Priceless
Fall 2015
GL Vol. 4, Issue 3
• Earth Guardians Inside! • ʹ69 Woodstock Panorama • Woodstock Film Fest • Luthiers’ Invitational
Written by young people for young-minded people
TOC/Masthead Contents
Restaurant Review: Lunch Boxes ............................ p. 8 An Unexpected Guest .............................................. p. 10 Advice: Ask Jai .................................................... p. 12-13 Woodstock Panorama......................................... p. 14-17 Guitars of Woodstock......................................... p.16-17
Fiction: Defined by Scent? ................................ p. 18-19 The Art of Emily Merritt ........................................ p. 20 Vinyl Records............................................................. p. 21 Travels in India................................................... p. 22-23 Cover Story: Earth Guardians.......................... p. 24-26 Woodstock Animals Sanctuary............................... p. 27 Interview: WFF Meira Blaustein....................... p. 28-29 Artist Twins Joy + Noelle .................................. p. 30-31 Fashion - Country and City.............................. p. 32-33 Poetry ................................................................... p. 34-35 School of Ballet ........................................................ p. 36 Book & Movie Reviews............................................ p. 38 Adventure.................................................................. p. 39 Local Witches ........................................................... p. 40 Luthier’s Showcase .................................................... p. 42 In Memory................................................................. p. 44 Awareness .................................................................. p. 45
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher................................Cathy McNamara Art Director......................................................... Grey Ivor Morris Executive Editor............................Monique Winum Martindale Senior Copy Editor................................................... Julie Schmidt Editor....................................................................... Cynthia Adler Sales Marketing & Sales Director.................................Carolyn Handel Advertising Sales ......................................................Marie Shultis Distribution: 7,000 Copies. Throughout the Hudson Valley and NYC, Published by GoodLife Publishing 34 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY 12498 Online version: GoodLifeYouthJournal.com
SUBMISSION INFO: GoodLife accepts work done by young people aged 10 to 20 and pays $$ for accepted work. Deadline: Winter: Nov 9th, Spring: Feb 9th, Summer: May 9th, Fall: Aug 18th • Permission: Need a parental email if you are younger than 16 (giving permission to publish your work & receive payment). Need address. • Topics Examples: Lifestyle, music, book & movie reviews, sports & fitness, political & environmental. • Writing strategies: Reflecting, Reporting, Explaining, Arguing, Opinion and Humor! Length 200 to 500 words Be CREATIVE and send work that you would be proud to have published. All articles must be appropriate for ages 10 to 100! Work not used is stored for another issue. Send submissions as Word documents to: Goodlifejournal@gmail.com Thanks, Cathy McNamara (Publisher) (845) 332-3353
Open Call for Young Writers, Photographers, Cartoonists and Webmasters! Volunteer and learn more about publishing. Page 4 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
Publisher’s Letter Board of Supporters and Muses
Thank You!
Cynthia Adler Mary Ann Place Wendy Bass Nick Alba
Joan Reynolds Marilyn Manning Mountainview Studio Earth Guardians NY
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Rules of The Road
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n the road of life there are times to go fast and times to go slow. It seems like when I’m in a rush, that’s when I get behind a slow person or a “Road Closed” sign pops up. (I’m already late, what???) The universe is trying to tell me, “It’s not your day to arrive on time...do not worry; everything will turn out fine...the safety and well-being of you and others is the bottom line. Hey, I’m rapping! A few days ago, I drove to meet someone. I had my 17-inch desk top computer that I lug around sometimes to an edit session, sitting in the front seat. Passing LogStock a squirrel tried to cross the road in front of me and an oncoming car. In his mouth he was holding a big green ball (a walnut) “Run little guy!”, I thought. But he can’t fathom such unnatural speeds. I brake and he makes it! I also hear the sound of braking glass as the computer bangs into the dash. It now has a cracked screen like people get when they drop their phone. I should have put a seatbelt on it! I can’t believe it still works. I’m over it. It’s just cosmetic...I imagine the squirrel family hugging each other. As a teen, I remember the unlucky 40 or 50 cars who got stuck behind my mother driving the VW bus on a long uphill stretch in Chatenuga. The bus was maxed out at a crawl and she just made faces and shook her head. Laying on the back bed I looked out the rear window at the long line behind us. It was so long I could not even see the last car. “Hey mom, there’s a car behind us with flashing lights!” She got her first ticket. Imagine...for going too slow!! Personally I believe driving Speed should be proportional to the size of a town. Big towns and cities have structure and everyone has to keep up the pace. In a small town the roads are not only used by cars but people, bikers and animals just trying to live their lives like before the road was even put there. What’s the rush??? Practice grand acts of generosity, like letting the other person go first, respect pedestrian power and slow down and give a time cushion to innocent wild life trying to cross the road. I mean, feel the pleasure and calm of small-town living - you won’t regret it!!
On the cover: Earth Guardians Xiuhtezcatland Tonatiuh Martinez, photo by Alex Beal
Winter issue coming next!
Deadline Nov. 9th. • Solar Energy • Holiday Events Disclaimer: The views expressed in this magazine do not reflect those of the publishers, nor are we responsible for the products and services advertised.
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Resturant Review
Lunch Boxes
By Finn Doering, age 13 http://sharpfinnsoup.wordpress.com/
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his is for the moms and kids in the area to inspire their lunch boxes for back to school! The best sandwiches in the area! You must try all of these!!!
Shindig
Grilled cheese! Cheddar, fontina & havarti cheeses with apricot preserve and sautéed arugula. It used to have fig preserve, which I preferred, so I’m not sure about the apricot. But it sounds good!
Bistro to Go
Italiano! An Italian hero with a tapenade. This sandwich is delicious and the tapanade makes it the best. I like it best when it’s heated. Soppressata spicy cured meat, pepperonata red pepper relish, black forest ham, smoked mozzarella and basil aioli.
Sunfrost Farms
Chicken cutlet sandwich with pesto, mayo, lettuce and tomato on French bread. Insane!
Oriole 9
Cubano slow-braised pork with provolone, house-made pickles and smoked ham.
Provisions
The Mac Attack! An antibiotic, hormone-free pasture -raised burger, Anthony’s secret sauce, American cheese andpickled onions.. Wowza. Best new joint in town. Great creative sandwich options and being that you know I love burgers, this burger sandwich is a winner! The winner is: Provisions! Amazing homemade pickles and this Mac Attack is the fave!!! Page 8 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 9
A True Story
An Unexpected Guest
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ne day after I returned home from school, I found the strangest thing in my yard: a real, live peacock, strutting around the lawn like it owned the place. I thought I was hallucinating, but every time I looked out the window, it was there! There really was a peacock in my yard! Frantically, I rushed to find a phone and called my mother, my father, and anybody else that I could think of! Unfortunately, nobody answered the phone. Half an hour later, my dad pulled off the highway and finally answered the five-plus phone calls I had made. Warily, I stated why I had called. “Uhhh…I think there’s a peacock in our yard…so…what should I do?” My father was, to say the least, surprised. “You’re kidding, right?” Clearly, he didn’t believe me. “No, actually, there really is a peacock in our yard,” I responded, scarcely believing my own words. “That’s crazy! Try and get a picture of it!” said my dad, excited. “I’ll try,” I replied and raced off to find a camera. That was several weeks ago. Now my family and I know a lot more
about peacocks… and how loud they can be! We found out that stray peacocks are actually a fairly common problem in Ulster County. Many would-be owners purchase peacocks as exotic and magnificent pets, but upon hearing their high-pitched, blood-curdling calls, they release them into the wild. Also, we learned that peacocks are actually quite good at surviving the harsh winters and large number of predators in New York. This is largely due their high nesting locations and the fact that many people allow peacocks to take shelter in their sheds and barns during the winter. After a few weeks of wandering around our yard, flying up into trees, and waking everybody up in the middle of the night, “Luke,” as we had decided to nickname him, disappeared. After a while, we decided that Luke had probably tromped through the woods and found yet another random person’s yard to wander through. However, a couple days ago, we found Luke the peacock, strutting around our yard again. Unfortunately, we cannot find a way to make a home for Luke, due to our lack of a barn and the fact that he does not get along with our chickens. Hopefully, somebody else will be eventually able to provide him with a forever home.
“No, actually, there really is a peacock in our yard.”
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By Nolan Fuller, age 11
Illustration by Miriam John
Advice
Ask Jai
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i! My name is Jai (Jai means “heart, mind and spirit” in Thai language) and I’m a male Betta fish. I have a strong understanding of home, love and the bridge between the two. I’m here in this issue, in place of Sushi the dog (he couldn’t be here this time) to provide insight and help humans to work with their issues. Q: We just moved so I’m going to a new school. Should I be worried about not knowing anyone? You just moved too ..how was it and do you have any advice? Jai: Well, one thing I know about humans is that they have a very strong need to fit in and belong to a community. As a betta fish, I am not very social so I don’t need community so much. The hardest part of the move for me was not knowing my new home. Fish really bond to a place, and many of us don’t like to travel (although I have a few friends who do like to travel) so it was confusing for me when Miriam put me in a little cup and I was jostled around for a long time, and then ended up in a completely different place. But I soon settled in and now I’m very happy here in what my humans call “Vermont”. So, it can be hard for someone (human or animal) to be taken from their home and put in a new place that they hardly know. I think the reason it is so hard is this: one of the deepest needs of any being is to have a home. Home can mean a place (house, landscape etc) a person/people (Pets, friends, family) and your inner life, your “you-ness”, your own way of being. When someone moves, they often feel like they don’t have a home because they have left their physical home and usually a lot of their friends and community. When you move the goal is to find a new way to be at home in your new home. This is what I recommend: think of something you have with you at the new house that makes you feel most at home Something familiar,
comforting, something that you love, that makes you feel safe and okay. It can be a pet, a parent or sibling, a special possession, etc. It doesn’t have to be something that you brought with you from your old house. It could be a tree or rock or body of water near your new home, that you feel connected to. It can be anything that makes you feel at home. Now, when you know what your special something is, spend as much time with it as you can. See if it can “bring you home” to your new place. If this works for you, when you go into a new situation that makes you uncomfortable, you can think of your special something. And if you are worried about how people will see you, here is my advice: be yourself and keep your center. You are a wonderful person and if others don’t recognize that, it’s their problem, not yours. Q: I am an environmentalist concerned about our waters being polluted by industrial waste... Do you ever have to deal with that issue too? Jai: Yes. As a fish, my body is very connected to the water I live in. I can instantly feel and be affected by any changes in the water.
ference, I can feel the essence of pollution through my lateral line. Luckily, there is enough love and positivity in the world that it outweighs the negative. If that weren’t the case, we would all be dead because a small body can’t handle so much negative and no positive. So the best thing to do is to love, and focus on the positive. Even if it seems like one person’s love can’t do much, it can make all the difference in the world. Sometimes the smallest acts of kindness and love can have the biggest effect, and if all people start loving and acting from love instead of from fear, darkness, greed, or anything like that, imagine what that would do for the world! Q. I have a friend who I have a secret crush on...and I just don’t know what to do! Jai: As a Betta fish (Siamese fighting fish) my personality is to be strong and truthful and daring. When I see another fish, I’m not shy to approach them and express my true self. I think, among humans, there is sometimes a misconception that “love” is a secret, and that love only means having a romantic partnership. But really, love is everywhere and can come in many forms. If I loved someone, I would swim right up to them and say “I love you”. This is harder to do in human culture because, as I said, love can be perceived in a totally different way. To understand what love really is, you need to understand what “home” really is: home is a base, a place we know and that is familiar to us. It is something, someone, or someplace where we fit, something fully accessible to us, something we know deeply, something that is so part of us that we can’t imagine ourselves without it. There are 3 kinds of home: Physical home, inner home, and community home. In order to truly be at home, we need all 3 homes. Many people get confused and think that “home” is simply another word for “house”, just like people get confused and think that love just means two people have a romantic relationship with each other. Home is another word for love. Love is another word for home. So in that case, saying “I feel at home when I’m with you” is very similar to saying “I love you”. Also, saying that you feel at home with someone is probably
“If all people start loving and acting from love instead of from fear, darkness, greed, or anything like that, imagine what that would do for the world!”
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Even though, as Miriam’s fish, I am safe in an indoor aquarium and my water is not polluted. Studies done by water researcher Masaru Emoto show that every body of water is affected by every other water in the world! If a war starts across the world, the negative energy from that war will affect my water and all the other water in the world. If there is polluted water anywhere, although there wouldn’t be enough pollution in my water to make a physical dif-
It’s gonna get Betta
By Miriam John, age, 13
Photo by Dylan McNamara
more appropriate in human culture than saying you love someone, because “I love you” is thought to be a very bold statement, and will intimidate many people. So use “home” instead of “love” at first, and be yourself. Good luck!
Q. Last year I joined the school theatre club and loved it because i made lots of new friends and felt like I fit in. How do you meet your friends and do you do any theater or dance? Jai: Well, Betta fish are supposed to be aggressive and not need or want any “friends” but that is a myth. I love having “play dates” with the other fish in Miriam’s family! Miriam likes to put our tanks next to each other and we have so much fun talking and hanging out, watching each other. Because Miriam won’t let me be in the same tank with my friends, my play dates are a lot like “Skype” conversations that humans have. I can see and talk to and hear my friend, but I can’t touch them physically. “Fitting in” is not an issue for Betta fish like it is with humans and more social animals. We don’t build a social structure like a lot of other species do. We do like to spend time with other fish, but being our own individual self is more important to us than fitting in with a group. And yes, Bettas do dance! We can’t hear music, but we can feel the vibrations of it in our water and we dance to it a lot. I can also understand what words mean because of the energy in them! There was one song that said “sometimes I fly like an eagle” and I would swim up to the top of the tank, and then the song would say “and sometimes I keep in despair” and I would swim down and sit on the bottom. I did this every time the song said those lines, and it amazed Miriam! Bettas understand a lot more than most people think . . . www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 13
Woodstock Flashback to the Summer of ʹ69
A young man stood in the town green with a camera 46 years ago. The pictures he snapped captured a special moment in time.
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here was much confusion among many of the half million hippies who were finding their way to Woodstock the week leading up to August 15th, 1969. Due to the name of the festival and original advertisements many believed that they’d be enjoying some of history’s greatest rock and roll un-
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By Scarlet Disko, age 17 Panorama by Bruce Whistance
der the sun in Woodstock, NY. However, the festival was moved to Bethel, NY, when a law requiring a permit for gatherings of more than 5,000 was formed in early July by the Woodstock town board. Bruce Whistance was 19 and working at Burton Deitv’s Gas Station in the summer of Woodstock 1969. The station was located between
Community
Panor ama: the New York State Thruway and the road to Woodstock, also now known as the Levon Helm Boulevard. Burton owned two gas stations in the area and both were flooded by a variety of VW vans and hippie kids during the days leading up to the festival. “There was a constant stream of cars flowing into the station asking where the festival was,” shared Whistance. “I spent all day the day before the festival giving directions to head south about 45 minutes to the town of Bethel. By the end of the day I’d lost my voice from talking to so many people.” Whistance had been attending the Woodstock Soundouts, which were mini outdoor concerts which Michael Lang held in previous summers leading up to the festival. Whistance understood that
Woodstock was going to be a huge deal and was planning to go to the festival. However, when he saw the chaos and large number of people rolling through Woodstock he decided to go to Canada on vacation with his friends instead. “I love music, but I’m not sure I would have enjoyed the large crowd,” said Whistance. After hearing rumors of how rowdy the crowd was, Whistance decided to photograph the town of Woodstock while it was still peaceful. “I stood in the town green where I rotated 360 degrees taking several pictures,” he said. Later at home, he stitched the pictures together forming a full 360 degree panoramic picture of Woodstock, NY. He was inspired to do this by a panoramic movie (continued on page xx)
(Continued on page Xx)
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 15
Community
Woodstock Panor ama: (Continued) showing scenes of New York at the world’s fair in 1965. Once stitched together, he attached the photo to a cardboard cylinder which he could put on his shoulders for friends to look at. The picture was forgotten about until 25 years later when Whistance and a friend decided to make copies and sell them at the Woodstock 25th anniversary. However, due to chaos at the festival, there was little
Woodstock Guitar Sculptures
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n 1992 I was approached by the town to be the musical director for a big Concert they had planned. A Chamber of Commerce board member named Berry Samuels told me the concert had inspired them to do an artist sculpture competition based on guitars. Twelve Woodstock sculptors would each make a guitar to put around town that they would then auction off to raise money for a
business. Calling the photograph “View from the Green,” Whistance shared it at a town board meeting to see if they had any use for it. The council put it in the courthouse where it hung above the mantle for nearly 30 years. The image remains on display in the town of Woodstock as a donation by Bruce Whistance. It’s an historic snapshot recording a time in history of peace, love, and Rock ‘n Roll.
town project. I asked if I could design a guitar even though I wasn’t an artist. they said I should send in some design plans and they would consider me. I had been inspired by NYC that at the time had artists doing big art sculptures of cows. Seattle was also doing the same things with pigs. That next year my dad died so I decided to use my remaining 11 guitar design plans and make them with my dad’s tools. It sort of helped me cope with the loss of my dad as I made the guitars. I wound up
The Woodstock Guitar Sculpture Exposition was created by local carpenter Rennie Cantine. A fundraising auction will be held at the Landau Grill, 17 Mill Hill Rd., Woodstock, on Sunday, October 11 to benefit Family of Woodstock Crisis Center’s “Doors and Floors” project. An online auction at: www.myminiauction.com/familyofwoodstock will precede the live auction, and guitars not sold will remain online until Nov. 1, 2015.
Shown at right:
Map courtesy of Chip Brill.
9. Nevessa Productions 13. Jarita’s/Fruition Chocolate Artist:Peter Head Artist: Craig Santiago 10. WAAM Artist: Bruce Akerman 14. Woodstock Design Artist: Elizabeth Rosen 11. Changes Artist: Mike Esposito 15. Shindig Artist: Rennie Cantine 12. Oriole 9 24. Woodstock Guitar Artist: Mike Hunt Art: Katie Jellinghouse
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An edition of 200 kits for A View From the Green was produced for the 25th anniversary Woodstock festival in 1994. From the kit, you can construct a cylinder and visually experience the Woodstock village green as it appeared the week of the original 1969 festival. A limited number of these kits survive, and they may be purchased for $25 each including shipping and handling from Bruce Whistance through the eBay store “Art Spectrum”. Call(845)331-5331 with any questions.
Bruce with his photo cylinder today (right) and back in high school in the 60s (left).
giving them away to all the people who were my mentors like Michael Lang...and then I figured the next step was to start putting them up around town. For six years I made sculptures and put them up around town with permission from store owners. Then I got the idea from Saugerties’ horses and Catskill’s cats that it would be cool if I made them all of the same template for artists to use as a blank canvas. The first year went great, we made money and helped local charities and organizations and the artists. When my friend Lu Ann Bielawa asked me to do the guitars again to raise money to put new floors and doors in the Family of Woodstock (which assists all people in need) build-
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Photos by Dylan McNamara
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ing, I could not refuse! So we decided 50% of the profits would buy materials for the new floors and doors. We have five carpenters lined up to donate their labor. The thing that I enjoy the most about doing the exposition is watching kids go crazy with the guitars whenever I’m in town. You see kids going up and playing with them and running from one guitar to the next! Some of the most fun I have had is walking up to those people who are enjoying them and saying I made that one! Then they say, “That’s awesome!” and ask if they can take a picture with me. —Rennie Cantine
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 17
Fiction
By Mimi Ngo, age 17
Autumn Can Be Defined by Scent?
“W
hat is up with people and candle shopping anyway?” he thought, staring at the endless display of autumn hand soaps and shower gels. He always noticed how the instant a season was 2 months away, stores never failed to stock up on the upcoming season’s fragrances and tacky season-themed merchandise. Heck, the craft stores even started to display Christmas ribbons on the shelves in August! Despite that, he couldn’t deny that he liked the seasonal fragrances, specifically the ones for autumn and winter; they were the only scents he could tolerate, anyway. Spring and summer fragrances always ended up smelling like fruity perfumes and overpowering flower petals, which wasn’t that appealing to him, considering he was a guy. The spice of autumn candles and the simple balsam scents for winter, on the other hand, weren’t so bad. They were refreshing and nostalgic. “What do you think about this one?” she asked, interrupting his thoughts. She held out a candle that supposedly smelled of cranberry woods. There were woods made of cranberries? He took a sniff and shrugged, “Smells fine.” “Well…do you like it?” she pressed on. “Sure.” “That’s helpful,” she said, rolling her eyes. She then brought up another candle, “What about Buttercream Pumpkin Swirl?” I wrinkled up my nose. “That is too sugary for a candle. What about something lighter? Like, I don’t know - a candle that smells of just leaves?” She quirked her lips to the side. “That’s part of the old collection. I Page 18 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
want some candles from the new collection for this year.” Really? How many new scents could they possibly come out with for every fall? He was sure half of these candles smelled exactly the same, but with different names. To be exact, he was 100% affirmative that the Pumpkin Spice candle smelled exactly the same as the Kitchen Spice candle. “How about this one?” He pointed to the candles on display that apparently smelled like different types of apples. Now, that posed the question, apples smell different from one another? “Eh, I want more of a baked spice type of scent. Our apartment always smells like laundry and it’s getting boring,” she said, walking off to another display in search of more candles. “What’s wrong with apples? They’re not as strong as those other obnoxious scents. Plus, it’s not fall without apple trees.” He raised an eyebrow and stayed situated by the apple candle display. This time she shrugged, “I like apples, but to have the whole apartment smelling like apples? Meh.” She then proceeded to pick up a Halloween-themed candle and wafted it. He looked at the label on the candle and rolled his eyes, “Candy Corn? And having our apartment smell like candy corn is any better? I refuse to have the apartment smell like sugary
“How come she couldn’t just be normal and choose a regular spiced scent?”
Photos by Dylan McNamara
(Models: Eamon Burdick & Eden O’Clair, Location: Candlestock, Woodstock)
Fiction foods. Seventy percent of these candles are pastry or sweetrelated.” “Hey, sweets are tasty and they smell good, too!” she defended, practically shoving the candy corn candle in his face. “This one isn’t bad!” Scrunching up his nose, he pushed the candle away. “Nope. You know, never mind what I said. I actually really like that cranberry candle from before. Let’s buy it and go home,” he said with faux enthusiasm. All these scents were giving him a headache. “Sorry Hon’, but y’all are staying here until we’ve agreed on something. By the way, I don’t like that cranberry candle anymore,” she playfully poked him in the shoulder and pranced away. He sighed and looked to the side in annoyance. He suddenly felt a bout of lethargy and just wanted to go home… then again, he was always like this during shopping trips. When was he not a killjoy? On another note, he could not let her have her way. No way in heck was he going to bring his friends over only for the apartment to smell like caramel sugar toffee cupcakes or some other weird concoction made into a candle –seriously though, where do they get these names? He had to defend his pride!
Feeling the sudden resolve, he marched up to her and began to assert his unwanted opinion. It wasn’t like he was picky, but how come she couldn’t just be normal and choose a regular spiced scent? It always had to have some kind of sugary essence. So, after another hour and a half of mild bickering, the couple finally left for home with a simple unscented drip candle that had the possible potential of becoming a candle mountain.
The Candle Mountain
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en Schachter, owner of Candlestock since 2012 explains: “It was started in 1969 by my uncle, Dennis Moss, on a friend’s table with one wine bottle and a drip candle. The bottle is still there on the bottom somewhere and the table legs were cut off 40+ years ago and the top is still there somewhere at the bottom, as well. The candle goes by many names, but since everyone has a different memory of it, we don’t like to have any official name for it. It becomes what people want it to be!” Employee Daena Winston lovingly cares for it, saying “People think the Candle burns continuously, but we do have to blow it out at night because an unwatched candle is a fire hazard.” Dana says she works on keeping the structure strong and also keeps it looking beautiful by dripping new wax on parts that over time have lost their color. The Website http://www.candlestock.com states “Like the store itself, the drip candle has grown over time, and is now a towering eight feet high and three feet wide and weighs in at 500lbs!” The shop is one of the oldest businesses in Woodstock and the size and age of Candle Mountain is there to make the point!” Woody and the Candle Mountain is a tale of Woody’s trip through Woodstock, and her adventure on the legendary Candle Mountain. After reading, you can continue sharing Woody’s journey, because each book comes with a set of drip candles and instructions on how to start your own candle mountain, a project you can create and enjoy together for years to come.
Art
The Art of Emily Merritt, age 18
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believe in the beauty of every day. The most beautiful things in life are unexpected. This is why every photo has feeling and meaning to me. Whether it be a perfectly timed shot of one of earth’s natural marvels, or just the capture of afternoon light, I strive to inspire every viewer to awe of the planet we all call home, and to the magic of the ordinary. I hope to share the peace of the Catskills to any who call it home, or who have just appreciated it with their eyes.
Emily’s work (Left-hand page clockwise from top) Flora (detail), Dolomedes Tenebrosus & Queen Anne’s Lace. (Right-hand page clockwise from top) Spidey, Autumn & Age of Fog.
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Music
Why I Love Vinyl Records
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By Kylie Tierney, age 12
inyl records have been around for years. People used them in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and most of the 80s. Once CDs became popular, vinyl records seemed to phase out, although a few people still used them. But within the past few years they’ve made a comeback. Some people use them to seem hipster . . . but yeah, I’m not like “some” people. When you buy a used vinyl record, you become that record’s new home. The record is almost like a pet, but you don’t have to clean up after it and feed it. It comes with an unknown history, a story that comes with your purchase for free. Who knows who played it before you, and what about before them, and before them?
Most important of all, and a lot of people agree with me when I say this: there is nothing like the sound of a vinyl record. I have many more reasons why I love vinyl records, but I should probably stop here. If you’re thinking of buying your first vinyl record or record player, I would totally say you should do it. “Led Zeppelin II” and Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon” are two of my favorites.
Photo By Kaitlana Viglielmo
And maybe, just maybe, someone who’s currently famous owned and played it. That’s just one of the biggest reasons why I love vinyl records. I also love new vinyl records that you can buy at stores like Barnes and Noble, even though they weren’t played before you and don’t come with that awesome story. With a new record, you get to start the story.
Photo By Starla Bolle
“The record is almost like a pet, but you don’t have to clean up after it and feed it.”
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Travel
Travels in India
T
By Jonah Martindale, age 17
his year a group of students, teachers from Woodstock Day School and myself, went on a trip to India with the not-for-profit organization, called Khusi Hona. The trip revolved around working with different groups of kids around the country. My experience in India this summer was a very engaging and very cool experience. I had gone to India on this same trip last summer, so this time around I was much more comfortable and confident in navigating and being in the environment of India. It was really interesting going on the trip with a much larger group of people than the previous year. Although there is The Khusi Hona group soon after arrival in India. a much higher level of mobility with a smaller group, having the bigger group added a level of “pack mentality” which can be a very positive thing to have in several job. The tour through the area was intense, but not dangerous. We were not really in any danger of being robbed or jumped, but the livcircumstances. The first area we actually spent a few nights in was the city of Dehra- ing conditions these people had were hard to look at, and to imagine dun. One of the first mornings we were there, the photographer who that families of 7 actually live in them. The average living space was works with Khusi Hona and was on the trip with us, Geet, took 3 of essentially a small, one-room shack., which included a bathroom, a us students to the local slums where he takes pictures as part of his kitchen, and sleeping quarters, all in one. Many of the people in those
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Photo by Jonah Martindale
Travel living conditions have very bad lung problems because they are cooking on fires right in the middle of the house and they are constantly breathing in large amounts of smoke. While we were there one of the people in that community told Geet that one of the children had been missing for a few days and that everyone was very sad. When we finished our tour of the slums, I saw a very surreal sight: the people who were giving us the tour told one of the little kids to go to school. He could not have been any older than 4. So after he was told that, I saw this small child all by himself navigating through the intense bustling high traffic streets of India to get himself to school. Immediately after arriving in India, we had to quickly adjust to the fact that all of the tap water in India was not safe for us to consume in anyway. That included brushing our teeth, or anything back home we normally could just use tap water for. The way this was dealt with was to buy and stock up on bottles and bottles of water. The funny thing is even some purchased bottles of water are not safe, as people on the street sometimes find empty bottles and then just refill them with tap water and sell them. We made sure to be getting our bottles from reputable sources, which typically was our hotels, and we never dealt with any sketchy water vendors. One of the days we were there, we went to Rishikesh, the city in India where the Beatles went. Before we trekked up to the actual site where the Beatles spent time there meditating, we mosied around the shopping district. There I had one of the most satisfying experiences I have ever had to date. I had my ears cleaned by what is referred to as an Indian street ear cleaner. For years I have been obsessed with the idea of lots of ear wax in my ears and had a great desire for my doctor, every time I went for a check up, to get some wax out of my ears. However, the doctor would never do it if it was only a very small amount. But with the Indian doctor he kept on getting lots of wax out. Of course, after that experience like everything else involving a monetary transaction between a white American and a local, he tried to rip me off. He tried charging me 1000 rupees, which is roughly equal to 20 U.S. dollars. However, luckily my trusty friend, Geet, who was raised in India came over and sorted that out, which ended up in my only paying 200 hundred rupees. After that, we began the march up to the ashram, where the Beatles had attended a spiritual retreat. It had been a long busy day with miles of walking, and it was about a two mile walk uphill to get to the ashram. On top of that there was a chance that we wouldn’t even be let it in to see the site. This is because there are guards at the gate to the entrance and depending on the guard and the mood of the guard, they may or may not accept payment to let people in. Luckily, the hike was worth it. The guard was in a good mood that day and they let everybody in. There was still a little bit
of an uphill journey, but then I knew we had arrived at some place special. There was an Indian man with a turban, who was sitting and meditating on the stonewall. It turned out that he actually had lived there for years and was known to be a holy man. Walking around this area, I felt an indescribable Zen spiritual energy that gave me an extremely calming feeling. There were many little dome like structures made of stone that you could go inside of. They all had stairs that you could walk up and take to the top roof of the structure, and you could walk all around and jump from dome to dome. These little buildings were the meditation chambers that the Beatles had stayed in during their two week retreat. All these structures were overgrown with green everywhere, and on top of that, to the side of the stone building, there was this massive tree that seemed to watch everything. After walking along that area, we walked to where the main big building was that was used during the retreat. Photo by Jonah Martindale Inside, there were many beautiful paintings on the wall, with really cool quotes. Although the group had been very worn out by the sheer energy used that day, once we were in that building and had absorbed the energy of that magical place, mostly everyone was feeling pretty great. Walking back down the path from where we came, I had this really cool thought about how I could be sitting back at home watching a movie or something, but because I put in the effort to go on this trip, I had just been to the spot where the Beatles had their spiritual retreat. I felt very intrigued as to how life can take you from one place to another entirely different place very fast. I would recommend traveling to India to everyone, although it is very intense a lot of the time, but after that trip I found that I gained a new perspective of appreciation for where I live.
“I saw this small person all by himself navigating through the intense bustling high traffic streets of India.”
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 23
Earth
Tonatiuh (left) and his brother Xiuhtezcatl Martinez.
Guardians
Cover Story
The New York chapter of this groundbreaking environmental organization is small, but it is motivated By Aidan Ferris, age 21
A
s many of you may have heard, youth all over the globe tion—of greed—that is tearing apart our planet. We need to change are rising to the challenge of defending and preserving the fundamental beliefs of our entire society. We have to remember our earth. It is no easy task, protecting our earth, our that we are all indigenous to this earth and that we are all connected. air, water and atmosphere. Yet somehow, many young people are rising to this challenge and are bringing much-needed solutionary mindsets to the table. At the forefront of this youth-led movement is a brilliant 15 year old Eco-hip hop artist and agent for change named Xiuhtezcatl(Shoe-tez-cot) Tonatiuh Martinez. This young warrior has been speaking up about the issues facing our generation since age 6 and has only continued to grow and strengthen this movement. Through the organization Earth Guardians, Xiuhtezcatl has empowered youth on 6 different continents to become leaders of change on their own home fronts, instead of waiting for others to lead. Earth Guardians is taking the world by storm. By engaging, acti- Every generation leaves a mark on this planet. We leave something vating, and empowering youth to get involved in bringing solutions behind to be remembered by and we are at a tipping point right now to their community and the entire world. where we will either be remembered as the generation that destroyed Making history as the youngest person this planet, as a generation that put profits before future, or to take on the enormous responsibility as the generation that united to adof representing our Society, Xiuhtezcatl dress the greatest issue of our time was given the opportunity to address the by changing our relationship with United Nations General Assembly durthe earth. ing the UN High-level Event on Climate We are being called upon to use Change this past July. He gave a captivatour courage, our innovation, our creing speech with clarity, passion and skill ativity and our passion, to bring forth that is seldom present at UN events. He a new world. did not simply read a speech in front of So in the light of this collapsing a room of people, but spoke from the world that we see, what better time to heart directly to those present and to be born than now? What better time to the entire world. When asked how he be alive than now? Because this genprepared for such an influential speech eration, the people in this room right Martinez replied, “I wrote a speech here… we get to change the course of and then trashed the speech and then history. Humans have created the greatwrote another speech which was 5 est crisis that we see on the planet, and minutes, but it took me 9 minutes the greater this challenge, the higher we to deliver the whole thing. I kind of will rise to overcome it. We need you to went off script a lot and spoke about stand with us. how I felt.” He also stated that his Never before has there been such a “message was really direct and pretunifying issue as climate change and it ty driven from the perspective of the younger is time now, to set aside everything that The author, RYSE Youth Council generation about what is happening in the world around us. divides us, everything that separates us, and Director of the New York A young perspective on climate change that has not been pre- member everything that makes us want to point the chapter of Earth Guardians. sented to the UN before, and it was pretty crucial to have there finger at someone else and throw the probsince we will be the generation most affected.” lem to them. Who will stand with me now? For mine and all future generations to inWith little preparation and a lot of free style, I think it’s fair to say that Xiuhtezcatl blew it out of the water: “It’s this mindset of destruc- herit a healthy, just and sustainable planet? Who will stand with me now?
“What better time to be alive than now, because our generation gets to change the course of history.”
Photo by Christian O’Rourke
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 25
The hope of this planet, of this generation, is in our hands. I don’t want you to stand for us, I want you to stand with us. Because together we can change the world. And its not going to be easy, but it is our responsibility, we owe it to future generations, to be the leaders of today so that they can have a tomorrow.” For obvious reasons, this speech has gotten global recognition and since July, around 50 new Earth Guardians Crews have started, bringing the total number of crews to over 200 world wide. Since presenting at the UN, Xiuhtezcatl has been featured in Rolling Stone twice as well as many other magazines and online web articles, which has helped to further his message and cause. There is no doubt that the fire the Earth Guardians started is blazing, and when asked about the future of Earth Guardians, Xiuhtezcatl replied, “I think Earth Guardians has the potential to be the model the world will use as a tool and platform to get young people engaged in connecting to their passions, and fighting some of the greatest issues of our time. Earth Guardians could be a tool for youth empowerment, youth leadership, youth action and being successful in our communities and changing the way that our world works, so that we may build a better planet.” With millions of people around the world learning about their mission and getting excited about having an accessible way for the youth to positively engage, Martinez believes EG will be around for a long time. Within the next 10 years, however, he hopes to pass the torch over to another dedicated soul ready to be on the frontlines, as part of the Earth Guardians mission, to encourage youth leadership. Indeed, Earth Guardians is already succeed- Aidan Ferris and Xiuhtezcatl Martinez.
“I want you to stand with us. Because together we can change the world.”
ing in fostering leadership by inspiring and empowering youth here in New York. I was motivated to start Earth Guardians New York after learning about their work and meeting Xiuhtezcatl at a rally. EGNY is working on several projects including fundraising for a center in Woodstock, NY and a trip to Bioneers in CA this October. Soon we will begin hosting nights of music, educational talks and more throughout our community. So stay tuned! EGNY and I have been working closely with Xiuhtezcatl and those at Earth Guardians Headquarters to expand the reach of this work locally in Woodstock and globally. I was even fortunate enough to be able to congratulate Xiuhtezcatl on his impact the day following his speech on a visit to the city. He believes EGNY will be able to accomplish a great deal and recently said, “The passion of the individuals that founded this group has allowed them to be very successful in tackling a lot of big problems in New York. There’s a lot of potential in a strong group of leaders who are committed, doing good work and are cool people too.” Earth Guardians is demonstrating that young people can make positive changes by being who they are and doing what they love, whether it be art, music, poetry, business, dance, writing, or any other form of expression. As Gandhi once said, ‘Be the change you want to see.’ Martinez has done just that by showing the world that no matter how young you are, we all have the power to make a difference. If you want to be a part of the change and join the Earth Guardians movement, we meet on Wednesdays at 5:00 pm upstairs in the Golden Notebook in Woodstock. Check out our Facebook page and website for more information: www.facebook.com/earthguardiansny,
Guardians in the News The New York chapter of Earth Guardians (left): Eli Luborsky, Rachel Marco-Havens, Aidan Ferris, Jennifer Zackin, Aaron Luborsky and Lisa Luborsky. Xiuhtezcatl Martinez (right) addressed the United Nations. Xiuhtezcatl is the youth director of Earth Guardians. He was raised in the Aztec tradition and has been an active campaigner since the age of six. Now 15, he was selected to speak at the Opening Ceremony from among 200 applicants through a process facilitated by the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service.
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Martinez turned heads at the UN meeting calling on delegates to “dream big.” Saying, “It’s time to look to the skies for the solutions we need, because the future of energy is not down a hole.” Despite the challenging circumstances Xiuhtezcatl urged optimism, calling on delegates to stand with youth leaders. “In the light of a collapsing world, what better time to be alive than now, because our generation gets to change the course of history,” he said. “Humans have created the greatest problem we face today, but the greater the challenge the higher we will rise to meet it. We need you to be a climate leader—not to stand up for us, but to stand with us.”
Animals
At the Sanctuary
W
By Solana Cantu, age 10
e all know where meat comes from. Slaughterhouses make lots of money off of killing animals to produce meat. But what happens when an animal escapes from the slaughterhouse? When a panicked animal escapes from the slaughterhouse, whether it’s because it’s scared or because people snuck it out, it often ends up at an animal sanctuary like Woodstock Farm Sanctuary. Sanctuaries can provide a home for the animal so they don’t have to live in fear. They can have a life, a family. For example, Miss Piggy, a pig at the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary, was found in North Carolina by a road, with a red stripe down her back (which probably meant she was going to slaughter). A woman found her, and by a stroke of luck, she just happened to be a wildlife
“WFS is moving to High Falls so they can have more room for the animals.” rehabilitator, so she had experience with animals. Miss Piggy was kept for a while in Long Island and she was happy there. But when she started to become fully grown, she needed a bit more room. In March 2010, she arrived at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary. She is now a full grown, happy piggy. (I should know - I’ve seen her myself!) You can read more about Miss Piggy and other animals’ stories at the WFS website. If you visit WFS, you can get a tour. You can meet and interact with the many animals they have there, such as sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, ducks, cows, rabbits, turkeys, and even a cat! WFS is moving to High
The author with a rescue animal. Inset: Director Jenny Brown snuggles the baby goat, Clover.
Falls so they can have more room for the animals, so they are closed right now, but after they move, they’ll be open to visitors. If you want to go a step further to help WFAS, you can donate money. Woodstock Animal Sanctuary is raising money for the building they have to do, so you can donate to help the animals move to their new home. You can also volunteer like I do! Volunteers help with activities such as changing the chickens’ bedding, cleaning barns, or brushing goats (which they love). In the wintertime, the chickens will cluster under the heat lamp, watching you as you put down new bedding. It is a bit of work, but it’s worth it when you see them clucking happily, settling down on the fresh bedding. Come visit. I’m sure the animals would love to see you!
New Home In High Falls, NY! A monumental undertaking… and the opportunity of a lifetime.
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 27
Photo by Dylan McNamara
This October will mark the start of ouWFS regular visiting hours on Saturdays and Sundays from 11-4 through the end of October – only 9 weeks to visit this year, but we’ll be opening next year in April and volunteers are welcome year round! After ten years in Woodstock, we are so excited to announce that we are moving from our current location to a FABULOUS new 150-acre property in High Falls, NY. From 23 acres to 150, this move will dramatically increase our ability to help more animals in need. We will be able to give the ducks and geese a huge new pond to swim in, more pasture space for everyone, and access
to acres of forest for shade in the summer. A summer camp since the 1960s, our new property will allow us to have a much bigger impact by reaching many more people and provide opportunities for greater immersion into our mission. We will, of course, continue our educational tours on the weekends, but we’ll also have a new Education Center, showcasing informational displays on the hidden world of animal agriculture—and how it impacts the animals, environment, and human health. Visitors will also enjoy a delicious vegan meal in the Dining Hall and even stay in one of five lodges overnight. In the near future we’ll be hosting summer camps, retreats, veg-fests and conferences. 2 Rescue Road, High Falls NY 845-247-5700
Interview
WFF Sweet Sixteen 16 Rapid Fire Questions by Angela Imperati for Meira Blaustein Hi Angela, how are you? Good to hear from you. 16 questions! That’s a lot. Let me see if I can do this. 1. What were you like when you were 16? A: Wild.
2. Favorite movie at 16? A: Providence.
3. Favorite actor at 16? A: John Gielgud.
4. Best memory at 16?
A: Staying out all night on the beach with my boyfriend.
5. When you were sixteen, did you ever imagine traveling to Bhutan? A: Never even heard of it then, but I did dream of going to Africa then (different continent, somewhat similar potential for adventure)
6. How can you compare Bhutan Film Fest and WFF? A: The only thing they have in common are their authentic and immense love for the arts and the warmth and friendliness of those involved with it. Other than that, worlds apart. 7. When you were 16 were you making films? Did that interest you? A: I was writing a lot and dreaming of travel all over the world. I also watched a ton of European movies at my local Cinematheque and that completely changed me. 8. Why did you decide to make the inclusion of youth film entries to WFF? A: Education, mentorship, empowerment Meira answeres the 16 questions (above) and with Kate Pierson and Michael Lang at a past festival (below).
of emerging talents is at the heart of our mission and one of the more important and meaningful things that we can do.
9. Favorite music genre at 16? A: Progressive Rock.
10. Last year WFF kicked off with David
Broza and East Jerusalem/West Jerusalem. This year is The Poet in Havana with music by legendary Cuban songster, Carlos Varela and Jackson Browne. What are the benefits to kicking off the festival with music? A: Music is in the heart of what we do here at the film festival and in the heart of Woodstock as a whole, so marrying music and socially relevant issues here at the film festival is something that we always strive to do, it means a great deal to us.
11. When you were 16, did film/music/art Page 28 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
Interview 14. How did you cultivate the theme of the 16th annual WFF? A: Well, like many, I never had a “sweet 16” but have been exposed to be via films and literature (and some of my kids female friends…) so its just seemed like a natural to go in that direction with the film festival this year. It is after all, our 16th.
15. If you could give any advice to your 16
year old self, what would it be? A: Oh my goodness. I was so wild then, and honestly, that was really okay at the time, quite necessary actually. I guess I could advise my 16-year old self now to be a bit more responsible, but doubt that would have worked…
16. If you could give any advice to 16 year Meira at one of the first Woodstock Film Festivals.
help you understand or express issues you faced or society was facing? A: When I was 16 I was reading classic literature endlessly and going to see mostly European cinema. It was a huge part of my life and opened my mind up to the world around me.
12. When you were 16 what did you dream you’d be doing in 2015? A: Seriously doubt I thought or dreamt that far...
13. Why do you think the arts are an important and impactful experience for young people? A: The arts are that open ended, expandable, dreamable arena where anything is possible and were the minds and souls can experiment in, play in, stretch in, so they are enormously important.
olds around the world who want to go into the arts, what would it be? A: Allow yourself to discover and experience the different, expose yourself to all sorts of art forms and genres, and create what comes natural to you without holding back.
“The arts are that open ended, expandable, dreamable arena where anything is possible”
Woodstock Film Festival Highlights SHORTS: Teen Films
Bearsville Theater Friday, October 2 • 5:00 PM Below the Surface Everyday Evidence Falling The Girl Whose Shadow Reflects the Moon The Hunt For Sasquatch Leftovers
Lifeline Old Tricks Pranks Salad The Silence of Nature This is New York: Gary We All Go the Same
KEYNOTE SPEECH Josh Fox
Filmmaking, Human Rights and the Climate Kleinert/James Center, Woodstock • Wednesday, September 30 4:00 PM Activist writer/director Josh Fox opens the 2015 Woodstock Film Festival. His two Gasland films had a symbiotic relationship to the worldwide anti-fracking movement. A dialogue: Intersection between human rights and climate change, and how film can transform our approach to this complex political problem.
THE POET OF HAVANA: CARLOS VARELA
UPAC Kingston Wednesday, September 30 7:30 PM
Wednesday’s Screening will be followed by a performance featuring Cuba’s Carlos Varela And Band with Special Guest Jackson Browne
16TH ANNUAL MAVERICK AWARDS CEREMONY
Saturday, October 3 at Backstage Studio Productions in Kingston 7:00PM: Cocktail party in Gallery 8:15PM: Seating for awards begins 9:00PM: Award Ceremony
ACTOR-DIRECTORS TALK: Moderator: Martha Frankel KLEINERT/JAMES CENTER Sunday, October 4 • 10:00 AM
ANIMATION: WHAT MAKES ANIMATION SO ... ANIMATED? Kleinert/James Center, Woodstock
Sunday, October 4 • 2:00 PM
All events are subject to change. For latest updates, visit www.WoodstockFilmFestival.com www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 29
Art
The Art Animation of by Caleb McNamara, age 23
Photo by Dylan McNamara
cool that would inspire me. It wasn’t competitive. It was more like pushing each other. So it was very positive. There would be contests at school and she would win and I would be like oh, maybe I will try out for the next one. It was good. I wouldn’t be jealous of her - it was more of a motivation for me. Caleb: From what I understand, your first collaboration was your thesis film at Pratt. I know you guys always worked together, but it was the first time you had to mesh your styles together. Noelle: Yeah, that was tough because we were in school so it wasn’t like we could just take our time and work through problems. We’d have to show work each week so we butted The Woodstock Film Festival 2015 poster is the work of twin sister artists Joy Buran and Noelle Melody. heads a lot. It was our first stuThey work under the name Joy + Noelle. dent film so there was a lot of stuff that didn’t make any sense. Caleb McNamara: So, have you and your sister always been attracted I would love to redo it if I could but you just have to let it go and to visual art? let it live in the past. We were really lucky that our professor let us Noelle: Yeah, pretty much. Our grandfather taught us to draw and collaborate. We were both trying to figure out what we should do we have been doing it ever since we were kids. We used to make for our thesis films and we both got the idea to do something about comics of our friends and people who weren’t our friends (laughs). when we went to Catholic school. So Joy asked the professor if we Art was always my favorite class. I always knew I was going to go to could work together and he said, “I think more students should school for art. I thought it was going to be for illustration. We both do this because that’s what it’s like in the real world. Rarely do you decided to become animators in college. Caleb:What really led you to that decision? Noelle: A few of our friends were animators and the work they were doing just really impressed me! It was like magic - I couldn’t believe some of it. They were doing stuff like stop-motion and some of the others were 2D-animators, like old-fashioned traditional paper and pencil animators. You know, like flip book kind of stuff. It was just really cool to see that. I couldn’t believe you could get paid to do that...it was just like me working for Disney. So it was just like a whole new world opened up. It was just a fun thing to do together. We always knew we wanted to work together and be collaborative. We just had a lot of fun doing it! Caleb: When I went to School of Visual Arts, I went for illustration. But then I thought about switching to animation. Noelle: Oh cool! SVA has a really great animation program - we almost went there, too. Yeah, it’s a really good school. It was a hard choice. We chose Pratt because of the great campus and that was the big difference. Caleb: I hear it’s really beautiful campus. So you said you guys always sort of worked together growing up Did you experiment and feed off of each other’s creativity a bit? Noelle: I think so, because there always somebody to kind of bounce off our ideas of and she (Joy) would do something really Page 30 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
The words “dark, cute, morbid, charming, wicked and funny” have been used to describe their style.
Art
work on something completely alone. It was a great learning experience for us. I’m glad that we did it. If we didn’t get to try that in school maybe it’s something we wouldn’t have gotten a chance to do because you get a real job after college. So I’m glad we started off collaborating Caleb: So you guys operate out of New York City. What made you decide to come up state in addition to that? Noelle: Well, my husband and I wanted to buy a home and you know we are both originally from Long Island, but it’s too expensive to live there. I think I wanted to move from there anyway. I grew up there and wanted to try something different and a lot of my friends who were buying homes were moving up here. I actually thought Kingston was kind of far and was thinking more towards Orange County or Rockland County, but we just fell in love with our house when we saw it. The house was out of our price range when we looked at it, but then one day it dropped into our price range. So it was just a really beautiful old home that I wasn’t finding closer to the city. I really like Kingston - there are so many artists and creative people here. Caleb: Yeah, it is definitely becoming more of an artistic community around here. And all the surrounding areas, like Hudson, are really cool. I love Woodstock - I go to the Woodstock Film Festival every year. I noticed a lot of your animation varies - like there are similar styles that run throughout, but then once in a while there is some thing completely different. What into how you conceptualize each sort of style for each piece? Noelle: Do you mean my independent film or my commercial? Caleb: I mean, that’s another thing - the commercial work demands a certain style. Noelle: Yeah, but sometimes, though, they will see a video that they like and they will think, “Can we make something like that?” So we will try to make it in our style - our own version of what ever they like. But with the independent film it’s kind of just like trying new things and having fun with it...you know, experimenting with different software. Something we animate in photo shop looks different than Flash. Just try new things. It helps us get better at something that we weren’t good at before -you know, it’s good to challenge yourself to try a new style. It also depends on which one of us is kind of taking the lead. We do draw differently, if you look at our sketch pads. Caleb: Yeah, that’s what I was wondering - I didn’t know if one of you wanted to do this or that style. Noelle: That happens because we have a little side thing: we put
our illustrations on homewares - we make plates! It’s totally random. My sister did it for her mother-in-law who liked a set of illustrations we did for the Twelve Days of Christmas. Her mother-in-law said “if you put those on plates I would totally buy them.” So we did and are working on the next Homewares plate collection. Caleb: You both do such versatile work: you’ve done short films, you’ve done commercial animation, illustrated children’s books...and even done plates! But out of all of it, do each of you have a favorite type of job to work on? Noelle: It’s so funny; whenever I’m working on a project I say I should just do this and I get into it, but when I do it too long I’ll say, “I want to go make a film now. I have to move onto something else.” Other times when everything is happening at once it kind of feels very natural to be doing all these things. I guess the favorite, favorite is animation! I think that will always be my true love. And Joy, probably the same. Animation is the big one. It’s really fun to bring something to life and it’s kind of like the best of all the world because they all start as illustration and children’s books kind of have that storybook aspect to them that like with a film or any other animation they come to life. Caleb: Yeah, it is the ultimate mix. Growing up did you guys each have favorite artist who really impacted your style? Noelle: Yeah, we both are really big fans of Tim Burton and I loved Salvador Dali in high school. Also, we are big fans of Gerald Scarfe, who did the animation for Pink Floyd’s “The Wall.” Also, Terry Gilliam and of course, a master of animation, Bill Plimpton. I got to meet Bill! Caleb: Yes, I actually got to interview him for this magazine. He’s just the nicest guy. He has such creative freedom. You and Joy did the poster for the Woodstock Film Festival. And your doing the introduction, too. Has it been fun so far? Noelle: Oh, it’s just great! Working on the poster was a huge honor. It was great working with them. I’m coming up with an idea for the Sweet 16 and I love, love working on the trailers because everyone gets to see them. Caleb: Do you guys have anything coming up that you want to get out there? Noelle: Oh, yes! We are working on illustrating a children’s book, called the ABCs of Austin, Texas and every other state in the future. Also, we have a launched a school share class on making animation: animated self-portraits! We have a free link where the first 50 people can enroll for free on Instagram and our website. Caleb: Well, that’s it for me thank you it was fun talking to you. Noelle: Thank you! Joy+Noelle http://www.joyandnoelle.com www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 31
Fashion
City Fashion Through the
O
by Starla Bolle, age 10 ½
kay, so I live in the country (Saugerties), but recently I went to the city (New York City). In the country there are lots of bright colors and graphic tees. In NYC, solid black is more in fashion. I personally like to mix and match. Maybe different color solids or black and white prints. It’s a fun way to be a little bit of both city and country. Shoes, Shoes, Shoes! It’s weird how many people wear heels in the city considering how people walk so much! Where I live, we don’t usually wear heels. I think boots are a good solution to be both stylish and comfortable. And they look good with pretty much everything – jeans, skirts, dresses, leggings, and even sweatpants! Lots of people wear headphones in the city as they’re walking around. But I think it’s really fun to listen to the sounds of the city considering how many there are. There are sounds of street vendors selling stuff on the corners, murmurs of people’s conversations, and sounds of trucks, taxis and cars. There are also many other sounds, like police cars and ambulances. There are a lot of different languages, and that kind of all influences the style. In the country we have mostly sounds of birds, crickets, the wind, and maybe some dogs barking. Also, here I mostly hear English being spoken, so in the city, hearing lots of different languages is exciting and feels very international. It’s interesting to see how everyone puts their own little twist on city fashion. One woman I saw was wearing a ripped t-shirt with French seams and lots of people were pegging their jeans. This means rolling them into a tight cuff. There were a lot of jogger pants, too. They’re like a fancy version of sweat pants, usually made out of nicer fabrics, and tapered at the bottom with elastic. These are great for showing off cool shoes like high tops, or maybe your new pair of boots! Some jog-
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Eyes of a Country Girl
Fashion
Photo by Star Nigro
gers were more baggy, and some were more like dropwaist leggings. I saw a lot of different accessories. There were some really cool scarves – things like ombre, some had little rips in them, and others had fringes. There were also a bunch of cool hats. I noticed a lot of different beanies worn in different ways to create unique styles. Some with prints on them were worn pulled down near people’s eyebrows, and others wore them so far back, that they almost fell off their heads! When I went to the city, there were so many cool, different styles of sunglasses and hats. There were some really neat styles in one store. I tried on a pair that were cat eye-style with gold plastic; another pair were clear plastic with color plastic on the inside to make really cool shapes. There were a lot of make-up stores in the city, and so many different colored lipsticks on everyone – it looked so cool! I got an amazing new color there – it’s a really bright pink from Mac called “Candy Yum Yum”! There were a lot of different styles and colors of make-up on different people, and they just made it work! In the country, it’s more of a natural look, but in the city there are a lot of bright colors, even worn by people dressed in mostly black! Maybe it makes people feel like it’s a little easier to stand out in a city where there are so many people and so much is going on. I guess that’s especially true with a lady I saw wearing ALL GREEN! Her shoes, her pants, her top, her sunglasses - even her hair was neon green! Now that’s a twist on city style!
Boots shown are from Pegasus, hat from Woodstock Design and scarf from Lily’s.
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 33
Poetry
The Sting of Sadness By Jacob Intercola, age 12
Thick still air
By Kaitlana Viglielmo, age 17
There comes a time for many,
Thick still air.
When you lose all your hope,
Lowered voices,
I’ve reached this time, the time to cry,
Lowered lights.
There is no hope for ‘no’ one.
Voices fall to murmured whispers In the hot red air,
All these bridges I try to cross,
As silence falls. Music swells,
They burn, they burn, So quickly.
Hearts grow bigger. Hugs are past As the Curtains open,
I try for light, but I bring fire,
The lights come up
According to my so called “friends”
The shows go on. Ten years up to this day.
My life this endless pathway,
A numb feeling takes over,
A dead ends coming soon,
You go into autopilot.
My tears are like a river,
It all falls into place.
And soon I’m drowning too.
We take our place. As so many times before
What happens when you leave me,
All the years, all the shows
And the shadows kill the light?
now the last,
My nightmares then consume me,
The last show
Photo by Anna Compton
And I’ll fear saying “Night Night” So you should do what the rest do, What I mean is to turn your back on me, Better not catch my sadness, ‘Cause’ it stings ya’ like a bee.*
By Zoë Frances Harvey, age 12
Saying goodbye to the echoing rooms
They wonder
Beauty all put away and stored in cardboard
Will they ever see “home”?
They reflect Packing boxes filled with memories Moving away from home to other estates
The curtain closes. We take hands The curtain opens. We step out Hand in hand To take our last bow together.
Packing Memories
To leave behind an empty space
For now.
Will they ever see this place again? Their minds push away changes Old memories are hard to unpack, so Sitting by the window Sadness floods in
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Salty waters like tears no one can cry Goodbye home
together as a family. We step forward And take it. The audience roars,
Making room for the changes
We wave to a full house
Regretting but welcoming
Holding hands As the curtain closes One last time
Poetry
“Buffalo”
Photo by Sophie Corwin
by Sophie Corwin sound
whispers in hallways
talk, eat, walk, cry,
loud
knocks on doors
scream, whisper, wind, scream,
loud
complaints
laugh, make eyes,
boom
joys, fear(s)
text, listen
vocals
music so loud that beats
wish
audio thunder
become assaults
for less
echoing whispers of screams
the sun rises
sound
bricks carry chatter
the music dies
everywhere
screaming
for a time
Getting Ready For Halloween
By: Bella Mordus, age 8
Put on a little, NO!
Looking for treats!
And then go to bed.
Put on a lot!
Give it all you got!
Rest your head.
Get your costume on and walk into your parking lot!
Then come back!
And think about what you’ll be...
Look through all your snacks!
For next HALLOWEEN!
Roam the streets!
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 35
School
Performance
of
Ballet
by Abigail Tuttle, age 10
Additional Information: New Paltz Ballet Theatre
“The Nutcracker” at the Bardaon Opera House in Poughkeepsie, NY. New Paltz Ballet Theatre brings a variety of performances to the community each year including our annual performances of “The Nutcracker” in December at the Bardavon Opera House in Poughkeepsie, NY. INFO: https://www.bardavon.org/
Saugerties Ballet Center
10 First street Saugerties, NY Ballet, Pointe, Tap/Jaz, Modern Dance, home of the Ulster Ballet Company Performing: A Christmas Carol Dec 4-7 at (UPAC) Ulster Performing Arts Center, Kingston NY Call 845-246-4316. Choreo Dance Studio Crown St Kingston NY 845-943-0340 Ballet, Baton, Tap, Hip-Hop, Irish Step, Jazz, Trial Classes.
Abigail is the third angel from the left, holding a candle (top). Middle and high school aged dancers from Miss Lisa’s NPSB pointe class performing in “The Nutcracker.” (left) Photos by Jacques Luiggi
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Animals
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 37
Reviews
Book & Movie Reviews
I
By Stella Prince, age 11
am reviewing the first book of the Little House series, called Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. In this book, Laura Ingalls Wilder writes about her fascinating childhood traveling in a covered wagon with her sisters Mary and Carrie and her parents Ma and Pa. It’s set in the 1800s. I personally think that book is the best out of any children’s book I have ever read. It has character, excitement, personality, and a touch of learning. It is so brilliantly detailed that anyone who has ever read it longs for more. If you haven’t read it, I would immediately run to your local library or bookstore and check out the Little House series today. Millions of people have fallen in love with Laura and her family, and you will too! (out of 5)
Movie Review “Inside Out,” Starring Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, and Phyllis Smith.
This is a total must-see!!!!!!! I personally thought it was brilliant, and every age will enjoy it. The reason you should see it is because it has an incredible storyline and the characters are fabulous. It’s based on the five emotions inside this girl’s head that control her feelings. It’s a wonderful idea for a movie, and I am such a big fan of this. However, if you do not like sad movies, you should know that this one gets you crying at the end. The director, Pete Docter, did an amazing job directing, the animation was very good, and the story, characters, and actors were astounding. REMINDER: This is a total must-see! If you haven’t seen this movie yet, grab your money and go to the theater. I think you will be disappointed if you don’t see it. (out of 5)
“MINIONS” stars Pierre Coffin, Sandra Bullock, Steve Coogan, Michael Keaton, and Jon Hamm.
This is not a must-see. I personally thought it wasn’t incredible, but I think “Despicable Me” lovers will enjoy it. The characters are limited, and there is too much action. I did in fact think it was a clever idea for a movie, but the minions are too violent and war-like. One of the minions shoots up to a giant size in the end, which I thought was a little creepy. However, the actors did a great job, and the director, Kyle Balda, did a good job directing. The animation was wonderful and brilliant, and it looks better in 3D than normal. REMINDER: This is NOT a must-see film. It was not #1 incredible and brilliant. But, if you like animated movies, I would recommend it. ½ (out of 5)
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Adventure
Adventure, Imagination, and My Backyard
T
Story and photo by Jacob Internicola, 12
he night was pitch black, and the clouds tip-toed across the sky. My companion Janna and I slipped out of the door with a slight CREEK. With masks of new characters, the wind bit at our clothes and we shuttered on sight. This adventure was bound to begin. As we traveled around the pine trees, the rocks raced to the bottom of the hill. Suddenly, the grass became fields, the plants became forests, and the pebbles became boulders. My mind was getting defrosted from reality and the gears of imagination twirled in my head. We traveled for hours and finally got to the Mystic Gardens. Gazing in awe we crept forward, then raced away from a cottage flashing hundreds of colored pigments. “We must go!” Janna cried. We exchanged glances, slowly finding the right path to the same page. We knew what it meant. The Goblins of Asgard had been reborn. We both knew dusk was the time when their thirst of blood was at most. Harm was near. As we ducked into the bare bushes, time had seemed shattered. Laughter consumed the air. Janna and I went back to back, but then
she froze. “I have been possessed by the Goblins of Asgard. “ She snapped. I ran, trembling with fear. A bronze sword introduced itself to my throat. I ducked, then headed for the woods. “Kill...Kill...Kill...” ‘Tis but a whisper. I placed my foot on a tree but couldn’t get hold. It was no use.The Goblin - no Janna! - was approaching. Suddenly, the “Ghost of Galien” (Janna’s mother) declared it was time to come inside. We ventured to our cottages with smirks smeared on our faces. “That was the most fun I’ve had in ages!” Janna whispered. I stared. Fun? I almost turned into a Goblin’s dinner! We cracked up for a while and kicked off our shoes. We drank hot apple cider and looked out the fogged window to a “blood red moon.” “Ready?” Janna asked. Then we snuck out the door for just one more adventure. And never came back. *I realize now that being a kid, you’re one of the most imaginative people in the world. Never forget that.* www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 39
History
Local Witches and Folklore: A Blast to the Past
Story and Photo By Sophie Corwin , age 19
M
mm. Smell that? The smell of cheap latex masks combined with the pungent aroma of true childhood fear. This is the time of year when the boundaries between mystery and warmth are stirred, and fear is combined with novelty… Halloween! I remember just 13 years back how I gaped at horrific gore and monster masks and wondered how someone had greenlit those displays in the family section of our local costume shop. But let’s go back a bit further, shall we? Back in time at least a couple lifetimes, before The Historical Society of Woodstock published Neva Shultis’s From Sunset to Cock’s Crow: Woodstock Folklore, in 1957. The book’s chilling look back into 19th and early 20th century Woodstock holds a special place in my heart… and in the local history section of Olive Library, between hardcover ecology journals and a 1970s pumpkin recipe book. Sadly, “witches” were often a scapegoat for troubled farmers. Curses were a legitimate excuse for when something went wrong. It is said that all old houses built over 160 years ago in the town of Hurley had (or still have) witch-catchers built into their chimneys. A witchcatcher was an iron gate with several very sharp prongs pointed upward. Superstition ran wild among local families, and farmers feared that witches would cast spells on their cream to prevent it from turning into butter. So, when they used their butter churns, they would plunge sharp metal objects like hot pokers, knives, and horseshoes into the cream to counteract witchcraft. Despite these efforts, local “witches” such as Becky deMilt and Aunt Abby remained active. Becky deMilt lived in Mink Hollow. She was tall and pale, with eerie black eyes and hair. Becky had a club foot upon which she wore three stockings. She apparently asked for too many favors, scared horses and livestock, and cursed a family’s little girl. Several people used to recall seeing her in the dead of night, when the moon was full. She would ride wildly over the mountains on her large black stallion. Witches like Aunt Abby were perhaps less of a threat. Over 160 years ago, an old woman terrified and fascinated youngsters. School children sang “Go tell Aunt Abby her old gray goose is dead” when they were feeling bold, or in hushed tones when they passed her
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house. Curiously, this particular witch had a penchant for baby pigs. Legend says that on several occasions, she made children think that piglets were chasing after them. One time, she sent a piglet to endlessly pester a baby. It’s not clear why. Whether or not these witches were really witches, this is still the perfect time of year for spooky stories – with only one early 1900’s catch: if you wish to discuss witches, you must wait until Sunday when they can’t hear you, or say “Blue Monday/ Tuesday/ etc.” before speaking. Am I one to encourage superstitions? Perhaps… only before Halloween.
Employment
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 41
Woodstock Luthiers’ Showcase
by Scarlet Disko age 17
Guitar makers from all over the world assemble for the showcase (above). Luthier Conor Wenk works out a detail on an instrument (right). Designer Joe Veillette shows off a custom bass (below right). John Sebastian samples a double-neck in Veillette’s workshop while worker Ed Wolf looks on (below left).
Photo by Joe Veillette
B
eginning as a simple, private event, the annual Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase quickly became something more in less than seven years. Life-long guitar fan Baker Rorick has been in the business of music (through sales and marketing, performing, or journaling) since his early teen years. In 2008, Rorick was writing an article about a luthier—someone who handcrafts and specially designs intricate stringed instruments—who asked if it was possible to form some type of showcase to share his brilliant new creation with others. Rorick had many connections from being in the music business, and was able to quickly form the first Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase. Since the initial test-run of the festival, the gathering has grown to a three-day event with luthiers coming from Japan, Sweden, Turkey, and more. At the gathering there is continuous live acoustic music (Luthiermini concerts) performed by a combination of luthiers and wellknown guitarists on the instruments made by the craftsmen of the showcase. Along with music, there will be various workshops focusing on songwriting, guitar playing, picking, and more. This year, several free events will be happening around town that are highly recommended to attend. One of these free events will be a demonstration and performance by the Sones de Mexico Ensemble who will be showcasing a collection of over 80 traditional Mexican instruments. The Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase is a chance for Page 42 • www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com
Photo by Edward Hutchinson
Photo by Mark Heller
Music
builders of unique instruments to share their yearly creations with each other and the public. Most luthiers work in solitude building about 10-12 guitars a year. The instruments they make can’t be found in stores and each is completely individual and unique. Costing around $20,000 and with a 5-year waiting list, these instruments are crafted specifically for the buyer in terms of how they play, the sound they give, and the beauty they show. The work of a luthier is a genuine display of art. The gift of this annual festival gives people a chance to connect oneon-one with legendary builders and experience the overall generosity of the luthier community. Rorick picked the perfect town to host the annual event given the small size, folky flavor, and history of Woodstock mixed with the fall colors of upstate New York. “I have always been first and foremost a fan of guitar music,” shared Rorick. “And this show is simply about the artists and their craft.” Website: woodstockinvitational.com
www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 43
Memories
In Memory: Jason Spiotta 30 October 1969 — 20 August 2015
O
ur community lost a son, a father, an agent of change and a supporter of this publication from the very beginning. It is hard to deal with such a loss. Jason Spiotta, who along with Solar Generation partner Todd Koelmel, installed arrays at the Woodstock Day School, the Zen Mountain Monastery, Sunflower Natural Foods Market and Bradley Meadows, the Jewish Community Center, Woodstock Farm Sanctuary and MountainView Studio, to name a few. He also travelled as far away as Tibet to install solar panels there. Along the way, he
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touched many hearts and minds. Jason, you were in the middle of making Woodstock and other towns become more energy efficient and sustainable. We salute you and love you and will continue your mission and legacy of solarizing the Hudson Valley. We will embrace your wife Elizabethanne and kids Jackson, Che and Cosimo with the same love we had for you. Whenever we feel the energy of the sun on our shoulders, we will feel your presence. Thank you, Jason. You made our lives better.
This journal is dedicated to the memory of Tom Alba and friends
Awareness
Helping or Enabling?
I
By Mikey Shultis, age 19
n today’s society youth strive to fit in. For adolescents the easiest way for that to happen is to go to parties. Along the way a youth may receive an alcohol or marijuana ticket. If it’s thought to be their first offense, they are usually given an ACD (Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal). This means if they don’t get another ticket within six months to a year, their ticket will be dismissed. Too often this doesn’t affect them and they continue on. One offense leads to another and next they are stopped in a car driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Now they are looking at a record that could impact the rest of their life. Aside from raised insurance rates this could lead to being put on probation, jail or if the circumstances are right, they get off with a DWAI (Driving While Ability Impaired). They think they are lucky, again, they walk away; aside from the DWAI increasing their insurance they don’t feel any consequences. Most parents do anything they can to avoid their child facing negative consequences like ending up on probation. Can you blame them? Unfortunately if their child has a next time and they crash under the influence and kill someone, now they go to prison. Is this Helping or Enabling? Either way it seems there isn’t any other choice. MADD statistics show an average drunk diver has driven 80 times before their first arrest. The rate of drunk driving is highest among 21 to 25-year olds.
DRUG ADDICTION
I ask you to think about the same scenario above substituting a drug arrest. They go back to court, are enabled to continue only eventually leading to heroin addiction. NYS is facing a heroin epidemic with youth dying of overdoses at an alarming rate. Statistics show an increasing number in children having experimented with alcohol or illegal substances by the time they are in the 12th grade. We are hoping this is a wake up call to help parents avoid the VERY REAL scenarios above. Three more died of overdoses this week. A 23-year old just went to prison for 6 years for a fatal drunk driving crash. These kids all start out the same, good kids who want to fit in.
AWARENESS
There a local program that can help, in 2014/2015, 90% of the youth identified a need to change their behavior at the end of the 8-week AWARENESS program. By utilizing AWARENESS early intervention for youth ages 14-24 who are ticketed with Marijuana and Alcohol offenses. They are educated peer to peer about what addiction is and work towards ceasing their use instead of moving toward more powerful drugs that lead to addiction. Youth who have failed in other programs have succeeded here. Don’t miss our event: 2nd Annual Runaway Adoptathon - Sat. Oct. 3rd . Hosted by Mariner’s Harbor at TR Gallo Waterfront Park, Broadway Kingston. Contact Awareness at 845-417-1484 ucawarenessprogram@gmail.com www.awarenessinc.org www.goodlifeyouthjournal.com • Page 45