March 2020 Murfreesboro Pulse

IN THIS ISSUE

DIARY OF ANNE FRANK / AYE MAMMOTH / ILLINOIS JACQUET JAZZ FEST / ALLEN & BRIGHT / TREE OF LIFE MARCH 2020

VOL. 15, ISSUE 3

FREE

Middle Tennessee’s Source for Art, Entertainment and Culture News

TAILS OF THE CITY EXHIBIT ON DISPLAY AT PATTERSON PARK

A STAR IS BORN WIN TICKETS! TO DJ CLIFFY D’S APRIL 2 BIRTHDAY BASH WITH AFROMAN

MTSU Grad Aaron Raitiere Talks Recent Grammy Win, Songwriting for Oak Ridge Boys and Kids’ Music

HICKORY FALLS: STEAKS, FISH, RIBS, CHICKEN, PASTA AND MORE

LOCAL NONPROFIT PORTICO OFFERS SUPPORT FOR PREGNANT WOMEN

Contents

AARON RAITIERE PHOTO BY BECKY FLUKE

17

14 FEATURES

IN EVERY ISSUE

14

4 Events

AARON RAITIERE

MTSU alum talks Grammy win, songwriting with the Oak Ridge Boys, next. reindeer and what’s next

17

9 Sounds

LESSONS IN FITNESS

Hard work and motivation is key at LIVFIT. new workout facility LIVFIT

20

HARBOR OF HOPE

Local nonprofit Portico offers safe haven, support and supplies for women. pregnant women

22

TREE OF LIFE

Jim Africano donates land to local organization dedicated to rescuing dogs. and rehoming dogs

MUSIC NOTES Everybody Drum Some, Illinois Jacquet Jazz Festival, Middle Tennessee Songwriters Show at Walnut House; Afroman CONCERTS The Lillistion Effect, Mize and the Drive, Rubiks Groove ALBUM REVIEWS Aye Mammoth, Allen & Bright

32

HICKORY FALLS

CALENDAR Exotic Bird Expo, Boro Book Battle, Celebrity Waiters Dinner, Leave a Legacy and more!

Roomy Smyrna restaurant features steaks, cakes, salmon, salads, rolls, more. ribs and much more

18 Living

GARDENING Starting seedlings and getting a head start

Art Director: Sarah Mayo

Publisher/Editor in Chief: Bracken Mayo

24 Art

EXHIBIT Tails of the City at Patterson Park Gallery THEATER The Diary of Anne Frank, Aladdin Jr., The Curious Savage POETRY Melissa Maxwell visits MTSU, Poetry in the Boro, SE-YA Bookfest

HIGHLIGHTING BUSINESS Floativation, Part V BUSINESS MOMENTUM Inforule

39 Sports

30

SPORTS TALK Titans have big decisions to make with key players.

MOVIES Parasite; The Irishman

Opinion

Reviews VIDEO GAME Zombie Army 4: Dead War

34 News

BUSINESS BUZZ Hungry Bear Cheesesteaks, Gordon’s, Coach T’s, and more

Contributors: Melissa Coker, Jennifer Durand, Laura Lindsay, Joseph Kathmann, Luke Kautzky,

Copy Editor: Steve Morley

Blaine Little, Angela Loupe, Rick Malone,

Advertising: Dave Trout

Jay Spight, Andrea Stockard, Phil Valentine,

Zach Maxfield, Mic Santo, Edwina Shannon, Kory Wells, Michelle Willard

BBB TIPS Which tax preparer is best for your situation?

40

PHIL VALENTINE Politicians pander to climate change hysteria.

LIVE . . . WELL! Results are found in the doing.

SPIRIT MATTERS The beauty of broken

Copyright © 2020, The Murfreesboro Pulse, 714 W. Main St., #208, Murfreesboro, TN 37129.

Proudly owned, operated and published the first Thursday of each month by the Mayo family; printed by Franklin Web Printing Co. The Pulse is a free publication funded by advertisers. Views expressed in the Pulse do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. ISSN: 1940-378X

714 W. Main St., Suite 208, Murfreesboro, TN 37129 • 615-796-6248 To carry the PULSE at your business, or to submit letters, stories and photography: bracken@boropulse.com

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The Murfreesboro Pulse

WE SHOULD BE LIVING IN THE MOST EDUCATED era ever currently, the most enlightened generation in the history of civilization now, eh?

People can access all of the knowledge and information in the world in an instant. Pay attention to something other than modern politics. You can teach yourself anything with your handy device. Learn how to build a shelf or clean a goose or how nuclear fusion works. Learn an instrument or a yoga pose. Discover world history and view art and architecture, or listen to some Lizst or John Lee Hooker or the Detroit Spinners or Grateful Dead, Trucks or Chopin. Learn about butterflies or dance steps or internal combustion engines or new soup recipes. I’d suggest we not take for granted that wealth of knowledge, and to use the amazement of communication for more than petty bickering, tribalism and gossip.

Mr. Genet still has me crawling and climbing and vaulting and stretching and balancing and throwing weights.

Making progress, one small step at a time.

We will see if I can make it to the finish line again in the Special Kids 5k coming up on March 7.

Coach Mic worked me hard over at LIVFIT. I appreciate his emphasis on hard work and for everyone to do their best. Do something difficult. It is admirable to improve and to accomplish something challenging. Senpai Bill Taylor also says that “there is no excuse for lack of effort.”

Congratulations to the Chiefs. I did not want to see the Titans fall, but those Kansas City boys earned their Super Bowl title. I see some hard work and focus in those guys.

My quest to get a handle on capitalization, punctuation, abbreviation and usage will continue!

It was nice to explore the Hickory Falls menu last month.

This local and independent spot puts out some fine meats and veggies! Thanks to Peter, Paul and Meredith (hey, they should form a folk group . . .) for their hospitality and time.

The Murfreesboro/Smyrna area now contains an almost overwhelming number of restaurants—and we have the best ones in the Pulse! Before you try anywhere else, try out Carmen’s Taqueria, Primrose Table, The Alley, Hank’s, Milano, Station Grill, 219 Mixed Cuisine, Nacho’s, Simply Pure Sweets, Champy’s and Donut Country. Great stuff!

Thanks to everyone for the support: readers, writers, advertisers and our distribution points.

The cost of living, as well as Murfreesboro property taxes and the cost of dining, are going up. So, we welcome any new advertisers. Reach a great group of active, local individuals by placing a recurring ad in the Pulse.

Cliffy D’s birthday bash is coming up April 2. Win a pair of tickets at boropulse.com/afroman.

Also, rock, country and blues fans are invited out to Van’s on Halls Hill Pike on Saturday, March 14, as I join musical forces with Tony, Larry, Trevor and Shannon.

You’d Rather Go Blind than miss the chance to hear these Champions take you to Georgia on a Fast Train through the Purple Rain; we may just spend Six Days on the Road riding that Wagon Wheel to see a Mississippi Queen and a Hotel California on the way to the Promised Land. Call Me the Breeze!

Peace, BRACKEN MAYO Publisher/Editor in Chief

Events MARCH 4 & 18

CALENDAR / MARCH 2020

BY ANDREA STOCKARD

RAPTOR RHAPSODY

MARCH 7

Get up close and personal with a live bird of prey and learn about the master predators of the sky: owls, red-tailed hawks and falcons. All ages are welcome Wednesdays, March 4 and 18, at 4 p.m. at the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.).

Admission is free. For more information, contact dthomas@murfreesborotn.gov or 615-217-3017.

“Be the Difference” at the Special Kids Race on Saturday, March 7. Pick your distance. The 9th Annual Special Kids Race, which features 5K, 10K, 15K and one-mile Fun Run options, starts at Murfreesboro Medical Clinic (1272 Garrison Dr.) at 7 a.m. and continues through the Stones River Battlefield. All race proceeds benefit therapy and nursing services for children with special needs at Special Kids Therapy & Nursing Center. For more information, visit specialkidsrace.org or register at runsignup.com.

SPECIAL KIDS RACE

YOUNG AMERICANS PERFORMING ARTS WORKSHOP An educational performing arts workshop makes its way through Murfreesboro March 5–7 at Oakland Middle School (835 Dejarnette Ln.). The workshop, for grades 3–12, begins at 4 p.m. March 5 and 6. Each Young Americans Performing Arts Workshop brings a combination of energy, teamwork and confidence, using music as the tool. The college-aged cast of specially trained performers and teachers provides a safe and exciting atmosphere for participants to learn, create and grow. This includes vocal and dance training and fullstage performance. The performance show at the end is jam-packed with choral music, musical theater and rock ’n’ roll. For more information, visit youngamericans.org/us.

SKETCHBOOK COLLECTIVE Join Cultural Arts Murfreesboro for an artist meet-up on the beautiful Gateway Island (1614 Wilkinson Pk.) Thursdays, March 5 and 19, from 6:30–8 p.m. Sketchbook enthusiasts gather to share their inspiration and explore techniques. Cultural Art Murfreesboro’s Painter Laureate Dawna Magliacano facilitates. Participation is free, but class is limited. Contact lbrowning@ murfreesborotn.gov to reserve your spot.

Find the event on Facebook or visit murfreesborotn.gov/index.aspx?nid=201.

MARCH 5 SNAKES: MYSTERIES IN NATURE Introduce yourself to the world of snakes with their natural history and their entrance into the new world, the southeast and specifically the Volunteer State. Discuss behavioral and community ecology, biodiversity and conservation of snakes in Tennessee. This is great for college students 4 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

MARCH 7 MOOSEMAN 7S RUGBY TOURNAMENT 12 teams participate in the MTSU Men’s Rugby Team’s Mooseman 7s Rugby Tournament including: MTSU, University of Cincinnati, Notre Dame College, Wheeling University and Kennesaw State.

Support the teams and watch the action on Saturday, March 7, beginning at 8 a.m. at Hop Springs (6790 John Bragg Hwy.). For more information, contact selenabelk@icloud.com.

MARCH 5–7

MARCH 5 & 19

ing compelling stories for nonprofits and groups to achieve fundraising goals. The day’s activities include a presentation by storyteller and creative Kara J. Kemp and Grand Slam champion storyteller Mark Lamb. For more information, find the event on Eventbrite or Facebook.

MARCH 7 NATURE PAINTING

concentrating on life sciences, young adults or people just interested in the local snakes.

Enjoy a colorful presentation and see a live snake up close. Ages 12 and up are welcome Thursday, March 5, or Saturday, April 4, from 3–4 p.m. at the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.). Admission is free. For more information, contact 615-217-3017 or efann@murfreesborotn.gov.

MARCH 6 MURFREESBORO LAUREATE RECEPTION Cultural Arts Murfreesboro, comprised of staff members and volunteers who serve the community by providing access to arts programming, events and opportunities within the City of Murfreesboro, will hold a reception to meet the 2020 painter and photographer laureates on Friday, March 6, from 6–9 p.m. at the Center for the Arts (110 W. College St.). Light refreshments will be served. Stop by during gallery hours to see their work on display until April 6. For more information, contact culturalarts@murfreesborotn.gov

or 615-867-7244 or visit murfreesborotn. gov/index.aspx?nid=201.

MARCH 6 MUSIC & MINGLE Youth ages 2–5 are invited to enjoy music as it helps to develop many skills in children including self-expression, social skills, confidence and creativity on Friday, March 6, from 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at Bradley Academy Museum & Cultural Center (511 Mercury Blvd.). Learn about musical instruments, play music and socialize with others. Snacks are provided. Admission is $3 per kid and adults are free. For more information, contact 615-962-8773 or apratt@murfreesborotn.gov.

MARCH 6

Join local artist Bobbie Ventura as he leads a painting of a beautiful nature scene on canvas at the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.) Saturday, March 7, from 10 a.m.–noon. All supplies and instruction are provided. Ages 10 and up are welcome and children under 13 must be accompanied by adult. Admission is $15.

For more information, call 615-217-3017.

MARCH 7 SENSORY SATURDAY Youth of all ages are welcome at Bradley Academy Museum & Cultural Center (511 Mercury Blvd.) on Saturday, March 7, from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Sensory stations are ways to allow children to meet their sensory needs.

It opens the door for free play. Creating time for your child to engage in sensory play is imperative for their longtime learning and health. This event is designed for individuals with sensory processing difficulties, but it is also be fun or all young children.

Admission is $3; adults are free. For more information, contact 615-962-8773 or apratt@murfreesborotn.gov.

BUILD YOUR STORY

MARCH 10

Join the Rutherford County Area Habitat for Humanity on Friday, March 6, from 10 a.m–6 p.m. at Redstone Federal Credit Union (2404 Medical Center Pkwy.) for Build Your Story. The workshop includes a presentation and activities on creat-

Hop Springs Beer Park (6790 John Bragg Hwy.) hosts an art show the second Tuesday of every month from 5–9 p.m. featuring local artists, a drink-and-draw

THE HOPPENING AT HOP SPRINGS

and a sip-and-color featuring custom coloring pages while guests enjoy karaoke from 7–9 p.m. For more information, contact worldofwoohoo@gmail.com or visit hopspringstn.com.

MARCH 10 RUTHERFORD CABLE March’s breakfast meeting includes the presentation “The Art of Creating Yourself: Practices for Being and Achieving What Matters Most” with breakfast speaker Deb Palmer George. George combines over 25 years of executive experience in HR/OD, strategic planning and sales with advanced training in emotional intelligence, appreciative inquiry, conflict transformation and organization development. Deb works with organizations ranging from technology startups to healthcare institutions, project teams to boards of directors. Join the Rutherford Cable on Tuesday, March 10, from 7:15–9 a.m. at the Stones River Country Club (1830 NW. Broad St.). Bring plenty of business cards and grab a card from the basket on the way out to make an additional connection. For more information, contact yourrutherfordcable@gmail.com.

MARCH 10 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Business After Hours, presented by and held at First Community Bank (262 Robert Rose Dr.), is Tuesday, March 10, from 4:30–6:30 p.m. This informal, social networking event is designed to connect guests with business professionals from across Rutherford County. Bring plenty of business cards. Admission is $10 for Chamber of Commerce members and $20 for future members. No registration is required. For more information, visit web.rutherfordchamber.org/events.

MARCH 10 & 24 BINGO! Bring a friend to Bradley Academy Museum & Cultural Center (511 Mercury Blvd.) and prepare to have a great time while building new friendships. Bingo is every second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 10–11 a.m. Meet people in the community who enjoy friendly competition for various prizes. A facility pass is $4 for adults and $3 for seniors. For more information, contact 615-962-8773 or vstembridge@murfreesborotn.gov.

MARCH 10 & 24 WORKING ARTIST INITIATIVE Working Artist Initiative is about helping artists form strong creative habits that will last a lifetime by learning to make a simple

more information, contact 615-586-2683 or pmurray@murfreesborotn.gov.

MARCH 10 BETH BROCK BOOK SIGNING

MARCH 14

Linebaugh Public Library (105 W. Vine St.) welcomes local author Beth Brock for a book signing Tuesday, March 10, from 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Brock signs copies of her children’s book, My Name Is Ryan, published in 2019. My Name Is Ryan is the story of a very special boy inspired by Brock’s special-needs grandson.

He knows he is different, but he is the happiest little guy you would want to know.

Ryan is active in C.A.P.E. (Challenged Athletes Playing Equally), supports Tucker’s House and participates in the Rutherford County Special Olympics. Books are $22.99 each. For more information, call 615-893-4131 or visit rclstn.org. commitment. Make the time to make art at least five hours a week or more. WAI is a cross-genre group of beginning-to-professional visual artists, musicians, writers, photographers and filmmakers who commit to the completion of a project of their choice.

Meeting every other week for 12 weeks, artists share their progress, renew their commitments, and respond to each other’s work. At the end of the program, artists will have completed a committed portion of an original book, film, album or group of works and will have built collaborative support and developed strong habits of art creation that serves as the foundation for future projects. The Tuesday evenings are March 10 and 24, April 7 and 21, May 5 and 19 and June 2 from 6–7:30 p.m. at Gateway Island (1875 W. College St.). Class is $20; record-keeping materials and light refreshments included. For more information, contact lbrowning@murfreesborotn.gov.

MARCH 11 LIVING SENT MINISTRIES Living Sent Ministries will hold its Murfreesboro meeting on Wednesday, March 11, from 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Experience (521 Old Salem Rd.). Jennifer Durand, owner of The Nurture Nook Day Spa, shares how God is at work in her life and business. A free lunch will be provided by Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant. RSVP by contacting bob.williams@alhambrapartners.com.

MARCH 12 SPRING WREATH CLASS

 Send community event information to CONTACT@BOROPULSE.COM

Make a spring wreath with handmade cotton stem embellishments Thursday, March 12, from 6–8 p.m. at Gateway Island (1875 W. College St.). All materials are provided. Call and register, as space is limited. Class is $25. For more information, contact 615893-2141 or aacla@murfreesborotn.gov.

MARCH 14 OPERATION FILL THE GYM Team up with Nourish Food Bank in giving back to the community as they help combat hunger by providing items for low-income children and families on Saturday, March 14 from 9 a.m.–noon at McFadden Community Center (211 Bridge Ave.). Help fill the gym by donating the following items: cereal, oatmeal, Ensure, juice and juice boxes, canned meats (salmon, ham, spam, etc.), jelly, spaghetti and pasta sauce, soup, ravioli, ramen noodles, breakfast bars, infant items (diapers, wipes, baby food, etc.), hygiene items, feminine products and pet food. For more information, contact 615-586-2683 or pmurray@murfreesborotn.gov.

MARCH 14 GIRL POWER MENTORING Girl Power is a youth program designed to help build character, self-esteem, and develop strong leadership skills. The mentoring program is Saturday, March 14, from noon– 2 p.m. at McFadden Community Center (211 Bridge Ave.). This program helps develop a healthy self-image by providing support in a nurturing learning environment. Ages 8–15 are welcome. Admission is free. For

RUN FOR THE RANCH Arrowhead Boys Ranch’s Annual 5K Run for the Ranch Fundraiser is Saturday, March 14, at 8 a.m. (239 Cortner Mill Rd., Normandy). Registration fee is $20 before March 9 and $25 afterwards. The registration fee for children age 10 or under is $10. Runners receive free T-shirts, awards for the top runners, snacks and drinks. Online donations are also welcome. Runners at every level can enjoy the beautiful but challenging course that stretches across the ranch and the Duck River. Proceeds directly benefit expenses such as housing, counseling, food, health care, transportation and activities for the boys at Arrowhead Ranch, a nonprofit, long term residential care facility for boys ages 10–18 years old that are dealing with conflict in their lives. For more information, contact 931-857-4000 or info@arrowheadranchtn. net, or register at arrowheadranchtn.net.

MARCH 14 COMICS, GAMERS & GEEKS The Comics, Gamers & Geeks Show, held the second Saturday of each month from 8 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Murfreesboro Ramada Inn (1855 S. Church St.), will feature vendors selling comics, records, video games, Magic, Pokemon, CCG, Star Wars, vintage toys and more. Admission is free to come and shop.

For more information or vendor registration, call 931-954-0235 or 931-320-8510.

MARCH 14 GREEN TIE CASINO NIGHT Get rid of the winter blues and swing into spring with The 2020 Green Tie Affair & Casino Night on Saturday, March 14, benefiting the Tennessee Philharmonic Orchestra at The View at Fountains (1500 Medical Center Pkwy.) at 7 p.m. Spend the night enjoying games like blackjack, threecard poker, roulette, and Texas hold ’em at authentic gaming tables with professional casino dealers. Receive $1,000 in playmoney. Dance the night way with TPO’s board of directors member Eric “DJ Ego” Farmer, featuring songs from the 1970s through the 2000s. Guest can enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, a wine pull, silent auction and prizes. Tickets are $65 per individual, $110 for couples, and $450 for a table of eight. For tickets, visit tnphil.org or call 615-898-1862.

MARCH 14 SOUTHEASTERN YOUNG CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 BOROPULSE.COM

* MARCH 2020 * 5

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

p.m. Tickets are $10. For more information, contact shicks@murfreesborotn.gov or 615893-7439 ext. 6129.

ADULT BOOK FESTIVAL SE-YA Book Fest is a free one-of-a kind event occurring annually in March on the campus of MTSU (1768 MTSU Blvd.). The primary goal of the SE-YA Book Festival is to encourage and develop literacy in young adults by connecting them with authors and advancing education in the community. The festival is March 12–14 with a community day open to the public on Saturday, March 14. The festival is free. Saturday writing workshops are free but require registration.

Contact info@seyabookfest.com if you are a middle or high school teacher, administrator or librarian interested in bringing a group to the festival, For more information, visit seyabookfest.com.

MARCH 14 RETIRE WITH POWER On Saturday, March 14, McKnight Advisory Group presents a seminar called Retire with Power: The Next 10 Years from 9–10:30 a.m. at Through the Grapevine (630 Broadmor Blvd., Suite 190). Light breakfast is provided. Edwin A. McKnight, president and investment advisor representative for McKnight Advisory Group, focuses on topics related to retirement and the many decisions an individual or couple face as they approach retirement age. Topics include when to retire, Social Security claiming, pension options, Medicare, chronic illness preparation and legacy planning. For more information, contact 615-895-8574, ext. 15 or contactus@mcknightadvisory.com.

MARCH 21 ARCHERY

MARCH 14

Learn about parts of the bow and shooting technique and then get a chance to shoot on Saturday, March 21, at the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.) from 10 a.m.– noon. This archery program involves a twomile round-trip hike back to the campground.

Registration is required by contacting 615217-3017 or hmeyer@murfreesborotn.gov.

Ages are 7-13 welcome; admission is $3.

MID-TENNESSEE PUG FESTIVAL

MARCH 21

The fourth-annual Mid-Tennessee Pug Festival is Saturday, March 14, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m., at the Barfield Crescent Park (697 Veterans Pkwy.). All proceeds benefit the Bluegrass Pug Rescue. Vendor and Sponsor inquiries should be sent to midtnpugfestival@gmail.com. This year’s theme is “2020: A Pug Odyssey.” Participate in a contest for the best-themed costume for pugs and pet-owners. Admission is free, and festival attendees purchase tickets to participate in the various attractions at the festival. Event tickets range between $5 and $30. Early purchase of tickets is available between 8:30–9:30 a.m. and throughout the festival. The festival will include fun pug contests, food trucks, vendors and a photographer. Ownership of a pug is not required in order to attend. There will be no sale of dog at the festival. For more information, visit pugfestival.com or find the event on Facebook.

Admission to join is a potluck dish. For more information, call 615-890-0355.

MARCH 18 EQUALI-TEA

Explore the imagination and inspiration of the local youth on Saturdays, March 14 (for K–5th graders) and March 21 (6th–12th graders) at Bradley Academy Museum (511 Mercury Blvd.). The Steve Matthews Gallery art exhibit shows off the heritage of Murfreesboro’s diverse community. Rutherford County Schools grades K-12 feature over 500 pieces of artwork to celebrate Youth Art Month. Admission is free. The artwork is on display throughout March. For more information, contact 615-962-8773 or vstembridge@murfreesborotn.gov.

The 2020 Equali-Tea, presented by the American Association of University Women, Murfreesboro Chapter, a hats-optional high tea, celebrates Equal Pay Day, which symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. Join the 2020 Equali-Tea on Wednesday, March 18, at 4:30 p.m. in the MTSU Student Union Ballroom (1768 MTSU Blvd.). Find more information on the MTSU’s Women’s History Month programming at mtsu.edu/jac/nwhm.php.

The high tea raises scholarship and programming funds for the Middle Tennessee Fund for Women and Girls. Reservations are required and offered at no cost and can be made through Eventbrite. For more information, visit equali-tea.org or email contact@equali-tea.org.

MARCH 18

MARCH 19

POTLUCK LUNCH AND LEARN

THE CONNECTION

Enjoy a potluck lunch and a discussion centered around the effect weather has had on the community and surrounding areas during the 19th and early 20th centuries on Wednesday, March 18, at Cannonsburgh Village (312 S. Front St.) from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Limited seating is available; call 615-890-0355 to reserve your spot.

Local small business owners will gather for The Connection: An Evening of Professional Networking and Business Brainstorming from 5–7 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, at Carmen’s Taqueria (206 W. Northfield Blvd.). All Middle Tennessee entrepreneurs and professionals are welcome to attend this casual, free, no-obligation event, where

MARCH 14 & 21 ROOTS: YOUTH EXHIBITION

6 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

JEEP DAY SPRING KICK OFF Bring your Jeeps, lawn chairs, picnic or grab food from Miller’s across the street for Jeep Day at the Big Creek Winery Tasting Room (7027 Main St.) on Saturday, March 21, from noon–7 p.m. For more information, find the event on Facebook.

MARCH 21 BORO YOGA FEST

they can meet other small business owners and tap into one another’s experience and energy. A discussion will encourage participation from those in attendance, asking them to articulate their vision for their business and calling for examples of some of the business challenges and solutions they are experiencing. The series will continue the third Thursday of each month.

Join the fourth annual Boro Yoga to benefit Eat, Breathe, Thrive on Saturday, March 21, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. at Cheval Manor (7052 W. Gum Rd.). All levels are welcome, and a vast array of styles is taught. Mats are available. Core Life Eatery will offer lunch options for those who purchase tickets. For more information, contact 615-796-1335 or kim@boroyogafest.com. To purchase tickets, visit boroyogafest.com or boroyogafest. ticketbud.com.

MARCH 20

MARCH 21

BOARD GAME BATTLE

VETERAN MEET & EAT

Calling all board game lovers to Bradley Academy Museum & Cultural Center (511 Mercury Blvd.) on Friday, March 20, from 5–7 p.m. Go head-to-head with other gamers in multiple board games as players are placed on the board game bracket. Who will be the Board Game Battle winner?

Admission is free. For more information, contact apratt@murfreesborotn.gov or 615962-8773.

2nd Service Division will host a Veteran Meet & Eat event at City Cafe (113 E. Main St.) on Saturday, March 21, from 9–11 a.m.

Bobby Cox from 2nd Service Division and Caleb Sams from Thrivent Financial will speak. There will be about 25 seats available. 2nd Service Division is a new organization on a mission to help veterans and retired individuals on a fixed income with repairs or needed upgrades on their property. For more information, find 2nd Service Division on Facebook.

MARCH 20–22 ARISTOCATS KIDS Watch the homeschool program’s performance of this classic Disney production based on the beloved Disney animated film and featuring a jazzy, upbeat score at Washington Theatre at Patterson Park (521 Mercury Blvd.). Disney’s The Aristocats Kids is a nonstop thrill ride of feline fun, complete with unbelievable twists and turns in the heart of Paris. Performance dates are March 20 and 21 at 7 p.m. and March 22 at 2

MARCH 21 GATSBY PARTY The seventh annual Gatsby Party fundraiser benefits Amelia’s Closet and The Alzheimer’s Association and will be held Saturday, March 21, from 7 p.m.–midnight at the Stones River Country Club (1830 NW Broad St.). General Admission is $125 and includes hors d’oeuvres, wine and custom cocktails, local brews, a selfie booth,

entertainment, dancing and four drink tickets. For more information or tickets, visit wildgoosechase.events/the-gatsby-party.

are not required. Light refreshments are served. For more information, visit oaklandsmansion.org or call 615-893-0022.

MARCH 21 & 22

MARCH 29–31

EXOTIC BIRD EXPO

AUDITIONS FOR THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE

The Heart of Tennessee Aviculture Society will present its annual Exotic Bird Expo on Saturday, March 21, from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and on Sunday, March 22, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at the MTSU Livestock Center (1720 Greenland Dr.). This is the largest bird event in Tennessee. Attendees can come see and shop for exotic birds, toys, cages, supplies, food, treats, breeding supplies, play stands, gifts and other items.

Also included are small and furry exotics such as hedgehogs, sugar gliders, rabbits, chinchillas, guinea pigs and monkeys. The Aviculture Society also holds local meetings once a month. For more information on becoming a member, or on the Exotic Bird Expo, visit midtnbirdclub.com.

MARCH 26 LEAVE A LEGACY 2020 Leave A Legacy will feature honored guest and speaker, football legend Eddie George, on Thursday, March 26, at the MTSU Student Union Ballroom (1768 MTSU Blvd.) from 5:30–8:30 p.m. VIP Doors open at 5 p.m. with general admission at 5:30 p.m and dinner at 6 p.m. From the football field to the board room, Broadway musicals and graduate business school, Eddie George personifies what many think of when they hear the term “renaissance man.” The event includes a full buffet dinner, the appearance

by George, and ESPN and SEC sports reporter Dawn Davenport serving as master of ceremonies. George admires how Habitat for Humanity prepares and empowers families and individuals all that they can be.

Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity is celebrating its 30th anniversary of building affordable homes in Tennessee. For more information, find the event on Facebook or visit rchfh.org/leave-a-legacy-2020.

MARCH 26 BORO BOOK BATTLE Join Murfreesboro City Schools at the sixth annual Boro Book Battle on Thursday, March 26, at 6 p.m. in the Hobgood Elementary gymnasium (307 S. Baird Ln.).

Students from across the district compete against one another in a quiz-bowl-style tournament to test their knowledge of books on the Volunteer State Book Award list. Librarians from MCS work with the student teams throughout the school year to prepare for this friendly competition.

Teams are formed from 4th–6th grade students who expressed interest in being a

Bill Anderson and Jimmy Fortune

APRIL 2

Rhonda Vincent

CELEBRITY WAITERS DINNER The Exchange Club of Murfreesboro will hold the annual Celebrity Waiters Dinner on Thursday, April 2, at Stones River Country Club (1830 NW Broad St.) starting with a reception at 6 p.m. followed by a dinner at 7 p.m. The night includes live entertainment, a silent auction and a live auction. Among those on hand will be various Grand Ole Opry performers and local celebrities including Tim Atwood, Rhonda Vincent, Bill Anderson, Sylvia, Roni Stoneman and Leena Williams. Seating is limited. Levels of sponsorship are also available. Individual tickets are $150 per person. Funds raised support the programs of The Exchange Club of Murfreesboro including Americanism, youth activities, community service and the national project, The prevention of child abuse, specifically locally Kymari House and The Family Center of Tennessee. For more information or tickets, contact 615-896-9460, 615-494-7970, 615-893-2067 or jdhood31@comcast.net.

Find the event on Facebook or visit nationalexchangeclub.org. part of this core group of readers. For more information, visit cityschools.net/boro-bookbattle-march-26.

MARCH 26 BIRD NEST CANVAS PAINTING Paint a bird nest with little robin eggs on a black canvas on Thursday, March 26, at Gateway Island (1875 W College St.) from 6–8 p.m. Mixed media is added to the nest to give it dimension and character. All materials are provided. Call and register to save your spot as space is limited. Fee is $20. Contact aacla@murfreesborotn.gov or 615-893-2141 for more information.

MARCH 28 CANNONSBURGH YARD SALE Rent a booth space and sell your treasures, or shop till you drop at Cannonsburgh Village (312 S. Front St.) on Saturday, March 28, from 7 a.m.–noon. Shopping is free.

Booth spaces are only $10. Reservations are required for booth space. For more information, contact 615-890-0355 or shodges@murfreesborotn.gov.

MARCH 28 CUMBERLAND PLATEAU WATERFALL HIKE Depart from the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.) for this four-mile moderately-rated hike to one of Tennessee’s most gorgeous waterfalls on Saturday,

March 28, from 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Transportation provided. Please bring water and wear close-toed shoes. Registration is required at murfreesboroparks.com under “Online Registration, Outdoor Murfreesboro.” Ages 12 and up are welcome; those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Admission is $15. For more information, contact outdoormurfreesboro@murfreesborotn.gov or 615-217-3017.

MARCH 28 THE STORY OF THE MANEY FAMILY SLAVES Visit Oaklands Mansion (900 N. Maney Ave.) on Saturday, March 28, at 4 p.m., as MTSU College Transfer Fellow Audrey Creel presents The Untold Story of the Maney Family Slaves: A Case Study of Slavery in Murfreesboro. Creel’s presentation is based on her thesis, which was recently accepted by the Honors College of MTSU. She is a full-time student who also works as a tour guide at Oaklands Mansion. An in-depth analysis of two African-American Maney families illustrates common struggles faced by African Americans in Murfreesboro during the Reconstruction Era. Before the presentation, from 3–3:45, enjoy free selfguided tours of the mansion. Special guest members of the African American Heritage Society of Rutherford County are available afterwards to answer questions. This event is free and open to the public. Reservations

Audition for Consider This’s final production of the 2019–20 season, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe are March 29–31 from 7–9 p.m. (7120 Old Nashville Hwy.).

Performances are in June. This dramatization of C.S. Lewis’ classic work faithfully recreates the magic and mystery of Aslan, the great lion, his struggle with the White Witch, and the adventures of four children who inadvertently wander from an old wardrobe into the exciting, never-to-be-forgotten Narnia.

MARCH 30–APRIL 2 FIRST SHOT SKILLS ACADEMY Keep the family engaged during spring break with First Shot conducting its annual spring break camp that consists of dance, sports, character building, STEAM and cultural arts at Patterson Community Center (521 Mercury Blvd.) March 30–April 2 from noon–4 p.m. for ages 8–13. Admission is free. For more information, contact 615-893-7439 or cellis@murfreesborotn.gov.

MARCH 31 SPRING BREAK NATURE QUEST Keep your child learning and active while on spring break with a fun day featuring a group hike to the campground to participate in archery and campfire lunch Tuesday, March 31, from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Return to the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.) to meet the resident education animals and play games. Admission is $6. Registration is required. For more information, contact 615217-3017 or hmeyer@murfreesborotn.gov.

THROUGHOUT MARCH YOUTH VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE REGISTRATION The Murfreesboro Youth Volleyball League offers three divisions for beginner, competitive and club teams (ages 17 and under) at Sports*Com (2310 Memorial Blvd.).

Practices are once a week with matches being played on Fridays and Saturdays. Participants play matches during a seven-week season and conclude with a tournament.

Registration is at Sports*Com, Patterson Park, McFadden Community Center and the Main Office at Barfield Crescent Park through April 17. Weekday practices begin in May with Saturday games beginning in June. Cost is $75 per player and includes game jersey. For more information, contact 615-907-2251 or shull@murfreesborotn.gov.

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MONDAYS RECOVERY IN THE FILLING STATION Celebrate Recovery in the Filling Station (North Boulevard Church of Christ, 1112 N. Rutherford Blvd.) every Monday evening with dinner at 6 p.m. ($2), praise time at 7 p.m. and a small share group at 8 p.m.

Newcomers are always welcome. This is a biblical and balanced program that helps people overcome life’s hurts, habits and hangups in a confidential and secure setting. For more information, contact 615631-2640 or tholt@nblvd.org.

TUESDAYS TENNESSEE TOASTMASTERS The Heart of Tennessee Toastmasters is an international organization devoted to helping others advance their communication and leadership skills. Through participation in a variety of roles at each meeting, learn better listening skills, critical thinking, goal setting and public speaking. Meet at 7 p.m. on the second, fourth and fifth Tuesdays of each month at Linebaugh Public Library board room (105 W. Vine St.). For more information on the local Toastmasters, visit heartoftennessee.toastmastersclubs.org.

TUESDAYS MURFREESBORO YOUTH ULTIMATE DISC LEAGUE Ultimate Frisbee is a friendly coed sport based heavily on good sportsmanship. The players govern themselves with only an observer to help with rules, questions and disputes. Giving the players total control creates a fun and inviting environment that promotes teamwork, problem solving and good sportsmanship. The league provides each player with a disc and a jersey. All games are played on full-size, well-conditioned, well-lit and properly lined fields with scoreboards. Registration is April 1–May 11 at Sports*Com, McFadden Community Center and the Main Office at Barfield Crescent Park. Ages 13–17 are welcome. Practice and games begin in June at Richard Siegel Soccer Park (515 Cherry Ln.). Fee is $50. For more information, contact 615-907-2251 or jteichman@murfreesborotn.gov.

WEDNESDAYS ADULT BASKETBALL LEAGUE The Sports*Com (2310 Memorial Blvd.)

Adult Basketball League is a great way for adult athletes to stay in shape, socialize and play the game. The league offers fullcourt games with trained officials one day per week. A list of interested individuals is kept, and efforts are made to assist indi8 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

viduals find a team. Games begin at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. Admission is $4 per player per visit or premium pass. For more information, contact amay@murfreesborotn.gov or 615-907-2251.

WEDNESDAYS WELCOME TO THE WILDERNESS! Introduce your child to the wonders of nature in this fun-filled class with unique songs and a discussion about the animal of the week, including a simple craft and a nature hike or fun activity. Learn about the wonderful, wacky wildlife that lives in Tennessee.

Registration is required a day prior to class.

Ages 1–4 years are invited with an adult at 9 a.m. to the Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (401 Volunteer Rd.). Fee is $3. For more information, contact 615-2173017 or hmeyer@murfreesborotn.gov.

WEDNESDAYS WRITERS GROUP The Murfreesboro Writers Group, comprised of local writers who seek to improve their work through mutual critique, meets every Wednesday at Linebaugh Library (105 W. Vine St.) from 6–8 p.m. You might hear science fiction, poetry, alternate reality, memoir, fantasy, mystery, literary fiction, or beyond. For more information, find Murfreesboro Writers Group on Facebook, email sayhello@murfreesborowritersgroup.com, call 615-893-4131 or visit rclstn.org.

WEDNESDAYS NATURE PLAY Free play in nature can be very beneficial for kids. It improves confidence, decision-making skills, coordination and so much more, including fun. Visit the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.) Wednesdays in March and April at 11 a.m. for mud painting, color mixing and sprinkler fun. Kids generally get wet or muddy, so dress them accordingly.

For more information, contact 615-217-3017 or hmeyer@murfreesborotn.gov.

WEDNESDAYS BORO2SQUARE RUNNERS Boro2Square Runners is a running group for individuals interested in running and socializing with other runners. Weekly runs begin at 6 p.m. each Wednesday, starting from the Boulevard Bar and Grill, 2154 Middle Tennessee Blvd. Distances covered are 3–5 miles, with runners of all paces welcome to participate. For more information, visit facebook.com/boro2square.

THURSDAYS YOUTH VOLLEYBALL CLASS Bump, set and spike it at Sports*Com

(2310 Memorial Blvd.) as qualified coaches give instructions on the game. Youth volleyball players (ages 8–15) ranging from beginning to advanced develop and refine their skills in both practice and game situations Thursdays from 4:30–6 p.m. Fee is $3 per visit. For more information, contact 615-907-2251 or shull@murfreesborotn.gov.

11 a.m.–1 p.m. Art is also featured most Saturdays March 22–May 2 at Float Alchemy (131 Cason Ln.) featuring two local artists in the Kombucha Tea Room from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Times and featured artists each date vary. For more information, contact worldofwoohoo@gmail.com or visit facebook.com/tnpopupartists.

THURSDAYS

SATURDAYS

CHESS CLUB

HISTORICAL SOCIETY OPENS RANSOM SCHOOL

The Murfreesboro Chess Club meets each Thursday at 6 p.m. at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church (907 E. Main St.).

Chess players of all levels are invited to come meet and play against other local chess enthusiasts. For more information, call 615-713-9256 or email murfreesborochess@gmail.com.

FRIDAYS ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT FRIDAY FISH FRY The Knights of Columbus at Saint Rose of Lima Church host an all-you-can-eat fish fry with fried, blackened and baked fish and all the fixings, dessert and drinks every Friday through April 3 from 5–7 p.m. Carryout options are available. Price is $10 for adults, $5 for kids and 4 and under eat free. The meal is in the Jo Call Room at Saint Rose of Lima School (1601 N. Tennessee Blvd.).

Proceeds in March benefit: March 6 – Saint Rose of Lima School Scholarship March 13 – Portico pregnancy services March 20 – VA Medical Center March 27 – Special Kids – Therapy and nursing center for kids with special needs For more information, visit saintrose.com or call 615-956-9544.

FRIDAYS GREENWAY WALKS Walk the Greenway with Outdoor Murfreesboro and observe the onset of spring in the natural world Fridays in March and April from 9–10 a.m. Admission is free. Contact outdoormurfreesboro@murfreesborotn.gov or 615-217-3017 for more information.

The trailhead locations are as follows: March 6: General Bragg March 13: Cason Lane March 20: Old Fort Park (Kids’ Castle) March 27: Fortress Rosecrans April 10: Broad St. April 17: Central Valley April 24: Redoubt Brannan

SATURDAYS THE POP-UP ARTISTS Join The Pop-Up Artists featuring pop-up art shows at Morningbrew Coffee (405 N. Front St.) Saturdays in March from

The Rutherford County Historical Society invites everyone to visit Ransom School (717 N. Academy St.) Saturday mornings from 9 a.m.–noon to discuss history over a cup of coffee. Bring old photos and memorabilia, and leave with a better understanding of, and appreciation for, your past.

Volunteers needed. For more information, visit rutherfordtnhistory.org.

SATURDAYS ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS Visit the Wilderness Station (401 Volunteer Rd.) Saturdays in March at 1:30 p.m. for a short program introducing children of all ages to one of the educational animals, their cool adaptations and natural history.

Admission is free. For more information, contact outdoormurfreesboro@murfreesborotn.gov or 615-217-3017.

SUNDAYS AMERICANA SUNDAYS AT HOP SPRINGS Enjoy live music, craft beer, food truck, wood fire pizza, cornhole, disk golf and 83 acres of nature each week at Americana Sunday at Hop Springs Beer Park (6790 John Bragg Hwy.). Musicians are welcome to participate in the open bluegrass/ Americana jam from 2–3:30 p.m. and open blues/rock/Americana jam from 3:30–6:30 p.m. Dogs are also welcome, as are all ages, and family fun is free every weekend.

ONGOING ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS If you want to drink, that’s your business.

If you want to stop, we can help.

615-831-1050. aa.org

ONGOING AL-ANON Attend Al-Anon meetings, a fellowship program for the families and friends of alcoholics, weekly at 435 S. Molloy Ave. (off of Bridge Ave.). Meeting times include 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sundays; 6:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; and noon on Saturdays. For more information, contact 270-293-5201.

LIVE MUSIC IN THE ’BORO

CONCERT CALENDAR

WED, 3/4

TUES, 3/10

MON, 3/16

HANK’S Lonnie Cook MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC Cole Whittenburg WALNUT HOUSE Middle Tennessee Songwriter’s Show: Women in the Round

BURGER BAR Sarah Martin HANK’S Don Mealer

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC Abbie Conant THE BORO Karaoke with Amanda

WED, 3/11

TUES, 3/17

HANK’S Memiss Sue Jones

THURS, 3/5

THURS, 3/12 HANDLEBARS World Famous Thursday Night Blues Jam HANK’S Bailey Rose PUCKETT’S Brianna Alomar

BURGER BAR Sarah Martin COCONUT BAY CAFE Mike DizIll HANK’S Lauren Christine MAYDAY BREWERY Andrew White MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC Teneea & Dawson Hull; Tom Curry

FRI, 3/13

WED, 3/18

HANDLEBARS World Famous Thursday Night Blues Jam HANK’S Jordan Carter MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC MTSU Chamber Winds & MTSU Symphonic Band PUCKETT’S Noah Tellish CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West HANK’S Delyn Christian; Jack Finley Band HOP SPRINGS Revelry; King & the Rebel MAYDAY BREWERY The Lilliston Effect PUCKETT’S The Mighty Trainwrecks THE BORO BoroFondo Fundraiser VAN’S BAR & GRILL Evil Twin

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West COCONUT BAY CAFE My July Band HANK’S Sarah Martin; Sam Roark Band HOP SPRINGS The Secret Commonwealth MAYDAY BREWERY Tom Davison THE BORO Flummox; Summoners Circle; Gravehuffer; Toxic Culture VAN’S BAR & GRILL Whiskey & Friends

SAT, 3/7

SAT, 3/14

FRI, 3/6

HANK’S A Slice of American Pie; Clayton Mann Band HOP SPRINGS Delyn Christian GALLAGHER UNPLUGGED Steel Blossoms MAYDAY BREWERY Van Darien MEDIA RERUN Bucket City Punx PUCKETT’S Jacob Frish

SUN, 3/8 CROSSROADS Out of System Transfer; Trash Cats; Habanero Haberdashery; Corey James Richard HANK’S The O’Donnells

MON, 3/9 THE BORO Karaoke with Amanda

COCONUT BAY CAFE Stranger Than Fiction GALLAGHER UNPLUGGED David Devaul HANK’S Joe Hooper; Phil Valdez HOP SPRINGS Raygun: Dark Side of the ’80s; Ryan Coleman MEDIA RERUN Landt; Dirty Fuss; Fury in Few; Broken Daze PUCKETT’S Kyle Mercer THE BORO Hardin Draw; Brett Harris VAN’S BAR & GRILL The Sugar Daddys

SUN, 3/15 HANK’S George Dunn CROSSROADS Apes of the State; Mary Wander; Trash Cats; Burnt Toast

HANK’S Alexis Taylor HOP SPRINGS Hit City MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC Jack Bounds WALNUT HOUSE Middle Tennessee Songwriter’s Show

THURS, 3/19 HANDLEBARS World Famous Thursday Night Blues Jam HANK’S Spencer Maige MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC Virgina Shingleton THE BORO Late Night for a Thursday

FRI, 3/20 CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West COCONUT BAY CAFE Escape Band GALLAGHER UNPLUGGED Clinchfield HANK’S Sara Simmons; Blaine Bunting HOP SPRINGS Electric Frazier Trio MAIN STREET MUSIC Rubiks Groove MAYDAY BREWERY David Birdwell MEDIA RERUN Celebration Records Artist Showcase MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC MTSU Jazz Artist Series: Cord Martin (saxophone) PUCKETT’S Brother Banter THE BORO Spike & Mallets; Keats

 View the Concert Calendar online at BOROPULSE.COM/CALENDAR

VAN’S BAR & GRILL Revelry

SAT, 3/21 COCONUT BAY CAFE Elecoustic Soul GALLAGHER UNPLUGGED Don Gallagher Day; Jim Hurst HANK’S Macy Tabor; Colleen Lloy; Michael McGregor HOP SPRINGS Mixtape ’80s Tribute Band; Dustin Martin THE BORO Mize & the Drive MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC MTSU Jazz Artist Series: Gary Smulyan MEDIA RERUN Scufflin 3

SUN, 3/22 HANK’S Karree J. Phillips

MON, 3/23 MEDIA RERUN Louisiana Lot Lizards; Aforethought MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC Alice Judy; Will Perkins & Allison Blumenthal THE BORO Karaoke with Amanda

TUES, 3/24 BURGER BAR Sarah Martin HANK’S Delyn Christian MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC Daniel Johnson; Derek Pham

WED, 3/25 HANK’S Shawn & Caralyn Hammonds

THURS, 3/26 HANDLEBARS World Famous Thursday Night Blues Jam HANK’S Lonnie Spiker MEDIA RERUN Haunted Dolls MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC Meagan Shaw; Michael Luttrull

FRI, 3/27 CARMEN’S TAQUERIA Joe West COCONUT BAY CAFE Zone Status

MARCH 2020 GALLAGHER UNPLUGGED Jim & Inge Wood HANK’S Blake Esse; Jack Finley Band HOP SPRINGS Markey Blue & Ric Latina MAYDAY BREWERY Sheriff Woods MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC MTSU Keyboard Artist Series: Arunesh Nadgir VAN’S BAR & GRILL Pigfoot

SAT, 3/28 COCONUT BAY CAFE DJ RDP HANK’S HunterGirl; Cooter River Band HOP SPRINGS Hank You Live (Hank Williams tribute); The Philcos MAIN STREET MUSIC Van Halen Tribute MEDIA RERUN BCP Show MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC MTSU Flute Day PUCKETT’S Pickin Crows THE BORO Jeremy Pinell Band; THB; Dirty Poors WALNUT HOUSE Vinewood

SUN, 3/29 HANK’S Liz Bentley MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC Michael Triplett; Jacob Marlow; Bethany Cardenas; MTSU Low Brass studio recital

MON, 3/30 MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING Derrek Phillips; MTSU Flute Choir & Community Flute Choir THE BORO Karaoke with Amanda

TUES, 3/31 BURGER BAR Sarah Martin HANK’S Emily Miller MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC Austin Ford

THURS, 4/2 WHISKEY DIX Afroman; DJ vs. Drumz; Chief Greenbud

IF YOU GO Burger Bar 1850 Old Fort Pkwy.

615-895-5555 Carmen’s Taqueria 206 W. Northfield Blvd.

615-848-9003 Coconut Bay Café 210 Stones River Mall Blvd. 615-494-0504 Gallagher Unplugged 118 N. Walnut St. 615-624-4196 Handlebars 2601 E. Main St. 615-890-5661 Hank’s 2341 Memorial Blvd.

615-410-7747 Hop Springs 6790 John Bragg Hwy. 615-628-8776 Main Street Music 527 W. Main St. 615-440-2425 Mayday Bewery 521 Old Salem Hwy. 615-479-9722 Media Rerun 2820 S. Rutherford Blvd.

615-907-0901 MTSU Wright Music Building 1439 Faulkinberry Dr. 615-898-2469 Puckett’s Grocery 114 N. Church St. 629-201-6916 Smyrna VFW Post 8422 10157 Old Nashville Hwy., Smyrna 615-459-9832 The Boro Bar & Grill 1211 Greenland Dr. 615-895-4800 The CrossRoads 6097 Lebanon Pk. 615-648-6395 The Walnut House 116 N. Walnut St. 615-705-7897 Van’s Bar and Grill 2404 Halls Hill Pk. 615-624-7767 Whiskey Dix Saloon 302 W. Main St.

BOROPULSE.COM

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Sounds

Read more about local music at

boropulse.com/category/music

EVERYBODY DRUM SOME RETURNS TO MAYDAY BREWERY TO DRUM IN SPRING ON MARCH 20 EVERYBODY DRUM SOME, the local percussion collective led by drum instructor Ross Lester, will present its spring Murfreesboro Community Rhythm Event at Mayday Brewery on Friday, March 20. The collaborative drumming will kick off at 6 p.m. and Lester will lead the community drum ensemble in a celebratory session of rhythmic musicmaking until 7:30 p.m.

As always, he invites everyone who would like to drum to join the group, and there is no charge to participate.

“Come join the community; come on and drum,” Lester says. And for people who are curious about how a community rhythm ensemble operates, the event is also “open to people who just want to be there and see it.”

The March 20 event, held in Mayday’s large brewery room, is all-ages and family friendly.

Lester and his drum disciples have made a habit of observing the rhythm of the changing seasons, and this late-March drumming installment will help ring in the arrival of spring with an original piece of music being created with friends, family, neighbors and other residents of Murfreesboro.

Participants can bring drums, shakers, tambourines, woodblocks or percussive instruments of any type, but even those who have no instrument may come out and use one from the extensive Everybody Drum Some collection.

No prior musical experience is required for folks who wish to join in.

Past drumming events have represented a wide variety of demographics in the community, with families, seasoned musicians, MTSU students, business professionals, grandparents, high school band members, military veterans and folks playing music together, as Lester conducts the jam.

While these group drumming sessions do allow for plenty of personal expression and various interpretations of the beat, Lester says the events are not so much a time for skilled drummers to put on a concert and impress others with their licks. Rather, they’re provided as an opportunity for participants to raise their percussive voices in unison with the group and to encourage musical participation from newcomers.

“It really is not at all about musical experience or talent or anything like that,” Lester said. “What’s amazing is that from the beginning of the evening to the end of the evening is the whole group really grows together in their ability to communicate musically.”

Many participants have enjoyed creating music and feeling the beat at previous Everybody Drum Some events, and organizers would like even more people to experience this community musical endeavor.

Mayday Brewery is located at 521 Old Salem Rd., Murfreesboro.

For more information on Everybody Drum Some, upcoming community rhythm events and options for having the group at private engagements and organizations, visit everybodydrumsome.com or find Everybody Drum Some on Facebook.

MUSIC NOTES  ENTERTAINMENT

TRIVIA, KARAOKE & BINGO NIGHTS Send karaoke, trivia and entertainment info to listings@boropulse.com  MONDAYS AHARTS PIZZA GARDEN Trivia 7 p.m.

HANK’S Open Mic Night 6–9 p.m.

HOP SPRINGS Poker 7 p.m.

JACK BROWN’S Trivia 7 p.m.

LEVEL III Trivia 7 p.m.

THE BORO Karaoke 8 p.m.

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR Karaoke 8 p.m.–12 a.m.

LEVEL III Trivia 7 p.m.

OLD CHICAGO Ballad Bingo 7 p.m.

STATION GRILL Trivia 7 p.m.

THE BOULEVARD Trivia 8 p.m.

VAN’S BAR & GRILL Bike Night, Karaoke 6 p.m.

 TUESDAYS

 THURSDAYS

COCONUT BAY Trivia 7:30 p.m.

HOP SPRINGS Karaoke 7–10 p.m.

NACHO’S Trivia 7 p.m.

OLD CHICAGO Trivia 7 & 8:15 p.m.

BURGER REPUBLIC Trivia 7 p.m.

 WEDNESDAYS

VAN’S BAR & GRILL Pool tournament 7 p.m.

CAMPUS PUB Karaoke 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

HOP SPRINGS Trivia 7 p.m.

MELLOW MUSHROOM Trivia 8 p.m.

PARTY FOWL Trivia 7 p.m.

10 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

 FRIDAYS BOOMBOZZ PIZZA Trivia 8:30 p.m.

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR Karaoke 9 p.m.–1 a.m.

LIQUID SMOKE DJ night 10 p.m.

MT BOTTLE Karaoke 9 p.m.–3 a.m.

 SATURDAYS CAMPUS PUB Karaoke 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR Karaoke 9 p.m.–1 a.m.

MT BOTTLE Karaoke 9 p.m.–3 a.m.

NACHO’S Trivia 7 p.m.

VAN’S BAR & GRILL Karaoke 7 p.m.

 SUNDAYS SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Trivia 8 p.m.

MTSU SCHOOL OF MUSIC WILL HOST THE SIXTH ANNUAL MTSU ILLINOIS JACQUET JAZZ FESTIVAL MARCH 20–21 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ ensembles will perform for a panel of jazz educators and adjudicators in a non-competitive format, but with comment sheets and ratings, and some special awards. Judges will select at least one ensemble to perform at the Saturday evening concert.

The event will also include clinics led by MTSU faculty and guests, including Casey Brefka, Mike Parkinson, Brian Mueller, Patrick Atwater, Miguel Alvarado, Desmond Ng, Jamey Simmons and the MTSU faculty rhythm section; an invitational high school honors combo, led by MTSU faculty member Don Aliquo; and a performance featuring the MTSU Salsa Band, directed by Lalo Davila.

The festival will be followed by evening concerts featuring MTSU Jazz Ensemble I, ETHOS Youth Jazz Ensemble, MTSU alumnus saxophonist CORD MARTIN  and awardwinning baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan.

The festival honors the legacy of tenor saxophonist and band leader Illinois Jacquet, who rose to prominence in the 1940s with the big bands of Count Basie and Lionel Hampton. Jacquet was responsible for two major developments in tenor playing. He popularized the “honking” method of playing, which might best be heard in performances with producer Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic tour. Jacquet also discovered the tenor’s high-pitched altissimo range, extending the instrument’s range by two and a half octaves.

In 1942 Jacquet cut the solo on the hit recording of Hampton’s “Flying Home,” which is known as the first recorded R&B sax solo. Jacquet also performed in the band of Cab Calloway and later formed a group with his brother and bassist Charles Mingus.

The Illinois Jacquet Foundation promotes the study and appreciation of jazz music throughout the globe and the organization offers financial assistance to jazz music students through annual sponsorship and grants.

The concert on Friday evening, March 20, at 7:30 p.m. features Cord Martin, and the concert on Saturday evening, March 21, at 7:30 p.m. features Gary Smulyan. Tickets for either show are available for $10.

For more information on the Illinois Jacquet Jazz Festival or on registering an ensemble, visit mtsu.edu/music/jazzfest.php or contact kyle.etges@mtsu. edu or james.simmons@mtsu.edu.

For more information on Illinois Jacquet and the Illinois Jacquet Foundation visit illinoisjacquetfoundation.org.

ALBUMS

BY BRACKEN MAYO

AYE MAMMOTH

ALLEN & BRIGHT

Devoid of light, rumbles Aye Mammoth vocalist Micah Loyed on the trio’s most recent release, Strigiformes Gaze, one which he describes as a “dark and lumbering blues and boogie album inspired by characters, places and events from Twin Peaks.”

Aye Mammoth plays a style on the darker and sludgier side of hard rock, fitting in with Black Sabbath, Danzig, Clutch, Helmet, Queens of the Stone Age and such with music that could serve as a soundtrack to crawling out of primeval sludge.

Strigiformes (owls) Gaze gets the listener’s head moving from the outset, and by design, it moves from slow and subtle head-nodding on “Owl Eyes”—which contains a little “heavy metal” jangling as part of the rhythm section—to giving rock fans a little something to stomp and boogie to by the last track, “Gooder’n Hell,” as the record increases the tempo on each track (Loyed said the band aimed to capture a sonic mixture of John Lee Hooker and Black Sabbath on that final tune).

The tempos vary from track to track, but each exhibits the signature Aye Mammoth aesthetic of heavily distorted guitar fuzziness and droning, deep, chanting vocals.

The brief “Bang Bang” marks something of an outlier for the band, even featuring some real “doowops” and a vintage, early rock ’n’ roll walking bass line, bringing to mind Queen’s throwback classic “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.”

The instrumental passages creep up in intensity as the album progresses, with the opening track’s more minimalist passage climaxing into some screaming guitar solo work on “Slave to the Fear.”

Even with the nasty, overdriven feel, each item in the mix comes through with clarity. Check it out. The release is a quick hit, with a runtime of less than 15 minutes. The band captures its unique flavor throughout the release, but the sections and pace change often enough to keep it interesting.

In this era of highly produced, electronic, manipulated, manic and wild music, sometimes it can be nice to go an acoustic direction and hear what two guys can calmly produce with 10 strings. The sounds that guitarist Lance Allen and violinist Avery Bright—Allen & Bright—create with their acoustic instruments may have more in common with the chamber music of Bach than much of the music made by independent artists in the digital age.

The duo’s 2020 EP The Afterglow, a quick sixtrack offering packed full of string beauty, may serve as suitable music to play at a tranquil massage spa, or even for the string music lover to fall asleep to; in no way does that indicate the music is boring. The instrumental technicality is high, the phrasings contain some delicate, nuanced subtleties, but the The Afterglow communicates a sense of absolute peace, gentleness and serenity.

The guitar fingerpicking is active, though the pace of the chord changes is usually fairly slow, adding to the feeling of serene stillness. It certainly doesn’t promote hyperactivity or urgency.

Generally, the instrumental music will feature Allen, a recording artist and Smyrna-based guitar instructor, picking along steady 16th note patterns, while Bright, an experienced Nashville session musician, adds a layer of slow, sustained violin soaring above with a beautifully captivating tone.

“Falling Stars” takes the listener soaring. Following a tender guitar harmonic section, the music comes to a soft pause and then a strong, joyous violin melody just uplifts to the heavens. This could be a climax in volume for the EP, at probably no more than a mezzo forte.

Allen & Bright leave fans of soft string music wanting more—15 minutes is not long enough for a proper meditation session!—but that can be a good thing for a local group. Turn on a little Allen & Bright if you need a moment of restful peace.

Strigiformes Gaze

The Afterglow

A CLASSIC OUTSTANDING

AVERAGE BELOW AVERAGE

AVOID IT DEAD

Read more about local music at

boropulse.com/category/music

AARON RAITIERE

“Star”ry-Eyed After Recent Grammy Win: MTSU Alum Talks Winning, Writing, Reindeer and What’s Next on the Horizon

BY MELISSA COKER

H

e may have lost his phone on the way to this year’s Grammy Awards—but that didn’t stop songwriter Aaron Raitiere from answering the (proverbial) call.

As he stood alongside co-writers Natalie Hemby and Hillary Lindsey you could feel the thankfulness radiating from Raitiere, who grinned from ear to ear throughout the entire 30 seconds of the threesome’s collective acceptance speeches upon winning the golden trophy in the Best Song Written for Visual Media category. Raitiere and his cowriting cohorts were up against creations from Randy Newman, Dolly Parton, Thom Yorke and Beyoncé.

“I’d like to thank my mom and dad. Love you all,” he was sure to add in edgewise as the exit music began to play as the songwriters accepted their A Star is Born win for the song “I’ll Never Love Again.”

“All of that stuff [the song and nomination] was just a total . . . wait and see,” shares Raitiere. “I showed up and turned something in. The song was written in probably less than an hour and that was

14 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

while they were still writing the movie.

And so we didn’t hear for a couple of years whether or not it was even going to be in the movie.”

Fresh off the Grammy high, Raitiere returned to a lower level—down to The Basement, to be exact. Thanks to an invite from Mike Grimes (owner of Grimey’s New & Preloved Music and the Basement) Aaron wrapped up a month-long residency at the Nashville nightspot just two days after the awards ceremony with a free show featuring very special guests Anderson East and Ashley Monroe. The encore evening was also recorded, with plans in the works for a live album. Other guests throughout the residency included Everette, Hayes Carll, Wyatt McCubbin and Waylon Payne.

Raitiere says he’s lucky to have met Grimes and is very grateful for that opportunity.

Self-described as a “single-wide dreamer in a double-wide world” (a lyric which he explains simply means being “happy with the smaller details in life in a world where people’s goals aren’t necessarily small”), winning for the Star soundtrack

Natalie Hemby, Aaron Raitiere and Hillary Lindsey at the 2020 Grammy Awards

AARON RAITIERE PHOTO BY BECKY FLUKE

Sounds

is definitely one of the things of which dreams are made. But being aligned with the soundtrack’s constellation isn’t the 2009 MTSU Master of Fine Arts grad’s first foray into the celestial. An enchanting far and away tune titled “Brand New Star,” which Raitiere co-wrote with Americana artist Mando Saenz, is the first track on and a featured single from The Oak Ridge Boys’ 2018 album 17th Avenue Revival (produced by Dave Cobb). The uptempo ode is a sort of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” of sorts, mourning the loss of a loved one but celebrating that the loss is the sky’s gain because there’s a brand new star up in heaven tonight.

“It’s the happiest song I’ve ever heard about someone dying,” Oak Ridge Boys singer Joe Bonsall cheerfully says of “Brand New Star.”

“I love that song. Mando and I had a write planned that day anyway and I write for Dave Cobb, and Dave Cobb was producing that record,” reflects Raitiere. “Dave said he needed a gospel song. It happened to be about the time that Chris Cornell of

Soundgarden died and so the song for me was written for Chris Cornell, but it was played at my grandfather’s funeral and I think it’s turned into a real special song for a lot of people.”

Keeping on the sunny (and snowy) side, to detail Raitiere’s work for the Oaks and not mention their most recent Christmas collection would be grounds for the naughty list. He wrote six of the eleven tracks (two solo) on 2019’s Down Home Christmas.

The title track was another Mando Saenz co-write, “Don’t Go Pullin’ on Santa Claus’ Beard” was written with Raitiere’s fellow former MTSU student Anderson East (and featured producer Dave Cobb in its video), and the frolic-filled “Reindeer on the Roof ” was written with Jake Mitchell.

“We told Aaron Raitiere that we needed a fun Santa song, and almost immediately he and Anderson East wrote ‘Don’t Go Pullin’ on Santa Claus’ Beard,’” said Bonsall. “[The album process] was like old Nashville again. Writers would bring us a song and we would record it while they wrote another one. It was all magic and our producer Dave Cobb led us all the way! Quality songwriters writing great songs.”

“MTSU is how I met Anderson East,” says Raitiere. “And I think the relationships I formed with people is the best thing I got out of school. I’m always running into people that went there.

“Show up and turn something in,” he advises to current students trying to make

Aaron Raitiere with the Oak Ridge Boys

WALNUT HOUSE CONTINUES MIDDLE TENNESSEE SONGWRITERS SHOW CONTEST THE FEB. 19 MIDDLE TENNESSEE SONGWRITERS SHOW at the Walnut House kicked off series II after a brief intermission following its first installment’s lateNovember curtain call. New to this part deux of the contest is an additional open mic portion at the end of the show.

In an ongoing competition, the first three contestants to sign up will perform one song. Additionally, the first five people to sign up for the open mic segment will perform one song each.

Each night of the series, held every other Wednesday, nine featured artists will star in concert in three rounds of three songs each. The show starts with two rounds of featured artists followed by the contest round, the final artist round and then the open mic segment. The competition winner of the night will be announced during the last featured artist’s set. Grand prizes, awarded at the conclusion of the series, include a five-song EP recording with a band, a photo shoot, and gift packages.

On Wednesday, March 4, attendees will hear a special Women in the Round edition of the Middle Tennessee Songwriters Show. Featured artists for that night are last series contest winner ELLIE AUSTIN  along with Taylor Pie, Kyra Sunflower, Marilyn Harris, Kaylee Flores, Jolie C. Bell, Sunshine Scott, Nancy Layne Prescott, Luisa Marion. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Admission is free with drinks available for purchase.

The current installment of the series will continue through early June (with shows on March 18, April 1, 15 and 29, May 6 and 20 and June 3), with the finale slated for June 17.

“It all starts with the song,” says show co-sponsor Ricky Martini of the Walnut House event.

For more information, contact David L. Graham at 931-224-1599 or dlgraham@ blomand.net, or find the Walnut House on Facebook at facebook.com/walnuthouse.

— MELISSA COKER

MUSIC NOTES

it in songwriting. “I think that’s how I graduated from college at all is to show up and turn something in. You never know. Sometimes the stuff you think is the worst could be what winds up bringing you success.”

But, about those reindeer on the roof ?

The Christmas video for that Oak Ridge Boys cut could easily be another win in a best visual media category (albeit of a different variety). It prominently showcases John Rich (of Big & Rich) in a Santa suit, a pensive Jamey Johnson, and Dennis Quaid spiritedly singing Aaron Raitiere and Jake Mitchell’s lyrics in the video, which even showcases the group’s William Lee Golden stirring up a big batch of eggnog.

“Yeah, that was nuts [watching these guys sing ‘Reindeer on the Roof ’],” he tells the Pulse. “Me and Mr. Jake wrote that song. But Dave was making the record and he introduced me to the Oaks.” And then I just kind of went into a Christmas hole for the month of June and just wrote tons and tons and tons of Christmas songs and I guess we all just kind of clicked.

“Mister Jake,” by the way, is the moniker for Jake Mitchell when he gets together with “Mister Aaron,” who says “I’ve been working on a lot of kids’ songs, with my buddy Jake Mitchell. Our band is called Mr. Aaron and Mr. Jake. We should have something out soon.”

Aaron also has a band called Yip, Yap, Yup with a children’s record out, which is available on Spotify and such.

On songwriting versus singing, he says: “I call it the ‘look at mes.’ I don’t think I have the ‘look at mes,’” he laughs sheepishly. “I hope I’m like a storyteller

or maybe like a writer’s writer. I like to mind my own. And I think if you’re out in front as an artist, you’ve got to have a little bit of an appetite for attention. And I like being behind the music where I’m not the one that has to go out and sing the same songs every night and answer the same questions.”

That said, there is “a full-length album on deck that I’m really excited about and we’re shooting for a fall release,” he anticipates. “The music’s full-band. It’s coproduced by Anderson East and Miranda Lambert. We started working on it about four years ago and Anderson and I finally finished it up recently. I did do all the writing but they’re all co-written songs.

I’m pretty excited about it. There’s a lot of guests on the record. But we’ll probably release the live record before the album.”

If you’d like to lend an ear to Raitiere in the meantime, he’s set to play The Basement with Emily Hackett on April 8.

For more on Aaron Raitiere, visit aaronraitiere.com.

CLIFFY D WELCOMES AFROMAN TO TOWN FOR ANNUAL BIRTHDAY BASH ON APRIL 2 MURFREESBORO-BASED DJ CLIFFY D always puts together quite an event in celebration of his birthday, and for 2020 he will bring Afroman to Whiskey Dix in Murfreesboro for a big April 2 concert.

Afroman, known for his 2000 smash hits “Because I Got High,” “Crazy Rap (Colt 45)” and others, will join Chief Greenbud, another musical artist who enjoys paying tribute to his favorite plant through song, as well as Cliffy’s collaborative project with Jason “Kidd” Petersen, DJ vs.

Drumz. Steve “The Kodiak” Hall will also present a comedy set at the event.

Doors open for the Thursday, April 2, concert at 7:30 p.m. The event is 21 and up. Whiskey Dix Saloon is located at 302 W. Main St. Find tickets in advance for $20 on Eventbrite. or . . .

ENTER TO WIN a pair of tickets at boropulse.com/afroman BOROPULSE.COM

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Living LIVFIT MURFREESBORO ISN’T A GYM. It’s a mindset program delivering fitness results. One can’t better themselves physically without simultaneously transforming their outlook.

In 20-plus years in the fitness industry, I’ve come to more than appreciate the role the mind plays in performance. High performance in the gym and in our daily lives is always a result of hard work. In a society full of convenience I continually see hard work being devalued. The traveler of the hard road is harder to find, the seeker of challenge even more rare.

“Hard Work Betrays None.” This is a quote of unknown origin but one everyone should live daily. This quote lives on the walls of LIVFIT Murfreesboro for a reason.

As most quotes meant to inspire, it’s open to interpretation. My personal take on it would be that regardless of outcome, a reward exists within your own best effort. Being able to look back on a job well attempted can be all one needs to bolster confidence in a task to come, regardless of the end product.

The reason that so many lack confidence is not because they aren’t accomplishing unbelievable feats. We’re just not putting the hard work into all we do. The work is the reward. This is how the skill of hard work or being a hard worker translates from fitness to everyday life.

Most fall short of their best effort when it comes to their fitness or approach to training.

Falling short of your best effort daily leaves you with an emptiness you may not even know exists in you. It’s there. Trust me. Our gym lives are filled with mundane practices that are stifling our growth, not only physically but mentally. I’d like you to ask yourself the following question: am I working out or training? These two things are very different.

One approach will fundamentally change you. The other might get you sweaty.

Here’s an example. I go to the gym every Monday. It’s International Chest Day. I do five sets of ten repetitions. I do them on the same machine I did last Monday. It’s what I do. It’s my routine. In this scenario my routine is the enemy. I’m working out.

I’m not training.

Example two. It’s Monday again. I get to the gym and read what my coach has written on the board. We’re back squatting today. Five sets of six repetitions at 75 percent of my one-rep max. This percentage system isn’t foreign to me because my coach has programmed a 12-week

Lessons in Fitness Hard Work Is the Key at LIVFIT

BY COACH MIC SANTO

strength cycle. The intent of the cycle is to specifically improve my strength in this lift through progressively heavier training days and repetition volume. I’m working out but, more importantly, I’m training.

When your objectives are clear and you’re training toward an outcome, you can measure success. You have a measurement of your hard work. When you go to the gym and finish your workout, having jumped on machines only when they were available, how is the success of your workout measured? Did you break a sweat?

Simply showed up? Anyone can do those things. Not everyone can train. We don’t all possess the ability to work hard.

The ability to work hard is a skill we don’t all possess because it’s a learned behavior. Some of us shy away from it when we’re young. If we’re allowed to slip into a comfort zone void of it, having never experienced it’s reward, we’ll continue to do so into adulthood. People are products of their environment. If our time is spent in an environment where okay effort is acceptable, what would be the reward for effort that’s good? Great? Excellent? If your grades were okay in school but could’ve been better, you’re familiar with this scenario. It may have been the influence, or lack thereof, from your parents or teachers. Either way, you can look back and recognize your underperformance due to lack of effort.

Within the walls of my gym nothing but your best effort is acceptable. Nothing matters more than effort because that’s the determining factor of success. Through fitness I teach the value of hard work. Instruction in the deadlift leads to self awareness. Confidence is built through the rising up from failure. Quitting doesn’t happen here.

Coach Mic Santo is the owner and operator of LIVFIT Murfreesboro, 756 Jessica St., Murfreesboro. Learn more by calling 615-203-1157 or at livfitboro.com.

BOROPULSE.COM

* MARCH 2020 * 17

Living

Farmers Market Education Series

BY EDWINA SHANNON

• 2 PARTS COIR (COCONUT FIBER) OR LEAF MOLD (OR PEAT MOSS). Rehydrate a block of coir by soaking it in water until it easily falls apart. Alternatively, use well-rotted leaf mold in place of the coir. The coir or leaf mold adds bulk to the seed mix and helps retain moisture.

Starting Seedlings and Getting a Head Start on Your Garden YOU MAY FIND THIS STATEMENT ODD, but there is great pleasure in growing plants from seed. Now is the time to get started. Growing from seed defies the instantaneous gratification that comes from buying potted plants. However, growing seeds depends upon consistency.

First, when you start your garden from seed, you get to choose the variety of the plant that you want to grow. Nurseries and box stores sell standard plants, and often the variety does not change much between the stores. If you are adventuresome and want rare or unusual varieties, seeds can be ordered and delivered right to your door.

That is a sure way to get your neighbors and friends talking.

Review what type of seed that you are buying. Is it marked hybrid, heirloom, organic? Seed packets should be stamped with the year they are intended to be used.

If you have “old” seed, it is easy enough to do a germination test.

Roll 20 seeds in a moist paper towel and keep it moist for seven to 10 days at consistent room temperature in a jar or plastic bag. After that time, open the towel and count the number of seeds that have sprouted. If most have germinated, plant at the usual spacing. If two-thirds to three-quarters have germinated, plant the seed slightly thicker than normal. If less 18 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

than half of the seeds germinate, experts recommend to discard and purchase new seed. The germination is the first indicator that the seed is subpar and may not yield or yields poorly. With the investment of time and money, you do want to start with seeds that will result in fabulous production and bragging results.

There are seed savers and purchased seed to choose. Saved seed does increase the risk of seed-borne disease. However, heirloom seeds are always saved, heirloom varieties that have been grown in the area for many years, as well as All-American Selection winners. Seeds that are adapted to an area have a history of producing high yields of high-quality vegetables. Do not bother to plant seed saved from hybrid varieties. Both saving and using secondgeneration hybrid is a waste of time unless you are conducting research or an experiment. As a hybrid, each generation does change erratically from the first plantings and is not dependable in the result.

In March, the effort is to start seedlings

inside before the garden is ready for planting, getting a head start on the season and, later, delicious results. The suggested seedstarting time is typically six weeks before the average last frost date in your area.

From that date, count back in one-week increments. If you are new to starting plants from seed, tomato, pepper, basil, zinnia, marigold, and cosmos seed are responsive to the beginner. These germinate readily and grow quickly.

You can easily buy small pots or pressed peat holders for starting seed. Have you considered upcycling or making your own?

You can make your own seed pots from rolled newspaper, cardboard tubes, egg shells, cardboard cupcake liners, stale ice cream cones, take-out containers. It is advisable to minimize tossing plastic pots, so reuse K-Cups and Play-Doh containers. A small water bottle can easily be made into a self-watering pot. Remove the cap. Cut the bottle in half. Then take the top half and insert it into the bottom half with the neck and cap area pointing down. The water is easily seen and can be drawn up to the plant through the bottle’s neck. I am sure just looking around a typical kitchen and trash area, you will have a few ideas of your own. Just remember to water the seedlings from the bottom.

A good starter soil will be key to success, although as a kid, I would just take some dirt from the yard and put it on the bottom of a cardboard milk box. The idea is to have good drainage and texture. A mixture of nutrition, moisture-holding capability and drainage capability will do it.

A BLEND FROM MOTHER EARTH NEWS: • 2 PARTS SIEVED COMPOST. The compost will release nutrients gradually, helping to feed seedlings as they develop.

• 1 PART PERLITE OR SAND. Perlite will lighten the mix and improve its air content. If you prefer not to use perlite then you could substitute sand, but be aware that this will give a heavier mixture.

If you don’t have compost, you can begin to fertilize when the seedlings are an inch or two tall. If seedling foliage is pale green, yellowish green, or has a purple cast to it, the plants probably need a nutrient boost.

Use a diluted amount for the first few boosts. Follow directions. More is not better. It can burn and kill the plants.

You will need light. A minimum of six hours of daylight or controlled grow lights.

With grow lights, you can provide 14 hours of light. If you have “Leggy” seedlings, they are often the result of inadequate light; it could be the intensity or duration of the light. The consistency of grow lights does typically produce sturdier seedlings.

Remember, though, that they do need dark to rest. It is a natural rhythm.

The seedlings may outgrow their pots before it’s time to move them into the garden. When they are about 4 inches tall, gently remove one of the seedlings from its pot. If the white roots are beginning to fill the soil space, then it’s time to transplant them into a larger pot. Root crowding can stunt plant growth and make it difficult for plants to recover after transplanting, so keep those roots happy and growing. If you are container gardening, you could start the seeds right in the container that the plant will live its life in.

Before you move them into the garden, you need to “harden off ” the seedlings.

Hardening off is a process of a week or 10 days during which you acclimate your homegrown, protected seedlings to the harsh, real world of the outside garden.

Each morning, place the seedlings in a protected spot outside. This will assist them in adapting to the fluctuating temperatures, wind and other factors. But bring them in each night. Some people use a cold frame for this purpose.

May your gardens be great producers this year!

Living

Harbor of Hope Local Nonprofit Portico Offers a Safe Haven for Pregnant Women

BY ANGELA LOUPE

I

magine that you’re a 19-year-old girl.

You wake up one morning and take a pregnancy test and find out you’re pregnant. What’s the first thing you’re going to do? This was the initial question posed to me by Laura Messick  executive director of a local facility that assists pregnant women.

My response was, “This is post-freakout, right?” And that is frequently the reality.

With the invention of birth control, premarital sex has played a much different role in society. As a result, pregnant women, who once more often had the stability and financial support of a spouse, are now facing overwhelming options and a sometimes harsher reality.

Helping support pregnant women of all ages in Murfreesboro is a nonprofit organization called Portico. It’s a simple name, for a simple place with a simple mission. It’s all about the love.

As Messick explained, most women don’t want to be judged or pressured into choices. What they respond to is an environment where they can feel safe and have the facts presented to them without manipulation or ulterior motives. Portico’s foundational principles are aligned with this idea. Speaking the truth in love; and to minister, not manipulate, are the mantras that the organization lives by.

Since it is a faith-based organization, I inquired if the beliefs of the company were a requirement of the assistance.

The answer was, not at all. Messick made 20 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

it a point to relay that Portico does not proselytize. She added, “It’s not a condition to being served at Portico, or to be treated kindly or with respect. We’re going to treat everybody that walks through that door with kindness and love, because that’s who we are because of what we believe.” In other words, the buck stops here.

Speaking of bucks, there are no fees whatsoever. All visits and services are absolutely free of charge. Running solely on donations, this place still manages to show love in a number of financial ways.

In addition to not charging for any of the services they provide, such as pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, counseling, support and education, there is also a reward system in place for mothers-to-be (and fathers-to-be) in which participation in video-driven educational classes results in the acquisition of baby products.

Being able to provide for a newborn baby can be a daunting task. That’s why Portico has created an Earn While You Learn program, which educates parents-tobe on different aspects of parenthood while

concurrently accumulating Baby Bucks that can be used to purchase necessities for the baby-to-be in a Baby Boutique. All goals are easily achievable and designed to help the recipients experience the satisfaction that comes from providing for your child.

In addition, all active participants receive a free gift basket with some necessities for their newborn, and all active participants who continue through the program receive a brand-new baby bed. The boutique also supplies maternity clothes.

Portico doesn’t smooth over uncomfortable topics. While they acknowledge that any choice a woman makes will have its share of hardships, they also present all information to expectant mothers according to accurate medical information on all fronts, from abortion to adoption and parenting. Their goal is to educate, inform,

“We’re going to treat everybody that walks through that door with kindness and love, because that’s who we are because of what we believe.”

affirm, and support these young ladies in making a tough decision that will impact their lives regardless of which path they take. Portico feels that it is wise to present all choices in an honest and open environment, providing the love and continuing support that the parents need.

Messick openly admits that they are pro-life, and wishes all mothers to choose life, but she realizes that not all mothers will make this choice, and she doesn’t want any woman to hesitate coming to the center because of it. Another service that they offer is post-abortion counseling for any woman who, after the facts have been presented to her in an honest light, still makes that decision. The staff at Portico is also filled with mothers who have been in similar situations and can, and do, empathize with their clients. The staff says they aim to provide love, warmth, genuineness and understanding, and a place where no one judges.

Portico is a place where a woman can go and talk to someone about her fears, her frustrations and her options.

“We give her a lot of information. She needs to know what abortion is. She needs to know what parenting looks like, and what adoption is; all those truths about those choices. So, we hope that she will intersect with us at a time in her life when she’s got something really difficult happening in her story,” Messick summarizes.

Fittingly, the Portico tagline is “Every Story Matters,” and I sense that is what they truly believe.

For more information on Portico, visit porticostory.org or call 615-893-0228 to set up an appointment.

Living

Organization Dedicated to Finding Homes for Dogs Obtains Land for Facility, Thanks to Jim Africano

I

BY LAURA LINDSAY

n recent years, the increase in local animal rescue groups has helped once-unwanted dogs and cats find homes. As a result, only a small number of animals are now euthanized in Rutherford County due to not having homes.

In 2019, Catfeine Cat Cafe opened its doors, letting customers come in and spend time with the felines, with some visitors then deciding to adopt a cat.

With a similar idea of socialization, Tree of Life Animal Sanctuary is planning to build a location for stray dogs in Murfreesboro.

“Tree of Life has been around for the past four years, but we were in Red Boiling Springs,” said organization founder Nikki Jacobs. “I was motivated when I found my dog and her five puppies living under a house in Red Boiling Springs and the littlest one got hit and killed by a car. After 22 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

that, I decided I couldn’t leave them there.

“I kept coming across dogs in my yard and was having to take them to shelters or was trying to find homes in the area or returning them from where they came,” she continued.

“Then I thought I am already taking care of these dogs—I might as well make it real.”

Jacobs started her organization and then moved to Murfreesboro, where her plans came to a head. She began attending local networking events, where she met Jim Africano, co-founder of Purple Paws, a nonprofit that does fundraising for groups that help animals.

“I cofounded Purple Paws in 2014,” Africano said. “We are kind of the United Way of animal rescues. Our mission is helping rescues rescue more. So we work with different rescues in Middle Tennessee doing fundraising, PR and teaching different business strategies. We don’t do physical rescue. Our whole concept is to assist [other organizations].”

He said they have been doing this for several years, raising thousands of dollars, and now Tree of Life has hit his heart.

“One thing I really like about this rescue group is that it comes with a cage-free socialization of dogs,” he said. “Right now I think this is one of the only places in Middle Tennessee that does that in preparation for the dogs to be adopted.”

Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary in Mt.

Juliet is a similar style of rescue that specializes in the care of senior dogs, housing approximately 120 dogs at the Sanctuary, and others in temporary or permanent homes.

OFSDS provides lifetime homes for their dogs and spreads awareness about the benefits and the challenges of living with older dogs.

“Our open concept for Tree of Life is kind of like Old Friends’, but different because theirs is a true sanctuary where many animals live out the end of their lives,” Jacobs said. “I want to socialize the dogs so when people come in looking to adopt, they will know if a dog is good with other dogs, with cats or with children.”

She said they will have at least two cats living at the facility. They will also have trainers come in to work with the dogs to see what their strong points are.

She hopes the facility, located on Joe Brown Road, near Sulphur Springs Road and 840 just outside of Murfreesboro, will be open around mid-2021. Jacobs added that she would eventually like to screen for service animals at Tree of Life.

In the meantime, she has land for her rescue that has been given to her by Africano and his organization, and now she needs volunteers—especially those with bulldozers—to help her clear the land.

She also needs to raise more funds to build a facility.

TREE OF LIFE BENEFIT RACE On April 18, Hop Springs Beer Park is hosting the 5K Marathon Wag and Walk benefiting Tree of Life Animal Sanctuary.

Participants may bring their dogs to walk or run with them.

Check-in time for the race is at 8 a.m. at 6790 John Bragg Hwy. Registration is $25 for walkers and $50 for race participants.

Prizes will be awarded to runners for first through third place; registration is now open at eventbrite.com.

To find out more about Tree of Life Animal Sanctuary, Inc., visit its Facebook page or email treeoflifeanimalsanctuary@gmail.com.

Purple Paws raises funds for various animal rescues with about one event a month and with the Mardi Paws Gala that is held every February. For information about Purple Paws, visit its Facebook page, email purplepawstn@gmail.com or call 615530-0551.

To learn more about Catfeine Cat Cafe, visit catfeine.net. The cafe is located at 1602 W. Northfield Blvd, Ste. 500. Book ahead online to enjoy a coffee or tea while visiting some furry friends.

For more information about Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary, visit ofsds.org or call 615-754-5617. Old Friends looks for foster families within a 100-mile radius of Mt .

Juliet for dogs and adoption is an option after fostering.

Art

 EXHIBIT

Tails of the City Exhibit Features Art by Sally Ham Govan THE TAILS OF THE CITY ART EXHIBIT FEATURING WORKS BY SALLY HAM GOVAN will remain on display at The Gallery at The Washington Theatre in Patterson Park Community Center through March 30.

“I have two distinct styles: charcoal drawings of the dog in lieu of the human figure, and colorfully illustrated scenes of urban life drawn with a stylus on a computer tablet,” said Govan.

“I was afraid of dogs until I started drawing them and turned that story into a children’s picture book.”

Govan also draws dog portraits on commission, and she illustrated a children’s book as part of her master’s thesis. Govan received an MFA in illustration from the University of Hartford and a BFA in studio art with concentrations in drawing and graphic design from the University of Tennessee. She teaches graphic design, typography and 2-D computer illustration at Cumberland University, and has designed and edited various publications and marketing materials.

Admission to the art gallery is free.

For more information about the Tails of the City exhibit, contact Susan Hicks at 615-8937439 or shicks@murfreesborotn.gov.

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 THEATER

Center for the Arts Production The Diary of Anne Frank Tells of Family’s Hiding in World War II THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS continues its 25th season with The Diary of Anne Frank. This dramatic telling of how Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis in an attic for over two years opens on Friday, March 6, and runs through Sunday, March 15.

“The show gives us an insight into the mind and world of a young Jewish girl who came of age during WWII,” says director Alex Warren DeHoff. “She lived under extreme tension and fear but remained hopeful that the world would change and that people are good.”

In this powerful retelling of the literary classic, Anne Frank emerges from history a living, lyrical, intensely gifted young girl who confronts her rapidly changing life and the increasing horror of her time with astonishing honesty, wit and determination. An impassioned drama about the lives of eight people hiding from the Nazis in a concealed storage attic, The Diary of Anne Frank captures the claustrophobic realities of their daily existence—their fear, their hope, their laughter, their grief.

Each day of these two dark years, Anne’s voice shines through: “When I write I shake off all my cares. But I want to achieve more than that. I want to be useful and bring enjoyment to all people, even those I’ve never met. I want to go on living even after my death!”

Tickets start at $14 and are on sale at boroarts.org, by calling 615-904-ARTS (2787), or at the Center for the Arts box office, 110 W. College St., in downtown Murfreesboro.

The Diary of Anne Frank is rated PG. Performance times and dates are 7:30 p.m. on Fridays, March 6 and 13, and Saturdays, March 7 and 14; and at 2 p.m. on Sundays, March 8 and 15, and on Saturday, March 14.

Consider This Hosts Homeschool Production of The Curious Savage, Dealing With Kindness of Elderly Millionaire CONSIDER THIS, a family-friendly community theater company, will host a production of The Curious Savage by the TLC Players. The play runs on Fridays and Saturdays March 6–7 and 13–14 at 7120 Old Nashville Hwy. in Murfreesboro.

Performances are on Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m and 7:30 p.m.

The play stars Emma Moore, Patrick Sharn, Kristy Haws, Jonathan Butterfield, Graham Bauer, Ellie Moore, Ben Moore, Eve Sturgeon, Timothy Moore, Maggie Sharn, Matthew Butterfield and Annie Pepper. The crew is made up of parents and students from TLC (Teen Learning Center), an area homeschool co-op as well as Consider This Inc. members.

The Curious Savage is the story of an elderly widow, Mrs. Savage, whose husband has left her $10 million. She intends to give the entire fortune away to people who wish to pursue their “foolish dreams,” but her stepchildren strongly object. To prevent her from doing away with their family’s wealth and ruining their legacy, they have her committed to a sanatorium called The Cloisters, and it is among the gentle residents there that she finds her true family. The Curious Savage is a warm comedy that compares the kindness and loyalty of psychiatric patients with the greed and hostility of so-called “normal people.”

Consider This is a nonprofit community theater. TLC is a homeschool cooperative with the mission to join together in a Christ-centered community to pursue godly character and academic excellence.

Tickets for The Curious Savage can be purchased at the door before each show or at considerthisinc.com.

One Night Only, Center for the Arts Presents Aladdin Jr. at MTSU’s Tucker Theater CENTER STAGE ACADEMY, the youth education program at the Center for the Arts, is starting its 2020 season with a production of Aladdin Jr. at MTSU’s Tucker Theater. The production runs for one night only on Thursday, March 12, at 6 p.m.

The cast will tell the story of Aladdin discovering a magic lamp and the Genie who has the power to grant three wishes.

“I am always thrilled to bring the talent of Center Stage Academy students to the stage,” says director Denise Parton. “Aladdin Jr. will be a fun family night out. We hope you join us on our magic carpet to Agrabah!”

Hoping to earn the respect of the princess, Jasmine, Aladdin embarks on an adventure that will test his will and his moral character. The production, choreographed by Brittany Griffin, is perfect for all ages.

Tickets are $15 and are on sale at boroarts.org, by calling 615-904-ARTS (2787), or at the Center for the Arts Box Office, 110 W. College St., in downtown Murfreesboro. Center Stage Academy is an after-school and summer theater arts training program at the Center for the Arts. The program gives students and children who love theater a fun and exciting way to study and experience performing arts.

Art

 POETRY

BY KORY WELLS

Literary Scene Includes Melissa Maxwell Visit, Poetry in the Boro, SE-YA Book Fest MARCH MADNESS in the local literary community means one crazy-good book festival, two poetry readings, multiple writing workshops (several of which are free) and numerous visiting writers sharing their talents and experience in written and oral storytelling, playwriting and more. Let’s get to it!  SATURDAY, MARCH 14 SE-YA 2020, the fifth annual Southeastern Young Adult Book Festival, returns to the MTSU campus with an event that promises to once again attract several thousand attendees from Tennessee and beyond.

SE-YA was recently named a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society, and for good reason: Powered by a fine-tuned machine of area school librarians and over 100 community volunteers, the festival creates opportunities for young adult readers to interact with over 40 authors of the books they love. While Thursday and Friday are reserved for school groups, Saturday is a community day, free and open to all, with panel discussions, book signings and more. Writing workshops, some for all ages, are also offered. Pre-registration is required for school groups on Thursday and Friday and for workshops only on Saturday. Find full information at seyabookfest.com.  SUNDAY, MARCH 15 Poetry in the Boro returns to the Walnut House, 116 N. Walnut St., for a free evening of poetry sponsored in part by MTSU Write. Featured poets are HENRY JONES and JESSICA LYNN SUCHON .

Jones will be accompanied by local musician ERNEST “SAXMAN” NEWSOM.

Jones is an award-winning African-American poet, artist, playwright, actor and activist. A 2019–20 Art Wire Fellow of the Porch Writers Collective and OZ 28 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

Arts Center in Nashville, he is the author of Run Into Blackness: Feeling My Poetic Gumbo (Pneuma Publishing International).

Suchon is the author of Scavenger, winner of the 2018 Vinyl 45 Chapbook Contest and forthcoming from YesYes Books. She has received honors from the Academy of American Poets, as well as an Aspen Words Emerging Writer Fellowship and a Tennessee Playwrights Studio Fellowship.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event begins at 7. After a short break, an hour of open mic follows the features. All styles of poetry and spoken word are welcome. For more information, including this month’s writing challenge, see poetryintheboro.org.

 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 Poets AMIE WHITTEMORE and MICHELLE PEÑALOZA will read from 2:30–3:30 p.m. in room 448 of the Walker Library on the MTSU campus. This event is sponsored by MTSU’s Walker Library and is free and open to the public. The poets will read from their work and have books available for purchase. Whittemore is the 2020 Murfreesboro Poet Laureate and author of Glass Harvest from Autumn House Press. Peñaloza, from Northern California, is the author of several collections, most recently Former Possessions of the Spanish Empire, winner of the 2018 Hillary Gravendyk National Poetry Prize from Inlandia Books.

“Abstractions Heal” appears in Run Into Blackness: Feeling My Poetic Gumbo by Henry L. Jones, who will appear at Poetry in the Boro on March 15.

ABSTRACTIONS HEAL  BY HENRY L. JONES

 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21–23 Director, actor, writer, educator and motivational speaker  MELISSA MAXWELL will be visiting MTSU on March 21–23.

Maxwell recently directed Crumbs from the Table of Joy at Julliard, but you may recognize her from Madam Secretary, Law & Order or other TV appearances. Learn from her in a free playwriting workshop sponsored by MTSU Write from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, 3/21; visit mtsu.edu/ write to register. Maxwell will return to campus on Monday, March 23 for a staged reading and discussion of her play Imbroglio from 4:30–7 p.m. Both events are in the MTSU Ingram Building, conveniently located on the edge of campus with its own parking lot.

Abstractions Heal Fear trapped the darkness in my skin.

Some of my expression must live as whispers and then some must die as screams.

These symbols to explain my dark definition Are but shadows Cast from my dreams.

Words that mourn lost inspiration seeking love and understanding for these eyes A history of lynched baptisms and a whispering golden sphinx without lies.

What beast is my form made by black magic A snake that dances to the sun?

As rhythm and light bend for creation the shedding of my fear has begun.

The joy and relief of a fearless darkness Our beauty not mocked or shamed.

A healing by voiceless abstractions Through these eyes that once only blamed.

Reviews PARASITE DIRECTOR Bong Joon Ho STARRING Kang-ho Song, Sun-kyun Lee, Yeo-jeong Jo RATED R

Korean director Bong Joon Ho’s movies are typically the type that receive large amounts of critical praise followed by a small cult fervor upon video release.

His breakout English language feature, Snowpiercer, followed the same trajectory, but garnered a larger cult fan base with the help of Captain America in the lead role and a gonzo plot that blended dystopian social commentary with some gritty ultraviolence set entirely on a speeding train. His latest film, Parasite, recently won four major Oscars at the Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and honestly, I can’t quite explain why it had such a different trajectory than his previous films.

That’s not to say that Parasite isn’t good (it is), or that it isn’t deserving (who’s to say), but rather that it’s not a huge departure for Bong Joon Ho in terms of style and theme.

Parasite revolves around a lower-class family living in a cramped, semi-basement apartment. Barely scraping to get by, the

Kims earn a meager living folding pizza boxes as a family, and they save money by leaving the window open during street fumigation (free pest control against their stink bug problem). When the son gets an opportunity to impersonate an English tutor for a rich family, the Parks, he quickly makes himself indispensable while plotting to infiltrate his own family into positions under the Parks’ employ. The Kims con their way into the Parks’ home and trust, replacing their previously trusted house workers, and though the Kims are rather ingenious and ambitious in their ruse, their main ambitions go no further than to eat and drink to excess as a family.

Like many other Bong Joon Ho films, Parasite tempers its dark humor with real

tension. At first, the Kims revel in their deception; then they struggle to maintain the scam as strange revelations threaten to expose them. Bong Joon Ho plays with the themes of class differences deftly without committing to taking a side. As his main character sometimes inexplicably exclaims, “it’s so metaphorical!” But none of this subtext bogs down the joy of watching these two cultures clash, and as the film progresses, it seems that the person or persons to whom the title refers changes and mutates.

Along with Best Picture, Parasite earned Bong Joon Ho a Best Director statue, and it is beautifully shot and framed. It could be that the Academy finally caught up with what a talent Bong Joon Ho is (he also

wrote the script, for which he won Best Original Screenplay), or it could be that they are only now paying attention because this film lacks a giant CGI monster (The Host, Okja), or it could be that Parasite shows more restraint and a brighter outlook than many Korean films. Whatever the reason, Parasite became the first-ever foreign language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and though it wouldn’t have been my pick, they could’ve chosen a lot worse.

— JAY SPIGHT

That said, this movie is 3.5 hours long, and I felt it. I know Film Twitter has been all over this point, and maybe I wouldn’t have felt the runtime if I were watching this in a theater instead of on my couch at home, but

so much of this film felt self-congratulatory.

Sure, Scorsese is the greatest living director, but does he really need to constantly remind us all of it? The Irishman didn’t feel like excess to show excess like The Wolf of Wall Street, it felt like excess simply because Scorsese could. Maybe he was so preoccupied with whether or not he could, he didn’t stop to think if he should, in order to weave a recognizable tale.

Also, I loved Al Pacino just going all-in on Jimmy Hoffa, but what was that accent?

What are you doing, man? I’m picking on this film because of the love I have for everyone involved. Don’t get me wrong: this film is still great, and I personally had a blast watching the self-indulgence of Scorsese. The question is, will you? And, if you don’t, is it worth 3.5 hours of your life? Probably not.

The Irishman is currently available to stream on Netflix.

— JOSEPH KATHMANN

THE IRISHMAN DIRECTOR Martin Scorsese STARRING Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Ray Romano, Anna Paquin, Harvey Keitel RATED R

Okay, brace yourselves, because I did not think that The Irishman, the story of a mob hitman recalling his possible involvement with the slaying of Jimmy Hoffa, was the greatest film ever made. There, I said it. This film has been winning all sorts of awards, and who can blame groups like the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Board of Review? It’s Martin Scorsese, returning to the genre that made him the

greatest living director, and he also gets Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci onscreen, in the latter’s first major role in nearly 10 years. Ah! Joe freaking Pesci is onscreen again, finally.

A CLASSIC

30 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

OUTSTANDING

AVERAGE

BELOW AVERAGE

AVOID AT ALL COSTS

GAME

OPENING IN MARCH PLAYING THIS MONTH

ZOMBIE ARMY 4: DEAD WAR In the pantheon of video game enemies, Nazi zombies are perhaps the most enduring cannon fodder. This is understandable, as the only thing worse than a Nazi is an undead Nazi, as countless games have proven. Zombie Army 4: Dead War is the latest title to pit players against shambling hordes of the undead, and although it succeeds in most of the important areas a game like this should, it also feels like a bit too little, a bit too late.

If you missed the first three Zombie Army games, don’t worry, as the story here is nonsense and requires little context. Last time around, our heroes killed zombie Hitler. This time, the Nazi zombies are back, and they are enacting a nefarious ritual to . . . well, you can probably guess. Alone or in co-op, players will have to stop the Nazi zombie horde from destroying what remains of Europe. The game has a fun, pulpy tone throughout, but the ridiculous story only gets interesting toward the end, and the attempts at humor never rise above mildly amusing.

It still feels great to shoot zombies, though. For those who do not know, the Zombie Army series is a spinoff of the Sniper Elite series, and it retains the slow-motion sniper kills and satisfying weaponry that have defined those games.

The guns in Zombie Army 4 feel better than ever before; although the selection is limited, each one feels distinct and features multiple upgrade trees that can significantly modify how the weapon

MARCH 6 Onward; Swallow; The Way Back Escape From Pretoria

MARCH 13 Stargirl, Bloodshot, Lost Girls, The Postcard Killings, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, The Roads Not Taken, Tuscaloosa handles. Zombie Army 4 also adds a decent character progression system, filled with upgradeable perks that offer unique bonuses. Enemies are a cut above the usual zombie fare as well, as players must contend with hulking brutes with flamethrowers, shielded grenadiers and even zombie tanks. Zombie Army 4 occasionally throws some tough combinations of these creatures at you, forcing the player to think quickly and prioritize targets in order to survive.

The zombie-killing fun is hampered by some significant issues, unfortunately.

Movement feels stiff and imprecise in close quarters, making dealing with large hordes in cluttered environments more frustrating than it should be. Although the game has a few standout levels, including an absolutely fantastic final boss fight, the early going is a slog through overlong stretches of mostly uninspired locales. The game’s horde mode is also disappointingly slight, offering only four maps which appear to be reused pieces of levels from the campaign.

Besides all that, one cannot help but feel that the entire experience is a bit too familiar, simply repeating a formula that has been done plenty of times before.

Zombie Army 4, for all the fun moments and solid gameplay that it offers, feels like less than the sum of its parts. It is a decent game, but not especially exciting or involving for most of its duration. If you just want to shoot some Nazi zombies with friends, Zombie Army 4 will scratch that itch for you. Do not expect much more than the simple pleasure of mowing down hundreds of zombies.

— LUKE KAUTZKY

MARCH 17 To Your Last Death

MARCH 20 Radioactive, A Quiet Place Part II Big Time Adolescence, I Still Believe

MARCH 27 Mulan, Resistance, Vivarium, Saint Maud BOROPULSE.COM

* MARCH 2020 * 39

Food

The Dish RESTAURANT

Hickory Falls Restaurant LOCATION Clockwise from left: CedarPlanked Salmon with asparagus and mashed sweet potatoes BaconWrapped Scallops Aloha Chicken Salad

Smoke Rises from Hickory Falls Smyrna Restaurant Features Steaks, Cakes, Salmon, Salads, Rolls and Ribs STORY BY BRACKEN MAYO THE POSITIVE EXPERIENCE for a hungry diner begins before they even enter the doors of Smyrna’s Hickory Falls Restaurant—indeed, it starts the moment the hickory smoke from the grill greets them in the parking lot.

Upon entering, customers may notice whole chickens roasting on a rotisserie just inside the door, further amplifying the mouth-watering anticipation.

The restaurant, situated just off of Sam Ridley Parkway and I-24 in Smyrna near the Malco Cinema, offers a variety of steaks, burgers, fish and chicken dishes, ribs, hickory-fired pork chops and pork loin and more along with the rotisserie chicken, so the carnivores should be well satisfied.

“The calamari was excellent,” said one patron, Charity, following a recent meal at Hickory Falls. “Blue cheese-crusted ribeye was cooked to perfection as well.”

While many in the community view Hickory Falls as a steakhouse, management says 32 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

PHOTOS BY SARAH MAYO the restaurant also sells a lot of pasta, has a popular shrimp scampi as well as shrimp and grits, while slow-cooked rotisserie chicken and Hickory Falls’ cedar-planked salmon are also popular items on the large menu.

“A lot of restaurants say they do everything from scratch; we really do everything from scratch, other than the low-fat dressings and fries,” says Paul Kehayes, who owns and operates Hickory Falls with his brother, Peter, and Mark Robbins.

Peter, a former executive with Logan’s Roadhouse, says Hickory Falls demands a strict attention to detail from its team, and he expects every dish that leaves the kitchen to be up to the restaurant’s standard of quality. There’s no improvising in the Hickory Falls kitchen, he says; the staff should follow each recipe precisely and measure the ingredients for each. A dish should taste the same every time a customer orders it.

Kehayes says it’s challenging for a single, independent restaurant to thrive in the

999 Industrial Blvd., Smyrna PHONE

615-459-3900 HOURS

Mon.–Sat.: 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sun.: 11 a.m.– 9 p.m.

PRICES

Rotisserie chicken with two sides: $11.99; Shrimp & grits: $16.99; 12-ounce ribeye with two sides: $20.99; Fish tacos: $9.49; Cedarplanked salmon with two sides: $16.79; Baconwrapped scallops: $11.99; Shrimp scampi with fettuccine: $14.99 ONLINE

hickoryfalls restaurant.com

midst of large corporate chains; the Hickory Falls dining room is quite large as well, and “fresh is hard to do when you have 80 items and 300 seats,” Peter continues, but over time the restaurant’s consistency and attention to every item coming out of the kitchen have paid off.

The Kehayes brothers take pride in serving the cedar-planked salmon, and in effectively introducing many Smyrna consumers to the dish.

Hickory Falls now goes through quite a few salmon; “we cut it, skin it, we do it all,” Peter says.

But just as important as the food quality, in order to succeed in the restaurant business, “you really have to love people,” the restaurant veteran continues.

Hickory Falls must be doing some things right with its strict policies and recipes, attentive management and customer service, and efforts to maintain a positive atmosphere—it recently celebrated its 15th anniversary and has built a loyal customer base in Smyrna.

One local customer, Matthew Fry, says that he has “had just about everything on the menu and you seriously can’t go wrong

with any of them. Servers and bartenders are always polite and courteous and there to make your visit pleasurable. . . . Always great food and service!”

Many of the homemade sauces are incredible, packed with flavor.

The very tasty shrimp and grits features just a bit of spice in the sauce that accompanies the vibrant flavors of the sausage and bell peppers.

And Hickory Falls tops its fish (or steak) tacos with a nice cilantro lime aioli.

Other offerings from the busy kitchen include a 12-ounce Texas ribeye steak, served on a bed of fried onion straws, a grilled chicken breast topped with bacon and cheese, known as Smoky Mountain Chicken, and daily specials such as crab cakes.

Whether they opt for the grilled, baconwrapped scallops (plated with an apricot chutney) or a cheeseburger, the staff wants to make sure diners leave pleased with the experience.

And the team doesn’t neglect the side dishes either; the delicious vegetables also exhibit nice attention to detail—the green beans, with just a slight snap and a hint of sweetness, or the sugary sweet potatoes, a

Clockwise from left: Shrimp and Grits Sienna Pasta Oreo Ice Cream Pie Texas Ribeye with red beans and rice Veracruz Fish Tacos with green beans

versatile dish that some even order as dessert. The abundance of selections and the consistency earn Hickory Falls an outpouring of positive reviews.

“I’ve been eating here for 12 years-plus.

On the weekend get the prime rib. For lunch you can’t beat the Southern fried chicken, french dip or chicken fiesta salad,” a local patron, Hank, stated after a visit.

“Great side dishes include sweet potatoes and red beans and rice. The cedar-planked salmon is also a winner.”

Diners describe the ribs as “phenomenal,” “amazing,” and unique specialties include the aloha salad, a great blend of contrasting flavors featuring grilled pineapple, oranges, craisins, chicken, greens, walnuts, blue cheese and a vinaigrette dressing, or the sienna pasta, a chicken pasta with garlic cream sauce loaded with mushrooms, walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes and broccoli for a creative twist.

Peter notes that Hickory Falls serves “real” filet mignon, a steak cut taken from the end of the tenderloin of a cow, and not simply a “filet,” a cut which could be sliced from any part of the cow, which many restaurants may attempt to brand as a premium cut.

“We have your soups,” Peter told a guest inquiring about soups on a cold day. “My brother won the best clam chowder in Boston,” he states.

The rotating selection of soups may vary from gumbo to french onion and many other varieties.

Peter also brings up a dish that may not be for everyone, but one that has earned its spot on the menu, and on the tables of many diners, the liver and onions.

“Not everyone loves it, but liver and onions people love it,” Kehayes says. “It’s sauteed fresh.”

Smyrna resident Joy Goodge Musselwhite says “their salmon is the best. I love their summer salads, and they have the best-ever carrot cake.”

While all of the meat and vegetables taste great, the item that receives the most praise from the community might just be that carrot cake.

“Go ahead and share a slice with someone you love!” another Hickory Falls patron, Keith, says.

Whole cakes are available for special occasions.

Hickory Falls contains a spacious bar

area, the Twilight Lounge, and the restaurant seems very patriotically American, examining its menu which captures a taste of nearly every region of the U.S.–steaks, Maui chicken, clam chowder, ribs, a California chopped salad, Buffalo chicken sandwich, salmon and Cajun fried shrimp.

Lina, a Yelper from Murfreesboro, highly recommends the prime rib.

“I chose to get mine medium . . . the prime rib was cooked perfectly medium, a delicious, thick slab of carnivore nirvana served with horseradish sauce and au jus.

The prime rib was tender, moist and lightly seasoned. They also give you fresh rolls that simply are divine and soft!”

With the volume that Hickory Falls does it can be difficult to make sure every single diner enjoys their meal. Some vegetarians express a desire for a few more meatless main dishes; others used to a spicier, more heavily seasoned cuisine say they expected a little more flavor with some of the dishes.

But from reports, the majority leave pleased and most seem to prefer this independent restaurant over the large chains nearby. Some point out that if a problem arises and if the customer is respectful, the

staff will do what they can to make it right.

Joe Bowman said he ordered a ribeye medium-rare for dinner on a busy night at the restaurant.

“When my steak came out, it was medium-well. I very rarely send food back, but in this case, I didn’t want to eat an overcooked steak at $24! I politely asked our waiter if I possibly got the wrong steak? He quickly picked it up and said he’d find out.

A few minutes later, the manager showed up with another steak! I thanked her and she said ‘let’s go ahead and check it to be sure it’s right.’ So. I cut into it and perfect!”

Bowman said. “When our check came out, the waiter said they had taken my meal off the bill since they had made a mistake. On a busy Saturday night during dinner rush, I fully understand how mistakes can be made, but it’s how they dealt with it that places them head and shoulders above the chain steakhouses in Smyrna! Y’all have earned a customer for life.”

Plenty of other Smyrna diners show appreciation for the people at Hickory Falls.

“I can’t speak highly enough about the professionals who keep the place running,” said Shaun Rainone. “These people care.”

AROUND TOWN ’BORO BUSINESS BUZZ

Strike & Spare; Carpe Artista; Hungry Bear Cheesesteaks; Slick Pig Smyrna; Z’s Comic Lair; Allison Nutrition; Leemzsooq; Gordon’s; Coach T’s Grill

man plans to bring his experience running Wing Stops to the business that will also serve chicken wings.

Smyrna has new (and old) dining options. SLICK PIG SMYRNA edition has reopened. The restaurant opened as the first franchise in a burgeoning chain, but it shuttered a few months ago because of a “partnership dispute.” It will now be run as a company restaurant, Murfreesboro store manager Matt Nelson said.

BY MICHELLE WILLARD In 2017, STRIKE & SPARE renovated its long-time location on Broad Street. But in February 2020, the bowling alley announced it will be renovating and relocating to the former Sears space in Stones River Town Centre, 1720 Old Fort Pkwy.

The building at 941 N.W. Broad St. has been a bowling alley for 60 years. It started as a 24-lane alley (12 upstairs, 12 down). In the late 1960s, another 12 lanes were added upstairs. But even after the remodel, the building still didn’t have enough room to do everything the company wanted.

“We started searching for new locations.

We knew we weren’t leaving Murfreesboro.

That was our number-one objective. The Murfreesboro location was the very first bowling center. We love the town and wanted to stay,” Strike & Spare General Manager Phillip Cox said.

The Sears space contains more than 52,000 square feet that will accommodate bowling, an arcade, 3D maze, virtual reality, bumper cars and a full-service restaurant.

In addition to building the arts in Rutherford County, CARPE ARTISTA is building itself. In late January, the nonprofit announced plans to renovate its two-story building at 101 Front St. in Smyrna into a coffee shop and music venue.

Ron Alley, Carpe Artista founder, said he plans to fully remodel the building to further the organization’s mission to encourage the visual, dramatic and musical arts in Rutherford County.

There will also be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. on March 12 for the new Carpe Artista Arts Academy, 1334 Hazelwood Dr., in Smyrna. The academy will offer art lessons for all ages.

Carpe Artista Academy will continue to provide “students and adults with artistic training, leadership development and community engagement opportunities that help creatives reach their full potential in character, calling, craft and community,” according to its website.

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GORDON’S restaurant opened in February at 321 Sam Ridley Pkwy.

Formerly of Antioch, Gordon’s offers Smyrna residents traditional and regional fare, like Nashville hot chicken, along with healthier dishes.

Z’S COMIC LAIR has left Franklin Pike for the luster of Medical Center Parkway.

According to a Facebook post, the comic shop is moving to 2108 Medical Center Pkwy., Suite C. The new location is across the street from the new Racetrac Gas station, next to Krispy Kreme.

Sara Gosik, a graduate of the MTSU nutrition program, has been chosen to lead Middle Tennessee’s first medical nutrition consulting practice. ALLISON NUTRITION CONSULTANTS is a 32-year-old nutrition practice of registered dietitians who use evidence-based traditional and complementary/alternative nutrition therapy and healing practices. Consultants provide a full range of services for individuals and families, including individual consultations, coaching, education, meal planning, meal preparation, shopping, eating out, workshops and more.

Gosik has been a practitioner with the company since 2016. She is an advocate of healing through whole foods who understands that each client requires an individual approach towards their health goals. Allison Nutrition is located at 567 Cason Ln., Suite A. Learn more by calling 615-861-9146.

HUGHSTON CLINIC ORTHOPAEDICS has opened a Murfreesboro office at 2933 Medical Center Pkwy., Suite D. The company has numerous locations throughout the Southeast and offers joint

replacement, sports medicine, imaging and physical therapy services. Find more at tn.hughston.com.

LEEMZSOOQ BARGAIN STORE opened in February on Vine Street. The store sells electronics, home goods, baby products, tools, toys and more. The store is a family-owned business that started in an apartment, expanded to a garage and has now become a storefront in Murfreesboro.

It’s open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. every day except Thursdays and Sundays.

The former Logan’s Roadhouse building on Broad Street has a new lease on life as RED CRAB JUICY SEAFOOD. The Florida-based company confirmed that the seafood restaurant is slated to open in late spring/early summer, company marketing director Thomas Wong reported last month. To be located at 740 NW Broad St., Red Crab specializes in “the best Cajun seafood boil you’ve ever had,” its website said. Challenge accepted!

HUNGRY BEAR CHEESESTEAKS AND WINGS, 2830 Middle Tennessee Blvd., will serve authentic Philly cheesesteaks, co-owner Vince Lanni said.

Set to open in early March, Lanni said he’s ordering the Cheez Whiz and traditional hoagie rolls so they can serve the iconic sandwiches just like it’s done in Philadelphia. Lanni’s business partner Curtis Deck-

Eagleville School Principal Bill Tollett decided to parlay his 30 years of experience in education into the restaurant business.

Tollett announced his retirement from Eagleville School and plans to open COACH T’S ALL-AMERICAN GRILL by Aug. 1 in the southern Rutherford County town.

“I’m just following my dream to open a restaurant. I’ve literally talked about it for over 10 years—‘one of these days, one of these days,’” Tollett told a reporter last month.

Coach T’s All-American Grill will be Eagleville’s third restaurant. It currently boasts Las Fiesta and Maple Street Grill, which relocated from Murfreesboro’s Square.

Tollett plans for Coach T’s to offer barbecue and burgers from its spot on Highway 99.

ALTERNATIVE HEALTH PRODUCTS has moved from is former home in Spring Hill to The Avenue Murfreesboro. Owner Linda Clark moved the business to Rutherford County after 12 years of operation in her previous spot. Visit the new store at 2615 Medical Center Pkwy., Suite 700, or find more at alternativehealthproductstn.com.

CLOSINGS CORNER After a valiant effort at a comeback, DOG HAUS BIERGARTEN closed its doors on Jan 31. The restaurant closed unexpectedly in August 2018, leaving staff in the lurch. Dog Haus corporate picked up the tab and hot dogs started flowing again. But it wasn’t to last.

THE PIE FIVE in Smyrna closed its Smyrna location, which isn’t that surprising. The company has been retracting since 2017, just a year after the Smyrna pizza joint opened.

FRESKO GRILLED SANDWICH SHOP on Saint Andrews closed in late January.

“We trust God that when one door closes another one opens,” read a sign posted on the locked Fresko door.

CPA, EA, Attorney or NonCredentialed Tax Preparer Which Is Best for Your Situation?

EVERY YEAR, people file their income tax forms. It happens once a year, but people inevitably forget some of the basics in filing taxes. There are weird letters and number combinations of pages that taxpayers must submit, and if you own a business, it can be much more complicated.

Many people decide—whether because of owning a business or a lack of knowledge about the ever-changing tax laws— that finding a trustworthy tax preparer is a good idea. That said, not all tax preparers have the same level of experience and training, and might not be the best person for your situation. Here are four different types of tax preparers and descriptions of each, so you can feel better about what you choose to do this tax season.

Certified Public Accountants (CPA): CPAs generally have a college degree (or the equivalent in work experience). They are licensed after passing a state professional qualifying exam. They are highly skilled in accounting. This makes them good candidates for difficult tax planning and preparation if they are experienced in handling tax matters and enrolled in continuing education programs that keep them informed of changes to tax laws. If your return is quite complicated, a CPA may be your best choice for tax preparation, but keep in mind they will charge more than basic tax preparers.

Enrolled Agent (EA): An EA is a tax preparer that must have either previously worked with the IRS or passed an intensive two-day exam on federal taxation. An EA must have also completed a background check. To maintain EA status, they must complete a specified number of credit hours each year for continuing education in accounting methods and tax regulations. An EA may work independently or as part of a firm and may specialize in specific areas of tax law.

An EA is a good option if you have a more complicated tax situation. However, you’ll want to make sure their area of expertise applies to your situation. Fees and availability may vary, but you can expect an EA to charge less than a CPA. An EA is also qualified to help you with financial planning and give you tips that could help you reduce your taxes in the future.

Attorneys: Tax attorneys generally charge the highest fees as tax preparers.

For taxpayers looking to shelter part of their income legally, or for those who need specialized advice on municipal bonds, estate planning and the like, hiring a tax attorney is a good option.

Non-Credentialed Tax Preparers: There are about 700,000 people who work as non-credentialed tax preparers in the United States. They often work part-time or only during the tax season. These preparers must have an active preparer tax identification number (PTIN) through the IRS, but beyond that, the regulation of tax preparers is done at the state level. In the vast majority of states, anyone can prepare tax returns for others without having to take an exam, get a license or comply with other government regulations.

Most tax preparers are legitimate and competent, but keep in mind that without a national license requirement, they may be working off of their research and experience. Because of this, it is important to conduct a thorough interview with the tax preparer before hiring them.

Do not be afraid of taking the time to make a decision, and always resist any pushy sales tactic. Remember to check online reviews and ask for local personal references.

For more tips on taxes and other topics, visit bbb.org/tips and be sure to visit bbb. org to find accredited businesses and independently verified reviews.

HIGHLIGHTING BUSINESS my first few floats, I began to become aware of little irregularities. First, I noticed myself trying to suck air up into my chest from my diaphragm. Now, you can get a breath that way, but it puffs your chest out, feels tight, and requires more effort than necessary.

It’s just not a calm feeling—and breathing, done well, should indeed feel calm, mainly involving movement in the area below the rib cage upon each inhalation.

On subsequent floats, now pillow-free with my head resting back in the water, this positioning led to another new realization in regard to breathing. Just as I would relax enough to slip into a pre-sleep state, a delayed breath would suddenly release from beneath my rib cage, pushing a puff of air and a drop or two of saliva forward with just enough force to bring me to full consciousness. Odd, I thought. It was like the breath had become stuck after inhaling, and I didn’t actually exhale until the air inside me insisted on making a beeline for the Nostril Expressway.

Let me emphasize that floating doesn’t

BY STEVE MORLEY necessarily have to prompt a personal expedition into one’s deep, distant past— bee-like pillow provided. This foam ring is In this ongoing you can float simply for a recreational and optional, because your head, like the rest of series, Pulse relaxing experience, for relief from physical you, is going to float no matter what when contributor Steve pain, or even to ease the burden of carrying resting atop water containing hundreds of Morley explores a baby during the latter months of pregnanpounds of epsom salts. The pillow can prothe effects of cy (and we’ll get into that next month). But vide a sense of comfort for those who don’t sensory deprivamy goals when I began floating were to see like for their head to dip down too far into tion and reports on if it could help me foster greater inner calm, the water, though it may be more natural to his experiences using the flotation let the head fall back. This was suggested to decrease physical tension and patterns of tanks and other therapeutic resources rigid movement, and aid me in learning to me a while back by local physical therapist at Murfreesboro’s Float Alchemy. breathe more deeply and steadily.

Dr. Jen Dickens Massie.

Previous installments can be found at Also, I wanted to see what it would So, as I’ve acquired the experience of boropulse.com/floativation. feel like to float, to release my ongoing, an intermediate-to-advanced floater, I’ve inherent physical tension. As I’ve previcertainly refined my routine and increased AS WITH ANYTHING you do on a ously mentioned, I was born to a mother my comfort level. Conversely, though, that repeated basis, you learn more about it, and who had a low level of amniotic fluid, and comfort has given me opportunities to get more comfortable with it (or you decide as an adult I’d pondered hey, this isn’t working for me, and I’m gonna notice areas in which I’m whether a lack of buoyannot completely comfortbag it). I’ve certainly acquired a comfortable “As best I can tell, cy in the womb might be able. Now, that’s not the familiarity since beginning to visit Murthose 60 minutes the reason I don’t know tank’s fault. As best I can freesboro’s Float Alchemy every two to three how to swim or float. My tell, those 60 minutes of weeks for an hour-long float session. of stillness (not a knotty muscles and I sink stillness (not a typical Happily, I’ve finally learned how to typical waking like a Breeko block. waking experience for exit the tank without allowing salt water experience for There are few statisme) create a state of inner to drip from my hands, arms or hair into me) create a tics on what happens to quiet that allow me to my eyes. Now I just take the small towel wee kiddos-en-route who notice things about my provided near the tank and slap it onto state of inner gestate in the shallow physiology I might be my skull, pushing back my wet hair as I quiet that allow end of the pool, but I’m too distracted to notice prepare to stand and step out of the tank. me to notice beginning to understand otherwise.

Within seconds I’m carefully showering things about that some of my physical Being a person whose off the salt, and I’m out of the ocular cauquirks and particulars breathing can often be tion zone. (Still, if I should slip up, there’s my physiology could be related to my shallow and not smoothly always that friendly little spray bottle of I might be too formative experience in a regulated, I attempt to fopure water nearby.) distracted to womb that didn’t provide One of the main changes I’ve made while cus on calm, deep breathnotice otherwise.” the cushioning and develing while in the tank. After in the tank is to stop using the small, Fris-

Floativation, Part V

Seeking Saltwater Serenity (and More)

36 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

opmental benefits that a normal supply of amniotic fluid would permit.

My head swimming with thoughts about the birth experience and how it might affect a person well into adulthood, I reached out to locally based doula and birth educator Amanda Johnson of Gentle Voice Prenatal Support. While she was quick to clarify that her training does not include medical credentials, she was just as quick to demonstrate her considerable knowledge regarding the process of childbirth. I’m grateful that Johnson was willing to dive into the deep end with me and explore the possibility that my mother’s deficit of amniotic fluid may be related to the various difficulties I have encountered with tension, physical bearing, breathing and more.

In short order, she presented some information that supported my suspicions, starting with the fact that amniotic fluid teaches babies how to breathe. “[The lack of fluid] could affect the way your lungs take in oxygen,” Johnson explained, “because all of that is learned from the amniotic fluid, and practicing with it in the womb.”

Johnson speculated that my lack of physical ease could perhaps hark back to an uncomfortable womb experience. “Our entire lives are shaped by our experiences.

And the womb and amniotic fluid are our first homes,” Johnson affirmed. “If we don’t feel secure there—I am not sure how a baby feels being in too little fluid—there could be a connection to these issues as well.”

As I described my mental image of tumbling around inside Mom’s low-fluid womb, a bit like riding in the back of a pickup truck, Johnson laughed but quickly added, “That would be . . . not fun! It’s not like the uterus is a hard environment—it’s soft, pliable, it’s a muscle—but there’s going to be even more tumbling. The amniotic fluid is just a cushion . . . I don’t want to imagine a baby bouncing around without much fluid in there,” she admitted.

“It seems very uncomfortable to me, just thinking about it.”

A strong believer in the benefits of floating, Johnson agreed that it’s possible I could find a degree of healing and restoration from the rough ride I endured in utero by using a float tank as one of my tools. Please check back for more of my conversation with Amanda Johnson and the next chapter of my therapeutic journey at Float Alchemy.

Until then, stay tuned, Murfreesboro, and may the freedom of the float be with you.

Listener Supported Public Radio

BUSINESS MOMENTUM

BY BLAINE LITTLE

Inforule Founder Rachel Albertson Helps Businesses Grow Their Online Reach

IF YOU ARE IN BUSINESS, you are already aware of the power, and necessity, of an online presence. But the need to create one can be met with a lot of frustration. The fact that Google and other search engines keep changing the way in which people find you is a continual challenge. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can be a tricky thing to figure out, leading to a negative experience. Same goes with social media such as Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Rachel Albertson, an advertising and social media marketer here in Murfreesboro, has created positive experiences for a decade now. She has been assisting experts and entrepreneurs with online media by designing websites and making sure social media accounts are up to date. Through her company, Inforule Social Media, she helps local businesses with everything from setting up a social media account to promoting a VIP launch party.

Albertson was an early adapter when eBay first took off several years ago. She did pretty well too, selling items online—mostly, books she found at other people’s yard sales. This was back when ecommerce was just emerging. Rachel realized she had a knack for marketing items, especially online.

She also noticed others were having issues with creating an online presence to market their own items or services. Sensing this was her calling, she learned coding and website design, and eventually earned an information technology degree. As technology is ever-changing, she quickly realized the need to remain fluid to keep up with a constantly shifting marketplace—causing businesses to change what they may be doing on the fly, as the market demands. Unfortunately, this is where a lot of businesses falter. Remaining cutting-edge is not only a time-consuming task, but it will take business experts away from what they do best.

“I like to think of my client’s success as my own success,” she says. She helps with developing a good marketing plan, though she says a more general business plan needs to be in place first. “A business plan is really crucial for any business to be successful. You may stumble across a certain amount of success, but if you really want to make it past that first year, you need to have a business plan.”

Though an internet presence is important, Rachel will quickly tell you of the importance of circulating within the community. She hosts a couple of opportunities for others to do just that.

Every Wednesday morning, she hosts Networking for Awesome People. It’s a free event for local businesspeople to meet at 9 a.m. held at Inforule, 120 E. Main St., Suite 260, Murfreesboro. Each week has a different theme, from uncovering the strengths and weaknesses of personal branding to developing your “elevator pitch.”

Albertson also maintains another free networking event, “Let’s Whine About It,” a woman’s business group that meets from 5–7 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month. The group meets at The Goat near Medical Center Parkway during happy hour. Like the morning meeting, each get-together 38 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

has a theme, so there is an opportunity for business growth as well as networking aimed towards women 35 and up. Also on her radar will be the second Middle Tennessee Women’s Conference, where Albertson hosts workshops that would be of interest to women in business. This is put on with partners Takisha Bromell and Blaine Little.

Because one of Albertson’s children is a cancer survivor, those types of charities are a labor of love for her.

“One of the events that is near and dear to my heart is Camp Horizon, which is a camp just outside of Nashville for kids and siblings who have had childhood cancer affect them,” Albertson says.

From women’s car care clinics to airsoft competitions to benefit worthy causes, she takes pride in being involved in the community.

She is developing a strategic plan with other area professionals that will launch later this year. Albertson is tight-lipped as to exactly what that means, but says she sees “more opportunities to help our clients market their business more efficiently, and cost-effectively.” Until then, we will have to wait and watch to see what additional services she and Inforule Social Media will bring us.

5

Tips to Improve Your Local Business’s Online Presence:

1 Create A Clear Strategy of which platforms

are best for your business. There is no one-sizefits-all solution. Have your friends or family do a review of what you currently have to see if they can identify your correct brand message. Have a brand book that has color codes, fonts and messages.

2 Provide Consistent Content: Don’t quit too soon. You need to provide consistent content, whatever that might be. Don’t give up after two months. Get a coach or accountability partner if you need help staying consistent.

3 Be Engaging: Social is not posting constant posts about how people can buy from you. Engage with people who like and comment on your blog articles, videos, posts, etc. Create a value that keeps giving. Provide value with your posts.

4 Building Relationships, both online and in person, will help your business’s presence grow.

When you are networking in person, people will look you up online. If they like what they see, it can be the beginning of a beautiful working relationship. Join groups that assist businesses similar to yours or provide local marketing options.

5 Have Patience: Rome wasn’t built in a day.

If you follow the above tips and you aren’t getting traction, consult with a coach. Perhaps you need to try another path or product. If you are passionate about your business and follow sound business steps, you can succeed!

Rachel can be reached at 615-663-4620.

Blaine Little is the founder and CEO of Momentum Seminars Training. Learn more at momentumseminars.com.

SPORTS

TALK

COLUMN BY “Z-TRAIN”

titanman1984@gmail.com

Malcolm Butler is set to make $13 million this year.

Will Ryan Tannehill remain a Titan in 2020?

Titans Have Some Big Decisions to Make Before 2020 Season, Many Key Players May Find New Teams THE TRAIN DADDY IS BACK

with sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk. All aboard!

Let’s say bye-bye to February and hello to the madness that is March.

It seems to me that time is moving faster than ever, right? I mean here we are a quarter of the way through 2020 already, and before you know it, another NFL season will kick off.

Quit complaining and embrace life. I could give you a couple Bernie Sanders jokes right now but they aren’t funny unless everyone gets them.

The great Winston Churchill summed it up best: “The inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of misery.” Churchill later added “Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy.”

2020 is an election year, so let’s be civil. Is that possible? In 2016 many Americans set an ugly precedent for the youth of this country.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said it best: “You can’t win unless you learn how to lose.” I feel like that is bad news for Americans infected with Trump derangement syndrome.

2020 is going to be historic. I mean, already a few months in and we have numerous headlines.

Andy Reid wins his first Super Bowl with the Chiefs. The Tennessee Titans shock the world on the road ending a dynasty in Foxborough

and then defeating a juggernaut Ravens team in Baltimore. Heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury beat down Deontay Wilder, licked blood off his neck and then celebrated by singing “American Pie” with the audience.

2020 has a virus called the Corona (COVID-19) with recent studies showing that 38% of American beer drinkers now won’t touch the brand Corona. It doesn’t help that Corona rolled out a new product line of branded seltzers with a sponsored promotion stating, “Coming ashore soon.” To all the irrational fear-mongering Americans, watch out! Blackberry Lime, Cherry, Mango and Tropical Lime Corona are coming to get you.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred handled the Astros cheating scandal about as badly as possible. They should have taken that piece of metal away from the sign-stealing Astros. The result was you can cheat your way to a World Series title and face minimal consequences. Also, the XFL kicked off in 2020, and the product is worthy of a future, I believe. The XFL just needs more teams, specifically a Tennessee team. The Nashville Predators also started 2020 off rough, yet here we are now, and the team is fighting for a playoff spot. Respect!

The most unfortunate sports event of 2020 to date was the death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter and

seven other passengers in a helicopter crash. Kobe will be remembered as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

Enough reminiscing, let’s focus on the future! Since this is my article, what better way to do that than some Titans talk! What, you thought with the season being over I would shut up about the Titans?

Ha-ha. Nope!

Titans Talk!

Being honest, what can I say that’s not speculation right now? I don’t enjoy speculating, but ultimately that’s what I am about to do.

First, let’s break down a few players who could be cut to make cap space. Running back Dion Lewis has got to go—a major disappointment! Cornerback Malcolm Butler has three years left on his contract, set to make $13 million annually.

Some people have floated the idea of cutting Butler while others call it nonsense, considering Butler has played respectively well. Logan Ryan almost certainly won’t remain a Titan and will be one of the hottest free agents pursued in the league.

Does Jon Robinson completely rebuild his secondary, or keep Butler?

Delanie Walker is getting old and dealing with injury, and the Titans already have two solid pass-catching tight ends under contract— Jonnu Smith and Anthony Firkser.

Walker has been one of my favorite Titans, but I think it’s time to part.

I also believe Cameron Wake will be let go. He is 38, and aside from that 2.5-sack opening game vs. the Browns, he hasn’t recorded a single sack since.

Creating cap space is part of the game. You spend money wisely if you want to make a run. That’s the valid argument for how much is too much for Derrick Henry to remain a Titan. The recent history of teams giving big contracts to running backs is filled with red flags, from Todd Gurley to Ezekiel Elliot, Free-

man, Johnson and McKinnon. Not one of those star running backs has been worth the investment made.

Elliot’s huge six-year contract for $90 million has yet to be totally played out, yet the Cowboys didn’t make the playoffs last season.

Getting rid of the players I listed would open over $20 million in cap space, allowing the Titans to work at keeping some of their valuable free agents and potentially add new players in desired positions. I trust Jon Robinson and as a fan I believe in the direction of this team. Yet this isn’t an ordinary off-season. A lot of change is coming.

It looks like free agent Marcus Mariota has numerous suitors.

Good for him. I truly hope he goes somewhere and has a successful career, not too successful, though!

It looks like Jack Conklin also has many suitors and the former 2016 first round pick won’t be in Titans blue this upcoming season. Conklin had a lot to do with Henry getting the NFL rushing title and he will be missed. Tennessee decided not to pick up his fifth-year option, which would have made him the Titans second-highest base salary at $13 million, second only to Taylor Lewan’s $16 million.

Let’s end this Titans talk with what could either be the simplest or possibly the messiest situations the Titans deal with this off-season—Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry. And let’s throw a wrench in the conversation and add Tom Brady’s name.

I think it’s simple. The Titans work with Tannehill and figure out a deal that is fair. The comeback player of the year deserves a new contract. I think the Titans look at Jimmy Garoppolo’s contract with the 49ers and it’s a good comparison. Jimmy’s deal was $137 million over 5 years, $27 million annually. Or the Titans could use the franchise tag on Tannehill, and that would still cost around $27 million.

If he regresses, then what? If he progresses then you’re looking at an even more expensive contract, so it’s all one big gamble. So why not just pay the man now? When you compare the regrettable contracts

Jared Goff and Carson Wentz received in 2019, you realize Tannehill could be a steal at that price.

I am going to be limited here on my Tom Brady comments. The idea of Tom Brady in a Titans uniform, a reunion with Coach Vrabel, numerous prime-time games and a possible Super Bowl run sounds sexy. I’m not sold. Many sports analysis think Brady and the Titans would be a good fit and Coach Vrabel FaceTiming Brady on the sideline at a Syracuse basketball game has fueled rumors. If it happens, I would be sad, mad and excited at the same time.

Brady and Coach Vrabel played together and won three Super Bowls between 01–08. The Titans have playmakers on offense and one of the easier divisions to navigate. Between possibly Derrick Henry in the backfield and two young receivers in Brown and Davis, it’s enticing indeed.

Alright let’s end this article on King Henry! He’s the heart of this team, without question. Last year’s NFL rushing leader is a free agent and will demand a high price. Rightfully so. I don’t want to imagine this team without Henry.

Derrick is 26 years old, so a 3- to 4-year deal making him the highest paid RB would be about right. It’s simple: if the Titans want to keep Henry around, they can tag him, or they will have to pay Henry big.

I believe a smart man would let Henry walk, but personally I would keep him around. As I said, he is the heart and soul of this team. Let’s just hope King Henry and the Titans come to a reasonable agreement.

Alrighty then, my friends, that’s it! I am looking forward to spring.

Hopefully this stupid virus goes away as well. The coronavirus has a survival rate of 98%; I have no doubt hysteria is more dangerous than this virus.

While the virus is a scary thing, I believe fearmongering has made it much worse. So, let’s all pray for a beautiful spring, a glorious upcoming Titans season and the death of this stupid virus that has caught everyone’s attention. I pray you all have good health and fortune. God bless America! Choo-choo!

BOROPULSE.COM

* MARCH 2020 * 39

Opinion Politicians Continue to Pander to Climate Change Hysteria

F

ew things hack me off more than pandering.

Too many politicians do it. We’re watching it right now in the Democrat primaries. Talk to a union group and they’re all about the “working man.” Talk to a black group and they’re all about civil rights. Talk to a rainbow group and they’re all about gay rights. Whatever it takes to get the vote, right?

Well, the Republicans are just as bad. The House GOP leadership is coming out with its own climate change agenda. Call it Green New Deal Lite. Why? Because they’ve been polling again. They found out that the younger end of their party believes all this hogwash. Instead of debating people on the facts, they’d just rather pander. It’s easier. Doesn’t require much intellect. Just give the people what they want.

Never mind that the whole green agenda is designed to end America as we know it.

You see, socialism is at the heart of the green agenda. Just listen to AOC some time. She’ll start off railing on the “carbon polluters” and then segue into asthma sufferers (like CO2 has anything to do with asthma) and then she’s quickly on to making the rich countries pay the poor countries for this climate crisis they’ve caused.

By the way, where is the climate crisis? Oh, it’s everywhere. Floods, droughts, snow, lack of snow, heat, cold. It’s what we used to call weather.

Now it’s climate change. The only problem is there’s absolutely no evidence that anything we’re doing is causing the climate to change. Doesn’t matter. It’s the “in” thing. Notice how hysteria has been substituted for proof? If you can’t prove, shout it.

The Republicans have found it easier to succumb to the shouting rather than debate the issue. They’re more afraid of losing younger voters who’ve been brainwashed by Bill Nye the Science Guy than losing their country. Because, after all, holding onto power

VIEWS OF A

CONSERVATIVE

PHIL VALENTINE

philvalentine.com

is the most important thing. Only it isn’t. Holding onto our country is the most important thing.

President Trump understands this. That’s why he’s ignoring the pandering pachyderms and boldly extracting the last vestiges of climate change hysteria from his budget. Trump’s budget would eliminate funding for the Energy Star program and shift that cost to businesses that want to participate in it. I’ve never really understood the notion of conserving something there’s not a shortage of. You conserve water in a drought. You conserve money if you don’t have any. It makes little sense to conserve energy when we’re not running out of it. I’m all for saving money, but that should be my prerogative, not a mandate from the government.

“If you look at what the president says and does, it’s clear that he and his administration do not believe in the need for climate action, investment in clean energy, or protecting clean water and clean air,” so says Josh Freed to Roll Call. He’s the senior vice president for the climate and energy program at liberal think tank Third Way. Josh is a liar.

President Trump has made it crystal clear that he’s all about clean air and clean water. Josh wants you to think he’s not so he can persuade you somehow that clean air and clean water have something to do with carbon dioxide. They don’t.

But the Republicans are no better. Part of their plan to fix climate change is to address all the plastic in the ocean. I’d love to clean that up too, but it has nothing to do with climate change. It’s time to stop pandering and tell the American people the truth.

“The only problem is there’s absolutely no evidence that anything we’re doing is causing the climate to change. Doesn’t matter. It’s the ‘in’ thing. Notice how hysteria has been substituted for proof? If you can’t prove, shout it.”

40 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

Phil Valentine is heard each weekday afternoon on SuperTalk 99.7FM in Nashville and online at 997wtn.com. For more of his commentary and articles, visit philvalentine.com.

Live Exceptionally...Well!

BY JENNIFER DURAND

Results Are Found in the Doing WHAT KINDS OF THINGS would you do if you were guaranteed results for your efforts? No doubt you’ve often heard about the importance of goal setting, vision boards, outlining and planning.

When you put in the effort, the results will follow.

Most of the time you do see results for your efforts.

However, many people get stuck along the way and often give up or never start at all. There is no shortcut to getting “the thing.” Success is only found in the doing.

Recently, I was brushing my teeth, flossing and gargling with mouthwash before putting my Invisalign braces in. I thought about how my habits had changed over the last several months once I started with the practice for straightening some teeth. You have to wear them the majority of the day. Once you eat you have to brush, floss and gargle before putting your aligners back in. You can’t drink anything but water when you’re wearing them, and certainly cannot eat with them in. I marveled at my willingness to make these habit changes in my life, with the promise that the appearance of my teeth would become what I wanted it to be. No other real questions asked. I trusted the process, as it was explained to me, and had a clear-cut path of what needed to be done, without wavering or shortcutting the system.

“You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” — Henry Ford Naturally, this made me think about other things that could be done with a clear path to have an expected end. My friend and I decided to lose weight and set our plan in motion. We bought the food, prepared the meals and prepped to have it all readily available at meal times. We got an amazing app on our phones that would track our intake (calories, water, physical activity). It could literally find details of most any food we were eating and record the calories to track our progress. This was another tool with a clear-cut path. If you do it and follow it, you would have the results you were seeking within an expected period of time. It’s a matter of changing some habits and trusting the process.

Follow the path. It’s lit up, marked, outlined and waiting to give you an expected end.

“You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.” — Tina Fey I’ve listened to several professional business and life coaches who have wonderful formats to keep you focused on the target. Daily steps to take are outlined that will position you to move in the direction to accomplish your goal. Surrounding

yourself with an accountability mate or group is a wise choice to put you on the path to success.

Again, if you don’t know what to do—if you don’t have a process that has a clear path for an expected outcome—you will have a more difficult time getting there.

“You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action.”

— Tony Robbins Another friend started putting together workshops for personal development. She had talked about this for several years. She finally positioned herself to select a topic, decide on the right person to lead it, find a location to host it and then invited people to register and attend. They have been very successful in terms of the attendees being able to experience real transformation. This could not have happened without a plan of action and then doing it.

I do “Mindful Moment” videos that are 60 seconds or less. They are designed to demonstrate an exercise or activity you can do throughout your day. These are intended to have you engage in something, even if briefly, during the day to help keep stress low, energy high, bodies more flexible.

Several people have come up to me in public and said things like “oh, I see your videos and they look awesome.” When I asked if they did the suggested activity the response was along the line of “no, but I thought it was great that you were doing it.” On the flip side, several folks have also said they enjoyed doing the activities and they were helpful. I was a bit surprised at the ones who just watched rather than taking further action. For me, I hope the seed was planted and will bloom when they need it most.

One final share: I was witnessing a neighbor out running in the early morning. I thought to myself, “It’s in the doing, and this guy is taking action, managing his form and level of fitness. You can’t get the results just by thinking about doing it. You can’t win the race or even start if you don’t enter.

You’ve got to get up and follow the plan!”

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

— Nelson Mandela Jennifer Durand is the owner and operator of The Nurture Nook Day Spa & Gift Shoppe; she is a certified QiGong and Breathe Empowerment instructor, and is licensed in massage therapy, body work and somatic integration. Visit nurturenook.com or facebook.com/nurturenookdayspa or call 615-896-7110.

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the people at times become unfaithful and “do what is evil in the sight of the Lord” (Judges 6:1). As a result of this unfaithfulness, God, in His disciBY RICK plining providence, gives MALONE the Israelites over into the hands of an invading force to oppress them. The people cry out to God in repentance over their evil, and He raises up a judge who delivers them from the hands of their enemies and restores rest in the land. This rest continues until the people again “do what is evil in the sight of the Lord.” As this cycle repeats, God raises up judges like Samson, and Deborah and Jephthah. But one of the most intriguing cycles is when we meet a judge named Gideon.

Many of us are familiar with the story of Gideon from our childhood Sunday facade to remind us just how broken we School classes. He delivers Israel from are and bring us to a place of dependence a massive Midianite army with only upon Him instead of ourselves. God does 300 men carrying not swords or spears this because His principle goal for our or bows but trumpets in one hand and lives is not to bring us self-centered haptorches concealed in clay jars in the other. piness, but to conform us to the beautiful The 300 men surround the Midianite image of His dear Son. camp just after midnight, they blow their For those whom He foreknew He also pretrumpets and break their jars. And as the destined to be conformed to the image of His noise sounds and the light shines out, Son, in order that He might be the firstborn God brings confusion on the Midianites among many brothers (Romans 8:29). and they turn on themselves in violence God is an artist working with an imas they flee. Israel is restored, but not by perfect vessel to bring a new beauty into strong military leadership, exceptional Isit, the beauty of Christ. God sanctifies us, raelite forces or superior weaponry. Israel or “makes us like His holy Son” by giving is restored by the hand of God. For God us the holiness of Christ as a gift. But God intentionally took Gideon’s forces down to is progressively bringing the life of that only 300 men so that they would not be holiness into our existing faulty condition. tempted to boast, “saying, ‘My own hand The more that faultiness is chipped away has saved me’” (Judges 7:2). through God’s loving discipline, the more The Apostle Paul draws upon this victhe life and beauty of Christ enters in. This tory of Gideon’s in his second letter to the new and beautiful life, therefore, co-exists Corinthians when he says: with the brokenness of our nature. As For God, who said, “Let light shine out Martin Luther said 500 years ago, “we are of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give at the same time both saint and sinner.” the light of the knowledge of the glory of God’s loving discipline comes in God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have manifold ways. Like the craftsmanship of this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the a Master Builder, it is sometimes a work surpassing power belongs to God and not to of construction, building up the new us (2 Corinthians 4:6–7). spiritual life He has given us. But somePaul focuses on this treasure of light times it is a work of demolition that needs contained in jars of clay to take our eyes to take place, breaking our haughty spirit back to Gideon, but not for the purpose and fracturing our obstinate disposition to of simply teaching us about a battle that bring us to a place of repentance toward took place nearly 1,200 years earlier. Paul our sin. And so, this work of sanctificawants us to see the greater truth of the tion becomes a repeating cycle in our story of Gideon. For, as we mentioned last lives. This is the reality of our fallen and month, the Old Testament narrative does broken condition. It is also the reality of not stand in scripture simply for its own the depths of God’s love for us and of our sake. It is there to teach us of the grace absolute necessity of grace. and power of God in the beautiful work of We see a similar cycle to this in the Old Christ. As interesting as Gideon’s victory Testament book of Judges. During the early is, we cannot miss the greater truth that years of Israel’s life in the promised land,

SPIRITUAL

MATTERS

The Beauty of the Broken

THE LORD DISCIPLINES THE ONE he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. — Hebrews 12:6 Kintsukuroi is the Japanese art of repairing pottery. In this repair, an already treasured piece of earthenware is not deemed to be devalued by its brokenness but is seen to take on a new quality through the imposed imperfection. No longer pristine, it is more beautiful for having been broken, for the resulting cracks in the piece are visible displays of its fragility. The idea of an added value through being damaged is foreign to our Western mindset. We do not think twice about casting a cracked piece of pottery in the trash. But there is much that can be appreciated and learned from a visible reminder of brokenness.

We are a broken people. We have a hard time admitting this, but we come into this world as damaged goods. You only need be with a toddler for a short time to learn there is no such thing as an innocent child. And as we grow into adulthood our brokenness grows with us. We see it in our relationships with others, including our spouses and our own children. We fail to love our family as we ought, because many times we think of ourselves instead of the welfare of others. Sometimes we inflate our ego because we have insecurities we would rather not deal with. And sometimes we put on airs of self-assurance to hide the cracks in our fabricated facade of healthiness instead of yearning for a true self-awareness.

But God is very aware of our brokenness, and His involvement in our lives reflects His concern for us. According to the author of Hebrews, God is a perfect Father who disciplines and chastises the ones He loves. He lovingly fractures our faulty 42 * MARCH 2020 * BOROPULSE.COM

the oppression of our sin and brokenness is defeated and destroyed, not by lights shining out of broken clay jars, but by the light of Christ’s beauty shining out of His brokenness. For Christ allowed Himself to be broken on the cross for our brokenness, and the beauty of that self-sacrificing love, like the beauty of the broken Japanese pottery, displays “the glory of God in the face of Jesus.”

Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:4–5).

But this beauty in brokenness is not only found in the beauty of Christ’s sacrifice. Paul goes on to tell us that the light which God has placed within our hearts is contained in the clay jars of our frail humanity, and just as Gideon’s torches could not be seen until the jars were broken, so is the beauty of our new life in Christ not seen as long as we prop up the facade which hides our fractured condition. The light of Christ’s beauty in us only shines through the cracks of our brokenness. And so, in our weakness and imperfection we find the true beauty of God in us.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (I Corinthians 1:26–31).

I am penning this article as a broken person writing to broken people. God wants us to own our brokenness. But this is difficult for us, because humility is not one of our natural virtues. Whether we are religious or non-religious people, we would rather picture ourselves as self-sufficient, self-righteous and self-sustaining.

But let us not think more highly of ourselves than we ought. Let us treat others with the care and concern of knowing we are all broken vessels reflecting the image of our Creator.

Reach Rick Malone at myspiritualmatters@gmail.com