Richmond, Indiana: A Mantra for a Greener Tomorrow

Covering TEDxRichmond in the spring of this year was one of the very first posts I typed as the Local-Lady. This year Earlham hosts one more 2013 TEDxRichmond. The theme is sustainability. From the event page:

"With a population of over 36,000 people, Richmond, Indiana is a beautiful and historic city that plays a role not just in Indiana, but in the larger world. Within Indiana, it has deserved its recent recognition as a Stellar Community, which will bring new investment to the city that will improve the lives of its’ residents and businesses. But Richmond is also an innovative, small-scale player in the current state of sustainability and the world environment. This year’s TEDx Richmond aims to showcase some of the smaller, more feasible ways towards environmental sustainability, by presenting various topics and issues currently relevant to the Richmond community."



What will be your mantra for a greener tomorrow? 

You've heard the quote, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".
There is another translation: "The journey of a thousand miles begins beneath one's feet."

It can be so difficult to even begin that journey, even the smallest personal lifestyle change that you know would be healthier for the planet seems to ask a lot of you. You can easily get bogged down by thinking: oceans of trash, toxins lurking everywhere and plastic coated everything.  I read recently a piece that resonated with me. Melinda Epler is a blogger with a mission to change the world by changing her own lifestyle and helping others to do so as well. She acknowledges here that:

"Awareness can be overwhelming. Fear can be debilitating. But we cannot let ourselves become overwhelmed and debilitated, because for one thing, that is not a good quality of life, and for another, those feelings get us nowhere. There are a lot of people talking about change, but not really doing anything about it – and maybe feeling guilty that they aren’t doing anything. I believe the best way to handle this feeling of being overwhelmed and debilitated is to just start somewhere, anywhere, big or small. From there, we can support one another and continue on our journey toward change."

So for me the mantra is both " the single step" and "beneath our feet".

Refocus to where you are and what you can do.

It's exciting to see young people who are in our community, who want to make those changes for a better tomorrow! I'm eager to see Richmond, Indiana move towards greater sustainability. I'm definitely enthusiastic about this TEDx theme.

Kudos to Earlham College's TedxTeam!

Image Source

What can we do now to work toward a greener tomorrow for our family and for our community right here in Richmond, Indiana? What is the single step we can take today to begin?

<3 the Local Gal

PS

There are a few spots left. It's not too late to register today for Saturday's TEDxRichmond event at Earlham College! Register HERE.

PPS

I love story telling. I love TED Talks. You watched one of my absolute favorite talks Here. Watch another talk on storytelling and fear below:

Richmond, Indiana's 5th Annual Melodrama: A World Premiere!

Don Mellen, Dramatist: Playwright, Actor & Director, 

An amazing World Premiere is coming soon
to Richmond, Indiana this September! Get the details and read the exclusive interview with co-director and script author, Don Mellen, only on the Local-Lady.

Thank you, Don Mellen!

Here we go:

Don, what can viewers expect when they attend the World Premiere?


"The play is called...

Mayhem at Mad Dog Mulrooney's Sassafras Saloon

or

Know When to Hold 'em; When to Explode 'em.

It's in the vein of the old-fashioned melodramas where there is a villain in black, a hero in white, the pure and innocent heroine, and assorted other characters. The audience is expected to participate by booing and hissing at evil things, cheering for the heroic, sighing at the romantic, "aww"ing at the pitiful and any other noises appropriate to the moment.  Some people have been so distraught by the villainous proceedings that they throw popcorn at the villain (available before the show and at intermission).  It's family entertainment too. There is no foul language and the kids really enjoy being able to cheer and boo and react."


One of the first shows you put on centered around the founding of Wayne County. Besides a bit of local history, what other influences or inspirations can you name?

"Influences can come from anywhere. TV, movies, books, even random conversations. Last year we wanted to do something a little different for where it was set, so Jane Turner and I talked about it, and decided to do a melodrama that took place on a River Boat, so that's what I wrote. We like to try to do something different than before to keep them interesting."

How long have you been writing and directing original plays for the Heritage Festival?

"The first year we did an adaptation of an old melodrama. The second year was Wayne County's Bicentennial, so I wrote an original melodrama that was set during the founding of Wayne County. The third and fourth years were also originals, as is this one. Before the Heritage Festival, I had been doing melodramas with "The Great American Tent Show Company" for over 25 years and was deemed the "resident villain" of the company, so I know a little bit about melodramas."



You're a published playwright! Where can fans find your work?

Melodrama fans can find 

The Lost Treasure of Blackbeard

or

All That's Buried is not Gold

which is currently being published by Pioneer Drama Service known as "The House of Melodrama".  To avoid people thinking that the show had pirates in it, we discussed it and the title was changed to...

The Secret of Charity Teach

or

Tide to the Wharf

It should be listed on the Pioneer Drama Service website in the next few weeks. It is already in the most recent catalog they mailed out. They've already asked me to submit more, so the one from last year...

Cast of the Mighty Mississip (Image provided by D.M.)

Peril on the Mighty Mississip

or

A Disaster of Titanic Proportions

will be sent in shortly, and after we are done performing this years melodrama, I plan to submit it as well.








Visit Pioneer Drama to look for future melodrama publications. Until then, be sure to swing by Mad Dog Mulrooney's Sassafras Saloon for The World Premier on September 6th at 7:30 pm or September 7th, 8th at 2:00 pm at the Wayne County Historical Museum in Richmond, Indiana!

Donald Mellen works as a Senior Consultant at Incirrus. Among his many plays, he's also the author of the handy dandy SQR Programmer Reference a 2nd Edition.

Special thanks to Don Mellen the man of the Melodrama & Co-Director of The World Premiere for this interview!

<3 the Local Gal