The Loafer 11 by lbdfamilymedia

It’s Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas! The Nashville Sound wants to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season!

Publisher Lisa Durbin Creative DIrector Jon Bill Forrester Managing Editor Peggy Gale DIstribution Elizabeth Armstrong Entertainment Coordinator Andreax Jarre

your week’s line-up

Volume 03 Issue 11

Contributing Staff Kathie Scalf

Tim SImpson

The Loafer Po Box 39 423-930-7319

Let’s Get Social!

11 Karaoke 11 Trivia 12 Puzzle Page 13 Pets of the Week 13 Parks and Recreation Offers White Rock Loop Hike 15 Christmas Shopping Guide 27 Things To Do Rocky Mount Celebrates the Holidays with Christmas Tours

36 “Branding Yourself as a Creative,” Featuring Kelly Porter

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LBD

08 Spotlight

34 The Gallery @ Barr Photographics Welcomes Patrica RIngley McCarthy

Telford, Tn 37690

FAMILY MEDIA

06 MPCC to Host Holiday Party for Special Needs Individuals

30 Santa’s Workshop at the Inn’ Planned Sunday, Dec. 12, At General Morgan Inn

Wendy Hayden

Founder: Bill Williams

05 Holiday Family Fun at WKMA

29 WQUT Concert Schedule

Ken Silvers

All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the representation that the agency and/or advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify and save the publisher harmless from any lossof expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement, including claims or suits for defamation, libel, right of privacy, plagiarism, and copyright infringement.

03 Tusculum Alumna Shares Personal Story In Book Designed to Help Adopted Children Understand They Are Handpicked

Andy Ross

columns & reviews

theloaferonline.com December 7, 2021

NOTE

FROM THE

PUBLISHER Hello Loafer Readers! It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. What is your favorite thing about the Holiday Season? My favorite things are the decorations and the family time. Downtown Johnson City and all of the participants did an amazing job with the Christmas trees! If you haven’t been to see those you should really make it a family event. I hope that at least some of you are thinking about what I said last week about giving. This is such a great time to help out another person or family. Sometimes it only takes a very small effort to make a huge impact to someone else. Please take a look through our shopping guide and help to support those local businesses. Let’s all try to shop local as much as we can. Have a great week and thank you for your continued support!

38 Celebrate the Holidays with A Radio Bristol Christmas Show

31 Ponderings to Ponder Afterlife: A Review 33 Social Sentiments: No Budget? No Problrm 35 Tea Time with Appalachian Barbie: Holiday Happenings 37 Pop Life: Father Christmas is Back 39 Batteries Not Included: The Holiday Lull

Love, Lisa Durbin Publisher

and they were mine. They loved me since the moment I was born. So this book is dedicated to them and all they did for me. I wouldn’t be where I am or who I am without them.”

Many children thank their parents for their success, but not all of them credit Mom and Dad with saving their lives. Serina Marshall does. The Tusculum University alumna, who graduated in May with a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in communication and public relations, has written her first book, one that borrows extensively from her personal life. It is a children’s book about adoption called “Handpicked.” “I was adopted by my grandparents when I was 3 years old,” Marshall said. “Though they were older, they didn’t hesitate to raise another child. I sincerely felt they saved my life. Even though they were my grandparents, I called them mom and dad, as they were all I knew. I was theirs

In the book, the main character’s name is Allie Rose, which is the first name of her mother and her mother’s favorite flower. Allie is redheaded, just like Marshall. The book follows the lives of Allie, her parents and her friends. Marshall said the book is about home, belonging, family and the beauty of being handpicked. Marshall understands the challenges adopted children sometimes face. During her younger years, other children told Marshall she was given up for adoption because she was not wanted. She said adopted children should not consider that viewpoint valid. “I want other adopted kids to know that the reason they were adopted is because they were wanted more than anything, and that’s why they were specially handpicked,” Marshall said. “I hope adopted children and their adoptive parents know that they are special

and loved so uniquely – that their bond transcends blood and goes beyond what we can fathom. Everyone deserves the chance to be loved unconditionally.”

is inspiring. We are also thrilled to see her carry on the tradition of writing excellence by students and alumni of Tusculum’s English program.”

Unfortunately, Marshall’s parents are no longer alive to observe their daughter’s achievements, but they will continue to influence her. Marshall plans to expand on “Handpicked” with a book series that will show Allie growing up. That will enable children to see themselves in similar situations. She will spotlight diversity and inclusivity with different races and sexualities to be relatable for multiple audiences.

Preorders of “Handpicked” are available through Amazon and other book purchasing outlets, with the book’s release set for March. She is scheduled to read and sign copies of her book at Tusculum during the Old Oak Festival in April.

In addition to writing “Handpicked,” Marshall is a reporter for the Herald &Tribune in Jonesborough, She has also written for other newspapers and magazines in Northeast Tennessee. “We are extremely proud of Serina and the success she has already achieved at this early stage in her writing career,” said Wayne Thomas, dean of Tusculum’s College of Civic and Liberal Arts. “Seeing her channel her life story into a book that will help others with similar experiences

theloaferonline.com | December 7, 2021

Tusculum Alumna Shares Personal Story in Book Designed to Help Adopted Children Understand They Are Handpicked

theloaferonline.com December 7, 2021

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This December, William King Museum of Art in Abingdon, VA offers holiday classes and events all month long! Celebrate the season with handmade gifts from the heart. Classes are available for all ages. Register online at: williamkingmuseum.org or call: (276) 628 - 5005.

Learn about Appalachian burial traditions in a positive light by creating an evergreen “grave blanket” for a historical figure and taking a family-friendly tour of “Will the Circle be Unbroken?”

• Paste Paper Cards $10 Members, $15 Non-Members. Dec. 14, 5:30-:7:30 PM Create colorful patterned paper to turn into holiday cards.

• Elves Workshop

• Orange Pomander Balls

• Toy Drive

Free for Members, $5 Non-Members. Dec. 18, 11-4 PM At Elves Workshop, kids can craft artistic presents for friends and family while parents relax. Don your ugly sweat ers and elf hats to get in the holiday mood.

$10 Members, $15 Non-Members. Dec. 15, 5:30-:7:30 PM Use natural materials to create fragrant and festive pomander balls.

Now – Dec. 12

For Teens and Adults

William King Museum of Art is partnering with Benhams Head Start in Bristol, VA to bring toys to children this hol iday season! Bring a new, unwrapped toy, for ages 3 to 5 years old, to William King Museum of Art and help these deserving families have a special Christmas.

For Families and Kids Sign up at:

www.williamkingmuseum.org/events/

• December Family Day: Seasonal Traditions FREE! Dec. 11, 1-4 PM

ARTSPACE THEATRE TICKETS: ADULTS | $12 SENIORS | $10 STUDENTS | $10 PLUS PROCESSING FEES

theloaferonline.com | December 7, 2021

Holiday Family Fun at WKMA

cork gnome ornament.

• Winter Night Monotype Prints $10 Members, $15 Non-Members. Dec. 16, 5:30-:7:30 PM Learn printmaking techniques to create an original winter scene.

Create your own mini electronic organ in an Altoids tin! A Color Organ is a device that interprets sound with • Gingerbread House Painting light; plug in your music player and $10 Members, $15 Non-Members. Dec. it’s your own personal light show. 17, 5:30-:7:30 PM Be guided through • Rustic Cork Gnome Ornaments the steps to paint a playful $10 Members, $15 Non-Members. Dec. 13, 5:30-:7:30 PM Make a unique gingerbread house.

WITH STEPHANIE SNELSON, D.D.S. PRESENTS

Christmas Classics

O. HENRY'S

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI ADAPTED BY MINDY STARNS CLARK

HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN'S

THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL ADAPTED BY DOTTIE HAVLIK

FRIDAYS, SATURDAYS, SUNDAYS

DECEMBER 3-19 THEATREBRISTOL.ORG

DIRECTED BY

PEGGY RUSSELL

theloaferonline.com December 7, 2021

HOW TO BECOME A TN DCS FOSTER PARENT

MPCC to Host Holiday Party for Special Needs Individuals Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St., will host a free holiday party for individuals with special needs on Thursday, Dec. 16 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. All ages are welcome. Participants will have the opportunity to decorate Christmas cookies, make a holiday craft, watch a movie and enjoy light snacks. Caregivers are welcome to attend, as no personal care will be provided. The holiday party is part of a concerted effort by Parks and Recreation to improve the quality

of life for people with disabilities through programming. MPCC staff member Rachel Malone is a certified therapeutic recreation specialist and former president of the Therapeutic Recreation Student Association at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She currently is leading a series of therapeutic classes and programs. Preregistration is required by Dec. 13 in person at MPCC or by calling 423-434-5749.

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theloaferonline.com | December 7, 2021

Year End Inventory Reduction: Up to 75% Off

Spotlight

theloaferonline.com December 7, 2021

Johnson City, Tn Johnson City, TN TUESDAY DEC 7th Brim & Marci Leal 6:30pm at Rocks Wood Fired Pizza WEDNESDAY DEC 8th HB Beverly 6:30pm at Rocks Wood Fired Pizza THURSDAY DEC 9th Justin Mychals 6:30pm at Rocks Wood Fired Pizza Scott Miller 8:00pm at The Down Home FRIDAY DEC 10th Scott Miller 8:00pm at The Down Home BASSLINE w/ SOAKK, Pool Pardy, Johnny Red,

Beatphix and GMG 10:00pm at Capone’s

Jon King 9:00 PM at Sidetracks

SATURDAY DEC 11th

Bryan Howell 6:00pm at Jonesborough Barrel House

Scott Miller 8:00pm at The Down Home

Natalie Grace 7:00pm at Delta Blues BBQ

Elizabethton Elizabethton, TN

The Dimestore Cowboys with The Maggie Valley Band and the Side Effects

Kingsport Kingsport, TN

TUESDAY Dec 7th

FRIDAY DEC 10th

Abingdon, VA Abingdon, VA

Ian Feathers 7:00pm at Gypsy Circus Cider

Downtown Country 6:30pm at Jiggy Ray’s

SATURDAY DEC 11th Fritz & Co. 3:00pm at Abingdon Vineyards Bristol Bristol, TN/Va TN/VA

The Color 7 9:00pm at CJs Sports Bar SATURDAY DEC 11th

SATURDAY DEC 11th

SATURDAY DEC 11th Charlie Maples “In Good Company” 7:00pm at Bonnie Kate Theatre

Gypsy Queens Drag Show 7:00pm at Gypsy Circus Railway Express at 8:00pm Kingsport Moose Lodge

Rogersville, TN TN Rogersville,

WEDNESDAY DEC 8th

Crossfire 9:00pm at CJ’s Sports Bar

Aaron Walker 6:00pm at Mel’s Riverside

JP Parsons 7:00pm at Cascade Draft House

Jonesborough Jonesborough, TN

Blountville, TN Blountville

TUESDAY DEC 7th The Guido Awesome Show 10:00pm at O’Mainnin’s Pub

FRIDAY DEC 10th Mike Preslar7:00pm at Cascade Draft House

Friday Dec 10th RJ Smith 6:00pm at Jonesborough Barrel House

SATURDAY DEC 11th

SATURDAY DEC 11th Memory Lane 6:30pm at the Sportsman

Submit Your Live Shows to: theloaferonlineprint@gmail.com or call 423-930-7319 to be Featured in the Loafer Spotlight

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Last Week's Puzzle Answers Sudoku

Crossword

Cryptogram:

Dropquote:

"The best way to get most husbands to do something is to suggest that perhaps they're too old to do it."

"If you want your life to be more rewarding, you have to change the way you think."

There are Five Reindeer hidden in this issue of The Loafer. Can you find them all?

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theloaferonline.com | December 7, 2021

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TUESDAY TUESDAY

Karaoke at Numan’s - JohnsonEntertainment City Karaoke with Absolute at The Pub Out Back Karaoke with Bert & L.A. at Kingsport Moose Lodge 7pm (The Italian Pizza Pub) - Johnson City 7:00

WEDNESDAY

Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 – Johnson City Karaoke Night at Wonderland Lounge Bar Turn the Page Karaoke at VFWand Post 2108 – Johnson City, TN Karaoke NightSteak at Wonderland Lounge and Bar Karaoke at Quaker and Lube (Bristol, VA) 7pm Johnson Moose City, TN 9pm6pm Karaoke at- Kingsport Lodge Karaoke with RonValley at Kingsport Moose Lodge 6:30pm Karaoke at Thunder Tavern 8pm

THURSDAY THURSDAY

Karaoke at Zachary’s Steakhouse Karaoke with Karaoke with Open Mic Entertainment Michael’s Krazy Karaoke at Stateline Bar & Grill at Wild Wing Café Johnson City, TN 8pm Karaoke w/ DJ Marquez Top Shelf Entertainment Wild Wings Café JC Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City, TN at 10pm Karaoke at Numan’s Johnson City Karaoke at Jiggy Rays Pizzeria - Johnson City, TN Karaoke at Hell JiggyYeah Rays Pizzeria Abby’s Karaoke at CJ’s Sports Bar - Kingsport, TN 8pm 8pm Karaoke w/Tony & RodToad at CJ’sTavern Sports Bar Karaoke at Tipsy - JonesboroughTN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Tulips Grub & Pub 7pm Karaoke at Tipsy Toad (Jonesborough) Open Mic & Karaoke at Wonderland Lounge/Bar N Grill Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Tulips Grub & Pub 7-10 Karaoke at Midnight Oasis - Brtistol, TN Post 2108 – Johnson City, TN Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Karaoke at Sonny's Marina/The French Restaurant Karaoke at Numan’s – Johnson Quarter City, TN 10pm

FRIDAY

Karaoke with Absolute Entertainment FRIDAY at Rainbow Asian Cuisine 9pm

Karaoke w/ Shane Rouse at Bear’s Bar Karaoke with Absolute Entertainment Karaoke at Kingsport Moose Lodge at Union Street Taproom Erwin, TN 8pm Karaoke w/ Reverb Karaoke at The Cottage 8:30pm Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 – Johnson City Karaoke at Elizabethton VFW Karaoke w/ Michael at Holiday Inn (Exit2108 7) – Bristol, VA Turn the Page Hawkins Karaoke at VFWPost – Johnson City, TN Karaoke at Numan’s – JohnsonEntertainment City Karaoke w/ Absolute at Tulips Grub & Pub 8-11 Karaoke at 27 at Lions (Marion, VA) 9:00pm City, TN 10pm Karaoke Numan’s – Johnson Karaoke with Absolute Entertainment Macado’s Kingsport Karaoke with Absolute Entertainment at Rainbow Asian Cuisine 9pm Karaoke with Absolute Entertainment at Laurel Marina on South Holsten 9pm

SATURDAY

Trivia TUESDAY

Wild Wing Café JC- Team Trivia Tuesdays 8:30pm Johnson City Brewing Company- Trivia Tuesdays 7pm Aubrey’s Johnson City- Trivia Night 7pm 27 Lions - Trivia Night 7pm Union Street Taproom - DJ Trivia 6pm

WEDNESDAY

Tipton Street Pub- Trivia Wednesdays 9pm Aubrey’s Bristol- Trivia Night 7pm Johnson City Moose Lodge 1831 - DJ Trivia 7pm Tipsy Toad (Jonesborough) - Trivia 7pm

THURSDAY

Holy Taco & Cantina Trivia Night 9pm JRH Brewing - Trivia Night 7pm Mellow Mushroom Johnson City - Mellow Trivia 7pm Gypsy Circus Cider Company - Trivia 6:30pm

MONDAY

Barley Waters- Trivia Night 7pm Yee-Haw Brewing- Trivia Mondays 7pm Woodstone Deli - DJ Trivia 7pm Model City Tap House - Live Team Trivia Night 7pm

SATURDAY

Karaoke at Kingsport Moose Lodge Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 – Johnson City Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Tulips Grub & Pub 8-11 Karaoke at Numan’s – Johnson City Karaoke w/ Tony & Rod at CJ’s Sports Bar

SUNDAY 7pm Open Mic with Karaoke at Go Burrito Johnson City Karaoke at Kingsport Moose Lodge 6pm

MONDAY

Karaoke at Thunder Valley Tavern 8pm

**The schedule is subject to change due to the request for social distancing at this time.**

theloaferonline.com | December 7, 2021

KARAOKE Kara ke

PUZZLE

theloaferonline.com December 7, 2021

SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

Down

1. Yoga retreat 2. Broom, for one 3. Fruitful 4. Circled the earth 5. Cross-country camper, for short 6. Paltry 7. Begun, as a town: abbr. 8. Pay by mail 9. Goddess of strife 10. Certain climate patterns 11. Atoll bays 12. AA helper 14. European waterway 15. Extremely explosive

ACROSS

DROP DROPQUOTE QUOTE

C RY PTOG RAM

33. Sci. theory 1. Phrase preceding a 36. Western horse-drawn vehicle subjective view 40. Colon or den suffix 8. Fishing equipment 41. Heavy exchange student on 13. Veers suddenly "The Simpsons" 14. Commonality 42. Saginaw Bay's lake 16. Hoover or Spencer 44. Popular a.m. show 17. Santo follower 45. Speedometer abbr. 18. Stopped working 46. Lavish celebration 19. Apostrophe's purpose, often 47. "Stuck-up, half-witted, 20. Make ____ stop scruffy-looking nerf herder" 21. New GI, for short of film 22. Denials 49. Imbued 23. Free-for-all 52. Math statement 25. Nick Charles's wife 53. Moscow theater 27. John's Yoko 54. Dine at midnight 28. Economy hotel chain 55. Novice 31. Old map letters 56. Appraise 57. Feasts 32. Wife of Marc Antony

XY CXXICGX FYYT MYIXNLH, BZHLT C LHV GYKL YL CL CRYPTOGRAM

YJT MIKHLT,BWCIH CL YJT ZJHCBNIH VKXW C LHV MIKHLT, CLT JKMX NZ XWH WHCIX YM C XINH MIKHLT OA VIKXKLF WKB LCEH YL XWH VKLFB YM C TICFYL. — Chinese Proverb

Answers to last week’s puzzles can be found on page 9.

24. God who shoots arrows 25. Working, maybe 26. Legally old enough 29. Rare birth occurrence 30. Sodium hydroxide, chemically 33. Bath custom 34. Some motorbikes 35. Mars and Jupiter 37. Masters locale 38. Hits the hay 39. Make a putt 43. Low points 45. Eel variety 48. Fa-ti connectors 49. Letter-shaped supporter 50. Seward Peninsula city 51. Opening in some pajamas

theloaferonline.com | December 7, 2021

PETS

OF THE WEEK

Je ss ie Jessie is a 1 1/2 year old solid black short haired cat with beautiful gold eyes !!! She is very sweet, friendly and loves getting attention. Jessie can get overly excited and can give you one of

her “love bites”, but by no means is she being mean or aggressive. She’s too sweet for that !!! Jessie has been spayed and is up to date on shots. Bday 4-25-20

Parks and Recreation Offers White Rock Loop Hike

Connie Deegan will introduce hikers to the 4.4-mile White Rock Loop at Buffalo Mountain Park. The trail is mostly uphill but hikers will be rewarded with a gorgeous view at the White Rock overlook where they can stop for a snack before heading back down the mountain.

Families and children 8 and older are welcome to attend. Registration is not required. Hikers should meet at the Harris Pavilion at Buffalo Mountain Park, 570 High Ridge Road. The pavilion is located in the upper loop. Hikers are encouraged to pack water, snacks and a camera.

This free program will be held 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11.

For more information, call: 423-283-5821.

B el

149 N. Lincoln Avenue Jonesborough, TN

la This sweet little lady is Bella. She is a solid white Apple Head Chihuahua and will be 10 yrs old in January. Bella loves to be held and likes chicken nuggets !!! Like any other Chihuahua, she loves to snuggle up in a blanket. She is potty & pee pad

trained. Bella has stage B2 degenerative valve disease and needs to be in a home that is quiet and no other dogs unless it is an older dog or cat that would not be rambunctious. She has been spayed and is up to date on shots. Bday 1-1-2012

If you are interested in adopting : The Bridge Home No Kill Animal Shelter 423-239-5237 • 2061 Highway 75 Blountville, TN Facebook: bridgehome

bridgehome.org

Come to us in

We will meet you Anywhere for:

Jonesborough for:

Oil Changes:

Major or Minor

Synthetic or Conventional

Replacements: Headlight Windshield Wipers

Repairs: Tires Tune-Ups

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JOHNSON CITY

FRIDAY DEC 10TH

SATURDAYS

Nature: Dining With The Wolves WEDNESDAY DEC 8TH 2:00pm at Bays Mountain Park Bingo 5:00pm at Abingdon SATURDAY DEC 11TH Community Center Bloomingdale Ruritan Christmas Parade 10:00am at Ketron THURSDAY DEC 9TH Elementry School Great Books for Gifting Last Minute Local Gift Guide 11:00am at Downtown Kingsport 2:00pm at Washington County Public Library Gift Wrapping Party 11:00am at Kingsport Public Library SATURDAY DEC 11TH

ACOA (adult children of alcoholics) 1:30-3:00pm. Call for info Bill 423-444-6107 or Cheryl 423-262-6149 THURSDAY DEC 9TH Be Merry Canvas Class 6:00pm at Into the Fire FRIDAY DEC 10TH Reindeer Door Hanger 6:00pm at Into the Fire SATURDAY DEC 11TH

Nature: The Wonder of Wolves 3:00pm at Bays Mountain Park

BRISTOL

Cookies for Santa Mommy & Me THURSDAY DEC 9TH 9:00am at Into the FIre

ABINGDON, VA

Family Movie Day 11:00am at Abingdon Cinemall SUNDAY DEC 12TH

COMEDY SHOWCASE WEDNESDAY DEC 8TH Comedy Open Mic 7:30pm at Blue Ridge Comedy Club THURSDAY DEC 9TH Pick a Side Stupid 7:30pm at Blue Ridge Comedy Club FRIDAY DEC 10TH Stand-Up - 2 Shows 8:00pm and 10:00pm at LOL Comedy Corner

A Christmas Carol Community Reading 2:00pm at Johnson City Public Library

Bingo 5:00pm at Abingdon Free Covid-19 Vaccination Clinic Community Center 7:00am-10:00am at Bristol Public Library ELIZABETHTON

SUNDAY DEC 12TH

SATURDAY DEC 11TH

Timber Nocturnal Art Market 6:00pm at McDonalds West Walnut

Bringing Christmas to Cumberland Square 10:00am at Ornament Workshop Cumberland Square Park 6:00pm at Fired Up Ceramics

Stand-Up - 2 Shows 8:00pm and 10:00pm at LOL Comedy Corner

KINGSPORT

Health & Fitness Vendor Market 10:00am at Bristol Sportsplex

Bristol's Funniest 2021 7:00pm at Blue Ridge Comedy Club

THURSDAY DEC 9TH

Nature: What Does the Fox Say? Pizza with Santa 10:30am at 12:00pm at Bays Mountain Park Black Wolf Harley

FRIDAY DEC 10TH

SATURDAY DEC 11TH Elizabethton Christmas Parade 6:00pm at Downtown Elizabethton

Bristol's Funniest 2021 7:00pm at Blue Ridge Comedy Club SATURDAY DEC 11TH

Boomtown Improv! 8pm at Wallace Theater

To be featured in The Loafer's Things to Do email us at: theloaferonlineprint@gmail.com or call 423-930-7319

theloaferonline.com | December 7, 2021

THINGS TO DO

theloaferonline.com December 7, 2021

Rocky Mount Celebrates The Holidays with Christmas Tours The Rocky Mount State Historic Site in Piney Flats, Tennessee is celebrating Christmas with its traditional Christmas tours. Come tour the home that hosted Tennessee’s first frontiersmen and women and learn about the Christmas traditions of 1791. The Cobb home at Rocky Mount has witnessed hundreds of years of Christmas celebrations dating from the colonial era to today. Every year to celebrate Christmas, the historic homestead is decorated with traditional 1700’s holiday décor and tours are offered to the public. During the tour you’ll travel back to Christmas Eve of 1791 when the Cobb family home is celebrating with decorations made of fresh greenery, lit by candles, and full of cheer. You will meet and rejoice with the Cobb family, the governor, and many of their friends and neighbors as you tour the historic homestead. Our candlelight Christmas tours are always popular by all who visit

at this time of year. Experience the warm hospitality of the Cobb family and their honored guests, Governor Blount and his wife as the evening sets in and the old rooms are filled with the flickering glow of candlelight. Our evening tours will conclude with an indoor reception including a pictures with Santa, local vendors, warm cocoa, and baked goods. This year we are expanding our tour offerings and including a new daytime tour called, “A Colonial Christmas”. This tour will feature a tour guide who will take you through the historic homestead during the day explaining the history of Christmas traditions that took place in East Tennessee. Our Christmas tours will begin the first week of December with limited ticket availability this year. To attend, tickets must be purchased in advance on our website or over the phone. Our Candlelight Christmas tours will be held December 10th and 11th.

The daytime tours will be available during the weekdays of December. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for children and seniors. Rocky Mount offers discounted rates for groups of ten or more and for Rocky Mount Historical Association members.

Commission. For more information, please call 423-538-7396 or email info@rockymountmuseum.com. Find us on Facebook at www.faceboook. com/rockymountmuseum and @ RockyMount TN on Twitter and Instagram.

Rocky Mount is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The Rocky Mount Historical Association operates the site under a contract with the Tennessee Historical

The Rocky Mount State Historic Site is located at 200 Hyder Hill Road in Piney Flats, Tennessee- just off Highway 11-E, midway between Johnson City and Piney Flats.

Bristol

BRISTOL TN/VA

PARAMOUNT Dec 12 Ronnie Milsap Dec 18 Trace Adkins Jan 7 Dailey & Vincent Jan 8 Black Jacket Symphony will perform The Beatles White Album Jan 21 Leo Kottke Jan 30 Bill Engvall Feb 6 Rodney Atkins Mar 18 Randy Houser Apr 16 Bela Fleck & The Flecktones CAMEO THEATER Dec 10 Lilly Hiatt Jan 13 Christone “Kingfish” Ingram Jan 26 Robert Earl Keen Jan 28 Night Ranger Feb 22 Gin Blossoms

GREENVILLE TN

GREENVILLE

NISWONGER PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Jan 7 Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out Jan 22 Little River Band Feb 4 Brass Transit-The Musical Legacy of Chicago Feb 19 Home Free Mar 5 Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Mar 13 The Kentucky Headhunters Mar 20 Herman’s Hermits with Peter Noone Mar 26 Richard Marx Apr 9 The Commodores May 1 Dailey and Vincent May 14 The Oak Ridge Boys

KNOXVILLE TN

Knoxville

TENNESSEE THEATRE Dec 28 Old Crow Medicine Show Jan 8/9 Jason Isbell Jan 29 Ron White Feb 11 Ashley McBryde

Feb 19 Feb 20 Mar 19 Mar 31 Apr 15 Apr 29

Drew & Ellie Holcomb Punch Brothers Little Feat JohnnySwim Postmodern Jukebox Amos Lee

THOMPSON BOWLING ARENA Jan 29 Reba McEntire Apr 8 Elton John KNOXVILLE CIVIC AUDITORIUM Dec 21 Josh Turner Jan 13 Jo Koy Feb 23 Dancing With The Stars KNOXVILLE CIVIC COLISEUM Jan 13 Riley Green Jan 28 Cody Johnson Feb 12 Josh Dunham Apr 15 For King & Country BIJOU THEATRE Dec 12 Dave Barnes Dec 15 Anderson East Dec 18 Marty Stuart Jan 14 Citizen Cope Jan 21 Tab Benoit Jan 22 Steep Canyon Rangers Mar 11 Marc Broussard Apr 6/7 The Wood Brothers Apr 11 Henry Rollins May 12 Robin Trower

NASHVILLE TN

Nashville

Jan 6 Styx Jan 19/20 Dwight Yoakam Feb 3 Joss Stone & Corinne Bailey Rae Feb 20 The Temptations and The Four Tops Feb 16 Beth Hart Feb 22/26 Tedeschi Trucks Band Mar 13 Dream Theater (Opry) Mar 16/17 Little Feat Mar 16 Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators (Opry House) Mar 26 Buddy Guy Apr 3 Lorde (Opry House) Apr 8 Trace Adkins Apr 13 JohnnySwim (Opry) Apr 17 Jerry Cantrell Jun 24 Kraftwerk BRIDGESTONE ARENA Feb 11 Kacy Musgraves Feb 14 Dua Lipa Feb 16 The Weeknd Feb 25 Dierks Bentley Mar 9 Billie Eilish Apr 8 2Cellos Apr 27 Journey and Toto Apr 13 John Mayer Apr 15 Chris Tomlin May 13 New Kids On The Block May 17 Justin Bieber Jun 26 Matchbox Twenty and The Wallflowers Jul 5 Rod Stewart and Cheap Trick Aug 27 Roger Waters

NASHVILLE MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM Mar 23 Judas Priest with Asheville Queensryche May 7 Deftones THE ORANGE PEEL Dec 14 Anderson East RYMAN AUDITORIUM Feb 3 Gaelic Storm Dec 11 Sarah Brightman Mar 16 Graham Nash Dec 13/14 Amy Grant and Vince Gill Mar 23 Shovels & Rope Dec 15 Chicago (Opry House) Apr 1/2 The Wood Brothers Dec 19 For King & Country (at the Opry House) THOMAS WOLFE AUDITORIUM Dec 31 Old Crow Medicine Show Jan 11/12 Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit

ASHEVILLE NC

Jan 19 Little Feat Feb 5 Joss Stone & Corinne Bailey Rae Feb 8 Pat Metheny Mar 28 Glass Animals Apr 15 Bela Fleck and the Flecktones Apr 30 Amos Lee May 20 Kenny G

CHEROKEE NC

Cherokee, N.C.:

HARRAH’S CASINO Dec 11 Dionne Warwick Jan 15 Dwight Yoakam Jan 21/22 Jamey Johnson Feb 4 Alice Cooper Feb 12 Aaron Lewis Feb 25 Bret Michaels +Last in Line

CHARLOTTE NC

Charlotte

SPECTRUM CENTER Dec 11 Trans-Siberian Orchestra Feb 6 Billie Eilish Feb 11 Andrea Bocelli Feb 16 Dua Lipa Feb 21 Eagles Feb 26 Eric Church Apr 28 Journey and Toto THE FILLMORE Feb 6 Mammoth WVH and Dirty Honey Feb 19 Steve Vai Mar 21 Slash with Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators Apr 10 Jerry Cantrell Apr 28 Indigo Girls

GREENVILLE SC

Greenville, SC

BON SECOURS WELLNESS ARENA Dec 17 Eric Church Jan 27 Reba Jul 6 New Kids On The Block

CALL WQUT @ 477-1015 FOR MORE CONCERT INFORMATION OR VISIT W W W.W Q U T.CO M

theloaferonline.com | December 7, 2021

CONCERT SCHEDULE

‘Santa’s Workshop at the Inn’ Planned Sunday, Dec. 12, At General Morgan Inn

theloaferonline.com December 7, 2021

Santa Claus is comin’ to town – early! Saint Nick will make a special stop at the historic General Morgan Inn on Sunday, Dec. 12, to visit with area children. “Santa’s Workshop at the Inn” will be held from 1-4 p.m. in the hotel’s Grand Ballroom. Sessions will be offered with a choice of times: 1-2 p.m., 2-3 p.m. or 3-4 p.m. Tickets are $10 per child – adults will be admitted free with child admission. Tickets, which are now on sale, must be purchased in advance from the hotel’s Front Desk. Limited tickets are available. “Santa is taking a short break from his work at the North Pole to spend the afternoon in Greeneville,” Bronson Winters, the hotel’s general manager, said. “Santa can’t wait to hear what the children want for Christmas and

then rush the list back to his hardworking elves.” Santa’s Workshop is a fun way for families to usher in the holiday season, Winters said. “Children can have their picture taken with Santa, decorate delicious Christmas cookies while enjoying hot chocolate with marshmallows, and listen to a special reading of the holiday classic, ‘The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving.’”

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Each child will receive a copy of their photo with Santa, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Greeneville. Cookie decorating will be hosted by Two Little Birds Cookies. And, each child will leave with a copy of the “Joy of Giving” book. For more information, contact Tina Chudina, director of marketing/ advertising at the hotel, at 423.787.7510 or the hotel’s Front Desk at 423.787.1000.

AT THE INN DECEMBER 17-19, 2021

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valuable as those mentioned above. I am talking about a Living Will. The official definition of a From the opening scene I was Living Will is a written statement drawn into it. From scene to scene I was on the edge of my seat detailing a person’s desires waiting for the big finale, I secretly regarding their medical treatment in circumstances in which they are knew what had to happen and it no longer able to express informed did not disappoint. I have seen many movies in my life time I have consent. But it is so much more always been a movie buff, however than that. It is an expression of I was not prepared for the level of love. And I am speaking from experience. emotion this movie stirred in me. It was a mixture of excitement, My sweet cousin prepared her nostalgia, sadness, and overall joy. living will a few years ago. She My girlfriend said she had more never had any children and her fun watching me react then she husband passed away many had watching the movie itself. The years ago. So, she gave me a copy movie brought back so many great and asked me to make sure her memories. Hollywood needs to wishes were carried out. I was Let me begin by saying I grew up honored that she chose me for watching the ghostbusters movies. take a lesson from this. Stay with Both movies came out when I was what made the franchise popular such an important job. I took it very seriously. However, her Living very young and I have loved them in the first place, don't try and fit into what seems polar in our Will left room for interpretation. ever since so when I heard they culture today change it if you must Of course, no one can look into were finally producing a 3rd one, but do as they did ghostbusters, the future and predict every and not just rebooting it like the but things like changing the entire scenario of what could happen horrible reboot from a few years cast of a beloved franchise to fit to themselves. A car wreck, a ago, I was ecstatic. I waited for 32 some political agenda kills the perforated bowel, a stroke to just years for a released continuation franchise as several movies in the name a few. If your Living Will is to one of my favorite franchises. past have shown., stay true to not very specific, then the decision However I did feel it was too late the fan base and the movie will since my favorite character was no be a guaranteed success. As with longer among the living. I wasn't Ghostbuster afterlife, if you have sure how they would pull it off, not seen it yet I highly recommend grab the wife and kids, girlfriend, or boyfriend and go see this movie! On occasion there comes a movie that truly stands out, a movie that sticks inside your mind long after it has been seen. One movie for me was Tombstone and to this very day remains my favorite movie of all time. I am a western history buff so I know the movie is loaded with inaccuracies but the cast and acting put it high on my list. I saw the movie three times in theaters and can never pass up the opportunity to watch it when it is aired on television. Now with that said I recently went to the cinema with my seven year old son Elijah and my beautiful Girl Lorie. The movie? Ghostbusters afterlife.

then I saw it. Even now writing about it gives me chills.

NOIR

A Gift of Love By Lorie McReynolds

Ponderings to Ponder

By Tim Simpson timsimpson2008 @gmail.com

This is my favorite time of the whole year. The house is filled with a warm cinnamon scent. Many colored lights brighten the darkness with twinkling excitement. Gifts of all sizes are placed carefully under the Christmas tree. But do you know what the best gift is that you could give your loved ones? You might be thinking of a trip to Hawaii. Maybe a new car. Or even expensive jewelry. No, what I am thinking of is much simpler but just as

making will fall on a loved one. That loved one will struggle with making the right decisions. They will struggle with the weight of such an important decision. They will walk a thin line between being humanly selfish as in trying to keep you alive no matter what and wanting to carry out your wishes. They will have the heaviness of failure. The sadness of hoping you don’t hate them if the decision isn’t what you wanted. So, my advice to you is for this Christmas, give them the best gift of all. Give them the knowledge of your final wishes. It not only will give them peace but show them just how much you love them. Please enjoy one free audio review copy of Geronimo his tale by him, now available on Audible. Redeem the one-time use code below at https://www.audible. co.uk/acx-promo 4TNAXQAM54JCR

theloaferonline.com | December 7, 2021

Afterlife: A Review

theloaferonline.com December 7, 2021

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Social media marketing can be a daunting task, even with the proper advertising budget. But what happens when you have no budget at all? Small businesses and nonprofit organizations are no strangers to this issue. Social media platforms operate on a “pay to play” basis, meaning that the more advertising dollars you spend, the more likely your content will get pushed to the top of the feed. Small businesses and nonprofit organizations do not have the funding to successfully take advantage of this model. Creating authentic content that resonates with your audience can alleviate this

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issue. Share worthy content boosts visibility without funding. It allows you to bypass the “pay to play” model and reach audiences that you may not know to target with advertising. Free tools for graphics, such as Canva, and scheduling tools, such as Buffer and Hootsuite, can save time, money, and effort. (Canva even has a free pro upgrade for nonprofit organizations.) Visuals help your content stand out and scheduling tools help you stay on top of your feed. Research the tools that will benefit your marketing efforts and their pricing models. You’ll be surprised at how much you can do without a budget if you embrace your creative side.

theloaferonline.com | December 7, 2021

No Budget? No Problem!

theloaferonline.com December 7, 2021

The Gallery @ Barr Photographics Welcomes Patrica RIngley McCarthy The Gallery @ Barr Photographics LLC is excited to announce the holiday installment of the Corner Gallery’s 2021 exhibition series with the return of Winston Salem, North Carolina “alla prima” artist Patricia Ringley McCarthy offering a collection of acrylic and oil paintings entitled “Real and Imagined”. Patricia’s biographical sketch reveals, “When I started painting about fifty years ago, I was expecting my first child in Eugene, Oregon. I was teaching at Lane Community College and my husband Henry was in graduate school at the University of Oregon so we had very little money. We could only afford a very used second hand crib. So I bought a few paints and painted bears and other animals on it. I enjoyed painting so much that it continued into a lifelong obsession. I started out as a child growing up near Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, VA. My father died from meningitis when I was three which left my housewife mother with three small children to raise and a need to find employment. She went to work but after a couple of years, we rented out our house and moved to our grandparents’ home on Moore Street where my grandmother helped care for us while our mother worked. Several of my mother’s younger siblings were still at home. They were all interested in music and the arts. One of my aunts was a very good artist. I was encouraged in my drawing interest but took no lessons. My older sister attended college on an

art scholarship but my mother felt that I would be better off with a business degree based on the reality of her life as a young widow. After my grandparents died eight years later, we moved back to our house and I finished high school and attended East Tennessee State University. I majored in English and business but continued to draw lots of figures and clowns. I graduated from ETSU on Friday, got married on Saturday, and started my first teaching job at Dobyns-Bennett High in Kingsport, TN a week after my graduation. Our life took many paths over the next fifty six years. We left Kingsport, and continued to move around earning graduate degrees and raising three children. We finally settled down after Henry was hired as a professor at Appalachian State University. I was fortunate several years later to join Henry in teaching at Appalachian. I became even more passionate about painting and began taking classes and workshops with many different artists including Marcus Blahove, Guido Frick, Joseph Larusso, Craig Nelson, Joseph DiGullio, and Robert Burridge to name a few. I also traveled during the summers to the Fredericksburg Art School in Texas. They brought in top instructors from around the world. I studied classic painting techniques and I painted in a traditional style for many years. During this time, I painted at home. At one time we were living in an old farmhouse in Valle Crucis, NC. I set up my studio in an old well house. I was not alone in the

“In The Woods”, alla prima acrylic by Patricia Ringley McCarthy

old shed since a large black snake and many squirrels called it home. I would sometimes hear them in the rafters. Also the snake liked to sun himself on the rock wall nearby. This however did not deter my interest in painting. It was just one more challenge to overcome. It illustrates what makes painting so interesting. There are always unforeseen problems to resolve. I was always trying new techniques and subject matter and as I explained earlier, I attended classes at the Fredericksburg Art School. One summer I was asked about Scott Burdick and Susan Lyon, a very famous artist couple who had moved from Chicago to North Carolina. The person said that they would love to study with them. When I returned to North Carolina, I enrolled in their classes and became part of an atelier group that they led in Winston Salem. They had a great influence on my technique. I painted with them for many years while teaching at Appalachian State University and helping raise our family. Our

“One More Hill To Climb”, alla prima acrylic by Patricia Ringley McCarthy

I realize that painting is complex and that when you work through one problem, a new one will no doubt be on the horizon. For me, that is the challenge of painting and the reason that I enjoy it. I have spent much time in studying, experimentation, and collaboration within the visual arts community. During the last few years, I have painted a lot of abstract pieces. While I still love abstraction, I have moved back to more work as professors allowed us to travel throughout the world. Also our son realistic abstracts. They are often referred worked in international business and to as objective abstractions. The viewer can we would go to visit for months during tell what the subject is, but the technique summer break. I was able to paint many is abstract. I think it is very useful to try pieces from my travels as well different approaches and to broaden one’s as visit many of the world’s most reach as an artist. I also think it is important famous museums.” not to get into a rut of painting the same things over and over. Since moving on from Pat reveals in her Artist Statement: the Valle Crusis house, I have maintained “My style of painting has evolved over studios in Abingdon and Winston-Salem. thirty years. I started out working with My most recent experience was as an artist watercolors and experimented with in residence at the William King Museum of various media until I began painting Art. I have had many shows of my work since primarily with oils about ten years ago. The Gallery @ Barr Photographics provided My goal as a painter is to communicate my first impression of the subject and my first venue. I am pleased to return for a the essence that inspired me or caused show of my recent work. Henry and I are both me to want to share my experience. I like retired from Appalachian State University to work fast and spontaneously and to and are living near our children and seven complete my paintings from life in one grandchildren in North Carolina but are still session, alla prima. Otherwise, I find involved in the Abingdon area. We have had a it easy to drift away from the original wonderful life thus far. idea. I enjoy painting outside whenever Real and Imagined” will be celebrated with possible. I look for compositions that a gala reception and art talk by Patricia have strong contrasts and interesting Ringley McCarthy, to which the public is focal points. I feel that simple painters cordially invited, on Friday, 10 December are the best. I strive to keep details 2021 from 7 - 9:00 PM at The Gallery @ Barr to a minimum, choosing to include Photographics, 152 E. Main Street, Abingdon, only those that enhance the overall Virginia. “Real and Imagined” will hang, design. One of my biggest challenges and be offered for sale, through 31, January has been creating compositions that 2022. The Gallery @ Barr Photographics LLC work. It seems that if the composition is housed in the Greenway Trigg Building, is wrong that adding paint or trying located in the heart of Abingdon’s main street to fix it is very difficult. Through much historic district. Please call trial and error, I have learned to work 276- 628-1486 or visit: out my compositions earlier and more barrphotographics.com/ thoroughly prior to putting paint on CornerGalleryFeatureArtist. the canvas. This allows me to paint aspx?cms=9386 for further information. more intuitively and more effectively.

This time of year is possibly the busiest for everyone across the board. Trying to squeeze in office and family Christmas parties and gift shopping in addition to the hustle and bustle of everyday life can be quite the challenge and make what should be the season of joy the season of stress. Luckily there are plenty of holiday happenings strewn liberally around the region, making for easier access to much needed Christmas cheer. With lots of new events as well as classic favorites, there’s something for everyone during December in the Tri-Cities! I’m most excited for the new additions in my hometown of Elizabethton. Building on the beautiful new decorations in Covered Bridge Park from last year, for 2021 they’ve added an ice skating rink! I can’t imagine anything more festive than bruising my fanny under the stars and twinkling lights alongside the Doe River. The rink will be set up through January 16th and costs $10 per person, for one hour. Purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended, as officials anticipate this attraction to be very popular. The annual Elizabethton Christmas parade is scheduled from 6-8pm on December 11th and appropriately the “Christmas on the Big Screen” themed celebration will benefit the Bonnie Kate Theatre. Make sure

to head down to Covered Bridge Park early, where Santa and Mrs. Claus will host storytelling and free horse-drawn carriage rides beginning at 2pm. And if your heart is lacking in holiday cheer as the 25th draws closer, carve out time to witness the Grinch smashing leftover gingerbread bridges from the Chamber’s gingerbread bridge contest. You can even release your pent up Christmas aggressions in a snowball fight with the Abominable Snowman! While Elizabethton is making for stiff competition in the Christmas category this year, Johnson City is back with their amazing downtown winter wonderland, spanning from Founder’s Park to King Commons. The Candyland Christmas will showcase 155 trees decorated by local businesses and non-profits throughout the region through January 2nd. Show your support and vote for your favorite! From 11am-5pm on December 11th, don’t miss the Holiday Market at Founder’s Park Pavilion where you can shop for the perfect unique gift for your loved ones. If you’re looking for something hands-on for the kids, Into the Fire will host “The Night Before Christmas” storytime and paint event Saturday December 18th at 10am. For just $15, each child can either take craft supplies to go and create in the comfort of their own home or to enjoy during story telling in the studio. Call ahead for reservations. Downtown Jonesborough is always Christmas come to life.

The annual parade is scheduled from 6p-7:30pm and with a theme like “Christmas in the South” you’re sure to see some familiar favorites on the floats. If you can’t make it to the parade, don’t fret! Jonesborough is hosting a month of events and activities, each Saturday through December 18th. Each weekend will have a different theme and will include carols, music, shopping and most important, jolly old Saint Nick himself. You can even drop off letters to the fat man through December 19th to receive a personal response! If you’re like me and hate wrapping presents, the International Storytelling Center is offering free gift wrapping during the Saturday festivities on any purchases made in downtown Jonesborough. In exchange for this amazing service, the public is encouraged to drop off a gift for Santa to deliver to less fortunate children in the area. It wouldn’t be Christmas in the Tri-Cities without mentioning the wonder of Speedway in Lights at Bristol Motor Speedway. From 6-10pm nightly through New Years Day, cruise through the south’s most spectacular light display. More than 2 million lights dazzle along the 4 mile route across the property, offering ample opportunities both in and out of the vehicle for family fun. From ice skating to synchronized music light shows and even dinosaurs, there’s something for all ages at this breathtaking display. There is so much to do across

by Kathie Scalf

the region this holiday season I couldn’t possibly fit it all into one page. From Rogersville to Abingdon to Mountain City and everything in between, a quick google search provides endless pages of holiday happenings practically daily within the area. I love this time of year because it encourages us to get out of the house and engage with our loved ones. The bright lights, comforting smells and nostalgic sounds of the season helps to remind us that the world isn’t the dark negative place it seems to be on the news. Tear yourselves away from the TV and iPhone and enjoy happiness with those closest to you. Create new memories and honor traditions of the past; these are the real reasons for the season. Happy Holidays!

XO - Kathie

theloaferonline.com | December 7, 2021

Holiday Happenings

Arts@Work Series: Branding Yourself as a Creative

theloaferonline.com December 7, 2021

Create Appalachia kicks off their Arts@Work series for 2021-2022 with “Branding Yourself as a Creative,” Featuring Kelly Porter December 9, 2021

6 PM at Create Appalachia’s Center for Arts and Technology 207 N Boone Street, Suite 300 Johnson City, TN

chefs, and even artisan farmers and foodmakers. With the help of Kelly Celeste Porter, an ETSU professor and a proven professional, each participant will begin considering how to develop their own brand, reflecting their very own personality and style. Porter is a popular presenter who makes these sessions both interesting and very useful.

Association. Professor Porter has presented at UCDA, CAA, SECAC, and Pop Culture Association conferences and she is published in the International Journal of Signage and Wayfinding. She received her MFA from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a BFA in Graphic Communication from the University of Southern Mississippi.

In the interest of keeping everyone safe, we require that all attendees wear a mask during the workshop. For an updated listing of Arts@Work programs for 2021-2022, visit https:// www.createappalachia.org/education/ artsatwork/ and sign up for our once-amonth newsletter: www.createappalachia.org/contact/

Kelly says, “I’ll be covering a number Instructor: Kelly Porter, Graphic Designer and Professor of Art at ETSU of important topics: defining your brand, designing your identity, Tickets are free but seating is limited, identifying your touch-points with masks required your audience and managing your assets. These strategies will help Reservations are available on you differentiate yourself and create Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite. value for your customers.” com/e/branding-yourself-as-acreative-tickets-203385911737 or on Porter is an associate professor of the Create Appalachia Website: graphic design at East Tennessee www.createappalachia.org State University. In addition to Learn to stand out and attract positive attention for your creative business. This workshop serves for all kinds of creatives, including digital content creators, visual artists, filmmakers, musicians,

her 8 years of teaching, she has also worked for 11 years as a designer and design researcher for Ryobi Power Tools, The B.B. King Museum, Mississippi Blues Trail, and Mississippi Delta Tourism

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Last week I discussed a Christmas movie set in Belgium, and this week the international flavor continues with "Father Christmas is Back", set in Yorkshire, England. The movie centers on an English family with the convenient last name of Christmas. The story takes place in the countryside mansion of Peter and Caroline (Kris Marshall and Natalie Cox) and their children as they prepare to welcome family members for Christmas. Said family members are Caroline's sisters Joanna Christmas (Elizabeth Hurley), who is employed in the fashion industry and a bit of a snob, Paulina Christmas (Naomi Fredrick), the eccentric sister and music professor who has been working on a thesis about The Beatles for ten years, and younger sister Vicky Christmas (Talulah Riley), the wild child of the bunch. Caroline, who is the prim and proper sister, is worried her holiday will be ruined if everything is not perfect. The first to arrive is Joanna, who has her current boyfriend, Fleix (Ray Fearon)

Pop Life

By Ken Silvers ksilvers@ theloaferonline.com

and the sisters mother Elizabeth (Caroline Quentin). Joanna immediately has a bad attitude, and everything is already off to a bad start. Paulina arrives walking up the massive driveway of the estate, and after greeting the family, heade to the library to work on her thesis. Vicky is the last to arrive, and is dropped off at the mansion by a guy on a motorcycle. Vicky has a clash with older sister Joanna, and their disagreements lead to Joanna attempting to leave, but Vicky thwarts the plans when she leaves in the Rolls Royce owned by Felix. Meanwhile. the sisters' Uncle, farmer John Christmas (John Cleese) arrives for the Christmas festivities. While the family is finally all together, an unexpected surprise rolls into the driveway in the form of the sisters' estranged father James (Kelsey Grammer), who has his much younger girlfriend Jackie (April Bowlby) in tow. I found it interesting Grammer's character is supposed to be British, but speaks with an American accent. This is conventionally explained in the film due the fact James has been in America for so long. Thus, Grammer never has to attempt a British accent. In the beginning the Christmas sisters are very uncomfortable with the fact their long lost father has returned, and feel their mother will be unhappy he has brought a younger girlfriend with him. However, as the film continues the sisters discover why their father really left, and this results in a happy reunion for all. The films also have plenty of misunderstanding, mishaps and inconveniences

found in nearly every holiday comedy. The film often tries too hard to be funny, although British humor can often be different from American humor. Apparently the filmmakers thought a high pitched sound the actress who plays Carloine makes often was a laugh riot, but I found it borderline annoying. That nitpick aside, the actors are all wonderful in their roles, but Cleese, one of the best British comedians ever,

is very underused in this film. If you are looking for a break from the seemingly thousands of Hallmark Christmas movies, then take the journey to England for a visit with the Christmas family in "Father Christmas is Back." Now playing on Netflix. (Rated PG-13)

theloaferonline.com | December 7, 2021

Father Christmas is Back

theloaferonline.com December 7, 2021

Celebrate the Holidays with A Radio Bristol Christmas Show! Date: Friday, December 17, 2021 Time: 7:00 p.m. Location: Performance Theater at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum Tickets: $35 plus tax/fees birthplaceofcountrymusic.org Join us for a night of merriment and seasonal delight with a very special Radio Bristol Christmas at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, hosted by Radio Bristol Program Director Kris Trueslen and his house band Bill and the Belles, with special guests The Kody Norris Show and Martha Spencer and Larry Sigmon!

org. Be sure and download Radio Bristol’s free mobile app and take us with you wherever you go! **COVID-19 Policy Most performers whose livelihoods depend on not contracting Covid-19 will currently not perform indoors, at least not in small venues where the audience is close. Since we want to continue to have Farm and Fun Time in the intimate confines of the Museum Performance Theater for recording for PBS telecast, audience members, staff, musicians, and artists in attendance will be required to show proof of vaccination or proof of negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours” for entry.

A Radio Bristol Christmas will broadcast live before a studio audience from the Performance Theater at the museum and can be accessed in its entirety on WBCM Radio Bristol’s Facebook page live. You may also tune into the program For more information visit our webste: on the air at 100.1 FM in the Bristol area or online at ListenRadioBristol. birthplaceofcountrymusic.org

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We have survived Thanksgiving, we survived Black Friday, and here we are now into the first full week of December and I am feeling a familiar lull. We all know how it goes at this time of the year. Right after Halloween Christmas ads begin on the TV, we bemoan how it’s not Thanksgiving yet. However, some of us get secretly excited about Christmas at this time. This isn’t to ignore Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving can be the anxietyriddled pre-amble to Christmas.

Come Monday after this week you’ll sit down and suddenly find all your energy is gone. This is the Holiday Lull. It’s the in-between time. It’s not exactly Christmas and Thanksgiving is over. You know another holiday is coming, yet you feel a bit aimless as you adjust back to regular, nonholiday operating hours. My first thought is “I hope fewer people come for Christmas.” This thought then opens a little garden path of debating what to do for Christmas dinner.

preamble, this version of the holiday lull can be a preamble to the lull in its final form. I’m not talking about the time between Christmas and New Year. I’m talking about when it’s all truly over and you find yourself in early January with not a thing to look forward to. The sensation can be a bit like having a hangover, only there was no imbibing.

Monopoly” you stop and go “Oh, yeah. Sure. Um. Is that the one with the cards that say draw four wild?” Your brain doesn’t work. Deep down you hope and feel that it will again, but you don’t know when that day is going to come.

Yet, magically, The Holiday Lull will fade. Your second wind will come, you’ll adjust to the new You are rudderless. You wander year and find your footing. Still, around your home and office when you’re in the thick of it, it smiling. You manage to get things can feel a bit hard to sense that done, yet you can’t help but The week of Thanksgiving is The meals we make for Christmas wonder why you’re now drinking coming, but the lull will always a stressful and overwhelming three pots of coffee a day. It’s that subside. Usually. Uh. Ask me dinner and Thanksgiving are time. Wednesday and Thursday pretty close in their constructions. time when is someone says to you again in a week or so. See you are two days spent with anxiety, “Hey, we can come over and play next week. You can’t help but wonder “Do woe, and panic about delivering a I really want to go through that perfect meal. Then, either before all over again? What if I just or after that, depending on how stuffed a frozen lasagna in the you do you, you’ll haul out the oven and called it a day?” There decorations and get your house is something of a letdown when looking all festive for the magical you’ve driven yourself to your wit season. It’s a non-stop rush of ends for two days only to have your family show up, say “thanks,” things where you rarely get a then leave after an hour. Really? I chance to take a breath. had a massive panic attack in my kitchen for 12 hours and you leave the moment you finish guzzling down pie and coffee?

Batteries Not Included

By Andy Ross aross@ theloaferonline.com

It’s perfectly natural for The Holiday Lull to come with feelings of animosity about how Thanksgiving went. It’s also can serve as a barometer for just how much money you want to spend on each member of your extended family. “Ah, you complained that the turkey wasn’t as good as your girlfriend makes. Ill-fitting novelty socks for you.” Vindictive? Yes. Not in keeping with the “goodwill towards your fellow humans” vibe of the season? Perhaps, but this is the lull, baby! You can be a scrooge for a day or two should you need to let it out. Even as Thanksgiving can be a

theloaferonline.com | December 7, 2021

The Holiday Lull

GILLIAM STAGE

NOV 18 TO DEC 29 Based on the motion picture A Christmas Story, ©1983 Turner Entertainment Co., distributed by Warner Bros., written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark; and on the book In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd.

CALL VISIT 276.628.3991 BarterTheatre.com A Christmas Story Production Sponors R

Barter Theatre is partially funded by