Tutus, Razor Wire, and Condoms: Secrets of an Unplanned Life

JUST BUSTED

Book Her Now!

Gayle Mingledorff

Apprehended in Signal Mountain, Tennessee after a scandalous run through the Southeast, National, and International Venues.

Gayle’s Offense

Uncovering and exposing simple techniques to live successfully both personally and professionally. She is armed and dangerous with innovative and creative powers which will trap you into the life of your dreams!

Rap Sheet

Gayle’s Conviction from Birth – Enjoy every minute – teach, train, empower and entertain – death comes before retirement.

First sighted in Atlanta Georgia, from age three through teenage years and even after graduating from Georgia State University she was found captivating audiences. Next she was spotted teaching ballet and choreographing – no age and no one was safe – beware!

Still in Atlanta, Gayle gave the authorities the slip as she made a drastic move to the Georgia Department of Corrections and AID Atlanta – hiding in plain sight – IMAGINE! Creating programs to protect and help people (that’s our job); why didn’t we see this coming – a talented creator and presenter of programs that can work anywhere – so crafty this one.

All the while, she was assisting Griggs Van Horn on charity balls – using laughter and excitement to raise money for charities – Outrageous Behavior!

Widening her net of influence she was an Assistant Choreographer for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Realizing she had traveled to six different foreign countries on mission trips, we called for international help – where is Bond when you need him? She developed an international network and following – how did this happen?

Finally realizing her base of operation had moved to Jensen Beach, Florida we arrived too late. We interviewed her accomplices about a Gala she developed for a new non-profit to benefit breast cancer patients. Her success continued on a path of hope and support. Who can stop her now?

Travel activity drastically increased across the U.S. from her new base – Signal Mountain TN. She began quietly transforming 20 hours of power point training into 8 hours of interactive facts and entertainment for Hospice of Chattanooga volunteers – then – imagine the nerve – introducing humor and participant interaction into corporate training – locations covering the U.S. and even the Virgin Islands. The seminar company, Fred Pryor Seminars, gave us the final tip to apprehend this successful contract trainer. However, before our apprehension, she had the nerve to venture into creating and implementing webinar training for IRS managers. Still – no limits!

Finally Apprehended and Booked!

Gayle’s Defense

Gayle is a natural teacher, trainer and entertainer – incorporating the arts into all programs. She is holding to her conviction from birth – joy and enlightenment which breeds undeniable progress. She will not move from her position of empowering others to follow their dreams – stubborn to say the least. Always a student, she continues her adventures. Driven by extreme curiosity, Gayle continues solving problems and creating inventive programs but also takes time for peace and reflection.

It’s your turn to be The Judge

Do we keep this innovative fugitive confined on Signal Mountain or suspend her sentence? Should she be permitted to continue spreading her outrageous ability to create understanding and empowerment wherever she goes? Let us know – you know her location – act now!

BOOK HER NOW! BUY THIS BOOK!

Ideas into Books®

W E S T V I E W

P.O. Box 605

Kingston Springs, TN 37082

www.publishedbywestview.com

Copyright © 2023 Gayle Mingledorff

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduction, storage, transmittal, or retrieval, in whole or in part in any form.

ISBN 978-1-62880-263-4 (Perfect Bound) 978-1-62880-264-1 (Ebook)

First edition, May 2023

Good faith efforts have been made to trace copyrights on materials included in this publication. If any copyrighted material has been included without permission and due acknowledgment, proper credit will be inserted in future printings after notice has been received.

Digitally printed on acid free paper.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction: A Fifty-Year Jaunt

A Teaser

One: The Beginning or The End?

Back to the Late 1980’s

Off to Jensen Beach

Two: Florida—My New Experience

My Reasoning & How I Arrived Here

Three: Passion: What to Do with It?

My Secret Passion

My Definitions

Embracing my Secret Passion

The Dance Journey Begins

My Teaching Philosophy

Mother Nature Rules

Enough about Teaching—My Passion and Being a Conduit

Respect the Universe

Four: The Job Hunt

The Look Back

My Starting Point—Teaching Skills

My Teaching Skills in Particular

Teaching Key

The New Covenant Dancers

The Next Step

I Regress—Volunteering Pays Off!

Ms. Celebrate Life

Back to the Job Hunt!

Five: The Universe & Me

Spiritual Background

Six: Life’s a Process

Life has been a Process—Where did it all Start?

My Happy Place

Digging Deeper

The Second Path

Seven: Razor Wire & The Georgia Department of Corrections

Prevention Programs

My Evil Twin Emerges

Adopt-a-School Program

A New Position

Graduation Ceremonies

The Graduation Ceremony

A Christmas Gift

Love Life in the Boot Camp

Other Memorable Stories

Eight: The Unknown—Challenges

Craft of Choreography Conference

Additional Lessons from The Choreography Conferences

Nine: Choreography and Unlimited Possibilities

The Dancing Missionary’s Point of View

Knowledge & Benefits

Ten: Family of Choice

My Wieuca Family—The Singles Community

Another Twist

Eleven: Condoms? Seriously?

Adventures at AID Atlanta

Two Remarkable Groups

What Makes My Heart Sing?

Set My Intention

Just Begin

Instincts

Outcomes

What’s Next?

Twelve: Retail & the Ball Season

My Brothers of Choice

My Brothers

A Ballroom Couple

My Favorite Ball

Inman Park Restoration

Looking Back

Thirteen: The Dancing Missionary Takes Off!

On to Indonesia

My Angels

Fourteen: Onward to Other Continents

My Uganda Experience

Fifteen: The Background

A Long Time Dream—The Universe’s Timetable

My Heart’s Desire

Legacy—The Ballet

Sixteen: Success in Florida

A New and Old Direction

A Surprise Phone Call

I Did Try!

Something New

What Now?

Guides Along the Way

Jonnie Kelley—Personal Character

Tommy Sutton—Trust What I Know

Jack Naish—Self Confidence

Robert Griggs—Enjoy Each Day

Edwene Gaines—New Spiritual Awareness

Many More

Flashback: The Year 2007

Circle Georgia Tour

What’s Mine to Do?

My Next Career—The Quiet Beginning

Seventeen: Manifestations

Back to Manifestations

Life After Florida—The Path of Manifestations

Down to the Nitty Gritty

Family Village Farm

Unexpected Outcomes

Eighteen: Conclusion—Enough Already!!!

Ballet? Sure, I get that. But Razor Wire? Condoms? Seriously? What do they have in common? ME!

INTRODUCTION A FIFTY-YEAR JAUNT

You’re probably asking yourself "What can Tutus, Razor Wire, & Condoms possibly have in common?" That is why you picked up this book, isn’t it? The answer is simple: Spoiler Alert! It’s Me !!! Amazing as it might be, those three things comprise my life and careers for the first fifty years of my delightful existence on this planet. Have all the years been lollipops and rainbows? If only! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Lollipops and Rainbows could be a statement and not a question? Truthfully, though, those pesky challenges and seemingly dead-ends spearheaded realizations and growth. The result? My life has been richer in the long run; I promise. Also, I really do love lollipops; treats are necessary!

Thinking back through my journey to a Life Blessed with Joy, I realize that I have been led by my Passions, Passions which materialized into more adventures and encounters than I could have ever planned, much less imagined. The most astonishing fact, especially to me, is that I never appreciated until recently that I actually realized a plan.

I had known for a fact that I never fit into the standard two-year, five-year, or even two-day plan that most financial planners recommend. Not even the not-so-gentle coaxing from our parents… can you hear their voices? Instead, in the following pages you will see evidence of a different take on Life. If you are looking for guideposts, what about these three?

Passion—Intentions—Outcomes

Too simple to work? Not exactly:

Details to follow!

A TEASER -

Passion, the first step: My Passion began in the ballet studio. It was an adventure to witness how the discipline of endless repetitive combinations and leaps across the floor morphed into Razor Wire and Condoms. I suggest that you consider igniting a long-held dream and witness the possibilities. Why not? Life is too long or too short not to give it a shot.

I’m beginning my adventure with a life-changing experience and its unexpected challenges—in other words, as we say in the South, A Come to Jesus Meeting. You will not have to tolerate, in this book, someone whose life has been all smooth sailing. It’s the bumps in the road and heavy wind that make us who we are, and perhaps even better than we ever imagined.

I prefer life as a huge circle of wonder. When I pay attention, I see that sometimes my circles were tight and exciting, while other times the journey took a little longer and the circle wobbled a bit. Need I say more?!

One more question: Why am I telling you about my careers and escapades? Easy: I’m an author, and no one saw that coming! I love telling stories, and most audiences have enjoyed my journey. Realizing that there was an overall motive/plan/reason for each story led me to this book. If one adventure or misjudgment leads you to look at your life a little differently or make you sit up and take notice, your time will be well spent.

If you are you ready for a fifty-year jaunt, accept this mission and read on!

CHAPTER ONE

THE BEGINNING OR THE END?

The large rolling door slammed shut, enclosing all my earthly belongings in the back of the U-Haul. I fastened the lock securely and looked around. This was it. Leaning on one side of the truck, I studied the renovated duplex I owned that had been my home for the last eight years. It was my home , not just where I hung my hat but my home .

Walking to the front yard, I gazed up and down the street to reinforce that moment on Coolege Avenue into my memory. Cooledge Avenue was a beautiful one-block cobblestone street in downtown Atlanta that dead ended into Piedmont Park. It’s part of the unique and culturally colorful neighborhood of Virginia Highlands.

I treasured the sidewalks and stately shade trees that lined both sides of the street; they are a rarity today. This setting held a special place in my heart. Atlanta was the city where I’d spent my entire life. I loved this area. My home fit me to T. Why leave the home I loved and why travel with a gentleman named Roger? What better reason? My love life!

We were off to Jensen Beach, Florida, in that packed-to-the-seams U-Haul. Roger and I were in the cab and Laddie, my standard poodle mix, unceremoniously but most definitely made room for himself between us. His eighty-pound presence was a permanent fixture—he was not going to be left behind! I’ll always remember his questioning eyes, as if he was asking, What now and why are we moving? He wasn’t far from wrong.

In the back of my mind I pondered the same questions. What will leaving Atlanta mean down the road? Is this really the right next step?

The answer—the process of moving to Florida—began years ago and with my mother of all people. Let me explain.

BACK TO THE LATE 1980S

My mother was in her eighties and it was time for Mother and me to have the talk. No, not what you’re thinking—nothing to do with sex—really, remember her age. The question was, Mother, when you die what do you want me to do: service, burial, etc. We were driving to lunch and the fact that we didn’t have to look directly at each other gave us both the opportunity to think and consider this sensitive and serious issue. It was a logical question and I expected a logical answer. I should have known better—she was my mother after all.

My mother was one of the best teachers to walk the face of the earth, so why did I expect a normal answer? She demanded complete respect from middle school students and they loved her completely—a rare and exceptional quality then and now. Mother’s answer: Why don’t you just hang me from a tree? I commented that there were laws, so that was not an option. To say there was a pregnant pause is an understatement.

Considering where do I go from here? I said nothing. One of my brighter moves. Mother continued, I can tell you one thing: if you put me in a casket and leave the lid of the casket open, when people come by to look at me, so help me, I will sit up at the most inopportune moment, grab the lid, and slam that sucker shut. I said nothing. So much for the talk. Imagine her students and my life as her child. She had her moments.

We rode a couple of miles in silence before Mother spoke again. I cringed at what was to come. She asked, What are you and your brother going to do when you die? That was easy; I answered, Both of us decided on cremation. When I answered her logical question with a logical answer, Mother replied, Why don’t you just do the same for me. I was so relieved to have a rational and lucid answer, I concluded the conversation by quietly stating OK. I feared what might be coming next, so I quit while I was ahead. I didn’t realize at the time that I neglected a crucial follow-up question: Mother, what do you want me to do with your ashes?

Mother and I shared a distinct dislike for funerals and long tragic farewells, but the question remained. What to do with her ashes? When she passed away peacefully in 1994, I had to answer this question for myself. You may have grasped the idea that Mother was unusual, so why should her final resting place be the standard or expected? When a decision needed to be made, I thought back to the only time that I had seen Mother totally happy.

My brother and me.

Background: My mother was born in 1907 and her generation went through two World Wars, The Great Depression, Korea, and Vietnam. This generation was unique and suffered more than I will endure—I hope. Mother did not have an optimistic outlook at times. She tended to hold onto items, which was typical of her generation; she knew scarcity. I never knew her to take a vacation just to go. It wasn’t in her DNA.

Back in 1976, at Mother’s instigation, we had made a trip to Hawaii. This was unusual. It was the only travel she had ever suggested, but about it she was adamant and unrelenting. I quickly made the necessary arrangement for a tour before she changed her mind. Off we went to Hawaii in the summer of 1976, celebrating the Fourth of July—our country’s 200th birthday—in Hawaii. Once there, my mother was eating pineapple ice cream, dancing in the streets, and singing all the time. Her spirit was truly happy. It was the one and only time I had ever seen her totally carefree. It made one wonder—who was this person? Remembering this event vividly, the decision about her ashes was made. We were going back to Hawaii. It felt right on all accounts.

It was now 1994, seven years before 9/11, so at a time when travel was less restrictive. I placed Mother’s ashes in a plastic Ziploc bag, safely tucked it away in my carry-on, and off we went. Neither Mother nor I had much use for the urns that were used for ashes—exactly what do you do with the urn after the ashes are deposited? No good options came to mind. Keeping an urn that had previously held Mother was just creepy. Plastic bag was it for the trip.

When my friends heard about my decision they thought I had lost my mind and questioned my sanity. This question about my sanity had surfaced before but I knew that Mother’s spirit would appreciate the break from tradition.

Hawaii is a wonderful vacation spot, especially for couples, but I arrived alone—well, almost. I checked into my hotel. Since I was traveling solo, I became friends with the concierge at the hotel. We hit it off immediately. I finally told her the reason for my solo trip. The expression on her face said, Well, this is a first. However, she understood my dilemma over finding a final resting home for Mother. I booked several events and tours so I could get a better idea of the Island of Maui and what would be the perfect spot for Mother’s ashes. I was in for a busy week; so was Mother.

On the third day, when I stopped by to chat with the concierge, she said, Gayle, a gentleman came by my desk today and I offered him a two-for-one dinner coupon and he said he was traveling alone so the coupon wouldn’t be useful. I told him I knew of a female who was also traveling alone. I suggested that I would give you his room number and that you could contact him if you wanted to make the call. The concierge later told me that this was the first and only time she had made this kind of connection. There’s always a first and I’m so glad she broke her rule that one and only time.

I took the room number and thought What have I got to loose. I felt safe being in a hotel. If I didn’t like this dude, that would be it—no harm, no foul, so to say. I made the call. His name was Roger and he made me laugh. That was a plus; on to the next step. Roger and I decided to meet in the lobby that evening to say hello. He was very pleasant and had a great sense of humor so we planned to have dinner the following evening.

That next