Pamela Jo Bowman

When I hear kids whining, or a friend complains too much, often my response sounds like, “Does that usually work for you?” It is funny to watch the person realize they have been caught in the game of manipulation. Even two year olds will try to hide their high five smile, but they aren’t good at it yet. They can still laugh at themselves. It is the older, seasoned “adults” who usually take it the hardest. Me thinks thou does protest to much” only reaffirms their guilt.

I once had a friend blame me for receiving a ticket. I wasn’t even in the car! “A song came on and it reminded me of something funny you did. I got distracted. It is all your fault!” I guess it works for some people. Not owning what is theirs. Constantly looking outward for all the things and feelings that are occurring inward. I think it must be human. I am guilty of this as well.

“Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?” With chocolate smeared on my upper lip I reply. Not me! Couldn’t be!” And quickly point to another possible offender. Let’s distract everyone while I finish swallowing…. Works for me.

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I thought it would be fun to get tickets for Celine Dion. Chris really enjoys her voice. I don’t really like watching her sing. Kind of makes me nuts, but I love her voice. She is coming to Arizona in December. I think, perfect. Just in time for his birthday. I go on line and find out how much her tickets are. Does, it’s the thought that counts, still count? Just wondering! ARGHHH.

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We started the day by reading an article in the Arizona Republic about the project. Let’s get some things straight.

1. I was born and raised in Northern California. Not that being from Arizona is bad or wrong. I just wasn’t born and raised here.
2. There was not any special division between the women and men in the colonies. At least not any more then any other community in the world.
3. The DVD has NOT been distributed…yet!
4. The rest of it was quite exciting to read.

In the late morning we received a call from a local AM radio station requesting an interview. Kind of stressed me out the rest of the day, but I think it went well. Don’t know if anyone heard it, but it was fun nonetheless.

Then Cyndi surprised me with a copy of the Good Morning Arizona interview. All I have to say is not bad. It was unfortunate that I had a HUGE fever blister on my lip, but the week-end at Newport was worth it. I didn’t sound too inarticulate and Cyndi did great job of telling the world she “is not a MORMON”. Got it Cyn.

And at the end of the day we managed to make great progress on the film too! Amazing. Have I told you lately how much I love editing? I know… sick puppy!

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Today was pretty cool. I woke up in the mountains and took a solo walk. LOVED IT. Found a swing in an old school house and reminisced about days gone by. How fun it was in kindergarten to chase Mike Casey around the play yard and be chased right back!

I arrived home by noon and found our full-page article with PHOTOS in the Mesa Tribune. Could have done without the headshot of us, but what the heck. I felt the piece was well written, informative and unbiased. We can even go on line and post comments! Tribune Article. I am fearful to look. What if I get a bunch of negative stuff, but what if I get a bunch of positive supporters who understand the huge undertaking of this project and just support the heck out of it?

You know, you will always find naysayers. I’m not going to listen to them or the voices in my head. It is so funny to see the different comments that others write. Most of the time it has nothing to do with the subject. I think people just want a venue to voice their ideas and opinions. Maybe they don’t have anyone to talk to. At least this way they don’t have to argue with anyone face to face. I will try to refrain from the cyber bait.

Next week we are supposed to be featured in the Arizona Republic. It will be interesting to see what angle they take on the same information. Fun stuff. Learning a ton and am so grateful to those who are still encouraging me and believing in me. It keeps me chasing my dreams and maybe they will chase me right back!

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Click here or on the photo above to see the newport video. For those looking for a company to document your special occasions or to just archive your existing video’s, I know this division in this company that does a great job and does it in a timely manner. Contact numbers are available upon request.

Family | 1 Comment »

What did I say?

I have this weird thing that happens when I speak in public. I sometimes don’t know what I am saying and afterwards I don’t remember what I said.

Yesterday we had an opportunity to bring some attention to this project. We thought we were going to be interviewed and then they would edit the piece so it would make some kind of sense. When we arrived we were ushered in, mic’ed, and then it hit me, we were going live. Within five minutes of walking into the studio we were sitting in front of the camera. I was sitting in the middle of the road with the proverbial headlights coming right at me!

I have no idea what I said or if I made sense or if I was able to tell the viewers about the amazing men, women and children who went down to Mexico and started a new life, new towns and new families. After all we had three entire minutes to inform the viewers about 4000 lives and events! I spent the afternoon working in a slump. Both Cyndi and Chris told me to snap out of it. That it was fine. Good thing it showed at 5:45 a.m.! No one awake then!

It was a chance to cut our teeth and become more familiar with the process. Next week we have two more print interviews. Hopefully they will be more in-depth. I will at least be able to read what they said I said!

Anyone know what I said out there?

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I have spent the week perfecting the role of Scarlet O’Hara, “I can’t think about that right now. If I do, I’ll go crazy. I’ll think about that tomorrow.”

Well, Scarlet, tomorrow has arrived. By the time you are reading this, I will have already been on our local T.V. show, Good Morning Arizona. To many it might not seem any big deal, to me it is a very big deal.

Was I able to convey to the listeners the amazing story about the Mormon Colonies in Mexico? Was my excitement and commitment to the project, the people and the events expressed and understood by the audience? Did I humiliate my family, friends or community?

The following is a VERY short trailer about the movie. Watch it and let me know what you think, how you felt. At the end of this day it really doesn’t matter. I am going to finish this project to the best of my ability. So, for those of you who are prone to find fault, “Frankly, me dear, … ”

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I had my first experience in being in the jury pool this week. Talk about grueling! There were hundreds of us called forth to the Phoenix courts to sit around and wait to see if we would be chosen. It felt like school all over again.

Pamela Bowman – Here!
Line up with your number single file. Follow your leader and obey instructions. We all stood outside the courtroom…. nervous. Some of us suppressed our desire to giggle and others…. didn’t.

We marched in like good little boys and girls. Sat in our chairs. Gave all the correct answers. Anybody who got out of line was promptly put back into place by the JUDGE! I saw some lips quivering, voices shook and hands trembled. Then what we all were waiting for finally occurred. RECESS!

After lunch we had to give brief synopsis of our lives. More information than I wanted to hear or share! Complete strangers sharing personal information. Not pleasant. We received our lesson in law and then we had a quiz followed by questions and two guest lecturers, the attorneys. I glanced at the defendant and listened to the judge explain that he was not required to say or do anything. That it was up to the prosecutor to prove that he was guilty.

“Do you understand that he is, at this moment, innocent, until he is proven guilty? Does anyone here think he is guilty?” We all knew the answer. She had been quite clear. We aren’t dolts, but come on, he didn’t have to verbally say anything. He was screaming quite loudly with every gesture, eye contact, and false smile.

An hour later I was released on good (or maybe bad) behavior. I didn’t care. I was free. I did not walk, but ran to my car. Fair and impartial? Is there really such a thing? I have lived for 50 years. I have life experiences that have served me well in deciding things. Judging is what we all do all day, every day. That is life. So step off!

I hate single file lines! Sheepy, sheepy, go to grass. NO! How’s this for a lesson. This is America, the land of the free. You can tell me what I should think, but doesn’t mean I will. Actually, kind of means I won’t!

Madness, Realizations | 1 Comment »

An early morning walk on the beach usually makes me a tad melancholy. Not this day. I was pleased to find the mist mingling with the salt air. I sat for a long time, alone, watching the ever constant tumble of water foaming to the shore. Usually I feel so connected to the sea. Weird, I know. The ocean conjures up for me the distant unknown and yet I have often felt comforted by it. Not this day. I think I felt closure. There is an odd feeling I have been having of late. I feel that I am not part of anything … and, yet, at the same moment, I am a part of everything. I am totally unique, separate and distinct in the universe and I yet am totally integrated into it. I am not relying on anything and yet I hope for everything. It is what it is so … and so am I.

I think this photograph of the sun is amazing. So big and bright and promising. We are all as big and bright and promising. Is it possible to celebrate each other and acknowledge the possibility of what can occur once the mist dissipates? Is it possible for each and every one of us to stand in our own place … reflecting and refracting our inner own unique light. This day, it all seems possible, even probable, to me.

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One of the advantages to being a writer/producer is that I am BEHIND the camera. This morning we received an email from GOOD MORNING ARIZONA. They have requested an interview for their show on Friday the 12th of SEPTEMBER. What goes around comes around and now the roles are reversed! So many of my friends are smiling at the thought that I am going to be the one interviewed. All of my kids, their friends, their significant others will all be enjoying ME in the hot seat. I wonder…. Who will be doing the interview. I need to do some research about them. Maybe I can still salvage this situation and ask them some questions. Perhaps, “would you like to know more?” comes to mind.

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