Mush

People talk. Rumours spread. No one approves. In greasy spoons and hotel rooms, two young believers are reluctantly falling in love. Gabby and Mush are united by a mutual love of hummus, but they remain stubbornly at odds over faith and family ties. Cultural pressures and contemporary life collide in this stirring new play by Karla Crome. Mush and Me was inspired by lead actress' Great Aunty Nancy, who is a 101-year-old Jewish woman. When she was in her early twenties she received a marriage proposal from a non-Jewish man. She declined on account of her family's disapproval. What is the modern-day equivalent? The idea of a fractious flirtation between a Jewish girl and a Muslim guy took seed, and Gabby and Mush were born. Theirs is a modern love story for multicultural Britain, which asks: are interfaith relationships limiting or liberating? Do they constitute a mark of betrayal or a sign of progress?

Seventy year old Clay Morgan and two of his sons are taking a three thousand mile, cross country road trip mostly down Route 66, to his third son's wedding. Making a deal with their father, Dad will tell stories if they seek his favorite snack...microwave pigskins. He weaves a Christian based comic romance where a devoted Klansman and his daughter fall in love with people they shouldn't. There is a California town called Opportunity, where people are crazy about their pigs, a young pastor finds love for the first time, and lives are changed when God places a Ray Charles CD in the cafe juke box. Through it all, Dad becomes a hero when he gives a heart-felt wedding toast to the newlywed couple and influences an in-law to stand up for himself. However, he creates unforgiving enemies by expressing a negative opinion at the rehearsal dinner.

Mush, a dog from the planet Growf-Woof-Woof, relates how she came to be on Earth, and how she and three other animals formed a jazz ensemble that foiled a band of ice cream parlor robbers.

Only the fittest can survive the extreme cold temperatures and severe winds of Alaska. Frostbite can set in quickly if one is not prepared or properly clothed, and the hardships of the arctic climate can present challenges for even the most skilled outdoorsman. But for one group of volunteers, not even this harsh Alaskan wilderness can stand in the way of helping someone when there is danger. Mush to Nome is based on a true story and follows these courageous supermen and their Eskimo dogs through this severe climate as they journey to save the lives of their fellow Alaskans. When an epidemic of diphtheria threatens the city of Nome, only the best dogs and dog mushers are chosen to deliver a life-saving serum to stop the threat. This illustrated story adds life and faces to the men and lead dogs who put themselves on the line and into the cold to save the people of Nome. And as a story told for all ages, narrator Charliea little lemming who hitches a ride with the dog teams on their way to Nomechronicles this compelling tale of heroism in the face of adversity. So join Charlie and famous international mushers like Gunnar Kaasen, Leonhard Seppala, Martin Buser, and Susan Butchernot to mention lead dogs like Balto and Togoon this life-saving journey through the Alaskan wilderness. Spanning thousands of miles, it is a trek that would eventually inspire the Alaskan Iditarod Race in 1973.

SRA International grew from one person in his home basement to more than 7,000 people and nearly $2 billion in revenue in thirty years. The firm was profitable, revenue increased every year, and it became highly admired for its values and culture. SRA was on the Fortune list of 100 Best Places to Work in America for ten consecutive years. The company’s initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange was the sixth most successful in 2002, and the price of its stock soared. Then, at the height of success, the top management team changed twice, growth declined, the firm made a bad acquisition, and the market it served began to decrease. SRA was sold to a private equity firm. The new owners (including the founder and author of this book) hired a dynamic young CEO who implemented changes designed to restore values, culture, and business success. As this account ends, the market was challenging, but the outlook was promising. This book describes the lessons learned through varied phases: startup, rapid growth, changes in leadership, business problems, privatization; and it explains how high ethics and a sense of service to customers, employees, and society led to a very special company. Its intended audience is business professionals in emerging and established companies and for current and former employees and friends.