Middletown Magazine November 2022

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LEARNING TO LEAD

MIDDLETOWN ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS FIND SUCCESS WITH LEADER IN ME PROGRAM

Through the years, many programs have been developed to assist teachers in their quest to provide the foundational background for their students’ success, such as using leadership programs. One such program has found success in our areaStephen Covey’s Leader in Me program.

Derived from Covey’s award-winning book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” the Leader in Me program uses some of the tenets and ideas of the book, and creates a structured model for learning and leadership development.

Fortunately for our area, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) leaders have paved the way for some schools and leaders to use this tool, such as Middletown Elementary and Principal Danielle Doelling.

When Doelling came on board as the principal of Middletown Elementary about three years ago, her 20-plus years in education, which ran the gamut from teacher to administrator, hadn’t quite prepared her for one of the nation’s most challenging shifts in education, and how we teach the youth of our nation and the world - the pandemic.

Writer / Annette Skaggs Photography Provided

Teachers have a myriad of hopes and expectations for their students. Perhaps they emphasize equipping students with the basic fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic, or put more focus on social and/ or analytical skills. Whatever the skill sets that a teacher strives to impart, there is one rather universal tenet throughout the field of education - to provide the student with knowledge and an educational background that will lay the foundation for that student’s success in their life and career.

The Leader in Me program focuses on five specific paradigms of student development and achievement - everyone can be a leader (not just a few), everyone has genius (not just a few), change starts with me (as opposed to the system needing to change), educators empower students to lead their own learning (as opposed to educators controlling and directing student learning), and development of the whole person (not focusing solely on academic achievement).

In using these ideas and paradigms, teachers and students develop a new way of learning both inside and outside of the classroom, which leads to well-rounded development and appreciation for learning.

After years and years of roaming the halls, with children sitting at their desks or tables, classrooms turned into dining-room tables or living rooms, with teachers instructing via internet through nontraditional instruction. Just as the students adapted, so did our teachers and administrators like Doelling.

Despite having to take a break in using the Leader in Me program because of this new challenge of nontraditional instruction, Doelling knew her teachers and administration could still apply the Leader in Me program, once in-class learning could resume. In the meantime, Doelling certainly had positioned Middletown Elementary with a culture and

Principal Danielle Doelling

climate that invites teachers, students and even parents as a place of learning that espouses leadership development and cooperation. Now that the classrooms are buzzing with noise once more, the Leader in Me program is in full effect.

While Middletown includes kindergarten through fifth grade, the Leader in Me program is geared toward third through fifth grade. Instructors hope students begin to build what are considered soft skills, which are included with JCPS’s Backpack of Success Skills, which are: 1) Be a prepared and resilient learner, 2) Be a globally and culturally competent citizen, 3) Be an emerging innovator, 4) Be an effective communicator, and 5) Be a productive collaborator.

Incorporating the Leader in Me program, Doelling has found that her students are doing quite well in reaching the goals of both programs.

As one might imagine, a teacher or administrator cannot just walk into a classroom and begin using the Leader in Me program. There are many required hours of classes, as well as reading and certifications.

“There are three different parts to the training that we then use to teach our students - Core 1, Core 2 and Core 3,” Doelling says. “In Core 1 we look at understanding the habits of our students as well as diving into the curriculum. Our teachers are teaching different success skill sets or habits each month, and we track the improvement of the students. In Core 2 we look to the goal setting of our students for leadership and development of their portfolio, much like the JCPS Backpack. It is also within this Core that we will impart goal setting for our students, which we affectionately refer to as WIGS - wild, important goals. Within Goal 3 we are now assisting our students in the development and discovery of strength as a leader and student.”

“While Leader in Me was developed using ‘The 7 Habits,’ there is an eighth one that we use - a focus on finding strength in each and every student,” she continues. “Among those strengths is the ability to do for others, so part of our dynamic is service learning. Our students have been involved with numerous programs and activities that include assisting some of our special-needs students, as well as having a drive to collect duffel bags and backpacks for children to use at the Home of the Innocents. Our students are also involved in anti-bullying campaigns and environmental club.”

Doelling shares that the motto of Middletown Elementary is “Discover the brilliance in every child.”

“I certainly share with my staff that we need to strive to meet this, and I believe that the Leader in Me is a great foundation for doing so,” Doelling says. “Not only are we building strength and a want to learn

within our students, we ourselves are learning from them. We as educators have an accountability to our students and to their parents as well, that we focus on an education that will serve as a foundation for their continued success going forward in life.”

Doelling says her teachers take continued classes for the Leader in Me program.

“In fact, we will be taking a Core 2 class over the summer, which usually takes a day and a half of training that then has occasional follow-up sessions,” she says. “There are also other courses that our staff can participate in, that take three to four days of training that usually occur over the summer months. Oftentimes, coaches from the Leader in Me program come to us or provide virtual access when we have these meetings and training sessions, as it is the most efficient and cost effective. The program is not at all inexpensive, which may be part of the reason

why it is not implemented in every school.”

Doelling says only a handful of schools including Middletown Elementary and Locust Grove Elementary - which is considered a Lighthouse School, a term the program leaders use to distinguish a highly successful use of the program - currently use the program.

“At this time we are experiencing about a 75 to 80% goal-setting rate,” she says. “For the 2022-2023 academic year I’d really like to see us at 100%. I also want to see us sustain the teaching habits and use them as they were meant to be, as a tool for success. In two years’ time I’d be delighted to see a full implementation of all of our goals. I am happy to say that the Lighthouse Grouppart of the Leader in Me trainers - will be able to assist in training 10 more educators, including those in our special-needs department and our assistant principal.”

HELP FOR THE HOLIDAYS

SANTA’S LITTLE HELPERS TO HOST CHRISTMAS CHARITY PAJAMA PARTY AND HOLIDAY MARKET

Writer / Gavin LaPaille Photography Provided

Christmas pajamas have become synonymous with the holiday season. Michelle Williams, executive director and founder of Santa’s Little Helpers, Inc., wants to make sure more children are getting in on the fun.

Santa’s Little Helpers, Inc. is a nonprofit organization in Louisville that hopes to empower the lives of children impacted by foster care, especially those in residential facilities. This year the organization is hosting its second annual Holiday Market, with a theme focusing on that late-night loungewear everyone likes to break out around Christmas.

Williams is asking the public to put on their pajamas, bring a new pair of adult-sized pajamas to donate, and join her December 4 at the Sawyer Hayes Community Center in E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., to kick off the holiday season with the Santa’s Little Helpers, Inc. Christmas Charity Pajama Party & Holiday Market. The event will feature Christmas crafts, face

Michelle Williams is ready for this year's Pajama Party

painting, a holiday market, a parade with the Grinch, a silent auction, and pictures with Santa, with the goal of receiving donations for the group’s Christmas care packages.

“This is something we do each year for foster kids,” Williams says. “The care packages always include a new pair of pajamas. That’s our signature thing each year at Christmas time.”

Last year Santa’s Little Helpers donated more than 300 pajamas to foster kids in local residential facilities, thanks in large part to sponsors and individual donors that made donations, and the inaugural Holiday Market. This year Williams is aiming higher, setting a goal of 500 pajamas to donate throughout the city. Williams says donations should be new and unwrapped, in adult sizes for boys and girls.

Williams says she reaches out to local facilities such as St. Joseph Children’s Home, Bellewood & Brooklawn, and

Maryhurst to see what the needs are and what she can donate.

“I reach out to them and see who has a need,” Williams says. “They all want pajamas. That’s something the kids really look forward to during the holidays. We give out pajamas to everyone as long as we have enough donations.”

The Holiday Market won’t be the only avenue the public can use to help Williams achieve her goal. Santa’s Little Helpers, Inc. will also have Pajama Trees at local Class Act Federal Credit Union locations and at the Louisville Indoor Racquet Club on Westport Road. There will be specific gender and size information on the trees so people can buy a pair of pajamas for a specific child. Once purchased, the pajamas can be dropped off at bins at the same locations. The trees will be available some time in late November, and will run until mid-December of this year.

“The pajama tree is a way to get more people involved,” Williams says. “At Christmas time people are looking for ways to help those in need. We know we need 500 pajamas and we don’t have the budget to meet those needs. If we can encourage families to buy one pair, that is one less pair we have to figure out how we’re going to fund.”

Williams started Santa’s Little Helpers five years ago in an effort to be an inspiration to foster children, and to serve in ways that support them while they face multiple challenges in residential facility environments. She says something that seems small like pajamas can go a long way toward bettering the lives of these children.

“I started this organization five years ago because I wanted to do my part in helping foster children get their basic needs met,” Williams says. “They receive support from many avenues, yet they still have more needs, especially at Christmas. My goal is to help normalize their lives by stepping in and

providing items that all children enjoy, as well as basic, everyday items.”

Williams became interested in helping foster children after watching her mother unofficially foster children. She also worked with foster children while obtaining her master’s degree in counseling psychology.

“My mom basically fostered a couple of kids over the years when we were growing up,” Williams says. “I have seven siblings and my mom had a day care. There was always a house full of kids. If there was a kid that didn’t have a place to go, they would come to our house. Most of the time it was for a day or so, until they could work things out with their parents. She communicated with their parents to make sure they knew where their kids were, and allowed them to stay until they could work things out. As I grew older I realized it was considered fostering, under the definition. I saw the importance of stepping in and helping kids find a safe place when they are in need. Residential

facilities do just that for foster kids.”

Williams says everything came full circle while watching a movie called “Christmas Oranges” with her daughter. The movie was about a foster child who is forced to leave her orphanage and move into a situation that is worse, where the only gift the children receive for Christmas is an orange, if they are nice. After watching the movie and realizing there are children out there who may not get any presents for Christmas, Williams went into action to get Santa’s Little Helpers off the ground.

“Our mission is to build the self-esteem and confidence of foster children by building a foundation of literacy, personal growth and development,” Williams says. “One of the reasons we donate pajamas is because kids wear pajamas every day. As they grow, they need new pajamas. A lot of times pajamas, socks and underwear are the basic things people buy for themselves or their kids when they need them. Those are the things

people don’t really think about for foster kids. Kids need underwear, they need socks, they need pajamas. Those things are really important, but people don’t think to donate those kinds of things.”

In addition to the Holiday Market, Santa’s Little Helpers also hosts a Christmas in July Back to School Party, which generated 500 school supplies that were donated earlier this year. It’s all in an effort to help the nearly 8,000 foster children who live in Kentucky, almost 10% of whom reside in Jefferson County.

“There’s a big need for the community to step up and help,” Williams says. “It’s really a good thing to give at Christmas to help these kids have some semblance of a normal life. A lot of the foster kids have some disability, learning or emotional or behavioral, so they can really use the extra support. They come from complicated backgrounds and that impacts their selfesteem, personal growth and development

in various ways. At the end of the day, we must remember they are just kids who want to be kids.”

Moving forward, Williams says she hopes to continue growing Santa’s Little Helpers, Inc. so they can impact even more children down the line.

“Overall, I would love to expand our service area to all of Kentucky,” Williams says. “That would be my ideal goal, where we could serve more foster children around the state. Right now we’re just in Jefferson County. I would love to expand to the rest of the state and then move to Indiana. We just want to continue to do good in our community by supporting foster children, so they can thrive and have a better chance of being successful when they get out of foster care.”

For more info, visit santaslittlehelpersinc.com.

Joey & Larry Craig

ON FULL DISPLAY

and passed away in 2020 at the age of 101, was a prolific figure in American folk art who captured memories of small-town domestic and community life, as well as biblical visionary scenes, through her paintings, murals, quilts, wooden sculptures, dolls and collages.

Drawing upon several of these mediums, the exhibition features more than 35 works showcasing LaFrance’s wideranging body of work, from glimpses of everyday life to powerful civic and spiritual moments. “Kentucky Women: Helen LaFrance” will be on view at the Speed through April 30, 2023.

regional collection loans, the exhibition documents her western Kentucky rural and small-town experiences, rooted in Mayfield and around Graves County.

Photography Provided

The Speed Art Museum will present “Kentucky Women: Helen LaFrance,” opening as a survey of the artist’s career spanning nearly six decades. LaFrance, who began painting in her 40s

A highlight of the exhibition is its selection of LaFrance’s celebrated sense-memory paintings. These recall moments from everyday life - church picnics, shared meals, parades and funerals - including a painting acquired by the Speed in 2021, “Quilting” (1998), which depicts a group of women working on a quilt. Drawing from private and public local and

“Helen LaFrance’s work provides an intimate look into a century of local history through the eyes of a black woman living from Jim Crow through the turn of the new millennium,” says Chief Curator Erika Holmquist-Wall. “LaFrance was an influential artist whose gifts were recognized by communities and collectors alike, and this exhibition is designed to introduce new audiences and longtime fans to her life’s work. It’s an important step in further cementing her artistic legacy, and we hope this display helps foster more interest in LaFrance’s unique perspective.”

As the second installment of the Speed’s “Kentucky Women” series spotlighting women artists from the museum’s home state, the exhibition will be displayed salonstyle in the Kentucky Gallery to illustrate the scope of LaFrance’s prodigious creative

Helen LaFrance

Photo Courtesy of Shelton Gallery

output, while placing it near other regional artistic traditions. Programming will include a screening of a 2018 LaFrance documentary at the Speed Cinema, as well as events and education surrounding the tornado that struck LaFrance’s hometown of Mayfield in December of 2021, nearly destroying the historic St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church but leaving intact a mural created by LaFrance in 1947 - one of her first-known public works. The exhibition will include a display regarding the mural and aftermath of the tornado, and information on how visitors can support the community’s efforts to preserve the mural and the rebuilding efforts in the Mayfield region.

“When the Speed began the ‘Kentucky Women’ exhibition series in 2019 with Enid Yandell, it was an affirmation of the museum’s commitment to tell the full story of the state and its artists,” says Speed Museum Director Raphaela Platow. “Now with Helen LaFrance we are able to highlight the influence of another trailblazing figure who made an indelible impact in the arts and in her community, something we look forward to continuing with this exhibition series.”

“Kentucky Women: Helen LaFrance” is organized by the Speed Art Museum and curated by Holmquist-Wall and Marissa Coleman, the Speed’s 2022 Association of Museum Directors intern. Support for the exhibition is provided by J.P. Morgan, Lopa and Rishabh Mehrotra, and Anne Brewer Ogden.

To learn more, visit speedmuseum.org/ exhibitions/kentucky-women-helenlafrance.

ABOUT THE SPEED ART MUSEUM

The Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, is an independent, encyclopedic museum, and the oldest and largest art museum in the state, where our mission is to invite everyone to celebrate art forever. The Speed serves as a cultural hub where people can connect with each other and the work of artists from across the world in new and unexpected ways. Raphaela Platow currently serves as museum director.

Established in 1927 by philanthropist Hattie Bishop Speed, the museum has undergone several renovations and expansions, now

occupying more than 200,000 square feet on the University of Louisville’s campus - the most recent of which, led by wHY Architecture’s Kulapat Yantrasast in 2016, tripled the amount of exhibition space and added a state-of-the-art cinema, a family education center, an indoor and outdoor cafe, a Museum Store, and a multifunctional pavilion for performances, lectures and entertainment to the Speed’s robust offerings. Thanks in part to the generous support of the Owsley Brown family and the Brown-Forman Foundation, admission to the museum is free on Sundays. For more information, visit speedmuseum.org.

Five Tips for aFun Thanksgiving Weekend

It’s time for turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, and a big slice of pumpkin pie with a dollop of whipped cream. I’m hungry just thinking about all the delicious sides I’m going to put on my plate. Thanksgiving isn’t just about food, however. It is a time to celebrate with friends and family. While it can be a stressful weekend, I am here to help alleviate some of the stress with a few pro tips I’ve learned through the years.

I’ve experienced every kind of Thanksgiving weekend - traveling and visiting more than one Thanksgiving celebration, going out to a restaurant instead of cooking, hosting a large group, and being a guest. Between us, some weekends were more stressful than others. It doesn’t have to be. I learned that I need to squeeze in some fun for myself and family. The weekend should be fun for you. It’s a time to be grateful, but also to take care of yourself. Let’s have the best Thanksgiving weekend ever. Whether you are a host or guest, here are five tips for a fun Thanksgiving weekend.

Writer / Aimee MacArthur Photography Provided

ESCAPE

BRUNCH AND SHOP

It may seem silly to go out to eat when you already have a lot of leftovers and a stocked fridge. My dad says going out to breakfast or brunch reminds him of being on vacation. I agree. It’s relaxing, and you get an early start and have the whole day ahead to do whatever you want. The best part of going out to brunch? That’s easyno dishes. It is a win for everyone.

After my family goes to brunch on Thanksgiving weekend, we always like to do a little shopping. We make it a point to try and shop at local stores, and use the weekend to support small businesses. Bring a holiday list and use it as a time to grab a few gifts. I find that some small businesses will wrap presents or put them in a fancy bag with tissue paper. I always appreciate the personalized service small businesses provide.

After an entire day of

desserts, it’s a good time to work off those calories. Even better, why not participate in a walking or running event during the holiday weekend? There are usually a handful of events happening on Thanksgiving weekend. Recruit your friends and family to participate or to be part of the cheering section along the race course. Many of these events have a small fee to participate, and often money goes to a charity or other worthwhile cause.

If there is no event in your area, visit a local park with friends and family and do some walking.

EXPLORE YOUR HOMETOWN

PLAY TOURIST IN YOUR CITY

Take a break from shopping and play tourist where you live. I have the most fun when I am exploring my city. I love to visit my favorite places and also find new places to try. My family’s tradition is to go to the movies after Thanksgiving dinner. It’s a fun tradition, and a way to relax and be entertained. If you’re in the mood for some friendly competition, try a few games of bowling, pool, or even a trivia night at a local sports bar.

If you’re looking for something a little calmer, my family enjoys visiting our local art museum. We can spend a few hours looking at the gorgeous works of art and chatting about which is our favorite. We also like to take a few family photos in front of the museum.

Don’t forget the kids. We like to include a kid-friendly outing during Thanksgiving weekend and our go-to place is the local zoo. My nephew loves riding the train and seeing the animals. We like to try to stump each other with trivia about the animals. The zoo is also a good place to take a family holiday photo.

test it out, make you an offer and CUT YOU A CHECK ON THE SPOT.

RECHARGE

PAMPER YOURSELF

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CLATER JEWELERS

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing

Clater Jewelers has served generations of Louisville and Southern Indiana families as their trusted jeweler for brilliant diamonds, colored gemstones, beautiful fine jewelry and treasured gifts for decades. With a tradition of trust, high ethical standards, knowledge of products, services, and fair pricing, Clater Jewelers has provided a great value to customers since first opening in 1949.

Now approaching their 73rd anniversary, this family-owned business is owned and operated by Sallie Clater Baer (daughter of founder William Clater) and Megan Campbell Martin, who have both been with Clater Jewelers for 49 years.

“Our staff has over 180 years of combined experience ,” Megan says. “Our knowledge of diamonds and jewelry helps us to serve our customers and find the perfect piece of jewelry, diamond or colored stone for their jewelry needs”.

Clater jewelers is the only member of both the Independent Jewelers Organization (IJO) and the Retail Jewelers Organization (RJO) in Louisville, which gives exclusive access to the largest independent jewelry buying groups in the world. “We travel to multiple IJO and RJO jewelry buying shows every year, and we buy diamonds directly from Antwerp, Belgium, the Diamond Capital of the World”, Sallie says. “Belonging to these organizations and going to the buying shows, we can acquire many pieces that no one else carries. We can personally shop for our customers and handpick pieces to fit their personality,” says Sallie.

In addition to their IJO and RJO memberships, Clater Jewelers has a GIA (Gemological Institute of America) Graduate Gemologist on staff. Christy Martin Effinger, Megan’s daughter, spent one year in Carlsbad, California, to study diamonds and gemstones. She graduated with the prestigious Graduate Gemologist certification in October of 2009.

The highly trained staff works directly with customers to create custom pieces for any occasion. “We specialize in taking family

jewelry and redesigning it into a piece you will love to wear. We understand how special family jewelry is to our customers and take special care to create exactly what they envision,” says Sallie.

Their unparalleled customer service guarantees you will be satisfied with your jewelry purchase. They take pride in all the repair services they provide, including insurance and estate appraisals, on-site jewelry repairs, expert pearl and bead restringing, machine engraving, all done in house. They provide complimentary jewelry inspection, repair estimates and jewelry cleaning.

“We are all passionate about our jobs, and we love jewelry! We are very customer-service focused, and many of our customers are like family,” Megan adds.

1201 Herr Lane #170 Louisville, KY 40222 (502) 426-0077

Clater Jewelers is truly a family jeweler. They are committed to helping their customers, treating them like family, continuing their education and providing the best jewelry at the best value. They also have a Better Business Bureau A+ rating.

Conveniently located in Westport Village, 1201 Herr Lane, Suite 170, Louisville, KY. Clater Jewelers is open from 10a.m.-5p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 A.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. For more information, visit claterjewelers.com.

SHOW OF SUCCESS

JEN TULLOCK TALKS CAREER AND HOMETOWN CONNECTION

Writer / Julie Engelhardt Photography Provided

As you drive through downtown Louisville, you’re greeted by gigantic Hometown Heroes banners hanging on the sides of buildings, honoring Louisvillians from a variety of professions. There’s one for boxer, activist and philanthropist Muhammad Ali. Journalist Diane Sawyer has one, as does actress Jennifer Lawrence. There are many other entertainers and entrepreneurs from Louisville who have made their mark on the world, and possibly one day they will have their photographs flying high above the city. One person who might come to mind is actress Jen Tullock.

Tullock has been working very hard for the past 16 years in the entertainment industry, in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. Her professional credits include guest-starring in the HBO series “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and on ABC’s “Bless This Mess,” plus she’s appeared in shows on Amazon, Hulu and Showtime. She’s done a great deal of sketch and improvisation work at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles, The Peoples Improv Theater in New York, and the Broadway Comedy Club. She’s been in quite a few commercials (you may have seen her as the harried assistant to actor Jon Hamm’s lead character in H&R Block

spots). Her film credits include supporting roles in the Netflix movie “6 Balloons” and in the Hulu film “Door No. 1.” She was the lead in “Red Light,” and the lead as well as co-writer for a film called “Partners.”

Tullock was born at Baptist Health Hospital and grew up in both Jeffersontown and Crescent Hill. She attended Christian Academy of Louisville for many years, but spent her final year of school at Eastern High School. Tullock explains that her performing and writing skills were somewhat self-taught. “I was kind of doing this on my own from the beginning,” she says. “I was like a lot of creative, hyperactive kids - constantly writing songs and plays, and performing with my friends in the neighborhood.”

She and her younger brother Ryan, a multiinstrumentalist, composer and bass player in the band Tennis, grew up in a household brimming with talent. Their parents are both musicians. Their mother is a singer, pianist, piano teacher and recording artist. Their upbringing definitely shaped the siblings’ future. “My brother and I were very privy to not just music, but to the music industry as well,” Tullock says. “We were in recording studios and we were able to attend live performances, so that was kind of a cool entryway to being on stage. I learned the value of why people feel connected to a live performance and I realized I wanted to make that a career.”

When Tullock was a teen, her family began spending summers in Poland. “They were working there doing music education,” she says, adding that her brother even had the opportunity to play in the Warsaw Youth Symphony. “I’ll be honest, it was a very strange chapter of our lives. It’s quite complicated, but what I will say, in the end, it provided a very cool addendum to an otherwise very American life. It’s been an incredible opportunity to have a community outside of the one we were previously accustomed to.”

Tullock says she didn’t do a lot of theater in the local Louisville scene because her family didn’t have a lot of money to spend on classes. “That was tough and it

made me jealous of kids who had those opportunities,” she says. “But, the positive in that is it required me to be creative.” As she entered her high school years, she spent time with Music Theatre Louisville, plus she performed in plays at Trinity High School.

After graduation, Tullock headed to Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. Although she had been accepted into larger schools, she felt that staying in the Midwest suited her both financially and geographically. Her knowledge about the world of acting and associated disciplines flourished while attending the university.

“What’s cool about Millikin is they have an entirely functional and student-run theater called Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre,” she explains. “I was attracted to that school because you could build an interdisciplinary degree, which is what I did. I was studying playwriting and essay writing, and all the time you had this adjacent studentrun theater where you could do more

experimental stuff and put on your own plays. I already knew that I wanted to be writing plays, so that was very cool.”

One important lesson Tullock took from her time at Millikin was knowing she would have to be diligent about finding her own way in the world. “It wasn’t the kind of school that dumped you right out into a

closely connected community like you’d have in New York or Los Angeles,” she says. “I also think what I got out of the program is that there are so many options for creativity out there.”

Tullock decided to stay in the Midwest after graduating in 2006 and headed to Chicago. She appeared in plays and even

Jen with Alec Baldwin in "Before You Know It" Photo Courtesy of 1091 Pictures

wrote a one-woman show centered on her childhood obsession with singer and actress Barbra Streisand. She also began producing mockumentary shorts, but all the while knew she wanted to do something bigger. “Chicago is a great city, but it wasn’t where I saw my career longevity,” she says. She then packed her bags and headed to New York.

Her arrival at the Big Apple was, as she describes it, “pretty classic and almost obnoxiously romantic.” She had her belongings in a suitcase and $30 to her name. Fortunately, Tullock was able to find work at a variety of places. She was an assistant to a man who ran a media program at a graduate school, she waitressed, and she

I began writing stuff, and I slowly made friends and kind of became part of the downtown and Brooklyn comedy scene,” she says. She then went on to make a political satire video that went viral, and that led to her getting her first manager. She began making commercials and eventually headed to Los Angeles, where she began working steadily in television.

Tullock now makes her home in what she describes as a “cartoonishly lovely scenario,” in East Los Angeles. “We jokingly call it the compound,” she says. “I live in a beautiful, old Victorian craftsman house, and four of my six neighbors are my closest friends. We grow avocados and lemons and pomegranates, and so there’s constantly people harvesting in the backyard. It’s really cute.”

A variety of opportunities have come Tullock’s way. In 2019 she and her best friend and collaborator Hannah Pearl Utt had their feature film “Before You Know It”

premier at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Tullock says she and Utt met while waitressing in New York and they came up with the idea of writing a script together at the time. They worked on the film through several years, and after meeting up again in Los Angeles, they finished their script and took it to the Sundance Institute’s lab project. Tullock explains that the lab is somewhat like a camp for filmmakers. “The Sundance Institute at large is as supportive as can be, as far as helping to connect you with film markets and giving notes on drafts, and mentoring,” she says. “They changed our lives. I absolutely owe a huge portion, if not all, of my career to them.” Tullock even had the opportunity to work with her brother on the movie, as he wrote the score and played most of the instruments.

Their film revolves around two sisters, played by Tullock and Utt, and the trials and tribulations of their family. In the wake of a sudden family tragedy, the sisters learn that their mother, presumed deceased, is

actually alive and working as a soap-opera star, which leads them to deal with new issues. Tullock and Utt had the opportunity to learn from and work with three highly respected actors through their association at Sundance, including Judith Light (“One Life to Live,” “Who’s The Boss”), Mandy Patinkin (“The Princess Bride,” “Yentl”) and Alec Baldwin (“Beetlejuice,” “The Hunt for Red October”).

Tullock’s most recent project is a dramatic series called “Severance” on Apple TV+. The program stars actor Adam Scott (“Parks and Recreation”), with Tullock playing the role of his sister. Others involved with the production include show creator and writer Dan Erickson, actor Ben Stiller, who will direct the series, as well as Patricia Arquette, Britt Lower and Zach Cherry. “I’m really excited about it and I think Ben is an incredible director,” she says. “It’s really cool to be working with the show creator, Dan. I think he’s an incredible talent and it’s very special

because we knew each other at a very different point in our careers. It’s cool to come back together for something like this.”

Someday, Tullock says, she’d like to return home to Louisville to work on two projects she’s creating. “I’m writing a feature that I’ll also direct, produced by one of our producers from ‘Before You Know It,’” she says. “It will be like a love letter to Kentucky.” The other idea is for a semiautobiographical television series. She says she can’t divulge much about it, other than the fact that it’s about theater that takes place in churches.

Tullock says she feels incredibly lucky to be working in different mediums. She says she loves working in television because it’s so much fun, but film will always be close to her heart. And before we know it, we may see her picture smiling down on us from one of the tall, tall buildings in downtown Louisville.

ZEN AND THE ART OF NON-THINKING

Writer / Dave Schroerlucke Photography Provided

“He’s unconscious!” “She’s playing out of her mind!” These are phrases that you often hear when an athlete has entered the elusive “zone” of optimal performance, where execution seems almost effortless.

“You’re overthinking it!” “Get out of your head!” These words are likely to be uttered by coaches when an athlete is in a slump and searching for ways to recover their lost confidence.

The idea that excessive thinking disrupts performance is old news to teachers of eastern martial-arts disciplines such as archery and swordsmanship, who for centuries have been alerting students to the interfering nature of the ego and evaluative mind.

This article examines the Japanese concept of mushin, a state of non-thinking that

undergirds the practice of traditional martial arts, and considers how athletes and performers might learn to reliably cultivate such states while performing in high-stakes environments.

MUSHIN AND FLOW

“A single thought changes the path of the arrow.”

—Zen Proverb

The eastern martial arts tend to be closely associated with the spiritual traditions out of which they originated. The practice of the Japanese martial arts such as archery, swordsmanship and aikido, for example, share a deep connection with Zen Buddhist philosophy.

The Zen concept of mushin (“no-mindness”), along with the nearly synonymous munen (“no-thought-ness”), is used by instructors of these martial arts to emphasize the importance of removing

mental interference during combat or competition. Sometimes translated as “unintentional,” mushin refers to a state of consciousness that is free of intellectual deliberations or emotional disturbances of any kind.

In western psychology, the well-researched concept of “flow” is basically equivalent to mushin. When elite athletes and performers are asked to describe flow states, more commonly referred to as “being in the zone,” their descriptions inevitably include many of the defining features of mushin including merger of action and awareness, altered perception of space and time, loss of self-consciousness, and sense of effortless mastery.

The extent of the overlap between these two concepts suggests that flow might have been a thinly veiled rebranding of mushin for a Western audience. Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, the positive psychologist who coined the term “flow,” made no secret of the fact that

he is not the originator of the idea, nor of its applications, readily acknowledging that “in the east, techniques for achieving [flow] proliferated and achieved levels of enormous sophistication.”

EAST MEETS WEST

“How can you think and hit at the same time?”

—Yogi Berra

Mushin and other Zen concepts first made their way into western discourse through the efforts of early teachers of Zen philosophy, most notably D.T. Suzuki, who took up residence and began teaching on the U.S. west coast in the first half of the 20th century.

In “Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind,” Suzuki explains that in order to perform optimally, conscious effort “must be given up so that it will not interfere with the fluidity of mentation and the lightning rapidity of action. The man must turn himself into a

puppet in the hands of the unconscious.”

The application of Zen ideas to sport followed closely behind. In “Zen in the Art of Archery,” Eugen Herrigel described his six-year course of training with a Japanese master of archery who “insisted upon the development of an ‘un-self-conscious’ drawing of the bow and releasing of the arrow.”

Herrigel’s book was to have a substantial impact on Western sports psychology, spawning a seemingly unending parade of “Zen and the Art of…” instructional manuals (this article included) as well as a host of other popular books in which Zen philosophy is applied to competitive sports.

THE “ZEN MASTER”

In one such book, “Sacred Hoops,” legendary NBA basketball coach Phil Jackson explains how he made use of Zen principles in creating a culture that helped

his teams win an unprecedented 11 world championships.

Jackson, affectionately referred to in popular media as the Zen master, expressed the concept of mushin in his own words: “The secret is not thinking. That doesn’t mean being stupid; it means quieting the endless jabbering of thoughts so that your body can do instinctively what it has been trained to do without the mind getting in the way.”

Jackson is careful to point out that not thinking is not the same as not being engaged. On

the contrary, by not being pulled away from the present moment by past regrets and future expectations, the athlete can become completely immersed in the action, to the extent that she is prepared to react spontaneously and intuitively to whatever the moment requires.

The clarity and fluidity of mind described

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by Jackson is equivalent to mushin, because only the absence of evaluative thinking allows such total absorption in the present moment.

MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS

In Zen practice, the state of mushin is cultivated primarily through meditation. In fact, the word Zen originally derives from the Sanskrit word dhyana, which translates approximately as “absorption” or “meditative state.” Thus, a good starting point for athletes hoping to foster such a state is to establish a regular meditation practice.

By learning to become a detached observer or witness of the continual arising and passing away of thoughts, athletes can develop the capacity to allow the frenzied parade of thoughts to pass freely through consciousness, neither identifying with them nor trying to suppress them.

Ideally, through mindfulness practice (our name for meditation in the west) one can train the mind to enter a state of mushin both prior to and during competition, so that the inevitable arising of thoughts does not serve as an impediment to performance.

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

I get it. Meditation can be a bit of a tough sell these days.

In our age of technological hyperconnectedness, there are many sources of

potential distraction constantly beckoning for our attention. Between binge watching the latest season of “Game of Thrones” and monitoring all seven of your social media accounts, who has time to sit on a pillow and not think?

My sales strategy: Let someone else give the sales pitch. A good place to start is a popular book on the subject (perhaps the audio version). By now there are books applying Zen and mindfulness to just about everything under the sun. There are at least a dozen for golf alone. Just do a quick web search for your chosen craft and Zen/ mindfulness. You can hardly miss.

Another, perhaps better strategy is to make use of hero power (aka the “Be Like Mike” strategy). Find a superstar within the wouldbe meditator’s chosen sport or performing art who attests to the power of meditation or mindfulness. As we all know from the world of advertisement, the endorsement of cultural heroes is of inestimable value when trying to convince people to try something new.

In addition to outsourcing sales, you can also outsource training. With the number of meditation apps for your smartphone or tablet growing daily, learning meditation is now easier than ever. Insight Timer is a great free app that has all the functionality you need to start a daily practice.

My personal favorites are Waking Up (by Sam Harris) and 10% Happier (by Dan Harris, no relation). These are paid apps, but they offer far more in the way of instruction

and guidance for the beginner. Headspace is another popular meditation app, geared toward the hipster crowd, with both free and premium paid versions.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

As I explained in my article “Why We Choke,” there are multiple conflicting explanations for what causes people to choke under pressure. One point of agreement among the explanations, however, is that choking is ultimately the result of too much thinking. The antidote to the problem of excessive thinking is, of course, less thinking.

If you can learn to get yourself into the state of mushin, where you become so completely immersed in the task at hand that you are not really thinking at all, then you will have the best chance of executing what you have trained yourself to be able to do unconsciously through countless hours of practice and repetition.

Unfortunately, not thinking is not as easy as it sounds. It takes deliberate practicespecifically mindfulness practice (which is the socially accepted way of talking about meditation in the west), and a lot of it. So find yourself an app and a good cushion, and get on it.

With you in the pursuit, Dr. Dave

For more performance/mindfulness related content, visit ripeminds.com.

PARK LOUISVILLE MEMORY CARE

PEOPLE SAY THERE’S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT PARK LOUISVILLE.

It’s something you feel from the moment you visit. From premier supportive personal care services that empower residents to live with dignity, to our renowned Flourish Memory Care program. Charter Senior Living of Park Louisville creates a place where residents feel loved and treasured… because they are. Call today to ask about our move-in special!

CHRISTIAN CARE COMMUNITIES

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

Aging is not what it used to be. Access to good health care means that people are living actively much longer. In turn, many seniors are living independently, but that doesn’t mean they want to continue to work as hard as they used to. Autonomy is great, but so is not having the burdens that accompany homeownership. As a result, seniors are embracing the idea of an independent living community where they can socialize with their peers and enjoy life, but not have to worry about mowing the lawn, shoveling the driveway or repairing appliances.

“The carefree piece of that lifestyle is very enticing for them,” says Cliff Whalin, executive director of Christian Care Communities - Middletown. “We take care of everything from changing a lightbulb to repairing the air conditioning and furnace, or furnished appliances.”

The garden homes feature multiple floor plans, ranging from 885 square feet for a one-bedroom home all the way up to 1,440 square feet for a two-bed and two-bath home with a den. Some garden homes have garages and others have carports. Many have enclosed, all-season sunrooms. In addition, pets are welcome.

In lieu of purchasing a garden home, residents pay a one-time entrance fee and then a monthly maintenance fee. The entrance fee means that residents avoid all the burdens of ownership, and don’t have to hassle with property taxes or homeowner insurance.

“They pay that one time and will get most of that back, or if they pass away, it will go to their estate,” says Whalin, who notes that the resident will have access to the majority of those funds if they need to transition to assisted living.

“If they move to assisted living, once they’re out of their garden home, they can have their garden home refund applied toward their rent in Assisted Living,” Whalin says.

When a resident elects to relocate to a garden home, they get to customize it prior to moving in by picking out a fresh paint color and new flooring if needed.

“Sometimes people go all out and change some of the light or bathroom fixtures,” Whalin says. “Between the time the resident puts down a deposit and when the home is move-in ready, they’ve got 60 days to list and sell their house.”

Spiritual care is woven through the entire culture of the community. Residents have access to the chapel, Sunday worship services and bible studies. In addition, the community offers games, activities and exercise classes.

Seventeen years ago, Henrietta Barker moved into a garden home and has enjoyed residing in a manageable living space.

11530 Herrick Lane Louisville, KY 502-254-1799

middletown.christiancare communities.org

“The fact that I don’t have any responsibilities as far as maintenance, outside yard work or inside work is so nice,” says Barker, who likes the tranquility that Christian Care Communities offers. “This quiet area is an unknown gem.”

The Christian Care team is very social, and regularly organizes cookouts, potluck dinners, and even bus trips out to restaurants and sites such as the Waterfront Botanical Gardens.

“Everyone who lives here is very friendly,” Barker says. “We have get-togethers to socialize, but since I live in independent living, I also have friends outside of here.”

She’s not the only one who has loved Christian Care Communities. Her four children have thanked her many times for moving into the facility when she did. Not only did it force her to declutter her house, but they can also rest easy knowing their mom is enjoying a safe, secure, serene life.

JILL ORT, REALTOR AT RE/MAX RESULTS

“Leah was youthful, energetic, brave and kind,” Ort says. “You’d never know she was sick because she was always helping out friends and asking what was going on in their world.”

Ort joined forces with the LLS last year as a Visionary and helped raised $22,000. Combined with others on her team, they raised $450,000 in 10 weeks. This coming year she will continue her support by sitting on the leadership committee. Her goal is to host an annual tennis fundraiser every May at the Louisville Tennis Club, through which sponsors and individuals donate to the LLS.

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided

Jill Ort’s passion for rescue pups started organically.

“I bought my first home and wanted a dog of my own, but preferred a rescue,” Ort says. “I rescued a dog and that dog, in turn, rescued me.”

Ort, a realtor with RE/MAX Results, began advocating for rescue dogs - particularly pit bulls - after getting involved with rescue organizations like MisPits & Friends Rescue (mispitsandfriends. org), whose goal is to provide a safe haven for all dogs.

“I know how sweet they are and often they get a bad rap,” says Ort, who has fostered numerous dogs, but also vowed that any dog she fostered would stay with her until getting adopted into a forever home. “Often, they come from unsettling situations. I want them to decompress, adapt, learn how to be loved, and feel comfortable being around other dogs and humans.”

Ort purchased a house with an acre and a half of land, allowing her five rescue dogs (two pit bulls, a deerhound, a foxhound and shepherd-husky mix) to move about freely.

In addition to her involvement with animal rescue, Ort has a passion for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), which started after she lost a dear friend to leukemia in 2019 following a valiant 14-year battle.

“My promise is to keep pushing to help find a cure for leukemia,” she says.

Ort, who has always loved architecture and design, has been a realtor for just five years but feels it is her calling. She has sold $1,000,000 homes, $70,000 land lots, new construction, and everything in between. She particularly relishes helping first-time homebuyers as well as those who are relocating. “I’ve lived in five different states, so I get it!” she says.

9204 Taylorsville Rd., Suite 216 Louisville, KY 502-708-7333 kyresults.com

“I love the connection with people, the intricacies of a home, and the overall process of home buying and selling,” says Ort, who admits that the real estate market can get emotional sometimes. “It is a large financial investment and I want to make sure my clients feel protected. I help guide my clients through each step.”

She does this by managing expectations up front, getting to know her clients, staying in communication with them and, most importantly, helping them reach their real estate goals.

“Most of my business comes from referrals, repeat business and friends,” Ort says. “If you’re not my friend at the start of the process, my hope is that you will be my friend by the end.”

VFW POST 1170 AND AUXILIARY TO HOST MAMMOGRAM DAY

Writer / Debbie Walthall Photography Provided

For more than 30 years, the VFW Post 1170 and Auxiliary members in Middletown have opened their doors to the community for Mammogram Day, provided by Brown Cancer Center, for women 40 and older. In the early years of supporting women’s health screenings, women had their testing completed inside the VFW building with the machines available at that time. Dedicated lifetime Auxiliary members, volunteers and organizers Nancy Garwood and Della McCracken (past Auxiliary president) say those were the days before the state-of-the-art mobile unit that Brown Cancer Center currently provides.

The mobile unit began in 1994. Today Debbie Judd Walthall, past Auxiliary

president of six years, and President Sharon Rexroat, are the organizers and volunteers for Mammogram Day at VFW Post 1170. The Auxiliary is proud to partner with Brown Cancer Center to provide a convenient, friendly location to the community for prevention and early detection. The Auxiliary at 1170 in Middletown provides volunteers for the day to help with check-in and required paperwork, working closely with Pam Temple Jennings, cancer control specialist at the Kentucky Cancer Program. The VFW and the Auxiliary were among the first to provide community services with the mobile unit for Kentucky.

The VFW 1170 and Auxiliary continue to be a model for community mammogram screenings. They have been instrumental

in creating community screenings, making the event successful year after year, and the Auxiliary is recognized for this event. The Auxiliary enjoys reaching out to the women in the Middletown community, and this is one of the best examples of what they do. The VFW and the Auxiliary continue to provide community outreach.

Mammogram Day is scheduled for November 16 at the VFW Post 1170, located at 107 North Evergreen Road in Louisville, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

For more information and to make appointments, call 502-853-6318. Insurance will be filled as provided. There is a grant program for women without insurance through the Kentucky Department for Public Health, based on income.

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