The Loafer, Dec. 26, 2012

Page 2, The Loafer • December 26, 2012

www.theloaferonline.com December 26, 2012 • The Loafer, Page 3

Volume 27

Issue #3

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!When Harry Met Sally/

“When Harry Met Sally” (1989) is one of the best romantic com‐edies of all time. It is a sweet, embraceable comedy, a moonstruck Manhattan romance that, like a Gershwin tune, turns the sighs and glances, the spats and reconciliations, all the cliches of the heart into infectious melody. It’s a movie that walks on air. [Washington Post.]

. ..And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it’s not because I’m lonely, and it’s not because it’s New Year’s Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” (Billy Crystal] Cast: Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher and Billy Crystal.

“The Poseidon Adventure”

“The Poseidon Adventure” (1972) takes place on New Year’s Eve. Instead of celebrating the coming of a new year, the ship’s passengers face tragedy. It is indeed a memorable story and !"#$%&''()%'*$+!',"-'.'/0%1$.+'Effects Oscar and the tune “The Morning After” nabbed the Best /"-2'.,.34&'()%'*$+!',.5'.+5"'

nominated for Best Supporting Actress (Winters), Best Cinema‐tography, Best Art Direction, Best Sound, Best Score, Best Film Editing and Best Costume Design. Cast: Shelley Winters, Ernest Borgnine, Roddy McDow‐ell and Gene Hackman.

Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks in an Oscar‐winning performance) discusses his relative level of intelligence with a stranger while waiting for a bus. Despite his sub‐normal IQ, Gump leads a truly charmed life, with a ringside seat for many of the most memorable events of the second half of the 20th century. Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise.

“I’m sorry I ruined your New Year’s Eve party, Lieutenant Dan. She tastes like cigarettes. !"#$%&&"'(%$)%*+*)",+*"-(#$.%/"there’s some things you can’t change. He didn’t want to be called crippled just, like I didn’t want to be called stupid.” [Forrest Gump] !Happy New Year, Gump.”[Lt. Dan Taylor]

Trading Places =1983B

The best New Year’s Eve comedy scene, involves Paul Gleason, a train, an assault, a gorilla, and a man in a gorilla costume. It’s funny, but it also wants to tell us something about human nature and there are whole stretches when we forget it’s a comedy and get involved in the story. Cast: Eddie Murphy, Dan Aykroyd and Ralph Bellamy.

An interesting attempt at a not traditionally funny subject matter, Trading Places is fondly remembered as a bythenumbers 1980s comedy that is dragged above mediocrity by it’s excellent cast. Not quite the warming, sen)(0%*)+1"23.(&)0+&")3%0%/"-(10"that it could’ve been, but fun with some standout performances. Trading Places is still a lot of fun. [That Film Guy]

About a Boy

About A Boy is the story of a cynical, immature young man who is taught how to act like a grown‐up by a little boy. Hugh Grant and Rachel Weisz’s 1).3.16%35'*$356'13"55'0.6)5'.6'a New Year’s Eve party and the scene happens to be integral and well done – it more than makes the cut...“ My life is made up of units of time. Buying CDs two units. Eating lunch three units. Exercising two units. All in all, I had a very full life. It’s just that it didn’t mean anything.” [Will] !Bridget JonesEs Diary/“It all began on New Years day, in my 32nd year of being single. Once again I found myself on my own and going to my mother’s annual turkey curry buffet. Every 4%+."&3%").(%&")5"-(6"0%"$7"8()3"some bushyhaired, middleaged bore, and I feared this year would be no exception. “ [Bridget}. Bridget is frustrated: she is in her early thirties, still single, very accident prone and worried about her weight. She works in publicity at a book publishing company in London where her main focus is fantasizing about her boss, At a New Year party hosted by her parents, she re‐meets Mark Darcy the barrister

son of her parents’ friends. After their initial encounter, Mark thinks that Bridget is a fool and Bridget thinks that he is arro‐gant and rude, and is disgusted by his jumper with a huge 3%$-4%%3&7889'*$+!&':.56;':"+$-'Firth, Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant.

!The &odfather, Part //0

“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” [Michael Corleone] Cast: Robert De Niro, Jon Bon Jovi, James Belushi and Michelle Pfeiffer. One of the greatest sequels ever made, New Year’s Eve, features quite a memorable, important NYE party, which ultimately begat the line “I know it was you, Fredo;

Happy New Year from the Loafer Magazine!The Best of the Best Lists of New Year’s Movies!

For our readers who choose to stay home with family or friends, The Loafer combined several of the best New Year’s movies. We hope you enjoy them.

Continued on page 5


you broke my heart.” [Michael Corleone] After all, the New Year’s Eve party scene portrayed $-'6)%'*$+!',.5'.'1+.55$1&'<6').4'cheers, champagne toasts and a chilling kiss of death among family members.

Repeat Performance Just before midnight on New Year’s Eve, 1946, Broadway actress Sheila Page shoots her husband Barney and then rushes to see her friend, William Williams. After a distressed Sheila confesses her deed to William, he suggests they talk to John Friday, Sheila’s producer. As Sheila and William walk up to John’s apartment, Sheila wishes that she could relive the past year, insisting that if she had it to do over, she would not make the same mistakes twice. Upon reaching John’s door, Sheila notices that William has disappeared and then gradually realizes that it is now New Year’s Day, 1946.

Boogie Nights (1997) New Year’s Eve isn’t always cause for celebration. For William H. Macy’s Little Bill, it’s a time to kill – in this case, his wife and her boyfriend, then himself. It’s one of many memorable, if slightly disturbing, scenes in Paul Thomas Anderson’s breakout drama. “An epic story of selfdelusion with a skill and grace that many more experienced -(100+9%.&"85$1/":%"3+./"7$)")5"match.” TV Guide’s Movie Guide. Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore and Burt Reynold.

Strange Days Set in Los Angeles two days before the end of 1999, Strange Days introduces us to Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes), an ex‐cop turned sleazy hustler who hawks the newest underground thrill on the black market: a “squid,” a headpiece that allows one to transmit digital recordings of other people’s thoughts, feelings, and memories into their brain; as Lenny describes it, “this is real life, pure and uncut, straight from the cerebral cortex.” [rottentomatoes]

!""#$%&'()*)+ ()%'*$+!'="++",5'#.3$">5'0+"6'arcs occurring on New Year’s Eve 1981. Monica is throwing a big New Year’s bash and is desperately afraid no one will .66%-4&'()%'*$+!'="++",5'5%#%3.+'characters as they spend New Year’s Eve in New York City before showing up at Monica’s 0.36?'6"'*$-4')%3'0.55%4'">6'after drowning her sorrows in alcohol. :.56;'@%-'A=*+%1BC':.5%?'A=*+%1B'.-4'D.#%':).00%++%&

New YearEs EveThis romantic comedy is directed by Garry Marshall depicts a series of vignettes during New Year’s Eve in New York city. This movie follows several people and how the day affects them. Kim is a single mother who still thinks of her daughter, Hailey as a child who wants to go out with a boy so that she could kiss him at midnight. Claire is in charge of the city’s annual tradition, the ball drop on Times Square. Laura, a chef who is cooking the New year’s Eve party for a record company who runs into Jensen, her ex who’s a singer whose performing at the party. Ingrid, a woman who works at the record company, after having a near death experience decides to quit her job and asks a young messenger, Paul to help )%3'=>+*$++')%3'3%5"+>6$"-5&'A-4'.6'.')"50$6.+C'/6.-C'$5'$-'6)%'*$-.+'stages of cancer. [IMDb]

Sources: Hollywood.com, movies.amctv.com, imdb.com, Roger EF%36C'*$+!'13$6$1&1"!C'G$B$0%4$.C'rottentomatoes.com

Continued from page 4


Public Art Kingsport and Engage Kingsport requests H>.+$*$1.6$"-5' =3"!' .36$565' "3'artist teams for the design and or fabrication of art for the Aquatic Center. Potential projects for the Aquatic Center include natatorium railing dividing pool areas, wall art, and outdoor sculpture.

Eligibility: This RFQ is open to all

professional artists/artist teams and architects over the age of 18 who currently reside in the United States.

Application Deadline: Applications must be postmarked or received electronically by January 17, 2013, 4:00 PM EST. No exceptions.

Submission Requirements:Digital Images: 5 digital im‐ages of previously completed artwork. Limit 10 MB per im‐age, JPEG only.Resume or CV: Current pro‐fessional resume or curricu‐lum vitae (CV) including art‐ist address, email, and phone number. Teams must submit one resume/CV with all team members included. Please specify each team member’s role.Statement(s) of Intent: Maxi‐mum 300 words. Address how the applicant’s previous ex‐

perience and current artistic direction will result in a suc‐cessful permanent public art 03"I%16&'/0%1$*$1'03"0"5.+5'.3%'not requested at this stage in the process and will not be ac‐cepted.

The indoor/outdoor water park will be a 46,400 square foot facility located off of Wilcox Drive across from Meadow View Conference Resort and Convention Center. The Aquatic Center will feature an Olympic sized 50 meter pool, a 25 yard warm pool with zero entry ramp, and an indoor recreational pool with water slide. Outside features will include two pools surrounded by a Lazy River; a kiddie pool and a large leisure pool with two water slides. Current plans also include outdoor sand volleyball courts, party rooms to rent for special gatherings, meeting rooms, shower facilities, restrooms, and a locker room.

Project Details: Public Art Kingsport is seeking artist or artist teams to work with Public Art Kingsport and the Aquatic Center in the design, fabrication, and installation of art inside and outside the Aquatic Center facility. All art should have an aquatic theme and be compatible with the themes of community, *$6-%55'.-4'-.6>3.+'F%.>6?&'

The full RFQ and resources can be found at: “Call to Artists” at www.PublicArt.KingsportTN.gov

Call to Artists: Aquatic Center Art


Are you ready to celebrate the New Year? The countdown to 2013 is drawing near. LampLight Theatre, Fall Branch, will host its 8th annual New Years Eve Gala this Dec. 31. This special evening is geared toward couples and singles. This =>-J*$++%4'%#%-6',$++'2$#%'6)%'"00"36>-$6?'6"'3%*+%16'"-'6)%'0.56'.-4'>5)%3'$-'6)%'-%,&''Celebrate the New Year with incredible food, live musical entertainment, games, and comedy!Enjoy an alcohol‐free event, beginning

with a buffet of exquisite, catered desserts, hors d’oeuvres, coffees and teas by BJ’s Catering. Our “Year in Revue” will feature musical numbers from past Lamplight productions of 2012. The evening will be hosted by our favorite

comedians and will feature talented musicians and singers. Our DJ will play some of your favorites as we dance a little and laugh a lot. You can also expect some crazy games with audience participation with prizes to be given away. The evening will end with worship

music by “Tattered Saints” and an inspirational challenge by speaker/evangelist Billy Wayne. A prayer/toast will be given at midnight. The gala will begin at 9:00 p.m. and end just after midnight. Admission for this gala event is $25.00 per person. This includes buffet, entertainment and party favors. Reservations are required. To make reservations, call (423) 348‐

7610 or visit www.lamplighttheatre.com

LampLight Theatre’s 8th Annual New Year’s Eve Gala


Ring in the New Year to the sound of big band music at Rose Center. The Al Curtis Orchestra, led by Russell Ramsay, will perform popular dance music from the big bands of the 40’s and beyond at Rose Center on December 31 from 9:30 PM until 12:30 AM on January 1, 2013! Admission to the event is $35 per person. Tickets are available from Rose Center board members or at Rose Center through December 22; they may also be purchased at the door.Make your New Year’s Eve celebration

special by attending this singular evening of live music, hors d’oeurves and snacks, holiday favors and a midnight champagne toast. Adult beverages will be available; you may also bring your own preferred refreshment. The Al Curtis Orchestra was formed

in the early 1960’s. They performed for monthly dances at the former Hyatt

Regency in Knoxville for over 20 years. They also played for private and public functions throughout the southeast. Saxophonist Russell Ramsay, a 30‐year veteran of the group, assumed the band’s leadership after Curtis passed away in 2004. Ramsay is truly bringing a “big band” with twelve musicians scheduled to be on stage.Dance the night away to the music that

dancers request: waltzes, rumbas, tangos, the cha‐cha, and big band swing. If you’re not a dancer, then sit back and enjoy the show. This is a unique opportunity to enjoy this great music played live by a talented group of musicians using the traditional big band instrumentation of saxes, trumpets, trombones and rhythm section. Rose Center is located at 442 W. Second North Street in Morristown. For more information call 423‐581‐4330 or visit www.RoseCenter.org.

New Year’s Eve Celebration at

Rose Center


Sixty teams comprised of the Nation’s Best Dancers and Cheerleaders attended the competition. Approximately 2500 were competing in Gatlinburg for the National Titles. K.$5+%?'K.$3'=3"!'L")-5"-':$6?'6""B'*$356'0+.1%'$-'the Tiny Hip Hop Division, Elizabeth Carey from Kingsport won second place in the Youth Hip Hop Division, Jessi Faron and Sydni Bowen ( both =3"!'M$-250"36N'1.06>3%4'*$356'0+.1%'$-'6)%'L>-$"3'Hip Hop Duo Division and Alexis Rosenbalm (Blountville), McKenzie Peavler (Kingsport), and Elizabeth Carey (Kingsport) won Second Place in the Junior Trio Division. The dance team is coached by Marcus

Messamore and Fahren Neff . The Elite Starz Cheer (%.!',"-'*$356'0+.1%'.-4'O3.-4%':).!0$"-5'="3'the Junior Prep Division. The winning team from Johnson City includes Tatiyana Fontenot,Alyssa Clemmons, Brooke Hayes Paisley Pair, Alexis M$3BC':)+"%'P"++$*$%+4C'@3$.--.'P$22$-5CQ.M%-R?%'Stoots, Alanna Kirk, Athena Bradlely, and Stephenee Stoots. In addition, Paisley Pair was chosen to compete from all the teams for Best Toe

Touch, and Tatiyana Fontenot won Athlete of the Month. This Cheer Team is coached by Michelle Blevins Dempsey.

Elite Starz Dance Team & Elite Starz Cheer Team Win at America’s Best Dance and

Cheer Championships

Left to rightBack row:

Alanna Kirk, Stephenee Stoots, Alexis Kirk, Tatiyana Fontenot, MaKenzye Stoots

Center row:2315%";511(-(%1/<"=14&&+"

Clemons, Athena BradleyFront row:

Brooke Hayes, Paisley Pair, Brianna Higgins

Left to rightBack row standing:Jessi Faron,Paisley Pair, Sydni BowenSitting: Alexis Rosenbalm, McKenzie Peavler Front split: Elizabeth Carey


The Depot Artists Association’s People’s Choice Award is presented each year to the artist whose receives the most votes 4>3$-2' 6)%' *$356' 6)3%%' ,%%B5' "='the annual Holiday Members exhibit. This year more than 500 guests visited the gallery during this period of time and all were encouraged to vote for their favorite piece. The Arts Depot is delighted

to announce that Sharon Goodpasture is the recipient of this year’s award. Her winning artwork is a watercolor entitled “Geese in Snow.” Sharon is a retired registered

nurse from the Virginia Dept. of Health who picked up painting at the age of 62 while accompanying her husband "-' 5%#%3.+' *+?' *$5)$-2' 63$05&' /)%'

decided that she “wanted to 0.$-6'!"3%' 6).-' *+?' *$5)S'5"T'5)%'purchased a few art supplies from Abingdon’s beloved Landon Woody who, at the time, owned “Woody’s Goodies” selling art supplies. “Woody”, now deceased, founded, and for many years led the Wednesday Morning Painters group at the Arts Depot. He invited Sharon to attend and assured her that the ”no pressure” atmosphere would encourage her and allow her meet other artists in the community.” Sharon said “it was all true.” Most Wednesdays ?">' ,$++' *$-4' )%3' .6' 6)%' A365'Depot continuing to develop her painting skills and supporting the other participants. Sharon and her husband enjoy travel and the outdoors. She loves to

“view wildlife in it’s natural environment” which is apparent in many of her paintings. When told that she was this year’s winner Sharon said, “ I was blown away that anyone would like my painting enough to vote for it….I am overwhelmed, because we have so many talented artists that I consider it a privilege to be among them.” Sharon’s piece will be on

display along with more than 100 other original works of art created by the talented members of the Depot Artists Association through Saturday, December 29th 2012. The Depot Artists Association

$5' .' -"-J03"*$6' #"+>-6%%3'organization that operates the Arts Depot and is dedicated to promoting the arts in the

community and features the region’s artists. The Arts Depot is located in the historic Depot Square area of downtown Abingdon, VA. The gallery and artists studios are open Thursday thru Saturday, April through December 10‐4 pm, January through March 11‐3, until 9

0!' "-' 6)%' *$356' ()>354.?' "='each month or by appointment. There is no admission charge. For further information, please contact the Arts Depot at (276) 628‐9091, or e‐mail at [email protected], or www.abingdonartsdepot.org.

“Arts Depot People’s Choice Award” Announced


WEDNESDAYS

()%'*$356'%U)$F$6'"='6)%'V%,'Year in the Bristol Public Library’s Virgie R. Fleenor Art Gallery will feature the Twin City Photo Club (TCPC) of Bristol, VA. In 2007, Mark Marquette and Jackie Dennison founded TCPC with presently about 30 members that share a love for photography. Members vary in expertise and backgrounds; some use point‐and‐shoot cameras while others have more professional DSLR cameras with a lot of equipment. In 2008, TCPC hosted

6)%$3' *$356' @3$56"+' W)?6)!' X'Roots Reunion Photography Competition with 88 entries. The number continues to grow each year with 224 entries this year. The club does several events with the community each year such as Believe in Bristol Pumpkin Palooza and Christmas Open House. For more information on TCPC, you can visit their website at www.twincityphotoclub.com.TCPC’s exhibit will be

on display in the Virgie

R. Fleenor Art Gallery January 3rd – February 27th. The library is open Monday‐ Thursday 9 a.m.‐8 p.m., Friday‐ Saturday 9 a.m.‐5 p.m. and Sundays 2 p.m.‐5 p.m. For questions about the library or any of its programs, call (276) 645‐8780 or visit www.bristol‐library.org.

Virgie R. Fleenor Art GalleryTwin City Photo Club Exhibit


The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail (TCR) music series at Heartwood in Abingdon

showcases communities of the region through their traditional music venues and their youth music.At 7:00 pm on Thursday,

December 27th, the Lays Hardware Jam from Coeburn in Wise County will be the featured Venue Showcase at Heartwood. “Lays Hardware is the cultural center of Coeburn, and their Thursday night Jam is popular for locals and visitors from great distances including other countries” says Jack Hinshelwood, executive director of The Crooked Road. “Coeburn has a very rich music tradition including being the home town of bluegrass pioneers Jim and Jesse McReynolds. It’s great that that tradition still thrives at Lays Hardware and visitors enjoy seeing the backdrop of the stage which looks just like L$!' X' L%55%Y5' !"6)%3Y5' =3"-6'porch.”The Lays Hardware Jam is

held every Thursday night from 6:30‐10:30 pm in Coeburn, Virginia, and features a great variety of music, including gospel, bluegrass, old time, and even some pop material done Lays style. Dinks, popcorn,

candy and other items are available for purchase in The Crooked Road café at Lays.The purpose of the

Venue Showcases at Heartwood is to make more people aware of the many wonderful music venues of the region so they can go visit them. A complete schedule for the music series is available on The Crooked Road website at www.thecrookedroad.org. The Crooked Road supports tourism and economic development in Southwest Virginia by celebrating and preserving this Appalachian region’s

unique musical and cultural heritage. Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan

Gateway is located off I‐81 at Exit 14 in Abingdon, Virginia and features food, music and craft of Southwest Virginia. Admission is free but donations will be accepted for the series performances. For more information call (276) 492‐2409 or email: [email protected].

The Crooked Road Music

Series at Heartwood to Feature

Lays Hardware Jam


The Crooked Road Music

Series at Heartwood to Feature

Lays Hardware Jam

Gray Library.''()>35&C'L.-&'Z'X'L.-&'98C'Connecting Your e‐Reader to R.E.A.D.S. will be taught 2:00‐3:00 p.m. Learn how to access 6)%'(%--%55%%'%@""B'X'A>4$"F""B'D",-+".4'System (R.E.A.D.S.) using your e‐Reader or other electronic device. You must have a valid library card from a Tennessee public library and your e‐Reader must be fully charged and registered. Registration is required for this class in person at the Gray Library or by calling 423‐477‐1550. Each class is limited to 6 participants.Gray Library. Tues., Jan. 8, Beginning Internet X'EJ!.$+',$++'F%'6.>2)6'7;88JZ;88'0&!&''[%.3-'how to set up an e‐mail address and basic e‐mail usage as well as basic searching of the Internet. Registration is required for this class in person at the Gray Library or by calling 423‐477‐1550. You will need to be comfortable using a computer keyboard and a mouse in order to register for this class. The class is limited to 6 participants.Jonesborough Library. Thurs., Jan. 17, @%2$--$-2'<-6%3-%6'X'EJ!.$+',$++'F%'6.>2)6'7;88J3:00 p.m. Learn how to set up an e‐mail address and basic e‐mail usage as well as basic searching

of the Internet. Registration is required for this class in person at the Jonesborough Library or by calling 423‐753‐1800. You will need to be comfortable using a computer keyboard and a mouse in order to register for this class. The class is limited to 6 participants.Gray Library. Tues., Jan. 22, Computer Basics will be taught 2:00‐3:00 p.m. Learn how to use the computer keyboard and mouse. Registration is required for this class in person at the Gray Library or by calling 423‐477‐1550. No prerequisite is required. The class is limited to 6 participants. Jonesborough Library. Thurs., Jan. 31, Connecting Your e‐Reader to R.E.A.D.S. will be taught 2:00‐3:00 p.m. Learn how to access 6)%'(%--%55%%'%@""B'X'A>4$"F""B'D",-+".4'System (R.E.A.D.S.) using your e‐Reader or other electronic device. You must have a valid library card from a Tennessee public library and your e‐Reader must be fully charged and registered. Registration is required for this class in person at the Jonesborough Library or by calling 423‐753‐1800. Each class is limited to 6 participants.

January Classes at the Washington County Public Library

Home School PE; $3 per class or $5 per week; under way now. Tuesday and Thursday, 1‐2 p.m., ages 6‐18. Home‐schooled youth are invited to participate in doge ball, basketball, and other fun activities.Dustin Mohr Boot Camp; $50 per month; begins Jan. 2. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8‐9 a.m. or 6:30‐7:30 p.m., ages 18 and older. Boot Camp will offer an intense workout and calorie‐burning activities with a mix of strength .-4'*+%U$F$+$6?'63.$-$-2'.-4'!>51>+.3'%-4>3.-1%&'Participants will get a total‐body, fat‐burning workout.Teen Strength and Conditioning; $3 per class;

begins Jan. 3. Tuesday and Thursday, 3‐4 p.m., ages 13‐18. This class is for teens interested in learning how to build muscle and strength. All *$6-%55'+%#%+5'.3%',%+1"!%&Get Fit; $25 per month or $3 per class; begins Jan. 3. Tuesday and Thursday, 5:30‐6:30 p.m., ages 18 and older. Get Fit is a fun aerobics class guaranteed to get participants moving. All *$6-%55'+%#%+5'.3%',%+1"!%&Sewing Class; $95 for six‐week class; begins Jan. 8. Tuesday, 9:30‐11:30 a.m., all ages. This six‐week course will cover basic sewing machine operations and guide sheet terminology. Students will complete a simple garment.

Memorial Park Community Center Upcoming Programs

Applications Being Accepted for First Jenrette Vocal Scholarships at ETSU

Applications are available for the inaugural Dr. Thomas Jenrette Vocal Scholarship Competition at East Tennessee State University. The 1"!0%6$6$"-'$5'"0%-'6"'.++'*$356J?%.3'#"$1%'!.I"35'in either music performance or music education, and recipients must enroll for four consecutive ?%.35&''()%'*$356J0+.1%'.,.34'$5'\9]C888'0%3'?%.3C'or a total of $60,000, and the second‐place award is $5,000 per year, $20,000 total.The scholarship was established earlier this year by longtime ETSU Department of Music supporters James and Sandy Powell in honor of Jenrette upon his retirement. Jenrette, professor emeritus of Music, served as director of choral activities in the Department of Music for 33 years. During his tenure, his students toured such countries as Austria, Hungary, France,

Germany, Italy, England, Venezuela, Costa Rica and the former Yugoslavia. In addition, they performed for the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses Association, American Choral Directors Association, Tennessee Music Educators Association, and Music Educators National Conference, and they appeared twice in the White House during the terms of presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. The deadline for application is Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013. Auditions are scheduled for Jan. 26‐27. The application form, with information on 50%1$*$1' 3%H>$3%!%-65C' $5' .#.$+.F+%' .6',,,&%65>&edu/music under “Admission and Scholarships.” For more information, call the ETSU Department of Music at (423) 439‐4270.


Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area

January 1, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. Sycamore Shoals State Park. Meetup at Carter Mansion Visitor Center Join us for an enjoyable afternoon tour of the Carter Mansion. Visit this elegant frontier home, festively decorated for the holidays, and learn about the seasonal traditions of the 18th Century. Dress appropriately for the weather as we will be taking a casual stroll from the Visitor Center to the Carter Mansion. Tour will begin at 2:00 by reservation only. Light refreshments will be provided. For more information call 423‐543‐5808 orwww.sycamoreshoalstn.org. For cancellation information call 423‐543‐6140.

The John and Landon Carter Mansion Elizabethton, Tennessee

First Hikes Mark Arrival of the New Year. Harkening back to the long-standing Gaelic tradition of !First Footing/ as an outdoor beginning to meet the New Year, Tennessee State Parks will be kicking off 2013 with a series of “First Hikes” at each park. Every Tennessee State Park will host its own spe‐cial hike on December 31, Janu‐ary 1 or January 2 to welcome the New Year.

At Sycamore Shoals State His‐toric Area, our First Hike will take place on January 1, 2013 at 2 pm Eastern time!

The John and Landon Carter Mansion will be the place of our hike, offering an afternoon tour of the oldest frame house in the State of Tennessee, noted for it’s elaborate architecture and historic beauty. We home you will visit this elegant frontier home, festively decorated for the holidays and learn about the

seasonal traditions of the 18th Century.

Dress appropriately for the weather as we will be taking a casual stroll from the Visitors Center to the Mansion. Light

refreshments will be provided. The 2 pm tour is by RESERVA‐TION ONLY. Please call Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area at 423-543-5808 to reserve a place on this tour.

The Carter Mansion located at 1031 Broad Street in Elizabethton,Tennessee.

Continued on page 15

Tennessee State Park’s First Hikes


Christmas isn’t over yet! European migrants brought Old World holiday traditions to America, from the Dutch Sinterklaas, German Tannenbaum, and Scots‐Irish Lighted Windows, to the Twelve Days of Christmas and “Old Christmas” celebrated on January 6th. In Colonial America, Christmas was celebrated

as a twelve day holiday with many traditions and customs. Does The Twelve Days of Christmas sound familiar? These twelve days of feasting, and merrymaking ended on January 6th or “Twelfth Night” with a grand celebration.On Saturday, January 5th from 10am‐

4pm and Sunday, January 6th from 10am‐3pm, the Washington County Militia will hold their monthly Militia Muster and Old Christmas Celebration. As you walk through the gates of Fort Watauga you will travel back in time to an 18th century ^+4' :)3$56!.5' _L"++$*$1.6$"-S&' E.1)' 1.F$-'in the fort will be the setting of Christmas traditions as celebrated by the settlers of different cultures on the colonial frontier. Witness such customs as English Christmas Guns, the Irish Holly Wreath, the German Tannenbaum, and the Dutch Sinterklass. And see how our Christmas practices

of today are steeped in these old world traditions! Get the most out of the Holiday Season and visit Sycamore Shoals State Historic Site for a fun, entertaining, and educational family outing. Arrive 3%.4?' 6"' F%' *$++%4' ,$6)' 6)%' 50$3$6' "=' :)3$56!.5&'Visit with the Washington County Militia and Discover the Early Roots of our modern Holiday Celebrations.Activities throughout the weekend include…

Open Hearth Cooking – Daily Frontier Life, Flintlock W$*+%'X'Q>5B%6'`$3$-2'a'^+4':)3$56!.5'(3.4$6$"-5&

Old Christmas CelebrationJanuary 5th & 6th



The Johnson City Area Arts Council will feature an exhibit "=' *$-%' .36' F?' !%!F%35' "=' 6)%'Watauga Valley Art League from January 24th through February 19th, 2013. The exhibit, “Art from the Valley” will combine a wide variety of art media and painting styles into one beautiful demonstration of the 6.+%-65&' b$%,%35',$++' *$-4',"3B5'in acrylic, watercolor, oil and pastel painting media. They will .+5"'*$-4'4$#%35%'.-4'$-6%3%56$-2'images, from landscapes to *+"3.+5'6"'.-$!.+'0"363.$65&'G)$+%'most of the paintings follow the representational style, some artists venture into the realm of abstract and decorative works. The exhibit will be featured at

the JC Area Arts Council gallery located in downtown Johnson City in the King’s Centre, 300 East Main Street, Suite 102. All are invited to the artists opening reception during “First Friday”

on February 1st from 6‐8 p.m. In addition, “Art from the Valley” will be open to the public during regular business hours Monday‐Friday, 9 a.m. ‐ 4 p.m. The Watauga Valley Art League

(WVAL) is composed of 100+ members in the six northeastern

counties of Tennessee. Its mission is to encourage artists, especially the “budding artist,” and promote 0>F+$1'$-6%3%56'$-'*$-%'.36'6)3">2)'education, networking and fellowship among its artists. WVAL membership consists of art teachers, professionals, hobbyists, amateurs and some who just love art. The Watauga Valley Art

League was formed by a small group of northeast Tennessee artists in the fall of 1969. The *$356' !%%6$-2' "11>33%4' "-' 6)%'campus of Milligan College on November 13, 1970. In 1972, the [%.2>%')%+4' $65' *$356'!%!F%3'.36'show. Today the League sponsors four to six art shows each year and holds monthly meetings to carry out its mission through informational programs and demonstrations. The League also maintains a free video Art Library and participates in community service art projects. Membership in the League is open to anyone at least 18 years old.WVAL meets on the third

Saturday of the month at the Memorial Park Community Center. Visitors are welcome to attend. For more information about the League, please visit the web site www.watauga‐valley‐artists.com or call 423‐743‐7799.

Johnson City Area Arts Council Presents

“Art from the Valley”

“The Vol Flyer” Watercolor by Linda Campbell, Johnson City

“1959 Corvette” Acrylic airbrush by David Kramer, Elizabethton


“1959 Corvette” Acrylic airbrush by David Kramer, Elizabethton

Art Studio Schedule Fabulous Footwear: Start the new year on the right foot by designing your own high heel, cowboy boot, or tennis shoe that is just your style!

Giacometti Sculptures: Learn about artist Alberto Giacometti and his unique sculpting style. Then, create a sculpture in the style of this famous artist.

Special EventsAll Month Long - Dinosaurs! Extended Through May 12th!Visit the new feature exhibit that includes six animatronic dinosaurs including the king of dinosaurs ‐ Tyrannosaurus rex ‐ Triceratops, Pachycephalosaurus, Dimetrodon, Stegosaurus, and a mother Apatasaurus protecting her newly hatched babies. Step back in time and into the primordial swamp and see how these prehistoric creatures may have looked and sounded when

they roamed the Earth millions of years ago.Tuesday, January 1st - CLOSED on New YearEs Day.

Wednesday, January 2nd - Sunday, January 13th - Stellar StaticYou will get a “charge” out of all the fun we will be having in the lab in honor of Static Electricity Day! Cause static spheres to dance inside our static tube, test out our static generating Fun Fly Stick, and use a balloon to move objects such as bubbles, ping‐pong balls, and more! The Eastman Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day.

Tuesday, January 15th - Sunday, January 27th - Say Cheese!Learn all about teeth in honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month. Take an impression of your own “chompers” and then get .'1).-1%'6"'!.B%'?">3'",-'*+.#"3%4'6""6)0.56%&'The Eastman Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day.

Thursday, January 24th, 9:30 am - 11:00 am - Owl Pellet DissectionOwls are amazing creatures that swallow their prey whole. Learn what owls eat as you dissect an owl pellet and reconstruct the skeleton found inside it. Cost $8 for members, $10 for non‐members. Ages 5‐12. Payment is required with registration by Wednesday, January 9th. To register, please call 423‐434‐4263 ext. 100, T‐F 9‐5 or email [email protected].

Tuesday, January 29th - Sunday, February 3rd - Do You See What !Eye/ See?Unlock the mysteries of the human eye in honor of National Eye Care Month. Learn about the inner workings of the eye and test your eyes with some optical illusions. The Eastman Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day.

Hands on MuseumJanuary Calendar of Events


Mark Farina has a record bag that can set the mood, whether it F%'6"'B%%0'.'4.-1%'*+""3'I>!0$-2'at 4am, or a chill dinner set to his famous mushroom jazz. While

exploring his love for the purist forms of House Music, Mark developed his trademark style, Mushroom Jazz; acid jazz infused with the West Coast’s jazzy, organic productions along with urban beats. Mark Farina will be performing at Asheville Music Hall on Friday December 28th with Asheville’s In Plain Sight. Fans embraced Mark’s

downtempo style so much that

he started a weekly Mushroom Jazz club night in San Francisco with Patty Ryan. In three short years, the club established a fanatical, cult‐like following for Farina and the Mushroom Jazz sound. When the doors closed, Farina continued the tradition by releasing a series of Cds, “Mushroom Jazz”. His House sets take fans on journeys to the jazzy side of Chicago House mixed San Fran style. Some of these sets have been known to last up to eight hours. A-4'5"!%6$!%5'?">Y++' *$-4'Q.3B'playing in two different rooms at the same party, showcasing his range of rocking the big room sound to the uber‐chill.

Opening the show, out of Asheville, is In Plain Sight, three DJs and Producers united towards a global, progressive groove. The “Paris of the South” is a perfect home for the trio, as it’s a renowned creative beacon, drawing artistic types of many persuasions and styles,

fostering a zone of constant inspiration. In Plain Sight’s strength lies in how its individual members come from completely different backgrounds, creating a unique and intriguing new sound when working together. Their diversity paired with A5)%#$++%Y5'2%-%3"5$6?'"='*+.#"35'combined with its imagination and electronic music esteem allowed three different musical souls to come together and form an exciting progressive house combo. In Plain Sight is comprised of Ezekiel, Lucas Ledford and Nomad in the Dark.

Mark Farina Sets the Mood with His Own Genre Coined

“Mushroom Jazz”December 28th


Geoff is a singer‐songwriter originally from St. Louis, now living in Nashville. He’s been making cd’s and booking tours across the United States since 2004. His *$356'14C' c()3",$-2'W"1B5'A6'd">3'O)"56Y'e788]N' $5' .' ]J5"-2' EK&' c[$#%' A6' [>1.5'School House’ (2006) is a mastered version of a live show taken from the sound board of the then‐new venue in St. Louis. With these records in‐tow and a People’s Choice Award for Best Singer‐Songwriter in St. Louis (St. Louis Music A,.345NC' O%"==' %!F.3B%4' "-')$5' *$356' "='many solo national tours.He’s been a featured musician at

festivals and showcases across the country since then, and has accumulated awards and recognition from national and international competitions and media.In April of 2008, Geoff recorded his

6)$34'14C'c<='<6'`%%+5'O""4C'D"-Y6'D"'<6Y'"-'Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee. Co‐produced by Ken Coomer (Wilco/Uncle

Tupelo), engineered by Charlie Brocco (Fleetwood Mac, George Harrison). Geoff booked himself coast‐to‐coast national tours in support of his new full‐length, full‐band cd to close out 2008. The full‐band hometown cd‐release show was held December 23rd at Off Broadway, complete with brutal ice storm..Geoff has toured the country for the

past few years to support his past work as well as new songs. He’ll record over the winter and tour to promote a new release in 2013.

SpongeCake and the Fluff Ramblers are appearing at The Acoustic Café in Johnson City, TN with a special Bluegrass Show. Announcing their Winter 2012‐2013 Tour. They are widely known as the band on Furthur Lot, playing the parking lot and venues along the way traveling from coast to coast. They also have been seen busking on the side of cities streets playing bluegrass.Spongecake and the Fluff Ramblers

play improvisational, psychedelic,

space funk that dabbles around the edges of rock, folk, funk, jazz, world and bluegrass. They meld jams in and out of genres and styles, falling into the occasional improvised cover. No two shows are ever the same; no cover is ever played the same way twice. For Q"3%' <-="3!.6$"-C' @""B$-2C' X' :"-6.16'Bill Shadden for Home: 704‐663‐6371, Cell: 704‐224‐0272. www.reverbnation.1"!f50"-2%1.B%.-46)%*+>==3.!F+%35

The Acoustic Coffeehouse!"#$%&'()&*+*,-&*./01*2(34/&56*

“Special Bluegrass Show”January 5th

7&#1*8#9-January 17th


Beginning on January 4th, and continuing through March 2nd, 2013, the Arts Depot will feature the works of Marion, Virginia’s Ned Johnson in his exhibition titled “Playing with Pretty Colors”. A meet-the-artist reception will be held on Sunday, January 6th, 2013 from 2 - 4 pm. The reception is free and open to the public and all artwork is available to purchase.Ned Johnson

is a well known Southwest Virginia artist who grew up in Wythe County and now resided in Q.3$"-C' b.&' P%' *$356'became interested in art at a very young age and recalls being reprimanded in elementary school for drawing pictures on his blue jeans with ink pens. He received his formal art education at Emory and Henry College where he

earned his art degree in 1975. After teaching art in the public schools in Marion, Virginia for 30 years Ned retired in 2005 and now enjoys spending entire days producing art in a variety

Ned Johnson Exhibits in Multiple Mediums at the Arts Depot

Continued on page 21Best Hat on the Beach

>$*-158%."?55/:$.*(*#


of media including oils, acrylics, watercolors, woodburnings, 1"+"3%4' 0%-1$+C' 0%-' X' $-B'drawings, and mixed media. While Ned occasionally

captures beach scenes, cityscapes, trains, planes, and cars in his artwork, he is particularly well known for his woodburnings of landscapes, people and animals. When asked about his inspiration

Ned says “I only have to walk 6)%' F%.>6$=>+' =.3!5C' *$%+45' .-4'forests of Southwest Virginia to be inspired.” When pushed for an Artist’s statement he quite simply replies...”I’d rather do art than talk about it.” Ned was a founding member

and is a current board member of the Appalachian Spirit Art Association in Marion, Va.; and, along with members of that association opened the Appalachian Spirit Art Gallery on Main Street in Marion in 2005

where, on many days, you will *$-4' )$!' 03"4>1$-2' .36' "-' 6)%'front porch and entertaining visitors with lively stories and painting demonstrations. Ned has exhibited in many art

shows including the Virginia Highlands Festival Juried Fine Art Show from 1983 to the present, Art in the Park in Blowing Rock, NC, Lynchburg Art Show, Richmond Arts in the Park 1993 to the present, Chatauqua Festival, Virginia Beach Boardwalk Art Show, Wytheville Community College, Equine Art Show at the Virginia Horse Festival and Studio on the Square in Roanoke to mention a few. In many of these shows he has won major awards. The gallery and artists studios

are open Thursday thru Saturday, April through December 10‐4 pm, January through March 11‐3, >-6$+'g'0!'"-'6)%'*$356'()>354.?'of each month or by appointment. There is no admission charge. For further information, please contact the Arts Depot at (276) 628‐9091, or e‐mail at [email protected], or visit www.abingdonartsdepot.org.


Peacock

Fall Leaves Oil 36x60 Inches


Continued on page 23

The year 2012 in space was highlighted by a transit of Ve‐nus that nobody alive will ever 5%%'.2.$-C',)$+%'6)%'*$356'!.-'"-'the Moon permanently left the Earth.And though many Joe and Jane

A!%3$1.5',%3%'63.-5*$U%4'"-'6)%'end of the world prophecy of the Mayan Calendar, the amazing landing on Mars of a car‐sized rover and the continued discov‐ery of earth‐like planets around -%.3F?'56.35'F3$%*+?'!.4%')%.4‐lines. There were several meteor

showers at optimum viewing which produced thousands of shooting stars. And gathering in a safe, meteoroid‐shielded seg‐ment of the International Space Station were astronauts from three countries working on re‐search projects inside the amaz‐ing complex orbiting 225 miles high.For the last time until 2017,

the second planet Venus passed in front of the Sun in the late Wednesday afternoon of June 6. The eight‐hour event was ob‐served around the world, and its rarity made for a media frenzy that put amateur astronomy in the spotlight. It was on Aug. 26 after heart

by‐pass surgery, the world’s most famous astronaut, Neil Armstrong, 82, died in Cincin‐nati. The Ohio native remained humble and unfazed by his in‐credible world‐wide fame that followed his successful moon‐walk on July 20, 1969 with fel‐low Apollo 11 crewmate Buzz Aldrin, 82. Astronaut Michael Collins, 82, orbited the Moon in the mothership, Columbia. And when Armstrong and Al‐drin blasted off Tranquility Base in their moonship named Eagle with 95 pounds of lunar rocks, they became immortal‐ized in history. After his death, Armstrong was described, in a statement released by the White House, as “among the greatest of

American heroes—not just of his time, but of all time”On Aug. 6, NASA’s top nerds at

the Jet Propulsion Laboratory scored their latest interplane‐tary triumph with the pinpoint landing of the SUV‐sized rover Curiosity next to a mountain once drenched with creeks of *+",$-2' ,.6%3&' A' 3$5B?' 6%1)-"+‐ogy involved a giant rocket pack successfully lowering the 1,000‐pound science lab on wheels with a sky crane of three ropes. A month later, Curiosity was hot on the trail of an ancient 563%.!'*$++%4',$6)'.'F%4'"='3">-4'pebbles. This laboratory on wheels is equipped to detect the tell‐tale signs of life in the Mar‐tian soil and rocks. Another NASA triumph has

been the space telescope called M%0+%3' 6).6' ,.5' 50%1$*$1.++?' 4%‐signed to discover earth‐like “exo‐planets” orbiting nearby stars. In a special orbit a million miles from Earth since March 2009, Kepler has detected more than 1,300 possible exoplanets orbiting some 800 stars, includ‐ing maybe 50 that are in the hab‐itable zone. This so‐called “Goldi‐locks Zone” is where a planet’s distance from its star is not too hot, not too cold, but just right—like our Earth. Kepler, and several earth‐based

telescopes that also search for exoplanets, detect the slight mo‐tion of the parent star as it is jos‐tles back and forth by the gravity of orbiting alien worlds. How‐ever, several exoplanets had had their light recorded on images by Kepler and even the Hubble Space Telescope. The quest for life in the Uni‐

verse continues as more space‐craft are built and telescopes "-' E.36)' .3%' 3%*$-%4' 6"' 4%6%16'worlds in the Goldilocks Zone with water and an atmosphere that will sustain life as we know it. Of course there are still several

Another Amazing Year in Space and

Astronomy



NASA spacecraft investigating planets, as Messenger orbits Mercury and Cassini is close to nine years as a member of Saturn’s family of rings and moons. The $1 billion spacecraft sent back to Earth in early De‐cember a striking view of Saturn backlit as it eclipsed the Sun, only the second time during the mission this has occurred. Still in great health in an extended mission that 1">+4' +.56' *$#%'!"3%'?%.35C':.55$-$').5'3%‐written the astronomy books on what we know about the complex Saturn system with its sheets of rocky rings and fascinat‐ing moons. Titan, the largest moon in the Solar System—bigger than Mercury—has been revealed to have a system of liquid methane lakes and rivers on its super cold, minus 250 degree surface. Cassini’s full .33.?'"='51$%-6$*$1'$-563>!%-65'$5'1)%1B$-2'out Titan at every opportunity, so far num‐F%3$-2'$-6"'Z85'="3'1+"5%'*+?F?5&'()%'*$356'0+.-%6'Q%31>3?').5'F%%-'>-4%3'

the scrutiny of NASA’s Messenger space‐craft, in orbit since March 2011. It has made a global map of the most cratered object in the Solar System, and discovered that though hot in the 500 F. degree range, there are places at both poles where ice exists under the surface as sunlight never strikes—just like on Earth’s Moon.Speaking of our Moon, NASA completed

the mission in 2012 of two washing ma‐chine sized spacecrafts called Ebb and Flow, which began in January 2012 to map the gravity changes round the Moon caused by underground mass concentra‐tions of heavy metals. The “mascons” were a nuisance, throwing off calculations for unmanned orbiters and the manned Apollo landers of more than 40 years ago. But now, thanks to the Ebb and Flow, a -%,' !.0' "=' 23.#$6.6$"-.+' $-*+>%-1%5' ).5'been developed for future lunar mission. To end their mission, Ebb and Flow were purposely crashed into a mountain side in the lunar South Pole. The crater they made ,.5'-.!%4'/.++?'W$4%C'.=6%3'A!%3$1.Y5'*$356'female astronaut, who died of pancreatic cancer at age 61 July, 23, 2012.Crater Sally Ride will no doubt be target‐

ed for images by the Lunar Reconnaissance

Orbiter (LRO), another NASA marvel that since July 2009 has mapped the minerals on the Moon. LRO has also captured close up photos of all six Apollo landing sites, clearly showing bright landing gear, in‐struments and even astronaut pathways and Rover wheel tracks across the lunar surface.Part of the fun of stargazing is never

B-",$-2',)%-'.'!%6%"3',$++'*+.5)'.13"55'the sky. The big three annual meteor showers, the Perseids of August, the Leonids of November and Geminids of December had favorable, moonless skies that didn’t interfere with the meteors. Across the world, spurts of one meteor‐a‐minute thrilled stargazers. And the occasional burst of a meteor throwing a shadow was not unusual. Most of the meteors are mostly the size of a grain of salt. A-4' *$-.++?' $-' 7897C' 6)%' .563"-"!?'

community lost one of its most popu‐lar promoters ever, Patrick Moore, 89, of England. He died Dec. 9 at his home in Selsey, West Sussex, England. Want a great trivia question? What is the lon‐gest running television show in history? Answer: The Sky at Night, hosted by Pat‐rick Moore. On the air since 1957 once .'!"-6)C'6)%'*$-.+'5)",',.5'6)%'-$2)6'"='his death. Moore’s 55 years as the host of the half‐hour program is the longest in the history of television. For 720 shows, the eccentric bachelor who looked like Winston Churchill—monocle includ‐ed!—talked about practical stargazing knowledge, space probe updates and interviews with astronomers, astronauts and many stargazers. He wrote dozens "='F""B5'*$++%4',$6)'03.16$1.+'.563"-"!?'knowledge. His passion for exploration of the Universe affected millions of ama‐teur astronomers over six decades, my‐self included. Begin the New Year with one of Patrick

Moore’s last outer space primer: BANG!: the Complete History of the Universe, co‐written with Brian May, the rock band Queen guitarist, who has a degree in as‐tronomy. Now that’s a promise to bang in the new year, 2013.



Celestial events in the skies for the week of Dec. 2531, 2012, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.

`3"!':)3$56!.5'D.?'6"'V%,'d%.3Y5'E#%C'6)%'-$2)6'5B?',$++').#%'$65'",-'*$3%,"3B5'with the winter constellations hurdling over the eastern horizon. Planet Jupiter in Taurus the Bull leads the parade of the mighty hunter Orion, his two dogs and the brothers Gemini. The Moon is big and bright in its full phase, and illuminates the holiday landscape with a light that seems special. We say goodbye 2012 and hello

2013.

Tues. Dec. 25 Christmas Day. Once part of week‐long celebration of the winter solstice, called the “saturnalia” by the Romans, this was the time used by Christians to secretly worship the birth of their Messiah, Jesus Christ. This date is also the birthday in 1642 of one of the world’s most gifted scientists, Sir Isaac Newton. He was born in Woolsthorpe‐by‐Colsterworth Lincolnshire, England, and is buried in Westminster

Abbey, London.

Wed. Dec. 26 Orion the Hunter is bold and beautiful as climbs from the eastern horizon to domi‐nating the sky in the south. The brightest stars are his left shoulder Betelgeuse and right knee, Rigel. The three stars making the belt have another three stars dangling down for a sword. And in the center of that sword is the Great Nebula of Orion, a giant galactic cloud of star birth that is visible in binoculars or small

telescope.

Thurs. Dec. 27 The two dogs of Orion, Canis Major and Canis Minor, each have a blazing bright 56.3'="3'.')%.4'.-4'!>1)'=.$-6%3'56.35'6).6'+""B'+$B%'56$1B'*$2>3%'0%"0+%&''/$3$>5C'6)%'brightest of all stars, is closer to the horizon in the Big Dog, below Orion. Bright

star Procyon in the Little Dog is much higher, completing a triangle with the bright red star Betelgeuse, translated literally from Arabic as “armpit of the giant.”

Fri. Dec. 28 Full Moon is today at 5:21 am, with the “Yule” or “Christmas Moon” rising when the sun sets. Experience the eerie feeling a cold, winter night under the silver glow of moonlight. The soft shadows from bare trees striking the barren ground create

a contrast to the twinkling stars of winter.

Sat. Dec. 29 By 10 pm, Sirius in Canis Major is high enough above the horizon to compare it with much bright Jupiter high overhead at that time. Really, it’s no comparison as Jupiter is nearly three times brighter. The star to the right of Jupiter is Antares, the

red eye of the bull, Taurus.

Sun. Dec. 30 Orion the Hunter is surrounded by bright stars and Jupiter. Way above the bright stars of Orion is the yellowish Capella, the brightest star in a constellation named after a charioteer with the strange name Auriga. In the western evening sky, the =">3'F3$2)6'56.35'"='()%'O3%.6'/H>.3%'"='K%2.5>5'.3%'*+?$-2')$2)'$-'6)%',%56%3-'5B?C'with the beautiful maiden Andromeda trailing behind. And don’t forget her mom,

Queen Cassiopeia in the north, looking like a stellar “M.”

Mon. Dec. 31 Goodbye 2012 as the Gregorian Calendar turns a page and our world completes another 365.25 day orbit of the Sun. Here’s wishing everyone

“good luck” in 2013.


And so this is Christmas, and just WHAT have you you done? Actually, I don’t want to know what you’ve done. Seriously. Stop tweeting about it. But yet another year is coming to an end, and I thought it would be a smashing time to look over the events of this crazy mixed up year we called 2012. First off, let’s talk about the biggie.

The world didn’t end, did it? You’re reading this. I wrote this. E#%3?6)$-2' $5' 0%3=%16+?' *$-%&' <Y!'know you ran around warning everyone, emptying your bank account, but I bet right now you’re feeling pretty silly for hording all those cans of Organic Vegan Chili, aren’t you? My year began

with my highly p u b l i c i z e d r e l a t i o n s h i p with Taylor Swift. We had fun, saw the sights, made the trade papers, but in the end we broke up. It was a mutual ending, .5' $6' F%-%*$6%4'the both of us.

She got enough material for her next album, and I got enough !.6%3$.+'="3'!?'*$356'F""BC'Swifty and Me. That was most of my romantic life right there. I did fall in love with another lovely lass, but the less said about that the better. I lived with a crazy cat lady for

six months, which was one of my odder experiments. My allergies

went into overdrive, the cats found creative ways to relive themselves on 6)%'*+""3'"='!?'F%43""!C'and I think she plotted murder in her sleep. It was kinda like living in a very low‐rent version of Downton Abby, only everyone was a cat. But that’s just one of the bigger moment’s. Some of life’s true gems are those smaller, quiet moments. I had a few of those

this year. I saw the grand canyon, I was best man in a wedding, and I had Maury Povich tell me that I was not the father. 2012 was also the year

I decided to break into the business world. During early Fall I launched my new video

game system, the YBOX. I designed and developed the YBOX myself, and even did all the programming. Unfortunately, once activated, the best anyone could do on them was play a barely passable version of pong. At least it had the rich color pallet found

on the Commodore computer system. It was revealed to the world

this year, that I have been writing a series of romance novels under the pen name I.M. McCuddly. Why have I done this? Because I’ve seen what Nicholas Sparks makes in a year, that’s why! My 5%3$%5' "=' F""B5' .F">6' *$-4$-2'love letters in jars off the coast of South Carolina have been a huge hit. There’s: The Jar, The Other Jar, and The Jar That’s Not at All Related to Those Other Two Jars. ()%'*$356'F""B').5'F%%-'"06$"-%4'for movie, which in turn led to everyone having a Merry Christmas this year.

That was 2012, not a bad year .6'.++C'.-4'-"6'.'?%.3'*$++%4',$6)'the cursed destruction of us all (and if you believed in that, you now get to live with everyone "=*$1$.++?'B-",$-2'6).6'?">Y3%'_.'little off”). It was a year with its ups and downs, as most of them are. But as we say goodbye to this year, I hope we can all take a moment and hope for a more peaceful‐‐and better‐‐2013. Not just for us, but for everyone. Happy New Year all, 13 is not an unlucky number. See you next week. Follow me on Twitter @ThatAndyRoss.

:;<:=*>?*@&(5*A$*2&BA&C




Goblins and trolls and orcs oh my! The aforementioned fantasy creatures, along the dwarves, elves, wizards, and one famous hobbit, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) return to the big screen in , “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”. If you, like myself, were a fan of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, you have been 5.+$#.6$-2' ="3' 6)$5' *$+!' 5$-1%'production was announced. ()%' *$+!' F.5%4' "-' 6)%' 9gZh'release, is directed by Peter Jackson (LOTR), and is presented in the 3‐D format. The story line is set 60 years

before LOTR and follows Bilbo and his efforts to help thirteen dwarves, led by

Thorin (Richard Armitage) to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the *$%31%' 43.2"-' /!.>2&' @$+F"C'is chosen by Wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) for the adventure and the hobbit .6' *$356',.-65' -"' 0.36' $-' 6)%'journey. Biblo later relents, and the journey begins. Not long after they are away, Bilbo and company soon run afoul of some orcs, one of which has a nasty vendetta against Thorin. Also along the way, Bilbo meets Gollum, and his “precious”, an encounter that will forever change his life. ()%' *$+!' ).5' 3%+%-6+%55'

action, but does pause at times for a positive bit

of dialogue from various characters. The 3‐D presentation is amazing and 6)%' *$+!' $5' F%.>6$=>++?' 5)"6&'The acting is wonderful, led by McKellen and Freeman, with Freeman perfect in the role of Bilbo. “The Hobbit” is being presented in three *$+!5C' .-4' 513%%-' ,3$6%3'and co‐producer Phillippa Boyens has said incidents F3$%*+?'4%513$F%4'$-'6)%'F""B'can take on far grander scale "-' *$+!&' _()%' P"FF$6;' A-'Unexpected Journey” ends by prepping us for the next two episodes and I am ready to continue the journey with Bilbo and friends. (Rated PG‐13) A‐

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Although the ways in which we read are rapidly changing, books are alive and well as witnessed by the many lists of the year’s best books that I’ve seen during the past couple of weeks. Of course, December is traditionally a month of lists and retrospectives, but it seems book lists are particularly plentiful this year. So, not to be left behind, I am presenting you with my choice of the year’s best books—biased, as all lists are, by my own sometimes peculiar tastes (note 6)%'.F5%-1%'"=' *$16$"-'F""B5C' ="3'instance). Here, in no particular order, is my list:The Big Screen: The Story Of

The Movies, by David Thomson. If you love movies, this is an indispensable book from one of our best, and most highly opinionated critics. Each chapter, beginning with Thomson’s assessment of movie pioneer E.4,%.34'Q>?F3$42%C'"#%3*+",5'with insights about why movies matter as he takes us on a tour from the zoopraxiscope to V%6*+$U&'<')$2)+?'3%1"!!%-4'6).6'you read this in conjunction with watching Mark Cousins’ fascinating 5‐disc DVD delight, “The Story of Film: An Odyssey” (an item that belongs on a list of this year’s best DVD collections).Three very interesting books

should change the way you think about American history. First, Paul Ingrassia’s Engines of Change: A History of the American Dream In Fifteen Cars is a long‐overdue reimagining of our history as seen from the driver’s 5%.6' "=' 5"!%' #%3?' $-*+>%-6$.+'automobiles, including the Ford Mustang, the 1959 Cadillac, the Pontiac GTO, the Chevy Corvair, the Jeep, the Volkswagen Beetle, the BMW3 series, the Ford F series, and the Toyota

Prius. Each car tells the tale of changes in American culture and lifestyles, and Ingrassia’s book could in fact serve as a textbook of twentieth‐century American history (and would certainly be much better than most conventional texts). Second, Richard Lingeman’s The Noir Forties: The American People from Victory to Cold War, by placing the author’s memoirs into the larger context of American history during .' 13>1$.+' *$#%J?%.3' 0%3$"4'(1945‐1950), offers us a new way of thinking about the onset of the Cold War and the suburbanization of America; particularly appealing is Lingeman’s use of -(10" *5(. movies like “Detour” and “D.O.A.” as windows into the emerging culture (hence the book’s title). Third, if you looking for an interpretive and challenging overview of American history from 1945 to 2000, you will 4%*$-$6%+?' ,.-6' 6"' 3%.4'Joshua Freeman’s American Empire: The Rise of a Global Power, the Democratic Revolution at Home, 19452000, which is far more than just another retelling of the events of postwar America, and represents a fresh perspective on how the events of the second half of the twentieth century have made us who we are today; an excellent, and equally thought‐provoking and controversial companion volume, is James Patterson’s recently‐published look at one important year in our history—The Eve Of Destruction: How 1965 Transformed America.

This year has been a good one for new and interesting books about music, a subject that is very near and dear to my heart. Amid a spate of autobiographies from the likes of Neil Young and Rod Stewart are two volumes that make us think about music in new and different ways. First is Talking Heads’ founder David Byrne’s provocative and creative How Music Works, which should be the standard text for all music appreciation courses. Does it take us on a chronological tour

of music history, complete with longs lists of composers and their works? Not really, but what it does better than any music text I’ve seen is to excite us with the thrills of making and listening to music. Byrne makes us want to reevaluate our playlists and to learn about how music *$65' $-6"' 6)%' +.32%3' 1"-6%U6' "='human creativity. Part business manual, part listening guide, part memoir, and part music history text, Byrne’s new book is nothing short of invigorating. And who

can argue with his conclusion—“Far from being merely en ter ta inment , music, I would argue, is a part of what makes us human. It’s practical value is maybe a little harder to pin down, at least in our present way of thinking, than mathematics or medicine, but many would agree that a life without music, for a hearing person, is .' +$=%' 5$2-$*$1.-6+?'diminished.” Next up is one of the most interesting books about music I’ve ever read: Paul Elie’s Reinventing Bach, which resurrects the 18th‐century composer from the dustbins of music history and snobbery and brings him into the modern world as a source of inspiration and delight. His book is not about J.S. Bach per se, but about how his music has constantly been reinterpreted from the 18th century onward and has found its way from harpsichord and organ to synthesizer and iPod. A truly c a p t i v a t i n g account of how music is constantly reinvented and recycled. Read it

while listening to Glenn Gould’s reimaginings of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” (both his 1955 and 1981 recorded versions).Two more books before I let

this column go. Michael Schrage’s new iBook (available for $2.99 on iPad) Who Do You Want Your Customer To Become?, is a business and education manual for the 21st century. Using the ideas of Peter Drucker as his springboard, Schrage goes to the root of innovation by asking us to shift our thinking from products to consumers. Using companies like Starbucks, Apple, and Google as examples, Schrage shows how Starbucks, for instance, is not in the coffee business but in the customer experience business—i.e. the company doesn’t value coffee drinkers but rather customers who want to “experience” Starbucks as a lifestyle. His book has some very interesting applications for my *$%+4' "=' %4>1.6$"-i$-56%.4' "='asking what kinds of subjects we need to teach to our students, we should be asking what kinds of students we want to create (i.e. test‐takers or learners?). Provocative stuff indeed.And last, but not least, is

what I consider to be the best book of the year (and I’m not alone in my opinion)—Andrew Solomon’s Far From The Tree: Parents, Children and The Search for Identity. This book examines the true meaning of diversity and how parents cope with children who do not meet their expectations of the “perfect” child. In this life‐changing study, Solomon looks at a wide array of “differences”—autism, 4,.3*$5!C'$-I>3$%5C'F$36)'4%=%165C'murder—and how parents come 6"' 4%*$-%' 6)%!5%+#%5' $-' +$2)6' "='these realities, and how their children are affected in positive and negative ways by how these 3%.+$6$%5' .3%' 4%*$-%4' .-4' 1"0%4'with. Solomon is already being consulted as a resource person for understanding the enormity of the Sandy Hook tragedy, and I urge you to read this enlightening but not always comfortable book.No doubt you have your own

+$565C' F>6' <' )"0%' ?">' ,$++' *$-4'something interesting here. Here’s wishing you and your loved ones a most happy and safe New Year. See you in 2013 with some prognostications and a few not‐so‐accurate predictions.


The Best Books of 2012:D*E&5?*FA(6&G*8&//?H6*

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