September 2015 Murfreesboro Pulse

2006–2015: Celebrating 10 Years

MURFREESBORO

September 2015 Vol. 10, Issue 9

FREE For You!

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

Greenway

ART FEST Greenway Art Fest features a wealth of local art, Sept. 19

IN MUSIC

MARY GAUTHIER, JAYME STONE, FLEA MARKET HUSTLERS, RHYTHM KITCHEN + JOHN CARTER CASH, DIRTY PROPER AND MORE!

Contents WIN!

8

ON THE COVER: (Clockwise) 1 beach painting by Sheila Smith; 2 guitar painting by Sheila Smith; 3 dog painting by Lucas Antoniak; 4 “The Band” by Dave Jackson; 5 “I am Not Amused” by Dawna Magliacano; 6 “The Pond on Gudger Road” by Meg Garrett; 7 birds painting by Lisa Browning; 8 “Puede Duele el Amor”

by Daley; 9 “Skyline” by Ben Griffith; 0 “Cydney Again”

by Tristan Whitley; q “Hold Me Back” by Jessica Rose Maraschiello; w mosaic artwork by Carol Neal (below).

10 EVENTS

4 7 8

September Community Events Hummingbird Festival, Antique Tractor Pull, Family Campout, International Fall Festival and more Entertainment Calendar Karaoke, Bingo, DJs and Live Trivia SEPTEMBER CONCERTS

SOUNDS

9 0 w

Album Reviews Haunted Device, nobigdyl.

Pilgrimage Festival Willie, Weezer and Wilco to perform in Franklin at inaugural festival.

Music Notes Mary Gauthier, Flea Market Hustlers and more

ART Art Festival r Greenway A walk on the artistic side, Sept. 19 at Old Fort Park

t

Theater Find out what’s onstage in September.

LIVING

p

Finding Bigfoot October expedition seeks evidence of Sasquatch.

Redneck Rumble Annual hot rod show set for Sept. 19–20.

Living Exceptionally . . . Well!

10 Ways to Ahhh . . .

The Online Marketplace Murfreesboro yard sale site reaches 10,000 followers.

An Encore for Wedding Dresses Local consignment store helps businesses in Haiti.

Homeless in the ’Boro Steve isn’t stupid.

PULSE

Aboard the Wine Train y All A nostalgic train excursion to Delmonaco Winery

Publisher/Editor in Chief: Contributors: Dylan Skye Aycock, Sarah H. Clark, Gloria Christy, Bracken Mayo John Connor Coulston, Greg Crittenden, Art Director: Jennifer Durand, Zach Maxfield, Oksana Sarah Lankford Mayo Nelson, Cameron Parrish, Darcy Payne, Robert Ritch, Edwina Shannon, Advertising Reps: Christy Simmons, Cecilia Sinkala, Jay Don Clark, Jeff Brown Spight, Andrea Stockard, Sam Stockard, Copy Editor: Steve Morley Norbert Thiemann, Phil Valentine

u i

CREW

o

ON THE COVER

14 Farmers’ Market Education Series s Extend your fall gardening season

FOOD

Review f Restaurant The Fish House & More It Up h Mix Eli Mason produces variety of cocktail syrups. at Oaklands Mansion j Oktoberfest Win tickets to the historic home’s inaugural beer event.

MOVIES

k Reviews American Ultra, Straight Out of Compton Living Room Cinema Agents for Change

OPINION

Here’s Your Sign ; Proposed sign ordinace sent back to the drawing board.

It’s All About the Money x Tales from probation row Live Within Your Means c Good habits now will pay off down the road.

The Stockard Report v Judge sets murder suspects bond at $1 million.

Phil Valentine: Views of a Conservative b Trump’s immigration stance part of his huge lead.

Builder n Business The five-part formula to increase profit Through the Decades m Music The fiddle sings the blues

SPORTS Talk with Z-Train , Sports WWE distances itself from the Hulkster Raider Football . Blue Support MTSU athletics this fall. Season kicks off Sept. 5 at home vs. Jackson State.

To carry the Pulse at your business, or submit letters, stories and photography: bracken@boropulse.com 10 N. Public Square, Murfreesboro, TN 37130 (615) 796-6248

Copyright © 2015, 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 our 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

DEAR READERS: MANY PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY OFTEN DROP JESUS’ NAME. A lot of them say they have dedicated their lives to following his teachings, that their worldview and personal philosophy come from this guy. Theoretically, our country and community should be filled with selflessness and love.

Is there a disconnect between what Jesus stood for and what Christianity today stands for?

“Love the Lord . . . love your neighbor as yourself.

There is no other commandment greater than these.”

So, a country where major polls are saying that 70 to 80 percent of the people claim to follow this Jesus should be a very love-filled place.

But there seems to be a lot of hatred out there.

Shockingly so. One gets upset, and rather than going to the forgiveness-and-loving-your-neighbor response, goes to the directing-anger-towards-an-entire-group-ofpeople response.

Jesus made a point to go out of his way to talk with those of other races, to visit with those who did not believe exactly as he did, to befriend tax collectors, to show compassion for, minister to and serve anyone and everyone: prostitutes, children, diseased, mentally ill, anyone.

“I have not come to condemn the world.”

It seems like I have heard some condemnation coming from those who supposedly follow and represent Jesus.

If I may suggest, the next time you are tempted to speak against someone because they are too poor, too rich, too young, too old, too diseased, too perfect, too Republican, too Democrat, too dark, too light, too gay, too country, too urban, employed by the government, because they don’t speak the same language as you, believe as you do, dress like you, keep the same routine as you or whatever your prejudice is, to just shut your mouth or don’t type it, pause and reflect on the concept of loving your neighbor, especially those who are different than you.

“Judge not.”

Furthermore, what if you were to approach this individual who is different from you with an attitude of compassion and servitude, rather than trying to prove to them how much better your lifestyle is than theirs, how much smarter you are than them, and find out how you can serve them and help them? It may be a rewarding experience for both parties.

Sometimes, people respond to kindness, a smile, love and pure intentions with kindness, love, a smile and pure intentions.

It is only logical to expect bitterness, condemnation and the desire for control to be met with the same.

Let’s try the love thing. Give it a real shot, and if it doesn’t work, maybe then go another direction as a society. But I’d be curious to see what the world would be like if 70 percent of the people operated from a place of love, not condemnation.

Speaking of Jesus, I understand that he and his disciples enjoyed fish. If you are in the mood for fish, I encourage you to venture to the Fish House on Bridge Avenue. Here, you will find a miraculous one-pound fish sandwich that contains enough fried fish to feed the multitudes. Read more about this fine Murfreesboro establishment, as well as lots of other art, entertainment and culture information, in the following pages.

Peace, Bracken Mayo Editor in Chief BOROPULSE.COM

* SEPTEMBER 2015 * 3

Events COMPILED BY

ANDREA STOCKARD

Send event information to murfreesboropulse@yahoo.com

SEPT. 3

SEPT. 10

SOGNO PROJECT BENEFIT

ST. CLAIR STREET SENIOR CENTER HEALTH EXPO

John Elefante, former lead singer of fourtime Grammy award-winning band Kansas comes to MTSU Tucker Theater (1301 E. Main St.) at 7 p.m. Elefante will be accompanied by Sixwire and local artists Kelly LaMure and Beth Boudreaux will be painting onstage with a silent auction afterwards for the art they produce. After the show, enjoy an afterparty with John Elefante and Sixwire at The Boulevard (2154 Middle Tennessee Blvd.). The show benefits Branches Counseling Center and Doors of Hope in Rutherford County. For tickets or more information, call (615) 480-7747 or visit sognoproject.com.

SEPT. 4 FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE CONCERT Hear John Carter Cash and Dirty Proper at Main Street’s Friday Night Live Concert from 6:30–9:30 p.m. with food vendors and more at Murfreesboro Public Square.

Bring your lawn chair! Admission is free. For more information, call (615) 895-1887 or visit downtownmurfreesboro.com.

SEPT. 4 MOVIES IN THE PARK Enjoy the movie Home at the Rotary Soccer Park (300 Soccer Park, Smyrna) with gates opening at 5:30 p.m. and the film screening at dusk. Inflatables and train rides available. Admission is $1 per person. For more information, call (615) 459-9773.

SEPT. 5 MTSU FOOTBALL GAME Support the Blue Raiders as they take on Jackson State University at MTSU Floyd Stadium (Greenland Dr.). Tickets available at the stadium ticket office or at any Ticketmaster location. For more information, call (615) 898-2109 or visit goblue raiders.com.

SEPT. 5 HALLOWED GROUND: A LANTERN TOUR OF THE STONES RIVER NATIONAL CEMETERY Spend an hour walking through the cemetery by lantern light while hearing the stories of soldiers and civilians recalling the terrible cost of the Civil War at Stones River National Battlefield (1563 N. Thompson Ln.) at 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call (615) 893-9501 or visit nps.gov/stri.

4 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

Take your loved ones to the annual health expo for seniors 60 years and over at St. Clair Street Senior Center (325 St. Clair St.) from 8:30–11:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept.

10, with healthcare professionals providing free screenings including blood pressure, blood glucose, bone density, hearing, vision, balance, and memory with other events like a flu shot clinic for those with Medicare (bring your card), a men’s health one-on-one, and massage and reflexology therapy. For more information, call (615) 848-2550.

SEPT. 11 THIRD ANNUAL ABOVE THE RIM GYM GOLF CLASSIC Take part in the Third Annual Above the Rim Gym Golf Classic to support Shelbyville’s not-for-profit organization and its mission to build character through sports at Champions Run Golf Course (14262 Mt. Pleasant Rd., Rockvale) from 1–6 p.m. The funds support the work with more than 100 youths in grades 2–11 with six students having received full college scholarships. For more information, call (615) 390-0982.

SEPT. 11 MUSIC AT THE MILL Enjoy Radio Drive at Gregory Mill Park (390 Enon Springs Rd.) at 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 11, with food vendors and inflatables. Admission is free. For more information, call (615) 459-9773 or visit townofsmyrna.org.

SEPT. 5 13TH ANNUAL TALENT CONTEST Generation for Creation will hold its 13th annual talent contest at Patterson Theater, 521 Mercury Blvd., beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5. Generation for Creation is a Murfreesborobased nonprofit organization enhancing visual and performing arts among youth. Ages 7–17 can register and then audition in the categories of drama, singing, art, dance, modeling, and instrumental performances with solo, duo and group options. Grand prize is $500. Send video audition applications to gfckids@yahoo.com. For more information, call (615) 890-7116.

SEPT. 5 HUMMINGBIRD FESTIVAL Witness beautiful hummingbirds as they prepare to embark on a journey thousands of miles away at the Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (697 Veterans Pkwy.) from 3–5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5. Enjoy guest speakers, children’s activities and hummingbird information. For more information, call (615) 217-3017.

SEPT. 12 WINGS OF FREEDOM FISH FRY The 2015 Wings of Freedom Fish Fry, presented by the Smyrna Rotary Club, will be Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Smyrna Airfield.

Proceeds from the event go to benefit The Boys and Girls Club, Meals on Wheels, The Senior Center and The North Rutherford YMCA. This year, Vietnam vets will eat for free. For tickets, visit wofsmyrna.com; for additional information, contact Carolyn Peebles at (615) 390-3352 or cepeebles@att.net.

SEPT. 11–13 28TH ANNUAL PIONEER DAYS ANTIQUE TRACTOR PULL AND GAS ENGINE SHOW Enjoy crafts, tractors, exhibits, demonstrations and more at the Eagleville Tractor Show Grounds (747 Chapel Hill Pk.) beginning 7 a.m. daily Sept. 11–13. Admission is $7; 12 and under free with a paid adult. For more information, call (615) 708-7086 or visit eaglevilletvppa.com.

SEPT. 12 & 13 WHITE OAK CRAFTS FAIR Enjoy crafts from over 75 craft artisans

Debria Tyler and Demya

at the 26th White Oak Crafts Fair from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. near the Arts Center of Cannon County (1424 John Bragg Hwy.) featuring textiles, jewelry, woodcarving, metalwork, pottery and more. For more information, visit artscenterofcc.com/whiteoakcraftsfair.html.

SEPT. 12 & 13 TENNESSEE AT STONES RIVER PROGRAM Learn more about the role of Tennessee soldiers wearing blue and gray in the Battle of Stones River while watching musket and cannon firing demonstrations at the Stones River National Battlefield (1563 N. Thompson Ln.).

Admission is free. For more information, call (615) 893-9501 or visit nps.gov/stri.

SEPT. 12 GROWING UP WILD WORKSHOP The Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (697 Veterans Pkwy.) invites everyone to Growing Up Wild, an early childhood education program building on a child’s sense of wonder about nature, from 9 a.m– noon on Saturday, Sept. 12. The activities invite adults and children to experience the out-of-doors “one toe at a time” and have a wonderful time doing so! Preregistration is required. Call (615) 217-3017 to register.

SEPT. 12 AND 13 FAMILY CAMPOUT Barfield Crescent Park (697 Veterans Pkwy.) invites area residents to familyfriendly camping and backpacking from 4:30 p.m.–8 a.m, with an easy 1-mile hike in to the campground. Enjoy various activities throughout the night like guided night hikes, owl prowls, campfire fun and music. Dinner and breakfast will be served. Tents (2-person and 4-person), ground cloths, sleeping pads, and backpacks (available in both youth and adult sizes) are available by request when registering. Schedule your required Wilderness Awareness Workshop when you register. To register, call (615) 217-3017.

SEPT. 13 OAKLAND HIGH SCHOOL PATRIOT GOLF CLASSIC Come out for the 3rd Annual Oakland High School Patriot Golf Classic to benefit the Lady Patriots softball team beginning with lunch at noon and golfers teeing off at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13, at Champions Run Golf Course (14262 Mt. Pleasant Rd., Rockvale). For more information, contact (615) 556-2779 or jeepsmith21@att.net.

SEPT. 15 EVENING ON MANEY Enjoy Main Street’s Evening on Maney from 5–7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15, with refreshments and drinks at the lovely new home of hostesses Judy Goldie and Melanie Davenport. The women designed, contracted and decorated their own build of the 3,200-square-foot home in a “modern farmhouse” style. For more information, contact (615) 895-1887 or michelle@downtownmurfreesboro.com. Donations to the city will be accepted and are tax-deductible.

SEPT. 17 THE CONNECTION, BUSINESS NETWORKING AT MAYDAY The Connection: an Evening of Professional Networking and Business Brainstorming will be from 5–7 p.m. at Mayday Brewery, 521 Old Salem Rd. All Middle Tennessee entrepreneurs and professionals are welcome to attend this casual, no-obligation event, where they can meet other small-business owners and tap into one another’s experience and energy. Robert Ritch, a successful

community. Enjoy coffee, pastries and the chance to meet and mingle with our service members and their families. For more information, call (615) 203-6084 or visit cultivatecoworking.com.

SEPT. 18 3RD FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT AT CANNONSBURGH Enjoy the 3rd Friday Night Concert at Cannonsburgh Village (312 S. Front St.) from 7–9 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call (615) 890-0355.

SEPT. 18–20 INTERNATIONAL FALL FESTIVAL 2015 St. Luke Catholic Church (10682 Old Nashville Highway, Smyrna) invites everyone to their 2015 International Fall Festival with Smyrna’s largest communitywide yard sale (50-plus vendors) kicking off the festival at 7 a.m. Friday; Saturday the yard sale resumes, followed by a 5K run, international food booths, bake sale, live music venue, children’s games and a silent auction. Sunday will conclude with pizza and ice cream at noon and announcement of the silent auction winners and the winners of the $1,000 and $500 raffle.

Register for the 5K at at active.com. For more information, call (615) 459-9672 or follow facebook.com/stlukefallfest.

SEPT. 18 AND 19 BIRD CLUB The Wilderness Station at Barfield Crescent Park (697 Veterans Pkwy.) invites you to float down the cool, meandering Stones River, and forget about the hustle and bustle of city life while experiencing wildlife, birds and summer wildflowers from 4–7 p.m. Space is limited and reservations are required. Please call (615) 217-3017 to register. All equipment and instruction are provided.

SEPT. 19 GREENWAY ART FESTIVAL entrepreneur and business consultant, will lead an open roundtable discussion encouraging 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 evening is open to all area business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. The series will continue the third Thursday of each month. For more information, contact ceo@robertritch.com.

SEPT. 18 COFFEE WITH THE VETERANS Join Operation Adopt a Hero at Cultivate Coworking (107 W. Lytle St.) from 7:30–9 a.m. on the third Friday of each month for Coffee with the Veterans, an informal, social networking event designed to foster friendships between local veterans and their

SEPT. 13 TUX TRUCK Oaklands Historic Museum (900 N. Maney Ave.) invites you to Street Tuxedo’s Tux Truck on Sunday, Sept. 13. Get fittings and measurements from noon–3 p.m. while enjoying food and retail from Jo’s Cakes & Catering, Savoy Catering, Lavender Blue Florals & Events and Mossy Places. Encore Bridal will showcase the latest bridal fashions with photography from Byrd Photography and music by Live Media Relations.

This is free and open to the public. For an appointment, call (615) 612-9548. For more information, contact (615) 809-4776 or events@oaklandsmuseum.org. features free concerts, carnival rides, great food and more at Veteran’s Memorial Park (115 Floyd Mayfield Dr., LaVergne). For more information, call (615) 793-3224 or visit oldtimersfestival.com.

SEPT. 19 MTSU FOOTBALL GAME Support the Blue Raiders as they take on Charlotte at MTSU Floyd Stadium (Greenland Dr.). Tickets are available at the stadium ticket office or at any Ticketmaster location. For more information, call (615) 898-2109 or visit goblueraiders.com.

SEPT. 19 RUTHERFORD HEART WALK Be a part of the American Heart Association’s Rutherford Heart Walk at Saint

Thomas Rutherford Hospital (1800 Medical Center Pkwy.) to celebrate physical activity and heart health and to raise funds for research, education and public health programs. Festivities begin at 8 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 19, with the walk commencing at 9:15 a.m. Free for the whole family. Fundraising and donations are strongly encouraged. For information, visit rutherfordheartwalk.org.

SEPT. 21 HUCK TAYLOR GOLF CLASSIC The Blue Raider Athletic Association (BRAA) hosts the annual Chuck Taylor Blue Raider Golf Classic sponsored by Atmos Energy at Stones River Country Club (1830 NW Broad St.) with the chance for winners to play Pinehurst. For more information, CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Talented artists display and sell their work along the Greenway trail at Old Fort Park (916 Golf Ln.) from 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Browse through booths of original artwork in a family-friendly park setting featuring oils, acrylics, watercolors, pottery, sculpture and other original artwork while enjoying music, food vendors and kids’ art activities.

For more information, call (615) 893-2141 or visit murfreesborotn.gov.

SEPT. 19 WINE AROUND THE SQUARE Enjoy wine, food and music on the historic Murfreesboro square, 6–9 p.m. Admission is $60 per person. For more information, visit winearoundthesquare.org.

SEPT. 19 OLD TIMERS FESTIVAL This event, held on Saturday, Sept. 19, BOROPULSE.COM

* SEPTEMBER 2015 * 5

contact (615) 898-5953 or Bethany.

Thurston@mtsu.edu.

SEPT. 26

SEPT. 25 & 26

KIDS CLUB: MAGIC SHOW AT STONES RIVER MALL

SMYRNA DEPOT DAYS Enjoy over 90 vendors and local businesses from Middle Tennessee, represented at Depot Days at the Smyrna Railroad Depot (Front St.) from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Attractions include live music on the Nissan Performance Stage and the Carpe Cafe stage, free inflatables for the kids and $1 train rides. For more information, contact (615) 220-0516 or info@simatn.org, or visit smyrnadepotdays.com

Revel in the awe of Magician Rodney Kelley at the Kids Club Magic Show in Center Court at Stones River Mall (1720 Old Fort Pkwy.) from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26. Kelley spent 11 years performing at Opryland USA Themepark and Hotel in Nashville and has been entertaining men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces for the past 10 years. He has also been featured twice performing magic on America’s Funniest Videos. In addition to the Magic Show, attendees can enjoy face painting, balloon art, and crafts during this monthly family-friendly event. Admission is free. For more information, call (615) 896-4486.

SEPT. 26 NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY Join more than 100 local volunteers and thousands more across the nation as they work to improve America’s public lands at Stones River National Battlefield (1563 N. Thompson Ln.) Saturday, Sept. 26. For more information, call (615) 893-9501 or visit nps.gov/stri.

Church of Christ, 3700 Franklin Rd. For more information, call (615) 895-7955.

SEPT. 26

SEPT. 26

EAGLEVILLE FALL FESTIVAL

CYCLE FOR SICKLE CELL

Enjoy a day of great music, food and drink, streetside vendors, children’s activities, and more in a great hometown atmosphere at the Eagleville Fall Festival in Downtown Eagleville (108 S. Main St.) from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. For more information, call (615) 2742922 or visit eaglevilletn.com.

Cycle for Sickle Cell is a charity bike ride to benefit the Sickle Cell Foundation of Tennessee at Hayes Track and Field Stadium (MTSU, 1500 Greenland Dr.) beginning at 8 a.m.; registration is from 6:45–7:45 a.m. There will also be screening available onsite, courtesy of the Sickle Cell Foundation of Tennessee. The bike ride is familyfriendly and includes a 5-, 10- and 20-mile route. Riders are encouraged to dress in costume if they desire. For more information, call (615) 653-5986.

SEPT. 26 COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR Come out for the annual Community Health Fair from 9 a.m.–1 p.m., offering free health screenings and consultations with local healthcare professionals and vendors including Smoothie King, CPR training, the Wellness Center at Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital, Rutherford County Fire Department, Stones River Dermatology and more at Franklin Road

SEPT. 26 OKTOBERFEST AT OAKLANDS MANSION Broaden your palate at Oktoberfest with many local craft brewers such as The Green Dragon, The Casual Pint, O’Possum’s, Saw Works, Panther Creek, Duck Rabbit, Mayday Brewery, and MidState Brew Crew while enjoying live music, food trucks and family friendly activities for all ages at Oakland Mansion (900 N. Maney Ave.) from 5–10 p.m.

Guides bring local history to life with an abbreviated tour of the mansion. For more information, contact (615) 893-0022 or events@oaklandsmuseum.org, or visit oaklandsmuseum.org.

6 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

SEPT. 26 FOR THE HEROES 5K Support local veterans through Operation: Adopt a Hero at For the Heroes 5K Run/Walk.

Packet pickup will be Sept. 24 and 25 from

3–8 p.m. at Cultivate Coworking (107 W. Lytle St.). Race-day registration begins at 7 a.m. in Civic Plaza (free parking at Linebaugh Public Library. Enjoy an awards ceremony afterwards with The Ice Cream Bowl, hosted

by Murfreesboro Young Professionals and sponsored by The Alley on Main. Proceeds of The Ice Cream Bowl will benefit the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties. For more information, call (615) 203-6084.

OCT. 1 FOUNDATION & FASHIONS The City School Foundation hosts the 8th Annual Foundation & Fashions Show at Stones River Country Club (1830 NW Broad St.) on Thursday, Oct. 1, with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. and the runway action at 6:15 p.m., featuring collections from Bella’s Boutique, e.Allen, Sugaree’s, Francesca’s, Penny’s Closet and other local retailers. Proceeds benefit Murfreesboro City Schools pre-kindergarten through 6th grade education programs. For more information, visit cityschoolsfoundation. com or call (615) 893-2313.

a wheelchair, engineer unique solutions to design challenges, and discover how neuroprosthetic limbs can be controlled by a user’s thoughts. For more information, call (615) 890-2300 or visit explorethedc.org.

SEPTEMBER PAINTING THE PRESIDENTS ART EXHIBIT Painting the Presidents is an art exhibit of paintings by Bob Gray at the Center for the Arts, 110 W. College St. The Center is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, call (615) 904-2787 or visit boroarts.org.

TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS FREE WORKOUT SESSIONS AT FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS CENTER Join the Maximized Living Nation and their Nationally Certified Trainer/Group Fitness Expert for fun, free and perfectly tailored weekly workouts for your personal progress at Family Chiropractic & Wellness Center (1114 N. Tennessee Blvd.) on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and Fridays at 11 a.m. Come in for 30 minutes, get an amazingly effective workout in about 15 minutes, and leave with cutting-edge health information. Really?

Only 15 minutes? Our Maximized Living Organization is trained in providing the best workouts—called surge training—that literally only take 12 minutes a day. For more information, call (615) 893-5679.

TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS RUTHERFORD COUNTY FARMERS’ MARKET Purchase a wide variety of local, seasonal fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, baked and canned goods, plants and more from 20-plus Middle Tennessee counties every Tuesday and Friday at the Lane Agri-Park (315 John R. Rice Blvd.), 7 a.m.–12 noon.

For more information, call (615) 898-7710.

MONDAYS

SATURDAYS

TOASTMASTERS MEETING

MAIN STREET SATURDAY MARKET

Murfreesboro Toastmasters, an international organization promoting communication and leadership skills, meets every first, third, and fifth Monday of each month in the second building in the Coldwell Banker office (1980 Old Fort Pkwy.) at 7 p.m. For more information, visit heartoftennessee.toast mastersclubs.org.

THROUGH SEPT. 15 HUMAN PLUS: REAL LIVES + REAL ENGINEERING This traveling exhibit at the Discovery Center (502 SE Broad St.) offers visitors a chance to explore and create a range of low-tech and high-tech tools that extend human abilities. Ride a mono-ski in a simulated ski race, control a DJ station using wheels of

Get local and organic foods every Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon on the west, north and south sides of the historic Rutherford County Courthouse in downtown Murfreesboro. Among the available fare are fresh fruits, vegetables, breads, meats and more.

For more information, call (615) 895-1887 or visit downtownmurfreesboro.com.

SATURDAYS SMYRNA FARMERS’ MARKET Purchase local fresh produce, dairy, and meat directly from the source to the consumer from 8 a.m.–noon at Smyrna Depot (98 Front St., Smyrna). For more information, contact (615) 330-0516 or vendors@carpeartista.com.

ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

DJ, Bingo, Trivia & Karaoke NIGHTS IN MURFREESBORO

 MONDAYS

MELLOW MUSHROOM Live Trivia, 8 p.m.

NOBODY’S Live Trivia, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Live Trivia, 8 p.m.

WOODY’S BBQ Live Trivia, 7 p.m.

LA SIESTA (CHURCH ST.) Karaoke, 6 p.m.

LA SIESTA (GREENLAND) Trivia, 7 p.m.

MT BOTTLE Karaoke, 9 p.m.–3 a.m.

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

 TUESDAYS

 THURSDAYS

OLD CHICAGO Live Trivia, 9 p.m.

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

THE POUR HOUSE DJ, 7–11 p.m.

NACHOS Live Trivia, 7 p.m.

NOBODY’S Bingo, 7 p.m.

THE BOULEVARD Karaoke, 7 p.m.

TGI FRIDAY’S Live Trivia, 9 p.m.

 SATURDAYS

CAMPUS PUB Live Trivia, 8:15 p.m.

COCONUT BAY Karaoke, 8 p.m.

LA SIESTA (CHURCH ST.) Karaoke, 6 p.m.

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

SPORTS SEASONS Live Trivia, 7 p.m.

THE POUR HOUSE Karaoke, 9 p.m.

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

NACHOS Live Trivia, 7 p.m.

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

WHISKEY DIX DJ Cliffy D, 8 p.m.

 WEDNESDAYS

 FRIDAYS

CAMPUS PUB Karaoke, 10 p.m.–2:30 a.m.

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

BUNGANUT PIG Live Trivia, 7 p.m.

THE POUR HOUSE DJ, 7–11 p.m.

AHART’S PIZZA GARDEN Live Trivia, 7 p.m.

 SUNDAYS O’POSSUMS Live Trivia, 8 p.m.

LA SIESTA (CHURCH ST.) Karaoke, 6 p.m.

THE POUR HOUSE DJ, 7 p.m.

SAM’S SPORTS GRILL Live Trivia, 8 p.m.

HEAR WHAT MURFREESBORO SOUNDS LIKE 

Want your band listed on our QR Classifieds? E-mail murfreesboropulse@yahoo.com

Concerts SEPTEMBER 2015

Send show listings to listings@boropulse.com

BUNGANUT PIG

WEDNESDAY, 9/9

TERMINUS (719 EWING)

Angela DeBoer

BUNGANUT PIG

Eskew Band

THURSDAY, 9/10 BONHOEFFER'S

Carianne Carpenter, Guss & the Fuss

BUNGANUT PIG

Jake Leg Stompers

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Eric Lee Beddingfield, Harvey Cameron, Blake Hall

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

DIane Rivera, John Winninger

TEMPT

Riot Ten, DJ Skinny B, VRB

THURSDAY, 9/3 BUNGANUT PIG

Pretty Ravens

MAIN STREET MUSIC

The Convalescence, Neurotic November, Brother Wolf, Graven Souls

MTSU TUCKER THEATER

THE GREEN DRAGON

Uncle Don Clark

SATURDAY, 9/5 BUNGANUT PIG

Renegade Canyon

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Joe West

HIPPIE HILL

Open Mic Night

John Elefante, Sixwire

JOURNEY POINTE CHURCH

Dirty Reggae Punx

MAIN STREET MUSIC

THE BORO

FRIDAY, 9/4

BUNGANUT PIG

Mixtape

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Joe West

HIPPIE HILL

Open Mic Night

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Ashford Music, Ire and Uprise

Henry L. Jones

MTSU Wind Ensemble

FRIDAY, 9/18

HIPPIE HILL

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Open Mic Night

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Penny Rae

SATURDAY, 9/19

THE POUR HOUSE

d.Franey

Eisenhouser 1209 Twin Oak Dr.

Joe West

BIRDSONG STUDIO

SATURDAY, 9/26

Georgia’s Sports Bar and Grill 555 S. Lowry St. Smyrna, 267-0295

Mary Gauthier

Zone Status

BUNGANUT PIG

Open Mic Night

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

HIPPIE HILL

MAYDAY BREWERY

The Secret Commonwealth

SATURDAY, 9/12 BUNGANUT PIG

Zone Status

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Joe West

COCONUT BAY CAFE

The Boro Boys

GEORGIA’S SPORTS BAR

Chris Freund, Lauryn Snapp

HIPPIE HILL

Open Mic Night

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Killing Grace, All or Nothing, Amos Moses and the Legend

MAYDAY BREWERY

The Stoves

MT BOTTLE

Brad Howard

THE AVENUE

Flea Market Hustlers, Rhythm Kitchen

SUNDAY, 9/13 BUNGANUT PIG

Reilly’s Writers Night

MONDAY, 9/14

Escape Band Joe West Hippie Hill

OPEN MIC NIGHT

Main Street Music For Lack of Lithium, Sedona, Safe Secrets, Black Whiny Cats

MAYDAY BREWERY

Scissormen, Ashes of Folly, Bad Ladies The Wheel Williams & Company

LAVERGNE VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK

The Willis Clan

SUNDAY, 9/20 BUNGANUT PIG

Reilly’s Writers Night

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

Mozart Requiem, MTSU Concert Chorale and Middle Tennessee Choral Society; David Loucky, unbyol Ko

MONDAY, 9/21

THE POUR HOUSE

The Al DeLuca Jam

Duo Sudeste: Robert Thompson, Joey Butler

Jackal, Beat Bear, Warlokk, Niraya, Sterfry, Cr?nunDrum

TUESDAY, 9/15

WEDNESDAY, 9/23

Todd Waldecker, Adam Clark

The Al DeLuca Jam

BUNGANUT PIG

Zippy’s Clutch

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

BUNGANUT PIG

Mixtape

MONDAY, 9/7

MAYDAY BREWERY

TEMPT

TUESDAY, 9/8

Mimosa, Wilsdorf, Suit Up, Niraya

The Al DeLuca Jam

BUNGANUT PIG

Wayne Barnes

8 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

Carmen’s Taqueria 206 W. Northfield Blvd.

848-9003

C.J. Boyd

Eight O’Five Jive

THE POUR HOUSE

THE POUR HOUSE

Bunganut Pig 1602 W. Northfield Blvd.

893-7860

Reckless

MURFREESBORO PUBLIC SQUARE

John Carter Cash, Ana Cristina, The Dirty Proper

Minus One, Thane Shearon and Friends

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

WEDNESDAY, 9/16 THURSDAY, 9/24

Oh Grandpa

Open Mic Night

WILLIE’S WET SPOT

Voo Davis, Paper Towel

Reilly’s Writers Night

Bonhoeffer’s 610 Dill Ln., 907-2890

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

HIPPIE HILL

Joe West

BUNGANUT PIG

MAYDAY BREWERY

Backlit

My July Band

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Everyday People

TUESDAY, 9/22

SUNDAY, 9/6

Joe West

Autograph Rehearsal Studio 1400 W. College St. 631-2605

BUNGANUT PIG

COCONUT BAY CAFE

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

TEMPT

FRIDAY, 9/25

BUNGANUT PIG

Falcon One, Silent Monolith, War All the Time, For Lack of Lithium

MAYDAY BREWERY

Jelly Roll, Alex King

Arts Center of Cannon County 1424 John Bragg Hwy. Woodbury 563-2787

Wicked Ecstasy

COCONUT BAY CAFE

John Carter Cash, the only child of Johnny and June Carter Cash, is carrying on the family musical legacy as the owner and operator of the Cash Cabin Studio in Hendersonville. Cash has produced material for Loretta Lynn, Brooks & Dunn, Elvis Costello, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill and many others; he served as co-producer with Rick Rubin on his father’s American III and American IV records, and has also worked with The Dirty Proper in the studio. The Dirty Proper, John Carter Cash and Ana Cristina will all perform at the September installment of Main Street Murfreesboro’s free Friday Night Live concert series, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, on the Murfreesboro Public Square.

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

TEMPT

 IF YOU GO:

WALL STREET

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

FRIDAY, 9/4 @ MURFREESBORO PUBLIC SQUARE

Wicked World, Field on Fire, Negra, Behold the Slaughter

Ginny Owens, Cindy Morgan, Andrew Greer

ARTS CENTER OF CANNON COUNTY

BUNGANUT PIG

PULSE PICK

Daphne

WORLD OUTREACH CHURCH

Coconut Bay Café 210 Stones River Mall Blvd.

494-0504

FRIDAY, 9/11

JOHN CARTER CASH, THE DIRTY PROPER

Al DeLuca Band

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

BUNGANUT PIG

Eskew Band

BUNGANUT PIG

Hoo Doo Men

BONHOEFFER’S

Andrew Thomas,

BUNGANUT PIG

Crusty Veterans

CARMEN’S TAQUERIA

Joe West

COCONUT BAY CAFE

Karaoke with Hitman

HIPPIE HILL

Open Mic Night

MAIN STREET MUSIC

Damage (Metallica tribute, Master of Puppets in its entirety), Neufound Me, Iraconji, Animality

MAYDAY BREWERY

The Lose Hinges

TEMPT

Ott

THE WHEEL

Renagade Kanyon

SUNDAY, 9/27 BUNGANUT PIG

Reilly’s Writers Night

MONDAY, 9/28 MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

MTSU Jazz Ensemble I

Hippie Hill 8627 Burks Hollow Rd. 796-3697 JoZoara 536 N. Thompson Ln. 962-7175 Level III 114 S. Maple St. 900-3754 Liquid Smoke #2 Public Square 217-7822 Main St. Music 527 W. Main St. 440-2425 Mayday Brewery 521 Old Salem Hwy. 479-9722 MTSU Wright Music Building 1439 Faulkinberry Dr. 898-2469

THE POUR HOUSE

Nacho’s 2962 S. Rutherford Blvd.

907-2700

TUESDAY, 9/29 The Band J4

Tempt 211 W. Main St. 615-225-7757

Sooyeon Lee

The Boro Bar & Grill 1211 Greenland Dr. 895-4800

The Al DeLuca Jam

BUNGANUT PIG

MTSU WRIGHT MUSIC BUILDING

WEDNESDAY, 9/30 BUNGANUT PIG

Shane Douglas

MTSU

Jayme Stone

THURSDAY, 10/1 MTSU MURPHY CENTER

Icona Pop

The Green Dragon 714-F W. Main St. 801-7171 The Pour House 2404 Halls Hill Pk. 615-603-7978 Wall Street 121 N. Maple St. 867-9090 Willie’s Wet Spot 1208 S. Lowery St., Smyrna 355-0010

Sunracer, TSUYU, Denisovan

THURSDAY, 9/17

Holly Aslinger

View Concert Listings Online:

World Outreach Church 1920 New Salem Rd. 896-4515

ALBUM REVIEWS

HAUNTED DEVICE

nobigdyl.

Summer Camp Sessions

Enter The Wave

4

3.5 3.5

Up-and-coming rock outfit Haunted Device made a splash in Nashville’s growing indie-rock scene three years ago with their self-titled debut EP, and they will soon be back on the radar with their first full-length album, Enter the Wave, coming out Oct. 13. The trio—Chad McWherter, Cory Johnson and Chris Husak—has all the alternative-styled bells and whistles of bands regularly featured on Nashville’s independent radio station, Lightning 100, while keeping a sense of authenticity.

Enter the Wave is a 13-track compilation that emphasizes both a dreamy, atmospheric tone while also incorporating infectious grooves and danceable, rhythmic arrangements. The eponymous track sounds vocally like a Foo Fighters song glossed over with shoegazer distortion and bright guitar riffs, while “The Weakening” and “I’m Not Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf ” feature strong hooks that harken back to the surging, garage-band vibe of early Strokes, stylistically and vocally, but without quite hitting the crushing intensity Julian Casablancas is known for.

The album’s most memorable track is “Welcome to Yum Yum City,” which, despite its peculiar title, is undeniably catchy with its beachpop melody that builds as the song progresses.

Whether it’s the thumping of the drums or its bubbly lyrics, the aforementioned track has a way of sticking in your head.

Haunted Device adds its own flair and flavor to what can sometimes be a monotonous genre, a trait that will undoubtedly take them far in Music City and beyond. Whether you hear them through the airwaves or see them on the event calendar at your favorite venue, give the band a listen, because I predict it won’t be long before everyone else catches on.

The album’s fourth track, “And Then We Turned Into Ghosts,” can now be streamed on the band’s SoundCloud page. Listen to the Haunted Device on Bandcamp or visit their Facebook page for updates.

— DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK

RATINGS: AVERAGE

A CLASSIC BELOW AVERAGE

Local hip-hop artist and MTSU alum nobigdyl.’s buzz has been been growing throughout 2015. The rapper, who grew up in Bell Buckle, Tenn., released his debut mixtape, smoke signal., back in January and has released several singles with indie tribe., a collective that also includes local rapper/producer Mogli the Iceburg. nobigdyl.’s new EP, Summer Camp Sessions, feels a lot like the title suggests. The six-track project is tied together with various fireside interludes from fellow MT alums such as Ryan Kenney and Camille Falkner, the latter of which delivers an enchanting rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” at the end of the track “$’mores.”

Aside from the EP’s concept, nodbigdyl.’s rhymes are the primary focus of the release.

His lyrics have an emphasis on Christian values, but he also throws in a wide variety of pop culture references ranging from Power Rangers to country star Luke Bryan. His love of pop culture also carries over to several track intros, which feature snippets from John Lennon, Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and a surprisingly thoughtful piece of dialogue from The Lion King.

To best understand the blend of thoughtfulness, Christian values and pop culture nobigdyl. presents, he rhymes “Jehovah” and “Nintendo controller” over an 8-bit gaminginspired beat on the second track, “reset.”

While his bars aren’t the most clever wordplay you’ll hear this year, they’re far above many artists on a local level and are refreshing to hear in a genre often plagued by outlandish brags and clichéd lyrical content.

For more on nobigdyl., visit nobigdyl.com, or find the artist on Soundcloud, Twitter, Facebook, Bandcamp or Rapzilla.

— JOHN CONNOR COULSTON

OUTSTANDING AVOID AT ALL COSTS

DEAD BOROPULSE.COM

* SEPTEMBER 2015 * 9

T

WILLIE BY DAVID MCLISTER

Sounds

BY JOHN CONNOR COULSTON

he music festival scene is an evergrowing landscape, especially in Tennessee. Memphis has the eclectic Beale Street Music Festival, Knoxville hosts two strong newcomers with the Big Ears and Rhythm N’ Blooms festivals, and Manchester is engulfed by the juggernaut of the Southern festivals, Bonnaroo, each June. Franklin will soon be the latest to join the festival ranks when the Pilgrimage Music and Cultural Festival welcomes music fans from across the country to the Park at Harlinsdale Farm, Sept. 26–27.

Pilgrimage Fest to bring big names, New Orleans vibes to Franklin

WILLIE NELSON

THE EXPERIENCE

Performers including Willie Nelson, Weezer and festival favorites Wilco will headline the twoday outdoor event, which aims for a more laidback, family-friendly atmosphere as opposed to late-night or camping festivals. Co-owners Michael Whelan, Brandt Wood and Kevin Griffin (frontman of the alternative rock band Better Than Ezra) sought to recreate the vibe of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which, among many great qualities, is a daytime event ending no later than 7 p.m. each night.

“We all have strong ties to New Orleans, and having spent a considerable amount of years not only attending, but in Kevin’s instance performing at, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, we liked the idea of a daytime festival,” Whelan told the Pulse. “It gives everyone a chance to enjoy all that the festival has to offer during the day and then make their way into Franklin for dinner or a show.”

The festival’s schedule will surely give a boost to local businesses after festival hours, but that’s not the only support Pilgrimage provides to community. The festival’s Bazaar area will serve as the vending hub for the event, with cuisine from regional restaurants and crafts from local artists available for purchase. There will also be local storytellers on hand to discuss Williamson County’s history. Organizers say the promise to support Franklin has already strengthened the festival’s relationship with the community.

“The City of Franklin and the surrounding communities have really rallied around the idea of this festival,” Whelan said. “They are excited to have an event like this become a pillar event each year at the Park at Harlinsdale Farm.”

10 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

CAGE THE ELEPHANT

THE MUSIC

Besides the aforementioned headliners, more than 30 artists are on the Pilgrimage Festival’s lineup, including Sheryl Crow, The Decemberists, Punch Brothers and Dr. John. These national acts will share the bill with regional favorites including ELEL, Holly Williams and Will Hoge. Furthermore, organizers are encouraging artists to play acoustically for a portion of their sets in order to create an intimate setting even on the festival’s main stages. Here are a few recommendations: Willie Nelson: Country icon Willie Nelson is one of the festival’s headliners for good reason. He’s released more than 200 albums in his 50-plus-year career, with his most recent release, the Merle Haggard collaborative effort Django & Jimmie, topping the country charts when it was released in June. Whether playing fan favorites like “On the Road Again” or “Roll Me up and Smoke Me When I Die” or any of his numerous covers and collaborations, he’s sure to bring out some gems from his massive catalog for a special evening with outlaw country’s most prominent figure.

Weezer: After playing two sold-out shows at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium last summer,

HOLLY WILLIAMS

Rivers Cuomo and company will return to Tennessee as one of the Pilgrimage Festival’s headlining acts. Despite their recent mixed bag of studio albums, the fun, catchy core of Weezer’s sound has stayed intact, as is evident in the recent singles “Back to the Shack” and “Cleopatra.” While it’d be fantastic to see the group play their self-titled “blue album” in full, hopefully we’ll at least see the band take an acoustic approach to some of their classics.

Holly Williams: Despite being the daughter of Hank Williams Jr., Holly Williams has forged her own path as a singer-songwriter in Nashville. She taps into her emotions and pulls out heartbreaking songs, much like her grandfather, Hank Williams Sr. Her deeply personal lyrics, matched with her passionate vocals, are sure to capture the attention of festivalgoers.

WEEZER

Cage the Elephant: Cage the Elephant is not just one of the best musical acts to ever come out of Kentucky, they’re one of the most exciting live acts currently touring. In between secret shows at Nashville venues like Mercy Lounge and the Basement East, the band’s been wowing audiences at Bonnaroo, the Beale Street Music Festival, Forecastle Festival in Louisville and other events with their raw energy and solid rhythm section. Expect a lot of crowd surfing from frontman Matt Shultz and solid performances of songs like “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked,” “Cigarette Daydream” and “Back Against the Wall.”

Stevie Woodward: MTSU recording industry major Stevie Woodward won the chance to play the Pilgrimage Festival through a fan vote on the festival’s website. This wasn’t the first time she was able to garner big numbers in support of her music, as she recently raised more than $10,000 on Kickstarter to fund her debut self-titled EP. She’ll surely play material from it, so be sure to check it out on iTunes and Spotify before the festival.

For more on the Pilgrimage Music & Arts Festival, visit pilgrimagefestival.com.

BOROPULSE.COM

* SEPTEMBER 2015 * 11

Sounds

MUSIC NOTES

MARY GAUTHIER

cause I do, but to me, it really is important to have a little movie going on in a song. It can be surreal, but it needs to be honest for me to love it. I try to write like that, honest, with a story in the song. A story that is worthy of asking for people’s attention.

to perform at Birdsong Studio for Roots Music Series

BY DYLAN SKYE AYCOCK SINGER/SONGWRITER MARY GAUTHIER IS A troubadour, a musician and, above all, a storyteller. Her finetuned, detailed lyrics tell the story of her troubled past, just as her smooth, compelling voice opens a portal to how she overcame it all. More than 17 years and seven well-crafted albums later, Gauthier is regarded as an acclaimed songwriter whose talents have earned her many awards since her breakout release, Drag Queens In Limousines, in 1997.

Born in New Orleans, Gauthier didn’t begin writing songs until her mid-30s, but when she picked up the pen for the first time, the words poured out of her. Gauthier’s lyrics, honest and real, draw from personal experiences and tell stories of pain, defeat and coming out on top even in the worst circumstances. She makes the music her own, occasionally drawing a few similarities to the likes of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan.

Over the years, Gauthier has had songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Jimmy Buffett, Blake Shelton and others, but it’s the music she performs herself that draws the most attention.

Before her career in music, she worked hard to conquer the challenges of her youth, which at times included drug and alcohol abuse and run-ins with the law. Before getting sober, Gauthier began working as a chef at a Cajun restaurant in Boston. However, one day she says she woke up and knew she had enough, so she began working diligently to recover, and that’s when it all began.

Now a Nashville resident, Gauthier will take the stage at Woodbury’s Birdsong Studio as part of the venue’s Roots Music

Series before embarking on a tour across the United States.

We caught up with Gauthier before she boarded her flight to perform at Tonder Festival in Denmark last month: PULSE: You’ve said before that songwriting is

not something that happens on command. Can you talk about what the process is like once the inspiration is there?

GAUTHIER: Songwriting is hard work most of the time. It involves patience, discipline, diligence and dedication. I think of it as a lot like going to the gym. The gym feels great after the workout is completed, songwriting feels great after the song is written. It’s like chasing a wounded bird down a long alley . . . it is important to keep your eye on it, not move too quickly and be gentle. It’s almost always an ordeal.

There are many characters and storylines woven in your music. Does your sense of detail come naturally or did you teach yourself to pay close attention to it?

I like songs that tell stories and songs that have a beginning a middle and an end and a clear reason for asking for the listener’s attention. For me, that involves more than a beat and a voice. It requires a story. Not that I don’t love poetic songs, be-

OLD TIMERS FESTIVAL TO HOST REALITY SHOW STARS THE WILLIS CLAN 12 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

The Willis Clan is a 14-member family of musicians, dancers, songwriters and artists that is featured on the TLC reality show The Willis Family.

Since making it to the semifinals of Season 9 of America’s Got Talent, the Middle Tennessee natives have been touring the country, performing a unique blend of bluegrass, traditional Irish song and country music. They’ll be appearing at the Old Timers Festival in La Vergne, Tenn., on Saturday, Sept. 19, alongside country-comedy group Us Two and Them, craft artists and an animal show. To learn more details of the Old Timers Festival, visit oldtimersfestival.com.

You’ve talked about how your latest release, Trouble and Love, signified a transformative time in your life. Can you talk about the making of the album?

I made Trouble and Love with my friends, and it was a collaborative process. The songs are co-written, I co-produced the record and my friends are playing on it. At this time in my life, I see clearly that my friends are my lifeline, and I treasure my relationships with them. Working with them made me a better songwriter and a better producer.

How did you get involved with Songwriting With Soldiers and what was the experience like for you, both personally and as a mentor?

I work with Songwriting With Soldiers, a group out of Austin, Texas. We have veterans retreats with 15 veterans and four songwriters, and we take the vets experiences and turn them into songs. It’s a powerful few days, and we emerge with songs that speak for soldiers of all wars since the beginning of war. The songs are timeless. The internal experience of a soldier has not changed through time. It’s amazing to be a part of telling these stories, and it’s beautiful and powerful. It’s brought me close to a group of people that mean the world to me, a group of veterans whose lives would have not intersected with mine if not for Songwriting With Soldiers. I love these people, and it is an honor to write with them.

 IF YOU GO: Birdsong Studio is located at 213 West High St. in Woodbury, Tenn. Mary Gauthier is set to perform on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m. For a complete schedule of the Roots Music Series, visit thebirdsongstudio.com.

BANJOIST JAYME STONE TO PERFORM AT MTSU MTSU’s Center for Popular Music will host banjoist Jayme Stone for a performance and workshop for students on Wednesday, Sept.

30. Stone is a Juno-award winning musician who incorporates influences from across the globe on his releases, including touchstones ranging from Japanese poetry to African melodies. His latest album, The Lomax Project, is comprised of songs archived by field recorder and folklorist Alan Lomax. Along with a team of Grammy-winning roots musicians, Stone reimagines sea shanties, a cappella pieces and Appalachian work songs with folk and bluegrass instrumentation. Stone’s Sept. 30 visit includes a full day of on-campus activities: a performance in the Walker Library atrium, a hands-on workshop with MTSU music students, an evening concert and more. For more information on times and locations, head to facebook.com/center4popmusic.

THE AVENUE MURFREESBORO TO SHOWCASE LOCAL MUSICIANS SEPT. 12

The Avenue Murfreesboro’s inaugural Local Band Showcase will bring together two of the city’s most recognizable groups, The Flea Market Hustlers and Rhythm Kitchen, for an evening of bluegrass, soul and blues at Central Park near the Avenue fountain on Saturday, Sept. 12.

Comprised of an eclectic group of friends, the Flea Market Hustlers is not your typical, run-of-themill bluegrass band. Instead, they give the genre a unique spin in what the band self-proclaims as “disco-billy jam-grass.” The band’s catalog is filled to the brim with quirky lyrics and melodies that are sure to get a few laughs during the set, especially during outlandish songs like “Liquor in Her Collards” and “Buried My Darlin.” All of its members, at some point in time, share vocal responsibilities, with John Furbush on mandolin and harmonica, Mike Tharpe on banjo, David Preston on guitar and bass and Jake Winebrenner on percussion. Flea Market Hustlers, in all its hilarity, aims to have a good time.

Rhythm Kitchen, on the other hand, will bring the crowd a dose of soulful sounds and music to move to. With the area’s own Skylar Gregg on

vocals, Heather Moulder on vocals and Wurlitzer keys, Jake Winebrenner on drums and Joey Fletcher on guitar, the group’s talent and musical chemistry won’t go unnoticed.

The free outdoor event, scheduled to kick off at 4 p.m., will offer four hours of musical entertainment, and all ages are welcome. The fountain is located near Hat World at the Avenue, 2615 Medical Center Pkwy.

ICONA POP TO PERFORM AT MTSU’S MURPHY CENTER Swedish pop duo Icona Pop will perform at MTSU’s Murphy Center on Thursday, Oct. 1, as a part of the university’s new Signature Events initiative. The group’s biggest hit came with their 2012 Charlie XCX collaboration “I Don’t Care,” which was featured in numerous ad campaigns, TV shows and video games and has since sold over 2 million copies. They’ve spent the last year on tour with the likes of Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and One Direction, and are currently gearing up for the release of a new album later this year.

Current MTSU students can start picking up their free advance tickets at the MTSU Athletic Ticket Office on Sept. 8 and alumni and current faculty and staff can pick up tickets starting Sept. 28. To learn about MTSU’s Signature Events program, visit mtsu.edu/signature.

BOROPULSE.COM

* SEPTEMBER 2015 * 13

Art STORY BY SARAH H. CLARK

Take a Walk on the Artistic Side ON SATURDAY, SEPT. 19, FROM 10 A.M. TO 4 P.M., the section of the Murfreesboro Greenway that passes through Old Fort Park will be a great place to take a walk. Why? Because that’s where the Greenway Art Festival will be taking place. The path will be lined with booths featuring local artists (and a few from farther afield) offering their work to view and buy.

Many of the artists who will be present also offer commissioned work, which can be requested at the festival. Some of the jewelry artists, says Melinda Tate, the Greenway Program Coordinator and organizer of the festival, can even produce simple pieces while you wait. Some artists also offer classes, whether private or in groups, so those interested in learning a new means of creative expression can explore different styles and see what these teachers have produced themselves. Many of the artists will be demonstrating their work for festivalgoers, whether making jewelry, painting, or even spinning wool to make into cloth.

This year’s festival is the 13th annual, and it’s been getting bigger and better every year. This year there will be 75 booths in total, both along the Greenway path and within the nearby pavilion. In addition to visual artists displaying painting, sculpture, drawing, jewelry, fiber art, pottery, woodworking, and much more, the festival will for the first time be featuring musicians, as well. Some will play acoustically at different spots around the pathway, while the Emerging Artists tent will feature two special performers. Larry Pinkerton, a veteran of the Grand Ole Opry, will take the stage from the festival’s opening at 10 a.m. until noon.

He will be followed by Rik Gracia, a well-known local performer.

If you’re worried that looking at so much talent will make you hungry, never fear! This year’s festival will also host food trucks, with vendors including The Flying Pig, Dan’s Gourmet Mac & Cheese, Bradley’s Curbside Creamery and Miss Pokey’s Lemonade and Kettle Corn. For the kids, there will be face painting and a special craft organized by the Parks and Recreation Cultural Arts Department. Previous years’ crafts have included making and decorating paper puppets and painting on one of the most challenging surfaces—a rock.

All of the artwork and artists featured at the Greenway Arts Festival have been selected by a jury from hundreds of submissions. “All of the artists are very excited,” says Tate. All artwork will be original, not mass produced, and work produced by a stencil or mold is forbidden. The one-day festival allows Murfreesboro’s local artists a chance to exhibit their work in their own hometown, as well as an opportunity for local residents to get a taste of the talent and variety our city’s art community has to offer. MTSU’s student art organization will also MARK YOUR CALENDAR be participating, giving college students a chance to put their work on exhibit, often for the first time.

“It’s a good way to get a little culture,” says Tate. Moreover, she adds, many of the artists sell work at very affordable prices—much lower than artwork at a gallery, and sometimes even more affordable than mass-produced pieces from a retailer. Plus, it’s a great way to support local art.

Old Fort Park is located just off of Old Fort Parkway, near Salem Road.

SEPT. 19: GREENWAY ART FEST

14 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

Clockwise from top left: “Headdress” by Ben Griffith; Sheila Smith; dinosaur painting by Lucas Antoniak; “Hanging Up Her Wings” by Kevin Rains; dove painting by Lisa Browning; stone necklaces

by Michelle Beshears; “Hold Me Back”

by Jessica Rose Maraschiello

Theater

ONSTAGE IN SEPTEMBER CHARLOTTE’S WEB

Smyrna Rescue Squad Building 203 Front St., Smyrna Sept. 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 12 and 19 at 2 p.m. considerthisinc.com

HARVEY

Center for the Arts 110 W. College St. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11, 12, 18 and 19; 2 p.m. Sept. 13 and 20 boroarts.org

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

Springhouse Theatre 14119 Old Nashville Hwy., Smyrna 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18, 19, 25 and 26 springhousetheatre.com

OF MICE AND MEN

Murfreesboro Little Theatre 702 Ewing Blvd.

7 p.m. Sept. 18, 19, 25 and 26; 2 p.m. Sept. 20 and 27 mltarts.com

FOREVER ABBEY ROAD (A Tribute to the Beatles) Center for the Arts 110 W. College St. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 2 boroarts.org

BOROPULSE.COM

* SEPTEMBER 2015 * 15

Living

ADVENTURE ALERT

EXPEDITION TO KENTUCKY AIMS TO UNCOVER EVIDENCE OF BIGFOOT

BY CAMERON PARRISH

T

Cameron and his wife Angela prepare to board a train.

Wine on the Rails A NOSTALGIC TRAIN EXCURSION TO DELMONACO WINERY

A

STORY AND PHOTOS BY CAMERON PARRISH

fter days of primitive backcountry camping in the Kentucky wilderness of Mammoth Cave National Park, an exhilarating zip-line tour and an investigation of some alleged Sasquatch sightings, Angela and I were more than ready to relax and unwind. Now it isn’t fitting to end such an adventure in just any manner. You’ve got to finish with a little flair, and nothing in Nashville has quite the same retromantic panache as an all-day railway wine-tasting excursion aboard a restored 1950s-era passenger train.

Boarding began promptly at 8 a.m. A man in a railway uniform gave the familiar “all aboard” and we were escorted to the guest car. Departing from the Tennessee Central Railway Museum, the streamlined stainless steel passenger train was an immediate trip for the senses. If you’ve ever been aboard a train or aircraft from the early 20th Century you already know that there’s a distinct smell to them which is found nowhere else but on one of these machines from the past.

Seating aboard the train is comparable to 16 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

first class on a large jet airliner and rotates so that parties as large as 8 can face one another. Vintage dress was encouraged on this particular excursion, organized by the folks at Muddy Roots, and virtually everyone aboard the guest car, including the band, had donned their best retro gear, adding to the nostalgic feel of the day. (It’s funny how one can even feel nostalgia for an era they didn’t experience personally.)

This particular excursion, a Muddy Roots charter trip to DelMonaco Winery, will occur again this Nov. 7, and certainly induces that deep connection with a bygone era that some love, even if only for its aesthetic appeal.

Tasting began soon after departure from Nashville. The mood in our car was fairly subdued except for the light strumming of a ukulele by one of the performers. The delightful sampling continued until our arrival at DelMonaco, situated a mere 100 yards from the tracks. The winery and its Mediterranean-styled architecture are a unique, if not altogether surreal, sight for the Cumberland

Plateau region. Even so, the smell of smoked barbecue and the old-timey band playing everything from ragtime to bluegrass to Hank Williams Sr. will remind you exactly where you are. As the first couple to detrain, we made for the bar, having already decided which bottles we’d enjoy during our stay and which would be optimal for the train ride back.

DelMonaco provided a leisurely atmosphere to accompany the mid-day heat. There were games on the lawn with plenty of space to find a private spot for enjoying a libation and some barbecue. Some fine artisan crafts and vintage clothing items were tastefully offered for sale on the second floor of the main hall. The entire affair was very comfortable and the ambiance positively genteel. After lunch Angela and I found an agreeable place in the shade, sipped a chilled bottle of the Whistle Stop Red and slipped into our own world. Blissfully buzzed, the only thing missing was my pipe. I knew I forgot something.

The return trip to Nashville was the most entertaining. Spirits were high and a marked contrast could be seen between the previous ride to DelMonaco and now. Parties and couples entertained one another loudly and the musicians on our car brought out the guitars again. Well lubricated by this time, we laughed and chatted with the other guests, but eventually found our way to the dining car for a game of cards, enveloping ourselves once more in our private bubble.

Nashville is fortunate to have a wine train, and we recommend taking full advantage of the upcoming excursions listed at tcry.org.

For those who enjoy wine, the Muddy Roots Charter Trip to DelMonaco is an altogether monumental way to spend a Saturday.

Semper Explorandum!

For tickets and more information on the upcoming Wine on the Rails excursion from Nashville to the DelMonaco Winery, visit muddyrootsrecords.com or find a Facebook page for Nashville Wine on the Rails.

he Murfreesboro Pulse is backing an expedition to search for evidence of the elusive creature known as Bigfoot in the national forest lands of Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. The endeavor, led by myself and followed by a team of handpicked individuals, enjoys the material and financial support of several local businesses in addition to the Pulse. These sponsors so far include: Strong Body Nutrition, Murfreesboro Outdoors, Better Days Barbeque, Legacy Ink, Sasquatch Mountain Tactical and Premier Home Inspection, with the list continuing to grow.

We will be guiding readers during next few months along our quest to the edge of discovery as my team investigates alleged Sasquatch reports and attempts to make history with what will possibly be the greatest discovery of our century.

The Pulse Expedition Team will depart from Murfreesboro on Oct. 16 and return on the 18th.

Our targeted area has been a hotbed of reported sightings in recent months. Coupled with my own experiences at this location, we have a basis to pursue further evidence of a creature, which has yet to be officially recognized by science, through the deployment of both traditional and highly experimental techniques. Notwithstanding, we are cognizant that many such past expeditions have turned up little to no evidence and recognize that our efforts may yield only a chance to eat some really good barbecue while enjoying fall in the great outdoors, a risk we are all willing to take in the name of science.

Stay tuned for more details to come.

Follow on twitter @CameronParrish_, on Instagram @semperexplorandum, and keep up with #pulseexpedition updates.

Redneck Rumble Car Show Set for Sept. 19 & 20

R

edneck Rumble? What the heck is a Redneck Rumble?! After the first four or five years, Redneck Rumble promoter Tom “Scooter” Williams’ stock answer became “you just gotta see it to believe it”; many of the Rumble’s devoted fans will tell you the same thing. The name really came about through hot-rodders poking fun at themselves, and Williams really wanting to display those local builders’ talents.

“Local hero Charlie Daniels sang A redneck ain’t nothin but a working man, makes a livin’ by the sweat of his brow and the calluses on his hand and that’s where we come from,” Williams said. “Hard work will build you a good life and a good hot rod! We’ve never shied away from being called a redneck, even though some folks want to use it negatively. Contrary to the West Coast’s claims of being the only place on earth that hot-rodding takes place, the South has some great fabricators, engine builders and car builders. After all, NASCAR came out of moonshine runners’ competitiveness with each other, so naturally those builders’ skills started to turn up on the street.”

The show is many different things to many different people. There are pure custom cars: cars that are more refined and have tons of custom touches like body modifications, shaved door handles, emblems, custom paint and interior, maybe a chopped roof line and are made for cruising. There are old-school hot rods with original 1950s parts that were

made for nothing but going fast, the kind your grandpa likely had when he came back from the war. There are restored cars, and yes, even cars that make you stop and try to figure out what they might have been at one time. But no matter what they drive, the attendees all get it: it’s the love of the build, the chase of the perfect part, the friendships they have built over the years, the older generation passing on their knowledge to the younger guys. Many folks have connected at the show; some have even formed car clubs from those friendships. People are coming from all over to attend; last year there were folks from Canada, England, Japan, Australia and South Africa that came specifically for the show.

In addition to all of the show cars, there is a huge swap meet with all the parts you would need to build your very own ride, and complete vehicles ready for the road. There are tons of vintage items like old signs, Coke machines, jukeboxes, vintage clothes and more. There’s always good food, and good music, with the likes of Alexander King and the Hatfield Bloodline (from Big Smo Show), the Corbitt Brothers, Jane Rose, The Crazy Aces and Zippy’s Clutch. The show is topped off Saturday night with a demolition derby.

The 2015 Redneck Rumble will be Sept. 19–20 at the James Ward Ag Center in Lebanon, Tenn. For more information, visit bothbarrels.us.

BOROPULSE.COM

* SEPTEMBER 2015 * 17

Living

THE ONLINE MARKETPLACE Live Exceptionally. . . Well!

Finding Relaxation

BY JENNIFER DURAND

10 Ways to

“Ahh . . .”

1 Breathe With Intention. Learn breathing exer-

cises and practice them daily. You will notice overall improvement in body function, clarity of mind and healthier looking skin. Your disposition will be more at ease.

2 Walk/Exercise Get moving for a minimum of

15–20 minutes and you will increase blood flow, circulation, stimulation and improve oxygen flow.

3 Hydrate Drink at least half your body weight in

ounces of water, daily. Water helps the organs function and keeps things moving.

4 Tell Your Truth Don’t hold things in. Find a

pleasant way to say what is on your heart, on your mind.

The Truth will set you free! Your body and muscles won’t hold onto the stress and will thank you for it.

5 Laugh Often! Don’t take yourself (or others) too seriously. Shake “it” off. Watch funny movies. Keep your belly laughing.

6 Games Play. Play. Play. Excite your mind with a

good challenge. Either a mental game, a physical game or both.

7 Massage & Spa Services A great escape that soothes, nourishes and improves overall wellness.

8 Mindful Meditation Turn off your phone, your

computer, the voices in your head. Learn the art of being quiet—really quiet—for just 10 minutes a day. You’ll be amazed at the results.

9 A Good Read Disappear from reality for a break into a paper adventure. Be in the story. See it. Feel it.

Savor it.

0 Rest Lay down and let it go. All of “it”. Feel it slip away as you breathe, exhale, release. It doesn’t matter how long you rest, just that you do. Ahhh . . .

There are many ways to find your “Ahhh . . .” factor.

Another key component to enriching your life this way once you find your factor is consistency—making time and creating space for these special moments. There is a difference between establishing a routine and a establishing a ritual. Routines are fixed things that we do mostly without even thinking about it. Getting up, brushing teeth, making breakfast, checking the mail, etc.

18 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

A ritual is more ceremonial. It is a dedicated moment or action that we honor, cherish. When you set aside time for little celebrations it has more meaning than when you go about your daily “routine.” It may be as simple as drinking hot tea in a cozy nook, or reading a passage from your favorite uplifting book, or closing your eyes and breathing deeply with intention, taking a hot bath with ambient candles to “set the mood,” a five-minute conversation with your mate or friend at the end of your day to share some positive moments, or a 10-second kiss when you greet your love. Rituals are the moments we look forward to giving to ourselves or sharing with another in joy and anticipation. We create these in order to have something to look forward to. It is easier to be consistent if we make it a ritual, something to regard.

One way to find your personal “Ahhh . . .” is to be open to new experiences. Just because something may not sound like your “thing,” try it anyway. In the end it may not be for you, but at the very least you will discover how to appreciate someone else’s idea of “Ahhh . . .” and can relate to others more fully, perhaps even profoundly.

Additionally, a factor to living an inspired, healthFULL life is learning to be fully present, right where you are. This can often be a challenge as people juggle many different roles and are continuously thinking of the next thing they have to do. Sadly, this prohibits them from being completely involved or committed in the moment; the moment passes, and so does the fullness of that experience. To quote John Lennon, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” So, tune in to the plans that you have already made and notice, notice, notice. What is happening? Conversations? Laughter?

Love? Someone’s first something? That will be enough to keep you right where you are. Breathe it in. Savor it. All of it. When you do, you will discover you just created an “Ahhh . . .” moment to remember!

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

Murfreesboro yard sale group surpasses 10,000 members.

BY SARAH H. CLARK

WHEN SHANNON ADAMS BREWER FIRST DISCOVERED Facebook yard sale pages, there was only one in existence for the Murfreesboro area. She joined the group in hopes of selling some of her children’s used clothing, hoping to recoup some of her initial cost and to let the practically new items that simply no longer fit go to a new home.

“Yard sales are hot, inconvenient, and a lot of work,” says Brewer with a laugh. With five children and a part-time job, she thought the yard sale page would be an easier way.

But Brewer soon found she didn’t enjoy the BREWER tone of the group she had joined. The administrators banned users and outlawed certain posts with, it seemed to her, very little provocation. Brewer simply started her own yard sale group, entitling it “Murfreesboro Mommys Yard Sale Site.” She shared it with friends interested in kids’ clothes and toys, and they shared it with their friends. The group’s growth quickly became exponential.

“There are a lot of yard sale pages now, some just for specific areas,” says Brewer. Over time, Facebook has adapted to the needs of those who

use the social platform to buy from and sell to other users. Facebook yard sale sites are now equipped to let posts list a title, price, and location as well as pictures and descriptions. Those interested in the items posted can comment on the post to bargain, arrange meeting times, and establish an order of first-come, first-serve, should the original deal fall through.

Brewer’s own group has also adapted to the changing needs of its community. Brewer changed the name to add “(and Daddys too :))” after a few complaints from fathers who wanted to use the page as well. Keeping in mind what bothered her about her first experience, Brewer enforces very few rules on her page. She doesn’t restrict the items advertised on the page to kid-related items, outlawing only items that are eligible to be received through WIC in order to avoid abuses. She bans users for breaking appointments with no explanation and for abusive behavior, and she asks that all buyers and sellers be located in the greater Murfreesboro area. Otherwise, pretty much anything goes: folks sell everything from clothes and shoes to furniture, electronics, home décor and even pets.

“I’m going to need to get another admin soon,” Brewer says.

And no wonder—as “Murfreesboro Mommys Yard Sale Site (& Daddys too :)) has rocketed past 10,000 members.

Brewer herself still frequently uses the site to sell outgrown clothing and toys her kids have gotten tired of. “I don’t get special treatment,” says Brewer. “And I don’t get paid. I just shop and sell like everyone else.”

She may not have signed up for a group this large, but Brewer has certainly stepped up to the plate—and judging from the sheer volume of posts and responses on her page, Murfreesboroans consider it a valuable service.

An

Encore

for Wedding Dresses How one local business owner is investing in Haiti’s future.

BY SARAH H. CLARK KAREN WHITAKER IS JUST STARTING her second career, this time as an entrepreneur. She retired last year after 30 years as a teacher—but Whitaker already had her retirement plans well in order. In 2009, just as the economy was at its worst, she started Encore. After six and a half years in business, this consignment formal wear store is still going strong.

Whitaker’s inspiration came from her own second wedding. Both she and her spouse had never had a big wedding, so they decided to go all out on a formal affair. “But we were in our 40s, and we had to pay for it,” explains Whitaker. “I had to think outside the box.”

With a little ingenuity, Whitaker pulled the wedding off for a fraction of what it would usually cost, and her friends started coming to her for advice for their daughters and friends.

The need for affordable wedding dresses, as well as bridesmaids’ dresses and prom dresses, gave Whitaker the idea for Encore.

When the economy went south, she decided not to wait until her retirement from teaching, and so her business was born.

“People were rethinking how to spend on bigticket items,” she says. Whitaker’s new business boomed, and within a couple of years it had outgrown her first location on Church Street. She moved the store to its present

location on the Square, 123 N. Maple St. As a consignment business, Whitaker signs a contract with her consignors to keep a dress for nine months. If the dress sells, she splits the profit with the dress’s owner.

But if the dress hasn’t sold when the time is up, she asks consignors to pick their dresses up and take them home. Sometimes consignors aren’t interested in having their dresses back. Instead, they ask Whitaker if she can donate the garments to someone in need.

Whitaker did so, giving dresses to charities that provide prom dresses to underprivileged girls, or to theater troupes for costumes. “But it was hard to find anyone that wanted old wedding dresses,” she says. Inspiration came in the form of one of her former students, whose family had worked as missionaries in the island nation of Haiti. Her student came into the store looking for a wedding dress—not for himself, says Whitaker, but for a friend in Haiti for whom he was serving as a “godfather.” This, he told her, is a tradition in Haiti, where young people often can’t raise the funds for traditional wedding items such as a fancy dress. Instead, they ask friends to serve as “wedding godparents” who provide the dress and other items for the wedding.

After her student left, Whitaker thought that it would be great to donate wedding dresses to Haitians—not just for a single wedding, but enough to start a wedding dress rental business. So when another “godparent,” Marlo Wilt, came into her store looking for a dress for a Haitian bride, Whitaker seized the opportunity. She took about a dozen wedding dresses that were waiting to be donated, packed them into a “giant refrigerator box” and sent them to Laurent Wally Jeanty and his bride in Haiti.

Jeanty will rent the dresses out for weddings for a small fee. With a little luck, it will help him to provide for his family.

“Haiti has the lowest human development rate in the Americas,” says Whitaker.

“For them to have any growth, they’re going to need outside help.” As an educator, it is especially meaningful that her donation, and other similar economic boosts, can help Haitian families keep their children in school.

“Most kids start school, but drop out by fifth grade to help support their families,” she says.

“It’s a vicious cycle—the way to bring people up is to educate them when they’re young.”

“I want to keep doing this,” says Whitaker.

She plans to continue to send donated dresses to Haiti two to three times a year. She plans to add a clause to her contract for new customers allowing them to specify that they’d like their dresses donated to this cause if they don’t sell in the allotted nine months. More than supporting just one family, too, Whitaker is hoping the economic impact of the dresses will continue to grow. “Maybe seamstresses will be able to work, too—it’s the balloon effect,” she says. And every little bit counts.

BOROPULSE.COM

* SEPTEMBER 2015 * 19

Living

Sometimes people give me money,” says Steve, “but they don’t take the paper. I had someone pull up and hand me an apple . . . that apple meant just as much as money to me.”

Steve Is Not Stupid Handicapped homeless man in Madison tries to keep the faith.

HOMELESS IN THE ’BORO STORY AND PHOTO BY DARCY PAYNE

W

ith only a backpack and the clothes on his body, a man quickly dashes across the street heading towards a statue that indicates “City of Madison, Tennessee.” Well, to clarify, the man is only walking quickly for a man with a broken leg. His cast is dirty and wet, considering the sweat caused by this 90-degree summer day.

Come to find out, the man only rushed across the street to sit on the welcome statue while gazing at cars driving by. I approach the man and hand him an ice-cold water bottle.

He says his name is Steve. He is wearing dirty, light wash jeans accompanied by a grey T-shirt and a smile. He has a slight beard complemented with thick glasses. When asked how old he is, he says “old enough.” I proceed to greet him with a handshake. He seems astounded.

“I can’t believe you just walk around during the afternoon handing out waters,” says Steve.

Instantly, he began to vent about his life.

Steve is from Portland, Tenn. He calls Portland the “strawberry capital of the world!” Steve says he got sick of strawberries when he picked and sold them to buy a new GI Joe toy when he was younger.

A broken family life has taken a toll on Steve. After a falling out with his biological parents, his grandparents raised him. As 20 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

soon as Steve entered college, his grandfather (whom he considered to be a father figure) passed away. Steve finished one year of college, but then he had a “mental breakdown.”

“Now?” asks Steve. “Now, I’m homeless.”

Steve is not only homeless, but also jobless and disheartened. Compared to Murfreesboro, Madison has very few homeless resources.

There are two churches that help serve them.

For now, homeless individuals have minimal meals and services to help with day-to-day needs. Lunch is provided by Long Hollow Baptist Church on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Other than that, Madison is in extreme need of help for the poverty-stricken community.

The homeless population in Madison is only increasing, considering it is one of the areas for spillover homeless individuals from Nashville. Because the city of Nashville is growing so quickly, so is the Nashville homeless population. Most of Nashville’s homeless people have

had to migrate to outlying areas like Madison.

This increasing homelessness, combined with little to no help, causes issues not only with mental health, but also general health.

Steve’s foot is broken from an incident resulting from intoxication. It has been broken for weeks with no signs of a quick recovery. He has a government-funded phone for emergency calls and limited personal calls.

“I was arguing with a friend,” says Steve, “then I stepped off the sidewalk into a pothole!”

He continues to say, “Dumb things happen.”

He points to his bracelet that reads, “I’m with stupid” with an arrow after those words. “[The arrow] should always be pointed towards me,” says Steve.

Although Steve is very literate, got a 35 out of 36 on his ACT test, completed a year of college, and has 12 Advanced Placement (AP) classes under his belt, he still believes he is stupid. His alcoholism severely advances his bad choices, though.

Steve is working on a better life for himself.

He is scheduled to attend a rehabilitation program later this month for alcoholism. Steve has a fiancée that is employed and homed. She is no longer speaking to him because of his addictions, so he is trying to reconnect with her.

It’s been weeks since they last spoke. Additionally, Steve is making improvements in his situation by selling The Contributor and a nondenominational church newspaper called Faith Unity to make money. Steve says he spends the money on food and cigarettes, but he especially needs new clothes.

“Sometimes people give me money,” says Steve, “but they don’t take the paper. I had someone pull up and hand me an apple . . . that apple meant just as much as money to me.”

The kindness and courtesy within a person’s heart is what makes Steve happy. Kindness is more inspiring to him than the cash. Steve says he could easily get up right now and beg for money in the parking lot, but that’s not what it’s about. He wants the joy and kindness of others.

“I am blessed to have met you,” says Steve.

“Here, have a paper.”

Steve hands me a copy of Faith Unity, although I don’t have money with me. With a smile, Steve says he didn’t ask for money. He happily insists I take the paper.

All kinds of people talk to Steve. Cops in Madison know him by name because of his previous arrests. Steve has been arrested for sleeping on public and private property. He has a hard time finding a place to call “home” or “camp” because homelessness is becoming increasingly less accepted in culture today. Public properties close after 11 o’clock, so he can’t sleep in the parks of Madison. In addition to his trespassing arrests, Steve has been arrested for public intoxication.

Steve lowers his voice and says, “I’m not hurt-

ing anyone. I’m just trying not to get rained on.”

Long Hollow Baptist Church gave him a pair of glasses. He appreciated them so much that when they broke in half, he tied a tiny yellow rubber band around the frame to keep them together. He still wears those glasses every day.

Last September Steve was admitted into the local hospital after getting swept up in the Cumberland River during a flash flood. He survived by holding onto a broken tree branch for five hours. While barely keeping his head above water, Steve’s glasses fell off his face and floated down the river. To make the situation worse, he had a broken hand. Steve says that’s when he found his faith.

Interrupting his story, other homeless individuals step off the Nashville MTA bus and greet Steve as if they are best friends. With hellos and goodbyes, Steve continues.

“On one hand,” says Steve, “It was the most traumatic and horrifying experience. On the other hand, it was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.”

Steve continues to talk about his faith. He says he turned his back on God, but God never turned His back on him. He believes there is only one denomination of Christianity, and that’s faith.

Steve giggles.

“I guess I got baptized,” says Steve (referring to falling in the river), “But I want to do it the right way next time!”

Every day, Steve carries a backpack. Within the backpack, he carries a Bible, food, water and The Book of Mormon. Steve loves to study and learn. He calls it “keeping his head together.”

When asked what his next goal is, Steve pauses to think.

“My main focus in life is joy and happiness,” says Steve. “There’s nothing else I can do.”

While I’m sitting, Steve stands up on his unstable legs and looks at me with his head to the side. He reaches for my hand. I extend my hand in response, expecting a handshake.

Steve presses his prickly mouth to my skin with a grin.

I met Steve with a handshake, but I left with a kiss on my hand. ~~~ A week after Steve and I met, he called me.

He said after our meeting, he was inspired to find a job. He has an interview with a construction company later this month and hopes for the best.

When Steve gave me the one Faith Unity newspaper he had left in his backpack, I realized he gave me one of the few things he owns. Not to mention, he gave me something he could’ve sold for money to live a better life.

If you see a person in need today, give that person something that holds a special meaning in your heart. Whether you give a smile or an item, you could change a life.

BOROPULSE.COM

* SEPTEMBER 2015 * 21

Living FARMERS’ MARKET CLASSES: Classes are continuing at the Rutherford County Farmers’ Market. This is a producer-only market that is held on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 a.m. to noon.

Farmers’ Market Education classes continue to be held in the Community Center at the Agricultural Park on John R. Rice Blvd. They are free and start at 9 a.m.

FARMERS’ MARKET EDUCATION SERIES

by EDWINA SHANNON

Extend the Cool Weather Garden With a Coldframe THINK LEAFY GREENS . . . all types of lettuce, spinach, arugula, turnip greens, parsley, green onions. These are just some plants that you can grow right now. Successful fall gardens need close attention. You are combating the weather, water conditions, established insect populations and diseases.

In Murfreesboro, the average date for the first frost is Oct 13. Cool-season vegetables, which are what we are planting in the fall, are able to withstand frost at least two weeks after the first frost. However, it is possible to extend this date even further into the fall.

One way to do this and to combat the frosty nights is to build a coldframe. The coldframe is a simple structure that uses solar heat and sometimes insulation to extend the growing season. You have options for a coldframe to fulfill its purpose of capturing enough heat from the sun to allow the plant to continue to grow. Some people recycle plastic bottles, fill them with water and then place them near the plants or within the cold frame. The sun will heat the water during the day and the warm water will radiate heat throughout the night, keeping the killing frosts at bay.

If you have raised beds, it is very easy to add a coldframe. They can be as simple or as involved as you want. You do need to have the ability to let the bed vent during the day, if needed. I have topped a raised bed with an old 22 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

storm window, then moved it slightly askew when venting was needed. You can build a frame and cover it with heavy clear plastic.

Without an existing raised bed, construct an open bottom frame with a hinged top. Based on the day’s temperature, you may need to raise the top so the plants inside aren’t killed from heat.

Coldframes are the easiest and cheapest structure you can use to extend the growing season. Dependent upon your interest, space and finances, there are great resources in building your own hothouse or greenhouse.

Here are some traditional resources: “Hobby Greenhouses in TN” (PB1068 from UT Extension Service) “Home Greenhouses and Cold Frames” (No. IP 822-34 from Penn State) The Hobby Greenhouse Association is a nonprofit organization of gardeners in hobby greenhouses, window greenhouses and other indoor areas. hortsoft.com/HGA.html For a non-traditional approach, review the website ziptiedomes.com, a family venture out of Buffalo Valley. I just met the patent owner and designer for the geodesic hub at the Wilson County Fair. Their PVC kit makes a cool-looking greenhouse.

Also, be sure you have the tomatoes out of the garden before the first frost. The frost does change the chemical makeup of the tomato for the worse.

SEPT. 4 – Linda Lindquist, CMG: Using Herbs Around the Home Herbs keep away pests, freshen the air and make great decorations.

Freezing and the “how to” that results in the best quality.

SEPT. 22 – Linda Lindquist, CMG: Eat Your Yard Don’t have room for a garden? Learn how to sneak fruit and vegetables into your home landscape.

SEPT. 25 – Barbara Mullins and Corrine Morgan, CMGs: Miniature Gardening and Fairy Houses Bring a little enchantment to your backyard by creating miniature garden spaces. Perfect for containers and/or shade.

SEPT. 29 – Carla Bush, UT Ext. Agent: Seasonal Eating Cooking Demo Dishes made with the season’s freshest, locally grown produce. Free recipes!

SEPT. 8 – Susan Welchance, Beekeeper Association: Winter Considerations in the Apiary Learn how to prepare your bees for the cold weather ahead along with tips for maintaining healthy hives.

OCT. 2 –

SEPT. 11 – Mark Murphy, CMG: Organic Gardening II Historical perspective on “how we got to now” and the divide between conventional and organic growers.

Polly Rooker, TWRA Biologist: Native Bees, the Unknown Soldiers Learn about the more than 4,000 U.S. native bee species and what you can do to attract and support them.

SEPT. 15 – Tiffany Schmidt, Ext. Program Assistant: Crockpot Creations, Easier Than Ever!

Save time and money on these quick and easy meals for families on the go.

SEPT. 18 – Carla Bush, Ext. Agent: Tips and Tricks for Freezing the Harvest

OCT. 6 – Catie Beth Thomas, Nature Weaving Want to learn about weaving? Bring any pieces of fabric, dried flowers or shells that hold a special place in your heart.

BOROPULSE.COM

* SEPTEMBER 2015 * 23

Food

Burger and home fries

Chicken strips and potato salad

One-pound whiting sandwich

Fried apple pie

Go Fish!

The Fish House & More: Home of the one-pound fish sandwich

T

STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHRISTY SIMMONS

housing complexes, but it’s generally quiet and here are not very many places to get easy to get in and out of. There’s not any inside fried fish of any sort in Murfreesseating, but when the weather is nice, there is boro, especially since Uncle Bud’s a covered and screened-in carport with several went the way of the dodo bird. But tables and plastic chairs where you can sit and the next time you have a hankering for fried eat. Another good option, especially if you have fish, The Fish House & More on Bridge Avenue children, is to take your is definitely worth a visit. food and head over to Their claim to fame is the the Old Fort Park, where one-pound fish sandwich, you can eat your meal which you can get with whitand then relax as the kids ing, catfish or tilapia, but they NAME: The Fish House & More burn off some energy on offer several other things, LOCATION: 616 Bridge Ave. the playground. almost all of them fried. This PHONE: (615) 410-3265 There’s truly someis not a place to frequent if HOURS: Wed.–Thurs.: 11 a.m.– thing on the menu for you are on a diet. But for 9 p.m.; Fri.–Sat.: 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; everyone, even for people good food in large quantities Sun.: 12–6 p.m. who don’t like fish. They and at incredible prices, this PRICES: Half-pound whiting fish sandwich combo: $6.49; Halfalso offer chicken fingers, place just can’t be beat. pound catfish sandwich combo: handmade hamburgers, It’s located in a small, $7.99; 1-pound whiting fish sandchicken wings, fried bounassuming building directly wich combo: $8.49; cheeseburger combo: $5.49; fried pie: $2.25 logna and more. We were across the street from one ONLINE: facebook.com/fhandmore a group of four adults of Murfreesboro’s public

THE DISH

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Catfish sandwich and baked beans

and one child, and we ordered an assortment: a one-pound whiting fish sandwich and fries, a half-pound catfish sandwich and baked beans, a cheeseburger and home fries, chicken tenders and potato salad and a hot dog and fries for the child. Each meal came with a drink and we threw in one of their fried peach pies for all of us to sample. All of this food was less than $40!

The food is all made to order and it was brought out to us quickly, contained in brown paper sacks and Styrofoam cups. The one-pound whiting fish sandwich, a monstrous pile of fried fish fillets sandwiched between two comically small piece of white bread, was honestly enough to feed two people with hearty appetites, though one very hungry Pulse editor finished it off with

very little help. My husband had the catfish sandwich, which was full of plump fish and plenty big for one person. My cheeseburger was huge and wrapped in wax paper, it reminded me of the old Whataburger burgers that I ate as a child when the franchise was still in Tennessee and the food was still delicious. The home fries that I got as a side were chunks of fried potatoes with fried onions, tossed in what seemed to be a mixture of onion soup mix with other spices. They were very good, but you really have to enjoy onion flavor!

The chicken tenders were large and made with quality meat, and the hot dog was deep fried.

Their drink offerings included all the usual suspects: Coke, lemonade and the like. But they had two that stood out: Kool-Aid and peach tea. Where else can you get a huge cup of black cherry Kool-Aid with your meal? It’s like being a kid again. I got the peach tea, and it was delicious. I would go back just for that tea alone.

So, the next time you are hungry and want good food that will fill your belly but not empty your wallet, head over to The Fish House & More. I promise you’ll be happy you ventured off the beaten path and stepped into this unique Murfreesboro restaurant.

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* SEPTEMBER 2015 * 25

Food

Here are a few creations utilizing this seasonal, peachy concoction:

LITTLE BIRD

This bright beauty is named for Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds,” and evokes the warm Caribbean sun. The drink contains Pimento Dram, a liqueur made from the allspice berry, a popular Jamaican seasoning. (The Bitter Truth makes a fine Pimento Dram). The Little Bird has a nice balance of spicy and sweet, with lots of peach and orange flavor.

INGREDIENTS: 1 oz. white rum 1 oz. gold rum .75 oz. Eli Mason Peach Gomme Syrup .75 oz. fresh orange juice 1 barspoon Pimento Dram DIRECTIONS: Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a long-stemmed glass. Garnish with orange peel.

Mix It Up

LISABETTA E LORENZO

Middle Tennessee-based Eli Mason produces variety of cocktail syrups.

STORY AND PHOTOS

BY BRACKEN MAYO

A

few years back, Tennessee native Luke Duncan was searching for a properly mixed old fashioned, the historic American cocktail generally made with sugar, whiskey, bitters and a twist of citrus. But his search did not satisfy him.

“One would be very watery, one would be very sugary, one would taste like fruit salad,” Duncan said.

So he decided to create his own Old Fashioned syrup.

An authentic version of the drink can take a long time to make, as the sugar does not immediately muddle in with the liquor; “sugar and alcohol don’t play well together,” Duncan says.

But his syrup can help the home mixologist, or the professional bartender, quickly make a great-tasting old fashioned.

Soon after settling on his method for that syrup, a few Nashville-area restaurants began using the product; Duncan created some more syrups, branded his company as Eli Mason, and grew it from there.

Today, Eli Mason offers a variety of flavored syrups that include the old fashioned cocktail mixer, a mint julep mixer, grenadine (made with pomegranate 26 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

juice) and demerara (made with molasses), among others. In fact, in addition to retailers and restaurants around the U.S., the syrups are even distributed internationally.

“I’m about to ship a case to Austria,” Duncan said, while mixing a drink for a tasting at Nashville’s Food Sheriff complex, a Nashville-based operation on Trinity Lane that assists area restaurants and food-and-drink manufacturers with their

marketing and promotional needs.

“Jesse, the Food Sheriff, does a lot of recipe development for local liquor brands and restaurants,” Duncan says.

The mixed drink is a very American institution, he notes, linking the cocktail to America’s melting-pot heritage; barkeeps have long taken ingredients from all over the world—tropical fruits, liquors from all over, various herbs and spices, and all sorts of items—and blended them into their own refreshing creations, the entrepreneurial head of Eli Mason says patriotically.

Eli Mason partnered with The Peach Truck in the summer of 2015 to produce a special limited edition peach syrup, a delicious product Duncan is particularly proud of.

Each 10-ounce bottle contains the juice from about a pound of peaches, and the final result is a thick syrup, somewhere between a liquid and almost a sort of gel/ marmalade consistency, not overly sweet, but bursting with peach flavor.

This cocktail is named for two lovers who make an appearance in Boccaccio’s early Italian Renaissance masterpiece The Decameron. Perhaps the coupling of basil with peach will have a more pleasant ending.

INGREDIENTS: 2 oz. rye whiskey 1 oz. Eli Mason Peach Gomme Syrup .5 oz. Amaro Meletti .5 oz. fresh lemon juice 1 sprig fresh sweet basil DIRECTIONS: Shake the basil and other ingredients over ice.

Then double strain into your most elegant glass and float a single basil leaf on the surface.

MARTINI MELBA

Named for soprano Nellie Melba, this sweet dessert cocktail makes use of the double strain to ensure a smooth texture without too many floating bits of fruit.

INGREDIENTS: 2 oz. vodka 1.25 oz. Eli Mason Peach Gomme Syrup .75 oz. fresh lemon juice 4 fresh raspberries DIRECTIONS: Muddle raspberries before adding the other ingredients and shaking with ice. Double strain into a martini glass and garnish with fresh raspberries.

For more recipes and information on Eli Mason syrups, visit elimason.com; their products can be found in Murfreesboro at Murfreesboro Wine & Spirits on Church Street, and at Stones River Total Beverages on Thompson Lane.

Oaklands Mansion to Host Beer Festival Sept. 26 games. The event will also include energetic live music, a variety of family-friendly activities for festival-goers of all ages and some delicious treats from local food trucks.

Guides will bring our local history to life with 10-minute “teaser” tours of the historic mansion held between 5:30 and 7 p.m.

“Local brewers love doing community outreach to support our valued history, and what better place to do that than Oaklands?” said Lindsey Whitley, event organizer. “We have a genuine treasure in Oaklands Mansion.

OAKLANDS MANSION WILL HOST However, we need your help to continue our Murfreesboro’s inaugural Oktoberfest on mission of education and preservation.”

Saturday, Sept. 26, from 5–10 p.m. This Oaklands Historic House Museum, locatfundraiser will support Oaklands Mansion ed at 901 N. Maney Ave. in Murfreesboro, and will feature many local craft brewers is a nationally registered historic landmark such as The Green Dragon, The Casual Pint, that reflects a time of prosperity in the Old O’Possum’s, Saw Works, Panther South, as well as the hardships sufCreek, Duck Rabbit, Mayday, fered during the Civil War. Good People Brewery, Advance admission for craft Lagunitas and the MidState beer drinkers is $35, and will Visit Brew Crew, to name a few. increase to $40 at the gate.

BoroPulse.com/ The Casual Pint’s Mobile Tickets are available at oak Oktoberfest Pint, a portable entertainlandsmuseum.org. For more for a chance ment system with five taps, information on the event, call to win a pair large televisions and speak(615) 893-0022 or email of tickets! ers, will show college football events@oaklandsmuseum.org.

WIN

BOROPULSE.COM

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Movies

LIVING ROOM CINEMA column by NORBERT THIEMANN

facebook.com/livingroomcinema

AMERICAN ULTRA

mant “Ultra Program” training so that he might defend himself from other Ultras sent to kill him.

The film’s first half splits its time between the surprisingly tender and complicated love between Mike and Phoebe (Stewart) and the seemingly incongruous realm of CIA boardrooms and bureaucracy, both of which are depicted in an effectively casual, though no less consequential manner rarely seen in spy thrillers.

It is its tone that really sets the film apart. Not as jokey as the trailers let on, the long-haired stoner/killing machine shtick

could’ve quickly gone hacky in less capable hands, but Eisenberg’s incredulity always lands on the right side of believable, extending the life of its one-jokepremise. With Eisenberg and Stewart both breathing life into their characters, the supporting cast of Britton, Topher Grace, Tony Hale, and an extra-creepy Walton Goggins elevate this little genre sleeper even more.

American Ultra is a deceptively charming movie, maybe more than it ought to be, but it is also a very violent movie. With an R rating, the violence is decidedly less cartoonish than its current spy flick counterparts, and in the modern context of daily American mass shootings, there are scenes which can be somewhat disturbing. It could be a testament to the film’s smarts that it is able to Trojan-horse some real-world issues into a seemingly mindless stoner action/comedy, or it could be bad timing. Either way, American Ultra will surprise you.

— JAY SPIGHT

violence at the sight of a black man. It’s probably an unfair characterization, but N.W.A. were never about playing fair. The LAPD were the enemy to them, and the film brilliantly shows that perspective.

Unfortunately, the film’s brilliance falters after the first hour when Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) leaves the group. What began as a daring depiction of the rise of rap legends turns into an epi-

sode of VH1’s Behind the Music.

The story moves at a lightning pace to include every major event in the group’s career, while story lines that serve the narrative are glossed over for awkward references to famous rappers. Suge Knight (R. Marcos Taylor) takes the place of the police as the primary villain, but where the police felt like a credible threat, Knight feels like a cartoon character.

Straight Outta Compton is filled with solid actors who do their best, and F. Gary Gray’s direction is consistently great throughout, but I wish the film were as consistent. Watching the credits, which include career overviews for Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, Straight Outta Compton ends up feeling more like an attempt at securing an already secured legacy instead of making a genuinely good film.

— CECILIA SINKALA

4

Nima Nourizadeh STARRING Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Connie Britton DIRECTED BY

RATED R

As a film reviewer, I often bemoan the glut of sequels, remakes, reboots and adaptations that muscle their way onto the marquees of movie theaters across the U.S. because some profit-oriented studio exec knows that old equals gold. Right now there are not one, but two big-budget action movies based on popular spy shows from the 1960s, for cryin’ out loud! Also in theaters right now: American Ultra, a first-run, original, $12-million-dollar spy/action movie; and it’s pretty damn good.

Penned by Max Landis (son of legendary director John), American Ultra reunites stars Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, who played summer love interests in another understated genre sleeper, the coming-of-age

comedy Adventureland. American Ultra could be seen as its bizarro spiritual sequel in which the two awkward college kids graduate to being twenty-something stoners in love. Despite some anxiety and panic attacks, Mike (Eisenberg) has made a comfortable life for himself, planning the perfect proposal and drawing comics while manning the register at a local convenience store—that is, until a strange woman enters one Tuesday night spouting what sounds like gibberish. The woman turns out to be a CIA agent (Connie Britton) activating Mike’s dor-

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON 3.5

DIRECTED BY F. Gary Gray STARRING O'Shea Jackson

Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Neil Brown Jr., Aldis Hodge, Alexandra Shipp, Paul Giamatti RATED R

In 1988, N.W.A. shocked a nation when they released their debut album Straight Outta Compton. They outraged mainstream America, were scorned by politicians and even targeted by the FBI. They dubbed themselves the “world’s most dangerous group,” which makes it a shame that the film based on their story plays it so safe.

The first hour of Straight Outta Compton is fantastic. Every scene is brimming with an energy that builds to a perfectly timed music RATINGS:

sequence. Whether it’s watching Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell) finally nail a famous line from “Boyz in the Hood” or seeing the police encounter that led to the creation of the explosive “Fuck tha Police,” there’s a passion that, for some time, makes the film as bold as its subjects.

Straight Outta Compton is not kind to the Los Angeles Police Department. They’re portrayed as racist thugs ready to commit A CLASSIC

28 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

OUTSTANDING

AVERAGE

BELOW AVERAGE

AGENTS FOR CHANGE

I

t is very beneficial when driven people shine a light on social ills and act accordingly to cure the sickness. Here are some great examples in documentary form.

Harlan County, USA (1976) is directed

by Barbara Kopple. This documentary exposes the woes of the coal miner as he fights against the all-powerful coal company for his basic rights and safety. Being true to labor traditions, the folk- music soundtrack is superbly on point with the story. Watch while corruption and real violence are heroically captured in this very important work.

I Am Femen (2014) is directed by Alain Margot. Oksana Shachko and her feminist compatriots passionately protest against patriarchy and corruption throughout the Ukraine and Europe. They garner worldwide attention because their exposed breasts are adorned with inflammatory slogans as they demonstrate other provocative tactics.

The Times of Harvey Milk (1983) is directed by Robert Epstein. A small business owner in San Francisco rose into a citywide political position in the late 1970s. Harvey Milk was most controversial for his unapologetic stance on gay rights. His life ended prematurely, and what came in the wake of his death was equally as dramatic.

AVOID AT ALL COSTS

DEAD

BOROPULSE.COM

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Opinion

HERE’S YOUR SIGN Business owners rally to protect their windows.

BY BRACKEN MAYO A PROPOSED REPLACEMENT to the Murfreesboro sign ordinance has been sent back to the drawing board after the city’s planning commission did not vote on the measure.

Many business owners spoke out in opposition to the passage of this ordinance, saying it was far too restrictive, and it would hurt their sales by banning them from fully utilizing their window space to inform the public who they are and what they do.

Seemingly, the element drawing the most criticism was a passage containing a ban on any window graphics in the area from three feet above ground level to six feet above ground level–a “clear vision zone.” The establishment of this zone would have meant that businesses in Murfreesboro could not affix to their window a sticker with their hours, or a logo or decal of any kind at customers’ eye level.

Numerous Murfreesboro residents called this a governmental overreach.

“The whole idea is BS,” as Buddy Meeks put it.

“I can’t believe we have to fight to protect our windows,” a local sign maker stated.

“Why is this even being discussed? This seems like nonsense,” said James Slayton.

Said another local entrepreneur, “This is anti-small business.”

Eddie Smotherman, a member of the Murfreesboro City Council and the Murfreesboro Planning Commission, said the language in the sign ordinance was a matter of public safety; that if there were an emergency and the police or fire department or medical personnel needed to enter a building, they need to first see inside, and that employees need to be able to see out in case someone is approaching them with a weapon.

Meeks, who said he also owned a sign company for seven years, met this fearmongering with ridicule.

“Please state the last time in Murfreesboro that an employee was accosted because of sign graphics,” Meeks said. “There are none, zero, zip data that supports the idea that employees are in danger because of sign graphics. This whole thing is about a sign-Nazi that doesn’t like them . . . using ‘safety’ to get their way. “‘Safety’ is a smokescreen used by politicians to impose sign laws,” Meeks continued.

30 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

But Smotherman insists that the clear vision zone “may save someone’s life” and would have been a good thing for public safety.

“No new regulations,” said Ron Robertson.

“Murfreesboro is already well known as being very unfriendly to businesses . . . The issue has nothing to do with visibility into the business or safety. It is just the city council with their beliefs that they want our city to look like what they want. Just another control issue.”

“Do you want no sign ordinance at all and have our city look like Juárez, Mexico?”

Smotherman quipped on a discussion on the Downtown Dwellers Facebook Group.

The councilman and planning commission member credits input from the police department for bringing the hazards of window signage into the public discourse.

“Covering up windows is a safety issue,” said Amy Norville with the Murfreesboro Police Department.

In a fun twist, the Murfreesboro Police Department building itself has stickers on its windows in what would be considered the “clear vision zone.”

Some residents pointed out that some business have no windows at all; they are even harder to see in than those with partially-covered windows.

Another point that was raised is that even if the clear vision zone would have gone into effect, a business could still place curtains, blinds or shelving directly inside a window.

“We’re not talking about going into anyone’s business and telling them what they can do with displays,” Smotherman said.

“You can still use curtains or blinds.”

Of the residents objecting to the new ordinance, he said: “About every one of them who complained were already out of compliance (with the current sign ordinance); there has to be some rules, or else it would be a complete free-for-all. If we don’t have any rules they would wrap their building with signage.”

Smotherman says he does not expect the planning commission to consider the new sign ordinance as it was first presented to them, and they will await a revision to come from the building and codes department.

In the meantime, a movement has begun to encourage the police department to voluntarily remove the signage in the critical clear vision zone on its own windows, and set the tone for the whole city.

“Our officers’ lives are at risk every day they have to work in that building behind hazardous window lettering,” one local activist proclaimed.

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* SEPTEMBER 2015 * 31

Opinion IT’S ALL ABOUT THE . . .

Tales from Probation Row STORY BY BRACKEN MAYO PHOTOS BY SCOTT WALKER “THEY DON’T CARE about rehabilitation, they just want money,” said one Murfreesboro resident who has found himself on probation as he entered the doors of Providence Community Corrections to report to his probation officer.

Many others echo this sentiment.

“It’s just a money game,” another individual on probation said. “It makes you weak.”

Providence keeps tabs on many Rutherford County misdemeanor offenders, and charges them a handsome fee for the privilege of staying out of jail.

But many say this system unjustly targets those not as financially well off as others.

When the court sentences a person for a minor crime in Rutherford County, often, rather than serving time in jail, they will be turned over to Providence for supervision.

If someone can afford it, they can basically buy their way out.

32 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

“If you can come up with $500 you can get a diversion and go on unsupervised,” said another PCC client. This means no weekly reporting to the PCC office on West Main Street, just off of the Square, and no drug tests.

Others, who cannot afford to pay their fees up-front, describe their lifestyle as “trapped in the system.”

Many must come up with a weekly $45 supervision charge, pay for a drug test when required and pay various other penalties and fees.

“It’s a lot of money, but I guess it’s better than being in jail,” one probationer, Tommy, said.

He doesn’t like the fact that he has to pay for drug tests, but he also doesn’t enjoy the idea of failing one, which would probably mean serving over two years in jail, “940” as it’s affectionately known by the people of Rutherford County.

“I don’t plan to fail,” he continued. “I don’t plan to mess anything up.”

It’s a huge time investment too, another

I got two jobs. I work 70 hours a week,” Dominique continues. “I have a 7-year-old daughter, this takes money from my family . . . it drains you.” man points out.

“You have to plan your day around this,” says Dominique, who says that he still owes Providence $5,000 before he will be a free man. “This takes a lot of time . . .

“They’re just here for the money.”

As a for-profit company, with stock available on NASDAQ, Providence cannot deny that they are concerned with bottom-line profits.

“I got two jobs. I work 70 hours a week,” Dominique continues. “I have a 7-year-old daughter, this takes money from my family . . . it drains you.”

Steven, who resides in Bedford County, says he received a traffic ticket for not having auto insurance.

“I thought I had this ticket paid off,” he said. “I found out they didn’t take the money.”

Unbeknownst to him, the state suspended his driver’s license, and the next time he was pulled over, this time in Rutherford County, he was hit with criminal charges.

“Now, I have to come up with $45 every week for 6 months,” he said. “And I have to get up here from Bedford County.”

I spoke with numerous individuals making their way through the Providence organization.

No one seemed to speak the phrase “it’s not fair.” But the word that did come up, over and over, was “money.”

Money, money, money.

That is the message that Providence sends our community, and its clients. “Give us money, and this goes away. Earn our stockholders

a healthy profit, or you go to jail.”

Many on probation are ready to admit that they made a poor choice. Most have the desire to improve their situation.

“I understand doing the time for your crime, but once you get in the system, you can’t get out,” said Stacy. “It’s a monopoly . . .

I’m unemployed; I’m $400 behind.”

Many also will say that the local law enforcement may be a little aggressive in pursuing the minor offenders, the easy targets, rather that the serious criminals.

Keep in mind that many of the PCC clients, who will end up paying them thousands of dollars and spending time in their office every week for a year, were charged with simple possession of a certain herb, or for failing to renew their driver’s license.

“Some people never imagine being on probation just for ridin’ dirty,” one probationer said, warning that even first-time misdemeanor offenders can be hit with “11, 29” (11 months, 29 days on probation), for what seem to be victimless crimes; and if they violate the terms of their probation, must serve the remainder of the year in jail. “It seems like 90 percent of the cases are paraphernalia or marijuana.”

What do you think? Is there a better system? Is there a way to rehabilitate the offenders in a way that focuses on improving society more than earning this company a profit? Or does the PCC punishment fit the crimes? bracken@boropulse.com To be continued . . .

Live Within Your Means, Even in College Good habits now will pay off later.

BY OKSANA J. NELSON I REMEMBER THE DAY my parents waved goodbye after helping me unload furniture in my first apartment. That moment of being completely on your own was a wake-up call. Time to be an adult!

I attended undergraduate classes in the morning. In the afternoon and during the weekends, I worked my full-time job.

Nights that I was not scheduled to serve tables, I tutored chemistry and algebra. If I had weekends free, I worked on a ranch.

Studying and homework? Well, that happened bright and early in the morning before school. Yes, that was my schedule.

A tad overwhelming, and I do not recommend that to anyone, but it allowed me to live and pay for college. That was my objective. Whether you work or not when in college, there is a way to be smart about your money now and give yourself a headstart.

Less debt and more savings at a younger age is key to a happy retirement because time is in your favor. But who’s thinking about retirement when they are in college? Well, this needs to cross our minds now, because Social Security is not going to save us.

Let’s dive into some Finance 101: 1 “Nobody is too busy, it’s just a matter of priorities.” Make personal finance your major priority.

2 “Don’t go broke trying to look rich.

Act your wage.”

3 “It’s not your salary that makes you rich, it’s your spending habits.”

4 “If you want something, go get it!”

Either you have the money, or you dont.

5 “Beware of little expenses: a small leak will sink a great ship.”

6 “A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.”

7 “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

Be aware of the impact your financial habits have on your future. This is all about self-discipline and diligence. Before you know it, college will be complete and you will be building your career. Wouldn’t you rather be as far ahead as possible instead of being weighed down by debt?

Oksana J. Nelson is a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates, Inc. She can be contacted at (615) 313-2114 or okana.nelson@raymondjames.com.

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Opinion MURDER SUSPECT’S BOND AT $1 MILLION MORE SHERIFF SHENANIGANS THE PARENTS OF BRANDON RICHMOND BOWLING GASPED when General Sessions Court Judge Ben Hall McFarlin set his bond at $1 million on charges he killed Heather Nicole Maples at her Brown Drive apartment early Aug. 7.

Patricia Bowling, a FedEx retiree, and her husband, a Georgia Pacific employee, are residents of upscale Collierville east of Memphis. When she testified in his bond hearing, she showed a great deal of class. It would be extremely difficult to sit on the witness stand and talk about your son when he faces firstdegree murder charges, especially after court testimony showed Maples was beaten, strangled and possibly sexually assaulted before she was found lying lifeless, face down on her bed that morning.

Yet Mrs. Bowling held up while testifyBOWLING ing about her son, whom they adopted before he was a year old. She said he maintained good grades throughout high school and into college and started working when he was in the 10th MAPLES grade. They wanted to make sure he developed a good work ethic, and during college he held jobs with TransAmerica, Amazon and with Jimmy John’s before his arrest.

After taking classes all summer at MTSU, he was set to graduate in the spring with a business management degree, if everything went according to plan, she said. Brandon had no serious record, either, only a couple of minor charges a few years ago when police tried to break up some teen partying, she said. It was dismissed after he did community service.

The 22-year-old Bowling faces a serious situation now, one in which his future is on the line because of a murder charge and some pretty devastating evidence to overcome. His attorney, Paul Bruno, of Nashville told the judge he was entitled to have bond set. He’d been in Murfreesboro for four years as an MTSU student 34 * SEPTEMBER 2015 * BOROPULSE.COM

The

STOCKARD REPORT

BY SAM STOCKARD sstockard44@gmail.com

and lived his entire young life in Collierville.

But Assistant District Attorney Paul Newman argued Bowling could well face the death penalty. No decision had been made. In addition to first-degree murder, which is premeditated, Murfreesboro police are considering filing aggravated burglary, rape and felony murder charges against Bowling as well.

Even though Bruno argued those potential charges shouldn’t apply in a bond hearing, McFarlin pointed out the potential for a capital murder case had to be part of the equation, along with the likelihood of conviction.

Testimony from TBI experts showed Bowling’s right thumb print was found on a blood stain on Maples’ bed sheet. His DNA also matched samples taken from four places on her body.

Bowling and Maples, both of whom had been out partying all night but separately, had known each other for about three to four months, according to testimony. He told police he hadn’t been to her apartment for three to four weeks, according to a Murfreesboro detective, but admitted they might have had a sexual relationship one night.

Bruno asked the detective if he knew anything about Maples and a friend having a website promoting activities with men.

The detective said he didn’t know what that might involve.

Regardless of what that means, however, a young woman is dead, brutally murdered.

A young man is in jail, likely not to get out on bond, facing a long, long prison term if convicted.

Bruno appears to be an excellent attorney.

But the prosecution will be relentless, and the scientific evidence is overwhelming.

This is just a horrible situation for everyone involved—as most murder cases are.

Maples’ mother, Jennifer Hunter, remained stoic, saying she simply wants justice.

Bowling’s family was distraught and left the Judicial Building almost immediately after Judge McFarlin set bond at $1 million.

They held out hope they’d be able to afford to take him home to Collierville and bring

him back for court dates.

Shanterrica Madden was released on bond after being charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Lady Raiders basketball player Tina Stewart about five years ago.

But she later persuaded the jury she killed Stewart when they got into a fight. Prosecutors never could prove premeditation.

In this situation, though, with the potential for a capital murder charge, it would be exceedingly difficult for a judge to let someone go home and live with his parents.

MORE SHERIFF SHENANIGANS 

Just when we thought the silly season was over, Sheriff Robert Arnold proved us wrong.

Arnold’s already cost Rutherford nearly $600,000, plus more than $100,000 in legal fees, for getting rid of two employees, Detective Jim Tramel and Joy Nelson, over the last two and a half years. He’s now the subject of a federal lawsuit filed by McKayla Black, a former jailer, who sued him and the county claiming he fired her last fall because she had the audacity to support another candidate in the sheriff ’s election, violating her First and 14th Amendment rights regarding free speech and political activity.

Not only did he “personally” terminate her employment the day before Thanksgiving in 2014, according to her lawsuit, he didn’t give her any chance for due process. Then, he gave a patrol job she was seeking to his cousin, James Vanderveer, instead.

Vanderveer is being investigated by the TBI for his role in an apparent pepper-spraying of a confined inmate who was unruly after being arrested for disorderly conducted.

That man filed a federal lawsuit last year against Vanderveer, another jailer and the sheriff, saying they violated his constitutional rights when he was locked down in a chair and sprayed for several seconds, then left sitting there. District Attorney Jennings Jones requested the investigation.

Anyone who saw the YouTube video would think it was something out of a Russian gulag.

It must be noted Vanderveer’s parents, Arnold’s aunt and uncle, are listed as co-owners of JailCigs, which was selling e-cigarettes to Rutherford County jail inmates until the media found out about it and published reports in early April. The other co-owner is Joe Russell, who is getting paid on the Family Medical Leave Act by Rutherford County after being on paid administrative leave for about three months.

Arnold listed on a Tennessee Ethics Commission form he and his wife, Megan, were investors in JailCigs and received income from it. Arnold told a TV reporter his wife worked part-time for the company answering phones, although that is questionable at

ARNOLD

best. Russell’s emails at the sheriff ’s office show he was running the business out of there, soliciting out-of-state buyers and even Corrections Corporation of America.

Oops, I almost forgot to mention Vanderveer was charged with DUI and resigned from the sheriff ’s office before being rehired as a jailer and then being given a job on patrol—the position McKayla Black wanted.

The FBI, TBI and state Comptroller’s Officer are investigating because using a political position for personal gain is a felony.

Seriously, nobody could make up this stuff, and it’s put the sheriff ’s office on edge, to say the least.

But here’s a prediction: Black is likely to get a sum topping even Tramel’s and Nelson’s. That means Arnold, who campaigned on a platform of saving taxpayers’ money, will have cost the county in excess of $1 million for personnel lawsuits alone—and for what?

Mainly political retribution.

MORE MONEY, MORE MONEY

After all the beans were counted, Rutherford County spent roughly $480,000 for a Circuit Court Clerk’s Office computer system that never worked.

It also cost at least one employee her job after she got frustrated with the system and slung a chair across the office floor last year.

The system change was initiated by former Circuit Court Clerk Laura Bohling and went live when Melissa Harrell replaced her Sept.

1, 2014. A few weeks afterward, county officials pulled the plug on the system because it was—to be kind—stinking up the joint.

The Rutherford County Commission recently reached a settlement with the vendor, in which it will be paid $250,000 and receive forgiveness on invoices it never paid. In all, they paid $1.22 million, but they’ll keep the hardware and the reports compiled by the person hired to oversee the start-up. County officials say from now on they’re going to take a much closer look at these technology purchases and not pay the vendor until they know the system works.

That’s sound advice. But, good Lord, it took a lot of money to get there.

Trump’s Immigration Stance is a Big Part of His Huge Lead

I

have long believed the candidate who makes illegal immigration the centerpiece of his or her campaign will win. That’s exactly what Donald Trump has done and he’s still winning. He’s still winning despite a lackluster debate performance. The latest CNN poll has him up 11 points over his nearest rival. And Trump is fleshing out his illegal immigration policy.

Not only does he want to build a wall on the southern border, he wants to make Mexico pay for it. Skeptics tell him that he could never get Mexico to go along but it’s not a matter of getting Mexico to go along. It’s a matter of making them do it.

There are multiple ways to do that. We send almost a billion dollars to Mexico in aid.

Why? Why would we give them anything when they’re flooding our country with illegals?

That money should be cut off immediately. Trump proposes impounding all remittance payments going from illegals here back to Mexico until the wall is built. Skeptics say it’s unworkable since bitcoin and other digital currencies allow people to move money across borders undetected. That may be so, but the bulk of the money leaving the country now is via wire transfer. I’d like to see either a 50 percent tax on remittances or a requirement that one proves they’re in the country legally before they can transfer money out at all, but I’ll take impounding the money instead.

A lot of presidential candidates have talked around VIEWS OF A the edges of the illegal immigration issue but Trump is grabbing it by the horns. Another CNN column by poll asked people which Republican candidate they PHIL VALENTINE philvalentine.com thought would change Washington. It wasn’t even close. Trump had 44 percent. Ben Carson was in second place at 9. That, in a nutshell, is the reason for Trump fever. Other politicians talk about changing Washington but when Trump says it, people actually believe it.

Except for the illegal immigration issue, Trump has been short on details. One would think that would have to change if Trump is to maintain his humongous lead. But, of course, one would have thought his McCain remarks would’ve derailed the Trump train.

If not that, one would have thought a poor debate performance would have. Nothing yet has come close and the Washington elites are longing for that so-called inevitable moment. They may be waiting quite a while.

At the first debate, the candidates were asked if there was anyone on stage who couldn’t promise to support the nominee, whoever that might end up being. Trump was the only one raising his hand. He caught a lot of flack for that. The other candidates, by not raising their hands, pledged to support the eventual nominee. What if it’s Trump? Will Rand Paul support Trump? Will all of the others support Trump? Now that Trump’s chances are growing, it’s something each of these candidates needs to consider. Instead, most of them would rather heap on insults and criticism of Donald Trump in an effort to somehow stop him—which is understandable in a primary, but someone will emerge victorious.

Are the other candidates ready to eat those words when the process is done?

CONSERVATIVE

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.

BOROPULSE.COM

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BUSINESS BUILDER

BY ROBERT RITCH

Live and Breathe the Five-Part Formula to Increase Profit

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ow that you have created a strong, clear business vision that is realistic and achievable, you’re going to achieve your vision by adopting the five-step process into all areas of your business.

The five-part formula is so effective because it touches on each and every area of your business. It will improve and increase and generate and sharpen and strengthen everything that you and your employees do. The change is long lasting and the results are far reaching—a 10% increase in each of the five areas can lead you towards doubling your profits (not revenues!).

5 ways any business can increase its profits are: - Lead Generation - Conversion Rates - Number of Transactions - Average Dollar Sale - Profit Margins Each area influences the bottom line—your profit.

Work on each line sequentially, and the impact on your profit will build over time.

A nominal 10% increase in each of the five factors would look like this: Starting Point / Goals (10% increase) Leads 4,500 / Leads 4,950 Conversion Rate 30% / Conversion Rate 33% Customers 1350 / Customers 1633.5 Transactions 1.3 / Transactions 1.43 Average Dollar Sale $140 / Average Dollar Sale $154 Revenue $245,700 / Revenue $359,729.37 Margins 24% / Margins 26.4% Profit $58,968 / Profit $94,968.55 Take the existing numbers for your business: the current number of leads, conversion rate, number of transactions per customer, the average dollar sale and your profit margins. Now run the numbers and see what a 10, 20 and 50 percent increase in each of the five steps would look like. The point here is to understand how small increases will have big impacts on your bottom-line profits.

Let’s look more in-depth at each of the five steps.

Step One—Lead Generation: How can you get more people to walk through your door, pick up the phone or visit your website?

Your leads are people who have taken action in response to your ad or promotion and have shown interest in your product or service, but have not become a customer because they haven’t purchased yet.

Lead generation is the first step in increasing the number of customers you have (remember, customers are the by-product of two things: leads times the conversion rate). This is a very important step because your “cost of client acquisition” (price you pay to acquire a new client) is the most expensive function of nearly every business on the planet.

So lead generation is about finding cost-effective ways to reach the people who need or want what you have to offer and getting them to act. This is what the majority of marketing strategies are trying to do. This includes: advertising, promotions, press releases, online marketing, direct mail, flyers, publicity and referral partnerships.

Step Two—Conversion Rate: How can you get the people who walk through your door, pick up the

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phone, and visit your website to buy something?

Conversions are the second factor in the customer equation. Why spend time and money attracting qualified leads if you can’t make them buy? Some confuse being busy with being successful! Don’t let it happen to you.

Several aspects of your organization impact your conversion rate: the strength and effectiveness of your sales team, your sales process, staff training, sales scripts, staff happiness and your business’ image.

Step Three—Transactions: How can you get your customers to buy from you more than once?

The process of attracting and converting a customer is one that costs you money. You can reduce the cost of your customer by increasing the number of times that they purchase from you. This increases the total number of transactions in your business and the amount of money that flows in. So instead of continuously chasing down leads and converting them to customers, increasing transactions is about keeping our existing customers loyal and coming back to spend money. This includes exceptional customer service, loyalty programs, incentives, newsletters, convenience services and bonus amenities.

Step Four—Average Sale: How can you get your customers to buy more from you each time they buy?

Increasing the average amount of money customers spend with you is the final way you can increase the amount of money that comes into your business. If I were to come into your business tomorrow and you immediately needed to increase profits, this is the first place I would look. You’ll have to show your customer that they needed or want more than what they purchased. The amount that you are able to increase will depend on the type of business you are in—it’s easier to sell gel pens than an additional dishwasher—but generally every business can find opportunities to increase this figure.

Ways of increasing your average sales transaction could include: impulse and add-on items, sales scripts (would you like fries with that?), upselling, packaging and widgets, and merchandising at your point of sale.

Step Five—Margins: How can you make more profit off each product and service you sell?

Essentially, your goal here is to make your profit margin as high as possible.

If your margins are too low, you’ll never make any money, regardless of how many customers you have, how often they buy from you, or how much they spend.

Your revenue will perpetually go back into your business and be spent on costs. You maximize your margins by cutting your costs (rent or lease, business supplies, production costs, salaries), or increasing your prices.

Alarmingly, many business owners do not genuinely know their weekly/monthly/annual profit. You need to go into the business of generating a profit (this will be a paradigm shift for many . . . it is not about greed, it is about looking after those you care about. The more money you make, the more you can provide for your family, charity, your church, etc.); work towards increasing that profit each and every day, week, month and year.

Contact Robert Ritch at ceo@robertritch.com or visit robertritch.com.

Murfreesboro’s Music Through the Decades

BY GLORIA CHRISTY

The Fiddle Sings the Blues

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eneath one of the grandest courthouses in the state of Tennessee, our city sidewalks express a built beauty—brilliantly poetic, sophisticated.

Facades abound around the world, but none are as steadfast, substantial or stately as the Rutherford County Courthouse. On these late summer days, against a soft blue sky, our courthouse is backlit by golden brilliance.

Communing with the surreal, an almost artificial scene is the best antidote to the flurry of 21st-century life.

One can only imagine the town in bygone days. From the downtown wells, buckets of water were tossed into the air, minimizing the gravel and dirt from the many wagons and buggies, not to mention those stirring clouds of powdery dust rising from those on horseback. Today, one of the wells is still visible on the north side of the Square, where slave auctions were held more than 150 years ago.

Prior to the Civil War, Rutherford County had become one of the most prosperous areas in the South, but a field slave could work all day, every day through the fall.

Cotton pickin’ produced achy backs and rough hands scarred from years of picking bolls. But the audacious songs that emerged from an attitude of accomplishment were perhaps driven by a goal—a victorious battle for freedom. The songs and musical styles were a loving retreat from the oppression and drudgery of slavery. The music for the slave became a wall of protection from the unfair practices of bondage, nourishing their souls.

It was the fiddle that captured the imagination of the slave long before the guitar, replicating the human voice. Before the 20th century, the fiddle, along with the banjo, played a significant role in string band music.

In a string band, the fiddle is by nature a lead instru-

ment that can replicate vocal expressions through the use of vibrato and sliding notes. Many black fiddle artists developed techniques on the fiddle that were later applied to guitar, creating the interplay of voice and instrument that is a prime ingredient of the blues. Many slave fiddlers played European instruments, but others used homemade devices fashioned from gourds, much like the African banjo, only bowed instead of plucked. It is likely that some slaves imported from areas of West Africa took more readily to the European violin because of their experience with native instruments that resembled the fiddle.

Many black musicians prior to the 20th century were playing the blues on the fiddle and banjo even if it did not conform to the specific harmonic sequences and verse patterns of actual blues. No doubt these creative musical expressions were stylistically distinguishable from white artists even though there was a long history of exchange between races at social events. Throughout the 19th century, well after the Civil War, the “fiddle” remained the most common instrument heard at barn dances, grange halls, theaters, schools and churches.

The music of Africa was absorbed into the polkas, marches, jigs and reels of the European tradition, applying syncopated rhythms and minor tonalities derived from their African tradition.

In 1942, a fiddle player—Frank Patterson, along with banjo artist Nathan Frazier—was recorded by Fisk University professor and musicologist John Work III. It has since been archived in the Library of Congress. It seems that Patterson’s styles and songs were learned from an old slave in the area.

Patterson was born around 1880 in the Walter Hill community. He developed into a leading square-dance fiddler living as a sharecropper near Antioch, Tenn. He influenced the fiddle styles for many string bands that appeared on the Grand Ole Opry in its early days, including the Tomberlain Family Band, highlighting the fact that both white and blacks shared a common tradition of fiddle and banjo music on the WSM Barn Dance. Apparently his influence was evident on the early Opry through several string bands, but he never appeared on the Opry.

Black fiddlers and string bands, still common in the South throughout the 1920s, were not entirely ignored by the record industry, but were they were sadly underrepresented. Record executives were reluctant to take a chance on those early artists, although blues music by black string bands was becoming extremely popular.

This marginalized, underestimated and unexplored music from the 19th century continued to be passed over. Well into the 20th century, the styles of this neglected music can be detected in American recorded music, indirectly affecting other artists across the land.

Its roots still remain largely unacknowledged. Today, the music industry has cross-pollinated these styles and often fails to recognize the lasting power and legacy of the “roots” music tradition; however, the countless artists who have drawn influences from the black innovators know the truth and display it in their work.

Visit boropulse.com to hear how a tune progressed and morphed over the years.

 Read the unabridged Murfreesboro’s Music Through the Decades series at BOROPULSE.COM BOROPULSE.COM

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Sports WWE Distances Itself from Hulkster After Leaked Racist Comments

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he Train Daddy is back. Last issue I most certainly UptownFunked you up—well, this time around I will Karma, Karma, Karma Chameleon you, and I will come and go. Chameleons are strange little critters; one minute they’re green, then black, then they’re red, and then white. I imagine if we as humans had that ability, we could all just change color as we saw fit and then racism wouldn’t exist, right? We could all learn from a chameleon.

So what’s going on in the sports world these days? It’s football time in Tennessee. Big Orange! Titans! The Blue Raiders are not as sexy a shade of blue as the Titans, but MTSU still gets a marginal amount of my support. I can’t wait for the NFL kickoff.

It’s like an itch on your butt when you’re in a crowd: you want to scratch it so bad, but you have to wait.

Recently I bought a nice wood

SPORTS TALK

column by ZACH “Z-TRAIN” MAXFIELD

titanman1984yahoo.com smoker to go on my porch, and it’s time to smoke chickens, giant pork butts and sausages stuffed with white cheese. There is nothing better than friends and family over to watch a football game while the meat has been smoking with charcoal and wood chips for hours—it falls off the bone, my friends! Calm down, people, and smoke some meat, invite friends and family over, pull out the lawn games and stoke up the fire pit. Make sure all of this revolves around Big Orange Saturday or Titans Sunday, and life is good! Remember the 5 F’s and life will reward you: Faith, Family, Football, Food and Friends.

So let’s get into the meat of the matter here. The Hulkster is under

attack, being called a racist. The man known as Hulk Hogan has been a hero of mine ever since childhood. I have to come to the Hulk’s rescue. As he stated in one of his many famous quotes “Negativity and Hulkamania— two things that don’t go together.”

Hulk Hogan, also known as Terry Bollea, is a 12-time World Wrestling Champ, and he helped transform wrestling into a global phenomenon. In the ’80s and ’90s Hulk was practically a demigod who could do no wrong; he was made famous by his catchphrases and his ability to trash-talk. “God created the heavens, he created Earth! He created all the Hulkamaniacs! Then he created a set of 24-inch pythons, brother!”

But recently the now-62-year-old, still jacked up with muscle, is in the middle of a scandal, being called a racist. He recently appeared on Good Morning America, where an emotional Hulk talked about the circumstances surrounding his use of the N-word.

Hulk stated he was upset over a situation with his daughter Brooke, and in a secretly recorded audio called her African American boyfriend the N-word. Hulk stated he had no clue he was being taped and was going through a very hard time, contemplating suicide after his divorce and the subsequent departure of his family.

Hogan later stated, “I am not a racist but I should never have said it, it was wrong and I am embarrassed by it.” He went on to say that it was a product of his childhood growing up in a poor part of Florida, and that his friends greeted each other with the N-word, the word was thrown around like it was nothing. Hulk’s daughter and high-profile figures such as The Rock, George Foreman and even Dennis Rodman have come to Hulk’s defense stating they know the man’s true character, that he is not a racist.

The WWE has taken extreme action, and in my opinion the owner of the wrestling enterprise, Vince McMahon, is without a doubt a raging hypocrite. Hogan has been fired, and his image and name removed from the website’s Hall of Fame. WWE has practically tried to make him disappear. Hogan described the decisions as “devastating.” After 30 years of the Hulk making the WWE money and entertaining fans, Vince McMahon doesn’t have the balls to stand up and admit people make mistakes, and is all but attempting to make Hogan disappear. It’s ironic. Go to YouTube and watch a video from 2005 where,

YELVERTON TAKES FOUR MEDALS IN WORLD MASTERS WILLIAM YELVERTON, A RESIDENT OF MURFREESBORO, WON four world championship medals at the World Masters Athletics Competition in Lyon, France during the Aug. 4–16 track and field event. Competing in the M55 (55–59) age group, he won two individual bronze medals in the 200m and 400m sprint events, and two gold in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

Yelverton’s four medals are the most won by an American competitor in his age group at the international competition. He also won the USA Track and Field Masters National Championship in the 400m M55 event in Jacksonville, Fla., on July 24 with a time of 55.29, and a bronze medal in the 200m dash with a personal best of 24.48. His season-best times in the 400m (55.11) and 200m (24.48) are both No. 3-ranked in the world for the M55 age group.

The 2015 World Masters Athletic Championships in France hosted more than 8,000 athletes from 98 countries. It is a biennial event that brings together the world’s best track and field athletes age 35 and up. Competitions for men and women are conducted in 5-year age groups (M35, W35, M40, W40, etc.). It is governed by the IAAF, the world-wide governing body for the Olympics and international track and field competition.

Dr. William Yelverton is Professor of Music and Director of Guitar Studies at Middle Tennessee State University.

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during a live TV broadcast, owner Vince McMahon goes up to popular wrestler John Cena and asks, “What’s good in the hood?” Cena replies, “Just holding it down.” Then Vince says, “Keep it up, my nigga.” All of this also took place in front of popular African American wrestler Booker T, who looked pissed off at the exchange. Even though it was a scripted conversation, so they say, is that OK for Vince, but not for Hogan? Hulk later stated, “There can’t be double standards . . . I mean if it’s unacceptable, it’s unacceptable.”

Hulk was secretly recorded, maybe even somewhat baited. He said some racist things about why he doesn’t want his daughter dating a black man, and he said the N-word multiple times. So while none of that is excusable, his career and legacy should not be tainted because of it. A man’s character should be defined by the life he lives, the people he touches and the good done, not by a single statement made 8 years ago when times were rough. Imagine if all of us as humans had to have a tattoo of the most racist thing we ever said printed on our forehead. We all make mistakes.

SUPPORT BLUE RAIDER FOOTBALL THIS FALL

BY GREG CRITTENDEN THE 2015 MTSU BLUE RAIDER football season features a very interesting schedule. Along with a home stand against defending C-USA champs, Marshall, the Blue Raiders will welcome Vanderbilt for the Homecoming game. However, it is the weektwo match-up with Alabama that has caught the attention of many MTSU fans. Yet, Coach Rick Stockstill is not particularly excited about the match-up; at least no more so than any other game this season.

“Everybody says ‘Hey Coach, I got my tickets to Alabama.’ I could care less,” Stockstill said. “I don’t care about all that. Come to that Jackson State game (Saturday, Sept. 5). Fill up Floyd Stadium and don’t worry about BryantDenney Stadium.”

In saying this, Stockstill alluded to a problem that has hampered the program for several seasons now. However, this is a problem you can solve! Last year, attendance issues were as prevalent as ever. The Blue Raiders ranked 107th in the nation for home attendance in 2014, filling Floyd Stadium merely 56.5 percent to capacity. That’s not all Coach Stock had to say on the issue: “I encourage our fans, our students. You’re going to see a good football team, a good football game. You’re going to see a team that competes its tail off every snap of the game.

We probably won’t win them all. The goal is to win them all, but I know you’ll walk out of that stadium, win or lose, and say ‘Man, they played hard. They played it the right way. They played with great effort and passion and toughness.’ I don’t know why you wouldn’t come.”

And he is right; why wouldn’t you come?

This is a team that has the talent to compete for the C-USA championship. This is a team that features some of the nation’s best players.

Three of these players—T.T. Barber, Kevin Byard and Darius Johnson—are already expected to be selected in the 2016 NFL Draft. What’s better than being able to watch NFL prospects play in our own backyard?

I’ll tell you what’s even better: this is a group of guys whose focus is on the team, rather than raising their draft stock. While the stigma attached to highly touted players is that they have a “I’m gonna get mine” mindset, they say their minds are on being loyal to Coach Stock and the team.

Perhaps proving to be the most selfless of MTSU’s pro prospects, which is high praise considering the competition, is Darius Johnson. Darius was given second-team All-Conference USA honors last season while playing the offensive tackle position. Though he caught the eye of NFL scouts as a tackle, he willingly made the move to guard in order to shore up depth issues on the interior offensive line. For someone who has played one position for most of his life, this is a risky move if he is just thinking about his draft stock.

“I feel like there is a time for everything. I feel like it’s not time (for thinking about the NFL) just yet . . . when it’s time to think about it, then it will be thought about, but for right now, our goal is thinking about the team,” Johnson said.

Linebacker T.T. Barber is on the same wavelength, saying, “You can’t let it swell your head up, because you still have a job to do. You still have to be focused and you still made a promise to the coach when you signed your name on that line that ‘I will be here for Middle Tennessee.’”

Safety Kevin Byard also echoed his teammate’s sentiment, “I understand that when you win games that’s when the NFL comes . . . that’s when the scouts come.”

This looks to be a team that defies the stigma attached to that of higher profile programs.

No one is out for himself; it’s just all about winning, all about team, and all about loyalty.

There is nothing not to love about this team, and there is no reason for you not to show your support. Make coming to Floyd the thing you plan to do on Saturdays this fall.

For tickets and more on MTSU athletics, visit goblueraiders.com.

BOROPULSE.COM

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