May 2018 Murfreesboro Pulse

MAY 2018 / VOL. 13, ISSUE 5 / FREE

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

Schedule on page 12

Murfreesboro’s hometown Jazz band headlines JazzFest on The Square, May 4–5

Legendary Local Guitarist Jack Pearson

Jack Brown’s Does Burgers and Beer Just Right

Art League Opens Gallery at Cannonsburgh

Contents

WORD FROM THE EDITOR WE GOT THE JACK. This edition of the Pulse

12

ON THE COVER: COSMIC COLLECTIVE PHOTO BY CALEB LITTLETON

8 HAVE YOU HEARD JACK?

Legendary local musician Jack Pearson set to release new album.

12 MAIN STREET JAZZFEST

Yamil Conga, Cosmic Collective, Jennifer Bruce and DejaNu headline event.

16 103.9 FM

New jazz/blues station broadcasting from the Murfreesboro Square.

18 COMMUNITY GARDENS Building community one garden at a time.

22 BE PREPARED

35 FREE COMIC BOOK DAY

Local shops, library prepare for May 5.

BOROPULSE . COM Publisher/Editor in Chief: Bracken Mayo

5 Events THIS MONTH

Barfield Beach, Blaze Warrior Challenge 5K, Backyard BBQ, and more

8 Sounds LOCAL CONCERTS

Tennessee Valley Winds; Dewdrop Jamboree and more!

MUSIC NOTES

POETRY

Lisa Doral, Chance Chambers THEATER

Twelfth Night

28 Food REVIEW

Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint RECIPE

BBQ Chicken Salad

31 Movies

The Justin Reed Show; EmiSunshine; Becky Buller, Minton Sparks, and more

REVIEWS

ALBUM REVIEWS

Westerns with Cars

Forrest York, Big Smo

Boy Scouts impact our community.

Focus and conquer excuses,

16

IN EVERY ISSUE

FEATURES

50 FACE IT FITNESS

15

20 Living GARDENING

Herbs, trees and poisonous hemlock

24 Art EXHIBIT

Art League reopens Cannonsburgh Gallery

A Quiet Place; Blockers

BUSINESS BUZZ

Core Life, Borderlines, The Gathering at Milton and more

40 Opinion SPIRITUAL MATTERS

The dawning of a new day PHIL VALENTINE

Again, mental illness causes mass shooting LIVE . . . WELL!

Be a witness

THE STOCKARD REPORT

LIVING ROOM CINEMA

Are records of local business owners expunged?

NEW RELEASES

HIGHER THOUGHTS

Solo: A Star Wars Story, Deadpool 2 and more READING

Ecce Deus: Essays on the Life of Jesus Christ

36 News LEGISLATIVE WRAP UP

Contributors: Nichelle Barrera, Jessica Barroll, Advertising: Will Bridges, Jennifer Durand, Joseph Kathmann, Don Clark Leslie Russell-Yost Chantel Kennedy-Shehan, Rick Malone, Zach Maxfield, Ryan Miller, Johnathan Pushkar, M.C. Radford, Art Director: Justin Reed, John Salaway, Edwina Shannon, Sarah Mayo Jay Spight, Andrea Stockard, Sam Stockard, Norbert Thiemann, Elizabeth Tullos, Semaj Thomas, Copy Editor: Steve Morley Phil Valentine, Kory Wells, Michelle Willard

For everyday living PET WEEK

Promotes responsible pet ownership

48 Sports SPORTS TALK

Titans and all of Tennessee enjoying Predators playoff run

Copyright © 2018, The Murfreesboro Pulse, 10 N. Public Square, Murfreesboro, TN 37130.

Proudly owned, operated and published the first Thursday of each month by the Mayo family; printed

by Franklin Web Printing Co. The Murfreesboro 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

SIGN UP to receive our weekly digital newsletter at BoroPulse.com/Newsletter 10 N. Public Square, Murfreesboro, TN 37130 • 615-796-6248 To carry the PULSE at your business, or to submit letters, stories and photography: Bracken@BoroPulse.com

features some fine guitars and burgers from Jack Pearson and Jack Brown’s, respectively.

The Alley hosted a fantastic outdoor Business After Hours in April and, shortly after that received some Firefly Awards, presented to local independent businesses at the Light Up Local event held at the Grove. Congrats to all receiving honors at this program.

Thanks also to Mike and Michelle over at Willow Balm, Murfreesboro’s local pain relief cream, for hosting a great installment of The Connection, Murfreesboro’s Entrepreneurs Club, this past month at their facility. All area entrepreneurs may attend the May meeting of the Connection on May 17 at United Real Estate’s office on Northfield.

Outdoor events are now in full swing, with Main Street JazzFest coming up on the Square, the Tennessee Renaissance Festival is back for another year in Covington Glen, ’Boro Bites and Brews set for June 2, Barfield Beach, baseball, barbecue, and all of the spring things are here.

Keep reading to find out more about WQJZ FM—broadcasting jazz and blues from the Murfreesboro Square— Forrest York, Big Smo, the Tennessee Valley Winds, Nashville Boogie and more. Keep the music playing!

Zyla and Rondel encourage their clients, and the people of Murfreesboro Focus and Conquer Excuses!

Put your thoughts and energy towards the goals, people and activities that matter to you, not the pathetic excuses that keep you from them!

So how can you feature cheeseburgers and fries and fitness in the same paper? Well, the “starve yourself” method, or the “eat only carrots diets” do not seem to be sustainable. Decide for yourself what is good food, eat a reasonable amount of something delicious while still considering your overall health, and get active! Take advantage of Murfreesboro’s Greenway and the running groups in the area; or challenge yourself while climbing at The Ascent.

Go Preds! Your Nashville Predators are still alive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Beat those Jets.

Remember, the Pulse’s advertising sponsors make this publication free for the community. Support these guys.

Go enjoy a karaoke night at Nobody’s, some delicious olive oil or balsamic from Epicurean Olive Oil, a massage from the Nurture Nook, Balance Anew or Hand and Stone; brunch at Wall Street, shared office space at Cultivate Coworking, burritos from Carmen’s, a beard trim from Nexgen, a new house from Kelly Gafford, pollo borracho from Nacho’s, CBD products from Kaleidoscope, cosmetology training from Paul Mitchell the School, sushi from Xaio’s, or toys from Kian.

If you would like to reach the many, many Pulse readers and join the fine roster of advertisers, please do consider supporting our community endeavor.

Thanks to Trent Denson with Spread the Positive for including me in his positivity podcast.

Don’t you worry bout a thing! Do not dwell on the problems and troubles of the world. Solutions will come.

Live as though Mark Zuckerberg and God both track your every movement, hear your every word and see your entire internet search history.

Peace, BRACKEN MAYO Publisher/Editor in Chief

MAY 6 TENNESSEE VALLEY WINDS CONCERT The Tennessee Valley Winds, in association with The Friends of the Greenway and Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department, will perform a free concert under the direction of Erich Zimmerman, on Sunday, May 6, at 2 p.m. at Old Fort Park. Admission is free. The program includes: “Autumn Soliloquy” – by James Barnes “Berliner Luft” – march by Paul Lincke “Chase the Shouting Wind” – by Vince Gassi “Lassus Trombone” – by Henry Fillmore “Arlington (Where Giants Lie Sleeping)” – by Paul Murtha “Aces High March” – by Larry Daehn “Highlights from The Sound of Music” – by Richard Rodgers “Armed Forces Salute” – arranged by Bob Lowden Zimmerman, currently the associate director at Blackman High School, is in his 28th year as a music educator in Middle Tennessee. Prior to teaching, Zimmerman was a trumpet instrumentalist with the United States Navy Band. His tour of duty included a 1988 national tour and weekly concerts. He was also a freelance musician in the Washington D.C. area.

Tennessee Valley Winds is a nonprofit, all volunteer, self-supporting community band that has provided quality musical performances since 1984. The community band experience is unlike school or professional groups. Rarely do amateurs and professionals, young and old, get to work together. The opportunity to learn and grow is unique. The director is more of a guide than an authority figure, and does not assign parts or solos. It is expected that all will help each other by offering suggestions and sharing. Friendships are born of shared work and musical enjoyment.

Following the May 6 performance, the Tennessee Valley Winds will perform for the Rising Stars Band Camp at the Stewart’s Creek Middle School auditorium on June 13 at 1 p.m. That performance is also free.

For more information about the Tennessee Valley Winds Community Band, visit tnvalleywinds.org.

BY ANDREA STOCKARD

MAY 4–5 REDNECK RUMBLE The Spring 2018 Redneck Rumble—one the South’s biggest, baddest hot rod, custom car and rat rod shows—returns to the James Ward Agricultural Center at the Wilson County Fairgrounds on Friday and Saturday, May 4 and 5. The weekend includes the car show, the swap meet and lifestyle show with lots of vintage memorabilia, a demolition derby, live music and more. Camping is available at this grand gathering of gearheads. Performers include Alexander King, Jane Rose and Val West. The James Ward Agricultural Center is located at 945 W Baddour Pkwy., Lebanon, Tennessee. For more information, find the Redneck Rumble on Facebook or visit bothbarrels.us.

MAY 4–13 LUCKY SEVEN QUARTER HORSE CIRCUIT Come enjoy one of the largest horse shows of the year in Middle Tennessee. Lucky Seven Quarter Horse Show at Tennessee Miller Coliseum (304 W. Thompson Ln.) features Western and English-style classes as well as over fences.

Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/Lucky7Classic or call 615-494-8961.

MAY 8

Admission is $5 for CoC members and $15 for future members. No registration is required. For more information, visit rutherfordchamber.org.

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

MAY 9

The Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce presents Business After Hours, an informal business networking event, on Tuesday, May 8, from 5–7 p.m. at Ferguson Enterprises, 540 New Salem Highway. Bring plenty of business cards.

Living Sent Ministries, an organization that aims to inspire and equip business and professional leaders to live out their Christian faith all week long, will hold its

MAY 11 BARFIELD BEACH PARTY Before it’s used in the park system this year, over 60 tons of sand will be used to create a temporary “beach” in the parking lot of the park. Come out to Barfield Crescent Park (697 Veterans Pkwy.) on Friday, May 11, from 5–7 p.m., for music, dancing, games, activities and a lot of fun in the sand. Admission is free for all ages.

Visit BOROPULSE.COM/EVENTS for more community events

LIVING SENT MINISTRIES LUNCHEON

next Murfreesboro luncheon at The Experience Community, (521 Old Salem Rd.) from 11:45 a.m.–1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9. Dawn Rae, the morning radio host at WFCM radio in Smyrna, will speak and Jody Powers, President of Amelia’s Closet, will share her God story. A free lunch is provided

by Budget Blinds of Murfreesboro. RSVP to bob.williams@alhambrapartners.com or 615-447-2520. For more information, visit livingsentministries.org.

MAY 10 FOCUS ON THE BORO PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST Focus on the Boro, a photography competition and exhibit spearheaded by Murfreesboro Photography Laureate Jessica Goings Nelson, is open to photographers of all ages, styles and experience levels who live in Rutherford County.

Categories include people, landscape, still life, animals, flora, architecture, CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 BOROPULSE.COM

* MAY 2018 * 5

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 sports/action, abstract/special effects and Murfreesboro, and there will be separate awards for youth (17 and younger) and adults. Visit culturalartsmurfreesboro. submittable.com for more information and to submit your work. Deadline to enter is Thursday, May 10. The winners will be on display from June 1–22 at the Rotunda Gallery at City Hall (111 W. Vine St.). For more information on the project, contact photoconnectmboro@gmail.com.

MAY 10–11 DAYS ON THE FARM This popular living history field trip features more than 20 historical demonstrations with hands-on activities and captivating reenactors for students to learn about 19th-century life. Join The Historic Sam Davis Home and Plantation (1399 Sam Davis Rd., Smyrna) Thursday and Friday, May 10 and 11, from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. For more information, call 615-459-2341 or visit samdavishome.org.

MAY 12 THE BLAZE WARRIOR CHALLENGE 5K The Blaze Warrior Challenge is back for its second year. The 5K race and 1-mile fun run will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 12, the day before Mother’s Day. In honor of the holiday, organizers encourage participants to run with their mothers!

The project will serve to raise funds for a new multi-purpose building at Blackman High School, a collaboration between the JROTC (Junior Officers Reserve Training Corps) and the wrestling and cheerleading teams at BHS. The wrestling team decided to put the insurance money from its recently destroyed building toward a combined effort with the JROTC’s existing plans to construct a new building. These organizations, along with the award-winning Blackman cheerleading team, have developed plans to break ground on a 250-by-80-foot building later this year at the school. The building will be sectioned into three portions: one for each organization to use for practice and drills.

The 2017 Blaze Warrior Challenge included 175 runners, and organizers hope to build on that fundraising effort this year.

The registration fee for the 5K is $25, while the 1-Mile kids fun run is $10. All participants receive free post-race Cokes and hot wings. The race begins at Blackman High School on Blaze Drive. Strollers and leashed pets are both welcome. Register for the Blaze Warrior 5K or 1-Mile Fun Run on runsignup.com.

6 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

MAY 19 MURFREESBORO BUTTERFLY RELEASE Alive Hospice will hold its Murfreesboro Butterfly Release, a memorial benefit to honor loved ones and support the services given to those in need regardless of the ability to pay on Saturday, May 19. Everyone is welcome to join Alive Hospice Residence (1629 Williams Dr.) at 10 a.m., even if you do not purchase a butterfly. Children receive a special coloring page and crayons. Butterflies can also be purchased by those unable to attend, and they will be released on behalf of the donor. Special butterfly event tribute packages, which include special recognition for your loved ones during the ceremony and in the program, will be available. Services by Alive Hospice include community education throughout Middle Tennessee, physician and health care professionals’ training on end-of-life care, a safe place to grieve for kids and teens at special summer camps and comfort and support for patients and their families. For more information, visit alivehospice.org/community/annual-events or call 615-327-1085.

MAY 12 Smell the smoke, join in a rib-eating contest and watch some of the top cookers in the area compete in the KCBS-Sanctioned Backyard BBQ Brawl at Cannonsburgh Village (312 S. Front St.) on Saturday, May 12, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. For more information, contact btboro@comcast.net or visit backyardbbqfest.com.

Courthouse will host the inaugural Boro Art and Craft Festival from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. on Saturday, May 12. This will include handmade jewelry, leather work, fiber arts, quilts, paintings, baskets, photography, pet items, body scrubs and more. Food trucks, musicians, fire engines and police cruisers will all be on hand. For more information, find a Boro Art and Craft Festival page on Facebook or email baharker@netzero.net.

MAY 12

MAY 17

BORO ART AND CRAFT FESTIVAL

PROJECT ONE FOUR GOLF TOURNAMENT

The inner circle of the Rutherford County

Come out for the Project One Four David

BACKYARD BBQ FESTIVAL

MAY 17 BOOK SIGNING WITH BILL JAKES Quinn’s Mercantile (301 N. Spring St.) hosts a book signing party with local historian Bill Jakes on Thursday, May 17, at 5:30 p.m. Books are available for purchase. Meet and greet Jakes and read about the history of Murfreesboro, from its rich agricultural community to its numerous colleges and academies. Murfreesboro played a decisive role in the Civil War and suffered the loss of many of its people and much of its architecture. However, in the early 20th century, Murfreesboro regained its momentum and began to rebuild. Admission is free. For more information, call 615-318-4247.

Price Foundation golf tournament (18 holes) at Indian Hills Golf Course (405 Calumet Tr.) on Thursday, May 17, with registration at 10:30 a.m. and a shotgun start at 1 p.m.

Help raise funds for Bradley Academy to purchase computer and educational tools for classrooms. Enjoy lunch by the Alley at 11:30 a.m., sweet treats by Dunkin’ Donuts and wings from Slick Pig afterwards. The cost for the tournament is $400 per four-man team.

For more information, call 615-478-0007 or 865-384-3973, or visit Project14.org.

MAY 17 THE CONNECTION Local small business owners will gather for The Connection: An Evening of Professional Networking and Business Brainstorming from 5–7 p.m. on Thursday, May 17, at United Real Estate, 1602 W. Northfield Blvd. All Middle Tennessee entrepreneurs and professionals are welcome to attend this casual, free, no-obligation event, where they can meet other small business owners and tap into one another’s experience and energy.

An open roundtable 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.

MAY 18–20

JUNE 5

SPINNING IN THE RAIN

GRIEF CAMP FOR KIDS

The Tennessee Reining Horse Association (TNRHA) was founded in 2003 as an affiliate of NRHA. Since its inception it has built a reputation for quality reining horse shows and clinics, consistently attracting participants from more than fifteen states. Admission is free to this year’s Spinning in the Rain, May 18–20, at Tennessee Miller Coliseum (304 W. Thompson Ln.). For more information, call 615-494-8961 or visit tnrha.org.

Each year around 40–50 kids attend each of Alive Hospice’s grief camps. Any child who has experienced a significant loss, regardless of whether the person they are mourning received care from Alive Hospice, is welcome to participate. Tuition is paid by donations and grants. No child is turned away. Registration is available by visiting alivehospice.org or calling 615-3468680. Camps include: Camp Evergreen, June 5–7, serving the metro Nashville area at Hillmont Camp in White Bluff; Camp Forget Me Not, June 20–22, serving the Murfreesboro area; and Teen Retreat, Oct. 19–21, serving Middle Tennessee at a lakeside camp in Rutherford County.

MAY 19 BASS FISHING FOR NATIONAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION Support the 2018 Bass Fishing Tournament fundraiser for the National Kidney Foundation on Saturday, May 19, safelight until 3 p.m., at Old Hickory Lake (Bull Creek Landing). Enjoy a friendly competition and raffle tickets with $1000 1st place. To sign up or for more information, call 615-651-9824 or 803-526-3254 or email matt.garvin@deangelisdiamond.com.

MAY 22–25 TSSAA SPRING FLING 2018 TSSAA Championships in boys soccer, track and field, baseball, softball and tennis kick off May 22–25 at various times and locations. For more information, visit tssaasports.com/springfling.

MAY 26 MEMORIAL DAY FLAG PLACEMENT AND MEMORIES Boy Scouts and other youth organizations will place American flags on more than 7,000 graves in Stones River National Cemetery (3501 Old Nashville Hwy.) on Saturday, May 26, in observance of Memorial Day. Arrival is at 9:30 a.m. with flag placement at 10 a.m.

Following the decoration of Stones River National Cemetery, guests can roam through the hallowed ground and learn more about the stories and sacrifices of the men and women interred there. Exhibits feature items used by the military from the Civil War through the Vietnam War. Living historians and veterans stationed throughout grave sites help visitors connect to the cost of our freedoms through the experiences of soldiers and their families. Admission is free. Enter at 1563 N. Thompson Ln. and follow the signs to the Memorial Day parking area in front of the Chicago Board of Trade Battery. For more information, call 615893-9501 or visit nps.gov/stri.

MAY 26–28

TUESDAYS

FLAGS OF REMEMBRANCE Healing Field, Murfreesboro’s iconic Memorial Day salute returns for its annual tradition May 26–28 at First United Methodist Church (265 W. Thompson Ln.) beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday and ending at 5 p.m. Monday. Noon Exchange Club of Murfreesboro holds an inspiring formation of U.S. flags in tribute to the U.S.’s veterans, military and personal heroes Memorial Day weekend. Donations appreciated. For more information, call 615-641-0121, or visit healingfield.org/murfreesboro18 or noonexchange.org.

CHESS CLUB The Murfreesboro Chess Club meets each Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the McDonald’s at 1706 Memorial Blvd. Chess players of all levels are invited to come out and meet and play against other local chess enthusiasts. For more information, call 615-713-9256.

MAY 26

MAY 27

WEDNESDAYS

OPENING DAY OF ’BORO BEACH

MEMORIAL DAY PROGRAM

BORO2SQUARE RUNNERS

Gather at the national cemetery rostrum of Stones River Battlefield (3501 Old Nashville Hwy.) at 1:30 p.m. to remember the sacrifices of soldiers, past and present, featuring patriotic music, a wreath laying ceremony and a reading of the names of veterans who have passed away since last Memorial Day. Admission is free. For more information, call 615-893-9501 or visit nps.gov/stri.

Boro2Square Runners is a running group for individuals looking to get out and run and socialize with other runners. Weekly runs begin at 6 p.m. each Wednesday, starting from the Boulevard Bar and Grill, 2154 Middle Tennessee Blvd. Distances are between 3 and 5 miles, with runners of all paces. For more information, visit facebook.com/boro2square.

Celebrate the beginning of summer relaxing by the pool, swimming, diving, playing games and listening to music at ’Boro Beach at Sports*Com (2310 Memorial Blvd.) Saturday, May 26, from 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. For more information, contact 615-895-5040 or csaffel@murfreesborotn.gov. Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for youth.

WEEKENDS IN MAY TENNESSEE RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL Nestled in the rolling hillside and virgin forest of Middle Tennessee, the village of Covington Glen echoes with sounds of Renaissance music and merrymaking every May. Accented by the bright medieval towers of Castle Gwynn, the 33rd Tennessee Renaissance Festival is held every weekend in May, plus Memorial Day. Queen Elizabeth and her royal court rule over gaiety and celebration, highlighted each day by the drama of full-armored jousting. Covington Glen includes a shopping marketplace featuring the unique wares of more than 70 artisans and craftspeople. Man-powered rides and games of skill evoke smiles and cheers from all ages. Culinary adventures abound with savory foods, beverages and confections. Festival patrons can enjoy a selection of professional

entertainment including music, comedy, stage acrobatics and satire. The Master Falconer will educate patrons with a “Birds of Prey” Exhibition, while Celtic folk band The Secret Commonwealth will perform each day.

Tours of Castle Gwynn (ground floor and gardens only) are available 11 a.m.–3 p.m., and the festival holds a free children’s knighting ceremony at 2 p.m.

May 5–6: Community Appreciation Opening Weekend (Buy two regular priced adult tickets, and two grandparents and all children 12 and under receive free admission).

May 12–13: Artisan and Crafts Weekend May 19–20: Pirate Invasion Weekend May 26–28: Celtic Weekend (includes Memorial Day) Tickets are $25 for adults, and $10 for children 6–12; children 5 and under are free. For more information, visit tnrenfest.com.

BOROPULSE.COM

* MAY 2018 * 7

Sounds

MURFREESBORO PULSE: What have you been up to lately? Tell us about your new music, upcoming shows and teaching.

After being a sideman most of my life I’m having a great time playing my own music.

I’ve been writing since I was a kid so it really means a lot to me that people are accepting my original songs.

I’ve been touring doing my solo acoustic shows, and also some with my band. I do studio work in Nashville and I’m getting ready to release some new recordings.

My CDs and live dates are on my website [jackpearson.com]; I also have an online teaching site [jackpearsonguitar.com], it allows me to teach everyone how I play my various styles and personal techniques.

Can you share the things you loved best about growing up in Murfreesboro?

Murfreesboro was a smaller town when I was growing up, it was laid back. It sure has boomed with population and traffic— 8 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

BoroPulse.com/Category/Music

Legendary Murfreesboro guitarist Jack Pearson set to release new album

BY JOHN SALAWAY

PHOTO BY BOB SEAMAN

IF YOU ASK SOME OF THE MOST famous musicians in the world who their favorite guitarist is, many will tell you it’s Jack Pearson.

Murfreesboro’s hometown hero, Pearson is an artist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and virtuoso guitarist who is fluent in jazz, blues, rock, country, bluegrass and classical. He melds all of these styles together to create an incredibly unique and innovative guitar sound and style unlike anyone else in the world.

Besides being a member of The Allman Brothers Band, he has also performed with a long list of world class artists from multiple genres including Vince Gill, Jimmy Buffett, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Keb’ Mo’, Faith Hill, Tommy Emmanuel, Amy Grant, Charlie Daniels and many more.

Pearson has also created a successful career as a performing artist and songwriter and has released numerous solo albums that can be purchased at jackpearson.com or from other digital retailers. His brand new album, Are You Listening?, will be released this summer.

As if that’s not enough, Jack is also a highly sought-after guitar teacher who created the Jack Pearson Guitar Academy online, which has hundreds of videos to teach guitarists ranging from beginners to professional.

The Pulse was grateful for a recent opportunity to talk with Jack about life, music and Middle Tennessee.

Read more about local music at

wow, the traffic!

There were always a lot of good musicians in this area to play with. In fact we recently had a reunion of guys that played together in the ’70s and it was so much fun to reconnect with everyone. There were some who couldn’t make it and some we couldn’t locate . . . but we hope to do it again.

full member. So I got to be in The Allman Brothers Band with my hero Dickey Betts. I never dreamed of meeting them, and then to end up being in the band was overwhelming.

I miss Gregg. We became friends and hung out a lot while we were on tour.

Warren Haynes first invited you to play with The Allman Brothers Band. How did you become friends with Warren, and what were your thoughts when preparing for that epic gig?

I believe God gave me the gift of music and I have a spiritual connection with it. I want to play and sing with as much feeling as I can. Sometimes it’s hard to get past the technical challenges of performing and just enjoy the music while I’m doing it.

There’s some difficult passages that I play that require me to have very deep concentration, but it’s still fun! Sometimes I have to dig down deep.

I’m glad to say that I’ve shared smiles and tears with music many times as a listener and as a performer.

And it always feels good to hear that the music I just played moved somebody.

Warren and I became good friends when he lived in Nashville in the mid-’80s. In 1993 Dickey Betts had to leave the ABB tour so Warren asked me to fill in ’til Dickey came back. I knew all of the guitar parts to their classics from when I was growing up playing along with their early records so it was easy to go onstage and play the show with no rehearsal. Gregg took a shine to me and asked me to play in his solo band when Dickey returned. I toured and recorded with Gregg until 1997—that’s when Gregg asked me to join The Allman Brothers Band as a

What’s the most profound thing about music to you?

What makes a band, a great band?

For me, it’s when musicians are really play-

ing together, listening to each other and being creative at the same time and making the music sound fresh every time.

With classical and big band music the musicians are playing what’s written out, but the good players can make it sound like it’s their own and play with a deep feeling.

It is amazing.

WHAT FELLOW WORLD-CLASS MUSICIANS SAY ABOUT JACK “Jack Pearson is an amazing guitar player . . . he really is one of the best on the planet. He’s one of those guys who is equally at home whether he’s playing jazz, blues, country or rock.

Whatever he plays, it’s always in his own style and interesting to hear . . . I urge everyone to check him out.”

– DEREK TRUCKS “Jack Pearson is tops—he really is.

That guy can do it all. As a guitarist, songwriter and vocalist, he is amazing . . . Jack Pearson is one of the most accomplished cats I’ve ever played with.”

– GREGG ALLMAN

What do you think the future holds for music and the music business?

It looks like the music biz as we knew it is dead, and that’s fine with me because it’s making it easier to be an independent artist.

So I’m very happy doing what I’m doing. My own websites, along with YouTube and Facebook, have helped to get my music out there so people can hear it.

What’s the best advice you have for musicians who want to get hired by famous or professionally touring acts?

“I’ve never met anyone as adept at Delta blues as they are bebop. A man who can rock with the Allman Brothers as good as he can swing with Jimmy Smith. A man who could have accompanied Blind Willie Johnson as well as he could Shirley Caesar. That’s a rare human right there. I have learned so much from Jack, and not just about music. He’s a good man, and I am really thankful that I got to hear him, jam with him, and know him as a friend.”

– OTEIL BURBRIDGE “He’s got to be one of the finest pickers on the planet.” – CHARLIE DANIELS

been to show up early, or at least be on time, and be prepared to do a good job. I also went to many auditions where I didn’t get the job but I didn’t give up. And I’ve been fired many times, usually for improvising too much, which is funny now because I’m kinda known for being a good improviser . . . always keep learning, there is so much to learn about music. Go back and listen to recordings of the guys that invented whatever style it is that you want to play well.

“I believe God gave me the gift of music and I have a spiritual connection with it.

I want to play and sing with as much feeling as I can.

Sometimes it’s hard to get past the technical challenges of performing and just enjoy the music while I’m doing it.”

My getting gigs has been word of mouth. The old saying “it’s all in who you know” really is true. Get out and play and jam with each other. Since I was a kid I would play with whoever would let me. Before the internet, it took a lot longer to build a reputation, but word gets around. My advice has always

PHOTO BY LYNDA PEARSON

McPEAKE

Do you have any advice for recording industry students?

Whatever it is you do, care about what you’re doing and give it all you got.

Jack Pearson will perform at The Station Inn in Nashville on June 6; for more information on Pearson, visit jackpearson.com.

WATSON

MUSIC NOTE

CURTIS McPEAKE, GENE WATSON, ANDY MAY ON DECK IN MAY FOR THE JUSTIN REED SHOW ONE OF MY FAVORITE MONTHS IS HERE—HAPPY MAY! My reasoning for this is my birthday is on the 11th! This month has a great lineup of artists scheduled on The Justin Reed Show, Thursday mornings, 6 to 10 a.m. on 88.3 FM WMTS and at thejustinreedshow.com.

MAY 3 The show welcomes Rebecca Rae at 8 a.m. Originally from Chicago, Rae moved to Nashville in 2011 to pursue her career in music. She has been playing all over town in writer’s rounds, with a full band and more! Her new single, “Beyond the City Lights,” is on radio now; For more information, visit rebeccaraemusic.com.

At 9 a.m., 90-year-old banjo legend Curtis McPeake, along with guitar virtuoso Andy May, will appear on the show to promote their new project, The Good Things (Outweigh the Bad), available now.

Throughout his 70-year career in bluegrass, McPeake has been a member of Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys and stood in for Earl Scruggs. For more information on the project, please see andymay.com.

MAY 10 “The Singer’s Singer,” Gene Watson, will visit at 8 a.m. to discuss his newest project, My Gospel Roots. In his 50-plus year career in country music, Watson has etched his name among the greats with standards such as “Love in the Hot Afternoon,” “Fourteen Karat Mind” and signature song “Farewell Party.” This is an interview not to miss! To purchase the new album, visit genewatsonmusic.com. genewatsonmusic.com MAY 17 Frequent favorite on the show, Erin McLendon returns to co-host from 8 to 10 a.m. Hailing from Durham, North Carolina, McLendon now resides in Nashville and is an alumnus of Belmont

University. She will return to play songs off her newest album Making It Up as We Go and catch up on life. (An aside: I’m really excited to talk about life; since her last visit on the show, Erin has gotten married—and I officiated the ceremony!)

To purchase Erin’s album or see her tour schedule, see erinmclendon.com.

MAY 24 Julie Richardson will make her debut on the show at 8 a.m. This singer from Golden, Colorado, has been making quite a name for herself in the world of country music for many years. She is a frequent guest on the Dewdrop Jamboree and has had great success on the charts. She recorded a duet of “Slippin’ Away” with Jean Shepard herself and most recently recorded a duet of “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma” with MLB umpire Joe West. Richardson recently released her first book, John A. Hobbs: The Life and Times of Music Valley’s Visionary and she recently won an IPPY award for this book. Find more information at julierichardsonmusic.com.

MAY 31 We will preview the upcoming “Next Generation: Sons & Daughters of Country Legends” show at 3rd & Lindsley on June 7 during Fan Fair . . . I mean CMA Fest.

Thank you for listening to the show and making it so successful!

Peace, Love and Ernest Tubb, — JUSTIN REED BOROPULSE.COM

* MAY 2018 * 9

CONCERTS THURS, 5/3 HANK’S

Jordan Carter

MAYDAY BREWERY

IF YOU GO OLD FORT PARK, PAVILION #3

Tennessee Valley Winds

Lee Alexander; Frank Dremmel

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

Rob Harris

THE BORO

Stupid Games

FRI, 5/4 CARPE CAFE

On a Whim

HANK’S

Delyn Christian, Lefty Ferguson Duo

MAYDAY BREWERY

Timothy Myles

MILANO II

Jack Popek

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

Aberdeen

Rockafeller Uncle Don Clark

SAT, 5/5 GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL

Karaoke with Big James

HANK’S

Tony Castellano, Brad Dix, Zach Neil & Dale Clear

LONE WOLF SALOON

HANK’S

Classic Rock All Stars

MAYDAY BREWERY

Mize and the Drive

THUR, 5/10

NOBODY’S

Mixtape ’80s Band

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

Rick Armentrout, Trevor Finlay TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Come and See

WASHINGTON THEATRE AT PATTERSON PARK

Dewdrop Jamboree with Nola Martin, Wade Winters, The Elderly Brothers, Aaron Vance, Larry Martin, L.B. Ferrell and others

SUN, 5/6 HANK’S

Chazz Wesley

Coconut Bay Café 210 Stones River Mall Blvd.

615-494-0504

HANK’S

Kevin Wolf

NACHO’S

Devin Port

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

First United Methodist Church 265 W. Thompson Ln. 615-893-1322

C.S. BROWN

Carmen Brandy

FRIDAY, 5/18 @ THE BORO

THE BORO

Murfreesboro guitarman C.S. Brown is back. The prog-rock/metal guitarist, formerly of the band Ghost Circus, will soon release his new album, Galaxies. He will commemorate this with a Friday, May 18, performance at The Boro on Greenland Drive. Brown performed everything other than drums on Galaxies, a sci-fi themed instrumental album, and his guitar work ranges from otherworldly, spacey and atmospheric to soaring, soulful blues solos to furiously epic guitar virtuosity.

Radical Arts Open Mic Comedy Night

FRI, 5/11 CARPE CAFE

Brad Howard

HANK’S

Bailey Rose, Jack Finley Band

MAYDAY BREWERY

The Truehearts

MILANO II

Jack Popek

NOBODY’S

Escape

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

The Farm Dogs THE BORO

Dirty Ginger

THE CROSSROADS AT TRENZILORE

Parkway & Columbia, Seaholm

SAT, 5/12 HANK’S

The Godsey’s, Ivan Fleming

MEDIA RERUN

Aye Mammoth, Eye on the Sky, Them Fixes

Century 21 125 Lasseter Dr. 615-890-9168

Don Mealer

Kris Bell Band

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Carmen’s Taqueria 206 W. Northfield Blvd.

615-848-9003

TUES, 5/8

THE BORO

THE GREEN DRAGON

PICK

The Sofia Goodman Group

Janelle Fimone

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

PULSE

THE BORO

MAYDAY BREWERY

Ian C. Parker and Friends

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

Brandon Green

THE BORO

Iron Tribe (Iron Maiden tribute)

SUN, 5/13 HANK’S

Sarah Martin

TUES, 5/15 HANK’S

Hannah Anders

WED, 5/16 MAYDAY BREWERY

Open Mic Night

THURS, 5/17 HANK’S

10 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

Arts Center of Cannon County 1424 John Bragg Hwy., Woodbury, 615-563-2787 Autograph Rehearsal Studio 1400 W. College St. 615-686-6121

Spencer Maige MAYDAY BREWERY

Janelle Fimone

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

Canaan Cox

FRI, 5/18 CARPE CAFE

Jay & Stephie

HANK’S

Kristen Foreman, Lefty Ferguson Duo

WILDERNESS STATION AT BARFIELD CRESCENT PARK

Michael Jacobs

SUN, 5/20 HANK’S

Troy Breslow

TUES, 5/22 HANK’S

Delyn Christian

SAT, 5/26 HANK’S

Joe Hooper, J.D. Myers

LONE WOLF SALOON

Stranger Than Fiction

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

Olivia Faye

THE BORO

Lobo, Eye on the Sky, Aedeagus

SUN, 5/27 HANK’S

MAYDAY BREWERY

THURS, 5/24

MILANO II

HANK’S

NOBODY’S

NACHO’S

HANK’S

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

THURS, 5/31

THE BORO

THE BORO

HANK’S

Brooke McBride Jack Popek Phoenix Rising Matt Marinchick C.S. Brown

SAT, 5/19 ARTS CENTER OF CANNON COUNTY

Sail On (Beach Boys tribute)

BIRD SONG STUDIO

Becky Buller, Nate Lee

Bailey Rose Devin Port

Parker Redmond

Radical Arts Comedy Night

FRI, 5/25 CARPE CAFE

Steve Burkett

HANK’S

Hannah Anders, Jack Finley Band

HANK’S

MAYDAY BREWERY

MAYDAY BREWERY

MILANO II

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

NOBODY’S

THE BORO

PUCKETT’S GROCERY

Colleen Lloy, Wes Loper Joey Fletcher

Joanna Yaeger

Rhyno, Oblivion Myth, Terrestrial Radio

The Cosmic Collective Jack Popek Casual Exchange Jesse Hardin

THE BORO

Deface the Dream

Sara Simmons

TUES, 5/29 Scott Honaker

Coby Greer

MAYDAY BREWERY

Janelle Fimone

FRI, 6/1 HANK’S

Delyn Christian, Lefty Ferguson Duo

MILANO II

Jack Popek

NOBODY’S

Gravel Road Gypsies

SAT, 6/2

Georgia’s Sports Bar 555 S. Lowry St., Smyrna 615-267-0295 Green Dragon 714 W. Main St. 615-801-7171 Hank’s 2341 Memorial Blvd.

615-410-7747 Lone Wolf Saloon 1208 S. Lowry St., Smyrna 629-255-8296 Main Street Music 527 W. Main St. 615-440-2425 Mayday Brewery 521 Old Salem Hwy. 615-479-9722 Milano II 114 E. College St. 615-624-7390 MTSU Wright Music Building 1439 Faulkinberry Dr. 615-898-2469 Nacho’s 2962 S. Rutherford Blvd.

615-907-2700 Nobody’s Grille & BBQ 2227 Old Fort Pkwy.

615-962-8019 Peter D’s 2357 Medical Center Pkwy.

615-603-7111 Phat Boyz Bar & Grill 4425 Woodbury Pk. 615-546-4526 Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant 114 N. Church St. 629-201-6916 The Boro Bar & Grill 1211 Greenland Dr. 615-895-4800 The Crossroads at Trenzilore 6097 Lebanon Pk.

HANK’S

Wall Street 121 N. Maple St. 615-867-9090

SUN, 6/3

Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park 401 Volunteer Rd. 615-217-3017

Brad Dix, Zach Neil & Dale Clear

HANK’S

Karree J. Philips

Sounds

Read more about local music at

JENNIFER BRUCE AND DEJANU

BoroPulse.com/Category/Music

YAMIL CONGA

Yamil Conga, Cosmic Collective, Jennifer Bruce and DejaNu headline this Year’s Main Street JazzFest. benefited from an array of musical influences.

EVERY SPRING Salsa runs in Conga’s blood, and this versatile in Rutherford County, drummer and percussionist learned from the JazzFest is held the first weeksalsa greats like La Fania All Stars, Ray Barend in May, with high school jazz bands retto, Tito Puente and Roberto Roena. Yamil performing on Friday evening, May 4, and Conga toured for six years with the Centricthe pros taking over on Saturday, May 5. ity Music band, Unspoken, and is now the It all happens on Murfreesboro’s beauticonguero for the Nashville Salsa Machine, ful downtown Public Square. Bring a chair Roland Barber, Souvenir, Lalo Davila and and stay a while. It’s free, a gift from Main Friends and jazz pianist Tyron Hamilton.

Street to the community.

He’s also backup drummer Friday night kicks off at 6 for the country band Reckp.m. with local “Future Jazz less. His out-of-the-box, Greats.” The Saturday event at the 2018 JazzFest emotional and heartfelt kicks off at 11 a.m., with the approach to drumming is action on the Bob Scales Ace’s Kettle Corn contagious. Yamil will also Main Stage getting underDH&H (sno-kones) conduct a jazz clinic at 3:30 way at noon. The performers Fresko Grilled Sandwich p.m. at The Center for this will include Yamil Conga’s and Ice Cream Shop Arts, and this free event is Nashville Latin AllStars, open to the public.

Hot Dog Guy Cosmic Collective and JenWhen the Cosmic Colnifer Bruce and DejaNu. Mother Shuckers lective met in a jazz combo Yamil Conga’s Nashville Repicci’s Italian Ice at Middle Tennessee State Latin AllStars are a perfect Off the Hook University, the members mix of Old San Juan and Papa Doo and Mama D quickly discovered their colNashville. A native of Puerto Sunshine Oasis laboration was something Rico and a current resident that needed to continue of Nashville, Conga has Tennessee Subs

FOOD VENDORS

Friends of Main Street 12 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

217 W. Main St. • 615-896-6518 concertmusicalsupply.com Main Street JazzFest Sponsor

MAIN STREET JAZZFEST 2018 SCHEDULE FRIDAY, MAY 4 6 p.m.

Siegel High School Jazz Band 6:30 p.m.

MTCS Jazz Band 7 p.m.

Siegel High School Lab Jazz Band 7:30 p.m.

Riverdale High School Jazz Band 8 p.m.

Oakland High School Jazz Band 8:30 p.m.

Blackman High School Jazz Band 9 p.m.

Smyrna High School Jazz Band 9:30 p.m.

La Vergne High School Jazz Band 10 p.m.

Central Magnet School Jazz Band

SATURDAY, MAY 5 BOB SCALES MAIN STAGE 12 p.m.

Seymour High School Jazz Band 12:45 p.m.

Run For Cover: A Tribute to David Sanborn 2 p.m.

MTSU Jazz Ensemble #1 3:15 p.m.

129th Army Band 4:30 p.m.

MTSU Jazz Faculty 5:45 p.m.

Yamil Conga’s Nashville Latin AllStars

past the semester. Every performer in the ensemble adds a particular element to the sound, resulting in a blend that is dynamic, smooth and refreshingly unpredictable.

Band leader and vocalist Nikki Michelle attributes their success to the chemistry they share as friends. “Having fun together and doing something we love is what makes this project work and keeps us coming back to create something beautiful,” she says. Their fusion of electric jazz and modern sounds has been described as “refreshing and vintage at the same time.”

Jennifer Bruce and DejaNu are brilliantly weaving the classic songbook with a new spin of songs that were originally recorded in the pop style. They have given songs written by such acclaimed artists as Paul Simon, Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Burt Bacharach, Hall and Oats and the Everly Brothers new life. It’s a New American Songbook. Bruce, the power behind the microphone, is a multi-talented song stylist who has the chops to cover the great tunes of all time and has been influenced by many musical genres. She has a rich, sultry,

7 p.m.

Cosmic Collective 8:30 p.m.

Jennifer Bruce & DejaNu KROGER (WEST) STAGE 11 a.m.

Rockvale Middle School 11:30 a.m.

Stewart’s Creek Middle School 12 p.m.

Stewart’s Creek High School First Period Jazz Band 12:30 p.m.

The Swingin’ Storm of Rocky Fork 1 p.m.

Oakland Middle School 1:30 p.m.

St. Rose Middle School 2 p.m.

Siegel Middle School 2:30 p.m.

Stewart’s Creek High School Seventh Period Jazz Band 3:10 p.m.

Scales Elementary Jazz Band 3:50 p.m.

Blackman Middle School 4:30 p.m.

All-Rutherford County Jazz Band 5:10 p.m.

Steel De Boro CENTER FOR THE ARTS 3:30 p.m.

Jazz Clinic with Yamil Conga

soulful voice and excels at song interpretation reminiscent of many classic torch singers. Jennifer Bruce and DejaNu will release their second album of New American Songbook classics this spring.

JazzFest, presented by Main Street, is for families, featuring food vendors and the always-popular Kids Alley. From noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, kiddos will enjoy inflatable jump houses, tumbling and gymnastics, a musical petting zoo and more.

JazzFest isn’t Main Street’s only contribution to the community. The Saturday Market, the summer Friday Night Live concerts, Trick or Treat on the Square and the Christmas Tree Lighting are all thanks to Main Street, a local nonprofit organization. The Main Street program is affiliated with the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s National Main Street Center and follows the tenets of that program. Main Street capitalizes on the unique character of the courthouse square and the surrounding business district with the goal of transforming it into the cultural, social, professional and retail center of Rutherford County, the hub of community life.

Sounds

Read more about local music at

BoroPulse.com/Category/Music

EMISUNSHINE TO PERFORM IN McMINNVILLE

MUSIC NOTES

The 13-year-old East Tennessee prodigy EmiSunshine will perform at the Park Theatre in McMinnville on Saturday, May 19, at 7 p.m.

The natural-born singer-songwriter and multiinstrumentalist first captured the nation’s attention in 2014 as a young phenomenon with exceptional talent and passion. Sunshine’s sound is steeped in Appalachian music, influenced by legends such as Loretta Lynn, Tanya Tucker and The Louvin Brothers.

Sunshine manages to combine her youthful, bubbly disposition with deep, meaningful and oftentimes rather dark song content.

The performer has appeared on The Today Show, Little Big Shots, The Grand Ole Opry and at The Ryman Auditorium.

Park Theatre is located at 115 W. Main St., McMinnville, Tennessee. Tickets for the May 19 show range from $10–$20 For more information, visit theemisunshine.com.

PHOTO BY STEVEN C. BRUMETTE

 ENTERTAINMENT

DJ, BINGO, TRIVIA & KARAOKE NIGHTS MONDAYS AHART’S PIZZA GARDEN Trivia, 6:30 p.m.

HANK’S Open Mic, 6–10 p.m.

LEVEL III Trivia, 7 p.m.

TUESDAYS COCONUT BAY Live Trivia, 7:30 p.m.

LONE WOLF SALOON Open Mic Night, 7–11 p.m.

NACHO’S Trivia, 7 p.m.

NOBODY'S Bingo, 7 p.m.

OLD CHICAGO Trivia, 9 p.m.

TGI FRIDAY’S Trivia, 9 p.m.

WEDNESDAYS CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

14 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

HANK’S Karaoke, 7–10 p.m.

NOBODY’S Trivia, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

PHAT BOYS Karaoke, 7–11 p.m.

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Trivia, 8 p.m.

STATION GRILL Trivia, 7 p.m.

THURSDAYS BOB’S BBQ Trivia, 7 p.m.

CAMPUS PUB Trivia, 6:15 and 8:15 p.m.

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR Karaoke, 7 p.m.

NOBODY’S Karaoke, 9:15 p.m.–12:30 a.m.

PHAT BOYS Karaoke, 8 p.m.–1 a.m.

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

BECKY BULLER TO PERFORM AT BIRD SONG STUDIO MAY 19 Becky Buller and Nate Lee will appear at Bird Song Studio in Woodbury on Saturday, May 19. The Minnesota native made bluegrass music history in 2016 by becoming the first artist ever to win in both instrumental and vocal categories at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards. In 2017, Buller and her bluegrass band recorded a video for her song “Speakin’ to That Mountain” at Bird Song Studio. Now, the dynamic artist and her mandolin-toting friend, IBMA award-winning instrumentalist, Nate Lee, return for an evening of acoustic music.

Buller’s songs have been recorded by the likes of Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out and The Infamous Stringdusters. Buller’s fourth solo album, Crepe Paper Heart, was released in early 2018.

For tickets to the May 19 show, or for more information on Bird Song Studio, visit rtbirdsongstudio.com.

FRIDAYS GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR Karaoke, 9 p.m.

MT BOTTLE Karaoke, 9 p.m.–3 a.m.

PHAT BOYS Karaoke, 8 p.m.–1 a.m.

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

NACHOS Trivia, 7 p.m.

NOBODY’S Karaoke, 9:15 p.m.–12:30 a.m.

SUNDAYS JACK BROWN’S Waxface Vinyl and Music Trivia Night 8 p.m.

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Trivia, 8 p.m.  Send karaoke, trivia, open mic and events to listings@boropulse.com

ALAN DAIGRE DESIGNS HOSTS MINTON SPARKS ON MAY 19 Alan Daigre Designs, a Woodbury furniture-making firm that specializes in elegant custom patchwork chairs, will host an open house on Saturday, May 19, from noon–6:30 p.m.

Following the open house at the new shop and gallery, storyteller Minton Sparks will perform. Guitar virtuoso John Jackson, once a sideman for Bob Dylan and Lucinda Williams, will join Sparks for the intimate performance.

The event is free, but RSVPs are required for the performance; find a Facebook page for Minton Sparks—An Evening of Story and Song, or call 615-713-7868 for more information or to RSVP. Alan Daigre Designs is located at 320 S. McCrary St., Woodbury.

ALBUMS

FORREST YORK

BIG SMO

Forrest York, Murfreesboro’s trusted music shop owner and guitar enthusiast, held an event in midApril celebrating the release of his album Elements, a powerful collection of seven instrumentals that captures York’s experimental guitar artistry and ear for music production. Despite being purely instrumental, the album conveys volumes without a single lyric, a quality that can be hard to find in today’s rock scene.

Elements features fine musicianship from a cast of professional talent, including York’s son, Ryan.

This experimental rock album melts and flows from one track to another. It’s a strong, moving synergy that is best enjoyed from start to finish. The record opens with the track “Elements,” and mesmerizing guitar leads follow. York’s guitar playing is a pleasure to listen to, and the band complements the progression nicely.

York knows how to create exceptional guitar tones, and this is evident on every track of Elements. With wailing leads and haunting tones, he manages to create edgy soundscapes that rock ’n’ roll purists can appreciate. The album houses a wide variety of textures reminiscent of ’70s-era psychedelic rock.

Despite an abnormally long cast of drummers, there is continuity from track to track, an impressive feat for an instrumental album. This gives the impression that York and Co. had a clear vision going into the recording process. From a production standpoint, Elements is a meditative, well-crafted body of work, grungy and abstract, yet still in some ways simplistic.

The lack of vocals may be a turnoff for some listeners who favor music dependent on a good chorus; indeed, some of the tracks are too long for a quick and casual listen. Listeners should be aware of where the album falls categorically. But Elements will hit home with many music fans because it nods to a virtuoso guitar style not often seen in pop music these days.

To grab a copy, pay a visit to Forrest at his shop, located at 123 E. Main St., and prepare for a mindful listening experience. — JORDAN HALL

Big Smo has recently released his latest album, Special Reserve, and it, as usual, has not failed to raise eyebrows.

Special Reserve encompasses many of the themes and ideas Smo (John Lee Smith) relates to the concept of home. The tracks on this album take us through growing up in the backwoods of Tennessee, drinking moonshine and partying. Despite the numerous party-themed tracks, Big Smo doesn’t exclude matters of the heart and soul, which can separate him from some other rappers in his genre.

He has devised a unique sound that combines country-rock and urban hip-hop—a blend mixing twangy banjos and drum machines, sometimes known as hick-hop—to bring us who he is as a person. Not only does he embrace the simplicity of his upbringing, but he does so unapologetically.

It’s easy to identify his inspirations through a quick listen to his songs. He draws upon The Beastie Boys and Alter Bridge-esque riffs to bring us an urban yet rugged sound topped off by a back-home country feel. Most rappers today rely on production quality, wild sampling and profuse swearing to portray their ideas, but Big Smo simply talks about the qualities and ideas he knows best.

Special Reserve takes a slight musical detour from the Smo norm in melody and lyricism. There is a great deal more variation in rhythm and cadence in both his words and the tracks backing him up. He even takes a more pop-music styled approach with the third track on the album, “Bright Lights Big City,” a track bearing ideas similar to those heard on Justin Timberlake’s 2013 album The 20/20 Experience.

More than anything, I commend Big Smo for his ability to tie together styles that wouldn’t normally be seen together and making them work. Hip-pop, country, rock and pop is a lot to jam into one song, but on Special Reserve, Big Smo does it beautifully—12 times in a row. — WILL BRIDGES

Elements

A CLASSIC OUTSTANDING

Special Reserve

AVERAGE BELOW AVERAGE

AVOID AT ALL COSTS DEAD

Sounds

Read more about local music at

BoroPulse.com/Category/Music his broadcasting days. Through hearing the music produced by African Americans, he found it difficult to understand how anyone could be judged from their skin color alone.

Instead, he preferred to make judgements based on “the content of their character.”

LOCAL EVENTS The WQJZ broadcast will be letting the people of Murfreesboro know all about local events, up-and-coming local musical acts and public service organizations.

Burger will be featuring topics such as Murfreesboro History, Murfreesboro legislative activity, and the Murfreesboro Little Theater and Center for the Arts.

THE MEAT & POTATOES

103.9

WQJZ: Home of blues, jazz and the voice of the underdog STORY AND PHOTOS BY WILL BRIDGES

A

kindhearted Murfreesboro attorney, Ken Burger, has recently started a nonprofit radio station, WQJZ-LP on 103.9, broadcasting jazz and blues within approximately a 20-mile radius of Burger’s law firm on the Murfreesboro Public Square. Not only is the station pumping out the blues and jazz standards, but also community outreach and public service. As Burger puts it, “we try to be the voice of the underdog.”

THE FUTURE

BEHIND THE MIC Ken Burger, the man behind the microphone, is a 71-year-old attorney, seasoned broadcaster and Vietnam War veteran. In his younger days he was heavily involved in broadcasting many of the artists we now consider classic: B.B. King, James Brown, Fats Domino, Pat Boone and Jerry Lee Lewis. He found himself deeply intrigued and concerned with the state of the nation and its civil rights during the Vietnam War. Growing up as a white male during 16 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

Local events are great for keeping the Murfreesboro area involved, but Burger seeks to provide a true service for the community.

He believes that there is an oversaturation of country music, religious broadcasting and sports, and that there is a need to provide a public venue for the people. Through his experience as an attorney he has seen many instances in which individuals would be released from jail, only to return to those who fostered their incarceration. There are nonprofit organizations designed to arm those freshly released from jail with the tools and information to help them from returning to that lifestyle, and the lack of awareness about these life-changing resources for criminals, Burger feels, is a crime in itself. That is where Burger comes in. “Our real fundamental purpose isn’t to give people B.B. King and Sérgio Mendes, which is a good thing. It is in between the music. Any public service organization that wants to put on a program or an advertisement should contact us.”

this period, his knowledge and exposure to African-American culture was limited. He would describe his family’s views on African Americans as “benign racism,” a term which stuck out to me during my interview with-

uhim. His family always taught that people were basically the same, but he saw no call to action or need to point out the atrocities.

His only concrete experience with AfricanAmerican culture was what he heard during

Gearing up for Memorial Day, and the 43rd anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, WQJZ-LP will be doing a series of features discussing the experiences of veterans who served, as well as historical segments from the period. Expect interviews and testimonials from veterans as well as discussions about the civil-rights climate of the time. As Ken says, “You can’t talk about the Vietnam War without talking about civil rights. You can’t talk about civil rights without talking about issues of racism. You can’t talk about issues of racism without talking about music. . . .”

Tune into WQJZ-LP on 103.9 FM.

NASHVILLE BOOGIE WEEKENDER AND CAR SHOW RETURNS MAY 24–27

MUSIC NOTE

The Nashville Boogie Weekender is an annual celebration of mid-century American style, culture and music held over four days at three venues.

The weekend-long festival, held from Thursday, May 24, through Sunday, May 27 at The Gaylord Opryland Hotel will bring in thousands of music enthusiasts from all over the world to explore the festival’s vintage car show, Western fashion show, vintage vendor market, pinup contest, record convention and, of course, the rockabilly-driven live music. Attendees can find dealers from all over the world selling everything from clothing to records in the President’s Ballroom on May 25 and 26 from 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Free parking in the Opry Mills Mall parking lot next door to the convention center will be available.

Attendees will not want to miss Saturday’s Hot Rod Boogie Outdoor Car Show, held behind the Nashville Palace, less than a mile from the Gaylord. This vintage car show is free to the public and open to all ages. In THE PALADINS addition to the plethora of vintage American hot rods, the car show will also feature dealers from all across the country showing wares including vintage car parts, memorabilia, records and more.

Authentic, live mid-century American music is one of the event’s largest draws, and the performances are spread from Thursday through Sunday on stages at both the Nashville Palace and the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. The weekend’s lineup includes 43 acts including fan favorites The Paladins, Deke Dickerson, The Planet Rockers and an appearance from influential late ’70s/early ’80s neo-rockabilly band The Polecats (featuring noted guitarist Boz Boorer, longtime right-hand man for iconic British singer-songwriter Morrissey).

For more information and to secure tickets, visit nashvilleboogie.com.

— JOHNATHAN PUSHKAR

Living

Mia Huell and her fellow Oakland High School students constructed a garden at the school.

BUILDING COMMUNITY

S

ince the advent of the Industrial Age our agricultural heritage has slowly been going by the wayside, as fewer families have personal gardens at their residences, and farming is done at an increasingly larger scale. However, there has been a movement taking place

across America to get back to our farming roots at the individual level and become more in tune with our food. This shift has local community garden efforts growing.

Ken Dalton, who heads the garden ministry and manages the facilities maintenance

“I will be able to come back two or three years later and (the garden will) not just be there, but be bigger and better than what I started,” Mia shares. “It’s for the community.”

One garden at a time

BY JESSICA BARROLL for Parkway Baptist Church in Smyrna, oversees the church community garden where members of the church garden in their own plots and also for the Smyrna Food Bank and The Journey Home Ministry in Murfreesboro. Set on 20 acres of land that was once a working farm, Parkway Baptist has dedicated about three acres to church members who work not only in their own 30-by-15-foot plot but also come over to work in the ministry garden, where produce is grown for the outreach program.

Dalton says, “We want to reach out to the people in the community. . . . This is not the only ministry that we have that helps folks; but this is just one way that we can do it.”

OAKLAND HIGH COMMUNITY GARDEN

Oakland High School senior Mia Huell also wants to reach out to the local community.

As part of her International Baccalaureate program, in which she had to develop and implement a project that would affect her community, Huell decided in her junior year to create a community garden at Oakland. All of Huell’s IB teachers have proved helpful in assisting her with carrying out her vision, but she credits Mrs. Clark and Mrs. Tucker as being the most influential.

Huell’s idea began when she learned about food deserts in America where many don’t have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. This idea has since expanded to the point where she would like to see her program be more inclusive of other schools. The community garden at Oakland High School already has the help of two departments, the IB department and the Special Education Department, where her brother assists in their community garden.

18 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

MURFREESBORO COMMUNITY GARDEN

Autumn Shultz, president of the Murfreesboro Community Garden, is also trying to make a difference in her own corner of the world. The Murfreesboro Community Garden is located at Key Memorial United Methodist Church where the church has allowed the organization to use some land and water. Wanting to grow her own garden with her husband and daughter but limited by her housing, Shultz started researching ways of gardening in the community in 2011. The nonprofit organization has grown exponentially since its small beginnings in 2013. Though they have an actual garden plot, growing produce is no longer the main focus. Now, educating the community about gardening has become a focus. With other members of the board, Shultz goes to schools and summer camps educating children about their food.

“Usually the best reactions we get are from the children because they have no idea . . . So their reactions are pretty precious,” Shulz says. “We love for people to get involved and stay involved. Obviously we love all of our volunteers who stop by for just a day but we’re always looking for people to join the cause and be part of it for the long run, and it doesn’t require that they come every Saturday. It’s not a huge commitment.

It’s just getting involved with us for a few Saturdays and maybe see if there’s some other way that you can help the organization other than just showing up and working.”

To learn more about Oakland High School community garden, contact Mia Huell at mia2014.h@outlook.com. For more about Murfreesboro Community Garden, visit facebook.com/mborogarden or call 615-497-5936. For more about Parkway Baptist Church visit pbcsmyrna.org.

Living Farmers Market Education Series

BY EDWINA SHANNON

 Queen Anne’s Lace and Poison Hemlock 

Herbs, Trees and Poisonous Hemlock YAY! IT IS TIME TO PLANT my favorite vegetables and add to the herbs already underway. I find it so easy to oversow and overbuy plants for the garden. As you are setting your garden out, be cautious of the productive size of the plants that you are adding. How far apart should they be? How far apart are the rows? Or, are you using square foot gardening and expecting to rotate the plants through the growing cycles?

The size element applies to both your yard and garden choices. Every variety has recorded width and height dimensions to expect from healthy growth. Respect the dimensions as they are there to assist in your choice of a plant. Use the Smart Yard metric of the right plant in the right place. It will minimize your work and keep a happy plant and a landscape that is in proportion to your home.

One of the big, ongoing mistakes is to trim trees down to a smaller size. Don’t! The tree topping idea is an eyesore and weakens the trees. It is not endorsed or recommended by landscape professionals. If you want a smaller tree, choose a smaller tree. If you are looking for productive foundation plantings, consider herbs or small fruit bushes like blueberries. There is no hard and fast rule that states you can only plant evergreen bushes as foundation plantings. Think broader and put the growing space to a productive use.

There are cultivars of blueberries that grow several feet tall and stay several feet tall. They have a pretty flower and then gift 20 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

you or the local wildlife with berries. Mix together several different types of blueberries for the best production.

Another consideration is to plant some herb plants that grow two to three feet tall.

Both English and French lavender, rosemary, lovage, artemesias and scented geraniums need to be considered for this purpose in your yard. I have noticed several shopping centers that have planted rosemary plants that grow to two-foot-tall bushes. They smell delicious. In deciding which herb to plant, consider the growing conditions including light, soil and watering needs. Choose a plant that fits into the area’s conditions.

The herbal foliage may be stiff, leafy, soft and feathery or succulent. Expect the purpose of any herbal plant to be multi-functional: culinary, medicinal, decorative and functional.

Dried flower heads can easily be added to floral arrangements. I have sprayed dried stalks and dried flower heads for decorative effects with seasonal or room-appropriate paint.

Perennial herbs that are used in cooking will often have the latin word “officinalis” in their latin names. Essential oils can be extracted from herbs. Leaves, stems, roots and flowers can have culinary uses. If you decide to dry the leaves, try to gather them before the plant blooms. As a rule of thumb, flavor is strongest before the bloom. I try to be as simple as possible with herb drying. If the part to be dried has a long stem, I will often braid the freshly picked stems together and

tie them off with colored string or an elastic.

My lavender stems and rosemary branches get treated with this technique. Keep the air flowing freely around the cuttings as they dry. I have also used a dehydrator for the culinary leaves. Quick, easy, done.

There are traditional herbalists and many resources on the uses of herbs for your health. Many of our prescription drugs are based on the old ways of herbal use with tinctures and potions. Herbs are drugs when used medicinally, so caution and prudence need be respected. Any such use should be guided by a professional. It is most important to mention the similarities and subtle differences between some herbs. As foraging through fields and woods becomes more popular or as the wild space in your yard gets gifted with wind and bird droppings, the subtleties in plant differences become more important. To drive this point further, consider the delicate, white flowers found on the wispy wild carrot and the hemlock plants.

Yes, poisonous hemlock looks like wild carrot, also known as Queen Anne’s lace.

For the scholars among us, hemlock was the poison that killed Socrates thousands of years ago and it is still a poison. Wow, scary thought, especially for foragers. Know your plants! Raven’s Roots Naturalist School offers the following tips on simplemost.com: Poison hemlock stems are hairless with dark purple spots, while Queen Anne’s lace has hairy stems and no purple.

Queen Anne’s lace has three-pronged bracts at the base of the flowers, while poison hemlock does not.

The flowers on both plants are white, and bloom in an umbrella-shaped pattern, but Queen Anne’s lace flowers are flat on top and usually have a single purplish/red flower at the center. Poison hemlock flowers are more rounded, with no colorful flower.

While both have leaves that are fern-like, Queen Anne’s lace’s leaves will have hairs on the undersides. The leaves of poison hemlock are not hairy.

When dying, Queen Anne’s lace flowers

will fold up like a bird’s nest, while hemlock will not fold up, but will turn brown.

Note the smell—if it smells like a carrot, you’ve got Queen Anne’s lace. If it smells musty, it is possibly hemlock.

Details. Life and death are in the details.

Rutherford Farmer’s Market Classes for May The Rutherford County Farmers’ Market Opens on May 11 at Lane Agri-Park Community Center, 315 John Rice Blvd. in Murfreesboro. The market is indoors and open from 7 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays and Fridays. It is a producer-only market. Free educational classes for the local gardener are offered by UT Extension at 9 a.m. on both days of the market. Classes last about one hour and are presented by professionals and Master Gardeners. A wide range of topics are offered. Many of the classes are recorded and can be viewed at the RC Farmers Market YouTube channel.

MAY 11 Rabbits 101: Kim Hall, Extension Agent

MAY 15 Rain Gardens: Kate Peay, Rutherford County Planning & Engineering

MAY 18 Less to Do Lawncare: Mitchell Mote, Extension Agent

MAY 22 Native Plants: Richard Lee, Certified Master Gardener

MAY 25 How Much of This Do I Use? (pesticides or herbicides): Mitchell Mote, Extension Agent

MAY 29 Gardening with Kids: Barbara Davenport, Extension Agent

JUNE 1 Grow Container Vegetables: Jack Smith, Certified Master Gardener

JUNE 5 Concrete Garden Art: Deena Trimble, Certified Master Gardener

BOROPULSE.COM

* MAY 2018 * 21

Living

BE PREPARED

Boy Scouts encourage teamwork, adventure, good citizenship in Murfreesboro and many other communities. BY BRACKEN MAYO

Scout Law: A Scout is Trustworthy Loyal Helpful Friendly Courteous Kind Obedient Cheerful Thrifty Brave Clean Reverent

T

he Trail of Tears District of the Middle Tennessee Council of Boy Scouts of America held its Friends of Scouting luncheon in April, where it recognized the 2018 Rutherford County Good Scout award recipient, raised funds to support area Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, heard from a 3-star Army general and otherwise celebrated causes core to the Boy Scout mission.

Lt. Gen. Keith Huber, who serves as the senior advisor for veteran and leadership initiative at MTSU, spoke at the event, and reminded those in attendance of the importance of the Boy Scout motto: Be prepared.

“Life is a team sport,” Huber said.

“Do you prepare yourself for the privilege of interacting with people?”

The very decorated 3-star general with 38 years of experience in the U.S. Army displayed a sash from his Boy Scout days in the 1960s. Even with all of his medals and accolades, he says he still hangs onto the Boy Scout sash to this day, and is still proud of all of the Scout badges that he earned.

“The concept of developing and leading teams is something I learned as an Eagle Scout,” Gen. Huber said, holding up a copy of the Boy Scout Field Book. “I used this to prepare myself for West Point, to prepare myself for the Army, to prepare myself for training to become a Green Beret.”

The event served both as a fundraising drive for area Boy Scouts—a notable group of community business leaders gathered to support the Scouting program financially, pledging over $103,000 in a single day to help the district continue to operate—and as an opportunity to recognize the 2018 Rutherford County Good Scout Award recipient, Mike Warren.

Warren has been involved in Scouting for 64 years, serving as Scoutmaster for Troop 398 since 1996. He earned his Eagle Scout rank in 1959 with his troop in Birmingham,

22 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

Alabama. Today, he assists young men in the Trail of Tears district become Eagle Scouts, and has proudly helped 92 boys (and counting) earn their Eagle Scout rank.

“Character can’t be taught, it has to be caught,” Warren said, as he accepted the award. Warren and many other Scout volunteers dedicate a lot of their time and energy toward the pursuit of building character in young people. In Middle Tennessee, over 18,000 youth participate in Boy Scouts. Contained within Rutherford and Cannon counties, known as the Trail of Tears District, are 33 Cub Scout Packs and 22 Boy Scout Troops. In 2017, the two counties combined produced 44 Eagle Scouts.

“I know of no organization on the planet that does a better job of developing character and leadership,” said event chair Steve Dix. Austen Smith, just one of the thousands of young men who was profoundly affected by Boy Scouts, shared his “Story of Scouting,” recounting many great scouting memories, such as participating in the Pinewood Derby, sleeping overnight in Cumberland Caverns and attending camp, among other experiences.

“These are things that will stay with me my whole life and I will never forget,” Smith said.

He also has positive things to say about his High Adventures experiences, including staying on a deserted island in the Florida Keys and later hiking nearly 80 miles in New Mexico.

“Scouting helps with academics, citizenship, leadership,” Smith said. “The values are just as important today as they were in 1910.”

A former Scout volunteer, John Harney, told the attendees of the significant changes in kids’ lives that Scouting had a role in.

“I’ve seen what it’s done for communities,” Harney said of the Boy Scouts organization. “I’ve seen what it’s done for my family.”

For more information on the local Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, visit mtcbsa.org.

Art

 POETRY  EXHIBIT

BY KORY WELLS

LISA DORDAL, CHANCE CHAMBERS TO READ AT NEXT POETRY IN THE BORO EVENT MAY 16 AS MORE LOCAL WRITERS

MURFREESBORO ART LEAGUE REOPENS RENOVATED CANNONSBURGH GALLERY THE MURFREESBORO ART LEAGUE has recently renovated its building at Cannonsburgh Village, and held a grand reopening event in April.

The gallery will remain open 10 a.m.–4 p.m. on Saturdays, 1–4 p.m. on Sundays, and 7–9 p.m. on Mondays. Art League volunteers say to stay tuned for more information on exhibits and on a community plein air painting event in October. Cannonsburgh Village is located at 312 S. Front St. Founded by a local group of artists and chartered in 1976, the Murfreesboro Art League is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop and maintain a vibrant artistic environment in the community. The Murfreesboro Art League offers classes in many disciplines for artists of all levels.

For more information on the Murfreesboro Art League, find Murfreesboro Art League on Facebook or visit murfreesboroartleague.blogspot.com.

Clockwise from top: “Orange Envy”

by Phyllis Razo; “A Little Dissonance”

by Suzanne LeBeau; painting by Mark Jackson; soldier by Kylee Harrison

take their turn at the Poetry in the Boro open mic, many are beginning to wonder how to get started publishing poems. One resource that I recommend is the website authorspublish.com, particularly its guide Submit, Publish, Repeat. This book covers the basics of submitting, how to find both print and online journals that may be a good fit for your work, how to know when your work is ready to submit, and much more. It’s a free download if you register for the site’s email newsletter, or you can buy and download it from Amazon.

This month, Poetry in the Boro returns to Murfreesboro Little Theatre on Wednesday, May 16, a departure from the group’s usual second Sunday events. Featured poets are CHANCE CHAMBERS and Lisa Dordal.

A longtime Nashville resident and contributor to many efforts in the local poetry community, Chambers has published poetry in numerous journals and as part of a public artworks project funded by the Bonnaroo Works Fund and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Dordal is the author of Mosaic of the Dark, recently published by Black Lawrence Press, and teaches in the English Department at Vanderbilt University. She is the recipient of an Academy of American Poets University Prize and the Robert Watson Poetry Prize, among many other distinctions.

Doors open and open mic sign-ups begin at 6:30 p.m. Featured poets start at 7 p.m., and an hour of open mic follows.

Find full details on the Poetry in the Boro Facebook page.

MORE LOCAL POETRY NEWS: If you haven’t noticed, the poetry section at the Murfreesboro Barnes & Noble has recently expanded again. New selections include a number of area poets, including Amie Whittemore, Bryanna Licciardi and Kerri French, whose book Every Room in the Body is a finalist for the First Horizon Award honoring superior work by debut authors. B&N also has on its shelves

24 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

the Tennessee volume of The Southern Poetry Anthology and The Khristos Cantos, a retelling of Christ’s crucifixion by former Methodist minister and storyteller Michael Williams of Nashville. Williams, a recent featured reader at Poetry in the Boro, unexpectedly passed away in late March.

Murfreesboro poet Aaron Shapiro will be one of the featured readers at Lyrical Brew, a monthly event at the Barnes & Noble at Vanderbilt, 2501 West End Ave. in Nashville, on Friday, May 25, at 7 p.m.

Here’s a poem by Lisa Dordal which appears in her book Mosaic of the Dark and first appeared in the journal Public Pool..

To Say Something Is Alive Is Not Enough

BY LISA DORDAL Because everything is in motion: bone, ivory, shell. And blood doesn’t hold on to anything but itself. Because there are worlds within worlds—geometries of ant and whale, girl and boy.

And some infinities are larger than other infinities. Because iron filings can reveal invisible lines of force.

And my mother’s last words were: help me. Because my father loved Lincoln’s general—the one who drinks and still wins the War—and the past is a fine skin that does not protect.

And I did not know that loss could be so ordinary: my mother reaching into a cupboard for a glass, saying take something, anything.

And I don’t know if memory is a place or a map of the place.

Only that I did not come this time to find her. And I never did ask what war.

Kory Wells is principal founder of Poetry in the Boro and the inaugural Poet Laureate of Murfreesboro. Contact her at korywells@gmail.com.

 THEATER

 CALL FOR ARTISTS

LITTLE THEATRE CONTINUES BACKYARD BARD SERIES THIS MAY WITH TWELFTH NIGHT

AMERICAN LEGION POST 88 ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR SEEKS ARTISTS

ALL HANDS ON DECK, SEA DOGS AND LANDLUBBERS ALIKE! Murfreesboro Little Theatre sets sail its eighth annual production of Backyard Bard with the comically impossible Twelfth Night, a story of mistaken identity, unrequited love and unmitigated hilarity.

Set on the high seas, the weather starts getting rough, and twins Viola and Sebastian are thrown overboard in waters teeming with black-hearted pirates and overzealous lovers. To survive, they will need to keep PHOTO BY BASHING BAGPIPES PHOTOGRAPHY their own lusty passions and wits about them. In love’s waters, it’s sink, swim or get eaten alive.

In its eighth season, MLT’s Backyard Bard is dedicated to keeping the works of Shakespeare alive, one production at a time. Produced annually each May, the event is presented free to the public and performed on the log cabin lawn. Bring your favorite lounge chair, picnic basket or purchase refreshments in plenty; and you can do your part to keep Shakespeare alive in our community, one donation at a time.

Directed by Shane Lowery, the cast features Jessica Theiss, Ciara Richards, Christopher Wagner, Phil Mote, Kevin Compton, Jamie Leigh Stevens, Jacob Truax, Ryan Leyhue, Jeremiah Sanchez, Jennifer Grissom-Reeves, Dalton Reeves, Lee Allen, Ben Hornsby, Alec Lanter, Selah Lowery, Emma Hawkins, Joseph Stanley, Alyssa Brangenberg, Emily Lanter, Stephen Burnette and Patti-Long Lee. Twelfth Night hits the high seas May 11 and runs three weekends beginning at 7 p.m. (and if it rains, the ship stays docked!).

Founded in 1962, Murfreesboro Little Theatre is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that performs at the historic log cabin located at 702 Ewing Blvd. For more information, visit mltarts.com.

CRAFTERS AND CRAFT SHOPPERS ALIKE—at-ten-SHUN! Line up for the inaugural Spring Arts & Crafts Fair, Saturday, June 9, hosted

by Nashville area veterans at the American Legion Post 88 in Donelson. From 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., enjoy unique, handmade shopping options, live music and food vendors, with free admission and parking.

Area crafters and artists can still reserve a shaded 10-by-10 space, fronting busy Elm Hill Pike, for $25.

Proceeds from the event will help with the considerable costs of operating Tennessee’s largest American Legion post, which offers live entertainment seven nights a week and a ready support community for military vets. Numerous other fundraisers throughout the year generate funds for service projects that benefit veterans and the community at large—as though our vets haven’t already done enough for us.

Support the Middle Tennessee veteran community and get involved with this community art fair.

For information on registering and securing booth space, call Clark Causey at 615-977-3389, or email ckcausey29@tds.net.

Food ’Boro Bites and Brews Craft Beer and Food Truck Fest Set for June 2

T

he Business Education Partnership Foundation (BEP) will hold its third annual ’Boro Bites and Brews festival on Saturday, June 2, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Murfreesboro Medical Clinic. In addition to craft beers, the event will feature live music, food trucks and other vendors.

Sponsored by Stones River Total Beverages and Murfreesboro Medical Clinic, ’Boro Bites and Brews will feature a vast array of beer flavors and varieties from local home brewers, commercial craft breweries, microbrewery startups and distilleries, including Smackdab Brewing, Panther Creek, Mos Alesley Brewing, Mid-State Brewsters, Vitruvian Artisan Ales, Garr’s Beer Company, Devil’s Backbone, Clayton James Tennessee Whiskey, Big Machine Vodka, Chattanooga Whiskey, Stolen

26 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

Rum, Tennessee Brew Works, Goodwood Brewing Company, Blackstone Brewing Company and special selections from Stones River Total Beverages.

“The Mid-State Brew Crew is proud to provide our homemade wares to the people of Murfreesboro to assist in raising funds that go toward the Business Education

Partnership,” said Adrian Oldham, a representative from the Mid-State Brew Crew, a local home brewers’ association.

Bands performing at ’Boro Bites and Brews include The Garden of Eden and No Name Blues; production will be provided

by Kirkwood Productions.

Proceeds from ’Boro Bites and Brews will support BEP’s programs that prepare students for the workforce by connecting classroom lessons to careers. BEP is well known in the community for its tuition-free summer career exploration camps for students.

“BEP’s mission to help connect the businesses in Rutherford County with the students is something that I believe in.

Their mission to help students to begin to explore the types of jobs that exist for them upon graduation and teaching the skills that are valuable in the business world are a great asset to both the students and the community,” Stones River Total Beverages owner Charlie Patel said.

The ’Boro Bites and Brews festival will be held outdoors at Murfreesboro Medical Clinic.

“MMC is honored to act as a sponsor and host for the ’Boro, Bites & Brews event,” Murfreesboro Medical Clinic CEO Joseph A. Peay said. “We strive to direct our involvement towards programs that better the quality of life for those in our community, and the BEP is an organization that closely aligns with that mission.”

In addition to Stones River Total Beverages and Murfreesboro Medical Clinic, ’Boro Bites and Brews sponsors include VIP Murfreesboro Magazine, the Murfreesboro Pulse, Holston Gases Inc., and the Rutherford County Convention and Visitors Bureau. For more information on sponsorship opportunities and benefits, visit borobitesandbrews.com/sponsor.

The brewer and vendor registration deadline is May 15 . To participate, visit borobitesandbrews.com/vendors.

General admission tickets are $35 in advance, and $40 at the door. Designated driver tickets are $15. The event is 21 and up. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit borobitesandbrews.com, or call 615-278-2012.

The Business Education Partnership (BEP) is an education nonprofit based at the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, serving students, teachers, schoole counselors and administrators in Rutherford County. To support or to learn more about the Business Education Partnership, call Amelia Bozeman at 615-278-2008 or email abozeman@rutherfordchamber.org.

Food

Read more about local restaurants at

BoroPulse.com/Category/Food

Beef & Beer Jack Brown’s serves creative burgers and a wide selection of brews on Murfreesboro Square

THE DISH

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BRACKEN MAYO

L

ocated in a relatively small restaurant space on Maple Street right on the Murfreesboro Public Square, Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint emphasizes specialization.

The eatery, one of 10 Jack Brown’s across the Southeast, serves burgers and beer, and not much else, but what it does, it does very well.

“If you like beef or beer, you’re going to love this place,” said Murfreesboro Jack Brown’s Beer Buyer John Hamdan-Lillig.

He says the establishment keeps about 110 different varieties of beer in the house at any given time. And according to the people of Murfreesboro, the wagyu burgers are some of the best in town.

If you do not like burgers or beer, Jack Brown’s may not be your favorite place; the only other items included on the menu are fries, sweet potato fries, a grilled cheese and fried Oreos. Jack Brown’s has its identity and niche, and it owns it.

Wagyu beef is “a cross between Kobe and Angus,” according to Cam Franklin, Jack Brown’s kitchen manager. “It’s very tender, very marbled.”

Jack Brown’s obtains its beef from Snake River Farms in Idaho, and these very tasty patties can be topped with ingredients such 28 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

NAME: Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint

as chili verde, egg, spinach dip, peanut butter, jalapeño jelly or other items, depending on which specialty burger the diner chooses, and on what day of the week it is.

The Danny Laruso, topped with cream cheese and jalapeño jelly, won the 2017 Battle of the Burgers held at the Avenue.

Franklin says he sees a lot of orders come through for the Danny Laruso, and this, along with the Greg Brady (topped with mac and cheese and barbecue potato chips) and the Cowboy (which includes bacon, cheese and barbecue sauce), may be the most popular burger selections ordered at the Murfreesboro location.

Other combinations include a burger topped with a hot dog, pickled jalapeños and cheese; and another with peanut butter, mayo, bacon and cheese, known as the Elvis.

Jack Brown’s offers these burgers every day, but on each day of the week the restaurant promotes a special combination.

On Tuesdays, try the J.J. Caprese, which includes mozzarella, basil, tomato and a balsamic glaze. The Popeye, topped with spinach-artichoke dip, pepper jack cheese and fried onions, is the Wednesday daily special. Sunday’s offering switches the tra-

LOCATION:

113 N. Maple St. PHONE: 615-962-9641 HOURS: Open everyday

11 a.m.–2 a.m.

PRICES: Specialty burgers:

$8.49; Fries: $2.25; Fried Oreo: $1 ONLINE:

jackbrownsjoint.com

ditional bun for a glazed doughnut, with the burger topped with bacon, egg and cheese.

Chris Bilbro says his favorite is the Shocker, which includes a very bold, hot blend of fresh jalapeños, fresh habaneros, pepper jack cheese and “shocker sauce.”

“It was extra spicy today,” he said after a recent quick midweek lunch with an employee.

Each table in Jack Brown’s holds an assortment of condiments, seasonings and hot sauces, and the restaurant serves a secret sauce containing mayo, chili and garlic with its crinkle fries. The staff makes this sauce, along with the chili verde, spinach dip and many other toppings used, right in the store.

The interior of the establishment offers a smattering of things to look at in every direction: stickers, posters, photos, beer merch and a large swordfish (that has impaled a few beer cans) among them.

Jack Brown’s employee Brandy Henry created a unique piece of art based on Pink Floyd’s legendary Dark Side of the Moon album cover using different colored bottle caps, and this piece is given a prominent piece of wall-front property.

Looking up, one may wonder why there are so many bras hanging on a ceiling fan.

According to Hamdan-Lillig, all Jack Brown’s locations encourage community members to leave bras throughout the year at the restaurant. Each October the value of all of the bras is tallied up and then doubled, and the main office writes a check for breast cancer awareness and research based on number of bras collected. Charitable contributions, having fun, and community involvement are all central to the Jack Brown’s mission, Hamdan-Lillig said.

Tennessee Brew Works donates to the

MUST-TRY BEERS AT JACK BROWN’S John Hamdan-Lillig selected a few of his suggestions on the Jack Brown’s beer menu to offer a little guidance to those who may want to try something new, but are unsure of where to start.

1 HAP & HARRY’S

TENNESSEE LAGER Hamdan-Lillig calls this offering from Nashville-based Hap & Harry’s “a good football-watching beer.” “When people want a lager and they don’t know what they want, I grab a Hap & Harry’s. It’s a beer nobody wants to deny,” he says.

2

WISEACRE ANANDA IPA  This brew from Wiseacre out of Memphis “pairs very well with the fried Oreos,” according to the beer buyer.

“It’s a sweeter IPA, in my opinion.

It pulls away from some of the more earthy, hoppy flavors of some IPAs,” Hamdan-Lillig tells a guest.

3 ROGUE HAZELNUT

BROWN NECTAR “It’s a dessert beer even though it’s brown; browns usually have more of a dry flavor.” Hamdan-Lillig describes the Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar as having “a pecan pie kind of feel.”

4 WISEACRE GOTTA

GET UP TO GET DOWN  From Memphis brewery Wiseacre, this is the perfect beverage for someone who loves both coffee and beer. “That pure, mocha, dark feel sets it off so well.”

Tennessee State Park Conservancy with each case of its State Park Blonde sold, and TW Pitchers’, another brand available at Jack Brown’s, donates to Rally, a national childhood cancer organization.

Other local nonprofit partnerships are in the works, Hamdan-Lillig said.

Every Wednesday, Jack Brown’s, in collaboration with a different brewery each week, hosts its Steal-a-Pint event from 6–8 p.m. Those who order the featured pint on draft at this event get to keep their pint glass. Additionally, each Monday at 7 p.m. is trivia night at Jack Brown’s.

About the only complaints about Jack Brown’s are that, for $9 a pop with no side, the burgers are on the smaller side. Also, the restaurant itself is also not very large, and diners may have trouble find a seat during peak times in the space that holds about 60 people.

While the Jack Brown’s burgers are not the largest in town, the beef is high-quality and very flavorful, and depending one which burger you order the toppings can be quite filling—even a medium-sized burger topped with bacon, egg and cheese should supply ample calories, particularly when consumed with a cold beer or two. Those who insist on a big-man’s portion can add a second patty to their burger for an additional $3.50.

Some diners appreciate the fact that the Jack Brown’s burgers are not some big monster thing, and that even with potentially sloppy toppings like spinach dip or egg the burgers are not incredibly messy to wield. Plus, the toasted buns hold up well.

The large beer selection is a source of pride for the Jack Brown’s team, and the Murfreesboro location offers a handful of drafts, such as the 90 Minute IPA from Dogfish Head and the Tripel Star Belgianstyle from Tennessee Brew Works, along with many, many different varieties.

The bottled beer selection includes about a dozen different IPAs, half a dozen ciders, “a few more pilsners and lagers, some wheats . . .” Hamdan-Lillig said. And he is happy to recommend a beer pairing for any customer’s burger.

With the Cowboy he suggests a Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale; the Danny Laruso calls for a Kona Big Wave Golden Ale or a Napa Smith Pilsner. HamdanLillig recommends a lighter lager to accompany the Greg Brady, or something sweet like an Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout or Wiseacre’s Gotta Get Up to Get Down Coffee Milk Stout with the Sunday burger on a glazed doughnut.

For those who want to try all of the beers, customers who order 100 different beers at Jack Brown’s can join the Notch Club, which entitles them to receive a special club shirt plus the chance for trips with other Notch Club members.

In fact, on May 12, Jack Brown’s Notch Club will embark on a Nashville excursion to visit Yazoo and Tailgate breweries.

With the original Jack Brown’s opening in Harrisburg, Virginia, less than a decade ago, the brand franchised and expanded fairly rapidly, with other Tennessee locations found in Nashville and Chattanooga; the company aims to have 10 more restaurants open by 2020.

RECIPE

BY CHANTELL KENNEDY-SHEHAN

SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE! With warmer weather comes all the farmers’ market produce, barbecues and late nights. Personally, I cannot wait! May happens to be National Barbecue Month. In honor of the un-official start to summer, Memorial Day, I am sharing a favorite from a former job. It is light and fresh and full of barbecue flavor!

BARBECUE CHICKEN SALAD INGREDIENTS: 8 ounces diced or pulled, grilled chicken breast (approx. 1 large or 2 small chicken breasts) ¼ cup shredded carrots 1 celery stalk, finely diced 2 green onions, sliced 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro ¼ cup crispy crumbled bacon Juice of half a lemon 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons sour cream 3–4 tablespoons barbecue sauce 1 teaspoon barbecue seasoning ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional) Salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: TOSS all ingredients until well mixed.

Adjust seasoning as desired.

TO SERVE: You have options.

Top a bed of mixed greens with halved cherry tomatoes, a sprinkle of cheddar cheese, a scoop of chicken salad and enjoy! Or serve as a sandwich on toasted sourdough bread with lettuce and sliced tomato.

TIP: The chicken salad is best made with leftover grilled barbecue chicken, but can easily be made anytime with rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store.

Chantell is the chef and owner of Simply Pure Sweets, located on Walnut Street in downtown Murfreesboro. Stop for coffee, lunch or a sweet treat. Great tasting food doesn’t need to be complicated, so keep it simple and enjoy!

Movies

REVIEWS

I understood that there was nothing out there except death. This film definitely captures lightning in a bottle with its premise and screenplay, but it’s just about as good as any a suspenseful thriller we’ve seen in recent years.

The film features a small (and great)

cast, and utilizes a claustrophobic set design and cinematography to add to the tension. Sure, there are some cheap scares scattered here and there, and the final 30 seconds of the film felt a little silly to me (though they do set up a pretty cool sequel that’s already in the works), but the journey to those final moments is a blast.

Of course, the sound design was amazing, to the point that I’m almost rooting for this film to get a bit of love come 2018 Oscar season. The sound design had to be good to sell this, and they knocked it out of the park.

The characters are a bit shallow since they can’t talk much, but that complaint is really splitting hairs. At the end of the day, A Quiet Place really innovates within a genre that desperately needs it, and I hope it makes a bajillion dollars, because we need more studio films to take risks like it does.

What do you have for us next, Jim . . . I mean, John? (You’ll always be Jim Halpert in my heart, and I love you for it.)

— JOSEPH KATHMANN

assured and strong, if not romance obsessed, woman who acts more adult than her mom, played by the lovely Leslie Mann.

Her friends, however, are a little less assured about going through with “it.”

Gideon Adlon struggles with coming out to her friends and dealing with her absent father, played by the amusing Ike Barenholtz. But the best and

worst parts of the film that should have been called The Prom Pact come from the father-daughter pairing of John Cena and Geraldine Viswanathan.

While John Cena has proven his comedy chops in other films playing up his tough-guy persona, his sensitive coach/dad character doesn’t match his Schwarzenegger physique. Conversely, Geraldine Viswanathan steals the show as his tomboy daughter with her confident quips and infectious, if ill-advised, teenage lust for life.

The rooster on the poster of Blockers not-so-subtly hints at the crude and lewd title the filmmakers wish they could have used, a shocking moniker meant to allude to the outrageous quality of the film itself.

Instead, the film is left with a half-title, a non-word (outside of the NFL) that perfectly, if accidentally, captures the quality of this half-good film.

— JAY SPIGHT

A QUIET PLACE DIRECTOR John Krasinski STARRING John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Leon Russom RATED PG-13

I love this movie! Director (and lead) John Krasinski (known for his role as Jim Halpert in the television show The Office) takes a simple idea—monsters that can hunt by sound—and executes it so well.

I appreciate when silence is effectively used in a film, so it was inevitable that I would like a film whose premise is exactly that. But, man! Seeing this in a full room was amazing—a packed theater, and yet you could still hear a pin drop.

For those wondering, A Quiet Place is not a scary film, but man, is it tense. Krasinski and company make the great choice to re-

veal the monsters right off the bat enough so we understand their unrivaled dominance over man, which makes the setting of the film, a farm, feel earned. Never once was I clamoring to see what was out past the intimate setting, like I was in It Comes At Night or the first Purge film, because

BLOCKERS DIRECTOR Kay Cannon STARRING Kathryn Newton, Leslie Mann, John Cena RATED R

The terribly titled film Blockers is pretty much exactly what it looks like. With production credits going to Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, this Apatow-esque adult comedy hits all the touchstones: gross-out gags, hit-and-miss improvised lines, and a pinch of true human pathos. The problem lies in the glut of forgettable films attempting to recreate the huge success of Judd Apatow’s early breakouts, with Blockers landing squarely in the mediocre middle of this large category of comedies.

The film that should have been called Overprotective casts a slew of charming and likeable actors to play three parents to three teenage daughters. When the teens make a pact to lose their virginity on prom night, the nosy parents find out and make a pact

to “block” this from happening. While the movie that should have been called Bad Parents acknowledges the overall creepiness and hypocrisy of this scenario, it’s mostly used as a foundation for scenes in which John Cena, Leslie Mann and Ike Barinholtz find themselves in butt-chugging and ballgrabbing hijinks while stalking their smart, capable and independent daughters.

Hollywood’s daughter du jour Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies, Three Billboards . . .) plays the “leader of the pact,” a self-

A CLASSIC

OUTSTANDING

AVERAGE

BELOW AVERAGE

AVOID AT ALL COSTS

BOROPULSE.COM

DEAD

* MAY 2018 * 31

LIVING ROOM CINEMA column by NORBERT THIEMANN

facebook.com/livingroomcinema

Westerns With Cars

If you grew up watching traditional Westerns set in the 1800s, you might feel more grown up when you discover some 20th-century versions.

 Hud (1963) is directed by Matt Ritt. Paul Newman and Patricia Neal give command performances in Hud. The title character is an entitled rancher’s son. He is a bombastic alcoholic who pushes the boundaries of everyone in his presence. Despite past and present tragedies, the hope is that Hud will recover from his personal demons.  The Misfits (1961) is directed

by John Huston. Arthur Miller wrote the screenplay for his bride, Marilyn Monroe. It would be her last film, and also the last for Clark Gable, who died shortly thereafter. Montgomery Clift, Thelma Ritter and Eli Wallach also give great performances. A woman at a crossroads in her life finds adventure in the company of some ruffian cowboys. She bears witness to the cruelty and brutality that occur when men try to dominate nature.  The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) is directed by John Huston. Set in the mid 1920s, two treasure seekers solicit the help of an old prospector while they are in Mexico. Trust becomes of paramount importance to them while they confront heat, greed and those who would take their hard-earned treasure.

32 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

OPENING IN MAY

PLAYING THIS MONTH

MAY 4  Overboard Bad Samaritan

MAY 11  Terminal Higher Power Life of the Party

MAY 18  Deadpool 2 Book Club

MAY 25  Solo: A Star Wars Story Mary Shelley Future World

 RECOMMENDED READING “This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America. Within the U.S., you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.” — books.google.com

ECCE DEUS

Essays on The Life and Doctrine of Jesus Christ

BY JOSEPH PARKER (1867)

Chapter 4: The Inauguration

T

he measure of consciousness is the measure of life.

The life of intelligent beings is not merely a question of years; lapse of time may not increase vitality; life is to be measured by the sensitiveness and enlightenment of consciousness, so that over-consciousness may be one meaning of precocity or prematurity of manhood. The first public intimation of consciousness of his great position on the part of Christ, if we accept the answer which he made to his mother, is found in immediate connection with his baptism. When John remonstrated with him, saying, “I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?” he answered, “Suffer it to be so now.” There is here clearly personal consciousness of his identity as the long-announced Man who was to be at once Son and Lord of humankind. At that moment he knew himself. The fire which had been in him from the beginning shot up into a bright flame, which John saw, and which all who were afar off were to see. Up to that time, in all probability, Christ was not fully conscious of his Messiahship. The poor frail flesh which he had inherited from a depraved race could not have borne the presence of full consciousness for thirty years: when it did come, it consumed him in as many months. He had but three years of avowed battle. Such a man could never do his work with indifference. Every moment was a strain upon his life. No man ever gave so much to time, or ever exacted so much in return. To assume full consciousness on the part of Christ during the years of his obscurity seems to separate him too widely from man by reducing his humanity to a minimum; but to assume that he “grew” in consciousness as he “grew in favor with God and man,” is to bring him into close fellowship with the weakest of his followers. We cannot afford to contract in the least degree the amplitude of Christ’s manhood; it is upon that side particularly that he belongs 34 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

to us; it is as the ladder reading unto heaven whereby men may ascend. By so much as he was human he was limited, during his obscurity, in consciousness; by so much as he was divine, his full consciousness overbore his humanity. All men who have done any notable work in the world have felt the consciousness of its importance, as a fire in the bones. They could not languidly dream of it, nor contemplate it from a hazy and mellowing distance. They have hasted unto the battle; they have said, “I am straitened until it be accomplished.” Such a consciousness makes men die young. It carries the soul into an agony of passion. It drives the blood along the channels with an urgency which greatly distresses nature, and strains the intellectual nerve until the brain sees strange lights and often trembles for its own safety.

Only men of strong natures know what is meant by this lavish expenditure of life—this willingness to taste death for every man.

Common life supplies the example of consciousness in the matter of mutual affection.

Wisely and mercifully this has been made a matter of growth. Human nature would be altogether overdriven did this consciousness set in fully during the period of education and discipline. From the general kindness and simplicity of childhood we advance until the heart begins to individualize its sentiments, to concentrate its energies; byand-by there seems to be but one life in all the world, and then begins the consuming passion of perfect love. Human lives grow

gradually up to this. To so great a passion they must have come by wisely graduated degrees, or it would have rent and destroyed them. Still, all through there has been a consciousness of love, and in all the simple trust and generosity of young affection there have been hints of a great possibility, which only time and circumstances could develop.

And this full love means, if need be, sacrifice, cross, death! All love is ready for the thorns, and prepared for the slaughter; only by so much as it is so ready is it worthy of the name of love. It may not be driven so far along the line as these things lie, but these things do lie in the line of pure, self-obvious affection. Man is never so near the cross as when he is in the highest mood of love. To misanthropy, to all narrow-heartedness and self-worship, the cross must be the sum of all horrors; they stand on different planes, they speak languages mutually unknown: but the cross is the very next thing to love; there is but a step between them!

This may illustrate in some degree the growth of consciousness in Jesus Christ.

The three years of his heart-consuming ministry were backed by thirty years of quiet and thoughtful life. In such backing lies the strength of all great workers. Nothing consumes like love; how soon, then, must he be consumed who did nothing but love! The brevity of his life must have some meaning. Three years as reckoned by human tables are but a span; there must have been in those three years a fire which burned fiercely, and made them unlike any other three years in all human history.

This view of Christ’s consciousness detracts in no degree from Christ’s deity; rather it throws into bolder and more peculiar relief the elements which contradistinguished him from all others, while it retains him amongst us as the Man Christ Jesus. The horizon seems gradually but surely to have widened, until he who “came to his own” saw “all men coming to him,” and he who was “lifted up” drew all nations to his cross. This might have been, would have been, too much for the youth in his humble home at Nazareth. All was getting in readiness for the drove that was to mark the opening of the new era. There was to be a descent upon him—a special point

“The world’s Savior must have come through the world’s great throng of hearts; he had come through Moses, the minstrels, the prophets, and on his way he now takes up this transient dispensation of the ‘voice.’

Thus Christ publicly identified himself with the current of divine purposes as shown in human history.”

of concurrence which was to signalize the quickening of perfect consciousness. It is to that concurrent pint that we have now to look.

Christ passed, so to speak, through two gates, the one strait, the other straiter, respectively named Baptism and Temptation.

The inaugural processes are characterized by the same mystery that has overshadowed us all along. They are congruous with all that we have seen in the foretelling of his birth. The duality remains without wrench or flaw. There is an upward, there is also a downward side. There had been, to us suddenly and must inexplicably, a brief dispensation interposed between Christ and his work—a dispensation embodied in one man, and that man as little like Christ as the thunderstorm is like the calm which it precedes. Other dispensations had been long, this was brief: other prophets spake, but saw not; this prophet baptized the very man of whom he prophesied. Never did divine processes seem to hurry upon one another so urgently as about this time; for from the Inauguration to the Ascension but three summers shone! The movement of events never faltered for a moment. Jesus Christ, as he had been the burn of other dispensations, was to be the burden of this.

He was to find his name on all other pages, and now it was to be written on this rugged leaf which tells the story of the “voice crying in the wilderness.” Men are valuable to us as teachers in proportion as they represent a great compass of history. When the aroma of all lands floats from their robes, and the accents of all languages blend in their speech, they have a right to speak with authority.

The world’s Savior must have come through the world’s great throng of hearts; he had come through Moses, the minstrels, the prophets, and on his way he now takes up this transient dispensation of the “voice.”

Thus Christ publicly identified himself with the current of divine purposes as shown in human history. He worked with man as well as for man, and was thus the contemporary of all ages. Men should study the divine idea of each age, and become intelligent co-workers with God. Christ’s example shows that obedience to the divine spirit of the time ever brings fuller disclosures and attestations of the divine blessing. The heavens are opened to every obedient man, and the Spirit of God descends on the last as on the first. John’s baptism had gone no farther than repentance; but Christ, standing with the dove resting upon him, showed that there was a baptism unto holiness. By John’s baptism men were put into a right relation to the past; but as they followed Christ they were put into a right relation to the future; CONTINUED ON PAGE 45

 BOOKS

Murfreesboro Comic Shops, Library Prepare for Free Comic Book Day

BY RYAN MILLER

O

n Saturday, May 5, local comic book shops and bookstores will celebrate Free Comic Book Day, an annual event open to comic readers old and new. Popular publishers like Marvel, DC and Dark Horse, along with independent publishers including IDW, Titan, Dynamite, ONI, Image and BOOM will offer an exclusive selection of Free Comic Book Day-themed books.

SOME MURFREESBORO FCBD FESTIVITIES:

movies I can get a hold of. Other branches participate too,” says Garrett Crowell, Linebaugh Library supervisory associate and volunteer coordinator.

BOOKS-A-MILLION

Cromwell says he’s most excited for Avengers, Brian K. Vaughan’s Barrier, Doctor Who, Berlin, Tank Girl and The Amazing Spider-Man, which ties into both Infinity War and the Infinity Watch crossover.

“FCBD allows us to partner with Diamond Comic Store as a co-sponsor, increases numbers and money as more people get through doors, improves community relations and increases literacy foot traffic,” Crowell said.

(at Stones River Mall) 1720 Old Fort Pkwy.

HOURS: 9 a.m.–10 p.m.

WHAT TO EXPECT: “We can use this giveaway event as an opportunity to guide new readers into the right titles, writers, artists and publishers that appeal to them

OUTER LIMITS BORO

3863 Franklin Road HOURS: 10 a.m.–8 p.m.

1244 NW Broad St. HOURS: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Co-owner Patrick Zambrano, who opened the store about a year and a half ago with his brother Nick, says he expects a large crowd in the shop.

Store owner Chuck Cagle expects somewhere between 350 to 400 people.

Avengers #1 (which previews a new series), Power Rangers, books by independent publishers.

ABOUT THE SHOP:

“My brother and I have always shared a passion for comics and toys,” Zambrano says. “We are truly a small, family-run business. We specialize in current comics, Funko POPs, Key comics and have a large selection of back-stock comics.”

LINEBAUGH LIBRARY 105 W. Vine St. HOURS: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Over at the Linebaugh Library, the staff expects somewhere between 350 to 400 people for Free Comic Book Day festivities. “We give away free prizes, check out graphic novels and show whatever superhero

has been open for 13 years and specializes in comics and games.

WHAT THEY’RE EXCITED FOR:

Z’S COMIC LAIR

WHAT THEY’RE EXCITED FOR:

ABOUT THE SHOP: Grand Adventures

specifically,” says Books-A-Million spokesperson Diane Johnson.

WHAT THEY’RE EXCITED FOR:

Overwatch/Black Hammer, Invader Zim and Legend of Korra ABOUT THE BOOKSTORE:

Though Books-A-Million focuses on books, the store also sells things like electronics, board games, toys, records and DVDs. For more on Free Comic Book Day, head to freecomicbookday.com.

WHAT THEY’RE EXCITED FOR:

“We’re excited for both Marvel and DC,” Cagle says. “Some independents look pretty nice.”

ABOUT THE SHOP:

“FCBD is always the biggest day of the year. It gets our name out to the community,” Cagle says. He adds, “We opened 20 years ago, and I’ve had it for the last 12 years. We specialize in vintage and current comics, toys and games.”

GRAND ADVENTURES COMICS 1103 NW Broad St. HOURS: 10 a.m.–9 p.m.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

“We’re expecting 500–600 people on FCBD. (The event) helps with community involvement, people knowing it’s here (and brings) a huge influx of people at the store,” says Grand Adventures sales associate Patrick Cruz.

BOROPULSE.COM

* MAY 2018 * 35

News

BY ELIZABETH TULLOS

Tennessee Legislative Session Wrap-Up

TNReady, Emissions Testing, Seven-Day Sales Now that state legislators have concluded session, many are off to the campaign trail. Here’s a quick look at some of the issues taken up during the second half of the 110th Tennessee General Assembly.

SEVEN-DAY SALES Despite the availability of wine in Tennessee grocery stores, consumers were unable to purchase it on Sundays, the busiest day for grocery stores. Less than two years after the original wine in grocery stores legislation took effect, Sen. Bill Ketron of Murfreesboro and Rep. Gerald McCormick of Chattanooga sponsored the legislation. The seven-day sales bill passed, permitting wine to be sold during the same hours that beer is sold. Independent alcohol retailers are now permitted to open their doors on Sundays in Tennessee, though grocery stores will have wait until after a transition period.

EMISSIONS TESTING To the delight of many residents in Rutherford, Davidson, Hamilton, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson counties, Sen. Bo Watson of Hixson and Rep. Mike Carter of Hamilton sponsored House Bill 1782 this year to eliminate emissions testing burdens on citizens. Emissions testing was originally implemented as a measure to help some of Tennessee’s most populous counties achieve a “clean air status” in compliance with the Clean Air Act. Last year, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation reported that all of Tennessee’s 95 counties had achieved “clean air status.” The language of the bill states that it will not take effect until federal regulators weigh in.

TNREADY ACCOUNTABILITY Various districts encountered numerous technical difficulties in the administration of standardized testing in Tennessee, known as TNReady, this year. Prior to this year’s TNReady testing window, Tennessee education officials began the transition towards online testing, rather than paper tests. Of 600,000 students taking the test this year, approximately half were expected to use the computer platform for the state assessment.

During the first day of testing, however, students using the computer test were largely unable to progress past the login screen, 36 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

while others’ computers froze. On the second day of the three-week testing window, students were unable to login to the testing platform or submit their answers.

On the final day of legislative session, April 25, 2018, Senate Bill 0578 was passed with an amendment that states no adverse action may be taken against students, teachers, schools or local education agencies based on the 2017-2018 TNReady data.

The previous week, legislators voted to allow local boards of education to determine what percentage, if any, up to 15 percent the scores may count towards students’ final grades and that no hiring, firing or salary decisions for teachers will be based on data from the TNReady tests.

LEGISLATURE HONORS HERO IN WAFFLE HOUSE SHOOTING Senate Joint Resolution 978, a motion which honored and recognized James Shaw Jr., who ended the deadly shooting in Antioch last month, will be recognized for his “courageous acts [and] nobility of character.” Shaw was greeted with thunderous applause on the floors of the House and Senate.

MONUMENT TO UNBORN On the final day of the legislative session, Rep. Jerry Sexton’s House Bill 2381, a plan setting in motion a Tennessee Monument to Unborn Children, passed both chambers. The monument is a place of memorial for children of abortion and miscarriages. The bill indicates that the memorial will be placed on the capitol grounds and prohibits the use of state funds for the erection of the monument.

MEMPHIS BICENTENNIAL FUNDS During the fiscal year 2018–19 state budget discussions, a heated debate arose after Rep. Matthew Hill of Jonesborough and Rep. Steve McDaniel of Parker’s Crossroads sought an amendment to the $37.5 billion budget. The last-minute amendment stripped Memphis of $250,000 previously earmarked to match funds for the city’s bicentennial celebration next year. Legislators removed the funds in retaliation to the city’s decision to sell two parks to a nonprofit in order to remove statues of Nathan Bedford Forrest and Jefferson Davis last year, circumventing the Heritage Protection Act.

BOROPULSE.COM

* MAY 2018 * 37

AROUND TOWN ’BORO BUSINESS BUZZ

CoreLife, Buttermilk Sky, Hernandez Mexican Deli, The Gathering at Milton, Uncle Bud’s, Peter D’s, Borderlines

Walls-Balakhani said the Smyrna staple had to temporarily close because management could not find staff.

Walls-Balakhani said “dependable, trainable people are hard to find.” The main problem is a lack of qualified kitchen staff to make the restaurant’s recipes from scratch.

Local chef Alex Belew has been forced to “slow open” his new venture DALLAS & JANE because he can’t find servers. The restaurant is now holding small seatings for tapas and cocktails on Monday through Thursday evenings to train staff, but Belew has been reluctant to set an opening date for his full-scale restaurant. For updates, visit facebook.com/dallasandjane.

BY MICHELLE WILLARD BREAD AND BUTTER SANDWICH CO. opened May 1 on Mercury Boulevard near the Waffle House. According to its Facebook page, the restaurant “is committed to creating inspired, chef-driven meals that are handcrafted and are to be enjoyed between two slices of bread. We pride ourselves on using the finest ingredients from local merchants and treasured recipes.”

CORELIFE EATERY, an active lifestyle restaurant offering a variety of greens, grains and broth-based dishes, has officially made its way to the Volunteer State.

CoreLife opened its first Tennessee loca-

CORE LIFE EATERY

tion April 27 at 2330 Medical Center Pkwy, Suite E in Murfreesboro. CoreLife Eatery brings together scratch cooking with flavorful source ingredients for a healthy and affordable eating alternative.

If you’re looking for something a little less healthy (but equally delectable), a new des-

sert place is set for Fountains at Gateway.

BUTTERMILK SKY PIE SHOP offers delicious scratch-made pies in four- and nineinch sizes from a 1,200-square-foot bakery.

Traditional pies like Southern buttermilk, chocolate chess, coconut cream and key lime, along with branded varieties including Granny’s Apple Pie, and I-40 Pecan, are served year-round. Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop offers delicious pies and other handmade desserts in a unique, warm, environment. No opening date has been announced with only a teasing “coming soon” on buttermilkskypie.com.

A new PAPA JOHN’S PIZZA opened in late April at 3138 S. Church St. This brings delivery pizza to southern Rutherford County.

AL RAYAN has expanded its back-of-store food offerings to a full restaurant. If you like hummus, do yourself a favor and get some along with pita that’s baked onsite. The restaurant is located at 1107 Memorial Blvd.

After Sub Stop announced the restaurant’s closing in March, the Vine Street building has been repainted and transformed into HERNANDEZ MEXICAN DELI. The new concept serves coffee, breakfast and lunch. The deli will be Mexican-themed and serve authentic cuisine.

THE METRO DINER, a Florida-based restaurant, is proposed for the new multitenant commercial development on the west side of North Thompson Lane near Medical Center Parkway. Find more about Metro Diner at metrodiner.com.

LABOR SHORTAGE HURTS TWO RESTAURANTS In mid-April, OMNI HUT owner Polly 38 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

NOT EVERYTHING IS A RESTAURANT ORANGETHEORY FITNESS will finally celebrate the grand opening of its first Murfreesboro location on Thursday, May 3.

The new studio will be located in The Avenue, 2615 Medical Center Pkwy., in between Old Navy and Belk. The Murfreesboro Orangetheory Fitness is the second location owned by franchisees Scott and Meghan Littlejohn, who also own the Franklin location.

According to a press release, the heart-rate monitored, high-intensity workout is scientifically designed to keep heart rates in a target zone that spikes metabolism and increases energy, allowing clients to continue burning calories for 36 hours following the workout.

Find more on Orangetheory Fitness Murfreesboro at murfreesboro.orangetheoryfitness.com.

A new kids fashion store, BORDERLINES, has opened at 1715 S. Rutherford Blvd. in Murfreesboro. According to the store’s Facebook page, it offers “trendy yet affordable clothing and accessories for toddlers to tweens.”

The former home to Manuel’s Cajun Country Store in Milton has new owners Phillip and Alanna Vaught. The Auburntown residents “are very passionate about repairing/restoring the building which was built around 1900,” they posted on Facebook. They’ve decided to call it THE GATHERING AT MILTON and, by what they’ve posted so far, it seems to be a rentable venue for, you guessed it, gatherings.

ROCKET SHIRTS has a new location.

Murfreesboro’s fastest T-shirt maker can now be found at 141 MTCS Rd., Ste. B, next door to Just Love Coffee and behind ReevesSain Pharmacy.

THE RAIN TREE SALON & DAY SPA also plans to relocate. The salon will move to a 5,000-square-foot space at the old Hastings building on Memorial Boulevard alongside Climb Murfreesboro.

THE EXPERIENCE COMMUNITY bought the historic factory that has been its home since 2009, according to records from the Rutherford County Register of Deeds. Built in 1926, ECC paid $7.5 million in March for the 91,000-square-foot historic factory and its 8.5 acres at 521 Old Salem Rd. in Murfreesboro on March 7. According to Property Assessor records, the building and land were last appraised for $5.4 million. The building once housed Buser Ribbon Mill, which produced nylon cords for Vietnam War paratroopers.

CATFISH NEWS Rumor has it that UNCLE BUD’S is returning to town. The original owners of the Franklin location (yes, the one with the lake) have gained ownership again, and plan to bring Bud’s locally beloved catfish, chicken and such back to the ’Boro. The old Jazzmatazz building (and Santa Fe before that) off Old Fort Parkway will bring the catfish back in about three months.

TAG’Z 5 STAR MEATS has a new set of owners. Mike Taglio launched his ministry of meat in 2000 and, as of May 2018, he handed it off to Trent and Denise Malone.

“We would like to thank you all for your support the past 17 ½ years,” Taglio said in a recent social media post. “We have often said ‘we have the best customers, who have become like family to us.’ We will miss you all, but feel it’s time we start on a new journey.”

CLOSING CORNER PETER D’S AMERICAN SOUTHERN BISTRO officially closed on April 18 and transitioned into a catering business. The four-year-old restaurant had no intention of closing until McAlister’s Deli recently proposed a leasing offer, owner Peter Demos said in a press release. The Demos’ Family of Restaurants is choosing to focus on their newest restaurant concept, PDK Southern Kitchen & Pantry.

The fast-casual restaurant will open its first location in June in Bellevue, and its second location in Mt. Juliet later this year. PDK’s menu was inspired by Peter D’s cuisine and will offer fan favorites such as hot chicken, D’s Reuben, and shrimp and grits. The casual eatery will also showcase an open pantry where local causes and social entrepreneurs will offer specialty products and gifts.

Opinion

SPIRITUAL

MATTERS

morning” (Lamentations 3:23).

Each new day is the perpetual promise of new beginnings. It is a new opportunity to turn the disappointments of our lives in a new direction. We can all identify with the failures of life—bad decisions, broken relationships, unfortunate circumstances. But God gives us a continual opportunity to start life fresh every day and put the past in our past. He is the God of new beginnings, the God of new life, the God of forgiveness. He is the God who covers our yesterdays with His grace. And, He is the God who graciously covers our tomorrows with every new dawn He gives us. Every sunrise beckons us: “Turn your life away from yourself and to your Maker who loves you.”

We see this imagery of dawning throughout the Bible. The first recorded words spoken

by God are “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3), and with those words, our world dawned into existence. As we walk through Scripture, God brings new redemptive purposes into His world, and the revelations of those purposes are depicted as the coming of a new day.

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you (Isaiah 60:1).

This imagery of the dawn not only symbolizes new beginnings for us personally, it symbolizes a new beginning for the brokenness of God’s creation. The bliss of the Garden of Eden crumbled in the hands of Adam. But we are given the promise that at the dawning of the age to come creation itself will be made new. Peter says we await the arrival of a “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

Such promises of new beginning are given to us every morning in the rising sun. Scripture speaks of how, “The sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness” (Luke 1:78). It also speaks of a day coming when the “sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings” (Malachi 4:2) These are “new creation” pictures. God speaks of a rising sun because it is His way of telling us He is bringing a wonderful, perfect newness into this fallen, dark world.

That day will be the most beautiful dawn in all creation. It will be a day that will never be overtaken by night again. It will be the day when God lifts the curse from this earth. And as the hymn writer says: No more will sin and sorrow grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He’ll come and make the blessings flow. Far as the curse was found There is a dawn coming that will usher perfect beauty into this creation again. But currently, this world is less than beautiful. And

BY RICK MALONE

The Dawning of a New Day THE PROPHET ISAIAH TELLS US: “The people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light, and those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death, upon them a light dawned.”

There is something very special about the dawn. The sun seems to climb over the horizon with open arms, inviting us to share in the wonderful opportunities of a new day.

40 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

Every dawn puts the things of yesterday in the past and allows us to begin afresh. The Bible uses this imagery of the dawn to communicate the reality of new beginnings. The psalmist teaches us that each new day should be a source of rejoicing, for it is a “day that the Lord has made; and we should rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalms 118:24). And Jeremiah tells us that the mercies of the Lord, “are new every

like this world, we are less than beautiful. We live in the same darkness as creation, and we struggle in that darkness. Sin is a reality to us.

But the God of new beginnings begins a work of grace in the midst of our darkness. The Apostle Paul tells us that the same God who said “let light shine out of darkness” has shone in our hearts. God opens a new day to us as He brings us into a new life in Jesus. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17). God has dawned a new life in our darkness. And along with all creation, when the dawn of the “age to come” arrives, we will come into the fullness of what we were always meant to be. On that day, God will make us, and this world, beautiful again, with a beauty we cannot now even imagine.

We look forward to that day in great anticipation! For on that day we will see the fullness of God’s light as the noonday sun. And though we anxiously wait for what we cannot now fully see, our current lives are not to be wasted in idleness waiting for a better life. We are to live our lives, even now, in the light of that future day, for it is already alive in us if the grace of God has dawned in our hearts and we have become new creations in Christ.

Therefore, we are to now see our lives as a journey in which God is remaking us in His image. We are to see ourselves as new creations that God is in the process of making new. And we are to understand that God uses the remainder of our lives in that molding process, which can sometimes be painful.

This reality of new creation should cause us to see others in this world as valuable humans, created for the same purpose that we were created for, to live for the glory of our Creator and Redeemer. We are not to be judgmental toward any, but rather display the grace of Christ for all to see—the grace that is found in His death and resurrection, as He took our death upon Himself and provided for us His life in return. And we are to participate in bringing the life and light of that newness into the darkness of this world.

There is another dawn mentioned in Scripture. It was early in the morning on the first day of the week that the women went to the empty tomb. This morning was, in a very real sense, the first dawn of new creation. Jesus had died. The fullness of God’s redeeming forgiveness was poured out into the darkness of this earth. And when Jesus rose from the dead on that morning, the first glimmering rays of the light of the “life to come” pierced the canvas of this world. That light was the beginning of all things being made new: “For behold, I make all things new” (Revelations 21:5).

Opinion

I

Once Again, Someone With History of Mental Instability Commits a Mass Shooting

t’s almost like a broken record. Man shoots up school, or Waffle House, or fill-inthe-blank, and we immediately launch into a debate about guns. Obviously if the police were carrying guns when they finally apprehended this monster, then guns aren’t the problem. Crazy is the problem.

Once again, there were alarm bells going off all around this guy who shot up the Waffle

VIEWS OF A

CONSERVATIVE

PHIL VALENTINE

philvalentine.com

House in Antioch. He was previously arrested for trespassing after he went to the White House and insisted on taking a meeting with the president. There are reports that he threatened people with his gun. Finally, the sheriff ’s deputies pay him a visit at his father’s crane company and take away his guns and his gun permit. They leave the guns in

JAMES SHAW JR.

the custody of his father with strict instructions not to give them back to his son. What does this idiot do? He gives the guns back to his son, even after he, himself, had alerted the police that his son thought he was being stalked by Taylor Swift and was suicidal.

They say you can’t fix stupid and that may be true, but you can sure put stupid in jail.

I’m not a lawyer, but I can’t imagine how this father is not charged with accessory to murder. He’s like the guy behind the wheel in the getaway car at the bank robbery. Something goes wrong and somebody’s killed and this driver is going to be charged with murder.

Nashville’s acting mayor was immediately on Twitter after the Waffle House killings calling for a ban on “military weapons.” It may very well be that the shooter’s “military weapon” jammed on him, giving James Shaw Jr. the split-second opportunity to wrest the gun away from him.

Had he used the pistol that was in his possession instead, such an opportunity may never have presented itself.

And what a juxtaposition between James Shaw and David “Camera” Hogg down in Florida. Shaw truly is a survivor of a mass shooting. Camera Hogg has exploited the tragedy to get his face on every network multiple times. Shaw has shunned the spotlight and says he doesn’t want this event to define his life. Camera Hogg has turned the Parkland tragedy into a traveling oneman show about him. James Shaw, on the other hand, has started a fundraiser for the

victims because he believes that’s where the focus should be.

The focus on solutions should be on the mentally ill. I’ve written previously in this space about how much things changed after the 1975 Supreme Court ruling. However, we’re missing the main point of that ruling.

They said you can’t lock up the mentally ill against their will unless they’re a danger to themselves or others. I would think taking away someone’s guns indicates they’re a danger to themselves or others.

Why was this guy not committed?

Think about that. If he’d been committed as he should’ve been then four people would be alive and this guy could be getting the treatment he needs. Too late for all of that now.

I would urge every single person reading this column to get off the sidelines and start reporting dangerous people. I’m not talking about Trump supporters or Hillary supporters or NRA members, as some fear will happen. I’m talking about people who are obviously unbalanced and are doing or saying things that would make them a danger to themselves or others.

I’m not talking about locking up everybody who thinks Taylor Swift is stalking them. But they sure don’t need to own guns.

“I would think taking away someone’s guns indicates they’re a danger to themselves or others. Why was this guy not committed?”

42 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

Phil Valentine is an author and nationally syndicated radio talk show host with Westwood One. For more of his commentary and articles, visit philvalentine.com.

Live Exceptionally...Well!

BY JENNIFER DURAND

Be a Witness TO BEHOLD THE AUTHENTICITY of another

in a moment of pure witnessing is as rare as it is profound. You are probably familiar with the term “being fully present” or “live in the now.” My favorite meaning of those terms is to be aware of exactly where you are and what you are doing at any given time. Don’t think about having to pick up food for your dinner party while you’re at your child’s soccer game. Really be a part of the activity by listening to the sounds of cheering, running, coaching, watching expressions on the faces of the players.

This will help you to be more present. Being a true witness goes a little beyond just being present. To be a true witness you must be present in silence and observation only. Have the ability to take in all that you are watching or listening to, without responding in any way.

A few excerpts from Webster’s definition of witness include: 1. To see, hear or know by personal presence and perception. 2. A person who is present at an occurrence, especially one who is a able to attest as to what took place 3. beholder, observer, looker, viewer, watcher.

The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply. How often do you find yourself listening to someone talk and you interject commentary or nod approval or disapproval of what they are talking about? Perhaps you feel you need to make a comment in order to assure them that you are really listening.

Or worse, you pretend to listen and nod politely, while your mind is adrift with your own thoughts.

What if, however, you simply witnessed completely? No noises, sounds, responses, just listen. Just observe. Look. Behold. Take it all in. Whether you find it boring, interesting, exciting, detailed, repetitious or notice the use of improper grammar— what could you learn about an individual beyond what they are saying? We are so quick to want to make some sort of statement or verbal noise that we may actually miss a point or overlook a pause or subtle body language that could be so important to what is being shared. What knowledge or qualities could you detect in another simply by witnessing fully? What kind of an impact could

you have on another by giving such complete, unconditional and undivided attention?

Try this experiment: find a friend, family member, coworker or a stranger. Let them know you’d like them to speak while you simply listen. Have them pick a topic or choose something simple like “describe an apple in 60 seconds.” Once they begin, just look at them without expression. Do not make any facial movements, sounds or use any body language.

Your sole mission is to listen and take in what is being said. Once the time is up, notice what it felt like to do this. Did you pay attention more fully? Did you pick up on any mannerisms or details in the person?

Did you find yourself being distracted by other things or thoughts? If you did, were you able to go back to just listening/witnessing?

Ask them what it felt like to be witnessed in such a manner. What did they notice about sharing and having it received in this way? Did it feel awkward or was it supportive? Did they internally keep waiting for you to react in some way?

Now, in addition, repeat back to them what they shared with you or anything you may have noticed during this exchange. Try this practice of engaged witnessing the next time someone says “hey, I need to talk to you about something.” Pay attention and notice, notice, notice. The art of listening and witnessing can be developed. You may find yourself more in tune with those around you. You may also experience a greater sense of calm.

Sometimes we need someone to simply be there. Not to fix anything, or to do anything in particular, but just to let us feel that we are cared for and supported.

— healthyplace.com

“How often do you find yourself listening to someone talk and you interject commentary? . . .

What if, however, you simply witnessed completely?

No noises, sounds, responses, just listen.

Just observe.”

Jennifer Durand is owner and operator of The Nurture Nook Day Spa & Gift Shoppe; she is a certified QiGong and Breathe Empowerment, a skin care and makeup specialist, an InterPlay leader licensed in massage therapy, body work and somatic integration. Let her help you find your personal “ahh . . .” factor by calling (615) 896-7110 or visiting nurturenook.com or facebook.com/nurturenookdayspa.

BOROPULSE.COM

* MAY 2018 * 43

Opinion ARE THE RECORDS OF LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS EXPUNGED, OR NOT, AFTER OPERATION CANDY CRUSH CBD BUST? The

STOCKARD REPORT

BY SAM STOCKARD IT’S A TECHNICALITY that is a harbinger of things to come.

The District Attorney General’s office recently asked Circuit Court Judge Royce Taylor to vacate orders expunging the records of store owners arrested in Operation Candy Crush, the ill-advised bust of some 20 people for allegedly selling pot-laced cannabidiol items that turned out to be hemp-based.

Less than two weeks after the businesses were raided and padlocked, DA Jennings Jones reJONES versed course when it became clear the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation could not confirm the items came from illicit weed. Jones said all charges were being dropped and records expunged.

ZIMMERMAN But Assistant DA John Zimmermann, who prosecuted the case, wound up filing a motion with Judge Taylor notifying him the State Attorney General’s office advised that the court doesn’t have the jurisdiction to order criminal records expungements without the defendant filing the petition.

It sounds sort of mundane. But what it really means is those people who were busted, had the cash registers seized, stores padlocked and businesses more or less done in for weeks need access to all of the records involved in the operation against them.

And why do they need them? So they can sue.

What wound up happening is the judge 44 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

had to reverse the orders against those business owners to allow them to file their own petitions so they could obtain records and then file for expungement, which clears them of these criminal charges.

Attorneys have been mum about the matter, which most attorneys are before taking legal action. They have several more months to file, but don’t be surprised to see a spate of federal lawsuits filed against Rutherford County authorities before next February rolls around.

In their zeal to send a message to area businesses about selling what they thought was pot, local authorities could put the county on the hook for millions in legal settlements.

Experts say marijuana is a billion-dollar industry, but I think they mean consumers are spending the money, not taxpayers.

This is a shame, considering an internal investigation found that sheriff ’s detectives tried to stop the investigation but got overruled.

BEER AND WINE CAN FLOW AFTER ALL

Just when it looked as if MTSU’s hopes were dashed for selling alcoholic beverages at campus sporting events, state lawmakers found a way to get it done.

The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Frank Nicely, a Republican from Strawberry Plains in East Tennessee, and amended by state Sen. Bill Ketron of Murfreesboro to meet the needs of our local normal college. And in the House, Rep. Rick Staples, a Knoxville Democrat, carried the (beer) bucket for MTSU and Tennessee State University to be able to see booze (no liquor) at campus ball games.

The measure barely made it by in the House, receiving the 50 votes necessary for passage but fared much better in the Senate, getting 25 votes and only four against.

MTSU officials have been pushing hard for the chance to sell beer and wine, hoping it will give them another draw for fans and a chance to bring in some more money.

As Nicely pointed out, they’ll probably be charging about $12 a beer at games (maybe not quite that much), so he doesn’t expect fans to be killing themselves for a beer. Plus, people who have access to an open-air box or skybox at football games already can have as much booze as they want. And there’s plenty of beer poured by tailgaters before and after games.

For basketball and baseball games, though, it could be a major attraction. Seriously, what’s better than having a hot dog and beer at a baseball game or grabbing a cold one and watching Kermit Davis yell at his players and the refs. Oops, I almost forgot, Kermit is gone to Ole Miss. We’ll miss him but wish the best for the new kid in town, Nick McDevitt.

Anyway, when you’re having a cold one at a ball game, tip your hat to Frank Nicely and Rick Staples. They need all the love they can get. Meanwhile, Rutherford’s House delegation hardly lifted a finger.

YEARS IN THE MAKING

The race between Circuit Court Clerk Melissa Harrell and Robin Gentry stretched back nearly four years when Harrell won election over Laura Bohling, Gentry’s former boss in the clerk’s office.

Harrell took office even though she was still the owner of AAAA Bonding Co., which, technically, was probably illegal because the clerk is charged with overseeing bonding companies and is not allowed, under state law, to have a direct or indirect interest in a bonding company.

Nevertheless, Harrell was sworn in Sept.

1, 2014, even as Democratic candidate Avent

“It was her job to make sure I got those records under the Tennessee Open Records Act. But this caused a good deal of friction between Harrell and Gentry. And I was caught somewhere in there, which was probably a violation of sorts of the state’s Open Records Act.”

Lane tried to challenge the matter because of her bonding company ownership. AAAA Bonding also had about $30,000 in outstanding bonds on two men who fled the country after being charged with selling drug-laced brownies on the way to Bonnaroo.

With all of that swirling and DA Jennings Jones seeking to stop Harrell from having an interest in AAAA Bonding, I had to check on bonding company records with the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office. Guess who was in charge of those records at the time: Robin Gentry.

It was her job to make sure I got those records under the Tennessee Open Records Act. But this caused a good deal of friction between Harrell and Gentry. And I was caught somewhere in there, which was probably a violation of sorts of the state’s Open Records Act. Even though I opted to let things cool off for a while, Harrell fired Gentry anyway. Ultimately, Gentry sued the county and won a lawsuit settlement of about $90,000 and a job in another county department.

Here we are four years later, and whoever won the HARRELL Republican primary on May 1, that’s the back story.

Harrell also sat on her hands as AAAA Bonding continued operating—after she divested herself—even though it didn’t have a business GENTRY license.

AAAA Bonding was administratively dissolved in August 2016 by the Secretary of State, and in November 2017, Circuit Court Judges David Bragg and Royce Taylor suspended its license, because it had been writing bonds after being dissolved, court records show.

The company received a new state business license and started writing bonds March 23 with court approval.

Harrell has declined to say whether she knew if AAAA Bonding was writing bonds without a license.

Sam Stockard can be reached at sstockard44@gmail.com.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 from the negative condition of repentance they had passed to the affirmative attitude of holiness. This is the culmination of human history. We have come through man, servant, prophet, messenger, up to Son. The very nomenclature is pregnant with sublime morel significance; we pass from “made” to “begotten,” from “upright” to “beloved” from the “us” of creating Trinity to the “my” of the benignant Father, from the “very good” of the first Adam to the “well-pleased” of the second.

John’s baptism looked towards repentance, why then should Jesus Christ undergo it? To prove his human nature, his vital connection on his mother’s side with the whole human state, and to supersede it by fulfillment. The world could be taught only gradually; it needed “water” before “fire,” the bodily lustration before the spiritual fervor. The dispensations have all worked from the outward to the inward, from the body to the soul; but Christ inverted this method, and established the only really spiritual dispensation. Did Christ, then, need to repent? No more than he needed to pray, or to do any religious exercise that men do. In so far as he was human, it became him to adopt the duties of each dispensation.

The place of baptism in the Christian system is one of great simplicity. Men like—indeed require—something objective. They cannot at one bound attain that which is purely spiritual. Ceremonies and all ordinances, great or small, are only accommodations to human weakness. Men require something to fall back upon. Even a recollection may come up in the soul with all the gracious power of inspiration: the simple fact that we have done something, or that something has been done for us, may save us from despair, and incite us to do more.

Many a soul that has sunk from God in higher things has been stayed in its sinking by coming against the fact of its baptism in its downward course. It was well, therefore, as an accommodation to human weakness, to conjoin baptism with faith in framing the evangelical commission. if any man wishes to undergo the “baptism unto repentance,” it may be a question how for he is at liberty to take a backward step in dispensations.

Baptism provides for the lower and coarser part of human nature. It associates in a very natural way fact with faith—something done, with something yet to be done—and thus is made a help to us. To make anything more important of it would be to abet the theological charlatanry which has kept back many souls from the kingdom of God. •

Opinion Higher Thoughts for Everyday Living MIDDLE TENNESSEE HYPNOTIST, PHILOSOPHER AND MOTIVATOR M.C. Radford encourages everyone to think positively and live life with a healthy, optimistic attitude. Here, he shares more points from his book Higher Thoughts for Everyday Living, suggesting that readers meditate on one each day—and be amazed at the positive changes that transpire in their lives.

1 In the near future the medical textbooks will list hate, resentment, frustration, envy, loneliness, jealousy, worry, stress, tension, anxiety, etc. as the cause of all illnesses. And the word “prevention” will mean being on guard and policing your mind regarding all these things. This will be the greatest day for the human race. Many medical doctors already know this and are working on it.

Anything a drug can do, the mind can do better with the proper training.

2 The Creator gave us an immune system that will keep our body healthy. But we can interfere with it by introducing negative emotions. When we come to understand how our mind, brain and body work, we can float through this life like a beautiful sailboat on a windy day.

3 The goal of the universe is harmony.

Anyone who is not working to make themselves and the world a better place is living in limbo.

4 Success means peace, harmony, happiness, good health, prosperity and abundance in your life.

5 In order to be a successful human

being, you must have all of the above in your life. There are many people who have plenty of money but are unhealthy, so they are not successful.

6 There are many people who get along

with their coworkers but can’t get along with their families, so they are not successful. Do you get the picture?

7 In order to make the world a better

place, you only have to make yourself a better person.

8 You must come to understand that the most important person in this universe is 46 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

standing in your shoes. You must learn to love and respect yourself; then you will love and respect all people as your brothers and sisters.

trying to tell you it is here—now. Accept it.

tHeaven is peace of mind, or mind at

and this world a better place is to understand who you are and how you got here in what we call the physical or visible world.

peace. Hell is confusion and restriction.

Jesus said that when the blind leads the blind, they will both go into the ditch. And there are a lot of blind guides out there to lead you in the wrong direction.

0 I will tell you this: there is a sea of intel-

y Jesus, unlike most ministers, was not in

9 Some of the ways you can make yourself

ligence from which we all came. This sea of intelligence knows everything, can do anything, has always been, and will always be.

q We started out as a potential electron.

You may know that an electron is so small that you cannot see it with the naked eye.

But it has intelligence. Through the law of attraction, electrons are attracted together and become a molecule; then two or more molecules are attracted together and become an atom. Atoms are attracted together and become an amoeba, or a one-cell organism.

And from there we evolve to our present development. Now this information does not wipe out God; in fact this sea of pure intelligence is God, the creator of all things.

w As the man said over 2,000 years ago, “In every generation there will be a few who will enter into awareness.”

e At the least, 95 percent of the minis-

ters and theologians have no inkling of what this man Jesus taught. And for all the people who knock hypnosis, he was the greatest hypnotist who ever lived. He was what the wise would call a mastermind.

r Most of Jesus’ teachings have been mis-

understood. He said the kingdom of heaven was neither here nor there, but behold it is within you, and God dwells in His kingdom.

Fools have been looking for heaven outside of themselves ever since. He also said that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. He was

and the crawfish are all using the power of the universal mind to do spectacular things.

They do these things because they have intelligent ignorance. We humans know better.

f Every experience you have will affect and mold your future.

g Your desire is only the Creator seeking expression through you.

business of selling fire insurance. He was trying to sell you on the positive side of life. In other words, He was teaching how to create peace of mind (heaven) in your everyday life.

h Your attitude will attract people or

u You must come to understand that most

j When we hate someone, we are giving

everything you know is only the opinion of other people. When you listen to the doctors, the lawyers and the politicians, keep in mind that it is only their opinion. You must learn to think for yourself. There is always a voice inside of you telling you the truth if you learn to listen. This voice is your higher self or your better half, if you like. Jesus referred to it as His Father.

repel people—you decide. Your attitude will attract money or repel money—you decide.

them power over every aspect of our life.

k Each of us is a focal point for the Cre-

ator, just as a light bulb is a focal point for electricity. We should strive each day to be closer to perfection.

l Every mistake you make should cause

from an angry man and poisoned a dog.

you to learn more ways to be better and more successful. You will learn much more from doing something wrong and having to correct it.

o If a crawfish loses a claw, it will grow a

;You should come to realize that you live

i In a research program, they took sweat

new one. The reason it does this is because it doesn’t know any better.

p Researchers put parasites on a plant and let the plant dry out. The parasites, needing water, actually grew wings and flew to the window.

a A giraffe at one time was a deer and

grew a long neck so it was able to reach the food that was high in the trees.

s The ugly caterpillar through desire turns itself into a beautiful butterfly.

d The caterpillar, the giraffe, the parasites

forever. Because God lives, you live.

z The battle of Armageddon is the fight between your soul and your ego.

M.C. Radford will answer any questions on the mind, brain, body, spirit, hypnosis, cybernetics, parapsychology or metaphysics. He can help eliminate smoking, excess weight, fears and phobias, sexual problems, insomnia, anxiety, stage fright and other issues from your life. For improved confidence, motivation and concentration, and to take control over your life, body and mind, contact Radford today at (615) 3512939. “Poverty is a mental illness.”

National Pet Week Promotes Responsible Pet Ownership NATIONAL PET WEEK, coming up May 6 through 12, is just another week when we get to love on our pets and blast our social media accounts with adorable pictures. We as pet owners love and spoil our pets, and strive to gear their lifestyle toward longevity.

When you become a pet owner, be sure you understand the responsibilities and commitment it requires to care for an animal. This correlates to a significant amount of time, education and money.

Be aware of the time you will need to invest into your pet. Having a pet that understands boundaries and manners is a vital part of training. You will need time for potty training and teaching your pet simple commands; success doesn’t happen overnight.

Being able to socialize your dog is something that also takes time. New environments and interactions become less scary when you expose them at an early age. You will also need to spend time exercising your pets. Reports show that a staggering 53 percent of dogs and 58 percent of cats in America are obese. Making time to exer-

cise by walking briskly with your pets for 15 to 30 minutes per day will significantly increase your pet’s life span.

Another aspect of caring for animals is to be aware and educated about them. It is your responsibility to know about tendencies of your specific breed of animal. If your dog or cat is a breed of special concern, meaning they are more prone to allergies or medical problems, research what you can do to help or readily prevent these situations. Nutrition requirements are another factor to consider regarding your pets. Dog food isn’t always a one-size-fits-all, so talk to your vet to explore your pet’s nutritional needs.

A final piece of advice on caring for animals is to always have a plan for accidents/ emergencies. You can never fully see it coming, but when an accident happens it throws us into a frenzy. A proactive step to have in place is a pet emergency fund. Unfortunately, accidents aren’t cheap so it is best to have money set up just in case you may need it.

Finally, we tend not to go to the vet unless there’s a problem at hand. Schedule routine vet checkups as well as a form of preventative measure. After all, we want to do anything in our power to help our pets.

— NICHELLE BARRERA

Sports

SPORTS

TALK

COLUMN BY “Z-TRAIN”

titanman1984@gmail.com

TITANS AND ALL OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE ARE PREDS FANS THIS TIME OF YEAR THE TRAIN DADDY IS BACK, bringing sports news, life lessons and politically incorrect talk. All aboard! Life is good, I crave everything it has to offer, and as we head into May I realize how fast life can pass us by.

It’s a great time to be a loyal fan of Tennessee sports, one of those bonuses life sometimes brings to those willing to enjoy it. The Tennessee Titans just had a great 2018 NFL Draft. With a limited amount of draft selections, Titans General Manager Jon Robinson proved, even at the young age of 42, he has turned this team into a force that can shoot ju-ju all over the AFC. But let’s be realistic. Set football aside; Nashville has gone honkytonk hockey crazy! I did just witness Titan Taylor Lewan turn a catfish mouth into a beer bong on live TV. This must top the list for most disgusting ways to chug a beer, not to mention it was a Bud Light. But it was awesome, and I guarantee if I could hang with Marcus Mariota and the offensive line at a Predators game I would chug beers from a dead catfish mouth ’til I passed out.

Thank God, the man who needs to use his brain during the NFL season has the sense to just watch and laugh. Love you, Marcus Mariota!

I could dedicate this entire article to the Predators and the superior fans of Smashville and

48 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

still not do the franchise justice.

It is something you must experience firsthand to appreciate how special this fan base is compared to others. With that said, the series vs.

Winnipeg is still in play as of this issue’s release, so no predictions, no trash talk, no guarantees,—it’s only the second round! But I will make a quick complaint prior to breaking down the Titans draft picks.

They call it a statistical oddity: for the second straight year the two best records match up as early as the second round of the NHL playoffs, with the Predators vs. Winnipeg. The new system debuted in 2014 and the NHL claims it reignites and creates new rivalries. Bullcrap! Two of the top four teams in the league are guaranteed to be eliminated before the second round this year.

This is the reality of divisional playoffs, compared to the past of ranking teams 1 through 8 by conference. Some divisions are stronger than others, making this format unfair, as well as unkind to the top-seeded teams. Last season, the Capitals won the Presidents’ Trophy with 118 total points and the Penguins finished the season in second with 111 points, followed by the Blue Jackets in fourth with 108.

All three of these teams play in the same division, ultimately creating a tougher road to the final, and

after it was said and done only one of those teams survived past the second round. Unfair?

Capitals forward Daniel Winnik stated, “It’s stupid, it’s the stupidest thing ever!” It’s a shame, and this year we have an epic match-up between the two best in the NHL, Predators vs Winnipeg.

Only one team can move on past the second round in a very even match-up, one that should be the Western Conference Final. The old 1-8 format, the fair format, would have Nashville playing San Jose and Winnipeg playing Vegas in the second round. Instead, the two best play now. Good luck!

That’s my rant! Next issue will pick up from there and I pray the Predators are still playing hockey!

On to the Tennessee Titans and the 2018 NFL Draft.

So how did the Titans 2018 NFL Draft go? Let’s be honest here, they did a phenomenal job with what they had. It wasn’t a heavy draft, but the Titans filled up holes, and that is what the draft is all about. The Titans traded up on all their top 3 picks. Boom shaka laka! The Titans drafted only four players, yet made the most of it. In the first round, partially in response to the departure of Avery Williamson, the Titans got their new play-making linebacker Rashaan Evans out of Alabama.

This kid can drop, rush and enforce the run. He is an every-down player and a great fit for Coach Vrabel and this Titans defense.

In the second round the Titans may have gotten the steal of the draft, moving up and taking defensive end Harold Landry out of Boston College. ESPN analyst Mel Kiper had Landry going to the Titans in the first round on his mock draft. Many experts state that Landry is the best 3–4 edge rusher in the class. His stock dropped

(Above) Some of the Titans enjoying the Preds playoff run. (Below) The Titans took Rashaan Evans out of Alabama in the first round.

after injuries in 2017, but with an impressive 2016, it was enough for the Titans to gamble on possibly the best pass rusher in the class.

This 2018 Titans defense is going to make some noise!

With the No. 152 pick the Titans took safety Dane Cruikshank, and once again the Titans moved up to snag him. They gave up picks 162 and 215 to grab a very versatile player. He runs a fast 40 and bench-pressed 225 pounds 25 times at the NFL combine. He may be a work in progress but he should fit in nicely with Logan Ryan, Malcom Butler and last year’s first-round pick, Adoree Jackson. Let’s not forget about firstteam All-Pro Kevin Byard as well.

The Titans should see much better pass coverage this 2018 season.

As we wrap up this article, let’s talk about how the Titans wrapped up the draft. Tom Brady pick!

That’s right, the Titans found a backup for Marcus Mariota (unless you truly believe Blaine Gabbert is the answer). The Titans selected Luke Falk out of Washington State with pick 199—the same pick as Tom Brady all those years ago.

The irony of it all is, Luke idolizes the 5-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, and even follows his TB12 extreme workout and diet rituals. Ranked 96th on Kiper’s big board, Falk said he was surprised to still be on the board in the sixth round. So did the Titans, and they drafted him! Questions surround Falk’s mobility, yet, like Brady, Falk is known for his accuracy, his ability in the pocket and his throwing motion, which is even compared to the Patriot superstar. This is a win for the Titans if Faulk can gain trust and win the backup job. Marcus is most definitely the Titans’ superstar, but with injury concerns it’s nice to have a young talent that Coach Vrabel and staff will have extra time to develop.

That’s it. The Train Daddy is rolling into the station. I can’t wait for some Titans football, but I am quite content with hockey for now. My love for the sport has been growing, and the Predators make that love easy. Hockey is hands-down the second-best sport in the world, and as of late has been gaining on football. Go Predators!

It’s all your fault!

Fitness Zyla and Rondel Clark

FOCUS AND CONQUER EXCUSES Zyla and Rondel want to help Murfreesboro youth and adults improve STORY BY SEMAJ THOMAS | PHOTOS BY BRACKEN MAYO

F

irst learning the fundamentals of a sport or exercise can seem like a roller coaster ride with the ups and downs involved. Being criticized too harshly, handling the pressure to perform your best, and keeping up as the years pass can bring a mixture of motivation and discouragement. Overcoming obstacles, feeling defeated at times, or having an activity become stale are all likely phases that athletes, or anyone training regularly, can experience at some point.

Eliminating excuses and dealing with some of those feelings and situations in both kids and adults is what Rondel and Zyla Clark do at Murfreesboro’s FACE It Fitness, with FACE standing for Focus And Conquer Excuses.

“Everyone has an excuse to give,” says Zyla. But the trainers want their clients to face whatever it is holding them back to begin taking control of their lives and getting in healthy shape.

Both Rondel and Zyla were in athletics in 50 * MAY 2018 * BOROPULSE.COM

high school, and both graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with exercise science degrees. Much of their inspiration comes from helping area youth with speed, agility and strength training.

The Clarks emphasize and understand the importance that sports play in development, and teach techniques for increasing physical

performance as well as teamsmanship, selfesteem and accountability.

They have four beautiful kids together and still manage to teach six days a week, more than 10 hours a day. Their excuse could be that they “need more hours in the day” to maintain kids, family and adult life, but they, according to their motto, Focus and Conquer Excuses.

The kids are becoming comfortable hanging out at the FACE It facility, located at 810 NW Broad St. Suite 222, and getting to know those coming in to work out.

One aspect of FACE It that sets them apart from many local gyms and trainers is that they do accept youth clients as well as adults.

Many of their clients have been with them for years, and there is no contract to sign up or to continue to train at FACE It. Zyla said she would not want to be contractually

obligated to only shop at one grocery store, and looks at their business in a similar way.

Clients can choose to leave at any time.

Obviously, results are high priority.

Classes include women’s group, men’s group, one-on-one, corporation training and couples training. Sessions are available in 30-minute, 45-minute and one-hour increments. Everyone has different goals, and catering to those unique needs is primary for FACE It. So the gym offers a variety of training: functional and circuit training, weight loss/gain, youth speed and agility training, figure and physique competition. They even have a youth fitness area and offer child care.

It has “everything that a big gym has in a more intimate setting,” Zyla says. And it really does. Upon walking into the facility, on the right, clients will notice that supplements are displayed and promoted. The Clarks partnered with Nutrishop to sell products in the gym. At the beginning of a fitness journey, clients often don’t know what supplements to buy, and once again, FACE It helps eliminate some of those excuses. Customer care is big at FACE It. What excuses do you have? I am just saying this: eliminate them!

Be a better you every day!

For more information on the gym, visit faceitfitness.com. Or, join them one Saturday at 9 a.m. at FACE It, 810 NW Broad St., for a free community boot camp!