Miracle on 34th Street opens December 3rd in

Transcription

Page 2 | The Loafer | December 1, 2015
www.theloaferonline.com
December 1, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 3
Volume 29 • Issue #52
Miracle on 34th Street
Publisher
Luci Tate
& our own Dave Carter as Santa!
Editor
Graphic Arts Director
Don Sprinkle
Office Manager
Luci Tate
Cover Design
Bill May
Advertising
Dave Carter
Terry Patterson
Lori Howell
Beth Jinks-Ashbrook
Contributing Staff
Jim Kelly
Andy Ross
Ken Silvers
Mark Marquette
Brian McManus
Joshua Hicks
Brian Bishop
Nathan Cox
Distribution
Jerry Hanger
Teresa Hanger
Published by
Pulse Publishing, LLC.,
P.O. Box 3238,
Johnson City, TN 37602
Phone: 423/283-4324
FAX - 423/283-4369
[email protected]
e-mail:
[email protected]
(editorial)
[email protected]
(advertising)
All advertisements are accepted and
published by the publisher upon the
representation that the agency and/or advertiser
is authorized to publish the entire contents
and subject matter thereof.
The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify
and save the publisher harmless from any loss
of expense resulting from claims or suits
based upon contents of any advertisement,
including claims or suits for defamation, libel,
right of privacy, plagiarism, and copyright
infringement.
Founder: Bill Williams
happenings
4
Miracle on 34th Street
5
Annual Food Drive Show at Acoustic Coffeehouse
6
The Night Owl Circus
7
Get Festive at Northeast State Holiday Concert
8
Auditions for ‘The Odd Couple”
9
Events coming up at The Capitol Theatre
10
“Along Virginia’s Route 58” book signing
11
Dugger Band at NPAC
13
Rocky Mount Museum’s “A Candlelight Christmas”
20
Milligan College Arts Events
23
“Christmas In The Country”
music & fun
14
Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times
24
Crossword & Sudoku
columns & reviews
12 Batteries Not Included - Hide In A Bathroom and Panic
16 Stargazer - Window Stargazing
17 Skies This Week
18 Screen Scenes - The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
19 The Trivial Traveler - Before Starbucks was FOURbucks
21 Mountain Movers - Food Truck Junction 2015
22 Pets Of The Week
25 Lock, Stock & Barrel - Range Bag Basics
26 Kelly’s Place - Making Your List and Checking it Twice
Miracle on 34th Street opens December 3rd in Jonesborough
This Christmas season, the Jonesborough Repertory Theatre will bring to stage the delightful story
that asks the big question: Is there a Santa Claus?
Miracle on 34th Street introduces a kind, elderly
gentleman who looks remarkably like Santa Claus
and is hired to play Santa at Macy’s department store
in New York City. When he claims to be the real-life
Kris Kringle, efforts are made to declare him insane
and to have him dragged away to a psychiatric hospital.
However, friend and lawyer Fred Gayley steps in
to defend Kris against the skeptical prosecuting attorney during a court case that catches the eye of the
media and the heart of the community.
Bringing this classic Kris Kringle role to you is
longtime Tri-Cities actor Dave Carter, and he has
some great insights about the true story and spirit
of Santa Claus.
What makes the Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th
Street so special?
“He is special to us because in this story we see
him as a real flesh and blood person. It’s set in New
York City, a place we are familiar with, as opposed to
the North Pole or some sort of fantasyland.”
In what ways do you relate to him?
“I relate to him because I know him so well. My
earliest memory of seeing the film was probably at
age 8 or 9, and I have enjoyed it once or twice every
year since. The ending still makes me cry a bit every
time I see it.
“I have a great sentimentality to my childhood and
the wonderful Christmases I had. We were not rich,
lower middle class, but I was always surprised by
the wonderful gifts that were labeled, ‘FROM SANTA CLAUS’: electric trains, chemistry sets, bicycles,
later a motorcycle. And I will never forget a Chuck
Connors Rifleman Rifle that I tried to spin around
just like The Rifleman and conked myself square
on the top of my skull and screamed and bled and
moaned, to my brother’s delight. He thought it was
hilarious. That’s a memory.”
What message do you want people who see the
show to walk away with?
“I think Santa’s belief in peace and good will and
helping others is at the core of this story. We should
be kind to each other, not just at Christmas but all
year long. I think there are some folks who truly try
to live that way, but just not nearly enough people do
so. The world needs a lot more love than it is getting.
“And keep in mind, Santa Claus, or Sinterklaas,
was a real person: Saint Nicholas (270 - 343), patron
Saint of Children. If you accept that spirits never die,
then he is still with us. I believe that. He is as real
and alive as we want him to be. In our hearts and
our imagination.”
You’ve been involved with the local arts for many
years. How long have you been doing theatre?
“I have been in theatre since Christmas 2001. I
by Pam Johnson
started later in life than most. Dee Bailey, the owner
of The Highlander Dinner Theatre, talked me into
my first show, The Nerd. I played Axel, the upstairs
neighbor. As they say, I got the bug. I have averaged
two or three shows a year since then. Some of my
favorite shows and roles include The Nerd, The Foreigner, The Good Doctor, Norman in On Golden Pond,
Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tim Roof, The Wizard of
Oz/Prof. Marvel, Hector Nations in Foxfire, St. Claire
in the 1940s Radio Christmas Carol, Gandalf in The
Hobbit, and many more.”
In what other arts-related fields are you involved?
“I have volunteered to emcee many public events,
mostly music concerts. I believe the arts are essential,
and I like to support the local arts scene as much as
I can.
“I’ve been a radio broadcaster for going on 51
years. With acting, they are two of the great pleasures of my life. For the past 21 years I’ve been at
WETS producing and hosting STUDIO ONE, a live
performance radio show I founded in 1994 to help
and promote singer/songwriters, musicians and
bands of literally all genres.
“I’ve also worked for The Loafer for 20 years. This
is a great publication about the arts, music, theatre,
art galleries, and public arts events of all kinds.”
Back to your love of the theatre, now that you’ve
played Santa, do you have any other “bucket list”
roles?
“I never really thought of playing Santa Claus
until one day, not too long ago, when I looked in the
mirror, and there he was. I had to get old and gray
enough for him.
“What role do I want to do? Well, I think I would
like to try Ebenezer Scrooge sometime soon. He’s another interesting character. His story of redemption
is one I and many people can relate to, and that is
probably why A Christmas Carol is so timeless.”
Do you have any additional comments?
“I have to thank my wife of 32 years, Carrie, for
her support and being such a fine ‘Theatre Widow.’
Actors will know what that means.”
Miracle on 34th Street is directed by Pam Johnson. The cast includes Brian Moore as Fred Gayley,
Lorianne Carver as Doris Walker, and Ella Carver as
Susan Walker.
Performance dates for Miracle on 34th Street are
December 3- 20. Shows are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday matinee
performances at 2 p.m. Tickets are $16 general admission, $14 for students and seniors. To purchase
tickets, call the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center at 423.753.1010 or go online to www.jonesboroughtheatre.com. The theatre will also be collecting
canned good and nonperishable food items for the
Jonesborough Food Pantry. Each patron is encouraged to bring at least one item for donation.
---------------------www.jonesboroughtheatre.com
----------------------
Annual Food Drive Show at Acoustic Coffeehouse
RubyScream : (left to right): Barry Creek, Ruben Creek, and Bill Godfrey
In what’s become an annual tradition the past few years, Kryss
Dula & Friends will be playing an
early December show at Acoustic
Coffeehouse, and making it a food
drive to benefit Second Harvest
Food Bank of East Tennessee. They
always open and find a great local
band to take the headliner slot,
and this year is no different, as
they’ll be joined by RubyScream.
This show is free, but they ask
everyone who is able to bring as
much
canned/non-perishable
food as they can spare, to put in
the barrel at the door. Recogniz-
ing not everyone has extra food, a
donation is not required to attend,
just encouraged. The show will be
held this Thursday, December 3rd.
RubyScream is a formidable
power trio, who play original music in classic and alternative rock
styles. Brothers Ruben Creek and
Barry Creek hold down the drums
and lead guitar/vocals, respectively. And, Bill Godfrey plays
bass and also sings. The Creek
brothers have been working together since the early 90s, and say
that they “have delved into many
musical genres, but our roots are
firmly planted in rock and roll.”
They list bands such as Third Eye
Blind, Tonic, and Fuel as groups
which they resemble in sound.
Kryss Dula & Friends is a freewheeling ensemble of rotating
membership, which has included
over 50 local musicians across the
years, ranging from one appearance to a fairly steady representation. They play covers of rock,
pop, and folk songs, and you
never quite know
who will be on
stage until the actual shows. Dula
says his goal “is
to get people to
loosen their inhibitions
and
have a great time
while supporting
important
causes.”
And,
this is indeed an
important cause.
Our
regional
Second Harvest
chapter notes that
recent US Census data show
almost
100,000
people in Northeast
Tennessee
live in poverty.
That represents
about 20% of the entire local population, where about 25% of those
under age 18 are living under the
poverty level. It is estimated that
about 14% of adults and 25% of
children are food insecure in this
area. The local chapter delivered
over 10 million pounds of food to
residents in 2014. Thus, any and
all donations are always vital and
very welcome to the program.
Kryss Dula & Friends will
play from 8 to about 9:45 and
RubyScream will play from 10pm
onward. The Acoustic Coffeehouse
is located at 415 W. Walnut St., in
Johnson City, TN. You can find
more information at http://www.
netfoodbank.org/, www.acousticcoffeehouse.net, www.facebook.
com/kryssdula, and http://www.
rubyscreamrox.com/
The Night Owl Circus
set to perform Dec. 11 & 12th
Johnson City Circus Arts was
founded in March 2013 by Craig
Lewis to teach classes in circus arts,
with a focus on aerial silks and
juggling. Aerial silks is a fun, challenging fitness activity that anyone can try! Today we have taught
over 600 classes and worked with
over 400 students. Our students
range all the way from ages 7 to
60, and we teach total beginners
through to advanced, professional
aerialists and circus performers.
The performance branch of our
company, The Night Owl Circus is
currently in the process of rehearsing for an upcoming public performance on December 11th and 12th
at our studio. Tickets are $10 and
can be purchased online at JCCircusArts.com.
Showtimes are: Friday, Dec 11th
at 7:30 PM (doors open at 7) Saturday, Dec 12th at 7:30 PM (doors
open at 7) at Appalachian Tumbling and Gymnastics, 1777 Old
Gray Station Rd, Johnson City.
If you are interested in trying
out an aerial silks class, your first
class is just $10, and you can sign
up online at JCCircusArts.com, or
call Craig Lewis at (423) 782-6479.
Anyone can learn!
Santa At the Kingsport Carousel
Santa at the Kingsport Carousel Thursday December 3rd from
5-8 PM, Special holiday hours announced.
Let the Holidays begin! The
Kingsport Carousel is always a
happy place and will be especially
so on Thursday, December 3 from
5–8 PM as “Santa Milt” greets children of all ages for this special late
hour session. The Kingsport Carousel was established through volunteer effort – over 300 volunteers
and 700 sponsors made the dream
a reality by carving, painting and
planning for over 5 years. Since
opening to the public on July 10,
2015, the Carousel has hosted over
41,000 riders and visitors from all
over the world.
Regular public hours of the
Carousel are Wednesday – Friday 11 AM – 5 PM and Saturday
and Sunday 1 – 5 PM. Birthdays
and Special Events can be scheduled through reservation by calling 423-392-8414. On Thursday,
December 3 the carousel will stay
open until 8 PM and from 5 – 8 PM
host “Santa Milt”. “Santa Milt”
is also known as Milton Nelson,
one of the original horse carvers
and creator of Nellie the horse and
Adahy the Wolf on the Kingsport
Carousel. All rides are $1. Bring
your family and bring your cam-
era. The band organ and sound
system will be stocked with Holiday music and the gift shop will be
open for shoppers.
Holiday hours are:
Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24 11 AM – 3 PM*
closing early
Christmas, Friday, December 25,
CLOSED
New Year’s Eve, Thursday, December 31 11 AM – 3 PM*
closing early
For New Year’s DAY, Friday,
January 1, CLOSED
For weather related closings
or updates to Carousel Schedule,
please call 423-343-9834.
Get festive at the Northeast
State Holiday Concert
After decking the halls and stringing the
tinsel, hop in the sleigh and come out to enjoy a Holiday Musical Concert at Northeast
State Community College.
Presented by the College’s Department of
Music, the show happens Thursday, Dec. 3,
at 7:30 p.m. in the Wellmont Regional Center
for Performing Arts Theater at the Blountville campus, next to Tri-Cities Regional
Airport. The concert is free and open to the
public.
The concert features performances by
Martha Egan on flute, Margaret Swiney on
solo handbell, and Northeast State student
Jennifer Gryder on trumpet. The Northeast
State Singers and Women’s Ensemble will
also perform holiday classics and Christmas
carols we all know and love. The concert
will include both traditional and new selections such Albrecht’s The Christmas Rush!
Beck’s Light the Lights, and Gilpin’s Skye
Boat Song.
Egan is a native of Kingsport and is an
experienced flute, pennywhistle, and Irish
Flute teacher. She is a frequent performer
of Celtic, sacred, folk and classical music.
She has been featured at the East Tennessee Celtic Society and played for the Celtic
Society’s Festival in September. She will be
playing The Holly and the Ivy and Come,
Little Children.
Swiney is a native of Bristol and is pianist for Sinking Springs United Methodist Church. In addition to her playing the
piano and solo handbells, she plays solo
desk bells, ukulele, bowed psaltery, dulcimer, one-string banjo, and thumb harp. She
will be playing traditional favorites such as I
Wander As I Wonder, the Huron Carol Twas
in the Moon of Wintertime, Simple Gifts,
and Be Still, My Soul.
For more information, contact tcteague@
northeaststate.edu or 423.354.5164.
East Tennessee State University’s student
vocal ensembles will present the Holiday
Choral Concert titled “Rise Up, Shepherd!”
on Saturday, Dec. 5.
This annual concert, a tradition that spans
more than 35 years, will be presented in two
performances, at 3 and 7:30 p.m., at Munsey
Memorial United Methodist Church, 201 E.
Market St.
The concert features the ETSU Chorale,
East Tennessee Belles, BucsWorth Men’s
Choir and Greyscale, performing under the
direction of Drs. Matthew Potterton and
Alan Stevens, director and associate director, respectively, of choral activities in the
Department of Music. The choirs will be
joined by the ETSU Faculty Brass Quintet.
The program includes choral masterworks, holiday favorites and sing-along carols.
The concert is free and open to the public.
A donation of $10 is suggested.
For more information, call the ETSU Department of Music at 423-439-4276.
For
disability accommodations, call the ETSU
Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346.
‘Rise Up, Shepherd!’:
ETSU ensembles to present
Holiday Choral Concert
Auditions for Theatre-at-Tusculum’s
production of
‘The Odd Couple’ Dec. 8-9
The Odd Couple are moving to
Tusculum College.
Neil Simon’s award winning
comedy, “The Odd Couple” will
be the spring production of Theatre-at-Tusculum, and actors and
actresses are being sought for the
play to be directed by Marilyn duBrisk.
Open auditions will be held
Tuesday, Dec. 8, and Wednesday,
Dec. 9, in the David Behan Arena
Theatre in the Annie Hogan Byrd
Fine Arts Building on the Tusculum campus.
Registration will begin at 5:30
p.m. with the auditions beginning at 6 p.m. on both days. No
prepared audition pieces will be
required. Auditions will consist of
readings from the script.
The comedy has six roles for
men and two roles for women of
varying ages. The female roles are
those of the giggly Pigeon sisters,
Cecily and Gwendolyn, who are
upstairs neighbors to Oscar and
Felix.
Performance dates will be Feb.
26-28 and March 3-6 in the Behan
Arena Theatre.
“The Odd Couple” follows the
lives of two distinctly different
best friends, Oscar Madison and
Felix Unger. The tightly wound,
hypochondriac Felix is forced to
move in with the slovenly and
brash Oscar. Hilarity ensues as
they try to make peace with their
opposing personalities. They are
supported by their poker buddies - the police officer Murray, the
gruff and sarcastic Speed, the henpecked Vinnie and the dry-witted
Roy.
The play premiered on Broadway in 1965 with Walter Matthau
and Art Carney portraying Oscar
and Felix. The production was
awarded several Tony Awards in-
cluding Best Actor (Play) for Matthau and Best Author for Simon,
and was nominated for Best Play
that year. The play spawned the
1968 film of the same name, starring Matthau and Jack Lemmon,
and also the hit 1970s television
show featuring Jack Klugman and
Tony Randall. A remake of the series premiered on CBS in February
2015 starring Matthew Perry and
Thomas Lennon.
“The Odd Couple” helped
Simon become one of the best
known American playwrights of
the 20th Century, and the play
has become culturally iconic and
an American theatre staple, leading The New York Times to opine,
“There is scarcely a moment that is
not hilarious.”
For more information regarding auditions please call Tusculum
College Arts Outreach at 423-7981620.
Theatre-at-Tusculum Technical Director Frank Mengel and Director
Marilyn duBrisk discuss props and pause for a photo with the audition poster for the spring production of Neil Simon’s comedy, “The Odd
Couple.” Auditions are set for Dec. 8 and 9.
Lots of Great Events Coming up At The Capitol Theatre
The Fugitives
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM (EST)
The Fugitives is a 4-man country/southern rock and blues band
from Greeneville, TN bringing real
music back to nightlife.
Band Member: Nick Fillers, Brandon Hensley, Eric Shelton, Chris
Kelley
Tickets are just $10 online or at the
door.
Amythyst Kiah and
Ashley Heath
Saturday, December 5, 2015
from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM (EST)
Amythyst Kiah is a Southern
Gothic, alt-country blues singer/
songwriter based out of John-
son City, TN, which has been her
permanent residence for nearly a
decade. She has been performing
in what is known as the Tri-Cities
(Bristol, TN/VA, Johnson City,
TN, Kingsport, TN) and in various
parts of Southwest Virginia.
Not only are her influences
eclectic, but they span across decades. She draws heavily on Old
Time music (Mississippi Sheiks,
Son House, Jimmie Rodgers, Olla
Belle Reed, Carter Family) and
is inspired by vocal stylings of
R&B and Country music from the
‘50s-’70s (Big Mama Thornton,
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Mahalia
Jackson, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline,
Loretta Lynn). She also draws
heavily from contemporary artists that have similar powerful vocal integrity (Adele, Florence and
the Machine, Megan Jean and the
KFB, Janelle Monae, Thom Yorke,
Tori Amos, Bonnie Raitt).
Needless to say, Amythyst has
got a lot of tools in her vocal tool
box, and is also well on her way to
join the powerhouse vocalist pan-
theon. Her sound on
her solo album, “Dig”,
is raw and sparse, with
heavy lyrical content
regarding such themes
as
loss,
betrayal,
and murder. She has
opened for such acts as
Tim O’Brien and Darrell Scott, The Duhks,
Megan Jean and the
KFB, and has played
the Smithsonian Folk
Life Festival 2012 alongside the
Ebony Hillbillies and Sparky and
Rhonda Rucker, and has performed on Music City Roots.
Ashley Heath is a singer/songwriter from Marshall, NC who
plays a wide range of Americana
music. You can hear influences
from Eva Cassidy to Bonnie Raitt
in her velvety vocals and bluesy
guitar picking. Ashley plays a solo
act which is a collection of original
songs as well as soul, blues, and
country cover songs.
She has always had an interest
in singing; starting out in church
as a small child and later joining rock bands throughout high
school and college, but her interest in songwriting didn’t develop
until her sophomore year of college in 2008. She since has entered
many songwriting competitions
including The Brown Bag Singer/
Songwriter competition in Asheville, NC in which she placed second and crowd favorite in 2014.
Since the Brown Bag Competition,
Ashley has gone on to record her
first record.. The album was recorded at Echo Mountain Studios
along with producer Ryan Burns
and Engineer Clay Miller.
The album will be released late
fall of 2015. She also sings third
part harmony in a country group
from Asheville, NC named Raising Caine. Throughout Ashley’s
musical career she has had the
privilege of sharing the stage with
artist such as Oteil Burbridge, Ivan
Hampden, Artimus Pyle, Melissa
Reaves, Bobby Hicks, and The Del
McCoury Band. Be sure to keep an
eye out for this upcoming singer/
songwriter!
Tickets are just $10 online or at
the door.
Author Joe Tennis to sign new book
“Along Virginia’s Route 58”
Local author Joe Tennis explores weird and quirky legends
and landmarks in his new book,
“Along Virginia’s Route 58: True
Tales from Beach to Bluegrass”
(The History Press, $19.99).
The 224-page book includes a
chapter on how a teenager named
Michael Mullins became the country’s youngest mayor at Clinchport – with write-in votes – and
won an appearance on David Letterman’s talk show in 1990. Other
stories include an account of Johnny Cash and June Carter’s time at
the Carter Fold of Hiltons; the Civil War at Jonesville; Natural Tunnel; The Crooked Road; the Wreck
of the Old 97 at Danville; ghosts
at the Martha Washington Inn of
Abingdon; and how “The Offset”
came to be along the Tennessee-
Virginia border.
“Along Virginia’s Route 58” is
an
expanded
and
updated
edition of the
author’s
2007
book
“Beach
to Bluegrass.”
Tennis recently
re-traced all 500
miles of U.S. 58
to collect photos
plus pen new
and
updated
stories of haunted hotels as well
as
mysteries,
like where tobacco king R.J.
Reynolds’s sixyear-old niece
died in 1912. Expanding other
stories, like Rye
Cove’s deadly
“Tale of the Tornado” in 1929,
inspired the author to work on
this book, he said.
“Route 58 is the longest road
in Virginia, running between Virginia Beach and the Cumberland
Gap,” said Tennis. “In between,
you’ll find a courthouse shootout,
a bloody slave rebellion, the Great
Dismal Swamp, a UFO landing,
the birthplace of Mr. Peanut and
how farmers once traded dead
snakes and milked cows on Main
Street to get into the Barter Theatre
of Abingdon.”
“Along Virginia’s Route 58” features a new mix of historic photographs, including a 1960s postcard
showing Jackson Street in Gate
City; a 1971 landslide at the ScottLee county line on Powell Mountain; and views of long-gone train
depots at Wheeler and Damascus
along what are now rail trails.
Tennis, 46, of Bristol, Virginia, is
also the author of 2014’s “Virginia
Rail Trails: Crossing the Commonwealth” (The History Press,
$19.99), which features chapters
on the Devil’s Bathtub, Guest River Gorge and the Virginia Creeper
Trail.
The author is signing copies of
his books at the Barnes and Noble
Booksellers, 3030 Franklin Terrace,
of Johnson City, Tennessee, on
Dec. 10, 3-6 p.m.; and on Dec. 1112, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., at the Holiday
Book Fair of the Kingsport Town
Center/Fort Henry Mall on the
lower level, just outside Spencer’s
Gifts. For more information or to
order copies, call 888-313-2665 or
visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.
Dugger Band
Friday, December 4 at NPAC
Greeneville natives, Jordan and
Seth Dugger, are on the move with
their country music career. Dugger
Band will perform original music
from their Christmas album Sleigh
Ride as well as their renditions of
your favorite Christmas classics
on December 4 at the Niswonger
Performing Arts Center. Appearing with Dugger Band will be
saxophonist, Dominic Amato. The
Greeneville High School drum line
and the Greeneville Middle School
choir will make special appearances during the 7:00 pm show.
The brothers draw from their
country, rock and pop influences
as a house band at world famous
venues like the Wildhorse Saloon,
Tootsie’s and Honky Tonk Central in Nashville, TN. Jordan and
Seth both write, sing, and play
multiple instruments. The Dugger
Band has a steadily increasing fan
base as their unique country/rock
sound grabs the attention of their
audience.
Dugger Band’s debut album
Fly is receiving rave reviews from
audiences worldwide. The brothers explored several emotions and
musical directions with their first
country record. In the album’s title
track, “Fly,” Jordan encourages
listeners to believe that no matter
how badly we have failed or how
hard we have fallen, we can get
back up and fly again.
Join us for an evening filled with
sounds of the season with Greeneville’s own Dugger Band at the
Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown
Greeneville, TN on Friday, December 4 at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $20
for orchestra level seating, $15 for
mezzanine level seating and $10
for balcony seats. Tickets may be
purchased online at www.npacgreeneville.com, in person at the
NPAC box office, or by calling 423638-1679. NPAC offers online seat selection with no processing or delivery fees. There is a $1.50 ticketing fee per ticket regardless of
purchase method. The box office Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St., will offer Functional Fitness Fridays from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on
hours are Monday through Friday, Dec. 4, 11 and 18. This program will offer three different classes for ages 50 and older.
10 am until 5 pm. The 1150 seat
• Dec. 4 – Body weight training
performing arts center is located
• Dec. 11 – Balance and flexibility
adjacent to the campus of Green• Dec. 18 – Cardio with a twist
eville High School in Greeneville,
Cost is $2 per class. No pre-registration is required. Participants will need to sign in and pay before each
TN. For venue information, please
class. For more information, please call (423)434-6237.
visit www.npacgreeneville.com.
MPCC to offer Functional Fitness Fridays
Hide In A Bathroom and Panic
The holiday season is upon us,
people are frantic, shopping is chaotic, cooking is unceasing. Family
shows up, sometimes you have to
rush to pick them up. It’s an overwhelming time of year, and it has
been just that since the Monday before Thanksgiving. It’s going to be
this way straight through the new
year. I suffer from anxiety and an-
other wide array of “side effects”
that come from leading a creative
life, so I’ve been 0 to 100 real quick.
If you don’t suffer from all
these lovely things, I’m sure you
may find yourself wanting your
own peace of mind at this time of
year. It’s an election year next year,
so I’m sure someone at the family gathering will break the secret
peace of not talking politics, causing the whole thing to break down
into “50 Shades of Lord of The
Flies.” The great thing about being
at a family gathering of any kind
at someone’s house is that there is
bound to be a bathroom available
somewhere.
Bathrooms are the perfect place
to hide, as no one is going to ques-
tion why you’re going to the bathroom a lot--unless you’re a hormonal teenager. Outside of normal
bathroom activities, the bathroom
offers many a option to recharge
and forget about all the madness
around you. My aunt has wifi!
Bless the wifi! I can pull out my
phone and stream a few minutes
of Turner Classic Movies on my
phone, all while I say “Yes, Robert
Osborne! Send me to sweet serenity
with behind the scenes facts about
Fred Astaire!” Bathroom serenity is
a lovely thing, appreciate it when
you get to experience during your
family gatherings.
The other time the bathroom is
a helpful hideout is when you’re
feeling that you can’t handle any
of it any longer. That’s when the
bathroom is not only a sanctuary
of serenity, but a palace of panic.
Need to crawl under the vanity
where a chair goes for putting on
makeup and cry? Go for it! Need
to let a stream of obscenities fly
underneath your breath? Go for it!
Need to imagine jerking the bottle
of wine out of someone’s hand and
smashing it to the ground? Yes!
When leaving the bathroom after having a moment of letting it all
out through the watery discharge
of the eyes, someone may look
and ask “were you crying?” The
best answer you can provide this
holiday season is to look at them
directly, with a moment of pause,
and say “I was thinking about that
Adele song.” When you need that
important break this season, just
remember, the bathroom is your
friend. That and your phone. And
maybe Grandma’s Cheesecake. See
you next week.
Rocky Mount Museum’s “A Candlelight Christmas” to occur
Fridays and Saturdays, December 4,5, 11 & 12.
Rocky Mount Historical Association Museum will present
“A CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS” on the Friday and Saturday
evenings of Dec. 4,5,11, and 12.
Tours begin every 15 minutes from
4:30 until 8:00. Admission is $10
for adults, $8 for children (ages
5-17). Members of RMHA receive
discounted admission, group discounts available. Reservations can
be made through Rocky Mount
Museum (423) 538-7396, Mon-Fri
9-5. In this day of a highly commercialized Christmas, a visit
to Rocky Mount Historical Association Museum can readily provide a glimpse back to an
earlier time when Christmas was
recognized simply as the birth of
Christ, rather than the shopping
frenzy it often seems to be today.
The “Candlelight Christmas” Living History Tour takes through the
historic home of Rocky Mount,
transformed to Christmas Eve of
1791, meeting historic interpreters portraying the Cobb family of
Rocky Mount, Gov. Blount and his
family, and friends and neighbors. The historic two-story log
cabin and the other outbuildings
are decorated simply with attractive traditional decorations,
made from locally available greenery such as pine and holly, and colorful fruits such as apples. Hand
dipped candles, which adorn each
room and illuminate the walkways, complete the cozy look and
feel of a frontier home in the eighteenth century. Traditional music,
dancing, heart-warming stories,
are all part of this Christmas celebration perfectly demonstrating that though the traditions
may have changed , the “Spirit
of Christmas” and the warmth of
fellowship with friends and family, transcends the centuries. After the tour, which takes about 90
minutes, visitors are welcomed
back to the 21st century with a
modern reception. For more information or to
make a reservation call (423) 5387396 or 888-538-1791.
Rocky Mount State Historic
Site is a “living history” museum,
which uses first-person interpretation to portray people living in
1791. Rocky Mount is open for
tours Tuesday through Saturday
from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm. Living History tours and the facility are available by reservation at
any time, including Sundays and
Mondays for school and other
groups, with advance reserva-
tions. For more information, call
(423) 538-7396 or visit our website at www.rockymountmuseum.com. Rocky Mount State
Historic Site is funded under an
agreement with the Tennessee
Department of Environment and
Conservation, Tennessee Historical Commission.
- TUESDAY - Dec. 1st DOWNTOWN COUNTRY
at Jiggy Ray’s 6:30pm
ETSU OLD-TIME BANDS
at Down Home
SIM ROSS
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
- WEDNESDAY - Dec. 2nd OPEN MIC
at WoodStone Deli
THE FUGITIVES
at Capitol Theatre 8pm
THE STEELDRIVERS
at Down Home
OPEN MIC
- THURSDAY - Dec. 3rd RYAN WARD (Indie)
at O’Mainnin’s Pub
ETSU CELTIC BAND
NIGHTSHIFT
NIGHTSHIFT
HARPER & THE BEARS
CC CLEVENGER
DOYLE LAWSON &
QUICKSILVER w/ THE MALPASS
BROTHERS
ADAM LAWSON
ANCIENT CITIES
(Country, Southern Rock, Oldies)
at The Outdoorsman 7pm
at Sleepy Owl Brewery 8pm
at O’Mainnin’s Pub 10pm
at Yee Haw Brewing Co.
BOOGIE ROCKERS
at Quaker Steak & Lube
CUTTHROAT SHAMROCK
at The Hideaway
BENNY JONES
at The Family Barn 7:30pm
LOST FIDDLE STRING BAND
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
JERRY PIERCE &
THE NIGHTLIFE BAND
at The Paramount Center for the Arts 7pm
at Holston River Brewing Co. 8pm
NOSTALGIA BAND (50’s - 80’s)
at Peerless Steakhouse Lounge 7pm
TOWN BRANCH
BLUEGRASS BAND
at Carter Family Fold
COPPER RIDGE
at Country Club Bar & Grill
ETSU BLUEGRASS BANDS
at The Down Home
at Johnson City Senior Center 7pm
AMYTHYST KIAH & HER CHEST
OF GLASS / ASHLEY HEATH
(Classic Country & Southern Rock)
at Country Club Bar & Grill 8pm
JAM UP LANE
SOUTHERN SOUND
at Down Home
at Capitol Theatre
at Capone’s
THE COLOR 7
at The Casbah 9pm
RON SHORT & THE
POSSUM PLAYBOYS
FIRESIDE COLLECTIVE
ZACK MILES
STERLING SPRINGS
OPPOSITE BOX &
THE COMET
CONDUCTORS - Next Door
JAZZ
at Wellington’s - Carnegie Hotel 8pm
KRYSS DULA
RUBYSCREAM
at The Acoustic Coffeehouse 8pm
- FRIDAY - Dec. 4th MICHAEL CODY / JAS PATRICK
- SUNDAY - Dec. 6th BILL & THE BELLES
MARK LARKINS
at Capone’s
(Country, Southern Rock, Oldies)
at Buffalo Ruritan 7pm
OPEN MIC
at Uncorked 7pm
- SATURDAY - Dec. 5th OPEN JAM
at Biggie’s Clam Bar 9pm
MARK LARKINS
- MONDAY - Dec. 7th OPEN MIC
TBA
BLUEGRASS JAM
RYAN WARD (Indie)
LANCE STINSON
JIM PERKINS
at Bristol Brewery 8pm
DAN DEEL
at Jiggy’s Ray’s 8pm
THE BOXCARS
at The Down Home
at Kosher Pickle
at Sportsman’s Bar
at The Family Barn 7:30pm
SUNDOWN COUNTRY BAND
(Country)
at David Thompson’s Produce 7pm
at Hardee’s (Boones Creek)
JAMES O’REILLY
Saxophone Concert
at King University Chapel 7pm
KARAOKE
TUESDAY
Karaoke At Numan’s - JCTN
***********************
WEDNESDAY
Karaoke w/ Southern
Sounds Karaoke
at American Legion 8pm
Karaoke At Bristol VFW - BTN
Turn the Page Karaoke
At VFW Post 2108 - JCTN
***********************
THURSDAY
Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds
Karaoke at Macadoo’s 8pm
Karaoke At Holiday Inn - JCTN
Karaoke w/
Absolute Entertainment
At Everette’s Bar & Grille - JCTN
***********************
FRIDAY
KaraokeAt Bristol VFW - BTN
Karaoke w/
Southern Sounds Karaoke
at Sportsman’s Bar & Grill 9pm
Karaoke w/ Reverb Karaoke
at The Cottage 8:30 pm
at VFW Post 2108 - JCTN
Karaoke At Elizabethton VFW
Karaoke w/ DJ Marques
At Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - BVA
***********************
SATURDAY
at VFW Post 2108 - JCTN
Karaoke
at Bristol VFW
Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment
At Macado’s - Kingsport
***********************
SUNDAY
Karaoke w/
Absolute Entertainment
At Everette’s Bar & Grille - JCTN
***********************
Spotlight Directory
Acoustic Coffeehouse
415 W Walnut St. Johnson City
423/434.9872
Bone Fire Smokehouse at the Hardware
260 W Main St Abingdon VA
276/623-0037
Bristol Brewery
41 Piedmont Ave Bristol VA
276/ 608-1220
Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch
620 State St Bristol
423/573-2262
Buffalo Ruritan
200 Willowbrook Dr. Bluff City
423/391-7382
Capitol Theatre
104 S. Main St. Greeneville TN
423/638-1300
Capone’s
227 E Main St Johnson City
423/928-2295
Carter Family Fold
3449 A. P. Carter Hwy Hiltons VA
276/594-0676
The Casbah
807 W. Walnut St. Johnson City
Country Club Bar & Grill
3080 W State St Bristol
423/844-0400
The Dispensary
271 Oak Avenue, Spruce Pine NC
828/765-0050
Down Home
300 W. Main St. Johnson City
423/929-9822
Family Barn
15559 Lee Hwy Bristol VA
Holiday Inn (Exit 7)
3005 Linden Dr Bristol Va
276/466-4100
Holston River Brewing Company
2621 Volunteer Pkwy Bristol TN
Jiggy Ray’s
610 E. Elk Ave Elizabethton
423/ 518-1500
Johnson City Senior’s Center
510 Bert St. Johnson City
423/ 434-6238
Kosher Pickle
3900 Bristol Hwy Johnson City
423/ 979-7000
O’Mainnin’s Pub
712 State St Bristol
423/844-0049
The Outdoorsman
4535 Highway 11W Kingsport
Peerless Steakhouse Lounge
2531 N. Roan St. Johnson City
423/ 282-2351
Quaker Steak & Lube
629 State St Bristol VA
276/644-9647
Sportsmans Pub
1403 Bluff City Hwy Bristol TN
Wellington’s Restaurant
Carnegie Hotel
1216 W State of Franklin Rd Johnson City
423/979-6400
The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music
Room
216 E Main St Johnson City
Woodstone Deli
3500 Fort Henry Dr Kingsport
423/245-5424
Yee Haw Brewing Company
126 Buffalo St. Johnson City
Ryan
Ward
O’Mainnin’s Pub
Thursday, Dec. 3rd
•
•
•
•
•
•
Uncorked
Friday, Dec. 4th
Window Stargazing
Baby, I know it’s cold outside!
And though I love to write about
getting under the stars and enjoying the light of the cosmos, I know
many of us stay inside because it’s
just too darn cold outside!
I know the feeling. It’s clear outside and I see through the kitchen
window facing west the bright star
Vega low between bare tree limbs.
I want to go outside and bag
some starlight, but the thermometer says 30 degrees. Unless I bundle
up from head-to-toe for an hour
or so of stargazing, I run for the
warmth of inside after just five or
10 minutes of looking around.
So, why not look through the
windows? While it distorts the
views through a telescope or binoculars, you can see plenty of
bright stars and some constellation
patterns by looking out a window
from the comfort of inside.
And it’s a comfortable way to get
familiar with star maps, our outline of what’s up in the night sky.
First, turn out the lights! And
get comfortable right up near the
glass as you allow your eyes to adjust to the dark, just like outside. In
10 minutes or so you’re eye pupils
will dilate open to let in more light,
and once they do, a red flashlight
will allow to read charts and not
contract those pupils.
You might have a little used
room like a bedroom, or a dining
room with big windows. Wherever in the house, you can see plenty
just getting your face close.
Now what you’ll see depends on
the direction your window faces.
So you’ll have to become familiar
with the cardinal points around
your house of north, south, east
and west. That’s always the first
place to start whether inside or
outside.
One of the best views will be
eastward, where the new constellations of Winter are rising, the scene
changing by the hour. From 6-9
pm there will be at least eight very
bright stars to see: first The Pleiades star cluster and Aldebaran in
Taurus the Bull; to the far right is
Capella in Auriga the Charioteer.
Rising on his side will be Orion the
Hunter and its bright dot-to-dot of
stars including white Rigel and red
Betelgeuse. Next are the hunters
two dogs and bright stars Procyon
and Sirius, the brightest star of all.
To the left of Orion around 9 pm
will be the brothers Gemini, Castor
and Pollux.
A window to the south won’t
have much to look at until later in
December when Orion dominates
the southern landscape. But you
will see one bright star all by itself,
that’s Fomalhaut, nicknamed “The
Lonely One.” Look around this
star that is the mouth of the South-
ern Fish and you’ll see no companions. This vast area is the domain
of Capricornus the Sea Goat to the
right, Sculptor and Phoenix to the
left. Above are Cetus the Whale, to
the left, and Aquarius to the right,
both large but made up of faint
stars you won’t see out a window.
If you have a set of windows
looking west you’re lucky, there’s
always plenty of celestial action
going. The crescent Moon makes
a monthly appearance, and many
times there’s a planet or two to see.
Looking westward in November
and early December you will see
the remains of the Summer Triangle and Milky Way before they
dip below the horizon by 10 pm.
Bright stars Altair, left and Vega,
right, are parallel to the horizon,
and topping the Summer Triangle
is Deneb. Their constellation stars
of Aquila, Cygnus and Lyra will be
a challenge through a window.
If you are lucky to have a north
view of windows from inside your
house, you can get familiar with
the circumpolar constellations that
never set, but circle around the
North Pole.
The North Star is Polaris, the last
star in the ladle of the Little Dipper
asterism of Ursa Minor, the Little
Bear. All but Polaris will be hard to
see from inside looking out a window.
Also hard to see will be the familiar seven stars of the Big Dipper,
because it is scraping the horizon
like a plow digging the Earth—in
fact, most of Europe including
England call it “The Plough.” But
come springtime, the hindquarters
of Ursa Major will be standing on
its tail easy to watch as it moves
counter clockwise. Of course after
midnight the Big Dipper will be
rising on its end, and before dawn
it will be dumping its bowl on the
horizon.
Part of the beauty of spending
hours under the stars is watching
the constellations move about the
sky from east to west. Every hour
there is something new to see, and
the higher up the object the clearer
the view.
Easy to see outside any north-facing window this time of year will
be five equally bright stars making
an “M” shape in the sky. This is the
chair of Cassiopeia the Queen. As
this distinctive group of stars move
to the left in a circle, they can also
look like the letter “W.”
Temptation will be to use binoculars or a telescope while inside,
but the glass will greatly distort the
image, creating false colors. But experiment because it’s harmless.
Some people want to open a garage door and stick their telescope
out to look at a celestial object. You
might be able to get away with this
if the garage is not heated, as the
hot air will create invisible convection currents that distort images.
Using a telescope from inside
a garage, carport or covered patio
may help cut some of the cold air
flowing around. And block some
neighborhood light. It can be okay
for the Moon and planets Jupiter,
Saturn and Mars. You’ll even be
able to see some of the brightest
nebula, like the Great Nebula of
Orion.
Serious observing is the domain
of a cold, lonely night free of lights.
And the less houses and buildings
you look over the better. That’s
why the most serious professional
telescopes are on top of remote
mountains, away from city light
and industrial pollution.
But backyard stargazers have to
take what they can get, that’s why
we’re always looking for ways to
quickly get our equipment outside
and then back inside. Many of us
might purchase a shed to quickly
access our telescopes, tripods and
binoculars, as well as a place to
keep star charts, red lights and
other observing tools.
If you get real serious, of course
there are backyard observatories
of various shapes and sizes. Very
practical is a roll-off roof on a small
building. Depending on your observing passion (and disposable
money), there are many plans for
backyard observatories that can be
researched on the Internet.
But stargazing out a window
from the comfort of your warm
home is really not cheating—not as
long as you know the star you are
seeing.
Those lucky to have a big, bay
window looking to a clear sky can
have some fun learning the constellations as they beckon beyond the
glass. And when you are outside
under the canopy of stars, you’ll
begin to see the rhythm of the night
sky.
And that knowledge translates
to the seasons of stars becoming
signposts of our lives as we journey around the Sun and repeat the
cycle of life both on Earth and in
the night sky.
Celestial events in the skies for the week of Dec. 1st - Dec. 7th, 2015
as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.
This is a week when 37 people were blasted off the Earth into orbit about 225 miles
high aboard six Space Shuttle flights. Now
merely memories since the 2011 retirement
of the Shuttle fleet, each of the 135 flights
were amazing in their own right. One standout mission is the repair of the near-sighted
Hubble Space Telescope 22 years ago this
week, correcting a manufacturing flaw and
paving the way for the incredible success of
one of mankind’s greatest scientific tools.
Tues. Dec. 1
Looking north, Cassiopeia the Queen’s
brightest five stars make an “M” shape in
the sky, and opposite it somewhere dredging up the horizon are the familiar seven
stars of the Big Dipper. Between them, of
course, is the Little Dipper, its end star of the
handle being the North Star, Polaris.
Wed. Dec. 2
Four American Space Shuttle crews totaling 24 astronauts will be thinking about
today as their blast off date with outer space.
In 1988, Atlantis was launched with five astronauts on a classified US Defense Department mission deploying a spy satellite; in
1990, Columbia and seven astronauts were
launched on an astronomy mission with Astro 1, an array of four telescopes in the payload bay; in 1992, Discovery was launched
with five astronauts on another top secret
mission for the Defense Department; in 1993
STS-61 had Endeavour on the important 10day repair mission of the myopic Hubble
Space Telescope with seven astronauts taking part in the successful mission. Only the
Orbiter Challenger didn’t fly on this date.
Thurs. Dec. 3
The Moon is at Last Quarter today. In
1974, the first photos from Pioneer 11 were
being seen after the spacecraft on Dec. 2nd
flew by Jupiter, following its twin Pioneer
10, which flew by almost exactly a year
earlier on Dec. 4, 1973. Becoming the first
unmanned spacecraft to fly by the largest
planet Jupiter, Pioneer 10 not only dazzled
the public with amazing close-up images of
its complex cloud system and famous Red
Spot, but scientists were elated with the bonanza of scientific data, revealing a complex
magnetic field among other discoveries.
Fri. Dec. 4
In 1998, Space Shuttle Endeavour was
blasted into orbit with six astronauts carrying the American module Unity in its cargo
bay. The primary docking adapter Unity
was connected with the orbiting Russian
Zarya command module to form the core of
the International Space Station. Today the
ISS has been continuously occupied for 15
years.
Sat. Dec. 5
In 2001, Endeavour and seven astronauts
were rocketed into orbit three years after
connecting the first modules of the International Space Station. The Shuttle had in its
cargo bay the Italian module Raffaello being
ferried up with supplies to the half-complete ISS. Raffaello was used four times to
ferry supplies, bringing back experiments,
used equipment and garbage.
Sun. Dec. 6
With the early darkness by 6 pm, it is easy
to see the parade of Winter constellations
popping up over the eastern horizon. First
Taurus the Bull with The Pleiades cluster,
and then Orion the Hunter, followed by the
two dogs, Canis Major and Minor.
Mon. Dec. 7
Early morning risers are treated to the
two brightest planets, Jupiter blazing high
above in Leo and Venus is even brighter below. Between the two is much dimmer but
red Mars.
IN THEATRES NOW
Box Office Top 10
In Theaters Now
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2
“The Hunger Games” film series burst onto theater screens in
2012 starring Jennifer Lawrence,
and became a worldwide smash.
The series had the 2013 sequel
“Catching Fire”, followed by the
2014 release “The Hunger Games:
Mockingjay-Part 1”. 2015 brings
the release of “The Hunger Games:
Mockinjay-Part 2”, to conclude the
series. If you know nothing or little
about the series, the story is the futuristic tale of the nation of Panem,
a totalitarian country made up of
12 districts and the Capitol. Every
year two young representatives
from each district are chosen to
participate in an event called The
Hunger Games. While the event is
considered entertainment, it is actually a brutal retribution for a rebellion that occurred in the countries past.
The games are broadcast
throughout Panem, and are required watching. The 24 young
participants are forced to eliminate
their competitors while the entire
country watches. I will add here,
the eliminations involve death. In
the first film the character of Katniss (Lawrence) takes the place of
her sister Prim (Willow Shields), in
the games after her younger sister
was chosen to represent District
12. Also chosen from District 12
is Peeta Mallark (Josh Hutcherson), who is teamed with Katniss
against stronger representatives
most of whom have been trained
all their lives.
The movies follow Katniss and
Peeta in their quest to survive the
games and deal with the horrible
President Snow (Donald Sutherland), who leads The Capitol.
The Hunger Games:
Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015)
As the war of Panem escalates
to the destruction of other districts
by the Capitol, Katniss Everdeen,
the reluctant leader of the rebellion, must bring together an army
against President Snow, while all
she holds dear hangs in the balance.
Spectre (2015)
A cryptic message from Bond’s
past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While
M battles political forces to keep
the secret service alive, Bond peels
back the layers of deceit to reveal
the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.
The Peanuts Movie (2015)
Snoopy embarks upon his greatest mission as he and his team take
to the skies to pursue their archnemesis, while his best pal Charlie
Brown begins his own epic quest
back home.
The Night Before (2015)
On Christmas eve, three lifelong
friends, two of whom are Jewish, spend the night in New York
City looking for the Holy Grail of
Christmas parties.
Secret in Their Eyes (2015)
A tight-knit team of rising investigators, along with their supervisor, is suddenly torn apart when
they discover that one of their
own teenage daughters has been
brutally murdered.
Love the Coopers (2015)
When four generations of the
During the course of the series,
Katniss has conflicting emotions
of her love and devotion to both
Peeta, and her friend Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth), as she
knows she must eventually choose
between the two. Eventually Katniss becomes the main attraction
of The Hunger Games, and is
used by President Snow to control
the rebellious districts. In the last
chapter of the film, Katniss knows
what she must do in order to get
her life, and that of the Districts of
Panem back to normal: help Peeta
after he was poisoned by Snow,
and assassinate Snow. The aforementioned actions will not be easy,
as Katniss has basically been on
the run from Snow, and is dealing
with District 13’s President Coin
(Julianne Moore) who wants to
use Katniss more for propaganda
than in warfare against The Capi-
tol. While President Coin’s attack
on The Capitol is about to commence, Katniss must devise a way
to get to Snow.
The new film is full of exciting action sequences and all the
actors have been together long
enough to have developed great
onscreen chemistry. The film also
has its share of heartbreaking
moments, which will tug at your
heartstrings. Academy Award
winner Lawrence is in her best
Katniss mode, and represents a
Cooper clan come together for
their annual Christmas Eve celebration, a series of unexpected
visitors and unlikely events turn
the night upside down, leading
them all toward a surprising rediscovery of family bonds and the
spirit of the holiday.
The Martian (2015)
During a manned mission to
Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is
presumed dead after a fierce storm
and left behind by his crew. But
Watney has survived and finds
himself stranded and alone on the
hostile planet. With only meager
supplies, he must draw upon his
ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist
and find a way to signal to Earth
that he is alive.
Spotlight (2015)
The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive
scandal of child molestation and
cover-up within the local Catholic
Archdiocese, shaking the entire
Catholic Church to its core.
The 33 (2015)
Based on the real-life event,
when a gold and copper mine collapses, it traps 33 miners underground for 69 days.
Bridge of Spies (2015)
During the Cold War, an American lawyer is recruited to defend
an arrested Soviet spy in court,
and then help the CIA facilitate an
exchange of the spy for the Soviet
captured American U2 spy plane
pilot, Francis Gary Powers.
IMDb.com
(11/28/2015)
strong female role model through
the character. The supporting cast
also includes Woody Harrelson,
Elizabeth Banks, Sam Claflin and
the late Philip Seymour Hoffman,
and all are wonderful. The film
series has a very satisfying conclusion, making “The Hunger Games:
Mockingjay-Part 2” one of the top
films to see during the holiday
movie season.
Rated: PG - 13
A-
Before Starbucks was FOURbucks
Ah, Starbucks – love it or hate it,
you’ve seen them. Heck, there are
more than 20,000 of them around
the world. From China’s Forbidden City to 125th Street in Harlem,
they seem to be everywhere. In
fact, there are some places, usually
in densely populated urban areas,
where you might find one Starbucks just down the street from,
and well within sight of, another.
And yet, I can remember when
Starbucks was a real treat. This
wasn’t really that long ago either,
Starbucks didn’t even begin expanding outside the Seattle area
until 1987. Today though, there
are actually more Starbucks stores
in the United States than there are
McDonalds.
Better yet, for those of you who
might like to give a nod to coffee
history (and dance on Ronald McDonald’s grave), you can visit the
original Starbucks back in Seattle.
Sort of. You see, when Starbucks
was founded by three college buddies in 1971 (two of whom actually
preferred the name Pequod’s), it
was located at 2000 Western Avenue before moving to Pike Place
Market in 1976.
And there it remains to this day.
You really can’t miss it either, as
it’s directly across the street from
the Pike Place Fish Market (epicenter of tourism in Pike Place),
the shop where they toss giant fish
around.
The best part? Since the Pike
Place Starbucks is located in what
is now an historic district, ownership has to leave the building
façade exactly the way it is, as
opposed to updating it to match
other Starbucks locations. I’m not
sure they’d necessarily want to
admit it, but somehow I think the
company owes its rapid growth in
part to the fact that they decided
against imposing their original
logo on the rest of the world.
Nevertheless, at least it provides
a pleasant distraction for those fish
mongers across the street.
Milligan College Arts Events
Milligan Jazz Combo presents
8th Annual
‘Buffalo Tales’
Fall Concert
The Milligan College Jazz Combo will present its fall concert on
Thursday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. in Sub7
in the McMahan Student Center
on Milligan’s campus.
The performance will feature
small group arrangements and
individual improvisations along
with different genres of jazz per-
formed in a variety of styles including swing, Latin and rock. A
jazz version of a familiar Christmas song also will be included.
This event is open and free to
the public. For more information
on Milligan arts events, visit www.
milligan.edu/arts.
Milligan College students will
share their talents and knowledge
of storytelling during “Buffalo
Tales” on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 4
p.m. and 7 p.m. in the McGlothlinStreet Theatre located in Milligan’s
Gregory Center for the Liberal
Arts.
Audiences will experience a
wide range of emotions in both
sessions as story genres vary from
personal stories to Biblical accounts, children’s stories to folk
tales. “Buffalo Tales” serves as the
students’ fall semester final exam
tra, brass choir and the organ. The and as an opportunity for the stoevenings also will include a carol rytelling students to showcase the
sing-along and will conclude with work they have accomplished in
a moving candle-lighting and class.
This event is free and open to
singing of “Silent Night.”
The concerts are free; however, the public. For more information
a suggested donation of $5 will be on Milligan arts events, visit www.
taken to benefit the Milligan music milligan.edu/arts.
area.
For more information on Milligan arts events, visit www.milligan.edu/arts.
Annual Christmas Concert
Audiences will have two opportunities to experience the glorious sounds of the season at the annual Milligan College community
Christmas concert onSaturday,
Dec. 5, and Sunday, Dec. 6.
Milligan’s music area will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the seasonally
decorated Mary B. Martin Auditorium in Seeger Chapel. Doors open
at 6:30 p.m. The identical performances will feature choirs, orches-
Food Truck Junction 2015
The annual Johnson City Christmas parade will have something
new this year that is guaranteed
to hit the right spot. Several local
food truck vendors have joined
together to create a one-of-a-kind
food truck court along the route.
The Food Truck Junction organizers hope to give parade goers a
taste of the diverse foods available
through truck vendors around
town. And they say this is just the
beginning. Dave Ramos of Caribbean Grill took the time to chat
with me about what is driving this
Food Truck Junction 2015 event.
Brian: First, thank for taking
time out of your schedule to talk
with me so the Loafer audience
can know more about what you
do. The first thing that struck me
about the event was the timing to
go along with the Christmas parade. Was that intentional?
Dave: We weren’t planning to
do this with the Christmas Parade,
it just worked out that way. We
were just looking for a day when
everybody could get together. It
just worked out for us to have it
on the same day. We feel like this
will help get more folks out to the
event. This first time holding the
event is just to break the ice. We
are going to put this on six times
a year at the same spot. We could
have waited until spring but we
just want to get ourselves out there
and worry about bigger umber in
the spring
Brian: How long have you been
running a food truck and what do
your serve?
Dave: I have been running a
food truck for almost three and a
half years now. I do Puerto Rican,
Peruvian and some Jamaican food.
Some of my favorites are the jerkchicken, our number one seller is a
PR Cuban sandwich. It is a Puerto
Rican guy serving Cuban sandwiches the right way.
Brian: Who is organizing this
event with you and why is this so
important?
Dave: There are a lot of food
truck vendors from all over the region coming to be involved. The
three heads of the association are
Foodie Fiction, Caribbean Grill
and Me & Kays. It is important
for people to know what we do
because I feel we are in the stone
ages regarding food trucks in this
region. This is a great opportunity to create business. We create
a great environment and make the
diversity of food offered into a
fun time of creativity by the chefs.
There are a lot of different regions
represented by food truck vendors. We come from everywhere
between here and California to
New York. This is a great idea for
a new beginning in cuisine for this
region and a way to embrace the
next best thing in food.
Brian: Once this event is over,
what come next for the region’s
food trucks?
Dave: Eventually this will be
a weekend thing on a Friday and
Saturday night where families can
come and hang out with us while
they enjoy delicious food and
drink. The environment is a key to
creating what people want and we
are going to make this a weekend
food paradise.
The Food Truck Junction 2015
event is being held December 5th
from noon until 10pm. Vendors
will be located in the empty lot between Harman Ice and Cold Storage and the Next Nightclub on
West Walnut Street.
For vendors go to Food Truck Junction on FB
Pets Of The Week
Tiger a sweet girl that is spayed and up to date on all vaccinations.
Stripes she loves to be held and petted. She is also spayed and up to
date on all vaccinations.
Please come and visit Tiger and Stripes and their friends at The
Bridge Home No Kill Animal Rescue!
Senior Services announces December’s Friday Night Dances
Put on your dancing shoes and join Senior Services at Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St., the
first and third Friday of December to dance the night away.
Entertainment will be:
• Jerry Pierce and the Nightlife Band from 7-10 p.m., Dec. 4. Cost $5 is in advance; $7 at the door. Participants
are asked to bring a finger food to share. Please register in person at the MPCC Senior Services desk.
• Big Band Theory from 7-10 p.m., Dec. 18. Cost is $12 in advance; tickets will not be sold at the door. No refunds after Dec. 1. Semi-formal attire for this Christmas dance. Please register in person at the MPCC Senior
Services desk. For more information, please call (423)434-6237.
The Bridge Home No Kill Animal Rescue recently moved in to their
new 7,300 sq foot building @ 2061 Hwy 75 Blountville, TN,37617. The
Bridge Home is a non profit 501(c)(3) organization established in 2002
dedicated to the welfare of homeless or abandoned animals. They provide care and compassion for stray and unwanted cats and dogs until
they can be adopted into a forever home.
Every animal in their care is spayed or neutered and fully vaccinated
before being adopted. Being a non profit the shelter is funded entirely
by membership dues and private donations. They always need volunteers or monetary donations. Other always needed items:pet food,
cat litter & cat toys dog treats & dog toys,paper towels, cleaners, office
supplies,Purina weight circles.
Phone: 423.239.5237 Hours are Mon-Fri 12pm-6pm Sat 12pm-3pm
and Sun 2pm-4pm. Website is [email protected] or
like them on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/bridgehome?fref=ts.
“Christmas In the Country”
Get ready for the “most wonderful time
of the year” as the Exchange Place hosts its
formal kickoff with the annual “Christmas
in the Country” celebration on Saturday,
December 5, from 10 AM to 4 PM at Kingsport’s tradition-rich Living History Farm
located at 4812 Orebank Road. Christmas in the Country features fresh
greenery and trees, handcrafted wreaths
and roping, and other holiday decorations. Unique folk arts and crafts will be found
on both sides of Orebank Road, including
hand-crafted wood items, barn wood furniture, handmade baskets, hooked rugs, pottery, quilts, handmade greeting cards and
jewelry. Your taste buds will be tempted
with baked goods, hot sauces, jams and jellies, and goat cheese, and you can pamper
yourself with a variety of herbal products,
soaps and natural lotions. More than two
dozen area and regional vendors will have
their wares on display and for sale on both
sides of the historic Gaines-Preston farm.
Most especially, Christmas in the Country
furthers the mission of Exchange Place by
demonstrating a slice of 1850s wintertime
farm life in our region, and showing how
our ancestors would have prepared for the
holidays. Inside the hearthside kitchen there will
be day-long demonstrations of 19th century
cooking and baking, as the Eden’s Ridge
Hearth Cookery Society will be preparing
traditional holiday fare, focusing on the European cultures that settled in Appalachia English, Scots/Irish, and German. They will
be making boiled plum pudding, Moravian
sugar cake, and Christmas meat pie, with
salsify fritters and mashed parsnips rounding out the meal, and of course everything
will be cooked on the open hearth (no gas or
electric stoves in those days!). Meanwhile, Exchange Place’s Junior Apprentices will be popping popcorn for stringing in the Cook’s Cabin and chopping wood
and splitting shingles in the barn. Over in
the blacksmith shop, the skills that were
needed to make hardware and tools for the
farm, fix wagon wheels and, of course, shoe
the horses, will be demonstrated throughout
the day. There may also be demonstrations
of candle-dipping and lye soap making. Finally, capping off the day will be the
traditional Yule Log Ceremony, which will
begin around 4:15 pm. Originated by the
Vikings, it served as a way for them to honor their gods and request good luck in the
coming year. Later it was incorporated into
the harvest festivals of Germany and Scandinavia, then moved to England when the
Normans conquered the isles, and eventually was brought to the New World by the
Pilgrims. While the Preston family may not
have burned a Yule Log, we like to make it
a part of our Christmas in the Country as a
symbol of peace and good will for our wonderful community. Since it was often decorated with evergreens and sometimes sprinkled with grain or cider before it was finally
lit, we encourage everyone to bring a sprig
to cast onto the fire, and also to wear fine,
colorful headgear to the event, which will
conclude with the singing of carols and, of
course, a cup of hot wassail! Derived from
the Anglo-Saxon “waes hael,” which meant
“Be in Health” or “Here’s to You,” wassail
helps us to emphasize the spirit of health
and friendship. For additional information, please call
(423) 288-6071. Admission is free, and the
general public is cordially invited. For additional upcoming events, please visit historicsullivan.com.
MPCC to host outing to
Lady Volunteer basketball game
Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St., will host an outing for all ages to a Lady
Volunteer basketball game on Dec. 6. The Senior Services bus will leave from MPCC at 11
a.m. The game starts at 2 p.m.
The Lady Volunteer basketball team will be playing Virginia Tech at Thompson-Boling
Arena at 2 p.m. Pre-registration and payment is required by Nov. 30 at the Senior Services
desk. Cost is $30 per person, which includes game ticket and transportation. For more
information, please call (423)434-6237.
Range Bag Basics
It never fails, there’s always
that one person at the range who
has the most ridiculous range
bag, they have everything but the
kitchen sink in there and it has to
weigh fifty pounds. This is likely
the result of a novice or beginner
shooter who fell prey to a savvy
sales clerk at the sporting goods
store. You can almost always
pick out an experienced shooter
by their range bag. Don’t worry,
even if you’re a beginner this article should give you all the info
you need to fool everyone into
thinking you’ve been shooting for
years.
The first thing to consider is the
bag itself, this comes down to preference. Do you like a duffle style
bag or a backpack? Once you’ve
figured that out don’t pick the
biggest one they have, likewise
don’t pick the smallest one either,
typically a medium size bag works
best. Range bags are constantly
being tossed around and beat up
so quality is very important. It is
better to spend a little more for a
rugged bag that will last for years
instead of buying a new cheap bag
every year.
The second thing to consider If you’re shooting at an outdoor
is where you will be shooting. range in August it might be pru-
dent to have a couple bottles of
water and some snacks. Nothing
makes you hungry and thirsty like
shooting. If you’re shooting in the
cold some warm clothes, gloves
etc. can be imperative.
You should have everything
you need to clean your gun in
your range bag, this includes a
cleaning kit, gun oil, cleaning mat,
bore snakes, terry towels, etc. You
never know when you’ll need to
field clean your gun, especially if
you’re shooting all day it is recommended that you clean your gun
every 250 rounds or so. Cleaning
rods may also be necessary to clear
squib-loads. It is also recommended that you have basic gunsmithing tools such as screwdrivers, and
punches as these might be necessary to fix a weapons malfunction.
If you train with dummy ammunition you should keep these
in your range bag too. Especially if
you’re practicing presentation and
troubleshooting weapons stop-
pages as these can be extremely
dangerous with live ammunition.
Dummy ammo can also be used
to teach kids proper handling, and
loading on the range.
Ammunition and magazines
should be transported to the range
in a range bag as it provides privacy and ease. However they should
not be stored long term as moister
can compromise the ammunition.
Lastly every range bag should
include safety equipment including hearing protection, eye protection. If you are shooting on private
land you should have a small trauma kit in your range bag in case of
accidental shooting. If you are at
a range there should be a trauma
kit on site, but just to make sure
keep your kit in your range bag
at all times. As always I hope you
enjoyed this article if you have any
questions or concerns please feel
free to email me, I look forward to
your feedback.
Making Your List and
Checking it Twice
With only twenty-odd days left
to do your Christmas shopping
this year, I hope the following
gift list will be helpful. Although
I don’t expect any of these items
to appear under my non-existent
tree, I believe each one offers an interesting peek into the state of our
culture.—something that Christmas gifts have done for quite some
time. In fact, an examination of
Christmas gifts can speak volumes
about our history, and a whole
course could be built on gift lists.
If you are interested in pursuing
this topic, I recommend you read
Zac Bissonnette’s fascinating new
book, THE GREAT BEANIE BABY
BUBBLE: MASS DELUSION AND
THE DARK SIDE OF CUTE (2015).
What I find most interesting
is that each of the following gifts
connects us to gifts from Christmases past, while at the same time
pointing to what the future may
hold (moving target as it is). Take
the current fascination with vinyl
records for instance. If you have
visited one of our local bookstores
lately, you have no doubt noticed
that a sizable chunk of their floorspace has been given over to displays of LPs and turntables. Why
all this obsession with vinyl? Not
being a fan of vinyl (either “back
in the day” or now), I can only
surmise that it has to do with pure
nostalgia and a certain negative
reaction to all the new technology
that is being thrown at us on a daily (and even hourly) basis. I have
no doubt that most people who
purchase vinyl and turntables
also listen to digital music on their
smartphones. We can definitely
have our cake while eating it in
2015. So, the first item on our list is
vinyl albums, which are probably
purchased most often by consumers who were not alive when CDs
supposedly replaced vinyl back in
the early 1980s.
Our world changed forever
when photography was invented
in the 1820s, and we now live in
a totally video immersive world
while being largely unaware of
how things got to be that way.
Two items on our list—the Go Pro
Hero 4 camera, which allows us to
record every moment of our lives,
and the very retro-yet-totallymodern Polaroid Socialmatic Instant Digital Camera, which unites
nostalgia and modernity in one
neat little gadget—illustrate how
we continue to be shaped by visual culture in all of its forms. Like
the new turntables that are being
marketed, the Polaroid camera is
probably being purchased by people who have never held an original instant camera in their hands.
For a thought-provoking discussion of this phenomenon, I recommend your reading Gary Cross’
new book CONSUMED NOSTALGIA: MEMORY IN THE AGE OF
FAST CAPITALISM (2015).
I grew up in the age of skateboards, and now I can continue
to enjoy this unique form of mobility by purchasing one of many
new powered (and rechargeable)
scooters on the market. One that
has caught my eye is the Footwelt Mini Self-Balancing 2-Wheel
Scooter With LED Light ($365.00).
Also referred to as Monocycles,
these new state-of-the-art scooters will get you where you want
to go, provided you have enough
electrical charge left. Can’t wait to
try one out.
I already own an Apple TV, but
of course want to upgrade to the
new and improved Apple TV with
Siri ($149 or $199, depending on
how much internal memory you
want). This gadget joins many
other similar devices in redefining
what a TV is. About three years
ago, my wife and I ditched our
cable box and joined the streaming
revolution (if you can call it that),
and we currently use the previous,
and now hopelessly outdated version of Apple TV. What these devices represent is a new mindset
that no longer is chained to broadcast schedules. Today, TV means
total freedom to watch what we
want whenever we want, and
Apple TV with Siri earns its place
under our tree. Welcome to the age
wish her command. Intriguing,
isn’t it?
Next up is another Internet
of Things gadget, the Mr. Coffee Smart Wi-Fi Enabled Coffee
Maker ($149.00), which takes its
cues from a smartphone App
called WeMo. Now we can enjoy
a perfectly brewed cup of coffee
ordered from our iPhone from any
location and at any time. This neat
little item joins new IoT innovations like smart egg cartons, which
tell us when our eggs aren’t fresh,
smart thermostats, and Wi-Fi enabled door locks. A virtual cornucopia of modern and gift-worthy
gadgetry.
If you are looking for that perfect gift for the drone lover on
your list, look no farther than the
DJ1 Phantom 3 Professional 4K
Quadcopter Drone With Video
Camera. For a mere $1,235.00,
and approval from the FAA, you
can treat that special person to a
drone of his or her own. Drones
are apparently here to stay, and we
should be prepared for their ubiquitous presence in the very near
future, along with long-promised
driverless cars. We indeed do live
in interesting times.
Needless to say, you will want
to stuff a few stockings with a
set of Tile Bluetooth Key Finders
($70.00 for a set of four). These little square tiles attach to an object
of your choice, and if this object is
misplaced you can send a signal
from your smartphone that causes
the missing object to beep or be
located via GPS. Just hope your
smartphone isn’t the gadget that
is missing.
If you are interested in gathering even more gift suggestions,
please explore one of my favorite
sites, The Grommet (thegrommet.
com), which is filled with innovative products designed by various
of voice-activated TV.
Speaking of voice-activated in- start-ups. One of my favorites is
novations, what home can claim Heather Jernegan’s Nautical Coto be complete without the new ordinate Pillows and Totes, which
Amazon Echo ($180.00), a harbin- gives you the opportunity to have
ger of things to come, and a perfect a custom pillow or tote embroiexample of what is meant by the dered with a map of your choice—
Internet of Things (IoT)? This neat which can be anything from your
little cylindrical device is poised to street address to entire continents
be the centerpiece of a new smart (with prices ranging from $85.00
home filled with IoT gadgets. We to $150.00).
I hope I have stimulated your
no longer need to push keys and
buttons to access information and imagination and caused you to
music—all we need to do is speak think a little more deeply about
our commands. Echo puts us back how our gifts reflect our cultural
to the world of the Genie, and Al- concerns.
See you next week with more
exa (Amazon’s version of Siri) is
our new Genie, making our every seasonal reflections.

Miracle on 34th Street opens December 3rd in

Transcription

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