INSPIRERMAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2012
how even
long distance can’t stop love
fun.
fueled by ramen’s new hit band
Critique of TLC’s show: All American Muslim
internet censorship: modern book burning
live review: jacks mannequin
Well, we were sitting around in a restaurant with a friend of ours, who is a brilliant comedian/writer, throwing around name ideas. One of those was Ice Cream. We weren't crazy about the name, but we liked what it implied, which was "fun."
much we all love it, there's always some nerves about how it'll be received. More than anything else, my hope for our music is that people will listen to it and really pay attention, and that they'll give it some time to grow on them.
The official (slow motion bar fight) video for “We Are Young” premiered on MTV on January 2nd, what was it like All three of you have been in singing, faster than usual since bands before, what were your it’s in slow motion, with all the bodies/bottles/ food sailing feelings on starting another through the air? Was anyone band? Were any of you harmed in the process of making skeptical? the video?
What’s it like working with producer Jeff Bhasker? (who has produced for Kanye West, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, and Drake) It was absolutely incredible. Jeff is so inspiring, and really is an innovator. Being in a room with him made us all better, and helped our ideas to go in places we couldn't have taken them by ourselves.
in a room “being with him made us all better
“
Obvious question, how did you pick out the band name?
I think any time you're starting a new Fortunately nobody was harmed! But looking project, there's some fear and confusion back I don't know how we avoided injury. With all the food, bodies, plants, and stuffed On your second album, what as you're figuring out how to animals flying around it seems like a miracle. can we expect that's different communicate with each other, and But it was a total blast to make that video. It from the first record? Any big finding out what you sound like together. was tough to play everything at double speed, influences? Is there a central Fortunately that went away really quickly, but we're just so thrilled with how it turned theme to the new album? things just felt really natural and good out. I hope I have the chance to play the right away. piano and get hit with a cake cannon again. Kanye West has been a huge influence
The Fueled by Ramen 15th anniversary concert was back in September, what was it like performing some of the new songs to such a big crowd + the online viewers? What was it like doing a concert with your FBR family?
on this record. I'm really inspired by his Some Nights is coming out in a drive, his attention to detail, and his push to make great art. In addition to the month, what are your feelings amazing songs and sounds he releases, towards it? Are you nervous / the way he approaches his art really anxious / excited for people to played into this album. We also listened hear it? to a lot of Nas and Drake, and I think that We're really proud of the album. I can't comes through in some ways. As far as a wait for people to hear it. It's been done That was really a magical night. We grew up central theme goes - it's not a concept for a while now and I'm just eager for listening to a lot of FBR bands, and to be a album by any means, but I think as a part of that history is really an honor for us. general idea it's about being a different February 21st to be here. But despite how To play with the Stereo, in particular, is a person on any given night. chance I never thought I'd have. Really cool to be among so many friends. What inspires you guys to
(music)
Where/when was the new album recorded? It was recorded partially in New York and partially in LA. We were all over the place, lots of different studios and it felt like we were moving a lot. We did it this spring, mostly in March and April. It was a new way to do it for us - we're used to making camp in one space and staying there until the album is done, but I loved doing it this way - motion is good.
write and still pursue a career in music? Lots of things. I'm inspired by Nate and Jack - it's amazing to get to work with them, they're constantly surprising me and impressing me. It's hard to ever want to give up when you want to inspire, impress, and collaborate with your friends. Aside from them - I just don't ever want to stop making art. I don't know if it comes from a place of
Well, we were sitting around in a restaurant with a friend of ours, who is a brilliant comedian/writer, throwing around name ideas. One of those was Ice Cream. We weren't crazy about the name, but we liked what it implied, which was "fun."
much we all love it, there's always some nerves about how it'll be received. More than anything else, my hope for our music is that people will listen to it and really pay attention, and that they'll give it some time to grow on them.
The official (slow motion bar fight) video for “We Are Young” premiered on MTV on January 2nd, what was it like All three of you have been in singing, faster than usual since bands before, what were your it’s in slow motion, with all the bodies/bottles/ food sailing feelings on starting another through the air? Was anyone band? Were any of you harmed in the process of making skeptical? the video?
What’s it like working with producer Jeff Bhasker? (who has produced for Kanye West, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, and Drake) It was absolutely incredible. Jeff is so inspiring, and really is an innovator. Being in a room with him made us all better, and helped our ideas to go in places we couldn't have taken them by ourselves.
in a room “being with him made us all better
“
Obvious question, how did you pick out the band name?
I think any time you're starting a new Fortunately nobody was harmed! But looking project, there's some fear and confusion back I don't know how we avoided injury. With all the food, bodies, plants, and stuffed On your second album, what as you're figuring out how to animals flying around it seems like a miracle. can we expect that's different communicate with each other, and But it was a total blast to make that video. It from the first record? Any big finding out what you sound like together. was tough to play everything at double speed, influences? Is there a central Fortunately that went away really quickly, but we're just so thrilled with how it turned theme to the new album? things just felt really natural and good out. I hope I have the chance to play the right away. piano and get hit with a cake cannon again. Kanye West has been a huge influence
The Fueled by Ramen 15th anniversary concert was back in September, what was it like performing some of the new songs to such a big crowd + the online viewers? What was it like doing a concert with your FBR family?
on this record. I'm really inspired by his Some Nights is coming out in a drive, his attention to detail, and his push to make great art. In addition to the month, what are your feelings amazing songs and sounds he releases, towards it? Are you nervous / the way he approaches his art really anxious / excited for people to played into this album. We also listened hear it? to a lot of Nas and Drake, and I think that We're really proud of the album. I can't comes through in some ways. As far as a wait for people to hear it. It's been done That was really a magical night. We grew up central theme goes - it's not a concept for a while now and I'm just eager for listening to a lot of FBR bands, and to be a album by any means, but I think as a part of that history is really an honor for us. general idea it's about being a different February 21st to be here. But despite how To play with the Stereo, in particular, is a person on any given night. chance I never thought I'd have. Really cool to be among so many friends. What inspires you guys to
(music)
Where/when was the new album recorded? It was recorded partially in New York and partially in LA. We were all over the place, lots of different studios and it felt like we were moving a lot. We did it this spring, mostly in March and April. It was a new way to do it for us - we're used to making camp in one space and staying there until the album is done, but I loved doing it this way - motion is good.
write and still pursue a career in music? Lots of things. I'm inspired by Nate and Jack - it's amazing to get to work with them, they're constantly surprising me and impressing me. It's hard to ever want to give up when you want to inspire, impress, and collaborate with your friends. Aside from them - I just don't ever want to stop making art. I don't know if it comes from a place of
band you should know:SafetySuit by: selma rakovic
In light of this band’s recent release of a long-awaited album, SafetySuit deserves nothing but praise and recognition in the music world. Hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma but currently based in Tennessee, the boys of this alternative rock band have been hard at work producing fantastic music for almost a decade. Longtime fans have enjoyed hearing their favourite songs like Something I Said and Anywhere But here on popular TV shows like Kyle XY and The Hills in the past, and our grueling four year long wait has finally been satisfied with the band’s release of its sophomore album, These Times, on January 3rd, 2012. Whether you have never heard their passionate, soulful songs, or you have just recently been acquainted with their personalities through their appearances on Jimmy Kimmel or the Rachel Ray show, SafetySuit is a band you must get to know.
band you should know:SafetySuit by: selma rakovic
In light of this band’s recent release of a long-awaited album, SafetySuit deserves nothing but praise and recognition in the music world. Hailing from Tulsa, Oklahoma but currently based in Tennessee, the boys of this alternative rock band have been hard at work producing fantastic music for almost a decade. Longtime fans have enjoyed hearing their favourite songs like Something I Said and Anywhere But here on popular TV shows like Kyle XY and The Hills in the past, and our grueling four year long wait has finally been satisfied with the band’s release of its sophomore album, These Times, on January 3rd, 2012. Whether you have never heard their passionate, soulful songs, or you have just recently been acquainted with their personalities through their appearances on Jimmy Kimmel or the Rachel Ray show, SafetySuit is a band you must get to know.
interview with
the orphan, the poet by: kory woodard
In 2008, Dayton, Ohio, was officially introduced to indie/rock band The Orphan, The Poet. Since then, the guys have been hard at work getting their name out there, recording EPs, and going on tour. After releasing their hit EP In Brevity, they have been blessed with success. They’ve been featured in Substream Music Press and were ranked in Smartpunk’s Top 40 Unsigned Bands. I recently got a chance to interview them about their writing process, their upcoming tour with Wolves At The Gate, and what else we can expect from them in 2012.
interview with
the orphan, the poet by: kory woodard
In 2008, Dayton, Ohio, was officially introduced to indie/rock band The Orphan, The Poet. Since then, the guys have been hard at work getting their name out there, recording EPs, and going on tour. After releasing their hit EP In Brevity, they have been blessed with success. They’ve been featured in Substream Music Press and were ranked in Smartpunk’s Top 40 Unsigned Bands. I recently got a chance to interview them about their writing process, their upcoming tour with Wolves At The Gate, and what else we can expect from them in 2012.
How did the Orphan, The Poet tragedy that they experienced come together?
The band actually had a pretty long inception. Jared and I had played together growing up and just continued to write together as bands we played in would come and go. For this project, we really just stopped worrying about filling out a line-up and instead just focused on writing. We wrote and demoed material for nearly two years as I was finishing school, which really helped us gain perspective and focus on what we wanted this project to be. We officially became The Orphan, The Poet in late 2008. Where did the name of the band come from?
The Orphan, The Poet was originally the name of one of our songs, but we decided to adopt it as the band name because we really identified with the meaning behind it. The song was inspired by a childhood friend of mine who lost both their parents to cancer in a matter of only 4 years. To look at this individual, however, you would never assume the
because they choose to live above the terrible things they'd seen. And that's the meaning behind the band name--we all have a choice in how we tell our story. We can let tragedy define our existence and play the part of the orphan, or we can transform tragedy into art and become the poet.
We just got off a short run with Ocean Is Theory so we'd like to think we're still in pretty good shape musically. So in light of this, we've taken upon ourselves to prepare mentally and physically for the countless band challenges that will ensue while traveling with those scalawags. Trivial pursuit? Yes please. What is the craziest thing to
When you’re getting ready to
happen to you guys?
write a song, what’s the writing While on tour this past fall, we had process like?
a pretty big mishap with our bus.
We usually start with a guitar riff or progression. Jared's a
Without warning, the brakes and power-steering went out while the
“We can let tragedy define our existence and play the part of the orphan, or we can transform tragedy into art and become the poet.” boss at coming up with interesting guitar parts so we usually build from there. David typically tackles structure and lyrics, but we all give shape to the song as it progresses.
engine simultaneously overheated. Long story short, some important components of our engine went the wayside in a very inconvenient way. The silver lining here, though, is that not only did we find a mechanic that fixed our bus basically for free
I see that you guys are getting
(saving us easily over $1000
ready to start a tour with
dollars), we paid for the parts by
Wolves At The Gate soon. How simply walking around town and are you all preparing for it?
telling people our story, asking them
How did the Orphan, The Poet tragedy that they experienced come together?
The band actually had a pretty long inception. Jared and I had played together growing up and just continued to write together as bands we played in would come and go. For this project, we really just stopped worrying about filling out a line-up and instead just focused on writing. We wrote and demoed material for nearly two years as I was finishing school, which really helped us gain perspective and focus on what we wanted this project to be. We officially became The Orphan, The Poet in late 2008. Where did the name of the band come from?
The Orphan, The Poet was originally the name of one of our songs, but we decided to adopt it as the band name because we really identified with the meaning behind it. The song was inspired by a childhood friend of mine who lost both their parents to cancer in a matter of only 4 years. To look at this individual, however, you would never assume the
because they choose to live above the terrible things they'd seen. And that's the meaning behind the band name--we all have a choice in how we tell our story. We can let tragedy define our existence and play the part of the orphan, or we can transform tragedy into art and become the poet.
We just got off a short run with Ocean Is Theory so we'd like to think we're still in pretty good shape musically. So in light of this, we've taken upon ourselves to prepare mentally and physically for the countless band challenges that will ensue while traveling with those scalawags. Trivial pursuit? Yes please. What is the craziest thing to
When you’re getting ready to
happen to you guys?
write a song, what’s the writing While on tour this past fall, we had process like?
a pretty big mishap with our bus.
We usually start with a guitar riff or progression. Jared's a
Without warning, the brakes and power-steering went out while the
“We can let tragedy define our existence and play the part of the orphan, or we can transform tragedy into art and become the poet.” boss at coming up with interesting guitar parts so we usually build from there. David typically tackles structure and lyrics, but we all give shape to the song as it progresses.
engine simultaneously overheated. Long story short, some important components of our engine went the wayside in a very inconvenient way. The silver lining here, though, is that not only did we find a mechanic that fixed our bus basically for free
I see that you guys are getting
(saving us easily over $1000
ready to start a tour with
dollars), we paid for the parts by
Wolves At The Gate soon. How simply walking around town and are you all preparing for it?
telling people our story, asking them
live review:
jacksby:mannequin nicolette tabor
Jack’s Mannequin is currently on the second leg of their popular People and Things Tour. The second leg kicked off in St. Louis, Missouri. Andrew McMahon, Jack’s Mannequin’s inspirational frontman and pianist, truly makes each and every one of their shows a unique experience for fans. With Allen Stone and Jukebox the Ghost, the second leg of the People and Things tour provides concertgoers a relaxing, feel-good show.
live review:
jacksby:mannequin nicolette tabor
Jack’s Mannequin is currently on the second leg of their popular People and Things Tour. The second leg kicked off in St. Louis, Missouri. Andrew McMahon, Jack’s Mannequin’s inspirational frontman and pianist, truly makes each and every one of their shows a unique experience for fans. With Allen Stone and Jukebox the Ghost, the second leg of the People and Things tour provides concertgoers a relaxing, feel-good show.
crowd. He bounced around the stage for the beginning of “Bloodshot” and waved to his fans. His preppy attire and his fluid stage movement is something that is awesome to experience. McMahon’s obvious high energy showed through as he constantly switched between the mike situated on his piano and the one that faced the crowd. Even though the crowd slowed down, the apparent stage energy did not lower as the band played “Release Me.” McMahon initiated a pulsing clap to the song’s addicting beat that lasted for a large portion of the song. Jack’s Mannequin finally took a break as McMahon introduced the band. As the guitar strummed the first notes of “Spinning,” the crowd instantly started jumping. That was the first time the crowd was moving as one to the music of the evening. McMahon introduced the next song as a song “inspired by the California sun.” From Jack’s Mannequin’s first album, Everything in Transit, “Holiday From Real” provoked the crowd to sing along to every lyric. The adorable lamps that adorned the stage lit to provide the concert a more homely feeling.
Despite being a new song off their latest album People and Things, fans clapped along to the steady beat of “Television” through its entirety. If asked to provide one adjective to describe McMahon’s interactions with the crowd, genuine would be the first to come to mind. His constant smiling and playful gestures to the crowd were nice to see. McMahon’s sensuality showed through as “Last Straw” began. His fantastic piano playing skills were exemplified in that song. During “The Resolution,” crowds swayed to the steady pulse of the drums. “Amy, I” initiated appreciative screaming from the crowd. As arms swayed in the air to the beat, it became clear that Jack’s Mannequin’s music is gentle, feel-good music.
crowd. He bounced around the stage for the beginning of “Bloodshot” and waved to his fans. His preppy attire and his fluid stage movement is something that is awesome to experience. McMahon’s obvious high energy showed through as he constantly switched between the mike situated on his piano and the one that faced the crowd. Even though the crowd slowed down, the apparent stage energy did not lower as the band played “Release Me.” McMahon initiated a pulsing clap to the song’s addicting beat that lasted for a large portion of the song. Jack’s Mannequin finally took a break as McMahon introduced the band. As the guitar strummed the first notes of “Spinning,” the crowd instantly started jumping. That was the first time the crowd was moving as one to the music of the evening. McMahon introduced the next song as a song “inspired by the California sun.” From Jack’s Mannequin’s first album, Everything in Transit, “Holiday From Real” provoked the crowd to sing along to every lyric. The adorable lamps that adorned the stage lit to provide the concert a more homely feeling.
Despite being a new song off their latest album People and Things, fans clapped along to the steady beat of “Television” through its entirety. If asked to provide one adjective to describe McMahon’s interactions with the crowd, genuine would be the first to come to mind. His constant smiling and playful gestures to the crowd were nice to see. McMahon’s sensuality showed through as “Last Straw” began. His fantastic piano playing skills were exemplified in that song. During “The Resolution,” crowds swayed to the steady pulse of the drums. “Amy, I” initiated appreciative screaming from the crowd. As arms swayed in the air to the beat, it became clear that Jack’s Mannequin’s music is gentle, feel-good music.
your daily outfit guide of the by: yukako chiba
e week
medwinds: trend med with by:love elisa voltz Today I would like to introduce one of the best brand I've had the pleasure to discover in these few last months : Medwinds. Based in the Raval, in Barcelona, Medwinds finds his inspiration in a easy and simple way of life you will find around the Mediterranean Sea.
Created by a group of friends from Barcelona, Medwinds is one of those brand you immediately fall in love with, pure lines and high quality designs and products, it is about to become a must have in Europe. You will find pure materials like silk, taffeta, leather, jean, cotton that everyone can wear and love. The particularity of this brand is that you won't find it in shops, but exclusively online, which make things pretty much interesting for you as you will be able to find and buy high quality clothes for a much more interesting price. Medwinds makes high fashion affordable, and makes it for you! I've had the privilege to see and try Medwinds pieces, and I can tell you every piece of this collection is gorgeous, simple, classy, easy to wear whatever your size is, you'll always look good in Medwinds! I highly recommend you to take a look to the website and shop online: http://www.medwinds.com/store/euren/
who’s next: paris 2012 by: lena petersson malevitis
The saloon meeting all the best trend in international fashion, and we went to this event or more than 2500 brands of ready to wear men's and women as well as approximately 60 000 visitors crossed for 4 days.
The saloon is divided on six parts -FAME: More than 200 brands of ready to wear in a world where creativity and talent meet. -PRIVATE: Fashion woman from A to Z with over 500 brands of women's fashion, and contemporary. -MR. BROWN: men's fashion and urban.300 brands of clothing, footwears and accessories for men. A lot of new creators. -FIRST CLASS: Fashion Accessories .600 brands of shoes, jewelry and bags, gloves and scarves. c o -MESS AROUND: the landmark of professional footwear market. Bringing together more than 500 u brands for women, men and children. -THE CUBE: 100 marks essential sector of leather goods. Designer of small leather goods and travel f accessories, brands and bags. Shows of "who's next "meet all the latest trends in fashion. new designers presents 10 looks overlooked with decliningin in 6 silhouettes. An artistic atmosphere and a big performance specific to the reputation of the show. this year towards the Wild West with a Western show revisited where the denim was honored. WAD magazine also exposed to the event a photo exhibition dedicated to denim in "Mr. Brown." The saloon had also hosted the contest of "Miss Ronde" and now over 40 major brands on large size in the saloon.
f f f f f f f f f f f f f
X CREATION Handbags
As always the show did not disappoint us and we have selected some new brands that attract our attention. X CREATION: A pretty bag brand blending the practical side to rock side . Of fine materials, simple forms, but sought.
Lucy JAY: A young scarf designer with colorful, geometric shapes and symmetry captivating.
LES QUEUES DE SARDINES: a funny and colorful brand of tights. Le "who’s next" garde donc son image précurseur et nous ravie de pouvoir découvrir touts ces nouveaux createurs et ces marques prometteuses. Vivement le prochain.
Lucy JAY
LES QUEUES DE SARDINES
Therefore The "who's next" retains his image as a pioneer and we delighted to discover all these new designers and theses promising brands .
check them out on one of their upcoming dates:
feb 1 ogden, ut feb 2 tempe, az feb 3 anaheim, ca feb 4 san deigo, ca feb 7 san antonio, tx feb 8 houston, tx feb 9 dallas, tx feb 10 oklahoma city feb 11 st. louis, mo feb 12 evansville, in feb 13 nashville, tn feb 14 atlanta, ga feb 16 orlando, fl feb 17 tampa, fl
internet censorship:
21st century book burning by: sandy kasper
In 1933, Nazi German authorities catalyzed possibly the largest book burning in history as a means to synchronize Nazi ideology with the literary community. The literary works of brilliant thinkers such as Karl Marx, Franz Kafka, Sigmund Freud, Â and Ernest Hemingway were consumed by the flames. More recently, the following books have been banned by various institutions throughout the United States: Candide by Voltaire, 1984 by George Orwell, and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. It is quite ironic that some of the most well-written, eye-opening satires are banned by authority figures. They are books, not weapons.
Books contain words which form together to compose ideas which then translate into knowledge. Knowledge is power. One of the greatest fears shared by authority figures throughout history is having to deal with a group of people who possess knowledge that he or she cannot control. Today, many people have replaced books with e-readers and Internet access. The way that we obtain knowledge has changed; thus, the means by which we will be censored have also changed. Enter, PIPA (Protect Intellectual Property Act) & SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act). PIPA was first introduced to the Senate on May 12, 2011, and SOPA was first introduced to the House of Representatives on October 26, 2011. Both PIPA and SOPA are essential the same anti-piracy bill intended to curb online copyright infringement, more specifically facilitated by "foreign rogue websites." Both bills require US-based payment services, like PayPal, to halt business with such foreign sites. Also, both bills require Internet service providers to block users from accessing specific websites using DNS blocking, which is currently used in China to block citizens' access to certain websites. The main distinction is that SOPA contains a provision that requires search engines, like Google, to remove a "foreign infringing site" from their indexes. On Wednesday, January 18, 2012, the largest online protest in history occurred (against PIPA/SOPA). Sites that participated in the blackout include: Google, Wikipedia, reddit, Mozilla, WordPress, Tumblr, Vimeo, Flickr, and many others. Facebook and Twitter were flooded with anti-PIPA/SOPA user posts. On Thursday, January 19, 2012, the FBI shut down one of the world's most popular file-sharing websites, MegaUpload.com, and announced the arrest of four of the people behind it. On Monday, January 23, 2012, the Senate will vote. Currently, there are 35 Senators publicly opposing PIPA, and it takes just 41 solid "no" votes to permanently stall PIPA (and SOPA) in the Senate. While copyright infringement is a pertinent issue, the means by which these bills intend to deal with the situation are both severe and unjust. To get involved in the fight or to get some more information, visit any of the following: AmericanCensorship.org, FightfortheFuture.org, and DemandProgress.org
apple inc: turning america’s classrooms high-tech by: ella goldsmith Thought Apple could not get any bigger? Think again. The already No. 1 tech company in the world is only getting more innovative with a new project focused on helping students. Apple continues to reshape the way people think about technology by taking the iPad and showing the world the tablet can be used for even greater purposes aside from personal use, including schoolwork. With the iPad in tow, Apple is expanding into territory thus far untouched by any other company: the classroom. In January, Apple announced its new initiative to improve education in the U.S. The company revealed that it would be partnering with top textbook companies to bring electronic versions of textbooks to the iPad. Familiar companies such as McGraw-Hill, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Pearson have all signed on to move to begin implementing these features in the classroom. This puts Apple ahead of the game, as competitors are not even close to developing their products to this level. Says Dan Lyons from Newsweek, “rivals are
still trying to build a tablet computer that can do what the iPad does, while Apple has already moved past the hardware and is focusing on ways to use the device.” This project has obvious advantages that will benefit students across the nation. For any high school or college student, one of the most dreaded words that can ever be uttered is “textbook.” This word is essentially synonymous with shoveling hundreds of dollars away each semester. Not only are these required texts incredibly expensive, but companies are constantly coming out with new editions, making old purchases obsolete and invaluable only months after buying them. Having all of your textbooks available on an iPad will not only lessen the weight of lugging heavy books around, but it would put everything a student needs in one place. Also, the issue of new editions and frequent text revisions would be eliminated, as textbook content would update as necessary straight to the tablet.
For this program to truly be successful, the school system has to tackle the hurdle of getting an iPad, averaging at $500 each, into the hands of every high school and college student in the country. While this will be no easy feat, many students are paying almost the same price each year for all of their textbooks, and it is possible that many would be willing to put that money towards a tablet should it mean saving money down the line. It is undeniable that over the past decade the country has shifted from physical copies of items to electronic versions with the help of e-readers and an abundance of handheld machines that can do pretty much anything. This concept by Apple is only furthering our progression into a more digital society. While large advancements from traditional ways of interacting, learning, and communicating may shock older generations, this transformation is inevitable and truly remarkable. It is innovations such as these that will continue to lead us in a change that will define our generation and those to come.
startup weekend by: sandy kasper
Are you an aspiring developer, designer, marketer, or just your average joe with an entrepreneurial spirit? Then, Startup Weekend is for you! Many people have great ideas but lack the necessary resources (time, money, knowledge) to manifest them. Startup Weekend is an event that not only facilitates creativity, networking, and team building but is a means for turning your wildest dreams into reality. Startup Weekend is a 54-hour event where people come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and launch startups. Startup Weekend was founded in 2007 in Boulder, Colorado by Andrew Hyde. What began as a meeting of just 78 people quickly grew to be a worldwide movement. In 2010, Startup Weekend partnered with the Kauffman Foundation, a non-profit organization that fosters entrepreneurship, innovation, and education. Startup Weekend is also partnered with the following leading organizations: Google, Microsoft BizSpark, Amazon Web Services, Startup Labs, Twilio, and TokBox. What does the weekend consist of? Friday: A networking dinner, ice-breaking games, introductions, and finally, the "Pitchfire." Pitches are generally 60 seconds. Everyone present votes for their favorite ideas, and the selected ideas are worked on for the remainder of the weekend. Teams are formed organically and work commences. Saturday/Sunday: Teams work all day while mentors circulate and provide advice, and then, presentations and judging follow. The jury selects the top teams, prizes are presented, and the event ends. In 2011, Startup Weekend had 21,316 attendees at 260 events in 202 cities in 67 countries, which created over 100 new jobs. If you would like to get involved and learn more about Startup Weekend, check out StartupWeekend.org.
tragic death of canadian freestyle skier
by: lindsay king
Canadian freestyle skiing pioneer Sarah Burke died Thursday, January 19, just nine days after crashing near the bottom of the superpipe during a training run at a resort in Park City, Utah. Known as a daredevil as well as an inspiration in her sport, Burke understood the risk she was taking every day that she trained or competed. She continued taking these risks after numerous injuries because she loved the sport.
On January 10, while nearing the end of her run on the 22-foot halfpipe, everything seemed to be normal until Burke flipped over in an awkward manner and ended up hitting her head on the ground. CPR was administered but Burke remained without a pulse and not breathing. She was then flown to the University of Utah hospital where she was placed on life support. Surgery was performed to repair a ruptured vertebral artery but Burke had suffered irremediable brain damage dueto a lack of blood and oxygen to the brain following cardiac arrest.
As a four-time gold medalist in the Winter X Games, Sarah Burke helped campaign to have halfpipe skiing added to the Olympics. In 2014, the sport will make its debut at the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Burke was expected to be a favorite for the gold medal. Burke’s publicist, Nicole Wool released a statement on behalf of the family thanking everyone for their ongoing support. Wool also stated that Burke’s organs and tissues had been donated per request. Donations are being accepting in Sarah Burke’s memory at http://www2.giveforward.com/sarahburke.html.
glbt and american t.v.
by: ella goldsmith
Discussions about Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered issues (GLBT) have become a central focal point in our nation over the past two decades. It was only a matter of time before these topics became a key part of our media as well. Many networks have managed to create successful programming that supports, highlights, and promotes awareness of a range of GLBT topics. We had NBC’s “Will and Grace”, a 1998 sitcom that followed best friends Will, a lawyer who happened to be gay, and Grace, an interior designer. There was MTV’s “The Real World”, which has incorporated GLBT members as part of their casts for 26 seasons. There are the Tyler Perry movies, in which Perry plays all roles, both make and female. And then of course we have Logo’s “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” (and multiple spin-offs) that have showcased the pride, creativity, and overall fabulousness of American actor and drag queen extraordinaire Ru Paul and his contestants. All of these shows have greatly enhanced American television, providing both entertainment value as well as exposure to cultures possibly outside of our realm of knowledge.
Some networks, however, have failed. The most recent example of this is ABC’s “Work It.” After losing their jobs, two men find themselves without a paycheck. They soon learn that their ill fortune is attributed to the fact that women are beginning to take over the work force. Naturally, the men decide to dress in drag in hopes of landing new jobs. They are successful, of course, and the rest of the show details their daily lives as pseudo-ladies. While this may seem as another good-humored sitcom, the show has sparked a great deal of outrage amongst the GLBT community. This is primarily because the show seems to poke fun at the idea of drag as opposed to acknowledging the fact that many men and women participate in drag because of much deeper reasons aside from “needing a job.” It is a lifestyle choice, one with many stigmas attached and should not be mocked by mainstream television. Because of its inability to blend humor with substance, Work It will most likely fall to the wayside with other failed programming of its kind, including past works White Chicks, How to be a Gentleman and Man Up! Sure, Americans love the occasional cross-dressing scene or two, but the public is inclinedto become critical of shows when they are sloppy, offensive, and unimaginative.
bands added weekly! check back each week to see what new bands are joining us this summer!
sweety rome:
the original american bakery by: giulia brandiamarti
Alessandra is a young woman. For many years she has been Parliamentary assistant but thanks to an American trip, Alessandra discovered the original American bakery. A few years ago she has opened an original bakery downtown and after a big success, another one.
How was your passion for cupcakes born? I started loving cupcakes seeing them on books and on tv. Then some years ago I went to America for a coast to coast trip, where in the big cities as well as in smallest villages, there were a lot of bakery where you could eat cookies and drink an American coffee. When I came back in Italy I met amazing pastry chefs and decided to start this adventure. Was it hard to start this adventure? Yes a lot because Italians are very wary in these products. Italians always link American bakery with butter and fatty. People here are very tied to traditions and never would renounce to their croissant and expresso for eating American coffee and muffin. At the beginning I was quite discouraged but when I saw several people doing breakfast with expresso and muffin I took delight! One year ago your bakery hosted Buddy Valastro, the most famous cake designer. How did it happen? One day I was contacted by Cake Boss’ production, they told me that Buddy would have came to Italy (to attend a wedding in Sicily) and that my bakery had been chosen like a set for a Cake Boss episode. I couldn’t believe it! Unfortunately the episode was deleted but Buddy came anyway to meet us. And what did you do all together? ….we made cakes! Buddy was very afraid because his fondant was held up in customs and he didn’t know how to realize the cakes for the Italian episodes. We gave away him ours! He told us that it was good as all our production. He also gave us some advices Which type of advices? Buddy’s advices are secret! I can only say that his advices concern how to improve the equilibrium in making high cakes. Can we say you are friends? (she laughs )Yes, he’s kind and funny. Before he left he invited me and my staff for a special cocktail and when we arrived he made us a surprise: he was shooting an episode of Cake Boss and we were in! Moreover when he came back home, he gave away us all the sugar pastry arrived in late in Italy.Here in Italy this type of pastry didn’t exist and we have used it for one year (It was an enormous quantity)
Serena Strippoli, Alessandra Ramunno, Flavia Basile, Giulia Basile Your cakes are gorgeous. Which are most requested decorations? Girls want a cake which represents their favorite bags or shoes, instead boys like representing their passions as cars or their favorite sport. If you come in Rome don’t miss Sweety’s cupcakes in VIA MILANO 8 or VIA EURIALO 5-5A. Visit their website www.sweetyrome.it
advertisement
the “all american muslim”: a critique
by: lena jabbar
As many of you may know, a show called “All-American Muslim” was released on TLC last year. The new reality show documents Muslim-American families in their day-to-day lives in the States. At first glance, the show sounds like a great idea. There are so many misconceptions about Islam in America, with many people judging Muslims before even talking to them. American-Muslims are just one of many groups that are well-established in America and continue to showcase the true diversity of this country, which has evolved into a melting pot of innumerable cultures. “All-American Muslim” was supposed to be a program that would show Americans that the majority of Muslims are not radicals, as portrayed in the American media, and are, in fact, as American as everyone else. The show was created to give the American people a chance to mature and a chance to accept Muslims instead of shunning them from their lives. Although the show did help by showing people how truly “American” these Muslim families are, it gave a negative connotation to the word “Islam”. Being born into an Arab family, culture is usually a key role. The “Muslims” portrayed in the show are from Dearborn, Michigan. These people only represent the one culture that they were brought up in: the Arab culture. There is no sense of Islam in most of the things being filmed and shown to the entire nation. The main characters of the show are diverse, as they are not just Arab but Lebanese-Arabs. It is in this community that you will find the most liberal Muslims. There has not been as much of an uproar from the Muslim and Arab communities about this show as there has been from mainstream Americans, who have labeled the show as “un-American”. This program shows how assimilated the Arabs and Muslims have become sense migrating to the United States, but also that, despite how far we have come as a nation, that the U.S. has a long way to go in terms of acceptance and cultural tolerance.
long distance can work by: shannon bray
No one's ideal relationship is long distance, but sometimes it's your only option. In Shannon Whitley & Ronnie Bingaman and Shannon Miller & Jordan Voth's cases, it's their only option and they're more than happy to give it their all. Shannon and Ronnie live thirteen hours apart -from Illinois to Pennsylvania. And Shannon and Jordan are even farther, Florida to Washington.
Shannon and Ronnie met a year and a half ago at Cornerstone Music Festival in Illinois, near Shannon's hometown. Shannon's friend dragged her to go talk to and hangout with the band Ronnie just so happened to be a part of. They exchanged numbers after a long day of getting to know each other and they never stopped texting after that. Despite the fact that they really hit it off that day, neither of them really thought anything of it. A month later, Ronnie took a spontaneous trip to go visit Shannon and her family while they were in Ohio. The texting kept going, and at this point they were even Skyping every night. Ronnie said, "I wanted to ask her to be my girlfriend, but calling and Skype didn't see appropriate for the question." Then he found himself taking another trip, but this time it was all the way to Illinois State University. Shannon was already surprised since she had no idea he was coming, but then she was even more in shock when his first words upon seeing her were, "Shan will you be my girlfriend?" Of course, she said, "yes!" Shannon and Jordan didn't think much upon meeting each other either. Jordan was adventuring across the country on a road trip with a friend. While in Florida they met up with Shannon, knowing she was a fellow photographer in the area. They took some pictures on beach for about an hour. Shannon says, "It’s funny because I think Jordan said all of two words to me that day since he was so shy." They kept up their relationship as friends on Facebook and Flickr for about six months. One day, Shannon and her bestfriend were admiring Jordan's work when her friend said, "You should date him!" Shannon replied, "No way! He lives in Washington. Are you kidding me?" but deep down that really got her thinking. She started talking to Jordan more and more and within a few days she jokingly asked him to marry her via Facebook. Jordan says, "Who am I to turn down a Facebook marriage proposal?" After that they talked every day, becoming inseparable (over technology that is!) Jordan flew down to Florida to visit her in the beginning of January and by the end of his stay, they were boyfriend and girlfriend. And our own Music Director, Morgan Young, is in a long distance relationship as well. Her boyfriend Chris and her live 320 miles apart, located in different parts of California. They met eight months ago,
y
set up by Morgan's cousin who was dating Chris' best friend. On their first date, getting vegan dinner in Hollywood, Morgan said, "We instantly clicked. I knew he was a keeper from the start."
THE GIRLS' ADVICE ON LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS: Morgan Young: Just let it happen. Don't have any expectations about how often you'll see each other or be able to talk, just let that fall into place as it goes. Don't over think situations because all that does is make you convince yourself that something is wrong. Communicate and trust each other. Make sure that your feelings are genuine and that they're strong enough to last through the distance. It is 100% true when people say that distance makes the heart grow fonder.
Shannon Whitley: If this person is someone you really want to be with in the long run, distance is only temporary. It takes a lot of work, but in the end it will all be worth it.
Shannon Miller: I think the key to a long distance relationship, just like any normal relationship, is trust. It also takes dedication to communication. I would say Jordan and I skype almost every night.
interview with ryder strong by: heather hawke
When you think of the name Rider Strong you may think of his best known role of Shawn Hunter of the hit 90’s television show “Boy Meets World”. To most people who grew up in the 90’s, those three main characters of that magnificent show will always be remembered with great nostalgia. During his the seven year run with the popular 90’s hit show “Boy Meets World” he was nominated twice for the Young Artist Award and also for a Hollywood Reporter Young Star Award. After the series ended, Strong returned to the big screen to star in the indie horror film Cabin Fever and then had a brief cameo appearance in the sequel in 2009. These days he is pursuing bigger dreams; he is now a director, producer and screenwriter. He and his brother, Shiloh Strong, have directed a few short films together--“Irish Twins”, which premiered at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival, in 2011 they directed “Dungeon Master”, and another short film called “Method” together.
When people first hear your name they probably think “Shawn Hunter of Boy Meets World”, do you think that makes it easier or harder to break into filmmaking? It makes it easier to get crew for our projects. And maybe it helps get press once we're at film festivals. But as far as street cred in the indie film world? It's death. So helps on some ways, hurts in others.
You started out as a child sitcom star, how did you decide you wanted to get into directing? Well, a lot of it came from realizing how much experience I already had gained unconsciously. I'm very comfortable on a set. Which is something that even people who have been to film school might not have yet. So at first it was a matter of recognizing that I had that comfort, and then recognizing I had stuff I wanted to say.
What’s it like working so closely with you brother, who also directs? It's amazing. We grew up on the same movies so there's an idiosyncratic, fun short hand that exists between us. We do a lot more prep, I think, than most solo directors in order to save time on set. We laugh a lot.
You and your brother recently directed your own short film, Dungeon Master; do you two have any plans on writing and directing another one in the near future? We've already done another short film, called Method. But now we've put a stop to any more shorts. We're doing a feature next. We're working towards the feature version of Dungeon Master, actually.
Do you like acting or directing better? Right now? Directing. Acting is more thrilling in the moment, and more personal in some ways, but as a career it can be exhausting and frustrating, creatively. You're not in control of your context -- and that can have disastrous results.
What inspires you in the film industry? Is there a certain kind of music you like to listen to get into the right mindset? I try and keep myself open to as many new experiences as possible, because you never know when a setting, or a person,
or some random little story, is going to wind up inspiring your next film project. I love music, and I think it can be incredibly helpful during the writing and "thinking about writing" process. But I don't ever want to get too married to one song or artist in particular. Because sometimes you get hooked, and then can't get the rights, or, even worse, don't open yourself up to other options in the editing process.
I understand you have been a vegetarian since childhood. Is this true? If it is, then are you still a vegetarian? And what made you decided to stick with it after childhood (health reasons or animal cruelty reasons)? Not a vegetarian anymore. That's what happens when you start dating a non-vegetarian.
Have you ever gone or wanted to go vegan? No. For me it was always ecological more than health-based or ethical. I have no problem killing an animal to eat it. I have problems with our culture's animal treatment and food distribution.
Alright here are some Boy Meets World questions, what was your favorite and worst episode to film? The Scream episode was one of the most fun experiences of my life, and I know the rest of the cast feels the same. Worst? I don't know, I got really dramatic by the end of the show and I remember getting tired of playing the same beats over and over again.
What was the funniest? Chick Like Me was pretty funny. Not easy, but funny to have a whole crew trying to make you look like a woman.
Do you still stay in touch with the cast of Boy Meets World? Yep. We hang when we can.
Have you ever watched any of the episodes? Nope.
Boy Meets World was a lot of peoples favorite 90’s television show. Did you ever have a favorite 90’s tv show? The Wonder Years. It was brilliant and Fred was amazing.
What’s in stores for you this year (Movies, tv appearances, etc)? Also, Sundance is coming up are you going to be attending? This year working on getting a feature going -- so writing right now and hopefully filming something soon. We spent all last year traveling to festivals so this is the time to buckle down and create.
Anything else you'd like to say before you go? Thanks for the interview!
advertisement
WORLDWIDE INSPIRING ARTIST AND MUSICIAN:
JORDAN BUCKLEY by: marissa sjolander
A labyrinth of black and white hands wrapped around a young girl's head dripping with blood. A powerful, alluring, conspicuous death. This describes “Buffalo 66”, my favorite piece of Buckley’s plethora of vivid work; it provides such a visual experience about the two forces—beauty and death. Not only is Jordan Buckley a prolific artist, but he is also a guitarist for the band Every Time I Die. Much of his artwork has been used for the band's album covers, making his artistic input twofold. In fact, this piece was used as one of the prints in their 2009 album “New Junk Aesthetic”.
“New Junk Aesthetic” is by far the most complete album Every Time I Die has written to date. It’s made to kick your teeth out and shred your balls with no mercy. The performance of the musicians—and the artwork to go along with it—invades your senses hand in hand; it seems one relies on the other for the ultimate Buckley experience. Jordan’s pieces convey the body parts of colorful corpses. Black, white, and pink permeate his graphics and have little trouble grabbing the audience. Audience—the very thing that propels the art and music to intertwine. The music is performed with a catchy, animalistic vibe creating reckless crowd pleasers over and over again; the art is a perfect companion for the organ-grinding music.
Since Jordan Buckley’s music was on the rise, it compelled his listeners to become viewers of his art. In March 2010, Jordan used his illustrations by putting them on t-shirts, hoodies, stickers, and prints. Not only can his audience see and feel his artwork and music, but they can wear it! As an artist myself, seeing one’s artwork displayed on clothing
‘ETID Shit Happens’ – Used as the “New Junk Aesthetic” cover
supplies an incredible sense of accomplishment. The clothing line has not only supplied Jordan with more inspiration but the band as a whole. Improvement has shown in “New Junk Aesthetic” with more insanity and less remorse.
One of my favorite prints is ‘GIVE ME JBWW, OR GIVE ME DEATH!' It’s an illustration of an eagle with trance-like eyes. I think it represents the atavistic performance that every audience member undertakes. It’s a performance you cannot avert your eyes from.
the art of getting by: film review by: andrea shimchick
“The Art of Getting By” (2011) takes place in New York City where pessimistic and lonely high school senior George Zinavoy (Freddie Highmore) questions the perceived importances in life while slacking in his studies and having not a care in the world. According to George, “We live alone, we die alone, and everything else is just an illusion”. In the beginning of the movie, you almost want to laugh with his so called “problems” being actually nothing other than teenage-angst, though his quiet, thoughtful nature and sensitivity grows on you and in a way made me totally relate to George, as I’m sure plenty do. While attending a Manhattan prep-school where his classmates are all preparing and applying for colleges, George is struggling to even pass with his disregarded attitude towards assignments and school. After being warned and practically forced by his parents and teachers to get a grip or forget his chances of graduating
high school, he is given one last chance to turn it around. Along the way George becomes deeply intrigued by a beautiful girl he’s had feelings for from afar. Emma Roberts, similar to her character in “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” plays Sally Howe, a complicated girl who befriends George, finding him interesting and unusual. Sally shows him a good time while supplying him with hope. In the meantime, George’s home life becomes more complicated with his parents’ money-issues and constant fighting fits. Throughout the film, the absent-minded teenager experiences his first-love and discovers a passion in art. “The Art of Getting By” doesn’t deliver much, but I didn’t expect it to. Similar to that of “500 Days of Summer”, it has realistic meaning, but this time with a less mature take. It’s a story that’s been told in plenty of movies, and will continue to be. In this one, despite containing more awkward silences than I would have liked, was otherwise charming. The acting in this independent film was delightful for the roles, but perhaps the story line lacked substance. This typical coming-of-age romantic drama includes a promising cast, a slightly Indie vibe, and a predictable plot, however, I found “The Art of Getting By” to be cute and overall enjoyable.
THIS SEASON IN THE NFL by: kameron clark
Super Bowl XLVI is in a few days. The New York Giants are taking on the New England Patriots in Indianapolis. The last time either team went to the Super Bowl was in 2007, where the Giants beat the Patriots by three points. This will be an exciting rematch with two of the league's elite quarterbacks. No matter who wins, it should be a great game to watch. This season in the NFL had a lot of excitement. Let's look back and summarize a great few months of football. First off, the NFL lockout put a scare into football fans all over the country. After all what would America be without football? That is something sports fans never want to find out. Thank goodness the lockout ended with enough time to let teams play without much delay. Hopefully, we will not have to hear about lockouts anytime soon. Alex Smith, who brought the 49ers to the NFC conference final, might not
have been on the 49ers if it was not for the lockout. Smith was the first overall pick in the 2005 draft. It seemed like his time might be up in San Francisco after not showing much progress. Smith was a free agent, but the lockout froze trades and negotiations so he was stuck in the Bay Area until it ended. When the lockout was finally lifted Smith connected with his teammates and coaches and started training. The quarterback signed a one-year contract with the 49ers to give it one more shot. We will have to see if the 49ers try to resign him.
The Philadelphia Eagles received the most hype at the beginning of the season. After picking up some valuable pieces the self-proclaimed "Dream Team" looked to be a pretty big competitor this season. Experience shows that you should not give yourself a nickname like that until you actually win some games. The "Dream Team" looked pretty foolish when they started off with a 1-4 record. The Eagles ended with an 8-8 record and missed the playoffs. So unless your "Dream" is to lose half of your games, you should be careful what you nickname yourself.
Peyton Manning was out with an injury this season. Without him the Indianapolis Colts had the worst record in the league. The team with the best record was last season's champion Green Bay Packers, who started off perfect. They were getting close to becoming the first undefeated team since the '72 Dolphins. It was a sad day for Packer fans when they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs a few weeks before the end of the season. It was an even worse day for them when the 15-1 Packers lost to the New York Giants in the playoffs.
Finally, how can you talk about this year's football season without mentioning Tim Tebow? The Denver Broncos did not start this season well. Tim Tebow sat on the bench and watched his team get defeated over and over. The fans would chant "TE-BOW", hoping that he would get his chance to play. After looking like the Broncos had no chance of getting to the playoffs this season, Tebow finally got his chance to start. It seemed like the whole world became obsessed with "Tebow Time". You either loved Tim Tebow or hated him. Whether or not he was a good passer did not seem to matter. He was winning games, which was something the Broncos were not doing without him. Tebow and the Broncos made it to the playoffs and beat the Steelers in the first round. A hard lose to the Patriots shortly followed. Tebow fans felt heart-broken for the young man, while the rest of the world cheered. Does he have a real future in the NFL? Only time will tell. One thing is for sure, whether or not you liked him, you noticed him.
Overall, this was a fun year for football. It was entertaining and exciting. The upcoming Super Bowl should be no different.
meditation & relaxation: the power of the mind by: heather kostelnik
Meditation is similar to a workout for you mind; it enriches your soul. Many people are so overly concerned with staying physically fit, however; being mentally stable and alert is just as significant. Those who actively participate in yoga or some other form of meditation gain many benefits that can only be found by practicing relaxation.  It has been said that meditation can help many people in different ways. Although it mainly works to enhance your self-awareness, it can blend into your daily life and physicality’s as well.
Through constant training and practicing, meditation helps form a state of which allows you to think more clearly in everyday life. When your body is relaxed, it doesn’t have to keep up with the stresses you induce on it. It has been medically proven to decrease muscle tension and headaches, lower levels of serotonin that is associated with depression, helps control allergies and chronic illnesses, and decrease respiratory rate. And that is just the start of the physical benefits that come with relaxation; they are endless.
By practicing meditation regularly, your senses become heightened and leave you feeling fresh and ambitious. It helps you to block out negative thoughts and enables you to move forward in a clear light. It’s beneficial in discovering self-confidence and acquire a deeper meaning of yourself and what you want to obtain in life. It may take a while to get use to feeling a higher sense of yourself but when you have a stable foundation guiding you; it’s easy to grasp the benefits which come along with it. It relieves irritability, moodiness, and anxiety while enhancing creativity, learning abilities, memory, moral reasoning, alertness and even relationships. Here are some easy concentration techniques that beginners can utilize: Exercise 1: Concentration Pick a topic and see how long your mind can focus on it. It’s helpful at first to use a clock and keep track of the time. Hold that thought in your mind and don’t let any others drift in. If it does occur, just accept it and let it pass through. Tell yourself that it’s ok but don’t let it happen again. This helps to train your mind in focusing on one thing, unlike many different things which we do in our busy lives. Start to make it a daily habit of concentrating on a thought for, maybe ten minutes. By doing this, you will eventually become very skilled at it and it will sharpen your concentration skills. Try this for approximately two weeks until you can easy concentrate on one thing, and one thing only. Exercise 2: Relaxation 1. To start out, find a place on a hardwood floor or carpeting where you’re comfortable and won’t be disturbed for a long period of time. Next, play some soft and soothing music such as rainforest sounds, rain falling, waves crashing etc. This will be very beneficial and crucial to clearing your mind. 2. From here on out, your eyes will always be closed. Breathing exercises are easy to do but difficult to control. First, take a deep breathe in through your nose and release it slowly through your mouth. Do this 6-10 times, increasing the amount of time releasing breaths. When you’re breathing, imagine lots of energy going inside you and releasing negative energy out of the body.
3. Relax and breathe normally, still breath by nose and release by mouth. 4. Visualize your body sinking into the floor, still breathing properly. Everything is calm and still. Start at the tips of your toes and move up until you reach your head. It’s very relaxed and heavy now. Work up your body; take approximately 10-15 minutes to do so. Relaxing every muscle, every bone, every sense. 5. See yourself as a heavy statue, unable to move until you slowly break away into little pieces. As you break away, again moving up your body, release all of your negative energy and thoughts with the particles leaving your body. 6. Start to say “Relax” in your head, slowly but commanding. You are in control. 7. Think of positive things you wish to do in the near future. Make all of your statements positive and active. For example, “I will become increasingly more aware of my surroundings.” l8. Slowly drift back to the surface and feel yourself coming back together. From particles, to hard statue, to soft skin and tingling senses. 9. End in saying how you feel rejuvenated and full in mind and body. Some key things to remember when starting meditation: *It doesn’t come easily to every one. It’s a state of mind you won’t be use to and will have to train yourself in, like anything you strive to accomplish. If you keep at it and actively coach your mind, it will become much easier and then you can build on it. *Being comfortable is key. If you think about it logically, you can’t focus your mind on something when another part of your body feels strain. So make sure whatever pose you’re in, it feels natural. *If you’ve fallen asleep, you’re not doing it correctly. Meditation is constructing your mind into a different way of thinking; therefore, sleeping isn’t beneficial in the process. *It’s different for everyone. If a technique doesn’t succeed try something else. Don’t be afraid to switch it up and say different phrases to open up your mind to new things. Meditation is a peace of mind. It’s a happy get away that you always carry with you. When you’ve had a long stressful day, take 10 minutes to relax. It’s guaranteed to give you some satisfaction and clear your head.
in this issue Fun. cover photo by Elizabeth Weinburg Fun. article photo page 4 by Daniel Silbert page 6 by Lindsey Byrnes SafteySuit photo page 9 by Studio Rigby The Orphan The Poet photo page 11 by Cortney Davis page 14 by Target The Hero Sarah Burke photo page 25 credit: http://www.calgarysun.com/2012/01/19/explaining-sarah-burkes-sport Ryder Strong, Boy Meets World photo page 46 by Lionsgate page 47 by IMBD Meditation & Relaxation photo page 53 credit: http://www.howtomakeyourhairgrowfasterandlonger.com/ yoga-for-hair-growth page 55 credit: http://www.sharpbrains.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/ Meditation.jpg page 56 credit: http://www.commonblog.com/2010/09/10/candlelight-vigil -by-new-york-neighbors-for-american-values
want your ad featured in next month’s issue? send your info to: advertising@inspirer.nu