Meeting Samuel L. Jackson, No Snakes on This Plane

Samuel L. Jackson
At Honolulu Airport
11-12-2015
Copyright: BMW Photography

Samuel L. Jackson 
At Honolulu Airport 
11-12-2015
Copyright: BMW Photography

Thursday November 12, I was standing in a very long crazy security line at the Honolulu airport, wondering if I was going to make my flight that was headed for Los Angeles. All the sudden I hear a bunch of commotion. I look up and standing in the Pre TSA line is Samuel L. Jackson (the actor). He is being funny and is quiet loud because everyone is taking photos of him on their electronic devices. He says, “Well Samuel L. Jackson has to fly too!” and mentions something about his original plane not working. I snapped a picture of him while he stood in line. As I am standing there I thought to myself, he just might happen to be on the Los Angeles flight too….(and how cool would that be, Samuel L. Jackson on the same flight as me? Hopefully without snakes on a plane), and not to mention his capital one card needs to step up and get him a better seat.

Samuel L. Jackson 
At Honolulu Airport 
11-12-2015
Copyright: BMW Photography

I arrived at my airport gate ten minutes later and there he was sitting with his assistant being very cool.  People in the airport gate are noticing him, but no one is saying much.  Ten minutes later a little girl comes over to Samuel and asks him if he is one of the avenger’s. He replies “Maybe.”  She than asks to take a photo with him. He says “What if I say no?”. She doesn’t reply because at her age I am sure she is totally star struck. She turns and faces her mom, while Samuel stays sitting in his seat, the mother takes a couple photos via iPhone.  Now this is getting more airport attention.  When the little girl is done a little boy comes over and asks to take a photo too. Samuel says “I guess the photo booth is now open!”.  Everyone laughs. Part of me felt bad for Samuel, as he is just another human that is traveling and trying to get to Los Angeles like the rest of us; however all eyes are on him.  Once the little boy leaves, a lady talking on her cell phone comes over to Samuel and wants him to talk to her husband. This goes on for a good amount of time, and everyone gets a kick out of it.

Samuel L. Jackson 
At Honolulu Airport 
11-12-2015
Copyright:BMW Photography

As me and all the passengers continue to wait, a flight crew member makes an announcement on the loud speaker. Our 12pm departing flight is now delayed by 4 hours with a few selected options to choose from.  A new gate for a later flight to Los Angeles is announced.  Most people leave and head over to the new gate.  Since I had been sitting on the floor at the packed airport gate, I finally get up to sit down, but it just happens to be right across from Mr. Jackson. We all continue to listen to the overhead announcements.  Once they are off the loud speaker I look over at Samuel and I ask him “Are you going to stay on this flight or try to catch another one?” He’s very kind and replies “I don’t know, we are looking to see if I can get on another plane, I have to get to Los Angeles today, because I have to be somewhere at 9am tomorrow.”

My Platform Table #ENDALZ
Copyright: BMW Photography

Winning Platform
Woman of Achievement 2015
Copyright: BMW Photography
#ENDALZ #BEVERLYJEAN #REMEMBERMYPHOTO

I say to him “Bummer you were supposed to bring me good luck for my competition this weekend in Los Angeles”. He says “What competition?” Being the pageant queen I am I whip out my crown box and sash. “Well I am in a national pageant competition his weekend. It’s called Woman of Achievement and it’s a program where I spend a lot of time working on my platform which is Alzheimer’s. I am an advocate for my state and a volunteer.” He says to me, “My mother died from Alzheimer’s”.  (At this point I am almost speechless! Because here I am talking to Samuel L. Jackson and he is telling me his mother died from Alzheimer’s, a cause that is so dear to my heart after losing my grandma to her 10 year battle to Alzheimer's.) I tell him I am so sorry for his loss.  I recall and say “That is right you do a lot of advocacy work or donate your time, and you’re at a couple of the major fundraisers for Alzheimer’s”. He says “Yes”. I asked him if we can get a photo together with me wearing my crown and sash. He says “Sure get dressed darling, I will come stand next to you.”. His assistant was kind enough to take several photos on my iPhone, and asks me to check them. I tell him “I am pretty sure they are all great.”. Samuel says to me “Good luck darling!” and I thank him and tell him good luck getting a new flight and that it was great to meeting with him.

Winning Platform
Woman of Achievement 2015
Copyright: BMW Photography

Talking about Alzheimer's
Woman of Achievement 2015
Copyright:BMW Photography

This moment was so powerful for me because not only did I meet Samuel L. Jackson, but he had the connection about this horrific disease, Alzheimer's. This just reminds me how many people are affected by Alzheimer’s and how we need to continue to talk about it. I truly left Hawaii feeling empowered to keep speaking up, to keep talking to others about the diseases and to keep asking for money to fight the cause so that one day we can to find a cure.

I hope this inspires all of you to keep talking to individuals, to keep asking for donations and to keep shedding light on this diseases by sharing your own story. You never know who you will meet, and how they may have also been impacted by Alzheimer’s.

Winning Platform
Woman of Achievement 2015
Copyright: BMW Photography

Interesting Fact:  "Samuel L. Jackson" In June 2013, Jackson launched a joint campaign with the charity Prizeo in an effort to raise money to fight Alzheimer's disease. As part of the campaign, he recited various fan-written monologues and a popular scene from the AMC series Breaking Bad." Reference Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_L._Jackson

Woman of Achievement Delegates 2015

P.S. I won 1^st place Platform out of a group of 31 woman. This is the only all cash award for the pageant 

#ENDALZ #BEVERLYJEAN #REMEMBERMYPHOTO #WIPEOUTALZ

Human 'mini brains' grown in labs may help solve cancer, autism, Alzheimer's

By Thom Patterson

(CNN)A Harvard medical pioneer calls it "astounding" — an "incredible achievement" and a "quantum leap forward" in the battle against cancer, autism, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

What's going on? Scientists at Ohio State University saythey've figured out a way to grow the genetic equivalent of a nearly complete embryonic human brain. 

Technically, they're not quite "brains." They're called brain organoids —  pieces of human tissue grown in petri dishes from skin cells. 

These little blobs of tissue, 2-3 millimeters long, could help researchers test drugs and other treatments that may help prevent, fight and maybe even cure some of the most devastating disorders and diseases of our time. 

In addition to Parkinson's disease, autism and Alzheimer's disease, they could also lead to unlocking the mysteries of schizophrenia, epilepsy, traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder. Millions of people suffer from all these disorders and diseases worldwide.

"The idea of taking skin cells,reverting them back to a basic stage of development and then teaching them how to turn into the cells that make up the brain is something we have been dreaming about for some time," said CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. "It is exponentially closer to reality now. Furthermore, the idea of using these 'mini brains' as a testing ground for therapies could help doctors figure out the best treatments for individual patients as opposed to the 'one size fits all' approach that is often used nowadays."

Scientists have been making brain tissue organoids in the lab for less than a decade.

Japanese scientists were among the first to prompt cells from mice and humans to form "layered balls reminiscent" of a part of the brain called the cerebral cortex, according to the science journal, Nature. In 2011, Madeline Lancaster, a scientist a the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology in Vienna, was able to grow an embryonic brain.

Ohio State biomedical researcher Rene Anand said his team's work is different because "our organoids have most of the brain parts."

"I'll give you one example: If you want to study Parkinson's, you need the mid-brain. The best I can tell from all published research on organoids is they don't have the mid-brain. We have the mid-brain we are already moving toward trying to study them."

Anand said he has grown organoids that include 98% of cells that exist in a brain of a human fetus at five weeks. 

"I think it took all of us by surprise," Dr. Rudolph Tanzi — an Alzheimer's research pioneer at Harvard told CNN. "The results were absolutely astounding ... it's an incredible achievement."

Creating a fetal brain that includes so many different types of brain cells amounts to a "quantum leap forward," he said.  Tanzi co-discovered all three genes that cause early-onset familial Alzheimer's,according to his Harvard biography.

Anand said using the breakthrough to learn more about Alzheimer's is a "high priority" for his team. 

Despite all the excitement, Anand is quick to point out that the project is still at a very early stage. "The sooner we commercialize it and make a model available, the sooner everybody else can jump in and use it to solve these problems." Brain organoids may help researchers find key solutions to some sub-types of autism within 10 years, Anand said. 

"Right now, it's like we're climbing Mount Everest and we're at Base Camp One," Anand said. "You know, you have to stop, get your oxygen together, then move up to the next step. So, we've still got a ways to go."

As you might expect, growing human brain organoids poses a lot of head-scratching questions.

Here are five big ones:

1. Does this mean scientists could grow a miniature version of your "brain?"

Sort of. If a lab technician used some of your skin cells, they could grow an embryonic brain organic that would have your genetic material. Could that brain organoid be developed into a fully grown brain? No, that's not possible yet. A fully grown brain would need a vascular system and other parts before it could meet the official definition of a brain. "They are not capable of growing beyond where they are," said Anand. "We have no intention of going beyond that."

2. Exactly how would brain organoids contribute to new treatments? 

Scientists would use them to mimic human brains deteriorating from Alzheimer's or Parkinson's and then study how they react to innovative treatments or newly developed drugs. "You still have to find a way to accelerate the aging of that brain, the pathology, to mimic a disease like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's," said Tanzi.

3. Is it possible that brain organoids are conscious? 

No, said Tanzi. Because these tissues don't have any input. "The brain doesn't work alone. The brain needs sensory input. The brain in a dish is not getting sensory input. We depend on our limited sensory system — our five senses — to provide input to the brain. The brain interprets that information and integrates it. And then we're putting everything we experience in context based on the information that's already stored in our brains through synapse."

4. Theoretically, could this research lead to a future with artificially intelligent machines that have humanlike brains? 

It's not out of the realm of possibility, Tanzi said. "If somebody someday figures out how to put a brain into an AI that has sensory input — now you're creating AI hybrids with organic brains. Then, that's a whole different story. Then, you're talking about what's been covered in science fiction movies. But I would say it's very far away, if at all."

5. How long will it take for brain organoid research to lead to breakthroughs?

"You need to get this system into hundreds of labs studying these different brain diseases and let everybody take a shot at it. No one lab's gonna do it," said Tanzi. "We can say 10 years, but if you put that brain system and replicate it in the right lab, that could come down to five years. You need experts who know each disease, working in that system."

Robin Williams' widow: 'No one could have done anything more'

One of my favorite actors. The one and only Robin Williams. I was pretty shocked last year when I heard about his suicide; however reading about his diagnoses is a fresh reminder as to why we need to be talking about all forms of Dementia and break the stigmas and shame that individuals feel. Even individual in the lime light have life struggles, and I am happy to hear his wife speak up about the diagnosis and how her and her husband both struggled together before he took his life. My heart truly goes out to all of his family and friends. Susan! Thank you for sharing your story. 

By: Devan Coggan

Robin Williams' widow, Susan, has given her first interviews since her husband's death, opening up about his mental health and saying she doesn't blame him "one bit."

In an interview with ABC News' Amy Robach, which aired Tuesday on Good Morning America, Susan Williams said that in addition to his battle with depression and his recent diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, he had become increasingly paranoid and anxious, and in the week before his death, his doctors recommended that he check into a facility for neurocognitive testing.

She added that he was holding it together as best as he could. "But the last month he could not. It was like the dam broke," Williams said.

A report after his death also revealed that Robin Williams had Lewy body dementia, a brain condition that can cause mood fluctuations, hallucinations, and impaired motor function. Frequently misdiagnosed, it's one of the most common forms of neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's. In an interview with People, Williams said her husband's brain disease was only detected after his death, and she hopes to raise awareness of Lewy body dementia.

"People in passing ... would say to me, 'God, I wish I had done something more for him. If only I had called him," Williams told Robach. "And I'm thinking, 'No one could have done anything more for Robin.' I just want everyone to know that. Everyone did the very best they could. This disease is like a sea monster with 50 tentacles of symptoms that show when they want. It's chemical warfare in the brain. And we can't find it until someone dies definitively. There is no cure."

The 63-year-old actor died by suicide on Aug. 11, 2014. During the interview, Robach asked Williams whether her husband's death may have been his way of taking back control.

"In my opinion, oh yeah," she said. "I mean, there are many reasons. Believe me, I've thought about this. Of what was going on in his mind, what made him ultimately commit... you know, to do that act. And I think he was just saying no. And I don't blame him one bit. I don't blame him one bit."

Watch a clip of Williams' interview with Robach below, and see the full interview at Yahoo! News. For more on her husband's battle with Lewy body dementia, read Williams' interview at People. 

SUPPORTING HILARITY FOR CHARITY IN A CROWN & SASH

Red Carpet Photo
Copyright:BMW Photography

 By:

Brooke Morgan Westlake-Kelley, 

MS. Nevada,

2015 Woman of Achievement

Saturday October 17^th My husband and I attended the annual variety comedy show Hilarity for Charity, held at the Hollywood Palladium. If you’re not familiar with this wonderful fundraiser/event, I’m happy to share with you the who, what, when, where and why I support this event.

“about hilarity for charity

This Beauty Queen Drinks
WINE
& I like it Red :)
Copyright:BMW Photography

Happy Bar Mitzvah-Franco!
Copyright: BMW Photography

Hilarity for Charity® (HFC) is a movement led by comedian Seth Rogen to inspire change and raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease among the millennial generation.”

This year’s 4th annual variety show Hilarity for Charity featured James Franco’s Bar Mitzvah, presented by Funny or Die and go90.  Comedians who entertained the packed Palladium included Bill Hader, Kyle Kinane, Al Madrigal, Ron Funches, Justin Willman, host Seth Rogen, and James Franco, and musicians HAIM and Miley Cyrus also performed a four-song set.  

Hollywood Palladium
Hilarity for Charity-2015
Copyright:BMW Photography

The Start:  This year’s Hilarity for Charity event was well organized and flowed nicely from start to finish.  Cocktails, food trucks, red carpet, and a beautiful BMW, were part of the pre-party that took place outside the Hollywood Palladium before the show started.  My husband Scott and I walked the red carpet for some photos. We posed  in front of a large poster of James’ Franco’s face, and we got to sign a bigger face of  Franco’s inside the Palladium wishing him a happy Bar Mitzvah. 

Posing in front of the awesome 2016 BMW, & Taking 
Official Pageant Photos with guests
Copyright:BMW Photography

(God Bless This HFC Volunteer)
(He is a primary caretaker for his Grandma)

        Copyright:BMW Photography

Once the sunset and the red carpet photos of the stars were snapped and interviews were given, we were all gathered up to go inside and take our seats. A lovely dinner table awaited for us. Scott and I got our seats and were treated to a very different variety comedy show (After all this is not the kind of show you cover your ears for). We had five other ladies that joined our table. To my left, I made a new friend from Canada named Deanna who had flown in for the show and to get a few days of vacation in Southern California. To my husband’s right, two lovely ladies from Minnesota had also flown in for the show. Across from us were two other lovely ladies, but we did not get a chance to speak with them.

The Show:  The grand entrance from the one and only, comedian and actor superstar Seth Rogen, dancing and singing “Fiddler on the Roof”. The room filled with laughter as we all knew we were in for the type of comedy that is always outside of the box.  After all, with theme for this year being James Franco’s Bar Mitzva, and knowing the types of funny, crazy movies these two have done, than you know they get crazy with their comedy.. 

After the grand entrance by Seth, we received critical doses of comedy from Bill Hader, Kyle Kinane, Al Madrigal, and Ron Funches. I love comedy, and so for me this I actually consider medical critical does for me; however something that set this show apart this year was the magic from Justin Willman.

(Sign the Franco FACE. Thanks Hilarity for Charity! James's NOSE is hot when printed bigger!)
Copyright:BMW Photography

Hollywood Palladium-Hilarity for Charity 2015
Copyright: BMW Photography

Favorite Performance:  
Justin Willman’s was one of my favorite acts of the night. He drew random people from the crowd and asked them to think of numbers, while another volunteer on stage up the numbers on a iphone calculator until they read 10,172,015,840., This whole time, another volunteer from the audience was sitting on an envelope that Justin had given at the beginning of his act. I felt like he was MacGyver of the magic industry. The envelope had quote inside. So we were all perplexed to where this trick was heading when all the sudden he used the quote and went over to the dry erase board. It turns out the number represented the date: October 17, 2015, and when Justin asked everyone to look at their iPhones, the time was exactly 8:40 p.m. The delivery and execution of his magic was impactful with the quote.  It brought me to my toes to clap, and gave me chills when the end trick was revealed. On a side note, he met his wife 4 years ago at the first Hilarity for Charity. How cute is that?

James Getting Clipped!
Hollywood Palladium
Copyright:BMW Photography

Getting back to the show’s theme We watched James Franco become an “official” man by his on-stage (fake) circumcision by Jeff Goldbum, with an up-close look at the foreskin of a pre-taped video of Zac Efron as the “foreskin”.  That event had everyone laughing. As mentioned before this is not the kind of show to cover the ears and eyes at because with Seth and James, you never know what these two will dream up.

Bill-Thank you for taking a photo of me while
you were dancing on stage. Tag me!
Copyright:BMW Photography

The auction was very entertaining as the Auctioneer and movie star Bill Hadler were very funny at raising money for the cause. Bill was truly on point with comments to people who auctioned for items. And this is critical because people bid hundreds of thousands of dollars on the various packages, and this funding will go toward combating Alzheimer’s and raising awareness.

Ken & Nikki Dodson. HUGS & Prayers to you both!
Copyright:BMW Photography

Touching Moments: I cried twice during the night, and my poor husband kept handing me these nice imprinted napkins to wipe my tears…. The first cry session hit when they showed the on-screen commercial to the audience in regards to Alzheimer’s. The second tear session hit while listening to Nikki Dodson speaking about her husband. He is 37 years old and is living with Alzheimer’s, and she reached out to Hilarity for Charity a year or so ago about her story.

Miley Cyrus Performs for Hilarity for Charity
Hollywood Palladium
Copyright:BMW Photography

(James- Don't worry. I think this was a fake "Circumcision")
Copyright:BMW Photography

​Favorite Moment: 

Moving into the music jams for the night, we were then greeted with ear filling music performances by HAIM and then a surprise performance by Miley Cyrus in a blue thong swimsuit wearing the Star of David. I looked over and said to my husband “Wow, I was not prepared for this part.” People got up from tables and were moving to the music, so I decided to go to the front of the stage. Now would Miley have been my first person as a pick to listen to? No, but let me tell you, her vocals were amazing. I  believe she sounds better in person then on the radio as you are able to hear her fully range of vocals. That lady can sing and it was beautiful to hear. Towards the end of Miley’s performance, people were let on stage.; I thought “Hum should I go for it?” and then I thought “Na, I am enjoying the moment being right front and center.” Plus I am pretty sure it would not have looked good with me trying to hop up on stage in an evening gown, tiara, and sash on.

(Miley- I actually wanted to rescue you after
I took this photo. You look scared of these fans
In a good way :)
Copyright:BMW Photography

I snapped many photos with my new iPhone and got some pretty comical shots. Jame’s Franco fixin the zipper, Miley looking terrified with some of the fans getting extra close to her to take selfies, Bill Hadler busting a move with Miley’s final song, and then the darling couple of the night – Seth and Lauren Miller- Rogen thanking everyone for coming to the show. 

Lauren Miller-Rogen & Seth Rogen
Copyright: BMW Photography

Lauren Miller-Rogen, Seth Rogen & James Franco
Copyright: BMW Photography

Loved finding this photo on Twitter...
Copyright: Hilarity for Charity

The After Party & BEST HIGH LIGHT: The night continued with an after party on the second floor of the Pallidum. My husband and I danced and mingled with new people, took photos in the photo booth, and learned more about why people support Hilarity for Charity. And then it happened! Nikki Dodson and her husband came to the party.  I told my husband who just came to the party and said I have go meet them in person.  I had to give Nikki a hug and tell her how amazing she was and that I cried in my seat and felt bad. When she was on stage I kept thinking of my grandma and all the many families that have gone through this painful, horrible, rotten disease.

Final numbers: Total raised $2.5 MILLION!

END NOTE: WHY DO I SUPPORT ALZHEIMER’S FUNDRAISERS AND CAUSES.

(Shout out to our new friend, Deanna)
Copyright:BMW Photography

(look to the left.. cracking up! I made it in the picture).
Group Pic: Hilary for Charity-2015

To my readers:  I am a wife, mother, worker, business owner, and an Alzheimer’s representative for the State of Nevada on several different levels. I am a Ms. Nevada Woman of Achievement 2015 title holder getting ready for nationals next month, Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA. I am also a Volunteer for the Northern Nevada Northern California Alzheimer’s Association, and at the annual Alzheimer’s Walk a  team captain for my team “Remember My Photo. “Recently, I became an volunteer for Alzheimer’s Advocacy Reporting & Trends appreciation, where I am a member on Sen. Dean Heller’s Team. I take free portraits of Alzheimer’s patients, and also have a series of photography’s called “Purple Dignity” where I am using my photography as an art to shine awareness on this disease. http://bmwphotoproject.blogspot.com/2015/03/series-1-purple-dignity.html

My personal story related to this disease:

My Alzheimer’s journey started in 2002 when my grandma was diagnosed and a portion of that journey ended on February 24, 2012 at 4:25pm while I was holding my grandma as she took her last breathe. (ugh now I am getting all teary eyed). Here is my story:

http://bmwphotoproject.blogspot.com/2013/01/i-am-shifting-gears-for-my-blog-all-for.html

#ENDALZ #WIPEOUTALZ #REMEMBERMYPHOTO #BEVERLYJEAN #BMWPHOTOGRAPHY #AlzSucks #Francsbarmitzvah #HFC 
Email:Photographybmw@yahoo.com
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Alzheimer's Walk-Northern Nevada Northern California-2015

My Walking Team "Remember My Photo" 2015

"MY LADY CREW"

This year’s walk seemed to come sooner than last year, but that could because my schedule with work, photography, volunteer work and family work have been keeping me 

busy this year.

My day started early. I arrived at 6am. This year I am happy to say I got an official “Committee Member” shirt that I had the honor of wearing all day. So I was not to mad at myself for noting getting custom t-shirts made for my walk team “Remember My Photo” This year’s team mates that joined me were: Kathy (friend from work), her friend Kim, Jamie (my realtor), my husband & son, and William, his daughter and grandson (clients of mine from my photography business.) My team raised well over $235.00 with a couple of awesome outside donations. 

For: Grandma Bev, Aunt Nomie, & Cousin Mike

The Finish Line

I began my day at the registration area until the ceremony. I got to help many people come in and get registered for the walk, collect extra donations, share with them the day’s events and most importantly thank them for coming and for raising money for a disease that still had no cure.   Similar to last year’s ceremony, there were honorees on stage for each colored flower. I did not meet these individuals this year, but heard from my team about their amazing stories.

Reno, Sparks ALZ Walk 2015

Ladies Taking a "Selfie"

I was hopeful during this walk to not become so emotional in regards to losing my Grandma . I am proud to say I walked this year with my head held high. I was truly touched on how well the walk came together. The goal for the walk this year was to raise $185,000.00. After the walk the total that was raised was $171,731.22. But the fundraising does not stop there. I imagine we will hit our goal on or before the end of 2015. This year we had 107 teams and 1,021 walkers. I would say so far we are doing a stellar job as a team effort to help end Alzheimer’s.  Please join me next year as I walk to find a cure for Alzheimer’s.

My Husband and I.
#ENDALZ #PURPLEDIGNITY #REMEMBERMYPHOTO #BMWPHOTOGRAPHY #BEVERLYJEAN #WIPEOUTALZ