It’s been an interesting year so far. Good things include attending the NAMM show again, and having a film showing at Colossal Cinematic Showcase. The Idaho Film Collection supported my latest short film, “All We Didn’t Do,” about the pioneer life of Mary Hallock Foote and Arthur Foote in Boise. It will be archived in the BSU Albertsons LIbrary. IFC was very supportive in also helping with the Pink Feather movie many friends and I did a couple of years ago just when Covid had started.

The not-so-good, is a bittersweet thing that happened very recently. Friend and videographer Theresa Palmgren, who worked at KTVB Channel 7 and filmed my Pink Feather and 13 Stories films for me, passed away suddenly at work.

She had also helped film a surprise video with Mary Lambert, who was in town briefly for our Pride Festival. In addition to the music, she made mocktails and talked politics. This was such a fun day with Theresa and my friend Jenn Snyder.

Theresa’s passing shook the entire community. She was young, creative, and one of the most positive and helpful people I’d ever met. When I broke my shoulder and had other health stuff, she checked in on me. The day she passed, dozens of people met up and mourned at a local watering hole where we had recorded a couple of our movies. People sobbed, and told so many stories of her support.

I’ve kept myself busy, but think of Theresa every day. When I go to work, I think of how she’s no longer in the building next to our stations. We used to meet between buildings to share USB drives. I had thought we would work together on so many more film projects down the road. Whenever we lose someone, it’s kind of a jolt to look at our lives and see if we’re on a good path. With this, and my own health scare, I feel like I’m scrambling to get as many things done as I can. I hope I can leave something on this earth that lasts much past my time here.

My Youtube channel roxxboise hopes to be the closest thing to a legacy I can provide. It is years of work, hundreds of videos and remixes of bands. There are a few films on the channel, and some product reviews. My channel was hacked last year. I nearly lost it, and nearly lost my mind getting it back.

This first half of the year has been tough. I was spending $40 each week in gas all winter to learn that the last mechanic who did my tune-up plugged 2 of my spark plug wires in wrong. I spent hours trying to figure out why it ran so poorly, and this didn’t cross my mind. 6 months, $$$$ and 4 mechanics later, I found the right guy to figure it out.

2 of my coworkers I’d worked with for 12-20 years were put into surprise early retirement by corporate. It really rattled me. They are people I care about, and I can’t help but wonder what I’d do if it happened to me.

Also, the health checkups and clinical trial I’m in that I thought were free for 3 years…are much the opposite of that. I was surprised to see a bill of $4000 I hadn’t expected.

Not wanting to be the GoFundMe poster girl, this is going to be the summer of side hustles. I’m grabbing every remote broadcast they’ll let me do.

Back to some good stuff, I really miss playing music. I’d play several times a month if I could, but some of the groups I used to play with are doing different things, playing less, or playing with different people.

There will be an occasional show with SIS, the Sisters in Songwriting Group. They have an all-ages/all-gender music jam this Thursday 5/18 at Lounge at the End of the Universe, 5-7 pm.

This summer I hope to join Brook Faulk & The Family Corvidae. We’ll play 5/31 at Highlands Hollow Brew Pub on Bogus Basin starting at 7 pm. I haven’t been there in so long, and haven’t played there. It should be a fun time. Brook is a great songwriter, Emily Tipton is a part of this project, and I can’t wait to meet with the drummer and bassist.

I’m really excited to have a show, because playing music helps me forget about all the worries above, and more.

Lately I’ve gotten lost in this new guitar pedal, thanks to the NAMM Show and a sponsorship from the amazing folks at Donner Music.

Please check out my “She Likes to Go Slow” podcast, where I review this pedal and play all kinds of guitar samples. If you play guitar, this pedal will help you get out of your head for hours. Get the ARENA 2000 HERE, and while you can get the Amazon coupon.

With a built-in looper that supports up to 60 seconds of looper and 40 different drum rhythms, Arena2000 can quickly record demos or perform live as a one-man band. In order to allow you to freely create in the middle of the night, it also enables headphone output. Additionally, you can rapidly capture your inspiration using OTG and your phone.

60 Seconds of Looper

40 Drum rhythms