Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Holiday Gatherings
Thanksgiving is over for 2012, but it has kicked off a few weeks of celebrating with family and friends. It's a time for remembering loved ones no longer with us at the table, and gathering new folks together.
Holidays are a wonderful opportunity to connect with people. Although it's natural to think of family, I encourage you to invite others to share your holiday tables, too.
Although I didn't spend the Thanksgiving holiday in my own home, and therefore it wasn't my place to invite anyone, I have in the past. Sharing the bounty of your holiday table is a great way to enrich your own experience. Everyone at the table brings a unique perspective that adds to the day.
Consider who in your world might be able to join us in the next few weeks.
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Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Lounging with Lanna Lee - I hope I didn't embarrass myself
A couple of weeks ago, I made a new friend - Lanna Lee, from Maine. She was in Hutchinson for the State of Now Smalltown Conference and we spent a little time together. A few things happened as a result.
1. I started seriously considering coloring my hair. Yes, I know, you listened to me whine about the gray hair until I finally bought some hair dye. Then I let it sit in the cabinet for four years without doing anything, except whining more about gray hair. But, that's not the kind of color I'm thinking of. Lanna has shocking pink hair! It is fabulous! I'm not sure I can rock it like she does, and I'm certain I don't have the guts to go all pink. But, I'm thinking I may add a little color to the ends. Then if I hate it I can cut if off. I know - no commitment - I'm weak in such matters. Lets just say I've become somewhat familiar with the splat and manic panic websites and leave it at that. However, there is no hair dye in my home at the moment.
2. I was a guest on her podcast, appropriately named, "Lounging with Lanna Lee." Generally they're about 30 minutes long. I talked about twice that long. Imagine that - me being verbose. She was kind enough to let me ramble. It was so much fun I forgot we were doing something that would be out there for the world to hear. But, now it is. Frankly, I'm too terrified to listen to it. Goodness knows what I said. I was just talking. And then talking some more. And then some more. Lanna was just too kind to say, "uh... yeah... right... well, thanks so much..." Regardless, it's out there - now available. I'm just going to hope I didn't embarrass myself.
Listen here if you so desire:
3. Lanna reminded me how much I love interviewing people, and rambling on myself. Makes me think about reviving my old podcast. Who knows what might happen... I certainly didn't know I'd end up talking about everything from visioning retreats to my mother's death with someone I barely knew, to let people I've never even met listen in. But I did. And heaven help me, I found it fun.
See more at http://lannalee.com/2012/11/21/lll036-patsy-terrell-its-so-fun-to-be-me/, including what I have now dubbed the "fun bio."
And someone please tell me I didn't embarrass myself.
(Note to self: You should probably determine if you've embarrassed yourself before you point people to the very thing where you might have embarrassed yourself.)
In that photo above that Lanna took that I shamelessly "borrowed" from her website, you can see the ADORABLE little couch you get as a gift for being on the podcast. And, she makes them herself. Love it!
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Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Getting Your Book into Bookstores
Authors are obsessed with getting their books into bookstores. They believe this will be the key to making sales. After all, bookstores are in the business of selling books. Makes perfect sense.
Except it doesn't.
Instead of being focused on getting your book into bookstores, start thinking about getting your book into the hands of readers.
People in all kinds of businesses don't really understand who their customer is. If you're an author, your customer is the reader, not the bookstore. The bookstore is the middle-man. They may be an incredibly pleasant middle-man, and middle-men have their places, but they are not your customer. That is the reader. The reader is also their customer. As you can see, readers are really powerful entities in this equation.
I work with a number of authors, handling various public relations tasks for them from helping build a social media platform to generating their newsletters, blog posts, mailers, and other assorted chores. Many authors just want to write, and not spend time marketing. Unfortunately, that's not really very feasible these days.
You will either spend a lot of your time marketing, or hire someone else to do it, and even then it will require your attention. It's just the ugly truth of business today - any kind of business. This is acutely felt in the book industry. Unless you are a proven author with a stellar track record at a big publishing house, you are likely to be spending a lot of what used to be your writing time on marketing.
If you are an author who has decided to self publish, or work with a publishing house outside the major ones, you'd better decide marketing is your second favorite thing - right below writing. Frankly, it probably is far higher on the list than re-writing, and we all have to do that, so just dig in and enjoy.
But, I guarantee, if you create a demand for your book, bookstores will become very interested in carrying it. Despite the obstacles, if they're having potential customers walk in every day and ask about buying a copy of "Polly's Last Chance for Pomegranates," they'll beat a path to your door, or at least your inbox.
However, don't hold your breath on that one. Because those customers are likely to just order the book and have it shipped directly to them, never interacting with a bookstore. In fact, for many people, it's nearly impossible to shop at a local bookstore because there no longer is one. That's a pity, but it's the reality.
For those lucky enough to still have bookstores, please support them in any way you can. Buy books there, suggest others do the same, and give them some love. Understand that rent is high and shelf space is limited and manpower is scarce. Just having the energy to order, rotate stock, and handle business is overwhelming for many bookstores. The people who work in bookstores tend to be readers, and they can offer great suggestions for books. Maybe you want to give them a copy of your book so they're familiar with it.
I wish I had a better answer. I adore bookstores, but this post is about authors and how to get your book out into the world. Bookstores would be a wonderful, logical option except their business model is not geared to today's publishing market. So, consider how much time it will take you to swim upstream on that. And realize that while you're doing that, you're wasting energy you could be devoting to reaching your real customer, the reader.
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Wednesday, November 07, 2012
Election Night
Tuesday night I went to a watch party for a local ordinance protecting the rights of gay, lesbian and bisexual people to not be fired or lose housing because of their sexual orientation. I was in favor of the ordinance because I don't see why you wouldn't want people to have basic civil rights. It did not pass. The "no" vote won 57%.
Obviously, on the same night that the first openly gay woman was elected to congress, and multiple states approved gay marriage, Hutchinson is on the wrong side of history. I was so hoping this would pass because it would signal an openness in this community.
Greg took this photo of me saying goodbye to Jon, who spearheaded the local "Vote Yes for Fairness" campaign. We were pretty sure it wasn't going to pass at that point, but we didn't know for certain. Jon is someone I really admire.
What I didn't realize at the time, is that the local newspaper photographer also captured the moment and it went out on the AP, although it didn't run in our local paper. A friend sent me this link to a story in the Wichita Eagle. It could have been in other papers, too.
Before the election, I wrote a letter to the editor of our local paper, but got it in too late. I've posted it below so you can read it if you wish.
Letter
A war has been raging in Hutchinson
the last few months. Like everyone else, I have taken a side. Rarely do I feel
my position is the only correct one, but in this case, we must support civil
rights for everyone, or they’re not certain for anyone.
It was 50 years ago that the US was
involved with another civil rights movement. I don't know what I would have
done then, but I hope it's what I'm doing now - standing on the side of
fairness for everyone.
I’ve been thanked for supporting
this issue when it doesn’t personally affect me. But I contend it affects all
of us. To be a growing, thriving community we must extend basic rights to every
citizen.
Hutchinson, do you want to be mired in the past with the Bull Conner mentality, or are you ready to create a better world? You have a chance to be extraordinary. Please take it. Vote “yes” for fairness today.
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Monday, November 05, 2012
Blessed
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images2/20100923-014w.jpg)
I spent today at the computer for the most part, trying to get some projects underway and some wrapped up, while contemplating new things.
I just got word that a grant proposal I had written for an oral history project was not funded. Not great news on the surface, but I can only assume there must be something else wonderful I am supposed to do with that time and energy. Who knows what that might be.
The last few months have been an exercise in trusting the universe. I have to say, the universe has been doing a far more spectacular job with daily life than I've managed in the last few decades. In the process, I'm learning it's wise to trust, to prepare, to work, and above all - to be grateful for the opportunities that come my way.
I feel so incredibly blessed. Work I really enjoy keeps finding its way to me, and other fun surprises I could never have foreseen, also arrive with regularity. Meanwhile, new projects loom on the horizon that will offer even more flexibility to my life.
I'm a lucky, lucky girl.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey. Your encouragement, kindnesses and support are appreciated. I feel certain the next chapters will be even more thrilling and I hope you'll share in the joy.
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Sunday, November 04, 2012
Religious Freedom
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20100521-176w.jpg)
"Religious Freedom" is a phrase often bandied about these days. As best I can tell it refers to the idea that people will not able to practice their religion as they wish if some unknown, unnamed, and highly unlikely event occurs. This nebulous events seems to be most often connected to a politician people believe to have far more power than I've ever witnessed from any politician of any party at any time.
The only way this is an actual problem is if your "religious freedom" prevents other people from exercising the freedom to live their lives as they wish. No one is trying to keep you from attending the religious community of your choice, at the time of your choosing, and doing as you wish within the confines of it. Now, if you happen to be sexually abusing altar boys then, no, the fact that you're doing it within the walls of a church does not make it okay. It's still illegal. But you are welcome to gather, pray and worship as you wish, outside of these rather major issues.
However, you are not welcome to try and impose your religious beliefs on others. That is where the difficulty seems to come in. Those who are constantly worried about "religious freedom" are mostly concerned about how they will force others to share their viewpoints. Much like yelling "fire" in a crowed theater, this is over the line.
Nothing has really changed in the last few decades along these lines, except that fewer people believe in God. I can't help but think it's from watching His professed followers exercise their "religious freedom" to spread their personal hatreds in His name.
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Friday, November 02, 2012
Quote of the Day
When you feel fear... If you act on it, it will create pain.
--- Gary Zukav
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Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Happy Halloween!
![20111031 016](http://cookslibrarywithpatsy.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20111031-016-300x225.jpg)
A photo from last year's Halloween fun prompts me to be thinking about popcorn balls. When I was a kid my sister-in-law Mary Ann's mother always made popcorn balls. Oh my goodness I loved Mrs. Cooper's popcorn balls.
It occurs to me I've never made popcorn balls. Obviously, I need a recipe for them. Something to look for...
Wish I had Mrs. Cooper's recipe. I doubt anything will ever compete with those memories.
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Monday, October 29, 2012
Gifts and Grace
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images2/20100913-048w.jpg)
Lately I have been the recipient of some lovely gifts from friends. I will be posting photos eventually, but haven't had a chance to take them as I've been occupied with other things. It's so nice to be remembered by people, and that people take notice of the things you love.
I've also had some time lately to be with people I enjoy. Spending time with artist friends always inspires me. Just talking with people who see the world differently causes me to reconsider things and come to new conclusions.
There is something magical about the existence of pure creativity. It is a force in the world that manifests in thousands of ways, if we allow it. And I want to always allow it in my life.
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Saturday, October 27, 2012
Late Night Double Feature Picture Show aka Rocky Horror
Last night we went to Wichita to a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It has been awhile since I've been to one, but it was even more fun than I recall.
There were lots of people dressed up, including this group that allowed us to snap a photo after the show. We got there just in time for the show because we had another event before it, so we didn't get a chance to see all the costumed folks before.
It's good to know there are folks on the prairie who appreciate the fun of a good Rocky Horror experience. It was at the Orpheum, which is a wonderful old building - complete with these lamps.
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Friday, October 26, 2012
Vintage Hankies
Pretty things have been finding their way to me lately. I've always loved vintage hankies but it seems they love me now, too. I keep running across them in quantity. What is a person to do except bring them home?
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Presenting at Conference
This morning I spoke about social media to the Kansas Museums Association. I did it a couple of years ago, but this was a different presentation. I'm starting to have quite an assortment of them.
It was in Newton so I made a stop at the Et Cetera shop in Newton, and had lunch at Reba's. All in all a nice morning. It's lovely when pleasure can be had - literally - on the way home from business!
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Thursday, October 25, 2012
Sunlight and Fronds
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20111002-274w.jpg)
We are expecting our first major freeze in the next few days. Ironically, I had the AC back on yesterday and today.
I do love the changing of the seasons. There's something nice about the world around you looking different as the year progresses. It seems soon there will be little green to see in the landscape.
Tonight was Creative Sisterhood and it was a great evening. It's hard to believe we're into our 10th year, now.
Otherwise, I've been occupied with various projects. I was house-sitting for some friends the last few days. Last night was my first night back in my house for a little while. It's good to try on other people's lives every once in awhile. But, I"m happy to be back in my own space.
Work continues to go well. I'm really blessed to have wonderful clients with interesting projects.
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Monday, October 22, 2012
The Problem with Moral Arguments
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20120517-035wb.jpg)
I've never had a debate class, but I feel certain if I had, that this would have come up. Morals are not the best way to win an argument.
The reason is simple - if we don't share the same morals, then your argument based on morals will have no impact on me. To top it off, if you make morals any part of your argument bullet points, I'm going to discount all of them. Why? Because you've just proven to me you aren't making very wise decisions. Once you've illustrated that it would be rather foolish of me to put much stock in anything you say.
Please be clear - I'm not saying your morals are right or wrong. I'm just saying they're a foolish way to try and win anyone over to your viewpoint. Because, think about it, if I shared your moral code, I'd probably already agree with you, and you wouldn't be trying to convince me.
Simple? Yes.
Necessary to state? Apparently.
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Sunday, October 21, 2012
Too Perfect to be Believable
Saturday I gave a presentation about Social Media to a Lions Club gathering in McPherson. When I returned I was greeted with this beautiful sunset. I love how the curve of the clouds mirrors the curve of the trees. If someone had painted it, we'd say it was too perfect to be believable.
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Tact, or the Lack Thereof; and an Apology
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20100521-076w.jpg)
In a wide-ranging conversation with a friend today I was telling him a family story and he said, "Ah, a little passive aggressive." I laughed and said, "No, nothing about my family is passive."
I grew up in a "tell it like it is" family. I like that. I understand that. It makes sense to me.
I honestly only learned about 2-3 years ago that you just cannot do that in the "real world." You must learn to preface sentences with, "I think...," and sprinkle them with "maybe" and "perhaps" and "I'm wondering." In communication theory, it's pointed out that women tend to do the later much more than men. Men are more likely to be straight about things, without the tentative language.
While I've learned to do this, it is not natural for me, and it takes a considerable amount of energy to constantly remind myself. So, I probably engage less with the world because it's more tiring. I sometimes just say, "That's up to you," or something similar because I just don't have the energy to couch my words with that "spoonful of sugar." The more urgent the issue is, the less tactful I generally am because - obviously - the previous approach hasn't worked or we wouldn't be having the same conversation again. But I find myself less and less willing to engage in those conversations at all.
Truly, until a couple of years ago, I didn't even understand why people would want this softer style of communication. Frankly, I still don't. If I'm working on a project and someone sees a huge flaw I've overlooked, I'd rather they say, "Hey, this isn't going to work. The blah blah blah is in conflict with the blah blah blah." That seems so much better to me than spending 40 minutes exploring the positives and negatives of it with me, in hopes I'll see the error of my ways. If I had seen the error, I wouldn't have done it this way in the first place.
That said, I do understand it's a kinder, gentler way to approach issues. And we can all use more gentleness in the average day. But, please, if I'm about to make a fool of myself and you see it happening, don't hesitate to stop me. Isn't it kinder to prevent disaster than walk gently toward it?
As with all things, I'm guessing the balance is the key here. And, lets face it, balance isn't my best thing. Ironically, the friend I was speaking with said it has only been in the last couple of years he had learned to speak his mind about anything. I guess confusion comes in all varieties.
All of this said, let me take this opportunity to apologize to coworkers, friends, neighbors, bosses and anyone else I may have crossed paths with in this lifetime who found me "abrasive." It was never my intent to harm you in any way, so I apologize if I did.
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Thursday, October 18, 2012
Random Beauty
The skies in October are the bluest. I took this downtown a week or so ago. I love random bits of beauty.
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Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Other Projects
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20120517-021w.jpg)
I feel as if I'm on the threshold of some new, wonderful things happening in my life. Just like this photograph suggests, the gate is partially open, and with the slightest push, I can open it all the way. Or I can just slip in sideways and hope no one notices.
One thing I've learned - finally, after living for five decades - is that one should prepare a little bit before blundering on in. Of course, you can't know everything that's going to happen, but you might as well prepare for what you can foresee. There might be a few cobwebs to get out of the way, and you might as well be bold and push the gates open wide. All of that requires some preparation.
So, that's what I've been doing the last few weeks. It has taken some energy that I ordinarily devote to this blog. I have also been busy working on website projects beyond this blog. That's part of the reason I've been less present here. I've also grown really frustrated with the way blogger (the way I blog here) handles some things, particularly photographs. So, I've been looking at other options.
This blog will continue. When everything is up and running on other projects, I'll be here more. I realize I'm missing a gold mine of material during this election season, but other things are more pressing in my little corner of the world.
Although it's not quite ready for prime time yet, this is one of the sites I've been working on for my Cook's Library Column in Kansas Country Living. It still has some tweaking to do here and there, but the time is overdue for this website. I'd like to connect with readers in a more efficient manner. We'll see how that goes. This is its first premiere. It still needs some back-end work. But, all in all, I'm pleased with it.
I will be adding to it regularly, and eventually I will link all of these things together. That's somewhere far beyond that gate, though!
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Sunday, October 14, 2012
Autumn Arrives on the Prairie
Autumn seems to have arrived on the prairie. I, for one, welcome it. The summer was not miserably hot for extended periods of time, but it was so dry it moved into frightening.
A couple of days ago we made a stop at our local truck market, Polk's, on a nice misty, rainy day. I couldn't resist a photo showing both the Autumn colors and the moisture - both welcome.
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Thursday, October 11, 2012
Trying on Different Lives
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20100428-221w.jpg)
Children "try on" different ways of being in the world through unstructured play. When they're allowed to just let their imaginations roam they experiment with seeing what it would be like to be different kinds of people.
Unfortunately, today children spend far more of their time in "directed activities." As a result, children are measurably less creative now. "Directed activities" include everything where children are engaged in things with rules and adults who are making decisions.
I was thinking about how this applies to adults as well as children. We should all try on different lives occasionally. We spend a lot of our adult lives in "directed activities," trying to live by the rules others set down. Are we killing our creativity too? Maybe we all need more unstructured play time.
I think that's part of what we do when we go to a B and B. We immerse ourselves in that, we try it on, we think how it would be to live in that environment. We enjoy a little unstructured play, we experiment.
Soon I'll have a chance to try on a different way of being in the world. I'm sure it will be interesting, and probably enlightening. Of course, details will follow here, as soon as they are some!
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Urban Chicken Farming
Today I went to a presentation at the local library about Urban Chicken Farming. I'm not planning on getting any chickens for my backyard, but I was sure it would be interesting and it was.
Austin and his wife, Amy, keep a few chickens in their backyard. They've become the local experts.
I love it that the Hutchinson Public Library does cool events like this. There's something quite wonderful about chickens (and ducks today, as well) being inside the library. Just another lunch hour in Hutchinson, KS.
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Tuesday, October 09, 2012
Beautiful Things
My friend, Judith, brought me these lovelies that she got at a sale some time ago. Aren't they wonderful?
We got to spend a couple of hours together yesterday afternoon and have a nice chat. She mentioned to me how much she enjoys my photos on the blog. I'm flattered, of course. But it is something I've been hearing a lot lately from various people. It seems I should pay attention.
I'm a big believer in signs, that the universe tries to get your attention in multiple ways. And the fact that photos are coming up so much in my life these days makes me think I should pay attention to that. I was even contacted by Parade Magazine a week or so ago, asking about using some photos from the blog. Not sure that's going to happen, but it's yet another indication.
So, I'm mulling over what to do with that information. In the meantime, it's always nice to look at pretty things!
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Monday, October 08, 2012
Sunday Flea Market Find - Grape Doily
This was one of my flea market finds on Sunday. Isn't it lovely? Just a couple of minutes before I spotted it I bought a pattern for a grape doily. It's slightly different in the middle, but the same basic grape design. Of course I love it!
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Saturday, October 06, 2012
Wiley Building
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20120929-019w.jpg)
While Greg and I were having breakfast downtown last weekend I noticed these beautiful pink roses outside the window. At some point I went out to get a photograph of them in the dew. I waited a little too long, but in the process of trying to capture the flower, I took a photo that showed a bit of the Wiley Building in the background. I liked the idea, so took another that showed more of the building.
The Wiley Building is a landmark downtown, but is owned by someone who doesn't seem to want to maintain it, and it now has no tenants. It's one of the largest buildings downtown, and I think most locals don't perceive how much would be missing if it weren't there.
As I was running around doing errands on Saturday, this point was reinforced multiple times. First was this photo. Then, as I was coming back from the Farmer's Market I noticed the reflection of the Wiley Building in the First National Bank building.
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20120929-055w.jpg)
I decided to go take a photo of the actual Wiley Building.
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20120929-057w.jpg)
And as I drove past, I couldn't help but notice its reflection in yet another window. This time on a white van with Oklahoma plates.
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20120929-059w.jpg)
If you want to see some really cool photos of the inside, check out Greg's post here.
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Friday, October 05, 2012
Shadows
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20120929-034w.jpg)
Saturday morning Greg and I were both up early so we decided to head out to Fraese Drug for breakfast. We sat there and chatted for quite a while, and at some point Greg noticed this wonderful shadow on the wooden floor from the lettering on the glass window.
That's one of the great things about hanging out with a photographer. They see stuff like that.
Cool, huh?
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20120929-020w.jpg)
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Thursday, October 04, 2012
The Pink and Blue Elephant
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20120929-064w.jpg)
Yes, he's spectacular, isn't he?
I bought him at the Salvation Army on Saturday. There he was, just sitting on a shelf, surrounded by other elephants.
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20120929-071w.jpg)
No doubt it was someone's elephant collection.
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20120929-068w.jpg)
I don't collect elephants. But I do collect cool stuff.
Exhibit A:
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20120929-069w.jpg)
The consensus from my Facebook friends, including someone who knows a bit about such things, is that it's a planter - perhaps a Hull. I don't know. I don't care. I just know he's cool. And now he's mine.
And, then, there was a special treat on the bottom of it...
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20120929-073w.jpg)
It says: 3-16-1950 - Em brought this from Wichita, Kansas.
He will be a wonderful companion to the Pink Hippo who has been living with me for a few years.
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Wednesday, October 03, 2012
Candy Crowley at Dillon Lecture Series at Hutchinson Community College
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20121002-029w.jpg)
Candy Crowley spoke at the Dillon Lecture Series at Hutchinson Community College Tuesday morning. She is CNN's Chief Political Correspondent and anchor of their Sunday morning talk show, State of the Union.
She spoke about the presidential election and what the candidates are doing as we get closer to election day. She said she lives in Maryland and although it's not a swing state, Virginia is, and they're seeing the ads geared toward that state. She said watching the ads that, "You would think males are an endangered species because all the ads are about women." The reason, of course, is that women tend to vote to more.
Her comments were really balanced as she spoke about both campaigns and what they were concerned about at this stage. She talked quite a bit about polling and how it's just a snapshot of today. She said she uses polls to see general trends.
She also talked about why certain stories get play and others don't. She used Romney's comment about the 47% and how that fed into an existing storyline that was already in the zeitgeist. The trick for candidates, it seems, is to lay out those storyline potentials long before something like that happens that feeds into them.
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20121002-020w.jpg)
Of course, timing is also important. She mentioned a gaffe Obama made, but it was in March, and how something in September is harder to overcome by the time of the election. She said Romney's camp is concerned about not having time to recover from various things and Obama's camp is concerned that he's polling under 50% sometimes and that's not good for an incumbent. She said at this point, Romney has to run a near-perfect campaign if the polls are correct because they give the edge to the President.
She said this is a "base election," meaning it will hinge on who gets their base out to vote. She said she has thought for years that there are no undecided voters. She said, "There are voters who aren't paying attention, and there are voters who've decided they're not going to vote." But she said a conversation with her son convinced her otherwise, and that some people are actually undecided, because he is. But she said it's a small percentage of people.
What it comes down to are the 4.5 hours of the debates. She will host the one on October 16, the first woman to do so in more than 20 years. She said she's getting more than 100 emails a day of people suggesting questions
She said there's always an "x-factor" in who people decide to vote for, things we can't determine exactly. She noted that 40% of people are saying they're not satisfied with their choice, which means things could change. She said for Obama part of the x-factor may be, "The pull of history in some of those undecideds," because he is the first African-American president.
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20121002-021w.jpg)
Looking ahead to four years, she comments on both parties and potential candidates.
How partisan things are is related to redistricting, as has been said by multiple people. She pointed out that more than half the house was elected by a 60% majority or more because redistricting has made districts more of whichever way they leaned.
She said if Romney loses there will be a real fight in the Republican party between the idea of the tea party and that we need a "real" conservative, versus those who believe we need to widen the tent and can't remain a party of largely white people in a country where there's a minority majority. She said it will be a party trying to figure out its heart and soul.
For the democrats she said, "Joe Biden still dreams of being president." She said she believed what Hillary had been saying about not planning to run in four years but just recently she saw her speaking at a Clinton Global Initiative Event about collecting taxes on a equitable level and the expression on her face made Crowley think Hillary might be considering it.
It's that surprise that Crowley says she loves about politics. You never know what the candidates or the voters are going to do. She ended the lecture by telling the audience to remember that, "The country is always stronger than the people who run it."
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20121002-014w.jpg)
At the luncheon following she said it was helpful to her to hear what questions people had - what people in Kansas wanted to know about the election.
The questions were non-partisan (I was so glad!) and included:
- voter fraud
- the amount spent on elections (she said for people to always look at who is giving money for any ad you see and what their agenda is)
- the Mormon question (we don't know - elections are always multi-determined)
- how she prepped for the debates and how much leeway she has (she said she asks a question 3 different ways generally and then says something like, "so you're not going to answer" and lets it go so she doesn't waste all her time)
- how important are spouses (she said people vote for the top of the ticket)
- who runs polls and who is asked
- how has social media affected elections (she recommended factcheck.org, politifact.com and snopes.com, and encouraged people to consider where information is coming from)
She was incredibly warm and pleasant. She mentioned that when she worked at the AP, the motto was, "Get it first, but first get it right." That's how journalism is supposed to work. It was a wonderful, interesting morning!
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Tuesday, October 02, 2012
Morning Glory
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20121002-004w.jpg)
A few years ago I planted Morning Glories in front of my house. I love their vine-y goodness!
This year I noticed something growing and starting to travel up the side of the steps. Then it migrated onto the porch, then covered a wicker shelf I had on the porch and continued to march toward the door. Just as it seemed it would try to come into the house it started travelling upward again.
There are very few blooms, but it it is a morning glory plant. Yet another indication that everything wants to live and is striving to do so.
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Friday, September 28, 2012
Pretty Pictures
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20110512-132w.jpg)
I've been going through photos tonight for a project. It's kind of nice to see time slipping by through a series of visual references.
Lately multiple people have complimented my photography. I feel like it's okay, but not great. Maybe that's because I see all the "outtakes." But, looking at some of the photos tonight, without all the extraneous ones I passed over, I've started to think some of it is pretty nice.
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20100521-082w.jpg)
It would be enlightening to be able to perceive ourselves as others do. Of course, we might not like everything we learned that way.
Regardless, tonight I'm just going to enjoy pretty pictures.
![](http://www.patsyterrell.com/images3/20110812-081w.jpg)
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Quote of the Day
Anything I can not transform
into something marvelous,
I let go.
-Anaïs Nin
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