Funny How It Happens...
People ask us how Over Easy began... How we got the idea and what we plan on achieving... And, the truth is, it seems like it had been developing long before any of us truly realized.
All of us attended Marshall University in Huntington, WV, and stayed connected even as we parted ways for career goals, as we all must often do in today's world. Thankfully, we made a point to stay in touch.
The concept had been brewing between us for years: to create filmmaking magic within our home state of West Virginia.
For the time being, I earned my second bachelors in nursing, because well...bills. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being a nurse. It is challenging, strenuous, draining, and most of all rewarding, and I wouldn't change it for the world. Ultimately, whether tending to a patient or highlighting the world through a lens, I want to help and support others. Film gives me the platform to guide people to sights they have never seen and to inspire others to dream. After four years of being away from filmmaking while in nursing school, I had forgotten that...
“Do one thing every day that scares you.”
Leave it to a much needed vaca & reunion with a couple goofy friends in the mountains of Asheville, NC last summer to remind me! Upon catching up on each others' lives-and realizing we should never go that long (3-5 years) without physically seeing each other AGAIN if we can help it, our random shenanigans and laughter rekindled our creative fire!!!!
One morning, we found ourselves at this neat little breakfast joint with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee & crispy fried bacon (what a duo!!!)-delicious. As we fawned over the unique restaurants, specialty shops, & of course the ones which made fresh, tasty chocolate morsels-we realized something...
One thing that is common across cultures, that brings everyone together, is FOOD! Various foods, brews, desserts, they are shared with one another, even across cultures. It opens a door for conversation, community, and to relate to one another. Some of our most treasured moments happen around the dinner table or over a fresh brew.
Our wheels began turning. We had something--food and culture in Appalachia. A culture unlike any other, full of innovative entrepreneurs, a region rich in scenic landscapes, and compassionate people. In Appalachia, there is a form of hospitality where you wave to one another, even if you don't know each other. You talk to Joe-Shmo you just met at the bank, as if you've known each other for decades. People tend to not be in such a rush. This I have grown to love. And I love bringing out-of-town friends here, to expose them to this culture. And I LOVE watching them fall in love with it.
As we sat at the counter eating our delectable dishes and shootin' the breeze with the waitresses, we watched the waitresses make it look effortless to carry a genuine conversation and complete a million tasks, (SHOUT OUT TO RESTAURANT SERVERS,CHEFS, & CULINARY STAFF) and something just clicked! We had been digging for ways to make films in our home state, why not capture the essence of our conversation over breakfast.
We thought, why don't we capture the way we see and experience Appalachia? We could showcase our rich cuisine and culture to do something good for the region-and curb our craving to create together.
So, then, I said, "Well, then, let's make a food show, but now, what do we call it?"
We started brainstorming. As we continued eating (Hint: I had a fried egg, over easy, you will understand why that is important in a second)
Taylor exclaimed, "Over Easy! It could be the Over Easy Show!" (<----see) "We talk about how we, Appalachians, are laid-back and easy to talk to. And, you are eating eggs over easy, so there's that..."
Beka and I looked at each other and back at Taylor. Actually, that just might work. AND BEHOLD! Over Easy Show began to take form. It's funny how it happens. How a passion, a spark, an idea turns into something incredibly real...
We ventured to Asheville, NC for a much needed weekend. We unknowingly returned to our lives holding each other accountable for bringing creativity back into our everyday existence. And this is just how the Over Easy Show idea happened.(cont.)
What we did with this idea is what makes all the difference. To say we were nervous, is an understatement. It was (is) thrilling & scary. To leap. To put yourself out there. To test yourself in ways only YOU can.
And so, we got the ball rollin'! We made a plan. We all volunteered our time, our talents, ideas, and passion. We went for it.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "Do one thing every day that scares you". We adopted this philosophy. Granted, something that scares you does not always have to be something like skydiving, rock climbing, learning to dance with snakes, or petting a tarantula... Often, simply believing in ourselves and everything we are capable of is our greatest fear. The fear that we could fail. Or worse, the fear that we might succeed.
Essentially, the promise we made to each other (to hold ourselves creatively accountable) was to live life knowing and recognizing our fears AND facing them head on in the best way we can.
Pure serendipity and the Universe brought us together. Hard work and relentless passion has brought us here. An ongoing theme of community and collaboration keeps us moving.
Through all the beauty, resilience, and stamina of Appalachia, we began at its heart, West Virginia. Our "mountain mama" has been itchin' to shine bright for the world to see her glistening crystals, healing waters, and innovative mountaineers.
So, as I said folks, funny how it happens!
We look forward to highlighting ALL of Appalachia as we continue on this journey. And we thank you for joining us. Feel free to share.