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VOL10 NO5
FEBRUARY 2, 2012
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ON READBUZZ.COM COMMUNITY Read about Avani growing the courage to say the “v” word as a speaker at UC’s installment of the Vagina Monologues this February. She, amongst others, will proudly speak up against the injustices women face today, so don’t miss the event or her riveting column in this week’s buzz.
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MUSIC Check out our complete interview with The Low Anthem, a new Records We Missed and a new Records We Dissed!
FOOD & DRINK Melanie’s back for the semester with a new column, too! Check it out every Friday on readbuzz.com.
MOVIES & TV buzz Movies staff has been seeing SO MANY MOVIES LATELY! Check out our review of The Artist, Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie, Young Adult—whatever you like, it’s online. Just go look at it right now, or I’ll tell your dad!
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Head over to the “Arts” tab on readbuzz.com to read an extended Q&A with artist Carolee Schneemann. Her artwork will be featured in an exhibit called “Within and Beyond the Premises “ at the Krannert Art Museum through April 1, 2012. 2
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EDITOR’S NOTE DYLAN SUTCLIFF
Earlier this week Lana Del Rey’s album came out to generally bad reviews. While this is a small occurrence with no bearing on the world at large, it is an interesting situation. Within the past year, Del Rey reinvented herself for the current music market and gained a ridiculous amount of publicity and buzz based on two songs. Then it blew up right in front of her weirdly engorged lips. This certainly isn’t the first time something like this has happened. The music industry is an unstable entity that changes daily, and because of this, it’s understandable for people to make more than a few mistakes. With Del Rey, it seems as though every media source was banking on a top seller with her face appearing on magazines, blogs and a terrible performance on SNL. Looking back, it’s hard to say where the hype came from (probably Pitchfork), but now that there is hard evidence of her severely limited talents, everyone is jumping ship. The problem here is that even though it was the media outlets that built Del Rey up to the position she was in, she is the only person who will suffer. Born to Die’s reviews won’t cause anyone to cancel their subscription to Q or Billboard (just two of the many magazines who deemed her “cover worthy”), but Del Rey will probably lose her recording contract, her shows will sell considerably less and she will slowly sink into the oblivion that is the failed and forgotten. What is there to learn from a situation like this? Probably nothing. The music industry’s model is basically conform to whatever sells. As a result, artists like Lana Del Rey and The Monkees (who are actually fantastic) will continue to be artificially created, hyped and then ditched. But perhaps I’m wrong. Maybe in 20 years Lana Del Rey will be heralded as a visionary, and the lips on her mouth will become a culturally recognized image of greatness. I really doubt it, though. It’s more likely that she will become a hair stylist or, if she’s lucky, a designer or something. I’d like to think the former, I would pay upwards of $25 for a haircut from Lana Del Ray.
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FEBRUARY 2 - 8, 2012
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TRACY WOODLEY ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
GRIPES
GROUNDHOG DAY by Hannah Pitstick
BUZZ STAFF
COVER DESIGN Lucas Albrecht EDITOR IN CHIEF Dylan Sutcliff MANAGING EDITOR Peggy Fioretti ART DIRECTOR Olivia La Faire COPY CHIEF Drew Hatcher PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Sean O’Connor IMAGE EDITOR Peggy Fioretti PHOTOGRAPHERS Sean O’Connor DESIGNERS Lucas Albrecht, Michael Zhang, Tyler Schmidt MUSIC EDITOR Adam Barnett FOOD & DRINK EDITOR Samantha Bakall MOVIES & TV EDITOR Nick Martin ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Tracy Woodley COMMUNITY EDITOR Amy Harwath CU CALENDAR Joyce Famakinwa COPY EDITORS Sarah Alo, Casey McCoy ONLINE EDITOR Jessica Bourque DISTRIBUTION Brandi and Steve Wills PUBLISHER Lilyan J. Levant
TALK TO BUZZ
It’s Groundhog Day! Can you believe that woodchucks are the only animals to be honored with a spot on an American wall calendar? At first glance, woodchucks are nothing but anti-social prairie dogs. They hole up alone in their two-bed/one bath burrows from late October to early March and will most likely hibernate right through the Groundhog Day festivities. But none of that really matters because Groundhog Day isn’t about the groundhog. It’s about grown men wearing top hats and bow ties as they speak to a rodent in a made-up language (groundhogese). It’s about pointless celebration and drunken mirth. And most importantly, it’s about the realization that the winter doldrums are only temporary and spring isn’t so far away. But we mustn’t forget that beneath the jolly veneer of top hats and bowties is a history rife with violence. Bil Gilbert, naturalist and writer, describes the first Groundhog Day celebration in Punxsutawney, Pa. in his article, “A groundhog’s day means more to us than it does to him.” The celebration took place toward the end of one typically disagreeable winter, probably in the early 1880s. Six Punxsutawney good ol’ boys became desperate for some relief, so after arming themselves with “grub hoes and a jug or two of hard drink, they repaired to a muddy overgrown field on the outskirts of town. There they dug up several groundhogs, whacked them on the head, skinned them and fricasseed the better pieces over a campfire.” The stewed woodchuck was washed down with the booze and when it was all gone, the revelers returned to town in much better spirits than when they left. Since then, the woodchuck stew has been replaced with woodchuck-shaped cookies and the grub hoes with an elegant walking cane.
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» Grocery store music: I’m not sure how large supermarkets determine what kind of music to play for shoppers, but it’s generally pretty awful. What makes the high officials at Meijer think that I’ll want to listen to Celine Dion while I buy fruit? Sometimes it seems like they’re trying to chase me out of the store. I love Rick James as much as the next 80s enthusiast, but “Super Freak” makes it really hard to concentrate while picking out cereal. I just wish they could play some reasonable tunes or even some relaxing classical music. I just want to feel at ease while I peruse produce.
ADAM BARNETT MUSIC EDITOR
YIKES
One fine day in the early Summer, my friends Dan Malsom, Jon Tracey and I decided to take a road trip to see Okkervil River, Titus Andronicus and Future Islands in Philadelphia. Have you all heard of The Ridges, otherwise known as the Athens Lunatic Asylum? It’s an old insane asylum in Athens, OH, now apparently owned by the state of Ohio, and it’s considered one of the most haunted places on Earth. The majority of the buildings are closed off or renovated, but there’s still a cemetery with several small, unmarked graves strewn about a hill, and on top of the hill, there’s the ol’ Tuberculosis Ward where they quarantined sick patients and looked after their children. Being the adventurers we are, we couldn’t pass up a goat hunt at a place as spooky as The Ridges. So we made our way up a winding path during a thunderstorm at midnight. We crossed a bridge to a cemetery and walked around the graves. No goats. Then we walked up a giant hill past an ominous-looking silo blocked off by electric fences to a sealed off building that was most definitely the tuberculosis ward. The whole first floor was sealed off with concrete: windows, doors, everything. No goats. We walked around the side to where the main entrance should’ve been, and the stairs were worn away, and the path was blocked by a giant felled tree. If we had a ladder, we could’ve easily climbed through the decayed walls to the staircase on the second floor and explored the depths of the lost, tuberculosis-clad souls, but apparently our friend would’ve gotten expelled if we were caught. So, we started our walk home. BUT THEN, as we turned around, we saw a giant spooky goat! He was covered in blood, vomit and what could very well have been his own piss, but there was no smell as the passed-on don’t smell like anything but air. “I’m so siiiiick,” he groaned, as he reached for Dan’s sleeve, only to have his arm fall right through. Frozen with fright, we didn’t know what to do. So, Jon pulled a tissue from his back pocket and offered it to the goat. “Thank you,” said the goat after he blew his nose. THEN, another goat snuck up from behind, and he sneezed all over us. Then we all got tuberculosis and died. buzz
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precise Performative physicality Krannert Art Museum exhibits Carolee Schneemann’s abstract portraits by Andrea Baumgartner
K
rannert Art Museum welcomed back alum and contemporary artist Carolee Schneemann last week at the opening of Krannert Art Museum’s latest feature exhibit, “Within and Beyond the Premises.” Schneemann, who earned her M.F.A from the University of Illinois, was one of the first artists of her time to explore working in performance and other non-traditional mediums. “One of the issues on display is the physicality of the work,” she said. “By the time I started working with motorized materials in the 60s and related it to performative principles—it’s a kinetic sense of energy.” The exhibit has on display a wide range of mediums and topics that Schneemann worked on from the time she was a student at U of I until recently. Her most widely-covered subjects include body, sexuality and gender, as well as political discourse on the Vietnam War. A majority of Schneemann’s work is erotic photos and paintings depicting herself as the subject. “When I use myself, it’s not a portrait,” said Schneemann. “It’s a transformative image exploration. I don’t pose, and you won’t see anything that’s really a portrait. It’s more a physicality in action, and I use myself for that.” One work on display is a film of images and video of Schneemann making love with her
then-partner, James Tenney, infused with other abstract clips. At the time it was made, it sparked a lot of controversy. “I always only feel that I’m doing what is appropriate for my culture,” said Schneemann. “For instance, myself in the erotic film, I didn’t know if it was going to be rigorous or aesthetically realized and if it would have a strong rhythmic musicality. It was what I considered normative, heterosexual, young loving.” Today, although a lot of her work is still provocative, the way it is viewed and the appreciation for it has dramatically changed. “It was loved, it was detested, it was censored, it was constantly being taken out of showings; but these things transform over time. The sense of erotic propriety is completely different now than it was in the 60s,” said Schneemann. For Schneemann, who was told by her professors that her art was “crap” and that she was virtually “unteachable,” being back at her alma mater has a certain sweetness to it. “It’s fun to be back. Especially when they said I wasn’t teachable. And here I have this wonderful exhibit and can show work from when I was a student and feel good about it,” said Schneemann. Although Schneemann has no commissions or specific collectors, she still loves what she does.
Carolee Schneemann: Within and Beyond the Premises. Photo by Sean O'Connor
“I just want to make the work. If it can go out, then splendid. But artists who work the way I work have to because we need to,” said Schneemann. From her time living in Sidney, Illinois as a graduate student to when she was in a loft in New York City and even now, the process of creating and catching the attention of an audience is still the same. “It’s a very concentrated, determined process,” said Schneemann. “It’s where the image demands
to be developed. It’s very precise, even though its outcome is unknown and the process is exploratory.” The exhibit, “Carolee Schneemann: Within and Beyond the Premises,” will be on display until April 1st. For more information on Carolee Schneemann, visit the Krannert Art Museum website at www.kam.illinois.edu.
a gamer’s dream night The Highdive hosts a night of old-school Nintendo and drinking by Max Huppert On a cold, quiet Monday night in downtown Champaign, a sound is coming from the Highdive. A little after 10 p.m., when the event is supposed to start, this booming sound is all that suggests something might be going on inside. The doors are still locked, and the lights in the window are dim; but it isn’t long before they open the doors, and a small group of bar-goers begins to file in. They might be attracted by the drink specials or the twin disco balls that spread little points of light all over the walls and faces of the crowd. Perhaps they’re drawn to the sound of 80s dance hits, played from the booth on-stage by Mike Ingram (a.k.a. DJ Mingram), the host and organizer of the event. But there’s another, even better attraction tonight: the very large screen that is built into the DJ booth itself, and which displays NES and Super Nintendo video game classics from the 1980s. Next to the booth sit two controllers, beckoning customers to come on-stage and challenge their friends in front of everyone. 4
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Once a week, the Highdive in Champaign turns the dial back a few decades and celebrates the era of Reagan and Michael Jackson with this event, which they call “80’s Night.” Mike Ingram, a “jackof-all-trades” in the words of Exile on Main Street owner Jeff Brandt, DJs the parties and brings a rotating collection of NES and Super Nintendo games along with him. The games always come from the Exile shop, a record store that also sells used video games — including many classics from the 1980s. Brandt says they always try to choose games from a smattering of genres and keep switching up the choices to allow regulars a unique experience every Monday. This rotating lineup explains why most of the games seem strange and foreign to me, apart from a brief period when someone tries playing Super Mario Bros. If you’re looking for something to do on a Monday night this semester, 80’s Night at the Highdive is a great chance to soak in some nostalgia, show off your dance moves and maybe even prove your video game mettle before an audience.
Photo from buzz archives
I WILL PRIORITIZE YOU!
THIS WEEK
Random Shit Box Champaign-Urbana is an unusual town when it comes to businesses. Unlike many of its Midwest counterparts, CU isn’t completely overrun by big corporations, allowing anyone with a good idea the opportunity to be a small business owner. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always pan out. We dug deep into CU’s past and found some of the businesses that didn’t make it.
readbuzz.com february 2 - 8, 2012
2012(FEB2)3QUARTER(BUZZ)
KR ANNERT CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
TH FEB 2
THESE SPONSORS MAKE GOOD STUFF HAPPEN:
5pm
Krannert Uncorked with the New Orleans Jazz Machine // Marquee
6:30pm
Pre-concert Beethoven Talk
7:30pm
February Dance
7:30pm
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
7:30pm
Pacifica Quartet Beethoven Cycle Part 4
Pacifica Quartet Beethoven Cycle Part 4 Jean & Howard Osborn Elizabeth & Edwin Goldwasser Melanie Loots & George Gollin Diana Sheets & Stephen Levinson Gay & Donald Roberts Joy Thornton Walter & John Walter
// Marquee
// Dance at Illinois // Department of Theatre
// Marquee and School of Music
FR FEB 3
6:30pm
Dessert and Conversation: February Dance // Dance at Illinois
7:30pm
February Dance
7:30pm
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
RIP: Rest in Plants It’s 1947, and America’s best are returning by the bucketful after kicking the Axis’ tuckus. The soldiers brought with them a re-invigorated U.S. economy, and everyone was feeling the good vibrations. As a result, flower sales were at an all-time high, and stores were selling out daily, leaving countless lovers unable to gift their better halves. Enter U of I Business Alumni Micky Boil, who took a vacated space in downtown Urbana and created Rest in Plants: a store that sold exclusively dead plants. Initially, RIP sold well, but after three months, CU got over the gimmick and stopped buying. Boil held on as long as he could, but after a deceased hydrangea spontaneously caught fire, he lost almost his entire stock overnight.
// Dance at Illinois // Department of Theatre
SA FEB 4
7:30pm
February Dance
7:30pm
Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra // Marquee
7:30pm
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
// Dance at Illinois
Spirit of Uganda Carol & Ed Scharlau Anonymous
About Global Transfer Afterglow: Hathaways 10:30pm with Tom Turino // Marquee WE FEB 8
5pm
Friends of Theatre: Discussion of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot // Depar tment of Theatre
7:30pm
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
7:30pm
13th Annual 21st Century Piano Commission Award Concert // School of Music
// Department of Theatre
5pm
Krannert Uncorked
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Spirit of Uganda Preview
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The St. Olaf Choir: A Centennial Retrospective
The Performing Arts Fund, a program of Arts Midwest, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Illinois Arts Council, the General Mills Foundation, and the Land O’Lakes Foundation
// Marquee
WEFT FM . 901
// Marquee
// Marquee
In 1965, Liam Boolstoy created exactly what every college student needs: coffee with nicotine. In the months leading up to Cigarettes in Coffee’s opening, everyone was talking. Boolstoy promised a drink that could change the face of self-destructive students everywhere. The shop was to feature multiple styles of coffee as well as cigarettes; if you wanted an Americano with soy and Marlboro menthol, they served it up with a smile. Unfortunately, Boolstoy overestimated the youth’s ability to cope with flavors that students described as “Terrible,” “Capital punishment for taste buds” and “Cancer.” However, there is a silver lining. Boolstoy sold every piece of the shop (recipes, research, stock) to Camel Cigarettes for millions. Years later, Boolstoy told the News Gazette that he would burn in hell for the transaction but that “Hell was nothing compared to Camel’s executives,” who apparently threatened to take his first unborn child.
Global Transfer Afterglow: Hathaways with Tom Turino Anonymous
// Department of Theatre
TH FEB 9
Cigarettes in Coffee
Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra Anonymous
7:30pm
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
7:30pm
St. Olaf Choir 100th Anniversary Tour
// Department of Theatre // Marquee
St. Olaf Choir Marlyn Rinehart Carole & Jerry Ringer Margaret R. & Michael Grossman Selma Richardson Jerald Wray & Dirk Mol in memory of Lydia Eppink Mol
C A L L 3 3 3 . 6 2 8 0 s 1. 8 0 0 . K C P A T I X
Corporate Power Train Team Engine
Marquee performances are supported in part by the Illinois Arts Council—a state agency which recognizes Krannert Center in its Partners in Excellence Program.
40 North and Krannert Center —working together to put Champaign County’s culture on the map.
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arts movie
entertainment
THE ARTIST
review
PG-13
&
by Syd Slobodnik
★★★★★
Used with permission from La Petite Reine, La Classe Américaine, JD Prod
W
riter/director Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist is a remarkable throwback to the way films were made more than 80 years ago. For many filmgoers, it provides the unique experience of the power of silent film acting, where expressive eye and facial expressions and exaggerated nonverbal gestures are accented by powerful musical accompaniments. If you weren’t old enough to experience silent mov-
ies in rather infrequent television broadcasts, screenings at a local film society, through college film studies or by renting a silent classic featuring Chaplin, Keaton or D.W. Griffith, you don’t know what you are missing. The Artist is the first serious attempt at a feature length silent since Mel Brooks’ mildly humorous, tepid silent comedy called Silent Movie in 1976. As many may know from last
week’s Oscar nomination announcements, The Artist became the first silent film in 84 years to be nominated for Best Picture, and two of its remarkable leads, Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo, are nominated for their incredibly expressive performances as movie stars George Valentin and Peppy Miller. Set in the waning days of the silent era of Hollywood, The Artist tells the very familiar tale of a declining superstar’s
misfortunes, the parallel joyous rise of a starlet who takes full advantage of the new sound era, and the romance that keeps them together. Older, more erudite film buffs will immediately note how derivative this plot is of such classics as George Cukor’s What Price Hollywood? (1932), William Wellman’s A Star is Born (1937), Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard (1950), and Gene Kelly/Stanley Donen’s Singin’ in the Rain (1952). Even so, despite these narrative borrowings, most filmgoers will sit back and marvel at the richly expressive performances of Dujardin and Bejo. Dujardin’s George is a combination of the hammy silent screen greats Douglas Fairbanks, Rudolph Valentino and Gene Kelly’s character from Singin’ in the Rain. His joys, woes and elations are completely felt by audiences simply through his expressions and composer Ludovic Bource’s incredibly emotive score. Bejo’s beaming smile and radiant eyes will win the heart of viewers most certainly. Besides the strong dramatic performances of the French stars Dujardin and Bejo, John Goodman is comically convincing as studio boss Al Zimmer. James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller and Malcolm McDowell are other noticeable stars in supporting roles. Hazanavicius so completely captures the feel of the silent era. The film was shot and is shown in the square Academy aspect ratio, capturing the dimensions of the silent films’ environment. Its crisp black and white photography, use of iris shot transitions and frequent use of diagonal wipes takes its audience into the world of the silents. And except for the very last scenes, the film’s story is effectively told without dialogue. The Artist brings back the magic of early filmmaking.
BEING ALIVE The Station Theatre puts on Company by Corinne Ruff You walk in and sit down on one of only a few risers. The scenery juts out just before your feet, flashing the vibrant images of downtown New York. The buzz, excitement and pulse of the city can be felt all around. The actors fill the stage, bringing the set to life. The main character, Robert, stands only feet before you. He looks into your eyes and then begins his story. His journey is told through the musical comedy known as Company, written by George Furth and put to music by Stephen Sondheim. It is a brilliant combination of thought provoking perspectives on the dynamics of marriage, paired with the raw comedy of real people. “[This musical] has really changed the way musical theater can be seen by putting the subject of marriage under a microscope and really analyzing without resolving,” says actor Dallas Street, who plays Robert. The Station Theatre, found in downtown Urbana, offers a quaint venue for a unique performance of this musical. The stage is easily transformed into the scene of mid-east side 6
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New York City in the 1950s. Because of its close quarters, the audience is able to form an intimate relationship with each of the characters and feel as if they’ve traveled back in time. “This musical is so relatable in that you can really see people you know—and even yourself—in the characters on stage,” says actress Marah Sotelo, who plays the role of Robert’s tough girlfriend Marta. Although there is not much of a growing plot, this concept musical is one filled from beginning to end with intricate rhythms and gorgeous ballads. The complexity of lyrics and music sets this musical apart form the rest. Company is an out of the box, must-see musical. In celebration of the Station Theatre’s 40th season, director Karma Ibsen has put together a lineup featuring a broad range of impressive plays for theatergoers to enjoy. The show will be premiering at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 2 and will run through the 18th. For ticket pricing and more information, please visit the theater’s website: www.stationtheater.com.
Chris Abbott in rehearsal for "Company". Used with permission from the Station Theatre
readbuzz.com february 2 - 8, 2012
I want to be showered with cereal!
OH MY GOSH I CAN’T WAIT!
buzz’s most anticipated films of 2012!
by buzz Movies and TV Staff
Week of Fri., Feb. 3 through Thurs., Feb. 9, 2012
W
elcome back! That is, welcome back to 2012, or campus, or reading buzz in general. Whatever the case, we waited to publish our list of Most Anticipated 2012 Movies! until everyone was able to read them. This year brings us plenty of superhero sequels, new films by some of America’s best directors (specifically, two Andersons and a Tarantino), a hefty helping of animated movies and a sundry of other interesting stuff. In fact, this is how we organized the list! So, get nice and excited because 2012 looks like a great year for film!
The Artist (PG-13) From a 35mm print Fri: (5:00), 7:30 PM | Sat: (2:30), (5:00), 7:30 PM Sun: (4:00), 6:30 PM Mon: 7:30 PM |Tue & Wed: (2:30), (5:00), 7:30 PM Thur: 7:30 PM The Big Lebowski (R)
From a 35mm print, $5 admission Fri & Sat: 10:00 PM Thu: 10:00 PM
Agneepath (NR)
In Hindi, with subtitles. From a 35mm print. Sat: 10:00 AM | Sun: 12:00 Noon
FILM SNOB FAVORITES! Django Unchained The tale of a runaway slave-turned-bounty hunter seems like a natural follow up to writer/director Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 revenge fantasy film Inglourious Basterds. This will be Tarantino’s first film without long-time editor Sally Menke, who passed away in 2010. Red Hook Summer Spike Lee goes back to his roots. Red Hook Summer marks the return of Spike Lee the independent filmmaker. Due to lack of support from major film studios, Lee financed this project on his own. The film follows a young boy’s summer in Brooklyn with his grandfather. The Master Paul Thomas Anderson’s last film There Will Be Blood was hailed as one of the best films of the last decade. Six years later, Anderson is putting out his next film set in 1950s America. The script has already stirred up controversy upon its initial release. Excitement is high. Moonrise Kingdom Wes Anderson has proved that he can do a lot as a director, most recently delving into stopmotion animation with Fantastic Mr. Fox. For anyone who has seen the trailer for his latest film, they can attest that Anderson is back in full form in his unflinching, unique style. Kathryn Bigelow’s Untitled International Thriller This tale of the elite team of special forces that hunted for and stormed Osama bin Laden’s secret compound should be one of the most talked about films of 2012. The Oscar-winning director and screenwriter Mark Boal are said to have gotten special help with research documents from the Obama administration for the script. Chris Pratt, Joel Edgerton and Jessica Chastain star. Due: 12 December 2012. Prometheus According to famed sci-fi director Ridley Scott, 2012’s Prometheus is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Alien franchise but just shares “strands of the same DNA.” I’m not exactly sure what that means; but if it means a possible explanation for the roots of the original Alien, I’ll be there.
SUPERHERO MADNESS! The Dark Knight Rises Although Heath Ledger’s absence in the superhero movie will be felt by viewers, the film’s trailers already teased us and built up far too much suspense to disappoint. Also, it is directed by Christopher Nolan, the man that endowed
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Brave. Used with permission from Disney/Pixar
us with mind-bending films like Inception and, of course, The Dark Knight. The Avengers Fanboys and fangirls, rejoice! With the summer release of Avengers films like Captain America, Thor and Iron Man, films seem like puzzle pieces that have finally been put together. The cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson while Joss Whedon directs. The Bourne Legacy Writer/Producer Tony Gilroy resurrects the Robert Ludlum superspy after a five-year hiatus—and without Matt Damon. Jeremy Renner stars as Aaron Cross. Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton, also. Due: August 3, 2012.
FOR THE KIDS! Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax Even college students want to reminisce about their childhood. That’s when Dr. Seuss steps in to save the day. The animated trailer features a colorful palette and a hint of nostalgia as it narrates vibrant scenes with Seuss’ rhymes. Meanwhile, the plot is a modern approach to a classic storybook. Brave Pixar’s newest animated feature is their first to star a female protagonist; thankfully, she looks like a total badass. Brave is a fantasy epic set in old-timey Europe (think Merlin). The trailer promises action, adventure and family friendly laughs. The Secret World of Arrietty Fans of Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle or Hayao Miyazaki take note! Miyazaki’s newest film, Secret World of Arrietty, has been translated to English and is coming to theaters this February! Initially released in Japan in 2010, Arrietty follows a “borrower” who lives under floorboards of a magic house in a fantasy world. Miyazaki is perhaps the best traditional animator currently alive, so this film comes with our highest recommendation! Frankenweenie Tim Burton returns to animation and hopefully redeems himself after Corpse Bride. There are several reasons to be excited about Frankenweenie: Winona Ryder, Martin Short and stop-motion
animation. Then again, it’s called Frankenweenie. In fact, this is a feature length remake of a short film Burton made back in the 80s. Stay excited for this, but never watch Corpse Bride.
ARC 239-5865
BOOKS, DEPP AND OTHER STUFF! Les Miserables The Internet has been abuzz the last six months as director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) has chosen the cast for the screen adaption of one of the most ambitious musicals of all time. This story of revolution in France could redefine the movie musical as we know it. The Great Gatsby Will this Baz Luhrmann retelling of the F. Scott Fitzgerald Roaring 20s classic have the flash of Moulin Rouge or the overwhelming length of Australia? And it’s shot in 3-D; but remember, Alfred Hitchcock shot Dial M for Murder in 3-D successfully. Leonardo DiCaprio is Jay Gatsby, and Carey Mulligan is Daisy Buchanan. Tobey Maguire is narrator Nick Carraway. Due: December 25, 2012. 21 Jump Street The film is a spin-off of the 90s show 21 Jump Street and is written as a comedy. Johnny Depp, an actor in the original series, comes back to make sure the film is in check with the original series. A mindless movie about half-baked cops portraying stereotypical teens? Yes, please! Bachelorette It seems last year’s Bridesmaids opened the gates for more raunchy comedies surrounding women behaving badly at weddings. However, the recentlypremiered-at-Sundance film Bachelorette is supposed to be a much darker look at sometimes twisted female friendships. Think less food poisoning shenanigans and more potential cocaine overdoses. Smashed Also recently premiering at Sundance is Smashed, a story about an elementary school teacher battling alcoholism. Reports from Sundance say that this is less of a depressing look at the dark depths of addiction and more of a light dramedy about dealing with relationships in your early thirties.
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12:25, 2:45, 5:00, 7:10, 9:20 FRI/SAT LS 11:30 RED TAILS (PG-13) 11:00, 1:45, 4:30, 7:15, 10:00 HAYWIRE (R) 12:35, 2:50, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45 FRI/SAT LS 12:00 THE IRON LADY (PG-13) FRI-TUE 11:05, 1:30, 3:55, 6:20, 8:45 FRI/SAT LS 11:10 WED 11:05, 1:30, 3:55 TH 6:20, 8:45 S 3D BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (G) $2.50 PREMIUM PER 3D TICKET 12:30, 2:40, 4:50, 7:00 S JOYFUL NOISE (PG-13) 11:00, 4:30, 9:55 CONTRABAND (R) 2:10, 4:40, 7:10, 9:40 FRI/SAT LS 12:10 S WAR HORSE (PG-13) 9:10 PM MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE GHOST PROTOCOL (PG-13) 11:15 AM THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (R) 6:50, 10:05 S SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS (PG-13) 1:40, 7:05 THE DESCENDANTS (R) 11:10, 1:45, 4:25, 7:05, 9:40 HUGO (PG) 1:25, 4:10
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7
Food
&
Drink
XLVI Super Bowl recipes
46 snacks to commemorate another year
by Jordan Ramos
A
lthough the Super Bowl is all about the two teams playing on the field, there are a couple of complementary programs that are just as popular, if not more so, than the actual game. The commercials offer entertainment while the timeouts are in use, and the food being munched all the while keeps everyone satisfied. Here are 46 recipes (Including 6 puppy-related ones, in honor of the VI Annual Puppy Bowl!) that will keep your Super Bowl party in full swing.
Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt. Cover, and chill dough for two
18. Buffalo chicken dip 19. BLT dip 20. Artificial crab dip 21. Cilantro, black bean and corn salsa 22. Pepperoni Pizza Dip
TO DRINK 1. Beer 2. Rum spiced cider 3. Mint hot chocolate 4. Cranberry vodka slush
» 1 jar (14 oz.) pizza sauce » 1 cup chopped pepperoni » 8 medium green onions, chopped » 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper » 1 can (2.25 ounce size) sliced ripe olives, drained » 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese » 1 package (8 ounce size) cream cheese, softened and cubed
» 1 (3 oz.) pkg. cherry Jell-O » 1 cup hot water » 12 oz. frozen orange juice » 12 oz. frozen lemonade » 2 cups cranberry juice » 2 cups vodka » 1 cup cold water Dissolve Jell-O in hot water. Add remaining ingredients. Freeze, then serve with 7-Up or Sprite.
FOR A SWEET TOOTH
Used with permission from the creative commons
hours. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out dough on wax paper, 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into circles. Place cookies at least 1/2 inch apart on a wax paper-covered cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool before frosting. Cream cheese frosting: » 2 (8 oz.) packages of cream cheese, softened » 1/2 cup of butter, softened » 2 cups of powdered sugar » 1 teaspoon of vanilla Cream together cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla and gradually stir in powdered sugar. Store in refrigerator after use. In honor of the Super Bowl, use strawberries and blueberries as the toppers to cheer on both the Patriots and the Giants! Kiwi, pineapple and mandarin oranges can all be used, too.
DIPS Used with permission from the creative commons
5. Oreo balls 6. Chocolate covered pretzels 7. White chocolate chip cookies 8. Mini cherry cheesecakes 9. No bake cookies 10. Fruit pizzas Cookie crusts: » 1 1/2 cups of butter, softened » 2 cups of white sugar » 4 eggs » 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract » 5 cups of flour (or less, at your discretion) » 2 teaspoons of baking powder » 1 teaspoon of salt 8
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Mixture may be a little grainy-looking. Slowly add milk a bit at a time and stir until milk is thoroughly mixed in. You should end up with a nice, smooth and creamy dip for your fruit. Store in refrigerator. To soften up the dip after removing from the refrigerator, just stick it in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.
11. Velveeta and chili queso dip 12. Baked artichoke dip 13. Mango salsa 14. Taco dip 15. Bacon, cheddar and onion dip 16. Guacamole with tomatoes 17. Nutella Cream Cheese Fruit Dip, adapted from In Mama’s Kitchen *Makes approx. 1/2 cup » 3 tablespoons Nutella » 3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened » pinch of salt » 1/4 cup milk Thoroughly mix Nutella, cream cheese and salt until no streaks of cream cheese remain.
Mix pizza sauce, pepperoni, onions, bell pepper and olives in 1 1/2-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 3 to 4 hours or until mixture is hot. Stir in mozzarella cheese and cream cheese until melted. Serve with vegetables for dipping.
APPETIZERS 23. Buffalo wings 24. Cream cheese ham roll-ups 25. Cream cheese stuffed jalapenos, wrapped in Buddig Beef 26. Potato skins 27. Chicken quesadillas 28. Chex Mix or Gardetto’s 29. Spinach-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms (from Kraft Foods) » 4 large portobello mushrooms (about 1 lb.) » 1/4 cup Italian reduced fat dressing, divided » 1/4 cup chopped red pepper » 2 cloves garlic, minced » 2 bags (10 oz. each) fresh spinach » 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese Preheat oven to 375°F. Twist or cut off stems from mushrooms. Chop stems; set aside. Use a spoon or sharp knife to scrape out the gills from mushroom caps; discard gills. Brush 1 Tbsp. of the dressing onto rounded sides of mushroom caps; place, rounded sides down, in foil-lined 15x10x1inch baking pan. Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. dressing in Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add mushroom stems, red pepper and garlic; cook and stir 2 min. Add spinach. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 4 min. or until spinach is wilted, stirring after 2 min. Spoon evenly over mushroom caps; sprinkle with cheese..Bake 18 to 20 min. or until mushrooms are tender. 30. Fruit salsa and cinnamon chips 31. Cheese and salami plate 32. Homemade potato chips
33. Potstickers 34. Caramel corn 35. Bacon-wrapped dates 36. Meatballs 37. Pasta salad 38. Garlic Parmesan Cheese Ball » 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened » 1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened » 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese » 1/4 cup mayonnaise » 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano » 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder AND IF DESIRED » 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic » 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional * Combine the first six ingredients in a mixing bowl. Shape into a ball. Roll in walnuts, if desired. Chill for 2 hours.
FOR THE PUPPY LOVERS 39. Puppy chow » 1/2 cup peanut butter » 1/4 cup butter » 1 cup chocolate chips » 1/2 teaspoon vanilla » 9 cups Crispix cereal (any flavor) » 3 cups powdered sugar Combine peanut butter, butter and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for one minute, then stir to blend all ingredients thoroughly. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir well. Place the 9 cups of Crispix cereal in a very large bowl. Pour the peanut butter-chocolate mixture over the cereal and toss evenly, making sure all the cereal gets a good covering. Place the powdered sugar in a large zip-lock type plastic bag. Add the peanut butter-chocolate cereal mixture to the bag, leaving enough room for the puppy chow to be shaken (you may have to divide the mixture into smaller batches, coating one batch at a time). Shake the bag vigorously to evenly coat each piece of the puppy chow with powdered sugar. Once the mixture is fully coated, place in a large serving bowl. 40. Dog bone sugar cookies (Write “Milkbone” in icing!) 41. Mini corn dogs 42. Cocktail weenies 43. Peanut butter blossoms 44. Pigs in a blanket 45. Chicago-style hotdog bar 46. Salty Dog drink » 5 oz. grapefruit juice » 1/2 oz. gin » 1/4 teaspoon salt Pour all ingredients over ice cubes in a highball glass. Stir well and serve. (Vodka may be substituted for gin, if preferred.)
readbuzz.com february 2 - 8, 2012
That's the sport with the tight pants, right?
Superbowl Food Face-Off
Battle of the Chowdahs!!
by Stacey Klouda Manhattan is characterized by its rich tomato broth. See the recipes below to take the battle into your own hands this February! As a fun little tidbit, I checked out the food stats for the two star QBs and looked at how they each measure up to the competition. Manning has been known to love Wendy’s, olives and meatballs according to various interviews, while Brady has been quoted saying, “I could talk food all day,” and loves a good onion ring. In my opinion, Brady gets the ring for this one considering he seems like simply a lover of “good food,” even though I do have a soft spot for the Giants' QB’s favorite fast food.
Used with permission from the creative commons
W
hile the New England Patriots and New York Giants duke it out on the field this Superbowl and debates rage about who will prove the victor, this Northeastern brawl brings up another source of regional contention—New England or Manhattan? Clam chowder, that is (Or “chowdah,” as it’s referred to locally). Although New England has a rich culinary tradition grounded in fresh seafood, produce like cranberries and classic “early thanksgiving” fare, New York has always been a mecca of all different food cultures and could arguably be called the heart of the American food scene. Yet, in the spirit of this hometown rivalry, I’ve pitted the two quintessential soups head-to-head so that you at home can have a chance to decide for yourself. The main difference between the two lies within the soup base—New England is thick and creamy, while
New England Clam Chowder v. Manhattan Clam Chowder
New England Clam Chowder YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups chowder and 1 1/2 teaspoons bacon) COURSE: Soups/Stews Ingredients »3 (6 1/2 oz.) cans chopped clams, undrained »1 (8 oz.) bottles clam juice »2 bacon slices »1/2 cup chopped onion »1/2 cup chopped celery »1 garlic clove, minced »2 cups cubed red potato »1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
»1/4 teaspoon black pepper »1 bay leaf »1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk »1/4 cup all-purpose flour »1/4 cup half-and-half »Thyme sprigs (optional) Directions Drain clams through a colander into a bowl, reserving liquid and clams. Combine clam liquid and clam juice. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Crumble bacon; set aside. Add onion, celery and garlic to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until tender. Add clam juice mixture, potato and next 4 ingredients (through bay leaf); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until smooth; add to pan. Stir in clams and halfand-half. Cook 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Serve with bacon. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired. Adapted from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/ new-england-clam-chowder-10000001673119/ (found through Food Blogga)
Manhattan Clam Chowder Ingredients »1 pint shucked clams (or 2 cups canned) » 1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
» 1/3 cup chopped onion (1 small) » 1/4 cup chopped carrot (1 small) » 2 tablespoons olive oil or cooking oil » 1 8 oz. bottle clam juice or 1 cup chicken broth » 2 cups cubed red potato » 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed » 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper » 1/8 teaspoon black pepper » 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained » 2 tablespoons cooked bacon pieces or cooked crumbled bacon Chop fresh clams (if using), reserving juice; set clams aside. Strain clam juice to remove bits of shell. (Or drain canned clams, reserving juice.) If necessary, add enough water to reserved clam juice to equal 1 1/2 cups. Set juice aside. In a large saucepan, cook celery, onion and carrot in hot oil until tender. Stir in the reserved 1 1/2 cups clam juice and the 8 ounces clam juice. Stir in potatoes, thyme, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in undrained tomatoes, clams and bacon. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Adapted from: http://www.foodbuzz.com/ recipes/577139-the-best-manhattan-clamchowder-/directions http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/ tom_brady.html#ixzz1kfYmnr37 http://www.kidzworld.com/article/5197-tombrady-biography http://gogomix.com/mix/eatdrink/elis-favoritefoods/
Puppy bowl Puppy Bowl Facts! » This is the 8th Puppy Bowl. For those of you who have never heard of the Puppy Bowl, it’s the best alternative there ever was to professional football. Not only will this year feature 58 of the cutest pups doin’ their thang, but kitties, pigs, a bird and a few hamsters will be making their television debut. » All of the puppies in this year’s starting lineup were rescued from animal shelters across the country and now have loving homes. » According to the Huffington Post, “The kittens will entertain the crowd at halftime, the piggies will lead the pep squad, the bird will be tweeting updates from the game and the hamsters will be 'flying' the aerial coverage blimp.” So keep your eyes peeled!
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MUSIC
by Maggie Labno year after the duo Andrew Hamlet and Mat Jones met in school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, they began work on a collaborative project which eventually resulted in Pressed And. According to Jones, they “find interesting sounds and try to arrange them in interesting ways.” That’s exactly what they did for their debut EP Imbue Up. Imbue Up is the outcome of many e-mails between the two bandmates. Hamlet and Jones, who live in separate cities, started swapping files in the begin-
A
Pressed And, Dr. Responsible and Evil Tents at Mike ‘N Molly’s
Photo by Victoria Masters. Used with permission from Pressed And
ning of 2011 and working on the tracks that would in due course be compiled into a release. “Andrew would send me something. I would mess around with it a bit,” Jones said. “It would kind of bounce back a few times. We weren’t really thinking about making a release. We were just working on songs.” The songs they were working on soon proved worthy. Without even planning it, the duo created tracks that, when put together, had a cohesive sound. Imbue Up was originally released
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Mon 6 - 7:30 Intro Tues 7:30 - 9:00 Intro Wed 9:15 - 10:45am Yoga for women 3:45-5:15pm Intro 7 - 8:30pm Yoga for Men Thurs 7:30 - 9:00pm Intro Sat 11:30 - 1pm Intro
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on November 8 of last year on Crash Symbols. However, not too long ago Pressed And signed with Mush Records, the Ohio-based independent record label home to artists such as A Lull and Bibio. Plans for a digital release of Imbue Up through Mush are now in progress. What can’t be overlooked is the fact that Imbue Up is a visual album. Accompanying the seven tracks are short films, each made by a different person. Although the films are all diverse, each of them is a well-done representation of the dreamlike experimental sound Pressed And has successfully created. The film for the closing track “Raid,” done by Nathaniel Whitcomb, uses images from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. The film for “Soul Muffin” was done by Laura Melosh and includes an abstract arrangement of geometric shapes on grass. The set of videos was premiered by Dave Sutton on his blog, “Stadiums & Shrines.” Together, they were later recognized and screened in a theater in Chapel Hill.
Although these short films are not played at live shows, a visual component remains. Whitcomb created a DVD of separate visuals to accompany Pressed And at their live shows. Hamlet said the projected visuals speak to a theme of “perpetual motion.” “...kind of feeling not at rest but feeling comfortable at not being at rest, somehow,” Jones added. Opening for Pressed And are locals Dr. Responsible and Evil Tents. Dr. Responsible is the solo project of Bryce Hays, also in Withershins. Although he has some recordings available to stream online, they are unrepresentative of the kind of music the audience will hear at the show. “I recorded that stuff two and a half years ago, and I was playing with a live drummer,” Hays said. “It’s a lot different now. I don’t play with other live musicians... Now it’s kind of a lot more electro hip-hoppy.” Although Hays describes Dr. Responsible as more of a current hobby, he is planning on playing more local shows and recording some newer material.
Jones explained the decision behind making a visual album
BRIEFBOX
SEEING MUSIC
“If you close your eyes or something, certain images come to mind,” he said. “That was the initial idea.”
MIKE ‘N MOLLY’S 105 N. MARKET, CHAMPAIGN WHEN: THURSDAY, FEB. 2 @ 10PM TICKETS: $5 AT THE DOOR AGES: 19+
readbuzz.com february 2 - 8, 2012
I will never be a black and white cartoon. Sad days ahead.
the Low anthem
by Dan Durley
H
ow do you maintain your sanity as an artist in a time when many musicians are becoming too comfortable with their sound, creating the same album over and over again? It’s simple. You just don’t get comfortable. That’s The Low Anthem’s new mantra. The Providence-based folk-rock band released a statement on their website last September that said the following: “We know the Darwin/Smart Flesh material inside and out—better than a prominent birthmark. Like swimming in bath water. It’s really dialed in. Maybe some artists reach this point and become safer, more refined versions of themselves. We’re not interested.” That is a bold statement to make. Do not worry, though. The band isn’t
Used with permission from The Low Anthem
breaking up. They are just “burning the furniture,” as they bluntly stated. The Low Anthem will just be hiding away for a while to craft its new sound after touring commitments wrap up. The Low Anthem is currently promoting its latest release, 2011’s Smart Flesh, on tour opening for City and Colour. They booked a few headlining shows on their days off and will be heading to The Canopy Club this Tuesday, Feb. 7. We checked in with bass player Jeff Prystowsky about “burning the furniture,” Smart Flesh and the upcoming Canopy Club show. » buzz: You guys recently stated that you would take a break from touring after your upcoming commitments so you wouldn’t get too comfortable with your
current sound. Is this a complete creative overhaul, and do you already have a specific sonic landscape in mind for the band’s future? Jeff Prystowsky: Yeah, and I think you’re on to something right there. We won’t stop playing altogether. We are gonna play some festival gigs in the summer and play on and off. But we won’t take on a full-on headlining tour until the new sound is developed and probably until our new album is finished and released as well. We are really excited about it. It’s not a winding down; it’s more of a new beginning. » buzz: “Burning the furniture” for the future of the band is a pretty progressive approach to playing music. Do you guys feel like that type of philosophy seeps into your approaches to your live show and the business of the band? Not staying stagnant with it all, per se. JP: Yeah, totally. I think it’s important to keep moving and to keep trying out new ideas and to keep challenging yourself. It’s a terrible feeling to be on your heels and feeling like you’re repeating yourself or not really engaging anyone. We’ve got some new members in the band who are working towards that approach. Some new ears in the project are helping us move in new directions. » buzz: You guys recorded Smart Flesh in an abandoned pasta sauce factory. How was recording Smart Flesh in an abandoned pasta sauce factory? Did that atmosphere shape the album in any specific way? JP: Oh, yeah. There were no isolated rooms in the pasta sauce factory. The sound of that huge room was on everything we recorded. It really colored every track. It was almost like the fifth member of the band. It had a huge influence on the record. It was literally killing songs that didn’t
feel appropriate to play in that big of a hall. It was really hard to articulate certain sounds. Things would get washed out very easily or sound thin. Nonetheless, it was a very unique and inspiring place to work in. The time that we spent there was really special, but it certainly was unusual... » buzz: You guys are on tour with City and Colour. How has the tour been so far, and how do the oneoff shows like your stop in Urbana next week fare in comparison to the bigger shows with Dallas Green? Do you see more diehard Low Anthem fans at the off-day shows? JP: I think you guys will be our second headlining show of the tour. It should be really interesting, seeing as how the majority of our shows on this tour are opening shows in theatres. It should be kind of wild. We’re not ever really sure what we will be playing since we will be playing probably double the amount of songs that we are right now opening for City and Colour. It’s really cool because we’re getting to see a lot of Canada, and it’s been really interesting. The City and Colour guys have been really kind. The Champaign stop will definitely be a change of pace. I think people can expect something exciting since we’re coming from a much more streamlined set and kind of get to run wild for the night in a smaller place. Expect the unexpected. It’ll be a breath of fresh air. We will probably pull out some older songs that we haven’t been playing recently...
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catching up with ...
The Canopy Club 708 South Goodwin, urbana When: Tuesday, Feb. 7 @ 7 p.m. TICKETS: $10 in advance; $12 at the door Ages: 18+
Groovin’ with the vagabonds Davina and the Vagabonds goes all “New Orleans” on The Highdive by Alex Gunko “I met my future husband on Duvel St. in Key West,” Sowers recalled. “I was busking, and we met, fell in love, and I moved to The Twin Cities to be with him. He had no idea I even played piano or wrote music. Three years later we started Davina and The Vagabonds.” The road wasn’t all smooth from there on, however. She explained the shifting line-up of the band: “We lost a few members, tried out tons of people and finally got this Vagabond family,” she said. “They truly make this band whole. I couldn’t ask for a better group of talented musicians.” The jazzy group is currently working on two new albums. One will be similar in essence to its June ’11 release Black Cloud, while the other one will be a twin pack: a CD with their live music and a DVD of the band’s live show. Sowers considered the best reason to see the show: “Because we are telling the truth in our music,” she explained. “Nothing is fake. We allow everyone to be themselves [sic]; we take no
Photo by Jeff Peabody. Used with permission from Davina and the Vagabonds
prisoners, and [the audience] likes that. We just want you all to have a good time.” And there’s always the fuzzy feeling of knowing they love us. “We love Champaign,” Sowers said. “We love all the friends we have met through your wonderful town. It is amazing to me how wonderful your community is. We have been treated with such love. I don’t say this about every town. There are a few cities I hold close to my heart; there are a few cities I hold in my nightmares... Champaign I hold close to my heart.”
There’s no doubt Davina and the Vagabonds will be the best way to spend your evening (and maybe impress your date) on a Monday night. Not often can you feel this classy while guzzling good whiskey and gin in the CU.
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The smooth songstress Davina Sowers is bringing her syrupy, spirited vocals to The Highdive on Monday, Feb. 6. Backed by four talented “Vagabonds,” they all make up the aptly named Davina and the Vagabonds. The band’s jaunty sound is hard to put a finger on. “People say blues, people say New Orleans jazz, people say Tom Waits—I say Davina and the Vagabonds,” Sowers said. It resonates with a live audience. Davina describes the band’s shows as having “high energy, surly sass with a fun punch.” Davina’s uninhibited performance is charged with the energy she puts into her music. The band and she go back-and-forth mimicking each other with amazing success. As a plus, their look is as soaked with old-age swag as their sound is with feel-good vibes. “I think the overall spirited music we play makes you wiggle and swing,” Sowers said. “That makes everyone happy.” The band has a surprisingly sweet story of its roots.
The highdive 51 East Main, Champaign When: monday, Feb. 6 @ 7:30 p.m. TICKETS: $8
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CALENDAR
FEBRUARY 2 - 8, 2012
Complete listing available at
SUBMIT YOUR EVENT TO THE CALENDAR: Online: forms available at the217.com/calendar • E-mail: send your notice to calendar@the217.com • Fax: 337-8328, addressed to the217 calendar
THE217.COM/CALENDAR
Snail mail: send printed materials via U.S. Mail to: the217 calendar, Illini Media, 512 E. Green St., Champaign, IL 61820 • Call: 531-1456 if you have a question or to leave a message about your event.
THURSDAY 2
Art @ the Y Presents Paper Quilts: Musings Art & other exhibits from the Mailbox Warriors, Guardians, University YMCA 9am and Demons Spurlock Museum, 9am “Wise Animals: Aesop Carolee Schneemann: and His Followers” Within and Beyond the Exhibition U of I Main Library, Premises 8:30am Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion Classes, lectures, & 9am workshops Fifty Years: Contemporary American Glass Live Adult Education from Illinois Collections Help Rantoul Public Library Krannert Art Museum 2pm and Kinkead Pavilion Live Career Help 9am After Abstract Expres- Rantoul Public Library 2pm sionism Live Homework Help Krannert Art Museum Rantoul Public Library and Kinkead Pavilion 2pm 9am Jerusalem Saved! Inness and the Spiritual Live music & karaoke Liquid Courage KaLandscape raoke Krannert Art Museum Memphis on Main and Kinkead Pavilion 9pm 9am Drama of Black & White Above & Beyond Asian American Cultural Canopy Club 9pm Center, 9am
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Mind, body, & spirit Candlelight Vinyasa Flow Yoga with Luna Pierson Amara Yoga & Arts 7pm Yin Yoga with Lauren Quinn Amara Yoga & Arts, 7pm Miscellaneous Children’s Winter Reading Program Rantoul Public Library 9am Yarn n Yak Rantoul Public Library 7pm SPEAK Café Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion 7pm Preschool Story Time Rantoul Public Library 10am Raising Readers Rantoul Public Library 10:30am Afterschool Fairytale Ballet with Kate Insolia Amara Yoga & Arts 4pm
Movies & theater IPRH Film Series-Valley Girl Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion 5:30pm
After Abstract Expressionism Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion 9am Jerusalem Saved! Inness and the Spiritual Sports, games, & Landscape recreation Krannert Art Museum Chess Club and Kinkead Pavilion Rantoul Public Library 9am 3:30pm Drama of Black & White Asian American Cultural FRIDAY 3 Center, 9am Art & other exhibits Art @ the Y Presents Warriors, Guardians, Paper Quilts: Musings from the Mailbox and Demons University YMCA Spurlock Museum, 9am 9am Carolee Schneemann: “Wise Animals: Aesop Within and Beyond the and His Followers” Exhibition Premises U of I Main Library Krannert Art Museum 8:30am and Kinkead Pavilion 9am Classes, lectures, & Fifty Years: Contemporary American Glass workshops from Illinois Collections Live Adult Education Krannert Art Museum Help and Kinkead Pavilion Rantoul Public Library 9am 2pm
Live Career Help Rantoul Public Library 2pm Live Homework Help Rantoul Public Library 2pm Friday Forum Presents “Scientific Animations Without Borders: Using Mobile Media to Promote Global Development” University YMCA 12pm
John McMahon Buvons Wine Bar, 6pm Feudin’ Hillbillys at Boomerang’s Bar and Grill Boomerang’s Bar and Grill, 8pm
After Abstract Expressionism Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion 9am Jerusalem Saved! Inness and the Spiritual Landscape Mind, body, & spirit Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion Yoga Classes 9am Krannert Art Museum Kaitiakitanga “we and Kinkead Pavilion are the earth” Pho12pm Power Flow Yoga with tographs by Luna Pierson Corrie Proksa Live music & 133 West Main, 6pm Amara Yoga & Arts karaoke Art @ the Y Presents 12pm Paper Quilts: Musings Vinyasa Krama Yoga SCATHE~ALTRIA~ from the Mailbox with Don Briskin STELLAR DAYS!!!!!! University YMCA, 9am Amara Yoga & Arts Memphis on Main 4:15pm 8:30pm Urbana Country Danc- Happy Hour Flow Yoga Classes, lectures, & workshops ers contra dance Feb 3 with Luna Pierson Amara Yoga & Arts Phillips Recreation Live Adult Education 5:30pm Center, 8pm Help Community Yoga with Rantoul Public Library Decadents & StoneFaced: Live at The Stop Jim Rector - All levels 2pm Amara Yoga & Arts, 7pm Live Career Help The Stop, 8pm Kid A: Tribute to Rantoul Public Library Miscellaneous Radiohead 2pm Canopy Club Intro Tango Lesson & Children’s Winter 9pm MIlonga at McKinley Reading Program Foundation Rantoul Public Library McKinley Presbyterian 9am Church and Foundation Magic and Other Nonsense: An evening 7pm of sleight of hand and Live Homework Help Rantoul Public Library legerdemain 2pm SoDo Theatre, 7:30pm Workshop: The StoryMovies & theater teller’s Journey Spurlock Museum, 9am Evening Movie Rantoul Public Library Live music & 6:30pm karaoke Magic and Other Nonsense: An evening Tango at KAM of sleight of hand and Krannert Art Museum legerdemain and Kinkead Pavilion SoDo Theatre, 7:30pm 12pm All Out A Cappella Unity High School, 5pm SATURDAY 4 Blind Pilot Art & other exhibits Canopy Club, 7pm Warriors, Guardians, Joe Pug Canopy Club and Demons Spurlock Museum, 10am 10:30pm Carolee Schneemann: DJ/Karaokee Within and Beyond the 133 West Main 9pm Premises 90’s Daughter at CowKrannert Art Museum boy Monkey and Kinkead Pavilion Cowboy Monkey, 10pm 9am Fifty Years: Contemporary American Glass Mind, body, & spirit from Illinois Collections Yoga Fundamentals Krannert Art Museum with Linda Lehovec and Kinkead Pavilion Amara Yoga & Arts 9am 9am
february 2 - 8, 2012
Power Flow Yoga with Corrie Proksa Amara Yoga & Arts, 4pm Kettlebell RKC Russian Style Truly Fit, 10am
Miscellaneous Children’s Winter Reading Program Rantoul Public Library 9am Winter Tales Storytelling Concert Spurlock Museum, 2pm Kids Arts & Crafts Playshops with Kathryn Fitzgerald Amara Yoga & Arts 11:30am Fairytale Ballet with Kate Insolia Amara Yoga & Arts 12:15pm
Sports, games, & recreation The CCTTC Lunar New Year Table Tennis Tournament Next Generation School 9am
Sunday 5
Live Homework Help Rantoul Public Library 2pm West African Dance Classes with Djibril Camara Channing-Murray Foundation , 6pm
Mind, body, & spirit Yoga for Men, Dudes and Regular Guys with Jim Rector Amara Yoga & Arts, 6:30pm Slow Flow Yoga with Kate Insolia Amara Yoga & Arts 2:30pm Happy Challenge Yoga with Maggie Taylor Amara Yoga & Arts, 4pm Gentle Yoga with Rebekah Deter Amara Yoga & Arts, 9am
Miscellaneous Children’s Winter Reading Program Rantoul Public Library 9am
Movies & theater
Jerusalem Saved! Inness and the Spiritual Art & other exhibits Landscape Warriors, Guardians, Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion and Demons Spurlock Museum, 12pm 2pm Carolee Schneemann: Within and Beyond the Monday 6 Premises Krannert Art Museum and Art & other exhibits Kinkead Pavilion, 2pm Drama of Black & White Fifty Years: ContemAsian American Cultural porary American Glass Center from Illinois Collections 9am Krannert Art Museum and Art @ the Y Presents Kinkead Pavilion, 2pm Paper Quilts: Musings After Abstract Expres- from the Mailbox sionism University YMCA Krannert Art Museum and 9am Kinkead Pavilion, 2pm “Wise Animals: Aesop Jerusalem Saved! Inand His Followers” ness and the Spiritual Exhibition Landscape U of I Main Library, Krannert Art Museum 8:30am and Kinkead Pavilion Classes, lectures, & 2pm workshops Art @ the Y Presents Paper Quilts: Musings Live Adult Education from the Mailbox Help University YMCA, 9am Rantoul Public Library 2pm Classes, lectures, & Live Career Help workshops Rantoul Public Library, 2pm Live Adult Education Poetry Workshop Help Red Herring Coffeehouse Rantoul Public Library, 7:30pm 2pm Live Homework Help Live Career Help Rantoul Public Library Rantoul Public Library 2pm 2pm
Live music & karaoke BOOM-JAM Open Stage at Boomerangs Bar and Grill Boomerang’s Bar and Grill, 9pm Davina And The Vagabonds Highdive, 7:30pm
Classes, lectures, & workshops
Live Adult Education Help Rantoul Public Library 2pm Live Career Help Rantoul Public Library 2pm Live Homework Help Rantoul Public Library Mind, body, & spirit 2pm Restorative Yoga with Why So S.A.D? Conquering the Winter Maggie Taylor Amara Yoga & Arts, 7pm Blues Hatha Yoga with Grace University YMCA, 7pm Giorgio Live music & Amara Yoga & Arts, karaoke 5:30pm Tango Tuesdays at Miscellaneous McKinley Foundation McKinley Presbyterian Children’s Winter Church and Foundation Reading Program 7pm Rantoul Public Library Piano Man 9am Canopy Club, 9pm Winter Reading Program for Teens & Mind, body, & spirit Adults Rantoul Public Library Vinyasa Flow Yoga 9am with Maggie Taylor Amara Yoga & Arts Sports, games, & 12pm recreation Slow Flow yoga with Amanda Reagan Bingo Night Memphis on Main, 10pm Amara Yoga & Arts 5:30pm
Tuesday 7
Art & other exhibits Carolee Schneemann: Within and Beyond the Premises Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion, 9am Fifty Years: Contemporary American Glass from Illinois Collections Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion, 9am After Abstract Expressionism Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion, 9am Jerusalem Saved! Inness and the Spiritual Landscape Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion, 9am Drama of Black & White Asian American Cultural Center, 9am Art @ the Y Presents Paper Quilts: Musings from the Mailbox University YMCA, 9am “Wise Animals: Aesop and His Followers” Exhibition U of I Main Library, 8:30am Warriors, Guardians, and Demons Spurlock Museum, 12pm
Miscellaneous Children’s Winter Reading Program Rantoul Public Library 9am
Art @ the Y Presents Paper Quilts: Musings from the Mailbox University YMCA, 9am “Wise Animals: Aesop and His Followers” Exhibition U of I Main Library 8:30am
Classes, lectures, & workshops Live Adult Education Help Rantoul Public Library 2pm Live Career Help Rantoul Public Library 2pm Live Homework Help Rantoul Public Library 2pm
Live music & karaoke No. 44 Society Meeting: Andy Boyle Talk about Poet and Historian Samuel Daniel U of I Main Library 3pm 312 Vibe Night Canopy Club 9pm 21st Century Piano Commission Competition Concert Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30pm
Mind, body, & spirit
Yoga Wednesdays at indi go Artist Co-Op! Indi Go Artist Co-op, 7pm Wednesday 8 Kettlebell RKC RusArt & other exhibits sian Style Warriors, Guardians, Truly Fit, 6:30pm and Demons Spurlock Museum, 9am Hatha Flow with Linda Carolee Schneemann: Lehovec Within and Beyond the Amara Yoga & Arts 5:30pm Premises Ashtanga Full Primary Krannert Art Museum Series with Lauren and Kinkead Pavilion Quinn 9am Amara Yoga & Arts Fifty Years: Contemporary American Glass 7pm from Illinois CollecMiscellaneous tions Krannert Art Museum and Children’s Winter Kinkead Pavilion, 9am Reading Program After Abstract Expres- Rantoul Public Library sionism 9am Krannert Art Museum and Around the World Kinkead Pavilion, 9am Wednesdays Jerusalem Saved! InSpurlock Museum ness and the Spiritual 9:30am Landscape Krannert Art Museum and Sports, games, & recreation Kinkead Pavilion, 9am Drama of Black & White Pokemon Fan Club Asian American Cultural Rantoul Public Library Center, 9am 6pm
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buz z ’s WEEK AHEAD Gabe Liebowitz, Bears of Blue River, From Krakow with Love Transporter Room 3 Thursday, Feb. 2 8 p.m. (Donations accepted)
Free
Gabe Liebowitz from Dastardly braved his way through the snow and traffic to play at Cowboy Monkey just a couple weeks ago, and now this beard-laden folk mastermind is goin’ solo at the Transporter Room 3 with fellow Chicago folkers Bears of Blue River (they also have beards!). While I don’t know the facial hair status of From Krakow with Love, the Facebook event calls them “darkwave casio gods in training,” which sounds quite charming! It’ll be a pretty charming time! Bring your prince charming! — Adam Barnett, Music Editor
Stephen Sondheim’s Company The Station Theatre 223 N. Broadway Ave., U. 15-18 8 p.m
Feb. 2-5, 8-12,
Be sure to check out Company at the Station Theatre. This Sondheim musical is being performed as part of the theater’s 40th anniversary season. Tickets can be purchased via phone or online. — Tracy Woodley, Arts & Entertainment Editor
Joe Pug Canopy Club 708 S. Goodwin Ave., U. 10:30 p.m. $12 - $15
Saturday, Feb. 4
Joe Pug is the definition of tall, lanky, musically gifted, swoon-worthy, polite southern gentleman. I saw him last spring, and he is a dream. If you’re into honest, folksy music, you are in for a treat. The man wears a flannel shirt, unbuttoned tantalizingly low. He talks to you like you’re his best friend and lover and is just the sweetest thing in the world. Go enjoy his music. — Amy Harwath, Community Editor
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$1000-3200/month to drive new cars with ads. www.AdCarPay.com FOR RENT
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APARTMENTS Unfurnished
406 W. Washington, Champaign
2 BR. Old-town Champaign. Contemporary building with balcony. NOW AVAILABLE. $575/mo. Call 217-352-8540 for showing. View at www.faronproperties.com
HOUSES FOR RENT APARTMENTS
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APARTMENTS Furnished a
1 Bedroom 901 W. Springfield, U $ 520-570 911 W. Springfield, U $ 525-595 1004 W. Springfield, U $ 499-529
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410
Available 2012. 10 bedroom, 2 bathroom house, washer & dryer, and close to all bus lines. $269/room. Call George (217) 367 6626
BEST OFFER CAMPUS 1 Bedroom Loft 2 Bedroom 3 Bedroom 4 Bedroom Campus. 367-6626 Available August 2012
430 PARKING / STORAGE 570 PARKING / STORAGE 570 PARKING / STORAGE 570 PARKING / STORAGE 570
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Campus rooms for rent from $280. 367-6627
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One bedroom in 4 bedroom apartment available on Engineering/ Computer Science campus. Everything included (Utilities, internet, TV). Fully furnished (including TV, kitchen stuff and all). Total $495/mo. 4 or 6 month lease. 344-3008
PARKING / STORAGE 570
2 Bedroom 901 W. Springfield, U $ 695-$740 111 S. Lincoln, U $ 795
Parking Engineering Campus 4 Blocks to Union $40.00/month 344-3008
3 Bedroom 1010 W. Springfield U $ 999-1272
LISTEN IN TO WPGU 107.1 For Info: (217) 344-3008 ALL DAY, 911 W. Springfield, Urbana www.BaileyApartments.com EVERYDAY Do You Want Close? 4 Bedroom 1010 W. Springfield, U $ 1696
Attention Seniors! IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR U OF I SENIORS:
The final session of Senior Pictures (cap & gown) will end:
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 4TH
THIS IS YOUR ABSOLUTE LAST CHANCE TO HAVE YOUR SENIOR PICTURE TAKEN. You can make an appointment through February 4th at illioyearbook.com but we will accept walk-ins during the last week.
Leasing for Fall 2012 1010 W. Springfield
Close In Urbana Locations
Illini Union 3 1/2 Blocks Mech. Eng. 3 Blocks
3&4 BEDROOMS Office 911 W. Springfield, Urbana 344-3008 www.BaileyApartments.com Check us out on facebook!
Digital Comp. Lab, Grainger, Siebel 2 1/2 Blocks
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readbuzz.com february 2 - 8, 2012
I hate to look at dirt.
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY ARIES
(March 21-April 19)
“Marriage must be a relation either of sympathy or conquest,” said author George Eliot. I believe the same is true even about intimate bonds that have not been legally consecrated. Each tends to either be a collaboration of equals who are striving for common goals or else a power struggle in which one party seeks to dominate the other. Which of those two models has characterized your romantic history, Aries? Now is an excellent time to begin working to ensure that the partnership model will predominate for the rest of your long life.
TAURUS
(April 20-May 20)
GEMINI
(May 21-June 20)
CANCER
(June 21-July 22)
“Love loves to love love,” wrote James Joyce in his 1922 novel *Ulysses.* “Nurse loves the new chemist. Constable 14A loves Mary Kelly. Jumbo, the elephant, loves Alice, the elephant. Old Mr Verschole with the ear trumpet loves old Mrs Verschoyle with the turnedin eye. The man in the brown macintosh loves a lady who is dead. His Majesty the King loves Her Majesty the Queen.” What Joyce said 90 years ago is still true: The world is a churning, burning uproar of yearning. The droning moan of “I want you, I need you” never dies down. Give yourself to that cosmic current without apology this Valentine season, Taurus. Celebrate your voracious ache for love. Honor your urge to merge with reverence and awe for its raw splendor. I’ve ghostwritten a personal ad for you to give to your Valentine or potential Valentine: “I’m looking for a free yet disciplined spirit I can roll down hills with on sunny days and solve thorny puzzles with when the skies are cloudy. Can you see the absurd in the serious and the serious in the absurd? Are you a curious chameleon always working to sharpen your communication skills? Might you be attracted to a sweet-talking wise-ass who’s evolving into a holy goofball? Emotional baggage is expected, of course, but please make sure yours is organized and well-packed. Let’s create the most unpredictably intriguing versions of beauty and truth that anyone ever imagined.” On average, an adult on planet Earth has sex 103 times a year. But I’m guessing that in the immediate future, Cancerians everywhere may be motivated to exceed that rate by a large margin. The astrological omens suggest that your tribe’s levels of sensual desire may reach astronomical heights. Do you know anyone you’re attracted to who might be willing help you out as you follow your bliss? If not, be your own Valentine. One way or another, it’s prime time to celebrate your relationship with eros.
LEO
(July 23-Aug. 22)
I’d love for you to be able to always give the best gifts you have to give without worrying about whether they will be received in the spirit with which you offer them. But that’s just not realistic. I would also be ecstatic if you never had to tone down your big, beautiful self out of fear that others would be jealous or intimidated. And yet that’s not a rational possibility, either. Having said that, though, I do want to note that now and then both of those pleasurable scenarios can prevail for extended lengths of time. And I believe you’re now in one of those grace periods.
VIRGO
(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
In accordance with the astrological omens, here’s what I wish and predict for you in the near future: You will be a connoisseur of temptations. By that I mean you will have a knack for attracting and playing with allurements and enticements. More importantly, you’ll have a sixth sense about the distinction between good bait and bad bait -- between provocative temptations that will serve your most fervent dreams and debilitating traps that will dissipate your integrity. And when you get a lock on the invigorating, ennobling kind, you will know just how to work with it so that it drives you wild with smart longing.
LIBRA
(Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Eliphas Levi was a 19th-century author and hermetic magician whose work has had a major influence on Western mystery schools. The great secret of magic, he said, is
February 3-9, 2012
in a roundabout way
by Matt Jones
fourfold: “to KNOW what has to be done, to WILL what is required, to DARE what must be attempted, and to KEEP SILENT with discernment.” Your assignment, Libra, is to apply this approach to your love life. How can you create a relationship with love that will be a gift to the world and also make you smarter, kinder, and wilder? KNOW what magic you have to do. WILL yourself to do it. DARE to be ingenious and inspired. And don’t tell anyone what you’re doing until you achieve your goal.
SCORPIO
(Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
SAGITTARIUS
(Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
CAPRICORN
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
AQUARIUS
(Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
After analyzing the astro data for this Valentine season, I realized that you could really benefit from being less sober, solemn, and serious about your intimate relationships. That’s why I decided to collect some one-liners for you to use as you loosen up your approach to togetherness. Please consider delivering them to anyone you’d like to be closer to. 1. “Let’s go maniacally obsess about our lives in a soothing environment.” 2. “We’ll be best friends forever because you already know too much about me.” 3. “It would be great if you would schedule your social events around my mood swings.” 4. “I’m sorry I drunk-dialed you before realizing you were already in bed with me.” 5. “I wanna do boring things with you.” (All the one-liners come from Someecards.com.)
“The world is an oyster, but you don’t crack it open on a mattress,” said a character in Arthur Miller play. He was referring to the idea that if you’re obsessed with sex and romance, your level of worldly accomplishment may be rather low. It jibes with what a friend in my youth told me when he noticed how much of my energy was engaged in pursuing desirable females: “They don’t build statues in parks for guys who chase women.” I realize you may not be wildly receptive to ruminating on these matters during the Valentine season, Sagittarius. However, the omens suggest I advise you to do just that. It’s a good time to fine-tune the balance between your life-long career goals and your quest for love.
Ancient Egyptians thought that drinking bear grease could stimulate ardor, while the Greeks believed that eating sparrow brains would do the trick. When potatoes first appeared in Spain in 1534, imported from the New World, they were used in love potions and worth more than $1,000 a pound. The Asian rhinoceros was hunted nearly to extinction because its horn was thought to have aphrodisiac properties. Just in time for Valentine season, I’d like to suggest that you call on a very different kind of romantic stimulant that costs nothing and doesn’t endanger any species: *being a good listener.*
Maybe there is a soulmate for you in this world. Maybe there isn’t. But you can count on this: If that person is out there, you will never bond with him or her by clinging to a set of specific expectations about how it should happen. He or she will not possess all the qualities you wish for and will not always treat you exactly as you want to be. I’m sure you already know this deep down, Aquarius, but hearing it from an objective observer like me might help liberate you further from the oppressive fantasy of romantic perfection. That way you can better recognize and celebrate the real thing.
PISCES
(Feb. 19-March 20)
“We are all a little weird and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.” So proclaimed Dr. Seuss. I think this is an excellent meditation for you during this season of love. You need more permission to share your idiosyncrasies and eccentricities, and you need more freedom to ally yourself with people whose idiosyncrasies and eccentricities you’re compatible with -- and on behalf of the cosmos, I’m hereby giving you that permission.
Stumped? Find the solutions in the Classifieds pages.
Across 1 “Tsk, tsk” 10 They’re to dye for 14 LOLcat-eating-acheezburger noise 15 How scripts are read 17 Taking one’s sweet time 18 Harry Potter’s house elf 19 It’s one step up from giga20 To some, a “rat with wings” 21 English Channel swimmer Gertrude 24 Creatures that do a waggle dance 26 Title for Italian monks 27 Animal frequently seen as roadkill 28 Late Cars bassist Benjamin ___ 29 ___ about (roams) 30 Grammys rival 31 Paid attention to a lecturer, for example 33 Worst Actor winner’s prize 37 EPA concern 38 Primus lead Claypool 39 Help breaking into a puzzle 40 Explosive stuff 41 “The Little Mermaid” villain
45 Prefix before duct 46 Night spots 47 Metamorphosis parts 48 Wound (around) 50 Visual jokes 51 One of a box of 13, perhaps 52 Michael’s wife, for a while 57 2007 documentary with the tagline “This might hurt a little” 58 Medicine that slows a chemical reaction 59 Like some ground beef 60 Unlikely to change... ever Down 1 Shoe sole curve 2 Holy city? 3 Three-ingredient desserts 4 Egyptian president of the 1970s 5 Barstool dweller 6 Insurance gp. 7 Palindromic woman’s name 8 Leather shoe, for short 9 Accident victim helper 10 “Quo ___?” 11 Sleep like ___ 12 Devil’s advocate phrase 13 It’s bigger than family
16 Nighttime soap of the 1980s 20 2-in-1 shampooconditioner since 1987 22 Unit of light 23 Bubbled up (from) 24 Hogs 25 Cupid’s Greek counterpart 29 “Nope, you’re wrong!” follow-up 32 Hopping video game character 33 They’re strummed with a B and D 34 Baked potato rub 35 Tendency to let things slide 36 Kumquat coat 42 Peter Lorre’s role in “Casablanca” 43 American or Foreign follower 44 State 46 Put money behind, as a candidate 49 Suzanne Vega song about child abuse 52 Backtalk 53 Suffix for opal or sal 54 Single stock: abbr. 55 Program with a “Buddy List,” for short 56 CEO-to-be’s degree buzz
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february 2 - 8, 2012
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AND ANOTHER THING ...
by MICHAEL COULTER
written at the last minute Coulter on procrastination When I used to work in television news, there were pretty much always deadlines and pressure. I used to work with a guy who didn’t deal with it very well. The sad part was that he genuinely thought he did handle it well. He would always say that he “worked well under pressure but didn’t require pressure in order to work well.” It was a cool thing to say, but he didn’t work particularly well under any situation. He thought other people were putting him under pressure, but honestly, he did it to himself most of the time. He just dicked around too much. Procrastination can be a terrible thing. At the time, I couldn’t really say much of anything because I was also a filthy procrastinator. I had trouble completing anything unless it absolutely had to be done. The work would always get done, which was nice; it’s just that the deadline had to be imminent before I’d give it a first thought, let alone a second thought. It was almost like a disease, but I kept telling myself that it was just the nature of the job, and in a way, it was.
doing it, so it goes very quickly. I tend to work in quick little spurts instead of the slow and steady route. I’m in no way saying this is the best way to work; I’m saying it happens to be the way I work because I’m a lazy procrastinator. I’m trying to get better, though. The first part of the plan was to do something I’d been putting off for awhile. “Force myself to do something” is probably a better term, but you get the idea. It goes back to the light bulb problem. I decided to just change the damned things. It was an insanely difficult project that took about three and a half minutes to complete. Afterwards, I felt really good. I felt the kind of good that would lead a normal person to see the light and get everything done that he’s been putting off. Sadly, I didn’t magically become that person right away. Yes, I felt great and had a sense of accomplishment that was splendid. I wasn’t exhausted or anything, but still, I couldn’t quite bring myself to become a productivity machine. I did walk around and look at the other chores that were on my “to do” list, and that felt like something—something that wasn’t nearly enough. I quickly did a load of dishes before the inspiration wore off. That felt pretty good, too. I thought that maybe if I put some One of the bathrooms in the house music on it would all seem like a has about five light bulbs. These little more fun. It turns out that all it led to was going through my CD bulbs are slowly burning out, library for about an hour and ending any significant accomplishment and now it’s down to having one for the rest of the day. It was great functioning light bulb. It’s pretty fun playing the CDs, but any idea dark in there, and it’s a bit of a pain of taking care of business was long gone. I have to say, though—I still in the ass, but I can’t bring myself to felt pretty good about the progress change any of the bulbs until I’m in I had made before I got distracted. So it was on to the next step. complete darkness. This involved some convoluted theory I concocted about doing The problem is that it’s often hard to tell the some sort of chore first thing in the morning difference between procrastination and plain so I might possibly be in the habit for the rest old laziness. Here’s the deal as I see it: income of the day. The results should have been pretty taxes will be due pretty soon, and I’m fairly posi- easy to predict. I’m not sure what time of the tive that I’ll be doing the damned things on April morning I would have to get up in order to be 14th again. This is procrastination. On the other any sort of productive, but I can tell you I never hand, one of the bathrooms in the house has stumbled on to that hour of the day. I took a about five light bulbs. These bulbs are slowly shower, like usual, and continued to do nothing burning out, and now it’s down to having one for the rest of the day. functioning light bulb. It’s pretty dark in there, Is procrastination laziness? I’m not completeand it’s a bit of a pain in the ass, but I can’t bring ly sure, but it definitely seems like it. They may myself to change any of the bulbs until I’m in not be brother and sister, but they are at least complete darkness. This dilemma is probably related by blood. It’s probably not a good thing due more to simple laziness instead of any sort to be either one. As I said, I’m trying to get betof procrastination. ter with both. I try to at least do a few little If I were to rationalize it, I would just say it is things that will hopefully make the big project sort of the way I work. Even though I spend a lot easier when I finally get around to it. I truly want to of time not doing something, I still think about feel like I’m not putting things off anymore. I know doing it. Because of this, I like to believe that it will make me feel better. I just haven’t gotten I’m totally prepared for the task once I begin around to convincing myself of that fact quite yet. 16
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