Chaos to order

Juneau Empire

May I have your attention please! Please suspend your techno presence for a moment. Refrain from uploading, downloading, emailing, Skypeing or texting for a very important message.

We've become a society of attention-deficient multi-taskers. We consume "exabytes" (a unit of digital content) in many forms and we have endless information and amusement at our fingertips. Video games, Internet, music, apps, texts, movies, books, television, and youtube to name a few.

Some say this hyper-techno-connectivity is just a different kind of adaptive behavior; part of natural human evolution. Others say it's a crisis threatening the very foundation of our society. Here is my take on the controversy.

Price of distraction

Distraction is costing companies and families money. Business owners are paying employees for splintered attention and we are drugging children into submission. The annual price tags for productivity loss and ADD and ADHD drugs are both in the billions, according to studies.

There is also loss of life. Distracted drivers are making drunk drivers look good. Distracted health care workers are giving the wrong medications and, in some cases, lethal doses to patients. Some hospitals have made it mandatory that nurses giving medication wear an orange vest so people won't distract them.

Channels

Information overload can be balanced, we're told, if different information channels are used simultaneously: oral, visual, auditory... If too much information is being delivered into one channel, we overload. But if several channels are humming together, like listening to music while surfing the web, the experience can be intensely pleasurable. Like a shot of morphine.

By allowing down time to synthesize these information streams, we can find connections and insights, but many never pause to reflect.

Getting "stupider"

Our brains, while having the potential for unlimited capacity, can only process so much information in the short blink we are on the planet. It seems with our endless information streams, we are only grasping surface understanding of topics and are failing to understand how the world actually works. We are digging many shallow holes while drinking water from a fire hose.

When we overload ourselves, some studies say we dump information we learned in our early years, like lessons learned earning a girl scout patch.

Fighting for attention

The two forces of attention and distraction are dancing as distraction takes attention away from one thing, only to draw attention to another. We've developed a pattern of giving brief bursts of attention. Often times attention seekers want something from us.

The Internet, like a Las Vegas casino enticing disoriented people who can't find the exit, encourages people to stop and spend cash. This distraction can backfire, however. Just when a virtual cart is full of stuff, the shopper will get distracted, the spell will be broken and they will disappear.

Often it's people competing with technology for attention. Like when my husband and I are out to dinner and there is a tennis match playing on television behind him. I won't hear a word he's saying when Roger Federer is playing.

What about the children?

I've heard reports from a friend down south who says people are going into restaurants and setting up DVD players for the kids at the table. It seems the days of teaching kids how to behave at dinner and talking to them are going out the window.

Family vehicles are being sold as moving media vessels. A family on a road trip will each have different headsets, DVD players, iPods and iPhones to distract them from looking out the window or interacting. When I was little on road trips, we had conversations, I contemplated them, looked out the window, then came back with more questions. I learned silly songs, read books and heard family stories.

Now we seem very fragmented and fast moving. There is a lack of discernment in where we receive all our information. We're unable to figure out the source and determine the value.

Bringing order to chaos

Maybe the skillful management of attention is the key to happiness and fulfillment. If in between exabytes we allow space for self reflection, personal growth, understanding, compassion, charity work, and creativity we'll be better off. If we generously lift someone else up instead of being self absorbed in our technology pleasure. If we sit still and meditate, we might bring order to our fragmented pieces of thought and a whole picture will emerge. We can bring order to the chaos if we give it our attention.

•Courtney Nelson had over 1,000 interruptions while writing this piece, it's a miracle it was finished.

Artist Rob Roys: 20 years of productivity and counting

By Courtney Nelson | For the Juneau Empire

I met with Juneau's abstract artist Rob Roys in his downtown studio to talk about his art and paintings. With a view down Seward street, the studio above the Lisa Davidson boutique downtown feels like an inspiring place to create. Previously it was the creative home of John Fehringer, and then Jane Terzis, who used it for over 20 years.

Roys often plays music and warms up to painting by reading or sketching, then begins work on several different pieces simultaneously. When he is in high production mode, he'll spend up to 30 hours a week in his studio.

Roys says he's always wanted to be an artist and, aside from second grade when he sold a rooster sketch to a teacher, he created his first legitimate piece of art in 1992.

"It wasn't really derivative of anything that I'd been taught to do," he said. "It was personal, but had universal qualities to it. It looked like a painting and had brush strokes. It was the first time I thought I'd done something that was good," said Roys, who'd had an art studio since 1988.

Referred to by many as an abstract artist, he describes himself as "an Alaska modernist currently working in the figurative idiom," a description that confuses even his wife, Pagan Hill.

Early years

Before settling on acrylic paint as his medium, Roys tried many different art forms. He broke his hand many times playing sports, so he was steered toward hand-building activities. Being a ceramics major at UAF seemed logical.

"I couldn't control pencils very well, but I could control clay," said Roys, who eventually dropped out after a tumultuous time.

"When I encountered ceramics academia it was all about the wheel, if it wasn't about the wheel or the ceramics dogma at the time it wasn't considered anything worthwhile."

Upon his return to Juneau, an artist group called "Arts R Us" emerged and Roys tried different mediums like painting, drawing, and collage, showing pieces at local cafes.

Portfolio Arts eventually hung an 18" x 12" painting by Roys in their front window and someone bought it.

"It felt pretty good, it was pretty awesome because it was a real painting. I had just done it and hadn't really thought about it as a product," said Roys, adding that he would have been happy if someone just liked it but wouldn't have cared if they didn't.

Since then he thinks he has gotten better at painting, but believes people have also gotten used to seeing his work.

"Once they understand, it's a bit more approachable. If they see something they don't understand, they immediately don't like it."

Critics

At one of his first art shows over 21 years ago, Roys had someone write in his comment book, "Someone is wasting nice white pieces of paper."

Roys said the offhand remark really influenced him,

"I haven't ever wanted to waste white sheets of paper," he said. "I took it very personally, but at that time I needed criticism."

Roys says he feels it was a sign of attitudes of the time.

"At that time people thought you should kick younger artists as hard as you can and as viciously as you can because it will make them tough, and if it makes them quit doing art, well, good, then they shouldn't have been doing art in the first place. What I really learned was that wasn't right - it's better to be supportive and helpful to young artists."

Roys thinks this attitude has been changing.

"Critiques are so nice now - before people were mean to each other and now it's 'what's good about it?' Some people need to get kicked in the teeth once in a while though, as long as it's honest and constructive."

Art and money

"If you are trying to make a living at art, there are much better ways to make money," said Roys, who has a day job working for the state as a procurement specialist. He says his job isn't reflected in his work but did try to use it before.

"One time I tried to do a piece that tried to communicate the dismal situation of an office job and it was horrible - it was really awful, awful stuff. I keep thinking I'll revisit it but nobody wants to see people sitting in cubicles."

In contrast to the Renaissance days when artists could just create and not worry about money, Roys says today's artists are different.

"For modern Americans who are really trying to do real art they have to have some other source of income, that's just the way Americans are - we have jobs."

"A life in the arts is very rich. You won't be rich monetarily but you'll be rich in friends and culture and life experience."

Juneau

Roys was born in Cordova and moved to Juneau when he was two. His father was also a painter and worked for the state.

"All my art is really about Juneau when it comes down to it," Roys said. Motioning to a painting in progress of a woman lying on a rug, Roys explains the meaning.

"That's somebody I've known for years - I've seen them grow old, go through relationships and have children."

In addition to people, Roys likes to draw pictures of spots in Juneau that have special memories or meaning for him.

He said he just knows when he's going to turn a sketch into a painting.

"Sometimes when I'm drawing, I just know that I'm drawing in a zone - I'm warmed up, everything is just perfect, everything is just right, my pencil is at the right sharpness ... so that's part of it, when I feel like I'm in the zone," said Roys, whose current projects include sketches from a life-drawing class he has been running.

He also gets his inspiration from headlines, the news, and, as a self-described "troubled teen," he also gets ideas from his past circle of friends that "had pretty bad life circumstances." "Apologies and Accusations" was the title of one of his art shows at KTOO that he says was "pretty therapeutic."

Intentions

For Roys, painting is not a hobby, it's a passion. Roys has his eyes set on the all-Alaska juried show, which he hasn't been selected for - yet.

For people viewing his art, he wants them to experience whatever they want.

"I don't care what they think, because the most important thing is what I think, but I really want them to enjoy it. It's my way of contributing to the world."

"Art should try and make things that make the world a better place. Art makes peoples lives richer and better."

In search of holistic healing in Juneau

By Courtney Nelson | For the Juneau Empire

For a small town, Juneau has a robust holistic health care scene. As treatments that promise to cure ailments without medication often are discounted or misunderstood, I decided to go in search of the basic philosophy and benefits of naturopathic healing in Juneau. I found disease prevention, and even cures, can be as obvious as finding the right mix of diet, exercise and sleep - naturally.

Diet

David Ottoson, the owner of Rainbow Foods, a downtown natural foods store, said he and his family have been using naturopathic doctors as their primary care providers for more than 25 years.

"I believe in 'first, do no harm,'" he said. "I want the gentlest, most side-effect-free treatment as a first resort, and if that doesn't work, then I bring in the big guns."

He says for optimum health, he tries to be careful about what he eats and tries to stick with organic fruits and vegetables, and grass-fed game.

"I try and eat grass-fed animals with no antibiotics and junk that they feed animals in commercial operations," said Ottoson, who carries grass-fed bison at his store.

Naturopathic doctor Kristin Cox, of Rainforest Naturopathic Medicine, said the top ailments she treats in local patients are food-related digestive problems like constipation. She also hears complaints of fatigue, depression, anxiety and insomnia.

Cox says most of these problems stem from dietary and nutritional deficiencies, and many of them can be fixed with simple adjustments. Cox also notes that vitamin D deficiency is a big problem and many ailments stem from a low-functioning thyroid, especially in women.

"Many people are eating something that doesn't agree with them, or they have a nutritional deficiency," Cox said.

She has had success with many patients by using an elimination diet to determine which food is causing the problem. Cox said she's had many patients who were treated with surgery and pharmaceuticals for a simple food allergy.

For example, She had a patient with acute abdominal pain who'd already had three organs removed and a complete hysterectomy before Cox saw her. Cox determined her pain was from a wheat allergy.

Diet also is a focus at the SEARHC medical clinic, where Stephanie Zidek-Chandler is the health promotions and injury prevention manager.

"I'm into prevention, so I encourage diets that are rich in fruits and vegetables, and getting out in the sunshine to get vitamin D. There are really basic remedies that help support health," she said.

Data shows that heart disease, cancer and diabetes are the primary health problems for SEARHC patients.

"Most of our lifestyle-related diseases involve stress, diet and exercise, and having an imbalance there," Zidek-Chandler said.

Diet has also made a difference for Bret Schmige, who is married to naturopathic doctor Emily Kane. Schmige said he has felt a lot better since meeting Kane and changing his diet.

"I really appreciate eating a lot more vegetables now. Bachelors don't tend to eat very well," said Schmige, who also said his energy level is now much better now.

Exercise

Kane encouraged Schmige to exercise and stretch more to take care of back problems for which most doctors would have prescribed drugs.

"Naturopathic doctors look for alternatives to pharmaceuticals. (My wife) always tells me her healthiest older patients are the ones that are not on medications. It's just so easy to go to a doctor and complain about something and have them put you on medication. That should be the last resort," Schmige said.

Rainbow Foods' Ottoson also values exercise.

"I like to get up and move around and do something every day, and I meditate."

Ottoson also avoids prescription drugs but sees them as a necessary evil.

"There are instances where they are extremely valuable, but I think they are over-used."

Energy work

For treating lifestyle stress that affects your well-being, energy work is a drug-free option. Massage, acupuncture, reiki, healing touch, chiropractics, physical therapy, occupational therapy, meditation or counseling can all enhance your health, and, in many cases, can be prescribed and covered by insurance.

Bartlett Hospital is an indication of changing attitudes. It has offered healing touch for about 10 years now with much success, according to Bartlett nurse Mary Donlon.

"Healing touch is energy work used to try and remove energy blocks that can cause illness," said Donlon, who said it is often used after surgery and can be requested by patients.

A whiplash injury from car accident years ago left me with chronic pain in my neck. Juneau's occupational therapist Linda Newman treated me with a cranio-sacral treatment that released the memory of the accident that I had stored as a knot in my neck for more than 15 years. Bartlett is offering this treatment now as well.

Instead of running to Western medicine for quick fixes like medications and surgeries, which are often recommended to save time and avoid lawsuits, why not start with a naturopathic doctor who can take a look at your complete picture and guide you to optimum health - naturally? I found it takes being proactive with our own health, which includes clearly communicating symptoms and health history.

"If people can get connected to a program or a personal system or something that results in them taking action, they can improve their health and decrease their risks for so many diseases and just enjoy life to the fullest for a lot more years," Zidek-Chandler said.

Rapper Murs performs tonight

By Courtney Nelson | For the Juneau Empire

Tonight the rapper Murs will be performing at Marlintini's Lounge for the first time in Juneau. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. and local rap and hip hop performers Astronomar, Judo and Phonetic will open the show at 9 p.m. Tickets are available for $25 at groovetickets.com.

Anchorage's Heather Prunty, who founded Synapse Productions in 2001 in Girdwood, arranged to have Murs perform three dates in Alaska. Prunty has been dedicated to bringing a hip-hop scene to Alaska for almost ten years.

"I brought the first hip-hop show to Juneau in 2007, with Del the Funky Homosapien, followed by Chali 2na, Zion I and the Grouch, then I brought Swollen Members there last year," said Prunty, who sees it as a win-win because the rappers can see the beauty of Alaska.

Murs, now working independently, is originally from the hip-hop group Living Legends that formed in Oakland in the early '90s. Living Legends was created so the artists could create, promote and perform their music independently. After many years together and over 300,000 units collectively sold, they have gone on to work on their own projects.

Murs, Nick Carter's performing name, is an acronym for "Making the Universe Recognize and Submit." He's now signed to the independent label Record Collection. In 2003 he released his first debut solo record "The End of the Beginning."

A messy business

By Courtney Nelson | For the Juneau Empire

When the Glacier Valley Elementary School wanted to enhance and expand their Art is Elementary program (www.jsd.k12.ak.us/~heagyl/ArtIsElementary/Art_is_Elementary.html), specifically the after-school clay studio program, they turned to the Canvas. They wanted to bring private lessons to children who might not be able to afford it and get a fire kiln. Thus began a collaboration between the Glacier Valley Clay Club and The Canvas.

The idea of partnering with the Canvas was sparked when Susan Sielbach, librarian and art teacher of Glacier Valley Elementary, contacted Canvas program developer MK MacNaughton to ask her a few questions about the school's recently installed kiln. Sielbach asked what type of clay and what tools they would need once the kiln was installed.

"The kiln itself was funded through Glacier Valley's Capital Improvement Project and was installed in the summer of 2009 during the renovation," said Sielbach.

This got the two talking about a partnership, and they were able to get funded through a grant.

Sielbach and Glenda Lindley of Glacier Valley Elementary partnered weekly with The Canvas and local clay artists who provided professional development. MacNaughton made sure Glacier Valley had potters and teaching assistants every week.

"During this time the Canvas artists Saran Arnston, Dana White and Gina Frickey, modeled lessons for the students and provided training in the operation of the kiln for the staff," said Sielbach, who, along with Lindley and the students, learned the proper techniques in hand-building with clay. The adults also learned procedures needed in preparing clay, glazing, loading and firing the kiln, and proper technique for teaching students this art form.

The Clay Club had 47 students ages 6 through 11. Students in other Glacier Valley classes gave-week unit on hand-building with clay.

This collaboration was beneficial for both the Canvas and the Clay Club, MacNaughton said.

"The Glacier Valley after-school Clay Club offered a unique opportunity to offer training to the Glacier Valley staff from an experienced pottery teacher from The Canvas, as well as an opportunity for an adult artist who experiences a developmental disability to gain experience as a teaching assistant. The model worked well to support everyone involved, and most importantly, the students had the opportunity to enjoy learning about clay. It was a wonderful collaboration!" she said.

The Clay Club was supported by a grant from the Arts and Education Initiative, sponsored by the Rasmuson Foundation and administered by the Alaska State Council on the Arts.

"The students got messy, playing in the clay," Seilbach said. "Many wonderful clay pieces were created and everyone involved learned something new." "Seilbach said she hopes to continue the partnership during the 2010-2011 school year.