So this past weekend was packed full of fun, culture and surprises. We had a blast at the Northern Cherokee 2014 Homecoming Pow Wow and then came back for the Sunday matinee of Choregus Productions presents Martha Graham Dance Company. 

The best and sweetest surprise of the weekend is when our daughter Nataya and son-in-law Steven had their Baby Gender Reveal Party. Yes folks, you heard me. We are going to be grandpas, or GBoos as we like to refer to it. 

They have had quite the whirlwind year thus far, with the wedding in May (on their 4 year anniversary of their first date), buying their house in June and also finding out shortly after they were expecting the baby. 

We all had our suspicions as to what the gender would be, but when she took an over-the-counter test (I didn't even know they had over-the-counter gender tests) it revealed what we all suspected; we were going to be having a grandson. 

So the first ultrasound comes and goes, then its time for the gender ultrasound. It was this past Saturday while Clay and myself were in Missouri at the Pow Wow. Nataya had told us she would not be able to talk to us afterwards until the reveal party the next day because she didn't think she would be able to keep it from us. 

Of course, Clay being Clay, and me being me, we had to tempt her a little to see if she would break. We would text her things like, so what color should we bring to the party, pink or blue. Or does the baby need pink or blue moccasins. But she didn't break and quite frankly we didn't want to know until the reveal party.

So the evening came and we headed over to their house with our other daughter, Lupe, to find a house full of people all cursing our name for keeping them waiting so long. If they were actually cursing, we didn't know it, but they were all extremely anxious and ready to find out. 

So of course, we made them all wait until we ate some pizza. All joking aside, we didn't really know what to expect when they cut into the cake. We had pretty clear expectations it was going to be a blue cake on the inside. And when it revealed a pink cake, we were both taken aback, but in a good way. We would have loved a boy or a girl, but just knowing for sure what to expect, has made these two GBoos very happy indeed. 

So now it is all done but the shopping, the baby room and of course the name. Life is good my friends and I hope each of you are living yours to the fullest. Treasure each moment, the small ones as well as the big ones. They are all relevant and have meaning. 

Have a peaceful night!

Johnny Bryan Ward

This weekend has been such a big barrel of fun and culture, but isn’t this what life is supposed to be about? The Northern Cherokee Nation 2014 Homecoming Pow Wow is still in my thoughts and reflections.

Today we saw Choregus Productions presents Martha Graham Dance Company. It was truly a stunning collection of dances which showcased Martha’s vision, the talent of the dancers and the true show-stopping performances you can look forward to from Choregus this 2014-15 season.

Martha Graham has been a leader in contemporary dance since founding Martha Graham Dance Company in 1926, and her vision is why they are celebrating their 88th season this year.

They started Lamentation (1930) which is a one person dance where the dancer is practically in sitting position the entire dance inside a tube made of jersey material. It was one of the most hauntingly beautiful four minutes of dance. Martha has previously stated the piece is about mourning.

The next piece was Diversion of Angels (1948), and it showcased the group’s talents and Martha’s vision of the different stages of a woman’s life.

The third piece was Errand in the Maze (1947), and it happened to be one of my favorites. It is described as “loosely derived from the myth of Theseus, who journeys into the labyrinth to confront the Minotaur, a half man and half beast.” It is a two person dance and Martha sending a female in to do battle with the Minotaur is pure genius. The dance and costuming for this were stunning and haunting at the same time.

The fourth piece was Echo (2014) that debuted in March of this year was Clay’s favorite of the night, and I can see why. It was very modern but still help true to the Martha themes that were becoming apparent throughout the night. It is a sexy dance mixture and haunting in its beauty of the exploration of oneself, love and beauty.

The final piece was The Rite of Spring (1984) which Martha, I believe, was 89 years old when she went back to work on this piece. It is an intense piece of work, one where a community of people is trying to pick a girl who will do a dance in hopes of having a good spring crop. But the dance is no ordinary dance, it is a dance to the death. It follows the community, its leader and the girl as she struggles against her fate and the torment which comes which comes with it. A truly moving piece.

Once again, I have to say we are a city bathing in culture. If you live in or near Tulsa and you think we do not have cultural events for almost anyone, then I would have to say you are sadly mistaken. Tulsa has first rate, top quality events taking place here, and are recognized on a global scale.

For more information on Choregus Productions, and their upcoming 2014-15 season, please check out their website and Facebook page. This is our second season with Choregus, and we are in awe at their quality, contemporary dance troupes.

We have more news of our weekend adventures, but you will have to wait until tomorrow’s blog to read all about it.

Have a peaceful night!

Johnny Bryan Ward

The grass is drenched with dew as the cool September morning welcomed the Northern Cherokee Nation for their 2014 Homecoming Pow Wow. There were children running around playing, vendors setting up their booths and meetings taking place in preparation for the big celebration. The smoldering embers left from bonfires seemed to be the only remnants of the pre-celebration from the previous night’s celebration. Well, that and the yawns coming from some of the vendors who stated the celebration and the coyote’s howling kept them up late.

Chief Grey Elk was making his way around after smudging an area where members of the tribe could bring ashes of their loved ones and spread those ashes on sacred tribal ground. Chief Grey Elk is a nice, genuine man who took the time to regale us with some interesting stories of the past year.

He told about how much the eagle means to the tribe and their sacred history. Of course, there is a law in place where it is illegal to own eagle feathers. But he told us of a new license you can get to allow you to retain the eagle feather in your possession. Before you call PETA, they are not killing eagles for their feathers, it just allows them to keep the sacred feathers.

He also informed us the tribe is finally at a place where they can submit an application for federal government recognition. This recognition is a huge stepping stone for the tribe, and if all goes according to plan, we could be celebrating federal recognition before the 2015 Pow Wow.

The smell of sage being burned is floating in the air. In the distance you hear the beginnings of drum beating, the chanting and singing of tribal members as the morning continues.

The buildup was in full force for the Grand Entry, Flag Song and Intertribal Dancing which marks the opening for the day of the Pow Wow. In the background soothing music played with flutes surrounded, us which felt fitting as the participants of the opening ceremony were busy putting on their regalia. The gourd dancers would soon be filling the sacred circle, blessed earlier via smudging and chanting by Chief Grey Elk. The gourd dancers represent the warriors of the tribe and a moment when they can honor our American Veterans.

The Indian heritage within me started feeling completely at home, and I could feel a veil overcome me which felt calming. The only other thing I can compare it to is the feeling I used to get when I meditated daily many years ago.

Many interesting stories were told, and I wish I had the foresight to have had a recorder out to capture these stories. One very touching one was of a woman and her lifelong friend who was not able to be here today due to being in the final stages of her life. The story was about how she received her “grown-up” name ten years ago. Her childhood name was Two Shoes (she jokingly states “more like bare feet” as she claims to have not liked to wear shoes as a child). Ironically, she stood telling me this story in her bare feet. Her Native American name is Calm Spirit.

Her friend, who was not able to make it, said that many years ago she had a dream where the Chief had given her the name “Autumn Leaves.” When Calm Spirit told the Chief about this, he quickly became very uncomfortable with it. When questioned about it, the Chief explained that the name she had dreamed about meant “crossing over.” He felt given the state her friend was in it would not be appropriate, but Calm Spirit told him that she would love it since they were not afraid of death. Upon hearing this, the Chief decided to give her the name Autumn Leaves.

Since Autumn Leaves was not able to be here and her friend, Calm Spirit, was celebrating the 10th year of being given her adult Native American Indian name, she asked that her friend come in memory of her. Plus, she wanted her to bring her a t-shirt back.

The dancing and singing continued on throughout the day. One of the highlights was getting to talk with Janice Smith, one of the tribes most treasured medicine women who made the trek down here from Aurora, Colorado. She is a sweet lady and an ardent lover of animals.

I remember talking with her last year about some eagles flying in the area, and she had stated they come every year to welcome the Cherokees. It was fascinating. Even more exciting is when I saw them today flying around. I spoke with the Medicine Woman about it, and she stated that earlier in the day, the two adults were flying around and then disappeared for a few seconds and then returned with two younger eagles. She was excited by this as she had never seen an adult pair of eagles have more than one young eagle survive. As she told the story, she animatedly told about how the parent eagles were showing the younger ones how to dive and search for food.

This is our second year coming the Pow Wow, and I must say what I treasure most is the time spent with our family, as we try and get as many of them as we can to come. The second is speaking with Janice, the medicine woman. There is so much knowledge and insight to gain in a conversation with the medicine woman.

So the Pow Wow came to an end for the night, and we returned to our motel. I still remain in thoughtful reflection of all that has happened today. I look forward to coming back next year as well as the encouragement that the long fought battle for federal recognition for the Northern Cherokee Nation Tribe could be coming to a definitive and positive end.

I will continue to fight for equality in all aspects of my life, but today was about reconnecting with the heritage and traditions of days long gone, but I stand hopeful the next generations will continue on the fight, to continue to want to learn about the mystic and tribal traditions.

Have a peaceful night!

Johnny Bryan Ward

Traditions run deep in my family. We have set traditions for Thanksgiving, Christmas and even Easter. But those traditions do not stop at holidays. Some are just inherently known to me, some we have lost as matriarchs in the family have passed away, and the family dispersed and started making their own traditions, but those traditions, at least for me, still hold as much meaning as they did 30 years ago.

I can remember going to my grandmothers (my mom’s mother) every Sunday for lunch. She had staple foods like brown beans with cornbread, chicken and dumplings, fried chicken and biscuits and gravy. Most Sunday’s didn’t include all of the above, but there were many that did. Other than her unconditional, bountiful love, these are some of my favorite memories of my dear sweet Emma.

Not all traditions are family oriented. Some lie deep in superstition, some in religion and others rooted in centuries-old societal or tribal rituals.

Such traditions are held by many of the characters in Blue Moon, my Indie Published book coming out next month. I find this to be one of the easier things to write about within my characters’ lives as it comes naturally for me.

When it came to the fictitious, secret society, the Balashon, and their devoted members, this too was an easy aspect to write about. When you think about such long help traditions of Freemason’s, the Illuminati, Skull and Bones, the Knights Templar and Opus Dei, these societies have lasted as long as they have because of deep rooted belief in what they stand for. They know who they are as a group and where they see themselves going.

Some of the characters in the book do some horrible things, but when I look at it from the standpoint of why they are doing it and for what purpose, it becomes easier to fall into that character’s mindset and develop the story. I will not lie; some of it was very hard to write about, but in the end, I stand by my work and am extremely proud of it.

What traditions do you hold near and dear and are you willing to share some of them? I find them fascinating and hope that you will dare to press the comment button. I promise; nothing bad is going to happen to you; unless you are going to spill some dirt on Freemason’s? Then I might rethink pressing that button.

Have a peaceful night!

Johnny Bryan Ward

The Dream is Alive and coming to a bookstore near you!

Inching step by step towards a lifelong dream and I wouldn't have it any other way. The final edited copy of the book is expected towards the end of the week, and I am thrilled to get it and make the last corrections on it. The process has been a labor of love that truly started a year ago this month.

I finished the first draft of the book the first week of December last year, but between editing, the beta readers, editing some more and then sending it off to the final editor, things seem to be, finally coming full circle.

Of course, you have also got the social media marketing of it, the website and what would a book be without a gorgeous cover. We have enlisted the help of Sister Sparrow Graphic Designs for the book cover. We are very excited, as the work we have seen by them has been spectacular.

What’s left to do?

Well, the final push on marketing, get the launch date and announce it to the world via social media, publish the book and then throw a huge book launch party. I don’t know if you have heard, but we love to throw a party! Oh, then there is promotion, promotion and more promotion, but that is the fun part.

Did I mention there was also a second book? Blood Moon, well the first draft is almost complete, and it is in the first edit stage now.  The twist and turns it takes was a pure delight to write. I am closing in on the ending and can’t wait to get busy on book three. I am so in love with the original characters, the new settings and the new characters. As each is introduced it seems like a limitless supply of books; at least for the time being.

A world created just for you!

I am thrilled to introduce this world to you and hope you fall in love with it as much as I have. I know for some it will be a walk in the park, others not so much, but I hope you bear through and see the world being created as an exciting, possibly fun/scary push outside of your comfort zone. I have to confess, those who know me well, know I have a dark, twisted sense of humor and a love for all things horror and supernatural.

I love how the adrenaline flows when you are watching or reading something, and you know you are about to get the crap scared out of you. I will even admit while reading my book, Blue Moon, back during editing I found myself getting caught up in the thrill of it and even scared myself. Job well done, if I do say so myself.

If you want a glimpse into what inspired this world, you can look at the various boards on my Pinterest site created with The Bad Moon Rising Series in mind. It may be a stretch for some people, but it is a slight hint of what is to come.

The Bad Moon Rising Series is rising sooner, rather than later!

Get excited, get thrilled, and get ready because it is coming sooner than you think.

Blue Moon will be the first of many books in The Bad Moon Rising Series which will take you into Tulsa’s supernatural underground world, where the supernatural have integrated themselves deep inside the inner workings of the city. They have also found a nightlife home called The Other Side, where they intermingle with the Gothic/Leather scene in a nightclub where only the most daring of people venture. There is even the basement, The Underside, where what goes bump in the night could kill you or give you the most enticing time of your life. It’s a gamble that only the most daring of humans will take.

Are you up for the challenge? Are you willing to go out on a limb with me and let me introduce a supernatural world so thrilling and close to home? You better be, because they are ready to meet you!

Have a peaceful night!

Johnny Bryan Ward
#JBWblog

Domestic Violence has long been an issue in many homes, nationally and worldwide, but is ever increasing and being brought to the forefront by such high profile cases as NFL player Ray Rice who was caught by elevator video surveillance knocking out his then fiancé. But domestic violence isn’t something that has just crept up into conversations because of recent press, it is an ongoing pattern in many people’s lives, but seems to take front and center when a celebrity is involved. I am by no means down-playing the severity of the crime inflicted on Rice’s wife, Janay Rice, as no human being should ever be subjected to such cruelty and pain.

So what is Domestic Violence? The United States Department of Justice defined it on their website:

A little closer to home, the Tulsa World released today an article titled Tulsa's rate of women murdered by men far outpaces national figure. The article details startling national and local statistics regarding domestic violence, but it also talks about the horrific death of Ashley Brizendine, a Tulsa resident who had repeatedly been exposed to domestic violence by her boyfriend Brian Xavier Harris. Harris stands accused of allegedly choking Brizendine to death and is currently awaiting a murder trial in November.   

Oklahoma ranked third in the nation in 2012 for homicides, but Tulsa was at the top of the list for Oklahoma in 2012 of woman being killed by men. Not a list we should be proud to make at all. So what is being done about this?   

I was privy to a talk this morning about domestic violence given by Tulsa County District Judge Mary Fitzgerald and what Tulsa County is doing about it. First of all, starting Nov. 1, law enforcement officers across the state will be required by state statute to conduct a “lethality assessment” on every domestic violence call. This is a huge win in the fight against domestic violence.   

Fitzgerald, who has been Chief of the Family Division at Tulsa County District Court for the past five years, went on to explain that Tulsa County District Court is working with a federal grant to implement an integrated domestic violence court to be overseen by one judge, Judge Bill Hiddle, who will hear all cases where domestic violence charges are brought. This will help the court by having one judge who will be better able to monitor a case and will know what is going on within the families that will be brought before him. Fitzgerald went on to explain that a lot of research has been done on similar models such as the ones in Dallas and the State of Idaho. The goal is to have the court up and running by the first week in November.   

Working in conjunction with the courts is the Family Safety Center located in the Police Courts Building. Opening their doors in January 2006, they offer services like: 
·         Safety planning and family violence prevention education 
·         Emergency Protective Order assistance 
·         Crisis Counseling 
·         Forensic nurse, trained in sexual assault, to assess and document injuries 
·         Access to law enforcement detectives 
·         Children’s play area supervised by a Master Teacher 
·         Attorneys providing help in obtaining permanent protective orders 
·         Chaplin services   
These are just a few of what this amazing agency offers.   

Here is a link to a fact sheet on domestic violence provided by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. It has some information that you will find helpful and interesting.   

Every situation is different, but there remains a resounding truth; you and you alone should how the key to your own power and control. No one should be able to intimidate or abuse you into taking that key away from you.   

The only way we can change this is by talking about it. If you are experiencing abuse, please talk to someone about it. If you don’t feel safe talking to a friend or family member then call the Safeline: 1.800.522.7233 or call the 24-Hour Crisis Lines at 918.7HELP.ME/918.743.5763.   

Please share this blog with as many people as you can so we can get the discussion going on how to best help end domestic violence.   

Have a peaceful night!   

Johnny Bryan Ward

We had another wonderful, culturally filled date night at Signature Symphony at TCC tonight courtesy of Mark and Margaret Watson. Mark plays the French Horn for the symphony.

This weekend was the season kick-off for the symphony and it was a fun-filled night. With special guest conductor Michael Rossi leading the symphony, Michael along with the Signature Symphony present George Gershwin’s Americana. Michael has made debuts with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony and the Orchestra Sinfonia de Xalapa as well as an international debut conducting the opera Plácido Domingo and the Chinese National Opera Orchestra in Beijing.

The night started off with the Cuban Overture and then led into two Ella Fitzgerald songs Nice Work If You Can Get It and The Man I Love sung by Charlotte, NC Jazz, soul singer Nicci Canada who voice was soulfully gorgeous. She went on to sing Embraceable You, I Got Rhythm, Summertime, He Loves and She Loves and Someone To Watch Over Me.

I was pleasantly surprised when Ron Raines came out to sing. I watched Ron play Alan Spaulding on The Guiding Light for many years and am a huge fan. He was charismatic, funny and had a wonderfully smooth tone in his voice. He sang songs like Foggy Day, They Can’t Take That Away From Me, Our Love Is Here To Stay, That Old Black Magic and Someone To Watch Over Me as well as a Cole Porter Medley. Ron has been playing “Daddy Warbucks” on the Broadway revival of Annie.

Tonight was an amazing night and the symphony sounded astounding. I said this in an earlier blog, but we are so lucky to have such culture here in Tulsa. Tulsa is a culturally sound city and it will continue to remain so as long as we get out there and support the arts. This looks to be an amazing season of Signature Symphony at TCC. Go to SignatureSymphony.org to get your tickets for this upcoming 2014-15 season.

Have a peaceful night!

Johnny Bryan Ward

What have we learned about the business aspect of writing a book and then publishing it? The answer to that question is we are still learning, but with each day we find a new adventure, a new lead, a new possibility to push the dream forward just a little more. The main thing we have learned is none of this is possible without you, the reader. Everything we do is genuine, but we try to make sure what we do is relevant, current and something the reader would find interesting.

Tomorrow will mark 6 weeks since we launched the website and the social media for the book. Since then, things have just taken off in ways we had hoped it would, but honestly didn’t expect until much further down the road. Yesterday evening around 5:00pm we reached 15,000 views to the website, with this evening hitting 15,700 viewers; an amazing accomplishment considering this is coming from an unknown author, whose book is due out in the next month or so.

How did we do this? Surrounding yourself with people who believe in you and what you are doing is the first thing. The second is having people around you who know how to fill in the gaps for you in which you have yet to learn and then researching everything you can on every aspect of the business. I also would have to say not being afraid to take a risk, not letting an application like Pinterest, Twitter or any other stop you from going out and working on it until you have it figured out. A lot of this, actually the bulk of it, is trial and error.

The next thing is building hype about your project. This shouldn’t be too hard to do if you believe in it yourself. When you have committed to something, put your heart and soul into it, then it shouldn’t be hard for you to actively talk about it. By actively, I mean every day. You have to be present in social media, putting something out every day, talking about yourself, your life, your project. You have to not be afraid to let people in but you do have to grow a thick skin because not everyone will believe in you and your work the way you do.

The first time someone said something negative about my book I was inwardly crushed. The first thing that went through my mind is you don’t get me. But that was pride and ego. Not everyone has to get you and not everyone has to get your work. It would be nice if they did, but reality is a mean bitch sometimes. But stay strong and keep moving forward. If you believe you are putting out something meaningful to you, then eventually others will also see it. Not everyone, but that is ok.

This is one of the exciting things about writing, whether it is literary work, screenplays, self-help or even blogging. You have genres in which you can choose to write and you can switch in and out of those genres as the story ideas come and go in your mind. If you are like me, you have two or three ideas for a book each day. Time and reality doesn’t let me write like that, but keep a journal of those ideas so they are not lost.

So get your laptop out, turn your desktop on or put pen to paper. It doesn’t matter, just get to writing. Learn your social media apps because they will be your best friend when it comes to getting the news out about your published book. Never give up hope and never let a story stop you in your tracks. If it isn’t working, set it aside and move on to something else. You never know, two years from now that story may spark something within and you can pick it back up and start where you left off.

This is the fun part of writing; the creative process. But creativity doesn’t have to stop with the writing process. Channel that creativity into your social media campaign. Put yourself out there. If you want to build a business in writing you have to not be afraid to be vulnerable. I don’t say this lightly either; it still crushed me when I had someone unlike my Facebook author page. But again, it is a lesson in growing a thick skin.

Have fun, be creative and let you inner voice shine!

Have a peaceful Friday night!

Johnny Bryan Ward

I was so moved and so proud of this young man's video, speaking out on behalf of a boy who had just come out to his parents, and as you saw in the video did not turn out well for the boy. All too often this happens and it is such a shame. I am a happily married gay man, who is in love and would not change a thing about who I am or the path I was put on. I do not believe that being gay is a choice, it is all I have ever known. 

The latest study by the Williams Institute showed that 19.3% of youth in out-of-home child welfare placement (foster care and residential care) identify as LGBTQ youth who are twice as likely to be mistreated in a foster home and twice as likely to like in a group home as opposed to a family foster home. 

This is unacceptable and quite frankly alarming. I was a lucky man who grew up in a loving family and this same family stood by me and loved me for the man they knew me to be, not by my sexual orientation. Just as I did not hold their sexual orientation against them. To choose violence and throwing your child out like garbage because they tell you who they truly are, who they are in their heart and soul, well to me the parents are the garbage and shame on them. 

As a young kid growing up in a rural town in Oklahoma, I carried this knowledge with me that I was gay, that I was different and yes, I had the fear of what would happen if people found out. I had my fair share of people calling me gay, queer, fag and such growing up, but it made me stronger; I didn't realize it at the time because it felt like my life was ending but in hind sight, it was a huge growing phase for me. I learned to be strong. 

Not everyone has that opportunity and for various different reasons. So please, educate yourselves, your family, friends and neighbors. Don't continue this string of hate, ignorance and inhuman actions. Show compassion, empathy and reach out to all of those in need of support. Gay isn't contagious, but compassion can be, kindness can be. I love the saying "be the change you want to see in the world."

Go out and change the world.

You can read up and follow the very couragous man, Chris Thompson, in the video SupDaily06 on YouTube, SupDailyCrew on Facebook and @SupDaily06 on Twitter.

Have a peaceful night!

Johnny Bryan Ward

@SupDaily06 #LGBTQ #PFLAG #FosterCare #Disproportionality #homophobia #equality

Today kicked off the National Suicide Prevention Week, with September 10, 2014 being World Suicide Prevention Day. I cannot think of a better week for us to began a dialog about mental health and depression. So many people are affected by this each and every day and it seems like such a waste for us to not acknowledge and talk about what we can do to help shed light in hope of helping to prevent another suicide from happening.

Suicidology.org shared the following warning signs:

International Association for Suicide Prevention posted on its website that 800,000 people die each year from suicide, which equates to around 1 suicide every 40 seconds. IASP also posted on it's website:

Please educate yourself, know the signs and don't be afraid to reach out to loved ones, friends or a stranger and let them know that things can get better. Know the hotline number, 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Step up and do what you can. You can find resources available by visiting www.iasp.info or www.sudicidology.org.
#NSPW #MentalHealth @AASuicidology @IASPinfo #suicide