UNCG stUdeNt Climbs to stardom EMBUR FIRE FUSION
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Greensboro’s own TY GIBSON (@YeahitsTyG) has gained a massive following as a comedian on an app that’s rocking the boat of the Trump administration—even more than the “parade” held on Lake Travis in Texas this past weekend. Gibson, 20, has been TikTok-famous since before the app was rebranded from Musical.ly in the summer of 2018.
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EMBUR is a unique concept, featuring foods from Peru and Italy. Can’t say I’ve ever seen that combination before! Chef-owner Jorge Castillo, a native of Peru, trained at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, New York. He lived in New York for 30 years, where he had a career in fine dining with Restaurant Associates, including time as assistant chef at Mama Leone’s. He came to Greensboro with his wife, who had friends and family here. 6 Andrea Santolim Geller and Laura Rumfelt are the University of North Carolina at Greensboro Campus Ambassadors for DEFEND OUR FUTURE. A program of the Environmental Defense Fund, Defend Our Future (DOF) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering young people concerned about climate change to promote clean energy solutions that grow our economy while protecting the environment. While the project currently has 28 ambassadors on 15 campuses across the nation, Geller and Rumfelt are the first in North Carolina.
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OK, with a title like UNCLE PECKERHEAD, it’s fairly obvious that this is not a film that will win any Academy Awards. And, once you learn what it’s about, it’s not so much obvious as certain. 12 The Smith family had traveled from South Carolina for the Justice for MARCUS SMITH RALLY held in Greensboro’s Government Square on Saturday. The rally was organized by the Working Class and Houseless Organizing Alliance (WHOA), in partnership with Mapinduzi, Greensboro DSA, and Smash Racism Raleigh. 13 Two of the eight OFFICERS named in the ongoing federal civil rights lawsuit over Marcus Deon Smith are no longer members of the Greensboro Police Department. 14 Pop pianist WILLIAM NESMITH is popping off his debut single, “Just Love,” on Sept. 18 via streaming platforms. The release marks an official solo introduction into the recording realm for the songwriter-turned-performer. With an ear for pop music and a knack for stumbling onto productive accidents, he’s ready to introduce himself as a proper artist.
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Chow down with John Batchelor at Embur Fire Fusion BY JOHN BATCHELOR Most recent visit: Aug. 24
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mbur is a unique concept, featuring foods from Peru and Italy. (Can’t say I’ve ever seen that combination before!) Chef-owner Jorge Castillo, a native of Peru, trained at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, New York. He lived in New York for 30 years, where he had a career in fine dining with Restaurant Associates, including time as assistant chef at Mama Leone’s. He came to Greensboro with his wife, who had friends and family here. Chef capitalizes on an open, woodfired oven to produce some of the most flavorful dishes I have encountered in a long time. I love Empanadas— hand pies, the pastry here filled with diced beef tenderloin blended with herbs and fine diced green peppers. The crust is firm and flavorful, the filling robust, accented by pico de gallo. Shrimp Iza consists of large deveined shrimp, sautéed in a spiced Peruvian cream sauce, served over a bed of wilted spinach. These are accompanied by Fried Yucca- similar to potato in flavor with a little more fiber, pleasantly crisp (also available in a larger portion as a standalone appetizer). Ronda Caliente places shrimp, plus pieces of wild-caught Scottish salmon, marinated chicken, and beef tenderloin, on skewers, and grills the assembly over wood charcoal, presented with potatoes. A varied flavor experience, all enjoyable, the portion large enough to serve as a smallish entrée. Salads here earn particular recom-
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mendations. Avocado Salad places sliced avocado, roasted beets and carrots, and green beans over spring mix greens, along with fresh mozzarella cheese, all dressed in balsamic vinaigrette. Tropical Salad also works off a spring mix base, in this case, decorated with sliced apples and pears, plus gorgonzola cheese, along with dried cranberries. The cheese and pear flavors marry particularly well. The dressing is a sweetish raspberry vinaigrette. The House Salad, although a simple combination of cucumbers, red onion, and tomatoes, dressed in lime and balsamic vinaigrette, is nevertheless noteworthy for a fresh bite. The high heat and wood smoke from the oven imparts flavor and texture to pizza that ranks among the best I’ve had in our area. White Pizza blends fresh mozzarella cheese with salmon, sautéed spinach, and cream sauce. Prosciutto Pizza places the named primary ingredient and arugula over tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Peruvian Ceviche, made from halibut, shrimp, and calamari, is a house specialty, but it requires a 24 hours advance order. I’m looking forward to that in the future.
POLLO A LA BRASA
The entrée section of the menu is derived from Peru. Grilled Salmon bears a pleasant crust, enclosing a moist, tender interior. The flavor of the salmon itself reflects its wild Scottish origin— I would rate it higher than the “Atlantic” salmon that often appears on local menus. The chimichurri sauce (olive oil and garlic with Peruvian spices) provides an interesting and, to me, enjoyable enhancement and interesting contrast. This comes with a roasted half potato and house salad. Barramundi is a fleshed white fish— the menu describes it as “Asian sea bass.” The texture is firmer than flounder, softer than grouper, the flavor similar to mahi. The filet is baked in a light tomato broth with cabbage, green beans, bell peppers, and spinach. These vegetables release their own juices in the process, yielding a mild vegetal supplement to the natural fish flavor. A couple of large, deveined shrimp perch alongside. Although it may be a stereotype, I tend to envision grilled meats when I think of Latin American dishes. Embur fits right in. Lomo Saltado is a smallish filet mignon
SHRIMP IZA
accented with sautéed onions and tomatoes, served with French fries and white rice. The potatoes and rice kind of double up on the starch, but the rice tastes especially good when blended with the onions and tomatoes. Churrasco Skirt Steak is a rather spare combination of lean, flavorful charcoal-grilled steak, accented with chimichurri, flanked by a small house salad and grilled half potato— solid flavor with a mild, natural smoky accent on the steak. As enjoyable as all these are, to me, the best thing on the menu is Pollo a la Brasa- wood charcoal rotisserie chicken. The bird itself—locally grown, all-natural, hormone-free—ranks at the top of my list for tenderness and sheer level of flavor. Accompaniment choices are Peruvian ricetossed with wok-sautéed bean sprouts, peppers, Napa cabbage, zucchini, green beans, and Peruvian spices; steak fries and salad; or black beans and rice. I vote for the Peruvian rice. And I vote in favor of Embur in general. Some outdoor patio seating is available in addition to appropriately distanced tables inside. If you order takeout (I did, on a couple of occasions), they advise you of any daily specials, take your charge information over the phone in advance, and bring your order out to the car. I feel safe here. These days, that’s certainly an important added attraction. ! JOHN BATCHELOR has been writing about eating and drinking since 1981. Over a thousand of his articles have been published. He is also author of two travel/ cookbooks: Chefs of the Coast: Restaurants and Recipes from the North Carolina Coast, and Chefs of the Mountains: Restaurants and Recipes from Western North Carolina. Contact him at john.e.batchelor@gmail.com or see his blog, johnbatchelordiningandtravel.blogspot.com.
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The UNCG women who want to ‘Defend Our Future’
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ndrea Santolim Geller and Laura Rumfelt want to defend future generations of North Carolinians from climate change, and they are starting Ian McDowell at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Geller Contributor and Rumfelt are campus ambassadors for Defend Our Future (DOF), a program of the Environmental Defense Fund and a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering young people concerned about climate change to promote clean energy solutions that grow the economy while protecting the environment. While the project has 28 ambassadors on 15 campuses across the nation, Geller and Rumfelt are the first in North Carolina. “I think that Defend Our Future is a great opportunity for students to participate in the discussion about environmental policies,” Geller said during an interview under the shade of an Eastern Redbud tree on the UNCG campus. A graduate of Greensboro’s Weaver Academy, Geller is now a “super senior” political science major at UNCG after previously attending Appalachian State as an art major. “State and private institutions have been increasingly involved in making decisions with climate solutions, but the federal government, and specifically Congress, have a greater responsibility that they often ignore,” Geller explained. “Defend Our Future allows students to
Laura Rumfelt and Andrea Santolim Geller, North Carolina’s first campus ambassadors of Defend Our Future at UNCG advocate that Congress hone in on those issues by funding innovative technologies and decreasing legislative limitations on how institutions utilize sustainable infrastructure in their buildings, systems, and equipment. So, that’s what I hope to accomplish as a DOF ambassador.” Rumfelt, a senior political science major with pre-Law focus and a Spanish minor, transferred to UNCG from the Early College at Forsyth Technical Community College and has plans to become an Immigration Attorney. “I know that’s far away from the envi-
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ronment, right? But when Andrea offered me this opportunity to join Defend Our Future, I thought about how the environment impacts everyone,” Rumfelt said. “For instance, if the sea levels rise, more people are dislocated, which means I’ll be dealing with more people in crisis. No matter what your interest or passion is, it all comes back to protecting the earth.” Rumfelt grew up in Kernersville and already had experience with lobbying at Forsyth Tech. “I’m so glad DOF is reaching out to students, who they know are the next generation, to advocate for an issue of environmental justice.” Geller, a member of UNCG’s Lloyd Honors College and the Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society, first learned about the organization on a 2019 trip to Washington D.C. with 15 other political science majors. “We were there for three weeks, and we met senators, lobbyists, and people from a variety of organizations. One who really impressed me is Joe Bonfiglio, President of EDF Action, the Environmental Defense Fund’s 501(c)4 sister-organization. That’s when I realized that I particularly wanted to get involved with legislation, which is what Defend Our Future and the Environmental Defense Fund really are about.”
Geller said that DOF Manager Jonathan Soohoo, who directs the students at each university chapter, contacted UNCG political science professor, David Holian, and asked if he knew any students who might be interested in starting a chapter. “This happened as the [COVID-19] shut-down began, so I ended up being the only person who responded to that email at the time. Jonathan asked me if I knew anyone else who would be interested.” “When she approached me, I was a little bit trepidatious,” Rumfelt replied, “as I had a lot of other responsibilities. I think what made me say yes is that this is a such an important thing. The planet is going through a lot right now, and our congressmen and women aren’t doing much at all, as we discovered in meetings with their staffers.” Rumfelt had nothing but praise for her recruiter. “You sometimes meet people in life who end up helping you find your destiny. I think Andrea is one of those people for me.” “I would definitely agree that Laura is that person for me as well,” said Geller, who then spoke about being shaped by her heritage. “Having spent the first half of my childhood on a tropical island in Brazil, and the second half in Greensboro has given me some perspective on what’s important about the world and what we need to be doing. But one thing I can appreciate about the U.S. is knowing that, in Brazil, I would not have had the ability or opportunity to go into political science in college or participate in a federally based organization at the age of 22. I would not have been able to network with important leadership at such a young age.” Rumfelt is also extremely thankful. “With COVID-19, everyone is so uncertain. A lot of college students have problems with the government because we don’t get a stimulus check. But I think that being able to work with a nationallyrecognized organization that’s under the Environmental Defense Fund shows us that certain departments of the government truly do care about my generation. It’s important that, no matter how scary times may be, people our age keep spreading their passion and love to influence the community around them.” ! IAN MCDOWELL is the author of two published novels, numerous anthologized short stories, and a whole lot of nonfiction and journalism, some of which he’s proud of and none of which he’s ashamed of.
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flicks
Punk with spunk – blood and guts, too
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K, with a title like Uncle Peckerhead, it’s fairly obvious that this is not a film that will win any Academy Awards. And, once you learn Mark Burger what it’s about, it’s not so much obvious Contributor as certain. However, as far as punk-rock comedies featuring a flesheating demon go, Uncle Peckerhead is not without its charms, admittedly peculiar as they may be. The humor’s hit-and-miss, the acting’s not bad, the music is loud, and the special effects are gory and grisly enough to please even the most jaded horror fan. Opening in New Jersey (how’s that for scary?) with the opening credits announcing that this is “based on a true story,” the film focuses on an up-and-coming punk band called Duh, which is about to embark on its first tour. Band members Judy (Chet Siegel), Max (co-producer Jeff Riddle, in his screen debut), and Mel (Ruby McCollister, a dead ringer for Natasha Lyonne) are ready to roll (and rock), but when their van breaks down, it looks like Duh’s first tour is over before it even begins. Enter the title character (David Littleton), an affable Southern “good ol’ boy” who happens to own a van and offers to be their driver and roadie. (Hey, he’s got nothing better to do, and he’s got a van and he’s friendly enough.) His name, he says, is Peckerhead, but you can call him “Peck” for short. There’s just one little catch: Each midnight, for 13 minutes, Peck transforms into a cannibalistic monster. The cause of Peck’s condition is never made clear—although, in retrospect, it hardly matters. Besides, when goes full-tilt monster, he’s able to channel his aggression mostly toward greedy concert promoters and obnoxious metalheads – who, naturally, deserve what’s coming to them. Some nights, as long as he sedates himself (with what he calls his “insulin”), Peck doesn’t transform and snoozes the night away. Littleton’s effortlessly likable performance goes a long way toward making Uncle Peckerhead as enjoyable as it is. Peck is loyal, protective, and supportive, and he bakes great scones. Max and Mel are willing to overlook his little “problem,” but Judy’s not so sure. Littleton adds just the right WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
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hint of menace in his scenes with Siegel, even when he’s all smiles on the surface. Matthew John Lawrence, performing quadruple duty as writer/editor/producer/ director, aims to please, and Uncle Peckerhead has an easy-going attitude that matches its relaxed pace. It’s never dull, but it’s sometimes surprisingly low-key. The humor is droll and dry, as opposed to frenetic and over the top. In addition to Littleton, there’s good supporting work from Greg Maness, as a handsome hunk who catches Judy’s fancy— as
well as Max’s, as he’s clearly grappling with his sexual orientation. Ryan Conrath (also associate producer and line producer) scores as the spikyhaired Shiloh, obnoxiously pretentious – or pretentiously obnoxious – lead singer of a rival punk band, whose constant insults hurled at Judy and Duh doesn’t bode well for his future. Conrath brings a rude energy that, frankly, the film could have used a little more of. There’s also the matter of the ending, which is not out of place but is a little
disappointing, even though it fulfills the obligatory obligation of setting up a potential sequel. All in all, for those craving a pre-Halloween horror fix and those who like their entrails seasoned with sardonic humor, Uncle Peckerhead has definite cult potential. For a complete list of platforms in which Uncle Peckerhead is available for rent or purchase, visit https://subtletrex.com/. ! See MARK BURGER’s reviews of current movies on Burgervideo.com. © 2020, Mark Burger.
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[NEWS OF THE WEIRD] NEWS THAT SOUNDS LIKE A JOKE
Chuck Shepherd
Ander Christensen, 27, of Lincoln, Nebraska, has had to take time away from his job to field the media requests that have been pouring in since his Aug. 31 appearance
before the Lincoln City Council, reported The Washington Post. Reading from a script, Christensen, whose father, Roy, is a councilman, made an impassioned plea against the widespread use of the term “boneless chicken wings,” pointing out that “boneless chicken wings are just chicken tenders” and don’t “actually come from the wing of a chicken.” Laughter and applause broke out in the chamber as Christensen made his presentation, and his father said the council was “taking the
matter under advisement. ... He’s a chemical engineer by profession,” he said of his son, “but he’s a comic at heart.”
BRIGHT IDEA
Officials in Amsterdam have installed 12 hemp-filled urinals around that city’s notorious red-light district in an attempt to control if not eliminate late-night public urination, or “wild peeing.” The boxes, called GreenPees, resemble planters, according to CNN, and the hemp filters inside turn urine into an organic fertilizer and water that feed the plantings on top. During initial trials in 2018, inventor Richard de Vries said, “there was a 50% reduction in wild peeing. It was a great success.” For his next project, de Vries is researching how electricity can be generated whenever someone pees into one of his GreenPees.
BELIEFS
Nguyen Van Chien, 92, from a village in the southern Mekong Delta in Vietnam, hasn’t had a haircut in almost 80 years. A follower of Dua, a religion banned in Vietnam, Chien believes he has been called to grow his hair, Reuters reported, and his dreadlocks now measure about 16 1/2 feet. “I believe if I cut my hair I will die,” Chien said. “I only nurture it, cover it in a scarf to keep it dry and clean and looking nice.”
GREAT ART!
— Three years ago, Emma Aldenryd, 18, of Aarhus, Denmark, discovered she had a rare condition called dermatographia, which causes her skin to temporarily swell up when touched. Oddity Central reports that the teen has decided to use her skin as a canvas on which she traces artwork with a pencil and posts the images to Instagram. “I started by drawing quite random stuff like a bunch of words,” Aldenryd said. “Lots of people question whether it hurts, but my dermatographia has never hurt.” Antihistamines treat the itch associated with her condition — but they also stop the swelling, so she doesn’t take them. — Drivers on U.S. 70 in southeast New Mexico have wondered about the 18 wooden chairs set up six feet apart in rows on a hill between Clovis and Portales. KRQE reports they are the work of three local sisters who wanted to express their feelings about socially distanced learning as schools struggle to open. “I have a daughter that’s a teacher and both my sisters have kids who are in school and this is really, really difficult for them not to be in school,” said Alyssa Idsinga, who created the art installation along with April
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Rutter and Abigail Pritchett. “It’s just so lonely.” She had the chairs in a shed and said the installation would remain as long as the pandemic continues or until the weather destroys it.
COMPELLING EXPLANATION
Nicole Dozois, 40, was arrested in Largo, Florida, on Aug. 23 on charges of domestic battery after allegedly attacking her father “due to his flatulence,” according to an arrest affidavit. The Smoking Gun reported that Dozois, who shares a room in a home in Largo with her 59-year-old father, allegedly punched him in the face numerous times, leaving him with a “bloodied left eye and scratches all over his neck,” authorities said. She pleaded not guilty before being released, with the proviso that she have no contact with her father.
WAIT, WHAT?
Villas Las Estrellas is a small settlement of about 100 people on King George Island in Antarctica with a school, a bank, a church and even a souvenir shop, but if you want to live there, you and your family — including your children — will be required to have your appendixes removed before you arrive. The reason, Medium reports, has a logic grounded in history: The town has a small clinic, but not always a surgeon, and the nearest hospital is more than 600 miles away and difficult to reach. In 1961, Russian explorer and surgeon Leonid Rogozov at the similarly isolated Novolazarevskaya Station suffered life-threatening acute appendicitis and was forced to operate on himself — without anesthesia. The two-hour operation was successful, and Rogozov returned to work two weeks later.
THE CONTINUING CRISIS
Dr. Devainder Goli, was watching a movie on his phone as his Tesla drove on autopilot near Spring Hope, North Carolina, early on Aug. 26, according to authorities, before narrowly missing a Nash County Sheriff’s deputy and a State Highway Patrol trooper and crashing instead into both of their cruisers. “It could have been very horrific,” Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone told WRAL. The officers were conducting an overnight lane closure at the time of the accident. Goli was charged with a moving violation. “We need to understand that automation cannot do everything,” Stone said. !
© 2020 Chuck Shepherd. Universal Press Syndicate. Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com.
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TikTok-famous in the Triad UNCG student climbs to stardom through comedic videos
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SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2020
reensboro’s own Ty Gibson has gained a massive following as a comedian on an app that’s rocking the boat of the Trump administration— even more Katie Murawski than the “parade” held on Lake Travis in Editor Texas this past weekend. Gibson, 20, has been TikTok-famous since before the app was rebranded from Musical.ly in the summer of 2018. He moved to Greensboro in 2011 from his hometown of Rockingham, and ending up staying to attend the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he is now in his junior year as a drama-major and media studies-minor student. “I grew up shy, so coming to the social media world has definitely taken a different turn on my life,” he said. “It brought me out of my shell.” Gibson said he always wanted to be an actor, however, he was not a part of a theatre or acting program at a young age. “I was kind of bummed about it,” he said. “By the time I got to high school, I knew what I wanted to be in life and what I wanted to do, but we didn’t have an acting or theatre program until midway through my senior year. So, it really wasn’t something I was going to be able to experience because I was graduating in a few months.” While in high school, Gibson’s friends told him about the new trendy smartphone app, Musical.ly (now known as TikTok), so he joined on April 8, 2015, to see what all the hype was about. Little did he know, he would become a sensation on the platform. “I was just kind of doing what everyone else was doing,” Gibson said. “I didn’t expect to grow and make it into a career as I do today.” Musical.ly was first developed in August 2014, and the app was predominately used by Generation Z for making 15-second to 1-minute karaoke videos with different speeds, filters, and special effects. According to Wikipedia, the app had
reached over 200 million users by May 2017. Then, the company ByteDance, Ltd. acquired Musical.ly, Inc. in 2017 and merged it into TikTok in August 2018. Like most users, Gibson started off doing lipsync and dance videos on Musical.ly. “Please, do not scroll down that far, because it is very bad,” he said with a chuckle. “I have definitely grown over time.” Since he was having fun making content on this platform, he stuck with it. When he started posting less music-related content and more comedy videos, his account grew to 1,000 followers. “People would post videos of themselves, and then I would basically lip-sync their comedy videos to get myself out there,” he said. “From there, I met this girl, named Kalia (@kuhleeuh)— I consider her like my big sister, she is so dope and a singer on the platform— and she was like, ‘Ty, you should start posting more comedy videos.’” After taking her advice, Gibson’s fanbase grew to 5,000 followers, and onward to 10,000. Gibson said his original comedy content eventually “caught Musical.ly’s attention.” On Sept. 1, 2016, he said he got his first feature on Musical.ly and was “crowned” (the app’s term for verified) a couple of days later on the platform. “When Musical.ly featured your first video, they have their eyes on you at that point, and they want to see what you are going to produce next,” he explained. “I kept going and growing as I put out original content, and they were literally featuring me once or twice each week.” Gibson describes himself as naturally funny, but when he started at UNCG, he felt intimidated since he didn’t have much theatre experience. His presence on Musical.ly/TikTok ended up helping him hone his skills. “The main thing that really speaks to me—that applies to both my acting classes and my videos— is being in the moment and being your true self,” he explained. “Like my skits and stuff, I want to make sure they are relatable in a way, but at the same time, portraying me. I just be who I am, and at the same time, I am very watchful of others.” He cited movie mogul Tyler Perry as his biggest influence and inspiration for his comedy and said it’s one of his dreams to work with him someday.
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“That is one person I truly aspire to be like one day,” Gibson said. “That is why I really got started with my characters. The main thing that sticks out to me about him is that he is always for his people to bring laughs and then, at the same time, teaches life lessons. I want to do that. I want my videos to be something that can bring you laughs, and at the same time, if it can teach you something, let them be a teachable moment.” Gibson said one of his characters is named Grandma Twerksalot, which is pretty self-explanatory for what he depicts in his videos as that character. Gibson said his TikTok style also includes various series of video templates such as “When Kids Roast Each Other,” which conveys his relatable humor brand on the platform. Unlike other comedians who may mask their inner sadness with humor, Gibson is altruistically funny. “Bringing laughs to other people makes me happy,” he said. But in order to juggle school, social media, and success, he’s had to learn to take care of himself first. “I do have moments where I am still trying to make people laugh, but at the same time, I’m not right,” Gibson admitted. “I do have to step back and remember me, even though I do want to change lives and bring laughs daily. I had to learn how to stop doing that because it did take a toll on me— at one point, I just wanted to give up and give in. But I had to remember sometimes it is OK to take time for you. I think that is what happens when it comes to social media; we get so wrapped up and want to entertain and please others, but we forget who we are because we are giving so much.” In five short years of making comedic videos on Musical.ly/TikTok, Gibson has grown his following exponentially to 4.9 million and has made a living off being a TikTok celebrity. “I am like a storyteller in a way—I like to do skits, I like to post relatable things,” he said of his original content. “Looking back five years ago, I was just having fun, and now it is also my business, my career. It is also branching me out to other people and brings other people to work with me. It has opened up many, many doors, and I am thankful.” Gibson qualified for the $1 billion TikTok Creators fund, so he is monetarily compensated based on how many views his videos get. However, he said that most of his revenue comes from ad campaigns. “Media companies will send me artists’ songs to make a video,” he said, adding that sometimes the creative direction of the video is up to him or it will come with instructions from the company. YouTube is also another income source WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
for Gibson, who was partnered with the Google-owned company in October 2018. “TikTok has definitely helped me boost my other platforms and has opened doors there,” he said. “So, anything I do and get from life, it’s all really going to be from God and TikTok.” Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Gibson said he noticed a lot more people joining, namely celebrities he did not see on the platform before, such as Will Smith and Jason Derulo. He also has seen a huge jump in his followers in the past six months. “Being in since we can’t go out, so what do we do next? I think that is what spiked it a lot.” The civil unrest still happening across the nation in response to police brutality has also affected what users saw on the platform. It also influenced Gibson’s content, specifically. “For me, I had to definitely stop and reflect,” he said. “I didn’t just want to sit there and post comedic content and not address the fact that we are hurting. I was like, ‘Lord, what should I do, what should I put out?’ And the very first video that I put out was called, ‘The Air That I Breathe,’ and it was pretty much a spoken-word piece of me expressing how I felt in that specific situation and pouring out my emotions for the Black community. It was kinda tough—being a comedian, you want to bring laughs where there is pain. You still want to bring joy, so people don’t drown in fact that there’s a lot going on popping up at one time.” He said he let God guide him on what to post, and for weeks, his comedic content was paused to show solidarity for his community. But now, he has started to put more comedic content out in order to help others heal from the trauma that this year has caused. He noted that the Black Lives Movement has never been a trend and that it has always existed, but he didn’t want people to perceive his solidarity content as piggybacking on the movement. He has hope that this year awakened those still asleep at the wheel. “I just feel like people now know it is not going to be a one-time, one-moment, one-day thing.” In pure 2020 fashion, another curveball would be thrown to TikTok users and Gibson— this time, coming from all the way at the top. On Aug. 6, instead of attending to perhaps more pressing matters (such as the country’s climbing COVID-19 deaths or highest unemployment rate), President Donald Trump issued a ban on TikTok via an executive order, which would supposedly go into effect on Sept. 20. The executive order was issued due
to “national security concerns” that the Chinese-owned company would share user data with the Chinese government. However, skeptics and Trump critics say his “national security” reason remains vague, leading them to think that the ban on TikTok isn’t about the safety of the country, but rather, an act of retaliation. Back in June, thousands of TikTok users reportedly reserved tickets to Trump’s Tulsa Rally but didn’t show up, leaving many empty seats to mock the president and his supporters. Even though the ban on the platform could leave TikTok users with large followings unable to receive compensation for their content or other opportunities that the platform may provide, Gibson said he “is completely unbothered.” “At the end of the day, I have been on this platform for a good strong five years, once one door closes, God has another one open for me,” he said. “And, I am not going to believe it until I see it. How can you make an order like that without consulting them first? TikTok is still a brand, and business is business.” Gibson speculated that the reason the
leader of the free world issued this ban on TikTok is because he is the butt of many jokes on the platform. “You brought that upon yourself— The stuff you are doing, the stuff you are saying— you really don’t think the TikTok community aren’t going to say something? I try to stay out of politics, I let everyone else talk, but I will sit back, laugh and like,” he added. “Stay out of the kitchen if you can’t take the heat, Trump!” All joking aside, Gibson remains immensely thankful and grateful for the opportunities TikTok has given him, and the joy it brings others. Looking to the future, Gibson said he is going to keep creating for however long he can on TikTok, but he is also using the platform to venture into the music world. “I created a song and dance, I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, but it’s called ‘The Kick Swivel,’” he said. “I created that dance on June 28, 2019, and it literally took TikTok by storm. It had its own hashtag, everybody was replicating it, and then, someone added a beat to it, and now, it’s a full song.” Gibson said this video also caught the attention of multi-platform influencer GotDamnZo (@iamzoie), and they teamed up with House of Evo to produce the full “Kick Swivel” song. “That became my first single, but now, I am working on my second song,” he said. “I am dropping the hook for that this Saturday.” Gibson said his new single has beats produced by Casa Di and is called “It All Starts in the Back.” Gibson credits his character, Grandma Twerksalot, as the inspiration for the song. “If they loved ‘Kick Swivel,’ they are going to love this track,” he said, “and go crazy with it, I hope they do. You don’t have to twerk, you can dance, too.” For those wanting to make it on the TikTok platform, Gibson offered these tips: Find your niche, record your passion and share it with others, be consistent, but, most importantly, be yourself. “There is only one you in this world,” he said. “You are made with a purpose, that is why you are here.” ! KATIE MURAWSKI is the editor of YES! Weekly. She is from Mooresville, North Carolina and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a minor in film studies from Appalachian State University in 2017.
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go?
Keep up with Ty Gibson on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter (@yeahitstyg), and YouTube. The hook for “It All Starts in the Back Shake” will drop on TikTok this Saturday. For more information, visit https://linktr.ee/yeahitstyg. SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2020 YES! WEEKLY
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‘We’ll come up this road as many times as we have to’ Rallies in downtown Greensboro call for justice for Marcus Smith “You always have a connection to your pillow with tears,” said Mary Smith, speaking about her late son Marcus Deon Smith, who, on Sept. 8, 2018, was fatally hogtied by eight Greensboro police Ian McDowell officers. “Not only am I hurting for Marcus, but my husband and Contributor my other children are, too. We all cry together, and it does not get easier. Greensboro cares about us, but I cannot say its leaders do.” The Smith family had traveled from South Carolina for the Justice for Marcus Smith rally held in Greensboro’s Government Square on Saturday. The rally was organized by the Working Class and Houseless Organizing Alliance (WHOA), in partnership with Mapinduzi, Greensboro DSA, and Smash Racism Raleigh. Mary Smith told YES! Weekly she’s facing the second anniversary of her son’s homicide with a mixture of grief and hope. “It’s going to be a sad day, but it will also be a happy day because we have so much support from the people of Greensboro. It’s just wonderful they are holding two separate memorial rallies for Marcus—one today and one on Tuesday. That speaks volumes for the community.” “It’s a very emotional weekend,” said her daughter Kay Smith. “It’s two years but still feels like day one. The scars are still open because we still have to fight for justice, and it’s unfortunate that we still have to do this two years later, with no definite end in sight. It’s unfortunate for us and unfortunate for Greensboro, but we are going to continue to fight, we’re not giving up, we’re not stopping, we’ll come up this road as many times as we have to.” Also present were Marcus’s father George Smith and brother Len Butler and several of Marcus’s cousins. While most of the Smith family had traveled from South Carolina, one, Bernard Butler, was from Washington D.C. Another cousin, Clifton Peake from Clinton, South Carolina, was among the speakers. “Marcus comes from a very large and loving family,” Peake told the crowd. “Thank you all for being here to help us get through this.” YES! WEEKLY
SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2020
In his speech, WHOA’s Billy Belcher described Marcus Smith’s death. “They said Marcus collapsed and died— Greensboro police said Marcus died on all on his own and the cops didn’t have nothing to do with it. That was a lie.” Belcher was referring to the GPD’s original press release, which stated that Marcus Smith had been “suicidal” and had “collapsed,” and did not mention that eight officers held him face down on Church Street and applied a hobble restraint device that attached his ankles to his handcuffs. “What actually happened,” Belcher continued, “is that Marcus went up to some cops and asked them for help. Marcus was in distress and wanted to go to the hospital. Those policemen used a RIPP Hobble device to hogtied that man until he suffocated to death. You read the instructions of the RIPP Hobble; it shows you how to use it in a way that is not lethal to a suspect. Greensboro police didn’t do that. They ignored the correct procedure and hogtied Marcus like an animal until he couldn’t breathe.” Belcher also said that the now-former GPD Chief Wayne Scott, who retired in January, “stood in front of a camera months after this, and repeated those lies again even after we knew the truth.” As previously reported, Scott introduced a compilation video of Smith’s death with a description that varied at several significant points with what can actually be seen on the unedited videos.
“They thought he didn’t matter,” Belcher said. “But the police were wrong. Marcus did matter. Marcus has a family that loves him like crazy, and they stood up, and they fought until the truth came out.” Belcher also criticized Scott’s successor. “After four Minnesota Police Officers were charged with murder for suffocating George Floyd to death this past May, Greensboro Police Chief Brian James denounced that killing. He said it left a stain on law enforcement nationwide. The murder charges were, in his words, completely appropriate. Why hasn’t Chief James arrested and charged his own officers?” Other speeches included one by WHOA member Cameron Crowder, in which he called for the total abolition of the police. “We cannot reform the GPD,” Crowder said. “The GPD is the reform of the slave patrols. What do we look like giving slave masters racial sensitivity training and ethical whip deployment techniques?” Crowder condemned the GPD, the Greensboro City Council, and the “venture capitalists” that he said controlled the city’s government. “We are done asking for our Black lives to matter. Greensboro has had 212 years to get its act together. When asked for Greensboro to give the Smith family justice, they responded by gaslighting the family and allowing Chief Wayne Scott to retire with dignity and a pension paid for by us.” Videos of Belcher’s speech and Crowder’s speech can be viewed on YouTube.
No member of the Smith family expressed an opinion on abolishing or defunding the police. At one point, Mary Smith invited a small group of Black mothers who’d lost sons to gang violence, and who had come to pay their respects to the Smith family, to take the stage and speak, even though the women were initially reluctant. When several of the women spoke of the need for more homicide detectives, the crowd that had cheered calls for abolishing the GPD listened despite the difference of opinion and expressed condolences. The rally in Government Plaza concluded with the Smith family passing out pizzas to the crowd and May Smith leading them in chanting her son’s name and “we are one!” About a hundred supporters of the Smith family then marched through downtown Greensboro. The second rally, Justice for Marcus Commemoration, was held in Government Plaza on Sept. 8 at 6 p.m., and was organized by the Greensboro Justice Coalition, which includes Greensboro Rising, Democracy Greensboro, The Beloved Community Center of Greensboro, The Good Neighbor Movement, Guilford for All, the Sunrise Moment, and The Three. ! IAN MCDOWELL is the author of two published novels, numerous anthologized short stories, and a whole lot of nonfiction and journalism, some of which he’s proud of and none of which he’s ashamed of.
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Officers quietly resigned, retired from the GPD after death of Marcus Smith Two of the eight officers named in the ongoing federal civil rights lawsuit over the fatal hogtying of Marcus Deon Smith are no longer members of the Greensboro Police Ian McDowell Department. On Aug. 26, Democracy Greensboro Contributor activist Hester Petty filed public records request #13087, in which she asked for “the current rank and salary of the following Greensboro police officers: Lee Andrews; Jordan Bailey; Christopher Bradshaw; Robert Duncan; Alfred Lewis; Michael Montalvo; Justin Payne; and Douglas Strader.” As previously reported, those are the officers who, on Sept. 8, 2018, applied a hogtie restraint device to Marcus Deon Smith after forcing him face-down onto the pavement of Church Street. Smith became unresponsive and was taken to Cone Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The state medical examiner ruled that death a homicide. Shortly before leaving office, former Guilford County District Attorney Douglas Henderson ruled that the officers were not criminally negligent in Smith’s death. Last Friday, public records administrator Kurt Brenneman emailed Hester Petty a spreadsheet containing the ranks and salaries of all current GPD officers. Breneman’s email also stated that “Former Officer Lee Andrews resigned Dec. 19, 2019, and Former Officer Montalvo retired May 1, 2020.” While Andrews and Montalvo were not included on the spreadsheet, a subsequent email from Brenneman listed Andrews’s former rank as Police Officer I and his former salary as $54,384 and Montalvo’s former rank as Police Officer II and his former salary as $69,970. The Complaint (the opening document from plaintiff attorneys in a lawsuit), filed on April 10, 2019, by Greensboro attorney Graham Holt and attorneys Flint Taylor, Ben Elson, and Christian Snow of the People’s Law Office of Chicago, described Andrews and Montalvo as the officers who, along with Payne, used a RIPP Hobble device to attach Smith’s wrists to his ankles. The relevant section is quoted below. 38. Marcus cried out in pain and said, “please don’t do that!” and “I’m not resisting!” Marcus was grunting and groaning and WWW.YESWEEKLY.COM
moving his body, but he was not actively resisting the Defendants. 39. While the police Defendants held Marcus down, Defendant Duncan handcuffed Marcus’s hands behind his back. 40. Defendants then hogtied Marcus while he was prone on the ground. Defendant Payne grabbed Marcus’s ankles and pushed Marcus’s feet toward his hands with extreme and unnecessary force, bending Marcus’s knees well beyond a 90-degree angle. Defendant Payne pushed Marcus’s feet all the way to the point that they were touching his handcuffed hands at the small of his back. 41. Defendants Duncan, Andrews, and Montalvo used the RIPP Hobble device to bind Marcus’s hands to his feet behind his back while Defendant Payne continued to violently push Marcus’s feet toward his back, causing Marcus’s knees to continue to be bent well beyond a 90-degree angle. 43. Defendants’ unreasonable use of force placed extreme stress on Marcus’s chest and severely compromised his ability to breathe. 44. During the course of this brutal hogtying, Marcus was wheezing, moaning, groaning, gasping for air, and in obvious respiratory and physical distress. 45. Marcus’s breathing quickly became strained, and less than half a minute later, he became unable to breathe and was unresponsive. In both former GPD Chief Wayne Scott’s statements to the press, and Henderson’s letter to Scott, the device used on Smith was repeatedly described as a RIPP Hobble. As previously reported, the Hobble device sold under that name is packaged with explicit instructions to NEVER HOGTIE A PRISONER (all-caps and boldface in original). After YES! Weekly reported those instructions the GPD stated they used “RIPP Hobble” as a generic term for a variety of identical devices. The department has refused public information requests from YES! Weekly to identify the actual brand of the device used on Marcus Smith. On Aug. 20, Jaquay Williams, the former GPD who alleges he was fired for making a TikTok video about George Floyd, told YES! Weekly that, during his training last year, the GPD was still referring to the device used on Smith as a “RIPP Hobble.” !
hot pour PRESENTS
[BARTENDERS OF THE WEEK | BY NATALIE GARCIA] Check out videos on our Facebook!
BARTENDER: Victoria Busgith BAR: Rody’s Tavern AGE: 26 WHERE ARE YOU FROM? I am from West Hartford, Connecticut, and moved to Greensboro for school studying to be an Interior Architect. Go Spartans! HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BARTENDING? One year and some change. But I’ve been in the service industry for six years. It was time I started slinging some drinks!
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO DRINK? I’m a bourbon girl, so anything with Crown Royal, I’m all in!
HOW DID YOU BECOME A BARTENDER? I was a server for years, and when a bartender left, I took the opportunity to slide in! Best decisions I’ve made.
WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND AS AN AFTER-DINNER DRINK? Good old Vodka Cranberry, but if you are looking for a dessert cocktail, I’ll whip up Chocolate Martini.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT BARTENDING? I enjoy getting to know all the guests and making coming to our restaurant the highlight of their day. I love all the regulars that come into Rody’s; they make every shift interesting.
WHAT’S THE CRAZIEST THING YOU’VE SEEN WHILE BARTENDING? ALOT! I’ve seen someone slam our patio door so hard the whole door shattered!
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DRINK TO MAKE? Margaritas with the salt rim—it’s quick to make and tastes amazing!
WHAT’S THE BEST TIP YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN? That secret is safe with me... But let’s just say, bartending has its perks.
IAN MCDOWELL is the author of two published novels, numerous anthologized short stories, and a whole lot of nonfiction and journalism, some of which he’s proud of and none of which he’s ashamed of. SEPTEMBER 9-15, 2020 YES! WEEKLY
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PHOTO BY MIKE BENNETT OF PROFESSOR B STUDIOS
William Nesmith pops off
P
op pianist William Nesmith’s debut single, “Just Love,” will be popping up on streaming services next Friday. The release marks an Katei Cranford official solo introduction into the recording realm for the Contributor songwriter-turnedperformer. With an ear for pop music and a knack for stumbling onto productive accidents, he’s ready to introduce himself as a proper pop artist. A classically trained pianist who’s been tickling the keys since childhood, Nesmith fancied himself solely as a writer until the urging of colleagues in songwriter-circles pushed him on to the stage, opening for Driftwood, in 2017. By 2019, his calendar charted over 200 gigs that year alone. Taking his talent and penchant for broad appeal, Nesmith shed the corporate world
and is creating a catalog. The single is a tangible step as he works toward something like an album at his own pace while picking up awards and fans along the way. “My plan is to drop singles every couple of weeks,” Nesmith explained. “That way, I can share messages and inspirations for each song, and hopefully carry listeners on a journey. Maybe sometime next year, I can release a physical collection. But for now, I’m just curious to see how people respond, and I’ll adjust accordingly.” He’s gotten plenty of positive responses thus far, winning the Nashville Songwriters Association International’s Songwriter Standoff in 2018, placing first in Doodad Farm’s 60-Second Song Contest; and recently placing second in four categories of YES! Weekly’s 2020 Triad’s Best reader
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poll for “Best Musician,” “Best Vocalist,” “Best Piano Player,” and “Best Songwriter.” The latter he considers a true honor. “I’m a songwriter, singer and keys player— in that order,” he insisted. As a songwriter, Nesmith finds power in pop. “There’s nothing like a pop chorus to bring people together,” he explained. “It’s bubbly and fun and electrifying. And the possibilities are endless in terms of instrumentation. Synths, guitars, keys, random objects, whatever you want!” Going beyond bubblegum fluff, Nesmith’s music is based on true experiences and raw feelings. Regardless, his “pop brain” sensibilities evoke enduring optimism. The goal takes listeners on a ride they won’t want to get off— even through the dark songs and dark times. In that vein, Nesmith noted, “Just Love” is all about letting go. “By removing selfdoubt and fear of failure or rejection from your life, you can become the best version of yourself and inspire others along the way,” he said. Produced by Connor Holcombe of 7 City Recording, the single’s origins are rooted in Nesmith trying to write a wedding-style love song. But the tension in the piano riff didn’t harken romance. Using the advice of fellow artist Chris Smith (aka FITUMI), Nesmith switched the subject. “And it grew into this story of overcoming obstacles to become your best self,” Nesmith explained with the lyrics: running into the flames, standing against the waves. Nesmith rides those waves with a bubbly effervescence, personified by his array of goofy stage glasses, which he changes during performances to match the songs— a collection of which spans more than 100 pairs. “I’ve got a battery-operated pair with wipers and lights,” he noted of a personal favorite. “It’s fun for my mashup of ‘Rain on Me’ and ‘Have You Ever Seen the Rain?’”
The party shades exhibit his sort of controlled outrageousness, matching the belty tunes he enjoys most. As a kid, he loved The Temptations; and these days, he continues in the cool falsetto footsteps of Eddie Kendricks, while hitting notes reminiscent of pop icons Stevie Wonder, Sam Smith, or Bruno Mars. “My dream of dreams is to be a hit writer with the likes of Max Martin, Sia, or Ryan Tedder,” Nesmith noted. “To see that community value my original songs gives me validation and confidence to keep going,” he added of the songwriter circles, which fuel his artistic drive. It was through those circles Nesmith grew from a writer to the artist he is today. He’s quick to bestow gratitude to the folks at Doodad Farm, the Nashville Songwriters Association International, Gate City Songwriters, and The North Carolina Songwriters Co-op. Though “Just Love” marks his first recording experience totally solo, Nesmith has co-written for releases by Lauren Light, as well as Wes Lauterbach and Zane Frye (emo-rockers in LOWBORN,) with one of the songs appearing in an episode of the Hulu Original show, Marvel’s Runaways. As for performing, the pandemic paused activities through the summer, Nesmith’s calendar is coming back to life with brewery shows and a slot in the Bynum Front Porch Winter Music series. He’s also working on a “5n5 Songwriting Challenge” presented by Song Fancy, headed up by Nashville artist Sarah Spencer, where writers compose five songs in five days using provided prompts. He expects to begin producing one of those songs for release sometime next month. But first, William Nesmith pops off his debut single, “Just Love,” on Sept. 18 via streaming platforms. ! KATEI CRANFORD is a Triad music nerd who hosts the Tuesday Tour Report, a radio show on hiatus until tours return.
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last call
[THE ADVICE GODDESS] love • sex • dating • marriage • questions
WOMB WITH A VIEW
My friend constantly talks to me about her baby on the way and asks me to help her pick out furniture and clothes for it. This is very painful for Amy Alkon me because my husband doesn’t Advice want kids and I Goddess agreed not to have any. I didn’t realize I’d have this deep longing for a child, but I love him and am not willing to leave him. I also have a hard time asking for things, even if a person is my friend. How do I tell her it would be better for me not to talk about this so much without making her feel bad? —Never-Be Mom It’s hard when hanging out with your friend is one long “Look what the stork is bringing!” and all you can think is “My stork got run over by a bus en route to my house.” Understandably, you don’t want your friend to feel bad. But you’re protecting your friend’s feelings at the expense of your own, feeling extra bad because you aren’t telling her you need something from her: to stop bringing you in on crib picks and “which onesie is cuter?” because it shines a spotlight on the bare space in your life where a baby would go.
In other words, she’s become a crappy friend to you — through no fault of her own. Maybe she doesn’t know you chose your husband over a baby, or maybe she thinks you’ve made your peace with that. By keeping mum about your feelings, you’ve effectively transformed her — turned her into the pregnant version of some empathetically bankrupt BingeShopper Barbie dragging a friend with no head to all the hat sales. Imagine if you were as attentive to emotional pain as you are to physical pain. If your friend backed her SUV onto your toes, you wouldn’t just stand there all, “I have a hard time asking for things, even if a person is my friend.” You’d scream; she’d move the thing; and then she’d whisk you off to the nearest urgent care for a lollypop and an X-ray. In contrast, consider where submerging your emotions, opting for the justsuck-it-up approach, leads. As clinical psychologist Randy Paterson puts it: “If you cannot say no, you are not in charge of your own life.” He explains that a “passive” style like yours is “designed to avoid conflict at all costs.” (In fact, conflict we avoid doesn’t go away; it just eats away at us on the inside.) Paterson observes that passivity often emerges from a deep fear of being rejected and the mistaken sense that “the way to be accepted and appreciated by others is to give and give.” It leads us to keep our opinions to ourselves, give in to unreasonable demands, and generally sell ourselves out in a desperate and
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typically counterproductive attempt to gain others’ approval. Your passive style might have been protective for you once, like if you were a little kid trying to avoid getting smacked around by violent alcoholic parents. But chances are you’ve continued using it out of habit, because it’s become automatic, not because you closely evaluated it and decided that it still makes sense. And it still might — that is, if you, as an adult, have fisty alcoholic giants as your legal guardians. You can choose to shift to a healthier style: assertiveness, sticking up for yourself and your needs in an effort to rebalance your interactions with other people so they feel fairer. You do this by being direct and honest about how you’d like to be treated. State your needs calmly, using respectful language, and do it in a timely way — as soon as possible — instead of endlessly festering with resentment that someone hasn’t read your mind and changed their behavior accordingly. Assertiveness is ultimately the active form of self-respect (a person’s sense that they have value and thus have
the right to ask to be treated as if their needs matter). Keep that in mind when you first start asserting yourself, which is sure to feel seriously uncomfortable and maybe even terrifying. Do it despite that. Refuse to let your fears be the boss of you, turning your life into one big suckit-up fest. Be prepared for the other person to disagree with you, dislike what you say, or even get angry. All you can control is your own behavior — through putting your needs out there in a calm, respectful, timely, and nontoxic way. Mick Jagger, wisely, noted that, “You can’t always get what you want.” However, you’re more likely to have a crack at it if you don’t just seethe with anger until your friend finally figures it out at her baby shower (upon unwrapping your generous gift of matching Mommy-and-baby Swarovski-encrusted muzzles). ! GOT A problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol. com (www.advicegoddess.com) © 2020 Amy Alkon Distributed by Creators.Com.
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