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Volume 27 Issue #51
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The year has turned its circle, The seasons come and go. The harvest is all gathered in And chilly north winds blow. Orchards have shared their treasures, The fields, their yellow grain. So open wide the doorwayThanksgiving comes again!
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Cody Mabe of Big Stone Gap Signs With Record Label
Cody Mabe of Big Stone Gap, Virginia signed with Nashville independent record label Big Whirl Records on Saturday, November 4th in Franklin, Tennessee. Many in the local community are familiar with
Cody’s talent as he has performed in events throughout the region for several years. Country music has long been a part of Mabe’s life. “I grew up listening to Garth Brooks and the country stars from that era,” he said. “The music spoke to me and I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I’m just tickled to death my ϐ Ǥdz That hard work and willingness to promote his talents were instrumental in securing his record deal. “Cody sent me a demo CD and a simple hand-‐written letter,”
explained Big Whirl Records founder and president, David Marshall. “I was blown away i m m e d i a t e l y by his smooth, soulful voice and songwriting ability. He has the rare ability to pen a song intimate to his life experiences and make the listener feel it was written about their own. That’s a true gift.” The song “What He Had To Do” is an excellent example of such talent. It was written about Mabe’s uncle Don Fee, who lost his life serving in Vietnam with the Navy’s elite Seawolves. It’s a very personal song but anyone can identify with the pride Mabe feels about his
uncle’s service to the country. The single is available on both iTunes and Amazon. The label’s immediate plans include recording a new CD which will comprise material from his demo CD as well as new tunes and a support tour to follow.
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Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band Capone’s December 13th
Asheville, NC’s Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band will release their new album, Onward!, on October 22nd, 2013. Known for their outrageous stage wear and thumping live shows, the horn-‐driven intergalactic quintet brings their raw energy from stage to studio on their new album. Recorded in their hometown at Echo Mountain Recording Studio, Onward! is a tantalizing fusion of deep funk and high-‐energy rock with a little bit of soul and old school rap thrown in for good measure. To celebrate the completion of their new album, The Booty Band ϐ their single “Trunk Fallin’ Off” at Atlanta’s iconic Clermont Lounge. The video, featuring some of the club’s famed dancers, is a hard-‐ hitting tribute to classic rap and hip-‐hop. Al Al Ingram and JP Miller spit lyrics over synthesized beats while Mary “Mama Funk” Frances holds down the hook. Other standout tracks from the album include “Let Me In,” where silky horn lines build into a driving
psychedelic jam giving way to a down and dirty guitar solo; “The Den” which splashes ambient jam themes with instrumental funk; and “Ante Up”, a sexy groove driven track featuring Mama Funk on lead vocals. Favorites on the live funk and festival scene, Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band recently opened for George Clinton and the Parliament
Funkadelic at Georgia Theater on Sept 26th and refuse to stop the party there with tour dates booked all of the way through the fall. A full fall and winter 2013 tour itinerary is below. For more information on Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, visit -‐ http:// nu.bootyband.com/ ϐ video for “Trunk Fallin’ dz ϐ Lounge (the same notorious club which recently ejected Mumfor and Sons for snapping photos), visit -‐ http:// youtu.be/YkWnWnxM2dc]
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The Nutcracker
Appalachian Ballet Company December 7th, 8th, 14th
Appalachian Ballet Company presents A Holiday Classic -‐ The Nutcracker Presented TWO WEEKENDS in TWO VENUES accompanied by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra
pm Sunday December 8th -‐ 2:00 pm AND Clayton Center for the Arts Saturday, December 14th -‐ 2:00 and 8:00pm School matinees also available on December 5th and 6th.
Knoxville Civic Auditorium Saturday, December 7th -‐ 8:00
Tickets are on sale at the following locations:
Appalachian Ballet 865.982.8463 Knoxtickets.com 865.656.4444 The Clayton Center for the Arts 865.981.8590 Advance -‐ $40, $35 & $25 At door -‐ $45, $40 & $30 Student and Senior Discount $5 Off Ask about Group Rates This 42nd anniversary production featuring over 80 dancers and the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra will showcase guest artists Kylie Morton as the Sugarplum Fairy and Adam Schiffer as the Cavalier. David Dwyer, television and movie actor, will appear in the story as Herr Drosselmeyer, the toy maker who creates the Nutcracker. This magical production of the Appalachian Ballet Company Nutcracker ϐ with lavish sets, scenery, costumes, orchestra, choir and dancers. Come enjoy Knoxville’s tradition of 42 years and now also playing in Maryville. Photo by Richard Calmes
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“O’ Christmas Tree”- Come See A Fields-Penn Christmas November 30th - January 4th
The third annual “O Christmas Tree!” community event is at the Fields-‐Penn 1860 Museum at 208 W. Main Street, Abingdon. Opening on November 30th and running through January 4th, or “Old Christmas”, local organizations are again decorating their trees as a way to raise food donations for needy people and animals. Nearly one thousand people attended the premiere event last season and over 6,000 food items were collected for Faith in Action’s Stone Soup and Animal Defense League. The organizations participating in 2013 are Animal Defense League, William King Museum, Arts Depot, Advance Abingdon, Highlands Community Services,
United Way, Holston Mountain
Artisans and the Daughters of the American Revolution. The museum is free of charge, and the trees are free to see, as well. To vote for a favorite tree, however, one may place non-‐ perishable food at its base, each item worth set points. At the end of the event, these points are tallied for donations, and the winning tree is named. Preferred contributions for this year are peanut butter and canned fruit for Faith in Action. ϐ are good, too. Animal Defense League requests higher grade pet food, both dry kibble, such as Purina, and canned wet. Large 16 lb. bags of Purina and 16 oz. jars of peanut butter are worth 10 points. Canned fruit, tuna, or chicken are worth 5 points; canned vegetables, 2 pts.; and all other goods are a point each. The Fields-‐Penn will be open Monday and Wednesday from 1pm-‐5:30pm, Tuesday from 10am-‐7pm, Thursday-‐Saturday from 10am-‐7pm and Sunday from 1pm-‐5pm through 4th January, closed on Christmas and New Year’s Day. For more information, please call 276-‐676-‐0216 or check out the Fields-‐Penn House 1860 Museum facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/ ϐ Ǥ
Page 10, The Loafer • November 26, 2013
31st Annual Country Christmas Craft Show
Viking Hall Civic Center November 29 - December 1 The annual Country Christmas Craft show is set for this Thanksgiving weekend in Viking Hall Civic Center. This event has been the kick-‐off of the Christmas shopping season for the last 31 years. The hours of the event for this year are Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday, December 1 from 12 Noon to 5 p.m. “There are so many unique Ǣ ϐ everyone on your list. This year we will have wooden reindeer made from sassafras logs, scroll saw art, hand-‐crafted jewelry, locally
made pottery, handmade wooden toys, stained glass, along with candles, lots of primitive works and a chocolatier, along with other assorted holiday foods,” said Daisy Carroll, the craft show manager. “It is a great event to bring the whole family out to, it has all the sights and smells of the season and is a great way to spend an afternoon,” continued Carroll. For more information contact ϐ Ͷʹ͵Ǧ 764-‐0188 or call Daisy Carroll at (423) 360-‐5809. More detailed information about the event can be found on their website, http:// www.countrychristmasshow.com.
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Christmas Concert
Virginia Highlands Community College
December 3rd, 7:30pm The VHCC Madrigals, guitar ensemble and mixed choir will be presenting their Christmas concert in the VHCC LRC theater on Tuesday evening Dec. 3rd at 7:30. The concert is free to students and $4.00 for the public. Everyone is welcome to attend.
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ETSU Fall Jazz
The Jazz Doctors
Martha Culp Auditorium December 6th, 7:30pm
The ETSU Jazz Program is proud to announce its next jazz series concert – 2013 Fall Jazz at the Culp: “Only for One Night”. To be held on Friday, December 6th at 7:30 PM in the Martha Culp Auditorium, the concert will feature legendary jazz trumpeter Wallace Roney. Roney will perform in concert together with The Jazz Doctors and the ETSU Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Dr. David Champouillon, Jazz Program Director. ETSU alumnus Justin Stanton will be making a featured appearance having most recently come off world tours with Snarky Puppy. Stanton’s recent performances also include with Gin Wigmore on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, “Jimmie Kimmel Live”, “The Ellen Show”, and “Good Morning America”! Tickets are $5 for students, $10 for seniors and $15 general admission. Tickets will be on sale at the door and through the music department. For more information please contact the music department at 423.439.4276, Champouillon (423.439.6955 or champoui@etsu.edu) or the university arts webpage. Wallace Roney is an American hard bop and post-‐bop trumpeter. Roney took lessons from Clark Terry and Dizzy Gillespie and studied with Miles Davis from 1985 until the latter’s death in 1991 holding the distinction of being the only trumpet player Davis ever personally mentored. Roney attended Howard University and Berklee College of Music after graduating from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts where he studied trumpet with Langston Fitzgerald of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Diagnosed with having perfect pitch at four years old, Wallace began his musical and trumpet
studies at Philadelphia’s Settlement School of Music. He studied with trumpeter Sigmund Hering of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Under the watchful eye of Eugene Ormandy, Hering regularly presented Wallace at recitals at the Settlement School, and with the Philadelphia Brass Ensemble, during his studies as a youth in Philadelphia. When he entered the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Wallace Roney had already made his recording debut at age 14. In 1979 and 1980, Roney won the Down Beat Award for Best Young Jazz Musician of the Year, and in 1989 and 1990, he won Down Beat Magazine’s Critic’s Poll for Best Trumpeter to Watch. In 1986, he received a pair of calls, in the same month, to tour with drummers Tony Williams and Art Blakey, after which Roney has been one of the most in-‐demand trumpet players on the professional circuit. In 1986, he succeeded Terence Blanchard in Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was an integral part of Tony Williams’s quintet. In 1991, Roney played with Miles Davis at the Montreux Jazz Festival. After Davis’s death that year, Roney toured in memoriam with Davis alumni Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Williams and recorded an album, A Tribute to Miles, for which they won a Grammy Award. He has been an integral part of bands with Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, Philly Joe Jones, Walter Davis Jr., Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Jay McShann, David Murray and McCoy Tyner, as well as a featured soloist with Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Curtis Fuller, Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Dizzy Gillespie. Roney recorded his Continued on page 13
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debut album as a leader, Verses, on Muse Records in 1987. A number of albums on Muse, Warner Bros. Records and Concord Records/ Stretch Records followed, and by the time he turned 40 in 2000 Roney had been documented on over 250 audio recordings. His most recent albums are Mystikal (2005) and Jazz (2007), and Home (2012) on HighNote Records. “The Jazz Doctors” is the premier straight-‐ahead jazz group in the region. After establishing longtime national careers of individual performances and recordings, the musicians have been performing as a featured group for the past several years. Critically acclaimed performances have included jazz festivals, special events, and extended club work as house band at several venues. The performers include Justin Stanton on piano, Barry Hannah on guitar, Martin Walters on bass, Dr. Rande Sanderbeck on percussion, and Dr. David Champouillon as Ȁ ϐ Ǥ The Jazz Doctors play all styles of jazz from straight-‐ahead jazz-‐rock to Latin. The group’s leader, Dr. David Champouillon, is presently an Artist/Clinician for Bach Trumpets, Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Studies at East Tennessee State University, Coordinator of the Brass Area, Director of the ETSU Jazz Program, and jazz brass columnist for The Brass Herald. He is in demand throughout the region in all genres, especially in the performance medium of jazz trumpet. He has been a frequent soloist with various orchestras, wind ensembles, jazz ensembles, and brass groups throughout the country, having performed in over 30 states and Canada. A former solo trumpet in both classical and
Justin Stanton
jazz idioms in the United States Air Force Band system at age twenty, he has also been a featured soloist at various venues including the Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club (Miami Beach, FL), the Sarasota Jazz Club, Dazzle Jazz Club (Denver, CO), Eighty-‐Eights (NJ), the Budweiser Jazz Festival, Budweiser Rhythm and Blues Festival, Tri-‐Cities Jazz Fest, Highlands Jazz Fest, Greeley Jazz Festival, Notre Dame Jazz Festival, and others. Extensive performance credits also include The Temptations, The Drifters, The Moody Blues, Marvin Hammlisch, Mel Torme, Jay Beckenstein, Tom Schuman, Marvin Stamm, Lenore Raphael, Rufus Reid, Ed Soph, Bill Mays, John Blake, Avery Sharpe, Matt Savage, Butch Reid, Sumi Tonooka, Ed Shaunessy, John Jensen, Don Menza, Arturo Sandoval, Disney Ice Shows, and Jerry Butler. A two time Downbeat award winner for Best College Big Band, Dr. Champouillon is also a published author and his accomplishments and opinions are listed in two books (“The Pros Speak – Embouchure” and “Trumpeter’s Pocketbook II”) as one of notable trumpeters in the world. Recordings include two United States Air Force Band albums, a UNC Jazz Ensemble CD, Syracuse Symphony CD, and the NEA funded “Appalachian Harmony”. He also is a brass reviewer for Oxford University Press, jazz reviewer for Prentice
Hall, and has been named to Who’s Who In America (2002 -‐ 2008). The ETSU Jazz Program includes courses in large and small jazz ensembles, history of jazz, jazz improvisation and theory, jazz pedagogy, and applied study. The ETSU Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo have quickly become much sought after performing groups throughout the region. They are staffed by dedicated student musicians to the art of large and small ensemble jazz and improvisation. Literature performed includes all styles of jazz from straight ahead to bebop to Latin to blues and rock. The ensembles have performed at the Mountain Empire Jazz Festival, the Tri-‐Cities Jazz Fest, and the Virginia Highlands Jazz Fest. The ensemble has performed in concert with such notable artists as Maynard Ferguson, Jon Faddis, Vince DiMartino, Ron Modell, Al Hood, Marvin Stamm, Bill Mays, Rufus Reid, Ed Soph, Vaughn Nark, Pete BarenBregge, Ed Shaughnessy, Walt Weiskopf, Jim Snidero, and Ed Shaughnessy.
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Intercity Ballet Theatre A 34 Year Christmas Tradition: The Nutcracker
Intercity Ballet Theatre of Kingsport, with the help of area sponsors such as Eastman Chemical Company, Eastman Recreation Club, WKPT TV/AM, WTFM, Kingsport Town Center Mall, and Hampton Inn will present it’s 34th Annual Performance of the magical ballet THE NUTCRACKER for all to see and enjoy. This year Christmas will come just a little bit early for 4,500 area school children at the morning shows at Eastman’s Toy F. Reid Employee Center Theater on December 12th and 13th at 9:30 a.m. These special performances will be presented free of charge, as they have been for the past seven years, to all area students and teachers, with additional seating for the public at a nominal fee. The public is invited to enjoy the evening performances on
Friday, December 13, 2013 and Saturday, December 14, 2013, at 7:30 p.m. Join us and experience a snow storm, see a forest magically appear, and a tree grow from 10 feet to 30 feet, all inside the Eastman Theater. Membership in Intercity Ballet Theatre of Kingsport is open to all area dancers. Each year dancers from all over the area come to the annual audition for The Nutcracker. This year our production will have a cast of over 140 dancers and actors from six different regional schools, along with many adult community leaders and business people. This year three dancers from Intercity Ballet of Kingsport have been invited to perform the role of Chinese with the North County Ballet of San Diego, California. Traveling to San Diego will be Madison Bailey, Hannah Gossett,
and Phil Clemons. In the spirit of exchange, four dancers from the North County Ballet will be coming to Kingsport to dance the role of Reed Pipes. Returning to Kingsport is Professional dancer Pablo Infante. Born in Tijuana, Mexico, he began studying ballet at Centro de Ballet y Arte. In 1998 he joined the Compania de Danza de Baja California, and in 2002 he was promoted to Principal Dancer. In 2003 Pablo came to the US and joined the California Ballet Company, where by mid-‐season he was promoted to the rank of Soloist. His repertoire includes featured roles in full length ballets such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Carmen, Cinderella, Who Cares, Ballet Imperial, Spanish Serenades,
and Suite Vivaldi among many others. Pablo has also appeared as a guest in The Youth American Grand Prix, The San Diego Symphony, The San Diego Opera, The Ballet Conservatory of San Diego, The California Ballet School, Ballet West, and in The International Mainly Mozart Festival. Intercity Ballet Theatre welcomes Pablo who will be dancing the role of Snow King and Cavalier. The role of Sugar Plum and Snow Queen will be danced by Cassandra Lund. Cassandra received most of her dance training at New West Ballet School under the direction of Eugenia Keefer, where her roles range from Clara to the Sugar Plum Fairy and include the title role in Cinderella and Princess Aurora in the Sleeping Beauty. Her competition days earned her the titles of Miss Dance Celebration (Woodbridge High Ȍ ϐ Ǧ USA National Champion in 1997, among others. She has danced on scholarship in New York City with the Joffrey Ballet School trainee program, and was a scholarship recipient with Tremaine Dance Conventions. Ms. Lund began
teaching dance at the young age of 16. She currently teaches at high school dance camps across the Western United States for the United Spirit Association, where she serves as a head instructor, adjudicator and a member of the Program Development Team. She also received the prestigious MVP award for the USA’s dance program in 2006. A versatile dancer, Ms Lund has preformed with the Mojalet Dance Collective (modern), the Palomar College Dance Ensemble (jazz), and in the year 2000 joined the California Ballet Company, rising quickly to the status of Principle Dancer. Her roles with California Ballet include Alice in Alice and Wonderland, Snow White in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, the Sugar Plum Fairy in the Nutcracker, Giselle in Giselle and Lucy in Dracula. She has taught and choreographed for numerous studios, high school dance teams and competition ensembles throughout Southern California, has coached a nationally ranked High School Dance Team, and has served as an assistant Continued on page 15
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choreographer  for  the  Super  Bowl  half  time  show  in  1999.  She  currently  resides  in  Escondido,  CA. Dorothy  Hanner  Ratcliff,  a  native  New  Yorker,  is  Artistic  Director  of  Intercity  Ballet  of  Kingsport.   Ms  Ratcliff  studied  dance  with  the  American  School  of  Ballet,  Ballet  Arts,  Robert  Joffery,  Tour  Jete  International  in  Cannes,  France  and  graduated  from  the  New  York  School  of  Performing  Arts  with  a  major  in  Ballet  and  a  minor  in  Modern  and  Drama.   Dorothy  was  awarded  the  Governor’s  Excellence  in  Teaching  Award  in  Dance  Education  for  the  State  of  Virginia  and  the  Arts  Council  of  Greater  Kingsport  2004  Arts  Leadership  Award.   She  was  a  founding  member  of  the  Tennessee  Association  of  Dance  for  Tennessee  ƒÂ?† ‹–• Ď?‹”•– ”‡ƒ•—”‡”Ǥ Dorothy  has  danced  professionally  throughout  the  United  States  and  Canada,  and  was  a  member  of  the  world  famous  Radio  City  Music  Hall  Rockettes.   Ms.  Ratcliff  was  also  the  Executive  Producer  for  Lunch  Break,  a  talk  show  on  WTSG-Ââ€?TV,  Albany Â
November 26, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 15 Georgia.   She  has  taught  dance  and  choreographed  events  throughout  the  Southeast  and  now  is  director  of  the  Centre  for  the  Performing  Arts,  Kingsport,  TN.  Local  dancers  giving  their  time  and  talent  include,   Phil  Clemons,  dancing  the  role  of  The  Nutcracker.   Madeline  Howe  and  Hallie  Miracle,  will  be  sharing  the  role  of  Clara,  with  Chloe  Rose,  and  Sara  Stewart  as  understudies.  Aaron  Jackson  and  Aiden  Ponder  will  be  sharing  the  role  of  Fritz.   Sharing  the  role  of   Mecanical  Doll  are  Beth  Hartsock  and  Chloie  Ottinger.   Devil  Doll  will  be  danced  by  Samantha  Hess,  Caroline  Luethke,  Mollie  Kate  Blalock  and  Sara  Stewart.   Dew  Drop  Fairies  will  be  Danielle  Bear,  Cate  McClellan,  and  Whitney  Welch.   Sharing  the  role  of  Snow  Demi  Soloist  will  be  Taylor  Hubbard,  ‘Ď?‹ƒ ƒ™•‘Â?ÇĄ ƒ›Ž‘” Â?‹–Šǥ ƒÂ?† Chelsea  Sumpter.   Dancing  the  role  of  Arabian  will  be  Kristen  and  Tanner  Looney.   The  roles  of  Clara’s  parents  will  be  danced  by  Jeff  and  Amy  Luethke,  and  Ms.  Ratcliff  and  Darrell  Duncan  will  again  dance  the  role  of  Grandmother  and  Grandfather.   Daniel   Ratcliff  will  be  performing  the  role  of  the  ever Â
popular  Rat  King.  Mark  Clark  will  again  join  Intercity  Ballet  as  Mother  Ginger.   Mr.  Mike  McGinn  will  reprise  his  role  of   Uncle  Drosselmeyer.  Ben  Blevins  will  be  dancing  the  role  of  Russian.    Look  for  many  community  leaders  in  the  roles  as  Party  Parents  dancing  with  their  daughters  in  the  role  of  Ma  Petite.   Tickets  for  the  evening  performances  will  be  on  sale  beginning  November  23rd    at  Kingsport  Town  Center  Mall  across  from  Santa  Claus’  Workshop,  and  at  Eastman’s  Toy  F.  Reid  Employee  Center.  Reserved  seating  ™‹ŽŽ „‡ •‘Ž† ˆ‘” –Š‡ ”…Š‡•–”ƒ Ď?Ž‘‘” of  the  theater  while  the  Balcony  tickets  are  festival  seating.   If  available,  tickets  may  be  purchased  at  the  door.   For  more  information  about Â
Intercity  Ballet  Theatre  and  The  Nutcracker  school  performances,  public  performances,  or  ticket  sales,  please  visit  our  web  site  www.intercityballet.org  or  call  246-Ââ€?2199. This  year’s  celebration  of  the  34th    anniversary  of  The  Nutcracker Â
is  sure  to  be  memorable.   Former  dancers   and  families  are  invitied  to  a   special  recognition  at  the  end  of  both  evening   performances.   This  is  a   holiday  tradition  that  the  whole  family  can  enjoy  together.   Come  be  a  part  of  the  holiday  magic  that  is  The  Nutcracker.
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Christmas Under Many Roofs Rogersville
December 14th, 3-8pm
Beautifully decorated mantels, fresh evergreen adornments, and the smell of hot apple cider welcome all to Christmas in Historic Rogersville! The Rogersville Heritage Association is proud to announce the 2013 Christmas Tour of Homes, “Christmas Under Many Roofs”. In keeping with the rich
tradition of Southern hospitality, homeowners and the Rogersville Heritage Association invite the public to tour their historic homes and buildings on Saturday, December 14 from 3 -‐ 8 pm. Featured Locations include the Johnson Home at Lazy J. Farm, Surgoinsville; the Jenkins Home, Two Springs; the Lawson Home, Twin Oaks; the Markham Home; Hale Springs Inn; the Heck Home; and Rogersville First Baptist Church. Enjoy the musical talents of the Cherokee High School Choir at First Baptist Church, and the Cherokee Flute Choir, accompanied by light refreshments, at the Hale Springs Inn. Tickets are $20 the day of the event, and $15 when purchased prior to the tour at the following
locations: Hale Springs Inn, LuElla’s, Mountain Star Mall, Otis ǡ ϐ ȋ Ȍǡ Sunny Side Yarns on Depot, U-‐Save Drug Center, The Homestead in Church Hill, and Charmed Southern in Kingsport. “The Rogersville Heritage Association’s Annual Tour of Homes is sure to be highlight of the season for architecture buffs and history enthusiasts alike,” ϐ Ǥ “The opportunity to explore some ǯ ϐ “Christmas Under Many Roofs” is one that should not be missed.” For additional information or ǡ ϐ ϐ (423) 272-‐1961.
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Red Cross Urges Winter Blood Donations The holidays bring families and friends together to share in celebrations and special times of giving. But for families dealing with a cancer diagnosis or other major illness, the ϐ Ǥ The American Red Cross’ Give Something that Means Something winter campaign runs through Jan. 6, 2014, and encourages eligible donors to give something meaningful this holiday season by donating blood or platelets for hospital patients in need. “Historically, during the winter months of November, December and January, fewer donors make the time to give blood due to competing seasonal activities, celebrations and holiday shopping,” said Gwen Hunter, Donor Recruitment Representative in East Tennessee. “By doing something that doesn’t cost a thing, you can give an amazing gift – you can offer hope to a patient in need.” Blood donations can help fathers like Larry. Larry’s premature twins needed blood to survive. Thanks to the Red Cross, it was there. Larry has been a blood donor for more than 20 years and every time he donates, he’s reminded of the opportunity he has to give something that means something. Blood donors are encouraged to invite a loved one to follow in their footsteps and donate blood this holiday season. Visit http:// rcblood.org/HolidayPostcard to upload a picture of a Red Cross blood donation and send a postcard to a loved one. For more information or to make an appointment to give blood, please visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-‐800-‐RED CROSS (1-‐800-‐733-‐2767). Upcoming blood donation opportunities: Tuesday, December 3 American Red Cross, 818 Sunset Drive, Johnson City, 2:30 pm to 7:00 pm Wednesday, December 4 American Red Cross, 818 Sunset Drive, Johnson City, 8:00 am to 1:00 pm QEP, 2225 Eddie Williams Road, Johnson City, 11:30 am to 4:00 pm Friday, December 6 Gray School, 755 Gray Station Road, Gray, 1:30 pm to 6:00 pm James H. Quillen VA Medical Center in the Building 200, Room A222, Mountain Home,12:30 pm to 5:00 pm Sunday, December 8 Sweetwater Church of God, 100 Sweetwater Loop, Flag Pond, 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm, Call Myra Harris at (423) 743-‐0458. Tuesday, December 10 American Red Cross, 818 Sunset Drive, Johnson City, 2:30 pm to 7:00
pm Wednesday, December 11 American Red Cross, 818 Sunset Drive, Johnson City, 8:00 am to 1:00 pm City of Elizabethton, 136 South Sycamore Street, Elizabethton, 9:00 am to 1:30 pm, Call Human Resources at (423) 547-‐6248. Tuesday, December 17 American Red Cross, 818 Sunset Drive, Johnson City, 2:30 pm to 7:00 pm Northeast Correctional Complex, Highway 67 East, Mountain City, 11:00 am to 3:30 pm, Call Kathy Poole at (423) 727-‐7387 Extension 1178. Wednesday, December 18 American Red Cross, 818 Sunset Drive, Johnson City, 8:00 am to 1:00 pm Saturday, December 21 American Red Cross, 818 Sunset Drive, Johnson City, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, In Memory of Brittany Jo Hankal. Tuesday, December 24 American Red Cross, 818 Sunset Drive, Johnson City, 8:30 am to 1:00 pm Monday, December 30 American Red Cross, 818 Sunset Drive, Johnson City, 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm Tuesday, December 31 American Red Cross, 818 Sunset Drive, Johnson City, 12:00 pm to 4:30 pm How to donate blood Simply call 1-‐800-‐RED CROSS (1-‐800-‐733-‐ 2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms ϐ Ǧ Ǥ Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements. About the American Red Cross The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their Ǥ Ǧ Ǧ ϐ organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross
Page 18, The Loafer • November 26, 2013
Blue Moon Dinner Theatre to Host Wednesday Movie Nights
The Blue Moon Dinner Theatre, located at 215 East Main Street in Downtown Johnson City is proud to present Wednesday Movie Night’s in Downtown Johnson City. Join the Blue Moon as they present movies every Wednesday paired with beer, popcorn and a selection of appetizers and food. “We wanted to give the downtown a place to go to meet, ϐ ǡ great dinner.” says Artistic Director Edward Breese “ We have modeled ourWednesday nights after other venues that enjoy the success of
combining cinema and beer! We hope it becomes a downtown tradition” The Blue Moon offers Popcorn, Candy, Cheeseburgers, Brats, and Soup along with a large selection of bottled beer to accompany the movie. Upcoming Wednesday movies include : World War Z, The Big Lebowski, Elf, and Christmas Vacation. Tickets available at the door. General Admission is just $5. For more information call 423-‐232-‐ 1350.
Breakfast with the Grinch Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park December 7th
The Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park is pleased to present the annual “Breakfast with the Grinch” program on Saturday, December 7th. Join the Grinch and Cindy-‐Lou Ǧϐ in the Museum’s Victorian Parlor. Participants will dine on green eggs and ham while enjoying a reading of the Dr. Seuss classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. “Breakfast with the Grinch” offers two seatings on December 7th: one at 9 a.m. and one at 10:30 a.m. The cost is $10.00 per person, and the reservation and payment deadline is Tuesday, December 3rd. For more information, or to register, please call the Southwest
Virginia Museum Historical State Park at 276-‐523-‐1322. The award-‐winning Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. For more information about Virginia State Parks’ activities and amenities or to make reservations in one of the more than 1,800 campsites or 300 climate-‐controlled cabins, call the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at 800-‐933-‐PARK or visit www.virginiastateparks. gov.
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November 26, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 19
Lonesome Will Mullins and the Virginia Playboys Carter Family Fold November 30th Saturday,  November  30th,  2013,  at  7:30  p.m.,  the  Carter  Family  Fold  in  Hiltons,  Virginia,  will  present  a  concert  by  Lonesome  Will  Mullins  and  the  Virginia  Playboys.   Admission  to  the  concert  is  $10  for  adults,  $1  for  children  6  to  11,  under  age  6  free.   At  7:00  p.m.,  there  will  be  a  special  set  of  Carter  Family  music  with  special  guest  Ronnie  Williams.   In  addition,  the  music  center  and  the  Virginia  Playboys  will  be  collecting  toys  for  local,  needy  children  at  Christmas  that  night.   Anyone  attending  the  concert  wishing  to  participate  in  the  toy  drive  should  bring  an  unwrapped  toy.   Lonesome  Will  Mullins  grew  up  near  Clintwood,  Virginia,  in  a  Š‘—•‡ –Šƒ– ™ƒ• Ď?‹ŽŽ‡† ™‹–Š ˆƒÂ?‹Ž› musicians  and  plenty  of  bluegrass,  old  time,  and  country  music.   He  learned  to  play  the  banjo  and  guitar Â
as  a  teenager,  and  before  long  he  was  playing  in  several  bands  while  honing  his  trade  by  studying  the  work  of  bluegrass  legends  like  Bill  Monroe,  Jimmy  Martin,  and  Dr.  Ralph  Stanley.   To  say  he  learned  well  would  be  an  understatement.   Today,  Lonesome  Will  is  one  of  the  most  accomplished  singers  and  musicians  around.   Also  ‹Â?Ď?Ž—‡Â?…‡† „› ‡””› ‡‡ ‡™‹•ǥ Š‡ mixes  traditional  bluegrass  music  with  a  breathtakingly  energetic  stage  show.   Backed  by  the  Virginia  Playboys,  the  show  will  be  jam-Ââ€? packed  with  hard  driving  bluegrass,  old  time  clawhammer  banjo,  and  gospel  music.   When  Lonesome  Will  takes  the  stage,  audiences  are  swept  away  by  his  range,  talent,  and  showmanship. The  Virginia  Playboys  will  be  backing  Lonesome  Will.   The  Burrows  brothers  –  Adam  and  Jake Â
–  and  Dorse  Sears  are  the  Virginia  Playboys.   From  the  mountains  of  North  Carolina,  Jake  and  Adam  Burrows  have  a  history  of  bluegrass  in  their  family.   The  McPherson  Brothers  Band,  who  played  on  the  Grand  Ole  Opry  and  shows  with  the  great  Jim  and  Jesse  McReynolds  in  the  ‘60s  are  their  uncles.   Their  love  of  bluegrass  began  there,  and  they’ve  learned  well.   Jake  and  Adam  can  play  pretty  much  any  instrument  they  pick  up.   Dorse  Sears  grew  up  in  West  Virginia  and  developed  a  love  of  bluegrass Â
music  as  a  young  man.   Captivated  by  the  music  of  Jimmy  Martin  and  Ralph  Stanley,  he  began  his  career  ’Žƒ›‹Â?‰ Ď?‹††Ž‡Ǥ Š‡Â? Š‡ ’‹…Â?‡† —’ the  mandolin,  however,  he  simply  couldn’t  put  it  down.   His  playing  is  Š‡ƒ˜‹Ž› ‹Â?Ď?Ž—‡Â?…‡† „› ‹ŽŽ ‘Â?”‘‡ and  Ronnie  McCoury.   Ronnie  Williams  has  been  playing  since  1975.   One  of  his  best  memories  is  playing  for  Sara  and  Maybelle  at  the  Fold  in  1976.   He  remembers  playing  Gold  Watch  and  Chain  and  Black  Mountain  Rag  for  “Mommy  and  Maybelleâ€?  at Â
Janette’s  request.   Ronnie  plays  a  Gibson  guitar  similar  to  Maybelle’s,  and  he  also  plays  autoharp  and  sings  beautifully.   He’s  been  a  friend  of  the  Carter  Family  for  years,  and  often  visited  various  members  of  the  family  –  a  tradition  he  continues  to  this  day.   A  great  cook,  Ronnie  often  helps  out  in  the  Fold’s  Â?‹–…Š‡Â?Ǥ ‘— ™‘Â?ǯ– Ď?‹Â?† ƒÂ?›‘Â?‡ who  knows  more  about  the  Carter  Family  and  their  music  or  anyone  who  plays  it  with  more  reverence  and  skill  than  Ronnie  Williams  does.  For  some  of  the  best  bluegrass,  old  time,  gospel  –  and  Carter  Family  -Ââ€?  music  you’ll  ever  hear,  don’t  miss  Lonesome  Will  Mullins  and  the  Virginia  Playboys  with  special  guest  Ronnie  Williams  at  the  Carter  Family  Fold.   Over  the  past  several  years,  Will  has  become  a  favorite  of  Fold  audiences.   He  captivates  his  fans,  and  he  holds  his  audiences  •’‡ŽŽ„‘—Â?†Ǥ ‡”ˆ‘”Â?‹Â?‰ ‘ˆĎ?‹…‹ƒŽŽ› since  2006,  Will  has  released  four  CDs.   For  additional  information,  go  to  www.lonesomewill.com/.   Bring  along  your  dancing  shoes,  a  toy  for  needy  children,  and  be  prepared  for  an  evening  of  fun-Ââ€? Ď?‹ŽŽ‡† ‡Â?–‡”–ƒ‹Â?Â?‡Â?–Ǩ
Page 20, The Loafer • November 26, 2013
January Jams Barter Theatre
For the second year, the Town of Abingdon has partnered with ϐ to kick off the 2014 Abingdon Music Experience with the January Jams concert series. This series will include 7 total concerts, starting January 9, and run every Friday and Saturday during January. “We are excited to expand the number of shows offered from 4 to 7 this year after the overwhelmingly positive response last year,” explains Sara Cardinale, Special Events Coordinator for the ACVB. “The lineup this year has generated quite the buzz, and highlights Abingdon as an up-‐and-‐coming music destination.” The schedule that will showcase nationally recognized artists is as follows: Thursday, January 9th-‐ St. Paul and The Broken Bones with The Broadcast Hailing from Asheville, The Broadcast is hard-‐edged, soulful rock music bursting-‐at-‐the-‐seams. Drawing much of their ambience from 70’s classic rock, they’re a band with an explosive female ǡ ϐ ǡ Ǧ altering keys and a rock-‐solid rhythm section. Their infections energy and authentic approach match them well with headlining band, St. Paul and The Broken Bones. Based out of Alabama, St. Paul and The Broken Bones deliver soul mixed with grit, elemental rhythm, fabulous brass section and ϐ crowd. Lead singer, Paul Janeway has an extroverted performing style that enraptures his audience. “I’m going to be dancing, getting in the aisles,” he says. “That’s just the way we do it. It really takes me back to church. There’s not a lot of difference. When I get on stage, it’s, ‘All right, it’s time to pour it on.’”
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Friday, January 10th – Jim Lauderdale with Cruz Contreras Cruz Contreras is the front man for the Americana band, The Black Lillies, from Knoxville. His song-‐ writing skills were recognized as they won the Independent Music Award for Best Song-‐Story in 2012. Contreras has collaborated in the past with Jim Lauderdale, who is the headlining act for the night. Lauderdale is a Grammy® Award winning musician and one of the most respected artists working in the Bluegrass, Country and Americana music communities today. Jim is also in high demand as a player, touring with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Rhonda Vincent and Elvis Costello.
November 26, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 21 Ǧϐ ǡ soaring vocals have only improved with time. Together with Mountain Heart, they’ve been described as bringing a new, edgier, more rock-‐ ϐ Ǥ Saturday, January 18th – Marty Stuart & The Fabulous Superlatives with The Lost River Cavemen The Lost River Cavemen have been touring nationally and pumping life back into Roots music since 2005. The Cavemen spin their music into an aural web that is catchy, profound and Ǥ ϐ time GRAMMY-‐winner, platinum recording artist, Grand Ole Opry star and charismatic force of nature. His latest musical oeuvre is ably supported by the coolest cats in Nashville – his backing band, The Fabulous Superlatives.
Saturday, January 11th – Iris Dement with Beth Snapp Beth Snapp, from Northeast Tennessee opens for Iris Dement. Snapp’s vocals, lyrics, and melodies blend together beautifully into a distinctive acoustic experience. She delivers a unique singer songwriter feel that is not only crisp and ϐ ǡ truly a testament to her talent. Grammy-‐award winning singer/ songwriter Iris Dement headlines the show. Her style is often described as roots-‐folk as well as country, but no one denies that her songs speak to the heart. She just recently released a new album of ϐ in 16 years, Song of the Delta.
Friday, January 24th – Jason Isbell with Holly Williams Holly Williams-‐Hank Williams Sr.’s grand-‐daughter, opens the show. She’s described as a powerful singer-‐songwriter whose newest album has been met with huge, critical acclaim. Jason Isbell was once one of Drive-‐By Truckers’ great songwriting weapons. The Alabama singer-‐songwriter just released the powerful and profound Southeastern, which candidly addresses his hard fall and hopeful rise. Not easily labeled, you could call Isbell a master of Americana Rock.
Friday, January 17th – John Cowan with Mountain Heart Mountain Heart is a Grammy award winning band which combines elements of rock, jam band, country, blues, jazz, folk and bluegrass music into a high-‐energy sound. Critics now describe the band using terms such as “acoustic overdrive”, “Folk rock on steroids”, and “slam grass”. John Cowan, also known as the Voice of Newgrass, has been singing his heart out
Saturday, January 25th – Tim O’Brien & Darrell Scott with special guest Amythyst Kiah Local tour-‐de-‐force, Amythyst Kiah is a singer/songwriter that has an eclectic array of musical ϐ Ǥ fuse traditional roots music with a contemporary style that does not take away from the integrity of the original song, and transforms them into powerful, soulful renditions. Grammy-‐winning folk & bluegrass
musician, Tim O’Brien, teams
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2014 Abingdon Music Experience
kindred spirits had joined forces
prices will vary for each show, and
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weekend passes are a new addition
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Page 22, The Loafer • November 26, 2013
Giving Thanks to Spacey Things
Thanksgiving is a time for ϐ ǡ stay in touch more than ever. I wonder how many of us will be working our Smart Phones ϐ and trimmings and pumpkin pie. And that technology is something to be grateful for as a spin-‐off of the Space Age. There are many “spacey” things from NASA and its many innovations that are now involved in our safe and healthy celebration of the season. For example…you’re driving home from Black Friday sales with
your GPS giving you directions, your Sirius/XM radio entertaining you, a message tone beeping on your Smart Phone. And you might be in a high-‐end vehicle with a myriad of modern car parts that are working synchronously to monitor everything from your gas mileage to your tire air pressure— all these advances being pioneered in spacecraft and rockets blasted into the Solar System. And we can be thankful for all those communications satellites orbiting high above the Earth that will be beaming us live the Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day parade to our ǡ ϐ ǡ ϐ screen televisions. These new age TVs are the kind that were used ϐ former Space Shuttle crews, and the digital channels broadcasting into the air are captured by antennas or satellite dishes, or , though cables lining every street in America. While watching the college football games, you can surf the World Wide Web on your intelligent device, and touch the screen just like astronauts have for decades. And how about all those “modern conveniences” in the kitchen that have turned making our Thanksgiving feast into something like a Jetson’s cartoon? We can store food in some incredibly sophisticated refrigerators, push computer buttons on stove tops and ovens that don’t burn, cover a cooking pot and set the timer, then walk away to work, or on Thanksgiving Day, have more time to enjoy the party guests. And the centerpiece for any kitchen in America? The microwave oven! Though not invented by NASA, it has been greatly improved ϐ
International Space Station. And just not the kitchen, but look at all the battery powered tools in a modern garage—almost identical to those used by space walkers doing routine maintence on the ISS It is truly a 21st Century modern world. And while you spend time
eating your Thanksgiving meal during a three hour or so family ǡ ϐ aboard the International Space Station, orbiting the Earth 16 times Thanksgiving Day. The space Continued on page 23
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voyagers will also share a meal of ϐ ǯǡ eat and whirl around the Earth once every 90 minutes. Vacuum packed and brought aboard the ISS months ago on a cargo ship, the Expedition 38 crew will enjoy turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Now in zero-‐G there may be some unorthodox table settings, but the thought of Thanksgiving will be in outer space as well as on the surface of Earth. One might also look with some thanks to the weather satellites that alert our American citizens of any bad weather they may have to anticipate—or good weather to enjoy—this Thanksgiving 2013. About 10 different Earth resource ϐ necessary resources from iron ore to forests. And the special orbiting eyes also monitor oceans for their ϐ Ǥ And we have to be thankful ϐ satellites that help keep the evil regimes of the world honest, and protect the freedoms of our United States of America. Those freedoms started with the settlers from Europe who feasted in thanks for what little they had. When we look to the sky to give praise, we truly need to consider the 50 years of the Space Age with all the hundreds of satellites that have made the modern world the high-‐tech haven it is. There are so many conveniences we take for granted that have spawned from the Space Age of rockets and man-‐ made robots. And there are even more spacey things that make us happy and thankful. Like one of man’s greatest ϐ ǡ Hubble Space Telescope. Orbiting from 450 miles high and into its amazing 23rd year of operation, everyone knows what you mean
November 26, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 23 when you say “the Hubble.” Not only has this orbiting 96-‐ inch mirror revolutionized our understanding of the Universe in general, its incredible photos have motivated Joe and Jane America to think about the incredible structures of stars and gas that exist. We should also give that the Earth is located in the so-‐called “Goldilocks Zone” in distance from our Sun—not too close to be hot, not too far away to be cold, but just right for hundreds of thousands of different life forms to exist. Astronomers have been looking for earth-‐like planets orbiting other stars, and have found more than 1,000 in solar systems around nearby stars. This makes astro-‐ scientists realize that the Universe ϐ Ǥ Thanks can extend upward to our thin, protective atmosphere that shields humans and all animals from harmful radiation from the Sun and deadly cosmic rays from the stars. And there is some thanks in the fact that we have not been discovered by aliens (maybe?). That’s the opinion of the great astrophysist Stephen Hawking, believes any aliens visiting Earth would probably want our resources all to themselves and try to wipe out the human race—a common ϐ Ǥ Ǥ Wells’ 1898 novel, “War of the Worlds.” After all, just how friendly were the Pilgrims to the Native Americans? We call them settlers, but Indian tribes across America called them invaders when the Wild West was introduced to a modern civilization. But that’s an analogy that’s not discussed much at a Thanksgiving dinner…and certainly has nothing to do with outer space. Unless, of course, the Pilgrims, like Miles Standish and Indians like Pocahontas took time to look up at the stars—which they certainly did. The pattern of stars was their entertainment, and they lived for the predictable cycles of the Sun and Moon. And certainly, both Pilgrims and Native Americans gave thanks for the beauty of the celestial heavens.
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www.theloaferonline.com Celestial events in the skies for the week of Nov. 26-‐Dec. 2, 2013 as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. This is the big week for Comet ISON, streaming toward the Sun for its close encounter Thanksgiving Day. This much-‐ hyped comet will graze the Sun by just 700,000 miles, and might be ripped apart or even vaporized by our powerful star. Will the much hyped comet survive the near collision with our Sun or bust up into multiple pieces? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, Comet ISON is too close to the Sun to see until maybe Saturday, Nov. 30 or Sunday Dec. 1 when it is both an evening and morning object in the twilight, just a smudge in the morning, pre-‐dawn sky. Comet ISON is just one mile wide, but it’s “coma” around the nucleus is 60,000 miles wide, nearly 10 times the Earth’s diameter. The tail, just visible last week as a smudge ǡ ϐ miles long!
November 26, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 25 Tues. Nov. 26 Meanwhile in the evening skies, the Moon is absent, leaving the transition of fall constellation to winter well underway. In ǡ ϐ -‐ dromeda, while Taurus, Virgo and Gemini are rising in the east. Even the Big Dip-‐ per is making a bold reappearance in the northeast after dragging along the northern horizon all autumn. Wed. Nov. 27 At 9 pm, a beautiful line of four bright stars parallels the eastern horizon. Left to right you will see Pollux, the planet Jupiter, Betel-‐ geuse and Rigel. Pollux is one of the brother stars in Gemini, and the two brightest stars of Orion are the other pair of this beautiful sight. As the night go on, Gemini and Orion rise to dominate the after midnight scene. Thurs. Nov. 28 Thanksgiving Day. Comet ISON ends its 10,000 year journey from the Oort Cloud tens of billions of miles away, looping around the Sun in three hours at 720,000 mph! Hopefully ISON will survive to emerge
on the other side. If it survives, the tail of debris and gas will precede the comet’s nucleus and maybe stretch 20 million miles, hopefully an amazing sight in our evening and morning twilight. Fri. Nov. 29 Venus is brilliant after sunset at 5:30 pm, and can look like a plane landing (and often reported as a UFO) by 7 pm, much closer to the horizon. The second planet sets around 9 pm in the constellation Sagittarius. Sat. Nov. 30 Today the Sun enters the constellation Ophiuchus the Serpent Handler, a giant constellation between Scorpius and Sagit-‐ tarius—and not a member of the tradition-‐ al 12 constellations of the Zodiac. Perhaps because it is the “unlucky” 13th constella-‐ tion in the Zodiac, it has been ignored by astrology for hundreds of years. The Sun doesn’t enter the next constellation Sagit-‐ tarius until Dec. 18th, and actually spends more time in Ophiuchus than Scorpius!
Sun. Dec. 1 The crescent Moon is between the planets Saturn and Mercury in the pre-‐dawn sky in the constellation Libra the Scales—but look quick. Saturn and the Moon are above the horizon by 5:55 am, and Mercury rises in the twilight at 6:20 am, followed by the Sun at 7:05 am. Mon. Dec. 2 New Moon is today at precisely 7:22 pm when the Moon is between the Earth and Sun. It is above the Sun, invisible in the daytime sky. Comet ISON, if still intact, will be visible right after sunset in the twilight, but better seen in the morning twilight near the horizon. For the best amateur im-‐ ages of the comet, check out SpaceWeather. com
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What I’m Thankful For Thanksgiving is this week (don’t panic!). Since we tend to get a little too caught up in the idea of Thanksgiving being all about the food—I’m just as bad as anyone about this—I’ve decided that I wanted to a column that’s a little different from what I usually do in these pages. Thanksgiving is really all about taking a moment and remembering what you’re thankful for. The modern world is crazy,
and the more we spend invested in our phones than our interactions with each other, it’s easy to forget the aspects of life that are really important. So if you’ll indulge me, this week’s column is going to be a list of what I’m thankful for. If you ǯ ǡ ǯ ϐ Ǥ usual fare will be here next week, but this is just something that I wanted to do. I’m thankful for my family. I’m thankful for their support, and their love, and their care towards me. I’m thankful that I’m around to help take care of them in return.
ǯ ǯ ϐ it weird when I was seven and told
them I wanted to go as Groucho Marx for Halloween. I’m thankful they didn’t kill me the day I showed up and said “Hey! I just bought a pinball machine at yard sale, I need some help moving it here!” I’m thankful for my friends. I’m thankful for the ones that live 10 miles away, and the ones that live 10,000 miles away. I’m thankful for the ones that I hold near to my heart. I’m thankful for the ones that I can text late at night when I’m having an anxiety attack, and need someone to talk to. I’m thankful for the ones who make me feel loved on the days that I don’t love myself. I’m thankful for music. I’m thankful that music is such a big part of my life, and part of who I am as a person. I’m thankful that sometimes all I need to return to normal is just an hour or two alone with a pair of headphones on. I’m thankful for those moments when you’re not even trying to appreciate the beauty of the world, and then you catch yourself driving home and seeing the most amazing sky at sunset. We rush all day long, and it’s easy to forget to just take
a moment and enjoy what we see. I’m thankful that I don’t feel a need to keep up with the Jones. What I mean by this is that I’m happy I don’t feel like I have to ϐ everyone else. I’ve crafted my own wonderful world to live in, and I’ve found it to be a lot more colorful and fun than the one everybody ϐ Ǥ I’m thankful for movies. Movies have given me a great place to go to on days when I felt at my absolute worst. Movies do indeed have a form of magic that they can spell, and when the right movie hits you at the right time, it’s a transcendent feeling. Next time you’re having a terrible day, watch the movie “Harvey”, and tell me you don’t feel better come the following sunrise. I’m thankful for this column, The Loafer, and you, the reader. I’m thankful that I have this place to express myself, to put humor into the world, and I’m thankful that you’ve been reading what I’ve been doing for the past seven years. It’s not been perfect, and sometimes I’ve done things I wish I had never
let see the light of day. But no one’s really gotten too upset, and it is such a deep feeling of satisfaction to me knowing that people laugh at the funny ones, and I hope feel something good at the somewhat serious ones. This is a good place to end my list. Is it everything I’m thankful for? No. I have to keep some things to myself. However I do hope that if I can leave one thought with you as we move towards Thanksgiving, and the month of December, it would be the following. We’re always being told about all of the bad that goes on in the world. There is good that takes place, and sometimes you just have to look for it, or provide it yourself. It doesn’t have to be anything big, though those are good things. It can be a kind word to someone, being nicer to the person who hands you your coffee in the morning, or just try to be the type of person who doesn’t make people groan after you’ve ended an interaction with them. With that, I wish you all a most Happy Thanksgiving. See you next week.
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November 26, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 27
Mindful Meditation to Get You Through The Holidays
Work-‐friendly times added to schedule This holiday season, why not take a mental time-‐out and come practice mindful meditation at the Appalachian Dharma & Meditation Center in Johnson City? It’s free, it’s relaxing, and it can help reduce stress in your busy life. ϐ from mindful meditation. According to the Mayo Clinic website, “Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that ϐ Ǧ Ǥ ϐ ǯ end when your meditation session ends. Meditation can help carry you more calmly through your day...” ADMC has added two mindful meditation sessions that are offered at work-‐friendly Ǥ ϐ ǡ ϐ with thoughts that open your heart to all fellow beings. Each Wednesday, from noon
to 1 p.m., drop in for a guided meditation focusing on mindfulness, compassion, loving kindness, and forgiveness in alternating Ǥ ϐ ǡ topic is equanimity. After a brief discussion, there is a silent meditation of 10 minutes. You can even eat your lunch mindfully after the discussion! Or stop by after work on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. for a moment of silent meditation in our relaxing meditation room. The whole two hours are in complete “noble” silence. Guests are invited to spend as little or as much time as they like during this quiet two-‐hour session. ADMC’s extensive library is open for guests to learn more about meditation and Buddhism. ADMC is located near downtown Johnson City at 108 West 10th Avenue, downstairs. ϐ ǡ visit the website at www.dharma4et.org.
PAC Schedules Two Thanksgiving Programs Princeton Arts Center, 2516 E. Oakland Ave., will offer the following holiday programs on Wednesday, Nov. 27: Tom the Turkey -‐ 1-‐2 p.m. Ages 3-‐5, $3 per child. Tom the Turkey is going undercover! Help him create a disguise … ϐ ϐ ǡ ǡ pin? Participants also will make cute pilgrim handprints for the fridge.
Walking in Pilgrim Wonderland -‐ 3-‐4 p.m. Ages 6-‐11, $5 per child. Learn how the Pilgrims survived the harsh winter of 1620. Participants will draw and paint the ϐ ǡ ǡ make a Thanksgiving tree. To sign up or for more information, please call Princeton Arts Center at 283-‐5800.
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November 26, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 29
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
When Johnny Knoxville is loose on the big screen you never know what mayhem will result. Knoxville ϐ ϐ Dz ǣ Grandpa”. Knoxville stars as the title character Irving Zisman, an 86-‐year-‐old man who is ordered to take his grandson from Nebraska to Raleigh, North Carolina after his daughter is incarcerated. ϐ Irving’s wife Ellie, which erupts in chaos after the arrival of Irving’s grandson Billy (Jackson Nicoll). Billy is dropped off by his soon to be jailed mom Kimmie, and father and daughter erupt in a argument that sends the crowd into shock. After the service, Irving and Billy hit the road with Ellie in the trunk (don’t ask), and head for North Carolina. Along the way the two make an unforgettable stop in St. Louis that will be forever etched in your memory. The duo eventually hit Tennessee for two stops, including Knoxville’s
home town of Knoxville. The stops in Tennessee include the two crashing, and I do mean “crashing”, a fancy wedding in Knoxville. ϐ make it to Raleigh, they meet up with Billy’s slacker dad Chuck (Greg Harris) who is talking with some members of a biker organization called Guardians of Children, who help abused children. Little do the bikers know they are about to discover what a deadbeat dad Chuck really is. The discovery of Chuck’s lack of parenting skills sets up the ultimate reunion of Irving and Billy. ϐ ϐ the story, but eventually we see most of Irving’s actions are merely a cover-‐up for his true self. The interactions between Irving and his grandson are hilarious and touching. The innocence of 8-‐year-‐old Billy is even more startling when compared to his grandfathers worldliness. After all, this is a
grandfather who enters Billy in a child beauty pageant, and makes him pose as a girl and dance for his talent. Billy makes a very convincing girl, until his wig tumbles off. The antics of these two are the ϐ ǡ plenty of moments that made my mouth fall open in shock. After my shock subsided, I did manage to regain my composure and laugh. The make-‐up for Knoxville was amazing, and if you didn’t know who he was underneath all the prosthetics, you would have been easily fooled, as was everyone the duo came in contact with. Speaking of those who came in contact with the traveling duo, the general public proved, at times, to ϐ Ǥ ϐ would want to take Grandma to, but I doubt she would go anyway. With the comedic talents of Knoxville combined with those of his exceptional co-‐star Nicoll, “Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa” proves to be a silly romp that reveals the actors are better than the material. (Rated R) B-‐
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The Year of the Selfie
During  this  week  of  Thanksgiving,  let’s  give  thanks  for  language  and  the  ability  it  gives  us  to  communicate  both  our  deepest  and  most  sublime  desires  ƒÂ?† ‘—” Â?‘•– •—’‡”Ď?‹…‹ƒŽ ƒÂ?† ‘ˆ–‡Â? meaningless  trivialities.  After  all,  language  is  really  all  we  have  as  human  beings  to  express  ourselves,  both  in  words  and  in  deeds.  And  I  am  deeply  thankful  for  that,  imprecise  as  our  utterances  often  are. I  look  forward  this  time  of  year  to  the  selection  by  the  board  of  the  venerable  Oxford  Dictionary  of  their  Word  of  the  Year.  Last  year,  I  enjoyed  writing  about  a  rather  obscure  and  little-Ââ€?used-Ââ€?yet-Ââ€? descriptive  word,  “omnishambles.â€?  Interestingly  enough,  I  haven’t  seen  it  since  I  wrote  my  column  twelve  months  ago.  This  year,  by  contrast,  a  very  familiar  and  often-Ââ€? used  word  has  been  selected  by  the  folks  at  the  OD.  And  it  is  a  word  that  describes  life  in  the  second  decade  ‘ˆ –Š‡ –™‡Â?–›njĎ?‹”•– ĥ ™‡ŽŽ ĥ ƒÂ?› know.  Š‹• ™‘”†ǥ ĥ †‡Ď?‹Â?‡† „› ƒ
recent  issue  of  The  Guardian,  is  a  “ubiquitous  noun  for  social  media  self-Ââ€?portraits.â€?  Yes,  our  Word  Of  Š‡ ‡ƒ” ‹• Dz ‡ŽĎ?‹‡ǥdz ƒÂ?† ™‡ •Š‘—Ž† welcome  it  to  our  expressive  lexicon.  According  to  the  OD,  the  term  was  chosen  “after  the  frequency  of  its  usage  increased  by  17,000%  over  the  past  12  months.â€?  Sounds  pretty  convincing  to  me.  Needless  to  say,  the  frequency  of  usage  for  “Omnishamblesâ€?  doesn’t  even  come  close.  At  this  point,  it  is  instructive  to  point  out  that  a  ”—Â?Â?‡”nj—’ –‘ Dz•‡ŽĎ?‹‡dz ‹• Dz–™‡”Â?ÇĄÇł another  telling  term.  But  that  is  the  subject  for  another  day. Although  the  use  of  our  award-Ââ€? winning  term  can  be  traced  to  a  post  on  an  Australian  online  forum  in  2002,  it  wasn’t  until  last  year  that  it  became  omnipresent.  And,  as  can  be  expected,  the  term  appears  in  many  different  forms.  According  to  The  GuardianÇĄ Dz•‡ŽĎ?‹‡dz Šƒ• Â?‘”’Š‡† ‹Â?–‘ DzŠ‡ŽĎ?‹‡dz Č‹ÂŠÂƒÂ‹Â”Â•Â–Â›ÂŽÂ‡ČŒÇĄ Dz„‡ŽĎ?‹‡dz Č‹Âƒ Â„Â—Â–Â–Â•ÂŠÂ‘Â–ČŒÇĄ Dz™‡ŽĎ?‹‡dz Č‹Âƒ •‡ŽĎ?‹‡ –ƒÂ?‡Â? †—”‹Â?‰ ƒ ™‘”Â?Â‘Â—Â–ČŒÇĄ Dz†”‡ŽĎ?‹‡dz Č‹Âƒ •‡ŽĎ?‹‡ –ƒÂ?‡Â? ™Š‹Ž‡ †”—Â?Â?ČŒÇĄ ƒÂ?† Dz„‘‘Â?•Š‡ŽĎ?‹‡dz Č‹Âƒ •‡ŽĎ?‹‡ –ƒÂ?‡Â?
alongside  books  and  other  literary  trappings). Š‡ •‡ŽĎ?‹‡ Šƒ• “—‹…Â?Ž› „‡‡Â? elevated  to  an  art  form.  Earlier  this  year,  for  example,  artist  Patrick  Specchio  premiered  his  exhibit  “Art Â
Â? ”ƒÂ?•Žƒ–‹‘Â?ÇŁ ‡ŽĎ?‹‡ǥ Š‡ ʹͲȀʹͲ Experienceâ€?  that  was  designed  to  engage  visitors  to  the  exhibit  by  encouraging  them  to  use  a  provided  †‹‰‹–ƒŽ …ƒÂ?‡”ƒ –‘ –ƒÂ?‡ •‡ŽĎ?‹‡• ‹Â? front  of  a  mirror.  The  products  of  this  neat  little  experiment  literally  created  the  content  of  the  exhibit  on  an  ongoing  basis  and  highlighted  –Š‡ Â?ƒ–—”‡ Â?‘– ‘Â?Ž› ‘ˆ –Š‡ •‡ŽĎ?‹‡ „—– of  modern  photography  as  well.  What  are  we  to  make  of  our  new  word  of  the  year?  The  jury  is  still  out,  of  course,  but  it  does  appear  ƒ– –Š‹• ’‘‹Â?– –Šƒ– –Š‡ •‡ŽĎ?‹‡ •ƒ›• a  lot  about  modern  identity  and  self-Ââ€?image.  Some  have  said  that  –Š‹• Â?‡™ ƒ”– ˆ‘”Â? ”‡Ď?Ž‡…–• ‘—” Â•Â‡ÂŽÂˆÇŚ absorption  and  elevation  of  the  self  to  a  position  of  prominence  that  eclipses  previous  expressions  ‘ˆ …‘Â?…‡”Â? ˆ‘” ‘–Š‡”•Ǥ Â? –Š‡ •‡ŽĎ?‹‡ universe,  the  most  important  value  is  the  value  of  self.  Could  it  be  that  –Š‡ •‡ŽĎ?‹‡ ‹• –Š‡ —Ž–‹Â?ƒ–‡ ˆ—ŽĎ?‹ŽŽÂ?‡Â?– ‘ˆ –Š‡ ”‡‡Â? philosopher  Protagoras’  claim  that  man  is  the  measure  of  all  things  (a  phrase  resurrected  during  the  Renaissance  and  morphed  into  its  most  trivial  expression  in  the  1980s  self-Ââ€?esteem  movement)?  Christopher  Lasch’s  1978  bestseller,  The  Culture  of  Narcissism:  American  Life  in  an  Age  of  Diminishing  Expectations  now  seem  rather  prophetic  in  our  current  Age  Of  The  ‡ŽĎ?‹‡Ǥ Â? Š‹• „‘‘Â? ƒ•…Š asserted  that  to  “live  for  the  moment  is  the  prevailing  passion—to  live  for  yourself,  not  for  your  predecessors  or  posterity.â€?  Borrowing  from  the  ancient  Greek  myth  of  Narcissus,  who  became  obsessed  with  Š‹• ‹Â?ƒ‰‡ ĥ ”‡Ď?Ž‡…–‡† in  a  pool  of  water,  Lasch  described  his  time  as  one  of  narcissism,  populated  by  people  who,  like  Narcissus,  are  incapable  of  doing  anything  but  staring Â
ƒ– –Š‡‹” ”‡Ď?Ž‡…–‹‘Â?•Ǥ Š‡ •‘…‹ƒŽ commitment  that  characterized  the  Sixties  was  quickly  disappearing,  Lasch  feared,  beneath  the  surface  ‘ˆ ÂƒÂ”Â…Â‹Â•Â•Â—Â•ÇŻ ”‡Ď?Ž‡…–‹Â?‰ ’‘‘ŽǤ According  to  Lasch,  “the  narcissist  depends  on  others  to  validate  his  self-Ââ€?esteem.  He  cannot  live  without  an  admiring  audience.â€?  The  modern  narcissist  escapes  from  insecurity  “only  be  seeing  Š‹• ǎ‰”ƒÂ?†‹‘•‡ Â•Â‡ÂŽÂˆÇŻ ”‡Ď?Ž‡…–‡† ‹Â? –Š‡ attentions  of  others,  or  by  attaching  himself  to  those  who  radiate  celebrity,  power,  and  charisma.  For  the  narcissist,  the  world  is  a  mirror.  Ǥ Ǥ Ǥdz ’’ƒ”‡Â?–Ž› ™Šƒ– ‹• ”‡Ď?Ž‡…–‡† ‹Â? that  mirror  in  2013  is  the  millions  ‘ˆ •‡ŽĎ?‹‡• –Šƒ– ƒ”‡ „‡‹Â?‰ —’Ž‘ƒ†‡† –‘ ƒ…‡„‘‘Â? ’”‘Ď?‹Ž‡• ƒÂ?† ‘–Š‡” •‘…‹ƒŽ media  sites  every  second  of  the  day.  In  the  time  it  takes  you  to  read  this  week’s  column,  the  volume  ‘ˆ •‡ŽĎ?‹‡• ƒ˜ƒ‹Žƒ„Ž‡ ˆ‘” ˜‹‡™‹Â?‰ will  have  no  doubt  increased  exponentially. Lasch  might  have  been  wrong,  however,  in  assuming  that  narcissism  is  a  strictly  modern  phenomenon.  If  you  examine Â
cave  paintings  like  those  found  in  Lascaux,  France,  and  created  twenty  to  thirty  thousand  years  ago,  you  will  see  many  handprints  that  were  spray  painted  (pigments  blown  through  an  ancient  straw)  onto  the  walls  beneath  the  now-Ââ€? famous  depictions  of  bison  and  other  animals.  Could  it  be  that  –Š‡•‡ ™‡”‡ ƒÂ?…‹‡Â?– •‡ŽĎ?‹‡•Ǎ I  will  leave  you  to  contemplate  –Š‡ Â?‡ƒÂ?‹Â?‰ ‘ˆ –Š‡ •‡ŽĎ?‹‡Ǥ ‘‡• –Š‹• Â•Â‡ÂŽÂˆÇŚÂ’Â‘Â”Â–Â”ÂƒÂ‹Â– ”‡’”‡•‡Â?– •‡ŽĎ?‹•Š ƒÂ?† rather  arrogant  narcissism  or  an  important  new  way  to  express  our  unique  humanity?  A  modern  form  of  the  Shakespearean  sound  and  fury  •‹‰Â?‹ˆ›‹Â?‰ Â?‘–Š‹Â?‰ ‘” ƒ •‹‰Â?‹Ď?‹…ƒÂ?– new  art  form  representing  a  new  renaissance  of  human  individuality  and  expression?  Or  could  it  be  just  silly  and  shallow  self-Ââ€?indulgence? Regardless  of  where  you  stand  ‘Â? –Š‡ •‡ŽĎ?‹‡ ‹••—‡ǥ Š‘’‡ ›‘— ™‹ŽŽ join  me  in  giving  thanks  for  the  gift  of  language.  And  I  hope  you  will  have  a  meaningful  Thanksgiving  ”‡’Ž‡–‡ ™‹–Š •‡ŽĎ?‹‡• ȋ–™‡”Â?• ÂƒÂ”Â‡ÇĄ ‘ˆ course,  optional). See  you  next  week.
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