Edmond Outlook - January 2018 by Outlook Magazine

January 2018

Bold Color of Confidence

Sabih Kalidyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real estate adventure Moving Forward In 2018: Q&A with Mayor Lamb Life Changing Loss Original, One-of-a-Kind Comic Art Collector

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Features 8 Last month my girlfriend, Alison, and I both got couches on the same day. But our paths to “rest and relaxation” were very different. She’s a smart shopper and spent multiple evenings and weekends stalking the clearance rooms at Bob Mills and Mathis Brothers for a stylish bargain. She was patient, but once she found the set that would work - she pounced. Decision made. Action taken. In fact, she had to wrestle the set away from another bargain buyer. As she tells it, there was a Church Lady wanting the set for her parish and Alison pulled her “single mom with two girls in college” card and won the toss up. Me? I pored over websites and a few select catalogs and finally ordered a couch from a fancy “designy” shop in downtown OKC. I had my eye on this particular design for months and when the manufacturer had a 20% sale - I bought. And then waited and waited and waited…3 months later I had a new couch. The differences don’t end there. As I mentioned, both couches arrived the same day. I met Alison at Mathis Brothers and hauled her well-stalked bargain set back to her place on my trailer - saving her an additional delivery fee. And my couch arrived by truck to my house. Once we muscled Alison’s new couch set into her living room, she knew right where it needed to go because she had drawn precise diagrams on graph paper - and she had color coordinated pillows ready to place. Within minutes her living room was complete. Weeks later as I type out this column on my new couch, I’m half in my living room; half in my den and somewhat facing my big screen TV. Because the couch hasn’t moved an inch from where the delivery guys placed it. Ah, works for me. At least I’ll have help finding matching pillows.

LIFE CHANGING LOSS

Cancer survivor finds career in prosthetic technology

A NATURAL CALLING

MOVING FORWARD IN 2018

HISTORIC HOPES AND DREAMS

BUSINESS, KALIDY’S WAY

ORIGINAL ART, ONE-OF-A-KIND COLLECTOR

30-year park naturalist Neil Garrison follows his passion into retirement Q&A with Edmond Mayor Charles Lamb Oklahoma’s history revealed through century-old music collection Sabih Kalidy’s real estate adventure

Hand-drawn comic masterpieces are James Siegel’s obsession

Business

TWISTER AGILITY & DOG SPORTS

Training dogs and their owners BELLA DONNA STUDIO

Donna Lowrey, Esthetician

Columns 26

DR. J. DAVID CHAPMAN

The Campbell – A New Design for a New Year LOUISE TUCKER JONES

Happy New Year

Dave Miller Back40 Design President Cover photography by Marshall Hawkins

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FEATURELOOK

Life Changing Loss

Joshua Hodgson was 12 when he decided to pursue a career in the prosthetics industry. It was an unusual choice, but his motivation was with him daily, or rather, not with him. Bone cancer took part of his leg when he was a child.

By Amy Dee Stephens

Joshua Hodgson

Now, he’s been working full-time in the industry for eight years, but Hodgson has 27 years of experience wearing the same types of technology he’s helping other amputees to wear. He knows firsthand what it’s like to experience the muscle spasms, back pain and the constant soreness of alignment issues.

“I compare it to wearing old shoes,” Hodgson said. “Over time, shoes become uncomfortable and cause soreness and blisters. At the end of the day, you just want to take them off. We feel the same way about taking off our devices—except we really need them to do things, like get in the shower or go to the restroom.” The good news is that the technology of artificial limbs and braces continues to improve, with better feet, knees and arms coming out all the time. Fortunately, Oklahoma is a strong leader in all aspects of the industry, from research to fabrication. A growing number of students in the U.S. and Canada begin their training at Francis Tuttle Technology Center in Oklahoma City, with a Prosthetics Technician degree. “Going to Francis Tuttle was a huge asset to my career,” Hodgson said. “They gave me the vital fabrication training I needed, which accelerated me into a management position at a major prosthetics company within the first year.” According to Joe Young, the director of the program at Francis Tuttle, the prosthetics career is still little-known, but its exclusivity has perks. “Our students have good employment rates, a nice starting salary, and most remain in the industry for a long time,” Young said. “They use medical skills that are less about pathology and more about using tools and hand coordination. Art and carpentry students are usually very successful.” Besides fabrication, students intern at clinical sites to learn more about patient care and fittings—a role that came easily to Hodgson, who could relate to amputees. “Being an amputee isn’t just physical, it’s psychological,” Hodgson said. “It’s a lifelong journey to overcome obstacles, to adapt, and to understand that you can do a lot, but you can’t do everything like everyone else can.” “Some people are bitter, especially if they lost their limb traumatically, but most of us are active and mobile and just want to be treated as ‘normal.’ In my case, my amputation saved my life, so I’m not bitter about it.” To learn more visit francistuttle.edu.

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FEATURELOOK

A Natural Calling By Amy Dee Stephens

30-year park naturalist, Neil Garrison, follows his passion into retirement.

pipeline away from the trees containing eagle nests, then that prevents them from suffering negatively.”

Thousands of Oklahomans remember learning about the great outdoors from park naturalist, Neil Garrison. Even though he retired in 2009 after 30 years at Martin Park Nature Center, he has continued his role as a naturalist in the community.

Nature Writing

How do you know a raccoon’s been here? Listen to that mockingbird! Whose scat is that? “I’m retired now, so I have the opportunity to fill my time with things that bring me pleasure,” Garrison said. “I thought, ‘What makes me happy? God planted a seed in me to be outside in the flora and fauna. I enjoyed nature education for 30 years, so I decided, ‘I’m still going to do nature education!’” Garrison is leading tours, demonstrating survival skills, and writing a nature column—but these days, it’s all on a voluntary basis. For example, two of Garrison’s long-time hobbies are wood whittling and flint knapping, which is the art of making tools from stone. He regularly volunteers at museums and festivals to demonstrate the skill of shaping arrowheads. His love for archeology is overshadowed only by his joy of bird watching.

Writing 52 articles a year was intimidating at first, but Garrison quickly realized that nature never runs out of interesting topics. He appreciates the discipline that the weekly deadline adds to his life. It forces him to be creative, observant, and to keep up with current research. “I derive enjoyment from writing. Whenever I’m wondering, ‘Is anyone reading this stuff?’ someone will approach me unsolicited to talk about my article, or some stranger I meet will say, ‘Did you see that piece in the newspaper about bird migration?’ And I say, ‘Actually, I did. I wrote it!’”

Eye to the Sky

Saving the World

Early into retirement, Garrison, a life-long bird watcher, joined the MAPS 3 Senior Health and Wellness Center. When he walked in and saw treadmills, he said, “What do you have to offer me? How about exercise out in the fresh air and sunshine where birds are singing?” Soon afterward, he was leading regular bird-watching field trips for seniors at various locations around the city. To Garrison’s satisfaction, folks show up even when the weather is windy or drizzling.

Garrison’s calling as a park naturalist came naturally. He spent his childhood years running barefoot through Oklahoma’s backwoods and cow pastures. His college career plan, however, met resistance from his mother, who was dismayed by his choice to enter into biology instead of banking or some lucrative career, but Garrison insisted that happiness meant more to him than money.

He also volunteers as an eagle nest monitor for the Sutton Avian Research Center. Garrison’s assignment is to observe specific nests in central Oklahoma to see if the eagles return to their nests each year and successfully raise hatchlings. “The data is an important way to protect the species,” Garrison said. “If there’s an option to route new road construction or an oil

During Garrison’s career, he once wrote a monthly nature column for the Oklahoman newspaper. Topics ranged from “Nature’s Fireworks: Lightning Bugs” to “Keeping Squirrels from your Bird Feeders.” He enjoyed it so much that he thought he might like to write again. “So I approached them and said, ‘Hey, remember me? I can write for you again, but this time, I’ll do it for free!’ They said, ‘You’re hired, but can you do an article every week?’”

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“I decided I want to enjoy life. I want my life to be meaningful. I want people to be more knowledgeable about the out-of-doors and spur them toward positive action,” Garrison said. “I miss interacting with the public like I used to do at Martin Park, because I liked talking to people and feeling like I was saving the world. So now, I’m finding ways to continue on that path.”

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FEATURELOOK

Moving Forward in 2018 Outlook spoke with re-elected Edmond Mayor Charles Lamb about his third full term and his future plans for the city. Q: What do you see as our city’s biggest challenges, and how do you propose to solve them?

Q: Are there any other elements about downtown revitalization or any other projects that you’d like to talk about?

Q: How do you plan to solve or address Edmond’s growing transportation problems?

Q: What are some of your long-term dreams for Edmond’s future?

A: The biggest challenges we have here are growth needs and the community’s wants. They’re not always the same thing. There are projects of scope that the public wants, and then of course we have needs like street construction. It’s balancing that against our revenues.

A: One of our tools that we’re employing is a thing called Intelligent Traffic System (ITS). We have installed that system along 2nd St., from Saints Boulevard all the way to the city limits. It allows for a managed response to traffic flows. Another way is planning ahead for growth and matching up our money with federal money to expand road corridors. We’re also involved in the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) discussion for light rail rapid transit. State legislation was approved a few years ago to allow for this inter-governmental interaction, so the stage is set. The easy part is the planning, the hard part is the execution. Q: What do you foresee being the impact of the Hilton Garden Inn and Edmond Conference Center?

A: What the conference center does is it brings us a business traveler, a traveler we’ve never had anything to offer. Since it’s located where it is, we expect that to be a nice pop to our sales tax activity, and they’re already booked for events out into 2019. There were four or five major studies performed documenting how valuable a conference center would be. It’s not a convention center, but it’s scaled for meetings up to 800 people. That covers an awful lot of ground. We see that as a rather significant tool in our arsenal to bring visitors to Edmond. We’re already talking now about how to get the visitors staying at the hotel conference center into the core of Edmond. 14

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A: We have seen, and are seeing, quite a bit of private investment in retail-residential projects. Some have come out of the ground, some are in the development stage, but that follows about $18-20 million public investment, which doesn’t include the Public Safety Center, but does include a number of capital projects.

A: In my first term, during the 1990s, we were able to accomplish a vision project for this community, where citizens collectively determined a vision for what this community should be. All my time in service, that’s been the template I’ve been working with. Essentially, it means keeping downtown healthy and viable. We need to maintain a high quality of life, and sufficient revenues to maintain those amenities. I wanted a community where my kids could raise their kids, have careers and do so, and Cheri and I are enjoying the benefits of that, because both of our kids have their families right here in Edmond. Q: What are your goals for the upcoming year?

A: I hope that we continue the momentum. I’d like to see more of the activity for the downtown private investment. We’re still working with the University of Central Oklahoma on some major projects to see if we can come to a consensus about how we would get that done. We’re doing multi-millions in investments in infrastructure, both wastewater and water to build for the future. I just feel honored to be allowed to do this service. Interview by Ian Jayne

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FEATURELOOK By Amy Dee Stephens

Historic Hopes and Dreams Oklahoma’s history revealed through century-old music collection

Dale Ingram began collecting Oklahoma-related sheet music because of his personal interest in history. He found that the music and lyrics are literally a time capsule of Oklahoma’s history. “The earliest pieces I have date back to the Land Run, when people were settling into the territory and forming a new state. The music is about the hopes and dreams of people who are romanticizing about building a new life,” Ingram said. Ingram has amassed sheet music representing nearly every year, from 1894 to the present. The culture, hardships, religion and racial beliefs of each generation shine through. The music represents farmers, oil fields, universities, cowboy movies, the blues, the 101 Ranch, the formation of Tinker Air Force Base…and the list goes on. Ingram began collecting Oklahoma memorabilia, including old comic books and movie posters, back before the internet existed. Now, he enjoys the thrill of finding something new online, bidding for it, and anticipating its arrival in the mail. He certainly has some favorite pieces. The highlight of his 170-piece sheet music collection includes five pieces written about the gangster, Pretty Boy Floyd, who was raised on an Oklahoma farm and then worked in the oil fields of Pottawatomie County where Ingram was raised.

Dale Ingram

Ingram is also intrigued by early songs that claim to be Oklahoma’s official state song, before the Rogers and Hammerstein version of “Oklahoma.” And his most recent purchase was sheet music from the 1930s art deco period, which was performed by a band at the Skirvin Hotel and heard live on WKY Radio. Now, he’s making a significant portion of his music available to researchers, sharing his collection with various museums, the Oklahoma History Center, the Metropolitan Library System, and the Woody Guthrie Center. In his experience, every song has a mystery to reveal-and not just to him. “Every piece of pop culture has a story behind it,” Ingram said. “To be lived, it has to be shared. Oklahoma, more than any state, has been defined by pop culture, from The Grapes of Wrath, to Will Rogers, to folk and country music.” “The last thing I want to do is let this collection sit here and get old in my basement,” Ingram said. “If someone can study it and fill in the history of what people are writing and singing about—it opens windows into our history and reflects who we are as Oklahomans.”

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BIZLOOK

Twister Agility

“I decided that agility was similar in ways to horse training and I wanted to try,” she said. “We both took to it immediately.” Dudeck opened her business in 2004 and the dog training facility is now celebrating the opening of its new indoor heated training facility at 11807 S Sooner Road in Edmond. Until now, classes took place almost entirely outside.

By Morgan Day

Those enrolling their dogs in agility classes have high hopes their pet can eventually bob and weave their way through a competition course and follow through with commands with minimal effort on the owner’s part. But a lot of people don’t realize that when a dog gets trained, so does its human. That’s why Nancy Dudeck, owner of Twister Agility & Dog Sports, succinctly describes her job this way: “I train dogs and their owners.” “We teach the owners how to train their dogs to do the sport of agility,” Dudeck said. “If they’ve never done agility, they think it’s going to be a cakewalk. Maybe they’ve watched agility on TV or the internet and it looks like so much fun — and it is a

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lot of fun — but it also is a lot of work. There’s a high level of training that goes into it.”

Dudeck said some people come to class intending to compete one day, and others are solely in it to learn something new with their pet. Either way, the goal should be to have fun and make the experience enjoyable for the person and the pet.

At Twister Agility, pet owners can enroll in weekly one-hour sessions with Dudeck and assistant instructors Jessi Cantwell, Heidi Cleveland and Kris Hiney. While most students opt for the group classes, some prefer to take private lessons — and then some do both.

“It’s more than just training the dog,” Dudeck said. “The people and their dogs look forward to coming to class. A lot of the students have highpressure jobs during the week and that one hour of dog training every week is their escape; they come, play with their dog and they’re relaxed, and when they go back home they feel like their life is a little bit better.”

A former equestrian, Dudeck hung up her riding boots when faced with a back injury and turned to training her new Alaskan Malamute puppy.

Learn more about Twister Agility & Dog Sports by visiting twisteragility.com or email nancy@twisteragility.com.

JANUARY 2018

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FEATURELOOK

Business, Kalidy’s Way By Amy Dee Stephens

Remember when the Kalidy building, with its brightcolored panels, was first built at Memorial and Eastern? I was among the many who wondered, “Is that a day care or a dentist office?” Owner, Sabih Kalidy, grinned happily as he explained, “We did it purposely, because we wanted people to be curious and look us up—and people did!” Now, the company’s reputation in the real estate industry is going so strong that Sabih is building a larger facility in Edmond. It will feature the trademark color panels that so delight Sabih, who loves bold, flashy colors. “It really started with the red doors we put on our houses,” Sabih said. “I like bold colors because they stand out and give off positive energy. It creates an atmosphere where I love coming to work.” Positivity truly radiated from him, and somehow, he’d replicated his attitude--the whole office was like an oasis of happiness. Each employee I encountered in the open-concept office was equally cheerful. Sabih said it’s because he only hires nice people. “It creates an environment where I don’t feel exhausted at the end of the day.” Sabih was eager to show me around the office, which has a modern design, without being too stark. The high-tech offices with glass walls are broken up by brick panels lined with wine bottles, adding an oldstyle European touch to the atmosphere. A massive polished stone table hangs from steel cables in the conference room, and Thunder basketball memorabilia is scattered throughout the office. “I want people to feel comfortable here,” Sabih said. We passed the lobby, lined with movie star posters. “I want everyone to see something here that brings them good memories,” he said. His sense of humor peeked through when we came to the life-sized image of Big Foot on the wall. “See this? People take their picture with this Big Foot all the time! It’s been tweeted numerous times.”

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Sabih and I sat down to talk further about his business. He shared that the company is successful because of his proprietary real estate software—which was scrolling across large screens in his office, allowing him to track every aspect of his business at a glance. He confessed to remembering every one of the thousands of properties his company has bought or sold. Apparently it was true, because shortly afterward, the magazine photographer, Marshall Hawkins, dropped by. Marshall introduced himself and said, “I sold a home to Kalidy several years ago.” Marshall mentioned the street name and Sabih said, “Oh yes, isn’t that the one we put a new roof on?” He then proceeded to describe the house and the new buyer accurately. Sabih’s newest business venture for 2018 is the opening of Kalidy Autoplex, which will feature cars for sale and rent that are seldom seen in Oklahoma, like Lamborghinis and Ferraris. “Instead of renting a limousine after a wedding or party, you can now rent a Rolls Royce convertible.” Despite his success, Sabih’s guiding business principle is “family first.” He leaves work at five o’clock to eat dinner with his wife and children. He helps with homework, and he never misses their activities. He rides his bicycle daily and finds time to read books about people and technologies that have changed the world. “A typical day for me is a fabulous day,” Sabih said. “Every day is very rewarding, helping lots of families get into homes.” Instead of giving me the typical “thank you for coming” handshake at the end of our interview, Sabih offered me a bottle of Kalidy wine. From beginning to end, he’d proven himself to be a gracious host—and just as he’d hoped, I left feeling comfortable. I laughed when I read the sign above the exit door: We thought you’d never leave. Only a man with Kalidy’s confidence in his hospitality would be bold enough to pull that off. He knew I’d laugh. Learn more at kalidy.com

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FEATURELOOK

Original Art One-of-a-kind Collector By Amy Dee Stephens

A year ago, James Siegel learned about the genre of collecting original comic book art—not the comic books themselves, but the one-of-a-kind drawings made by the artist before publication. It’s a small but growing niche of art collectors, and Siegel has entered the field aggressively. Tell me about your collection… I own about 40 pieces. I collect images that mean something to me, usually because I enjoyed reading the comic book or because I like the artist’s style. I’m really drawn to Spiderman, Wolverine, and Venom, who is Spiderman’s villain. I’m also big on collecting paintings by Clayton Crain. How did your collection get started? I started reading a monthly comic series called Chew. I hadn’t read comics in years, but when I looked up the artist, I saw that he was selling the original artwork—the very artwork that he spent a ton of time drawing before it got scanned in and published. I thought, “I can buy this? This is a hobby?” I guess all collectors want a collection with exclusivity, but you can’t get more exclusive than one out of one! What lessons have you learned? Some people get into this hobby to earn a profit, but most of us just want to appreciate the artwork. Each artist generates tons of comic book pages, but not all of those pieces are desirable. Pages without much action, called “talking head” pages, have a lesser value. The ones that sell have action scenes, characters in costume, or scenes of significant dialogue that reflect the storyline. It’s a hobby that can become financially significant if you want to purchase something like a pre-1960s Superman or Batman. The classics are extremely rare, because the original art was rarely saved. A lot of it ended up in the trash or on the publisher’s floor to spill coffee on. Those can go for six figures, but more modern work by lesser-known artists is pretty inexpensive.

James Siegel

Any advice to interested collectors? I did a ton of research before buying my first page, and I still regret one of my early purchases, because it was a scanned image that someone had inked over. A good starting point online is Comic Art Fans. It’s a good place to see major collections, what you like, and what’s for sale. Also, Original Art Aficionado articles talk about beginning a collection and how to understand industry terminology. What do you do with your art? When I started last year, I had blank walls in my home office, so now I have a lot of my collection framed so that I can enjoy it every day. The pieces I’ve bought are ones that I really love. I don’t really buy pieces with the intention of selling them, although I did just complete a major trade of three of my Clayton Cain’s works in exchange for some legendary artists’ works. Financially, it was a no-brainer, but I had a lot of anxiety in letting go of something I loved. Once it’s gone, you’ll likely never get it back. How does this collection fit into your life? It’s a hobby that can be as time-consuming as I want, but since I’m a dad, I mostly look online after my son goes to bed. So far, I’ve not yet met anyone in Oklahoma with this same hobby; I’m mostly connecting with collectors around the world. The Marvel movies have definitely brought the comic book industry back, and that appeals to the people who read comics as kids in the 1970s-1990s and are now adults with a disposable income. For me, there’s nothing like looking at the original art of a classic character I grew up with. Like most collectors, my preferences are decided by nostalgia.

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BIZLOOK

Bella Donna Studio

Located inside Eve’s and LuLu D’s By Morgan Day Clients of Bella Donna Studio come from all walks of life, but they tend to have one thing in common by the time they step out of the spa chair: They’re wowed by their results, whether it was a microdermabrasion treatment, waxing or tinting.

microdermabrasion,” she said. “This highly effective, non-invasive exfoliation treatment addresses acne scars, stretch marks, age spots, wrinkles and fine lines for a smoother, healthier looking complexion.” One client raved to Lowrey after a series of treatments — typically performed once a week to start off — that her face hadn’t looked that clear in nearly two years, despite other efforts. The service, which lifts dead skin cells from the face and smooths the skin, isn’t just for female clients. Men see excellent benefits as well.

Donna Lowrey, esthetician at Bella Donna Studio, admits that seeing her clients revel in those transformations is her favorite part of the job, too. Lowrey’s skin care services include glycolic acid peel, glycolic peel and microdermabrasion, and deluxe facial. She also offers waxing services, which include arms, underarms, legs, bikini, chin, upper lip and eyebrows as well as eyebrow tinting.

Lowrey, a graduate of Central State Beauty and Wellness College, opened Bella Donna Studio in August 2016. It’s located inside Eve’s and LuLu D’s Salon & Boutique, 610 S. Kelly Ave. in Edmond, along with a lineup of other talented technicians specializing in everything from haircuts and coloring to hair extensions and creative nail designs. For an Edmonite looking to save time and find fashion and beauty services all in one place, the salon and clothing boutique is a one-stop shop.

“My clients really like the results, especially with our most popular service, the diamond-tip

“With the clothing store attached to us, and the hair salon and nail care, it’s just a festive

atmosphere here,” Lowrey said. “I think that’s what sets Bella Donna Studio apart is this great setting.” Stay up to date with new services and specials by following Bella Donna Studio on Facebook at @BellaDonnaStudioEdOk. Hours of operation are 10-5:30 Tuesday through Friday, and Saturdays by appointment. Call (405) 359-9909 to book your appointment today.

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CITYLOOK

The Campbell

A New Design for a New Year

By Dr. J. David Chapman

Urban planners strive to create “people-oriented cities.” This is a relatively new term describing the effort to make cities more sustainable and livable by employing different urban design techniques and trends that re-orient cities around people rather than cars. A popular design in the urban developer’s tool belt is the “mixed-use development.” Mixed-use development blends residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, and/or entertainment venues, where those functions are physically and functionally integrated thereby providing pedestrian friendly connections. These mixed-use developments are creating positive citizen experiences in many suburban cities like Edmond, though Edmond has yet to fully embrace this type of development. Brandon and Jennifer Rader, who own the Rader Building Company, plan to change that and create Edmond’s first mixed-use development called the “The Campbell.” The Raders have a passion for development. Jennifer brings a background and education in interior design and Brandon in real estate brokerage and home building. The two even admit going to open houses and architectural tours together as “date-night” when they were dating. This passion for interior design, real estate, home-building and construction is being directed to a 1 ½ acre tract of land between Campbell and Edwards in Edmond’s downtown urban district just west of the University of Central Oklahoma. The Campbell will comprise two buildings. The first is a 43,205 square foot, 4-story building. The first floor will have 15,000 square feet of restaurant

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and retail space. The second and third floors will be 15,000 square feet of apartments and office space each. The most impressive and anticipated aspect of the project is the fourth-floor patio restaurant with an unbelievable view of the UCO campus to the east and downtown Edmond to the west. This has the potential to be the crown jewel of Edmond dining. The second building will face Edwards, be three stories tall, 39,954 square feet and include 36 high-end apartments. The residential building will have 13 one-bedroom units, 17 two-bedroom units, 4 three-bedroom units, and 2 four-bed units. The project designed by Edmond-native Todd Edmonds with HSE Architects shows a respect for the UCO campus and downtown Edmond architecture, with an urban flair. The project site plan has passed Edmond City Council and Jennifer and Brandon expect to break ground on the project within the next 90 days.

Dr. J. David Chapman is an Associate Professor of Finance & Real Estate at UCO. jchapman7@uco.edu

ALOOKBACK

asked if I would like to write a column. I was accustomed to going onsite and interviewing someone for a story. I had no clue how to write a column and asked what he wanted me to write. “Whatever you want,” he replied. Wow, that sounded good—but—what did I want to write? What would readers like? My first efforts were mainly “people” pieces, being accustomed to the interview process. But gradually, my own thoughts about life began to make their way to the page. I wrote about growing up on a farm in an era where we had no indoor plumbing or phone or TV in our home. Surprisingly, some of you grew up the same way and enjoyed hearing about such a time. By Louise Tucker Jones This month marks the 10th anniversary of the first column I ever wrote for Edmond Outlook. Back in the day, I wrote feature stories and even did some editing for Edmond Outlook. I was shocked when the publisher, Dave,

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Then little by little I shared my life and you rewarded me with emails, telling me how much you appreciated the stories. I had found my voice and was comfortable enough to share both happy and sad events. You smiled along with me when I wrote about my son, Jay wanting a limo ride to Sonic for his 30th birthday. He got it! And everyone attending his

party took a turn around the neighborhood in that limo. It was like a pony ride! I also shared the saddest part of my life—the death of my loving husband. Even today, six years later, I am still blessed by your prayers and the sweet notes of sympathy you sent. And yes, I still miss Carl more than I could ever put into words. Many of you tell me how much you enjoy the column, and I am so humbled by your compliments that I just want to say “Thank You” to such loyal readers. I look forward to sharing many more stories with you and always welcome your email notes. Wishing you a Happy and Blessed New Year! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Louise Tucker Jones is an award-winning author, inspirational speaker & founder of Wives With Heavenly Husbands, a support group for widows. LouiseTJ@cox.net or LouiseTuckerJones.com.

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80 East 5th St., Ste. 130 Edmond, OK 73034