LÜX magazine final copy

LĂœX photo courtesy of Marcin Stawiarz

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Dear New York Keep Austin Growing Scrapbook Austin Going Up?

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Alina Vega Zach Nirenberg Gabi Hadad Zach Nirenberg

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Tyran Williams Zach Nirenberg Alina Vega Gabi Hadad Alina Vega Gabi Hadad

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Tyran Williams Tyran Williams Alina Vega

people Uh-oh to Logo Light the Way Across the World The Key to Success Pose Facebook: Lifesaver or Lifewaster

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The Warming Warning One Man’s Trash Speaking for us all

Dear New York.

by Alina Vega Photo courtesy of Johnathan Silverberg

I have never met you before. I’ve heard many things, seen many pictures, and read many books, but I’ve never stood on your sidewalks or smelled the scent of your hot steel or touched the cracked leather of your taxicabs. A part of me wonders why I love you so much; how could I know how great you are when I’ve never set foot on your concrete? What could possess me to want to give up a life in a spacious house for a life in one of your cramped apartments without actually knowing what it’s like to live that way? Why would I want to take an enormous chance and leave hot, sunny, dry Texas for you, a place where you have to look straight up just to see the sky?

Because I have listened, New York. I have heard stories from people who have met you, and even lived within the skyline marked by your skyscrapers. I have been told of the beauty of your brownstones, of the first snow of the winter, of the heat in the subway during rush hour, and of the way the lights dance off the streets and the cabs in the rain. Books and pictures can’t tell of solitary sighs of the Central Park trees, or the people you meet out of a momentary connection of the eyes, or the strange calm of running out of money a few days before your next paycheck is due, knowing that you’ve made it through before and can therefore make it through again. People say that finding a job is near impossible, that getting an affordable apartment and a good roommate is an incredible feat, and that giving up things to make ends meet is unbelievably hard, but that in the end, it’s worth it to live an incredible dream brought straight from reality.

Some say that you’re just like any city: large, loud, and busy. Others say that you’re ungodly expensive, and therefore impossible. A few even say you’re dangerous, full of crime and hate and unpredictable variables. But I say you’re special, New York. You house millions and you hold the most amazing stories in your walls and

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alleys, from the tales dictated by Washington Irving to the songs sang by Ethel Merman. You’re daring and adventurous, with thousands new ideas born through you every day, cracking the pavement of Times Square from the strain of a million individuals trying to give their creativity free reign. Your sidewalks can hold a broken painter and a millionaire standing side by side outside the Magnolia Bakery or looking up at the marquee on Broadway as if they weren’t different from each other.

This carries an amazing sense of happiness for me, knowing that you hold incredible originality in your neon and chrome. But within you there can be peace if you know where to look among the models running to their next shoot in the Garment District and the businesswomen striding in high heels down the steps into your subway. If I listen carefully, New York, I can hear the sound of honking taxis, of singing actors, of bored secretaries, of hurried footsteps, of tired writers, of talking homeless, of falling snow, of grinning waiters, of millions of voices, including my own, all wrapped up in your arms.

I don’t want you for the Stature of Liberty. I don’t want you for Soho, or the Empire State Building, or Saks Fifth Avenue. I want you for who you are underneath the sugarcoated lightshow that you put on to hide the busy life that you really are, beneath the tourist attractions and the penthouse apartments and the alwayshappy performers in the subways. I want you because I know that behind the flashy exterior, you’re a real place where dreams can be made.

Someday I hope to look up at the sun from your heart and smile, knowing that I found my place. Someday, I hope that I can find love in your streets and friends in your people. Someday, I hope I can finally meet you and whisper for you alone to hear a sweet and long overdue, “Hello.”

New York, I love you. Ü

Books and pictures can’t tell of the solitary sighs of the Central Park trees.

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Keep Austin

by Zach Nirenberg

Growing Photo courtesy Marcus Calderon

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Before the relatively short lived effects of the worldwide economic recession were felt in Austin, the city, along with many others across the country, was experiencing unprecedented growth, especially in its urban core. This re-gentrification of urban areas was beginning to change the dynamic of what the public (and city planners) thought a city could be. Once banks began to fail and financing dried up, however, new urban projects across the country stalled. Now, banks are beginning to lend again and signs of economic recovery are visible, the development is beginning to continue, especially in Austin. We have been dealt an opportunity to turn development from the suburban sprawl and urban blight that dominated from the 50s to the 90s to an era of high density, environmentally sound, healthier, culturally and economically viable urbanism. We need to choose this path because it is vital to the very advance of humanity.

There are those (many of whom are suburban developers and those involved in the car industry) who will argue that urbanism is a bad idea. They argue that urban neighborhoods are dangerous, playing upon the stereotypes built during the 20th century when this was often true, though the degrading of urban areas was partially the fault of many of those opposing urbanism in the first place (see next paragraph). Downtown areas have gotten a bad rap for crime rates, which did exist before urban redevelopment for exactly that reason. Regentrification plays a major role in the removal of crime and grime in urban areas. Others with good intentions and more serious concerns argue that the high prices of condos and apartments built in the recent re-gentrification of downtown and east Austin keep out the poor and middle class and push out those which used to live in these neighborhoods into the suburbs. It is true that the prices of downtown Austin condos and apartments are disproportionately high, but this is simply because downtown development here in Austin is just beginning so we don’t have a large enough supply to meet the demand. In other cities with new vibrant urban cores, (not including cities that have always been dense like New York, Boston, ad San Francisco) like Portland Oregon, Kansas City Missouri, and Minneapolis Minnesota have downtown prices that more reflect the rest of the city. Once development in Austin reaches a certain point, prices will come down. These concerns about urban redevelopment are understandable, but are not strong arguments that would make me or most people who understand the advantages of urbanism.

Many never think about the environmental aspect of the American style of growth. Imagine the year is 1955. The war ended years ago and the quality of life is much higher due to the increased education of Americans from GI bills. Having a car is increasingly more important as many public transit systems (including the streetcar in Austin, which shut down in 1940) have shut down or been bought out by car companies and others, and the Interstate highway system is under construction. Flash forward to today. Cities are growing and to accommodate this growth, suburbs extend farther and farther out. Subdivisions are built and as they do so, they cut down forest. Then giant houses are built, using up recourses

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and taking up more space. People move in with their giant SUVs and must drive miles to get to work, school, and places of entertainment. This wastes fuel and emits huge amounts of greenhouse gases, changing the planet’s climate. In a high density, urban city, large swaths of land are not destroyed to build up and public transport, walking, and close proximity, greatly reduce the emissions form going to work, the movies, or the grocery store. Urbanism is the way to continue to grow while being environmentally friendly in this age of climate change.

Urban living is a healthier way to live compared to suburban living. Firstly those who live in the suburbs must commute in rush-hour traffic. According to a German study completed this year and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a regular prescription of traffic jams triples your risk for a heart attack and greatly increases stress. This is obviously not good for you and neither are the other pollutants that come from big rigs and other large vehicles you may find on the interstate. Also commuting to work either through the better public transport available in urban areas, or by bike or walking provides exercise and is not stressful.

Downtown Austin especially, is surrounded by fantastic parks that provide a place for exercise and fun, but also clear the air of pollutants. The lower-stress, active lifestyle of living in an urban core is much better for the body and mind.

When people think of cities with vibrant cultural and economical opportunities, they often think of New York, London, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco. These cities all have vibrant urban cores and cultural and economical activities happen in them. What has propelled humanity forward is the sharing of ideas. What better place to share ideas than a place with many people and many educational and cultural centers all close together. Big cities with strong urban centers offer the world art, music, theater, and great ideas. Cities like this also are powerhouses of the economy, housing large and small corporations from local restaurants and galleries to multi national banks and finance corporations. The efficiency of these things being close to each other and close to residences allows for greater economic activity and more money changing hands. The more money that changes hands, the stronger the economy becomes. As Austin and its urban core have grown, so has its economy and culture. Examples of this can be seen in the Long Center for the Performing Arts, the Blanton Museum of Art, and the Mexican American Culture Center that have all been built in the last few years downtown. Cities with strong urban centers provide a cradle for culture and the economy that benefit the whole world.

Though it still has faults to be ironed out, Urbanism is a key to the problems that cities around the world face and it is definitely the key to Austin’s growth problem. It is better for the environment and it is better for people’s health. If Austin’s urban center continues to grow, it will cradle cultural and economic development.

Austin should continue to embrace a vibrant downtown as the way forward to a better future.

Cities with strong urban centers offer the world art, music, theater, and great ideas.

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Going Up? photos and text by Zach Nirenberg

Driskill Hotel: Often believed to be one of the most haunted buildings in the state, this historical hotel is Austin’s oldest and grandest.

Though its annex stands at 12 floors, the hotel itself, being built in 1886, is only 4 floors, not really a skyscraper.

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Capitol Building: Completed in 1888, the Texas State Capitol building is defiantly Austin’s most famous building. At 311 feet tall and 8.5 acres in area, it is the largest state capitol building in the country and is 23 feet taller than the US capitol building. Its glittering rotunda dominated Austin’s skyline for 84 years until 1972.

Littlefield and Scarbrough Builings: The Scarbrough building, built in 1911, is 121 feet tall and has 8 floors, while the Littlefield building, in the beauxarts style, built in 1912, is 136 feet tall and has 9 floors. These two buildings, cattycorner at the intersection of Sixth Street and Congress Avenue, were home to two competing department stores always trying to outdo each other. Thought there were taller buildings before, these were Austin’s first true “Chicago-style” skyscrapers. Chicagostyle involves early steel frame buildings that are now not considered very tall. This construction allowed them to compete even more by adding floors, a rooftop garden, restaurants, and eventually residential units. The buildings now house commercial offices and the Littlefield building still has residential units on the top two floors.

Norwood Tower: Home to a bank and a penthouse occupied by President Johnson’s daughter, this neo-gothic, 15-floor, and 189 foot tower built in1929 is one of Austin’s most historical buildings. It was only the second building west of the Mississippi river to be fully air-conditioned, and one of the first in Austin to have electric elevators.

UT Tower: The icon of the University of Texas at Austin, the 29 floors of this 307 foot Spanish revival clock-tower has been the scene of football victory celebrations and tragedy. In 1966 a student shot 13 people from the top of the observation deck. Since then there have been suicide attempts on the same deck.

It was closed for a period of time, but has now reopened with guardrails.

Austin has been going through a skyscraper boom in recent years, but many people don’t know that Austin has a long history of tall buildings. With the influx of postmodern condominiums and office towers, it is important to not forget the great work of architects in the past and what the buildings they designed did for Austin.

One American Center: This chunky looking building with 32 floors at 397 feet dominates Sixth Street and Congress Avenue. Its granite façade and dark rectangular windows give it an authoritarian aura.

Frost Bank Tower: Often referred to as the nose-hair-clipper building because of its distinctive spire, this blue-glass building’s lines hint to the art-deco, golden age of skyscrapers. At 515 feet and 33 floors, the building was Austin’s tallest when it was completed in 2004.

Though it no longer dominates the skyline, the Frost is still one of Austin’s favorite buildings.

360 Condominiums: This glass covered skyscraper with the crystal looking spire was completed in 2008 and stands at 563 feet and 44 floors is Austin’s second tallest building.

It contains more than 400 residential units and is the only building in Austin ever to be called the cities tallest that is not on Congress Avenue.

Spring:This point tower stands at 434 feet near Whole Foods Market in the warehouse district of west downtown. It features 43 floors of moderately priced condos finished out in 2009.

Austonian: At 683 feet, the Austonian is Austin’s tallest building, the tallest residential building in the state, and the tallest building in Texas, period, outside of Houston or Dallas.

Its 56 floors of luxury condominiums at its posh address of Second Street and Congress Avenue are visible as far away as Hays, Bastrop, and Williamson Counties. Completed in 2009, its postmodern architecture, with its subtle curves, is sure to be an icon of Austin for years to come.

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Scrapbook

Text and Photography by Gabi Hadad

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Austin

Hey Cupcake! is a cupcake stand, founded by Wes Hurt, that has many locations all over town. It is famous for its Michael Jackson cupcake, and the most popular location is the one pictured, on South Congress.

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Maria’s Taco X-press is a restaurant that with quick tacos, famous for the statue of Maria, who the store is named after, that used to be on top of the building, but when they moved locations, it was put on a pedestal.

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Homeslice is an “independent neighborhood pizza joint” that serves authentic New York pizza by the slice, created

by Jen Strickland, Joseph Strickland, and Terri Hannifin.

The Texas Capitol building. It was completed in 1888 and built almost entirely of pink granite.

The broken spoke is an old-style “True Texas” dance hall that plays traditional country music, and is famous for its chicken fried steak, owned my James White.

Matt’s El Rancho is a Mexican Restaurant with a great family atmosphere and amazing food.

Lucy in Disguise is a costume store with a wide range of “diguises,” famous for the eccentric zebra on top of the store.

The “Hi, how are you” drawing was drawn on the wall of a building by Daniel Johnston, and it was almost torn down at one time but Austinites protested to keep it, and the restaurant was built around it.

Peter Pan Mini-Golf is a cute little mini-golf place that is famous for its weird statues at the holes.

This is the statue of a longhorn that sits at McDonald’s. The horns and tail have been ripped off at different times, but having been remade, they are currently there on the statue.

Amy’s Ice Cream is a common Austin place with great ice cream. There are many of them all over town.

Phil’s Ice House is a restaurant right next to an Amy’s. They are famous for the cow statues on their playground.

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Uh-Oh To Logo

by Tyran Williams

photo courtesy of Charles Hartley

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I enjoy starting from scratch to make something spectacular.

The look of sheer terror was resting upon the face of up and coming hairstylist Akaimi Davis (now Green), as the blood from her nearly severed fingers spewed out in a seemingly endless stream.

The critical wound came from a pair of Black and Decker electric hedge clippers. A couple of hours and many stitches later, the now incapacitated Beautician sat and pondered on her now no-go career Soon the story would unfold off how the beautician went from scissors and cape, to paint brush and smock.

“After the accident, I came across a career aptitude test”. Said Davis

After taking the test, the results showed two career choices, Creative Writer, or Graphic Designer. But how could she choose?

“I enjoyed art more than literature” said Davis.

So going with her gut instinct, she decided to go with graphic designer. Now the next thing on her agenda was to get into a college that offered a degree in Graphic Design.

“I chose ACC in the beginning because the class sizes were small, it was cheaper, and it took less time to get a degree” explained Davis.

Through ACC she received her Associates degree in Graphic Design. Then a little bit later Akaimi found out that most jobs that had to do with Graphic Design had the requirement of a Bachelors Degree. So then, being that ACC didn’t offer a Bachelor’s degree in the field of Graphic Design at the time, she started her search for a new school. In about a month’s time she had found Texas State, which had one of the best graphic design programs in the country and offers the rare Master’s degree in Graphic Design.

“There were lots of people in the classes” She said. To Akaimi, this was a whole new world. The thing that made it even more weird was that she was older than most of her colleagues, but they never really found out.

“I never told people that I had kids” said Davis.

She did this to prove to herself that she could do any thing that the others were doing, plus take care of her kids.

Then in a few years, she really did prove herself by getting her painting titled “Warfare is Mental” exhibited in a special presentation at Texas State.

“I was very excited and felt accomplished and proud” said Davis when she later received awards from the Association of College Unions International for designs that she made to promote the LBJ student center at Texas State. So how did she come across these amazing skills? She developed most of them from the class that she loved the most at Texas State, Logo Design which was taught by Prof. Jeff Davis.

“I enjoy starting from scratch to make something spectacular” explained Davis. But like with everything, you have to know hate to know love. So the opposite of Logo design for

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people

Akaimi was in fact Biology. Maybe it was because she wasn’t majoring in science, so the class wasn’t that great.

“It didn’t meet my expectation” explained Davis. She said that they learned mostly about cells and things that you should have learned in high school. She was expecting to learn something that she didn’t already know, so she pretty much thought it was a waste of time. Through the many agonizingly boring classes of biology, she finally came to her dig day. It was time to graduate.

“I was really nervous, but excited to share my accomplishment with my family” said Davis.

She thought that this day was as important to her kids as it was to her, because she hoped that seeing her succeed would inspire them to keep going in life, and never give up. Her graduation day was full of laughter, tears, and marked the time for Akaimi to move on.

“The next thing that was on my agenda was to find a job that deals with graphic design, and still am” After her graduation she took up a job at apple computers to bridge the gap for the time being.

“I also chose apple, because of my training on the apple computers” said Davis.

Texas State was on apple computers, so she had a pretty broad knowledge of the programs and applications that the apples had.

As of know, Akaimi is still working at apple, but she does see another path that she could take.

“Now I’m looking further into my future” says Davis.

She is now considering going back to Texas State to pursue her Master’s Degree in Graphic Design. Then if she receives her Master’s degree, then she could actually teach Graphic design on a University level. So now all she has to do is wait for the economy to get better, because in this recession companies used less advertisement than usual.

So now you know the story of the beautician who transformed into a Graphic Designer.

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people

Kirk Tuck sips his coffee as he listens to his friends at Sweetish Hill bakery on a chilly Sunday morning. This weekly gathering of two or three families of intellectuals is known fondly by its members as Our Lady of the Sweetish Hill in homage to a religious gathering. His beloved dog, Tulip, sits at the base of the rickety outdoor table and barks at another dog. Tuck Barks.

Tuck a successful freelance photographer and bestselling author on photography, lives with his family west of Austin. He specializes in portraits and says he has spent 20,000 hours practicing taking pictures.

Tuck’s father was stationed around the world while in the military before the family finally settled in San Antonio. Tuck learned how to create friendships in this unique situation.

“The interesting thing is that it requires friendships to be created quickly.” says Tuck, “What better thing for a photographer?”

Tuck seemed destined to be in photography since he got his first Polaroid camera. His role-model is Richard Avedon, a recognized fashion photographer, who has influenced Tuck’s work.

Tuck has been taking pictures in Austin since the 1970’s and has seen how photography has changed.

“Austin is a photography town.” He says, “In the 1970’s and early 1980’s everyone carried a camera everywhere. Now, people dabble in it.”

Tuck thinks that Photoshop allows people to not try hard. He feels that quality photography is being replaced with video and other multimedia, which he feels are fine mediums for art, but do not have the deep connection or dedication that photography has.

Throughout his career, Tuck has gained prominence in the photography world. He has had some crazy experiences while taking pictures.

“I photographed a CEO and former German president drinking a $26,000 bottle of brandy at a hotel where the cheapest guest room was $1500 per night. I almost crashed in a helicopter over a golf course in Phoenix. I bribed customs officials in Jamaica to get into the country with a bunch of photo gear. I dropped a $2500 lens into a giant sewage tank at a sewage plant. I got tear gassed by the police in Los Angeles while I was covering the democratic convention in 1996. I got rescued at the same convention by the secret service. I talked my way into the Paris Fashion show in 1995 to take photos. I photographed a regatta sailing race in Coronado Bay. And fell in twice. I ran backwards over a golf course with two cameras in my hands to photograph Michael Dell jogging.”

Tuck had an especially bizarre experience in St. Petersburg Russia.

“My plane crash landed on the St. Petersburg Russia runway in a blizzard. I used the Czar’s toilet at the Mariensky Theater. I almost got mugged by Russian vagrants in the same trip but they were scattered by Russian commandos with machine guns. I got thrown out of the Hermitage Museum for sneaking into a closed gallery to make forbidden photos.”

Tuck has a passion for swimming and his work ethic in the pool translates into a general work ethic in life and photography.

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“I think that everything in life is like swimming. In swimming, you learn techniques and then you practice. It is the constant practice that makes you good. No one wants to hear that just working hard at something and practicing makes you good. American society wants a quick fix, instant gratification.” Tuck says, “Practice of whatever you are going to do in life should be just as satisfying as the product itself. It is the enjoyment of the process that makes the final outcome worthwhile. We can’t all be Da Vinci or Phelps, but we can all enjoy the process [of getting there].”

Tuck’s free lance lifestyle gives him an interesting perspective and philosophy in life and in photography.

“There is no guaranteed ‘afterlife’ so you’d better do the stuff you want to do right now. That means making sure that what you spend most of your time doing is something that keeps you happy, motivated and inspired. Reduce the crappy, repetitive stuff as much as possible and avoid getting pulled into other people’s drama.” Explains Tuck, “In photography I don’t really care if people see the photographs I take because I take them for myself.” Says Tuck, “I want to spend my time recording what I find fascinating. My paying work provides the tools and the time to support my personal work. [This] is walking around and seeing things that fascinate me and translating my feeling intrigue or wonderment though the camera for other people to experience.”

He says, “In business my goal is to do 10% less commercial work each year while making the same (relative) amount of money each year.”

Tuck and many other photographers suffered during the 2008/2009 economic recession because fewer companies were hiring photographers for events. This meant lower income for Tuck.

“2008 and 2009 were the two worst years any photographer has lived through,” Tuck says.

Sometimes he thinks he should have been doctor or investment banker, but he is glad of the path he took. His work allows him to live life to its fullest potential while still providing for his family.

“When you trade freedom for money, you don’t get time back,” says Tuck, “Work is highly overrated.”

Tuck has also written four best-selling books. The first two were on lighting, the third on business of photography, and the fourth on types of light and how to use them.

“It is so easy!” he exclaims, “I write 2000 words a day for 30 days.”

He thinks that writing a book is an experience that everybody should have.

“It feels great! When I was writing the first book, I was scared it was going to be a dud. Then, ‘Wow! I kind of know what I am talking about!’” says Tuck, “When you’re successful [at something], it makes you want to do it again. Everybody should write a book.”

In the future, Tuck plans to take even more portraits and start writing novels. Whatever the future holds for Tuck, it promises to be consistently interesting and full of surprises.

“I think looking at peoples’ faces and writing about them is the most interesting thing.” he says. “Oh my God. I’m people-centric!” Ü

There is no guaranteed ‘afterlife’ so you’d better do the stuff you want to do right now.

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Light the Way

by Zach Nirenberg photo courtesy of Kirk Tuck

Dover, England

people

across the world photos by Alina Vega

Model: Savannah Dew March - May 2009

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Café Oblivious Inside the tight leaves Compressed into pristine shape To please the eye Lies a small wisp of smoke That moves excitedly Oblivious to the walls of its cage.

Crouched inside the coat pocket Of a large man, It rests, teeth barred Waiting for the chance To rip the man’s flesh from his bones.

And in the shadow his coat creates It almost looks as if it’s smiling.

On the underside of a table leg A small parasite That will prove fatal With the slightest touch of its body Sleeps: dreaming of blood.

Behind the door The couple that own the restaurant Scream at each other And the man’s arm swings back Landing on the woman With a satisfying smack.

A woman’s poodle Plots revenge The gears in its small mind whirring Salivating For her dainty hors d’oeuvres Perched delicately on her plate.

A man with a top hat grins, His smile stretching Audible snaps and crunches Heard as the skin gives way To gaping sores.

And the woman scowls, Drinking her bittersweet tea, And sighs: Dover, England

“Everything is not as it seems.”

--C.A. Waters

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Austin, Texas

足-- she fills up 22

Austin, Texas

every corner like she’s born in black and white.

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people

All the proper British people probably thought she was the most fashionable thing since the Paris popped into existence. I mean, check out that coat. Matching glasses? The patchy blue boots cooling down the intensity of those bright red focal points. The fingerless gloves up in a salute; condescending, but sleek.

Not to mention the skeptical look on her face.

March found Ms. Dew posing in front of Windsor in the lovely UK, which was uncharacteristically sunny for spring. There were gorgeous moments all across the week; moments when the subway

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would zoom into the station, whipping her scarves or hair around; the time in Dover with the sun breaking through the clouds; the night there was an outing to Her Majesty’s Theatre to see the Phantom of the Opera. Apparently, Britain got itself visited by a little fashionista. I, for one, think they were dazzled. They had every right to be so, being invaded by such a good looking model as the one featured here. Just look at the composition; brochure sticking out of a jacket pocket, backpack weighing down her back... the most fashionable tourist on Earth.

Windsor, England

The Key to Success

by Gabi

photo courtesy of Deviantart.com

Hadad

people

Olivia Lupercio prances up to the piano and sits down at the bench. Picking up a book, she flips through the pages, and chooses a song. She then lays the book open on the music rack and sets her hands on the shiny black and white keys. Suddenly music emits from the piano and her hands dance up and down the octaves.

It is a beautiful sound, one that seems to erase all the bad things in the world. “It has like a healing power to it that I’ve always believed in, and it’s always been a lot of fun and a way to connect to all different kinds of people and cultures,” Olivia Lupercio, a senior at McCallum, says about music.

Olivia has been playing the piano since she was in the third grade, and plans on playing the piano for the rest of her life. She says that her parents were always there for her. “They’ve always taken me to my piano lessons, and they would always make sure I practiced and stuff… they’ve always been really supportive.”

Olivia, who also plays the clarinet, says that McCallum has also helped her towards her goal of majoring in music therapy. “Being in the fine arts academy requires me to… have a major, which is band, have to participate in band competitions and things like that, and I have to be in marching band, which has all those competitions and things…a piano class…and also a theory class, which I already took. They’re always very encouraging of using your musical abilities and everything.” she explains.

To major in music therapy and become a music therapist, Olivia also needs to go to a good college. She recently went on a few college trips. She

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says that she is interested in “Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Shenandoah University and Conservatory in Winchester, Virginia, University of Dayton in Ohio, Baldwin-Wallace College in Cleveland, and SMU.” And these are only a few.

College is expensive, and Olivia is hoping that she can get scholarships. She says that she doesn’t have any scholarships yet. “I haven’t auditioned, but when I have my auditions, then they’ll tell me if I got whatever kind of money.”

Olivia’s piano teacher, Dr. Burnham, encourages her to compete in piano competitions. She has been performing in competitions since she was in 5th grade. She performs in competitions at least once every year, and lately she has been performing more often, like maybe three or four times a year. “Probably the greatest accomplishment was just going to U.I.L. state for the past two years.” she explains.

Music is a big part of Olivia Lupercio’s life, and she advises other high school students who love music to use it for their advantage.

She says, “Practice a lot; enjoy music for what it is and for what it means to you, and use that as a way to find something that will make you happy in your future career… When I became a piano performer, I realized that I had a lot more options, because the music field is growing. I didn’t really know how many doors were open to musicians. I didn’t know that much about music therapy. You don’t have to be a superstar pianist, you can just be a regular person who enjoys music, and you can pursue it. There are so many options for music.” Ü

Enjoy music for what it is and for what it means to you, and use that as a way that will make you happy in your future career.

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people

Twenty-one people dance furiously to the rhythmic claps and directional barks of a man dressed in black, his thick-rimmed glasses slipping down his nose as he tells them that the energy is at about a negative two and that they can do 1,000 times better. He knows this because he’s seen them at their very best, where their voices all harmonize and they dance as if they were standing on a bed of fire, their energy raising the roof of the theatre and leaving the audience in awe. They’ve heard this speech before; they know the drill. So they grab their respective bottles of water, stand in relaxed positions, and listen to him lecture.

When he commands them to try it again, they stand up, instantly alert, and energy triples from the last run.

From the way they’re coached, one would think that they’re professional stage actors, but, though that’s what most of them aspire to be, they’re all pre-professional kids between 7th and 12th grade in the Zachary Scott theatre Showstoppers program.

“The feeling of being on the stage during a show and the applause you get is just magical,” Showstopper Danielle Green said. “My biggest dream is to be successful in theatre, or at least continue to do theatre throughout my adult years.”

The program, directed by Adam Roberts and co-directed by Jaclyn Lowenstein, seems to have that purpose in mind. Since its birth two years ago, the leaders of the Showstoppers troupe have been working their very hardest to make their students reach for the stars.

“I can’t say, ‘Oh, I hope you’ll all go to Broadway’ because that’s certainly not necessarily the best choice for everyone,” Lowenstein said. “What I hope is that we’re giving everyone a very realistic taste of real world professional theatre life and through that everyone will be able to make their own decisions as to what kind of role this will play in their future.”

It’s a very hard decision to make. Out of the many career choices, theatre is one of the most risky and difficult businesses to get into. It’s hard to win auditions for parts that hundreds of other people want, and when an actor does get a part, there are strenuous rehearsals to go through before the performing actually begins. It’s a very irregular job, and an actor can go for months without work.

“Everybody should have a back-up plan,” Lowenstein said. “Even though I didn’t end up using the skills of my undergrad journalism degree for very long in my job, I’m really glad that I did it, because I have a good degree in something else and I feel if I needed to, I could get a job doing public relations at any sort of company.”

And public relations are important when it comes to putting on the fully-staged show that the Showstoppers troupe performs every year. Advertising the presence is essential to their success. The troupe puts themselves out in public as often as possible, performing at benefits and festivals all over Austin. It’s a challenge to choose material for these

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events: the directors have to consider the tone of the event, the entertainment of the audience and the size of the stage they’ll have to perform on, but the benefit of the troupe has to be contemplated as well.

“We always want it to be challenging and that’s getting harder and harder because the talent level has grown so much,” Lowenstein said. “When it comes to choosing a show for the group, you have to look hard because this isn’t like a typical high school or middle school where there’s a handful of really talented kids and the cream of the crop rise to the top and it’s usually pretty clear who the most talented and committed kids are. But in this group everybody is the cream of the crop. So when you put that kind of talent together in a room and then try to choose a show that can show everybody off, it’s almost impossible to find something where the audience is going to get a chance to see everyone’s talents.”

The directors have decided to put on the musical Call It Courage this spring. Finding the right show was difficult, as the directors had to find a show that would suit the number of students, the challenge these students need, the audience they’re aiming for, and the space that they’re performing in.

“Last year, in the fall, we were already diving in and working hard on our production,” Lowenstein said. This year, we’re working a bit more on skills and developing technique in the various areas of acting, singing, and dancing. There’s not so much pressure to get the show up at this point in the year. We’re able to have a little more relaxed time together and get to know each other and try to integrate the new kids who weren’t in the troupe last year with the ones who have been around. I think we’re in a good place.”

It’s not all on the directors. The students put in their fair amount of work as well. Weekly rehearsals are on Sunday from 3:00 to 6:30, and training in these hours is intense.

“It’s quite rigorous, but very fun and worthwhile,” Showstopper Conor Donnelly said. “So far, it has taught me about the intensity of pre-professional theater. It is much more challenging than other programs, and for now it is more focused on the learning aspects instead of the show and performance itself.”

Across the board, the students say that they love the program, and that even though it’s challenging, takes up a Sunday afternoon, and can be stressful and counter-productive at times, they’ve met many great people and had wonderful experiences along the way.

“I know there’s the whole ‘going to New York, and being on Broadway,’” Showstopper Korina Lurie said, “but if I don’t do that, I just want to be involved in theatre somehow professionally, or even community theatre. I personally would rather be an actress than a theatre teacher.

Just being up on the stage… it makes you feel totally different than doing anything else.” Ü

pose.

by Alina Vega

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My biggest dream is to be succesful in theatre.

photo courtesty of Deviantart.com

FACEBOOK:ter? s a w Lifesaver or e f i L r o r Lifewaster? e v a s

e f i L

b

G y

H i ab

By Gabi R. Hadad

d a ad

people

Almost everyday, when I’m done with my homework, for just a few minutes, I get on Facebook. I respond to a message that I’ve kept going with my best friend, post a new status, read some of the things my friends have posted on the news feed, “poke” a friend, and maybe write on someone’s wall. I have a whole miniuniverse at the touch of my fingertips, and at any moment in time I can be connected to over 300 people. And it’s all thanks to Facebook.

According to Facebook, the average user has 130 friends. I myself have 387 and use Facebook almost everyday. Some say Facebook is a time-sucker, a pointless website, and a breeding ground for narcissism. I beg to differ.

I have heard over and over and over again the rants of people who believe that Facebook is a waste of time and productivity. There are many articles for Facebook, against Facebook, and comparing Facebook to many other social networking sites, like Myspace and Twitter. I think that it is a great way to stay in touch with people, promote businesses, and communicate quickly.

When a friend or family member of yours has gone off to college, moved away, or maybe if you just haven’t seen them very much lately, you can keep up to date with the events in their life by checking Facebook. When I came to LASA, I was leaving a lot of my good friends behind. So now, I like to check up on my friends from middle school on Facebook. Within minutes, it is possible for me to already know that one of my friends has recently read a good book, gone shopping and spent time with their family. In this way, you stay in touch with them without having to see them.

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When you meet someone new, you can add them on Facebook, and it’s like having a new inside link to them, causing you to become closer friends. When I first came to LASA, I was meeting a lot of new people, and I added lots of them as friends on Facebook.

When you need to tell a friend something urgent, talk to them, or send them a smile, you can do it all in the click of a button. If you are going to be in a production, if you are publishing something, or if you’re starting a business, you can put up ads on Facebook or put something on your status to promote your work.

Many say that Facebook is useless when you can call someone, or see them in person. And others say that it sucks you in and wastes hours on end. I disagree with both of these statements, because Facebook is a much quicker way to communicate. Talking to people is at the touch of a button on Facebook, and with new internet speeds, it takes mere seconds to post things. Also, Facebook can only waste time if you allow it to. To make sure that you don’t waste time on Facebook, you can always set limits for yourself, like only getting on when you’re done with your work or setting a time limit for how long you allow yourself to be on, so that you aren’t on for too long and aren’t preventing yourself from being productive. Another example of a good thing about Facebook is that if you are ever questioning something, like maybe you can’t remember when some homework is due, want restaurant, music, or book recommendations, or if you just want to know what the score of last night’s U.T. game was, post it as your status, or write on a friend’s wall, and within a couple hours people have commented with the answer.

Facebook critics also argue that people become narcissistic and post things about themselves doing amazing things, having a huge amount of friends, or being incredibly smart. Some people have even created fan groups for themselves. If you use Facebook properly, this should not be an issue. Don’t put things that broadcast self-centered things.

That can get very annoying to other people and it makes them want to de-friend you. CNN posted an article on August 25, written by Brandon Griggs, all about the 12 different types of most annoying users on Facebook. The 12 types are the Let-Me-Tell-You-Every-Detail-of-myDay Bore, the Self-Promoter, the FriendPadder, the Town Crier, the TMI-er, the Bad Grammarian, the Sympathy-Baiter, the Lurker, the Crank, the Paparazzo, the Obscurist, and the Chronic Inviter. These are all types of people who are very annoying on Facebook. But if you put status updates about other people or things that are beneficial to others, then people don’t get so annoyed with your statuses and may possibly “Like” them or comment on them.

Overall, Facebook is whatever you make it to be, and with the proper use, it can be very helpful. As long as you limit yourself and keep in mind what you post, Facebook is a lifesaver and a fun use of any spare time you may have. Ü

When I came to LASA, I was leaving a lot of my good friends behind. So now, I like to check up on my friends from middle school on Facebook.

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“

the warming

warning

by Tyran Williams

Photo courtesy of ohdisease

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Why? Why would they let them slip through the cracks? Why would they let them damage our planet even more? Why? If you haven’t heard the news about the ACES act, then I will inform you. As you know, the ACES act is the act that is supposed to help the US cut down on its carbon emissions. But unfortunately, the act has decided to let 11 coal factories contine their production, which means that these factories won’t have to meet the emission standards. And to make things worse, those 11 factories that can emit as much carbon dioxide as they want are being built right here in Texas.

I for one think that this is an outrage, and who ever decided to let those companies to continue emitting all of that CO2 should be ashamed of themselves. Someone needs to do something about this Someone needs to do something about this.

One reason why I think that this decision was wrong is because due to all of the carbon that these companies are going to release, there is going to be a lot more pollution in the once clean Texas air. According to PRNnewswire, due to the unaffected factories the statewide emission of carbon dioxide will rise to 38.5 million tons of CO2 released yearly which could have been avoided if the factories had to meet the standards of the ACES act.

Another reason I think that this is wrong is because they are making the old factories change to meet the requirements of the act which is going to cost a lot of

money to do, but yet these 11 factories aren’t even built yet. So it wouldn’t cost that much to change the design of the factories, because you wouldn’t have to actually tear down any thing to put new stuff in because it doesn’t exist.

So you wouldn’t really be adding that much money compared to the total of all of the money used to change the old companies. According to the New York Times, it would take $45 trillion to convert all of the factories in the US to go green.

And my last reason is actually an argument against what some people think otherpeople say that hese new factories wont hurt us that much because this has already happened before, and the plants helped by providing refined coal. Now when they say this they are referring to the wave of factories that got by the Clean Air Act in 1977.But in this case, those factories did more harm than help, by polluting Texas’s air. According to USNnewswire due to those factories that didn’t have to meet the Clean Air Act’s regulations, a whole generation of Texans was subjected to pollution and dirty air that would have been avoided if the plants had abided by the regulations.

In conclusion, I really think that this was a bad decision to let the se new companies slide through the ACES act. Maybe if the Governor of our great state would find it in his heart to bring this up in a senate meeting, then we might be able to get something done about these factories. Ü

Someone needs to do something about this.

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macro

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One Man’s Trash...

Text and photography by Tyran Williams

1

Step 1: Get 2 boxes of juice pouches and drink them.

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Step 2:Make sure that there is no liquid left in the pouches, and flatten them.

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Step 3:Peice together the pattern of the bag.

4

Step 4: With a sewing machine, sew 2 pouches together, the bottom of one pouch to the top of another. This will be the bottom of the bag.

5

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Step 5: Sew three pouches together side by side. Repeat that step for the other side of the bag.

Here’s a quick way to help the environment by not putting more trash into landfills, and it actually has use in your everyday life.

6 7 8 9 10

Step 6: Sew each side to the middle two pouches of the bottom.

Step 7: Bend the end pieces of the bottom up to meet the sides of the purse.

Sew the seams closed. This creates a box of pouches.

Step 8: Sew the last three remaining pouches together, just like the sides of the bag.

Step 9: Attach this new piece to a long side of the box you have already created.

This creates a closing flap to the bag.

Step 10: Put snaps on the flaps so that the bag can close or put straps on the bag to make a purse.

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macro Being a typical 14-year-old, there are many things that rub me the wrong way. To name a few, I’m bothered by little kids, die-hard conservatives, small talk, old cars, PCs, and busy work. It’s normal for someone my age to feel this way about half the things they see every day, but what’s not normal is the fact that I was growing up years before I was born.

What bothers me the most in this world is having a mind close to adulthood and a body that restrains me to the abilities of a child.

I’m not a genius. I don’t have incredible insight and opinions that would benefit the fate of the world.

But I grew up with a kind of accelerated maturity that has been ready for years to take charge and begin heading out into the Earth According to Grown-ups. Every time I hear “No, you’re too young,” or “No, you’re not mature enough,” I seethe a little inside. Since my last year in middle school, I have had the maturity of a young adult; albeit a young adult with the ability to be bothered like a teenager. But no matter how much a say it, no matter how hard I try to prove that I’m ready to take some of my own weight and strive for success, no one seems to care.

No one takes a moment to ask what I believe, and it’s high time I say it.

I believe in the freedom of growing up.

It’s not to say I strive to be “original” and “different.” I’m trying for an alternative lifestyle, if you will.

I’m not one of those kids who want nothing more than to turn 18 because they want to bust out of the house, smoke some weed, and rock some awesome parties.

Honestly, those kids earn the butt of my deepest scorn and contempt. Because of these kids who want to be “bad,” teenagers with my mentality are forced to stay bent down to their level. Because of these kids, in the Earth According to Grown-ups, all teenagers are nothing but trouble. Because of these kids, nothing in my mind will even be reviewed for the consideration of the term “mature.”

I don’t want to be the first woman president when I grow up. I don’t want to be a legend of a lawyer, or a

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multi-millionaire surgeon. My dream is to make a decision about what the hell I’m going to major it, move to New York, and make my way working a good job by day and working the theatre scene at night. I’m not fighting through life to be a starving artist, but money’s really not what’s important in the future. I think one of the things that every teenager has to realize on the road to maturity is that happiness is the most important thing. I’m confident that I can make it through financially and still be happy.

It’s not to say I’m ready to leave home and head off to college. There’s no way I can call myself monetarily sound, and, seeing as I can’t even drive, there’s no way I could be considered for a job. When I say I believe in the freedom of growing up, I mean I believe that every person is different, and we all should be able to grow at our own pace. The fact that I can’t get a job before I’m 16 infuriates me, and the fact that my parents have to sign off on everything I do is just maddening. It is my life and my growth, not my parents’, not my teachers’, and not the state’s. I believe in the freedom to make my own choices, and setting my own path.

Growing as a sharp-minded, itching young adult in a child’s body, I’ve learned through watching people that responsibility is usually something individuals place in you as you grow in age, not in maturity. Though I may be slightly temperamental and stacked with hormones, I am strong, and I can make my own decisions. Full-grown people tell me that I can only go through these doors when I have opened them. I disagree. These doors are controlled by trust and responsibility placed in me, and that is controlled by adults who see me as a plain-old, trouble-making teenager.

I, and every ready-minded adolescent, deserve to be given a chance. I deserve to be seen for who I am, not who the lowest of my age have set the standards to be. I deserve to walk through the open doors of life.

I believe that I am ready for them to give me those doors to open Ü

I deserve to be seen for who I am, not who the lowest of my age have set the standards to be.

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speaking for us all

by Alina Vega

photo courtesy of ScarletKoi

Over the past semester there has been a lot of yelling, face-palming, emergency math homework and shoes thrown around between us, but despite the panic, frustration, and eyebrow raising, we managed to produced our baby – this fantastic creation that we have christened LÜX magazine. Over the past 17 weeks we have undergone great trial – chasing frantically after models, emailing in bad French, and struggling for font rehab – but through all the days of bad moods, loud fighting, and carpal tunnel syndrome, we emerged with only a few ego bruises and smirks all around.

LÜX. Definition: doesn’t mean anything in particular.

Origin: comes from the idea that having an umlaut on our front cover would look very nice. Relevance: eh… there really is none. But relevance doesn’t really matter when it comes to the central theme of arts and culture. We’re abstract and pliable, and ready to change at a moments notice. That’s the thing about us – we’re just that cool.

If you’ve found that you like us, you can visit us online at www.uber-mag.blogspot.com Thanks for the read, guys.

LÜX magazine staff

the editors’ pages

LÜX

GABI HADAD: is a soccer-playing, reading, crazy, hyper maniac who talks very loud, smiles a lot, and laughs a lot. She loves to be with her friends and family, and tries to get good grades. Gabi is an epic beast, a G, and a Lutheran. She can be somewhat annoying and some people say she is too talkative, or “Gabi,” but people love her anyways.

ALINA VEGA: is an overly charismatic musical theatre buff who spends a little too much time writing and drawing to be considered normal. Alina is unsure as to which way her future is heading, but is pretty sure that whichever way it goes she’ll be dancing along with a rip-off Tibetan llama herder cap on her head.

ZACH NIRENBERG: is a fan of modern architecture. Zach also enjoys traveling, arguing with his friends, and politics. He cherishes his friends and family and wants to make an imprint on the world by solving world problems through architecture. Zach has the occasional ability to be smart.

TYRAN WILLIAMS: is a brainy football player, which is kind of an oxymoron. On the contrary, Tyran is a very quiet and laid back person who doesn’t talk much. Tyran plays guitar and spends most of his time playing video games and chillin’. He’s the odd one when compared to the rest of his family.

boom.