+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/thanks_to_my_friend_melanie_for_sending_this_poem/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/thanks_to_my_friend_melanie_for_sending_this_poem/#When:03:30:12Z HERE'S A THOUGHT I was shocked, confused, bewildered As I entered Heaven's door, Not by the beauty of it all, Nor the lights or its decor.. But it was the folks in Heaven Who made me sputter and gasp-- The thieves, the liars, the sinners, The alcoholics and the trash. There stood the kid from seventh grade Who swiped my lunch money twice. Next to him was my old neighbor Who never said anything nice. Herb, who I always thought Was rotting away in hell, Was sitting pretty on cloud nine, Looking incredibly well. I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal? I would love to hear Your take. How'd all these sinners get up here? God must've made a mistake. 'And why's everyone so quiet, So somber - give me a clue.' 'Hush, child,' He said, 'they're all in shock. No one thought they'd be seeing you.' JUDGE NOT. Remember...Just going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a mechanic. Every saint has a PAST... Every sinner has a FUTURE.. 2010-04-30T03:30:12+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/letdavidlive.org/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/letdavidlive.org/#When:16:07:58Z I do not believe in the death penalty. There have been innocent people executed for crimes they did not commit, there is no closure, and there is only a continued spiral of violence, heartache and loss for ALL the families involved in BOTH sides of the situation. As someone who has toured Texas to try and start the dialogue about what the death penalty is, why having the death penalty doesn't discourage those who may murder, discussing the loss and cost to every Texas citizen, I hope that we can stop the madness and allow everyone to know there are options to killing another person. And, as a Christian, Jesus is the greatest example of why the death penalty should be abolished. If you don't know much about the death penalty, please educate yourself on all it's complexities and sides so that you can make an informed decision on what it means to have it, and have conversations with those around you. Texas is number FOUR in the world in terms of executions, right behind China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and then, yes, TEXAS. We must learn to be progressive in dealing with this archaic idealogy, and it starts with us all, each and every one of us, not being afraid to learn and talk about it. Thank you. Sara 2010-04-26T16:07:58+00:00