The Day JFK Died

I was in 4th grade. Our principal, Mr. Will. came over the loudspeaker at Lincoln Elementary and said that President Kennedy had been shot. A girl in my class burst into tears; I think her name was Melodie. I remember it was a windy day and the bare branches were dancing outside the windows. That struck me as strange in our very quiet school room.  

We were sent home and for three days all that was on TV was the whole thing, including Oswald being shot. We wanted to be respectful because that's what we were taught but 3 days with a TV that only had 3 channels and crummy weather is boring for a kid. I do remember watching the parade and Black Jack the horse, with the boots turned backwards in the stirrups. That really sticks in my head even today. I thought that was classy.

It was my generation's Pearl Harbor.

Brian Setzer and the Cleveland Goose Egg

The Brian Setzer concert was AWESOME!  Now the Spousal Unit can check that off his bucket list!

(The audience gets a big, old goose egg!)

Brian is a fabulous guitar player, of course and he had a full-tilt, boogie-on big band and two girls singers who weren't sticks; they were lovely and curvaceous!  His slap bass player is a monster and so wonderful to watch!  We can't wait to go to another concert!  It was one of the best concerts either one of us has ever been to!  And my shoes inadvertently matched the band guys' jackets!  How fun and weird it that?

By the way, I feel another Voice In My Head coming along.  She will talk about good behavior at concerts, plays etc.

I was simply goob-smacked at the people we sat next to who first of all asked us to move 2 seats down so they could sit with their friends (I should have said no, quite frankly).  They, and most of the people around talked through the whole opening act which is rude and disrespectful. They didn't applaud him at all.  Hey, OK, his music was not necessarily MY cup of tea (too much distortion guitar) but he's got some talent for sure. That's a hard, hard job; to open for a headliner.  We both made a point to thank him and shake his hand during the intermission.  (He was out autographing his CD).  I almost apologized to him on behalf of my town of birth.

People started walking out before Brian's concert was even over?  Seriously, who DOES that?  Don't you want him to do a couple of encores???  On behalf of the fun-loving NE Ohioans still left, I apologize!

When did Cleveland audiences become so tepid and rude?  And what's with all the getting up during the concert and going back and forth bull shit?  Unless you've got something seriously wrong with you, like diarrhea, keep your ass in your damn seat.  For almost the first time in my life, I am embarrassed to say I was born in Cleveland.

I mean, seriously, that show was high energy, toe tapping, body rocking, head bopping, bundles of fun and great music. And most of the people around us were acting like it was chamber music in a church.

Maybe it's because it was at the Rocksino, which frankly is a pretty crappy venue!  The Spousal Unit and I were practically in each others' laps!

But we got to see Brian Setzer and he and his whole crew were amazing and fun!!  Totally worth putting up being surrounded by a bunch of stick-in-the-mud types!  He show was a wowzer plus!!!!

Insulted But.....Consider The Source!

I think I've just been insulted.

How am I supposed to take, "Well, they know who you are at Western Reserve (sort of) but other than that, nobody knows who you are."

Seriously?  I talked to Al about it and he said, and rightly so, "Well, they didn't promote us properly.  It's not our job to promote THEIR BENEFIT!" (Thank you, Al.)  Which makes sense.  There are a lot of good people out there, performing, that nobody has heard of.  It's all in promotion; you promote the EVENT, not necessarily the PLAYERS in that event.  Now I know why Al wouldn't come with me when I had to go to that ridiculous meeting to sell and (more degrading) justify myself and the show.  He's smart.  I wish I could have dodged that bullet.

Lesson learned: it's not necessarily who you are but how you are promoted.  And that's not our job.  Our job is provide quality entertainment.  It's their benefit, not ours.

I should enter the diplomatic corps.  I put on my little, soothing Producer's Hat and said nice platitudes about the nice folks from the nice theater board.  (It's called "acting.") The Performer in me would have raised a riotous stink-shit, which I rarely do except over costumes; wigs to be specific.  The Director in me would have snapped back, "MY job is deliver a good show, YOUR job is promote that show.  So if you want the seats filled, that's on YOU!"

Is there anywhere on this flyer, other than one stinkin' sentence that talks about what a fun, quality event this will be?  No, it's too "busy." Telling people how to GET there.  Seriously?  Just give them the damn address, with a brief, "go behind the building" thing.  Seriously?  And thank you very much for NOT asking me if you could use my friend's photo and getting approval from Al, who is sensitive about how he looks in photos.  Understandable.

I feel lower than snake shit.  Suddenly, "less than."  Who are they to say they've never heard of me?  Maybe they haven't.  In the end, does it matter?  My sister is so funny; her comment was, "Well, I hope they lose money!  After all, it's their fault."

But, wait, something good happened in the middle of my self-pitying abyss....
http://miaharted.blogspot.com/2015/11/an-unexpected-gift-in-my-inbox.html

I think I'll focus on THIS positive thing than the petty, provincial Minds of Others.  I shouldn't feel superior to the Small Minds that live in this community,  but, yes, I do, actually.

An Unexpected Gift In My Inbox

Just when I was feeling pretty low about my professional entertainment career, I get this comment from professional travel photographer, Jad Davenport, on this photo I call "Nevada Storm."

"Wow! Mia, this is a great picture. You have terrific color (I love those dark, gray-blue clouds), great light (dappled light over the hills), the composition is spot-on, and the storm gives us the moment. There's even a tiny hint of clear blue skies right on the horizon. Storms often give us the best images because they make a place people have photographed before look different. Love the drama. Nice work, Mia!"

I really needed this, what a gift!

I am eternally grateful to the weather and my friends Dale and Paula for taking me here.
. Not bad for a color-blind girl, eh?

A lovely gift from my Higher Power.....

Another Rant: Violence in Paris, Kenya and Beirut

Uh, oh...here we go....it's another Rant From Mia!
Is it just me or does anyone else think that the tragic, unfathomable events in Paris and Kenya (and Beirut) are not just horrific and tragic but also selfish and stupid? 
I think anyone who perpetrates these crimes is a selfish, idiotic, turd-wad of sub-humanity. Sheep are better behaved than you are and you're all a bunch of sheep listening to some yahoo who thinks they are just going to terrorize the world. 
Why? What's your reasoning? Oh, that's right. You just hate anybody who isn't you. Charming. Not. Stupid. Yes!
Nasty, bad, terrorist people of the world, get a grip! Put on your thinking caps for two minutes and actually THINK about what you are doing and the 
repercussions of your actions. Seriously how does this much hate and violence help you and your "cause?" Oh, you great, colossal stupids, you might feel better for a bit after you blow up a few restaurants, churches, synagogues and schools but in the end, what did it do for you? Your victims and their loved ones suffer terribly, not that you give a whit. 
Here's a little clue-by-four for you: those who might look like you or be from your country will now suffer from hate and prejudice just because they look like you or worship like your sorry carcasses. Nice going, Ace, you just screwed it up for your countrymen. Didn't think about that, did ya, Sparky?
You think you're all big and bad because you blew up a school in Kenya? You think you're some super prick because you killed a bunch of people in Paris and took hostages? You are NOT a real man. I know REAL men and you aren't even in the same universe. My dog is more of a real man then you will ever be. 
By the way, if these horrible people really want us all to go back to the Middle Ages and subjugate women because your boy parts think our girl parts are "less than," there are a whole bunch of women and the REAL men of this world who LOVE to re-educate your backwards buttocks! 
Oh, and your rants that the West is wicked? Hey, uh, guess what? You sure like that whole technology thing, don't you? I don't see you getting rid of your cell phones and CARS anytime soon. 
By the way....heads up. If I were you, I would not want to piss off the French. Unlike our government, theirs will not be kind or wishy-washy. 
"Vive Le France, amour et des prières" and "Upendo na sala," Kenya

Professional Rant

Major Rant Warning: Do not read further if you don't feel like reading a rant.

I know my worth, finally after all those years of people putting me down, denigrating me, telling me I'm not as good as so-and-so, telling me I ain't got no talent, etc.etc. etc.

Do not try and cheat me on a gig. Do not try and cheat me on my photos.

Utah Cowboys © Mia Hess, Dogbuttz Photography

No, sir, I don't CARE if your church would "like" my cowboy picture; it's still XYZ price for an 11x14. I only give away my art to people I love and respect as gifts. I've won awards for my photos. I've also been paid for my graphic art and I'm not thrilled that someone decided to change it without asking me first and getting my permission and authorization. (I'll have to put that in the next contract...) I'm really incensed about that.

No, Mr. Band Leader, I've made XYZ on this type of gig, this SAME gig for the last 10-15 years. You do not get to pay me $15 less especially when I had to trudge through mud to get the site in a suit and pumps and your sound system is so old it doesn't take my mic cord. Funny, It did every other time!.

I've been singing professionally since 1981 and acting professionally since 1970. When I volunteer my time and talents; it's by MY choice, not yours.

Oh my, it sounds like I grew a pair big enough to bust out of my bra and I put on my big girl panties, doesn't it? Meeeee-yow!!

On a positive note, I found a smashing, long, red dress to wear for our show for only $30!! Who's all coming?

New Shoes!

The awesome shoes that my new son-in-law, Matt Boggs,  decorated for me!  I have had these high tops since 2000 (I bought them in Vegas) and while they are actually quite uncomfortable to wear, I have never, For some odd reason,  gotten rid of them.  Now I will wear them (occasionally, because they are, after all works of art) with great pride and joy!  Thank you Matt and Milicent B!