MAGIC • BILLINGS’ CITY MAGAZINE SINCE 2003 THE 21ST CENTURY WOMAN • MAY LAMOTTE • RURAL ROUNDBALL • WOMEN MORTICIANS
WHO IS THE 21ST CENTURY WOMAN? Meet her inside.
YOU’VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY. Also Inside Rural Roundball Small town hoops tie communities together
May LaMotte FEBRUARY 2013
From Baghdad to Billings
The Calling Women Morticians
#1 in Montana Billings Clinic has been recognized as the Best Regional Hospital in Montana by U.S. News & World Report for meeting standards for high performance in four specialties – Diabetes & Endocrinology, Gynecology, Nephrology and Pulmonology. Our long-standing dedication to provide the best patient experience is rooted in our commitment to quality, patient safety, service and value.
www.billingsclinic.com
2 I february 2013 I MAGIC
MAGIC I february 2013 I 3
BUILT KID TOUGH
It's affordable. It's Wilsonart® HD® High Definition™ Countertop.
visit the following retail showrooms
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4 I february 2013 I MAGIC
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Appliance & Cabinet Center 2950 King AveW, #2 | 406.656.9168 Quality Kitchens 1547 Main Street | 406.245.4144
FEBRUARY 2013
special women’s issue
the fairer sex: the evolution of the modern day woman ............................................
by a.j. otjen
wonder women meet 9 ladies who inspire us............................................................................
by brittany cremer, brenda maas & allyn hulteng
having it all: what does it mean?
.....................................................
by alexis adams
49 51 58
check it new recommendations for annual exams have left women confused—here’s what you need to know.....................
by natasha mancuso
61
64
Iraqi native May LaMotte shares her story
By Shelley Van atta
Free Bird
71 74 76
Understood
MAGIC • BILLINGS’ CITY MAGAZINE SINCE 2003 THE 21ST CENTURY WOMAN • MAY LAMOTTE • RURAL ROUNDBALL • WOMEN MORTICIANS
82
WHO IS THE 21ST CENTURY WOMAN? Meet her inside.
YOU’VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY. Also Inside Rural Roundball Small town hoops tie communities together
May LaMotte FEBRUARY 2013
From Baghdad to Billings
The Calling Women Morticians
On the Cover Then and now— You’ve come a long way, baby.
By natasha mancuso
Women: The real winners of the 2012 election BY jim gransbery
Death Becomes Her
Women morticians answer a calling By Allyn Hulteng
Rural Roundball
Barnyard hoops, the tie that binds
89
The Tonight Show
By Brittany Cremer
Circadian rhythm By Brenda Maas
MAGIC I february 2013 I 5
FEBRUARY 2013
14
The List Fun, fascinating finds..................................................................................11 Giving Back Special Olympics Montana...................................................12 Artists Loft Tana Patterson......................................................................................14 Media Room Books, Movies, Music & Web Reviews ............... 16 Elements Metropolitan Modern ........................................................................... 18
12
SIGNATURE SECTION
26
Fine Living
Great Estates Truly Timeless................................................................... 20 Epicure Hearty Gourmet....................................................................................... 26 Desserts on Parade.............................................................................
Libations Espresso.................................................................................................... Indulge Cupcakes: The Princess of Desserts...............................
28 32 35
20
35
38
44
Montana Perspectives
Legends Haydie Yates.............................................................................................. 38 I’m Just Sayin’ Nuns a Are People, Too....................................... 42
Travelogue
Beyond Billings Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.................... 44
In every issue
Editor’s Letter Anything or Everything?.....................................................................8 Contributors .............................................................................................................................................9 Seen at the Scene .......................................................................................................................93 Datebook Your Calendar of Events.................................................................................95 Last Word Women by the Numbers..................................................................................................98
6 I february 2013 I MAGIC
Why Magic City? In the early 1880s, immigrants and adventurers came in droves to seek their livelihood on the verdant land along the Yellowstone River. The hastily constructed tents and log cabins made it appear as if Billings materialized overnight – thus earning the name “The Magic City.” Today, as the largest city in Montana, Billings proudly retains its ‘Magic City’ moniker. As for Magic City magazine, we promise to continue our mission to uncover all that is unique and wonderful and changing in this great community ... and we guarantee a few surprises along the way.
FEBRUARY 2013
•
Michael Gulledge
VOLUME 11
•
ISSUE 1
Publisher 657-1225
Editorial
Allyn Hulteng Editor 657-1434 Bob Tambo Creative Director 657-1474 Brittany Cremer Senior Editor 657-1390 Brenda Maas Assistant Editor 657-1490 Evelyn Noennig Assistant Editor 657-1226
Larry Mayer, James Woodcock, Casey Page, Bob Zellar, Paul Ruhter Photographers Advertising
Dave Worstell Sales & Marketing Director 657-1352 Ryan Brosseau Classified & Online Manager 657-1340 Shelli Rae Scott Sales Manager 657-1202 Linsay Duty Advertising Coordinator 657-1254 Mo Lucas Production/Traffic Artist 657-1286 MAGIC Advisory Board
Jim Duncan, Brian M. Johnson, Denice Johnson, Nicki Larson, Susan Riplett, Nancy Rupert
Contact us: Mail: 401 N. Broadway Billings, MT 59101 editor@magiccitymagazine.com Find us online at www.magiccitymagazine.com Find us at various rack locations throughout Billings: Including area Albertson’s, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, City Brew, Hastings Books, Music & Video, Holiday Station stores and Gainan’s. Subscriptions are available at the annual subscription rate of $29 (5 Issues). Single copy rate $4.95. Mail subscription requests and changes to address above, ATTN: Circulation Magic City Magazine is published five times a year by Billings Gazette Communications Copyright© 2013Magic City Magazine All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without express written consent is prohibited.
McMullen Hall, University Campus
Education on Your tiME MSU Billings has an educational opportunity for every Montana resident. We offer more online classses than any other institution in the state. We have a wide array of technical and two-year classes offered in the evening. Now, more than ever, the time is right to pursue your degree. Success starts at Montana State University Billings.
msubillings.edu Call 406.657.2888 MAGIC I february 2013 I 7
FROM THE EDITOR
this issue
Anything or Everything?
In the late 1950s, my mother was a young, single woman working as a legal secretary for a prestigious Billings law firm. The typists, all female, worked in what was called “the secretarial pool”–a large room where women sat side-by-side at metal desks pounding stiff keys on manual typewriters. Back then there was no “spell check” or “cut and paste” option; there wasn’t even a “delete” key. Perfection was expected. Twice a day the secretaries were allowed to leave their desks and stacks of documents to pour a cup of percolated coffee in the tiny break room. The lawyers, all men, on the other hand enjoyed a large, well-appointed lounge where they could gather comfortably for coffee during the day and stronger beverages at day’s end. Cigars and cigarettes were allowed anytime. Over time, my mother began taking a keen interest the in the legal matters to which she was privy and decided she wanted to study law. “I told one of the attorneys I wanted to earn my law degree,” my mom recalled. “He said, ‘You’ll make a whale of good legal secretary if you can pass the bar.’”
The laws of nature My mom went on to earn her law degree, get married, raise five children and then pass the bar. For years she practiced alongside some of the same male attorneys for whom she once worked. By the early 1980s, a growing number of women were graduating from law school and joining firms. To make partner, they were expected to work long days and hit their billable hours. It wasn’t exactly a “family-friendly” career. But neither were many other professions, which offered little flexibility within rigorously set performance standards. For the most part, women needed to adapt or exit, which frequently happened when they started having families.
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Climbing the ladder A lot has changed since then. Today, more women than men enroll in higher education, and women outnumber men in undergraduate degrees by roughly 1.2 million. In fact, the most recent US Census figures on education show that women received 57% of Bachelor Degrees, 60% of Masters Degrees and 52% of Doctoral Degrees. Education, along with changing social norms and equal opportunity legislation, have combined to give women full access to pursue whatever career path they choose. In order to recruit and retain top talent, many companies have been proactive in offering flexible work schedules or job sharing to make it easier for women (and men) to both work and tend to their families. On the surface, it would seem that the modern woman really can have it all. And she can – with one small catch.
Measured options
Being able to do anything is not the same as being able to do everything. With a bountiful buffet of choices, women frequently put too much on the plate and then feel overwhelmed and stressed by the demands. Rather than try to “do it all,” it’s important for women to step back, assess what is truly important and prioritize accordingly. As life unfolds, those priorities will shift. When they do we have the opportunity to make new choices— and choice is a beautiful thing.
Allyn Hulteng editor@magiccitymagazine.com
Photo by James Woodcock
contributors
AJ Otjen melds her two loves, people and
creativity, as a marketing professor for MSU Billings. With 25 years of experience in her field as a marketing executive for Sprint, AJ enjoys grooming her students for small business competitions and community communications campaigns. Originally from Oklahoma, AJ enjoys skiing, horseback riding and scuba diving. She also holds a special place in her heart and home for rescued dogs.
Shelley Van Atta is the strategic marketing and public relations executive for EBMS. She has degrees in journalism and English from the University of Montana, and formerly was university relations director for MSU Billings and director of college relations and marketing for Rocky Mountain College. She and her husband, Larry, both native Montanans, have three children and are very active in the Billings community.
ORDER FLOWERS ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. With Gainan’s mobile site, ordering flowers last minute or any other time is easy.
Jim Gransbery is a retired agricultural and political
reporter of The Billings Gazette. Since 2008, he has spent his time teaching, writing magazine articles for Montana and regional publications and working on short fiction. He also looks after the well-being of his wife, Karen, who has made the whole trip possible.
Natasha Mancuso, born and raised in Kiev, Ukraine, lives in Billings with her sons, Danny and Victor, her husband Jerry and black lab Winston. An avid reader, she has written and published short stories, memoirs and commentaries for local and national journals. Outside of literary work, she enjoys tennis, yoga, gardening and chasing her two very active boys. John Clayton is the author of The Cowboy
Girl, Images of America: Red Lodge, and other books. His article this month is excerpted from his new book, Stories of Montana’s Enduring Frontier: Exploring an Untamed Legacy, which is due out in May.
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Alexis Adams divides her time between Red Lodge, Montana and Poulithra, Greece. A full-time freelance writer, her work has recently appeared in The Boston Globe, Afar, The Utne Reader, The Sun Magazine, The Art of Eating and Saveur, among other publications. She has two children, Sylvie, age 8, and Jasper, age 11. With them she loves to read, ski, swim, sail and explore the world. MAGIC I february 2013 I 9
Recovery.
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FEBRUARY 2013
His-Hers-Ours Fun, fascinating finds we think are great.
No one goes without when you have these flasks. With stainless steel inside, this trio is perfect for cold beverages or warm, depending on your mood and destination. Either way, you will arrive in style—and, no longer thirsty.
Available at Joy of Living $92/set
Sweet on You
What is Valentine’s Day without chocolate? Even better, get the goods locally to make them extrasweet for your sweetie. Sugar-free options available, too. Available at Paula’s Edibiles Prices vary from $2-$10
Don’t Leave Home Without It
Watch roundball in style and comfort with The Stadium Chair. With a square tubing frame, removable and washable canvas seat, bench hook to prevent tipping and a carrying handle, this little guy is a winner. Available in regular and XL sizes, find one to match your team’s colors. Available at Scheel’s All Sports $40-$45
Let in the Sun
1-2-3-Step and Slide
Nothing says love like a fox trot…or is it the waltz? Try an up-close-and-personal dance lesson with your loved one or friend. The calorie burn won’t hurt those love handles either. Available at Dance Fever Prices vary
Get rid of the mid-winter blah’s and rev up your circadian rhythm at the same time with this full-spectrum sun lamp from Bright-Light. Choose a 10,000 LUX white light with a broad spectrum of illumination and screen that blocks harmful UV rays. Available at Juro’s $200
MAGIC I february 2013 I 11
By Virginia A. Bryan
Deputy U.S. Marshals ‘Find the Joy’ at Special Olympics Montana Tim Hornung knew very little about Special Olympics Montana when he and another Deputy U.S. Marshal, David Wollschlager, showed up to present ribbons to competing athletes one May weekend a few years ago. Tim is a self-described gruff guy. He has intense eyes, a bald head and a gray goatee. Most days, he works in blue jeans with a firearm strapped to his hip. His cell phone is close at hand. David often dresses in a formal dark suit and tie, looking no less formidable. As Deputy U.S. Marshals for the Department of Justice, they regularly confront “the worst human behavior imaginable.” They track down fugitives, manage prisoner operations and the Witness Security program and provide judicial security in addition to a host of other tactical and investigative functions. “Ours are not joyful jobs,” Tim said. “There are few smiles in what we do.” Tim recalls the afternoon he knelt down nervously in front of a Special Olympics awards podium at a local Billings school. He leaned U.S. Marshal David Wollschlager (at left) and U.S. Marshal Tim Hornung are over to ask a Special Olympics gymnast if he might pin a ribbon to her shirt. The arena was filled with parents and well-wishers; cameras were passionate about their involvement with the Special Olympics. flashing. The adolescent, leotard-clad athlete with strawberry blonde pigtails, pink cheeks and freckles nodded her consent. Then, spontaneously, perhaps to reassure him, she gently patted Tim’s bald head. The crowd erupted with glee. “It was pure joy,” Tim said. His voice and gestures are animated as he tells the story. “We had no idea we’d feel so affirmed and grateful,” said David. Their experience is a testament to the Special Olympics’ mission, which, at every level, strives to promote physical fitness, self-confidence and positive self-images, while strengthening families and communities. Tim and David didn’t need to be asked to participate again. They asked what more they might do. In 2011, the duo ran or cycled segments of the Montana Law Enforcement Torch Run (M-LETR) from Big Timber to Billings, a noisy, colorful event designed to draw attention to Special Olympics. In 2012, they increased law enforcement participation three-fold as co-chairs for the Big Timber to Billings M-LETR stretch. This year, they’ve once again lined up local business, school, individual and law enforcement sponsors, music, patrol car escorts, well-wishers, balloons, food (including lots of donuts), an RV sag wagon and beverages for the Big Timber to Billings route. “We aren’t shy about asking others to help,” said David. “We see ourselves as a small part of a much larger effort.” Tim, David, their M-LETR colleagues and an entourage of athletes will bring the Special Olympics Flame of Hope™ into Billings on May 14, 2013 at “approximately 1700 hrs” when they leave Interstate 90 via the 27th Street Exit and head toward Dehler Park. On May 15, Tim and David will join their law enforcement colleagues in dress uniform for the Opening Ceremonies. “It’s our way to ‘spread the love’ of Special Olympics Montana. We’ve encouraged every Montana officer with a badge to participate,” Tim said. “We guarantee a good time and promise they’ll leave feeling better than when they started.” “We volunteer because it keeps us grounded,” David said. “It reminds us why we do what — SPECIAL OLYMPICS MOTTO we do. We’re here to protect everybody, especially the most vulnerable. Our spirits are lifted by Special Olympics.” “We can’t be tough guys all the time,” Tim said. “Boy! Do we have fun!”
“Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”
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“Be a Part of Something Special”
Expecting? Sign up for the Bundle of Joy Baby Registry. We have a gift waiting for you! toys • gifts • shoes M-F: 10 am to 6 pm • SAT: 9 am to 6 pm • SUN: 12 to 5 pm 1510 24th St. W., Billings, MT 59102 (next to Sanctuary and The Joy of Living) 406.294.1717 www.thejoyofkids.com
Special Olympics began in 1968 to provide year-round
opportunities in sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Now a world-wide endeavor, it involves more than a million athletes.
Special Olympics’ Montana Summer Games take place at various Billings venues May 15-17 and again in 2014. More than 1,000 Special Olympic athletes will visit and “Be a Part of Something Special” each year.
More information about Special Olympics
Montana, including registration materials, volunteer opportunities and its 40+ year history, can be found at www.somt.org or by calling 1-800-242-6876 (MT only).
The Montana Law Enforcement Torch Run is part of an
international network of law enforcement agencies that support Special Olympics. In 2011, the M-LETR raised more than $500,000 for Special Olympics Montana athletes.
Above: Matthew Oakley, from Fairfield, celebrates during the parade of athletes in the opening ceremonies of the Montana Special Olympics in Billings. Photo by Bob Zellar.
MAGIC I february 2013 I 13
By Donna Healy • Photography by Paul Ruhter
From the ground up Soulful sculptor lives her art Clay figures helped Tana Patterson climb out of her first marriage. One sculpture shows three women wrapped in intricately patterned blankets. Titled “The Confidants,” it was part of the Yellowstone Art Museum’s permanent collection earlier this winter. “Other women are your confidants,” Patterson said. “You can tell them what you can’t tell others.” In the late 1980s, stuck in a troubled marriage, she worked on other female figures. “It was like building a community of supportive women. The more figures I built, the more women seemed to be circling the wagons around me.” In 1991, Patterson packed a pickup, bundled up her daughter and headed for graduate school at Montana State University-Billings, where she created more ceramic figures. Four of the life-size sculptures dominate her living room today. “Spirit of Our House” wears a brown skirt, rough like fence boards and textured with shapes of garden flowers. At the waist, green vines surround a bright yellow, wooden screen door. Above it, a family of tiny clay figures sits in the opening. Like a storybook cottage, wondrous objects fill Patterson’s house, including her own artwork and photographic collages done by her second husband, Brad Aipperspach. Her hand-painted designs transform vintage tables and chairs. Painted flowers climb the kitchen walls. When her garage studio is too cold to use, her pottery wheel sits in the spare bedroom. To contain the mess, taped plastic covers nearby walls. This is a woman who lives her art. Her latest work, like Aubrey Beardsley’s drawings, shows rich, black lines exploding into shapes painted with liquefied clay “slips” on greenware. Older pieces are more colorful, more “Autio-esque,” as she refers to Rudy Autio, Montana’s most influential ceramic artist.
An enriched life Patterson, a fifth-generation Montanan, grew up in Billings. Recently, she took an Internet quiz to see whether her family was middle income or lower income. Only owning their home fit the middle-class profile. “I don’t have matching dishes in the cupboard, but I have dishes that every time I take them out I delight in them. That makes us rich in other ways.”
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A safe space After finishing graduate school in 1994, Patterson taught art to college students and spent seven years teaching at St. Labre Indian School in Ashland before returning to Billings in 2008. For the last 2-1/2 years, she has taught art through Middle Ground, programs run by the Salvation Army and named for the concept of a stable, safe space. The program offers free after-school lessons in art, music, textiles and sustainable farming. “I feel like I have guardian angels. This just so fits everything “I don’t have that I work for, everything that goes into matching dishes in my art – the idea of no the cupboard, but matter what the income is, trying to live in some I have dishes that state of grace, some every time I take sort of dignity. That’s what Middle Ground them out I delight in in Billings is all about. them. That makes us They’re trying to build sustainability.” rich in other ways.”
Room with a view
Patterson’s work can be viewed at the
1.
2.
3.
4.
1] Tana Patterson’s sculpture “Sojourner Star” was inspired by her eldest daughter. 2] The life-size clay figures created by Patterson dominate her living room. 3] “The Sparrow Child Angel” was the first of the lifesize female figures Patterson created with a human face. 4] Patterson paints on greenware using liquefied clay slips with lines and shapes reminiscent of Aubrey Beardsley.
Frame Hut and Purple Sage Gallery, along with a few pieces at the Middle Earth Gallery in the Salvation Army Thrift Store. The pottery studio, which opened last fall at the Salvation Army Thrift Store, offers free children’s classes and an adult apprenticeship program. In return for the lessons, adults spend a third of their time producing pieces for Middle Ground Pottery, a cottage industry with gallery space in the thrift store.
MAGIC I february 2013 I 15
By Brittany Cremer
MUSIC
Sam Riddle
“Chip off the Ol’ Block”
DVD
“Class C: The Only Game in Town”
Directed by Justin Lubke “Class C,” an awardwinning feature length documentary, follows five girls basketball teams from Montana’s smallest schools on their journey to win the “Class C” state championship. The film tells the story of a changing rural America and the girls who carry the hope and heartbreak of their fading communities onto the basketball court. The film transcends the sport and reveals the purity and power of finding strength in each other, in community. Even if you have watched it once, it’s worth another look. This one is a keeper. Webed
Flashlight App
A marriage of music and sports is rarely successful. “Shaq Diesel”—‘nuff said. But for Montana native and former Grizzly basketball standout Sam Riddle, cultivating a career as a country singer couldn’t have been more natural. Sure, he’s exchanged his mesh shorts and sneakers for a black Stetson and cowboy boots, but for those who know Sam best, the transition isn’t surprising. Sam’s dad, Steve, was one of the founding members of Montana’s prolific Mission Mountain Wood Band, and his uncle is a world-class composer. Sam grew up touring with his dad, the lilting warmth of a country song never far away. And unbeknownst to several of his sports fans, Sam started playing the piano at age 2—he is Harry Connick meets Jason Aldeen. It was Riddle’s piano playing that acted as entrée for his career in Las Vegas, where he currently headlines at clubs like Gilley’s and Santa Fe Station. Even more impressive, Riddle composed and produced this, his first album, by himself. The title track on the CD, “Chip off the Ol’ Block,” is a tribute to Sam’s dad and is chock-full of bluesy riffs and virtuoso piano playing. Other gems like “I got ‘er” and “Floatin’” make you want to partner up for a two-step. With musical roots, unbridled determination and a natural knack for entertaining crowds, Sam Riddle’s debut album hints at much more to come from this talented Montana musician. Visit samriddlemusic.com for performance times and additional information.
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Can’t find your keys? No problem. Need to shed some light onto an icy walkway? We’ve got you covered. Download the Flashlight app by iHandy in your iTunes store. It’s bright. Fast. Simple. And it’s the only flashlight app that comes with a compass, giving you direction in the darkness. Book
“The 5 Love Languages”
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Uniting Buyers & Sellers Since 1959 406-254-1550 | 1550 Poly Drive, Billings, MT 59102 | floberg.com
MAGIC I february 2013 I 17
By Brenda Maas • Photography by Larry Mayer & James Woodcock
Metropolitan Modern
Cozy-up with these chic interior must-haves If one is good… …two is better. This unique, textured duo looks great with fruit or flowers of the season, or simply alone. Their beauty is in the basic. Available at Gallery Interiors $49 each
Relaxation station Everyone needs a nap trap, and the Brae sectional by Bernhardt does it with style. Available in a variety of fabric coverings and colors, this lovely sofa is sure to turn you into a home-body. Available at Kibler & Kirch Prices vary
Bear of a rug Pamper your feet with this Spectrum Shag area rug. Machine woven with 100 percent polypropylene, this rug won’t lie down on the job. Available at Stone Mountain Leather Furniture Gallery $425 (5’x8’)
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Sectional photo courtesy Kibler & Kirch
Conversation starter “View from a Red Cow” by local artist Parker Ford brings contemporary Montana landscape into your home. This acrylic on canvas painting will command attention, and conversation.
Mason & HaMlin
Available at Frame Hut $375
Lamplight never looked so good This Banyonne table lamp is topped with a cut-stone shade by Kichler that gives that metro-mod edge to the prairie. Definitely a show-stopper. Available at Gallery Interiors $399
TGIF Commence luxe relaxation with a bottle of 2011 Morgan Twelve Cones pinot noir from Santa Lucia Highlands served in lead crystal wine goblets from Reidel. Your wine should breathe as deeply as you. Try the whole-bottle decanter or for individual servings, the Essential Wine Aerator from Vinturi. Better bouquet, enhanced flavors and a smooth finish—just don’t spill on the sectional. Available at Simply Wine Prices vary from $30-50
new & used pianos moving & tuning
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MAGIC I february 2013 I 19
FINE LIVING
great estates
Mid-century, modern home mixes Spend a few moments flipping through the pages of magazines like Dwell and Atomic Ranch, and it’s easy to see the appeal of modern and mid-century modern design. In fact, it seems that more homeowners are drawn to the timeless simplicity of clean lines, plenty of light and seamless movement between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Two of those modern enthusiasts are Wayne and Carrie Egan. When the Egans decided to build a new home several years ago, they opted to incorporate as many modern elements as possible. Working with architect Frank H. Nienaber IV, they conceptualized a floor plan with tall ceilings, open rooms and plenty of usable space for their growing family. “We took our time with this process,” Wayne says. “I think we spent about three years in development and design.” Part of that time, however, was finding the right person and the right site. After interviews with multiple area contractors, they chose to work with Dan Fleury based on his reputation, organization and the high-quality work he had done for friends. The site, however, proved to be more difficult. “We presented our original design to several subdivisions here in Billings, and even went so far as to buy a lot,” says Carrie. “But we kept being turned down because the other homes in those subdivisions were so traditional.” Finally in 2008, the couple was able to find a beautiful lot in a quiet
Above: A low metal roof seemingly balanced on corrugated steel panels sets the modern mood of this midcentury-inspired new construction home. Entry: “We try to include only those things in our home that we really love or that are special to us in some way,” says Carrie. The couple always looks for distinctive pieces to include in their home. Front Door: Making the most of the home’s eastfacing entrance, the front door includes frosted panels that allow light in but still provide privacy. Living room: An oversized sectional provides an ideal balance to the home’s 25-foot ceilings and the striking fireplace wall. James Courdenoy of A&E Architects designed a solid steel piece to surround the fireplace, which was then brought to life by local blacksmith Travis Nelson and his company, Ringing Anvil Forge.
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truly
form with family function
timeless by julie green photography I by james woodcock
FINE LIVING
great estates
subdivision on the city’s far West End that would allow their non-traditional design. Construction began in the fall of 2009 and was completed in spring of the following year. On the main level, visitors are welcomed into a bright entryway that leads into the main living space. Natural slate tile gives way to cork flooring in the dining and kitchen space, while the living room has floors of sturdy bamboo planks. The use of renewable products was a natural fit, according to Wayne. “It was right for us,” he says. “If you look at a lifecycle of a product, and you’re probably going to change it within 20 years, choosing renewable options just makes sense.” For Carrie, it also made good sense to avoid carpeting and opt for more easily replaceable rugs. “Everyone has experienced having someone spill something and stain their carpeting,” she says. “The finish on the cork floor hides the dirt and scuffs that are just part of having kids and pets. And we had bamboo flooring in a previous house, so we knew that it was sturdy enough to handle almost anything.” The use of woods in the Egan home didn’t stop at with the floor, however. The living room ceiling,
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Beautify your Floors Solid Wood Installation over RADIANT FLOOR HEAT Hardwood Floor Installation Refinish and Restore Swedish No-Wax Finishes Quality Material from the Finest Mills
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25 feet at its highest point, is covered by birch plywood planks nestled between massive exposed beams—an idea of Wayne’s that works beautifully in the space. Douglas fir covers the dramatic dividing wall and is frequently used to frame windows and doors. Hemlock, which mimics the color and grain of fir, was selected for baseboards. And in the kitchen, darkgrained African mahogany strikes a beautiful contrast Kitchen: With unencumbered views to stainless steel of the dining and living spaces, the Egans’ kitchen was designed for appliances and efficiency as well as beauty. The brushed metal couple deciided to have the grain fixtures. run vertically as well as install the thick, brushed aluminum handles on “It’s not each cabinet door. Wayne installed something we would the aluminum-framed frosted glass change, but the hard doors himself, incorporating hardware that allows for doors to be lifted up, surfaces throughout instead of out. the house mean the space can get a little loud at times,”
Custom Homes from Start to Finish. Satisfaction always Guaranteed.
2110 Harnish Blvd. Billings, MT 59101
406-656-5638 dan@billingsmontanahomebuilder.com MAGIC I february 2013 I 23
FINE LIVING
retreat – ree-treet \
\
(noun) 1. A sanctuary, a haven from daily stress & strife. (verb) 1. To disengage, withdraw or escape, physically or mentally.
Antiques and so much more
3301 1st Ave N
Downtown Billings
281- 8460
Featuring Kolbe Windows & Doors.
314 9th Street West Billings, MT 59101
(406) 259-5581
www.reynoldswindowanddoor.com Supplier of Quality WindoWS, doorS and SkylightS
24 I february 2013 I MAGIC
Wayne admits with a smile. “When the kids are downstairs we can usually hear what they’re up to.” Originally, the couple’s design included two stories with bedrooms on the second level and balconies that looked down into the main floor living room. After evaluating the lot and their budget, the plan was changed to build down instead of up, incorporating a walkout basement that includes a spacious study, play and game area for children Cole, Marin and Chase as well as bedrooms, bathrooms and a laundry. “We are still putting the finishing touches downstairs,” Carrie says. “But we want it to be a space that our kids can enjoy now and grow into over the years.” And that, it seems, is what truly modern, truly timeless design is really all about.
Master: having a quiet retreat for the two of them was important to the Egans. Master bath: these eye-catching square sinks were online finds and contemporize the space. Mud room: this hard-working room is perfect for keeping the Egans’ three kids organized.
great estates
Freyenhagen Construction extends heartfelt thanks to all of our many wonderful clients over the years.
Servicing the community in re-Design and re-Modeling projects the past 17 years, we’ve enjoyed the opportunity to win over many hearts with our work.
Let Us Put The Pieces Together For You! Jeremy Freyenhagen and his team wish everyone a
‘Happy Valentine’s Day!’ Give Freyenhagen Construction a call today at 652-6170 or visit www.freyenhagenconstruction.com for more information. Find Us On Facebook.
1343 Broadwater Ave. Ste 4 • Billings, Montana • 59102 (406) 652-6170 • www.freyenhagenconstruction.com
MAGIC I february 2013 I 25
FINE LIVING
epicure
Hearty Gourmet Lilac Restaurant chefs share savory recipes for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner There is a temptation associated with fine cuisine, a sumptuous satisfaction to preparing and plating a delicious meal from scratch. This season, sample this delicious entrée and bevy of beautiful desserts shared by one of Billings’ newest gourmet restaurants. The onslaught of tantalizing taste is sure to spell amorè for you and yours. Bon appetit!
Pork Loin, Gnocchi and Red Wine Sauce Recipe on page 30
26 I february 2013 I MAGIC
Jeremy Engebretson is the owner and chef of Lilac Restaurant.  He is a Montana native and produces focused, simple New American cuisine.  Engebretson is a self-taught chef who attributes his love of food to his upbringing. He began working in restaurants at a young age at his aunt’s family cafe in Glendive, Mont. He worked for several years in Missoula and spent some time in Portland before moving back to his hometown of Billings to open Lilac.
MAGIC I february 2013 I 27
FINE LIVING
epicure
desserts on parade
Tropical Vanilla Cake with Passion Fruit Curd and Coconut Sorbet Recipe on page 30-31
28 I february 2013 I MAGIC
Jeris Manning’s first taste of pastry work came in grade school during a science experiment. He placed portions of banana bread, cookies and a Rice Krispy treat he baked on a walkway to see which one the ants would swarm to. Twenty four hours later, he returned to find all three untouched. Still working to find the ants’ approval, Manning worked as pastry chef at the Ranch Club in Missoula and most recently, Lilac Restaurant in Billings. The ‘ant-idote” for your sweet tooth is one of Manning’s treats.
MAGIC I february 2013 I 29
FINE LIVING
epicure
Pork Loin, Gnocchi and Red Wine Sauce
temperature is 147F to produce a nice rosy pork loin. Remove and let rest on plate. Heat non-stick pan over medium-high heat, again coating the bottom with canola oil. Add drained gnocchi and sauté until outside becomes crisp and golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.
Courtesy of Jeremy Engebretson , executive chef and owner of Lilac Restaurant
Pork Loin Ingredients:
1 10-12 oz. pork loin, trimmed of all silverskin 1000g water 60g salt 45g brown sugar Directions: Bring water, sugar and salt to a boil. Stir to dissolve. Cool completely to room temperature and chill in the refrigerator. Once chilled, add pork loin and let sit for at least 2 hours, but no longer than 8. Remove, pat dry.
Gnocchi Ingredients:
2-3 large russet potatoes (about 2 lbs.) 1.5 cups flour (about 175 g) 3 egg yolks large pinch of salt Directions: Peel and boil potatoes until fork-tender. Drain, and while hot, run through a food mill/ricer. (Chef’s note: a cheese grater will also work, but this will make for a more “potatoey” textured gnocchi.) Sprinkle the flour on top of the riced potatoes, add the egg yolks and immediately chop the eggs, flour and potato mixture together with a pastry knife. Once the egg has been mostly worked into the dough, begin kneading the dough. Gnocchi is a lot about feel. If the dough continues to be tacky, sprinkle a little bit more flour into it, constantly using the pastry knife to scrape any dough off the work surface and back into the gnocchi dough. Once the dough is soft, but not overly sticky, form into a ball. It is also important not to over-knead; this process should take 5 minutes max. Cut small, half-tennisball-sized chunks out of the dough and roll with your hands into a rope, about 1/2 inch in diameter. If the rope sticks to the work surface, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour beneath it. Once the rope shape is complete, cut into 1.5-
30 I february 2013 I MAGIC
inch pieces. Gently re-roll each of the pieces into a little ball and roll across a gnocchi board (or flick off the back tines of a fork) to create the gnocchi shape. Prepare an ice bath. Drop the gnocchi into boiling, well-salted water until they float. Upon floating, transfer with a slotted spoon to ice bath. Drain chilled gnocchi, lightly oil, and reserve on a sheet tray in the refrigerator.
Sauce Ingredients:
2 tablespoons demi-glace, reduced beef stock, or reduced dark chicken stock 1 medium shallot, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup red wine 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, minced 4 ounces flavorful mushrooms, such as shimeji, chanterelle, king bolete, etc (not buttons) salt and pepper, to taste Directions: Sweat shallots and garlic over medium heat in a saucepan until translucent but not colored. Add wine and thyme, increase heat until at a boil and reduce by half. Strain sauce into clean pan, add demi-glace, put back on heat and reduce until sauce coats the back of a spoon. In a separate pan, sauté mushrooms in butter until nicely browned. Season with salt and pepper. Hold warm. To finish, preheat oven to 500.Heat enough canola oil to cover the bottom of a small cast iron skillet over high heat. Add pork loin and leave alone for 2-3 minutes to sear. Flip loin over, put in oven and roast until inside
Add minced parsley to red wine sauce. Slice pork loin, pouring any juices that leeched while resting into red wine sauce. Place mushrooms on plate, top with sauce, place gnocchi in and around the sauce. Finish with sliced pork loin, a drizzle of olive oil and a little bit of finishing salt, such as Maldon.
Tropical Vanilla Cake with Passion Fruit Curd and Coconut Sorbet Courtesy of Jeris Manning, pastry chef at Lilac Restaurant
Tropical Vanilla Cake Ingredients: 50g all-purpose flour 105g powdered sugar 165g almond flour 1 vanilla bean 25g cream 17g vanilla extract 275g egg whites 120g granulated sugar
Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9”x9” square pan and line the bottom with parchment. Sift flour, powdered sugar and almond flour together. Whisk together seeds from the vanilla bean, cream, vanilla extract and 75g of the egg whites in a small bowl. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 200g egg whites until they form soft peaks. With the mixer running, slowly add granulated sugar and continue beating until the meringue forms stiff peaks. Gently, but thoroughly, fold the sifted dry ingredients into the meringue. Fold in the cream mixture.
Put the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the center of the cake springs back when lightly poked, about 35 minutes. Let cake cool in pan then put in freezer. Once frozen, unmold and cut cake into 12 4.5”x 1.5” rectangles. Wrap in plastic wrap and reserve at room temperature.
Passion Fruit Curd
Ingredients: 2 sheets silver-grade gelatin 2/3 cup passion fruit puree 1 cup granulated sugar 4 eggs 1 vanilla bean 10 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature Directions: Hydrate gelatin in ice water, squeeze out excess water and reserve. Combine passion fruit, sugar, eggs and seeds from vanilla bean in a small saucepan. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until mixture reaches 180 degrees F. Immediately whisk in reserved gelatin and strain. Add butter a little at a time whisking constantly, making sure each addition is emulsified before adding more. Refrigerate.
Coconut Sorbet Ingredients:
2 cups water 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup corn syrup 2 1/4 cup coconut puree Directions: Combine water, sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan. Heat over low heat until dissolved, stirring frequently. Whisk in coconut puree. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Process in an ice cream machine.
Coconut Brittle Crumble Ingredients: 1/4 cup water 1 cup granulated sugar 2 oz. unsalted butter 2 tablespoons corn syrup 2 cups dried young coconut 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions: Line a sheet pan with a silicon mat and set aside. Combine water, sugar, butter and corn syrup in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture takes on a light caramel color. Add coconut, salt and baking soda stirring constantly with a rubber spatula until mixture takes on a mediumcaramel color. Pour onto silicon mat, spread out a bit and let cool. Once fully cooled, process brittle in a food processor until it is a crumble. Reserve.
Rum Syrup
Ingredients: 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup water 2 tablespoons rum Directions: Bring sugar and water to a simmer in a saucepan. Cool. Stir in rum. Reserve.
Pineapple Dice
1 pineapple peeled, cored and cut into fine dice. Reserve.
It’s all about
STYLE!
To serve: Arrange 1/4 cup pineapple dice in the approximate shape of a vanilla cake in a pie pan. Generously sprinkle with granulated sugar. Torch until sugar until is caramelized. (Chef’s note: burning the edges of the pineapple is OK, burning the sugar is not.) Set aside to cool. Spread 2 tablespoons passion fruit curd across the plate in a line. Place a vanilla cake at one end of the curd. Place a mound of coconut crumble to the side of the curd. Carefully lift the pineapple off the pan and place on vanilla cake, trying to preserve its shape. Drizzle 1 tablespoon rum syrup on the vanilla cake and coconut crumble. Place a quenelle of coconut sorbet on the crumble.
2814 2nd Ave N 259-3624
MAGIC I february 2013 I 31
FINE LIVING
libations
Espresso:
The Ultimate Coffee Drink By Stella Fong
Satiny and rich, heavenly is a sip of robust espresso at daybreak. Brewed and boiled a myriad of ways, espresso can be served up solo or blended with other ingredients to create a delicious, individualized concoction.
In the Magic City, good espresso can be found at a variety of local coffee shops. Pick up a custom cup, or, take home freshly-roasted beans to brew.
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Local Espresso Joints City Brew
1640 Grand Ave. 406.652.0877 710 Main St., Ste. 100, 406.896.8845 2425 King Ave. W., Ste. C 406.867.1688 802 Shiloh Crossing Boulevard, 406.652.2400 1311 North 27th St. 406.294.9353 www.citybrew.com City Brew, founded in 1998 by Becky Reno, is the largest coffee roasting company in Montana. But their big-time success hasn’t affected their prompt, personal service. At City Brew, the coffee sipper can linger on bar-high tables and tap onto the Internet, read the paper on an easy chair or converse in a covey with good friends. Coffee Cake Latte Makes 1 drink City Brew Regional Manager Abby Reno says, “This City Brew Coffee signature special is a rich combination of vanilla and Kahlua syrup with a double shot of Cool River espresso topped with steamed milk and Ghiradelli caramel drizzle. Double shot of Cool River Espresso ½ ounce of vanilla syrup ½ ounce of Kahlua syrup 10 ounces of steamed milk Lattice of Ghiradelli Thick Caramel Drizzle (roughly one ounce) Combine espresso with vanilla, Kahlua syrup and steamed milk. Top with milk foam and drizzle with caramel.
Esther’s Grand Avenue Espresso 1939 Grand Ave. 406.245.5253 facebook.com/pages/ Esthers-Espresso
Spencer Miller started S and S Roasting Company in 1993. Today, Esther Miller and husband Will have renamed the shop to Esther’s Grand Avenue Espresso and Big Sky Coffee Roasters. Off the busy thoroughfare of Grand Avenue, Esther’s features a convenient takeout window. Guests can also linger a little longer with locals at the wrap-around coffee counter. “The Matt” White Caramel Latte “One favorite drink has been nicknamed a “Matt” after my son,” Esther said. “It was his favorite drink to whip up while working here in high school.” It is actually a white caramel latte served iced or hot. 1 tablespoon thick caramel sauce 1 scoop white chocolate powder 1 to 3 shots espresso 6 to 8 ounces steamed milk Whipped cream Extra caramel Combine caramel sauce, white chocolate powder with desired amount of espresso and steamed milk. Top with whipped cream and caramel if desired.
Rock Creek Coffee Roasters
124 North Broadway 406.896.1600 facebook.com/rockcreekcoffee
Espresso: A Beginner’s Guide By definition coffee is a beverage made from the roasted and ground seeds of a coffee plant. Espresso, in general, is a concentrated coffee beverage prepared by forcing steam or hot water through finelyground coffee beans. With literally thousands of ways to take your cup o’ Joe, we thought it prudent to include a caffeinated coffee guide. Order up!
Rock Creek Coffee Roasters, located right under Skypoint in downtown Billings, is plugged into the pulse of downtown life. For nine years, Joel Gargaro’s coffee establishment has gathered people day and night. On some evenings, music resounds with the likes of Willie Weyer and Michael Catt. By day, Gargaro jolts our community by roasting Fair Trade coffee beans from El Salvador, Kenya, Kona and Honduras.
Single Shot - A 1-ounce shot, or serving, of espresso.
Gargaro created the following recipes for Valentine’s Day or any time to honor the loved ones in your life.
Ristretto - A “short shot” or the first ¾-ounce of an espresso extraction. Many believe this to be the perfect espresso as water is in contact with the beans for less time resulting in a fuller and richer drink.
The Hucka-Burnin’ Love Latte Makes 1 drink 2 pumps white chocolate sauce 2 pumps huckleberry syrup 2 shots of espresso Steamed milk Combine white chocolate sauce, huckleberry syrup and espresso with steamed milk. Love Stinks A Latte Makes 1 drink 2 pumps dark chocolate sauce 2 pumps raspberry syrup 2 shots of espresso Steamed milk Combine chocolate sauce, raspberry syrup and espresso with steamed milk.
Lungo - Also known as a “long shot,” this is a 1½-ounce shot of espresso. Double Shot - Two 1-ounce shots of espresso.
Espresso Machiatto - Starbucks has used Machiatto as a brand name for a coffee drink flavored with caramel, but a Machiatto in Italy is a shot of espresso with a small dollop of foamed milk.
Espresso con Panna - A shot of espresso with a layer of whipped cream. Café Breve - A shot of espresso with steamed Half and Half or light cream. Cappuccino - Cappuccino, named for its similarity in color to the robes of Capuchin monks, is a shot of espresso with steamed milk topped with frothy, dry foam. Café Latte - One shot of espresso mixed with 6 to 8 ounces of steamed milk then slathered with foam. Without the foam, it is a “Flat White.” In Spain, Café Latte is known as a Café con Leche and a Café Au Lait in France. Café Americano - One espresso shot with 6 to 8 ounces of hot water, or, in other words, a watered-down espresso.
MAGIC I february 2013 I 33
FINE LIVING
libations
Corlesto Coffee Roasters
(Custom roasted beans delivered to you.) 406.256.5670 corlesto.com
Pure Americano Makes 1 drink
Les and Corrine Krenzer started Corlesto (a combination of their names) Coffee Roasters seven years ago. The effort began with intentions to roast coffee for personal use, but with the encouragement of friends and family, Corlesto began delivering their custom- roasted coffee beans to homes and workplaces in Billings. “We roast small batches of coffee and only to-order – we never have roasted beans sitting around,” Corrine said. Corlesto prides itself in exposing customers to a variety of different beans from all around the world, each with their own nuances.
Sipping an Americano is the best way to appreciate and understand the characteristics of a coffee varietal and how it has been roasted. “Although Les enjoys a French press and a good cup of drip coffee, his favorite way to drink coffee is an Americano,” Corrine says of her husband. 1 to 3 shots of espresso Hot water Add desired shots of espresso to a coffee mug and then fill with hot water.
Stella Fong divides her time between Billings and Big Sky where she writes, cooks and teaches. Recently she received a Robert Parker Scholarship for continuing studies at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.
Sapphire Anniversary
All Are Welcome! Come Support Our Local Artists
art auction 45 · MARCH 2, 2013
406.281.8550
WWW.HARPERANDMADISON.COM 3115 10th Avenue N | Billings, Montana
Ex h i b i ti on Op ens 1 - 2 4 - 1 3
Yellowstone Art Museum · 401 N. 27th Street, Billings, MT · 256-6804 · artmuseum.org
FINE LIVING
indulge
by brenda maas
photography by james woodcock
FINE LIVING
indulge
cupcakes the princess of desserts
tipsy cupcake
harper & madison
Cupcake: Hot Fudge Sundae
Cupcake: Naughty Irishman
Baker: Kari Jones
Baker: Shane Weigel
Morsel: Creative thinking on a
Morsel: Baked with Guinness, topped
summer day resulted in this all-
with Jameson-infused chocolate mousse
around favorite that has become
and Bailey’s buttercream, one bite is
a hot seller.
almost as good as a trip to the Green Isle itself.
36 I february 2013 I MAGIC
In the world of desserts, cake may be king and pies are certainly fine, but there’s only one princess—cupcakes. Versatile and unique, these royal stars stand alone to majestically reign supreme. Here, five Billings bakers crafted their favored confection for an “Ooh-La-La” dessert that truly takes the cake.
velvet
stella’s kitchen & bakery
montana jack’s
Baker: Antonia Craighill
Cupcake: Red Velvet
Baker: Kelly Eckley
Morsel: Maple and bacon goes
Baker: Jennifer Kleinholz
Morsel: This cake is actually
together like pancakes and syrup.
Morsel: An oldie but goodie and
made with fresh strawberries—
This cake will make a believer
infused with love. Who can resist
summertime in a cake. Can you
out of skeptics—sometimes the
true red velvet lilting across your
say happy, happy, happy?
unexpected ends up as an all-
tongue?
Cupcake: Maple Bacon
Cupcake: Strawberry
time favorite. MAGIC I february 2013 I 37
MONTANAPERSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVE MONTANA
legends legends
Cultured Cowgirl In 1927, in a regular New Yorker magazine feature titled “Why I like New York,” a writer named Haydie Cox commended a taxi driver who pulled up next to a dray horse that was struggling to eat oats with its bridle still in its mouth. “The chauffeur leaped out of the car, snatched the bridle from the horse’s head, [and] hung it on the harness hame,” she wrote, referring to the part of the harness that goes around the horse’s neck. “‘Excuse the delay,’” the driver said, and explained that a previous employer insisted that he look after such animals’ comfort. In many ways the piece was unremarkable, a standard breezy vignette of life in New York, written in the magazine’s typical literary style. But in other ways it was remarkable: not only for its subject (a horse in 1927 Manhattan?), but also for its author. Haydie was the first female reporter for this famous “Talk of the Town” section. And she would soon trade writing about horses for riding them. Before the end of the year she would marry Frederick “Ted” Yates, vacation in Europe, drive a Model T Ford across the country to southern Montana and purchase a small ranch on Lodge Grass Creek. We should know a great deal about Haydie and her outlook on life because she wrote about her ranch experiences in the wonderful memoir 70 Miles from a Lemon. (The title referred to the long journey from the ranch to their grocer in Sheridan, Wyoming.) Sadly, however, with the book long out of print, Haydie has faded from Montana’s literary consciousness. It’s time to bring her back to life. Emma Hayden Eames was born in Connecticut in 1897 to an accomplished, well-to-do family. Her aunt, also named Emma Eames (hence the youngster’s nickname “Haydie”), was a world-famous opera singer. Haydie’s older sister Clare
would grow up to be an actress and marry future AcademyAward-winning screenwriter Sidney Howard. Haydie spent her childhood years in Maryland and Ohio. But in 1917, she decided to spend a summer at the Valley Ranch outside of Cody, Wyo. Irving H. “Larry” Larom, owner of the Valley Ranch, was a leader in the new enterprise of dude ranching. Larom used his Princeton University connections to bring wealthy, wellbred young people to the South Fork of the Shoshone River for a summer of riding, fishing, hunting and touring. The dudes and dudines (as they were then called) were not able to travel in Europe because of the war and wanted something more active than stuffy Eastern resorts. Haydie in particular really took to it. She acquired the nickname “Cactus Kate” and made friends widely among both vacationers and Cody’s permanent residents. She returned four summers in a row and concluded the fourth one with a wedding to fellow Easterner Arthur “Bud” Cox at her family home in Cleveland. When the Cody Enterprise, then being edited by the colorful Caroline Lockhart, wrote about the impending nuptials, it provided a sense of Haydie’s personality: “We haven’t heard, but rather expect the ceremony to be performed by a sky-pilot in a plug hat, two six-guns, and a red bandana. The bride’s costume, doubtless will consist of a beaded vest, red shirt, and blue overalls. As for the groom—well, grooms don’t matter much in weddings.” Shortly thereafter, the Coxes set up the N.E., their own nearby dude ranch.
By John Clayton
38 I february 2013 I MAGIC
Haydie Yates, shown here in full “dudine” regalia, owned a ranch on Lodge Grass Creek from 1927-34. Photo Courtesy of Angus Yates
MAGIC I february 2013 I 39
MONTANA PERSPECTIVE
legends
“Anonymity of gender can be maintained only by insisting on a share and share alike of all hard work and hardship and being rather on the modest side in asking relief or comfort. If you fail to follow this basic precept, unless you are very beautiful, you’re a bloody bore.” — Haydie Yates speaking about working alongside male ranch hands The marriage did not last. But that didn’t slow Haydie down. In 1926 she bought her own ranch on the South Fork, announcing that she intended to spend summers there. Perhaps emboldened by the sense of equality she experienced in the West, by the winter of 1927 she was back in New York, working at the famous magazine. Ted Yates, who had attended Yale and fought in World War I, had also been a Cody-area dude. But when the new couple returned to Wyoming they decided to explore a new area, first examining Sheridan. On the drive out, she later wrote, “the heavy, crowded, self-conscious world of the East went into reverse. Cities, full of Rotary, misguided good works, and worry… And suddenly on the sixth day were the Rockies standing up before us in purple and gold.” They found a 3,200-acre parcel on the east slope of the Bighorn Mountains, just over the Montana border on the Crow Reservation, and bought it for $2,400. In her memoir, Haydie was particularly good at writing about that classic theme of the West: Independence. For example, she discussed a conversation she had with an old surveyor, who told her that what everybody wanted was “freedom.” Asked how he defined that word, he told her, “Why, it’s hoein’ your own row in your own sweet way, for better, for worse. It’s even the right to go to hell in your own handbasket.” Yet, Haydie would soon learn exactly that “for worse.” During the first long, cold winter in a little house they’d constructed on the grasslands, she wrote, “Most of our treasure of canned goods had exploded like a Fourth of July celebration with the first real freeze.” Which meant, some weeks later, that dinners were not always appetizing: “On the stove the large open kettle stewed a pallid soup, into which [a hired man] at intervals would shy frozen potatoes and turnips to keep company with the piece of venison which, being the soul and body of the stew, no one ate and had now acquired a vivid resemblance to an old sneaker.”
40 I february 2013 I MAGIC
Yet she found it worthwhile. Of a winter evening, she wrote: “Then we would sit, me on the bunk and Ted in the big chair, and wonder whether it was cozier to be inside, dry and warm, looking out at a Montana winter, or outside, cold and wind-blown, looking in at warmth and comfort which was ours to enjoy.”
Haydie Yates holds her infant son Ted, and a puppy, on her ranch at the foot of the Bighorns. Photo Courtesy of Angus Yates
*** When historians write about the duderanching era, they often emphasize two points: first, that the dudines were escaping very strict gender roles in the East, and second, that many of them so enjoyed the West that they stayed. What’s particularly interesting about Haydie Yates is how she combines the best of these phenomena. There can be little doubt that Haydie, who had a kewpie tattooed on her thigh, did not fit the strictures of post-Victorian formality. Lockhart’s image of Haydie’s preferred wedding attire suggests how much she took to cowboy chic. Yet Haydie also took to the responsibilities that came with this freedom. This was not merely a Halloween costume. Living in the West meant hard work—and gender or class background did
not excuse you from it. On the ranch, Haydie wanted to be accepted by the men who worked alongside her; she knew that meant she had to meet them on their terms. In 70 Miles From a Lemon, she wrote, “Anonymity of gender can be maintained only by insisting on a share and share alike of all hard work and hardship and being rather on the modest side in asking relief or comfort. If you fail to follow this basic precept, unless you are very beautiful, you’re a bloody bore.” So when she decided to settle in Montana and raise Hereford cattle, she brought with her few of the worries or self-consciousness of her previous life. She was not seeking to “civilize” the West, but to revel in it. For example, she was not much for trails: “Only the simon-pure tenderfoot gets himself lost… He has a weakness for following the familiar landmarks of civilized travel. To him a long-unused logging road is irresistible, even though it leads in the wrong direction… The sight of a trail is like the sight of dope to an addict. Hotly he pursues it to its end at a salt lick or a game wallow. Experience and common sense will one day tell him that creeks are his signposts and the bare ridges which parallel them are his roads.” Pregnant during the winter of 1930-31, Haydie moved to town, staying at the Sheridan Inn, which she described as “the gathering place of ranchers, state politicians, pensioners of one sort or another, rich ne’er-do-wells, spinster schoolmarms, dudes in expensive buckskins and dudines in fringe and fashionable permanents, sourdoughs, old-timers, and jolly rumrunners… The narrow dark halls were perpetually whirling with drifting eddies of people going in and out of each other’s rooms.” From her position of means, she celebrated that mixture of people as a sort of classless society, an American ideal reinforced by the beautiful but difficult landscape. The following winter she had a job at the Sheridan newspaper, and described the town as “the Nob Hill among the Rockies’ peaks. They were the sons, nephews,
nieces, and uncles of dukes and earls or earls in their own right… Not that they cared. There was no ounce of snob about them… The members of this recherché group were interesting individuals and real.” By the 1930s, the frontier was fading. The worst thing about living on Lodge Grass Creek at the foot of the Bighorns was not the danger of outlaws or Indian attack or a bear mauling or starvation, not the cold or the wind or the isolation or a lack of career opportunities—it was the fact that if you had a hankering for citrus, you had to travel 70 miles to get it. And as that frontier faded, Haydie and her cohorts lived out a sort of American Dream for the society that might replace it. *** Although Haydie wrote about several of her neighbors, she didn’t say much about Native Americans. A product of her segregated times, she probably didn’t really “see” Indians. The West eroded barriers of gender and class, but was less successful with race—even though her ranch was on the reservation. She acquired it during a period known as “allotment,” when federal policy encouraged the land on Indian reservations to be sold as private parcels rather than held by the tribe. Many white settlers bought land during this time. And by the 1920s, large ranches run by Whites such as Frank Heinrich and E.L. Dana were leasing huge acreages of Crow-owned grazing lands. The most charitable view of the allotment policy, in place since the Dawes Act of 1887, was that it intended to convert Indians into farmers by converting their communal lands into individual farms. (A less charitable view: it was yet another White land grab.) By the early 1930s, it was clear that allotment had been a disaster for Indians. With few having had the passion or background needed to succeed at farming, and many having thus sold their allotted land, they suffered from terrible poverty. Worse, allotment also destroyed tribal autonomy – the very culture and traditions that the reservation system was supposed to honor. Haydie did see enough of her Crow neighbors to describe the problem with incredible insight and courage for the time. Speaking of how they might adapt, she wrote, “Sixty years in a glorified concentration camp, spoon-fed and tyrannized over by an ill-qualified though no doubt benevolent Congress and a bureaucracy
whose very existence depends on the Indians’ continued segregation from the march of time, was hardly warranted to give them twentiethcentury sea legs.” To remedy the situation, Congress passed the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, which ended allotment, strengthened tribal governments and even encouraged the buyback of private lands for tribal purposes. The act wouldn’t directly affect private landholders such as Haydie and Ted (now joined by the infant Teddy and her son from her previous marriage, Eames). But it was not the only new federal policy enacted that year. The Taylor Grazing Act, designed to curb overgrazing, limited carrying capacity and seasons of use on federally owned lands. In addition to the two new laws, Robert Yellowtail was appointed reservation superintendent— the first Native American to be in charge of his own tribal agency—which created uncertainty. How would these developments affect the Yates’ grazing and water rights? On top of Depression and drought, it was enough to convince Haydie and family to return to New York. Other factors may also have played a role. When Haydie asked 3-year-old Teddy what he wanted for Christmas, she claimed he responded, “I want a buckskin son-of-a-bitch with a black mane and a long wavery tail.” As much as she enjoyed the affable earthiness of the ranch hands, she may have also wanted more sophisticated influences on her child. (At this she succeeded: he became a legendary television news producer.) Haydie continued to live vibrantly. She rose to top editorial positions at three New York women’s magazines in rapid succession. A Newsweek article described her as having “done about everything that vigorous femininity tackles.” And that was before 70 Miles from a Lemon, which came out in 1948. Sadly, a few years later Haydie took ill and died at age 53. It was a loss to the world, but most especially to Montana and Wyoming. She might not have come back. As she said toward the end of the book, “No other place out there could ever be as much our hearts’ desire as that perfect spot on the Lodgegrass.” But she could have carried forth her memories of that golden time, when mixed together on that perfect spot were men and women, dudes and cowhands, earls and sourdoughs, with the drifting eddies of them all coming together as equals under the Bighorns.
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MAGIC I february 2013 I 41
MONTANA PERSPECTIVE
i’m just sayin’
Nuns are People Too By Gene Colling • Illustration by Bob Tambo
Occasionally, someone will ask me why I have what they refer
to as a “unique” perspective. That’s easy, I tell them – I grew up on a farm and was taught by nuns. If you came through those two things without a unique perspective, you were not paying attention.
In my neck of the prairie, there was no Head Start or even kindergarten. The 6-year-old kids basically ran as a feral pack. About a week before first grade started we were rounded up, shoed, washed and groomed. Then we were dropped off at school. A vignette from my first day still plays in my mind. My mom takes me to the door and tells me to put my coat on a hanger and go into the classroom. As I turn to enter, Sister Laurita stands peering down at me. Only her sharp angled face is exposed and her piercing stare paralyzes me. It was the closest I had ever been to a nun. Discombobulated, I stumble and spill my Crayolas at her feet. This is not the way I wanted to start school. Sister Laurita had a daunting job. She had to quickly assess this unruly pack and establish some order and discipline. She did this by sheer command presence and the judicious use of pressure-point squeezes that when applied to skinny shoulder blades, could crumble a miscreant. Each of the four rooms in our school had two grades, so she had to deal with a wide range of emotions and abilities. The building was fairly new, and someone had the foresight to put a lavatory adjoining our classroom. Even its close proximity could not help the kids who had hair trigger gag reflexes and twitchy sphincter control. A bucket of saw dust stood ready to mop up the frequent accidents and the names of the rotating duty were posted on the blackboard. In those first days of school there was a lot to process. But one notion stymied me the most. Where in the world did nuns come from? Only their faces were exposed; the rest was covered by a shroud and a formless habit. Because they weren›t married and had no children, I was stumped. One evening, I followed my dad around while he did chores and pestered him with questions. “Where do nuns come from?” I asked. “Well, nuns are people, too,” he answered. “What kind of people?” “They’re women.” I wasn’t buying that. “Is there a different place they come from?” He suddenly got too busy to answer any more questions. The Franciscan nuns were a teaching order, and they were sent to schools scattered across the country. The ones that came to our little school in our little town sacrificed a lot in creature and cultural comforts. They had to be devoted to their vocation. They were there to teach and that’s what they did, drilling us in the basics and not tolerating any shenanigans.
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Serious violations produced an immediate response, usually a rap with a hickory ruler. In later grades there was the threat of putting the misdeed on our permanent record. The fear of this was something we took on faith but exactly what these permanent records were and how they would be used against us was a mystery that puzzles me to this day. There were two nuns that stand out in my
recollections. The first was Sister Milada who arrived for our sixth grade. She had a hard-scrabble background, was tough as leather, had a vendetta against communists and railed against what she called “puppy love.” I couldn’t envision the Russians marching down my town’s main street. But on the other hand, I might have been guilty of puppy love. It was a tough year and our class looked forward to moving on to the seventh-and-eighth- grade classroom. That summer, to our collective dismay, it was announced that Sister Milada was moving up to teach those grades and we would have her for two more years. She guided us through puberty with an iron hand. We chaffed under her strict style, but she may have had the toughest job of all the nuns. As I learned later with my kids, those years are fraught with a mixture of hormones and peer pressure. Upon entering high school I encountered the best teacher I would ever have. Sister Rosalie was the principal and taught English. She had a Ph.D. from Notre Dame and was not finely honed but had Serious violations the skills of a natural leader. She demanded respect by both the force produced of her intellect and her personality. Her classes immersed us in rich an immediate literature and she challenged us to widely and write well. response, usually read My first foray into creative writing came after Sister Rosalie a rap with a listened to our listless recitation hickory ruler. of the Morning Prayer. We had been saying this same prayer every In later grades day of our school lives and we had lost all zest. If you listened from a there was the distance it vaguely made sense. But if you walked down the rows you threat of putting would hear each kid contributing random mumbles, grunts and the misdeed on our phrases. Somehow we had learned to combine all of these sounds to permanent record. create a facsimile of the prayer. Exasperated at our lackadaisical performance, Sister Rosalie told us to sit down and write what we had just uttered. I went deep into the wellspring of inspiration to write my version. She later returned it with a note: “Your praying lacks effort but your writing has promise.” That was the spark I needed. After graduation, as I happily sped away from the farm I ran head on into perspective. The more people I met the more I realized that my background was an asset. I now consider myself the member of a small, prestigious club. Growing up on a farm has helped me see things from the ground up and be directly connected to the crops and animals that provided food. Being taught by nuns in a small rural school is an experience that is no longer available. Yet that experience built the bedrock that has supported everything else I have piled onto it. Both of these things have given me a reservoir of stories that will last a lifetime. Gene Colling claims dual residency in both Billings and Missoula. He recently retired after a career with the U.S. Forest Service. For 25 of those years, he produced video programs including ones on such Billings area topics as the Beartooth Highway, Pryor Mountain wild horses, Lewis and Clark expedition, Hebgen Lake earthquake and Nez Perce Trail.
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MAGIC I february 2013 I 43
TRAVELOGUE
beyond billings
girls just wanna have fun 3 great places for a “she-cation” l by karen kinser We girls love our guys, but really ..... where, and who, would we be without the love and support of our girlfriends? They’ve been there for us through all of life’s transactions and transitions—they make us believe that the impossible is possible. So, why not grab a few of your besties and celebrate the solace of sisterhood with a mid-winter get-away? Here are a few suggestions for the perfect girls’ weekend.
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Girls Gone Styled :
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN Sure, you’ve gone shopping with your girlfriends, but have you ever shared retail therapy together at the shopping mecca? The Mall of America (MOA)– a direct flight away from Billings – features 520 stores, 50 restaurants and the country’s largest indoor theme park. Located in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro area, this mega-mall draws more than 40 million visitors from around the world to its 4.2-million-squarefoot, four-storied shopping and entertainment complex. Shopping: You’ll want to do a little preplanning before setting off into the Mall together because spending only 10 minutes per store would take 86 hours. Basically, if a store exists, it is in the MOA. Or, take the light-rail train to downtown Minneapolis where you’ll find Neiman Marcus, Saks off Fifth and Nicollet Mall (where Mary Tyler Moore tossed her hat) on Hennepin Avenue. Try the 175 trendy stores at 50th and France in downtown Bloomington or the unique boutiques and 30 blocks of shops on charming and historic Grand Avenue in St. Paul. Entertainment: Within the Mall, tour
Nickelodeon Universe with your girlfriends, giggle together through the Mirror Maze, experience the flight simulator, or spend time with some of the 10,000 sea creatures at the Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium. If art is your passion, then take in a production at the renowned Guthrie Theater, visit the Minneapolis Institute of Arts or one of the area’s 60 museums and art centers. And don’t miss the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden – the country’s largest and famed for the Spoonbridge and Cherry fountain sculpture.
Resources mallofamerica.com bloomingtonmn.org visitsaintpaul.com minneapolis.org visitphoenix.com experiencescottsdale.com cactusleague.com destinationyellowstone.com yellowstonenationalparklodges.com
Top: The Mall of America features more than 520 stores and 50 restaurants. Bottom left: The mega-mall draws more than 40 million visitors a year. Bottom right: Expand your artistic horizons at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Photos Courtesy of Minneapolis Tourism and Visitors’ Center.
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TRAVELOGUE
beyond billings
Fun in the Sun: Vitamin D stores a little low? Then maybe desert sand and sunshine are more the kind of break that you and your girls need to make it to spring. If so, a trip to Phoenix – the Valley of the Sun – may be your perfect pleasure prescription. Golfing: With more than
250 golf courses in the greater Phoenix area, your biggest problem will be which one(s) to choose. Some courses are a part of elegant resorts while others wind through desert canyons, making you feel as if civilization is a far-off memory. If you’re
Phoenix, AZ looking to be challenged amid stunning beauty, try The Boulders Resort Golf Club. Other favorites include the Phantom Horse Course at the Arizona Grand Resort, the Troon North Golf Club and the Gainey Ranch Golf Club, which features a waterfall at its ninth hole.
Relax at a Spa: Spa treatments
in the Phoenix area are wideranging, with many borrowed from indigenous Americans and incorporate items from the surrounding desert – agave, herbs, cholla cactus buds, turquoise or red clay and muds from the nearby Gila River. Or, try a Moroccan spa experience at the Joya Spa
at Montelucia, where your massage table vibrates in tune with your music selection.
More Than Golf: Go
for a walk along some of the 50 miles of trails at South Mountain Park and Preserve, hike the 1,000 feet up to Camelback Mountain or rent a mountain bike and pedal 3,200 feet up to McDowell Mountain Regional Park. For variation, enjoy a sunrise hot air balloon tour over the Sonoran Desert or check out your favorite Major League Baseball (MLB) during spring training in the Cactus League.
Top left: Take in a game at Chase Field. Bottom left: Enjoy the lovely nightscape of Phoenix’s skyline. Top right: The streets of Phonix come alive at night. Middle right: Enjoy a hot air balloon ride over the Sonoran Desert. Bottom right: Tee off at one of Phoenix’s world-renowned golf courses. Photos Courtesy of Phoenix Convention and Visitors’ Bureau.
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Snow Fun:
West Yellowstone, MT For a closer-to-home gettogether with the adventurous types, hop on over to West Yellowstone for some fun amid some of the best outdoor scenery and activities in the country.
Top : Take a guided snowmobile tour through Yellowstone Park. Bottom left: City streets are filled with charming shops. Bottom right: Visit the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center. Photos by Gazette Staff.
Cross-Country Skiing: A Nordic skier’s paradise, West Yellowstone offers three groomed trail systems that you can ski to from just about all hotels. Try the 35-kilometer Rendezvous Trail System, the Boundary Trail, which takes you gliding through the Gallatin National Forest and parallel to Yellowstone Park, or ski the Riverside Trail which will take you into Yellowstone Park and follows the Madison River. More challenging back-country skiing can be found at trailheads along US Highway 191 between West Yellowstone and Big Sky.
Snowmobile and Snow Coach Tours: Yellowstone National Park
in the winter is a sight to behold. Get up-close and personal with the winter grandeur during a guided snowmobile tour (guides available in West Yellowstone) or, if you are really ambitious, rent your own sled to tour the 400 miles of groomed trails that wind through National Forest land and into Island Park, Idaho. For a warmer option, opt for a narrated snow coach tour to Old Faithful or the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
More Outdoor Fun: Share a
dog-sledding trek, go snow shoeing, tackle ice fishing on Hebgen Lake or huddle together under a blanket on a horse-drawn sled ride. For indoor entertainment, tour The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center or see a film on the six-story screen at the Yellowstone IMAX Theatre.
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the fairer sex
an evolution of the modern day woman l by a.j. otjen
“God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.” ~ Rudyard Kipling
A woman’s sense of self is typically shaped by the women who raised her. In the middle of the 20th century, most female role models reflected Kipling’s 19th century definition of the proper place for women. It was a private world where recognition was given to achievements in the home: great recipes, beautiful gardens and clean children.
MAGIC I february 2013 I 49
In those days, we loved and admired the competence of our mothers and the maternal role models we saw in popular culture, such as June Cleaver and Donna Reed. This was the rule even as Lucille Ball made us laugh with her madcap depictions of a housewife hatching elaborate schemes to break into the man’s world of show business. It is revealing to see how women from different walks of life responded to Lucy Ricardo’s character. Television scholar Andrea Press found that middle-class women cheered Lucy Ricardo’s subversion of her husband Ricky as inspiring. Working-class women, on the other hand, thought the character was silly, unrealistic and manipulative. In the decade that followed, women’s roles began to change and those changes were embedded in our culture. Bewitched, a TV show which first aired in 1964, was about a woman giving up who she really was in order to be a dutiful wife, at her husband Darrin’s insistence, even though she clearly had more power than him. In another series, I Dream of Jeannie, which debuted in 1965, the lead female character was a sexual object who spent most of her time conniving to get married. Starting in 1966, Marlo Thomas starred as That Girl. Thomas’ character, Anne Marie, was a career woman who stayed single and broke away from the idea that women must play the role of wife and mother. Her dreams were for herself, not for a husband or children. The Addams Family and The Munsters featured strong matriarchs who introduced a new way of looking at heads of family. Morticia Addams and Lily Munster did not do housework. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Mother Brady and the girls in The Brady Bunch wore mini-skirts, and there were episodes of fighting for fairness between the boys and girls. These characters were preludes to the women of the ‘70s. Popular culture continued to evolve, making the idea of a woman pursuing a career without children acceptable. The Mary Tyler Moore Show started in 1970, offering an enlightened view of a single woman with a career and without children. By the mid-1970s, television began exploring the once-taboo issues of divorce and single parenthood. One Day At A Time debuted in 1975, featuring a recently divorced mother raising two teenage daughters.
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Between 1974 and 1994, the number of female-centered television dramas jumped even as the role of female protagonists shifted. Cagney and Lacey in 1974, Charlie’s Angels in 1976 and Murder She Wrote in 1984 represented very different dramas with women fighting crime. This ushered in an era of transition from sexy-and-beautiful-but-needy females to women achieving success and respect in their own right. Roseanne went on the air in 1988. Oprah went national in 1986. Both broke ground in highlighting women’s independence regardless
Women today do what they do because they make a difference. And even more powerful a sentiment, women have a choice—Director of Homeland Security or homemaker? Accountant or astronaut?
of physical beauty or ethnic background. From 1995-2005, the number of shows with women as lead characters jumped to about 37 and included females across the demographic spectrum. Law & Order which started in 1989, Golden Girls which started in 1990, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, which went on the air in 1993, and Ellen, whose air date was in 1994 were typical of the shifting social norms and represented a new-found individuality that wasn’t dependent on or subservient to men.
“What you do is who you are.” ~Rudyard Kipling
Over the past 60 years, women have gone from the private world of domestic achievement to the public world of politics, religion, the professions and business. It was a long road marked by considerable milestones. Ten years after the 1962 deaths of Marilyn Monroe and Eleanor Roosevelt–one an iconic sex object and the other a major social activist–
new ideas emerged for what women could be. In 1973, Erica Jong wrote Fear of Flying, giving all women freedom to be as sexual as Marilyn. One year earlier, Title IX was enacted into law requiring gender equality in public education–including school sanctioned sports. Title IX brought equality, but more importantly, women learned how to play on a team, bringing a new attitude and unification to women who had struggled with working in the team-oriented world of business. Sandra Day O’Connor was named the first woman justice of the Supreme Court in 1981, and Sally Ride became the first U.S. woman astronaut in 1983 (20 years later than the first female Russian astronaut). By 2000, 60 percent of women were in the workforce compared to just 34 percent in 1950. Today, more women graduate from college than men. According to a recent article in Forbes, in the U.S. women even surpass men at the highest levels of education–achieving more master’s (63 percent) and doctoral degrees (53 percent). Currently, 43 percent of couples report that the husband earns less money than the wife and more than 30 percent of men are stay-at-home dads. There are now 1,600 female state public officials when in 1950, there were none. In America, gender roles have been redefined. In the 21st century, women are seen as competent in every capacity–from mother and homemaker to Secretary of State to CEO of a Fortune 500. But as long as we point out highly successful women as an anomaly, we still have a long way to go. When the day comes that successful women are portrayed as nothing out of the ordinary in popular culture, we will know that full equality is within our grasp. Women today do what they do because they make a difference. And even more powerful a sentiment, women have a choice—Director of Homeland Security or homemaker? Accountant or astronaut? As fearless women continue the tenuous task of trailblazing through societal mores, they revel in the greatest gift of all—unwavering support and encouragement from their female peers. With the June Cleavers and the Hillary Clintons of this world united in their acceptance, appreciation and respect of each other, anything is possible.
wonder women meet 9 ladies who inspire us l by brittany cremer l brenda maas l allyn hulteng l
Our lives are fraught with daily demands. We women juggle jobs, homes, finance, childcare and relationships. We make choices every day on how we will spend our time, our energy, our passion for fulfillment. But how does it all stay balanced? How does satisfaction keep firing motivation? Here are nine women just like you—they could be you— who have the attitude, grace and gusto to keep all the balls in the air.
photography by larry mayer and paul ruhter
MAGIC I february 2013 I 51
judge mary jane knisely district court, yellowstone county
As told to allyn hulteng l photo by larry mayer
cori cook
chief operating officer and general counsel EBMS, Inc. As told to brittany cremer l photo by paul ruhter
Education first I come from a very close family that places a high value on the importance of education. It was never a question of whether I would go to college, but where.
Staying the course My parents counseled us to pick a career that would support us and to finish college in four years. After changing my major 11 times, I graduated with a degree in psychology—and I finished in four years.
Defining her niche While I liked psychology, I also wanted to pursue a degree in law. For me it was the perfect combination and led to a career in “therapeutic jurisprudence,” or drug treatment court. There were just 13 women in my law school class; that was in 1989 when women were just breaking into the legal field.
Changing guard When I was a rookie attorney, the opposing counsel, a man, actually told the jury, “She may be a very pretty young woman, but you can’t believe the arguments she is making.” I couldn’t believe it—I was prepared for a legal objection but not that. Fortunately, that type of thing doesn’t happen now.
Legal matters Access to justice is very important to me—and that means access to everyone. Judges see some pretty
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ugly pieces of life, and we know the value of a well-thought, well-written decision in line with the Constitution.
Pride and joy My boys are the single greatest thing I’ve experienced. They’re funny, inquisitive and never stop surprising me.
Fraternity house With my husband and two boys and two dogs, it’s wild all the time. Plus we love music—loud music. Our house is loud.
SOS Club I have a cache of great girlfriends. We share stories, laugh a lot, and when one of us is in need, we don’t deliver Jell-O—we come and clean your sink and ask, “What else can I do for you?”
Balance? What balance? I love my life, but I can’t find balance—I’ve tried. I’ve learned I can’t do everything over-the-top really well, and what I need may change from year to year. But grounded values never change. Right and wrong does not blur.
Advice for young women Today, women truly can be anything they want to be. But all that freedom of choice can also be confusing. Start with short term goals and find a mentor. Have foresight and discretion as you reach out and grab what’s important.
Kaleidoscopic world of health care I oversee various departments within our organization, assisting in cascading our organization’s strategy and mission to transform the health and wellbeing of individuals, organizations and communities while creating maximum value for EBMS’s stakeholders.
The change-maker I find great joy in developing solutions to address the everchanging landscape of the health care delivery system in the United States. I enjoy analyzing trends and investigating innovative ways to reduce health care costs.
A balancing act It is a constant struggle to achieve the proverbial equilibrium, especially in a world of constant connection where everything is portrayed as urgent. When I’m not at work, I am usually with my daughter, Elle, 12. While I’m with her, I make a concerted effort to disconnect from the external pull.
Accomplishments in action My greatest accomplishment in life is my daughter. I love her dearly and am so proud of her. Professionally, I was recently nominated by two attorneys, whom I greatly respect,
for acceptance into the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC). I’ll join just two other attorneys in Montana with that honor.
Silver linings We’ve all faced obstacles and adversity in our lives; that is what molds us. I am grateful for each and every obstacle that was laid in my path, for without them, I would not be who I am today.
Role model mother My mom has been the biggest influence in my life. She is an amazing woman who has had to overcome a number of obstacles. She has always pushed onward with great poise, dignity and integrity. It is how we handle ourselves during adversity that bests defines us—her perseverance and values serve as a constant reminder for me.
Following footsteps I would tell young women interested in pursuing a career in my field that a law degree is very versatile. Higher education, whether it’s in law or any other field, is the best investment an individual can make. Even more so, an education broadens the inner horizons of personal growth.
dr. sara nyquist
haylie shipp
As told to brenda maas l photo by larry mayer
As told to brittany cremer l photo by larry mayer
emergency physician, billings clinic
associate ag director, northern ag network
Choices
Maximizing mom time
Airwaves across Montana
Honing her craft
I’ve always loved science, but I also love teaching and singing. Being a doctor is good fit for me. I can truly help others. When I leave my family, I am doing something important, something worthwhile.
I work mostly nights—I choose to. I work when my three kids are sleeping, I sleep when they are in school, and I’m awake when they are around. It’s tiring to balance it all, but it works.
Small town doubts
International family
I grew up Cody and went to the University of Wyoming. When I started medical school, I was in classes with graduates from places like Stanford and there I was—a small-town Wyoming girl. I thought ‘How did I fool them? What am I doing here?’ It was a very serious moment of self-doubt. But I got through it, and I trust myself.
Being married to a Norwegian national—my husband Sverre is from Norway—takes some creativity. He wanted to live in Norway; I want to live in America. And, we want our kids to know both. So we came up with a system that works. Two months a year, amazing partners at work cover my shifts (which I pay back later in the year) and our family lives in Norway. Our kids know their Norwegian family and go to Norwegian school where they speak, read and write in Norwegian. We found this balance that works for our family.
As Associate Ag Director for the Northern Ag Network, I do the bulk of the news gathering. This includes interviewing local farmers and ranchers, regional agricultural organizations and national leaders. Heard over the airwaves, on TV and over the web, topics range from food safety and production strategies to weather and markets.
I’ve been in the business seven years this September. During that time, I’ve transformed from the new girl who talks too fast to someone my listeners feel confident in calling and sharing sensitive details. While I still talk too fast, (sorry, I get excited about my work) it is a top honor to know they trust me to handle information with the utmost respect.
For the masses
Shatter the glass ceiling
I love agriculture. Even more, I love the people who work their tails off day in and day out providing food for the rest of the world. Serving these humble people is beyond an honor.
My advice to a woman pursuing a career in my field is to dive in and to not be too flirty. While the makeup of agriculture is changing, it is still a predominantly male field. As a woman, you have to establish yourself as a professional.
Role Model My dad was such a positive person in my life. He was good at juggling everything, could do anything and he did it with a lot of grace. He was an attorney, played in a band, helped start the Jazzfest in Cody—he had his hand in everything and lived his life fully.
Perspective Time is my biggest challenge— finding time to be good at both my professional and personal life. Like a lot of women, I sometimes I feel like I am trying so hard, sacrificing, to be good at both but that I’m not good at either. Then I go for a jog. When I’m angry, I go for a jog. When I’m overwhelmed, I go for a jog. When I’m tired, I go for a jog. And that balances me.
Worth the work Being a doctor is not an easy path—it’s very difficult in so many ways—but it’s worth it if you love it. When you get too busy you can forget about other people, other things. I never leave work without feeling thankful for everything that God has given me—a job, an education, a wonderful husband, a healthy family. I so appreciate my life.
Hit the road, Jack Extensive travel is required for my job and is sometimes challenging. Recently, over the course of five days, I traveled 1,700 miles. This leaves little time for laundry and even less time for a personal life. Thank goodness we live in a digital age where friends and family are only a text or an email away.
In her shoes If I could be anyone for a day, I’d be Temple Grandin—the Colorado State University professor who made her autism her strength and changed the way people look at livestock handling systems. To witness her daily obstacles and accomplishments firsthand would make me that much more thankful for my own blessings.
Life imitating art If someone famous were to play me in real life, it would have to be Miranda Lambert. She’s got the rough-and-tumble, don’t-messwith-me attitude that I aspire to have.
Barefoot, blue jean nights Growing up in eastern Montana, I’ve grown accustomed to making my own fun. In the summer, there is nothing better than hitting the road in my 1969 Airstream, “Blanche,” and taking my friends to a small town rodeo or celebration.
MAGIC I february 2013 I 53
kelly edwards
jana graham
As told to brittany cremer l photo by larry mayer
jana graham photography As told to brenda maas l photo by larry mayer
Collegiate collaborator
Balancing act
Passion to profession
As Vice President for Enrollment Services at Rocky, it is my responsibility to provide leadership for all phases of new student recruitment and continuing student retention. I enjoy making a difference in the lives of students, and every day brings a new challenge and success story.
A supportive husband and great childcare for our two children, A.C. (2 ½) and Bella (7 months) helps to minimize the difficulty of balancing my work and home life. But getting out of the house some mornings can be challenging when my son looks at me and asks ‘You don’t have to go to work today, do you, Mom?’
I grew up in L.A., near the ocean and wanted to be a marine biologist. But that didn’t work out, and I earned a degree in business. Photography started as my hobby.
Family ties
Words of wisdom
I was born and raised in Illinois, where my entire family still lives. On any given day, you could walk into my aunt’s home and find a room full of crazy Italians laughing and eating pasta. While making the decision to live in Montana was one of the best decisions I have ever made, it was difficult knowing that I couldn’t just jump in my car and be with my family in minutes.
I’d tell other young women considering a career in my field to work hard. If you see a learning opportunity, take it, and challenge your thoughts every day.
vice president for enrollment services rocky mountain college
Real life role model My father has had the biggest influence in my life. He is loving, caring, selfless, devoted to his family, displays good moral values and has taught me important life lessons. He is the hardest working person I’ve ever met.
A youthful heart If I could be anyone for a day, I’d be my son. I’d love to be in his head at 1:30 a.m. when he should be sleeping but is roaming the house quietly in an effort to not wake Mom or Dad. The good life In my free time, I love nothing more than being at home with my husband and kids, cooking a fabulous meal, and watching A.C. run around the house dancing to music while Bella watches with great excitement for the day she can join him.
entrepreneur/photographer
Worth a thousand words Shortly after I was married, but before having children, my father passed away. I realized that I had very few pictures of him. The core of what I do is based on that—wanting families to have photos of their loved ones that really show who they are.
It’s personal I love working with all different types of people. I shoot so many “genres”—newborns, babies, families, graduating seniors, weddings—that I get close to my clients. They often become my friends. I get to know them and it’s that emotion that makes the photography work.
Teamwork My husband is probably the best husband in the whole world. Although he has a demanding job of his own, he does all the books and accounting for my business. Basically, he picks up where I leave off—laundry, dishes and taking care of our three kids—we are a total team.
Lessons learned I used to be a complete type-A freak,
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but I learned an important lesson with each one of my babies—I was on complete bedrest for three month with each pregnancy. There was no choice. I learned to be OK with having no control, with things not being done perfectly. At work I channel that need into what I produce and let it go at home.
Side bonus Being an entrepreneur has given me the flexibility to be with my kids and just enjoy them. I work when they are at school and then again when they go to bed. Plus, I have so much fun on our shoots—they are like big play dates—we really enjoy the moment. I know how important these pictures are. To get who that person is, to get the real emotion, the photographer has to be engaged.
Reality check I get assignments from the families of someone who has a terminal illness. I also volunteer with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a national organization that helps families whose baby has died. These experiences keep things in perspective for me—it reminds me of what is really important.
Before jumping in Take your time and hone your craft, get really good at it, really study before starting your business because capturing family moments, the essence of who someone is, is a big responsibility. Then enjoy it.
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attorney specializing in indian law elk river law office As told to brenda maas l photo by larry mayer At the beginning
An Honor
My grandfather, who was a tribal judge, and my grandmother, who was a teacher, raised me so I had exposure to law and courts from a young age. I studied to be a social worker and later became a juvenile officer. Most of my case load dealt with Indian youth; eventually I thought I could be more effective as an attorney, so I went on to earn my law degree.
During George W. Bush’s administration I was appointed to serve as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C. Despite being from a different party, the appointment was based on my ability to help others throughout Indian Country.
My aunt, Angela Russell, has been a primary role model. She was a social worker and went on to be a state legislator and an activist—she is the only person I’ve know in my life who marched with Martin Luther King, Jr.
Expectations
Roots
We are traditional reservation people, and everyone in my family is educated. My father was a teacher, and my mother recently retired as principal of Plenty Coup High School. They expected that we go to college and become someone who contributes to the tribe in some way.
I have a very large extended family both in Billings and on the reservation. I’m involved with traditional dances and celebrations. I also love to read. And, my young son Nick keeps me grounded and entertained—he’s so carefree.
Eye on the future
Shoot for the moon. I don’t think that women with children or from any background should feel like they don’t have the potential to achieve a meaningful career—they can make great contributions to society. The potential is endless.
Early in my career I worked with the Crow Tribe to completely reform their government and create a new Constitution. Even though there are growing pains, this effort has allowed the Tribe to be forward-thinking.
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Not an easy road I’ve had some very tragic periods in my life. I’ve lost two children, and my daughter was seriously injured in 2006. It took a long time, but I was able to appreciate what I did have and move forward in a positive way. Experiencing that type of loss made me stronger and gave me the ability to face adversity.
Someone to look up to
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MAGIC I february 2013 I 55
rabbi barbara block
heather lund
As told to allyn hulteng l photo by larry mayer
As told to allyn hulteng l photo by larry mayer
Re-discovering faith
Finding roots
Community-minded
I was born in Provo, Utah. My father went into the military and we moved every two to three years. After high school I attended Ricks College, then Brigham Young University. I served a church mission in Calgary, Canada before meeting my husband, Jared.
I teach Sunday School to 3-year-olds and also volunteer at school every other week. It’s important to me to be active in the lives of youngsters.
congregation beth aaron
I was active in Jewish life in high school and college but drifted away in my 20s. Then in 1988, I became a founding member of a new congregation in the Twin Cities. The first female rabbi in Minnesota became our rabbi—she had a tremendous influence on me.
Finding my way When I was very young I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. Back then there were no women role models in things I was interested in, like math and science.
Breaking through After graduating from college, I was a computer programmer for a couple of years, but I was very much a minority. I worked for a large company that had never had a female professional before. They didn’t know what to do with me.
Earning respect One man, a vice president, would make snide remarks. One cold day the battery died and my car didn’t start. The vice president sneered, “Did you check the air in the tires?” Sometime after that I did a small computing project for that vice president – after that he became my biggest fan.
Spiritual call As a member of the congregation, I started doing many of the activities rabbis do and found I wanted to
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learn more and do those things at a different level. At 50 I left Minnesota to enter rabbinical school.
Middle East to Montana All rabbinical students are required to study in Israel, so I moved to Jerusalem for 11 months and then spent four additional years in school in Cincinnati. My first assignment after rabbinical school was here in Billings.
Embracing all My class was more than half women. Last year we celebrated the 40th anniversary of ordaining the first woman rabbi in this country. There is widespread acceptance of women as leaders of the Jewish faith.
You have options The biggest change I’ve seen is the entry of women into the workforce –which is not to say it is a bad thing for a woman to stay home and care for her children. The fact that women have options and can have economic independence is huge.
Dispelling stereotypes I’m aware that many people in Montana don’t personally know anyone who is Jewish. So when they meet me and find out I’m a rabbi, they look me up and down and say, “You don’t look like what I thought a rabbi looks like.” I’m getting a T-shirt that says “This IS what a rabbi looks like.”
homemaker, church and school volunteer
Planting seeds for life As a kid I liked to garden. I remember getting packets of seeds and planting them. In college, horticulture was offered as a major, and I knew exactly what I wanted to study.
Higher calling After I had our first two children (twin boys), I found it challenging to stay at home and thought I wanted to go back to work. Jared said, “You take my shifts and I’ll stay home with the kids.” He had such a wonderful time staying home; when I saw that, I changed my mind.
Following her heart Staying home and caring for our children has been one of the most wonderful decisions I’ve made. I enjoy talking with them, hearing about their day and being involved in their many activities and encouraging their growth every day. Jared was a great example to me, and I’m grateful.
Time for all With six children and expecting a seventh, finding a balance is important. I want to help our children grow and also make sure I keep growing as a person. It’s important for everyone to reach their potential.
Altruism in action When things get difficult, I try to reach out and help someone else. Helping others can really uplift my day and make my life more meaningful.
Faith-filled I have a deep faith in Jesus Christ–He is who I look to in solving my problems and seeking a life pathway. He has always been there for me.
Advice to young women Remember that everybody has a great purpose to fulfill in life. True beauty comes from within–become the person you were meant to be through education, helping others and faith.
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MAGIC I february 2013 I 57
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having it all what does it really mean? When Yahoo appointed 37-year-old Marissa Mayer to be the company’s new president and CEO last July, the decision drew widespread celebration. Not only were the company’s board members choosing a woman to lead a Fortune 500 entity–one with $5 billion in revenue, $18 billion in market capitalization and 700 million users—they were choosing a woman who was, at the time, six months pregnant.
With the announcement of Mayer’s hire and pregnancy, the media world was abuzz. This was a symbolic shift for women, the editorials read, a sign of decreasing marginalization and increasing power. Moreover, it was argued, because Mayer was pregnant when she was offered and accepted the job, she was clearly a woman securing powerful position on her own terms. The parenting world was also talking, with many parents flooding Facebook and Twitter with comments. “YAY @marissamayer Yahoo’s new CEO! She is also 7 mo pregnant- let’s hope she inspires corps to create better options for all working moms,” tweeted Mia Farrow.
But what came next divided Mayer’s fans: Yes, she was pregnant. And, she told Fortune magazine, she would take only a few weeks of maternity leave and she would work throughout her time off. While some celebrated Mayer’s ability to take the proverbial bull by the horns and deftly manage the demands of the modern-day woman, others worried that she, by example, was suggesting that good, hard-working employees don’t need parental leave. This presented a real quandary for many, especially those who hoped that more women in leadership positions would translate into more family-friendly corporate policies.
by alexis adams
MAGIC I february 2013 I 59
making choices The criticism did not seem discovered they actually liked Rather than buying into societal expectations, our choices must be made on an individual to affect Mayer much. Her son, working outside of the home, basis, says Dr. Seavey. “I don’t think you can generalize that women should make a choice Macallister, was born in October. societal expectations of women Two weeks later, she tweeted that have changed. In response, to either work or stay at home. It’s all individual. It’s about what your hopes and expectations she was back to work. That decision men haven’t said, ‘Oh, you’re are for your own life, what you’re able to live with. Some women feel compelled to stay at was again met with disdain by working now. I’ll help you keep a home until their children finish school; they feel they must be at home to be a good mom. some. As one tweet read: “Marissa beautiful home. I’ll help take care Some feel they can’t stay home. They love their kids, but they must be out in the world, Mayer: ‘My maternity leave will of the kids,’ and so on, but that’s talking to adults, working. The choice-point comes when we start to feel like our life is out be a few weeks long and I’ll work changing. A colleague of mine of control, out of balance. Instead of living fully, we feel, suddenly or gradually, that we’re throughout it.’ If that’s having it all, just returned from maternity not doing a good job. We all, men and women, reach this choice-point at various times in you can keep it.” leave. I heard someone ask her, our lives, but women do in particular because of societal pressures. It’s important to keep Whether one is a fan of Mayer’s ‘Was it hard for you to come back in mind, too, that our choice-making changes throughout a lifespan. As our children grow, choices and role modeling or not, to work?’ ‘No,’ she said, ‘I love so do our options. As our family changes, so do our lives and our choices.” the fact is that her story is a living my kids, but they’ll be fine. We example of the real-life dilemma arranged for my husband to be at working mothers everywhere face. It is also an example that is being played home while I’m at work.’ Today’s men are beginning to feel some pressure to out at the highest of levels. Mayer’s appointment and her decision to accept the take paternity leave, but many of them are using their smart phones to work position illustrates a struggle that many women are experiencing, whether we through their leave, just like mom is.” are CEOs, “non-traditional” degree-seeking students or waiting tables to make The expectation—the sense that women can and should ‘do it all’—is ends meet. real, Seavey says, one that is indeed imposed by society on women, and it is The same month Mayer accepted her position at Yahoo, the Atlantic an expectation that women have deeply internalized. Monthly’s cover story, written by Anne-Marie Slaughter, the former director of “The issue is how much women buy into society’s expectations that policy planning for the U.S. State Department, posed the question, “Can Women they’re different, that they have to work, be accomplished, be successful Have it All?” Clearly, that question–whether a woman can have a successful and keep a beautiful home, that they have to do it all. I’ve heard women say, career and an engaged home life–is still being debated. ‘I’ll miss my child’s school pageant this week because I have to work.’ How While these are important questions, Dr. Lyle Seavey, director of Psychiatric many years has dad missed the pageant? If everyone’s working, everyone Services at Billings Clinic, emphasizes that these issues need to be kept in must adjust and have realistic expectations. No one can be everything to perspective and, in fact, embraced by both sexes. everybody. The house will be dusty.” “Since World War II, when more women entered the workforce and
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new recommendations for annual exams have left women in a wake of confusion. here’s what you need to know now l by natasha mancuso
When it comes to women’s health, preventive care is the name of the game. For years, the standard recommendation has been for women over the age of 21 to have an annual gynecological exam and an annual mammogram for women over the age of 40. Since the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), an independent medical panel funded by the Department Health and Human Services, changed the recommendations in 2009, women have been getting mixed messages about what to do.
MAGIC I february 2013 I 61
“While we find many breast cancers in our practice, and, while most are found on mammograms, the last cancer that I could feel in the office was in response to a lump the patient found herself.” — Dr. Neuhoff, M.D., Billings OB/GYN,
Screening for breast cancer: mammograms and self exams
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The USPSTF now recommends that routine mammograms of average-risk women should start at age 50, end at 75 and be scheduled every two years. USPSTF also no longer encourages self-exams. The panel based its recommendations on research indicating that early mammograms generally pick up on the types on breast cancer that do not progress to invasive cancer—and that these false-positives create undue anxiety. The USPSTF based its recommendations regarding self-exams on two studies, one from Russia and one from China, which found no evidence that breast self-exams reduce deaths from breast cancer. The studies also suggested that the practice leads to unnecessary screenings and biopsies and causes anxiety from finding something that isn’t cancer. “While we find many breast cancers in our practice,” says Dr. Neuhoff, M.D., a physician with Billings OB/GYN, “and, while most are found on mammograms, the last cancer that I could feel in the office was in response to a lump the patient found herself.” The new USPSTF recommendations for mammograms is contradictory to the directive women have received the past 10-20 years about the importance of self-exams. Not surprisingly enough, the proposed regulations don’t hold water with the American Cancer Society, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Radiology or the American Medical Association. “Women in their 40s account for 20 percent of breast cancers,” said Dr. Neuhoff. “There is a 90 percent cure rate for cancers found when they are less than 1 centimeter in size. Other studies, for example, one from Sweden, indicate that starting screening in the 40s results in a 29 percent reduction of cancer deaths.” The Swedish study points to research done by the Mayo Clinic, citing age as the biggest
risk factor for breast cancer. If this is the case, the USPSTF’s recommendation to eliminate mammograms after 75 makes little sense. While doctors and medical associations disregard the USPSTF’s new guidelines for mammograms, health insurance companies may use them as a reason to deny coverage of the procedure for healthy women in their 40s. Finances aside, the decision whether to get a mammogram should rest in the hands of each woman and her doctor, and should be based on factors such as overall health, lifestyle and family history.
Screening for cervical cancer: Pap smears and HPV Eighty years ago, cervical cancer killed more women in America than breast cancer or lung cancer. Due to improvements in treatment and screening, including annual Pap smears, these numbers have declined tremendously and death from cervical cancer in U.S. is relatively rare. “Almost all precancerous changes of the cervix are caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), and in most young women, the infections within this virus are transient,” said Dr. Neuhoff. “In the past, too many young women were getting Paps in their teens, and they were aggressively treated for abnormalities, that, if left alone would self-correct. Thus screening for and treating early stages of the cervix did more harm than good.” In 2012, USPSTF changed the guidelines for Pap smears and HPV as follows: 1. No Pap smears for women under the age of 21. 2. Women in their 20s should have Pap smears every two years (old guidelines called for annual Pap smears). 3. Women over 30 should have Pap smears every three years. 4. Women over 30 have the option to co-test every five years. (Co-testing
Pap Smears: recommended by doctors and USPSTF
Mammograms: Doctor recommended
Mammograms: USPSTF recommended
Wellness Checks/ Physicals
Under 20
None
None
None
Annually
20s
Every 2 years
None
None
Annually
30s
Every 3 years
None
None
Annually
40s
Every 3 years
Annually
None
Annually
50s
Every 3 years
Annually
Every 2 years
Annually
60s
Discontinue after 65
Annually
Every 2 years
Annually
Over 70
Discontinue after 65
Annually
Discontinue after age 75
Annually
is getting a Pap smear and HPV test simultaneously). 5. Pap smears can be discontinued at the age of 65-70.
“The rationale for these changes is that the changes on the cervix caused by HPV are relatively slow, and there is plenty of time to catch those pre-cancerous changes and treat them,” said Dr. Neuhoff. “Another reason for lengthening the frequency is that in monogamous couples, there should be no more opportunity to acquire new strains of HPV, and thus the risk of cervical cancer decreases,”
he added.
Annual wellness checks It is important to note that annual wellwoman exams are still recommended and supported by all entities. A general physical exam involves much more than screening for breast and cervical cancers. “We find hypertension, elevated cholesterol and osteoporosis,” said Dr. Neuhoff. “My recommendations to my patients as far as staying healthy involve attention to preventive medicine. It is much easier to stay healthy than to try to get healthy after the fact.”
Good nutrition and plenty of exercise are at the top of the list for maintaining good health. Along with breast health, Dr. Neuhoff encourages his patients to pay attention to bone health, by taking calcium and vitamin D, and heart health, which involves monitoring cholesterol, exercise, good dietary choices and weight management. “Heart disease is the most important health matter for women, and it doesn’t get nearly enough attention in women’s health,” he said. “Twenty times more women die of heart disease than breast cancer.”
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MAGIC I february 2013 I 63
Iraqi native May LaMotte shares her story of surviving Saddam’s regime, becoming a U.S. citizen and her passion for education
By Shelley Van Atta Photography by James Woodcock
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Looking into the kind, expressive eyes of May Hasan LaMotte, it is hard to imagine they were once witness to years of fearful living under the tyrannical oppression of one of the world’s most monstrous dictators. But there is no missing the reflection of pain mirrored back as she recollects the tragedy those years visited on her neighborhood; and, worse yet, her own family. It isn’t until she speaks, in her steady, soft-timbered voice, that you learn this exquisitely beautiful, compassionate woman – cutting such an elegant figure, hands gently folded in her lap as she quietly describes her life under Saddam Hussein’s Ba’ath regime – saw and experienced horrors that most Americans only heard about in news stories.
“Billings, Montana. I love my life here. It’s so quiet and peaceful. I never want to leave. For us, community is family, and this is my family. I left my family in Iraq and it was hard. I don’t want to break my heart two times.” 66 I february 2013 I MAGIC
May was born in Baghdad, Iraq, in June 1968, just a month before Saddam Hussein took power. “That is when the beauty of life ended in Iraq,” she said. Hussein may be dead, but the terror he caused continues to haunt the nation’s psyche. Posttraumatic stress is not the sole purview of the soldier. May still has nightmares, and the spark in her eyes quiets as she recalls why. Under Hussein, she said, middle school children were given an application to join the Ba’ath party. They were to take the application home to their parents, fill it out and bring back to school along with a membership fee. “We were funding the government with money we could not afford,” she said. “For my dad, with 10 kids, it was a disaster, but we had no choice.” To refuse would mean jail, or worse. And with Hussein, there was always worse. Once children reached middle school, about the time they were required to join the Ba’ath party, they began to understand the atrocities perpetrated by Saddam’s regime. Before that, however, they were taught that “Saddam was kind; he was the one who gave us food; he was ‘Santa Claus’; he was the ‘best of the best’; and we were to call him ‘Papa Saddam’ because he was more than our father; he could do no wrong,” she said. Parents told their children this to protect them. Parents were afraid that out of the mouths of babes could come words that would condemn their entire family to death, which is what happened to a
neighborhood family that was not as cautious. When Saddam visited a neighborhood, May said, families were required to greet him with cheers of joy and to “kiss his hands and feet.” One neighborhood friend of May’s, a little boy of 6 or 7, joined the throng during Saddam’s visit. The child ran up to Saddam and delightedly cried, “I know you!” Saddam smiled and patted the little boy’s head and said, “You do?” and the little boy rejoined, “Yes! Every night when you are on TV, my dad spits on you.” The smiles immediately died and there was deathly quiet. The entire family, from grandparents to babies, were lined up in front of everyone and executed. From the neighborhood into the Hasan’s family home, the horror followed. May explained that everyone who received a university degree was expected to work for the government: “It was not an option,” she said. One of May’s brothers was an engineer. He told his father, sisters and brothers that he had to leave Iraq because he could not make enough money to feed his wife, 6-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter. “We’re starving!” he told them. Knowing the wrath Hussein could inflict, May and her family begged him not to go, but the brother said he wanted a better life for his children. He hired a driver to take them to Jordan. As her brother, his wife and children were walking down a street in Jordan, a black SUV pulled beside them. Four of Saddam’s thugs got out of the car and approached him, firing three bullets into her brother’s head and
even more into his body while his wife and children watched in horror. May’s family later learned that Saddam tracked her brother down by finding, torturing and executing the driver who took them to Jordan. Even in the midst of their collective despair, May said her family considered themselves, “the luckiest family in Iraq.” Because the assassination happened in Jordan, she said Hussein’s regime was too afraid to execute their entire family – which they normally would have – because Saddam knew the international media was watching. Instead, she said her family’s names were placed on “the list,” and they were confined to their home. Saddam’s regime wanted to make certain nobody from the family could travel outside of Iraq to tell the world what his henchmen had done. *** Before the Americans toppled Hussein from power, May and her family dared not even dream of leaving Iraq. But in 2003, May’s life changed. She was teaching at Baghdad University and spotted a handsome American reporter standing in the commons area preparing to interview an economics professor. She asked the reporter, Greg LaMotte, if she could watch. “You speak English?” he asked. “Yes,” she replied. He asked the professor if it was OK. It was, so the interview commenced. “And then she corrected the professor!” Greg, now an anchor on Billings’ KULR-8 TV, laughingly recalls. “I was so impressed that I asked her for her email address, and then it progressed to cell phones and then the conversation never stopped.”
May and Greg were married in Egypt on Christmas Day, 2004. “I love Christmas,” May said, “and love it even more now because it’s my anniversary.” Even though the Saddam Hussein years were behind her, the flashbacks of fear were not. “I don’t like big noise. I lived most of my life in war. I still hear the bullets,” she said. For a short time the couple lived in Washington, D.C. “I loved having an American family because family is so important to me,” May said, “but there were so many tall buildings and people and noise. I wanted a peaceful, quiet place to live.” Though Greg had a highly successful career as a journalist, he was protective of May’s sensitivities; and after his mother passed on, his priority was finding a place where his wife could feel safe. He remembered visiting Billings while covering Montana’s Centennial celebration for CNN. “I recalled the goodness of the people, their downhome hospitality that I was familiar with from my own family who were from Texas,” he said, “Just good, kind folks. The kind that if they tell you they’ll do something, they’ll do it. You don’t need to sign a contract. A handshake is enough.” What attracted him back to Billings, he said, was the wonderful memory of that week-long experience. “Greg told me he knew of a place where people are very nice and friendly, a peaceful place that’s quiet and is surrounded by the beauty of nature,” May said. “Billings, Montana. I love my life here. It’s so quiet and peaceful. I never want to leave. For us, community is family, and this is my family. I left my family in Iraq and it was hard. I don’t want to break my heart two times.”
Top left: May and her family on a picnic on Eid Adha (similar to Christmas). May said all of her siblings were happy to finally have something new to wear. Top right: : May and her siblings pose for a family snapshot.
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*** A lifelong thirst for learning and passion for teaching fueled May’s next step when she and Greg moved to Billings in 2005. She began teaching Arabic to soldiers deployed to Iraq through MSU-Billings’ Veterans Upward Bound program. “Preparing the soldiers was my best way to pay them back,” she said. “I wanted to make sure they were safe over there and would come back.” Teaching Veterans at Veterans Upward Bound, is vital to May. “I tell them all the time, ‘You are the best part of my day. You teach me so much more than I teach you.’” When not teaching veterans, May, who received her certification in teaching English as a second language this fall, also teaches language classes; she also substitute teaches in School District 2. Putting her education into action was something impressed upon May from her parents at an early age. “My parents were the most kind and loving people, but were very strict when it came to school because they knew that education was the only way out,” she said. May’s mother died when she was only 13, leaving her father to raise 10 children alone. She arrived in the US with three degrees from Baghdad University: a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics, a post-graduate degree in teaching and learning and a master’s degree in computer science. “I remember my father telling us, ‘We don’t have money, but even if we did, you could lose it later in life, but you can’t lose your education.’” It was a lesson May and her siblings never forgot. Growing up in a country where violence was the norm, education, her parents told their children, “is your weapon in life.” Her parents did not differentiate between the boys and girls, “We all were equal,” she said. “Whoever got the most A’s was the one who received the highest praise.” When May visits schools today to educate young people about the Iraqi culture, she tells them that the values and principles they carry with them in life, steeped in education, are more important than money. She says, “You can make money. Money cannot make you,” and then shares this story: Think of a very young Iraqi girl who came from a poor family. That was me. When I was in elementary school, our teacher told our class that this year we would give new school uniforms to the needy. I had an old uniform that had been handed down to me from sister to sister, and I very much wanted a new one, so I went home and told my dad. He said, ‘No, you can wear the uniform you have; you tell your teacher you need a coat.’ I told him that I could not tell my teacher privately, that the administration required we stand up in the middle of class and say it. ‘So what?’ he said, ‘There is no shame in being poor. You can do it,’ so I did. The children laughed at me and I cried when I told my dad. He looked at me and said, ‘It doesn’t matter that they laughed. You have the A’s, and as time goes by, you will see who is laughing, then.’ At 10 years old, it was hard to imagine he could be right, but he was. After I graduated with my master’s degree, I was walking in my
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Top left: May enjoys the escape of driving. Bottom left: May and her three sisters, Top right: May after becoming a U.S. citizen. Bottom: May’s younger brother and his family. Oppostie page top: May at her Billings home. Opposite page bottom: Greg and May in Las Vegas.
neighborhood and saw some of the kids who had laughed at me. They came from families who had had a lot of money but lost it, so they now were selling things on the road. They asked me what I was doing and I told them I was a teacher at the university. Who do you think got the last laugh, then? Dad was right. May tells the children that even if their parents cannot buy them what the other kids have, “always remember that your parents are giving you as good of a life as they can so that you can stand on your own.” And one trip to the supermarket last year revealed to May that her young, impressionable audience was listening. While she was shopping, a woman and her son approached her. “Mrs. LaMotte,” the woman said as her son shyly stood by her side. “We want to thank you.” May looked at the boy and he told her that her life story had inspired him to work on his grades. “I got a scholarship, Mrs. LaMotte!” he excitedly relayed. “I thought that if you could make it, I can, too. You told me that if I make good grades, I will find a way to get into college, and I did.” This, she said, is the American Dream, and is one she now is proud to live. She followed her own advice and studied “so hard” to become a U.S. citizen; and, on June 17, 2010, her dream came true. “When I became a U.S. citizen, I felt different,” she said. “I felt more powerful. Middle Eastern people look to the United States as the most
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powerful nation in the world, and now I was one of them. All I could think of was that I’m free because I’m an American!” While many Americans take their freedom for granted, May never will. “Because you were born here and never experienced another government, it can be difficult for you to understand,” she explained. “That is why I do not like to hear people complain about our American government, because if they lived for even one month in a country without freedom, they never would complain again. Whenever I talk to my family in Iraq, I tell them about American society, and that even people who are poor and have no power can stand up in public for what they believe. They say, ‘Wow! That’s beautiful, May!’ because they miss everything that’s beautiful.” That was lost, she sadly added, with Hussein. “The recovery of the Iraqis will not come with my generation,” she said. “It will come with the new generation. Our generation, even after the liberation, still cannot feel safe. The memories will always be there. I can say, hopefully, that as time goes by, I will feel much better, but I know that no matter where I am, I will never be 100 percent. It’s the new generation in Iraq that will understand freedom of speech and a new life that is safe. The Americans gave us that.” *** People in the community are very protective of May. “When people hear my accent, they often ask where I’m from. When I tell them I’m from Iraq and that my husband is American, they want to make sure this lady who chose to move to the United States is OK. They are just so kind.” Last summer, for the first time since leaving, May visited her family in Iraq. After she returned, she realized she felt more American than Iraqi. “My family told me I’d changed, and I said, ‘Well, I’m living in an American society now. I cannot be as I used to.” Although they miss her, they are happy for her. “I carry the best of my old world and the best of my new world. Greg calls it ‘a good mix’ and I like that. It’s a balance. This is how we build bridges between cultures.”
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A better life is what May is now living, and it brings tears to her eyes when she sees an American flag. When she and Greg were watching the last Winter Olympics and one of America’s gold medal winners held up the American flag, she started to cry. “Greg looked at me and asked me why I was crying. I pointed to the screen and said, ‘Because that’s our flag; the American flag! It’s freedom and don’t ever take it for granted.” Even a newsman, whose everyday professional life is a journey in words, did not have a rejoinder to that. She did not need to remind him of what Saddam’s sons did to athletes in Iraq who failed to bring home the gold. “They were lucky if they were just killed without being tortured,” she said. And nightmares of those years of horror haven’t ceased. Last year, one of her hands was terribly swollen. The doctor told her it was from the cold. “I had not told anyone that when I was alone, I turned off the furnace. The sound it made coming on reminded me of the sounds of the bombs and bullets.” Sometimes, she said, when she hears Greg talking politics on the phone, she still finds herself being afraid someone might be listening. “It’s hard for us to conceive of the fear Iraqis felt,” said Greg. In 1991, while covering the Iraqi war for CNN, he was captured by the Iraqi military for a week.
“I carry the best of my old world and the best of my new world. Greg calls it ‘a good mix’ and I like that. It’s a balance. This is how we build bridges between cultures.”
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“A colonel, who was our main captor, spoke pretty good English. After about the third day, I told him, ‘You know, colonel, if I was in the White House having dinner with the President and I disagreed with something he said, I could tell him that and go home and not worry about it. The colonel slammed his fist on the desk and called me a liar. The next day, we were talking again and he said, ‘You know, I didn’t agree with Saddam about going into Kuwait.’ I asked him, ‘Why’s that?’ He replied, ‘Because we Iraqis are tired. We just finished eight years of war with Iran. We lost a million people, so we just want to go home to be with our families, have a job, have food, be with our friends and enjoy life.’ It was so heartfelt the way he said it that I told him, ‘Well, colonel, that’s what everybody wants. What would happen if you told Saddam that?’ and he made the slash gesture across his throat. I understood.” It was that conversation, Greg said, that “made me realize we’re all the same, all around the world. We all want peace in our lives.” That, he emphasized, was the life he wanted for May. Both May and Greg laughed when they recalled the first days of the Iraqi liberation. “There were two things all Iraqis wanted: cell phones and satellite dishes.” They remember watching Iraqis driving down the street with satellite dishes on their cars “because for years,” May said, “all we could watch were two channels: one owned by Saddam and the other owned by one of his sons. Finally, we got to see something other than Saddam!” Besides the American flag, the great symbol of freedom for May now is her car. She got her driver’s license in June 2006, after Greg began teaching her with drives around the neighborhood. Was she scared? “I don’t know about her, but I was scared to death!” he laughed. After a long day, May says she gets behind the wheel of her car, rolls down the window and feels the rush of the wind blowing through her hair. “I feel the freedom of independence. I feel like a bird.”
My first job in America is serving food at a cafeteria-style restaurant located at one of the city malls. Strangely named Blue Boar, it is a crowded place with dark walls, a few tables and booths and a steel counter that runs from the entrance to the cash register. Large aluminum trays of pale chicken, potatoes and apple pie glow under red warming lamps. My responsibility is the hot vegetable station with the main dishes to the right and desserts to the left. Every morning when I get in, I get yelled at by the assistant manager. “Yogh, baby!” That’s his way of saying good morning. Beyond his pathetic greeting, I don’t understand a word he says–partly because my English is very poor, and partly because he speaks the slang that only black people in Kentucky can understand. To me everything he says is one long, incomprehensible word. When he sees my confusion he yells the same words but louder. I’m not deaf, you idiot.
by natasha mancuso
MAGIC I february 2013 I 71
He points in different directions, and enough.” eventually I figure out what he wants: Get As employees we get a 50 percent ...I think it’s cool to the butter out of the walk-in freezer; take out discount on selected dishes, and still I eat crab for lunch and the garbage. can only afford a side salad. Every day when I call home it will Blue Boar caters to the nearby senior for lunch I buy a small Diet Coke and sound like something citizen community. The hours between a side of crab salad. I am not sure if I noon and four are the busiest. Elders come I should be doing in like the mixture heavy with celery and in pairs, sometimes in small groups. Slowly mayo, but I think it’s cool to eat crab America. I don’t know it they take their trays and shuffle down the for lunch and when I call home it will is “imitation” crab. food line. I smile to them, but I hardly ever sound like something I should be doing have an opportunity to say a word. They ask in America. I don’t know it is “imitation” for corn pudding or broccoli with cheese and crab. I quickly fill the little side plates. They don’t To get to the Blue Boar I ride the usually look up, just move on to dessert. city bus. It’s only been a week since I got The assistant manager is yelling again. the work permit, and I make $4.25 per Apparently I am giving away too much hour. There is no car in my immediate broccoli per plate. I’m beginning to hate his future. Besides, I would need to learn guts. how to drive. I hate taking the bus in At the Blue Boar, I make my first real America. friend in America, Oksana, who emigrated In Kiev the bus and trolley stops from Minsk with her husband, Simon, and her 7-year-old son, Max. She are always crowded. People talk and read newspapers waiting for the next is a musician, a concert pianist. Having been in the country for only a No. 17 or No. 68. With the monthly student pass clutched in my hand, I year, she works at the Blue Boar to support her struggling family until her rode the trolleys and buses all over Kiev since I was 7. When I was little, husband learns English and finds a job. He’s an engineer. my Mom would take me on a trolley ride around the city. We’d sit in the Every day Oksana and I eat lunch together. She tells me about her back, snuggled against each other, and float by the old cobble stone streets, family in Minsk and how hard it is to explain to them why a musician the Opera House, the botanical gardens with lilacs and chestnut trees. with higher education is working at a cafeteria. In Louisville it’s different. There are no sidewalks. To get to the bus She lies. stop I have to walk on the street in scorching heat and swallow the dust “I tell my mother I plan and cater food for special events. It’s close kicked up by passing cars. Most of the time I stand at the bus stop all alone.
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With the eyes of the drivers on me I feel exposed and underprivileged. “America was supposed to be glamorous,” I complain to Oksana. She consoles me: “You are only 18. You have so much time to make things better.” I cry when I get home. I wish I could talk to Mom. I wish I could tell her how much it hurts my pride to be poor, to have less than any average American, how I hate being bossed around by a man with no brains and no manners. Before I make a call home, I come to my senses. My parents borrowed money to send me here. How can I complain? Standing at the bus stop the next morning, I make endless promises to myself. I recite them like a mantra all the way to the Blue Boar. I will not let this become my life. I will work very hard, and I will save all my money. I will buy a car. I will learn English. I will get a better job. When I finally get to work I find the place much busier than usual. It’s the weekend and the crowd triples in size. Along with the senior citizens come their children and grandchildren. Everything moves faster and that’s when I get in trouble. Over the food trays, the warming lights and the buzzing of the crowd I cannot make out the English words spoken by elders and kids. They get frustrated and loud. Luckily, my partner to the right comes to the rescue. He’s a tall, muscular black man with broad shoulders and olive eyes. He signals to me to step aside and covers both stations until the crowd subsides. While he’s helping me, I have a moment to look him over. He’s wearing the restaurant green polo shirt, khaki pants and sneakers. As he takes a step to the left I see an electronic device attached to his ankle. I have no idea what it is; later Oksana has to explain to me its sad purpose. When the rush is over, my savior gives me a silent look. In his eyes I see dignity and I see compassion. I am grateful and taken aback by his understanding. He never says a word.
“Hey, Baby!” The assistant manager is behind me. He’s getting ready to yell at me again, but I don’t give him the opportunity. I turn to face him, and, shaking with hurt pride, I manage to say quietly but firmly: “My name is NA-TA-SHA. No “baby,” no “hey.” Understand?” Startled, he backs up. I glance proudly at my companion. A wrinkle forms in the corner of his mouth and he nods ever so slightly.
***
Twenty years later while standing on the Rimrocks, I reflect on the two weeks I worked at the Blue Boar in Louisville without much fondness, but with a realization that in that restaurant, strong resolve took root. Since that first exposure of life in America, I have been determined to succeed, to make my life and myself better. For many years I thought that if I did everything “right,” success would inevitably follow. Boy was I in for a surprise! But even so, at every downturn I think back to my first years in America—two colleges, multiple night jobs, tiny apartments, a car that lived longer than any car should and wouldn’t start without a dose of Diet Coke poured on its battery, the same Diet Coke as my Blue Boar lunch – a whole different life from what I have today. In many ways, my life is an example of the American dream come true: thick with challenge, sprinkled with disappointments, crowned with the reward of freedom and ownership. Once again I find myself at a place where I resolve to do better. But this time a new element is present. It is deep gratitude to the Higher Power that didn’t let the “bad” be the “worst,” that led me to find wisdom, unity and understanding in unexpected places. Pondering, I wonder if life had been as gracious to the young black man who at one time understood my vulnerability and was compelled to offer a hand.
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women
the real winners the of 2012 national election l a perspective by jim gransbery
“The goal was to keep Republicans out of my bedroom and Demos out of my wallet.� That conundrum was a dilemma for a professional woman deciding how to vote in the November 2012 presidential election. A resident of Colorado, a battleground state, she was acutely aware her vote would make a material difference in the contest between President Barrack Obama, Democrat and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Republican. Had she voted in Montana, her choice was irrelevant in either case. However, in future in-state elections, women now have a template from which to gain greater influence and political power.
illustration by lee hulteng
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She reasoned voting for Obama was better. She could afford a reproductive health resulted in the defeat of a least two GOP U.S. little more in taxes rather than endure further personal intrusions Senate candidates favored in Indiana and Missouri. Here in Montana, a campaign by Planned Parenthood targeted and insults from white, Republican men, she said. As it turned out, 41,000 female voters it thought could turn out for Democrat Sen. the so-called “fiscal cliff” deal does not increase her income taxes Jon Tester in his re-election bid to the U.S. Senate. He won by a as she and her husband are no where near the $450,000 annual margin of 3.72 percentage points and 18,072 votes over Rep. threshold for higher rates, although they did exceed the $250,000 Dennis Rehberg, R-Mont, according to results from the Montana benchmark originally proposed by Obama. Her vote was fundamental to Obama’s victory Nov. 6, which secretary of state’s office. Planned Parenthood’s campaign was was replicated in battleground states of Virginia, Ohio, Nevada, focused on why Rehberg was a bad choice for women. Tester Florida and New Hampshire. Romney collected electoral votes told the Washington Post that “women’s rights were at stake.” It in North Carolina and Indiana where Obama won in 2008. In is notable that in Missoula County alone, Tester got 18,304 more votes than Rehberg. addition to women, it was the demographic What came together nationally in the states impact of African Americans, Hispanics, Asianthat determined the final outcome – described Americans and other minorities that provided Women provided as a “demographic shift” – provides a blueprint the President his margin of victory – some for Montana women to exert their influence on extremely narrow – in those states. In each of 53 percent of the statewide and legislative races. those groups, the women’s vote predominated. In presidential politics, Montana is a red These were the voters the campaign had targeted. state. Since 1952, Montana has given its electoral Women are the real winners in 2012, and total vote in the votes to Republican candidates with two future elections bode well for them. Here is a look at a few reasons why: presidential contest. exceptions, both anomalies. In 1964, Democrat Lyndon Johnson won on the sympathy vote Obama captured 332 electoral votes to resulting from the Kennedy assassination the Romney’s 206. Each state has the number of Fifty-five percent year before. In 1992, Democrat Bill Clinton electoral votes that it has members of the U.S. won because a third-party candidate, H. Ross Congress. The District of Columbia has three. To of those favored Perot, won 26 percent of the state’s popular win, one must capture 270 electoral votes. vote, denying President George H. W. Bush, Women provided 53 percent of the total vote the electoral tally. Regardless of political in the presidential contest. Fifty-five percent of Obama to 45 affiliation, voters in Montana in 2012 were not those favored Obama to 45 percent for Romney as determined by exit polls. percent for Romney going to have a material effect on the outcome of the national election. For both sides, it was A further breakdown from the National a given that the state’s three votes would go to Association of Counties shows that minority as determined by Romney. Obama did not visit the state in 2012; support for Obama was 80 percent, the same Romney held a private fundraiser in Hamilton. as 2008. Among African-Americans, Obama exit polls. However, in 2008 and 2012, Democratic slipped to 93 percent compared to 95 percent women won three of the five top statewide four years ago. Among Hispanics, however, offices. Arguably, Democrat Pam Bucy would he jumped from 67 percent to 71 percent and be Montana’s new attorney general if she had among Asian-Americans an 11-point gain from the treasure chest of successful Republican 62 percent to 73 percent was record setting. In the young voters category, 18-29-year-olds, the gap between Tim Fox. Montana elected its first woman governor, Judy Martz, a Republican, in 2000. Obama and Romney was a 24-point spread. Montana has 56 counties. Eight of the 10 most populous In the swing states of Florida, Virginia and Ohio, women increased their votes for Obama over 2008. Those three states counties can be described as urban: Yellowstone, Missoula, provided the President with 60 electoral votes. Montana’s three Cascade, Gallatin, Silver Bow, Lewis and Clark, Flathead and Deer Lodge. As U.S. Rep. Pat Williams demonstrated in 1994 and 1996, votes went to Romney as expected. A further breakdown shows African-American women a candidate for statewide office can win by carrying the urban voted 96 percent for Obama compared to 87 percent for African- areas plus the Indian reservations. By concentrating on urban counties and targeting specific American men. Hispanic women favored Obama by 76 percent compared to their male counterparts at 65 percent. A breakout demographic groups, female candidates – Democratic or for Asian-American women and men was not provided. Among Republican – for Montana statewide and legislative races can use unmarried women of all categories, 67 percent favored Obama the blueprint the Obama campaign constructed in identifying and targeting all issues of concern to women: the economy, education, over Romney. Nationally, backlash to men’s ignorant comments concerning jobs and health care. Those are just as important as the gender rape, pregnancy, abortion, contraception and women’s political hot buttons.
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more women than ever are enrolling in mortuary school and undertaking a career path that was at one time deemed “too unpleasant” for the fairer sex.
Meet three ladies who look death in the face on a daily basis, giving comfort and peace to those left behind.
by allyn hulteng photography by larry mayer
“Everybody looks for a sign of some sort – if you pay attention, the sign will appear. I see them all the time.” — Shawnee French Krauszer
Funer al director Shawnee French Kr auszer at Mountview Cemetery
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“ We me
Shawnee French Krauszer Funeral Director Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary Shawnee French Krauszer was well on her way to a career in nursing when an unexpected experience caused a 180-degree shift in her plans. A second year college student, Shawnee was also working part time as a patient care tech at a Billings hospital. One particular night she was assigned to I.C.U. “There were three deaths at the end of the dayshift, and I was tasked with moving the bodies to the morgue,” she said. Shawnee went to the morgue, got a cart and came back to the I.C.U. “One, two, three trips,” she recalled. “The third trip I remember stopping abruptly between the north and south towers, looking up at the ceiling and thinking, ‘I can do this. I can be a funeral director.’ It was my calling and I knew it instantaneously.” Shawnee grew up in the tiny town of Medicine Lake, Mont. When she was in junior high, she went on a churchsponsored field trip to a mortuary in nearby Plentywood. “The funeral home fascinated me; I remember being the only one asking questions,” she said. The following year she asked to go on the same field trip again even though she had moved up to a different youth group. By age 13 Shawnee was regularly reading local obituaries. “I was curious about how people died and who they were in life,” she said. When she was 18 years old, Shawnee orchestrated a full-blown funeral for her dog. She wrote an obituary and produced a program that included a poem titled “I’m Free.” Twelve people attended. Still, it wasn’t until that night in the hospital I.C.U.
that Shawnee knew her destiny. Four months later Shawnee enrolled at Mt. Hood Community College in Portland, Ore., to work on a degree in Funeral Service Education. She graduated as valedictorian and shortly thereafter received a job offer with Michelotti-Sawyers in Billings. Shawnee’s first death retrieval call came the night of New Year’s Eve. “We were having dinner with friends when I got the call. I left and went by myself to pick up the decedent. Curiously, it was a man I had met sometime before when I worked at a local nursing home,” she recalled. Working with families who have lost a loved one requires a great deal of compassion and sensitivity. While sadness and grief are a part of a funeral director’s every day experience, the family relies on that person to help them through a very difficult transition. Shawnee acknowledges that chronic sadness can be difficult at times, especially when the death involves a child or young person. But, she adds, as a person of faith she believes that when someone dies they are in such a good place. “I wish more people had faith. Faith is comforting,” she said. As for the question of whether or not there is something beyond this earthly plane, Shawnee believes that there is. “Everybody looks for a sign of some sort – if you pay attention, the sign will appear. I see them all the time.” What Shawnee has learned about life through death: Hug your children today; tell your parents you love them today. Someone you love could be gone in an instant – don’t take one minute for granted.
***
Christen Le Blanc, MORTICIAN Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary After graduating from high school, Christen LeBlanc became a certified nursing assistant working in the Alzheimer’s unit of a nursing home. She enjoyed the residents, and over time, she realized that a patient’s mood and outlook could be drastically enhanced simply be giving them a shower, dressing them in clean clothes and fixing their hair. As her patients began to pass on, Christen found a great sense of purpose in cleaning and caring for the body before transport to a mortuary. “I found “death care” to be very meaningful and thought I might be a
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very good at it,” Christen said. After an incident in which a resident assaulted Christen causing a severe injury, she decided to quit her job and enroll in Mortuary School. “The curriculum is very comprehensive. You study the entire history of funerals from ancient Egypt to modern civilization covering every kind of known death care every performed,” she said. Course work also included classes in mortuary law, business, accounting, anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology as well as a rigorous embalming class and restorative arts.
eet these people in the worst days of their lives. We can’t change what happened, but we try and create a positive experience of saying goodbye,” —Christen Le Blanc
“For example, if a decedent experiences a traumatic death we learn how to help restore the body so viewing is not so traumatic,” she explained. When she wasn’t in class or studying, Christen worked as an apprentice at a funeral home and also at a tattoo shop. “When you’re doing something very serious, you also need to do something fun.” After graduation, Christen returned to Billings and worked as an apprentice for Michelotti Sawyers before joining the funeral home as a full time employee. Today, Christen is the primary embalmer on staff. She also helps with
retrieval when needed. “When we receive a call that someone has passed, we go to the home and first talk with the family, answering their questions and help them understand what will happen over the next few days. After we see the deceased and answer any remaining questions, we then bring a cot inside, place the decedent on the cot and transport the body back to the mortuary,” she explained. If the family has given permission, embalming takes place right away. “The embalming process replaces blood in the vascular system with a
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We meet these combination of specially formulated chemicals that preserve the deceased and retards the decomposition process,” she explained. Saying goodbye to a loved one is never easy or without grief. But, Christen noted, mourning the loss of an elderly grandparent who has been in a state of decline is different than mourning the loss of a young person or someone tragically taken. “That isn’t to say one loss is greater than the other, but if you have said the things you wanted to and are somewhat prepared, it’s different,” Christen said. Family members who have experienced a sudden loss need more direction. “We meet these people in the worst days of their lives. We can’t change what happened, but we try and create a positive experience of saying goodbye,” she said. In working with death, Christen often experiences a spiritual dimension that can’t always be explained.
Sometimes, she said, in quiet moments you suddenly know things about a person. “Once I was working on a young man who passed and had Pandora playing on my phone. My play list is highly eclectic – Punjab, gypsy punk – very random stuff. Suddenly a Jack Johnson song came on, which was very odd. I said aloud ‘I bet you like Jack Johnson, don’t you?’ A couple days later I was walking by his viewing room and heard Jack Johnson music playing. It turned out Johnson was his favorite artist, and his spouse played a CD of his music for the viewing… I’ll never forget that young man.” What Christen has learned about life through death: That dash, the line between your year of birth and your year of death, is really short. Even if you’re 92. How you live that dash matters. Aspire to be your best self. Be kind to people – it gets you so much farther. Reach out to those you love, let them know and smile.
***
Tanya Ballensky Owner and Mortician Cremation & Funeral Gallery I was a late bloomer,” said Tanya Ballensky, mortician and owner of Cremation & Funeral Gallery. After high school, Tanya attended college in Sheridan, Wyo. where she took basic coursework. “I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, so I enrolled in cosmetology school,” she said. Once she finished, Tanya quickly realized she couldn’t support herself and her son solely as a cosmetologist, so she took a second job as a CNA at a nursing home. “When someone passed, I cleaned the body and readied it for the mortician to pick up.” Sometimes when one of Tanya’s salon clients passed, the funeral director would call and ask her to come to the mortuary to style their hair. Tanya began to take an interest in the business. “I felt that when a person passed they were no longer in pain. That felt better, easier than nursing. I knew their spirit had moved on,” she said. Tanya asked the owner of the funeral home if she could work part time for him to see if she might be interested in a career as a mortician. He said no – that he would only hire a licensed man. Tanya decided to go to mortuary school and find out for herself. When she told the funeral director, he said she should learn how to embalm, because anyone can meet with families. “I now think he was wrong. You can teach anyone to embalm, but not everyone is good with grieving families,” Tanya said. Tanya enrolled in mortuary school in Littleton, Colo. While there, she interned at several funeral homes and also worked at an embalming center in Denver. Once in school, Tanya quickly realized that becoming a mortician was her calling. But finding gainful employment after
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graduation was difficult. “I applied to a number of funeral homes but couldn’t get a foot in the door,” she said. “I felt it had a lot to do with being female and a single mom.” Eventually Tanya found work in Hardin and Miles City. In 2004, she moved to Billings and went to work as an employee at the Cremation & Funeral Gallery. At the time, Tanya had no intention of owning her own funeral home. But as time passed, she knew this was her calling and she decided to purchase the business. Tanya noted that people in this profession are gifted with the ability to care for others. “You must have a deep well of natural compassion,” she said. Working with grieving families day in and day out is challenging, she ackowlwdged, but also very rewarding. “I feel married to the funeral business; it’s like a love affair,” she said. “I always think about the families, wondering how they’re getting on.” Tanya knows there is a spiritual side to what she does. Once, when she was an intern, she was called to the scene of a horrific traffic accident where a mother and her young child were both killed. A police officer afterward said the team who responded had to get counseling it was so bad.
“I feel married to the funeral business; it’s like a love affair, I always think about the families, wondering how they’re getting on.” — Tanya Ballensky
After Tanya met with the family, she privately questioned whether she was in the right field. That night as she lay in bed, tears flowing down her cheeks, she experienced a sudden and profound message: “Who would care for this family if you didn’t? Would they be as compassionate?” Every self-doubt was wiped away. What Tanya has learned about life through death: It’s very important to life for today, because you have no control over what time death occurs.
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The air is electric. Parents peppered in plastic buttons bustle to the gymnasium, bleacher seats in one hand, 50/50 tickets in the other. The welcome aroma of concession stand popcorn wafts in the air. Warm smiles are exchanged—maybe even a brief discussion unfolds about the price of wheat or the weather. The bleachers begin to fill, even though the score clock has yet to start its countdown. Music fills the air as the pep band begins to blast the triumphant notes of “The Magnificent Seven.” The anticipation is palpable. In the locker room, a more pensive scene unfolds. A calm, yet intense coach vigorously wipes X’s and O’s from the dry erase board—sometimes using his tie when he can’t find the eraser—and players quietly reflect, preparing for battle. Athletic tape earmarks gear alcoves for “SAMUELSON,” “O’CONNOR” and “MCDONALD,” the team’s superstars. (Just because the inscription is written on athletic tape with permanent marker and not etched in gold doesn’t mean the three young men aren’t royalty.) T he team, the school, the town all stand behind them.
RURAL ROUNDBALL BY BRITTANY CREMER
I
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL RUHTER
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Small town synergy It’s Hickory, Indiana. It’s caravans of gumbo-covered pickup trucks and yellow buses. It’s hours of shooting hoops by headlight. In small town America, basketball is more than a sport—it’s something worthy of a John Updike poem. Transcending the traditional notion that basketball is “just a game,” fans, parents even entire communities uproot themselves on the weekend, making the trek one town over to watch their kids compete. In this respect, basketball is the birthplace for much larger things— sportsmanship, camaraderie, honor and humility. “So much of small town sports is steeped in tradition,” said Bill Lepley, high school girls basketball coach in Shepherd. “From this tradition, players learn to trust each other like family.” And even though that bond is found in larger, Class A or AA schools, Lepley said it’s more pronounced in B and C schools. “Small towns are magical in the sense that the entire community raises up to support their players,” he said. “I’ve had the opportunity to go to AA schools to coach but I prefer a B/C setting.” Throughout his 26-year coaching career in Shepherd, Lepley said he still gets nervous before a big game. “I still get that feeling, excitement combined with nerves,” Lepley
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said. “But through that excitement, that fear, a bond forms. It’s indescribable.”
Glory road “There is something special about preparing for a game—both as a coach and player,” said Pete Flotlin, guidance counselor at Billings Central and veteran Montana basketball coach. “As a coach, you hope you’ve prepared your players. As a player, you want to put that preparation to the test—to compete at the highest level.” And all of the excitement culminates at tournament time. Posters as big as horse trailers, Technicolor-painted faces and the moving majesty of the “Star Spangled Banner” earmark the epic event. For a player, there’s nothing finer. For a parent and coach, there’s nothing more nerve-wracking. “Your nerves are a little edgier than normal, and the adrenalin flows a little faster,” Flotlin said, who’s coached at Shepherd, Rocky Mountain College and Billings Central. “At tournament time, everyone kicks it up a notch, because you know your opponent is ready for you.” Add the ambiance of at least 10,000 screaming fans at MetraPark (more than the population of any Class C school in Montana) and the scene is nothing short of spectacular. “Class B and C towns show up in droves to support their teams,” said Sandra Hawk, director of marketing and sales for MetraPark. “Entire
communities make the trip.” Turnstile numbers evidence this, with 16,570 in attendance at last year’s Class C Divisional boys tournament compared to 10,080 at the Eastern A boys and girls’ Divisionals. Welcome to Smalltown Hoops, U.S.A. Population: everyone in the same zip code.
Sweat, polish The razzle-dazzle of tournament time is unparalleled to regular season play. However, the building blocks to success are forged during a much
Opposite page: The Hardin girls basketball team huddles during a recent game against Billings Central. Top: Billings Central takes on Hardin in front of a packed house. Miiddle left: Chase Mitchell of Huntley Project claps while waiting to enter the game against Shepherd. Middle right: Mark Branger, head coach at Huntley Project, talks to his team during a timeout against Columbus. Bottom left: The cheer section in Laurel shows their spirit against Billings Central. Bottom right: The Laurel High School cheer squd performs a stunt.
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Top: The Huntley Project girls basketball team passes by the boys team after a game against Columbus. Bottom left: The Laurel boys basketball team pauses for the National Anthem during a recent game against Billings Central. Bottom right: The Huntley Project and Columbus boys basketball teams face off.
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humbler time when no one is in the gym to cheer, and the score clock is turned off. “Practices are what I miss the most,” Flotlin said, “teaching a skill and then seeing it transfer to the game floor is pretty exciting.” Integrity, camaraderie and humility are born out of these moments. “I never had a lazy player,” said Walt Acra, principal at Laurel Public Schools and former coach in Ekalaka and Wolf Point. “I had players who hated to sit out with injuries. Some time ago, one of my players tore off his toenail while going for a loose ball. He kept playing and never missed a practice.” Perhaps it’s engrained in small town kids when they grow up—to “rub a little dirt on it” and carry on. Agrarian roots can sometimes echo this sentiment, to “cowboy up,” not complain and put in an honest day’s work. “Montana kids are tough, there’s no doubt about it,” Flotlin said, “but I don’t think there’s much of a difference in general work ethic among today’s athletes. Kids from small towns work hard to earn their game time, but so do
the kids from larger schools.” Flotlin does acknowledge that sometimes, kids from smaller schools might have more on their plate in terms of chores and responsibilities if they live on a ranch or farm. But from Class C to AA, one thing is for certain: there’s something special about how Montana’s fans regard their sporting events. “I was born and raised in Cincinnati and worked in Vegas for a time,” Acra said. “The communities are so big that there are no real ties to the schools.” In these towns, Acra said, the bleachers were filled only with players’ relatives. “It’s ironic because in these larger schools, the gyms are smaller because the community doesn’t show up,” he said. “I have family come to Montana to watch my children play sports. They are amazed at the atmosphere of our games.” It’s an atmosphere that for most Montana hoopsters began in the humble setting of a concrete slab, a ball, a soft Chinook and the dream to one day be great.
Economic Impact of Small Town Tournaments Information Provided by Billings Chamber of Commerce and MetraPark
•
Small town tournaments are an economic driver for Billings. Funds generated are calculated at $225 per room per night during tournament time.
•
Tournament attendees not only fill hotels, but stimulate restaurant and retail sales for Billings’ merchants.
•
Revenues generated from basketball tournaments come during slow winter months, a point greatly appreciated by the Billings Chamber of Commerce.
•
In 2009, 22,510 fans attended the boys Class C Divisional tournament at Metra. Half that number (11,033) attended the Eastern A boys and girls Divisional tournament the same year.
•
The boys Class C tournament was held at Metra during 2012, 2010, 2009 and 2006. During those years, a total of 71,812 fans were in attendance. That’s roughly the population of Missoula.
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“The
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Everything h a ms. p pe yth
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Shift Workers and Circadian Rhythm
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The dark days of deep winter are waning and the sun, that longed-for orb of energy is emerging earlier each day. For most of us that’s great news. However, for shift workers—those who work outside of the traditional 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. work day— the opposite is true. When we are starting to wind down, they are just revving up, with their entire “day” ahead. They work while the rest of the world sleeps.
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Web MD cites long-term night shift workers as more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, depression, mood disorders, serious gastrointestinal problems, cancer and potential problems with fertility and pregnancy. According to 2004 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, almost 15 million Americans work full time on an evening, night, rotating or other employer-arranged, irregular schedules. Within the Billings vicinity, the number of night shift or rotating shift workers is likely greater than the national average. Two hospitals, three refineries, two area mines and other occupations including police, firemen, dispatchers and guards, keep our city productive and safe around the clock. Plus, the hundreds of oil patch workers of
Night Shift Helpers
Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming operate 24/7. Because of their irregular schedules, shift workers put themselves at risk of developing what is known as circadian rhythm sleep disorder. This disruption may lead to insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness and other physical ailments. Web MD cites long-term night shift workers as more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, depression, mood disorders, serious gastrointestinal problems, cancer and potential problems with fertility and pregnancy. This prevalence underscores the importance of shift workers living an ultra-healthy lifestyle.
Living example
Melatonin: Although not regulated by the FDA, some people find that taking melatonin several hours before their desired bedtime helps. Consult a physician prior to using.
Routine: Circadian rhythm and sleep are all about routine. Being supervigilant about sleeping patterns will give your body cues of when to be asleep and when to be awake
Light Control: When the sun is up, your body wants to be awake. If it is time to sleep, resist light, keep your bedroom dark and quiet. When it is time to be awake, pour on the sunlight.
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Zach Allred, operator at a local refinery for the past seven years, is married with three school-aged boys. Working three 12hour shifts (either days or nights) “on” give Allred a string of three or four days off that he spends with his wife and kids, pursuing their hobbies. Although the long swing shifts are not an option, if it is a choice between sleep and attending one of his kids’ activities, he picks family. “You always have to normalize it to society, and things happen when you are sleeping,” Allred notes. “If I ‘cheat’ on sleep, it’s for family life—that’s a priority for me.” Allred, in essence, is not any different than many other parents. He points to the “short splits” (when he has only one day to transition from a day shift to a night shift) and his 500 hours of overtime last year as the most difficult. Over the years he, like many others who work night shifts, has learned some coping mechanisms. “If I can get home before the sun gets up, that helps,” he said. “I sleep downstairs in the guest bedroom— it’s a cave—and wear earplugs. There’s an exponentially huge difference between sleeping and not sleeping.” Yet, Allred is quick to point out the advantages. “For all the stress it creates, it also allows me to do the things I want with my wife and kids. You can’t discount that,”
Allred said. “We can leave on a Tuesday to go camping and there’s no one there.” He is also often home when his children are home after school or during the summer. Veterans of shift work acknowledge the tradeoffs. Steve Harvey works as a sleep technologist at the Billings Clinic Sleep Disorders Center. Because he monitors patients with sleep disorders, his work is done at night. The night shift rotations and renting a room in Billings have allowed him to reduce the commute and still live in his desired hometown of Big Timber. Harvey has operated this way for nearly 20 years. “When I’m working, that’s all I am committed to. Then, when I’m back in Big Timber, I can enjoy my time off there,” he said, noting that he regularly gets eight hours of daytime sleep when he works nights. But, he admits, it wears on him. “The turnaround day is the worst,” he says of the day after working three night shifts and then returning to a “day” life. “I drive home and sometimes have to pull over to nap. We don’t make any big decisions on turnaround day.”
Rhythm of the night Dr. Robert Merchant of Billings Clinic has studied sleep disorder for 23 years. The key to working non-traditional shifts, he says, lies in understanding circadian rhythm (see sidebar) and learning your individual cycles. He also emphasizes the value of not “swinging” shifts, if possible. “You are better off sticking to a set shift or having a gradually rotating shift,” he said. “It is the rapidly changing shifts that really cause chaos. The system just cannot adjust. The problem is that most people don’t like to always be on nights. Our society doesn’t work that way.” That said, he notes that it takes about two weeks of gradual, methodical sleep/wake patterns to completely shift an individual’s circadian rhythm. However, most shift workers typically work three 12-hour shifts—not enough to completely “swing” their body’s patterns. Then, they abruptly try to join society. They go to their kids’ ball games, have lunch with a friend or run
Timing is Everything! • Residential • Recreational household errands—all activities that happen primarily during the day. These are individuals functioning on inadequate amounts of sleep— similar to a parent of a colicky newborn, an overbooked college student or an international traveler. And, that’s where the breakdown happens.
Making it work Despite these dangers, night shift may be the only employment option—or, it is simply part of the job. That is likely true of many laborers such as miner, oil-riggers and refinery
workers in addition to doctors, nurses, police officers, firemen and dispatchers. Others elect the night shift because it helps reduce day care costs and employers also offer a wage differential for the night shift, so it has a financial advantage. Parents of young children cite the flexibility and time with their children as a motivating factor. Regardless, you can’t cheat the Sand Man. The human body simply cannot function at optimum without sleep, notes Dr. Merchant. It’s just a matter of when and for how long.
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Maya Burton What is Circadian Rhythm? Dr. Merchant notes that circadian rhythm isn’t just about sleep, but rather
www.mayaburton.com
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an individual’s approximate 24-hour sleep-awake cycle. Most living things, even plants and tiny microbes, have circadian rhythm. In humans it is controlled by a group of nerve cells in the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and is located in the hypothalamus, just above the optic nerves.
He goes on to explain that circadian
rhythm is affected by internal mechanisms such as hormone release and body temperature. However, one of the most influential elements that affect the cycle is light.
As daylight fades, less light is
transmitted through the optic nerve to the SCN. This in turn stimulates the pineal gland in the brain to produce the hormone melatonin. Dr. Robert K. Merchant M.D, FCCP Billings Clinic
Melatonin makes us sleepy. That’s why those who live in northern climates tend to be
more energetic in June when there are nearly 16 hours of daylight versus December when there are less than nine.
We spend one-third of our lives sleeping and while it may seem
mundane, there’s actually quite a bit happening inside the human body during slumber. Muscle repair, memory consolidation and growth hormone release are important factors. In addition, sleep contributes to a healthy immune system and balances the appetite by regulating ghrelin and leptin, the hormones that contribute to feelings of hunger and fullness. However, a confused circadian rhythm may interrupt these important functions.
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2. 1.
RMC’s Black Tie/Blue Jeans 1] Mary Ann and
Doug Jenkins
2] Rod and
Jalene Kastelitz
Roche Juane Awards 3] Mayor Tom Hanel
4.
3.
Marissa Van Atta
and Robin Hanel
Downtown Christmas Stroll 4] Laurie and John Stockman
5] Natasha Potratz,
Willy Tyler, Lisa
Harmon and Daron
Olson
6] Cory and Trina
Heinzeroth and
7] Kaycee Anderson and 6. 5. 7.
8.
Linasay Bale
Artwalk/First Friday 8] Tom and Marsha Runge
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9.
Artwalk/First Friday (continued) 9] Maury and
Corrina Martin and
Fiona Furman
10] Krista Radi,Sara
Bjelland and Brooke Waldron
11] Peggy Ackerstrom,
Marsha Leonard
and Bonnie Wallila
10.
12] Andrew Sulser,
Jessica Gaard and
Ryan Gaard
11.
Collaborative Design Open House 13] Jason Fitzgerald,
Brian Johnson,
Keith Myhre,
Debbie Hinckley,
Travis Stimpson,
Daniel Roberts
13.
12.
14] Keith and
Melody Myhre
15] Todd and Rita
Clippinger, Andy Rio and Jeff Kanning
16] Jason, Jill and
Brinnen Fitzgerald 14. 15.
Photos courtesy of Angie Kramer, Samuel Jones, Shelley Van Atta, Collaborative Design and Rocky Mountain College
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16.
April 27, 2013 Rimrock Opera production of Verdi’s Aida
March 7-8
Big Sky Quilt Retreat & Show Shrine Auditorium bigskyquiltassociation.com
March 9
A Toast to Billings Junior League of Billings juniorleagueofbillings.org
March 15-17
Forever Plaid Billings Studio Theatre billingstudiotheatre.com
March 16
A spectacle of pyramids, priestesses and dancing girls, armies of soldiers and slaves frame a treacherous love triangle and a relationship that was never meant to be in Rimrock Opera’s presentation of Verdi’s Aida. Impassioned arias, surging choruses and heart-pounding orchestral music show Verdi at the peak of his powers–masterfully balancing pomp and pageantry with a deeply moving personal tragedy.
February February 11
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
February 14-16 MATE MetraPark Metrapark.com
February 15
Comedy beCAUSE 2013 Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
February 16
AKC Canine Good Citizen Test Yellowstone Dog Sports Preregistration required yellowstonedogsports.com
February 19
Swan Lake Russian National Ballet Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
February 21
The Velveteen Rabbit Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
February 23
Shrek The Musical Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
February 26
Turtle Island Quartet with Michael Doucet Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
February 28
America Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Celtic Street Fair Downtown Billings downtownbillings.com
MSU-B Winefest Studies Various locations winefoodfestival.com
March March 1-3
Home Improvement Show Montana Pavilion & Expo Center billingshomeimprovementshow. com
March 2
Lisa Lampanelli Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
March 3
In the Mood Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
March 7
The Ugly Duckling & The Tortoise and the Hare Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
BSO: A Royal Celebration with Billings Symphony Chorale Alberta Bair Theater billingssymphony.org
MAGIC I february 2013 I 95
The Rat Pack Show and Rendezvous Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
April 16
Opera 101 Mission Ridge Chapel rimrockopera.org
April 18-21
The Kitchen Witches Billings Studio Theatre billingstudiotheatre.com
April 19-21
Guys and Dolls Venture Theatre venturetheatre.org
March 30, 2013 Purple 5k, downtown bilings March 18
Project Homelessness: Youth Venture Theatre venturetheatre.org
The True Story of The Three Little Pigs Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
March 28-30
March 21-24
March 30
Forever Plaid Billings Studio Theatre billingstudiotheatre.com
March 22
Aïda Gala ZooMontana rimrockopera.org
March 23
Agility Fun Match & Spring Craft Fair Yellowstone Dog Sports Preregistration required yellowstonedogsports.com
March 27
Tracy Morgan Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
March 28
MSU-B Winefest Studies Various locations winefoodfestival.com
96 I february 2013 I MAGIC
April 19-21
Forever Plaid Billings Studio Theatre billingstudiotheatre.com Purple 5K downtownbillings.com Lord of the Dance Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
April 9
Opera 101 Mission Ridge Chapel rimrockopera.org
April 12
Damaris Carbaugh – A Benefit for Yellowstone Baptist College Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
April 12-13
April April 2
Opera 101 Mission Ridge Chapel rimrockopera.org
April 3
Jim Brickman Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
April 6
Opera Fest 2013 Yellowstone Country Club rimrockopera.org
Guys and Dolls Venture Theatre venturetheatre.org
April 12-14
The Kitchen Witches Billings Studio Theatre billingstudiotheatre.com
April 13
Eagle Fest 2013 Crowne Plaza 406-245-5422 The Rat Pack Show Alberta Bair Theater albertabairtheater.org
April 20
BSO Season Finale Alberta Bair Theater billingssymphony.org
April 25
Opera For Young People: Verdi’s Aïda Alberta Bair Theater rimrockopera.org
April 25-27
The Kitchen Witches Billings Studio Theatre billingstudiotheatre.com April 26-28 Guys and Dolls Venture Theatre venturetheatre.org
April 26-28
Project Homelessness: Youth Venture Theatre venturetheatre.org
April 27
Verdi’s Aïda Rimrock Opera Alberta Bair Theater rimrockopera.org
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MAGIC I february 2013 I 97
LAST WORD
by the numbers
Women By the Numbers March is National Women’s History month. To celebrate, we’ve compiled some interesting stats about the fairer sex. We’d also like to extend an extra special thank you to all the women in Billings who make a difference every day by just being themselves.
$36,278
The median annual earnings of women 15 or older who worked year-round, full time, in 2009. (Source: census.gov)
IX
1916
The year Jeanette Rankin of Montana becomes the first woman elected to Congress. (Source: DiversityInc.com)
19th Amendment
Passes in 1920, affording women the right to vote. (Source: DiversityInc.com)
1981
The year Sandra Day O’Connor becomes the first woman appointed to the Supreme Count. (Source: DiversityInc.com)
98 I february 2013 I MAGIC
Landmark legislation, Title IX, bans sex discrimination in schools in 1972.
111,000
Number of female police officers across the country in 2009. In addition, there were about 9,700 women firefighters, 338,000 lawyers, 294,000 physicians and surgeons and 38,000 pilots. (Source: census.gov)
(Source: DiversityInc.com)
46%
Percentage of women who make up the U.S. labor force. (Source: jobprofiles.org)
29.9 million
Number of women 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree in 2009, higher than the corresponding number for men (28.7 million). Source: census.gov
99%
Percentage of women who earn less than men in all occupations. (Source: jobprofiles.org)
85
Age at which there are twice as many women living as men. Source: census.gov
5 million
Number of stay-athome mothers (where spouse is in the labor force) nationwide in 2010. In comparison there were 154,000 stay-at-home fathers. Source: census.gov
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BIG R SHERIDAN • 2049 SUGARLAND DR. (307) 674-6471 • TOLL FREE 800-524-6471 M-SAT 7:30 am - 7 pmMAGIC • SUN 9I am - 5 pm 2013 I 99 february