&
Spring 2014 V. 4 Issue 3
port main James Madison University’s Student Magazine
Bring on spring Must-have outfits for the season
Seeking peace
Find out what it’s like to be part of a religious minority p. 30
Downtown delights Meet
two dining destinations that you should check out this spring p. 10
www.umicommunities.com
Letter from the Editor
&
Dear reader,
staff
This magazine was named for the people who give life to the space between Port Republic Road and South Main Street. It’s about JMU but it also goes beyond that. In this issue we asked: What is it like to be a cab driver? Why are there so many bikers around Harrisonburg? And, how many Sikhs are there at JMU? These questions and more turned into stories of people that make up our interesting little city. As my time at The Breeze and Port & Main comes to an end, I realize I won’t remember half of what I was taught in classes, but I will remember the life lessons taught in our newsroom. Be truthful, admit when you are wrong, be creative and, most of all, never stop improving. I believe this is my best issue of P&M to date, and I hope you agree. If you like what you see, or think I could have done better let me know! I am only just starting my career in publishing so I still have a lot to learn. As always, thanks for reading,
port main Editor-in-Chief Anne Elsea Copy Editor Dylan Garner art editor Natalie Wittmayer photo editor James Chung Online Editor Heather Butterworth
Anne Elsea
Editor-in-Chief
Natalie Wittmayer, art editor
Natalie is a senior media arts and design major and art history minor. She also enjoys working in the fine arts with sculpture and painting. After graduation, Natalie would like to go back to school for business in order to start her own design firm.
James Chung, photo editor
“James is a junior writing, rhetoric and technical communications major. He got this job after Anne found out he took great Instagram selfies. He hates talking about himself in the third person” -James C.
Contributing Writers Heather Butterworth IJ Chan Rachael Diemert Seth Harrison Joanna Morelli Sydney Palese Stephen Proffitt Alana Scharlop Corey Tierney Mary Kate White Jessica Williams Contributing Photographers Julian Ali Mark Owen Matt Schmachtenberg Ads Staff Will Bungarden Caleb Dessalgne Brianna Therkelsen
Heather Butterworth, online editor
Heather is a senior media arts and design major with minors in creative writing and British communication and media. She has been an editor for The Breeze, Madison 101, The Bluestone and Her Campus. She has had three internships and wants to work in digital media after graduation.
Dylan Garner, copy editor
Dylan is a senior media arts and design major and writing, rhetoric and technical communication minor. He has previously edited for The Breeze, the Omaha World-Herald and now Port & Main and 22807. He dedicates his time to all things sports and hopes to find himself on a sports desk or in a press box.
WANT TO GET INVOLVED? Portandmainmag@gmail.com
P&M, Spring 2014 3
Port and main .com Features
to get through the next four months >> 4byways Wayne Epps Jr. and Torie Foster, photo by Torie Pugliese Survive the rest of spring semester with these tips.
The best of Port & Main.com Local trivia night attracts students by Alison Paylor Cross Clementine Cafe’s trivia night off your JMU bucket list.
Restaurant wars by Port & Main editors 2010 Port & Main editors Rachel Dozier, Elizabeth Baugh and Seth Binsted sampled food from eight local restaurants. See which ones came out on top. Major cities by Nora Bollinger Seniors don’t have to move back in with mom and dad. Learn what is the best city to move to for your major. SNAPSHOT by James Chung See more pictures from our “Fired Up” photo shoot at Bella Luna Wood-Fire Pizza restaurant.
Archive See past issues at portandmain.com under the archive tab.
Social Media Port & Main Magazine @portandmainmag Instagram.com/ portandmainmag
4
P&M, Spring 2014
Entertainment
Sit back, relax and enjoy Take a break from work and enjoy the most exciting releases of the season by Corey Tierney
Movies The Grand Budapest Hotel March 7
Iconic director Wes Anderson is back for another film that showcases his distinctively quirky style. He is not all flair, however, since three of his eight movies have been nominated for Academy Awards. Two were recognized for Best Original Screenplay and one for Best Animated Feature. His stories are guaranteed to run you through the gamut of human emotion; this one in particular features murder, romance and revenge set in a hotel in 1920s Europe.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
May 23 In the seventh installment of the film series, “X-Men” veteran Bryan Singer directs a story that takes place in both the present and the 1970s. The original superhero clan teams up with their younger selves in a battle against a new enemy from the comic series played by “Game of Thrones” actor Peter Dinklage. Starring: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence
Starring: Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Owen Wilson
Books “Mortal Instruments: City of Heavenly Fire” by Cassandra Clare
May 27 As the sixth and final installment of “The Mortal Instruments” fantasy series, this novel has been seven years in the making. It follows main characters Clary, Jace and Simon as they and the Shadowhunter world fall victim to an unexpected enemy, one who is closer to them than they could have ever imagined.
CDs Foster the People “Supermodel” March 14
Led by musical prodigy Mark Foster, this indie-rock trio’s sophomore album has been buzzed about for over a year now. Their first release (“Torches,” 2011) was a huge success, with “Pumped Up Kicks” still being played on radio stations. They have already released the single “Coming of Age,” which has the same laid back, electronic-infused rock style as their freshman release. But don’t worry; it is far from the same old, same old. With the same bag of tricks, the group manages to make their original sound fresh and exciting. iTunes: $9.99, Amazon: $11.88
Amazon: $13.24, Amazon Kindle ebook: $10.67, Barnes & Noble: $14.19 (hardcover), Barnes & Noble NOOK ebook: $10.67
Shakira “Shakira” March 25
“One Man Guy” by Michael Barakiva May 27
Successful theater director Michael Barakiva is releasing his first novel, which has already garnered a lot of hype. The story highlights a young Armenian boy after his parents have sent him to summer school, where he meets a mysterious new friend and discovers a lot about love, culture and his own sexuality. Amazon and Barnes & Noble: $13.85 (Hardcover), Amazon Kindle ebook: $8.89, Barnes & Noble NOOK ebook: $9.99
After a four-year break (mainly spent as a judge on NBC’s “The Voice”), one of the biggest players in the Latin crossover genre is releasing her self-titled 10th album. The first single “Can’t Remember to Forget You” features fellow pop superstar Rihanna and already debuted near the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Her high energy beats and stuck-in-yourhead lyrics are sure to produce some summer hits. iTunes: $7.99, Amazon: $9.99
P&M, Spring 2014 5
Profile
Baby, you can drive my car
Local cab driver, Chewy, considers his riders friends, not just customers by Rachael Diemert | photo by Matt Schmachtenberg
F
or many nightcrawlers at JMU, cab rides are an integrated part of their nights. Students rely on cabs to get them home safely when the night buses aren’t convenient. Some lucky students have found their “go-to” cab drivers that enhance their weekend experience. A popular Harrisonburg cab driver, Chewy, is one of those go-to drivers. When riding with Chewy, students expect two things: A fun ride and a loyal cab driver. Chewy begins his shift outside of Campus Corner. His Yellow Cab car sits with several others waiting for business along a busy stretch of Port Republic Road. With the car in park, Chewy sits inside with the windows down. One hand rests on the windowsill with a cigarette between his fingers as his other hand fiddles with the radio, settling on a rock station that gets interrupted every few minutes by a crackle of static. On the other end, a dispatcher directs him to his next customer. Chewy, who doesn’t go by his real name for privacy reasons, has been doing this routine for 13 years. His shift begins at 5 p.m. and ends 12 hours later. He usually works Thursdays through Saturdays during the school year: the busiest nights for business. Roughly 80 percent of Chewy’s customers are JMU students, customers with whom he has made numerous
6
P&M, Spring 2014
connections. Many describe him as a friend, and some even say he has been a lifesaver. Around 9:30 p.m., Chewy’s business picks up, and until 1:30 a.m., Chewy’s phone will ring incessantly. He answers the phone, managing to make a mental list of customers, which includes the time, their name and location, while driving around Harrisonburg. The phone calls could be from loyal customers or from new customers who have heard about Chewy from others or the Yellow Cab dispatcher. Chewy calls the next customer in line as he pulls into Aspen Heights. Three girls trickle out of their apartment, stepping carefully in their heels to avoid red Solo cups scattered on the ground. “Where are we going, darling?” he asks the girls as they file into the cab, his voice a raspy southern drawl. “South View!” the girls tell him, and Chewy takes off. It’s dark outside now, and the lights of buildings, cars and street lamps blur together as they drive along Port Republic Road heading to a party the girls heard about. “My friend Caroline told me about you!” the girl in the front seat tells Chewy. “Oh, I could tell ya lots of funny stories about that girl,” Chewy says with a smile. Chewy proceeds to tell them a
funny story about the girls’ friend, laughing at his each of his punch lines, making the girls laugh too. “I love this song! Chewy, can you turn this up?” one girl in the back seat asks as she hears the One Republic song “Counting Stars” coming through the speakers. He obliges and cranks the music up as they all sing along. At the end of the ride, the girls ask for his name and number, and if they can call him whenever they need a ride. The girls pay, thank Chewy and leave the cab. Chewy says goodbye, puts the car into drive and heads toward the next customer. This is how Chewy develops relationships with his customers. Students stumble into his cab, and afterward, they rely on him as their regular cab driver. After a few rides, customers turn into friends. Chewy says that through this job, he’s developed some of his greatest friendships. “He’s a cab driver, but he’s also a loyal friend too,” Davis Ireland, a senior health sciences major and loyal customer of Chewy says. “You can always count on him. If he says he can do it, then he’s gonna do it for you.” Ireland has driven with Chewy since his first night at JMU, when he got lost and didn’t know where he was. Chewy somehow located him, and brought him safely back to his dorm. “He’s a safe, dependable way to get home,” Ireland says. “Whenever I call him, I get to A to B and have a good time. That’s why I don’t call anyone else.” Ireland also commented on his experience with Chewy compared to other cab drivers, saying other cab drivers are less personal. Davis explains that Chewy is accommodating to your mood. “He always matches the tempo of your night. When you’re really drunk and ready to go, he’s lively, he’s funny … he’ll crank the music and get loud with you and stuff. But when you’re having a s---ty night, he acts differently. When you’re tired and want to relax, he’ll do that too.” When asked about his relationships with JMU students, Chewy says his customers are his friends. “A few customers and I have pictures of each other on Facebook,” Chewy says. “One of my favorite customers came back for her sophomore year, and she put up a picture of us hugging, and it said ‘Two best friends
finally get back together’ ... When these kids turn 21, I’ll go out for drinks with them … I’ve developed some of the best friendships with them.” Customers love Chewy because he is fun and personable, but also because he’s dependable. Pooja Rastogi, a junior health science major has been a loyal customer since sophomore year, and considers him a good friend. She describes Chewy as reliable, and says the relationship she has with Chewy is “the most stable relationship I’ve had in college.”
“
A few customers and I have pictures of each other on Facebook. One of my favorite customers came back for her sophomore year, and she put up a picture of us hugging, and it said, ‘Two best friends finally get back together.’ Chewy “There were times that I forgot money and needed a ride. Chewy picked me up anyway and gave me a ride, saying I could pay him back later,” Rastogi says. Rastogi remembers a time when her friend left her wallet in Chewy’s car. Rastogi called Chewy and told him the situation. Chewy turned his cab around immediately, making sure to return it. He also has developed relationships with students’ parents, receiving calls or texts to make sure their children arrive home safe. “My parents liked having security and knowing who was taking me home, and getting me home safely,” says Allison Henry, a former JMU student who transferred last spring. Henry used Chewy throughout her three years at JMU and was one of Chewy’s close customers. Henry called him desperately needing a ride one night, and he picked her up, even though he was not working.
Profile
Chewy described two other customers, a pair of brothers whose parents would call and text Chewy each time the boys went out to make they got home safely. The parents and Chewy communicated frequently, eventually having Chewy meet them in Philadelphia to treat him to a baseball game. Working late nights, Chewy has encountered many troublesome situations with students. “I’ve seen it all … I tell everybody, I could write a book on all the dumb s*** of what students have done,” he says. Chewy tries to help them the best he can, often times going above and beyond just driving the customer to their desired location. “I’ve literally thrown girls over my shoulder, and carried them into their apartments,” he says. Chewy has also made sure friends take care of a student who is sick. He has had various students puke in his car. He has had to call the police to take a girl to the hospital to get her stomach pumped. He says he has also persuaded a woman who was sexually assaulted to report the crime. “I can tell by talking to someone on the phone how urgent a situation is. They say, ‘Chewy I need you here right now!’ But sometimes a person will call me in tears and I’ll rush across town to try to help them out.” What students may not think about during their rides from one apartment party to another, though, is that Chewy and other cab drivers rely on them, too. Cab companies generally do not pay drivers an hourly fee. Each night that Chewy works, he pays a leasing fee to use the cab, has to buy gas, and pays a fee on the amount of miles he racks up. This adds up to about $115-$150 dollars per night. “Essentially, when we begin a shift, we are digging ourselves out of a hole. That’s why tipping is so important because it helps dig us out,” he says. Chewy’s motivation is his two boys. He moved from Atlanta to Harrisonburg to be closer to his oldest son and started to drive cabs as a second job to make extra income to support his family. “This is why I do this. It’s a great second income for their college funds.” The next time you are out and need a friend to pick you up, call the Yellow Cab Company, and ask for Chewy. n
P&M, Spring 2014 7
Feature Photo courtesy of John Schengber
A
Chilean
adventure
Two JMU students traveled to Chile to improve their Spanish and ended up taking on active volcanoes — while gaining a new way of looking at the world
by Heather Butterworth | graphic by Natalie Wittmayer
T
hrough the early morning fog, Emily Twigg and John Schengber dug their ice picks into frozen ridges. Both JMU juniors studying abroad, neither of them had pictured themselves climbing an active volcano when they signed up to go to Chile. Five hours of climbing later, the pair could smell the smoking sulfur at the top of Chile’s Villarrica volcano. More than 9,000 feet above sea level, they could see miles of Pucón’s lakes and rainforests. “I was scared, not gonna lie,” Schengber says. “But the view was crazy — I kept trying to take pictures and got yelled at … you’d look around and start to realize you were slipping.” Coming down from the volcano was another experience. Twigg and Schengber leaned back on sleds, zig-zagging downhill and trying to avoid rocks. “The drifts were so deep and it was hard
8
P&M, Spring 2014
to walk,” Twigg says. “It was intense but I expected it to be harder.” Twigg and Schengber had to wear special gear for the climb — from the standard helmet to protect themselves from falling ice to heavy-duty crampons, climbing spikes that attach to boots. “When we were trying on all that equipment, that’s when I realized, ‘Oh s---, this is serious,’” Schengber says. “If our ice picks fell, we would’ve been screwed — we would’ve died.” The volcano climb was one optional adventure through the International Studies Abroad Chile program. Since JMU does not have a semester-long program in Latin America, interested students have to go through an external program like ISA. Twigg, an international affairs and Spanish double major, and Schengber, an international business major, wanted to strengthen their Spanish-speaking skills
through language immersion. From July to December, they lived with host families. “I’m Skyping my ‘mom’ and ‘niece’ tonight, actually,” Twigg says. “It’s like having a whole other extended family.” During those six months, Twigg and Schengber didn’t have access to air conditioning, heat or dryers. Windows stayed open, and large, slow-moving horse flies filled their bedrooms at night. Because of the Chilean energy crisis, their host families stressed that nothing could be wasted — not even an unappetizing liver dinner. “I had to tell my ‘mom,’ ‘I can’t eat this,’” says Twigg, laughing. Unlike many study abroad programs, ISA students went to several different schools with mostly locals. Occasionally, there would be other international students who came from countries such as Spain. Finding another English speaker was a rarity — the program’s students
Twigg and the women of her Chilean family, from left, Elisa, Ana, Edita and Dona, the family dog.
were spread among several towns and didn’t see one another often. Classes ranged from revolution and social change to history, all taught in Spanish. Although Schengber took business classes, he received Spanish credits. Twigg says that, even though Chilean Spanish has a distinct accent, her Spanish conversations class at JMU is much less challenging for her than it is for her peers who have not studied abroad. This program also made it more plausible for her to have a second major. “It’s just that Spanish comes so much more naturally now,” Twigg says. “I learned more [there] than I ever could have in a semester [at JMU].” Language immersion sometimes had its awkward moments of miscommunication. When Schengber’s parents visited, his dad tried to say to the host family, “I’m so hot,” and actually said, “I’m so horny.” “They couldn’t stop laughing,” Schengber says. “He [Schengber’s father] was trying though.” Outside of classes and time spent with host families, students had freedom to explore the country. For fun with some of her friends, Twigg spent four hours hiking through a rainforest to find and examine the soon-to-be-extinct Darwin’s frog. Armed with GPS coordinates, Twigg looked for the tiny, extremely rare frog that can only be found in Chile. She was ecstatic when they finally found one. “It was just so amazing,” Twigg says. “We got to see something not many people have seen.” One of Schengber’s more memorable, unexpected experiences was salmon farming with a local. He and the farm owner worked in a boat together for a day, talking and catching fish. Another was embarking on a three-day hike. “There were pumas — they were pretty much all
photos courtesy of Emily Twigg
A view of the city of Valparaiso, where junior Emily Twigg went to school.
you had to worry about, though,” Schengber says. “That, and spiders.” While having these adventures and gaining fluency, Twigg and Schengber also learned about the country’s culture. From first-hand experience, they discovered that Chilean workers often go on strikes. An illegal mail strike blocked care packages from the U.S. for more than three weeks, eventually ending with workers receiving a bonus of one million pesos each. But nothing could compare to when garbage workers went on hiatus. For nearly three weeks, thousands of pounds of trash piled in the streets. Of course that was when Twigg’s parents decided to visit her. “It was disgusting,” Twigg says. “I had to explain to them, ‘No, it’s not like this all the time,’ because they got worried.” Aside from labor strikes, the students also encountered racism, crime and, yes, plenty of food. Conversations with Chileans taught Twigg and Schengber about the locals’ perspective of the United States’ involvement in the 1973 Chilean uprising, which happened during the Cold War. Twigg and Schengber say these experiences challenged any preconceived notions about the culture. Before studying there, they didn’t realize that Chileans wouldn’t know how to make a tortilla, or that many locals supported the dictatorship while it was in place. “It’s fascinating to come into these countries and get a different perspective,” Schengber says. “It really pushes you to think differently.” They both want to go back to travel Latin America. “You have way too narrow of a world view if you never leave the U.S.,” Schengber says. “You don’t know what’s out there if you never look.” n
Valparaiso, Chile, is nicknamed “The Jewel of the Pacific.”
P&M, Spring 2014 9
Dining
Fired up
Downtown restaurant, Bella Luna Wood-Fired Pizza, serves up pizza with Virginia flavor by Joanna Morelli | photos by James Chung
F
rom the soil to the racks of the 900-degree wood-fire oven, Bella Luna lets you know exactly what your food is and where it came from. Wade Luhn, owner of Bella Luna, saw the opportunity for a family-friendly business that would serve quality wood-fired pizzas in the downtown area of West Water Street, next to Cuban Burger. He had always liked the idea of owning a pizza restaurant, but the concept hadn’t materialized until he looked at the property of what used to be the old livery building in the fall of 2012. Luhn’s vision branched apart from what many would consider stereotypical “Italian” food. “We’re Neapolitan-inspired; we never planned to be truly an Italian restaurant,” Luhn says. “Pizza from Naples got its start from pizzaiolas in Naples trying to find whatever was regional. Neapolitan pizza is stuff that is sourced locally and reflects the character of the region.”
10
P&M, Spring 2014
Bella Luna’s most popular items n Pizzas: Margherita (tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil, extra virgin olive oil) $9 Sausage (House fennel sausage, marinara, caramelized onion, chives, mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil) $13 n Salad: Wood-roasted beet salad (arugula, gorgonzola cheese, toasted walnuts, honey citrus vinaigrette) $7 n Beer: Vienna Lager from Devil’s Backbone, Blue Mountain Brewery, Three Brothers n Wine: Pinot Noir And Bella Luna does exactly that. The curd used to make mozzarella cheese and the pork used to make sausage are from local sources; the chefs make the cheese and sausage themselves. Even the pastas are made by the chefs. All pizza toppings, from basil (Harrisonburg)
to mushrooms (Afton) are locally grown. This is the reason why Bella Luna’s menu is concise: Chefs can be flexible and alter the dishes being offered. Whatever is in season is what will be featured. Colin Auckerman, executive chef of Bella Luna, leads the process in crafting the menu. “I like to get input from everyone in the kitchen; we kind of sit down and talk about what’s in season, what we can get and create a combination from there,” Auckerman says. Bella Luna’s menu is not a hindrance but rather a stepping stone to its true mission: to remain local, casual and welcoming. “I think that the era of a 10-page menu is drawing to a close,” Luhn says. “I think there are a growing number of people who are interesting in freshness, which is really hard to achieve when you have that huge menu. It also allows us to focus on the quality [of the food].”
Dining
Even the drinks are centered upon the local. Out of the 12 beers on tap, eight to 10 are from the Atlantic region, ranging from New York to Georgia. Bella Luna also tries to feature more drinks with bourbon, a whiskey that is popular in the region, Luhn says. Bella Luna centers on the theme of bringing the public into the process of its dining experience. Not only can guests know where their food is from, but they can also watch as their food is being prepared. In the center of the dining room is the wood-fire oven itself, sectored inside a stone oval that chefs roam about busily. Guests can ask about the process of preparing their food and watch the spectacle unfold. Auckerman mentioned that the fact that guest can see him cooking is of no issue to him. “I like it quite a bit actually … You put something together and you see it go out and see the look on people’s faces when they get the food. It’s really rewarding,” Auckerman says. Luhn’s past community-centered endeavors are what led him to what is Bella Luna. Before becoming a businessman, Luhn was a small farmer who followed the community-supported agriculture structure of farming. The 240 subscribers to his farm in the Berkshire Mountains of New England TOP The spicy sausage pizza has a fried egg and bacon topping. The pizzas are baked at 900 degrees would come by weekly and take whichever products of his they needed; subscribers pay for two minutes. BOTTOM LEFT Bella Luna’s tiramisu dessert is one of its Italian-inspired desserts. ahead for their shares. With such a steady BOTTOM RIGHT The bar features a selection of wine and set client base, it was easy to become and Virginia beers. friendly with them. “I loved that I would be able to see people at the farm and interact with them every day well as Blue Nile, said that although the resabout the food I was growing,” Luhn says. taurant features a bar, it is a very different Luhn wishes he could farm again, but the vibe from his other job. prices of land in Harrisonburg are steep. “It’s definitely dinner-centered. Mostly I “I would rather be a farmer but I haven’t see folks that are having drinks while they’re been able to; the next best thing is a farm-to- waiting [for food] or eating at the bar; mostly table restaurant,” he says. everybody is happy,” Howard says. “This is the restaurant’s large arching doors will be Luhn used to co-own a restaurant in lighter. People are here to have dinner and opened in warmer weather, hopefully with Staunton called The Mockingbird. The res- have a good time.” a skylight and fountain added to the area. taurant focused on the aesthetics of the Bella Luna will only grow from its open- Entertainment will be more common, and dining experience. There was often live music ing date on Dec. 11, 2013. Luhn says students what used to be an unrecognizable antique to watch; guests would enjoy eclectic Ameri- from JMU and EMU have been frequenting building will now be a gem in Harrisonburg’s cana food while watching. Luhn hopes to add the restaurant, especially after winter break; downtown. this same aspect to the dining experience of he wants the restaurant to appeal to all age Although Bella Luna’s plans are ambitious, Bella Luna. groups. Luhn hopes to keep the restaurant singular “We want to host events, films, speakers The interior of the restaurant will change and original. and start doing some things on water in the as time goes on, as well. The main section “I’m happy to try to make this place sucValley and how it’s used,” Luhn says. of the restaurant, blocked off by glass walls, cessful,” Luhn says. “I want to make this place Phil Howard, a bartender at Bella Luna, as will be an indoor-outdoor seating area; a true local place before a franchise.” n P&M, Spring 2014 11
Dining
Three cheers for
Three Brothers Brewery by Sydney Palese | photos by Matt Schmachtenberg
From the beer to the bar, nearly everything in Three Brothers Brewery in downtown Harrisonburg is made by hand. Located on South Main Street in an old Coca-Cola bottling factory that the eponymous Shifflett brothers – Adam, 31, Jason, 28, and Tyler, 25 – flipped within months, Three Brothers Brewery creates craft beer that not only appeals to the local crowd but is increasing in popularity across Virginia. “We like making things, whether it’s with our hands physically making something or building a business — all three of us have that in common. Making something your own and being able to make it successful and also giving the opportunity for other people to come work with you is huge,” Jason says. The brothers keep their product tied to the community, as implied by the names of a selection of their beers such as “The Great Outdoors” and “Senantona” (Native American for “Shenandoah Valley”). The many pieces of running the brewery are broken up among Adam, who conceptualizes the recipes and does project management; Jason, who focuses on marketing and the taproom; and Tyler, who does production. But the art of brewing is where all the brothers got their start; it remains the bottom line of the operation, and what drives Adam, Jason and Tyler to keep reaching for success. 12
P&M, Spring 2014
Jason broke down the process of making beer. The brothers start by grinding up grain. And while grain comes in many different varieties, they choose to predominantly use barley. Some types of barley come in light forms, while others are toasted or caramelized under a fire to get a darker appearance. The toasted version lends itself to flavors like chocolate and coffee, often used in porters and stouts. An important distinction to note about beer brewing is that the flavors associated with many beers come from basic ingredients like grain, barley, wheat, hops and yeast. Rarely does a brewer add the particular ingredient to the beer. Once the grain is ground up, the brothers let it steep like a tea bag as hot water runs over it. During this process the grain is soaked up and broken down as colors and sugars are pulled from it. When nothing else is left to be added, the brothers transfer it to the boil kettle. Then they add the hops, which is added one at a time depending on the flavor and type of beer desired. The hops should be added in in increments of time beginning when there is 60 minutes left in the boil, then 15, then five. “Hops, in general, have a lot of flavor,” Jason says. “It gives a bitterness even if it isn’t really bitter like an IPA.”
It is during this stage that there is also a potential to add spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, which is used in the seasonal Five Pound Fall Ale, its first ever communitysourced beer, according to the brewery’s website. Once this is finished, they let it sit for the time required and rest. The beer typically spends 20 days in the fermenter. When the time is up, the brothers transfer it out of the fermenter and add yeast, which Jason says gives a lot of flavor to the beer. Yeast is also what gives alcohol its alcohol content. The yeast eats the sugar from the grain, resulting in alcohol. “We get to pull off yeast from the bottom of the fermenter and reuse that same strain,” Jason says. “Every brewery that does that has beer that has a similar taste even though they may be drastically different styles.” When this process is over, the brothers add it to another vessel where it ferments and then they bottle it. Three Brothers also uses barrel aging to achieve a unique flavor. With barrel aging, or souring, the basic beer is made, but instead of putting it in a fermenter, the brothers put it in a barrel and let it age, which often takes 10 months to a year. “It pulls flavors from the wood. Obviously, if it’s a spirited barrel like a wine or rum or bourbon [barrel] those flavors are infused into the beer,” Jason says. “Sometimes you’ll referment it to add different types of yeast or bacteria … so it’ll create a new flavor profile that you would not be able to achieve in a normal stainless steel vessel.” It was this process that led to a bronze medal award at the Great American Beer Festival this past summer for its Rum Barrel Aged Belgian Dubbel style ale in the Wood and Barrel-Aged Style category. “I think we were kind of taken aback. Most of the breweries there had been established for awhile, particularly in the barrel aged category,” Adam said. “When Three Brothers was announced [as the winner], it was a great nod to the city and the brewery,” Adam said. Its most popular beers are the Great Outdoors and Hoptimization (IPA). Jason said that these two, sold in six packs, are its biggest volume sellers. However, many fans of Three Brothers have their own personal favorites. Trevor Nichols, a senior sport and recreation management major, is a fan of The Admiral, which the brewery’s website characterizes as “the IPA that’s in charge.” “[The Admiral] is a big bold IPA with grapefruit flavors and a lot of hops, which adds a great taste to it,” Nichols says. Emily Bixel, a senior at U.Va., also likes to recommend Three Brothers Beer to the patrons at the tap house she works at in Charlottesville. She also usually suggests The Admiral to people who are looking for “a good IPA.” In the future, the brothers hope to grow the business as much as they can while staying local. Jason said they’re pushing a lot of production and hope to have a strong presence in all of Virginia and outside of the state lines. “Within the next couple of years we hope to spread out and distribute more throughout Virginia, Adam says. “We’re big believers in keeping [the business] as close to home as possible if you have the ability to.” n
Dining
TOP Three Brothers uses barrel aging to add a different flavor. BOTTOM The Great Outdoors and Hoptimization (IPA) beers are its biggest volume sellers.
P&M, Spring 2014 13
Career
Résumés made by SEth harrison
easy
In the job market, your identity often comes down to just one sheet of paper — your résumé. Port & Main sat down with Laura Hickerson of Career and Academic Planning to find out what makes or breaks a résumé.
e ecaus s t line, bsystem a n o g ttin ir own ion.” Form ubmi t t r for s s have their applica pt. n e f a e s y e t e l 0 l i h 1 t a n is usu y compa umé into aller than s, such as Con s n “PDF
field l. Ma rson: our ré ype sm Hickes universand paste y 0.5”, no t e are a fewable. • r than ” n Fi ut a aller tha gh ther s accept ints rathe see? D c o P u t o t i u y o o s an on and m e wher margins s page, alth two pagese bullet p ti oyer w verse o e ng tter : U empl ol informa résumé. s e re i n N v u e o a • h t n h o t r es h scho re he . be Stick ff you n your at do eld op, t , whe , the the t nt historyon what fi : “Wh e your higactivities oather tha nior”). • ducation e concise t n a o s r e e r v e r e u b a g ) J o k m e ” “ n l c y t d i ( 5 i m , l o e ol ou nd pl ou • H ore year 201 ss of ar in scho “Write ab y.” • Thragraphs. ation sh r your em flair, depe n e c , (“Cla o phom e a f y a y u e o v r p r p t i d s t o e a t e t a m d s r r is re co eased nd • Pa ent h • You ological oe a little c t the uatio r n v ploym , not abou ple: “Inc using o r grad a r u h m h o e c o y t r u id gh am K • Use It’s O ng yo hat you d ble, for ex ths throueered 165 renci n w t ” • ou’re in. si . e o n s s f r o u e m l r u p o 2 o y r V 1 h en ,” or “ nt in eneve d. • Wh u hol gs wh 400 perceing the site o n i y h t t a th ntify over timiz tions • Qua isitors by cs and op rtifica e i v c t y y e l t a si an le An o list Goog sure t e k a •M ’s é if it résum r u o y ey off of ng, th r GPA nothi can use u e o e y s rs ve ou e • Lea a 3.0. f employe ad GPA. Y , just mak . I w t s b “ s o o l a : e p e n e b y b t your u hav kerso g dom rel• Hic e that yo GPA if it’s • Ran y the wron g ’s not t a m r h n l u t l o s o j a y r as in-ma ctivit . that.” the w t’s usu ’”. dents your to specify down an a on: “I ntext, likeof ‘they’re s r e k ed stu hoose t u c o e d u s r é n p m u r . r t u s r ’ • Hi in the c r o c o e f ou can ll-r es, r are s on y mé fully. • You t to your c e to see we tra activitiould rathe o word g item x k n w n w i e m i t l a s e r n s o v r i t r e l t h ed loye one o mes ploye expla le s el n • Empwhen it co antity. Em volved in • Not peop have ope rant s n , i . u e l 0 l y q i 1 m ll y St ty over t of ti u ma restau re rea list of quali at you we an just a • A los short : Yoclosed thef your résu ’t h h t i t , e see s rather selv staurant ple, but at doesn thing the rerained peo ostess,’ th ers much. and t st says ‘h ll employ te mé ju
s
yth M s ke Mista
iced t o n a ing d by
Gett
re rea pull ters aerson, so our t e l r y e real p rease d c ov s. és aney reach a tion to inc itial scan m u s b n p é i i h u r t r e s c y e l h s r t a n • Ma uter befo the job detting past , the initi before compords from nces of ge ompanies omputer on lists cha t some c n by a c escripti é and keyw n: “A ittled dowIf the job dour résumhould o s h ker y s • Hic ions get w al person. ight read ings ; we ll him.’” ca miss get to a re mputer m se six th they ills, the co ree of tho six sk he has th say, ‘
14
P&M, Spring 2014
After weeks of sweaty anticipation, you finally get a call setting up an interview. You’ve researched the company, memorized your résumé … but now what? JMU’s Denise Rudolph, coordinator of employer relations and recruiting at Career and Academic Planning, gave tips on how to prepare for any type of interview.
Skype • It can be tempting to look at yourself or the screen instead of the camera, but be sure to make eye contact. If it helps you to remember, tape googly eyes or a sticker next to your webcam. • For an environment that’s more professional than a bedroom, students can call to reserve interview rooms in Sonner Hall. • “The last thing you want is your roommate walking around in the background,” Rudolph says. • Closing out of websites will help you avoid the awkwardness of a notification going off during the interview. Thankfully, it’s not “cheating” to have notes or a copy of your résumé in front of you. • For a low-stress confidence builder, Recruit-a-Duke has a new InterviewStream feature that allows anyone with a webcam to practice Skype interviews. Users can send their “interviews” to family members or friends to critique, or just watch it back themselves for more of a third-person perspective. InterviewStream counts how many times you say “like” or other similar filler words, which will help you quit this habit during a real interview. • Skype is known to cut in and out, or lose audio, so be prepared for that. • “Don’t get rattled,” Rudolph says. “That’s nothing new to the employer either.” • If this happens, simply call the employer or ask to reschedule the interview.
Phone • “ P h o n e i n t e r v i e w s a re always disconcerting for the interviewee because you don’t get those visual cues about how it went,” Rudolph says. • Not being able to see each other has its perks, too, such as being able to have your résumé on hand. To avoid a sloppy start to the conversation, answer the phone with, “Hello, this is [name],” instead of the standard “hello.” • Overly long responses in this type of interview will bore the employer, and you won’t be able to see that boredom. Rudolph recommends providing “good detail without going overboard.. • The most important thing, Rudolph says, is to schedule the interview when you have time — don’t make the mistake of cramming it into a break between classes. Although phone interviews are typically about 30 minutes long, cutting an interview short doesn’t make a great impression.
Career
Interviews by heather butterworth
Group • Arriving early and preparing an icebreaker-style introduction for yourself will help you avoid a stagnant beginning. • If you are alone and have more than one interviewer, eye contact is highly important. Focus on everyone, not just the person asking, and make sure your body is not pointed toward any one person in particular; instead, keep your body neutral and open. • In any type of interview, Rudolph says asking thoughtful questions is a must. Since the employer sometimes answers your questions throughout the conversation, over preparing is smart. If a question stumps you, it is OK to say, “That’s a great question, let me think about that.” As with any skill, practicing before the big day will help immensely. Taking advantage of the resources on campus can mean the difference between “you’re hired” and “no thanks.”
In-Person • Practicing in front of a mirror or with a friend beforehand can help you relax. CAP offers practice interviews events throughout each semester to help prepare you for a typical scenario. Thinking about your answers to common questions beforehand will go a long way, as will thoroughly researching the company and knowing your strengths (and weaknesses) as an applicant. • Rudolph warns that dressing inappropriately is a “deal-breaker.” She says women often wear skirts and dresses that are too tight and short. • “Understand the difference between club attire and work attire,” she says. “Leave the stilettos behind.”
P&M, Spring 2014 15
Styled by Alana Scharlop Photos by Julian Ali & James Chung
Update your wardrobe with spring looks from the runway
Danni O’Brien senior studio art and art education double major Outfit from Bluetique. Pants $39.99, Cami $10.99, White blazer $51.99, Bourbon & Boweties bracelet $32.99.
18
P&M, Spring 2014
Fashion
Dress from Bluetique, $51.99, necklaces are $16.99 each.
P&M, Spring 2014 19
Fashion
BCBGeneration cocktail dress ($138 at The Yellow Button), boots are the model’s.
Boots are the model’s
20
P&M, Spring 2014
Fashion
Chan Luu cashmere scarf $195, 7 for All Mankind skinny jeans $196, Maison Scotch parka $239, Frye Jillian oxfords $168, Leah Rosenwasser wooden earrings $42, Frye Campus saddle bag $298.
P&M, Spring 2014 21
Fashion
White sweater $45.99, navy skirt $46.99, statement necklace $32.99, stripe flats $31.99.
22
P&M, Spring 2014
Darling Hazel cream dress $106, Maui jean jacket $158, Frye Phillip Studded Harness boots $398, Sibilia turquoise cuff $108, Chan Luu friendship bracelet $108.
P&M, Spring 2014 23
Feature
Harrisonburg is for
bike lovers
by Stephen proffitt
photos by James chung + Matt schmachtenberg
T
wo wheels, a chain, some grease and, of course, a helmet. Cycling is simplicity. It’s flourishing throughout Harrisonburg and beyond due to some hard-working individuals and openminded students. According to the Regional Data Center for Virginia’s Central Shenandoah Valley, 52,127 people live in the 17.4 square miles of Harrisonburg. This creates horrendous traffic jams on major roads, lengthening commute time and expanding migraine pressure. A simple solution: Travel by bike. “In a practical sense, it [my bike] means a lot for me specifically because I don’t own a car, or I can’t afford one, rather,” says senior media arts and design major Tom Park. “So it’s been my main mode of transportation.” For Park, his bike is also a part of his identity. “It gave value to me in the sense that other people associated me with bikes,” he says. For others it could be a toy, a weekend hobby or simply a fun thing to do. Somewhere, amid of all that, lies senior justice studies major Nate Smith. “Bikes are really cool,” he says. “I’m not obsessed with them. I don’t consider them the defining part of my life or what makes me who I am.” So there needs to be someone to cater to all these levels of cycling.
24
P&M, Spring 2014
Business of bikes Shenandoah Bicycle Company, nestled back off South Main Street adjacent to the old Dave’s Taverna location, has been providing customers with bikes, accessories and service since May 2000. At that time, SBC founders Tim Richardson and Thomas Jenkins had been working at other shops in town, including Mark’s Bike Shop and the nowclosed Blue Ridge Cycle Works. They both had the same vision and took a chance. In between college and SBC, Richardson and Jenkins spent time exploring their love for bikes across the country. “I used to live in Portland when I graduated from JMU,” Richardson says. “[I] rode cross country and never thought of myself as a city person, and pretty much still don’t. But it’s such a cycling-literate part of the world. I enjoyed something that I didn’t think I would because you can access everything by bike.” So how important is a bike to someone who lives their life by them? “It’s interesting how bikes, over the course of four decades, [have] touched my life in many different ways,” Jenkins says. “Now having kids, it’s adding a whole new dimension, which for me, makes the bike that much more special. No matter
where you are at your life, it can have a positive influence.” Now for almost 14 years, the friends have been molding their store into an essential element of Harrisonburg bike culture. Jenkins says there always has been a bike scene in Harrisonburg. “It’s always kind of changed and it’s always kind of [depended] on how much energy is there.” There is a lot of energy in the scene right now. A city surrounded by mountains attracts a variety of bikers. It’s a topographic advantage that distinguishes Harrisonburg from other places. Bikes really are more complex than your bare components. The two wheels can contribute to the social well being of a community. As the chain and cassette power the bikes, it powers the mind too. “It facilitates social processes,” Park says. “It’s a stupid, cheesy metaphor for freedom and that stuff.”
Degrease; truth behind the culture It gets you from point A to point B, it can shape the way you live your life and facilitates social processes? Since its birth, around 1865, the bicycle, as a concept has become intricate. And with complexity and a social movement, a culture is conceived; a community becomes invigorated
with possibilities of less carbon emissions, yet status of self-proclaimed “America’s Bicycle Adjust tension: Pedal through JMU and beyond more endorphin peaks. Capital,” but that might not be a bad thing. “You want to learn from those [cities], but you Smith says the culture is defined by its Cycleshare was a grassroots movement on participants: the movers and the shakers. want Harrisonburg to be Harrisonburg,” Jenkins JMU’s campus that helped encourage people to “It also depends a lot on how willing a city is says. ride bikes by lending its allotment of 20 out for to support alternative forms of transportation,” Park, who has spent the last four years biking two-week periods. Some SBC staff was on site on he says. around JMU and Harrisonburg, notices the rental days to offer advice and maintenance. For Richardson, it’s about carrying out a changes. In the past few years, the university Park and Smith, along with other students, has implemented the well-known gates across helped run the program, which began in the concept. “If a person rides a bike out of the middle of campus to help increase foot and bike traffic on spring of 2012. It had previously been a part of nowhere, to me, that’s cycling culture,” he says. campus. On top of that, bike lanes are popping up the EARTH Club. “They’re choosing to move themselves by human on many roads surrounding campus. This year, the program has now been taken over power on two wheels.” “I’m just happy to see [bikes] become more by UREC. One caveat to the new program: it costs In a list put out the user seven dollars per week by bicycling.com, to rent from UREC’s Adventure Minneapolis and Program. The fee funds the Portland were maintenance of each bike. ranked as two of To S B C , i t s p e r i o d i c the top cities for involvement on campus helps biking in America. get its name out. Richardson loved “It helps to exemplify what good service is and what it his time in Portland and believes people isn’t,” Richardson says. “We try could take note of to go out of our way to make the steps the city sure every level of cyclist is serviced to the point they feel has taken to improve comfortable, confident and coexistence between motorists and empowered to cycle more.” cyclists. Jenkins said the sales of bikes and accessories bring in “It’s got an amazing more revenue than the service infrastructure for department, but it’s not always cycling,” Richardson about the green. says. “Bike lanes “Service is how you can really everywhere. Every new Shenandoah Bicycle Company offers six different kinds of bikes: road bikes, moutain bikes, define and separate yourself,” cross/hybrid bikes, comfort bikes and recumbents. They try to cater to all kinds of riders. road that gets redone he says. “It’s the best way to give good customer service is just by good, consistent gets a bike lane, covered parking in crucial areas.” embraced,” Park says. A bike-friendly city is not the only challenge a repair.” Jenkins, who has spent time in Davis, Calif., another bike-friendly city according to him, notes bike shop owner faces. The treacherous winters progression in the Valley. in Harrisonburg means a long biking offseason Fresh tires: Hope for a better “Twenty years ago, bikes were … not even for SBC customers. In addition, having to combat tomorrow thought about as part of the community,” he says. an intimidation factor that can create a gender The Harrisonburg bike scene is growing even “Now, there’s been a generational shift within city barrier. outside the SBC. The Northend Greenway is a citizen-proposed 2.5-mile bike route through staff.” With a generational shift, he said there is a lot Torque down; intimidation, a bike shops Harrisonburg, which, according to its website, will more support of cycling from the city now as well worst nightmare “connect diverse communities with each other, as the community. With baby boomers moving “That’s plagued the bike industry,” Jenkins with community resources, with local businesses into retirement, a younger group of people are says. “The bike industry has shot itself in the foot and with public green space.” taking over key government positions. They are by most shops not being an inviting place for non“I’m a huge fan of what Northend Greenway more aware of the current issues that interest cyclists or new cyclists.” has brought to our community in terms of stating constituents, such as the environment and SBC also has a side business aimed at diluting the obvious, which is ‘Hey we need separate alternative transportation. male gender domination of bike shop culture. bicycle facilities from the road,’” Jenkins says. “More cyclists you get on the road, the more Pulp, Organic Acai Bowls and Smoothies is The main goal of the Greenway is to act as three people get used to seeing cyclists,” Jenkins says. located next door to SBC and serves smoothies things: a path, a park and a prototype. It’s a bike “We’re all sharing the same space. The biggest and bowls blended with organic non-daily milks, highway, in simple terms. It would allow people thing is just providing more safe places for people apple juice and a variety of organic fruits. to safely travel by bike to work and all points in to ride bikes. Seems like that’s the No. 1 reason “We’re always stressing with everyone who between, including downtown Harrisonburg. when people come in and say ‘I would ride, but works here is one, everyone is a cyclist,” Jenkins The first committee relating to the project was ...’” says. “Whether they’re riding a cheap department developed back in September 2010. Harrisonburg may never reach Portland’s store bike or a super high end bike.” A 19-person advisory board, which Jenkins is P&M, Spring 2014 25
Feature on, brings together an array of people representing many forms of development in Harrisonburg. David Ehrenpreis, an art history professor at JMU, is a member of the eightperson volunteer Steering Committee. “[The organization] works on mission of goals, works on fundraising and promotion,” Ehrenpreis says. “A lot of this work is collaborative and you cannot have a bicycle pedestrian path without working closely with the Department of Public Works — with the city in general — because they’re actually going to be responsible for the path.” Meetings are held every two weeks and Ehrenpreis believes ground will be broken within the next year. “There’s a huge biking community in Harrisonburg and it’s just getting bigger,” Ehrenpreis says. “The Greenway was one of the catalysts that got people thinking about what was possible.” This project adds to the vibrant energy present within the scene at this time. “When city council voted a large substantive portion of the funds to support the Greenway, in some ways it was a turning point,” Ehrenpreis says. “It meant that rather than just thinking it was nice we had a bike culture, the city was actively working to support the bike culture.”
Secure helmet: safety and weather
Nothing beats the warm summer sun glowing down on your forearms as you cruise the streets on a bicycle. Ah, the crisp air pushing through luscious locks of hair: the fair-weather biker. Now, imagine slamming down on your pedals when it’s five degrees outside with a wind chill in the negative. Not so fun, eh? Someone’s got to do it. “The only people who ride bikes in the cold are people who have to ride bikes in the cold,” Park says. “Riding bikes in the cold sucks.” As a commuter, he has no choice but to bear the frigid temperatures. “Layers, layers, layers!” Park says. Compression shirt, windbreaker, beanie, face mask: just a few items of clothing one may find on Park during the winter months.
26
P&M, Spring 2014
TOP Thomas Jenkins, a co-owner of Shenandoah Bicycle Company, went mountain-bike racing around the U.S. before opening SBC. RIGHT One of SBC worker Matt Hassman’s specialities is building bikes from scratch.
In conjunction with the elements, 2,000 pounds of steel also threaten cyclists daily, in the form of cars. According to the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, 618 people died in 2010 from bicycle/motor vehicle accidents. That number is significantly down from the 721 reported in 2001. Safety has become a lost art. It’s gotten to the point where one knows who a serious biker is by seeing if they own a helmet. “You always have to be very aware of all your surroundings,” Park says. “Safety is No. 1. You’re on a mission to get there and not die by a car.” Park says it frustrates him to see bikers not abiding by the written and unwritten rules of the culture. “Riding on the wrong side of the bike line and riding on the sidewalk,” Park says. “I see that more than I should.”
Re-assemble and grease it all up
“Biking in Harrisonburg is looked at as a tremendous asset to the community,” Ehrenpreis says. “It’s something that we have built on and have the reputation for; I don’t think that it will change.” Harrisonburg’s bike riders are doing their
part to push and expand the city’s biking culture as far as it can go. And as long as there is fresh air to breathe and open road ahead, the scene will continue to thrive, regardless of what lies in the future. “The bicycle is the simple solution to some of the world’s greatest problems,” Jenkins said in a video published on SBC’s website. No gas, no problem. You are the motor. Enjoy the ride. n
see your advertisement here. email portads@gmail.com
P&M, Spring 2014 27
Feature
I
t’s 11:10 a.m. on a Wednesday and two girls, looking down at their phones, walk in opposite directions in front of Jackson Hall. Inside, 20 students crowd the hallway waiting for their classroom to be unlocked; 14 of the students are scrolling and swiping on their phones in silence, two sit at tables in the lobby — one looking at her Facebook, the other with her Facebook open on her computer but looking at her phone nonetheless. Strangely enough, two students out of the crowd are actually talking to one another. It’s not a unique scene on a college campus. With awkward 15-minute gaps between classes, there is time to walk and time to wait, but not enough time to really do anything else. In these short spans of downtime, most students will do what bored students do best: play with their phones. Like most students of our generation, junior international affairs major Gina Gatti has been using the Internet for social purposes since fifth grade, starting with AOL Instant Messenger. “I was really bad at it, I’m still bad at Facebook chat,” Gatti says. “The conversations were like, ‘Hey,’ ‘hey,’ to my neighbor like one house away. I totally
28
P&M, Spring 2014
sucked at it.” Gatti’s classmates had “hundreds of buddies” where as she “had like 50, and half of them were robots.” Nonetheless, AIM was the cool place to be after school and where the seeds of our Internet addiction were probably first planted. By seventh grade, at the age of 12, Gatti had her first cellphone. She was not alone, and, in fact, got a phone because all her classmates already had them. “I didn’t get a cool one, like a [Motorola] Razr. I had like a Jitterbug, pretty much. I had to record my own ringtones,” Gatti says. Now, nearly a decade later, Gatti’s relationship with technology has gotten more intense. The two are rarely separated, and, like an abusive relationship, it has started to cause serious problems. “Any minute that I had to myself, I would check my phone,” Gatti says. “When I’m in the dining hall by myself, or on the way to the dining hall or when there’s a pause in a conversation …” The list goes on. “It got to the point that when I’m studying, it doesn’t really make any sense,” she says. “No work is actually done because I’m not really retaining anything and just checking my phone all the time.”
Most students can probably relate to Gatti’s plight. In fact, so many have had similar issues with their phones and social media that it has given rise to the Madison Unplugged movement on campus that started in July. Members of Madison Unplugged describe themselves as an organization “dedicated to breaking away from the digital world,” although they stress that they aren’t actually anti-technology. “The goal is to look at why we use social media, as a crutch or an excuse to have really superficial relationships? The whole point is for people to ask ‘Why do we do this?’” Madison Unplugged member and senior justice studies major Emma Groo says. Madison Unplugged is hardly antiInternet. They’re as aware as anyone of the valuable tool that the Internet has become. As senior media arts and design major Kat McDearis says, the Internet is “all the information in the world literally at your fingertips.” The idea that Madison Unplugged tries to emphasize is balance: balance between social media and intellectual pursuits, technology use and personal introspection. “One of the issues I find with technology
Feature
Is our reliance on social media and the Internet cause for concern? by Mary Kate White | graphic by Natalie Wittmayer
dependence is you rob yourself of the opportunity to reflect throughout the day,” Groo says. “We fill all our spare moments with this technology. You think you have all this empty or dead time, so you fill it with your phone or your Facebook, but it doesn’t have to be ‘empty’ or ‘dead’ time.” Madison Unplugged fears that as people become more and more invested in their Internet life, they’ll lose out on the benefits of face-to-face interpersonal relationships. Being able to think about and edit your contributions to a conversation — say, a Facebook comment thread — may make you seem more eloquent, but also makes interactions less genuine. “It’s an inhibitor to the development of skilled communication, really,” sophomore anthropology major Rosie Lynch says. “When we always have an interface between ourselves and someone else, it allows the stilling of time and it makes this façade of who we really are.” Lynch’s view makes sense: Academic research supports it. Leigh Nelson, an associate professor of communication studies, has been researching computer-mediated communication for years. She says that the relatively new social media are the middle ground between one-way mass communication, like television, and interpersonal communication.
Nelson, too, is not anti-Internet. How could she not support the most effective communication tool of our time as a communication studies teacher? Nelson, in fact, feels quite the opposite: that social media offers users opportunities unique to this millennium, like interactions with otherwise unreachable entities. “Let’s say you see a Coca-Cola commercial, and it either angers or moves you, you now have a conversation about it,” Nelson said. “An auto company is going to want to know if you have a lemon of a car. If they see customers having the same problem over and over again, they’ll be able to fix the issue in the next year’s model.” Like Madison Unplugged and Gatti, Nelson too has felt the sting of what she calls “time displacement” — the consumption of a disproportionate amount of time by social media use. “My children will let me know if I’m on Facebook and they’re not happy,” Nelson says. “It’s a good lesson for them, too, to learn how to put it down and do what you need to do.” Nelson is not like most students, thoughtlessly checking the phone that they checked 90 seconds before. She looks at her Facebook once in the morning and once in the evening, spending most of her time online
reading emails or working. She seems to find students’ inability to put their phones down more fascinating and humorous than concerning. She frequently requires that her students abstain from all digital media (computers, television, cell phones) for 24 hours and then write about the experience, but was surprised to find that many students just couldn’t do it. Rather than becoming concerned for what many people perceive as an “addiction,” Nelson warns against taking this most recent “moral panic” — which she equates to the similar “moral panic” surrounding the beginning of MTV and cable television in the ’80s — too seriously. “It’s just a different culture today, you can’t beat yourself up for participating in it or how different your culture is,” she says. Facebook and cellphones aren’t inherently bad, but they’re problematic as well as useful. Gina Gatti even went so far as to have a friend change her Facebook password to restrict her access to the never-ending scroll of stories. Maybe such drastic measures aren’t necessarily for everyone. The key is for individuals to stop and think about what they’re losing to their relationship with their phone. But the first, and often most difficult step, is just to stop. n P&M, Spring 2014 29
Profile
Finding
peace
as a
Sikh at JMU by IJ Chan | photos by Mark Owen and James Chung Every morning, Pritpal Saggu wraps his hip-length hair into a turban. “It’s just like brushing your teeth. You don’t really think about brushing your teeth,” he says. “You just get up and do it. So I get up and do it.” Saggu is a Sikh. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that originated in the Punjab region of India. Sikh men, he said, aren’t allowed to cut their hair, so they protect it by wearing a turban. Saggu said he’s one of the few Sikhs on JMU’s campus that wears the turban. “Our hair is something that God gives us,” Saggu, a junior biology major, says. “So in keeping our hair, we’re accepting a gift from God.” When he was 13, Saggu underwent a ceremony called Dastar Bandi, where boys start wearing the larger turbans as a symbol of them coming of age. At first, Saggu says his father would have to help him tie the turban, and he would only wear it on Sundays when they had to go to the gurdwara, a Sikh temple. “I didn’t wear it to school,” he says. “But when I graduated high school, I wore a turban and people were like ‘Whoa! You graduated a whole new turban level!’” Before he was 13, Saggu wore a different turban, where his hair was tied up in a bun on the top of the head. When he was about to start elementary school, his mother, who was an art teacher at the same school, met with his guidance counselor and teachers to explain the reasons behind her son’s turban. Some of his classmates, however, didn’t view his hair as sacred. “There would be people who would actually come up and grab it and shake it around. That, I took a little more offense to because it’s like a more physical type of abuse,” he says. “It was like they were pulling my hair.” During high school, Saggu said he was the only one who wore a turban until his brother, Savraj, entered high school during Saggu’s junior year. Some of his Sikh friends, he says, were bullied and peer pressured into cutting their hair off and not wearing the turban. Even his parents, he says, fear that the turban could instigate discrimination from others. Despite the pressure and discrimination, Saggu kept both his hair and turban. Since being at JMU, Saggu says his turban has melded with his identity. “It has to do a lot with family, Parents are really traditional and when my cousins decided to cut his hair, my aunt and uncle didn’t talk to them for like, an entire month,” he says. “It’s also a huge part of my identity … I feel like if I don’t have my turban anymore and I cut my hair people will just be like, ‘Oh, who’s that?’” Saggu says Sikhs follow the teachings of gurus, all who lived during the span of 1469 to 1708. According to Saggu, the first guru, Guru Nanak, was born as a Hindu but disagreed
30
P&M, Spring 2014
Profile
“
It’s also a huge part of my identity … I feel like if I don’t have my turban anymore and I cut my hair people will just be like, ‘Oh, who’s that?’ Pritpal Saggu
with many of the practices and beliefs of that religion. Back in Guru Nanak’s time, Muslims and Hindus were in opposition. But Guru Nanak wrote that all people were equal, regardless of their religion. From Guru Nanak, nine other gurus lead the Sikhs. Unlike most leaders at his time, Guru Nanak passed on his guruship to a non-relative follower. Each guru, Saggu says, brought new traditions and ideals to Sikhism that would define the religion. The last guru, Guru Gobind Singh, passed on his guruship to the Guru Granth Sahib, a collection of poems, teachings and philosophies from all 10 gurus and what Saggu describes as Sikhism’s “version of the Bible.” Sikhs, he said, also follow the Five K’s of Sikhism: 1. Kesh: maintaining and not cutting their hair 2. Kanga: a small wooden comb for keeping their hair 3. Karra: a steel bracelet worn by Sikhs 4. Kachera: means “undergarment,” but symbolizes dignity 5. Kirpan: a short dagger, to be carried by all Sikhs. Saggu said he does not carry his Kirpan with him at JMU or out in public, due to “too much suspicion” from the public. However, he said the dagger is used during special Sikh ceremonies at the communal meal at the end of a Sunday service. Kirpans are used to cut and serve the food. Saggu said since there are no gurdwaras in the Harrisonburg area, he said doesn’t really practice his religion while at JMU, other than saying simple prayers on his own. The nearest one, he says, in Northern Virginia, where he’s originally from. Instead, Saggu said he keeps his Punjabi heritage instilled in him through Bhangra — a high energy dance from the Punjab region. Saggu explained that Bhangra is a celebratory folk dance that was often performed events like spring harvests. “I love giving back to my culture and being able to share what it is and what I do,” he says. Saggu, who’s been performing Bhangra since he was 6 years old, is the
president and one of the co-captains of JMU Bhangra, the Bhangra dance team on campus. Saggu and said he and his co-captain choreograph dances on the eight-person team. JMU Bhangra practices three times a week to prepare for various performances like culture shows and charity events on campus as well as competitions, where they compete against Bhangra teams from other colleges and universities, like the University of Virginia and the College of William & Mary. Saggu said Bhangra serves as a physical and creative outlet for him. “[Dancing] is a huge stress reliever for me. When I go to dance, I’m really happy — Bhangra’s a really happy dance — I don’t really think about anything else,” he says. “We have to make up all the moves and I get to be really creative with that, which I love.” Saggu said when he and his co-captain choreograph, they try to impress and surprise the audience. The music they use includes Indian pop songs, but Saggu said they enjoy integrating American songs and dubstep into the mash-up. Their most recent set included “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. “When we’re performing, especially at JMU where not a lot of people about the [Bhangra] music, they’ll listen and they’ll watch and then once [an American song] comes on, they’re like, ‘That’s my jam,’ and they get really excited and people start cheering a lot more,” he says. Some of the discrimination Saggu faced in high school was due to the fact that many people didn’t understand his religion. Manjit Taneja, chairman of the Sikh Foundation of Virginia in Fairfax said he’s seen many incidents of discrimination against Sikhs since he came here from New Delhi, India, in 1972. It’s continued since 9/11. Sikhs have been the target of many hatemotivated crimes where they’ve been mistaken for Muslims. One of the most recent being in September 2013, when Prabhjot Singh, a Sikh and Columbia University professor, was attacked by a mob of 15 to 20 teenagers in New York P&M, Spring 2014 31
Continued from page 31 City, according to Al-Jazeera America. Taneja, who teaches information systems at several community colleges and George Washington University, says he’s always welcomed the curious questions and open discussions that might come from his students. “I was only 23 years at that time, and when I was teaching, there was some hesitation in the class — I could see it,” he says. “So each time I went to teach over there, the first class, I would let them know who I am, why I have a turban on my head and where I came from — just to make sure we’re all on the same team.” He also mentioned that since 9/11, he and his organization have worked with local Muslim leaders to differentiate the two cultures. The national media attention on these issues also have helped, he said. “People in Iran, people in Iraq, people in Pakistan and people in Afghanistan — they also wear turbans and it’s very easy to associate us with them,” he says. Taneja said their goal isn’t to divide people. Rather, Sikhism, he said, teaches followers to accept all religions. “We are peace-loving people,” he says. “Our goal is not to change other people from one religion to another. Our goal is that everybody understands that there are certain principles that we have to follow.” If a person in his community was the victim of discrimination, Taneja says they have access to many resources, including the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, a group of Sikh attorneys who advocate for the interests and rights of Sikh Americans. “They will see what the peaceful, appropriate procedure is,” he says. “We are not here for the punishment, we are here to see that the problem is solved, and the person who was victimized does not suffer badly.” He added his gurdwara is only one of about a dozen in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Each gurdwara has about 500 to 600 associates. Gurusangat Singh is a member of the Raj Khalsa Gurdwara in Sterling, Va. Singh, now retired, is heavily involved in the activities of the temple. Singh said every Sunday, Raj Khalsa’s community gathers in the temple at around 8 a.m. for the service, during which prayers from the Guru Granth Sahib are recited through song. He added that
32
P&M, Spring 2014
TOP It takes Pritpal Saggu about three minutes to tie his turban every day. BOTTOM From left, Pritpal’s friend Ruchie, his younger brother Savraj Saggu, age 2, and himself at age 4.
while some gurdwaras have a priest that leads the temple, Raj Khalsa doesn’t — all duties that take place within the temple are rotated between individuals within the community. At the end of the service, the Guru Granth Sahib is opened to a random place, and a final command, or hukam, is read to the audience. Afterward, participants share a meal together which is cooked, served and shared all by volunteers from Raj Khalsa’s community. Singh, who’s actually a Caucasian man from Pennsylvania, said he’s always appreciated the communal and spiritual aspects of the religion since he converted 39 years ago. Singh described himself as a yoga and meditation enthusiast who had an interest in Sikhism. He traveled to India to pursue those interests, but what he experienced took him to a whole new level. Singh said he underwent an initiation ceremony called Amrit, where he vowed to follow certain principles of Sikhism, including not cutting his hair and abstaining from “intoxicants” such as cigarettes and alcohol. “Sikhism just clicked,” he says. “It had the technology and gave me the experience I wanted. The experience of being in a gurdwara and participating in the sanghat with the music and repetition of music brings a really powerful experience.” He said he’s also faced discrimination from both non-Sikhs and Sikhs of Indian descent who don’t think he belongs. “I’m not by any means the only American that’s converted to Sikhism in the last 40 years — there’s quite a few of them,” he says. “But we’ve always been welcome. Sometimes people look and they say ‘Wait a minute, these guys can’t be Sikhs,’ But those are just a few oddballs that think ‘Sikh’ is a racial thing … but the teachings of the religion are totally not that.” Taneja emphasized again that despite all the hardships, the teachings of Sikhism teach its followers not to react violently and accept all people, regardless of their religion. “My religion, to me, is an avenue … to ask God to always keep me on the right track,” he says. “We are here to make the world a better place.”n
Get behind the lens
Be a Port & Main photographer.
Email the photo editor at harri2sc@dukes.jmu.edu
P&M, Spring 2014 33
Madison
Munchies
China Express $2.50 OFF
PURCHASE OF $20 OR MORE -SUPER COMBO ONLY $7.35FREE DELIVERY (540) 568-9899
SUBWAY 854 Port Republic Rd. (540) 574-3774 *JAC cards accepted! 1645 Resevoir St. (540) 434-3544 *JAC cards accepted! 88 Carlton St. (540) 433-7827 2421 South Main St. (540) 433-9866
www.subwaycatering.com
L'Italia Restaurant 815 E Market St, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801 (540) 433-0961 litalia-restaurant.com
Panera Bread 295 Burgess Rd, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801 (540) 433-6333 www.panerabread.com/‎
34
P&M, Spring 2014
Jessica Williams Jessica is a senior English and writing, rhetoric and technical communication double major. She enjoys writing, sarcasm and the occasional sandwich.
Voices
Bitter in black frames
Bursting the bubble T
here’s a song from the musical “Avenue Q” that begins, “What do you do with a B.A. in English? What is my life going to be?” I’ve been expertly avoiding those questions for three years, but now they’re staring me in the face and I don’t have an answer. There’s something very comforting about school. From August to May you know exactly what you’re doing, then for three months you stumble around with work and mini-vacations. But it isn’t scary because you know exactly where you’ll be when August comes around again. I was always comforted by the promise of Grilled Cheese Thursdays, weeklong vacations due to snow, that moment of hyperventilation at the top of the Godwin steps, the fight song played at noon and 5 p.m. and the smell of dog food after it rains. But next August, there won’t be any of those things. I feel like I’m standing on the edge of a cliff about to be pushed off with no idea how I’m going to keep myself from going splat (Will there be a branch to grab onto? A very large mattress waiting at the bottom?). In fact, I’m reluctant to write about graduating because, as a reader, you might expect some sort of wisdom to come from it when the truth is I’m terrified and I don’t have any advice to give except that time keeps going and you have to go with it. JMU does a great job of providing a sense of safety while we’re here. We’re a community. We have our own rhetoric (getting “punched” is a good thing here), our own style (leggings, Uggs and a North Face is the official girl’s uniform) and our own traditions (you never forget your FrOG). This is more than a school. It’s a home. So when those four years are up, it’s hard to imagine life outside of Harrisonburg. You’re faced with a blank canvas for once instead a map (or Mappy) already filled in. I do think that it’s good to be scared. Fear of the unknown is one of the most terrifying and exciting feelings there is. And one day all of those butterflies in our stomachs will settle into a comfortable routine and we’ll feel nostalgic for that time when we were 22 and had no idea what we were going to do with our lives. But maybe you’re not scared of the unknown. Maybe you’re scared of living with your parents again, or starting the new job you were just hired for, or moving in with your significant other, or
any other situation creeping up on you as May gets closer. Instead trying to come up with some valedictorian-esque wisdom, I’ll simply say that if you are scared of what’s going to happen after you walk across the stage and off campus, you’re not alone. The sense of community we’ve had for the past four years extends into the big, bad “real world.” I have a lot of fears about graduating. I don’t know where I’ll be in 10 years or even in 10 months. I don’t know if I’ll ever get my “dream job,” but I know I’m just one of many 22-year-olds starting a new chapter and trying brave things. I’m not standing on the edge of the cliff alone.
cartoon by Natalie Wittmayer
P&M, Spring 2014 35
still wanting more ?
www.portandmain.com