Alex Sok
letter from our founder and CEO
Thank you for taking the time to explore our second issue. It’s an issue we’re very proud and excited about. Our August issue has received good reviews, we appreciate the love and support, but we aren’t satisfied! We are hungry! We want to put together the absolute best magazine ever. Since the launch of our first issue, we’ve revisited conversations about creating something unique and different. We’ve explored artistic ways to present our magazine. We’ve studied the great artists that came before us. We were inspired by architecture, paintings, nature and photography. We’ve researched the dynamics of our demographic and we’ve begun developing ways we can intuitively create a publication that connects with our readers. We want to create a visual, emotional and mental experience. Of course, with this push for growth there has come a lot of heartache and frustration, but man it has been so much fun! I can say that our second issue is leaps and bounds better than our first—as it should be. We’ve found that when we work together and push each other, we are stretching the boundaries of traditional print media. In fact, it is our hope to redefine and reinvent print media. We want to do it artistically, editorially and technologically. I ask that you hang on for the wild ride—it promises to be a great adventure. We are breaking rules, taking no prisoners and taking names later. At the heart of Centered is a great fire burning to be the best in the world and the audacious belief that it is possible. Yes, the absolute best! As you explore our second issue, I hope you will not just see the art that’s been created, but I hope you feel the passion and determination we put into creating it and that we may inspire you as well. I am proud to present to you on behalf of the whole Centered family, our second issue. Welcome to the good life! CHEERS, Alex Sok II Thess. 3:13
.COM FEATURES
CEO/ Founder -Alex Sok VP Publishing- Brad Forth CTO-Seth Rubenstein
DAVID VANDERVEEN
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Managing Editor-Edie Melson
ATLANTA FALCONS CHEERLEADERS
CREATIVE DEPARTMENT Creative Director- Andrew Malone Art Director-Doug Eaddy
Centered Perspective
ROSE RICHARDSON
TIME MANAGEMENT STUDENT INVOLVEMENT AFTER THE ELECTION FALL FASHION ON A BUDGET
CONTRIBUTORS
Tim Riter, Mike Gruszczynski, Micah Vickery, Amber Evans, Jeff Adams, Jilly Hendrix, Jordan Forth, Steve Leitch, Tiffany Colter, Natalie Hills, Edie Melson, Jamie Van Pham, Brad Forth, Deedy Lazorko, Andrew Malone INTERNS
Jessica Nix and Mary Cathryn Joyce
FINDING YOUR PASSION ONLINE OR GROUNDED: THE FORMAT IS.... KEEP YOUR TWITTER CLEAN
Sports COACH CARROLL TO THE CAROLINAS
Fitness S M FACT
RANDO
che in a mousta . a t u o h ts king wit of hear The only rds is the king ca deck of
ere comics w se k c u D ld au Dona land bec ts. in F in d n banne wear pa doesn’t ld a n o D
THE EXCERCISE OF SUCCESS
Reviews MOVIE AND MUSIC REVIEWS FALL FESTIVALS
NO, NO,
NO !
Turqu oi denim se ,c
ow boots an d too ma boy ny accessor ies
e lease leav p h c a e b not at the If you’re rts at
sho d r a o the b
NO !
home
a want t ’ n ld g l wou r i g o sin t t a n h a W m
styer
mentio
not to
print, h c s u m kle sock
Too n the white an
KNOW!
lish
NO!
to h
NO !
a–
Mam Hot
chie
Hoo
ear w a gonn ge, e r ’ r u If yo essa tands fo s a m ure it es mak thing e som
YES a Mam
-
NO
RA N
DO
M FA
CT
S
KNOW! Men are 6 likely to times more be lightnin struck by g than w omen
NO !
! OW N K
ck Chu
s are
ga
in mak
com
ck a b e
W! KNO
Lim
croc e g how ’s – No ree , No way whe , No n re!
NO !
Distr
ans essed je
KNOW
!
ing
eth d with som work paire ssic clean & cla
Crazy dancing in public -
NEVER
NO !
D N SA
W O KN
S ’ O N
Photos by Natalie Hills
Location: Santa Monica, CA
d’s
en fri
l
gir
ay d b
!!
! Th
28
Cal c Exa ulus m 2pm 28T h !! !
PLAYING C
s sic t y ph jec pro e du m 10a h !!! T 28
ATCH-UP by Tiffany Colter
Remem ber, you t n e d em o n g ’ t a h n ave t o a j am ever m possible y option i n to your wh en c o you l l e g e ’ r alr e experie beh eady nce. ind
e m ti
exams and School is well under way and midterm face. Where papers are suddenly staring you in the How are you did the first half of the semester go? finish strong going to stay on top of your studies to ? How can you when there is already so much undone ester? Don’t prevent getting in this mess spring sem panic, we have the help you need. result Poor time management is usually the and Lack of of a couple of issues: Overcommitment you likely alDiscipline [aka, procrastination]. But r your calendar ready knew that. As you look back ove recognize many since classes started you can probably your studies. wasted opportunities to stay on top of in person or Spending a little less time socializing, ning up against online, could have kept you from run the clock. have The good news is none of these issues bit of focus, and to stay with you forever. With a little plete this sesome catch up work, you can still com of. Just follow mester with a record you can be proud these five, simple steps. Recognize your long term goals When you’re in college there are countless oppo rtunities to grow and expand professionally and socially. Fraternities, academic clubs and internships all offer you a chance to gain real world experience that will help you succeed after college. Unfortunately, they also offer distraction from your ultimate goal, graduation. In order to decide which groups will be the best use of your time, it’s helpful to consider your long term goals. If you’ re planning to pursue a career in sales or marketing, learning to form and develop relationships is a crucial skill . Therefore, selecting a group that will help you meet influ ential members of your community—like a fraternity—ma y be a good option for you. On the other hand, if your goal is to work in education or academia, focus should be on those groups that will make your grad assistantship resumes more impressive. That means an academic club mig ht be more useful. Remember, you don’t have to jam ever y possible option into your college experience. Instead, take the time to evaluate each opportunity. Focus on what needs to get done Now that you recognize the challenges, you mus t determine what needs to be done and when. Don ’t be too concerned with the term paper due in three wee ks
eng Exa lish m 1:30 28T pm h !! if you haven’t completed the rea ! ding for next we
ek’s quiz. Write all the due dates and quizzes on your calendar, then write when prep work needs to be done for each item. In other word s, when must you complete research to write your pape r? When must you have yo ur books read to prepare for an exam? Once you have that, count backward until you reach today. Determi ne what needs to get done to get from here to there. How much time will it take Now that you know the du e dates, you have your priorities. The next ste p is to determine how much time you need to commit ea ch day to reach your goals . This is where you’ll have to make some tough choices. You may realize you’ve vo lunteered to be a part of too many activities. You may als o realize you have a few long study days ahead. Do n’t be tempted to take the easy way out and get an “in complete” for the class. Th is is one of the great lessons you’ll learn in college—foll ow through.
Double up It may be necessary to double up on your studies to catch up. This is tough to do, but write it on your calendar and reward yourself when you’re done. College doesn’t have to be all about things that you have to do. It can also be about the satisfaction of doing what you didn’t think you could do.
Have a weekly break
Along with the idea of rewarding yourself, schedule a weekly break. When I was in college it was Thursdays, because I didn’t have many Friday classes. You may prefer a Saturday so the whole day is slower pace. Whatever you choose, set aside one day that’s homework free. Allow this to be your weekly reward for putting in the effort the other six days. In addition, pick another day each week to be your make-up day. That way you’re getting periodic rest and you can avoid the burnout that comes with too much studying, as well as the poor grades that come with too little. While you may find yourself feeling a bit overwhelmed at this point in the semester, the key to reaching the end successfully is knowing why you’re here and where you want to be. Once you have that, the rest is just walking it out.
t a r f sh u r
!!
! h T 8
DAVID
VANDERVEEN By Natalie Hills Photos by Brad Forth
DAVIDDA
DAVID
VANDERVEEN
is a paradox, a true man of contrast. Business management • Easy going style • Hard driving entrepreneur Family, Friends & Community • Laid back beach town life style – family first • Volunteers time and money to charity projects in his local community and around the world Politics • Libertarian social activist, criticizing and encouraging liberals and conservatives
• Willing to expose hypocrisy and intolerance
In short, David Vanderveen is a Renaissance man admired for taking life and the issues of the day seriously, without taking himself too seriously. He is truly centered in life, and so it’s a pleasure for Centered Magazine to sit down with him at his home in Orange County, CA for a visit.
those new media sources is it allows you to be more flexible throughout your day. Part of the beauty of having a blackberry or IPhone is it allows you to be unleashed from your desk, doing things you love to do, not things you have to do.
At XS we like to talk about fueling people’s dreams and we really view life as an adventure. I try and make life really fun. I do things that scare me a little bit, and push me. We’re in Centered: What’s your typical the water almost every day. Laguna day like? has beautiful reefs and coves. I might David: We have a lot of flexibility go for a stand up paddle to Seal Rock because of how we’ve structured our and check out the “pirate caves,” business. We’re doing a lot with sothese beautiful underwater caves that cial media right now—Facebook, Twit- you can dive into. We try to get out in ter—part of what’s cool about using the water and be active.
XS
At we like to talk about fueling people’s dreams and we really view life as an adventure.
We wanted to make business more fun again and less serious.
Centered: What’s your business background? David: When I turned 22 my dad said to me, “You’re
not going to be on my taxes anymore. You should start your own business even if it doesn’t make a lot of money, for tax benefits.” I studied Philosophy and Political Science in school and in 1991, when I graduated, there was a recession so they weren’t hiring a lot of philosophers. So I had to go figure out how to make something happen for myself. I created a little PR firm and began doing a lot of writing and editing. Then I went to Tokyo and worked for a couple companies in marketing. I ended up editing a high tech news service in Japan and enhanced my scientific background. When I came back to the states I did a lot of writing around technology. In the late 90’s I ended up at a large software company. I worked for a lot of the dot-com’s in the Bay area and I started a large dot-com of my own in 1999/2000. Centered: Talk to us about your company, XS. What were your biggest challenges in starting XS? David: The energy drink category was a hot young category. It was hard be a new entrant into the category. Even if you make a good product it’s hard to get it out into consumer’s hands because distribution is so locked up. We had to be disruptive with our distributions and strategically different. We use Amway so we ship it directly to consumers so it doesn’t go through all the middlemen and it’s efficient and more environmentally friendly. We were the first energy drink to do flavors, and to do them well, I think. We wanted to make something that tasted great with a lot of flavor options and delivered a better function than normal energy drinks—
we added a little caffeine and boosted the B-vitamins. We wanted to make business more fun again and less serious. Maybe take the suits and ties off once in a while, add more adventure element to the concept. We look at the crossroads of adventure and entrepreneurship and see a lot of overlap. Running your own business is an adventure in and of itself, not unlike things like surfing and snowboarding, getting out into the world and scaring yourself a little bit. It’s that crossroads of pushing past what you feel comfortable with and getting into your fear zone a little. We wanted to fuel people’s dreams, we wanted to help people get out and do more than they think they could.
DAVE
Centered: How do you develop a flavor for XS? David: We look at what’s popular and what people enjoy. We do tea flavors, soda flavors and fruit flavors. What’s most successful with our demographic are the flavors that you feel guilty drinking—except they’re sugar free. Our cranberry grape is a popular flavor because it kind of tastes like a grape soda. We try and make flavors that are reminiscent of our guilty pleasures, root beer, black cherry cola—but make them in a way that you don’t feel guilty. You get to enjoy these wonderful flavors without the empty calories, sugars and starches people don’t want in their diets anymore.
Centered: What are some key things in your life that have led you to where you are? David: I like to view life like a maze, you really don’t know where you’re gonna end up, you just know at each turn you’ll have to make a decision. What I’ve found useful is that every decision I’ve made has been based off of some key core values. I believe in liberty, I believe in making your own choices and being responsible for them. I’ve built a lot of my life around a lot of the action sports. I like doing like surfing and snowboarding. If you operate, on a daily basis, off of your key core values you’re gonna find yourself in a place where you’re pretty happy in at the end of it all.
We look at the crossroads of adventure and entrepreneurship and see a lot of overlap.
Centered: How are you able to balance you life with work and family? David: I travel a few times a month, so when I’m gone I check in on a regular basis. We use all the new technology to do that. The cool thing is when I’m home, I’m home, I’m around, I’m available. I coach AYSO soccer and I’ve been a coach on the surf team at the junior high. We do things on a regular basis with our kids to stay active in their lives. Centered: Why do you think balance is so vital? David: Balance is critical for everybody, whether you have a family or not. My great uncle was one of the co-founders of Amway, a very busy man, Jay Van Andel. One of the things he set aside in his life everyday was that he made it home for dinner, even when he was extremely busy. That goes a long way in a family’s life. I had some years when I was out of balance but you need to get control of your calendar. I continue to work on that. It’s so easy for people to let the urgent drive their life, like phone calls
and e-mails. I’ve gotten comfortable with not always calling and e-mailing people back and that allows me to have a life again. It’s healthy to have those boundaries in your life and there are times you need to put your family first. Centered: Describe yourself as a leader David: (laughs) There’s a big assumption in that question. We don’t even use titles at our company. We refer to ourselves as words, numbers and pictures. I’m primarily involved in words. It’s important that we divide up our responsibilities. My leadership style is pretty laissez-faire. I like people to become independent. If I have to come up with the good ideas, then you’re not doing your job. I like to be surprised and impressed.
DAVIDAV
a e m e r a c s t a h t s g I do thin . e m h s u p d n a , it b le t t li
campus y t i r u ec s
By Amber. Evans
Illustrated by Andrew Malone
I had no idea college was going to be like this. I enlisted the help of three brave men in blue uniforms to help me. They didn’t have to help me with schoolwork or rush, they had to help me with the women. You see, I’m the kind of guy that girls look at twice and then knock their friends down to get near. I’m the guy that other guys are friends with just so they can get lavished with some female attention. All girls like me. Even the ones that initially roll their eyes and pretend they’re not interested, are interested. They see me standing there and they appreciate the beauty. Then, once they get closer, they see that I’m funny and everyone’s enjoying my company. That’s when it happens. They are suddenly overcome with obsession. The first few times it was amusing—a couple of late-night calls on my roommate’s cell asking what I was wearing to bed, a few girls waking up early to get their hair done so they could walk with me to class, a few cute messages left on my white board—but then it got insane. Tuesday was the last straw. It was the second week of classes and I had all of my professors figured out. I knew where I was going to pledge. I had finally talked my mom into only calling twice a day to check in on me.
I woke up and walked down the hall to the showers. As I was rinsing off the smell of Red Bull from the night before, I looked up and there were two girls watching me—from the ceiling. They had somehow climbed in there and were watching like two Peeping Toms. That’s when I decided that it was time to call in Backup. Backup is my three men in blue, Thomas, Clive and Burt. They all look like the great, hairy cops of the 70s and have just what I need to keep the women at bay, muscle and motivation. These
campus cops were up to their eyeballs in citations for girls scaling the dorm walls to get to my window. They were just as ready as I was to get these women in check. Thomas, Clive and Burt work as one. They’re up before dawn, making what is undoubtedly, disgustingly strong coffee. They all three work out, benching up to 400 lbs., which is about 3 or 4 of these girls combined. They memorized almost every lady in the student body (Burt can’t seem to remember the junior Alpha Delta Pi class, but he’s working on it). They put Burt’s Bees lip gloss on the
y
When I got to college, I thought life was going to be easy. I would go to school, do my homework, rush, go to parties, meet girls and eat Ramen noodles until my heart was content. ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead,’ I thought.
punching bag (okay, that part I may have made up). My typical day now begins with a rested night, waking up to one or two texts from my boys, instead of one or two hundred texts from random girls asking if I like blondes or brunettes better. Sometimes, I think I can hear them cat-fighting across campus when I answer that question. Clive is the Sting Operator, the one who calls the shots. He tells us what path we’re taking to class, which cereal dispenser I will eat out of that morning, even what bathroom I can use in each building. Burt and Thomas are my wingmen, and not how you would normally think of them. They are literally at my right and left arms throughout the day to deflect girls coming at me from every direction. If a girl ever gets too close, they pull down their Ray Bans and whip out their citation book. ”Just Try It,” is the only thing they need to say. At night, when I’m
up late studying, Clive follows us around campus in the Patrol Car, a souped-up golf cart with mud tires. He never goes over 7 mph in case a girl should happen to get crazy and leap in front of it. At 7 mph, Clive says that he will only bruise her dignity. When I actually find a girl I’m interested in, the boys don’t let me down. They have an extensive network for background checks. It’s not about where she’s from, her fingerprints or her favorite flavor of Italian Ice. It’s about her friends and who she might be working
with. And she isn’t allowed to take pictures on our dates ever. Clive frisks her for her camera phone too. I don’t need any more journalists for the school newspaper attacking me in the middle of the night, asking if I want to pose for all 12 months of the College Bachelor Calendar. No, sir, those days are over. These days, I get to go to my social events, party only with whom I choose and deflect the hoards of screaming girls. Want to catch my attention? Calmly approach me much like you would a black bear in the wild and follow the Backup’s orders. If your background looks okay, hand over the cell phone and maybe then we can talk.
RANDOM FACTS TO FEED THE MAN BRAIN r oil can of used moto lion One gallon mil mately one ruin approxi water. esh gallons of fr Reno, Nevad a is actually west of Los Angeles , California. CT
S
RA
ND
OM
FA
CT
FA
OM ND
The U.S. military packs Tabasco pepper sauce in every ration kit that they give to soldiers.
RA
RA
ND
OM
FA
CT
S
ary iction lish d g n E the rd in th. No wo with mon s e le rhym n a bott date’’ o r the e g ta in a The ‘’v s the ye e year indicate of wine e picked, not th er grapes w ! ng of bottli
S
shorte of a ade s u a c II, be rs were m a g WW Durin metal, Osc f o e g a r. plaste a contraction of from The word ‘byte’ is by eight.
es of a dice cube The opposite sid seven. always add up to
ONLINEOR
NLINEOR
by Tim Riter
CLICK HERE TO READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE
The BEST Delivery Format is…
“Dude, I came in here to go to class!” “What? Your class meets in Starbucks? Don’t give me that stuff.” “It’s true. I’m going to Shasta University; it’s online. I haven’t sat in a classroom since last June! I brought my laptop here and log on to our threaded discussion on the causes of the breakdown of the Soviet Union for my history class.” “Threaded discussion? You lost me there, man! What are you talking about?” Two guys. Two colleges. Two fully accredited degrees to come. Two radically different delivery formats. With the advent of the technology era, higher education is facing revolutionary changes as it adapts to both new technology and the changing desires of college students. Options and choice have become key words. As a student, you now face two primary methods of gaining that valuable degree: the traditional ground classroom setting, or online. Which is best? Let’s look first at what they are, how they differ, advantages and disadvantages, and then we’ll reach some conclusions.
GROUNDED
Daniel began his winter holiday by heading to Starbucks for a quick cup, and had just sat down when an acquaintance he’d graduated with from Millikan High School walked in. “Hey Brian, good to see you. Man, that first semester at the college took forever! Sixteen weeks feels like eternity, I thought it would never end. When did your school get out for break?”
FALL ON A BU DG ET
FASHION
(
) Rugby Hood $44.50 Long Sleeve Stripe Woven $44.50 (Jeans) Straight Fit $54.50 White Converse are available in selected stores and online
(
Best Vee $18.00
)
Long Sleeve Stripe Woven $44.50
FALL
White Converse are available in selected stores and online
FASHION:
(Jeans) Straight Fit $54.50
(
) Blazer $88.00 Best Vee $44.50 (Jeans) Authentic Fit $54.50 Black Converse are available in selected stores and online
( Tri-Blend Leisure Shirt $35.00 Cotton Webbing Barrel O’ Belt $19.00 Strech Bull Denim Slim Slack $74.00
)
FASHION:
FALL
(
) Tri-Blend Leisure Shirt $35.00 Gray Corduroy Slim Slack $74.00
) Fine Jersey Tee $17.00
Gray Corduroy Slim Slack $74.00
FALL
Nylon Jacket $42.00
FASHION:
(
( Gap-Military Jacket $88.00 Gap-Long Sleeve Stripe Woven $44.50 American ApparelGray Corduroy Slim Slack $74.00
)
( American Apparel-TriBlend Leisure Shirt $35.00 Gap- Military Jacket $88.00 Gap- (Jeans) Authentic Fit $54.50
)
FASHION:
FALL
( American ApparelNylon Jacket $42.00 American Apparel-Long Sleeve Tee $20.00 Gap- (Jeans) Authentic Fit $54.50
)
passio BY EDIE MELSON
Be open to conside the possibilit r unusu i al optio es within your ns. passion
;
“What do you do?”
“Where do you work?”
“What is your MAJOR?” These seemingly innocuous questions come with plenty of angst. Without thinking we tend to define others by their career choice. We assume someone is a teacher because they love teaching. But what if that isn’t a valid assumption? Consider yourself for a moment. Can someone gauge your interests by your choices?
on
Are you doing what you love? A survey in Business Week Magazine shows that only one out of six Americans is content with his job. How can we avoid the same dissatisfaction? The answer is both simple and complicated—we must find our passion. Dictionary.com defines passion this way: a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything. Most of us will spend a lifetime at work; doesn’t it make sense to choose something we love? But there’s the catch; how do we turn something we love into a career? Fortunately we don’t have to go it alone. Help is available in a variety of places. There are counselors at every college and most offer help to former students as well as those still enrolled. There are also many types of career counselors in the general marketplace. Some corporations and even churches offer career assistance for those already at work. When looking for help it’s important to find someone who will evaluate your needs on many different fronts, not just the obvious ones. Mark Richardson, a Senior Career Transition Coach with Meridian Resources, Inc. in Greenville South Carolina does just that using three basic steps.
It’s nev er too l
ate to a lte
r your d
irection
.
• Pinpoint what you love and what you’re good at • Discover your true values, what means the most to you • Identify and prioritize your strengths “I look at it as putting a puzzle together—it’s almost like a Rubix Cube.” He helps others listen to that inner voice and discover what he calls, ‘the fire in your belly.’ He compares it to discovering true north on a compass. Without that starting point, any path we take will lead us nowhere. Beware of well-intentioned friends and family who are more than happy to offer poor career advice. Often their counsel is one-dimensional, only taking into account a single part of the equation. For example, when I was deciding on a career path, I was warned about the difficulties of making a living as a writer. I listened to that guidance and it has taken years to get back on track with my passion. Be open to the possibilities within your passion; consider unusual options. The most important decision may not be what, but where. When Mark decided on counseling as a career, he originally thought of a future as a school counselor, but through continued self-examination realized that wouldn’t be the best fit. Working with adults has provided the perfect opportunity for his unique gifts. Mark offers other valuable suggestions, “Realize there is no one way to reach the right answer. A lot of good resources are available for free over the internet. The key becomes what themes and patterns emerge.” What if you find yourself on a career path that doesn’t ignite that passion within? Be willing to make a change. It’s never too late to alter your direction. Even if you don’t have the resources to quit your job and begin a new career, it may be possible to start on a smaller scale, part time. A current TV ad claims we have 25,000 mornings to spend. That may seem like a lot, but it’s really not. I firmly believe I need to make that time count. I want to make a difference in the lives of people around me. There are a lot of things wrong on planet Earth and I want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Discovering who I am and who God wants me to be is the best way I know of to become a contributing part of my community.
TS N E M E G ED L W O N K AC Carolina Panthers Wofford College Atlanta Falcons Vagrant Records E1 Music American Apparel Pearsons Jason’s Deli XS Energy Drink Brasserie Ecosse Sonny’s Brick Oven Pizza Two Doors Down Southern Tide Stuart Smith & Co. Gap A Biz Law Swaim Brown M FACT
RANDO
S
It wo u Unite ld take h d and States, alf the p 4 e syste 5, to run between ople in t the a he m if t h e n it we g re no ation’s t es of 18 e t com l puter ephone ized.
Pearsons Jeans-Anlo
Pearsons Dress-Tibi
Pearsons Blouse- Rebecca Taylor
Pearsons Blouse- Rebecca Taylor Jeans-Anlo
Pearsons Jeans-Anlo
THE
NEW POLITIC S OF YOUTH
ENGAGEMENT
READ THE REST OF THE ARTI CLE AT CENTEREDMAG.COM
ARTICLE BY MIKE GRUSZCZY NSKI ILLUSTRATION BY jamie va n pham
W
It has been almost a give n that the youngest voting aged citi zens will not participate in Americ an governmental affairs. Every few years, the young adult population wo uld stay away from the polls—whet her owing to a general distaste fo r politics, a lack of knowledge of ci vic life or otherwise—leading to an underrepresentation of the wi shes of our youth in government. However, tools such as Tw itter, Facebook, and blogs now offer college-aged voters an op portunity to become a voting demogr aphic to be reckoned with, as rece nt polls have demonstrated. A Pew Internet and American Life Pr oject poll showed that 75 percent of collegements. “It’s much easier aged voters used the Inte to learn rnet as a and share information [o political tool in 2008. n the InLess than te rn et ], as we ll as have conver60 percent of middle aged voters sations with like-passion did likewise. ed folks around the country,” he said. “It This signals a fundamenta l also allows information shift in the nature of po to come litical from sources other than participation. Legendary bi g organipolitician zations.” Tip O’Neill once stated that “all Seth Trenchard, a 21 year politics is local;” this old adage has political science major certainly held true sinc at th e Unie the words versity of Nebraska said his use of were uttered in the 1930 s. And online news sources mirr while it may still hold ors that true today, of others in hi s ge neration, and it does so for very diffe rent reapointed out that Internet sons. Today, all politics informais local, tion seeking is driven by much more but in the increasingly interconthan just the convenienc nected world we live in e afforded today, loby the technology. cal has much different co nnotations “Professional journalism than it did 80 years ago. is We can not trusted as m
Home Profile Find People Settings Help Sign Out
watsup11: Major letdown, didn’t get the job. Thought it was a sure deal! 32 minutes ago from IPhone
mkdude2: What happened? They said you were in. 28 minutes ago from IPhone
watsup11: Future boss checked my Facebook page. 27 minutes ago from IPhone
mkdude2: Thought you cleaned it up before the job interviews this spring? You forget? 18 minutes ago from IPhone
watsup11: There’s something called cached pages on the net, bro. Someone keeps a copy of everything! 15 minutes ago from IPhone
mkdude2: Whoa!!!!
R U O Y P E KE WITTER
10 minutes ago from IPhone
T CLEAN! By Edie Melson
Don’t let this happen to you. The majority of employers check the internet presence of all potential employees. So, if you posted a picture of yourself, rowdy drunk, your senior year in high school, it could come back to bite you your senior year in college. Here are some guidelines to follow now to keep you out of trouble later. • If you couldn’t share it with your grandmother, don’t post it on the internet—EVER! • Always take the high road. Someone may have been rude to you, don’t post an irate comeback. Believe me (experience here) if you post in the heat of anger you’ll ALWAYS wish you hadn’t. • Protect yourself. Can someone say Identity Theft? Assume that everything you post can be accessed by someone.
US Postal 1964 the 2 as April 29, 5 arded 202 Service aw ear’s own zip B e Smokey th . e d co
RA ND
OM
FA
CT
S
Bottom Line: Remember, anything you post on the internet can and will be used against you!
altanta falcon cheerleaders
ATLANTA FALCONS CHEERLEADERS altanta falcon cheerleaders
altanta falcon cheerleaders BY EDIE MELSON PHOTOS BY BRAD FORTH
Nicole Current Career: Assistant District Attorney, Running for County Judge in DeKalb County GA College attended: Xavier University, degree in Business Administration Emory Law School, degree in Law Member of Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders – 4 seasons Nicole is an assistant prosecutor and has been in that position for 7 years. She prosecutes cases involving children, from child abuse and sexual abuse of children to murders. “A lot of prosecutors do not want to do that type of work because it does pull at the heart strings more than any other kind. But I love children more than anything and so I use my love for children to help me through that.” Anything she can do to help kids, even when they’re victims, she is more than willing to do. “It makes me more of a passionate prosecutor.” When asked why she wanted to become a judge her answer was straightforward and well thought out. “You can ask for justice, and you can ask for a certain sentence (in a case) that you think is fair, but it’s ultimately up to the judge. There are situations where I don’t like what’s going on, on the bench and I want to see some improvement. I’m one of those folks that believe you should be part of the solution, not part of the problem. The only way to be the solution is to be the judge.” NICOLE
NICOLE &
Kensey Current Career: Owner, CK DanceWorks, Inc. College attended: North Metro Technical, degree in Early Childhood Education Member of Atlanta Falcons Cheerleaders – 2 seasons Kensey started as an entrepreneur two months after high school graduation. She gives back to the community in a different, but equally rewarding manner. Her older sister, Brandy was her inspiration to get into dance. They are 12 years apart in age and Kensey remembers watching Brandy perform and being impatient for her turn. Kensey began dancing at age two and never gave it up. “It was always my thing.” She inspires her many students with the same love of dance, instilling in them an attitude of excellence in everything they attempt. Her classes range from tiny toddlers to adults.
nd re HOT, a got to a s r e d a rle e ude, chee are SMOKIN’! W le, d it e c a f s Let’s erleader ith Kensy and Nico e h c l a n t, professio ening talking w found tha d n a v s r e e e d spend th Falcons Cheerlea ’re even more ey ta two Atlan t to know them, th ge once you amazing.
KENSEY
Both Kensey and Nicole are involved in the Falcons Cheerleaders Show Troupe. The Show Troupe is a smaller squad that travels all over the world performing a variety show. They entertain in a variety of venues, but especially enjoy performing for our military men and women. What made you want to be an Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader? Nicole: I’ve been dancing all my life and never wanted to stop. I came to a Falcons game and said, “Hey, I think I want to do that.” Kensey: I grew up wanting to dance, opened my dance studio right out of high school and missed performing. I went to a Falcons game and realized they weren’t only cheerleaders, but dancers and thought, “I would love to do that!” Favorite date? Nicole: I’m an outdoorsy type of girl. I think white water rafting would be amazing. I’d love to camp out, go hiking or even wall climbing. Kensey: I love doing something you wouldn’t do every day—like ice skating. I like watching different sports in a different state. I want to do something new and spontaneous. What is the Best Advice someone ever gave you? Kensey: It was my older sister, Brandy. I had just graduated high school in May and was opening my dance studio in July and really doubting whether I could do it. She told me not to give up. She said, “You can do it, keep reaching for your goals, the stars. You can achieve anything as long as you put your mind to it.” Nicole: I was warned that people will let you down and a lot of things you expect to happen will not happen. But you just have to keep moving and keep pushing. Keep that final goal in mind and keep working, no matter what.
hours. They e a week for three ic tw e tic ac pr s er ad eir time is spent in th of The Falcons Cheerle t os m t Bu . es imum of l home gam also perform for al ree to attend a min ag s er ad rle ee ch e All th g. community service. rforming or assistin pe er th ei , ts en ev e ic 20 community serv
What qualities do you think make a Centered Man? Kensey: A Centered Man needs to be a family person, a role model for people around him. He needs to not just care about himself. Nicole: A Centered Man needs to have balance. It’s great to be a good student, and a good person, to be outgoing, sociable and give back to your community. All these things are important, but if you’re one and not all of them, I wouldn’t consider you to be Centered.
Intro and Photo by Natalie Hills
Interview with Ryan Kalil and Dwayne Jarrett of the Carolina Panthers Ryan Kalil and Dwayne Jarrett, former teammates at USC, were drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. Being a loyal Trojan fan, I followed these guys throughout their college careers and into the pros. I didn’t know what to expect during the interview, especially considering that they’d just gotten through with hours of practicing in 100 degree weather. Seeing the camaraderie between these teammates and the clear loyalty they have carried from their college careers into the NFL was inspiring. We spent some time with them on the field during training camp in August and at one point Ryan came up to me for a quick hello and the first thing he asked was “Did you get some good pictures of D.J.?” This further revealed the authenticity of his friendship with his long-time teammate. Join us while we get to know these two talented athletes and learn more about their transition from the Pac-10 to the NFC South.
photo by Brad Forth Centered: What made you choose USC? Was it the school? The football program itself? RK: Not a lot of people know this story about me. I wasn’t a huge recruit coming out of High School—not like Dwayne Jarrett (laughs), because I’m not the biggest guy in the world, even now. Not a lot of schools were recruiting a 6’2” 255 pound offensive lineman. Coach Carroll was trying to rebuild on tough guys, coachable guys, yes-sir no-
sir kind of guys, guys that would help lead his team. If I had been coming out of high school now, I wouldn’t have gone to USC because the program is on top. I was super fortunate and very blessed to come into it when I did. DJ: The main thing was Coach Carroll. He’s like a player’s coach. I went to a lot of different schools, like Ohio State, Miami, big name schools, but I didn’t really feel that unity and chemistry with the coaches
and players. I felt USC was the best fit for me as a player and developing my skills. Plus, it’s California, who wouldn’t want to live in L.A.? Centered: As far as your college experience goes, what was that like for you with balancing your social life and academics with football? RK: It’s tough being a student athlete and trying to balance school and sports. In
some aspects sports do come first, because they’re the reason you’re there. The biggest thing I took away from college was the diversity. DJ: Your first year is the hardest. It’s all about good time management, even with your social life. Make sure you get things done earlier in the day, so later on you have time to hang out and have fun. Centered: Did you go into college with
the dream of going pro? RK: I’ve always dreamed of playing at the highest level. DJ: It was always a dream, since I was 8 years old. Centered: What’s been the hardest part of the transition from playing college ball to the NFL? RK: Consistency of talent. In college there were teams you would play where you
almost knew, if we just do what we do, this will be a win. In the NFL everyone was somebody; everybody was an All American somewhere, so the talent is dispersed so evenly across the board. I think that’s the biggest deal. DJ: I think it’s just more mentally. It’s harder to separate yourself, so you have to pay attention to the details of the game and do more film studying. It’s the little things that really can separate you from
that next guy. Centered: So there have been two big milestones in your football career, signing your letter of intent at USC and signing your first NFL contract, what were those days like? RK: They’re extraordinary days and exciting but it’s also a huge responsibility that comes with signing those letters. It’s exciting and nerve wracking. DJ: When I first signed at USC it was nervewracking because I didn’t know if I wanted
to go that far from home. I just took a leap of faith and decided to do it. Of course my NFL contract was another big moment. It was like everything I worked for up to this point, I finally accomplished it and was living my dream. Centered: We had an article in our last issue where we asked college guys if their loyalty was with college or Pro football, the consensus was that they prefer college ball
because once you get to the NFL it’s all about money and contracts and the passion isn’t there...what’s your response to that? RK: That’s the thought process I had before I got to the NFL, but the guys who are inside know it’s not really like that. Guys (in the NFL) are very passionate about the game and what they do on game day is very important to them, not just because they are contractually obligated to do well.
photo by Brad Forth DJ: There’s just so much more that goes into being an NFL player. It’s not just about the money, of course that’s how you make a living—so that’s an important thing but it’s more than that. You want to go out there and prove yourself. If you’re a competitor, you want to beat that next guy that’s in front of you. So the money thing—I think it’s overrated. Of course everybody wants to get paid, but there are steps to getting to that point, it’s not all about that.
Centered: What advice would you give to college guys? RK: Enjoy college, just soak it all in, it goes by fast. The whole (college) experience in general, it’s a small window and it’s something you’ll never get back. Enjoy every bit of it and don’t have any regrets. DJ: Don’t rush it. At this level there’s more pressure on performance, and people are
here today and gone tomorrow, so it’s not consistent and it’s harder to build that team unity here than it is in college. So just enjoy it and take it one day at a time and soak it all in.
[Listen to your body] This is so important. Our bodies are amazing machines. They are the greatest indicator of what we need. Your body tells you everything. Listen to your body. Find out your weaknesses and your strengths. Pain and discomfort are sensory responses warning us real damage can occur if we continue. One of the best definitions of a warrior I’ve ever heard is, “One who knows one’s own limitations.” Listen to your body, understand it and respect it, then you can begin to challenge it, pushing the boundaries.
[
By doing something you love, taking it slow and steady, setting measurable goals, finding a partner or a team and by listening to your body you can achieve success. A great teacher of mine, once told me, “If you can learn to do one thing well, you can learn to do all things well.” Learn to take care of your body and mind and you will create the environment for true success in all areas of your life.
[Do something you love] This is important. Find an activity you love doing and concentrate on that. It may be rollerblading, snowboarding, body building or martial arts. Focus all aspects of your fitness routine around improving your performance. But what if the activity you love isn’t active? Maybe it’s reading. Then, get a stationary bike and only read when you’re on it. Think creatively, whatever the activity; if it’s something you love, you’ll be more likely to stick with it.
THE
EXERCISE
[Slow and steady wins the race] So often I have seen people begin working out by jumping in hard core, only to quit within a few weeks. When asked why, they admit it took too much time, was too hard or too painful. If you start slowly you’re more likely to stick with it. Consistency is the key and it’s not possible to be consistent if you start off like a fanatic. Instead, gradually increase the amount of time spent and the intensity of your workout. This will allow your body to adjust and condition itself. Ultimately, you are better off working out 20 minutes a day, three times a week for the rest of your life; than two hours a day, five days a week for two months.
[Set measureable goals] It may be a competition you want to win or a level of skill you want to achieve. When you set a measureable goal you’ll be compelled to achieve it. Make your goals challenging, but not unreasonable. If you believe you can achieve something, you will. That, in turn, will help your confidence grow.
[Find a partner] Find someone to partner up with. Or better yet, find a team. Put a bunch of people in your corner. Make sure these people will help motivate and encourage you. The people you associate with will have a profound effect on your life. Give them as much or more than you receive and you will be surprised at how far you will go and how much you will grow.
If you Google the word fitness, 330,000,000 links pop up. It seems like everybody has advice on working out. Our world is filled with experts, showing ripped models, telling us we have to do this or do that. They fill our ears with should(s) and should not(s). Every bit of information seems to contradict the one before. So what do we do?
BY JORDAN FORTH
SUCCESS
Begin with this truth—working out doesn’t have to be difficult— and you don’t have to spend a fortune doing it. Having an expert on-board does help, especially when you’re working on a specific activity, but anyone can make a start. It’s simple and it should be fun.
Here are some basic guidelines for starting any fitness routine. Success, in all aspects of life, can be realized by practicing these principles.
photo by Brad Forth
Steve Leitch
Chef
Dating & Food It’s your first date with a girl who’s hotter than a California forest fire, so where do you take her? Out for a bucket of beer and some wings? Or maybe to a 400 item trough of food that’s called a buffet? Perhaps you could have a three-course meal in a stuffy restaurant? Of course the last choice would leave you so broke you’d be enjoying every flavor of Ramen noodles for the rest of the year. Instead, you could look at the first date in a new and interesting light, one of opportunity. Lads, the first date should be more of a quick interview. After all, you’re both trying to find out if it’s worth having a second. You’re trying to impress her with your swagger & cologne, so why not communicate the unspoken words. Show her she’s important enough to go out for an hour and try some cool appetizers & cocktails, instead of a funnel cake at the fair. Here are some basics. Don’t EVER go on a first date to a bar where you hang out. Your friends will be judging your date and laughing at you because you’re trying to impress her. Never be tricked, coerced or even bribed into going on a blind date. The so-called friends who set these up are really just not confident enough to date solo and you never want to be stuck with the not so good looking friend who laughs like a hyena during mating season. Traditional dating seems to demand going for dinner at a swanky restaurant, one you would never venture into normally. But, because you’re trying to impress her you get crazy and break the bank. And 80 percent of the time there is never a second date, so much for investment smarts. Here’s a better idea, many privately owned or chef driven restaurants offer loads of interesting and innovative tastings, specials or entertainment. Hopefully you’ve put a little thought into asking her out; now show the same research skills on the dining opportunities in your neighborhood. Find a wine tasting, bar menu or
sampling at a cool & hip restaurant. Food is fun and your date should be too. Take that Prospective New Love out for a couple of appetizers. Don’t feel savvy enough to choose from the menu? Then ask your server or bartender for a couple of recommendations that you and your date can share. This will at least give you something to talk about if you’re running out of stuff to say and reasons to leave. The server in a privately owned restaurant has one goal—to please the guest. You’re not just a table or a number at a small privately owned restaurant. The chef in those establishments cooks with love. He has trained and cares about his food and about his guests. Wine tastings are great first dates because the wine will take the edge off. It’s also a reasonably priced option and has the added advantage of giving you the opportunity to move around and talk to the different sales reps. The date might totally blow, but if you’re also learning something about wine its worth it. You can’t order Jager bombs & the daily vodka special all of your life. At some point in the business world you’re going to need to grow up and sit at the big boy table! Three rules of the successful first date: Never go Blind – look before you cross the road, don’t get hit by a truck. Short & Sweet – don’t be trapped in an uncomfortable situation that’s going to break your wallet. New equals New – you have researched the girl and decided to take a chance on her, so show the same initiative when it comes to where you go. Lads, please remember to have fun and be yourself. If traditional dating is not your thing, then jump into 2009 and try what the Chef has to offer. If nothing else, at least you’ll be building your dinner skills—but you never know, the first date could be the start of something beautiful. Cheers, Chef Steve
The Big Pink
The Diamond Light
Taking their name from the debut album by The Band, this London duo creates electro-rock that will resonate your atmosphere for days. Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell illustrate modern rock and roll by fooling around with drum machines and drowning guitars chords. The Big Pink’s first album, “A Brief History of Love”, was released on September 22nd generating big noise from indie music fans around.
60’s rock and roll shines again with the release of The Diamond Light’s debut album, “Krotona.” These east coast creatures uprooted their musical demons in the depths of Beachwood Canyon to craft a retro-psychedelic, blues sound. Lead vocalist Griffin Young evokes a soulful passion as he bellows the bands twisted lyrics. The Diamond Light is my perfect rough gem.
Three Tracks to Live By-
Three Tracks to Live By-
Velvet
Orphan
Domino
Headress
albu A Brief History of Love
Who’s Gonna Search My Soul
http://www.myspace.com/musicfromthebigpink
http://www.myspace.com/thediamondlight
& MOVI
CHECK
m
E REVI EWS OUT NE W MUSI C
Album Reviews by Jilly Hendrix, Movie Reviews by Jeff Adams
TUESDA
Y AT C ENTER
EDMAG.
COM
oldie, but goodie!!!!
Cast Away “Are you watching a movie about a plane crash?” The reaction by one of the airplane passengers sitting nearby surprised me and I felt compelled to calm her fears. Just like the film starring Tom Hanks, the lone survivor of a Fed Ex plane crash, some passengers on our flight may have wondered if they should have ever gotten on that plane. It’s not about a plane crash. It’s the story of what we do when we can’t have what we want. Certainly the crash set up the conflict that changes the life of Hanks’ character, Chuck Nolan. On the deserted island in the middle of the Pacific, Nolan did what he had to for survival. He scrounged through packages washed ashore from the wreck and
over time found novel uses for the most common items. Ice skates become axe blades. Videotape was used to hold together a temporary shelter. But like any human being Nolan needed the necessities for life; food, water and companionship. Ingenuity and perseverance helped him overcome one obstacle after another, and yet despair plagued Nolan. It’s hard to live without hope. Eventually, he contemplated suicide. But in his loneliness he found a friend. Only Tom Hanks could make an almost 60-minute monologue with a volleyball interesting. But Hanks’ performance was worthy of the Oscar nomination that he received. And although he didn’t win, he won viewers’ hearts. But the film is powerful for one reason, Hanks’ portrayal that Nolan chose to live. It illustrated what we must do to survive circumstances beyond our control. He kept on breathing. And that was a takeaway worth far more than any box office price or rental fee. In fact, it made this is a film worthy of your library.
CHECK OUT BIG SCREEN WEEKEND AT CENTEREDMAG.COM
V I T FE S Oct. 2nd
, 3rd, &
4th, 200
9 Austin
, TX
L L A F L L A F L L L L A A F imits L y t n Ci l Austi c Festiva Musi
most hosted one of the s ha S U e th of eup l es. This year’s lin , the music capita nr 02 ge 20 s e ou nc ri si va ar om ye Every of acts fr e Math, als with a plethora sts, Mos Def, Mut ri iv st be fe em ll fa ec D r e la Th pu l e po headliners as Pear hundred artists lik ech on su es an th ud e cl in or d m boasts B-52’s, an ainment e Relentless7, The gend. The entert th Le d hn an Jo r d pe an ar , H n nd Be ws Ba sting a Kids , The Dave Mathe lker Park, also ho Zi ly ve lo ’s ty ci Jam, Kings of Leon e no th The park provides ght stages within t. ei ke er ar ov M t t ou Ar s Co ad spre . Being d the So downtown Austin ts Food Court, an om fr tle ut sh by le Area, the Austin Ea ib unds within a tenal is easily access ro iv pg st m fe ca e d th t an bu ea g parkin tels in the ar ere are many ho th n, w to ge lle co a e metro area. mile radius of th
rial lovers, onados and indust ci afi a ic on tr ec el Apple. e For thos ht event in the Big ig l-n al an g in st ho 56th St, Hard Festival is Terminal 5 - 610 W us rio to no e th at ajor e Taking plac include Crookers, M ill w ow sh s ll’ fa is e $35 New York, NYC - th d Rusko. Tickets ar an s, at Be ck Ja o, ct Lazer, Destru r. rough Ticketmaste and are available th
I T S FE
C Y N d r Ha
Oct. 10th
, 2009
NYC, NY
S L A V 09 5th, 20 -1 3 1 . v No
k, Live Oa
FL
Bear
Cree k Mu Art Fest sic & ival
e BCMAF long as possible, th as er th ea w e m -ti Oak, er usic Park near Live Enjoying the summ M e ne an w Su e Th Spirit of ate’s takes place at The ce of many of the st an st di g in iv dr in ith is w bath houses, Florida. The park offers canoe trips, so al d an s rk pa lities, t 200+ amusemen ns, RV camping faci bi ca , ls ai tr ng ki hi lake, ty bands, disc golf, a fishing al will host over fif iv st fe e th ar ye and is Universe, Galactic, and much more. Th ny Ti ’s on ns De rl cious, Ka h Elevate including Dub-Cons e available throug ar s et ck Ti . nd Ba The Ryan Montbleau . from $140 to $165
l base, the ce was a Cold War Nava Taking place on what on on this into the open pacific air t ou s er lov ic us m gs in TIMF br year’s Indy San Francisco bay. This e th in d an isl e ad -m rero, an m ming Lips, Tommy Guer Fla e Th e lik es m na up g fest is linin stival goers MT, and many more. Fe MG o, ng Te La Yo h, are us DJ Kr isco’s AT&T Park. Tickets Fr m fro d an isl e th to will be ferried tmaster: available through Ticke $65 – Single Day $115 – 2 Day Pass 2-Pack $249 – VIP Single Day
L L A F S L A IV S L A V I FE S T ery By Micah Vick
Oct. 1 7th&1 8th, 2
009 S
an Fr
ancisc
o, CA
Treas ure I sland Music Festi val