Phoenix Augusta State University’s

Vol xvi i Issue i i

Spring 2011

the adventure issue

PHOENIX MAGAZINE is a student publication of the Office of Student Activities and the Department of Communications and Professional Writing at Augusta State University. PHOENIX MAGAZINE is a designated public forum and has been recognized as such by Augusta State University. The publication is funded by advertising sales and student activity fees. The opinions expressed in the Phoenix do not necessarily represent the opinions of the University System of Georgia, the administration or faculty of ASU, the editorial staff or the adviser of the Phoenix.

Editor-in-ChiefStephanie Lammers

Assistant EditorAdrienne Thomas

Business ManagerDavid Silver

Advertising ManagerGordon Jackson

Faculty AdviserDr. Debra van Tuyll

Staff WritersJeannen Hobbs, Aimee Johnson,

Christina Rodriguez, Patricia Johnson,Melissa Clark, Taryn Law, Kerri King,

Jasmine Housey, Ashley Panter, WesleyMeno, Jessica Warren, Kelley Girardin

ContributorsMariam Tafazoli, Tanisha Cropper,

Sydney T. Franklin, Ami Read, Lauryn Sprouse, Casey Joye

Web DesignHal Gauldin

Cover Photo by Donna Harrellin Sevierville, Tenn.

Phoenix Magazine is published three times per academic year with a press run of 2500 copies. It is created on

Macintosh OSX computers using Adobe Creative Suite 4.0. The cover is printed

on 80# white offset paper; the text is printed on 70# white offset coated paper.

The body copy is Georgia, cutlines are Century Gothic and the nameplat is

Desdemona and Archaelogicaps. This issue of Phoenix Magazine was printed

by K-B Offset Printing, Inc. in State College, PA.

AUGUSTA STATE UNIVERSITY’S

PHOENIXMAGAZINE

We are already three months into 2011, and it’s going by fast. As my days at ASU come to an end, I want to explore the world. This is the only time in my life that I have no rules or commitments. This issue is about adventure, both near and far. Go out and do something different because this may be your only chance! Thank you to anyone and everyone involved in making this magazine possible. Many thanks to Eddie Howard and student activities. Thank you Lynda Morris from K-B Offset Printing, Inc. for putting up with our obnoxious phone calls. A BIG thank you to Practicums I and II, and to David and Gordon for going behind the scenes and working your magic. Adrienne, I know you don’t want to hear a bunch of corny crap, but I love you! I think you are one of the most creative people that I’ve ever met. You are always open-minded and unbiased. I think we make a kick-ass team, and I can’t say thank you enough. Lastly and most importantly, thank you for reading!

S. Lammers

Beep. Beep. I am a robot. I am an InDesign machine. I do everything Stephanie tells me to do. I love working on the Phoenix with her. Just kidding. I really do love working on Phoenix, but my energy and inspiration are only possible because Stephanie is there, pushing me along. We’ve had lots of fun spending endless hours in the office, listening to bad ‘90s music and eating Snickers bars for dinner. What a life! Thanks so much to Dr. van Tuyll for allowing me to experience deadlines, to Leza Wetherington for being pretty much the most organized person I’ve ever met and to Shannon Hicks in the Copy Center for being very patient and timely with my ridiculous requests. Ladies, I thank you so much for putting up me. Time for my Snickers break,

Adrienne

Phoenix 1

featuresHIDDEN TREASURES

SPECIAL SECTION:IRELAND

THE SEARCH CONTINUES...

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

THE REALITY OF REMODELING

Aimee Johnson scopes out local spring break adventures.

Jeannen Hobbs weighs the pros and cons of the do-it-yourself revolution.

Tanisha Cropper talks to Mary Byrd, long-time supporter of the arts.

Christina Rodriguez explores the world that Google, Inc. has to offer.

Adrienne Thomas, Mariam Tafazoli & Stephanie Lammers share their study abroad experiences.

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departments

WINGSPAN

MUSIC

STUDENT LIFE

CALENDAR spotlight: ASU’s production of Fat Pig

compiled by Christina Rodriguez.

Jeannen Hobbs investigates the meaning of QEP & why it is important to students.

The Avett Brothers: Aimee Johnson interviews a band that started at the bottom and rose to the top.

featuring works by Lauryn Sprouse & Sydney T. Franklin

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MARCHRoyal Comedy Tour

Friday, March 4Bell Auditorium

7:30 p.m.

Film Series: “Bliss”Monday, March 7

UH Room 1707 p.m.

Lion of IdoConcert

Thursday, March 10ASU Amphitheatre

7 p.m.

“Awake My Soul” Film

Wednesday, March 9Morris Museum of

Art6 p.m.

Day of Community Service

Saturday, March 12ASU Amphitheatre

8:30 a.m.

Mandisa & Anita Renfroe

Saturday, March 12Millbrook Baptist,

Aiken7 p.m.

Augusta Blues Festival

Saturday, March 12Bell Auditorium

7 p.m.

Blake SheltonConcert

Saturday, March 12James Brown Arena

7:30 p.m.

Film Series: “John Rabe”

Monday, March 14UH Room 170

7 p.m.

Operation PIG OUTWednesday, March 16

JSAC Ballroom & Sports Field

10a.m. - 2p.m.

Film Series: “A Woman A Gun and A

Noodle Soup”Monday, March 21

UH Room 1707 p.m.

“Fat Pig”Thurs, March 24 - Sat

March 26Maxwell Theatre

8 p.m.

“Fat Pig”Sunday, March 27Maxwell Theatre

8 p.m.

Avett BrothersConcert

Sunday, March 27Bell Auditorium

8 p.m.

Film Series: “ Winnebago Man”Monday, March 28

UH Room 1707 p.m.

Juan de Marcos & The Afro-Cuban All StarsTuesday, March 29

Maxwell Theatre7 p.m.

Safe SpringBreak-A-Palooza

Thursday, March 31Sports Field

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

4 Spring 2011

APRILSpring Break!

Monday, April 4 - Friday, April 8JSAC Closed

Early Registration for Summer/Fall

2011Monday, April 11 -

Friday, April 15

“Prodigal Sons”Film

Wednesday, April 13Morris Museum of Art

6 p.m.

Poker TournamentThursday, April 14JSAC Breezeway

6:30 p.m.

Paul Taylor Dance Company

Thursday, April 14Imperial Theatre

7 p.m.

Take Back the Day Rally

Saturday, April 16JSAC Amphitheatre

8 a.m.

Opera at ASUSunday, April 17Maxwell Theatre

3 p.m.

Take Back the NightThursday, April 21Maxwell Theatre

6:30 p.m.

JAB Midnight Breakfast

Wednesday, April 27ASU Amphitheatre

10 p.m. - 12 a.m.

Last Day of

Classes!Wednesday, April 27

Phoenix 5

Layout by Christina Rodriguez

MAY

Finals Frenzy

Sunday, May 1 - Tuesday, May 3

Graduation!

Monday, May 910 a.m.

6 Spring 2011

FAT PIG

Christina Rodriguez is a senior communications major on the public relations track.

Which would you give more weight to: the desires of your heart or the pres-sures of society? In the ASU Theatre’s production of the play “Fat Pig,” the audience watches this question develop within the romantic relationship of Tom, a fit, young professional, and Helen, a con-fident librarian who doesn’t fit into the typical supermodel figure. As their re-lationship deepens, Tom faces ridicule and pressure from his friends who do not understand or approve of his rela-tionship with the overweight Helen. As the pressure continues to mount, Tom must decide whether to tip the scale in favor of society’s views or his love for Helen. This modern love story is being brought to ASU’s stage through the ef-fort of its director Dr. Carolyn Cope, associate professor of theatre and com-munications. Cope says that the play-wright of the original 2004 play, Neil Labute, has written several produc-

tions. One of his plays was even adapt-ed into a film titled “In the Company of Men.” According to Cope, “Fat Pig” be-gan as an off-broadway production and has since gained cult interest. “Fat Pig” consists of a small cast of four including the two main characters, Helen and Tom, as well as Tom’s rude friend Carter and jealous co-worker Jeannie. In ASU’s production, the cast will be played by Megan Steinberg as Helen, Nicholas Wysong as Tom, Her-man Gonzalez as Carter and Whitney Hughey as Jeannie. All the cast mem-bers are students in the Department of Communication and Professional Writing. Cope says she has wanted to do this play for a few years and finds the it interesting, entertaining and uncom-fortable as it deals with our biases and prejudices against overweight people in our society. These sentiments are echoed by comments from reviewers such as Ben Brantley of the New York

Times, “... ‘Fat Pig’ is ... the most emotional-ly engaging and unsettling of Mr. LaB-ute’s plays since ‘Bash’,” Brantley says. Cope says “Fat Pig” touches just about every emotion and will make us think, will make us laugh and will make us sad. The characters in the play are all young professionals in their mid to late 20s engaging in the corporate world, and Cope feels that this makes the story resonate with students because it’s about them in the place where most are headed after graduation. The story revolves around our relationships at ground level in the midst of a profes-sional career, which is something most students will encounter one day. As “Fat Pig” also addresses different facets of different relationships, Cope wants everyone learns at least one thing from this play, “I would hope that we would all come away with a little understanding with the issue of obesity and examine our own hearts and not be so quick to throw around these labels such as fat pig and slob.” Cope is sure that with both the laugh-ter and the depth of this play, you won’t need a mandatory class assignment to go see “Fat Pig.”

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map background & compass by 123rf.com

8 Spring 2011

Most college spring break weeks commence during the month of March. However, Augusta schools have to wait until the first week in April for the golf fans to arrive. Only in Augusta is spring break synonymous with Masters week. While most students would like to head out of town and flock to the beaches, many take advantage of the employment opportunities provided by the Masters Golf Tournament. The tra-ditional spring break idea is reversed. Instead of people vacating during the week, numerous amounts of people crowd into the Augusta area. Where and what can students do dur-ing spring break if they cannot take a vacation? If only one day is available there are some wonderful day trips def-initely worth the travel. Victor Gutierrez, a junior Span-ish major, is one of the many Augusta State University students who remains at home for spring break. “This spring break I plan on working for the Masters,” says Gutierrez. “I need the extra money.” Want to do something different this spring break? Hidden around Augusta are five unique places nearby to explore that are inexpensive to visit. Within an hour you can embark on a day trip to fulfill a spring break excursion. To dis-cover these treasures, the only things needed are a full tank of gas and $10. Jump into your car, roll your windows down, turn the radio up full blast and head out of this crowded town on your way to a new adventure.

hiddenTreasures

Aimee Johnson scopes out

local spring break adventures.

Art by Ami Read Photos & Layout

by Aimee Johnson

Phoenix 9

1st stop: The PDGA International Disc Golf Center in Appling, Ga., is located roughly 15 miles away in Wildwood Park, a straight drive down Washington Road. There is a $3 admission fee to enter the park and an additional $3 daily greens fee for Columbia County residents or a $5 fee for non-Columbia County resi-dents to play the courses. For less than $10 you can enjoy a whole day of fun. While the professionals are at the Augusta National playing golf with a little white ball, you can play golf with a Frisbee. Disc golf is played much like traditional golf, except instead of a ball the players throw a Frisbee, and the hole is an elevated metal basket. On site there are three, 18 hole champion-ship courses open daily from dusk till dawn, a pro shop and the Ed Headrick Memorial Museum. The courses are meticulously cared for, and the fully stocked pro shop offers affordable discs with prices starting at $5. Ed Headrick is known as the “Father of Disc Golf,” and the museum displays

heirlooms from the beginning of the sport. Karolyn O’Cull is the office manager and will help you have the best pos-sible experience. “We have a pavilion outside, and there are a couple of grills so you can bring charcoal and grill out for lunch. We have a practice area out back, and there are also video archives so that people can hang out inside,” says O’Cull. I must admit that my disc golf skills are not quite up to par, but I enjoyed browsing through the museum that showcases many historical relics from the early days of the sport. I learned the first flying disc actually came from a pie pan.

2nd stop: Crossing over the border into South Caro-lina can transport you into a feeling of another time with

an old fashioned drive-in movie the-ater, Big Mo. Located about 45 miles away in Monetta, S.C., is the authen-tic drive-in theater experience. This unique theater is open Friday through

Sunday and has two screens to choose from. Each screen plays a double fea-ture of current box office movies for $7, cash only. Yes, that is two recent movies for only $7. Check out their website, www.thebigmo.com, for each weekend’s movie listings. There is nothing else quite like it. I drove up to the ticket booth and own-ers, Richard and Lisa Boaz, were there to greet me and direct me to my screen. “The drive-in opened originally in 1951,” says Boaz. “It ran more or less continuously until 1985. We found-ed in 1998 and opened in 1999. The screen had big holes in it, and the roof was gone off the concession stand. There were big trees growing up ev-erywhere so we had to fix all of that in that year. In 2005 we added the sec-ond screen, and we are hoping in 2011 we will be able to add a third screen.” The movie starts at 7:45 p.m., so I parked my car in the second row along with the many other cars and got com-fortable. To listen to the movie I ad-justed my car radio to the proper sta-tion specific to my movie screen and

the pole hole drive-in theater signdiscs available at pro shop

10 Spring 2011

was able to turn the volume up as loud or as soft as I preferred. I leaned my seat back, rolled down my window and hung my feet out. I was comfortable and ready to watch the movie under the stars. I even an-swered my cell phone call without evil stares from the other moviegoers. At the fully stocked concession stand, I ordered delicious chili-cheese fries and satisfied my late night hunger craving during the second movie.

3rd spot: My next excur-sion is in the quaint town of Washington, Ga., around 50

miles and roughly an hour away. Retro Cinema and Books is one of the most unique places around and is more than what meets the eye. The first clue is the giant “Gone With the Wind” mu-ral painted on the outside of the brick building. The family-run affair offers a retro atmosphere complete with a full ser-vice antique hand-carved wine bar, 60-seat movie cinema and a bookstore filled with a blend of classic and rare books mixed with bestsellers. Old Hol-

lywood memorabilia fill the walls and every inch of the extraordinary build-ing. It ranges from Marilyn Monroe, Don Knotts and Pat Boone, just to name a few. Every inch, even the re-stroom, is embellished with vintage movie posters, movie reels and a life size replica of Elvis inviting you to the bar. A vast movie memorabilia collec-tion, and the love of history, film and books led Richard and Dana Kibbey to open their dream establishment. Vin-tage favorites and new release docu-mentaries are just some of the movies shown. They come straight from the owner’s personal collection as well as major film distributors. Movies and special events are held mostly on the weekends. Check the website or sign up for email remind-ers about special event updates at www.retrocinema.net. Admission to a movie is $6.50. Popcorn and soda, including the retro Tab soda, are of-fered at the concessions in the back of the theater. On my trip, I was dazzled by the dé-

cor as I leisurely browsed through the bookstore with a glass of wine from the exquisite bar. When showtime was announced, I drifted over to the com-fortable, as well as state of the art, the-ater with beverage in hand. You feel as though you are watching a movie at home with a group of friends, and no one rushed home when the credits

rolled. 4th stop: The next stop will land you as close to the dream of beaches on the coast as pos-

sible within 30 minutes of Augusta. Clarks Hill Lake is one of the largest inland bodies of water in the South. It is located in Lincolnton, Ga., roughly 30 miles away on US Highway 378 E. In a short drive, you can enjoy a relax-ing time of lying on the sand and go-ing for a swim. I packed a cooler with lunch and spent time appreciating the warm sun, sand and water. It is a nice little getaway from school and work.

5th stop: The last treasure on my map may be the farthest distance, but it is definitely a

great experience worth the travel. Fox

mural on retro cinema building wine bar Clarks Hill lake

Phoenix 11

Vineyards and Winery is located in Social Circle, Ga., about 100 miles away. This small family owned winery has been around for 25 years and pro-duces about 20 different wines. Kenneth Fuchs, manager, is the only non-family member working at the winery. They are open from Wednesday to Sunday with tours and free wine tastings from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Since they are a small business, it is easy to make any creation of wine that they happen to invent. One of their best sellers and my personal favorite is the Bonny Blueberry wine, made from 100 percent blueberries. It is sweet and tart at the same time. Their idea is to produce wines with a distinct character to complement traditional southern cooking. I traveled there on a Sunday and was pleasantly surprised that they were allowed to sell on Sundays. I was definitely going home with a bottle of the blueberry wine. These hidden spots around Augusta

certainly are treasures and well worth a visit. Inexpensive and nearby are two qualities that are hard to pass up. These businesses are also a great idea to visit year round, not just spring break week.

wine available for purchase fox vineyard

stained glass

Aimee Johnson is a senior communications major on the public relations track.

PDGA International Disc Golf Center Wildwood Park

3828 Dogwood Lane Appling, GA 30802

www.pdga.com/idgc

Clarks Hill Lake

US Highway 378 East Lincolnton, GA 30817

Big Mo 5822 Columbia Highway North

Monetta, SC 29105 www.thebigmo.com

Retro Cinema and Books 114 Spring Street

Washington, GA 30673 www.retrocinema.net

Fox Vineyards and Winery 225 Highway 11 South Social Circle, GA 30025

www.foxvineyardswinery.com

REAFFIRMATION:

ARE YOU GETTING A QUALITY EDUCATION

?Jeannen Hobbs investigates the meaning of QEP and why it is important to students.

Layout by Jeannen Hobbs

When students hear the term “reaccreditation,” feelings can range from growing horror to absolute indifference. Those about to graduate envision their degree being burned before their very eyes, failing to meet the standards required to secure a job in today’s competitive market. Well, students at Augusta State University can breathe a little easier. “We’re (ASU) not going to be reaccredited, our accreditation is going to be reaffirmed,” says Ray Whiting, assistant vice president of Institutional Research and Effectiveness at ASU. Whiting explains that to be reaccredited would mean that the institution had lost its accreditation. ASU is simply having its accreditation reaffirmed. According to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) website, this means that ASU must once again prove

that it complies with the standards and requirements set forth by the U.S. Department of Education Office of the postsecondary education accreditation division. As noted on the SACS website, range from evaluating the vision and purpose of the institute to its commitment to continuous improvement. If one of these requirements is not met, the institution will receive a warning in deficient areas, and in worse cases, the institution may lose its accreditation. There are two major components of this process, the compliance audit and the Quality Enhancement Program, also known as the QEP. According to Whiting, the compliance audit encompasses everything that has to do with the running of a university, including business, facilities, finance and even qualifications of faculty. He also said that the QEP seeks to enhance the quality of education by

creating a program that strives to improve the areas in which students are underperforming. These three letters have been displayed about the campus -- on posters, flyers and in emails -- but given little attention by the ones they were meant to engage, the student body. The QEP has received extensive promotions because it is the area where students can have the greatest amount of input. According to Whiting, anyone can submit a proposal – students, faculty, staff, the kid down the street-anybody. The initial proposal can be any length, and approach the solution to improve the areas of underperformance in any manner. Wesley Kisting’s QEP proposal was recently selected to be used at ASU for the next five years. Kisting is an assistant professor of English

Phoenix 13

and the founder of “The Caffeinated Brain,” an organization dedicated to stimulating discussions about anything from global disparity to classroom issues shared over a freshly brewed cup of Joe. In fact, it was the reoccurring comments of students about the fragmented campus atmosphere that encouraged Kisting to write a proposal. “The ideal is that on a physical campus, on a college campus, if you’re going to assemble people, most of those people should be walking around with a few tidbits that they could share with any other person on that campus, and that’s what a core is meant to do,” says Kisting. “To a very large extent the anecdotal evidence from my students is that that is not the experience at all.” According to Kisting, the program’s central focus is to create a shared basis of knowledge within the student population that leads to discussion outside the classroom, reinforcing what was taught and strengthening critical thinking skills. Each semester, students in core classes (areas A-E) will learn a little bit about a pivotal historical period, such as the Age of Enlightenment. The Age of Enlightenment, a time known for its support of logic and reason, absolutely transformed the mindsets of scientists, philosophers and mathematicians. Kisting believes fundamental time periods such as these can be studied in any major, creating points of reference for lectures, debates and presentations outside the classroom.

Although a QEP has been chosen, there are still other ways to get involved as a student. One of the most effective ways is to be on the promotions team. This group, headed by Dr. Debra van Tuyll, professor in the Department of Communication and Professional Writing, was formed to let students know about the QEP. Apart from submitting a proposal for the QEP or joining promotion efforts, students can also request to be a part of a SACS on-campus visit. During these visits, SACS team members come to the campus to speak directly with the students. These interviews can be in a group or done individually, according to Robert Parham, dean of Katherine Reese Pamplin College of Arts and Sciences. The questions asked by the team members are vast and varied, but all focus in on one question, “Are you getting a quality education?” “It may not be a single question, but when you add all the answers up, that’s what it’s going to add up to or not,” Parham says. “There may be specific issues, that are typical student issues; what they are going to try to do from the sum of those questions is to be able to determine the belief or the lack thereof, by students, about what they come here to get, which is a good education.” Joyce Jones, vice president of student affairs, and the Student Government Association may suggest students to be interviewed for the visit, but the SACS team can request to speak with any student they choose. From the group

discussions initiated by the SACS team, a student may be chosen to get a further understanding of a topic covered in the group setting, or they pick a new student to question about a different topic all together. According to Whiting, students wanting to be considered for these interviews should start by making their request known to the vice president of student affairs. Contrary to popular belief, the central focus of the reaffirmation process is not about deans or people in high places making decisions no one cares about. It is about engaging the institute to ensure the student is receiving a quality education. How can that goal be accomplished unless the student voice is heard? The quote at the end of almost every public safety email sent by Jasper Cooke sums it up; “The student is the most important person on this campus. Without them there would be no institution. We are dependent on them. They are not to be hurried away so we can do our own thing. They are not an interruption to our work but the purpose of it.”

Wesley Kisting, assistant professor of English

Ray Whiting, assistant vice president of Institutional Research and Effectiveness A

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Jeannen Hobbs is a senior communications major on the public relations track

14 Spring 2011

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Phoenix 15

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16 Spring 2011

Granny is likely to push this harder than her kitten Christmas sweater and more than willing to involve the whole family. It is the latest fad-turned-trend for people of all ages. The name of the game is remodeling, and many homeowners are doing it. The advantages of saving money have motivated many homeowners to consider do-it-yourself remodeling. In complicated economic times like these, when penny-pinching gains priority, contracting out a paint job may put a strain on the discretionary income. With popular television shows like Design on a Dime and Renovation Nation, it appears easier to get the professional look without the professional price tag. However, there are some factors to consider before undertaking any remodeling project, no matter the size. Two of the most important factors to take into consideration are time and cost.

“Figure out how much time it’s going to take you, figure out how much money it’s going to take you, and then double both of those numbers,” says Hubert van Tuyll, chair of Augusta State University’s Department of History and long time home renovator. Van Tuyll enjoyed renovating his home, and after he weighed the pros and cons of a do-it-yourself job versus a professional job, he decided to try out his skills by starting with his bathroom. Decked out in old clothes with crowbar and sledgehammer in hand, he stripped the bathroom of the old tile. However, he quickly discovered that the wallboard and subflooring needed to be replaced as well. About the same time he started this project, he was given the extra responsibility of church music director. This ate up most of his free time, and as a result, the project took about a year to complete. He acknowledged that

the reality ofREMODELING

Jeannen Hobbs weighs the pros and cons of the do-it-yourself revolution.

Layout by Stephanie Lammers

under different circumstances, it would not have taken him as long. As van Tuyll’s story proves, life happens. The best-laid plans often go awry; that is true of any task. When starting a home project, beginners may break materials, damage countertops or stain carpets. There may be no way to prevent these errors, but calculating them into the overall budget could save time and energy. Valdosta Alston, a Spanish teacher, wife and mother of three, has been actively remodeling her home since 2005. It all started with a rash decision one Wednesday night while her husband was away for the evening. Armed with a paintbrush and a few hours to spare, Alston painted her entire kitchen. Once the walls were painted, there was no turning back. Her husband was slightly apprehensive but liked how the kitchen looked after a new coat of paint.

Phoenix 17

“On TV, they do it in like an hour or 30 minutes or whatever,” Alston says. “My very first job, I thought it would take about three days; it took me two weeks.” In the kitchen, faux-marble countertops painted black covered with swirls of gold and sealed by a clear finish of polyurethane replaced the cherry wood surfaces; new cabinet handles and a pot rack bought off eBay still receive compliments today. Going for a chic look on a tight budget, Alston remodeled her kitchen for about $30o—thousands less than a professional job. “I got a lot of my ideas from shows like Trading Spaces and Design on a Dime,” she says. “After that, I started watching HGTV so much I got to thinking ‘I want my house to look different’.” It is no surprise Alston would be interested in these shows. According to the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau website, the target audiences for Home and Garden Television are people between the ages of 25-54, particularly women. These women generally have higher incomes, and therefore, they have the excess money to take on new projects. “The popularity of the show (HGTV network) was due to two things that kind of go hand-in-hand: our distribution and increased viewership,” says Emily Yarborough, public relations manager at HGTV’s Tennessee headquarters.

“In 1995 we reached 10 million homes, and by 1998, 25 million.” HGTV got its start in December 1994 and far exceeded the expectations of producers by out performing all projections, according to Yarborough. The network now reaches about 99 million viewers worldwide. “That doesn’t mean that 99 million people are watching our station all the time,” she says. “It just mean we have the ability to reach that many.” HGTV is just one way to start on the road to renovation. Checking out the network’s website, visiting the local home improvement store or buying a book pertaining to the repairs are a few other ways to get an idea of the task ahead. Remember, on any road unexpected bumps and accidents can occur, but like car insurance, budgeting these setbacks from the beginning can offset the repercussions later. Start small, research the project and have fun.

Jeannen Hobbs is a senior communications major on the public relations track.

ACheap Trick to Spruce up the Dorm:

Cover your walls with fabric

Tired of a dull dorm room, not being allowed to paint or put holes in the walls? This simple project is sure to give any drab dorm a splash of color. This modified do-it-yourself project and more exciting ideas can be found at 100 totally Awesome DIY Projects for your dorm room at onlineuniversity.com.

Supplies:

• About 4-6 non-stick hooks

• Fabric the size of the wall or a decorative bed sheet

Instructions:

• Place non-stick hooks evenly along the ceiling perpendicular to the wall that would have been “painted.”

• Make .5-inch slits in the fabric about 2.5 inches from the top of the material.

• Loop the fabric through the hooks on the ceiling and let it hang.

Side note: If the material is not very rigid and you want to hide the hooks, make a stiff border by folding 4 inches of material from the top in half for a 2-inch border, and stuff it with cotton or an old shirt.

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18 Spring 2011Alston’s refurbished dining room table, bought at Habitat Restore

The Avett Brothers

From the Bar to the BellAimee Johnson interviews a band that started at the bottom and rose to the top

Layout by Aimee Johnson

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In the music world full of bus-tle and buzz with elaborate ploys and performances, one band, The Avett Brothers, stands apart. Without the smoke and mirrors, The Avett Brothers came togeth-er in 2001, and over the past 10 years have compiled an impres-sive track record and built up a sizable following of loyal fans with minimal marketing and pub-licity. The band consists of brothers Scott and Seth Avett from Con-cord, N.C., and they broadened their brotherly harmony together with Bob Crawford. In 2001, Bob Crawford had just returned to school to study jazz guitar, and he began playing the bass. A mutual friend introduced him to the Avett’s who were look-ing for an upright bass player to add as another member for the band. “I got in touch with Scott and auditioned for them,” Crawford says. “We started playing togeth-er 10 years ago in March.” In 2007 the trio also added cello player, Joe Kwon, to their lineup. Scott and Seth are principally identified with vocals, acoustic guitar and banjo, but both broth-ers also play piano, drums and mostly anything with strings. However, the songs and honest

lyrics they write together are the brothers’ finest skill set. The lyrics to “Salvation Song” are a mission-style statement of their purpose. “They may pay us off in fame/ But that is not why we came/ And if it compromises truth then we will go.” Crawford humbly elaborates on their goal and reason for their music. “It is a matter of doing it as long as it makes sense. As long as we feel what we are doing is mean-ingful and has integrity, we will keep doing it.” Live in concert, the ensemble tears through songs with rowdy energy, popping banjo and guitar strings right and left. Enthused audiences sing along and appear to know every word by heart while they cannot seem to stand still. The heart and energy with which the songs are belted-out may be a clue as to why so many sing along. Scott and Seth’s songs are brotherly harmony at its best. They have created a seemingly indefinable music genre. They themselves do not even know what to call it. “I don’t define it,” Crawford says. “I leave it to the people who are listening. I think it has con-stantly been evolving to some ex-tent, and it is up to whoever wants

to have an opinion on it.” Their music is said to have a di-verse combination of folk, blue-grass, punk and rock influences, with which they have amassed an impressive proliferation of hon-est lyrics. They debuted in 2000 with a self-titled, six-song, EP. They then distributed a full-fledged album, “Country Was,” in 2002. The heart of their catalogue is the five albums and three EP’s that followed. Their newest album, “I and Love and You” (2009), is their first on a major record label, Columbia/American. The band collaborated with mega-produc-er, Rick Rubin, and the album has been prominently displayed in Starbucks all across the country. Their albums offer a generous 112 songs amongst them. Crawford says they are current-ly working on a new album but of-fers no more information other than they just began the process. They will continue to work with Rubin on the upcoming album. “He [ Rubin] is a part of our team now, and his full extent of involvement has yet to be deter-mined, but we very much consid-er him a friend at this point, he cares about what we are doing,” Crawford says. The Avett Brothers career has evolved dramatically from where it started when Scott, Seth and Bob went on the road to land any gig they could find. Back in 2003, Matt Flynn opened the downtown Augusta bar, Stillwater Taproom, located on Broad Street. He wanted to have a bluegrass, Americana type feel to the music played in his bar. Flynn scoured the Internet look-ing for regional bands who would be interested in coming to play. He came across a small band from North Carolina, The Avett Brothers. “They looked kind of interest-ing,” Flynn recalls. “I figured I would give them a shot, and they came down and played, and the rest is history.” In August of 2003, Scott, Seth and Bob played at Stillwater M

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Seth Avett, Bob Crawford and Scott Avett at Stillwater, 2005

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with a $3 cover fee for patrons. The first time the Avett Brothers played in the small bar, Flynn re-members that they were really nice guys. They started to play a couple of songs on the small stage in the front corner of the bar. “Not too many people were pay-ing attention,” Flynn remembers, “but then they started playing “The Traveling Song,” and no-body knew the song, but they got into the part where they started yelling out towns and they just started screaming and stomping and jumping around on stage. They basically commanded atten-tion from there, and the whole bar turned around and was into them.” Stillwater’s small stage area was not conducive for The Broth-er’s rowdy style, but that did not deter them from staying true to their unrestrained performance. “They can get up and scream with the best of them,” Flynn says, “but some of their really deep-down touching songs are pretty amazing. They have some beautiful ballads.” Flynn booked the crowd- pleas-ing band to play six times between the years of 2003-2006. “Every time they got bigger and bigger,” Flynn says. “It is like peo-ple knew that they were a good quality band.” Crawford remembers their time spent at Stillwater and cred-its them with helping their career grow. “It was a great period of our career. We had really wonderful nights there; it was a lot of fun,”

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Crawford says. The Avett’s popularity outgrew the small bar, and the venue size in Augusta had to increase to ac-commodate the crowds. They booked two shows at a larger bar in downtown, The Mission (now Sky City), in February and Sep-tember of 2006. They reappeared again in November of 2007 to perform at an even larger venue, Imperial Theater. The Avett Brothers returned to Augusta in 2009 to play a sold-out show at the Jessye Norman Riverwalk Amphitheatre, on the Savannah River in downtown, on September 18. That day it poured down rain right up until show-time, but loyal fans still arrived anxious to hear them play. “They are huge,” Flynn says. “They are actual rockstars now.” Over the years, The Avett Broth-ers have built a sizable following,

not just in Augusta but around the country. They have toured and sold out shows from California to New York, as well as the UK. Nick Blume, 27, is a loyal fan and Avett Brother advocate. He first discovered the band in 2007 by a recommendation from his brother. “I enjoy The Avett Brothers be-cause of the honest and simplistic lyrics,” Blume says, “but mostly because of the high energy shows that just make you forget about everything else.” Since then, he has attended six concerts in various cities around the South. He also plans to see them two more times this March. “I typically tell people who have never listened to The Avett Brothers to check out one of their live shows to get the full effect,” Blume says, “and if not, look up some videos of their performanc-

Joe Kwon, Bob Crawford, Scott and Seth Avett in California, 2009

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San Fransico, 2010

Phoenix 21

The Avett Brothers

with guest Langhorne Slim Sunday, March 27, 2011, 8 p.m.

The Bell Auditorium 712 Telfair Street

Augusta, GA 30901$37 per ticket

www.georgialinatix.com1-877-4AUGTIX

or at James Arena Box Office

www.theavettbrothers.com

Aimee Johnson is a senior communications major on the

public relations track.

Scott and Seth at the High Sierra Music Festival, 2010Patr

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es. It is an easy sell from there.” An opportunity to see The Avett Brothers live, as Blume advises, is approaching on March 27 at Augusta’s Bell Auditorium. Eight years after playing at a small bar in downtown Augusta, the Avett’s have now advanced to filling the Bell Auditorium with loyal fans and hopefully newcomers who might soon convert. Their acclaim is found in the bars, the theaters, the music clubs and the festivals. Crawford credits the fans and listeners for their continued success. “It is the listener who the mu-sic touched,” Crawford says. “It is not so much the band who makes the music or the person who wrote the song, as it is the listen-er who has created that meaning, whatever it may be.”

22 Spring 2011

“The first time I saw it was when we had the dedication back in September. It was startling. It really was. Almost like you stop breathing kind of startling. I’m really basically a shy person, and I don’t like notoriety too much. So when they approached me about the art gallery having my name on it, I was just very shocked,” she says. The art gallery in Washington Hall, formerly known as the New Space Gallery, was dedicated in honor of Byrd

on September 30, 2010. She has been a long time supporter of art and music at Augusta State University. According to Byrd, she created two scholarships for Augusta State University, which at the time was Augusta College. One was for art and one was for music. These scholarships allowed Columbia County students to attend the school tuition free. “She does things like this out of the goodness of heart,” says

Alan MacTaggart, chair of the art department. According to MacTaggart, when the art department moved to Washington Hall almost four years ago, the need for a gallery was recognized, but naming it proved to be difficult. “You just don’t name something after a friend. You do it because somebody made a significant difference,” MacTaggart says. “She was just an intelligent, sweet

For Mary Byrd, having an art gallery renamed in her honor was simply breathtaking. Tanisha Cropper talks to this long-time supporter of the arts.

What’s in a Name ?Photos & Layout by Tanisha Cropper

24 Spring 2011

and kind person that was very knowledgeable and interested in the arts. She was well educated but not arrogant. Not somebody who isn’t totally approachable,” MacTaggart says, recalling his first impression of Byrd. Byrd, a lover of nature, pastels and the works of Claude Monet, was born in Augusta, Ga. She and her husband of 54 years, Joe Byrd, have two sons, four grandchildren and one step-granddaughter. They live in a compound type of setting in Columbia County on several acres where Byrd has about 11 peacocks strutting around. Byrd and her family own Southern Beverage Packers Incorporated, a water and soft drink bottling company, which has been the family business for about 15 years. She is a very active member of First Baptist Church of Evans. She serves with mission outreach and writes her own inspirationals. She says that a publisher is currently looking at some of them to see if she could get a collection of them published. Byrd was influenced by the arts at an early age. She speaks of coming from a family that loved classical music, hence her love for it now. She remembers going to concerts at The Bell Auditorium as a child, growing to really love the music. As far as art is concerned, Byrd says that was something that just grew. “In elementary school you’re given a piece of paper and some crayons. You have your little eight box of crayons, and the teacher says, ‘We have some free time, so draw whatever you want to,’ and I would always draw a house, and it would have smoke coming out of the chimney. There would be tulips all lined up across the front of the house, and then there would be this huge tree by the side that was probably full of apples. Well, all of it didn’t blend as far as the seasons were concerned,” Byrd says laughing. Byrd is inspired by Lynell Widener, who is a dear friend of hers and a well-known artist in the area. “She has been more of an inspiration than anyone I can speak of,” she says. “She opened my eyes so I could appreciate art in nature. Not just a canvas with painting on a wall, but in looking at God’s world and seeing all the beauty that he has created for us to

enjoy. It’s just amazing.” The idea to create her scholarships came about while Byrd and her husband were drawing up their wills. Their attorney asked them if they would like to name someone as their benefactor, and when Byrd wasn’t sure who she could name, the attorney suggested Augusta College. His suggestion got Byrd thinking. “I think I looked away from him for a moment, and I looked back at him and said, ‘The art department,’” she says.Byrd says that with the help of ASU’s art department, she was able to get everything set up. At times over the years, Byrd has been able to hand out certificates to the recipients of her scholarship during an honors night. “The students were just beaming,” she says. “You could see it in their eyes that they were just extremely happy and thankful. That’s what makes it all worthwhile—when you see the student’s face, and you look at their eyes and you can see that they are looking into the future and with great hope too.” To Byrd, that is an outstanding part of being able to do what she does. She remembers when Augusta State University was the Augusta Arsenal during World War II. “I was just a very small child. We would ride by, and I would look where the front gate is now. It’s always been the entrance. It was a forbidden place. Never did we dream that it would evolve into what it is today,” Byrd says as she reminisces. Byrd also has a junior garden club, made up of 49 third graders from the Episcopal Day School, which she meets up with once a month. In these meetings, she leads studies in nature and the appreciation of the world. It brings joy to Byrd to be able to open up a child’s eyes to what is around them. “Open up your eyes,” she says. “You might be seeing, but are you really looking?” Byrd has visited the home of Claude Monet, a French impressionist painter, outside of Paris, where she was greatly inspired. Although she does not travel as much as she used to, her favorite place to visit is England. “The people are just wonderful,” she says. “They’re friendly, and they have a

wonderful sense of humor.” Byrd considers her greatest accomplishment to be raising her two sons to maturity and her grandchildren. Many of Byrd’s relatives are working in their family’s business, and one of her grandchildren attends ASU. “I’m very proud of my grandchildren,” she said. “It is an accomplishment to be able to raise children who give back to society and who are accomplishing things.” If there is anything Byrd wants people to know about her, it is that she leads more with her heart than she does with her head. She considers herself a very compassionate and caring person who likes to see people accomplish their goals. “I think that people need to look within themselves and find out who they are and find out what they can accomplish under their own power through focusing also on God as the one who is in power,” she says. She says her family is very happy about her being honored, and they believe that she deserves something like this. “I didn’t know that when I first got started with the scholarships back in 1987 that it would end up like this,” Byrd says.

Tanisha Cropper is a senior communications major on the public relations track.

Phoenix 25

You’re propped up on your couch, lazily watching TV as a commercial comes on the screen. It’s a charity commercial seeking your donations to save the environment. Your eyes begin to droop with sleep when the announcer says, “Please make your donations to prevent the extinction of the Aye-Aye.” Your eyes open in a flash. “The ‘Aye-Aye’? What the heck is an Aye-Aye?” Your curiosity has been piqued, and you cannot resist the urge to find out about the Aye-Aye. You grab your

laptop, open your browser, head to Google and type ‘Aye-Aye’ into the search box. The search is instant and the page loads when... “Ugh! Goodness, that’s an ugly-looking animal!” After your initial shock at the sight of this lemur-relative with abnormally large eyes and ears, you have to learn more about this strange little beast. Why? You don’t really know, but Wikipedia can be easily pulled up, so you might as well check it out. We can all admit to having taken a similar action at least once. Whether

it was a word you didn’t understand on TV, a random question that has bothered you for years or an unconventional problem for which you needed an answer; almost everyone has gone to Google at least once for the solution to their information needs. In fact, our obsession with the use of the search engine has created a new verb and phrase in the American vocabulary: “to Google.” Why is that? When did everyone start relying on the all-knowing Google for all of our informational desires? Google was created in 1998 by

THE SEARCH

CONTINUES...Online medical records, driverless cars, relationship advice.

Christina Rodriguez explores the world that Google, Inc. has to offer.

Art by Christina Rodriguez Layout by Adrienne Thomas

26 Spring 2011

founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, according to Google.com’s corporate profile. The web site declares, “Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” It is to this end that Google has expanded upon its humble search engine that was operating on the servers at Stanford University to become the world’s largest search engine. However, Google is no longer just a search engine. The company has branched out much farther than that, as can be seen in all of its available services-some of which you might not be familiar. Besides the search features and email that most people know about, Google has a plethora of other services available to its users. Google Docs is a feature that allows you to create and share documents, spreadsheets and presentations online with other users in order to make collaboration easier. With the free Google Health service, you can organize all your medical records online and even connect data directly from your participating doctors, hospitals and pharmacists. SketchUp, which enables you to make 3-D models of just about anything, also has a pro version that includes features for creating blueprints and other materials for professional use. Lastly, Google’s Talk service allows you to chat and make calls to your friends and family through your computer as if you were dialing from a phone. This is only a small sampling of all the free products available under Google’s name. Google’s expansion even goes beyond the computer screen as it tests the mobile waters by getting involved with Hybrid Technology cell phones and the Android market. The biggest leap in scenery for Google might just be its new project with driverless cars. Edmund’s Inside Line, an online news source for car enthusiasts, states in its Oct. 12, 2010 article titled “Google’s Driverless Car: The Next Alternative Vehicle?” that Google has already begun extensive testing of their completely automated

cars in the tricky environments of San Francisco and other traffic-heavy areas with the hopes of improving safety and the environment. It seems Google might be bringing the future along faster than we thought. Back in its primary kingdom online, the extent to which Google searches have taken root in our daily lives can be seen in some of the new Bing commercials that present people spewing out endless amounts of information at the mention of a single word. When ASU students were asked to divulge some of the strangest and most random bits of information they have ever searched in Google to see how much input we seek from the online giant, they answered: “How to break up with somebody.” “What happens when you pet a cockatoo on the back?” (Apparently, the student had a family pet lay an egg on him after he did just that.) “How to avoid giving somebody a ride.” “Why are buffalo wings called buffalo?” You only need to look at the search suggestions box once you start typing in Google to see some of the craziest searches that have been submitted by other users. Some of the suggested results range from silly jokes to obscenities. You might even discover suggestions for an unexpected alter ego. Amanda Vincent, a biology major, says, “I Googled myself and apparently I’m a famous seahorse researcher.” Why aren’t we going to our friends with these questions instead of resorting to an Internet search engine? Is the search for answers online becoming detrimental to the role that peers had in consultation? Dr. Stephen Hagan, an assistant professor of sociology at Paine College, says that research is currently showing that the Internet is not replacing social relationships, but it is transforming them. Young people are not “solely going to Google for personal questions,” says

Hagan. Internet searches are used as an aid, which is not something new in his opinion. Books covering topics of personal issues were also used as aids to peer advice but as Hagan states, “Now with the internet, we have access to more information at our fingertips.” As for seeking relationship help through an Internet search, Hagan is not surprised. “Relationship advice has always been around,” says Hagan. Whether it is letters to Ann Landers, Dear Abby or the letters section of Seventeen Magazine, people have always sought expertise on the topic. According to Hagan, “People are always going to look for outside expertise, and everyone is an expert on the Internet, but the problem with the Internet is it’s hard to distinguish who is or is not a true expert.” Hagan emphasizes our responsibility in dealing with these many views. The Internet can give many more opinions, and you can literally get hundreds of responses to a question online. Hagan says that the information and knowledge the Internet provides can be good or bad depending on whether or not an individual accepts it ‘as is’ or chooses to investigate it further. Whether you are looking for your next car or looking for your next date, trying to find the name of that song stuck in your head or discovering the answer to a childhood question, Google is ready to provide you with countless results and information for your needs. However, how much value you place on each of these findings is up to you. So, contrary to popular belief, Google isn’t going to take over your mind, or the world, unless you allow it to. However, you should probably still keep an eye out for those driverless cars riding next to you.

Christina Rodriguez is a senior communications major on the public relations track

Phoenix 27

Stand on any street in Ireland. Throw a stone. Hit a pub’s door.

Pubs, or “public houses,” are everywhere in Ireland. As commonplace as the forty shades of green and the sheep that enjoy lazy living, pubs are a staple of Irish culture. While there are a multitude of beautiful ruins, castles,

countryside and cobblestone roads to explore in Ireland, it is impossible to ignore the pertinence of alcohol. The green patchwork quilt of Ireland’s landscape may indeed be stitched together by the bonds formed in pubs.

While there are different sized cities and towns across the Republic of Ireland, all the pubs therein feel like home. If planning a trip to Ireland, consider visiting several, even if only to enjoy one pint and some crisps. It is a

valuable experience in and of itself.To make the foray into a pub easier, here are some basic guidelines as to how pubs operate and how to make the most of the pub experience.

a traveller’s guide toirish pubsStory & Layout by Adrienne Thomas

A variety of tasty Irish potables from King’s Head Pub in GalwayAd

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before you head to the pub: Most pubs open at noon. Many serve traditional bar food, such as fish and chips or stew, so head on down to the local pub to start the day out with a hearty meal and a pint. One exception is on Sundays, when pubs do not open until after mass service concludes. This is usually around 3 p.m. One day of the year that is impossible to find an open pub is Christmas Day. Until 2010, Good Friday also kept pub doors closed. Maybe in a few more cen-turies, the Irish can gallivant in pubs on December 25 as well. Ireland’s bartenders are fairly lax in checking identification, but the official law is that one must be 18 to drink in a pub. That being said, it is relatively common to see pre-teen aged boys

drinking with their fathers in many small-town pubs. According to Orla, a bartender in Newport, County Mayo, most pubs allow minors to drink inside as long as they are accompanied by a family member. They will not, how-ever, allow minors to become grossly intoxicated. An alternative to pubs are nightclubs. They are generally found in more “tour-isty” cities and in college towns, such as Galway. These clubs can be loads of fun, but they do not differ much from clubs in other European cities, so there may not be as much cultural contrast in visiting these. They are much more expensive as well. Stick to pubs for the real Irish social experience. There are also “off-license” shops

that sell beer, wine and liquor to take home. These shops typically open early and close early. While driving under the influence is illegal in Ireland, it is permissible to have an open container in the vehicle as long as it is in the pas-senger side compartment. However, as a tourist, it would definitely be advis-able to not test the limits of the Gardaí’s kindness in this case. Speaking of the Gardaí, or Irish po-lice force, it is quite common to meet a member of the force should one be drinking on the streets or driving drunk. The Gardaí tend to act first and ask questions later. Like virtually anywhere else in the world, it is best to avoid all contact with the police. der

you’ve found yourself on a barstool: First and foremost, there is no smok-ing allowed in Irish pubs or any Irish public space for that matter. Ireland was the first country in the European Union to ban smoking in public places. Most pubs, however, offer a beer gar-den or impromptu smoking area in the back of the business. Pubs offer a variety of beverages. If it is “too early” for a pint, most bars gladly serve tea with milk, fresh coffee or soda in glass bottles. Most commonly, however, pub pa-trons will be seen holding a pint of draught beer. The most popular beers are Guinness, a dark and creamy stout brewed in Dublin, and Bulmers, a light and crispy hard apple cider produced in Clonmel, County Tipperary. Other common beers include Harp lager and Smithwick’s red ale. One pub to check out is the Porter-house Brewery. There are several lo-cations of this brewery across Ireland. They brew their own beer at the Porter-house, including their Oyster Stout and their An Brain Blasta, which is an ale similar to an American IPA. In light of the continuing takeover of large brew-eries all over the world, it is a valuable

experience to enjoy a home-brewed pint. Rory, a bartender at the Dublin Temple Bar location, has been work-ing at this particular brewery for about five years. He explains, “People like to drop in for a taste of something differ-ent, after they have had their Guinness and are ready to taste what else Ireland has to offer.” Mixed drinks are also available at pubs, although these are not typically wallet-friendly purchases. For ex-ample, if ordering a rum and cola, the bartender will bring out a glass with just a few small chunks of ice with the rum poured over it, along with a small glass bottle of cola. The bartender will charge for the rum and the cola separately, which brings the price of this mixed drink to over twice that of a pint. Try an Irish whiskey, such as Jameson or Bushmills, with just a few ice cubes, for a more economical (and much more traditional) liquor drink. Now that the options are out on the table (or bar), how does one order at a pub? When a group of friends meets up at a pub “for a pint,” this really means that each person will end up drinking as many pints as there are members

of the group. The socially correct way to go out for a pint is for each person to buy a round until everyone has paid for a round. Five friends from work get five pints! Often upon entering a bar alone, within minutes a chummy patron will offer to buy a round: take him or her up on this! The Irish consider it rude to refuse a pint from a new friend. A word of warning, however: do not at-tempt to keep up with the Irish while drinking with them. They are far more experienced! Tipping for drinks at a pub is not mandatory, as it would seem in Amer-ica. The rules for tipping in Ireland vary, depending on the setting and the service. In smaller towns with older bartenders, tipping is considered rude. The bartender does not need to be “bribed” for doing his or her job. If the bartender has served several rounds, one suggestion is to leave enough mon-ey for another pint on the bar, and tell the bartender to have one for him or herself after the shift ends. In more tourist-driven areas and col-lege towns, however, tipping is more common. This is especially true in

Phoenix 29

last call:

nightclubs, where the bartenders are younger and are often not native to Ire-land. Clare, a bartender at the Ameri-can Bar on Inis Mór, understands the predicament that lies in tipping or not tipping for American tourists. Clare is from Michigan, where she made below minimum wage bartending and worked for tips. At the American Bar, however, she makes well above the minimum wage, so any tips she receives are used to pick up a pack of cigarettes or to take the ferry back to Galway.

Clare relates, “We are used to a small number of locals here who never tip us, but tourists will leave around one euro per round. Just let us know that the change is meant for us!” She says she has tracked down pa-trons to return their change to them, just to find out it was actually intended as a tip. “Locals never do this, so we do not know if you are forgetful or not,” she says. Most pubs do not provide table ser-vice, but if they do, it is more common to leave a tip for their work. Likewise,

if they do not provide table service but the bartender brings the drinks to the table anyway, leaving a tip at the bar might be a good idea. If in doubt, take a look around at other patrons. Are they giving the bar-tender a tip or pocketing the change? In contrast to bars in the States, the bartender will provide service with a smile with or without a tip from the pa-trons. Now, buy a round for you and your friends and toast, “Sláinte!”

Now, hours later, everyone has fin-ished buying a round for their group. If it is Sunday through Thursday, the pub will stop serving around 11:30 p.m., with about 30 minutes leftover for everyone to finish drinking. Dur-ing the weekend, however, pubs allow an extra hour for drinking. Nightclubs, which typically provide a dance floor and a more youthful at-mosphere, stay open as late as 2:30 a.m. Of course, people have also spent half the night waiting for drinks at the bar, so the extra time may not be that helpful. While there are no greasy spoons that serve eggs and waffles in Ireland, there are still options for late night din-ing. Once the pubs have closed their doors and the nightclubs have turned off the music, head to a kebob restau-rant where meat is conveniently served

on wooden skewers. The Charcoal Grill in Galway stays open until 4 a.m. most nights. The best option for late night eating is what the locals call “chippers.” These locally owned restaurants serve chips (read: potato wedges) with a variety of sauces like salt and vinegar, curry and garlic. Found in just about any mid-sized town in Ireland, chippers pack customers in as the pubs close, and they stay busy into the wee hours of the morning. In recent years, chippers have expanded their menus to include pizza, tandoori and other ethnic op-tions. A group of guys leaving Roisin Dubh, a popular night club in Galway, insisted that the chipper around the corner was the best place to eat late at night, but the line to get in the place was down the block. If that speaks to how popular these eateries are, if not

how delicious, than chippers are surely the best bet for late night noshing. Beyond eating to stave off a massive Irish hangover, all that’s left to do is to call a cab and get to bed. Thankfully, those Irish pubs will reopen around noon the next day, so there is no need to go too long without a good pint of Irish beer! Remember, while drinking in pubs is a vital part of any adult’s visit to Ireland, there is an endless amount of other amazing things to do. Try not to spend every night testing the clos-ing hours of the pubs so that the next morning can be spent enjoying all that Ireland has to offer, headache free!

Adrienne Thomas is a senior communications major on the public relations track.

The author with an Irish pub buddy, Auggie (who loves ‘77 punk too!) selection of draught beer

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Compassion mixed with a tender heart can often be a deadly weapon. Something that my heart can’t han-dle is homeless men and women. I must confess that I was not expecting to encounter a large amount of home-less people in Dublin. Much like any big city, there was a homeless person on almost every corner or bridge. Af-ter walking the streets of Dublin for two days, I noticed a variety of ethnici-ties and ages sitting on door steps or bundled up consumed by blankets in a corner. In the states, I have made a vow to never give money away. My mom would always tell me, “you never know where your money will go.” My problem, if it is one, is that I can’t just walk away. Instead of money, I try to give them food, clothing or some-thing to drink. My experiences in Dublin have changed my life and my views on homeless people in just two short days. I encountered several homeless people

who each had a different emotional ef-fect on me. Horrified by a stumbling man ap-proaching me, I automatically became defensive in the middle of Westmore-land Street. With a river of drool run-ning down his chin and a half empty bottle of wine in his hand, the man was slowly making his way to where I was standing. I had no idea what to do ex-cept observe the situation and prepare myself to ignore him. Unlike my fa-ther’s soft “scratchies,” the stubble this man had growing on his neck and chin appeared to be sharp enough to cut through glass. To my surprise, he was fully clothed, and his shoes were not worn, which made me wonder if this drunken state was out of the norm for this man. His lack of vocabulary as he was trying to make conversation with anyone who would listen proved my thought to be wrong. When he reached where my group was standing my heart began to race. Would I cry? Ignore him? Tell him to

leave? I did none of those things; I just stood there like a deer in headlights, si-lent and still. As he started to ramble, I opened my mouth to respond. I knew I didn’t want to, but I had no control over my actions. Luckily, a girl on our trip stepped in and told him to leave. I was so afraid, and for the first time I felt paralyzed by my words. Being afraid was one feeling I received from the homeless man, and the next emo-tion that would soon overtake my body was heartache. On my way to meet my professor for tea, I quickly trotted past a woman sit-ting underneath an advertisement sign. It was when I did a double-take, that I realized there was a small child in her lap. Almost instantaneously I felt my knees getting weak, and my eyes were locked on that baby. The temperature outside was nearing 50 degrees, and the baby girl’s face was clearly wind-burnt. They were sitting Indian-style in a swarm of blankets. The mother was holding a Styrofoam cup with her head

Craig Wightman’s sidewalk poem

Homeless, not Heartless

Mariam Tafazoli finds humanity on the sidewalks of Dublin.

Photo by Stephanie Lammers Layout by Adrienne Thomas

Phoenix 31

down. While walking by, you could feel the sense of embarrassment she felt begging for money while her child was locked in her arms. I do have one more confession to make; I wondered if this woman and her child were re-ally without a home, or if she thought her daughter could help bring in more change. I could not decide what to do in this situation; every part of my heart was telling me to stay, but my feet con-tinued to move in the opposite direc-tion. After seeing similar situations the more I walked around, I was ready for a change. In my sorority at ASU, side-walk chalk is a popular way of covering the campus with our Greek letters--a form of promotion if you will. So not surprisingly, when a few friends and I were walking along Graf-ton Street, my eyes quickly became magnetic. Like north and south poles, my eyes were attracted to a rainbow of colors on the ground. In the middle of

the sidewalk chalk rested a cup, and that is when I knew that this man was creative. He had written a poem about his life, and with this poem also came a life lesson. The words were carefully constructed and perfectly straight. His writing was consistent as though he had been practicing for days. His poem read:If you have the time, please read my poemto hear what it’s like to lose a homesimply lose your job, can’t pay the rentend up on the streets or in a tentI ran my own business for 16 great years until bankruptcy left me with nothing but tearsnot all homeless people are lazy or work shyafraid of a job or even bother to trybut we all deserve a second chance in lifeto find a job, a home, even children and a wifethere is always hope or so it seemsso never give in and abandon your dreamsuse whatever you have to get on your feetalways stay positive and never admit to defeat its hard to smile when inside you are cryingbut each and everyway just keep on tryingif you can help in any kind of way

the drop of a coin will brighten up my day. As my eyes filled with water, I knew I needed to know more about this man. Craig Wightman, of Dublin, is a man who lost it all but is not about to give up. He owned his own Car Courier com-pany in Dublin, which failed because of the recent state of the economy. After talking for a few minutes, Wightman said, “I’m here every day, in the same spot, doing the same thing, trying to work and earn some money.” This man was real and genuine and touched a place in my heart. For the first time that I can remember, I walked to his cup and placed some money in it. I said a prayer and continued walking. I will never forget moments like this.

Mariam Tafazoli is a graduate of ASU. She completed

her degree during a study abroad trip to Ireland in

the summer of 2010.

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32 Spring 2011

“Blue Peacock: a premium tea, known for its intense fruity notes, intoxicating aroma and remarkable depth of color. Its flavor offers hints of almond, vanilla and citrus with a smooth chocolaty finish,” Shelbourne Hotel menu. This tea was my choice at high tea at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin. Before coming to Ireland I had never heard of high tea or the Shelbourne, but my experience was mind-boggling. Dr. van Tuyll treated the Phoenix Magazine staff to this once in a lifetime experience. Our small group of six had a table reserved in the Lord Mayor’s Lounge. I was wearing a pair of jeans and a white sweater, and to say the least, I was underdressed.

However, as I strolled to the table, I felt like a million bucks. The walls were covered with cream-colored fabric, and the crown molding was detailed down to the littlest flower. One couch and four armchairs surrounded our table. They were all white with a floral design that had a polished finish. I chose the armchair at the head of the table and opened the menu with anticipation. The first page was a list of pastries and sandwiches that would be served with our tea. The following three pages were full from top to bottom of different types of teas. We each made our choices and began to chat about the magazine. I glanced down at the shining silverware and the fine china. I was at a real tea

party! The server brought out an individual teapot for everyone and placed a small strainer across the rim of every teacup. Beside the place settings was a little bowl that held the strainer when one was finished pouring their tea. I peered into my china teacup and watched the loose tea blend float in the strainer. I noticed the others pouring cream into their tea, so I did the same. I must admit, it was the best cup of tea I ever tasted. I could taste every ingredient mentioned on the menu. Just as I began to enjoy my first cup, the food arrived. A three-tiered china platter stood in front of me piled high with food. Four plump scones sat on the

Sipping From Fine China

Story and Layout by Stephanie Lammers

Ad

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Mariam Tafazoli, Adrienne Thomas, Stephanie Lammers & Dr. van Tuyll

Phoenix 33

bottom layer and were served with jam, butter and clotted cream. The middle plate was full of sandwiches that looked delicious. There were salmon and cream cheese bagels, egg and mayonnaise sandwiches and toasted French baguettes with avocado spread. The sweets were placed on the top of the platter. There were two glass cups filled with a thin layer of cake, strawberry gelatin and whipped cream topped with a brandy berry. Rich pieces of chocolate cake were cut perfectly. Brightly colored lemon macaroons were Mariam’s favorite, and lastly, cream puffs were topped with almond slivers. My mouth was watering, and I didn’t what to try first. Amazingly, everything that I tasted was delicious. We leisurely enjoyed our tea and goodies without a care in the world. These high tea rituals are unique, and as I continued my study abroad trip in Ireland, I had unanswered questions about Irish tea drinking. I found my answers unexpectedly at Writer’s Week in Listowel. I was having a Bailey’s coffee in the Arm’s Hotel, and two men in khakis sat at the end

of my table. They were sharing a pot of tea and began chatting about books. I waited until they took a breath and introduced myself. I told them about my experience at the Shelbourne. Both of the sophisticated men smiled and began to profess their love for tea. They informed me that high tea originated in England, but the Irish adopted this social gathering. Martin Delany, the gentleman closest to me, leaned back in his chair and said, “I couldn’t handle not having a tea everyday.” They informed me that the Irish are the biggest tea drinkers in the world with England closely behind them. It is a necessity for this country. “I have eight to ten cups of tea a day,” said John Kenny, the man sitting across the table from Delany. Kenny explained that the tea in Ireland is brewed fresh to order because it will stew if it sits too long. He sipped his tea and added another drop of cream. He explained that adding cream to one’s tea takes away the bitter taste. The Irish always pour the cream in

after the tea. However, the English put the cream in the teacup before adding the tea. Originally, the English did this because they drank from fine china and were afraid it would crack. Evidently this habit became part of a routine for the English; however, Kenny made it clear that tea tastes different if the cream isn’t added after. After chatting for awhile, they suddenly jumped up from their chairs, told me goodbye and said they were late to a book launch. Their tea break had come to an end. As they walked away, I reflected on our conversation. They helped me connect the history of this drink to present day tea gatherings. I will never forget sipping a cup of Blue Peacock with a splash of cream. It was a celebration for a successful year of the Phoenix and the beginning of a year for Augusta State’s magazine. Cheers!

Stephanie Lammers is a senior communications

major on the public relations track.

34 Spring 2011

wingspanis a section of The phoenix magazinedevoted to works of art produced by students,faculty, staff and alumni of augusta state university.

Lauryn Sprouse “When Paths Cross” 53” x 46” Oil on canvas

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How do I Know?

How do I know when I have lived my life to the fullest,

seen all life's wonders, avoided unnecessary turmoil?

When am I aware of my last shed tear, my final moment of

redemption, my triumph in glory?Will I be able to recogonize

myself beyond the opinion of a mirror, distinguish myself as an independent and successful

individual?Am I to say that the lack of love

we have for another will be a result in the lack of life we have

never lived?although according to us, life is

worth sinful living.Who are we to determine who

receives our hoarded hatred beyond fathering forgiveness...we so often forget that it is the

same forgiveness that paces through our very lungs of

longevity.How do we comprehend what we

have never been taught;the same way we love and hate

one another for no apparant reasons.

How will I know that my life was worth living?

As I gaze downward from heaven I will only remember the positive.

by Sydney T. Franklin

CONTRIBUTE TO THE PHOENIX MAGAZINEwe accept works of art, fiction,

non-fiction, poetry & good ideas

if interested, contact Stephanie Lammers at slammers@aug.edu or Adrienne Thomas at athoma18@aug.edu

LET YOURV O I C EBE HEARD