tag:wendylanders.com,2005:/blogs/wordpress-feedBlog2023-01-05T20:55:27-07:00Copyright 2017 by Wendy Landers. All Rights Reserved. www.wendylanders.comLocal interviews --- Very Short StoriesLocal Interviews & Flash FictionWendy LandersfalseWendy Landerswendylanders@wendylanders.comtag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/71335892023-01-05T20:55:27-07:002023-10-16T07:50:54-07:00Vous lisez ceci depuis l'Ile-de-France ?<p>Vous lisez ceci depuis l'Ile-de-France ? N'hésitez plus et inscrivez-vous à ma newsletter ! :) Si vous avez besoin d'une partie de mon anglais clarifié, vous pouvez réplique à mes newsletters si vous le souhaitez. Je suis dans l'attente de votre réponse. Il y a beaucoup de visiteurs sur mon site web d'Ile-de-France, et ce serait bien de rester en contact.</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/71217552022-12-12T14:23:07-07:002022-12-12T14:23:07-07:00Does anyone know a philanthropist with grant money to disperse?<p>If anyone knows of a philanthropist with grant money to disperse, send them my way. Tips don't cover health insurance. Best! :)</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/71181892022-12-05T18:31:22-07:002022-12-05T18:31:22-07:00I put most of my info in my newsletter.<p>I've been putting so much info in my newsletters that I've been forgetting I even have a blog! :)</p>
<p><a contents="Remember to sign up for my newsletter." data-link-label="Contact" data-link-type="page" href="/contact" target="_blank">Remember to sign up for my newsletter.</a></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/69670772022-05-09T12:32:09-07:002022-05-09T12:32:09-07:00Fun in the garden this morning!<p>I added some cute photos from my garden this morning to my website. My mother is nagging me to write a "how to" book about gardening in the desert.</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/69522602022-04-19T19:19:26-07:002022-04-19T19:20:07-07:00Lake Powell or Lake Puddle?<p>Instead of calling it Lake Powell, they should start calling it Lake Puddle:</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.12news.com/article/news/regional/scorched-earth/arizona-water-crisis-cutoff-drinking-water-supply-lake-powell-page/75-c2f25f52-bbdc-4adb-a427-3412ab90d84f" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.12news.com/article/news/regional/scorched-earth/arizona-water-crisis-cutoff-drinking-water-supply-lake-powell-page/75-c2f25f52-bbdc-4adb-a427-3412ab90d84f" target="_blank">https://www.12news.com/article/news/regional/scorched-earth/arizona-water-crisis-cutoff-drinking-water-supply-lake-powell-page/75-c2f25f52-bbdc-4adb-a427-3412ab90d84f</a></p>
<p>I'm sure someone I went to high school with thought of this joke first, but it just now occurred to me...</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/69435612022-04-07T22:12:03-07:002022-04-07T22:12:03-07:00Lawrence O'Donnell Meltdown<p>Guilty pleasure: I still love this clip. :)</p>
<p><a contents="Lawrence O'Donnell Meltdown" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/TXQs57W2EZw" target="_blank">Lawrence O'Donnell Meltdown</a></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/69370352022-03-31T10:35:10-07:002022-03-31T10:35:10-07:00Thank you, Bono!<p>Bono's been doing a great job! :)</p>
<p><a contents="U2's Bono thanks Capitol Police in visit to push for COVID funding" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/u2s-bono-visits-capitol-urging-covid-funding-global/story?id=83784724" target="_blank">U2's Bono thanks Capitol Police in visit to push for COVID funding</a></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/69275452022-03-20T16:29:29-07:002022-03-20T16:29:29-07:00I found a m-audio midi interface in the bottom of my closet.<p>While I was looking for a battery pack for our weed eater that I have somehow misplaced--also missing is our handheld steamcleaner--I found a m-audio midisport 2x4. Weird! I found it at the bottom of the closet with cables in a plastic grocery bag from a store in town that closed around the time of the Great Recession. It was buried underneath mementoes from elementary school. Why? How?</p>
<p>It has to have been there 20 years --around 9/11--given that it uses an OS 9 driver. The problem with that? I started using a piano keyboard that could output midi around 2007--not that I could use midi then, but the keyboard was capable. I didn't start learning to use a DAW until around 2011. So this midi interface pre-dates me being able to use it about 10 years. </p>
<p>If a musician friend left it at our house, you know who you are, and forgot to pick it up later, let me know. :) wendylanders@wendylanders.com</p>
<p>The sad thing is that the last time I spoke with said musician friend was also over a decade ago. Neither one of us mentioned it at the time.</p>
<p>I can't have borrowed it and forgotten to give it back since none of our neighbors had or have home studios. </p>
<p>I don't think I should throw it out, even though it can't be used anymore. I think I'll make a video of it and put it on YouTube.</p>
<p>Weird! :)</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/69234382022-03-15T22:37:44-07:002022-03-15T22:39:48-07:00Finding awesome videos while doing research for my upcoming romantic comedy.<p>I'm writing a romantic comedy, so I get to do online "research."</p>
<p><a contents="Enjoy this one." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/_1U49-kEJVQ" target="_blank">Enjoy this one.</a> It's awesome! :)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="_1U49-kEJVQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/_1U49-kEJVQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_1U49-kEJVQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/69234352022-03-15T22:20:28-07:002022-03-15T22:20:28-07:00Shut Up and Dance with Me!<p>I can't believe that <a contents="Shut Up and Dance with Me" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/tjuQWFBlwL0" target="_blank">Shut Up and Dance with Me</a> is a wedding song! Yikes!</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="tjuQWFBlwL0" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/tjuQWFBlwL0/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tjuQWFBlwL0?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/68806512022-01-26T21:52:10-07:002022-01-26T21:52:10-07:00Live at TumbeBeans Nov 2021<p>My audio recording of me playing modal jazz improv on keyboard at TumbleBeans in Nov of 2021.</p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>
<p><a contents="Live at TumbleBeans Nov 2021" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/aWHmMxj_0yY" target="_blank">Live at TumbleBeans Nov 2021</a></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/68355992021-12-09T18:17:33-07:002021-12-09T18:17:33-07:00Please do not fall for any scams.<p>My mother is going to the police tomorrow to let them know that someone is pretending to be her on Instagram. Please do not fall for any scams. My mother does not have an Instagram account. Big thanks to all her friends who let her know this was going on.</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/68006312021-11-06T16:04:49-07:002021-11-06T16:06:55-07:00Belfast<p>Thank you, Kenneth Branagh, for making<a contents=" this movie! " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/Ja3PPOnJQ2k" target="_blank"> this movie! </a> </p>
<p>Or, click the blog post title to go to the trailer.</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Ja3PPOnJQ2k" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Ja3PPOnJQ2k/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ja3PPOnJQ2k?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/67983532021-11-04T09:18:48-07:002021-11-04T09:27:26-07:00Sing 2 is coming out soon! Yea! :)<p>Link to the U2 song, <a contents='"Your Song Saved My Life."' data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/hX1JolftnxE">"Your Song Saved My Life."</a></p>
<p>Or click the blog post title to go to the video.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="hX1JolftnxE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/hX1JolftnxE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hX1JolftnxE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/67912602021-10-29T21:16:41-07:002021-10-29T21:16:41-07:00Save the Date--upcoming events<p>If you're in Glendale, AZ, on Sat., Jan. 29th, stop by and see me at the Arizona Songwriter's Association's annual gathering at the Glendale Public Library. I'll sing a couple of the songs I've written. </p>
<p>And if you're in Tucson, drop by the Tucson Festival of Books on the U of A mall on Saturday, March 12, 10 to noon. I'll be in the Indie Author Pavilion. It's always fun. </p>
<p>Hope to see you then!</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/67912422021-10-29T20:07:17-07:002021-10-29T20:08:06-07:00Jazz Improv Saturday Night<p>I will be playing jazz improv on the keyboard tomorrow night (Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021) at TumbleBeans from six to eight pm. </p>
<p>Drop by if you're in the neighborhood.</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.tumblebeans.co" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.tumblebeans.co" target="_blank">https://www.tumblebeans.co</a></p>
<p> </p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/67667952021-10-05T10:13:28-07:002021-10-05T10:13:28-07:00If this were an episode of Friends, it would be called "The One with All the Naked Men."<p>If this were an episode of Friends, it would be called "The One with All the Naked Men."</p>
<p>Seriously.</p>
<p><a contents="The Public by Emilio Estevez.&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07SZ38CK6/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r" target="_blank">The Public by Emilio Estevez. </a></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/67393212021-09-07T20:54:35-07:002021-09-08T17:30:41-07:00The Way with Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen<p>I am so glad that someone who reads my newsletter recommended watching The Way with Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen. </p>
<p>It was difficult for me to watch this the first time through. I kept having to stop the film and give myself some space. The second time watching seems to be going faster. I suspect it was written before cell phones became ubiquitous. Perhaps the dialogue was adjusted to account for the technological advance. In my youth, I wouldn't know where family and friends were when they were traveling.</p>
<p>This story reminds me of the walks I used to take around college back in the early nineties. I didn't make an international hiking trip, but enjoyed listening to others talk about theirs. </p>
<p>I'm really glad --and actually kind of relieved for some odd reason--that Emilio Estevez made this movie. It feels like a missing puzzle piece.</p>
<p> </p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/67228082021-08-20T15:40:37-07:002021-08-20T15:40:37-07:00Pivoting<p>I'm taking some time off of teaching--avoiding being caught in the crossfire over masks and critical race theory.</p>
<p>So for now, I will be concentrating on writing background music for film and tv. </p>
<p>Once I get my review back from Writer's Digest for Improvising to Beat the Band, I'll start work on the audiobook.</p>
<p>Anything interesting going on? Let me know.</p>
<p>Best! :)</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/67071502021-08-04T16:25:34-07:002021-08-04T16:27:16-07:00Is there any way to get Johnny Depp to cover Naked by The Attire?<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KHSAt7Sa3zM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>I can totally see Johnny Depp in this video. If anyone knows anyone who knows him, tell him I said so! :)</p>
<p><a contents="Here's the link" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFmmJgdDiQKx2iNaN3BUA5w" target="_blank">Here's the link</a> to the band's YouTube channel.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/66512792021-06-06T16:12:58-07:002021-06-06T16:14:42-07:00The Blackwell Ghost<p>Best I can tell, the <a contents="Blackwell Ghost" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Blackwell-Ghost-Ruth/dp/B072Z62L22/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+Blackwell+ghost&qid=1623021226&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Blackwell Ghost</a> is a mockumentary, but only the director actually knows for sure if the ghost's part is for real or staged. It would serve him right to have staged a bunch of special effects, then have an actual ghost show up and bang on the walls or move the furniture around. Viewers keep wondering if it's fake or real. Why can't it be both?</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/66442282021-05-30T11:58:53-07:002021-05-30T11:58:53-07:00I love the movie Arkansas.<p>I love the movie<a contents=" Arkansas." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B085NNRX6J/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r" target="_blank"> Arkansas.</a></p>
<p>My favorite line is when she (unknown name) explains why she isn't going to kill herself (it's a sin), so she's waiting on the Lord to strike her dead!</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/66114952021-04-22T18:09:35-07:002021-04-22T18:09:35-07:00The newest version of Improvising to Beat the Band<p>I made some revisions, and the newest version of Improvising to Beat the Band is currently available on Amazon.</p>
<p>You can get a complimentary copy this Sunday, April 25. </p>
<p><a contents="Here's the link." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Improvising-Beat-Band-Wendolynn-Landers-ebook/dp/B07Q23H186/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1619140134&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Here's the link.</a></p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/65942562021-04-04T19:20:18-07:002021-04-04T19:20:18-07:00Mystify Michael Hutchence<p>I just watched the 2020 documentary Mystify Michael Hutchence.</p>
<p>I'm sure it was painful to make, but I'm glad they did. It was information that I needed to know.</p>
<p>Having been hit on the head, around 1992, I can relate.</p>
<p>Best!</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/65926462021-04-02T17:57:44-07:002021-04-02T17:59:21-07:00Second shot<p>I got my second shot earlier in the week. I'm getting over the reaction to it. </p>
<p>Sometime over the next couple of weeks I should be fully immunized against the covid. </p>
<p>Getting the second shot wasn't as trippy as getting the first one, although there was a strange occurrence with a woman trying to check out a bottle of diet soda one check-out line over from us, and having it spill in a strange way. It was strange enough that if I ever describe what happened, I'm putting it in a novel. </p>
<p>But I just went back and checked, and I haven't told the story of getting the first shot yet, only that I had it. Maybe I'll put them both in the same short story.</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/65623022021-03-01T20:56:27-07:002021-03-01T20:56:27-07:00I got the first shot today!<p>I got my first dose of the Moderna vaccine today. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/ccede633ff44cc87e9d4804816d760a2f3024678/original/img-0249.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/64772432020-11-13T17:03:58-07:002020-11-13T17:05:23-07:00My Grandmother, age 100, passed away this morning.<p>A personal note: my grandmother passed away this morning, at age 100.</p>
<p>Bitter irony that my grandmother died on Friday the 13th.</p>
<p>Thanks for letting me share.</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/64490792020-10-04T17:28:17-07:002020-10-04T17:28:17-07:00Water Never Boils in Bayou Wyrdbury: A Dracula Story<p>I'm looking for beta readers for the first chapter of my next book, Water Never Boils in Bayou Wyrdbury: A Dracula Story. Expected release date of Halloween 2021.<br>The first chapter is about 20 pages long. I've only got about four questions for beta readers. No editing. Just checking to see how the story flows.</p>
<p>There is no reimbursement, just my thanks.</p>
<p>I'm trying to find someone who likes horror stories. <br>If you're interested, or know someone who might be, send them my way! 🙂 </p>
<p>I can be reached at wendylanders@wendylanders.com. <br>Thanks! </p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/64465392020-09-30T17:57:17-07:002020-09-30T18:07:41-07:00Someone ask Al Gore if we are inviting aliens to a "car wash" for me.<p>I used to be up on my climate change infomercials, but it's been a few years, so I thought I'd catch up by watching an Al Gore video this afternoon:</p>
<p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQeok_5j2So</p>
<p>Turns out, I had missed a lot in my absence! Right now, there are people--if I understood correctly--wanting to cool coat the planet like you would a house.</p>
<p>Using chalk.</p>
<p>Al did not sound like his usual hipster self when he poo-pooed this idea. Well, you can just call me Betty! (with apologies to Paul Simon)</p>
<p>What crossed my mind after they finished seriously discussing putting a blanket of chalk around the earth was...</p>
<p>What's to keep some punk, teenaged alien from flying by and writing "Wash me!" on it?</p>
<p>My apologies to those who may have thought of this first. For all I know, there's already a plan to eliminate the budget deficit by using Earth's atmosphere as a billboard and renting the space out.</p>
<p>Have patience, I am merely recounting the hanging chads in my mind.</p>
<p>Best!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Copyright 2020 Wendolynn J. Landers. All Rights Reserved.</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/62542612020-03-18T17:25:04-07:002020-03-18T17:25:04-07:00"When you sing, there is no distance..."--Bono<p>"When you sing</p>
<p>there is no distance </p>
<p>so let your love</p>
<p>be known"</p>
<p>--Bono</p>
<p>https://www.instagram.com/tv/B92YsciHcUu/?utm_source=ig_embed</p>
<p>Thanks, Bono! :)</p>
<p> </p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/62053492020-02-05T21:57:55-07:002020-03-06T19:13:38-07:00Al Franken’s January 12, 2020 podcast was an interview with Lawrence O’Donnell.<p>What to say? Al’s impersonation of Bernie Sanders could have been mistaken for Bernie, to my ears, except for a little bit of the speech’s wording. Both Al and Lawrence broke out with their original accents. Lawrence said that he got bored with football in his mid-twenties and hasn’t watched it since. At no point did Al start calling Lawrence, “Larry,” (thank you, Al!). Lawrence’s lack of ambition and uncanny knack for stumbling into opportunities, as well as his ability to build on these serendipitous moments, enthralled yours truly. </p>
<p>But of course it would. I’ve been a fan of Lawrence’s since his McLaughlin Group days! At one point, back in the day, I actually took a small black-and-white TV, complete with broken antenna, to a restaurant with friends to keep from missing the show. In retrospect, I’ve no idea why anyone let me watch it while we were eating. The restaurant owners let me plug my TV in a wall outlet nearby. --Wait, this set was newer and still had its antenna intact. --My friends didn’t seem to hold it against me later (but maybe they just didn’t say anything). Now, of course, I can listen to this podcast repeatedly (which I recommend to all) without looking like I invented <em>weird.</em> But my “relationship” with Lawrence is complicated. I still haven’t read his latest book, also known as his second book, or possibly even his last book, and may not ever, even though I got a hard copy when it first came out. Maybe I'll just listen to his audiobook one day.</p>
<p>In the first part of the interview, Lawrence recaps the workflow that led to The West Wing TV show. Somewhere in the interview, they did talk about how much Lawrence's writing speed has improved though the years. In last third, or so, of Al’s interview with Lawrence, they started reminiscing about long forgotten events in the Senate—events that at the time I thought could never be forgotten. It’s amazing what all a person can actually forget though.</p>
<p>P.S. I laughed about Lawrence O'Donnell's "meltdown" when it happened back in late 2017. Mainly because, to me, it looked so staged and completely unreal. But I shouldn't have laughed, since a staffer was reportedly let go for leaking the video. Al Franken didn't mention it in his interview, to the best of my recollection, even though it was only a couple of months before Lawrence's book came out. And they talked about Lawrence's book. But of course they also didn't talk about the incident that forced Al Franken's resignation from the U.S. Senate. Because...why would they? :)</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/62049242020-02-05T16:00:06-07:002020-02-05T16:47:31-07:00If you read my book, drop me a line.<p>Email me at wendylanders@wendylanders.com.</p>
<p>I'd love a chance to correspond with readers about Improvising to Beat the Band.</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/60467582019-12-26T23:42:15-07:002019-12-26T23:42:15-07:00Some Holiday Cheer at Zoo Lights<p>I went to Pima's Zoo Lights night, and I'm really glad I did. It wasn't that crowded, although attendees said it had been in the past. There were free cookies and cocoa. I got a complimentary picture made (not with Santa, but I was tempted). </p>
<p>I had my face painted. I even got a little kid's blinking glow light ring. I had no shame. The tuba embemble played at the entrance, and the guitar ensemble played while people waited in line to get their picture taken. </p>
<p>There was artificial snow blowing around small children spinning and singing the line from the Frozen soundtrack "Let it go!" Lots of lights. Lots of lights blinking to music. </p>
<p>I also chatted with support staff who work at various campuses. I love Zoo Lights, but it's great going when you have something in common with everyone, so you can start a conversation with strangers easily.</p>
<p>However you spend your holiday, enjoy!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/98d345fdf618df9f72a2a7a6e8288186280cb79c/original/img-1374.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_thick" alt="" /></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/59962102019-12-07T05:51:00-07:002019-12-07T05:51:00-07:00Work Without Hope by Coleridge<p>Work Without Hope, written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, published in The Bijou: An Annual of Literature and The Arts in 1825.</p>
<p>All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair— <br>The bees are stirring—birds are on the wing— <br>And Winter, slumbering in the open air, <br>Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring! <br>And I, the while, the sole unbusy thing, <br>Nor honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing. </p>
<p>Yet well I ken the banks where amaranths blow, <br>Have traced the fount whence streams of nectar flow. <br>Bloom, O ye amaranths! bloom for whom ye may, <br>For me ye bloom not! Glide, rich streams, away! <br>With lips unbrighten'd, wreathless brow, I stroll: <br>And would you learn the spells that drowse my soul? <br>Work without Hope draws nectar in a sieve, <br>And Hope without an object cannot live.</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/59715912019-11-24T15:45:51-07:002019-11-24T15:45:51-07:00Ahimsa<p>I really like U2's new single, <a contents="Ahimsa.&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://us.napster.com/artist/art.424229138/album/alb.423135857/track/tra.423135858?ocode=social_user&pcode=social_user&cpath=Link&rsrc=track" target="_blank">Ahimsa. </a> It's very contemplative.</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/59485182019-11-03T17:59:28-07:002019-11-03T17:59:28-07:00Postcard from A Taste of Casa Grande 2019<p>A Taste of Casa Grande is the yearly fundraiser for Against Abuse. Restaurants in Casa Grande, Arizona have dozens of booths inside Eva's Mexican Restaurant. I eat more there than I do at Thanksgiving. It ends with the biggest raffle I have seen.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/e78c3ac9180ea77aa220a4f01ac700af38940fbc/original/img-1367.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/01c38cd83153a3512dd1033c667abbb23fb0e151/original/img-1368.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/58928262019-09-15T10:47:23-07:002019-09-15T10:47:23-07:00A Bayou fantasy circa 1897<p>This short story by Kate Chopin was written in the Louisiana Bayou country in the late 1890s. It was published in Vogue, and is considered to be a forerunner of modern feminism. Fifteen dollars back then would be getting close to $500 today. Blowing it all one afternoon in town would be hard to justify in a society where women were expected to sacrifice for their families. It is reminiscent of the 1980s "shop 'till you drop" mentality. It's interesting that pretending to have money again for an afternoon helped her self-esteem more than raising children did. There's a contrast in ascribed and achieved status for you! Truthfully, this story might be a forerunner to post-modern feminism, since it is very in the moment, and not at all future oriented. A modern feminist might have taken the money and started a glove factory. I don't even think you could really get away with this self-indulgent behavior today, not unless you came home with a wardrobe to last two years, not merely a handful of accessories. Although ticket prices for a moderately popular live performance today, not a sell out, in the afternoon, is a hundred dollars. It's an interesting portrayal of one of those moments when reality and fantasy become blurred. </p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/58917422019-09-13T23:07:18-07:002019-09-13T23:07:18-07:00Ghost Adventures Episode<p>I just watched the Ghost Adventures episode that took place near where I live. Freakish, yet it explains a lot.</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/58914392019-09-13T17:02:05-07:002019-09-13T17:02:05-07:00I had a "free day" on Amazon on Sept. 11?<p>I didn't actually have a "free day" on Amazon on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019, although I did give away a copy of Improvising to Beat the Band anyway. When I looked at Amazon that day, my book wasn't listed as a promotional day, so no error there.</p>
<p>A big thanks to whoever it was who had system administration privileges to download it! Like I mentioned in my acknowledgments, I appreciate the encouragement. I hope you get as much out of reading it as I got out of writing it. </p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/58852122019-09-08T18:37:55-07:002019-09-08T18:37:55-07:00Jar Glasses and Yoga Class<p>Chapter Three from Improvising to Beat the Band</p>
<p>Jar Glasses and Yoga Class</p>42:22Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/58767832019-08-31T18:01:51-07:002019-08-31T18:01:51-07:00Labor Day Sale<p>Hey Everybody!</p>
<p><a contents="Check out the free download on Amazon on Sunday, September first." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Improvising-Beat-Band-Wendolynn-Landers-ebook/dp/B07Q23H186/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=improvising+to+beat+the+band&qid=1567299442&s=gateway&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Check out the free download of Improvising to beat the Band on Amazon on Sunday, September first.</a></p>
<p><a contents="Listen to Chapter Two of Improvising to Beat the Band, Starting a Bucket List." data-link-label="Home" data-link-type="page" href="/home" target="_blank">Listen to Chapter Two of Improvising to Beat the Band, Starting a Bucket List.</a></p>
<p>Write a review, then sign up for my newsletter.</p>
<p>Enjoy the holiday weekend!</p>
<p>Wendy Landers</p>
<p> </p>43:22Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/58695922019-08-25T13:37:19-07:002019-08-25T15:07:37-07:00What would a modern author be without photos from the bayou?<p>It was a good summer spent with relatives.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/c00e499dc62fbdbc80585e0975e77bff123048c1/original/img-1351.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/4f67e9baa55b08f83d86e303f6f36e2aa3874c87/original/img-1284.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/4c8fe6c503930d9f541d2f67694576b0b00946f5/original/img-1279.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/c0c5ad4d4fb0ad8360e10e2b2dae0d672aea40bf/original/img-1283.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" /></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/55353952018-12-01T15:50:21-07:002018-12-01T16:02:57-07:00Writer's Digest Review of Just Let Time Pass<p>The lives and loves of several characters involved with the intricacies of the music business dominate this novel with careful delineation of their motivations and ambitions as well as their faults. The tangle of their relationships at work and personally enables the reader to envision their triumphs and setbacks as they contend with each and the vicissitudes of an exacting field of activity. Each character comes across vividly. One learns about the craft of songwriting as well as the inspirations that led to their creation. Seeing some of the specific lyrics evolved provides an excellent insight into the creative process. Concerts, tours, recording sessions, music videos, instruments-including a “wind harp”, marketing and public relations all help to sustain the plot as the characters seek to mark their own personal performance. The action takes place in both the U.S. and Ireland. Police work also enters the picture with a band taken into custody. A séance scene is particularly fascinating.</p>
<p>-- Judge, 25th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/55039722018-11-07T16:48:17-07:002018-11-07T16:48:17-07:00Songwriting in L.A.<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/252787005eaea644aae2cbdca6929b92756b7789/original/img-1114.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/baa2b5d998bce275d070da445bae8a012cba29d0/original/img-1116.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_right border_" />Taxi Road Rally 2018</p>
<p>I enjoyed the weekend in L.A.!</p>
<p>This songwriting conference is primarily for film and T.V. composers.</p>
<p>Fett (pointing) has a recording engineering class. His wife Nancy (red hair) has a class on booking gigs. Oddly enough, Nancy's class made me cry.</p>
<p>Steven Memel (no picture) has a performance class that is a bit of baptism by fire.</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/54021402018-08-26T09:45:48-07:002018-08-26T10:05:33-07:00The Scholomance Film Institute<p><em>The Scholomance Film Institute, located in the mountains over Lake Hermanstadt, </em><em>has always maintained an extremely generous tuition waiver for 90 percent of its students. </em></p>
<p><em>“That was one of the features that attracted me to the school to begin with,” Svengali said, “I didn’t have the cash on hand to go to a more modern school like the University of Southern California.” </em></p>
<p><em>The Scholomance Film Institute has received some criticism for their generosity. The argument is that 10 percent of the graduates have to pay the costs of the tuition waiver program. Some have suggested an advisory council to review the situation, but Svengali pooh-poohed the suggestion. </em></p>
<p><em>“That’s not necessary. I’m one of the 10 percent that had to pay the full price for going there. I’ve made more than enough money through the years to pay the cost of the tuition, even considering the fact that I’m really paying for myself and nine other graduates.” </em></p>
<p><em>Some former students at the Scholomance Film Institute have actually accused the owner of the privately held educational facility of being the Devil, and keeping the soul of every tenth student as a sort of black tithe. </em></p>
<p><em>When asked, Svengali had this to say about the accusations, “I don’t see how anyone can take that kind of tabloid stuff seriously. I don’t even know how that story got started, maybe some bipolar writer thought it was a funny joke. Film school can kind of make you crazy, but trying to figure out why someone would make up a story like that is entirely speculative.”</em></p>
<p><em>Copyright 2018 by Wendy Landers. All Rights Reserved.</em></p>
<hr><p><em>The Scholomance Film Institute </em>is a take-off on Dracula set outside of New Orleans, post #MeToo movement. Expect its arrival in late 2019.</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/52455392018-05-20T11:59:40-07:002018-05-20T12:02:18-07:00postcard from Inklings<p><span class="font_xl">May 17, 2018 -- Vista Grande library.</span></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/fd8f5609480e9ec3f564fad6394a88f0e7abd182/original/img-1037.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><span class="font_xl">Greetings from our writer's group! We are all working diligently on our upcoming books.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_xl">I'm on the left in the CAC t-shirt.</span></p>
<p><span class="font_xl">Best!</span></p>
<p><span class="font_xl">Wendy Landers</span></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/49543542017-11-29T09:22:44-07:002017-11-29T09:22:44-07:00Review from Writer's Digest Contest 2017<p>"I'm not sure if Landers has experience in the music scene, but the book's setting and milieu strikes me as authentic and believable. The characters are enlivened by dialogue that sounds like authentic speech, and the novel's plot moves along at a rapid clip and is well paced. ... She is to be commended for some first-rate pacing and a very solid plot." </p>
<p>--Judge, 25th Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/49486962017-11-25T13:41:52-07:002017-11-25T13:41:52-07:00Brazille & her Life Lessons in Hacking<p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35658134-hacks" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1500011870m/35658134.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35658134-hacks">Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/504874.Donna_Brazile">Donna Brazile</a><br> <br>My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2194770798">4 of 5 stars</a><br><br> <br>This is one of few books that I couldn't put down once I started reading. In that regard, I wish it had been a short story since I needed to read it all in one setting.<br><br>This is the only book you need to read about the 2016 election. The fact that Brazile pointed out many items the campaign covered up -- not saying they didn't have their reasons! -- while leaving obvious gaping holes in her analysis, lets the reader know how isolated she was from the main campaign. Some calculations she hashed out --constantly vaccinating back and forth -- with an over abundance of data. Some conclusions she simply decrees with minimal data. Just keeping track of that distinction will tell you everything you need to know.<br><br>I genuinely doubt that Putin was discouraged by either the Hacker House or Brazile addressing him directly via the plants. He's probably more discouraged when we sit on our butt and do nothing. If he can break in, who else is able to?<br><br>My hypothesis is that the different Russian hacking groups were segregated by gender for this particular campaign, with one additional group being mixed. Why not run a sociological experiment for the occasion?<br><br>By the way, long reviews means that it was a good book! <br><br><br> <br><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/48010581-wendy-landers">View all my reviews</a></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/49461082017-11-23T09:07:56-07:002017-11-23T09:07:56-07:00Anomie<p>"Anomie is a state of normlessness that is painful. For norms to be sustainable (or re-established), shared values are key."</p>
<p>-- Dr. Bob Groves</p>
<p><a contents="https://blog.provost.georgetown.edu/?p=1405" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://blog.provost.georgetown.edu/?p=1405" target="_blank">https://blog.provost.georgetown.edu/?p=1405</a></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/49324672017-11-14T14:25:50-07:002017-11-14T20:57:51-07:00Why can't life be simple? <p>Why can't life be simple?</p>
<p>Heros are heros and fools are fools.</p>
<p>My heart decrees,</p>
<p>"Once you've been a hero,</p>
<p>you can never be a fool."</p>
<p>Leaving me crashing into its fiefdom wall.</p>
<p>My heart isn't the lord over the rules.</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/49013952017-10-21T09:26:58-07:002017-10-21T09:26:58-07:00My #MeToo quote in Bustle<p>I've got a quote in Bustle in regards to the #MeToo movement. To participate by not participating:</p>
<p>https://www.bustle.com/p/why-did-some-women-choose-not-to-post-a-me-too-story-women-share-why-they-didnt-participate-in-the-movement-2961946</p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/48139912017-08-14T15:07:15-07:002017-08-14T15:07:15-07:00Comic Con at Casa Grande 2017<p>Comic Con at the Vista Grande Library in Casa Grande, AZ. July 2017. The smaller Comic Cons are good for testing different costume designs. Enjoy the day with us in retrospect. Maybe we'll see you next year?</p>
<p><a contents="Watch the video." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/gA90MyKfIzU" target="_blank">Watch the video.</a></p>Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/47809292017-07-16T13:30:00-07:002017-07-16T13:34:12-07:00THIRD of July 2017<p>Watch the fireworks with us! I had a chance to talk to several people before the fireworks started. There was plenty to do before it started.</p>8:58Wendy Landerstag:wendylanders.com,2005:Post/46804042017-07-02T09:08:17-07:002017-07-02T09:08:17-07:00Central Arizona College's Creative Arts Department's Mass Final Project Spring 2017<p>I love the combined Creative Arts final projects at the end of the school year!:) This year beat any one I had ever seen. I arrived early, stayed late, and still missed stuff. The theme was A Night at the Oscars. I got the feeling that this was probably a whole lot better than being at the real Oscars. I ended up talking to the Captain Jack Sparrow character about the ceramic portrait of Johnny Depp that paid tribute to many of the different roles he had played. Also, there were SEVEN French Horns in the orchestra. SEVEN! :) <br>The amuse bouche were delicious.I loved the marinade on the veggie skewers. <br>I hope the orchestral recording by the EIT department is somehow available to the public -- meaning available to me -- later. Mario did a great job with the visuals during the performance. Dorthy from the Wizard of Oz got to sing in costume in front of a full wind orchestra. <br>The photography classes photos with the character impersonators will be available on Facebook in a couple of weeks.</p>
<p>Photos of the sound board, lighting, and of course the orchestra. -- It was a packed house. -- Great party! It ran around four hours.</p>
<p><br><span class="font_small"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/06623a2056533c4bd6aba0cea80724e91fc89aee/small/img-0475.jpg?1492801909" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></span><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/948dd3c4b2e1300ea592151c95eacb69f08c7298/small/img-0520.jpg?1492801973" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/c7845f84a1d82abcb09c91a2e5c5b2c2ecfca212/small/img-0519.jpg?1492801971" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/3d9f3db08a26f39d7b23a4c83f0e3e6fdc10bb2d/small/img-0517.jpg?1492801966" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/27f9afa6d9914960f3ebb46627915607f302febb/small/img-0512.jpg?1492801961" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/94fcad2b1d1c19e9e9683b9b46e15a6d4164bb5e/small/img-0506.jpg?1492801955" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/0d8fd8375c78ba2797ce6fba17705b4bb5dfaaa0/small/img-0504.jpg?1492801949" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/1752c769f3a484df5a2b3b31aba8bca5baea9c37/original/img-0503.jpg?1492801948" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/6f7b44e77d0c12b0591b983d00530de326e82ea9/medium/img-0477.jpg?1492801911" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/5cf22b23fef3ae07474c640d6bc1fc49ca064e1f/medium/img-0479.jpg?1492801914" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/0f3f1c313d77360503eb0c7e815965332e935734/small/img-0480.jpg?1492801915" class="size_s justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/ff88c618f4f7277dedd9cc4ec7baaaf314d066a5/small/img-0481.jpg?1492801916" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/1fcad99f0b62f838f491df3b35cf5c8afcefb588/medium/img-0482.jpg?1492801917" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/265f700598245b6f506395eaa46f5a5d94140a34/medium/img-0501.jpg?1492801946" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/98a0ae11720dd0378815da6e3659fc7dac01ad66/small/img-0500.jpg?1492801945" class="size_s justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/134af341fc74b36596ad45a6839a18f3f3ef0282/small/img-0499.jpg?1492801943" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/95d164f4783df503199cf007b373d16dfd909d38/small/img-0498.jpg?1492801943" class="size_s justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/4b6aa0d6e56606231655af23a53fa13b640b733c/small/img-0497.jpg?1492801941" class="size_s justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/78ca278c6281a2e3b9e016c2e720c5e2abad77dc/small/img-0496.jpg?1492801940" class="size_s justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/adb46b1084f8a18f1f4008844956a53ff5935384/medium/img-0494.jpg?1492801937" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/26950ca25b2c57684d85e39d262e51bb2cfb60d7/medium/img-0490.jpg?1492801932" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/bd432f001f3689f1a7e901450e051a1a55be49f9/medium/img-0489.jpg?1492801931" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/50a2daa758896dfec2e70a3b21d4178ae673afe2/small/img-0486.jpg?1492801926" class="size_s justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/93752b82f4c171044e62bfcf7074fade463ca444/original/img-0483.jpg?1492801919" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/227761/05d8b4ad76e8a627bb919a1da7dcb64dd653cc88/small/img-0509.jpg?1492801957" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></p>
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<hr><p> </p>16:48Wendy Landers