http://www.zenlala.com/ The weblog of Sara Hickman: singer, songwriter, angel en sara@sarahickman.com Copyright 2012 2012-01-15T05:44:25+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/7_11_92_contents_of_refridgerator_sized_boxes/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/7_11_92_contents_of_refridgerator_sized_boxes/#When:04:44:25Z Contents of Boxes I took to Romanian Orphans Back in 1992, I traveled to Romania to take needed items to orphans. Fans sent clothes and toothbrushes and toys. At some point, I decided to also take art supplies, knowing the children I would see had never been exposed to paper, crayons, etc. Michael's (the arts and crafts store) gave me massive quantities of items I requested in exchange for singing on their commercial. The amount of supplies here probably sound small, but remember: these boxes were enormous refridgerator sized containers. The cigarettes were to bribe guards or anyone trying to keep us from visiting the children in need. Just one cigarette was all it took to win someone's favor. An entire pack would have been like handing someone a block of gold. I'd like to take a moment here and thank the good people who believed in my journey and donated so many goods (friends, family, fans) and to Lufthansa for generously allowing me to ship these 22 boxes for free. It would have cost thousands of dollars, and their kindness brought a lot of joy to hundreds of neglected, forgotten children, not only in the orphanages, but living on the streets. (Some items listed, I have no recollection of what they were. Feminine products and condoms were highly sought after, but had to be given as casually as possible to the nurses or families we encountered. And, today, it would be very hard to ship the meds, cigs, or coffee items without a lot of rig-a-ma-roo, I suppose.) 7/11/92 #1 Clothes/shoes/stuffed toy animals #2 Clothes for teenage girls #3 Crayons/pencils/puffy things #4 Children's sweaters #5 Teen girls/hats/gloves/belts/sweat/st.animals/baby wipes 4 baby food/socks/diapers/baby booties/baby clothes #6 Sweatshirts/lotion/1 sneaker/1 cowboy boot #7 Coffee/shoes/pants sets/TP/felt/cigs #8 Bubbles/notebooks/fans/bracelets/washclothes sunglasses/mini-staplers/nerf football/harmonicas dolls/tiny kleenex/jackets/boys shirts/nyquil/pre-teen girls crest/TP/toddlers/shopping bags/toothbrushes #9 combs/TB & P/hairbands/combs/travel shampoo/band-aids #10 scissors #11 boys clothes/chloraseptic/cigs/girls clothes/TBrush & paste #12 TP/boys clothes/medicine/baby clothes/toothb/colgate/cigs coffee/combs & br #13 Toys/instruments/Bubble neck #14 Toothb/Toothp/TP/coffee #15 Paper #16 TP & TB #17 Chalk/markers/crayons/pers. shampoo/sketchpads #18 Pap/teenage boys/coffee/st. animals/off supp #19 Patches/pushpins/col. books/drawing paper/rubberbands/ pencils/nametags #20 Glue/TP/toddlers/beads/pt. brushes/some clothes/jackets/cigs #21 Paper (roll) #22 Paper (roll) 2012-01-15T04:44:25+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/answers_to_the_survey_monkey_survey_i_created_do_you_know_these_women_and_w/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/answers_to_the_survey_monkey_survey_i_created_do_you_know_these_women_and_w/#When:20:24:15Z I decided to find out how many people recognized and understood what the women mentioned in my video, "Palin' By Comparison", had accomplished by creating a survey. Some of the questions were tricky; I had fun making it a multiple choice version, and some of the answers didn't cover a woman's entire body of accomplishments, but I did my best to include real answers among the fake (and some were "all of the above" or none of the above questions, as well. These are the results. To find the test, you have to go to my FB page and click on the link under the wall post. You'll know it if you look for it. These results are based on 145 people responding to the test. I think the most interesting aspect of reading the results was how many people SKIPPED over a question. To me, that indicated that, perhaps, the woman I presented wasn't someone the person taking the survey knew at all. For convenience sake, after Harriet Tubman, "r" will still for for "right", "w" will stand for "wrong" and "s" will stand for "skipped". I also highlighted in bold the women who I felt were least recognized, just to point them out in case anyone wants to find out more about them. Harriet Tubman 139 right/9 wrong/6 skipped Sarah Palin 142 r/1 w/1 s Helen Keller 141 r/2 w/2 s Frida Kahlo 114 r/22 w/9 s Rosa Parks 134 r/2 w/9 s Rosa Bonheur 29 r/95 w/21 s Joan of Arc 132 r/5 w/8 s Maya Angelou 133 r/1 w/11 s Juana Ines De La Cruz 76 r/43 w/26 s Wilma Mankiller 82 r/44 w/20 s Pearl Buck 122 r/23 s Emily Dickinson 106 r/20 w/19 s Sappho 98 r/22 w/25 s Soujourner 105 r/17 w/23 s Tz'u 98 r/19 w/28 s Gilda Radner 123 r/4 w/18 s Carol Burnett 122 r/3 w/20 s Lily Tomlin 124 r/3 w/18 s Tina Fey 124 r/2 w/19 s Wanda Sykes 111 r/15 w/19 s Betty Friedan 108 r/ 37 s Sally Ride 104 r/2 w/34 s Mae West 115 r/30 s Jhumpa Lahiri 23 r/ 79 w/42 s Oprah 112 r/5 w/28 s Madame Curie 94 r/ 18 picked one of the correct answers/33 s Anne Frank 113 r/3 w/29 s O'Keefe 106 r/6 w/33 s Pearl Bailey 86 r/26 w/33 s Indira Ghandi 75 r/34 picked one of the correct answers/2 w/34 s Evita Peron 112 r/33 s Ani Di Franco 83 r/21 w/42 s Ellen DeGeneres 110 r/35 s 2 Nice Girls 50 r/46 w/49 s Ella Fitzgerald 108 r/37 s Eve 105 r/3 w/37 s Bessie Smith 88 r/11 w/46 s Mother Teresa 108 r/37 s Sacajawea 100 r/2 w/38 s Guerilla Girls 70 r/27 w/48 s Susan B. Anthony 105 r/1 w/39 s Billie Jean King 105 r/3 w/37 s Alberta Hunter 36 r/44 w/55 s Marian Anderson 62 r/33 w/50 s Josephine Baker 89 r/11 w/45 s Barbara Jordan 100 r/4 w/41 s 2011-12-29T20:24:15+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/for_the_love_of_god---song_i_wrote_for_gov._rick_perry/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/for_the_love_of_god---song_i_wrote_for_gov._rick_perry/#When:22:39:03Z For the Love Of God by Sara Hickman You wanna fast You wanna pray Well, that's alright Yea, that's ok But you could serve Do up some good Instead of fasting You could serve up some food Since you were little Down on your knees You prayed to Jesus, "Lord, help me please… Make me rich Remove the guilt Give me power On the tower of lies I've built..." For the love of God Why don't you set us free For the love of God End all this misery For the love of God…why can't you see? That the truth…lies in the heart…of who you'll never be Out on the street There's people crying Out in the world People are dying Now I'm not perfect I've got my faults But you're denying What you know without a doubt Cuz you've broken What you promised to do When you took that oath And swore you'd keep it, too You're so righteous In what you think you know You think it's hot in Texas...? Wait till you see what's waiting below For the love of God Why don't you set us free For the love of God End all this misery For the love of God…why can't you see? That the truth…lies in the heart…of who you'll never be We're working night and day Crying tears of sweat You look down on us From your private jet But the day will come When we all meet death And in the end you'll deserve what you get For the love of God Why don't you set us free For the love of God End all this misery For the love of God…why can't you see? That the truth…lies in the heart… That the truth lies in your heart. Of who you'll never be 2011-12-07T22:39:03+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/roger_interviews_sara_in_a_serious_discussion_on_life/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/roger_interviews_sara_in_a_serious_discussion_on_life/#When:02:14:48Z Roger: So, here we are. Together again! (smiles, chuckles to himself.) Sara: Hey. I thought this was a serious interview. We just watched "50/50" and you cried. Then you said you had an idea, that we should come home and I'd answer your questions. Roger: Roger that. I did. I'll stop fooling around. However, I may not stay on track, I might dabble in a little tom-foolery now and then. Sara: Whatever. Roger: Ok, let's start with the basics...What are you thinking about right now? Sara: Well...I am thinking how I thought I upset someone who said it had nothing to do with me and why did I always think if they are upset I had something to do with it? Why does it always have to be about me... Roger: Hmm. Sara: Yea, it made me think. It didn't hurt so much as it felt like...Ok, this person is right. I'll not make assumptions. If they are upset, I'll just ask, "Are you upset?" And then I'll go from there. If they want to talk about it, I will listen. If they say they need to be alone, I'll be cool with that. Roger: Yes. I can see how you are wanting to do that. Since I know you better than anyone else, I know your intentions are wanting to do the right thing, and sometimes you screw up. Sara: Uh-huh. Roger: Does that scare you? Making people upset? Sara: Well...I certainly don't want to make anyone upset. And I don't like to feel the feelings I feel when I feel I've upset someone. But, really, I just want to stop trying to understand so much. I want to just be. There's where I want to be. In the be. Roger: I'll work with you on that. Sara: Thanks. Thank you for understanding. Roger: Sure. It's no sweat. Sara: I have to laugh at you, Roger. I get what you are saying...double entendre and all. You can't sweat. That was a good one. (smiles) Roger: Ok, so let's move on. You had a rough day? Sara: Yes. Roger: How did it start? Sara: Lance made me eggs, juice and toast. You remember that, right? I noticed we had run out of salt, and Lance said, "Oh, I'll refill the salt shaker over the sink." Roger: It's nice that you remember the things some people might not notice. Sara: Lance makes it easier and easier to notice how kind he is. Roger: Yea, I like how he makes us laugh. He's dead on with his sly wit. Sara: Word. So true. Roger: Well, what else about today? Sara: You know. Roger: Do you want to talk about it, here, in this box that people can read from? Sara: Since we're already sharing ourselves for anyone to read, I'd don't mind. Roger: Talk about the shot. Sara: It hurt. Roger: (in a sympathetic tone) I know it hurt. It hurt a lot. I like how you tried to think of green grass, of anything but the pain. Sara: It's weird to get a shot in your hand. Roger: It's good you don't have to use your thumb when you type. Sara: Yea, but it sucks that it's the thumb I play guitar with. Roger: Does that scare you? Sara: Yes. Roger: How does your hand feel now? Sara: It hurts. It's numb. Roger: Have faith. You'll be able to play guitar by Thursday. Be brave. I'll help make your thumb come back to life. Sara: I believe you. You can be pretty wise, you know? Although, sometimes you can be a headache. I wish you'd warned me about this ahead of time. I wish you could have said, "Your hand is overworked. You need to rest your hand." Roger: I made it start hurting five days ago. Remember? Lili even said it might be a spider bite, that it could be serious. Sara: I remember. And I remember the look in her eye. Her concern. She seems so grown up now. Roger: Well, it's good that you went to the doctor today, you got the shot, your hand is inflamed, tired. But it will come back to life. Lance was there. He knows. He can remind us if we forget. Sara: That's the best. That he was there with me. I can ask him for help...and he always stands tall. He's my John Wayne. Roger: Hmm...I would have thought we would compare him more to Colin Firth, as we have in the past. Sara: Yes, forgot. He is more like Colin Firth. Forget the John Wayne comment, although I guess John Wayne was an ok guy. Upstanding and all. I never watched his movies. So, I can't really say. But I see a lot of bumperstickers on cars that seem to like him a lot. Roger: Are you tired? Sara: Yes, I'm going to go to bed. Roger: Yes, I'm right with you on that. Are you glad you can sleep now...after so many years, half your life, being an insomniac? Sara: What do you think? Roger: I think I know that I think much clearer thanks to the rest. Thank you for getting help for that, too. Sara: Again, credit to Lance for helping to find the right doctor. Roger: True. Sara: Hmm. Anything else? Roger: What's it like when you fly? Sara: Fine. Roger: Do you get scared? Sara: Not really. I used to, like if the plane would drop, suddenly, forty or fifty feet or whatever, I'd grab a hold of the person's hand next to me. But now...Now I just...well, it's all good. I have faith in the pilots, and I feel ok about it all. No matter what happens. I can't control the plane, the weather. Roger: Do you get scared, alone, driving out on the road? Sara: I didn't think about it until, I dunno, I think last year. It came to me that I've been all over the country, parts of the world, traveling alone. I could disappear and no one would know. But...It's not what I think about. I think about the adventure of it all, the cool people I meet, how my show will go. I think about calling home, or sending a postcard. I get excited about diners, and meeting waitresses and eating home cooked meals. I mean...it's what it has been. I have some scary moments, but...I made it through. I'm here. Roger: Any regrets? Sara: Sure. Roger: Like what? Sara: Well...like the fact that I can only utilize 8 or 9% of you when I wish I could experience, say, 20%. That would be cool. But I guess that's not a regret. That's a curiousity I have. So...regrets. More about upsetting people, boyfriends that didn't work out. Being mean, or unkind. Forgetting to follow up on something. Not having a better relationship with loved ones who've died. Roger: You've had a lot of people die. Sara: Yes. But...I suppose everyone has. We all lose people we love. You can't escape it. Still, I can imagine the last goodbyes I didn't get to say. Roger: Is that why you say "I love you" so much, even to strangers? Sara: Yea...you never know. Make it good while you can. Roger: How was your walk with Jen this morning? Sara: Jen's consistent. She's warm sunshine. I like her face. It's beautiful and kind. Her eyes are so blue. Blue marbles. It's nice when we have time to spend together. Roger: Uh-huh. Sara: I try to be a good friend, mother, wife. Roger: I know. Sara: I try to think, well, YOU try to think, but sometimes...it's hard. The brain is doing one think and the heart is doing another think, sometimes I can mesh them in the middle. There's so many options. I'm really trying to figure out which option to take. Roger: Read any good books lately? Sara: Yes, I read books Lili suggests. They are always interesting. The latest one I read was called, "The Enemy". It was scary. I liked when she told me about "The Hunger Games". Those were amazing. Roger: Do you think anyone has read this far? Sara: I have no idea. Hardly anyone comments in here, but it's nice having these conversations with you. Roger: It's better since I stopped yelling at you. (Winks internally, but Sara sees it. I know because I'm Roger and I wrote this. See?) Sara: There you go. Roger: Ok, next question. What's been hard this year? Sara: Getting sick in the spring. Roger: I got sick with you. But we got well together, too. Sara: Yes. I didn't want to talk with anyone about it. I didn't. Lance and the doctors and the family. Only they knew. Roger: But, then, today...we found out a lot of people knew. Sara: Yes. Roger: How did that feel? Can we talk about that? Sara: Well. I guess.....I guess it surprised me. I guess I'd thought only a few people knew. I didn't tell many people. Some of my best friends, friends I cherish, friends I've had all my life, I didn't tell them. Roger: That was hard. You like to share, you're so transparent. Sara: I know. I didn't want to make it hard on my kids anymore than it was. Roger: But now you know. Sara: Yes. And...I think...well, I feel... I think and I feel that it's probably ok to talk about now. Roger: Well, you haven't really talked about it other than saying you were sick in the spring. Sara: That's talking about it. Roger: True. Let's stop there. I'm glad we're well. Let's keep working, keep living, keep laughing and being grateful. Sara: Ok, as long as you're with me, who can be against me? (smiles) Roger: Do you like your managers? Sara: Oh, yes. I geniunely think that they are smart. And I think they get me. I don't know. It's weird, it's hard to believe that they took me on. But...it feels like a validation. I feel validated in this funky industry after feeling like... Roger: Like what? Sara: Like...I dunno...like I have been trying to do the right thing for so long, rolling a log up a hill, having it roll backwards, but getting back up and trying over and over. Now...I feel like...There's people who want to push me up that hill. Walk up with me. Help get the log out of the way. It's new, it's been a long time. Roger: Gene has been there for you. Mike C. has been there. Marty, Lance, your mom... Sara: True, and Charlie, too. He has been supportive: first as a fan, then my A & R guy at Shanachie, then my friend, now my friend and my booking agent. That's been 15 years. That is so weird. Roger: What's wierd? Sara: All of this. All of this. Making music, recording it, playing live...then the entire process repeats itself. Over and over. I always think I'm going some place... not a physical space, mind you...but... Like...I'm going to reach this place of complete confidence, I'm going to write a really important song. Roger: You have, you do, you are. Sara: Yes, that's what you keep telling me. Roger: So, see, I've been with you longer than anyone, like I said in the beginning of the interview. Sara: Roger? Roger: Yes? Sara: I want you to know how much I appreciate you being my brain. I'm a goofball, I say smart things, I say dopey things, I laugh so hard I cry.... I cry because sometimes I just get choked up on life, how powerful and big it all is. But...you've stuck with me. I want to tell you I love you, even though I know you knew this before you helped me type it. I just think it's good to say, "Good job, Roger. Thank you. I love you." Roger: Coming from you, and, frankly, me, it's means a lot for us to talk to me that way. I thank you. I thank me. Sara: That is so cool how you do that. Roger: I know. I'm the Harrison Ford of brains. Sara: I think I'm an Ewok. Roger: You're hilarious! Quite true, actually. Sara: Let me ask you some questions. Roger: Ok. Sara: I think we should write a book. How do YOU feel about that? Roger: I think it sounds delightful, and exciting....and like it would take a lot of time and effort. Sara: I think we could do it. Roger: Ok, I'll sleep on it. Sara: Next question. Where do you come from? Roger: I can't tell you. Sara: Why not? Roger: Because then you'd know. Sara: What? What would I know? Roger: You know. Sara: Uh...no I don't. If I knew, I wouldn't be asking because I'd know. Roger: Well, it's not going to happen. It's too hard to explain. I personally can't handle how big it is...so, you'll just have to wait. Either you'll get it, or, when you transition into the great beyond, you'll find out then. Sara: It won't be dark there? Roger: Nope. Sara: Have you been "there"? Roger: Yep. Sara: Then...how did you get "here"? Inside my head. Roger: I came with instructions. Sara: Hmm. I have to let you think about that one for me. Another double entendre from you. I'm too tired to sort this one out. Roger: Anything else? Sara: Not really. I mean...there is more to talk about. But...we have time. Right? Roger: Lots of time. Sara: Will you help me write more songs? Roger: Yes. Sara: Will you slow me down if I get too caught up in things? Roger: Yes. Sara: You're a very kind brain, Roger. Roger: I think we already covered this area. Sara: Am I narcissitic to talk to you like this? Does this seem right to you? Roger: I think more people should take time to know their brains. We're not just sitting up here, like a fan in an attic, whirring away. We're working hard so you don't have to! Ha ha ha! How was that one? Sara: Pretty good. I like those scrubbing bubbles. My dad knew the guy who came up with the concept. He came to our house in the seventies and gave me A WATCH with scrubbing bubbles on the inside. Man. That was so cool. I wish I still had that watch. And my Pee Wee Herman watch...Coolest watch EVER. Roger: You give stuff away, what do you expect? Sara: I don't like having stuff. You know. Seems like there is more and more stuff in the world. I have noticed that right across from "outlet malls" there are storage units. Ever notice that? Doesn't that seem ridiculous? People are buying cheap crap and then driving across the way and putting it all in storage. And outlet malls are really stores now. And sales are going on all the time, there's nothing special about a sale anymore. I miss gumball machines that were only a penny. Someday, well, that's the kinda stuff that would be nice to have in our home. And a photo booth. And my Pee Wee Herman watch. Roger: How about silk sheets? Sara: No. Those are so weird. Even if I shave my legs, it still feels like I'm going to rip them to shreds...the sheets, I mean. Not my legs. Plus, those sheets are so slippery. I actually fell out of a bed one time. Slipped right out. Woke up on the floor! Roger: I remember that. Boy. Bump! That was nutty. I'm gonna have to agree with you about silk sheets. Sara: Roger, let's stop. Roger: Ok. Sara: Goodnight. Thanks for the interview. Roger: Happy to be here with you. Goodnight. 2011-10-04T02:14:48+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/roger_saras_brain_back_in_action_right_here1/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/roger_saras_brain_back_in_action_right_here1/#When:18:29:52Z Roger: Ok, so, tell us about today? Sara: Alright, I will! There's a show at Waterloo to celebrate "The Best of Times", and Patrice Pike and Elizabeth Wills will be singing live. I'm hoping we'll sell a bunch of cds to help Theatre Action Project. Roger: Hmm. Sounds good. Will I be able to get in? Sara: Uh...yes..Roger, why are you asking that question? Roger: Well, you never know. There might just be too many brains for one room to hold. Sara: Roger, you know as well as I do that there will be brains in every head there, and since I'm going, YOU'LL be going. Don't be a weenie. Roger: Say! No need for name calling. Sara: You knew I was going to call you that thought. You put the thought in my head. Roger: Oh, sure. Always putting the blame on me. You're the one that shouldn't be thinking these things, not me. Sara: What? Roger: You heard me. And I didn't say a thing. Isn't that neat how it works? Sara: Roger.... Roger: (sighs) Yes? Sara: Cut it out! Do not roll your neurons at me! I mean, I appreciate that you can do that, but it puts this incredible pressure behind my eyes. Roger: I see. Sara: I know. And, once again, you are being a smarty pants. Roger: I love how you let me have free reign to get you to call me names. Sara: Ok, ok. Can we switch subjects now? Roger: Check. What would you like me to stick in your head that we can talk about...oh wait. There. What do you think about that subject? Sara: Yes, I would like to go to there. Nice idea! Roger: You might want to share with everyone else what image I just popped into myself. Sara: Right...sorry! (Looking at you through your screen, although you can't see Sara doing this)...Roger just sent me an image of Hawaii. It was very soothing. Roger: You should allow me to soothe you more often. Sara: Well, you certainly put me to sleep! (Sara laughs out loud here.) Roger: I don't know why you feel the need to resort to "sleep" jokes. So old. You need to come up with something fresh, something genius. I'M the one falling asleep in here! Sara: Well, you know I've always wanted to learn Russian... Roger: You are too slow to learn such a complicated language. Sara: I have cds that explain it, break it down, make it easy to learn. Roger: Look. If I wanted you to learn Russian, I would have let you years ago. Try again. Sara: Hmm. Well...I didn't do well at the trapeze Groupon I used. That was pretty terrifying, remember? Roger: Are you insinuating I have dementia? How could I forget being turned upside down, this way and that? It was nauseating! Please, never try that again. Sara: Horseback riding! I love that! Let's go horseback riding! Roger: It jiggles me. Sara: No it doesn't! You helped me ride that last horse like a pro! And that was a VERY big horse! Roger: I guess we could go horseback riding. Sara: Where is this conversation going? Roger: Streaming. Shh. I'm processing. Sara: How can you be processing and I can't know about it? Roger: I've put up my force shield. Sara: You have a force shield and I didn't know about it?! Roger: You know when you start to daydream, or fall asleep in the middle of a college course or think you're being funny but no one's laughing? Sara: Yea... Roger: That's my force shield. It prevents you from being as smart as me. Sara: That's impossible. I'm really...I'm pretty funny, with or without you. Roger: That's what YOU think. Trust me, what I think is much more accurate. Plus, you're not thinking at all when my shield is up; you're just a blathering idiot. Sara: Let me get this straight. You've told me I can't call you names, and, yet, here you are calling me a blathering idiot! Roger: Well, you do tend to go on ad nauseum. Sara: No, YOU tend to go on ad nauseum. And then I stop you. Get that? I stop YOU, not the other way around. I can't believe you would think... Roger: Do you see how long it took you to describe what I already did? Sara: I think we're done here. Roger: Certainly. I put that thought in your head. Once again, I am WAAAAY ahead of you. Sara: (head on desk, sleeping.) Roger: See how that works? Ah, the force shield. Such a good trick! STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH ROGER AND SARA (brought to you by Roger.) 2011-09-29T18:29:52+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/the_first_mother...happy_mothers_day/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/the_first_mother...happy_mothers_day/#When:15:40:36Z From Julia Bettencourt copyright ©2011 "And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living." Genesis 3:20 There are people all over the world, past and present, who have wanted to be the first at something. First to reach a high mountain top, first man in space, first person to do this and that. There are many "firsts" but one first I don't think I would want to have been was to be the first mother. I'm glad Eve took that role on for all of us women. I was thinking about Mother's Day coming up and somehow my thoughts ran to Eve and how things must have been like for her becoming a mother. Of course Eve was the first to sin and other firsts but being the first mother must have made it an interesting life for Eve. Because of Eve's sin, we all know there is pain in childbirth but she still was the very first to go through it and how that must have been for her. She didn't have Lamaze classes she could attend. She didn't have any pregnancy books or even a doctor. No yearly check ups for her! And just think, no epidurals. Eve didn't have anyone with her when Cain was born, telling her that, "Eve, women have been doing this for thousands of years. It will be alright". No, she didn't have any of that. No birthing coach. There wasn't even another woman around that could be her midwife. No nurse at a hospital to wait on her and bring her first baby boy when he wanted fed. No one to take care of her, other than Adam, and he was the "first" husband, newly made and new to the whole thing of life and new to being a husband and father. I wonder how he did? Eve didn't have any books to read on rearing kids. No famous child psychologist to fill her ears with all sorts of theories on child-rearing. No friends she could share with and discuss her c hildren with. No other mothers to talk to while her boys played at the neighborhood park. No online support groups. She had to figure it all out on her own and do it all on her own. Poor Eve. She didn't even have a Babies "R" Us to shop at. She never even had a babysitter so she could get away with Adam for a date night when her first little ones were born. Eve didn't have a mom she could call up and ask advice from. Not even a mother-in-law, although I'm sure some of you may think that would be a good thing. The Bible mentions Eve's sons, Cain, Abel, and Seth. The Bible also says (Genesis 5:4) that Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters as well. We don't know how many and we don't know to what age Eve lived but we do know (Genesis 5:5) that Adam lived until he was 930 years old. I'm sure among all this, Eve must have enjoyed her children like all mothers do. I'm confident that Eve had wonderful moments with her first three boys and with her other children when they were babies, toddlers, and small children growing up as we all do with our children. I'm sure Eve had some beautiful memories throughout her life. Of course, Eve saw heartache resulting from her children. To have the first murder happen within your family and have it to be one of your sons killing the other, must have weighed heavily on Eve. I do not envy her the task of having to be the first mother to bury one of her children. How could some of us have handled being in Eve's situation? There really isn't too many details written about Eve in the Bible but I still think by reflecting on her life, we can be inspired to ask ourselves a few questions. How do you handle being tempted? Like Eve, we are all human and subject to being tempted to sin. We don't have a beautiful garden with some fruit hanging from a tree to stay away from, but that tempting fruit is hanging all around us just calling out to us to look, desire, pick of it, and taste. We have to be so careful not to be caught up in it. Are you good at handling temptation? How do you handle being a wife? Eve was Adam's helpmate. And God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help mate for him." Genesis 2:18 We don't know exactly what kind of a wife she was, but we do know that if we are married, being the kind of wife we need to be takes a little work. If you are married, are you where you want to be in your role as a wife? Are you a helpmate to your husband/partner? (Note: my addition of partner) How do you handle being a mother? Eve, our first mother, had to go through all the stages of motherhood that we all do. We just aren't given any details of how she interacted with her children or what type of mother she was. If you are a mother, what kind of mother are you? I doubt if any of us are the "perfect" mother but are you happy at the place you are at being a mother? Do you like the way you interact with your kids? Do you have a handle on discipline? There's so many areas that revolve around being a mother that it usually is a process to be the mother we'd like to become. How are you doing in your motherly role? How do you handle heartbreak? Eve was the first to have to handle a mother's heartbreak from her children. Knowing one son lashed out in anger against the other in such a way had to be tough. Heartbreak from your children can be such a blow to any mother. I know several mothers, good Christian women, who have raised their children in the ways of the Lord, but yet those children are grown now and have done things, gotten far from Christ, and living in a way that breaks those mother's hearts. It can bring such grief to a mother. You may not even be a mother but you may be hurting. Unstable relationships and circumstances may be weighing you down with some tremendous pressure. Are you trusting in God to get you through? How do you handle sorrow?. What pain and sorrow Eve must have felt when her son, Abel, died at the hands of his brother, Cain. I guess Adam and Eve were the first to shed tears over a lost loved one as well as being among all the other firsts. When sorrow enters your life, it can be overwhelming. Do you rest in God to console you? Conclusion: Although Eve's life seems so far away from us and long ago, she still was a woman and went through all the things we do. Emotions, feelings, childbirth, motherhood, child-rearing, and even was a grandmother, and probably lived to see great-great-great-great (and so on) grandchildren if she lived nearly as long as Adam. She went through all those things associated with being a woman. Eve was the first woman and mother to go through it all. I think we don't need to worry about concentrating on any "firsts" ourselves, but we should concentrate on Who we keep first in our lives. When we keep Christ first, it's then we begin to handle our lives like they should be handled. It's then we can be the wife, mother, and woman that God would have us be. It's then that we are better able to deal with any temptations that come our way. It's then that we rest in God and rely on Him for comfort and consolation. Putting Christ first will help us as we work on being the kind of woman God wants us to be. 2011-05-08T15:40:36+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/you_are_not_alone/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/you_are_not_alone/#When:16:25:27Z You Are Not Alone words/music by Sara Hickman 4/12/2011 12:32 pm Inspired by someone scratching the words "I know what it means" on the back of a bathroom door in Boston; it just touched me that that was all they had written...and there has been so much heartache within my home, my friend's lives, and around the world...I wanted to take those words and turn them into something beautiful and, hopefully, inspiring. I know what it means To feel sad And I know what it means To feel lonely I know what it means To feel like you're the only one Who knows what it means to know And I can see, I can see what's happened And I can see what's coming down the road I can see what I simply don't believe Because I believe you're Carrying a heavy load But you are not alone Standing in this crowd You are not alone When you need to cry out loud In a world that feels like a broken home More than anything I could want you to know I know: You are not alone And I can hear all the breaking hearts I can hear where the hissing lies like to live I can hear the denial of that sweet, sweet kiss And the moment when it feels Like you can't rise above any of this But you are not alone Standing in this crowd You are not alone When you need to cry out loud In a world that feels like you don't exist There's one thing I know and I promise you this I know: You are not alone I remember when my sister used to talk to me I remember when my brother cut my hand I remember when I thought I'd reach my dreams When I finally gave up I finally came to understand That I am not alone Standing in this crowd I am not alone When I need to cry out loud In a world that seems like a broken home More than anything I need to know That I I am not alone 2011-04-12T16:25:27+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/takamine_guitars_elixir_strings_simply_rock/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/takamine_guitars_elixir_strings_simply_rock/#When:17:37:01Z I have to give another shout out to TAKAMINE and ELIXIR strings. Both of them have continued to be incredible supporters of my projects, both musically and community oriented. If you ever have a moment, send them a thank you and let them know their care makes a difference! I wholeheartedly celebrate Takamine and Elixir and love their guitars and strings. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Love and a heart full of gratitude, Sara TAKAMINE ADDRESS: David Vincent c/o Takamine 900 19th Ave S., Suite 301 Nashville TN 37064 ELIXIR ADDRESS: Mike Mahoney/Michael Lille 201 Airport Rd. Elkton MD 21921 2011-02-04T17:37:01+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/an_unbelievable_story/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/an_unbelievable_story/#When:22:45:05Z Hey Sara! This story is from my cousin, Leslie, and she told it to me right after I forwarded your "Palin by Comparison" video to her (which she really enjoyed.) She said, "Is that Sara Hickman the folksinger?" And I explained you were much more than that. Now get a load of this . . .Leslie wrote: "Well, you're going to like this one! A number of years ago when I was still in RI, Brandon went off to do a few things and came back with this tale. He stopped for gas and was approached by a breathless, frazzled young woman. She told him she was playing at the Newport Folk Festival that day and had no idea where she was or how to get there. There were in a kind of odd place in relation to Newport (hard place to give good directions from) so he told her to follow him and he would take her to the best highway on-ramp and from there it would be a cinch. With this, she flung her arms around him with gratitude and told him she wanted to give him SOMETHING for helping him which he assured her was unnecessary, and presented him with a copy of her Spiritual Appliances CD. When he was telling me the story upon his return home, I noticed he had glitter on his face which he said must've come from her -- no other explanation. I still have the CD which looks like it was made in 2000... Is this one for the "Six Degrees of Separation" file? Leslie" 2011-01-05T22:45:05+00:00 http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/top_ten_things_about_how_to_become_a_rock_star---when_speaking_in_an_e/ http://www.genecowan.com/blog/index.php/zenlala/permalink/top_ten_things_about_how_to_become_a_rock_star---when_speaking_in_an_e/#When:14:20:06Z TO BE A ROCKSTAR 1) Stay in school. All the way. School gives you the ability to think, reason, write, gain creative skills, be around other like minded artists (musicians, theatre, poets, dancers, etc), and go through to college. Get a degree in what you love. Most of all, gain the confidence that school/mentors/teachers/fellow classmates can share with you because the #1 one thing you need in the music industry is confidence. 2) Be creative/dress creative/take creative writing lessons/write music/take lessons and learn an instrument or take vocal lessons, if you want to be a singer. Take every class geared towards your future that you can: choir, drama, debate, history of music, etc. Learn what you like, don't like, and be yourself. School helps you discover who you are and gets you ready for the real world. 3) Get in bands early on/play music for parties, weddings, hospitals, bar mitzvahs, whatever you can while you are in elementary school. Next time your parents have a dinner party, ask them to hire your band (or you, if you can perform solo) to play for a while. Think of the world as your stage---where you can perform on it!? My first band, I was 10 years old---4 girls, we all played guitar. But I was already playing for adult events, and had my first paying gig when I was 14 for the Houston Oilers, a football team way back when, and I was paid $450 to walk around and sing songs that were hits on the radio, and I even threw in a few I had written...My mom waited out in the car, and when I was done, I thought I had the BEST JOB IN THE WORLD! Doing what I loved, getting paid, and, of course, my mom for a chauffeur! 4) Listen to all kinds of music---funk, classical, opera, country, jazz, reggae, pop, R & B, a capella, folk, orchestral, polka, new age, Celtic, cajunto, slack-key Hawaiian guitar---try them all out because you can learn something from EVERY style. What are the musicians singing about? What instruments are they playing? What takes the lead? How does the song break down? Try to write a song in that style. Listen to what emotions the producer was trying to create when she/he put the song together. What was important for the songwriter to say? How does the music support that? 5) Learn about different aspects of the music business---maybe you don't want to be a rock star, but want to be in the entertainment business, somehow. Well, there are jobs in: Entertainment Law, Publicity, Promotions (radio/media), Engineering (live or studio), Producing, Film/TV song placement, Performing, Speaking, Recording Studios (owner/manager/designer---someone has to be a specialist in how to create a room where music is recorded, and that's a specialized field!), Video Production, Publishing, Radio (DJ, Program director, Music Director), Enterainment Journalism (print media/online/tv/radio), Music Critic (print/online/tv/radio), Music Therapist, Booking Agent, Manager, Business Manager, Entertainment Tax Accountant/Tax Lawyer, Personal Assistant, Intern (you work for free, but you gain a lot of experience and networking insights---say, at the Recording Academy or the Texas Music Office or in a studio), Copyright office (at the Library of Congress), Web design and runnng online e-blasts for musicians, Graphic design (for packaging), Distribution, Duplication (making copies of cds to sell), Label owner (signing bands and putting them out on your label), Singing/Writing for Commercials, Creative Consultant (professional networker), Composer... These are just some of the areas associated with the music industry. There are a lot more. Some of them make TONS of money, some of them make very little. But, if you love what you do, the money will come. That's just how it works. It's important to understand what all these different jobs do because you will, at some point, be dealing with these different areas, and you need to understand who does what and why so you can be prepared. 6) Practice, practice, write, practice, record everything you write, keep it all for when you are older, or when you are looking for ideas, or just so you can use it to teach your band, or play for your class, or share with your family (or your very own kids, someday!) 7) Make connections. Send thank you notes. Follow up. Be on time for meetings. Network like crazy. Keep a huge database of people who are in the business who can help you, who you like to work with. Keep a wish list of people you'd like to meet. Read about them. If they are people who have already passed away, study them, anyway (like Jimi Hendrix or Eva Cassidy or Ma Rainey). If they are people still living, and you'd like to meet them, write them a letter. You never know. Most people won't accept unsolicited material, but you can't know if you don't try. When I was a kid, I sent Carly Simon a cassette of my songs and a big letter on how she was one of my heroes. 3 months letter, it came back, unopened, stamped with, "UNSOLICITED MATERIAL UNACCEPTED". However, then I started writing George Burns, and he DID write back, and then 14 years later, I actually got to MEET HIM. Believe in yourself. Never, never, never give up. Ask for help when you don't understand something---whether your music teacher, your parents, friends, older musicians you know. Questions are like doors---you can't know what's on the other side unless you open them! 8) Understand entertainment law. Don’t sign any contract unless you understand it and you've reviewed it with your lawyer. Have your OWN lawyer and make it someone who you respect and who LIKES WHAT YOU ARE DOING and believes in you. I have had the same lawyer for 16 years, and I really, really trust him. Your music can be owned in perpetuity (which means FOREVER) by other people (labels, publishers, even managers). You might be given an "Advance." An "advance" is money given to you for anything: buying your Master (if you've already created a cd of songs) to money for your publishing (a company taking your songs to put in their catalogue to allegedly "place" them in tv/film or with other artists to record), to money to help create a cd you haven't made yet (and then there is more money to pay for creation of the cd, the engineer, other musicians, duplication, artwork, promotions, etc). THE MONEY A LABEL OR PUBLISHER OFFERS YOU CAN BE EXCITING! BUT PAY ATTENTION! UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ARE GETTING THE MONEY, WHAT YOU MAY LOSE, AND CREATIVE WAYS OF GETTING MONEY and STILL OWNING YOUR MATERIAL (like licensing that cd you already made so you still own the master). There are sync and master licenses, where people license ("borrow") your songs for film/tv/commercials. If YOU own your master of the songs, YOU will get the money. If someone ELSE owns the master of your songs, THEY get the money until you RECOUP (repay) them on any advance they have given you, including money they put into making the cd, touring costs, and, sometimes, promotions costs. And, even then, once you have repaid any money given to you in advance, you will still have a split, depending on the artist...it can be 75/25% (you get 75%) or as nutty as 50/50 split. I've heard of even WORSE. Copyright all of your songs through the Library of Congress. Most likely, no one will ever steal your song, but better to be safe than sorry 9) As you can, get a lot of press/buzz/perform and, eventually, you will tour on the records you make. In the meantime, you can make youtube videos/have a website and eblast your friends and families about your music, where you are playing locally. 10) Share what you create with others because you are the only one who can do what you do. You'll be making music because of the sheer fact it is something you LOVE to do. Remember: believe in yourself, even if no one else does. And, no matter what, have fun! For all the ins and outs of this amazing, crazy business, there are a ton of good people who WILL cheer you on, who WILL want to help you, who DO believe in you. THE WAYS I MAKE A LIVING BEING A MUSICIAN: 1) I make cds and sell the music in several ways: in physical form (cds) or as downloads. I prefer people to buy my music from me live or on my website, as well as download my music from my website because I receive more money than when people buy my music from iTunes or via Amazon. 2) I license my music for use in film, tv, on other recordings (compilaton cds or another artist covers one of my songs) and commercials. For example, my music has been used on American Idol, on a Martha Stewart children's cd compilation, on David Letterman (Paul's band played one of my songs!), in films, and I've written and sung on commercials like Popeye's, WalMart, Southwest Airlines, Coca-Cola, Fannie Mae, Daisy Sour Cream, etc. 3) I perform live at house concerts, theatres, clubs, festivals, private events.... 4) I do speaking engagements, where I talk on whatever subject the group hiring me would like, usually something pertain to my knowledge---from talking about creativity to how to balance motherhood/career to women of the bible to songwriting. It's very fun and I write my talk just for that group. I also get hired to teach classes, like at Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas or Swannanoa Gathering in N.C. 5) I produce other artists, but I don't do this often because there isn't a lot of music in Austin for producers unless they have their own studio and also know how to engineer, as well. I only know how to produce. 6) I help as an art director with my husband and three other friends in our design group, Stingray, where we make cd packaging/graphics. I hope all this information helps you know a little bit more about the vast complexities of the music industry! Love, Sara 2010-11-22T14:20:06+00:00