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March 15, 2010
SXSW 11: Blogger Press Mentoring
No firm idea had formed in my mind about the SXSW Film Blogger/Press Mentoring session.
Before I arrived at the Austin Convention Center on Sunday morning, my only real clue was that I was engaging guests one-on-one, which is far superior to speeches or panels at such conferences. None of my colleagues — mostly bloggers — knew what to expect either. (One, Austin Kleon, “a writer who draws,” contributed the image for a hand-on workshop (today) that graces this page.)
No matter. We dug into the speed-dating-style conversations with the kind of missionary zeal that SXSW inspires. Each mentee (momentary protegee?) presented a different problem. One wanted to promote his indie movie. Another was developing a Web site to connect film industry types around particular projects, so, in essence a template waits for movie production in advance. Variations on those themes.
The aspirants came in all conditions. Some were already pretty adept at manipulating social media; others needed basic introduction. One piece of wisdom I repeated: The need for actual human contact. No matter whether we are talking about marketing, PR, journalism, social media or advanced technology, starting with trust between two people, looking into each other’s eyes, that’s what generates the waves of information emanating from social media.
Align goals. Attune personalities.
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March 9, 2010
President's Masked Ball at Sheraton Austin at the Capitol
Moving the President’s Masked Ball, the signature fundraiser for Huston-Tillotson University, to the Sheraton Austin at the Capitol made a lot of sense. The pink-clad hotel on Waller Creek is much closer to the university’s campus on East Seventh Street than the Renaissance Austin out at the Arboretum.
Brenda Benson-Grundy and TreeAndrea Grundy
Its size and decor fit the ball like Cinderella’s slipper. I’m surprised the Sheraton is not booked more often with galas like this one. (On a personal note, it helped my attend four social events on foot that Saturday.)
Cheryl and Jim George
I arrived after power broker Ben Barnes’ keynote address. Most masks had been removed at this point. Folks were finishing off their meals and gearing up for the contemporary jazz and R&B dance sounds of Will Downing.
Mahoganne Willis and Tierra Jones
Since the music was cranked up, I didn’t get a chance to engage in many conversations, though I met lawyer and university board member Jim George and his wife Cheryl, also recently elected homecoming queen TreeAndrea Grundy and her lovely mother Brenda Benson-Grundy. Brief chats with other guests were too short. Some year I’d like to spend the whole evening at the Masked Ball.
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March 5, 2010
Very late report: Independence Day at Bullock Texas State History Museum
The Bob Bullock Texas History Museum is not like any other institution in town. And the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum Foundation is a charity unlike any other. So, no wonder the foundation’s Texas Independence Day Dinner is an event unto itself. Formal, in a nervous way, and earnest, in a winning way.
This year, the honorees were former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush. They were named History Making Texans, a rather awkward title, but not undeserved. Attending the ceremony on Tuesday in numbers were state’s Republican establishment, along with various bigwigs, ambassadors and other dignitaries.
This was the first event wherein a state trooper’s bomb dog sniffed my camera. Once that ritual was completed, I mingled with the non-VIPs in the museum’s rotunda, as the big shots slowly descended for dinner and formalities. I talked with the Texas Cultural Trust’s Amy Barbee about the Texas Medal of the Arts nominating process. If that group did nothing else (it does), it stirs up conversation about which Texans deserve eternal representation (yes, Marques, we talked about Tom Ford).
I also talked with Donna Stockton Hicks about growing up in the Mid-Cities (she attended the same high school as Kip) and about the upcoming Rise Across Texas fundraiser. Would she ride a bicycle across the state, like her husband, Steve Hicks? “I’ll be in the bus with the cupcakes,” she said. I met some other folks who made my mid-evening — between the Entrepreneurs Foundation’s Independence Day fun and “Fiddler on the Roof” — merry.
I couldn’t stay for the actual speeches, which the Statesman’s Isadora Vail faithfully recorded. Folks interested in 43’s state of mind during the ceremony should consult new video of the event. Telling.
Sorry, no photos. I cleared out my iPhoto during my otherwise accommodating Apple One to One session today. First time that’s happened.
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February 26, 2010
Hispanic Scholarship Consortium Gala at Hogg-Garza
It starts with the house. Everyone wants to visit Dr. John Hogg and David Garza’s prism-like jewel above Lake Austin. They gawk at the views, explore the puzzling floor plan, examine the charismatic art. If there’s a better place for a small-to-medium-sized fundraiser in Austin, I haven’t seen it.
Chris and Roxana Kappmeyer
The house is only the beginning. The hosts are almost ethereally gracious, gliding from one guest to another, making everyone feel as if they were the only ones who mattered. Need more munchies or a drink? Want to meet somebody with an interesting story? Garza and Hogg at your service.
Crystal Cantu and Lonnie Limon
The real reason, though, that 200 or so guests mingled at Hogg-Garza Thursday night was the Hispanic Scholarship Consortium. The hosts sit on its board and, by all accounts, have supercharged its fundraising. The consortium not only funds educational needs for scores of local students, it provides mentors and professional tracking, so the students are not lost in the tides of higher education.
Chris and Krista Moy
This particular event’s novelty is reflected in its title: “I Am a Number.” Scholarship students were assigned numbers. Biographies were distributed. And through the evening, donors targeted specific, numbered cases. The whole house was decked out with top-quality multimedia — including a projected, live Twitter feed — to keep the unwieldy crowd included. It helped that dozens of guests acted as honorary hosts (full disclosure: I was one).
Raquel Frankenberg and Monica Burcham
I talked with investor Joe Long about his recent cruise with wife Teresa, pianist Anton Nell, Dr. Bill Jones and other lucky Austinites … with Roxana Kappmeyer about life after Venezuela; real estate broker Chris Kappmeyer about his rediscovered hometown, “Come and Take It” Gonzales … with Lonnie Limon of LatinWorks about his East Austin family …
Sully Mejia and Maria Chavez
… also with Chez Zee’s Sharon Watkins about adventures with cardiologists and the state of the University of Texas department of theater and dance, also the papers of directing teacher Fran Hodge (also with JoLynn Free of RBC Dain Rauscher … with Consul General of Mexico Rosalba Ojeda about plans for bicentennial celebrations with films, exhibitions, etc. in Austin … and with various candidates — state Rep. Diana Maldonado, Karen Sage, Rebecca Bell-Metereau, Olga Seelig — about the upcoming primary.
JoLynn Free and Consul General of Mexico Rosalba Ojeda
By the time I drifted down the Hogg-Garza mountain, more than $100,000 had been raised. Hogg texted me later in the evening that, with pledges, they were hoping for $150,000. In one evening. In one home.
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February 10, 2010
Publicists in the Making: Practice Pitches in the PR Bullpen
Tuesday, I made a trip to the University of Texas as a guest speaker for Tamara Bell’s entertainment public relations course. I broke the class up into seven groups who created fictional companies, and these companies pitched real potential entertainment clients to me.
They pitched me in the classroom — live — through Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, by “fake” phone and in person. After reviewing these pitches, a select team of students helped choose the most promising pitch, which is headed, in some form, to my column.
Jamilla Wright, Melissa Gomez, Danielle Urban, Brian Jeon, Britney Sauer, Lauren Kahn, Gabriel Gibaldi, Jessi Nap
Group 1 - Front Row Communications: In true Austin style, raising money and food for Capital Area Food Bank is being led by an Austin Music Showcase sponsored by M&S Music. This concert is open to the public and entrance is given to those donating non-perishable food items to the Capital Area Food Bank.
Keegan O’Connell, Kristin Brown, Sarah Barnes, Lauren Minton, Yolanda Borrego, Liz Kelley, Nina Kadjar
Group 2 - Premiere PR: Looking for a truly exciting Valentine’s date for you and your sweetie? The House of Torment, one of the nation’s scariest haunted houses is open over Valentine’s Day weekend for couples looking for a startling night out.
Garrett Brown, Ashten Rivet, Jeniffer Corcora, Abby Vanuum, Shehrina Sunesara, Lauren Wong, Soli Choy, Courtney Young, Tyler Bergin
Group 3 - Spark PR: Westlake High School was touched by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees’ efforts and had a desire to contribute as well. In supporting his Brees Dream Foundation, which backs research aimed at curing cancer and providing opportunities for kids, students and teachers made T shirts with the No. 9 and the fleur-de-lis symbol on them.
Christopher Hong, Laura Fidelman, Lindsay McCallum, Kathryn Kostohryz, Eileen Griffith, Amanda Fox, Carrie Woo, Sarah Arvizo, Amanda Crowley, Jill Dunn
Group 4 - Plus One PR: Students can make waves even before graduation, as is evident by Mousetrap, a start-up company that pitches creative ideas to advertising agencies throughout Austin. These students are putting themselves out there, and finding success in their path.
Stephen Guo, Brisa Silva , Carolina Palmero, Brianna Mynar, Viridiana Ramirez, Kate Carroll, Ryan Graney, Georgia Latcham, Nicole B
Group 5 - Dynamic Communications: The Make-A-Wish Foundation is holding a Cinderella’s Ball to celebrate 25 years of making dreams come true. The foundation has a lot to celebrate, and some pretty impressive guests to boast.
Ramona Adame, Amy Bryant, Chelcie Irby, Sydnie Robertson, Matt Martin, Sasha Talbot, Kristine Rheinboldt, Wendy Leu, Shane Crawford, Weini Tsai, Jeffery Wang
Group 6 - Spotlight PR: Bands from all over the world will flood the streets of Austin for Six stages Over Texas, a block party to benefit Yele Haiti on March 20-21. This grassroots effort is led by 6 local businesses on the drag, an area that isn’t as well known for live music.
Michael Sedillo, Jessica Bradley, Max Kruemcke, Natalia Urbanowicz, Christina Brooks, (Laura) Lindsay Tonore, Elizabeth Bula, Charlotte Nichols, Courntey Mays
Group 7 - Kookie PR: With mentions of closing the Cactus Cafe in the Texas Union, student groups are looking for a larger voice within the University of Texas community. UT Student Affairs has listened and have backed off on their intention to close the Cactus Cafe until further discussion with student groups.
I also personally had a group of six students who got to wear one of my many hats for a short period of time. They had the opportunity to experience PR from the journalist’s perspective and they did a fantastic job.
Brittany Ochoa - Photography Blake Perkins - Technology Wiz Allison Miller - Facebook Guru Jordan Langdon - Email Checker Amy West - Twitter Maven Gloria Walker - Wordsmith
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January 28, 2010
University Awards at the AT&T Center
I could have listened all night. A room full of very sharp people gathered at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center on Tuesday for the annual University Awards. The announcement of the teaching and service honors were made by UT President Bill Powers and Provost Steven Leslie, both speaking carefully and with dignity.
President William Powers and Juan Sanchez
Presidential Citation winners included university carillonneur (since 1952!) Thomas Anderson and university backers Kenneth Jastrow and Robert Rowling. The Civitatis Award went to civic-minded English professor Alan Friedman, while the Arno Nowotny Medal was conferred to former staffers Brenda Luckie and Ted Pfeifer.
Helen Elizabeth Cox and Kirby Brown
Engineering professor Philip Schmidt took the Chancellor’s Council Outstanding Teaching Award. Yet I was most interested in the young teachers in liberal arts and the sciences whose areas of studies include interpersonal relations, Cherokee literature and expansive ideas about Shakespeare and the Restoration: Douglas Bruster, Ben Carrington, James Cox, Elizabeth Hedrick, Timothy Loving and Devin Stauffer.
James Zand and Geraldine Hill
Someday, I hope to meet all these fascinating people. I did spend a tiny bit of time with the Dean of Natural Sciences Mary Ann Rankin, who told me about the tens of millions pledged by Michael and Susan Dell, Bill and Melinda Gates for a new computer science center (much more is needed). At my table, however, were people whose stories completely occupied my meal time.
Ann Hillis, David Hillis and Mary Ann Rankin
They included Vice President for Student Affairs Juan Gonzalez, , and his wife, Sonia Honne-Gonzalez, who coaches in the McCombs School in a program founded by our dear friend Steven Tomlinson. Also there were Ann and David Hillis, who stirred up memories of my days in Clear Lake City, as well as Gonzalez’s predecessor, James Vick and his wife, Niki, as well as my host, Robert Meckel. This is why I go to events like this.
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January 9, 2010
Ada Anderson and the LEAP gala
This city owes an immeasurable debt of gratitude to Ada Collins Anderson. The social pioneer and civil rights leader, born in 1921, has been a pathfinder in so many ways, it’s hard to calculate the cumulative effect.
Rose Demerson and Ada Anderson
Among her achievements — later in life — was the founding of the Leadership Enrichment Arts Program, which offers low-income and minority youth a chance to experience the performing and visual arts. Friday, LEAP celebrated its 20th year of exposing students to the arts and giving them opportunities to participate at the Crown Plaza at Interstate 35 and US 290.
Sherry Ransom and Susan Baughman
I tried to discern social trends in the crowd of maybe 150, seated in blue-ribboned chairs before dinner. It was predominately African American, but not exclusively so. Older Austinites took the lead at most tables, but younger ones bounced up to give speeches, perform on instruments or network with the elders present.
Carla Jackson and Kelvin Phillips
The tightest bunch of guests gathered around Mrs. Anderson herself, clearly a touchstone for the evening. Sweeping from table to table was Sherry Ransom, LEAP executive director, who whispered that later a new scholarship would be named for Ada and her late husband, Marcellus J. “Andy” Anderson, the nation’s first black Realtor. (It was a kept secret from Ada until the formal announcement.)
Derrick Leon Washington and Zakiya Larry
I ran into Victoria Corcoran, who is doing the Lord’s work helping small to medium-sized nonprofits to grow. Sitting back to back were New Orleans transplants Christine Perrault Moline and Terrence Moline (on one side) and New York transplants Carla Jackson and Kelvin Phillips (on the other). Vibrant Zakiya Larry, Miss Black Texas USA, the evening’s emcee, posed for me with stylish Derrick Leon Johnson.
Anderson has received many accolades over the years. Let’s hope there are many more to come.
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December 5, 2009
Nerd Nite's Dan Rumney and JC Dwyer
Be there and be square. That’s the motto of the auspicious social series, Nerd Nite, embodied by its geek-hipster Austin organizers, Dan Rumney and JC Dwyer.
Along the way, Rumney and Dwyer discovered hundreds of Austinites like themselves, “meta-nerds,” as Dwyer call them, sharing a limitless curiosity about the world around them.
“The cult of knowledge and obsessive behavior has lost its stigma,” Dwyer says. “The talks can be funny, sexy and exhilarating at the same time.”
Each nerd leader followed a woman to Texas. Rumney, 30, grew up in Newcastle, U.K., read physics at Oxford University, worked for IBM in England, Detroit and New York City, before landing in Austin, where he now performs institutional tech support for IBM. His fiance, Lizzie Bracken, studies scenic design at the University of Texas. Dwyer, 31, hails from Chicago, attended the University of Pennsylvania, and lived in New York before heading to Laredo, then San Antonio, where he’s a anti-hunger advocate and his girlfriend, Alexandra Minnaar, is an immigration lawyer.
Dwyer and Rumney’s serendipitous meeting resembles Nerd Nite’s other creations myths. Chris Balakrishnan, an avian biologist specializing in parasitic birds, bred the phenomenon in Boston. Informally, he spread the word to other cities with the hope of fostering scientific literacy, especially about evolution. Besides Boston, Nerd Nites have popped up in New York, Munich, Germany and Washington D.C., with one planned for New Orleans.
While living in New York, Rumney had heard of Nerd Nite, but never got around to attending. The idea stuck in his head after his Austin move, so he contacted Matt Wasowksi, who ran that event, first on the Lower East Side, then in Brooklyn. Turns out, Wasowksi had also been Dywer’s housemate. Learning that both nerdsters were in Austin, Wasowski suggested they collaborate.
The new team outgrew their first venue, Opal Divine’s Freehouse on West Sixth Street, after one event, and settled into the upper floor of frat-friendly Buffalo Billiards on East Sixth Street, filling a musical stage on a usually dark night.
At first, the bar’s management requested a fee, but Rumney and Dwyer pointed out that there was no Nerd Nite budget and no entry fee. Almost right away, however, the Buffalo folks realized that 100 or so people buying beers for a few hours each month was better than leaving the room unused.
“It’s not a nerd bar,” Rumney says. “Which is part of the charm. I think everyone who comes to our events identifies as a nerd, but it’s not an exclusive club.”
The duo, serious yet ironic, play up their transatlantic cultural differences as they introduce each speaker. The presenters are often previous Nerd Nite attendees, some delivering the core of an academic thesis. Others are professional lecturers. Recently, Rumney and Dwyer have taken requests from guests about subjects of interest.
Not unlike the lectures that are part of Austin’s long-running Dionysium events, the Nerd Nite talks are just arcane enough to capture one’s attention for 20 or 30 minutes. Beer helps. They come with titles like “Recent Interpretations of the Holy Grail on Stage and Screen,” “Preventing a Dietary-based Apocalypse through Public Health Theory and Practice,” “The Molecular Basis of Beer Tasting” and “Look Before You Flush.”
“If it has poo or sex in it, people love it,” Rumney says. “The smart presenters take something high brow and mix it with the puerile.”
They plan more themed events — such as Nerd Nite Speed Dating and an annual Nerd-tacular festival — for their growing coterie. Dwyer is especially interested in a “nerd off” competition with the folks behind the Dionysium, which also includes live music and an old-fashioned debate.
The reason for the proposed mock rivalry is obvious, Dwyer says: “There’s nothing like a good controversy to stir up attendance.”
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November 12, 2009
Hispanic Scholarship Consortium at West Lake Home
Sometimes a commendable cause just walks up and shakes your hand …
Marisa Limón and Laura Duran (HSC’s entire staff)
That’s what happened to me with the Hispanic Scholarship Consortium, whose host committee met at the home of board members David Garza and Dr. John Hogg on Wednesday …
Keith Fern and Rich Villa
This group, started by David Garcia, founder and CEO of the Cedra Corp., has, in just five years, helped 100 Central Texas students afford college through $500,000 in scholarships …
Texas Rep. Diana Maldonado and Sylvia Acevedo (CommuniCard)
Just as importantly, the consortium provides mentors, counseling and peer networking to make sure these students — often first-generation collegians — stick with the program …
Leticia Villarreal and Wendy Morales
Its big fundraiser is Feb. 25 at the Garza/Hogg manse and, at that event, you can meet the students who have received the scholarship in rooms designated by their fields of study. Super idea.
Madge Vasquez (St. David’s Community Health Foundation), Lonnie Limón (LatinWorks) and David Garza (Garza Design & Construction)
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November 3, 2009
Why Women Have Sex, Part 3
For more of “Why Women Have Sex,” scroll down to previous posts, or link to Part 1 and Part 2.
In their own words
‘I was told that if a man could dance he could perform in bed. I did not believe this and wanted to see if it was true. … We ended up having sex and yes he was as good in bed as he was on the dance floor. … He literally danced while having sex. It was wonderful.’ — heterosexual woman, age 29
‘I had sex with someone who had a great sense of humor because every time I was with him, I had a great time. I have never had so much fun with anyone else as I had with him.’ — heterosexual woman, age 27
‘The reason I had sex with my ex-husband? I was young, I was 16 years old, and I wanted him to stay with me. I thought by having sex it would ensure a committed relationship. It didn’t, but at the time you could not have made me see that. I equated sex (with) love. And the more we made love, I thought, the more he must love me. I was a fool.’ — heterosexual woman, age 41
‘My husband cheated with my best friend, so I had an affair with her husband for three months. I did not feel guilty at all.’ — heterosexual woman, age 44
‘Sometimes, it was easier to just give in and do it when he wanted rather than put up with listening to him whine and complain about how horny he was.’ — heterosexual woman, age 29
‘After I broke up with the first person that I had sex with, I wondered if sex with different people was dramatically different, so I had sex with another boy I knew and … yeah, it was definitely different.’ — predominately heterosexual woman, age 18
‘I have had sex with my boyfriend to make my sexual skills better for the both of us. I see it as each time I have sex I’m also choosing to do it to heighten my skills so we can both have an even better experience than the last.’ — heterosexual woman, age 20
‘You know the situation with your spouse where you really want to please them sexually because you want to have your own way on something. Little things like choosing (where to eat) dinner.’ — heterosexual woman, age 25
‘(Sex) is a stress reliever, and let’s face it, most of the time men don’t care why, they’re just happy to help along.’ — predominately heterosexual woman, age 22
‘I can’t really describe this experience … but pure joy and connection with another person I feel is becoming closer to the cycles of life and the underlying, palpable energy of the world … in essence, God.’ heterosexual woman, age 21
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Why Women Have Sex, Part 2
For Part 1 of “Why Women Have Sex,” scroll down to the previous post, or go here.
“(It’s) the most fascinating and illuminating look at female sexuality since Alfred Kinsey’s ‘Sexual Behavior in the Human Female,’ ” says Mary Roach, author of “Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex.”
The Meston-Buss book is informed by evolutionary psychology (Buss’ expertise) about mate selection and psychophysiology (Meston’s specialty) on the female body’s response to sex.
“In the past, most people believed that whatever worked for men worked for women,” Meston says of her research. When male sexual enhancement drugs came on the market, for instance, pharmaceutical companies poured money into her research, hoping to find the first “pink Viagra.” With new measurement techniques, they discovered women’s bodies didn’t operate in the same way. (Mere genital blood flow did not trigger a sexual response in women’s brains.)
“What we’ve learned about the basic physiology of women’s sex in the past 10 years has exceeded what was learned in the previous 30, ever since Masters and Johnson,” she says.
What makes this book a potential best-seller are the words of the women themselves. The study respondents are remarkably candid.
“They could be entertaining, funny and heart-wrenching” says Meston, who spent months and months sorting through the colloquial responses. “Some say it succinctly, eloquently.”
Meston hopes the female readers who might not have reflected on why they have sex will be open to the variety of experiences recorded in the book.
“Some turn out well, some badly,” Meston says of sexual choices. “For these reasons, I feel good. For these reasons, I feel bad. Maybe we can make fewer negative choices.”
More to come …
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Why Women Have Sex, Part 1
“It’s complicated.”
No, that’s not how Cindy Meston lists her relationship status on her Facebook page.
“We both knew it was a question that had not been asked in the research literature,” Meston said. “People wondered, ‘What do you mean? Of course, it’s because we want to feel good.’ But we found it’s much more complicated than that.”
In fact, in two related surveys, women reported a full range of human responses, citing spirituality, conquest, sympathy, revenge, boredom, loneliness, curiosity, practice, attraction, esteem, reproduction, variety, evaluation, friendship, attention, submission, power, romance, pleasure, punishment, stress, adventure, barter, commitment, duty, infatuation, competition, guilt, coercion, jealousy and stimulation, among other motivations.
“We categorized them into 237 reasons,” said Meston, co-author with Buss of the book “Why Women Have Sex,” which has landed the psychology professors on “Dr. Phil” and “The Rachael Ray Show.”
“Most of what was known before was how to turn on a woman — physical cues, emotional cues, romantic cues, holding hands and so forth. Also the confidence and status of the man. This study told us so much more,” she says.
More to come …
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October 27, 2009
Oktoberfest at the German Texan Heritage Society
Most Austinites are surprised to discover the sequestered home of the German Texan Heritage Society …
Julie Freeland and Mark Perkins
It roosts on a limestone ledge above Mohawk and Club DeVille, a sort of secret garden impounded by long, low 19th-century stone buildings …
Julius Young and Amanda Wagner
The Society does all kinds of important historical and cultural work there, which I discovered decades ago in graduate school …
Natalija and Stean Brunner with their children Saffron, Cinamon and Sage
Yet, as a whole, it is sheltered from public awareness, something its leaders, such as Jean Warneke, are trying to alter …
Christie and Jeremy John
Thus events like Oktoberfest. This was my second trip to the d’ Wiesn at the Society, nothing on the scale of, say, New Braunfels or Fredericksburg. Still, pretzels, sausages, beer, bands, yodeling, costumes all fit into a flawless fall afternoon …
Mark Cano and Jean Warneke
[For those of you counting, this was Party No. 18 out of 25 on this Big October Weekend. Seven more posts to go.]
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October 2, 2009
Nerd Nite at Buffalo Billiards
When Dan Rumney lived in New York City, his girlfriend recommended Nerd Nite …
Dan Rumney and JC Dwyer
For whatever reason, she thought he’d appreciate the lectures and discussions on arcane subjects, set up in bars and other casual venues. Rumney never got around to it …
Cynthia Longoria and Mac Greene
Yet the idea stuck. Relocated to Austin, the Newcastle, U.K. native decided our town would make a natural host for Nerd Nites …
Renato and Crystal Regalado
He contacted the NYC founder of the series, who linked him up with San Antonio’s JC Dwyer. Together, they’ve engineered a half dozen Nerd Nites at Buffalo Billiards’ upstairs room …
Katie Ratkiewicz and Joey Bazan
Thursday, that included an analysis of fictional alternative history in pop culture (“What if the Nazis won World War II?”). About 50 no-so-nerdy-looking folks, predominately youthful, engaged the notions over a United Nations of draft beers …
Sheena Mada and Mark Brinkman
The scene would remind some observers of Austin’s long-running Dionysium debate/lecture/performance sessions. Maybe the two talk-fests should meet for a nerd smack-down.
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September 15, 2009
Ann Richards Birthday Party at Enfield Home
Is it the name? Is it the memory? Is it the mission? Or is it the accomplishments? …
Meria Carstarphen and Chris Mattsson
Maybe for all those reasons, the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders attracts solid-gold backers from across the Austin social spectrum …
Becky Beaver and Jean Rather
The special guest for the second Ann Richards Birthday Party fundraiser was actress Holland Taylor, who is preparing a solo show about the late governor. (We had met for cool drinks on the breezy patio of the Hotel St. Cecilia before the party; more on that later) …
Sylvia Acevedo and Sally Wittliff
Over at the swank Enfield home of Chris Mattsson and John McHale, the big stars of Austin education, charity and politics were gathering …
Lance Avery Morgan and Amber Elliott
My first long-ish conversation was with Meria Carstarphen, the new Austin Independent School District superintendent, who besides being smart and sharp is astonishingly down-to-earth and direct. Refreshing …
Dani Willard, Jeanne Goka and Michael Willard
Dani and Michael Willard (Habitat for Humanity) were among my other sustained conversation partners. Gotta spend more time with them …
Bobbi and Mort Topfer
The crowd was almost double the size of the gathering at the late Lowell Lebermann’s last September. And the foundation that backs the school is raising hundreds of thousands to complement the AISD investment.
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September 10, 2009
2009 Fortunate 500: Education
2009 FORTUNATE 500
EDUCATION
Sandy Alcala. Junior League of Austin, UTLatinos, Texas Exes
Amy Averett. Austin Voices For Education and Youth
Alex Brown. Austin Community College Foundation, AMD
Meria Carstarphen. Austin Independent School District
Roxann Thomas Chargois. The Links Inc., St. Edward’s University
Penny and Thomas Cedel. Concordia University Texas
Larry Earvin. Austin Area Urban League, Huston-Tillotson University, Leadership Austin
Thomas E. Gallagher. Austin Community College Foundation, Seton Family of Hospitals
Katy Hackerman. UT College of Natural Sciences Janet Harman. KDK-Harman Foundation, St. Stephen’s School, Southwest Council of Foundations
Kim Heilbrun and William Powers. University of Texas, Austin Triathlon, St. Stephen’s Episcopal School
Johnita and Bill Jones. Texas A&M System
Jill Kolasinski and Rip Esselstyn. KIPP Austin, Austin Fire Department, ‘The Engine 2 Diet’
Michael Lofton. African American Men and Boys/Women and Girls Conference
George E. Martin. St. Edward’s University
Leslie Powers. Rise School of Austin
Mary Ann Rankin. University of Texas
Laura Steinbach. Rawson-Saunders School
Lucia and Paul Woodruff. University of Texas
Denise M. Trauth and John Huffman. Texas State University-San Marcos
Louise and Steven Weinberg. University of Texas, the Nobelity Project
Mary and Howard Yancy. University of Texas, People’s Community Clinic, Texas Book Festival
To see images of the Fortunate 500 Education listees, go here.
COMPLETE 2009 FORTUNATE 500 LISTS:
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Guest Blogger: Phillip Bradshaw
Last year I spent a great deal of my Thursday nights at Polvo’s on South First Street for four reasons. 1. I enjoy socializing. 2. I enjoy margaritas. 3. I live down the street and don’t have to drive home. 4. End of an Ear record store is almost right across the street.
So last week, my friends and I re-established our Thursday night margarita ritual. And today, I reinstituted my End of an Ear day, night, and pretty much anytime I have half an hour to spare.
Walking into End of an Ear is a little nerve-racking the first time. You cannot see into the store. The door is old and wooden and probably doesn’t lock completely. And you really can’t hear anything going on in the inside. You must be curious and willing to find out exactly what is inside.
Most of the time you are not disappointed. End of an Ear does not boast the largest selection of records, or even the most up to date. However, if you are in the mood for browsing in an easy-going, no-pressure environment, End of an Ear is the place.
As you browse the columns, make sure to flip through the records one by one, even if you know what you are looking for. The tangible aspect of record shopping is one thing that really appeals to me. I flip through each row and enjoy the artwork on each vinyl cover, many I’ve never seen or heard of, but I enjoy nonetheless.
Another aspect that I enjoy is the space you are given by the employees. To me, browsing records is not really a social thing. I am in the store to find music for myself. And if I feel like an employee is waiting for me to ask them a question, I become preoccupied with that thought.
The selection does not take long to browse, so I appreciate that I can probably look at every section in the store in a reasonable amount of time.
I almost always leave with something, whether it is a new record I had been waiting for, or a record I simply don’t have. I might be the only one who is attracted to this sort of shopping environment, but End of an Ear has a loyal customer in me.
For more of Phillip Bradshaw’s entertainment journalism, visit “The View from Austin.”
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Guest Blogger: Carly Hallman
The word “journalist” conjures up images of literary greatness — unshaven, unshowered men in cargo pants, furiously scribbling notes as bombs detonate around them … fat paychecks from the New York Times … an enviable intellect … respect.
In the collective American mind, entertainment journalism has become synonymous with celebrity journalism, and even — ahem — sensationalism. And, really, with all of the Anna Nicole Smith hype and the Britney Spears hype and the Michael Jackson hype and the hype-hype-hype hype, is it any real surprise?
But, I think it’s time to reconsider.
Story: Once upon a time, entertainment lived in its own room. It was rare and special occasion for the average Joe to open entertainment’s door and attend a play or to get his hands on a new book. People were busy — working, caring for families, farming, sleeping, cooking, eating, doing it all again. Entertainment was a luxury.
And people are still busy, but entertainment no longer lives alone, behind a tightly closed door. It lives with us — not just those of us wealthy enough or successful enough or just plain lucky enough to have time and money to spare — but with all of us.
We brought TV into our homes. We installed radios in our cars. We spent our paychecks on records, eight-tracks, tapes, CDs, MP3s; video cassettes, DVDs. Women went to work so that the average family can now afford to regularly attend movies, to subscribe to magazines, to dine out approximately four times per week. With the Internet, we connected ourselves to the world via wires, and now waves.
Now, sometimes I write and I read fluffy stuff. Sometimes I watch “TMZ.” Sometimes I flip through tabloids while I’m standing in line at Wal-Mart.
But, honestly, I don’t care what flavor of Frappucino Mary-Kate Olsen orders from Starbucks. I don’t care about Sienna Miller’s jeans. I don’t care about how fat Kirstie Alley is this week.
I do care about my life.
I care about books and travel and music. I care about the Internet and how I can use the Internet to form connections with other human beings. I care about how and where I choose to spend my money- which restaurant, which nightclub, which comedy club, which art gallery. I care about my life, so I care about entertainment.
In this shaky political age, entertainment is our strongest democracy — and as a thinking, breathing, living human being, this is how I choose to participate.
For more of Carly Hallman’s entertainment journalism, visit Chairman Wow!
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Guest Blogger: Jules Ramirez
I really like the idea of eating out of airstream trailers. Yes, they are becoming obnoxiously trendy, popping up everywhere. Yet, as my dad was reminded me the other day, they’re a good idea for those looking to test an innovative business — and who don’t want to bother with contracts and rents.
The trailer sits conveniently in a shaded spot off of South Lamar Boulevard across from Bird’s Barbershop, and although the lunch crowd can cause a small wait, you can always phone in your orders.
For $7, I obtained two large sized avocado spring rolls, dressed with a spicy peanut sauce and an iced black, bubble tea. Not bad.
I will definitely the shrimp summer rolls try next time. My dad ordered a lemongrass pork sandwich. Everything tasted fresh and was complemented with the right sauce.
Next on my list: Crepes Mille on South Congress Avenue. Can it beat out Flip-Happy? Doubtful.
For more of Jules Ramirez’s entertainment journalism, visit Twenty Fresh.
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September 9, 2009
Inside Glamour with the Tejas Club
The Tejas Club has been shaping future Texas leaders for decades. Housed in a grand old West Campus home that once served as doctors’ offices for the former Seton Hospital, the independent fraternity averages 50 or 60 “braves.” Yet, since members invite friends and family to their traditional Thursday-night coffees, the first such meeting of the fall 2009 semester counted just as many young women, along with a few parents and alumni.
First, I shared a story about “open Austin” from 20 years ago, when we lived right across 26th Street in a broken-down bungalow. Mid-rise condos now rise on the site, but I recounted how welcoming the various fraternities, sororities and cooperatives were to the artsy inhabitants of that bungalow. I could offer the braves and guests some further historical perspective. My reporting beat encompasses Austin’s glamour scene, which bears some definition, since our local glamour — “attraction” or “allure” — is not like Hollywood’s, New York’s or Miami’s.
Austin’s first glam scene evolved from politics. Power attracted folks from far and wide to the capital, first of the republic, then the state of Texas. Along with the politicians came nightlife, primarily in the form of Guy Town, a collection of bars and bawdy houses located where the Warehouse District now offers slightly classier entertainment.
Politics and education remained the only sustaining attractions until well after World War II. Why not business? The Central Texas drought and flood cycle meant the city’s dams could not produce reliable enough energy for manufacturing, while railroads converged on other distribution points. (Almost by accident, this situation also left the city greener than most.)
After the war, a former magnesium mine north of the city became UT’s research center, and high-tech followed. Technology generated the city’s first real wealth, and by the 1990s, a true philanthropy scene emerged. You’ve read about the glamorous rest in this space: Music in the 1970s. Movies in the 1980s. Arts and fine dining in the 1990s. Style, nightlife, media and celebrity sports in the 21st Century.
If all those scenes echo the categories in the annual Fortunate 500 lists — 2009’s edition now available at austin360.com/outandabout — it’s not by coincidence. As the sharp questions and comments from Tejas members demonstrated, everybody knows about Austin glamour. It’s helpful, however, to analyze its constituent elements and review its origins.
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September 6, 2009
Guest Blogger: Kaitlyn Meilert
Today I finally gave in and bought a new DVD player after the one I’ve had for three or four years decided to believe that no DVDs exist. (It’s actually been acting up for about half a year now —sometimes it thinks there’s no disc, sometimes it thinks it’s open and stops in the middle of a movie — but I will keep anything for as long as I can until there’s absolutely no way I can use it.) And I got it just in time for Netflix day.
Some people may think “The Gilmore Girls?” Really?
You mean, that WB chick thing that aired with all the other primetime teen soap operas?” Call it what you will, but how many CW shows do you see today that are about a successful single mother — who owns and runs an inn despite having been pregnant and on her own at 16 — and her above 4.0 average daughter — who would rather read than get wasted, ended up at Yale and, eventually, writing for some newspaper that I won’t remember the name of until I watch that last disc.
Unlike today’s other “teen” shows, which focus on rich kids’ social and sex lives, “Girls” is brilliantly witty, smart, and as much for adults as it is for teens.
The show follows the lives of sarcastic, “cool” mom Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter, sweet, booksmart, big-blue-eyed, Rory (short for Lorelai) in their adorable small town of Stars Hollow, Conn. Lorelai goes from running an inn to buying her own while trying to find “the one,” while Rory goes from small-town public school to expensive and competitive private school (paid for by Lorelai’s estranged parents who force themselves back into her life by making her return the favor with “friday night dinners”) to Yale.
The show is full of “coffee coffee coffee” (as Lorelai would say) and a plethora of pop culture references. (My favorite: “Hey, did anyone ever think that maybe Sylvia Plath wasn’t crazy, she was just cold?” as said by Lorelai while she and Rory are huddled by their open stove for warmth while waiting for Luke — of Luke’s Diner, and secretly in love with Lorelai — to fix their broken window.)
So, say what you want about “Girls,” but having been a bookworm-alcohol free-almost straight-A teenager, it was nice watching a show with a character my age that I could actually relate to. And now it’s both fitting and interesting (and scary, at times) to have gotten to the final season during my “Gilmore Girls through Netflix” phase as Rory prepares for and freaks out about the real world as she finishes up her last year of college — just like me!
For more of Kaitlyn Meilert’s entertainment journalism, go to Kaitlyn’s Entertainment Blog.
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Guest Blogger: Ryan Lester
I retain a fond affection for the MP3 format and the economic model that it advances. Stores like iTunes, Amazon, and streaming services like Napster, Rhapsody, and Lala have made discovering and obtaining new music easier than ever.
Despite the MP3’s varied uses and strengths, I still buy at least two to three CD’s a month from record stores if I have the money. I am one of the few people that I know who still prefers albums over singles, and I don’t mind paying a few extra dollars to more thoroughly support a band. Although I do admit that buying music online and getting albums from my friends is extremely convenient and easy, there are several reasons why a trip to the record store still has its place in a digitally dominated society.
First, buying a CD requires a certain commitment that downloading a single will never have. When you buy a song off of iTunes, you can do it from almost anywhere. Whether it is on your laptop at a coffee shop, at home on your television, or on an iPhone in a busy airport, if you have a connection to the internet you can have your music. Going to a record store requires planning to make a special outing, the time to escape from the house or the office, and the desire to want a full album rather than a single song that had a catchy synth line. This makes the trip itself a sort of special occasion, something that can be looked forward to at the end of a long week. When the music is delivered to you through fiber optics, that sort of magic is taken away, and buying music becomes more of a habit than a cherished moment in time.
Perhaps the most important arguments for independent record stores come from the feelings going to one. There is something about the thrill of going to a place like Waterloo Records the morning an album comes out and holding the physical product in your hand. It is almost as if you holding a piece of art.
Additionally, these stores have their own unique qualities. Whether it’s the knowledgeable staff, the funky atmosphere, or the plethora of in-store performances, there are many endearing qualities that can be had at a record store. Then, there’s the epic struggle to break the shrink wrap off of a jewel case, which only amplifies the amount of anticipation to hear the packages’ contents. One feels a great a sense of triumph when at last the case can be opened. None of these feelings can be replicated when music is bought on a computer.
At the end of the day, even though I will continue to download music online and establish friendships via a portable hard drive, I will always have a soft spot for my local record stores. They are places that you can spend hours by yourself, or with good friends, browsing through their collections, taking in the overall aesthetic of the place, or see an up and coming artist. Until the online stores and services come up with a way to accurately replicate the qualities that are unique to brick and mortar establishments, I will continue to make my trips to Waterloo, Chaeapo, End of An Ear, or any other of Austin’s many record stores at least twice a month.
For more of Ryan Lester’s entertainment journalism, go to Musings on Music.
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September 5, 2009
Fortunate 500 Top Picks: Education
The Top Picks for the 2009 Fortunate 500 list of socially active area citizens were published in Glossy on Friday. In Out & About, we’ll mete out those Top Picks over the next few days. Then, beginning Tuesday, we’ll release the full lists and galleries.
Top Picks: Kathryn Anderson and Doug Dempster
If the Austin social event paired arts and education, Doug Dempster was there. The dean of the University of Texas College of Fine Arts is the among the most socially connected academics in Austin. He’s often accompanied at galas and openings by crack assistant dean Sondra Lomax, also sometimes by wife, poet Kathryn Anderson. (The couple has two daughters.) Formerly with the Eastman School of Music, Dempster’s educational background actually revolved around philosophy and political science. Able, accessible, soft-spoken and common-sensical, Dempster is making that all-important town-gown connection often missing from massive UT and even bigger Austin. How does he keep up with all the socializing? One possible secret: He’s also a dedicated long-distance runner.
For more 2009 Fortunate 500 updates, follow the category link below.
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Guest Blogger: Mary Fisher
Late-night coffee shops are something Austin students can’t get enough of, so here are my top picks for wee-hour hangouts or study-time oases.
2. Epoch — Another 24-hour coffee shop that’s a cool place hang out but doesn’t usually double as a great study place. The coffee is good, but the tea is just OK. Also, the place can get really loud, between the people chattering and the music burbling. But, it is a fair alternative if you live in Hyde Park and are not close to MLK (which is where Bennu is located.)
3. Spider House Although it closes at 2 a.m., this is another ideal hangout spot. Usually Spidey host events, such as episodes of “Saved by the Bell.” Their big outdoor porch is a great place to relax on a clement evening. However, since most of their seating is outside, if it rains (which may seem impossible in Austin) you’re out of luck. The indoor seating is minimal, cramped. Also, it’s not a great study place because of the noise from the crowd and music and the low lighting.
4. Halcyon — Located on West Fourth Street, Halcyon is a heady, exciting place to spend weekend nights. Since it doubles as a coffee shop and bar, you can decide between ordering a strong drink, or a caffeine fix, or both. (Yes, this is something Spider House offers as well.) However, if you want to come here late a night to study, I wouldn’t. The place is always loud, louder than Spider House and Epoch. But, it’s a great place to observe the weekend night crowd if clubbing and bar hopping is something you don’t enjoy doing.
For more entertainment journalism from Mary Fisher, go to Redmusi’s Blog, alternately called An Entertainment Hodge-Podge.
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Guest Blogger: James Bingham
I first heard about “The Incident” from a message posted on the Porcupine Tree Web site. Along with some stand-alone tracks, their new album would include a “35-minute song cycle” written by band frontman Steven Wilson.
I first got into Porcupine Tree back in 2003, after they had done a stint with Dream Theater, playing opening sets on the World Tourbulence Tour. All I had really heard about them was that they had opened for Dream Theater. Other than that, their album “In Absentia” was a complete blind buy. I had no idea what I was going to get. With my money, I’m stupid like that.
My impulsiveness paid off. The album was great, and Porcupine Tree has since become one of my favorite bands EVAR. But I digress … What is The Incident? In an interview with Roadrunner Records, Wilson explained the concept behind the album…
“There was a sign saying ‘POLICE - INCIDENT’ and everyone was slowing down to rubber neck to see what had happened … Afterwards, it struck me that ‘incident’ is a very detached word for something so destructive and traumatic for the people involved. And then I had the sensation that the spirit of someone that had died in the accident entered into my car and was sitting next to me. The irony of such a cold expression for such seismic events appealed to me, and I began to pick out other ‘incidents’ reported in the media and news. I wrote about the evacuation of teenage girls from a religious cult in Texas, a family terrorizing its neighbors, a body found floating in a river by some people on a fishing trip, and more. Each song is written in the first person and tries to humanize the detached media reportage.”
That description really sets the mood for the album. It’s deep and complex. I have to liken it to Dream Theater’s “Octavarium.” It took a few spins before I could appreciate everything the band had done, and how each individual track contributed to the larger whole. It’s the same here. Fans of Wilson (and Porcupine Tree by extension) will know that for the most part, they don’t really release records-they release concepts. A group of songs that, when taken together, will convey a certain meaning. In this way, The Incident marks a departure from albums like “In Absentia” and “Deadwing,” and a return to some of their earlier work, like “Voyage 34.”
There’s going to be a large group of casual fans who probably won’t dig this album, but the hardcore folks will definitely have fun with it. Aside from a few missteps, Porcupine Tree has brought together a great mix of both the hard and the soft, heavy rhythms and soaring melodies-another worthy addition to their catalog.
You can preorder “The Incident” at amazon.com. The album will be released on Sept. 15.
For more on “The Incident,” and other entertainment journalism by James Bingham, go to Working Title.
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September 4, 2009
Guest Blogger: Trisha Corona
Today, I sat in another class watching a documentary about India. Yet I can’t recall learning anything about India. What I do remember is a voice with a deep English accent, and a painting that had two half-nude women, one representing India and one representing Britannia.
Today, I specifically remember a reenactment scene in which an English couple is lying in bed at night. The wife held a knife and the husband held a gun because they were scared of being attacked by Indian soldiers. But I don’t remember how this is specifically associated to Indian history.
These documentaries are intended to be educational, or why else would we watch them in class? They’re full of facts. They act out parts of history. They refer to books and letters,. Yet they seem too much like film. Therefore, I think documentaries are (slightly) a stronger form of entertainment than they are an educational tool.
In books, we are able to go back and read a line, check the spelling of new terms, and look at images separately from words. With documentaries, it just seems like our visual experience of it is more potent than what we hear and comprehend.
Here’s an example from the “Planet Earth” series: The viewers are less blown away by what Sigourney Weaver says than what they see. Blame Blu-ray.
For more entertainment journalism from Trisha Corona, go to Trisha’s Blog.
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Guest Blogger: Chris Saad
A couple of months ago, I received an e-mail from Marty, the director of a teen cancer organization called “The Sunshine Kids”. He asked me if my theatrical percussion group DrumJam would be available to perform for the 19th annual “Teen Lake Escape” in Lago Vista on July 10.
July 10, I gathered 40 different types of percussion instruments that we use in my band, including djembes, dirbekis, a concert bass drum, cowbells, cymbals, snare drums, trashcan lids, wood blocks and various kitchen utensils. I drove almost an hour and a half to the other side of the lake, where the event was being held at an incredible mansion. The kids had been enjoying themselves on the lake all day, taking part in activities such as jet skiing, para sailing, tubing, water skiing and swimming. I was a bit nervous about meeting all these children with a terminal illness.
I knew I had to be careful about what I would say, but I also felt that I was on a mission to inspire these kids to not give up, and to keep fighting against their sickness. Apprehensively, I rounded up chairs and put them in a circle on the patio, then placed the bass drum on a stand in the very center.
Shortly, all the kids migrated towards the patio, sat down, and waited quietly to see what was in store for them. I stood at the center of the circle and introduced myself. I proceeded by saying, “you may not have known this previously, but all of you are drummers. Since you all have hearts beating inside of you, you all have natural rhythm, and all you need to do is figure out how to communicate that rhythm to the outside world.”
For more of Chris Saad’s story about his time with the Sunshine Kids — and to read more of his entertainment journalism, visit “Got Entertainment?”
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September 3, 2009
Guest Blogger: Sara Ortiz
“It’s sad, really,” I was telling Chris, a friend who lives in Dubai, “I’m studying English at school, and essentially, I’m studying it to be a writer. But everything is online now. I have a feeling my resume will include works published online, rather than offline (books, magazines, journals, etc.). And it makes my soon-to-be profession feel … cheap, disregarded even.”
“Making decisions in this communication brownout, though without complete information, we go to war hastily, go to meetings unprepared, and build relationships on the slippery gravel of false impressions.”
As a writer, I feel this speaks to me on a deeper level: As in, my career. There is something great about admiring, holding, smelling, and caressing a book or magazine or newspaper with one’s own text printed on it. Personally, the romance behind it is greater in comparison to seeing text on a monitor. But more importantly, literacy standards continue to fall. Everything else seems to be improving but … our literacy skills? Freeman illustrates the following:
“It [the Industrial Age] has made it more difficult to read slowly and enjoy it, hastening the already declining rates of literacy. It has made it harder to listen and mean it, to be idle and not fidget.”
This manifesto runs parallel to the ongoing multi-tasking and the frying attention-span debates. In the blink of an eye we can read headlines without being fully informed. In the next blink we can be briefed about the latest celebrity gossip. Next we are glancing through our e-mail, then we are skimming through a Google Book just to make it quickly to the next eye’s blink. Are any of these things ever done carefully? Or effectively? Or with our full attention? Is it fair to the authors who have worked on what you’re reading? Another question: Did I lose you?
My stance is not to be confused with a stance against fast communication, rather to know when to opt for slow communication. Like Freeman states in his manifesto,
“We need to uncouple our idea of progress from speed, separate the idea of speed from efficiency, pause and step back enough to realize that efficiency may be good for business and governments but does not always lead to mindfulness and sustainable, rewarding relationships.”
Well said! Now, if I could only get this in print…
For more from St. Ed’s entertainment journalist Sara Ortiz, visit “A Little Bite of This, A Little Bit of That.”
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Guest Blogger: Proctor Anderson
Things are expensive. I know, pretty obvious statement. But true. I do my best not to buy expensive things. Most of the time that means I just don’t buy anything. Yet other times it means I find ways to spend less on normally expensive things. Today I offer two examples of buying under sticker price.
Second: “Guitar Hero World Tour Bundle” for Playstation 3. For the past 3 years, I have avoided buying plastic video game instruments. “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero” games have always seemed fun, but I could never get over the price points. The “Guitar Hero World Tour” bundle costs around a hundred dollars no matter where you look. On Sunday I was at Target and I checked out the electronics section out of habit. There weren’t any good markdowns in the game section and nothing good in DVDs so I started to walk to the register. Then tucked away in an end-cap where two copies of the game and one guitar for only $22. So I snatched one up and took it to the register. On my way home I stopped by a Hollywood Video and — lucky me — they had “Guitar Hero” drums on sale for only $10. So I got the whole bundle for a third of the list price. I’m pretty excited about it.
Feels good buying $180 worth of stuff for $70.
Read more of St. Ed’s Proctor Anderson entertainment journalism at Things that Entertain Proctor.
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August 29, 2009
Meet the new entertainment bloggers
The Entertainment Journalism class at St. Edward’s University once again impresses. We’re meeting each Monday night for three hours. We’ll cover news reporting, feature writing, blogging, social media, interviewing, editing, celebrity journalism and other subjects related to entertainment.
Class members are posting away on their entertainment blogs, some freshly minted, others already underway when the semester began. As in the past, I’ll re-post some of the best entries here on Out & About as well.
Meanwhile, a directory:
James Bingham: Working Title
Phillip Bradshaw: A View from Austin
Trisha Corona: Trisha’s Blog
Mary Fisher: Redmusi’s Blog
Carly Hallman: Chairman Wow!
Ryan Lester: Musings on Music
Cilla Longoria: Cilla’s 1127 Blog
Kaitlin Meilert: Kaitlin’s Entertainment Blog
Sara Ortiz: A Little Bite of This, A Little Bite of That
Jules Ramirez: Twenty Fresh
Chris Saad: Got Entertainment?
Others to be added.
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August 25, 2009
School Daze for Entertainment Journalism
The first day of school. Empty halls full of promise. Refreshed faces flashing curiosity. A hint of fall in the air.
A gift: A shimmering new classroom in the natural sciences building. Dizzily high ceilings. Windows, front and back, beveled for extra light and transparency. A squad of desktop computers at full attention. A teaching pod bristling with tech treats.
For the sixth time, I’m sharing a variation on entertainment journalism with budding writers for St. Ed’s fall semester. Fourteen students. Mostly English majors, but also communications, media, philosophy and psychology.
They come to the class with all sorts of expectations. First, we introduced ourselves. Then combed over the syllabus introduction. After that, students composed contracts detailing their class goals and the time they plan to devote towards those ends.
A sprightly discussion ensued on the roles of the entertainment journalist — factual reporter, aesthetic arbiter, artist advocate, consumer lobbyist — and, for the first time, the final option seemed the most attractive to one of my classes. I think it has to do with the interactive nature of most current media, including social media, that makes today’s young journalists advocates for readers.
Before firing up their own blogs — it’s a three-hour class on Mondays — we flickered through a writing exercise that demonstrated the framing questions of the class. Observation, description, analysis, interpretation and evaluation were applied to the densely rich images and sounds from the “Mad Men” opening credits.
I’ve conducted this “Mad Men” exercise three or four times, and each iteration, students bring fresh insights to the experience. I’m always amazed at what I never noticed before. Anyway, a brisk, bracing preview to the kinds of discussions in store.
Soon, I’ll share links to their blogs.
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August 22, 2009
Concordia University Gala at the Four Seasons
Concordia University Texas continues to raise its Austin social profile …
Concordia President Thomas Cedel, Penny Cedel, Liz Watson and Sen. Kirk Watson
Its enrollment has increased by 25 percent since it moved northwest from its cramped central location …
Heidi and Michael Doering
Last year, its first-ever formal gala raised $100,000 at the Four Seasons Hotel …
Mandy and Dan Gregory
This year, despite the recession and flat giving, the event was once again sold out, bonding potential future givers to the Lutheran institution …
Lindsey and Matt Levin
Black tie in August never looked so cool …
Barbara Mink, Jeffrey Richard and Naomi Richard
The honoree was the ever witty, self-denigrating Sen. Kirk Watson, who recently turned down a run at the governorship to keep his sure-thing role in the Texas Senate …
Lindsey Erwin, Brent Garner and Carrie Simmons
With Watson to help, events like this propagate the word about upwardly aimed Concordia (Pres. Thomas Cedel’s tenure reminds me of the dynamic leadership of Pat Hayes and George Martin during St. Edward’s University’s expansion phases).
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