Happenstance, life happens, April 9, 2010

From the editor…

Whew! I didn’t think I was going to get this one done. I had a great time interviewing Jean Warner, Joel Scheinberg and Barbara Ewing for the article about dogs. We’ve had dogs over the years, but after the last one, Chipper, the happiest dog on earth, escaped our enclosed yard and got run over, I said, “Never again!” After talking to these dog enthusiasts I’m close to rethinking my position. There is nothing like the relationship between a pet and its human family. Even snooty cats take a down day and make it better. See Delightful Dogs on pages 4-5.

Talking to the tag team Arts & Culture District duo of Adam Caldwell and Roy Montibon had my head ringing with all the ideas out there. These two bounced comments and ideas back and forth like tennis players with a great volley going. It was like sitting in on a strategy and brainstorming session with Donald Trump and the apprentices, without the BSSS (blind silly selfishness and stupidity). It was a fun interview. See Grassroots on pages 6-7.

You get a break from my recipes this week. Check out the wonderful salad recipes by Kathy Allen, author of Someone’s in the Kitchen, a compilation of recipes she has gathered over the years. These recipes can be used as a side or as a dessert.
I’m introducing a couple of new ideas. I don’t want to run a calendar, the Chamber does a great job of that and so does the Optic, but I want to hit the high points of activities going on in town. I can’t think of a better source for that than the magical e-mail network of Karyl Lyne. See The Lyne Connection on page 10. It’s a calendar, sort of.

The Happenstance Walk About on page 12 is a new feature, a bird’s eye view of what is happening in some of the businesses around town. It is very much of a work in progress. My goal is to showcase the heroes of our town. Their heroism is at street level. They get up every morning, open the door to their stores and do everything within their power to provide a much-needed service, whether it is selling ladies’ apparel, jewelry, antiques, art, or diet Cokes. These happened to be the businesses I walked into this week. What businesses have you walked into? These stores contribute to the economy of our town in ways we don’t always recognize. We need them. For them to thrive, they need us.

Enjoy Happenstance, life happens.

Happenstance, March 19, 2010

Getting Happenstance together is fun. I meet new people and share the excitement of what is going on in their lives. This week I talked to artists who are starting a new enterprise. The future of Las Vegas and the area is based on a combination of job creation, job retention, and job expansion. The jobs created by a co-op art gallery are not the distinguishable jobs of hiring others to work in your place of business; these jobs come from the artists taking on the shared role of employee. That sets up a chain reaction, which results in more opportunities for sales for the artists which is a shot in the arm for the economy on a very basic level. I met with two of the participating artists and learned a lot about co-ops I didn’t know. I share that with you in, Artists open co-op gallery on the Plaza, on pages 6-7.

My second article was a joy to do because I am a book nut. I love to read almost as much as I love to write and I really enjoy the work of other writers. I am especially charmed by Jan Brett, a respected children's book author who literally paints a picture with everything she writes. In The Easter Egg bus is on its way, you will find out more about this talented illustrator/author who has more than thirty-four million books in print. She’s coming to town and her visit is NOT just for kids. Read the story on pages 4-5. I’ve also included reviews of a couple of her books on page 10.

Also check out The Best of the Web on page 9. This week’s review is of the site delish.com. It’s a food site, but I also found it pretty entertaining. On the

Happenstance Kitchen page I included one of my favorite recipes for a crowd.

Folks are asking how often I’m going to publish Happenstance. My hope is to do it every week, but that may require more content than I can produce. I welcome submissions from other writers. It can be poetry, short fiction, essays, articles about interesting activities, people and events, history and oddities. I want to hear from you and look forward to getting your submissions.

Distribution of this is somewhat dependent on readers. If you like Happenstance and would like to pass it on to others, please do. I also welcome your ideas. Is there something you would like to know more about? Let me know and I’ll do my best to get it in.

Enjoy this issue of Happenstance; life happens.