MauMag July Aug 2014 WEB

Volume 9, Issue 1 • July/August 2014 

Mary Steenburgen 

– a genuine, gracious 

and grounded lady 

www.MauMag.com 

MauMag.com 

1

July/August 2014 


2 

3

Ten Years of Service - “to be continued” 

By Beverly Masters 


4 

The July/August issue of Maumelle Magazine (MauMag) 

introduces a new logo/masthead, expanded contents in the 

Fitness and Health section with contributions from UAMS 

(University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences) and Arkansas 

Children’s Hospital. The re-introduction of “Maumelle Business” 

is now a permanent part of Maumelle Magazine. 

The July/August issue also represents the change from a 

quarterly publication to a bimonthly magazine. 

We are adding new features such as Fiction Short Stories (including childrens’ 

stories), Travel Destinations, Creative Recipes (readers’ submissions will be 

considered), Biographies, Personality Profiles, and Commentaries. 

I hope you enjoy reading Maumelle Magazine as much as I enjoy publishing it. 

As always, your comments are welcome. 

Roger A. Frangieh 

Publisher/Editor 

Coming in September/October issue: 

• yMore Fitness and 

Health articles 

• yBusiness articles on 

Avertising and Strategic 

Marketing 

• yTravel Destinations 

• yMore Recipes 

• yFiction Short Stories 

• y“In Focus” Commentary 

and Opinions 

maumag@maumag.com 

501.960.6077 

Volume 9, Issue 2 • September/October 2014 

Volume 9 • Issue 1, July - August 2014 

An Exclusive 

Interview with 



Dr. Derek S. Long 

MAGAZINE 


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Publisher/Editor 


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Writers & Contributors 

Mark Albright 

Evan Bell 

Christie Brooks, MS, RD, LD 

Marcia Camp 

Bradley R. Crossfield, D.D.S. 

Scott Deaton 

Ken Forrester 


Linda Kennedy 

Chad Kulchinski 

Jonathan Laryea, M.D. 

Cary Maddox 

Beverly Masters 

Michelle McCon 

Kricia Palmer 

Prunella Pinetree 

Austin Pittman 

Robyn D. Rektor 

Pam Rudkin 

Sam Smith, M.D. 

Harding Stedler 

Kathy Wheeler 

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purpose without written permission from the publisher. 

A 

causal conversation in a hallway 

at City Hall 10 years ago 

has directly affected thousands 

of Maumelle residents, that 

is residents over 50 and their 

families. Several city employees were voicing 

their concern for a senior resident in 

need of services the City of Maumelle could 

not provide. It was not the first such request. 

Their discussion included how those service 

could be provided. Working with elected officials, 

a dream and a plan were born. 

The Senior Services Department is a direct 

result of that causal conversation and 

voiced concerns. Now, celebrating 10 years 

of service the Maumelle Senior Wellness 

Center (MSWC) continues to discover ways 

to serve Maumelle seniors. 

MSWC’s emphasis is on living and living 

well. The Department of Senior Services provides 

those over 50 with opportunities and 

tools to stay active, to continue to learn and 

to live healthy lives. Their goal is to address 

three concepts of aging well and aging in 

place: Your Health Matters, Active Living, and 

Lifelong Learning. 

MSWC addresses “Your Health Matters” 

issues with the support of the health community 

in Maumelle. MSWC has been fortunate 

to partner with local pharmacies, 

healthcare providers, dentists and area hospitals 

to bring information and services to its 

members. Those partnerships continue and 

strengthen each year. 

“I was just sitting at home by myself since I 

didn’t know anyone in the area. Now I come to 

the Senior Center everyday. I have new friends 

that mean the world to me. The Center is the 

best place for me.” 

– KR, a MSWC member 

Walgreens, Kroger, Baptist Health and 

Maumelle Health Mart have provided 

members with blood pressure, blood sugar, 

and cholesterol checks as well as flu shots 

clinics and providing speakers with information 

for living healthy. Brent Bradley, 

owner of Maumelle Health Mart explains 

that “partnering with the Senior Wellness 

Center allows me to ‘give something back’ 

to the community, as the community has 

supported me and Bradley’s Pharmacy/ 

Healthmart since 1994. 

The Maumelle Senior Wellness Center, 

making a difference for those over 50 

The Maumelle Department 

of Senior Services provides 

those over 50 with the 

opportunity to learn and 

stay active. 

• Health screenings exercise classes, 

art classes, and educational 

opportunities 

• Transportation and shuttle services including: 

• Around-town shuttle service twice weekly 

• Daily shuttle service to the Wellness Center 

• Daily non-emergency medical 

transportation for medical appointments 

• Cardio Room 

• Computer Lab 

• Volunteer Opportunities 

Dr. Austin Family Dentistry and Dr. Lewis 

Family Dentistry have partnered with MSWC 

for the past 6 years to provide free dental 

care for low income, senior members in Maumelle. 

This is a much needed program that 

has served close to 70 seniors. The program 

is financially supported by Counting on Each 

Other, Inc. a non-profit raising funds for Maumelle 

senior programs. 

Maumelle Senior Services provides 

transportation for non-emergency medical 

appointments. Having access to primary 

care physicians, specialists, and dentists is an 

important component of aging well and aging 

in place. For more information about this 

program or for an opportunity to volunteer 

for driving or many other Center activities, 

call Patricia at 501-851-4344. 

In celebration of 10 years serving Maumelle 

seniors, the community is invited to 

an open house at the Senior Wellness Center 

on June 26 from 5 pm to 7 pm. The Center is 

located at 550 Edgewood Drive in the Dean 

Files City Center. 

This is part one of a three part series and 

only the first TEN YEARS of serving Maumelle 

seniors. MM 

Maumelle Senior Services 

550 Edgewood Drive, Suite 400 


501-851-4344 

501-803-3406 Fax 

seniorservices@maumelle.org 

Call 501-851-4344 to learn more about the opportunities awaiting you. 


5

8 


– a genuine, gracious and grounded lady 

Cover Photo by Jack Guy. 

Ten Years of Service - “to be continued”........................................5 

Lemonade Summers in Miami, Oklahoma................................ 26 

A Modern-Day Mother Teresa.................................................... 30 

INTERIOR DESIGN................................................................... 32 

Hillcrest Attic Renovation..................................................... 32 

Manage Your Game and Visualize Your Shots............................ 35 

A Change is Gonna Do Me Good.............................................. 36 

POETRY - Reaping the Rhythms........................................ 37 

Rude Awakenings........................................................................ 38 

A Word on Guardianships.......................................................... 40 

Celebrating our 

10 th anniversary! 

Thank you to our patrons 

and the community of 

Maumelle for supporting 

our restaurant. 

– Sergio Atilano & 

Mr. Pancho’s Staff 

Germs Pose Biggest Risk 

when Pets Bite Kids 

16 

Myths about Colorectal Cancer...................................18 

Snack Attack: How Diet 

Affects Your Teeth 

19 

Let’s Talk Crossfit 

What is this fitness craze all about..............................20 

One Size Does What..................................................22 

Building a Strong 

Foundation 

23 

PHOTOGRAPHY........................................................................ 42 

Components of Exposure: Shutter Speed............................. 42 

Maumelle Photography Club............................................... 44 

WINE................................................................................................46 

Wine Practices in Arkansas Past, Present 

and (Possibly) Future (Part 3)............................................... 46 

MAUMELLE BUSINESS................................................... 48 

Over The Back Fence............................................................ 48 

Austin Family Dentistry Expanding...................................... 50 

The Real Stuff.............................................................................. 51 

Travel Rules................................................................................. 52 

CONNECTIONS “MARKET PLACE”.................................. 53 

BOOK REVIEWS........................................................................ 54 

Two Reviews by Pam Rudkin............................................... 54 

Correction 

In the April/May/June issue, the article entitled “Alzheimer’s 

Doesn’t Have to be Bad,” was written by Mary Elaine Lester, 

not Dr. Bryan A. Austin as printed. Our apologies to Mary 

Elaine Lester and to Dr. Bryan A. Austin. 

MONDAYS 

KIDS EAT 

FOR $ 1 

Ask for our membership card 

and get amazing discounts. 

$ 

1 TACO 

TUESDAY 

Ground beef and shredded chicken tacos. 

Discount for senior citizens, the military, 

and Maumelle city workers. 

HAPPY 

HOUR 

EVERYDAY 

4-7 PM 


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Austin Family Dentistry..........................................Back Cover 

Skinner Chiropractic Clinic ................ Centerfold (Left Panel) 

Maumelle Eye Care............................Centerfold (Right Panel) 

MauMag Limited Edition Photo Posters................................ 3 

Department of Senior Services Wellness Center...................... 5 

Mr. Pancho Mexican Restaurant............................................. 7 

Arkansas Pediatric Clinic...................................................... 17 

Central Arkansas Roofing..................................................... 31 

Gateway Self Storage............................................................ 25 

Janet Jones Realtors®............................................................. 33 

MauMag Advertising............................................................ 54 

CONNECTIONS “MARKET PLACE” 53 

MauMag Subscriptions........................................................ 53 

MauMag Account Executives............................................... 53 

Lawnserve of AR ................................................................. 53 

Gayle Odom - Crye-Leike Realtors...................................... 53 

Drive-thru 

available 

15% Discount for Every Time You Mention this Advertisement. 


7

By Linda Kennedy 


– a genuine, gracious and grounded lady 

Central Arkansas roots run 

deep in Mary Steenburgen. 

In spite of her stardom (Golden 

Globe and Academy Award winning 

actress) and career that skyrocketed 

from the start and continues in full 

swing to this day, she remains a genuine, 

gracious, and grounded lady. Mary maintains 

a close bond with family and friends 

here and is passionate about supporting local 

events and organizations that are working 

to improve the quality of all our lives. 

Her personal outlook on life is inspiring, and 

herein, she will share with us what she believes 

is the secret to a successful, fulfilling 

life. For those who may not have realized 

she is one of our “own,” let’s begin with a 

brief background: 

him. He invited her, along with six other actors 

who had a wealth of experience in film 

(she had none and knew nothing about film 

at the time), to go to Los Angeles for a screen 

test. Her audition ended up being the one 

he liked the best, and he had to really fight 

the studio to get them to accept her in the 

role. The studio told him to choose his second 

favorite because that first one “had a 


8 

PHOTO BY HEIDI ROSS. 

Mary was born in Newport, AR, and her 

family moved to North Little Rock when she 

was just eighteen months old. She attended 

Park Hill Elementary, Ridge Road Jr. High, 

and was a member of the first graduating 

class from the new (at that time) North 

East campus of North Little Rock High in 

1971. After attending Hendrix College in 

Conway for a year, she moved to New York 

to study acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse 

where she studied with Sandy Meisner 

(whose acting method is still taught by 

many). Mary says she feels so fortunate to 

have been able to study with him while he 

was still alive and still uses the things he 

taught her. Shortly after her schooling at 

Neighborhood Playhouse, Mary had the 

most important audition of her life. At a 

general casting interview, she met Jack 

Nicholson and had the chance to read for 

Baby Mary with Mom and Dad, Nell 

and Maurice Steenburgen, 1953. 

weird last name, nobody had ever heard 

of her, and she had never even been in a 

movie.” Because Jack Nicholson believed 

in her and fought for her, Mary landed her 

first movie role (in Goin’ South). Thus began 

a remarkable acting career for an equally 

remarkable young lady. Fortunately, this 

talented and busy actress was willing to sit 

and chat with me about her life journey and 

new creative outlets that have further enriched 

her life. 


9

and a lot of kids now lose themselves in 

video games, watching movies, or sadly, 

some get into drugs or other things to 

try to alter their universe. I’m so grateful 

that I chose something that helped me 

rather than hurt me. The worlds I entered 

through reading became very tangible 

and important to me, and at some point 

I realized I was an actor. Acting has allowed 

me to take the imagination I used 

while reading and “stand it on its feet,” if 

that makes sense. 

LK: Did you study dance or music as 

a child 

MS: I studied tap a little bit as a teenager. 

It was part of the curriculum at the 

Neighborhood Playhouse, too. 

out at the audience and say I was sorry but 

I didn’t learn my piece. It was a long walk 

from the stage as I walked by everyone! 

Unfortunately, I didn’t give my teacher a 

chance to help me through this trauma. I 

just quit and for a long time didn’t touch 

a piano. Every once in a while I’ve had to 

play in a movie, and I’d just kind of fake 

it. Recently, I’ve started playing again a 

couple of hours a day and really enjoy it. 

That mortifying recital experience, though, 

turned into a powerful lesson for me. Not 

ever wanting to experience again that feeling 

of not having done my homework in 

front of an audience, I work hard and over 

prepare. For every movie or play I’ve done, 

I have made sure I am extremely confident 

with my lines and whatever else I have to 

do on stage. 


10 

Mary at a Dance Recital 

Linda Kennedy: What experiences 

growing up in Arkansas led you to a life in 

the arts 

Mary Steenburgen: First of all, I was 

inspired by the many wonderful teachers 

I had in North Little Rock. Also, the Laman 

Library was such a great resource for me. 

This is sort of a sad thing, but I’m proud 

of where the journey took me: My dad 

had multiple heart attacks caused by a 

severe heart condition when I was young. 

He was very strong both physically and 

spiritually and kept surviving these neardeath 

episodes. I really suffered through 

the trauma of being afraid of losing him. 

I believed/hoped that through my actions, 

making all A’s, being a perfect child 

… I could keep him alive. I’ve read that 

this is referenced as magical thinking. But 

it’s not magical; it is a sort of self-imposed 

pressure/structure a child will take on him 

or herself in a home where something is 

wrong. As an escape mechanism I began 

to read obsessively. I was at the Laman Library 

many days each week and definitely 

on Saturdays checking out a huge pile 

of books. The worlds I entered through 

those books were safe places for me. I 

think children do this in various ways 

I did take piano lessons for a few years 

from a wonderful teacher. I was about thirteen 

when I played in my last recital. For 

that recital I didn’t practice because I fell in 

love that summer and was more focused 

on a boy than the piece I was supposed to 

learn. When the day of the recital came, I 

knew I was in trouble because Mrs. Montgomery 

wouldn’t let us use our sheet music. 

I started my piece and just didn’t know 

it well enough to even play it. I had to look 

Mary packing in preparation for her 

move to New York. 

LK: When did you discover that you 

love to sing 

MS: As a child I just sang at church 

and school events, I guess, but singing 

was not a big part of my life. However, 

since 2007 there has been a musical 

component to my life that I can’t explain. 

I spoke about this not long ago on the 

CBS Sunday Morning show. To make a 

long story short, I had undergone minor 

surgery on my arm, and anesthesia 

had been administered. I felt weird after 

waking and for days afterward, and we 

thought it was just from the anesthesia. 

I went from being a person who enjoyed 

music and was not preoccupied with it to 

one who could barely wrench her brain 

from it to do anything else. I couldn’t 

sleep and couldn’t understand what was 

happening to me. I have no proof it was 

caused by the anesthesia, but the timing 

makes it seem a strong possibility. It is 

also possible that while I was out, a channel 

opened. I had an extremely musical 

grandmother, so one theory is that this 

musical side of me was in a part of my 

brain I had never accessed. 

Several friends who knew what I was 

going through brought me a copy of Oli- 

ver Sacks’ book, Musicophelia: Tales of Music 

and the Brain. This book kind of freaked 

me out because it talks about people who 

have brain tumors, have been in car accidents, 

have been struck by lightning, or the 

like, and speaks about it all in a way that 

was not helpful to me. The book is amazing, 

but what I needed to do was figure out 

not why this happened to me but what 

I should do with this musical obsession. 

Initially it was, how can I sleep Then, how 

can I focus on anything other than what 

I’m hearing in my head and not let it affect 

my relationships So you can see my initial 

experiences were not nice at all. Now I’m 

used to it and function as well as I did before 

it began. 

LK: All this opened up new and exciting 

opportunities for you in the music 

world. Share with us what you’re doing 

with all those melodies that have flooded 

your brain. 

MS: Once I made peace with this new 

musical component, I began to study music 

composition, specifically song writing. This 

has led to a whole separate career in my life. 

I am now a staff writer for the Universal Music 

Publishing Group. I often write by myself, 

but when I’m in Nashville we (a group 

of usually 2 or 3 writers) go in about 11:00 in 

the morning and are given a work topic for 

the session. These other writers are incredible 

masters of the guitar and, occasionally, 

piano. I usually have a list of ideas I keep, 

and I might throw one out for the group to 

develop. For example, I’ve written with Kris 

Allen (American Idol and fellow Arkansan!). 

He is such a fantastic talent. Maybe I’ll sing 

a melodic idea, and Kris will just pick up his 

guitar and start strumming along because 

he hears music to accompany it. Together 

we just craft a song. I write with artists 

mainly, like Kris, Matraca Berg, Trent Dabbs, 

Melissa Manchester, artists with much superior 

voices than mine! I’ve written songs 

for the films Dirty Girl, Last Vegas, and Val- 

PHOTO BY CHUCK ZLOTNICK 

SUPPORT FOR A 

LOCAL ARTS CENTER 

LK: You spoke eloquently on the need for 

a community to have its own events/performing 

arts center when the Argenta Community 

Theatre was dedicated several years ago. Here 

in Maumelle our city council is in the process 

of choosing among several projects to fund 

through bond issues and tax increases. An 

events center is one of the seven. How important 

do you feel a center like this is to the life of 

a community 

MS: It is hugely important, and not just 

for young people who are going to go into the 

arts or acting as I did. It is for all ages, all professionals 

like doctors, teachers, writers, … 

all professions! From giving the gift to all of a 

chance to stand up and be a part of something 

creative to offering the finished product for 

others to attend and be inspired, a center like 

this is empowering to a community. It adds 

a wonderful grace and breathes magic into a 

community. I encourage every AR community 

to work hard to have one. 


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12 

American Idol Kris Allen performing with Mary Steerburgen. 

Ted and Mary. 

PHOTO BY NANCY STEENBURGEN PHOTO BY NANCY STEENBURGEN 

ley Inn and am currently writing for some 

upcoming movies. The whole point of my 

writing is not for me to sing; it is because 

I really love to write songs. I have actually 

faced down the fear of public singing to an 

extent now. I recently sang in New York at 

an event honoring Mayor Bloomberg, and 

I sang four songs in one of my recent movies, 

Last Vegas. Three of them are jazz standards, 

and the fourth, “Cup of Trouble,” is a 

bluesy/ jazzy song I wrote. I’ve only sung in 

public a handful of times. 

LK: How do you write these songs 

down Is standard notation used in 

these sessions 

MS: It’s done a little differently in 

Nashville. They use the Nashville numbering 

system which has simple chords 

and numbering of the chords based on 

the key. A lot of writers use that. I just 

basically use what I hear in my head and 

communicate it by singing. I do remember 

how to read music from my days of 

piano lessons, but in writing songs, I’m 

more comfortable right now with the byear 

process. I am, though, a student of all 

of it now, and that may change in time. I 

think playing the accordion is what made 

it “safe” for me to get back to the piano 

and reading music again. 

LK: When did you begin playing accordion 

MS: A little over a year ago on Valentine’s 

Day Ted [Ted Danson, her husband] 

and I were at McCabe’s Music in Los Angeles. 

It’s one of the best and an old, 

famous store. I spotted this little green 

accordion and asked Ted if he’d like to 

get it for me for Valentine’s Day. He said, 

“I’d love to.” I got him some sort of drum 

that was like a wooden box. I think he 

may have played it once. But, the accordion 

really stuck for me. I just started 

playing around on it, and I think I’ve had 

three lessons this year. I’m only a decent 

player and not nearly as good as I will be 

if I keep practicing. It really is a challenging 

instrument, but there is something 

PHOTO BY STACY KINZLER WITH PERMISSION, ARGENTA COMMUNITY THEATRE. 

about it that appeals to me. I would say 

that the music I write on it is probably 

akin to French café music, like something 

you’d hear in Woody Allen’s Midnight in 

Paris. In some cases I think I’ve married 

that sound with a sort of folk or country 

element making the music a little bit in 

the vein of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic 

Zeros in a song called “Home.” I 

really, really enjoy my accordion. It just 

makes me smile when I play it. 

LK: How many songs have you written 

MS: I really have no idea, at least 500 

and probably closer to a thousand. Some 

are great, I hope, but most are somewhere 

between there and terrible. You just have 

to keep putting it out there and mining for 

the gold. 

From left to right: Governor Mike Beebe, Judy Tenenbaum, Vincent Insalaco, Bill Clinton, Mary Steenburgen, and Ginger Beebe. 

Vincent Insalaco and Jud Tenenbaum are the co-founders ofthe Argenta Community Theatre. 

LK: Exactly what all goes into the writing 

of a great song 

MS: That’s a great question, and it 

feels like it’s what those of us who do this 

are constantly chasing. It’s like a great 

movie, too. There are so many ways to fail 

and a few ways to make a great one. It’s an 

elusive process which is probably why it is 

so fascinating. Writing music is too, and is 

also like mining for gold. Sometimes you 

find it, and sometimes you don’t. The best 

songs, ones that truly transport us, have an 

emotional truth – one that everyone can 

relate to and has experienced. 

LK: How do you come up with the lyrics 

for your songs 

MS: There’s really no one way they 

are written. Sometimes I hear a spoken 

phrase, see a particular street sign, or have 

a sudden recollection from the past; any 

of these things can become the seed from 

which a song can grow. At times I hear a 

melody first, and the words eventually 

wind themselves in. I really enjoy exploring 

ideas and chasing them with the talented 

people with whom I write, and they 

are a constant source of inspiration to me. 

Incidentally, I have only talked about 

this aspect of my life this past year. I was 

writing music with such great people 

and felt I needed to prove myself a little 

bit more. Plus, this whole thing started 

for me at age 54. People often assume 

the human brain sort of stops growing 

and functioning as you age, and you’re 

just left with maintaining whatever 


13


14 

you’ve learned and done in your youth. 

I’ve never seen life that way. I think if 

you’re not growing, you’re dying. For me, 

saying yes to new experiences has been 

a big part of the secret of my life. I don’t 

think there’s a cut-off date or expiration 

date on your dreams. If I have any advice 

for people at all, it would be to say yes 

more often and not assume you can’t do 

new things continually through life. 

LK: You recently said yes to another 

new venture in your life by becoming involved 

in the opening of a lovely new restaurant 

in Little Rock, South on Main. 

MS: This has been exciting. My niece, 

Amy Kelly Bell, and her husband, Chef Matt 

Bell, are the talent behind it. My husband 

and I were honored to be their partners in 

this venture. Our other partner is Oxford 

American Magazine which is very dear 

to my heart and which I think is a real national 

treasure. The logo we designed is a 

typewriter with a fork and spoon on each 

side of it. It represents that this space is 

a celebration of creativity with readings, 

occasional films, and local live music on 

Wednesday nights. Roseann Cash, Iris Dement, 

Kris Allen and several other really 

great artists have already been there, and 

we have plans for many, many more. 

Left to right: Mary Steenburgen, Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, 

Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline in CBS Films comedy LAST VEGAS. 

South on Main is located where Juanita’s 

was and where I used to hang out with 

the Clintons many years ago. It’s a very 

special place to me, so when we got this 

chance, I really had fun doing the interior 

design with my niece, Amy. I have an interior 

design business in California, so this is a 

world with which I am familiar. It was such 

fun putting our personal touches in there. 

The restaurant has only been open 

about six months or so and received first 

place in the AR Times Readers Poll for 

best new chef and best new restaurant 

which we were really honored to get! 

We were runner-up in lots of other categories 

that we’re going to work hard to 

improve on. And, by the way, the food is 

out of this world! 

LK: You spoke eloquently on the need 

for a community to have its own events/ 

performing arts center when the Argenta 

Community Theatre was dedicated several 

years ago. Here in Maumelle our city council 

is in the process of choosing among several 

projects to fund through bond issues 

and tax increases. An events center is one 

of the seven. How important do you feel a 

center like this is to the life of a community 

MS: It is hugely important, and not just 

for young people who are going to go into 

the arts or acting as I did. It is for all ages, all 

professionals like doctors, teachers, writers, 

… all professions! From giving the gift to 

all of a chance to stand up and be a part 

of something creative to offering the finished 

product for others to attend and be 

inspired, a center like this is empowering 

to a community. It adds a wonderful grace 

and breathes magic into a community. I 

encourage every AR community to work 

hard to have one. 

LK: I would be remiss if I didn’t ask 

about your phenomenal acting career. 

South on Main restaurant in Little Rock. 

PHOTO BY ARSHIA KHAN 

PHOTO BY PRASHANT GUPTA FX. 

Obviously, since your first film, Goin’ South, 

many years ago, you have constantly been 

working. How many films in all have you 

made, and do you have any favorites 

among them 

MS: I’ve made sixty or so movies, I 

guess. There are a couple I’ve never even 

seen. I spend zero time watching them, 

but it’s not that I mind watching myself 

on screen. My relationship to them is different 

than what I imagine most people 

would think. The finished product is not as 

important to me as the process. I see my 

films as the stories of my life. Sometimes 

when flipping TV channels I’ll run across an 

old one, and I may watch for 10 seconds or 

so just to see an old friend or remember 

the location where we were shooting that 

scene. Then I move on to something I’ve 

never seen before. 

So, I love all the movies I’ve done and 

feel blessed to have been able to work in 

each one. We work really hard, often out 

in the elements in all kinds of conditions 

for long hours. Just the other night, we 

were shooting in Griffith Park. It was so 

cold, and we were all huddled around a 

little outdoor heater trying to stay warm. 

Then I had to take my coat off and go do 

a scene, acting like I’m not cold. But, I am 

not complaining. I have loved every step 

of it all and am so grateful. I hope I’ve given 

Mary working on the FX show Justified. 

it my all. I certainly feel like I have and will 

continue to do so. 

LK: Have you ever considered directing 

films 

MS: I really don’t want to direct. My 

son is a director, and I admire that, but that’s 

not how my brain works. I love focusing on 

my character. A director has to focus on 

everything. I like getting inside a character, 

making it personal, giving it breath and life, 

and turning it into something that people 

will either love or hate. Right now I’m just 

finishing up shooting two television shows 

at once. In Justified , I play a devil in female 

form. Well, if she’s not a devil, she’s certainly 

not a very good person. And, for Togetherness, 

I’m playing a rather strange character 

that may or may not be some kind of angel. 

I’ve really enjoyed playing these two 

completely opposite parts of myself. It has 

been challenging. 

LK: Can you give us a peek at things 

we can expect in the future 

MS: The work I’ve recently completed 

and which should come out over the next 

year include the film, Song One with Anne 

Hathaway; Justified (FX); and Togetherness 

(HBO). It’s too early to talk about another 

one that is in the works but know that 

more will be coming. 

As for songwriting your readers can 

keep up to date with my songs by visiting 

iTunes. Several that are available for listening 

now are “Hoping for Home,” a song I 

wrote with a wonderful artist, Trent Dabbs; 

“Fall Again,” written with Matraca Berg who 

is revered in Nashville as a great songwriter; 

and from the sound track of my recent 

movie, Last Vegas, “Cup of Trouble.” At 

some point I may get around to cutting a 

CD of my songs, but I have been so busy 

acting and writing for other people that it 

just hasn’t been a priority for me. 

LK: In closing, and on behalf of all our 

readers, thank you for taking time from 

your extremely busy schedule to visit with 

us through MauMag. You are truly an inspiration. 

And, to our readers, I hope you are as 

excited as I am to be reminded that there 

should be no expiration date on our dreams. 

Let’s remember to say “yes” to new opportunities 

that come our way, maintain a strong 

work ethic in whatever work we are fortunate 

to have in our lives, strive to make a 

difference in this wonderful community of 

which we are each a part, and to be grateful 

each day. MM 

Linda Kennedy has taught music through the piano 

and theory/composition in her independent piano 

studio in Maumelle for the past 22 years. She is also organist/ 

accompanist at NLR First United Methodist Church. Linda may be 

contacted by email at PianoLK@aol.com. 


15


16 

Germs Pose Biggest Risk when Pets Bite Kids 

Some of our happiest childhood 

memories tend to include 

family pets. Whether 

a sweet dog that belonged 

to Mom and Dad before the 

addition of children or a hamster that 

joined the household years later, pets 

often become treasured friends for kids. 

But that doesn’t always mean that 

these relationships are entirely harmonious. 

Unfortunately, we see quite 

a few pet bites at Arkansas Children’s 

Hospital, and they frequently involve 

an animal that is well known to the 

family. We’re not talking about aggressive 

breeds here; these are dogs or cats 

that may have never displayed threatening 

behavior before. 

Why does this happen Sometimes 

a playful child unwittingly intimidates 

the pet by getting too close to your 

pet’s feeding bowl or there may be a 

change to the home environment such 

as a new pet or toddler that causes 

your older pet to act out. Other times, 

the pet is trying to be protective of 

the family and nips in their defense. 

We know it’s most likely to happen to 

with dogs, as 4.7 million Americans experience 

dog bites each year. Of those 

patients, 60 percent are children, according 

to the American Academy of 

Pediatrics (AAP). 

While the trauma to the skin may 

look scary, what we’re really worried 

about in the majority of these cases is 

the risk of infection. This is especially 

an issue when a child – or an adult for 

that matter – is bitten on the hand. 

Experts believe that as many as 40 

By Sam Smith, M.D. 

percent of the bite wounds that occur 

on hands lead to infections. This is because 

of the complex anatomy of our 

hands and how easy it is for a bite to 

make it through those tendons, bones 

and joints, leaving bacteria behind. 

And while dogs may be more likely 

to bite, we worry even more about infection 

with cats. Their teeth are sharper 

and more angled than their canine 

counterparts. When they tear through 

skin, the wounds are deeper and much 

more difficult to clean. 

Of course, the risk of infection stems 

from the organisms that are in the biting 

animal’s mouth. If a child has been 

bitten by an animal, it will be important 

to watch for signs like increased 

redness, swelling, tenderness and fever 

in the days after the injury. 

Anytime a child is bitten by an 

animal and it breaks the skin, parents 

should contact the family’s pediatrician. 

If the animal isn’t known to the family, 

parents should seek medical attention 

immediately – even if the bite seems 

superficial. This is especially important 

with any kind of wild mammal – bats, 

skunks, squirrel, raccoons, even foxes. 

With these animals, we worry about the 

risk of rabies. 

Luckily, rabies is fairly rare, with only 

5 or 6 cases reported in the U.S. annually, 

according to the AAP. Unfortunately 

there has been a significant increase in 

wild animals, particularly skunks, testing 

positive for the virus in Arkansas over the 

past year. Because rabies is nearly always 

fatal, the AAP says all wild animal bites 

should be considered a risk for the virus. 

Prevention is our best bet when it comes 

to rabies. 

At ACH, we more commonly see 

bites from friendly, vaccinated pets in 

PHOTO BY JOSEPH E. GOBLE 

PHOTO BY JOSEPH E. GOBLE 

the home. So what should you do if 

your little one is bitten If the wound is 

bleeding, immediately apply pressure 

for about five minutes or until the bleeding 

stops. The next step will be to gently 

but thoroughly wash the wound with 

soap and warm water. Then pick up the 

phone and call your child’s doctor. 

A large wound may require stitches 

and your pediatrician may also prescribe 

antibiotics. The physician will 

also check to see if immunization records 

are up to date and whether your 

child will need an updated tetanus 

vaccine. 

Doctors Building 

500 S. University Ave., Suite 200 

Little Rock, AR 72205 

If you have pets in the home – or 

will be sending your child to the house 

of a friend or family member with animals 

– talk about the right way to treat 

and approach them. Remind your child 

that it’s important not to roughhouse 

NEW LOCATION OPENING IN APRIL! 

11749 Maumelle Blvd. 

North Little Rock, AR 72213 

Office: 501-664-4117 Fax: 501-664-1137 

with animals and to be careful about 

pulling and poking. 

The best way to avoid pet bites is to 

be vigilant and supervise any interactions 

your child has with an animal. You 

may be able to spot the signs a pet is becoming 

agitated and remove your little 

one from the scenario. 

ANYTIME A CHILD 

IS BITTEN BY AN ANIMAL 

AND IT BREAKS THE 

SKIN, PARENTS SHOULD 

CONTACT THE FAMILY’S 

PEDIATRICIAN. 

Pets are an important part of many of 

our households, but they can be unpredictable. 

We can do our best to create 

positive relationships and fun memories 

with our animals, but always be aware of 

the risk of an unexpected bite. MM 

Dr. Sam Smith is surgeon in chief at Arkansas Children’s 

Hospital and a professor of Surgery at the University of 

Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). A 1980 graduate of the UAMS 

College of Medicine, Dr. Smith served his residency at UAMS and 

later held a fellowship in pediatric surgery at Children’s Hospital of 

Pittsburgh. He has worked at Arkansas Children’s Hospital for more 

than 20 years and now holds the Boyd Family Endowed Chair in 

Pediatric Surgery at ACH. Dr. Smith lives in Little Rock with his wife, 

Nancy. They are the parents of two adult sons, Conor and Carson. 

Anthony D. Johnson, MD 

Diane H. Freeman, MD 

Lori E. Montgomery, MD 

Eugene Lu, MD 

Anton L. Duke, MD 

Scott M Sanders, MD 

Kristi M. Hawkins, MD 

Stacy L. Sax, MD 

Sarah C. Bone, MD 

Jeremy S. Harwood, MD 


17

Myths about Colorectal Cancer 

Snack Attack: How Diet Affects Your Teeth 


18 

Colorectal cancer is the thirdmost 

commonly diagnosed 

cancer in both men and 

women and the secondleading 

cause of cancer 

deaths, yet it doesn’t quite get the 

attention that many other types of 

cancers and diseases do. 

In Arkansas alone there are about 

1,500 colorectal cancer cases annually, 

with death rates slightly above the national 

averages. On average, the risk of 

getting colon cancer is about one in 20. 

There are several myths that 

keep people from getting tested and 

screened. Education about colorectal 

cancer and its early detection – both 

the benefits of getting tested and 

screened – can be keys to decreasing 

the number of deaths from the disease 

each year. 

It is my hope to help dispel some 

of these myths and encourage more 

Arkansans to ask their doctors more 

questions and get screened when appropriate. 

Myth 1 – Colorectal cancer is a man’s 

disease. 

Colorectal cancer is just as common 

among women as it is men. The 

risk overall is equal, but women have 

a higher risk for colon cancer while 

men are more likely to develop rectal 

cancer. 

Myth 2 – There’s no way to prevent 

colon cancer, so lifestyle doesn’t 

matter. 

In many cases, colon cancer can be 

prevented, and it’s about what you eat 

and your physical activity. It’s best to 

By Jonathan Laryea, M.D. 

be a healthy weight throughout your 

life. Be physically active. Stop smoking. 

Eat high fiber foods, and limit high fat 

and red meats. 

Myth 3 – A polyp means I have cancer. 

Polyps are benign (or non-cancerous) 

growths that, if left unchecked, 

have the potential to develop into 

cancer. Polyps can easily be removed 

during a colonoscopy. Not all polyps 

are precancerous. They are fairly common 

in people age 50 and older. One 

type of polyp, called an adenoma, increases 

the risk of developing colorectal 

cancer. 

Myth 4 – Colonoscopies are unpleasant, 

and the only way to screen for 

colon cancer. 

Preparing for a colonoscopy involves 

cleaning the colon with the help 

of prescription and over-the-counter 

medications. Typically these are liquid 

drinks that must be consumed a day or 

two before the procedure. The prep for 

the procedure is generally what people 

consider to be the worst part. The actual 

colonoscopy only takes 15-30 minutes, 

and patients are sedated to eliminate 

discomfort. 

There are several screening options 

for colorectal cancer including flexible 

sigmoidoscopy, fecal occult blood test 

and double-contrast barium enema. 

But a colonoscopy is the gold standard. 

It detects more cancers, examines 

the entire colon and can be used 

for screening, diagnosis and removing 

polyps all in one visit. 

Myth 5 – Age doesn’t matter when it 

comes to getting colon cancer. 

More than 90 percent of all colorectal 

cancers are found in people who 

are 50 and older. This is why it is recommended 

that you start getting checked 

for this cancer when you are 50. If you 

have a family history of colon cancer 

or exhibit other risk factors, you might 

want to get screened sooner than age 

50. Consult with your primary care 

physician about when you should be 

screened. 

Importance of Education 

and Screening 

A colon cancer diagnosis can be 

scary, but knowing all the facts about 

the disease and its treatment helps 

patients be better prepared to fight 

it. Diagnosing colon cancer early and 

taking preventive measures are vital 

to decreasing the prevalence of colon 

cancer. Many people with colon cancer 

experience no symptoms in the early 

stages, which is why screening is so important. 

MM 

Dr. Jonathan A. Laryea is an assistant professor of 

surgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical 

Sciences (UAMS). He also practices at the Central Arkansas 

Veteran’s Healthcare System. He is board certified in general 

surgery and colon and rectal surgery. His interests include 

laparoscopic and robotic colorectal surgery. His research interests 

are colon and rectal disease and continuing to develop expertise 

in laparoscopic skills. 

“I 

brush and floss, but I still have 

cavities…are you kidding me” 

I have heard this more times 

than I wish to hear after a hygiene 

checkup. Patients become 

deflated and do not know what they 

are doing wrong. Brushing twice a day 

and flossing daily are important, but it 

is only one side of the coin. Diet and 

drinking habits play a large role in the 

formation of cavities. 

When you eat carbohydrates, the 

bacteria in your mouth break them 

down into acid. This acid dissolves a 

microscopic layer of your teeth. Once 

you stop eating your meal or snack, it 

takes about twenty minutes for your 

saliva to neutralize the acid and replace 

the microscopic protective layer 

on your teeth. This cycle repeats itself 

every time you eat or consume acidic 

drinks (i.e.: soft drinks, sports drinks). 

Now, let’s say you have a bag of 

M&M’s on your desk and you eat about 

three M&Ms every hour throughout 

your work day. Your saliva barely has 

an opportunity to neutralize the acid 

before the cycle starts all over again. 

If you’re constantly bathing your teeth 

in acid from snacks/drinks, microscopic 

layers of your teeth are dissolving. 

This is what causes cavities. 

By Bradley R. Crossfield, D.D.S. 

The bottom line is that it is not 

the amount of carbohydrates that 

causes cavities, it’s how often you eat 

or drink these carbohydrates. Here are 

some simple things you can do to prevent 

cavities: 

»» 

Only drink sodas, juice, and 

sports drinks when you’re already 

eating a meal. 

»» 

Rinse your mouth with water 

after eating a snack with carbohydrates 

or drinking a sugary 

or acidic drink. 

»» 

Chew sugar-free gum after 

meals and snacks to help 

stimulate saliva flow and wash 

the acid away. 

»» 

Snack on vegetables, cheese, 

or nuts instead of carbohydrate-rich 

snacks. 

»» 

Use toothpaste with extra fluoride 

in it to help strengthen 

your teeth. We have this available 

to you at our office. MM 

D 

r. Bradley R. Crossfield is a native of Little Rock 

and graduated from Episcopal Collegiate School. 

He obtained a B.S. in Biology from the University of Arkansas- 

Fayetteville. He attended Baylor College of Dentistry earning his 

Doctorate of Dental Surgery. 

Dr. Crossfield is a member of the American Dental Association, 

Arkansas Dental Association, and the Central District Dental 

Association. He has participated in mission trips to serve the dental 

needs of families in Central America and volunteers locally at 

Harmony Dental Clinic. He is a “big brother” of the Central Arkansas Big Brothers Big Sisters and 

serves as a Wish Granter for the Mid-South Make-A-Wish Foundation. 


19


20 

You’ve heard the word. You 

probably even know someone 

who does it. But what 

is it There are all kinds 

of rumors swirling around 

about Crossfit so I’m here to do a little 

clarifying. 

First let’s talk about what Crossfit IS… 

Crossfit is a fitness philosophy based 

on the parameters of functional movement. 

The definition of Crossfit, as declared 

by its founders, is constantly 

varied, functional movements, performed 

at a high intensity. 

Let’s take that definition a little 

deeper and examine some of those 

terms. What do they mean by functional 

movements Is a thigh master 

or an abdominal machine a functional 

movement No, we’re talking about 

movements that have an application in 

real life tasks: bending, squatting, reaching 

overhead, climbing Pinnacle, walking 

the dogs, keeping up with the kids, 

picking up objects, getting off the sofa, 

carrying in the groceries, and on and on 

and on. 

Next comes the aspect of variance. 

Constantly varied movements keep 

your body guessing. Ever heard of muscle 

confusion It’s the number one tip a 

bodybuilder will give you to get stronger. 

By constantly tricking your muscles 

and central nervous system, you will get 

Let’s Talk Crossfit 

What is this fitness craze all about 

By Chad Kulchinski, B.S., CF-L1 

Certified Fitness Specialist 

the most out of your workouts because 

your body will not become resistant to 

a routine. This is one of the most loved 

themes among Crossfit participants 

because they hardly ever do the same 

workout twice! Every day is different 

and this style of programming constantly 

preps your body to be ready for 

anything that is physically demanding. 

This approach also helps to break the 

monotony of “arm day” or “leg day” or 

even “cardio day.” Crossfit takes a variety 

of functional movements and throws 

them together to form a “WOD” (Workout 

of the Day). 

Intensity is next on the list and holds 

just as much value as the others. Let’s 

say you’re training with me and I told 

you to get on the treadmill and walk a 

mile. Would it be hard Most people 

would answer with “probably not.” But 

what if I told you to get on that treadmill 

and give me everything you’ve got until 

that mile is over You might give me a 

crazy look and then profuse sweating 

would follow. This is an example of the 

aspect of intensity. Did you cover the 

same amount of ground by walking 

Well sure you did, but it’s a no brainer 

which workout burned the most calories 

and provided you with the most health 

benefits. Intensity is a very important 

component of Crossfit, however; form 

and safety should never be sacrificed for 

intensity. 

Let me present another fantastic 

aspect of Crossfit before the last point 

about intensity scares you away entirely: 

Scalability. The entire program is scalable! 

Crossfit is tailored to each person’s 

specific individual needs and abilities. 

Let me reiterate, you do not have to be 

able to do a pull-up to begin your Crossfit 

experience. You do not have to be 

able to bench press 200lbs. You do not 

have to be able to do a pushup. You do 

not have to run a five minute mile. Every 

WOD has one or more substitute movements 

that can be performed in order to 

scale the difficulty of the workout. 

One point I should make concerning 

scalability and intensity is that you should 

always seek the advice and guidance 

of an experienced and knowledgeable 

Crossfit Coach who has completed their 

Level 1 certification before diving head 

on into Crossfit. There are some fundamental 

movements implemented by 

Crossfit that should be correctly learned 

before they are performed at a high intensity. 

A lot of the negativity that surrounds 

Crossfit is related to people injuring 

themselves. I want to take a moment 

to address this. We know that there is 

risk involved in any fitness program and 

our object as fitness professionals is to 

minimize that risk while striving toward 

a goal. Many of the injuries that occur 

from Crossfit are much more from carelessness 

and lack of caution rather than 

the program itself. A good coach will 

ensure that workouts are scaled properly 

and all movements are being performed 

safely and efficiently. 

Ok, so that gives just a little bit of insight 

into the structure and foundations 

of Crossfit but really doesn’t sum it up. 

We’ve been talking about these functional 

movements that are constantly 

varied and are performed with intensity 

in mind, but what are the movements 

Crossfit is a mixture of weight training, 

Olympic weightlifting, running, gymnastics, 

swimming, plyometrics, flexibility 

exercises, and powerlifting, among 

others. Crossfit takes exercises from 

these categories to supply the most 

well-rounded fitness program that exists 

today. A Crossfit WOD may include 

squats, running, and pushups on one 

day and deadlifts, rowing, and pull-ups 

the next day. You may find yourself running 

a 5k on Monday and going for a 

new bench press max on Tuesday. Now 

that’s constantly varied! 

We have generally covered what 

Crossfit IS; now let’s talk about what 

Crossfit IS NOT. Crossfit IS NOT a casual 

exercise program that promises results 

without work; progress and results are 

earned through hard work and proper 

nutrition. Crossfit IS NOT a poorly programmed 

exercise plan that is only good 

for getting people hurt. Bad guidance, 

carelessness, and the lack of injury prevention 

such as warm ups and stretching 

is what gets people hurt. Crossfit IS 

NOT intimidating. I know what you’re 

thinking, “um, yeah it is!” Ok, if you turn 

on ESPN and the Crossfit Games are on 

it will look pretty intimidating but let’s 

keep in mind that the elite Crossfitters 

live to compete at the highest level just 

like an Olympic skier or a NFL player. 

They are the 1%. Don’t forget that every 

movement is scalable; if you can’t 

run, you can row or walk. If you can’t do 

a pull-up there are resistance bands to 

assist you, and other exercises to scale 

even further. If you can’t make it to full 

depth on a squat, you can have a target 

such as a box or a bench to aim for and 

give you support. If you have an injury 

the movement can be tweaked to allow 

you to perform it safely and correctly. 

Remember, every single workout is scalable. 

The most progress in life happens 

when you are removed from your comfort 

zone. Don’t allow a little bit of intimidation 

to keep you from a life changing 

experience! 

With a national obesity crisis on our 

hands and as a fitness professional, I am 

pro-exercise in any shape or form. While 

my intention is not to discredit other exercise 

programs, I have seen numerous 

lives changed through Crossfit and I encourage 

readers to explore the program 

further regardless of your fitness or experience 

level. Feel free to contact me 

with questions or comments. MM 

had Kulchinski is a Crossfit coach and personal fitness 

C trainer. He enjoys coaching people of all fitness levels 

and is having a blast living out his passion as a career. His hobbies 

include chasing fitness goals, getting outdoors, and officiating high 

school football and basketball in the Central Arkansas area. He has 

a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science and is currently pursuing 

a Master’s degree in Education. Chad can be reached @ 918-261- 

6506 or via email chadkulchinski@gmail.com and facebook.com/ 

chadkulchinski 


21

One Size Does What 

By Christie Brooks 

Building a Strong Foundation 

By Kathy Wheeler 


22 

Calories in, calories out, right 

Or is it the latest Hollywood 

fad diet that does the trick If 

it works for one, then it should 

work for the other, correct 

In my 16 years of helping others on 

the weight loss path, I tend to be approached 

by clients that think I can whip 

out a plan within a minute for them just 

like it’s a typical cookie-cutter diet. It’s 

not that simple. 

A person’s age, height, current 

weight, and activity level play a large 

role in comprising a meal plan and exercise 

plan for each individual. But it 

doesn’t stop there. Hormones tend to 

be the reason why I have to go a different 

route with each individual. For 

example, some women tend to gain 

muscle very rapidly because they tend 

to be able to produce more testosterone. 

So to prevent growth or help slightly 

break down growth in legs (the common 

growth area in females), a certain type 

of exercise conditioning in combo with 

timing of meals and the right ratios of 

the food groups can offer the results that 

client is wanting to achieve. Men tend to 

lose weight quicker than women, due to 

muscle mass but some men might need 

carb cycling if they are lower in body fat 

and want to achieve a lower number. Yet 

others who have a higher body fat won’t 

find the benefits of carb cycling so it can 

lead to frustration. 

Not only do hormones go into play, 

but so do sleep, level of stress, and prescribed 

medicines that the client is taking. 

The emotional status and confidence 

level of that individual also determines 

how quickly I can push them on to 

the next step. As you can tell, meal plans 

should be catered specifically to EACH 

individual. 

My clients fill out a Nutrition Questionnaire 

that contains several pages 

of in-depth questions regarding their 

eating habits now, their confidence 

level, stress, activity level, medicines, 

and lifestyle. Through my years of experience, 

I’ve seen the difference of 

results between a person wanting a 

“diet” (cooking-cutter) and a person 

truly wanting to make healthy lifestyle 

changes (long-lasting with results). If 

the client is given a random diet sheet 

without education/explanation and is 

told to follow it, what are the chances 

of success Rare. But if a client is educated 

in small increments on lifestyle 

changes/choices over a period of time, 

it not only empowers them to make 

healthy choices but it allows them 

to slowly break down old bad habits 

while building up new ones. The slow 

changing is what brings about a true 

healthy LIFESTYLE change. If the client 

reaches a plateau, it is crucial that 

the Dietitian work with that person to 

overcome it – even if it takes changing 

the meal plan and objectives. It’s not a 

cutter-cutter, one-size-fits-all. MM 

hristie Brooks is a Registered Dietitian and a CrossFit 

C Level 1 Trainer. She and her family live in Searcy. She 

has taught at Harding University, worked at several hospitals, 

a dialysis clinic, and a gym. She has also worked under a childhood 

obesity grant, diabetes and HIV clinics, and has owned a 

restaurant. 

She started the Why Weight Lifestyle Program, which is 

comprised of an individualized meal plan and weekly one-hour 

consults targeting hormone balancing, detoxing, clean eating, 

exercise, and disease prevention. 

More info can be found at www.WhyWeightLifestyle.com and www.facebook.com/Why- 

WeightLifestyle. Email: christiebrooksrd@gmail.com 

The buzzword around the gym 

these days is “core strength.” 

While athletes and dancers 

know the benefits of having a 

strong core, many of us are just 

now catching on. 

What exactly is core strength and 

why should you be concerned about 

it The reason is this, strong core muscles 

make it easier to do everything 

from swinging a golf club to getting 

a glass from the top shelf or simply 

bending down to tie your shoes. Weak 

core muscles leave you susceptible to 

poor posture, low back pain and muscle 

injuries. Therefore, the stronger 

your core, the easier life will be. 

Bridge 

• Lie on your back with your 

knees bent. Keep your 

back in a neutral position, 

not arched and not pressed 

into the floor. Avoid tilting 

your hips. Tighten the 

abdominal muscles. 

• Raise your hips off the 

floor until your hips are 

aligned with your knees and 

shoulders. Hold for three 

deep breaths. 

• Return to the start position 

and repeat. 

The core consists of not only the 

abdominal musculature, but also the 

muscles of the pelvis, low/middle back 

and hips. Basically, the area of your 

core would be from just below your 

sternum to the middle your thighs... 

front and back. These muscles work together 

in harmony and when the core 

is strong it leads to better balance and 

stability, whether on the playing field 

or in daily activities. 

Core training has many benefits: 

• Improved performance in sports 

• Reduction in the risk of injury 

• Better ability to function each day 

So, how can you strengthen your 

core First, mindfully engage the muscles 

of your core by tightening an imaginary 

belt just below your belly button. 

This is the same muscle you feel when 

you cough. Found it, good! Now inhale 

and tighten your belt. Hold this for 10 

seconds, remember to keep breathing. 

Exhale and release the belt. Continue 

doing this for 15 repetitions. 

Next, there are exercises you can perform 

at home. All you need is a carpeted 

floor or a mat. (If you have back problems, 

osteoporosis or other health concerns, 

talk to your doctor before doing 

these core-strength exercises) Repeat 

each of these core exercises five times. 

As your core strengthens, build up to 10 

to 15 repetitions. 

Bridge 1 

Bridge 2 


23


24 

Pendulum 1 

Pendulum 2 

Bird Dog 

Kathy Wheeler is a personal trainer at 10 Fitness- 

Maumelle. Wheeler is the creator and instructor 

of FitGirlz, a circuit-training small group fitness class especially for 

Women. She is an ACE-certified Personal Fitness Trainer, Cooper 

Institute Master Fitness Specialist, IDEA Professional Member, SCW 

Yoga and mat Pilates certified and CPR/AED certified. 

To learn more about FitGirlz or Personal Training call 501-519-1746. 

Pendulum 

• Lie on your back with your 

knees bent, arms out from 

shoulders with palms facing 

up, and your back in neutral 

position. Tighten your 

abdominal muscles. 

• Keeping your shoulders 

on the floor, let you knees 

fall slowly to the left. Go as 

far as is comfortable. You 

should feel a stretch, but not 

pain. Hold for three deep 

breaths. 

• Exhale as you bring knees 

to start position. Repeat the 

exercise to the right. 

Bird Dog 

• Come to a hands and 

knees position with knees 

directly under your hips 

and wrists directly under 

your shoulders. Your fingers 

should be pointing forward. 

• Engage your core, tighten 

your belt. 

• While maintaining neutral 

spine (avoiding sagging 

or arching), exhale as you 

slowly extend the right arm 

and left leg simultaneously 

until they are parallel to the 

floor. 

• Hold for 3 deep breaths 

then lower back to starting 

position. 

• Now switch lifting left arm 

and right leg. 

Ab Crunch 

Ab Crunch with Feet 

on the Wall 

• Lie on your back and place 

your feet on a wall so that 

your knees and hips are 

bent at a 90-degree angle. 

Tighten your abdominal 

muscles. 

• Exhale raising your head 

and shoulders off the floor. 

Avoid straining the muscles 

in your neck by placing your 

fingers on the side of the 

head, looking at the ceiling, 

and keeping your elbows 

wide. 

• Hold for three deep breaths. 

• Return to the start position 

and repeat. 

Consistently performing these exercises 

could result in an improvement 

in daily activities and athletic performance, 

reduction in low-back pain and 

risk of injuries, as well as a stronger 

foundation. 

For more core strengthening exercise 

contact ACE-certified Personal 

Fitness Trainer Kathy Wheeler at 501- 

519-1746. MM 

Superman 

• Lie on your stomach with your legs outstretched behind you. Reach 

your arms out overhead with your palms facing each other. Relax your 

neck and align your head with your spine. 

• Keeping your abdominals in tight, exhale as you slowly lift your arms 

and legs simultaneously a few inches above the floor. 

• Hold for three deep breaths. 

• Inhale and lower your arms and legs back to the starting position. 

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25

Lemonade Summers in Miami, Oklahoma 

(My-AM-uh, not Miami, like they say it in Florida) 

By Mary Elaine Lester 


26 

About the time eggs could 

fry on asphalt, our Arkansas 

and Texas families converged 

in Miami, Oklahoma, 

at the home of our beloved 

Grandmother Dot--- a winsome, brownhaired 

woman, who always wore ruby 

red lipstick and, on special occasions, 

Evening in Paris perfume. This woman 

was the center of all our lives: smart, 

spunky, tenacious, and ready with a 

smile or hug. She always knew which 

to give. Grandmother Dot inspired the 

youngest to the oldest. Once she ordered 

a car out of the Sears catalogue. 

One small problem, Dot didn’t know 

how to drive. I can hear her saying, 

“No time like the present to 

learn.” Somehow she persuaded 

the delivery man to give her a 

few quick lessons. The driveway 

was at an incline, so she definitely 

had to know where reverse 

was. With the knowledge of how 

to change the gears, where the 

brake and gas pedal were, Dot 

was fearlessly off to another adventure. 

Her can-do spirit drove 

her to publish her own book, 

Convincing Answers to Prayer, 

long before the word self-publish 

was coined. A day of rest was 

not in Dot’s vocabulary. On Sundays, 

true to form, she visited the 

shut-ins. The whole town loved 

her. We had to share our very beloved 

grandmother. 

Anticipating our annual 

quest to Miami, Oklahoma, and 

the exploits to come, fueled the 

fires of our imagination. Soon homemade 

meals would keep our stomachs 

full and hilarious stories would keep 

smiles on our faces. These rewards 

would help us forget the countless boring 

miles of “I spy a cow…” with unruly 

siblings. Grandmother Dot only had a 

black-and-white TV, but we knew joy 

was not going to be had in front of that 

box. After all, in the front yard, we delighted 

in a tire swing that hung from 

the pear tree. We fought over turns on 

the tandem bike (rented for the week), 

splashed in the neighborhood pool, 

and won races at the skating rink. How 

could those adventures be topped... 

just open the creaky double doors to 

grandmother’s attic. I can still smell 

the dust as I stepped into another 

world. Something we did every day in 

Miami. Through that magic gateway 

we found wooden treasure trunks to 

explore,complete with clothes, hats, 

jewelry, and shoes way too big for our 

small feet, but that was part of the fun- 

-- trying to keep our feet in those shoes 

and walk in our fashion shows. Laugh. 

Laugh. Giggle. Giggle---over and over 

again all day long. The good times never 

ended except when we had knockdown-drag-out 

fights over who got 

the last sugar cookie. 

But what we looked forward to 

most of all was walking downtown. 

Mom didn’t have to drive us. 

We got to go alone. Freedom! 

We did have to pay a price for 

that freedom, though. We had 

to run past a few spooky houses 

haunted by rusty washing 

machines and car parts in overgrown 

lawns. For us nothing 

but nightmares brewed behind 

the shuttered windows. Yes, 

we definitely held each other’s 

sweaty little hands as we hurried 

by those houses. Keeping 

our eyes glued to the front 

doors we almost tripped over 

the spiked sidewalks. “When 

did Miami have an earthquake” 

we asked each other with silent 

glances. Disappointed, we 

found our later tree roots had 

done the damage. These were 

small mountains to climb and 

risks to take for the freedom our 

little legs found. 

We were not only free but rich. Because 

I was the oldest, Mom had trusted 

me with the five dollar bill to pay for 

everyone to go to the matinee and that 

even included popcorn and drinks. I 

kept checking to make sure our small 

fortune hadn’t slipped out of my pocket. 

I was happy to finally give that five 

dollar bill over to the ticket taker. We 

armed ourselves with popcorn and 

soda. I had convinced the little ones 

to get a small popcorn and to share 

a coke with two straws. With the left 

over change we could enjoy a banana 

split later at the Woolworth’s fountain. 

Somehow the good times always multiplied 

in Miami. 

With mouths full of popcorn we 

entered the theater. Even before the 

movie started we were spell-bound by 

the golden ceiling. My younger brother 

Joe asked, “Is this what heaven looks 

like” Carol, my baby sister, answered, 

“No, Joe, heaven doesn’t have red velvet 

curtains. This is a castle.” I certainly 

knew Little Rock didn’t have such fancy 

movie houses. 

Every year we would set up a lemonade 

stand to greet the neighbors and let 

them know we’re back! Grandmother 

Dot provided her legendary lemonade 

served with orange slices. The neighbors 

would stop by for a vanilla wafer and a 

glass of the world’s best thirst quencher. 

We couldn’t keep the customers or the 

flies away. Grandmother Dot’s love was 

what really sweetened that lemonade. 

As a child I didn’t realize or appreciate 

how much the simple joys of my 

Miami adventures would shape my 

life. Like Grandmother Dot, I bought a 

standard car I didn’t know how to drive. 

“There’s no time like the present to 

learn,” I heard my grandmother’s voice 

across the years and across the state in 

my Arkansas home. My mother, Dot’s 

daughter, Dorothy Dayle, taught me 

how to drive that stick shift just as Dot 

had taught her. 

Today I live in a historic neighborhood 

with sidewalks, porch swings, and 

lemonade stands. I knew I never wanted 

to leave Miami and I never will. 

I can still taste those lemonade summers. 

MM 

Mary Elaine Lester is a career mathematics 

instructor currently teaching at the Distance 

Learning Center in Maumelle. Her hobbies include 

gardening, treasure shopping, decorating her Hillcrest 

home, collecting seashells, and traveling. Mary loves life, 

people, and telling their stories. She enjoys C-Span and 

documentaries as well as classic black-and-white movies. 

Today her favorite quote is Carpe Diem. 


27

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29


30 

A Modern-Day Mother Teresa 

JoAnn Cayce was born in 1932, in 

the middle of the Great Depression. 

Although it was her mother’s 

example that set her on the path 

of serving others, it was her grandmother 

who ultimately showed her the 

way. Her grandmother nursed people 

during the flu epidemic in 1918, and this 

started her life of service. Her grandmother 

lost five of her eight children trying to 

care for them and to help other people. 

It was JoAnn’s mother who performed 

the first act of charity that JoAnn 

can remember, when she was eight or 

nine. When the family moved to Thornton, 

Arkansas, it made a lasting impression 

on her. On that day, she realized she 

was unusual. 

A very poor man came with tears, telling 

her mother about his little girl who 

had stepped in hot coals around a wash 

pot while her mother was washing. He 

had talked to Dr. T.E. Rhine, an old country 

doctor whom the family had grown to 

love and who told him to get the child to 

Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, 80 miles 

By Marcia Camp 

away. The doctor told him if anyone could 

make a way for his child to have skin grafts 

and treatment, Mrs. Jewel James would. 

JoAnn’s mother told the father to get 

his child ready and to bring her the next 

day at a certain time and she would put 

them on a Greyhound bus and send them 

to Little Rock. 

The next day, the parents came with 

the little girl wrapped in a clean sheet 

over her burned legs and feet and crying 

in pain. They had walked five miles 

to get there. JoAnn’s mother had fixed a 

ticket for all the family and paid for it herself. 

When the bus pulled up, she was first 

in line. What she told the driver, I wish I 

knew, but she made arrangements not 

only for the child to have surgery but for 

the parents to have a place to sleep and 

eat and for the bill to be completely paid. 

JoAnn married Hartsel Cayce in 1947, 

and three babies came in the next four 

years. She started saving everything the 

children had to give away for someone 

in need. We call it “recycling” these days. 

In those days, it was called “sharing.” Although 

she didn’t have any food, JoAnn 

took everything she could gather and 

put the three children in their old pickup 

truck and started out. She went to the 

poor areas and sat the babies out first, 

then the boxes. The families would see 

the truck and come and start looking. 

First thing you know, people started 

setting things on the Cayce’s porch. Then, 

people began to bring things to the 

Methodist Church. When she outgrew 

the church, she moved to the Fordyce fairgrounds. 

She was out in the rain during 

one give-away, and the soldiers next door 

at the National Guard Armory invited her 

in. That was the beginning of the National 

Guard give-aways. 

In the 1980’s, she started feeding people 

on Thanksgiving. It started out being 

several hundred and grew to over 1,000 

with many volunteers. This went on for 

seven years along with the Thanksgiving 

give-aways of a box of groceries containing 

about thirty-five items. 

She does not recall when her food 

bank opened, but there were no rules. 

If you and your family were hungry, the 

Cayces fed you. JoAnn never asked questions. 

There was enough embarrassment 

to come for free food without begging or 

lying about the reason. 

In late 1997, JoAnn had just added another 

award to her long list of honors, and 

the editor of Aging Arkansas asked me to 

write a profile of her. The telephone interview 

was set for 7:30 A.M., before JoAnn’s 

day became too busy. She began telling, 

in her straight-forward way, of her dayto-day 

experiences with the poor, and I 

knew immediately that this was a very 

special lady. 

After publication of the profile, and an 

essay for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 

I kept in touch with her and drove to 

Thornton with a carload of men’s trousers 

salvaged from a clothing-store fire. She 

put me on her charity letters mailing list, 

TThe accolades heaped on Guest Editor Marcia Camp 

for her published works, both in the domains of 

poetry and prose, are too numerous to mention here. She has 

been writing for a lifetime and keeps on writing. She is eagerly 

awaiting the release of her latest books: The Prison Letters 

of Justin Booth and Still Driving on The Sidewalk: A Gently 

Humorous Arkansas Journey. 

and I learned even more about her remarkable 

work. 

By this time, word of her help had 

spread across the country. The tiny post 

office was inundated with boxes of 

clothes, even from movie stars and writers 

who helped to spread the word. There 

were groups in other states that searched 

garage sales and, once or twice a year, 

they came with a large truck full of necessities. 

A Little Rock doctor would drive a 

truckload of presents down to this Delta 

town on Christmas Eve. 

In time, JoAnn was able to purchase 

an abandoned gymnasium in Thornton, 

a small community across Highway 79 

from Fordyce. Today’s give-aways are 

held in the Odell gym where 2,000 to 

3,000 people come to search through 

clothing, furniture, mattresses, dishes, 

and pots and pans. 

JoAnn understands the needs of the 

people who depend on her. There is no 

such thing as Goodwill or soup kitchens 

for emergency help. Area work is primarily 

in the woods for hourly wages. When 

it rains, the work stops, and there is no 

such thing as unemployment benefits or 

Social Security at the end of a lifetime of 

work. There is constant hunger, a need for 

housing and, perhaps the most pressing, 

a need for medical attention. Reminded 

her her mother’s early charity, she drives 

the desperately ill to UAMS and Children’s 

Hospital for treatment. 

Daughter Joannie and her son Daniel 

are as involved in the work as JoAnn is. 

Joannie drives a box truck to the Rice Depot, 

Bradley County Helping Hands, and 

Little Rock’s Food Bank, as well as churches 

that devote a room for donations of 

clothing and toys. 

Daniel, who started handing out 

bread from the back of a pick-up truck 

at the age of three, has become an innovator. 

In 2003, when he discovered that 

the USDA WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) 

program excluded baby food, his 

efforts resulted in the delivery of 2,000 

pounds of baby food to families in rural 

Arkansas. 

On the day the Clinton Library was 

dedicated, Daniel was returning from 

Washington, D.C.. where he had received 

the Caring Award—the same award his 

grandmother had received in 1992. This 

was the first time two members of the 

same family had been so honored. On 

that day, the Clinton School of Public Service 

named an award for him. Flanked by 

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen, the 

Daniel Cayce Award for Inspirational Leadership 

In Public Service was unveiled. 

“I consider this award to be more important 

than an Academy Award—and I 

have one,” Steenburgen said. 

During my visits to Thornton, JoAnn often 

mentioned to me her desire to write 

a book. We both knew she was too busy 

caring for the poor to write about them. 

In early 2005, I realized that JoAnn had already 

written her book. While thanking 

individuals, she touched the lives of the 

people they helped and the unabridged 

letters became The Charity Letters of 

JoAnn Cayce. Daily miracles (recognized 

and accepted as such) allowed her to 

keep her charity going while Joannie’s 

strong, quiet presence sustains and links 

that work with the future, namely in her 

son Daniel. MM 


31

Hillcrest Attic Renovation 


32 

The Project: 

My family moved into our 1911 

Craftsman in Hillcrest almost two years 

ago. Since then, we have been slowly 

checking off repairs and renovations. 

Although we still have a long way to 

go, we’ve made quite a bit of progress. 

Our most recent project (and so far the 

biggest!) is the renovation of our attic 

into a bedroom suite and man cave. 

My husband’s nightshift schedule 

dictates that he frequently sleeps during 

the day, so he needed a very dark 

bedroom relatively removed from the 

rest of the house. With two active boys 

and a labradoodle, sleeping during the 

day at our house can definitely be a 

challenge. 

My goal was to create a bedroom 

suite conducive to daytime sleeping 

along with a small living area for television 

viewing and relaxation. The space 

can also function as a guest suite and 

living area when needed. 

Before: 

The previous owners of our home 

used the 1,000 square feet attic space 

for storage and possibly a home gym 

(evidenced by the ceiling mounted 

pull-up bar). The space was divided 

into two separate rooms, the larger 

space with a vaulted ceiling and two 

skylights that flooded the room with 

natural light. A loft area accessible by 

ladder was located at one end of this 

room. The other room had a dropped 

ceiling and exposed ductwork at one 

end. Flooring was made of cork tile 

that was in very poor condition. 

By Kricia Palmer, Interior Stylist 

Process: 

1. Space Planning – When planning 

the space, it made sense to use 

the existing dividing wall to separate 

the bedroom from the living space. 

The smaller room with a dropped ceiling 

would naturally make a cozy sleeping 

nook for daytime sleeping and the 

larger space with more natural light 

would make a nice living space. Constructing 

the new bathroom was a bit 

trickier because we were limited by the 

location of existing plumbing on the 

lower levels of the house. Consultation 

with a plumber revealed there was 

really only one possible location for a 

new bathroom - jutting out right in the 

middle of the living space. Here is how 

we made this work... 

We eliminated the existing doorway 

between the two rooms and created 

a new doorway (from living space 

to bedroom) on the other end of the 

room. The bathroom was created by 

building out two floating walls (walls 

that do not extend all the way up to 

the ceiling) and adding a new doorway 

from bathroom to bedroom. 

I decided to use floating walls for 

the bathroom so that we could maintain 

the open feel that the vaulted ceiling 

and skylights provided. If we had 

extended these walls all the way to the 

vaulted ceiling, the look would have 

been awkward and choppy. I choose 

to angle one of the bathroom walls so 

that the flow from the top of the stairs 

into the living space was more natural 

Attic – before. 

PHOTO BY KRICIA PALMER 


and organic. A squared off bathroom, 

while looking fine from the inside of 

the bathroom, might have seemed 

more intrusive from the living room 

vantage point. 

The existing loft ladder took up 

quite a bit of space and would make 

furniture arrangement in the living 

space very challenging. So we removed 

the existing ladder and will replace 

it with a retractable ladder that 

will telescope up and back into the loft 

space when not in use. 

2. Lighting – Lighting is one of the 

most important aspects of any space, 

but it is perhaps even more so here 

because of the need for daytime sleeping. 

The bedroom needed to be completely 

blacked out, and the bathroom 

needed to stay relatively dark during 

the day as well. (Daytime sleepers need 

virtually no light exposure during the 

day, even when getting up to use the 

restroom). Blacking out the bedroom 

was relatively simple. I used a layer of 

Attic bathroom remodel – after. 

vinyl blackout fabric mounted to the 

window frame and layered blackoutlined 

Roman shades over it. The outdated 

square recessed can lighting was 

replaced with 6-inch round recessed 

cans as well. 

In the bathroom, I added wall 

sconces flanking the pedestal sink mirror 

and a recessed shower light. While 

we wanted to keep the natural light 

that the skylights provided, we wanted 

to keep the bathroom dark on daytime 

sleeping days. So, I chose blackout 

cellular skylight shades that are easily 

opened and closed using a pole extension. 

This allowed us to create a dark 

bathroom during the day. 

In the living area, we added recessed 

cans over and at the top of the 

staircase, a chandelier, and two wall 

sconces. These fixtures and window 

treatments, along with the natural 

light provided by the skylights allow 

the space to be well lit during the day 

and at night, but also allow the living 

area to stay dark during the day for 

sleeping. 

MY GOAL WAS TO CREATE 

A BEDROOM SUITE 

CONDUCIVE TO DAYTIME 

SLEEPING ALONG WITH A 

SMALL LIVING AREA FOR 

TELEVISION VIEWING AND 

RELAXATION. 


33


34 


3. Finishes/Fixtures – My goal was 

to make the entire space aesthetically 

cohesive - my goal was a relaxed, calming 

masculine look that still maintains 

the historical character of the house. 

I used Functional Gray (Sherwin Williams 

7024) with accent wall in White 

Duck (SW 7010) that was also used in 

the bathroom. 

While I prefer hardwood flooring, I 

chose to use wall-to-wall carpeting for 

several reasons. First, it provides significant 

sound absorption so it was perfect 

for the quiet needed for daytime sleeping. 

It also provided the warm, cozy 

atmosphere we wanted for the space. 

The attic is far enough removed from 

Attic living space remodel – after. 

the main living portion of the house 

that the carpeting doesn’t detract from 

the history and character of it. 

I chose light fixtures that are reminiscent 

of the early 1900’s. For example, 

a schoolhouse light chandelier in 

an aged bronze finish illuminates the 

living space. In the same finish, I chose 

simple candelabra wall sconces and 

silk, gimp-trimmed shades to keep 

with the traditional feel of the house. 

The bathroom sconces are finished in 

aged steel and antique brass and feature 

exposed Edison - filament bulbs. 

In order to add depth and interest 

to the space, I had the entire floating 

wall covered with horizontal distressed 

Kricia Palmer is a “retired” physician who is fulfilling 

a lifelong dream of becoming an interior designer. 

Her interior design business, Palmer Home, specializes in residential 

design, and her blog, http://kriciapalmerhome.blogspot.com, features 

her design projects, musings on design, and DIY tips and tutorials. 

She is the mother of two rambunctious boys and is beginning the 

renovation of her newly purchased 100-year old home in Historic 

Hillcrest. Kricia may be reached at 501-551-1221 or via email at 

palmerhomedesigns@gmail.com. 

pine planks. I stained the wood myself 

by layering and blending dark walnut, 

gray and pecan stains. The exposed 

ductwork in the bedroom was covered 

with a built-in shelf made of the same 

stained wood. 

I repeated a similar distressed wood 

look in the bathroom by using porcelain 

tile made to look like wood flooring. 

A simple white subway tile in the 

shower also keeps with the historic 

character of the house as this was commonly 

used in the early 1900s. In order 

to eliminate a small extra door in 

the bathroom that provided access to 

HVAC ductwork, plumbing and electrical, 

we replaced it with recessed removable 

shelves. 

WHILE I PREFER 

HARDWOOD 

FLOORING, 

I CHOSE TO USE 

WALL-TO-WALL 

CARPETING FOR 

SEVERAL REASONS. 

After: 

The finished result is a cozy, relaxing 

masculine space that is perfect for daytime 

sleeping and/or relaxing, reading 

or watching television. That being said, 

it’s not fully furnished and accessorized 

yet… I’ll share that with you in the 

coming months. For now, my husband 

can finally get restful sleep in between 

night shifts and my boys can be boys 

(loud and active) without worrying 

about waking him. And I can keep my 

sanity. MM 

Manage Your Game and Visualize Your Shots 

Course Management 

Managing your way 

around the course can 

help you lower your 

scores as well. Golf 

course architects design 

holes to give you options on how to play 

the hole. Good golfers figure out the 

best way to play the hole for their game. 

Whether it is attacking a par 5 in two 

shots or playing conservative on a long 

par 4 try and figure out the way that best 

fits your game. 

When you think about how you are 

going to play a hole take everything in. 

Length of hole, width of fairway, and hole 

location are a few things you need to be 

aware of. These aspects will allow you to 

decide which club to play off the tee. Take 

note of any hazards, which will also have 

an impact on which club you choose off 

the tee. Play to your strengths, meaning 

try shots that you play well. If you are hitting 

your driver with confidence go ahead 

and hit it. If you feel more confident with a 

fairway wood or hybrid on a tough driving 

hole then play that club. 

One principle I have always used is to 

tee up on the side of the trouble on the 

hole and play away from it. If there is a 

water hazard on the left side of the fairway, 

then tee it up on the left side of the 

tee box and play to the right side of the 

fairway. 

Now that you are in the fairway decide 

on how to play the approach shot. 

One rule to follow here is to always 

keep the hole in front of you. This simply 

means to try not to go long. There is 

usually nothing good behind the green. 

When you are getting the yardage to the 

hole, think about how far it is to fly the 

green. You don’t want to hit a club that 

might go too long. 

By Cary Maddox 

Visualization 

Look at something in the distance. 

Think about all the details of what you 

are looking at. Now close your eyes and 

try to think about those details. Try to 

recall everything you saw before you 

closed your eyes. 

Golf is one of the few sports that you 

look at the ball and not where the ball is 

supposed to go. Think about other sports. 

In basketball you look at the basket while 

you are shooting the ball. In football you 

look at your receiver when you throw the 

ball. In archery you look and aim directly at 

your target. Now think about golf. When 

you hit a golf ball you are looking down at 

the ball and trying to focus on hitting it to 

a target in the distance. Try hitting a golf 

ball while looking at your target. You are 

PHOTO BY LENA LEE 

sure to miss the ball. In order to hit quality 

golf shots you need to learn how to visualize 

shots before hitting them. 

Visualization in golf is getting behind 

the ball looking down the fairway or at the 

green and taking in all of your surroundings. 

You certainly want to have positive 

thoughts, but you have to take notice of 

water hazards, trees, bunkers, and rough. 

Every good pre-shot routine utilizes visualization 

to take all options into consideration. 

Knowing what you want to do with 

the golf ball is very important. The shot 

may not always come off like you envisioned, 

but do all you can to think about it 

and have a game plan as to how to attack 

each shot. 

When visualizing a shot try and think 

about the type of shot you wish to play. If 

the hole is on the left portion of the green 

try visualizing a ball flight from right to left 

(for a right handed golfer). You might just 

want to visualize hitting a solid shot with 

good contact. When you do hit a good 

shot try and recall what you did on that 

shot. What was your swing thought as 

you hit the ball Anything that you can 

carry over to your next shot to give you 

confidence. 

Next time you are on the practice tee 

or out on the course have a game plan 

for the round. Also try and visualize good 

shots. As you have probably heard, golf 

is a mental game. With that said have a 

good positive attitude and play with confidence. 

Have fun and good luck! MM 

C 

ary Maddox is the PGA Head Golf Professional at the 

Maumelle Country Club. He has over 15 years of teaching 

experience working with men, women, seniors, and juniors. For 

more information on lessons contact him at carymaddox@pga.com. 

Visit Cary on the web at www.carymaddoxpga.com. 


35


36 

I 

am homeless. 

A Change is Gonna Do Me Good 

Not in the poor, destitute, no-roofover-my-head 

way. On the contrary, 

I’ve got a pretty sweet setup in this 

here Holiday Inn, and I just polished 

off an above-average continental breakfast 

and banished my husband and kids to Far, 

Faraway Land (there’s an indoor pool!) so I 

could drink below-average (not everything 

can be perfect) coffee and write. So conditions 

could be way worse. 

I could really use a good cup of coffee, 

though. 

So we put our beloved West Little Rock 

home – the one my husband and I built with 

our construction people’s own two hands, 

the one we brought our precious babies 

home to, the only home our no-longer babies 

have ever, ever known – on the market, 

and it sold in something like half a second 

because it was particularly special and had 

exceptional karma, of course. To top off the 

whirlwind ordeal, the buyers wanted us out 

yesterday, and we agreed because we’re impetuous 

idiots. And this whole crazy moving 

thing My idea. All mine. What the hell 

was I thinking! My home was perfect! And 

did I mention that we poured our muchyounger-then 

hearts into building it and 

that our babes have called it home all their 

livelong days And that it was special And 

the KARMA!!!!! 

As it turns out, I might have attachment 

issues. 

Between spontaneous bursts of tears 

and moments of panic and regret, reality 

would set in: we still had to find a place to 

live. We’d selected our city, but choosing a 

home proved to be far more difficult. My 

husband needed a three-plus car garage 

on account of his ridiculous garage-eating 

wholesome RC airplane hobby, and, apparently, 

I needed a home that was every bit as 

special as the one we were forsaking. Not 

difficult at all, right 

Needless to say, we toured something 

like five THOUSAND homes, and virtually all 

By Michelle McCon 

fell short of the glory of our Little Rock one. 

But there was one, one that kept pulling 

us back to it. I resisted. How I resisted! But 

the force was strong with that home. Why 

couldn’t I just let go and love it already 

Meanwhile, throughout all this tumultuous 

up-in-the-airness, my eldest baby was 

busy graduating from preschool. I realize 

that the leap from preK to K might sound 

like a small one…more of a tiny hop or negligible 

skip, really…but my girl attended 

preschool only two little days a week this 

past year and belonged to me the other five 

days, and she’s been virtually mine-all-mine 

for five point five years now. 

And I have a tough time letting go. 

Know what My Little Rock home had 

this dank storm shelter attached to the 

guest bedroom. Great for stormage, yes, except 

that it was a spider magnet and stank 

up the adjacent room so much that I never 

wanted any actual guests to stay in it. And 

that bedroom had no window! I called it 

the dungeon. I really (really) didn’t like the 

dungeon. Speaking of bedrooms, my twoyear-old 

son’s was the size of a walnut and 

aaaaall the way downstairs, miles away 

from ours and his sister’s. And long ago, before 

we’d made any actual offspring, some 

unknown psycho nutjob used a pellet gun 

to shoot up the giant, front-of-the-house 

window of what would become our daughter’s 

room. I’ve never gotten over that, and I 

saw to it that my girl’s bed was as far away 

from that window as possible. Bad window, 

bad! And there was death on every side of 

us!...a raging creek behind our house and 

a rocky drop-off beside our driveway and 

a virtual speedway in 

the front. My son once 

came within inches of 

getting squashed by a 

zooming car. And there 

weren’t enough young 

kids around for our 

little ones to play with. 

And we were zoned 

for a not-great school. 

And three days before we moved out, our 

garbage disposal exploded and flooded 

our kitchen cabinet and floor. And while 

the new buyers were doing a final walkthrough 

of our home, my husband leaned 

on the edge of the granite countertop, and 

a chunk literally fell off into his hand. In nine 

years, nothing like that had ever (ever!) happened. 

The house was a ticking time bomb. 

We had to escape! 

So, no, it wasn’t perfect. Nothing ever 

is. But you know what comes pretty darn 

close Our new home. After a week of hotel 

living (oops on the impetuousness), we’ll 

move in. Yes, I finally let myself love it. And 

my two year old and kindergartener (sniff, 

sniff) are going to love their safe, zoom-free, 

kid-packed street, and their bedrooms are 

a lovely non-walnut size, right next to each 

other and away from the front of the house 

and any pellet-gun-happy nutjobs. And my 

daughter is currently number three on the 

waiting list for what I hear is an amazing 

school. If she doesn’t move on up the list, 

we’re zoned for another excellent school. 

It’s all good. We’re in love with the familyfriendly 

atmosphere of the city in general. 

And Razorback Pizza. And Beef ‘O’ Brady’s. 

And the Smoke Shack. We’ve eaten out a lot 

the last few days. 

Change can be a good thing – wonderful 

even – once you finally stop clinging to 

the past and embrace your future. We’re 

Maumellians now. Hi, neighbors! 

Now can somebody please tell me 

where I can find a good cup of coffee ‘round 

these parts Preferably cheap. 

This hotel is costing us a fortune. MM 

M 

ichelle McCon is a stayat-home 

mom and 

writer. She enjoys the great outdoors, 

a good book, trashy television, word 

games, music and lots of it, chicken 

wings, chocolate truffles, and a decent 

cup of coffee. As it turns out, she does not 

enjoy moving. 

Reaping the Rhythms 

MORE OR LESS 

Dreaming of a life in a far-off place, 

Wishing for answers 

Waiting for life to start. 

Alone with my thoughts, 

My dreams for myself, 

Answers in a far-off place. 

Wanting so much more, 

Having so much less. 

Less for my life—less for my dreams. 

With so little to call my own, 

I search for more 

While living for less. 

Dreaming of life: 

More 

Or less. 

– Eric Doud 

Little Rock, AR 

JUST BELIEVE 

Harding Stedler 

Poet, Poetry Editor 

If we’re going to be loving together, 

It’s important that you know me and where I am, 

Cause never before have I seen such beauty. 

In my heart I’ve kept this a secret; 

Conquering your love is my foremost target. 

One thing I desire with you is to be united. 

Looking at you makes me see sunshine; 

In every breath I take, I wish you were mine. 

– Nelson Ossius 

Little Rock, AR 

GOODBYE, COWBOY 

There is one less cowboy 

in our world today. 

He now rides 

across the Plains of Heaven 

with cowboys who have gone before. 

His cattle stand at attention 

along the fencerows, looking lost, 

knowing he will never 

round them up again. 

Crisp stars on crisp nights 

watch over the land he loved. 

We wave goodbyes 

In shadows of the moon. 

– Harding Stedler 

Maumelle, AR 

S 

elected by guest editor 

Marck L. Beggs in 

Poems by Poets of the Roundtable, 

Harding Stedler, along with a number 

of his peers, was recognized as one 

of Arkansas’s premier poets in the 

Eightieth Anniversary Anthology of 

the Poets’ Roundtable of Arkansas. 

CHILDREN AGAIN 

The shed was old and started to lean 

and housed old toys and trash. 

We “kids” were there to get it clean 

and remove the aged stash. 

Our mom prepared a spread to eat 

and had it ready at dawn. 

We got there early to beat the heat 

and drag things to the lawn. 

We had to stop and probe the hoard; 

our past was at our feet. 

It seemed our childhood had been stored 

and once again we meet. 

A ball was aired and tossed about; 

a hula hoop was in a spin. 

Trucks and trains came rolling out, 

a playful time again. 

A set of jacks had only eight 

and a slinky had rusted some. 

There was no key for the antique skate, 

but two sticks were with the drum. 

We dressed our dolls in faded clothes 

and put them in their bed. 

Found helmets for the GI Joes 

and built Mr. Potato Head. 

Mom came out and watched a while, 

then said, “It seems like way back when. 

My heart is full and I have to smile; 

my children are home again.” 

– Marilyn V. Joyner 

El Dorado, AR 


37


38 

I 

was passing a recent Saturday 

morning like many others, 

curled up on the couch with my 

legs tucked under me, pecking 

away at my laptop, cup of nowcold 

coffee precariously balanced 

next to my knee. My weekend activity 

schedule has long been dictated by the 

due date of weekly grades for the online 

college composition classes I teach. Currently 

they are due by midnight every Saturday 

(thankfully MST, which translates 

to 1 a.m. for me or 2 a.m. during daylight 

savings time, and which is both a blessing 

and a curse). Happy are the weeks in 

which I manage to retain enough focus 

and discipline to finish grades before Friday 

evening. 

So there I was ensconced in my comfy 

Saturday morning routine, peacefully piddling 

among coffee, toast, and grading 

when I got gobbersmacked. The assignment 

was an 800 word first draft of a compare/contrast 

essay on a variety of topic 

choices. A beast to grade---essays take so 

much work and time---but fun for getting 

to really see the outcome of a student’s 

writing growth during our time together. 

I was reading a formatting atrocity laden 

with grave grammar errors and spelling 

nightmares when from what to my 

wondering eyes did appear but beautiful 

glittering diamonds in the rough. 

”All survivors can do is hope to see tomorrow,” 

it read. 

My breath caught and I sat up straight, 

gripped the laptop and reread. I set the 

coffee cup on the table and strained forward 

to concentrate. I started back at the 

beginning of this one paragraph essay 

Rude Awakenings 

Sometimes a “huh” moment is exactly what you need 

By Robyn D. Rektor 

and slowly savored every one of its 804 

words, ignoring the spelling and grammar 

this time (hard for me to do, I take 

my mission as appointed head classroom 

grammar cop very seriously), each morsel 

a thoughtful record. 

“All survivors can do is hope to see tomorrow.” 

My student told a poignant story of 

escaping a civil strife ravaged Ethiopia, 

of how hard life was there with poverty, 

hunger, and unimaginable endless violence, 

and of the promise of a safer life 

in the United States. Her storytelling was 

raw, emotive, and sucker punched me in 

the gut. How could formatting mistakes 

or “the golf of Indian Ocean” matter when 

a writer had so lyrically poured out the 

broken contents of her hammered heart 

A tear may have welled up in my eye. 

In the clinical pastoral education classes 

I have been taking, we are told that 

healing comes with the telling of our stories. 

The storytelling by this student 

seemed deliberate, determined 

to be heard. It was clearly painful, 

a labored effort in an unfamiliar 

tongue, but its voice was loud and 

clear. I hope it helped bind up some 

wounds. I hope with each word 

came some healing. 

Another line sent a disarming 

spear through me from head to toe. 

“This is the American dream for a 

lot of us knowing that they can sleep 

peacefully.” 

The American dream for a lot of 

us. . . and this American dream is not 

a rags-to-riches Horatio Algiers tale 

to warm the heart. This American 

dream is not make a lot of money. 

Not buy a shiny new car. Not put a 

swimming pool in the backyard. Not even 

have a roof over our heads. 

This American dream is to sleep 

peacefully through a night. 

Her rough grappling with English 

notwithstanding, this student’s writing 

startled me in a way only a handful have 

in my 16 years of teaching writing. Her 

words shook me out of my rote grading 

and maybe also out of some stagnant 

living. I am not ever going to forget the 

name that penned, “Kids at age 10 carried 

guns and all different kind of weapons instead 

of book and paper.” Her words commandeered 

my attention and snapped 

me awake. 

You can probably guess what grade 

she got. 

Later that day, my clumsy getting old 

Old English Sheepdog got up from his 

perch at my feet and sent a large nonlidded 

cup of water tumbling off the 

coffee table. Water sprayed several bor- 

rowed books and a clipboard of notes for 

a group I would be leading the next day. 

“Ben!!” I yelled at him in disgusted annoyance. 

He sat down immediately and hung 

his oversized head in shame. He was still 

frozen there when I returned with a towel, 

head hung low in what appeared to be 

contrite self-loathing. Talk about feeling 

like a heel; I nearly produced another tear. 

Instead I dropped to his feet this time 

and rubbed his crazy mane. I whispered, 

rather contritely myself, 

“Ben it’s okay, you didn’t 

mean to.” He gave me 

his goofy grin, which 

can’t be anything else 

since he’s missing most 

of his teeth, a result of 

malnourishment that he 

suffered at the hands of 

his first owners. 

Ben is constantly 

teaching me what matters 

and what doesn’t. 

Due to his lack of intelligence, 

another effect 

of his neglect, he does 

many odd things; for example, he has 

never figured out how to turn around. So 

he gathers up his one hundred pounds 

of glorious shagginess and slowly backs 

out of rooms, from behind tables, or out 

of other tight spots. Yes, he has got stuck 

a few times and though he shepherds all 

of my household with gleeful duty, he 

doesn’t have the same appreciation for 

being shepherded himself so those instances 

make for some trying moments 

between us. 

Not everybody gets Ben. In fact, most 

don’t and that’s a shame. It’s their loss really. 

He is annoying and has huge paws 

with bear-like claws that hurt when he 

runs them down your back or leg trying 

to get your attention---and Ben wants 

lots of attention and does not take no for 

an answer. But for those of us that do get 

him, we love him with a ferocity that he returns 

with no conditions. He is a pure soul 

who encounters everything with great 

aplomb. He genuinely loves to please 

though he doesn’t have enough skills to 

readily or easily do so. He is thrilled with 

the tiniest of praise---whispering “You’re a 

handsome boy” makes him grin from ear 

to ear. 

Ben is my keeping it real meter. He 

reminds of things I hear parents raising 

children with mental challenges say, 

like they wouldn’t trade their hardships 

for a “normal” child and speak gratefully 

of the kids’ teaching them pure, angelic 

love for the world. Ben does that for me. 

I wouldn’t trade him and his annoying, 

water spilling, stinky 

missing teeth breath, 

and dollar guzzling always 

hungry self for 

the perfect mutt even 

if I could. I need his frequent 

lessons of showing 

me what matters. 

Earlier in the week, 

I had worked with a junior 

high youth group 

and asked them to 

anonymously write on 

a strip of paper what 

struggles they faced. In 

my group of six girls and 

one lone male, three of the seven wrote 

“bullying.” Not a human parent myself, 

what I know of modern bullying is limited 

to the headlines I see on Yahoo or the random 

conversations I catch on Good Morning 

America. I’ve heard it was a problem 

that was nearly epidemic, worsened by 

the anonymity of social media, but here it 

was in the flesh staring me in the eye. The 

worry on the girls’ pinched faces twisted 

my stomach as I contemplated how to respond. 

What I could say to give them consolation 

or hope 

The truth is I don’t know how to fight 

an enemy who lives next door under the 

same cloak of middle class okayness that 

enshrouds my life. Stopping an enemy 

R 

is easier when it lives across the tracks 

on the other side of town that you can 

avoid by simply not going there. But bullying 

is a problem thriving here behind 

the wreathed front doors of tree-lined 

neighborhoods. Children from respectable 

families with present parents are still 

growing into little terrors that hurt other 

pint-sized people. And despite lots of attention 

on bullying, obviously it isn’t getting 

solved. If almost half of my sampling 

group named it their biggest struggle, 

how widespread must it be 

My lesson was on “Surviving your 

Struggles” so I shared some quotes on 

dealing with enemies. It seemed so inadequate. 

I felt startled awake by the affliction 

these teens had put before me, and 

it was no longer a problem that I had only 

heard about. The group gathered around 

my learning table had brought to my attention 

a struggle that now couldn’t be 

put back in the bottle. It made me want to 

take action. I thought of Matthew West’s 

stirring anthem, “Do Something”: “If not 

us, then who/If not me and you/Right 

now, it’s time for us to do something/If 

not now, then when.» I don’t know exactly 

what yet, or when, but bullying be warned. 

I am going to Do Something. 

It’s these rude awakenings from our 

daily routines, these «huh» moments 

that may not be immediately welcomed, 

that keep us from going stale, from gelling, 

from becoming jaded to the trials of 

people around us. These three very different 

situations each impacted me significantly 

by simply opening my eyes to the 

presence of pain. These bumps out of the 

routine, these hard shakes from the hohum, 

knitted together to create for me a 

larger transcendent deliverance, and I’m 

sure it’s no accident all three happened in 

the same week. MM 

obyn D. Rektor is an educator, writer, editor, and 

student. When not being schooled by her sheepdog 

or students, she enjoys traveling, watching flicks, and volunteering. 

Share your own moments of “huh” or transcendent deliverance at 

rdr0119@icloud.com. 


39


40 

In the previous issue of Maumelle 

Magazine, I discussed my views 

on adoption and the choices 

available to those who may be 

considering adoption as a way 

to grow their family. In this article, I’d 

like to discuss what’s known as a guardianship. 

For purposes of this article, I will 

only be discussing guardianships over 

minor children. And more specifically, 

emergency temporary guardianships 

over minor children. 

So what is a guardianship A guardianship 

is a written document, signed 

by a judge, that allows a person (guardian) 

to be in control over the care and 

A Word on Guardianships 

By Evan Bell 

custody of a minor (ward). While similar 

to adoption in some ways (i.e., custody 

and control), the main purpose of a 

guardianship is to protect the ward, and 

does not involve the termination of parental 

rights. 

As an attorney who practices in the 

areas of family and probate law, I receive 

many panicked phone calls from grandparents 

or other relatives that sound 

something like this: I just found out that 

my son/daughter (for ease of reading, we’ll 

say daughter in this article) is doing drugs 

again, this time with her kids in the home! 

I have my grandchildren with me now but 

I’m afraid she’s going to come and take 

them from me because she has done it 

once before! What can I do to stop her 

Unfortunately, this situation is common. 

And it’s one our courts take very 

seriously – so much so that our laws 

allow anyone who is eighteen or older, 

of sound mind and not a convicted or 

unpardoned felon to file a petition for 

emergency guardianship over a child. 

In other words, you do not have to be a 

relative to seek a guardianship. 

In order for a court to find that an 

emergency guardianship is necessary, 

there must be an actual emergency. 

While I am inclined to err on the side of 

caution when it comes to the well being 

of a child, there are statutory guidelines 

that lawyers must look to when deciding 

whether to file an emergency petition 

for guardianship. When it comes to 

a child’s physical or emotional well being, 

Arkansas law says there must first 

be an imminent danger to the life or 

health of the child before an emergency 

guardianship will be ordered. 

So let’s get back to the grandparent 

who has taken her grandchildren away 

from their mother. In this case, given 

the details of what the grandparent has 

told me, I would consider there to be an 

imminent danger to the life or health of 

the children for several reasons. 

First, if mom is impaired in any way, 

or has a habit of impairment, she is a 

danger to her children. What is to stop 

her from loading the kids in a vehicle 

and driving while impaired Moreover, 

depending on the age and curiosity of 

the child(ren), there is a risk of ingesting 

or inhaling the drugs mom is taking. 

Furthermore, not only are there imminent 

medical health risks associated 

with drugs (i.e., inhalation, ingestion, 

etc.), there are physical risks as well. To 

purchase any kind of illegal drug, there 

must be a transaction. In this case, we 

have no idea where or how mom is 

getting her drugs. There is the real and 

frightening possibility that her dealers 

are coming to her home to make a 

transaction, which means she is associating 

with potentially dangerous people 

within feet of her children. 

If you know of a friend or family 

member who has been through 

the emotional process of seeking a 

guardianship, their story may or may 

not match up with my example. But all 

guardianships, whether they involve 

drugs or alcohol or abuse or neglect, 

have the same goal: to protect the best 

interest of each child involved. That is 

the goal for most proceedings involving 

children and it is one that should be 

at the forefront of your mind. 

While the scenario above is common, 

there are also other less severe 

situations in which the parent is just going 

through a hard time, and may need 

help getting back on her feet. Usually, 

those seeking a guardianship are concerned 

about the parent(s) and the children 

who may be in imminent danger. 

This situation arises most frequently 

when a grandparent is faced with the 

decision to remove a grandchild from 

their own child, whom they have loved 

and supported since birth. This is not an 

easy decision, and should not be made 

lightly. But it is important to remember 

that it is our job as adults to protect the 

physical and emotional well being of 

children. Their best interest must come 

before all others. 

So let’s talk a little bit more about 

process. You’ve made the decision to 

ask a judge to remove a child you care 

about from his or her home due to 

some sort of imminent danger. What 

next The following steps will detail 

the process of seeking an emergency 

guardianship: 

1. Petition: A guardianship petition is 

a written request to the court asking 

that a guardian be appointed 

for a specific minor. The first step is 

to file an emergency petition with 

the circuit clerk’s office. 

2. Emergency Order: With the petition, 

your attorney should include 

a proposed emergency temporary 

guardianship order for the judge 

to sign. If the judge agrees that an 

emergency order is necessary, he 

or she will sign the order and file it 

with the circuit clerk. 

3. Hearing: If a judge signs an order 

for emergency guardianship, there 

must be a hearing within three 

working days of the entry of the 

order. While Arkansas law requires 

notice to parents, due to the emergency 

nature of the situation, a 

judge may appoint a temporary 

guardian with or without notice to 

the parents if their whereabouts 

are unknown or cannot be learned 

through a reasonable search. A 

judge may extend a temporary 

guardianship for ninety days at the 

first hearing and even ninety more 

days if the court finds after another 

hearing that there remains an imminent 

danger to the life or health 

of the minor if the temporary 

guardianship is not extended. 

4. Permanent Guardianship: If, between 

the first and second temporary 

guardianship hearings, 

you believe that the guardianship 

should be made permanent, your 

attorney should file a petition for 

permanent guardianship, which 

he or she will be able to argue for 

at the second hearing. Remember, 

the emergency guardianship 

is temporary and may expire, so 

filing a petition for permanent 

guardianship will allow the judge 

to consider making it permanent. 

I’ve given you a lot of information about 

guardianships and what it takes to get 

one; however, no one article or blog post 

should be your only source for information 

when considering a decision like filing 

for a guardianship. If you feel a guardianship 

may be necessary for a loved one 

in your life, schedule a time to speak with 

an attorney who regularly practices in 

this area to discuss your options. MM 

E 

van is an attorney at Nash,Raley & Rippy, PLC, in 

Maumelle, AR. He and his wife, Rachel, have two 

young children, Seth and Audrey, and a Westie named Jack. They 

reside in Little Rock, Arkansas, where they attend Fellowship Bible 

Church. Evan is passionate about his faith, his family and adoption. 

He is actively involved in Fellowship Bible Church, The C.A.L.L. and 

Project Zero. 

501.851.0040 | ebell@maumellelaw.com 


41

Components of Exposure: Shutter Speed 

By Austin Pittman 

Photography by Alex Kent 


42 

One of the most important 

aspects of good photography 

is getting a correct 

exposure. Exposure is defined 

as “the unit of measurement 

for the total amount of light 

permitted to reach the electronic sensor 

during the process of taking a photograph” 

(Webopedia). In other words, 

you have to get just the right amount 

of light to your digital sensor (or frame 

of film if you’re old school) to correctly 

expose your picture. If you let too 

much light in, your photo will be too 

bright (over-exposed), and too little 

light will result in dark pictures (underexposed). 

There are three components 

that make up exposure, shutter speed, 

aperture, and ISO. Over the course of 

the next four articles we will cover all 

three in depth, as well as talk about 

how they all fit together. The first component 

of exposure that we will talk 

about, and probably the easiest to understand, 

is shutter speed. 

Shutter speed is exactly what it 

sounds like, the speed at which your 

camera’s shutter opens and closes. 

Shutter speed is measured in seconds 

and fractions of seconds. The larger 

the number in the denominator of your 

fraction, the faster your shutter speed 

(1/1000 th of a second shutter speed is 

faster than 1/500th of a second). We 

care about shutter speed because it 

determines how movement (both 

subject movement and camera movement) 

will appear in your image. At fast 

shutter speeds your camera and subject 

movement will be frozen, because 

the shutter is opening and closing 

fast enough to nullify any movement. 

The faster your subject is moving, the 

faster shutter speed you need to stop 

the action. Some examples of when 

you might want to use a fast shutter 

speed are sporting events, car races, air 

shows, kids playing at the park, or any 

other event when you want to stop the 

motion. 

There also may be times that you 

may want to use a slower shutter speed 

to create a sense of movement. If you 

are taking a picture of a waterfall and 

want the water to be flowing through 

the image instead of freezing the individual 

droplets of water, this is accomplished 

by using a slow shutter speed. 

The same goes for if you are taking a 

night city scene and want the tail lights 

of cars to flow through the image, or 

taking pictures of star movement at 

night. One important thing to remember 

when taking these types of pictures 

is that a tripod is absolutely critical. If 

you are not using a tripod, the movement 

of your camera will cause blur in 

your entire image. Instead of getting 

the landscape tack sharp and having 

only the water flow through your image, 

everything in the picture will be 

soft. If your shutter speeds are very slow 

you may also want to use a remote or 

cable release to trigger your camera, as 

the slight vibration from depressing the 

shutter button can cause blur. 

Any time you double or decrease by 

half the amount of light that is reaching 

your sensor, it is referred to as a 

“stop” of light. So if you change your 

shutter speed from 1/125th of a second 

to 1/250th of a second, you are 

decreasing your exposure by one stop 

(the shutter is open for half the time, so 

half the amount of light can enter). If 

you change your shutter speed from 

1/60th of a second to 1/30th of a second, 

you increase your exposure by 

one stop, because the shutter is staying 

open for twice as long. We will talk 

more about stops of light over the next 

few months, when we start adding the 

other two components of exposure. 

So break out your camera manual 

or come see your local camera store 

(shameless plug) and figure out how to 

change the shutter speed on your camera. 

You will be amazed at the different 

looks you can give the same subject 

just by understanding this first component 

of exposure. 

(Special thanks to Alex Kent for contributing 

the photo illustrations of the 

article. Visit www.alexkentphoto.com to 

admire his photograph). MM 

A 

ustin Pittman is the Vice President of Operations for 

Bedford’s Camera and Video stores in the Little Rock 

area. Austin has been a Certified Photographic Consultant since 

2000. 

He lives in Maumelle with his wife Shannon and son Andrew. 

Austin may be reached by email at austin@bedfords.com. 


43

Photographs courtesy of members of the Maumelle Photography Club. - 501.960.6077 

By Angela Wiser 

By Larry L. Egger 

By Max Baker 

By Larry L. Egger 

By Roger A. Frangieh 

By John Schwankhaus 

By Joseph E. Goble 

MauMag | Apr-May-June July/August 2014 2014 

By John Schwankhaus 


44 

By Max Baker 

By Joseph E. Goble 

45


46 

This is the third of three articles, 

based primarily on the author’s 

recollection of personal experiences. 

Reminiscences, comments, 

criticisms and other responses 

from readers will be welcome. 

In the first article in this three-part 

series I discussed wine practices in 

Arkansas which, in my opinion, had 

set wine enjoyment back a hundred 

or so years. The second article 

pointed to increasingly positive factors, 

including favorable legislative action, 

knowledgeable sales of wine in some 

restaurants, the removal of a mandated 

mark-up in wine price, the increasing 

sale of wine in supermarkets as well as 

less negative input from some religious 

organizations. 

I concluded with my belief that 

Arkansas would likely not become 

known as a center of wine production. 

This was intended as an observation as 

to the relatively small output of the few 

wineries in the state, not a judgment 

as to the quality of Arkansas wines. 

However, and more importantly, I 

believed that Aransas had reached the 

place where it could become a center 

of wine enjoyment (as opposed to wine 

production), that we have mastered the 

basics of wine and its enjoyment and are 

at the leading edge of something great. 

What follows is my appraisal of 

some of the factors which can affect 

wine enjoyment in Arkansas into the 

foreseeable future. 

AGE. Let’s start with the almost 

universally held belief that all wine 

improves with age or, as it is often stated, 

“The older a wine is, the better it has to 

be.” This simply isn’t true and has resulted 

in the sale of uncountable bottles of 

over-the-hill wines. Wine is a living thing. 

Wine Practices in Arkansas 

Past, Present and (Possibly) Future 

It goes through youth, maturity and old 

age just as people do. Most wines are 

at their peak when delivered to a retail 

store. A few will develop, if cared for 

properly, for maybe three to five years. 

Some, especially the big reds take longer, 

maybe five years, but once the downhill 

slide starts, the ending is always the 

same. The misconception that wine lasts 

forever comes largely from experience 

with fortified wine which has alcohol 

added to it. Some of these wines will last 

for endless years before they become 

undrinkable. I have had several that were 

over a hundred years old with no diminution 

in taste and enjoyment but these 

are the exceptions. 

BOX WINES. Most of my readers 

know that I have a high opinion of box 

wines. These are mostly (but not always) 

less expensive wines which are placed in 

a plastic bags and all air excluded. As the 

By Ken Forrester 

wine is used, the bag collapses, no air can 

get in and most of the freshness of the 

wine is preserved. It seems to me that 

similar new plastic bags could be sold for 

wine lovers to fill with more expensive 

wine, preserving the wine indefinitely. 

Would it work Certainly. I have long 

saved the emptied plastic bags, rinsed 

them out with water and then with a few 

spoonfuls of the wine to be saved and 

then filled them with the expensive wine, 

and have kept the wine fresh for extended 

periods. Another positive factor is 

price. Few of us can afford daily bottles 

of expensive wine but can well afford less 

expensive wines to accompany dinner, 

family gatherings and similar functions. 

ORIENTAL RESTAURANTS. One area 

where wine enjoyment is still in its infancy 

is oriental restaurants. Wine lists in such 

restaurants appear to be prepared with 

little thought given to whether the listed 

wines are appropriate for the food. I attribute 

this largely to the fact that most 

wine lists appear to be prepared by wine 

salesmen seeking commissions and not 

by restaurant personnel. In actuality, any 

oriental restaurant could limit its wine list 

to two sparkling wines, with little diminution 

in customer enjoyment: one wine 

would be a medium dry rose sparkling 

wine to accompany beef dishes and 

the other a medium dry white sparkling 

wine to accompany the other dishes. Of 

course, multiple offerings of each could 

be offered, as could a bigger red wine for 

those customers who insisted, but two 

wines would do the basic job nicely. 

WINE AS A GIFT. A start has been 

made but this is one of the most ne- 

glected (but still most promising) aspects 

of wine enjoyment in Arkansas. Not many 

things pleases a wine lover more than a 

gift of his/her favorite wine. The difficulty 

comes in the donor not knowing just 

what the favorite wine might be, often 

resulting in gifts of bottles or cases of wine 

that will never be drunk. Far too many Arkansans 

categorize a dry wine as “sour” 

and wonder why anyone would drink it. 

If you are absolutely sure of which wine 

is the recipient’s favorite, give that. If not 

sure, give a sweet wine. Start with cream 

sherry (either domestic or imported from 

Spain by way of England and proceed to 

Port, Madeira and many others. 

HYBRID WINE. When Europeans 

first came to America, they found native 

American grapes (vitis labrusca) growing 

in great profusion and immediately set 

about turning them into wine, to their immediate 

disappointment. Native American 

grapes simply didn’t measure up to 

their taste for wine made from European 

grapes. European grape vines brought 

to America succumed to cold weather, 

insects and various plant maladies. The 

solution seemed to be to cross the two 

varieties so as to obtain grapes not subject 

to the maladies but with the taste of 

those from Europe. This hybridism continues 

but has to a large extent served 

its purpose since areas have been found 

in America (California, Oregon, Washington, 

New York, Ohio, others) where the 

full-blown, un-hybridized European vines 

do well and, while hybridism continues, it 

seems to have lost some of its importance. 

RESTAURANT WINE LISTS. These 

seem too often to be prepared by the 

salesmen of wholesale dealers and don’t 

give much information about the listed 

wines. My thought is that they should 

be prepared in-house by restaurant 

personnel. Certainly they should be 

clean, individualized, have no penciled 

in changes and should actually give 

information the customer can use. 

WINES FROM NATIVE AMERI- 

CAN GRAPES. These grape varieties 

originated in America and are entirely 

separate types from European grapes. 

They include such varieties as Concord, 

Delaware and Catawba. There’s not much 

way of describing them but tasting some 

Concord grape jelly will make a start. There 

is a great deal of snobbery connected 

to American vs. European grapes and 

American varieties are usually denigrated, 

despite the fact that they have won 

prizes in European competitions. Most 

American tastes are slanted toward 

American grape wines but snobbery 

demands that the stated preference be 

for those from Europe. To test this theory, 

serve a guest an unidentified wine from 

American grapes side by side with one 

from Europe and the stated preference 

will usually be, overwhelmingly, for the 

American. however don’t expect the 

guest to buy American on the next trip to 

a wine shop but let’s do work on it since 

it does offer a wide avenue to additional 

wine enjoyment. 

WINE INFORMATION. The amount 

of wine information available is simply 

overwhelming. Most people have access 

to the internet and this is likely the 

broadest, most available. Simply enter 

any wine term and be overwhelmed. A 

practice I have followed for years is to go to 

Friends of the Library book sales and buy 

every book pertaining to wine. The price 

of twenty books is about the same as that 

of one book from conventional sources. At 

home, I examine my purchases at leisure, 

keep the books that appeal to me and 

return the rest to the library to be offered 

again at future sales. 

I have posted basic information about 

wine and other subjects on the internet 

and believe it provides a good starting 

place. Go to www.barnesandnoble.com. 

Click on Nook books and in the search section 

which comes up, type my name, Ken 

Forrester. 

Assuredly, my crystal ball is no less 

cloudy than yours but together let’s pursue 

the thought that Arkansans are ready for 

great things in wine. I will be pleased to 

have your thoughts, pro or con. MM 

K 

en Forrester, a retired administrative law judge, 

is the published author of numerous articles and 

columns on wine. 

Ken is a member of the Authors League, the American Wine 

Society and the Society of Wine Educators. 


47

Pennsylvania. You might say these guys 

are a little busy. Both of them are quick 

to give credit to both of their families. 

Daniel and his wife had their first baby in 

January. She assists with small company 

projects and supports Daniel. 


48 

OVER THE BACK FENCE 

Over the past twenty-three 

years living in Maumelle, 

I’ve been amazed at the 

diversity in occupations, 

character and interests 

of the people who live around me. 

If you or your neighbor has an interesting 

story, please email me at 

___________. With your help, I will 

share the interesting and inspirational 

stories of your neighbors from Over 

the Back Fence. 

Over in Waterside: Shane Pennington 

is an author, life coach, sales representative, 

husband and cheer dad. He was 

recently introduced to Daniel Allen, a former 

collegiate cheerleader, coach, competition 

judge, strength and conditioning 

trainer and Credentialing Instructor for 

the United States All Star Federation of 

Cheer and Dance (and brother of American 

Idol Kris Allen). So what might these 

two have in common Well, they both call 

Maumelle their home and they both have 

a vision to develop cheerleaders around 

the world. 

Roughly three years ago, Pennington 

was sitting in a local cheer gym. His 

daughters have cheered competitively for 

10 years, so he refers to himself as an elite 

cheer dad. “I was at the gym, watching 

practice, like I had so many times before,” 

said Pennington. But on this particular 

night something happened that would 

potentially change his level of involvement 

with cheerleading forever. “I was 

watching one of my daughter’s good 

friends in a private lesson trying to complete 

a layout. She had plenty of power 

but for whatever reason her body was piking 

(bending) at the hips.” Shane listened 

as a personal trainer, who was leasing 

space in the gym, asked the owner if he 

could work with the girl. He thought that 

he could do some simple resistance drills 

to help her feel what her coach was asking 

her to do. “He was trying to get her to 

pull her hips forward to create a straight 

body.” The gym owner was not 100% in 

favor of this request but she followed him 

onto the floor. The trainer had the girl do 

a couple of drills using resistance bands. 

After about 10 repetitions, he asked her 

to go do what her coach had been telling 

her to do…Get her hips forward. 

“I watched her tumbling pass and 

to my amazement she threw a perfect 

layout.” Pennington says that he has no 

doubt that at that moment God prompted 

him to take note and expand on what 

he had just witnessed. “I said to myself, if 

that can work for that skill, it can work for 

every tumbling and jump skill in cheerleading.” 

Around the same time, Daniel Allen 

was working a nine-to-five job. He had 

cheered in High School and College and 

had become a Credentialing Instructor 

for the United States All Star Federation 

(USASF). Daniel liked his job, but couldn’t 

stand being away from cheer. “I’ve always 

had a strong passion for athlete development 

and I knew that was missing in my 

life,” Daniel said. I began working with 

By Mark Albright 

schools and All Star gyms. “I’d pretty 

much go anywhere they’d let me in the 

door. I just wanted to see kids improve.” 

Daniel would begin doing private lessons 

around Arkansas and clinics throughout 

the US. “I knew I was called to develop 

athletes…It just made sense that I could 

do that in the cheerleading community 

because I had been a part of it for so long.” 

Shane and Daniel have had their fair 

share of obstacles in life. Daniel has dealt 

with a form of rheumatoid arthritis since 

he was a young boy. “I was pretty much 

told I wouldn’t be able to play sports. I 

found that cheerleading forced me to take 

care of my body. Resistance training and 

stretching was critical,” said Daniel. “It’s become 

a part of my life.” Most people that 

work with Daniel have no idea that he 

deals with this illness on a daily basis. “It’s 

tough. I have to work hard to be able to 

do what I do.” 

At the age of 27, Shane was diagnosed 

with a rare connective tissue 

disorder (Marfan’s Syndrome). He had 

open heart surgery in 1998. “That was a 

little scary. My first child was just three 

months old and I was having my aortic 

valve replaced.” He laughs it off now, but 

Shane came close to dying that January 

night. “My surgeon had told me that he 

wouldn’t start my surgery if it got past 

around four o’clock pm. At six o’clock, the 

nurse came in and said, “We’re going to 

prep you for surgery.” Shane and his wife, 

Angie, told the nurse that they’d prefer 

to wait until the next morning. The doctor, 

however, insisted that they go ahead 

PHOTO BY ANGIE AND SHANE PENNINGTON 

and get it done. It’s a good thing he did. 

While on the operating table, Shane had 

a full aortic dissection. Had he not gone 

into surgery that evening, he would have 

likely lost his life while waiting for surgery 

the next morning. 

Let’s fast forward to August 2013. 

Shane was introduced to Daniel by someone 

who knew they shared the same 

passion. After long hours of research and 

discussion, Shane and Daniel launched a 

business. CheerBandz is an athlete development 

product for Cheerleaders. They 

brought in the videographer that filmed 

P90x to shoot instructional videos that are 

the most critical part of their philosophy. 

“A lot of people think that our bandz are 

magic. They think that the most critical 

part of our product offering is the band 

itself. This, obviously is not the case,” explains 

Pennington. “Our instructional 

videos allow cheer athletes to develop 

their bodies at home so that they are better 

prepared for the skills their coaches 

are attempting to teach them. Instruction 

rules in our product.” The training 

focuses on three primary areas: muscle 

memory, muscle development, and creating 

a foundation for injury prevention. 

Allen adds, “We go to work on a daily basis 

knowing that our impact on the cheerleading 

industry is revolutionary. It offers 

a tangible concept that helps kids feel and 

see the difference.” 

So what’s happened since their 

launch this past November CheerBandz 

shipped its first product two weeks before 

Christmas. Today, they have shipped 

to 35 states and seven different countries. 

Daniel has been voted onto the USASF 

National Advisory Board representing 

CheerBandz. The two of them will be traveling 

to each of the five USASF Regional 

Meetings, where they will be speaking at 

each event this summer. They have been 

invited to make two trips to Sweden this 

summer where they will be working with 

the largest cheer company in that country. 

Daniel will be serving as a guest Instructor 

for the famous Woodward Cheer Camp in 

Shane’s wife is a company leader. She 

takes care of all the behind the scenes 

work. “If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t 

survive. She is Services@CheerBandz. 

com. She works harder than anyone 

knows. She takes care of our books, she 

oversees customer service and shipping, 

she builds all of our business processes, 

she tries to keep Daniel and me 

focused. That’s a job in itself,” says Shane. 

His daughters have been willing to participate 

in CheerBandz video shoots and 

product demonstrations. “I know some 

may be shocked, but my girls really don’t 

like the spotlight. I had to beg them to 

participate. I just wanted it to be something 

our entire family could be a part of.” 

These two Maumelle families love 

their community. Shane’s kids both attend 

school here in Maumelle. Both families 

attend New Life Church. They give a 

lot of credit to their church family. “New 

Life Church and its leaders are life givers. 

We are challenged to be all that Christ has 

called us to be. We are encouraged not to 

shy away from our dreams. We are cautioned 

to slow down and not run through 

life and miss the vision that God gives us,” 

says Shane. 

To learn more about this Maumelle 

based company visit www.CheerBandz. 

com and follow them on social media: 

Facebook @cheerbandz1234, Twitter @ 

cheerbandz and on Instagram @cheerbandz. 

MM 

Mark and his wife Kimberly have lived in Maumelle 

for 23 years. They have three teenage daughters. 

He owns an advertising company in Little Rock. Mark enjoys the 

“B side” of life. 


49

The Real Stuff 

By Scott Deaton 


50 

Austin Family Dentistry Expanding 

New Location in West Little Rock 

Bryan A. Austin, D.D.S. 

Bradley R. Crossfield, D.D.S. 

Here’s something to smile 

about. Dr. Bryan Austin has 

expanded his award winning 

dentistry practice to 

Little Rock. Headquartered 

in Maumelle, Dr. Austin has spent more 

than 20 years building a reputation as 

a leader in family dentistry. His new 

location will provide the quality and 

service patients have come to expect 

without having to cross the river. 

The new state of the art office is 

conveniently located just west of the 

Cantrell and I-430 intersection near 

the Pleasant Ridge Shopping Center at 

11211 Cantrell Road. Office hours are 

Monday-Thursday, 8:00 to 5:00, and Friday 

from 8:00 to 2:00. 

At Austin Family Dentistry of Little 

Rock, patients will enjoy meeting 

Bradley R. Crossfield, DDS, and his 

staff. Dr. Crossfield is a native of Little 

Rock and graduated from Episcopal 

Collegiate School. He obtained a 

B.S. in Biology from the University of 

Arkansas-Fayetteville, and attended 

Baylor College of Dentistry earning his 

Doctorate of Dental Surgery. He was a 

member of the Odontological Honors 

Society and was awarded the Cumulative 

Academic Dean’s Award. Dr. Crossfield 

is a member of the American Dental 

Association, Arkansas Dental Association, 

and the Central District Dental 

Association. 

If you’re looking to strike up a conversation 

with Dr. Crossfield, ask him 

about his mission trips to serve the 

dental needs of families in Central 

America, or working with Central Arkansas 

Big Brothers Big Sisters, and as a 

Wish Granter for the Mid-South Make- 

A-Wish Foundation. 

Making an appointment with Austin 

Family Dentistry at either location is 

as easy as going to their website, www. 

smilesbyaustin.com. They specialize 

in general dentistry, including implants 

and teeth whitening, as well as 

cosmetic and sedation dentistry, and 

orthodontics. 

Austin Family Dentistry accepts 

most traditional insurance plans such 

as in-network companies like Delta- 

AR and Blue Cross Blue Shield-AR, but 

you should always contact the office to 

verify acceptance of your plan. While 

cash, check and credit cards are accepted, 

payment plans can be negotiated. 

MM 

Did you hear the good news 

Maumelle’s Housing Recovery 

is happening…but slowly. It 

is actually happening throughout 

Arkansas, including the Central 

Arkansas area of Pulaski, Faulkner and 

Saline counties. After three straight years of 

dropping sales (2009, 2010, 2011), we experienced 

positive gains in 2012, and continued 

that progress, slightly, through 2013. 

I’m sure you have heard the national 

news stories about the national recovery, 

and the many major markets experiencing 

exceptional improvements in their housing 

market. Places like Florida, California, 

Nevada, etc are experiencing increases in 

the 25% - 50% range. But we Arkansans 

shouldn’t expect the same type of progress. 

When the national market went south, 

our values didn’t drop by 30% - 50%, so we 

shouldn’t expect that our values would increase 

by those large amounts either. 

Overall the Maumelle market has improved, 

and that’s exciting news. The Maumelle 

market has improved in the overall 

number of homes sold annually the last two 

years. But you can see from the attached 

graph that we are still below the numbers 

we experienced back in 2007. We are making 

progress. Homes sold in 2013, were 405 

compared to 397 in 2012, which reflects a 2% 

increase. In 2012, the 397 homes sold was a 

25% increase over 2011. That was a substantial 

jump in the right direction. As a reference, 

470 Homes were sold in 2007. 

As an individual homeowner, the average 

price of our homes is what we really care 

about. How much MORE will my home sell 

for now! The good news is that we have 

experienced an increase in the average sales 

price of our homes. In both 2011 & 2012, the 

average sales price was around the $218,000 

mark. In 2013, that number has increased to 

$226,000. This is a modest 3% improvement 

that is mostly accountable to the increased 

cost involved in building new construction 

homes. Any positive number is still better 

than the alternative. How long should you 

expect your home to stay on the market before 

it sells Maumelle averages just 68 days 

on market. If you are realistic with your pricing, 

and prepare accordingly, your home will 

sell in just over 2 months. Not bad! 

2014 started off slower than expected 

due to the longer than expected winter. Our 

January – March numbers were down because 

we just didn’t feel like buying houses 

in all that snow, ice and cold temperatures! 

Activity has definitely increased entering the 

spring and summer markets, and expecting 

to improve the rest of the year. 

So what can you do now to help your 

home sell this summer for top dollar, and 

help all of us increase the average sales price 

Here are some useful tips to consider: 

1. Fix it up – Buyers over-exaggerate every 

flaw and concentrate on what needs to 

be done instead of focusing on the positive 

qualities of your home. Eliminate every 

possible negative! 

2. Remove clutter and junk now – Clutter 

takes up valuable space, which eats equity 

and kills deals. Inventory every item 

in your house, and get rid of unnecessary 

items. If you don’t need it right now, then 

store it, sell it, or chunk it. 

3. Keep your opinions to yourself - When 

taking inventory above, remove any controversial 

elements, usually items that 

reflect your personal religious or political 

views. These create strong emotional reactions, 

and could cause a valuable buyer 

to eliminate your home prematurely. 

4. Curb appeal is key – It all starts at the 

street. Take advantage of the summer 

temperatures and create the perfect 

street appeal. Mow the grass regularly, 

plant flowers and shrubs, trim up trees 

and bushes. Remember, you never get 

a second chance to make a first impression. 

Curb appeal is huge in the real estate 

market. 

5. You need a reality check – Everyone 

thinks their home is the best and worth 

more money than the neighbors. But it 

isn’t. As we mentioned above, the house 

prices have gone up modestly over the 

past couple of years. We aren’t experiencing 

large increases in appreciation in 

our market. Unless your kitchen faucet 

dispenses gold, your house will be worth 

what the other, similar, homes are worth 

in the area. Obtain an objective and recent 

market analysis to get an accurate 

‘most likely sales price’ for your home. 

A recent article from RISMedia identifies 

the slow job market as a key factor in holding 

down the housing recovery. “The housing recovery 

is struggling to shift into a high gear, 

and obviously there are various imbalances 

holding this back from happening, but at the 

heart of the matter it comes down to jobs,” 

says Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac Vice President 

and Chief Economist. “Housing needs 

stronger, and just as important, sustained levels 

of job creation to get the housing engine 

firing on all cylinders.” 

According to the article, while net household 

formation continues to increase, the 

overall level remains lower than what would 

be expected; stronger job and income 

growth are necessary to support additional 

household formation. Expect the 30 year 

fixed rate mortgage to gradually rise higher, 

ending the year around 4.6 percent. MM 

Let’s Sell It! 

Source: Cooperative Arkansas REALTORS MLS 

S 

cott Deaton is Owner/Broker of Deaton Group Realty, and a Maumelle 

resident for 21 years. He is the Little Rock area affiliate for the 

national Homes for Heroes program. Scott is a graduate of the University of Arkansas, 

plus received a MBA from University of Central Arkansas. He currently serves on the 

Maumelle Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, previously served on the 

Little Rock REALTORS Association Board of Directors, and the Arkansas REALTORS Association 

Board of Directors. He has been married to his wife, Lora, for 22 years. They 

have three children. His hobbies include serving his church, hunting, and playing golf. 


51


Travel Rules 

By Prunella Pinetree 

subscribe to 

CONNECTIONS market place 

Summer is upon us, kids are out 

of school and families are ready 

to hit the road for a vacation 

or a trip to visit the relatives. 

Road trips begin as potentially 

exciting ideas, but once the plan is set in 

motion, reality rears its ugly head. Getting 

from point A to point B has always been a 

hassle, even as far back as cavemen time. 

They had to fend off man-eating animals 

and find a safe place to spend the night. 

Food and water were not readily accessible. 

Offspring and elderly had to be relocated, 

too. After all, who wants to spend 

another weekend just hanging around 

the cave, right 

Just think about the Pilgrims as they 

set out for the New World. How brave 

they were to get onboard a wooden ship 

with so many others willing to cross a gigantic 

body of water, headed for a new 

beginning and future, and all they had 

was their trust and hope that the boat 

captain’s quadrant (tool used to navigate 

by the stars) had recently been in the 

shop and calibrated. We’re talking nerves 

of steel…..nobody wanted to fall off the 

edge. 

Travel has always had its drawbacks, 

but it also could open up a whole new 

world sometimes. Seeing new people, 

places, customs, food, and wacky wardrobes 

make it all worth the time, money, 

stress, and headache-remedy needed for 

the adventure. The more things change, 

they still tend to stay the same. I have every 

confidence that my relatives throughout 

time have suffered as I have, to a similar 

degree, when attempting to take the 

family on vacation and probably even 

yelled to the heavens “What was I thinking” 

So let us compare the official rules for 

riding the stagecoach back in 1880 with 

riding in my car in 2014: 

Adherence to the following rules 

will insure a pleasant trip for all: 

One year subscription 

(6 issues) $24.00 

Single issues are 

available upon request 

for $5.00. 

Call: 501.960.6077 

Email: subscriptions@ 

maumag.com 


52 

1880 Rules for Riding the Stagecoach 

(from “Deadwood Magazine”) 

Abstinence from liquor is requested; but if you must drink, share the 

bottle. To do otherwise makes you appear selfish and un-neighborly. 

If ladies are present, gentlemen are urged to forego smoking cigars 

and pipes, as the odor of same is repugnant to the Gentle Sex. 

Chewing tobacco is permitted, but spit WITH the wind, not 

against it. 

Gentlemen must refrain from the use of rough language in the 

presence of ladies and children. 

Buffalo robes are provided for your comfort during cold weather. 

Hogging robes will not be tolerated, and the offender will be made 

to ride with the driver. 

Don’t snore loudly while sleeping or use your fellow passenger’s 

shoulder for a pillow; he or she may not understand and friction may 

result. 

Firearms may be kept on your person for use in emergencies. Do not 

fire them for pleasure or shoot at wild animals, as the sound riles the 

horses. 

In the event of runaway horses, remain calm. Leaping from the coach 

in panic will leave you injured, at the mercy of the elements, hostile 

Indians and hungry coyotes. 

Gents guilty of un-chivalrous behavior towards lady passengers will 

be put off the stage. It’s a long walk back. (A word to the wise should 

be sufficient.) 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

2014 Rules for Riding in my Car 

Abstinence from liquids of any sort or quantity (other than enough water to brush your teeth before departing) is sincerely 

requested. 

There will be NO use of any tobacco products (electric, pharmaceutical or plant-form) anywhere within my proximity. No 

exceptions! 

Small circular tins will be confiscated on sight. Do not even think about spitting unless you are choking to death….and then 

spit WITH the wind, not against it. 

Foul or rough language, sign language, gestures, or drawings will not be tolerated. Be aware that the acoustics within 

the vehicle are state-of-the-art, I can see you in the rear view mirror very clearly, and your little brother is basically a 

“walking VCR.” 

For your own personal comfort, bring your favorite blanket, comforter or covering which will enable you to ride and rest calmly 

for long periods of time. Do not infringe or encroach upon your fellow passengers’ space. Maintaining definitive perimeters at all 

times will help to keep ugly confrontations at bay. Any offender will be made to ride in the back with the dog. 

Do not use fellow passengers as a pillow, mattress or headboard. Driver can not be held responsible for pinches, noogies or 

pop-knots acquired from said encounter. Each occupant will remain securely within the confines of his or her own seat and 

fastened in place. Please try not to snore, wheeze, gurgle, snort, or verbally disturb other passengers while sleeping. Be very 

aware that your little brother is recording you for YouTube posting. 

No firearms, knives or any other devices which may be perceived as weapons may be kept on your person or in baggage. 

There will be a vigorous body and equipment search before boarding the vehicle. Any and all violators will wish they’d never 

brought it…trust me! 

In the event of vehicle malfunction, remain calm while the driver attempts to maneuver vehicle safely off the road. The driver 

will call for roadside assistance while all other occupants remain quietly within, unless requested to evacuate the vehicle. Do 

not post signs in windows which read “HELP” or “CALL COPS”. Such signs will not be viewed as humorous by driver or police. 

Unruly behavior by ANYONE will be reprimanded and given the stink-eye with escalating threats of, up to and including, 

being sent to stay with the relatives who live in a cabin without electricity and internet. 

Forbidden topics of discussion are: car hi-jackings, civil unrest, politics, religion, who is stupid, who is ugly, who is unpopular, 

Forbidden topics of discussion are: stagecoach robberies, Indian 

who stinks, who is gross, allowances, chores, date curfews, boredom, thirst, hunger, bodily functions, what might have been 

10. 

uprisings, politics, and religion. 

left on/running/unlocked/open at home, and any other negative, stress inducing comment. Remember, Mommy is wired 

pretty tight already. 

In cold weather, do not ride with tight-fitting shoes or gloves. 11. Mommy’s experiencing hot-flashes, so the a/c will be running full blast the entire trip. Dress warmly. 

The best seat on a stagecoach is behind the driver. 12. 

All the seats are the same with equal value, comfort level, panoramic views, number of USB ports, and safety features. There 

is no preferred seating. 

ARE WE THERE YET 

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE 

POSITIONS AVAILABLE 

Volume 9 • Issue 1, July - August 2014 

An Exclusive 



MAGAZINE 

Advertising Sales 

Generous Commission 

email resume to: adverts@maumag.com 

Or call: 501.960.6077 


1 

Gayle Odom 

831-9600 


53

Fantasy or Reality 

By Pam Rudkin 


54 

This month I feature a new science 

fiction title by Victoria Schwab, 

alongside the true-life story of local 

author Bill Allen. Both are exciting, 

page-turning reads, one 

a world of fantasy and revenge, one the 

drama of real life, heartbreak and restoration. 

Science Fiction lovers will find Vicious 

to be a fun, fast-paced read in which 

Schwab successfully weaves a tale of 

scientific experimentation going rogue. 

The main characters are dabbling in an 

unknown world: life after death. College 

roommates Victor and Eli are brilliant medical 

students determined to prove a theory 

that ExtraOrdinaries (or EOs)—people with 

super-human abilities—not only exist, but 

are endowed with their powers after NDEs 

(near-death experiences). 

Eli and Victor have very different personal 

views on EOs, their purpose in the 

universe and what should be their fates. 

Both self-induce NDEs and gain powers 

of their own. Eli believes his power is sanctioned 

by God and that he has been given 

a mission with his power to be a hero. Victor 

views things very differently, after finding 

himself in prison because of Eli. A 10- 

year journey is chronicled while the story 

is woven of how the two friends became 

enemies, and how revenge took over their 

lives. 

Reminiscent of the television show Heroes, 

this book moves quickly with short, 

exciting chapters that push you from 

opening scene at a graveyard to closing 

scene at a graveyard. The supporting 

characters are interesting and unique, 

with a likeability that only good writing 

can create. 

Speed Trap is Bill Allen’s personal 

story of drug addiction, criminal activity 

to support his habit and his ultimate 50- 

year prison sentence that finally changed 

everything. Allen, a native of North Little 

Rock, details his numerous robberies of 

local pharmacies in the 1980s, recounting 

in stark honesty both his motives and his 

actions. 

What’s great about this book is how 

Allen bares his soul in as honest a way as 

he can. He doesn’t come across as a gripping 

novelist, although his story is quite 

compelling. But his candor in detailing his 

failures and redemption are surprisingly 

moving. His cast of characters is made up 

of real people he knew, loved and grew up 

with. He explains several times in the account 

that he just wants his story to reach 

anybody who might be headed in the 

wrong direction and inspire them to turn 

their life around. 

He describes the many times he had 

hoped he might get out of prison early, 

and how each time he was disappointed. 

Allen also bluntly tells of the many times 

he fell back into hard-core drug use, even 

while incarcerated. His story is, in fact, a 

story of a reclaimed life, culminating in 

finally being released without parole, him 

being clean from drugs—all drugs—and 

finally enjoying a happy reunion with his 

first wife from all those years ago, back in 

the 80s, before his prison time. The couple 

was remarried in April 2012 and currently 

enjoys a normal, happy life together in 

Central Arkansas. 

Both of these books are available to 

check out and read free through the Central 

Arkansas Library System. MM 

P 

a m Rudkin is the librarian for the Maumelle Library, a branch 

of the Central Arkansas Library System. She is a graduate 

of Texas Woman’s University, where she earned her Master of Library 

Science degree. Rudkin grew up in Harrison, Arkansas and continued her 

education at the University of Central Arkansas where she earned her 

bachelor’s degree in journalism. 

Pam is married and is the mother of three children. Her interests 

include reading and music composition. 

501.960.6077 

Maumelle@MauMag.com 


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Volume 9, Issue 2 • September/October 2014 

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