Pamela Jo Bowman

Cell division is a process by which a cell, called the parent cell, divides into two or more cells. Thank you wikipedia. I am the parent cell. My children have divided and split. Occasionally, as they float off on their own, it is inevitable that they bump back into the parent cell. This occurs around mealtime.

Last week, Wistie came home for 5 days. Then she floated away to college. A new year, a new adventure. See ya Mom. kiss kiss.

Tomorrow Ben comes home. Duration is still unknown. I am sure he will be here long enough to do his laundry. I got ours done so he could have full access to the machine. Saac is back to school, work and other extracurricular activities. Ciera is in eighth grade. She is practicing the split theory with limited success.

It is fun watching them live their lives independently of me. It is also nice when they actually are interested in mine. Yesterday Saac invited me to go with him on some errands. I looked at him suspiciously, “What do you want?” “Nothing. Just your company.” Hmmmm. Kind of nice. He actually asked about my life and projects and I think he was sincerely interested. I asked him about his because I am sincerely interested! It was a small thing, but it meant a lot to me.

Parent cells float too ya know.

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I realized a few days ago just how uninformed I have become. I wake up very early each day and the first thing I do is read the news and still I am uninformed. At 5:30 a.m. I was totally unprepared for John McCain’s announcement. I did some research and thought hmmmm.

I must admit that I am an independent. One of those voters who finds it difficult to support either party. But that is another story. It does allow me some objectivity, which I consider a good thing.

So I was reading and trying to understand his choice. Later that morning, while doing my laps in the pool, I overheard a conversation between two older republican men. They were excited about their ticket. They jumped on their bandwagon and are waving their victory flags (one in a speedo. YUCK!).

In the evening I checked the news again and I found the journalists bashing Palin. Now being a journalist of sorts myself I find this very unsettling. Again, another story.

At the end of the day I find that I am drawn to Palin, not necessarily because of her views, but because she has them, is sure of them, and lives them.

Let’s face it, it doesn’t really matter anymore what they say they believe, or what they say they will do. All evidence screams loudly that the politicians are well … politicians. To accomplish anything as a politician, you have to give and get favors. Palin owes no one her allegiance. Kind of a refreshing thought. Must make capital hill a tad nervous not having any strings attached to her to easily yank her chain.

All I know is if everyone is trying so hard to make us NOT want her it kind of makes her the underdog and, as a woman, well, we always root for the underdog. On a side note, I heard two other women, state candidates, advertise themselves last night. All I have to say is you go girls!

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I love the editing process. Cyndi, not so much. This last week was grueling. Sometimes I couldn’t find the voice over, or the clip or
the picture or my mind. I realized that when I became fatigued I made foolish mistakes. I understand the concept of breaks. It isn’t so much about you as it the fact that the work suffers because of you.

We found a work groove that expedited the process and made us both feel productive. It was cool. In a perfect world, we’d have had a couple of weeks to work in that groove but Labor Day Weekend arrived. So she went off for a break with her friends to Tucson. I continued working and calling her to ask her where specific photographs or visual elements were OR to get her opinion about something I was putting together. I think her friends find me a tad annoying. I am a tad annoying. Step off!

I want to shout out to Kelly Jones. He gave us a check to support the cause. How awesome is that? People have no idea how expensive film and filmmaking is. The equipment, the crew, the gas, the marketing. It goes on and on. I know Kelly loves film and appreciates all the time and effort for this project. It warms my heart to have friends who love what I love so much. There have been others who have offered financial support and I tell them to buy the product. I believe they will get their money’s worth and then it is a win/win. So thanks to all who have shown faith in this project and in me. It means the world to me.

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Quiet on the set!

You have no idea how silly that sounds when you are saying it in your own kitchen. There is a purpose to it all. Mostly it is to inform everyone to shut up, pay attention and tape is rolling.

Then Chris’ phone goes off. He can’t answer it because he is carrying his lunch downstairs to watch the Olympics, which we can hear through our audio equipment. At least we got him to stop reheating his soup! The boiling was really interfering with the sound quality.

This is only one of the disadvantages to having a non-existent budget. There are others, but we keep plugging along and are always pleasantly surprised with unexpected gifts, like friends who are willing and even anxious to record voiceover quotes that sound authentic!

By tomorrow, the border and main sections of the “puzzle” will be in place and then we can determine if the missing pieces prevent a clear idea of what the picture is. At least we will be out of the kitchen…and into the fire!

Action!

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This weekend, my girlfriend and I decided we wanted to end the summer right. We took off for the mountains with our kids and our husbands to make a memory. Chris made us dinner while the two of us took a quiet walk. Just being outside in the cool evening air without the ability to talk on the phone or access the internet was, well, wonderful. We stayed up eating M&Ms, brownies and playing Scum and a host of other silly games.

The next day, we ate and made the kids wash the dishes then headed to the creek for fun in the sun. I had no idea that Julie and Steve had a water fetish. They don’t like to play in water with fish in it! They were good sports and finally got in to swim, climb and crawl upstream. We swung on the rope swing and well, we made a memory.

“This is what makes life worth it.” This from Julie who was concerned about those little fish biting her toes! Zach asked if we would invite them back. I told him no, but in reality, I believe in traditions and I believe we started one that will last for years. I especially liked the guys making the meals and the kids cleaning up! Good stuff.

It wasn’t a trip to Disneyland or Europe. It was better. This is what life should be like. So go make a memory.

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I have spent a few years contemplating on a rather personal and definitely private matter. It is the concept of well, prayer. It isn’t really an inquiry about if someone is in this communication with me; it was more like why is it necessary at all? I mean, when you think about it, if you believe in prayer then you believe that there is someone listening to or receiving your prayers, someone who also has the ability to respond or assist. So my thoughts were, since I have experienced the response, why is it even necessary to pray? That higher source is quite aware of my needs and desires, perhaps even more than I am. In listening to my prayers and the prayers of others, I have thought we can be a tad arrogant and even disrespectful in asking or even telling the recipient of our prayers what we want or need. No matter how humble we are it never felt humble enough to me.

I remember having personal daily kind of like conversations and then I have felt distant and aloof. Recently, after a particularly grueling week, I just kind of throught out a plea to just have a good and productive day. I admit there was desperation and despair in my request, but something magical happened that day. It was good and productive. Amazing. Still not sure why it works the way it does, but I’m just glad it works.

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One of the “perks” I did not anticipate with the project is getting to know people. Complete strangers write to me to tell me their stories or connection to the colonies. As a result, we have recorded many interviews that add more depth to the story. It has been a pleasure to meet, talk with and document people’s lives, memories and family stories.

Living in the colonies for 17 years, I was able to meet people who would come for reunions, service excursions or youth trips. This allowed me to “connect the dots” whenever anyone would talk about people from the colonies. They might not remember meeting me, but I remember meeting many of them.

Ironically, my children ended up being the only Bowmans of their generation living in the colonies. When we first moved to Colonia Dublan, the Bowmans made up the largest percentage in the Dublan primary. As the years passed, more moved away until we were the only ones left. As a result, when cousins visited, my children ended up being the hosts. They got to meet many members of the extended family.

This week we interviewed a lovely sister who had been born in “Chupi”. Nina Morene Brown. It was delightful to hear her tell her childhood stories of running free in the land of the mist. We also interviewed Patriarch Keith Bowman. Another perk, documenting the perspective of many about the same story. Always makes for interesting conversation. Don’t you agree?

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This last weekend we traveled to Mexico to get some “B” roll footage, voiceovers and interviews. For 10 years, I have been reading and researching. Now in the production stage I keep thinking of more ways to get more footage. At work I am NOT even allowed to read anymore. I sneak books home to scour at night. I am a read-a-holic. Intervention is needed!

We are putting all of the puzzle pieces together. When this project started, it was about a 500-piece puzzle. Over the past ten years, it has grown into a 10,000-piece puzzle that we’re having trouble compressing everything into a two-hour DVD. Every day I get more excited at the footage, the interviews, the information, the pictures, and the music. I love music. Carlos Avena, a wonderful guitarist, has sent me some of his music to lay under different portions of the film. Very cool!

More people are taking advantage of the pre-production price which is a good thing. Film making is VERY expensive and if I learned anything while living in Mexico it is “if you’re going to do something, do it well and do it right.”

Many are anxious to view the final product, but none as anxious as we are. Distribution will be in the early fall. As soon as we have the DVD in our hands we will mail them out and no doubt blog about mailing them out! We are pathetic. Love to write. Love to read. Love to produce. Love it all. I truly believe you will all enjoy the final product. I wonder how much it would cost to rent a theater to view it all together. Hmmm something else to research …

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Working on a documentary about the colonies has some unexpected perks. I’ve spent ten years looking through piles of dusty journals, stacks of fading photographs and hours (and hours and hours) of old VHS tapes trying to find those little gems that will make the documentary unforgettable. The perk this week was going through the CENTENNIAL PARADE VHS tapes and finding some startling moments and memories. There was the footage of Dublanites clogging. I remembered Chris driving the Bowman family’s “Five Generation Float” and almost getting asphyxiated by the vehicle he was driving. And then I saw it. The THE HATCH FAMILY BASKETBALL FLOAT with all of those guys in those “wife beater” shirts and lovely shorts. I laughed out loud. I thought of that Bruce Springsteen song “Glory Days.” Those were the days!

If you want to take a trip down memory lane, click on the photo or link above.

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While we were in Africa, Cyndi rented a car. I was her co-pilot reminding her to drive backwards. That told her BIG brain to stay on the wrong (left) side of the road. I was also in charge of getting us to where she wanted to go and then getting us back. I failed miserably. One night we had to ask a total stranger to get in our car and lead us back to our lodge. He did, but as he got out of the car he suggested we not pick up complete strangers “They might hurt you ladies.” Well DUH! I kept my eyes on him the entire time he was in the back seat ready to go for his jugular.

This time I had the car. Driving in Mexico is well, dangerous! The roads are so narrow there isn’t enough room for two cars. Then passing cars and trucks…Justin called it playing Russian roulette. I can totally get that concept!

I don’t think Cyndi will ever go to another film location if she doesn’t have her own car. It’s a control thing. After our on sight foreign film locations, We know just how each other felt and feels. Anyone want to be our navigation expert we are accepting applications. Be forewarned, Cyndi tail gates and I ignore the middle dividing line. Oh yea, I invested in mace. So don’t mess with me!

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