Vox Magazine December 2023

THE VOICE OF DECEMBERCOLUMBIA 2023

How to be mindful about what we buy and own, and how to shed what we don’t need. PAGE 16

ARMY OF CHEERLEADERS

Every day as I enter my apartment, I see my bulletin board with Polaroid pictures. It’s the first thing I see when I get home and the last thing I look at before bed. My mom smiles at me from the pictures as I pick out which Elvis record to play. My friends and relatives observe me as I’m doing a puzzle of Van Gogh’s Bedroom in Arles.

With the Polaroids, I’m never alone. The hand-picked photos represent relationships that matter to me — relationships that define me.

But I didn’t always have enough connections in my life to fill a bulletin board. As a young adult, I found relationships disposable and unimportant. I never put effort into maintaining them. Still, they made me who I am today. Some affected my hobbies and music taste. Others left a bigger mark on my life, like my career choices.

Today I’ve learned to cherish the connections I’ve developed — be it the barista who knows my go-to order or a friend with whom I don’t always see eye-to-eye. I learned that those bonds are like an army

of cheerleaders who support you from the sidelines. And I learned how to be a caring cheerleader myself.

We never know where these relationships might take us. Our December stories revolve around connections that Columbians have turned into something transcending their size, like the artist collective Trenchboy (p. 5), local band Tri-County Liquidators (p. 9) or late-night restaurant After Bite (p. 31). For cultivating those connections, we found local book clubs (p. 11) or fan communities like the Swifties (p. 12).

Many of those relationships manifest in stuff, which our feature package seeks to help organize, fix and pack-up (p. 16). In my case, the stuff is the Polaroids, the only memorabilia I could fit in my luggage when I moved to America. And I’m glad I did. When I look at them I can still hear the shaking of the pompoms — even if some of it comes from nearly 5,000 miles away.

Kristina Abovyan

Editor-in-Chief

Behind the issue

When fellow art director Ava Horton and I started planning the concept for this issue’s feature package (p.16), we quickly realized that “stuff” encompasses everything. And who has it all? Barbie! We asked everyone we knew to recruit their kids and dig up their old Barbie accessories, and we received boxes and bins full of tiny things. (We also snatched up some eBay and Midway Antique Mall finds.) Then, we went into the photo studio one morning and took hundreds of photos of all these little things to create a lifelike miniature world of stuff. It really did become everything. Thanks to Ella, Emma and Nora for letting us borrow their toys and turn their dolls’ stuff into So. Much. Stuff.

— Campbell Biemiller

CULTURE MEGHAN LEE, MARJAI NEAL, SAM WILLS

EAT + DRINK MARA DUMITRU, MICHAEL SAPP

CITY LIFE MJ MONTGOMERY, RICKY SCHODL, JANE STEINBRECHER

STAFF WRITERS SAM BARRETT, LEVI CASE, KARA

ELLIS, ATHENA FOSLER-BRAZIL, JONAH FOSTER, SETH HADLOW, SOPHIA KOCH, CHLOE LYKKEN, ANDREA MERRITT, GRACE PANKEY, ABIGAIL RAMIREZ, MADDIE SHANNON, MARY RUTH TAYLOR, ELENA WILSON

SOCIAL & AUDIENCE AYSIA GREY, NICK GLADNEY, GILLIAN KOPTIK, JOSH MARGHERITA

DIGITAL PRODUCERS ETHAN DAVIS, KIANA

FERNANDES, JULIE FREIJAT, NICK GLADNEY, EMILY

ANNE GRIFFITH, JULIEN JENSEN, JAMIE WHITESELL

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MAYA DAWSON, OLIVIA MAILLET, KHALIA SMITH, NICOLE VOSS, EGAN WARD, CAYLI YANAGIDA

ART ASSISTANTS MEGHAN ASLIN, QUINCY

HAYMART, RICKY SCHODL, THEO JOHNSON, LAUREN GREEN, VALERIE TISCARENO

M ULTI MEDIA ASSISTANT JULIA WILLIAMS

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR HEATHER ISHERWOOD

EXECUTIVE EDITOR LAURA HECK

WRITING COACHES CARY LITTLEJOHN, JENNIFER ROWE

Photography by Megan Sundberg and Maggie Pollard

TABLE

05

Down in their trenches

Trenchboy art collective makes a wave through music, apparel and giving back.

07

Vox Picks

Take your date to a cat cafe, a country concert or to explore Christmastown.

08

She’s a peach

Talk about food and family with Canned Peaches host Nina Mukerjee Furstenau. CULTURE

09

TCL gives album TLC

Rock out to local band Tri-County Liquidators’ new album, Cut My Teeth.

11

Hittin’ the book clubs

Read up on the book clubs Columbia has to offer, suited for every bookworm. FEATURES

12

CoMo’s biggest Swifties

Swifties stay, stay, stay around Taylor’s finger like a paper ring. Or so it goes.

16

So much stuff!

Got clutter? Here’s how to prune junk, repurpose and give sustainable gifts.

Photography by Ellie Frysztak, Maggie Pollard, Kate Cassady, Sharon Quintana Ortiz and Bailey Stover and illustrations by Quincy Haymart

Down in their trenches

Artist collective Trenchboy is building a “wave” through music, apparel and giving back to the community.

BY ELENA WILSON

Isaiah Johnson has long had an affinity for clothing and music. After finishing high school, he decided to turn his passion into profit, leading him to establish the Trenchboy brand. Founded in August 2021, Trenchboy is a rising Black-owned apparel company, music label and hub for creatives.

‘The trenches’

The inspiration for the brand name came from Johnson’s sports background. He and his high school teammates coined a phrase for the hard work that went into practicing and working out. “We used to call that the ‘trenches,’” Johnson says.

According to its website, a Trenchboy is “a person who embraces the hand they were dealt, a person who turns lemons to lemonade, a person who gets up everyday, goes to their trenches and strives for greatness.”

With this belief at its core, the brand has become a collective of like-minded artists working in a variety of mediums. Carl Mack, an audio engineer at North Village Recording, describes Trenchboy as “the wave.”

“They take a lot from the world that they see and they want to make a bigger world than they are in,” Mack says. “They’re genuinely creating their own wave.”

Photography by Kate Cassady and LG Patterson and courtesy of Unsplash

Trenchboy CEO Isaiah Johnson (center) built the group on the motto “aim high, never low.” This mindset drew members like Jalen Parker (left) and Amari Southall.

Jon Liebig, also a North Village Recording audio engineer, says the recording studio can be a creative outlet. “This is where they can express their thoughts, emotions, feelings, what they’ve been going through and let things out in a positive way versus in a negative way,” Liebig says.

Through the label, Johnson manages seven artists and assists with promotion. The messaging from these artists reaches a growing audience, contributing to “the wave.” “I feel like anybody can be attracted to it,” Johnson says. “I don’t feel like it’s just directly to one certain group of people.”

Trenchboy’s initial product is its line of streetwear clothing, which Johnson directs. In addition to an online shop, Trenchboy has partnered with the hemp and streetwear store Hempriety to sell clothing out of its space, alongside another local clothing brand CoMo Beach.

Trenchboy CEO Isaiah Johnson (above) can often be found designing clothes on a laptop or in a notebook. The dedication to his craft comes from a lifelong mentality of hard work.

GET IN THE TRENCHES

Trenchboy IG @trenchboy.mit Hempriety

809 E. Walnut St., 507-6270, hempriety.com Como Beach comobeach clothing.com

‘Generational mindset’

The members of Trenchboy are also active in the local community. The collective volunteers with Dream Tree Academy 573, an after-school program for youth that teaches entrepreneurship skills and job readiness through music, graphic design, financial literacy and mental health.

CEO and founder of Dream Tree Academy Raymond Hall says Trenchboy’s presence at the program allows the kids to hear relatable voices. “The interaction is amazing to see from afar,” Hall says. “Those younger kids, teenagers, it keeps them grounded. It keeps (it) in mind like: ‘Hey, I wasn’t too far from you guys. I was just in high school.’ ”

For Hall, Trenchboy helps break generational mindsets about what is possible for the Black community. “These young,

JALEN PARKER AKA GREE FILMS

Hometown: Columbia, Missouri

Role: Videographer

Why is he a Trenchboy?

As a newer member of Trenchboy, Parker is learning to communicate his ideas for photo shoots and promotional videos. He says he relates to the Trenchboy message. “With everything, you have to put a lot of hard work into it and build yourself up, build your character up,” he says. Through Trenchboy’s partnership with Dream Tree Academy 573, Parker wants to help Black youth recognize their potential.

Artist that inspires him: The videographer Lone Wolf

AMARI SOUTHALL AKA LEEK

Hometown: Jonesboro, Arkansas

Role: Music artist

Why is he a Trenchboy? After watching his older brother produce music, Southall grew a similar love. He was drawn to the Trenchboy brand and its philosophy of making the most of your circumstances. Now, he creates his own sound and sets an example for youth the same way his brother did for him. He says it means a lot to be able to explain why he does what he does. “Seeing the excitement in their eyes is a whole ‘nother feeling,” Southall says.

Favorite song: “Pride is the Devil” by J. Cole

Black, positive, strong men are what we really need in this community, and they definitely fit the mold,” Hall says.

“A lot of kids don’t have that, especially Black kids don’t have that opportunity,” says Trenchboy videographer Jalen Parker. “To have good role models in their life at a young age so they can flourish in their early years.”

Johnson aspires to find a physical location and brand ambassadors to expand the Trenchboy presence. He also hopes to continue enacting positive change within Columbia. “Growing up here,” he says, “People would rather go do dumb stuff and get in trouble than go create something or do positive things in the community,” he says.

As Trenchboy rides its growing wave, the collective will use creativity and community to keep climbing.

Photography by Kate Cassady

in treats at Mochi Mochi. Mochi is a soft and chewy Japanese rice cake that’s often used in desserts. Beyond the classic glaze, you can try doughnuts with taro, matcha and black sesame glazes. The restaurant also offers coffee, boba tea and Korean fried chicken, which is double fried. 2507 Bernadette Drive, Sun.-Thurs.10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat.10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., mochimochicolumbia.com

Vox Picks for DECEMBER

curates a list of can’t-miss shops, eats, reads and experiences. We find the new, trending or underrated to help you enjoy the best our city has to offer.

BY SETH HADLOW

EXPLORE downtown Columbia as it comes alive during The District’s annual Living Windows. The event features live performances, carriage rides, visits with Santa and holiday decor in the windows of downtown businesses. Last year, My Secret Garden had dancers, including Megan Reed (left), in its window. For 2023, The District has added an augmented reality holiday celebration that kicked off Nov. 4 and goes through Dec. 31. An enchanted forest, dancing gingerbread figures and a narwhal can be viewed through Instagram after scanning QR codes at each location. The District, Dec. 1, 6-8 p.m., discoverthedistrict.com

SNUGGLE with rescue cats and kittens at Bertha’s Beans Cat Café. The business, located in the former Pa pa’s Cat Cafe, was purchased by Jessi ca and Kyle Schlosser, owners of the local pet supply store Lizzi & Rocco’s Natural Pet Market. Named after Bertha, a rescued cat from the Central Missouri Humane Society, the cafe will partner with Columbia Second Chance for adoptions. Their goal? Three hundred adoptions the first two years. and Thurs.-Sat. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., berthasbeans.com

DONATE to Columbia’s annual fundraiser CoMoGives, which will support 174 local nonprofits this year. Established over a decade ago, CoMoGives allows people to support a participating charity of their choosing, which range from human services and health to animal well-being. Last year, over $1.9 million was raised for about 153 participating nonprofits. This year, CoMoGives has set a goal of $2 million. Nov. 28 to Dec. 31, comogives.com

LISTEN to native Missourian Roman Alexander as he stops by Rose Music Hall on his Mess Me Up Tour. The up-and-coming country artist will perform his most recent hit, “Missouri on My Mind,” which is an homage to his home state. Alexander recently landed on CoMo’s radar after his performance of “Missouri on My Mind” at the Mizzou vs. Kentucky football game on Oct. 14. With lyrics such as “M-I-Z, that’s my team,” the song is packed with MU references. Rose Music Hall, Dec. 7, 8 p.m., $12 in advance, $15 day of show, rosemusichall.com

Photography by Valeryia Zakharyk/Archive and courtesy of Unsplash and Adobe Stock

She’s a peach

Food writer and podcast host Nina Mukerjee Furstenau digs into what we can learn from ingredients.

BY SARAH GASSEL

For Nina Mukerjee Furstenau, food is a window to understanding culture and communities. In her work, she traces dishes and ingredients through food-ways to uncover the history of the food and the people who made it.

Furstenau, whose family came from northeastern India, was raised in Kansas. Experiencing new cultures through cooking is where her interest in food writing was born. Since then, she has written multiple books exploring food through the lens of her own multicultural identity. In 2018, Furstenau spent nine months in India researching for her book, Green Chili and Other Imposters

In her newest project, she hosts the KBIA podcast Canned Peaches , which looks at the food-ways of how basic ingredients like honey and chestnuts — and the eponymous canned peaches — were integrated into Midwestern dishes. In 2022, Vox sat down with Furstenau to discuss the themes she studies through her work with food. This is an excerpt of an interview for the Vox Voice podcast.

What intrigued you about food writing?

For the most part, I’m attracted to food writing kind of by accident. I think that my main interests are cultures and boundaries of cultures, and food just seems to fit that so well that I end up writing about food often. To me, food leads to all kinds of things: other stories, other themes, especially food and identity and food history. There’s just so much to be teased out there that I think the world needs to hear, because there’s so many ways we are separated these days.

In what ways has your family influenced your interest in food?

The foods that my mother made — the aromas and the textures and the stories behind why she was making certain foods at certain times — really connected me to India. And really, if I think about it now and at the time, there were just no other connections to India around me, so food became really important.

How do you see food as a bridge between differ ent cultures?

When you look at any plate of food, many cultures are already there touching side by side. And the spices that are in the grains that are har vested in another country and then brought to this one, or vegeta bles that were native to Asia but now are so common here, or citrus. All of those foods, they are completely en twined on our plates already.

What are food-ways?

Food-ways are the trails that foods have taken through history to end up on your plate today. So that’s not only just the farmers that grew the particular plant, but maybe where it originated, and how it got to this part of the world, and why many times that’s linked to all sorts of things that you might not al ways have realized before it was pointed out to you.

The food-ways in Missouri are kind of what you think about as traditional Thanksgiving din ners. That’s Midwestern food to me. But if you consider for a minute, some families, even today, really like oyster stuffing. And that’s not a Midwestern in gredient. But how did that hap pen? So I would just challenge you to follow that food trail. Find out how oysters got into our

Nina Mukerjee Furstenau hosts the KBIA podcast Canned Peaches, which explores how we’re all connected through the food on our plates. stuffings. And part of it is the history of canning. You get all kinds of interesting food-ways because of the processes behind food and preservation.

Why is it important to talk about food-ways?

Photography courtesy of LG Patterson

TCL gives its first album TLC

The Tri-County Liquidators’ debut album is the culmination of collaboration in the local scene.

BY LEVI CASE

Producing a full-length album was a learning process for the members of Tri-County Liquidators. The result, Cut My Teeth, is a beautiful concoction of shoegaze, indie, math rock and good old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll. Its sound mirrors bands such as My Bloody Val-

entine, DIIV, Ride and even Van Halen. Such musical fusion makes sense for drummer Anthony Wilkerson, bass player Marielle Carlos and guitarists George Sarafianos, Matt Hall and Spenser Rook, who formed Tri-County Liquidators in April 2021.

The band formed from two groups that often banded together at shows. Hall and Wilkerson played in a band called Cecil, while Sarafianos, Carlos and Rook performed in another called Witchkr. The two were intertwined, playing joint shows and even collaborating in songwriting as part of a split release, the band told Vox in a 2022 interview.

Hall says the decision to work toward an album came as soon as the band formed.

The name of the album, Cut My Teeth, is an expression Carlos used to describe the start of the band’s discography.

Matt Hall, Spenser Rook, Marielle Carlos, Anthony Wilkerson and George Sarafianos record their own parts of each song individually before mixing and mastering.

The phrase defines the process of gaining experience in a skill or organization, and, in the case of Tri-County Liquidators, that meant working as a band.

GET MORE

STREAM: Spotify or Apple Music

BUY: Digital, cassette and vinyl copies on Bandcamp or tricountyliquidators .bigcartel.com

LISTEN: Dec.1 on Rolla’s radio station KMNR/87.9 FM

Coming together from two separate acts, the band members had to decide how to best coordinate their skills to begin producing songs. “It was definitely a learning process,” Carlos says. “We started recording ‘Flies,’ our first single, and we wanted to record in one room, in front of each other. Then we were like, ‘This isn’t working.’ We were taking forever.”

Through trial and error, the band found a method that worked for them.

The songwriting process starts with each member bringing riffs to the band. They then start working on their parts of the song, finally sending them to each other for mixing and mastering for the final product: cohesive tracks brimming with personality.

Photography by Ellie Frysztak

Wilkerson’s drums and Carlos’ bass form a booming rhythm that drives the soul of a song while the cacophony of guitars create the perfect hard-hitting melodic pairing. “On a song that Spenser wrote, you’re not hearing just Spenser playing a guitar part; you’re hearing everybody playing a guitar part,” Sarafianos says.

The band released the album Oct. 20 in collaboration with Hitt Rexx, a small label operated by Hitt Records, which agreed to produce and sell the album on vinyl as its ninth official release. The label has produced albums for acts such as The Onions and Roxy Beach.

“I saw (the Tri-County Liquidators) a couple times coming out of COVID, and I was like ‘This is my favorite local band right now,’ ” says Kyle Cook, co-owner of Hitt Records. “I told them whenever they have an album ready, I’ll help finance it.”

Hitt Records tends to only produce

one album a year, Cook says. The vinyl record is available for $25 from Hitt Records or the band’s website.

The album garnered rave reviews from the Columbia music scene. Ashwini Mantrala is a board member at Dismal Niche Arts and the music director for True/False Film Fest. “This Tri-County Liquidators album is by far, to me, one of the best pieces of art, musically, that Columbia has ever produced,” Mantrala says.

Mantrala sees this album as a statement of the Columbia music scene and almost as a love letter to worldrenowned bands like Duster and Slowdive, which have exerted a strong influence on the Tri-County Liquidators.

So what are the next steps for the Tri-County Liquidators? Hopefully not a sophomore slump; the band says another album is in the works. “Now we just have to wait for the fire to die off this (album) to release the next one,” Wilkerson says.

SINK YOUR TEETH INTO THESE TRACKS

“FILLING UP”

Not all songs on the release were crafted specifically for the album. They originate from beyond the band’s two-and-a-half year history when Hall and Wilkerson used to live together. Hall and Wilkerson say they’ve been jamming on “Filling Up” since 2007, making the song old enough to get a driver’s license.

“GARDEN” ACOUSTIC VERSION

No, you’re not seeing double. “Garden” does appear two times on the album. One is a full-fledged band recording, and the other is a softer, unplugged version. The decision to include both stems from a demo Hall recorded. “I was really attached to the demo, and I wanted to see what it sounded like with everybody added to it,” Hall says. “It’s just special.” The acoustic song is mellow and tranquil, and its distinct sound stands out compared to the rest of the high-voltage album. The calming vocals and soothing acoustic guitars act as a delicate closer for the record.

Hittin’ the book clubs

If your idea of a good time is sitting down with other people and a good book, look no further.

BY ABIGAIL RAMIREZ

As a college town and the home of an annual book festival, Columbia is a city brimming with readers. Luckily, there is no shortage of clubs for the city’s book lovers, from those focusing on young adult fiction to romance novels to Missouri-related books.

Show me books

The Twain Book Club is a monthly book club run by Skylark Bookshop. The club meets at Twain: Missouri BBQ & Taproom to discuss a novel with loose or direct ties to Missouri, says Skylark employee Matthew May. Selected books for December and January are I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou and The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes. 6:30 p.m. first Tuesday of the month, Twain: Missouri BBQ & Taproom, skylarkbookshop.com/new-events

Quiet time

The Silent Book Club is a global organization that brings together introverted readers who enjoy each other’s company. It originated in a neighborhood bar in San Francisco and now has over 300 chapters. Kate Stone Underwood, a Public Services librarian at the Columbia Public Library, says a “desire to read” is the only interest those looking to join need. Members bring their own books and enjoy the company of others, with some bookish chit-chat and talk afterward. (For a more typical book club, try the library’s Thursday Book Discussion the first Thursday of the month.) 6 p.m. second Tuesday of the month, Columbia Public Library, dbrl.org

Progressive page-turners

For this group, the American Association of University Women picks a theme and recommends a book for its monthly book clubs. If the Columbia Public Library doesn’t have enough copies for all the members, then a different book is chosen. The main goal of AAUW is to promote the empowerment of women, which is

reflected in the book selections.

1 p.m. second Saturday of the month, Trinity Presbyterian Church, columbia-mo.aauw.net

and books

The New Romantics Book Club is newest of Skylark Bookshop’s handful of book clubs. With the rise of BookTok and the popularity of romance novels, the book club is on trend. The club’s first meeting was in November. The books chosen will be “steamy, fun, and lovefilled,” according to Skylark’s website. Each book of the month is discounted 15% off in store. 6:30 p.m. third Wednesday of the month, Skylark Bookshop, skylarkbookshop.com/new-events

Get ready, get set, read

The Off & Running Publication is an organization that connects and helps aspiring writers. Its book club, Off & Reading, meets once a month at various Columbia locations. Off & Running founder Elaine Strawn says the organization likes collaboration and events

Skylark Bookshop operates several book clubs. The shop also hosts events with authors, local book launches and a knitting group.

that match its book of the month. For its inaugural meeting in September, the book club met at The Blufftop at Rocheport to discuss Michelle Wildgen’s Wine People.

Tentatively every third Sunday of the month, locations differ, see Off & Running Publication’s Facebook page

Less young, more adult

The Forever Young Adult Book Club is a worldwide group for people who enjoy young adult fiction but are “a little less ‘Y’ and a bit more ‘A,’ ” according to the organization’s website. For the Columbia chapter, the monthly reads are less specific, says Brian Katcher, one of the book club members. Previous book selections include Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree and Teen Killers Club by Lily Sparks. The monthly meetings are scheduled when most convenient for the members, usually a Monday or Tuesday, Katcher says, and are almost always at 7 p.m. at The Grind South.

Dates and times vary; see Columbia, Missouri Forever Young Adult Book Club on Facebook

Photography by Liv Jackson/Archive

Meet the 5 Biggest Taylor Swift Fans in Columbia

A “Love Story” that goes beyond fandom — Swifties find connection, empowerment and healing through their favorite artist.

BY

Taylor Swift, the unavoidable pop sensation and 12-time Grammy Awardwinner, was the talk of the summer with her Eras Tour. The tour was expected to generate almost $5 billion in consumer spending in the United States, according to an August Time story. She embarked on an international second leg of the tour that will go through next year.

This fall, her concert film grossed $125 million opening weekend, she released the re-recorded 1989 and Taylor sightings took over NFL broadcasts.

But it’s a mistake to measure Swift’s impact solely in dollars and cents. As an artist and cultural figure, Swift has developed a deep emotional connection with her Swiftie fans.

Megan Murph, director of MU’s Budds Center for American Music Studies, researches the cultural context

Majorie

Bri Tremper saw Taylor Swift live for the first time during the singer’s 1989 World Tour in 2015.

Bri Tremper shows off the Taylor Swift tattoo that she got on her 18th birthday. “Taylor’s song ‘Mirrorball’ really resonated with me,” Tremper says.

“Never be so polite you forget your power / Never wield such power you forget to be polite.”

of music. She has studied music’s impact on different cultural groups and music’s ability to unite people. “I think music absolutely is a part of how communities can grow together and it can be a vehicle for celebrations, catharsis, healing and grieving,” Murph says. “It’s part of protests. It’s part of political movements. It’s part of so much.”

Murph has seen music used as a “contemplative practice” similar to writing in a diary for emotional processing. The connection between music and these emotions comes down to the individuals’ personal experiences. Music is a universal language that connects individuals on physical, emotional and

spiritual levels.

Oh, and did we mention that Murph’s two best friends are avid Swifties?

Vox talked with five Columbia-based Swifties about how her music has influenced their lives.

SWIFTIES FIND CONNECTION

Bri Tremper and her brother, who is 12 years older, have a shared passion for Swift. Tremper often reminisces about their car rides together with Swift playing in the background.

“We are pretty different, but one thing we’ve always had in common is Taylor Swift,” Tremper says.

STORY

CHLOE LYKKEN PHOTOS BY JAMIE MARON DESIGN BY QUINCY HAYMART

BRI TREMPER’S FAVORITE LYRICS:

Long Live

“Long live the walls we crashed through / How the kingdom lights shined just for me and you.”

Michael Baniewicz has decorated his room with Taylor Swift memorabilia.“I remember the album Red made 8-year-old me feel refreshed because her songwriting validated emotions I had but couldn’t make sense of,” he says. “I never would dance in public a lot, but I do recall dancing nonstop, and singing — well, shouting, really — each lyric when any song from Red played on my iPod.”

That connection prompted Tremper and her brother to drive eight hours to see the artist’s show in Nashville, Tennessee, in May.

The devoted fan has ivy and a disco ball tattooed on her arm, symbols that represent two of her favorite Swift songs.

Tremper, an MU student, relates her own life to the lyrics of Swift’s songs, especially “Never Grow Up” with her recent high school graduation. The song encompasses the feeling of time slipping away faster than fingertips can grasp: “Oh, darlin’, don’t you ever grow up / Don’t you ever grow up / Just stay this little.”

Tremper says Swift’s lyrics empower women to stand up for themselves. Songs such as “The Man” and “Vigilante Shit” explore sexism and accountability in a patriarchal society. “I feel like as women, we’re just told to be polite,” Tremper says. “Sometimes we just don’t say things or do things that really should happen just because we are worried about being polite.”

SWIFTIES FIND COMMUNITY

Michael Baniewicz’s adoration for Taylor Swift began back when he got his first iPod. He was immediately infatuated by Swift’s lyrics and her relationship with her fanbase.

As a student at an all-boys school, Baniewicz says he found it difficult to express emotions in his environment, and this made it hard to process certain feelings. “There was definitely a lot of new experiences and emotional experiences that I hadn’t had before, and I was pretty unfamiliar,” says Baniewicz, who is a student at MU. “But listening to Taylor Swift for awhile made me feel like I wasn’t the only one.”

To him, listening to Swift’s music is similar to reading a novel and connecting with a character’s experiences. Her music was with him in times of hardship, from first breakups to individual development.

Last year, Baniewicz attended The Blue Note’s Taylor Party and experi -

enced a deep sense of belonging.

“It’s a very highly community-oriented space where everyone is just having a great time over one artist,” Baniewicz says. “And at the same time, you’re sharing a love not just for the artist but for the music and all the emotions and the songs and everything that you’ve grown up with.”

The community is the best part of being a Swiftie, Baniewicz says.

SWIFTIES FIND HEALING

Music can not only bring communities and individuals together, but it also honors memories made with loved ones. Courtney UlrichCampbell works at The Shot Bar in downtown Columbia. She made lasting memories with her childhood best friend, Kennedy, over their shared admiration for Swift.

Michael Baniewicz got his Taylor’s Version hat after the artist announced the release of her re-recorded Speak Now album this past summer.

MICHAEL BANIEWICZ’S FAVORITE LYRICS:

Clean

“Rain came pouring down / When I was drowning / That’s when I could finally breathe.”

The girls went through everything together. Their friendship spanned more than 18 years.

Ulrich-Campbell recites lyrics from Swift’s song “Long Live:” – “I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you.” She says, “That lyric also sticks out to me a lot because Kennedy and I both battled a lot of struggles together, and yet we had the best of times together.”

A few months before they were supposed to see the Eras Tour, Kennedy died after struggling with addiction. Her family used friendship bracelets to honor her memory. These bracelets — which fans made, wore and traded at the Eras Tour concerts — were a nod to Swift’s lyrics in “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” a song about finding strength in the face

of struggle. She sings: “So make the friendship bracelets / Take the moment and taste it / You’ve got no reason to be afraid.”

At the concert, Kennedy’s family made and handed out more than 200 bracelets with Kennedy’s initials and hotline numbers. Ulrich-Campbell felt connected to her friend at the show. “I could feel her the whole time,” she says.

Beyond the Eras Tour concert, Ulrich-Campbell has used Swift’s music to help her process her grief, especially the song “Clean.”

“It has helped me get through her death,” Ulrich-Campbell says. “And it has always stuck with me that, ‘Hey rain can keep falling, but I’m still going.’ ”

Megan Fox wears one of the many Swiftie items she owns. She saw Swift twice in Nashville, Tennessee, during The Eras Tour and has seen Swift five times live.

The Archer

“Can you see right through me? / They see right through me / I see right through me.”

Pieces of confetti, bracelets and a VIP ticket from Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour lay on Courtney Ulrich-Campbell’s bed.

COURTNEY ULRICH-CAMPBELL’S FAVORITE LYRICS:

MEGAN FOX’S FAVORITE LYRICS:

SWIFTIES FIND EMPOWERMENT

Taylor Swift’s music has long been a safe space for MU student Megan Fox, from dancing in her childhood room with her best friends to needing an escape from reality. On the long drives to and from her separated parents’ houses, Fox vividly remembers her 4-year-old self listening to Swift’s “Should’ve Said No.”

Throughout her middle and high school years, Fox faced pivotal milestones with the help of the albums Fearless, Speak Now, Red and select songs from 1989.

Fox’s favorite song by the artist, “The Archer” allows her to reflect on the theme of self-discovery. “I actually feel heard due to this song,” Fox says. “To know someone that I’ve always idolized also felt this way was very reassuring in that aspect.”

The Eras Tour was monumental for lifelong fans like Fox. Over the span of

Isaac Lewis and Reanna Munjoy listen to Taylor Swift together, sharing earbuds. “When I’m sharing my time with other people, I am sharing my music with them,” Lewis says.

her fanhood, she’s seen the artist live five times.

She attended two of The Eras Tour shows in Nashville, Tennessee — sparkling nights she will never forget. “I just realized how much it meant to me to be a Taylor Swift fan and how much of an impact that it had on my life,” Fox says.

SWIFTIES FIND LOVE

With purple Speak Now-themed lights illuminating the room, MU student Isaac Lewis was enchanted. It was July 7 and they laid on the carpeted floor next to their best friend, who would soon become their partner. The sounds of “Timeless” by Taylor Swift filled the room. “We didn’t talk through any of it, and we didn’t pause any of the song,” Lewis says. “I guess you could say we soaked in the song while also soaking in each other’s presence.”

Lewis and their best friend, Reanna Munjoy, met in class during their freshman year. They immediately clicked and spent many moments

wasn’t until this past summer that they saw their relationship grow deeper.

Many of these moments included Munjoy introducing Lewis to Swift’s catalog. Prior to their relationship, Lewis considered themself a casual Swift listener. Music has been a significant part of their life — allowing them to reminisce on significant moments and find a safe space for those memories. “I basically always have an AirPod in,” Lewis says.

“For me, it’s definitely like a coping mechanism of a sense of familiarity or control. In a situation that is maybe out of control, at least I have the music to depend on.”

Isaac Lewis and Reanna Munjoy met in fall 2022 and have been dating since August of this year. The pair has bonded over a shared love for Taylor Swift’s music.

Timeless

“In another life / You still would’ve turned my head even if we’d met / On a crowded street in 1944 / And you were headed off to fight in the war / You still would’ve been mine / We would’ve been timeless.”

ISAAC LEWIS’S FAVORITE LYRICS:

Whether we’re

In this era of commercialism, we are bombarded with sales and promotions. Who can resist shopping when we can have something new on our doorstep that same day at the click of a checkout button? According to the Los Angeles Times, the average U.S. household already contains 300,000 items. So the question is: Do we own our stuff, or does our stuff own us?

Edited by Michael Sapp, Jane Steinbrecher, Sam Wills

Photography by Lily Dozier Maggie Pollard

owning or discarding,

our lives are consumed by

We acquire those thousands of belongings through the years — some purchased and some given to us. How do we shop smarter? Where do we put these possessions? Can we repair instead of buy? And eventually, how do we shed our material items or pass them on? What really is worth keeping?

Written by Kara Ellis, Athena Fosler-Brazil, Sophia Koch, Chloe Lykken, Andrea Merritt, Grace Pankey

It’s increasingly difficult to answer these questions. However, we do know it’s time to start separating stuff from the ideals that surround happiness. In this feature package, six Vox writers explore these questions. They explain the dopamine spike from clicking “buy now,” offer ways to reevaluate our possessions and provide solutions to managing the items we do not need.

– Micah Barnes

Designed by Campbell Biemiller Ava Horton

In 1924, a group of international light bulb manufacturers agreed to reduce the lifespan of bulbs to about 1,000 hours, much shorter than the previous standard. A 2021 Sierra Club article calls this the first example of so-called “planned obsolescence,” when manufacturers purposely limit the lifespan of products. For the past 100 years, the practice has been applied to vehicles, home goods, clothing, electronics and more. It encourages people to buy more, and buy more often. Consumers, however, are saying, “No, thank you.” Countless product review lists measure the durability of items, and thriving online communities and retailers help buyers find lasting goods. You, too, can shun cheap fibers and avoid unreliable devices with these tips to find products that last.

MADE TO LAST?

By Chloe Lykken

No one wants to spend hard-earned money on items that don’t last. Here are four ways to shop smarter.

Tip #1: Consider the reason

Before you buy, think about why. Fast fashion is just one example of an industry producing cheaply made items that race to low price points with the goal of attracting buyers. That’s why Jaime Mestres, a professor of Textile and Apparel Management at MU, says it’s important to ask, “Why am I buying this item?” If it’s for a single occasion or use, ask friends or family members if they have something that you could borrow, or check out thrift stores or free items from Facebook groups such as Buy Nothing Columbia.

Tip #2: Seek out warranties

Rather than repeatedly buying the same product, purchase items with extended or lifetime warranties. Additionally, ensure the warranty is adequate for your purchase. According to Entrepreneur, there are a few factors to consider while looking at warranties. Those include what the warranty covers, the amount of time the product is covered, if it can be extended and if there’s a place to address warranty concerns. Another tip: Take note of the brand names of items your parents bought years ago and still use today.

Tip #3: Scour reviews

Browse reviews from sources that test products, such as Good Housekeeping or The New York Times’ Wirecutter. Be wary of brands reviewing their own products on their websites, and have a keen eye when comparing independent reviews to make a decision. To evaluate a reviewer’s credibility, The Federal Trade Commission of Consumer Advice suggests looking at the person’s previous reviews and frequency. Numerous reviews in a short timespan are signs the responses might not be trustworthy. Finally, ask your circle of friends about their experience with similar products.

Tip #4: Chase BIFL

Consider the popular BIFL — buy it for life — movement. These items are made with true longevity in mind. There’s a subreddit dedicated to finding BIFL products, and the Buy Me Once website curates and sells products that live up to its name. In fashion retail, Lily Carroll says to examine seams, thread count, the fabric’s feel and its care instructions. Carroll is an MU student who buys and sells on the secondhand apparel website Depop. Other resale sites like Poshmark, The RealReal and thredUP, as well as community swap Facebook groups, are ways to get new-to-you items from trusted brands.

WHY WE BUY

By Sophia Koch

Ever wonder why clicking “buy now” cheers us up? Turns out, it’s chemical.

The Chicago Tribune published an article on Christmas Eve 1986 that coined the term “retail therapy.” Journalist Mary T. Schmich wrote, “We’ve become a nation measuring out our lives in shopping bags and nursing our psychic ills through retail therapy.” Fast forward to the social media age and we can see such excess in haul videos, in which people unbox large online orders or show what they’ve purchased. As of 2022, 2.4 million Instagram posts and a whopping 24.4 billion views on TikTok all used the #haul hashtag, according to an August 2022 article in Vogue Business

There’s science behind why we like to watch people open packages. There’s also science behind why we make purchases to treat ourselves after a bad day or to reward ourselves on a good day. Stress relief is among the most common motivations for purchases, according to 2023 study by Deloitte, a financial research firm.

Swiping your credit card or hitting the buy-now button releases dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter in our brains that can make spending addictive.

It isn’t the coffee, clothing or Amazon package in our hands that releases dopamine. It’s the physical action of spending and

anticipating our item that makes our brains light up, according to Psychology Today in 2015.

The experience of chasing dopamine through shopping is widespread, with similar spending statistics across age, race and gender. From Baby Boomers to Gen Z, the average person treats themselves with purchases at least once a month, according to the Deloitte study. The study found that 77% of global consumers bought something to lift their mood within the past month, but only 42% of consumers thought they could actually afford the purchase.

“We know that spending behavior is about more than just acquiring stuff,” consumer psychologist Chris Gray told Forbes in an article published in May. “It is often about satisfying deeply felt emotional needs.”

Luckily, there are healthier ways to achieve that addictive dopamine rush that don’t involve impulse shopping. Spending time outside, listening to music, exercising and meditating all stimulate the part of the brain that releases dopamine, according to a 2022 Time article. These activities can also limit emotional distress. Next time you’re tempted to swipe a credit card, consider free ways you can get your dopamine fix.

STOP, DON’T SHOP

Yes, you can avoid impulse purchases!

• Make a list and stick to it. That sales section in Target is NOT calling your name.

• Nix late-night buying. No more shopping from bed, especially on social media.

• Don’t let emotions control your wallet. We know we shouldn’t go to the grocery store when we’re hungry, don’t do any shopping to make yourself feel better.

• Unsubscribe from sales emails and texts. The flashy fonts and colors make buying hard to resist.

GIFTS YOU CAN’T WRAP

By Kara Ellis

Put away the credit card and the wrapping paper, and roll up your sleeves instead. The most meaningful gifts are things money can’t buy.

Ah, the holidays. The season when we overshop, overthink and overspend for the people we care about. This year, U.S. adults are expected to spend an average of $923 on Christmas and holiday gifts, according to a Gallup survey. In these times, it might be better to focus on the things money can’t buy. A study from The Journal of Positive Psychology has found people get more enjoyment from life experiences and consider them a better use of money. So if you are looking give the gift an experience, Vox has a few ideas.

Offer your time

What are creative and thoughtful gifts that don’t add clutter? Your time and labor. Running errands or cleaning someone’s home can be a great way to show you care. For family members, take on the household chores they usually manage or complete postponed tasks. Offer to babysit or pet sit for friends so they can travel or have a day off. Or lend a hand on bigger projects, such as organizing a garage or doing yard work — and bring a playlist and snacks to make it fun.

Heat up the kitchen

Investing time in your kitchen to prepare a meal or bake a special treat is a meaningful gift. Put together ingredients for your favorite din ner, bake your best dessert or whip up the snack mix you’ve been eating since childhood. Thrift or regift reusable containers for your goodies, such as mason jars. And don’t forget to include cards with the recipes and the family tales.

Give experiences

If you still want to purchase something, consider giving the gift of an experience. Whether that’s spa treatments, concert tickets or cooking classes, multiple research studies have shown that gifting experiences creates deeper, stronger relationships. Local spas like Riversong Spa and Salon offer gift packages if you are looking to treat your loved one to some relaxation. Back 2 Basics Cooking hosts classes at the Como Cooks commercial kitchen for the cook in your life who wants to expand their skill set, and Skyview Balloons can take you and your loved ones on a hot air balloon tour of Columbia.

It’s time to change the narrative on regifting. After all, this grants a second life for those items and keeps them from ending up in a landfill. Once considered rude or cheap, regifting has been reimagined as thoughtful and sustainable, according to a 2021 article in The New York Times. You can even throw a regifting party with friends. Another alternative is to seek out no-cost items from your area. The Buy Nothing Project began in 2013 when two friends wanted to limit their plastic use and encourage others to do the same. Now, the project has spread to local groups that share items, typically via Facebook — including the Buy Nothing Columbia group.

Think sustainability

When giving, consider practical items with recycled or sustainable ingredients. Main Squeeze offers a variety of unique toiletries such as toothpaste tabs or vegan dental floss that would be great stocking stuffers. The store also sells paper goods, recycla ble bags and produce bags. Other local eco-friendly stores in town include Coming Home and The Peace Nook, which sell a variety of reusable goods such as bamboo cutlery and Fair Trade items.

OWN

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU USED THIS?

By Grace Pankey

Local organizers and decluttering champions ask the difficult questions to help people clean up their spaces.

Some things seem to have no place to go. The stuff we hold on to — mismatched utensils, outdated technology or old clothes — collects dust in our homes, awaiting the fateful day it magically will be needed again. This stuff lives in junk drawers, atop high closet shelves or in untouched bins, stacked in basements and attics.

More than an annoyance, “clutter impacts the utility and livability of one’s home, and one’s psychological well-being,” according to a 2023 study in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Tackling that storage room, junk drawer or basement can be daunting. But the good news is you don’t have to declutter alone. Columbia’s professional organizers can help with projects, large and small, to declutter and reorganize a space. Not to be confused with cleaners, organizers work with clients to identify what to keep and what to boot, as well as how to better organize their spaces.

Ask the right questions

Bonnie Hudson, a professional organizer and the founder of Beyond Organized, says she has always been an organized person who lives by lists. Hudson worked in advertising and marketing for over 20 years before making the career shift to professional organization in 2020. She and Beyond Organized’s co-founder, Melissa Vanderploeg, go to clients’ homes and work with them to sort their spaces.

Beyond Organized offers different approaches to clutter, including sideby-side coaching, paper management and preparation for special occasions. Hudson says when she is organizing a

space, the process is a collective agreement between her and her clients. “I might be the one asking them the questions like, ‘Hey, is this really something that you need to hang on to? When was the last time you used this?’ ” Hudson says. “At the same time, you’re also explaining to them the process of what you’re doing.”

It can be difficult to decide what things are keepsakes and what can go. Hudson is there to support clients through these hard decisions. “It can be challenging at times to have those difficult conversations with people,” Hudson says. “You’ve got to sometimes remind them, ‘You called me because I’m the expert.’ ”

Hudson says clients usually have a specific area of need, from new home organization to preparation for moving or unpacking. She has also had clients wanting help with paper clutter. People collect paper trails of bills, schedules and receipts. Hudson helps her clients create a system to sort those. Once Hudson and her client have tidied up, she gives the client advice on maintaining the organization moving forward.

Get control of your closets

Charlette Heyer, owner and creator of Organize That Space!, has been in business for 28 years helping people design, build and install custom closets and storage systems. She also creates products at her on-site manufacturing facility.

To create these custom closets, Heyer measures the space and the client’s clothing and considers how many hanging and folding items or shoes her customers have. The closets have sections to separate items, making it easier

Bonnie Hudson (above) and Melissa Vanderploeg founded Beyond Organized in 2020. The duo says their business helps bring order and simplicity to client’s lives.

to retrieve things. “There’s almost always hope to improve a space,” Heyer says. “It’s never too early or too late to regain control of your space or bring a smile when you go into your closet or pantry.”

Take your time

For many, downsizing a home requires a great deal of sorting and decluttering. Angela Brownstein, founder of Angela Is Organizing Me, understands that items may hold sentimental value. It can be hard for a stranger to come in and organize for you, so she takes a patient approach with her clients.

“It’s not a fast process,” Brownstein says. “You need to give someone the respect and the time that they need to look at each item and decide.”

Brownstein says with a little encouragement, clients can decide what to keep and what to toss pretty easily. With the support of any of Columbia’s professional organizers, you can enjoy your space — with your things organized in a way that works for you.

Photography by Braiden Wade

SALVAGE YOUR STUFF

By Sophia Koch

One way to slow the cycle of always buying more is to fix and maintain what you already own. Here are a few repair

Buchroeders Jewelers

1021 E. Broadway

Buchroeders Jewelers offers on-site jewelry repair. Its jeweler, Jesse Mill er, has over 20 years of experience and is the third generation to go into the jewelry repair business at Buchroeders. The shop specializes in rings, but offers repair services for any type of jewelry, including watches, necklaces and bracelets. Buchroeder’s repairs are completed the day of or in up to 10 days.

The French Laundry and Alterations

3910 Peachtree Drive

What can I get fixed?

Ring resizing, prong tightening, stone setting and replacement, chain clasp repair, watch repair and restoration

When can I go?

Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

How can I contact the store?

443-1457, brdiamonds.com

Where else can I go?

• Betz Jewelers, 601 E. Broadway, Suite 303

• KT Diamond Jewelers, 1902 Corona Road, Suite 102

• Tucker’s The Jewelry Architects, 1400 Forum Blvd., Suite 5

The French Laundry can dry clean and alter your favorite outfits. If you are looking for an eco-friendly cleaner, The French Laundry uses a silicone-based solvent. The business can alter a broad range of items — anything from a swimsuit to a wedding gown. Average time for dry cleaning is a couple days and about a week for alterations.

What can I get fixed?

Dry cleaning, alterations, leather and suede cleaning and wedding gown restoration

When can I go?

Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

How do I contact the store?

449-4152, frenchlaundrybocomo.com

Where else can I go?

• Holly Alterations, 12 S. Second St.

• Alterations Unlimited, 2405 W. Ash St.

• Perfect Fit Alterations, 2703 E. Broadway

Photography by Thomas Gleason

Miller resizes a model ring. Miller says he usually has 20 to 30 jobs on his desk every day.

Jesse Miller is a master jeweler at Buchroeders, where he has worked since 2002. The shop specializes in rings, and offers a variety of repairs.

Dawson’s Shoe Repair Shop

The Wood family has owned Dawson’s Shoe Repair since 1956, with four generations of cobblers in the family. The shop offers a variety of repair and cleaning services. On a case by case basis, Dawson’s can also repair leather bags and purses. The shop asks customers to bring in their items, and then they can agree on a plan to repair and a quote. The average time to get your items back is two to three weeks.

What can I get fixed?

Full sole and heel replacement on boots and shoes, shoe shines, toe, heel and sole guard application, leather conditioning, waterproofing and insole insertion

When can I go? Tues.-Fri. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Who do I contact? 442-1014, dawsonshoerepair.com

Where else can I go?

• Cobbler Brothers, 1400 Forum Blvd., Suite 40

• Wren’s Shoe Repair, 3601 Buttonwood Drive, Suite C

iGenie Repair

Electronics are expensive, so why throw out a phone with a cracked screen or water damage when you can get it fixed for a fraction of the cost? iGenie Repair fixes a variety of mobile electronics including smart phones, tablets and computers. You can walk in, make an appointment or mail in your tech to get it fixed. iGenie offers a free estimate before you commit, so the final cost isn’t a surprise. The repair for smaller devices, like phones, takes about 30 minutes, and most computer repairs are completed in less than a day.

What can I get fixed?

Cracked screens, broken charger ports, liquid damage, button, key and battery replacement

When can I go?

Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

How do I contact the store? 999-5013, www.igenierepair.com

Where else can I go?

• Cracked Up Mobile, 904 Elm St., Suite 212

• Hotshot Repair, 3610 Buttonwood Drive

• Bellman Computer Repair, 5970 W. Hatton Chapel Road

Photography by Cam Medrano, Elizabeth Frysztak and Braiden Wade

Matt Wood works on a boot at Dawson’s Shoe Repair Shop. There are about 3,000 cobbler shops in the United States. Wood says he just wants to be known as “the guy who does good repairs.”

Justin Martin, owner of iGenie Repair, solders a part onto a PlayStation 5 motherboard. “When I’m working on something, I’m putting enough effort into it that I would do for myself,” Martin says.

Alexei Whitton, an employee of The French Laundry, steams a vest. In addition to cleaning, the business also does alterations and repairs.

DISCARD

A NEW LIFE FOR HEIRLOOMS

By Chloe Lykken

Hold onto the memories but don’t let them hold onto you.

How are we supposed to part ways with the love letters our great grand parents wrote one another or the dishes that have been passed down generation after generation? Even though we cherish these items, they can still feel like clutter. From pins to instruments to furniture, heirlooms don’t need to be relegated to the attic or shoeboxes in a closet.

Roberta Wilson, an employee at Artichoke Annie’s Antique Mall, says the physical presence of heirlooms keeps memories alive. There are many unique ways to present sentimental items.

Method #1:

Display them

Whether you decided to keep the tickets and backstage passes from a favorite artist’s tour or military med als from your grandfather, shadowboxing allows you to display these items for day-to-day viewing. Shadow boxes simply are deep picture frames with room for three-dimensional items. Depending on the size of the frame, you can layer heirlooms on top of one another as a visual collage.

Method #3:

Restyle them

potential alternate uses of heirlooms you have. Your grandmother’s antique teacup saucer can serve as a soap or jewelry dish for your bathroom vanity or bedroom dresser. Old trophies can be bookends, while small pieces of pottery can act as nightstand eyeglass holders. A watering can becomes a floral vase and old T-shirts from high school can be sewn into a cozy quilt. Country Living suggests using antique handkerchiefs as cloth napkins and transforming old buttons and pendants into hair pins.

Antique jewelry and gems can be repurposed into something that better fits your style. That could mean breaking apart a larger piece into smaller ones or using the gemstones in new ways. Restyling old jewelry can be a way of honoring a piece’s previous owner while creating something that you’ll actually wear.

Method #4:

Bring pictures to life

Rather than holding onto items that

Columbia Public Library dbrl.org

WHERE TO DONATE

If there’s some junk in your home or neighborhood, who you gonna call? Here are options beyond Goodwill, The Salvation Army or (gasp!) the landfill.

By Andrea Merritt

WHAT ARE YOU DONATING?

FURNITURE HOME GOODS

Can you haul it away yourself?

First Chance firstchanceforchildren.org

Rainbow House rainbowhousecolumbia.org

How much junk?

Do you want to leave the house? kids maybe

Turning Point wilkesblvdumc.org/home

How about a different nonprofit?

sounds great no problem

Habitat for Humanity showmehabitat.org

a house full

just the average amount

Love Seat columbialoveseat.org

St. Francis House sites.google.com/view stfranciscomo/home True North truenorthofcolumbia.org call 875-0503 to coordinate donation drop-off yes no way! sure

College Hunks, Hauling, Junk and Moving 615-4550

Junk Pirates 352-5865

City Boutique cityofrefugecolumbia.org/ city-boutique

Junk Hounds

999-0893

Mr. Junk

886-5865

Tiger Moving Company

999-7821

Buy Nothing

Buy Nothing Columbia, Missouri Facebook group

Next Door nextdoor.com

AFTER THEY’RE GONE, THEIR STUFF IS JUST STUFF

Lisa Kelly became responsible for 151 years of belongings after her aunt and uncle died. Sorting through it has been a burden and an honor.

By Athena Fosler-Brazil

Peering over wire-rimmed glasses, his nose buried in a newspaper and a historical reference ready at the tip of his tongue, my grandfather’s brother, Scott, kept up with current events. He was an academic, someone who knew about politics, science and geography. When he died in March 2022, his niece — my aunt Lisa — found herself responsible for sorting through the remnants of Scott’s life: over seven decades worth of belongings accumulated in the 50 years he lived in the same house. Those newspapers he’d been reading all those years? He’d kept them.

“There were 250 boxes of papers,”

Lisa says. “Newspapers, periodicals, every greeting card they ever got in their lives together, every love letter they ever sent each other.” The other half of the “they” is my great aunt Gail, who died of malignant melanoma, the same cancer as Scott, 13 months after him.

The Foslers are scattered from Maryland to Oregon. I’m from California. Scott and Gail were the last of us to reside on the East Coast. They cooked crabs they caught in the Chesapeake Bay and showed me around the best museums in New York and Washington, D.C. Scott spoke with a soft mid-Atlantic accent passed down from generations of Baltimore-born Foslers. In my memory, the books, globes and statues filling their house were organized. The library and study felt full of history, not stuffed with clutter. When Lisa said, “Scott was a hoarder,” it didn’t fit into my perception of my great uncle.

Their house outside of Washington, D.C., contains a combined 151 years worth of stuff. There are two lifetimes

of yearbooks, photographs, books and awards in addition to sorority memo rabilia, projects from when Gail was in primary school, three of the same broken coffee makers and about 200 cordial glasses. Lisa has been saddled with the immense responsibility of tak ing stock of the lives of two people she loved. “It’s weird to have to be the one who decides what stays and what goes,” Lisa says. “These things are of value to these people who are gone, that have no value now. I’m constantly making these valuations of emotional and financial worth.”

The love letters are in line to be burned — Scott and Gail were private like that. The bins of plaques, photo albums and fraternity com posites are marked with a sticky note that says “trash.”

Lisa has strug gled with what to do with the numer ous still-lifes my great grandmother painted, though many are marked for the dump. There’s a collection of wooden animal figurines, a Buddha statue, a plaster bust of Beetho ven and a box of sand and shells that she says she can’t make herself get rid of. She has taken countless trips to the shredder and the dump and donated an estimated 80 bags of stuff.

An article from the British Psycho logical Society explains how possessions reflect our self-identity. It cites a study that found the area of the brain that is activated when thinking about the self is also involved in making associations

PREPARING TO DEPART

Highlighted by a new TV show, Swedish death cleaning offers an alternative to leaving behind boxes and bins.

Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter, and the technique is enjoying a resurgence thanks to a new Peacock show inspired by the book.

Professional organizer Angela Brownstein of Columbia’s Angela Is Organizing Me says she applies this technique in her work and personal life. Often working with older adults downsizing to retirement homes, she encourages clients to give away anything that’s unnecessary, doesn’t function or doesn’t leave them feeling positive. It’s a method she says can be used at any stage of life to keep only the items that are most important to you. Brownstein says this emotional process of deciding if and how much each personal item matters requires consideration and time. Looping in your family offers them the chance to claim items and reconnect with important memories. “Have that open communication with family,” Brownstein says.

Illustration by Athena Fosler-Brazil

between external objects and self identity through ownership. Over time, items become increasingly imbued with meaning and grow more difficult to discard. The article cites another study in which people 80 and older were interviewed about objects they’d saved throughout their lives. A common theme was the association between items and specific memories.

The experience of clearing the house of a deceased loved one is not unique to my aunt. Most of us will face these dilemmas eventually. When a loved one is gone, their belongings take on a duality that never existed before. Their stuff is now a physical reminder of who they were, but it can also be an immense burden and profound responsibility.

Jerry Kiesling has been a grief counselor in Columbia for five years and previously worked assisting the elderly and their families with end-of-life transitions. He says that physical reminders of loved ones can prompt unpredictable emotions. “The space can hold memories and even hold the spirit of that person,” Kiesling says. “And giving that up or moving away from that can make you have all kinds of emotions — anger, overwhelming sadness, fear, guilt.”

There are also significant financial burdens to consider. Most estate sale companies charge a percentage of the sale’s total profits, fees ranging from 35% to 50%. Lisa took leave from work to care for Gail when she got sick, and her husband, Mark, has used the entirety of his allowed time off. Flights to D.C. from their home in Chicago have cost them thousands of dollars.

Scott Fosler (top) sits with Athena FoslerBrazil in 2009. When he and his wife, Gail (above left), died in 2022 and 2023, they left behind a house full of three generations of memories. Their niece Lisa Kelly (above center) has been sorting through their belongings ever since.

Lisa Kelly (left) inherited a houseful of belongings from her aunt Gail (right), and uncle Scott. Lisa finds herself having to sort through memories and emotions, not just stuff.

The weekends my aunt spends at the Fosler house consist of 12-hour days rummaging through cabinets so full they can’t close. Through this process, she has learned more about them and our family than she ever knew when they were living.

“They’ve become different people, so I’m not just grieving the Scott and Gail that I thought I knew one hundred percent, I’m grieving these people that I didn’t know,” she tells me. In one box of papers, Lisa, a lawyer, found Scott’s acceptance letter to Georgetown Law School. She never knew he’d applied to law school, much less been accepted. Why he never told his niece is something she will never get the chance to ask.

Grief is complicated by the physical stuff people leave behind. Our stuff carries memories, information, secrets. Maybe this is both a burden and a gift. “It will take you time and grace for yourself to sort that out, because you’re receiving this all at once, it’s dumped on you,” Kiesling says. “You may need your

own counseling to sort those things out. How do you want to respond to that, how do you want to incorporate that new information into your life?”

Lisa has been working on the house for 21 months and estimates she’s about 30% through. “Nothing in their lives was organized; they were just getting through, just like all of us,” Lisa says. “And now I have to deal with it all, so I will never put my kids in that position.” It has made her and Mark reevaluate how much stuff they want to keep as they age, knowing the work awaiting their daughters. When a flood forced them to clear the contents of their basement this summer, it gave them an opportunity to purge some belongings.

I’m sentimental by nature but inherited an aversion to clutter from my mother. What strikes me most about observing Lisa’s experience is that an item is meaningful only as long as we’re around to give it meaning, but we can’t take any of it with us.

“Their lives were contained in all of these boxes,” Lisa says. “Their histories and their families and their accomplishments and their sorrows and their love.” Now, after they’re gone, the stuff is just stuff. No matter how much we accumulate in our lives, the thing that makes life precious is its ephemerality, and what is inherently meaningful — the memories, the love — transcends the confines of a cardboard box or a back closet or a house, even one that we lived in for 50 years.

Photography courtesy of Athena Fosler-Brazil

A hot commodity

The shortage of Huy Fong Foods’ sriracha has local restaurants and stores feeling the heat.

BY LEVI CASE

Sriracha is one of the most recognizable condiments in the world, but for three years now, the famous green-tipped bottles have been harder and harder to find at grocery stores. And that includes local stores in Columbia.

Huy Fong Foods, the leading producer of the condiment, noted there was a shortage of chili peppers in 2020 due to drought, and the effects started hitting Missouri shortly after. Hong Kong

Market, one of the largest Asian markets in town, felt the aftershocks early on.

“We couldn’t get it anywhere,” says Avril Phipps, a Hong Kong Market employee. “All of our suppliers were saying they were completely sold out.”

A number of environmental and other factors in the past couple of years have limited the supply of sriracha across the country. Drought and poor weather conditions have ravaged California, New

SRI-WHAT?

The spicy sauce is made with red peppers and garlic, and typically served in southeast Asian cuisine. Before 2020, Huy Fong Foods was earning $150 million per year on sriracha, its founder David Tran says.

Mexico and Mexico, where the peppers are harvested. In 2019, lawsuits between suppliers and Huy Fong cost the company about $23 million. With the combination of the pepper shortfall and a tumultuous relationship with its farmers, Huy Fong is still in deep trouble. The pandemic didn’t help. Ted Kim, an employee at Lee’s Market in downtown Columbia, says sriracha shipments started to shrink over the last few years,

Illustrations by Quincy Haymart and photography by Bailey Stover

and things haven’t improved since then.

There are alternatives for the coveted condiment. Brands such as Sky Valley, Roland Foods and Lee Kum Kee have versions of the hot sauce. But sriracha aficionados say they don’t taste the same.

These replacements use different recipes that don’t produce the familiar tang of Huy Fong’s hot sauce. “There’s a fermentation process that they take one step further,” says John Pham, Bangkok Gardens’ owner and chef. “When they mix the pepper and the garlic, they put it in the barrel and let it ferment for days.”

There are other downsides to these alternate sauces, too. Kim says different sriracha brands can cost up to $5 more per bottle than Huy Fong brand sauce. Lee’s Market considered ordering off-brand products, but with the price markup, the replacements were “just not worth carrying,” Kim says.

Pham is a veteran of the Columbia Asian restaurant business, having worked at Bangkok Gardens for over 30 years. During the pandemic, he stocked up on sriracha, storing around 100 bottles because he thinks the Huy Fong version is important to his customers and their dining experience.

Still, Pham has had to experiment with off-brand substitutes of the sauce because of the shortage. “I’m hoping that the client doesn’t recognize it, but they do,” Pham says. “When you eat a dish, and you’ve eaten there for a while, you’re gonna know something’s changed.”

With the ongoing issues brought by climate change, the sriracha shortage is likely to go on for some time. What do you do in the meantime?

There are many how-to’s online to make your own, but Vox found one published by Serious Eats with helpful explanations, including pointers about that all-important fermentation step.

HOMEMADE SRIRACHA

This recipe is based on one from Serious Eats. Vox talked to Bangkok Gardens’ John Pham to make some alterations.

1 1/2 pounds red serranos, stems snipped off, leaving green tops intact 12 cloves garlic, peeled

4 tablespoons white sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

2 teaspoons of xanthan gum

DIRECTIONS

Place serranos, garlic, sugar, salt and vinegar in a food processor. Purée until smooth for 1 to 3 minutes.

Transfer to a mesh strainer set atop a medium saucepan. Using a rubber spatula, push as much pulp through the strainer as possible, leaving only seeds and larger pieces of serranos in strainer. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a clean jar, seal and let sit at room temperature in a cool, dark place.

Check the jar daily for fermentation. When bubbles start forming at bottom, after 3 to 5 days, open jar, stir and reseal. Do this daily until mixture no longer rising in volume, 2 to 3 more days. Then ferment 2 to 4 months.

Transfer to an airtight container and store in refrigerator for up to 4 to 6 months.

Save a life. Don’t Drive HoMe buzzeD. BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING.

Late-night bites

After Bite puts a unique spin on familiar dishes — from its Chicken and Waffle Sandwich to its Cinnamon Roll Burrito — for night owls.

BY SOPHIA KOCH

At most restaurants, 6 p.m. is the rush hour. Servers move rapidly as they enter orders. The printer explodes with tickets as the kitchen staff works to perfect each meal. But at After Bite? That’s just the start of prep time for the staff’s long night ahead. Preparations begin at 6 p.m. so the doors can open at 7 p.m.

Craig Hindelang, Josiah Williams and Leanne Geiss are the owners of After Bite, which they opened Sept. 6. The locally owned late-night food spot with twists on American classics fulfills Columbia’s nightly cravings.

Hindelang decided he wanted to bring an overnight restaurant to Columbia after eating at St. Louis’ Up Late. Even though Columbia is a college town with more than 100,000 residents, Hindelang says there are few late dining options beyond fast food chains and pizza. Many of the restaurants open later than 11 p.m. in Columbia are located downtown, including El Rancho and Gumby’s Pizza. But the crew behind After Bite decided to keep away from the area and found a home off East Broadway.

Classics after dark

After Bite fills that missing piece of Columbia’s restaurant scene for night owls and second-shift workers.

“It’s really beneficial because we’re a college town, and since COVID-19, everything closes so early,” says Jessica Berchman, an After Bite customer.

Customers can order online to satisfy their late-night cravings. Their food is freshly made and ready to pick up at the walk-up window. Delivery is also available via DoorDash and Uber Eats.

If you want more After Bite when the sun is shining, the day-time version, Bite, offers a different menu at the same location.

The menu’s focus is comforting classics with unexpected twists. “It’s food that you can’t really even get anywhere during the day,” says Chad Kelley, chef at After Bite. He says all the dishes seem simple, but are elevated in some way.

Hindelang developed the Ultimate Breakfast Grilled Cheese that layers three kinds of cheese — provolone, cheddar and Swiss — with two eggs over medium, two pieces of bacon and is crusted with butter and parmesan. Hindelang dug into his creative side to turn sandwiches he has tried all over the country into something of his own.

The Ultimate Breakfast Grilled Cheese is Berchman’s go-to meal, and she orders it every week. “I wish they were open seven days a week so I could eat their food every day,” she says.

The sandwich comes with a side of

Veronica Jones (above right)

Matthew Ballard his order through the pick-up window — there’s no indoor seating at After Bite. Ballard, whose favorite menu item is the Ultimate Breakfast Grilled Cheese Sandwich, says “there’s nothing else late at night that’s even comparable.”

Chad Kelley (left) and Veronica Jones confirm the correct number of sauces for an order. This is Jones’ first experience in food service, but she says she has adapted to the restaurant’s ebb and flow.

Photography by Bailey Stover

hands customer

Peter Hawkins, who has worked in food service for 27 years, adds sauce to a burrito on the grill. Hawkins is helping After Bite’s employees learn their way around a kitchen until they can find another chef who will work the overnight position permanently.

the sriracha honey aioli sauce, which is a customer favorite. Hindelang carefully curates each one of After Bite’s sauces. “Each sauce enhances the sandwich or the wrap,” Williams says.

The chicken and waffle sandwich is another favorite. The chicken is marinated in herbs and buttermilk, tossed in flour and fried. It’s nestled between two waffles and served with rosemary blackberry syrup.

After Bite’s vegetarian options include the Banana and Peanut butter Waffle Sandwich, mac ’n’ cheese, and The Garden Experience burrito. Gluten-free bread and buns are also available for any sandwich.

A partnership long in the making

Along with running After Bite, Hindelang works as the executive chef at EquipmentShare. Williams and Geiss are the owners of Eclipse Catering and Events.

Hindelang and Williams met at a bar Williams’ father owned. They’ve been friends for 23 years. “I’ve especially always wanted to work with (Hindelang) — someone that’s a hard worker, has more knowledge, which is hard to find,” Williams says.

After checking on the dishwasher, Clyde Jones (right) returns to the kitchen at After Bite. Jones says After Bite is unique because it fills a niche for high-quality food after regular hours.

CATCH A BITE

After Bite

29000 Trimble Road, Suite 105; order through afterbitecomo.com, DoorDash or Uber Eats

Late-night bites: Thursday through Saturday, 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Day-time bites: Tuesday through Friday 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Williams and Geiss were already leasing the building where After Bite is currently located. Hindelang came to them with his idea, and they put their heads together.

As 3:30 a.m. rolls around, the rush is finally over; the staff’s eyes are getting

droopy and customers are well-fed. They start the closing work at 4 a.m. when their long night of whipping up food for late-night cravings has come to an end. They head home — just as many other Columbians are waking up to start their day.

Photography by Bailey Stover

Generation ambition is in business

Local Gen Z entrepreneurs merge passion and creativity to launch their own successful businesses.

BY SAM BARRETT AND ANDREA MERRITT

A common stereotype of Gen Z is that they’re social media-obsessed wannabe influencers who don’t want to work. Instead,

this generation wants to work differently.

A 2022 Forbes article notes Gen Z might be the next wave of business owners due to a desire to find passion in their work rather than the traditional 9-to-5. Greg Brier, executive director of MU’s entrepreneurship program, says the digital world is Gen Z’s marketplace. “Decades ago, we had lemonade stands,” Brier says. “Today’s young entrepreneurs can reach far beyond their neighborhood street corners.”

Here are some local entrepreneurs doing much more than selling lemonade.

Aged Ivy

904 Elm St., agedivy.com, @aged.ivy on Instagram

The name for this secondhand apparel business stems from the vines that once

Gen Z passion, creativity and business ethic comes to the forefront at these five Columbia companies. From clothing to storage to sneakers, these young entrepreneurs are making names for themselves.

covered the MU Columns. Founders Mason Schaedel, 23, and Hallie Wilt, 24, graduated from MU. Both ran secondhand, online clothing businesses before deciding to collaborate in 2022. The pair operated a store at the MU Student Center after receiving $5,000 through MU’s Entrepreneur Quest program. They used the money to open the studio space downtown, which is used for photoshoots, shipping and storage, but occasionally opens as a storefront. Aged Ivy now has about 15 employees and an online and local customer base.

BTB Kicks

btbkicksstore.com, @btb_kicks on Instagram

For BTB Kicks founder Blake Brown, 23, his sneaker obsession started in

Photography courtesy of Aged Ivy, Johnson & Scott, Student Storage, BTB Kicks, Tiger Moving, and Adobe Stock and illustrations by Theo Johnson

BTB KICKS

TIGER MOVING

JOHNSON & SCOTT

AGED IVY

STUDENT STORAGE

middle school when he got a pair of Adidas shoes he couldn’t wear enough. After building up his shoe collection, Brown bought his first restoration kit.

Peers in high school noticed how clean he kept his shoes and the requests started rolling in. Brown restored shoes throughout high school and during his time at the MU. Now, Brown is an influencer for Reshoevn8r and has plans to open a storefront in Chicago in October.

Johnson & Scott

johnsonandscott.com, @johnsonandscott on Facebook and Instagram

Cyrus Johnson, 24, and Trey Scott, 24, were friends long before they were business partners. Both attended Hickman High School where they were assigned to come up with their own business model. And the idea for Johnson & Scott was born.

Johnson & Scott is a unisex clothing

I FEEL LIKE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO TALK TO ME AND CHEER ME ON AND HELP HOWEVER THEY CAN.”

— Noah Strodtman owner of Student Storage, about Columbia’s entrepreneur community

brand selling tops, bottoms and other accessories including hats and bags that launched online in March 2022. Both owners say having hometown connections has helped their business grow.

In addition to The Mizzou Store, it hosts pop-up events in cities like Dallas, Kansas City and Oklahoma City.

Student Storage

studentstoragecolumbia.com, @student_storage on Instagram

Noah Strodtman, 23, is a senior at MU and co-owns Student Storage with Ako Hamaamin. The business caters to students, offering short-term spaces over the summer for those who aren’t able to transport furniture and home essentials.

Strodtman noticed this problem as a student himself. He proposed the idea to MU’s Entrepreneurship Quest program and launched the business in his sophomore year.

Strodtman gives a lot of credit to the positive and supportive atmosphere for startups in Columbia.

Tiger Moving

tigermovingservices.com, @tigermoving_ on Instagram

Levi Alldredge, 23, is the business management student behind Tiger Moving. The business provides moving services, including packing, moving trucks, furniture delivery and assembly, as well as cleaning services.

Alldredge was 20 when he and a few friends started moving for extra cash. Within two months, he expanded to full service moving with a truck and furniture protection materials.

“When starting a business, whenever you’re 19 or 20 years old, you have to pull yourself up by the bootstraps, and get creative and resourceful, and be scrappy,” Alldredge says.

A storm of cats and dogs

Shelters here and nationwide face an overcrowding crisis as more people are surrendering their pets.

BY JONAH FOSTER

Animal shelters and rescue organizations across the country have been grappling with the persistent and growing problem of overcrowding. Over 6 million animals enter shelters — either through surrender or abandonment — every year, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Overcrowding has long been a challenge, but a recent uptick in pet surrenders has made it more dire. During the pandemic, one in five Americans adopted a pet, according to ASPCA. However, PBS reports 2021 was the first time in five years there was an increase in pet euthanasia to curb overpopulation.

In Columbia, there are several animal welfare organizations that work to find good homes for pets. Each has been hit hard by overcrowding.

Central Missouri Humane Society

Michelle Casey, the associate director of the Central Missouri Humane Society, has spent a decade serving the community and its four-legged residents. Founded in 1943, the Central Missouri Humane Society has provided refuge to animals in need for more than 80 years.

The organization is the only open-door shelter in Boone County, taking animals of all breeds, ages, health conditions and temperaments. Being an open-door shelter makes CMHS more susceptible to overcrowding. In May, the shelter temporarily reduced or waived adoption fees for most dogs and cats in the shelter.

CMHS also provides veterinarian and behavioral care. It prioritizes spaying and neutering to curb overpopulation,

recognizing the importance of long-term solutions.

Volunteer: Opportunities include dog walking, cat socialization and sorting donated supplies, as well as Doggy Day Out, which takes pups from the shelter for a day of fun and care.

Foster or adopt: Fill out application at cmhspets.org.

Columbia Second Chance

Giulia Hall is the director of Columbia Second Chance, mid-Missouri’s largest animal rescue organization. It focuses on rehoming local pets. The backbone of Second Chance’s operation is foster homes. “All of our dogs live in foster care, and probably about 80% of our cats do,” Hall says.

Hall says the pandemic was an exciting time for pet adoption. “In 2020, when everybody was staying home, we had a huge, huge spike in people wanting to foster and adopt because they were home and wanted a companion,” she says. “So we almost couldn’t get dogs and cats fast enough for people.”

Yet, as things slowly returned to normal, the community faces new challenges. “Now we’re kind of seeing a rebound effect of the population getting a lot higher,” Hall says.

Fostering is the primary method of community support for Second Chance, but there are many ways to get involved. Volunteer: People can help with animal care, fundraising, fostering and adoption events.

Melody Whitworth throws a treat for Gunner, a terrier mix, into a slide at the doggy playground at Unchained Melodies. For Whitworth, rescuing and rehabilitating dogs is a fulfilling job.

Foster or adopt: See instructions and requirements at columbia2ndchance.org.

Unchained Melodies Dog Rescue

In 2018, Melody Whitworth founded Unchained Melodies Dog Rescue, a volunteer organization that works to free tethered dogs. Tethered dogs are those chained to a stationary object, often outdoors, and left unattended with no shelter, food or water.

LEND A HELPING PAW CENTRAL MISSOURI

HUMANE SOCIETY

616 Big Bear Blvd.; Mon.-Sat., noon to 5 p.m., Sunday, noon to 3 p.m.; cmhspets.org

COLUMBIA SECOND CHANCE

24687 Highway 179, Boonville; Saturday, noon to 5 p.m., Sunday, 1--5 p.m.; columbia2nd chance.org

UNCHAINED MELODIES DOG RESCUE

4107 White Tiger Lane; unchained melodies.org

The rescue faces new challenges as some people abandon pets due to changes in their post-pandemic situations or economic hardships.

In the face of this grim reality, Whitworth says the awareness Unchained Melodies raises is even more important. “Something that we have really accomplished is outreach,” she says. “(We’re) making people see these dogs and not just drive by and say, ‘Oh, poor dog’ like they used to.”

Yet, Unchained Melodies grapples with space constraints, too. Whitworth says the influx of animals has exceeded their space. “The only way to continue to do what we do is for more people to open their homes by fostering or adopting,” Whitworth says.

Volunteer: Volunteers can help by walking and playing with the dogs or work remotely on administrative tasks.

Foster or adopt: Fill out adoption application at unchainedmelodies.org. Supplies and training available for fostering, as well as short-term fostering through its Couch Crashers program.

Photography by Sharon Quintana Ortiz

TO-DO LIST

Your curated guide of what to do in Columbia this month. BY

MARY RUTH TAYLOR AND ABIGAIL RAMIREZ

ARTS

The Nutcracker: Magical Christmas Ballet

One of the most famous Christmas stories brings seasonal spirit to life here in Columbia. Come embrace the holiday cheer at Jesse Auditorium and help the ballerinas fend off the evil Mouse King. Part of the University Concert Series, the classic ballet features an international cast and Ukrainian principal artists. Dec. 6, 7 p.m., Jesse Auditorium, $35–55, 888-684-3582, concertseries. missouri.edu

A Christmas Carol: The Musical Stephens Performing Arts embarks on the magical Christmas tale of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Singing through the past, present and future, this musical rings in the holiday cheer for everyone. Dec. 10, 2 p.m.; Dec. 8-9 and 14-15, 7:30 p.m., Warehouse Theatre, $15, free for students with student ID

RuPaul’s Drag Race Holiday Inferno

Get ready for a fiery disco drag show, brought to you by Nclusion Plus. This is your chance to meet The Vixen from Season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. She’ll be hosted by season 12’s Widow Von’Du and joined by a handful of your local favorites. Dec. 14, 8 p.m. doors; 9 p.m. show, The Blue Note, $10–25, 874-1944

CIVIC SHSMO Holiday Open House

Join the State Historical Society of Missouri for its fifth annual Holiday Open House where local vendors and artisans gather in the Center for Missouri Studies. Carols from the Choral Arts Alliance of Missouri’s Columbia Chorale will fill the air, and there may even be a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. Dec. 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., State Historical Society of Missouri Center for Missouri Studies, free, shsmo.org/events

Keyboardist Courtney Thompson sings with the Intergenerational Rock Band Choir that showcases community members from ages 8 to 80. The Compass Showcase will feature hits from the 1950s to today. Dec.10, 5 p.m. doors, 6 p.m. show, $6-10, The Blue Note, 847-1944

Old Fashioned Christmas: In the Village

Travel back in time in Arrow Rock to experience an old-fashioned Christmas with the open-air museum’s staff. With decorations lining the buildings, carriage rides and warming up by the fire, the soul of Christmas and holiday spirit might just make you nostalgic. Dec. 8, 6-8 p.m., Arrow Rock State Historical site, free, 660-837-3330

Winter Wonderland Holiday Market

See the snow glisten and hear sleigh bells ring indoors. The Stoney Creek Hotel hosts the Winter Wonderland Holiday Market featuring local artists, artisans, businesses and musicians. Dec. 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Stoney Creek Hotel, free, stoneycreekhotels.com/hotel/columbia

FOOD

One for One Holiday: Food & Fund Drive

Join in the giving spirit of the holiday season and help The Food Bank raise

food and funds to support your neighbors in need. For the 12-hour food drive, you can donate canned goods and non-perishables. Dec. 13, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Columbia Mall, sharefoodbringhope.org

Preludes at the Pubs

Kick back, relax and enjoy the offerings of The Missouri Symphony’s chamber ensemble. While you’re there, check out the celebrity bartender lineup and try one (but who’s counting) of the well-crafted cocktails DogMaster has to offer. The event is free, but a $10 donation is encouraged to support the MOSY musicians. Dec. 14, 4–8 p.m., DogMaster Distillery, free, 875-0600

MUSIC

Immanuel Wilkins Quartet

Saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins makes his first visit to the “We Always Swing” Jazz Series, and he’s one you won’t want to miss. Wilkins’ debut album, Omega, was dubbed the best jazz

Photography by Bradford Siwak/Archive

album of 2020 by The New York Times, and his 2022 follow-up, The 7th Hand, has received similar acclaim. Dec. 3, 3:30 and 6 p.m.; doors open an hour before show, Murry’s, $20–50, 449-3009

RENAIDDANCE

Everybody on mute! If you missed the chance to celebrate Queen Bey’s latest album live on tour, you can still live it up at this Beyoncé-themed dance party. Don your best chrome outfit and hit the dance floor, where you’ll hear Renaissance in its entirety, plus some of the ballroom-scene music that inspired it. Dec. 8, 9 p.m., The Blue Note, $15 general admission; $25 box, 874-1944

Molly Healey String Project

Singer, songwriter and one-woman orchestra Molly Healey, from Springfield, Missouri, will grace the stage at Rose Music Hall backed by her band. Healey uses looping — layering recorded clips — to create an orchestral, experimental sound all her own. Musical artist Penny Marvel will open the show. Dec. 14, 7 p.m. doors; 8 p.m. show, Rose Music Hall, $8 in advance; $10 day of, 874-1944

Winter Miracle: A Missouri Christmas

The Missouri Symphony brings you a holiday concert with a global medley of music. Enjoy an afternoon of carols and “joyful noise-making.” The best part? You get to sing along. Dec. 17, 2–4 p.m., Missouri Theatre, $35; 17 and under free with an adult, 875-0600

Gimme Gimme Disco: The NYE 2024 Disco Ball

You can dance, you can jive, you may just have the time of your life. Dance your way into 2024 at The Blue Note’s New Year’s Eve disco dance party. DJ’s will be spinning all the ABBA hits, plus plenty more of your favorites from the ’70s and ’80s. Groovy attire is encouraged. Dec. 31, 8 p.m. doors; 9 p.m. show, The Blue Note, $15–45, 874-1944

OUTDOORS

Cheese and Sauerkraut 10 Miler

The Cheese and Sauerkraut 10-mile run has been a Columbia tradition dating back to 1974. Runners try to guess their time to win sauerkraut or cheese. Join the Columbia Track Club in its 49th year hosting this race. Sign ups are on the day of the race; no entry form needed. Dec. 9, 9:30-11:30 a.m., 7149 W. Route K, McBaine Katy Trailhead, free

Saturday, Dec 9th | 2pm at Missouri Theatre Featuring

FEBRUARY 29 – MARCH 3, 2024

A four-day celebration of art, music, and film, transforming downtown Columbia into a one-of-a-kind creative wonderland.

passes now on sale!

VOLUNTEER APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

A KEY FOR PEACE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY OWEN ZILIAK

Protesters in support of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas stand in front of the Daniel Boone City Building on Nov. 4. The march, organized by Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine, called on city officials to demand a halt to Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip. The group continues to hold Saturday protests, along with events where local children can make crafts and posters in support of Palestinian children. The recent conflict, which began Oct. 7 with Hamas’ attack on Israel, has killed more than 11,400 Palestinians as of Nov. 17, two-thirds being women and children, according to figures Palestinian health officials provided the Associated Press. More than 1,400 people have been killed in Israel, mostly during Hamas’ initial attack.